Memory Verse: I Timothy 4:12-13 - Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
Intro:Quality is Job #1 (Ford)
Assignment: My family and I rarely do anything apart from each other. We don’t really have quality time together because all our time is together. We feel like the more special moments are when we have dinner together or when we worship God together. For this assignment, tell how you and your family spend QUALITY time together.
I am always with my family too. Very rarely do I do something without them or even James and I without the girls. And that's the way we like it. We love to do things together. Last week we took the girls bowling. It was so much fun. They really enjoyed it.
One way we love to spend quality time together is camping and hiking. When there are no tv's, phones, computers, etc. to keep you distracted you depend on one another for entertainment. Another way we have found is riding bikes together. This summer we started taking rides at least once a week. The girls looked forward to it. I'm sure the ice cream had nothing to do with it!
I do have to say though it is nice to know that when I am away from them I am missed. I have been attending a Beth Moore Bible study at my church on Tuesday nights. We only have three more weeks left. Lulu cannot wait for it to be over. She even cried one night while I was gone. I am blessed to be loved so much.
My verse this week comes from Ephesians. I chose this verse because our goal in spending quality time with our children is to train them in the Lord.
"Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4
Oct. 28, 2008 - BFS #107- When There's No Tomorrow
Memory Verse: Ecclesiastes 1:13-14
I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Please try to learn our memory verse this week. We will be sharing a new verse every week and hope that you will store them in your hearts and find a special joy in His words.
Intro:When There’s No Tomorrow. (Marketing credit: Mercury)
Please listen to the song. Imagine you’re standing before God. There’s no Tomorrow, you can’t go back and finish up what you had planned on getting to sometime in the future. What was that thing that you planned on getting to, that thing that now, you’re standing before God and thinking “I wish I had gotten to that…”
Assignment:We only have today. Should God take you today, have you accomplished everything that you wanted to, needed to. Have you said all the things that needed to be said? Let’s have no regrets, let’s make sure we get to those things, so that when we’re standing before the Lord, the only thing we need to do is to worship him.. and not regret not getting to that thing on our to do list. Stop - go take care of that thing…. then, come tell us what you choose to share. Don’t embarrass yourself or any of your loved ones
If there is no tomorrow I want my husband and my daughters to know that I love them. I tell them often and pray that my actions also show them that I love them. They are the most important thing to me next to my Lord. Without them and their love I would be lost.
I also want my family and friends to know that I love them. My prayer about that is that they know Jesus loves them. He paid a tremendous price for us. His blood is the only thing that can wash away our sins. I am reminded of that more and more these days. And we all have sin that needs erasing. Even though the world may say "all roads lead to heaven"...this is a lie from the pits of hell. My verse this week is John 14:6.
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
John 14:6
Memory Verse: Isaiah 40: 1- Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
Intro:“Have It Your Way” (Burger King) - As cooler weather approaches and the winter eases into our doors I like to lounge by the fire after a hot shower. I love to make soups that are brimming with a rich and full flavor. In our home there’s nothing better than a hot bowl of soup or and a hot cup of coffee or cocoa on a cold winter night.
Assignment: Tell us all about how your have “your” relaxing time, more especially how during the cooler months you take time to curl up with your favorite movie, book, Bible study, and what your favorite warm drink would be.
I have my "relaxing" time first thing in the morning. That is the only time I have that is my own. And sometimes it's not my own either! For the most part though I am up before the girls. I have my Bible time then. I am currently doing Beth Moore's Bible study on Daniel with a group of ladies at church.
It is an awesome study. Learning to recognize the pull of my own "Babylon" has been good.
My favorite warm drink is hazelnut flavored coffee.
"They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ."
Memory Verse: Psalms 13:6 NIV
I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me.
Please try to learn our memory verse this week. We will be sharing a new verse every week and hope that you will store them in your hearts and find a special joy in His words.
Intro: M’m M’m Good (Campbell’s Soup)
The fall is such a wonderful time of year. The beautiful foliage and cool, crisp morning air is such a wonderful change from the hot summer. I also love the M’m M’m good smell of fall cooking and baking. The wonderful fall veggies, fruits and Thanksgiving foods.
Assignment: Post your favorite fall recipe/recipes to share. I love trying new recipes, do you? It can be baking, main dishes, veggies, dessert or anything else you can think of. There are no limits. Mmmmmm..I can’t wait to take a look at some of those recipes.
I love fall. Our family is always outside. So one of my favorite meals for fall is one we do when we are camping. Here is where we found this recipe - Bryon's Dutch Oven Recipes.
