Heart and Home

Believing Prayer

2009-12-31T10:05:00.003-06:00

"Peter was kept in prison: but prayer (instant and earnest prayer) was made for him"

(Acts 12:5, margin).

Peter was in prison awaiting his execution. The Church had neither human power nor influence to save him. There was no earthly help, but there was help to be obtained by the way of Heaven. They gave themselves to fervent, importunate prayer. God sent His angel, who aroused Peter from sleep and led him out through the first and second wards of the prison; and when they came to the iron gate, it opened to them of its own accord, and Peter was free.

There may be some iron gate in your life that has blocked your way. Like a caged bird you have often beaten against the bars, but instead of helping, you have only had to fall back tired, exhausted and sore at heart. There is a secret for you to learn, and that is believing prayer; and when you come to the iron gate, it will open of its own accord. How much wasted energy and sore disappointment will be saved if you will learn to pray as did the Church in the upper room! Insurmountable difficulties will disappear; adverse circumstances will prove favorable if you learn to pray, not with your own faith but with the faith of God (Mark 11:22, margin). Souls in prison have been waiting for years for the gate to open; love ones out of Christ, bound by Satan, will be set free when you pray till you definitely believe God. --C. H. P.

Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, Streams in the Desert

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What a precious reminder! Wishing a wonderful New Year's Eve to all my lovely readers!

Resonate

2009-12-31T09:15:00.000-06:00

I recently was greatly blessed by this song. God is impressing on me the importance of being thankful; its impact on my perspective, contentedness, joy, worship, my heart, my attitude.

All The Good Things

Every once in a while the world stops spinning enough
That I can take a step back and get the picture
I see the twists and the turns, I see the patterns they form
I see how perfect they are and I remember

All the good things
All the good things
All the good things you’ve done for me

Though the feeling is real I know it’s fleeting to feel
One day I’ll forget you are here and start to wonder
In that season of doubt, You’ll still be showering me
With blessings I can’t see, that can’t be numbered

All the good things
All the good things
All the good things You’ve done for me

Forgive me for my shortsighted look at this world
Where you keep proving that you know what you’re doing

If I could see like you do with your perspective view
The fires I’m walking through would look much different
I’d see those difficult days for who they made me become
And I would count them among

All the good things
All the good things
All the good things You’ve done for me

Jill Phillips, here

Favorites From 2009

2009-12-30T21:39:00.005-06:00

In no particular order, some random photos from this past year.

Playing in the first snow with Daddy

My brothers and Dad

What the guys do for fun...

Sweet siblings

A new friend

Violin lessons every Tuesday

Growing up...he just had his 10th birthday

Irresistible

Sunday School -- Christmas Program

Sweetest friends

Fun shot

Daddy and his brood

L'il Farmer

First Fish

The First Snow

2009-12-30T20:50:00.002-06:00

Was this really taken on the eighth of December? That's what my camera says! The kids still can't get enough of the snow!

Thoughts Shared

2009-12-30T20:08:00.006-06:00

I was blessed to be asked to share at a recent baby shower. It is such a privilege and joy to mark each little one's birth with a celebration. Here is the devotional in the hopes it will encourage all the moms who read it.

The passage the Lord gave for me tonight is Matthew 19:13-15.

Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.

But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

This is such a beautiful passage and demonstrates much of the Lord’s tender care and the love He has for children. It reminds me how precious our children are to the Lord Jesus. How He made time for them. They are important to Him. He is interested in them as individuals. I think He laid His hands on each one individually as He blessed and prayed for them. In the two parallel passages that relate this story in Mark and Luke, we learn that our faith must be like a little child’s in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. So not only does the Lord treat children as individual and important, He elevates them as an example of true faith. Children are spiritually significant.

God is very interested in our children. They are highly valuable and precious to Him. He is working in their lives even now. And He is using us in their lives to show His love for them through us.

I am reminded of Psalm 139 when I think of how precious we are to God, and how precious our little ones are to Him.

For You formed my inward parts;

You covered me in my mother’s womb.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well.

My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written,

The days fashioned for me,

When as yet there were none of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How great is the sum of them!

There are many, many ways to show our children they are precious to us. Affection and words of love. Meeting their needs. Listening and talking with them. Lovingly guiding, training, and disciplining. Providing a safe, stable home. Loving the Lord and our husbands. All of this works together to give our children a sense of safety and security in our love.

