School Days

Homeschool, sweet Homeschool.

Oh to hear a little voice successfully read their first word.

The triumph of a well written book report.

The joy of reading stories while sipping coffee on the swing set with everyone gathered round and asking for one more chapter on a cool crisp morning.

The tears wiped away after a frustrating math lesson.

The cries of a toddler as he tries to leave his play area and wander while we do school.

The laughter and talking interrupted by a reminder that they are to be working not playing.

The talks on diligence and doing hard things, persevering through the tough lesson.

The quiet arguments as I leave the room to get a load of laundry.

The extra assignments for lack of faithfulness to finish in a timely manner.

The re-writing of sloppy papers.

The fun of learning about toads, and frogs, and trees and flowers.

The mega tons of worksheets and color crayons, and pencils, and paper, and erasers, and markers, and books lying around, scattered all over the dining room and living room.

Ah, yes, school is back in session and I love it!

I wouldn't trade all the redemptive moments, hugs and kisses, stories and tears, shrieks and squeals of excitement, lists of spelling words, math corrections and chaos, and interruptions for anything. Thank you Lord for the blessing and freedom to teach my kids at home. I don't care what anyone says, it's worth it.

For the Young Mother

I came across an article called, For The Young Mother: Ministry, Guilt, and The Seasons of Life.

I found encouragement and wanted to encourage some of the young moms that I know read this blog.

As we wake up each morning caring for the needs of a crying, nursing baby, a sick or cranky toddler, as we watch our children play and grow, as we discipline and teach them to share and be kind and obey the first time (we say fast and first), we can grow weary and feel as if we aren't doing much for the kingdom of God. We pray over our children, we teach them the gospel, we even try and make them part of the little time we have to minister outside of caring for them, and then we are riddled with guilt and an uneasy feeling that we are not doing enough.

Our society and our churches tend to feed that guilt and discouragement. It is rare to receive encouragement from the pulpit, a bible class, or even another woman in the church during this season of life. Of course, it is even more rare that the world we live in would encourage you to press on and delight in this duty that God Himself has given you.

Jani Ortlund, the author of the short article says this:

Guilt is a young mother’s habitual shadow. It has a nasty way of soaking through many of her efforts at nurturing, serving and loving others. “Am I doing enough for my children? For others? What do they think of me? What does God think of me?”

As a young mother everyone wants something from you—your family, your church, your boss, your neighbor. And most likely, you give way more than you ever thought you could. But along the way guilt nibbles at your soul, eating away your inner peace and joy. And it often lingers through the years, even after your children are grown and gone.

I would encourage you to go to the link and read her encouraging and helpful words to help you see this season the way we should and and live out this season of our lives for the glory of God.

They disappeared and you could hear their faint cries as they disappeared under the ice!

Pride. Arrogance. Foolishness. The young family that we read about toward the end of the book, Call of the Wild, manifest these character traits quite clearly. Clearly enough that my nine year old sobbing son said, "Mom they were so foolish! They didn't listen to anybody." He was right in his assessment.

I began to say that foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child. It is bound up in us all. Those who stiffen their necks and harden there hearts, do not do themselves any good, but much harm. I looked Jackson directly in the eyes and asked him why he thought there were verses in the Bible ( Proverbs) that start with, "Now then, my sons, listen to me." and "My son, give attention to my words." or "My son, give attention to my wisdom." " Hear o my sons, the instruction of a father."

We were able to briefly discuss how we must learn to heed those who are godly and wise. We spoke of how we must guard against arrogance that says, "I know best."

Verses came to my mind as we discussed the demise of this small family. It was such a devastating picture of what a foolish person's end can be. The opportunity was right to discuss with my children, Jackson in particular the importance of listening to their parents. How God in his goodness has given us to them to help them grow in wisdom and protect them. We discussed that God has graciously given us godly older men and women who we can trust and ask for counsel (if we are humble and wise) and listen to.

