Two week Homeschool trial

The yearning to do homeschooling has really not left.  My husbands yearning to not do homeschooling has not left.  Its been not a battle, but more a "well what do we do?" for the both of us.


So we have decided that we will do a two week trial period.  I came across Head of the Class, a free online homeschooling cirriculum, that looks really engaging and hopefully will help us decided if homeschooling will be right for us. 


While we are not sure if we want to spend a lot of time online, this is free, and therefore we are not spending money on cirriculum if we decide not to do it,  or decide to take a different approach.

Without a printer for the next few weeks, I know the trial period may cause me to have some later nights preparing for the next day than it will when we pick up a printer.  But I know that with God's strength I will be able to do it. 

Already I can feel the emotions spin as I get excited and determined to do it, then a bit later, lazyness sets in, then ofcourse the enemy starts putting those thoughts in my head "you arent going to be able to even get through the next two days..forget it, go play on facebook."
But all it takes is for me to re-align my thoughts with His and I feel strength again. 

Lord Jesus, I know you have given me Your Spirit to help strengthen me.  I cannot do things on my own strength, I need Yours, and I thank You that You have freely given it to me.  I will be pulling on it constantly and I know You do not mind.  You will send me wisdom and understanding (proverbs 2:6) and I want to be with You in all these things You have prepared for our children.  That Your will would be done in their lives, in my life and my husbands life and that even in the times it gets rocky we will stand firm in Your promises.  That no matter what is happening we would give thanks.  ~Amen 

"I wish all Christians were..."

I have heard from my friends who are not Christians so many times over the past while "I wish all Christians are like you, loving everyone, not judging, kind and concerned in a gentle way."...


It didnt really hit me till today.  A lot of the Christians I DO know are like this.  But I have surrounded myself with these like minded people. Out in the day to day world, how many people who arent Christians actually encountering and seeing Christ in us who call ourselves Christians? 

I have some friends who I always say could be amazing daughters and sons of Christ, but refuse to accept what He has said about Himself.  Now when I have asked them why, some have said because of that attitude that comes from some of the Christians they know.  "Oh the Church is just after your money...they're a bunch of hipocrites,  they're brainwashing the kids etc..If Christ preeched so much love why are you Christians protesting at places like gay pride parades, being rude and judgmental!?  Doesnt your God tell you to love all people?"  This is something a lot of people do come to me about because we have a same sex marrage in our family.  This hits home for us.  We have SEEN Christians treat our family members in the least loving way.
Its these people who are having a hard time accepting Christ because of the people who say they follow Him that I think could do amazing things in the Churches, because these people ARE so full of love and joy and ideas already.  Imagine putting two and two together?

I have friends and family who wont come to Christ because of what they have seen Churches, that they have seen "religion" do to the world.  "Dont preach at me, you start and Im out of here!" 


It has hit me hard.  These people who are saying " I wish there were more like you."  ... what Christians are they watching?  What example are we setting?


We are doing a series in the Church we attend about being in Christ's likeness.  What was His likeness?  According to my friends who are not Christians, Jesus must have been a very non tolerating, unloving, hating people who arent like us kinda guy."


Maybe because of this series at Church it has caused this realization that people who are not walking with Christ really dont have a good view of Jesus or the Church.
 
Jesus loved.  He served and He loved.

God came, to die and rise again, so we could do the same. He didnt make us little gods, its still not all about us...  but gave us His Spirit to give us His wisdom in the times we call on it.  His Spirit that dwells within us so that together we can do even more than God did while He walked this earth.

John 14:12-14 (NIV)

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

To me, Christianity is a most loving faith.  We are called as Christians, to follow Christ's example and to love ALL people. 

John 13:34-35
 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

To just put our faith in Jesus Christ and that He knows the best path for us. He is supposed to come first. If we are thinking always of Him, it is easier to represent Him.  To share our faith with others.  He is not some god that sits on a table, who's bones are still in tombs and graves or scattered all over... He is the LIVING GOD who wants us to have a relationship with Him, forever.  He wants to help us, heal us, free us, walk with us and comfort us. 


There has been a lot of corruption in this world, a lot of corruption happening everywhere, in Churches that pick and choose parts of the Bible that suit them, that are not following Biblical teachings, that have gotten so selfish and far off from what He wanted.  People after just your money.  Church members who ignore you or judge you because you are a bit different.  If this was how my walk in Christ had started, I probably would have stayed pagan.  I have been very blessed to be involved in Churches that have not been this way.  But they are out there.  The Church is not a building.  I hear so many people say "I dont have to go in a building to worship God."  I agree 100%.  You can worship God anywhere... while walking to the corner store.. while sitting on the toilet..serious! The Church is a group of people who are there for eachother, to encourage and support one another.  To help eachother grow in their walk with Christ. To pray for eachother.  To bring others to Christ.  And to not judge those who are not there just yet.. I LOVE going to Church.  Its family to me. 


