Multitude Mondays

984. encouragement on Sunday that God is using this weak, sometimes ridiculously transparent child of God to lead others in heartfelt worship
985.  time on phone encouraging my sis and hearing her heart for the church
986.  my kids who laugh at my goofiness and even expect it, how they know when I come up to hug them I'll have to throw in a few pinches and "touky touky" phrase
987.  Wiiiiiiiiiiiii and more importantly the time spent playing it as a family - laughing
988.  another Christmas with my family - seeing how they treasure our relationships more than gifts
989.  Jake's effort in gifting Ted and I for Christmas with letters from family, friends, church members telling us how we're appreciated and loved
990.  our baby niece, Addison, and how sweet she is and watching all my children love her in caring for her - even the boys....they will make great fathers!

991.  the Grices coming to church each week with Allie now....totally makes my heart overflowing with joy and praying that God will continue to draw them to Himself and that we may be a part of it
992.  Allie's hugs and kisses every Sunday
993.  a friend who forgives me even after I neglect my duties in caring for her sweet one after school one day - sooooo thankful that God cared for her when I forgot to pick her up from the bus stop and that He didn't let my lack of brains destroy a beautiful friendship
994.  homeschooling....what can I say....it is one of the most beautiful gifts God has given me...knitting our family together through bad and good days
995.  being able to guide the Youth Worship Team at our church, loving each teenager and for God letting me challenge them to love Him with everything they have

996.  Mr. S from church...and how God has blossomed a friendship there
997.  Deezer and how she makes me laugh....time spent visiting with their family one Sunday after church....I cherish their friendship because there is no need for walls or guards
998.  another TEC opportunity for Jake....for God to grow him in his prayer life and to show him his comfort is not found behind a guitar, but in Christ alone!
999.  hanging out with Amy H. as the kids played...being able to catch up and stay connected
1000.  this gratitude list....Ann VosKamp and her challenge to all to count your blessings that God has given you....it has changed my life - my attitude - my hope.  Today marks the 1000 mark!!!

1001. traditions...where would we be without them....New Year's Eve with Baker family, New Year's Day with Townsends - passing the rubber chicken along and playing games together - laughing and marking another year of memories
1002.  God, my sustainer

Multitude Mondays

908. pumpkin patch graciously provided for community for free
909. technology that enables us to listen to Francis Chan messages and the eagerness amongst my children to sit and listen to him Francis Chan Sermons

910. Ben's first knitted hat (w/ a little help from me at the beginning and end)

911.  long-time friends that fit together like a worn puzzle...guitars....bebe guns...bows...three-wheeler that won't start and determined friends who will push

 

912.  beautiful carpet of leaves in the woods below and above

913.  suprising my kids with having the Bakers spend the night...it's been a long time...coloring comics...building campfire and playing out in the woods...sleeping the whole night out in the tree fort for the first time ever!!  (I did have pictures of it all, but my camera is dying and corrupted them - NOT something I'm thankful for)
914.  friend-marathon-weekend ending with Landon & Colton and husband who took up the slack for me as I began to feel ill
915.  the end of Isaiah's fall wooden bat league...taking first place....but more importantly having a Godly coach who not only taught Isaiah a lot about ball, but set the example of how to "let your light shine" in the midst of a game

916.  Ben teaching Isaiah how to purl

917.  the best part of homeschooling....being able to say, "Today we're not going to worry about Math or English or History.  It is a beautiful day and today we're going to go out and enjoy what God has made".... 

918.  catching a glimpse of a mushroom shaped like a cross...

919.  marveling at how soft moss is and how they don't all feel the same.....

920.  spying this bright caterpillar....

921.  spying a poof-ball and seeing how much poof we could create....

922.  catching those moments I wish would never go away....coming over a rise and seeing the three boys sitting like bumps on a log, resting their weary legs....

923.  fungus-laiden tree...bumpy and odd...but beautiful....

924.  the brilliant colors God makes for our enjoyment....

