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