Large Family Mothering

Announcing Homeschool Sanity Brag Thursday Link-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:55:00 +0000

Have you been having a great time homeschooling using good, old books, or have some terrific tip to share, or a nifty notebooking page? Hop on over to my other blog, Homeschool Sanity, and share with the rest of the world!

Virtual schooling vs. Homeschooling

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:18:00 +0000

I live in a largely blue-collar town. There are no mansions or super affluent people that make up our community. The families that choose to be "traditional", with the daddy as the breadwinner, struggle. Lots of homeschooling families that I know here have had trouble even affording a computer.

In a community like ours, virtual schooling where the government sends a family a computer, pays for Internet use, and supplies all sorts of glossy, colorful curricula and even science and craft supplies, is a very great temptation.

When our state first began to offer such programs, I can remember the glowing reports of all of the "goodies" that were sent--it was like Christmas! Everything needed was provided, including scissors and craft paper, and seeds for growing things. Mothers who before had been wringing their hands wondering how they were going to afford the Saxon Math series were now almost care-free.

But there was a catch.

Someone has said that nothing in life is truly "free". With all of the goodies and the "comfort" of knowing someone else was in charge came a large price. Instead of worries over buying supplies and curricula, now the mothers had a heavy burden placed on them each and every day. They had to coerce and nag and bite their fingernails over getting the work done that was required--a whole boat-load of extra fact-cramming and busy-work that made it almost impossible for anyone to have a good life, especially for the mother who had even 3-4 children on different levels. Instead of having their lives simplified, they were complicated beyond comprehension, and their children were being harmed in the process and turned into drones who were beginning to hate anything to do with "learning".

Government controlled schooling!

The most unfortunate thing of all was that most mothers were convinced that this sort of government-sponsored slavery was what homeschooling was all about! Many who were already feeling overwhelmed about teaching their own children became convinced, after allowing the state to take control and mess with things, that homeschooling was impossible and horrid. So, they gave up.

But learning is not a super-complicated thing that only professionals know how to do!

Our children were born to us completely helpless--they could not even hold their own heads up! Somehow, with our maternal encouragement, they learned to walk and talk and feed themselves. Children, even in some of the most impoverished conditions, learn to do these things, unless they are ill or haven't any food to eat.

Why do children learn these things? Is it because they are constantly nagged, or they have been through the right "programs"? No. Children learn these things because they want to and it was a necessity. The parents are there to facilitate, encourage and guide.

Now here is the secret that those who run teaching colleges and publish curricula and make their living on the supposition of universal idiocy do not want you to know:

TEACHING CHILDREN IS NOT DIFFICULT--THEY ALREADY WANT TO LEARN!

I once checked out a magazine published for teachers from the library, thinking I could glean something of value for my own family. An article was written therein about teaching composition to middle-school students. I could not believe the amount of verbiage it took--paragraph upon paragraph of evidence and studies and then the methodology that took pages to explain. What a waste!

Writing is just an extension of language, another form of communication. When it is taught in this context, it no longer seems mystical or complex. Good writing is learned by reading the good writing of others--with reading aloud, discussion, and application.

The same goes for the other subjects. Math is a sort of communication, it is the communication of the Creator to His creation--that there is order and care. Science is best described as the "thinking of God's thoughts after Him". The wonder of this planet and the universe is the only catalyst needed. Once the appetite has been whetted, a parent need only watch a child take off like a rocket-ship (and be willing to enjoy the adventure).

Of course, you can't enjoy the wonderful adventure of discovery with your child if every day is prescribed and written down. The time and energy you would normally have to explore and discover is all taken up by the reading of droll, dumbed-down texts, numerous questions to be answered by rote understanding, canned experiments and the like.

A family outing together!

Yes, there are times when a little rote learning can be valuable, but not as an all-encompassing program. The teaching of facts should be likened to handing out tools that a skilled craftsman, the child, can use to create and discover further. Rote learning should never become the end, but the means. We should not be so much concerned with turning out children who can win at Trivial Pursuit as much as we should be concerned with raising children who demonstrate that they can take the information in any situation, analyze it, and come up with wise conclusions and solutions.

I do not write theory here; I myself have seen the proven examples, and not just among my own children.

But the public schooling industry, and it is a great part of our economy, does not want you and I to know just how simple teaching and learning really is. Just think of how many meetings and conferences would have to be canceled. Entire political sub-committees would have to be disbanded. We would see a lot of educational Ph.d.'s flipping burgers, and whole educational supply industries would go belly-up.

Judeo-Christian values

I personally believe that it would allow Christianity to regain its influence once again as the underlying foundation of our Republic, as parents would be allowed to pass on their Judeo-Christian values in a personal way to the subsequent generation.

But you won't read this in the leaflets sent out to entice you. They will act as your friend, and say how they understand that you feel unsure and intimidated. But they definitely are not friendly. They only wish to use your own fears to convince you that you can not do it on your own.

But, with God's grace and help,

YOU CAN!!!

Article was originally posted on 12/2/08.

Daughters of Sarah--Not afraid with any amazement

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:19:00 +0000

"Daughters of Sarah"

The woman's voice on the other end of the phone was frantic. She just didn't know what they were going to do!

She was married, her husband was a skilled tradesman during a building boon in our area, and they had only two children. Someone had referred her to me, I think, as a bit of a joke, although, to this day, I am not quite sure which one of us was supposed to be the brunt of it.

After all, I was the mother of 14 children at that time, and my husband made less than her husband did. Did she realize just who she was talking to? If there was anyone in the world who could be full of fear, it was a mother in my circumstances.

But her unrealized fears had clouded out all of her faith--no matter how I tried to comfort her and point out the blessings in her life, she ranted on and on about how very dire things could turn out. She wanted to have every detail of her life nailed down; she wanted a security and assurance that none of us will ever have if we are relying on the things of this earth.

She did not call me once, but numerous times, and each time it was the same--there was absolutely no growth. It was while I was attending a retreat that we finally met in person. I was watching all of our children play at the hotel pool when she walked up to me--it was only then that it dawned on her that all of the counsel I had given to her just might have genuine merit--when she saw with her own eyes just how much God is able and willing to do in the life of someone who trusts (even if that trust is sometimes faltering).

If there was one single element that could define the sinful nature, it would be fear.

Eve didn't realize it, but that lie that the fruit was "desirable to make one wise" was actually an invitation to a life without any security.

As Eve's spirit lost its focus and control, it was her soul that took over--her mind, will and emotions began to take full reign. She was immediately forced into a life of bondage to her senses--only what she could perceive in her mind and feel in her emotions--in essence, the creation, rather than the Creator, began to rule over her.

Eve's disobedience and lack of trust had cost her the fellowship she benefited from with her loving Creator and eventually plunged her into darkness and death. Before, she had enjoyed an intimate communion with her Maker, but after the fall she became critically aware of her terrible loss and emptiness--now, with no assurance for her future, she was compelled to position herself for protection with a constant expectation of the worst, making every minute of her life torment.

Sarah was different. She was the "other half" of Abraham--the father of our faith. It was Abraham that received God's call, after hearing God's voice to leave his country and home, but it was Sarah who willingly obeyed her husband, even without hearing God's voice, and believed that God had a wonderful purpose and a plan for them.

Do we actually realize just what a step of faith it must have been for this woman? When they set out for Canaan, it may as well have been for the moon! There were no travel guides or maps that described the places they were passing through, much less revealing the location of their ultimate destination. Most of us would have had a huge fit of temper and flat out refused to take one step with our husbands without being handed a detailed plan, including a run down of the itinerary, with a description of all of the stores, libraries, churches and schools at the end of the road.

But to add to all of the "unknowns", her own husband allowed her to be carried off, not once, but twice to foreign rulers! Talk about insecurity! I don't know what I would have done, sitting in the Pharaoh's palace, knowing it was his intention to make me one of his many wives. But the Lord God took incredible care of her. Because of her great faith, He actually moved mightily on her behalf.

"And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife. And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Why saidst thou, She is my sister? So I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had." (Genesis 12: 17-20)

A very comparable situation happened not too long after this. Sarah did what her husband had asked of her, and agreed to be called his "sister" rather than his "wife". Why would anyone be so foolish? Most of us would have stamped our feet and refused to comply. But she did as she was told--and God did not fail her!

"Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid. Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing? And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake. And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother. And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved. So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife." (Genesis 20:8-18)

I have heard quite a lot about how we woman are supposed to be adorned with a "gentle and quiet spirit". What a lovely concept, to be sweet and demure, able to weather each and every storm with a calm smile and quiet spirit! But, no matter how hard I tried, I just never could "pull it off". There was always something deep within me that sabotaged my outward efforts.

Many years ago, I discovered a truth that literally transformed my thinking, and when I keep this truth in mind, it always leads me to great faith, and, consequently, greater peace.

It's the latter portion of a group of verses in 1 Peter chapter 3:

"But let it [adornment] be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement." (1 Peter 3:4-6)

What keeps us from having that "meek and quiet spirit? Fear, manifesting itself as insecurity.

But we don't have to live there. We can exercise our faith--the measure of faith God has given to each of us. (Romans 12:3)

This is what makes us "daughters of Sarah!"

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)

"For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." (Romans 4:3)

It is clearly not just a "religious" faith that is only applicable to "spiritual" things. It's just not enough to simply believe that Christ's sacrifice on the cross bought us heaven after death, yet will not transform our lives here on earth. No, this faith has to be a living faith. It has to be active as we walk out each and every day.

It needs to shape the way we view our role as women. This living faith must become a part of us when we sit down and look at our finances, or gaze into our refrigerators, or open our clothes closets.

Our faith must be active when our husbands inform us we will be moving, or that they are changing their jobs, or that they have lost their jobs.

Our faith in God must be "alive" when our husbands are absent, or aloof, or even "disobedient to the Word". Even if we honestly believe they don't spend their money "right", or if they make the wrong decisions, Jesus must remain the Lord of our hearts, and we need to respond with a love that trusts, instead of reacting with fear and anger.

