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When Homeschool is all over the home

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I was ready to give up. I began thinking maybe I should just expect to eat at a table covered in math manipulatives and maps. Over a period of time and in a variety of ways, God lead us to homeschool our boys years ago. I've come to adore homeschooling my kids (most days), but we've never been able to make a "homeschool room" work for us. We somehow wind up on the living room couch or at the kitchen table. Every day. Learning about atoms and molecules Reviewing Latin Oh how the math manipulatives take over the table.  Are you getting the point that we use this room a lot? I remember reading that God has made everything beautiful in his time and thinking that I LOVE that HE's made beautiful things and places and people. It's a cool reflection of Him. I really enjoy pretty spaces in people's homes. It feels welcoming to me. I'm fine with toys everywhere, but I also love welcoming others to a peaceful, homey space. So I began wondering if
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Celebrating Valentine's Day with Boys

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Today my family is on a hunt. Feel free to join us. We're asking God to open our eyes, as we go about our day, to see how He is patient and kind towards us.  We're remembering His pure love that never envies or boast and is not arrogant or rude insisting on His own way.  We're thanking Him that even though we are irritable and resentful, He never is towards us.  We're talking about how we've se en His love through others who do not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoice with the truth. We're asking Him to help us live out this great love and, like Him, bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things by His power with our hearts resting in Him. And we believe He'll do it because His great love NEVER ends. Thankful for this great love. Praying you catch glimpses of it, too. As one of my favorite people likes to say, "Happy Sappy Day"!
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Rejoicing for Others

I can't express how meaningful it has been to me that others have cried with me, pursued me, and encouraged me in the midst of my pain and loss. It's one way I sensed God's nearness and love in painful trial. And now God has done a funny thing, He's asked me to be that for others. But not just in weeping- in rejoicing! Just as I have been encouraged by others who wept with me now I want to rejoice with them. For some I've been praying and weeping as they experience their own painful loss/trial. But others I love have great reason to rejoice. It's hard to tell a woman mourning a miscarriage that you are rejoicing because you're pregnant. I'm thankful that my family and friends took the risk and shared with me. It's giving me an opportunity to step away from myself and rejoice for people I love. I want to encourage you, especially if you are in the midst of a trial, ask God who you can rejoice with. It is NOT easy, but there's something so be
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In The Midst, Final: Empty Beginnings

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I'm blogging about one of the most painful trials I've faced, miscarriage. You can read my previous posts here: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 . Here's the AMAZING truth God showed me after my last ultrasound: "January 5 I had my last ultrasound this week. I didn't tell anyone i was going because i just couldn't get myself to. Once there, the technician checked me while I stared at the large tv on the wall with a live view of my empty womb and God met me there beautifully. My first response afterwards was overwhelming sadness. I wept a lot and told God i wanted to be staring at a baby but i also struggled feeling faithless that i want what He doesn't seem to want for me. He reminded me that He's able and He gives generously. It was tangible God-speak, too. Through me flashing to romans 8:32 immediately- "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" And then through
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In the Midst, Part 4- The Day We Lost the Baby

I've been sharing some texts I wrote as I sensed God's nearness in the midst of my miscarriage. You can read the first 3 here: 1 , 2 , 3 "Dec. 20 We lost the baby today. "in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Sweet baby knows a sweeter joy, not mixed with salty sorrow, but in God's presence with full joy. God took me to Psalm 27: " One thing have I asked of the LORD , that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. " And then here in Psalm 73: "I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart
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In the Midst, Part 3: Afflicted, but Not Crushed

I've been sharing about my miscarriage, mainly through texts written in the midst. You may want to go back and read posts 1 and 2 for the full story. God met me in some crazy ways (just wait for my ultrasound "empty" aha!). This post is mainly a revived perspective on suffering learned as I endured suffering. "Dec.17 I'm seeing 2 corinthians 4 with new eyes right now. This chunk just matches up so perfectly with the emotions i'm experiencing and truth i know in the midst as we walk through this pregnancy God joyfully surprised us with yet seems anything but normal and healthy. We're waiting and not entirely sure what for, other than God Himself. but we trust Him fully in it. So we wait, feeling just like Paul described: "We are afflicted... but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair" It's perplexing and confusing. The sense we had from God and what we're experiencing don't match.  Yet suffering feel
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In the Midst, Part 2: Pregnant and Bleeding

I'm sharing about how God met me in the midst of my miscarriage in this series. You may want to read my first post and then head back to this. Here is a series of text messages I sent updating when bleeding started and as we waited, not knowing whether I'd heal or we'd lose the baby: "Dec. 14th In hospital for an ultrasound. Listening to praise music as we wait to stay our hearts on Christ. Scary situation, but faithful God. ... Just left hospital. Definitely still pregnant. Glimpse of underdeveloped baby shows that I could be "pre-miscarriage" or we miscalculated my due date. On bedrest now. Will get more bloodwork monday to ensure the baby's # rises and then prob. another ultrasound in a week or so. Not super hopeful news, but thankful the Lord does know and trusting Him in the emotional roller coaster of it all. "I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the m
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