Rejoicing Again!

Last November,
Austin was baptized.
We rejoiced.

And now,
we are rejoicing again!


Calvin expressed his desire
to be baptized during the winter months.
A few things delayed the process,
which meant that he had to patiently wait.


This past Sunday,
Calvin followed his Saviour,
the Lord Jesus Christ,
in the waters of baptism.
He obeyed the LORD's command
in the Scriptures to do so.

"And Jesus came and spake unto them,
saying, All power is given unto me
in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you:
and lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world. Amen."

~ Matthew 28:18-20 ~





We are eternally grateful
to the LORD for His Goodness.
For His Grace and Mercy.
We praise Him from
Whom all blessings flow!

The LORD has done this.


Auntie Mary was able to join with us ~
She was already in town for the wedding.
Many of our extended family were able to come and witness
this joyous event as well. We are so thankful!

May the LORD be glorified
through the lives of each
of our children.
We pray that He would graciously
lead each one to Himself.
We depend completely and utterly upon Him.
HE alone is Worthy!

If you are praying for unsaved
loved ones, be encouraged.
As long as there is breath,
there is hope.
Continue to pray.

"Continue in prayer, and watch
in the same with thanksgiving."
~ Colossians 4:2 ~

The LORD truly does
all things well!

Many Blessings,
Camille

Faith-Building Stories for Kids

I've been using these

books for devotional times
with Emma.
We read the suggested passage
of Scripture and discuss it.
The stories provide further
opportunity for teaching
and encouragement.

The boys have,
at one time or another,
used them too.

The stories are based on
true events and are
encouraging and uplifting.
They often reveal something
Great about our
Wonderful Saviour.

He truly is Great.


This "Building on the Rock"
series of books would
make a wonderful gift.
It would also be a great
addition to any home library.


Click Here to find them on
Christian Book Distributors.
At the bottom of the page of the link provided,
you will find the books listed individually
for purchase separately.


We are thankful that
they were given to us! :)

Many Blessings,
Camille

**I am not compensated in
any way for this review ~
I share because these books
have been a blessing in our own home.

Faith-Building Gift Ideas

Need some gift ideas?

How about one of the following
books/magazines?
I've compiled a list of some of
our favourites below.

Happy Shopping!

A One Year Subscription to "Answers" Magazine ~
this is a fabulous resource for any family!

If you have not heard of
Answers in Genesis,
I would encourage you to go and check out their website ~
you will find that they have so many amazing,
faith-building materials available...
really, it's wonderful!

C.H. Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening" devotional ~
This is a classic and a *must-have*
(in my opinion) for every Christian.
We have found the readings in this devotional
book to be a blessing to us year after year after year.
Timeless.

Jerry Bridges' "Holiness ~ Day by Day" devotional ~
Another classic daily reading that will become a favourite.

"365 Days With Calvin"
is a recent addition to our own
library and has (so far) been a blessing.

If you are a Christian homeschool family,
and you do not have a copy of
"When You Rise Up" by R.C. Sproul Jr.,
you *must* get your hands on one!
It is so incredibly encouraging to those of us seeking to do
this task with joyful hearts as unto the LORD.
I cannot possibly tell you in this little space
what a blessing it has been to my own heart and life.
It really is *that* good!

"Little Pilgrim's Progress"
is a faithful adaptation of
Bunyan's classic work that in no way undermines the original.
If you have children between the ages of 9 and 14, this would
be a great blessing to read aloud with them.

This book is a blessing and
seeks to answer these and many other
questions from a biblical standpoint.

It is such an encouragement
to the weary Christian's heart.


"Both Paul and James speak of rejoicing in our sufferings
(see Romans 5:3-4; James 1:2-4).
Most of us, if we are honest with ourselves,
have difficulty with that idea.
Endure them, perhaps, but rejoice?
That often seems like an unreasonable expectation.
We are not masochistic; we don't enjoy pain.

But Paul and James both say that we should rejoice
in our trials because of their beneficial results.
It is not the adversity considered in itself that is
to be the ground of our joy.
Rather, it is the expectation of the results,
the development of our character,
that should cause us to rejoice in adversity.
God does not ask us to rejoice because we have
lost our job or a loved one has been stricken with cancer
or a child has been born with an incurable birth defect.
But He does tell us to rejoice because we believe
He is in control of those circumstances
and is at work through them for our ultimate good.

The Christian life is intended to be one of continuous growth.
We all want to grow, but we often resist the process.
This is because we tend to focus on the events of adversity themselves,
rather than looking with the eye of faith beyond
the events to what God is doing in our lives....

We are to look beyond our adversity to what
God is doing in our lives and rejoice in the certainty
that He is at work to cause us to grow."

