Advent 2019

Here is a beautiful new advent book/calendar for the advent season.  The  wonder  of the Greatest Gift: An Interactive Family Celebration of Advent: Ann Voskamp

Teens & Sex

Parents are often confused about how to help young people make good choices.  They don't know how to help them relate to the opposite sex in a pure way.  The kids stumble along, and the parents are often shocked.  They are shocked by their choices.  They wonder why they did it? And how do I stop them?  

They often miss shepherding the heart.  

Dean helped shepherd my heart.  He talked all about God, sex and relationships.   I followed his guidelines, but I didn't understand his "dating progression" when I dated my first love, Chad Kimball, and so those days were hard.  We really needed more help to walk out Dean's steps in his book on relationships.  We stumbled along, but Dean set the bar high for me, and I am indebted to him.

I particularly like his chapter, "How far is too far?"  He uses Scripture to define healthy boundaries.   For example, Christians who grew up as unbelievers often set the bar at pregnancy.  That was what Momma or Grandma warned them about.  But sin begins a long time before that. 

So often, parents don't react when their child flirts.  But Dean Sherman defines "Lasciviousness" as " stirring up within us, or within others desires in another that cannot be righteously satisfied" (Gal. 5:19; 2 Cor. 12:21; 1 Peter 4:3; Jude 4).  

This book is available through YWAM publishing here.  

Chad and Holly Kimball teaching "Biblical Parenting: Family Devotions and Discipleship in the Home"

"I wish I would have known this 40 years ago."  One older mom told me after this teaching time.

"I didn't have an example of a father..." another young 18 year old confided after hearing this teaching.

We were so excited to share this teaching in Laporte, Indiana:

Some resources mentioned are:

"Of Plymouth Plantation" by William Bradford.















      The Story of St. Valentine

Family Shows

When you are fasting with the family:

        Out of the Wild: Venezuela

Bible Shows: 

Ben Hur
The Robe
The Nativity

Devotional Movies:

Indescribable  is the story of a ten year old boy struggling to understand God's love.

Its that time of year again...

I had posted this last year: Our lent calender full of Christian Heroes--centuries of "people of the cross" whom we celebrate for their love of God, love of man, and service to humanity. Of course at our house paintings are often in progress and we hope to add more this year as we journey to Easter....

We made some improvements but Chad says were not done yet... We are so trying to get to this!  One year we made a George Mueller game in homeschool and so *hopefully* we'll get to it today as we celebrate him as a holy hero!

Breakfast with St. Patrick...

How do I escape being ensnared by the pride of life?  In my case, how do I keep from letting the desires for recognition, appreciation and honor be my motivation for doing God's work?  When I became a Christian as a teen, I decided to live all out for God.  I have tried to do that these last twenty years, but I found myself growing so tired in the work of God.

The sacrifice to take in children with my own little ones barely weaned, to homeschool, to jump through extraneous unhelpful hoops to care for a foster child,  to renovate a house to be totally free from debt.... have all been motivated by a desire to live fully for Christ.  I found myself so tired and worn as I entered this 4th decade of my life.  All my get up and go petered out.  And in my fatigue and disconnect from God, I have felt the pride of life creep in.  I lost my first fire somehow.  Now, I find in my heart this pride of life that says, "Why go on in the obscure hidden place?" and "Why go on when you can't be sure of the fruit of your labors?" "Why go on when your investment can be undone by sinful people?"  And in that is the real doubt--God do you love me?  Am I valuable? Is there a reward for my sacrifice?

But I find God renewing my heart in this season and rebuilding my mind.  Lately, I am finding comfort through reading, The Life and Writings of the Historical Saint Patrick By P.P.C. Hanson


St. Patrick's "Confessions" are a great read.  He felt that he was completely uneducated and unskilled but called by God to reach Ireland for Christ in 380 AD.  He says:

"But that respect is enough which is never seen but is believed in the heart."  He did not need a title (though he had one) or honor from man.  He actually experienced great success but Christians attacked and criticized him.  He knew where his value and honor came from.  This takes faith.

"He has even chosen me for this post that I should be among his lowest servants." This challenges my pride...am I willing to be (for that is what a hidden place demands) and call myself "the lowest servant"?

"God prevailed in me-to complete the call."  This encourages me that God will work his will in me despite my inner struggles and that he will give me the power to carry it out.

He says there was grace for him "though I am unskilled in everything" and  though he was "uneducated for the dangers of his mission."  Its grace that stands out to me here.  There was grace for him to move forward in his mission despite his weakness.  Grace enabled him and in the end he said that it wasn't him at all (that converted thousands of Irish), but that it was the "gift of God".  This is the gift that I believe is there for me for God's call...

