WATCH CHILDREN ARE A BLESSING FOR FREE ONLINE NOW THROUGH MONDAY ONLY!

If you have never watched the documentary, Children are a Blessing, by the Moore family, now is the time to do it because you can watch if for FREE from now through the end of this weekend!

I will admit that some of my favorite parts from this movie are NOT from the video, but from the bonus features, so I would encourage you to get the DVD which is on sale right now for just $10!  You can get the DVD by clicking HERE! (affiliate link)

This is a really good documentary and it is encouraging in viewing children as a blessing!

You can watch this documentary from now until Monday at 10pm ET.  Click on the link below to watch the video and please remember to share by clicking on the Social Media options below this post.  This is an encouraging movie that all of your friends and family need to see.  Remember though, after Monday, you will no longer be able to watch it for FREE!


https://vimeo.com/39167938

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How We Pleased Daddy Today

Just a tip I thought you all might like!  My husband works a later shift and usually doesn't get home until around 2-2:30.  Sometimes, we are already in bed when he gets home (depending on what time we have to get up the next morning).  In those cases, I like for DH (dear husband) to have an idea of what we did for the day.  Therefore, we have started writing some of the things we accomplish on a dry/erase board and place it on the fridge (but a plain old sheet of paper left of the table would be sufficient).

It is also great accountability for me to make sure I'm doing what I need to be doing, knowing that my husband will be reading it.  We might not write down every little thing, but I love for my husband to be able to have the "run down" of what the kids are doing, without me talking his ear off as soon as he comes home :)

What are some ways you let your husband know what you and the kiddos have been doing all day?

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What to do When Your Husband says NO to Homeschooling or Anything Else

After writing an article a couple of weeks ago, Should I Public, Private, or Homeschool my Children, and What does the Bible Have to Say About it?, I had a HUGE reaction to the post.  I had a lot of moms feeling the conviction and the desire to homeschool, but they found themselves in situations where their husband may object.

I want to write this post for these women.  For those who have already determined that home educating their children is Biblical and holds a deep desire in their heart.

First of all, let me say this:  We are to honor our husbands.  He is to be the spiritual leader of the household.  He is to make these decisions, not us.  This does not matter if he is saved, actively attending church, etc.  Unless he is asking you to do something that is morally wrong, you need to honor his decisions.  He is responsible for determining your children's education and training your children at home.  He is responsible for whether you are a keeper at home or not.

If your husband is not making wise decisions for the family (financially, spiritually, etc), he will answer for those decisions.  YOU will answer for how you honor the Word of God.  First thing is first.  We have to understand what man's God-given roles are and what roles God has given to the women.  Do not skip over these Scriptures.  Read them, and let them soak in.

1 Corinthians 11:3

King James Version (KJV)

But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

Ephesians 5:23

King James Version (KJV)

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Ephesians 5:28-29

King James Version (KJV)

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

1 Peter 3:7

King James Version (KJV)

7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Okay, so we all understand that the husband is the head of the wife?  This does NOT mean that you are not as equally important, but God has given us specific roles in marriage to play.  It's the same concept as this:

1 Corinthians 12:14-22

King James Version (KJV)

14 For the body is not one member, but many.

15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?

20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.

21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

Now this verse is speaking about spiritual gifts, but it certainly applies to how God views our roles within the family.  If both parents do the same duties, there are certainly some duties lacking.

Furthermore, a husband is supposed to provide for his household (necessities ladies...not a car, not a cell phone, and not getting your hair done every month).  Otherwise, he is worse than someone who is not even saved:

1 Timothy 5:8

King James Version (KJV)

8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

Don't worry, I'm not going to leave out the famous verses that wives like to use AGAINST their husbands:

Ephesians 5:25-26

King James Version (KJV)

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

Wives are so quick to say things like, "If my husband were the Spiritual Leader he was called to be, I'd be a better wife to him."  I've been guilty of saying this myself.  Or maybe something like, "How can I follow a man who is not following God?  Wouldn't that mean I'm not following God?!"

Understand, this command is to husbands.  Wives are not to use it against their husbands when they are not being obedient to God's Word.  You cannot do ANYTHING about how your husband responds to God's Word.  All you can do is:

1 Peter 3:1

King James Version (KJV)

3 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

 Even if our husbands need to be saved, this verse tells us we are to be in subjection to them.  Furthermore, we need to try to win them by our conversation.  There is an excellent online 6-part article about this very subject!  Click here to read "When a Wife Disagrees with her Husband- Part 1."

I'm not going to dwell on this too much, since the link above gives really great references to our duty in submitting to our husbands.    If you're not to the point to where you feel you can submit to your husband, stop reading and read the article now.  You can always come back and finish this post later.


Okay, so you realize the husband's roles, and you realize that you can't control whether he is obedient to God's Word or not and that he must work out his own salvation with fear and trembling.  You can only control you.  You can influence a situation, and that's it.  So let's look at the roles of wives, and then delve directly into what to do to help your husband see biblical principles when he may not be seeking them.

Colossians 3:18

King James Version (KJV)

18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

1 Peter 3:1

King James Version (KJV)

3 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

We are to submit to our husbands, regardless of  whether he is following God's Word or not.  Certainly we are not to commit a sin in order to honor our husbands.  However, how we even handle rejecting our husbands immoral requests should be handled with care.  If we are not careful with our "conversation" with our husband in all matters, it will be difficult to "win him."

If you are in this situation, I highly, highly recommend this book:  Created to Be His Help Meet.  Even if you don't have any major disagreements with your spouse, this book is very encouraging in how we should handle the little, day to day disagreements.  (WARNING:  This book will likely offend you greatly.  It did me at first, but keep reading.  You'll soon realize it's your own sin you have to deal with).  I read this book and after two days of implementing its biblical strategies, my husband commented on such a change in me (my husband NEVER does this).  He was so thankful, he decided to read Created to Need a Help Meet.  I wish we had found these books when we first married.  Your husband may or may not have the same response, but I guarantee you he will be thinking it!  I recommend Created to Be His Help Meet to ALL Christian Wives who are SERIOUS about following God's Word in the biblical roles of the wife!  This is not for the average woman sitting in a church pew.  This is only for women who want to steer the direction of their marriage toward God, without nagging or controlling.

