I was just reading a precious post over on Tiany's Blog about keeping Christ in the hearts of our children during Christmas time.  I encourage you to read it and share your own ideas as well!

I thought I would quickly post a sweet letter my six year old daughter wrote to Jesus a few days ago.  I have one on my fridge that my oldest son wrote as well.  It is a blessing when we know our children's hearts aren't so full of the world's views of Christmas.  Their hearts are so fresh and innocent!  Let's nurture that AND learn from it!

Blessings!

Before I write out this post I wanted to ask that you not miss the post prior to this one.  I am SO excited about this and the response I have received is SO inspiring!  I have already sent out an email to those of you who have joined and am looking SO forward to the encouragement we will all receive through this!  It is also a great inspiration for me to keep working on that book!

Okay, now for the Christmas shopping experience.....

This year my children have spoken more of what they would like to do for eachother than any of their own personal wishes for Christmas.  Our children do not get an allowance, however, do get a reward of money every once in a while when my husband has felt led to do so.  They kept asking me if I could take them to town so they could shop for eachother.  I was trying to figure out how to work this out, as the younger children definitely didn't have enough money to go on an actual shopping trip.....still, they had the heart to do something special for those they love.

I LOVE it when the Lord gives me ideas in instances like this and one morning, as I was still laying in my bed, I thought of an idea!  I got up, and while my husband was still home I went in to town to do a little shopping myself.  I went to the Dollar Tree and to a special little Thrift Shop that we have in town and purchased some special little things.

I then came home and priced everything.  I, of course, priced things way low so the littler ones could purchase them.  Then I went about setting up store in the dining room.  The children stayed in the living room and made a list of who they needed to buy for.  When they were finished they were waiting in line eagerly for the store to open!  I told them they were allowed to buy ONE gift per person and then shop was OPEN!

They were so cute looking around, checking prices.  My 6 and 5 year old came to the "checkout" desk with baskets overflowing and learned the lesson of having to put some things back.  Each child was given a complimentary coloring book and candy cane for shopping at "Mama's Store".  It was such a delightful time and I am sure we will all be remembering if for years to come!

I was just visiting my friend, Peggy's blog.  I want to encourage you to read her post "Keep Daughter's Close" .  It was so beautifully written and such wonderful advice from a seasoned, wise mother!

Be blessed and keep those little girls close!

I know my post isn't going to be something new....something that others haven't tried or know about :), yet I still want to share! 

My oldest son is very bright, so much so that he finds school a great challenge.  When I say "school" I mean the "sitting down, working through problems" kind of school.  I spent some time just really praying about how to encourage him and help him in the areas he has been struggling in.  Well....for a few weeks now we have been......................doing Math drills???  No!  Hours of flashcards????  No!  Playing Games???  YES!!!  We have implemented a time in our day of just good old fashione game playing and you know what!?  He is doing incredibly well!  Today we sat down and I explained to him how multiplication works (keep in mind he is fresh starting second grade) and he GOT IT!!!!!!! 

Not only is it increasing Math and Reading skills in the children but it has become such a blessed time for us to look forward to together!  Last night we played UNO out on the back deck until it got dark.  What a blessed time spent learning together!

I am not well.  My stomach cramping is gone but the congestion in my head has moved heavily into my sinuses and ears. 

Never the less I had set today as our first school day.  I determined to begin today, despite being so sick.  It was a mistake.  Things went all wrong from the start.  We got our History lesson in but the more my head pounded, the more my frustration grew.  I just knew the best thing to do was to stop and put it all away....SO, that is just what we did. 

Instead of getting a lesson in Science and English this morning, my children got a lesson in the realization that Mama is a person.  She has limitations and sometimes needs to rest.  They also learned that sometimes our own plans don't line up with the Father's.  Sometimes things don't work out just as planned....

I closed the book, gently explained to the children that I wasn't frustrated or disappointed with them but that I just needed to rest.  They rised to the occasion!  My oldest prepared dinner.  My oldest son prepared a glass of water.  My 6 year old tucked me in on the couch and my youngest ones sat all around me with books. 

When my husband came home for the noon meal I was in tears.  He reminded me that it was okay to need to rest.  It was okay to remove myself from the position of having everything under control, to being the needy one for a time.

I had to go back and read my own post about needing rest.  I am going to repost it here....just in case someone out there is feeling just as I have today.  Sometimes we need physical rest...sometimes it is our souls desperately needing rest.  Whichever it may be, may we remember that it is okay.

Romans 8:26

"And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness.for we do not know how to prayas we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."

Oh how many times this scripture has brought comfort to my soul.  Sometimes we are just tired.  Sometimes we need rest but ask ourselves if it is even right to seek such rest...but it is right, the Lord expects it of us.  When we are tired and feel our whole being begging for rest we must trust it is okay!   I certainly don't mean it is okay to give up, but rest is so necessary and the Lord does grant us this!

