Still Learning to Love

It would seem that a post on love would have been inspired by the fact that Valentine's Day is two days away.  But here is a post on love, and Valentine's Day has nothing to with it.  Rather, the inspiration for these thoughts comes from a conviction which has been placed upon my heart by the Holy Spirit.  He is teaching me about love.  What it is.  What it means.  How to do it.

You might think I would already know those things.  

But see, I had the children memorize 1 Corinthians 13!  I didn't want them to only hide it in their brains, but to learn to hide it in their hearts--to put it into practice!  What that meant for me was that I began to examine it a little more closely.  Guess what I realized?  I realized how often I fail when it comes to showing true love.

Ah, but Grace.  Praise God for His unfailing Love!

Back in October of 2009, little Evan was born.

This is one of my favorite pictures of him as a newborn.  During those first days with him, I wrote the following on my blog.  I felt it was appropriate enough to re-post today.  

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.”

~C. S. Lewis

I could have decided that my heart was too valuable. That it wasn't worth the risk. But because I didn't make that choice, my heart is wide open. Wide open for pain. Wide open to yearn. Wide open to be broken.

But more than that....

it's wide open for joy. Wide open for happiness. Wide open to love and be loved.

It's sometimes a scary thing to look at my children, or to watch my newborn, so helpless and dependent, and realize the depth of love that I have in my heart. It's scary because I know that it makes me vulnerable to the worst kind of pain. To love, is indeed, to give your heart away. But the joy in the journey far outweighs the pain of a loveless life.

To be in a place of feeling and vulnerablility is far better than the callous, cold "safety" of a guarded heart that refuses to love.

I still believe all of that.  Love can be a frightful thing!  I don't always do it well, but I am so grateful for a Heavenly Father who created love and knows it perfectly.  Because His Spirit dwells within me, I, through His strength, am enabled to love others according to His way.  

No, it isn't always easy.  And it really hurts sometimes.  But He is our Constant; we can always 

trust 

His

Love.

A Favorite Book: Trial and Triumph

Occasionally I like to use this space to share some my favorite books.  Today is one of those days.

Trial and Triumph by Richard Hannula is one of the best books that we have ever purchased.  This book is excellent for introducing children to the some of the greatest heroes of Christ's church, from Polycarp to Martin Luther to Charles Spurgeon to Richard Wurmbrand.                                                                                                            

I bought this book initially because it was recommended in our Tapestry of Grace curriculum.  I am thankful that it was part of our curriculum because I don't know how long it would have taken me to hear about it otherwise!  It is a great resource for any family.

There are forty-six biographical sketches in this book; some of them disturbing, all of them inspiring.  Reading this book with my children has reminded me that as a follower of Christ, persecution is common, and should actually be expected.  Reading story after story of people throughout the history of Christ's church who have stood firm for their faith is, to me, continuous confirmation of the fact that He is worthy of our lives--of our suffering.

We do this book as a read aloud, because there are times when I need to stop and explain, or offer assurance that although some of these people suffered greatly, they had counted the cost, and they endured their trials knowing full well that their suffering was not in vain.  Their faith was in Christ.

Not all the stories end in martyrdom, but a few do.  What I like about this book (for my kids' sake) is that it is not altogether graphic, yet it provides enough information to get the point across.  Persecution of the church is real, and I would be doing a great disservice to my children if I "guarded" them by pretending that walking with Christ will always be what the world defines as "happiness".  After all, Jesus said in John 15:20, "A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you."

Will my children face persecution?  Of course they will.  Maybe severe, maybe not.  Maybe to the death, maybe not.  But they need to count the cost of following Christ.  And they need to understand that following Christ is entirely worth the cost!

If you are looking only for in-depth biographies, this is not the book for you.  But if you are looking for a starting point or are interested in teaching your kids the basic stories behind some of the greatest heroes of church history, you need to buy this book.  I really think you'll like it, and I have no doubt that you will be encouraged in the Faith.

The Tale of the Deviled Eggs

As you may have read in my last post, my Grandpa turned 90 this past Friday.  Yesterday, his beloved wife, my Grandma, would have been 85.  In honor of her birthday, I decided to re-post a blog I wrote a few years ago.  I give you...The Tale of the Deviled Eggs.

