Thoughtful Thursday

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

~1 Timothy 1:15-16

Merry CHRISTmas

Because Jesus, our Savior, the greatest gift ever given!

Praying you have accepted His amazing gift of eternal life!

He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

~Isaiah 53:3-6

You Alone Can Rescue

Love this song!

Advent

Tomorrow is the fourth and final Sunday of Advent, and this year for the first time I decided to do an Advent wreath with the kids. I had hoped to have this post published weeks ago, but with two December birthdays things have been a bit crazy.

At the end of November I started looking for a ready made wreath with candles to buy, but I couldn't find one I liked that much and they seemed over priced. So after emailing my dear friend Analisa (who is super creative) to find out what she was doing for her Advent wreath I decided to take her advice and make my own. The kids and I headed to Hobby Lobby (one of our favorite stores), and 20 minutes later we were headed home with Advent wreath materials for the bargain price of  $15. A little arranging at home, a place mat I already had, and voila! - a cute and functional homemade Advent wreath (not too bad for this craft and creativity challenged momma if I do say so myself):

After I had the wreath I set about looking for a devotional or list of Bible passages and found several online and as books. I settled on this one from Amazon because the price was right and, well, I love Amazon:) - We Light the Candles: Devotions Related to Family Use of the Advent Candle.

We have all really enjoyed lighting the candles, reading the devotions, celebrating and remembering the true reason for the season - Christ's birth, and of course the kids favorite part - blowing out the candles. This is definitely a tradition we will continue in years to come.

For those not familiar with the Advent wreath (like me) here is a quick overview:
The four violet candles represent hope, joy, love, and peace, and the large white candle is the Christ candle. The circle and greenery represent God's eternal love for us and the gift of eternal life through Jesus. The four small candles symbolize the passage of the four weeks leading up to Christmas (or the four Sundays before Christmas). Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent, the lighting of a candle can be accompanied by a Bible reading, prayer, and/or devotion. An additional candle is lit during each subsequent week until the last Sunday before Christmas when all four candles are lit. The white candle represents purity and is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day as a symbol of the birth of Jesus Christ, our sinless and pure Savior. HE is the greatest gift of all!

A Prayer

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

~Saint Francis of Assisi

Thoughtful Thursday

The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.

~Zephaniah 3:17

Why International Adoption?

As some of you know we have embarked on a new adventure into the world of international adoption. We are beginning this process in addition to being foster parents and some of you may be wondering why we have decided to add this to our already full (OK, overflowing) plates.

While there were many factors, prayers, and discussions that went into our decision to pursue international adoption (including our foster experience) there were a few specific things that influenced and impacted us in major ways, so I thought I'd share them with you.

THE BOOK

Kisses From Katie by Katie Davis

 

THE SONGS
Live Like That by Sidewalk Prophets and Follow You by Leeland (featuring Brandon Heath)





THE FAMILY
The Litzke Family! Read a little about Mandy Litzke and her amazing family here.

THE VIDEO
Our church recently started a new ministry called Hope 4 Every Child and they played this video at the first meeting:



After seeing this we knew we had to do more and so we made the decision to begin another journey. We sent in our application at the end of September and have been plugging away ever since. We are still in the early stages of the process, but hope to finish our home study by the end of the year.

We can't wait to see what God will do with our 'yes,' and we will keep everyone posted as we move into next year!


And the King will answer them, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." ~Matthew 25:40

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. ~James 1:27

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ~John 14:18

The Pool

This post by Katie Davis spoke straight to my heart!

Kisses From Katie Blog

Recently Read & Recommend

Choosing to SEE by Mary Beth Chapman is the true story of the Chapman family's amazing adoption adventures and journey through the loss of their daughter. I enjoyed the first half of the book a bit more than the later chapters which are made up of reprinted blog posts and journals, but overall it was an inspirational book so grab a copy from the library along with a box of tissues and enjoy!


Our Little Monkey Turns 5 {July}

(I am playing catch-up here)

In July our littlest angel turned 5! I absolutely cannot believe my baby is 5! She is smart, funny, and unique, and we couldn't be more blessed to have her in our family. Here are a few pictures from her big day:

 

 

 

Love her so much!!



