Just a thought.....

I have deep thoughts now and then.  Often I think about too many things at one time and am not able to clearly explain myself.  This blog will be somewhat of a journalling of my thoughts.  I am trying to work through issues myself.  The past year and a half has been a major learning time for me.  One of the themes that has emerged is that I must know what and why I believe and do.  Motives must be questioned.  I cannot do or believe just because "people do" or "they say".  (are "they" the people who live in Greenwhich, England and tell us the "real" time?)  Anyway, I am constantly made aware of how little and sinful I am.  And prideful.  In my spiritual self I want to glorify God with all of me.  But then my fleshly self gets in the way.  It is so annoying!  Life would be so much easier if I wasn't human.  But I am.  I am here on the earth for a short time for His glory alone.  

So, in everything I do and say I want to glorify Him.  

My original point was this:  I am just going to write as if I am talking.  That way I don't think too hard about the actual typing and grammar.  It just comes out of my head.  I truly welcome anyone, if anyone is out there, to critique anything that I say or how I am saying it.  I strongly believe that we learn differently and I welcome your advice.

Thanks for your patience.

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer."  from Psalm 19:14

If God is my Redeemer then He will provide the strength to resist temptation and make my speech and thoughts honoring to Him.  He has commanded me to hide His Word in my heart that I might not sin against Him.  And in Phil. 4:8 we are given a list of the topics of our speech and thoughts:  TRUTH - HONESTY - JUST - PURITY - LOVELINESS - and things of GOOD REPORT.  

The speaker at our church luncheon on Saturday reminded us to listen to that old song, "Be careful of your hands what you touch, be careful of your ears what you hear, be careful of your mouth what you say, be careful of your feet where you go, be careful of your eyes what you see...For the Father up above is watching you in love so be careful what you see and touch and hear and say and where you go."  I am not sure of the exact wording, but you get the idea.

Our sermon today, about the responsibility that I have, as a mom, to train and teach my children.  The part that made an impression on me was how important the Word of God is.  I am here on this planet to share the gospel and the first mission field for me, as a mom, is my children.  Truly, nothing else matters other than sharing my faith with the children God has given me.  I Peter 1 tells the subjects that I am to faithfully teach my children.

"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity."

Deuteronomy 6 gives direction on when and where and how often to teach my children.

"And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."

My children are sinners.  They must be saved or they will go to hell.  I am commanded to teach them all I know and learn as often as I am with them.  It is true that I can not save their souls.  God knows who His children are.  Yet, the command to train them up in the way they SHOULD go, is very clear.  It is my responsibility.  I must obey.  

As I plan next year's lessons and books for school, I must consider what my focus is.  Is it more important to memorize the dates and places of various wars?  or hide God's Word in our hearts so that we might not sin against Him?  Not that academics are wrong, but so often they take over.  Bible becomes a class, a workbook to do and then move on to the next subject.  God's ways are to be a part of our every moment.

May God grant me (and anyone who even might read this) His grace to fulfill this immense role of mommy.

Why Beads and Trees?

Why?  Because I love beads.  I love shiny things.  I love to put plain rocks in water and see them shine.  I sew beads onto my clothes.  I wear beaded bracelets.  I tie beads onto the ends of my drawstring skirts.  And they jingle a little when you move.  That jingling noise is happy and makes me smile.

Why Trees?  Because I love trees.  Trees are one of the most lovely things God has created.  I just love to walk by trees.  I am sad whenever a tree is chopped down.  I have never seen an ugly tree.  

Even when a tree become diseased and must be cut for safety, I think it is so cool when people carve something from the remaining stump.

I enjoy many blessings in life, but I think that maybe trees are my favorite God-made blessing and beads are my favorite people-made thing.

I had lunch with a friend from high school today.  It was very refreshing.  Our children played well together.  Of course homeschool curriculum was a topic.  As someone who has done almost all types, I am always eager to hear someone else's thoughts on their style.  She actually just started using a book that I have been thinking of using for my son this coming fall.

By the way, since I have just begun this blog...........I am 37 years old.  Married.  I homeschool my four children.  They are boy-15, boy-9, girl-5 and boy-2.  I live in California.  I guess that's all I'll say now.  I do have many, many things to talk about.  I have started blogs before and then stopped.  It seems I get stage fright when I think about all the hundreds of people that are sure to read what I write.  In reality, I obviously think I am that good that anyone would want to read this.  And actually, I think that since I won't tell but a couple people about this, who will really read what I write?!

So, as I was saying, I did have a nice afternoon.  I came home and made brown rice with chicken stock, carrot sticks, steamed broccoli, mixed leaves salad and shredded chicken sauce? (my children called it goop and they liked it, but actually goop is a good description.)