We need to trust in God's vision for our children, especially on the most difficult of days, when they are in obvious rebellion, and even when illness and death threaten. Agree with the Lord through prayer releasing Him to minister to your children's needs. Don't pray out your anxieties over them--rather express faith that God's Spirit will turn things out for their good. Speak faith!

We must believe that God will take care of us, and love us, and never leave us lonely, no matter what may happen--if our families desert us, or the economy crashes, or even if the world itself should come to an end.

Rather than looking to all of the "stabilizers" we have erected in our lives; our bank accounts, our insurance policies, etc., instead, we should to look to Jesus Christ--the Cornerstone, the One who is "the same, yesterday, today and forever."

We ought to clothe ourselves with a "child-like" trust in God.

"The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." (Proverbs 18:10)

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation." (Psalm 91)

There is no other way to have faith than by keeping our focus upon Jesus Christ,

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

If we really want to become "daugthers of Sarah", and learn to adorn ourselves with a "meek and quiet spirit", we must first learn to abide in Christ, because it is the direction of our inward gaze that will determine our outward appearance.

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:1-3)

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.

--Helen H. Lemmel

Interior transformation--The dirty word

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:48:00 +0000

"Young Ruth" by Nicole A. Hayes

If you want to offend women, if you want to empty a church, if you enjoy a silent room, all you have to do is mention one little word...

...submission.

I've seen it happen. It is as if we can stand all sorts of things; we love praise and worship, we love to think about healing, we want to have God bless us, we don't mind doing nice things for the poor, we love "prayer huddles", we love to talk about "God's best now".

But no one wants to know what Christianity is really all about.

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)

Submission is not just a postscript, it is the kernel, the hub, of Christianity.

"...he it is that does the will of the Father, and he only; and such an one, as he is desirous of doing the will of God in all acts of cheerful obedience to it, without dependence thereon; so he shall certainly enter the kingdom of heaven, and have everlasting life." (Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible)

Without submission, there is no Gospel of Jesus Christ, because there is no salvation apart from submission to God through the sacrifice and atonement of His dear son.

Adam and Eve brought us death through their disobedience, so it could only be through the complete obedience of the "second Adam" that we (Adam and Eve's prodigy) could be redeemed.

"For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:19)

This is the mark of the true believers in Christ. Instead of having our own way, we yield. Men must yield, and women must yield. If we think we can call ourselves Christians, and yet insist on protecting, asserting, and promoting ourselves, we are fools.

"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." (Proverbs 14:12)

Where there is no obedience, no subjection, there is no Christ.

"If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

Who is Jesus? Many have tried to mold Him into pleasing shapes. We like to paint Him as a sweet, and almost effeminate man, unable to hurt a flea. We like to make Him a social reformer, a great teacher--teaching us to be kind to the poor and destitute. We like to put Him in the category of a martyr, willing to die for a cause.

But He is much, much more than all of these.

He is God.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." (John 1:1-3)

"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." (Hebrews 1:1-4)

"But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?" (Hebrews 1:8-13)

This is such a mystery to us; why would God (the Son) submit to God (the Father)? The concept is so beyond our human comprehension that we have tried to come up with ways to explain it away--consider all of the heretical cults that have sprung up in the last 180 years or so--all bent on making Jesus less than He is. Since the Bible is so full of this mystery, the only way to cover it up is to change the Bible, and so we have all of the claims of "mistranslation" and the need for "extra" books that appeal more to our fleshly/carnal understanding.

But Jesus spoke of Himself as being equal with God, the Jews knew it, and that is why they wanted to kill Him:

"Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God." (John 5:18)

So it was the laying down of His deity that makes Him worthy of our worship:

Jesus is not only our Savior, He is our example. He was obedient unto death--are we willing to do the same? He obeyed because He trusted God fully, He trusted that God's ways are best. Do we trust that God's ways are best?

I dare say that we trust God's ways as long as they "seem right" to us, or as long as they "make sense", or as long as they "seem safe".

But what if God asked us, as women, to do something that in our own wisdom seemed quite backwards--so unsafe, so insecure, so very risky that it made us shake and break out into a cold sweat?

What if God asked us to submit to our husbands?

It is the same situation Jesus was found in. He, being equal with God, and being found in like fashion as a man--humbled himself. Likewise we also are equal (submitted) to one another--in Christ:

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)

And yet, Jesus laid down His deity and humbled Himself, and then He became obedient even though it meant agony and death!

But men are not like God--they are often selfish and brutish. They can be abrupt and inconsiderate. Due to humanity's sin altered "nature" they sin as a general rule (or at least we perceive men this way). Why do I need to submit to a man like that?

For the same reason that we are told to "submit to one another" (Ephesians 5:21), and also for the reason we are told to "submit to authorities":

"Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king." (1 Peter 2:13-17)

We submit because that is the way God wants us to behave. Submission is humbling, submission makes us vulnerable. We submit because we obey God, and obedience blesses God. It is an expression of our total trust in God's plan for us.

The words I am typing were confirmed to me this morning. I don't have hours to sit and dedicate myself to writing posts for my blog. I must snatch moments here and there, as insights and impressions come to my mind, and as I have a moment along the way. In-between the lines of my post, I was also doing other things like fixing the little girls' hair, cleaning toilets, and directing traffic. My dear husband just happened to be watching an installment of the In Touch TV ministry, and I was simply amazed by Dr. Charles Stanley's words:

"Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him--that is faith in perfection...I'm going to do what He says, no matter what it costs, no matter what it requires, and then I'm going to watch Him work. I'm going to leave all the consequences to Him; why? because I believe God will honor obedience. I believe that God, not will, but always honors obedience. He never overlooks obedience because obedience honors God, it pleases God...We are trusting God when we obey Him...In order to please him I must believe Him, I must trust Him, I must put faith in Him."

There are some major heresies circulating among Believers these days. One of them is a submission-less faith, which is actually humanism, which is in reality the worship of self, which brings us back to Eve in the garden. One of the mantras of this pseudo-faith is W.W.J.D.--"What Would Jesus Do?" If Jesus was dead, and we never heard from Him except in some words He spoke that were written down in some dusty manuscripts, that would be one thing. But Jesus is very much alive. His Word is active, the Holy Spirit is living within us, so the question of the true believer is "What is God asking me to do, right now, in this specific situation?", which is actually what Jesus would be doing! This kind of obedience can only be accomplished through a personal relationship by someone who is actively seeking to hear and obey God's voice and walk by the leading of His Holy Spirit, and not a set of rules set forth by a church, or society, or any other group.

Submission to God's will, no matter what it looks like to ourselves or to others, is the very essence of Christianity. It is a wholly placed faith in our loving Creator, Father God. A believer who is not actively submitting to God, and who refuses to submit to the authorities in his/her life, is at best a "carnal" Christian.

Submission is not just an "option" for women who want to stay home and wear skirts all of the time. Just because a woman may be super "gifted" or "talented" or have some wonderful message the world cannot live without does not mean she is exempted. Even if a woman is married to the "chief of sinners", or if she disdainfully considers her husband too stupid to tie his own shoes, God's original intentions, and His redemptive injunctions, still stand.

Women must submit because submission makes us trust, and it's in our trust that we come to believe, and in our believing we come to a full assurance of faith in God which leads to obedience--this is what pleases Him. It is by our trust in our Heavenly Father that we do not give in to fear.

"And he [Abraham] believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." (Genesis 15:6)

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)

We all have Abraham as the father of our faith, but women, specifically, have Sarah as the obedient mother to the daughters of God who learn to trust Him implicitly:

"For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear." (1 Peter 3:5-6)

Have you been enjoying the journey so far, or are you wincing a little bit? To examine this extremely important issue from a practical perspective, tune in soon for our next series, Daughters of Sarah.

Youth Group

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Who am I? Where do I stand?

Have you ever noticed that not too many good things in society have ever started from the top-down? By the time any good idea gets to the upper ranks of an organization, the "machine" either kills it outright or distorts it beyond recognition.

Think about the Church, not necessarily the one existing in gothic cathedrals or even behind the glass walls of a strip mall, but the fellowship of true believers, no matter what flavor. Think of how it began; 12 straggly disciples from all walks of life, no credentials but the power and light of God, and yet they were able to "turn the world upside-down"!

Even our own war of independence was fought by unworthy farmers and backwoodsmen--the "respectable" folks sided with England. When one reads a good recount of our beginning conflict (such as that of Carleton Coffin) it is amazing just how few fought, how few sacrificed and believed.

The church in America is in a dismal state; it is operating just a few years behind the culture at large. As time goes by, it looks more and more like the world it is supposed to be "in but not of". The values we used to hold dear are all up for review in the face of "relevance" to a humankind well on its way down the tube to hell.

In such a climate it is easy to look like we are wearing our rain gear in the midst of the desert. We stick out, we aggravate, we convict; and if we are not doing all of these things, we are not the "salt" Jesus called us to be.

So when we took the time to examine church youth groups, we decided to opt out. This was after we had raised a few of our own children and witnessed some of the fruit of our own lack of decisiveness in the past.

After all, we were part of the cadre, the ones who were at the top and encouraging all sorts of this type of "ministry". Our own older children were leaders in their own youth group.

There were times we took our own children out; the folly in their own hearts (no, they are not perfect), coupled with the folly of others their own age, without any seasoned wisdom in-between, ensured they were not going forward, but instead they were taking steps backwards.

Along the way, I have done a little bit of research into the beginnings of the "youth ministry" movement. It seems that we survived as a society, and the Church as a vital part of that society, for most of our history without such a necessary contrivance.

Times were that older children were "young people", not "teen-agers", needing a special this and that. The highest goal for a child was to become a responsible adult--imagine that! This made older people, their wisdom and input, quite important. These young people were not placed in their own little groups where their ungodly ideas could fester like so much bacterial hubris, they were intermixed; taught to care for and nurture the younger with responsibility, and listen to and honor the older with respect. Character development was placed above popularity and the expression of individual rights.

