The Mitchell Kids
Summer's last days...
The weather has been blustery and rainy here the past few days on the homestead. It hasn't been this cold since April! We have had temps in the high 50's and low 60's...... so unusual for NW Missouri in early September. I am ever so thankful for the moisture, as we needed it. The grass was beginning to become brown up and the last few days of rain has "greened up" everything again.
No doubt about it.... fall is on the way! Did I mention that fall is my favorite season of the year? The colors are spectacular here in October ~~ our homestead has a good 25 acres or so of Oaks, Maples & Walnuts.... so the colors are something to behold. I am looking foward to that.
On the home front we are busy, busy renovating our "parlor"...... it's not too big of a room ~~ about 15 x 16 or so..... but it faces south and gets lots of sun, and overlooks the woods and fields. This is a favorite place to sit and read on a cold winter day. We have stained the new wood windows, and have painted the cieling and installed a new light/fan. We are almost done with the wallcoverings..... I chose a very "old fashioned pattern"..... it actually looks like the original pattern that we discovered under the sheetrock! It makes things look very "old" and I am excited about that!
I apologize that I have been remiss at posting photos of our recent renovations. Life is so full with schooling, renovating, and all the other "stuff" that this mama has to do each day. I am finding I am only able to blog a few times each week as life is simply filled to the brim. ( No complaints here)
In the kitchen we have been busy baking some fall treats...... the weather put me in the mood for pumpkin pies! So, this afternoon my eldest daughter and I were busy making some for desert. I am so happy to share that my 13 yr old daughter has truly mastered the knack of making homemade pie crusts and does a superb job! She is going to be such a blessing to her future husband and family! She loves to help me in my homemaking endeavors and she is a precious helper to have around!
The pumpkin candle is burning........and the air does have a nip to it in the evenings now.
Supper is in the oven ready to serve....... a hot pan full of swedish meatballs.
It's that time of year...... when smells fill the home........
Well I am off to spend the evening serving my beloved family.
May God bless each and everyone of you!
~ gloria ~
Benefits of the new day and perspective
And so dawned a new day.
Thankfully yesterday is but a pale distant memory.
Add snicker here.
Well, it’s enough of a memory.
Today was a much more FANTASTIC 2nd day of school.
I thought to try my schedule for Mr. Conductor one more day before trying a revamp and I’m glad we did.
Today was great. We did everything on the schedule and had so much fun together. Plus we were done in 45 minutes and he was off painting his latest masterpiece with his new watercolors while I worked with the girls.
The only blip is that it seems I have misplaced one of Maiden’s grammar books. I didn’t do the frantic search like yesterday- just a quick one- but fruitless all the same. We decided to make it a matter of prayer and pray that it shows up within the next day or so----- or my memory becomes equally clear as to where I may have put it . . . . . .
That could be a bit of awhile.
No matter- today was a good day. We enjoyed our learning, had great discussion and just plain fun doing it.
It is my hope and prayer that we have many more days like today than days like yesterday.
To do that one needs to have perspective.
Perspective.
It starts with me- if I wake up in a lousy mood it’s a pretty safe hypothesis that we’ll have a lousy day.
If I sleep in and don’t get up ahead of the children and have my coffee and quiet time . . . . . well, it’s just not good, people.
Today could possibly have gone down yesterday’s road if I’d let it- what with the missing grammar book and all that.
But it didn’t.
It was icing on the cake to have Mr. C do so well- but I was also prepared to let him run off if it was necessary.
There is only so much one’s sanity can take.
I continue to learn that even in the small every day stuff it is necessary- no VITAL, for me to go to God’s strength first and not go “own my own”. I work with the children to make it a habit to commit our day to the Lord first and ask Him to help us to accomplish all that He desires for us today.
We are never suppose to go it on own strength and then go to God when we’re burned-out and strung-out, gasping for air and begging for mercy. That’s backwards. He is our strength even in the mundane day-to-day-ness of each 24 hour period.
