Mom By Faith

Missions Monday - Lisa

2012-01-16T12:19:00.000-05:00

Welcome to our first "Missions Monday" here on Mom By Faith! I'm so excited about this series and I hope that each of you enjoys "meeting" another missionary mom and learning a bit about her corner of the world.

Today I'm beginning with a dear friend with whom I serve on our field in South America. She is a great mom and a great listener and we've enjoyed many great conversations together as we continue to work and grow in our ministries. Without further introduction... I'll let Lisa share about herself!

Lisa and her adorable daughter, Elena

Hi Lisa! Thanks for visiting Mom By Faith today! Tell us a little about WHO you are...

I am from a variety of places - Vermont, Montreal, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota. I speak 2 languages pretty well and a third kind of well (English, Spanish, and French). I was a scrapbooking consultant in the States, but since moving to {the country where we serve} I just haven't had the time for it, even though I love doing it. I play the piano and I really enjoy writing. My novel is sitting on my computer, though, still waiting for a publisher! Maybe someday... I'm a Mom of a 15mo old and that is the highlight of my life! We look forward to adding more kids to our family as the Lord allows.

Thanks! Now we'd like to find out a little bit about WHAT you do on the field...

I teach school to 4 {national} children, but I do it all in English. Three of the 4 speak English fairly well. They are in 3 different grades and have 4 different language abilities. During the school year (March-Dec) I teach from 9-5 Monday-Friday. In the mornings, I get to take my daughter with me, which is a blessing and a struggle at the same time! It's very hard to teach with a curious toddler at your feet. ut, I have the joy of having my child with me where most teachers need to rely on daycare. In the afternoons, we have a Bible school student babysit, which is wonderful because it gets Elena used to other people taking care of her and it teaches her Spanish kind of effortlessly. I am also involved in the behind-the-scenes in other ministries. I write puppet skits and regular skits, I write Bible lessons for camps, and I help instruct a lot of the acting as well.

Amazing how God is using you! WHEN did you accept Christ and WHEN did you arrive on the field?

I accepted the Lord as my Savior when I was 4 years old. I worked with Child Evangelism Fellowship in high school and that's when I knew I wanted to be a missionary full-time. I actually visited BCM {here in this country} for three weeks way back in 2001. This really solidified the desire to serve the Lord as a missionary. I attended Word of Life Quebec where I learned French and studied Bible, then I went on to study Bible at New Tribes Bible Institute in Wisconsin. I met Brian, my husband, there and we were married in 2005. We lived in South Dakota for a few years (where Brian is from) while we searched to see where God would have us. My father visited BCM {here in this country} in 2006 to teach at the Bible school and when he returned, I called him to find out how everyone was doing and how his trip was. He told us there were two positions available and he put our names in, thinking we'd be good for them. They were a maintenance man and a teacher - both exactly what we were interested in doing! We took some time deciding and contacted BCM Int'l and then everything just took. We sold our house in record time (less than 6mos) and moved back to PA in 2007 to be near our sending church and BCM headquarters. We arrived on the field in March of 2009. We've been back to the States once - Dec 2010-March 2011.

What a story! I love to see how God guides His children through so many different avenues! Can you also share with us WHERE you are from in the States?

We are currently based out of Scranton, PA, but we split our time with Belle Fourche, SD (10mi from the Wyoming/Montana borders).

That's quite a distance! I know furlough involves a lot of driving for you guys! Now, HOW can we pray for you today??

I could really use a helper to join me in the school. There's just too much to do, too many kids to teach, and not enough hands or time in the day for one person! Pray also as I balance being a mom and being in full-time ministry. It seems like if I concentrate on one, the other lags behind and I want to do both to the best of my ability.

I can definitely understand that challenge! I will be praying for you today and invite all of you reading this interview to take a minute and pray for Lisa and her family!!

Join us next week for another interview!!!

3in30

2012-01-13T09:48:00.000-05:00

Here we are at the end of week #2 in january! It's hard to believe how quickly the month is going! Yesterday we spent a super fun day at the State Farm Show with my in-laws and my husband's brother and his wife. Firefly and Ladybug had a GREAT time and we finished up the day with a rodeo!! Such a great time with family!

Here's my 3in30 Goals for January:

Finish organizing my new household planner... need to finish my year meal plan!
Keep the computer off each night after dinner... this is a CHALLENGE since we just got a Kindle Fire for Christmas and I can jump on Facebook while I'm reading... oh boy.
Finish my 2012 goals worksheet so that I can be focused and intentional each month as I set my goals.

And here's how I did!

I think the household planner is 80% finished. I have a few more forms on my laptop that I need to print off and add into the dividers. I had 1 day to work on it this week and it was the day that DH took the laptop for a meeting at our missions' headquarters. I DID finish the tab labels for each section. I will be posting about it as soon as it's finished!
Keep off the computer... first, a confession. When I posted about last week's goal checkup and how well I had done... AFTER I signed off I realized that it was about 8 o'clock at night!!! I was posting about success while I was breaking the new rule! Old habits die HARD. My apologies for totally being a heretic on that. This week I had to make 2 exceptions to the after-dinner rule due to incredibly busy days and needing to answer emails from supporters and get information for upcoming meetings the next day. I didn't feel too badly about those because I "stuck to business" and stayed off Facebook, Pintrest, Google {blog} Reader, etc.
The goals worksheet is also about 95% done. There is still 1 question which DH and I are mulling around between us {what intentional Family Time will look like this year}. I am about finished and will be 3-hole punching it to stick in my Household Notebook as a reference throughout the year.

I think my focus word for 2012 is "Intentional". I want all things that I do to reflect the order and wisdom that the Lord has placed in my heart and not make decisions or plans for the day on the fly. Everything in the house must have a home and every activity must point to the greater goal. I'm not sure how realistic this is, but that's kind of where I'm aiming.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-11T06:45:00.002-05:00

Missions Monday

2012-01-09T07:56:00.000-05:00

I'm going to try something new... maybe this idea stemmed from the fact that we're visiting the States sharing our ministry, I'm not sure.
I want to incorporate a weekly opportunity for us to "meet" one of my other missionary mom friends, find out WHO she is, WHERE she lives and comes from, WHAT she does in her host country, WHEN she arrived and how long she has been doing this, WHY she feels the Lord is working in and through her... and simply WHY she is doing what she is doing, and finally, HOW we can pray for her.

