Lies homeschoolers believe-link

Cyndi over at mater magistra posted her thoughts on a book titled "Lies homeschool moms believe". I thought her post was very thoughtful and highlighted a problem all homeschool moms struggle with-for that matter all parents struggle with this at some point. Cyndi very accurately pointed out the prideful, smug feeling that overtakes us when our wonderful progeny are doing something stage worthy while the other mom's kid is banging his head on the floor or something. I am sure we have all been there at some point, not too proud to look back on!

As homeschoolers, our struggle with this, and the opposite problem of feeling like we don't measure up somehow to other homeschool families,-is a way too familiar struggle. Our family life is an organic life, it grows and changes. I actually do have some friends I do not get together with anymore because I no longer require "yes mom" answers from my kids. Tho the problem with that is more the friends, not my feelings of not measuring up...I would rather not deal with any disapproving/judgemental looks. I have more important things to worry about, and not enough energy to deal with feeling bad over it! But it is kind of sad, the fellowship we miss out on because of divisions, misunderstandings, lack of grace like this.

I would encourage you to go on over to Cyndi's blog and read her post here. And leave a note that you stopped by.

Thursday Thirteen -Me in 2006

Thursday Thirteen #14
Me, stages of becoming in 2006

1. The very tail- end of this year began our biggest heartbreak, losing my father-in-law. We don't know how to do this.

2. This was the year that our heart friends suddenly moved away. We knew they were here temporarily-they came so the husband could attend Bible College, but then they stayed longer, and somehow we tricked ourselves into thinking they would always be with us. Our two families were such a perfect fit, they were truly kindred spirits and we miss them so much.

3. This was the year I began blogging. I had forgotten how much I love to write, and the blogging friends I have made have enriched my life. This busy homeschool mom of 4 needed a creative outlet, and I think I have found it.

4. I finally lost that baby weight- that I had lost after having my baby, and then gained back. I feel so much better!

5. I traveled to Ireland!! This was our first visit to anywhere in Europe. It was a wonderful experience, and we really want to go back.

6. We finally purchased a digital camera...scrapbooker that I am, you would think we would have gotten one years ago. Welcome to the 21st century!

7. We began hosting the full-time training brothers (bible college students) over for dinner on Sunday nights, what a blessing for us, and maybe something God is calling us to do.

8. Another year homeschooling. Yeah, I'm still here!!

9. I took guitar lessons for a few weeks over the summer, something I want to continue.

10. Severe exposure of my soul-ish-ness. (over and over again like a broken record) Realizing how much of me needs to die to self, so I can live Christ.

11. Some very sweet times spiritually, growing into God's fullness. More peace with where God wants me, what God wants of me, and where He has placed me. This did not come easily, and took most of the year..

12. Survived two big home-improvement projects completed by darling husband. A major block and wood sculptured fence and a new front porch.

13. Stopped suffering so I could finally write that opera... (Singing in the rain quote)

Thursday Thirteen is a weekly meme, go here to the TT hub to see a huge list of participants.
(graphic courtesy of Cindi @ whispering in the wings)

latte addiction

Here is a picture from our bible conference week: pictured are full-time trainee (bible college student)Lisa from Texas, Louise from Ca, me, and Jill from Texas. We are at Starbucks, where we nursed and encouraged a very sad latte addiction.

Each day the conference begins at 4pm, you have to be in your seat at that time. We get our dinner break from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Almost everyone will bring their own dinner, or you can buy one there...the dinner break is really a perfect time span to eat your dinner, look for and visit friends from out of state or out of the country, maybe visit the bookstore and use the facilities.

Somehow...how do these things really get started? Somehow, we began a tradition, these girlfriends and I, of jumping into my van and running down to starbucks, eating our dinner there and bringing back something good, warm, and full of caffeine. I do not drink coffee, usually at starbucks I will get a chai latte-but this week my indulgance of choice was a maple machiatto. Oh, sweet-heavenly yum! Long meeting? Not a problem here my friends! I was buzzing in my seat!

The last day of conference, the meetings each evening had gotten progressively longer and over-time, so at dinner they announced they were cutting dinner hour to end at 7pm so as to be able to cover everything they wanted to share with us. Now, we barely fit our nightly caffeine run comfortably into the dinner break-so after shaving off a half-hour...did we give up our starbuck's run? That would be a no. A sorry, pathetic, latte-addicted -no. We raced over, got our cup of comfort and went back. Made it to our seats barely in time. And had to eat our lunches there while everyone sang.
But, it was so worth it.

Fall into reading book challenge wrap-up

Katrina at Callipidder days hosted the fall into reading book challenge. Well, time is up- and how did we all do? Go here to see links to participants and see how they did. My original post is here.
My thoughts on my challenge journey;

My non-fiction list:

Imitation of Christ- Thomas A Kempis
Life Study of Romans- Witness Lee
Circle of Quiet-Madeleine L'Engle
How the Irish saved civilization-Thomas Cahill

The two books on my list I did not finish were The imitation of Christ, and The life study of Romans. Both I have started and I am about 1/4 through. I should have known better about the life study, the last one I read on the Gospel of Matthew took me a year to read. I really was hoping that by putting the Life Study on my challenge, I would be motivated to finish it in a respectable amount of time. I am thinking this one will take me about a year also. The a'Kempis book is actually very thin, and I think I will finish it this month. I am enoying it very much. My motivation for reading it was the frequent mentioning of it being read by Katherine's mother in "Stepping Heavenward" which is one of my favorite books, a yearly re-read. I would very much like to grow to be like the mother in this book, so I thought I would give "pokey" a'Kempis a try. (gotta read Stepping Heavenward" to get the pokey reference!...)
*Circle of quiet was awesome! I marked my book all up, she is very quotable.

