Where have I GONE?

Okay, so I haven’t been blogging here QUITE as often…

There is a good reason.

First of all, I wanted this blog to serve as a reservoir of bits and pieces of my spiritual life.  For lack of a better analogy, I will use a “neighborhood”.  In it, there are a lot of little “houses” waiting to be discovered.

For example, I love to sing, right?  I write music from time to time whenever I am inspired.  So…I plan to blog about those things here, maybe record and post a song.

I also am on a bit of a spiritual awakening – a journey into a new and different level in my walk with the Lord.  As I blog here I can look back and see where God has  brought me from and be encouraged about where he is taking me.  Any interviews I’ve conducted in the past with songwriters, artists, business owners, authors…it’s all here – recorded, and tucked away for a time when I will, once again, hopefully, use these as inspirations and encouragement for my own life – and meanwhile, I hope they serve to encourage you too.

I also have my own podcasts recorded- words of encouragement that God led me to write and record for others, which are now serving to help me in my OWN life.  Whoa!  You think I have it all together?  Think again.  I am growing, and S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G like anyone else.

All of these podcasts and recordings (which this blog comprises mostly of, in addition to a quick stint at an online magazine), are only a FRACTION of my life.  Less than a fraction.  It’s only the DOING part of me…but there’s a whole lot of figuring out underneath all of this that has to be done.  All the while I was podcasting back in ’05-”08, hosting online seminars and chats, etc….guess what?  I still had some major FIGURING OUT to do about my life, my own purpose, and the direction God had in my life.

And He is not done with me yet.  Still revealing, but ever faithful to reveal to me day by day, I am growing into a  restful settling.

But I am not settling into the background to fade away.

I am settling into my Lord…(may He increase that I may decrease).  As this happens, though (and it is a process), He is bringing me new ideas, plans, and purposes to help our family…

…which brings me to the purpose of this post.

So I have been in hiatus for a while, or so it seems.

I am still here.  Trust me.  I am here- thinking and pondering.  But I am also busy.

Not too busy to blog or to update.  But busy working my hands in a few different fields God is preparing for our family.  You know when one season in your life has ended and God opens the doors to new opportunities.  When it’s a new season, you should harvest where He sent you to reap your harvest.  Don’t be trying to stick with the same old field.  The harvest is plentiful (the laborers few)…and sometimes He sends us to a different spot in the fields to work.  And that’s okay.

I have had a difficult time accepting this – that this field I’ve been working in may now be for someone else. He is moving me on to a different part of the field.  I am running smack dab into it, full force, as new ideas, opportunities, and energy for different projects have arisen…

And I can’t do a single thing but accept it with a smile…because I really am HAPPY He did it this way.

My new season began since 2007 – the birth of my newest baby and second child.  Christian Ladies Connect (my online chat/support group for Christian women) took a few different spins since then.  We went from weekly teleseminars and chats to once a quarter…and now…NOTHING.  As much as I have time to blog and produce other media…I cannot churn out one single podcast for Christian Ladies Talk Radio.  Should I take that to mean this season is over?

So I say all that to explain what’s new in my life:

1. As much as I have a heart for God’s women online – I have found fulfillment in befriending and ministering to women in my own community.  It is coming closer to home.  I still LOVE our online relationships, though, and wouldn’t trade them for anything.  I have met some AWESOME people online, and have made friends with quite a few.  You ladies are wonderful!  Thank you for your friendship and your support.  But I have a feeling this season is leading me into…
2. Reaching out to our wonderful children. As I’ve been homeschooling for a few years now, my heart is now plugged into shaping the future of my dear children God has blessed me with.  I am spending more time developing resources for them and helping other families who want to start homeschooling.  I have devotionals, and children’s activity kits to create – all pent up inside of me, waiting to explode!!!  So I gotta get about my Father’s business

God has it all together for us.  When we don’t know the direction of our lives, just be still and know that He is God. That’s all you need to know.

I will be back from time to time – mostly posting updates about teaching my children, and maybe a song, or an encouraging Word the Lord has laid on my heart.  If time permits, I’ll even add more to this blog than I anticipate.  Again, it’s all in God’s perfect timing and direction for me.

Until then…

More Gardening…

Lately our family has come to enjoy gardening.

Okay, I admit…i don’t know a single thing about it — except that you plant seeds in good soil, water it, and the plants should grow.  I also figure you have to keep the weeds out as they grow.

My Dad’s been a big help to us in that department.

See what we’ve been up to in our home school – enriching our children’s learning experience with hands-on gardening.

It’s hard work but fun!

Gardening for homeschool

Honestly, I have never been a gardener, nor have I had some innate desire to work with dirt for any length of time…

It just suddenly dawned on me a few years ago, though, that my parents (who garden all their veggies each year) are not only saving loads of money but are eating healthy.  I am amazed at how God could create a plant- which creates seeds- which create more plants- which produce fruit and vegetables for our nourishment.

How awesome is that!

So…I have imagined myself to be a potential gardener, and with the help of my father’s expertise, and my children’s excitement, I am trying my hands at this gardening thing.

Hello summer science!

View some pictures and see what we did in our garden:take a look at my homeschooling science post.

Our Family Passover Seder 2010

Lately our family has enjoyed the celebration of Passover together.

If you want to read more about how we adapted this into our homeschool and family life this past week, please take a trip  over to my homeschool blog and read all about our Passover.

A Purim Feast

Our family has been studying our Hebrew heritage lately –from a Messianic viewpoint.  I am enjoying this very much and have really gotten plugged in to Robin Sampson’s homeschool materials and her blog.  I also purchased her book on A Family’s Guide to Celebrating Biblical Feasts.

I wrote an entire blog post about how our family did just that this weekend.  We learned about Esther and Mordecai and Haman and how God’s people were saved from being destroyed…everything that the celebration of Purim is about.

Read about our journey as we joyfully discover learning more about biblical holidays.  Click here to read all  about our Purim Feast.

How We Organized Our Homeschool

Homeschooling is a work in progress for our family (as I assume it is for any home educating family).

I am learning what works for us, and what doesn’t.  We began this journey at around the time my now seven year old was about two.  So for five years I have tried my hands at different methods to see what worked for us, and what doesn’t.

The Lord is showing me through my journey of home education, how to meet the needs of these beautiful children He has placed into my life.  He is showing me about godly motherhood, and womanhood…how to really listen to His prompting me to say something, or not to speak at all.  I am learning about my own pitfalls and how my impatience leads to disaster for the entire family.

So He is working on my patience, bringing out that Fruit of the Spirit within me that so often would go unnoticed.  I cannot shove it under any longer.  I have to deal with it.

He is also showing me about priorities and time management.  As I manage my children’s lessons and their schedules I learn new things about what works for us and what will not be in our best interest for now.

So…here over at my homeschool blog I’ve written another pretty lengthy post about how we have gotten organized with our school this year.

HOpe you enjoy!

Click here to read my post on our homeschool organizing for 2010.

Changes in our homeschool for 2010

I really enjoy homeschooling my children.  This year I have found some things that may actually make our lives easier each day.  We made a few changes, but a few changes go a long way.

Check out my latest post on our new school in 2010…`