So... stay tuned next week for "Missions Monday" where we will meet a dear friend of mine that I have served with at our mission in South America. Spread the word!

{Photo credit}

3in30 January Update #1

2012-01-07T20:02:00.000-05:00

Well, the first week of January 2012 is over. 51 weeks left in the year and thankfully, the first week seems to be a good beginning! Here are the goals that I had set for myself in January:

Finish organizing my new household planner... need to finish my year meal plan!

Keep the computer off each night after dinner... this is a CHALLENGE since we just got a Kindle Fire for Christmas and I can jump on Facebook while I'm reading... oh boy.

Finish my 2012 goals worksheet so that I can be focused and intentional each month as I set my goals.

And here's how I did!

Still working on the planner, I did at least open it once this week... also found my Dymo label maker and plan to make the labels for each section this week.
I did not get on the internet ONCE this week. There was even a night when I wanted to prepare for a class my husband and I were teaching and instead of getting online to copy and paste some verses, I practiced my high school typing skills and typed it out from my bible! This is still a challenge, but I'm taking it one week at a time... better yet, one day at a time!
I am nearly done with the worksheet. I worked on it today a bit more. The plan is to find time with DH this week so we can finish up the questions we need to discuss together.

Growing up...

2012-01-04T11:41:00.000-05:00

One of the hardest and yet most rewarding things about motherhood {in my opinion} is when your kids take a step of growth. It's SO rewarding to see them maturing and changing, yet it's bittersweet to know that they are growing up.

Recently, Firefly has been asking to have a haircut. Ladybug thinks that's just about the WORST thing in the world. Equivalent to cutting off one's own leg. Firefly is a mover and a shaker. I'm blessed if she remembers to brush her hair in the morning, much less take time to ask me to fix it in a presentable fashion. PLUS, as we are here on furlough, we are dealing with the SEVERE dryness of winter. Static-city!

So, today, my little 5 year old went to the salon where I used to get my hair cut and received her first "professional" do. She walked out looking about 8 years old between the adorable hair and the 2 missing front teeth. Where DOES the time go?! How did we go from this:

to this?:

I don't understand why it is sideways...I'm having this issue on Facebook too...

They grow up SO quickly. It is so worth it to disciple my children while they are young... in just a few short years they will be grown and gone. May my life lead them to the Savior!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T16:34:00.000-05:00

What a wonderful time of year. I love January 1st. It's... new. Fresh. Clean. A brand new year to begin again. I have been working through a "goals" worksheet (it's from 2010, but it has REALLY helped me the past 2 years as I decide what to focus on throughout the year) to define a little better my goals for 2012. I'm working on being more intentional in my daily living. I'm realizing how short time really is and how much I need to be prepared and purposeful in how I go about my day.

In efforts to do that, I'm going to jump back on Ashley Pichea's 3in30 community and work on making 3 goals a reality each month. So... here are my goals for this month, January 2012:

Finish organizing my new household planner... need to finish my year meal plan!
Keep the computer off each night after dinner... this is a CHALLENGE since we just got a Kindle Fire for Christmas and I can jump on Facebook while I'm reading... oh boy.
Finish my 2012 goals worksheet so that I can be focused and intentional each month as I set my goals.

Those are my 3in30 goals for January! Updates later this week!

The King Has Come

2011-12-25T06:40:00.000-05:00

A manger probably like the one where Jesus was laid. Photo credit

Merry Christmas! Last night, our family visited our sending church for the first time in nearly 2 years. So much has changed... new faces, lack of faces, new pastor... but it was so good to see those whom we have missed! The Lord is good to bring us back occasionally to where we have come from and remind us of how we got to where we are now.

The new pastor gave a very thought-provoking devotional... something I have never thought about. And the Lord showed me something else in my devotions yesterday as well. We hear so often of how humble Jesus came and how He was a king but was only given a stable and the filth of a manger for His first home.

But think about this...

He was accesible. No one had to go through guards and a palace security system to see Him. The shepherds just walked up. Ordinary people could come and gaze upon the King without need for a mediator.

The stable offered Mary and Joseph a safe, quiet, healthy place to give birth and be together for their first moments as a human family. The inns were crowded and probably filled with dirty, tired people with lots of "traveling germs"... as a missionary mom I can definitely understand this. Going to a new place one of the most concerning things are the "new germs" that my children will encounter. Even worse would be sleeping shoulder to shoulder on dirty ground where we couldn't be protected from those illnesses!

God protected Mary and His Son, and provided access to the King of Kings for all those who wished to come and worship.

His birth was nothing special... but it changed the world.

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas...

2011-12-23T23:20:00.000-05:00

We are here! Praise the Lord. We have enjoyed our first 4 days in the States with family and relaxing immensely.

Merry, merry CHRISTmas!!!! May you see Him in a very real way as you celebrate. May He BE the reason you are celebrating!

Another Miracle.

2011-12-16T21:58:00.001-05:00

God. is. just. amazing. Really. I don't even have words.

We found out through several events this year with our national paperwork that my residency status here had expired due to some negligence on the part of border patrol on a 2010 trip. All the work that we had done to get my papers in order to live here as a missionary was lost. I had to cancel my residency and "turn in" my national ID, which allowed me to live here past the standard tourist visa. The issue was that I couldn't do it outside of 15 days before traveling to the US.

This past Monday was our appointment at the Immigrations Office to cancel the paperwork and receive the document I would need to travel to the US without issue. Otherwise, travel would be a no-go for me. YIKES! We are heading back to see family and friends for the first time in 2 years. I am going to actually spend Christmas with my parents and potentially see SNOW again! {Just a little, mind you... after that it can go back to 70 degrees, thank you.}

On Monday morning at 7:30, our lawyer called us to say that there was a problem with one of the papers he had prepared to present at the Immigrations Office and that it would take him until Tuesday to correct the problem.

