NO... I Don't Want to Deal with it... My Kids are Growing Up!

Ahhh.... I was reminded once again that my children are growing up - and quickly! This week my daughter who is a Senior in high school went to visit her grandparents. Yeah, I know... kids do that everyday... BUT I had to put her on an airplane and let her fly half way across the country ALONE! It was tramatic...I'm sure I sound like a whiny drama queen... maybe I am...

We are a close family, and really spend alot of time together. My daughters are some of my dearest friends!  Caitlyn has gone on trips before - even overseas without her daddy and I yet for some reason this time it was very difficult. I am pretty sure it was just because she went alone. The fact that she was old enough to travel all by herself really hit me hard. She is growing up. In many ways, I am so thankful. She is a beautiful young lady, with a beautiful personality and heart. She loves Jesus with all her heart, and seeks to please Him every day. I can't ask for any more. God has truly been good to me!

I am holding out with a little hope that when she is grown... God will put her somewhere near me... :) I know... I know... but one can hope...

Gratitude... Thankfulness... and no, it's not just that time of year!

It seems that God is really trying to tell me something these days... everything that I look at and study has to do with finding joy and freedom in Him. For a while it seemed as if that was elusive to me... that I was stuck in the circumstances of raising 6 crazy children and the multitude of responsibilities that accompany that... I felt and still feel at times that I am defeated, empty, and frazzled... but, I am HIS child - and He has not forsaken me!

Flash forward to my concern for my children... where is their thankfulness I often wondered... God struck my heart when I realized that they learn from example... I need to show my thankfulness - I need to give thanks to God - I need to find strength in the truth of His Word! They just might learn thankfulness and gratitude if I demonstrate for them...

 I can have freedom from the things that weigh me down... from the battle with perfectionism... Freedom isn't elusive... it is within grasp...if only through God and HIS TRUTH.

Giving thanks...praising Him... brings joy!..and not to forget that the joy of the LORD is my strength... Why has it taken me so long to put that together? I am seeing more and more things within my life that need to be addressed... God is putting His finger on those things through a study we are doing in our ladies' group... (Lies Women Believe) and through the realization today that I need to start a gratitude journal...

Pray for me, as I make a conscious effort to live a life of gratitude... of giving praise to my God that loves me and never forsakes me...

One of my favorite preachers... Dr. Finnigan in Canada!

This week I am sharing one of my posts from MomSCHOOL homeschool. So many mom's share this feeling... that I thought it would be appropriate!

Homeschooling, motherhood, being a wife … it can all be alot of stress. It doesn’t help that most of us self inflict that stress. I, for one,  am very guilty of that. I get it in my head that I have to something at a certain time, or in a certain way and if I can’t… Boy am I stressed!!! That isn’t anyone’s fault but my own. I don’t REALLY have to do those things in a set time frame, especially since I homeschool! I guess that comes from having a goal in mind that I think I should reach by a certain time. I usually let it really get to me… recently my precious Lord and even my family has been helping realize that this is not a healthy way of thinking. You see, I not only let that stress ME out… but it affects my family too!

Changing how I view my life is the first step, the second step is to change how I view homeschooling.  I must put my personal relationship with God and my family first. Any thing else is of secondary importance. If my family can’t see by my actions that they are more important than these other things… then I am inadvertently telling them that other things are more important than they are. These other things may be good – even great things. It could even be church related activities…  but if it takes away from necessary time with your family it could be too much. I have known missionaries who labored for Christ in distant lands,  but sent their children to boarding schools and lost them to bitterness and even a hatred for God. God is my strength, and in Him I find joy and peace. Yet, HE has given me my family – that is my DIRECT mandate from Him.

Secondly, I have to consciously MAKE time to cultivate relationships with those that I love. It seems like everyone is busy these days, and making time to show someone you care is even more important.  Time means so much…

Third, organize yourself. Organize your personal space, your home, and your homeschool. You can be more efficient when you can find what you need to complete a task. Organize your time – use a calendar that you can get to easily and put everything on it! Print out a calendar with important dates and place it on the fridge. Then everyone in the family can be on the same page.

Finally, make homeschooling work for you. Don’t allow homeschooling to be your task master. Yes, there should be goals and objectives and we should strive to help our children learn at their maximum potential… but that can be done without stress and worry! Make your goals, but be flexible to allow life to happen… and enjoy those different seasons of life before they are gone!

Sinfully Good?

My dear husband preached a few weeks ago that sin often starts with a look... well... this one sure did!!! I SAW it this morning, thought about it all day, printed it this afternoon, and tomorrow I will make sure that I get the groceries to make it! Then tomorrow night, I will revel in this sinful slice of dark chocolate... yummy... goodness...

Source: marthastewart.com via Jamie on Pinterest

Camp Fairview 2012

Once again, the kids had a great time at camp. It was such a blessing to see God work in their lives. There truly is no greater joy than to see your children worship God.

They say the craziest things....

Yesterday, my 14 year old daughter and my youngest daughter were swimming in our pool... When the sun went behind the clouds. My older daughter wished the sun would come back out because the water was so cold...and said to my little one..."Why did the sun go away?" My youngest, Chloe proceeded to tell her, " God sits on a chair, and that's what makes the sun." My oldest asked,"Well, where did the sun go?" and Chloe said, "God went to go get something..." Cammie, my older daughter, then asked her what He went to get...to which Chloe replied, "...a corn dog." I'm thinking we may need to do some review of our Bible lessons...

Cami my photographer!!

I know I wrote last time about how fast my children have grown... sure, it's sad sometimes... but ya know... It really is wonderful to watch these young ones grow into amazing adults. Sometimes I just can't believe what nice kids they are... of course, we have our moments- sometimes more than a moment!! but for the most part... they are really great "young" adults. I thank God every day for who they are becoming, the Lord knows my wicked flesh... and if it was left up to me I am sure that I would have messed them up! But God's grace has been so real in my life, and their lives... I am so thankful!

I just thought I'd share the great photos that Camie takes...

The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise [child] shall have joy of him.

Proverbs 23:24

My Little Ones...

Wow! It is so true... As a young mother many people told me to cherish every moment, because I would blink and they would be grown...this week the reality of that hit home... Over the past two weeks my oldest daughter took her ACT college entrance exams, and my next oldest gave a beautiful recital on the mandolin and violin. How did they get so big so fast? Just yesterday they were playing in mud puddles and cracking eggs on the sofa... These thoughts have made me more aware of how little time we are given with them... I am cherishing every moment...thank you Lord!

Blog Carnival of Homeschooling

Check out this week's carnival of homeschooling!! I have an article in it... see if you can find it!

Click this link...

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year...belated...

I guess you could say that I have pretty much drowned when it comes to this blog...and... I'm sorry... I have been working on two other sister web sites, and have rather let this one down... To all my readers (the faithful few) I apologize... another New Year's resolution in the works, but I hope to do better! :)

We had a great Christmas. It was absolutely wonderful to visit with family that I hadn't seen in a year and a half. Mom, Dad, brothers in law, and sisters were all a blessing and we had a wonderful time getting reaquainted with our nieces and nephews...

What a blessing family can be...

Thanking God today for faith, family, and friends...