PLEASE PRAY

Please be in prayer for 2 week old Crosby, nephew of my homeschooling friend Marie.  He is to have heart surgery this morning - Wednesday, February 23.  Thank you! 

Regret Free Parenting

I just completed my third book to review from Book Sneeze.  Regret Free Parenting by Catherine Hickem is by far and away one the absolute best non fiction books I have ever read.  I found I could NOT read it without a pencil in hand.  There were numerous points that I underlined and notes made in margins.  As opposed to leaving me overwhelmed with where to begin in my journey to grow as a parent, it left me feeling empowered and motivated.

Don't let the title mislead you.  The author is not proposing that anyone can parent a child and never make mistakes.  What she is saying, is that by knowing and keeping the vision for how you want to raise your child, you can have nothing to regret.  To be honest, I struggle with the title, as I tend to regret my mistakes!  But the content of the book - oh. my. goodness.

Hickem stresses the importance of knowing the emotional and spiritual characteristics that you want to cultivate in your children.  That is easy enough.  The kicker, however, is that, well, you as the parent have to possess those attributes.  You cannot just tell your children how they should be or act.  They have to see it in their parent's daily walk.

Among the other principles Hickem illustrates are really knowing your child, being present with them, establishing a strong foundation of trust with your child, believing in them, and always seeing the big picture.  Included in the book is a plan (that you personalize) for implementing these principles. There are also numerous resources listed in the back.  This is book is truly a keeper.  It is one that I plan to read each year. 

I received a free copy of this book to review from Book Sneeze.  The opinions expressed are my own.

memorizing scripture

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. ~ Matthew 4:4

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. ~ Hebrews 4:12

One of the most encouraging and soul-satisfying things I have ever done is memorizing scripture.  Among the passages I have learned are Psalm 23, Psalm 100, Isaiah 41:10, and Psalm 139:1-18.  In January, I finished up Psalm 139:1-18.  I have been working on this one off and on for many years and it felt so good to finally nail it!  This month of February, I am working on Isaiah 40:28-31. 

I cannot tell you the times that saying these passages over in my mind has brought such comfort!  I distinctly remember saying Psalm 23 over and over as I was getting my epidural prior to the birth of S.  While I was sitting in the hospital with baby Daniel, who had stopped breathing, my stomach clenched with fear, God breathed life and peace into my spirit through Isaiah 41:10.  Psalm 139 has long been a passage held dear because it establishes God's soveriegnty, His continual presence in my life today and throughout all my days.  Upcoming passages that I what to learn in the coming months are Psalm 27, Luke 2:8-14, and Romans 12.

My method of study has generally been to print out 2-3 copies of the passage and put them in different places, so I can refer to them throughout my day.  Bible Gateway is the online resource that I use to find the passages that I want to print.  I want to begin going through each of the ones already memorized once throughout each day as I continue working on the new one.

What scripture passages have been particularly precious to you?  Which ones have you learned or are learning?

january book of days

I am endeavoring to live more intentionally this year.  There are certain activities that I want to fill my days.  Do things that make my heart sing.  Do things that draw our little family together.  Do things that mark the days.  As a scrapbooker, I will be scrapbooking each month with pictures of activities that we did, books read, scripture memorized, etc.  As a blogger, this space is largely for an added source of accountability and also to offer encouragement to others, who like me, find ourselves at the end of the month not remembering where the month went.  Doing certian things intentionally each month, is my way of marking our days.  Dedicating moments of our time with good things.  Creating our own book of days.

I want to fill our days/weeks wisely by keeping to a simple homeschool schedule, lots of reading, scripture memory work, much crafting, family games and walks.  

 

library stuffed animal sleep-over

reviewing different types of lines

fingerprint caterpillars

our family of yellow belts

button snowflakes made at Keepers

scrapbooking

crocheting dishcloths

The Inheritance of Beauty

I just completed my second book for review from Book Sneeze.  The title of this book is The Inheritance of Beauty and it is written by Nicole Seitz.  The setting of this book is primarily a nursing home in the southern United States.  The story pulsates back and forth between the present and the main character's past.  George and Maggie Jacobs are an elderly couple, blessed to still be together, but caught in the throughs of failing health and lost independence.  And yet, their lives are are kept aglow by not only memories of a childhood shared, but also an abiding love for each other.  Maggie, though bound by her lack of speech and her limited ability to express herself, sees and feels all that is around her.  George is free to speak and express himself.  Yet, they both bear the burden of trusting each other both through the physical changes they are experiencing and toward the resolution of unanswered questions from their past.

Not only did Seitz draw from her own memories in the development of this story, but also, as an artist, created to cover art.  I LOVE these things about any book and the author did not disappoint!  Her characters are thoughfully created and yet transparent.  The story line is tight and well composed.  You are quickly drawn into the story and find it hard to stop reading until all is resolved in the end.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

a glimpse at our homeschool

We usually begin our school days with Bible Study Time.   I. love. this. time.   To me it is just one of those times that makes homeschooling so precious - just me and my kids, the word of God - good things, eternal things.  Each child has a folder that has both copy paper and lined notebooking pages.  We are working through the major Bible stories chronologically.  Right now I am reading straight from the Bible.  In the past, because of the age range of my children, I have used Bible story books.  Now, they just seem ready for straight-from-the-Bible-reading .  I read a passage from the Word and have them draw a picture or write a dictated sentence about what we are reading.  If the picture/writing is more involved, then the next day, I reveiw our past readings with them while they finish up their page.  On the occasions, when I choose for them not to do a picture for a particular reading, I have them go back to a previous picture and add color or detail to it.  Afterwards we sing one of the songs we've learned from hymn study.

Then I pray with them and our day rolls forward. 

PLEASE JOIN ME IN PRAYER

The author of one of my very favorite blogs has suffered a massive stroke.  Her name is Joanne Heim and she writes at thesimplewife.typepad.com  She is a very vibrant person, whose faith resonates with passion and authenticity.  Please pray for her, her husband Toben, daughter Audrey and daughter Emma (who was the one who first found her after her stroke).