The ponderings of an old-fashioned country-gal-at-heart who loves Jesus. He is my LIFE and I want to serve Him for the length of my days--and through all eternity!!! (see Deuteronomy 30:20) I'm an almost-graduated homeschooler and a daughter serving her family at home. God has given me first of all, a heart for HOME--a born-again, saved-by-His-precious-sovereign-grace-and-mercy heart, a heart that longs to be with Him in its eternal HOME, Heaven! And He has given me a desire to embrace His precious design for women as revealed in His Word the Bible. I hope and desire to one day be a faithful wife and mother, a keeper-at-home and husband-heart-trust*, if God brings this about. But if not, I will serve Him faithfully as a single woman as 1 Corinthians 7 refers to. However He leads me, I have a heart for home--to see men and women embracing God's design for life, for marriage, for child-raising, and to do my part to shed His light and love in my home and in my interactions with others. I pray my writings here will be an encouragement to any readers to seek God in all circumstances. * :-) See Proverbs 31:11 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/aheartforhome/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Sat, 15 Mar 2008 21:49:00 -0500 Sat, 15 Mar 2008 21:49:00 -0500 (At age 6 months) (This January) Three years ago today, my buddy "Winnie Woo" was born.  He was just a tiny rat-sized ball of gray-and-white fur then.   He had long hair that stood up on his head making him look like he had an "afro" hairdo. :-) He's a cat-sized mischievous "Wascal" now.  What's that?  Why call him cat-sized?  Well, that's because he's a cat.  Oh, now you are wondering why I said he was a mischiev ous "Wascal" (that's my Winnie-fied version of "rascal")?  See my first answer; that says it all.  Cats are always getting into trouble, but they always look so mournful when discovered that it's hard to punish them. (For the record, his official name is Winston Churchill.  I wanted a person-type name for the little guy--and my friend suggested Winston Churchill, which immediately appealed to me.  I think Mr. Churchill wouldn't mind.  I've read he liked cats.) But really, he's a great feline friend.  Of course, he likes to sneak into the chicken house or hop up into the feed bucket to eat chicken food, really needs a bath (!!!) is a little stubborn at times, likes to roll around in the chickens' water dish (before the water is put in), jumps into the sink when you are getting water and tries to drink from the faucet, pesters you ("Meeeow, meeeow!"*dashes toward food dish and fixes you with pleading eyes*) until you feed him, and gets tangles in his hair.  However, I assure you that his merits outweigh his demerits.  And he knows the difference between wild birds and my baby chicks--he's smart and leaves the chickens in peace.  I taught him they were his friends when he was just a baby: I love living things--especially little animals.  When God gave Winnie to me, it was at a stressful time in my life.  The encouragement and blessing that little kitten brought me then was great.  I carried him around on my shoulder and sometimes he'd put his paws around my neck and give me a hug.  He's much bigger now, and doesn't like to be held as much, but we're just as good friends as ever.  He's my cat, and I'm "his human" and we both know it. :-) Me and my pal The most wonderful thing about Winnie is his loving heart.  He puts up with us, and loves us, even though some of my family members forget and call him "she" a lot (we mistakenly thought he was a girl once, you see).  He's shy toward strangers, but once he knows you, he loves you with his whole little heart--and voicebox.  You really should hear him purr.  He loves to play with me and chew (gently!) on my fingers. God gave humans dominion over the animals.  He knew that they would need our care--and that we'd need and enjoy the love and joy they give.  So when I look at my cat, I thank God for giving him to me and smile, knowing that God loves animals too, and cares for them more than I ever can.  And in His care for even the smallest of animals, we see a tiny picture of His great love and providence.  "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?" (Matthew 6:26) I know that even my cat is more deserving of God's love than I; my cat has committed no sin, yet I have committed many, and deserve punishment, not love--though in His grace He proclaims me to be "worth much more" than the birds of the air and has bestowed His saving love on me. Thank You, Father, for Your great love.  Thank You for saving me and not giving me what my sin deserved but paying the penalty Yourself on the cross, that You might bring me into fellowship with Yourself.  