If you are not a Christian, and you are just looking at the people of this world to see what Jesus was like..sometimes you are going to have to look a long time to find people really working hard to be like Him.  Its a struggle against the flesh everyday.  We ALL fall short of being like Christ.  I thank Him for His grace and forgiveness.  We are saved when we surrender to Him.  We gotta keep our eyes on Him.


But please, I encourage you to read your Bibles.. read John, Matthew, listen to Christ speak through the pages.  Study it... dont just go by what the news says, what friends say.  Learn it for yourself.  There are so many false teachers, you can be fooled in a minute!! Study it for yourself!

the only ones we should be looking for advice from is Jesus. 


Christians- we need to be making sure we are doing this as well.  Dont be half in and half out.  Go all in for Him! He went all in for you!   He'll show you things you have never seen before!  Its so amazing!  We need to be like Him so that people can see Him in us.  How else are people going to see what is so great about Christ? This is not to say we cant have bad days, have crummy teary eyes moments where we think "ugh this is massivley lame.." Heck I had two of these in the past three days!!!!!!!!! LOL.  But we need to focus on Christ and tell people "Gods got His hand on this still.  Its going to work out for His purpose.  It sucks now, but it will be beautiful later and I will still give thanks and forgive and love". 

Praise for Jesus- Walk with Him Wednesday

I used to write songs when I was a teenager, about being angry at the world, how nothing mattered.  I would scream into a microphone random rage.  Amplifers were cranked, distortion full blast. 

I have a very hard time writing for Jesus.  I dont know if its just because the journals and journals of music I wrote before were so angry, or what it is.  I have picked up my guitar on more than one occasion in my walk with Christ.  I have sang many songs that are not my own.  The past little while I felt Jesus nudging me to just play.  To play and sing to Him, about Him, about my walk.  Everytime I attempted too I got discouraged.  Our 12 string has strings missing, goes out of tune so very often... (kinda sounds like me some days)

Evenings after the kids go to bed, I usually put on worship music, new and old, and just relax. 

This past Friday night I was trying to learn a song on the guitar, and it wasnt working, I decided that I would play random notes and remembering Ann's post from this day,  I realized that in this moment could be time for worship.   It didnt all flow perfect at times, but I felt such a presence of our Lord. Even in the parts I edited out, where I didnt even know what to say, It felt right.   I wanted to share some of it with you. 

Our Church received a program for my daughters class to talk about worship.  I found this out on Sunday.  I thought, how funny is this that something that has been on my heart is now also going to be taught in her class!  We can really start to have conversations on it.  She was up in her room Monday with our guitar, writing songs for Jesus.  Just songs on how wonderful He has been to her, just regular conversations of thanks.  So simple and beautiful.  They just flowed.  She knows no chords, she doesnt know exactically how to hold this big instrument in her six year old hands,

 but it was still beautiful praise...

This is I think where worship is at for me right now.  To be free in it, to be free in Christ to raise my hands if I feel the urge, to kneel, to dance and laugh or cry and weap.  Worship has so many emotions in it.  They are not just melodies and lyrics, there is feeling and prayer to them as well.  If we are just harmonizing with those around us, but not focused on bringing glory to Christ, then are we doing it right?  I love it when the harmonizing is between me and Jesus.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ~ Colossians 3:16

Not everyone sings on key, or can play even a beat.  Some people sing quiet, or belt it out. Some with hymn books, others with projection screens and new music, some original, some inspired, some with drums and electric guitar, others with organ and piano.  I dont think it matters.  Singing in your car, singing in the shower, humming as you lull young ones to sleep.  All of it can be praise to God.  It doesnt matter how you sound to those around you... it matters though that you are doing it for HIM.  I think thats what He has been trying to show me

My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed. ~ Psalm 71:23



Multitudes on Monday~$114 dollars from God

The laundry has been piling up over this past week with no dryer, and a washer who's spin cycle has lots its spin.  God has been faithful in all this.   I have been ever greatful for the lack of rain (dispite all lawns yellowed) because each day I have been able to get a few loads strung out on our makeshift clotheslines on our deck.  Our clothes have smelt like joy. 

We discovered a very wonderful deal for a new washer and dryer.  Payments we would be approved for, and that we could probably swing with some sacrifices.  It would be 114.00 a month give or take a few cents.  We prayed that if this was God's will for us to have a new washer and dryer (we have never owned a set that is new) that He make it so obvious.   One of our cheques came in the mail yesterday, that Canadians recieve monthly for their children from the gov't..a nice perk, a real blessing for us since we live on my husbands part time employment.  In July we knew it would either go up, or down.  It went up... 114.00.  Exactically the amount we needed.  If God was any more obvious that this was something He wanted for us, He would have delivered them to the door Himself. 