Somewhere along the way the social engineers discovered it was much easier to get a whole sector of the population to follow blindly if they were separated by age groups. This does a number of things. First, it removes the experience and wisdom of the elders (who could spot the fallacies of the supposed "new thinking") and makes their voices irrelevant by giving the young minds, in their willful, cock-surety, reasons to drown out the voices of prudence through the creation of a whole new sub-culture--everything from entertainment to speech. Secondly, it makes the older generation either fight against the younger or be completely dismissed out of hand as intrusive and passe'.

Christ-like or peer-pressured?

The church, in its scrambling for numbers and "relevancy", fell right into the ranks. The Sunday School, at first meant to be an outreach mechanism for the unreached, transitioned from its original intended purpose to become a necessity for the Christian family, until the Christian family ultimately relinquished its responsibility to bring up their children in the "fear and admonition of the Lord" to the "worldly-wise professionals", just as all other education had previously been relegated before, thanks to the likes of Horace Mann and John Dewey.

Not long after, "youth ministry" became the great hope for populating the pews (in place of the Gospel), again as a bowing to the expediency of the culture, not an attempt at scriptural faithfulness.

Fast-forward to today. We personally know of a young man who calls girls to "hook-up", without any commitment, and yet was recently asked to lead a group of youths to "grow in the Lord". It used to be the odd person could stand up at the age of 17 and admit to having fallen into s*xual sin and having the Lord restore them, now, conversely, it is the odd person who can stand up and "admit" to being a virgin at 17!

Nowadays, if you really want to be shocked, just ask some young people what can really go on at church--'date rape' is not uncommon among youth group members, or even other perverted acts that would make a former generation blush with genuine shame.

A few years ago a Christian magazine exposed what often goes on at Christian colleges--the same magazine started by the Reverend Billy Graham--and it was enough to make me want to cry.

A young man we know of 20 who became a new Christian last year changed his secular college in favor of a Christian one, thinking he could go there to be encouraged and even discipled, only to find the other youths there to be heavily into drunkenness, carousing, and s*xual experimentation--having his own roommate, a "born again" young man who came from a Christian upbringing and always in church, call him on the weekend from a party, extremely inebriated almost beyond understanding.

A long-time friend who lives in the deep South attempted to make a difference in his church by becoming the youth group pastor. He began insisting on purity and godliness, but the parents of the church shut him down; it was their desire he make it more "fun" for the kids, otherwise they might lose interest altogether.

At one time I was naive enough to think some leaders might be interested in my findings, so I approached them. They were not at all amused; I had dared touch a sacred cow.

We have since concluded the godly move of Christian parents to be taking back the responsibility for, not just their little children, but also their older children as well, we must begin in the trenches, in each individual life. So we have begun with our own, even though we often feel alone, and calling back to those behind and telling them the land ahead is fair and filled with much promise.

Since we made the decision to pull out of youth group, we have seen more lasting fruit in our children, more peace in our home. I also find everyday that I am repenting of the folly of my own youth, of the pitting of one peer group against the other that I was very much a part of in my early years.

This article was originally published on 3/22/2010.

Work is not evil

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Tom Sawyer missed out.

He thought work was, well, work. To him it was an evil to be avoided at all costs. What he was after was pleasure, the kinds of things that brought immediate gratification to his life. But the boys he tricked into doing the chore that was assigned to him had a much higher pleasure; they had fun while doing something constructive and meaningful.

When I was younger I thought I understood what work was. My mom was pretty smart and required us to do chores and help out around the house. In my teen years I took on more responsibility by making it my habit to clean without having to be asked, especially since my mom was employed outside of the home.

But I really didn't know how to work, and I reserved a big portion of my energy for what I considered "recreation".

Then I enlisted in the Army (no, I do not believe that women belong in the Army--but God used my blunder for my good, anyway). From the very first day I began to realize that I had been a lazy person my whole life! I never recognized that I could go, go, go all day long, from before sunup to way past dusk. I didn't honestly know you could keep things that clean. I didn't understand what it meant to hurry. I also never before knew the pride and satisfaction that doing a top-notch job could give a person.

I am an American, and a westerner. We are told from our earliest years that work is a necessary evil, and that leisure and amusement should be our supreme goal. We spend our weekdays "working for the weekend", and then on Monday we feel the consequences of all of our "fun".

Jesus blesses the little children

Many of the women in our modern culture today have transferred their energies away from the home to the outside world, a woman's tendency to equate home with rest has become even more acute.

And this is where the great change must take place for those of us who are called home once again. We have to make a shift in our thinking--and create a brand new mindset!

We must do two things:

1. Change the way we view work in general.

2. Focus the energy we would have spent out of the home for eight or so hours a day back into our homes.

Work is not evil, it is a blessing. God gave work to Adam and Eve--they tended the Garden of Eden. Even heaven is not described as a place for hedonists who just lay around and eat all day--we are going to be active, we are to be about His work for the rest of eternity.

Does this sound disappointing? It did to me as a young person. When someone told me about a vision they had of heaven in which they were tending vineyards, I was sure they had gotten it wrong somehow. "We are supposed to be happy in Heaven," I thought to myself, "so why would God make us work--that doesn't make me happy!"

Sweet Faith Noel

How blessed I am that God did not leave me there.

One of the things that I hear often from people when they discover that I have had 14 children is, "What a lot of work!" And it has been a lot of work--I know that many of you know what I am talking about. My first three children were spaced just 18 months apart, I used cloth diapers, and I had all three in diapers at the same time! I didn't have money for convenience foods, so everything was made from scratch. My husband was working long hours, and I didn't have Internet or even a computer. Our TV received only three channels, and a little record and cassette player with a radio. Work was not an option for me, it was a lifestyle. It was my recreation.

It did not stop there. I've had 11 children since that time. Yes, they have all been a great help in many ways, but the bulk of responsibility is still mine. But I love it, I really mean that--I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!

I am so thankful for work! I love cleaning and planning and folding fresh towels just right. I love taking a sticky floor and making it squeaky clean. I love cleaning little bottoms and brushing my children's lovely long hair. I love making coffee for my husband in the morning and ironing crisp creases into the sleeves of his shirts.

Thankfulness brings release!

When I am ill and do not feel at all like getting up and starting all over again, I often find myself bemoaning my life, but then I am reminded to be thankful; thankful that I am healthy and able to work at all! I just can't imagine how our lives would be if I were not able to walk or do all of the things that it takes to manage things around here. How gracious God has been to me to allow me a strong, healthy body so that I can scrub counters and carry babies on my hips!

Something happens when we begin to enjoy work; we become enthusiastic about it. Our outlook changes from one of a downcast martyr to one of a privileged saint. Our husbands no longer feel the oppression of the guilt we have heaped upon them, and our children will want to follow our example, or at least feel the sting of conviction when they catch themselves with bad attitudes.

In the book of Colossians chapter three I read these words:

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." (Colossians 3:17)

So then, everything I do I should do in the name of the Lord Jesus, even if it means cleaning the streaks and smudges off of the mirrors in my home.

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." (Colossians 3:23-24)

So then, I also know that I am not working for my husband, or my children, or anyone else who may be called to evaluate me, but I am working for the Lord who sees me all day long, and for whom I would hold back nothing!

God works, and He rests from his work, although scriptures tell us He never gets tired or needs to sleep. He simply knows when to stop--and He teaches this to me as well.

A time to relax and discover God's creation!

Sometimes, when I have created a yummy meal or cleaned and organized a closet, I offer my work up to Him, and He and I enjoy the satisfaction together. I have the wonderful sense that He is also smiling with deep satisfaction.

If you are struggling with a right attitude about "work-at home", here are some suggestions that might help:

Remember, God does the changing, we only have to be yielded and willing.
Romans 12 tells us that we need to be "renewing" our minds; to me this means that I need to be filling my mind with Godly thoughts and stay away from sources of negative thoughts--reading the Word more or listening to it while I am working is a positive way to do this.
Practicing "thanksgiving", even for the misfortunes and bad things that happen, believing according to Romans 8:28 that God will work everything out for my good.
Filling our homes with "Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs" is such a great help, and often a battery-charger--while listening to a inspirational song can be ecouraging, actually singing with our voices is always a much more effective way to lift one's spirit.

The amazing thing is that, as we find ourselves enjoying work, our mind begins to ease and we are able to think more clearly so that we become more efficient and organized, which can make our work much easier and leaves us more time and energy for the things we enjoy--imagine that!

Having said all this, it's time to switch the laundry--thanks be to God!

Sherry

This post was originally posted on 8/4/2008.

Interior transformation--Just what are my goals?

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

"Young Ruth" by Nicole A. Hayes

"I want to have a large family--it sounds like so much fun!"

Funny, but these were never my words. I was brought up to think of two children, one boy and one girl, precisely spaced a perfect five years apart, as being the "ultimate" family, scientifically and socially speaking. Any more children, or having children spaced too closely together, might cause some inconvenient and uncomfortable circumstances.

It seemed quite by accident when each of my first three children arrived, and I was very surprised that they all came so closely together. My third baby was born almost exactly on my first child's third birthday. Yes, it was certainly true, a lot of inconveniences were beginning to occur in my life. There were a lot of people surrounding me, especially at church, trying to convince me that I should feel very, very sorry for myself.

As a young idealistic Christian girl, I had boldly proclaimed my willingness to go to the ends of the earth, even to trudge through the most impenetrable of jungles, to brave communist checkpoints with a trunk full of Bibles, and even give my life for Jesus, of course, I did not consider sloshing, washing, and drying diapers for three children as "using my gifts and talents" for the Lord.

The very circumstances God had allowed to come into my life were beginning to expose the true intentions of my heart. The "goals" I was touting were figments of my own over-blown ego. They were like "ice castles" on a Florida beach, and the heat of real life was melting them all away.

I had been born again in my spirit, but my gaze was not yet completely tuned into Christ and His will for my life. He was not Lord. I was standing with Eve in front of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, with one eye on Jesus, and the other still on that apple, only now I was pretending it had some sort of holy glow...

"...the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise..." (Genesis 3:6)

Sin always has the same "hooks" for us that it did for Eve in the garden,

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." (1 John 2:15-16)

Sin, since the garden, follows this same predictable pattern:

In modern terms, we call this pursuit of the fruit "happiness".

Adam and Eve were both created innocent. They were living in God's glorious garden, as responsible stewards. They enjoyed sweet uninterrupted fellowship with God, without even the slightest care of their state of undress.

When they tasted the fruit, they did more than enjoy a delicious snack--they turned away from God. The result was immediate slavery:

"For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." (2 Peter 2:18-19)

I know what we sing in church, I know what we pray. We are ready to give it all--to surrender all, etc. But without defining what "surrender" actually means, we might find ourselves standing with an apple in our hands.

I have watched too many war films over the years not to have a pretty good idea what a white flag signifies. Surrender, in military terms, means there is a cessation of hostilities, and that the conquered will no longer resist the conqueror.

Of course, there are always those situations in which the conquered only pretend to lay down their arms, and without warning the other side is suddenly assailed by volleys from a well-hidden machine gun nest.

We often use a "pseudo-surrender" in our approach God. We are often still afraid that God will hurt us if we really give Him everything, so we hold back in specific areas of our lives.

The focus of our hearts may be on Jesus at times, but then, at other times we return to our basic wish for happiness--our sensual needs must be met. As women, we need security, love, and admiration. Many of us are looking to become "fulfilled"--and it really does not matter, at the most basic level, whether or not we are looking to be satisfied in a career (or ministry) or at home--we have nonetheless turned away from God and are in bondage to sin.

So there it is.

We are not supposed to be actively pursuing "happiness" (as I have defined it in the above illustration). It should not be our goal to make sure everything flows smoothly in our lives. We shouldn't be so preoccupied with ensuring our own comfort and security.

"But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death." (Philippians 3:7-10)

"He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." (Matthew 10:39)

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)

What does a truly surrendered life look like? Stay tuned...

Interior transformation--"Please don't hurt me."

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

"Young Ruth" by Nicole A. Hayes

There are only two ways to live--in total trust of God, or in rebellion.

"Wait!" you might say, "I don't always completely trust the Lord, but I am certainly not rebellious! There is not even one tattoo or body piercing on me!"

Consider the Israelites after their release from Egypt. They had just cheered and praised God for their miraculous deliverance from their oppressive Egyptian slave masters, but they were quite fickle. As soon as they realized they were in the middle of the desert with no water and no food in sight, they began to complain, because they were afraid they would either die of thirst or starve.

Their misgivings make perfect and even logical sense to most of us. In our feeble "human understanding", the Israelites were simply concerned for their own welfare, their children's welfare, and their future. How could anyone have expected anything different?

God did.

"For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck..." (Deuteronomy 31:27a)

There is Eve again. She is standing by the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, listening to the tempter as he suggests to her that God really doesn't have her best interests in mind, and that He has been holding out on the greater blessings available to her, if she will only take things into her own hands...

"Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:4b-5)

The real question that lies before us, the one that makes all the difference between obedience and rebellion, is a matter of trust--is God trustworthy?

If He is not trustworthy, and if His Word is full of half-truths and fabrications, we would be foolish to follow and obey Him.

But, if He is TRUTH, and LOVE (1 John 4:8), then we are fools not to trust Him.

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

This looks great on paper, and terrific in a theological discussion, but what about in actual daily practice?

Can we, as women, live as though we trust Him? Can we believe that He will not hurt us, and that He will work everything out for our good?

Are we honestly willing to glorify Him by following His order and disciplines, in complete agreement with His original intentions as He expressed them in Genesis at the very beginning?

In the garden Eve's disobedience and lack of trust cursed us into being constantly self-seeking and filled with apprehension over our own happiness and fulfillment.

In the '50's and early '60's, our dream would have been to own a cute little home with a white-picket fence, and share it with a husband who came home to us every night. We would have had a few well-dressed children, who attended boy and girl scouts. Our leisure time would have been spent at the garden club, but our goal would have been to fulfill ourselves.

In the late '60's and early '70's, after we began to understand that having those things could not, in reality, bring us true happiness (because they were not Christ-centered), we then proceeded to throw out the baby with the bath water and, instead of looking to our own selfish tendencies, we decided that men were the problem and they were keeping us from personal fulfillment.

Nowadays we have come to the conclusion that men are necessary, but they can only be tolerated on our own terms (we often hear this reflected in a Christian man's pledge to support his wife or girlfriend in their quest to fulfill their personal "destiny in Christ"--this is flip-flopped from God's injunction that the woman should be the help-mate to the man in his pursuit of purpose and success in this life).

Satan's lie prevails, but it has been sanitized in order to become more acceptable and even politically correct. In an attempt to keep us from religious guilt, we do our best to explain away the "hard" verses, and have even begun to paraphrase or even change outright the Bible to please our own desires.

God is very interested in women, and very careful to watch over their welfare, that He gives us the most profound, moving picture ever presented as to how men should treat women--He sent His only begotten Son as the Bridegroom, who laid down everything, from His life to His reputation, to save His beloved bride!

In the "Bride" as a type, we see women as God sees them. They are to be loved, cherished, protected and provided for. And yet, the Heavenly Suitor does not force Himself on the object of His affection, but rather, He leaves her with the ultimate choice.

Similarly, He leaves us with the same choice. What will we do with this choice to trust Him completely?!

Jesus is not a gender-phobic effeminate male, He is a man, and as the Man of men, He opens His heart wide to us.

"Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; so shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him." (Psalm 45:10-11)

Announcing the new 2012 - 2013 Home-Schooling Planner!

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 07:34:00 +0000

It is January 2012, the start of a brand new year! So why not a new Home-Schooling Planner?

Last year my old “brain” (the moniker I used when I was referring to my prized home-school journal) was looking quite tattered and shabby. There was no distinct correlation in the layout and design of its pages (it was a menagerie of forms I had found for free and subject matter I had created from scratch) so I asked the Lord for guidance and renewed inspiration to make my planner more practical and better organized.

Just updated for the New Year!

With this very idea in mind, I began to research the Internet in order to see just what was out there—and to look for a new layout. I thought to myself, "Surely I'm not the only home schooling mother of many who is in need of a well-designed planner."

After a few intense hours of researching, I came away disappointed. If one planner was practical, it was also plain. If another was beautiful, it was too expensive. One of the planners most advertised boasted of being useful “for up to four children” —which made it inadequate for home-schooling mothers of many, especially this one, who now has nine children at home (we have graduated six of our 15 children from our home-school as of the date of this publication).

What is more, none of the planners I found were appropriate for the way I think, the methods I like to use, or the manner in which my home actually operates.

What I required was something that had the following components and...

Diligent record-keeping

...it just had to be:

Inexpensive
Expandable for use with families of many children
Open-ended enough to use with a variety of applications
Beautiful—so as to appeal to feminine sensibilities—yet practical enough to encourage continued use

At the end of the day, I believed God wanted me to make my own, and, in so doing, make it available to others.

If you would like to view some sample pages of the new eBook (click right), Large Family Mothering Home-School Planner. This home-school planner has 127 pages that can be printed for both half-sheet or full sized pages with detailed instructions.

If you would like to purchase this new planner click on the "Buy Now" button under the title page on my blog side bar. We hope that this new resource is a blessing to you in your home-school experience. If you have any questions please let me know.

Blessings,

Sherry

PS- If you download the FREE Nitro PDF Reader you can actually type on the pages of your copy of the home-school planner before you print your copy at home.

"L.F.M. Planner"

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Interior transformation--Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 16:46:00 +0000

"Young Ruth" by Nicole A. Hayes

Sometimes we just want to escape! The "day spa" business seems to be thriving these days, and many of us dream of taking a vacation in the Caribbean, far from any responsibilities or problems.

But when the spa date is over, or our airplane hits the tarmac on our home turf, we realize there is no escape at all; we begin to understand that we weren't running from our difficulties or our responsibilities, we were really running from ourselves.

Eve, in the beginning, set the stage for all of us. She desired the forbidden fruit, was enticed by the clever arguments of the deceiver, and then allowed her own reasoning and "creativity" to have full reign.

Rather than remaining submitted to a loving Creator, she rebelled. She went her own way. Was she reasoning in her spaghetti-like brain, connecting all sorts of dots that should never have been associated with each other? I wonder...

I wonder because that is what we all have the tendency to do. All kinds of things we do seem so very "logical" to us; the way that we respond to others or the plans we make can seem so deceivingly right, that is, until they start to bring forth death.

But we really do have the best of intentions (at least we "think" we do). Why does it seem that the hardest things we attempt to accomplish seem to spiral down so quickly?

We are Eve--her prodigy. We are that same woman who stood before the forbidden tree pondering her own willingness to become submitted to God's plan. What will our choice be? Will we use our own wisdom and understanding, (rather than relying upon God) with our eyes opened to the evil and good before us. Are we the ones who are going to make it all turn out "right". If we choose our own wisdom, we then become responsible for the self-willed decisions that result in the messes we make wherever we go!

A dear woman once wrote to me asking for advice. She began by telling me all of the things she was supposedly doing "right". She was a stay-at-home mom, homeschooling her children, even wearing only skirts and a head-covering!

But her home was an absolute mess. Her sons were defiant and lazy, her husband uninterested and ineffectual in her eyes.

In fact, she was so disgusted with her husband that she went to great lengths to describe just how very awful he was in his role. She felt that he wasn't taking the helm, and what burned her immensely was his recent decision to move the family from one state to another in which there were supposedly no good churches or homeschool support groups.

It only took a few sentences for me to see through all of her religious trappings to the very root of her problems--without even realizing it, she had torn down her own home.

She had taken over. Unable or unwilling to trust God through her imperfect husband, she had withdrawn her reverence of him. Instead of risking increasing disrespect and criticism from a bitter wife, he had withdrawn. It was this inordinate marital relationship that was having a negative effect on the children and caused even the housekeeping to become out of control.

Her outward adornment was supposed to speak of her inward state, but it would have been far better if she had decided to wear a mini-skirt and tank top and, yet, made her husband the king of his home.

But this poor lady is not alone. Every person born a woman has the very same temptations and tendencies. Today it is quite easy to become deceived, and even Bible "teachers" and "counselors" are spewing out the "worldly wisdom" first heeded at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The adversary never shares the fine print with us. He never points out to us the folly and the resulting consequences of following his ways.

It is always intriguing to me that, while many of the aims of the Women's Liberation Movement of the late '60's and early '70's have been accomplished, fulfillment and happiness are still elusive to most females. In fact, I would hazard to guess that there are many more women in counseling and under psychiatric care than ever before in our history.

The fact is that sin and rebellion bring forth death and destruction. Deliberately refusing to trust God's plan and surrender to His ways does not set us free, it enslaves us. And our failure to surrender to Him is not a small thing; it negatively affects our homes, our communities, and ultimately, the world in which we live.

There is hope, and their is help, but we have to be willing to give up our own predilections and become absolutely honest with ourselves. We need to be able to read the Bible and take it at face value, without cutting out or explaining away the portions which do not please us or with which we are not comfortable. More than a book of theoretical and lofty ideals, God's Word is active and powerful for our daily living, and it is in its everyday application that we experience its greatest release!

I have some shackle-busting to do, using Scriptural truths that I look forward to sharing with you in several installments, and in so doing, I hope that they will present a way to true interior transformation that will have a practical, freedom-producing effect in all areas of our lives.

At the beach

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:17:00 +0000

Friends and relatives who have been to Disney World or the original Disneyland all tell me the same thing; the theme park was great, but their kids preferred the beach.

The park offered fun at every turn--the food, the shows, the street spectacles, the rides--all were meant for enjoyment and entertainment.

A time for solitude and reflection at the beach

But the next day, when everyone was tired, they all opted for a quiet time at the beach. The children felt the sand squish between their toes as warm foam swirled around their legs. They listened to the beckoning sounds of the pounding surf, and stared into the clear tidal pools filled with creatures. They made elaborate sand castles and warmed their backs in the sun.

Somehow, a man dressed in a static Mickey Mouse head just didn't compete.

And this is what the American church experience has been for me for several years now.

I've been to a lot of churches--In fact, I was saved in Sunday School. I have attended churches that felt like the Matterhorn bobsled ride at Disneyland--full of wait and boredom, with a promise of something exciting in the future, but without its fulfillment in the here and now.

I've also been to "amusement park" churches (A.W. Tozer calls this "Golden calf" Christianity). Like one immense pep-rally, participants sing songs about reaching the lost in the wide, wide world, and about the nations, and about all kinds of corporate things we all should be doing. At one service they even turned off the lights and handed out glow sticks so that everyone could wave them around--it was fun, I have to admit--sort of like a rock concert without the drugs and alcohol.

Sherry Hayes

But it wasn't real, anymore than the Mickey Mouse caricature who goes around shaking hands with the park visitors. I have been to so many of these and come away feeling empty--a sense that what goes on there just doesn't jive with the rich relationship I experience daily with my Lord.

At one church service a man stood up and boldly proclaimed that the only reason any of us were alive was to proclaim the Gospel. He was only a babe in Christ, and some misguided souls quickly had him convinced that personal holiness meant to be lived and walked out in our daily life had no applicable meaning in the "real" world. Within two years he and almost all of the leadership of that church had become involved in several adulterous relationships--what weeping and sadness had been caused by the unbalanced attempt of some to fill up the chairs on Sunday.

But I don't buy it--I don't want to have an amusement-park life.

I prefer the beach.

Here at home, in my everyday life, I experience more of Jesus, and more of the power of His Holy Spirit, than at any hyped-up service I have ever attended.

Olivia and Faith alone, in their quiet discoveries

It's taken years to really understand what I have now come to know--the truly rich life is the quietly private, and set apart one. It's like staring out my back window at the clouds above the prairie or while walking in a nearby nature park and pouring my whole heart out to Him (the Lover of my soul). It is opening a hymn book and singing aloud with my children. How many times have I felt as though I had glimpsed a little corner of Heaven.

Sometimes it's when I'm cooking a pot of spaghetti, or even folding clothes in the wee hours of the morning following a bout of insomnia that He meets with me. How precious these intimate times are! Frequently it's when we are gathered as a family, praying and reading the Word together, that He speaks to me. I hear His thoughts echoed in the prayers of my sweet innocent children--that is when I know He is visiting with us.

When I am being filled with His Spirit in this way, it's not hard to share with those around me. I don't have to gather around with a group and hand out leaflets, I just stay open to His leading, and doors open up in the grocery line, or at the bank.

Fellowship happens with anyone who is willing--at any time. I have friends and relatives with whom I can share these joys, and they rejoice with me. We bolster each other up and pray for each other--this is the gathering together that truly builds and edifies.

I am so grieved by our sad state here in America. I remember hearing of contrite Chinese believers who leave the floor wet with tears of repentance when they gather together to seek God's face. I heard they are amazed at what we seem to have accomplished without the leading or power of God's Holy Spirit.

But there is a remnant--I hear it in the comments of many of you who read here--and I see it elsewhere in the extensive yet uncharted regions of Christianity. Father God is calling His beloved ones out, those who have been treated as if they were paupers, and even "losers" by the "relevant" and popular ministries of today--because they dare to live counter-cultural lives in this world!

I know how lonely it can seem. I know how many times we may question ourselves and field the inquiries of others who do not really understand. However compromise is not an option. And when we find that we are the loneliest, we have a special portion from Him reserved for those times when we feel forsaken--how precious!

And yet, I am not by myself--many others have walked here before me.

Remember you are not alone--He sees you.

Post was originally published on 3/30/09.

Announcing Homeschool Sanity—the book!

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 09:20:00 +0000

Recapture the best from the past!

It's not easy being a homeschooling parent today. Educating one's children is a huge responsibility. There seem to be more "answers" than there are questions! Everyone has a textbook, or a method, or a philosophy. But how are we supposed to figure out just what path to take?

We want our children to have the very best and to grow up with the God of the Bible as their frame of reference; but the best way to accomplish this seems to be just out of our reach!

For more than 23 years I have been asking these same questions about education. During my own journey, I have read books and research by the most insightful and influential homeschooling leaders such as—Dr. Raymond and Dorothy Moore, Ruth Beechick, Charlotte Mason, John Taylor Gatto, and many more. They were true pioneers of the current homeschool movement and all were dedicated to the welfare of children and their families.

Although their messages were often diverse, I began to identify a common theme. In the last few years I have discovered the Eclectic Education Series, and all those threads began to reveal an incalculably rich tapestry of education resources, that for many were lost to the past.

My heart was burdened with the realization that there are many others just like me that are seeking a way to simplify their homeschooling into a coherent system which makes room for a child's personality and gifts, but at the same time gives him structure as well as discipline.

I have come to realize that the modern educational systems and methods are strangely unique in our human history, and they have failed us abysmally. Never before have we had so much knowledge at our fingertips, and yet, the literacy rates of our nation's school systems are at an all-time low. Despite the fact that we live in the information age—the divorce, homicide and suicide rates are at all-time highs. Our children face greater challenges today than we would have ever dreamed, nevertheless, many don't have the tools to handle these new demands and pressures.

It is time we threw out the progressive educational philosophies and ideologies which have lead us here. We need to turn back the clock and promote the fear of God which is the beginning of wisdom. We must revive the unswerving Christian devotion that used to be lived out by our predecessors before the present narcissistic influence of humanism took over!

We can rediscover the tools of learning that helped our forefathers overcome the great obstacles of their time, that have only recently been replaced by "dumbed-down" work texts and worthless statistics which require no higher thinking on the part of young learners.

Homeschool Sanity: a Practical Guide to Redemptive Home Educating is my attempt to communicate a way back to common sense learning. It is a pathway back to the simplicity and joy of gaining the knowledge born out of the reverence for the God of the Bible. It is a journey filled with the grace and truth of Jesus Christ.

This book is easy to read. Even if one only has time for perusing, something useful and encouraging will be achieved (I have included a few pages in this article from my book for your consideration).

It is full of colorful and engaging graphics, helps, charts, templates and resources. Even the busiest mother will be able to breathe a sigh of relief as she reads just how easy it is to give her children an education that will be a blessing to them for the rest of their lives!

Here is a small portion of what I have included in Homeschool Sanity's 160 pages:

An overview of the different methodologies of homeschooling
A brief history of education in America
Preschool
Reading and literature
Grammar
Arithmetic
History
Science

No fancy psycho-anything here. I have rediscovered precisely why things used to work, and why they are so very broken today. I hope to lead the way into a fresh attempt to bring back the best of the past in order to prepare our children for the best future possible.

In essence, I have tried to make learning the "old" ways as convenient as possible for our modern lifestyles.

This is why you will find many nifty charts and templates ready for your use. You will discover a catalog of successful methodologies for your own re-education. If you are like me, you will not feel tired and anxious after you read my book; you will be refreshed and filled with real hope!

Many thanks to Dollar Homeschool for the wonderful resources offered in the form of the Eclectic Education Series. This book would not have been possible were it not for the opportunity I had to write the guides for each of the wonderful Eclectic collections.

It's the thought that counts

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 07:12:00 +0000

Hearth and home at Christmas!

Little Charlie's bright eyes sparkle as he wraps up his gift--he imagines his mommy's wonder and surprise at the mug he made and carefully painted for her.

Christmas morning finally arrives and mommy begins to open her son's present. Inside the misshapen package is an item which defies explanation; a mug painted in a vibrant psychedelic explosion of color. She bites her tongue and remembers her little boy; she knows that she holds his precious heart in her hands.

"I love it! It is exactly what I was hoping for!" she exclaims, as she wraps the small boy warmly in her loving arms. He is so delighted, feels so very successful. He reluctantly breaks free from his mother's embrace and takes a little skip as he walks across the room.