And thank You for giving me Winnie, to remind me of You and Your love.       http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/aheartforhome/499168/ Sat, 15 Mar 2008 21:49:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/aheartforhome/499168/ I had wanted to write a post about love, human love and how God's love can flow through us, for Valentine's Day.  This isn't what I was planning on writing, but it's just all coming together tonight and I think it is far deeper than what I had thought of writing. My Mom and I have been reading Richard Wurmbrand's In God's Underground together.  Every time I read it, it brings my heart to its knees.  How little I know of suffering, how little of love!  I have given up the doughnut I don't need anyway; Wurmbrand gave up food, when he was starving, to other hungry prisoners.  I forgave my mother's hurting my feelings by changing my menu plan all around; he forgave the men who cursed him and tortured him. Mr. Wurmbrand would be the last to want what he suffered to produce exaltation of him, and that is not what I wish to do.  It is Christ to whom we must continually turn our eyes.  Christ suffered an agonizing death, being deserted by His fearful friends and betrayed by His disciple.  But this mystery goes deeper than perhaps we usually think.  Christ, you see, was not just a man; He was a perfect man, tainted neither by hereditary nor by choice; and He was not just a perfect man, with limited (finite) goodness: He was, IS, fully God and therefore is INFINITELY perfect!  It is a hard enough thing to think of what a man like Sydney Carton did--sacrificing his life for a friend's sake, bearing the friend's punishment for the friend's crime.  But Mr. Carton was a sinner like every other man, and deserved to die, though not specifically in the way he did.  Yet Jesus not only did not deserve death, He was the God who created life and hands down death as sin's just punishment.  A sinful man taking on himself the blame & punishment for a particular sin which he did not do is remarkable-- But God, infinitely good, inherently infinitely opposed to & abhorring sin, the Judge of all the earth, laying down His life for those who were scorning Him, hating Him, ("while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son") showing His love even to those who will forever hate Him ( John 7:37, 1 John 2:2, etc.). . .taking on Himself in the eyes of the world and of His Father the whole reeking burden of the sins of all time. . . No words can be found that can compass or fully describe this.  We can start with what Grace!, what Compassion!, what Mercy!, what. . .        LOVE! In the background, a John Michael Talbot song is playing:  "The Cross is Foolishness."  "The Cross is foolishness to those who perish, but for us, it has become the wisdom of God. . ." This, neither the Jews nor Greeks could understand--die the death of a criminal?  Why?  Love seems so much more humble than miracles, than outstanding bravery, than the advice of sages. . .but in the end, it is this Divine Love the Cross shows that conquers, that outweighs all, that will endure.  But it is not for us who have been saved by this great LOVE to only sit around and murmur of our blessings.  It is for us to live out our blessings--to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit, and share that fruit with a broken and needy world.  If we would wish to give God proper thanks for His salvation (though indeed even eternity will only suffice for us to begin!), then we must seek to have the same attitude He had.  God, create in us a heart of love!!! Wurmbrand's account impacts me so much not so much for the tortures he endured--but for the attitude of love which shone through in the darkest, dankest prison cell. I want to share this quote with you.  Wurmbrand had just returned home to his family after almost nine years in prison with only one or two chance to receive visits or word from them.  He had lived in the most squalid of conditions, enduring starvation, torture and ravaging sickness; and he had no Bible with him, and very often no Christian fellowship.  His son said, " 'Father, you've gone through so much.  I want to know what you've learned from all your sufferings.' I put my arm around him and said, 'Mihai, I've nearly forgotten my Bible in all this time.  But four things were always in my mind.  First, that there is a God.  Secondly, Christ is our Savior.  Thirdly, there is eternal life.  