Changes to My Blogging and My Husband's Job

As much as I love to post new things for my family, friends, and children to read, I am realizing that I simply just don't have the time. My children are so little still, and they deserve the better part of me.

But, I don't want to stop keeping track of our daily happenings around here as I believe it is an important tool to teach my children to walk in their faith. So, I will be starting a new way of doing this.

Jim Bob has taken on the privilege of being the new Editor-in-Chief of Homeschooling Today® Magazine effective immediately. This is going to cut into my blogging time since I will be helping him with edits and other responsibilities associated with running the magazine. He would also like for me to write periodically for the magazine, so this will be more the outlet for my ponderings than this blog. In fact, my first article is due out in the upcoming issue!

I would still love to hear from those of you who so sweetly follow my blog, so I will post new things periodically at the Homeschooling Today website along with writing for the Homeschool Helper email. You can still comment here if you wish to contact me, however, be advised that I won't be checking it quite as frequently as in the past.

We are excited about the changes the Lord has brought into our lives and we are thrilled to share them with you. God is so good to us... better than we can ask or imagine. Please praise Him with us for this new season in our lives!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Ahhh, But It Is Good To Be Home

"How many many friendships life's path has let me see; I've kept a scrap of each to make the whole of me." —Anon.

We have arrived home after an almost two-week journey throughout the Midwest to do some business and see friends. This trip was very last-minute, so much so that I didn't have time to think about what to post while we were gone. But, now that we are back and I've had some time to think it over, I will begin posting some pictures of our trip.

We were able to see our friends, the Carpenters again. Our time with them is always so sweet. We also saw the Servens again. Why is our time with them always so short? And finally, we spent a number of days with James and Stacy McDonald and their beautiful family.

"Some people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same." —Anon.

It is truly amazing what time away from home with godly friends can do for a tired soul! We are so refreshed, relaxed and revived! We came home with a new outlook toward all of life's daily struggles, and we know fully the refreshment of being with the Saints. Thank you to all of our dear friends who made our family so comfortable and welcome in your lovely homes.

"The beauty of the house is order, the blessing of the house is contentment; the glory of the house is hospitality." —Anon.

One thread we have noticed that all of these dear friends have in common is their love of hospitality. It is rare indeed to enter a house and find that you have instead entered a HOME. We ate sumptuous meals, laughed long and loud, engaged in deep, satiating conversation, and experienced the satisfaction of worship with sweet friends. It is a rare find, that truest of all measures of God's love, to feel His hand stretched out to you through the tender care and mercy of His people. We have been blessed through these friends, these precious brothers and sisters in the Lord.

I have come home with a sharper vision of what it means to make a house a home. The Lord has challenged me, through some of His own, to be even more the heart and keeper of my home. To Him be the glory and praise for this time of rest and refreshment!

"But every house where Love abides
       and friendship is a guest,
Is surely home, and home sweet home;
       for there the heart can rest."
           —Henry Van Dyke

Too Much Going On...

To my dear blogging friends who so graciously read my posts and even check in frequently when I haven't gotten around to posting anything for a couple of weeks,

Thank you for your continuing interest in my random postings, thoughts, dreams, and adventures. I will be posting more heartfelt musings and ponderings of our great Lord and King before long, but for now I must be content only with a brief check-in from time to time. Many things are going on here in the Howard home, too many for me to write about at present, but as soon as I can, I will fill you in. Suffice it to say that we are in a time of refining around here. We are praising the Lord for His graciousness to us in this time and for making us more like Himself in the process. Where refining is happening, there is gold to be had in the end, and we have no doubt that He is hard at work to reveal greater treasures in us that are of Himself than we could ever have asked or imagined. He is so very faithful.

So, in the meantime, I will be posting pictures of some of the cute things my children have done, or of the incredible beauty of autumn in our area, curriculum for this year, or of things we've done (like an upcoming picture of my first venture into making sourdough bread from scratch and an art project for the living room that we are all going to work on!)

Thanks for hanging in there with me!

Amy

Sweet Friends...

