TOS Review: Growing Up Wild

As part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I recently received a couple of DVDs from Growing Up Wild.  The Wild family is serving as missionaries in Papua, Indonesia.  They have four boys, and live in the jungle with the Wano people.  My children were very interested in the videos, as the older two boys seem to be about their age, and also because we have watched and enjoyed documentary series about indigenous peoples in Papua in the past.

The first DVD includes segments about the Wilds' house in the jungle and the houses of the Wano, a supply trip, and how the family uses the sun and water to provide a little bit of first-world comfort to their jungle home.  The segments mainly feature the boys and the Wano people, but are narrated by the parents.  My kids loved seeing the house the Wilds live in - especially the lego room!  I found myself wondering if I would get used to how open to the elements their house is, if I were to live in it.  I'm sure I would, but it would take some getting used to!

The other DVD we received was Volume 4, which features segments about the wildlife in the region, some aspects of Wano culture, and more about missionaries in general.  I think we were all a little surprised when the mom was talking about the older two boys' desire to have their noses pierced like the Wano children - and then they did it!  Granted, the mom made sure the boys really wanted to do it (she made them wait a year!), and it appears that several of the male missionaries have also done it.  However, I don't think any of us felt like we'd be able to do it ourselves!

The purpose of Growing Up Wild and desire of the Wild family is to "encourage children to impact the world for God's glory" - to spark a passion for reaching the people of the world in the next generation.  I love the way that the Wilds have tied these glimpses of their everyday life as missionaries into lessons that encourage children to really think about the world around them with a Biblical view.  There is an activity guide disc included with each volume, and each segment has a corresponding overview, set of scripture references, and activities suggested to really get more than just entertainment out of the videos.  My favorite part of the videos was the "at the end of the day" moment that wraps up each segment with a short devotional thought that ties the adventures from that segment in to a spiritual application.  

Growing Up Wild separately for $18.99, or you can purchase the whole set for $80.99.  I feel like these videos are worth the price - the videos are good quality, and children as well as adults will have their interest captured by this family of "wild" boys!



***Disclaimer:  I received two volumes of Growing Up Wild in exchange for my review through the Schoolhouse Review Crew.  All opinions are my own. 

TOS Review: Your Child's Profession of Faith

The Schoolhouse Review Crew was given the opportunity to review works from Grace & Truth Books.  Given my choice of 10 titles, I chose Your Child's Profession of Faith.  You see, Super Girl has always had a great faith in and love for God.  On several occasions she has told us that she prayed "the sinner's prayer".  She has a strong relationship with Christ.  However, last summer, she asked me how she could be sure she is saved.  I had some heart-felt discussions with her, and I think I helped set her mind at ease.  However, I hoped this book would help, should the question arise again - whether from her, or another child.

Your Child's Profession of Faith is a good book, and one I will keep on my shelf.  However, it was not quite what I was hoping for.  I was looking for something that would help be a help in counseling children who are questioning the solidity of their faith.  Chapter 7, "The Manifestations of Faith", will definitely help with that.  However, most of the book before that has to do with the nature of children - "intellectual immaturity", "changeableness", and gullibility.  The book does stress the importance of cultivating a child's strong relationship with Christ over time, rather than the quick conversions that are sought in many childrens' ministry settings.  However, I felt that this section, as well as all the parts about making sure your child is truly ready to be baptized, were not what I was looking for.  The particular church I belong to does not teach that baptism is necessary for salvation, and therefore we do not normally practice it, which means those passages just don't apply to my situation.

I feel like Your Child's Profession of Faith is more a book for the parent who questions the validity of their child's faith, rather than the parent of a questioning child.  It is good, Bible-based advice, and straight-forward.  It wasn't quite what I was looking for, but still an excellent reminder to be careful with my childrens hearts, because "if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea" (Matthew 18:6).

Your Child's Profession of Faith is available from Grace & Truth Books.  The price is $7.50 for a soft-cover edition, 119 pages.

***Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Your Child's Profession of Faith in exchange for my review through The Schoolhouse Review Crew.  All opinions are my own.

