Mother of four blessings http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:54:00 -0500 Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:54:00 -0500 "When Mary of Bethany "broke the flask of very costly oil and poured it on Jesus' head," it was an act for which no one else saw any special occassion; in fact, there were some who said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted?".  But, Jesus commended Mary for her extravagant act of devotion. (Mark 14:3-4)" One morning after reading these words in Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest" I was struck with the following thoughts.  Mary of Bethany poured her most treasured possession on her Savior, she poured her life out for The One who would one day soon pour His life out for her on the Cross of Calvary.  Some of those watching just didn't get it!  They condemned her act of devotion because they didn't see any value in what she was doing.  Jesus on the other hand saw the value and commended her for it.  Homeschool families we are  often misunderstood by those who just don't get it!  They don't see the value in what  we are doing.  Some even think it is a waste of time for a woman in today's liberated world to be at home with her kids;much less choosing to educate them at home!  Some even have the audacity to condemn those who have chosen this method of education, dismayed at how we can possibly teach our own children without a "teaching certificate"!  They just don't get it! To pour ourselves out into our children is costly and it does require daily sacrifice, but  we know God  has lead each of our families down this path of home education and He sees GREAT VALUE IN IT!  In Him, Renee http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/611815/ Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:54:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/611815/ It amazes me how little research we do before deciding where little Susie or Johnny will attend school.  We spend more time deciding what car, refrigerator, t.v., new couch, etc. we will buy. To get the most for our money a smart consumer will read consumer reports, shop around, compare the brands, talk to people and get their opinion on the quality of the product and then based on the data will make an educated decision on where to purchase their new product.  Shouldn't we spend even more time investigating and researching the school choices before deciding where to send our children?  Where do we begin?  Well what are your core values?  Which school choice will complement and uphold your family convictions?  What is the driving force for each school choice or system?  What is their educational philosophy? Do you know their agenda?  This is something you should begin doing when your children are small, better yet before they are born.  It is a huge, life impacting decision.  Remember, little Johnny or Susie will be in that place for 7 hours a day, 5 days a week, 36 weeks out of the year for 13 years.  They will be influenced by the agenda, ideology, and educational philosophy of whatever school choice you decide on.  After my children entered the school system, I began reading about homeschooling, which led me to read about other school choices and from the research and data I collected and shared with my husband, homeschooling was an obvious choice for our family. Homeschooling was the only educational system wherein our values and family convictions would be upheld and supported.  The educational philosophy started by the pioneers of homeschooling fit our family's core values.  There is no hidden agenda in our homeschool, only to follow the Lord's command to teach our children from a biblical worldview in every subject and throughout the day. The homeschool environment nurtures our values, beliefs and educational philosophy.   I encourage every family to view your child's education as more important than purchasing a new home, car, etc. Do your research, gather the data from the different school choices offered and make an educated decision on your child's future.  In Him, Renee http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/607754/ Tue, 21 Oct 2008 06:18:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/607754/   John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. This morning I was reading my emails and ran across one on our homeschooling loop that caught my attention. The email was about how we as homeschoolers should (must) know our state homeschooling laws for ourselves. We can't solely rely on what "susie homeschooler" believes to be true or has heard to be true. On the email the line that caught my eye was something along the lines of, "yes, we are free, but we must know what the law says so we can operate our homeschools under this freedom and not take this freedom for granted" that is not a direct quote, but close to the intent of the reply. It got me to thinking...it is the same way in our spiritual life; we must know what God's Word (Law) says for ourselves. We can't rely on what "susie christian" believes to be true or has heard to be true. We have been made free in Jesus Christ, but in order to operate in the realm of "true freedom" we must know