Scenes from Tuesday

The washer is broken - again. They can't fix it until Friday. This is the second repair call on this NEW Kenmore. I'm not impressed. Meanwhile, we have to dump water into the tub before it will work. This is a LOT of work. The boys have been incredibly busy helping with laundry today.

Bre played Monopoly with Arielle and Nolan.

Arielle got one of the Mandie sets that I'd found online today.

Cy and Krista went and picked this up at Walmart for the younger ones.

I had ye ole' ARD appointment (below).

Cy, Krista, Stacia and I went to Sam's for the few things not in the pantry for this week's menu.

Jared did two more lawns today.

Jamin did more TOG and finished Culinary Arts today.

Dinner as planned - now that's a first in a while. I'm not nauseated today. That's a blessing.

Josiah went to work. The seller of the Toyota Camry that Cy wanted to buy called and accepted his offer. He was at work - but Mike called and let him know.

**Note - Blogger is messing up again. It's been a long time since I've had trouble. The message code (BX something) means that I need log in to blogger.com instead of beta.blogger....and then load one photo at a time. I only mention this in case others are having troubles too. Maybe I'll have Liz host my blog and then I won't be able to see my photos and won't care if they load. ::snort::

NOLAN'S ARD

Just back from Nolan's yearly ARD appointment. Whew - a full house today. They superientendent of special ed was there, the special ed coordinators from the school, the speech pathologist from the school and the speech therapist from the Rehab center where we receive services.

Upshot - we're making progress. He's at 70% understandibility in "unknown context" and with folks who don't know him. Our goal is 80% in unknown and 90% in known context by the end of next year. They are also watching fine motor skills and processing. It's a bit discouraging after the YEARS of speech we've had - but we began at 30% in context.

They suggest that I have Nolan begin doing his "written work" on the computer because there is less to process that way.....I said, "So are you saying just give up on pencils and HAND writing?" No - just let him do his writing assignments and such on the computer as they think it will be far easier for him.....I'm not sure. Mike and I will talk about it and think about this this summer. LOL

We aren't sure if we are going to continue services over the summer. Mike and I need to discuss that. The school won't pay for summer sessions but the Rehab center says that they will help us out if we need it.

Menu - Week of 21 May

Fresh Fruit, Salad and Steamed Veggies @ each meal

Monday - Pizza
Tuesday - Easy Turkey Stroganoff, green beans
Wednesday - BBQ Meatballs
Thursday - Chicken Pot Pie
Friday - Chicken Divan
Saturday - Burger/Steak Burn
Sunday - dine out

Standbys: Soup, Quesidilias (sp?), Meat loaf, Baked Chicken

No time to link today - but you can search this blog and find most (think all) these recipes if you want them.

The Joy of Groceries

Last night was Shop Natural co-op night. I bought lots of cereal. Some of us have been splitting cases to make it cheaper, we will not be ordering next month, and so I bought more than typical. The children know that the chips and cereal that come on the truck must last a month - and that's that until the next truck.

Early this a.m. I heard Zander, "Mooommmmm, Mom!!!" He found me in my rocker on the front porch.

"Yes, Zander?"

"Mom - THANK YOU for buying me gorilla food!!!"

And a hug...great way to start my parenting day.

Are you confused? Gorilla food = Enviro Kidz Orangutan O's ::snort::

