I THINK I CAN

Chugga Chugga up the track...

I'm writing this in the midst of optimism.

I love these times. I really do feel optimistic. You may wonder why I feel the need to write about feeling optimistic.

Maybe it's the fact that spring is around the corner?
Yes and No.

Actually...

When I look back on the last couple weeks it's been pretty good around here, overall.

The past couple months however, I've been climbing the big hill mountain in hopes to eventually gain enough momentum to cruise along the track with ease.

Climbing up that mountain, I've felt in my case, included setting up house, which affects our home school. This entails forming new habits with new responsibilities. Because of our location out of any town or city, Daddy working away, and the two new dogs. We've got heavy loads on our train cars, but we have to get up that hill to get things done.

Charlotte Mason refers to good habits as following a track. I find, that since moving here it's been quite difficult to lay down train tracks or rails of habits. School days have been more often than not, hard work and don't flow as I wish.

I played this video for my kids (but mostly for me), to teach a little lesson on hard work and to motivate us to keep going even when it seems hard.

We can learn a good example from that little engine.

Alba commented on how the engine helped the other out. Sweet girl.

It does take team work to run through our days. To get things accomplished and enjoy eachother in the process.


Just a thoughtI wonder if The Little Engine knew Charlotte Mason.I Can I Ought I will, ...I Can I Ought I will, ...I Can I Ought I will! CHOO CHOO...!kidding
Press On Dear Mothers,Mo

Book Review

We had received a book from Booksneeze ages ago. I had my son work through it as part of school. It took months for him to read each chapter and write a summary. I waited for him to finish so I could post his review. Well, since then, we've moved, finally located the book and his narrations and now I am finally posting his review. Unfortunately because it took long long to review, and since Booksneeze has changed some policies, I cannot get into my account to properly post a review.
So I will just go ahead and post the review on here only. Hopefully it helps someone out there and it was a really good experience for my son anyway.

DON’T CHECK YOU’R BRAINS AT THE DOOR

Rating: 8.5    Reason: Some of the chapters I did not do because the content was not suitable for me.

This book is a good book. It talks a lot about questions and ideas that really make you think. Some of the content is for older kids. So I recommend it to everyone thirteen and up. When I was doing this book I would write about the chapter in a notebook. One of my favorite chapters is chapter eight, were it talks about how we always imagine Jesus having white skin when it really was darker because he was jewish. This book is also split into sections. The first is myths about God and the second is myths about Jesus. The third is myths about the Bible, then the resurrection and then Religion and Christianity. The last is about life and happiness.    

Review by Eagle (13)

*We received a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

joy in food

(finding JOY in preparing food)

1. home made granola bar & oranges

2. peanut butter & sesame seed cookie

3. home made salsa

4. using different kitchen tools to make preparing food more enjoyable for both mommy & children

Every other week I've been taking photos of food that I've made.

I thought it was ONLY for fun at first. My photo snapping of food has become a bit of an obsession lately. 

And funny to say that I have taken and posted photos on FB, coincidentally while my husband is away at work. Jokingly a girlfriend asked if I were trying to make his mouth water with envy that he couldn't also enjoy the taste of what was pictured.

 I laughed at it, thinking nothing of it, at first.

But after thinking it over and watching something recently. The reality is, is that there are reasons why I initially started the photo journaling of meals. It was to ease a burden I think. Lighten my spirit. Make joy where there was loneliness at my husband commuting. 

But after composing these thoughts into words I also realize that I seek recognition on top of a bad case of joylessness. Even more so now that I'm really only preparing meals for myself and my children when Daddy is away.

So, 

... I remind my kids of this verse ALL THE TIME, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." But that really doesn't apply to Mommy does it??

oh yes it does!

 

The good news.

The photo journaling of meals and snacks made a way for true joy - from the Father.

It has since become a true joy (most days), to prepare food. Don't get me wrong, I drown in self a lot! But when the creativity flows I can really hold my own in the kitchen and that is God's gift! Some days have been comparable to cooking when you're single/unmarried day after day. Sometimes the children tugging and crying whilst no other adult there can potentially be a downer. But. And big but, I'm thankful for being given the position of manager of this household. God gave me the role of homemaker, mother and wife.

What can you do?

Start making a joy list about anything and everything and soon, joy thankfulness will just flow out naturally.

"She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness." - Prov 31:27

"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you."  - James 4:10

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." - 1 Cor 10:31 


Good Day Friend,
Mo 




Find JOY with Ann Voscamp

Seek (Him) More

I love when my Lord shows up in all his glory into my little life.

Yesterday and this morning I was getting caught up in doctrinal things.
It stemmed from a visit from some friendly JW women at my door. After they left I felt AGAIN that I didn't show the gospel as I should have. I then went online (instead of the Word) as anyone would do. A search all over internet land on how to handle those situations lead to one rabbit trail and to another and so on until I was getting deeper into matters I truly wish I had a fancy piece of paper to help me out with (if you catch what I'm saying).

This morning during prayer time in our little community church God spoke to me through a scripture reading and through the prayers of two of my brothers in Christ.

God showed up.
He spoke... to ME.
And I just needed to seek Him.

(Jesus)

I mentioned my weekend rabbit trail findings to my pastor this morning. 
At the end of our conversation he reminded me not to get caught up in the weedy thick matters, but to look for Him...

Jesus!


I did one of those...

the thing we do when we already know but didn't do it.

Ya, I know. Yes I've done this before. Old patterns, old ways, old man... however you want to put it. It's a hard thing to burry. Going somewhere else instead of going to the source. Getting caught up in the things of this world, seemingly good or bad. Rules, jewels, pride, ideas, ... 

it's just not Christ, it's not.

I'm reminded right now of the story bible I recently bought for my kids. Do you know the one? The one that threads Him through the pages. The The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name

"Every story (does) whisper his name"

Really. The entire Bible whispers my saviours name.

(Jesus Christ)

Romans 12:2 

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. - NLT 

and I Pray

God TRANSFORM me.

my mind
my ways
my everything

I melt.

When I think about how DEEP and WIDE His love is for me, I melt.

John 12:3

(NASB)

Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

Father, that your perfume, your scent would fill heart and my home.

Week 3 - Long title - long post. One of those weeks again. scattered and emotional

Well I'd like to say that it's been an unusual week but that would be lying. It seems since the move the unusual is becoming normal. Meaning, I AM HAVING TROUBLE getting back to a routine with our studies. The system (school) looks better and better whenever I feel the failure of my bar that I just didn't reach, again. 

I do forget that these are the best times, the joy times. I asked for JOY last year. But it was a year of SURRENDER. May this be my year of Joy? I believe so. But to get there I have to allow it. Letting the days flow; by God's grace, not staggered hunched over bitter saying - time wasting, wasting time. 

Can I relax, and let things happen... 

and learning grows not when being pushed?

Working within boundaries but not getting down on myself when MY plan doesn't follow through.

Isn't letting go always hard friends?

Time.

Can I give time to this family?

I forgot in months what I gained in a year of surrendering. My oh my, this Israel I am. 

When will this Momma grow up and learn. To be a child is once. ONCE.

What's a couple months, really.

I went from..

First year, "Oh ya I'm just doing what God wants us to do. I'm picking curriculum that I asked God about. Totally in Him."

Forward to now.

Me...ME....Me.... ALL ME!

Yup folks, apparently I'm the master of my life and my kids. 

Ya, nice one I know.

Control comes easy.

And letting go? 

Ya, that's hard.

So on to Monday...

Monday - Husband took the crew to the dog wash in the city while I worked on scheduling and planning for our new year in our new home and had some much needed alone time. Much! The pooches came home clean, yay! The kids played outside at the neighbours a couple doors down all afternoon on their lovely little skating rink; where I was informed that the Momma of that house was the goalie. What a gal!

Tuesday - Daddy left for work. No tears just joy, for Gods blessing. And I can't remember much of that day except for taking a picture of the kijiji table the husband refinished on his days off.



Wednesday - Adventure on the river bank. Sliding down the river bank of ice was such fun and imagining a fortress under an uprooted tree is something the boys want to go back to. The dogs ran up and down that bank! Kids and poochies were tuckered out. I wish I had photos. Luckily I soaked in the time with them and remember it in here. 

Eagle drew plans for the raft to get them across in summer and the tree fort for the backyard that evening.



I made a wee bit too much curry lentil soup for lunch.
It's been lunch 3 days in a row now, and there is still lots left in the fridge.
I'm learning how to cut back when the husband isn't home.



And hair cuts for the boys! 

Thursday - Some book work was done in the morning during my time out. 
A visit with home school families. 
Oh what JOY. I seriously needed it that day. 


****A little honesty - plug in.

I put this Mom in a time out this morning in her room.
When she yelled at the fireplace screen for falling off, I knew she needed a TIME OUT!

I've been obsessed with getting our home and schooling together that I forget to breath, to be IN HIM. And when I do take time to breath I allow myself to feel, to grieve the move, the loss of my community of women. I was feeling a tad overwhelmed this morning with hubs working away, the dogs, this bigger house, school (lack of), the kids, and ME my emotions. 

I wrote this this morning on my FB page: 
"Oh boy. God help me get my cruddy selfish "i cant do this" attitude adjusted here in the next minute and be the mother I'm suppose to be. Think rainbows and sunshine... hey maybe even a cute cartoon unicorn in there too!!"

