Just Children of All Ages

Psalm 81

"If you would listen to Me! . . .

Oh that My people would listen to Me,

That Israel would walk in My ways!"

Verses 8 & 13

How many times have I said something like this to my children in frustration, "Why won't you just listen to me!" There's a lot of temptation daily for frustration, anger and impatience when you're a parent.

If any of you have children, you know how easy it is for them to mirror the same sinful tendencies we exhibit. They see the way we act, the things we say and do, and how we react to pressure. Monkey see, monkey do. We look upon them, as their parents, frustrated that our children behave in such ways, even angry that they do not behave better . . . less like us.

The funny thing is that we are no different than children. When we see them do the same things we do, we see how ridiculous and selfish we can be ourselves. It is very convicting as we look introspectively and realize, "Wait, she learned that from me!" Bearing and nurturing children is, indeed, a sanctifying process.

God looks down on His children and says, "Wait, learn from Me! Behave like Me! Do what I say and you will be blessed!" He is our Father and He gets frustrated with us at times too! But His patience is far greater than my own. His faithfulness is greater, His love more profound and His commitment to us is much deeper than is ours.

I am just like a child, except older, and with more expensive or less visible idols.

Well . . . the conviction works. And I'm urged further toward the holiness and compassion of Christ, knowing that just as God the Father shows grace and kindness in the great wealth of His loving patience toward me - His disobedient (at times) and hard-headed child - I should do the same with the children He has entrusted to my care. Keeping this in remembrance helps greatly in motivating me toward leaving a more Christ-like example for them to follow. After all, I don't want them to battle the same tendencies that war against my new nature. Yes, they'll still be unregenerate until the Spirit gives life, but I am still responsible for them until they reach adulthood. And on Judgment Day, I will be held accountable for my attitude while they were in my care - what kind of legacy do I want to leave?

The Lily Wave

Here's a video of Lily waving! She's so cute! She gets her whole body into it. :-) Since my last post about her mobility, she has learned to crawl forward like a baby bunny. :-)

House Update: Great News!

The mortgage loan at the Bank has approved our offer for the second, smaller loan! So . . . that means we choose a date for the inspection and closing! Yay!! (That's an understatement!) We're looking at sometime in October to close. That will give us time to have moving help and do the necessary cleaning and such before move in and move out. I'm so excited! I guess Lily can wait to move in with Moriah once we've completed that transition and do it all at once.

Moriah At 22 Months

Today Moriah turns 22 months old. In some ways, it's really hard to believe that she is that old but in other ways we want her to be a little bit older. :-) I guess that's the way it is when you're parents, huh?!

Her communication has really improved as she is always learning new words and she is talking all the time. What impresses me the most is her grasp on the alphabet and numbers. She sings the Alphabet Song great, albeit some of the letters aren't pronounced with 100% clarity, there is still enough remnant to tell that "duhb" is "W" and "ks" is "X". She can count to 10, although she sometimes forgets 5, 6 and 7. Oh, and the funniest part about her counting is that 4 and 7 are pronounced with a southern accent! ("Fow" and "Seh-hmm." :-)

Moriah enjoys reading, learning flash cards and going outside. She knows several animal sounds: cow, kitty, dog, sheep, frog, lion, duck, goose and bear. It will be great to have a place with a yard where she can be safe and still explore every rock, stick, pine needle, flower and leaf. Grandma Jane has taught her to put some of these treasures into her pockets. :-)

Moriah has a very strong desire to help and she's very curious. Sometimes Jeramy and I really appreciate the help she offers and other times, not so much. Being a parent is tough in this area because sometimes it is difficult to decide when she is trying to help and when she is just causing trouble. Other times she gets into stuff she shouldn't because she's just curious as to how it works. I think that, as she grows, whatever stage she reaches will always be a new adventure for me as a parent. During this toddler stage, both of us, Moriah and I, have grown some. :-)

And I cannot let this month pass without saying that she, for several days in a row, could not keep her clothes on. Jeramy or I would walk into her bedroom in the morning or after her afternoon naps to find her buck naked in the crib, oftentimes with poo everywhere. Needless to say that neither of us were very happy. One day I saw her climb into her crib while the rail was in the lowered position and reasoned that she would be able also to climb out. So I converted her crib into a toddler bed with extra pillows on the floor and we haven't had as much trouble finding her naked with improperly placed poo.