God's word! I am astonished at the lack of knowledge that a majority of people who claim to know Jesus are void of! Twice within two weeks I have been in two different areas in a church setting and twice God has opened my eyes to the ignorance of God's word. No wonder, we are not attractive to the lost world around us. Most of us have no clue about the freedom we have been given in Christ Jesus! Oh my sisters, we must spend time getting to know not only the principles in God's word, but we must invest in getting to know the person in God's word, Jesus Christ. Shame on those who have been in church all their lives and don't know the simple truth's of God's word and criticize those who are hungry for more of it or want error corrected! The most vital part of our christian walk is knowing how to feed ourselves. knowing how to dig deep into His word and apply it to our everyday lives. If you want to protect your heart and mind from false teaching you MUST know how to feed yourself! Dear sister in Christ, do you know how to open God's word and hear Him speak to you personally? Are you equipped with tools that will help God's word come alive in your heart? God desires that we know Him intimately. If you need some help there are tons of books at Lifeway and other christian bookstores that teach us how to study the bible. Follow this link to Dew4him Ministries website http://www.dew4him.org once there click on growth tools  for help in learning how to feed yourself.  Enjoy your freedom in Christ, God bless, Renee   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/586677/ Wed, 1 Oct 2008 19:39:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/586677/ Whose yoke have you taken on? Matthew 11:28-30 Don't the words of Jesus just refresh your soul?  "Come to me, all who are weary and carry heavy burdens, I will give you rest! Take my yoke upon you, let me teach you, I am humble and gentle, I will give you rest for your soul, my yoke fits perfectly and my burden is light." As I have listened to and observed many christian women today I don't come away with a sense of rest, humbleness or gentleness. What I do come away with is a sense of weariness, heaviness, burden and unrest. I am including myself here.  I have been troubled about this over the past few months and been in His word looking for the why? The word simplicity has jumped out at me, through devotions, conversations, during prayer and in Jesus' very own words. Why are we weary and carrying heavy burdens? Why are our lives not offering the world something different? While we were yoked with Christ at salvation and began our walk in freedom, with the faith of a child, trusting our Heavenly Father to make us fruitful; somewhere along the way we have taken on the yoke of another. We have taken on the yokes of religion, regulation, and rules. We have taken on the yoke of this world's philosophy, ideologies, and theologies. We have taken on the yoke of our christian friends, we have taken on the yoke of service out of duty not devotion, we think we must be involved in every "good" ministry our church offers or we are somehow not being what we need to be for Christ.  Most of us falsely believe that "ministry" happens within the four walls of our local churches. If you go back to the scriptures and look at how Jesus ministered, most of his ministry was done outside the walls of the temple. The local churches we attend are supposed to be the place where we come together in corporate worship of our Savior, join our hearts in prayer, hear God's word, observe the Lord's supper and fellowship. A place to be equipped so we will then be prepared to go outside the walls of our churches and minister in our world. In our earnest efforts to make Christ known we have put Him in a box of our own making. We have become a people who depend on the programs and tools of our own design more than the simple word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through His people to reach a lost and dying world. Don't get me wrong, we need teachers and preachers, we need to disciple others in the word, the tools that have been developed over the years to help us dig deeper in God's word are great, but they are just a "tool". Sometimes, we become a slave to the tools we have created. We have bought into the lie that bible study, prayer and our relationship with Jesus is a formula. We have tried so hard to understand who God is and how it is we are supposed to relate to Him, we have made what is supposed to be a joy and simple into something complicated and hard. In the process of trying to do it "all right", I am afraid we have forgotten how to rest, trust and yoke with Christ. We can never "improve" on the Word of God, and nothing is more powerful than the testimony of those who have been transformed by the saving grace of Jesus Christ! We live in a day of the "Mega church" mentality. Ministry has taken on a whole new feel, flavor and flow. Every thing is pre-programmed and pre-packaged in attractive ways. The problem is, our lives are supposed to be the "package" that attracts unbelievers to our Savior. Unfortunately for most of us, when the lost world looks at us they see overcommitted, overworked, overwhelmed and overly intense people. At the risk of sounding like a rebel, I say, let's throw off the yokes of slavery, sin and society and embrace the yoke of Christ where we are called to walk in faith, freedom and fruitfulness! So, whose yoke have you taken on? Renee http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/586322/ Sun, 7 Sep 2008 06:01:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/586322/ Well,   Alyssa kicked off her club on Saturday, "Kids for the Kingdom".  