and in with the new.  All of the Christmas paraphernalia is put away, leftovers are eaten, normal life and eating and schooling have resumed.  We will have  a church new years party at our home tonight and the kids are thrilled.  I heard we will have a game of  ”pin the tail on the donkey”!  Good times people.

In other news, I have been working on my book list for 2008(things I want to read personally) and have been invited to contribute on a group Kingdom Conversations blog.  I think they wanted a female voice so I guess I am flattered.   I have  a few posts I am working on for that (they take a bit longer to think through) and I am steadily thinking through our international trip to Peru.  Which food items need to go, which school items need to go…you know a woman needs a plan people!

 So, I just stopped by today to say, how thankful I am for 2007 and how hopeful I am for 2008.  Thanks for all you kids that have stopped by this year!  I hope to see you tons in 2008.

No, I am not dead…I have been sewing, and cleaning and generally getting some projects done that I am unable to get done without an extra set of hands.  My dear parents-in-law are here and, as always, they are such a big help. 

Let’s just say that I am not dumpster diving anytime soon, but I am making do with what I have, and not spending money on things I don’t need.  Making due with what you have is an art form, just ask Edith Schaeffer. Recently, I have become the proud owner of several friends and families gently used cast offs.  I was given several adorable pairs of curtains that were too short for our home, and a grocery bag full of upholstery grade fabric.  With a little quick stitching all the curtains work now and have a custom look.  It has been my goal this year to decorate and organize our home without spending any money.  Necessity breeds invention, and creativity.  So here are the first set of embellished curtains in our dear little girls room.  Martha Stewart…eat your heart out!

This is a little fuzzy but you get the overall affect. 

Here is a close up of the band I put at the bottom.

Do:  Pick up, clean and take care of what God has given you in terms of housing.

Don’t: Assume that the paint color you just purchased from the paint store is an exact match.  It probably isn’t and you will be seeing spots on your walls, which is only slightly better than thousands of dirty finger prints.

I knew it was a strong possibility that this would happen, but I was hoping against hope that it wouldn’t.  I am going to let it dry overnight and see if others notice it the way I do.  

It is always good to be prepared to laugh at yourself and your many, many mistakes.  I do have some GREAT calm and peaceful music playing so I am peaceful in the midst of unending spot-age.

Living and learning!  Peace to all painters today!

**** Update - Yeah,  the paint dried out over night and not a spot in sight:-)  What a pleasant surprise to wake up to****

Throughout the centuries and all over the world artists of tried to depict the nativity.  Here is just a small sampling. Wherever you may be in the world, Grace and Peace to you!

“And this is what will prove it to you:
you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”
(Luke 2:12)

mid-1500’s

Mexico  

Korea

India

Japan

Human maturity is delayed gratification. ~ Scott Peck

Christian maturity is a willingness to see an argument through to the end and not have quick fix spirituality or missiology clutter your thinking. ~NT Wright

A new poster, Raffi recommended some audios that NT Wright has done.  I wanted to link to them here, in case one of you out there would be interested in giving them a listen.  All I have to say is, if western Christians, (or Christians in general) could get a hold of these concepts, I think the face of Christianity would look radically different. 

Enjoy them! I certainly have.

I have found a few great links for you to use with your kids at home. I always enjoy getting a good tip so I thought I would give you all a few links that may inspire you over your Winter Break.

Science with Me is a good resource for science based worksheets, ebooks and projects.  It is may be helpful to throw into your homeschooling mix.

Family Fun Time is a site with tons of ideas on crafts, recipes and ways to have “family time”.  My partners and I have been slowly working on this over the past few months.  It has been a labor of love for all of us.

And last but certainly not least is Me and My Girl.  If you have been around my blog much at all you may be familiar with Randi a loyal commenter.  Her blog is a great read but her second site Me and My Girl gives great tips and crafts to do with your little ones at home.  Especially if you need help with hand craft ideas.

So there you have it!  Have fun!

Buy LESS…..save MORE…give GENEROUSLY!

I know it is earth shattering but yet highly effective!

Last night Hudson and I were having a conversation after he had been disciplined by his Daddy for speaking disrespectfully.

“Hudson, you know Mommy and Daddy discipline you because we love you.”

“Yes, Mama.”

“What does Mommy and Daddy want you to grow up into?” (Typically, this is the point that Mike and I explain how we want them to grow in to men who are respectful to people and especially women, who love children and are kind and generous.  We say the same type of thing every time so I wondered if he was starting to absorb that.)

“Mama, you want me to grow to a man who opens doors for ladies”

Close Buddy!  That is a good start we can build on it!

I have loved to read since the 2nd grade,  I stayed awake at night under my covers reading for hours after my parents said it was time for bed.  I was a history major in college because I loved a good story.   I would love to see more people read, and read deeply. It is so helpful in shaping ones thinking.   Here is a  sample of what I am reading.  It changes every month, although a few of these I have been working on for some time. 

