2010 - A Year of New Beginnings

This last year has been a year of change, good change, though. At the beginning of this year, we changed to the ACE curriculum through the Australian Christian College, and it has proved to be an absolute blessing to each and every one of us.

Change doesn't come easy to me, and the change from Weaver to ACC has been one that we didn't make lightly - changes to our children's curriculum are only made after quiet prayer and contemplation, as it is so important to discern God's will for our children.

2009 has seen our son take striding leaps ahead, as he now works toward his Academic year 12 certificate, while our daughter, who is only 12, is moving toward her year 10 Academic certificate in 2010. Up 'til this point they were studying together, so 2010 will be a year of new beginnings, so to speak.

Normally I don't make a New Year's resolution, but after reading Susan's blog, I have decided to make one this year, and it is:~

• to spend more time in Bible reading, prayer and quiet meditation on God's Word

AND

• to give thanks in all things, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning me
  

Pray without ceasing.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5: 17, 18

May 2010 be a year of wonderful blessings for you as you walk closely with the Lord, knowing what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

It Appears that We are not Quite Finished - Yet

Well, it appears that with us making the curtain for the door window yesterday inspired my husband to swap the doors over, so that the leadlight door is now in the loungeroom, and we have a view out of our loungeroom, across the valley - hooray.

There was a method in what he was doing, though. The leadlight door has a lock and key, so that will keep me safe and secure during my sleepwalking episodes. How's that for love and devotion?

We thought that the doors were interchangeable, but the door in my daughter's bedroom is about five millimetres larger, so my husband now has to plane that one in order to make it fit - just as well he loves me!

After lunch, he is going into town to buy the putty to fix the leadlight door properly, some hooks and pencil pleating tape for the curtains for the door and the rod to hang the curtains on - I'm so excited - our home is coming together. Then, let the work begin... again!

When it is all finished, I will post a photo. Praise God for husbands who just love to work!

Post Script ~ My husband says that school starts in fifteen minutes - holidays are finished!

It is Finished

Today has been a day of "Just doing it", to quote my friend, Ruby. This morning my husband and I took down the rest of the curtains and finished washing them and also completed washing the rest of the windows.

But we weren't content to stop there - the lounge room door has a small window above the door (photo on right), and during the winter it is so very cold here (down to -8°C) that we have had a piece of blind tacked up to keep the bitterly cold winter out.

When we purchased our curtains (at an op-shop, of course), there were three curtains which works perfectly for us, as we need two for the large window, and we have cut the other curtain to make two more - one above the door, and one to go onto the leadlight door to create a privacy screen at night time. The leadlight door that belongs here is currently in my daughter's bedroom, but eventually, after painting, it will make its home where the frosted door is now. The advantage of having the leadlight door is that it has a clear glass panel, and we can take advantage of the spectacular view from our loungeroom.

I'm not used to finishing the "spring summer cleaning" so early, but thanks to Ruby, who has adopted the motto, "Just do it", we just did it, and it is finished. Praise God for friends who inspire us to do our best!

Praise God for Faithful and Loving Friends

Praise God for faithful friends, who know what you need, and know exactly where to find it. Our friend, Janice, took us to one of her favourite op-shops while we were visiting with her the other day, and we found just what we were needing - a new quilt cover set for the guest bedroom (left), a delightful rose patterned quilt cover set for our bedroom (right), a new pair of trousers for my husband, a pair of jeans for my son and a blouse and three new nighties for my daughter. We had been using a quilt cover for the guest bedroom from our very first home, back in 1990, and it was becoming very threadbare, but now our guests will have the finest of bedlinen.

We also found a book that has been on my "wanted" list for a very long time - We of the Never Never by Mrs Aeneas Gunn, and some other treasures, too - Station Life in Australia Pioneers and Pastoralists by Peter Taylor and A Treasury of Favourite Australian Poems by Lloyd O'Neill. These should keep my daughter reading for a little while. These books truly are "Living books".

Isn't it incredible how God uses people to fulfil His purposes on this earth? Our friend, Janice is a wonderful example of a Christian who makes herself available for God's purposes, and we love her with all our ♥.

Welcome to Christmas Day at our Home

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his name. - For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

He ... spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all. - Having yet ... one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him.

Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! - Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

2 Corinthians 9:15; Psalm 100: 1, 2, 4; Isaiah 9: 6-7; Romans 8:32; Mark 12:6; Psalm 107:21; Psalm 103:1; Luke 1:46-47

Daily Light from The Bible

ooOOO~OOOoo

Christmas day in our home was spent celebrating the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and reflecting on what His birth means to us. It is a day when we remember:

• His birth
• His suffering
• His death on the cross at Calvary
• the hope that He gave to one of the thieves - the hope of eternal life, the same hope of eternal life that He gives to us
• His resurrection
• that He constantly intercedes with God on our behalf
• that He went to prepare a heavenly home for us
• the hope of His future return when we will reign with Him

ooOOO~OOOoo

Our Christmas day was spent thinking on all these things; we read Scripture, prayed, praised God for His provision over us, exchanged gifts, and in the afternoon watched an excellent sermon on The God Channel about the Paradoxes of Christmas. In the Paradoxes of Christmas, Dr Youssef shares that Christmas teaches us:

• We should not judge an end by its beginning, because the babe in the manger will one day return in full glory..

• We should not judge things by their appearance because God hid His greatest gift in a humble package.

• We should make room in our ♥♥♥ for others, so that we can find room for Jesus. By reaching out and witnessing to those who need to hear about Jesus, we can experience Christ even more fully.
  

Christmas, in our home, is all about reminiscing over what our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ accomplished for us, and the sacrifice that our Father God made in order to restore fellowship with Him.

For some people, the only Christ that they see is the Christ that they see mirrored in us. How did you celebrate Christmas?

Praise...

O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. Isaiah 25:1

Our Father God, we do praise you for...

...the gift of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who came to earth as a baby, was bruised for our iniquities, suffered and died on the cross of Calvary, was resurrected, and now lives on the right hand of God, but still intercedes on our behalf.

...a wonderful day yesterday, when we travelled to Adelaide to have a Christmas celebration with friends - the day was absolutely perfect, not too hot, not too cold, and there were many people with whom we could celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

...Janice, whom the Lord uses mightily in His service. When I look at Janice, I see Jesus mirrored in her. Her home is almost like a halfway house for anyone who needs accommodation, and she never turns anyone away, providing a listening ear, food for the stomach and for the soul.

...granted travelling mercies - we had a wonderful and safe journey to Adelaide, yesterday, and we found an easy way of getting to Janice's that shaved almost half an hour off our trip.

...my husband, who quietly works in the background, never expecting anything for the work that he does.

...our children, who had a delightful time playing with the children yesterday, and who quietly get their work done.

...goats - goats who provide milk and meat for us, enabling us to make butter and cheese.

...His constant provision over us - May we always be thankful, remembering how much He has actually done for us and how much he continues to do for us each and every day.

Tim Tam Balls

Tonight my son and I made Tim Tam Balls, courtesy of Gae from Cherished ♥♥♥ at Home - thank you, Gae.

We had a wonderful time making these, and my son licked out the bowl with fervent vigour. My daughter loved cleaning up the excess sprinkles and my husband cleaned out the condensed milk tin - he said that it brought back memories of his childhood, visiting his grandpa and eating full tins of the stuff. Me, well I'm just happy to make them for everyone else, and maybe I might have one or two tomorrow. Some of these are going for gifts, so they're not all for us, although they do sound delightful.

Well, what else would we be doing on Christmas eve? Tomorrow we will be singing and praising our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, remembering the reason why He came to be born. Kylie from Blog, Blog, Blog has written a beautiful post about Silent Night, and how the Lord was sovereign at His birth, how He is still Lord, now; and how He can be Lord of your life, too.

It's Beginning to feel a lot like...

...Christmas

Our children have been having the time of their lives today, rediscovering Christmas' past, and have decorated our home with tinsel, found the candles and table centre and have really enjoyed making this a special time of year, when we remember the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

The centrepiece of our table has special significance for us, as it reminds us of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and also reminds us that we are to be a light to the world, and a city that is set upon a hill cannot be hid.

The nativity scene usually goes on a Christmas tree, and was given to us by a very special friend from Tumby Bay when our children were very small. We have decided not to erect the Christmas tree because the cats would find it absolutely irresistible - maybe next year???

We went grocery shopping today, and bought some extra special gifts for our friend in Adelaide, and my daughter and I still have to make some Tim Tam Balls to add to her gift. The turkey roll is cooked, and the lamb roast is merrily cooking away "as we speak". Everything is nearly ready for the day of celebration...

Thank you for your support, conversations and friendship over the last twelve months, and...

May the Lord grant you a wonderful and blessed Christmas!