God is so good, He makes me laugh in amazement. He is just that good.  I dont call this a coincidence, I call this a divine moment.  God proved to us His faithfulness because we have been doing our best to prove our faithfulness to Him. 

And as I continue to hunt for 1000 gifts, I put this at the top....

141-  a new washer and dryer, God proving Himself faithful over and over and over.

142-  Mother in laws coming over to bake

143-  children having bicycle accidents, fat lips and noses, healing and Gods good amazing grace

144-  realizing our two year old has a hand gesture for every super hero he knows. 
145-  playing trucks with sons- trucks pretending to be sharks pretending to be green dolphins...

146-  rainbows in fishtanks discovered

147- a security gaurd in our neighbourhood that does his best to keep the neighbourhood safe

148- discovering answered prayers of friends searching for Him

149- stirrings in my heart from God, conversations started by Him

150- watermellow pizza's with banana "pepperoni"

151- air conditioners that do really work after all

152- the laundry pile shrinking.

153- RAIN- GLORIOUS RAIN after weeks of none!!!!!!!!

154- the bubbles at the tips of a wave

155- a rocky, bumpy hill that is a huge mountain for our two year old, an adventure right outside our door

156- our two year olds HUGE excitement over the new Amazing Spiderman Trailor (oh boy it was funny)
157- serving my household joyfully
158- The stone rolled away..Jesus is ALIVE
159- hideous mustashes on husbands... his sense of humor and fun
160- dollar store crafts that bring happiness to the children (mommy and daddy too!)
161- xray machines

Christ calls us to LOVE, not shoot up a camp.

I sit here this morning and I cant even clean.  I cant think straight after hearing about Utoya island and Oslo.  So very tragic, so very sad and sickening.  I cannot even begin to imagine how awful and terrible the people who survived, and those who lost in these discusting acts feel... all I want to do is hug my children.  I could not imagine one of them going through something like this.

The man identified as the shooter calls himself a Christian.  When I read this I just started to cry.  Ofcourse curiosity got the best of me and I started to read readers comments.  Instead of prayers, good thoughts, and kind words being spread to support victims and their families, most of it has been hateful words against Christians and other religious groups that had nothing to do with the events that took place.

John 13:34-35    “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

This was Christ, our Lord talking.
He never calls Christians to go massacre dozens of people, to hold up angry protest signs at events.  We are supposed to LOVE
Can I say that one more time to make sure you get it?

Christ calls us to LOVE. 

This means also when some of us Christians start bashing other religions, we need to ask ourselves. "is this loving to the people I am talking about?" (most likley no!)
There are going to be people in all walks of faith who are going to be not exactically following the commands of who they put their faith in.  These people make the rest of the people look bad.  This has happened to Muslims for a long time.  I know a LOT of wonderful Muslim families.  This has happened to many people I know who are Pagans, a few loose cannons and the whole lot of them look insane.  And it happens to us who cling to Christ as well.   These people are PEOPLE just like you and I.  They are not crazy, they arent terrorists.  A majority in the world are just regular day to day people.  Yes there are some of them who are not doing very loving things, very evil things...and there are Christians doing the same... but doesnt Christ call us to love even them? 

I dont know what I really want to come to a conclusion on here.  I am just so sick and tired of people , especially Christians who would comment for hours and hours on CNN BASHING people.  Its horrible.  Yes what happened was discusting and heart wrenching... but doesnt Christ call us to forgive, to heal, and to love all people? 

How can we spread Christ's love when we never show it to the world?

Some blog posts I found very excellent this week!

I wanted to share some blog posts I found really fabulous this past while.  Here they are and I hope you enjoy them!


Motherhood Is a Calling (and where your children rank) - Racheal Jankovic -!!!MUST READ!!!
The Stash- Hands Better Full -Mike and Carly (my friends and neighbours, wonderful people!)
Holy-Spirit Led Homeschooling Part 3-  Following this series on Holy Spirit Led Homeschooling as we pray for God to show us what He wants for our own children.
To the Church - Sunrise
What Happened? - Lisa
The Me-Time myth - raising arrows.  (Excellent post!)

When God shows up unexpected...

I layed next to our two year old son, a nightly tradition in our home, its the way he falls asleep most content and I am happy to help him drift off to sleep. 
I dont know what got me thinking on the topics really, maybe God wanted to discuss things with me.  Usually I start the conversation with God in prayer but I got a stirring in my heart, so beautiful like a whirlwind.  I knew God was going to show me something, or renew something to me.  He was starting this conversation. Thoughts began to circulate and it flowed...

I feel for those who dont have You Lord, I feel for those I know who I know could be men and women who could change things, that could do amazing things for You..and the amazing things You could do for them.  But I cant debate all day with them all, I cant debate about if Your Son is the only way every moment of everyday and it seems this topic comes up over and over with the same people.  I know its not by works we are saved, but You say its by Your Grace that we are saved.  I wanna praise You in Heaven, I believe in Your Son. But what about those amazing people in my life who dont think Your Son is the only way?  Because they dont like some of the things You've commanded? They are good people...

