The Hiding Place

If you have not read the book “The Hiding Place” I would strongly encourage you to pick it up from your local library! While I was browsing  a blog I follow I came across a post about Miss. Corrie Ten Boom and her autobiography “The Hiding Place”. I hadn’t ever heard of Corrie and I have a particular interest in the history of the holocaust.So I picked up the book.

This book was an amazing inspiration.The faith of Corrie and her dear Father and Sister is just so uplifting and encouraging.You see Corrie and her  family were put into a concentration camp for harboring Jews.I wont tell you too much so you can enjoy the read for yourself BUT one of  the parts that really touched me I just have to share.  Corrie was telling about her sisters unfailing thankfulness to God. The two sisters had been placed in a “dorm” with hundreds of other women, in filthy conditions and there beds were infested with fleas. Corrie was discouraged and maybe even a bit complaining and her sister told her that No, they must be thankful. Corrie began thanking God for the circumstances they were in and when she stopped her sister told her “even the fleas”.Her sister insisted she thank God for the fleas.At the time the two sister wondered why the guards never hardly came into their dorm.They were thankful for that lack of supervision  because they had smuggled in a Bible and could share it with the other women there and they did indeed hold prayer meetings. One day Corrie's sister found out that the reasons the guards wouldn’t come into there dorm was because the fleas were so bad there!Those fleas enabled those sisters to share Gods word and spirit with so many women.

I wonder how often I gripe about the “fleas” in my life.Instead of giving thanks for them.I am short sighted.I can’t see Gods whole plan for my life.I never know when those “fleas” are the very thing leading me where I need to be.

Lessons From the Little House

“Pa said “Look at that little half-pint!Who taught you to milk?” Nobody had taught Laura.She knew how to milk a cow;she had watched pa do it.”

I sat reading my Little house Treasury yesterday and this passage struck me for several reasons. First because I learn by seeing too.Please please don’t give me instructions and send me on my way!I just won’t get the job done.But let me sit and watch you work and I’ll pick it up. The other thing that struck me was how normal and right this seemed.If our children are part of our daily lives.Seeing us balance the budget,do the dishes,go to the grocery store,have arguments with our spouse,make up with our spouse, and all those other real life happenings then they will learn from it.Who ever thought it made sense to lock our children away for the majority of their growing up years just didn’t get it, in my opinion.Why lock them away from the world just to have to try to teach them about it sitting in a stuff old classroom?!

I’m truly truly thankful for the privilege, right and responsibility of teaching my kids everyday where they can be part of our life.Learning by seeing and doing. Its a privilege that God has given my husband and I these four children of His to teach and love and raise. Thankfully it is still a right in this country to make the educational choices for my children.I would hope there are enough of us out there who cherish this right that we will work to make sure it is never taken from us. We have been told by the world that we cant possibly do well enough for our children.They need “experts” to train and teach and raise them.Thankfully Gods views are not mens views.God has told us about OUR responsibility to teach our children.

Elder L.Tom Perry tells us

“ Teaching in the home is becoming increasingly important in today’s world, where the influence of the adversary is so widespread and he is attacking, attempting to erode and destroy the very foundation of our society, even the family. Parents must resolve that teaching in the home is a most sacred and important responsibility. While other institutions, such as church and school, can assist parents to “train up a child in the way he [or she] should go” (Proverbs 22:6), ultimately this responsibility rests with parents.”

I hope everyone else, whether homeschooler or not, can look at there children and really take ownership of that responsibility.I love teaching my own and I enjoy (almost) every minute of it ;0)

Isaiah

It hardly seems possible that 10 years ago my first child was born. He was so tiny and seemed so helpless.Thankfully though he was not as fragile as he looked! He survived my poor inexperienced mothering!

Isaiah was the most energetic child I had ever known!To be honest I was often at my wits end trying to manage the little guy.

He has always been a sensitive and caring child though .He truly has a servants heart.He is always lending a hand and asking what he can do to help.

Looking at him now I am starting to catch glimpses of a young man more and more and seeing my “little boy” less and less.I am so proud of the young man he is starting to become.I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful son! Happy Birthday sweetheart!

Marvelous Monday

Monday was a great day. A big portion of that came along with  the way I started my day. I got up early and worked out.Every time I get up it is a struggle.I am not a morning person.But when I put in the effort and get up early to workout I feel great the rest of the day!  On the school front it was a good and productive day.

We do science and history as a family. We have just started reading in “Story of The World” about the crusades.According to what we read when the Christian knights   did take Jerusalem during  the first crusade they were ruthless.Killing  thousands of Muslims and Jews.Many of whom were not soldiers. After reading this Isaiah (10) had some really great, thought provoking questions about how the Christian Knights took Jerusalem.

We have a curriculum we absolutely love for science called Noeo science. We havent been following the curriculum in recent weeks instead skipping around and using this as just another resource as we  follow new passions that have popped up :0) We have been studying reptiles the last few weeks using our curriculum,library books,internet  research and  studying our pet snake Nagini. As of last week the newest interest has been bats.So we have switched  to mammals and bats this week.Again with LOTS of library books,internet research and our curriculum as well.The best part about being flexible and letting the kids direct the topics we study is that really all I have done is made sure to give them lots of resources.They have read,and played and discovered everything on there own.Running back to me to share what they have learned occasionally :0)

All the other 3 R’s have been covered today.Then a trip to the library.Now the kiddos are enjoying some time playing out in the yard with the neighbors.It is SO good to be a homeschooler :0)

Schedules,Plans,Expectations and all those Other Things We Don’t Live Up To!

