Thinking Spring

 GROWING LAVENDER

Lavender should be planted in full sun! Plant it in an area that will get 8 hours of the hottest sun of the day. Plants with less sun will not thrive as well. Our backyard is the perfect place for a Mediterranean retreat!
Think, Mediterranean!

Lavender needs sandy, well-drained, amended soil! I will prepare our soil with  sand, gravel, or stone for drainage. Lavender does not like to have wet feet as it promotes root rot. I have clay-like soil as is common in Indiana. Because of the need for good drainage, lavender does not grow in clay. Lavender thrives in a well-amended soil mixture composed of 1/3 garden soil, 1/3 sand and/or pea gravel, and 1/3 organic compost. Lavender likes alkaline soil with a pH of 7 to 8. IMPORTANT! Adding lime when planting, as well as a yearly application in the spring, will help to ‘sweeten the soil.’  Fertilize with organic compost in the initial planting. Mound beds for even better drainage. A south-facing slope is ideal for growing lavender.I'll have to get my compass out... we slope, but to the South? Dunno!
Think, proud!

 Lavender wants regular watering until the roots are established! In the first year of growth, lavender should be watered when it becomes dry to the touch. After its roots are established, mature plants become drought tolerant and do well on their own.
Think, wet and dry!

Lavender likes room to grow! In multiple planting, keep enough space for your young plants to mature as air around the base of the plant discourages mold, an enemy of lavender. Also, lavender roots do not like to compete with other plants.
Think, island in the sun!

Lavender should be mulched with non-organic material! Lavender is susceptible to mold and mildew at its base. To eliminate this possibility, I'll use gravel or rock as mulch instead of the more popular wood mulch products. Organic material such as wood mulch holds moisture that promotes the growth of mold. Another benefit in using stone mulch is the reflective heat it generates at the base of the plant. Reflective heat may produce more blooms.YAY!
Think, out-of-the-mold!

Lavender can be planted in early spring into late fall! The optimum planting for lavender is spring. This allows the plant to experience a full growing season. However, lavender can be planted up until late fall. The only consideration in planting late in the season in the Midwest is that plants may not be anchored well and are in danger of heaving as a result of the ground freezing and thawing.
Think, the early bird catches the worm!

Lavender wants to be pruned, pinched back, and harvested! As a rule-of-thumb, true lavenders (angustifolias) can be pruned in spring or fall while hybrid lavenders (lavandins) should only be pruned in the fall. Pruning a hybrid in the spring will strip it of its flowers for that season. Diligent harvesting of lavenders promotes new growth and bushy habits. It also keeps the plants from sprawling and becoming leggy. In the first year plants, pinch back any bud formation to allow the energy to go into root production. The second year plant will be larger and produce many times the bloom as a result.
Think, the more, the better!

THINK SPRING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Turtle Tickling

Teachers

You go to school.  
You sit in a room for fifty minutes and study 
history.  
Then they ring a bell, and you go into another room and study  

foreign language. 
Then they ring a bell, and you go into another room and study 
biology...

         

Doesn’t that seem a little unnatural to you?  

The world isn't divided up into little water-tight compartments of aerospace science, 

engineering, agricultural and environmental education, animal biology, animal 

science management, anthropology, art history, art studio, atmospheric science, avian 

sciences, biochemical engineering, biochemistry; molecular biology, biological sciences, 

biological systems engineering, biomedical engineering, biotechnology, cell biology, chemical 

engineering, chemistry, Chinese, civil engineering, classical civilization, clinical nutrition, communication, comparative literature, computer engineering, computer science, dramatic art, 
ecological management; restoration, economics, electrical engineering, English, entomology,restoration, economics, electrical engineering, English, entomology, exercise biology, fiber; polymer science, film studies, 

food science, French, genetics, geology, German, history, human development, hydrology, international agricultural development, international relations,

 Italian, Japanese, landscape architecture, linguistics, mathematics, mechanical engineering, medieval & early modern studies, 

microbiology, music, neurobiology, physiology, nutrition science, optical science & engineering, philosophy, physics, plant biology, political science, 

psychology, religious studies, Russian, sociology, Spanish, statistics, textiles and clothing.

