Hello to anyone reading!  This week my son has been at church camp.  This is the longest he's ever been from home.  I have missed him greatly!  I cannot wait to hear about how it was.  We will pick him up tomorrow evening.  I have received one letter from him which consisted of one sentence saying his first day was great!  That's all you can ask for.  I'm thrilled and hope he enjoyed it.

I loved church camp when I was little and learned so much.  So...hopefully this will be a tradition each year for us.

I am going to take my daughter to Fired Up tonight.  You pick a piece of pottery and paint it.  Then they fire it in the kiln and you get to take it home (or pick it up later).  She is quite a little artist.  I think she will enjoy it. 

I am working on my house still (currently the kitchen...just decorating, no remodeling).  I need to paint and get new curtains.  Then I need to think about reorganizing the cabinets.  I don't have hardly any counter space. 

Gotta go - blog ya later!

Well, I was procrastinating today just playing on the internet.  I decided to read some random homeschoolblogger blogs when I remembered I had one!  How funny!  So, after reading all my entries again, I decided to post once more.

We are still homeschooling and have changed our approach since the last time I wrote.  We are now using ACE School of Tomorrow curriculum. 

I have been working at making my house look nice.  I was tired of being embarrassed when someone stopped by.  So, I've done a lot to it.  I'm enjoying that and trying to keep up with Flylady or at least incorporate some of her ideas.

I wish you all a blessed day!

Hello to anyone who reads this poorly maintained blog!  Hope you are having a blessed day!  I am considering leaving the blogging world.  I have deleted my account from Freewebs and it felt good.  It's almost just like it's very existence was exerting some sort of pressure on me.  Now that it's gone I don't have to feel as if I should be blogging.  So, this falls under the category of stress we add to ourselves.

While I really enjoy reading blogs and even blogging myself, there is something about it that seems like "pressure" in my day.  I think I'm giving up the blogging. 

It's been so nice to chat with anyone who has chatted.  Thanks for reading.  I will send a link to anything new I decide to do if I just have to re-enter the blogging world at some point.

In Jesus.........

Rules for the tag are as follows:

1.  Link to the person that tagged you and list the rules on your blog.

2.  Share 7 random or weird facts about yourself.

3.  Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.

4.  Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here is who tagged me:

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/acceptableuntothee/

Here is who I tagged:

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/FruitfulFamily/

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lifelongalaskan/

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/2peter318/

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kimkids/

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/quietcajun/

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Darrensgirl/

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SusieQ/

I am pretty sure I don't know how to link just right but hopefully this works.  It was a chore so anyone who would like to enlighten me on how to do it easier please do!

This has never happened before.  I didn't know what it was to be tagged but the kind person who tagged me left instructions on her blog.  So, I read them.  Now I will attempt to see if I can tag 7 other people after writing seven random or weird facts about myself.

1.  I often can't write a blog entry for fear it won't be perfect and that leads me to tell you I am a Flybaby!

2.  I can eat a slice of pizza accompanied only by a carbonated drink - nothing else - not tea, juice, water, milk, blah!  Only soda!

3.  I have never seen the ocean.

4.  Someday I WILL go on a mission trip outside the United States.

5.  I am still friends with one of my best friends from Junior High School.

6.  My husband and I are polar opposites on almost every issue we discuss and somehow manage to stay in love and have just celebrated our 10th anniversary!

7.  I would have told you 6 years ago that I WOULD NEVER homeschool my children.  Ha!  I had never even heard of it 6 years ago!

I am signing off now to see how I can find 7 people to tag.  Enjoy!

You know the little books you can pick up at church for free that have daily devotions?  I have been reading from thier website this morning.  This is great!  I have already posted an entry about the problems I've lately experienced in being swayed by certain religious groups towards works based salvation.  How depressing and totally hopeless an outlook!  Thank the Lord above we are not saved based on our works or lack of!  Thank God that we are saved only by faith in His son Jesus Christ! 

After reading on this site today I started thinking even of how important it is for me to remember the object of my faith and His ultimate authority and ability to save me.  Jesus Christ did it all - all to Him I owe!  It's all coming together again after some time of being swayed by false teaching.  The Lord is so good to me.  He does not want anyone to perish!  That means you and me!  The fact that He is truly concerned about me is overwhelming!  However, I must remind myself that no matter how overwhelmed I feel and how desperately I want to do something for Him or to deserve that concern for me I CAN'T!  The prophet Isaiah (I think) said that even our best of good deeds is still filthy rags to Him.

