Tales of a Homeschool Nothing ~ Revival & Mufaro's Daughters

We took our school pictures at Smoot Park. It was a beautiful day for it!

Well, it wasn't my original plan, but ... we took last week off from school. We had revival & I mean we had REVIVAL! It has been a L O N G  T I M E  since I have felt God's presence like I did last week. I have heard other people talk about that Holy Ghost fog. Last week, I SAW it! It was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced! There wasn't a lot I could do other than raise my hands towards Heaven & cry! PRAISE GOD!!!

The only other thing "school" related that we did involved a John A Walker Center play. Mufaro's Daughters was about an African man with 2 beautiful daughters. Both of them possessed physical beauty, but only one was beautiful inside as well. They were both invited to meet the king in the hopes of becoming his wife. One used dishonesty & cruelty to try to get ahead. The other used kindness & humbleness & won the king's love.

I loved this play! The plot was wonderful, the actors were energetic & the music was enchanting. It is classified as an African Cinderella story, but what stuck out to me was the kindness shown to the king.....

Have you ever heard the story John 3:16? This is what came to my mind! Maybe, it was the state of renewed faith that I had been experiencing this week, maybe not. But I REALLY liked this play!

JOHN 3:16

I don't understand it, but In the city of Chicago, one cold, dark night, a blizzard was setting in. A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner; the people were in and out of the cold.

The little boy was so cold that he wasn't trying to sell many papers. He walked up to a policeman and said, "Mister, you wouldn't happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you? You see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down the alley and it's awful cold in there, of a night. Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay."

The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "You go down the street to that big white house and you knock on the door. When they come out the door you just say John 3:16 and they will let you in."

Then he did; he walked up the steps to the door, and knocked on the door and a lady answered. He looked up and said, "John 3:16." The lady said "Come on in, Son." She took him in and she sat him down in a split bottom rocker in front of a great big old fireplace and she went off.

He sat there for awhile, and thought to himself "John 3:16. I don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm." Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry?" He said, "Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in a couple of days and I guess I could stand a little bit of food." The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until he couldn't eat anymore. Then he thought to himself "John 3:16 ... Boy, I sure don't understand it, but it sure makes a hungry boy full."

She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm water and he sat there and soaked for awhile. As he soaked, he thought to himself, "John 3:16 ... I sure don't understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy clean. You know, I've not had a bath, a real bath, in my whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out."

The lady came in and got him, and took him to a room and tucked him into a big old feather bed and pulled the covers up around his neck and kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights. As he laid in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night he thought to himself, "John 3:16 ... I don't understand it, but it sure makes a tired boy rested."

The next morning she came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fire place. She took a big old Bible and sat down in front of him and she looked up at and she asked, "Do you understand John 3:16?" He said, "No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it." She opened the Bible to John 3:16, and she began to explain to him about Jesus. Right there in front of that big old fireplace he gave his heart and life to Jesus.

He sat there and thought, "John 3:16. I don't understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe."

You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either, how God would be willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I don't understand it either, but it sure does make life worth living.

Guilty or Not - You Decide!

Poor Zoey is in jail! Its not her fault, well, not completely......

Zoey is a full bloodied Blue Heeler. She is VERY feisty & I'm hoping she calms down as she gets older, but for now, we love her & tolerate her. Its her nature to "herd" things - cows, kittens, kids, basketballs. If it moves, its fair game.

We also have chickens. Austin takes good care of the chickens & in return gets to keep whatever profit we make off of them. Zoey likes watching the chickens. Thankfully she can't get to the chickens or we probably wouldn't have chickens anymore!

This afternoon, Justin & Austin went to feed the chickens. When they were done, Justin walked out thinking

that Austin was right behind him. Nope, Austin was still feeding the roosters. So instead of Austin following Justin out of the coop, a chicken followed him out. Never fear, Zoey was there!! She knew that chicken wasn't supposed to be outside of its coop so she saved it ...... with her mouth ...... not too gently! She was only trying to help (I think)!