TOS Review: Journeys of Faithfulness

Journeys of Faithfulness is a devotional book from Sarah Clarkson.  It is aimed at girls ages 12 and up, though I think if a girl is mature and thoughtful, it would be appropriate for girls as young as 10 (Super Girl is reading it at age 11).  The book is broken into four sections, each focusing on different women from the Bible:  Mary & Martha, Mary (Jesus' mother), Esther, and Ruth.  There are three chapters in each section, with each chapter containing a fictionalized narrative about the subject, a devotional reading, and a short Bible study (3 to 5 passages).  Both Super Girl and I have found the book easy and engaging to read, however, I keep wishing that there was a bit more to the actual Bible portion of the study.  Journeys of Faithfulness is definitely a topical study, rather than a biographical study.  None of the Bible passages are actually about the women the book focuses on, but rather look at character aspects the author wishes to stress from the lives of those women.

I really like Journeys of Faithfulness.  However, I feel that it is a little light for my taste.  I think it would be an excellent starting point for a girl to get into a more in-depth study of one of these women.  Or, maybe it is just right for introducing a young girl to Bible studies of this nature, because it is not too heavy, nor does it have a lot of "homework".  I just feel that, even for teenaged girls, there is a lot more to be learned from the actual Scriptures than is shared in this book.  I would love it if there were additional resources to go along with it, such as a more in-depth workbook.  As there is more focus on the fictional accounts and the devotional reading, rather than the Bible, I don't think I'd recommend this book as a part of a girl's homeschool curriculum.  It is decent and appropriate for extra-curricular reading, though.  I frankly think I'd treat the book more as historical fiction than a devotional or Bible study.

Journeys of Faithfulness is available from Apologia.  It is currently $13 for a soft-cover edition.

***Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Journeys of Faithfulness in exchange for my review through The Schoolhouse Crew.  All opinions are my own.

What a Great Night! (No Politics Here!)

I believe I have mentioned that our church congregation is very small.  We're still trying to reach people for Christ, though!  One of our programs is a "character building" program for kids, similar to scouting.  I lead the older girls group, and we have been working on our Recreational Sports badge.  They have to participate in four different sports, and one of the options is bowling. Since we are severely lacking in leaders, there are not enough adults for me to take the girls out of the building and have adequate supervision both with them and at the building with the other groups.  So, I got creative!  We have a long hallway at the church, and we have some donated soda in 20 oz. bottles (which no one is drinking, as it is rather flat).  We found a soccer ball, and printed blank score sheets.  I played the roll of "ball return" and "pin setter", and the girls had a blast!  We only got one game completed, but as we have to play three games for the badge, this means we get to "go bowling" again next week!  Other benefits: it was free, there were no ugly shoes-of-questionable-cleanliness, no cigarette smoke, no drunken bowlers three lanes down, and we could hear each other quite well (since there were no other balls and pins crashing around or inappropriate music blaring).  Now that we have it figured out, we should be able to get our other two games in next week.  I'm just so happy that everyone enjoyed it so much, and everyone participated.  I'm also glad that two girls from last year finally came back.  We have at least doubled the number of kids that are attending in comparison to last year, and it's not because we have anything fancy or material to give them!  I see these kids thriving on the real interest and attention we're giving them, and it makes my heart swell!  Tonight, I'm so thankful for a fun and successful youth night, because they aren't always - our first week this fall, we had my own two children.  That was it.  Tonight, we had 13 kids!

TOS Review: Children In Church

My family has attended a "family integrated" church in the past, and while we greatly enjoyed the fellowship times outside of the church service (at least two a month), we found that our family was looking for more than just the Sunday service - the only formal instruction time this specific church offered.  As a homeschooling family, we wanted our children to be able to interact with other children in a Christian setting more often than what they were getting.  For us, it was not a matter of children in the service, but rather the lack of any instruction geared specifically toward them, such as a Sunday School class.