I detest deviled eggs. I've never liked deviled eggs, and I don't think I will ever like deviled eggs. To me, they are a repulsive fare that I don't ever care to even try (no offense to all of you who make deviled eggs...I'm sure they are delicious to the many people who seem to love them).  However, in spite of my aversion, it was because of some deviled eggs that I learned a valuable lesson.

One day when I was small, I was going to ride to church with my Grandma Lillian and Grandpa Dallas Jacobs. I guess we were having some sort of pot luck at church that night, because Grandma had made some...you guessed it...deviled eggs, and had set them in the floorboard of the back seat of her car. Before I got into the car, she kindly reminded me to be careful not to smash the eggs in the floorboard. However, I, being very young (yeah, we'll blame it on that), stepped on the eggs anyway. They must have been covered with plastic wrap or something, because the eggs were pretty much ruined.

You can imagine the frustration that Grandma must have felt with me. But do you know what she did? She didn't yell. She didn't fuss. She didn't show any anger. She got out of the car, took the container of eggs and threw the whole thing up in the air while letting out a gleeful, "Wheeeeeeee!"

True story.

That's what I call making the best out of a "bad" situation. I need to remember that on days when twice I open the refrigerator and an open glass of unfinished milk falls out onto the floor.  I need to remember that when I walk into the bathroom and there is water all over the place because Evan has been "fishing" in the sink.  I need to remember that when my young resident cowboys decide to have a "gunfight" on top of my "I just folded those!" pile of clothes.  I need to remember that when I am simply inconvenienced, or when I have been lightly offended by a friend's harsh words.  I need to remember that when I am simply at my wit's end!

Certainly some things are deserving of our anger, but there are other instances (perhaps like the ones mentioned above) which may seem deserving of our anger, but in reality would be better off being overlooked and handled in a gentle manner.  

In short, I learned from that story, that yes, some things are worth getting angry over, but other things can be just as easily tossed aside...or up in the air!

Proverbs 19:11

A man's discretion makes him slow to anger,

and it is his glory to overlook a transgression.

He Doesn't Wear Glasses Either...

Yesterday was a special day in our family; one of our favorite people, my Grandpa, turned the big

  9-0!!  

In honor of him, I would like to post just of few of the reasons why I have so much love and respect for this man.

1.  He loved my Grandma

              

Not only was he a faithful husband throughout their lives, but he was her sole caregiver in the last years of her life as she suffered from Alzheimer's.  She passed away ten months ago, and the life they lived together in the few years before that was a picture of devotion that will forever be impressed upon my heart.  

I watched him sit next to her on the couch.  

I watched him hold her hand.  

I watched him faithfully dispense her medicine to her at the specified times every day.  

I watched as he slowly walked her to their car when they were able to get out, and then carefully help her into the passenger side.  

I watched him love her.

Then, last year, I watched as he said his emotional final goodbye to her. 

I watched him hold her hand as he witnessed her very last breath.  

I watched him at the funeral as we remembered her life on earth and celebrated her being with Christ.

I will never forget it.  Those images are etched into my memory for the rest of my life.  As I watched these things, a lifetime of love and devotion flashed before my eyes, and words could not express my gratitude for his commitment to his wife, which was a direct result of his commitment and love for God.

Since then, I have watched him live on.  His days are not without struggles, but he lives and he enjoys.  He goes to town.  He goes to church.  He takes walks with his black lab Babe, and he goes fishing, catches a bunch and then filets them and fries them so we can eat them!  

Although he wasn't able to do any of these during the years when Grandma was so ill, I never saw him express bitterness.  But now, although he still grieves her passing, he is thriving and doing well, and for that we praise the Lord.

2.  He served our country.

Grandpa was a side gunner on the B-17 bomber in WWII.  What a brave generation of soldiers and men!  He has shared so many stories with us when we've asked him to, and he always gives credit to the Lord for bringing him out alive.  

This past summer, he traveled with us to the Air Force Museum.  What a treat that was!  We located "his" plane in the WWII section of the museum, and he showed us exactly where he sat and what he did.  People would overhear him talking about it and then approach him and thank him for his service.  We felt like we were with a celebrity!  :)

Grandpa with some of his great-grandchildren in front of the B-17.