God is in the house

So I planned a normal post for today, but God has broken into my normal.  I guess he took Pastor Mark seriously when he said that we need to be ready to be "agents of change".  I have been spiritually hungry lately, but a bit hesitant to drive out to the 24 hour prayer house in Chicago called CHIHOP.  So when my friend says she was going, I jumped in the van.

      I have been in a season of seeking God regarding doing foster care, but if you read my post below you'll see its not an easy thing and many factors adding together have made me regard it with fear and trembling.  My husband is wanting and waiting.  My kids are psyched up to have another baby in the house, but I have been hesitant.  I have seen my children's needs flare and my marriage suffer under the stress of the last placement, albeit, our care for our last foster child overlapped a very intense home renovation project...another major stressor for families.  

     God spoke to me to focus on his face and resting in Him.  So that was my mode going into the prayer time.   Parts of me have needed rebuilding after 2014 and the past year has been restorative and overall peaceful, but my heart has been struggling.  Doing foster care seemed to me a place of hidden sacrifice where there is no honor and no fruit you can depend on.  The whole act of care for a hurt child who could at any time be taken from your home and given back requires a firm commitment to love Jesus like Mother Teresa--- loving them is loving Him and a firm knowing that that alone is meaningful.  This is such a test of faith.  How difficult it is to love unconditionally knowing the object of your love's destiny is outside of your control totally and may be taken from you completely at any time!  And this demonstration of faith no one sees or notices.  At least I never did.  Who looks at a foster parent and sees them as spiritual ninjas?  But to me, they are.  There are no titles for them, no appreciation dinners at church--they are unseen.  And so I have struggled with God, with my own faith in Him, with my own selfish ambition and spiritual pride... I want that faith and love of Mother Teresa.  

     So I am in the zone with God at the prayer meeting and I am loving it.  I feel relaxed, I hear him speak to my heart, I am singing with my spirit and I hear him say, "Look at your hands"  So I did.  But I see nothing!  So back I go into the zone.  Then, later he tells me again, "Look at your hands" So I did.  But I see nothing again!  I have a clue what he is up too though.  An hour later, I glanced down at my yoga pants and I see them sparkling.  And then I see sparkles on my sweatshirt!  And then I look at my hands and they are sparkling!  Little lights are blinking on my hands--microscopic lights.  So I ask my friend beside me, "Do you see what I see here? "  And she does!!  "Yes they are sparkling," she says.  I start bawling. The prophetic prayers at this time were targeting my fears and questions.  I began to hear Him through it and my heart began to change.

Then another amazing thing--this manifestation has continued on my children!  Since Friday and in the midst of our mundane schedule going here and there, they are seeing the same on their hands and clothes!  In fact, yesterday, I could not make dinner!! I felt so overwhelmed by God's presence on my children that I gathered the kids and we had a worship time.  And through it the most amazing thing is how God has changed my heart.  I feel so loved by him!  I feel him renewing the call and yet making me feel so special and so "seen".   I feel encouraged that he is calling me to be a literal light in the darkness and to feed his little sheep.  And so much more... but I'll leave you with this

  

My 11 year old wrote a poem to sum up the wonderment we feel called

God has Lifted the Veil

God has lifted the veil

he has shown us his trail

God has left us amazed

he has left us dazed

God has showed us his glory

he has changed our story

God has left us feeling unexplainable

He has left us feeling indescribable

Temple Craft & Chaos

I can not tell you the great gnashing of teeth and awesome questions that came out of this all afternoon project of building the Jewish temple.

Preschool Tools

Lately, I have been helping our co-op with preschool for 2-4 year olds, so I pulled out some books I have used in the past...here's just a few I find helpful:

Fun with Teaching Rhymes for finger fun, action rhymes and playtime by Sally Lewis Eaton

My First Bible Verses: Finger Plays for God's Word by Suguitan
These Bible verses get kids moving and doing hand motions.

Playtime Devotions by Focus on the Family
There is a point, verse, action rhyme and prayer on each page.

Read Aloud Bible Stories by Lindvall
Very simple text (few lines)with lots of sound effects highlight the graphic simple yet bold illustrations in this book.  Why bother with little pictures and tons of text at this age????  This book is perfectly fit for this age.

We are using Five in a Row curriculum and modifying it down to this level, so I plan to use www.homeschoolshare.com for my unit on Cranberry Thanksgiving next month.  Lots of free resources there.

I lent my art project book for preschoolers but will add the title when it is returned!

Girls & Boys Groups

This morning after snagging a cantelope from the Farmer's Market, I jumped in the van with the fam.  Chad dropped all the girls at the "Daughters of Destiny" brunch and Bible study.  Over tea and Mexican pastries we studied themes related to this book:

Then, Chad and Tom headed over to pound nails and eat donuts and Mike's.  They are studying this book:

We are a multicultural bunch united by a vision to raise Godly boys and girls.  I am so thankful for the fellowship and friends who are supporting us. 