I must continue to guard myself against the desires of my flesh to fall into the "works based salvation" traps that entice me.  They are enticing to my pride and my control issues.  Thank God He saves no matter how filthy we really are.  Thank God He is who He is and that who we are is comletely inconsequential when it comes to salvation.  He saves us and keeps us!  That's it!

I really posted to let you know that the Daily Bread website is very helpful.  Check it out!

God's peace to you!

Does anyone know what the chowder is?  It seems I always have to explain unless you happen to be from southern Illinois.  Anyway, every year our family gets together for chowder.   This is a soup sort of that is made in a large kettle outside.  Veggies and meat and anything else in the cupboard/frig?

Yesterday was the chowder.  It was fun!  My kids had a blast playing with the other kids in the neighborhood and their cousins.  I had a lot of fun visiting and playing cards (came in 3rd out of 7-not bad)!  And - the chowder was yummy!

The older kids got together and walked a few blocks to the local gas station and got some hot chocolate.  I never let mine do anything like that so he was really feeling privileged!  He had so much fun.  My daughter spent time playing dress up in her cousins old flower girl dresses and playing house with her cousin. 

Then when we left the chowder we stopped by an old friends to visit.  I got to see her new house (beautiful) and new baby (even more beautiful!).  My son rode their kid-sized 4-wheeler (death machine) and he said it was the greatest thing he's ever done!  LOL  I was gripping my heart until he was off but really he did fine.  He just rode it in the front yard in circles pretty slowly. 

It's a different world over there where chowder was.  Where we live (very close to a main expressway) there are no places for 4-wheeler and you CANNOT walk down the street to the gas station when you are 10 years old.  SO it was a fun change of pace and the kids had a ball!

I look forward to the next time - I think they said chili in February!  Oh, ham and beans on New Years but I've got to work - boo!

Have a great day! 

This past week my husband and I were married 10 years!  Yeah us!  We celebrated this weekend by staying at a hotel while the kids spent the night with my sister and mom.  It was fabulous!  Wow!  Parents should really do that more often.  We just had so much fun enjoying each other.  I never realized how long it had been since we've been truly alone.  No interruptions.  We ate dinner out.  Other than that...we didn't leave the hotel.  I remembered what a good listener my husband was and how much I enjoyed just being with him. 

The kids got a big kick out of telling everyone they saw that their mommy and daddy were staying at a hotel so they could smoochy smoochy.  Fun!  I think that is so healthy for them to know.  What's better for a kid than knowing their parents want to go smoochy smoochy!

It was great!

Smilebox postcard

Yesterday I bought a new outfit at Family Dollar.  It's one of those outfits that sort of look like a work out outfit.  It's sort of velour matching pants and jacket (zip up with hood).  It's light blue.  I always like the way they look on people.  They match and just look together, casual and comfortable.  So, I bought it. 

This morning I put it on and except for the fact that I'm huge in it, it's fine.  However, when I asked my daughter if she liked my new outfit she said "Yeah, if you're gonna like lose weight or something!"  WHAT??  Obviously we need a lesson in manners.  So, upon questioning, she said she meant it looks like the kind of outfit you try to lose weight in.  I get that. 

Then my son came out of his room and said "Mom, aren't you gonna get dressed?"  I said "I AM!"  He said "Oh, I thought those were your pajamas." 

So, I guess the outfit's not quite what I thought it would be.  I was going for matching, together, casual, comfortable.  I'm getting need to lose weight and pajamaish!

I'll skip posting a picture............

Good morning to you!  I hope your's in starting well.  I just got off my stationary bike (thank you Rose) for a 15 minute ride.  This is the third day I've done it!  Yeah, I can just feel the fat melt - LOLOL  Anyway, do you know Flylady?  I bought hundreds of mini-stickers yesterday, red sparkly hearts, to put on my calendar each day I ride the bike!  Go me!

My son has a dentist appt. today to have a crown put on.  Bless his heart.  I remember the fear before walking down the dentist's hall to the chair!  Yuck!  I would love to say that I'm such a compassionate mommy that I'd rather take this pain than him........hhhhmmm.........let me think about that........I'll answer later

I was listening to an old CD this morning while riding my bike that had a Rich Mullins song on it with the chorus:

If I stand let me stand on the promise that you will pull me through

and if I cant' let me fall on the grace that first brought me to you

and if I sing let me sing for the joy that has born in me these songs

and if I weep let it be as a man who is longing for his home

How beautiful!  I have truly realized that He is the only hope we have for being pulled through.  If you are hoping on anything you can do or on your own determination - forget it!  We are totally depraved without Him!  And we will not always be able to stand.  Let me tell ya from many falls.  Please let it be that we fall on His grace.  His grace is all I have.  It is only by Him and His unfailing love that I am saved.  And Lord knows we weep...........most definitely.  Let it always be because we are longing to get home to Him.