Goats, Molasses and Cider Vinegar

I wonder how many heads you can actually fit into a container of molasses and Apple Cider vinegar. Our goats absolutely love molassses and Apple Cider vinegar, and it is like a vitamin supplement for them. It also keeps their teats soft. We buy the molasses from the local stock agent in a 20 litre container. In this photo, there are four goats with their heads crammed into the container, and they lick every drop out of the bowl.

The molasses and Apple cider vinegar are mixed in the ratio of:
1 cup molasses
1 cup Apple cider vinegar
15 litres of water


Do you get the idea that my husband spoils the goats - nah, never. There is only one of our goats that won't drink this, and that is Priscilla - she just stands back and lets all of the other goats fight over it - clever girl, Prissy!

Shortbread

Gae from Cherished ♥♥♥ at Home published an easy recipe for Shortbread, so this afternoon my daughter and I prepared and baked it. This recipe is really easy, and my daughter thoroughly enjoyed licking the bowl clean after we had finished spooning the mixture into the pan.

The next recipe that we are going to tackle is Tim Tam Balls, also from Gae - thank you, Gae, but this one will have to wait until we go shopping. It's lucky that this is a really quick recipe to prepare. This is the limit of our Christmas baking, as we normally buy a Lions Christmas Cake.

Some of this Shortbread will be given to friends of ours, as a part of their Christmas present. After all, isn't that what Christmas is all about? - for it is better to give than to receive.

JESUS - The Reason for Celebration

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;
And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;
And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;
And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;
And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:
And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;
And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;
And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;
And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;
And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Matthew 1

~JESUS is my Hope~

Hope of serving the Lord in heaven

the Hope of our Lord and Saviour returning to earth

AND

the Hope of a New Heaven and a New Earth

This is what our Christmas is all about - the Hope in our Saviour, the Lord, Jesus Christ. Let us forever praise His name!

My Source of Comfort

Praise God for keeping me safe, even during the night watch when my brain refuses to switch off, and I go sleepwalking. In our home, the cellar is below the guest bedroom (The Loft), and when you open the door, the steps are right inside, and I mean just inside the door, as you can see from the photos.

Last night I dreamed that I was in a strange house and was trying to find the toilet, but each time I nearly reached it, there was a flash of light and it disappeared. Apparently I opened the cellar door, knocking the washing trolley right down to the bottom - praise God that it wasn't me. My husband put the washing trolley in front of the door, knowing that I sleepwalk, in the hope of preventing me from ending up down in the depths of the cellar, or, at the very least it would waken him.

Well, next thing that I know, my husband is picking me up from the third step down in the cellar room, and he escorted me to the REAL toilet. Apart from some bruising to the backs of my legs and a very sore back, I am alright, and I really do praise God for watching over me and keeping me safe.

My husband is going to modify the lock on the cellar door, so that it can be kept locked from now on, but I know that God has His hand on me, and that He is my source of comfort.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Isaiah 41:10

What's for Dinner at our Home?

What's for dinner at our home tonight? Well, it's holidays, and our son is preparing dinner for us - farm-fresh roast chicken and roast vegetables, followed by Banana Cake, custard and ice-Cream. My son has created the stuffing for the chicken all by himself, and the chicken is basted with oil and a little lemon juice. Oh, it smells so delightful, up here in the school room.

I challenged him this afternoon as to whether he is going to take it up for a living, but he said, "No, I'm too slow, and I don't work well under pressure." I think that he's done an excellent job, but as they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, or as in this case, the Roast Chicken and the Banana Cake. Praise God for willing helpers, and that our son loves cooking!

According to Ussher

Abbreviations Used in Ussher's:~

• AM - Years of the world from Creation
• JP - Julian Year starting at January 1, 4713BC

After the year denoted by AM, one of four letters may be affixed

• a - autumn
• b - winter
• c - spring
• d - summer
  

4000a AM, 4709 JP, 5 BC

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born of the most blessed virgin Mary at Bethlehem in the fullness of time. Matthew 1:25; 2: 1,5 Gal. 4:4 Mary wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the inn. Luke 2:7

The birth of our Saviour was revealed by an angel of the Lord to shepherds who were waching their flocks by night in the neighbouring fields. They heard the words of a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and goodwill to men". The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. They told everyone what they had heard concerning the child and came back praising and glorifying God. Luke 2: 8-20

4000b AM, 4710 JP, 4 BC

The child was circumcised on the eighth day after his birth and was given the name Jesus, as had been foretold by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. Luke 2:21