One teacher will say, “I teach chemical engineering.” 

Another will say, “I teach German.” 

Let us give five stars to the teacher that says, “I teach students.” 

What a novel idea!—treating students as if they were humans, rather than 

receptacles into which they can pour a single distilled subject.  

Wabi-Sabi

OK, so it has been a busy 4 weeks since I visited you, dear Blog.
So sorry.
But not really.
Enjoying this first term of home education with our children!
BIOLOGY!!!
Can you believe I am teaching Biology!!??!?!??!
psst! it's fun!
This is why I have not visited you.
See how off the wall my thoughts are?
Soon, very soon, I will sit down and really fill you in.
For now,
ART!!!!!


Wabi-Sabi – this is a compound word with a long history, and carries a lot of meaning. Put succinctly, it’s a way of living that emphasizes finding beauty in imperfection, and accepting the natural cycle of growth and decay.

This was something that Anita Renfro shared. Wabi-Sabin in a nut shell means no one is perfect, everything gets old, but we are all beautiful in God's eyes.

How I look...

God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks at the heart. — 1 Samuel 16:7 MSG

It is so easy to believe that God is silent on the subject of beauty. Maybe it is because the church is silent, or maybe it’s because we have to be so still to hear what God is saying. Either way, so many women simply think God is not saying anything about how they feel about themselves. Here is the simple truth: God loves you passionately and intensely, and that love has nothing to do with the way you look. It isn’t affected one ounce by the size of your blue jeans or the way your nose slopes up or how much dental work you’ve had done. It isn’t lessened by wearing the wrong dress to a party or having no skill in applying makeup or by hating exercise. God simply loves you as you are.

But before we just gloss over that and go right on to the next thing, let me ask a hard question. Have you let that truth into your soul? I mean, really let it in? God is the one who has never criticized you or belittled you or made fun of your appearance in any way. He is the one who formed you, and said afterward, “This is good.”

— Nicole Johnson

ACADEMIA 2010

8 September 2010
First Official Day of High School
Winship Academy 2010




The first day is always a long one.
It's where we find out what is expected of us.
The children, yes;
But I always learn what they expect of me, also.
I love it.
We all sit down on the couch and read our Bible together.
Haley always wants to read aloud, Corban, not so much.
And that's ok.
On to History, Geography,Handwriting, Literature, LUNCH,
Math,Science (biology this year), and Spanish.
Today took until 3:00. 
(we didn't get started until 10:30, sleepyheads!)
You say home education is supposed to take less time than PU school;
I say it does... on days 2~180. 
(we won't sleep so long tomorrow...)
Just today, it was fun reading, playing and serving each other.
Tomorrow we will be done around 1:00. 
Or sooner.
Yeah.

What to Wear

Teaching my young children to dress themselves in the morning takes patience. I painstakingly waited as they learn to manipulate buttons, zippers, and shoelaces. However, by far the most agonizing aspect of the morning ritual of getting dressed is the statement, "I can't find anything to wear." As a mother, I realize this statement doesn't mean there is nothing in the drawers and closets, nor does it mean my child has not looked hard enough. What they really are saying is they think the clothes available to them are not good enough for them to wear.
As an adult, I dress myself in the same fashion. I waste my time manipulating the outward appearance because I worry about what other people will think. What about going to the closet of God's Word and choosing to dress myself according to His wardrobe. "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness" (Colossians 3:12-14). Do I desire to dress in the "clothes" God has given me, or do I continue to "not find anything to wear"?

Becoming more Christ-like is the ultimate goal for me as a home schooling parent. The Lord does not look on the outward appearance of man, but at the heart, as when Samuel was led by the Lord to anoint David to be king. Choosing to dress myself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and love is what He can use the most to influence my children and teach them how to live godly lives.

So what will I put on to wear this morning? I will look to His Word and find the clothes that fit and reflect God's character to my family and my world. All the academics I teach will not have as lasting of a value as modeling the love of Jesus Christ in my words and actions. "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof" (Romans 13:14).
Father, thank You for giving me the opportunity to dress in the character of Christ. Show me those areas in which I have forgotten to put on the "clothes" You have provided. Help me to reflect Your Son in all I do and say this day. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

the fight

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).

