Sale at Heavenly Homemakers

Just wanted to let you know that Heavenly Homemakers is having a 20% off sale of their homeschool curriculum. Just click on the link on the right & when you checkout enter: BACK2SCHOOL to receive the discount! Their Learn your Letters...Learn to Serve Curriculum is worth looking at!!

No Respect!~!

I'm am absolutely amazed at how children have absolutely no respect for adults!! We took a trip to Chuck E Cheese tonight, you know, the germ-infested "fun" place for children. Anyway, there were some boys climbing ON TOP of the little car my 4yr old wanted to ride. I told them they better get down before they fell or got hurt(very nicely) and this little smartie, approx. 6yr old looked right in my face and said, "You know, your're NOT my mom!" Seriously, I don't know why it shocks me, but it does. If an adult said that to me when I was young, I would have jumped down and ran away...scared! But now, they just look at you like who in the world do you think you are telling me what to do?? Is this the "self esteem" talking that the world, television, and public schools have sold these children?? It is really sad, actually. One day, these children are going to learn that the world does not revolve around them, that they can actually be WRONG, and someone, someday, is going to put them in their place. As for me, I just said, "My son wants to ride on this ride, so you need to get down...NOW!" And, away they went, yelling and screaming like uncivilized barbarians...Maybe it wasn't so christian, but I think I was shocked at the nerve of all of them. A 4 member, 6yr old gang. Well, they weren't keeping my little one from his Bob the Builder ride!!!
And...all that fun because we had a $50 gift card!! Can't wait to go again!!!

On another, more spiritual :) note, we did try something tonight during our family worship that worked wonderfully. Our 2yr old had been practically climbing the walls during our reading time, so tonight I got out a blanket and explained to him that during worship, he had to sit and stay on the blanket. It actually worked! He stayed there the entire time & was not a distraction at all! We have begun working through the Shorter Catechism. We are using the book Teaching Hearts, Training minds by Starr Meade. It's easy for the little ones to understand, but deep enough to give the older ones some things to study and ponder on. It has opened up some good conversations.
This is not something we have always done as a family, but as we begin, it is a tremendous blessing to all of us and I am grateful the Lord has brought us to this place at this time.

Striving to please HIM in all that we do

It's been too long.....

It's been almost 2 months since I was on here~wow~how time flies! I'm going to make an attempt at writing at least every other day. We have been preparing our home to sell, which will finally be ready, this week! We have been trying to enjoy the summer, although it's been sooo HOT & humid. We also added 2 new additions to our family....a yr. old Beagle/Shepherd mix for our 15yr. old, and a 3mo. old Catahoula leopard dog puppy for our 17yr. old. They are keeping them busy!!
We are continuing to pray for the Lord's direction and leading in finding a new home. We want to be where He wants us. Our goals are to become as self-sufficient as possible. We have been studying for months....gardening, raising animals, storing food, etc....We are ready, we just need to sell our home & find a new one!! Although I know all works out in the Lord's perfect timing, it's hard not to get anxious!
We also went through a faith building time at the end of June, as my father got a kidney transplant. It was simply amazing to see the Lord work. From providing a perfect donor, through the surgery, recovery, and all of it, the Lord's hand has been at work and it was so evident to see. My father is doing wonderful now. He is walking on the treadmill, mowing his lawn again(slowly, on a riding mower) and getting back to life. Although his "normal" is now very different, we are so grateful that he has been given a new life.
Life just tends to move so quickly, we need to take time to stop, and remember how the Lord is working in our lives.
My husband led us last evening in family worship as we talked about living to glorify God. May we keep this at the forefront of our minds each and every day.
Striving to please Him in all that we do!!!!

Distractions

The distractions of life are so many!!! Read a good excerpt from the book, Attending Upon God Without Distraction by Nathanael Vincent

While we are in this world, truly this world is too much in us; It is suitable to our senses, and apt to entice and draw away our hearts. Let the eye of faith pierce through the clouds and see heaven's joy and glory, and then this world's vanity will be the more apparent. How vain it is for you to be so thoughtful about it and eager after this world. When faith has seen how God is attended upon by saints and angels above, it may help to kindle in you a holy zeal and a vehement desire to more resemble those excellent attendants, and to serve the Lord more gladly and seriously here below.