Thoughtful Thursday

The Infinite and the Finite
from The Valley of Vision

Thou great I Am,
Fill my mind with elevation and grandeur at the thought of a Being
with whom one day is as a thousand years,
and a thousand years as one day,
A mighty God, who, amidst the lapse of worlds,
and the revolutions of empires,
feels no variableness,
but is glorious in immortality.
May I rejoice that, while men die, the Lord lives;
that, while all creatures are broken reeds,
empty cisterns,
fading flowers,
withering grass,
he is the Rock of Ages, the Fountain of living waters.
Turn my heart from vanity,
from dissatisfactions,
from uncertainties of the present state,
to an eternal interest in Christ.
Let me remember that life is short and unforeseen,
and is only an opportunity for usefulness;
Give me a holy avarice to redeem the time,
to awake at every call to charity and piety,
so that I may feed the hungry,
clothe the naked,
instruct the ignorant,
reclaim the vicious,
forgive the offender,
diffuse the gospel,
show neighbourly love to all.
Let me live a life of self-distrust,
dependence on thyself,
mortification,
crucifixion,
prayer.

Letting Go

In my last post in this series I ended with our first foster placement getting ready to go home, and that means that with this post I will be wrapping up this series on our first adventure into the world of foster care.

I found out the definite date of our sweet guy's departure in the middle of the week - it was scheduled for the following Monday, May 21. I'd like to say that I used that time to prepare and that I was all ready when I had to say goodbye, but that wouldn't be the truth. The truth is I dreaded the day and time as it approached and I cried many, many tears leading up to that hour. I loved this little guy with a mother's heart and I just could not fathom the idea of not having him with us day in and day out. I prayed and read scripture, but to be honest, nothing could have fully prepared me for how hard it was going to be. Through tears I gathered and packed his stuff the night before, and thought my heart would break right in two.

The plan was set for me to meet the social worker at his grandparent's house in the morning and drop him off and it was so hard. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I did it. I did it only with God's strength and just kept repeating Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

So on that Monday morning in May I took our kids to a friend's house and then I drove our little guy home to his grandparents. I held it together (barely) while giving his grandma his things and going over his schedule and talking with everyone, but when it was time to say goodbye and walk out the door, the flood gates opened and I could do nothing to stop them. His grandma asked if I wanted to tell him goodbye and as I took him in my arms I cried. I hugged and kissed him and told him I loved him, and then I handed him back to his grandma who I knew loved him as much as I did. And as I handed him back she did something I wasn't expecting: with tears in her eyes she thanked me, hugged me, and promised that we would keep in touch. As I turned to leave I noticed that the social worker was also teary eyed and somehow their tears made it a bit easier because I knew that in some small way they could understand how hard this must be for me.

And the best part of the story is how the Lord took care of me the rest of that day and week. As I was literally driving away from dropping him off my best friend since sixth grade texted me: "Thinking of you today." And when I picked up the kids from my dear friend's house she had made chocolate chip cookies for me (you know I needed some serious chocolate therapy). I took the kids out for lunch and ice cream to cheer us up and the sweet lady from our old church who owns the ice cream shop lent me her ear when I told her why we were out for ice cream to cheer ourselves up. When we stopped at Kroger on the way home I ran into a friend from our homeschool group and when she asked where the little guy was and I teared up she hugged me and said she was so sorry. Another wonderful friend from our homeschool group called me an hour later to find out when we had to take him home, and when I told her I had taken him home that morning she asked if she could stop by our house later that evening and drop something off, and sure enough at about 5:00 that evening she stopped by with two ready to bake pizzas, a watermelon, and cookies. My mom sent us the sweetest card a few days later and all of our friends and family rallied around to support and comfort us.

Before we ever knew the date that we would say goodbye God, through our church, placed an amazing woman named Catie in my life who had gone through the entire process only months earlier, and I was so blessed by her and her friendship because I desperately needed someone who could truly understand what I was going through.

That night was our church's women's Bible study. I had only just started attending the week before so I really debated about going that night, but I knew that the ladies who had walked through the same journey with my friend, Catie, would be there and that they would walk through it with me as well, so I went. And do you know what? God had more special blessings for me that night as well. One of the ladies in attendance was a woman from our church that I knew of, but had never met, and when she heard about my day she took me aside during the break and told me that she had been in foster care as a child and that she was eventually adopted through the system, and she thanked me for being a foster parent and assured me that we had made a difference in our little guy's life. That night during our prayer time a sweet new friend read Psalm 91 and it just blessed me beyond words. (Needless to say I spent a good part of the evening crying.)

