Autumn Arriving

The morning air has a crispness to it and the afternoon sun isn't oppressive. Autumn is arriving!This is my favorite season, followed by spring, then winter, and finally summer.

I love going to football games, snuggling under blankets, eating chili and cornbread. I love to watch the leaves on the trees that surround us here in Appalachia become brilliant with color. At their peak we are surrounded by a rainbow of color. I enjoy the crisp morning air and the crunch of leaves under my feet. I enjoy scrubbing the house and getting ready to "hibernate" for the winter, sitting around a fire ring and chatting while the children burn up a whole bag of marshmallows, curling up in my favorite chair with an afghan to crochet or a good book to read.

Autumn also means back-to-school and new books to read and discuss together. Lesson plans to write, compositions to read, and math papers to grade. Time to watch my children as they learn and make connections with their world and everyone and everything in it. Time to listen as they excitedly relate what is going on their favorite book. Time to discuss with them and hear their thoughts on what is going on in our home and in our world. Time to hear their ideas and plans for the future. Time to dream with them and be silly with them.

Autumn will come again next year but this time with my children is something that can never be replaced or done over again. My wish and prayer for every homeschooler, every parent, is that this autumn will be spent enjoying your children for you will never have another opportunity to spend this day with them.

New Year

We actually started our school year early this year since we are planning to start building a new house this fall.

The children do most of their schoolwork together since they are close together in age. This year we are covering the following:
American Government
American Literature
Chemistry
Christian Doctrine
Algebra 2
Computers

I like having the children work together at this age so that they can discuss their work with one another. It's difficult to discuss a literary selections if Mom is the only one with whom you can discuss it.

When we started homeschooling the children did almost everything together. That caused a lot of competition and hard feelings between the two for a while. So, we separated them and had each of them working on completely different things. Now, that they are older there isn't that same competition and they enjoy talking about books (as well as other things) together. We wanted them to have the opportunity to do as much as possible together before they are grown up and on their own. We hope they are building memories and a closeness with one another that will last them the rest of their lives.

Wordless Wednesday

What are the things that spell H-O-M-E to you?

Mrs. Anna at Domestic Felicity blogged on this topic this morning and I was inspired to do the same.

To me it's the clink of dishes as our family shares a meal together

waking up to Bibles piled on the table from our family reading time

the sound of chatting, laughing children working together in the kitchen or barn

sitting around the table to play a board game and just enjoy one another

curling up in my favorite chair with the puppy or a cat snuggled in beside me while I crochet

stretching out on the couch with a good book

sharing a late night bowl of ice cream with my daughter when she comes home from babysitting a friend's children

the shouts of my son as he and his daddy get too "into" their game

watching the first flowers of spring opening in the yard

the sound of the puppy barking at the cat who is too regal to stoop to playing with a dog!

folding warm towels that have just been pulled from the dryer

math books, science experiments, and pencils strewn around the entire house

ragtime, or My Favorite Things played on the piano

Simply being with and enjoying each and every member of my family and making memories together.

Getting "Ahead"

 In School:
We have started doing a 6-day week in our homeschool in the hopes that we won't be so far "behind" once we have finished building our house. The children will, hopefully, be able to help with the construction but we will lose two days a week of school time during construction. (Due to Daniel's schedule we take one weekday off school each week as that is his only day off each week.) We started school earlier than normal this year to give us a little leeway as well. But, I am one of those people who hates to feel "behind". "Behind" being relative to where I want to be at a given time during the school year.

In Our House:
Daniel called from work today and wanted me to call the 911 office and see if they could give me an address for the lot we are buying in a subdivision that doesn't exist yet so we can call around and get home owner's insurance estimates. The insurance companies can't give me a quote without an address and we can't get an address until there's a street. So, I spent 15 minutes on the phone with a very helpful gentleman who couldn't tell me anything.

Why?
Why do we feel the need to be "ahead" of the game? Why are we not content to wait patiently on the Lord's timing? We believe we are following His leading in each of these areas so why is it that we don't put all our trust in Him, knowing that He works everything for our good?  This is one of the biggest things with which I struggle in my life. I feel that I need to try to take control but, if I stop and think about it, if I was in control the outcome wouldn't be nearly as good as what God has planned for me!

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ” (Philippians 4:6 & 7).

In the Peace of God:
"Be careful for nothing" - it's been a long time since I could say I was careful for nothing. But, I love what is says in verse 7 - "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,". Isn't that beautiful? I remember that peace. It's the peace that we experienced when we were traveling to Mexico to get a tubal reversal. We felt His peace and His presence throughout that entire trip! It was completely awe-inspiring.

If I am following where He leads then I can be "careful for nothing" and rest in "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding."

My goal for today is to stop trying to get ahead of God and simply trust in Him and rest in His peace.

BFS #124 - The Easy Button

Memory Verse - Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
2 Chronicles 7:14-16

Introduction - I thought that I would hit the “easy button” this week and not only make the assignment light, but also give us a chance to get to know each other better through prayer.

Assignment - This week I would like you to post any prayer requests you have. What is going on in your life that you need prayer warriors for? Feel free to post an unspoken request if you feel it is too personal. Then if you would just take the time to visit as many other BFS buddies as possible, pray for them and then leave them a little note letting them know that you have prayed or will be praying.

My Prayer Request:

Our family is being led by the Lord to start the process to become foster/adoptive parents in our county. He has been, very slowly, moving our family in this direction for years - I had said I would never do foster care because I would get too attached! I would like to ask everyone to pray for wisdom and guidance for us as we make decisions and to pray that everything from the application through the home study will go smoothly. Our hope and prayer is that we will be finished and licensed/certified by the end of October.

BFS #123 - ABC’s of Praise

Introduction: This is a steal, literally, because I found it on Facebook and decided to use it this week. This is an expression of Praises to God- using the ABC’s. I thought this would be a good way to be able to Praise God and use every letter of the alphabet!

Assignment: Try to think of one thing you can say to the glory of God- one thing to thank Him for, a positive thing you can say about Him, or one of His Names-using each letter of the alphabet. You are allowed to make up words- if you can justify them by making it clear what you mean- and you may also use any foreign language (but please explain what it means) - and you can also use a thesaurus or dictionary if you get stumped. I’m putting my list below so you’ll have to copy and paste this then remove my answers. It’s a bit of a challenge but I think you’ll enjoy it. Have fun with it!

A - Awesome

B - Blessing

C -Creator

D - Deliverer

E - Emmanuel

F - Father

G - Glorious

H - Holy

I - Indescribable

J - Just

K - King of Kings

L - Lord of Lords

M - Mighty God

N - None other like Him

O - Omnipotent, Omnipresent

P - Prince of Peace

Q - Quenches my thirst

R - Redeemer

S - Savior

T - Trustworthy

U - Unending

V - Victorious

W - Wonderful

X - EXcellent

Y - Yoke - His yoke is easy and His burden is light

Z - Zion's King