I missed the last assignment, just couldn't get to it last week.

Memory Verse: Psalms 26:2 NIV
Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind. 

Intro: Try it, you’ll like it! (Life Cereal)
When everyone else was afraid to try Life Cereal, they called on Mikey. Sometimes stepping out of our comfort zone is just too scary. Have you felt God gently (or maybe not so gently) nudging you to do something for someone else? You know that it needs to be done, but you keep putting it off because it is outside of your comfort zone? Well ladies, this week we are taking a step outside of our comfort zones.

Assignment: This week I want you to do something for someone else. Do you have a neighbor that needs you? Do you know an elderly person or single mom that could use you? What about the homeless? Pack even one single sack lunch and give it to someone in need. Do you know someone in blogland that is struggling right now and could use a note from you about how much you care? Pray about this. Let God put on your heart the perfect thing for you to do for another. Was stepping out of your comfort zone in this area as hard as you thought it might be? Could you see the gratefulness in their eyes? Hear it in their voice? Tell it from their typing? Do you think you might make doing things like this a more regular part of your time?  If this is an area that you are already active in, tell us how you feel this has impacted your life.

My husband has a servant's heart and it's by his example that propelled me into praying for my own heart to be softened in this area. I don't think it's something that comes naturally; I believe you have to ask for it. The Word says, 'You have not b/c you ask not.'  I do believe, however, it is something the Lord requires of us -- to be servants. How can we show the love of Jesus without it?

This isn't out of my/our comfort zone since it's something we try and do regularly, as the Spirit leads. Generally it's not something we share, we feel doing them in secret is best -- our reward is not from man, but from Him. But for the sake of this assignment, I will share a little.

We love to bless others, whether that be baking goodies for new neighbors ( even if some of them thought it was strange that we did it, sad that its a rare thing, isn't it? ), helping with car troubles, blessing someone with money anonymously, sometimes we are moved to take a homeless person out for lunch ( I will say that is a bit out of my comfort zone, but not my husband's ), even blessing families with Christmas presents for their children, again, anonymously.  It's something we have become passionate about. One thing we love doing, it has been a tradition for many years, is wrapping presents ( hats, blankets, gloves, gift cards for food places ) and taking them downtown on Christmas Eve to whatever homeless we can find. We get out and pray with them, hug them, and bless them with the gift. Even our children go -- we want them to see the importance of having a servant's heart and what better way for them to learn than by being right in the middle and helping.

How does it make me feel? Oh man it's the best feeling to GIVE to others. Showing God's love to people. Seeing the smile on their face that tells them they do matter, someone cares. It reminds me of the scripture that says, 'It's God's goodness that brings people to repentance.' Isn't that our goal? To see others come to a saving knowledge of Jesus? And of course to continue to show, even believers, His love whatever way the Holy Spirit leads......

Another of my favorite verses: 2 Corinthians 2:14 I am a child of God who ALWAYS triumphs in Christ and releases His fragrance in every place.

Assignment: Take time this week to write about YOU and your feelings of trials and triumphs with homeschooling. Touch on when you first heard about the concept of home schooling and whether you tip-toed into the idea or just jumped in and never looked back. Share your schooling as a child and how you compare it to what your goals are for your children.

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I'm probably from the norm as far as my own schooling went. The usual, mom & dad involved, public school system. I never missed a day for upteen years and I got that prized, 'Perfect Attendence' award many, many years -- we could only miss a day if we were on our death bed. ( Love you, Mom! ) School wasn't terrible for me as far as the work, I glided through many grades with ease. However, my parents were very strict and made 'grades,' preferably A's, the ultimate goal in life.  While that is not an awful thing to strive for, it is not our goal for our children. Education is second to learning to 'love the Lord with all your heart, your mind and your strength.'

Our goals.......Yes, we want our kids to read and write and to have skills to do something in life with whatever talents the Lord gives them --- however, that is not our number one goal in keeping them home. It is, as it should be according to the Word, to train our children in the way they should go, Prov 22:6 --- that way is Jesus.   When we stand before Him or even when our children stand before Him -- He isn't going to ask us or them, did we make a lot of money, did we get a degree, did we become a professional? He isn't going to care about any of that --- He is going to want to know if we/they know Him ( if we spent time with him, if we had a relationship, not religion  ), if we fulfilled His will for our lives, if we learned to love others with His love. So all that to say, our main goal is not to fill our kids' heads with a bunch of book knowledge and to shelter them from the world -- its to fill their hearts and minds with Jesus and direct them in it, so they can truly have a relationship with Him and they can go out and change the world for Jesus and do His will.......and along the way, we encourage them with learning, give them the desire to learn about the world around us -- reading, writing, nature, all the things that God made etc......and give them the keys to know how to keep on learning so that they will never stop. So they will have a desire to learn forever not just when the 'books' are closed.

When did I first hear the word homeschooling.......way back probably 8/9 years ago. I had never heard the term growing up and when I did hear it as an adult I had the picture of woman with long braids, in dresses and all their kids in matching clothes -- and most likely, in all honesty, I thought their kids must be really messed up! HA HA! The Lord brought the idea of homeschooling into our lives through a former church we attended. There were several homeschooling families there, normal ones :), and it was through them, the Holy Spirit directed us to this way of life.

It's not been an easy road, but it's one that I've been called to. While I'd love to pack my kids up, send them off to the local school and have a free day to myself, that is not what the Lord has asked of me. We've gone through those rough days/weeks and we've had some really awesome weeks. We've schooled at home since day one...... After years of being concerned with what family or friends were saying about our choice to school at home, I've come to the point where I'm ok with our choice and I feel GREAT about it. I no longer look at what the Jones' are doing in their homeschooling or why my 3 year old does't know all his ABCs but the Jones' little ones does, I go with what works for us and with where and how the Spirit leads. I wish we could go back and re-do the early years with all the knowledge I have now -- all that bookwork and mindless hours at the table or trying to get my 2nd grader to figure out long division in one afternoon. What was I thinking?! I can't go back, but I can press on and make each and every week a little brighter! We find pleasure in every day learning moments now ~ the praying mantis on our glass door, learning to plant with dad, building this or that from scratch, and watching the clouds go by as we name them.

This is our best year yet!!!

Jeremiah 29:11 ~ "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

 4 of my 5 children cloud watching after our unit on clouds!

 I came across the Blogger Friend School today, while visiting my friend, Amy's blog, MoffittZoo. It looks like something we'd enjoy so I enrolled!

They are giving away this nifty Nature Package too, in their Back to School Giveaway!

It might be something you want to do too, so click the link and check it out!