It's Like an Archeological Dig!

I actually did clean out my car this morning, even before I saw Shannon's hilarious meme! It was a little difficult, what with trying to keep an eye on Will who was driving his battery-operated play golf cart with his play lawn mower that he had somehow rigged up behind it like a trailer and with Addie running across the street to check out the neighbors, but I did it.

Here's what I found:

• one memory box made at Lowe's workshop
• one stuffed animal
• one plastic package of fiberfill for some toy
• one purse that was taken to Sunday School
• Sunday School papers
• Sonic straw wrapper
• candy wrappers
• gift wrap from a hostess gift from a party last weekend
• a nametag
• Wendy's prize (Arthur Art Board Game)
• A Burger King prize (Iron Man)
• a catalog of Jim Weiss audio CDs (great stuff!)
• a nightgown I'm smocking for Emily Anne (kept in the car for when I'm in line for picking her up from preschool)
• a Thomas the Train book
• another Little Golden book
• several DVDs & CDs
• many, many, many crumbs

Try a Little Tenderness

"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink." (John 7:37b)

Feeling a bit parched? Searching to quench that thirst with an iced tea or Diet Coke? Dive into the Word for real refreshment!I try to be diligent in my Bible reading and am often rewarded by God's speaking to my heart through particular scriptures. I pause and sometimes even write them down. The reflection usually ends there, however. This year, I would like to pursue the verses that God lays on my heart by pondering how He wants me to apply these verses in my life. Here is what spoke to me this week:

"'Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me, tore your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,' declares the LORD" (2 Chronicles 34:27).

These words were spoken to King Josiah after he discovered the lost Book of the Law and showed his remorse regarding how far his people and ancestors had strayed from following God's commandments (2 Chronicles 34).

The thing that really stood out for me in this verse was the word tender. How often do we use that word in our culture today--other than to describe a succulent cut of filet mignon? Doesn't our society prefer toughness over tenderness? Aren't little boys trained not to cry and to be tough little men? Why do we look at tenderness as a sign of weakness? Does God?

Apparently, He doesn't. Tenderness, at least in Josiah's case, was the prerequisite for learning from mistakes, making amends, and escaping God's wrath. Had he followed the example of his predecessors, he could have hardened his heart and pretended that God's Words didn't apply to him. Josiah, though, chose tenderness and humility and was rewarded with God's rapt attention and a revival among his people.

Another example of tenderness in a tough society is, obviously, Jesus. Just read the words of the Sermon on the Mount (Luke 6:20-38) and you can see the disparity Jesus' commands and the expected response in our society. How many of us can say that we are truly able to pray for our enemies? It is so hard to tear down the walls that we construct to protect ourselves from the hurt of this world. With the Holy Spirit's help, however, we can ask the Lord to help us "put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience . . ." (Colossians 3:12).

So, what verses have spoken to you this week? Post those verses on your own blog, along with how you see that God wants you to apply them in your life. Then, provide your link below so that we can drink from one another's wells of scripture.

Lowe's--Who Knew?

Today's Heart of the Matter meme asks us to talk about an exciting field trip that we have recently taken. Ours takes place at Lowe's, of all places.



We were informed by a colleague of my husband's that Lowe's has free how-to clinics for children every other Saturday morning. My daughter was so excited about going to the first one, where the project was an ant farm. Emily Anne and Will attended this one when we were out of town visiting my parents. Other projects that the kids and my husband have completed are a land cruiser (sort of like a sailboat with wheels) and a memory box. The next project on Saturday, May 24 is a planter. You can sign up for the workshops at your Lowe's and view other upcoming projects here.



Although these have mostly been "Daddy" projects so far, I've been impressed with what I've heard when they've returned and with what they've returned with. In addition to their free project materials, they receive an apron and a badge for each completed project (You can tell from the picture that I've sewed Emily Anne's badges on, but haven't made it Will's yet!). They also receive a little booklet of information about each of their projects.



Kudos to Lowe's on their chidlren's how-to clinics! They're a great free field trip.

For more great field trips, visit the Heart of the Matter meme.

One is Greater

If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink." (John 7:37b)

Feeling a bit parched? Searching to quench that thirst with an iced tea or Diet Coke? Dive into the Word for real refreshment!I try to be diligent in my Bible reading and am often rewarded by God's speaking to my heart through particular scriptures. I pause and sometimes even write them down. The reflection usually ends there, however. This year, I would like to pursue the verses that God lays on my heart by pondering how He wants me to apply these verses in my life.
Here is what spoke to me this week:

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world"
(1 John 4:4)

It is easy sometimes to become discouraged with our spiritual development. We feel that we are not maturing quickly enough. We feel disheartened by the carnality of the world and the gullibility of people who believe what is so far from the Truth.

John wrote the above verses almost two thousand years ago to people who felt, perhaps, the same discouragement. What a comfort it is to know that we don't have to tend to our spiritual growth all by ourselves. Our Gardener, the Holy Spirit, will nurture our development, along with the water of the Word. God is greater than any weeds of the world or the devil who try to choke out our growth.

Isn't it wonderful that John refers to our victory as already having happened ("have overcome them")? That victory began at the cross.

