2017: The Year of Love

Happy New Year!  Isn't it funny how something as simple as a calendar change can set us in a new direction?  I'm not one for making New Year's resolutions.  In my experience, I get about two weeks in and mess up, if not sooner.  So I'm not making one this year either. 

I do have an idea, though, and I wondered if you would like to join me? 

I am declaring 2017 the Year of Love.  Now, I am not an official person who can make official declarations and make everyone comply.  But that's okay.  Love doesn't work that way, anyhow. 

Love is a very personal thing. 

So why make a declaration?  Because I need it for myself.  Last year was tough.  I have heard that statement all over the place, in all different ways.  It was tough politically, tough inter-racially, tough financially, tough even in the vast amount of iconic people who passed away.  As we pull ourselves into a new year, we are the walking wounded.  We are dragging all sorts of baggage, and limping along.

But there is hope.

I propose that we leave our baggage at the border.  Walk into this new year unencumbered by hate and hopelessness.  Picture yourself stepping over that line from 2016 to 2017 and leaving all that hate and pain and fear behind. 

I have some ideas about how we can make this happen, and I'll be writing about it soon (no, that is not a New Year's resolution to keep up on my blog!)  But since this is January 1, and also a Sunday, I'm going to leave you with a song to start your year off right.  Enjoy!

Why did Jesus have to Die?

So we're coming up hard on Easter here.  There are advertisements for egg hunts and pictures with the Easter Bunny.  Sometimes it seems as if the real meaning of the day was buried in the tomb almost 2000 years ago and somehow failed to emerge.  All that came out was a stuffed, fake facsimile of new life. 

But that isn't true.  We know it's not.  We are told every year that Jesus rose again.  That His death was for us, that somehow he died for our sins. 

I have gone to church almost my whole life.  I have heard the message every year since I can remember.  I have sung the same songs over and over.  I have chosen to believe in Jesus, that he can save me from my sins.  But it is so...hard...to...under...stand...how.

It seems like every time I try to understand the end I have to go back to the beginning.  To get to Jesus' coming return, you have to get to why he left to begin with.  To get to that, you have to understand why he came, and to get to that you have to read the Old Testament.  Maybe not all of it, although I think that would help, but at least the beginning - how things began.

We have to go back to the garden and the snake and the woman who was deceived and the man who chose his wife over his creator.  And why he had to choose at all. 

It seems a little mean of God to plant a tree as a test.  Why not just leave the tree out?  There would have been nothing to tempt anyone, would there?

Well, I think there would have.  I think it wasn't so much the tree that was the problem, but the ego.  It wasn't that Adam and Eve were hungry for food.  They had all the food they could ever want.  Fresh, organic, non-GMO food in fact.  For free.  But they forgot something.  The garden wasn't put there for them.  They were put there for the garden.

 

 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.

 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

  And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

 Genesis 2:5-9, 15

So there was a reason for man to be on earth.  To take care of it.  To make sure there was enough food for all of the creatures God had made.  

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

Genesis 1:28-30

 By taking the fruit from the forbidden tree, man was saying that he was in charge, rather than God.  He took his life upon himself.  He decided that he could take better care of himself than God could, and he broke the contract of his job.  So he was fired.  He wanted to be independent, so God let him be.  He was banished from the garden, and had to figure out how to feed himself without God's help.  He had to figure out how to take care of the animals.  But there was no way back.

God still talked to people.  He didn't abandon them.  All through the Bible there are people who were able to talk to God one on one.  There were those who listened to him.  But there were very few who would listen to them.  Generation by generation people continued to try to get to that perfect place on their own.  Striving and working to subdue the world which they should have had dominion over from the beginning, but lost because they wanted dominion over themselves.

So now we  come to Jesus.  How can the death of one man save the world?  His death was terrible, but he was not the only person ever crucified.  It was actually a pretty common punishment for the day.  What was the difference?

First of all, Jesus was not just a man.  He was Emmanuel, God With Us.  

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Matthew 1:20-23

 Can you imagine this?  Because man would not bow down to the rule of God over his life, God came down and submitted Himself to the rule of man.  He died a man's death on a man's torture device.  He did something which no one would ever have had to do if man had submitted to God in the beginning.

Can you imagine?  A life without sin?  Without all those "bad people" who make us lock our doors and worry about the security of our credit cards?  There would have been no reason for the Romans to invent a way to torture and kill criminals.  There would have been no wars, because wars are always fought out of greed.  There would have been enough of everything for everyone.  This would have happened without all of the different forms of government that people have tried to come up with to replace the rule of God, their creator.  

So Jesus died.  He turned the world upside down.  He rose again, victorious over the sin that is self-will and self-preservation and every other word that starts with self.  Because he gave himself up.  

So how does this save you and me?

It shows us that it is possible to give up our strive for self-_________ and to depend on God.  It shows us that we can get off the merry-go-round that is our striving, get-all-we-can-get existence.  There is a way back.

When we say "yes" to Jesus, we are accepting His rule over our lives.  We are giving up our allegiance to this world.  That is why he said to take His yoke.  To lay our burdens down.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30

So as we go toward Easter, remember where you came from.  You are a citizen of God's world.  Not the world that we have made, but the one He created in the beginning.  You are not meant to have to try so hard.  You can have Eden.  But you have to give it up.  Take off the self, and put on Christ.  

Jesus died to save you.  And me.  Anyone who will come to Him.  God came and did what no man would do.  And because He did, we can be what we were meant to be in the beginning.

Whose God is their Belly

 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.

Philippians 3:18-19 

 

 I was reading in Philippians the other day, and this phrase caught me:  "Their god is their belly."  I immediately thought about how obsessed we are with food in this culture.  And I do mean "WE."  I cannot let myself off of this one.  Much of my life revolves around planning, buying, and making food.  It has gotten worse since Rory was diagnosed with food allergies.  And ironically the less money we have available, the more important food seems to be.  

One of my husband's pet peeves is people posting pictures of their dinner on Facebook.  But really, food is everywhere.  And it seems like over the years it has become more important.

Everyone is concerned about their diet.  But it's gotten much more specific than it used to be.  Years ago, if someone said they were "on a diet," you assumed that they were cutting back on food in order to lose weight.  That is no longer the case.  We now have a plethora of diets available, which are all meant to make us healthier in some way or another.  And they all involve a lot of thought about what food you are eating.  Or not eating, as the case may be.