The wise men from the east were guided by a star and came to Herod at Jerusalem. When they were told that the birthplace of Christ was in Bethlehem of Judea, they went there and entered the house which was shown to them by the star that stood over it. They found the little child with his mother, Mary. They fell down and worshipped him and gave him their treasures of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They were warned by God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, and so they departed into their own country by another way. Matthew 2: 1-12

On the fortieth day after her delivery, Mary and Joseph went to Jerusalem to the temple, to present the child to the Lord according to the law of the firstborn. She offered a pair of turtle doves for herself, or two young pigeons, for she could not afford to offer a lamb. This was according to the Levitical law. Luke 2: 22-24, 27; Leviticus 12: 2-4, 6, 8

According to Ussher's, when the wise men presented their gifts to the infant Jesus, Jesus was between eight and forty days old; Jesus was born in the autumn.

The Annals of the World, James Ussher, 6059-6063
James Ussher's Classic Survey of World History

The Touch of the Masters Hand

The Touch of the Masters Hand

'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But he held it up with a smile;
"What am I bidden, good folk?" he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?
A dollar - one dollar - two, only two -
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
Going for three" - but no -
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loosened strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a carolling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, "Now, what am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow;
"A thousand dollars - and who'll make it two?
Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand once - three thousand twice -
and going - and gone," cried he!
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand;
What changed its worth?" Quick came the reply,
"The touch of the Master's hand."

And many a man with life out of tune,
and battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin;
A mess of pottage - a glass of wine,
A game - and he travels on;
He's going once - and going twice -
He's going - and almost gone!
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul, and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the Master's hand.

Myra Brooks Welch

This poem is one that we had for LLATL, and my daughter has managed to remember it word for word. I love this poem, and how true it is, for the change that's been wrought in many people by "The touch of the Master's hand" is nothing short of a miracle.

Scripture Cake

Above is my trusty, very old Green and Gold Cookbook, twenty sixth edition, that my mum received when she was first married. It cost 10/6, which would have been 10 shillings and sixpence, and it was purchased from the Beck Book Co. Ltd, New and Secondhand Bookseller, 17-19 Pulteney Street, Adelaide. It is a little the worse for wear, but it has been used constantly for over half a century, and has some of the best tried and true recipes in it, one of which is: ~

Scripture Cake

• Four and a half cups 1 Kings, iv chapter, 22nd verse
• one and a half cups Judges, v chapter, 25th verse, last clause
• two cups Jeremiah, vi chapter, 20th verse
• two cups 1 Samuel, xxx chapter, 12th verse,
• one cup Numbers, xvii chapter, 8th verse
• half cup Judges iv chapter, 19th verse
• two tablespons 1 Samuel xiv chapter, 25th verse
• six eggs, Jeremiah xvii chapter, 11th verse
• two tablespoons Amos iv chapter, 5th verse
• pinch of salt Leviticus ii chapter, 13th verse
• spice to taste 1 Kings x chapter, 10th verse

Follow Solomon's rule for making a good boy, and you will have an excellent cake: Proverbs xxiii, chapter, verses 1 to 14.

-A.C., Georgetown - Green and Gold Cookbook

Praise for this Week

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. Psalm 28:7

Praise our Heavenly Father for...

...His everlasting provision over us - for sending His Son to die in our place for our sins, for the food that He places on the table, for travelling mercies granted and for answered prayer.

...helpful, willing hands that simply get the job done. Our children have been a wonderful help with cleaning out the cupboards and reclaiming our home as our own once again. This time of year is a time when we have our "spring clean", and then everybody can relax and enjoy the holidays.

...my husband, who also spent time yesterday making our home a nicer place to live, and for all the things that he does for us that go largely unnoticed.

...my son's new computer and Wacom Intuos4 graphics tablet, which will hopefully make it easier for him to complete his graphic design work.

...friends - blogging friends, internet friends and IRL friends who make this place a delighful place in which to live - for my friend, Janice, who makes us feel special.

...our cats, who keep our home free from vermin, especially rats and mice, but we also have a cat, Moonlight, who tackles rabbits and snakes, too.

...our home - comfy beds where we can snuggle up on these cold summer nights, a roof over our heads to keep us dry and protect us from the harsh summer sun and a place that welcomes us when we return from long journeys to Adelaide.

...the ability to homeschool openly - there are many people who don't have this ability, and who must homeschool "underground", such as the German homeschoolers, and now it appears that Sweden is also changing its homeschooling protocol. In the United Kingdom, it appears that criminal background checks will be introduced, further eroding the rights of the homeschooling parent. Please pray for homeschoolers worldwide that they might have the freedom to be able to homeschool openly.

