Like Africa Does It

So due to the heat wave - mmmm, yes (dripping with sarcasm)- we have been entertaining ourselves indoors. And also due to the heat wave my poor littlest one has a won't-go-away-and-very-painful diaper rash (yes we went to the DR. and got some helpful cremes) that is thriving on the heat and moisture. While I try to introduce my children to God's worldview through our missions wall and talking about God's work around the world, I wouldn't have anticipated Africa to be visiting our hygienic living. So we've been doing life like Africa does it for my little Abi-bare-bum.

Abi being bare bummed means we are spending a lot of time playing with washable large Legos on the kitchen floor. Thus, I introduce you to our Lego creations:

Mommy's creation" "The Garden of Eden"

Rachael's creation: "A Wonderful Cage"

Abi's creation: "Destruction" 

(she's more into the abstract arts.)

And for obvious modesty reasons, baby girl is not pictured beside her creation.



In other news: 

Matt and I are 1/2 way through our adoption trainings. And can I just say here that while obedience to God's call in our lives is a wonderful thing, these classes can be like PULLING TEETH for our social work majored, my foster care worker past and our "we can really read the policy manual too" annoyances. But alas.... perseverance, friends, perseverance.

We headed out to Aunt Jes' work picnic/festivities. And I will post an entire post to that goodness. But let me just say here that it was a BLAST!

We got a bunkbed set off freecycle for the whopping price of $0. And while we need to purchase a ladder to accommodate the set when we plan on bunking it, I'd say free is an awfully nice price.

O, and then there's this critter, who has enjoyed the freedoms of our preparation of our guest bedroom (second kid bedroom) to receive whomever God is adding to our family. Yeah, this freedom-seeker, took to contemplation atop of our queen box-spring before it found a new home elsewhere (the box-spring and mattress found a new home, not our cat... I promise....).

 

Jungle-boy!

So that's us lately! 

On the horizon:

• our first family mission trip - tagging along on the youth mission trip. We hope not to be a distraction, but to delight in Jesus together, while we still get our NEEDED naps in. =)
• Home assessor - whom I LOVE- makes her first home visit the day after we return from our mission trip. And yes she will see our parenting of our crazy-off-schedule kids then. 
• Family vacation to Myrtle beach 7 days after returning from the mission trip - no we're not COMPLETELY insane, but yes we are driving... for 13 hours... with a 1 and 2 year old. 
• Then Matt starts back to seminary for the Fall semester. I've been so use to his break that it's going to be a real adjustment. 
• And intermixed in that 4 week span we will be completing the remaining adoption classes (three hours a piece of "joy" - refer to above commentary).
• And then by mid-September we will be completed with classes, waiting for our homestudy to be finished in 1-2 months post our class completion and then praying and waiting for our phone calls. 
• Oh yes and add in some serious closet cleaning and repainting of our second kid bedroom amidst all that - and beginning some homeschooling amidst that as well..... 

IT'S GONNA BE GREAT!!!!!!

You Said

"You said, Ask and you will receive
Whatever you need
You said, Pray and I'll hear from heaven
And I'll heal your land

You said Your glory will fill the earth
Like water the sea
You said, Lift up your eyes
The harvest is here, the kingdom is near

You said, Ask and I'll give the nations to you
O Lord, that's the cry of my heart
Distant shores and the islands will see
Your light, as it rises on us

You said Your glory will fill the earth
Like water the sea
You said, Lift up your eyes
The harvest is here, the kingdom is near

You said, Ask and I'll give the nations to you
O Lord, that's the cry of my heart
Distant shores and the islands will see
Your light, as it rises on us " - Hillsong United




This song brought tears to my eyes this morning. I can't help but be overwhelmed when I hear something so Biblical and so devoted to God's mission. But it becomes more than just an outpour of emotion.

Church? Are we asking for the nations?

Does our heart break for the nations without the Lord as their God? Are we compelled to pray for open doors and tendered hearts, willing to hear and receive the gospel? Are we praying for tenderizing to the harvest? Are we praying for more laborers for the harvest? Does it break our hearts to think of the lost? Do we feel charged to go? Do we feel compelled to do something- anything- that more would be added to God's number? Are we asking for the nations?

O that distant shores and islands would see your light and it rises on us!!!

Please, Jesus.


- to God be the glory.

Because it Matters

My heart is overwhelmed with the joys of our nap-time missions readings, following my dear friend, Theresa's blog, and witnessing the small pieces coming together in terms of our adoption. "How beautiful are the feet of those that bring good news..."

Read something interesting in terms of worldviews and the shaping of them. An excerpt from the "Christian Home School" book I've been reading by Gregg Harris reaffirmed what Matt and I have witnessed in textbooks; "These studies make it abundantly clear that public school textbooks commonly exclude the history, heritage, beliefs, and values of millions of Americans. Those who believe in the traditional family are not represented. Those who believe in free enterprise are not represented. Those whose politics are conservative are almost unrepresented. Above all, those who are committed to their religious tradition-at the very least of as an important part of the historical record-are not represented.

Even those who uphold the classic or republican virtues of discipline, public duty, hard work, patriotism, and concern for others are scarcely represented. Indeed, the world of those virtues long advocated by believers, as well as deists and skeptics such as Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, is not found here. Even what one might call the "noble pagan" has ample reason to reject these inadequate and sentimentalized books which seem to be about an equal mixture of pop and propaganda.

Over and over, we have seen that liberal and secular bias is primarily accomplished by exclusion, by leaving out the opposing position. Such a bias is much harder to observe than a positive verification or direct criticism, but it is the essence of censorship. It is effective not only because ti is hard to observe-it isn't there-and therefore hard to counteract, but also because ti makes only the liberal, secular positions familiar and plausible. As a result the millions of Americans who hold conservative, traditional, and religious positions are made to appear irrelevant, strange, on the fringe, old-fashioned, reactionary." (quote by Professor Vitz in a study of textbooks in the American public classroom).

If you are still with me after that in-places-a-bit-heady quote (sorry I didn't warn you), please allow me to sum it up. Many textbooks portray one side of events in a persuasive manner to sway their readers to agree with particular sides of historical platforms or particular thought-processes about historical events. Therefore, while in a history class the topics of teaching are indeed historical, the biases are not being taught in fair playing fields. So when liberal agendas are the norm, the student concludes that traditional or conservative agendas are "out-dated" and that there is no value in entertaining such ideas.

This is an interesting argument that is running rampant in our culture and many other cultures. In many societies elders are considered to be wise and useful and full of experience. But in "new-age" thinking remaining young is an ideal - college students marking many backings of political change - - look at who the targeted voting age is? Age is considered "past your prime", I mean take the hair-dye industry as an example. If it was honorable to grow in age and maturity and wisdom I wonder if so many would try so desperately to look young?

Beyond that there comes the Christian scope of thinking in which we just need to be aware of the biases coming through teaching. I'm not arguing that all students are corrupted and warped by the public school system - seriously, I would be a victim. But I am arguing that in family conversation around the dinner table we need to know what we are up against in terms of the past 8 hours of our child's education.

Worldviews slip in from anywhere and everywhere. We, Christians, must apply ourselves to willingly accept and reject those things that make our seeking for obedience to Truth successful. This is no doom and gloom post, just has been another eye-opener when it comes to accepting Truth and rejecting lies.



God, Your Word is Truth.
-To God be the glory.

Back to School.

I've been studying for the past week or so to go back to school. No, people, I am not planning on pursuing my Master's (HA!), but I am pursuing preschool again. And I'm looking into generalized education and how to school another and (let's be real) be schooled by another. Matt and I have decided to pursue homeschooling for as long as God continues to press it upon our hearts and allow me to be home with our kids. The schooling needs of each of our kids will be evaluated and prayed over continually to make sure we're offering what they need, not just want they or we want. While I have a few minutes before Rachael is in the "school age" crowd, I figured there's no better time than now to learn and grow in my education philosophy. Wow that sounds technical.

I've been reading all kinds of curriculum recommendations and philosophies regarding home schooling. Some have sucked - just being honest. And some quite honestly have rebelled against my structure-needs. Like I don't think I could be the homeschooler who has "unschooled" kids - you know, the one that the book talk about as just letting natural curiosity and non-booked development drive a child's education ONLY. The mom who doesn't push her kids or really classify them as any grade level or require them to read of write or do math or.... While home school permits flexibility, that kid is going to need a job some day. No one's going to pay them to run around outside barefooted and sing to the flowers. But seriously count me in if you find someone who'll cut you a check for that biz! Yet there is part of me that certainly is not seeking to create geniuses with no friends or social skills. Balance wins this contest again. Man, seriously, buy out your stocks in balance - it's creeping into every category.

Just been interesting lately to think of all the potential in raising Biblical kids. Rachael memorizing her first Bible verse (1 Peter 3:18a) at 2.5 has been challenging my Biblical parenting. The child just popped up one night after VBS with the theme Bible verse memorized. After picking my chin up from the floor I realised I could be underestimating her abilities here. Thanks again to her VBS teachers for teaching and reteaching and reteaching that verse to her. We now hear it over the baby monitor as she sings it in the nursery. From the mouths of babes, people. What is 1 Peter 3:18a you may wonder? "For Christ died for Sin, once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God." She doesn't know what it means yet, nor does she know it fully in her heart. But we're to raise our kids with the Scriptures bound on their foreheads. And it's not just the kids that should have it on their minds (wink, wink).

I've downloaded 5 songs from Amazon from the 1,000+ songs that are Scripture put to music for the purpose of memorization. Then I found 12 online for free. Today I made a CD and have put it in our car. Funny but when Scripture is all around us, I find myself wanting to hear more Scripture and thinking more about Scripture and already Rachael has been mouthing the words from the back seat. I'm no ingenious (HA! I didn't even spell that right the first time) Mom, people, obviously someone else had that idea first - over 1,000+ times before I did. But I want Rachael to learn Christ's heart and His philosophy. It's about being goal-focused and intentional. I know she's soaking up everything like a wet sponge - Abi too (only Abi prefers to chew on the sponges)- now how can I help her soak up more eternal things?

"Home Schooling" has taken on a far greater subject line that I once believed. There is so much more than "just surviving the school years" that home schooling has to offer. And just as parenting has so much more to offer through the lense of Christ, home schooling can have so much more to offer through the lense of Christ.

Light among darkness is important. Agreed. But to have light among darkness you must first have light. And in order to first have light, Christ needs to be in us. God has been opening my eyes to that lately. Yes, we Christians are called to be light among darkness (in our community, in schools, in church, in our homes), but my kids aren't Christians yet. So once they are Christians, Lord willing, then they have the opportunity to serve in their mission fields among darkness. Then our focus will be switched from Christ-exposure to equipping to Go. But it's all at one step at a time. Christ is their choice. They can choose Him or deny Him. And while my hopes and prayers are certainly that they would choose Christ, I just want to provide the most real example possible of the beauty and glory of our Lord and my obedience to raising kids as God desires is all I can give. Only my goal is not just to encourage Christians, but to encourage them to become devoted and obedient Christians. There is a HUGE difference in the two (and some would venture to say that pew-sitting Christians are not Christians, but I'm not the judge of obedience or salvation).



All I know is what a blessing it has been, and I pray it will continue to be, to watch them begin on their paths of possibility.


- To God be all the glory.



... now back to reading and praying.

A Good Villain.

So a few weeks back Matt and I watched Tangled - you know, Disney's new movie. And quite honestly I loved it. It wasn't the typical overly-cheesey princess tale and yet didn't succumb to slipping in a foul word here and there amid perverted jokes, which sadly make their ways into Disney movies (though I could have done without the "cupid" drunk guy in the bar). But I was happy to find a different kind of villain - still evil and twisted, but more psychological and a different kind of evil than Disney's typical villain.

And quite honestly, I just loved this song- a reprise of the original "Mother Know's Best" sung in the beginning of the film at the introduction of Mother Gothel's psychological evil and manipulation of Rapunzel.



I love her "No? ....Ooh...I see how it is." Hehehe. But I love her musical theatre voice. Such a wonderful voice - and a great villain. Is it bad that I like the villain so? Maybe it's just that she is able to portray evil without a direct threat of physical harm associated with her evil ugliness. Only directly at the end of the film does the evil turn violent toward the "Prince". I like that the villain has layers. And quite honestly, I like her dramatic numbers. =)

So enjoy the little excerpt and feel free to go on thinking me crazy. =D

Mother Gothel and her slightly arrogant self. hehehe. =)

Other News

So we received our home assessor information in the mail (our caseworker) from the county. YAY! And so we're hoping to call her in Tuesday to get clearance to start our adoption trainings on Tuesday and Thursday of next week (Matt goes to camp the following week so we want to double them up for this upcoming week). Just one more piece of the puzzle completed. =)

Ending it All

Welp, we finished up our week with a Sprinkler park trip on Thursday and Free-for-all Friday. Lexi enjoyed randomly meeting friends at the park, which was a good thing cause my two were more interested in swinging and cuddling and watching than playing. Lexi played hard, running between the sprinkler park area and the regular park area. And when my two showed beginning signs of needing a nap, we headed home. All three of them knocked out and slept for at least an hour.

Friday we went for a bike ride. Matt stayed home with the baby because we don't have a helmet for her yet (we're going to get her one today). And I took Lexi on her bike and Rachael in the pull-along carrier attached to my bike. We were out for a half hour, but we worked hard in the hilled areas of our community. And it was fun teaching about stop signs and bike signals and traffic awareness. We also found a children's picnic table at a local garage sale for $4. Yes, people! That's what I'm talking about. I had been looking around for one to aid in our outdoor lunches and also to prove as an outdoor water-color painting opportunity for my paint-dripping toddler. So I was happy to have invested a whole 4 dollars in hours and hours of artistry fun. =) Lexi's Friday at our house was concluded with a little board game playing, sandbox fun, and hide-and-seek with Uncle James (our Friday night and Saturday add-on).

I have included a few pics from the park play. For obvious reasons I have no pics of our bike ride (not that skilled) and I didn't take any pics on Friday - - camera battery needed a rest. =)

 Smiley Swings

 Genuine Joy.

 Initiated Helper.

 One of the few moments I could catch her still enough.

=)

 Weeeeee.

 She really just loves the swings. =)

Ahhh yes, so hard to be blond in the sun. 

So in all it was a fun, and more busy than usual, but a good week.