Little Men 

My friend described this as a great story but really a great book on parenting.  She is right! It is fun to read it with a parents perspective.

Soul Talk 

Any friend of Dallas Willard is a friend of mine, so Larry Crabb is “in like flynn”. This book  was just recommended to me and so far it is great.  I love the idea of spiritual direction and how it is practiced.  I think I could see myself moving in that direction once the children are grown.

Pinocchio -

It is important to learn to obey what ever the cost.  Really, honestly….., whatever the cost and teach your kids the same thing too.

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction 

The title says it all.   I love Eugene Peterson like he is my grandfather.  I don’t know why.  Maybe it is because I listened to a course he did from Regent called “Soul Craft” right in the beginning of my deconstruction of “what is means to be the church.” It was a gentle voice in the midst of the chaos.

Crafted Prayer 

Graham Cooke hits it home when he talks about the reality of most Christians prayer life and the opportunity for us to grow into what prayer is really meant to be.  Kind of like, you can use prayer like an aspirin for a headache or enjoy prayer like being in tune with “mission control” during an exciting adventure unfolding minute by minute

NT wright - audio series - and as a result the synoptic gospels specifically.  

This is like eating a man size t-bone steak.  Definitely, slow steady bites keep you moving through it.  I love the audios because I can play them over and over when I am working in the kitchen.  You know kind of “kickin’ it” Brother Lawrence style.

Charlotte Mason Companion 

 This women was so passionate about educational reform.  I love big picture ideas to move me forward with my homeschooling journey.  She paints a vivid picture that I pray to attain with our home school. I am the type of person, who has to know “why”  a certain thing is prescribed before I wholeheartedly embrace it. I don’t mean the “why” because it is a good idea or cute or the right thing to do, but what certain things are doing holistically.  Once I understand the “why” I am off and running passionately.  She paints a solid picture for the “why” that is for sure.  That is why I was drawn to Maria Montessori and Sophia Cavaletti and ultimately Charlotte Mason.

The Secret Garden-

“Gentle words give life.” and conversely the opposite holds true as well.  It is so  important to speak life into people and teach your kids to do the same.

So these are the words rambling around in my grey matter, along with grocery lists, chores to be done and when is the next time I can take a nap without being interrupted.

Peace to all!

I am keeping it real for my Peeps Monday! 

• Well, it is 11:38 and my kids are still in their pj’s.   I realized the time when they started saying they were hungry.  I was about to say, you just ate breakfast, but realized it has been hours since then.
• They have played together all morning.  They have been so amiable and peaceful I just couldn’t switch gears this morning.
• I have a ton of dishes in the sink, and clothes to fold and put away.
• The kids rooms are  a mess and their beds are not made.
• I don’t have any presents wrapped and still have a few to finish.
• My kids had hot homemade cocoa for breakfast and have been eating corn chips all morning.  I didn’t even make the cocoa.  It was left over from last nights church Christmas party. 
• There is a small toy store located under our sofa.  Things have been lost for so long under there I am considering wrapping them up and giving them to the kids on Christmas morning.
• I have the strangest desire to eat all manner of junk food today.
• and I haven’t exercised in weeks.
• As I type this, my youngest is literally drinking honey form the sticky jar left on the counter from breakfast.

The weather is nice and crisp and cool today, so now, I am leaving the house a wreck, and we are packing up to go play today. There you have it people!  That is about as real as it gets.

I have  a great idea for you for last minute Christmas shopping for your kids.

Sponsor a child with them, about their age through Compassion International. Our children start to sponsor a child on their 5th birthday.  Jackson was able to choose the child he wanted to sponsor and has written letters and sent pictures to him regularly the past year.  I showed the children the video clip on the Compassion website and it has really stuck with them.  They talk about it amongst each other frequently.

It is one of his most favorite days when a letter comes in from Josias from Peru.    We will be visiting Josias in Feb. on our trip to Peru.  I am excited and interested to see how this will shape and form Jackson as he grows in understanding of the kingdom of God and being a disciple of Jesus. 

It is only about 30 dollars a month to sponsor a child.  You can pay for an entire year at one time and it is tax deductible at the end of the year. Come on, it is only $360 for and entire year to change a child’s life.  Just stop going out to eat one time a month and you have the money right there. 

OK - I am getting off of my soap box now.  Merry Christmas to all~

Theologians like, Wright, Peterson,Willard and my brilliant husband have helped me understand New testament eschatology and the kingdom of God. I think I will spend this lifetime chipping away at my understanding of it.  Or maybe I should say, living it.   I frequently find my husband’s nose in one of these books. So obviously, I have read some of N.T. Wrights books as well. 