...I am encouraged to think about why I praise my Heavenly Father. For more praises, or to add your own praises, head on over to Jennifer's.

Coal Miner's Daughter?

Today we have been flat out cleaning out cupboards and washing all of the crockery, cutlery and plastic ware before replacing it all in the sparkling clean cupboards. I washed the dishes while our children dried all of the dishes without murmurings and disputings (Philippians 2: 14-15). These days I also look for complete, quiet and quick obedience from our children, and today they were very keen to obey. My husband also cleaned the sunroom windows near the lounge room.

Following this, my daughter and I cleaned and washed the silver service cutlery set that my mum gave us a couple of months ago. What a messy job that was, even though we used the silver polishing cloth included with the cutlery set! By the end of the time, I looked like a 'Coal Miner's Daughter', or maybe that should have been a coal miner.

My son also cleaned out the laundry sink cupboard, and my daughter was happy to replace all of the toiletries in the bathroom vanity unit after we had cleaned this cupboard out. My son and daughter also cleaned out the medicine cupboard, and it was lovely to see them work together in an attitude of harmony and cooperation.

My husband even shifted our leadlight cupboard and cleaned behind it because it seemed too good an opportunity to miss, with the cupboard being empty. I love to tackle all of the difficult jobs at the beginning of the school holidays, and that way I feel as if I can rElAx. Praise God for willing helpers! Now, what can we line up for Monday - a chiropractor visit, if we're not careful???

What About Christmas Gifts?

Christmas is all about thinking of others first, and God set the precedent for gift-giving when He gave His very own Son, a living sacrifice for the sins of the world. He came to be born, to dwell among us and to die, a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins, to be resurrected and to finally take His place with God, the Father in Heaven. We have hope in life eternal because of this precious gift.

Then, there were the Magi who came when Jesus was a young child, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

AND

The gift of the Holy Spirit ~ For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;

Romans 1:11

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

1 Corinthians 12:7

In the Spirit of Christmas giving this year, we have given to The Voice of the Martyrs, Australia, for the children of the persecuted church in Colombia who, without this gift would have had no Christmas at all. Their Mothers and Fathers have been martyred for the cause of preaching the gospel, and some of the children have been taken in by their aunts and uncles. We felt that this was such a worthy cause that we donated to it.

Do I say this so that you can see what good people we are - no, I just thought that there might still be time, for people who felt so inclined, to give to this worthwhile cause.

Each gift pack includes:

• a school pack (includes notebooks, pencils, sharpeners, erasers and a box of colouring pencils)
  
• toiletries kit (includes tooth brush, tooth paste, soap)
  
• He Lived Among Us Gospel booklet
  
• T-shirt with a Christian message
  
• food
  
• a toy
  
• and a carry bag.

Each pack costs only $20.00, but for a child in Colombia, it will make the world of difference. What price the smile of a child?

Your Life is Jesus to Someone

YOUR LIFE is Jesus to someone,
Though tattered and torn it may be.
Though often times weak and unstable,
You're all of God someone will see.

YOUR TONGUE is Jesus to someone.
That idle, insensitive word,
Reflects to at least one searching heart,
An idle, insensitive Lord.

YOUR GOALS are Jesus to someone.
What you put first, they believe,
Are the goals of God for the Christian.
Your life is all they receive.

YOUR FAITHFULNESS is Jesus to someone.
Their judgement of how God is true,
Rests unquestionably in the faithfulness
They see day by day in you.

YOUR LOVE is Jesus to someone.
That someone who is seeking to know,
That Jesus will follow and guide and,
Befriend wherever in life they might go.

SO BEWARE lest others blaspheme,
God by what you say or do,
For the only Jesus that someone knows,
Is the Jesus they see in you.

'Tis Supposed to be Summer

I thought that this was supposed to be summer??? Today it has been back to winter weather, with everybody rugged up in jumpers again. Mind you, I'm not grumbling - I LOVE the cooler weather. The photo (above left) was taken facing west, and the one on the right was taken facing east from our driveway.

I love the change in seasons - I love the soft caramel of stubble in the fields - I love the harsh contrast between the lush green paddocks of winter and the dry and parched landscape of summer. God created seasons for a reason, and in Genesis 8:22, He says, "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."

God also tells us, in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." I praise God for every good and perfect gift that comes down from the Father of Lights, in whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning; I give thanks for the rain that He has so generously sent us, and the cooler weather after the 40°C days.