3.  He loves and enjoys my children.

We go to visit Grandpa quite a bit, and sometimes (like when we celebrated his birthday yesterday) it can get a bit...let's say hectic.  See, his house has a really cool hallway in it that is open on both ends, so it is the perfect place for people like my little people to run around and around and around and around and around and....well, you get the picture.  I'm always amazed at Grandpa's patience!  He simply remarks that he wishes he had a nickel for every time my dad ran around that hallway when he was a boy, and then gives a little chuckle.

Last fall, he helped my kids pick up walnuts around the farm, and then rode with us to the walnut selling place.  It was his pleasure!  He has a tobacco stick with a tin can attached, which is the perfect walnut picker-upper!  It was a great day!

4.  He is a poet.

He has written many, many poems about all sorts of things.  The poem I've posted below is hanging up in our schoolroom.  We read it aloud every now and then just to keep us on our toes!

5.  He is a man of God.

This, of course is the most important one.  Grandpa has always been one of the most generous, patient, caring and strong men I know.  He doesn't do any of it for his own glory, and obviously he isn't perfect.  But as long as I have known him he has been a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, and is not ashamed to say that it is the Lord who has sustained him throughout his life.

I love him!

Happy 90th Birthday Grandpa!

A "Natural" Way of Learning

       I'm a nature lover.  

                      Love nature.

                                 Love God's creation.  

It's a good day when we get to spend it outside, especially in the woods or on a trail or just "going on an adventure" as Jacob call it.

Thankfully, we all love being outside, so that has made it really fun to do our nature studies.  

I'm not a purist in any particular method of learning.  We have an eclectic style in our homeschool, blending classical, traditional, Charlotte Mason and even a little of the unschooling method.  

When it comes to nature studies and nature notebooks, Charlotte Mason and unschooling are where it is for us!  We love it!  I basically don't do anything, except help them research if they need help.  After all, God has filled His creation with so many wonderful and unique birds, plants, trees, creatures and so much more, that the children are naturally curious and excited to go explore and then come inside to sort and journal their findings.  Sometimes they take their notebooks with them outside and draw, but either way, I am usually amazed by what they come up with.  

Here are just a few pictures of our nature studies this year!

At the beginning of the year, we studied about Lewis and Clark for several weeks, so they made "leather" covers for their journals.  (They learned quite a bit about nature journaling from studying about those guys!)  The journals themselves are composition notebooks, and the covers are made of brown felt.  It was so fun watching Jacob sew the yarn around the edges.  The cover is made so that when the present notebook is full, they can slip it right out and put a new one in!

Well, clearly Evan wasn't ready for this snapshot!  This was a day back in the fall, when everyone was diligently working on their math, until Ashlyn randomly announced that we just HAD to go to the woods to see a GIANT pile of acorns that she had spotted the day before.  The kids finished their math and we dropped the next thing and went to the woods.  We saw the giant pile of acorns (part of it is in the bottom right hand corner of the photo), and several other interesting things too!

Jacob is really into feathers right now.  If we don't recognize what kind it is, we try to look it up online or in one of our books.  Sometimes he writes, but most of the time he draws his experiences or something he has seen outside and I write word for word what he dictates to me.

It has been fun to see Ashlyn's nature notebooks advance from year to year.  Her drawing has improved quite a bit!  She is naturally a writer, so many of her pages are filled with just words.  

The older three, working on their notebooks!  They are just finishing up the labeling here I believe.  Many times there is all kinds of "stuff" from outside covering the table as they sort through their treasures.

Emily has quite a few drawings in her notebook, but sometimes she likes to take the plucked specimen and "seal" it in her notebook with lots and lots of clear tape!!  

This little guy was snatched up one rainy day, and I'm pretty sure that there is a drawing of him in all of their notebooks!  

Emily came running into the house one day screaming for the camera.  She took the picture and then printed it off on our printer and glued it into her notebook.  Sadly, I don't think we ever figured out exactly what it is.  If anyone knows, please tell us!! :)
UPDATE: A good friend has informed me that it is milkweed in bloom.  

Here are the finished covers with the journals inside.

See how it works?  God has given children a natural curiosity, especially when it comes to His own creation.  There is no way I would hinder that curiosity!  Now is the time for them to learn, and to learn to love learning!   I would love to hear any ideas that you have when it comes to nature notebooking!

