Journey Through Ephesians - Learning and Teaching Obedience

I don't know about you, 

but I want my children to reap the benefit of this blessing! 

I have to love my children enough to discipline them - to teach them respect and honor

It is a daunting task! 

At the Apologia Live Retreat this past weekend I had the privilege of hearing Rachael Carman speak

(among other inspirational women) One of the things she said that has stuck with me is this: 

"God; who spoke light into existence 

chose the kids that He has placed in your (my) home 

for His perfect purpose" 

She encouraged us to be bold; raise the bar; and to love them enough to discipline! 

It isn't new information. I believe that God hand picks children - both biological children 

and also (from personal experience) I believe that His mighty hand is on adoption. 

But, there are those times when I have doubted my own abilities to live up to the task.

And, this is her point - we can't totally live up to the task - God's got it! 

All the talk of discipline was balanced beautifully with teaching of love, and laughter 

with the admonition that if we tend to hold on too tightly to our "ideals of perfect" 

to go ahead and let go and let God! 

With regards to trusting the Lord in our home-life, she posed the following question: 

"When are we going to 'get it' and rest in His

providence? He parted the Red Sea! When is He going 

to 'do' enough for us to know that He's got it?" 

I love looking at it this way. I already know that I don't have what it takes to be an honest 

to goodness - perfect mother! I can stop worrying about it and "lean into Him" 

I can trust that God 's got it! I actually use those words a lot. I say:  

"God's got it" 

When I speak about the difficulties life has thrown our way - with parenting issues

 that leave me stumped

I will often quip "God's got it"; it's not that I don't mean it when I say it - I do mean it, I believe that 

He has placed these children in my home - I believe He has a plan for them - but what I'm learning is 

this - the thing God really has been working on - is me. 

I know it's going to be easier to "let up" and pray my way through parenting as I rest in 

the knowledge of those three little words. 

"God's got it" not because of what I say - but because I'm ready to fully lay it down. 

I cannot do this - I am not worthy - but with His grace and His love - 

I will be the woman, the wife, the mother, the friend 

HE wants me to be. 

I fully believe that my children will be able to lay claim to the blessing in Ephesians 6 

because of those three little words - 

God's got it 

I'm willing to let go - give up - and simply follow where He leads. 

I've messed up enough things in my life - this one is far too important! 

I'm so very grateful for the opportunity these past two weeks to soak up these truths

I'm grateful to have spent time in the presence of others who - like me - are not perfect super women 

but are honest and who truly love our Savior and want to serve Him first in our homes. 

I am inspired, refreshed, and honored to call you my friends. 

I'm thankful for opportunity to share with you here online and IRL - thank you! 

And I count to #1000 Gifts and beyond: 

200. Confirmation in that special God - like way 

201. Faithfulness unending, when I just don't deserve it

202. Gifts of friendship 

203. Real, down to earth women who will share their hearts and even their failures

204. Overcoming fear 

205. A cousin/ sister and her husband who will keep all three boys for me 

206. Actually missing my boys 

207. God's blessings on our home and business 

208. Everyday miracles - and taking the time to notice them

209. Being on the road - another adventure with the boys

210. Distance cannot separate Christian sisters 

                          
       
                           

Also linking with : Saints and Scriptures 

Our Homeschool Week - Renewal

In my life this week: 

Renewal 

We have beautiful tropical flowers at home - but during our Spring Break Extravaganza - road trip to both the  Teach Them Diligently Convention in South Carolina, and the trip to Georgia to Apologia Live  

we have had the opportunity to enjoy a real "Spring" bouquet

 - there is something special about new life budding - the renewal of the trees!  

My favorite thing this week was: 

Spending time with like - minded friends and family. The kids enjoyed Bible time with

 Rebecca @MomsMustardSeeds and her sweet family. They had plenty of play time outside and 

got dirty in the red GA clay. That makes for some seriously happy boys - by the way! 

Visiting life long friends and watching our children play together - I love the pure joy that comes from

the simple things - like throwing rocks in the pond! Who knew it could be so entertaining? 

Watching our boys romp and run through the park was a joy in and of itself.

Next week - once I've returned home and can load all my pictures - I'll share our nature walk 

with the Mustard Seed kiddos in the woods! I have an adorable picture of all the kids sitting on 

a log in the woods - listening for Robins! 

