Pics from our week

Here are some pics of our week. We have been reading the story Lentil from our FIAR curriculum the last two weeks and doing a few of the activities that they suggest. The boys have whittled soap, they have made lemonade and I even caught my 7 year old several times playing his harmonica.Today he was going nuts trying to find his harmonica (because he had to go to the bathroom.) As he learned from the book it does sound even better in the bathroom. My boys are so cute and I never know what may come out of their mouths. Enjoy.

Whittling soap. They're really getting into this...They keep asking to do more.

Cutting up the lemons. (a 7 year old with a knife, YIKES!) But really, he did great.

Tasting the lemons.

Squeezing the lemons

Adding the boiling water
 

Adding the sugar

Mixing everything up

We have a winner! Even Daddy said it was the best lemonade he'd ever tasted!
 

Wonderful giveaway!

I just found this awesome home education blog and have to tell about it. Not to mention, Deana is running an amazing chance at winning a great spelling program called SpellQuizzer. It is a online program and she is giving away a free license to it. So if you are interested click either Frugal Homeschooling Mom or the green button on my sidebar and it will take you right to Deana's blog where she will inform you of how you could win this awesome spelling program.

Be Blessed~

Faith

GOD really WOWed me today. God gave our wonderful and gifted Pastor an amazing word to share with us today. Pastor Mark has been doing a series about Faith the last month. And boy it hit home with the week I have had. Pastor talked about-

'Trusting our Personal Faith Trainer' (the Holy Spirit) even though it means...

1. Leaving the familiar as Abraham had. Gen. 12:1, 4. The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." 4. So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.
2. No clear destination. Heb. 11:8b. "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going."
3. Becoming an illegal alien. Heb. 11:9. "By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise."

'Trusting our Personal Faith Trainer' (Holy Spirit) because we are convinced...

1. Of a better future. Heb. 11:10. "For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God."
2. Of God's promise. Heb. 11:11-12 and Gen. 15:4-6. "By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. Gen. 15:4-6. "Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

'Trusting our Personal Faith Trainer' requires...

1. Vision- Heb. 11:13. "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth."
2. Perseverance- Heb. 11:14. "People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own."
3. Abandonment- Heb. 11:15. "If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return."
4. Passion- Heb. 11:16. "Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."

Thank you Pastor Mark for persevering through your tough times and believing God for the outcomes. Your strong faith encourages me to live by faith as well.

Lord, just like Abraham and all of the others who have walked by faith, I am asking for strength to walk by faith and not by sight and live every day with my eyes and heart set on my eternal home with You. To totally surrender my all to You and go where You send me, to leave my familiar places, not knowing where I am headed, or who I will be with. And I will look forward to what You have a head of me, and be convinced of Your promises for me. Completely knowing that all of this will require vision, perseverance, abandonment and passion.
Praise You my sweet Jesus~Amen

Mishmash Maggie: My Father's World Blog Roll 2009-2010

Mishmash Maggie: My Father's World Blog Roll 2009-2010
Go over and check out this blog if you are using or considering My Father's World. Lainie did an awesome job with this button (found on my sidebar). It's so cute...And she is such a blessing for doing this for all of us out there searching for inspiration. So click on the blog roll link above and it will take you to Lainie's blog and also a list of other MFW blogger friends with much inspiration to share.
This year we are doing a mixture of curriculum to try and smooth out some rough patches with reading for my oldest little guy. So we decided to go back and do My Father's World 1st grade. When Eli, my oldest son, was in Kindergarten we did the MFW A-Z and absolutely loved it. But he really had a hard time with the phonics part. So we stopped with the phonics part and continued with the rest of it. Last year he was in first grade and we were doing another reading program recommended by a reading specialist and he became very frustrated with it as well. So this year after much prayer we jumped back to MFW 1st grade program for the language arts. Well so far, after 3 weeks it is going well! YEA! MFW! We are doing the LA, bible and science part of it and love it.

