Homeschool Bed & Breakfast

"Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine"
John 21:12

One of my greatest pleasures as a homeschooling mom is being able to give my son a hot breakfast, along with a warm smile and "Good Morning" each day. My sense of nurturing was satisfied, as I watched his sleepy-eyed yawn turn into a happy smile. Pancakes, waffles, omelets with feta (cause feta makes everything beta, don't you know), french toast, oatmeal, and sometimes crumb cake :> ) gives him the necessary "brain boost" that is necessary for him to listen and learn his homeschooling lessons. But just as important as the nourishing of food to our bodies, is the encouragement and love expressed when the food is served with a hug and a kiss.

Jesus knew all about the encouragement that comes from a good, hot breakfast. In one of His appearances after His resurrection, he had a great breakfast cooking for the disciples after their long, hard night of failed fishing. In the twilight, the disciples didn't recognize Jesus at first when He asked about their catch, but when Christ performed a miracle and filled their empty net, John realized it was Jesus. How wonderful they must have felt to see their Lord again, as they shared a morning meal together!

Someday, the Lord will serve another important meal. Christ is coming back for everyone who has trusted in Him as Lord and Savior, and we will share in His kingdom forever.  

"And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb" (Revelation 19:9). 

I can only imagine the joy of fellowshipping with my Lord every morning and throughout eternity with the warmth of His love.   

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20).

"Jesus, how I long for the day of Your return! What indescribable joy there will be when I see You face to face! Use me to lead my children to You, so together we can experience Your love forever. In Your holy, loving name, Amen!"

Time

"Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time!"
Colossians 4:5

I hear this saying a LOT from from people, "I just don't have enough time to do what I want while others have more time than I do to get things done!" Since all people actually have the SAME amount of time during the day (twenty-four hours), the answer really lies in how our time is managed.

We can find that in both Ephesians 5:16 and Colossians 4:5, Christians are admonished to use their available time WISELY to accomplish God-approved goals and to compensate for time that we have wasted in the past.

I have to admit, that I am not a very good steward in the "time management" department. This is something that I have struggled with for a long time. Yeah, things get done, but not in the manner they should. I often will end up racing against the clock to get something finished, but thank goodness I work well under pressure. Perhaps that is wherein the problems lies.

My Skippy Man and I decided that things, as far as school was concerned, needed to be on a more tighter schedule. So, that is what we did last week. Kiddo has NOT been a happy camper about the whole thing as his video game time has been shortened a bit and his chore time and responsibilities extended.

We also started a new unit this week in Consumer Math: Budgeting Time. Does God have a great sense of humor or what? lol I love it how He just makes things all just fall right into place, don't you? In this unit, we are learning how to not only budget time, but being able to find and eliminate our wasted time by planning our activities and using our leisure time wisely.

Precious Father.......I pray that You will guide us and help us to be better time stewards. Please help us to keep our minds and our hearts focused on You, making it possible for us to be able to accomplish our goals we set forth! In Your precious name.....Amen!


Photo courtesy of photobucket

Homeschool Complaints

"Do all things without murmurings and disputings!"
Philippians 2:14

I found this devotional from Daily Focus in my e-mail and thought, WOW.....are they talking about us? Have they hidden a video camera in our house somewhere?

Is your homeschool infected with the whining disease? Like the early stages of most health problems, you may not recognize its symptoms at first. When assigning schoolwork, especially in your child's least favorite subject, this dreaded disease usually starts with an exasperated sigh. Next, it spreads into a short question such as, "Do I have to do this assignment?" If not diagnosed and treated early, the whining disease finally takes over your homeschool completely until you hear things like, "Why do I always have so much schoolwork to do? I don't want to do this!" Oh, I have heard these words more times than I would like to count!

