Off to the Concert!

 

We are off to the second of our three orchestra concerts. I will post videos tomorrow hopefully.

Glorious Day!!

 

Hannah and I have dedicated this video to our Grandma Steenson because she is the one who inspired us to learn sign language.

Thoughts on Mother's Day.

Today is a day when most people take time to show their mothers how much they love them. It is a good thing that we take time to honor our mothers. They are probably the most important person in our lives (think about it, they were the ones who carried you for nine months, gave birth to you and poured they lives into you until you left home) thus they deserve all the honor and love we can give them. The Bible says, "Honor your Father and your Mother, that your days may be long on the land that the Lord your God is giving you." I have found a few poems that I wanted to share with you in honor of our mothers.

The first poem focuses on how high a calling a mothers is. Today in our culture motherhood is looked down upon and considered secondary but that is not how God sees mothers.

Your High Calling 

Mother, whoever you may be,

You may think long and earnestly

Of your high calling.Pondering 

The undreamed honor of the thing;

Learning how God, through you, would plan

To be well known to every man.

And through your arms would gather fast

The whole world to His heart at last.

By Fay Inchfawn

This next poem is for the mothers of large families.

Nobody Knows But Mother

How many buttons are missing today?

Nobody knows but mother.

How many playthings are strewn in her way?

Nobody knows but mother.

How many thimbles and spools has she missed?

How many burns on each fat little fist?

How many bumps to be cuddled and kissed?

Nobody knows but mother.

How many hats has she hunted today? 

Nobody knows but mother.

Carelessly hiding themselves in the hay - 

Nobody knows but mother.

How many handkerchiefs willfully strayed?

How many ribbons for each little maid?

How for her care can a mother be paid?

Nobody knows but mother.

How many muddy shoes all in a row?

Nobody knows but mother.

How many stockings to darn, do you know?

Nobody knows but mother.

How many little torn aprons to mend?

How many hours of toil must she spend?

What is the time that her day's work shall end?

Nobody knows but mother.

How many lunches for Tommy and Sam?

Nobody knows but mother.

Cookies and apples and blackberry jam-

Nobody knows but mother.

Nourishing dainties for every "sweet tooth"

Tottling Dottie and dignified Ruth

How much love sweetens the labor, forsooth?

Nobody knows but mother.

How many cares does a mother's heart know?

Nobody knows but mother.

How many joys from her mother love flow?

Nobody knows but mother.

How many prayers for each little white bed?

How many tears for her babes she has shed?

How many kisses for each curly head? 

Nobody knows but mother.

By Mary Morrison

Kissed His Mother

She sat on the porch in the sunshine,

As I went down the street-

A woman who's hair was silver,

But who's face was blossom sweet,

Making me think of a garden,

When in spite of the frost and snow

Of bleak November weather,

Late, fragrant lillies blow.

I heard a footstep behind me,

And the sound of a merry laugh,

And I knew the heart it came from

Would be like a comforting staff

In the time and the hour of trouble,

Hopeful and brave and strong,

One of the hearts to lean on,

When we think all things go wrong.

I turned at the click of the gate latch,

And met his many look;

A face like his gives me pleasure,

Like the page of a pleasant book.

It told of steadfast purpose,

Of a brave and daring will;

A face with a promise in it,

That, God grant, the years fulfill.

He went up the pathway singing,

I saw the woman's eyes

Grow bright with wordless welcome,

As the sunshine warms the skies.

"Back again, sweetheart Mother."

He cried and bent to kiss

The loving face that was uplifted

For what some mothers miss.

That boy will do to depend on

I hold that this is true-

From lads in love with their mothers

Our bravest heroes grew.

Earths grandest hearts have been loving hearts,

Since the time the earth began;

And the boy who kisses his mother

Is every inch a man!

By Christian Intelligencer

So, as our church bulletin reminds us today, "Children kiss your mothers. Husbands praise your wives"

 

Happy Mother's Day, Mommy!! I love you.

The poems I found in Verses of Virtue by Beall Phillips and published by Vision Forum

Indoctrination!!

I have been homeschooled all my life. My parents made the decision to homeschool my siblings and me before I was born. There are many reasons why my parents wanted to homeschool us. The main reasons are; they believe the Bible gives the role of teaching children to parents not the state; they wanted to give us a biblical worldview ( and they knew the public schools would not give us one) and they also wanted to protect us from the dangers of public schools. I always knew public schools were anti-Bible and anti-God and that they were dangerous but I never fully understood it until I watched Indoctrination. In Indoctrination, Colin Gunn travels around the country and asks important questions such as, Who established the American public school system? Are my kids physically and morally safe in the schools? Are public schools religiously neutral? Should Christians try to be "salt and light" in public schools? and Can the public school system be fixed or redeemed? Along the trip Colin Gunn and his family of nine talk to teachers, school administrators, christian leaders, parents and students. Indoctrination is an engaging, controversial and thought provoking documentary. I think everyone should see it. I agree with Cal Thomas when he said "Every christian with a child in a government school should see this movie and be forced to confront their unwillingness to do what Scripture requires for the children on loan to them by God."
You can watch the trailer for Indoctrination on their website at http://indoctrinationmovie.com/ 

My Garden Starts

This year we are starting our garden a little late because of the unpredictable weather we had this winter. This week we are finally able to start. I am doing most of the planning and work for the vegetable garden since it will be difficult for Mom to do it this year. Most of the plants I am going to buy already started from the nursery but I have started pickling cucumbers and pumpkins from seed. The seeds are not genetically modified so I can collect the seeds from the cucumbers and pumpkins I grow for next year. I planted four pickling cucumbers and four pumpkins. I am hoping they all grow but I will have to wait to find out. I am keeping my eye out for helpful gardening books, so if you have any recommendations please tell me.

Peanut Butter Perfection

It has been very warm here recently and there is almost nothing as nice as a cold shake on a warm day. I came up with this protein packed shake specifically for my mom. It is refreshing and not very sweet so it is perfect for the days when she does not want to eat anything. My siblings all love it for a quick snack and Sean was the one who came up with the name.

1 cup peanut butter

3 scoops vanilla protein 

3 scoops chocolate powder (I use Nestle Quick)                         

3 cups milk

lots of ice

Blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Serve immediently. 

Note: for those of you who like malt, try adding a scoop of malt. 

Enjoy!!