Lastly, Moriah loves her sister. I think that they have become very good friends. Occasionally there is the small fight over a toy, but she is learning to share well. She likes to give kisses to Lily and stroke her hair. She has learned to give her toys gently without throwing them and willingly shares her water cup. I think that she will also be a very good Mommy, too. Watching them play together brings me joy. :-)

House Update: Good News!

With all of the rain over this past week, the basement of the house we're hoping for has NOT flooded! Yay! That's a really big deal for us.

Also, even bigger than that, the largest of the two mortgage loans on the house has approved our offer! It's really big news! Once the second, smaller mortgage has approved our offer (maybe we'll hear back in the next two weeks), then the Bank will draw up a contract and we'll pick a date for inspection and closing! Yay! Once the date is set for closing, then we will begin packing and soliciting strong, available men to help us. :-)

"Free At Last . . . Thank God Almighty!"

Those would probably be Lily's words now that she is no longer nursing. :-)

This morning she woke up and and when I offered to nurse her she said, "No thanks. I think I'll pass." So, with that, weaning is over and she is no longer bound to my hip. "Freedom!" she cried. This will also liberate her from sleeping in Mommy and Daddy's bedroom and room in with Moriah which is soon to come, though no specific date has been set.

Lily will be nine months on October 4th! She has sprouted a new tooth at the top center. It's partner is appearing to take a little bit longer - I suppose as a result of her thumb-sucking.

She has graduated to sitting in the bathtub and is no longer lying down to bathe. She is very mobile, crawling backwards, rotating and rolling over to get to interesting places. She has also started to wave recognizably! Yesterday while Moriah and I were at the dinner table and Lily was occupied on the floor, I waved to her and she waved back several times! It was really cool!

Lily still has the best representative 'gentle and quiet spirit' out of all us Anderson ladies. She's still just as smiley and pleasant although she is more fussy at night before bedtime. She is picking up some defiant tendencies that usually exhibit themselves during meal times. But maybe that's because she prefers breastmilk over formula or any other food. She is getting more acclimated to 'normal' foods and textures. She's had mashed potatoes, eggs, oatmeal, rice and peas. She's not a big fan of peaches, which is ironic. :-)

She has very much made Moriah her best friend. I can tell when they sit and play together how much Lily adores spending time with Moriah. She especially loves to take baths with her older sister. She laughs the loudest when Moriah tickles her.

I'll be taking more pictures over the next week or so and post them in the right sidebar when I've got enough. She is looking more and more like a little girl and not a baby.

Funny But SCARY Friday

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to order pizza in 2012?

I'm still mulling it over.

Click Here.

Easy 1-2-3 Recipe

Really easy, flavorful recipe in 3 easy steps. I got this one from my Mom.

Noonie's Chicken

1 can cranberry sauce

1 envelope onion soup mix

8 oz. catalina salad dressing

4-6 chicken breasts

1. Mix first 3 ingredients and pour over uncooked chicken in a 13 x 9 glass pan.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

3. Serve over rice or noodles.

Thick & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Jeramy and I made cookies today. He is sort of a sweets connoisseur: rice crispy treats, cakes, brownies, cookies, etc. He doesn't cook as much of those things now so that he and I stay thin. But here is a recipe that he really likes that we found on www.myrecipes.com and here's a picture. These are waaay better than the recipe on the Nestle-Tollhouse package. Do not enjoy . . . savor. :-)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups (12 oz.) milk chocolate chips

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

*opt. 1 cup chopped pecans

1. In a medium to large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and brown sugar well. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth, scraping bowl as needed.

2. In another bowl, mix flour, soda and salt. Stir or beat into butter mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.

3. Drop dough in 2 tbls portions, 2" apart onto buttered baking sheets.

4. Bake at 400 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes until cookies are lightly browned and dry in the middle. If baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway.

5. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack. If hot cookies break, slide thin spatula under to release and let stand five minutes then transfer to the cooling rack.

