Hi! My name is Linda. I am a disciple of Christ, living in Northern Australia, wife to Greg for 16 yrs & home educating mother of four children. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Mon, 6 Jul 2009 17:53:00 -0500 Mon, 6 Jul 2009 17:53:00 -0500 I have been thinking about what is important, which, as a home schooling mother, no doubt, you do all the time. Having recently joined Facebook I have reconnected with friends that we met whilst overseas serving as dorm parents in a missionary kid school. They have strong traditions about graduation and all the celebrations that go along with it. Sometimes, when I think about all this it leaves me feeling deflated. What is going to happen to signify the graduation of my children? I imagine that we will take them out to dinner or something like that. The Lord will open up a door for them to study further, travel (possibly overseas with us to the mission field for a gap year) or get a job. Compared to many, we have no big plans for year 12. Considering I have two high school students that might shock some people. But what is important after all? I think it has got to be their heart. I have seen some photos and comments on facebook from former students of the school I was referring to earlier that saddened me. One girl poses in a coffin for her profile photo. I am left wondering what happened to her cheerful disposition? I have also been cheered by others from the same school who reflect a warm heart for the things of God. My point is, its not the ceremonies, the traditions and the certificates that make a person. We are living lives without all that. What matters, I think, is our children's heart for God. Homeschooling allows us the privilege of discipleship. That is something I am praying will make a difference in their lives for a lifetime.  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/705682/ Mon, 6 Jul 2009 17:53:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/705682/ " 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. " John 8:36,37 As home educating mums we have so much in our minds all the time, sometimes we go into overdrive. In my personal devotion this morning, this statement of Jesus jumped out at me. Do I have room (ie; make the mental space) for His word? It brings peace of mind, clarity, joy and purpose. Isn't that, after all, what we crave?   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/688383/ Tue, 12 May 2009 18:19:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/688383/ We spent three months travelling from just before Christmas to mid March. This was a part holiday/part deputation time, with 15,363 kilometres of family bonding time in the car! We drove from Kununurra in Australia's Nth West (our home) across to the Northern Territory and down South to my parent's home in Murray Bridge, Sth Australia, across to Phillip Island in Victoria for a Creation Supercamp, back to Mum & Dad's home in SA then West to the Eyre Peninsula to visit friends/church, then further West, across the Nullabor to visit Greg's family in Albany. We spent three weeks there catching up with family, friends and supporters, visiting churches and then drove up through the Sth West, stopping with home educating friends on a farm, then up Nth to Perth (WA capital city) to stay with more homeschooling friends. Finally, a week on our own in Perth city and then further Nth to home, via Coral Bay and Point Sampson. How did we home educate along the way? Well, because we were on holiday we were pretty relaxed about formal education, but our older children learned a WHOLE heap at the Creation Supercamp joining in with all of the lectures. This was creation science at its best. Creation Ministries International sure know their stuff! The Creation Supercamp also offered opportunity for adventure. Hayley and Jacob had a blast going on some high ropes and high swing, something they don't get to do normally. We greatly benefitted by listening to the Jonathan Park adventure audio series in the car. We were all hooked on that one! We caught up on extended family time, which is something that we miss normally, living so far away. We had to work together as a family every time we set up and packed up our camper trailer. Greg used practical maths by getting the older two to record and calculate fuel economy each time we filled up with deisel. (They did pages of calculations!) They had to keep up a journal for the whole trip and took extensive notes at all the Creation Camp lectures. Then there were some opportunities for the classic "field trip" like an afternoon at "Whale World". This was fantastic for all of us. Hayley (15) and Jacob (13) spent over an hour on the old whaling boat they had there, exploring all its nooks and crannies. We enjoyed a ride on a glass bottomed boat in Coral Bay, viewing the beautiful variety of fish on the Ningaloo Reef. The older two got to ride on Uncle Tom's very fast and powerful jet ski, which was a great thrill to them. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/680587/ Sun, 19 Apr 2009 03:25:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/680587/ BOAB FLOWERS OUR FAMILY AARON BURROWING FROG TOE BITER CHILDREN'S PYTHON (HARMLESS) FRILLED NECK LIZARD TURTLE SACRED KINGFISHER http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/625997/ Sat, 29 Nov 2008 23:29:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/625997/ Our character does matter and will make an impression, even in our short day to day interactions.   I was at the supermarket yesterday, at the deli counter. After waiting there for longer than usual, a young man came to serve me, apologising for the delay, saying they were very busy today. I was impressed by the respect he showed me through his eye contact, mannerisms and willingness to serve.   When Abraham's servant went on commission to find a bride for Isaac, he went dependant on God. His prayer was: "O Lord, God of my master Abraham, I pray You, cause me to meet with good success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.     See, I stand here by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming to draw water.     And let it so be that the girl to whom I say, I pray you, let down your jar that I may drink, and she replies, Drink, and I will give your camels drink also--let her be the one whom You have selected and appointed and indicated for Your servant Isaac [to be a wife to him]; and by it I shall know that You have shown kindness and faithfulness to my master." Gen. 24:12-14 He was looking for a young woman of good character, one who would show initiative and care for the stranger.   Rebekah made this good first impression. She was beautiful and attractive, chaste and modest (v 16a). She got on with her business, but responded immediately to a request for help (v 16b). She used a term of respect in her first words. "And she said, Drink, my lord; and she quickly let down her jar onto her hand and gave him a drink." (v 18) While the man was taking his drink, she quickly saw the opportunity to serve him in a greater way by watering his camels also (v 19). She did this quickly and with enthusiasm! "So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well and drew water for all his camels." (v 20)   There is so much in Genesis chapter 24. I would recommend reading all of it. Its such a wonderful story! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/619816/ Sat, 15 Nov 2008 15:52:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/619816/ 7 Things I Want To Do Before I Die Be used of God to introduce someone to Him through Jesus Disciple that person/people Village evangelism  Learn another language fluently Use that language to develop friendships and share Jesus See my children serve the Lord See Jesus in the clouds returning to take us home Improve my musical and artistic skills  7 Things I Cannot Do Go on "Wipeout"! Or "The Amazing Race"! Make others forgive each other  Stop people destroying themselves with alcohol Solve all of the world's problems Change the past Keep up with all that looks like it needs doing! 7 Things I Love About My Mum She is patient & kind She has always been available for us She loves God She has compassion She has a good sense of humour At nearly 70 she is reaching out to new people Others love her Books I Love To Read The Bible Missionary Biographies Books by Sally Clarkson Keep a Quiet Heart by Elizabeth Elliot http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/613685/ Sun, 2 Nov 2008 23:08:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/613685/ This last week we drove 12 hrs to Darwin so that Hayley could take her first grade piano exam. We also met up with my parents there as they flew up to be with us for four days. It was a special 40th birthday treat for me. Mum & Dad gave me two very special presents. Dad bought me a brand new flute! This is lovely because my other one was worn out and I haven't played it for ages. I will now be able to teach Hayley. Mum made me a lovely photo album of my family history. She put so much work into it and it is very special. One of my great grandfathers married a 19 yr old woman who birthed 5 children, 2 who died at 4 mths old and one who died at 2. Imagine his grief when she died a few weeks before their 2 yr old son died. He then went on to re-marry my great grandmother who birthed 12 children. The third youngest turned out to be my paternal grandfather! Phew! This is my husband and I in front of the Cockburn Ranges, approx. 1 hr from where we live. These photos are not related to our recent trip, but I thought you might like to see the area in which we live.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/610035/ Sat, 25 Oct 2008 18:55:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/610035/ Recently we have had the blessing of a visitor from Switzerland. Julia has been staying with us in our home for the last three weeks, with one more week to go before she leaves for Brisbane to study English. This is the first time we have had someone stay with us for so long. She is a lovely young woman, a teacher back in Switzerland. We met her family whilst on holiday in Thailand six years ago. She has become Zachariah's (5) teacher on most mornings, and he has revelled under her individual attention! She has been taking him into her caravan, spending time on his literacy & numeracy. He has been asking to "do school", even beyond his normal morning routine. I am thinking that maybe I should ask the Lord for someone like her on a more permanent basis! The beauty of home education is being able to have different people speak into your children's lives as God brings them in. His timing is perfect and He knows just what we need.