I have been on the look out for some new and encouraging natural, frugal, Christian homemaking reading… anyways, I came across this

http://www.westonaprice.org/modernfood/dirty-secrets.html

and thought it was way too informative not to share. I have decided that I am going to try and make my own dairy products, particularly kefir and yogurt. I found someone in the area who sells the grains to get started… I am pretty excited to be able to make my own nurtitious foods from scratch and also save money at the same time! I will keep you posted on how it goes.

I figure since my mom will be here for the next 3 weeks, that this will be a good time to experiment with “from scratch” things like kefir, or soaking grains before baking. She is so good at all that sort of thing. And with her help when the new baby finally decides to show up, I won’t feel so overwhelmed:) This little girl is 2 days late… but as I was talking with my midwife, she was telling me how the “wheel” that all doctors use to estimate your due date is not based on very good research in the first place. And that a more accurate prediction would be adding 10 days to that date for a first-time mom and 5 days for mutiple children moms. So, really Monday would be a more accurate due date for me… I guess I say all that to say I am not overdue at all! hehe… And that my other children were actually right on time. Well, at least for me. Every woman carries differently.

Nonetheless, hopefully the next post will be a birth story.

Well, Aaron and Caiah left today, before the crack of dawn, to go on a Father Daughter Retreat. I am really happy that they will be able to enjoy this time together, especially in the beautiful surroundings of the Gardens in Georgia that they will be at (should already be at). I am also sad that they are gone for a whole weekend! Micaiah called and wrote me like 3 texts/emails already (on her father’s phone, no I am NOT getting her a cell) saying how much she missed everyone but that she had fun on the plane. It was the first time she has ever flown, well, first time any of our children have been on a plane. When you have 5 + kids, airlines are not the most economical way to travel;)

Anyways, I envy the weather they’re having down there. They text me that it’s so hot and they didn’t pack sandels or lighter shirts, so they’re going shopping. It’s raining and on the verge of snow here. Funny, how weather can be so different…

I ventured out to the store with my kids, plus a little toddler I am watching this week (so that was 3 children 3 and under, and 2 boys only a year apart in age - and if anyone knows what it is like to shop with young gentlemen, well, need I say more…). I was almost wondering how it would go.

To my delight, everything was great:) Really not all that long ago, I used to dread taking my little ones out to the store, but the training at home has definitely paid off. If I expect and train my children to obey me the first time, not to whine, and not to ask for something more than one time, then why would they do any differently at the store? If they “have a melt-down” at the store, it only shows me where I have not been diligent in their training.

I am learning that consistency is everything; that taking the time out to stop whatever I am doing and direct a training session every time they start one, instead of just spouting off instructions that I am not going to follow up on; that my words have to carry weight when I speak, or they won’t listen; that I cannot expect more of my children than I do of myself (like if I tell them not to have a bad attitude, or to be grouchy/emotional then I can’t be going around not controlling my emotions); and many other tid bits here and there.  Life is just one educational moment after another with children:)

Anyways, I hope I survive being without those two for the weekend;) I am hoping to have a girls’ night study with some of the younger ladies in our church today, so that will keep me busy. We have been reading “Beautiful Girlhood” and “Raising Maidens of Virtue“; both are incredible resources with godly values and principles for young women. Hopefully I will also keep myself busy and finish my books and prepare for a series of health classes that I will be hosting here:) (I am really excited about that one… sharing healthy living with others is definitely a passion of mine…) And I am DEFINITELY going to get myself into gear and do some Bible studying:) So, that’s my plan for the weekend to keep my mind occupied…we’ll see how it goes. Anyways, enough random tidbits for now…

I have been wanting to do a research on Walt Disney, from its onset to the present day company and track its anti-Christian themes and secular slants. I always found it most disturbing that this company, who seemed to act as the voice of American families, is no where near what a Christian-minded family truly is in the Biblical sense.

 Anyways, my favorite people, Vision Forum, have put together a critique on Disney before I got around to it. I found the summary article very much echoing my own thoughts on this pervasive, “seemingly innocent” company. So, here’s their take ( I am thinking of getting the dvd set, as soon as we finish with the other educational series we have:)

Go to Doug’s Blog here: http://www.visionforum.com/hottopics/blogs/dwp/ to read the full article.

