School is Back in Session!

Today was the first day of school at Front Porch Academy!
And though i had hoped to have pictures to share and despite the fact that we got off to a later start than anticipated it was still a successful beginning.
This year we will be working through "Rome to the Reformation" from My Father's World. Though today was a "light" day, intended to ease us into the school year we still learned quite a bit.
First, we went through the Roman numerals-both the characters and names for numbers 1-10, 20-100 and 1,000. Then we learned the legend of Romulus and Remus along with some other Roman history.
Tomorrow will be a little more involved as we continue to gradually beef up our schedule. On the agenda are: "How the Bible Came to us"(Bible History), Roman Lands Today(map) and "Inside the Human Body(science). I will also be reading to them about the Roman Republic and we can not forget math and writing!
Whew! It really looks to be an exciting year already.
My prayer is that even as our enthusiasm ebbs and flows we will continue to put our best foot forward.
With that thought in mind i am going over our material for tomorrow and thanking God that i am able to teach my children at home.

Let's Talk

When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel. Deuteronomy 17:18-20 Dr. Ray Pritchard cited this passage from Deuteronomy in a recent blog post titled, "Writing the Bible can be Good for Your Soul". The whole article is interesting and thought provoking but don't take my word for it read it for yourself at:http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/pritchard/11581909/. After reading this article i felt convicted to take up the practice of writing through the Bible myself. Unsure of where to start, i started at the beginning...the book of Genesis. However, after three days of writing and still not getting past chapter 1 i began to wonder if i had made the right choice. Then i started a new Bible study and right off the bat we are talking about how we use our tongues. Talk about conviction! Immediately we are taken to James 3:8-10: "But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not be so." Then the sermon on Sunday night was on the ninth Commandment: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." The third chapter of James was once again referenced at this time. With all this talk about talk i am thinking God is really wanting me to think long and hard about the way i talk. And it is with this in mind that i am starting over tomorrow in my Bible writing. And where will i begin this time? Why, James 3, of course. And from there, wherever He leads me. You see, in my perfectionist thinking i believed i had to write it all in perfect order but my perfect Father seems to have another plan. This should be interesting. I will keep you all posted but before i go i feel led to end with this: "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Matthew 12:34 Good night all!

Before I lay me Down to Sleep

For the sake of time and sanity(i need my rest for the day ahead), this will be a short post but i just have to share my thoughts on the Bible study that i attended tonight. The name of the study is "Can We Talk?" by Priscilla Shirer. Since this was the introductory session we viewed tonight i won't be starting my homework til tomorrow morning but i am so eager to get started. The next six seeks will be about learning to talk with God. Each week has a different topic and the first week's chapter is titled, "Firestarter" in which we will realize the power of the tongue. I have to admit this has me cringing as i remember words that have been spoken to me and words i have spoken to others. Words have hurt me and unfortunately i have used words to hurt others. I hope everyone will stay tuned as i share what God teaches me in the coming weeks. It is also my hope that as you read that you will ask what God may be trying to teach you. Now, readers, i ask you to help hold me accountable too. Some of you know me personally and see me on a regular basis, when you see me will you just ask me if i am following through in what God is leading me to do? For those of you who know me through the reading of my blog please feel free to ask me whenever you drop by. I love hearing from everyone and thank God for you all! And now i say, "Good night, friends!".

It's a Celebration!

Tonight i am celebrating the small victories. I choose to be grateful for the little things like the mountains of laundry that were moved today and the ironing that was taken care of this evening. Jeremy primed the living room walls this morning while the children and i had school. Last night i started writing the Bible. Yes, you read that right, i am writing the Bible. More on that later. Most anyone could look at this and agree, it has been a very productive day. There are other things as well, BBQ chicken from the crock pot, freshly washed bedclothes and closets set for the cool weather ahead. Somehow all this was accomplished without the aid of my morning coffee because i am trying to wean myself from the warm, comforting concoction. Again, this is fodder for another post on another day. For now i just want to savor this little celebration and thank God for the peace of mind He has given me today and for showing me how with Him nothing is impossible. Sometimes it just takes baby steps.