Aside from the health issues, we expect food to be pleasant.  It has gone beyond sustenance to pleasure.  We have multiple versions of everything from coffee to cheese to breakfast cereal to bottled water, and everyone has an opinion about which one is best.  Our small local grocery store has a huge section allocated to pet food!  Even our dogs and cats have somehow acquired "discriminating tastes."  

I am not a historian, but it seems that we have entered a strange era.  We now have so much to eat that we have to manufacture ways to burn off the calories.  We spend money on food that we don't need so that we can spend more money at the gym working it all off.  What would happen if we just ate the right amount for our lifestyles to begin with?

Now here's where the really scary part comes in.  The verse I quoted at the beginning of this post calls people "enemies of Christ" whose "God is their belly."  The passage ends with "who mind earthly things."  I wonder.  In our obsession with food, are we making it an idol?  Has it become our God?  If I think of the amount of time I spend each day doing worrying about food, compared to the amount of time I spend with God, I am ashamed.  Jesus said in Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?"  Yet we do worry.  I confess that I get a little nervous if I don't have a full cupboard.  If I really thought about it, I would realize that I have enough food for quite a while.  It may not be worthy of Pinterest, but I won't starve, and neither will the rest of my family, or even my pets.  

The sad thing is that there are people starving.  While I worry about my three squares a day, there are people who are lucky to get one bowl of rice.  Maybe this is part of the "enemies of Christ" thing.  Because how can I spend all this time and money and energy on making sure I have enough pleasureable food to be comfortable and full, while ignoring those around me who are neither?

I took one of my kids for bloodwork at a lab this summer.  While we were in the waiting room, there was a television tuned to the Rachel Ray show.  Of course, she was making a delicious looking meal.  There was a man who was also waiting for bloodwork who had to come in fasting.  He commented that he was so hungry he could taste what she was cooking through the TV screen!  And he had only missed breakfast!  How many people do we offend this way every day with our food talk?  And why aren't we ashamed to do it?  

I also wonder what I'm teaching my kids.  I fasted one day - just between supper one day and supper the next - in order to take the time to pray.  Lily was angry at me!  She thought I was going to die!  Really!  Somehow I have given her the impression that if she doesn't eat three meals a day, she will honestly not survive.  I don't really believe this, but I must act that way.  God forgive me!  In trying to make sure my kids have enough food, I have passed down this lifestyle to another generation.  

Next week is Thanksgiving here in the United States.  The food holiday.  Other holidays have gifts, but Thanksgiving is all about the food.  As we spend the day eating with our families and friends, let's remember the real reason for the holiday.  Let's give thanks to God for his care of us.  The God of Life, not the God of our belly.

The Feast

Last month, we had a special feast.  It was called an "Israeli Supper" in the cookbook.  Each person got a hard boiled egg, a bowl, and a paring knife.  We had a bowl on the table filled with raw vegetables, a loaf of bread, a pot of tea, and butter, jam, salt, pepper, and olive oil.  This simple supper was made special with the table settings handed down from my mom, the handmade placemats from my cousin, and the handpainted lazy susan from my mother-in-law, along with vegetables from a nearby farm.

The idea of the supper was that each person assembled his own dinner.  You got a veggie out of the bowl, cut it up with your paring knife, put it in your bowl, and then got a different veggie and repeated until you had a salad.  Then, you cracked open your egg and crumble it over the veggies.  Add some olive oil and salt and pepper, and there you go!  A nice piece of bread with butter and jam and a cup of Constant Comment tea and you had a meal fit for a king.  With fresh fruit for dessert, of course.

The kids thought this was the most fun they'd had in a long time.  If I had asked them to chop vegetables up for a salad, they probably would have grumbled a bit, and then done it.  But this was fun!  And delicious.  The four of us sitting around the table, cutting and talking and eating and laughing, surrounded by items which reminded us of family members who are far away in distance but never far from our hearts.

Today our church celebrated the sacrament of Communion.  We do this the first Sunday of every month.  It is a feast, but not like the one in the picture.  It isn't colorful or abundant or fun.  But it is important.

When we gather at the communion table with our church family, we are joined together with all of our brothers and sisters in Christ, from every age, sharing in a feast that began so long ago in Jerusalem.  And the memories aren't in the table settings, but in the joining of our spirits to those of all of the saints who have gone before, and all of those who are to come.  And the food isn't the kind that fills our bellies, but the kind that feeds our souls.

I hear so often that God is everywhere, and you don't have to worship him in a church.  And that is true.  In fact, those who only worship Him in church are missing out on most of their lives.

I hear that you can worship God by yourself, and that is true also.  In fact, those who spend no intimate time with God, by themselves, are missing out on most of God.

But I have tried to worship God on my own, without being joined to the universal church, and it just didn't go well. It was too easy for me to get involved in other things and to forget to spend time with Him.

We have things in our house which remind us of friends and family members.  Gifts or pictures or letters or even e-mails on the computer.  And it's not that we would forget everyone without those reminders, but it's comforting to have them near us.

The church is our reminder of our brother Jesus and our Father God.  Singing together, praying together, hearing the message together, and yes, even eating together, are ways that we can connect.  To each other, and to God.

Communion was given to us by Jesus as a reminder of what He did for us, just as the Jewish holidays were given to the people of Israel as reminders of what God had done for them.

We have added holidays over the years like Christmas and Easter to help us remember Jesus, and to help us remember to teach our children about Him, but the sacrament of Communion was the only celebration that Jesus actually asked us to remember him by.

 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.  Luke 22:19-20

The body given for us on the cross, and the new testament, or covenant, in His blood, shed for us.  Do this in remembrance!

Without the cross, and without the resurrection, Communion is just a snack.  A bite of bread and a sip of juice can hardly be called a meal.  But Jesus is the bread of life (John 6:35) and the living water (John 4:14).  He promises that anyone who comes to him will never hunger or thirst, and will have eternal life.  What other meal can promise that?

Have you been trying to go it alone?  Maybe you've had a bad experience in church, or maybe, like happened to me, life has just pulled you away.  I encourage you to try again.  See if there's a church near you that you can become comfortable with.  Pray for God to show you where he wants you to be.  The early Christians lived in community, meeting together daily!  I think we can manage to put up with each other once a week!

K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple, Sister!)

Tomorrow is Mother's Day.  A day fraught with danger.  A day of unfulfilled wishes and shattered dreams...