Christian education is a spiritual battle that must be fought by every homeschooling parent. The desire to see our children raised according to the standards of God's Word requires more than wishful thinking. We must ever be alert to Satan's schemes and the world's ways that try to suck our children into the mainstream of ungodly learning. We must be willing to risk popularity and acceptance to lead our children down an educational path that declares God is at the center of all things and the beginning of all creation. Most of all, we must declare our own love for Christ and be willing to crucify the flesh and its selfish desires in order to win our children's hearts to the Lord.
The great men and women of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11 are listed as our inspiration to hold fast to God's truths. Like Abraham, we must be willing to follow the Lord wherever He leads. Like Moses, we must be willing to give up the pleasures of life to serve a higher purpose. Like Rahab, we must have faith to believe what the Lord says is true. Like Noah, we must face opposition daily, even if it takes years to complete the task God has given. Like countless others who never saw the results of their faith, we must cling courageously to the future promise that God will bless the work of our hands in the lives of generations to come (Psalm 112:2).

If the Lord has led you to teach your children, pray for the courage and wisdom you need to stand firm and fight. Raising your children in the Lord is as much a spiritual battle as resisting temptations for yourself. Don't give in to the lies and harassment of those around you. Fight for the hearts and minds of your children and the work God can do through their lives in winning countless souls to Christ.

Lord, renew Your passion within me today to homeschool and teach my children Your truths. Guide us as we prepare for schooling in the fall and show me how to hold fast. In Jesus' name, Amen.

God's Promise

Vacation Bible School was a little rough tonight. We had some rain last night, but tonight it was a little different. Wind conditions were extreme, and there was rumor of large size hail. The building lost power. 200 people in one school cafeteria makes for some loud conversations! Some good conversations that were long overdue, and some tension with people that are still unsure, and misguided.

When we finally left the building, it was still raining a little bit, the power was still not on, but we got into the van and off we go!! As we turned the corner to get to our street, lightening was flashing, thunder rolling, and the most beautiful double rainbow was stretched from one side of the block to the other. Right over our house! It seemed as if God was re~telling me that He is in control, and He remembers the Promise He made~ oh so long ago.

I should also keep remembering.~

More abstract pictures. From this blog on...I will be using my new CAMERA!!!!!! (Thanks for taking the beating, Andrew! You are awesome!!!) Canon is my weapon (YAY me!!) ...watch out, I may just get you unannounced!

The Abstract

What is it about abstract things that I identify with lately? Abstract life, food, home, academics, schedule? Could be. Mostly I think it is just that there are so many questions that need to be answered; that will not be answered. So abstract is this situation, that it brings me to tears almost daily. I believe eventually, that will subside. So many were and are being hurt. So much hatred has accumulated. Abstract information, lies, really, are doing so much damage to everyday living. I pray for healing and closure for all who are involved. Swiftly, Lord, heal us.

He must become greater; I must become less. ~John 3:30

choose

God doesn't call us all to be missionaries. Some He calls to do ordinary things. Each service is honorable, if it's God's Plan. We are all called; it doesn't matter how many lives we save or diseases we cure; if we've missed God's calling for us, we've missed our purpose in life. God still wins!!!! Our choices won't change His ultimate victory, but they will determine if we are used in this victorious adventure!!!!

I just love listening to an orchestra. I have missed going to concerts in the last so many years. I am glad Danny is playing in town again. Ahhh, music.

Soooooo yeah. TIGER woods is having his press conference HERE at our hotel!!. Oh yeah!

trip without kids

The two parents are leaving for a few days.
My husband and I.
We are going 23 hours drive away.
We have never left the kids for more than a day.
This is all new to us
The kids will be fine,
But will I?
I am looking forward to being with my man.
Time to talk without interruption.
18 hours of driving time.
The kids will be fine,
But will I?
Yes.
I'll be fine.
Please pray for me.
Thanks.
~\*/~
    l
   /\

Out Loud

  

Worship is an expression of our love to our Creator.  This happens in a lot of ways, and it doesn't have to involve music.  One way to worship God is just to know who He is and to declare it. I can get to know God by discovering who He is... and the Bible is full of descriptions of our awesome God! His name is = to His presence.  And God has quite a few names...ALL of which describe who He is.