Whining, grumbling, murmuring, and complaining all stem from the same, sinful problem — rebellion. In Numbers 12, God reveals His attitude toward this deadly disease when dealing with the murmuring of Miriam and Aaron. Thinking they knew better than their brother, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses and said, "Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us" (Numbers 12:2b)? God heard their whining and quickly applied His cure. Calling all three to the tent of meeting, He defended Moses' leadership and struck Miriam with leprosy for seven days. Are you allowing a whining, rebellious spirit in your homeschool? Unfortunately, children are not the only ones who can become infected with this disease. Parents, too, can find themselves easily complaining to God about the sacrifice and work responsibilities involved with homeschooling. Don't allow a negative spirit to destroy your homeschool family. Like Aaron, confess your foolish complaints. Pray for the joy of homeschooling to be restored in your home.

Father, forgive me for murmuring against Your plan for our family. Teach me to treasure each day with my children and give me a thankful heart for both the blessings and responsibilities of homeschooling. In Jesus' name, Amen.

One Day at a Time

If the responsibility of facing another year of homeschooling is causing you to run and hide, be encouraged. Although you can't see the way through the work right now, the Lord promises to uphold you with His wisdom and strength when you need them (Isaiah 41:10). As you obediently follow His will in homeschooling, He continues to guide you with the next step tomorrow. Step by step, day by day, you will get through the work and accomplish all He has planned for your homeschooling family.

"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye" (Psalm 32:8).

Heavenly Father, the responsibility of homeschooling is weighing me down. Please give me the courage I need to face the new year, and show me how to lead the precious children You've given me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

30 Day Bible Reading Challenge

Did you know that if you do something faitfully for 18 days it becomes a habit? What greater habit to have than to be a faithful reader of The Holy Scriptures!

Good morning! Leah over at friends4tea is having a 30 Day Bible Reading Challenge. It started on April 1st and will run till the end of the month. But don't fret, it is not too late to join this wonderful group of women who have come together to make a commitment to read the Word of God faithfully everyday. My heart has been touched by the outpouring of encouragement that I have seen not only in blog comments, but on the Nooks of many at The Homeschool Lounge as well.

This is such a great challenge. Kiddo and I do devotions together in the morning before we start our day. However, I need more time on my own to read the word of God, but something always seems to get in the way. This challenge came just at the right time for me.....it is the "nudge" i truly needed to get myself motivated to MAKE time for the Gospel!



I have been reading from Revelations. My DH being the jokester that he is said, "Would you like me to tell you how the book ends?" (ha ha) What a guy!

I have gotten from reading this book is that it is a loving, personal message from God. He wants His Word to affect our lives in the here and now. He wants His Word to help us grow closer to Him. He wants His Word to challenge us to more lovingly serve our brothers and sisters.



I pray that we will all have the strength and determination to continue reading the word of God, not only throughout the month of April, but that it becomes a "habit"....a part of our everyday lives!



As for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. 2 Chronicles 15:7

Thankful Thursday

As most of you know, I am a lover of music and sometimes the words to a song can express far better than I, what I want or need to say.

"THANK YOU" by The Katinas is a beautiful song, thanking our Precious Heavenly Father for the things that He has done for us.

Please take a moment not only to listen to the wonderful words and beautiful music of this song, but the actual video itself.

Your heart will be touched............I know mine was!

THANK YOU

Just a little while longer I wanna pray

Can't get You off my mind so I came to say

Thank You Lord, just for loving me, alright

Many times I do forget

Every need that You have met

Oh thank You Lord, I know You're showing me

You are there when I am down and out

You're holding me, Your love is so amazing

Oh it changed me



Here I am with all I have

Raise my hands to worship You

I wanna say thank you, oh thank you

For everything, for who You are

You cover me, You touch my heart

I wanna say thank you


I could have died in my sin but You saved me

Didn't have any hope at all

You gave me peace divine, strength to carry on

I should have been the one to pay

But instead You took my place

Amazing grace, it's more than just a song

Even though I don't deserve Your love for me

You look beyond my fault and You showed me mercy


Here I am with all I have

Raise my hands to worship You

I wanna say thank you, oh thank you

For everything, for who You are

You cover me, You touch my heart

I wanna say thank you


I wanna say thank you for the sun

Lord we thank you for the rain

Thank you for the love You gave

THANK YOU, JESUS

I Love . . . . . . . . .

