Homeschoolers R Us

We have spent most of the school year studying insects in Science. Oh how little boys love looking for the grossest, most disgusting six-legged creature they can find!  Being spring now especially affords the opportunity to see newly hatched species and add them to our ever growing bug collection.

To top off the unit, we recently took some time to visit the butterfly house at Texas Discovery Gardens.

It was a given that any small child would love to walk about with what seemed like a hundred butterflies of every species floating above. However it was equally interesting to my boys, the oldest children present, since we had spent so much time studying insects.

The presentation was made and I am so proud to report that most of the tough questions were answered by my boys!  I thought to myself, “Wow!  They WERE listening when we read about insect types, defenses, metamorphosis, habitats and behavior!”

It was an opportunity to also take the granddaughter along!  She loved the pretty butterflies…

…but they weren’t as pretty as these two  🙂

A white butterfly decided to land on the grandbaby’s white flower hair bow!  No nectar there, but there is aLOT of sweetness 🙂

This is why I homeschool. We are able to take the book knowledge and apply it out in the real world.  We have captured bugs in jars and on display on boards on my kitchen counter.  We’ve hatched at least 7 different butterflies and moths. We’ve observed ants in a plastic bag over weeks and weeks, feeding them, naming their ranks and positions within the colony, and discovering things that weren’t necessarily written in the science textbook.

In this “brick and mortar” world, we have instead seen and taken advantage of many real world examples that make the head knowledge become heart knowledge.

Our boys love homeschooling. It is hard work but so worth it!

(…and of course with every good blog post, there must be a picture of my grandson too!

Isn’t he just the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?!!! 🙂

In the Garden of Life.

A friend and I were discussing that he read my latest blog about the gardening experience over the weekend.  He made a comment to me that he couldn’t help but think that the blog could have related alot with our experience in “life gardening”.  He noticed that many of the same things I wrote about also apply when we sow the seeds of faith.

Immediately, I was convicted that I didn’t take more time in my writing on that subject, so I resolved to re-read the blog again, and after doing so, I realized that he was right!  It is amazing how God takes our ordinary things and uses them to show us His plan!

So….here is the “revised” version of “God Is…In the Garden.” with kudos to my friend for pointing out the higher purpose in sprouting seeds!!

…………… 

“Today, we planted a garden!  We are worn out, and reminded of all the muscles we don’t normally use(how many of us use our “sowing” muscles?  When they are used in witnessing after being “dormant” for a while, it is a good/bad reminder…good, that we know we are doing God’s will, but bad, that we are reminded how few times we keep them in shape!), but the seeds are in the ground, and we are expecting a wonderful harvest! (We should have the faith that God WILL bring a harvest of souls into the kingdom!)

I really don’t know what I’m doing…just kind of praying that God will bless it! (God doesn’t expect us to always know what to say or do, but just to be obedient in spreading the Word.) Some of my thoughts during this process:

1. “Need to till ground….that’s what husband’s are for!   I could never work that thing.  Besides, there is something “manly” about working with a tiller!  My husband really did look like he knew what HE was doing!  (Thank you, dear!)” (Tilling the ground can relate to the preparation and responsibility that we all must do before being an effective witness.  We must be willing to read the bible, live our lives as godly as possible, recognize and turn from situations that would compromise our witness, and “..be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you…”  1 Peter 3:15. 
2. “Wow…the dirt is really black!  That MUST mean that it’s fertile, right?!” (The dirt IS fertile, and the “black” is the sin that is prevalent in our land today!  Let’s get out there and kick some dirt!)
3. “It’s going to rain in a few days, so the seeds need to go in today!” (God is already bringing rain for the harvest!  More than ever, I know many of us are feeling His presence and the touch of His hand on lives all around us!)
4. “Got to plan this thing right….tall things in the back, short plants in the front?” (Does location matter?  Where are we planting seeds?  Where is the potential for the greatest harvest? …I will tell you….it’s right where you are!  Unless God has specifically called you elsewhere, you can most often be effective in your witness to those around you; to the people that know you and see you live your life in a godly manner.  Our friends, neighbors, coworkers, and other members of your own community who already have a relationship with you may very well be the “ripest” of the harvest!) 
5. “Seed packet says, “Plant 2 to 3 seeds every two feet.”  Ok….if I plant 3-4 seeds every foot and half, then SURELY SOMETHING will grow?!” (I would think that in this age of rebellion, that it wouldn’t hurt for us to be a little over zealous at times about our faith.  It seems that alot of Christians have arrived at an attitude that we might be too “pushy” or “offensive” to someone if we were to speak openly about the things of God.  It is such a shame that we are more often NOT saying the name of Jesus, than saying the name of our favorite actor/actress, celebrity, tv show, etc.  The name of Jesus should be part of our everyday language; a name that we speak without hesitation regardless of who’s around.)
6. “A few hours later…..when the back is aching…try to remember why I started this in the first place!” (God never promised that it would be easy.  Sometimes, it’s going to hurt, and most often it hurts closest to home.  My pastor recently made a statement that I wrote in my bible. Regarding satan, he said, “If you’re not meeting him head on, you’re probably headed in the same direction.”  This is so true…we can often judge our godly productivity by the trials we face, knowing that satan will not be pleased.)
7. “Oh boy, the neighbors are watching….hopefully, something looks right!” (Again, our friends and neighbors are watching.  We should be careful to exemplify Christ in our lives.  Like it or not, we are all leaders.  We may lead on purpose, with our mouth, and toward a greater goal, or we may lead simply with our actions.  We lead to or from God.  The bible says that the blind leading the blind will cause them both to fall into a ditch.  We can go to church on Sunday, carry our bible in the car, act like we know what the real message is, but if we also go around participating in the things of the world, then we are just leading others into a ditch.  We must have the willpower and integrity (which is defined as:  what we do when no one is looking) to honor God in all that we do, always being mindful of our influence on others.  “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.”  Matthew 12:30)   
8. When the work is done, “Hmmm….looks pretty good!” (…A big pat on the back!) (The pat will come from God, Himself!  I think I’m gonna’ reach up for a big hug, too!)

Can’t wait to eat fresh tomatoes, corn, onions, radishes, cucumbers, broccoli, okra, brussel sprouts (yes, I really like them), strawberries and squash!!  If it works, you’re all invited to supper!!” (The supper of the harvest!  The great celebration!  “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!  Revelation 19:9)

……….

I pray that, together, we will sit at the table prepared for us in heaven, to eat of the sweet fruit of the harvest of souls.  I pray for you, boldness to share the Word, diligence to dig into the Word, and faithfulness to live out the Word!  May our “gardens” be the glory of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! 

In the Garden.

Today, we planted a garden!  We are worn out, and reminded of all the muscles we don’t normally use, but the seeds are in the ground, and we are expecting a wonderful harvest! 

I really don’t know what I’m doing…just kind of praying that God will bless it!  Some of my thoughts during this process:

1. “Need to till ground….that’s what husband’s are for!   I could never work that thing.  Besides, there is something “manly” about working with a tiller!  My husband really did look like he knew what HE was doing!  (Thank you, dear!)”
2. “Wow…the dirt is really black!  That MUST mean that it’s fertile, right?!”
3. “It’s going to rain in a few days, so the seeds need to go in today!”
4. “Got to plan this thing right….tall things in the back, short plants in the front?”
5. “Seed packet says, “Plant 2 to 3 seeds every two feet.”  Ok….if I plant 3-4 seeds every foot and half, then SURELY SOMETHING will grow?!”
6. “A few hours later…..when the back is aching…try to remember why I started this in the first place!”
7. “Oh boy, the neighbors are watching….hopefully, something looks right!”
8. When the work is done, “Hmmm….looks pretty good!” (…A big pat on the back!)

Can’t wait to eat fresh tomatoes, corn, onions, radishes, cucumbers, broccoli, okra, brussel sprouts (yes, I really like them), strawberries and squash!!  If it works, you’re all invited to supper!!