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/584325/ Wed, 3 Sep 2008 06:33:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/584325/ I promised to write about an event that occurred six years ago which was very significant for our family. Each year since, we have remembered that day in a special way, giving thanks to God for protecting us and for all He did that day. We were living in Pakistan in 2002 at a school for missionary children (MKs) serving as boarding parents for a group of eleven elementary kids from varying countries (England, Finland, Canada, Korea, Pakistan). Their parents were working all around the country and some in neighboring Afghanistan. It was Monday morning of the second week back at school in August. Our children (then only Hayley & Jacob, 8 & 6) were down in their respective classrooms and Greg & I were upstairs in our apartment with our language teachers. We had just come back from morning tea and were getting back into work when we heard loud cracks, which some thought might be fire crackers. We rushed to the window and to our horror saw a man standing in the middle of the courtyard firing a machine gun! He was standing only metres away from our children's classrooms. You can imagine our terror as it dawned on us what was happening. We knew that we had been in danger for quite some time. Only recently security at the school had been increased, including new high fencing built around the school and more security guards in place. But they (four men) had infiltrated and were now shooting everywhere, anywhere, smashing windows downstairs, looking for people to kill. We were horrified for our children and scared for ourselves. We retreated into our bedroom - all four of us (Greg & I, & the two language teachers). I hid under the bed and sobbed for our kids, asking God to please have mercy and send His angels. The shooting lasted for fifteen minutes, along with shouts and the sound of smashing glass. Apart from that there was an evil silence and the moans of people who had been hit. We are so thankful that God mercifully protected us and our children that day, along with approx. 100 other staff and students on site. Sadly, six people did lose their lives, they were all nationals, guards, bystanders and staff of the school. In the following days, stories came out about how God had miraculously protected so many. It could have been so much worse. These men, who attacked us thinking that they were doing a favour for God, also lost their lives. When they were confronted by police they reportedly blew themselves up (one was wired). In the following days, I read in God's word from John 10:10: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." That is why we choose to make August 5 a day of thanksgiving in our family. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/574367/ Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:57:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/574367/  "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]" John 16:33 Praise God for these words! What awesome peace they give us in the midst of everyday life. Oswald Chambers writes in one of his most meaningful devotions for me: "The typical view of the Christian life is that it means being delivered from all adversity. But it actually means being delivered in adversity, which is something very different." "God does not give us overcoming life— He gives us life as we overcome. The strain of life is what builds our strength. If there is no strain, there will be no strength. Are you asking God to give you life, liberty, and joy? He cannot, unless you are willing to accept the strain. And once you face the strain, you will immediately get the strength." On this day, six years ago in Pakistan, I was reading this devotion from "My Utmost for His Highest". In the column I wrote, "I am feeling the strain today . . ." Little did I know how much I was going to feel the strain in the next few days and weeks to come! It was two days before armed gunmen attacked the school where we were living and serving as boarding parents for missionary kids. (I will write more about that later.) No matter how great the strain, we are able, as God's children, to hide in Christ and know His peace. I love the following words by Oswald: "If you completely give of yourself physically, you become exhausted. But when you give of yourself spiritually, you get more strength. God never gives us strength for tomorrow, or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the moment." After all, He is the great I AM.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/569147/ Sat, 2 Aug 2008 18:30:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lindajwilson/569147/