We still see our sweet little guy almost every week, and his grandma and I have become good friends. So, although this experience was impossibly hard it was also an impossible blessing that I would not trade, and I can say that even though my heart was broken over the loss of our sweet boy, who I love with every fiber of my being, the joy of knowing and loving him was worth it all. Mind you, I didn't feel this way right away and if you had asked me that day or in the days following I would have said that I would never do this again. A little piece of my heart will always be missing because it belongs forever to him, but I know that he was (and is) a part of our lives for a reason and it is all a part of God's mighty plan - a plan that I cannot even begin to fathom or understand, but one that I look forward to seeing unfold. 

For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me,
declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
calling a bird of prey from the east,
the man of my counsel from a far country.
I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
I have purposed, and I will do it.
~Isaiah 46:9-11

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
~Romans 8:28


I wrote the following the week I said goodbye and let go:

I didn't know how fast.
I didn't know how much.
I didn't know how deeply.
I didn't know how completely.

I didn't know the heartache.
I didn't know the joy.
I didn't know the pain.
I didn't know the love.
I didn't know the full heart.
I didn't know the hard goodbye.

But most of all, I didn't know the strength,
or that I'd have to love you enough to let you go.

Jesus, Your Presence is Heaven

Loving this song right now!

Add to Your Faith

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

~2 Peter 1:5-7

Thoughtful Thursday

Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.

~Proverbs 21:13

Thoughtful Thursday

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

~Colossians 1:9-14

Upon that cross...

A verse from the old hymn, Beneath the Cross of Jesus:

Upon that cross of Jesus
Mine eye at times can see,
The very dying form of One
Who suffered there for me.
And from my smitten heart with tears,
Two wonders I confess:
The wonder of redeeming love,
And my unworthiness.

Thoughtful Thursday

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

~1 Peter 1:3-5

Thoughtful Thursday

The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light;
but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.
Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself;
for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.

~Isaiah 60:19-20

Thoughtful Thursday

Pray as though everything depends on God. Work as though everything depends on you.
~St. Augustine

You can do more than pray after you have prayed; but you can never do more than pray until you have prayed.
~A.J. Gordon

Thoughtful Thursday

The Lord will work out his plans for my life—
for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.
Don’t abandon me, for you made me.

~Psalm 138:8 (NLT)

Do Not Be Frightened

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

~Joshua 1:9

Thoughtful Thursday

For since the beginning of the world
Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear,
Nor has the eye seen any God besides You,
Who acts for the one who waits for Him.

~Isaiah 64:4

Thoughtful Thursday

O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

~Psalm 107:1-2 (KJV)

A Journey of Love

In my last series post I shared the story of the beginning of our journey into the world of foster/adoption and ended the post with the arrival of our first placement. This is where the story gets tricky because I want more than anything to tell you all about our foster baby and post a million pictures, but unfortunately I can't. What I can tell you is that we couldn't have asked for a sweeter baby or a better first experience. This little guy was 8 months old when he came to stay with us and was the cutest, most charming little guy.  Most of my readers had the pleasure of meeting him at least once and he won over everyone he met with his big brown eyes and easy smile.  He was one of the happiest most content babies, and he stole our hearts in a matter of days.

When you go into foster care the first thing everyone says when they find out is, "Oh, I could never do that. I would get so attached, and it would be so hard when they leave." I completely agree with this and I knew, even before our first placement, that I would get attached (in fact they tell you that in training) and that saying goodbye would be hard, but I thought that it would be different with a foster child because they weren't 'mine,' and that that would somehow make things a little easier (I was completely wrong on that assumption, by the way). So to those people who say they could never do that I say, "Neither can I, at least not on my own, but with God all things are possible. And in the end, what it really boils down to is, its not about me."

I will never forget the moment I admitted to myself that I loved him, and I don't mean the kind of love we, as Christians, are to have for all people, or the kind we have for our friends or family. I mean the kind of love I have for my own children, my flesh and blood.  The unconditional, I will do anything to protect you, will always love you, can't imagine life before I knew you, kind of love. The kind of love that envelops your whole heart. The kind of love that hurts, that grabs hold and won't let go. The kind of love you can't imagine until you look into the eyes of your newborn baby. When you love a child they are yours in your heart regardless of biology, laws, and technicalities. I tried to protect my heart and remind myself that this was temporary and that he would be leaving one day, but love isn't something you can control, stop, or turn on and off (and would I really want to even if I could?).

