Exiles in a Foreign Land

This morning I read Jeremiah 28 and 29 as part of my regular Bible reading.  Nearly everyone has heard the wonderful verse "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (vs 29:11)  This verse comes historically in the time when Israel is about to be taken exile to Babylon.  Dragged away from their homeland because they had turned their backs on God.

Yet God still says he has plans of good for them.

In some small way, I think I might understand the feelings of despair the Israelites felt when taken captive to a foreign land.  Josh and I spent eight years in what God promised to us was a good land.  We had our season of wandering in the desert, like the Israelites, and then the joy and blessing of entering a land of promise.  A year ago we were called out of that good land and the best way to describe our current status in our new home is as "foreigners".  We're not in the desert, but we are not at home here either.  Yes, we have a lovely home, Josh has the best job he's ever had, we have each other, yet there is that sometimes dull, sometimes profound sense that we don't belong here.

"By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion...

How shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?"

Psalm 137:1 and 4

In chapter 29, through Jeremiah, God tells the people : "Build houses and live in them, plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; takes wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you in exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." vs 5-7

The Lord urges the people to live in this foreign land, to settle there and create homes.  What a merciful heart God has, for he could have said "You'll go there and live miserably to make you realize how good you had it when you were under my care in Israel."  No, he wanted them to live.  And he promised them a future,  hope, good, fortune, blessing when they deserved worse.

Although they were in a foreign land, he wanted them to seek the welfare of Babylon. For in that, they too would find welfare.

In a larger sense, we all live in a foreign land.  As Christians, this world is not our true home, yet God has placed us here to live and to be part of his plans.  While we know that ultimately there will be an end to all these things around us, we are also told to seek the welfare of this land that we have been "exiled" to.

I think that means you should pray for this nation, for its leaders (whether you like them or not), and for the Church.

I think that means you should vote.

I think that ultimately it means that we must rely on our sovereign God who has purposely placed us here for such a time as this.

As hard as I have found it to live in a "foreign land" after eight years in a "good land", I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God's plans for me and my family are for good and not evil. I find myself more and more dependent on him for all my hope and joy.

When the world seems foreign, that's a good thing.  It causes us to look to our only hope, Jesus Christ.   This season I am in personally, and the season our nation is in, has the power to return our hearts to their true home.

"Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you," declares the Lord," and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you," declares the Lord, "and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile." Jeremiah 29:12-14

Homeschool Mother's Journal for October 1st

• In my life this week… Lots of rain is predicted, which generally makes me happy!  I love any excuse to stay inside and be a homebody.

• In our homeschool this week… we will spending our second week in Mexico, complete with a fiesta on Friday!

• Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share… I still feel like a novice at this even after five years.  Needs, interests, and what works can change daily!  When I hit a wall, I tend to jump on the Internet searching for help either by comparing what I do to what others do or looking for a new revolutionary and perfect curriculum.  NOTE TO SELF: Step away from the computer and just pray about it!

• I am inspired by… a couple I met at church yesterday. They are foster parents to their 1 and 2 year-old GREAT grandchildren.  Amazing people, doing something truly radical.

• Places we’re going and people we’re seeing… Josh and I will be attending a banquet this week for a local pregnancy resource center.  And as I said, the cousins will be having a Mexican fiesta this Friday!

• My favorite thing this week was… A National Coffee Day dinner party hosted by some new friends.  Each time we get together we get more comfortable and the fellowship is so satisfying.

• What’s working/not working for us… Getting the basics of school done first thing is really working for us. I used to do all the core subjects first, but my children are such early risers that I need them as fresh as possible for math, reading, writing.

• Questions/thoughts I have… Will anyone ever let me sleep in a little?  

• Things I’m working on… no major personal projects, unless you count the never ending battle of keeping the house organized.

• I’m reading… I just finished Beverly Lewis's latest book The Bridesmaid.  One of my very favorites by her.  She takes the cake for Amish fiction and in my opinion, everyone else is just an imitation. So I long for her books and buy them hot off the press!

• I’m cooking… I need to make a menu for the week, which I should have made before I went grocery shopping.  But most likely I'll be cooking and baking with apples as we have lots!

• I’m grateful for… the very essentials that we are blessed with. A pantry full of food, the warmth of a home, the love of my family.

• I’m praying for… Revival, a Great Awakening.

