Idols

Dying to myself!  This is SO hard for me in some areas of my life.   I LOVE being a mom.  There is nothing I would rather be.  I love being with my kids all day.  I love homeschooling.  It's always been my dream and I'm so thankful God has blessed me with such an incredible opportunity.   I'm learning though, that this wonderful opportunity is one that is also an opportunity for great change in my character!   I saw someone call their kids their "little sanctifiers".   That hit home with me.   I really struggle with my tongue and my attitude.  I am an introvert, so I like to have some time to myself.   I'm a quiet person...I don't mind some noise...but, I'd rather it not be excessive.   I like for people to respect my personal space.  I don't like to be interrupted or bothered when I make it COMPLETELY OBVIOUS that I need a minute to do something. I don't like for people to say my name 10 times in a row while I clearly can't answer at the moment.   Most of all...I like...more like NEED...8 hours of sleep.   The list goes on.     Well, if you have kids, you know that every single one of these things are just not going to happen.  You would think I would have come to terms with that after 8 years as a mom.   However,  when these things don't happen, I get downright hateful.  I have found myself raising my voice at my kids and being so unkind to them.   I have been ridiculous!   It breaks my heart to think of how I have made my kids feel on so many occasions.   I have taught them that it's ok to act that way...why am I surprised when I hear them speak the same way to their siblings?

We heard Ted Tripp speak a while back and one thing he said has always stuck with me.  In a nutshell he said, If something your kids are doing is making you really angry, it's usually because they're messing with one of your idols.    It's so true.   When I'm really upset with them, it's usually because it's inconveniencing me, or frustrating my plans, or interrupting me, etc.   These things have become idols in my life that I have got to lay down at His feet.  I've had to repent and thank God for His amazing grace.

I have the opportunity here to grow in Christ.  I'm finding myself relying on Him more to get me through the days, to be aware of the God ordained opportunities I have to minister to my kids, and to live a life full of the fruit of His Holy Spirit.   I have so far to go and pray that I can share the love and grace of Christ in a more real way with my kids as I experience it more deeply myself.

"I Don't Feel Guilty"

Just thought I'd post this...related to my last post.  Got this from Ray Comfort :

Some people don't feel guilty when they sin because they have "seared" their conscience.  Repeated sin sears the conscience until its muffled voice is no longer heard.  This is a tragedy because the conscience is the voice of warning.  Those who delight in sin, because they have dulled their conscience, are like a man who removes the batteries form his smoke detector because he doesn't want to be bothered by its alarm.  To awaken the deadened conscience, simply take the person through the Law.  Address the conscience directly by saying, "You know it's wrong to lie, steal, commit adultery, etc."  As you do, the conscience will confirm the Commandments.  Always preach the Law along with future punishment then pray that the HOly Spirit will come convict the person of sin, righteousness, and judgement to come.


Ephesians 4:19  who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.


I pray this for and preach this to myself!!

Guard Your Heart

I just finished reading a book by Francine Rivers called A Voice in the Wind.   It's set in Ancient Rome and takes place several years after Jesus' death and resurrection.  The main character is a young Christian girl who has lost everything, including her family, and has become a slave in Rome.   I could not put this book down and can't wait to get the next in the Mark of the Lion Series.  It's fiction but it's also biblical and historical.      As I was reading, I was so disgusted at how the Roman's lived.  They were so hard hearted.   The way they lived was reviling.   They felt they had the right to live however they wanted and that it was wrong to deny themselves what their nature desired...no matter what it was.   Infidelity, promiscuity, homosexuality, etc...they were proud of practicing those things and for tolerating everyone's preferences.   They went to the arenas to watch the "games" which consisted of lots of bloodshed, while people profited greatly from running and sponsoring the "games".    They worshipped many gods and if you dared to say there was only one true God, you would be thrown to the lions in front of a bloodthirsty mob.

As I made my way through the book, I started to realize that we are not so different...me included.  Selfish, jealous, greedy, sinful by nature.  That's me!   I hear people talk about the shows they are into and they can't wait for the next season to come out.   Those shows are filled with immorality.  The latest one, I won't name...I really wanted to watch.  It's exactly the kind of show I love to watch.  Well, just a little ways into the show, two men start passionately kissing.  I was so disappointed!  I thought about just continuing to watch.  But, I was so convicted.   How could I?   The Bible is so clear about this behavior.  It should shock me!  It should disgust me like it does my Father. If I believe what the Bible says about these things...why do I think it's ok for me to watch them?    I have to think about all of the things I watch...how many immoral situations are in them?  How much crude humor is in them?  How many children disrespecting their parents?  How much gory violence?   Things that should make us blush, but, no longer do?    Have I allowed myself to become desensitized to these things?   I teach my children Proverbs 4:23 "Above all else guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life".    I really believe that this includes what we're watching on tv.  The Romans went to the arena...we turn on our big screens or buy a ticket to the theater.    Our children turn on video games where they are picking up prostitutes and killing people.  Guard you hearts! Guard the hearts of your children!    As I read the story of the young Christian girl in Rome...it wasnt' easy.  She was tempted by the same things they were, she had the same passions rise up in her, but, she was more interested in pleasing her God than her own desires...or the desires of those around her.  We live in a society where it's all to easy to take part in things we shouldn't.   All too often, the church looks just like the world.  We watch, listen to and take part in the same things.   Things that break our Father's heart have become our entertainment!    If we are entertained by these things, are we going to be motivated to minister to people in these situations the way we're called to?  