It was the third day he was with us and I had given him a bottle and was rocking him.  He looked at me with those sweet trusting eyes and then he laid his head on my shoulder and fell asleep, and that was it.  I was done in.  He captured my heart as only a baby can.  He got to me, got down into my mom heart where that kind of love is and it was all over for me. I remember sitting there rocking him and crying out to God, "Lord help me, I love him. How am I ever going to let him go?," and tears came to my eyes. Tears because I was scared and I knew that from that day on my heart was open and vulnerable, and that there was nothing I could do, and it was at that moment that God spoke right to my heart and said, "Give him to Me." That simple, but in so many ways not simple at all and I cried harder. I cried because I knew God had given me those four small words, and because even with that whisper from Him it was still so hard. I knew it was His voice because before we ever got that first call when someone would ask me how I would ever be able to give a child back I would remind myself over and over that, in the end, our children don't truly belong to us - they belong to God and He gives them to us for a time; they are a gift.

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. Psalm 127:3 (NLT)

And I love the Message translation of the same verse:
Don't you see that children are God's best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?

Our foster baby was with us for eight weeks to the day, and then we had to say goodbye....but that is another post.

To be continued....

Thoughtful Thursday

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

~James 1:22

Thoughtful Thursday

And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.

~Isaiah 32:17

Thoughtful Thursday

O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you.
Be our arm every morning,
our salvation in the time of trouble.

~Isaiah 33:2

Thoughtful Thursday

For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

~Hebrews 13:14-15

Happy 4th of July!

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.  ~Psalm 33:12

Thankful for freedom and fireworks just before thunderstorms!

A Prayer

“Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes, all my own desires and hopes, and accept Thy will for my life. I give myself, my life, my all utterly to Thee to be Thine forever. Fill me and seal me with Your Holy Spirit. Use me as Thou wilt, send me where Thou wilt, work out Thy whole will in my life at any cost, now and forever.”

~Betty Scott Stam

Stormy Wind - Check!

Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling his word!

Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars! 
Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds!

Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
Young men and maidens together,
old men and children!

 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty is above earth and heaven.

~Psalm 148:7-13

Thoughtful Thursday

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.

~Colossians 1:10 (KJV)

Thoughtful Thursday

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

~Isaiah 26:3

Thoughtful Thursday

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward.

Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:

And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

~Isaiah 58:7-11 (KJV)

A Journey Begins

I realize I haven't posted much lately (other than Thoughtful Thursday posts) and the reason is that we have been super busy and have gone through so much in the past two and a half months it is almost hard to believe all that has happened.  As most of my blog readers (all six of you) know, we have been on a roller coaster ride known as foster/adoption. I have been struggling with how much to share about this journey on my blog which is why I haven't written anything up to this point- not because I don't want to share it with my readers, but because we have to be very careful with confidentiality (not just for the sake of the children we care for and their families, but for our protection as well).  It has been such a huge part of our lives these past two months though that this journey is what I want to share about most.

Let me start at the beginning, so that you have an idea of what I'm talking about, how this journey stated, and where it has led.  We learned last spring (that's spring 2011) that the foster care coordinator for our county had visited local church offices in the area to get the word out that there was/is a need for foster and adoptive parents.  We felt a little tug at our hearts when hearing this and quickly learned that a few families in our church had decided to go through the 36 hours of training (this training is required before you can even submit an application and begin the home study process). Having no knowledge or experience with the foster care system, but with God whispering in our ear, we decided to take the training and find out what it was all about.  We called and registered for the upcoming training that was scheduled for later that summer and fall.

We took the training in August and November of last year, and let me tell you that nothing in my 30+ years of life could have prepared me for it. I could write an entire post on the training and statistics alone, but suffice it to say that it was heartbreaking, eye opening, encouraging, shocking, and about 25 other adjectives I'm not going to type out here.  There were many, many times along the way when I said: "I don't want to do this," "We are crazy," "I can't do this," but we continued to pray about it and ultimatley decided that God had placed us on this path for a reason, so a week after completing the training in November we mailed in our application.  We progressed through the application and home study process and on February 16, 2012 we were officially licensed foster/adoptive parents.  Exactly one week later we received our first call.

That first call did not end in a placement, but it sure threw me for a loop. I was totally unprepared when the foster coordinator called and told me they had a child in custody that needed to be placed in a foster home that day (placements are almost always same day). I remember thinking this couldn't be happening, and did I really sign up for this, and how did she get our number, and how in the world are we going to do this. I told her I needed to call Jason and that I would call her back. I called him at work and filled him in, and then I told him that I couldn't make the decision and that he was going to have to do it (no pressure or anything). And he made the decision: he said, "Well, this is what we signed up for." So, I called the coordinator back and said we were available to take the child if needed, but by that time she had heard back from another family and she felt they were a better match so we left it up to her and she placed the child with them. This was a total relief for me (did I mention that I was TOTALLY UNPREPARED for the call and all that it entailed) because during those 20 minutes my heart was racing a mile a minute and I was near panic mode.