She was a little disappointed that we didn't have a bigger turn out.  Including her sister she had 5.  Saturdays are not the best days to probably do something like this.  We prayed that God would bring the kids He wanted to be here.  So we must trust in His plan.    She did such a good job telling the Easter story using the Resurrection Egg kit.  After telling the story she let each child come up and put the eggs in order according to sequence in story.  That was really cool.  Not only did they hear the story, but they got their hands on it, helped the other kids put it in order and heard an invitation to come to Jesus, the ABC version.    Thanks for those of you who prayed for her that day.  We will try again on another afternoon; an after school time would probably be better.  At any rate, she had practice in planning, preparing and praying.  Three disciplines we need for ministry whether it's motherhood, teaching sunday school, homeschooling, or working outside the home.  We also had a chance to discuss perseverance.    In Christ, Renee http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/115663/ Mon, 10 Apr 2006 14:27:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/115663/ I ran out of room....here is the rest of what God has shown me in the life of John Baptist.  Remember I was talking about humility.  Like I said before, John knew who he was, who he wasn't and MORE importantly knew who Jesus was.  His life is a picture of what a true servant leader should be.  He always pointed others to the coming Christ.  He didn't think more highly of himself than he should have.  When the people came to him to be baptized in the Jordan River after repenting of their sins, John made sure they knew who could forgive and cleanse them from their sin, Matthew 11 "As for me, I R68 baptize you with F42 water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He R69 will baptize you with F42 the Holy Spirit and fire. Never once did he want others to look to him, only Christ.  What humility!    In the book of John, John the Baptist sees Jesus coming and proclaims "Behold, the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world".  John the Baptist baptized our Lord and Savior how humbling that must have been.  He did it out of obedience to the Lord.  When Jesus began his earthly ministry John's disciples left him and followed Jesus.  You don't see a streak of jealousy, pride or an arrogant spirit.  John says "I must decrease, He must increase".   He humbly and gracefully let go.  His mission was complete. His message had been delivered.   Jesus had come to seek and save the lost.    I asked myself these questions:  Do I truly know who I am?  Do I recognize who I am not?  Do I know why I am here?  Do I know my purpose and am I living it out in Christ, daily?  Would those whom I come into contact with describe me as a woman of humility and grace? Ouch!!!    If  I am in Christ I also have a mission and a message. I need to get busy "the kingdom of heaven is at hand".   In Him, Renee               http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/110375/ Sat, 1 Apr 2006 13:29:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/110375/ God has impressed upon my heart a desire to go back through the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John).  To read them slowly, prayerfully, and methodically.  I want to go back to the basics and see for myself how Jesus ministered and taught his disciples to minister to those around them.  It's easy to get our eyes on others, to be bound by traditions of men, religion, etc. and miss JESUS in the middle of it all, Jesus...the TRUE JESUS...not the way "man" has portrayed Jesus today.  The Jesus of the BIBLE.      While reading in Matthew, God wouldn't let me get past Chapter 3.  I was captivated by his calling, challenged by his courage, convicted by his love for Christ.  The word humility kept coming to my mind.  A much needed quality that is so lacking in business, society, the church, and sadly to say in many christian homes.    Back to John the Baptist...Listen to Isaiah's prophecy Chapter 40:3 - "A voice is calling, clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness, make smooth in the desert a highway for our God".  John the Baptist was that voice calling.  John was the baby boy in Elizabeth's womb that jumped within her womb when she spoke with the mother of Jesus, and she was immediately filled with the holy spirit.    John knew who he was, why he was here, what his purpose was...talk about the "purpose driven life".  Even more importantly John knew who Jesus was.  We live in a world full of people who want to know basically three things:  Who am I, Why am I here, and what is my purpose?  