As the Lord made time for children, we need to make time for our children. Reading, playing, doing chores together, shopping together, family time, one-on-one time. We can’t force “quality time” to happen, but if we are there for our children in quantity, then I am convinced that quality time will happen. We will recognize those moments that draw us closer as a family. And God will present opportunities for those teachable moments.

Just as the Lord is interested in us as individuals and knows us on a very personal level, so we are to know our children as individuals. They each have their own little personalities and interests, their own dreams and desires. Each one has been created as a unique person. Proverbs 22:6 alludes to the individual bent each child is born with and how we are to train them accordingly. We as mothers need wisdom in really knowing and understanding our children as we guide them and train them.

Finally we see that the Lord Jesus blessed each child. As moms we have lots of opportunity to bless our children…or not. This is a real challenge for me! Proverbs 31:26 says, “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.” When I open my mouth, are my words wise and kind? Do they bring a blessing? Besides our speech, do our actions bring blessings? We’ve all heard that actions speak louder than words. Am I going about doing what will bless my family and others? The biggest blessing we can give to our children is our prayers. Pray for their spiritual welfare. Pray for wisdom – for our children, for ourselves as parents. Pray for protection. Pray for them as they learn obedience. Pray for what’s ahead and for their future spouse. We all need the Lord’s help as we raise our children. What an encouragement it is to know that He loves them even more than we do and wants the very best for each of them.

The GIFT

2009-12-25T08:51:00.003-06:00

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Scripture taken from Luke 2, ESV
Image from The Nativity.

A Little Chuckle

2009-12-23T16:54:00.001-06:00

I heard this on the radio on the drive home from the grocery store today. Feeling more like a Martha or Erma today?

Labor of Love

2009-12-22T15:26:00.003-06:00

One my favorites this season.

Labor of Love
(featuring Jill Phillips)
words and music by Andrew Peterson

It was not a silent night

There was blood on the ground

You could hear a woman cry

In the alleyways that night

On the streets of David's town

And the stable was not clean

And the cobblestones were cold

And little Mary full of grace

With the tears upon her face

Had no mother's hand to hold

It was a labor of pain

It was a cold sky above

But for the girl on the ground in the dark

With every beat of her beautiful heart

It was a labor of love

Noble Joseph at her side

Callused hands and weary eyes

There were no midwives to be found

In the streets of David's town

In the middle of the night

So he held her and he prayed

Shafts of moonlight on his face

But the baby in her womb

He was the maker of the moon

He was the Author of the faith

That could make the mountains move

It was a labor of pain

It was a cold sky above

But for the girl on the ground in the dark

With every beat of her beautiful heart

It was a labor of love

For little Mary full of grace

With the tears upon her face

It was a labor of love

Listen online to the complete album, Behold The Lamb of God.

Thanksgiving Preparations 3

2009-11-25T10:08:00.002-06:00

The Menu: A Family Effort

*Deep-fried Turkey -- courtesy of my cowboy brother

*Cranberry Sauce -- Yep. Out of the can.

*Sweet Potato Casserole -- my husband's Grandmother's recipe, a.k.a. "Sweet Potato Goodness." Can we say pea-cans and butter? And you can keep your marshmallows. Sacrilege.

*Sausage Stuffing -- my Tallahassee friend's way; I can't say recipe since it's just the way she showed me. LOVE.

*Winter Salad -- Jenica's recipe; tossed salad with dried cranberries and cashews and such in a fabulous lemony-poppy-seed dressing.

*Homemade bread (hopefully)

*Cheesy Potatoes -- courtesy of my brother. He is such an awesome cook. The cooking gene somehow passed me by. But the cooking angel smiled on him. He is really good.

*He's also bring Green Bean Casserole. Mmm...

*My mom is bringing a fruit salad and pies, of course. French silk, apple, and pumpkin pie. The pie angel smiled on her. She is pretty famous among our friends for her pies. They all have their favorites, and she knows. Yes, she knows, and she is happy to oblige.

So today the kids are off from school, and there is general excitement in the air. I'm cleaning and tidying and running out to the grocery store later for a few last things. I decided to have some munchies (see Kathy's fabulous menu). I'm thinking pita chips and fresh veggies with hummus and chips with homemade salsa. I asked my parents to bring their stovetop popcorn popper over. We're decorating our tree in the afternoon.

At the start of this week we began praying that the Lord would give us peace in our home as we prepare to have guests. My tendency is to go into overdrive and go a bit insane getting ready, so I guess the prayer was mostly for me. I am happy (and thankful!) to report the Lord is answering that prayer.