I love to read and to learn new things.   For the past few years I have been captured by the concept of the kingdom of God and reading and studying about this reality has been very life giving to me.   Presently reigning and ruling, healing and transforming is the primary work of Jesus and the advancement of his kingdom is breaking forth continually.  I think Willard says that “The kingdom of God is present anywhere that Jesus gets his way.”  

I have been listening (over and over again) to NT Wright’s talk on Whatever did St Paul do with the Kingdom of God.  It has been deepening my understanding of the Kingdom of God and the rule and reign of Jesus. Take a listen for yourself and tell me what you think. (You will find the link in the middle of the page.)

Bella est Bonissimo!

Last night, I had the rare opportunity to see a movie by myself.  Literally, I was the only one in the theater. It is a great story, within a story, within a story.  None of the usual violence, language or tacky sex scenes.  You may like it too! 

Shh, I will tell you a little parenting secret that Mike and I have stumbled upon.  But don’t tell our kids, because so far they don’t know it is happening yet.

I have a friend who has a degree in child psychology tell me that it only takes 15 minutes of one on one time a day with each child to make them feel extra special.  You just need to plan for it and work it in.  Mike and I are very good about having special dates with each of the kids alone, and date nights for each other as well.   Everyone gets their own time throughout the day to be alone, and I work on one on one time throughout the day too so I feel like I am covering the bases so to speak.

So here is our little twist.  Mike and I secretly keep one of the three children up after the other two have gone to bed for about ten minutes or so for special Mommy and Daddy time.  They all get ready for bed together, brush their teeth etc. and secretly one of us takes one down stairs and the other of us puts the others to bed. 

Give it a try….it is so much fun.

Well…It is official.  Our oldest can tie his shoes all by himself:-)

Jackson turned 6 in August and it was a “clue” to me that life as I had know it with him was shifting.  He wanted his own shoes and wanted to have “big boy” lace up shoes.  Thank goodness I had him with me when I was buying his birthday present so I could check for the right size.  I showed him what I had thought he wanted and he gave me this disappointed look, like I had picked out baby booties or something.  Instead, He wanted these “cool kicks” shown above. I acquiesced on the premise that he would learn to tie them himself, to which he agreed.

Well, He has had steps 1, 2 and 3 down for ever but the last step has been eluding him/frustrating him to no end.  I never made a big deal about it.  He just got as far as he could and then I finished up for him.  I noticed in the last 2 weeks or so, his fine motor skills have progressed rapidly.  The big clue has been his writing.  He just can do it now without a problem.

 So today we went over the ”tying procedure” again.  We figured out the problem and within precisely 1 minute and 26 seconds he was tying his shoes as if he had done it his whole life.  I wish I had the video camera going, but I didn’t think it would happen that fast.  His little happy dance at the end was too cute.  I would of shown it to his wife one day if I had it on film.

So tying shoes has been like every other thing.  Potty training, riding bikes, swimming, reading….if I just wait until he is ready and try not to push it too early, he does it in like nano seconds.

OK - I am going to go shed a happy tear.   

Our family has done a really good job this year of not getting tripped up in all the Christmas madness.  We have intentionally not been busy.  We are still making time for friends and neighbors and we have been very modest in our spending for Christmas.  Because we rarely watch network television (our children watch none) we haven’t seen all the crazy Christmas ads and I am blissfully unaware at home during the day of outside happenings.

That coupled with my desire to help our children grab hold of the joy of giving I have been thinking through some things we can do together.   I am considering having us make some special pictures to deliver to a local assisted living facility with maybe carnations.  The children have so much fun delivering special treats to neighbors near by, I thought I would make it a big deal and prepare a whole day of giving for us.  I don’t want it to take a ton of money to pull off or be stressful in anyway to prepare.

Have any of you done something like this or have any ideas?

Anne Lemont is one honest author that is for sure.  The entire time I was reading this book, I felt like my head was on a swivel.  Almost like I was looking at an imaginary audience in the room with me asking them “Did she really just say that?” and  ”Did she really just do that?”.  By Chapter 4 I wasn’t  sure I was going to finish the book, but something kept pulling me forward.  By the final chapter I was glad I heard her story. I think it was her statements about Grace that were scattered like jewels throughout the story of her life.

For me, it is a  good discipline to listen to what others have to say that think completely differently from me, and be still enough and non reactive enough to learn something from them. In the end it was beautiful seeing the ribbon of God’s grace woven throughout her life as she stumbles along with deep and earnest sincerity at following Jesus.  She does not hide her brokenness.  Her honesty about her brokenness creates a wonderful backdrop to showcase the gift available to all of us….grace.

*Warning - if language or extreme liberal, feminine views are highly offensive to you…don’t read this book.  On the other hand, if you are able to admire beauty found in brokenness, this book is for you.

Today we just finished As You Like It by Shakespeare.  We both agreed that we enjoyed this play more than Midsummer Night’s Dream or The Tempest.