Mountain Man Breakfast
1
lb.bacon
10-12
medium potatoes; sliced
2
medium yellow onions; diced
12
eggs; beaten
1 1/2
cups fresh mushrooms; sliced
salt and pepper to taste
1
green bell pepper; diced
3
cups grated Cheddar cheese
3
cloves garlic; minced
picante sauce
Heat a 12" Dutch oven using 18-20 briquettes bottom until hot. Cut bacon into 1 inch slices. Add to Dutch oven and fry until brown. Add onion, mushrooms, bell pepper and saute until onions are translucent. Add potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake using 8 briquettes bottom and 14-16 briquettes top for 30 minutes. Season eggs with salt and pepper then pour eggs over top of potatoes. Cover and bake another 20 minutes. Stir gently every 5 minutes. When eggs are done, cover top with cheese and replace lid. Let stand until cheese is melted.
Serve topped with picante sauce.
Serves: 10-12
Yum, yum, and triple yum! I know it says it serves 10-12.... To be honest, we do have to throw some out, but only some !
"But, solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."
Hebrews 5:14
Oct. 14, 2008 - BFS #104 - Never Leave Home Without It
Don’t Leave Home Without It! (Marketing Credit: American Express)
Memory Verse:Matthew 28: 20 - Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen.
Intro: Never Leave Home Without It (Marketing Credit: American Express) Diapers, bottles, wipes, bibs, pacifiers, extra clothing, cell phone, PDA, ipod, iphone, credit or debit cards … what would you never leave home without?
Assignment: In the memory verse Jesus tells us that He will never leave us, not even at the end of the world. He assures us in this verse that He will be with us and that means through everything we go through in life. I thought it would be interesting to write about the things we would never leave home without. For some it might be baby needs, others it might be a gym bag and bottle of water, and for some it might be your Bible and a notepad or small journal, maybe even your son or daughters favorite blankie! I’d like for you to write about something that you would never leave home without.
I never leave home without my purse! Found in my purse is my cell phone, Palm with Bible on it, checkbook, lip balm, and sometimes it feels like the kitchen sink. I have always been this way. I started carrying a purse when I was a young girl. I feel like I am forgetting something when I do not have it with me. And what few times I have opted to go lighter, I usually ended up needing something out of it.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Matthew 11:28-30
Memory Verse: Ephesians 4:19 KJV Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
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.
Picture ideas: Box Day! / First Day of School / School Room / Book Shelves / Yourself
Share your favorite scripture in your post.
My experience with school was probably like most. I went to public school. I loved school actually. I enjoyed doing my work. Math was my favorite subject. The thing I did not like about school was the social aspect. I tend to be somewhat shy. I can remember wanting so desperately to be accepted by a certain group of girls. I would feel bad about myself when they rejected me. Looking back now I can see God's hand of protection over me. He was keeping me from that crowd for a reason. When I decided to serve Him wholehearedly I no longer wanted to be accepted by those groups. It was still difficult to walk through the hallways though. You still feel that pressure to conform even when you are doing your best not to.
I am so thankful that my girls can have a good education, just like I did, if not better. They can enjoy their schoolwork. They can excel at what they are interested in. But more than that I am thankful that they do not have to walk down the hallway and worry about what the other kids are going to say about them or do to them. I have some very vivid memories of really bad things that happened to me at school. My girls will not have those memories. They will have memories of being at school in the next room, eating candy while doing history, taking a spelling test in their pajamas, skipping school to go to the park or a museum because Daddy gets off work early... The list can go on and on. For that I am thankful to my God.
When I first heard about homeschooling I thought it was kind of cooky. The homeschoolers I knew were very wierd. Not just dorky wierd.....wierd, wierd. But then God allowed me to meet some really cool homeschooling families. Families that did it right and were still able to enjoy life. God softened my heart toward the idea and then birthed it as a desire of my heart. Over time He did the same in my husband. We knew when Lulu was about 2 - 3 years old that we were going to homeschool. Of course this was hard to accept for some of our family members. Five years later I think they see the benefits.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Blogger Friend School is having a
BACK TO SCHOOL GIVEAWAY!
August 25th - October 6th, 2008
Blogger Friend School starts back up in September. They even have their own website this year, Blogger Friend School. Make sure you stop by their site to find out how to enter the giveaway. It includes three really great nature items.
Hello everyone! I thought it would be nice to get to know one another's Favorite Bible Story...not necessarily a story in the Bible but the story of what your favorite Bible verse or story is and why. This will probably be a very easy assignment for us all but with warmer weather well on it's way, I know how hard it is to stay indoors, even for school work. Have fun with it and remember we only have two more BFS assignments left!
