Art and Faith

     "Mom, I think my painting is a mess."  "Mom, I don't think this will turn out the way I want it to." - These were the remarks I heard from my kids as they were painting yesterday.  They were seated for hours already and they were starting to become discouraged as they cannot see how their present "work" can turn out to be what they imagined it to be.  I told them that life is exactly like that.  I told them to focus on the big picture and work hard on the “details” for no small thing done for God will be wasted.  

     Indeed, God sees the big picture. There are many “little details” in our life that require faithfulness. Many times in our ‘walk’, we get impatient and we demand from God the things we desire. Sometimes we view our life as insignificant. We get anxious not knowing how everything will end up.    

     As an overflow of last night’s lesson, we discussed Hebrews 11 this morning.  “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  For by it the men of old gained approval ... without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. “

     Abel, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses (and many more) ...  They were tested (Heb. 11: 17), tortured (v35), mocked and scourged (v36), imprisoned (v36), stoned, sawn in two, tempted, put to death; they were destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (v37).   I am sure there were times they wanted to give up and I know they all cried to God during these difficult times.   They may not have understood everything that was happening but they had faith in God. Through this faith, they conquered kingdoms, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, and from weakness were made strong (v33-34).

     As my kids continued working on their canvass, little by little, we saw the painting come to life. I imagined Noah building the ark. The work must have been tedious. People must have thought how foolish he was to be building something for (around) a hundred years! Noah did not know how the ark would look like in the end but he trusted God and followed every detail, every command. It took the kids around 4 hours to finish their painting and another hour to clean up.  It was not easy. It was tiring but in the end, they were rewarded with joy and with a precious lesson they will treasure in their hearts forever.

     In art and in faith, we all need to work on the “details”.  We need to persevere, give our best and not be complacent.  We will not always see the big picture but God can.  That is all that matters. 

Hurting Vs. Helping Words

I found this great reminder as I was scanning last year's homeschool portfolio.  Are we building up our children with our words?

 

By Aethan, 8 years old

"Words have power, and we can either speak life or death into a situation...the Bible says that when we go to be with the Lord we will have to account for every careless word we have spoken. We pay for them here  on earth also. The price is too high to pay for something that can easily be controlled by our own will. We can speak love, joy, and peace into our world, or we can speak strife, hatred, deception, an all other manifestations of evil." - Stormie Omartian

The Blessing of Unanswered Prayer

     Finally, our packet 4 arrived.  We were scheduled for our U.S. immigrant visa interview last Monday, Sept. 16, 2013.

RN - New York State

    

     I applied for an EB-3 Visa way back in 1996 after I passed the NCLEX exam.  My husband and I thought then that it was the best for us. Oh Yes, there was a time when our plans were anchored to that great American dream.  We prayed for it for a long time and in between prayers, were frustrated cries. During this time, we were in our deepest valley .  Our bills were piling up, we were not able to pay our bank loans and credit cards. We had nothing.  We thought the visa was the answer to our problems.  I asked the Lord why it was taking a long time for us to leave but He was silent and I know He was asking me to trust Him.  John Piper said that great songs are born out of sufferings. Mine was born out of our valleys, in the midst of frustration.

     One of our pastors said that during trials, God wants us to PREPARE, PRAY and PRESS ON. And so we did and we started by obeying God's call to make disciples. By God's grace, my husband and I were able to start a couples group. I also started praying for God's will, not mine. If It is not His will for us to migrate then I asked the Lord to close the doors. As we grew in our walk, my fear changed from not being able to migrate to leaving everything and finding out too late that it is not God's will for us.  I believe that the best place for my family is where God puts us.  

     Unanswered prayers are blessings in disguise.  During our time of waiting (7 years), God worked in my heart, aligning my desires with His.  My priorities have changed also as God called us to homeschool our kids so we can train them to be God-fearing and guide and encourage them to reach their fullest potentials.  My 2 boys are growing up fast and I don't want to miss any single moment.  I want to be with them, to homeschool them ( I cannot do that if I work).   I want to impact their lives in such a way that our kids, their future kids --- the next generation after them would follow God.