I was highly interested in reading Curt and Sandra Lovelace's new book, Children In Church, when the opportunity arose.  Having participated in the congregation I just described, and now working toward a ministry position in a denomination that definitely encourages childrens church, youth groups, and the like, I am curious as to how to combine the two successfully.  I have experienced occasions when a family comes for a visit, and they want their child to stay with them - either because they are uncomfortable sending their child off with strangers, or the child is shy and prefers to stay with mom and dad.  I was hoping to find in  Children In Church  a way to address this topic with future congregations, so that it is not an issue and these families are welcomed warmly.

I am greatly pleased with what I read in the chapters of this book!  I greatly appreciate that the Lovelaces devote a large portion of the book to the Biblical basis for children in the worship service and outlining their belief and understanding of God's Word on this topic.  I feel that the information will help me settle any future concerns that church members might have over children being in the service.  Now that I am finished, I feel equipped to assist a "traditional" church from my denomination in welcoming children into the service - most likely through a monthly family-style worship service, but more importantly, on those Sundays when we are blessed with visitors that need the comfort of staying together as a family. 

Throughout Children In Church, the Lovelaces give loads of helpful ideas and instruction on how to help children to be able to sit in a church service as well as actually get something out of it.  I have heard some of them before, but I love their idea of easing a child into taking notes over time through drawing a picture for them to color based on the sermon, then ending (when they are eventually ready) with them making their own notes.  The tone of the book is gentle, and encourages the reader to find what works for them and their family - and to keep trying, even if the first attempts feel unsuccessful.

Children In Church can be found at http://childreninchurch.com/order/ as an advance reader copy for $12.  The book focuses on parents with younger children, but I think that anyone that loves children would get something out of it.  In my opinion, it should be required reading for anyone involved in church leadership!

***Disclaimer:  I received a digital copy of Children in Church in exchange for my review through the Schoolhouse Review Crew.  All opinions are my own.

TOS Review: Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers

Since my children were small, I have had a desire to make sure they know the old hymns that I grew up singing in church.  This desire came about because, unfortunately, so many churches have moved away from singing them on a regular basis, if at all.  I love modern praise and worship music, but I also have such a connection to those old hymns.  I often find myself tearing up when we do sing one at church - they have a warm, familiar feeling, like coming home.

In our early homeschooling days, I had grand plans to introduce my children to the hymns, one every week or two.  These plans didn't last long, and I'm sorry to say that those cds are gathering dust since my cd player broke.  Enter Christian Liberty Press's Mr. Pipes.  The history of the great hymns and hymn writers of the past are shared through the stories that Mr. Pipes shares with two American kids staying in a sleepy little English village.  

Most of the chapters of Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers focus on one or two specific hymn writers.  Two of them are about a group, such as "Women Hymn Writers."  I really love that the information is shared through storytelling.  The reader gets easily caught up in the story of the writers and the history behind the hymns without feeling bogged down by facts.  I love the kind of teaching where my children learn without even realizing it.  My kids love it when schoolwork doesn't feel like work!

My plan for this book for this school year is to spread it out, reading one chapter a week.  We will listen to a hymn by the featured writer, then read the chapter aloud together.  The language is easy but not simple, so I don't think it will feel like a burden to my reluctant reader.  After reading the chapter, we will listen to some more of the featured writer's hymns.  I plan to continue to play the hymns throughout the week, including them in our family devotion time as well as copy work.  The website says that these are geared toward 7th through 10th grade, but I think that it would work for older elementary kids as well.  I actually think that kids much older than 7th grade may find them too simple. 

Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers is available through Christian Liberty Press, one of my favorite homeschool curriculum companies.  The ebook version is $8.79, and the paper version is $9.89.  There are actually four books in the Mr. Pipes series, and I plan to use them all!

***Disclaimer:  I was given a digital copy of this book in exchange for my review through the Schoolhouse Review Crew.  All opinions are my own.