Oh yes, I have yet another film for you all to watch:)

 http://www.getexpelled.com/

 This one is about the hostile discrimination that is going on in the scientific, educational, and political world when it comes to the intelligent design and the evolution debate. Ben Stein documents this factual and highly disturbing evidence of the fight people are putting up with Neo-Darwinism. Anyone who questions this theory in the scientific field, political arena, or educational area is marked and discredited. They are not only shunned, but defamed and their reputation ruined.

Anyways, check it out. Funny how we are suppose to have free speech in every area of life, but not this one.

Okay, so today is get involved day…

 But seriously, we watched The Business of Being Born last night on netflix. It’s crazy, because I knew like the tip of the iceberg when it came to the state of the billion dollar birthing industry we have in America; but this documentary went further. It went to the roots of where this all came from and where it is trying to take us, if we let it. I am disgusted with the false amount of information American women are being fed; and also disheartened to know that we digest it without doing our own research, or checking up on things.

Even if you are done having children, or too young, this documentary really should be seen by all Americans. This is our children and our lives that are being harmed, put in danger.  Our way of life and all its natural principles, put into place by God, have been altered to fit an industrialized country since the 1920’s. We have not progressed as a nation, but rather have digressed. We have put the good of nation-building before God, before family, and before the health and well-being of children and mothers. 

As I have been researching and listening to various films about this and other issues regarding homeschooling, and even entrepreneurial avenues, I am finding that our country took a serious nose-dive for the worst when it began its nation-building during the early 1900’s. It was at that time that our country really lost its focus. No longer was the family, freedom, God, or biblical principles the lead, but instead it was power,money, and greed of the few “most important”.  “Social efficiency” became the accepted philosophy of the day - and has continued since.

Family businesses were discouraged and the spirit of independent thinking and the entrepreneurial spirit was broken as “bigger” businesses became the thing to do. Public schooling was introduced and enforced as the corporate powers realized that if you can control the mind of the youth, you can control the mind of the nation. Evolution and other philosophies were placed into the curriculum that directly challenge God and biblical teaching.

Hospitals were introduced as the “safe” place to give birth. In 1900 almost all births were done at home (like over 80%). By 1955 only 1% were at home. What happened? And since that time our country has become second in the world for the highest number of infant deaths. The philosophy that “professionals” are smarter, better qualified, and better equipped to handle the issues of life was largely promoted through propaganda. Ads portraying scary looking, backwards, “old-world” looking, uneducated, unintelligent type of women as midwives were shoved down every American’s throat as the hospital and medical field went out to convince people that birth was a medical procedure to be handled by “trained professionals”, of whom, not one had actually witnessed a human birth.

America has been on a slippery slope since that time. That was also the time where the government illegally slipped in the 16th Ammendment  that would create income tax for all Americans, since they were all employees now of the large industries that were coming into power… Our constitution was being thrown out even then, and has been snowballing ever since.

I find that I cannot just sit on false information. Especially information that I once believed and now am coming to terms that we have been lied to over and over again. We are in a spiritual battle. I do not believe that any one person is to blame for what has happened to our country; but I do believe that the devil is trying his best to destroy a country who started its journey because they wanted to worship God the way He was leading them to.

The battle is not over. And if you read the back of the book, we win. I am determined to fight this good fight of faith until God sees fit to move me out of the way. When our world gets the darkest, now it is when our Lights will shine the brightest. It is not time to cower back in fear, or retreat to our own little corners of the earth, but it is a time to stand boldly for all that is holy, true, and right in the strength and power of the One who created the heavens and this earth. 

In his 1828 version of the American dictionary, he prefaces it with this quote:

In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed…No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people

Under his definition of education he wrote:

The bringing up, as of a child, instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.

I find it so terribly sad that our government and nation has drifted so far from the pioneers who worked so hard to ensure our freedom here.

I am sure that I could blog for an hour on it… but I think Mr. Webster’s words are more than sufficient.

 If you want to see the 1828 version of the American dictionary, click here.

The kids have been in school for over a month so far… things are settling down as they are shifting into their routines and new schedules.  Every day has its struggles, but today we had some wonderful victories.