Okay, maybe not that.  But it really can be a difficult day for people.  Those who have lost their mothers or their children, or were unwilling or unable to have children, can feel left out and let down.  Even mothers with children can feel let down.  There is so much hype about this day, and it never seems to be the perfect day you planned.

Being a mother can be a dangerous occupation.  It is completely unpredictable, and nothing seems to turn out the way you expect it to.

You have visions of this:

And instead you get this:

And you wonder what went wrong!

I've had two sick kids this week.  They both have the stomach flu.  While it has saved on groceries, it's been bad in the laundry and sleep departments.  We've missed horseback riding and baseball.  Rory started his yearly standardized test and hasn't been able to finish it.  I've been living on leftovers and non-smelly foods so that I don't trigger anyone's nausea by cooking anything, even for myself.  Life is not what was expected.

I expect a lot out of myself, and my kids.  And I frequently fail on my end.  I see other parents, and read about other families, and try to do things like that.  Why can't I have a clean house, clean, well-behaved kids, and a clean, well-behaved dog, for example?  Why don't my kids jump at the chance to do their schoolwork or clean their rooms?  Why would they prefer to watch TV or play Minecraft all day?  What have I done wrong? 

I found a Bible verse on Facebook today, and shared it on my wall.  It turns out that it's a favorite of some of my friends, also.

I have this written on the front of my Homeschool notebook.  It sums it all up, doesn't it?  This is all that is required.  Even for mothers.  Who can go wrong if they do everything with justice, mercy, and humility?  

There are seasons in all of our lives.  I don't mean the kind of seasons that bring snow or flowers.  I mean the kind that bring sickness or health, ease or hardship.  Babies or teenagers or grown up kids.  

I have to remember that my kids are not a reflection of me.  They are separate people with their own lives, even when their lives are so tied to mine.  I have to remember that my expectations for them may not be the expectations they have for themselves, or that God has for them.  Sometimes it is harder to show justice, mercy, and humility to my kids than to anyone else, because my own ego is tied up in their performance.  But I know this is wrong.  They are not here to boost my ego.  I am here to love them, protect them, and teach them.  No matter what.  Even when they look like this.

A Little Bit More than the Law will Allow

The Dukes of Hazard!

Do you remember "The Dukes of Hazard?"  It was one of my favorite TV shows, growing up.  I couldn't wait each week to see how the Duke family managed to get the better of Boss Hogg and Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane.  I also had a bit of a schoolgirl crush on Bo Duke, but then again, who didn't?

I think I identified with the Dukes not because I was like them, but because I wanted to BE them!  I certainly wasn't like them, in the least.

I was the good kid.  The one who ALWAYS followed the rules (though my Mom might have a different version).  I hated to get into trouble.  The idea of being called the the Principal's office was enough to make me faint.  I remember when I was in Elementary School breaking down crying one afternoon, because my Mom asked me if I had eaten all of my lunch.  Now, this doesn't seem like it would be a crying matter, does it?  After all, Mom asked me the same question every day.  The problem was, that I hadn't eaten all of my lunch that day.  In fact, I hadn't eaten all of my lunch for several days.  I had been sharing it with a friend.  I don't even remember if I gave it away, or traded for something I liked better, but I HAD BEEN LYING TO MY MOTHER!  Every day, she asked, and every day, I said Yes.  Until I couldn't stand it anymore.  I had to come clean.  Breaking the law was killing me!

I was shy in school, mainly because I was afraid of making a mistake.  I hardly spoke up in class, even though I knew the answer.  I got good grades, but was so unsure of myself that I couldn't risk possibly saying something wrong.  This went all the way through High School.  One day a favorite teacher told me that I thought too much.  When I was having a conversation, I thought too hard about what I should say.  And he was right.  That was exactly what I did.  I had several close friends, but didn't get along well with the more popular kids.  I went to a small school, and everybody knew everybody, but I was so intimidated by those kids that I never tried to talk to them!  I just felt sorry for myself for not being popular.

When I went to college, I spent the first two years following the rules to a T.  I was invited to parties, but I wouldn't try a sip of alcohol.  I didn't smoke.  I went to every single class, did every single assignment, practiced the piano for hours (I was a music major), studied hard, and was one of the few students who went to bed and got up early enough to be at the cafeteria for breakfast every day.  I still went to church a lot of the time.

At some point, though, things started to change.  I started staying up later, socializing more, and meeting different people.  I tried drinking and smoking.  I skipped classes (especially those really early ones).  I started going out to parties and going out with guys.  I ended up doing things that most of my closest friends would never have done, and hanging out with people they never would have talked to.  Some of them didn't even go to college.  I just met them in bars.  I basically quit going to church, although I went to the Saturday night services a few times at the Catholic church with a boyfriend.  They were much more convenient, because you could go to church and then still make it to the party that night.  Then, you didn't have to get up early on Sunday, since you'd probably be too tired and possibly drunk to do so.  Win-win, right?

I lived this kind of lifestyle until after I was out of college and had my first job.  I had a relationship with a man who I found out was still married to, and living with, his wife.  My life was a mess.  I decided to try going back to church.  But it was funny.  My life didn't change all at once.  Just like it took a while for me to get to that point, it took quite a while to move away from it.

I know that some people have these "conversion experiences" where in an instant they turn away from all of their sins and their bad habits and become "new creatures in Christ."  That has never happened with me.  I grew up going to church.  I knew who Jesus was.  I can't remember a time when I didn't.  I spent my teenage years singing in church and going to youth group meetings.  I wasn't as gung ho as the kids who belonged to the Bible Club at school or anything, but I considered myself a Christian.  

Even while I was living a totally sinful life, I still considered myself a Christian.  Maybe I was, I don't know, but I sure wasn't acting like it.  I questioned every rule in the book, and came up with rational reasons for my behavior.  "God would want me to enjoy myself."  "'I'm not hurting anyone."  "Jesus drank wine, didn't he?"  "But we're really in love."  

I'm still peeling off the layers of sin that covered me during those years.  I'm not trying to rationalize myself anymore, but there are things that I don't even realize that I'm doing.  The outside has peeled away.  I don't drink and smoke and party anymore.  I've been faithfully married for almost 20 years.  But there are still layers of sin under the skin.  