TOS Crew: I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist

I am excited about the latest review item I have in my possession.  Apologia was kind enough to send out a copy of I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, along with a copy of their accompanying curriculum workbook.  My children have done Bible knowledge lessons since we started homeschooling, but we have not done a topical study together.  I think that 7th grade is a great age to introduce them to one - especially one designed to help them understand why we believe what we believe, and how that compares to the rest of the world.

There are basically 19 lessons in the workbook.  We are just starting out, because we are just starting our school year and I really wanted this to be a formal part of it.  I had plans to start earlier this month, but a few events altered those plans.  This is a Bible study the kids and I do together - we read through the selected passage from I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, then go through the lesson in the workbook.  I don't have the kids read the book on their own, though if they were older, I'd assign the selection to them then have a discussion time.  

I really like how the lessons are divided.  There are four main sections to each one.  I love, love, love that one of those sections has the student research for themselves the points discussed in I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist.  Another section helps the student see how the things they're learning apply to their life and faith.  This study really has my children beginning to understand the why behind what they already strongly believe.  A child-like faith is awesome, but as my children begin to move into a more grown-up world, I want them to have more of a defense for their faith than just, "Because the Bible says so."  

One of the other features I like about this curriculum are the biographies of historical figures.  I couldn't find a list of these biographies, but there are two in each chapter.  Examples of some of these biographies are Carl Sagan, C. S. Lewis, Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and Friedrich Nietzsche.  I think it's really important to teach my children not only about the accomplishments of people in the past, but also what they believed, since that is usually the driving force behind great accomplishments.

I am eager to finish this study - not because I want to get it over with, but because I want to see what all three of us have learned by the end.  I'm full of anticipation over how my children will have grown through this course!

I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist and the companion curriculum can be purchased through Apologia.  The book sells for $16, and the workbook is $33.  

***Disclaimer:  I received a copy of these two books from Apologia in exchange for my review through the Schoolhouse Review Crew.  All opinions are my own.

Arriving Late To The Party (UBP 2012)

I'm late to the party, sad to say.  This is my third year participating, and I'm sad that I am just now joining up this time around.  However, it's not my party, so I won't cry.  Moving along... my blog has mostly been reviews for the past year, but that's not what I started out doing, and not what I want my blog to focus on.  I'm taking advantage of this to get back to where I want to be!  Meanwhile, here are a few things about myself I thought I'd share with you: 

• I believe God.  I don't just believe in God.  I have read the promises in His Word, and have experienced the work of His Hand in my life.  Our family has gone through some hardships and trials in the past couple of years, but we have come through them all with God's help.  The end results may not have been what we wanted at the time (we did lose our house), but looking back now, it is obvious (at least to us), how God has used these situations to bring about His Will in our lives.  We are now on a path back into ministry in a church we love.  Not as lay people, as we thought last year, but as pastors - a position we walked away from 10 years ago.  God has moved in unbelievable ways in the life of our family to bring us full circle, back to where He had us and wanted us originally.  I'm eager to get going, but know that we must wait on His timing.
• I joined Weight Watchers this week.  I have gained weight due to being pregnant or nursing for the past 4 years, poor eating habits, and a very low thyroid (which was originally over-active), making it harder for my body to let go of the extra weight.  Imagine my dismay when I went online, plugged in my stats, and was told I am obese.  I knew that I am heavier than I should be and wanted to be, but I did not think I was that big.  I'm only a size 16.   Anyhow, I have been following the plan since Tuesday night, and I don't know what's going on, but I am totally craving fruits and veggies.  I also find that even though I know there are goodies in the house (cookies, cupcakes, chocolate), I am tempted by them a lot less when I know that I can have them if I choose to.  I feel better in just a couple of days, even if I haven't lost any weight (I'm not weighing myself at home, so I don't know).  As a bonus, I met a fellow homeschooler at the meeting!
• I just ate a red banana.  Speaking of fruit, I was on a produce buying spree last night, and saw some red bananas.  I like trying new foods, so I got some.  I have to say, I like the flavor, but the texture is a little different than a yellow banana, and I'm not sure I'm crazy about that.  I like firm bananas, and this one was not-so-much.
• I'm a homeschooler.  My kids are watching a science experiment DVD as I type this, playing with food coloring, milk, dish soap, eggs, matches, and jars.  Yes, I'm supervising them, and, at 12 and 11, I think they're ok with the matches.  As a homeschooler, I have a pretty good handle on what my kids are capable of.  We like doing hands-on activities and learning through real-life situations.  However, we are not "unschoolers".  My kids do book work, also.  I like to think that we are a good mix of the best of both worlds here - unschooling and more traditional book work.
• I'm a procrastinator, amongst other things.  That is one reason I am posting this on the last day of the Ultimate Blog Party.  I realized it was going on a few days ago, but it's taken me that long to get around to writing this up.  This is not a good trait, and I'm trying to work on it.   Other things I am:  a member of TOS Homeschool Crew, a brand new digi-scrapper (as well as veteran paper scrapper), a seamstress, and a gardener.  As well as a perfectionist and lazy.

