Ever Wonder?

Do you ever wonder if someone is a Christian? Have you ever assumed a loved one knows the Truth of salvation? How can you be sure if someone you love and care about is truly eternity ready?

These are the thoughts that have been on my mind these last couple of days. You see my husband Jeremy's grandmother suffered a serious stroke this past week, and we went and spent time with her and Jeremy's grandfather. As I sit there in the hospital, I realized that I hadn't ever really talked about salvation with either of them. They both attend church every Sunday and are involved in their church. They are quiet committed family people. In fact, I would say that their family is everything to them. At least, from my perspective it appears that way. I have had some good meaningful conversations with them over the years, and I guess I just assumed that at some point before I met them they made a decision to be a Christian.

So, what if this assumption on my part is false? What if even though these two wonderful people whom I have grown to love since marrying their grandson never made a solid choice to accept the gift of salvation and eternal life with God? What are the right words to say in such a situation?

These are the many thoughts I have been pondering since I sat and visited with them in the hospital.

Here is the answers I am coming up with:

The first thing I realize is that many people call themselves Christians, so to ask if someone is a Christian is probably not going to get me the answer I am looking for. So maybe a better question is, “Can you tell me about the day you accepted Jesus Christ as your savior from your sins?” I realize that a true Christian is someone who has admitted they are a sinner and in need of a savior. A true Christian is someone who also realizes there is only ONE God and that Jesus is the only person who lived and died a sinless life. A true Christian realizes that Jesus is and was and always will be God. That he came to earth as a man and died for all sin, but to be forgiven a true Christian must accept this gift of salvation. A true Christian acknowledges that Jesus rose from the dead and conquered death, and that because of this he is the only way to an eternal relationship with a Holy and Righteous God.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 10:9-13

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Next I realize that it is better to risk offending a love one and asking them about being a Christian than it is to risk they are not. So often we worry about what others think, but isn't it better to worry about what God thinks. He tells us to reach the lost near and far, and who better to take to heaven with us than those we love here on earth.

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

The last thing I realized is I don't want anyone to have to wonder if I am heaven bound. I want to live my life in a way that everything I do says to others I know Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior. I want to be ever ready to share the Gospel Truth with everyone and anyone. I want to live a life that leaves no question that God is the center of who I am and hope to be.

Matthew 5:13-16

   

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Journey to Obedience

Journey to Obedience

(learning to live dependent on God)

Recently, several people have encouraged me to write out our family story.  My first thought was   who really wants to read our story. I have enjoyed reading so many other peoples interesting and exciting stories online and in books.  Mine is just so ordinary.  But, then my husband asked if I would write it out.  So, I am writing it for him.  It is just a story of two ordinary people trying to learn to live completely dependent on God, and His faithfulness even when they continue to fail.

Introduction

As I wrote this story, I so enjoyed thinking of all the times God provided for our family in amazing ways.  I was reminded over and over, as I wrote, of how blessed we truly are, and how wonderful a gift each of my children are to me.  Many details are left out of this readers digest version of our family story, and I hope to slowly fill in these details with individual blogs (like chapters) later.  This short version focuses on God's faithfulness even in our lack of trust in Him.  I want to make it clear that this is OUR story, and it is not a message to others to choose what we have chose.  It is a message to choose to follow the LORD with all of your heart in whatever He is calling you to.   I hope you enjoy reading it, and that it is used by God to some how minister to someone.

Blessings, Katie

     When I was a young girl, my mom (a young Christian woman of simple faith in a mighty God), taught my sisters and I to pray for our future.  She said we should pray specifically for our future spouse, and she also prayed daily for that young unknown man.

Miles away, in Indiana, Jeremy was born to a young girl of seventeen.  This was a wonderful and amazing act of dependency on God.  Jeremy's mom found herself pregnant and scared as a high school girl.  She fell on her knees and prayed to God, and he came and comforted her and gave her the courage to trust in Him and to raise this child.  With the help of her parents she was able to begin the process of raising a wonderful son.  Soon, she met a young man and they married.  This man adopted Jeremy and made him his own.  This act of love would influence Jeremy's decision to adopt in the future.

As I began praying for my future spouse, I would pray for his protection and for his relationship with God.  I would pray God would prepare him to be my spouse, and I hoped with all hope that I would be able to marry right out of high school.  All I ever wanted was to be a wife and mother.  This was a dream that society seemed to think I should hold off on.  There was pressure all around to look at the future with college and career plans.  But my hope was to marry and serve the Lord.  Beyond that I wasn't sure what I wanted.