Gideon was dealing with his inferiority complex when God gave him a great assignment. (Book of Judges) He worried, and complained, and found excuses. But God reassured him, "Peace be with you; do not fear" (Judges 6:23 NKJV)  Gideon immediately built an altar to the LORD and called it "The LORD is Peace"

When I am feeling inferior somehow, I just call on the God who is Peace... worship Him as my Peace...thank Him for Jesus and the peace he left...and work hard not to let my heart be troubled. 

Psalm 100:2  ~Worship the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.

A New Day

Say "Baaaaaa"

 If the Lord is your shepherd, what does that make you?

A sheep. A small, defenseless mammal facing life without claws, without self-control, and without a clue. Plus, sheep are remarkably tasty.

In the same way a sheep needs a shepherd, you need guidance. Direction. Encouragement. A clue.

Pay attention to where you get guidance. Realize that whenever you receive good advice, it’s God speaking into your life.

 How has God reassured you of his active presence in your life?

Imagine you were writing a book about your life and your relationship with God. What would the title be? What would you focus on?

“I’m reading His WORD to see God, in my readings each day. That, to me, is the real cause for celebration! I  wondered if/when/how I would see God, I am! And it’s now not just through the day’s reading, but from what I have read before and how this is spilling into the rest of my life. I’m more watchful to see what God is showing me.”

Devotion

de*vote

 v: to give or apply one's time, attention, or self,

 entirely to a particular activity, pursuit, cause, or person.

Devotion implies faithfulness and loyalty.

At any moment of any day, I am devoted to something.

husband, children, church, work, dishes, laundry~

the list goes on.

When I devote myself to something,

it consumes me.

During my moments with God,

I try to be totally devoted...

Giving myself entirely to the pursuit of

building a relationship with my Creator.

The goal isn't to clock in

 and spend a certain amount of 

time;

the goal is

 to deepen the relationship

and, LORD willing,

come out looking a little more like

the woman

God created me to be.

How awesome that the God who created the universe

wants to have an intimate relationship

with me!!!

I have much to be grateful for.

Colossians 4:2

"Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart."

No Worries, Mate

  Today, on a sheet of paper, I wrote down one thing I am concerned about.

You see, we have only one vehicle,
 a 2 seater tiny pick-up, for 4 big people

  A cascade of stuff happened to the car, all in a matter of two weeks.
  Now, I am not a worrier. I'm not.  
I let things stress me, 
but with a 

Firefighter hubby, Autistic son, daughter w/ Juv Rheumetoid Arthritis, 

if I was a worrier, 
I would be a basket case all the time!!!!

   Back to the paper. 
 I wrote it out all nice and neat.
 Practicing my calligraphy skills. 
Then I held it up as if offering it to God saying, 
"I let go of this concern, Father, 
trusting that You will take care of it."

  Now I am going to throw that paper away.

 And I am not going to take it back!!!!

  I gave it to God, and He is more than capable of handling it.

                    Phillippians 4:6~7 says, in The Message 

                         "Don't worry or fret. Instead, pray.  

                          Let petitions and praises shape your

                          worries into prayers, letting God know

                          your concerns. Before you know it,

                          a sense of God's wholeness, everything

                          coming together for good, will come and

                          settle you down. It's wonderful what        
                          happens when Christ displaces worry at

                          the center of your life."

   On a sheet of paper, write down your concerns.
 All of them.
 And then give them over to the Father, 
who is more than capable of handling them!!

   And have a great day in HIM!!!   

        

         O
~\frogaphant/~
         I
         I
         I
        / \
                             

Becoming the Woman God wants me to be...