We mothers know just how to encourage our children when it comes to gift-giving. We know how to be gracious to almost everyone in our lives when it comes to receiving gifts that are not exactly what we would really want, except when it comes to our husbands.

The happy couple

Somehow we don't think the dear, delightful men in our lives deserve the same consideration that others do. They are just like young Charlie; they are all thinking about how much their gift will be a blessing, and it is their hope and anticipation to receive a grateful response. How truly sad it is when a man's special lady rejects his gift, or complains, or says, "It's a good thing the stores have a liberal return policy".

Some men think diamonds, some think mud flaps for the car. Others simply place a gift card in an envelope. There's something malicious in the heart of a woman who constantly finds fault, or keeps comparing him to others in her own mind; that's not what so-and-so's husband is getting her, why didn't he even wrap it? Doesn't he know we could spend this money more wisely?

My husband's greatest desire is to see me happy. That's why he takes me along to shop with him. When he discovers that I am interested in an item, he buys it for me, and then has me wrap it for Christmas.

Now, I love surprises and secrets--so it takes a bit of the fun away for me to know what's inside every package. I could get "pensive" and suddenly decide that he is not putting enough thought or effort into his gift-giving, by selfishly complaining and making him feel bad.

Wishing the best Christmas ever!

But through the years I have learned to be more appreciative than that. I love his heart. He is so intent on making me the happiest woman on the face of the earth, that he only wants to give me gifts he knows I will like. By taking me along, he is cherishing me.

Some husbands cherish their wives by working overtime even during the holidays. Still others may refuse to accept gifts for themselves for the sake of the needs of the others they love. One man may buy accessories for the family car, or even new cleaning supplies or other practical things. There are men who view Christmas as an opportunity to bestow material blessings on their families, and many men who wince at the thought of the extra expenditures because they see the looming year ahead and don't want their families to suffer want.

And we women often use all of their good intentions against them. "Why don't you stay home with us more at Christmas? Why don't you ever buy me anything romantic? Why do you always spend too much money? Or why do you seem to always get so "commercial" at Christmas--shouldn't your focus be more on the Lord?"

"...but thou excellest them all."

The wise woman, the one who wants to build-up her own home, will bite her tongue at these temptations. She will keep away from the foolish sitcoms and soap operas, magazines, and all those movies that tend to promote a life of selfishness. The genuine Proverbs 31 woman will cease being a tormentor, and instead give him the security he needs--by building him a throne with her loving approval and complete acceptance.

Becoming a virtuous women

"Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out of her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates." (Proverbs 31:10-31)

Our special, intimate date alone

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:18:00 +0000

Dad and Mom together!

He called me up to our room. The morning routine was finished--and each of our little ducklings were all in a row. My babies were creating masterpieces with their washable markers, and the older children were happily practicing their mathematical skills with playing cards.

I opened my bedroom door and found his arms open wide--he was playing one of those romantic soft-rock ballads from the 1970's. I fell into his embrace and we began to slow dance--it was one of those precious holy moments, blessed by God in His union of husband and wife. Somewhere in the middle of our retreat we heard energetic shouts--so we rushed to open the door, stumbling over one another to try and be the first to find the cause of the commotion.

Little Lorilee asleep

We looked out over the stairs to the dining table--six lovely faces smiled up at us. It seems that the children were simply all excited over their card games.

This sudden adrenaline rush altered our mood completely, but we knew what we needed was a (very cheap) date so that we could alone together!

It is a common misunderstanding that parents with many children never have time for romance--and if you think about it, there is ample evidence to the contrary...

So I set off to talk to the kids about expectations, started lunch, set boundaries, checked my e-mail. When I returned to the room, our toddler was cuddling next to her daddy.

Sweet Olivia relaxing outside

"We really should take her with us, don't you think?" he said.

Just then, Olivia slipped past me like a soft breeze, a quiet embrace as she moved past me, letting me know in her sweet way that she was craving some connection time also.

Then my dear husband said, "Don't you think we should take Lorilee with us, too?"

Light-hearted Eliana

I mentioned something to him about intimacy, about the definition of "cheap", but I could not get past the smitten, "puppy-dog" look on his face (he's just so irresistible to me when he is loving our children). I caved--he smiled. I told him Eliana had mentioned she wanted to come, as well.

Our Faith Noel

We went back out on the "poop deck" and announced we would be taking four of the tiny girls. We looked down at the table and realized that Faith was sitting there. She felt left out, and she is still so little. Daddy tender-heartedly agreed that she should come along as well.

So we rustled up their shoes and coats in nothing flat, and packed our small SUV--little girls don't take up much room.

We launched out on our adventure and then landed our crowded spaceship at a local pizza palace--complete with stained glass and ladies in Victorian dress. There was an atmosphere of Christmas all around us--fireplace blazing, player-piano tinkling out a familiar Christmas tune, an elaborate 20-foot tree decorated with fine lace and colorful baubles. We were on tour with five little girls, 11 years old and under--everything was old-fashioned and quite marvelous.

Lovely Patience

Our table was large and circular, my husband and I sat across from each other, with beautiful, happy little faces all around us. I would often glanced at him throughout our meal, as I passed out slices of pepperoni and sausage pizza and topped-off cold mugs of root beer, his eyes glistened with the merriment of the occasion.

Afterwards we made a stop at Sam's Club. We roamed and talked about anything and everything, the sort of babbling little girls love, when their best and first boyfriend is there making even the ordinary seem special.

A Christmas memory

On the way home it was just beginning to become dark, and so all of us were alert for Christmas lights as we drove home.

My husband and I joked about how wonderful our "intimate" date had turned out after all. There is nothing like family during the holidays!

What will you do with Jesus?

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:30:00 +0000

Joseph, baby Jesus and Mary in the manger

It is perfectly acceptable to speak of Him as a sweet babe. We wrap Him in swaddling clothes and lay Him in a manger; we even cover Him with light and give Him a radiant halo.

But He is all grown up. He is no more swathed in cherubic sweetness. He was a man--better than that He said he was the Savior--the Lord--the Son of God--what then, will we do with Him?

We can call Him a great teacher--but His lessons are too harsh. His message was about dying in order to live, and losing in order to gain. He traveled throughout Israel like a common transient--He gleaned His food from the fields and slept with only a rock as His pillow. He gave until His skin was bruised and torn and His life's blood flowed.

Though he was God, yet He was not His own Boss. He laid down His own will and took up His Father's. He fully submitted to God, "Not my will, but Thine", and in the surrender of His life He demonstrated to us the way to life. He is not the fulfiller of dreams, He is the Dream.

"Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

We can call Him a Prophet--because He spoke the words of God. But He was God, and He was the Word.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." (John 1:1-5)

We want to include Him in a group of all sorts of good, spiritual men, but He will not fit. He was not good, He was Goodness. He was not spiritual, He was the Son of God, the very God Himself in the flesh. There is nothing spiritual besides Him, and all attempts to glory in any other is vain.

We cannot have Jesus and...

Savior and Lord of all!

...Jesus must stand on His own. Yes, He was a lamb led to the slaughter, yet God declares Him the Lion of Judah. He comforts and loves all who are His own; He died that all might live, but it is a "free-will" choice--to choose Him--to choose life. Each of us must decide for ourselves, because if we are not for Him, we are against Him.

Someday, when the tombs of all the other "gods", prophets, and kings are swept away into forgetfulness, Jesus will take His place as the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Will we be able to claim Him as our Treasure, our One Desire, our God and King, or will we be smitten to the ground, fearful of our fate before His Holy Majesty?

What will you do with Jesus?

Loving My Large Family

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 23:43:00 +0000

Children are an heritage of the Lord!

I don't think of my children as one group, or even as any certain number. Just the other day I even forgot for a moment how many children I actually have (I have 15 wonderful children).

You see, I am in awe of everyone of them! I carried each one under my heart, rejoiced at the first fluttering I felt, prayed for them, talked with each one before they were ever even born, massaged all those tiny feet as they poked out from my enormous tummy.

It is assumed that, after giving birth so many times, it all somehow becomes old-hat. I suppose there are things that one can take for granted, but there is just no way to get "used" to carrying and giving birth to another precious life! In actual fact, the whole process has become more sacred to me with each new pregnancy. I find myself keeping the whole thing more intimate, since the often unintentional callousness of others can still break my heart--"Are you done yet?" is one that I have a lot of trouble with--as if having a darling little baby is just about the dumbest thing a person could ever do, so why don't I quit already?

Tiny-winnie baby Patience

There is just no other treasure comparable to my sweet babies. Even as they get older, weather they are 18 or 28, I simply can't believe I was ever privileged to be their mother. They are so very wonderful to me. I watch them as they have grown and there is an ache there, but I am so blessed by their lives, just knowing they are out there making a positive difference in the world.

And my little ones at home are so dear to me. Every day I get to spend with them is important. I know they need me, and it is such a joy to give of myself to them. I love to cuddle them and enjoy their silly-hearted antics, take pleasure in talking and joking around with all of them, discovering things together, planning, reading good books, sharing the Lord Jesus and especially praying together.

A time to play...

I love stopping whatever I am doing (even writing a post) to press my face close to one of their charming little faces when they talk to me--in this way, I communicate just how wonderful they are.

I don't ever complain when they cause a bit of work, worry, or even interrupt me while I am busy. My husband and I never sit together wishing that they were already grown and gone. Instead, we feel great sorrow for couples who are our age and have no children at home.

It is just so marvelous to have them all here with us. There is always something to do, always someone to care for, always genuine "meaning" to the mundane things of life.

We love the noise, the commotion, and the instant "party" whenever there is something to celebrate--even a toddler who uses the potty for the first time is hailed and lauded!

Ryan's rendition of a happy mother and babe

No, they aren't perfect little angels, and they can cause us some sleepless nights and passionate emotions, but they are worth it. They are worth making the effort to work things out, even with some difficult soul-searching questions, when they don't feel happy, comfortable or even receptive to us.

