Summer Reading: The 10 Second Rule

You may think that the subject of this post is about how long a dropped piece of food can be on the ground and still be ok to eat.  But alas, it is not about food at all. Just a quick post about a book I really enjoyed, that is currently on $1.99 on Kindle.
 The 10 Second Rule is a short but powerful read by Claire DeGraff about following Jesus and listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  

What is the 10 Second Rule?  

" Just do the next thing you’re reasonably certain Jesus wants you to do 

(and do it within the next ten seconds before you change your mind!)"

Great summer read!  Add it to your list.
I'd love to hear what is on your summer reading list!

*Note: This post contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase through the link, there is no extra charge to you, but I may earn a small commission to support my blogging hobby. 

The Best Yes

Christ's Church is hosting a Women's Retreat this month and the study will be based on Lysa Terkeurst's new book, The Best Yes: Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands. 

The pattern of this world is to do, do, do and say yes, yes, yes.  Many women today feel their significance is directly related to their calendar.  This is especially true of mothers with children, where the endless demands of school and extracurricular activities are competing with family time.  So many times I busy myself with good things, but they may not be the 'best' things.  If you struggle making decisions, (I know I do), often settling for 'the good' instead of 'the BEST', I would encourage you to come to the retreat.

Watch the video below for more information about The Best Yes.

The deadline to register is April 17. You can get more details and register at http://www.ccontheweb.com/womens-retreat/.   If you plan to go, let me know so I can meet up with you!

Homeschool? Me? ... A little late to the February Blog Party

 

Due to unexpected surgery, I missed the February deadline but I wanted to post on this topic anyway.

February's Topic: Share how you first decided to homeschool. How did you decide on a curriculum?

Looking back, I'm convinced that God was planting seeds about homeschooling as far back as highschool, when I made a friend who had been homeschooled until she started 9th grade.  That was in the eighties, so it was very uncommon.  Again, in college, I had a roommate who had been homeschooled and still had siblings at home that were being homeschooled. Seeing their lifestyle gave me that initial exposure to what homeschooling was like and I took a mental note.  

Fast forward to 2001 and it was time for my first child to enter Kindergarten.  I was still working part-time in the medical field but dreaded the thought of not being part of my son's education on a daily basis. After All, I'd been 'teaching' him since day one.  Why is it that just because they hi age 5, suddenly a mom is not longer qualified to teach her child?   I was still exploring the homeschool option but I was pregnant with my second child and lacked confidence so I sent my son to a private school for Kindergarten.

During that year, the Holy Spirit was extremely active in convincing me that I was called to educate my children from home.  From the people he put in my path, including complete strangers, to the literature I was reading and the friends my son was making at school, it may as well have been a neon flashing sign telling me to GO FOR IT!   The final incident that just blew my mind was when I walked into a doctor's office for my first appointment.  The sweet lady behind the counter was actually married the the doctor I was about to see and she struck up a conversation with me.  Turns out she had always homeschooled her four children.  Her daughter was my son's age and her oldest child was in college! Why in the world would the topic of homeschooling come up at the Chiropractor's office?  I have to snicker to myself at how often I kept praying for 'a sign' and that day it was like a knock in the head, "Hello, McFly" !
Shortly after I said, "Yes"  to the call.  I found several new friends at church who had started a small co-op and were encouraging me to join.  These friends are still a part of my life today and I'm certain will be lifelong friends.  

My curriculum choice came about in a similar way.  As I was researching options, Sonlight kept popping up.  Then I met someone who encouraged me to contact Sheila DelCharco, because she had already been using Sonlight for a few years.  Little did I know that my initial phone call about curriculum would also turn into a special friendship!  

We learned how to can tomatoes one year with our Italian Connection.

Raising butterflies with friends.

I didn't know how much I loved literature until I began learning with Sonlight alongside my children. When you are passionate about something, your children pick up on that.  It is critical to make learning joyful and enjoying great literature together is and was a great joy to me.   I've added many other things through the years but my style of learning and teaching is greatly influenced by what I learned in the first 5-8 years with Sonlight.  My oldest son will graduate next year and his siblings (5th and 7th grade) have never attended any "school".  We are in our 11th year and I can't imagine it any other way.

This photo was actually chosen to be
in a Sonlight Catalog.

Today, we are using many of our early Sonlight items with my other children and we include co-op classes, virtual classes, Dual Enrollment classes and other opportunities that come along based on our needs each year.  

I had a great time looking back at some of the photos from past years. Hard to only choose a few.

Making Goop!

Love heading to Chick-Fil-A for 'school' breakfast.  Especially nice when
weather was bad because the children could use the playground for 'recess'.
 I could work with my oldest son, while the two youngest played.

Night to Shine 2015 Update

Last month I posted about the special needs prom, Night to Shine, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundations.  Over 40 churches in the US, and three other countries, hosted the event on Friday 2/13/15.  My family volunteered at the Jacksonville event at Christ's Church Mandarin. What a fabulous night and what blessing it was to serve those the world often overlooks.

Here is a video I took of one of the participants with his buddy, who wheeled him around the dance floor all night.  Look at the joy on his face!

Another highlight of the evening was when the train began.  It grew until almost the entire room was participating.  Here is a video snip of a portion of the train.

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’’

Highway to Haiti Part 2:PRAISE!

Earlier in the month, I wrote about my son's upcoming mission trip to Haiti.  I'm overjoyed to report that he has met his fundraising goal on his GoFundMe account!  Our prayers were answered and just to make sure we were positive that God intends for Reese to go on this trip, we received his passport back in record time, less than three weeks!   

Donations to his trip are still coming in and those will be so helpful paying for extra baggage, meals on the road while traveling to the airport in South Florida and extra things we hope to purchase to give to the residents of All Things New Orphanage or Rapha House.  Also, we know others who are still trying to raise funds to support the trip and I would absolutely LOVE to share the love with another teen or adult raising money on this trip.

God is so good!

Wrestling with Resolutions

Considering it is the last week of January, a post on resolutions may seem tardy. However, I've been wrestling with choosing resolutions for 2015.. Most of us, myself included, choose resolutions that involve self-improvement or self-preservation in some form. I want to eat well, exercise, lose weight, reduce debt, declutter the house, read my Bible and pray more consistently. The list goes on, and basically the question is "What should I do about me?" That question and those resolutions do not satisfy my searching soul. Don't get me wrong, these are all worthy goals and I intend to make strides in each area this year. It's just that "physical training is of some value, but Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for this life and the life to come."  If I want to be a 'better' me, then maybe I need to do something to improve the world around me.

This weekend I went on a road trip.  I had drive time of about 2.5 hours each way and I decided I would catch up on my Daily Audio Bible (DAB) podcasts, because I was already falling behind on that resolution, and then maybe pick another podcast that would challenge me in the coming year.  I chose the Re:solution Series, by Andy Stanley at Northpoint Church (HIGHLY recommend). And just as God promises, when we seek Him, when we seek wisdom, when we seek guidance, He will deliver.  I began to see a reason why my attempts at choosing resolutions were not setting well with my soul. They all focused on ME.  

What breaks my heart in this world and what am I going to do about it?  What purpose am I to fulfill in the BIG picture of God's plan for humanity? Who am I going to serve this year? Am I resolving to focus on self-improvement only or am I including a resolution to love others?  WHAT IF, I do not know how to even answer these questions right now? These are some of the questions posed as I was traveling, driving, listening.  I'm wrestling to choose resolutions that will not only hold promise for THIS life but also for the life to come.  

Night to Shine

Last year, a special needs prom was held at Christ's Church and called Night to Remember.  It was a huge success and when The Tim Tebow Foundation heard about it, they asked to sponsor and duplicate the program in several other locations around the country.  

This year, the event will be called Night to Shine and in Jacksonville, FL, it will be hosted by Christ's Church on Friday, February 13, from 6-8:30pm. The event is open to anyone ages 13 and older with developmental and/or physical impairments.  Each participant will be paired with a buddy and a hospitality suite is open to the caregivers so they may enjoy some rest and fellowship.  

Red carpet, papparazzi, hairstyling, shoe shine, tiaras, dinner, dancing, limo rides, etc. are all on the agenda for the amazing evening.  You can find a highlight video of last year's event at NighttoShinejax.com

Volunteers are needed, to be 'buddies' to the participants.  You can volunteer at here.

I encourage you to spread the word about this event so that as many participants are aware of the event and consider volunteering. Let me know if you do, I will see you there!

Highway to Haiti

My seventeen year-old son, Reese, will soon be traveling to Haiti on a mission trip with a team of high-school juniors and seniors from Christ's Church. The trip will take place over Spring Break, March 13th-20th.  This will be Reese's second mission trip; he traveled to Juarez, Mexico with his father at about age 11.

While in Haiti, Reese will be staying at Christianville and visiting the All Things New Orphanage and Rapha House.  Christ's Church supports all three of these ministries so it will be exciting for him to see first-hand what these ministries do, after hearing about them for years.

Another exciting part of this trip, especially for me, is that Reese will get to meet Woodlerx.   Woodlerx is a ten-year old boy living at All Things New that I have helped sponsor for 2015, with a group of K-4th graders at Christ's Church.  This group of elementary students worked hard to raise $525 over six weeks so that we could pay for a year of support for Woodlerx.  We are excited to put together a care package to send with Reese so that he can hand-deliver it to Woodlerx.  You can see photos of the All Things New Kids here.

Our family stepped out in faith by signing Reese up for this trip because of the financial consideration.  Reese has paid some of the initial fees on his own but has also set-up a donations account with GoFundMe.

If you are one to pray, please add this trip to your prayers.  I know this will be a life-changing event in Reese's life and I can't wait to see what God will do!

Blogging Challenge: Making the Commitment

Writing is hard work. Even though I really enjoy writing, it is sometimes excruciating to get the words into print.  But he habit of daily writing is valuable and often cathartic, at least to me. Blogging has become very popular in the past decade and I've had a desire to blog for years, but my posts have been very few and far between.

Recently, I was challenged by Nan at Blog's University and Katie Girl, of Chicks Down South, to complete the One-Year Blog Challenge. The challenge was issued over a lunch meeting for those who live in the local area of Jacksonville, FL.  However, there are a few participating long-distance from other states.  Nan, The Blog Professor, has begun a series of blog entries to help new blogger's get started and I am learning much from her instruction.

This challenge is exciting because it will offer some team motivation to get me writing.  Personally, the habit of writing regularly and consistently will be my first step in this challenge.  I'm not sure I can commit to once a day, but that is what I will aim for by the end of the year.  For now, I will attempt three posts per week and try to increase that each month or two.

Commitment:  Making a plan and putting it into action.

Delight and Desire

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4 ESV)

For years I read this verse and interpreted it in such a way that if I would just follow the Lord and His ways, I would get what my heart desires.  Yesterday, my paradigm on this verse was completely shifted as I read this verse again and realized just how much my desires have changed over the last fifteen years.  It seems that a slow miracle of sanctification has been occurring in my life and while I was learning to delight myself in the Lord, He was opening the true desires of my heart.

If you had asked me in the early nineties about the desires of my heart, it would have been a laundry list of worldly goals.  Marriage, kids, career, nice car, fashionable clothes, me, me, me. It was all about me.  After achieving those desires, I realized I was not delighted at all.  In time, I realized the Savior I met at twelve years old was waiting for me, longing to give me new and true desires.  Looking back, I can visualize His hand guiding me along the way.  Many times I swerved and attmepted to head down my own road but that always ended in a dead-end.

Along came the opportunity to educate my children from home.  It was a decision I struggled with for some time but I truly believed it was what God wanted me to do.  He put people, curriculum and a multitude of amazing opportunities in my path making what I thought would be a year or two commitment into a lifestyle of learning.  I began to realize that I absolutely LOVE to learn!  Not only that, but I long to see that joy of learning realized in each child I come into contact with.

When my daughter entered the second grade, I began to lead her small group (Sunday School) at church.  Again, I thought this was just a one-year commitment at most.  I can see Jesus smiling at me as I type that I followed that same group of girls, and added more each year, all the way through fourth grade!  This summer I will attend camp with them for the third summer in a row.  Can you hear the JOY radiating from this heart?  What a blessing this experience has been!  Not only have I been blessed by the lives of these sweet girls, I've discovered a delight that I never imagined was buried in my soul just ten years ago.

I believe each human is given a desire and there is only ONE delight that will bring that desire to the surface, JESUS CHRIST.   For so many years, the enemy of my soul fed me lies about what I thought were the true desires of my heart, but once I began to truly delight myself in the work that God gave me to do, once I began to let go of trying to become what the world said I should become, I realized those were not my desires at all.  The desires that truly give me joy:  reading, learning and teaching so I can touch the lives of others, came from Christ and for that, I am delighted.





 

Meditation

  Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Psalm 119:97

“Meditate?”  

“I don’t meditate”, you say.  “I don’t practice Buddhism, Hinduism or some other Eastern religion.”

 Well, I am beginning to realize that most people DO meditate, even if they are not aware they are meditating.  I think this may especially be true of women.   

To meditate means to engage in deep thought, ruminate, ponder, contemplate, reflect.  It comes from the Latin meditārī, which means, to reflect upon.

Have you ever worried about something excessively?  Ever put a lot of time into pouring over fashion magazines, celebrity gossip rags, or even staring in the mirror?  How about the home improvement channel?  Or wandering around one of the home improvement warehouses just wishing you could afford this or that for the house you live in.  What about the cooking channel, Oprah, Dr. Phil, or any of the myriad talk shows?

At some point in my life, I have done all these things and I was indeed “meditating” because that was where my thoughts were centered.  I stressed about how to dress, how much I weighed, making the house as beautiful as my friend’s house, self-diagnosing my perceived personality flaws.  Once, I even centered my thoughts on a book about meditation because I was seeking peace.  

None of the things I have ever meditated on have given me peace except the Word of God and the evidence of His presence.  I believe that the Bible is the Holy, inspired, inerrant Word of God.  Once I began to meditate on these words, I began to experience true peace.  

 

It took time to cement this habit, but it was so worth it.  Attending a worship service once a week is NOT ‘meditating’ on scripture.  I had to read the Bible daily and sometimes multiple times a day.  One of my favorite new resources for this habit is the Daily Audio Bible podcast.  Check my previous post about the DAB to learn more.

Are you stressed and worried or are you at peace?  If you are not at peace, try choosing a passage from the Bible that speaks into your situation.  Write it on a card and meditate on that passage. Whenever you catch your thoughts taking you on a negative path, pull out that card and think on that passage. 

 Here is a link to a search I did on the word "meditate" on Bible Gateway. 
http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=meditate&searchtype=all&version1=31&spanbegin=1&spanend=73

DAB-The Bible in a Year

Have you ever attempted to read through the Bible in a year, or two, only to bog down in Leviticus, Numbers or Deuteronomy?  I have.  I've tried several methods and reading plans but still had not managed to read through the entire Bible.  I didn't have a time goal in mind, I just wanted to read every word.

The answer for me came in the form of the Daily Audio Bible (DAB).  This simple, yet powerful, podcast is a single voice reading a "meal-sized" portion of the Bible each day (as opposed to just a snack).  Uniquely, a different translation of the Bible is used each week.  This keeps The Word fresh for me and allows verses I know by heart to reveal new truths when I hear them from a translation I am not familiar with.

Amazingly, this podcast has grown so popular it is now broadcast in multiple languages and a world-wide community of Believers has formed.  I find it so powerful and hopeful to be reminded of brothers and sisters living all across the globe.

I primarily listen to the DAB on my iphone with their user-friendly app.  However, the website is touted as the main place to get connected.  I urge you to check it out and give the DAB a try for a week or so.  Don't worry about what time of year it is. Just jump in on the date you discovered it and get a dose of God's word.  Or if you aren't ready for the full podcast, there is Daily Audio Proverb, which is a great way to get started.

Got News? I probably haven't heard about it.

Today, I read an entry on  Dale Tedder's blog regarding his 30 day experiment to withdraw from following the news of the day. This immediately struck a chord with me because I have been "off" news for years and feel my life is more peaceful because of it. 