In our homeschool this week: 

We are taking time to notice the flowers of Spring - even the weeds are wonderful examples of 

God's beautiful creation! We went on a terrific "historical" nature walk with Kathy and kiddos 

@Kathy's Cluttered Mind - the kids loved playing in the creek and learned about the power of water

from the beautiful waterfall & some of the history of the area. (more on this next week) 

It's hard to beat a good day at the creek! 

They collected rocks, crystals, and clams to investigate. 

(we will go through our rock collections later and sort and identify them - this will have to do for 

our Look What We Did post this week :) 

Our Week: Our Spring break week has been a wonderful experience - a time of renewal - 

a time for the boys to romp and roar with friends (both new and old) a time for mommy to be 

encouraged and uplifted by so many wonderful homeschool moms, friends, and family. 

I've been blessed by the awesome TTD conference speakers  and am looking forward to the next 

two days of ApologiaLive  - A huge thank you to my awesome sponsor - please be sure to check them

out - whether you are interested in adoption as a family or not - there is something in this film that 

all need to see (it's perfect for your small groups and church groups - btw) :

 

The more I work with this group of people - the more I see their heart for others and most of 

all their heart for Jesus. They are being the hands, hearts, and feet on the ground - reaching out 

to the world's most vulnerable - the orphans. Whether or not adoption is for you - the 

film is a must see. We are not all called to adopt - but we are ALL called to care for the fatherless. 

I hope: 

I hope you are enjoying the weather (despite the pollen- hello!) I want to encourage you to get out and 

play with the kids - take time to notice how pretty the flowers are - who is flying around them - listen

quietly for a bit to the birds as they sing the songs of spring! 

Notice the handiwork of our loving Creator today! 

Psalm 1:2 

"But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night" 

Freebie: 

What is Federalism? Free video and other free History resources - they are amazing! 

I'll have to post some pictures of us watching the videos and learning about our Constitution 

and how our country was founded - this week were still road trippin'! We did do some Civil War history

and I'll tie it to some of these lessons from MomsMustardSeeds and Founders Academy : 

 

3 in 30: 

My Goals this month - Well, being on the road for half of the month has a tendency to throw things off

a bit - but, I'm gaining loads of inspiration to stick to my plans for next month - I am reading the word, drinking water, studying and researching about my health, and my blog. It could be worse! I'm in need of improvement on the diet - healthy eating is more of a challenge while traveling- but all is not lost. This time of renewal is so good for me and will go a long way towards helping me reach long term goals. 

Linking with: 

MOB Society - Homeschool Mother's Journal  - Freebie Friday - Freedom Friday - 3 in 30-
 Friday Fun School  

Let's Hear It For the Boys - All Five of Them - Our Week

Pin It

Oh what a fun week we had! We've participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count this year, but just because it only lasted for a few days doesn't mean we are finished with counting bird. We've enjoyed it so much, and I like the idea of logging our bird count and using a scientific method of doing so, that we've decided to just keep right on counting. 

Standing in awe of gulls who are desperately seeking crackers! 

The littles had crackers and got them all stirred up - Like a scene from The Birds 

Suffice it to say - we got an up-close look at these gulls! 

 People We're Seeing & Places We're going:

We had a visit this week from some special friends - Hyacynth Worth from UnderCover Mother 

and her two adorable little "helpers" came for a stay and a "field trip" to the beach. 

It was nice to have younger boys around again - mine are getting big so quickly. Being with her boys made me realize just how quickly that is. I don't want to miss a moment of their growing up. I'm so thankful to be homeschooling our three boys and proud of the little men they are becoming. 

Hyacynth and I enjoyed listening to the vivid imagination of this all male crew as they played a bustling game of Pirates. We were impressed with how well the boys played together even though there was a significant difference in age. 

We found fossilized sharks teeth - the boys excavated several crab holes - and Hyacynth and I took turns chasing after her active, curious two year old. My oldest was awed by the fact that the toddler obviously understood everything going on around him and even mastered ipod skills in a short time. 

The social skills and character training of this particular crowd is progressing rather well. 

We are learning: 

    

Cooking 101 - Our Cooking class at home includes science, math, home economics, and critical thinking as we explore recipes, plan meals, budget the shopping, and even use coupons to get the best deals. The boys are enjoying the time we spend together in the kitchen and learning about what it takes to feed a family, learning kitchen safety, and to follow instructions. 