And, fourthly, love is the best of ways.' " http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/aheartforhome/484100/ Tue, 19 Feb 2008 22:43:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/aheartforhome/484100/ There is one job that pays an infinite amount, provides eternal restful retirement* benefits, and offers supernatural Sovereign health care. . . . but it's not your typical job. . . it doesn't require an 8-hour day or even a 12-hour. . . it's more like 24-7. . . yet there isn't particularly the same amount of work to be done each day, and the Employer knows there are times when we feel so sick or sad that we don't think we are doing any "work" at all. . . But we are, because it is a job that is based on a relationship with the Employer, and because it is a job that measures the devotion and direction of our heart, not how much physical or mental effort we put into it on a given day. . . It is a job. . . that is so much more than a job, it is LIFE. Serving & Loving God. . . Is the Christian's occupation. I wouldn't trade my job for the world. . . "For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, but lose his own soul?" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *We won't really "retire" as the term is used today--we'll still be loving God in Heaven--but it will be much easier without the pains and temptations of down here! :-) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/aheartforhome/470796/ Tue, 29 Jan 2008 21:34:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/aheartforhome/470796/ I had this idea a few weeks back and I hope y'all will like it.  Every Monday (the day when things typically are blah and stressful), I will do a special post with a fun picture, quote, or thought.  Don't expect me to be laugh-out-laud funny--I can't promise that --but hopefully you should be able to summon a smile. . . . . I like my name for this "feature". . .a twist on "fun" + "day" with a little ice cream sundae flavor, but I'm certainly open to suggestions. This inagural post  is dedicated to a friend of mine who likes to knit. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/aheartforhome/446470/ Mon, 17 Dec 2007 20:42:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/aheartforhome/446470/ This is a bit more random and fun post (1)  You can create a fun game with a plastic egg (think "Easter") and a flight of stairs.  Voila!  "Egg Steps" is born. . .er. ..hatched. (name courtesty of the honorary "little sister" I regularly kid-sit for.)  This is especially fun if the stairs don't have carpet on them, and if they are L-shaped (No, not each step. . .I don't know how to say this, being unskilled in stair lingo--you go down a few steps and come to a square of floor, then turn and go down more steps. . .what do you call that??).  Just roll the egg from the top of the stairs and see how far it can make it. . .designate each step with a value (e.g., four steps might equal "four yards" or just the score of "4") and write down your score.  (To turn this into a math exercise with siblings or "babysit-ees" add up the different scores, to see who won, and also divide to find each person's average!)  I proved this game will keep myself and a nine-year-old entertained for over an hour.  And the excercise is great!  You're running up and down the stairs every minute! Ought to burn lots of calories! Yes. . .I'm tired. A variation of this game could be played with a slinky.  I wonder if I still have mine. . .Hmmm. . . ------------------------------------------- (2) I don't celebrate commercial Christmas (sorry, Rudolph, Blitzen, Vixen, Nixon, and friends. . .wait. . .I think the last was a President, not a reindeer!), but I thought of this fun list: Santa Clause:  For all the lawyers out there. Santa Claws:  He's my cats' favorite. Santa Paws:  Let's hear it for Doggie Man! Santa Pause:  What we all need to do in this busy holiday season. Santa Haws:  This is the donkey version. Santa Gnaws:  All through the house, not a creature was stirring, except for one little mouse. Santa Thaws:  If his home base is at the North Pole, and he travels all over the world, don't you think it's logical? Santa Saws:  Hey, aren't there still some kids who request wooden sleds?  Or did that go out of vogue 100 years ago? Santa Laws:  The Elf Constitution. Got one of your own?  Comment and tell me! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/aheartforhome/444410/ Thu, 13 Dec 2007 21:55:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/aheartforhome/444410/ Guess what *important event* happened today?    Look at this short video for a clue. . . . Yes, snow.  The first snow of. . .er, autumn.  It feels like winter but fall hasn't officially surrendered yet. I love the sound of snow falling.  I think it sounds like a thousand little delicate feet dancing gracefully.  Sadly, I couldn't capture the snow sound in the video--the camera's running noise blurs it.  Not much snow fell here in Va, and it melted pretty quickly. . .but it was beautiful.  I call this photo "Autumn meets Winter." :-) It was good packing snow! This isn't very clear, but look at the formation of the snowflakes!  Marvelous!!! On another note, I found a little ladybug larva on the gate of one of the chicken pens.  He (or she--although 'tis a "ladybug", somehow this stage doesn't look very er. . .feminine!) was very stiff and cold and I thought it (that's safe!) was dead. . .but I took it in my hand and breathed on it repeatedly as I walked to the house.  