925.  making our leaf banner

926.  Nate adding his "scroll" bark to the seasonal table, Jake's flowers, acorns

927.  Isaiah taking his first deer - he got a 4 pt buck and because he gutted it, he earned the knife from his dad

928.  witnessing in the courtroom, what we already knew in our hearts to be true, Skylar & Troy have found a HOME

929.  the memories evoked by an bald man in an knit cap from my childhood

930.  being able to help Mom & Dad prepare for winter out at the pond...thankful that they called us and gave us the opportunity

931.  little ones dressed as cowboys....just wanting to play at Grandpa & Grandma's...imaginations flying as they play on the big tractor I used to play on as a kid and the old radio box

932.  T.E.C. and how God uses it in the lives of my son, niece & nephew, and family friend...as we hear about their weekend with each other and God, it confirms how important it is that we are parents make wise choices about what our children do and how we choose to "keep ourselves busy"

 

933.  Harrison's re-dedication to the Lord

934.   time spent with Jake afterward at Culver's hearing how God has moved in his heart, thankful that he is vunerable before us and shares his heart with us
935.  phone call w/ Charis - thankful for her and how she always encourages me to do the hard things for God and thankful that I know she'll be praying for me
936.  blustery fall days, even though I know it means that soon the trees will be bare
937.  my children and how diligent they are at school (some days)
938.  Madeline getting up early like Mom and sitting at the table and doing her BSF...how sweet it is to see your children prioritizing time with God and starting their day off with Him

939.  carving pumpkins for the first time in a few years, laughing at Maddie's expression when she feels the gunk inside, marveling that my youngest is now 7 and handles a sharp knife pretty well, the pure silliness of my eldest who is first done and then goofs around with his pumpkin making it talk and us laugh, and the creativity and uniqueness of each final product

940.   conviction...having a repentant heart....that God never tires of me or misunderstands me....trusting in His character enough to know that the desert times or lonely times have a good purpose in my life....longing for Him

Before School Starts....Laughed out Loud!!

All you homeschoolers out there have to go read this blog by The Pioneer Woman! Made me laugh out loud at 6 a.m. in the morning!
before-school-starts-a-reminder

The Breastplate Prayer

I arise today through God's strength to pilot me:

God's might to uphold me,

God's wisdom to guide me,

God's eye to look before me,

God's ear to hear me,

God's word to speak for me,

God's hand to guard me,

God's way to lie before me,

God's shield to protect me.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down,

Christ when I sit down,

Christ when I arise,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

~Saint Patrick

 Today we talked about Saint Patrick and how he went back to the same people who had kidnapped him and enslaved him to share God's love with them.  He was Christ in the eyes of those that knew him and he lived his life with the perspective of God's eye going before him.  These are the God's Eyes that the children made today.

Multitude Mondays

If we don't find Him in the small things, how will we ever find Him in the big ones?

~Elisabeth Elliot

486.  1 John 2:1-2 image of daily, hourly, Christ justifying me...
487.  time with Denise - catching up, listening, sharing, encouraging
488.  opportunities with friends to listen, encourage and challenge
489.  always honored to be able to "be there" for a friend, to listen, pray for, encourage...that God sees fit to allow messed up Charli to be a friend to others, always blows me away
490.  paper, scissors, intent faces, messes, beautiful paper snowflakes - each unique

491.   snowballs hitting the windows of our home - interpretation "Mom - watch me do this!"
492.  Ted's friendship with Dave....steadfast and strong
493.  laughter as Amy B got stuck once again in our driveway

494.  kids working so hard to get ahead on school because of the excitement of going to visit the Townsends on Friday
495.   opportunities for Jake to earn money and learn the value of working
496.   neighbors who rely on one another
497.   sledding in the dark
498.  good friends that play without fighting

499.  playing Pinocle w/ the Hodgsons and having the most amazing hand (had 99 points in one hand for those that know how to play)
500.  the way in which God has given me peace and a more Christ-like outlook on situations in the church with sometimes unloveable people
501.  time with family as we all go to support and watch Chaney & Landon in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe - it was awesome!  I've read/heard the story so many times and almost felt silly when I found my eyes filling with tears when Aslan was walking to the Stone table and welcomed Lucy & Susan's comfort....it brought the image of Christ welcoming/wanting his disciples comfort in the garden. 