Be sure to join our Link UP on Tuesdays (open all week) 

Kids in the Kitchen - Link your family friendly recipes and/or posts of your cuties cooking

Carrie Raab from Young Living Oil Lady  is joining me as we host this weekly link up

You can read an interview with her here - about cooking with healthy essential oils! 

Earth and Animal Science:

We are always busy Exploring God's Creation - in our nature study during the backyard bird count

 - we discovered this American Kestrel - He continues to visit our yard - we like that A LOT

he is "North America's Littlest Falcon"   You can read about him here on the FREE site by Cornell U. 

Exploring God's Creation- How we do it: We used the Cornell site (link above) to help identify other birds we found - We gather nature journals and pencils - We bring cameras and binoculars - We find a spot to sit or walk (as quietly as possible) We put on our "listening ears" to hear bird calls - We bring a bird field guide - and we watch carefully. The boys can draw/ sketch while we sit - we talk quietly if no birds are present - When they show up we get quiet and still - We observe - take pictures - and watch carefully. Later we finish looking up information and adding to the nature journal/ sketch books. Even when we are not "bird watching" or on a nature hike - we keep our eyes open for special bird species. Today a Great Blue Heron landed in the back yard. We all ran to see it excitedly. Yesterday we saw an Osprey flying by with a fish in his mouth. We've even had Bald Eagles land in the yard! 

(I'm hoping to get a better picture this week - he's high up on a dark cloudy WINDY day) 

History - Geography - Language Arts - Science:

We are using the Trail Guide to Learning Series from GeoMatters and loving it! 

You can WIN a full $150 Set of the Paths of Exploration 

which covers 2nd - 6th grade 

(although I'm successfully adapting it to fit even my Kindergarten and 1st grade students) 

Win a set on Adventurez In ChildRearing Here - Easy entry! 

We are also learning about the History of the United States by reading the Constitution, the Mayflower Compact, and other critical documents forged by our Nations founders. You can gain access to this information through MomsMustardSeeds and Founders Academy on the link here where you'll find access not only to the documents  themselves but FREE video feed discussing the reasons behind them and how they are still vital in today's society. If we do not understand our past and from where we have  come - how can we understand where we need to go in the future? I do hope you'll join us for 

Freedom Fridays and link up with MomsMustardSeeds to share what you're learning.It's Free! 

My boys continue to be awed by the likes of Ben Franklin, Thomas Paine, George Washington , 

John and Abigail Adams  more as we study documents like "Common Sense" 

and read through supplemental books from the Trail Guide to Learning Series. The combination 

of these resources is really bringing home the big picture for my boys. They're "getting it"! 

I'm proud of my boys! We're starting the day with Scripture - filling the day with exploration and adventure - and ending the day with Scripture and love. I'm happy watching them grow! 

Joy Pockets & Thankful Thursday: 


Watching them grow * Seeing gentle spirits form (even when they have to back up and try again)
Birds and the look of awe and utter amazement in the eyes of my boys seeing them close up * Enjoying the interest of my children as they learn to value their Freedom * Hearing them recite Bible verses I too learned as a child * Healthy boys splashing in the water and digging on the beach * Friends 

3 in 30 Goals: 


As you can see - we've been busy! I'm still drinking my water and getting more exercise. We are spending more time in the outdoors on our bird watching and beach walks.
My blog is going well - I got my Linky up and running for Kids in the Kitchen 
My devotional time with the kids is awesome. We're opening up more and more dialogue in our home through our studies and I love seeing the boys grow spiritually. My personal devotional study in Ephesians is going well - my post was featured on Good Morning Girls! (I'm counting that for both quiet time success and blog success) ;)

Linking with: 

    

  

Exploring God's Creation

In our life/ homeschool this week:

Exploring God's Creation is one of our favorite
things to do as a family. This weekend the weather
was just right for a walk in the woods together.

There is something special about getting out into
nature with the family as a team - and taking a closer
look at the natural world around us.

That closer look is an important part of a
successful hike with the family.

The  "dreary trail" picture:   

For example - upon first glance - the trail here (the picture on the right labeled "dreary trial" )  is a bit
bland without much to offer in the way of scenery.

Bushes, tall brown grass, and a few weeds are all that
appear - until one takes a closer look.