Oh, cry out to have the cure of distractions carried on further toward completeness. Live as strangers and sojourners here on earth, not concerned about worldy things as others are. Declare plainly that you are born from above, and let your hearts and thoughts more and more ascend there. Carry yourselves as fellow citizens with the saints, and as those who are of the household of God. Let there be more of God, and more of grace in all you do and speak, in all the powers of your souls, in all the duties you perform. And think with gladness and longing of that blessed inheritance, when you shall be fully delivered from sin and death, and from all deadness and distraction in mind and heart. Everlasting rest must eternally exclude whatever now troubles you. How perfectly healed and perfect in holiness and joy will you be in every way when you have attained to the glorious liberty of the sons of God!

Giveaway!!

Quarter Mile Math Giveaway

Raising Olives blog is having a giveaway! She is giving away a Quarter Mile Math computer program! Just go to her blog and leave a comment on the post to enter!!
Blessings!!
www.raisingolives.com
I also have a link on the lower right of my page.

A Church Family

Wow...we had a wonderful day yesterday with our church family. What we have been missing for soooo many years! To be able to spend the day with like-minded families who love the Lord...it's such a tremendous blessing! Conversations that are centered around God, a message so inspired from the Lord, sharing a meal....all of it!!! Makes me want everyday to be Sunday!! It's funny, this is NOT how I used to feel about Sundays! I used to D~R~E~A~D Sundays. Now, my children even count down the days until "Church day", they "play" church during the week...they walk around singing.."O God, our help in ages past...." God is so good to have led us to this place.

Our elder preached an incredible message. It was like he had heard the conversation Joe & I had the night before! There are so many times that we worry and are anxious, but if we would just commit these concerns to the Lord...HE will take care of them! Why do we doubt this?? If God begins a work...He WILL finish it!! He is sovereign over all!! (I know, I seem to be rambling...but I am just in awe of God's ways this morning!!)

And, the verse of the day today, Hebrews 4:12, is our church memory verse from a couple months ago. My children still recite it for me, and I LOVE to hear the little ones say it! Their pronunciations are precious!!

Just praising God today for the path HE has put us on, and praying that HE continues to lead, guide, and direct us in the days to come.

The Narrow Way

I read a little booklet today by Arthur Pink called The Narrow Way.

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Matt. 7:13-14

A few excerpts:

"...we may plainly discover why it is that the vast majority of our fellow-men and women, yea, and of professing Christians also, will fail to reach Heaven: it is because they prefer sin to holiness, indulging the lusts of the flesh to walking according to the scriptures, self to Christ, the world to God. It is as the Lord Jesus declared-"Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" (Jn 3:19): men refuse to deny self, abandon their idols, and submit to Christ as Lord: and without this, none can take the fist step toward Heaven!"

"Though the 'Narrow Way' leads to life, only FEW tread it. Multitudes make a profession and claim to be saved, but their lives give no evidence that they are 'strangers and pilgrims' here, with their 'treasure' elsewhere. They are afraid of being thought narrow and peculiar, strict and puritanic. Satan has deceived them: they imagine they can get to heaven by an easier route than by denying self, taking up their cross daily, and following Christ!"

"Christ came here to 'save His people from their sins' (Matt. 1:21); and if you are not delivered from the power of sin, from the deceptions of Satan, and from the love of the world, and from the pleasing of self, then you are NOT saved."

Much to ponder.

News - Franklin Springs Family Media

If you have never seen any of these films you should take advantage of their sale going on now. These are wonderful family films your whole family will enjoy watching together. Take a look if you haven't before!!

News - Franklin Springs Family Media

1 Peter 2:9 A Chosen People

I love this verse on my page today! 1 Peter 2:9~~~ We ARE chosen...we ARE called OUT of the darkness...into the light! We ARE going to be a peculiar people!

