Testing Season

My sweet man enjoys galloping the globe, well maybe just a portion of the globe, as he helps administering regional dental exams at various dental schools in the north east region. He loves this experience and getting to be a part of it all. He hates being away from us and boy do we not enjoy when he is gone. This month, he has been gone two weekends. He has two more for next month. I told a friend we are smack dab in the middle of testing season for sure. I love seeing him excited for any of his work God has called him to do. It is exciting to watch him step out in new ways and find his footing.

That got me to thinking...that is kind of what our year has been like. I am the "teaching day coordinator" for our homeschool co-op this year. I work with 5 other women on a steering committee to help guide our group through decisions that need to be made. It feels as if this year we have had more than our fair share of bumps on this journey. I struggle with wondering if it is because of my leadership, but then God will gently tell me....it's testing season.

Any time we go through a season of testing in our faith walk, I feel a bit uneasy at first. Once I see who my struggle is for or against, I am stubborn enough to dig my feet in and fight for God with all my might. I cling to the truth of His Word and know that in the past He has always been faithful to bring me out of these seasons of testing shining for Him in a way I never would have expected. God's grace during this time has been amazing!

I see His creativity in each sunrise/sunset. I feel His tender care of me as I seek Him out through prayer. I hear Him speaking to my heart as I read His Word. Times of testing, whether in schooling or in life, are really handled the same way. Do we do all that we can to prepare for each?

In school, you read all you can to gain information needed to pass the test. In our faith, we need to be reading God's Word to gather all the knowledge we can of just who our God truly is and what He wants of each of us and pass the test. In school, we seek out the wisdom of teachers. In life, we need to seek out the wisdom of our heavenly Father through prayer and reading His Word. In school, we consult with fellow students before taking the test to see if they have any insights we have not considered. In life, we need to do the same with fellow believers who have walked similar paths we are on during our time of testing. God gives each of us tests to grow us in our faith and bring us closer to Him. Are you facing a testing season? Are you prepared?

No More Lies!

Wow! What a few weeks I have had in dealing with co-op issues and family drama. It happens. there are just seasons in life where we have more drama than others. For me, it just makes me dig deeper to figure out a solution with the truths of God's Word and much prayer! For others, they get overwhelmed and can't see the light. I hate when that happens to anyone, especially one of my girls.

Lately, one of my girls has really struggled with the way God has created her. She wants to be more bubbly and giggly so others want to be with her. Yet she is the more studious, sweet, polite girl who others want on their team for vocabulary games but forget to save a seat at the lunch table. She fears she is a nerd and no one wants to be her friend. Oh boy! Those lies sure have a way of seeping in and feeling like truth.

Add on top of that, the fact that my side of the family all go to the same school. Her best buddy cousins all are on the same sports team. They are so wrapped up in life together and that is so good for them! Yet it so hurts her to not be included in private jokes, stories about stuff they did or are going to do. What hurts more is when she is pushed aside so they can talk about something private. She just takes that and makes it a lie that they don't love her and no one cares about her. If they had any idea just how badly she feels coming to family get togethers or that she cries herself to sleep after being with them, they would so work on this, but that is not the issue. They are not the problem. It is inside her. The lies she tells herself and believes.

While the momma bear claws in me want to come out and rescue her, I pray. I realize that none of these issue or incidents are meant to be hurtful. No, they are a result of lies we tell ourselves and believe to be true. So how does a mom help her girl stop the lies straight from the pits of hell? Oh, we sing and read words of truth from God. :)