The summer before my senior year in high school my family moved.  We moved to a small town in Indiana where my dad would begin pastoring a small country church.  It is here, that I meet Jeremy for the first time.  Soon, we began dating and not long into our relationship, we began to talk about our future together.  We would go for walks and talk for hours about our plans together.  During these talks we often prayed, and soon we both realized that God was speaking to our hearts.  We both heard over and over from the Lord, that he wanted us to trust Him to number our children.  We were young and innocent, and had no idea what he was truly asking of us.  But, we thought we could do that.  I had visions of maybe six kids, Jeremy said maybe nine.  We also, both agreed God wanted us to foster other children and help other families (this was something I had been raised with, as my parents had fostered and adopted many children).  We were excited about our future and at our high school graduation in May of 1993, we got engaged, and were married that December.  In these first years of our marriage God gave us the verse Jeremiah 29:11 as our family verse.  "For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."'
I secretly hoped and prayed God would give us a couple years before we started having children, and God did.  So, we spent the first two years of our marriage growing together as a couple, and then the day came when we were expecting our first child.  There was excitement and fear.  We were both attending Bible school at the time, and working at Wal Mart.  My fears abounded that we would not be able to care for a baby and do school.  But, the time came and baby Tyler Ann was born on April 28th, 1996.  Jeremy decided to step out of school and go to work full time, and I continued to work part time and attend school part time, and be a full time mom (baby Tyler went with me everywhere).  Surely, God did not mean for us to keep having children right then, and surely he wanted us to be better able to provided security for our children.  So, we decided to take the doctors advice and use birth control.  This was not a good choice, since, I suffer from hormonal imbalance, but the doctor seemed to think it was and doctors always know best.  So, birth control and contraceptives were bought and used, but amazingly even with these precautions we soon found ourselves expecting again.  Another easy and blessed pregnancy and delivery and another beautiful baby girl.  Rachel Elizabeth was born on September 28th, 1997,  and we were living in my parents basement at the time.  Yes, that's right, I said parents basement.  So, we knew for sure God does not want us to have anymore children in these circumstance.  So again we tried another birth control and more contraceptives to assure a good space between pregnancies.  Shortly after Rachel's birth, we moved into a home and began to foster children.  We were excited to share our home with other children and work with parents to reunite these families.  A few children came and went, and we felt blessed to have been able to care for and serve these families.  But, then one day, two children came into our lives, and from day one we knew God waned us to make a long term commitment to them.  Still with no plans to adopt any of our foster children, we cared for these two, Daniel and Lydia, and our hearts were broken as they came and went from our home into troubling situations.  As this was going on, we found ourselves pregnant again, even though we had taken great precautions to not be.  This time, we were blessed with a baby boy, Brenden Joseph on May 5th, 1999.  We realized that God is going to number our children and we needed to trust in him, and stop worrying about what others think or say.  So, even though we had made some poor financial decisions and were working to get out of massive debt, we decided not to take steps to stop another pregnancy. 

Daniel and Lydia continued to come and go from our care, and we realized that God was calling us to adopt them.  Truly overwhelmed by this idea, we stepped out in faith and began the process of adoption. This process was so much more painful than pregnancy and labor.  It was during this painful time of learning to trust on the Lord's timing, that he gave us a new verse. Romans 8:28" And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose."  As we moved forward with adoption, we soon gave birth to another baby girl, Rebekah Joy on September 28th, 2000.  Then at the end of that year Daniel Tiger(September 30th, 1995)and Lydia Lucinda(November 3rd, 1998)were officially adopted. 