~ Quoted from
"Trusting God Even When Life Hurts"
(Pages 186-87)
by Jerry Bridges ~

May the LORD guide us all
as we seek to follow HIM.

Many Blessings,
Camille

Rejoicing!

The LORD is Good!
Always.

Prior to any of our children
being born into our family,
we prayed for their Salvation.

We prayed that they would
love the LORD and follow HIM.
We prayed that HE would have their hearts.

We continue to pray.

This past Sunday,
Austin followed the Lord Jesus Christ
in the waters of baptism.

He obeyed the LORD's command.
By God's Grace.

"And Jesus came and spake
unto them, saying,
All power is given unto me
in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you:
and lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world.
Amen."
~ Matthew 28:18-20 ~

We are rejoicing!

Rejoicing in God's Mercy.
In HIS Goodness.
In HIS Grace.

"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me;
and all that come to me I will in no wise cast out."
~ John 6:37 ~

May the LORD have the hearts of
each of our children.
Be encouraged.
As long as there is breath,
there is hope.

The LORD is Faithful.
And HE does all things well.

Many blessings,
Camille

**Photos courtesy of Calvin ~
Thank you my love. xo

Simply Thanks

On this Canadian Thanksgiving Day,
I give thanks ~
S.I.M.P.L.Y.

For things not simple ~
P.R.O.F.O.U.N.D.

The children join in and we
R.E.J.O.I.C.E.

855. For my Wonderful Saviour Who continually forgives

856. For children to train up and nurture for HIS glory

857. For a godly husband to walk the path of life with

858. For family to love

859. For friends

860. For shelter

861. For furniture

862. For food

863. For clothes

864. For transportation

865. For God's Word and how it changes my heart

866. For good sermons in abundance

867. For ears to hear

868. For eyes to see

869. For working arms and legs

870. For health and strength

871. For music

872. For quiet and peace

873. For rest

874. For patience extended

875. For grace and mercy

876. For joy in the midst of the trials of life

877. For HIS enduring promises and blessings that never fail!

Thoughts on Homeschool ~ Pt. 4 (the end)

If you are interested in the previous posts in this series,
you will find links to the Introduction by clicking here,
Part One by clicking here,
Part Two here, and Part Three here.

If homeschool is not for you,
please know that I am not offended and do not wish to offend.
Click here to read a previous post addressing this.
May the LORD help us all to lead our young ones faithfully to HIM!

If you are just beginning to homeschool, are thinking of homeschool,
or are a veteran homeschool family, I would HIGHLY recommend
getting yourself a copy of

"When You Rise Up"
by R.C. Sproul Jr.


This book has been used in a wonderful way in my heart!
I wish I could buy each of you a copy!
It is that good!
(Notice all the sticky notes I have marking mine?)

I found out about it from a young Mom who is just beginning to homeschool.
When I read Tami's post about this book
my heart went out to her.
Her questions spurred on some of the following thoughts...

We cannot get it "ALL" done!
BUT we do seem to get done what is really IMPORTANT to us!
Each individual homeschool Mum
(and non-homschool Mum, for that matter)
makes choices each and every day.

What is IMPORTANT to you?

Is it to have a PERFECT house?
Or make a HOME?
Is it to be able to eat off the floor or
have a semblance of order with the important things relatively clean?

Is it IMPORTANT to get a weekly date at the spa
and have coffee nights out with your friends?

Is it IMPORTANT to exercise exlusively at the gym or
go for a walk or bike ride with your children?

Is it IMPORTANT to maintain a blog at the rate of
a post a day, a week, a month??

Is it IMPORTANT to have time alone with the LORD daily?

What is IMPORTANT to you?
Fill in the blank with whatever the answer is.

The LORD gave us ONLY 24 hours in the day,
and I would submit to you that there is enough time to do all
HE calls us to do in it!

How often I have done what I WANTED
to do rather than what I SHOULD do!

Again, I would say that we make time for the things we
value as PRIORITY.

The World would tell us that WE are the priority.
WE must do something for ourselves or
we will wither up and die!

Is this really TRUE ~
or just another lie that we have embraced?

Our niece was recently in Ghana.
The experiences she had and the things she observed put me to shame.
Those people have no "extra" time.

They SURVIVE.

Yet, in the midst of it all,
they are CONTENT and even JOYFUL!!

If we would view our children as the
BLESSING that they are,
and think Biblically about them,
we may find our PRIORITIES will come into clearer focus.


So, back to the question ~
How do you accomplish "real" life and get it
ALL done while "doing" school?

Each family has a unique mix of children.
Things are always in a state of change when there are children in the home.
While the children are young, they require so much physical care
and contribute very little to the running of the home.