     Seeing all that God is doing in our lives, I was worried about what I will do once the visa arrives. I cried at the thought of leaving everything -- our dgroup, our homeschool coop, our church, our ministry ... I was already in my comfort zone. As our priority date moved nearer, I struggled with God and said, "What will happen to our dgroup, Lord, we are growing, we cannot leave them...." and God said, "They are not your Dgroup, they are mine. You are just My steward. It will grow even if I remove you from it." And I argued one more time, "Lord, if it is your will for us to homeschool, how can I teach if I'm working? How can you ask us to leave all this?”  My husband said if it is in God's best plan for us to stop homeschooling then we have no choice but to obey knowing that it is best for us.  This freaked me out because I thought homeschooling was one of our "non-negotiables".  It caused a bitter argument but again God said, "Anak, as a wife, didn't I ask you to submit and respect your husband?" .... and that silenced me. I never brought up the issue again. God made me realize that my fear was all about my wants and not His.  I just sought my Lord until my heart was calm. The moment I finally surrendered all my desires to Him, that was when I felt peace knowing that He is faithful.  I trust Him completely.

     Until the day came when the very thing that caused me stress was right before my eyes.  

our visa interview schedule - just had to delete some info

    We received our packet 4 one month before the scheduled interview.  

     Should we go or not?   I talked to Alvin and asked him what we will do.  His answer totally surprised me.  He said our priorities have changed and God has called us to homeschool! I wanted to kiss and hug him right there and then. He said he has been waiting for the right time to tell me what he felt, God provided the right timing.

     I praised God for the blessing of submission.  I need not contend with my husband when my desires seem different from his. Instead, I just need to lift it up to our Lord.    Sa kanya ako nagsusumbong, umiiyak, nagsusumamo.  What I cannot do, He will do.  I praise Him for completely changing Alvin's heart about this visa and about homeschooling.   God also gave me the courage to write to my Mama and Tita Angie about our choice to stay.  I know their hearts were broken but I know they understand. 

     Should we go or not? At the back of my mind, I signed a contract, and as a Christian, I have a duty to see that everything is in order.    I wrote to NVC and explained about our change in priorities but received their reply just today, 3 days after the scheduled interview.    I also have not been in touch with my employer for years already. They have not contacted me also.  So I thought there may be a glimmer of hope here for me.  I texted and emailed my agency ( I lost their landline number when we changed phones) but did not receive any reply (I was actually praying for that, too.lol )  I asked the Lord to give us wisdom on what to do.  On that same day, he led me to different nursing blogs. I registered in one and found out that before you can be given a visa, you would need to have an updated job offer.  They said it would be useless attending the exit interview because the visa will be "pending due to unavailability of job offer".

     Should we go or not? I did my part. God did His.  There is no doubt in my mind  that the Lord wants us to stay.  We did not attend the interview anymore.  Not that we don't want to migrate  but now, we rely on God to lead us.  We are not closing any door but one thing I know, it would not be under the present circumstances.

      Everything ...  every decision ...  all priorities become simple in the light of eternity.  Thank you for Your goodness, Lord, You have been so good ... so good ... so good...You have been so good to me!

Psalm 37:3-6

Trust in the Lord and do good.

Dwell in the land, cultivate faithfulness,

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord.

Trust also in Him and He will do it...


“Any any choice that takes us away from God is, in the long run, the wrong way.”-Woodrow Kroll
 

An entry from my journal - finally ALIGNED with GOD, ALIGNED with my husband

Our Dgroup

andrea gold template 902
Laitha's design
papers bykathryn estry

Our Dgroup

Scrapangie spicy 1/2012 dd
I do by franb
brandy murry cluster
J - art for scrapbooking

with my boys

Bouquet DES MÈRES  Maria designs
Wa by WA world

With our homeschool coop

Trixie scrap template
jenn ck designs empowerment mini
wa world

We Just Turned Five!