My fiction list:

The Bretheren-Beverly Lewis
Blessed are the Cheesemakers-Sarah-Kate Lynch
Eating Heaven-Jennie Shortridge
Miss Julia speaks her mind-Anne Ross
Fairest-Gail Carson Levine

I am a very fast reader, unfortunatley I discovered that I am a fast fiction reader. Not exactly the distinction I would have liked...

I finished everything on my fiction list except the book recommended by At a hen's pace, and that was only because I failed to put it on hold at the library in time...I am sure I will blaze thru it when I get my hands on it. I read everything on my fiction list, and even many fiction books not on my list...4 or 5 Grace Livingston Hill books, because I was in the mood...( I am a sucker for a happy ending and good food) the first book in the "Fitzwilliam Darcy Gentleman" series by Pamela Aidan -very good, I might add. Jane Austin fans will like it, I think. And one or two books I pre-read before allowing my girls to read...can't remember what they were.

Read aloud with my girls:

Peter Pan-James Barrie
Tales from Shakespeare-Lamb
Laddie-Gene Stratton Porter
Ida B-Hannigan

finished everything except Lamb's Shakespeare, and Laddie- I was just attempting too much, reading aloud is very time consuming... We just started Laddie, which is a favorite of mine, I have been waiting to share that with them. Peter Pan was wonderful, it just took me a while to read through it.

Read aloud to the younger kids:

When we are six, When we were very young-A.A. Milne
Burgess Animal book

finished one of the Milne poetry books, and didn't get to Burgess animal book at all. That will go on my next list. I did read Beatrix Potter's collection, thinking it was on my list...but it wasn't! I did read alot of library books to them not on my list, so I do not feel that I failed in this area.

the bonus books:

well, I was just too ambitious there! They will go on a list for next time.

Katrina asked if we read more because of the challenge. I would say yes, as far as non-fictions and read alouds to my kids. fiction-wise, no...I read alot of fiction. I do think the challenge helped me to balance out this inequality in my reading diet. I am now more aware of my, ahem...fiction problem. Did I tackle books I wouldn't have?. Yes, in a way. The books I read were all books that had caught my eye, and I had meant to read...It just would have taken me years to get around to it I think.
So, the challenge was a good thing for me, inspiring me to get up and go with my reading.

The best book of my challenge was a surprise to me, the best book, and now one of my all time favorites was "Blessed are the cheesemakers". I will be doing a book review when I have more time.
"How the Irish saved civilization" was also a very good read, and I really learned much about history from the reading.

The book challenge was a good undertaking for me, I look forward to Katrina's next challenge.

All things change

Thank you, blog friends for your prayers this week. Saturday it was determined that my father-in-law's kidney was failing, and he was offered dialysis. He has refused, and we brought him home yesterday to live out his final days. I know that the prayers of the saints are sweet to God, and already we have been poured out such a measure of grace.

I already have so many sweet, loving memories of this week-it has been such a whirl-wind week for us, with the bible conference and hosting our guests from abroad, and trying to spend as much time as we can at the hospital with Sky's dad.

The bible conference ended very late Saturday night. For us, the week for conference always feels like a race, this week was so incredibly magnified in responsibilities, but the grace given met the need in a way we have not experienced before. I am still amazed that we have made it through. I have lots of funny stories to tell about the week...I will be posting more later. Our last two guests from Moscow leave early tomorrow morning. I have to tell you all the story of me taking 5 Russians shopping, we were all over orange county. It got to the point of me begging God to make sure costco was closed, I couldn't go on...and I didn't think I could fit the costco sized peanut butter into my van, something about Russians and peanut butter...

oh, and the fall book challenge, I have to post on that- kind of late, I know...that is coming up too.

Blessings to you, everyone and happy new year!

Prayer request

Hi everyone, just checking in on my blog friends during my busy, full week! I do have a prayer request I would like to put out there. My father-in-law has been fighting kidney cancer for a few years now. He is such a strong, healthy person that it didn't affect him in a big way for a few years, but since summer he has changed and seemed really sick-in a for real sort of way. He is such a strong pillar of a man, I usually describe him as a John Wayne hero type man. I guess you can trick yourself into thinking that nothing will change and your rock will always be here. In two weeks we have seen him decline so much, and by Christmas Eve we thought we were losing him for good. It was stunning to think it could happen so fast. But, oh, thank God for Sky's brother who is a Dr. and visiting for Christmas. He figured out what was wrong and took his dad to the hospital. He had calcium buildup in his body because his kidney is not working so well, and the calcium affected his brain functions-that was why he was fading before our eyes.

I would covet your prayers for him, his name is Tom. Already he is so improved, the intelligent look is back in his eyes, and he is even joking again- Sky's family is big for joking, I wish I could describe the e.r. room scene for you-it was like a big party. That is how they are, and that is what they like. Evidently...because today in a quiet moment Tom motioned that he needed something. We asked him what he needed...he said "humor". Of course we scrambled to oblige!

I cannot put into words how much I love this man, and how thankful I am that we have more time with him. I would ask for prayers for his improved health, and for his pain, and for the hiccups that have plagued him for months.

Thank you, all