Inbox

Every morning during the week I eagerly await to receive my devotion in my email inbox. I subscribe to Proverbs 31 Ministries' daily devotions during the week. God just blesses my socks off through the writings of these women. The devotions have really touched me since January and especially since the decision to stay at home took root later in the spring.

Below is a link to today's blog/devotion. I can only tell you that this devotion has my name written all over it. It is exactly where I am. Obedience. Enough said.

http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/

Click the link and read away - I pray that it blesses your socks off too. Enjoy!

Wordless Thursday???

Okay - so I missed Wednesday... I could use the excuse that it's been a crazy week,
however, I don't see my life becoming less crazy. :)

So enjoy Wordless Thursday!

Gramma and the kids.

Priorities

So today my goal was to hit the floor running to check things off of my list. I planned to take the boys with me to do some homeschool supply shopping. Even when you're homeschooling you need things like pencils, paper, binders, erasers, and other schooly stuff. So our journey began to 2 drugstores and 2 office supply stores. We saved a bundle. I was so proud of how much money I saved. The boys did pretty well considering that we went to 4 stores in a little less than 1 1/2 hours.

Here is a picture of some of the things I bought. I LOVE a great bargain!

My other goal was to actually get ready and sit down to plan my curriculum. Being new to this homeschool thing I'm kind of nervous that it's this late in the game and I don't have my curriculum planned out yet. Thankfully, my monkey is really smart. This year will be a huge learning curve for both of us. I am blessed that he is not even in school yet, but is already reading. He enjoys reading (I think) and loves being read to. I have even caught him reading to his younger brother once or twice. Chops ate that right up.

So with no hard fast curriculum to stick to, I have yet to sit to write any plans. I envisioned getting started at least by next Monday, however, without plans - it's sort of hard to teach. I feel very discombobulated. Before, everything had a very defined start and stop date. My head is having a hard time wrapping itself around all of the choices. I still have to remember that this is Kindergarten. There is NO rule that says we can't change plans, join two different methods together, or ditch stuff that isn't working. That is one of the beauties of homeschooling. I just have to convince my brain that it's okay to do. (Amazing how habitual we humans are).

Back to the originial point - since I didn't have an opportunity to write lessons, my goal, while the boys were down for rest, was to clean one room of the house per day - because every mom knows that it is a lesson in futility to try to clean while everyone is awake and at home. It's like a chasing after the wind. I had even set up a plan to go by to keep me up to date on my chores. Today was to thoroughly attack the kitchen. Instead, I sat down at my computer and started blog hopping. Big mistake. It all started with my best friend's blog - I always check her's first. Then hopped to a blog she keeps up with, then another blog, and another. The next thing I realize, my 5 year old is finished with his rest. He just walked out the door of his room, and here I sit, typing about my adventures blog hopping with not one thing done to the kitchen. Oh well. Out comes the other one. I guess the kitchen will just have to wait until tomorrow. :)

Standing Your Ground

Ever wanted to quit something before it even started? Did you ever commit to something, but were ready to turn your tail and run because of uncertainty, anxiety, and fear? I am sitting in that spot right now. Every ounce of my being wants to return to what is comfortable; what is familiar. My head and heart are at odds with each other... the one saying, "It's okay to go back. Life is tough. God will understand. Nothing will happen. " The other pleads with it saying, "If you go back you'll never experience the huge blessings Your God has in store for you on this journey as a result of HIS faithfulness. You aren't showing that you REALLY trust HIM to do all that He has promised for you."

Which do I follow?

This type of thing has happened before, and unfortunately, I think I trusted my head, which caused me to trust in my own abilities and my own power resulting in not trusting God for provisions. What is up with that? It got me nowhere. I got scared, and instead of running to my FATHER, I ran to me, to what I thought was safety. I didn't grow the way I could have grown. Now growing is a little harder - because maybe I didn't get the lesson right the first time.

I was on facebook today, just browsing around to see what folks are up to. I came across the status of my friend's mom. All she had up was "And my God will supply all of your need according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Phil 4: 19-20)." How right is that? Perfect! My God will supply all my need! Enough said!

Today's verse - Right on Time

It seems, now, that I am only posting during my memory verse times... summer has been so busy - so busy, in fact, that it is close to over. We are closer to the end than we are to the beginning... a definite sorrow fills my heart, as summer is my favorite season - just because I am (make that WAS) a teacher.

