Mug Hugger

My newest project.  Couldn't find a pattern that fit the way I wanted it to, so I made my own.  Made a few of these up and will put them on my Spotted Owl shelves at the the craft shop in town.  

For the Birds!

Cedar Waxwing

It is sometimes a little sad living in a city area that used to be considered rural.  I've seen our area go from just about being in the middle of nowhere, at least it seemed that way, to having Target, Starbucks and just about any other big retail outfit practically in our backyard.  And believe me, I do take advantage of the convenience.  But I also enjoy the natural state of things, probably more than the convenience.  So I guess in many ways I'm able to have it both ways.  

We are blessed to live in a fairly quiet neighborhood and our house backs up to a field that belongs to a lady who own 10 or so acres.  There is also a good amount of trees lining the railroad tracks nearby.  We see coyotes from time to time that live in the thick, but never mind that the Hawks choose the cell tower to nest!  Anyway, it's a nice set up for us to be able to do a little bird watching or at least enjoy them, not sure if we are true birdwatchers or not.    

I've been really surprised the last few years how many different birds are in our little neighborhood. A few we've recently seen:

English Sparrow
Scissor-tail
Mockingbird
Cardinal
Blue Jay
Purple Martin
Dove
Crow
Grackle
Barn Swallow
Cedar Waxwing
Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

We've been keeping an eye on the Red-tailed Hawks here lately.  We were able to look inside the tower and see the young ones heads bobbing around; and now we can see at least one of the juveniles perched on the tower, not quite ready to make his first attempts at flight.

In attempts to draw in some hummingbirds, which we've seen from time to time, I made up some sugar water and put it in a feeder.  Haven't seen any yet.

We saw the cedar waxwings for the first time this year.  That was quite exciting.  Pretty little birdies.

Oh, and I saw a few bats the other day.  I know they aren't birds but it was a neat sighting.

Now if I could just see an owl, I would be beside myself!


Photos from Wikipedia

Help! ... Look Up

I don't know how many of you are like me right now, but I could use a little help!  Help in getting through these last few weeks of lessons.  I'm sure there are more than a few of us homeschool moms in the same boat.  Maybe some of you are finished already.  That's great!  And to you -- I stick my tongue out at you.  Just kidding.  I am a little jealous though.  But here at the Wade School for Boys (haha, sounds like a correctional institution doesn't it?), we still need to finish up, and I'm trying my best to finish strong.  Or at least finish!  :-)

It's just so hard to focus when the weather is so nice.  And then there's the rush to get to all the cool places before school lets out and it gets crowded.  Anyone with me on this?!  Don't get me wrong, I like people, just not crowds of people!  Anyway, where was I?  See how easily distracted I am?   Oh, yes.  Help.  Lots of it, please.  

I've marked my boys books to where they need to be in order to close out this school year.  Now they are working away to get to that point as fast as they can.  I'm just trying to keep myself focused so I can encourage them in their work.  I think it may be harder for me than for them!  

As some of us struggle through these last few days and weeks, let's try to look up for our help.  I love Psalm 121 and those first two verses tell us where to look for help.  I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence comes my help.  My help comes from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.  

If it's your desire to finish up strong, and get 2011-2012 behind you - cry out to the Lord.  He hears.  He'll help.

Heart Work

No amount of effort will make our kids godly.  That is the work of the Holy Spirit and our daily dependence on Him.  - Sally Clarkson

A friend and homeschool support group leader shared that with our group after hearing Mrs. Clarkson speak.  I read the quote and the first thought that came to mind is, "how freeing!  The burden is off of me and on the Holy Spirit."

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.  Matthew 11:30  

There is still much work to be done in training our children in the ways of the Lord, but our focus needs to be on Jesus.  Faithfully walking with the Lord and sharing that walk, and God's truth, with our kids.  But the Heart work is His.  Not mine.