It is "In Christ" that we find all the answers to these questions.    John was a man with a mission and a message.  His mission, to point others to Christ; his message, "Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand".  Later he would cry out as he saw Jesus coming to be baptized, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world".    The simplicity and humility of his mission and message are so refreshing.  John a man with no seminary degree, phd, or masters was commissioned by God Almighty to point others to "His Beloved Son in whom He is well pleased".   John who wore a camel's hair garment with a strap of leather around his waist, who ate locust and wild honey, who lived outside of the city in the wilderness.  Not a very likely candidate for such a task.  I love how God works. He most often choses the "ordinary" to preform the "extraordinary".    I wonder how many churches would allow someone with John's appearance to stand in the pulpit and preach the same message today?  How about yours? When I read that John called the religious leaders in Jerusalem "brood of vipers" I didn't quite understand it at first.  Vipers are a dangerous snake.  John had lived out in the wilderness.  I am sure over time he had developed a keen sense of what to look out for in the way of venomous snakes.         http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/109940/ Fri, 31 Mar 2006 13:57:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/109940/     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/108661/ Wed, 29 Mar 2006 14:57:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/108661/ I haven't blogged in a long time.  I have really missed reading my friends blogs.  Here in North Carolina we have had crazy weather.  We had practically no winter.  My kids so wanted it to snowthey were disappointed about that.  The temperatures have been like a roller coaster up and down, down and up.  The past couple of weeks it has been like late spring to early summer temps.  I don't know why I spend so much time each season putting clothes away and pulling others out.  I think I just need bigger closets or more under the bed bins with wheels.  I am really not complaining.  I actually prefer spring weather.  It just makes it a little harder to concentrate on "school".    Me and my husband will leave tomorrow afternoon for a long weekend away alone   NO KIDS!!!! We will do the dance of JOY.  I will miss them, but, it will be so nice to have time to talk without being interrupted, to lay down at night and have no knocks at our door wanting this or that.  We are looking forward to it.  My mother and her new husband will be keeping the younger kids for us.  They have offered to come up here and do some work on her old house and let us go stay at their house in Wilmington. They live 20 - 30 minutes from the beach.  What a ministry my mother has provided for me and my hubby for so many years.  She is also a great grandmother.      We are still looking for a new church home.  My verse for this entire year has been Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding but, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.  God's word is such a comfort.  Thank you for the priviledge of being part of such a wonderful community of homeschool bloggers.  I receive so much encouragement from this place.    Today was Jessie's (my 16 yr. old daughter) first day in a Youth Choir offered by the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.  She really enjoyed it and met some new kids.  We are so blessed to live in a area that is so homeschool "friendly".  There are so many opportunities available for us here, especially for High Schoolers.  I know this is not the case in alot of states.  With all the rich resources and opportunities that are offered, Jesus Christ is still our best source.  He is our source of wisdom, strength, joy, comfort, knowledge, understanding, riches, energy, encouragement, you name it.  If you don't know Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord of your life, you can meet Him right now.  Many people know about Jesus and who He was, it's not enough, we must know Him as our "personal" Savior and Lord.  "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)"The wages of sin is death but, the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:10).  "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). Because He loved He gave...all...I pray if you don't know Jesus as your Savior you will ask Him to save you today.  "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved." (Acts 16:17)    Oh, I was just interrupted by my daughter...a close friend of her's has a cousin who is in the hospital in Georgia she is not breathing on her own.  The girls's name is Dallas she is 18 yr.s old and has had a very hard family life.  PLEASE PRAY FOR DALLAS and her family in Georgia.    Trusting Him, Renee http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/100940/ Wed, 15 Mar 2006 19:29:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/100940/ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/86613/ Sat, 18 Feb 2006 21:29:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homexfour/86613/