The Content Wife

 

If you want a sure way to make your husband despise you, just go ahead and continuously compare everything you have and do with other couples around you.  New cars, houses, clothes, jewelry, vacations......everyone must surely have more than you.  It is so unfair! 

And what about how much time other husbands spend at home or how much they do for their wives?  Oh look, he always opens the car door for her.  He is so caring and attentive to their children.  How did she get so lucky? 

You want to take it a step further?  Make a mental list of all the spiritual attributes other husbands have that yours doesn't.  Shouldn't your husband be more spiritual?  You could really be a Proverbs 31 woman if he actually "loved you as Christ loved the church" like he is supposed to.

Let's top it off with a pity party.  Don't you have to sacrifice so much?  You get up in the middle of the night with the babies.  You stay home if there are sick children.  Everybody in your home needs something from you all the time.  The housework is an unending job without vacation time.  He goes and does as he pleases!

Have you heard any of these?  Have you been the one saying these things?

Comparison is contentment killer.  You will be right on your way to destroying your marriage!  Discontentment is the beginning stages of budding bitterness.  Let me tell you from experience, if bitterness takes root, it is hard to pluck up.  It is a horrible road to go down!

If you want to be a blessing and crown to your husband (Prov. 12:4), then learn to be a CONTENT WIFE!

Contentment - a statement of happiness and satisfaction; fulfillment; peace

Philippians 4:11-13 

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am,

to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. 

Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry,

both to abound and to suffer need. 

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

 

Please take note that I did say learn to be content.  No one is born content, it is a learned skill, just like walking and talking.  Through Christ, we can have the strength to be content in every circumstance in our lives.  We can have little and still be full of joy.  We can walk through trials and still be content.  We can serve our family and be content.  It is all about the attitude of our hearts.  We can control that, not our circumstances! 

 

Today, I would love to ask you to join me in a personal challenge.  Make a list of all the things that you struggle to be content with.  Be honest with yourself!  Then pray over the list for one week, asking the Holy Spirit to teach you to be content in whatever state you are in!   

I believe that the Lord is going to do a mighty work in our lives!

 

Be blessed as you become The Content Wife!

 

 



With My Whole Heart! Ps. 119

It is the simple things in life that make me so happy in the mornings!  Like fresh eggs for breakfast....best ever!  And using my Rao's coffee scoop that my sweet and thoughtful friend, Jessie Cowart, picked up for me.  I am extremely sentimental.  This coffee scoop will probably stick with me forever just because she gave it to me. ☺ And last but not least, my Bible that Billy Joe got for me.  It will never be replaceable.  It has been with me our whole marriage!  Even when the pages are worn and falling out, I will keep it as a reminder of all the marvelous works God has done in my life and in my marriage! 

 

When I got up this morning, I just could not get Psalms 119 out of my mind.  Since I like to start my day out with the Word and prayer, it was great to have a fresh direction!  And just as a side note, these verses motivate me to make this morning quiet time a priority.

*O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. Psalms 5:3
*Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Psalm 90:14
*And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. Mark 1:35

If Jesus thought it was important to have this alone time with the Father in the morning, I believe it is even more vital for me!

Will you read this passage with me? Pretty please with sugar on top! ☺

Psalms 119

Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
Who walk in the law of the Lord!
² Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Who seek Him with the whole heart!
³ They also do no iniquity;
They walk in His ways.
⁴ You have commanded us
To keep Your precepts diligently.
⁵ Oh, that my ways were directed
To keep Your statutes!
⁶ Then I would not be ashamed,
When I look into all Your commandments.
⁷ I will praise You with uprightness of heart,
When I learn Your righteous judgments.
⁸ I will keep Your statutes;
Oh, do not forsake me utterly!

⁹ How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word.
¹⁰ With my whole heart I have sought You;
Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
¹¹ Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
¹² Blessed are You, O Lord!
Teach me Your statutes.
¹³ With my lips I have declared
All the judgments of Your mouth.
¹⁴ I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
¹⁵ I will meditate on Your precepts,
And contemplate Your ways.
¹⁶ I will delight myself in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.

¹⁷ Deal bountifully with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word.
¹⁸ Open my eyes, that I may see
Wondrous things from Your law.
¹⁹ I am a stranger in the earth;
Do not hide Your commandments from me.

 

Here is the key to a blessed and happy Christian walk: The Law, Testimony, Commandments, Statutes, The Word, His Ways, Judgments, and Precepts.  It is so simple!

