And, the "After" (actually during) shots!

Well, our first "day" took about 50 minutes. A little longer than I planned but Flicka made it through well. But, we prayed, read two books, introduced our theme/memorization verse for this month, practiced small motor skills (using scissors), took a nature hike aka "used our eyes", selected three of the best goodies we collected, introduced visually ID-ing numbers one, two, and three, did some printables to reinforce it, and reviewed our theme verse. And, she seemed to love her apron! LOL

We read "Flower Garden" by Eve Bunting, part of a KidSparkz resource, which tied together the "using our eyes", the nature walk, and the scissors-using. "Prayer For A Child" by Rachel Field is part of the Before Five In A Row curriculum that we using loosely for various subjects during September including our memory verse: Numbers 6.24 - The Lord bless you and keep you...

We're planning on doing Mondays and Thursdays for now about 45 minutes each day and increase our time up to 2 hours 3 days a week by spring.

Wow! *wiping forehead* First day down...several more to go! LOL

The "Before" Shots! LOL

We're just about to head downstairs to our "new" "school room". At only two weeks post-flooding - it isn't quite what I wanted but will do in a pinch! LOL It's only half the room I wanted since I could only get a few carpet pieces to cover up the sticky post-carpet-pull-up concrete. My old dresser and some file cabinets break the room in two.
Our "work aprons" on the doorknob. We'll only wear them in school for our "uniform" for now. That's a piece of $10 bathroom wall board on the left that we're using for a whiteboard.


My childhood bookcase...*sniff, sniff* never thought I'd be using it for THIS! LOL

Don't ya LOVE the look of all new school supplies?

Pray...LOTS (LOL)...and we'll ck in later with a report!

WFMW: Brand Loyal Edition

Well, uh...we don't really "do" brand names much. LOL I'm big into Aldis, off brands, and generics as well as making things on my own like baby wipes!

However, DaHubby does request certain things in their brand name form: Breyers ice cream, Kraft cheese slices, and Dannon yogurts are his favorites. In addition, his "brand delicate sensitivities" has created a certain Kraft habit in the Vikings.

Apparently, (to my mother's homemade-isn't-that-hard-and-you-let-them-EAT-that-stuff? chagrin) no one in this home can eat ANY other boxed mac and cheese but Kraft Macaroni and Cheese...and not JUST the original but the "premium thick and creamy"! *wink*

So, I guess that's about as brand loyal as I get! LOL For more brand loyal recommendations, go to Shannon's site.

Wordless Wednesday

For more WW, go here.

Love Your LIfe: Rituals

I was browsing through old articles I'd ripped out of Family Circle magazine. As I purged the ones that I no longer wanted and/or needed, I nearly threw one out entitled "Love Your Life: Ten Ways To Feel Better About Everything Right Now." While it boasted ideas that were "spiritual", they weren't particularly Christian. And, I thought about it again. The ideas were solid but just needed some "tweaking" to be helpful to a believer.

So I selfishly thought that writing about them would ingrain them deeper for me but that sharing them as well here might also bless someone else!

I sat down Sunday morning in the church nursery. We head to church an hour before services begin so DaHubby, the singers, and the musicians can warm up for praise and worship. I often sit with the kids alone in an otherwise empty building for at least 30-40 minutes. I drafted up a post about keeping balanced by maintaining rituals using Family Circle's explanation that "a routine is merely something you do; a ritual had emotional significance."

I created an outline, had Bible verses, etc. I was all set to "wow" y'all with my insight. Then, service began...LOL

Our pastors are a married couple. Our denomination certifies women as pastors. Pastor Don does the majority of the traditional "pastor stuff" but Pastor Deb oversees several ministries as well all while working full time doing accounts payable for a local nursing home. Traditionally, Pastor Don does the preachin'. LOL But, as I slid in the back doors of the sanctuary after confirming that the Vikings were in their respective classrooms, I saw Pastor Deb up on the platform. While hardly shocking, it was still unusual.