I received, in the mail today, a package from a dear friend in Tennessee. What a sweet surprise to end a rather stressful week! Since she knows that I am an avid collector of all things Cherry, there were all manner of things Cherry in that package, from cherry bon bons, chocolate cherry truffles, cherry embroidered tea towels, to (o.k., so this part has nothing to do with cherries... but who cares!) a Starbucks gift card so that I can go have a nice hot cup of cafe au lait and some time to myself! How thoughtful a gift!

I praise God for my dear friends, and for His faithfulness to bring them into my life and allow me to grow through their example to me and (hopefully) mine to them. We are to encourage, edify, and charge each other with the high stance of looking heavenward to our Heavenly Father for His provision, grace, and love. This is the love of Christ.... to love as He first loved us. My friend could not have known the week I have had... all manner of stress and strain. But God provided her gift to me at the perfect time—His time—to show me that He is answering my prayers and is faithful. "His mercy endures forever," as the psalmist states, and sometimes that mercy is through our friends—without them being aware of it.

Never take for granted that God gave you your friends. Thank Him today for them. He has provided one of His best gifts to you through them. Take the time to tell them so!

My dear friend in Tennessee, (you know who you are ;) ) thank you for your love, encouragement, and for the joy the Lord brought into my life today through you! You are a dear sister, and your kindness is a Christ-like, loving, and generous blessing to me!

PS: I posted this because I figured I'd never get the "Thank You" in the mail to you! ;D

A Secretary Desk and Tea

I have wanted (needed actually) a secretary desk for a very long time. I've looked in consignment, I've looked in garage sales, I've looked in retail outlets, antique stores, etc.

Before—BLAH!

But I have never found one that was exactly to my liking; nor were any of them at a price I could justify paying.

Ingenuity and resourcefulness to the rescue! I've been reading a lot lately at Homeliving Helper about resourcefulness and creativity. "Why spend so much when I can just reuse or recycle what I already have?" Maybe it's the Scot in me, but "me blood boils" at the thought of the lack of thriftiness in our postmodern society's ways.

Last weekend when we were rearranging our children's bedrooms—trying desperately to get the girls into one room so we can have ours back—we realized that a bookshelf that was sitting in our girls' bedroom just wouldn't fit in there anymore. So, we thought about where we could move it in the house (homeschoolers can always use more bookshelves in just about every room, can't we?) when we suddenly had an idea. Why not just put it behind the old Singer sewing machine I've been using as a desk in our living room? So, we did. It looked a little strange as the wood on the two pieces were of different stains, and the styles of the furniture were from different eras (as in... about 80 years apart).

Creativity to the rescue...

"Doilies anyone?!!" I went into my linen closet to retrieve the lace doilies

A surprise from my hubby nestled next to Pride and Prejudice.

and place mats and napkins I've collected over the years. Then, I went down to the basement to iron them all. I brought them up at last and placed a few select ones on the bookshelf and desk, carefully hiding the cords and other worn parts of both pieces. Next, I took out books that I love, and some of the things I will need to have readily-accessible for school this year, as well as the tea cup that my sweet husband just bought for me as a start to my new tea cup collection (inspired by Deborah Brown's collection—hanging on the antler chandelier!). I placed the tea cup there to remind myself to take some time out for tea everyday to refresh, rejuvenate and start our family's evening off right.

Here is the lovely result of my efforts:

Teacups and lace; MPR Classical streaming through the speakers... AHHHhhhhh!

A lacy wall-hanging drapes over the side of the bookshelf to remind me of my role to "Bless this Home."

I believe I will enjoy this spot to write, study, plan, and prepare for years to come, Lord willing.

I wonder sometimes, how many times have I spent money instead of just simply recycling and being creative with what I have?

Anyone else have a similar experience that you would like to share? I'd love to hear of your creative and resourceful—as well as frugal—exploits!

"The" Wedding!

My family and I were so blessed this past weekend to be allowed the privilege and honor to attend the wedding of Peter Bradrick and Kelly Brown (now Mrs. Peter Bradrick!).

What a wedding! This is one that I will remember for a very long time. I truly think this was the best wedding I have ever attended. This is saying a lot considering that I was a wedding consultant in my earlier years.

What made this wedding so great was that EVERYTHING was biblical, and not only that, but it was truly meant by the bride, the groom, and their families.

