Hours Upon Hours

A Boy's Imagination + K'Nex =  some military contraptions


PS.....December Photo Project (DPP) was officially over with
on the 25th, but here's a picture for today, anyways.
I enjoyed doing the DPP, although some nights it was a
bit of a chore, especially when I was ready to bed down
with the Littles.  (Sometimes I didn't upload till the next morning
because bed was better.....ahhh, confessions, now I can
enter 2011 with a lighter heart!)

Photo Project (DPP) and a Writing Workshop

What a day of New Things for Me.

I've never been a part of a photo project but decided "What the Heck" so I'm doing it.

The whole month of December I am going to commit (as long as I can remember on a daily basis) to taking and posting a photo for the day.  Sounds simple, but here I am at 11 pm just remembering that I was suppose to get this up and posted.  And this is only Day One!!!

I know I'm plenty busy, but this appealed to my Creative Side.  The Side that is so often neglected because I'm a busy mom.  And because the Research side of me easily wins out when its helpful with my childrens' school work.  I can always justify the Research part.  But the Creative side seems.....well......somehow selfish.  I know intellectually that it isn't selfish. But a conflict inside makes me feel like its selfish.

But, I'm doing this.  I'm gonna take some pictures everyday, and even if I don't have time to say something or explain, I'm just gonna shoot and put it up here.  Starting Now!!

This is Sigmund Brouwer.  Yeah, looking a bit retarded here, but hey, he was talking about silent but deadly farts, or maybe it was about the spider crawling over his French teacher's head for 15 minutes while everybody stared (rather than listened), or discussing whether any of us would have told him if he had a booger hanging from his nose.
 
I've never ever been to a Writing Workshop, but today I had the privilege of taking Danaka, Maret and Toveli to one put on by Heritage Christian Online School where Sigmund Brouwer shared.
He is from Red Deer (& Tennessee) and spends his time writing, and speaking to homeschool and public school students to encourage them to change their approach and attitude towards reading and writing.

And it was a Wonderful workshop!

Sigmund was totally down to earth, entertaining, utterly honest with tact and huge amounts of encouragement.  We all left there feeling that we can certainly write a whole lot more, with fun, creativity, and purpose.  I know my girls had a great time.  It was an afternoon well spent.

We were all encouraged to Dream.  Get our imaginations going and get it written down.  The editing and spelling and grammar can all be tinkered with later.  But the important part was Story.  Get the Story.  Figure out who your audience is, then tell Story that will draw on the audience's feelings.

Whether its to make us sad, or worried, or get us to laugh, tell us a story that effects our emotions, or else we aren't going to be drawn into Story.



PS....if you want to join the photo project, check-out the green button on the left side there.

Toveli Telling a Story

Shy Toveli put on a production.  It's been long in the making, due mostly to little siblings getting into the props and wreaking havoc day after day.  But tonight was the Opening (& only) Show, and mama must say that I was surprised at how confidently she spoke, how well she remembered her story-line.  For somebody who usually shy's away from being in front of people, she did AWESOME !!!

Here's part of the crowd that gathered.......


But I must say, Toveli was not the only show in town tonight.  There was definitely some side shows happening.....

  But listen for yourself.  Doesn't Tov sound confident to you?

Note:  the servant help came before the arrival of a baby!!  Sounds good to me.

Does God Have a Specific Plan for Your Life? Probably Not.

Sarah at Emerging Mummy always has great links. Wish I were a speed-reader like she must be!

She often has timely links to things I've been pondering, and recently she had a link to Don Miller, the author to books such as "Blue Like Jazz", & "Writing a Storyline: An Alternative to Mission Statements".

Does God Have a Specific Plan for Your Life? Probably Not.

The hundreds of comments on his blog are also interesting, although there's no time for me to read them all. I haven't learned to speed read (yet).

I've been really pondering the idea of our hearts' desires, and having discussion with friends along our cross-country trip. I find that most Christians I've spoken with are very uncomfortable with doing what their hearts' desires are, because they think that is selfish, and not God-honoring.  They expect that their own hearts' desire will likely be in conflict with God's desire for them.