But this situation is short-lived.

They quickly become capable and willing to be a help.
Even a small (3 year old) child can help with simple chores.
"Mummy folds the laundry while you run it to the right location for me!"
Make it FUN.
They WANT to help!

AND before long, they REALLY will be
a help! REALLY! :)

Our eight year old girl LOVES to wash dishes!
That comes in handy right now as our dishwasher is broken. :)
Yes, she takes longer to do it and makes a bit of a mess in the process,
but she is occupied HELPING and is JOYFUL about it!!

Teaching happens ALL DAY LONG.
Yes, there are academics to be tackled,
but there is SO MUCH of life that is just LIVING.
Include the children in the tasks of the day.

When we began homeschool, our children were 10, 8, 6, and 3 years old.
I found that we could work for an hour together on the "essentials" ~
dishes, laundry, vacuuming, etc...
and accomplish in that ONE hour
what would have taken me about THREE hours to do alone.
Essentially, the children "gave back" two hours a day to me,
which I then could use for teaching.
Interesting, isn't it?

I would encourage any young mother just beginning in this journey to
think through a "daily duties" routine, and include the children!

How does that look in our home?
Each child is responsible for at least one specific "daily duty"
and remains in that "office" until such a time as I think it is best
to rotate them into the next job.
(Probably not for at least a year ~
time enough for them to become proficient at it,
and for me to not have to worry about it).

This way, you train one child well in their job and they do it consistently.
If it is not done properly or not at all,
you will know who is responsible.
It is also "ease of operation" for Mum.
No great long explanations or instructions are necessary.

When I say "chore time" they all know what is expected.
As they get older they will be capable of more,
and they will be more efficient at it.

Also, keep in mind that if you begin homeschool at the begining,
you will likely have only ONE child doing academic studies and
it will take a relatively small amount of concentrated time to teach
him or her in the early grades.

As that child grows and the next child is introduced to formal "school",
presumably, the older child will be a little more independent in their studies.
You will be able to assign seat work to him or her
while you work with their younger sibling.

As for what to do with toddlers and babies during the "teaching" time ~
maybe the "formal" academics could take place during nap time
or some other time when the little ones are happiest.
I've also found it to be a blessing to engage the older siblings in
one-on-one time with the younger children.
I have set the timer for 30 minutes while an older child plays with
or reads to a younger child.
And then they "rotate" and another child takes over.

There are so many ways this will play out and each year
(or multiple times throughout the year), tweaking will be necessary,
but the principle remains the same...
you are TRAINING children for the LORD and HIS glory...
not FIRST to be brain surgeons, lawyers, etc...
God will lead your family along as you seek HIM for wisdom.

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,
that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not;
and it shall be given him."
~ James 1:5 ~

Managers of Their Homes
is a fabulous resource to help bring order and
productivity to your home.

It can be done!

AND if you are wondering how to go about it,
I would highly recommend getting your hands on this book!

One more recommendation for you regardless of
the stage you are at in the journey is ~
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.


I have relished each copy that I have received!
The articles are full of encouragement from other Homeschool
families who have "been there" and "done that".
I have not been disappointed in the least with it.
In fact, the only time I was disappointed was when
my subscription ran out!

One last thought...
DO NOT allow yourself to get "bogged down" by the "system's"
objectives for your child.

Your child is, after all,
YOUR child and you must never allow yourself to
believe that "they" know best and are
"better equipped" to do the task!!
Oh...how easy it is to fall into this trap!

It IS a trap!!

WE know our children best.
WE have a love for our children that is God-given.
AND we are called by God to raise them FOR HIM!!

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

Be sure to get your own copy of
"When You Rise Up"
for more encouragement in these precious truths!

Blessings to each of you!
In Him,
Camille

**Disclaimer ~ I am in no way compensated for the product
recommendations given in this post.
I only share them because they have been a blessing to me
and I trust they will be of benefit to you as well.

The Power of Music

I have visibly seen the effect of good music.

AND the effect of music that is not so good.

The workings of it have been witnessed in my own soul.

For good and for bad.



There have been times when I have encountered my

children playing together ~

doing something like Lego,

and the attitudes and words exchanged

amongst themselves were not edifying.



Quietly I turn on *the* music...

happy, children's music ~

Scripture in song.



A transformation takes place.

The children *suddenly* are happier...

joyful...

and kind.



They sing along...

almost subconsciously.

And they don't even realise what I have done.



I.N.T.E.R.E.S.T.I.N.G.



Music is powerful.



What are we filling our minds and homes with?

