Is THAT safe?

To my amazement, since learning a month ago that we were not going to Africa, I STILL get questioned and the stink eye from people in regards to the safety of our young four kids overseas.  I always look at them and simply reply, "Being in God's will is the safest place to be."  I am confident of this.  Funny enough, in the same day of one of those comments I can get a comment from someone thinking that I want to keep my kids "too safe" because we have made the decision to homeschool.  Ofcourse I kinda love it that people can't figure me out.  But really, what it all comes down to, is that we want to follow God, WHEREVER He leads.  While we way too often screw up, it is our desire to live in reckless abandon all for Him.  I can't even tell you the joy and the bliss that come from living for Him.  Oh, life is so good.  All glory to Him!

The below short clip is from one of my most favorite speakers to listen to, Francis Chan, about this very topic.  And since I got one of THOSE comments just yesterday....it is fresh on my mind. 

their baby is here!!!!!

We are praising God that our friend's second daughter was born yesterday morning in Texas! 

She is a beautiful healthy baby! 

If you prayed for her/them, thanks so much! 

Please continue to pray for their adoption paperwork to hurry up and be complete so that they can bring her home and for God's complete provision in all financial matters involved! 

Thank you.

Praising God from Whom all blessings flow!

please pray for our friends!

This beautiful family is some of our bestest friends.  We love each of them so much.

I am showing you their snazzy pictures because I am asking you to pray for them.

Sometime very soon, like tonight or in the next week, their second child will be born. 

They will be traveling to Texas to meet her, hold her, kiss her, and bring her home.

Please join our family in praying for them.

Please pray for:

- every last detail of the adoption paperwork to be complete soon.

-for God to be glorified.

-for peace to reign in their hearts.

-for God to be victorious over many current obstacles

-for the health of their daughter that is soon to enter the world.

-and however else the Spirit leads you.

thank you.

If I could jump on a plane and go ANYWHERE right now, I would go....

....to Maria's Big House of Hope.  An orphanage for special needs Chinese babies that provides medical care and lots of LOVE to these sweet sweet babes.

the fatherless, the orphans....

So, the conversation went something like this:

Christian friend #1- "I feel like James 1:27 (religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:  to look after orphans and widows...) is a call to ALL Christians to DO SOMETHING for the orphans in the world."

Christian friend #2-  (knowing that friend #1 has adopted 2 children) "It sounds like that verse is very special to you."

Okay, so this comment by my friend #2 has me fired up.  I am not fired up towards this person AT ALL.  But instead, fired up over this mentality that is sooooooooooo prevalent in some Christian circles that there are certain verses in the Bible that are only for those who are "called" by God to do something about them.  I don't get it.  I mean, I don't hear people saying that John 3:16 is only for some Christians, but not all.  Or for the sweet promises that God has for those who believe in Him...NO, it seems EVERY Christian wants  those verses to be applicable to them.  But as for the verses that command us to care for the poor/needy/orphans/fatherless/oppressed we seem to think THOSE verses are only for some. 

Don't get me wrong.  I am NOT even close to claiming that I am following God wholeheartedly in His commands to ME to be His hands and feet to these people.  But I want to. And I can tell you that I DO believe that He wants to speak to me through EVERY SINGLE WORD of His Holy Book.  And I DO think that He does want me to have a heart for what is important to Him and I also think that He wants me to be surrendered to Him and WILLING to be used by Him in any, and every, capacity. 

Come on people, let's get some PASSION for serving the Lord!  Come on!!!!!!!!!!!

If we actually stopped and spent some time on some of these harder things that He is asking us to do, I think our minds would be blown by how He could use us to LOVE LOVE LOVE on those HE LOVES soooo much, the least of these.  I think too often we don't think out of the box and we don't have faith and we don't take risks.  We see the word "poor/needy" and we JUST think of the guy on the corner asking for money.  When we see the word "orphan", we think "adopt".  etc etc.  (I am TOTALLY talking about myself here.)  And so all of these "solutions" to these "problems" make us uncomfortable so we turn that page of our Bible and think, "how nice it is of that family who adopted.  I am sure glad God is not calling me to do that.  I could never do it."  AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhh.  Okay, just had to scream for a minute. 