May the God of peace be with you as well!

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His love endures forever.

Psalm 107:1

Quick Garland Tut

2009-11-24T17:30:00.004-06:00

1. print out letters onto card-stock (white)

2. cut out letters

3. cut contrasting card-stock for backs (black)

4. cut burlap squares to fit inside borders of card-stock

5. layer pieces and glue together (hot glue gun)

6. punch holes in upper corners of card-stock

7. string on a piece of twine and decide what to use as a spacer between words (I cut another piece of card-stock and burlap then attached two pieces of fabric cut into hearts)

8. tear a bunch of fabric into ~1" strips

9. cut twine into ~7" lengths

10. tie fabric strips and twine between letters and trim as desired

11. sweetly ask husband to help you hang it up

*See previous post for pictures.

Thanksgiving Preparations 2

2009-11-24T12:55:00.003-06:00

Your eyes are fine. The poor picture is blurry. But isn't it fun???

Thanksgiving Preparations 1

2009-11-23T20:26:00.004-06:00

*Three yards burlap edged with black stitching for table runner

*One twin flat sheet torn and hemmed into twelve napkins

Can you tell I'm having fun?

Tomorrow I'll post a picture of my garland...

Faith and Sight

2009-11-10T11:26:00.006-06:00

A luna moth cocoon is hidden in these dead leaves. We watch and wait.

Remember it is the very time for faith to work when sight ceases. The

greater the difficulties, the easier for faith; as long as there remain

certain natural prospects, faith does not get on even as easily as where

natural prospects fail.

-- George Mueller

Fun Times With Friends

2009-11-07T07:47:00.001-06:00

My sweet friend Allison posted about our time together. See it HERE.

Those Days

2009-10-27T18:21:00.001-05:00

My husband tore this out of the newspaper for me yesterday. I wonder why.

Just A Note

2009-10-23T16:57:00.005-05:00

The lovely Heidi at Mt. Hope Chronicles had a drawing for these beautiful notecards she created, and I was so happy to be a winner of a set. She is a gifted photographer and a homeschool mom of three handsome young men. I'm pretty sure I found her blog through a Google search for some inspiration for homeschool rooms. Can you see why she is now in my reader??? Love her decor and organization!

photo from Mt. Hope Chronicles

One of Heidi's challenges to her readers is the idea of Living Lovely.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true,

whatever is noble, whatever is right,

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,

whatever is admirable

—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—

think about such things.

~Philippians 4:8

Gorgeous photos, encouraging anecdotes, inspiring ideas...you'll want to visit Heidi's lovely blog, too.

Circle Time

2009-10-21T13:53:00.009-05:00

Trying to get some school work done while J-boy is in therapy.

Each morning around 9:00 we finish up our chores and gather in the living room for our Circle Time. It serves as the first bookend of our school day, a transition from physical work to mental work.

Calendar

For Calendar Time, the student of the day* places the day's number on the calendar. This is a great activity for the whole family: the younger ones counting, learning the days of the week and the months of the year; the older ones working on other calendar and time-related questions. Here are a sampling:

Number of days in a week, month (poem), year, leap year

New vocabulary: decade, century, millennium, annual, biannual, etc.

Number of hours in a day, minutes in an hour, etc.

There are so many fun ways to use calendar time.

Pledge of Allegiance

Patriotic Song, chosen by the student of the day*

Hymn Memorization

Joni Eareckson Tada and Bobbie Wolgemuth have co-authored four wonderful books, Hymns for a Kid's Heart: vol. I & II, Christmas Carols, and Passion Hymns. Stories of the hymn-writers as well as a devotional, Scripture, and prayer add much to our appreciation of hymnody. Each book includes a fully orchestrated CD and a children's choir singing along with Joni. I highly recommend these books. Not only do I love them, my children love them, too.

Scripture Memory

I choose a passage or chapter which we work on for a month. We repeat the passage three times each morning, usually making up motions to help us along. We've also done little drawings for each verse. It is a fun, simple, calm method of memorization.

Missionary Reading

Using the CMML magazine, we read about a missionary's needs and find their respective country on the map.

Prayer Time: for the missionary and for our day

Scripture Reading

We read two chapters of Scripture each day, listening online with child following along in their Bibles. The children take turns narrating each chapter. Here is one helpful definition of narration, Charlotte Mason style. We are nearly finished with I Chronicles!

2009-2010 Memorization Plan

August: Review I Corinthians 13

Hymn: The Power Of The Cross

September: Review Psalm 23

Hymn: What Can Wash Away My Sin?

October: Psalm 1

Hymn: To God Be The Glory

November: Psalm 121

Hymn: Angels We Have Heard On High

December: Isaiah 9:2-7

Hymn: Joy To The World

January: Galatians 5:22,23; Matthew 5:1-16

Hymn: Like A River Glorious

February: I John 4:7-12

Hymn: Take My Life

March: John 15:1-8

Hymn: Man of Sorrows

April: John 15:9-17

Hymn: Up From the Grave

May: Review

Hymn: Amazing Grace

Miss N filling in her daily checklist.

*The "student of the day" serves to resolve any conflicts among the children about whose turn it is, from updating the calendar to who prays at mealtime to who goes with mommy on an errand. I write each child's initial on each day of the calendar rotating through by age.

Note: I have wanted to post about our school year, but it seemed a daunting task to put it all down at once. So here and there I will add posts to this series about our curriculum and schedule.

Can't?

2009-10-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

"We're not going to say 'can't' in this home. We are going to say, 'With the help of the Lord, I will do this.'"

~ Valerie Shepard, What a Mother Needs to Teach Her Children

Listening

2009-09-21T13:18:00.003-05:00

Click HERE to listen, too!

I'm loving these Scripture songs! My favorite {today} is Convinced Romans 8:38-39. It's a rainy day, and the ground drinks the water as my soul drinks up the Word.

Summer 2009

2009-09-12T15:53:00.002-05:00

Summer 2009, originally uploaded by HopiQ1.

1. Starbucks Baby, 2. Shopping, 3. Park, 4. Kitchen, 5. Science City, 6. VBS, 7. Mud, 8. Camp, 9. 11th Anniversary, 10. Harvest, 11. Chapel, 12. Sunday School, 13. Pool Party, 14. I Won!, 15. Worship, 16. My Girls and Horses, 17. Me, Beth, Becky, 18. HA Pool, 19. Time Moves On, 20. Babies!!!, 21. You Scream, I Scream, 22. Camp Enosh, 23. Brits, 24. Splash Time, 25. Park, 26. The Violin, 27. Friday Pizza Night, 28. First Day of School, 29. Papa George & Grandma Barb, 30. Nate & Tri

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

2009-09-12T15:35:00.002-05:00

Leanin' Sides

"Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?" (S. of Sol. 8:5).

Some one gained a good lesson from a Southern prayer meeting. A brother asked the Lord for various blessings--as you and I do, and thanked the Lord for many already received--as you and I do; but he closed with this unusual petition: "And, O Lord, support us! Yes support us Lord on every leanin' side!" Have you any leaning sides? This humble man's prayer pictures them in a new way and shows the Great Supporter in a new light also. He is always walking by the Christian, ready to extend His mighty arm and steady the weak one on "every leanin' side."

"Child of My love, lean hard,
And let Me feel the pressure of thy care;
I know thy burden, child. I shaped it;
Poised it in Mine Own hand; made no proportion
In its weight to thine unaided strength,
For even as I laid it on, I said,
'I shall be near, and while she leans on Me,
This burden shall be Mine, not hers;
So shall I keep My child within the circling arms
Of My Own love.' Here lay it down, nor fear
To impose it on a shoulder which upholds
the government of worlds. Yet closer come:
Thou art not near enough. I would embrace thy care;
So I might feel My child reposing on My breast.
Thou lovest Me? I knew it. Doubt not then;
But Loving Me, lean hard."

from Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman
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Counting My Blessings

2009-09-10T21:16:00.003-05:00

Loads of fun at the children's farmstead!

A beautiful day.

A day together as a family.

A day of celebration.

Lately I've felt pulled in twenty directions at once. These photos have been sitting waiting for some editing, and that's just not happening. So here they are (I have loads more but on my dad's camera). And even though the days are busy, I am counting my blessings...especially these five!!!

I Heart Green Hour

2009-09-10T17:52:00.005-05:00

The Green Hour is a great website with fun and creative ideas to share nature with your children. We enjoyed finding the cicada "music" (Scissor-grinder Cicada) that matches those we have been hearing constantly the last few weeks.

Home

2009-09-05T16:55:00.002-05:00

The home is the place where you care for others.

~ Carolyn McCulley, guest on Revive our Hearts radio program

Ready or Not...

2009-08-18T20:31:00.002-05:00

It's the first day of school!

How exciting!

My 4th grader

My 2nd graders

My class clown

I mean: My preschooler