Well, now you know a bit more about me.  I hope you'll look around some and visit me again!  If you've gotten this far and are interested in what you see, please make sure to "like" my Facebook page, follow me on Google Friend Connect or Linky Followers, and subscribe to me by email.  There are handy-dandy buttons for all these things up there to the right.  Thanks for visiting!!!

Stuck in my head...

I've had this song stuck in my head for the last week.  It came on the radio while I was driving with the kids, and Wonder Boy sang along with me:

 

Christmas Helps For a Busy Season

I don't believe I've said before, but the church we belong to is The Salvation Army.  Mr. Man grew up in it, and my family joined officially when I was 15.  It is the church that Mr. Man and I were pastors in, and are now working on rejoining as pastors.  

If you know anything about The Salvation Army, you know that they do a LOT of social service ministries, especially around the holidays.  With all the planning and work that goes into ministries like bell ringing and angel trees, Christmas really gets going by the beginning of October for many Salvation Army officers.  The most important thing to me during this time is that my children not grow up feeling that the season was "ruined" for them by how busy their parents were and the lack of time spent together.  I know many families see an increase in activities during this time of year, however, whether they are in "the ministry" or not.  I'd like to share some tools that may help cut down on some of the craziness, and even help keep the focus where it should be - Jesus!

Photo Credit:  stock.xchng

• A tool I just discovered last year was The 12-Week Holiday Planner by Sheri Graham and Marilyn Moll.  It starts October 1st (whoops!), and has all kinds of goodies in it like check lists (shopping, cards, gifts, etc), menus, recipes, schedules, gifts to make, and more!  I'm excited to try it out this year!  You can also sign up to be notified of updates to the planner if you choose to buy it!
• On a tight budget?  There are free ones available, too.  The FlyLady has a holiday control journal, which starts before Thanksgiving, that you can print out and pop in a binder.  Organized Home has tips on how to create your own Christmas planner, as well as forms you can print out.
• I haven't tried it, but the Springpad app sounds like a useful thing.  I'm a list-maker (I'm making one right now!), and this seems like just the thing for me - if I had a phone that used apps...  I often have pieces of paper floating around with lists of things I wanted to remember or look into later.  I'm definitely trying Springpad out!
• Jen at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam has a list of quite a few Christmas traditions to try with your family.  I really want to do some of them with mine.  I'd love to try out something she mentions in the "Candy Cane Trail" post - only opening a few presents per hour.  I'd love to slow down the whole morning, and make the kids really focus on what they just opened, rather than flinging off the paper and then moving on to the next present.  It just sounds so peaceful!  And, lastly...
• Do you read A Holy Experience?  If not, YOU SHOULD!  Ann Voskamp has a way of connecting EVERY. LITTLE. THING. to living a more full relationship with God.  One post was about the power going out in their pig barn and her sons working together to keep the pigs from overheating.  Somehow, she found a spiritual application in it!  And, it touched me!  Anyhow, if you sign up for email updates from her blog, there is a link at the bottom of each one for her Jesse Tree Journey, which she wrote with Nancy Rodden.  If I do nothing else this Christmas season, I want to make sure I do this advent series with my family.  We need it.