Now, a full-time, stay at home mom of six under six(sometimes more if we have foster children) I find myself suffering from severe migraines and other health problems.  I have suffered with migraines since puberty due to the hormone imbalance, but these were much worse than any I had ever had.  They would come on so sudden and be so painful that I would literally fall to the floor in pain.  This was terrifying as they would happen and all the kids would be out in the backyard playing and I would be unable to move.  So off to the doctor I go, and it doesn't look good.  One doctor says my blood work reveals that my hormones are so off, that you would think I was pregnant with triples (I am not pregnant at all).  Another doctor says, it appears I have a tumor on my pituitary gland.  Both, agree that the best course of action is hormone therapy.  This means depo vera injections.  Being young and trusting in my doctors, we agree to this course of action.  I receive the first injection, with a warning that I could experience bleeding, spotting, or neither.  I bleed for a full three months.  I return to the doctors office, I report the bleeding, I am told this is normal and that it should correct itself after a few more injections, and that I need to do a full years course of injections to correct the hormone imbalance.  I get the next injection.  The head aches worsen, the bleeding continues, and I can't take care of my house and children at times because the pain is so severe.  Now, I return to the doctor, and again I am told that I just need to continue with the treatment and it will all work out in the end.  So, I get my third injection at this time.  I begin to get worse, my hormones are not balancing, my head aches are out of control, and the doctors are certain now that I must have a tumor.  I am scheduled for an MRI, and encouraged to continue with the injections.  I get one more injection.  Shortly, after this injection, I begin bleeding so heavily that Jeremy rushes me to the hospital.  This is when a  doctor comes and tells us that it appears I may have had a tubal pregnancy and lost the baby.  The doctor telling us this states that this is common with depovera.  NO one had told us this before we started the treatment.  We were devastated to think we could have killed our own child.  They got the bleeding slowed and I went home.  I then asked the women of my church to pray for me. In pride, I had not shared with anyone the struggle I was going through, for fear they would judge me. This is one of the areas I continue to struggle in, and God continues to teach me in.  After the women started praying, I began feeling better almost immediately, and the head aches come less and less.  When I went for the MRI and the next round of blood work everything was clear and normal. During this trial, I learned to depend on God and to trust His people.  It was a hard lesson and I continue today to struggle in it.
God gives us this verse during this season of our lives.  Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths." 
Life sort of settles into a routine of homeschooling, spending time at grandma's, and being involved in the church.  God blesses us and we are able to pay off all our debt in less than 2 years (over $28,000).  To this day, we are not sure how this was done, but God multiplied our income.  We buy our first home, and I become pregnant with our seventh child.  This is a difficult pregnancy as I become very mentally unstable.  I am extremely cruel to Jeremy and often times have terrible nightmares and fits of depression and anger.  By the end of the pregnancy I am suffering from sever insomnia and I am terrified I won't have the strength to deliver the baby.  But, on September 26th, 2003, I give birth to a baby boy, Jeremiah John, weighing 9 lbs. 13 oz.  I continue to struggle for several more months with depression and anxiety.  Jeremy decides maybe this is a sign we shouldn't have more children.  So, he schedules to have a vasectomy.  The doctor tries to talk him out of it, but Jeremy is not convinced and the surgery is scheduled.  Three times unusual circumstances interfere with the surgery, the doctor has to have emergency surgery, the hospital has a problem with the surgery room, and then the hospital has no recorded of Jeremy's scheduled appointment.  After the third conflict, Jeremy and I both realize that it is not to be done.  Soon, I become pregnant again, and it is the most beautiful, enjoyable pregnancy I have had. (note: all my pregnancy are extremely easy and without complication, even with Jeremiah's I was physically very healthy)  The day of delivery comes and it is the easiest labor and delivery thus far.  Joshua James is born on April 25th, 2005.  He brings us so much joy, and is a happy, easy going guy.  We are so grateful God brings him into our lives.
I continue to struggle with mans opinion of our choice to continue to have children and to raise them at home.  But, God blesses us and we move forward.  Each year of homeschooling is more fun than the year before.  I wonder if it is possible to be more blessed, and even wonder why God chose me for this great job of training these young ones.  I think back often to those days when Jeremy and I would walk and talk.  I remember God speaking to us that he wanted us to  raise up Kingdom Builders.  Often, feeling so unworthy of such a calling, I would pray and ask him to show me how to do such a task. 
He was ever faithful, even when I wasn't.  We continued to have the privilege to care for other children in our home, and to help other families.  It was amazing how God would bring people into our lives for us to minister to right in our own home.  We enjoyed ministering to single mom families, as well as, offering respite care for families of severely handicapped children.  Our children seemed to have a desire early on to care for others.  The day to day, could be hard at times, but God provided even when we didn't always trust him to.
Then in 2007, on May 10th, Zachery Caleb was born.  The boys began to out number the girls ,and it was evident in the house.  Rough and tumble boys everywhere.  It is at this point we hear God calling our family to adopt again.  The call is clear, and yet both Jeremy and I secretly feel overwhelmed by the thought.  We know God wants us to consider adopting a medically fragile child with limitations.  We are excited to use the experience he has given us to offer a home to a waiting child, but at the same point we wonder if we are truly up to the call.    Stepping out in faith we start the process and again it is a more painful process than pregnancy and delivery.  But, God in his sovereignty matches us up with a child who, we will find fits into our home perfectly.  As we fly out to California to adopt Davey (Robert David, March 6, 2003) I am full of emotions.  One moment, so excited to finally meet my son, and the next so overwhelmed and feeling so unworthy of the task of being his mother.  I question God the whole way there if he is sure this is right.  We arrive at the place to meet him and he gets out of the car, and in that moment I see him and I know without a doubt this is my son.  David had been in a wonderful foster home, and they had prepared him to meet us.  So, from day one he knew us as mom and dad and felt right at home.  I am always so grateful to the family that had him and helped him become ready to be in our home.  He continues to grow and develop in independence.  He is one of the happiest most content people you will ever meet.  God has truly blessed us with him.
On the plane ride home from picking up Davey, I realize that the sickness I am feeling is not just from the rough flight, but that it is morning sickness.  So, we brought David home at the beginning of the summer of 2008, and God blessed us again in February on the 5th, of 2009, with Stephen Michael.  The boys are truly outnumbering the girls.  Some days, I think they are running things and I am not.  But, God has truly blessed us to be able to continue to keep them all home and learn and grow in him together.  We start sensing that God is planning a change for our family, and we begin praying that he will prepare us all, and that we will be obedient to whatever is next.   He begins teaches me what true submission looks like, to Him and to Jeremy.  Jeremy decides to try for a new position with his company. 
God gives us a new verse:  Joshua 24:15 "As For Me And My House We Will Serve the Lord." 
We are all excited and nervous to see what the Lord will do.  Jeremy gets the position and we are on an adventure moving to Lancaster, PA.  But, it isn't that easy.  Jeremy heads out to start his new job in April 2011 and to find us a home.  I am pregnant again, and wait trusting in God's timing (or trying to be trusting).  It takes longer than we expected to find a home, and Jeremy has to come back to Michigan for the birth of baby girl, Christianna Hesed, on June 8th, 2011.  During this time of being separated and learning to truly trust in God and Jeremy, I grow greatly.   We are blessed with an opportunity to rent a house finally, and we see the Lord's hand's all over this provision.  We finally pack up the kids and move to Lancaster.
After arriving in Pennsylvania, I begin to suffer with feeling blue.  I am not sure if it is baby blues, anxiety over the move, or something else.  But, I find the homeschooling laws overwhelming and think I need to change the way I have been teaching.  I buy all kinds of books and materials and lay out a plan for the year.  It is a complete fail , or as the kids say, epic fail.  I can see my kids struggling ,I am struggling, and Jeremy is struggling.  I begin to pray and seek God, and Jeremy and the kids do too.  God reveals to me that he wants me to return to teaching the kids from His Word.  So, I get back to work on writing my own curriculum and find others who have done great work in this area, and seek their counsel.  God blesses me with new friends and great Biblical counsel through the church we are attending and through home school connections online.  This season of our lives is like none we have been in before it.  We are all challenged to grow into a deeper dependency on God. 
God gives us a new verse:  Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
This is our present season of life.  We do not yet know what is next for us.  But, we do know that God wants us to depend on him every moment of everyday.  We realize when he called us to be Kingdom Builders and to let Him number our children, that what he really wanted was to teach us to trust Him with everything.  Trust Him to provide physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally all that we need,  because we realize that we are nothing without Him.  As I write this, it is baby Anna's first birthday, and we look forward to celebrating today and many days to come her life and the lives of all our children.  But, whatever God holds for our future, we choose to seek to obey Him and trust Him.

