Wife and homeschooling mom of eight. Also an aspiring writer and evangelist. Be sure to check out my archives! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:40:00 -0500 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:40:00 -0500 Daughter says write! So here it is... I have written on the other blog.  Not much.  I've been writing on facebook, some. I've been writing on my favorite board.  But to tell you the truth, the place where I have been doing most of my writing lately is in my head. I'm working on a story.  A book.  Problem is, I'm not sure I can write this book ... Well, I mean publish this book. It's a truth story about people ... Okay family.  Well they are people but you know what I mean?  Maybe not.  try to follow.   So I have this book and the people I'm writing about are still alive and it is a truthful book.  A book about people who are not what they think they are. They are not believers, the entire family.  From what I can tell, no Christians in the family tree ever.  I've always considered myself an observer.  Sometimes it is painful to see what others chose to be blind to.  What others accept as normal.    So this book is to express the deception and presception of unbelievers.  Real people. Do I change the names?  Do I wait until they are dead?  Do I change my name? Do I keep it in my head?    Problem is and truth be told.  While this book is in my head, writing anything else is difficult.   But daughter told me to write on my blog, so here is the update if there is anyone to read.  Ramble ramble ramble.   Sweat trickled down the dirty red skin of his neck as he urged the horses on.  She followed in his steps as she had for as long as she could remember. The freshly turned dirt revealed tangled old roots while the dust swirled.  Her bare feet stagger over the uneven mounds as her father's before her.  The dirt thicken the flour sack dress that whipped about in the ceaseless Oklahoma wind.  There was no time, just daylight and dark.  Just steps and rows and wind and Daddy's back leading on and the horse leading him.  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/736835/ Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:40:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/736835/ Should I combine my blogs?  What I mean is should I close htis blog and just keep the one blogspot blog?  It is hte one I have claled my evangelism blog.  It is more public and open.  It is 'out there.'    I've never shared anything about my kids ont hat one, including pictures of them.  I have always felt this blog was safer, more protected.    But...Should I do anything different her?  Is this any safere?  really?   Blogspot has a much easier format.  Maintaining two blogs is a problem.  It takes guilt to keep them both updated.  Wouldn't one be easier to keep up with?   I'll let you know what I decide. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/689458/ Fri, 15 May 2009 19:41:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/689458/ Today I am planting my first garden!   I'm planting it in my basement.  I bought the seeds, I'm only planting what I like.  That limits the selection.  We are talking vegetables here.  No dark chocolate carmel plants!?   So I'm planting my seeds today.  Not all of them, just those that need a little headstart before going out into the big cold windy world.  See, you don't start all seeds out in the cold.  You provide them a protective enviroment and then keep them close until they are strong enough to face the forces that will challenge their roots.  So we grow their roots strong here, close to home where we can nuture and prepare them.    Later comes the hardening.  You do it slowly, still once they are 'hardened' they are not just tossed out into the elements.  I prepare a place for them as the Lord has done for His children.  Providing them with what they need to stand firm and grow into productive little assets.  The tomatoes will need some proteciton from the wind, the lettuce needs some shade in the afternoon sun, all need protection from bugs and cats.  They still need care: water, weeding and maybe some food.  Even after all the preparations there are threats but at some point they will prove themselves.  Are the roots strong?  I've done all I can.     I believe there is a measure of faith in gardening.  What makes one seed grow and another never sprout?  With all our careful work, some wither and fade.  It seems we have no control in the real plan of it all.  Never the less, I am going to labor with hope for the best results and trust it all into HIs hands.        http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/677144/ Wed, 8 Apr 2009 10:45:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/677144/  Chris Tomlin \ Forever Give thanks to the Lord Our God and King His love endures Forever For He is good, He is above all things His love endures Forever Sing Praise, sing Praise   With a mighty hand and outstretched arm His love endures Forever For the life that's been reborn His love endures forever Sing Praise, sing Praise Sing Praise, sing Praise     From the rising to the setting sun His love endures Forever By the grace of God We will carry on His love endures Forever Sing Praise, sing Praise Sing Praise, sing Praise Forever God is faithful Forever God is strong Forever God is with us Forever Forever Forever God is faithful Forever God is strong Forever God is with us Forever Forever Forever Forever you are faithful Forever you are strong Forever you are with us Forever And ever His love endures Forever His love endures Forever His love endures Forever Forever Sing Praise, sing Praise Sing Praise, sing Praise Forever you are faithful Forever you are strong Forever you are with us Forever Forever You are God..... Forever And ever and ever ....   