Last year I had a spot of cancer on my face.  It took me a long time to realize what it was, because it just seemed like a sore that kept opening up.  Sometimes it would heal over, and then get scratched open again.  When I finally had it checked by a dermatologist, he had to cut it out.  And then my face looked worse!  It was an oozing, bloody mess for a while.  It is healing now, but there is still a border of dry skin around it that tends to flake.  Little by little, it's getting better.  But I expect I'll have a scar for a very long time.  And I have to return to the dermatologist regularly so that he can make sure it's not coming back.

That is what my sins are like.  Some of them have had to be cut out, just like that cancer.  And some have left scars.  And some are still there, under the skin, waiting to emerge when I least expect them.  And sometimes they seem like they're caused by something else, when they're really growing from my own soul.

It took me a long time to admit there was something wrong with my face and acknowledge that I needed a doctor.  And it takes a long time to admit that there's something wrong with my soul and admit that I need Jesus.  I think I can get along by myself.  I can do the right thing all by myself.  I don't need help.  I'm a smart person, right?  I know the rules.  I can choose which ones to follow.  I can pick the best ones for me.  Anyway, some of the rules don't make sense.  They're just there to make things harder for me.  They're too difficult, and anyway, I don't see anyone else following them, so why should I?  I'll just follow rules that seem right for me and my life.

Maybe I'm a little more like those Dukes than I'd like to admit.  No, I'm not jumping my car over police cars or blowing up outhouses.  But I still want to do whatever I want.  And I want to think whatever I want.  And I don't want to be under any law but the law I choose for myself.

But I have to remember.  Jesus came to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17). I am not under the law, but under grace.  I have the Spirit of God.  Not a burden too hard to bear, but a light burden.  The burden to love God, and to love my neighbor as myself.  Because love covers all, and love conquers all.  And Jesus said that all of the law can be summed up in these two commands.  And they are not simple.  But they are possible.  And each day I am getting closer to the ideal.  Because yes, I am a Christian.  I follow Christ.  And this is what Christ told me to do.  

I am no longer scared and shy.  I am not afraid to say something wrong.  Actually, I know that I mess up more times than not, but I am not condemned by trying to do the right thing.  I am growing and changing every day, and one day I will be perfected by Christ.  Maybe not today, and maybe not in this lifetime, but one day.  I just have to admit that there is still work to be done, and submit to Jesus.  I have to let him cut out what needs to be cut, and put in what needs to be put in.  Because he is the Great Physician!  

We are going through the period of Lent, now.  It is a time to reflect on the sacrifice that Christ made, and to weed out some of the excess and sin in our own souls.  We are looking to the Resurrection, but before that we have to look to the cross.  So take a few minutes today, and let your spirit meld with the Spirit of God.  Let him see under the skin, and start to clean up the sores on your soul.

Ring in the New

So it is three days past New Year's Eve.  We all saw the ball drop this year - even Lily.  Mike, Rory and I managed to stay up due to a very exciting Iron Man DVD marathon.  Yes, we watched all three in one night.  Lily fell asleep on my lap about 9:00, but I promised her I'd wake her up, so I did.  Somehow a big ball which didn't appear to be moving because of the camera angle wasn't as exciting as a man in a red and gold suit flying around and blowing things up, but hey, we did it! We had a Sparkling Cider toast, finished the last movie, and went to bed.

Iron Man!

Does your focus change at this time of year?  Mine does.  It really does seem like the start of something new.  Maybe it's the winding down of all of the holiday hoopla, just as much as the date on the calendar.  The past month or so has been filled with shopping, planning, travelling, and celebrating with family and friends.  We actually still have one more "Christmas" to go on Monday, which I found out is actually Epiphany, the day the wise men came to see Jesus, and still technically Christmas (thank you, Pastor Russ!)  This was the day we are celebrating with my husband's family, so it seems very appropriate.

I don't like New Year's Resolutions.  For me, they seem destined to fail. I believe you can decide to change something on any other day of the year just as easily.  But I do like to take the time to reflect and plan., and the start of a new calendar year seems like a good time to do this.

One thing that is changing a bit is our school plan.  I know, this is a constantly changing entity, but I am kind of excited about this change.  I had a big plan for this year back in August.  It is the first year I have been very specific about the curriculum I picked, and the schedule for getting it done.  Well, by about Thanksgiving everyone was burning out.  So we spent the holiday season kind of "deschooling."  I took down the schedule, and we spent time doing stuff we wanted or needed to do.

I also let Rory sleep when he needed it, whether that meant staying up late and sleeping in, or getting anywhere from seven to 12 hours of sleep a night.  His health is still not the best, and one of the admonitions of his doctor was to keep his stress low.  I've also researched a bit about adrenal function, and have realized that he really needs to be able to sleep when he's tired.  So, getting up in the morning in time to start a timed schedule does not work well for him.  One day, he'll be up at 6:30 raring to go, and the next, he'll need to sleep until 10:00.  He has always had trouble going to sleep, partly because he starts thinking about things when the house quiets down at night.  So I'm spending extra time with him some nights, finishing an exciting book we just can't put down, hashing over the day, or solving the world's problems.

I've researched "unschooling," and am still trying to figure it out.  There is something called "radical unschooling" which I really can't quite grasp, which seems to allow the child to decide everything for himself, including when and what to eat, and whether he would rather watch tv all day or learn his times tables.  Many people claim this works, but I'm afraid I would be put in a mental hospital if I went that far with it.  I'm also concerned that my children's health demands that I keep a good watch on what they are putting into their bodies, and what they are doing with their days.

So I'm trying to take a middle ground, here.  There are some things that I think are necessary.  One of these is math.  Actually, I'm excited about math, as is Rory, believe it or not.  We have struggled over the past years to find math that he actually wants to do.  At all.  But I think we've found something.  It is Khan Academy.  This is a free online system, which was started by Salmon Khan to tutor his young cousin in math long-distance.   I recently read his book, "The One World Schoolhouse:  Education Reimagined".  I was very impressed with his ideas, and the research he has done in education.  So, I decided to check out his website.  To make a long story short, Rory loves it!  He gets prizes, doesn't have to write much on paper, and can go at his own pace.  Win-win-win!  Granted, it's only been a few days, but he's actually excited to do math.  Lily wanted to do it, too, so she's started with addition and subtraction.  And I, just for fun, took a pretest and found out I'd forgotten quite a bit of math!  The problems looked familiar, but the solutions were a blank.  So I'm trying it out, too.  I figure I have to keep ahead of the kids!