• A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

"From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him" Isaiah 64:4

We have found it is always, always worth it to wait on the Lord.  He will act and He will come through.

The Homeschool Mother's Link-up can be found here.

Half A Day

I decided to forgo my morning run in order to listen to a Bible study.  My soul needed strengthening more than my body this morning.

I dragged four baskets of laundry up from the basement and began folding.  It was the quiet hours of the day, before the kids are fully awake or awake at all.

But they always know how to find me.   As they bound down the stairs, asking for a cup of juice, a cup of milk, a bowl of cereal, I strain to hear the words of the Bible teacher. Words I desperately need to hear, encouraging me from the book of Ezra.

Someone, a small sprite, pounds on the bathroom door the whole time I'm in the shower. She knows instinctively when a door closes and she's been shut out.  And she hates to be separated from me.

Someone is moody all morning long, and it's not me.  The glass isn't even half empty, it's just plain empty with this child on this day.  Talking things out, taking a Break, giving consequences doesn't curb any of the negativity.  A plate of pretzels with a scoop of peanut butter seems to do the trick, though.

I'm accused of breaking promises, like "You said maybe we could read this book after we were done!"  This child doesn't understand the operative words maybe and done.

We have one stellar potty trained toddler in the house, the one (out of three) that I didn't have to coerce, threaten or bribe into giving up diapers. Every time she uses the potty, which is often because she drinks a lot, she completely disrobes.  And  would then like to do one of three things.  One- run around the house naked for at least a minute.  Two- pretend she wants to get dressed then refuse to let me help her.  She laughs, I try to play along. But I've got two kids sitting at the table with a book I threw haphazardly before them as I ran to try to prevent #1 from happening.  Three- painstakingly dress herself while I wait pseudo-patiently.

I'm in need of a breather and some lunch.  I make a beautiful salad made of hodgepodge from the refrigerator.  Potty-girl, who is wearing only undies, roams into the kitchen as I'm about to take a bite.  She's rubbing her eyes and crying.  She needs a nap, but first I make her lunch. Easy Mac.  Then I decide it would be better to make the other two lunches before I sit down to eat my lunch because the moment I do sit down... you know who will wander in asking for something to eat.  I make two more meals.  A ham sandwich and spaghetti-os.  I call to the other two.  "We'll be right there!" they respond.  I sit down and eat my whole salad, and they never show up.

Nap time doesn't happen.  Not for Potty-girl, anyway. I lay down with her and find myself falling asleep, however.  It's only 2 pm.  Can a young thirty-something like me really be this tired already?

The day is only half over.  What adventures await in the other half?

I Still Love It

I just placed an order at Grace Works  to refill some pages in my Beautiful Life Management system.  I wrote a review of this awesome planner at the end of last year and I have to say, I still love it and I continue to build new and better habits when it comes to managing my home and my life.

I don't get any perks for mentioning these products, but I just love to pass on a good thing. Friends have asked me if I still use my planner.  And I've met a lot of mommies in the past year that are on that elusive search for order in their home.  I'm sure there are lots of android and iphone apps out there to help you, if you are a Technology Girl.  But me, I'm a pen and ink kinda girl, who carries a Trac Phone, so this has worked perfectly for me.  If you're craving some organization, check out the website, ask questions, and get hooked up with a planning system that works for you.

Journal for September 4th- 2nd Week of School

• In my life this week… I'll try to make up for the lost school day on Monday, all because I like to stick to a schedule.
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• In our homeschool this week… another week of introduction to our  new curriculum, and learning about maps/globes and ecosystems.
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• Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share… Give everyone permission to take a break
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• I am inspired by… paint colors.  What an amazing array.
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• Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…I'm hoping for a fairly quiet week of getting back into routine (or finding a routine!).  I'm actually glad rain is predicted for the next two days because it well help to convince the kids that summer is over.
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• My favorite thing this week was… seeing how Mister just naturally helps me out by playing with Petite.
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• What’s working for us… math drill sheets from here.  I used these with Mister a few years ago and they are coming in handy for both he and B-E-G this year.  I love how they only introduce two new problems at a time.
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• Questions/thoughts I have… Why must math be so... terrible?
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• Things I’m working on…following through with promises. It's easy to get  side-tracked with all that is going on in our home, but I don't want to forget to do the little things I said I would (like gluing a toy back together)
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• I’m reading… I got a few new books at our local discount store including a few parenting books- and I said I'd quit doing it to myself!
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• I’m cooking… Oh right, I have to cook this week.  Better make that menu.
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• I’m grateful for… a wonderful weekend with our friends who "stay-cationed" with us.  It was just such easy fellowship.
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• I’m praying for… my little Petite, who has come down with a cold... and praying that B-E-G's ear is feeling better. Otherwise, off to the doctor we go.
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• A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Spelling with Scrabble Cheez-Its.  Yum and fun!