 

Teaching the way my mother Taught

Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.
Proverbs 1:8-9

Often I hear from people when they find
out that I home school, wow, I could never do that, I am not a
teacher, how do you do it, etc. I chuckle to myself because I too am
not a teacher. So, I was thinking last night, how do I do it. I
know I do all things through Christ Jesus, but practically how do I
do it. So, I realized I do it the way my mom taught me to teach. Here are the things I learned from my mom either by watching her teach or actually from her instructions to me on how to teach. Growing up in a pastor's home, we learned to start
teaching young, either teaching Sunday school, children's church or
at VBS, or just where ever the need was. I think I first started
teaching, of course at home, with my younger foster/adopted siblings.
But, it was very young that I started teaching at Bible clubs, VBS,
and such, maybe around 10 years old. We learned to teach others
practical skills, Biblical training, and academic tutoring. So, here
is what I learned:

Practices of Purposeful and Productive teaching (learned from my mom)

1. Be Passionate -

I watched my mom teach kids to sing and praise God even though she is not at
all gifted in the area of music (sorry mom, but you know it is
true,lol.) But, those kids never knew she wasn't a great musician
because she was so passionate about the songs and the words of
Praise to God. She taught motions and always was animated in her
face and body as she taught. I remember once coming home from
teaching Wednesday night children's church and saying mom they
aren't listening, they aren't interested. She said, “Kate, you
have to be passionate about every part of the teaching. If you
believe what your teaching, be excited about it. If your excited
then they are going to be interested in knowing why your so excited
about what your telling them.” I have found this true, I use this
method to teach exciting truths from God's word, but also to teach
simple lessons like toilet training. By talking up using the
toilet and being excited about every attempt and over the top
excited about every success, my kids have learned there is something
cool about using the toilet. It doesn't matter what I am teaching,
if I can find a reason to be passionate about it, then it creates an
interest and desire in my students to want to learn it.

2. Be Purposeful -

You have to plan and be prepared. Knowing the materials I am teaching and
understanding them first, sometimes doing extra research, helps me
be ready to answer those curious kids questions. I can't just teach
for the sake of teaching, there has to be a purpose for what we are
teaching, and kids have to understand that purpose to want to learn.
I actually learned this from both my parents. I wasn't a great
academic student and my dad would often spend hours working on
homework with me as a child. But, one subject I absolutely loved
was math. Why? The answer is easy my dad showed me how it applied
in everyday life. When I was young we played grocery shopping
games, learning how to be frugal and how to estimate your total
bill, and even how to add the actual prices quickly. Then as I got
older he showed me how to do budgets and do taxes, to measure and
build, he and mom showed how to measure things in the kitchen, and
so on and so on. These were taught naturally and brought purpose to
learning math. Again this can be used in Biblical training and
instructing as well as in academic teaching. Critical thinking was
taught around the dinner table, with mom asking pointed questions
and us sharing varies answers. These things didn't just happen
though, mom and dad had to make them happen.