We were able to look at or quote verses like:
Proverbs 15:5 A fool rejects his father's discipline,But he who regards reproof is sensible.
Proverbs 13:10 Through insolence comes nothing but strife,But wisdom is with those who receive counsel.
Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid.
Proverbs 10:17 He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, But he who ignores reproof goes astray.

We talked about how over and over this family was warned and given sound counsel, but they refused it because they were wise in their own eyes.
Proverbs 26:12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

It led to more about how we were all guilty of foolishness and going our own way, because we reject God and each of are going astray. We talked, with Noelle and Jackson leading much of the discussion, about God (the one whom we reject and sin against) and laying our sins and foolishness on Jesus. We were heading to our ultimate and eternal death, but God in His mercy sent His only Son, who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf. Oh what a savior! He rescued us! He did not allow all of us to continue to go our own way!

Please pray with me that we would know and love our savior more! Please pray for my little ones, that they may see the Gospel of God and turn to Jesus. Oh how I pray that Calvin, Silas and Gabe heed the call of the gospel and do not harden their hearts against it. And how truly grateful I am for His gracious work in so many of my family members, including my son Jackson and daughter Noelle!

Lord, grant me more passion to call others to Jesus, Who rescues us from death.

School At Our House

I thought I'd just give everyone a glimpse of a typical day at my house. Of course I have no picture of discipline, interruptions, and training session with Gabers! :-)















We do a lot of reading. I get to read enjoy good books with them, such as Black Beauty, Swiss
Family Robinson, Pilgrim's Progress and Chronicles of Narnia. They also get to read about baseball, history, nature, and report to me what they have read and learned.









Math is always fun.... not! haha! This is always the subject that reveals hearts all the way around. Many redemptive moments happen in my own life as well as my children's. Thankfully my friend Kendal comes and helps supervise math once a week. That is such a blessing. Of course now my children fight about who Kendal is going to help next time she comes.....





Calvin just loves Phonics! Now he does anyway. He has been the hardest so far to teach to read. But now, he is thriving and I praise God. I just had to keep telling him that he will be able to read God's word all by himself if he reads well.






Noelle working on her verses for the verse marathon coming up this Sunday.







The kids favorite thing since the weather turned nice,
is exploring. They take rulers and pencils and paper and sketch and measure all they observe and then write descriptions . This has really been helping Calvin improve his writing. And they are getting a chance to enjoy God's creation.




I am enjoying watching my kids grow, learn, and play!

Is Your Home an Attractive Place To Be? pt.4

I have been considering what makes a home attractive. Last week I asked what you would consider the "aroma" of your home. Kendal pointed out this verse: Ephesians 5:2, “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”

She made some insightful points; which I would encourage you to look at.

I want my home to be gospel-centered and have been reflecting on the disciplines, or traditions that we have done and are looking to do in order to cultivate in our home, a heart for God.

I said that I would share with you some of the things in our home that help us cultivate that heart. I want to remind you that these are matters of the heart, but the heart takes actions and disciplines or traditions though they can be done apart from heart-change and love, do help in cultivating heart-focus.

I think of thankfulness as one of those disciplines. I believe thankfulness is a result of what God has done for us. So a gospel-centered home would be known as a thankful home.

Eph. 2 should send our hearts soaring with praise and thankfulness.

¹And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,

²in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

³Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath,even as the rest.

⁴But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

⁵even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

⁶and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

⁷so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

⁹not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

¹⁰For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

But my heart can grow cold if the gospel of Jesus Christ is not continually on my mind. Therefore, my family sets to work on cultivating a thankful heart.

One way we do this is by making sure we think about, read about, and tell each other the gospel. We remind each other and ourselves of the benefits of belonging to Jesus.

When we pray as a family at bedtime or during worship; my husband asks each child what he or she would like to thank God for. Now, for times sake we limit them to thanking God for 3 things. It is such a blessing as you hear words of praise coming from their young mouths and I have often felt the sting of conviction for an ungrateful/unthankful heart as I hear how thankful my kids are for things I take for granted. We take thankfulness so seriously in our home because we know that our own hearts are prone to discontentment and a sense of entitlement. And, frankly, unthankful, entitled, discontent people are hard to be around! A home that is not filled with thankfulness is NOT attractive!

