I have been asking myself lately why I homeschool.  I have a hard time keeping up with the little things- laundry let alone take on educating a person to a success in this world.  Anyway, I have been wondering if this is what I should be doing.   Not that the following story could not happen if my kids went to school everyday, but I think the life of homeschooling lends more time for things like this to play out. 

Josiah was doing his daily chore of reading the Bible.  He said he felt like God was saying to read Jeremiah, but it wasn't a voice.  So he read Jeremiah 1:4-8 that says, "Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations."  6Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth." 7But the LORD said to me,
"Do not say, 'I am only a youth';
for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,
and whatever I command you, you shall speak.
8Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
         declares the LORD."

Then he feels like the God told him he should be a missionary when he grows up.  So he talked to Elli about it and they decided she should go with him so he is not so lonely for his family.  I hope and pray that they Lord grows Josiah and Elli up to share the good news with those around them or in another land.  What could be better?

Well, I guess I had enough with the questions.  The one goal that I did work on for a while was no internet during the day.  I need to do this again....but I love taking a hit every now and then some how I feel like it is my link to the real world.  Sad, I know.

Scott was talking tonight about the Sabbath and that Isaiah says that the Lord wants to bless us thru the Sabbath.  I totally believe this to be true.  If I took one day to relax would I be so worn out the rest of the week.  Good question.  But here is another one....how do I rest when the kids still need to eat the house still get filthy?  I would love to figure it out how I can rest and still feel like I am providing the basics for the family.

Lastly, I need to make myself purge the ****.  Be done with the stuff that we don't use- pass the clothes on.  Get boxes. Be done!

The most important thing that I can do is to get housework done before 10 am everyday so that I can devote an hour each day to one on one time with one of the children.  So Monday- Emma --Tuesday -- Elli, Wednesday--Josiah, Thursday-- Erin.

What is the most humanly impossible thing that you will ask God to do this year?

Provide our family with good community.  I think we have tried to make this happen over the past four years, but it will be the work of Him alone.

What is one thing I can do this year to increase my enjoyment of God? 

It is sad that I am struggling with this question.  I think that most effective thing I can do is to spend more time outside enjoying nature.  My goal will be to do something in nature whether a hike, the beach, or just going on a good walk once a month.

These are some questions that I hope to answer over the next several days.  I need to get this stuff in writing to hold myself accountable to these goals.

1. What's one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?

2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?

3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?

4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?

5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?

6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?

7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?

8. What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make this year different from last year?

9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?

10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?

11. What's the most important decision you need to make this year?

12. What area of your life most needs simplifying, and what's one way you could simplify in that area?

13. What's the most important need you feel burdened to meet this year?

14. What habit would you most like to establish this year?

15. Who do you most want to encourage this year?

16. What is your most important financial goal this year, and what is the most important step you can take toward achieving it?

17. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your work life this year?

18. What's one new way you could be a blessing to your pastor (or to another who ministers to you) this year?

19. What's one thing you could do this year to enrich the spiritual legacy you will leave to your children and grandchildren?

20. What book, in addition to the Bible, do you most want to read this year?

21. What one thing do you most regret about last year, and what will you do about it this year?

22. What single blessing from God do you want to seek most earnestly this year?

23. In what area of your life do you most need growth, and what will you do about it this year?

24. What's the most important trip you want to take this year?

25. What skill do you most want to learn or improve this year?

26. To what need or ministry will you try to give an unprecedented amount this year?

27. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your commute this year?

28. What one biblical doctrine do you most want to understand better this year, and what will you do about it?

29. If those who know you best gave you one piece of advice, what would they say? Would they be right? What will you do about it?

30. What's the most important new item you want to buy this year?

31. In what area of your life do you most need change, and what will you do about it this year?

I love 2 Corintians 4:16 "though outwardly we are wasting away".  I have been trying to come up with workable plan to make sure my body does not waste away outwardly- I would love it if it did waste away, but in a good, slimming way.  But, how much time do I spending thinking, working, praying to make sure that inwardly I am doing all I can to encourage inward renewal every day

I am just beginning my blogging journey.  Not much to blog on today.  I just finished reading a blog on one of my list of top ten...http://www.therebelution.com/blog/.  They were talking about the fact that many (a majority) of Americans have an inaccurate view of God.  That got me to thinking...Do I have an accurate view of God...What standard do I use to measure those around me? or Scripture?  Do I care that many of the people I know do not have  an accurate view of the most important thing in my life. 

If someone said something totally inaccurate about one of my kids I would have no problem standing up and correcting them.  Why do I struggle to stand up for the One who gave me the Word to know Him?