I really don't have much to say today.  The scripture above and the poem below...well...they pretty much speak for themselves.  Our Heavenly Father wishes for us to come and rest at His throne when we are battle weary.  He takes care of things while we "sleep".  If you are in need of  rest, fall asleep on Him today so you can regain strength to get back to His work.

A Poem by Ella Conrad Cowherd

I'm too tired to trust and too tired to pray,
Said one, as the over-taxed strength gave way.
The one conscious thought by my mind possessed,
Is, oh, could I just drop it all and rest.

Will God forgive me, do you suppose,
If I go right to sleep as a baby goes,
Without an asking if I may,
Without every trying to trust and pray?

Will God forgive you? why think, dear heart,
When language to you was an unknown art,
Did a mother deny you needed rest,
Or refuse to pillow your head on her breast?

Did she let you want when you could not ask?
Did she set her child an unequal task?
Or did she cradle you in her arms,
And then guard your slumber against alarms?

Ah, how quick was her mother love to see,
The unconscious yearnings of infancy.
When you've grown too tired to trust and pray,
When over-wrought nature has quite given way:

Then just drop it all, and give up to rest,
As you used to do on a mother's breast,
He knows all about it---the dear Lord knows,
So just go to sleep as a baby goes;

Without even asking if you may,
God knows when His child is too tired to pray.
He judges not solely by uttered prayer,
He knows when the yearnings of love are there.

He knows you do pray, He knows you do trust,
And He knows, too, the limits of poor, weak dust.
Oh, the wonderful sympathy of Christ,
For His chosen ones in that midnight tryst,

When He bade them sleep and take their rest,
While on Him the guilt of the whole world pressed---
You've given your life up to Him to keep,
Then don't be afraid to go right to sleep." *3

As I mentioned in the previous post, I am home sick from church and have had some time to think of a plan for our schedule.  I tried and tried to make a MOTH schedule work for us but I just kept feeling so overwhelmed.  I prayed and asked the Lord to give me an idea that would work good for our family.  I basicly took things we already do in our day and worked our new school lessons in there.  I split up our times into different blocks.  I did this because it is easier to work with a block of time in our household then to split up our time into half hour (or even hour) increments.  So here it is.  I am sure we will have to go back and change things a little as our year progresses but it gives us a start.

Block 1 Begins at 7 am Everyone Awake Pray Make Beds Dress Cleanup Dressing Rooms Before Breakfast Chores Breakfast After Breakfast Chores

Block 2 Begins at 9 am Bible History/Science Adventures Lessons My Father’s World Kindergarten Lesson with JJ Older Children Working on Copywork Lessons Spelling Lessons and Tests

Block 3 Begins at 11 am Dinner Preparation (this is our big meal of the day) Read Aloud Time Until Daddy Gets Home Dinner Dinner Cleanup After Dinner Chores

Block 4 Begins at 1 pm Lay Down Babies for Nap JJ Rests for ½ Hour Older Children do Math Lessons Mama Does Computer Work, Phone Calls, Writing

Block 5 Begins at 2 pm Individual Reading Time With Mama: 1)Onni2)Bubs3)Onna  *Onni helps with babies if they wake up early* Read to JJ

Block 6 Begins at 3 pm Snack and FREE time (play outside, do crafts, free play time, mama takes a refreshing bath and has quiet time with the Lord)

Block 7 Begins at 4:30 pm Late Afternoon Chores Training Time (15 minutes working on those that need working on. Ex. Brushing teeth properly, washing hands properly, cleaning a sink, sweeping a floor etc..) Supper Preparation Supper Cleanup

Block 8 Begins at 7 pm Bedtime Routine (baths included if necessary) Family Reading Time Devotions with Daddy Quiet Reading in Bed Lights out by 8:30 or 9:00pm (earlier for babies)

Block 9 Begins at 8:00 Emails Tidy up Home Time with Hubby Write in Book Read or do Handiwork Lights out by 10 pm

Fridays are our light, fun days!  We do our deep cleaning, which we call “Home Blessing” in the morning, Make Pizza for Dinner, Play Games in the Afternoon and Go for our Nature Walk. We will be adding in music and art this day as well.  In the evening Mama and Daddy go downstairs for their date night while the children sit at the table or in the living room to play games together. Saturdays are our days when the boys work next to daddy and the girls and I sew, bake, work in the garden or do hand work.  Sometimes it is necessary to run errands this day.

If you use My Father's World curriculm (or something similar), would you be so kind as to lead me to your blog?  This is my third year and I am getting really excited with our prepping!  I would love to read about others who use this curriculm and maybe get some ideas and encouragement!