     It feels like yesterday when we attended our first HS 101. We were encouraged by the testimonies of the parents who have been homeschooling their kids for years. "How can they do it?" That was the question in my mind as I listened to them. With that, I prayed with all my heart that it will also work for us.

      Looking back, I remember a season when I felt so down. These were the times I tried to compare our family with other homeschool families. These families have everything. They can bring their kids everywhere and the world is literally their classroom. When I felt this way, I reminded myself of the reasons why we homeschool and focused on God's mission and vision for our family. I have learned to maximize the resources the Lord has given us and to invest on things money cannot buy - things that have eternal value.

      I was also obsessive-compulsive when it comes to schedule. I still outline our plans and topics for the whole year but I don't panic anymore when we are late. I have learned to deal with interruptions with joy, reminding myself that "all things work together for good for those who love Him". Interruptions must be divine appointments - they are usually, now, a time for me to pause, ponder and pray.

      For the first time, Alvin and I have also written our goals and would soon post them in our study area as as a reminder for all of us. We based it on Col. 1:25-29.

Of this home, we were made parents, according to the stewardship from God bestowed on us that we may...

1... lay the right foundation, disciple our kids and help them grow to full maturity in Christ
2... teach them about Jesus not only through daily reading of His Word and weekly Bible study but more so through our words and actions
3... to lay in their hearts the fear of the Lord
4... influence and encourage other families for the glory of Christ
5... just enjoy every moment with them keeping in view how fast life is.

For these, we labor, striving according to His power which mightily work within us.

      "How can they do it?" I can now answer that question --- It is all by God's grace. We are on our 5th year of homeschooling and I know this will be our most exciting year! By His grace, we will walk with Him one step at a time... each day will be an adventure, each moment a treasure to cherish.

      Thank you, Lord, for the privilege to homeschool our kids. Thank you for the chance to influence them for eternity. All glory and honor be to our God!

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

Kuper doodles'  Summer Afternoon Kit

Here are some  homeschool photos taken last school year.

Reading Aloud to Our Kids

shuckclod's stuff Back to School kit

     I love reading books to my kids. It's part of our daily routine.  I read books to them whenever I can, if possible, everyday. We read just anywhere and everywhere, in whatever position we want. 

Jan 2007

Jan 2007

There were times we would read non-stop through several chapters, there were times we would only read one. I  love to hear the kids beg, "Mom, just one more chapter please..." Reading aloud also makes it easier for the kids to remember history and people(like when we read 'Long Way to a New Land', Riding the Pony Express, and Keep the Lights Burning Abbie) It is also a good and better alternative to T.V and an effective means to  teach the kids new  words.   Reading aloud gives us a bond like no other.  it is a very special "mom-and-me" time.

     We started with Ginger Pye this quarter because I felt the kids would like the story.  It's about a kid and his smart dog. Though some twists made us sad - like Ginger being "dog-napped", we still enjoyed reading this simple, lighthearted story.  Riel was inspired to read his dictionary after reading Frindle.  We excitedly journeyed with Ralph in his little adventures in Ralph the Mouse and The Mouse and the Motorcycle ... we  even joked that maybe Aethan may be able to talk to mice because he also loves motorcycles.  We had a good laugh reading The Whipping boy...the names  of the characters were ridiculously funny like Hold-Your-Nose-Billy and Cutwater.Though  I skipped some lines/words which I think were not okay, overall, It was heartwarming to read how the two boys became friends.

     We don't just laugh when I read aloud to the kids. Many times I would cry while reading books like George Muller and The Missionary stories. My boys would tap my back and say, "Mom, it's okay...". 

     George Muller's story taught me valuable life lessons. As I read it, I knew God was talking to me more than He was talking to the kids.  It was inspiring to read how God transformed George -  from a lying thief, a rich brat who gambled and partied all night -- to someone who dedicated his life to help other people, carrying nothing in his pocket but his faith, trusting God to meet all of his financial needs.  I was reminded of how important it is to seek God's direction in every decision we make and everything we do and how important it is for a wife to support her husband in his calling. It's a book I want to read over and over again just so I can grasp and put to heart every nugget of wisdom there is.