-unicorns??? hhahaa ah whatever floats your boat.

Texting my husband with tears, I wrote to tell him my troubles.

He called us on his lunch break and came to my rescue. 
Put me in line and the kids too. 
Thank God for husbands who answer the call to FATHER and HUSBAND well. He told us to read Matthew 5 and so I punched into bible gateway the address and let the sound of the word wash over me, and hopefully running over the boys as well.
As I write I'm reminded of when I received news of my Dad needing heart surgery, and it was simple. The kids and I ran to THE Father. It was easy, I plastered scripture on the walls and prayed. It was EASY to fall on the feet of Jesus for that crisis.
So why now, over such a simple life am I having trouble?

*********

While I had tea with three other lovely ladies. The kids, all 18 or so of them went sledding. When the littles came in my boys went for a walk with a couple older brothers and 3 dogs in our woods. 

A list of what God provided on their walk: 
The oldest lad of the bunch rattled off information about the beaver lodge they saw, red willow being used for bows by the natives, and latin names for plants in the bush. Wow! That was a school day right there in that hour walk. Maggie dog also chased a semi - yes you read right, she ran out onto the highway and chased a very large transport truck while other vehicles honked horns to get her off. Ya, good thing she's cute!

It's Friday. 

All week I reviewed my schedule guideline for the rest of the academic year, printed, cut, laminated, cut some more. And I can now see the carpet in the loft.

 It's no longer filled with piles of paper and plastic cut-offs. 

We tidied house today and baked for visitors this afternoon. 

A family who moved out this way from where we used to live. Good to connect with the familiar. 

I ordered All About Spelling level 1 today. After a few years looking at it I dove in today. My husband also requested that I purchase Exploring Creation Anatomy for him and Eagle to work on together on his days off from work. So once I post this it's on to christian book to click the button for that book and most likely others, can't resist. 

Tomorrow's doggie class is coming soon, it's after midnight, so it's soon off to the hay stack for me.  

Joys of the week

Love the image of creativity!

All three with Lincoln logs before bed at Eagles desk. 

Someone was playing with my phone.

 Good weekend friends,
Mo

One of those days...

Do you ever have one of those days where you have excessive things on your mind?

I was outside at the old house when I took this shot of my northern sky.

It was one of those days when the sky took the busy away.

It was a sky so fresh and living, vibrant and true that it just sang the creators name.

Like a strong breeze, had just came in...

CHRIST.

Tonight, my mind cluttered with kid things, school things, now things and future things that when I pulled up this image it whispered my saviour like the first click of the shutter that fine day. 

The calm breeze singing his name that blows the cumulous over head.

How could he?

Why did he?

Think of me in this.

 In this sky he spoke of an age ago.

I'm no sap, but how can this God thing not make me squint my eyes and sigh desperately sweet.

"They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day" Genesis 3:8

God, You are my cool breeze in the day.

Ask for mess - receive Christ

The dryer tumbles, I add wood to the fire and both dogs asleep on my favourite orange rug.
I glance down at a list of joy things, slow things, to think about do.

It's been a long while since I've properly gauged my feelings and written my thoughts.

We've sold a house and moved to another a long distance away; new smells, new people, new adventures surround us. 
I've leaned into change or should I say I'm trying to embrace it. 
At least some things never change.

My God.

It's been hard, a hard letting go during these many many months. Letting go of ME. The stubborn, selfish, my way me.
On this blog, I've been absent, and for good reason. It's OK to take a break from trying to form or conform. It's OK to back away from something that may cause more mess at the end of the day. The striving, pushing to do things, just so - mess.

I'm learning.

These dogs here on my orange rug, they're a vehicle for some acceptance of mess. The normal everyday mess that I don't put on myself. The mess that brings you to tears or to smiles. And well these two girls have brought both to my life. This mess I'm in is breaking old habits off and hopefully creating healthier ones in place.

My God.
He's good at that.

Replacing, creating, moving, breaking, repairing.... All making a MESS!

I must be a better me.
... mother, wife, housekeeper, teacher, Christian, daughter, artist, writer, organizer, etc. 

ACK!

I'm weary of each word down, each hard to break but not unbreakable MUST in my life.

God make a mess in me, in us!

Those words. That call. That demanding. Are heavy. Powerful. 

I want to back out, back away through that door. The selfish wants to run away from Him. But that's fool talk. 


Ask and receive.
Ask for mess and receive Christ.
What better exchange is that!

Philippians 2

Good Day,
Mo    

Week 35 Wrap Up

We had a really good week.

Last weekend finished up the indoor soccer season for both of our boys.