                  "Look Smaller"


                "And Smaller Still"

"Open the eyes of your heart" 

When you do - you might even see this. . . .

I am inspired by: 

A little sweat bee on a "Brown Eyed Susan" 

(from the bottom right hand side of the "dreary trail" picture) 

As we stopped - took the time to look closely we found . . . . . 

Bright red berries from the "Brazilian Pepper Tree" bushes against a vivid blue sky

(this beauty also hiding in the original picture - upper center) 

Quietly - always on the lookout for wildlife - we walked on 

and found the Florida weed version of Queen Anne's Lace . . . . . .

. . . . . and these pretty little purple buds 

I am grateful for: 

It was a beautiful afternoon walk through the Florida scrub 

along the North side of Charlotte Harbor State Park

Enjoying the family time . . . . . 

As we stopped to take in the details 

and notice  little pops of color . . . . . 

along with various shapes scattered here and there across the landscape . . . . . 

To enjoy the way the sun glows round a plain brown weed 

to guess the age and count the rings of a cut limb . . . . .

we play and hide - in the tall tall grass . . . . . 

A family hike through the woods is all it takes 

to remind me . . . . . .

How awesome our Creator really is! 

Deuteronomy 3: 24 

"Oh Lord God, thou hast begun to show thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand;

for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, 

and according to thy might?"

The miracles of His Creation are all around us! 

Why then do we fear?

Romans 8: 31 

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?"  

Take heart my friends - we are in good hands.

Psalm 55: 22

 "Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; 

He will never let the righteous be shaken." 

We are righteous because of the blood of Christ, cleansed, pure and holy in His sight

White as snow - because of His GRACE!

Ephesians 2: 8

"For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves,

 it is the gift of God" 

His assurance to carry our burdens  is repeated 

again in the New Testament - so I think He's pretty serious about it! 

I Peter 5: 7

"Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." 

Matthew 6: 33

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; 

and all these things shall be added unto you" 

The more I seek after the things of God - the more I realize - it is His 

It's all His - my life is not my own and I am free NOT to worry 

NOT to stress - but to rest in His love 

safely covered by His wings of protection - wrapped in His arms! 

Colossians 3:15

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,

 to which you are called to one body; and be thankful " 

#1000 Gifts: 

150. One body and making connections 

151. Misty morning view of the first rays twinkling on the water 

152. Sun sparkling off of blond bobbing heads 

153. Casting cares, laying them down 

154. Peace that passes all understanding 

155. The tiny details in nature where I see the Master's hand 

156. Reminders of gratitude 

157. Opportunity to encourage

158. Sharing love 

159. Bright red berries against the bright blue sky 

Ephesians 1: 18 

"Having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which 

He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints." 

It is this inheritance spoken of in this verse that enlightened the eyes of my heart 

this past week, and led to this post. He is so faithful! 

Homeschool Freebies: 

* I found this wonderful site - it's great free FL botany information 

   their pictures are far lovelier than mine: 

   Florida Wildflower Gallery 

* Also- ideas for winter picnic's for those of you who live in a colder climate:

   Winter Picnics

* Be sure to check out Moms Mustard Seeds to get your "reading assignment" for

   Freedom Friday and link to the online document "The Mayflower Compact" 

My 3 in 30 Goals:
1. Walk with the Lord- Well, I'm behind on my Ephesians study- but I'm still hanging in there and I'm getting a lot out of it - I am even taking notes, I've just not had time to type it out & put it on the blog - I have added some of the verses to posts where they fit though. I'm pleased with the input & growth I'm seeing in the boys - sharing with them not just Bible stories & verses, but talking about WHAT they mean to me & listening to WHAT they are "getting" out of our Bible time is really blessing me. God is good!!!
2. Health- well, I've not been as active as I'd planned to be, but I am drinking my water, cooking (no to-go food at all) and getting SOME exercise. There have been a couple of mild fronts that came through and they really give me a hard time with my joints- they are currently a tad swollen and feverish. #prayingforhealing
3. Blog- I'm so tickled about the upcoming conferences in March. God is opening doors and providing the way (through some loving and helpful bloggy friends) doing both ApologiaLive, and TeachThemDiligently - although they are homeschool convo's and not blog convo's - I believe they are a good fit for my blog and I am happy dancing about the prize/prizes I'll have to offer my awesome readers!!! Stay tuned for a couple of BIG surprises!

Linking with: