Thankful

The storm came through on Saturday/Sunday evening with no ill effects for us and the sun started to shine on Sunday morning.  I was expecting alot worse from the news reports.  We had a storm last Thursday that was worse than the weather we got from the hurricane!  I know for other people there was damage though and I am grateful to be spared.  Life is beating down on me hard enough in other areas. 

Waiting on the Hurricane..Gazing on Him

Well we are all here waiting for the storm to start.  The sky is grayish-white (kinda looks like it does when it's going to snow) and there is light rain and wind..nothing much happening yet.  I am comforted knowing that God controls the storm!  He is in charge of the wind and the rain.  If we get through this unscathed we will praise Him!  If the basement floods, we'll praise Him!

Just Some Humor..

Earthquakes and Hurricanes and Homeschooling, oh my!  Earthquakes and Hurricanes and Homeschooling, oh my!

Whose Slave Are You?

As I struggle to keep up with my homeschool curriculum and get all the things done that need to be done in a day I ponder, whose slave am I?  Am I a slave to the My Father's World curriculum?  Honestly, on most days, it would appear so.  This cannot be!  I am only to be a slave to God.  Nothing in my life should be mastering me or directing my footsteps over God.  It's easy to fall into a trap..to begin to be led by something that God himself even brought to you!  Clearly it was His hand that brought this curriculum into our lives but He doesn't want me to lift the curriculum higher than Himself.  The curriculum is a guide but He is my ultimate Guide.  I need to be sensitive to the Spirit and remember that my kids are continually learning..whether they are doing their curriculum or not!  God help me to remember this again tomorrow.  Help me to keep my peace and joy and not allow anything to master me except your gentle loving hands.

Homeschooling, Earthquakes & Jesus

Well we have been back to school a little over a week now and the routine is in full swing.  I am trying to figure out how to juggle all the demands of teaching a kindergartener, (2) 2nd graders and providing accountability to an 8th grader...and was stressing out a bit yesterday when my body called for a bathroom break.  As I was sitting on the throne, the house began to shake!  At first I couldn't figure out what it was and then as the shaking and noise got louder it was obvious that it was something very large and coming from beyond this house!  At that point I started to freak out and I quickly jumped off the toilet and got out of the bathroom to find the kids..but then it was over.  We opened the front door and a couple of the neighbors were out and talking about it.  It's really crazy when your life can feel out of control emotionally..when things can feel unstable..but to have the ground beneath your feet moving..well that is really nutts.  I am so glad that God is in control of the days of my life and I am resting in the fact that he holds the lives of me and my family in his hands.  It was a humbling to experience the "shake" and it reminds me that I need to be about my Father's business.

Matthew 24:3-8 says,
As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and the close of the age?"  And Jesus answered them, "See that no one leads you astray.  For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ', and they will lead many astray.  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.  See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

The earthquake reminds me that Jesus is coming back and His return is imminent!  We need to be ready and the most important thing in our lives is our relationship with Him.  Being right with God is of the utmost importance!  He is coming back on the clouds to take His church with Him.  The church are those who believe in Him..and those left behind are going to see a period of time on this Earth that is worse than the World has ever known. 

If you need to accept Jesus as your Savior, click here: http://www.ccfredericksburg.com/pages/about-us/need-god.php

Back to School!!

Today was our first day back for the new school year.  Antonis is 8th grade, Kalista and Karisma 2nd grade and Annalise is Kindergarten! Zacky will be playing alot and participating in crafts and stories.  We are excited about a new school year...I think Antonis was even a little excited..we are studying different countries and cultures of the world this year.

Cry Out to the Lord!

One thing that I am learning lately is that the Lord hears our cries and He knows every tear we shed.  Life can be so difficult and there are times when we just don't understand what is going on with a certain situation we are facing.  We get to these places of frustration or confusion...and we start questioning...Lord.. are you really doing anything here??!!  And He wants us to cry out to Him.  He wants us to passionately seek Him.  This is more than just a little prayer I am talking about here (though He hears those too)..but He wants us to cast our burdens on Him and just lay it all out at His feet.  He can take all of it..our anger, our disappointment, our inpatience...just cry out!!  Find that quiet place where it's no one but you and Him and just empty yourself of all your bottled emotions....He is listening and He will answer.  He is faithful.

Summer is Flying By..

Well homeschooling will be starting again on August 16th.  Our pool will be open until Labor Day though so we will try to continue getting there at least once a week!  It has been alot of fun this summer taking the kids there.  Everybody enjoys it and I have a decent tan.  I have even managed to read a little bit on the breaks while the kids eat their snacks.  Right now I am working on a book on adoption that we are required to read to understand more about the process..it's called Successful Adoption by Natalie Gillespie.  It's written from a Christian perspective and includes scripture references and other cool stuff.  I am enjoying it.  I am also reading Power Perfected in Weakness by Chris Klicka which inspires me with every chapter I read!!!  It's about a homeschooling Dad who had MS and was in love with Jesus.  He had a gift of evangelism and he shared Jesus wherever he went.    

I will be turning in our packet of adoption paperwork this upcoming week!  The next step is an interview with our social worker which probably won't take place until late in August.  There are several other couples who are at the same point in the process as us so there is going to be a short delay.  I am ok with that though- I know that God is in control of the delays and they are all part of leading us to child God has for us.