Back to School

The last couple weeks my mind has been filled with homeschool business. I've been planning to do it for some time now, and I can't believe Carys is really going to start kindergarten at the end of the month!

I can honestly say that I know the Lord has called me to homeschool, and He has confirmed it in so many ways. This is probably the first time I can say without any doubt that He is calling me to do something specific, something big. It is a very cool feeling actually, because I know that however it goes, that God will be in our midst. There is so much comfort in that.

We will be doing a classical Christian program called Classical Conversations, and I am also enrolling with a public charter school to keep me accountable and have additional curriculum. I am planning to keep God as the center of my children's education, knowing that He is the center of everything and that He can be and is revealed in every subject. We shouldn't be afraid of science or philosophy, in fact we should be pursuing them as they can deepen our faith in Him. In fact, the Bible encourages us to reason with one another. 

My main goal for kindergarten this year is to establish the habit of schooling with her and of course teaching her how to read would be nice too. There will still be lots of playing and exploring and having fun, it is still just kindergarten after all!

I already know that our homeschool journey is not going to be perfect. It is going to have roadblocks and frustrations and freak outs, but I also expect it to be filled with joy, growing in our faith, growing closer as a family, and encouraging a love for learning. I am also writing this so I can come back and read it when I am frustrated, and remember that this is why I am doing it, and it is all going to be worth it in the end!

"Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus"

Philippians 1:6

Me and my favorite 5 year old

And of course this sweet girl will be along for the ride too!

Let the Darkness Fear

Christian radio tends to overplay a lot of the same songs around these parts. Well this one I wouldn't mind hearing all the time! It's a bit, dare I say it, Mumford meets on fire for Jesus.

This song puts a smile on my heart, I hope it does for you too.

Build Your kingdom here
Let the darkness fear
Show Your mighty hand
Heal our streets and land
Set Your church on fire
Win this nation back
Change the atmosphere
Build Your kingdom here
We pray

Unleash Your kingdom's power
Reaching the near and far
No force of hell can stop
Your beauty changing hearts
You made us for much more than this
Awake the kingdom seed in us
Fill us with the strength and love of Christ
We are Your church
We are the hope 
On Earth

Amen!

Passion Week

I'm looking forward to Easter this Sunday!  

While the egg coloring and hunts are fun, its so important to keep the focus on Jesus 

and not the Easter bunny.

Seriously, what is up with that thing...the ones at the mall give me the creeps!

In a way, every Sunday is sort of like Easter for believers, in that we're remembering what Jesus did on the cross, why he did it, and of course, how He rose from the dead! Its what our faith is based on, without the resurrection, there would be no faith, no hope. I also love to read all the articles that circle around with evidence for the Resurrection which is just fascinating to me, like this one.

I'm excited for my family to come over after church on Sunday and celebrate. While the eggs are being hidden, the last couple years I've done a Christ-centered activity with all the cousins.

We've done the classic...Resurrection Eggs, which I love because they link the eggs directly with the Easter story.

Last year we made Resurrection Rolls which are really cool...and delicious. Basically you tell the Easter story and the kids roll up marshmallows in crescent rolls, and when you bake them, the marshmallow disappears.

Another idea is to make your own "grace garden" in a large basket...this is so great! Tutorial here.

So then in my search to find even more activities, I found this link on Pinterest which had so many good ones I might as well just direct you on over to The Alabaster Jar...

I especially like the cookie recipe that explains the steps of what Jesus went through for us and the paper plate tomb craft!

His love always amazes me!

Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a precious Christmas with your families!

O Holy Night

All is Calm

Christmas in Quebec City, Canada

What I do know...

My heart has been so very heavy since last Friday's events, I'm sure for all of you too. This kind of violence is shocking and disturbing to anyone with a heart I'm sure, but when I listen to these moms and dads, and I think of my own little ones, one almost the age of the victims, I don't know if it pierces just that much deeper.
I don't write a lot about my faith here on my blog, I am pretty outspoken about it on Facebook but I guess my blog is more reserved for my style ideas and adventures and daily life. Not that my faith isn't part of my every day life, because it is, but hopefully that makes sense.