An unthankful heart can turn a home sour quickly. The "aroma" of the home can get pretty stinky when whining, complaining and selfish desires reign. And that is exactly what you get when you do not believe you have much to be grateful and thankful for.

A few years ago my mom-in-law bought us a "Blessing Jar", it is just a jar that we can use to write down how God has blessed us and keep those things in it to look at later. At first we used it a lot and I have found much benefit in going back and looking at what God was doing in our lives several years ago and my heart soars with thanksgiving for His faithfulness!

This jar still sits on a shelf in my home, but we haven't used it in a long time. I am determined to use it this year and at the end of every week take out the little pieces of paper and reflect on God's faithfulness to us that week. I believe it will be a good tool to help cultivate a content, grateful and thankful heart .

I leave you with some Psalms to think about. The Psalms have been extremely beneficially to me as I meditate on exactly what I should be thankful for!


Psalm 138:1-5: I will give You thanks with all my heart;
I will sing praises to You before the gods.
I will bow down toward Your holy temple
And give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word according to all Your name.
On the day I called, You answered me;
You made me bold with strength in my soul.
All the kings of the earth will give thanks to You, O LORD,
When they have heard the words of Your mouth.
And they will sing of the ways of the LORD,
For great is the glory of the LORD.

Psalm 136:1-4: Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
To Him who alone does great wonders,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;


^{Psalm 100: 4-5} Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise
Give thanks to Him,bless His name.
For the LORD is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations.

May my home be filled with the sweet aroma and beauty of a thankful heart. A thankful home is a place people want to be!

Is Your Home an Attractive Place To Be? pt 3

A family that prays together, stays together. Isn't that how the staying goes? Ha ha! I once heard, "the family who kicks together, sticks together." That was from a family who took karate classes together.

As families, our lives center around something. Think about it. Football, baseball, (Brewers only of course:), video games, board games, reading, etc........ We have things we share. Whatever it is, they are usually things that matter to us. Our kids learn to value it and our homes become, in a sense, defined by it. They can be good things or bad things. We can have families that are miserable. You know the type. Perhaps you are one, or have had to be a part of one. Some families share the motto "misery loves company." Their lives center around complaining and self-centeredness. We could say, "the family who complains together, breeds disdain together." I've seen it, and it is anything but an attractive home. The parents and the kids have a persecution complex (a phrase, I've heard Rick use), where they see most people as the enemy. Someone is always out to get them and harm them. People are seen as beneath them in some way and the whole family becomes a bunch of whiners, complainers and nay sayers! This is a bit of a rant I guess! Because I have seen it happen, and I want to guard myself and my family against it.

As I consider whether my home is attractive or not, I need to examine what defines my home. What is something that we share as a family? Does it center on the Brewers? Academic achievement? CYC? Little League? Ballet? Complaining? Video games? Television shows? Movie Nights? ... These said "activities" (except for complaining, which is for some an activity!) all have their place - there is nothing wrong with them in and of themselves. In fact, doing activities together generally does strengthen relationships. We see it in friendships. The more you do together and share together, usually the stronger the relationship. So feel free to do things like them as a family. But I want to examine what defines us. The general "aroma" of the home. Because I believe what our lives are centered on can make a home beautiful or ugly. If our lives are centered on Brewers games and the Brewers lose, we cease to function well as a household. When the season ends, we will have little in common and little to hold us together.

We like to watch Brewers games as a family. My kids know the players names and positions. They can even imitate batting stances! We try to go to one game during the season. We have a lot of fun talking about the games and planning times to watch them. Jackson will call his PapPap every time Prince Fielder hits a homer. This is an activity we share with each other. So what defines a "baseball" family like us, before, during, and after the season?