I gave you My Son.  I GAVE them MY SON.  You are learning and reflecting and chewing on how Christ came to Earth, The LORD came to Earth to serve all.  Thats what He did, and continues to do. You are asked as well to serve.  Believe.  Jesus Christ is KING, LORD, your saviour... if you dont agree with it all, you need to trust that I have a better idea on how things should go than you do.  You are human. I am GOD.  I have a plan. 

Theres so much awful stuff going on in this world.

Theres so much war, pain, suffering, but does that change the end of the story?  Does that change the fact that I WIN?   That My purpose includes even these things?  That all will declare Jesus as Lord?  It doesnt change anything.  Even at the end of you ropes, it changes nothing.  I never change, the story wont change if 1000 wars happen.  Christ will return, and all who believe in Him as saviour will spend eternity filled with so much joy.   You are only here for such a short time, do you really not want to trust the one who can give you everlasting life?  Trusting Jesus as the only one who can save you and loving all people is what it comes down too... Is that too hard?

 
God people say to me that Your Word has gotten so corrupted by man, that we CANT hold it completley true and responsible anymore, it wouldnt be right. 

Do you think that the God, the God who created the galaxies and stars, the wind that flows and oceans that rise and fall would allow the people He created to corrupt it THAT much that it would be incapable of following for instruction. Do you think I would allow it to be messed up that bad that no one would come to accepting My Son? Do you REALLY think I would allow that to happen?  The Bible is your ONLY source to God, (my soul stirs so strong), you cannot pick and choose Bible verses to please you and disregard the rest.  You cant pull some from here, and believe from this book and another book... Its all right there, in those scriptures so Holy.  If you dont get it, study it, ask ME for help.  I will help You.  I want too, its not  inconveniencing Me.  I want you to know My voice. 

So Lord, what can I do, sometimes I feel like what I say never gets noticed

Pray, and never stop praying.  You know what it does, and trust that I got it, and will do amazing things through it.  Never be silent.  Never be silent about Christ.  You know people hear you, even if there is never a response.  My word will never be void, and will always do something even if you dont see it.  Trust that I am bigger than ignorance, that I am bigger than neglect.  I Am.

Its when my heart stirs like this that I get a glimpse of how amazing His presence feels.  To feel that for eternity is something I will never risk loosing.  To feel this permanently is somthing I long for, for not just glimpses randomly during worship, or unexpected moments of joy. For that constant feeling...

 it must be what Heaven will feel like. 

 

Walk with Him Wednesday- Gossip

God has been pulling parts of me out and throwing them away, these parts that do no good, the parts that dont glorify Him, I mean isn't that why we are here, to walk like Him?

Do you think He gets up and walks away when we start to gossip?

Do you think He plugs His ears and goes "la la la la la!" Like a school kid trying not to hear the things being said.

Do you think maybe He just sits there and cries saying "How can you say such things about someone?  Are you no better?!" 

These things have been pressed on my heart for the past two months. I have witnessed these things happen in my home, at my places of employment, on online forums with secret forums for gossip attached (more than once sadly).  I have seen this happen at previous churches, I have heard it over emails, phones, face to face, in cars, at the park, in the library etc.  Now wait... I may sound a bit hipocritical, I have gossiped, even still I catch myself enticed by those conversations. God is very good at trying to make me notice what Ive done, I try quick to change it, or ignore or to say nice things about the person being talked about.  There is good in everyone...I think it would be benneficial if everyone focused on the good of all.  It is a daily struggle I'll admit.  I go many days without getting  involved, but every once and a while, a slip up occurs that Christ convicts me of imediatley.  He's so good in keeping us in check when we are close to Him. 

Gossip kills.  Plain and simple. 

Romans 1:29-30-They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,  slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;

When I know someone loves to gossip, I dont share things with them, plain and simple.  When I hear people gossip and I have to leave, I wonder "what are they saying about me now?"  If they are able to gossip about family and friends when they arent around, do they talk about me when Im not around?? 

Proverbs 20:19 (The Message) -  Gossips cant keep secrets, so never confide in blabbermouths.

Lord, I pray as I continue this walk with You, that as I am in these situations that You pull me aside and say, "stop, be quiet, of few words, this isn't right." 

I want to walk like Christ did, and its a daily struggle against the ways I used to follow, against what is considered "normal". Gossip, as you can see in the above photo I selected is considered okay, its "networking" for many.  Its what drives our society more and more into pride and bullying among other sins. But with His strength, each one of these things that are negative that He prunes from us, we grow in Christ.  And thats beautiful!

 I encourage you this week to pray to Christ to work in your life in such a way that He would prune even just one thing from your life that is holding you back from a marvellous relationship with Him.  I pray that He will continue to prune these things from me, that I would always seek His strength and wisdom above all others, and that He would show me the area's that I need some of His "miracle grow" :) 

Will we homeschool??