Pause to consider the effect.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;

teaching and admonishing one another in

psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

~ Colossians 3:16 ~



Many Blessings,

Camille

Leading Our Children to the Throne of Grace

Devotional times...what does that mean, exactly?

We are to live a life of devotion to the LORD.

We are to guide our little (and not so little) ones

to do the same.

How do we go about it?



"...precept upon precept; line upon line...

here a little, and there a little."

Isaiah 28:10 selected



Daily.

In the rhythm of life.

With the LORD's help and grace.

We cannot do it in our own strength ~

We need HIM each step of the way!



When we sit down, and rise up, and walk by the way ~

taken from Deuteronomy 6:7.



While the children are young, we have a morning devotional

time with them ~ one on one, or one on two.

When the children begin to mature in their own walk with the LORD,

we encourage them to get alone with God and His Word

before the day begins.



We gather as a family after the evening meal.

We set the time aside to read and pray and sing.

The focus is God's Word.

We systematically read through a few verses at a time

(sometimes the entire chapter)

as we make our way through a book of the Bible.

We discuss the questions that may arise.

The Word of God is held in high esteem ~

other books are helps, but not the focus.



We also use the London Baptist Confession of 1689 which

C.H. Spurgeon held to in his congregation about 150 years ago ~

it is solely based on Scripture and features a question and answer format.

We have found it to be very beneficial in grounding us in those things

that are to be held fast to in our faith...a great blessing!



Do we sound PERFECT?

WE are NOT ~

but HE is!

AND we look to HIM for the way to go.

We need HIM to lead us as we lead our young ones.

All of the books pictured above, and linked to below,

have been a blessing to our family over the years.

The boys have each used "A Faith to Grow On"

for their own personal quiet times in days gone by.

Pastor John MacArthur teaches the basic truths of God's Word

faithfully in an easy to understand format...

in "bite-sized" chunks.



The book pictured above has a different cover than the one

you will find at the link provided, but the content is the same.



The "Miller Family Series"

of books incorporates Biblical truths into stories

that each of our children have enjoyed.

We have used these books as read-aloud supplements

to the Word of God during quiet times.

The Miller family is fictional and the stories are set

in an Amish community.



Another amazing book is a rewrite of the classic by Bunyan.

We have read it aloud to our children more than once, much to their delight.

"Little Pilgrim's Progress"is true to the original

and is certainly appropriate for any young teen.



Don't steer clear of it if your children are younger,

you will all benefit from reading it out loud ~

it has been an INCREDIBLE blessing to both of us as parents

as well as our children.



One word of caution if you will be reading this to young children ~

Please be aware that this is a faithful adaptation of the classic,

which means that there are some potentially frightening scenes included.

These deal with Christian's struggles with various enemies as he

journeys to the Celestial City.



Helen L. Taylor is the author and she does a wonderful job of

simplifying this beautiful Christian Classic.

You will not likely find it in your local Christian bookstore.

If you click on the titles above, you will find that they link

to the sites where they can be purchased.



"Leading Little Ones to God"

has a more in depth and thorough handling of the Doctrines of Scripture.

Do not be afraid to delve into these deeper truths with your children...

they are very rich and necessary for their appreciation of the God we serve.

This book has chapters that are usually only a couple of pages long ~

a very manageable amount for family devotional times.

You will likely find that the ideas presented here will

facilitate wonderful discussions with your children.

Once again, the cover is different from the one you will find at the link,

but the content largely remains the same.



Seek, with the Lord's help, to set aside time each day

to have devotions with your children.

It is vital to their Spiritual growth and

to their knowledge of the Holy.

We are, after all, called to this ~

"Train up a child in the way he should go:

and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Proverbs 22:6



May the LORD give us each the enabling, the strength,

and the grace to carry out this all-important calling.

HE is able!



In Him,

Camille





*A repost from the archives with some new information added

*Resources recommended from our experience only ~

not compensated or solicited

Thoughts on Homeschool ~ Pt. 3

This is the third in a series of posts on homeschool.
You will find the first post here,
the second here, and the last post here.

There is also a "Why We Homeschool?"
post if you are interested.

Change...life is about change. Nothing stays the same.
When you have a "perfect" schedule you will
find that it doesn't remain static.
Tweaking and fine-tuning are always necessary.
If there is one thing I have learned from
Home educating our children it is this!

Be flexible.
Welcome change ~
it is the springboard of opportunity.
Do not get frustrated...embrace it!

Having said all that...
God IS a God of order.
We DO need schedules or time gets wasted.
But don't get DRIVEN by the schedule...
daily seek HIS guidance and grace to
do the next thing.

I was recently asked ~
What would I do the same and what would I do differently
now that I have four years of homeschooling behind me?

The same? ~

Order and routine are the things
I would most definitely keep.