Our Lord's creation is a wondrous thing, and I'm so thankful to see it, every now and then, through the eyes of my kids in their notebooks.  But it doesn't end with just an in-depth observation or some research to satisfy academia.  I want to consistently remind my kids that all of God's creation was made for one purpose, and that is to bring glory and honor to Him.  As Romans 1:20 so beautifully declares, "For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made."  

He has made Himself known through His creation, so that all people are without excuse.  It's all for Him!  

Our Real Home

This world is not our home.

That truth is one of the most important truths that Jason and I want to drive home to our kids. 

About a year ago or so, I remember talking with Jacob about how we are merely pilgrims in this world (we had been studying about the Pilgrims in school the last couple of weeks).  

I told him all about how the earth will all go away one day, and that there is a forever and ever after that.  I told him that when a person has been redeemed by Christ, heaven is their real home and that we should always think of our life here on earth as temporary, kind of like when we go on a trip (I was trying to speak on a level he could understand).

Then I said, "So see, Jacob, Christians don't have to be afraid of death.  We know we are going to heaven!  Death is just a passageway to our real home!"

He excitedly replied, "I know, I'm not afraid to die!"

A few quiet seconds passed, and what came next was the sweetest confession I've ever heard.  

"Well, really I am afraid, but I'll try not to be."

I understand completely, Jacob!

Death can be fearful because it is unknown.  Even though I know what's on the other side for me, it can be unnerving thinking of how it will happen.  Questions arise in my mind.  Questions like, "Will it hurt?"

Of course we will pass on from this life!  This life is miniscule compared to eternity.  
This life is a speck on speck on a speck compared to what has passed and what's ahead.

That's why it is so important that my children understand what's at stake.  I mean, what logical sense does it make to work, work, work and achieve everything this world can offer, but store up nothing for eternity?  If this tiny space of time is our only goal, then we really have nothing.  With Christ (and Christ alone), eternity will be grand.  Without Christ (even with many "good works"), eternity will literally be hell.

As parents, we have the opportunity every day to teach our kids about the importance of Christ's kingdom.

  Take it! 

I try to be mindful to let it be woven in and out of every subject, even sometimes math!  Lessons of Christ's Kingdom are not separate from academics, because I desire Christ to be the in and out of everything my kids are taught.  

After all, this world is not our home!

My Space on the Web

Social media is funny, isn't it?

Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, the internet in general; I believe I can safely declare that it has changed our culture!

For instance, anyone can sign up for a blog or create an account with any of the above mentioned outlets and Voila! they are published on the web (in a restricted sense, albeit, but still published) for all the world to see.

We see people at their best and people at their worst  We see real life and not so real life.  We see nonsense and things that actually make a lot of sense.  But the point is that we see.

I'm not opposed to this necessarily, because when these types of media are used properly and with care, they can be very helpful and really fun!

But I do believe that this new norm has brought out in us a very old problem, which is that it opens up a whole new horizon of comparison.  I can go to any blog of any other homeschool mom like me, and read her writings and see her pictures and then log off wondering why I'm not as creative or as organized or as hip or as spiritual as she is.  Been there?

OR...I could get on someone else's blog or see a Facebook post and log off thinking how much more creative or more organized or more hip or more spiritual that I am than they!  Been there?

When we compare ourselves with others, 

we often times place ourselves either as superior or inferior to that person.  

Both of those places are located on a very slippery slope, and I would even call it, well...sin.  My identity should be found solely in my life as a redeemed child of God.  (I hope to write more about that soon.)

I haven't updated this blog in a long time for various reasons.  But I have a great desire to encourage people in the Lord; people like me who struggle daily in the battle against sin and want to grow in Christ.  I would like to share what works for our family in the realm of raising kids and homeschooling them.  I would also like to share practical things like recipes, because I have benefited greatly from such things online!

What I DON'T want to do is give the impression that my homeschool is perfectly organized and that I have great meals prepared every day.  Just the thought of that makes me chuckle!!

Also, I don't have a really awesome camera that takes cool pictures with blurry backgrounds, so you won't see a lot of that here.

I don't have a knack for crafts, and I'm not all that tech savvy.

BUT, out of all the spaces on this big giant web, this little space is one that I pray will be used to point you to Christ.   We are here on this earth to honor Him, and it is my joy to do so, even in my imperfection.

My prayer is that you will be blessed and encouraged when you leave this small corner of the web.

Thanks for visiting!  :)

Hello Again!