In reality, we have needed each one--even though they may be angry with us, or simply misunderstand, or just want to try things their own way. We need them because we are not perfect people either; we need them because they are assisting God in our transformation.

Folks tend to wonder where their kids would be without them; we tend to wonder where we would be without our kids!

Christmas Homeschool

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:16:00 +0000

The three wise-men following the star of Christ!

Someday, I am going to begin planning in July for December...someday when all of my children are grown and there isn't anyone left to plan for!

Meanwhile, in the real world, I need to face the facts; there is no way for this mother to keep up the grind of formal homeschooling during the holiday season. Besides, if I did my children would rebel.

Instead, I try and do a stress-free "Christmas school". Every one of those nifty craft projects that were too messy or time-consuming to do at any other time, Bible study, poetry, Christmas stories, original compositions, are all very much a part of my December plan.

The children begin their salt dough creations!

For one thing, every one of my children knows that the holidays mean salt dough creations—the children love to work in this stuff almost daily. Good thing Sam's Club sells a mega box of salt for only 98 cents! We work, bake, and then paint and decorate them. Many of these turn out to be wonderfully sweet decorations that are saved as keepsakes and hung on the Christmas tree each year.

Next, we also love to create Christmas cards—of different varieties. These are great, sneaky ways to get the children to do some unofficial copy work while filling the insides with creative poetry—and because others may see these, the handwriting, spelling, and grammar receive closer attention!

God's Word is precious!

For Bible study, I am having the older children study the nativity accounts from the Gospels and then complete a comprehensive, written narration. I am also requiring them to memorize a Christmas carol from our hymnals and play at least the melody on an instrument of each person's choice (around here that means keyboard, guitar or recorder).

Creating a family newsletter is another great way to keep the kids writing. It is a cinch to fix up a first-rate booklet to send to family and friends via desktop publishing. I have used PrintMaster to create newsletters in the past. It is so enjoyable to include family photos, scans of original artwork, prose and poetry the children compose themselves. The funniest stories we ever included were the ones dictated to me by the tiniest children in the family—verbatim!

Besides these, there are so many great resources for coloring pages, mazes, crossword puzzles, cut-outs, etc. for free on the Internet. Here are a few of the sites I am using this year:

A time of thanksgiving...

Activity Village

Disney Family.com

I am using the Christmas decorating pages from Activity Village, both as activities for each of the children, and coloring in and laminating a set of each to use as a file-folder game. The snowman set from the Disney site is perfect for one of these folder games as well.

Activity village also offers a series of coloring pages covering the nativity with lines for narration or copy work! I have printed and copied some mazes and dot-to-dots for my tiny ones from here as well.

For Christmas math we just allow the kids to purchase gifts for each other—the practical application is worth 50 workbook pages!

...to reflect on all God's blessings!

Of course, there is also a lot of hand-crafts happening in all sorts of secret ways and places for Christmas gifts—I can't share all of that here for fear of giving away some surprises!

Additionally, one should never discount the baking of yummy cookies and other good things—we are cracking out the "What Einstein Told His Cook" book to delve into the "why's" and "how's" of sugar, etc. Science with a smile!

What are some of the ways you like to incorporate stress-free learning during the holidays?

Testing feeds once again

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 04:18:00 +0000

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

If you receive my blog via a feed service, please forgive the messy arrangements of new items posted for your reading. They may be old and out of order, but at least they are there! I have had a number of problems with my feeds, which I thought were fixed, but recently found they were still broken.

Thanks to a kind blogger help person, they should all be fixed again! Please let me know that you have found my blog again through the feed service.

So glad to be back!

Blessings,

Sherry

Pioneer Gumption

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 12:14:00 +0000

One side of my family comes from West Texas--my great-grandfather is buried in San Angelo--he was once the county seat there. The story goes that he refused to sleep indoors--he had been too used to the stars and the fresh night breezes while tending cattle.

My Daddy at 12-years-old

I don't know if you've ever had the chance to visit West Texas. It's the sort of landscape you'd expect John Wayne to be riding around in--plenty of tumble weeds, cactus, and the like. I spent a summer there--one spell of 110 degree (Fahrenheit) days lasted a whole week. It was 90 degrees at 4 a.m.

Nevertheless, my relatives thrived in that semi-arid desert. It was not an easy existence. They had to learn to endure heat long before there was any "central air". They dealt with snakes, scorpions, and mesquite.

A certain attitude existed in all of them. They didn't give up easily. There wasn't time to moan and complain, they just had to do what was before them. If they had a problem, they might mention it, but they didn't sit around in groups and regurgitate all over themselves for hours at a time.

I have been so glad for these stalwart examples. My Grandma used to say, "Where there's a will, there's a way."

So many times I have faced obstacles, so many times I have been tempted to hide under a rock. Once, when I was at my lowest, I even spoke with a Christian counselor. All she had to offer was a bag full of selfishness--that sort of thing would never have helped my pioneer ancestors, and it certainly didn't help me!

Pioneering is never about selfishness. Pioneers walk on even when their shoes wear out. They are risk-takers; they look to the prize, and not the rockiness of the trail!

I can't think of anything good that has come out of complaining and moaning. There have been some very nasty revolutions that came out of whining--people who are fomenting with negativity do not think rationally!

Whining makes God angry (yes, I used the word angry in association with God because it is in the Bible). He was so wroth that He wanted to wipe out all of the Israelites in the desert and start over when they continually complained about everything. I'm sure they had sessions when they gathered in circles and bemoaned their situation--they probably looked a lot like some of us today.

Joshua and Caleb were not whiners. They were ready to go. Sure, the Promised Land would take a bit of fighting, but God was with them, what more did they need? They wanted to move on--they had a different spirit.

After God caused their "stiff-necked" relatives to fall in the desert, Joshua and Caleb were still ready to go--even though they were 40 years older! In fact, Caleb's strength was not abated by those years in the desert. Even at the ripe old age of 80, he and his grandchildren were "well able to overtake" the giants in the land!

Faith is what pleases God. When we feel
like giving up, the only way to get through
it is by way of praise and thanksgiving!
This is the best way to train our mind and
emotions to agree with the Spirit of God.

"And we know that God causes all things to
work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are the called according to His purposes." (Refer to: Romans 8:28)

This is just one of the songs done by The Sons of the Pioneers, a famous cowboy group from days gone by.

Life and love—for the long-haul

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 05:04:00 +0000

The journey of life begins!

Character is not a course you can sign up for. There is no text capable of containing it; no set of lectures we can attend which will ensure its inculcation.

We learn it the hard way. We learn it in the trenches, with the bullets flying overhead. We live it when all hope is gone and everyone is looking to us for encouragement. We see it in those who have trudged through lives full of tragedy, and in persons who simply stuck in there, without any pomp or applause.

We live in a temporary world; this year's cell phone will end up in the landfill along with yesterday's diapers. If we don't like our surroundings, we move. If we don't like our friends, we replace them with new ones.

We jump from one religion to another, one relationship to another. Marriage is one of those things we regard with semi-seriousness; more permanent than an auto contract, but less permanent than a mortgage.

Until death we do part

The shameful truth is that, since we jump from one thing to another as soon as we feel our "happiness" is being compromised, we miss out on a very important blessing; we miss out on the only way to develop true character.

The marriages that have lasted are not the ones made up of perfect people; they are made up of people who didn't give up, even when they probably should have.

You can't learn the type of fortitude it takes to go the long-haul at any marriage convention. You won't find it in the office of a counselor. You need to find it in a deep, determined part of your heart—it's called commitment!

Somewhere in you there has to be the kind of grit that treads the path even when the light has gone, and the wind is howling, and you can hear the mocking laughter of demons, even the scornful echoes in your own aching soul.

People will not support you. They will want you to give in. Some will do it because they are genuinely concerned but misunderstand the true commitment of marriage. Others will do it because they are in misery and want your company. You can't stop to listen—no matter how much you'd like to steep yourself in self-pity, you have a battle to fight, and soldiers can't do combat with their guard down and their hands limp. You acquire this dedication directly—in a personal and unwavering relationship with Him.

Someday you will find yourself sitting with your comrade, your spouse, and relive the war stories of old. The scars will still be there, but they will be badges, not wounds. And you will be embracing each other as you look over the expanse of your life...

...and you will smile the smile of deep contentment, and sigh with sweet relief.

"It does not matter where you go

or what you have, all that matters

is who you have beside you. Jesus!"

Disney—a mirror of the times?

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 02:25:00 +0000

Snow White

We own a number of the Disney classics, mostly the ones with damsels in distress (i.e., Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, etc.,). We currently have seven girls in our home, five who are 11 and under.

We do not allow our girls to watch the more modern princess movies, and for good reason. Of course, not everything even in the older pictures is godly, but considering the slide from the earliest editions to the most recent releases, these films seem to record the slipping of our entire culture from one in which virtuous womanhood and manhood was truly celebrated to one in which virtue and integrity are derided or thought to be "archaic".

Here are a number of adjectives which describe the princess Snow White, released in 1937: kind, sweet, demur, serving, giving, caring, lovely, and good.

Disney's princess Cinderella, released in 1950, can be described as a kind, sweet, patient in tribulation, hopeful, cheerful, hard working, a lovely young woman.

The Prince meets Sleeping Beauty

In Sleeping Beauty, released in 1959, it is the prince which is showcased by being dashing, manly, strong, courageous, self-sacrificing, conquering evil, loyal, and committed.

Flash forward to the present—the heroines are rebellious, saucy, sarcastic, bossy, sexy, brazen, conniving, narcissistic, cynical, pagan, and strong. The heroes are clumsy, ignorant, sarcastic, lazy, stupid, and cowardly. There is a modern view of redemption in these films—ultimately, after being drug through all sorts of negative attitudes and behaviors.

After viewing Snow White, I feel cheered and somehow more hopeful. Although there is more humor in the newer films, the sweetness has vanished, and so has the hope. The earliest of the Disney princess movies was done in an America still influenced by the blessed Gospel of Christ. Altruism could be displayed on the screen and believed because similar individuals existed in real life, in the parents and grandparents who had weathered the Great Depression, then WWII and Korea with Biblical codes that caused us to be liberators from the hands and schemes of tyrants and mad men.