Change? ~

I would keep reminding myself of the REAL
reason we live and breathe and have our being.
As it states in Spurgeon's Catechism;
which is based on the
London Baptist Confession of Faith ~
Answer to question # 1 ~
"Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy HIM forever."
I would seek to more earnestly measure
everything against this standard.

I recently acquired a copy of the book "When You Rise Up" by R.C. Sproul Jr.
and have been challenged and encouraged in this calling of homeschool.
If you are considering homeschool,
or are a "veteran" in the pursuit ~
I would HIGHLY recommend purchasing this book.
It has been SUCH a blessing to my heart!
How precious that we have been given these days with our children!
May we make the most of every moment ~
For HIS GLORY!

The following links are for you to consider as you are able.
They are all written beautifully and thoughtfully by a
lovely homeschool Mum who has many more years
of schooling behind her than I.
Ann Voskamp has provoked me to both tears and
laughter with her witty and accurate portrayal of life
"in the trenches".
She writes from the heart with a beautiful focus on the LORD,
which I greatly appreciate.
Following, you will find the links to four of her
"homeschool" posts that have been a blessing to me.
Might you find encouragement and insight within each of them!

The first is a thought provoking article on holistically homeschooling.

This one addresses the question ~ How do I begin?

Next up ~ a beautifully written and insightful post.

And finally ~ one full of wise insight!

May the LORD bless these thoughts to your heart as you look to
HIM for direction for your family.
HE is the ONE from Whom all wisdom flows.

"If any of you lack wisdom,
let him ask of God,
that giveth to all men liberally,
and upbraideth not;
and it shall be given him."
James 1:5

Thoughts on Homeschool ~ Pt. 2

Thinking of beginning?
If not, do not feel the need to read further.
If so, it's of the utmost importance to
get your "house in order" ~
First things first.

We belong to the LORD and our children are given to us for a very short time to teach and train
"in the way that they should go".

How can that best be accomplished?
Oh, the ways and means are many and there are so many options
that shout out for our attention!

What would be my first piece of advice to the propective homeschool family?
First, be sure you have prayed about this and committed it to the LORD.
Next, be sure that you and your spouse are
ON THE SAME PAGE!
DO NOT venture out on your own!!

OH. DEAR. ME.

THAT is a recipe for disaster!
You will need one another to strengthen and encourage when the
"going gets tough"! :)


We wrote out a "pros and cons" list.
VERY helpful in the decision making process.
Once the decision has been made,
it is beneficial to keep that little (or big) piece of paper
for review every so often.
It will be a source of encouragement.
You will be glad you did it.

What is your end goal?
Is the reason for home education primarily so that your child can have a fabulous education? Enter college early? Have less (or no) homework at night? To develop sibling friendships? To open up opportunities for travel? To have control over what is (and is not) taught to your child? To instill a Biblical world view into them from a young age? To protect them from bullying or other difficulties found in schools? To see that they are given a safe environment in which to grow and mature BEFORE venturing out into the "real" world?
This list could go on and on.
Whatever the reason(s)...be sure you know WHY you homeschool.


Do not feel as though you have to
E.X.P.L.A.I.N.
to everyone you meet
(from the grocery clerk to the random people you pass on the street)
W.H.Y. you homeschool.

Only answer this question IN DEPTH
to those who CARE and really WANT to know! ;-)
Figure out a kind and concise way to briefly explain why you homeschool,
and use that reason every time you are asked by a stranger.
And do it with a SMILE!
Usually that will suffice.

If they REALLY want to know more and you have the time,
by all means, answer their questions.
They may look back on YOU as being one of the reasons
they chose to school their own children at home!


Now back to the "HOW DO I BEGIN?" Question...

Once you have established the WHY.
You can work on the HOW.

Be sure you and your children are in a regular routine/rhythm of life ~
spiritual disciplines, sleeping, proper eating, exercise and chores/service.
Bible reading and prayer is paramount and helps us all to focus on
what REALLY matters.
Giving first place to our Creator
in all of life is right and proper.

My dear friend ~ who happens to be a wonderful homeschool mother of
ten children ~ generously gave me precious doses of her time
and shared with me much of her wisdom in the early days of our journey.
She stressed the importance of having discipline and routine in place
FIRST...BEFORE academic pursuits.

SHE. WAS. RIGHT.

A homeschool cannot run smoothly if there is an absence of order and routine.
The children MUST know what is expected of them and they must be obedient.
Even in the "small" things.
It will be chaotic if they are not.
They also need to be contributors
to the overall running of the home.
They need to know that they are NEEDED.
And, believe me, they ARE needed if you are going to do this! :)

She also suggested that we open the school day with Bible reading.
After morning devotions and breakfast and chores were done.
When we would gather for "school".
Remember that this is "over and above" the regular devotional times.
It is a methodical "reading through" of God's Word.
This was very good advice.
But it is very easy to let slip.