Okay, now that I've given you some resources that dig a little deeper into the matter and that have encouraged me, on with this post.

What do you do, say, when your husband is against homeschooling your children?  Or maybe he wants you to work and you feel that these requests would go against Titus 2:

3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Wow!  Certainly we don't want to be in danger of blaspheming the Word of God!!  I can understand why women are discouraged because their husbands are not taking heed to the Word of God!  Certainly, being a keeper at home and homeschooling (Deuteronomy 6, Proverbs 22) are derived from the Word of God.  However, by not homeschooling, or having you work outside the home (although a woman could work at home as long as it doesn't interfere with her duties as a mother and wife.  Just read Proverbs 31) you are not blaspheming the Word of God as Titus 2 puts it.  HE IS.

Understand that God loves your husband more than anything...even when He is not walking with Him.  God knows that the person who has the greatest opportunity for influence over him will be his wife.  That's you.  You will not win him over by nagging, or getting him to comply to keep the peace (shamefully: been there, done that).

In fact, you may not win him over by being the wife God has called you to be, but it's your best shot.  Furthermore, do you really want to spend the rest of your life nagging at your husband?  Your kids are watching their mother (even if it is for a worthy cause) put down her husband and nag at him.  Although it may seem you have a reason to complain, your children are learning to be miserable with you.  They are learning this is just how marriage is supposed to be.  When everything isn't perfect...just complain and nag until you get your way.

God told us to subject to our husbands, even when they are not following Him, for a reason.  He knows best.  We need to stick to the Word of God and stop listening to friends, family, and even preachers who tell us differently...no matter "how good of a Christian they are."  We cannot deny the Word of God.


In this post, we are using the example of wanting to homeschool while your husband disapproves.  The first thing you need to do is to show you support his decision.  Do NOT undermine him.  Don't encourage him or agree with him.  However, let him know you will honor the decisions he makes for the family because you believe he does want to do what is best for your family, and most likely, your husband does.  The real problem is not that he doesn't want what is best for your children.  The real problem is that he doesn't see homeschooling as a better option for your children.

There could be a million reasons why:

*  He could be worried they won't receive the socialization they need.
*  He could be worried that you can't educate the children as well as the educated professionals.
*  He likely could be concerned that you can't live off of one income.
*  Maybe He believes you can't afford the cost of curriculum and such.


You need to make sure you understand WHY he is against homeschooling.  You can show him all of the verses on homeschooling, all day long, but if he has a strong feeling against homeschooling, he will likely not listen.  Then you will feel he is nonspiritual and a darker line will be drawn between the two of you.

Your goal should be to have a genuine understanding of why your husband objects to homeschooling.  Don't judge him.  View his concerns as valid, even if you can't understand them, for they are obviously important to him.  Don't make him feel dumb for his viewpoint.  Just focus on getting an understanding of his objections.

Very, very few men are against homeschooling in and of themselves.  Most of them have only been around a few homeschooled children and are concerned their children will look and act as they.  They think, "I went to public school and turned out alright", so they don't want to take a risk on something that might scar their children versus something that worked out okay.  These concerns are valid and can be addressed, but must be done lovingly and with caution.

Next, you must address the situation with care.  If your husband is not walking daily with God, you can read him Bible verses until he is blue in the face.  All he will gather from your conversation is that you think he is wrong, he is not spiritual enough, and he doesn't know how to lead his family.

You have to find how to address this issue with your husband.  The easiest way to do so, is not with conversation alone, but by example.  This is where it can be difficult, but if you're on your knees seeking God in this matter, I do believe He will supply your desires to honor Him.

Maybe you know a homeschooling family where the dad loves to hunt, just like your husband.  With your husband's permission, maybe you could invite them over to dinner.  Do NOT invite them over to talk about homeschooling.  Do NOT make your husband feel like you're only inviting them over because they are a homeschooling family.  But IF your husband is on board with them coming over, invite them over.  Allow a friendship to grow.  Homeschooling will come up naturally because it is such a big part of their lives.  Your husband will begin to see that not everyone who home educates is socially awkward and that it doesn't mean you have to spend any money on curriculum.

That is one option, but it may be that you don't know another homeschooling family locally, and if you do, they may not be the example you want your husband to see!

So what do you do?  Well, depending upon your husband's objection, maybe you can begin to tutor your children at home.  Let your husband see that you are capable of teaching your children (without bringing up a word about homeschooling).

Maybe if you work and your husband is worried about one salary, you could cut back on some expenses.  Remember, his role is to provide for his household, and even though you may be helping, he doesn't want to feel responsible for his family not having the same as everyone else.  Typically, this concern is out of love, not selfishness.  Follow the link in this paragraph for some tips on how to cut back your expenses.  You have to show your husband that you're serious.  It may take some SERIOUS sacrifice on your part.  In fact, you may be the only one doing the sacrificing, but you ultimately have to determine how important is it for you to follow God's Word and teach your children at home.

Maybe your husband is one that holds a popular belief:  he's concerned your children won't receive enough social skills and could be really weird.  Homeschooling is still a relatively new concept in America.  Some of the early people who homeschooled were somewhat socially awkward.  They didn't have the opportunity to visit other families (for having one vehicle used to be the norm) TO socialize.  Certainly there were no homeschooling groups, extracurricular activities, or even youth groups.

I can't tell you how far you should take the social aspect of your children.  We like to shelter our children from many of the "social" activities.  We don't believe we'll have any trouble getting them socialized, but each family has to work that out amongst themselves.  However, you and your husband must determine the convictions for your family.  Even if you feel like you don't want to send your child to play "softball" for fear it may undo what you do at home, if socialization is that important to your husband, you may have to accept it and move on.  Would it not be better to allow your children to be involved in a few wordly activities that you at least would be welcome to attend rather than to send them away from your care all day long, everyday?

Within the realm of your convictions, maybe you could consider getting your children involved in social activities that have NOTHING to do with school.  That way, your husband can see they can still socialize with others without being connected to public school, whatsoever.

I can't list every single situation.  Every family is different.  I can only encourage you to get on your face before God and ask Him to change your heart.  Ask Him to take your bitterness away.  Don't focus on your husband's failures.  Focus on yours.  Are you your husband's help meet or are you his mom, constantly correcting him?

You should desire to please God and to honor His Word MORE than homeschooling.  After trying everything, if your husband still doesn't agree, let it go.  If he knows where you stand on the issue, but sees you honoring him, your marriage will be far better than you disagreeing with him all day long.

I hope others will share encouraging stories of how God is working in their marriages right now.  Not just in the area of homeschooling, but in the area of honoring their husband and all it entails.

Let us find joy in doing what God has called us to be, and when we become discontent with the decisions others are making, fall to our knees praying for them.

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Should I Public, Private, or Homeschool my Children, and What Does the Bible Have to Say About it?

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This is a big debate amongst Christians, and while many of you may know where I stand on this issue, I would warn you against reading blogs and such to support and justify your stance:  Not even this blog.  We need to be looking at the Word of God for our answers.  If the Word of God doesn't align with our decisions, we need to change them, not try and find another way to interpret the verses in God's Word.

With that being said, there is nothing specifically spoken about formal education.  When the Bible was written, parents taught their children....everyone "homeschooled."  Government had not come in to set up a standard, there were no licensed teachers, and there was no curriculum to go by.  You learned what your parents knew.

With that, you had some uneducated children.  For if you had lazy parents or uneducated parents, the children would likely be a byproduct of their raising from home.  Yet despite not knowing how to solve a quadratic equation, some mighty men and women of God were brought up.

Let me warn you: this blog post is not just for anyone.  This blog post is for Christian moms.  Even if you have not graduated high school...if you can read this post....you have enough education to train your children via homeschool.

However, most moms would not say they think they're incapable of teaching their children (for they would never swallow their pride long enough to notice an area they could be lacking in...which by the way, you can seek outside sources when homeschooling).  Most moms, in my experience, claim one of two reasons for not homeschooling their children:


1)  My children need socialization and not sheltering by their Mommy.

2)  I want my children to be a light in the public school system so that others may come to know Christ.


There are other reasons such as "having" to work and such.  However, if after this post you find that God is telling you that homeschooling is best for your children, He will make a way to supply your needs. It may take a lot of work and sacrifice, but God wants to see His children being obedient to Him.

I'm going to first address these two common reasons that I hear moms say they send their children to public school.  Then, we're going to look at the Bible...because my opinion really doesn't matter (although I like to think it does).  What matters is the opinion of whom we are trying to please and of whom WILL one day judge us based upon every single decision we have made in our short lifespan.


Okay, so let's address common excuse #1:

My children need socialization and not sheltering by their Mommy

This is an excuse I used even when I KNEW I would never have children.  I went to public school my entire life.  I tried to do what was right, and even though I was far from perfect, I managed to graduate without having ever had a drink, or a smoke, or sex, or anything of the like.  For most parents, that would be a successful child raising.

I knew some homeschooled children and they were socially AWKWARD...with all caps, because it was terrible.  I thought these children had to be soooo sheltered.  They were really, really weird.  Sure their grades were good, but honestly, if you can't communicate well with someone, or if you're so awkward when speaking to others...who is going to hire you anyway?

I was a social butterfly in school, so to me, this homeschooling concept was so foreign.  Why would anyone homeschool?!

As time went on, and I got to know these homeschooling kids better (through church groups, 4H, etc.), I learned that these kids were VERY socialized and not sheltered much at all.  They were actually around people ALL the time (far more than the average public school student).  They weren't awkward because they weren't socialized...I can't tell you exactly WHY they were awkward, other than, when I met the rest of their family...it just seemed to be in the genes.

So don't automatically assume that every homeschooling child you meet and is socially awkward, must be awkward due to sheltering.  It's not the case.  It's the parents.  In fact, I've seen many public school children this way too.  It's not the public school system either...once again, it's the parenting...

Let me also say, I would far rather my child be "socially awkward" than to expose them the wiles of the devil.  It's a no-brainer to me.

My previous view of homeschooling was a child sitting in a desk at home for 7 hours a day with no one but their siblings and mom...textbook on their desk...doing the same things I did...only without all of the "cool" people around me.  Boy did I have a poor vision of what homeschooling actually was.

Don't get me wrong, I firmly believe that in some homeschools, the children would be better off in public school, but homeschooling is what the parents make of it.  You can make it exactly like public school, more like a private school, or you can make it completely different than everything you know.  There is no one set way to do it.  Once again, your child's failures and successes rest upon the shoulders of the parents (aka, the teacher).  If you send your children off to school, you will still be the one judged for what they are taught while they are there.  If you can't be 100% certain that your children are being raised in line with your personal family convictions....well then you might as well not have the convictions to begin with.  What would be the point?  You'd just be a hypocrite if you are believe one thing, but then allow your children to attend a school that teaches something contradictory.  The Spirit convicts us for a reason.  I may not be able to tell you what your convictions are, but if the Holy Spirit lays something upon your heart, you need to secure your family.

For example, we all know God is our Creator and we are not here by a big bang.  Yet, textbooks all across America are now teaching this to our children.  We teach our children one thing at home, and the teachers teach them something else at school (in private schools, this may not be as dramatic, but there is likely to be some conviction you have as a family that differs from even the best of Christian teachers).  I have seen dozens of children who have grown up in loving Christian homes, begin to believe in evolution and homosexual marriage because what they were being taught at school turned out to be stronger than what the parents were teaching at home.  They have 7 hours a day with your children to teach them their agenda.  Do you spend 7 hours a day unwinding the damage that is being done?  Why even risk it?  Our children's lives are too precious to do so.