3. Prizes, projects, papers, and paper clips

- I remember when I first started teaching at VBS,
my mom was in charge of VBS and she was talking to all the
volunteers preparing us for the week. She said, “Never let a child
go home empty handed.” She went on to explain that you always
want to give the children something to take home to help remind them
of what they were taught that day. I remember thinking I always
wondered about the trinkets over the years my mom would give to her
students in Sunday school, or other places. She went on to explain
that this memento would not only help them remember the teaching,
but would also give them a visual of how God blesses his people.
Here is the thing, we lived on a tight budget and sometimes I was
amazed at the things my mom would use to teach a lesson. It might
have been a rubber band (to show how God pulls us back to himself),
it might have been a paper clip (to show how we can be fastened
together with God's people), it might have just been a piece of
paper for them to color on or write a verse on and take home, maybe
it was a sort of project (a song, dance, play acting, craft, etc.)
These often are not taking home in hand but in the heart or mind.
And yes, my mom taught that prizes are great teaching tools, she
would reward those who applied teaching with small prizes (a
sticker, a cookie, bouncy ball, a homemade certificate,etc.)

NOTE: I find kids today expect great rewards for little effort, but if again you present them a
reward with enthusiasm they see it as you do. Also, I am not saying
to reward for every little thing. No, hard work is expected and
recognized with a word of praise. Prizes should be rare to make
them more meaningful.

4. Press On -

This is the biggest thing my mom taught me. That same day that I came and told
her, I didn't think the children in church were listening to me.
She told me not only to teach with passion, but to also press on
even when it seems no one is listening or learning. She said
(especially with middle school aged kids) that it may seem they are
bored and not interested and that they are not listening, but she
has found that if she pressed on and taught, they often truly were
listening. So, I learned to press on in each lesson. I will never
forget the day, that a boy I was sure never listened to me in class,
came to me a couple years later and told me that he always
appreciated and enjoyed my class. He said that it was because of
the things I taught that he made a decision to become a Christian.
I would have never guess it.

So, these are four teaching tools I learned from my mom. The funny thing is I am pretty sure if you asked my mom if she is a teacher, she would say NO. I too, do not
have the gift of teaching, but God calls all of us to go into all the
World and teach the Good News, he also calls every parent to teach
His Word and His Way (Laws) to our children so that no generation
will ever forget what the Lord God has done for us. So, how and why
I home school is done for and thru the Lord Jesus Christ.

Here is a link to another great teaching method based on Deuteronomy, written by a home school friend of mine. It is called, Hear, Learn, Keep, Do.
http://anneelliott.com/2011/03/hear-learn-keep-do/

You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when
you rise. Deuteronomy 11:19

how do you do it?

Okay, so Jeremy and I are asked, "How do you do it?" all the time. Usually this is in response to hearing that we homeschool our twelve children. Recently, I was asked this by other homeschooling mom's. So, I will attempt to share how, and a little of why we do what we do. I hestitate to write this because by no means do I want anyone to think I believe our way is the only way. God leads and directs all his children, and each family must seek God's will for themselves. But if an insight into our lives will help you in your search, I am willing to share to help someone along the way. So, let's start with the why?
Why do we choose to homeschool?

The reason we homeschool is because we believe God chose us to parent our children, and according to His Word that means to teach and train them. We read this in Deuteronomy 6. "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." These are the words of Moses to the people of Isreal. He is preparing them for entering into the Promise Land, and he is reminding them that it is very important to hold tight to the ways of God, because if they don't they will be pulled away from God into the ways of the world. We believe that we should be in the world and sharing God's love with the lost, but we must be seperate from the world to stay close to the Lord. We read this is Paul's letter to the Romans chapter 12 verse 2 "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." We believe that as parents it is our job to train and teach our children the Word of God, so that they can know God and live for HIM, if they are not with us then we can't teach then these things.

Simple answer: we homeschool because we beleive that God tells us to.

How do we homeschool?

We use the WORD of God as our primary textbook. What? you say. Well, it is quit simple as we look and study God's Word we find that not only in Deuteronomy, but all throughout scripture God tells us that he wants us to seek HIM first, to know HIS laws, and to learn HIS ways. We believe everything one needs for success in life is in the WORD of God and can be found no where else. This belief is founded on the scrpiture 2 Timothy 3:16-17 " All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Ok, so how does it work?