Forever God is faithful Forever God is strong Forever God is with us Forever Forever         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVYcDOXczus Forever Praise with Him http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/665439/ Wed, 4 Mar 2009 23:28:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/665439/ My children reported the sighting of the first dandylion which is the official sign of spring.  But since I did not see it myself I am sure it is not spring yet.  Strange things happen in spring.  I'm plotting a garden.  You read that right!   As soon as I get the yard wired for Air conditioning we'll be all set!... Kidding of course.  I figure the morning air is pretty moderate on the worst of days.  I can always assign weeding as a chore to a child in need of a cure for those forbidden words, "Im bored."  My children rarely say that because I am quick to apply the cure from an early age.  Work! Same with fighting..."hmmm, you need something better to do, go clean out the car." Well,  I'm off to a rocket launch today.  Just overcome with guilt and the pressure of another month about to end so I had to type something up.  If you stumble on this soon, then you will find all the typos.  Otherwise, wait a few hours and I will be back to edit. !0, 9, 8, 7...  We're off!   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/663576/ Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:49:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/663576/ Sooo cold outside!   The kids and I have just finished reading the Long Winter and once again I hear familiar words in the kitchen, "Don't be so picky!  Laura had nothing but potatoes and brown bread for months!"   I love this book for reminding us all how good we have it now.  I love the line, "Don't get up, I'll shovel the snow off you as soon as I dig your Ma out."  And that was inside the house!   They wrote letters using as few words as possible to make the most of the paper.  A letter was a rare thing.  Every few years depending on where you lived and then months between sending it and the person getting it.    Food was seasonal.  No greens until the snow melted and everything grew large enough again.  Candy on Christmas day.  That was it!    I wonder about privacy.  The girls wait until Pa left to do chores to dress.  No mention of bathing.  Of course during the worst of the long winter they only ate bread twice a day.  They rose late and went to bed early because their was no lamp or candles,     They burned grass to keep warm so I imagine that boiling water to make a bath was a luxury they could not manage.    Blizzard after blizzard for seven months and a town left to starve because the train could not get through.  This is a great book.  I read later that this book was edited because it was too sad for a children's book.  makes me wonder what was left out.    Laura speaks breifly about faith in this book, memorizing scripture,praying and singing hymns together.  Mary's testimony is in here as well and if any of them were truely saved it was her.    Anyway, this book is a family tradition.  I love how my girls react at certain parts.  Like Laura describing Cap Garland... She really had a crush on him.  How Almanzo thawed his frost bitten feet with snow and still did his share of the chores with feet so swollen that he had to borrow his brother's boots.  How Laura describes working with her father in the field even though ma did not like her working like a 'foreign woman' though relented because Pa did need the help..  However, she did not allow Laura to go to town to help Pa, it wasn't proper.    Now we have started in on The Little Town on the Prairie.  These books are more and more appealing as my girls have grown. The courting of Laura and Almanzo.  For me it is the way Laura expresses the bitter sweet feelings of the changes in her life.  The amazing bond and love for family and the necessary parting that comes.     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/641640/ Mon, 5 Jan 2009 18:03:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/641640/   Which one referred to a spiders web as an analogy for the situation of an unbeliever? Which one was good with a hammer?  Who knows? His name is always related to a dutch flower? Who is known as a prince?     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/639571/ Sat, 3 Jan 2009 12:13:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/639571/ It is almost the end of December and my pace is at least once a month. I know you will excuse me for being super busy this time of year.  Christmas was just as you would expect in a family of ten.  Or maybe not.  We like calm and peace so we arrange things to avoid the frenzy that some families might experience.  Plenty of time for unwrapping presents and enjoying them before we open more.  a little nap time and good food prepared by all.  