My spirit isn't suited for following what is touted as news these days.  Most "news" is what I'd characterize as the daily satan report. (not an error, he doesn't get a capital letter)  Gloom and doom is most of what I'd see on the so-called news reports and then I would end up worrying about things I had no control over.  If I allowed myself to get sucked into any of the paparazzi or magazine articles that are unavoidable at the grocery check-out, I'd surely waste energy thinking I was not pretty enough, not rich enough or not enjoying life as I should be.  This is energy and time that is better spent focusing on those that are actually in my circle of influence.

Some may say I am grossly misinformed.  However, I find that a news story that is important enough for me to know about, one that actually is around for more than a day, will find it's way to my ears.  For instance, just today I heard about a mass murder in Norway that happened 4 days ago and I didn't know the name, Casey Anthony, until her trial was just at it's end.  I don't feel I missed out on anything, except an addition to my prayer list, by not hearing about these tragedies sooner. Most people may think this is strange and impossible, that I must live in a bubble.  I don't find it strange at all.  I am fully aware of the persecution of Christians across the globe.  I am praying for friends on a mission trip in Honduras this week.  I know that a missionary named Ezekiel Fish has had a part in saving 14,000 souls during his 30 plus years in Thailand and surrounding areas.  I am praying for the lost in my very own family and trying to exhibit Christ's love to my unsaved neighbors.  This is about all I can handle while ministering to my husband and three children. This is not to say I am not concerned with local, national or world events if they are brought to my attention but there has to be a limit to what I allow into my life.

So, what do I allow?  We don't have cable or satellite TV, but when we did, I would occasionally watch a few shows on FOX News Channel because I do believe they are "fair and balanced".  Sometimes we carry a subscription to WORLD Magazine.  This has also proved to be a reliable source of current events.  They even have a children's version of the magazine.  And recently I've found that the K-Love radio station does "good news" stories about, well, GOOD news.  It gives me hope to hear these quick reports about those who put others above themselves.

In this age of information overload, I have found that if I limit the "news" I allow myself to absorb, it is much easier to "be still and know that HE is God."  Psalm 46:10

Grace

He's done it again.
He's showered me with grace.
I was sinking into a pit.
Yet I always sought His face.

Some prayers were loud and fervent,
Some prayers made no sound.
But he was faithful to me.
He set me on higher ground.

It isn't the first time
I've sunken down this low.
But my faith was stronger
I knew He'd never let me go.

I know this mountaintop
cannot always last.
There will be mistakes
But I won't focus on the past.

Instead, I'll keep my focus
On His unfailing love.
His never ending grace
That flows down from above.

Gratitude

After recently celebrating my 39th birthday, I was on the couch writing thank you notes to friends and family for the gifts I received. My son saw what I was doing and asked, "Are you writing me one too"?

In all honesty, I wasn't planning to write on to him or the other immediate family members. Thank you notes are very important to me and I make sure that I send them often and train my children to do the same. However, it occurred to me that I don't usually give those closest to me that same courtesy.

This morning I filled out handwritten thank you notes for each child and for my husband to let them know that I appreciate the gifts they chose and their thoughtfulness. Already, I feel lighter and more joyful.

In Debi Pearl's book, Created to Be His Helpmeet she states, "Thanksgiving produces JOY". Well, I already feel more joyful having written the notes and I haven't even delivered them yet.

Have you shown gratitude to those you love today?

I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ. 1Cor 1:4

Refused Blessings

A few weeks ago, our homeschool group put on an Easter party at a local homeless shelter. The party was advertised well in advance at the shelter so that the residents could bring their children to hear the Easter story, sing songs, make crafts and have an egg hunt. Imagine the disappointment we felt when only three, of the thirty or so expected, actually showed up. We were trying to bless these children and for whatever reason, the mothers chose not to participate. They chose not to accept the blessing.

It was this memory that God brought to my mind yesterday when I was offered a very generous blessing from a friend. Because of pride and the worldly habit of not allowing others to know that you need help, I almost refused one of God's blessings.

The most common way God would bless someone would be through His body of believers, right? So why is it that so often when someone offers to help us, we say, "I can't let you do that" or "No, we're fine". Isn't that essentially telling God that we don't need His blessings?