Alone

They say it's lonely at the top, but it gets lonely at the bottom too.  I don't believe for a second that my work at home is menial, but let's face it- it ain't glamorous.  And most days of the year- probably 80% of them- the only people I see are my husband and my three children.   Even my phone conversations with other adults are few and far between.  I have to admit I kind of like it that way, I'm not a huge phone conversationalist.  Most of my contact with the outside world comes via social media.  And probably only 20% of those people are actually friends.

We're three days into our new school year and already I can see it's going to be a tough one.  Maybe that is an unfair assessment so early on, but our workload seems to be heavier and the kids are being asked to really take it up a notch.  So our three days have been very full and kind of tiring for all of us. Today we went to the local library and then to our town park, which is a beautiful place to take a walk and sit and draw for nature notebooks.  The air was cool and breezy and it was so wonderful to be outside.  I hate keeping everyone cooped up on beautiful days like this.  We were the only people there today.  We sat by the stream and had a snack. The kids drew for their journals.  We walked across the bridge and down a path, then went to the playground.  No one else ever showed up.

All over facebook, my friends are posting pictures of their children heading back to school.  Their clothes are new and neat, backpacks on, they are smiling in excitement as they wait for the bus.  They can't wait to meet their teacher and see their friends and use all their new school supplies.

It's such a stark contrast to "not going back to school" here.  I'm the only one who's really excited.  The kids don't look forward to meeting their teacher- it's me and they already know how I roll.  I don't have the pleasure of welcoming them home each day and asking about their day.  I am in every part of their day- the groans during math, the frustration in handwriting, and the evil eye seems to be on me most of the day.

These are the things I think of when I see all those smiling faces waiting for the bus and then find myself alone at the playground with my children.  This is a lonely venture sometimes, especially since we moved.  

As I pushed Petite on the swing and watched my older two climb the jungle gym and race around the paths, I forced myself to pray and remind myself of the truth.  Lord, thank you that I can be home with my children. I truly am grateful. Help me to enjoy these moments when I have them to myself. It won't be long before I don't have anyone to push on the swings anymore.  It won't belong before they are gone.  Give me the strength to carry this through to the end.

And Lord, bring us some friends.

Journal for August 27th- Our First Day of School!

In my life this week… school begins for a new year and I pray for a wonderful start to an amazing year!

In our homeschool this week… we begin a whole new curriculum (My Father's World) and begin to get a taste of the many diverse people living around the world whom God so loved that he sent his one and only Son to die for them. And as my kids like to say- WOW!

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share… A child's education is a not a sprint to the finish- it's a life-long journey. One day they'll take the baton and run with it!

I am inspired by… all the blogging moms out there.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing… I promised the kids a trip to the beach today if school is done by 1. And we have friends visiting for Labor Day weekend and I've kept it a secret from the kids!

My favorite thing this week was… watching my three-year-old tear open her birthday gifts.

What’s working for us… the if/then chart from Doorposts. A great tool to help me be consistant with discipline and to help the kids know what to expect when they need it.

Questions/thoughts I have… What books to have my nine-year-old read?

Things I’m working on… blog posts about Petite's birthday, what she'll be doing for "school", and one on our first day once it's happened!

I’m reading… the final pages of the 3rd book in the Darkness to Light series by Golden Keyes Parsons. Excellent historic fiction.

I’m cooking… Grands Cinnamon rolls for our first day of school breakfast. This is a Christmas and first day of school only treat!

I’m grateful for… being able to be home and teach my children. I get to do this and it is my joy to.

I’m praying for… my sister-in-law as she starts school today too and for my brother and nephew as he starts a new school tomorrow.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Me reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to my kiddos on the deck. I look kinda mean here. I must have been reading about the White Witch!

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