This all brings us to 11:40am on Monday, March 26 when the phone rang with our second foster placement call. I was much more prepared this time and when the coordintor gave me the information I immediately said yes...our first foster child arrived at 6:30 that night and we officially earned the title of foster parents (nothing like baptism by fire, right?).

To be continued.....

Live Like That

Loving this song right now! (lyrics below or listen here)

Live Like That
Sidewalk Prophets

Sometimes I think
What will people say of me
When I'm only just a memory
When I'm home where my soul belongs

Was I love
When no one else would show up
Was I Jesus to the least of those
Was my worship more than just a song

I want to live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You

If love is who I am
Then this is where I'll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back

I want to live like that
I want to live like that

Am I proof
That You are who you say You are
That grace can really change a heart
Do I live like Your love is true

People pass
And even if they don't know my name
Is there evidence that I've been changed
When they see me, do they see You

I want to live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You

If love is who I am
Then this is where I'll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back

I want to live like that
I want to live like that

I want to show the world the love You gave for me
I'm longing for the world to know the glory of the King

I want to live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You

If love is who I am
Then this is where I'll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back

I want to live like that
I want to live like that

Dance Recital

After five years at the same dance studio we switched this year. The switch was mainly because I wanted something closer. Sissy adores dance and would take class everyday, so I knew it wouldn't be long before she would be taking multiple classes each week. We have friends who dance at Vitoria (if you follow the link to the Vitoria homepage you can see Sissy in two of the photos) and so we decided to give it a try, and overall it has been great. There are a few bumps that need ironed out (and I must admit I stressed over a couple), but overall it is a wonderful studio. Sissy and Dittle both danced this year and they both loved it. Dittle took a ballet/tap class and Sissy took a ballet class, a contemporary class (which she loves), and was part of the Student Dance Company.

Dittle in her dance constume

(she did tap for the recital)

Sissy in her ballet costume

(I didn't get a picture of her in her contemporary costume)

Imperative

im·per·a·tive [im-per-uh-tiv]
adjective 1. absolutely necessary or required; unavoidable

We heard many good speakers at the Teach Them Diligently Convention that we attended back in March (I know - don't judge), but one speaker had a huge impact on both of us. We listened to several presentations by Answers in Genesis President Ken Ham and what he shared was truly eye opening. So much so, in fact, that I believe it is absolutely imperative that all Christians hear, understand, and 'get' it. I believe his insight and the ministries of AiG and the Creation Museum are vital for today's Christians. This is AiG's Vision Statement taken from their website:

Answers in Genesis is a catalyst to bring reformation by reclaiming the foundations of our faith which are found in the Bible, from the very first verse.

We, as Christians, need to have a clear 'understanding of the times' (1 Chronicles 12:32) and of today's culture in order to reach people with the message of the Gospel, and that is exactly the mission of AiG. As Ken Ham puts it (my paraphrase), "In order to evangelize a secularized culture we must begin at the beginning, and we must replace the foundation of a culture based on man's word with a foundation built on the Word of God."

In addition to replacing the faulty foundation of today's world we must also realize the importance of starting at the beginning (Genesis) because that is where the foundation is laid.  If we don't teach that the Bible can be completely trusted and literally understood regarding the origin of the earth, universe, and man, then how can we expect non-believers to accept the rest of the Bible, specifically the Gospel, as truth?

Another area that AiG focuses heavily on is apologetics, and after listening to several of his presentations I am convinced that teaching apologetics is vital to the mission of the church (particularly in regard to children and youth) because the Bible says that we must 'always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear' (1 Peter 3:15).

At the conference we purchased AiG's Foundations Bible study curriculum. We have watched the first six sessions and the are EXCELLENT. We have found the information so powerful that we are considering offering it as a Bible study in our home in the fall (not making any promises, but drop me an email if you'd be interested).

After hearing Ken Ham I simply cannot stress the significance of his message enough. For more information please check out these aAiG rticles:
Apologetics: Introduction
How Can We Stand on Scripture in an Evolution-Pushing Culture?
Creation Evangelism

Easier Said Than Done

Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.