Since the end of the school year I have felt this almost desperation to homeschool our children. I have been on countless webpages, looked at pages and pages of cirriculum, talked to many Moms about homeschooling, gotten so many points of view, a majority positive.  We have taken this to the Lord, knowing full out that we want God's will to be done in this and not our own.  If it is God's desire for our children to be in public school (knowing that they may be the only children who bring Christ to the school), or to be homeschooled, we want it to be His decision. 


My husband and I have been having discussions about it for weeks now, both of us are not quite on the same page yet.  We are still waiting on our answer from God.  God knows what is best for our children and He wants to give us the best option for them.  Even though I am very passionate for homeschooling, that may not be what God is passionate about for our children.   Even though my husband is very passionate about public school, that may not be what is God is passionate about for our children.  James 4:3 says "you ask and do not recieve because you ask wrongly, so you can spend it on your passions. "  I constantly pray that God's will would be done in this, not our own. 


I have no problem with the way my childrens school has educated my daughter so far and our youngest will be going to junior kindergarden (preschool basically for you Americans reading this.  Canada has two kindergardens, JK is not manditory)   I have liked the teachers, I like the programs.   But they are bringing much more home with them than just their education and that is also something we need control of. 


Im not afraid of our children not being socialized, I know homeschooled children get alot of socializing in other places than a school yard.  Im not afraid of not being able to teach them what they need to know because I know God will give me the strength to get through the tough moments.  I know that even the teachers have a hard time getting things organized, no one who educates is perfect. I sometimes worry about the critisism we are recieving from people who dont understand why we would do it, or if we can do it.  But God keeps reminding me that its not up to them, that its up to Him and my husband and I, and thats it!
Prayer prayer prayer.  Everytime I look at my children Im praying for our answer.  Every time I look at our diningroom table I pray for an answer, their backpacks, their sneakers.  Everything latley reminds me of our options.  

 Luke 11:9-10  “So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened"

Philippians 4:19 "And my God will supply your every need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

We sit and we pray and we wait for the answer God has for us.  Waiting for the green light for whatever it is.  Somedays more paitient than others, but always waiting on God to show us the way.  And if you are reading this and feel compeled to pray for God decision in this as well, I thank you in advance, we appreciate it and will let everyone know His decision. 

multitudes of gifts #116-140

116- clothes drying on clothes lines, dryer broken

117- children playing "bus" with diningroom chairs and monopoly money, barganing the price

118- curtains opened, Gods sun beaming in the kitchen

119- the squeeking sound created by a washcloth cleaning a stove top.  God must have been giggling when He created that sound!!

120- husband throwing me into fits of laughter in the middle of my pitty party (Thank you Dylan)

121- stirfry

122- playing peek a boo with our two year old with the back door.

123- Homerun Derby's- Father and son watching contently

124- Feeling God's Spirit stirring up in our hearts... what is He upto now, what does He want to grab our attention with?
125- Venus Fly Traps- enough said
126- our childrens voices
127- An Iron Man toy in a childs hands, the sounds of rocket boots loud and clear
128- three children sitting at the top of the stairs conversing about random fun stuff, all getting along happily
129- toddlers falling to sleep randomly.
130- hubby making bacon and eggs
131- free swimming days at the pool
132- free morning camps
134- headlice - bonding time with mother and daughter. 
135- bus rides with friends for prenatal appointments, trying to find a Tim Hortons in the hospital LOL
136- cicaidas singing in the trees
137- clouds that look like sharks
138- Church with the kids at home- worship, crafts and the Word

139- picnics with the church at the park, games, food and fun

140- rearranging the livingroom

Our clothes will smell like joy

Our dryer broke.  All the childrens summer clothes drenched out of the washer due to a lazy spin cycle.  I sigh in frustration, "Seriously Lord? Today? I havent been caught up on laundry in years.  Seriously...what on earth is this going to teach me?  We have been through so many washers and dryers, you have always provided bu seriously... today?!"  I try turning it on like five more times. Maybe if I turn the dial this way...what if I kick the stinkin thing?  How bout now? does it work now?

Its in that moment I have to remember that this is not the end of the world.  Oh how it felt like that in that moment though.  Online on every rent-to-own site, kijiji and craigslist, sears, panic! Oh how will we ever survive without a dryer?  There is not nearly enough money in our household for a new dryer.  Oh well... I guess I will have to hang it all outside in the beautiful nature God has provided for us which I am always craving to get out into and just adore!... I sound like Eyore, Im not joyous or thankful in this moment.  Do you know how tired my arms get hanging up clothes!!!! (seriously I need to exercise).  A friend of mine comments on my dryer crisis on facebook and says she hasnt had a dryer in years and they are doing just fine.  God points out to me that not everyone has washers or dryers, or money and their clothes get cleaned.  I roll my eyes at His comment and laugh.  I get it, but I dont want too. *sulking* LOL
 
I take the clothes and head upstairs.  I look in my yarn box for some yarn I can use to make makeshift clotheslines outside on our deck.  I begin to pull on the yarn, lines go up, clothes are going to get dried.