One of my favorite Bible stories is about Elijah. The story is found in I Kings 18:20-40. Elijah was God's prophet. He called the children of Israel to Mount Carmel to see once and for all who was God.....the Lord or Baal. Elijah told the prophets of Baal(450 in all) to build an altar and cut a bull to put on it. They were not to set fire to it. Then he told them to call upon the name of their "gods". Elijah did the same to the God of Israel. The god who sent fire upon the sacrifice was God.
The prophets of Baal cried out to their "gods" all morning with no fire. Elijah mocked them telling them to cry louder because maybe their "god" was asleep. The prophets began cutting themselves. Nothing worked. Evening came and no fire.
Elijah built his altar with 12 stones representing the 12 tribes of Israel. He put the bull on the altar. He had the prophets fill four waterpots with water and pour it over the sacrifice. They did this three times. The water made a trench around the sacrifice. Elijah called out to God to send fire. Fire fell from heaven and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the dust and even licked up the water in the trench. The children of Israel fell on their faces and worshiped God. Yahweh had proven that He was God! All 450 prophets of Baal were killed.
I love this story for many reasons. One is because of the awesome way God showed His power. He not only sent the fire and burned the sacrifice, but He even licked up the water! It also reminds me of Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. When they came out they did not even smell like smoke! That is power. We sit by the campfire a few times in one weekend and I can still smell smoke on some of our things days later. They were IN the fire and did not smell of smoke. My God is powerful! He is just and merciful.
This week's assignment is The Three R's -- Reduce, Recycle, and Re-use. I thought since today is Earth Day and this month is Arbor Day that we all could share ideas or tips that we use for recycling, reducing or re-using items in our home. Do you recycle at all? Does it just seem nearly impossible to recycle? Trying to catch every piece of trash that goes into the garbage is a hard one for me too. I have a friend who is very diligent with it and so are her children! It amazed me to see how they re-spect nature and use the Three R's in their home. I challenge you all to write about your ventures with recycling, reducing, and re-using your trash and take a pledge to at least try to use some of the tips that you read about on this assignment. Don't forget to add your favorite scripture for this assignment.
Our family started recycling about a year ago. It has made a huge decrease in the amount of trash we throw away. The girls charted how many bags of trash we put out in a month. Then we began recycling and kept on charting the bags of trash. We cut our amount of trash in half.
We went to Wal-Mart and bought three storage tubs. My husband painting the recycling symbol on them and labeled them. We keep a small storage tub in our laundry room. As we use recyclables throughout the day we put them in the small tub. When the small tub is full, we dump it in our large tubs outside. Our area does not offer pick-up. So (usually) every other Monday we take our recyclables to the recycling center and drop them off. It really is not that big of an issue to take them there.
We also use the energy efficient light bulbs. At first it seemed like they were expensive. So as our bulbs blew, we replaced them one at a time. Now almost every light in our house has an energy efficient bulb and we have not replaced the first one. Our laundry room light would blow every week or so. We are saving money over the long run by not replacing bulbs as often.
We are putting out our first garden this year. We started composting at the beginning of winter. We have a small area in the back corner of our yard where we keep lawn trimmings, leaves, egg shells, tea bags, and other composting materials. This also is very easy. I keep an old butter tub in my fridge and put the items in it as I cook. When it is full, someone goes and empties it.
God gave us this beautiful earth to live on....the least we can do as Christians is help take care of it.
Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
John 17:24
Sombra wrote, "I think it would be interesting to find out if someof the other ladies have sunk their teeth into something new in the last year or so, what are they enthralled with, what has claimed the fires of
their passion." You can post pictures or as many things as you'd love to start doing for YOURself. I stand corrected but I took it from Sombra's email that she meant OUR OWN passion and not something your children or husband would like you to learn. Make sure you include a favorite scripture.
Our family has really gotten involved in the outdoors over the past couple of years. And for me it has become a new passion. I liked the outdoors before, but now I really enjoy them. I love to go camping and just be outside. Taking hikes is a great way for me to realize how awesome my God is. He created all that I see around me simply by speaking it into existence. Nothing on earth 'evolved' by chance. God calculated and planned out every bit of His creation. He knew what earth needed in order to support life. So for me a newfound love and appreciation for God's creation would be my new passion that I thankfully get to share with my family.
The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Proverbs 18:21
Welcome to our blog! I hope you enjoy your visit. We are a homeschooling family of 5. Our approach is eclectic, but leaning more and more towards Charlotte Mason. Our girls are 9, 7, and 4. Never a dull moment as we desire to teach our girls in the ways of the Lord.
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