A fellow homeschool mom shared this recently and I felt compelled to pass it on. Oh, the brilliant ideas some people have!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
No Calendar Needed
Bright jars in the pantry.
Bare stalks in the garden.
Silver in the grass.
Gold in the trees.
Geese in the sky.
Nip in the breeze.
Hot mug in my hands.
Feet in warm socks.
Fall in the air.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Bible Study Debate
There was discussion during our last Bible study on whether or not we should give thanks for everything. The first point was made that all things -- even tragedies -- work together for good to those who love God, so we are able to give thanks for all things, knowing they are for our good. Another point was proposed that we were to give thanks in all things because God's grace is sufficient for us even in disaster, but we aren't necessarily supposed to be thankful for disaster.
As I pondered this at home later on, I reasoned that if I were to take the first viewpoint, that we can be thankful for everything, then sin in the world must be incredibly limited -- God could only allow sin that will be good for us in the long run. But then I realized I am limiting God with that notion. God is so powerful and omniscient that he could use any sin, any disaster, any tragedy and work good from it. For instance: Jesus' death on the cross. The most horrible thing to ever happen was also the best thing to ever happen.
And yet I struggle with this view. Famines in east Africa may turn some hearts to God and inspire generosity in the hearts of others, but so many will fall to hopelessness that it seems the collateral damage could be greater than the good. And even if we're able to give thanks for every problem in our own lives, how can I thank God for the disaster in a non-beleiving friend's life -- disaster that does not work for good for her and perhaps even leads to eternal damnation?
Sigh. I know, God's ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my own. And for that I can most definitely give thanks, because to have to figure God out would certainly cause me to despair rather than revel in the amazing truth that it doesn't matter what I understand, as long as I trust that God is good.
Nonetheless, I'm interested in hearing anyone else's thoughts on the "thankful for all things" vs "thankful in all things" debate.
As I pondered this at home later on, I reasoned that if I were to take the first viewpoint, that we can be thankful for everything, then sin in the world must be incredibly limited -- God could only allow sin that will be good for us in the long run. But then I realized I am limiting God with that notion. God is so powerful and omniscient that he could use any sin, any disaster, any tragedy and work good from it. For instance: Jesus' death on the cross. The most horrible thing to ever happen was also the best thing to ever happen.
And yet I struggle with this view. Famines in east Africa may turn some hearts to God and inspire generosity in the hearts of others, but so many will fall to hopelessness that it seems the collateral damage could be greater than the good. And even if we're able to give thanks for every problem in our own lives, how can I thank God for the disaster in a non-beleiving friend's life -- disaster that does not work for good for her and perhaps even leads to eternal damnation?
Sigh. I know, God's ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my own. And for that I can most definitely give thanks, because to have to figure God out would certainly cause me to despair rather than revel in the amazing truth that it doesn't matter what I understand, as long as I trust that God is good.
Nonetheless, I'm interested in hearing anyone else's thoughts on the "thankful for all things" vs "thankful in all things" debate.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Harvest 2011
October 10 saw the boys and I pulling, digging, husking and picking as we performed a final garden harvest of the fall. In rather random order, here is the pictorial evidence and accompanying descriptions of our endeavor.
One of our largest tomatoes weighed in at barely two pounds.
Having left all the carrots in the ground until after first frost, we have wonderfully sweet carrots this fall! A few were rather wonderfully deformed, but tasty nonetheless.
You know it's fall when the trees drop their... pine needles?
One of our first art projects this school year was etching pumpkins. I like how they turned out!
The heirloom pineapple tomatoes were fabulously beautiful and delicious. Isn't this thing just a work of art? And so yummy. Now my mouth is watering. I'll be right back after I satisfy this craving.
Isaac spent most of the harvest time picking and husking Indian corn.
Levi kept busy pulling carrots.
And 'Lijah dug potatoes. Okay, you may remember way back in planting season I mentioned a new potato growing tactic I was trying this year. It didn't work. At all. This link shows what I tried -- http://lifehacker.com/5202849/grow-100-lbs-of-potatoes-in-4-square-feet. Maybe only certain varieties grow this way?
While most of the pumpkins were picked in September, a few are still working on their color.
This corn certainly has the color change thing down! Perhaps it could give the pumpkin a few pointers.
Still a few flowers around! This was one of the last bloomers in the yard.
The whole shebang! Lots of produce, proud boys, very happy mama!
One of our largest tomatoes weighed in at barely two pounds.
Having left all the carrots in the ground until after first frost, we have wonderfully sweet carrots this fall! A few were rather wonderfully deformed, but tasty nonetheless.
You know it's fall when the trees drop their... pine needles?
One of our first art projects this school year was etching pumpkins. I like how they turned out!
The heirloom pineapple tomatoes were fabulously beautiful and delicious. Isn't this thing just a work of art? And so yummy. Now my mouth is watering. I'll be right back after I satisfy this craving.
Isaac spent most of the harvest time picking and husking Indian corn.
Levi kept busy pulling carrots.
And 'Lijah dug potatoes. Okay, you may remember way back in planting season I mentioned a new potato growing tactic I was trying this year. It didn't work. At all. This link shows what I tried -- http://lifehacker.com/5202849/grow-100-lbs-of-potatoes-in-4-square-feet. Maybe only certain varieties grow this way?
While most of the pumpkins were picked in September, a few are still working on their color.
This corn certainly has the color change thing down! Perhaps it could give the pumpkin a few pointers.
Still a few flowers around! This was one of the last bloomers in the yard.
The whole shebang! Lots of produce, proud boys, very happy mama!
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