Deep. breath. ...Ok.

On Tuesday morning at 8:00, our lawyer called us to say that the payment he had to do in the bank was impossible as he discovered the banks were on a 48-hour stand-by and were not performing any transactions. The earliest possible time would be Friday morning.

Deep. breath. ...Ok. {We're supposed to travel on Monday.}

I cannot tell you the struggle which ensued inside of me. Everything "human" in my heart wanted to go into survival mode... call the US Embassy, call the airline to move our flight one more day to give a cushion, ~~find a way to pay exorbitant amounts of money to the Black Market for a fake id.~~

Deep. breath. ....Ok... Lord???

Instead, we began to pray. We emailed our HUGE prayer support in the US. We shared with our national friends and our church here. I knew this was a test. I knew the enemy wanted to distract and discourage me and take my eyes off the goal of trusting and using this last week to the fullest. {We are in the midst of a super busy time of Christmas street evangelism programs for children and have 2 events per day. My entire family, myself included also got the stomach flu this week. Great.}

Enter today.

We went with a dear friend who drove us to the Immigrations Office {traffic was horrendous and the car's shocks began making crazy noises on the way... enter more prayer}. Our lawyer met us upstairs and we proceeded immediately to do my cancellation. The desk clerk asked for all the papers {there were about 12 between all the forms and copies of passports, etc.}. She asked the lawyer for proof of the payment of something. Surprised, he handed it to her and turned to me:

"I didn't think that was necessary, but I paid it anyway. Good thing. I'm not sure why I paid it?"

I know why.

Then, as we waited, I asked a random question about Firefly's national ID. Completely unrelated and without concern. Just was curious about something. He asked to see it. Suddenly, the concern washed over his face.

"She doesn't have her 'sticker' {i.e. - her taxes weren't paid this year...}. You can't travel with this or she'll lose her residency just like you."

We were able to do the paperwork then and there. The only issue was that my husband had to hand write a letter and sign it. The letter should have been printed and notarized. This is a big issue... the lawyer came back from handing in the paperwork and said to me:

"I'm hoping for a miracle."

I knew where we could find one of those... I began praying again.

20 minutes later, we walked out with my documents, Firefly's documents, and a green light to travel without issues.

Incredible. I should have known considering the miracle that God performed in my life just 1 week before we came here to Peru. And I checked the date... it was exactly 23 months ago to the day. I can deal with a miracle every 2 years.

This is the verse that God gave me during that time:

"Don't be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today." Exodus 13:14

Like I said...

God. is. good.

Where, oh where...

2011-12-09T07:26:00.000-05:00

...does the time go?!?!
It's so difficult to keep up with things... really. I just have to give myself room to NOT be like the super-bloggers out there and spend 3 hours a day working on posts and inviting guest bloggers and using my $5000 camera to take incredible photos. Haha. I'm just a "I'll get around to it when I can" sort of blogger... something I'd like to work on as our other blog (the one we use for updating our supporters on ministry) is SADLY behind as well {and for those of you reading this who are expecting a blog post on the other site... be patient please!}

So what's been going on in our household the past 2 months? Well...

Ica and some of the "moto-taxis" there

we visited the city of Ica with our ministry to hold a children's missions conference
spent a good chunk of time working on the planning and presentations for our upcoming trip to the States (which HAPPENS to be in a week and a few days!!!)
were excited with Firefly when she discovered that her 2 bottom front teeth began wiggling!
worked on and helped to prepare some of the implements and visuals for a 2-week campaign of children's street evangelism programs for the Christmas season.
made a very difficult decision... more below...

It's been a busy 2 months! Life is just busy right now. And I work HARD to not allow it to be "overly" so. You know, the kind of "busy" where you are constantly telling your children, "Mommy's too busy, I'm working, I can't, go ask Daddy, in a little while, maybe tomorrow..." As a missionary that is SUPER hard not to do! For that reason, we've made the decision to back off on a few things in the coming year and really work on me being "IN" the home more. That's a good thing.

So what's the difficult decision? As I mentioned a while ago, we have been feeling the Lord leading us down another road in regards to the girls' education. I don't know why, really. To me, homeschooling is the ultimate option in regards to a quality education as it is so versatile and adjustable to the child's needs. BUT... it seems that the Lord has opened up another door and we feel that it is one He is leading us to step through. I've been battling hard with this decision, let me tell you. The Lord is giving me a peace about it all, step by step, and next year when we get back in March, Firefly will take a new step and head off 3 days a week to a Christian school here.

This is a picture of the kindergarten class of last year at Firefly's new school.

So... we keep moving forward and trusting in our sweet Savior! More adventures to come...

Real Food...

2011-10-17T23:15:00.000-04:00

I've been doing a lot of research on cooking with whole foods recently. Mostly it all started because I stumbled upon a "find" in the market recently and discovered that I can buy a pound of wheat germ for about $1.50 and a pound of wheat berries for about $.75. A 25 pound bag of wheat berries in the States from Amazon costs about $18, making it a little less expensive... but still.... I FOUND WHEAT!!!! Now I just have to figure out how to grind the stuff without a grain mill.... working on that...

At any rate... I've stumbled across some really great whole food cooking blogs in all this researching and thought I'd share...

100 Days of Real Food (has 4 great menu plans complete with shopping lists!)
Deliciously Organic

Check them out and look at the amazing recipies you can create for YOUR family using non-processed foods! (**Note: I am NOT an organic, whole-foods-only person... it's just mainly the types of food I CAN buy here! An added bonus is that they're cheap and healthy for you too!! Praise God for how He has provided this for my family!)

Natural Remedies to the Rescue!

2011-10-16T08:11:00.000-04:00

Most of my family would call me crazy... at least I would think so. :-) But this morning I was awakened before 6am (and subsequently never went back to sleep, it's a nap day...) by Ladybug who appears to have the same cough symptoms (deep, wet, chest barking and fever) as Firefly dealt with yesterday and the day before. Firefly's fever was up over 102 F, so I'm not going to take this one lying down. We've been managing the fevers with a little children's Motrin when it's uncomfortably high (I'm a fan of letting the fever take it's course if the kiddo isn't saying anything about it) and trying to rest at home.