Mama mixing a batch of cornbread with an eager 6 year old daughter wanting to learn all about making cornbread in that very moment; a sweet spirited 12 year old tidying up the kitchen; 7 and 4 year old boys thinking the kitchen was the perfect place to tickle and giggle, a 2 year old little boy tugging at Mama's dress sweetly, yet in a very needy manner saying "Ma....ma....Ma....ma."  And a 10 month old practicing her climbing skills on Mama's other leg. 

I would not be truthful at all if I told you that I wasn't tempted at all to shoe them all away.  It would have been so much easier to send them away so I could have some space and get my work done all that much quicker.  But...something stopped me.  I remembered, in that moment, when things were much quieter in my house.  Those days when I waited long hours for my hard working husband to come out of the fields and was often alone.  During those hours these were the moments that I dreamed of!

So, my 6 year old stirred the cornbread while I turned to involve myself in a bit of tickling with my older sons (learning I didn't even have to touch them to get them giggling uncontrollably!).  I hugged my oldest daughter, thanking her so much for helping me keep things tidy and reminded her that I loved her very much.  I knelt down and asked my needy 2 year old what I could do for him...turns out he just needed Mama's hug.  I scooped up my 10 month old, kissed her chubby face, placed her on my hip and got back to work.

It is days like these that I want to strive for the most, for I know it is pleasing to the Father.  I feel I grow more and more in His strenghth every day to, where He is giving me exactly what I need to do what it is He has called me to do.  I find myself enjoying it more and more!  I know He has fully equipped me to do this and I praise Him for being the rock I can lean on when I have days much different than this one!  For I am still human, I get tired and cranky :-) and wonder how in the world I am going to do it all!  Praise the Lord, though, that these days are less and less now because He is guiding me and I KNOW that without Him, I can do nothing!  It is when I remember this truth and who it is that is really guiding my hands and my heart, that I feel the peace come back again.

I said I would comment on the book I have been reading called “Home-Making” by J.R. Miller.  Never have a read something about a family so beautifully, delicately written!  On that same hand, it is SO honest!  I find myself being so encouraged to keep moving forward and striving to be the woman of God wants me to be and to fulfill my God given roles in my family with delight!

I am not completely finished with the book and will actually be going through it all over again, as my husband has great interest in reading it along with me now.  I have ear marked some of the pages that really stood out to me.  I put in quotation marks statements that are directly from the book.

“Where ever a child grows up, it carries in it’s character the subtle impressions of the home in which it lives.”  He then goes on describing beautiful things that surround us in our home are really actually important!  No, he is not talking about things that cost an arm and a leg…not at all, yet he is saying that things such as flowers, pictures, wonderful smells and so on help determine the final shaping of a character.    He says that these things should never be overlooked when preparing a home and the surroundings of a child should always be cheerful and attractive.

“The rooms in which our children are to sleep and play and live we should make just as bright and lovely as our means can make them…the educating power of beauty must never be forgotten.”  He talks of how paintings and pictures make a huge impression upon a child’s soul and they will never forget them.  After having read that my mind really start reeling. 

About 2 months ago something really bad happened to our family.  We had absolutely no control over the situation and it affected every one of us.  Our 4 year old son started having nightmares and every night, without fail, ended up in bed with us. We prayed with him, talked with him, read the Bible to him…but the dreams kept coming.  A couple weeks ago though, after reading Miller’s claim that a child’s surroundings make a huge impression on them and their lives, I remembered a picture I had seen in a calendar I have on our wall.  As my husband was tucking our son into bed I ran and took the calendar down.  I flipped to the picture I was thinking of and showed it to our son.  It was a picture of an angel holding a candle in one hand and a sword in the other.  He was standing over the bed of a sleeping little boy.  I could see it in my son’s eyes!  Something happened right then!  He went to sleep quickly that night and has not had a nightmare since.

Miller goes on to express the importance of a home being neat and tasteful.  I am NOT a neat person by nature.  I have to really discipline myself to keep up with our home, keeping it attractive and tasteful, but the scripture, Hebrews 12:11,“Now no chastening (discipline)  for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yeildeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”, has held true in my own life!  When I discipline myself to keep things in order, neat and tasteful for my family (and others who may enter) I am yielding the PEACEFUL fruit of righteousness! 

I absolutely LOVE preparing for the new school year!  This year we actually have a school room so it has been EXTRA fun getting it all ready!  I wanted to share our new "Scripture Train".  We have done this before and decided to take it up again.  It encouraged the children SO much in their scripture memory. 

What I do is start the train with an engine (picture below)....then as they learn their scripture verses (as a team) we add a train car with that verse to the train.  Before we had a train going all the way around the top of the room! :) 

For the engine this time I used the drawing lessons in This Old School House Magazine!  Thanks TOS...even BIG kids can use those lessons!  What fun we are having.  We are going to also be using the information on trains and make a timeline as well.  We have a Union Pacific Railroad that runs right by our farm and it is a HUGE hit with the children!  They will love this!

Happy Homeschooling!