Book Review: The Ministry of Motherhood, Ch 6

Chapter Six - Inspiring a Sense of Purpose (all emphasis mine, personal comments italicized)
This chapter begins with an incident in Sally's 16 yo son's life. Joel reminds me of a couple of our young men. She then goes on to discuss the cost of discipleship. Good stuff.
A really easy study if you'd like more study on this topic is put out by Precept. They have quite a few "40 minute" studies that work great for a light summer study with no homework, or a Sunday School class, or my personal favorite - a weekly outing with parent/child, or even a couples weekly study time. These studies are written for you to do the work in "class". I'm not sure the link will take you directly to the study - but click "study materials", "40 minutes", "Being A Disciple: Counting the Real Cost". It sells from Precept for $6.99.
OK - on with the quotes: LOL I marked many but will share a few. Feel free to share others.
"But sometimes I think we fail to consider that following the Lord might mean leaving behind the ordinary and the familiar. It means exchanging a temporal view of life for an eternal goal. And this may mean leaving behind things we really care about - involvements and pursuits that seem important and worthwhile but may not be God's best for us." p72 (I've lived this lesson)
"To fulfill God's design for their lives, our precious children must at some point determine to give Jesus allegiance in every aspect of their lives. There is a cost to discipleship, and that cost is everything!" p 73.
"What really mattered in Joel's case was not his decision but his questions. Instead of asking, "What kind of job should I train for?" or "What kind of career do I want?" he was asking, "With all the skills, background and personality the Lord has given me, how can I best serve him and tell others about his kingdom? What job should I pursue so that I may serve him best in all that I do?" p 75
This is so key. So often we, as parents, stress over our children choosing a future, a career....but we need to be helping our children see what really matters is loving God wholeheartedly, listening and obeying to Him constantly...and following His plan for their lives....hey...sounds like a graduation type thing huh? ::snort::
"We must strive as a family to keep our focus on the eternal, not the ordinary. We must be willing to pay the cost of discipleship, determined to lay up our treasures in heaven." p75.
"By God's standards, our children will be successful in life if they are willing to love and follow Christ wherever they are asked to go. And that is an attainable goal. What he has called us to do he will give us the ability to complete. " p 76 Yes, yes, yes!
"That is a final important word to me as a mother committed to discipling my children. I can train. I can teach. I can strive to be an example and to give my children the gift of inspiration. But it is Jesus who calls them, just as he calls me. And the, in the end, are the ones who must make the choice to follow him into extraordinary life." p76 I believe THIS is where we need to spend lots of face time before the throne for our children. Yes, I pray for personality traits. Yes, I pray about academics. Yes, I pray about a career and a future. Yes, I pray for godly spouses. BUT the biggest issue that I intercede before the throne for my children on is that they respond to His call, that they experience a work of saving grace in their lives. This is so much more important than the things that fill our schedule: the right math course, the right extra curricular opportunities, finding the right writing agent, applying for the right scholarships.....these things pale in comparison to their hearts following HARD after their savior and creator. As a mom who has had two grow up and leave home....and a third about to....I can attest that knowing beyond a doubt that your child KNOWS how to listen to God that your childs LOVES god with their whole heart brings great peace. I KNOW that if things look unclear now, it doesn't matter. They know how to listen. They know how to obey. They will make the right choices....and they will have to make their own choices....but they've been good ones. Yes, I still have a few things I wish we'd done differently in homeschooling or what not - but frankly - those are insignificant. If they aren't quite ready in a subject that they need, they'll take a bonehead class at college. If they've missed the gift of grace, inspiration....and yet excel at all else....well that would be a bigger pain for my mother heart to bear.....and so we continue...chosing the eternal view, training children to choose to obey, demonstrating what a whole hearted love of God looks like, demonstrating the cost of discipleship, demonstrating a faith that is real, demonstrating a purpose beyond simply exsisting....and our children observe. And honestly, I thank God often for His grace that covers my mistakes and failures in parenting....for His work in my child beyond what I can expect or ask or hope to see.

MONDAY

Hmmm....the highpoints of the day....

Debbie invited the girls (Arielle, Krista, and Bre) and I to lunch today. We had a nice lunch.

Josiah took a car he is looking at buying to a mechanic.

I worked on co-op invoices.

The girls and I took the younger ones and our dog to the Lake/park.

I picked up Mike and we met the Shop Natural truck. We inventoried and sorted groceries.

Jamin made us a couple of pizzas for dinner.

That's the day.....

Book Review: The Ministry of Motherhood, Ch 5

Chapter Five - On the Mountain a Model for Inspiration

This chapter begins be retelling the Ascension.

"Yet often, I think, we get lost in these multitudinous tasks that rule our lives, and we lose sight of the underlying purpose behind all these tasks, which is to prepare our children to go into the world and make disciples for our Lord.

Jesus promised that h would be with us. He also promised that he will come back. It is to him that we will have to give an account of how faithfully we sought to pass on his message and his commission to our children. Giving our children the gift of inspiration - helping them understand their spiritual purpose, which is to glorify God and to make him known - is one of the most crucial tasks of Christian parenting. " p 66

"Each of our children has been given a specific personality and a particular set of circumstances that will give shape to God's purpose for his or her life. It is our privilege and responsibility as parents to help our children understand their particular fit in God's plan. This means pointing our special skills and talents. It also means helping children realize that God didn't give them such skills and talents just to use on themselves, but to glorify him and bring others to him through the stewardship of their lives. In other words, we are to help them see themselves and their potential and then to inspire them for God's purposes." p 67.

This is one of those times I can almost hear myself talking. I've seen so many parents beat themselves up for the lifestyle their child has been raised in, for not having enough $, for having to many or to few children , or whatever.... and really God has given each child gifts, a personality and CIRCUMSTANCES that can be used by Him.....GOOD thing to hear, isn't it?

"When we remind our children of their eternal significance, using everything from lullabies to bedtime stories to simple phrases such as "I wonder how God will use you in the world?" we help fulfill the deepest need of their hearts to be a part of a kingdom that is much greater than they have ever seen or known. As we give our children the gift of inspiration, we will find ourselves being pulled down the road of our own purpose and significance, and we will intuitively verify the importance of God's design for motherhood." p 68.

Mike and I have worked with a lot of young people. It is so sad how many of them are searching for something BIG and MEANINGFUL, beyond themselves that is worth living and dying for. I think that so many youth are feeling this so strongly because as a society we've turned from God....and God gives this meaning to our hearts.