~Dr. Seuss

Thoughtful Thursday

God does't call the equipped, He equips the called.

~Author Unknown

Thoughtful Thursday

Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.

~Isaiah 12:2

Strong Enough

Singing Strong Enough by Matthew West this week

Thoughtful Thursday

When we fixate on the worst in something, we render ourselves incapable of fixing anything.

~Ann Voskamp

Thoughtful Thursday

Your are God, You are God,
Of all else I'm letting go!

~Lyrics from Forever Reign by Hillsong United

Thoughtful Thursday

The quiet song of gratitude, eucharisteo, lures humility out of the shadows because to receive a gift the knees must bend humble and the hand must lie vulnerably open and the will must bow to accept whatever the Giver chooses to give.

~Ann Voskamp
One Thousand Gifts

Thoughtful Thursday

The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly
I will show the salvation of God!
~Psalm 50:23

I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

~Psalm 69:30

Thoughtful Thursday

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

~John 14:27

Thoughtful Thursday

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

~Luke 22:42

Thoughtful Thursday

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

~Matthew 6:34

Needed This Today

I heard this song on the radio this afternoon and I sooooo needed the reminder.
Lyrics below or listen here.

The Same God
Newsong

Back to the wall, scared you'll fall
What you going to do
Day and night,
Don't know why its like the worlds' against you
You're praying for a break through

There was a day
When your faith couldn't be held down
God was near enough to hear every word
But somehow you wish He heard you right now

Don't you know
The same God who was with you then is with you now
The same God who led you in will lead you out
So take all the fear and doubt
Go on and lay them down
The same God, the same God is with you now

Can't you see
Everything happens for a reason
There's a time, there's a place
For every season
He knows what's best for you
So don't be afraid

The same God who was with you then is with you now
The same God who led you in will lead you out
So take all the fear and doubt
Go on and lay them down
The same God, the same God is with you now

Just keep holding on
Oh keep holding on

The same God who was with you then is with you now
The same God who led you in will lead you out
So take all the fear and doubt
Go on and lay them down
The same God, the same God is with you now

Whirlwind Weekend

 On Sunday Jason and I returned from a whirlwind trip to South Carolina for the first Teach Them Diligently Convention (which was amazing, tiring, and busy).  Several other homeschooling families from our area went and it was so neat running into everyone at the convention.  We left on Wednesday and our day of departure started off with a big disappointment when we found out that one of our very favorite homeschooling families couldn't make it because they had come down with the stomach flu, and I must have told Jason a half dozen times how bummed I was (and I know they were too).

So that morning we packed everyone (and everything) up and headed down to my mom's after lunch to drop the kids off for an extended visit, and then Jason and I headed out on the long drive south.  We drove about half way on Wednesday, spent the night in Virginia, and made the second half of the drive on Thursday morning arriving in Spartanburg, SC around 1pm. 

We picked up our convention registration packet, had lunch, and checked into our hotel in preparation for the start of the convention at 5pm.  We arrived at the convention early to get a good seat for the kick off keynote speaker Ken Ham Founder and President/CEO of Answers In Genesis and the Creation Museum (if you haven't visited the Creation Museum you really must go).  The second keynote presentation of the night was by Doug Phillips President/Founder of Vision Forum, followed by another presentation by Ken Ham.

The convention continued all day Friday and Saturday and all of the keynote presentations were great and we were busy non-stop. The second and third days of the convention featured keynote speaker Voddie Baucham, and Saturday morning Jason attended the men's breakfast session with him. The entire trip was constant busyness and we were on the go non-stop, so we didn't really have any down time to relax and enjoy our kid free trip. (It was worth it though.)

The convention officially ended at 6pm on Saturday night, but we were so tired and had a such a long drive ahead of us that we left around 3pm and skipped the last session with Voddie Baucham (which I am kicking myself a little for now). We had originally planned to drive half way and spend  the night, but we ended up driving straight through and arrived at my mom's at midnight.

My mom hadn't told the kids we were coming home a little early, so in the morning we surprised them and they were so cute. This was the longest we had been away from them and the farthest away, and we knew from my mom's reports that they'd missed us. They had a great time while we were away, but were so glad to have us back that Sissy cried and Bubba teared up a little. Dittle, of course, had a totally different and bizarre reaction, and pouted and acted mad for a good 15 minutes (I'm still not sure why) before coming around.

All in all,  it was a great trip and although the convention was wonderful, I don't think we will make the trip to SC every year.