  Honestly, 2010 has already been a year of struggle. I have had to remind myself daily that what won't take me down, will make me stronger! So many days so far in the infancy of this year  I have had to reach for much greater strength than was in me. When I am at the end of my strength, I know my God is there.
  One of the things I have done, diligently, is spend every day with God.  I have been following Christ for 19 years now, so I know the importance of taking time to read the Bible and pray.  It is just that this year, already, the quiet, still time I spend in the early mornings, has become my salvation.  Truly, I hunger for my time with Jesus.  It has become more than just my Christian duty... it is my lifeline.
   2010 is going to be an adventure for me, and I am going to share it with you.  I am striving for the much needed strength that He gives to me daily, and the concrete evidence in my life that I am becoming the woman that He wants me to be. 


   Come along... join me in my adventure, but make it your own!


Psalm 5:1-3
O LORD, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning.  Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I will never pray to anyone but You.  Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD.  Each morning I bring my requests to You and wait expectantly.


   I am not clocking in and out here, in my time together with God... it is all about developing the relationship that I have with my loving Creator.  He longs for me to willingly come to Him, love Him, and choose to spend time with Him.  So here I am LORD...use me today as YOU will!
  

In His Eyes...

 In His eyes are love.  Psalm  68:19

 This scripture reminded me that our eyes reveal more then we realize.

 I can still remember my daughter saying to me,

 " I can tell 

 when you're upset
 just by looking at your face".

 Our faces can reveal Jesus and His love,

  or our faces can reveal the

 sadness we are holding inside.

 Our true feelings and emotions can be revealed through our eyes.

 What are your eyes saying today?

 Hidden sadness, anger and resentment can be felt and seen by

 those around us, 

even when we think we are doing a "good job"

 of hiding them. 

Eventually the truth is revealed. 

 Jesus showed love and compassion to all sinners and still does today.

     Lord, help our hearts to be open to hearing the truth from you.

  Reveal any hidden sadness, anger and resentment that we are holding onto.

  Help us recognize anything that does not glorify you.

  As you gently show us where we are sinning, remind us that you

  are a God of forgiveness and change.

  Forgive us our sin of resentment, 

fill us with your Spirit to remove this

  from our lives.

  Help us find, read and learn Your Words with Your

  promises of healing and forgiveness. 

 Provide Your peace and guide us
 to accept change as we grow
 in our relationship with You.

  Help us see

  others through Your eyes
 and not our own.

 You are the only One that can

  remove these negative thoughts from our minds.

  Lord, we accept your forgiveness and the challenge of changing to be more like You.

  Help our eyes be like Yours, 
revealing love to everyone we meet.

  In Jesus precious name,

 we pray.

  Amen.  

If you are walking through a time of refining or testing, don't lose heart.

 Do your best not to complain, gripe, gossip, or lose hope. 

Don't camp here, don't make big decisions here; 

and don't make empty promises here.

 You won't do it all perfectly and God doesn't expect you to. 

His mercies cover our imperfections. 

Even so, to triumph amidst our trials is to humble ourselves like Job did; 

honor God like Joseph did; and speak the Word like Jesus did in the wilderness! 

In due time, He WILL lift us up and bless us before a watching world. 

How we handle this test will determine how we fare once this season has passed.

 Trust in the Lord, He is with you and He will restore you! 

~"He brought me out into a spacious place. He rescued me because He delighted in me" (Psalm 18:19).

a long time ago...

...in a fairy tale dream, Sanibel Island honeymoon! WOW! Look at me then! There's a goal to picture... minus the gorgeous locks of brown cascading curls. WOW!

The Spiritual Significance of Numbers

 Numbers are used in Scripture, not merely as in Nature, with supernatural design, but with spiritual significance, which may be summarised as follows ¹ :-


   ONE. Denotes unity, and commencement. The first occurrences of words or utterances denote their essential significance, in interpretation. Words that occur only once, in the originals, are emphatic and important. First day, Light. The first ocurrences of all important words and expressions are noted in the margin.


   TWO. Denotes difference. If two different persons agree in testimony it is conclusive. Otherwise two implies opposition, enmity, anddivision, as was the work of the Second day. Compare the use of the word "double" applied to "heart", "tongue", "mind", etc.