I feel some accomplishment in this moment.


Our landlord comes and notifies us it all has to come down because the workers were here to put the rainspouts on the house..


Do I feel this moment was all an epic fail?  Sorta.  It comes down with me clenching my jaw.  This is highly inconvienient.


It goes back up after they leave. 


The rain falls.


It goes back in the basket.  "Its gonna start to smell, and Im going to have to wash it all again."  I complain to my husband.  He laughs at my tantrum and tries to cheer me up.   

The sun shines and I rush outside "this time I'll get you suckers dry. My children will have clean shorts for tomorrow." 

I hang it back up again the wind is blowing perfect for laundry, "God has set the wind on super fast drying time for me"   Thankyou Lord.  Thankyou Jesus for the wind.  For your Spirit guiding this moment.  I inhale the perfect wind. I embrace this moment and I finally find the joy in all this, this wind blowing through the weaves so perfectly, it will be dried in no time.  It will smell like the wind, our clothes will smell like joy.   


God showed me in this moment, when I finally relaxed and was still in the moment, and waited on Him, that even laundry can bring glory to Him, the one chore I hate doing, and can be done joyfully.  And Im beyond okay with that. 

multitudes of gifts #93-115

-105-

93- dancing in the livingroom with my daughter

94- discovering "new" songs to share with my children.

95- Tim Hortons coffee from my husband

96- dishes done

97- a child saying the lots of wrinkles on that ladies arms are really cool!!!!!!!!

98- road trips with grandparents

99- science centers

100- indoor rainforests

101- diaper changes out in the middle of a field by grandma

102- discovering a tiny chapel on a dirt road, old and beautiful

103- big red sunsets

104- steel drums
105- Hippos and a four year olds dream coming true at the zoo
106- getting to pet stingrays and sharks, the excitement in childrens eyes
107- pony and camel rides
108- penguins playing infront of your eyes
109- late night Mcdonalds ice cream cones
110- Sunfest- music, tie dye and patchwork, good food, sunshine

111- two year olds falling asleep on the couch
112- sunkissed noses
113- facepaint
114- snowcones
115- four year olds doing skateboard tricks in the livingroom

World Peace?

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.  I did not come to bring peace but a sword.”  Jesus in Matthew 10:34

I love peace signs, I have always been one who is drawn to the idea of world peace, that everyone would come together in harmony and love, join hands across the world, no more war, no more hate.  This is all good, but the Bible makes it quite clear, this is NOT going to happen until Jesus returns...and thats after all the terror thats going to happen when the Holy Spirit leaves, the Spirit that is holding back the maximum evil of this world... yes, its because of Him that its not as bad as its going to get..

So whats a hippie mamma to do when she has this revelation brought to her.  I look at all the stuff, the paraphenalia I have, the groups I've joined, is it all useless?  Am I waisting my time?   Dont get me wrong, I think sharing love and peace with people is very important.   I think conservation for the Earth is important, taking care of our natural resources, the wildlife.  War, rape, abortion, I think are somethings we can very well do without... but, its only going to be GOD who is going to be able to fix all this, and sharing HIS message should be the only one we concern ourselves with. 

I mean wouldnt it all fall into place??? If everyone walked as Jesus walked, wouldn't there be peace?  Just love, treating everyone with love, complete forgiveness? 

And His word says we wont even have everyone on Earth doing that before stuff hits the fan, when Revelations becomes reality.

wont even be close

Basically the way I see it right now is, God says all this worldly peace we are fighting for , isnt going to happen.  All these organizations that are striving for it, this beautiful thing we call peace isnt going to happen. United Nations... is going to be meaningless. 
We need to be spreading His love, bringing people to His hope and not to the hope that one day every person is going to not be violent, the hope that people are going to stop blowing eachother up.  People need CHRIST.  You wanna see people stop killing eachother? You wanna see people stop making eachother cry in pain? Do you want to see the whole world fed? You want families to stay together through thick and thin?  Then you need to be shown Christ, and you need to show others Christ's love  His peace is the only peace that is gonna work for the long haul.   And if we want to see the earth at complete peace, then we need to follow Him now so we can be here when He rules it.  Its going to be amazing.  And while we wait, we have His peace in our hearts telling us its gonna happen.  We rest assured that He has got us covered.  Keeping us safe as this world falls apart.  Why are we as Christians (I too am guilty many times) NOT sharing His love... and tell people "This is Christs love.  This is how He loves you." 

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you ..." (John 14:27).