After Kelly came down the aisle and was presented to Peter by her father, Scott Brown, they went to kneel facing each other. Peter was saying some wonderful things to Kelly that no one but Kelly could hear... it was obviously a precious moment between the two of them. Then, the groomsmen and the bridesmaids sang a hymn while the bride and groom's parents prayed over them.... so, so special. It was very hard not to cry - for just about everyone there.

To hear Scott say, "This is my daughter..... she has never caused me grief.... I present her to you now..." Was such a testimony to what the Lord can do in a family to raise up godly seed!

Many people would balk, I think, to know that Kelly was prayed over to be blessed, like Rebekah, to be "the mother of hundreds of thousands," but if those who might balk could have seen her face as I could when that was prayed over her, they would only know that this is the fervent desire of her heart. May God truly bless them, and, yes, may they "contend with their enemies in the gates!"

Doug's blog, and Scott's blog both have tremendous pictures that I think just about everyone has seen, but just in case you haven't seen them yet, go look! Also, we have one picture of our own that turned out OK. This picture, although not of the kind of quality that Doug and Scott have on their blogs, shows the intimacy of Christ in this couple's relationship. Although these two had never kissed before their wedding (as Doug said, their first kiss was just that, "a genuine first kiss" because they had kept themselves completely for their future spouse) one can easily see the closeness they feel as a result of Christ being the defining factor in their relationship. Look closely at their body language in this picture. They are comfortable with one another. They know they are within the Lord's will in their relationship. They have honored Him, their parents and one another by keeping themselves pure before marriage. And now, so soon after their vows were taken, they are bonded in the unity of the love of Christ. It is a beautiful thing indeed! Peter and Kelly sought Christ first and His righteousness BEFORE their own physical pleasure, and it is obvious to anyone who attended the wedding that Christ will add that also unto them. Please feel free to gape and wonder! I know that Peter and Kelly will be pleased to know that their union has brought such joy, inspiration, the gospel message, and refreshment to so many souls!

And the two shall become one...

Peter and Kelly, God bless your union, God bless your offspring, God bless you two as you begin your life as a new family! Jim Bob and I will be here to support you every step of the way however we can. It will be an honor to support you! Thank you so much for inviting us to your wedding! I am still reeling from everything I saw and heard. I have been praying for you for a long time, and I will continue to do so. May you be richly blessed in your life together!

May your parents also be richly blessed for the investment they put into your lives! Thank you also to the Browns who blessed us with food and fellowship and lodging the day after the wedding when our car broke down when trying to drive home. Your hospitality will never be forgotten. You were a refreshment to our souls also. Thank you for setting such a godly example for us in raising your children unto the Lord. It can be done with the Lord's strength! God bless you, Browns and Bradricks!

In The Arms of Grace

This morning I re-read Psalm 46. This psalm is one of my favorites. I've read it so many times, but this morning certain parts of it struck me afresh. I needed the reminder that He is always with me.

Verse 5: "God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her."

Verse 7: "The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge."

Verse 8: "Come, behold the works of the Lord."

Verse 10: "Be still, and know that I am God..."

Verse 11: "The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge."

When I started my quiet time this morning, I was thinking of berating myself for all of the ways that I've fallen short lately, and then looking up scriptures to speak to those character flaws. But my Lord had a different plan—a better plan. He, being a wise and loving Father, instead took me on His knee, spoke words of comfort, kindness, and grace to me. He soothed the raging seas within me. He calmed my storm. I am at peace once again in His loving care.

Lately, my oldest daughter has wanted to be held a lot. I've given her that love. I've given her that "cuddle time," knowing that she's happier and much more content afterward. Now I know how she feels. Sometimes we all need to be held, loved, and put at peace. Sometimes we all need to simply "Be still and know..." Know not only that He is God, but that He loves us, He feels our pain, and "weeps with those who weep." He knows our need for comfort and grace—and He gives it abundantly.

Lord, help me to come to You for that comfort more often. In the busy-ness of life and caring for so many others, I can forget that I must be filled by and with Your love first, before I have any to give, because You are my Source for all. Thank You.