School Time

This marks the end of our first week back in school. It wasn't too bad. Really. I think everyone is adjusting to our routine quite well. The subjects are a little more challenging for everyone, and we will need to put some extra effort into our studies, but it is do-able.

Bethani is in 3rd grade, and it is substantially more advanced than 2nd. The papers look more like the older kids, and they are expecting a lot from her already. And she is delivering it. Our goal for her this year is beautiful handwriting.

Jeremi is in 8th grade, and it is much like 7th. He will, however, need to study more. They expect specific answers 'filled in the blank' on tests. A Beka really isn't a 'cake-walk.' Because his schedule is not too heavy this year, we are going to slip in typing and possibly shorthand. (This is something he has shown an interest in.) Apparently this lighter schedule is just a reprieve for him before he hits high school. Look out Jeremi, they don't mess around in 9th grade! Our goal for him this year is to eliminate school procrastination, finishing each day in a timely manner while being thorough.

Tiffani is a full-fledged high school student. She has a heavy DVD load with Grammar/Comp, Algebra 2, consumer math, world history, biology, and French. She started to struggle in French the first 2 days until she found a "suitable tutor." She is excelling now. Our goal for her this year is to cram as much into her little head as possible in order to excel on her SAT and be accepted at Richland Collegiate next year.

They are awesome students! Sometimes I tend to focus only on the things that they still need to master and forget to recognize the good that is already imbedded. I was just pondering this morning on how well-disciplined they really are:

• Promptly at 8:00 EVERY morning, all three of my children are dressed and sitting in their seats in the school room--all on their own, and most of the time without me. (It is here that I confess to sometimes [okay, many times] checking my email from 8-8:30.) Now, granted, there is a small reward for them if they are on time--not one minute late. Nevertheless, they are establishing a good work ethic.


• Each morning we gather for family prayer--sometimes with mom, sometimes with dad. Occasionally they sleep, but hey, so did Jesus' disciples! We are setting a precedent for them, (right Jeremi?)


• We work diligently until 12:30 with an occasional 5-minute break, and then have lunch until 1:00. Any work left-over must be done after lunch. Obviously, the goal is to finish before lunch time, and most of the time they are trying.
  

Now, before this sounds like pie-in-the-sky, let me confess that just about every day we have an issue with someone. You see, my children are not perfect. But then again, neither is their mother. We are, however, continuing to become. God is helping us, and I believe this year we WILL see more fruit.

Riding Blindly

This morning during our devotions, God spoke to me in a powerful analogy. It was so forceful!

I remembered our tandem ride last week along the coast. Because Craig is so much bigger than I am, when I sit behind him, my view is completely obstructed. I can see to my right and left, but there is always this huge wall of a back in front of me. It is higher and wider than I can see. If I were to try looking around his side, we would most certainly 'dump over.' If I were to stand up to see above him, I would have to stop pedaling, and if he didn't...well, not good. Two people on a tandem have to pedal together in order to go forward. (Now that will preach!)

It had been a while since we had ridden a tandem, and my first feeling was a bit of anxiety. That same helpless feeling came over me briefly, and then I had to remind myself of the facts. I trust that he is not going to run us into a wall. I trust that he sees other motorists and pedestrians, and will steer accordingly. I trust that he won't ride through a mud puddle. He is taking all the precautions, and, well, I trust him.

Eventually I was able to relax and enjoy the view to my right and left. It was kind of nice to realize that I was not responsible for any driving mistakes. I was not the one directing. (I did, however, have to pay attention to which way we were going soI could actually help my directionally challenged husband get back.)

I don't know what my future holds. I could worry. I could stress.

The message this morning from God: "You don't have to see what is in front of you to go forward. Relax. Let me lead. I won't steer you wrong. We will not go the wrong way. Trust me and I will take you where I want you to go." I felt comforted to realize that we are in this together, and He is not going to abandon me. After all, a tandem ride is not possible with just a passenger, and I don't feel comfortable in the driver's seat. So "Jesus, take the wheel. I will sit behind you and trust that you know where we are going. I don't have to know. You won't even get us lost!"

17 Wonderful Years

Happy Anniversary, sweetheart.