Our new "schedule" looks a bit different.  We get up and have breakfast.  We generally do our Bible time with breakfast, to start the day.  Then everyone does their own thing for a while.  Today, the kids took turns doing their math on the computer while I went grocery shopping, and Lily did some handwriting, and then they played a little Minecraft until I got back.  We had lunch, and have finished cleaning up the kitchen.  Actually, Rory has decided that the china cabinet needs reorganized, so he is working on that, and I'm taking a few minutes to finish this post!  Then, he still has to do writing (we're doing grammar today), and we are all going to do music, our Lighthouse book, and some reading.  I've taken out the time element, and the strict schedule of what is done on which day.  I'm letting the kids each choose a subject to work on each day.  Yesterday, Lily chose art and Rory chose a book called "Seabird" that we've been working on.  So, they used "learn to draw" books while I read.  Lily drew a chihuahua and a golden retriever, and Rory drew a platypus swimming in the water. And we finally finished Seabird!  Then Rory finished reading "Squanto," which we started just before Thanksgiving, and Lily started reading Peter Pan to me.

It's still too early to decide if this is working, but it feels less stressful to me, and Rory actually said he had a good day yesterday even though he had to do school work.  I think that it helps to go with the flow of the day, rather than try to fit the day into a box.  There is no rule that I know of that school needs to start at 8:00 and end at 3:00, or that you can only learn through schoolbooks.  So my new recording device is a duo of single-subject notebooks, and I'm simply going to keep one for each kid, recording what they did each day.  I'm not sure how this will work come reporting time, but I'm sure I'll figure it out!  For now, it's helping my children to enjoy learning again, and that's what matters most.  It's very hard to remember things you were forced to learn, or weren't interested in.  I wonder if that's my math glitch?  I don't remember disliking it at the time, but I don't think I thought about it too much.  It just had to be done.  I know I didn't have as much fun learning it the first time, as I am now that I have a reason to do it.  I hope that I can find the secret to learning that will stick, for me and my kids.

True Worship

I had some pretty sad kids today.  One of our neighbors was having a tree cut down in their yard.  It was a huge old oak, and it took the crew most of the day, cutting branch by branch until it was compact enough to fell safely.  The tree was pretty close to our yard, and to my children it was like an old friend.

This was also the summer solstice in our part of the world.  We just call it "the first day of summer," which to my kids means more fun and less work!  However, there were, and in fact still are, plenty of religions which use this day as a day of worship, or a holy day.  They mostly focus on the sun,because this is the day that the sun remains in the sky for the longest time in the year.  

Here comes the sun!

How has this happened?  How have people begun putting more importance on the creation than the creator?  And why?

I suspect it has to do with our flesh selves.  We tend to focus on things we can perceive with our five senses.  Natural things are easy to worship.  We know that no human being made those things, but we can see, smell, feel, taste, and hear them.  This gives them a sort of mystery, and a sort of power.  Things like the sun, moon, and stars are especially easy to worship, because they are so far away and so mysterious, that we can't imagine how they got there.  We also know that without the sun our planet would die.  There would be no light or heat.  In the dead of winter, we shiver to think that the sun might stay away forever, leaving us to slowly freeze to death in a place without light.

But is this true?  Are we dependent on the closest star for our existence?  Maybe not.

First of all, God created light on the first day of creation, and didn't create the sun, moon, and stars until the fourth day.  In between, he created the seas, and put the plants on the earth (Genesis 1:1-19).  So what was making the light and the dark, the day and the night for those first few days?  Hmm.  It may be that we have to go all the way to the end of the Bible to discover the answer.  Revelation 21:1,3 states:  

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea...And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.  

And chapter 22:3-5 proclaims: 

 And there shall be no more curse:  but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:  And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.  And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light:  and they shall reign for ever and ever.

God has already proven himself to have power over the sun.  In Joshua, chapter 10, we find the army of Israel in a huge battle with the kings of the Amorites.  In verse 12, Joshua asked that the sun stay up so they could continue to fight.  

"And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies.  Is not this written in the book of Jasher?  So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about the whole day.  And there was no day like that before or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man:  for the LORD fought for Israel (vs. 13-14).

And for a sign to Hezekiah, God made the sun go backward in the sky

And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day?  And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken:  shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?  And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees:  nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.  And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD:  and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz (2 Kings 20:8-11).

Can you imagine such things?  The sun staying in one place in the sky for hour after hour?  Or actually moving backward, to make the sundial reverse the time?  It doesn't sound to me like the sun is in control.  

Jesus said "I am the light of the world:  he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (John 8:12).  And again:  "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day:  the night cometh, when no man can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world (John 9:4-5).

And what is the light, now that Jesus is in heaven?  He told his disciples:  "Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick:  and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).  

And no, doing good works does not get you into heaven.  But it may bring a glimpse of heaven to someone here on earth.  

So what is true worship?  Is it having a holiday (or holy day)?  Is it going to church and singing songs?  Is it a meal?  A parade?  A ritual?  Bowing down?  Lifting hands?  Fun and games?  Solemn faces?  Face paint?  Balloons?  Sunday School?  Sermons?  Offerings?  Are these things any different, really, than the pagans who are worshiping the sun today?  I don't think so.  This is not truly the worship of God.  It is not what God asks us for.  He asks us for work.  What we do really matters.  It brings glory to God.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world...For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also (James 1:22-27, 2:26).

Brothers and sisters, WHAT WE DO REALLY MATTERS!  Saying that we're Christians and acting like everybody who is not only brings dishonor to God.  We cannot spend our lives going after the things of the world.  It is not a long slide between admiring those things, and worshiping them.  Even churches can fall into this, trying to be "relevant" to the masses.  People don't need more entertainment in life.  There is really too much of that already.  They need plain talk.  They need the plain, unadulterated Bread of Life, not some fancy gourmet meal.  And hiding out in our comfy, happy churches is not helping anyone.  We go to be fed, so that we can work.  If we're just eating the meal, and not going out and working it off, we're just going to get lazy and fat.  And taking the nourishing food for ourselves and giving out junk food to the neighbors is not going to bring anyone to God's kingdom.  It will just make for a bunch of sick, malnourished people who don't know what spiritual health is.  

Time is running out.  Someday the sun will be gone, and it will not bode well for those who were worshiping it.  The god of this world will be defeated, and thrown into the fire, and all of his followers with him.  There isn't much time.  So, think about it.  What will you do?

Spaghetti!