Okay.  My last post was called "It's Been A While...".  That was written almost two years ago.  I think I could title this one the same!

It isn't that I haven't had anything to say. I guess I just haven't had anything I wanted to say on here!

But alas, here I am! :) And here is a semi-recent photo of my girls - full of love!

My blog really isn't a place where you will necessarily find great photos or recipes.  I'm not overly techie, so it's not very fancy in many regards.  But, my goal and prayer for this blog is to offer encouragement in the Lord Jesus Christ for daily living and family life.  Lately I have had some things on my mind which I would like to share, and truthfully, are just too lengthy for my Facebook status! :)  

Today, I just wanted to share a something that has worked so well for our family, and hopefully it will encourage you!  

The Bible, God's inerrant Word, is more than a history book.  It is a story of humankind's redemption.  It is our powerful weapon against temptation and spiritual battles.  It is a "lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105).  

Because of these things, Scripture memory is a high priority for our family.  However, it is something I used to struggle with.  I would try to memorize random verses, but I would quickly forget them.  When I would teach my kids that way, it also seemed ineffective (as far as retention).  But in the last couple of years, we have discovered a most effective method for all of us, and that is to memorize whole passages/chapters of the Bible instead of random verses.

Now, I know that this is not a new concept to many.  However, if you have not done this, I encourage you to try!  You may think that memory work is easier for kids, but I have hidden more of God's Word in my heart since we've been doing this, and I actually retain it after many months!  

Here is the method:

Start with the first verse of the passage.  Just read/recite it with your kids throughout the day:  in the car, at breakfast, at lunch, during dinner, etc.  Do that for a couple of days, then add the next verse.  However, instead of just working on the next verse, recite the first verse along with it.  Keep doing this, and before you know it, you will have memorized ten verses, then twenty, then a whole chapter!  Doing it this way also puts the memory verses into context, and it opens up the door to wonderful Godly conversation as a family.

I promise it is not as daunting or difficult as it may seem, but there is one very important key.  You must be diligent.  You must place it as a priority.  When you do, you will be amazed at what you and your family can learn.  Even my youngest children participate - we just make it a pleasant time with no pressure.

You will not regret it!  I can heartily declare that it is a worthy investment of your time.

Some of you may have other methods that you would like to share.  I would love to hear them!  

Consider Psalm 119:11:

Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You."

I think that means that knowing Scripture is pretty important!

It's Been A While...

Wow! It's been awhile since I last posted!

It's not really that I have nothing to write about, it's just that summer is wonderful...and busy! Even the wee one has been up and at 'em. Evan is moving around like crazy, and just tonight we had to lower his mattress because he is trying to pull up. He likes it. Doesn't he look happy?

This week we (as a family) have been learning/memorizing/studying one of my favorite Bible passages, Philippians 4:4-8. It says,

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."

Isn't that wonderful? To me that is so rich. Perhaps it's because I tend to be a worrier sometimes, and this is a blunt command from the Almighty that I absolutely must NOT worry about anything. And there is a promise. A promise that when we rest in him, not only will our hearts be covered with His peace, but that it will guard our minds as well.

Most of the time, it's my mind that gets me in trouble anyway. Whether it's worrying, dwelling on the negative about people or circumstances, or just focusing on myself, it usually begins in my mind. I need God's peace to guard my mind.

Even though this has been a favorite passage for a long time, I still struggle with completely letting go and putting it into practice. I'm workin' on it though!

I Love My Kids' Daddy

Many months ago I posted this photo of Jason and the little guy and wrote about how Jacob loves to imitate his daddy.

Not much has changed. It is not uncommon to see Jacob digging with his Daddy, pulling weeds with his Daddy, eating cereal with his Daddy, or eating other foods just because Daddy does.

Actually, it's not just Jacob. Imitating Daddy seems to be a big-time habit for all of the kids.

And he's a good Daddy. He is loving. He is playful. He teaches. He provides. He lets them know how important they are to him and to God. He prays for them. He has a desire to see them grow in the Lord. He hangs out with them. He helps them. He disciplines them. He laughs with them.

See, he tries to imitate His Father, too.

Perfect? Of course not.

But he is the father of my children and the man I love, and I'm so happy to be sharing my life with him.

Happy Father's Day to my hubby!

And Happy Father's Day to you too Dad!