Discipleship through singing.... even with babies!

Tonight as we sat together singing songs about the birth of our Savior, Josiah even joined in. So of course, Mark videotaped it and uploaded the video for the world to see. Discipleship of our children starts very early, and we thank the Lord for each child He has blessed us with as it is a privilege to train children to know God and walk in His truth.

Deal of the Day- Large Family Logistics

Sorry this may be late for some of you, but the day just slipped away.  For a few more hours, you can get Large Family Logistics for only $8.00. This is great book that may help some of you organize your home and time.

Please bookmark this page for your Vision Forum shopping needs, as purchases through our site help our family. Thank you very much!   http://www.visionforum.com/1523-0-3-4.html

Settled into our new home

Well, it has been awhile since I have written but thought I would share about our new home.  We are living in Cushing, Maine a few miles from my parents house.  It is nice being close to grandparents that help out.  We very rarely leave the children but there were times during this recent pregnancy that the kids stayed with Grandma and Grandpa so I could go to the midwife.  What a blessing they were.

The house is perfect for us.  As I type this, the kids are outside running around our yard.  We have trees, rocks, a grassy area, and a big driveway.  We are on a hill overlooking the river.  When we moved in, the trees were just starting to change color

Minka's story of adoption

This article was shared with us by a friend, and I wanted to share it with you. 
Read the whole article here

"I do not remember all the details that revealed my pregnancy. My mother went to our German Lutheran pastor and together they determined the course I was to take. I was checked into a Lutheran Home and Adoption Agency for girls. I had never been away from home or my mother but I was at the mercy of their decision."

Minka was 16 years old when she found out she was pregnant. After much encouragement, she gave her daughter up for adoption. 77 years later, she met the daughter that she loved enough to give life to. Minka reflects on the lives that  would have been lost had she aborted her baby. A mother's love for her child remains a powerful force, even after years of separation physically. 

Cowperthwaite family: Yep, that's a baby in there!

Cowperthwaite family: Yep, that's a baby in there!: Some families choose not to find out the gender of their baby during pregnancy, others use the modern technologies available to find out. Ou...

Cowperthwaite family: Another large Christian family is on the air

Cowperthwaite family: Another large Christian family is on the air: Gil and Kelly Bates from Lake City, Tennessee have not been strangers to the public eye. With 19 children, surely any family this large woul...

Modesty from a young lady's perspective

This might very well be my new favorite Youtube channel. This girl has got her head on straight and her heart for the Lord. Same girl passing out 180 DVDs, please pass this around!

Days with Autism blog

We had this story passed on from a friend. We do not know the author personally, though we have hundreds of common friends. This blog chronicles Janice and her family as they learn more about autism, life, and the grace of God. This article really made us cheer, and we wanted to share it with the world.

Read the article here

Raising children or adults?

What is my responsibility as a mom?  Do I want to have children leave my house at 18 years of age or is my goal to send out capable, well prepared 18 year old adults?  I am sure we have all met 18 years old children.  The boy who spends his entire paycheck the day he earns it (if he has job).  The girl who does not know how to make a meal (other than mac n' cheese from the blue box) or does not know what to do with a newborn baby.

Now, don't get me wrong, There is a time and place for kids to just be kids.  I do not let my babies cry it out.  I want them to know that I love them and know there needs.  I know many loving parents who do let their babies cry, but in our family, the babies are baby-ed.  Samuel is almost 2 and he is definitely still a baby.

At some point, however, we start to expect more of them. Even now, Samuel helps with chores.  He is not washing dishes or mowing the lawn.  He is throwing away his wet diapers, putting his clothes in the laundry basket, and helping put away his toys.  Sometimes, he runs to do his chores and other times he needs some extra encouragement.  I want him to understand that he has a part in this family and he can contribute like everyone else.

Naomi, at 4 years old, can wash dishes (not all of them but she can do some), sort laundry, put away toys, sweep,  make a bed, wipe the bathroom,  help cook meals, and more.

Virginia, age 8, does all of the above, plus do laundry, makes simple meals, helps with baby care (getting Samuel dressed, or wiping his face) and more.

At 15, Nathaniel can do even more.  He can make simple meals by himself, and more complicated ones with instructions from the other room.  If needed, Nathaniel can keep the house running.  There may not be much variety to the meals when he is in charge, and cleaning may not be up to my standards, but we would all still have clean clothes and food in our bellies thanks to his efforts. The house would at least be clean enough to not cause sickness, though there may be dust bunnies living in the corners.  In all honesty, sometimes when I am completely capable, there are still dust bunnies in the corner.  Not often enough that we name them, but still there sometimes.

Getting back to my original thought in this post,  I have to ask a few questions: When our kids leave our care, will they be viewed by society as adults or children?  Will they be able to hold their own in the work force?  Will they be able to maintain their first apartment or will they not feel comfortable inviting friends over?

Some of these skills I needed to teach myself as an adult.  I want my children to know these basics.  I want adults to leave my house to step out into the world. My next post will entail more things we expect our kids to know before they leave the house.  Chores are just one aspect of this.

What do chores look like at your house?

When You Rise Up (A book review)

I wanted to do a quick review on a book that was highly recommended to me by a fellow homeschooler years ago which I bumped across on my shelf the other day.  "When You Rise Up: A Covenantal Approach to Homeschooling" brings out many good points in answering common objections to home education.  One of the arguments homeschoolers hear often is "Why do you think you are qualified to homeschool your children?" To be blunt, I know I am qualified because God gave me these children and told me to train them up in the way they should go.  Deuteronomy 6 talks about teaching your children in many different aspects of your day.  God gave us the children we have because He wanted us to teach them.

Another point the author makes is to really examine why we are teaching our children different subjects and skills.  Are we teaching are children to read so they will be ahead of their peers,. or so they can examine the truths of God's word for themselves?   Are we teaching them physics so they can get into an Ivy League college, or so they can see how awesome the God of the universe is by putting all these laws into motion?  Teaching is a great way for our students to learn more about God n every aspect of learning;  science, art, history, mathematics, and languages.

This book is a very good read and has helped us see that what we are doing in our home isn't strange even if it isn't typical. I recommend this book to all Christian homeschoolers or those thinking about homeschooling.  God has equipped you for the job and given you his Bible to lean on as a textbook.

"Whatever you do in word or in deed, do all to the glory of God"