Homemade spaghetti

I received a slew of kitchen things for Christmas this year.  In the picture, you see a cookbook and stand from my sister.  It is such a cool book - Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It: And Other Cooking Projects by Karen Solomon.  The front of the book also says "make your own bacon, cheese, marshmallows, and more".  Now, I can almost imagine those three things together...but anyway, I decided to start in the pasta section.

One reason for this, is that my mother-in-law gave me her gently used pasta roller.  Heeheehee!  My ultimate idea is to try to make gluten-free pasta, but I thought I should try to make the regular stuff, first.  So, here is the result!  I think I finally figured it out by the end.  We will be eating it later tonight, and I'll let you know how it tastes!  I did find out that Lily is a cracker-jack pasta roller operator.  Rory was a bit jealous, but unfortunately was still working on his math and couldn't help (mean mom!)  Maybe he'll have more incentive to get his work done next time?

Now, a small confession - I planned to make pasta when I made out my weekly menu, but bought a box at the grocery store, anyway, in case it didn't work.  I am sure that this shows a lack of faith in some way, but I choose to believe that I am just being a good boy scout.

So, this is an odd time for me to be writing, but if I have a chance I will follow up tonight with a post either extolling the wonderfulness of my pasta-making skills or lamenting the pile of mush I was forced to throw away in favor of the cheap, dry, boxed stuff.  Until then, Bon Appetit!

Look here for the results...Spaghetti part II

Our Crazy Christmas

This Christmas was different.  First of all, you have to know that I have spent the last 44 Christmases in the same house.  Even though I live a day's drive from my home town, I have always managed to be home for Christmas.  My kids have gone to Grandma's house for Christmas all of their lives.  And then there was this year.

Hubby couldn't get the day off.  Or several days around Christmas off.  In 18 years of marriage, this has not happened.  Until this Christmas.

I couldn't spend Christmas without him, even though he was at work for part of it, so we had Christmas at our house this year.  It was different.  We did have cinnamon rolls and cookies (gluten- and dairy-free!), and there were presents under the tree and in the stockings.  But it was much quieter than usual.

The day after Christmas, the kids and I piled ourselves, our luggage, and my family's Christmas presents into the van, and headed off.  Into a snowstorm.  Hmm.  Possibly not the brightest idea ever.

We had been driving for about six hours when we ran into snow.  We were only a couple of hours from our destination, so we stopped for gas, bathrooms, and drinks, and got back onto the road.  For about 20 more minutes, when we slid into the snow at the side and stayed there.  Oops!

To make a long story short, we ended up staying where we were, after being pulled out by a tow truck.  To make a short story long, it was quite the stay!

Where we were was within shouting distance of the Salamanca, NY exit.  And right at that exit is the Seneca hotel and Casino.  Also Burger King, where we ate supper, but then off we went to the hotel.  It was dark by then, and the snow was really coming down.  I was about done for, as far as driving went, and my windshield wipers were not keeping up with the onslaught.  So my sheltered, homeschooled kids and I stayed over night in the casino.

Okay, we weren't in the casino, per se, just in the hotel attached to the casino.  However, when we walked in to register, we walked past a room full of slot machines and other assorted games of chance.  Rory thought we were at a really fancy Chuck E. Cheese, apparently, because he got all excited, pointing and yelling out "Look!  Games!"  I had to explain that we weren't playing those games, and he wouldn't have been allowed to, anyway.

So we went to our room on the 8th floor.  Lily was excited about the view, and the "phone in the potty."  Rory quickly figured out the TV remote, and proceeded to watch cartoons.  He also claimed one of the beds for himself, which resulted in a squabble, but Lily finally resigned herself to sharing the other bed with me.  We had some tea, ate some jellybeans that were left in the room, read some of "A Christmas Carol" and turned off the lights.

Then, Rory said his stomach felt bad and he thought he might throw up, so I took the lid off of the ice bucket and lined it with a plastic bag just in case.  Also made a mental note to avoid taking Rory to Burger King again.  Shut off the lights again.  Well, don't you know that hotel rooms have all sorts of little red lights all over the place?  I'd personally never noticed, but apparently the red lights are scary.  If you're nine.  So, after all the fighting about who got the bed to themselves, we all ended up in one bed so the red lights wouldn't get us.

We had to leave the light on in the bathroom (in case Rory needed to use it), and we closed the heavy blinds so that the lights outside wouldn't keep us awake.  So we were in this kind of half-light, half-dark, red-dotted place.  Everyone finally went to sleep.  I was the first to wake up, having to go to the bathroom, so I managed to extricate myself from the middle of the bed without waking anyone else up.  I figured I'd get dressed and ready, and then wake up the kids.

After I used the potty (without feeling the need to make any phone calls), I moved the ice bucket out of the way to read the alarm clock.  Three o-clock, A.M.  Oh.  I determined that I didn't really need to get up yet, after all, so I got back into bed until morning.

The next morning, we checked out, ran through McDonald's for some drinks and apple slices to accompany the rice cakes and cookies we had in the car, and headed back off down the road.  We got to my mom's house just in time to open presents and rest a little while before heading off to my dad's house for the dinner we had planned to attend there.  Then, back to Mom's.  The next day we exchanged gifts with my sister.  Then on Sunday with my aunts and uncle.  We ended up staying through New Year's Day, as Hubby had to work over night on New Year's Eve anyway, and then headed back home.  We still have Christmas with Hubby's family to look forward to on Monday, and then I think we can get back to normal.  Maybe.  Whatever that is.  Maybe I'd better start planning for Easter.

Preparing for a Baby?

We are beginning the season of Advent.  The preparation.  The Christmas decorations are up.  Some of the gifts have been bought.  Details are being worked out for visits with family and friends.  We're getting ready.  Or are we?

What are we really getting ready for?  Is Christmas a time for families?  For children?  For parties?  For giving?  What is it, really?

Is it really the birth date of Jesus?  No one knows exactly what day he was born on, and there are even debates about the time of year.  So, no, that's not the point, is it?

Is it really when Santa Claus comes?  Rory says that people think Santa is "the jolly guy who comes to sell i-phones and say 'ho-ho-ho' at the end of Ritz commercials."  With apologies to any children who are reading this post, Santa's not the point, either.

Is it about a baby, born in a stable, laying in a manger?  We see this picture all over the place, from Christmas cards to nativity sets to living pantomimes.  This is how it started, but is this the point?