By the time I got inside, it was wiggling its legs and was very much alive!  I put it on my African Violet plant but I don't know if it will survive, because I don't think there are any bugs (like aphids, for it to feed on) on the plant!  I love little creatures like this.  I will kill bugs that harm us or my plants (think fleas, or Japanese beetles), or poisonous spiders, but overall I love bugs.  They are tiny marvels of a Creator's ingenuity.  It was encouraging to me that the ladybug revived.  I know God has done for me many times just what I did for it, taken me when I've been so cold and stiff I felt dead--and breathed love and life into me.  "Remember the word to Thy servant, in which Thou hast made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that Thy word has revived me."  (Psalm 119:49-50) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/aheartforhome/439624/ Wed, 5 Dec 2007 21:34:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/aheartforhome/439624/ **See my post below this, it's my blog introduction!** Even though my post comes over a week from the "Day"!  , yes, this is my Thanksgiving entry. Really though, isn't every day to be a day of thanksgiving?  "O Lord my God, I will give thanks to Thee forever." (Psalm 30:12b) "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Tracing back the roots* of our English word "thank", I discovered it is related to an Anglo-Saxon word that means "thought".  Do our thoughts reflect thanksgiving toward God, "rejoicing always"?  Are we praising Him in the temple of our minds? The words "thanksgiving" and "thanks" are synonyms of the word, "gratitude."  You know where "gratitude" is derived from, right?  Just sound it out. . .gratitude. . .grati. . .gratis. . .grace.  (Okay, maybe it wasn't easy for you to sound out.  That's just how I try to figure out words, having been taught by a mom who sent me to the dictionary to find definitions and derivations very often! I have a working familiarity with some common Latin roots as a result of consultations with our 1934 Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.)  That's right, "gratitude" comes from "grace."  Isn't that really true--doesn't our thankfulness to God stem from the grace He bestows?  His graciousness--whether it be in creating & sustaining the universe, creating & sustaining you and me, or supplying all the many blessings we often enjoy like food, clothing, shelter, fresh air, sunshine, bird songs, beautiful flowers, etc.--is part of His nature and one of the myriad reasons that He is worthy to be praised.  And specifically, those of who are Christians are (or should be) overwhelmed with gratitude & thanksgiving because of His grace in saving us from sin & eternal death, and changing our nature so that we can  fellowship with Him on earth & in future in Heaven. Also, something beautiful that I discovered is that the word "grace" comes from a Latin word meaning "beloved."  He is gracious to us because He loves us.  "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,  to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us. . . ." (Ephesians 1:2-8a) Thank you, God! ------------------------------------------------ I hope to share more about how I spent my Thanksgiving Day & a few more specific things I'm thankful for, another day. * P.S. I originally (mistakenly) had "roosts" here.  I caught the error pretty quickly, but can anyone tell I have chickens? http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/aheartforhome/437698/ Sun, 2 Dec 2007 23:51:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/aheartforhome/437698/ Hello to all who may fly around the internet and blogging community and alight here! I formerly blogged over at http://www.xanga.com/In_this_last_hour , so feel free to check over there if you want to get more of an idea about me.  :-)  I started that site mainly for outreach (to non-Christians first, then gradually more and more to fellow Christians) and decided lately that I wanted to keep the original focus of that site. . .but that I wanted to start a site for more personal entries as well.  Plus I would love to make more friends in the homeschool community! :-)  I've started a sister site to this at  http://www.xanga.com/aheartforhome , which will be basically identical to this as far as posting content.  I like homeschoolblogger because of the community and the family friendly ads, but I like xanga for the easy subscription method and the fun customizable details (plus my past readers are on xanga!), so I decided to do both. :-)  If you have a xanga, feel free to subscribe to & follow my xanga site rather than this. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/aheartforhome/437678/ Sun, 2 Dec 2007 22:50:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/aheartforhome/437678/