The Fourteen Days of Homeschooling (sung to The Twelve Days of Christmas)

On the first day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Can you homeschool legally?"

On the second day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Are they socialised, can you homeschool legally?"

On the third day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Do you give them tests, are they socialised, can you homeschool legally?"

On the fourth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialised, can you homeschool legally?"

On the fifth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "YOU ARE SO STRANGE! What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialised, can you homeschool legally?"

On the sixth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "How long will you homeschool, YOU ARE S0 STRANGE, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialised, can you homeschool legally?"

On the seventh day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialised, do you homeschool legally?"

On the eighth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE! what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialised, do you homeschool legally?"

On the ninth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "They'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialised, do you homeschool legally?"

On the tenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "What about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they’re missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialised, can you homeschool legally?"

On the eleventh day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "I could never do that, what about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE! what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialised, can you homeschool legally?"

On the twelfth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Can they go to college, I could never do that, what about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialised, can you homeschool legally?"

On the thirteenth day of homeschool I thoughtfully replied: "They can go to college, yes you can do this, they can have graduation, we don't like the prom, we do it 'cos we like it, they are missing nothing, we'll homeschool forever, WE ARE NOT STRANGE!, We give them P.E., and we give them tests, they are socialised, AND WE HOMESCHOOL LEGALLY!"

On the fourteenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "How can I get started, why didn't you tell me, where do I buy curriculum, when is the next conference, WILL PEOPLE THINK WE'RE STRANGE? I think we can do this, if you will help us, we'll join a sports team, and we'll homeschool legally."

Hannah - A Very Special Little Girl

The last couple of days have been full of surprises, as Janice and her daughter, Hannah have been holidaying with us. Hannah has been absolutely delightful, and is becoming a beautifully natured young lady who captivates and steals people's ♥♥♥.

This young girl has Down's syndrome. I really don't want to dwell on this because she is far more than that. I really dislike labels, as they don't tell you about the nature or the mental capacity of the individual, but it's important to the story that I'm about to tell.

We first met Janice and Hannah when both Janice and I were breastfeeding, and as the children grew, so did our friendship. Hannah grew and when we were living in Tumby Bay the last time, Hannah was a very strong and very determined little girl. My most vivid memory is of Janice visiting, and Hannah sitting next to our bedroom, holding on to the door handle with me trying (very unsuccessfully) to prise her hands off the door handle, and when I achieved this, she plonked herself down and refused to budge. Do you think that I could move her - not a chance?

This very same little girl is now the young lady who came to visit with us, and she is growing into such a delightful young lady. She can now read fluently, her manners are absolutely impeccable and she has an extraordinary memory.

Today we have played Kelly pool, which is a challenge for most adults to remember what ball they have, but Hannah remembered easily. After several games of Kelly pool, we played Fish, and again her memory came into play, as she reminded us that her dad taught her to play Fish. When I spoke to Janice about this, she remarked that it was many years ago, but yes, her dad definitely did teach her to play Fish.

Next, we played Concentration, where you turn up two cards trying to find pairs, and her memory absolutely astounded me. She won hands down, and my daughter is no slouch at playing this game, either. These skills have been learned, and who taught them - her mum, with the help of a very special team around her. Hannah also attends a Christian school, and you can really see God's hand on her.

The two girls have had a wonderful time this weekend, cuddling the goat kids and spending time with the adult goats, but it has been the time that we have spent together that I have thoroughly enjoyed the most. Hannah is truly a credit to her mum, who has now been clear from cancer for three months, but it can't have been easy for her, having cancer and trying to bring Hannah up in the nurture of the Lord. Praise God that He was there beside her, guiding and comforting her in her times of trial.

I have thoroughly enjoyed re-meeting Hannah, spending time with her and really getting to know her, the real her and not just a name that describes a condition that she has. Hannah - a very special young lady, who is welcome here, anytime, and who has captured our ♥♥♥. Hannah, we love you!

Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart -
Nought be all else to me, save that Thou art;
Thou my best thought, by day or by night -
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise -
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart -
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven's joy, O bright heav'n's Son!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Trans. by Mary E. Byrne; Versified by Eleanor H. Hull

This would have to be my favourite piece of poetry, hymn and praise song. Its words have such depth of meaning, and it speaks to my ♥.

Today has been such a busy day, and our friend, Janice, and her daughter are here for the next couple of days. We had a wonderful day today catching up, and tomorrow, well who knows what tomorrow will bring. Janice's daughter and my daughter have had such fun with the goat kids, and singing, laughing and watching Smile of a Child on free-to-air Satellite TV. This station is excellent, and you won't find anything of objectionable content on it.