He’s my strength when we’re just starting the day and we’re eager to crack our books and get started.
And He’s my strength when I’m juggling teaching 3 school levels and the doorbell chimes along with the ring of the phone.
He’s my strength when we stretch one meal to two- including leftover for Mr. Steady’s lunch.
Just as He’s my strength when Mr. Steady takes the wrong container of leftovers to work and it throws off the dinner plans.
He’s my strength when Mr. Steady and his brother take turns driving to work to both economize on gas.
And He is my strength when Mr. Steady reveals to me that he put the spare tire on his car because one tire was so bald he thought it would blow-out.
Amazingly enough- I have no idea what kind of strength I will need for each day but I do know this---
What I have on my own will never be enough.
Not ever.
And so being the ever practical sort- I find it best to lean on and invite God’s strength at the beginning of each new day.
Sure I’ll still have those bad days- those Oh-I-just-want-to-go-back-to-bed-and-start-over-or-just-skip-it-and-sleep-through-it days. I’ll have those days when I “forget” to commit the day to the Lord and ask for His strength to lead me through.
And I will fall completely flat on my face.
Good thing God makes each day new.
Thank you Lord for the chances and opportunities each new day brings.
Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and forget not His benefits. Blessed be the Lord. Who daily loads us with benefits. Psalm 103:2, 68:19
Of bad beginnings
And so it begins.We have officially begun our 3rd year of homeschooling.
The girls are studying early American History and Mr. Conductor will be spending these first 9 weeks studying about farm life.
We successfully completed our first day back to school.
I say successfully because yes, we did complete everything for that day.
Other than that it wouldn’t rank real high on the Success-O-Meter.
In fact, we all agreed it was the worst First Day we’d ever had.
Everyone sprang out of bed, got dressed and started school.
Breakfast was behind because the special First Day Coffee Cake was taking extra long to bake. In hindsight I should have offered them a mini-pre-breakfast treat.
The first 2 hours went well. The girls were rolling right along- Sassafras was almost completely done and Maiden had knocked out quite a bit of schooling. Mr. Conductor was, however, deciding that my version of school and his were not compatible and promptly left the table after completing half of what I’d planned for the day. He was disgruntled and let me know it.
Then Sassafras went to get her reading book (that she’d taken off the school shelf last week to get an early start on) and could not find it. We then spent the next 45 minutes tearing apart the bedroom in a desperate and ultimately futile search. Now, the book was found- but not in the bedroom—instead it was found after the room was purged, sitting back on the school shelf with a very nice bookmark proudly saluting me. The book search and subsequent bedroom purging did not improve my mommy temperament- in fact it did quite the opposite. Sass was suppose to have cleaned etc. her room and an initial quick inspection made it look like it was- but then our searching upheaval- which included taking off her mattress and setting her bed on its side, lead to a gi-normous hidden cache of miscellaneous (and some forbidden) stuff. And I use the term stuff lightly. That 45 minute search included 1 large trash bag, 3 boxes for the temporary storing of stuff and the hauling upstairs of the vacuum cleaner for a total clean sweep.
And so- to find the book pristinely sitting on the school shelf after I’d threatened with the Mom Voice demanding repayment and retribution for items found in the cache was completely unnerving and did not bring the sweet relief it would have had it been found sooner. After that harrowing 45 minutes and me sitting there in my dirty, nasty- sweaty disgust, well let’s just say it was a bit hard to get back into “school’ mode.
And yet-
We did finish and I believe we were all relieved.
Very relieved.
Musings...of Autumn?
You know, in just a matter of a handful of weeks now, Autumn will officially start.
Yes, I know I do this every year.