I feel like mid way through term 2 we have all settled into a consistent rhythm and Jackson is becoming very confident.  As a Mother, it is incredibly exciting to see your child gain a confidence in something.  Short, consistent, daily lessons have given way to a joy for learning that is amazing. 

He is reciting his narrations fluidly and accurately.  Just in this last few weeks, his writing and copy work have gone from a frustrated scrawl to a beautiful script.  I gasped today when I saw his work.  I asked him twice if he had really done it because I was so shocked.  He has obviously found joy in doing his best without me nagging.  It just came out of him.  It was so much fun to witness his accomplishment and the joy in his eyes when he made the choice to do it on his own.

Today, when he had finished his narration I complemented him on how well he had done.  He said “You are doing a good job too Mama at schooling.”  I asked him what he meant and he said “I mean you are doing a good job at training me.”    Now that has to melt a Mom’s heart.

I was happy to hear that he is enjoying this process.  The reality is, I am not doing anything earth shattering.  I just stick to the readings, ask for the narrations and give consistent, short, daily lessons. No more, no less.  He is building his own connections and the joy he is finding in doing it is priceless.

Check it out!

This morning we went to another children’s theatrical production.  This time we  enjoyed seeing the Velveteen Rabbit.  At the end of the show, the performer showed us all how she made her puppets and some little tricks she used.   She said she used cereal boxes to create shadow puppets.  That was all it took to inspire  the kids to make their own puppets and tell a story.  The ceral boxes are being cut as we speak.

I will keep you posted on their progress.  A good friend suggested starting with Aesop Fables, so we will get a few stories together to present to family at Christmas.  Oh - what fun!  I can’t wait:-)

Now I must go because my 6 year old is begging me continuously to read another chapter in The Indian in the Cupboard . This is a good one!:-)

Peace to all~

Today the kids and I will be digging and planting.  My grandparents live about 10 minutes west in a rural area on tons of land.  We are bringing out a few plants for the kids to plant with their PaPa (Great Grandfather).  Then we will record their progress in our journals regularly.

We get to  grow lots of things, plants, memories with Great Grandparents and deeper relationships with those who have walked many steps before us.  I will post some pics on our nature blog later today.

Enjoy your day~

Well, Friday was a tedious day with school and I figured it out right as we were finishing our last activity.  It was clean up day.  Finish up math, do a little phonics, finish copy work etc. etc.  Typically our day goes a bit like this.

Wake up and make our beds get our selves ready and head down stairs.  We eat a little breakfast and have our devotions as we eat.  We review our memory work, pray review our family rules when needed and sometimes do poetry all over breakfast.  (They eat slowly in the morning) Then we clean up and read our first selection, do copy-work, read some more, work on math, read some more do some phonics have a little snack, play outside, read some more on the bench out front, have our quiet time and then our lunch. 

Well, last Friday I had finished all of week #15’s reading and we had finished our extra reading and hadn’t made it to the library to get any more literature so we were stuck with finishing up the tedious stuff.  So, when this happens again, I will keep moving ahead into the next weeks selections to keep feeding little minds with wonderful information.

I got a little too systematic and we all missed out. 

Welcome to the Advent season dear friends.  What a calm special time of year to reflect on the mystery of the Christian faith.  I first was taught about Advent, its meaning, and how it may be helpful to a persons discipleship to Jesus, in my COGS training 4 years ago. 

We use a few symbols around our home, like an advent wreath, a creche and the liturgical colors.  This year we put a purple  bow on our wreath outside on the door. 

So this Advent, I am taking extra special care to be slow and disarm my cynicism.  I am thinking of Isaiah who proclaimed to a dry and weary people that “they would see a great light”.   I wonder if I were alive and heard him with my own ears if I would of believed him?  Maybe I would of been cynical and said something like “Yeah right…when?”  Maybe that is how a lot of God’s people felt?  Thankfully for us, He came anyway.

So Hold on to child like wonder with me friends.   This whole amazing journey of being a called out and sent people of God, is budding and blooming and pressing forward in this season, and I for one want to experience the joy of it this year again.

I am a bit giddy with excitement.

“Come Lord Jesus

Come Lord Jesus

Come Lord Jesus

Come and be born in our hearts.”

To celebrate the season we have a few selections playing throughout our home during the day. Music is a big part of our families life.

Handles Messiah

Charlie Brown Christmas

The Nutcracker

It’s the Most wonderful time of the year!  Tomorrow Advent is upon us.  Early in the morning, once we are all awake, we will get out our nativity scene, and read out-loud the Christmas story and allow the children to act it out with the figures.  It is a favorite activity for them.  We will hang a purple bow on our door signifying that we are in “preparation” mode.  For the children it is fun Christmas tradition , for me it is a discipline.

Dig into the waiting this year! Peace to all!