It's easy to focus on the warm, fuzzy stuff, isn't it?  The pretty decorations, the parties, and even the adorable baby surrounded by peaceful farm animals and his serene parents.  But what are we really getting ready for?

Jesus came so that we would believe:  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting live  John 3:16." 

He came so that we would know God:  "No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.  John 1:18."  

He came so that we would choose God:  "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth:  I came not to send peace, but a sword.  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me:  and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me  Matthew 10:34-38." 

He came so that we would follow God:  "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is loveth me:  and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.  John 14:20."

He came so that we would know the truth:  "Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then?  Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king.  To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.  Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice  John 18:37."

Jesus came down as a baby:  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.  John 1:1,14"

But he's coming back as a judge:  "For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.  2 Corinthians 5:10."

And as King of all:  "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood:  and his name is called The Word of God.  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations:  and he shall rule them with a rod of iron:  and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.  Revelation 19:11-16."

So is it time to prepare for a baby?

No.

It is time to prepare for a King:  "And then shall appear the Son of man in heaven:  and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.  Matthew 24:30-31." 

And a Judge:  "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:  And before him shall be gathered all nations:  and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats; And he shall set the sheep on the right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then shall the King say unto those on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world...Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels...And these shall go away into everlasting punishment:  but the righteous into life eternal.  Matthew 25:31-34,41,46."

So prepare.  But not as the world prepares, with tinsel and cookies and wrapping paper.  Prepare as Jesus prepared.  With prayer, not presents, and fasting, not feasting.  Somehow, in the midst of this holiday about the baby, we have to prepare for the King.

Vacation in Lake George

So, we finally did it!  We took a trip with the kids, and stayed overnight, at a place that was not owned by some friend or family member!

When I was growing up, my mom saved each year to bring my sister and me on a short vacation.  We never went far, only a few hours away, but we saw something new, and we stayed overnight in a hotel!  Finally, we've been able to give our kids the same experience.

So, Monday morning we headed to Lake George.  This came after a weekend of the dog losing her collar (and tags) Friday, Mike getting sick Saturday, and the electricity going out while we were packing up Monday morning.  Somehow, everything worked out anyway, and at about 7:30 a.m. we headed out for our adventure.

The first place we went to (after the rest stop to use the "facilities") was Fort William Henry.  This was fun!  It is a reconstruction of a fort from the French and Indian War.  We saw a film, took a tour, learned how to shoot a musket and a cannon, and pretended to be English soldiers.

Then, we took a tour of the lake on the Minne-ha-ha, one of the few remaining steamboats.  We also brought our lunch, and ate on the boat.

When we were finished with the boat, we went to Twin Bay Village, where we stayed for the night.  It was right on the lake, so the kids were able to wade around (I sat in a chair with my bathing suit on wrapped in a towel and a long sleeved shirt - brrr!), then we cooked some hot dogs in the little kitchenette, flew some kites (or tried to at least), and had a good night sleep.

Tuesday morning, we got up and headed down the road to see what we could find.  We had planned on going in the rowboats at Twin Bay Village, but we had to check out of the room by 10:00 a.m., and it was even colder than the day before.  I did not want to spend the rest of the day wet.

Anyway, we found Magic Forest, a small amusement park.  It was very family-friendly, and everything was one price!  Again, we were able to bring our own lunch and eat at the picnic tables there.  The kids rode tons of rides - even Lily! (Though she wasn't too happy about the fast, spinny ones).  We saw a magician, and a diving horse (really!) and took a train ride and a tram ride.  We stayed almost until closing time.

After the Magic Forest, we were all hungry, so we went to Grandma's Back Porch, which was recommended by a friend (they're related to the owner!)  We had an enjoyable, delicious dinner.  They were very helpful with Rory's dietary restrictions, and we felt right at home.

Our bellies full and our feet tired, we got into the car for the drive back home.  The kids fell asleep in the car and had to be carried to bed when we got there.  I was happy to take a hot bath and get to bed myself.

The only thing we forgot was to check the batteries on the camera, so we have precious few pictures to show!  But at least you can see where we were, and we will always have the memories in our hearts.

All the News that's Fit to Print

The end of the school year is always a bit busy.  Rory finished his last book for the year yesterday, and is now officially on vacation!  He read in the car (I don't know how he manages this, as I feel sick the minute I look at a page) between getting his Baseball Team picture taken, reading a poem he wrote at a literary festival, and attending a friend's birthday party.  Whew!

We got through the day pretty well, aside from forgetting his baseball hat (he's the kid in the picture with the bare head), and getting slightly lost finding the birthday party (we were almost always in the same town, at least!)

Now, we're looking forward to the first overnight trip our family has taken apart from going to a family member's house.  (And that time we broke down and had to stay in a hotel, but that was not particularly enjoyable.)  We're actually going to Lake George overnight!  I want to see Fort William Henry, and take a ride on the steamboat.  Rory wants to buy souvenirs, Lily wants to ride in a canoe, and Mike wants to go fishing.  Hopefully, we can accomplish all that in two days!

I spent about a whole day trying to find a place that had a fridge and stove in the room (for Rory's diet) and was on the Lake (for Mike's fishing), but I found a place that would let us stay for only one night on short notice.  Woohoo!  I also found a website for a Mexican restaurant which serves some gluten-free and vegetarian (read:  Dairy-free!) selections.  So, we're planning on eating out once, and cooking or packing the rest of the trip.

After that, it's getting ready for Rory to go to summer camp, then Vacation Bible School at our church, then our trip to visit my family in Pennsylvania.  Then it will be the end of August already, and we'll wonder where the summer has gone!

What are your plans for the summer?

Where I've Been

Hello!  I guess it's been a while since I posted - it's June already !?  I honestly can't tell you exactly where I've been :)  May was just a really busy month.  From Lily's birthday to a family BBQ for my brother-in-law's birthday (Happy birthday again, Chris!) to a Memorial Day BBQ at the beach (with family again - can you tell we like barbecues?) and a birthday party for Lily's friend Payton, it has been a busy month.

This month is starting out the same, with the birth of a new homeschool support group.  My friends, Heather, Shauna, Sapphire and I have decided to get together to help each other, and especially others in our area who are interested in homeschooling, or are just starting out.  Our first meeting was last night, and it was fun to meet some new people and get to tell a little about our own homeschooling journeys.  If you're a homeschooler in the area, please consider coming out for the next meeting!  Meeting information will be posted on our new blog, Harlem Valley Home Educators.

