Below is an entry from my blog called "A Quiet Heart Journal." Wanted to share it here, so that others could see what God has been up to, in our family of home learners. "Help! Notes" true audience is folks who see God has their main Teacher, and who pass on what He has been teaching "us" to those we love. You can share in this, as you read on this blog, what is shared here.
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Jun. 7, 2007
Finally, "A Quiet Heart Journal" is here!
It's a great day ... in Yeshua! He is my Life!
How do you spell home education? Fun! Creativity! Rock-hunting? Finding fossils in the back yard?! Showing them to a creation scientist who tells you they were laid down at the time of Noah's Flood? wow! How exciting!
Do you like your day to be organized and go according to schedule? Do you prefer all your ducks in a row? Or ...are you more of a free spirit? Do your Mondays match your Tuesdays? Is there wisdom in planning things out, but letting God direct your day? Do you live in the city? in the countryside?
We moved from near a large city to a small town where cattle, sand, spring water and pine trees abound. We like reading challenging books about the lives of those who trusted God beyond all normalness, and they achieved greatness. ...for God's glory! We like singing opera! We like creating unusual, artistic birthday cards for one another! We like worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth! We like doing the right thing! We like getting on the trampoline to add some jump to life around 'our place' we call Seven Oaks. We prefer everything to be in its place! And we like to go on long hikes in the woods, as long as we do not meet any wild boars -- aagh!
I prefer life to include fun, flexibility, creative ways to learn, peace-loving attitudes among the troops, combined with a love-in-action, responsible attitude, for Mom to feel like I can breathe. ah! Moms need room to grow -- spiritually and health-wise. I am still learnin,' too! God is teaching me much about how everyone in our family can have better health and stop to praise God throughout the day, especially when there are attitude adjustments needed among the young laboratory research assistants here.
My Father is teaching me to thank Him for irritations and for interruptions to our schedule, and all while learning to live on a tight "ministry budget." I am learning Godly character! ... while God is showing me I can develop A Quiet Heart. wow! Isn't God good?! Amen! He is so creative! He paints sunsets all across the western sky, even in east Texas where there are tall trees nearly everywhere. Our Heavenly Father loves to surprise us with the shimmer of diamond-looking sparkles on a lake's water surface, on a sunny day.
He shines in our childrens' faces when we praise them for their willing hearts as they run to help us eagerly with frying up some "flannel cakes from the plantation," in a recipe we found in our historical cookbook we got while on a family learning vacation. Or take their turn at washing, drying, putting away dishes or laundry, every day. God has moved us from the corporate world of a large city to working from home in a small town, to helping at a ministry that trains young men to do search and rescue internationally while teaching them skills and knowledge for life careers or ministry.
And now we begin a new phase of life: a ministry that hopes to restore faith in The Foundation of all Knowledge, God's Word. Life in the Bible Institute. Our oldest three children have now graduated from God's school of learning, from my husband's and my home education efforts. They are each serving God in various ministry niches. Our oldest daughter custom sews modest clothing for moms and daughters. Handmaid of the Lord Designs. Our oldest son does website design, and provides support for No Greater Joy ministries, helping with their magazine, translation work on their book Good & Evil, and various projects, as well as playing piano in churches.
Our second daughter does graphic design work from home, working on many other projects besides, including her specialty in the field of artistic design in advertising, as well as drawing portraits and things in nature, or taking spectacular close-up photographs. Our second son is a budding cartoonist, as well as a diligent woodworker, avid historical and adventure book reader, golfer, jaw harp and harmonica player, and an accurate target-hitter. What does he "not" like to try to do? He also has more ideas for making money than any seasoned entrepreneur.
And our third daughter is a princess who likes to help me with housework and homemaking, as well as baking, hospitality, and serving. She also is learning to sew doll clothes as well as crafts and gift bags. Our third son is keeping us all busy keeping him busy. He is lively, energetic and has nearly enough energy to wear Mom out. Not yet! This mom most always has more energy than he does. God is smart! He plans ahead! He gives busy moms enough energy to keep up with their action-packed shipmate crew. He provides many good things, and I try to keep them on hand for both good health and energy.
And He is teaching me why He allowed me to learn just enough things boys like to do, to keep most of them challenged, when Dad is busy working. ;o) Our Father in Heaven wants us all to grow more like Him. I am learning to be focused on Him and His Will. I must become less; He must become more. As I give up more of my 'self' to His leading, He opens up more Joy, Peace and Rest in Yeshua, His Son. That's what I want. Brokenness before God. What?! Brokenness?!
But yielding our rights can be difficult. Each challenge to having things done the way we think they should be can bring much grief. As the days go by, I hope to share what God is allowing, teaching us, and designing in our lives as a family, to help us gain A Quiet Heart. And how life can still be filled with fun and adventure, if we are willing to follow God on our Path of Life He is leading us on, with Yeshua as our Good Shepherd.