So after sitting before the judge & jury, poor Zoey got sent to jail! Her alibi wasn't very reliable! Me personally - I think she was FRAMED!!!

Tales of a Homeschool Nothing ~ Week 9 ~ Trust, Flight, Substitutions, & FOUND - AT LAST

We started a new character trait this week - trust. This should be fun because my kids, just like yours, are having slight issues being completely truthful. Makenzie has just figured out that if she tells a fib (& I don't find out...) she might not get into trouble. Yeah well, she's not a very good liar, but she will stick to her story adamantly until the bitter end! For some reason, she doesn't remember the spankings until its too late.

Its been a pretty fun week. We started reading about the Wright Brothers & the history of flight. Justin taught school for me on Wednesday! YEAH!!! And we ended the week with a trip to the Hot Air Balloon Festival! It was beautiful! I really wanted the kids to be able to ride up in a balloon (tethered, of course), but it was getting too dark so we missed out on that.

 Completely nonschool related news.....football is OVER for the season (silent little happy dance). It was bittersweet. I know how much Austin wanted his team to advance in the playoffs, but I was ready for it to be over. Like I already told someone, I finally get to reclaim my trunk! LOL

Also, while Justin was fixing the recliner on our couch, yet again, we found .......... da da da dum ............ Austin's Nintendo DS!!!! It was in the back of the couch! HOLY COW!!! Do you have ANY idea how long we looked for this thing??? Its been missing since February! Austin finally used his own money to go buy a new Nintendo DSi because we couldn't find the old one. Well, I guess I have a DS now! YEAH! Wait...when do I have time to play it?

Zoey hard at work!

Tales of a Homeschool Nothing ~ Week 8 ~ Music, Meltdowns, & More

WHERE is that big yellow bus & WHY is it not stopping at my house?!?!

Yes, last week (at least the beginning) was THAT bad!!!

One day, I believe it was Wednesday, I had finally reached my breaking point. I slammed my pencil on the table, said "I quit", & locked myself in the bedroom. I held Logan for an hour & cried my eyes out!

I felt a little better when I returned from my black hole. I was REALLY starting to doubt my curriculum choice for this year. It just seems that I have been fighting an uphill battle with baby oil on my shoes. But, I started rethinking & I started praying & saw some areas that needed to be adjusted, so hopefully next week will be better!

THANKFULLY, Friday was my saving grace & it went very well! I had already sent out the alarm for reinforcements & had some prayer warriors on the fighting line with me! Prayer really does make a difference!

So anyway, we finished up our unit on paying attention with music, instruments, & composers. They are still getting composers & conductors confused, oh well.

The highlight of the week was going to the fair on Tuesday night - in the rain - to see how Austin & Makenzie had placed with their crafts. Austin won 3 1st place ribbons (well, technically, the bird feeder was both of theirs!), 1 2nd place, & 1 3rd place. Makenzie won 2 1st place & 1 2nd place ribbons. They were soooo excited!

Turn That Frown Upside Down

 Its been another one of those days (weeks). You know the kind - nothing quite goes right, school has been less than perfect, no one is listening & no one seems to care. We have had way too many of them lately & I must admit, its very hard for me to "be the adult" when I just want to kick, scream, & throw things. While I'm in the middle of my pity party (I was on the up side, I promise! - Nothing like listening to the Moore Family to brighten my spirits - after all she has 7 homeschooled kids & hasn't went insane yet.), Logan woke from his nap & started to cry. He knows that someone will come get him. He doesn't doubt for a minute that he has been abandoned. He knows he is loved!

Thank You Lord, yet again, for the simple reminder that You care for me more than I could ever care for my kids! Why can't I have the unwavering faith to know You will come to my rescue, just as I did for Logan? Why can't I remember that while I'm telling my kids to do something for the 10th time today, You have been asking me to do something over & over again? Why can't I be as tender hearted when they mess up or disobey? You don't get angry everytime I let You down.