Some very interesting things have been happening in our homeschool the past few weeks.I say “interesting” because it sounds better than disturbing,disruptive or  annoying :0)

It seems in a few places each of my “students” has hit a wall.They have come up against a hurdle that I just didn’t plan for. How utterly unthoughtful of them! Did they not read my schedule?Did they not note the hours spent pouring over the computer.Typing in lessons and plans and DATES to be finished?

Times like these can be frustrating.Troubles like these can make even the most secure homeschool parent doubt there ability to educate there kids.BUT because God is good and loves us, times like these can do so much more.

They can challenge our kids to push past something that seems impossible.They can help us draw closer to and rely more consciously on the Lord.You see I rely on the Lord for each day that I have to teach these kids of mine, but how often do I forget that? Troubles like these can grow love between siblings as they strive to encourage and uplift each other.Situations like these can help us learn to be flexible,to laugh at our schedules and to let go of expectations.

  Yes times like these can be hard but if we let them they can be so much more.

Messy Month

August has been a long messy month so far. The hubs is away in California doing some training for the army.Its never fun and so far I have never gotten used to it.Don’t get me wrong I appreciate the pay check, the job security and the hard work my hubby does.But really this missing months of each others lives kinda sucks!

When Dad is away things tend to slide a bit :0) I find that I am not as concerned about picking up a mess or doing the dishes “right now”. Not that my husband is picky about these things! I think it has a lot to do with trying to take up his slack.When He is gone everything falls on my shoulders.When that happens I start picking and choosing what I will and wont do.By these pictures I’m sure you will be able to geuss what things don’t get picked quite as often!

This is Alyssa’s domain.When I am cooking she loves to open the lazy Susan and pull out cant to stack and roll across the floor!

Doesn’t she look happy with herself?Hehehe

Yeah and there are ALL the dishes from the day!Not one load has been run!I figure I’ll get to that…. before bed…maybe!

This is my girls bedroom.This tends to be one of the messier spots of the house.Which considering a 3 year old and a 1 year old share this room it isnt really surprising! I’ll get around to helping the girls pick up…eventually ;0)

Egg-cellent Experiments!

Oh how I love science!My kids get so excited to do experiments and the hands on stuff really helps them retain what they are learning! We have been talking about eggs and doing experiments with eggs this week.

Todays experiment was sucking an egg into a bottle.All you need is:

* A few hard boiled eggs (you cant get away with just one because the kids will want to do it Over and Over again)

*A bottle( mind you’ll want one that has an opening large enough to set the egg in without falling.But you will want it as close to letting the egg through as possible)

*a match and scrap of paper.

       First thing we did was try to guess what would happen when we placed the egg over the fire. Now Isaiah my oldest son always comes up with the funniest hypothesis.The funnier part is that he explains then in such a scientific way that you almost catch yourself agreeing with him!

Isaiah lit the match and I dropped the flaming paper into the old vitamin bottle.Justin sat the egg (narrow side down) on top and PLOP! it was sucked right in! After a few more PLOPS with eggs we started discussing how the hot air expands and when you set the egg on and the fire goes out the air begins to cool its volume decreases and SUCKS the egg right in!

After some discussion Justin still wasn't getting why the egg got SUCKED into the bottle.Then I got an idea. I said “ok Justin put your finger in your mouth but don't close your mouth. Now suck in.What happened to your finger?” Nothing was his response. I said “Ok well when the egg sits on the bottle the top closes around it.So close your mouth around your finger and suck in again.” This time his finger gets sucked right into his mouth! Now I know this isn't exactly the same thing going on LOL but it got the basic concept across to my six year old so I’m totally ok with it!

Keeping The Faith

I tend to go through cycles with my scripture reading.Sometimes I like to flip pages and open at random and read whatever is there before me.Then other times I search for old familiar favorites.Yet other times I start at the beginning wanting to get the feel of what happened when and what not.

Today I sat down to read.The house was still quiet.Only one of the kids was up at that point. Today was a “open up and see what you find” day. I like doing this because when I am praying about specific things it never fails that God leads me to just what I need to read.

Today it was Hebrews chapter 11.The whole chapter speaks to the trials,miracles and circumstances of the ancient prophets lives and the faith they had to have.It was a really inspirational chapter. The trials currently facing me were really put into perspective as I read. I was reminded that I need to have faith.To exercise and act on my faith.

Although our trials seem to be overwhelming at times it was also nice to read this chapter and be reminded that was never sold into slavery by my siblings (although my sister may have wanted to at times ;0),never had to labor in slavery waiting for Gods deliverance and was never asked to sacrifice my beloved child to prove my obedience to God. Yes,my trials are hard  at times.They test me.But in comparison they are small burdens to bare. Sometimes we need these reminders. I know I did today.