John Hancock

If the media of our age is any indication of the feelings and mores of our present society, then we should be indeed melancholy. What is there left to believe in, to hope for? The youth of today must become cynical in order to survive. There are no heroes left—we have purposely tarnished the memories of those we used to admire. It's no wonder we can elect a president with neither the skills nor the scruples to occupy the highest office in the land. In our hunger for a hero, in ignorance of what a real one really looks like, we fell for a traveling medicine-man, offering a panacea of "hope and change".

Jesus Christ is the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life (refer to John 14:6). No matter how they have tried to rewrite history, the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been the catalyst that brought mankind out of barbarism and has elevated both men and women. It is His supreme sacrifice and holy, surrendered life that gives us all hope. By the Holy Spirit we may each, imperfectly, reflect God the Father's Kingdom on earth.

Bonding time for mother & daughter

And, yes, there are still heroes and heroines—I meet them on the Internet every day, all over the world. We are standing when we have been told to bow. We are taking back our children and our homes. We are teaching them to be virtuous, moral, loyal and self-sacrificing people. We are changing the way we view scholarship and science. Just as Daniel and his companions astounded the eunuch by prospering because they lived by God's principles, we are astounding the watching world as God is blessing us in spite of the difficulties we each face.

More than the mere noise of voices, we speak with our very lives.

Home-style learning

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:11:00 +0000

A wonderful homeschool room

We have an official "school room" in our garden-level basement. It is very pleasant, with a window facing the South. Besides containing two file cabinets, there is a round table with comfortable chairs, a wipe-off board, and walls full of educational posters, most of which were placed there some nine years ago, ones, which, for that matter, are no more noticed than the pattern in the wallpaper. There is an exception to this; a huge map of Oregon shows wear from being examined by a number of hands and eyes. We seldom use this room. I guess we are too busy learning all over everywhere else.

A craft time for Faith

Learning has never before had the same definition it does today. Life and learning are now in their own completely separate compartments and rarely ever touch each other.

Modern schooling is to learning what plastic is to wood. No matter how you texture or color it, it is still "fake" feeling, looking and smelling. It just doesn't matter how we try and repackage modern education, children can tell when it's not the genuine article. The more we try to make it "fun", the more it loses its authenticity, and the more it becomes unacceptable.

But when life and learning come together, in a natural marriage, props are not necessary. The learners of the past; Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, never saw an "educational" poster or played an "educational" game. Every lesson was educational, and every game taught something about life.

Ryan working on a project

These days we are not concerned with whether or not Johnny knows how to live capably. We are more worried about how he "stacks up" on the tests and on how he fits into the social strata among his classmates. We wonder how well he has swallowed the lie that following social and school protocols will automatically bring him success.

What happens when Johnny has to make moral decisions that will affect the rest of his life? Will he understand the consequences and their ultimate price? Johnny might be able to jump through all of the hoops to enter into college, but does he comprehend how long he will have to work to pay for it? Will his spouse realize her college education promises to make it impossible for her to stay home with the children that she will one day love more than her dream of a "career"?

Study time!

Why does homeschooling work so well? Homeschooling parents don't spend years learning how to teach. Less than $1,000 a year is spent on each student learning at home, compared with the $8,000 a year spent on the average public-schooled student.

Homeschooling is successful because it has taken back learning from "education".

As God originally intended, learning at home is done under the auspices of nurturing and committed parents; just as it was in the time of the founding fathers.

When parents are involved, learning happens 24/7. In actuality, life is learning and learning is life. Parents have the contact hours necessary to ensure that their children are being encouraged and "schooled" (in the old sense). Parents help their children complete the connection between gaining knowledge from books and the practicality of how it is walked out in daily living.

Parents are the ultimate, the original FACILITATORS!

Love and togetherness!

That is why children at home don't need a collection of gaudy posters, each one showing only a thimbleful of information. They don't need to be teased, entertained or coerced into learning; they were born with a natural desire to learn. Just watch them for a little while—they love discovering new and exciting things.

We supply some structure, discipline, and the necessary materials.

Oh, and we also add love, interest and inspiration—items never found for sale in a school supply catalog!

28 years ago...

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:36:00 +0000

...almost to the day, a baby girl was born to me. This morning, that same baby girl had herself a little baby boy. I am so pleased to announce the birth of Jonathan Andrew, 7 lbs, 20 inches!

Reviewing the family food budget

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:06:00 +0000

A local Christian radio station is running a peanut butter and jelly food donation campaign.

The idea is to keep children from going hungry at the end of the month by providing them with the means to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I like this idea—peanut butter has been a blessing to our family during many lean times!

A sample of one of our monthly meal menus

Tragedy can fall upon anyone—no matter how careful we may plan. There are times that even the surplus we have scurried away can be depleted, when the paycheck is gone, and there is illness in the family.

Challenging circumstances do happen to good, God-fearing people. They occur to those folks whose hearts are pure before Him. These difficult seasons can be a time of training and blessing, so that God can feed us from His precious promises and clothe us in His abundant grace.

But there is also a place for careful management of what we have. In our family, after reviewing our monthly budget, we set aside a specific amount to be expended for groceries. I understand that, if I do not manage these funds well, there are no extra dollars for me to spend; I must live within these boundaries.

Family budget - Home-School Planner

Without a plan or a budget there is a tendency for a family manager to drag her whole family through a "feast or famine" routine. See if you recognize it:

Since the family has been living on ramen noodle soup and bologna at the end of the month, everyone by this time is craving wholesome food. Before the money is placed into Mom's hands, everyone is begging for the meat, fresh fruits, vegetables and special treats which have been absent from their diet over the past week or so. Even Mom's eyes are big as she salivates over the steaks that are "on sale" in the local grocery store ads. "Wouldn't it be fun to have some friends over for grilled salmon, after all, it is at a rock-bottom price this week!" she muses.

So she goes to the store, with a purse full of coupons, and almost spends the entire budget, filling the cart with all sorts of special items that she knows will make everyone at home very happy.

In just a few weeks, after all of the pre-made, expensive foods have been consumed, she's back in the store again.

This time she is filling her basket up with oatmeal, potatoes, peanut butter, and baloney. The children come to the table and groan with discontent. Her hungry husband breaks the budget by charging lunch at work—which plunges the family's finances further into the red.

Then, the next month, the whole process begins all over again.

There is a better way!

Delicious beef tacos

This is what the wisest home managers do; instead of having all of the best foods at the beginning of the month, and the cheap foods at the end of the month, why not plan to have a bit of both every week? If we have two meatless meals with beans, and at least one meal of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every week, this allows for a few nights with dishes like Asian chicken and homemade pizza, and weekends with hamburgers and delicious beef tacos, etc.

If we eat steel-cut oats one morning, and regular oats another (making sure they are well-flavored and served with love and thankfulness), then I can offer my children Rice Krispies treats (with dried fruit and nuts) on another morning.

Living this way teaches my children to be thankful for what they have, to be content. It also keeps them from feeling "poor". The "feast and famine" approach gives children the idea that there is never enough. It keeps them thinking that the only way to live well is to have more and more money. The largest paycheck in the world will not last long if it is not managed well.

Five Basic Food Groups Chart

What I really love to do from time-to-time is to buy a huge roast at the beginning of the month, an inexpensive cut that is on sale, and save it in the freezer. Then, at the end of the month, while planning for next month's meals, I have this wonderful meat with potatoes simmering in the crock pot, and as I serve it up, the reactions of my loved ones are priceless!

I know that I must be rather odd, but there is something in a bowl of black-eyed peas that my body craves. In combination with a pan of freshly baked cornbread and some healthy "real" butter, the meal (and the protein) is complete. Jell-O with bananas nicely rounds out the mealtime.

This is not all that organic or trendy, but it has fed generations of American families. It has kept food on the table through all sorts of economic downturns and other stressful periods.

Cottage-fried potatoes also keep people satisfied and happy. These can even be done with a coating of olive oil and baked in the oven. I like to add some Parmesan and a bit of smoked sausage to mine. My children don't like onions, so a bit of onion powder suffices. Green beans are a great compliment to this simple meal.

Old-fashioned chicken noodle soup!

Of course, soup is just about the best wholesome meal for your money. On a chilly fall day, even the aroma can't be beat for soul-satisfaction. My kids love to put in green beans and a number of different canned legumes with smoked sausage, a can of diced tomatoes, along with some chicken bouillon cubes.

And, yes, we eat peanut butter and jelly at least once a week. We enjoy it with ramen noodle soup—just simple enough for the kids to love. To balance out the nutrition, we eat raisin bran cereal for breakfast, snack on carrots and celery during the day and have a more substantial meal for dinner.

Healthy and satisfying!

Even though we do not eat a complete diet of organic, and whole-foods, my children eat much better than I ever did growing up. My dear mother tried so hard to make sure we were well-fed, so it wasn't her fault at all, it was just our circumstances. I remember many days having a bowl of sweet cereal for breakfast, skipping the horrible school lunch food altogether (i.e., cold cereal, burgers served on a bun without condiments did not impress me—neither did the pizza—a square of dough with some tomato paste ladled onto it often accompanied with three tiny shreds of mozzarella cheese) and then enjoying my one significant meal with my mother and sister at dinner.

My children have three very healthy and satisfying, kid-friendly meals each day—and I know what they are eating and how much, because I am sitting at the table with them.

I would rather eat a little more inexpensively, with a tad of peanut butter and bologna, than to leave them each day so I could afford more pricey foods.

As an old country doctor used to say, "A child doesn't care if he has a few holes in his shoes, as long as his daddy and mama are King and Queen in his eyes."

For more good ideas visit Life In a Shoe and the other of the four moms discussing this very subject!

Something every child should know...

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:52:00 +0000

Charles Stanley had some wonderful, awesome, extremely important things to say about making wise decisions. Really worth watching and even printing out the notes for further discussion and study.

The Key to Making Wise Decisions