I hope I can say the Gospel! The question I want to ask myself, is does all my family activity together reflect that Jesus is the center of our lives? I believe that this is a heart issue, but the heart produces activity. So what are the family traditions or disciplines that keep us gospel oriented?

I hope to share these with you next week. I invite you to share the aroma of your home with me. What defines your family? What "activities" (baseball, video games, reading,board games, etc.) do you do together? What traditions or disciplines do you do as a family to keep yourselves centered on Jesus Christ?

Is Your Home an Attractive Place To Be? pt. 2

Last week I asked if your Home was an attractive place to be. I am thankful for the feedback that I got and want to continue to give opportunities for some of you to share you insights and stories.

"The most powerful way to keep your child from being attracted by the offers of camaraderie with the wicked is to make home an attractive place to be. Young people do not run from places where they are loved and know unconditional acceptance. They do not run away from homes where there are solid relationships. They do not run from homes in which the family is planning activities and doing exciting things." -Tedd Tripp (Shepherding a Child's Heart)

I'll share one opportunity that I take with my own children in order to strengthen our relationship and cultivate love and trust.

I have little ones and any mother knows that sickness is unavoidable. It happens, no matter how much Lysol you spray (believe me I've been spraying) or how much hand sanitizer or soap you use, inevitably someone gets a cold or the flu, or some other virus, at least at my house it does! :-) So I try to make the most of it. Believe me, when I am also sick, which happens quite frequently, it is hard to make the most of it. But I see it as an opportunity to be an example of service and compassion and even try to involve the children who may not be sick at the moment.

The kids offer to get glasses of water for each other and the older ones will read stories to the younger holding them in their lap. This is because I do this. Of course, I read stories all the time, but when the kids are sick we read all sorts of stories, because we focus on being together. They get to pick movies and color while laying on the couch, and, my favorite part, I just hold them and rock them. Usually during the day we are doing school and chores and just taking care of business. There isn't a lot of time to give each child a lot of individual attention. But when sickness is going through the household, other things are put on hold so I can devote time to cleaning up pukey messes, runny noses, and hold children. We spend time praying for each other, and Calvin continually asks to be blessed, even though that is generally something we do at bedtime.

I remember when I was a kid, my mom would get us 7 Up every single time we had the flu. We never got it any other time. (Lol funny thing is,now I cannot drink 7 Up - it makes me throw up!) We got to watch tv and would get new coloring books and crayons. These memories really have endeared me to my mother. And, as unspiritual as it all may sound, I think it had a profound effect on me and who I am. So, now I am trying to create a peaceful, loving atmosphere when my kids are the most uncomfortable and need comfort and I hope to see some good fruit from that.

Anyone willing to share any of their stories?

Does anybody have any suggestions?

How do you make your home an attractive place to be?

Is Your Home an Attractive Place To Be?

"The most powerful way to keep your child from being attracted by the offers of camaraderie with the wicked is to make home an attractive place to be. Young people do not run from places where they are loved and know unconditional acceptance. They do not run away from homes where there are solid relationships. They do not run from homes in which the family is planning activities and doing exciting things." -Tedd Tripp (Shepherding a Child's Heart)

As a mom with 5 kids this is something that stands out to me. I'd like to hear what people think about this. Do you agree or disagree with Mr. Tripp? Why or why not?

I would love for some of you to share stories about your families. How did you parents strengthen the trust and love in your family? Was home a place of peace, where you knew you were loved and accepted? For those who grew up in christian homes, was the gospel central in the home? How clear was that to you and why was it, if was? Why not, if it wasn't?

Would you mind sharing any fond memories you have just to testify of God's goodness? Believing family or not.

Thank you!

Missional Minded Mommy Pt. 7: A Missionary To My Children?

I saw this on several different blogs recently and found it both helpful and encouraging when thinking about how we invest time in being missionaries to our children. As I contemplate being sent as a missionary to this world, I can't forget the little mission field right in front of me! We are still responsible to train and teach our children. A good friend of mine once said (well, something along these lines, not an exact quote) that we can go out and bring as many people in our community as possible to the Lord and if we neglect to bring our children to Jesus, how truly faithful have we been?