Oh how our sin messed us up - but THANK GOD there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus! 

Have a blessed blessed day!

Bobbi

This homeschooling journey has its ups and downs.  I love being able to constitute the most influence on my kids than any other person or institution.  It's tough being with my kids 24-7 7 days a week though.  Anyone agree?  I am so grateful for the few social things my kiddos go to for them and for me.  We both need a break from each other sometimes.

The kids are involved in a church after-school program and an educational co-op this semester.  We've done more in the past but this is ok for now.  They also go to another homeschooling mom's house for babysitting a couple times a week.  The co-op is weekly and it has extras like field trips and family fun days.  We are really enjoying it and this is our second year involved.

There is the ever-popular question of which curriculum to use.  This never seems to be settled and changes rapidly.  The only thing I've learned in 4 years of doing this is that no one boxed curriculum can fit both my kids in every subject.  Believe me, I've tried.  I am prone to wanting a book that tells me what to do each day.  So, this is the first year that we have broken away from boxed stuff and branched out to putting it together ourselves.  This is a daunting task.  I have still purchased some "box" stuff for each subject from different publishers though.  That helps.

Math continues to be the subject that really troubles me.  Well, history and science too.  Hhhmmm...I guess we are really only settled with language arts.  I use Wisdom Words from Alpha Omega and really like it.  It comes with lists of objectives for each grade and suggestions on how to teach.  You can do it at your own pace which is great for my kids.  We are doing history in the co-op this semester so I haven't worried about it at home.  Science...well, we need more work in that area.  My son is doing some electronics stuff which is science and math.  He is also taking a cooking class which is science and math also.  I guess we are covered for a while.  Next semester I want to focus on geography.  I want to use My Father's World ECC program for a backbone.  I won't follow it to a "T" though (I don't even own it but am familiar with it). 

So a typical day for my oldest includes:

1.  reading practice - reading aloud to me, reading silently with comprehension quiz, HOP Master Reader, book basket...

2.  math - free worksheets from online, How Math Works book, Grocery Cart math, RightStart math games, various workbooks from Barnes and Noble...

3.  handwriting practice - HWT cursive

4.  daily writing - creative writing through Wisdom Words program

5.  english - Wisdom Words objectives (grammar and composition)

6.  literature - listening to me read (use a list from Wisdom Words and also the book Honey for a Child's Heart or anything that looks like it will hold their interest)

7.  bible - Bible Study Guide for All Ages (love this!)

We add in other things like electronics, cooking, art, music, science, history, movies, etc...  These are not done regularly.  We just add them in as we see fit.  So, what do you think?  It works for us.  I do currently need a more scheduled day but I'm not sure I'll ever achieve that as it's been a goal for 4 years.

I'll write more later as my oldest is standing over my shoulder making comments about my blog entry and asking when I'll be done so he can get on.

Have a blessed day!

Bobbi

Hello to anyone who reads this!  God bless you!

I am back from an extended spiritual journey which in the end had God's purposes in mind.  Holy cow!  It was a roller coaster ride of emotions, confusion, strife, fear, uncertainty, hopelessness and hopefulness!  Sound fun?  NOT!  I don't believe God put me there on purpose but He called me out of it and will use it for good I have no doubt!

Do you remember the song "Oh be careful little eyes what you see.  Oh be careful little ears what you hear.  Oh be careful little tongue what you say.  For the Father up above is looking down in love, oh be careful little eyes what you see."  It is one of the best childhood truths we can carry on.  I say to you now, be careful little eyes what you see ON THE INTERNET.  This is a crazy place comprised of anyone's opinions.  You can find some whacked out stuff theology wise on the internet.  You had better be grounded in your faith before you go "surfing" religious websites.  I learned my lesson the hard way.

I will not go into detail as it would make a VERY long post.  I will share some though.  I was swayed by more than one religious groups (not just one but more than one) to begin wondering about my salvation.  I was led to believe there were certain things I may be doing wrong or had done wrong and things I needed to change in order to have eternal security.  I got to the point where I actually, for a split second that I was truly unable to bear the weight of, really thought I wasn't saved (this is where we would all end up if we were trusting ourselves or anything we do for salvation).  That quick moment in time was the most hopeless I've ever felt in my life.  There was no hope left and I saw why suicide would be an option to some who don't have their trust in Jesus our Savior.  I had never cried from so deep within myself.  People, this is false teaching.  JESUS alone saves you.  You don't have to do anything else.  There is NOTHING you must do to be saved.  You cannot earn it nor can you ever be worthy of it.