WHAT IF.  What if we actually stopped on those verses and cried out to God.  Cried out to Him asking Him to SHOW us how He wants us to FOLLOW HIM to these people that He loves so much.  I DO NOT THINK that every person is called to adopt.  We could pray, we could send money, we could go short term, we could go long term, we could fundraise, we could pray for the orphans, we could pray for the families who are adopting, we could do foster care, we could provide some short relief for those who are fostering.......God is so stinkin awesome and creative in how He works, who knows how He could use us to "defend the cause of the fatherless.".  If only...if only we are still before Him  and choose to believe that ALL the commands in His word are for us, not just some. 

In the first chapter of Isaiah, God's chosen people are scolded by God (and I mean big time!) for their sin....for turning their backs on Him.  Listen to these powerful words: "See how the faithful city has become a harlot!  She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her- but now murderers...Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves;  they all love bribes and chase after gifts.  They do not defend the cause of the fatherless;  the widow's case does not come before them.  Therefore the Lord, the LORD Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel, declares:...I will turn my hand against you....."

And after God calls them out on their sin, He gives them 8 things that He DOES want them to do.  And you got it, one of the eight:  "defend the cause of the fatherless."

There are around 150 MILLION orphans in our world and there are countless ways to interpret the "fatherless".  What is He saying to you?

a sweet day.

Today was a sweet day.
It just was.
Nothing wild and crazy about it, just a sweet feeling to it.
Went to Bible Study this morning.  We are studying Isaiah ALL year.  I have never studied that book before so I am soaking it in like a dry sponge....deeply challenged and ofcourse loving every minute of that. 
Came home to two kids who had THOROUGHLY enjoyed their substitute teacher this morning while I was gone:  grandma! 
Had lunch.  And for some reason the crackers and cheese were extra delicious today.  Or perhaps it was the discussion with my kids while eating together, that made the lunch seem extra wonderful?
Did a bit of homeschool with the kids.
Sat on the couch and listened to the kids read to me.....while I actually snuggled up in the couch and for the first time in a few weeks, relaxed.  It was one of those moments when I couldn't believe how blessed I am and how sweet this homeschooling thing continues to be.  Still in awe of it all, really.
Then the kids had playdates.
Had a short (but always sweet) conversation with a dear friend, Malia.
Welcomed home my big girl from soccer.
Ate a late dinner.  The kids actually said, "thanks, mom, for cooking us a feast!"
Watched a little Dancing with the Stars with my four munchkins.
Big three are now sleeping, while baby girl plays quietly on the floor beside me.
I've been a bit tired lately, wondering when the time was going to come where I felt some relaxation.
And then today came.  I feel rested and relaxed.
It's been a sweet day. 
Very very sweet.
Thanks, God.  I know today was a GIFT from YOU!
I found the following words on Beth Moore's blog and I thought the words were sweet.  And so appropriate for you, my friends.  Good night and God bless!

Your God has called you
To use that mouth of yours
For His great glory.
Don’t just add to the noise.
Become a real woman
Who opens her mouth with wisdom.
God wants the Law of Kindness
On your tongue
And the love of Christ
In your heart.
Never forget:
Kindness is not a weakness!
When you’re wearing down
Head to Christ and His people
And let them build you back up.
Always remember:
His yoke is KIND.
Make sure
It’s the only yoke you wear.
It’s time to go our separate ways
But we’ll all meet up again
At the glorious epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Until then,
Let the One who led you here
Lead you on with cords of kindness.
Now, get out there
And build a welcoming fire
In a cold world.
Live by the Law of Kindness!
I love you guys. I really do.

One week down.