Family Worship is just a little part in our responsibility to teach our children diligently. We can do family worship and neglect to love our children by living out what we speak about to them. We can do family worship and neglect to discipline and instruct consistently. We can do family worship and keep the gospel contained for that special time, or we can have a time of worship as families in the manner that works for our particular situation because it is important to have times where we learn and sing together as a culmination of living and loving the gospel of Jesus all day everyday.

As we go out in our community as people on a mission with God I have to remember that the gospel won't make sense to people when and if I am neglectful of my own household.

I hope this is helpful when considering having a time of family worship, I know that sometimes the task seems overwhelming because we make it something it doesn't have to be:

Mark Driscoll gives a realistic approach to doing family devotions at dinnertime:

Step 1. Eat dinner with your entire family regularly.
Step 2. Mom and Dad sit next to one another to lead the family discussion.
Step 3. Open the meal by asking if there is anyone or anything to pray for.
Step 4. Someone opens in prayer and covers any requests. This task should be rotated among family members so that different people take turns learning to pray aloud.
Step 5. Start eating and discuss how everyone’s day went.
Step 6. Have a Bible in front of the parents in a translation that is age-appropriate for the kids’ reading level. Have someone (parent or child) open the Bible, and assign a portion to read aloud while everyone is eating and listening.
Step 7. Parents should note key words and themes in the passage and explain them to the kids on an age-appropriate level.
Step 8. Ask questions about the passage. You may want to begin with having your children summarize what was read—retelling the story or passage outline. Then, ask the following questions: What does this passage teach us about God? What does it say about us or about how God sees us? What does it teach us about our relationships with others?
Step 9. Let the conversation happen naturally, listen carefully to the kids, let them answer the questions, and fill in whatever they miss or lovingly and gently correct whatever they get wrong so as to help them.
Step 10. If the Scriptures convict you of sin, repent as you need to your family, and share appropriately honest parts of your life story so the kids can see Jesus’ work in your life and your need for him too. This demonstrates gospel humility to them.
Step 11. At the end of dinner, ask the kids if they have any questions for you.
Step 12. If you miss a night, or if conversation gets off track, or if your family occasionally just wants to talk about something else, don’t stress—it’s inevitable.

Adapted from “Family Dinner Bible Studies” by Mark Driscoll in Trial: 8 Witnesses from 1 & 2 Peter, a study guide. (Mars Hill Church, 2009), pages 69-70.

I have also found this book by Lou Priolio very helpful: Teach Them Diligently.

This is a favorite book of mine and Rick's that we refer to often and has heavily influenced the way we approach our task of raising our kids as unto the Lord.

Missional Minded Mommy Pt. 4

This is from the blog, Life Together: (which we have recently added in our favorite links section!)

Home is the ultimate small group for growth and mission in this world. Think about it. Home life provides a context of discipleship unlike any other where parents serve as primary pastors to their children. Mark Driscoll writes,

Because parents love their children the deepest, know them the best, and are with them the most, they are best suited to be a child’s primary pastor who gospels them, teaches them, loves them, prays for and with them, and reads Scripture to them.

I would only add that the home ought to be a place where parents model a missional life to their children. But let’s be careful not to go too far with this idea of home as a small group. Though it’s true that parents are the primary teachers and shepherds for their children, it doesn’t mean that the Church is secondary and unneeded. On the contrary, our temporary, earthly family is part of a bigger, eternal church family that reinforces and supplements the biblical instruction we ought to be giving in the home. Our home small group is not the church. It is part of the church, indeed, part of the body that grows and adds members through it’s common mission.

Wow, I thought, this blog states exactly how I have been thinking. And, they say it so well and precisely. Again, I ask myself, does my home and my family reflect the greater family of God? How is it that I am gospeling my children and then modeling a missional lifestyle to them?

