There are many ways to be free....spiritually free, financially free, footloose and fancy free!! This blog will hopefully be a little about all of them, and more! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Fri, 19 May 2006 20:06:00 -0500 Fri, 19 May 2006 20:06:00 -0500 Check out some of the great favs from the past year at HSB here - http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HSBCompanyBlog/134589/#c255967   Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!   Much Love, Kerri http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/137919/ Fri, 19 May 2006 20:06:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/137919/ Hi Friend!   You know that point when you're just about to blow & that little voice reminds you to "take a deep breath & count to 10"... Well, if you are anything like me, your flesh starts to scream - I don't want to count to ten! And follows with something like this: "I'm right, their wrong, and I'm going to tell them so"; or "Don't tell me to count to ten, these kids are driving me crazy"; or any other number of selfish things that I hope I'm not the only one who thinks them!   I got to thinking one day that if I could use that concept but take it a little further so that I got my mind on God instead of just numbers it might really help. I was inspired to use the Fruit of the Spirit as a guide to help me focus on what is really important instead of my present circumstances. Here's what I came up with:   One Precious Love Two Joyful Hearts Three Spirits of Peace Four (for) All Who Know Him Five Patient Looks Six Kind Words Seven Acts of Goodness Eight Faithful Prayers Nine Gentle Snuggles Ten Ahh....Self Control   Unfortunately, I wrote this in a notebook that got tucked away in our move & I forgot all about it. Now I'm going to make it really big & hang it on my refrigerator! I hope maybe it'll help you & I get through some of those tough situations we face throughout the days.   Much Love, Kerri http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/132369/ Wed, 10 May 2006 11:49:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/132369/ I just want to thank you for all of your kind words, encouragement and most especially your prayers. You, my sisters, mean so much to me. It's so funny how even when I'm not blogging I'm wondering about you all & can't wait to get back & see what you've been up to.   I'm slooowwwllllyyyy working my way through Oops! My Cup is Empty...and My Coffee Pot is Broke!  and  Lucia Claborn's  first book on Faith. They are really good, so full of the Truth of the Word which is what I'm realizing is the only thing that is going to lift me out of this pit. Jesus said "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" - I've always known it in my head but I'm realizing it for the first time I think as a way I have got to live.   Again, thank you ever so ever so much for caring so much about me. Your outpouring of love for me, a perfect stranger, makes it easier for me to believe and accept the love of God. I think that not being able to believe, I mean really believe that God loves me is one of my hugest obstacles to finding the freedom that I know God so desires for me. I bought Beth Moore's "Breaking Free" a while back but didn't get very far. I'm going to try again I think. It's just so hard, why is it so hard?   May God Bless You This Very Day!!!!   Much Love, My Sisters, Kerri http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/131115/ Mon, 8 May 2006 13:48:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/131115/ I am in absolute amazement over the grace & love of our Lord Jesus Christ - His provision in just incomprehensible in every sense.   Okay, you remember the coffee story (if not please see my last post)... well, unfortunately, the coffee pot did not survive. Water must have gotten into its electronics; it just beeps & beeps & beeps but won't make a drop of coffee.   I've been really (really) down lately. Depression is something I've been battling for years now & I am just at a loss. If any of you have been clinincally depressed, or know anyone who has or is, you know that the longer it lasts the harder it gets to keep going. I guess all struggles are that way, aren't they. It's so hard not to feel defeated when circumstances and situations don't seem to get any better. It's been hard for me to even read my Bible let alone get anything out of what I'm reading. (And this is not like me at all.)   Well, the Wonderful Lord in His infinite wisdom has provided me with a book that is really helping me a lot. And this is The Rest of the Story...   