I get rather melancholy this time of year. Every year it's the same thing. September begins and I start thinking with excitement about things like
combines harvesting the fields,
fertilizers being spread on those large farmsteads,
cooler evenings,
the surprise of a cool breeze during the day,
air conditioners being used less and less and windows opened with softly blowing curtains around them,
apples ready to harvest,
pumpkins starting to perk p for picking,
leaves slowly beginning to turn all those magnificent colors of deep rust, brighter red, rich orange and brilliant yellow,
the gathering of firewood for that first lighting of the woodstove,
those wonderful autumn smells...ever notice how pies and breads just smell so much better, so much more homey during the autumn than they do in the summer?
the starting of school and those big yellow buses rolling along the lanes early morning. No, my children aren't riding a bus, but there is just something that touches my heart and says autumn, in a nostalgic sort of way, about those yellow buses on the road after a summers' absence.
There are preps being made everywhere it seems...
folks are finishing off larger portions of their gardens and clearing them for a winter rest,
chickens are growing and seem to know time is limited for gathering those bugs and greens before the snow flies,
barnyards are freshened and hay mows filled with the last of the hay harvest before winter.
There are just smells and actions that speak autumn all over.
But, it's a bittersweet time for me. I miss all those things I've just mentioned. I know it's all a state of mind, really, but I have not been able to wrap my mind around a changing of seasons since moving here. Everything stays so green...and so wet...this time of year around us. I can pull out the autumn colors in flowers and garlands to decorate the house and give an illusion of autumn, but it's just not in my heart. I am just too wrapped up with seasonal changes.
Yes, I have so many friends here in the South who would argue vehemently that there are changing seasons here, and there is a definite autumn. I guess my trouble is, I only know one kind of autumn in my mind. It's the only one I've ever known. It's hard to change a vision that is ingrained in a nearly-40 year old mind.
So, this weekend, we are going to try to bring autumn to the homestead. I am gathering the fall fabrics to tuck here and there on a table, along a bookcase and near an oil lamp. I'm putting up a simple garland of flowers...all those beautiful rich tones I so love this time of year. We will be doing our evening devotions with the lanterns lit instead of the regular lighting...sort of creating that cozy feeling that autumn brings with it.
My eldest daughter says that's fine...as long as I don't crank up the a/c so we all have to don sweaters and thick socks to really bring that feeling of autumn to real life!
Today
Things I have to get done today are:
Sewing some patches on my husbands work pants.
washing some clothes.
doing general pickup around the house
DS has a paper route and I will have to fold all his papers and get them ready for him so that when he gets home that he can just get on his bike and deliver them.
remember to attend a meeting tonight for church, I have to make this one since I am teaching ktg religious Education. (I forgot the last one). We will so how things go from now till christmas and if things change for the worse we will be looking for a new church home.
it is finally warming up today. It was darn cold this morning when I got up. I think that fall is here and in a way I am glad. I will go out later and see what is still surviving in my garden and take care of that. I will have to mow my yard at least one more time this year before the snow. I have weeded all my pernial (sp) flowers and I will wait until the leaves fall and prune them down and cover them for the winter.
Hope that everyone is having a good day. Take care and blessings to all.
Homestead Snapshots...
Not sure how good these will be. I'm not what you would call tech-saavy in the least. Even joking, one probably wouldn't call me that. My 'techie' is off in Arkansas, so I'm all you have when it comes to sharing pictures here. I'm using the video camera (it takes still shots as well) and working to figure out how to upload them...it's slow-going, to say the least.
Here are some shots of daily farm life on this homestead...
Barn chores being done this morning -- seems the goats decided they could in fact, push hard enough on the fence and make their escape. So, while the fence was being rebuilt by eldest daughter and I, Matthew started his job....mucking out the barn.
Remember the tree? This is it. Not really much of a tree looking at it this way, but it's a good tall one...just dead for the most part.
This is the life, isn't it? Just lounging around...totally centered in the walkway of the front porch, not caring one bit for those of us coming and going trying not to break our fool necks dodging kittens!
This is our 'seeing-eye' goat....the friend we bought for the blind one. We tethered them out in the barn lot this morning after they made their escape.