BUT... to deal with this seal-like cough, I decided to try some remedies I've been reading about recently. This may become part of our "normal" in the winter....

While some things are NOT readily available here (crock pots, whole wheat flour, etc.) some things ARE: honey, garlic, onions, lemons, ginger. We have the perfect combination for a great anti-viral home remedy for coughs and colds. When I'm tempted to complain about the lack of whole grain products here (I have to pay about $6 for a box of whole grain pasta vs. $.50 for a box of normal... so I DON'T buy whole grain pasta), I can be THANKFUL for the abundance of healthy remedies and fruits/veggies!

So, without further ado, here are the 2 remedies I've got "steeping" on the counter right now. Oh, by the way, it's 6:49am.

Onion Syrup. (according to the Natural Mama at Natural Pure Essentials)

Not sure why I have a comb on the counter, and yes, we are celebrating Christmas early...

1 Large Onion
Honey or sugar (I went with honey as DH recently bough a quart of it at the market)

Peel and slice onion about 1/4 inch thick (think slicing bread)
Layer onion with honey or sugar in a cup, one slice at a time until you've used all the onion
Leave the cup covered (especially if you have ants that rule your house like I do...) 4-6 hours
Collect juice that has been extracted from the onion and store the liquid in the fridge for up to 2 days
Take 3-8 teaspoonfuls depending on the intensity of your cough (it's an expectorant which reduces the intensity and frequency of the cough)
You'll need to make a fresh batch every 2 days as it is only effective when it is fresh.

Garlic Lemonade (from the Rain Garden blog... I don't know if I would endorse this blog, so be careful if you decide to browse)

I actually had to look up online how many cups are in a quart... I've been in the metric system too long!

1 quart boiling water
1-4 garlic cloves peeled (I used 4 of varying sizes)
lemon juice to taste
honey to taste

Let the garlic steep in the boiling water 30 minutes
Serve it warm (I can't imagine this cold...) and add the honey/lemon to taste
Store it in the fridge and heat as needed
Galic is antiviral and antibiotic and this concoction is also an expectorant. YES!

I'm planning on giving the garlic lemonade as part of breakfast this morning and making a nourishing chicken soup for lunch (ok, nourishing up until the "normal" pasta noodles I'll use...sigh). My sick kiddos will have another quiet day in the house I think. Ok, off to check the steeping garlic...

Twists and Turns...

2011-10-12T22:08:00.001-04:00

Yup, I'm still here. Nope, I've not fallen off the blogging band-wagon, just simply going through a busy season and knew that the blog had to be put aside for a while. But it seems that for a few weeks the busy season is going to be on a "break", so I'll hopefully hop back on for a while.

It seems that a lot has happened since I last updated. I JUST finished going through the Heart of the Matter Online Blog Hop and truly enjoyed showcasing our homeschool curriculum and lifestyle.

however...
... no, not "however", simply...

and then...
We are beginning to feel, for various reasons, that the Lord may be leading us down a different path this coming year. He opened our eyes to a small Christian school for missionary children that is relatively close by to our area. We hadn't seriously considered the possibility, but a day came when a friend invited me to tag along and "see" this school for myself.

and then...
We found out there will be some fairly large changes in regards to our ministry in the coming year. Good changes, but ones that will involve a lot more time and effort on our part to really make it excellent. Less time for me to be fully committed to homeschooling Firefly and Ladybug. But we thought, perhaps we can still make it work...

and then...
Things just fell into place and continued to travel down the path of us sending her to this school. We are continuing to trust and walk forward in faith pursuing the steps we need to walk to enroll her. Again, this is a trial, things could change again. We would be enrolling her on a trial-basis to see how things go. I have to trust that the Lord will make things more and more clear. Things are still in the works.

But we will still be "homeschooling" in part here.
I will still be working with Ladybug at home with her Sonlight P4/5 curriculum and we will continue to work on reading great literature as a family. And of course, our nightly Family Bible Time will never stop as we "teach {these words}... diligently to {our} children."

A part of me is sad. A part of me will have to grieve a bit as I look at potentially letting go of the dream of homeschooling my children full-time. I have been walking this path of homeschooling for 5 years... every since Firefly was born. I have researched, bought, re-read, perused, and marveled over the options and "how others do it." I cannot feel like a failure, I cannot stomp my feet and say "Why God?!", I simply must trust Him and move forward knowing that this could be a wonderful part of His perfect plan for Firefly, something that I could never have done for her at home... perhaps she will encounter with someone, something, some situation, some opportunity, some *other* teacher who will teach her an important lesson... how can I know?! I can just walk forward and continue to be a

Mom by faith...

Not Back to School BlogHop: A Day in our Life...

2011-09-01T00:19:00.001-04:00

If you really want to see what happens on a daily basis here... check out this post. But as to showing a more "school oriented" day, here's what we do and when. Mind you, Firefly is in Kindergarten and Ladybug is in PreK at age 3. We have no "structured" book work as of yet. Just fun learning together! And that happens all day!

{before breakfast}

Firefly and I are usually the early risers at our house (sometime between 7 and 7:30). DH and Ladybug take a while to wake up, so we're up together while I do my quiet time about a 1/2 an hour before the rest wake up all the way.
Ladybug is usually my breakfast prep helper and sits on the counter while I make coffee for us and hot cocoa for the girls.

{after breakfast}

The girls have a little time to play while I clean up the breakfast dishes and the kitchen. This usually involves pushing our loveseat and big couch together so they can climb on with their treasures and play together. I love watching them play.
After breakfast cleanup it is chore time for the girls. They get their chore cards off the hooks and we take about 45 minutes to do all of the cards together. While this sometimes seems tedious to me, I know that I am training them to be able to help more around the house and someday to take care of their own homes!
The girls continue in their playtime while I get started on the day's work for our ministry. This usually takes us through the morning until about 11 o'clock.