If you're not from this area, we have pages of favorite homeschooling links, and resources which you're welcome to peruse.  We're hoping to add more information that would be helpful to any homeschoolers, so spread the word!  We would love it if you veterans would give some comments to help our newbies out, and also leave links and resources that YOU've found useful - Let's help each other along the way!

So happy June, everyone, and have a great end to your school year, whatever your school!

My Lily

"Pop!" Goes the Lily!

Tuesday was Lily's birthday.  She is now, officially a "big girl."  Apparently, four is a very important age, and somehow much older than three.  This was the first birthday that she had definite opinions about, from the type of cake to who would be at the party.  She had a birthday "tea" for three of her friends, along with assorted family members.  The menu included princess, angel, and clown head cupcakes, ice cream, and cheese curls.  (There were a few other things, such as apple slices and carrots, but I sort of snuck those in).  She also poured the tea herself (her favorite, lemon juice and honey in hot water), and told everyone where to sit and when to eat.  She was definitely the birthday princess for a day!

Lily is so much fun to watch grow up!  She has a great sense of humor, and she enjoys learning new things.  One of the great things about homeschooling is that you can start kids on things when they're ready, not in September when they should be going to school.  So, we just in the past month started piano lessons with Music for Little Mozarts: Deluxe Starter Kit, and reading with Bob Books, Set 1: Beginning Readers.  We're also using magnetic letters to learn to read and spell, and she loves a dry-erase numbers book that I had bought for Rory when he was little.  It's so funny that she is totally excited to have "school," while I still have to jump through hoops to get her brother to do the same things!  Sometimes you have to wonder how they could be related.

So, we seem to be entering a new era around here.  No more babies, or even toddlers.  It's a little sad sometimes, but I love seeing the great people my kids are growing up to be!

What if Easter is a Bad Day?

This was the latest question from my 9-year-old. I know where he's coming from. This Easter seems a little different. First of all, his sister has a cold, so we're not planning anything too much. It will just be "us" for Easter dinner. We're hoping she feels well enough to go to church at least, but she may not be able to sing with her Sunday School class as planned. Second, and maybe more important for him, he is still on a dairy-free diet, which I think he realizes means a lack of chocolate in his Easter basket. Third, he's a natural worrier, with the weight of the world on his shoulders, and we all know that the world gets heavier, the older you get. Just the same, it's a pretty good question.

The truth is, Easter could be a "bad day." People can lose loved ones on Easter. People who have lost loved ones since last Easter are still trying to adjust to a new "normal." The fact that the word "Easter" is written on that date on the calendar does not make it any different than any other day. There are people all over the world who are sick, or lonely, or starving, or homeless, and all of this happens on Easter just the same as any other day.

But Easter can never be a bad day.  "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen:  for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."  2Corinthians 4:17-5:1.  We have this assurance.  No matter what happens to us in this life, good or bad, it is temporal.  It will not last.  We can have hope in affliction, because this world is not all there is.  Jesus proved on Easter morning that there IS life after death.  And that it is more glorious than this life.  The difficulties that we deal with in this life will be over, and we will receive new, heavenly bodies without sickness or hunger or pain.  So as we go through this life, even through the bad days, we live in hope and joy because Jesus Christ rose from the dead on Easter morning.

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 8:38-39.

St. Patrick - by Rory

We've been reading about St. Patrick  this week in anticipation of the holiday.  Actually, we've been loosely following a one-week unit study I received free from Knowledge Quest.  They have an e-newsletter you can sign up for, and you get free materials from time to time.  I highly recommend it for homeschooling!  Of course, they have plenty of things you can buy, also.  Anyway, included with the unit study was a free 33-page book written by Jennaya Dunlap called "St. Patrick: Sower of Light in Ireland."  So, Rory's report is based mostly on this book.  Just so you know, I am not receiving any money for telling you about this site - I just think it's a good thing and wanted to share :)  And without further ado, here is Rory's report.

St. Patrick

It was the dark ages.  BAD things were happening to Patrick.  First he was taken from his home in England, and then jeered on by sailors.  What a horrible life!  But God was not through with him, yet, and still protecting him.  But still, more bad things were to come, for as he got older, one time, finally, he got killed.  But before that, he met lots of friends, taught lots of people about Christ, and made his best friend, side kick and companion, Benen, who stayed with him and was another great missionary with him and the king's son.  What a great friend!  He went to lots of places.  He was first taken as a slave in Ireland, and met up with an army from Wales, and he went back to Roman England, where he lived before he was taken as a slave in Ireland.  He went to many places, met many people, taught many sermons, and lived a great life, and God was with him all the while.  The End.

Happy Birthday Mike!

I hope you know how blessed we are to have you for a husband and father.  You work hard to provide for us without complaining (maybe about the job sometimes, but not about having to provide!)  And you still manage to spend time with each of us, from hanging out at home to attending sports events and even field trips.  You make us all feel loved and cared for.

Have a very happy birthday, and look forward to the year to come!  We'll all make it together.  I love you! - Robin

What's Your Team?

You know how people like to pick sides?  The Superbowl was a couple weeks ago, and everyone picked the team they wanted to win.  Then, we spent a few hours alternately yelling "Yeah!" and "Boo!" at the "light up box with all the pretty colors" in our living rooms.  The next few days or weeks were spent discussing the game, commiserating with those who were on our side, and jeering at those on the other (especially if their team lost).

Rory's baseball team (Rory is second from left)

I really like football.  I also have a son who plays baseball, soccer, and basketball.  I don't really have a problem with organized sports, and I think that playing on a team can be good training for kids.

The thing I'm concerned about, though, is that while we're worrying about all of these pseudo-fights, we are missing the real one.  Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:12-13 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."  He goes on to describe the armor of God, which includes truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God.  No balls involved.  There are only two teams, and there is only one goal.  So what do you do?

• You have to choose a team.  Jesus said in Luke 11:23 "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth."  

• You don't know when the game will end.  "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.  But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew 24:36-39.

• But you know who will win.  "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them; for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful." Revelation 17:14.  

• And you can be on the winning team.  "I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil...Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."  John 17:14-15,20-21.  

• You know how to be chosen for the team.  "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city...And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.  And let him that heareth say, Come.  and let him that is athirst come.  And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."  Revelation 22:14,17

• And you know the game rules.  "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?  and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear ye not, therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.  Wosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."  Matthew 10:28-33

So.  What's your team?