After all, we would have already had our devotions ~
Now there is WORK to be done!
Oh the FOOLISHNESS of this type of thinking!
Again, what is it we want to instill in our children?
One of our goals is that they would love the LORD and His Word.
We want them each to live a life of DEVOTION.
This practice gives the Bible preeminance in the school.

Remember in the early days of education that the Bible was primary?
It was held in high esteem.
Even those who were not particularly "religious" had respect for it.
In my early childhood there was Bible reading in the classroom!
Where, if not in the Christian homeschool, should it be most prevalent?
Bring back the Bible reading!

How do we do it?

When this was part of our routine, we would
read through the Bible at the rate of about a chapter or two a day.
My goal is to read through the entire Bible with the children in this format.
We began by reading Genesis and then we read Matthew.
I like to complete one book in the Old Testament and then read one in the New.
Each child takes a turn reading a verse (or a few) and this continues
until the allocated amount of Scripture for that day has been read.
If you have non-readers in your home, then let them sit in and listen...
it won't be long before they can join in.
An "almost reader" could be coached along with his or her
verse by dictating the words to him/her which they then say aloud
for the rest of the children to hear.


If there is NOTHING else you get from this post...
please know that THIS is one of the all time
BEST things we have done in our homeschool.


Oh, I do not take joy in saying that we have let this part of our routine slip.
I am ashamed of that, but how precious that the LORD gives us
new opportunities and "fresh starts".
My plan is to begin this next school year with Bible reading as the
"opening session" priority.
Before Math and English get tackled,
the Bible will be read aloud by us all ~
with the LORD's gracious enabling.
How precious to instill within our children the
importance of God's Word.

**Please do not get me wrong here ~ we are continuing on with Devotional times throughout
the summer, and year-round...
this is the "extra" Bible reading I am speaking of! :)

God is so gracious as He leads us along in this life, isn't He?
We are to be leading our children in His ways as well...I love how my blogging friend Susan has articulated her thoughts in a series of posts entitled Discipling Our Children. I would encourage you to prayerfully read through her articles on this all important subject. I agree with her that we are to be seeking God first and foremost, and then, when we have things in proper perspective, we can effectively guide our children in His paths, with HIS help and grace.

Two books that I can highly recommend for godly parenting advice were written by brothers.
"Shepherding a Child's Heart" was written by Tedd Tripp and it deals with parenting and
nurturing the heart of your child.
"Age of Opportunity" by Paul David Tripp addresses the many issues parents face as they seek to have an influence in the life of their teen. These books offer sound, biblical wisdom that we can implement in our homes and families as the LORD enables us to ~ for HIS glory.

If you are interested in the first posts on this topic,
you will find them by
clicking on this link.

The third installment can be found by
clicking here.

And the fourth and final post can be found by
clicking here.

Thoughts on Homeschool ~ Pt. 1

Yes, we homeschool.
No, we haven't always.
W.H.Y. the switch?

Homeschool can be used to open doors.
And windows.
O.P.P.O.R.T.U.N.I.T.I.E.S.

Were we selfish to make this choice?
Is anyone selfish to have a child in the first place?
God gives the gifts.
We are called to nurture HIS plants.
Help them to grow in the "way they should go".

I found it very difficult to thoroughly accomplish this task
in the few hours a day "left over" after the BEST hours had been used up.

That's just me.

Very dear sweet people in our lives are doing a
W.O.N.D.E.R.F.U.L.
job "in the system" with those "few hours".

I wasn't.

God called our family to this.
He may, or may not, call your family to it.
It may be now or later, or never.
There are S.E.A.S.O.N.S.

Wait on HIM in prayer and go forward in today and serve
HIM in whatever HE calls you to do.
That is F.A.I.T.H.F.U.L.N.E.S.S.

Being teachable.
Being available.
Being willing.

D.A.Y. by D.A.Y.

If you want to read the first post with this "theme"
click here.

You will find Part Two by
clicking here.

Part Three can be found by
clicking here.

And the final installment in the series
can be found by clicking here.

Wonderful Collection of Books

Over the years we have built up our home library to the point of overflowing.
Both my husband and I have a weakness for books!
One of the bookshelves in the schoolroom has books doubled up.
And yet, we still find more books to bring home.

What is this teaching our children?
They say children will follow your example more than your words.
Will they value books as we have?
Will they read the MOST important BOOK every day?
Oh we do pray to that end.
We desire to see them glorify God in their lives and
pray that they would be equipped to teach and lead the next generation for HIM.

