Psalm 23:1

I grew up memorizing Psalm 23:1 as "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."

This morning I read this verse out of a New Living Translation Bible and the difference in the wording was enough to get me to really sink my teeth into that verse.

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I have all that I need."

It got me thinking, "What do I really need in this life?"

Obviously, food, water, sleep, etc. But, I don't believe that is what this verse is really getting at. Yes, we need these things, but are they the most important?

If there really is a God; if the bible is really true; if there really is a sin issue with mankind; if there really is a judgement against me for death because of my sin issue; if Jesus is the only way to change my death sentence into eternal life, then, what I need is more than anything else in the world is JESUS.

Having all my material, nutritional, physical, emotional needs met is secondary in importance if we are eternal, spiritual beings with a destiny choice of either heaven or hell.

I need Jesus and more of him!

As a mother, as a homeschool teacher, as a wife, as a member of a community I have many roles and responsibilities. Sometimes, I get lost in the ways of the world, in the opinions of others, in the busyness of life, in the expectations of others, and in my own secret hurts and failures. When I am lost; I lose focus on what is important, I lose direction, I over-compensate, I revert back to old habits, I take over. I want to be in control. I want to go my own way.

As I wrote in my journal this morning, and wrestled through my failings in this area, my focus for my upcoming year became clear to me. First of all, I realized I need more Jesus, my eyes firmly on him. I need to continue to be in his word and to learn to follow better as he leads. Secondly, as a mother and a homeschool teacher, I need to teach my children how to do the same.

My focus for 2012 boils down to four words:

Deliberate Instruction
Consistent Example

If I stay close to Jesus, I can teach my kids to do the same. It's the most important thing for us all. Yes, we will cover math, science, history, etc. But, if I have all of these without teaching the love of - and for - Jesus or teaching them how to follow the Good Shepherd, then, I have failed in my true calling.

What's your focus for 2012? Have you given it any thought? Does it line up with what is most important?

Quote of the Day

"America's greatest deficit is not in reading, math, or science - although our national scores in these areas are woeful. Our greatest deficit is in our ability to create and maintain stable families." - Michael P. Farris (excerpt from the article 10 Lessons I've Learned from Thirty Years of Homeschooling as published in the Home School Court Reporter.)

Courageous: The Movie

Courageous: The Movie

Here's the link to one of the best movies I have EVER seen, out in theaters now! Click on the link to view the trailer and then run out and see the movie, if you are able. You won't be disappointed. It truely is an amazing movie and well done, too.

I alternated between crying and laughing throughout the entire movie. My husband teared up a few times, too. It's emotional but has a message that is so very needed in today's society.

I give it a 5 out of 5 stars!

UPDATE: I saw it Friday night with my husband for our anniversary and Saturday night with my 13 yr old daughter. I have a list of people I want to see it and I'll go as many times as necessary to get them all to see this wonderful movie. I hope the DVD is released in time for Christmas gifts.

Another Birdie Has Left the Nest

Daughter number three of five has officially flown the coop, joining her two older sisters as adults pursuing their own lives.

My daughters range in age from 3 to 28. I now have two left at home, 13 and 3.

I have been a mom since I was 17 years old. This is the first time in my life that I actually see the end of motherhood. I know it's still a long way off but, really, I see the end coming, and I don't like it.

I know we raise our children to leave someday. We teach them to be self-sufficient and independent. It's a good thing that they can live and survive on their own.

However, I am grieving. I am grieving the lost of their everyday presence in our home, their help, and their laughter. I think there's so much more yet I need to teach them, share with them, prepare them for, it's too soon to go.

God is in charge, now. Well, he has been in charge the whole while, really, but now I have to completely give them over to him.

Our family is once again beginning a new chapter in our lives. My husband reminds me when one door closes another opens up.

Maybe being less mother opens the door for being more Grandma to my three grandchildren.

Another reality hitting is facing the fact that I am aging. I am no longer the teenage mom, the twenty something mom, or the thirty something mom. I am the mid-forties mom and grandma. Soon, I'll just be the Grandma and the Great Grandma. I know, that's a ways off yet. But I can see it on the horizon now where I never could before.

Seasons in life take some adjusting to get use to the new reality. I am adjusting.

Family Summer Vacation 2011

Our summer vacation was really a big field trip!

Points of Interest Visited:
Creation Museum outside Cinncianti, OH
Colonial Williamsburg, VA
Yorktown, VA
Jamestown, VA
Naval Museum, Norfolk, VA
Toured USS Battleship Wisconsin
Experienced the loud thunder of the Air Force jets taking off and landing in Virginia Beach
Walking/Driving tour of Washington, DC
Drove though the underwater tunnel in Norfolk

States traveled through:Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania,and District of Columbia

Courses covered on our big field trip:
Bible, Science, Government, History, Social Studies, Math, Accounting, Geography, Architecture, Arts, Music, Logic, Home Economics, and life skills

Life Lessons Learned:
People should strap their suitcases down tighter to the roof of their cars so...people like us down get hit with them when an SUV in front of us runs them over and kicks them up into our car. Instant Heart attack! $1200 damage to our car.
Even if you check the brakes before you go, and throughout your trip, you may still end up with a brake problem in the mountains/hills. Our calipers hung up and eroded our brakes right out. We had to have new calipers, brake pads, and rotors installed on the rear of our car in PA, on a Sat. afternoon, at the tune of $625.
Don't leave your camera sitting on the toilet paper dispenser in the bathroom at Colonial Williamsburg, even if your three year old daughter is counting down the seconds until she will open the stall door way before you will be prepared for that to happen. Don't trust old people, families, foreigners, or bathroom attendants to do the right thing-to turn in an item lost, so the family of the lost item can have returned to them their property. The security office where we had to go to file a claim was quite the walking hike to get to and was a fruitless effort! Priceless pictures from our first several days were lost. It made me cry! Cost of new camera: $200.
Staying on Budget is critical and you should have a cushion to work with just in case. Our unexpected trip costs:$2000.00.

Learning to navigate a busy schedule with a 3 year old was mastered by the end of the trip. Learning how to make history fun for a 13 year old who hates history was also mastered by the end of the trip. We survived tribulation - hahahaha.

Overall, we had a great time. We are thankful we had the opportunity, for the means to cover the unexpected costs, and for the safety we enjoyed during the journey.

Are you rich?

Would you consider yourself rich?


Before you answer, let me share some statistics with you from our Pastor's sermon yesterday.


1.4 billion people in the world live on less than $1.25/day.

2 billion people in the world live on less than $2.00/day.

If you earn more than $25,000/yr, you earn more than 90% of the people in the world.

If you earn more than $80,000/yr, you earn more than 99% of the people in the world.

I was humbled by this and I hope you find yourself humbled, as well.

Are we thankful? Content? Are we giving to others? Are we spending what we have wisely? Is our money being used to help others or to horde for ourselves? As a Christian, am I giving abundantly to God's work?

This week, my bible study will be focused on these things. I invite you to do the same.

I Am Persuaded

I Am Persuaded

Kelly Crawford writes a blog called Generation Cedar. Kelly's family lost their home in the tornado outbreak in Alabama. Here is her response to the tremendous outpouring of love her family and others are receiving from the body of Christ.