|
Time is flying and I'm way behind....ON EVERYTHING. God has blessed us with a second office location for our business, which is closer to our home. The main reason for this office is for my convenience. I'm praying that this will help me catch up with work as I'll be able (hopefully) to concentrate on what I need to get done versus what everyone else needs [or wants] done. Getting this office up and running has impacted our homeschool. In addition to the flu virus, which kept most of us down for a week or more, we are now behind in our studies. But I look at it this way -- this is one of the great benefits to homeschooling - when life engages you in something else for a period of time, you can always adjust and move your continuing studies down on the calendar. Summer school, anyone? I'm also researching about stocking up. This has been weighing on my mind and heart for a few weeks now. Wouldn't hurt to get some extra food and supplies lined up just in case. I always trust God to take care of us and provide for all our needs, but it also makes sense to be wise and prepare like the ant (as mentioned in Proverbs, I believe). So, while I'm playing catch up, I'll keep on keeping on as the old saying goes. I hope that your family, homeschool, etc. are thriving and content amidst the world's struggles. God is good. |
My oldest daughter will be helping me out there in the afternoons as well - her first official job - so that will also be wonderful. I'm so thankful that God has been consistent and kept our business going thru these tough times. |
Merry, Merry everyone! The decorations and trees (yes, multiple in our house My oldest daughter had a great idea this year. The girls all picked 24 Christmas movies and we are watching one each night. We watched Home Alone last night and will watch The Christmas Story tonight. I've only seen this last one once - and that was in the theater 25 years ago! Wow! Am I getting old or what? LOL Hope everyone is able to enjoy family and Jesus this year. The world is a mess in many ways but there is still a lot to be thankful for this year. |
) are up, the shopping is started. Is it really less than 3 weeks away??!|
I must admit that the state of our U.S. economy and this "bail out" that Congress has been struggling with has been unnerving. Though I know that, as a Christian, I can see the handwriting on the wall as far as our future and that of this world, it is sometimes difficult to keep one's heart free from fear. I've been praying about this quite a bit lately, particularly if I wake in the middle of the night and cannot go back to sleep. Again, my desk devotional this morning reminds me of God's plan for each of us. When we commit out way to Him, it becomes His way. Then we can be sure that whether it is joy or sorrow, sunshine or clouds, health or sickness, plenty or want, His way for us IS perfect. We cannot doubt that. He sees the end from the beginning. He sees the pattern He is working out in our lives and will not make one mistake. We may not understand it, but He does. That is enough. The part about the "pattern" He is working in our lives reminds me of a very difficult time in my life. My husband and I lost our second daughter when she was two days old. The floor of my world dropped out from underneath me and I was very lost for a time. During the sermon at her memorial service, the pastor told a story. At the time the meaning of it did not sink in, as I was too deep in sorrow, however it was only later that I could see the value of what he told everyone that day: There was an artist who was painting out in public one day. Many people stood around him as he painted a beautiful landscape. The viewers were amazed at the realism and lightness of the painting. After some time, he paused and squeezed out dark colors on his palette. He began to paint huge streaks of paint across the canvas - completely eliminating the landscape that he had started with. He continued applying huge gobs of paint in broad strokes. Obviously the viewers were appalled and thought the artist was losing his mind. Finally, the artist stopped and sat back. The canvas was a mass of dark colors shot with a few traces of the lighter tones from the original landscape. His former admirers were so disappointed and some began to walk away. Then he sat forward and turned the rectangular canvas to its portrait view. The audience gasped for in front of them was an awe-inspiring waterfall. It's so easy to get caught up in our everyday life. To hear about what goes on in the world and feel small & impotent. This story makes me think of some of my cross stitch pictures. If you look at them from the back, there are threads going everywhere and by the time the picture is done, the design is completely undescipherable from the back. Once you turn the fabric over however, the design is clear. This is our life. God is working on us just like a tapestry. We can only see the back of it right now - it may have lots of dark colors from our darkest of days. One day we will get to heaven and we'll get to see the FRONT of the tapestry. I think we will be amazed at how the many colors of our life came together to create something wonderful. Never forget, GOD is in control. Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered and no one was there.
|
|
Autumn is my favorite time of the year. Here in So. CA, however, you'd still think it was mid-summer (101 degrees yesterday) so we are anxiously awaiting the cool-down, which should happen in about 3 to 4 weeks. Nevertheless, September makes me think of this: 1) Fresh, crisp Red Delicious apples (sometimes with caramel topping. yum!) What do you enjoy about Fall? |
|
Like many others at this time of year, I am knee-deep in planning for our new homeschool year - our 7th!! My 10th grader will be studying Konos History of the World II (which includes Rome, Vikings, Middle Ages & some basic Latin), French [Rosetta Stone], Geometry [Math U See], Chemistry [Apologia], Writing/Grammar (BJU) and Bible. She also will continue tap dancing and learning keyboard & guitar. Hopefully this year will go better than last - her 9th grade year was not as organized as either of us would have liked. My 6th grader will be studying with her younger sister on some things - Konos II Wisdom (Presidents/Elections), Konos III - States/Regions, etc. & Konos I Attentiveness (Frontiersman/Indians/Birds); also they will both be learning Bible and Science (Apologia Botany) together. J. will also be learning math (Math U See - Zeta), LLATL (Tan), and handwriting. She is a dancer and has just started learning drums. In addition the items mentioned above, my 4th grader will be learning math (Math U See - Epsilon), LLATL (Orange) and handwriting. She dances and is learning electric guitar. As you can see, we are partial to certain curriculum vendors - we've used most of them for several years after trying out a few and really like them. The hands-on curriculum works for us. Thank you Lord for blessing our learning - about Your Son and Your Word and Your world. Thank you for giving me time away from our business to devote to our homeschool and my children - I am so blessed and honored to be their mother and their teacher. And thank you Father for protecting our homeschooling rights - particularly for those of us here in California. Amen. |
Can it really be that many??