The Rare Collector's Series of books is worth looking into if you are building up your library.
Or if you want to give something of lasting value to a young person in your life. They work well as read-alouds...and the stories tend to be thought provoking
as well as touching in the way the valuable lessons are taught.

If you live in the Lower Mainland of BC you can find these titles at The Valley Gospel Mission Bookstore.
Phone 604-530-7880 for hours of operation and directions.

**I do not receive compensation for any of my reviews ~
they are humbly submitted for your examination only.

Faith Building Audio Drama ~ For Kids

The Jonathan Park Audio Series has been a wonderful tool to help build our children's faith.

This engaging series features a boy and his friends and family as they discover some amazing things about God's Creation. They are biblically based and offer sound evidence for a Young Earth as opposed to the widely accepted (and promoted) Evolutionary thinking of the day.

As the stories unfold, the characters find themselves engaged in mystery and action adventures ~ they are exciting and keep the children asking for more. We used to travel 1 hour (each way) to church each Sunday and these were wonderful to listen to as we drove along. Even Emma entered into the fun and she was only four or five years old at the time. Those of us at the other end of the age spectrum enjoyed them too! :)

**Disclaimer ~ I am in no way compensated for this opinion.

Forgiveness ~ "Impossible" Miracle

Do we follow what the Word of God tells us to do with this one?

Forgiveness...easy or difficult?

Well, I would have to say IMPOSSIBLE...unless the Holy Spirit is working it in us!
How do we forgive unless we have God's enabling power?
Not too long ago we heard a wonderful sermon on this topic in our church ~
there is always room for improvement in my life in this area!

When do we forgive?
How often should we forgive?
And how do we go about doing it??

WHEN? ~

Only when we are asked?
Or, do we extend forgiveness to those who don't acknowlege any wrongdoing?
This is very very challenging to put into practice, but it is so powerful and freeing! When we forgive even those who haven't asked us to, we become liberated from the weight of it all...
such an amazing and wonderful truth!

HOW OFTEN? ~

One of the disciples came to the Lord Jesus with this question and suggested that seven was a reasonable number of times to extend forgiveness to someone.
But the Lord raised the bar on that one...

"Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times:
but, Until seventy times seven."
Matthew 18:22

HOW? ~

Only with the power of the Holy Spirit.
We must soak our minds in His Word and prayer.
It cannot be done unless we have God's help...
it is entirely spiritual in nature!
We are incapable of extending true forgiveness without the
enabling power of The Holy Spirit...
really, God does it through us!

"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,
bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,
meekness, longsuffering;
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another,
if any man have a quarrel against any:
even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."

Colossians 3:12-13


I like the illustration our pastor used.
If you give someone something, it is no longer yours ~
you do not get it back, you cannot control what is done with it...
it is gone.

This is a picture of true forgiveness ~
we have no right to hold a grudge or remind the person of their
faults and failings...
when it is forgiven it is gone!

We must let it go!!

If we do not forgive in this way, we will become bitter and miserable...
ever met anyone like that?
Am I ever like that?
Are you?

Very often it will be discovered that there are things
these unfortunate people are holding onto.
They won't let go...and they want you to know why they are right and
why they are justified in holding onto those ugly things.
Have you noticed that very often these are some of the most
difficult people to be around?
We all need the Lord to enable us to forgive,
and He is wonderfully able to work this miracle in each one of our hearts.

We must look to HIM for the strength and grace.
It requires much prayer and sacrifice on our part, but again,
it is completely do-able with His help.
And it is absolutely necessary for peace of mind and heart.

No earthly counsellor will be able to give lasting relief...
nothing apart from the power of God alone will be able to conquer this.
The Devil would have you to be in bondage to it forever,
but the Lord is about freeing us from these "weights".
If we look to the Lord He will equip us to do the impossible!

Oh, and I do speak from experience ~
how wonderful that my testimony is...
HE IS ABLE!!

Is it easy?
OH NO!!

Do I struggle?
OH YES!!

Is it worth it?
ABSOLUTELY!!


Satan will seek to tear down and destroy our marriages and our families.
We must guard against this and see Him as the enemy...
not our spouse or our children!

When we were Newlyweds we were given the Best Marriage Advice ~
and it has held us in good stead these past 19 years (nearly).
The Lord is the ONE that knits us together and it is HE that keeps us together.
Again, it is the most difficult thing to do in the heat of the moment,
but it is wonderfully powerful and effective.
I implore you to discuss with your husband this solution to conflict
(before there is any conflict) and pledge to implement it together as the need arises.
You will be amazed at the results!