 

I will never forget when my children were very young, a well meaning person told me that God understood that I did not get much sleep with a new baby and that He understands that mothers do not have time to spend in the Word and prayer.  Yet, I had time to pile up on the couch and watch a movie or read a book.  Hmmm......it was an easy out for me, and as ashamed as I am to admit it, I took it.  Now, I was no longer required to sacrifice getting up just a little bit earlier, or take some time out of my day to spend with my Savior. 

 

Let me tell you what I know now.  Especially when you have small children, you need time with the Lord.  The joy of the Lord is your strength.  When you are tired after nursing sick children for a week, he gives you rest.  When you feel overwhelmed at the tasks ahead of you, you need the Word to refresh you.  When you think you can not do what the Holy Spirit is leading you to do, you find courage from His statutes. 

 

At every stage in our life, we should be like the Psalmist.  With my whole heart I have sought you; Oh let me not wonder from Your commandments!  (vs.10)  Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your Law. (vs.18)

There are days when I wake up late, and we are racing to get somewhere on time, and I miss this precious time.  It effects my whole day.  No, I do not think the Holy Spirit is punishing me for not having quiet time!  I just needed to refuel.  Just like our bodies need food to keep going, our souls need to be fed to keep it strong!  Matthew 4:4 says, But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'"

God's words are life-giving!  I promise you will never regret time spent with Him.  Whether it be 5 minutes or an hour, let me encourage you to just meet with Him every day. 

And I'm off.....school, dentist appointments for all four girlies, and music lessons.  It is a crazy hectic day, but I am ready to face it!  Have a great day, my friends! 

 

 

Bound by Love

 

Bound - made fast as if by a band or a bond; inseparably connected with; devoted and attached to

 

Love - purposeful commitment to sacrificial action for another

 

 

 

 

My heart is pounding with excitement!  When I got up this morning all I could think about was the upcoming Ladies Conference at Freedom Fellowship this weekend.  In case you didn't know about it, here are the details.

 

Where:  Freedom Fellowship (8137 F.M. 418 Silsbee, TX)

 

When:  Friday, May 2 @ 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 3 @ 9 a.m. (Continental Breakfast)

 

Who: Ladies (youth girls included!)

 

 

Worship will be led by Betty Roberts and Jessie Cowart.

 

Chad & Betty Roberts

Charles, Jessie, and Allison (Squinky) Cowart

 

 

And I am the speaker! (And I am most humbled by even being asked!)

 





It's all about Biblical Womanhood and marriage because the two go hand in hand!  Genesis 2:24 says, Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.  Once we are married, we are bound by love.  By definition we, as wives, are made fast as if by a band or a bond; inseparably connected with; devoted and attached to our husbands by a purposeful commitment to sacrificial action for another.

No matter if you are not married, newly married, or have been married for 40 years, I believe that we can all be refreshed through the Word of God.  Sometimes we just need to be reminded of our role and our purpose that God uniquely made for women!

As a bonus today, I added a video of a new song that Betty is going to be leading this weekend at the conference.  It is one of my favorite songs to listen to in my own personal prayer time.  Unstoppable Love by Kim Walker Smith!

Hope to see you this weekend my friends!

$$$$$ MONEY! $$$$$

I hope you had a great weekend, and celebrated Jesus on Resurrection Sunday!   

In my own personal Bible time in the mornings, (before the girls get up) I have picked a few topics that I would like to learn about, and began copying scripture into my Scripture book under the specific category it applies to.  Some categories I have already are Being a Godly wife, Homeschooling (Discipleship), Multi-generational Faithfulness, Children, Marriage, and Knowing God's will. 

Last week, I spent my mornings researching what the Bible has to say about finances.  Yikes!  This is a touchy subject.☺  I am just learning some of these things, but I wish I would have known them way before now.  If applied, theses truths really could have made a huge impact in our earlier years of marriage.  Even now, I believe God is calling us to put our finances in better order.....His order! 

Today, I am going to share with you the Scriptures I have found. 

 

**What does the Bible say about loving money?

Ecclesiastes 5:10  He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase.  This also is vanity.

Matthew 6:24  “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

1 Timothy 6:10  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.


**What does the Bible say about tithing?

Malachi 3:10  Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it."
  
I have heard countless testimonies of God's people tithing first even when they did not know how they would pay all their bills, and God provided for their needs.  This is very important!  I have found, you can never out give God. 


**What does the Bible say about being in debt or owing money to others?

Romans 13:8  Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Proverbs 22:7  The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.

Proverbs 22:26-27  Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts; If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you?

 

This is probably some of the hardest scripture to read.  In America, if you want something, you go and finance it.  Imagine if the Church applies these scriptures to our lives.  What could God do with the money we are being good stewards of?  A few years back, I read Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey. (I borrowed it from my brother-in-law, Chad Roberts.  He knows a lot about this subject and would is much wiser and more knowledgeable on financial matters than me!)  I highly recommend this book and believe it is time for me to go back and reread it. 


**Who should provide for those around us in need?  Where should the money come from?

Matthew 19:21   Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

Acts 4:34  Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold.


**Scripture about being wise and planning your finances!

Proverbs 21:5  The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.

Proverbs 14:29b He who is impulsive exalts folly!

Proverbs 21:20 NLT  The wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend whatever they get.


**What is the secret to being happy with what God has provided for you?

Hebrew 13:5a  Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have!


I copied this prayer out of my journal last week.  I really believe that if the Body of Christ would take the Word of God as it is written, and apply it to our lives, the Church would grow and flourish! 

Dear Jesus,

Help me to hide Your Word in my heart, and help me to apply it to my life.  Forgive me for when I have not been content with what you have given me.  Forgive me for when I have not been a good steward of my finances.  Oh Lord, the desire of heart is to glorify you in all that I do!  Teach me, Holy Spirit, to be a good steward of the things that you provide for me.  Show me where I can help others in need.  All that I have is from you, Lord, and I want to be a blessing to You by blessing others.  Take all that I have and use it for Your Kingdom.  Direct me as I learn these truths from Your Holy Word.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen

Have a great Monday!

Food with Friends:Resurrection Rolls

Because the week leading up to any holiday is pretty hectic around here, I haven't had time to actually make this recipe yet.  Can you relate? 

Today, I am sharing with you a recipe I WILL be making this weekend.  It is a new recipe for Resurrection Rolls that my friend, Shauna Roth, shared with me.  I have never done it before, but I am super excited about it.  I hope you try it with me! 

RESURRECTION ROLLS
 
Crescent rolls
Melted butter
Large Marshmallows
Cinnamon
Sugar

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees!

Give each child one triangle of crescent rolls.  Explain that the crescent roll represents the cloth
that Jesus was wrapped in.

Read Matthew 27: 57-61

1. Give each child a marshmallow.  This represents Jesus.

2. Have him/her dip the marshmallow in melted butter.  This represents the oils of embalming.

3. Now dip the buttered marshmallow in the cinnamon and sugar.  This represents the spices used to anoint the body.

4. Then wrap up the coated marshmallow tightly in the crescent roll (not like a typical crescent roll up, but bring the sides up and seal the marshmallow inside.)  This represents the wrapping of Jesus' body after death.

5. Place all in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.  The oven represents the tomb--while you are waiting for the rolls to bake, read Matthew 27:62-66.

6. Remove rolls from oven and let them cool slightly.  Now the children can then open their rolls (cloths) and discover that Jesus is no longer there!   HE IS RISEN!!!!  (The marshmallow melts and the crescent roll is puffed up, but empty.)

~ Now read Matthew 28:1-10

Enjoy your warm rolls as you rejoice at the Good News of Easter! 

Wedded Wednesday: The Critical Wife

 

  

Proverbs 19:13 says “a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.”

Being that wife that has serious heart issues against her husband does not happen overnight!  You know who I'm talking about.  You've probably cringed when she started speaking because you know everything about to come out of her mouth is going to be negative. 

The woman that when you hear her speak of her husband, you think she must surely hate and despise him.  Nothing but harsh and critical talk comes out of her mouth.  Bitterness, frustration, and anger are her theme song.  This didn't start with one disagreement, it happened over a period of time.

During that period of time, instead of choosing joy and love, she chose the need to be right and the need to be justified.  It eats away at you!

Have you ever been The Critical Wife?  I have!  Are you The Critical Wife now?

It is a sad place to be.  I am so thankful for God's grace and direction that showed me how to combat this stronghold in my life!

First of all, here is a good rule of thumb!

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,

but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs,

that it may benefit those who listen.

Ephesians 4:29

 

 

No matter what issues you and your husband may be facing, do not speak unkindly of him, especially in front of people.  JUST DON'T DO IT!  If you want the heart of your husband to safely trust in you (Proverbs 31:11), it's a safe bet to shut your mouth more than you open it.

 

Trust me, I realize that this is harder than it sounds.  Billy Joe and I do not always see eye to eye.  I have found though, if I want to keep his heart, I must humble myself, bite my tongue when my flesh tries to take over, and only say things that will build him up.  As a matter of fact, I'd rather hear women going overboard the other way and brag on their husband than always putting his faults in front of everyone to see.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient       

bearing with one another in love.

Ephesians 4:2

When you get married, you are not your own anymore.  You do not "HAVE THE RIGHT" to do what you want, decide what is best, make decisions, or anything else without consideration to what your husband, your spiritual leader, thinks.  You also don't have the right to say whatever you want about them.  It can be detrimental to your marriage!

Luke 6:45 says “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart,

and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.

For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."

 

 

My prayer today is that the Lord would give us such a love and respect for our husbands that our husbands will be RESPECTED IN THE GATES (Prov. 31:23) because our mouths speak from the overflow of our heart!  A heart that honors God by honoring our husbands!  If you know someone who has fallen into the trap of The Critical Wife, take a minute to pray for her. 

 

 

Have a great Wednesday!

 

 

Grow UP!

This weekend, we had the privilege of participating in the 2014 Walk for Life to raise funds for the Hope Women's Resource Center.  Our team from Freedom Fellowship had a great time!  We love babies, as you can tell from our ever growing nursery.  We think this is a cause worth supporting!

We won this prize for "Team that raised the most money!"

My daughter, Kelanie,  won a door prize!

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you

again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,

for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness,

since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature,

for those who have their powers of discernment

trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Hebrews 5:12-14

This past Friday I ate dinner with two of my favorite people - my sister, Amanda, and my close friend, Melissa Powell.  You can never be around Melissa without getting a good word straight from scripture.  She was discussing the fact that Christians need to mature and grow.  We can not be the same today as we were the day we were saved and be effective for the Kingdom of God.  It is all about getting yourself into the Word of God and growing.  AMEN!  Trust me, she could preach it!

This morning I was thinking about our conversation.  The truth of the matter is that a lot of Christians do exactly this.  They are saved........and that is it.  They believe in Christ, but never read and learn the Word for themselves.  They are content to be on spiritual milk supplied to them Sundays and Wednesdays. 

I will be the first to admit that I have been this childish Christian.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

1 Corinthians 13:11

I grew up in church.  I knew Bible Stories that I learned in Sunday School.  I memorized a few scriptures like Genesis 1:1, John 3:16, 1 Timothy 4:12, 2 Timothy 1:7, and a few of the verses from the Roman Road.  I tried to start reading the Bible for myself when I was in high school, but my schedule was crazy with all my extracurricular activities and work (My thoughts on this is a whole other post! lol), and it had not yet become a priority.  My reading was sporadic at best.  Didn't I get the Word every Wednesday and twice on Sunday?  Surely I was growing!

Since I got married at 19, I have done countless Beth Moore/Priscilla Shirer/Christine Caine Bible Studies.  I have taken leadership classes at church.  I am an avid reader and read books about Spiritual Growth that has tons of scripture.  I read my Bible if I was studying something specific. And still, I didn't feel like I was growing to a maturity level I should be at for someone who was in leadership and had been saved practically my whole life.

I used the age old excuse that I wasn't educated enough to rightly divide The Word for myself.  I needed someone to teach it to me.  (Hello.....I have the same Holy Spirit as any other saved person.  He is my teacher!  Thank goodness, I know that now.)

It wasn't until about 2-3 years ago, that I became serious, I MEAN SERIOUS, about knowing the Scriptures for myself.  I wanted to know what and why I believe what I believe about everything: marriage, children, abortion, modesty, finances, salvation, baptism, gifts of the spirit, etc.  I became so convicted about what I had let become a part of my beliefs just because I was taught it and never looked it up for myself.  I was amazed how much of my beliefs were solely based on what was the norm or acceptable in the culture.  How scary! 

I have grown up spiritually in the last few years.  I am not easily persuaded to jump on any fad teachings or readily accept just anyone's teachings without lining it up with the Word of God myself. 

 Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God,

to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by

every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him

who is the head, into Christ. 