What is true, sweet girl? What is true is that you are a chosen daughter of God. You are a jewel in His eyes. You are precious, created in His image, the only one just like you! You are beautiful inside and outside. You are cherished by your family. Adored by your friends and truly respected by those younger and older than you. You are a child of God who seeks Him more than anyone else I know. You are the one who will follow His ways no matter how much you feel the pull of the world. You are His. You are a servant of God. You are a joy to be with. You stand up for what is right. You cling to God's truths and strive to be known as a Jesus Freak. You are brilliant in school work. You are a radiant dancer who gives all her talent back to God and claim little praise if any. You beam for Him. You are chosen by God to bring joy into my life and you do it with excellence. You are a daughter who is treasured, a sister who is adored and a cousin who is loved. You are beautiful! You are my gift from God. You are the only one who could do what God has called you to do and you will do it with nothing less than the excellence you demand of yourself. You are a young lady of integrity. You are precious and honored in His sight. God knows every single hair on your head!! Who would know that about someone if they did not love them?! ;) You, my child, are no mistake. You are the only one who could do just what you do and shine. Shine on, sweet girl! I pray you never believe another lie about yourself, but if you do....start telling yourself what is true! And if you need a little help, I will always be there to help you get started!

Blizzard Bloghop

What fun! I am participating in the Blizzard Bloghop. I am hoping it will help me to shake off those winter blahs and refocus as I start a new year of blogging our family's activities and lessons God has prepared for me to learn. So this first blogpost with the Bloghop, I am to introduce myself. So, this is me and my sweet man, who I have been married to fo 19 years:

And these are my two girlies which I homeschool and always have:

Bean and Doodle

I write my blog for me really, but it started as a way for me to jot down those special events and little moments of our day through the journey of homeschooling. I had no intention of writing more. Little did I know that God would use this blog as a way to reach my heart more and to allow me to see His hand in all we do. I write about schooling, family, modesty, various projects and just life at our home. I hope to focus more on what God is showing me through His Word as well as His creation this year. My focus for this year is becoming a cheerful servant to my family and those around me. I think I need to work on the cheerful portion a lot more than I care to admit! :) Regardless, enjoy looking around at Doodlebean Adventures. I will do the same as we hop through winter together!

Dots galore!

If you recall, this summer we painted Bean's old room to create Doodle's new "teen room". It has been so fun to decorate this room or shall I say to watch Doodle decorate this room. As she is 13, I let her do what she wanted, within reason of course. She painted the room a light blue this summer and found her bed. I wrote about that earlier. You can read about that here if you like. Anyway, we have had much luck with finding cute curtains, paint, and the bed. However, we have struggled in finding what exactly Doodle wanted for her bed. She knew she like brown and blue and dots. She just couldn't find what she wanted. Luckily, in December I went on an internet hunt to find something she might like and we had great success!

Doodle opening her last Christmas gift which arrived a bit late. :)

For Christmas, I purchased her bedding and the fun dots she has placed all over her wall. Well, actually, she has moved them recently to only having them around the top as a border of her room. Regardless, they leave no marks on the wall and can be swapped around until they lose their stickiness. I think she finally figured out what she liked and will keep them as they are for a bit.

Doodle on her new bedding.

Doodle's desk area, cute curtains and storage stool.

More dots!

I am just thankful she likes what she has created with her new space. It is precious!

Support is Amazing

I know reading that title some of you ladies might think I am going to discuss under wire...but nope, not going there. :) I just felt the need to share what amazing friends I have after experiencing their loving support at Bean's baptism. I think Matt and I both felt overwhelmed by the outpouring of family and friends who came to support Beanie. We had both sets of grandparents, all siblings, all but one of their spouses, all but 2 cousins, and lots of friends both new and "seasoned". :) It was truly precious.

Daddy and Bean getting ready for her big moment!

As I flipped through the pictures of that sweet moment and the times following at lunch, I was brought to tears...good ones....when I got to this picture:

These two ladies, Lori and Lainie, are two of the four ladies I call and have called during lifes most precious moments as well as the most frustrating moments. I can not tell you what a blessing all four of these women have been in my life and continue to be with each celebration or struggle. What I pray is that we will continue to do life together and support one another as our kids grow up. One day, we might actually be able to eat lunch together again! Ha! Until then, we celebrate these milestones in each other's children's lives and pray fervently for one another. What a blessing to have support of women of God who love me enough to tell me I am out of line with God's Word or to cry when I cry, laugh when I laugh or scream when we both are needing a good scream. Being loved unconditionally is a beautiful thing. I pray they know it is mutual! :) Love ya ladies!

