Planning for a Successful Summer

School is almost out and all my kiddos will be home full-time again! They're only young and impressionable for such a short period of time and this is the time to really be purposeful; while the cement is still wet! So I've been thinking and planning for a successful summer. First, I thought about the subjects they haven't had time to focus on during the busy school year as well as the subjects they need to strengthen. Then I devised a plan to motivate them to do it and I wrote it all down. Are you ready to hear what we're gonna do?? I'm calling it "Give Me 10".

GIVE ME 10!
1. Read a chapter from the Bible
2. Outdoor work 30 min.
3. Indoor chores (assigned monthly)
(then Breakfast)
4. Math*
5. Journaling
6. Typing practice
7. Playing with the youngest sibling 30 min.
8. Reading 30 min.*
9. Exercise 30 min.
10. Check-in with Mom
(then Lunch)


FREE TIME ALL AFTERNOON!



*For Reading I have a list of age appropriate, great books from www.Exodusbooks.com

Instead of being paid an allowance I'm paying them to do some of these things they aren't thrilled about. That's how to motivate my boys!

God's Mission

Do you know what God's mission is? Do you know what your purpose is? Shouldn't they inter-relate?
How do you look at the Bible? As an instruction manual full of good advice on life issues? And is missions just one added issue that we have to juggle? No. Missions is THE thing.
God is on mission and you are called to be a part of it.
The Great Commission does not begin at the end of Matthew 28:18-20, it begins in the beginning.
If the Garden of Eden was "perfect", why was Satan there?
Gen 1:28 "Be fruitful and multiply and subdue the earth." God is telling a sinless man and woman to leave the garden of delights and subdue the earth. ("subdue" is a warfare term meaning to take it over and occupy.)

Eden was not perfect, it was the first battle field. The first Adam was defeated in the garden. He had all his needs met and yet they disobeyed God "not Your will but MINE be done".
The "second Adam", Jesus, goes into another battle, yet not in a garden, but in a desert where none of his needs are met. In fact, he has fasted for 40 days. But Jesus wins this battle and Satan flees when He obeys! The ultimate battle is in another garden, the Garden of Gethsemane where "not my will, but YOURS be done" and his obedience becomes the victory for all mankind.
We are in a battle with evil.
Are you called to retreat back to the comfort of Eden? No! You can never retreat. God did not create us to live a safe life in this world even though our flesh constantly cries out for it.

Then we see the Great Commission we are all familiar with:
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore, into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded. I am with you always to the very end of the age." Matt 28:19-20

Once again we see a call to leave our security and go out and obey. We are to be doers of the Word.
Our mission is just the same mission as Adam had (and failed at) and Jesus had (and succeeded at) which is: to push back the forces of evil and darkness by our obedience.
The Christian life is all about pushing back the darkness.

We grow in our relationship with God while we're on this mission. We grow closest to those we go through war with. Churches implode when we forget the call of the believer is to do battle against the enemy, not one another. Jesus stepped into hell so he could pull others out of it. It takes us stepping into the ugly to find what we were created to do. Ultimate joy comes from doing that which seems most absurd; leaving our comfort to bring someone else comfort.

We are in a battle to save souls from the darkness of enemy territory.
This is your mission if you choose to accept it.

So this begs the question: are you living in your own type of Eden thinking it's perfect and safe, thinking you've really got it made and found your purpose. I guarantee you, by the authority of God's Word, that you have not found true joy and satisfaction in a life of comfort and security. We were made to find our ultimate high from rescuing lost people out of the darkness into God's marvelous light!

I was so wonderfully convicted by this evening's message! God loving and tenderly used it to help my blind eyes to see where I have been blind to my own faults. I do not feel any condemnation, only encouragement to get on board with what He is doing!
I'm reflecting on how homeschooling is a great way to raise up straight and righteous arrows to do battle against the enemy, or it can create a stagnant stench of self-righteous security that forgets there is a greater purpose. Without knowing it, we can teach our children to hide for cover instead of looking for opportunities to obey and be like our Lord, who came on the ultimate rescue mission. We need to keep our mission ever before us and we need one another to do this!