Last Friday (forgot to mention this last week), we had our third Presentation Day (since I've been with the group) with other HS families. It was a good morning of sharing along with a few performances. With all the business with our life lately, I didn't expect my boys to present anything this year. I am the organizer, so I've felt obligated in the past for my kids to have something prepared. This year I let go and just asked them to bring their favourite thing, and they could decide to talk about it or not. Eagle brought his Geography notebook, but chose not to speak and Zazu brought Botony and chose to briefly say a few things. Zazu's favourite page in his notebook was his flower dissection page, he spoke briefly about what Botany was, "the study of flowers". It's actually plants, but who wants to correct a cute six year old, when with a slight smile o his little face says "the study of flowers". My boy likes flowers. He'll be a great husband one day. 

Now on to MONDAY

Our week was full, and to start it off was as always, chores, then to a little book work.

After lunch we had our friend over with her little baby girl, which was such a treat. Zazu was able to hold her for a moment, which really warmed his heart. 

Those moments are times when I do the "school vs homeschool" scenario. Do you ever do that? I do it often. Now, if Zazu were a typical classroom kid, he would have missed out on cuddling our friends little girl just after lunch on Monday. He would have also missed out on Eagle's Lego Club live class through currclick that afternoon.

Monday was the first time we've actually been able to log on to be part of the Lego class. Our schedule or lack of time management prevented logging in. We were thrilled when I happened to be organized enough for Eagle to participate. Eagle enjoyed the class. He anticipates the next class. He found it interesting to be able to chat with kids not just in the USA, but in Australia.  

This windmill came out of the Live Lego currclick class.

TUESDAY was my morning ladies bible study, and the kids stayed home with Dad to get school work done and to spend a little time at home with Dad instead of me. Love those mornings, again because my husband is a shift worker, the kids are able to spend whole days with their Dad during the week. Not possible with in a typical school situation.

Later that afternoon Eagle and I had a dentist appointment. It went well. The hygenist refreshed Eagle in proper care of his teeth and gums. We also talked about braces for him and maybe an invisiline product for myself. It was a good day.

As you can see, we are nearing the end of winter here. Although there hasn't been much of winter here or anywhere else for that matter. Nothing like kicking around a soccer ball in a light sweater and big winter boots. My guys are cute.

WEDNESDAY, I took the opportunity to book a study room at the library. Zazu had a hard time focusing, wanting to drink and drink and run to the bathroom, and whine and drink water and whine. 
We were meeting some HS friends to play at the facility (library is part of it) after, and getting things done with a good attitude was a requirement to have play time. I made it clear several times what was expected and the possibility of missing out. He missed out on most of the play time. Lesson learned. I always, always cave. I didn't this time, because I felt convicted if I continued on that path of feeling guilty and caving in, that in the end I was doing him a disservice. 
The HS guilt. Do you get that too? The empty threats then the, "It's OK if you don't do that, or have a bad attitude about that, you can still play with a HS friend, no problem." The as some nonHS people might call it "socialization" or how I like to call it "hanging out with somebody other than your siblings and mother all the time" syndrome. Let's face it. Sometimes I just need to talk to someone else other than my kids, and well so do they. That's the HS guilt. Putting aside what you had planned or warned them not to do or do. And that's why I ALWAYS cave, execpt for that day. I hope he learned a lesson. I felt good when I did it too. Empowered almost, like "you're not walking all over me today kid".


THURSDAY was another full day. We had a little birthday party to attend in the morning. I booked a couple hour time slot to get school work done at the library again that afternoon. The time in the study room went much better if you're wondering, than the day before.


Now that brings us to...
FRIDAY or GOOD FRIDAY


We spent the day resting from our busy week. Eagle read a book, I rested on the couch in the afternoon, while the little two played with Lego and school toys. If you are wondering what school toys are. School toys are anything that is obviously educational and it's always kept in our storage room. 
Example: Stringing beads and play-dough is kept in the educational section, only to be used during school time or if I pull it out on a separate occasion. Look down you'll see the robots Zazu built, they're a school toy, but with Lego as the exception.

Hot Cross buns (store bought) were for snack. 

Eagle really enjoys these guys, they aren't my favourite.

I asked Eagle to look for the connection with Hot Cross buns and Easter in this book, Lilies, Rabbits, and Painted Eggs: The Story of The Easter Symbols

It turns out Christians and Jews weren't the only ones eating these. There seemed to be connections to non-religious activities as well. People used to eat them on Good Friday for luck that their house wouldn't be plagued with fire. Some people even hung them dried in their homes to ward off evil. We talked about what this was called. 

Eagle got it. Superstition. Smart lad!

The following are a couple shots of what Zazu worked on on Friday and wanted a photo of. 

Happy Christ filled Easter,

Mo

This post was part of this weeks weekly wrap-up hosted by weirdunsocializedhomschoolers.com