It's Monday!

I just had to post an update today.  I am feeling so much better!  I did not go anywhere or do anything this weekend.  It must have been just the thing I needed.  Thank you for your prayers. 

It felt so good to be out today.  The sun is shining, making the 30F temperature feel lovely.  It occurred to me that I had not been away from home since last Monday.  What a blessing! 

Oh, and I just finished another fantastic book, Cobwebs and Cables by Hesba Stetton.  You have to read it too!  (My poor husband was thinking he needs to get me my own Nook, after I hogged it all weekend.)   

Here is what Lamplighter says about the book.

" It is a story of man's decision to get caught up in sin out of desperation to serve the one he loves. But it soon becomes clear that one lie from a "truthful" man is more hurtful than all the lies of a liar. Those who yield to its power engage in an intricate path of falsehood-an entangling maze-that ever deepens as one lie builds upon another. As you wrestle with the characters in this engaging drama, rest assured that your confidence will grow, not in man, but in our loving, forgiving God."

How can you pass on this one?  And there are so many more!  For free!   

Now, I promised my husband that I would not start another book for awhile so that he can have HIS Nook with him at work.  At least until he finishes the book he bought for Christmas.  And since I am committed to debt free living, I will not press him to buy me my own Nook.  (Perhaps for my birthday in October.  Which is so far away!!!  *sigh*)  For now, I must learn to like reading from my PC.  Or rent my son's laptop!  He only charges a dollar an hour. 

~Jenn

This is My Sand in the Line

I tossed around the idea of putting some effort into hiding God's Word in my heart this year.  I enjoyed  the challenge in a 2009-10 bible study I attended last year.   I've decided to make the commitment to continue this year, except to strive to memorize a verse a week for 52 (or so) weeks.  I won't be alone.  My friend Katia is going to do the same.  Others may join the group. 

I may fail.  Failing is a favorite excuse I use to not try at all.  I won't be legalistic either.  I will give it my best effort, though, because I think it is important.  I desire to put first things first in 2011.  

Here are the first two passages I intend to hide in my heart.  These are copied from Biblegateway.com. 

Psalm 77:11-15 (English Standard Version)

 ¹¹I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
   yes, I will^(A) remember your wonders of old.
¹²I will ponder all your^(B) work,
   and meditate on your^(C) mighty deeds.
¹³Your way, O God, is^(D) holy.
   ^(E) What god is great like our God?
¹⁴You are the God who^(F) works wonders;
   you have^(G) made known your might among the peoples.
¹⁵You^(H) with your arm redeemed your people,
   the children of Jacob and Joseph.
                         Selah

1 Peter 1:13-16 (English Standard Version)

Called to Be Holy

 ¹³Therefore,^(A) preparing your minds for action,^[a] and^(B) being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴As obedient children,^(C) do not be conformed to the passions^(D) of your former ignorance, ¹⁵but^(E) as he who called you is holy, you also be holy^(F) in all your conduct, ¹⁶since it is written,^(G) "You shall be holy, for I am holy."

If you have a moment, go visit A Holy Experience.   Ann has some great tools.  I especially like "Why make time to memorize God's Word?" 

This Week at Home

I'm wrapping up my week, I am, indeed.  It's a good thing too, as it was a long week for me.  Thankfully, I was able to keep going, getting the basics done, despite this cold.  The lovely Mary, my hostess of Weekly Wrap Up, is thinking of giving up her station.  I am planning to keep writing them for my own use, not linking elsewhere.  I like having a written account of my week.  I will probably change my "categories" and content as pleases my whims, too.

On the Heart and Mind:

My heart is so thankful.  We were blessed above and beyond this past Christmas. I am still marveling at all we were given.  I am humbled that so many people love us and want to bless us.  Also, I am thankful how my children have jumped back into the full load of lessons. Last week we did three days of the basics.  Maybe that helped.  This week they were eager little students.

My dear grandma was diagnosed with pneumonia this week.  Thankfully, she has a treatable kind and seems to be doing well.  I certainly had her on my heart and mind a lot this week.  Here she is coloring when my mom visited her this week.

On the Home Front:


We had more family over on Sunday for more Christmas, so the house was totally clean for Monday's start of lessons.  We've kept up with things and so at this point, it is not in bad shape, considering how I've felt this week.  I was able to keep the laundry going, dishes done, trash emptied, dinner on the table, and little else.  The kids kept their clutter under control.  It's so nice when we all work together.

Purging has begun!!!  I have a big load to take to Good Will tomorrow.  More will be purged from our Christmas decorations today.  I went through my clothes and tossed all that are tattered and torn.  Because I was blessed with new clothes for Christmas, I can finally feel free to toss the old.  I needed to do this long ago.

Learning and Life: 


What can I say?  I love learning at home with my kids using Sonlight!  This week we finished two books and started three new ones.  We finished Genghis Khan.  I am glad we stuck it out, although it was a harder read, all those Mongol names!  We also finished Homesick.  I really wish there was a follow up book for the rest of her life.  She moved to America from China and that is that.  It was still a very good book.  I just wish she wrote more!  