     The Missionary Stories with the Millers showed us that missionary life is difficult but very fulfilling.  I was particularly moved with the story of  Tisese, a young African boy, who begged to be allowed to travel through the African jungles to share the gospel to his family, undaunted by the threat of lions along the way,  unaffected by the burning desert sands even if he was in pain.  With feet that are sore and covered with blisters and blood he must have repeated  these words over and over again, "My father may be killed in tribe fighting. My mother may be eaten by lions while she works in the garden. My brothers and sisters might die before next year, and never hear of Jesus!" His father was a witch doctor who killed more than six hundred people every year, poisoned those who oppose him and  buried people alive.  But  nothing is really impossible with God, He changes hearts. All we need to do is obey. Tisese's father and his whole family, and hundreds more in their village were converted and became Christians because of the faith and love of this young missionary. 

     As I read the last chapter of the book, Aethan said, "Oh no mommy, I love this book, I want more stories like these..."  The book ended with this line  "There is no better place to be than the place where God calls you." I took this time to remind them of God's great plan for their life. (Jer29:11) What privilege it is to be the one to read these books to my kids, and together  with them, see God's awesome power at work in our world.  Reading-aloud to our kids is an investment like no other. ;-)


Our other read-aloud books this year:

shuckclod's stuff Back to School kit

Human Anatomy

        This school year, we are using Jeanne Fulbright's Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology.   I never thought my kids (7 and 8 years old) would enjoy studying the anatomy of a cell but they did!  If only I read this book when I was in school, I would have appreciated the subject more.  :-)

      As we reviewed why the Ancient Egyptians adopted mummification rituals. We practiced the mummification process by making an apple mummy. God also used this experiment to teach a very valuable lesson on obedience (but that's another story...) :-)

Template by Connie Prince and kit by WA World (gottapixel)

template by Sus Designs, Amy Dane designs - something beautiful kit, royGbiv flowers by cwpicket

The yummiest part was making our cell and eating it too!

noreimerreason template 9, paper by angie briggs, alpha by One of a Kind  Studio, notepad by kim meeder

      We ended lesson 1 by making their life size "twin".

andreagold696, let mescrapbook kit, alpha by karen diamond, back to school WA by Tina chambers

 

 Being a nurse came in handy.  Teaching the kids the Heimlich Maneuver.

We just went to this clinic to get Dad's back x-ray and what do we get in return? -a  free lesson about x-ray from a very kind radiologist technician, Kuya NapA :-)

Studying the blood using corn syrup, red nips, white jelly and sprinkles which represented blood's major components:  Plasma - RBC - WBC - Platelets

 Studied how bile breaks down those large clumps of fat into smaller clumps that are easier for our small intestine to digest  - using cooking oil, water and soap.

We tried to make Mr. Clay stand up without his bones ....

The chicken bone experiment: How does acid affect our bones?

and here are our lapbooks!!!

 

Riel and Aethan also made a human body gameboard

the template was downloaded - just cant remember the website :-(

Kids favorite: The making of the yummiest DNA...

We were disappointed at first when we found our Twizzlers cut in half so the outcome was not as I expected but the kids still had a blast - especially in the 'eating part' of the activity. It felt like the 'Marshmallow Test' as Riel and Aethan tried to resist the urge to eat their favorite gummies. I told them to wait until we have made a model of theDNA. As they were threading the bears onto the toothpick, I would see them smelling the gummies, resisting the temptation to eat. After our lesson, what a relief it was for them to finally enjoy their DNA.

My personal favorite is this cell community that my kids made.

here, Lysosomes are represented as policemen

Mitochondira as the power source in the community

The Golgi bodies as grocery stores

The Centrioles as "moms" who are clone makers

The Nucleus as the government

Praise God for homeschooling!