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Sheltering is not isolation.  A homeschooling family should never isolate their children:

Acts 1:8

 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Mark 16:15-16
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 

In fact, no matter how you school, you should be following these verses individually, and as a family.  So if you see a homeschooled child being isolated, it's just as unbiblical.

Homeschooling does allow a few things to complete Acts 1:8 and Mark 16:15-16:

1)  You have more time when you homeschool.  Homeschooled children usually complete their schoolwork in half the time of public and private school children.  This allows more free time to actually go into the world and witness to others.

2)  Homeschooled children have the opportunity of watching their parents witness by example.  Let's face it, if you send your children off to school, they only have evenings and weekends to see you witnessing to others on a regular basis.  If they are not seeing this, you are sending them into the public school system without effectively showing them how to share the Gospel.  The Bible doesn't just say to "Go ye into all the world..."  Jesus didn't just leave it at that...if that were the case, public school would be superior.  But Jesus said to do that AND to preach the Gospel....

How can your children preach the Gospel if their parents have never taken the time to show them?  I would bet that most professing Christian children have never seen their parents go out and witness to a stranger...or maybe even close friend....and share the Gospel of Jesus.

Certainly, just because you homeschool, doesn't mean you do this, but it does allow for more opportunity since your children are with a parent all day long.  Suddenly, they are seeing mom by example, good or bad, instead of just hearing what should be done.

Maybe you're one of those very, very  few parents who really do this...so your child has seen and been taught how to effectively share the Gospel with their friends at school.  What about the part that says "to every creature?"

If you are tied down to a school, for most of the day, five days a week (usually 6 if sports are involved), how can you go into all the world to preach the Gospel to every creature?  Certainly, Jesus wasn't saying that I personally have to share the Gospel with every person....but the church as a whole needs to witness to every creature.  However, we are limiting our world to a small building to share the Gospel with.  Are these people important?  Of course, but we could run into these same people in the grocery store and share the Gospel with them there, while also sharing with many other people in the same trip.


Excuse #2:

I want my children to be a light in the public school system so that others may come to know Christ.

Proverbs 4:14 & 15

"Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away."

Proverbs 1:10 & 15

"My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not...

My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:"

The Bible clearly tells us to not even enter into the path of the wicked, and if you don't think schools are not full of wickedness, I think you need to really see what is going on.  Sure, some schools are worse than others, but just because one has "less wickedness" does not mean it lacks wickedness.  And these verses tell us CLEARLY to turn from it and run!  In my reading of Proverbs, I honestly could not justify sending my children to a place that would not allow me to teach my children the ways found in this book of wisdom.

Surely God knew that public schools would be the norm...even for Christians.  Yet all throughout the Bible, God has called us to a different path.  And you can bet in most situations, if we are on the same page as the rest of the world, we are not walking the straight and narrow path Jesus paved for us.

For some reason we have engraved into our heads that if we don't do the same things that unbelievers do; if we don't go to the same places, if we don't look the same way....we will never be able to witness to them.  I hear this a lot.  And honestly, I hear it from people who admit they don't go out and witness anyways!

We can witness to these same people when we see them at the grocery store, at the park, or at the post office.  We don't have to get to know someone really well to bring up the Gospel, but if you were to ask a professing Christian why they haven't witnessed to a stranger, they'd tell you they need to get to know them better so they can be their friend and bring it up.   But when you ask them why they haven't witnessed to close friends and family they say they haven't because they don't want a awkward strain in the relationship.

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Hmmmm.....that devil is sure a sly 'ole fox.

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Now if you think I sound controversial already, you haven't heard me yet.  I'm fixing to talk about a part of this whole thing that will make you uneasy in your seat.  Many of you probably already think I'm judgmental if you don't homeschool your children.  It's not so.  I just don't see how we can accomplish fulfilling God's Word by sending our children away for 7 hours or more a day:

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."  Proverbs 22:6

If we are not with them most of the day, the school is training them....not us.

So what about those really godly parents you know that have children who are not saved?  This is a hot topic to discuss.  I usually hear that the above verse means that if you train up a child right, it doesn't always mean he'll follow God, but that he'll always remember what he was taught.

My friend, I don't need a Greek/Hebrew dictionary to understand this verse.  That is NOT what this verse is saying.  This verse is clearly saying that in whatever way you train a child, good or bad, even when he is old and gray, he will still be on that path.

To think that I am some high and mighty parent that I am a better person than those godly parents that I know whose children rebelled would be a lutacris belief.  That's exactly what I'd be saying, though, if I were saying that I could send my children to public school and be certain they won't rebel.

Some of the godliest people I know sent their children to public school and lost their children.  I am not above them.  I know they did the best they could do.  I know they have regrets (as I already have in some of my decisions as a mom).  But by God's grace, He has shown me His Word and then given me live examples to watch in this area.

These godly parents taught their children at home, but they were no match for the influence of their children's peers and teachers.

Now, we do have freewill.  There is no doubt about that.  I can't force my children to love Jesus.

However, If I take my children out for a walk every single day for exercise, they may or may not do it when they are older.  On the one hand, I could take them walking and tell them how much my legs hurt and how I can't wait to get back in the air conditioned house.  In this case, despite the child being told and taught to walk every day, they will likely have a great distaste for exercise when they are older.  Why?  Because exercise has become a chore in their lives.  Sure, one day they could become a health nut, but it will be due to some other influence in their lives.  It won't be because mom was negative about what they should do!  But what if mom took her kids on a walk and stayed positive?  What if she pointed out all of the animals and sounds?  What is she told the children how walking will keep their body healthy and strong?  This child (unless other negative influences that the parents allow become stronger) will grow up with a love for exercise.

It's more than teaching your children Bible Songs to sing.  It's more than making them go to church every Sunday.  It's even more than Family Bible Time and going on mission trips.  We must SHOW our children JESUS first.  Once our children are saved, all we have to do is to give them the tools they need....the tools that are given to us in the Bible.  So many parents spend more time at their children's ball games than they do praying with their child.  We can't blame the raising of our children on "free will" when we are not being obedient to God's Word and taking our roles as parents seriously.

Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.  Proverbs 11:14

What does this verse mean?  It means that if we are not surrounded by a MULTITUDE (not one or two friends who are saved) of counsellors, we are in danger of "falling."  We are sacrificing the safety of our children's future upon being with their "friends" for seven hours a day or so that we can have that extra job to live the lifestyle we want.  If we look at our hearts, we're not even really considering what God has said.  Maybe you've never even read any of these verses before.  I know that I hadn't read many of them.  Therefore, the decisions I thought I would make for my future children were based upon my judgments of what I thought was right.  It wasn't based on God's Word.  How dangerous that is for us to do.


Take a deep breath...stop screaming at me because you think I'm judging you.  Take me out of the equation.  Take a good look at your life right now.  Did you and your husband pray before sending your children to school?  Did you even consider homeschooling?  Was it done in prayer or was it done from a decision you made?

Now think for a moment that your life has ended.  Suddenly, all of that extra sleep we wanted doesn't matter, who won the state tournament is a blur,  and that fight you had with your husband has completely left your memory.  You're standing before an Almighty God getting ready to give an account for your decisions.  Certianly, we know we're human.  We know we have a long list...but in that moment...standing before God, we won't be thinking about how at least our sins are less than "so and so's".  We'll be thinking of how much we have disappointed our Creator.

If you want to homeschool, but your husband says "no" or is not completely on board, check out this post.

I may not get everything right in life.  If you read my other posts, you will see how open and honest I am about my miserable failures.  I talk about my struggles with gluttony, pride, contentment, selfishness, the list goes on for miles.  But someone took the time to introduce to me a better way.  Someone took the time to show me that we can raise our children according to the Bible without compromising even the smallest detail.  I just want to be that person for you.


If you go on to send your children to school, that is your decision.  It does not affect me.  It does not make me think I am better than you.  It does make me think that I have made a better decision in this area, but I'm sure you could point to ways where you have made better decisions than I.  In fact, if you do it in love, I'd love for you to point out a better way for me to do anything.  I won't be offended.  I WANT to do what is most pleasing and edifying, so if there is a better way, please tell me!

I encourage debate (as in educated, kind, and meant to persuade...not arguing) on this topic!  If you don't like what I said, please...let me know (kindly), but do so with Scripture backing up your opinion.  I don't care what you think about this matter...I care what God says.  At the end of the day, we may all agree to disagree, and that's okay.  But regardless of the topic, we all need to be sharing God's Word and applying it to our lives.  That's what I'm doing here.  I hope that regardless of the issue, you will make no decisions based upon feelings or what you think God would say...let's do it all by seeking His Holy Spirit and seeking the answers in His Word!

May we shoot our arrows farther than we were able to go ourselves.  I want my children to be a better mom, Christian, wife, and servant than I will ever be.  I want them to go farther...and that training starts now...it starts at home with me.

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Family Bible Time

Below, I want to show you a video of how my family has Family Bible Time.  This is in no way the only way to do it, nor is it a typical day for us.  We just hope that it will encourage you and your family to begin reading the Word of God together as a family.  Individual time in the Word is very important, but we believe that we will not regret having this time together as a family. 

We did forget to say our Weekly Bible Verse together as a family.  I guess with all of the hustle and bustle and transferring everything outside on the spur of the moment threw us off.  But I love that my husband found a beautiful day and decided to take Bible Time outside today!  :)  And no, I haven't had a shower yet...but honestly, I don't most days before Bible Time.  But that's life.  We do not always accomplish the goals we want to every Bible Time.  We forget things, make mistakes, and sometimes have fussy children.  The point is that we do it consistently, regardless.  What are some ways your family reads God's Word and prays together as a family?  Any tips or tricks that have proven to be effective for your family?

 

Since we began Bible Time as a family, we have noticed an even greater closeness amongst one another.  A big benefit is that my children are learning to sit still when needed (although there is still quite a way to go).  This helps when we're at church, at an event, or anywhere where I need 30 minutes or so of being "relatively" still (we had a short Bible Time today). We also include the children in the Bible Time (Hence, the name FAMILY Bible Time).  Araylah is in charge of keeping all of our Bibles and getting them out and putting them away.  Each child gets to pick a song that we sing during worship time (Brea always wants to sing "This Little Light of Mine.")  There are days when we have long discussions about what we read, and there are days when there is little discussion.  Right now, the children are young, so we don't have many questions from them.  Usually it's just a discussion between Mark and I, and we include the children when possible.  However, this will change over the years....so we'll adjust to our family's needs.  No two family's Bible time will look the same. 

I just hope this video encourages you in what you're already doing or if not, to BEGIN having that time together as a family.  If you don't know where to start, I highly recommend Feed My Sheep by Steve Maxwell (it's for Dads/Husbands and is only $10.00).  I receive no monetary benefit from recommending it, but we think it has been really good for your family and may be for yours as well.

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You Know You're a Mom to a Newborn when...

Araylah Grace-2 weeks Old

Whether this is your first child or you're giving Michelle Duggar a run for her money,
Caring for a newborn can be demanding.  Here are 10 ways to know for sure you're a mommy to a precious little bundle of joy:


*You consider showering, but then realize in 30 minutes you'll be covered in spit up again, so a nap sounds like a better use of your time.

*Sleep is actually all you can think about.  If you're reading this now, you're likely nodding off as we speak!

*Even when your husband has the baby, your arm is cradled as if you were still holding the baby.  It's almost as if it is stuck in that position.

*When people come to visit, you're glad to see them, but wonder why they can't see your heavy eyes and why they feel the need to stay for an hour (and when the baby is sleeping).

*When you DO finally take a shower, you jump out of the bathroom in your towel every few seconds to make sure you didn't hear the baby cry.

Brea Faith-2 weeks old

 

*Laundry is always used right out of the dryer.  Who has time for putting it away?

*Paper plates have become popular since all of your washing of dishes now consist of baby bottles.

*You could change a diaper in your sleep...oh wait....YOU DO!

*When the topic of every big conversation consists of poop.

and the #1 way you know you're a mom to a newborn is...

*That despite no sleep, showers, or free time, that little grin makes it all worth it (even if it's just gas).


The first six months always seem to be the hardest.  It's hard to look at the long-term when you're sleep-deprived.  Even though your time is precious, make sure you're spending daily time with the Lord.  That 30 minutes or so will be the only thing that gets you through your day in one piece. 

Remember, God has entrusted this little one to YOU!  He could have given His child to another, but He saw YOU to be the perfect fit.  Even if you're just running on auto-pilot, remember to thank Him for this time.  Not only are you learning patience, but you are serving someone who can't help themselves.  That's what being a mom is all about!

Please share this article with a mom to a little one in hopes it might encourage her today!


Did I leave any out?  Let me know by commenting below!

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We just made a VERY unpopular decision in our home!

This is a picture of my girls taken several months ago.

I have been putting off writing this post.  I actually don't like writing controversial topics, but I often write them because they're usually about topics that I once fell prey to:  thinking children are a burden, watching television, birth control, immodest dress...I could go on and on.  Thankfully, God has opened my eyes to these deceptions, and I am quite confident there will be more as I grow closer to God and see things that I try and justify now the way God sees it.  If you read my blog long enough, you will find posts about these issues and how God opened my eyes to my sin.  In most cases, I was just selfish and didn't want to see my sin, but there are a few to where I was just ignorant of the facts.  This is one of those situations.

Many of you know that I am very pro-life.  That is why I chose to have as many children as God wants me to have....whether it just be the two I have now or 10 more.  Even before I had accepted trusting God with opening and closing my womb, I got off of birth control after I found out that it killed a fertilized egg (since the Bible teaches life begins at conception)....I didn't want to have children at that point, at ALL.  But I am strongly against murder from conception, and I believe God is too.  Therefore, I left the birth control pill for good.

Well, a similar issue has come up, and in a place I would have never thought: my children's vaccinations.

I have always had my children vaccinated promptly.  My doctor even once reminded me that I didn't always have to bring my children in the day their wellness was due.  I can't help it.  I want to do what is best for my children.  I do not have the time, nor the smarts, to research about every single thing for my children.  Often, I have to trust the experts in some areas.

One of those fields I had chosen to do that was in the area of vaccinations.  Obviously, I did have some common sense on the issue.  Facts show that vaccinations (despite some documented severe risks to some children), do save lives.  History shows that if it weren't for vaccinations, we would likely have illnesses running rampant.  Despite serious risks to a small percentage of patients (that are at least documented by the drug companies), I felt like it would be an even greater risk to expose my children to potential illnesses that could take their lives.  I had always heard those arguments against vaccinations, but they seemed a little extreme to me.  I am all about doing things naturally and organically, and even though I only take a Tylenol about once a year, I don't think taking medicine every now and then will kill you.  I always looked at it as if one of my children must die...I would rather it to be from a vaccination that doctors told me that was safe rather than for my child to die from an illness that they contracted because I went against expert's orders.  I don't think I could live with that kind of guilt.

So are you kind of puzzled why my husband and I chose to stop vaccinating our children?  It's probably not what you think.  Basically, we found out that aborted fetal tissue is used to create many of these vaccinations.  I'm not going to get into all of the details about it.  You can do a quick engine search and see that this is true from both Christian and Non-Christian websites.  Trust me, I did a lot of research on this.  I didn't want it to be true.  I want my children to be protected from these illnesses, but not at the expense of an innocent child.  Oh sure, they claim that a baby would have been aborted anyways (as they supposedly choose the babies from those who were already going to have abortions).  But I don't want any part of those babies' blood upon my hands.  I don't want even their cell strain inside my children's arms.  It was just a no-brainer for my husband and me.

Now, I understand many Christian families will say that since we have no control over this issue that it's better that lives can be saved.  I am not judging other families' decisions.  That is not the purpose of this post.  Families have to decide what God would have them do for their children.  My purpose is to simply share our decision so that other families who have the same convictions as our family may be informed so they can make their decision with all of the facts.

My husband and I just feel as though that accepting the vaccinations against our personal convictions would be the same as us "saying" abortion is wrong, but condoning it with our actions.  That's how the devil works.  He knows that I may never go out and have an abortion, but he also knows that if put in a situation to where my children's lives could be at risk, it would be a tougher decision and I would probably try and justify it.  You see, the devil knows that killing a fertilized egg is the same as killing a 5 year old child.  He doesn't care that I won't go out and kill a 5 year old.  Age does not matter to him.  He doesn't care that I don't have the murder weapon in my hand, he just wants me to sit silent and ignore the fact that I could do something about it.

Take, for example the MMR shot (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella).  These shots used to be given individually.  But the drug company combined the shot.  Now, if you're giving your child their vaccinations, which are you going to choose?  Are you going to pick three shots or one?  Of course you'd pick one!  Who wants to make their children get three shots as opposed to one?!  So, eventually, they quit making the shots individually since they are no longer profitable.  You can now only get the MMR shot together.

Why does this matter?  Well it matters to our family because Measles and Mumps are made from animal tissue, but Rubella is made from a 3 month aborted baby.  So, if I want to protect my children in this Country from Measles and Mumps, I can't unless I go against my convictions.  What's frustrating is that there are moral ways to create these vaccines (some previously done in the U.S. and many done in other countries currently).

Here's a great link from Family Council on the matter of aborted fetal tissues and vaccines.

My husband and I are currently seeking alternatives for the vaccinations that contain cell strains from murdered babies.  But even if we never find it, we will trust God. 