First Question

"There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom, through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 The first question in the weekend challenge asks what we think our gifts,talents and skills are. How do we believe God has equipped us? In my attempt to answer this question honestly and confidently, i have been reading through 1 Corinthians. Chapter 12 deals with the different spiritual gifts and their diversities. Earlier this year i took an online quiz to help determine what my gifts were. The end results showed that i am an exhorter and a server. I was really pleased with those results and felt they were quite accurate. For the longest, i kept the printout in my Bible. Now i can't find it. When i do find it again i will post the link for anyone who might be interested in taking the quiz for themselves. Anyway, i do feel pretty confident of my gifts. However, when it comes to my talents i am having to think a little harder and dig a little deeper. As someone who loves to listen to and encourage others i feel i am a much better listener than i am a speaker. I communicate much better with pen and paper or through the keyboard as i am doing now. So i guess you could say writing is one of my talents. There are others i am sure but i am having to pray and keep my eyes and ears open as God reveals them to me. And now we come to skills...again, this is something i am praying about. Well, so far i do believe this challenge is proving to be an eye opener. It is causing me to consider things that i have neglected to think about due to busyness, distraction or fear. This is one challenge for which i am very thankful. Hope everyone else can say the same. Anyone who cares to join us, jump right in!

Monday Reflection

Today is Monday...again. The day i look back on the previous week and ask myself what i need to do differently for the following week. Sometimes my list is brief, sometimes it can be quite exhaustive. Sometimes i follow through, sometimes i have to make the same mistakes again before i finally get my act together. Yes, Monday is my day of reflection. It is good to have this often because my memory can be so short at times, especially when it comes to an honest evaluation of myself. In my time of reflection, i try to look at every area of my life: Am i being the wife and mother i need to be? What kind of teacher have i been(in and out of the classroom)? Have i been a good friend? How much time am i spending with God and in His Word? How i answer those first three questions rely heavily on how i answer the fourth question. If i get a negative answer on that one then all my other answers are going to be negative as well. I wish i could say i am disciplined and faithful when it comes to spending time in His presence and studying the Bible but the truth is i am not. Too often i let the very things that He wants to help me with get in the way of that time. Things like busyness,stress and feelings of unworthiness distract me to the point that they consume every bit of me. I do not like the person i am away from God. I am weak,selfish,easily angered,fearful...the list goes on and it does not get any better. It is in my time with God that i am strengthened,encouraged and filled with peace. This list also continues and inspires me to get up in the morning even though my body is telling me to stay where it is nice and warm and where i might get a few more moments of sleep. My soul is needing rest and nourishment. As long as i am recieving that from my Heavenly Father i can face whatever comes my way throughout the day. Well, that has been my reflection for this Monday morning. Thanks for letting me share with you. Hope we all spend more time with God this week.

About Friends and Flowers

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Last night i did something i don't normally do. I stood up two very good friends(Sorry, Buffie and Tonya). But before i comitted this horrendous act they gave me their blessings and assured me that we are still friends(Thanks, Buffie and Tonya). For at least two weeks we had been planning to take a certain Bible study together. Then, at the last minute, a new class was added to the roster. The name of the study is "When Wallflowers Dance" by Angela Thomas and it is one that i have been hoping for since i first heard of it. When i found the book a couple of months ago in a bookstore Jeremy bought it for me. Unfortunately, i have not had a chance to read it yet. With homeschooling and other commitments, finding time to read has become difficult. In fact, i am still in the fifth chapter of "The Creative Call". I believe these two studies are going to compliment each other so i am looking forward to getting into both. While "The Creative Call" is about realizing and developing your creativity, "When Wallfowers Dance" is about helping women overcome the hurt and disappointments of life to become the passionate women that God created us to be. He is the One who is inviting us to this dance. In the coming weeks i hope to share with you how God is guiding me through these studies and how i am becoming the creative, dancing woman God always intended me to be. I also anticipate hearing how Buffie and Tonya learn and grow in their Bible study. Thank God for good and faithful friends. Love you both!