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Update:  I have been having several spam commenters on my blog with just random letters as names so at this time I am asking that those who want to comment to become registered users.  I know this will cut down on commenters here and that is fine, one can email me the comments and I can personally leave them here at the request of the commentor.  At this time there is no other way to filter the spam, that I know of, at HSB so please bear with me as I try to find another way 🙂

Discerning God's Will and contentment

I feel led to write this.  I have been reading The Joyful Homeschooler by Mary Hood, Ph.D.  and thankfully I was given a blooger subscription to TEACH Magazine (To Encourage And Challenge Homemakers) where I am supposed to write about the magazine when I recieve the new issue.  I must admit I was neglect in that for the first issue I recieved and for that I apologize.  I must have been led by the Spirit as I was reading Chapter 5 in The Joyful Homeschooler titled "Learning to be Content and it just so happened that the Spring 2008 issue of TEACH Magazine theme is "Discerning God’s Will in Your Life".  Some may not see the connection but I do and I am coming more and more to fully realize that being content is also about listening to God’s will in your life and letting Him work on His time when He knows the best for me.  All the articles in the magazine spoke of listening and learning to and from God as He departs His knowledge to us through prayer and the Bible.  Isn’t it wonderful to know that we can rely on Christ to give us guidance and let us know when we really don’t need or it isn’t time for us to recieve a gift?  Philippians 4:11 says "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."  I really needed to hear this and let God work in me.  I have dealt with so many feelings lately of being un-content with my life, wether it be the fact that I am not pregnant (of course it’s on my terms I want to be pregnant),  our house is so small (624 square feet, if only I could have a bigger kitchen, two more rooms, another bathroom, a basement, in the country, a school room, etc), wishing everyone would just quit belittling our decisions (quiverfull, homeschooling, dresses only, headcovering, etc), wanting unlimited funds to buy homeschooling needs and wants, funds to support crafting endeavors, and of course lots of funds to be able to buy gas so I don’t have to limit my out of town driving and can go wherever I want whenever without having to wonder if we have the money for me to go.  I could go on, but after reading and knowing that I have been convicted in my spirit about being so discontented where I am in life I know that to feel this way is wrong.  For some reason, doesn’t Scripture talk about we know not the ways of the Lord, God wants us in a small house, He doesn’t want me pregnant right now, He could be making me stronger through trials of those ‘persecuting’ us for our beliefs, and limiting our funds for my wants as well as some of my needs will make me more reliant on Him instead of relying on money to solve the issues.  So while I still like to use Jeremiah 29:11 as a key verse for life I’d also like to use Philipians 4:11 to remember that no matter where I am I can be content where I am because I can lean on Him, the true Provider of all and He will bless me in His way, not the way I think He should.  Will it be hard, definitely yes, Jesus never promised the Way would be easy but His yoke is – so when the going gets tough and I start seeing all my friends, family and even strangers have and wishing I had more, I will keep in mind that I can be content where I am because I have Jesus and in Him I can rest and be CONTENT  Sounds peaceful doesn’t it?

 

God bless you.

Scrappin' Sunday #29

Well it’s another Scrappin’ Sunday 🙂  We stayed home from chuch today as DH is on call and he is not allowed to put the on call phone on vibrate so he doesn’t like to bring it in to service and as we are still on the church hunt I didn’t want to go by myself.  Hannah and I did purge a lot of toys today and the children’s room looks much better and livable.  We are planning a garage sale……  Sorry I got off track  my

TO-DOs  are to get moving on the feminine card swap I am hosting at SCS.  I am thinking of hosting another swap for September 🙂

TA-DAs  are that I made up ‘thank you’ bags up for the girl’s AWANAS leaders for the awards ceremony this past Wednesday.  I can’t believe it’s over until September!  So far that is all that I got done this week 🙂  The bags had some candy in them, I made a post it note holder and there was a pretty pen either store bought or made with matching paper, well I didn’t make the pen just put matching paper in the tube LOL

 

 

 

Quilt block swap and AWANAs

I am doing another quilt block swap this year over at T2CHK message board.  I have done it now for three years and it’s alot of fun.  I still have to make the past two years blocks into a quilt 🙂  but I hope to get to that soon.  Here is the fabric I have choosen for my block:

The yellow has small yellow flowers/vines and the green has some small flowers with yellow in the center.

 

Last night was the awards banquet for AWANAs.  The girls did very good, both finishing their books and either starting their second or starting a workbook.  I am very proud of them both in how well they did.  Hannah got her book award and blue jewel for attendance and a ribbon for finishing her first book.  Bethanne recieved a lion attendance patch, her book award which is a tiny bear that velcros to the vest although I have no idea how 🙂  She also recieved Cubby of the Quarter and recieved a very nice plush toy book cover (I will have to take a picture later) and Cubby of the Year and recieved an engraved trophy, she is very excited about it.  I am glad for the break but looking forward to another year starting in September.