About 40,000 people die in car crashes every year in the United States alone.  That's not counting how many are injured.  Yet most every day, I put my children in the car and take that risk...all to go visit my grandparents, to go to church, to buy groceries.   We takes risks everyday.  Certainly, I don't want to take any risks with my children's health or lives that are unnecessary, but I just personally feel that how these vaccinations are made are wrong.  Until they change their ingredients, our family can't support certain vaccines.

I've spoken with my doctor and done a lot of research before making such a large decision....but the evidence is there.  I can't ignore it.

I don't believe we'll ever find a cure for these diseases.  Where did these diseases come from?  They came directly from our (mankind) sin.  They are a consequence of our sin.  If we were to find cures for all of these diseases, and never have consequences for our sin, there would be no reason to turn to God.  But since God is a loving and merciful God, He chastises us and does whatever it takes to get our attention.

I know that someone getting a disease (say an unborn baby, perhaps) doesn't always mean it is their direct sin.  It may be the sin of their mother.  However, there must always be a consequence for sin.

The world, and even professing Christians, spend so much money on trying to stay alive and healthy.  I believe in treating your body as a temple, but I also know that we will all die one day.  We all want to die at the ripe old age of 100.  No one wants to die young.  But what if it is God's will for you to die young?  What if He wants to use a terrible disease to bring others closer to Him?

I'm not saying it's wrong to go to the doctor and try and cure your sickness.  What I am saying is that if you spend your entire life trying to stay alive, but you never fully live out God's will for your life on a daily basis, you might as well be dead.

I welcome comments from those who do not agree with me.  However, it is important to respect each other's decision.  Even a month ago when I was pro-vaccinations, Mark and I always previously supported a parent's right to vaccinate or not. 

Once again, my purpose in this post is not to stir up debate (unless it's healthy) or to divide Christians on this issue.  I just want to make sure that this information is out there.  It is up to you and your husband to pray and seek God on the issue.  May all decisions we make for our families be covered in prayer.

I will post a link to one of the sources I used in my research.  This source is a Christian family physician, and I like the way she put the information together the best.  You can easily see what vaccinations were made from aborted babies and which ones are not.

However, her information is no different from all of my other research.  The facts are the same no matter where you look.  The only difference in the articles I find are whether it is immoral or not.  I don't leave that up to the researchers or writers of these articles, I leave that up to the Spirit's conviction upon my heart and the Bible.  Just like the birth control issue...how the pill works is not debated...it's science.  But the debate is on whether a fertilized egg is a life or not (although it should not be a debate among Christians).  The same is true for vaccinations.  The facts are there.  It's simply an issue of whether you believe it is immoral to vaccinate your children with these ingredients or not.




Here is a copy of the PDF File you can download for more research:
http://www.epm.org/static/uploads/downloads/Vaccines_Using_Tissue_from_Aborted_Babies.pdf


Click here for a list of vaccine ingredients straight from the CDC's website.  


Take note of Human Albumin and WI-38 human diploid lung fibroblasts being used as well as other scary ingredients in your vaccines.  If you read the ingredient list and still take the shots, I respect your decisions.  But please, don't do as I did.  Always make informed decisions and know what it is you're are putting in your precious children's bodies.

I encourage you to write drug companies and let them know (whether you give your children the vaccines or not) that you want them to stop using innocent children's tissue for their vaccinations.

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How to Teach Your Children Weekly Bible Verses

Knowing God's Word is vital nourishment for our spiritual well-being.  Not only must we know It, but we must hide God's Word in our hearts.  When the enemy comes in to devour, we must be ready to fight with the Word of God.

I have been a Christian since a child, but I must admit, I had never really learned Scripture.  Even in reading my Bible, I never made memorizing Scripture important.  The only time I learned Scripture is when It was in a song I heard often or I had to learn It for church.  If I were to make a guess, I would estimate that I only could quote 15-20 Bible verses off of the top of my head, on the spot, much of my Christian life.

During much of my life, despite trying to grow closer to God, I found discouragement and discontentment controlling my thoughts when things weren't going well.  I didn't have God's Word hid in my heart (Psalm 119:11), so I didn't have the encouragement of it to remind me of God's care for my life during any hard times.

As an adult, learning Scripture is not much different for me than learning It as a child.  I find it difficult to sit and read a verse to try and remember it.  Even if I do, it usually doesn't stick as long.

Now that we have children, we have learned over the years that learning Scripture needs to be apart of our everyday life.  Not only will this help us to remember it easier, but it will help us to USE it in our everyday lives.

So, I want to share with you the techniques my family uses for us to learn Scripture as a family.  We encourage you to do this as a family.  Mom and Dad can't both help the children if they don't both know the Bible verse the children are learning.  In the same sense, there is no confusion on everyone focusing on different verses.  You may use some of our ideas and you may not use any of them!  I just want to encourage you to begin learning God's Word as a family and hopefully you'll gleam ideas as well.

We have began learning a weekly Bible verse to learn as a family.  On Monday, I write our new Bible Verse on our kitchen door.  Here is this week's verse:

Before anyone can exit the door, we must read aloud the Bible Verse.  The more we say it, the easier it is to remember!  The more we go outside, the more we say it!  Of course, you don't have to have chalkboard paint and be ready to slather up your nice kitchen door.  A simple piece of tape and paper will do to put your Bible verse on.  Just find a spot that works for you.  You may decide to put the Bible verses over the snack cabinet, in your car where it must be said before you leave...wherever you decide, find a place that you use a lot so your verse will be said a lot!

I also take several times throughout the day to ask my child her Bible verse.  In doing this, she and I are both learning the verse.  At the beginning of the week, when she doesn't know the verse, I simply have her repeat each word after me.  As the week goes on, she gets better and better.  I then begin just helping her when she's stuck on what the next word is.  By the end of the week, she's got it down!

 

"Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5

As a reward for each time she says her Bible verse (even if she's just repeating after me), she gets a treat.  It may be a piece of candy, getting a sticker, reading a new book, or blowing out a candle.  Find a few things that your child loves and mix it up (you don't want your child eating candy all day long) and certainly you want age appropriate rewards!