We start and end our day with the WORD of God. We take the scripture literally and believe we need to be talking of the Word of God when we sit, rise, and lay down. When we are out and about and when we are home. So, when the kids wake up in the morning they start their day copying the Word of God into notebooks (they do this for one hour). (Learn more about this method here http://blog.inkleinations.com/p/about-copying-bible.html). Then we sit down and pray and eat together. Then we read from the Bible, we discuss what we read, touching on history, timeline, maps, literature, grammar, and such and I give assignments based on these scriptures. We try and read the Bible chronologically and my goal is to complete the whole Bible in four years, and cycle back to the beginning. (I use Anne Elliots Bible materials and her soon to be available history and grammar materials as help guides.http://foundationspress.com/our-homeschool-curriculum/foundations-bible-foundations/) We clear the table and the older kids continue copying the Bible for another hour. Each of my younger students, ages four up to about 11( depending on their reading ability and ability to do their work on their own), take turns reading the Bible with me and getting writing assignments from their reading.

After the students finish their copywork, they do morning chores. Then we break for lunch, at this time we read together again using support materials to go with our Bible reading. Examples of support material can be a history book, like Story of the Ancient World by Christina Miller(http://www.nothingnewpress.com/guerber/ancient.html), or it could be a character building book like, Making brothers and sisters best friends by Sarah, Steven, and Grace Mally,http://www.amazon.com/Making-Brothers-Sisters-Best-Friends/dp/0971940509). After lunch we do other studies or activities of interest. This is when math, journaling, independent literature reading, study of sciences or arts, home improvement, and so much more are done. Each child takes time learing things that they are personally interested in (ie. carpentry, music, technology, sports,etc.) , and also takes times learning things we as their parents deem they should learn (ie. cooking, cleaning, basic car care, serving, etc.). The next learning part of our day comes at supper time with dad. After supper, Dad teaches us from the Bible using the One verse a day method (http://inkleinations.com/pdfs/how-to-teach-your-children-one-verse-a-day.pdf). Our evenings are spent watching educational videos that go with what we are studying in the Bible (example Mike Snavely creation series http://www.natureofcreation.org/) , play in games, reading additional materials, or just visiting with each other.

Ok, I know your wondering how this really works out day to day? Is it really as simple as it sounds? Of course not, we are human after all and no were near perfect. Life get's busy with distactions no matter who you are and how hard you work at it. But, we seek to seek God's Kingdom and Righteousness first. Matthew 6:33 So, here is a look at how this schedule looks on paper and then how it might look in real life.

8 am everyone is up and copying the Bible at the table, little guys are playing quietly near by, mom is making breakfast and meal prep for the day.

9 am prayer, breakfast, Bible reading and discussion (recite Bible verses and books of OT)

10:30 am copy work and mom one on one with younger guys

11:30 morning jobs

12:30 lunch prep

1:00 LUNCH story time (recite again)

1:30 lunch clean up

2-4 independent studies

5:oo house keeping before dad comes home

6:00 supper Bible with dad (recite again)

7:00 movie night

9 bedrooms

10 lights out

What really happens:

8:00 little kids up running around house(before 6), some big kids copying the Bible, some big kids still in bed, mom trying to make breakfast but has to take care of fussy baby and deal with kids fighting over toys.

9:00 mom calling everyone to table, kids moving slow and complaining about oatmeal.

9:30 Mom read's Bible story and get's interrupted by little guys several times.

(mom can't find her lesson book, and is trying to remember what questions and ssignements to give).

10:30 big kids copying, but have to stop to help with little guys who need diapers changed, and a bath after throwing up breakfast.

mom has to feed baby and read to little ones at the same time.

12:15 finally done with morning routine and start morning clean up and lunch

1:30 finally sit for lunch (not to bad only 30 minutes of schedule).

have story and visit about yesterday's sermon and get off topic for a little while, but glad to know kids are listening at church.

2:45 clean up lunch

3:15 Independent time, no one can find their notebooks, or lessons from the day before, and it is mom's fault. (dad calls and needs mom to take car to mechanic.

mom leaves big kids care for little kids. mom is gone longer than planned, big kids decided to have little ones watch tv since it is raining out. (always)

5 big kids supervise house work, and start supper.

6 pm mom home, but dad's running late. so supper help off till 7.

7 pm supper.

too late for movie night now, so we play rock band on the PS3 instead.

other interruptions we often have are doctors appointments, service projects we found out about, music lessons or classes, sports, goodnews club (teaching), Bible studies, sickness, toys in toilet, etc.

So, how do we do it?

Well, this was just a sample of how our life looks. We have a weekly schedule, a monthly calendar, and daily charts with chores, menus, and lesson plans. And yes, God has gifted me to be pretty organized, but the truth is we do it with God's grace and Power.

You see, we believe God never gives us more than we can handle. We find this in 1 Corithians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." We also believe that God gives us the strength and ability to do that which he has called us to do. there are many verse for this belief, but here are just a few. Phillipians 4:13 "I can do all this through him who gives me strength." In Hebrews 13:20-21 , we see that it is by the same power of God used to raise Christ from the dead that he equips us to do the work he has called us to," Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. " Finally, in Phillipians 2:12-13 we are told to continue in obedience as God works in us to accomplish His will. "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. "

So why and how we homeschool, is simply done by the grace and Power of God with the use of his WORD.