The verses this time around go so well together. They are what I truly need at this point as I have given up one road for another. The direction of the new road is not easily seen at this time. But, as our Bible Study teacher reminded us on Sunday... if you are going through a period where the turns on life's road are unable to be seen just trust that your Heavenly Father has wherever that road leads in the palm of HIS Hands. He is holding up that road and directing it. Sometimes that's a whole lot harder to live out. But in the times that I want to give up and go back to my comfortable life of trusting in my own strength and doing what I've done for the last ten years, I will stop and remember this:

When my anxious thoughts multiply within me,
Your consolations delight my soul.
Psalm 94:19

I will cry to God Most High,
To God who accomplishes all things for me.
Psalm 57:2

Another verse

Due to being on vacation to OHIO I am very late in posting my most recent memory verse for this two week period. I have been focusing on the Lord's provision since He has called me to obedience in staying home with my two kids this year instead of going back to teaching. It's going to be a challenge, however, I am confident that He will supply all my needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

The verse I chose to memorize this time around is from Matthew 6:33-34. We've been going through the adult life of Jesus in Bible Study on Sunday morning. We finished learning about the beatitudes a few weeks ago. This verse jumped out at me. I had read it so many times before, but this time it had real meaning to my reality.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

This verse doesn't mean that I will get everything I ask for, nor does it imply that I will be spared from trouble. It does, however, say that if I seek after the things of God and seek after His righteousness, then the things in chapter 6 spoken of previously - will be added to me... how awesome.

Psalm 9:10

Psalm 9:10
And those who know Your Name will put their trust in You;
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Not only has God been teaching me obedience, but in the journey He's also teaching me to trust Him. I've said before in my blog that God is making it very clear to me that I am supposed to do that which He is asking of me. It became clear to me in about mid-March that the LORD was planning for me to stay home with my boys this fall. I am a teacher by trade, and truly enjoy teaching, however, it was always my desire to stay home with my boys. Due to some circumstances over the past two years, mostly undesirable circumstances, God was calling me home. Home to my family, my sons. The ones I waited so long for, He wanted me to stay home... to train them up in the way that they should go. Who better to teach them, their mom.

With this decision has been much angst. The idea of losing my income has brought about much stress and anxiety. Not only are we losing my income (2/3 of our family income), but also the health insurance that I carry for myself and the boys. However, after speaking to many godly women, many of whom who have gone through the same situation, we have come to the conclusion that I'm supposed to stay home. My hubby and I have gone through MANY conversations about what this is going to take. THIS IS HUGE... it is something that only GOD can accomplish. My hubby, being the practical one (although, I often wear the practical pants, myself) has said more than once... this isn't practical... it is foolish to be without health insurance... it is foolish for us to do this. God quickly brought to my mind --- "If I AM calling you to this obedience... it is not foolishness. I AM will provide." He has reminded me of that more than once. Thankfully, the last time my hubby and I had this conversation was last Saturday. I reminded him again, that obeying God is not foolish. It may not make sense to us... however, it is NOT foolishness. That Sunday morning we sat in Bible Study, under yet another "made for me" study given by our awesome Bible Study leader, after talking about Jesus feeding the 5,000 (which was actually estimated to be between 15-20,000 when you include women and children), wrote this on the board --- practical doesn't equal faith. The point being that when we look for things that are practical we have a hard time stepping out on faith and trusting God for who HE is. He is the great I AM, Jehovah Jireh, the Most High.

As I struggle with the enormity of this decision and I question if this is REALLY what God wants me to do I pray for encouragement... that the Lord would make it known to me again what He wants me to do. He immediately allows me to experience His grace through email devotionals that spell out clearly His request, or sends a phone call from a trusted encouraging friend my way. I am humbled that my God would be so intimate with me to give me such a clear message.

All of this being said to bring to light my new memory verse for this go round. David, the psalmist, spoke of trusting in the LORD. He declares that the LORD will not forsake those who seek Him. So simply it reminds me to trust and seek with the promise, that I will not be forsaken, forgotten, abandoned. And so, I declare boldly:

Psalm 9:10
And those who know Your Name will put their trust in You;
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.