Actually, many of us have been told that we can't even trust our feelings, our hearts, nor our imagination. We've rejected these things as if they are evil, rather than realizing that they are marvelous gifts from God. We've thrown them away and instead we have puffed up with head knowledge.

But I believe that those desires that we actually have are actually given to us from God, and that's why He says that He will give us the desires of our hearts.

It really bothers me when people say things like "You never should tell God that you don't want to be sent to Africa, because that's where He's definitely going to send you then!" as if He's purposely going to make you go where you don't want to go. He's a meanie. What an ogre!!

I believe that when we are walking in communion with our Creator, and we are living true to ourselves (vs to religion & obligation) then our desires will be in accordance with the will of God. And I don't believe that His will for us is laid out in detail, like what University we should attend, the 'one' we should marry, the house we should buy.

I know that scripture says "In all things give thanks, for this is God's will for you." Its full of patterns we can follow, character we can nurture. But the details are for us to discover, in our intimacy with Him.



I'd love to hear what you have to say about it.

Debate & Prayer

It's been a busy and invigorating day today.  Alot of debate, discussion, hashing over.

We spent the morning in debate with Micah, with Layne often being the mediator as we must be speaking a different language than Micah speaks, & vice versa.  Mom doesn't like these kind of discussions so it makes her squirm a bit, and suggest we go to the park or something.  But Micah enjoys the stimulation just like we do.  Iron sharpens iron.

Then we took children for a swim, which they always love.  And Barb & Darrell Kent came over as Barb needed prayer for her back. 

We are believing for fluid to fill up those discs supernaturally.  We had a great time of testimony, about the goodness of God, about healings, and some prayer.  I always feel encouraged when visiting with them, and today was no different.  Like spirits.

Laars is feeling better, although not yet up to par.  No throw ups today, and less of a fever, and he slept most of the day away.  He ate little which is really good to give his body energy for healing.

We anticipate leaving in the morning for the Island; the last leg of our trip, but we will see how the day is lived out.  We make our plans, but let the Spirit direct us.  He brings people and circumstances into our lives to bless us in ways we hadn't imagined.  What an exciting life.

The Way This Big Family 'Home Schools'

Many people ask us how we 'home school', so I thought I might just throw together something to say about it.


First off, I'm kind of put-off by that label.....home school. First off, it implies that we do what they do at school, but instead of going some where's for the day, we do the same sort of thing here at home. (We don't.)

Secondly, it's with an assumption that 'schooling' of any kind is a normal occurrence, and that to not school is abnormal.

Thirdly, in the 'home school movement', our family would be considered more of the 'unschooling' group. Very un-bookish (re: textbooks). So, we aren't a typical 'home school' family.  (Not sure we are 'typical' in any sense of the word!)

Fourthly, the assumption is that children go to school, or do school, as a means of gaining an education.  As if nothing can be learned outside of the acceptable 'going' and 'doing'.  As if learning is something to acquire at a designated place, in an ascribed manner. Like filling a bucket up with something that is measurable (the whole reason for testing).  And one thing is considered more worthy to be acquired, and that worthiness is decided upon by.......Whom??

My philosophy, shall we say, is very simple.

We learn by being.

 By being inquisitive; curious. 

Being present in the moment. 

By questioning.  

By knowing there is never a stupid question.

We learn by experiences that delight our senses. 

Exploration, whether that is via books, or ones imagination,

or physically exploring a subject or place. 

We ingest information when we have an appetite for it,

not when it is forced.

My motto basically is "We Learn By Living".

This really is The Simple Life.  The life lived around relationship, more than accomplishment.  Motivated by relationship with one another, and with God, rather than a list of what one must know or do to be considered successful.

I know that I still have much to learn.  And what do I consider worth learning about?

LOVE

Read 1 Corinthians 13.  Known as The Love Chapter.  I can do all the wonders of this world, both physically and spiritually, but if I have not love...........I am nothing.  Really, 

Love is All We Need! 

 

 

(My philosophy is pretty much the same when it comes to my relationship with my Loving Heavenly Father. It is not about the doing, the going, the measuring. It's the being. I am His and He is mine. It's that simple. I just am.)

Question for You:  Do you have a motto you live by?