Well, I can tell you my kids have gospeled me a couple of times! Just read my xanga post on how when I had to seek forgiveness from them for my sinful anger they told me they would because I am just as BIG a sinner as them and needed Jesus all the time too.

One thing we as mothers do all the time throughout the day is discipline... I mean, there is no way around it; we have young children and we must discipline them while there is still hope and desire their good over their desire to have their own way, like we all who have gone astray do! Our heavenly Father disciplines us because he loves us and we love our kids, even when they put boogers on their brother's hamburger bun! :(

So if we discipline them, how does it gospel our children or model a missional mind-set? Maybe it does if we are able to discipline without anger or out of embarrassment. Better that we are filled with serious grace and a ready heart to forgive and receive the child back into complete fellowship and normal family activity. If we discipline, it is just like the Church's motives for disciplining it's members - for the restoration affect - to bring them back to a right relationship with members of the family and more importantly with God! When We discipline we try to always talk about trusting Jesus and what he did to bring those of us who were far from God because of our sin, near to God even though we were still His enemies. We try to speak with words they might comprehend depending their ages, of how God is ready to receive those who come to Him... and then we receive them with great big hugs and kisses and a short time of prayer!

When there has been consistent discipline in the home, I have been surprised by how they have ( the 2 older ones) reacted to the few public Church disciplines. It is not shocking to them that there are consequences to sin they don't even understand yet, but they are willing to pray for them and it has given opportunities to talk about the forgiving grace of God and what the church's responsibility to each other is, just like in the family! I hope this leads to more of a heart for those outside the family of God to experience this kind of love and reconciliation.

Any thoughts from your own experience on this? Has God used discipline in your life to bring you to Him and give you more of a heart for the ministry of reconciliation to our community?

Next week I'd like to give a glimpse of how our Church has partnered with us to foster a love for God and community to our kids.

Please stay tuned...........

Hypocrisy and Parenting

Today I read an article on Pulpit Magazine that was very helpful and convicting to me. It was how to avoid raising a Pharisee. I highly recommend reading it even if you are not a parent. The author looked at some manifestations to look for in younger children and he also gave a separate list for teenagers. Though we are dealing with the heart it does manifest itself differently as a child gets older. I see some of the things on the lists in myself and will be referring to, not only as a parent but as an individual that needs to guard myself against this deadly sin; and in faith do what I can to not instill pharisaical-ism in my children. As the author says, "Hypocrisy is an imminent and evident threat to the church of Jesus Christ."

The author gives excellent advice in his article that I want to consider more deeply. There is too much temptation to think because you took the parenting class and have well-taught, doctrinally- invested, well-behaved, gospel-saturated children, your job is well done and your kids will be fine. The bottom line is my children are in danger of being raised to be good little self deceived, legalistic hypocrites. It is deep in my heart and it's frankly easy as a Christian to raise my children steeped in it.

As I read the article and was moved to prayer for myself, my children and families that are dear to me, I remembered a quote from the puritan Richard Baxter that I copied in a journal long ago: Wicked parents are the most notable servants of the devil in all the world and the bloodiest enemies to their children's souls. More souls are damned by ungodly parents, and next to them, ungodly ministers and magistrates, than any instruments in the world besides.

Too often we (meaning me) think of the parents who destroy their children as the crack head, drunk, lazy bum, atheist, femi-nazi, God haters, but what about the nice church-going deacon, elder, ministry wife, usher, Sunday School teacher, wouldn't-miss-a-church-event-to-save-their-life parent... if that parent should be satisfied with a well taught, well mannered, movie avoiding, tongue clucking goody two shoes? We are just as dangerous as the crack head mom if we are one thing on Sunday and another at home. Someone once said, what a man is at home is what the man is, and our kids know it. We know it! If our joy in the Lord isn't genuine, the only things worth imitating and loving are the things that get praise. Kids pick up on this quick. Be and do what it takes to be thought well of, nothing else matters.

I pray that in God's grace I can battle it in my own heart and put my kids in a place for God in His mercy to put genuine faith and humility in their hearts.

Please read the article , it's worth it!