I hope you've found something in that list to help you out this Christmas season - whether it is a way to stay better organized or an activity to help recenter your family on the true meaning of the season!


**Note:  The link to The 12-Week Holiday Planner is my affiliate link.

Remembering Morgan

Today is the first anniversary of the day we let go of our 4th child, Morgan Daniel.  He only made it to 16 weeks gestation, but his tiny little life had a huge impact on our family.  Losing Morgan was what it took to bring my husband back to God.  It also brought us closer together.  I feel totally blessed in this, because I know that losing a child can have the exact opposite effect on a couple.  I hate that I have a child I have never held, and whose face I can barely remember.  However, I know our family is better for it.  If God had asked me to give Morgan up in order to bring about these changes, I don't know if I could have made that decision.  As it was, I fully accepted that his death was my own fault, for reasons that seemed completely logical to me.  It was only until a few days ago that Mr. Man realized the depth of the guilt and responsibility I felt and was able to help me let go of it.  

The thing I struggle with now is a way to remember him.  I'd like to do something special on this day every year, as a way to honor his place in our family.  Unfortunately, we now live several hours away from his grave.  Releasing balloons seems kind of silly to me, and we don't have the financial means to do most of the other things I've thought of.  I don't want our kids to forget Morgan, but Little Miss is to young to even understand, and #5 was obviously just born.  How do I teach them about Morgan so that they'll understand?

The ways of God are mysterious to man.  We can't pretend to understand anything He doesn't spell out for us.  But I do know that Morgan's loss was not in vain.  God had a plan for him from the start, and though part of it grieves me, I praise God for the good in it.

Be Careful Little Eyes What You See

Do you know this Sunday School song?

Be careful little eyes what you see
Be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see!

I thought of this song while we were in church this Sunday. There was a new family this week. A woman, her teen-aged son and daughter, and the daughter's boyfriend. The daughter and her boyfriend were not what you would call... traditional in appearance. The girl had purposely matted orange hair, with an odd little bow in the front. She had several facial piercings, including a ring in her nose - I mean, like a bull, not a cute little one on the side. The boyfriend had a matching nose ring, and I do believe they both had gauges in their ears. They definitely did not look like most people at our church, and it seemed to me that not as many people were greeting them as were greeting others.

We settled into our seats and the service, and pretty soon it was time for praise and worship. I wondered how many people were surprised when the different-looking girl threw her hands in the air and sang the songs wholeheartedly? She obviously knew the songs, and was very enthusiastic in her worship. At some points, I thought she was so into it that she'd float right off the floor! I confess, I was surprised at first. But, I was quickly humbled, and reminded that God does not look at the physical of our beings:

What matters is not your outer appearance - the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes - but your inner disposition. 1 Peter 3:3-4, The Message

I did not expect such spiritual passion to come out of that girl. I'd actually suspected that her mother had made her come to church that morning. I was wrong. I was looking at her through human eyes, not the eyes of Christ.

What would YOU have thought, if that girl had sat down in YOUR church? What would YOU have seen?

The Year of Jubilee

We sang a song in church recently which really touched me. We have sung it before, but it never really spoke to me, other than being an upbeat song with interesting lyrics.



The Year of Jubilee is about forgiving debts. But it doesn't happen every year. You have to wait and be patient.

My husband and I used to be assistant pastors. We reached a point where we became frustrated and discouraged, and we resigned from ministry. This was 8 years ago. Mr. Man went through a long period of anger toward the church and God. He gradually made his way back to a right relationship with God, but not fully until after the loss of Morgan. I gradually came to see that perhaps God was not leading us away from ministry when we left, but that instead He was giving us over to our own selfish desires for a time. We tried to do things our own way, and it hasn't worked.