   THREE. Denotes completeness, as three lines complete a plane figure. Hence, three is significant of Divine perfection and completeness. The third day completes the fundamentals of creation-work. The fourth, fifth, and sixth days are the counterpart and repetition of the first, second, and third, and correspond respectively. (See the structure of Genesis 1) The number, three, includes resurrection also; for on the third day the earth rose up out of the deep, and fruit rose up out of the earth.


   FOUR. Denotes creative works (3 + 1), and always has reference to the material creation, as pertaining to the earth, and things "under the sun", and things terrestrial.


   FIVE. Denotes Divine grace. It is 4 + 1. It is God adding His gifts and blessing to the works of His hands. The Hebrew Ha'aretz (the earth), by "Gematria" (that is to say the addition of the numerical value of the letters together) is a multiple of four, while Hashamayim (the heavens) is a multiple of five. The Gematria of  (charis), the Greek for Grace, is also a multiple of five. It is the leading factor in the Tabernacle measurements.


   SIX. Denotes the human number. Man was created on the sixth day; and this first ocurrence of the number makes it (and all multiples of it) the hall-mark of all connected with man. He works six days. The hours of his day are a multiple of six. Athaliah usurped the throne of Judah six years. The great men who have stood out in defiance of God (Goliath and Nebuchadnezzar and Antichrist) are all emphatically marked by this number.


   SEVEN. Denotes spiritual perfection. It is the number or hall-mark of the Holy Spirit's work. He is the Author of God's Word, and seven is stamped on it as the water-mark is seen in the manufacture of paper. He is the Author and Giver of life; and seven is the number which regulates every period of Incubation and Gestation, in insects, birds, animals, and man.


   EIGHT. Denotes resurrection, regeneration; a new beginning or commencement. The eighth is a new first. Hence the octave in music, colour, days of the week, etc. It is the number which has to do with the LORD, Who rose on the eighth, or new "first-day". This is , therefore, theDominical number. By Gematria (see above),  (Jesus) makes the numbers 888. It, or its multiple is impressed on all that has to do with the Lord's Names, the Lord's People, the Lord's works.


   NINE. Denotes Finality of judgement. It is 3 x 3, the product of Divine completeness. The number nine, or its factors or multiples, is seen in all cases when judgement is the subject.


   TEN. Denotes Ordinal perfection. Another new first; after the ninth digit, when numeration commences anew.


   ELEVEN. Denotes disorder, disorganization, because it is one short of the number twelve (see below).


   TWELVE. Denotes Governmental perfection. It is the number or factor of all numbers connected with government: whether by Tribes or Apostles, or in measurements of time, or in things which have to do with government in the heavens and the earth.


   THIRTEEN. Denotes rebellion, apostasy, defection, disintegration, revolution, etc. The first occurrence fixes this (Genesis 14:4); and the second confirms it (Genesis 17:25). It, and its multiples, are seen in all numbers, and in the Gematria (see above) of all names and passages that are associated with rebellion, etc.


   SEVENTEEN. Denotes a combination of spirit and order (10 + 7). It is the seventh prime number (as 13 is the sixth prime number).


   Other numbers follow the laws which govern the smaller numbers, as being their factors, sums, products or multiples: that is to say 24 is 12 x 2, a higher form of 12.
   25 = 5².   Grace intensified.
   27 = 3³.   Divinity intensified.
   28 = 7 x 4.   Spiritual perfection in connection with the earth.
   29 = 3³.   Intensifying of Divine judgement.
   30 = 3 x 10.   Divine perfection, applied to order.
   40 = 10 x 4.   Divine order applied to earthly things. Hence, the number of probation.

   The four perfect numbers, 3,7,10, and 12, have for their product the remarkable number 2,520. It is the Least Common Multiple of the ten digits governing all numeration; and can, therefore, be divided by each of nine digits, without a remainder. It is the number of chronological perfection (7 x 360).

~Ethelbert W. Bolinger

WOW!

My First Applique Quilt

This is the Names of Our God quilt that I made for a friend. It is the most gorgeous thing I think I have ever made.