The only frenzy is the last half hour when we are trying to get all the food to the table while it is still hot.  Timing is everything they say.  Speaking of timing... I was thinking...   Is it ever the wrong time to share the truth of salvation? The scripture says to be ready in season and out.  Also that today is the day of salvation.  That we are to be Ambassadors.  We do not know how much time we have so we need to make the most of it.   But...  Perhaps if you find yourself in a situation that it is not the right time to share the gospel them maybe the truth is that it is the wrong place.  Are you where you should be if you are some place where you can not share the truth of God's hope and salvation?   Often times we are forced into situations because of social and family pressure.  Especially during the holidays.  I wonder if when the relatives start drinking, isn't it time to go then?  What fellowship do we have with unbelievers outside of sharing the gospel?  If that door is closed then shouldn't we be on the other side of it?     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/637893/ Mon, 29 Dec 2008 23:26:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/637893/ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/625551/ Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:09:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/625551/ What a wonderful year!  Life in the Graff family is rolling along.  I know that some of you really want to know what and how we are doing so here is the state of the family, annual report. Starting with Samantha, our college student working on her English major.  She is studying at home through an accelerated distance learning program and will earn her BA in English in 18 to 24 months.  After she and Paul went on a mission trip to Russia this summer, she came home focused on becoming equipped to better serve the Lord by acquiring more education.  When she is not studying she still teaches ballet, sings with the worship team, serves in AWANA and fills in at the county museum.  Anna is our rocket scientist!  She has formed a TARC (Team America Rocket Challenge) team and hopes to compete nationally in the spring.  For more info, check out the team’s web site:  www.mvhe-tarc.blogspot.com.  Meanwhile, she is still working at the insurance company part time and is the new administrator for the county museum.  She loves setting up the antique displays and learning more about local history.  Piano is still foremost in her life and she is playing on the worship team with Paul and Samantha.  Did I mention she killed her first deer this year?  Great meat from our mighty hunting girl!   Sara is taking piano and voice this year.  She is my most dedicated student and her favorite subject is literature.  When her work is all done, she can be found in her room painting, reading or working on her book.  In 4-H this year she took the top trophies for art and for the beautiful quilt she made for Anna.  She is a huge help to me in the home as my older girls are too busy for many home chores right now. Joshua got his first deer this year too!  I have never tasted such good deer meat.  Joshua is busy designing armor and castles much of the time.  He took the top trophies in 4-H this year in rocketry and in archery for the arrows he made.  He is so grown now that he works by Paul’s side cutting wood and helping with the ever present home repairs.   He has become my handy man much of the time. Emma and Julia are dancing in the Nutcracker this year and enjoy taking ballet from their big sister.  They both like to knit, crochet and quilt.  Emma took the crochet trophy in 4-H! Most days they can be found in their room arranging their doll house or dressing their dolls while listening to a story CD.       Jeremiah and Joe: The boys!  They are all about swords, guns and ambushing Joshua.  They are getting pretty good at getting him to the floor and sitting on him or making him giddy-up as they ride on his back.  Little Joe is not so very little.  He is turning two this December and is adored by all.  When he gets caught being wicked he will throw his arms open wide and ask, “huggie?” in a sweet voice that proves this child is knowingly sinning.  Smart boy, but oh so much work to be done there.  So loved! Something special happened with Jeremiah this year.  He and Emma were talking over what they had heard in church on a Sunday afternoon and Jeremiah told Emma  that he wanted to be a Christian.  Emma told him to go talk to Daddy!  Paul was taking his Sunday nap when Jeremiah crashed through the door and announced that he wanted to be a Christian.  Paul shot out of bed and they went and had a long talk.  Jeremiah understood that he had sinned and need to repent and ask God’s forgiveness.  He prayed and will now tell you that he is saved, belongs to Jesus and will someday live in heaven with Him.  What more can we say? God is good and we are so blessed with the family, friends, church and the life we have in Him.  3 John 1:4 “I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.” Merry Christmas and God Bless You             http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/624831/ Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:02:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/emmaus/624831/