My winter retreat By: Rachel

I went on a winter retreat this past weekend and I had a lot of fun. At first when I got on the bus and we drove to the camp, I was a bit discouraged and wondered if this weekend was going to be fun. But then we got to the camp and the fun began. We went to our cabins and dropped off our stuff, then we went to our first session for the weekend. At our first session we talked about things that sleepy people do (not actual sleepy people spiritual sleepy people). So I found out that I need to stop being so self conscience and not just worry about me and what others think about me. After the first session we hung out, I went down and played carpet ball with some other people.

I woke up the next day excited and ready to have fun. After breakfast and devotions we had session two, in session two I learned that Jesus plans, Jesus cares, Jesus waits, Jesus knows, and Jesus wait for it ....... wins! So why do I need to worry, yes I should plan what to do with my life, but Jesus always wins so I'll go with His plans, because I love to win. After session two we had a scavenger hunt. I was on team ten and we came in 7th or 8th place I think. I liked the scavenger hunt because I learned where everything was. Next after the scavenger hunt we had some free time and I mostly just hung out downstairs and played carpet ball. Later when lunch was over I went outside and saw some kids playing a game called gaga ball and it looked really fun, so I decided to give it a try. Man oh man it was sooo fun!!!!! I played gaga ball for about 2 and a half hours, then I decided to go get my superhero costume on.

Everyone met in the gym with their superhero costumes on Tyler was cat woman and I was her sidekick dog lady. All the superhero's got in a circle and we went around telling everyone our name and power. Some people did not dress up and we got to boo them. After everyone went around the group leaders voted for the best superhero. I think almost everyone knew who was going to win at least I did, it was duck tape girl her whole costume was made out of duck tape her dress,crown,and cape. I thought she had a cool costume, but she was not my favorite. I had three favorites 1. Adam who was;Herman Luethy with the power to see in 3D(ha ha) . 2. Devon who was;Mr.handsome with the power to make you look bad or him look good(again ha ha). 3. Logan who was;the fly with the power to fly(one last ha ha).

Next we had a relay race in our superhero costumes. It was fun but I could tell my team did not give it's full effort which made me upset. It's OK to lose but not if you don't give your full effort. We had a little more free time after that and I played more gaga ball.

Then we had supper, and after supper we had session three. In session three I learned that I need to wake up, grow up, give up,and look up. The one that jumped out at me most was grow up. But that's probably because Luke (the speaker) told us a funny story when he talked about growing up. After session three we played capture the flag. I thought capture the flag was really fun even though we never found the flag. But I really liked running around in the dark and walking and talking with others. After capture the flag we hung out for a while and then went to bed.

The next morning I woke up tired and sore. I ate breakfast did my devotions tried to play carpet ball but my wrist was kinda sore. Then we went to session four. In session four I learned about Ananias and how he was willing and he received a difficult task and accomplished a mission to bring a God-sized miracle.

After session four we cleaned our cabins and packed our bags. Then I played gaga ball until it was time to leave. I made two commitments while I was on the retreat 1.To try not to be so self conscience and focus on God more and not just my reputation. 2.To do all things for the glory of God and not myself.

VISION Sunday

Wow, yesterday was another great Sunday at New Song Fellowship Church. Pastor Jamie gave the vision for the church for the next year and beyond. It was impressive and motivating. I left excited to be apart of a church that wants to disciple, train, and send workers to save the Lost, and wants to be a beacon of hope and encouragement in this city. But, that wasn't all, I personally felt encouraged and motivated to move forward with change and plans for progress.

As the New year rolled in I made my resolution, like always. I like making a new years resolution and working at it. I like a time for goal setting and plans for improvement. So, I set out to make a goal for the year 2012. Like always I began praying about it a few weeks before the new year. But, this year was different. Instead of a simple goal like, lose weight, exercise daily, eat better, watch less TV, red the Bible daily, etc. etc. this year the goal seemed a little vague. I resolved to let God discipline me in the year 2012. Yes, that is what I said, I resolved to let God take the rod out and train me.

I will be honest I wasn't really sure what this decision meant or how it would look. But, taking my cue from the movie, "Courageous." I started looking at God's Word for what it meant to be disciplined, I started praying that God would change me, and before I knew it he started showing me His plans. The windows of awareness started opening. The window of poor health habits swung open, then the breeze was felt from the window of poor spiritual habits, next I see the light coming through the window of selfish motives. As each window opens, I wonde,r is it really possible to be disciplined, orderly, and righteous. Surely, God is not calling me to ALL this.

Thankfully, as he opened each window, he also gave me a glimpse of how he planned to change these habits.

I started searching for answers and he showed me diet changes, sleep habits that needed changed, attitudes that need correcting, routines that had to be change, and people and things that had to move onto or off of my priority list. I decided that if I was serious about this goal that I would have to do as He said. So, I started a new menu, I let go of my pop addiction (and my excuses to keep it), I started setting the alarm clock, and I made some new relationship goals. Just to mention a few of the changes that began taking place this month.