502.  watching my niece play volleyball on Saturday - I love it that she always makes sure we get the bang for the buck (even though we didn't have to pay to get in this time) because she somehow always plays 3 sets when I'm there
503.  heart of men on Monday night to open the Word and know God more
504.  prayer....that every time we have doubt, challenges, instincts telling us to do this or that, we also always can tap into God's opinion on a given situation and seek His counsel
505.  20-25 minutes on the ride home from BSF spent talking with my children....probing...encouraging them to consider what God was impressing on their hearts through this lesson...sharing what He impressed on me
506.  25 times in Deuteronomy 7-8 that is says, "The LORD your God" and how that phrase spoke into my heart during family devotions
507.  15 minute - throw together - Chicken Tortilla Chowder soup that rocked
508.  quiet house in the mornings as I get up to spend time with Him
509.  I've gotta add homemade bread to the list...almost daily we make it and consume it
510.  freedom He's given us to homeschool....the benefits to our family overflow over any cost to self I may feel or cost to our family's financial situation...I am so thankful for the vision and courage God's given Ted and I to do this thing  (this was the cover Madeline made at the end of last year when she got to start Spelling!  I think now she can spell it!)

511.  mud bogging on Crocus Trail

512.  fun and determination kids had building and playing on a snow jump

Weighing Us Down

Last week I was struck with how this blog may leave readers with the impression that our homeschooling days are full of beauty, peace and kindness.  This is something I strive for and pray for daily, but it is not always that way.  Things go awry somewhere in the "recipe and plan", just like today when I was trying to make more bread (I know - I just can't stop).  Not everything at the Sinnaeve household is beautiful.

The stove went bezerk and burnt two loaves (it wasn't my fault to be sure!), but many days in our homeschool life I feel as if we're treading through a fire and getting burnt as well and I must admit that I often find myself reflecting how I bear some of the blame.  Last week, amid all the beauty surrounding us outside, we had a day like these loaves, ugliness to begin with, ending in beauty.

I can't even explain what started it, but I know from quite early in the day, I felt weighed down by all I had to do.  I became very aware of how often I saw things left undone that I had asked the kids to do, like daily chores or school tasks and began to be frustrated that I had to follow everyone around and "hound" them to do as I say.  I'm sure my voice was filled with more and more annoyance and the "fingernails on a chalkboard" sound to my childrens' ears.  Looking back, it's obvious to me now, that the growing beligerent attitude of my eldest child was fanned by my biting comments.

This continued on through the day....what I must believe all homeschooling moms experience...the feeling that I'm dragging everyone along to do this or that and having them resist me by not listening, snide comments, pacifying me with "after I finish this",  but then expecting me to come to them in every location of the house when they are stuck on a problem or have a question and then asking me, "What's for lunch?"

The best visual image I feel on days like this is that of being weighed down with a backpack full of heavy books.  Each time I saw my kids ignoring me and I had to go find them and drag them to do their work, it was like another heavy book was put on me.  Each time a child complained, "This is retarded. I need your help!  Why do I have to come to you?"  another heavy burden entered my backpack.  Each time I was ignored when I asked for cooperation or help, in went another heavy book.  Every hurtful comment equaled a heavy burden.

I've actually implemented this scenario to my children to teach them how their words, how they say things or complain, weigh on me, but the fact is I also add burdens onto their small backs with my guilt-driven words at times.  And by 6:00p.m., we were all weighed down internally, like the picture below illustrates.

Our facial expressions and attitudes reflected how heavy the days events weighed on us all.  Until I couldn't bear it anymore and broke down crying and called for a little meeting.   With tears flowing, I shared how unbearable this day had been for me, how burdened I felt by the lack of obedience in our home, how I desire to not be remembered as a "nagging" mother and desire our home to be filled with examples of what it means to live out being a Christ-follower.  By the time I was done, all but one of the kids recognized where they could do better at obeying and doing their best in all areas, not because Mom asked them to, but because God has asked them to live a life that way.  I had also confessed how I had added to the burdens they carried around that day and sought their forgiveness. 

The one child who would not admit any fault on his part is a lot like his mother, I believe.  And in the past, I'd be like a pit-bull holding onto him until he would see my point of view, but God has been teaching me to let Him do the work.  So all but one went away from the meeting determined to change in their attitude toward one another.  Determined to die to self and let more of Christ be seen.  And the Holy Spirit worked unseen in the next 20 minutes and in the middle of dinner, amidst family conversation, son-like-his-mother blurted out, "Mom, I'm sorry.  I see."   Our eyes met and once again I knew the barriers Satan loves to see between parent and child were gone.  They were replaced by Christ's command from John 15:17,  "This is my command.  Love each other."

Some may read this and think, "Here she goes again, showing how perfect her family is."  That is so not that case!  What I'm hoping you pick up on is that the Word of God is truth....our family is not perfect, God is!!!

Romans 8:28  "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God."

When we truly strive to love Him, He takes our horrible day and works it together for the good of us all!