{school time for Ladybug}

Around 11 o'clock (depending on the day's schedule) I usually take a break from my work and sit down with Ladybug for her school session. She usually lasts for a good 1/2 hour while I read her B4FIAR book for the week and we do her Letter of the Week activity for the day.
During this time Firefly plays by herself in her room or has some time on the computer.

{outdoor time}

Even though it is winter here (temperatures in the constant 60s/70s with lots of damp fog and drizzle), I am adament about the fact that my children need to get outdoors each day for some fresh air and playtime!
They are outside playing in our yard or with me (or another caretaker) on the playground until about 12:30.

{lunch}

At 12:30 I try to round the girls up from their play so they can wash hands and tidy up the toys that have been strewn around all morning.
We eat lunch together with about 30 of the Bible Institute students at 1 o'clock each afternoon. This is the standard lunchtime here, and the biggest meal of the day.

{school time for Firefly}

Upon return from lunch, we have a quiet time before the afternoon "work hours" that brings our house helper from the Bible Institute.
Ladybug usually lays down for a quiet time from 2 until 2:30 or so. Sometimes she doesn't sleep and simply looks at books.
At this point, I have a focused hour to sit down with Firefly and do her school work. She works on her Math-U-See and her Explode the Code worksheets.

{the rest of the "un-academic" part of the day}

Movie time in the afternoon for the girls (this has replaced naps for Firefly but gives her a time of "resting" and quiet).
More outdoor playtime, usually during the sports hour for the Bible Institute students.
Eat dinner and do Family Bible Time.
Take showers and the like (no bathtubs here).

{bedtime reading}

This is one of our favorite parts of the day and nearly ALWAYS happens, despite all the craziness in our schedule. We read together each night starting at about 8 o'clock for an hour or so.
We work on the First Year list from a Charlotte Mason website as well as our current read aloud.
Each girl picks out a book she would like to read specifically. Currently, Firefly's choices are usually fairytales (Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Goldilocks and the 3 bears, etc.) while Ladybug's current pick is the Beatrix Potter treasury.

That's what life looks like for us right now. We will probably be shifting things around come 2012 for the school part of our day... Firefly will be doing some of her subjects in our mission's MK school and some here at home with me. Ladybug will be going into full-blown P4/5 Sonlight curriculum.

How about you?? I'd love to see your typical school day!! Head on over to Heart of the Matter's Not-Back-To-School blog hop and join in!

Challenge #3: Cleaning

2011-08-31T23:17:00.000-04:00

This topic is obviously not as "heavy" as last week's discussion of expectations, but it's certainly a "real" topic! I like to be clean, I like to be organized, and I miss my Dymo Label Maker. Keeping a house clean is ALWAYS a challenge, no matter what country you live in, how many children you have or do not have, and whether you have access to a washing machine or not. (Gratefully, I do.)

Where I live, these are the conditions to deal with in taking care of my house:

I live in a desert. The largest "cool costal" desert in the world. Next to the Sahara, we deal with more dirt and sand than anywhere else on the planet. Most of that dirt and sand makes it's way into my house through the walls (I can often see daylight), the screens in the summertime, the cracks between the walls and roof.
I do not have carpeting (thankfully!), nor do I own a vacuum cleaner. There is only 1 person in my neighborhood that I know of who owns one and she rarely uses it.
I don't have hot water in the tap. I do not wash my dishes, clothes, or anything else (except myself and my family) in warm water.
The culture here is VERY clean. Albeit EASY to get dirty, things get washed with incredible frequency. And I mean everything. Shoes, clothes, bags, large wool blankets... everything. Althought I often feel like giving up, clean is the way to BE here!

So, in this type of dirt and sand filled environment, with such a need for ~~speed~~ clean, how DO I keep up with it all? The typical cleaning "agenda" for a day goes like this:

Sweep the entire house at least 2, if not 3 times.
Shake the dirt and sand out of the bedding before making it.
Mop the entire house (floors are made of concrete usually)
Do a load of laundry or 2, including hand washing socks (which just WON'T come clean without a good scrub brush)
Dust a room or 2 to keep from being inundated. I can see and write in the dust after a few days if I don't run a cloth around.

I am blessed in that I have a helper of one of our Bible Institute students in the afternoons. She helps me keep up with these tasks in the midst of the other responsibilities that I have to do. Not all the women here have helpers and I'm HONESTLY not sure how they do it!!! I guess when you've lived it all your life, it's just 2nd nature. I'm not there yet.

In true FlyLady style, I've taken to a "take it a bit at a time" mentality. I took her Zone list and broke it down by days of the month. If I would stick to this schedule, I'd get the whole house deep cleaned each month! I took out the things that didn't pertain to my house or lifestyle and replaced it with things that I needed to add in due to our location. I've included it here for you... but it's in Spanish for the benefit of my afternoon helper. You can at least get an idea.

We also have a chore routine for Firefly and Ladybug in the mornings so they can learn to do some work as well.
Amidst all the other craziness of meetings and projects and homeschooling, coupled with the fact that I live in a dusty, dirty area of the world, this routine has been extremely helpful to me!

Challenge #2: EXPECTATIONS

2011-08-15T22:17:00.000-04:00

It's Monday afternoon.

I have a to-do list this week about a MILE long. This past weekend my plans changed and we ended up going as a family to day's ministry activities, meaning I didn't get 1/2 way through the list that I wanted to do! So this morning... I realized I hadn't been able to finish my bible study, didn't get a chance to make the zucchini bread for breakfast (which my husband was really looking forward to having!), and that the 4 meetings I had today were staring me in the face despite my disasterous house, which really needed attention.

What are all of these things? Unmet expectations, either mine or those that someone has OF me. That is SUCH a prominent difficulty for women, isn't it? We are constantly trying to meet someone's expectations, whether ours of ourselves, or those of our family, our moms, our church, our job, homeschooling... you name it!