Wonderful, Merciful Savior

~If you would like to view the clip I have posted, please scroll to the bottom and pause my playlist~

Dear Jesus,

I am sitting here writing this letter with a heart full of thanksgiving, and praise for you, and a desire to tell you and the rest of the world, just how much I LOVE YOU!!

I LOVE YOU because have been with me my entire life, through good times and bad.

I LOVE YOU because you have comforted me in times of great sorrow.

I LOVE YOU because you have encouraged me in times when I have been down and felt that things couldn't possibly get any worse.

I LOVE YOU because you have filled my heart with joy by blessing me with a wonderful family.

I LOVE YOU because you have made me smile by sending me CRAZY blogger friends.

I LOVE YOU because you have given me a Godly husband who loves you, and his family with all of himself.

I LOVE YOU because you have shown your trust in me by loaning us three beautiful angel babies.

I LOVE YOU because you loved me UNCONDITIONALLY even when I didn't love myself.

I LOVE YOU because you are a merciful and forgiving God and even though we may stray from our walk with you, you patiently wait for us to return to you. And when we do, you are there with your arms outstretched, waiting to embrace us and welcome us back.

I LOVE YOU because YOU LOVED US so much, that you willingly gave your precious life on the cross for us!

Thank you, JESUS, for all that you have done for me!!

Love,
Your daughter

WONDERFUL, MERCIFUL SAVIOUR

Wonderful, merciful Savior

Precious Redeemer and Friend

Who would have thought that a Lamb

Could rescue the souls of men

Oh, you rescue the souls of men



Counselor, Comforter, Keeper

Spirit we long to embrace

You offer hope when our have

Hopelessly lost the way

Oh, we've hopelessly lost the way



You are the One that we praise

You are the One we adore

You give the healing and grace

Our hearts always hunger for

Oh, our hearts always hunger for



Almighty, infinite Father

Faithfully loving Your own

Here in our weakness You find us

Falling before Your throne

Oh, we're falling before Your throne

V A L E N T I N E

For God so loVed the world,

That He gAve

His onLy

BegottEn

SoN

That whosoever

Believeth In Him

Should Not perish,

But have Everlasting life.

Blogger Friend School #13

Hello, everyone! I am so excited as I have been looking forward to my first assignment for Blogger Friend School. Nancy, over at nancysnook has graciously agreed to take over this wonderful job and we thank her for that!! THANK YOU!

My first assignment is to introduce you to my Bible and tell you a little bit about it.

This is my Bible.............................................

How old is your Bible? My Bible is 26 years old.

• Why did you chose this Bible? It was a gift.

Do you highlight/mark passages in your Bible? Yes, I do highlight/mark in my Bible.

If so, what is your system for marking passages? I really don't have a set system. I mark or highlight passages that I feel have touched my heart in some way.

Do you have notebooks to record things? No, I don't. Our pastor provides us with an outline of his sermon. I use that or paper I bring with me.

Where is your favourite spot to read your Bible? Outside on my swing when the weather permits.

Are there any special thoughts about your Bible you want to share? My Bible was a gift from my sisters, Barbara, Victoria, and Cathy when I was 17. It is all the more precious to me now because our sister Victoria passed away.

At that point in my life, I was going to become a Salvation Army officer but then realized that it was not God's calling for me, but everyone else's. I knew that there were other ways that I could serve our Heavenly Father.

I know that everything in our lives happens for a reason. Looking back now, I realize it was God's calling for me to become a wife to my DH and a mother to my three beautiful children. He know that later on I would need to stay home full-time with Kiddo. Had I been an officer at this point in my life, I would not have been able to homeschool. GOD IS GOOD...............ALL THE TIME!!!

A Comment From My Husband

My Skippy Man read my blog today and asked me to please share his comment with all of you!! Thank you, sweetie!

I LOVE YOU!