Ephesians 4:13-15 

I am fully persuaded that there is an answer for everything in the Bible.  Now, I do not understand how we (Christians) could look like the world AT ALL.  I do not believe that in 1 Corinthians 9 when Paul says he became all things to all men, he meant that he started dressing like, listening to their music, use their slang, and rearrange what God outlined in the Bible so those people would come into the church.  God's Word gives us clear guidelines for how we should dress, how we should govern our houses and finances, what our priorities should be, how valuable our children are and how we should disciple and discipline them.  You name it, it is in there.

As I have learned to study the Bible, I have learned that I was not created to just live and get through life.  I was made to live life with purpose - to live life intentionally.  I learned my purpose in the Word.

I would like to encourage you, as Melissa encouraged me.  Get in The Word of God!  It is time for the Church to mature from milk to solid food!  We need to GROW UP!  

 

 

 



 

 

Schooling at Home!

Oh friends!  I know it seems like I have been on vacation for a bit, but it seems like this season of life has just been busy.  We planted our garden (finally!).  I forget from year to year how much work it is.  Thank goodness my husband, Billy Joe, enjoys working and will patiently encourage us to keep up with him!  I would be telling you a lie if I didn't say that BJ, Kati, and Kelanie did most of the work.  I took more of a role as supervisor! ☺

I have had a few people ask me why I never posted my homeschooling schedule and favorite curriculums, so I thought I'd do that today.  I think it might be a little long because this is one of my favorite topics! 

First of all, if you are homeschooling or considering it, you should know without a shadow of a doubt why you are doing it.  Don't base your reasons on fears, schedule conflicts, or even on discontent with your school district.  Most people who do, end up putting their children back in public or private school because they don't have a Biblical conviction to homeschool in the first place. 

The Word is always the best place to start.  Below are my homeschool verses that I stand on.  When I would begin to doubt I was doing the right thing or that I was doing a good job (and you will have these days!), I would go to these verses for encouragement.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!   You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 
You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.   You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Ephesians 6:4
And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Isaiah 54:13
All your children shall be taught of the Lord,
And great shall be the peace of your children.

Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Jeremiah 10:2
Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

1 Corinthians 11:1
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Psalm 144:12
That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:

Proverbs 23:26
My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

As to my schedule......well, it depends on the time of year.  We generally do school year round.  We take off in June to get ready for and attend Vacation Bible School.  We also take off in November because Billy Joe is normally on vacation for hunting season.  Throughout the year we take off for various things like Homeschool Co-op and field trips, so in order to complete each lesson for the year, we go year round.  Also, for us, a Rule of thumb is, if Daddy is home, we are off from school.  He is normally off a few Fridays a month.  At this very moment, we are done with all subjects except Math.  This is unusual for us.  We did really good this year!  (We needed to celebrate so we have been sleeping in late and starting school at about 10ish!)  Our school year normally begins (or at least that is when they start the next grade) the first of July.

Every day, no matter if we are doing school that day or not, we read our Bible together over breakfast, and most days, do a history lesson. 

Bible- We are reading straight through the Bible and read a chapter or 2 a day. (My girls ask some interesting questions, and sometimes we have to spend time looking up answers about places and cultures, or calling Mamaw and Papaw a.k.a. Bro. Shannon & Mrs. Julia, our pastors, to get answers.)  We also work on whatever scripture passage we are memorizing.  It just so happens we are working on Mark 16:2-8 for Easter right now.  We make motions to help the little ones!  A few times a week we go over catechism questions and character qualities, reviewing the ones we have already learned. (We love Truth and Grace Memory books from Founders Press for catechism! You can look them up here.)

***We also have prayer time.  I keep a journal of all the prayer request they have and divide them up between them.  Each one takes a turn praying, then I pray for each of them, their future spouse, and children.  We love going back to see where God has answered prayers.  This has really encouraged them to pray more by themselves as well.      

History- Mystery of History is the. best. by. far!  We love it!  This history curriculum parallels Biblical history with world history.  It is recommended that you make a timeline so you can keep up with all that you have learned.  Did you know that Jonah was alive while the first Olympic Games were being held?  The lessons are interesting but not too long, the activities are fun, and it is set up to use with multiple grades at once.  Because of the projects, I count this as art as well! ☺ (When you have 4 different grades, this is wonderful!)  Do yourself a favor and check it out here. 
(I must show my gratitude to Naomi Chance for getting me hooked on this.....love you, my sweet friend!)

If we are in full on school mode, I wake up about 6 a.m. and read my Bible, maybe blog, read my favorite blogs, and get breakfast ready.  The girls get up around 8.  It normally takes us 1- 1 1/2 hours to do Bible, memory, prayer, history, feed all our animals, and gather the eggs.  (We do live on a farm!)

