Posted By Ginger Atkins in Bible and devotions

After reading the news, this Scripture came to my mind:

 

 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus....

----I Timothy 2:1-5

To which I offer a hearty, "Amen!"

Posted By Ginger Atkins in home family friends

Let the choirs sing, bells ring out,  merry shouts fill the air and listen to the all around happy noise-making of kids and mom  and dad as we welcome Christmas Vacation! Yippee! Yippee! It's here! It's here! Bring on the party, the hot cocoa, the Chrismas carols, the mistletoe, the cards and even the fruitcakes!

 

We've got our Christmas movies ready to watch, we're playing our favorite Christmas recording, [Judy Collins at Biltmore], and I'm thinking about pulling out a couple of old recipes---Mamaw's apple stack cake and one for peppermint cheesecake with a chocolate cookie crust. 

 

Hmmm, in that case I'd better add one more "bring on..."-----elastic waist pants!!!!LOL!!!!

Merry CHRISTmas!!!!!!!!!!

Posted By Ginger Atkins in homeschooling

You know, when you are a homeschool mom, you learn to capitalize on those unexpected teachable moments. Especially if you love history. When signs started cropping up around our neighborhood advertising "Civil War Trails of Tennessee,"  I knew we'd be having some carschool very soon. But I never expected what we found.

The road we live on ends at a lake--we are very close to its end. Across this lake is a cemetery.  This particular road is quite long, too, being a main thoroughfare from a small town to a larger one.  Not one of the towns along it, though,  give the road it's name.  Did there used to be a town by the name of our road? We've often idly wondered, but never took time to research it.

The answer came on our trip to follow the Civil War signs. Literally in our backyard, under the lake, there was once a town. It prospered as a river stop before the Civil War, but lost prosperity as the railroad bypassed it in the late 1800s.  What was left of it--18 buildings-- was torn down when TVA cleared land in preparation for flooding it behind a new dam. .

What is really interesting is it's most famous visitor in December, 1863.

From the Civil War Trails display across the lake from the house in an old cemetery, we've learned that our sleepy little corner was once visited by two opposing Generals. In the middle of the Civil War, Confederate General Longstreet  came north to attack Knoxville. Unable to cross here, he crossed at Loudon.  In hot pursuit came General William Tecumseh Sherman and his forces. The river was too deep and cold for his marching men. True to form, he had several buildings torn down to make a bridge for his men and crossed successfully. We've also learned that he and his army made camp nearby at a place now known as National Campgound, and quite possibly came across what is now our property.


At any rate, our American history studies have come alive like never before. We're hoping to visit a couple of small museums soon. We've also cultivated the friendship of a very knowledgeable lady from church who is a lifelong resident of this community. If we learn any more "history in our backyard" lessons, I'll post them here, too.


Ah, I LOVE homeschooling!

Posted By Ginger Atkins in home family friends

Here we are, wrapping up a semester in homeschool, scheduling 2 of three reconstructive surgeries for my Dad, hip deep in faxes, remodeling, phone calls, address labels [for the Christmas cards], and all I can think about is hubby's upcoming vacation!

After scrounging and being stingy with his vacation and sick days all year in order to make sure he could take off work to be with our children while I help my Dad, we somehow ended the year with a BUNCH of days to take off. They can't be carried over, so we have a Christmas Break with Daddy home!

My husband has already laid the law down--NO SCHOOL while he is off. So, we are trying to wrap up some studies before next week. I'm in the middle of scheduling surgeries, appointments [at least eleven in two different cities] , sick leave, and staring at my Christmas cards for family and friends. Whew, at least the envelopes are labeled--thanks to my early gift of a printer/fax machine/scanner/etc.

And my coat[s]-of -many colors dining room? Well, I've been wavering between tans, sagey greens, and country blues for a long time. So when I went to the paint store with hubby, we made our choice. RED! Boy oh boy, is our dining room red.  It will be finished by Saturday.  I'm still in shock over such a vivid color. It will take some getting used to.

Hubby is preaching Sunday  morning at a friend's church, and then both children's plays will be Sunday  night. The deacons will be serving dinner to widows at church Thursday night --all I need is to get a couple of desserts together. We bought ingredients yesterday, and I can bake them Thursday morning.

Sound hectic? Yes. But by next week all our "stuff" should be done.  All the parties from church are over [couldn't go, we were sick], the Christmas plays will be done, only one family get-together after that, and just some cookies to bake for Sunday School. Then, we will have two weeks with hubby to play, decorate the tree, visit friends, and celebrate.  Oh, and take lots and lots of pictures! We are looking forward to some family time to dwell on the reason for the season--JESUS!

Hmm, I've got to post about finding out about the underwater town just a stone's throw from our backyard. And how General Sherman marched through it.  How's that for a cliffhanger?

Posted By arkimi1 in general meandering

I think that we often seek out the meaning in what we do on a daily basis, and to be relevant seems to be the catch-phrase of the moment.  I feel like we are told that every movement should have a reason and be a part of the plan.

I guess that would depend upon what your plan really is in life.  You see, I initially thought this post was about how most of what I do in life is really irrelevant.  But I'm afraid that I was mistaken.  I'm not doing anything new, but I'm focusing on the important people in my life right now.   To me, there is nothing more relevant. 

I've not posted any because I have nothing new to say.  I've not done anything new, or stupid that was worth putting out there.  I'm in kind of a strange place right now where things just are what they are.  I'm usually a planner, but right now I'm kind of in the now of this moment, and plans seem a bit futile and self-serving...