Living as a missionary with a group of other missionaries is like a quadruple whammy when it comes to expectations. You have expectations (real or perceived) from:

Your coworkers/fellow missionaries - completing assignments, meetings, coming up with ideas, being "busy" in your ministry
Your neighbors (also your fellow missionaries) - taking care of your house and yard to keep "the neighborhood" looking nice, watching out for each other's houses and children, keeping the noise down to a dull roar, keeping the pets where they belong, etc.
Your supporters - keeping up with communication (SO HUGE and crucial!), thanking after donations for projects/special needs, visiting while on furlough or home assignment, etc.
Being a mom - breakfast/lunch/dinner on the table, keeping up with the housework, homeschooling, raising the kids, maintaining a close relationship with the Lord and with the husband, making sure everyone has clothes/shoes/coats/etc., paying the bills, etc.

That's a LOT of expectations!!!!! Just looking at that list (and knowing there is so much more I COULD have written) makes me tired. So how do I keep up with it all?? Simple.

I can't.

Or so I'm learning. Which is hard for me because by nature, I'm a people pleaser. I want everyone to be happy with me and with the job I do. To fail someone, to forget a phone call I was supposed to make, to not follow through on the paperwork I was supposed to turn in, to lose track of the girls' schooling for a few weeks, wow. It rips me up. Seriously.

As I am learning, as the Lord is teaching me, there is a simple attitude shift I need to take. Simple in that it is not complex, but infinitely difficult because it is not my nature.

...so whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Cor. 10:31

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17

Living in what seems to be a fishbowl is difficult, sometimes downright tiring. BUT, I know that I am working for the Lord in this life... and if I live in obedience to Him, I may not always meet the expectations of others, but I will meet the ultimate (and only truly important) expectation...

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men... Colossians 3:23

Not Back to School... Room Week

2011-08-09T23:44:00.000-04:00

I am really enjoying the Not Back to School Blog Hop at HeartoftheMatter. This week, it's all about school rooms! Check it out!

Last year I went all out and cleared our guest room out to make a school room. We bought 2 chairs and used 2 end tables for Firefly and Ladybug to sit in. We made workboxes, we put up the alphabet on the wall, calendar station... etc., etc., etc. You know what? We never used it! SO... as the year has gone on, we've adapted a bit. Here's the reality of "school life" around here now. And it's MUCH more doable!

This is my supply closet! We just purchased this about 2 months ago and it has revolutionized my organization!

The bottom shelf holds our Math-U-See extra manipulatives, the PlayDough box, and paper scraps for crafting.
The middle shelf holds the painting and craft supplies and the box of coloring books
The top shelf contains the preschool manipulatives and our Letter of the Week curriculum stored in folders.

This is my desk and organizing central. I keep this orange file box as my weekly filing system with folders for each week where I've placed Firefly's workbook and Math-U-See sheets (yes, I rip apart the workbooks). Keeps us on track! There is a shelf underneath and next to my chair where I keep the girls' pencil boxes and my Xyron laminator.

This is our wonderful bookshelf. We bought this as one of our main purchases when we arrived last year. We brought a TON of books with us and needed a space to store them all!

The bottom shelf (3 cubbies) holds our normal reading books. The leftmost cubby is for the girls easy readers and Ranger Rick magazines. The middle is for our twaddle-free literature and the right cubby holds workbooks and our Fruit of the Spirit binders.
The middle shelf holds Firefly's Scaredy Cat Reading system books, the girls' writing practice notebooks, folders to put "done" schoolwork, etc.
The top shelf (actually the middle shelf of this unit... but the top 1/2 is for DH and I) holds the read alouds and the Year 1 literature selections we are reading through this year.

On the right side of the bookshelf is where we put our chore cards.

This is where Firefly does her work. Above our table is our artwork display. It's a great way to change out some beautiful decorations each week or so!

{Confession: Normally her HWT workbook and her weekly folder are stored in my orange file (see above) but this picture was COMPLETELY staged as it is 10:30 at night and my children are both SOUND asleep.}

Simple Woman's Daybook

2011-08-09T16:23:00.000-04:00

FOR TODAY
Outside my window... green hybiscus hedges blowing in the breeze

I am thinking... I wish the neighbors wouldn't burn their fires while my laundry is hanging out!

I am thankful... for my house helper (one of our Bible Institute students) who is here for the afternoon

From the learning rooms... Firefly finished up Book 1 of Explode the Code and did her book Post Test today!

In the kitchen... a pound of strawberries that I bought this morning for about $.65

I am wearing... Jeans, long sleeve shirt under a short sleeve shirt and my pink slippers.

I am creating... my lesson plan for Friday's art class in the mission school

I am going... to look for Ladybug soon, who is outside playing with our neighbor's kiddo
I am wondering... what in the WORLD are we going to eat for dinner?

I am reading... Five Little Peppers and How they Grew with the girls

I am hoping... to get some answers back from our churches in the States about when we can visit

I am looking forward to... practicing the music for the women's conference at the end of this month

I am hearing... classical music coming from the office where DH is doing his grading

Around the house... mostly free of clutter! Trying to maintain...

I am pondering... why I am always so tired in the afternoon?!

One of my favorite things... how creative the students here are with their ministries in the churches!

A few plans for the rest of the week: working on the children's street evangelism program for 2012, recording one of the student's reading an english script for a presentation video to be sent to the States

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Working on that morning routine!!!

Challenge #1: FOOD

2011-08-08T06:30:00.001-04:00

Imagine that as you are making dinner you suddenly realize that your favorite spice has run out... your cookbook has disappeared... and when you sent your husband to the store to pick up the ingredients for chicken rice casserole, he came home with ingredients for a recipe from Bahrain that he found online.

Would you be lost?

