Homeschool Mother's Journal~ July 27th

In my life this week…

We've been enjoying RAIN!!!! My garden is going crazy now...I do believe I have a cucumber jungle. Problem is that I don't even LIKE cucumbers! LOL! But my mother-in-law adores them and promises to do her part. And we all love pickles...so we will be pickling most of these babies.

In our homeschool this week…

We didn't do anything for homeschooling...however, I enjoyed working on cleaning up our bulletin boards and getting the calendar ready. I put up our new borders (vehicles!!) and put away a lot of other things. I still don't have my Kindergarten stuff sorted and officially *put away* yet. I need to go through it and pull out my favorite things from each unit to save for a portfolio of sorts.

My favorite thing this week was…

picking my vegetables and visiting the local Farmer's Market for the other veggies we didn't grow ourselves. I have a serious bowl of banana peppers that need to be chopped up...boy are they strong smelling! Half of them are hot and half are mild...but they look identical! LOL! So I'll just whack them all up and put them together in my bag in the freezer. I did use the little sweet ones in some fajitas for my husband and I this week. Oh wow. Soooo good!

Things I’m working on…

my schedule. I have GOT to get a schedule that I can stick to and use every day. Once homeschooling starts I'm going to have to find a way to juggle my time to meet all my responsibilities. To give you an idea, I not only will be starting back up homeschooling for a 1st grader and a Toddler, but I also teach piano (about 8 students), am a social media director and designer for the paper crafting magazine Designed to Color, am the bookkeeper for our cattle business, and then I am a stay-at-home mom! I need to find a schedule I can keep...I have the tendency to make them, but then *forget* about them. I need to lay out a week of my time...scheduling in even time for the internet--for cleaning--for RESTING! LOL! Does such a schedule exist? Do you use one?

I’m reading…

Proverbs 31...but am almost done with my study. In other reading, I am enjoying book #3 of the Pine Ridge Portraits series by Stephanie Whitson. 

 

I adore historical fiction and especially historical inspirational fiction. This is a good series and the author is one of my favorites.

I’m cooking…

Let's see...this week I made bread, banana bread, squash casserole, fajitas, grilled chicken, salad dressing and a TON of pitchers of sweet tea!

I’m grateful for…

I'm grateful for my children. This week was VERY hard. First we started with Baby Britches having what appears to have been a 24 hr flu. I even had to clean up puke. I hate puke. LOL! But he got well quickly and no one else has come down with it, thank you Lord!!! The rest of the week, both boys were testing. Both boys pushed me to the LIMIT. I had a showdown with Little Britches...he was testing his boundaries to see how much he could get away with. Thankfully, both boys only do this every now and then. And once it's done, their behavior is exceptional. But while it's happening-- Oh what an attitude tester it is for ME! But I am very very grateful that I HAVE my boys. That they are healthy enough to GIVE me attitude. That I am blessed with their little arms to wrap around me. Dirty faces to kiss.

I’m praying for…

Patience, dilligence, self-control...of let's just do all the Fruits of the Spirit!! I need a big dose of each one right now...

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

"For peace of mind, resign as general manager of the universe." ~Author Unknown

"O Sovereign LORD, You have only begun to show Your greatness and the strength of Your hand to me, Your servant. Is there any god in heaven or on earth who can perform such great and mighty deeds as You do?" Deuteronomy 3:24 (NLT)

Shabbot Shalom!

Treasure hunting...

It's picture day!!

Here are some pictures of the treasures we found in our garden this week...

Oh yes. There is just something so satisfying about rows of beautiful healthy lettuce!!! I thinned these out...did you know that you can stop the wilting by putting them roots and all in a glass of water with a plastic bag over the leaves? Then stick it in the refrigerator. I did and they are as perky as if I'd never picked them.

  I had no idea that there would be such stunning blossoms on my cucumber plant...but these little yellow beauties just pop against the green of the plant!

Peas! I have a little munchkin who eagerly runs to the peas hoping for a handout!

This mean looking fella is a stag beetle. We found a few of them when we were digging around in the dirt today. The boys of course were pretty excited about him...or her. How does one tell the gender on a beetle?

Corn in two stages...some nearing summer harvest, another set for a fall harvest...still green even in the drought...

