Shirt sleeves, sunshine, and soapsuds... again

Finally, this week has been so beautiful (warm) in Georgia. Not lots of sun,but warm enough to go out without a coat! The younger kids have been sneaking outside at every opportunity. We will be reading a school assignment, and I will go get something only to come back to an empty room. At first I thought, "Whoa ... where'd everybody go?" But then I heard hammering...they were all outside playing in Daddy's old wood pile and trying to build a fort. How fun is that? I always wanted a fort or a tree house when I was a kid...

Crazy... but fun - great memories to hold on to!  Well, sometimes... Last night the two little girls were taking a bath, and I stepped away for something (OK... I guess I need to stop stepping away). I came back to a tub full of suds, girls, and towels. When I asked rather impatiently what had happened, they said we were trying to wash our hair and the soap came out. Hmmmm.... Then I asked why the towels were in the tub with them. Their response,"We were cold." Huuuhhhh?  Oh, the complex mind of a child, some things I just don't even try to understand...

Holiday Hullabulu

I don't know about you... but it is crazy at our house.  Even more crazy than typical... and that is pretty crazy.  I love the holidays, but it sure does take its toll on our sanity and especially our schooling.  The kids really do not want anything to do with "work."  They have holiday fever! Really bad...

I'm not sure what you do during the holiday... but I have decided that our homeschool needs some help.  I plan on doing some "out of the box" things over the next few weeks.  An attempt at getting the kids to settle down, and actually learn something.

We've checked out books from the library, and will be watching a few "learning" videos this week.  The kids are doing their online lessons, and a light load of worksheets...

How about you?  Doing anything different to survive the holiday hullabulu?? Share... please!

O Come All Ye Faithful...

I just love this time of year... the only time of year that we can go to public department stores and hear hymns being sung... Christmas hymns that is!   I was thinking today of those good old Christmas hymns... many of them have such a great message. Enough that they are a witness to the unconverted... even convicting to those who are converted.   - "O Come all Ye faithful, joyful, and triumphant... O Come let us adore HIM" Wonderful words - I know I need to be reminded to focus on Him during this season!

Yet, it makes me very angry to see how so many people, organziations, and even stores are taking away even the name of the holiday.  Happy Holidays is becoming the "politically correct" version of Christmas.  Which is completely ridiculous, because the national holiday that we celebrate on December 25th is legally named "Christmas." I have personally chosen to only shop at stores this year that openly use Christmas in their advertisements.

Christmas is because of Christ.  We celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus, that was the purpose of the holiday... how can it be a holiday without a purpose?  Happy Holidays... what does that celebrate?

I hope that many of you are choosing to wish people a Merry Christmas - and continue to celebrate this wonderful holiday for HE is the reason for this season!

Luke 2:11 For unto us is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord.

Thanksgiving in Many Ways

First of all... I can't believe it has been so long since I posted.  Yikes... it suprised me. 

Secondly, I want to give thanks for the many blessings in my life... even if it is a bit belated.  Sometimes, life just kinda gets you caught up in its whirlwind and you don't even notice that time has just flown by!

I am so thankful for all of God's blessings on my life. I am thankful for salvation for through that Jesus has given me access to my heavenly Father. I am thankful for prayer and the Word of God  - Scripture - the means of grace in my life. I am thankful for a husband that loves me - that WILLS or CHOOSES to love me even when I am so unlovely. I am thankful for the children God has given me - a quiver full - the arrows that I am to shape, form, and aim for God's glory. Psa 127:4 "As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth." I am thankful for a home, clothing, and food, for the ability to pay our bills and take care of the children that God has given us. I am thankful for a job, as well as a job for my husband. I am thankful for a church that preaches the truth, worships the Lord, and exhorts the saints of God.

...Thank you Lord for your blessings on me...

Finding Contentment in Difficulties

Contentment is a choice, not a spiritual mystery...
                                                     ... an act of faith.

Faith that God has given all that He wants for us to have at this present time. You ask why would god want me to be in the difficult situation that faces me now? or Why would God let our family suffer in these circumstances? or even Why would He neglect us?

So many times, we (I) waste precious moments asking God to change these circumstances believeing that happiness or contentment will follow, but what we don't see is that God uses these situations to prepare us to be better used by Him.

Can we ever change anything in our lives by desiring or even coveting it? Can a man who wants to be taller add an inch to his stature? Never. Yet we can be content by stepping out in faith and accepting what God has for us as He gives it to us each day. If we adjust our expectations to match HIS SUPPLY - contentment is sure to follow.

I have asked myself these questions this week...

• Do I want more than I can have?
• Do I ask for more than I need?
• Do I strive for more than I can do?
• Do I expect mroe than God promises?

Sadly, I had to say yes to some of these... I am praying that God will help me to expect only what HE GIVES... and thus experience true contentment.

The lines have fallen unto me in pleasant places: yea, I have a goodly heritage. Ps 16:6

Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Proverbs 30:8

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us therewith be content. I Tim 6:6-8

Secrets... and Confessions...

Yes... it's true... I have made a confession.  My dirty little secret is out.  Curious?  Jump on over to this blog that I write for each week and find out!

Generation Misdiagnosed

I was recently reading an article that nearly made my blood boil.  Researchers are now saying that there are nearly 1 million children in the United States that are misdiagnosed with ADHD.  Boy, did I see that coming.  In the early nineties, when I was teaching in school this was so common.  Although our school was a proponent of natural rememdies, I had many children who were treated with ADHD drugs.  Many of them were truly discipline problems even WITH their medication.  Often I could not tell a difference between their behavior on the drugs or off the drugs. (which by the way, leads teachers to suggest higher doses and on and on)  But now, a decade later we are trying to rein in a horse that has run free for way too long. What damage has already been done to the previous generations that are now trying to function as adults?

The other article that I read stated that often the issues associated with ADHD can be resolved with play, "green" time, and excercise.  The studies cited in this article mentioned that children were tested with no play time - with play time indoors - and with  playtime outside.  Which do you think responded better?  I can only imagine that you would answer - play out of doors.  It is so true - children are created to discover, to learn through play, if we take that from them - WE are the ones causing these issues.  Here's the kicker - guess what teachers in schools do to children who are misbehaving?  They take away their playtime - the time they need outside to release their energy - to discover - and to play.  You see, a vicious circle ensues.  Misbehavior, no play time, more misbehavior, teacher diagnoses child as ADHD, child put on medication, misbehavior...  What did we do 100 years ago when there wasn't ADHD?

Just go play outside...