When we arrived here in 2010 I had left behind all of my cookbooks and discovered that the following things were unavailable here (or too expensive for normal consumption)

Peanut butter
Basil, Sage
Jarred spaghetti sauce
Molasses
Brown sugar
Whole wheat flour
Oatmeal (old fashioned and instant)
Pudding
Baking soda
Chocolate chips
BBQ sauce
Goldfish crackers
Cheddar cheese
Sandwich bread
Green tea
Canned ANYTHING (veggies, soups, fruits, you name it)
Mushrooms
Syrup

Wow. So... how to proceed? I now lived in a place where everything was made from scratch, there were more than 3800 types of potatoes to choose from (no I did not add a zero... yes I meant 3800), and where I had neither access to canned products, nor a crockpot in which to cook anything! I DO have access to several large grocery stores that are like typical American groceries... BUT they take at least 35 minutes to get to. I prefer to shop at the local market where I can get pretty much anything except those few specialty items we occasionally splurge for:

Photo Credit: Meg Albohn

I know I'm not alone in this either... there are tons of missionary moms around the world who have learned to adapt to the local culture and either give up, subsitute, tweak, or haul in the ingredients to their family's favorite dishes. So what worked for me? I'm still learning... but here are some things I've done:

My wonderful friend Megan led me to Sara Beth's blog Market2Meal where I've discovered amazing recipies and great tips on making things from scratch and substituting... here are some of my favorite recipies:

Learned to make my own things like syrup and peanut butter! There are ground peanuts I can buy at the market and I simply put it in my mixer with some soy oil, salt, and a bit of sugar or honey... presto, chango, PEANUT BUTTER!!
Learned to cook a few local dishes... this is a tough one. The measurements are all in kilos and grams and sometimes simply by "taste". No recipe cards here! This takes patience and someone to teach me! Fortunately, everyone here is very willing to help!
Waited for someone to BRING or SEND me things! So far I've had peanut butter, molasses, wheat flour, Italian seasoning, basil, and instant pudding sent to me either in a suitcase with someone or through the mail. These are just occasional treats and cannot possibly make certain items usable on a normal basis!
Learned to do without. Frankly, this is just what we've decided to do and you know what? It's fine! We've learned to live without sandwiches for lunch, without canned goods, and yes, even without cheddar cheese. Though I'll admit that was the hardest I think.

And ~~one last thing~~ confession time... I have a kitchen stocked with quite a number of Pampered Chef things that I could NOT part with before leaving. Some of my favorites include:

Food Chopper
Large Bar Board
12" Skillet (I get made fun of by my national friends SO MUCH for having this monstrosity of a thing in my kitchen!)
4 Cup Batter bowl (sadly the 8 cup stayed in my in-laws house in the States... it WILL be coming back with me on our upcoming home assignment trip)
Instant Digital Thermometer
Silicon Brush
Prep Bowl set

So... there you go! A look into my kitchen!!!

Not Back to School...

2011-08-06T23:11:00.000-04:00

Even though our school year is still technically in "full-swing" (being in the Southern Hemisphere everything is opposite, including school starting times!) I've already done some planning for next year's curriculum choices. Here's a quick run-down on what we're currently doing and what we'll be doing for our 2012 year (starts in March, ends in December).

Currently (until December):

Firefly (kindergarten):

Math-U-See Primer (REALLY loving this program and how well Firefly is doing!)
Explode the Code Books 1, 2, 3 (We are going to start book 2 in a week)
Literature selections from the Year 1 list here
Bible Memory work (currently working on Psalm 23)

Ladybug (super relaxed PreK... as in, usually doesn't happen)

Letter of the Week Curriculum (absolutely WONDERFUL program!!!)
Read alouds with Firefly (every night we DO get this done with bedtime reading!)
Starfall (she gets 20 minutes a day to explore and learn here!!)
Bible Memory work (currently working on Psalm 23)

For our time in the States (Jan-Feb)

Brain Quest Prek and Kindergarten workbooks
Lots of scheduled "field trips" that we don't get to do here!

For our 2012 school year (tentatively...still praying):

Firefly (1st grade):

With me:

Language Arts: Lifepac LA Grade 1 (for all those missionary moms out there... Alpha Omega gives a 40% discount to missionaries on the field!!!)
Math: Math-U-See Alpha (gives a 50% discount to missionaries on the field!)
Music: Piano Wizard (Sonlight gives a 25% discount to missionaries on the field!)

At our mission's on-site school (there are no other children in her grade, which is why I am teaching her the important subjects for this stage at home)

History: Sonlight Core C
Science: Sonlight Core C

Ladybug (PreK):

Sonlight P4/5 Core (was blessed to find someone with a complete previous edition set, even to the untouched workbooks, at a great price!!)
Music: Piano Wizard

What's missing still is Bible... I'm really struggling with finding a good fit for us with the Bible programs. I know that it doesn't have to be a "curriculum"... just open the Bible and read and discuss!!! BUT, with our schedule and hectic lives, if it's not planned out, daily, in a teacher's guide (LOVE Sonlight for this), I won't do it. That's the truth. So I'm still praying and searching for that one major piece to the puzzle. It's ok, I've got time!

3in30 Weekly Checkup

2011-08-05T12:59:00.000-04:00

Well... I have to admit I'm struggling a bit this week with the goals. BUT... that's why we have a month to do it right?

Goals for August

Get back on track with a schedule... work up a better plan for a day "flow" rather than a ridgid "schedule".

Well... this one is going alright. I am getting up on time each day and going from there... school for Firefly is happening consistantly this week, which is a good improvement! Things are going much more smoothly around the house with a routine! Imagine that?!?

Limit myself to being on the internet only during the morning, lunch break, and after the girls are in bed at night. ~~IMPOSSIBLE~~. HARD.

I think this is going better... but this week has been difficult because I've had a lot of work which involved getting on the internet! I have been reminded though to stay off of Pintrest and Facebook unnecessarily! That's am improvement!

Memorize at least 4 verses (1 a week) using the cards which have been collecting dust for far too long.

Ahem... FAIL. It will go much better for me this coming week when I actually make the effort to FIND the cards and put them with my morning devotional...

Sometimes the goals are like that... 2 steps forward, 1 step back. And then I remember: I have no one to compare myself to, except for Christ!!! If I am following in HIS footsteps, and not in the footsteps of my favorite blog authors, or my much more "together" friends... life will simply be as it should be... a daily work of praise to my Savior!