These are the newest additions to the homestead...they are supposedly pregnant, but honestly, they are the skinniest 'pregnant' sows I've ever seen. But that's ok...they'll fit in the freezer much nicer this way ;o)Those are some of the shots of the day here. Maybe something exciting will happen here that an be shared later...not that we don't have exciting moments, but honestly, with Dewey gone, I'd just as soon keep things nice and quiet around here.
Should Christian Women serve in Government Leadership Positions -- What does the Bible have to say?
Dear Readers,
I am *not* a political person by nature. I realized a long time that God is in control of our nation, and the world at large. I do read the news and try to stay up on what is going on in our nation and in the world around me. With that said, I am not one to write about my political views or share them publically.
I truly believe God has His hand in governing the world at large.
I also believe it is our stewardship to pray for our leaders.
I have been reading the past few days and hearing on the news about the appointment of Governor Sarah Palin ( Alaska Gov) to be Senator McCain's VP pick for this year's presidential election. I have been reading and hearing "mixed" thoughts and views on whether a "woman" and in this case a professing Christian woman should be in a leadership position in our Government.
Let me start out by saying, for the most part I am hearing positive remarks in Christian circles of Mrs. Palin's appointment. But there are some Christians who are concerned and some who are even critical and feel Mrs. Palin is not fulfilling her God given role as a wife & mother.
I have given this much thought myself and much prayer.
I have prayed about Gov Palin's appt and also prayed about whether I should share my thoughts here on my blog.
I wanted to share what God has been showing me about this issue --- Women in Government Leadership--- and what has been shown to me in the Word of God, which I believe is the *final* authority in all things.
For those of you who may be struggling with this issue as well, I pray this post may be a blessing to you!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Christian Women in Government -- What does God have to say about the matter?
I am for the most part a believer that women have been ordained by God to be "keepers at home" .... chaste , discreet, ( Titus 2:5) and definately a Proverbs 31 woman.
I believe God has ordained us for a special ministry that only we can fulfill and that is of mother to the next generation of God's precious children. To train them up in the way they should go, and to teach them of the Lord.
That is what I have dedicated my life to for the most part.
This is where my "heart" is at.
When I read of Gov Palin being chosen as McCain's VP pick I was amazed, and suprised! Not only is Sarah Palin a woman -- she is a professing Christian, active in her Church ( Junueau Christian Center, she is a practicing Pentecostal) , a wife of over 17yrs to her high school sweet heart, Todd & mother to 5 beautiful children , the youngest of which is a little baby boy.
Honestly , when I heard of her appointment I immediately began to research and study about this woman. The more I read about her the more I was amazed. God has blessed her with many talents & gifts. She is a strong woman, head of the Alaska National Guard, a hunter, and a "hockey mom". She is an athlete but also a very feminine woman who is not afraid to embrace her femininity.
I read about her in high school, leading her sport teams in prayer before games.
I read about her committment to life -- and her living testimony of embracing and cherishing the life that God gave her at the age of 44 , with her special needs baby boy. She chose life and has been a staunch supporter in the pro life movement. She is committed to marriage -- traditional marriage defined by God.
The more I read the more I was impressed.
I was also concerned.
How could this young wife & mother fulfill her duties and obligations?
How does she balance it all?
I decided I would turn to the word of God and see what the "final authority" has to say on this.
Can God raise up women to be mothers , wives & also lead in Government affairs???
In proverbs 31 we read about the Godly woman whose husband does not only trust in her, but is also deeply concerned about her household. She rises early to make sure her family & household is clothed and fed well. She purchases fields and property. She is a strong woman -- a woman whose arms are strong ( verse 17) . She cares for the poor and is involved in a ministry to care for them. This woman is not afraid, for she is a prepared woman. Her husband is known by all. She is wise and out of her mouth proceeds kind words. She is not an idle woman. Her children & husband call her blessed.
Wow -- what a woman!
The proverbs 31 woman is not just sitting at home, baking and keeping house!