About this time, we settle down to do math. 

Math- My 7th grader (Kati) and 5th grader (Kera) use Teaching Textbooks.  It is on CD-ROMs.  Basically it teaches the lesson, grades the work, and gives the tests.  WHAT!?!( Insert Happy dance!)  Next year, my 3 oldest will all be using it.  (You can check it out here.)  My 3rd grader (Kelanie) and 1st grader (Kat) use Rod and Staff Math.  I like Rod and Staff because the presentation is simple and has a great deal of repetition for a solid foundation in the fundamentals of math....however......I have found that in later grades they really don't have enough Geometry for my liking!  I don't love Geometry, but I know it is fundamental to Math.  You can look at all Rod and Staff Curriculum here if you're interested.

Now it is time for English.  (Kat, my first grader, plays phonics and math games online during this time.)

English-I use Rod and Staff English for grades 3rd, 5th, and 7th.  I would eventually like to find a curriculum for my older girls that have more writing prompts in it, like Abeka, or find a supplemental writing to add on to Rod and Staff.  For the first semester of school, I gave my girls a writing prompt, and they wrote in a journal for a few minutes.  (I guess I let that go by the wayside.)  If you hate sentence diagramming, Rod and Staff is definitely not for you!

Then we do Spelling.  Well, at least the three oldest do.  While they are working in their Rod and Staff spelling workbooks, my first grader and I do reading on the couch together.  We are using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.  (Look at it here.)  On Thursday, we do a spelling pretest.  If they make a 100, then they don't have to test on Friday.  They work hard to not have to test on Friday. 

Spelling-Rod and Staff

Handwriting-1st and 3rd graders used Rod and Staff Handwriting

Reading-  For the first semester we used Rod and Staff reading books and workbooks, each for their own grade level.  The second semester we picked novels we wanted to read, and I made up worksheets and activities for them.  The last book we read all together was Little House in the Big Woods.  There are countless worksheets and activities online for free.  The girls took turns reading out loud and it gave us a break from the monotony of worksheets!

By now it is lunch time and we are starving, and we are ready for a break from school!  This week, while the girls are eating, I read them a chapter out of Growing Up Duggar by Jana, Jill, Jessa, & Jinger Duggar.  The girls all wanted to read this and we only have 2 working Kindles at the moment.  There was a big debate about who was going to get to read it first, as Kera is an avid reader and therefore, the kindle hog!.  One of those working kindles are mine, so no one gets to use it other than me (And Billy Joe if he wished....but mostly he doesn't, and I am thankful!)!  I decided to read it to them all at the same time to keep the peace, and am really enjoying it in the process.

I normally let them have a few minutes to run outside if it is good weather, and then it is back to work.

Science-  This year we used a 6th grade Rod and Staff Science book.  Kera (5th) and Kati(7th) did the same one just to make my life easier.  Kat and Kelanie would listen sometimes, but they didn't answer the questions or take the quizzes.  If the lessons seemed too complicated for the little girls, I would send them to practice their musical instruments. Next year, which starts in July, we are starting God's Design for Science Curriculum from Answers in Genesis (Ken Ham).  You can look at it here.

Schoolwork is complete!

The little girls are sent to complete their chores, while the big girls practice the piano and guitar.  After Kati and Kera finish music practice, they complete their chores.  We love Chore packs I purchased from Titus 2 Ministries.  I have Homeschooling With a Meek and Quiet Spirit, Managers of Their Homes, Managers of Their Chores, and Managers of Their Schools that they have published and have learned a lot from them.  You can look at all of them here.

Generally, it is about 2-3 p.m. by the time we are finally finished.  Each day, one of my girls help me cook supper.  (Except Wednesday because we are rushing to get ready for church, and with the exception of days we have something to do and are hurrying to be somewhere.)  Then it is time for Daddy to be home! 

I love spending every day with my girls.  Just a few years ago, I was not nearly as organized and did not have quite the vision I have for my homeschooling that I do now.  It was frustrating and overwhelming.  Thank goodness for a Godly husband who leads our family, The Word of God, and Titus 2 women who have poured into my life.  Now, I cherish every moment that I get to be doing what I know I am called and created to do!

God is Good!

            I have read and reread this post a million times to make sure that this homeschooling momma did not have spelling and grammar mistakes, but, well, I am human.  There will probably still be a few!  Don't hold it against me!  LOL!  Have a great weekend!