Week 2: Learning the New Testament

Well, week two proved to be a little harder than week one.  It was a challenge to remember the events and sequence, so a friend resorted to taking notes for us.  I know. We cheated.  But it's for a good cause!  I do hope to get this down really well and be able to present  it as a series of lessons to our Truth Town kids at church.  

Picking up where we left off last week, or I guess the week before last since I'm late in posting, is the next sequence of places and events and which event happened where.  (Not sure of some of the spelling.)

Jerusalem

    2nd birth
Sychar
    Woman at the well
Nazareth
    Rejected
Capernaum
    Selection of the 12
    Sermon on the mount
    Power over Satan
    Parables start
    Storm stilled
    Crowd filled
    Testing of Peter
    Transfiguration
Jerusalem
    Stones flew, Jesus withdrew
Periya  
    Counting the cost
    Seeking the lost

Joy Tastes Good

It's an awesome feeling when you take your crumpled up mess, hand it over to the Lord, who takes it willingly by the way, and ask him to straighten it all out and you begin to see Him go to work.  I've not made any drastic changes in the past several months as far as actual skills or other tangibles, but my kitchen skills have improved, not perfected just improved.  It's a step in the right direction at least.

I don't see the kitchen as a place of drudgery and mealtimes as something to just "get through" here lately.  I do my best to greet my kitchen and meal times with joy and a heart of service.  My attitude has improved and so has the food.  Rick and the boys will even say so!  That makes me smile.    

So, let's see, since the beginning of the year I've learned how to make:
Green Beans, real green beans from the produce section, not from a can.
Omelets
Poached Eggs
Macaroni & Cheese from scratch!
Cream of *whatever* Soup substitute - love this stuff - no more cans!
Cream Gravy
Salisbury Steak
Chicken Stock - it was a cool thing to use my very own homemade stock in the cream of soup substitute instead of canned stock!

These things were all made from scratch, no mixes, boxes or anything. And the most important ingredient - a glad heart!  Nothing has really seemed to take longer than when I used convenience foods.  Maybe a little more clean-up, but I have a dishwasher so not really a big deal.

No cookbook, kitchen appliance, class or even Food Network could make the changes that needed to be made in my heart.  I prayed for God to do a work in me so that I'd be able to the work he has for me.  He heard.  He's working. 

Thanks and Praise.

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.  Psalm 34:8



Here is where I was in January:  Mmm-mm, Not So Good

 

Who's There?

Hoot Owl that's who!

http://www.craftsy.com/project/view/Hoot-Owl/40480

I know.  I'm a dork.

Week 1: Learning the New Testament

A friend asked if several homeschool kids could gather at a local church for a friend to practice her Walk Thru the Bible lessons as part of her training.  I thought it sounded interested.  Today was the first meeting.  wow!  Very neat.  The lessons are taught with simple hand motions and words as well as props.  Her focus for this group is the New Testament.  There are seventy-something motions and words that tell about the events, places and people of the NT in chronological order.  Here are the ones we learned today, minus the hand signs.  I'm trying to do them as I type :-)

400 years - Silent
Malachi - Matthew
Powers
Greece - Language
Israel - Hope
Rome - Roads
Politics
Sanhedrin
Scribes
Sadducee
Pharisees
Publicans
Zealots
Four distinct views
One Good News
Bethlehem - Birth
Nazareth - Carpenter
Jordan - Baptized by John
Wilderness - Tempted by Satan

It is surprisingly simple to remember, which I guess is the point.

I loved the reminder of how God was still working even during those silent years between Malachi and Matthew.  He used the Greeks to spread a common language, renewed the Jewish people's hope in God, and allowed the Romans to create a road system all in order to aid the spread of the gospel.  Silent but still working.

Oh and a bonus - this blew my mind.  It's not hard to remember 66 books in the Bible, but remembering how many are in each of the testaments is a little challenging.

How many books in the Old Testament?  Well, how many letters in 'old'? 3.  How many letters in testament? 9 - 39 books in the Old Testament.  How many books in the New Testament?  Well, what's 3x9?  27 books in the New Testament.  Super neat!  How did I not know this?!