Thursday, January 19, 2012

Quiet Time...

At the beginning of this week the boys and I were talking about the importance of choices... that our choices we make will either draw us closer to or farther away from God.  During the course of our devotion time, our oldest son asked if I could wake him up early two mornings a week (Wednesdays and Saturdays) so he could do devotions with me at the time I do my normal quiet time.  Of course who could refuse that?  I asked him if he had an idea of what Scriptures/passages he wanted to focus on and he of course did.  Wednesday we had our quiet time with the Lord together, it was such a sweet time with him, I'm so looking forward to the fruit the Lord brings forth from it...    It is a little funny to me that he wanted to do this since we do family devotions and Bible study together as well on a daily basis...

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Not much to say...

I don't really have all that much to say, but I'm thinking that on my goals list for 2012 I should have set the goal to blog on a more regular basis and intentionally.  Anyway, last weekend we had our final holiday get-together, so it's been great this week to get back into our normal routine.  (Whatever 'normal' is...)  Now, as I look around in our small and cozy home, I'm really wishing Mary Poppins would come and tidy things up a bit... organizing our home is an on-going issue for me, one I think I'll always struggle with.  Over the last week our boys have battled colds and ear infections, our older son is all well and fine at this point, but our younger son is still working to get over it.  I'm so thankful the Lord has provided us the opportunity to homeschool them, my dear husband and I would miss ever so much of their lives if we didn't. 
Last night after I blessed our children and was leaving their bedroom, our younger son said, "Mom... Thank You." 
I was a bit puzzled and asked, "You're welcome... but thank you for what, buddy?" 
"Thank You for taking care of me when I'm having swimmer's ear."
Seriously in that moment he could have asked for just about anything and gotten it!  :)   I posted this on my FB page, and many of the comments were kudos to me for being a 'great mom' and so on... while I truly appreciate those comments, I know without a doubt that it is the Lord who has given this boy his grateful heart and has much less to do with my husband and me than what others would believe. 
As parents my husband and I are definitely faithful... faithful in praying over our children and home, faithful in our discipline and character training of our children, faithful in educating our children... but in no way are we perfect in any of that...and I don't think the Lord wants us to be perfect parents- I think He wants us to be faithful parents.  Faithful to Him and His ways.  Faithful in passing down a heritage of faith to our children that they would also pass down that heritage to their children...

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Back in the saddle...

Well, here we are back in the saddle... or almost, anyway.  Sunday night before the boys went to bed we reminded them that Christmas break was over, and our 'normal' schedule would resume the next morning.  As you might imagine, one of our boys was none too pleased with the prospect of having a schedule to keep, schoolwork and chores to do and let us know just exactly how he felt about the whole thing.  I was expecting this week to go horribly, and for the Lord to allow the boys to test and stretch my patience level (I have ceased asking God to give me patience- anyone who has ever done that could tell you that He does not just hand over a hefty dose of patience, but provides countless circumstances for you to have to exercise patience... but I digress...) however, as of Monday late afternoon, getting back into routine hasn't been quite the struggle I thought it might be... then comes today... Caleb woke up with a sore throat, which I was hoping was just because it's so dry in our house.  So we went to our homeschool group meeting, had a great time reconnecting with everyone, took my dear husband lunch (I didn't get it made before he went to work this a.m.), stopped at the store at which time Caleb took a turn for the worse (at least that's when he told e about it) saying his throat was really really sore and he had a headache AND he felt a bit warm to me.  Soooo, afternoon lessons didn't go quite as planned, but then that's part of the beauty of homeschooling, you can adjust your schedule as needed.  I'm thinking he has strep throat again....  :(  not good timing since we are headed up to Mackinaw City this weekend for our annual get together with my husband's side of our family.
The verses I'm praying over our oldest this month are Philippians 2:3-4 (go ahead and look them up!) mainly regarding his relationship with his brother.  The Lord gave these verses to Caleb last year and are his 'Life Verses'.  The verse I'm praying over our youngest this month is 2 Timothy 1:7 (go ahead and look it up!), because even though he has a very adventuresome spirit and courageous heart, he is very much affected by fear and will let his fear control his decisions.  As for verses I'm praying over my husband Psalm 119:9-16 (One of the greatest chapters in all the Scriptures!).  Last, but certainly not least that which I am praying and meditating on for me personally is 2 Corinthians 12:9 ~  "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."

I would love to hear what others are doing in their devotional lives, homeschooling, any specific goals for the New Year and the like!   :)

Blessings

W