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Compromise or Solution

I'm joining Darlene at Time Warp Wife and her Titus 2sdays today (click on the image to be directed to her site).

As I reflect on a book that I'm reading aloud to the children during the homeschool day, I am struck with a piece of advice that has applied to my marriage and parenting. I cracked up laughing seeing my family in this children's literature.

The heroine and her mother are having a disagreement over a sweatshirt and the girl begins to smile and realizes that now a compromise must be reached. We've had a similar reaction many times while parenting our daughter as well as in our marriage.

Glen and I have not always seen eye to eye on things in the past twenty plus years; however, we both know that when one of us smiles, it's close to coming to an end. Marriage takes commitment and work. It's not always easy. Each day I have to make the decision to love and honor this man who has captivated my life and heart. God has blessed and has graciously given me an outstanding husband.

Ephesians 4:26-27 - Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

Stress, Stress, and More Stress

It has been a crazy year for our family. I feel like I've gone from putting out one fire to putting out the next. I've struggled with homeschooling, housekeeping, etc. and have often felt like the world was caving in on me. I have found great comfort in Psalm 46 over the last few months.

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
⁵ God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.
⁶ The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
⁷ The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

⁸ Come, behold the works of the Lord,
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the chariots with fire.
¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”
¹¹ The Lord of hosts is with us;    the God of Jacob is our fortress. 

^{Verses 1-3 really have ministered to me. I have often felt as if the earth was giving away, that mountains were falling into the sea, and waters were foaming and swirling. I felt as if I couldn't control anything and have come to the conclusion (again) that I'm not in control - GOD IS!}

^{He, alone, is to be my rock, my fortress, my help in trouble! I just need to be still and know that He is God.}

^{Where is your focus this Christmas season? I'm turning mine to Him!} 

Thankfulness on Thursday

Many times I've participated in Thankful Thursday. Today's not an official Thankful Thursday entry, but that's what I am: thankful.

October was a long hard month for me, personally. I'm not really going to go into much detail about it. It's all in the past and I want to look forward. I shut a lot of things up inside of me and spent time complaining and grumbling. I struggled immensely with my sins and am thankful for a restoration with God, friends, and family.

November isn't starting out too well either. I am concerned about many friends in Staten Island and New Jersey. We lived in Staten Island for three years and in Jersey for four. We know that at least two of our addresses were wiped out by Sandy. Friends who are there say it's like a war zone. Then, just this week, our beloved aunt lost her husband. My heart breaks for her grief and struggle at this time and I hate being so far away. But here's what I'm thankful for: watching people and churches band together to rebuild Staten Island and how Sonny blessed Aunt Sharon the last few years of wedded happiness. I can only pray and know that God is ultimately the one who deserves the praise.

Please know that I'm petitioning the gates of heaven on your behalf! I'm thankful that I have the privilege of doing so!

Craziness

Man, I feel like my life is out of control. Homeschool seems to be going downhill. L is not willing to work on even the simplest of tasks. It takes hours and a TON of self-control on my part to get anything done with her. M is picking up on her attitude and I often hear the same phrases parroted out of his mouth. Then, there's my attitude that needs checking as well. Some days I found teaching a classroom full of kindergarteners much, much easier than teaching my two at home. L is definitely showing the pre-teen view of life and everything seems to be my fault. I'm trying to stay calm, especially when she brings up the past and "how horrible of a mother/teacher I currently am." Glen is struggling with back pain since he fell a few weeks ago.

Scriptures from which I am currently drawing encouragement:

Psalm 18:1-3 -  
I love you, O Lord, my strength.
² The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
    my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
³ I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
    and I am saved from my enemies.

Psalm 121 -
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord is your keeper;
    the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
⁸ The Lord will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time forth and forevermore.

Psalm 28:6-8
Blessed be the Lord!
    For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
⁷ The Lord is my strength and my shield;
    in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
    and with my song I give thanks to him.

⁸ The Lord is the strength of his people;
    he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

May He be glorified in my craziness and weakness!

The Twinkle in his Eye

My husband has this twinkle in his blue eyes. It shines only when it looks at me. To me that special light and his smile are more precious than gold. It tells me that he loves me, that he's there for me, and that I'm his one and only. I can usually tell he's looking at me, even when my back is turned.

Our wedding day - 1991

I consider myself blessed because he has had this twinkle for 21 years of marriage as of this Friday. I'm praying for many more years of this. God brought us together all those years ago, against my desires. When I was younger, I said that I'd never marry a teacher or preacher. I wanted someone who had different likes and interests. I learned not to tell God anything. However, God knows best. He knows that when you have similar likes and interests, there are more things to do and enjoy together.

So I married this man who was a teacher in a Christian school with a passion for the Lord. Ten years into the marriage, the Lord leads us to seminary and we head off for California. Little did we know that we would remain here. Glen has been my pastor for the last seven years; we just celebrated our church anniversary at the beginning of this summer.

Our son's adoption day - 2009

We've weathered a few storms in our life together and they have only been to make us stronger as one before the Lord. Genesis 2:24 - Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. It's been an amazing adventure and one that will continue until death do us part.

The Lord has blessed us and I am extremely grateful for His provision of a godly man for my husband. I will do whatever it takes to keep that twinkle in the eye of my husband. I love you, Glen!

Not Back to School Bloghop

This year, instead of just reading posts about homeschool, I'm going to participate with some bloghops as well.

This week at the Not Back to School Bloghop, the focus is on curriculum. I just love books - all kinds of books. Curriculum can be quite the addiction for me.

For my seventh grade girl, we'll be using the following:

Math:      Math-U-See Pre-Algebra
Writing:   Institute for Excellence in Writing
Literature: Progeny Press
Science:  Apologia - Exploring Creation with General Science
History:   Story of the World, Vol. 2
Bible:      AWANA for scripture memory, Who is God? by Hay and Webb, and Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends by the Mallys

With my kinder boy, we'll be using:

Math:           Math-U-See Primer
Handwriting: Handwriting without Tears
Phonics:        Explode the Code
Reading:        Sonlight (using the book list only)
Bible:             AWANA for scripture memory, Who is God? by Hay and Webb, and Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends by the Mallys

We'll be continuing our weekly nature walks and journals as well as participating in the homeschool support group co-op. It's shaping up to be a great year!