Change is in the Air!

Mmmm...can you feel it? With each new year, I find myself seeking out ways to improve myself or really ways to become more of the woman of God that He created me to be. Not so much into setting New Year's resolutions really. I just enjoy the clean slate and fresh start to being who God made me to be! So with that, comes change. Some of my friends really hate change. Sadly, I think I like it because I am so easily off focus! I really struggle when things are too structured because I enjoy change typically.

So what's on the agenda for changing this year, you ask? Well, I have been in a slump with my quiet time for some time now. I know what I need to function in the job God has called me to as a wife, mom and homeschool teacher. I can not do any of those with out that time with God. And yet, I have been choosing extra sleep, chores, playing on computer, talking on phone, reading books...etc...to replace that time I so desire with God.

When I do take that time, I am so refreshed and blessed beyond words. I see Him in all of my day. I can feel Him with me and He helps me to speak the words that I need to or to silence me when I need to not speak. Oh, how I need to be silenced more than I would ever dream!

So first things first, I am really enjoying being a part of this new group of women who meet with God and then share what He is showing them through that time. It is called Good Morning Girls. I have followed the blog of the founder for a while and am so encouraged by her so I felt it would be something to have accountability in this goal of meeting with God each morning before my girls get up. Those of you who know me, know that I am not good at mornings. So this is a sacrifice indeed. But, I already feel the difference. I am beginning to see God in all of my day again. I see Him in the laundry I do by realizing that each piece of clothing He has provided. I see Him in the meals I prepare as I realize that He meets our every need. I see Him in my children as I witness childlike faith first hand and realize how I need to seek God. Oh, the joy of obedience! There will be more changes coming. But for now, that is the biggest and oh my, the sweetest. It has been way too long!

Big Decisions!

Do you ever wonder if you are doing the right thing with your kids? Man, I do...way too often especially as we lead them on their walk with Jesus Christ. Bean has come to us from time to time over the past almost three years asking to be baptized at various locations. At times it is in the ocean on vacation, in grandparents pool or at the lake house in the summer. Regardless of where or when, we always have asked why did she desire to be baptized first of all and then why in that location. After Doodle lead Bean to the Lord almost three years ago (March), we did not push the baptism portion as she was so young and we wanted to make sure she was fully aware of what commitment she was making to her Lord. With that, we also wanted to make sure that when she desired to do this step of obedience in her walk, that she was prepared to yell it from the mountain top that Jesus Christ is her Lord and Savior. For those of you who know our Beanie, well that is not her personality. She is painfully shy. Her reasons for not wanting to be baptized all the other times was because of the crowd. She did not want to do it in front of all the people at church, which made her daddy and I feel that maybe she wasn't quite ready to take that step. True, it is a personal thing between her and God, but the act of baptism, we felt, was a public one of a private decision and we wanted to make sure she was ready to stand firm for what she had chosen before. I don't know that I am making sense here, but I think you know what I mean. So we waited. We talked. We prayed with her and for guidance in how to know when she was ready. What a decision to make!

Earlier this week, she asked again and this time she wanted to do it at church with all of her friends and family there. Why? Because she loves Jesus and wants to let everyone know she wants to live with Him forever. Finally, we are at a place where there is peace in knowing she understands what this means and why it is important to do this publicly....although now that she is ready to do it publicly, I so would let her do the ocean if she wanted. It was a heart thing, not the location, if that makes any sense.

So, today, I get to stand by with friends and family and watch my sweet girl be baptized by her daddy. What a precious joy to know that both of our girls will be eternally with Jesus and that we all will be there together worshipping our Lord. There is such peace in that. As much joy as I have in this decision being made, I can't help but think of the multitudes in heaven that will be rejoicing today as Bean makes that final step in her step of faith. Glorious! There is no other word. I pray I don't lose it while I witness it all and try to wrap my brain around how God must feel to witness this child of His find her way to Him. I think we all know that is not possible! :) I am just rejoicing in the fact this decision has been made and that my girl is continuing to grow in her confidence in God. Glorious indeed!

That's my Beanie! :)