I Corinthians 15:33   Do not be misled, bad company corrupts good character.

Ephesians 5:4   Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:8  See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

Matthew 5:14   You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill that cannot be hidden.

3 Months Home...What we've been up to!

June 15th marked 3 months home!  Seems like way longer.  The kids are doing so good.  They've come a long way.  Christy's english is improving daily.   I've been informed that we have just gotten used to hearing her talk and most people still can't understand her.  But, she is learning the correct way to say things.  We have also picked up some things that are funny.   I now say "Come!" to all of my kids!   Luke says, "Christy!  See!".   We all say rubbish instead of garbage.  There are things we have picked up without even noticing...just because we've had to for the sake of them understanding what we're saying.   Moses has started to put words together and is talking so much more.  

Moses is still sleeping with me...which I love, but, I don't get much sleep.  Christy is learning new things everyday.  She has so much to learn as far as boundaries and what's appropriate/inappropriate, using her "inside voice", etc.   She is doing so well and I really respect her for taking everything the way she has.  It must be so hard!   She's a sweet girl.

I'm trying to learn some different ways to do Christy's hair....the think I do most is two strand twists. This is a few weeks ago...it was looking pretty rough and we took it out right after this pic.

Then we tried bantu knots.  They looked really cute, but, I was really disappointed because the "knot out" didn't work out.   

Father's Day lunch with dad!

Lentil Sprouts

Bedtime...reading Jesus Storybook Bible

This explains why Moses' hair got buzzed.  His first instinct is to cover himself, starting with is hair, with whatever he has on hand...dirt, peanut butter, whatever!

Stuff is doing pretty good in the garden! 

Lettuce

I got some heirloom seeds and these are turning out so pretty.  THey are rainbow beans.

Several Watermelons getting big!  I got some moon and stars melons, but, I don't think they are growing.  The outside is supposed to be purple...I also planted some of these regular watermelons.  

I'm having a hard time with our cucumbers.  We've only gotten a few good ones.  The rest have been bitter and misshapen! 

These tomatoes have been huge for weeks!  I can't wait for them to ripen.  I'm starting to wonder if they ever will????

Luke next to the tomato plants...they are way taller than him!

Green Beans

Onions

I don't know if you can tell from the pics...but, her hair has grown so much in the past 3 months!

More dirt

Weekend Memory

We had a great weekend with lots of time outdoors.  We spent a few hours at a park on Saturday.   Everyone was busy, riding bikes, throwing balls, I was pushing moses in a swing....then we hear Christy. She starts jumping up and down yelling, "I got a bee! I got a bee! I got a bee!".   We starting yelling at her to let it go but we were too late.  She then starts yelling, "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!".   Poor thing...we've told her about bees...but, hopefully she's learned this lesson and won't try that again.

What we've been up to...

We went camping last weekend.  It was FREEEEEZING at night!!!   We somehow survived the cold, children falling off the air mattresses all night, one child walking in her sleep saying, "I can't sleep here", and did I mention the cold?   We stayed until late the 2nd night and then headed home and hopped in our own beds!   We had a lot of fun though.  Christy couldn't quite wrap her head around this concept of sleeping in a tent when you have a house, but, she loved it and has begged to do it again. :)

Notice Moses' hair.  After the camping trip, I tried to pick all of the gravel and dirt out, but, it was hurting him and I was over it so we just buzzed it.   He had some bald spots anyways, so hoping shaving it will help it to grow in better. 

He never used to look at the camera for pics...now he does this cheesy grin every time he spots me with the camera.  So cute!

Our broody hen "Rose" (named by Ethan).   We finally got her off of the eggs so we could collect them and she ran to the water!  She was so thirsty.   

Today I also witnessed a hawk try to get on of our white hens!  It was crazy and so close! 

We have been squishing bugs in the garden every single day!  I'm thankful the kids havent' thought to pull out the camera and video me doing it.  They've gotten quite a few laughs out of it.  Despite our efforts, something is chewing up our cucumber and green bean plants!  

Can't wait for these tomatoes to ripen!

Baby Watermelon

Dirt was not good enough...they had to make some MUD!

The twins...love them!