Is your home a place that is creating weapons for spiritual warfare or have you gotten off mission?
Is God's mission your mission?
Let's get back to pushing back the darkness and leading the way for our children to follow!

What it's Like to Have a Baby with Down Syndrome

In two words: blessed delight.

  

I used to be afraid of having a baby with Down Syndrome. I'm ashamed to say I thought I should probably stop having children when I reached 40 because I might have a baby with this "defect". (I had her just after turning 37.) Praise God He knows better than I do what is best for me!
Do you believe that?
Really?
Do you believe that God knows what is best for you?
If you do, than why be afraid about anything that might happen to you?
God is in control.
God doesn't make mistakes and any baby is never a mistake. It is only our preconceived ideas about what is good that causes all these anxieties.

Babies are good; whatever form or shape or time they come.
God made Charlotte and he put her in our family. She is our gift and God has given us the grace to accept the gift with joy. I had to get over my expectations for what my sixth child would be like. I had to grieve the death of my dreams for her.
But God is not grieved by what He did and neither am I anymore. I had to get on the same page with God and realize that this was His perfect plan for her and for us. That takes faith, but God gives you the faith you need when you need it! Within 24 hours of her birth, my husband I snapped out of our pity party. We got some sleep and lots of grace and we accepted the plan.
I laugh at myself now that I ever was sad about having a baby with DS. She is such a delight to all of us! I don't feel one bit sorry she's ours. In fact, if she died, I would want another baby just like her.

Sometimes it's challenging to know if she's healthy or progressing because I can't compare her to what I've experienced with my other children. When we talk about the future we imagine "Auntie Charlotte" visiting her siblings to play with her nieces and nephews. She will be the aunt that is forever young at heart and so much fun. Jason and I think of her as our constant companion for the future and take comfort in knowing we won't be alone and neither will she when we get older.

Who cares if she never gets a job or goes to college or gets married or has children? Do those things validate your existence? Are you loved because of what you can accomplish or because you exist. You are valuable because you were created and God saw fit to create you for Himself.
Are you still trying to validate your existence by what you do? Let it go. Look up right now and smile and say "thank you God for making me!"

I am a firm believer that God doesn't make mistakes. You aren't a mistake and neither are children born with an extra chromosome. I am super-duper blessed!

A Homeschool Moment

While I was cleaning up breakfast the boys set up a worship service in their room complete with benches and name tags. I had to run and grab my camera to capture this pure childhood moment when their imaginations and creativity had no bounds. They are singing and playing "Mighty to Save" with all their might! I'm sure the Lord loved it as much as I did. Precious!

Producers not consumers

One of the ideas I want my children to understand is that they are to be producers not consumers. A producer is someone who figures out a way to make something with their time, talents and resources while a consumer just looks for someone else to do the hard work for them.

Since moving out to our 3 acre farm I've helped my daughters think of ways they could generate income for the family without having to leave home. There are always opportunities if we can only see them! I want them to be good stewards of their blessings and that includes coming up with ways to bless others who don't have the resources we have.

In the past they grew organic vegetable starts for missions and called it "Sister Starts". They became the "Granola Girls" at our local farmer's market and bought a goat with the money. For 2 years they have breed Holland Lop rabbits to have money to give to Bible Translation (their blog "Bunnies for Bibles"). All this while they've been collecting chicken eggs, growing huge gardens, and now milking a goat to provide our family with good food. They are learning the skills to run a home business, save money, produce healthy and helpful products, generate income and bless the world! It is really fun to see them at it! Their latest venture is to put their animal knowledge out on the web to help other children care for their animals. Their new website that is in the beginning stages is called HappyBarnyard.com. They are excited about learning how to communicate their passions to others. We learned about LillaRose hair clips and now my girls sell them online to generate more money to give to widows and orphans through Voice of the Martyrs. There's no end to what you can do from home!

What interests or skills do your children have? What could you encourage them in learning and becoming proficient at? What resources do you have that others do not? A greenhouse, a power washer, yarn, sewing machine, axe, musical instruments...put them to use for building a business and blessing others. This Christmas, buy your children tools instead of toys. Become a producing family and experience the satisfaction and joy!

parts of Proverbs 31: 13-27

She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.