Put it in the record books:  the girl who said she would NEVER homeschool kids has officially survived her first week.  Not only did I survive but I loved every single minute of it.

I did not say that every moment went perfectly smooth, nor did I say that there are not bucket loads of kinks to work out....but what did happen in our home this week was one of the most amazing experiences that I have ever had as a mother.  I LOVED it.  And I think the kids are liking it too. 

I realize that this was just the first week.  My adrenaline will soon wear off and there will be some hard times.  But, what I can confidently say is that we are RIGHT where God wants us.  I have a peace that surpasses understanding that we are doing what He has asked us to do.  And the blessings that He has given us are overflowing.

Funny enough we went on a fieldtrip every day last week.  A couple days we went  (about 5 minutes away) to watch Extreme Home Makeover do their thing on a school and then Friday we spent several hours at the Oregon Gardens enjoying their "homeschool day".  The pictures below are from the Oregon Gardens.  It was a super fun day.

learning about wild land fires.

Jorie is trying to figure out if she wants to get as close to the worms as her brothers.

Caleb said this was his favorite spot.  Pond water filled with fun things like tadpoles, little fishies, bugs, and pond vegetation.

No surprise, this was Luke's favorite.  BUGS.

the gift of friendship.

my girls.

my boys.

happy momma.

Do not work for food that spoils,

but for food that endures to eternal life,

which the Son of Man will give you.

John 6:27

Back to School

Tomorrow morning is a big big big day at our house.

Tomorrow morning we begin a new era in our house.

Tomorrow morning...we begin homeschool.

To say that I am excited is an understatement.

I am so excited that I want to shout it from the roof to tell everyone of our new adventure.

The kids are excited too.  Jorie told me that she has her outfit to wear all picked out but she wants to surprise me with it.  Right now it is close to 11pm and she is still awake, too excited to sleep.

Tomorrow we will jump right into all of it:  math, English, astronomy, phonics, reading, and world history.  Humbled to say that in just my time previewing their curriculum I have already learned some really fun stuff.  Do you know what it is about the sun that proves that the world didn't exist millions of years ago?  Thanks to their astronomy books, I know....and I CANNOT wait to teach them about it.

A couple weeks ago I had an experience with Luke that I THINK will sum up our year to come.  I have been working on math all summer with him trying to catch him up to Jorie so that I can teach them both together.  During one of our little sessions together my Luke started crying saying that he HATED math!  He was really frustrated because he could not understand a concept.  I prayed for him and he persevered through the lesson.  The lesson concluded 45 minutes later with BIG SMILES and lots of hugs and high-fives as we celebrated together him not only learning the concept but getting every question right!  It was one of those treasured momma moments that I got to be right there with him through the defeat and the victory.  I am guessing that this will be a year full of both of those.  And I am so so so thankful to God for allowing me this awesome privilege of sharing those moments with my kids!  Oh, He is so good!

Below are a few pics from our Back to School party that a really good friend hosted last week.  Yet another blessing to have so many families and friends who are sharing this homeschooling journey with us.  And amazingly enough, they are extremely social and none of them wear denim jumpers.

 

And so, tomorrow this little corner of our home will be a very exciting place.  Yes, I KNOW there will be plenty of challenges.  Like what to do with my youngest two all morning and trying to convince Jorie that she is not the teacher, just to name a couple. 

But what it all comes down to is that this homeschooling thing is God's thing for our family.  He has told our family to do this.  Yes, He has given us a LOVE for it and a deep desire to do it, but clearly that is all from Him.  So, I have no fear of it.  It is His and I am just the person that needs to show up every morning, in His strength, and let Him do it.  There are two verses posted in our home that I plan to leave up all year.

Proverbs 2:6

For the LORD gives wisdom,

and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Psalm 105:4

Look to the LORD and His strength;

seek His face always.

Believe me, I KNOW I can't do this without Him.

And that will be a VERY hard and a VERY good place to be.

let's do it!

to God be the glory.