About 2 weeks ago I won a free e-book from Cindy Rushton. She drew my name from the names of everyone who posted a comment at her blog. She has been my homeschool mentor  since we started about 4 years ago & I consider her a cherished friend even though we don't really know one another. I'm at a definite advantage because of her ministry. She has really put her life out there to encourage women & from her podcast with Lucia Claborn I discovered that Cindy has been through depression and she has come through victorious! So, I emailed her & asked her if she has written anything about her struggle with depression and what she learned (she is a wonderful Bible teacher if you didn't know). I told her that if she has, I would like that book for my free e-book if possible. Guess what showed up in my email box the day after my coffee pot died?   Oops! My Cup is Empty...and My Coffee Pot is Broke! Bible Study in E-book Format by Cindy Rushton   Do not ever try to tell me that Jesus doen't love to laugh!!!   It's a Bible Study on the life of Hannah. I've only just begun it but I'm amazed at the hope I feel just knowing that the Lord is right there looking out for me. He orchestrated this situation to get my attention because he knew how apathetic I have been feeling. He is concerned with my well-being & He will not allow me to stay in this place. Praise His Holy Name!!!   Thank you Cindy & Lucia. Thank you to all of you who have lifted me up and prayer.   Much Love, Kerri who is infinitely amazed at His love & His grace http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/127940/ Tue, 2 May 2006 18:32:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/127940/ Oh my gosh, I just have to share this funny with you...   We just finished dinner not too long ago & my dh asked dd11 to make him a pot of coffee... no problem.  I just happened to step into the kitchen as she was scooping & noticed there were 2 filters in the pot. Not wanting her to have to try to contend with a filter that already had coffee in it, I asked her to let me interrupt her a moment & fix the problem. I put the 1 filter back in and told her she could finish up. "That's okay mom, you can do it," was the reply; so I added the last scoop, closed the lid, turned on the machine and left the room.   10 minutes later...   "I hope no one wanted coffee!!!"   I forgot to put the pot on the coffee maker!!!!    What a Mess!!! There was even coffee in the stovetop!!!   Well, we got the messed cleaned up & dh kicked me out of the kitchen so that "he" could make himself a pot of coffee, though he did thank me for the effort.   10 minutes later...    "Oh, My!!!! What is going on here?!?!"   Another Mess!!!  Though this one was not nearly the magnitude of the 1st.   Upon taking a closer look, I discovered that dh forgot to put the coffee filter basket in before he put the filter into the machine so the whole filter full of coffee fell into the pot!!!!     We couldn't help it, we just lost it.  Neither one us could stop laughing.  I guess I should have just left those 2 filters in to begin with...   I'm still giggling as I write this. Hope you got a chuckle too!!!   Much Love, Kerri http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/126363/ Sat, 29 Apr 2006 18:09:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/126363/ Hi there! If you read my last post, you know I'm struggling right now. Actually, that post is only the tip of the iceburg... I know the Lord has the answers... I know the Lord IS the answer, I just don't know how to make what I know in my head real in my life.   Anyway, I've been in the Word more this past week & that's been great and I subscribe to a daily email verse & they have been so on the mark - I've actually had to chuckle at how poignant these verses have been this last week. I've even been printing them out and puting them up in front of me all day long.   KindredSpiritMom left me a really nice & encouraging response to my last post. I haven't been HSB this week cuz I've just had so much going on so I decided to stop over & see what she's been up to. What a blessing was in store with me!!! I've read her posts (and I hope your feeling better KSM!!) but I never noticed her links before - right there on her blog is a link to Beth Moore! I was so excited, that's a name I know I can count on for some refreshment for my weary soul.   I flew on over to Beth's & what did I find?   http://www.lifetoday.org/site/PageServer?pagename=tel_webcasts   I've watched Life Today a few times but rarely catch it when it's on in my area. Imagine how excited I was to find out their past broadcasts are online including the Beth Moore ones!!! Thanks KindredSpiritMom!!!! I'll be adding Beth's Pages to my links for sure!!   So, if you're in need of a little encouragement  (and who isn't?) stop over a watch a while. I'm on my way now...   