Posted By Penny Raine & family

I have just been busy at my other blog, http://pennyraine.com/blog
I do have things planned her too,
have you seen the new books in my bookstore? I have a great new Family Bible Study you might like. see this in my bookstore http://pennyraine.com/bookstore

Over 30 pages of articles,family discussion guides, bible studies, antique pictures and activities!

Posted By jenny

We have been reading in History, about the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, which was about 70AD. Jesus had already said this would happen, before that generation of his time, passed away.-" And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down." Matthew 2:2 This was fulfilled, with the total and utter destruction of the temple.True to the prophecy, not one stone was left upon another.

There is a lesson in this for us. 2 Corinthians 6:16 "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." God is not interested in ornate temples made of silver and gold. We are temples, so to speak, if we have professed salvation in Christ. We have no need to enter a church and pray, we can do it anywhere and at anytime. We have a responsibility to be holy and blameless in our walk. idol worship has no place in our lives.

The Jews had missed the plot, they continued their sacrifices, until they could no more. They had missed the Messiah's coming and in their ignorance and unbelief had crucified him.Matthew 27:25"Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children." I wonder, did they ever comprehend what they were saying? Let us not say words in jest that we may forget, but let our conversation be good. Col 24:6 "Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."

Let us pray that we can give an answer to every man, for the faith that is in us, that we might be mighty in witness for him. We need to be mindful also, that it is not outward rituals that define us, as Christians. The daily sacrifices have been done away with, the death of Jesus and the ceremonial and sin offerings are no more. He dwells inside of us, through the holy spirit. Oh what joy, let us prepare our hearts before the Lord and search our ways to see if we be true.

Posted By Ginger Atkins in Christian persecution

We were so blessed to have Robert Brock and his family and friends at church  yesterday to present a message about the persecuted church and join with us in our worship service. While he prepared the audience that this would be a difficult message to hear, we were to  bear in mind this truth: we win!

People don't like to talk about the persecuted church.  Who would,  except a persecutor  and Satan?


A Christian is compelled to be a witness for Christ. That witness sometimes must testify of troubling situations, including the plight of our family in Christ.  Over and over again, our speaker reaffirmed what Scripture teaches: that we win with Christ, and that we must exhibit a tremendous forgiving love for those who would persecute us, sharing the Gospel with everyone. Story after story revealed that the persecuted church doesn't cave in---they reach out with love and the hope of Jesus to those that hurt them!


Most of what he presented was not new to those of us who are regular readers of the Voice of the Martyrs monthly free magazine or  www.persecution.com . Pictures, stories, and camera phone videos of actual persecution were chilling.  That look of , "I had no idea!" was plainly evident on many faces, even as it was on mine when I read Tortured for Christ more than nine years ago.  One would think that such stories would be reported, they are so appalling.  One would like to think that such inhumanities are worthy of at least as much air time as celebrity clothing and scandals.



Indeed, it is a shock to realize that the evening news hasn't reported the demolition of Christian churches in foreign countries, the jailings and beatings of Christians who have committed the atrocious crime of not renouncing their faith.  There are no headlines on the news about Christians kept for months in shipping containers in Eritrea because their government won't recognize the validity of their faith. 




It should come as a shock to us to hear about the refugees in Sudan, the FARC Marxist guerillas that gun down Christian ministers in Colombia, the mob riots in India where Hindus and Communists fight each other and use Christians as scapegoats, and the most hated group of people in the world--Palestinian Christians.





We should be shocked enough to hit our knees and pray for them daily, hourly if we can.



We should be so shocked that we permanently leave the "church as social club" lifestyle behind and forsake luekwarm Christianity forever.  Especially in my area of the country,  where church can often be more of a habit than a conviction, we need to recover the passion for Jesus, the lost, and ministering to those persecuted in Christ's cause.


We should be so moved that we not "shoot the messenger" who tells us about our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ, but ask ,"What can we do to help?"


Well, here are some simple ways to learn more.

1. Go to the Voice of the Martyrs website and sign up to receive their FREE monthly newsletter and a FREE copy of Pastor Richard Wurmbrand's book, Tortured for Christ.


2. Bookmark these sites and sign up for e-mail newsletters [if available] :  www.persecution.com, www.persecutionblog.com, and www.compassdirect.org . 


3.  Invite a VOM speaker to address your group, church, homeschool co-op or Sunday school, by going to www.vommeetings.com . You can also sign up to be notified of meetings in your area at that site, too.


4. Share!  Give away your newsletters to friends, sign them up, invite them to a VOM meeting, email articles, blog about what you've read, talk about it with friends, share with your pastor, but somehow SHARE!



That's what Voice of the Martyrs is all about. Give them a voice---yours.

Posted By Ginger Atkins in books

I'm an affiliate for Christianbook.com, mainly because it's my favorite place to find Bibles, Christian books, homeschool supplies, etc.  I just visited their Christmas shop and it is oo-la-la for an avid reader  like myself.  They also have lots of music, Advent calendars, home decor, and other goodies, too.  

Enjoy and thanks for shoppping with Doe Hill Homeschool and CBD!

Posted By Ginger Atkins in Politics

In an article featured on Townhall's  Issues: Budget and Government page,  Dr. Mark W. Hendrickson comments on the financial and political situation that could give rise to "The Coming of Caesar."   

He begins:

 "We have a problem. This could be “the big one”—bigger than coping with the Ahmadinejads, Kims, and Chavezes of the world and bigger than our current economic woes. Our republic, our society, may be heading for a crackup."

It is certainly food for thought.