I usually remember to ask Araylah to say her Bible verse when she asks me for something.  If she's asking to color,  I say, "Sure!  While I'm getting out your colors, can you tell me your Bible verse?"  It's a great way for me to remember to ask her!
For our family, we primarily have chosen verses that will pertain to her.  Sometimes her verses are long, sometimes they are short.  I've been asked, "why don't you just have her say, 'Jesus wept'?"  Certainly that is a powerful and important verse in the Bible, but it's not a verse that my child can understand yet at her age or that I feel I can relate to her everyday life.  I want to try to only use verses that are relevant to her everyday life or that I feel I can explain on her level.  Otherwise, it's just for a show.  Learning other verses, as she learns more and more about Jesus, will come.  But Mark and I decided we just want to use verses that our children will presently understand.

I'll give you an example of this with another way we choose to learn Bible verses.  One of my main disciplines for my two year old is time-outs.  When she does something inappropriate, she is to go to the couch and sit quietly for 3 minutes.  I explain to her, her offense, report to her, her punishment, set the timer and go about my business.  When the timer goes off, I return to her.  I remind her of what she did and how it is not appropriate nor acceptable.  We then go to a chart I have on the wall (The If-Then Chart).  If she was being disobedient, we read Ephesians 6:1.  She would repeat it after me (as soon as she was old enough to repeat me).  I would then explain to her what the verse means and why it is important.  I would then ask for an apology, hug, and kiss.  If anyone else was wronged, she would make it right with that person as well.

So you see, we are saying Scripture throughout the day.  When you say it so much, it is BOUND to be memorized.  We don't do anything real creative when it comes to memorizing it, we just say it aloud a lot!

"Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord." Leviticus 19:30

***There are some resources that we do use to help us along.  For example, we love to sing in the car, but we only want to sing songs that are edifying.  We love to listen to our CDS from Bible Truth Music.  They are cute songs of children singing Scripture (KJV).  Music has a way of making verses easier to remember.  It has even benefited me!  Now when I'm humming a catchy tune in my head, it's God's Word!  It is such a blessing! 
You can also get FREE CDS and/or downloads of passages being sang by the beautiful Tirzah Joy by emailing her through her website here. It's called Sing The KJV. You can also visit her on YouTube here.

***Another resource we use is in the form of a DVD!  Moore Family Films produces wonderful movies for the entire family!  One of their great films is the A-B-C Say It With Me Bible Memory Verses.  It's a wonderful DVD filled with children saying a Bible verse for every letter of the alphabet.  My two year old learned all of those verses in two weeks!  You can read my full review of this product and watch the trailer here. 

*** If you're looking for another DVD resource, you may want to check out Scripture Talk!  This DVD offers a way to memorize, not just KJV Bible Verses, but passages.  My just turned two year old learned 1 Corinthians 13 in just 9 days (way faster than me)!  They put the Bible verses to motions and keep it very entertaining for children (and adults) of all ages!  You can read my full review here!

***If you're looking for something while you travel or tangible, this next resource is wonderful!  I am so thankful for Christian moms who share their work for FREE to help the rest of us!  You can get an ABC printable with KJV Bible Verses for your little one for FREE!  Just hop on over to Andrea Hamilton's blog to print them!

***To Memorize Psalm 23, we found a KJV children's book.  We would read it many nights before we went to bed.  We didn't push it, but eventually, it became natural and memorized.  When we felt she had most of it memorized, we made it her weekly Bible Verse for that week (all 6 verses):

Unfortunately, these books are hard to come by.  So, I made a cheesy notebook with the Passage we  learned next (The Lord's Prayer):

Obviously, I would have made the pictures horizontally, but my printer is giving me fits right now.  Luckily, my three year old doesn't mind one bit!

One thing I encourage you to do is to plan ahead the Bible verses that will be memorized.  I just took the same day out of every week and typed it out.  Then I wrote verses alongside each day that I wanted Araylah to memorize.  It's great to have a printout of the verse you want for a few reasons:
 1) You don't have to go looking hurriedly for a verse when you realize you haven't picked one out for this week and
 2) You can be confident that you are giving your children verses that are relevant to them because you took the time ahead to plan it out.
Print it out and put it up high so you can see it.  If your children are having issues being obedient in church, you can move up Leviticus 19:30 on your list.  Don't be afraid to change the schedule based upon your children's current needs.

To my shame, my two year old probably knows more Bible verses now than I did most of my Christian life.  I feel confident she knows more than many adults sitting in pews every Sunday as well.  I don't say this in pride for her.  I say it because it pleases my heart knowing that when she is facing a difficult time, Scripture will be in her memory to comfort and guide her.  I didn't have that in often cases growing up.  The Word of God is our friend.  It is our help.  But if we don't study It and cherish It, It will just collect dust on a shelf.  I encourage you to begin instilling the Word of God into your home, regardless of the age of your children.

*****If your child is old enough for writing, you might also consider this next resource.  What better way is there for your child to practice their penmanship than with writing Scriptures?  Not only is their handwriting improving, but so is their vocabulary, as well as memorizing God's Word!  I stumbled upon this resource, and though I haven't used it yet, it is King James Scripture and it appears to be a great book if you're wanting some a little more formal than just telling your child to copy "Romans Chapter 12."  You can view the book here.*****

The newest way we are learning Bible verses as a family is during Family Bible Time!  We each read four verses during this time of verses we have already learned.  This way, we don't forget them!  I found this method here.  But you can watch the video below!  It has been great for our family!

 


My goal in this post is to encourage you.  We are a normal family and we have been blessed by the countless other families who are teaching their children the Word of God!  Your child can do it!  Work at their speed and on their level, but don't underestimate how much they can learn.  Young minds are like sponges.  If you're like me, your little one will be correcting you when you miss one little tiny word in 1 Corinthians 13!

What are some ways you choose to teach your children Bible verses?  I'd love to hear what works in your home!  It might help other families, including my own, to have some more ways to memorize God's Word.

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