 

 

 

Hannah and I also enjoyed the Underground Railroad activity we did yesterday.  We were unable to take pictures because as I was told by a Naturalist, they didn’t have cameras in the 1800’s.  I’d like to go back soon and take pictures of the park though to share here.  Where we were was a busy area for the UGR.  We hiked for between 1 1/2 to 2 hours!!!  We then breaked for lunch and then looked at some things that slaves may have used, re-creations, and some copies of actual slave auction listing and articles about slave catching going on in the city where we were!  Very interesting and I am a history buff so right up my alley.  On the park property there was a log cabin built in 1814, no one can go in anymore as the roof is begining to cave in and the floors are no longer able to hold people.  Sad considering some restoration could restore it to it’s former glory and be able to pass history on to future generations. 

More pictures

Here are some pictures I finally took off my camera LOL.

The first one is the danelion bouquet that was kindly given to me by my wonderful son, Christian:

 

The next three are of the children outside playing:

This is of Christian this month playing and VERY happy with dandelions that had no yellow heads or seeds on them LOL

All three of them:  I want to add that the stack of books behind them, as in the picture above, are books that I was giving away and they are no longer stacked up on my floor 🙂

Hannah being silly:

And here is a late picture of the peanut butter we made from scratch for a lesson in our Saxon Math 1 back in March.  Many thanks to a dear friend who helped me over the phone 🙂 when I couldn’t figure out my food processor.  The peanut butter was much better than the stuff in jars at the grocery, but it was a pain shelling 100 peanuts, especially when your son eats them as fast as you can shell them LOL

 

 

In Memory of

We found out yesterday that my husband’s Grandma passed away.  This is almost a month to the day of when my Grandma passed away so it’s been quite a month.  She moved to Ohio from S.C about a month or so ago so she could be closer to everyone.  We did get to see her at Easter.  At her request there will be no service, this is proving hard on her daughter’s and son.  There will be a family gathering although details are not final.  Please pray for my in laws as they go through the next days, weeks and months of mourning thier mom.

Thank you and God bless.

Homeschool Share

There is a great resource for those of us using unit studies and they even have certain ones just for FIAR users.  Free lapbooks and other resources to go along with units and they are having a contest for those who are brave enough 😀 to write their own unit study.  Well I am not brave enough, I am only entering into our first ‘official’ year of homeschooling so I don’t feel qualified to write my own study.  But you can!!!  Even if  you don’t you can still visit the site at:  Homeschool Share  and see what they have to offer.  The Homeschool Share contest is here   See my sidebar for the button to use to go directly to the contest page as well.

Sunday Scrappin' 5/18

I am back again for another Sunday scrapping hosted by Amy , if you enjoy paper crafting come on over and join us.

My ta-das are the cards I finished for the SCS card swap I signed up for.  I had to make 11 + 1.  I have no idea why you can’t see the right side, but it is stamped with a frourish from the Friendship Blooms SU set with a ribbon added.

 

My to-dos are to get started on the card swap I am hosting as I signed up for a spot.  These are for feminine cards, which we all need 🙂  Also to get my breakfast swap I posted about last week postal.  I am fed up with the PO because of them removing vending machines from all locations so the only option is to buy online with a CC or DC both of which we are trying not to use or don’t have or stand in line for a long time to buy them with a real person.  Maddening.

Friday Feast 191

Appetizer

What is the nearest big city to your home?  I am in the middle of Dayton and Columbus

Soup

On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how well do you keep secrets?  10, I feel I am good at keeping secrets but if it’s a secret that needs to be told like abuse, ti won’t stay secret.

Salad

Describe your hair (color, texture, length).  I now have dark blonde (it gets darker each time I have a child), past my shoulder blades, no bangs, thick.

Main Course

What kind of driver are you?  Courteous?  Aggressive?  Slow?  I try to be courteous and drive how I think Jesus would have driven but there are times I get angry when others cut in front of me almost causing an accident or others just don’t pay attention (like cell phones) to others.  I am carrying precious cargo.

Dessert

When was the last time you had a really bad week?  I don’t know.  I am trying to be positive in looking at things – I guess the last time I had a bad week was when I found out I was not pregnant and had a migraine for a couple days.  But I know the pregnancy will happen when God decides it will.

Mother's Day Sunday Scrappin'

Hello.  Well I finally was able to do something for Sunday Scrappin’  LOL.  Visit Amy and join in if you do papercrafting.

My Ta-da’s are:  I finished the recipe swaps for the Kid Swap I am hosting over at SCS 

I also finished the Breakfast Swap that I joined in at SCS:

And did cards for mother’s day, the red things are gift certificates:

 

 

My To-Do’s are to plan my the card swap that is due at the end of July and get those started or at least the papers cut.  And get my next SU party scheduled 🙂

God bless.