Hmmm...something is growing in my corn...

A nice bowl of greens to enjoy! You can see the lettuce I thinned out...pretty nice sized baby leaves.

The highlight of the day was "digging for treasure" in our potato patch. Little Britches got soooo excited when he would find new potatoes! It's just downright fun!

And my favorite photo of the week...Little Britches excited about all the potatoes we found!! And they taste delicious!

Who call upon Him in Truth...

Psalm 145:18 "The LORD is near to all who call upon Him; to all who call upon Him in TRUTH."

I love that this verse is very specific about who the Lord is near to. Not everyone who calls on Him...but those who call on Him in TRUTH. So what is truth?

John 17:17 "Sanctify them through Your truth. Your Word is truth."

Not just part of the Word of God. Not just the New Testament. Not just Psalms and Proverbs. But the WORD OF GOD. The Bible. All of it. Beginning to End. Alpha to Omega.

Many claim to obey God and to declare their love for Jesus. They say "I believe in God. I believe in Jesus! I believe He died for Me!"

But is that enough?

James 2:19 "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble!"

Saying you believe is wonderful, but if in your daily walk, actions and choices God can't see any difference between you and the world at large...then you are giving Him nothing but lip service.

Matthew 12:33-34 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by [its] fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."

I can't tell you how many times I hear from people proclaiming their belief in God and declaring Christ as their Savior, who then post things on Facebook that demonstrate to me, that they are talking the talk...but not walking the walk.

If you truly {LOVE} God, you will walk in His teachings. His truths. His laws. His commandments.

John 14:15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments."

You cannot pick and choose which ones are the easiest for you to do or will have the least affect on your present status. You can't tell yourself that God will understand why you chose not to do something He's declared to be holy when it's within your capacity to do it. There are no "Fifty shades of grey" with God...It's either right or it's wrong and YOU don't get to decide which is which.

Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way [that seems] right to a man, But its end [is] the way of death."

Ephesians 5:3-7 "But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them."

Luke 13:23-27 "Someone asked him, "Lord, will only a few be saved?" He replied, "Work hard to enter the narrow door to God's Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Lord, open the door for us!' But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' Then you will say, 'But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' And he will reply, 'I tell you, I don't know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.'"

Did you get that? It didn't matter that they considered themselves His followers...they didn't show their faith in action. They were not living godly lives. Their fruits showed them to be ungodly...and God tells us not to be like these people.

Living a Godly life in this world today is HARD. Anyone who says otherwise is a liar. Even Jesus Christ told his disciples that it was not an easy road to walk.

Luke 18:25-26 ""For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." And those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?""

Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide [is] the gate and broad [is] the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow [is] the gate and difficult [is] the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

I make mistakes. I fall down. I fail DAILY. But I'm striving every day to obey the Word of God--to keep His laws and commandments, to listen and follow the teachings of Christ and the apostles and to make sure my light will bring glory to God. Not to Lisa, but to God! And I know that my heavenly Father is there helping me every step of the way.

Psalm 62: 7-8 "In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, And my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at ALL TIMES, you people: pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah."

There is nothing that this present world can offer that is better then what God has promised me. And unlike man, God ALWAYS keeps His promises. So I will strive to live a godly life. To teach my children to believe, love and follow God with all their hearts. Reminding them that everything on this earth can be taken from them, but the inheritance God has in store for His chosen people can NOT be taken away; thus it's the only thing worth setting your heart on. And when we draw near to Him and follow Him in truth and righteousness, then He will always walk beside us.

May you have a beautiful and blessed day...

The Homeschool Mother's Journal for 7/1

In my life this week…I've had to deal with some health issues that have left a lot of fears that I need to conquer...

I am inspired by…those people who are plagued with invisible handicaps every single day, yet still get up and LIVE!

Things I’m working on…casting out my fears by filling myself with faith that God will take care of me.

I’m reading…my Heirloom Gardener book so I can stay on top of harvesting my vegetables!

I’m cooking…a loaf of bread.

I’m grateful for…electricity! So many of the members at church yesterday were going home hoping they had power back.

I’m praying for…my Baby Britches--that whatever is causing his fever will be conquered and he will be 100% again very soon.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:24  (NKJV)