Flash forward to the beginning of January. We were able to attend a retreat and see some friends from our ministry past. Mr. Man talked for hours with one friend in particular. The friend told him about a ministry position he was looking to fill in the church he pastors. On our way home, we were in agreement that we felt we were being led back into ministry in some way. We prayed about whether we were to try to become pastors again, contact this friend with the opening in his church, or if we were being led somewhere else. Mr. Man went ahead and contacted our friend about the position, and let him know we were interested. The friend asked for time to pray about it. We continued to pray for guidance, but weren't really feeling led anywhere. That was the last we heard from our friend...

Meanwhile, we sang this song in church. It really spoke to me when we got to the line about the Year of Jubilee. I felt God saying THIS is our Year of Jubilee - we have turned our lives back over to Him, and are truly seeking His will and direction for our family. Our past selfishness is forgiven, and we are being restored!

At the end of February, our friend suddenly called, and wanted us to come out for an "interview". Something just "clicked" with both of us - THIS is what God wants for us right now. We both know it without a shadow of a doubt. We were patient and waited on God's timing, and He has revealed at least a peek at His plans. We went out for the interview (an entire state away), and have gone out again for some follow-up stuff. Every question has been answered by God along the way, every wrinkle smoothed out. All that is left is for official permission to come through from the church's headquarters (we already have unofficial permission), and for God to show us what house He has in store for us. As soon as that comes through, we will be moving, and Mr. Man will be working again! That in itself is an answer to prayer, as we were going to move in with his parents - and there still wouldn't have been a job lined up. While I will not be an employee, I will do plenty of lay ministry, and we are both excited to get back to doing what we know we should have been doing all along!

HAPPY New Year

It's 2011. And I'm breathing a BIG sigh of relief. I can honestly say that I'm glad 2010 is over - it was a hard year for us. I haven't shared most of these things here, but some of the things we've been dealing with are:

• My husband has been laid off from two different jobs in the past year. He has been unemployed for a total of 6 months, with no end in sight.
• We are facing foreclosure on our house. The mortgage company is unwilling to actually, truly try to help us.
• We lost our fourth baby in September, at 16 weeks gestation.
  
• My 24 year old brother was diagnosed with testicular cancer this fall.

Through it all, though, I can say that my God has been near. He has provided for us in ways I would have never imagined. It has been a blessing to have my husband home with us and to have the time together as a family that we would not have otherwise had. The loss of our tiny son, whom we named Morgan Daniel, while heartbreaking, has actually brought my husband and I closer together, and ignited a spiritual renewal in both of us. While it stinks that my brother has cancer, it is a type that is 90% curable. I can even say that should he not be in that 90%, he is a Christian, and I know where he will go, should he lose this fight. We will lose our home, but have two sets of parents that are more than willing to allow us to live with them as long as we need. Things could be so much worse. We are healthy and happy, even though we may be struggling financially. We have a roof over our heads and food to eat. We are together. We have Christ, and no one can take Him away from us.

Here For The Party!

Have you heard of the Ultimate Blog Party? I've checked it out in the past, but quickly got sidetracked, overwhelmed, what-have-you. Since I am trying to grow my readership and be more productive on my blog, I thought I would really give it a go this year! Woo hoo - a party without the mess!

For those of you checking in via the UBP, welcome! I am Jen. I am a 32 year old wife and mother of 3. There may or may not be more children in the future. I have been homeschooling my children for almost 4 years now. I am interested in all things to do with the home, the more natural the better. I am learning to sew, I like to garden and can, baking and cooking are fun, and I really don't mind cleaning, especially if I can use natural products. My baby usually wears home-made cloth diapers, and I am nursing for the first time. I try to be a good steward of what I have been blessed with by re-using things, and I love buying second-hand. I enjoy the thrill of couponing and walking out of the store having spent very little while getting a lot!

Most importantly, I believe God. I don't just believe IN Him. I believe the promises He's given us in His word, and I am striving to trust in Him more every day. Some days are easy. I love being home with my family. Others are harder. My husband has been unemployed since February 1st. However, I know that in all situations, my Savior loves me, has the best plan for me, and will provide all I need and more. I think patience is the hardest part of the equation!

So, thanks for stopping by, and please let me know you were here! I hope you'll come back soon!