More for our humility theme

Going Lower

A phrase popped in my mind as I prayed about the theme for this year.  "Humility Comes Before Honor".  I questioned myself, "Is that a Bible verse?"  I found it in Prov. 18:12.

Amazingly how when God speaks to you, he does however freaky unexpected way he wants to.  The first question at our mother/daughter group after the tamales and coffee were demolished was, "What does humble mean?"   After teaching the kids all week, I begged them to try and give Mrs. Ruiz an answer.  "Going down the ladder, " says Abigail.  "Helping the poor" says Bethan.  "Oh no," I thought, "no one's going to understand what I was getting at."  I had tried to teach what Ann V said in this prayer for her daughter:

"...May she be bread and feed many with her life and her laughter
May she be thread and mend brokeness and knit hearts
May she be dead to all ladders & never go higher, only lower, to the lonely, the least & the longing..."

But no, it all came together as we ladies talked....from 3 to 63...chatting about what a real man does, who a real man is, and how we can be humble and look for humility in a man.  The girls got a deeper understanding of humility.  But I'm not worried.  I know this will be a thought we return to all year.

Tommy elbowed Aziza to point out the picture and answer to my riddle.
"Milk, that's right," I replied
His face looked up for affirmation, delighted in being "better" than his sister.  I am sad to see his insecurity, meanness, and pride.  But, as we have talked this week about boasting and humility and not having to say your are good because you know God has given you special gifts, I have seen him say more often..."Good job, Aziza."

And I know this word is for us.

For me, for my marriage too...it takes humility not to slice and dice when I know I can point out the flaws, the mistakes and smear it in his face.  To hold back, and wait, and ponder and let love grow in again is a harder but much better path.  A path that leads to honor.

And so we've been singing with Music Machine, "Mr. Bumblebee is humble..." and we've been singing today, "Humble Thyself in the sight of the Lord and he will lift you up..."  soon to be accompanied by Bethan's autoharp....

And I feel encouraged about homeschooling and more importantly and why we do it: home discipleship.

Chad's bedtime lesson for our kids...1 Timothy 2:9

"I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God...." (1 Tim. 2:9 NIV)

to which we wondered if we sd throw away my wedding ring, and stop braiding Aziza's hair???

 until we read:

^3 (D)Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; ⁴ but let it be ^(E)the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.  (1 Peter 3)

 Whew! We thought "merely" gave us some lee way....  I was surprised to search for a woman of that time period and find this painting above--as far as decoration goes...its not much more than what were used to. That being said, his examples and specifics, aren't the point, really... but the decency/modesty/propriety plus good works and a gentle spirit.

 

The Good Shepherd

Listening to F. Ortega sing about the Good Shepherd as we meditate on this aspect of Jesus this week. We will do a Garden of the Good Shepherd party Saturday for dinner (Party for week one) to bring our little study to a close. The more I think about this idea, the more I think its a fantastic study. Throughout all of life we can probably think of an area where we feel shepherdless. The children had no problem answering the question, "What area do you feel like you don't have a Good Shepherd in?" Its that place where we feel powerless and alone. How we need emblazened on our minds the image of the lamb HELD by Jesus...the wounded lost lamb..carried.

St. Patrick--the real deal

This is a great read for St. Patrick's Day. It brings children to the true meaning of the day: a man gave up his life for the salvation of Ireland. I bought it from Voice of the Martyr's ministry...which helps Christians in closed countries today.

Pentecost

I don't remember celebrating Pentecost as a feast day as a kid; though I grew up charismatic Catholic. Now as an evangelical christian, I feel inspired to bring some attention to this traditional feast day. It is the birthday of the church...and we received so much from the Holy Spirit. The gifts of the spirit: healing, prophecy, speaking in tongues, miracles are some... and the fruit of the spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, and self control.

Party

Tonight we combined an end of the year Awards Night with "The Gardener Plants Paradise" Garden Party from the "Garden of the Good Shepherd" The kids received an award sticker, certificates of achievement, small pins and encouragement cards. We did our nightly devotional on the Garden of the Lord and followed it by looking at their work from this year. The girls enjoyed dressing up and all enjoyed the owl cupcakes...but they were really tired from an overnight last night. C'est la vie...ce n'est pas perfect!

The Brother Offended Checklist

This is something Chad and I are using to cast a vision for healthy relationships in our family. I'm excited because I think it will help me personally with my struggle with anger. Chad and I are working on our own version of their poster but with Bible stories.

chad teaching children