Category Archives: homeschooling

Simple Sand

homeschooling, mom, motherhood, Parenting, Spiritual Encouragement, Uncategorized, , , , ,

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Simple Sand

The ocean, a beach…and sand. Sand has some wonderful qualities, and some not so wonderful qualities if you have small children! I remember vacations where I thought we had gotten all the sand washed off before we entered the vacation dwelling, only to find it all over the floor as we walked…..over and over.

But the good qualities out weigh the bad (as long as there are not cats around). As a family on vacation, one of our favorite activities was building sandcastles and the artistic ones of the family loved sculpting different marine animals. I was constantly amazed by what one could do with sand!

One year we all worked hard to make a fort full of castles. Not just one castle with several individual sections (aka buckets), but a fort with a number of castles, a moat, and even a draw bridge over that moat! It took all day actually, and we all put our hearts in to it!

People walked by and admired it. Some stopped to chat, others took pictures. This was a FORT. Lots of work. Lots of fun.

Looking at our finished work with pride, we decided a dinner meal might be necessary. No one really wanted to leave. We all wanted to protect it. But the reality of its disappearance was in the future, and while unspoken at this point…we all dreaded it.

As soon as we came back from dinner, we all wanted to take a late walk on the beach to see if the fort had survived. It had…it was intact! There was hope!

We watched the sun set and knew we had to leave. “Maybe it will be here in the morning” one child said. “Yeah, I know it will…we worked so hard!” Ah gees, we had to tell them that it would most likely be gone in the morning. We felt like we were awful parents at that declaration!

But the fact was simple. The foundation was not firm. It was not secure. It was fragile. It would not stand. Sand shifts.

“But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:26-27

The next morning we did not hurry to go down to our spot. We knew what we would find. Or not find. The fort was gone. The fort was not only built on the sand, it was built out of sand!

“We should have built the fort out of something else on the concrete sidewalk.” “Yeah, it would still be there this morning if we did!”
Two weeks later there was a fort, built out of popsicle sticks and rocks…on the concrete patio at our house. We finally had to convince them to take it down…because it wasn’t coming down any other way!
Be blessed~
IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

*google search image, NIV Bible*

 

Simple Helicopters

Christianity, Grace, homeschooling, Love one another, mom, motherhood, Parenting, Spiritual Encouragement, Truth, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

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Simple Helicopters

Helicopters. Falling. From . Trees.

No, this isn’t a new science fiction story, it is about those “seed pods” that flutter down from the maple, or box elder tree. I was sitting out on the patio the other day, listening to the wind blow and watching them fall out of the trees. It was pretty cool actually.

These helicopters land in the gutters, cracks in the brick, corners, neighbor’s yards…just about everywhere. Once landing, if the seed pod is down, they take root. The circumstances needed for perfect implantation and growing aren’t always present. If they land in fertile, tilled soil they have the best assurance of growth.

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Every year we clean out the gutters and other areas in which they have fallen. It is funny to see little tree sprouts growing out of those pods. They certainly are fragile, with one little tug will easily remove them from any area. As I have removed more and more I am reminded of life and how fragile it can be. Life is a gift given by the creator Himself.

God created us each with a purpose, a plan and His pleasure. He enjoys His time with us. He loves us.

These tender little trees need some love, concern and truth. Pulling them out and giving them truth that they needed to be planted in solid soil was the only thing that could give them life. We have some trees in our yard as a result of that “truth”. They are various sizes and in different places. But the “truth” indeed set them free!

My sister in law currently has breast and bone cancer. And years ago a dear friend passed with this very disease. If you have ever tried to encourage someone in those circumstances?  It is hard. How do you possibly minister to them? Truth.

Have you ever had to tell your child that a good friend had an accident and passed away? What can you possibly say? Just truth…

Plain, simple truth. Truth is the word of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit. Nothing else. His word is truth, his word is love. His word can set the captors free.

John 8:32 “You will know the truth and it will set you free.”

Jesus said that he was the way and the truth and the life….simple helicopters.

Simply stay focused on truth….Jesus.

Be blessed~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

*google image, NIV*

Simple Teaching

Christianity, Grace, homeschooling, mom, motherhood, Parenting, Spiritual Encouragement, teachers, , , , , , ,

Simple Teaching                                 jesus

Now, before you get all excited, I know that teaching is never SIMPLE!  I have taught and really get that.  But there was a time in my life when I thought I knew it all!  Imagine that.  Funny thing, the older I get, the less I realize I really know.

When I was in college, I studied and gathered all the information I could about great teachers and philosophers.  There were many theories on learning and child psychology.  I was going to be an incredible educator.  After all, I had two teaching certificates, a college diploma and knowledge galore.

Ahem, then I entered the classroom.  I had a classroom full of junior high and senior high boys.  Somehow all that knowledge did not help.  I needed to love these kids.  My professors never told me that part.

Jesus.  Now there was our role model for teaching.  The professors never mentioned him either.  He taught in the temple when he was 12. He taught the disciples in parables…stories that they could relate to.  And how, because of the love of God.  I had to surrender to that love with those boys.

All teachers have a goal, a plan, a reason for teaching.  Jesus was indeed the Master Teacher.  His goal was salvation and the love of God for believers.  He met people right smack dab where they were in the middle of their life!

Matthew 7:9-12 “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!  So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”  

I can just see the face of that mother giving her little boy a bite of fish….thinking, “of course I would never give him a snake, are you kidding?”

Jesus was never patronizing, he always taught with love, compassion and tenderness. ( Although I sometimes wonder if when he was teaching the disciples he got a little tired of repeating!  Peter was probably one of those kids….)  Yet, He loved them passionately.

The ultimate teacher, Jesus.  He was our example.  We are all teachers of the love of God.  He met them where they were…He loved them unconditionally.

If we rest and abide in Him, we will give us the words, peace and love when we need it.  Being led by the Holy Spirit dwelling within!! Teacher or nurse, stay at home or bus driver…we are all teachers in one way or another. It is simple really…love.

Be blessed~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

*google image, NIV*