Mini Vacation

Things sure have been busy in our home.  This past week we did two trips into Toronto Ontario with the kids, and their Grandparents.  It was a lot of fun!  Still hard to believe we took all that in within two days. 

On Wednesday we had planned to go to the Toronto Zoo, but coming into the city it was pouring rain.  Our son Tayven has been asking for a year to go see Hippos.  It was very hard to tell him that we would have to wait one more day to go see them.  We hit the Ontario Science Centre instead.  It was a lot of fun!  I think they most enjoyed the Kidspark areas, although they found amazing areas in all sections.  They loved the Tornado maker as well.  Just in awe of all this science and how things work.  God is so complex, its phenominal.  The kids were amazed with everything.  Just sucking it all in, so excited to see what else there was. 

We drove back home, took our time and then got ready to do the Toronto Zoo the next day. 
We got there around 11am, and didnt leave till it nearly closed and we still didnt get to take it all in, but it was worth every penny!  Tayven, he finally got to see his Hippos!  Im telling you, it was such a fantastic moment!  He had just the greatest look on his face as he watched this big hippo play with a log in the water

My daughter was very excited to see the Girraffs and Cheetahs.  Our youngest was just in awe of everything!
The highlight of the zoo I think was Stingray bay, where you go in and get to pet stingrays and sharks.  The kids were so excited about this, we all thought it was really fun! Everyone got to touch more than one, even our youngest would be calling out "I get it, I get it." So determined to reach just a little lower (he was so soaked after it) then he'd touch one and he'd shout out "I DIT IT!" After seeing all the beautiful animals, we let the boys go on their pony rides, then our two oldest go on a camel ride, then we hit the splash pad with them for a cool down and headed home, thanking God for His beautiful creation, all these different species, and for everything that was put into place to experience these two amazing days. 

 

unfading beauty

Kids can be cruel.

 My daughter who just finished grade one has been dealing with the meanness of other girls in her school and neighbourhood for far to long... and she's only in grade one, and Im rather frustrated.  She is not the kindest person on days either, and I have to constantly remind her of who's example we should follow, and that is the example of Christ.

The way girls think its okay to think,  the way that girls think its okay to act, or teach is horrid in my opinion. Im not saying all my daughters girlfriends are a bad influence but there have been a fair amount of them that I have had to speak too about their attitutes.  She is very blessed to have a few really good friends who besides the occasional arguement and dissagrement are okay. 

The music she has been exposed to and has talked to me about made me cringe, the discriptions of monkeys on pianos making sexual gestures are things she has viewed either at school or at a friends house.  I have NO idea what she was talking about and was just horrified.  This is not something a six year old (or anyone for that matter) needs to view.  The fact that young girls think its okay to dress provocativly, strut their stuff and think they are "all that" worries me.  I was a teenager once too..but these kids are in public school!

Even television programs that I would normally allow her and her brothers to watch, God has been convicting me and teaching me that this stuff is not helping them grow up to be what He has called them to be.

The fact that my six year old daughter has asked me already if she is "fat", if she is "really that pretty?  Am I sexy Mom?" 
The questions she asks "well my friend has this thing why cant I have it!"  When are people going to realize possesions make you no better of a person?  Just because you have nice things doesnt make you a good person, having a good heart does. 

Can I tell you I just want to rip her out of school, put her in a bubble and protect her from all the crazy notions of this earth?

Obviously keeping her in a bubble her entire life is something I cant do, homeschool..maybe but that is something I have to pray hard about and my husband and I need to be on the same page and right now, we are not. 
1 Peter 3:3-4
Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

I read a great blog post earlier this year on the Counter-Culture Child and it was a terrific read.  She writes 


"As a Christian parent, I want to make sure that I am raising children who not only aren't afraid to live differently in our culture (the culture of the Empire, as Shane Claiborne would say), but who also aren't afraid to stand up for what is solid and true, even when that is contrary to Church Culture."

 I know the standards (God's standards) are not the standards of the worlds and I know my children might have it harder because they may not follow the crowd. 

Scripture tells us in Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

what is the way they should go?  Because we are a part of the body of Christ and have been called to follow Him, He is who we follow.

Together you are the body of Christ. Each one of you is part of his body - 1 Corinthians 12:27 (CEV)

My children are part of Christ's body and have His Spirit, and His Spirit is:


love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
I dont think this is how the world really operates anymore.  But with prayer and God's protection I hope that they can make it through, without going down the routes I did, and never loose sight of whats important - pleasing HIM and not the world.


God's Spirt is going to help us raising these children, this precious girl who has been so violated already at six by the worlds view and these boys who are begining to learn the world is not so happy go lucky.
He's going to stand next to us, lock arms with us, and we are going to have His strength to raise these children to stand firm in their faith.  To follow Christ.  Because isnt that all that matters?