So, what verses have spoken to you this week? Post those verses on your own blog, along with how you see that God wants you to apply them in your life. Then, provide your link below so that we can drink from one another's wells of scripture.

Tomes for Tots

Lately I've been thinking about adding poetry to our read-alouds. We've already been through that wonderful collection of Mother Goose nursery rhymes illustrated by Rosemary Wells, but I didn't think my children were ready for any of my poetry anthologies from college, either. Although Shel Silverstein is often touted as a poet who grabs young readers' attention, I'm not a big fan. I wanted a collection of poems that captured the innocence of youth, had imagery that would capture the imagination of preschoolers and contained meter and rhyme scheme that would expose Emily Anne and Will to the wonders of poetry.

Enter A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson, recommended in several sources, including . These poems, first written in 1885 by the author of Treasure Island, are relatively short, most short enough to hold the attention of a four-year-old and two-year-old. The poems are charmingly old-fashioned but contain the never outmoded joy of imagination.
Honey for a Child's Heart

We have had great weather lately and have enjoyed the spring-like temperatures on our screened porch, which is an idyllic setting for poetry reading. After about four poems, it was idyllic no more, as my children began to get restless. Becoming attuned to the nuances of poetry, though, is not an instant process, and reading even just a few poems once every week or two will help them to develop an ear for the magic of language.

Here were some of our favorite poems. Emily Anne's favorite was "The Land of Counterpane" because she recognized it from a Little Bear episode. "Bed in Summer" was certainly one poem with which they could identify, and I, too, can remember feeling the injustice of having to try to go to sleep while it is still light outside. "Block City" inpsired a request to get out the wooden blocks and to see what kind of a village we could construct. We also liked "The Land of Storybooks," and I find myself in the midst of this glorious weather wishing for winter so that we could read "Picture Books in Winter" by a cozy fire.

Happy Reading!

How We Socialize

Today's Heart of the Matter meme asks us to share the ways in which our family socializes. I dealt with the issue of socialization and how the word doesn't always mean exactly what we think it means earlier in this post, so today I'll just list the ways that our family socializes.

• Church & Church Activities: Our children participate (or will participate) in Sunday School, Children's Choir, and Rainbow Ringers (children's handbell choir). We also socialize at our Wednesday night fellowship suppers.


• Homeschool Organization Activities: Next fall we will begin co-op classes with our local homeschool group on Mondays. We already participate in play dates and field trips sponsored by this same group.


• Extra-curricular Activities: Emily Anne particpates in dance, Upward soccer & basketball. In a few years she will also begin to take piano.


• Get-Togethers with Friends: We participate in play-dates with friends, birthday parties (4 so far this month!), cookouts and dinners with several families, etc.


• Family: If socialization is learning to interact with people within an accepted framework of behavior, then family is the natural way to socialize! From our immediate family to grandparents to great-grandparents to aunts and uncles and cousins, our children are experiencing intergenerational socialization.

Have a great weekend!

The Battle Is Not Yours . . .

If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink." (John 7:37b)

Feeling a bit parched? Searching to quench that thirst with an iced tea or Diet Coke? Dive into the Word for real refreshment!I try to be diligent in my Bible reading and am often rewarded by God's speaking to my heart through particular scriptures. I pause and sometimes even write them down. The reflection usually ends there, however. This year, I would like to pursue the verses that God lays on my heart by pondering how He wants me to apply these verses in my life.

Here is what spoke to me this week:

He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them. . . .Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.

(2 Chronicles 20:15, 17)

Have you been struggling with something, fighting to make it come out right? Are you exhausted from the battle and afraid that you will never succeed?

Jehoshaphat was frightened, too. He had been told that a massive army was headed toward Judah to defeat him and his people. He immediately decided at the first sign of this imminent tragedy to look to God. After all of Judah prayed and fasted, the Spirit revealed the above verses to Jehoshaphat and his people.

Notice that, as at so many other times in the Bible, God's first message was not to become disheartened. No matter our circumstances, God is in charge. In fact, the next point is that the battle is not King Jehoshaphat's, nor even Judah's; it is God's battle. So many times we, who are so wrapped up in ourselves and our circumstances that we forget that God is working all things according to His purpose, and He will cause them to work out that way.

Knowing that God is in charge can sometimes make us passive. We throw up our hands and say to God, "Okay, if this is Your battle, I'll just sit back and watch You do Your thing!" God's instructions to Jehoshaphat and his people did include idly standing by, however. Instead, He tells them to "march down," to "take up [their] positions," and to "stand firm." Going out to face the enemy, you see, requires faith. We must do our part, knowing that ultimately it is God Who will be responsible for our success. In fact, Jehoshaphat demonstrated his faith in God by sending men to sing praises to God at the head of the army!

God responded to Judah's faith by causing infighting among the enemy, and when the army of Judah saw what they expected to be a great army ready for battle, they saw only dead bodies on the ground. God showed that it was His battle in the way that He defeated Judah's enemy, and also in the result: "The fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard how the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel" (2 Chronicles 20:29).

No matter how overwhelming our circumstances, it is not our battle. God will fight it for us in His way and for His glory if we place our faith in Him.

So, what verses have spoken to you this week? Post those verses on your own blog, along with how you see that God wants you to apply them in your life. Then, provide your link below so that we can drink from one another's wells of scripture.