The excitement of something new kept me going, but at times it is overwhelming to be trying to make such changes. For example Saturday, I sat trying to work out my new menu, but not having enough new recipes for large families to really fill a whole week was getting frustrating. Then sitting with my husband and working on the budget "together" finding it overwhelming after years of doing it alone. (The accountability is so scary)

So, at this point of still be excited to try and make changes to become the woman God made me to be and being overwhelmed by it all, I head to Sunday morning worship. Having no idea how it would spur me on.

Here is what I learned Sunday morning:

From Titus 4:6-16

verse 6 BE DOCTRINALLY SOUND

"In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the [a]sound doctrine which you have been following."

I need to fill up on God's word constantly, I eat three meals a day, so I need to match that with spiritual food. This grow my Faith and keep me doctrinally sound (if I don't know what God says in His word, how can I live according to it?)

verses 7-9 BE DISCIPLINED

7" But [b]have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance."

"Discipline is delaying gratification to attain something greater and better." this was a quote Pastor Jamie said.

Discipline involves tools: budgets, calenders, schedules, goal sheets, and choices in discernment, priorities and planning.

I found that encouraging because i have spent a great deal of time these past couple weeks working on plans, discerning what is best for our day to be spent doing, planning how to make changes, creating and making new schedules and charts. I wondered if it was all worth it, but this was a reminder that planning is necessary for success, change, and progress.

verses 10-11 BE DILIGENT

10 "For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. 11 Prescribed and teach these things."

Change and Progress doesn't come easy, but if I focus on Hope, then the hard work will reap a reward, and as I learn these things, I am to prescribe and teach them to others (for me my children first.).

verse 12 BE DESIRABLE

12 "Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. "

I need to be bold in Christ by speaking, acting, loving, and serving in faith and purity. I need to be a good example.

verses 13-14 BE DISCIPLED

13" Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. 14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery."

Here pastor Jamie said, we are told to use our spiritual gifts, and to make sure the Word is being shared out load in public. Wow, what a calling.

verses 15-16 BE DELIBERATE

15" Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. 16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. "

Wow, what a finish it says take pains, be absorbed, and pay close attention. Can God make it any clear to me that yes, he wants my full attention on Him and the things of Him.

"Spiritual growth never happens by accident"

So, I press on encouraged that God is in the process of changing me and making progress in my life for His purposes. If you want to hear the message first hand you can at http://newsongfellowship.net/media

God of the ordinary day

Do you ever wonder where God is in the day to day routine? I think sometimes I just need to stop and look and then I see His marvelous work before my eyes. Like this morning:

As I feed baby Anna this morning, I sat watching Davey do his morning job of clearing the breakfast table. I watch as he systematically takes the plates off, going around carefully removing each fork (so not to throw it away) and stacking each plate on top of each other. He stops at my place, and politely asks, "mom, are you done with your food?" I think how far his speech and vocabulary have come. He not only spoke in a complete sentence, but clearly knew what he wanted to say and what answer he should listen to hear. I respond that yes I am done. I watch to see what he will do next, will he eat my food or clear it off and throw it away (as he is suppose to). Without hesitation, he adds the dirty plate to the stack. With a little bounce in his step (always a bounce in his step) he joyfully takes the stack to the trash. As he returns to the table, he smiles at Stephen and includes him in his little chore. He tells, Steve that he can dump the water from the cups into the pitcher. Stephen is excited to be able to help. All the while, Davey continues to do his job now again systematically removing each fork. He moves round and round the large table, and picks up each fork and adds it to his pile in his hand. This again amazes me, as I see he is able to hold all of them in his hand with a tight grip and none falling out. His hand coordination and muscle control has improved so much. Again he bounces into the kitchen and deposits the forks in the sink. Bouncing back to the table, he continues to talk with Steve in a happy easy going way. He tells Steve he has to take the cups now. He again begins circling the table stacking each cup into each other, and takes them to the kitchen. Upon returning to the table he gently tells Steve, he has to take the water pitchers to the sink. Stephen reluctantly gives them up, and Davey takes them to the kitchen. He returns to the table for one last pass, he takes the left over food carefully to the kitchen, and places each thing either on the cupboard, in the trash, or in the fridge as it should be. I sit and marvel at all that he just did. Without any assistant at all he completely cleared the table, included his younger brother in his task, and politely considered my needs, and all without complaint.
Now, if only tomorrow or even later today when he is not being so compliant, i can remember this moment, and the amazing gift he is to me. God truly has showed his power in this little guys life, and I feel privileged to be able to witness such a miracle.
I pray that I never forget to appreciate the miracle God has done in my children's lives and in mine because of them. I pray to that my friends and family know God's presence in their lives each ordinary day.
Psalms 73:25-28
25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. 28 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works.