The proverbs 31 woman is a hard working woman, who is strong, capable, kind and involved.
She not only cares for the needs of her family -- but she reaches out to the community.
Then I turned to the passage in Judges that speaks about Deborah, the Prophetess and great Judge of Isreal. ( Judges chapters 4 &5)
After the death of Joshoua, God raised up Judgest to lead and rule over Israel.
The first Judges were Othneil, Ehud, and Shamgar. And then came Deborah.
Wow -- what a woman was Deborah! She was truly a Proverbs 31 woman!
God had great trust in Deborah!
Deborah led the children of Israel.
Who said women can not lead armies or sit at heads of state and nations? Did deborah not do this same thing? Did God not appoint Deborah to do so?
Here is one of the many women God himself called & used.
She was very respected by her people.
Her leadership qualities were unquestioned.
She was also a prophetess and A MOTHER & A WIFE . ( judges 4:4 & Judges 5:7)
Marriage was not designed to hinder the ministry of women, but to enhance it.
Deborah's duties & ministry was similar to all other judges of Israel & then some:
1. She was a leader of a nation
2. She helped settle disputes
3. She was a prophetess who have gave Isreal direction from God.
4. She was called of God
5. The land had peace for 40 yrs due to her ministry ( judges 4 & 5)
6. If deborah was living in our times she would have occupied the role of prophet & teacher
God called Deborah to this stewardship --- and God knew Deborah was married & was a mother in Israel!! Her gender did not inhibit her from serving. Her duties at home did not inhibit her from serving!
Deborah told Barak to lead Israel to attack Sisera, who was the commander of the enemy forces. Barak, would not go into battle without Deborah by his side! He knew that Deborah's presense would ensure victory for God's people! ( Judges 4: 8-16) Such was the respect he had for deborah!
I think it's important to note that Deborah was a judge in a time in world history when women were very much traditionally at "home" and definately not in the fore front of politics!
God was not inhibited by the fact that Deborah was a woman.
Are we?
Should we be?
Deborah was not proud, nor did she carry a "chip" on her shoulder against men. This is an attitude that many women hold today against men. The women's lib movement are doing more harm then good today because they sow seeds of discord. They cultivate this attitude of "Women vs. Men" and this is not Godly.
Remember also, it was Jael -- a woman-- who killed Sisera, not Barak, as Deborah had prophesied.
Again, God is not inhibited by women serving Him in government.
Are we?
I asked this to myself in regards to the issue with Gov Palin --- she is a wife, a mother and a Christian.
Could God be asking Sarah Palin to serve Him in this capacity?
Yes.
Do I have a problem with it -- if God doesn't?
Hmmm................
That is what God has shown me the past few days since the announcement has been made about Gov Palin being appointed McCain's running mate.
Honestly, I had some repenting to do.
I honestly judged this woman.
I can not place God in a box and say that God "ONLY" calls women to be mothers & wives and stay home and keep home. I do not believe this because the bible tells me differently. Proverbs 31 tells me differently. The beautiful story of Deborah tells me differently.
I admit ,I was tempted to put God in a "box".
Let's not put God in a "box" ladies.
Remember HIS word is HIS final authority.
This is what God has shown me -- thru study of the Word of God and thru prayer.
I am compelled to believe that YES, God can appoint women to judge over nations.
I am compelled to believe that perhaps God has placed HIS hand over Gov Palin at this time in history.
I am compelled to pray for Gov Palin.
Want to know what my prayer is for her?
That she may be a "modern day" Deborah!
That is what God is showing me.
May you be blessed!
~ gloria ~
Recipes to share...
These are from one of the LDS Cannery recipes....sounds like something I definitely will have to try!Breakfast Cookies
yield: 48 cookies
2 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 3/4 cup oatmeal (not instant)
2 cups Grape Nuts cereal
1 Tablespoon flax seed meal (optional suggestion)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened ** (see note below)
1 3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple
2 cups raisins
Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine flour, oatmeal, Grape Nuts, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir to mix. Set aside.