The light does not look like the dark. They are complete opposites! Those called by Christ are not going to look like those who are not. We will look strange to those in darkness, but that's ok!!
Praise the Lord, we are to live for HIM! As the verse says, we are a "holy nation."

That's what we have been learning this year...how to live in the light, pleasing to the Lord. BOY...we have so far to go...and I know none of us will live it perfectly in this life...but we are striving to make decisions to please GOD, not ourselves. And to live according to the Scriptures He has given us.

I am trying to ponder this as I enjoy this B~E~A~U~T~I~F~U~L day the Lord has given us. Perfect weather!! The little ones are playing playdough outside under a tree on a blanket, and my 17yr. old is helping my 7yr. old make a rubberband gun in the shed! A couple are sleeping...
Just trying to soak it all in!!

Children

I sit here watching my children play baseball~all 7 of them in the backyard. Aaahh...I could just watch this for hours! It is so sweet. (I know, I should be out there w/ them, but sometimes it's nice just to step back & "ponder all these things in my heart") They are all playing...the 17 yr. old down to the 2 yr. old. These are the times that do a mother's heart good!!! What the "world" is missing.

Children are indeed a blessing. I hope to NEVER take this for granted.

Thank you Lord for these precious souls you've loaned us.

Reformed??? What in the world is that???

You know, if you would have asked us a year ago what a reformed church was, we would of had absolutely no idea. Apparently, here in our state, reformed churches are few and far between.

We knew of Martin Luther, and the Reformation~a little. But there's no way we could of even begun to tell you what a "reformed" church believes.

Most people have little to no knowledge of Calvanism or Armenianism, we didn't. Maybe a few misconceptions, but that's about it. But, why does it matter?? Well, because doctrine IS important. Knowing what Scripture says is vitally important. It influences the way we think, act, talk, dress, what we watch(or won't watch), what we listen to...etc. At least~it SHOULD!!

It's doctrine...it's God's Word...Scripture....it's what we should be looking to for daily wisdom & instruction. These things are important.

The Past Year

We are a homeschooling family of 9. The Lord has blessed us w/ 7 beautiful children. 5 boys and 2 girls. We are in our 12th yr. of hsing(well, actually 17th if you count birth-5, where they are learning A LOT!) It's amazing the way we have changed in those years. It goes by so very quickly. Lord willing, we have many more years to go & look forward to see where He takes us.

The Lord has chosen to lead us this past year on a journey. It's truly amazing, my husband and I were both saved many years ago, but it's only been the past year that we have seen some amazing truths in God's Word that we had never seen before. Many things we were taught in church, and things that are still being taught, are not consistent w/ Scripture. It would take pages to explain all that we've learned, and are still learning, but we just give God the glory for opening our eyes.

One of the main things we've learned is the meaning of ~ sola scriptura~ which was the cry of the Reformation. That "scripture alone" is sufficient for ALL of living. That God's word speaks to EVERYTHING. God just doesn't put us here, call us to Himself, and then let us "figure it out???"...NO...He gives us His words, his commands, His precepts, & His direction...if only we will search & study His word. His ways are perfect, and if we will just follow them.

Also, we have been studying the sovereignty of God. This doctrine is absolutely amazing if you can wrap your head around it. The book: The Sovereignty of God by Arthur Pink is a fantastic place to begin. Still working on this one!

We are also on a journey from city life to country life, Lord willing! We plan to sell our "city" home and find a "country" home to begin homesteading. We are so excited to see where we end up & how this is all gonna work! Our goal is to become as self-sufficient as possible in these times. We have been READING like crazy about raising cows, goats, chickens....building chicken coops, gardening, herbs, homemade everything...etc... (I think the librarian thinks we crazy!!)

This past year has been very interesting and challenging, looking forward to where God leads this year!!!

Striving to please HIM in all that we do!
Michelle(for the Hardebeck Family)