The offer my friend made is a huge blessing that has the potential to impact our family in amazing ways. I almost refused the blessing. How many other blessings have I refused in the past? How many times have I disappointed someone who was trying to bless me because my pride got in the way?

May God richly bless the ones who He used to bless me and I pray I will recognize future blessings with thankfulness for my Father's provision.

God is in the Seashells

Today I took the children to the beach. It was in the 70's, I think, so just a slight chill when the wind blew but otherwise nice. Of course the water temp was quite chilly but that did not stop them from venturing into the sea. No one really wanted to admit that mom was right, and they were freezing, after getting wet. When I said, "I told you so", I was quickly reminded of how often I won't admit when I am wrong either. That ugly pride rears it's head all too often.

As we were walking on the beach looking for shark's teeth the children began to collect shells. It is curious to me what they choose to pick up and ask me to hold for their collection. Usually it is a typical shell but sometimes they would pick up a shell that was rather ugly in my opinion. I asked my daughter, "why do you want this? It is broken?" She just skipped off to continue her search while shouting over her shoulder, "I don't care, I like it"!

Almost immediately I felt God tell me, "You are broken, but I still love you". It's true! I am like the scallop shell that is missing half of it's hinge; my sin is like the barnacles that were clinging to some of the older shells they picked up. But, as I looked more closely, I could see the pretty colors under the barnacles, I could imagine the shell as it would appear whole. HOPE!

I am now thrilled that my children did not only pick up the "pretty" shells. They saw the beauty through the scars and blemishes the shells acquired while being thrown about the sea. I am also thrilled that I have been accepted and saved "while still a sinner" and that one day in heaven I will be made perfect.

sin - a noun

I've been reading a book called Having a Mary Spirit by Joanna Weaver. She brought up the point that in the book of Romans sin is used as a noun each time except once. This was big for me as I always think of sin as a verb, something I did, or said or thought.

I can so relate to Paul in Romans 7 when he talks of not doing what he wants to do and doing what he does not want to do. This is a daily struggle for me. So when I thought about sin as a noun, an entity within, it made more sense.

Barren Mothers?

If you have ever been to my home, you may have noticed that high up on the wall above an architectural plant shelf, is the word JOY in large 2 foot letters. I placed this there to help remind me to express joy in our home. If I look, I see these letters each time I walk out of the bedroom.

Lately, I haven't been expressing much joy so I've been seeking the Lord in prayer and His word for guidance. This morning He led me to this verse:

He maketh the barren woman to keep house,
and to be a joyful mother of children.
Praise ye the LORD.
Psalm 113:9

At first I was confused. How can a barren woman become a joyful mother of children? A barren woman is unable to give birth. So as a mother who did birth three children, how does this verse apply to me Lord? I asked and waited for an answer.

Phony Christians

Yesterday the children and I went to a classical guitar concert. It was held in a church and there were two teenagers sitting in the pew behind us. I couldn't help but overhear some of the conversation between the two boys. One phrase that particularly caught my attention was, "I'd take a hippie over a phony Christian any day."

I didn't hear enough to know what his interpretation of a hippie was and I don't know what he has encountered to label someone a "phony Christian". However, this phrase stuck with me the rest of the day. What makes a Christian phony?

Perhaps he has been treated poorly by a professing Christ follower. Perhaps this young man witnessed a Christian engaging in some behavior that was not Christ-like. This will happen. Maybe this teenager feels that being a Christian means you will never do anything wrong.

As a Christian I do not claim to be perfect; far from it. In order to accept Christ I had to come to the realization that I am a sinner and completely lost with out Jesus. I am still a sinner and everyday I have to go to my creator and ask forgiveness for my sins of commision and ommision. Each day, God renews me with mercy and grace. His Spirit is in me and I feel Him changing me from the inside.

As I write this, the Holy Spirit is convicting me of not turning around in the pew and starting a conversation with these boys. I missed an opportunity to share Christ with them. O, Lord, forgive me and please offer me another opportunity.

What a perfect example of the work the Spirit does in me. May I never be accused of being a phony Christian.