My oldest son has been battling with his flashcards. In the curriculum we use, the children master the 4 functions of numbers up to 12 before they move on to starting Saxon 54.   Isaiah has hated doing his flashcards since we began; just like it was the worst punishment in the world. Micaiah sailed right through them and promptly started into her math book. Caleb is slowly but surely getting the hang of this new world of numbers. Anyways, back to Isaiah - he is my dawdler. He will complain and whine (although no one is listening or paying him any mind) about his work for what seems like hours. Well, today, I said, Isaiah you have to get through your subtraction flashcards so that I can time you. So, he goes through them in front of me (to make sure he knows them). Then I set the timer. His record yesterday mind you was 10 minutes, and the time before that was 16. Today, he finishes the entire pile of subtraction up to 12 in 3 minutes! I was shocked. I really couldn’t believe it.

But the best part was his reaction. He was like, wow, I did it! I said that’s so great. I am so proud of you. It takes you longer to go to the restroom than 3 minutes, I joked. He was beaming. I told him that next he had to conquer his newly learned multiplication facts. He strutted off to do his thing. I go to check on him later and he says, all happy, mom, I only got 4 right and this many wrong. (Still happy) But that’s ok, because I am going to get really good at them just like I did with my subtraction ones.

Wow, now that was not the normal Isaiah response.  I was once again shocked. I was so happy to see such confidence and such a positive attitude. Thank God! He did great the rest of the day with his math.

I truly believed in the self-teaching form of education for my children; knowing that it would render the confidence they need to know that God made them very capable of learning and teaching themselves whatever they need to know to successfully and productively use their God-given abilities. But this little incident only strengthened my resolve that they are on a good path. Of all my children who is the most down on himself, it would be him; and to see such a positive attitude and confidence displayed just really made my day.

Praise God for victory; it may seem small; but in the life of a child, it was a milestone.

Our home education officially started this past week. I knew that it would be a challenge in switching gears from enjoying the summer break to school again; but also a major switch from their previous curriculum to ours; along with all the rules and such that go with our “new way of school”. We have decided after much prayer and discussion to go with the Robinson Curriculum. I really like his ideas about education and the self-teaching method. Our schedule is still being tweaked and re-worked to fit our family. I am sure I will continue to add more things as I see the need, or as we have time and interest. Right now I am starting with the basics of math first, followed by writing, then reading. The kids don’t much care for the flashcards that they have to master; but I know it is key to laying the foundation for their mathematical learning later. So, we drill on.

I have so many books it seems on home schooling and its different approaches and theories; tips and such. Yet, the main thing I have noticed - is to keep the Main thing the Main thing. I have to have time in the morning with my Savior in order for this to work. If I cannot manage to train my children with a meek and quiet spirit, then I am doing them a disservice. In my opinion, anyone who can home school their own children with a sweet spirit is able to make the bride of Christ:) So, I am pressing for the mark, the standard that Jesus has called us to - not to do things like the world, but to do them as He would. I want to teach and instruct my children as He instructed and cared for the multitudes and even for His disciples. I used to say to myself, Well, Jesus doesn’t understand what it’s like to be a mother… But how untrue of a thought is this! He had the burden and care for the entire world on His shoulders, caring for them as a parent would his children; and here all He has entrusted to me are five of His little ones. I am encouraged by His example on how to deal with my children.

I know this is only the beginning of something wonderful; but anything that is worth more than riches will cost me dearly. I know that I must pick up my cross daily and put my own desires and passions in subjection in order to rise up to the call. I am at peace knowing that this is what the Lord wants me to be doing and what He has been training and planting in my heart for a long time. I have always had a great desire to be with my children during their forming years. Due to my extreme conditions, I was not able to do so until the past several years. Yet, the Lord still cultivated that longing in my heart so that I would keep striving and doing whatever it took for me to be home with them and to be the kind of mother and wife He wants me to be. Then through my college education, it was only the Lord leading me to get an education degree. I always wanted to be capable of being with them, even if that meant I had to work in their school. Thankfully, I am glad that I can now stay home with them and educate them here, where we can all be together as a family, as God intended.

God is good… this is just the start of something good. I keep telling myself that the end result will be better than the beginning transition time.

Thank you all for your prayers and support:) We appreciate them more than you know…