The Message of the Dog

This message is presented via "The Look"..this is the look you get when you ty to touch, steal or look at Sippi's chicken broth popsicle. 

This message from Bama says, "I don't appreciate the green beans you  mixed with my food." 

Testing, Testing....

I don't put much importance into standardized testing because children learn at varying degrees. As an intentional homeschooling parent, I am best able to measure my child's learning on a daily basis. However, we did allow our boys to take a standardized test this year. Their results came a few weeks ago. Both boys scored above their current grade level. What I gather from these results is not their ability to learn or retain, I already knew that. But rather their ability to apply what they have learned to another venue of testing and material.

Furthermore, these test results are for parental knowledge only. No government entity will have access to the results nor access to any other private information.

Satan...you can't Ignore him

When you hate a people enough to kill them, it's not about religion...it's about who has control of your heart. As a believer in Christ, I believe only Satan births hate. The world may want to label certain religions or groups of people to be the creator of hate but the lone responsibility belongs to Satan. It's, we humans, who want to box him into religions. Even someone who "claims" to be Christian can be ruled by Satan. He's not limited to a few man made religions.

Hate can't be reasoned or explained without acknowledging Satan. You can't ignore Satan when trying to understand such despicable acts as the one that took place in Orlando, you can't ignore Satan when people are martyred because of their beliefs, you can't ignore Satan when innocent babies are aborted, you can't ignore satan...period. Search and reason as you wish or believe, but there is no other explained answer than him. He's the sole reason for hate and evil.

Things I believe as a follwer of Christ

1. No government entity, private organization or human can abolish God or prayer...ever. Do not rely on the government, the media or a political party to initiate or insight the need of prayer/God or the use of prayer...ever.

2. No government regulation will ever cause one to love his neighbor...ever. The devaluing of life...is the problem. Gun control will never cause another to value life...ever.

3. It's not the lack of prayer in the schools that is the problem...it's the lack prayer in the homes. Christians should never rely on prayer in schools to be the answer. How many of us go days without praying as a family, yet, we whine because there is no prayer in schools?

4. Christians should never put their faith in a government or political party to "save our nation"...ever. Patriotism is not the saving grace of Christ.

5. The American, Christian church needs humbling...we are not entitled to be without tribulation...ever.

6. Satan's biggest weapons are deception and lies. He is masked in beauty. He is NOT a cartoon character with horns and pitch fork. His goal is to destroy, to hurt, to confuse, to deceive. He knows his end is near and wants to take with him as many as he can. Yes, I believe there is a hell and it's not here on earth.

Elohim

Elohim: one of the Hebrew names for God. It's God the Creator.

As a believer in Christ, the Bible is the foundation of my world view. And because of this, I believe that God (Elohim) is the creator of the Earth, the universe and all the major and intricate details involved. I believe He is the creator of life and all that is needed to sustain life be it for humans, animals or plants.

When an artist creates a masterpiece, when an inventor invents a life changing device...the rest of the world benefits. We benefit from beautiful music that someone put together, we benefit from beautiful paintings someone created, when benefit from inventions of technology and machinery and medicine. But benefit as we may, only those who created it/invented it can sign their name to it. Their creations of art, music, writings or technology aren't for others to claim as their own...we can claim the benefits but not the actual fruition or idea of it.

We benefit from God's creation, but, we mere humans, can't claim to be the creator or owner of it. Because we didn't create it, we can't claim to redefine it, we can't change the creation to suit our desires because we can't and will never be able to sign our name to it. Because Elohim is God the Creator, his creation is always meant to be used to glorify Him with acknowledgement that it's His.
This is why I can never believe that any form of life or holy institution was created from anything or anyone other than Elohim, God the Creator.

Bondage to Holiday Gift Giving

With our boys' birthday approaching in the next couple of months, gifts used to be such a stressor for most of our celebratory holidays, including their birthday.  But ever since we told them the truth about Santa, the Easter Bunny and the tooth fairy, these gift giving holidays have become so much more meaningful. 

It truly hurts my heart when I see Easter and Christmas celebrated by trying to give our children the perfect gifts. I used to be one of those mommas who worried with finding just right thing that would make my children happy on these mornings. I also worried about having just the right outfits for our Sunday church attendance. You know, it was just thing to do. It's what is expected, right?

That perfection I was seeking drained all the joy and reason to celebrate. I was too consumed with having just the right gifts that I failed to recognize that the perfect gift had already been given...the birth of Christ, and the salvation from eternal damnation through his death and resurrection. seriously y'all, I worried that the baskets didn't have enough to impress or satisfy my children's wants. I worried that Christmas morning would be an epic fail if I didn't have the right gifts or enough gifts. I worried that we wouldn't look the part unless we all had new "Easter" clothes. My worry to have it just right prevented me from the freedom of worship and celebration. And isn't celebration the reason we worship, the reason we acknowledge Christmas and Easter? If we are truly the Christ followers we say we are, then striving for a perfection that is measured only by worldly standards to fulfill worldly expectations isn't freedom nor is it God's will. Those expectations are distractions from Satan and when we've heeded them, he's won.

Up until a few years ago, I let Satan win. I chose bondage every time I strived for worldly perfection. But, y'all, there's a sweet freedom when you finally break free from it and begin to celebrate the real meaning of Christ's birth and the real meaning of Resurrection Day.

I no longer worry about the perfect gifts or the perfect clothes. Instead, I try to teach my children and let Christ teach me that it's not about perfection or wrapped gifts or baskets. It's about us being imperfect but saved by the only perfect gift that has ever been and will ever be given. A gift so perfect that nothing on this earth will never match it.

Philippians 4:13 attitude

One of the most common reasons parents will not consider homeschooling is because they don't think they have the ability or patience to do it. Let me make this clear, neither are prerequisites to homeschooling. For those who are believers in Christ, we know he provides our ability. I have to rely on his promise. Those of us reared in church learn at a very young age, a common Bible verse..."I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." My ability to homeschool is daily proof of this verse. I put this verse to use daily and as a believer, why wouldn't I? As a Christian, we believe it, right? Then why do we not trust it?

Homeschooling isn't without its struggles. But having been on both sides, I would rather the struggles at home than my child struggling alone at school. I've been there with my child struggling at school. He was pretty much alone, not bc teachers didn't care, but bc the nature of institutionalized education. Teachers can't possibly give the attention each child needs nor can the system give the time each child needs, especially those who struggle. We are living proof that the struggles at home are far less than what we dealt with at an institutional school setting. And we are living proof that Christ does strengthen us so that we may succeed at the things that seem impossible.