Beat together butter and sugar; add vanilla and eggs, beat well. Stir in crushed pineapple (including juice) and raisins. Add flour cereal mixture and stir until blended. Drop by large spoonful on lightly greased baking sheet or use a #30 ice cream scoop. Slightly flatten cookie dough. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. Store cookies in closed container. Freeze extra cookies until ready to use – reheat in microwave, if desired. Makes 48 cookies.
**NOTES: Try substituting 1 cup crunchy peanut butter in place of the butter
Apple Pie Tarts (yum...cherry and other fruits as well!)
Homemade Yogurt
Yogurt is expensive to buy in the store but SO EASY AND INEXPENSIVE to make at home. Give it a try and I guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised. It costs less than 50 cents to make a quart of yogurt. I use the cannery dried milk.
4 cups very warm water (not over 120 degrees)
1 3/4 cups regular nonfat dry milk (3 cups instant)
1/3 cups plain yogurt with active cultures, no additives (if bought from the store to use as a starter)
OR 1 packet of yogurt starter (I buy mine at Good Earth or Wild Oats )
Mix well with a hand mixer or in a blender at the lowest speed. Pour into a ceramic or glass dish with a lid. Put a heating pad on your counter and turn it on low. Cover it with a kitchen towel, put the yogurt mixture on the towel and cover the entire thing with a large bath towel so it retains the heat. I do this just before I go to bed and it is perfect when I get up in the morning.
Do not disturb the incubation. During the incubation period the cultures multiply and thicken the milk.
I then refrigerate the incubated mixture for 2-3 hours until it has cooled completely and is cold clear through. Divide it in half or as you wish and flavor each in different flavors with cannery jams. Mix the yogurt and the jam together with a hand mixer until well blended. You can add chunks of fruit it you wish.
Set aside 1/3 cup plain yogurt before flavoring to "start" your next batch.
Oatmeal Breakfast bars
Submitted by Marilyn Park
I particularly liked this recipe, easy and quick to put together. The bars you buy at the store are loaded with sugar and have preservatives and things I don't want in my food. Plus these are high in fiber! Love that! Try this recipe.....I think you will really like them.
2 3/4 cups old fashioned oatmeal or 1 cup 6 grain rolled cereal and 1 3/4 cups oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
1/3 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup dry milk
1/4 cup water
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 to 1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup golden flax seed ground
1/2 cup palm shortening (or whatever you use)
1 grated apple with skin on
Cream egg, shortening and brown sugar and applesauce. Add all other ingredients and mix well, add raisins and nuts and grated apple last and mix in. This is a thick batter. Spread evenly on a non-stick 9X13 pan with a heavy spatula. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-16 minutes. 12-15 good sized bars.
Gearing up for fall and one project, two project.......
I can't believe it is already September...where did the time go? We are now on our 4th week of school and things are going great!
We are now gearing up for fall we have many projects we would like to do before winter sets in....One thing is we are going to build a greenhouse to start our veggie plants in. It is going to be big so it will be a lot of work but we are excited to get started......The second project is our chicken coop I am not sure if it will get done before spring but we are hoping:) If not I can wait until late spring:) We have most of the wood its just getting started:)
We have been pricing dwarf goats we found a male for $65.00 which we don't want but we are looking into maybe getting two females. That means we are also looking into electric fences. We are going to have to get educated on that:) The goats that we are looking at only weigh up to 25 pounds...I know really small almost the size of a small dog:) Although they will be small they still might try to get out so we will need to figure out what to do about that?
We have had the best year of fruit ever! We have lots of great pears and the peaches are wonderful. We have lived in our house for 9 years and this is the first year that we have had real fruit! I will have to learn how to can fruit:) I hope next year will be as good.