I have come to grips with some things within myself that Satan really likes to prey on.  My pride and my need for control.  Religions that teach a "works salvation" even if they don't say it that way are quite appealing to those of us who want to feel in control and want to take pride in what we do.  THIS IS CRAP!  It is Satan's attempt to bring you down.  He did it to me and this is my warning to you.  I always thought I was so grounded in my faith but realized that somewhere deep inside maybe I was trusting JESUS PLUS ME for my salvation.  I realized that somewhere inside (so deep I'd never had admitted it) I was trusting what JESUS did but also what I was doing in terms of "aren't I a good person".  Holy moly!!!  I had to let this go and God shook it out of me in a hard way.  I saw my sin in such a light that made it so ugly and black and horrible and I truly saw how it put Christ on the cross and how His blood being spilled and nothing else was the sacrifice for me and I can truly DO nothing and can never be worthy of it no matter how much my stupid pride combined with Satan's promptings likes to whisper that I am. 

Please don't let anyone lead you astray.  I have come back from a long spiritual struggle!  It was not pretty or fun and I'd never want anyone else to go through it.  However, I have learned a saving faith through it.  I have learned that Jesus Christ did all that needed to be done and I have no other hope but His death for my salvation.  Nothing I ever do or say will matter when it comes to my salvation.

Will I still try to live according to His Word since I love Him with all my heart, soul, and mind?  You bet - will it save me if I do a good job or **** me to hell if I fail - NO!  If you believe you are getting to heaven by any other means than the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ then you are believing a false gospel.

Well, this was no light post, I'm aware.  Still, this is an accurate picture of where I've been for a while (you can see where I was beginning to be swayed and it's influence on me when reading my Sept 29th post).  Satan is a master at twisting truth.  It sounds just right enough to grab your attention but somewhere along the line you'll find something that takes your eyes off Jesus!  If this happens - you've been duped.  Don't feel bad...just call on Jesus.  It's been happening since Genesis!

God's peace, love and truth to you,

Bobbi

P.S.  Thanks to those people who listened to all my debating, crying, wondering, searching tirades, etc...  You know who you are and I love you dearly.  Thanks for being used by God when He needs you.  Your words to me are priceless - even if you yelled!

We took the day off school today and celebrated at our local Fall Festival.  The kids rode rides until the parents could take it no longer!  We ate fried cookie dough and haystacks!  My son tried to eat a chocolate covered cricket but just couldn't get it down.  Now I won't let him wear the "I ate a bug" badge.  I know, how cruel.  Anyway, we had fun.  When it was all said and done we had to have a little talk about gratefulness given that after riding many, many, many rides we still wanted more.  Isn't that exactly how it is with kids?  Or is it?  We really need to work on that around here.

Signing off to go to bed!  My feet are thanking me.

I am forever amazed at the truths in God's Holy Word!  A study of His Word never turns out fruitless.  I am always the better for reading the Word.  I was led to read the book of Jude today.  I don't know if I've ever read this book.  If I have, I certainly didn't have my eyes opened!  The Lord really opened my eyes today about the men who have crept in to our churches today and who have turned the Grace of the Lord our Savior into an excuse for a non-obedient life.  Here is the verse I'm talking about in particular but note that the whole book is about this concept:  vs 4 I say this because some godless people have wormed their way in among you, saying that God's forgiveness allows us to live immoral lives.  The fate of such people was determined long ago, for they have turned against our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.  Wow!  Have you ever wondered why some applications of the New Testament and some teachings of the Lord Jesus are just simply ignored by Christians today?  I was open to seeing that some teach we are not responsible for obedience since we are all covered by God's forgiveness.  But didn't Paul say that God's forgiveness in no way means we can keep on sinning?  This is something that I really ponder a lot.  We are called to be seperate and set apart and holy and DIFFERENT!  The world should be able to tell us apart.  Just going to church on Sundays doesn't make us different.  Are we living out the commands of Christ?  That's what makes us different. 

Different it is!  To God be the glory forever!  Amen!

Hello everyone!  God's peace to you!  I have a very extensive blog with another host.  However, they had begun placing ads on my page that I wasn't comfortable with so............here I am!  I am going to see about getting those blog entries moved over here, but who knows?  It's so fun having a clean slate to type on!

I wish you all God's blessings and will write later!