Variety of online Videos

Everette somehow came across some incredible videos yesterday. We are talking INCREDIBLE TALENT and unusual. Some of them moved me to tears. This one is of aerieal bombings over Kiev during WW II. Lots of tears in the audience.





Thanks to Coralyn for letting me know about this video about Mandatory Flu Shots for Health Workers. Coralyn has tonnes of information on her site about Holistic Health,Natural Remedies,Global Consciousness. Be sure to check Coralyn out.



Also on the health topic, I really enjoy much of what Paul Nison has to say, and lots of information is passed on through all his videos. Today's interview was with some Jewish dance teachers who are now eating a raw diet and loving it. You can see their love for Yeshua and for life itself. Enjoy!

Family Charades and Suction Cups

I love it when Everette gets in a whacky mood and plays 'silliness' with the children. Tonight he got in the acting mood and played Bible charades with the dc. The excitement on their faces when they guess correctly is priceless. But even above that is sometimes the utter extravagance Everette must go through to get his point across.

I'm reminded of years ago when Everette, Layne and I played charades. It could be absolutely any subject. He certainly stumped us three girls. We eventually had to get him to tell us the answer, or we'd have never gotten it. After all, it was ....... a suction cup! Can you imagine my dh being a suction cup????



Well, just this past year Layne, Rauchelle and I were reminiscing about it again, and when we acted it out for Everette.....he was clueless. Absolutely clueless.

Shows you that you have to be in a certain mind to win at playing charades. But it sure can be a pile of fun and create super memories.

Question for You: Have you had 'a funny' playing charades?

One of My Favorite Songs

Question for You: Do you have a favorite song or video to share?

Life around here

Sad to say, its rained or we've been fogged in every single day since Summer Solstice/Father's Day. The fog was chilly, and often we get big winds here. The dc are getting a little stir-crazy, which is especially discouraging since it is supposed to be summer here. Usually we like to get to some celebration for Canada Day, but the weather isn't looking very co-operative in that department. Bummer!

I've been taking in lots of the Raw Mom Summit, and enjoying quite a few speakers even though we come with different philosophies of origins and life forces, etc. But I am encouraged by many of them. It's been a bit much, and I've chosen to skip a few speakers all together, or glean tidbits here and there as I tried to 'fast-forward' best I could. I admit, my family hasn't functioned as well this week while mom has spent more hours with a headset on. I think I'm done now, although there's another day or two left.

I asked Danaka to venture out in the pouring rain this morning to pick some wild strawberry leaves, and she was followed by Anders. We made a small batch of infusion and drank it all up this afternoon. She's got another mason jar steeping for the night. I learned about infusions by Susun Weed this week on the Summit, and it is definitely something I want to start doing in this pregnancy right away once I get my herbs ordered and delivered. She was comparing the calcium content one would get from making a nettle tea (5mg) to a nettle infusion (250mg), and it seems like a no-brainer way of getting vitamins and minerals in an easily utilized way, and cheaper than supplements.

I'm working back into doing more reading aloud with the dc. I always enjoy doing that. There were many, many days that I'd read for 4 or more hours to Layne and Rauchelle, even days I'd start to lose my voice. We so enjoyed traveling to nether-lands with each other, living lives very unlike our own. I want to do that more and more with these 'younger dc', but there's always those who are left wandering around, having nobody to play with **** because their playmates are listening to mom read. But, somehow we'll work through this.

A few weeks back we received 'The Story About Ping' through bookmooch.com (we used to own it, and now we do again!) and it has become Anders' favorite now. Honestly, I'm glad we've moved past 'Madeline'. That one personally wears on me after just a couple of readings.

Well, just wanted to let you know we are alive way over here on the island hanging out in the Atlantic! I'm wanting to share about the fourth single word the Lord spoke to me last year as I really began this new journey with Him. In many ways, the final word (well, I know He's got more words for me, but the lessons at that time were limited to 4 simple words, one at a time) encompasses them all. Maybe I'll get some quiet time later tonight, or sometime tomorrow to process my thoughts somewhat cohesively!

****Toveli said to me last year "I wish we had more kids in the family, 'cause there's never anybody to play with".


Question for You: Do you get tired easily of reading the same children's books over and over again?