The Peacemaker - A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict

2011-08-04T23:18:00.000-04:00

A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict

Chapter 3: Trust in the Lord and Do Good

"The Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him." Ps. 32:10b

If you believe that God is watching over you with perfect love and unlimited power, you will be able to serve him faithfully as a peacemaker, even in the most difficult circumstances.

God is Sovereign:

Our example of Paul and Jesus in the midst of suffering

They knew God was in complete control of everything that happened in their lives

Knowing that he (God) has personally tailored the events of our lives and is looking out for us at every moment should dramatically affect the way we respond to conflict.

God is Good:

God weilds His power with perfect love
God never gives more than we can handle
God does not always reveal His purposes, but is always good!

"As we trust God with the 'secret things', remember all he has already done for us through Christ... we will experience greater peace...and be enabled to serve him more effectively as peacemakers."

The Path has been Marked:

We trust in spite of questions, doubts, and fears
When the Lord's response does not match our request, we can be willing to believe He has something better in mind.

Trust is a Decision

"See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction." Deuteronomy 30:15

He set before me a choice - his way or my way. If I chose my own way, I was on my own.

When you are involved in a conflict, you too must decide whether or not you will trust in God. Trusting God does not mean believing that he will do all that you want, but rather believing that he will do everything he knows is good.

Simple Woman's Daybook

2011-08-02T13:37:00.000-04:00

FOR TODAY
Outside my window... beautiful tropical plants and flowers that grow naturally here!

I am thinking... I am so grateful for Starfall.com which keeps Ladybug occupied with her favorite songs!

I am thankful... that God blessed me with a little girl who loves to sing!

From the learning rooms... learning letter "S" this week (Ladybug) and how to skip count by 10 (Firefly)

In the kitchen... a huge disaster!

I am wearing... comfy jeans, 3 shirts, a lovely scarf that my dear friend Kim gave me before we left the States

I am creating... a plan for decorating the cafeteria during our upcoming woman's retreat

I am going... to head to lunch in the cafeteria very soon

I am wondering... how long it will take my laundry to dry this week?

I am reading... Peacemaker

I am hoping... to talk to my mom sometime this week

I am looking forward to... meeting with a planning grouptonight for our upcoming missions conference

I am hearing... Starfall's phonics acvities on the other computer

Around the house... lots of dust. Going to have my house helper work on that today!

I am pondering... ideas for keeping better order in my day

One of my favorite things... watching my girls' faces light up when the see the car return and realize it's me!

A few plans for the rest of the week: planning meetings, working on the daily "plan" for myself, projects with the students

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Starfall is a great thing!

Missionary Mom - Typical Day

2011-08-01T10:23:00.000-04:00

I thought I would begin this series by giving you a glimpse into my “typical” day. The truth is, there IS no typical day! And for me, a person who does best with routine and order… it’s been a difficult thing to which I’ve had to adjust. I have a schedule on my refrigerator that’s, well, very Type A and honestly, I have yet to follow it! I think I did for the week after I printed it up… maybe.

SO… what does a typical day look like? Certainly not the above! More like this:

7:30 – Wake up to my early bird, Firefly, tapping on my arm asking, “Mommy, did you have your quiet time yet?”

8:30 – be finished with shower, quiet time, and keeping Firefly quiet while Ladybug continues to sleep

9:00 – Try to have breakfast on the table… get Ladybug dressed

9:30 – Get moving with morning chores while DH moves to the office to start his work... he's usually there until lunchtime.

10:00 – rush out to do my morning “room check” for the girls dorm of our Bible Institute

10:10 – rush back and sit down to check email while the girls play for a while

11:00 – break up the argument that has started because the girls have been left to their own devices for too long… suggest a break for snack and then some Play Dough time.

11:30 – get back to doing “office” work… run out and find someone I needed to talk to so that I can check off that one thing on my to-do list. Come back and get the girls dressed to go outside to run out some energy while I finish the morning task list.

12:00 – realize that it is 12 o’clock and I haven’t really done anything yet…

12:30 – rapidly finish the project I was working on, go outside to find the girls and get them ready for lunch.

1:00 – head over with DH, Firefly, and Ladybug to the cafeteria where we eat lunch each day with the Bible Institute students and some of the other missionary families. Hope we are not eating fried fish (heads and all) again.

1:30 – head back home with DH while the girls play on the playground for a little down-time before the afternoon rush.

2:15 – explain to my house helper (one of the students who works for us in exchange for help with her tuition) what I need her to do for the afternoon

2:30 – find the girls and put Ladybug down for her rest time. Help Firefly with her schoolwork.

2:45 – FINALLY begin the afternoon task-list… meetings, more projects, chasing people down to talk to…

3:00 – Wake Ladybug up and settle the girls on the couch for their movie time.

3:10 – continue with the meetings, chasing people down, projects… get snack for the girls

4:00 – turn off movie time, send the girls outside for some playtime

4:30 – finish afternoon tasks… meetings… projects… etc.

5:00 – think “whew, it’s 5 o’clock ” and wonder where the girls are…

5:30 – track down the girls to get Firefly in the shower while I think about what’s for dinner

6:00 – get dinner in the oven or cooking on the stove

6:30… 7… 7:30 – finish the above and eat the dinner and clean up

7:30 – get Ladybug in the shower (we have no bathtub) and patiently remind her that she is GOING to get wet while she constantly yells that there is water in her face.

8:00 – take a break while DH (bless my wonderful husband!) reads with the girls, including some of Firefly’s school books… answer the door about 100 times while students and missionaries come for quick things that they forgot to ask us or say to us all day…

9:00 – settle the girls in bed and take time to blog or check email again. This is where our office with 2 desks comes in handy! We can be together while finishing up the little things we need to do.

11:00…11:30…12 – realize that it’s ridiculously late and that we should be in bed!

If you made it through that... you get a gold star.

In this day are many challenges, many distractions, many obstacles that I’ve had to learn to deal with as we have been here. Over the next few weeks I will share with you just exactly HOW the Lord has helped me to adjust, let go, CHANGE how I view what is essential and absolutely necessary to live a “normal” life... and how I am very much still struggling with many things!