She gets up while it is still dark;

She sets about her work vigorously;

her arms are strong for her tasks.

She sees that her trading is profitable,

and her lamp does not go out at night.

She opens her arms to the poor

and extends her hands to the needy.

She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

She makes linen garments and sells them

She watches over the affairs of her household and

does not eat the bread of idleness.

Becoming a Productive Family

We have a vision and it's getting clearer the older we get and the more we learn from others who have gone ahead of us. We have been so inspired by Generations with Vision and Western Conservatory. We are encouraging our children to be productive with their hands. We don't need to be a one income family, we can be an 8 income family!! We want to pay off our farm, a big goal, but if we all work together and pool our talents, resources and time, we can do it! Our culture is full of laziness and living for the weekend. Kids are seen as a burden, leeches that suck all the money out of your pockets. Teens are expected to be driven around to all their activities and you're a bad parent if they are ever bored. If they ever do work, the money is for them to keep, of course! That's not the way we're doing things around here. We are a FAMILY economy! We want to help each of our children discover their way to contribute to the family and stewarding God's resources. Our daughters run 4 businesses: "Bunnies for Bibles" and "Happy Hens" with a brood of 41 laying hens, and "Sister Starts" growing vegetable starts in our greenhouse. They are starting up "Granola Girls" and they will sell our homemade granola at the Sandy Farmer's Market the first Saturday of each month. Both of them are feverishly researching the pros and cons of owning a dairy cow too. They would love to milk a cow twice a day all year long to help us pay off our farm! It is so rewarding to see my children grow in their skills, passions and knowledge in order to produce something that blesses others and is done in a God-honoring way. There is such a lack of healthy food available these days. It is satisfying for them to raise healthy plants, eggs, and animals the right way. I can't wait to see what my sons do...bees? ...beef? If I could offer any encouragement to young parents it would be this: teach your children to work six days a week and to find satisfaction in their work. This is what brings glory to God and purpose to man. Teach them to work as a family team, accomplishing more together than apart. They will help us get debt free and then we will help them be debt free. When you're in debt you are a slave. Teach them capitalism. Teach them that they can create wealth. There's no lack of wealth in the world, there's only a lack of people willing to work hard! You don't have to wait for your husband to find the perfect business to work from home, you can help your children create their own businesses. "She works with eager hands...her arms are strong for her tasks...she makes...she plants...her lamp does not go out at night...her children arise and call her blessed" Prov 31. You can be that kind of woman and you can raise that kind of woman or man. Become a producer, not a consumer! Just thought I'd share how we're working toward our vision of being a productive family.

A Beautiful Quote on Motherhood

"O, that God would give every mother a vision of the glory and splendor of the work that is given to her when a babe is placed in her bosom to be nursed and trained! Could she have but one glimpse into the future of that life as it reaches on into eternity; could she look into it's soul to see it's possibilities; could she be made to understand her own personal responsibility for the training of this child, for the development of it's life, and for its destiny--she would see that in all God's world there is no other work so noble and so worthy of her best powers, and she would commit to no others' hand the sacred and holy trust given to her."

~JR Miller

BIBLICAL Child Training

Tonight I gave a talk on "Biblical Child Training" to the precious women (young & old) in our church body. I spent over 10 hours studying the Bible to create my 12 page outline (plus all the time to organize and type it). Everything I wrote had to be supported by Scripture. I learned SO much putting it all together! My parenting has changed dramatically by doing this Bible study. I'd love to share my outline with anyone who is interested. The more people it could bless, the better! Pass it on.

Link to the document: Click here.

A Dream Coming True...

My girls are becoming musicians! We're starting to see the beginnings of our own worship band in our home! (The boys can play a mean drum too!)Learning an instrument takes lots of time and money (can I emphasize LOTS!) but after 4 years of violin & 3 years of piano lessons and practice, I can see it will all be worth it in the end. There are lots of skills we can choose to have our children spend their time learning from sports to acting, but having the ability to play music is a skill I know they will use all through their lives to bless others. Keep it up girls!