Nail Polish and Beer

I needed to make a quick trip to the grocery store.  Since Dan was home (napping because he had started work at 4) I decided to take the 3 noisy younger ones and leave the 2 older ones.  As I was pulling on shoes, washing faces, etc, I noticed that Paul was sitting ever so quietly, hands splayed on the table while Lindsay was meticulously applying a vibrant shade of blue on her brother's finger nails.

With a cry of alarm I grabbed Paul and tried in vain to scrub off the polish.  All the while I was telling him that it is NOT OK for a boy to wear nail polish.  Paul didn't seem to mind--he said he liked the blue!  And of course, try as I may, I could not get it off.  Unfortunately for him, blue nails did not keep him from getting hauled to the grocery store.  5 minutes later, we're on the road.

En route, Paul pipes up from the back seat, "I found a can of pop mom!"  Since we had just brought the bottles to the bottle depot a few days earlier I assumed he must have found a stray can.  The crucial piece of information that I had forgotten was that my brother had put 4 cans of beer in the back of my van to bring home to my hubby 2 days prior. 

All at once I hear that familiar fssst when a can of pop gets opened.  Paul hollers out, "UGGGHHH!  that's disgusting!"  ....then.... "MOM!  I spilled it!"  All of a sudden a smell assaults my nostrils--beer! 

At this point we've arrived in the grocery store parking lot.  Trying to stay positive I open the sliding door to survey the damage.  My 5 year old's shirt and shorts have large wet splotches of beer on them.  His nails are bright blue.  He reeks of alcohol.

I haul them all out of the van anyways and shut the door quickly--hoping the overpowering, disgusting smell of beer radiating out of a family vehicle full of car seats stays our little secret.  We blast through the store, avoiding people and run through the self checkout.  No one, thankfully asks any questions.

On the way home I ensure I drive 5km/h below the speed limit.  I'm doing all the proper shoulder checks and correctly stopping in front of all the thick white stop lines.  I really don't want to be pulled over right now.  We get home without incident and after supper I happily offer Dan 2/3's of a can of beer.

Saved!

God never gave the devil a second chance.  He never offered the fallen angels forgiveness either.  But me, a descendant of the fallen Adam; me, a sinner who just can't stop transgressing; He chose to offer salvation to me.

He didn't need my adoration or thanksgiving.  He didn't have to reveal Himself to me.  He could have made me like an animal or a tree and delighted in me as I stood tall and majestic or wandered about grazing the plains.  I would have had no understanding of Him and simply ceased to exist when life left me.  But He gave me a soul made to last an eternity.  And then He saved that soul.  He chose to tell me who He was.  He chose to have a relationship with me--the Creator with a creature.  He opened my understanding, He showed me I'm a sinner and then he showed me His provision for me.  He showed me His Christ.

Me--a wretched hell deserving sinner...given grace.  I shall never understand it.

She's LITERALLY that Fast!

BEFORE.....

DURING.....

AFTER.....

Thoughts on the School Year

I'm reading the biography of Hudson Taylor--missionary and founder of the China Inland Mission, by Jim Cromarty.  (Actually, a little later I'd like to share a piece that I read that I found ever so helpful to daily Christian walk).  I was very much aware of how important and instrumental his upbringing was in shaping him.  Little Hudson Taylor was also homeschooled and it is rather amazing how much time both of his parents invested into his education.  They also, especially his mother, prayed ceaselessly over him and for him.  They constantly showed and prayed with great faith in God's covenant faithfulness.  As a result, Hudson Taylor grew up and was blessed greatly by the Lord--not in material gains, for Hudson denied himself much luxury, but in a close relationship with the Lord.  It is thrilling and humbling to read of his personal times with the Lord 

I may live in a different century but worldly influences nor God's covenant promises change.  I too, am fortunate to homeschool and feel compelled to teach them the ways of God.  I am shamed, however, at the lack of vigour I have had this past school year and realize that I need to be more disciplined.  I need to pray more, I need to be more scheduled.  I must display more effort towards my children.  I need to ask God for repentance more regularly and plead for His help more consistently.

One of the greatest blessings in homeschooling is impressing the greatness and goodness of God in everything.  It is to teach them our rich heritage and show how that looks in real life.  It is to teach certain qualities such as diligence, compassion, etc. in everyday life.

Upon hindsight, I did not enjoy teaching last year, and I think I know why.  This past year I lost focus of the main goal of homeschooling.  School got compressed into a "TO DO" list.  Math - check.  Reading - check.  Social - check.  Ok, now a bit of laundry - check.  Lunch - check.  Now let's read - check.  Science - check.  Ok, it's 3:00 and I'm tired.  Play outside while I tidy up and start up supper.  That is SO not the way I want to teach.

This summer I want to prepare for a more Christ-infused school year.  I want to work toward building my children up spiritually.  This starts with preparing myself.  This summer I'm going to be doing a lot of summer reading -- Charlotte Mason, a bit of Beeke, Cromarty's biography which i mentioned earlier, a little Goodwin and a bunch of Flavel.  I'm also going to scale back some of the more time intensive subjects (Language Arts and Math can not be altered, but Social and Science can!) and buy curriculum that tailors this.  Then it is my plan to put together a few character studies starting with John Bunyan and his life -- how he spent 12 years in Bedford Prison and to read and discuss his famous work, Pilgrim's Progress.  I want to get my hands on a copy of Isaac Watts' book "Divine and Moral Songs for Children" and memorize a few.  I'd like to study the lives of a few missionaries as well.

Oh Lord, bless my efforts.  I need your blessing to make this work.  More than anyone else, it is my children who deserve the bulk of my efforts and energy.  Lord, I will do the work, with your constant, daily help, but I need you to do the heart work.

That Didn't Take Long!

Alright, I admit I was pretty uptight about putting our house on the market and trying to sell it.  I had visions of struggling to keep the house 'show ready' for weeks and weeks and weeks.  I wondered how many times we'd get chased out of the house--with 5 kids and a dog...at any time...without a van.  Yeah, I was a little stressed.

On Saturday the house officially went on the market.  Our realtors, 2 young guys, wanted to put a 15 foot flag in our front yard to catch people's attention.  So that was done.  Sunday was quiet (we requested no showings or any contact on Sundays which they did abide by).  Monday we had 5 showings, some of them double showings.  Tuesday none.  Then Wednesday another one.  By Wednesday night we had an offer.





9 days later the flag got changed, and I've been cheering ever since!

So in a nutshell, 3 days, 6 showings, 8 different realtors in our house, 1 inspection, and SOLD!