Don't Go Breaking MY Heart

My boys were singing a song today from a movie they recently viewed. (Chicken Little) The song was at the end during the credits and it was called 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart.' Well, when they were singing it I started to sing it too. After singing it just once, God spoke a word to me about how often we break our Father's heart by not bringing our burdens to Him. Well, right after that I had to return a phone call that I really was not wanting to deal with. I prayed specifically before hand that God would give me the right words to say to this person and do my best to bring Him glory and possibly encourage this person as well. Anyways, I made the dreaded call. And it wasn't a pleasant one. I do believe God gave me the right words to say, but what came from this person put even a huger burden on me than before. After the conversation I laid my burdens before my Faithful Father who is able to carry these burdens and handle them. Right now I sit here believing that HE will work all things out for the good of those who love Him. And that He is all together lovely, altogether wonderful to me.
Precious Lord, You do hear my heart this day and I thank and praise YOU for what YOUR plans are for this situation with my (YOUR) precious daughter. God, You are all that I am and all that I need. And YOU are able to move mountains. Lord, please move this mountain...And bring my prodigal home...
In Your Holy Name, Amen.

Holding on even tighter to thee~

Contentment

God has definitely been working on me with contentment. And especially right now. Yesterday I was outside getting something for my boys from the shed and when I stepped to come out of the shed my foot twisted and I heard this awful cracking noise. Well, to make a long story short. I am on crutches this week. I am not used to being out of sink like this. But, my wonderful Lord chose this path for me and I have been very humbled by it. My amazing husband and boys have been such a blessing to me. Helping with the laundry, meals, you name it. The last two days in my bible study I have been studying some people in the bible who either chose to be content or chose not to be. Oh how God has spoken to me through His word. Brings me to tears every time I think of how very blessed our life's would be if we just submitted every area of our life to the One who brought us life. This verse exclusively spoke to my heart. "LORD, You have assigned me my portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure." Psalm 61:5 This so resonated with me this morning as I cried out to my Lord. So my dear sisters if you are in a state of discontentment right now, cry out to the God who hears you. The One who has placed you right where you are at and who has a great inheritance for you. And as He promises, He will fill you with joy in His presence. Go before Him today...

Holding on tight to thee~

Workbox pictures coming up!

Psalm 59:16-17

But I will sing of Your strength, in the morning I will sing of Your love; for You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. O my Strength, I sing praise to You; You, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.

All day every day...this is my song.

Holding on to thee~

A woman of Prayer

Oh Lord, my heart is to be a woman of prayer. Dedicated to praying without ceasing...

I'm back!

Yes, it has a been awhile, but sometimes it is just hard to put into words what goes on in my heart and life. But, I am going to try and do better at sharing my life. Their are so many wonderful godly ladies out there who are completely transparent and have totally encouraged and inspired me to stop allowing satan to steal what the LORD wants me to share.
So here goes. This has been a different, but all around good week here at our home. Not only did we start our 2009-2010 education schedule this week, but I also started a new bible study that God has been leading me to do for awhile now. I am doing it with a group of woman at our church. It's called "A Woman After God's Own Heart." What I long to be and know most of you out there long to be as well. I have had the book for a few months now and have read about 9 chapters from it so far. Good stuff, really good stuff. Elizabeth George is definitely a woman after God's own heart with much to teach us. I am anxious to see what God has in store for me through this godly lady. Mostly though, I just want to fall head over heals in love with Him all over again. Only this time, I'm not asking Him to show me what I need to do or how I need to pray. But just simply to take me through the wilderness. Because I know that is what it will take to free me of these chains completely. So get ready Lori, God is going to take you where you do not want to go. But, it will be the best place for you. I am holding on tight...

As far as our home education goes this will be our 3rd year at it. I would love to say it has been a breeze. But, I would be lying. So I will just tell you, God has been faithful as always and gives me the strength I need when I am weak. Every morning when I rise I make sure I get filled up with Him before I even try to do anything without Him. "My God will supply all my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Phillippians 4:19. My boys are a delight and I am blessed to have them with me everyday. However, some days I second guess why He called me to such a great task. But, "faithful is He that calleth me, who also will do it." 1 Thess. 5:24.

Holding on tight to Thee,
Lori