For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

Psalm 48:14

Multitudes of Gifts #71-92



----(#86 )----

God, you are so worthy of praise.  This week I watched God move in people's hearts in a way that was so awesome, so authentic, so Him.  I felt the shift in them, I praise Him for it,  this gift this week surpasses them all.  Thank You Jesus for your Hope, thank You Jesus for Your power, Your comforting, Your promises, the fact that You dont hide from people when they call out to You.  Thankyou so much Jesus.  Thank You for answered prayer.  You are so worthy of our praises.  All week, everyday.  

#71-  Mother/Daughter talks indepth and educational

#72-  prayer

#73- sunlight patches on lawns between tree's

#74- "come be new with me" moments in Christ

#75- temper tantrums, praise God for emotion.

#76- journeys to the park with friends that havent been seen in a while

#77- report cards

#78- mopped floors

#79- spilt juice on freshly cleaned mopped floors

#80- hillarious revelations from God

#81- end of school year party

#82- date night with hubby- Transformers 3.  Long awaited by hubby (and me haha)

#83- soaking in the presence of God constantly, trying to be aware, time slows

#84- bubble baths

#85- Canada Day with family
#86- Baby Canadian Geese
#87- Tree climbing
#88- Water pooling on leaves of hostas
#89- new parks to explore
#90- sparklers and fireworks in the community

 #91- fireflies
#92- watching God move into peoples lives you've been praying for.  He's so worthy of our praise

----(#87)----



Saturday Evening Blog Post

Elizabeth Esther does a Saturday Evening Blog post where it is  "a celebration of family-friendly art and writing".  This time she is asking people to include their favorite blog post form June.  I chose Let all the trees of the forest sing for joy!
Be sure to check it out and read all the wonderful entries for last month!  Have a blessed Sunday!

Constant awareness...

I wrote the begining half of this blog post after the kids went to bed. 

~  Kids are in bed, the music plays,  I read scripture, listening to God speak through the pages... I sit and just am in complete awe of His past and look forward to the future, but mostly, just crave this moment where I feel His presence. 

Have I grasped in moments like these that He is there? That even as I walk slowly across the livingroom floor, the toys thrown about dont even seem to cause stress, that I smile, time almost seems to slow down as I just realize He is walking right next to me, His Spirit overshadowing me, engulfing my senses.  Its so heavy, but so light at the same time.  A perfect balance. 

Christ has control of my household, He gaurds each sleeping head from the husband resting for midnight shifts to the children dreaming of whatever their imagination desires.  His Spirit is with them, gaurding them. 

Holy, Holy is Your name God, Lord Jesus.  Thankyou for this moment. 

~ I write this as the kids are still awake, to feel the full effect.  To be able to explain it best.  The television is loud, its pouring outside, lightning and thunder boom and spin in the clouds, my boys play roughly on the floor with Hot Wheels- smash up derby 2011.  Laughter, yelling, moments of complete chaos.  The phone rings, laundry is done, the room that was just cleaned is destroyed in seconds. 

Its in moments like these, like right now as I write this that it is very very hard for me to be in that awareness that Christ is near me, that He has control still.  I cannot walk slowly and just listen, I cannot even think half the time because its not "peaceful" in this moment.  How can one be fully aware that God is RIGHT HERE when McDonalds commercials are advertising over the flatscreen?  Its in a moment like this I want to just have everything go on mute so I can have a moment to say "You were saying Lord?"  

Im certain a person can be in awareness of Christ even in these loud moments,  the fact that I am even thinking about this during the chaos really shows me I think that God is trying to teach me this.  I still pray during these moments but everything seems not so great.  I still think about God, but its not like in those moments where I just have the music playing, and I am so drenched in His presence that all I can do is smile and praise Him.   Its not like in those moments during worship at Church or early morning or late after the kids go to bed, or when we are outside in nature exploring or just having a quieter moment.   Its in these wild crazy moments where its almost a free for all, that I loose sight of the Most Important.  Even as I had to break from this blog post to put my youngest son to bed, I craved to get back downstairs, to just be with God for a moment, a silent moment.  But as I layed there I thought, He's still here!  I dont have to be in a certain room or writing in a certain book, the stars dont have to be alligned just right, He is just there, waiting for that conversation.  Its very frustrating even to think that I get this in fleeting moments, then loose them the next time it gets loud. 

In my walk in Christ, it took a long time to even get here... and when I get over the next hurdle, I know there will be something new to learn. Always learning, growing...  thanking, holding on.  This always being aware though of Christ supporting me is something I wish I could learn so quickly.  I mean I know He is, but to FEEL it with every bone of my body.  I mean isnt that what Heaven will feel like, that constant feeling of joy and no worries, praising Him, just such a pure love?  Does that mean I cant always feel that here, even in the painful moments? 

I know God will answer me on this, in His perfect timing.  Maybe one day when things feel like they are exploding and I dont think there is even room for any more noise, not even a whispered prayer, He will bring Himself to my attention, and things will calm...