Thoughtful Thursday

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

~Hebrews 10:35-36

Air Force Museum

Last month we took a family field trip to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. Here is a summary of our trip in 10 words or less:

Planes! Planes! Planes!
Walking
Big!
More walking
Free!
Fun!

Thoughtful Thursday

Humility, like darkness, reveals the heavenly lights.

~Henry David Thoreau

What You Do at Home

What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well pleasing to God, not on account of the position or work, but on account of the Word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow.

~Martin Luther

Do Unto Others

I was dusting yesterday (cleaning is my absolute least favorite chore) and the wooden plaque pictured above sits on top of a bookshelf in our school room. I had to move it when I dusted the top of the bookshelf and when I looked at it I started really thinking about what it said. The wisdom on this plaque (often called "the Golden Rule") is of course from the Bible, Matthew 7:12 (and Luke 6:31), and is based on the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount:

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. (KJV)

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (NIV)

After looking at (and while still dusting) I thought to myself: What if every single person on the planet lived their life, at the very least, by just this single verse?

What would that look like?

How different would the world be? 

I think this command is actually two in one - the positive and the negative or prohibitive:

(Positive form): One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.

(Negative/prohibitive form): One should not treat others in ways that one would not like to be treated.

If everyone treated others as they want to be treated, and did not treat others in ways they do not want to be treated, would the pain and suffering in the world be lessened? I know we wouldn't have a perfect world, far from it, but it seems to me that the world would at least be a better place (and yes, I know this scenario is never going to happen, but humor me).

I don't know why I was struck by these words yesterday (when I've dusted and moved that plaque at least 20 times before), but since I have been pondering them I thought I would blog about it. If you are an actual reader of my blog (all five of you) please excuse my occasional disjointed ramblings! :)

Thoughtful Thursday

I read this last night and had to share it because I so needed this reminder.

Mama's Horses and Chariots

Thoughtful Thursday

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

~James 1:5-6

Thoughtful Thursday

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

~Psalm 27:1

Thoughtful Thursday

The probability of life originating from accident is comparable to the unabridged dictionary resulting from an explosion in a printing shop.

~Dr. Edwin Conklin

Little Readers & Writers

Last year I taught Carson to read using Reading Made Easy by Valerie Bendt, and although it wasn't his favorite subject (by a long shot), he learned to read fairly easily and now as a seven year old is a good reader. For handwriting he uses Handwriting Without Tears, and again we have a very unpopular subject, but he is doing well.

I love this reminder (for after his shower) that he wrote on a post-it in November and stuck on the bathroom wall.

Translation: Lotion

A page from his handwriting book this week:

So at the beginning of the current school year I was trying to decide what to do with Corinne who is four. She went to preschool last year, but we decided not to send her this year for various reasons. Since she wouldn't be going to preschool my plan for this year was to work with her at home on letters and numbers at the beginning of the year and then move onto sounds and basic math (patterns, counting, etc.). 

A few months in I was finally ready to start working with her, but I quickly discovered that not only did she already recognize all of her letters and numbers (which I had a feeling was the case), but she also already knew all of the consonant sounds. OK, good. We will move onto step two then and start working on vowel sounds, short first and then long. Before Christmas I sat down with her to start on letter A, and find that she knows all of the long vowel sounds, and most of the short vowels sounds with only the occasional mix up!

At that point I didn't really have a plan for what to do next because I wasn't expecting her to be so far along, so I wrack my brain with what to do and decide the logical next step is to try to teach her to read and see if she is ready. I decided wait and start after winter break, so at the beginning of January we started working on rhyming, blending sounds, and practicing sight words. I pulled out the Reading Made Easy book and activity sheet CD ROM, and we dug into Lesson 1 in mid January.

It is now mid February and she is doing quite well. Yesterday we completed Lesson 23. We don't necessarily do a lesson every day, but unlike her brother, she likes doing it and if we don't 'do reading' she will usually ask to do it. She has been doing the Handwriting Without Tears preschool workbook on her own, but I'm fairly certain she makes the letters her own way so we haven't officially started handwriting. This has not stopped her from writing and drawing all the time (she is just like her sister).

The picture below was my first discovery of her budding writing and phonics skills. She had gotten mad about something and was pouting in the basement, so she wrote this note on one of the Magna-Doodles and posted it at the bottom of the steps (I actually didn't find it until after dinner that night).

Translation: Corinne is downstairs

(I had to ask her what the last word was)

A few weeks later she wrote this note when we had a friend over and the friend took Corinne's stuffed animal (see translation) and wouldn't give it back.