"Dying to Self" is a beautiful poem that helps us keep perspective when we are thinking we deserve better.
It is a great reminder that we are not the centre of the universe
and the Lord suffered much more than we ever will.
After all, are we not here to serve Him and bring Glory to His name?
Don't forget that the Lord will give the enabling to do all these things if we are truly His people ~
He gives the grace needed day by day.

Hebrews 12:1-3
is a wonderful passage of Scripture that helps us all to
refocus on those things that really matter in this life.

Don't forget ~ there are times when we must ask forgiveness of others.
We often will offend our children and
must humble ourselves before them.
The most wonderful and amazing thing is,
they are so forgiving and willing to put things behind them.
How beautiful it is that God created children to be this way!
Ask their forgiveness and then ask them to pray with you.
Confess your sin to the Lord before them in prayer and ask for His help to do what is right.
You will be amazed how this will knit you together with your young ones.
It also demonstrates before them that Mum is not
perfect and recognizes her need of the Saviour too.
This may just be the tool the Lord will use to bring them to Himself.

"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour,
and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

Ephesians 4:31-32

True and complete forgiveness begins at the Cross.
We must repent of our own sins before the Holy God of Heaven
and first be made right with Him.
How? Click on this link to find out more.

Many Blessings,
Camille

Wonderful Bible Story Books for Kids

One of my friends recently asked about some of the story books
we have in our home and I proceeded to tell her about these.

We have MANY MANY books, but these are unique.
Bible Stories are taught in an accurate and
respectful way ~ our children have enjoyed them
and so have we.

Over the years we have used these books for devotional times
with our children, but they would be appropriate at any time of day.
One book focuses on all the events surrounding the Birth of Christ
and two books are dedicated to the Easter stories.

We have enjoyed reading through this series and would recommend them to
anyone desiring to teach the Bible to children in a God honouring way.
They would be a wonderful Sunday School tool or a
great gift idea for any children on your list.

You will find the website for ordering by clicking on this link ~
just scroll a little way down the page you arrive at and you will see
individual listings for each of the books shown above.

Please be aware that these are not your "typical" cartoon-type Bible story books ~ we felt increasingly uncomfortable with how many of those types of books handled the Bible...it is, after all,
the Word of the Living God.

**Disclaimer ~ I am in no way compensated for this opinion.

**If you live locally (BC Lower Mainland) there is a little home-run bookstore that has fabulous resources. These books are available in their store for a great price. Their phone number is 604-530-7880 ~ they have limited hours and methods of payment. Call to get their address and details.

Scripture Memorization

This topic is near and dear to my heart as it is so vital to "hide God's Word in our hearts". We ALL need to do this ~ not just the children! I appreciate what Stephanie had to say on her blog regarding this subject. Memorizing Scripture as a Family is one of her posts that I plan to refer back to.

Susan at "Joyful Mom of Many" also referred to this article and it seems to be a great resource to use.

And Ann Voskamp at "Holy Experience" recently wrote this article on the topic as well.

It matters not which method you choose to implement ~ just begin!
Let's all work on this together!

"Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee."
Psalm 119:11

Prayer Basket

I am not sure where this idea came from, but it works really well! We like to remember to pray for people, but sometimes we have SO many to pray for that we are afraid we might miss someone.

Well, no more.

All the people and special requests we have said we will pray for get written out on their own little piece of paper and put into this "basket" which we keep near our kitchen table. At meal times we pull a request out of the pile and pray specifically for that person or request. Once prayed for, the little piece of paper goes into a "holding" location until all the papers have been used up.

When the "basket" is empty we put all the papers back in and start again. Each person can draw a name or request at each mealtime, or just one name/request can be prayed for per meal ~ choose whichever system works best for your family. Another good time to use the basket would be during family devotions in the evenings. By using a system like this, everyone and everything you've pledged to pray for will be remembered! We love it!

"...the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16b

Adjustments ~ Following HIM

The freshness of the New Year seems to have faded. But it is never too late to assess how and why we do things the way we do. I came across two wonderful articles (linked below) as 2010 began and they both made an impression on me. I hope to go back and spend a little more time thinking through the content ~ prayerfully considering the changes HE is asking me to make.

Ann Voskamp penned this encouraging "New Year" article ~ please take the time to read and digest...such a lovely way to help in the quest of "refocusing"!

And I love what Mary Grace had to say at Books and Bairns on the subject of priorities ~ this one really "hit home".

A disciplined life is one we are called to as Chistians ~ yet, it is so easy to get "off track". Any time of the year is a good time to re-evaluate ~ not just in January! May the Lord help us each to follow HIM with all our hearts.

**Mayne Island Lighthouse ~ by Camille 2009**