Our garden is still doing well. We bought some brocolli over the weekend and hope to get it planted this week. Our lettuce is about ready to be picked:) I will miss the garden when it starts getting to cold. Hopeful next year we will have the greenhouse up and then we can look at all year gardening:)
Many blessings,
Ma
Tuesday Visit
The news I've heard so far sounds very good, considering. Gustav didn't beat down on New Orleans as the thought for a while there. Our prayers are with the million plus folks throughout Louisiana without power and still bearing up under the remnants of heavy rain and winds.I worked on my Bible class lesson last night. Our Pastor was teaching verse by verse on Wednesday's from the book of Acts. He asked me if I would be willing to take his class for the rest of the year. I sort of agreed, tentatively, and said I'd pray over it.
No, I don't believe in women teaching Bible. Well, I certainly don't believe in women teaching men/boys. If it were a child's class, I probably wouldn't have the reservations, but this is teens.
The reason I agreed, for now at least, is that our church is incredibly small...on a really good week we have all of 25 faithful attend (truth be told, we have all of only 37 on the rolls right now altogether). Our teen class was started after we arrived....there were only 2 other children. We came to church and bingo -- youth explosion :o) Right now, for the 'teen' class, we have those 2 daughters of a friend, my two eldest girls, and my middle son. Once in a blue, blue moon, another friend of ours comes to church, but he is never able to be counted on. It just depends on what he feels like doing, and his family doesn't push otherwise. So, I would be teaching my own children...well, my own son. I don't have a problem with that at all. If the class were to grow to include other teen boys, I would not keep teaching.
Either way, I didn't stay with the book of Acts. I might change my mind, but right now, I went with a short study, 'introduction' as it were, to the 12 Apostles instead. Then I have something we had started here on the final days of Christ and His Resurrection. I'm just not sure what to do with the teens. I know my own children will follow and understand the study I have, but I'm not sure about the others. The 2 daughters are both saved, but their level of actual comprehension I don't know about. There is one more girl who comes every so often -- an elder's daughter -- but you can't count on her, either. It's Fair season throughout the Mid-South and she does alot of shows and demonstrations (she does rodeo stuff and barrel racing, plus her family runs a livestock sale and auction service).
Well, we'll see what happens.
On another note, Dewey and Christopher headed out early-squirrely this morning for the job in Arkansas. Straight into thunderstorms and rains. We are pretty sure we have forgotten to pack him something, but that's typical. You always feel like you are forgetting something when you don't really want to leave in the first place. But, we loaded his new truck to the gills...he might forget something, but he certainly won't lack for much of anything! The children each tucked drawings and such into his bags and toolbox for him to find. Right now, we are planning him back next weekend. This week they will get settled into the lease house, and start the process of hiring locally -- something that might be difficult. Everyone on this job must have their Arkansas Electrical license. If they can't man the job that way, it will go Union. Not a problem for Dewey as technically he is still Union, but Christopher won't be able to work the job then as he isn't in any of their schooling. Let's pray they can man the job themselves.
Question of the day -- if a tree falls in your yard and you aren't there to witness it, does it make a sound?
Yep. It does. Just after finishing on the grill yesterday, we were all sitting inside getting dinner ready at the table and we heard a whoooooosh and a light sort of thud. We al stared at each other like goofs...as if any of us had a clue what that noise was...and someone finally got the bright idea to get up and go look. There at the end of the trailer laid our pine tree. It wasn't the prettiest one we have by a long shot, but in the spring it was covered with a solid mass of wisteria up one side. Now, it's just lying there in the yard like...well, like a fallen tree.
I knew we shouldn't have mowed the side yard. We'd let it go for thee longest time (ok, so it was more out of laziness than any other reason...still...) but here we just mowed on Saturday and now Monday comes and down it goes. Could be all that tall grass and weed was holding the old tree upward.
And wouldn't you know it, but the chainsaw isn't working. So...next question of the day will probably be this:
How many homeschoolers does it take to drag a tree to the back pasture?
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