Translation: Zebra

(I had to ask her for the translation on this one, too)

In this picture she is working on one of the Reading Made Easy activity sheets and you will notice that she is a lefty! (I have no idea how I am going to teach her to write - everyone else in our household is right handed.)

Thoughtful Thursday

But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

~1 Peter 3:4

Thoughtful Thursday

Too often in our lives, accomplishment and doing overshadow growth and becoming. We frantically scurry around, trying to paint the picture with our activites, but our being must be settled before our doing. George MacDonald said it well:  "He thought to gain a thing by doing, when the very thing desired was a being."

From Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow

I took the one less traveled by...

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. ~Robert Frost

Our Journey to Homeschooling (Part 3)

This is the third and final part of the Our Journey to Homeschooling series (be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2 of our story). In this post I share the books, videos, articles, and links that I found the most helpful during the searching, questioning, and looking process in determining if homeschooling was the right educational choice for our family. Some of these were hard to read/watch and many of them challenged our thinking and what we believe about education and schooling, but after all, that is what we set out to do and what we needed to do in order to make an informed decision. We own many of the resources listed below and are more than happy to loan them out to anyone wanting to search, dig, and question for themselves, so just leave a comment or shoot me an email if you are interested in borrowing anything.

Books
The Bible
Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto
Weapons of Mass Instruction by John Taylor Gatto
Family Driven Faith by Dr. Voddie Baucham
100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum by Cathy Duffy
Already Gone by Ken Ham & Britt Beemer
Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp
Heartfelt Discipline by Clay Clarkson
The Underground History of American Education by John Taylor Gatto (can be read free online here)

Videos
Children of Caesar
Divided
IndoctriNation

Links
Homeschooling Intrigues Me - Where Do I Start? (article)
The Seven Lesson School Teacher (chapter from Dumbing Us Down)
Cathy Duffy Reviews (reviews of popular homeschool curriculums)

Thoughtful Thursday

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.
       
~Eleanor Roosevelt

Thoughtful Thursday

Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

~Matthew 12:30

Recently Read & Recommend {Truly Inspirational}

I have always been a reader. In middle and high school I could read two or more books a day. I still love to read, but with a husband, house, laundry, and 3 blessings (who keep me super busy) this is not a season of life when I have large amounts of time to devote to reading. So when selecting books to read I try to be choosy and only select books that I feel will be worth the time I spent reading them. This book is hands down one of those books....

Kisses From Katie by Katie Davis is one of the most moving and inspirational books I have ever read or could hope to read. This girl is absolutely amazing to the point that I really can't find the words to even begin to explain it. This book is so good that I read it in a matter of hours. You just have to read it and see for yourself!

The rave reviews for Katie's book put it better than I every could:

“When you think of what one young woman can accomplish by simply being open to God’s call no matter the cost, you begin to ask questions like, Am I really open to God’s will for my life? Through Katie’s life, we’re reminded how God can use ordinary people to do extraordinary things for Him. We simply need to be willing to be used."
—Rich Stearns, President of World Vision US, Author of The Hole in Our Gospel

“With reckless abandon, Katie Davis followed her heart to care for orphans living in extreme poverty in Uganda. Her stories captivate the reader to take action, join her work, and make the world a better place for children—one by one.”
—Senator William H. Frist, MD

“As I read Katie's book, I felt like I was reading Amy Carmichael. As Amy did in her life, Katie shows Jesus to be amazingly wonderful not only in what she writes, but also in how she selflessly cares for the fatherless. If you want to love Jesus more and better understand his love for the least of these, read Kisses from Katie. She is for our generation what Amy was for hers: a hero in fulfilling God's call to care for orphans.”
—Dan Cruver, director, Together for Adoption, author of Reclaiming Adoption

“I was profoundly moved, challenged, and convicted as I read Kisses from Katie, and I came away wanting to know Jesus the way that Katie does. This is an honest and compelling account of one young woman's journey of obedience to a Jesus who loves the whole world, especially the forgotten and the marginalized. Jesus was the most revolutionary and subversive man who ever lived. Following Him should lead us to be graciously radical in His name.”
—Mike Erre, author of Why the Bible Matters and The Jesus of Suburbia

Please share this book with everyone you know!

Be sure to visit Katie's blog journal at http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com

Also check out Katie's non-profit ministry to the people of Uganda, Amazima Ministries, and while you're there please consider making a donation.