I love you more now than ever.

I will be here.

Always.

Summer Grand Finale

Well, this was the last big hurrah before the end of our summer. Nana flew in, picked up the kids, and took them back to her house to stay with Papa and Grandma for 11 long days (just ask her).

This summer trip has become a tradition for them that they look forward to with much anticipation. This year they went camping in Nana and Papa's RV. I am sure that had to bring back memories, at least for Tiffani and Jeremi. Jeremi proudly declared that he was the only one who caught fish, but Tiffani defended her cause by saying that it was only because she didn't participate.

They got back on August 7, and they are already making plans for next summer. Thanks mom for making such great memories a priority.

UPCI Annual Deaf Conference

What a great week this has been! The Annual Deaf Conference for the UPCI met right here in our backyard this year, and we took advantage of it! It started out with a picnic in the park. Natalie, Amanda and I went and met so many wonderful people.


Luther and Gail are some of the most precious people I think I have ever met in my life! Everyone enjoyed Luther's funny antics.




Monday night started the conference, and we took a van load of people from our church. It was beautiful to see Dawn beaming in church, surrounded by old friends and a host of capable interpreters. The service was in her language, and I enjoyed watching how much she enjoyed it.



The Deaf Mass Choir sang Wednesday night, and brought the house down! What an awesome presence of God came in when Deaf saints of God from all over this country came together to lift up His name! It was an honor to have Bro. Haney as the night speaker on Wednesday.

It was, for me, a brand new experience, one I will never forget. I have truly fallen in love with this language and culture.


Tuesday through Thursday were day classes, and Tiffani, Amanda and I soaked up as much information as we could. We were challenged, motivated and inspired. The Holy Ghost really moved on us in Thursday's class, and we bought the DVD.




These are the people that received the Holy Ghost Friday morning (most of them deaf). Faith was so high in the sanctuary! I think the total count for the week was 9 people!

The girl in the front center is the daughter of one of the Deaf leaders. They have prayed for their wayward daughter for a long time, and God has heard their prayers. Praise God!




My faithful mother flew in with Grandma to stay with Jeremi and Bethani while Tiffani and I spent the days away. Morgan, my only niece, was here with them, and they enjoyed each other's company.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to be a part of all of this. I feel God doing a work through me. I want to do my part to educate myself in order to have the ability to work for Him with excellence.

VBS

This week has been VBS at our church. Bethani was the only child young enough to register, but the SALT (Student Action Leadership Training) team worked with the adults to make it a smashing success. There were about 120 children registered, and I believe 10 children received the Holy Ghost. In our family, however, the most exciting thing was how SALT transformed my teens. They were forced to rise to the occasion, and rise they did!

The second day into VBS, after the children went home, the SALT team had practice from 3:30-5:00. Jeremi called me around 4:30 and said that they had started with prayer before practicing, and they were still praying!! They hadn't yet gotten around to practice. He was so fired up about how God was moving and ministering to him and his peers. When they got home, Tiffani was bubbling over with how God had used the Gifts of the Spirit to speak a specific word to them, and it was the teens who were operating in the Gifts!


The week continued in this same way everyday this week. God used Tiffani in the Gifts of the Spirit. I encouraged her not to seek after the Gift of the Spirit, but to seek after the Fruit of the Spirit, and the Gifts will naturally follow. It is awesome to see their enthusiasm and love for the Lord.

Sunday night, the entire youth group rallied around one another, and it was a beautiful thing to watch them pray and support each other. For a while, they set aside their differences, and worked together for a common goal. They asked Jeremi to stand and tell what he felt about the week. He talked about unity and working together to achieve a common goal. I saw the man he is becoming, envisioned the minister he will be, and I felt so proud of him.


Raising Godly fruit can be a long and tedious process. It seems that the fruit will never grow, and then when it does, it seems it will never ripen. I have to confess that there have been many occasions recently where I have wondered if any of what I have been trying to teach is actually getting through to my children. It has at times truly felt FRUITLESS! However, it is the times like this week that I am so thankful that I have not given up. "For in due season, we SHALL reap if we faint not." Thank you Jesus for giving us a hopeful peek into our children's future.