Tonight we had Quiche and salad, followed by Bread and Butter pudding and ice-cream, and it was absolutely delicious. Now, I will bid you all a very good night; see you tomorrow, and may all your dreams come from God.

What has my Daughter been Doing?

Well, first of all she baked Apple Cinnamon Muffins - recipe here. However, we did change the recipe - instead of all purpose flour (plain flour), we used SR flour and did away with the baking powder, and we grated the apple rather than chopping it finely. They turned out very well.

Next, she made an Apple Cake, which is a recipe from a very dear family friend in Tumby Bay. Her husband says, "It's not really Apple Pie, but it's the next best thing to it."

Apple Cake Recipe

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup sugar
1 cup S.R. flour
1 egg
¾ cup milk
3 or 4 apples peeled and sliced

Method
Cream butter and sugar well together. Add egg and mix well. Add milk and mix well. Add flour and mix well until there are no lumps.

Pour half the batter into a greased cake tin. Layer sliced apples over mixture. Pour remaining batter over apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 180°C for 45 minutes.

These recipes are tried and true. I thought that it was supposed to be holidays, but it appears that no matter how hard we try to be on holidays, learning will still occur!

Making Soft Goat Cheese

At the moment, we have an abundance of goats' milk, so my husband and son decided to have a go at making Goat Cheese.

The recipe that we used comes from here.

It uses 1/2 gallon fresh goats' milk (unpasteurised), the juice of two lemons and sea salt.

Firstly, we heated the milk on medium heat to 185°F. Then we removed it from the heat and stirred in lemon juice, continuing to stir it until the milk has curdled. Next, we added ½ tablespoon coarse salt (kosher salt or sea salt). After this, we strained the milk through cheesecloth. Finally we wrapped the curds in cheesecloth and hung it in the refrigerator to drain overnight.

This soft goat cheese is great on cracker biscuits or added to a salad or pasta.

The nutritional information for soft goat cheese per 1 oz is:

• Calories ~ 76
• Protein ~ 5.25
• Total Fat ~ 5.98g
• Carbohydrate ~ .25g
• Sugars ~ .25g
• Calcium ~ 40 mg
• Magnesium ~ 5 mg
  

Finally, the taste test, and it tastes like a cross between Playdough and car tyres - oh well, back to the drawing board! Meanwhile, I'm still looking for a good recipe for soft goat cheese - one that tastes like cheese.

Praise for this Week

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2: 9-11

Praise You, our Heavenly Father for...

...keeping our home and family safe during the last week and giving us the knowledge to prevent our computer from catching fire.

...my husband's ability to be "Mr Fixit", and that he actually keeps items to enable him to fix things cheaply.

...my husband, who has been working really hard since we finished homeschooling for the year - does that ever happen, that is finishing homeschooling for the year, as learning continues to happen every day, not just during the "school year".

...our friend, Janice, and her daughter are coming up tomorrow for a couple of days rest and relaxation.

... it is school holidays, giving us the ability to spend more time in fellowship with God and in doing the chores that get somewhat neglected during the school year, and to rest and recharge our minds and bodies.

...His Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ who came to this earth in the form of God/man, was born, lived a sinless life, was crucified and resurrected - all to save His people from their sins, and to restore our fellowship with God, the Father. What an amazing sacrifice our Heavenly Father made just for us!

... our children, who are becoming very helpful around our home, taking on extra chores so that we all find time to rest these holidays.

... friends - blogging friends, internet friends and IRL friends, whose friendships I value highly, and who help us to become more like Jesus in our walk with Him.

...warmer weather, so that we can spend the time outdoors, closer to God's Creation.

May we, as Christians, unite this Christmas to keep the focus on our Lord and Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, showing the world our true Christian spirit, and mirror His love toward all.

My Husband can't wait for us to go Back to School

Today is the first day of our school holidays, but already my husband can't wait for us to go back to school. So far today, I have had him mowing the lawns, mulching the strawberries, vacuuming and blowing the back area of our home, hanging up curtains that I have washed - lucky that he's tall, isn't it? He has also been watering the lawns and plastering the walls of the house.



Why all the cleaning up?
Well, where we live, this is the time of year for brown snakes, and if the lawns aren't kept mowed, you can't see if there is anything hiding in the grass, and likewise with the back area. There were so many leaves that any snake could have hidden in there easily. Do you get the impression that I don't like snakes? Well, you're definitely right there!