This is one of the hardest lessons for me to understand. God has been more than gracious & patient while trying to teach me.

Psalm 61

1. Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.

2. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee,

when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

3. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

4. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.



Do you KNOW?

The story of the wheat & the tares in Matthew 13:24-30 is just one example of where Bible warns us about false Christians.

"Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest

I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares,

and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."

Its a scary thought that maybe some people who we think are "good Christian people" may not be truly a Christian. Its even scarier to think that the devil does that great of a job deceiving people.

I have always struggled with my salvation. I know that I know that I'm going to Heaven to see my Lord & Savior one day but there are times where I start to wonder. These are dry times in my life, times when I've gotten slack in my relationship with God, times where I have taken His blessings & His presence for granted. We've all been there - things are good, the finances are in order, everyone is healthy. Or maybe we are super busy, running here & there, finishing this project or that chore & we don't even have time to study our Bible & we think a quick "Thank you Lord" is sufficient. Before long, we start to feel empty, like something is missing. Not some thing, someone! Its during those times, where doubt starts to creep in!

Salvation is a FREE gift! It is so simple that we try to complicate it. Its hard to accept that someone would die for me. Its hard to understand that all I have to do is trust & believe & I can live forever.

IT REALLY IS THAT EASY! But, you have to know that you know that you know! Don't "think so", don't "hope so", don't "wish so". KNOW SO!!!

Salvation isn't based on feelings, but it sure does feel good to be saved!


God hasn't left us. He's still right there & He's waiting on us to come back to Him.

One of my favorite songs right now talks about coming back to God http://youtu.be/dCN0hnogqj8
Isn't it time you came home?

Tales of a Homeschool Nothing ~ Week 7 ~ Encouragement, Paying Attention, & the Performing Arts

Ya know what? I didn't think we got much accomplished this week, but really, we did - it just wasn't "sit down, book work". Yes, I still always feel guilty when "school" doesn't quite look like school. I know my kids are learning, but after being in public school, its hard to break free from the mentality that they need to be sitting at a table with a pencil in their hand in order for learning to take place. If you have always homeschooled your child, then I'm sure this is a hard concept to understand, but if you made the decision to bring your child home, you know what I'm talking about.

A good friend of mine had the BRILLIANT idea to host a mother's encouragement tea Monday afternoon. I am so thankful that she did this. Yes, this took time away from "teaching", but my kids helped me bake the goodies to take over there & then they got to play with their friends while us moms got to enjoy stimulating adult conversation! Some lessons truly are learned & taught when we least expect it! I am so thankful that I am not the only mother struggling with my obedience to God, time management, motivation, & keeping house. Its nice to confess that its hard being super mom all of the time & I feel that I can truly be myself without having to worry about judgement & shortcomings with these ladies! Thank You again from the bottom of my heart!!!

We met on Tuesday for Keepers & Contenders. Our young men learned about leather working & some of the tools & techniques used with this skill. Our lovely ladies finished up their baskets. They turned out beautiful. 

Our 4H meeting taught us how to NOT GET LOST!!! (hopefully) Some of the kids paid very close attention during the presentation & could probably navigate pretty well if they needed to, some of them (including Austin) looked a little bored. Yeah, well - its not all fun & games. He was a lot more excited once they got to explore an area at W Kerr Scott Lake with a compass.

We are still reading about Helen Keller & Annie Sullivan (shhhh - I've been a little busy) with our sound unit. This week, we focused on music. So, that being said we took a trip to .... da da da dum ... the NC Symphony! YEAH! Austin's exact words, "Its pretty cool music, but I couldn't listen to it all the time". Me neither, buddy. We listened to several pieces on YouTube (thank God for the internet). Makenzie didn't care about the music, she just wanted to see the pictures on the video. I had to close the laptop so she would stay focused.

And as an extra treat for Makenzie, we went to see The Little Red Hen. It was hilarious! All of my kids enjoyed it, even Logan, who kicked & gurgled at the performers - that is, until he lost interest & went to sleep.