We started the book Whatever Happened to Penny Candy?  It's a book on economics.  Excellent!  They beg for more.  Yes, they do!  We find ourselves talking about it at odd times, too.  I am learning a lot myself.  I like a book that says that the main problem with our government is ethics!  


We also started Water Sky.  Set in modern day Barrow, AK, a teen named Lincoln goes to find his uncle who has gone missing for two years.  We only just finished chapter 3.  The first chapter was a bit disorganized, but the last two have been more interestingly written.  The Inuit, his long lost relations, take Lincoln whaling in order for him to get in touch with his inner Eskimo. They want him to see their side of the whaling issue.   


Wolves of Willoughby Chase is the last book we started this week, getting all the way to chapter 8!  It is a page turner full of twists and turns and dangerous wolves!  It has everything for both boys and girls to enjoy this book.  The wolves are always on the prowl with lots of chases.  The two little girls are sent to a orphanage when the parents are suspected to be lost at sea.  The girls' governess takes over the estate and ends up getting every thing she deserves in the end!  (Although I had to read ahead to find that out.  I do not like not knowing!)    Trevor and I found the movie online at YouTube and watched it today.  It is about 80 minutes and closely follows the book.  Netflix and Amazon did not have it yet, as it is being released on DVD this month, I heard.  


Earlier in the week, I posted Grace's personification poem. Now here is Ryan's.  


Happy


Siamese cats are the best example of happy.  
Happy sleeps next to the heater or on my bed in the sun. 
Happy purrs as she is petted.
"I wish you would never stop," she says.
Happy licks her fur after her long nap in the sun. 
Happy waits for me to come pet her again.
"I wish you would never stop," she says.
How can I say no to such a cute face?

In the Kitchen:


No baking this week.  I did manage to make homemade chicken and dumplings.  I am making plans to make yogurt in my crock pot soon.  And I'd like to make some strawberry jam in my bread maker. I have a recipe that looks interesting.  I will report back if I do these things.

On the Nook:
Just finished reading The Basket of Flowers by Christoph von Schmid.   James, the king's gardener, teaches his 15-year-old daughter Mary all the principles of godliness through his flowers. She is falsely accused of stealing, and the penalty is death.  It's a beautiful tale of godliness.  I found it free here. I need to find time to read it aloud to my children.  


Currently reading A Double Story, by  George MacDonald.  Another excellent character book.  This one is a fairy tale of sorts.  A spoiled princess learns a lesson from Lady Wisdom.  Another one that I need to read aloud.  


Lamplighter Publishing.  Lots of these books are free at Project Gutenberg.  

Quote of the Week:

"The ablilty to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may "speak."
Hans Hoffman (1880-1966) 

That's my week.  I hope yours has been a good one, too.
~Jenn

CurrClick Has a Secret!!!

One of my favorite sources for e-curriculum, CurrClick, is having a Winter Whisper Sale!!!  It is not being announced except by word of mouth or blog.  It is my pleasure to give you the link.  They are giving away many neat titles.  Hurry over and check it out!. They just may have something to spice up your lessons during the dull drums of winter.  Be sure and pass along this link to your readers and happy shopping!

The Nifty Nook

My dearest asked for and received a Barnes and Noble Nook for Christmas.  I've always known that he is smarter than me.  I asked for clothes.  Thankfully, he has graciously shared his nifty little reader.

I have downloaded two books for free so far. I have many more that I want.   I have always wanted to read the many free books online, but we did not have a lap top and I don't like sitting at a desk top to read.  Enter the Nook!  Now, when he is not using it, I am able to put it to good use.

I have to say that at first I thought having a book in hand could not be replaced, so I did not embrace his idea of getting one.  I am a book lover.  I want to be surrounded by books.  But wow, the Nook actually feels good in the hand and the pages look real.  Oh joy!  Free books that don't take up precious book shelves! It is like having unlimited book storage.  Just imagine!  And our library is getting more and more titles online to share too.  It keeps getting better!

Jeff did buy one book, George Bush's new one.  He's going to be asking for Barnes and Noble gift cards for his birthday in January.  That I know for sure! And from now on, I am going to listen to my dearest when he decides he wants a nifty new device. "So, Honey, what do you think of the iPod Touch?"


Follow Up Notes:
Link to Project Gutenberg's free books online.  

We chose the Nook because it is not propitiatory, meaning you don't  have to buy from just B&N. We learned this from our library.  People with Kindles cannot download books from there at this time.

Here's a link from Sally regarding more free books for the Nook.  (Thanks, Sally, I will check it out!)

Yes, JoAnn, if I am dreaming, I probably should go for the iPad, but no chance of that happening, so maybe I will look into getting another used laptop like my son's. But no time soon.  There is curriculum to buy soon.    

Personification Poetry Assignment

         Hateful
I see him on his porch
Stroking his gray beard.
When I look in his gray blue eyes,
I see hate.
I drop a dime on his lawn.
I go to pick it up.
He yells with his rough voice,
"Hey!  You get off my lawn!"
I forget about my dime and run away,
Wishing I had never passed by.

A Poem by Grace

Keep This in Mind

"Any concern too small 

to be turned into a prayer

is too small to be made 

into a burden."

_Corrie Ten Boom