What have I been doing?
Well, my husband said, "Cracking the whip", but I have been busy supervising, making sure that things are done properly. My asthma precludes me from mowing, blowing with the blower-vac or mulching the strawberries with pea straw, but I provide the inspiration while my husband provides the perspiration.

My husband said, "If this is the first day of school holidays, I'll be glad when you go back to school". Well, that was the first day - what is left to do? Well, we still have to clean out the deep freezer, clean the rest of the windows, and there are ten sliding windows just in the sunrooms, as well as the rest of the house that we didn't do today, and then there are the curtains...

Major Meltdown - Well, Nearly!

This afternoon we had major dramas in our home - my computer was having a meltdown, literally. We had this funny smell in the schoolroom, and we really couldn't find where it was coming from. Was someone spraying outside - highly unlikely, as it is harvest time, not seedtime? Was the smell emanating from the new computer monitors - no, not from there, either.

We escaped down to the kitchen for lunch, and I came back into the schoolroom to open the window and hopefully get rid of the smell of burning plastic when I wondered if it was my computer power supply fan. Sure enough, that's what it was - the case of the computer was that hot that it nearly took the skin off my husband's hands. I thought, "This is a good start to the school holidays", but my husband had the situation well in hand. He disappeared for a short while and came back with another power supply box. Aha, it was from the last time that we had to replace the power supply, but the fan was still good. Oops, I shall never again complain about the stuff that my husband keeps - as he keeps telling me, it will come in useful one day, and he was right, but shhh, don't tell him - he might decide to keep anything and everything, and that would never do.

If you look carefully inside the power supply box, you can see a black piece of plastic (fan) in the back right corner, and that was the culprit for my computer overheating - it just stopped working. My computer is now super fast again, but it had been getting slower and slower. My husband only commented yesterday that my computer was very quiet. Hmmm...if your computer is a Pentium, and it suddenly goes quiet, make sure that your fan is working - it should be blowing cool air out of the back of your computer.

That's not the only thing that he has fixed in the last twenty four hours - he also fixed my daughter's hairclip that she uses in the shower to keep her hair from getting wet. Apparently he kept the last broken one just in case it should come in handy, and in this one the spring holders broke, so he made one out of two.

Praise God for my husband whose name should be "Mr Fixit", 'cause if he can't fix something, it's definitely beyond repair.

Lovely, or Should that be Practical Letterboxes?

After reading Rhonda's blog, I came up with a brilliant idea. Why not have everybody email in their lovely - ahem, functional letterboxes? Our letterbox is anything but lovely, but it is very practical. Our school books come in a HUGE box that simply wouldn't fit into our previous letterbox, so they used to be just placed beside the letterbox on the ground, and that was quite OK except during the winter months, when we would have to be rather vigilant about being there when the mail arrived (three days a week). It is a three kilometre drive to our mailbox, too.

Homeschooling in the bush entails being very creative with our solutions, and this "letterbox" is just one of those creative solutions - it didn't cost much, but is very practical as all of our books fit into it easily. It is a 200 litre freezer, and the only cost was the catch used to hold it shut. My husband did have to modify it, though, as it used to build up condensation inside it, so he drilled holes into the bottom and sides of it and placed flyscreen over the holes to keep any unwanted visitors out.

If you would like to participate in the Lovely or Practical Letterbox theme, could you please email me a photo of your Lovely Letterbox? The email address for this is: - homeschoolmum4christ(at)designflame(dot)com(dot)au

Come on - what do you say? There must be lots of different letterboxes out there, and it would be interesting to see the variation between country and city homeschoolers, and you don't even need to be a homeschooler to participate.

What Have We Been Doing?

What have we been doing for the last week of school? Well, the other day we made Christmas cards, but here we have been replacing the mulch around the roses. The previous pea straw had rotted away, so we removed what was left of it and composted it, replacing it with fresh pea straw which my husband mowed to make it finer, so that it was easier to place around the rose bushes. They have grown so much since last year and are looking so much healthier. After mulching them, we misted them with a fine spray of Seasol to help them through the summer.

Then, the next job that we tackled was the pruning of the front garden. Each year we prune back the larger plants so that they don't become straggly and blow apart during the strong winds that we sometimes have in summer.

We spent all day in the garden and achieved much, but there is still more to be done - the grevillea hedge still needs trimming, but today is the end of our school year, so I shall just add it to our ever growing list of chores to be completed over the holidays. Praise God for the flexibility of homeschooling!