The Ordinary Homemaker: January 2013

Sunday, January 20, 2013

School Daze

Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was a President. He was good whith God. He got shot and died the nest day. He was born in a log cabin and grew up in Kentucky.
                                                                                       -Annika gr. 1

If I were a famous person, I would like to start a moon colony. There would be house's, shed's, and moon car's. There would be a police station, a fire station, and a hosbitla. (hospital) There would be a bank and a store. There would even be moon money.
                                                                                      -Jamison gr.4

If I were a famous person, I would like to discover the ark. If I would find it I would make a museum and put it in there. And then I would fill it with animals. And have people walk through it.
                                                                                    -Logan gr.5

Here's the preschooler, peeking in. You never know what she'll do. She has a vivid imagination and loves sitting in the closet on the sleeping bags. (see above picture) She also loves to do puzzles, work in her workbooks, play with Lite Brites, color and look at books. She told someone recently that she's in preschool, "and mostly I just play."

Have I mentioned that I love, love my 'new' school room with the many book shelves and lights and desks for each student? And the peaceful aqua color it's painted? This is one of my favorite rooms in the house and we spend every forenoon in here. We have a heater when it's cold, a fan when it's hot, and sometimes we have tears, lots of laughter, snacks, and a lot of learning going on. I am so very grateful for the privilege to teach my own children, at home.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Revival

Ahh, 2013. A new year, stretched out before us. We can choose how we will use this opportunity. We can live this new year just like the one before that and the one before that. We can keep busy, look out for ME, and do just enough good to keep feeling okay with ourselves, and keep filling ourselves with stuff that doesn't last but gives us momentary satisfaction.

OR

Do you feel a stirring in your soul? Do you feel the stagnancy in your life? Do you feel the longing in your heart for more? More fulfillment? Genuine love? Spirit filled worship? Passionate prayer times? A new zeal for serving God? A burden for the lost? A hunger to know God more? Hatred for sin and the way it wrecks lives? Boldness for the truth? Determination to fight the spiritual warfare that surrounds us each and every day?

I can't keep living my life like I did last year, or the year before that. God continues to work in my heart and continues to show me areas I need to grow in, to change, to stretch. If I ignore the Holy Spirit in my life, He will get quieter, and quieter until I can't recognize His voice at all.

It would be nice sometimes to stick my head in the sand and ignore the world around me. The state of our nation is not a joke. It is headed in a fast, downward spiral. We as Christians are called to live genuine, Spirit filled lives. We have NOTHING to offer the world around us if we are so caught up in trivial issues of disagreements and differences between God's people. We go to conferences, counseling, and other life-changing events and come home, changed temporarily.

My heart's cry is to allow God to do the work He wants to do in my life. To stop getting in the way. To be all in. To pursue Him like someone who's dying of thirst pursues water. To encourage others, to love unconditionally. I believe God longs to see revival in our land, in this time in history. Oh, that God's people would band together and join in the battle. Could it start with one person, with me, with you? Could we just be obedient to Him?

My Song For Revival

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

2012 Memories

January-
Leon and I celebrated our anniversary 4 months late with a weekend at home, no kids. Relaxing....

(never mind that I look 6 months pregnant; must've been the vest:) )

Later in the month, we surprised the children for the 100th day of school by taking them to a hotel with a big indoor waterslide.

February-

I flew to Texas and surprised my sister Karen for her 50th birthday.

(my big sisters and me; they are 14 & 18 years older than me, but I love 'em so much!)

We also hosted 2 wonderful nephews and 1 wonderful niece for 5 days while their parents went on a mission trip.

March-

We planted early things in the garden

April-

Leon began planting

The children and I went to MO to visit my sister Mary and her family

May-

Leon and I made a fast trip to Ohio for a wedding and spent some time with my niece and her family.

We also took a field trip with several other home school families.

June-

We started eating garden goodies and enjoying summer to the fullest.

July-

We started off the month by going to the Ozarks and spending a wonderful weekend with my entire family....

Here we are, all 66 of us!

The 8 siblings...alot of personality going on here. You can tell I'm one of the better behaved ones.

Then we celebrated the marriage of Leon's brother, Karlin to Megan...

We also celebrated the life and death of Leon's Grandma Miller.

August-

We spent a weekend visiting Leon's Grandma Stutzman.

We painted the school room and Leon built desks and bookshelves and we started school.

We camped in our back yard.

September-

Leon began harvest.

We celebrated 3 birthdays in our family.

We were commissioned as youth pastors at our church.

October-

We had gorgeous weather this fall.

November

We enjoyed Thanksgiving with my family.

                                                        December
                 We had a very busy month with basketball practice for
           Logan, Christmas activities, baking, and then lots of fun family time with Leon's family.