An event like this happens and I feel compelled to write about my Christian faith, especially with people asking why. I don't have all the answers (obviously) but when I can't explain things that happen, I focus on what I do know, which is that God is good, He is our only hope, everything good comes from Him (whether you believe in Him or not) and this world is fallen, it is full of sin, and sin brings suffering. When I pray for this tragedy, I'm praying for the families but I'm also praying for people to run towards God because of this, and not away from Him.

We can't say why God allows something like this, except that we live in this fallen world, and that even when we try our best to live "good" lives and not sin "that much", that we can still be forced to deal with the terrible effects of humanity's sin. We are still in the line of fire.

But this is the core of the Christian faith, that Jesus suffered the consequences of other's sin on the cross, when he didn't have to, He was innocent. He deigned to come down to earth and become a man, God in human flesh, and suffer agony to identify with us, instead of just looking down from His throne and pitying us and leaving us to fend for ourselves....what kind of love is this? It is not something that is born in the human mind, it is a completely holy and perfect love!

Last Friday's suffering is so immediate and close to us here at home, but the sad thing is that innocent people are suffering like this every day, around the world, its just not plastered in our faces 24-7. But I still think its important to listen to these parents remember their sweet children, to appreciate how precious life is, to appreciate that our kids are here to annoy and exasperate us...what would one of these parents give to feel that again?? To remember to be compassionate and to love each other.

Pastor Alan Hawkins described it so well last weekend,
"God's answer to man's agony is not an explanation. It is his own agony. In Christ he meets our confused tragedies with his own passion on a tree. It is not that God does not answer the problem of evil. He answered by his cross. It is rather that we do not like his answer in the face of our immediate demand"

We do not have our innately immediate demand met, for evil things to stop happening, for death to cease, but I stand on the promise in Revelation 21:5, "Behold, I make all things new."

Even so come quickly Lord Jesus!

My Weekend

So many times I will be asked how my weekend was, and I say good, and then I have to think in my head, "wait, what did I even do?" Life is so crazy sometimes isn't it?

 

This weekend was the Penelope Lane mini-blog conference and craft boutique that I talked about a little while ago. I ended up only being able to stay for the first two speakers since I could only find a sitter for that long! Sort of sums up the way blogging has going for me lately. Its something I really want to be consistent at and I have not given up yet!

This is still such a transition time between starting homeschool and being involved in weekly bible study, oh and then that whole wife thing ;) How do you find balance?? I am still praying on that one, let me know when you find the answer ok?

I was able to hear Alissa from Rags to Stitches and Andrea from For the Love of (2 distinctively wonderful blogs) speak about their experiences and the common theme was really finding your voice and being true to yourself when blogging. Its something I try to do, and I think that I do, (not totally sure I do??).... but I need to always remember. I do think I can stand to be more focused though, that's for sure. I got lots of great tips and was definitely inspired, and I'm thankful they took the time to share their knowledge!

Then on my way out to grab the kids, I was able to grab some awesome hair accessories from Penelope Lane, including this bad boy....

 

Later that afternoon my husband was able to get home in time to come to a birthday party with me and the girls. This is rare so I was really excited about it!

 

Nathan & Charlie

 

 

Here is my crew watching the other kids beat the pinata. Sorry we don't do pinatas.

But we will do candy, yes, yes we will.

 

 

by the way....Easy Craft Alert! It was a super hero party so I got Carys this cape to decorate. I had this plan to do a big C on the back, but she freaked out and said she just wanted ribbons and bows and to design it herself. Yes, learning to relinquish control... By the way, is Amazon Prime one of the greatest things ever or what?

 

And lastly, church on Sunday was necessary as always to re-charge my spirit. Our pastor talked about how we as Christians are citizens of heaven, not this world, and we don't need to rely on any government to take care of us, for our future and for our hope, that is the Lord's job and He will do it!

 

Have a great week friends :)

Words for Monday

Source: plumprettysugar.tumblr.com via Kathy on Pinterest

Reflect

Source: thebluepeonyblog.blogspot.com via Kathy on Pinterest

He is my Rock!