Much Love,   Kerri   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/126326/ Sat, 29 Apr 2006 15:44:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/126326/ Well, you may know that I recently moved over 1,000 miles from OH to FL. Our moving budget was Very Low so I had to be very careful in choosing what of our belongings we should hold onto and what we could just live without. I was absolutely amazed at the amount of "stuff" I was able to get rid of. The kids and I (Gary was already in FL working during most of this) went through everything we own - twice - before we packed anything at all. Sometimes I even went through again before it was taped and labeled.  We gave away literally truckloads and vanfulls of "stuff". And the stuff I threw away was even more unbelievable... I vowed never again to allow "stuff" to become a burden to me.   I am an information junkie... I just love to collect informative articles. It's bad... Sometimes I don't even get around to reading them; I just collect them. I threw away so much paper before I left OH and now I find myself falling right back into those same bad habits. Ughhhh! Cleanse my heart, O Lord, and renew a right spirit in me... I know that this is a spiritual issue for me. I have the most difficult time waiting upon the Lord to bring me just the right thing at just the right time.   Of course He's proven Himself time and time again in this area:   He brings just the right ideas to mind at just the right time we need them to learn a lesson. He brings lessons through creation to us all the time. He's been faithful through all our storms and brought encouragement to us at just the right moments. He brings just the right opportunity to us when we need an activity. He brings just the right person when I need to learn something - and at His perfect time for me to learn it. When I try to force things, they just never work out. (This is a lesson I Reallllyyyy need to get through my head!!!) He's supplied our every need at times when I had no idea how they would be supplied. He's brought Gary a business opportunity that was at just the perfect ime.   The list goes on and on.  So why is it so difficult to just rest in the Lord?   I don't have the answer, but I do know that I have decided to give it try and here's the plan...   1. I'm not surfing for or collecty ANY NEW information the rest of this week (or longer if necessary). 2. I am going to get the information I do have ORGANIZED!!!! I've already begun this process, I'll let you know how it's going. 3. I'm going to LISTEN to (actually re-listen) a wonderful recording of Cindy Rushton & Lucia Claborn discussing how they've walked through the valleys and claimed the victory we have in Christ. I've only made it through the first two recordings because I've listened to them each twice - It's that good!!! My desire to spend time with the Lord is being renewed - I encourage you to give a listen, here's the link:  An Afternoon with Lucia Claborn! 4. I'm going to get together with God way more often and begin Speaking with Him daily. I've written my prayers for years, but I'm going to try going for a daily walk with Him. Here I am in Sunny FL and I rarely even go outside. I'm a homebody by nature but I'm thinking I need to venture out and enjoy this beautiful world God has put me in. 5. I do Bible Lessons with the kids each day, but I've let my own personal Bible Study go by the wayside. I've decided to read through the Book of John this week.   Well, there's my plan. It's in writing so I can keep myself accountable if nothing else. I hope you have a Wonderful Day!   Much Love, Kerri http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/123401/ Mon, 24 Apr 2006 14:13:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/123401/ Gena is having a contest... but you have to post before her next entry so hurry on over & check it out! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/121372/ Thu, 20 Apr 2006 14:23:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/121372/ Cicadas Invade St. Petersburg!!!     This morning the children awoke to discover a cicada had landed on a low branch of one of our trees and emerged from its nymphal shell. How cool!!! He was still hanging there right at eye-level!! We observed it for quite a while and then he flew away...   If you'd like to listen to cicada songs, check out this neat website : cicada songs These are native to FL but cool to listen to wherever you live!   Have a great day!   Much Love, Kerri http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/121265/ Thu, 20 Apr 2006 10:41:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/121265/ Man trading up from paper clip to house What a long, strange trip it's been — so far   I hope your inspired to reach for your dreams!!!   Mush Love, Kerri http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/120646/ Wed, 19 Apr 2006 12:25:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KerriHopkins/120646/