SO much has happened since my last entry but through all of it I have known a real peace, the peace that only comes from my Lord and Savior!

We had our homeschool closing recital/program and it went really well.  I was very pleased with the girls presentation of music and display of the Civil War.  The had prepared a large display one with the a 3 x 5 foot Confederate flag as a background with Jeff Davis, followed by other Southern Generals and info about each.  One was with a 3 x 5 foot Fort Sumter flag with Abraham Lincoln and other Generals and info.  The two middle pieces were covered with navy fabric with white stars and on one they wrote about the key battles of the war and tracked it with the appropriate colored ribbons (grey if the south won, blue for the north) from battle to battle.  The final  part was pictures, reports and info about other people in the war including Clara Barton and pictures from their trip to Gettysburg.

They set the display in the front of our church and then had a 'musical battle' of instruments.  The younger started with Yankee Doodle (yes, revolutionary but signifying the union) to which my older responded with "Dixie" they played about 4 songs each from their perspective sides.  My oldest added the Ashokan Farewell on her violin which, although not a Civil War period song was the theme song in the movie "Gettysburg".    Did I mention they wore one of the costumes we made for the Civil War era play they were in this past spring, "Little Women"?   Hoop skirts and all.

Those that attended were very impressed with the program and their presentation.  I KNOW my girls won't forget  much of the information they learned about the Civil War this year.  We were immersed in it!

What to do with this display when we were finished?  We offered to loan it to our public library!  They were delighted and were talking about pulling their Civil War books and offering a summer reading challenge!!

Yesterday ( you know this if you've already read KayinMaine's blog) we finally got to go to the Joshua Chamberlain museum here in Maine.  It was delightful and informative BUT most of all it was rewarding.  We studied the Civil War and General Chamberlain back in March and April but the facts my kids retained and things they new astounded me.

totally cooperating.

I must say that even though I've been homeschooling almost 20 years I can still learn new things about teaching and my kids.  I learn tons about the subjects I teach but mostly I learn more and more about my Lord and Savior and His plans for me as a Mom.  During my time as a Mom ( my oldest turns 27 Saturday) I have been given guilt trips for not allowing my kids in public school, I have been given guilt trips for not allowing my kids in Jr. Church or VBS.  The important fact I continue to learn and must try to remember is that I'm not put on this earth to fit into man's boxful of traditions but to seek  and discern what HE desires from me, how to be more like HIM.  My first obligation is to my Savior (which doesn't neccessarily equal church***!) then to my husband followed by my children.  I'm not here to please everyone else.  Sometimes it is a lonely place humanly but spending time with my family and my Savior is never lonely!

I should probably clarify that above *** comment.  My Savior and my beloved church are not one in the same!  My church is part of the body of Christ and part of the bride of Christ but it isn't Christ!  In the past I have fallen into the trap of all church activities being a priority even at the expense of my family.  Don't get me wrong we need to fellowship together and be active in the church God leads us to BUT we don't do this at the expense of our relationship with our husband and children!  That is hypocritical!!  I pray daily for the Lord to continue to help me discern where I need to be, what commitments to make, what ministries to be part of, to help me remember my biggest ministry as a wife and mom is to help my husband raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

I LOVE discovering over and over the blessings of being with my children and don't miss the career I once had.  The career of raising these treasures for HIS Kingom far outweighs any career or carrer opportunities I have had.  I can go back to my employment but my days with my children are more precious than I can say.     It breaks my heart to hear someone say that it's okay  that their child is in daycare because it's a Christian daycare!  Isn't that simply going with the world's new traditions and trying to put a Christian label on it?  Bottom line is that God loaned those children to YOU and if they're at a daycare YOU are not there!!!!!  No, we're not rich, we struggle but trusting the Lord by obedience we see time and time again how HE provides!  Often HE provides so well that we can share books or other things with others who are trusting.

I hope you have a blessed day training those treasures for HIS Kingdom!

Comments

Posted by KayinMaine