Source: carlovely.tumblr.com via Kathy on Pinterest

Always 

Heavenly Father...

Source: Uploaded by user via Kathy on Pinterest

Hallelujah!

"Hallelujah" is one of those terms you hear all the time in praise and worship music. Whenever I sing it I am thinking it means the highest praise, which it is, but it also is something deeper. Here is a post from John Piper's blog on what it literally means. Very cool.


Helping You Sing “Hallelujah” with True Exuberance

The English word “hallelujah” is a transliteration of two Hebrew words, "hallelu" and "jah". The first word, "hallelu", is the second person imperative of “praise.” The second word, "jah," is the short form of "Jahweh" (or "Yahweh").

So when we say, “Hallelujah!” we are exhorting others (people and angels) to join us in praising Yahweh.

What gives a punch to my singing, “Hallelujah,” is that Jah (= Yahweh) is not a generic word for God, but the personal name of the God of Israel.

To shout, "Hallelu Jah!" — "Praise Jah" — is like standing in the council of the gods and boldly saying, “Not to you, Molech!” “Not to you, Baal!” “Not to you, Dagon!” “Not to you, Artemis!” “Not to you, Zeus!” But to Jah, and Jah alone, I give praise. And I call you to join me! Praise Jah!

And not only is Jah God’s personal name, but it is the one he gave himself to distinguish himself from all the gods. And it is thrilling in meaning.

When Moses asked God what name he should use to identify God in Egypt, God said, “I am who I am. Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14).

The name Yahweh is built on the words “I am”. So God put his absolute, transcendent, self-sufficient being at the center of his identity. “All the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but Yahweh made the heavens” (Psalm 96:5).

So, the next time you sing “Hallelujah” pause for a split second between “hallelu” and “Jah” and say it like a name. We praise you . . . Jah! You are above all gods . . . Jah! Join me, all you heavenly hosts, and praise . . . Jah! He is! He simply, eternally, absolutely, independently, gloriously Is! Hallelu . . . Jah!

All or Nothing?

Do you ever have so much that you want to get done, that you end up getting nothing done at all? That's how I've been feeling lately, and putting way too much pressure on myself while I'm at it. Also we are hosting Thanksgiving at our house this year for the first time, and I am really excited about it.

Here is a list of the things I've been wanting to do:

1. Create an amazing Thanksgiving tablescape, the likes of which have never been seen in our family (setting the bar too high perhaps? I think so)

2. Paint our front door glossy black.

3. Paint our media cabinet some other color, any other color than what it is.

4. Get a nice throw blanket for our couch to cover up stains (why is it so hard to find one?)

5. Landscape our front yard planters to avoid being the eye sore of the neighborhood.

6. Organize all of my photos into albums (yeah right! why are albums so expensive?)

7. Go thrift store shopping and create an inexpensive yet incredible new wardrobe that doesn't look cheap so people can say, "what? you got that where??)

8. Re-model both bathrooms.

9. Read a book...any book.

10. Blog all the time about all the fun, creative projects I am doing.

I could go on, but it just feels good to make a list doesn't it? At the end of the day, I know the only thing I can do is be a good mom to my kids and a good wife to my husband, and any thing else that doesn't get done....well, it's just going to have to wait.

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.
For He Himself has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you " Hebrews 13:5

Thank you Lord for that!


Here is a picture of a tired but happy mom. :)

The Power of Christ

I love to hear the testimonies from people whose lives have been transformed by knowing Christ. This video is totally awesome.


For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent"
1 Corinthians 1:18-19

Holy Love

Listening to one of my favorite songs today, "What do I know of Holy", I think I have posted it before. It's about God's holiness and how worthy He is of our praise.
Some lyrics:
I guess I thought that I had figured You out
I knew all the stories and I learned to talk about
How You were mighty to save
Those were only empty words on a page
Then I caught a glimpse of who You might be
The slightest hint of You brought me down to my knees

This bible study I just finished talked about His unfailing love for us and how when we say we love Jesus, we are really saying, I love you too. Because He already showed us His love on the cross and continually every day through His blessings that we don't deserve. And He did this before we ever loved Him back!
Romans 5: 7-8
"For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die,
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Couple that with the thought of how big God is, that He spoke the world, and you and I into motion. "God is the only true Giver, and He needs nothing from us. But still He wants us. He gave us life so that we might seek and know Him." (Francis Chan)
This is the same God "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, measured heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure" (Isaiah 40:12).

"Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You." Psalm 63:3

So this leads me to the awesomely goofy yet wonderful David Crowder Band and their song....


In Awe of Him!

Merry Christmas

Of course I haven't had much time to update my blog, with Christmas and all the busy-ness, not to mention that Carys spilled juice on my keyboard and broke it (!) and I can't find my camera cable to download pics (i will find you!).

For Christmas I wanted to post an entry from Pastor Greg Laurie's blog a couple years ago, that always stuck with me and made me love the beautiful song "I heard the bells on Christmas Day" even more. Below the story I'm posting the song if you'd like to hear it.
I hope anyone reading this has a wonderful Christmas, and that you are blessed by the joy and reality of Christ's birth!
"Great is the mystery of Godliness, that God was manifested in the flesh"
1 Timothy 3:16

Greg's blog 12/24/08:

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas Eve, I thought I would tell you a story. It’s a story about one of the most beloved of all the Christmas songs we sing this time of the year.

The sadness of the holidays
One of the most familiar songs we hear during the holidays is “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and the story behind it is interesting.

In 1860, Longfellow was at the peak of his success as a poet. Abraham Lincoln had just been elected President, giving hope to many.

But things soon turned dark for America and for Longfellow personally. The Civil War began the next year, and Longfellow’s wife died in a tragic accident in their home. Longfellow suffered severe burns on his hands and face while trying to save his wife.

He was so badly burned that he could not even attend her funeral.

Sorrow at Christmas
In his diary for Christmas Day 1861, he wrote, “How inexpressibly sad are the holidays.” In 1862, the toll of war began to mount, and in his diary for that year Longfellow wrote, “A merry Christmas say the children, but that is no more for me.”

In 1863, his son–who had run away to join the Union army–was severely wounded and came home in December. There is no entry in Longfellow’s diary for that Christmas.

A new Christmas song is born
Longfellow wanted to pull out of his despair, so he decided to try to capture the joy of Christmas in verse. He began:

I heard the bells on Christmas day

Their old familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet

The words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men.

As he came to the third stanza, he was stopped by the thought of the condition of his beloved country. The Battle of Gettysburg was not long past. Days looked dark, and he probably asked himself the question, “How can I write about peace on earth, goodwill to men in this war-torn country, where brother fights against brother, and father against son?”

God is not dead
But he kept on going, and wrote in the sixth stanza:

And in despair I bowed my head:

“There is no peace on earth,” I said:

“For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men.”

But then, catching an eternal perspective and the real message of Christmas and Christ Himself, he wrote in the final stanza:

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep!

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men.”

That’s right, “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep!”

If you want a blessed Christmas Eve tonight, focus on that.


Casting Crowns Live

Addison Road

This is one of those songs that will never get old to me, its kind of out of control really, that's how good it is. Wow, have I built it up too much yet? Anyway, its called "What do I know of holy" by Addison Road. I just love this girl's voice. But the lyrics really get me. They put things in perspective about how big and amazing our God really is. Like who are we in comparison with Him? Yet He still loves us, He still allows us to have a relationship with Him. He owes us nothing, yet He gives us everything. Oh its good stuff.
Romans 11:33 says "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and His ways past finding out!"
And verse 36, "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen."

Amen!

Resurrection Sunday

In honor of Easter, I wanted to post this video again, which is an awesome sharing of the gospel.
"Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone'...But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness and into his marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:7-9
I said Amen...and Amen!

Learning to Be Content

'Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, " I will never leave you or forsake you".'
Hebrews 13:5
It's the way of the world and the flesh to always feel like we need more. How awesome and wonderful that we can be content if we just trust in Jesus. I need to rely on this verse in these times, to be content with what God has given me!