She proceeded to spend the next 45+ minutes relating what has been going on between her and God lately. Struggles, discouragements. and LOTS of prayer led her to a morning about a month ago when she felt specifically directed by God to the Book of Daniel. More specifically - to the verses about Daniel's 21 day fast.

Now THERE is a ritual with emotional significance.

Our church has been having a lot of growing pains lately. The summer season hasn't helped much while good weather, traveling, and family functions beckon. Attendance has been down. Those that ARE there struggling with a critical spirit. It's been older folks vs. younger folks. New converts vs. lifelong members. Hymns vs. contemporary music. "I'm not listening to a woman preacher." "I don't like that kind of music so I'm coming in late after praise and worship is over." People coming in late. People coming in "inappropriately" dressed. People who "can't control their kids." Kids belong in regular service. Kids belong in children's church. It's been a rough couple of months.

But, DaHubby and I have always looked at being at a church like a marriage. Church jumpers looking for what feels good we are not. LOL This is where God put us. And, despite what's going on right now, we're gonna stick this out and make it work! We believe in our pastors' ministry and their call. And, while we might not understand or even like all their decisions, we're submitted to their wisdom, direction, and vision.

My humble opinion - Pastor Deb's teaching was just what we all needed to hear. A Daniel fast is something that would bring us all together for God's glory, help us regain our focus, stretch us into some much needed growth and break us out of this critical rut we've been in.

Problem is...I don't know the first thing about a Daniel fast. LOL

So, I've been reading...and reading...and praying...and thinking. Pastor Deb called the whole church to participate with either a 10-day or 21-day fast. The thing fasted was of our choice but was to be symbolic of something that was "defiling" our bodies (as was Daniel's example in Daniel 1.8). And, I'm having difficulty identifying that thing for me.

Ritual. Emotional Significance. Something that "keeps" me from God or is symbolically "defiling". I want a powerful, meaningful experience with this. A obedient answer to God's call. But, I feel like the Pentecostal rookie! *wink*

So, that's where I am now. I went from "Love Your Life" to identifying a fast. Routine vs. ritual. Hmmm...I'll keep y'a ll in the loop of how this transpires.

Looking for beads or glasswork?

Have you been looking for beads for a crafty endeavor? Do you like decorative glass? Stained glass? Would you like to support a SAHM who started a business so she could stay home full time with her kids? Have I got a site for you!

I've been wanting to make two necklaces for the Vikings for when we would go to a large public place so they would have our contact info. It was an idea I got from FamilyFun magazine. I wanted to spell out in small beads (unreadable to a stranger from a distance but readable to a Good Samaritan) the following: "If found, please contact my parents at XXX-XXXX or XXX-XXXX"

So, after checking all around here at local craft stores, I've been scouring the internet the last few weeks trying to find beads with numbers on them. Letters are easy to come by but the numbers were proving more difficult.

Then, I found Johnna's Decorative Glass. While my beads were pretty simple, the other items at her sight are just gorgeous. She's incredibly customer-service oriented, her bead prices are reasonable, and I received my items TWO days later.

I immediately offered to give her a plug here to see if I could drum up some more business for her. So, if you are in the market for something like this, please consider visiting Johnna!

Are We Unstoppable Worshippers?

"The year is 1744. Hymn writer Charles Wesley is in Leeds, England, holding a prayer meeting in an upstairs room.

"Suddenly there is a creak in the floorboards, followed by a massive crack, and the whole floor collapses. All 100 people crash right through the ceiling into the room below.

"The place is in chaos - some are screaming, some are crying, some just sit in shock. But as the dust settles, Wesley, wounded and lying in a heap, cries out, 'Fear not! The Lord is with us; our lives are all safe.' and then he breaks out into the doxology: 'Praise God, from whom all blessings flow...' - perhaps a bizarre choice of song, considering what had just happened!

"But here's the point: while everyone else was still licking their wounds, the heart of this unstoppable worshipper was responding with unshakable praise"

Taken from The Unquenchable Worshipper by Matt Redman who subsequently cited W.J. Limmer Sheppard's Great Hymns and Their Stories of the Religious Tract Society.