Sweet Laura,

I know I have sent this to you before but it seems like so long ago. I think this will help once again. Please read and share it with others.

Dear GOD:

I want to thank You for what you have already done.

I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears , I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves, I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet, I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job, I am going to thank you right now. I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief, I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier

or the challenges are removed, I am thanking you right now.

I am thanking you because I am alive. I am thanking you because I made it through the day's difficulties. I am thanking you because I have walked around the

obstacles. I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better.

I'm thanking You, Father, because You have never given up on me!

I love you my darling!

Your Loving Husband

F A I T H

The past 8 or so months have been a very difficult time for me. I have found myself in constant struggle with so many things in my life on many different levels. From: *financial hardship *health issues *a friend that treats me horribly and I don't know why *wondering if I am doing the best that I possibly can for my children, especially my son *am I homeschooling him properly and will they really make me send him back to school if he doesn't progress like THEY think he should? *past issues *The list goes on....and on....and on! I have had trouble sleeping (some nights I don't). And this coming from a person who all her life has been able to fall asleep at the drop of a hat.

Well, last night after I did my devotions, I was reading through some of the christian magazines that I have on my nightstand and Everyday Blessings ~ Spiritual Refresement for Women, I came across the same article on several occasions. I realized at that moment, that God was trying to tell me something. I was going through the usual saying grace before meals, trying to do devotions, praying before I went to bed, etc, but was I doing these things for the Glory of God or just for myself? Was I doing this with deep sincerity or just going through the motions? Was I really putting my trust in our Heavenly Father to help me and my family through this time? SMACK........NO, I WASN"T! What a reality check for me. No wonder things only seem like they are going from bad to worse. I have to give God my all; my heart, mind, soul, and body and use them to glorify HIM!

God is ALWAYS faithful if we put our TRUST ,
completely, in Him!

I feel that God has laid it upon my heart to share that article with you. For some of us, this may be new information. For the rest, it is a great REMINDER......................

HOW TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN

A Step of FAITH

In your personal opinion....What do you understand it takes for a person to go to heaven? Consider how the Bible answers this questions. It is a matter of FAITH.

F is for FORGIVENESS

We cannot have eternal life and heaven without God's forgiveness.

"In Him (meaning )Jesus we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses" (Ephesians 1:7).

A is for AVAILABLE

Forgiveness is available. It is -

• 
  
  Available for All. "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who belives in Him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
  
  


• 
  
  But Not Automatic. "Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord!" will enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 7:21).
  
  

I is for IMPOSSIBLE

It is impossible for God to allow sin into heaven.

• Because of who He is: God is loving and just. His judgement is against sin. "For judement is without mercy" (James 2:13)


• Because of who we are: Every person is a sinner. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)
  
  But how can a sinful person enter heaven, when God allows no sin?

T is for TURN

Turn means repent.

• Turn from something - sin and self. "But unless you repent, you will all perish" (Luke 13:3)


• Turn to Someone; trust Christ only. "If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that Dod raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9)

H is for HEAVEN

Heaven is eternal lie.

• Here..."I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance" (John 10:10).


• Hereafter..."If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also" (John 14:3)


• How...How can a person have God's forvibeness, heaven and eternal life, and Jesus as personal Sevior and Lord? By trusting in Christ and askin Him for forgiveness. Take the step of faith described by another meaning of FAITH: Forsaking All I Trust Him. Then tell someone about the important decision you have made. Grow in your faith and enjoy new friends in Christ.
  
  

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and don't depend on your own understanding.

Proverbs 3:5

"Anyone who trusts in God, will never be put to shame."

Romans 10:11

As you look back on the journey you've traveled - recall the times you place hope and confidence in God. The outcome might not have been exactly as you imagined, but God is always faithful to bring you through. Count each blessing He's given you along the way and consider them stepping-stones to a higher level of trust. Whatever you're facing today, you can rest assured that His blessings will NEVER stop. He will walk it out with you - every step of the way.

EVERYDAY BLESSINGS

Blessings~

Laura