Home schooling :)

Today I had the priviledge of home schooling my three children today for the first time!!  It took a bit longer than we expected but we did get a late start.  We started around 10 this morning and we finished around 3:30!  Benjamin and Lizzie had Bible, history, geography, writing, spelling, math, reading, science and PE!  Sophia had a time of Bible, reading, writing and art for her K-4!  The kids all loved it and I had a great time too!  It was easier than I expected, but our curriculum pretty much spells out exactly what I need to do.  It helps to have kids that are eager to learn 🙂  I am excited about this year and this priviledge of teaching my children!  Sophia’s memory verse sums up my prayers for my kids attention span…..Proverbs 4:20 “My child, pay attention to what I say.  Listen carefully to my words.”  She is so cute, by the time we were finished with her time of learning, she almost had it perfectly down!  So sweet!!  If you think about us, please pray for the kids schooling, that all of our days would be as wonderful as today 🙂  Here are pictures of Benja and Lizzie working hard!!

Lizzie working hard!

Benjamin concentrating on his math!!

 

The Joys of No Water….

A couple of weeks ago, we realized that we did not have any water when we went to flush the toilet.  This happens every now and then.  This time we were told it was because they were doing road construction and broke the water line.  Well, we usually have drinking water that we have purchased, depending on the day of the week and how close it is to the time to buy again.  The closer to time, probably we will have less water.  Well, we had plenty of drinking water, so we were prepared for that 🙂  However, the harder part was that with 5 people in the house, we could not flush the toilet!  Not fun….

We took the kids to school that morning, so that was the first blessing of the day!  We could use the bathrooms there!!!  The next blessing was that it is the beginning of the rainy season here, so that afternoon we got a nice downpour!  Why was that a blessing?  Well, I was talking to a friend about how funny it was that we were without water to flush toilets, but there was plenty outside.  He laughed and he said, yea, too bad you could not put buckets outside and collect it and use it to flush your toilets.  See, he and his family have a reservoir at their house, so they always have water.  We however do not.  But I thought, that was exactly what I was going to do.  I only had one bucket, but I had bowls in the kitchen and I could use that!  As I was going to get the bucket from the wash area, I noticed the gutter spout with water pouring out of it!  I decided, we are not going to drink this, so this would be much quicker to collect it from the gutter!!!  So that is exactly what I did!  I have never been so happy to have functioning gutters!!!  Oh, the little things 🙂

It did get me thinking about how quickly each of our situations in life can change.  Are we prepared?  When the water would cut off regularly when we first arrived, we always had wipes handy for cleaning hands and bodies.  We had water stored in what we had on hand at all times, just in case.  Then it quit going away as often, so we dumped the stale water out and lapsed in refilling them.  Then when it went off again unexpectedly, we were not prepared.  It reminds me of the virgins and their lamps with their oil, prepared (or in some cases not prepared) to meet their bridegroom.  The picture is meant to make us realize that we need to be ready to meet our Lord at any moment, because at any moment, our situations can change and our time might be called.  Are you ready to meet your Lord?  Our God is perfect, whose perfection demands that we come before Him white as snow, covered only in the perfection of His son Jesus Christ who died for us on the cross.  It is my prayer that everyone examines their relationship with God.  Make sure that you are prepared, because our situations can change in a heartbeat and we may be called to stand before God.  Are you going to be white as snow before Him?  If not, ask right now for forgiveness of your sins and for Christ to deliver you from them.  He is ready for you to come to Him.

Here are pictures of me collecting water from our gutters, making up for not being prepared……

Precious water flowing into our bowl!

Me, so happy to be catching water!

Precious water

 

A Thought Concerning our Shepherd

We have been reading a book called “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23” by Phillip Keller.  We have read this book many times.  It is written by an experienced shepherd that became a pastor.  We highly recommend this book.  This is a thought that encouraged us…

“A point worthy of mention here is that whenever the shepherd opens a gate into fresh pasture the sheep are filled with excitement.  As they go through the gate even the staid old ewes will often kick up their heels and leap with delight at the prospect of finding fresh feed.  How they enjoy being led onto new ground….God wants us all to move on with Him.  He wants us to walk with Him.  He wants it not only for our welfare but for the benefit of others as well as His own dear reputation.  Perhaps there are those who think He expects too much of us.  Maybe they feel the demands are too drastic.  Some may even consider His call impossible to carry out.  It would be if we had to depend on self determination, or self discipline to succeed.  But if we are in earnest about wanting to do His will, and to be led, He makes this possible by His own gracious Spirit who is given to those who obey (Acts 5:32).  For it is He who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).”

We hope that this section of this book, as it highlights what those of us who are not shepherds might not fully understand about that imagery in the Bible, has encouraged you as it did us.  We feel that He has led our family to the new pastures of Costa Rica.  We are thrilled to follow His lead.   We only can be this way because we are leaning on Him and letting Him be our guide and our source for all our needs, our Great Shepherd.  We are trying to do our best to be diligent and wise with our decision making.  We are seeking to do His will and to bring Him glory.  That is all.  Please continue to pray for us.  That we would be humble sheep that glorify God.