Yields 28 cookies. One serving is 1 cookie: 208 calories, 2.1 g protein, 11 g fat.

The Return of Joy

Behold, children are a gift of the LORD,

The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

So are the children of one's youth.

How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;

They will not be ashamed

When they speak with their enemies in the gate.

Psalm 127:3-5

Last week, I was really struggling with unbelief in relation to this passage. Sometimes it is easy to forget the spiritual battle that is constantly raging on in the unseen realm: angels and demons constantly fighting back and forth for influence over the physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual states of people everywhere. That's an overwhelming thought.

One night of sleep was again interrupted and when it came time to wake that morning to face the demands of the day, deep depression loomed overhead. Depression gave way to near hopelessness which eventually over a few hours or days became self-pity. "Gift," "reward," and "blessed" were not the words I would have described the parental state at that time.

Help was graciously given over a couple of days that allowed my body, mind and spirit time to rediscover the Biblical perspective. Yesterday as I remained home with my daughters, the Holy Spirit reminded me of some of the cute things they do and caused me to realize those things I would miss had they not entered our family: no little language, smiles, laughs, happy squeals, running, crawling, little kisses and hugs, and all the rest. And so . . . joy returned.

I guess, as with any responsibility, we have to take the good with the bad and the ugly all together. And I remembered, as it is sooo easy to forget, that they will not always be in diapers, make messes, speak unclearly, cry, whine, disobey, etc. They will grow up and be young people and adults one day, Lord willing. This time of their infant years will pass.

One other thought: there are people of every age who think and act like they don't know what God wants them to do. So they pray and fast, groping for God trying to grasp some mystical sense of God's will for the direction of their lives. "If God could just tell me - write it on the sky - then I would do whatever He wants with my life." But God has made it clear - at least what His will is generally across gender differences: women are to work at home, helping their husbands and nurturing the next generation. Passages like Proverbs 31, Titus 2, 1 Peter 3 all apply. There is no need to grope in fear and uncertainty, knowledge has been revealed. And there is great comfort and joy in that too.

Must Read List 2010

In no particular order:

1. Biblical Womanhood in the Home by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
2. The Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther
3. The Sermons of Jonathan Edwards: A Reader Edited by Kimnach, Minkema & Sweeney
4. God, Marriage & Family by Andreas Kostenberger
5. Blame it on the Brain? by Welch
6. Family Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham
7. Marriage to a Difficult Man by Elisabeth Dodds
8. Raising Maidens of Virtue by Stacy MacDonald
9. The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace
10. Beautiful Girlhood by Karen Andreola
11. So Much More by Anna Sofia & Elizabeth Botkin
12. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (and The Hobbit) by J.R.R. Tolkien
13. Created to Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl
14. Evangelical Ethics by John Davis
15. Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas

I may be a bit over ambitious. . . . Of course I know I probably won't have the time to read all of these, but . . . if you're looking for a Christmas, birthday, Valentine's Day, Groundhog's Day, Easter, Mother's Day or any day gift, here's a guide. (* hint, hint ;-) Some of these (#3 & #5) we already own. What books do you think are worth reading?

Tim Hawkins!

I'm still very excited about this show! I've never seen a live comedian and he's funny too! I ordered two tix and Jeramy couldn't go, so I invited a girlfriend from church. This past week they sent me a receipt and the tix I ordered, except they sent me three instead of two! So . . . I invited another girlfriend! Yay! Ladies night out!

If any other ladies would like to join us you can visit the Smoke Rise Baptist website and order them. All the info is on the flyer above.

Woo hoo!

Here's a link to a funny new video Tim's done about our government. It's worth watching.

House Update!

We received word a few days ago that our case has moved up the totem pole from the realtor to the negotiator and now sits in the lap of the Bank's approver! We're very excited! This is the last Bank representative before drawing up something formal for the Buyer (us) and the Seller for a closing contract! Yay! We are told that it may take as little as a week or as much as a month to hear back, but this is one of the last steps in the short-sale process.

I keep picturing how we would lay out the house, what would go where. And I keep thinking about hosting people, the fellowship get-togethers we would have and specifically the girls' joint birthday party in December.

A Lesson in Self-Control

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,

And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.

Proverbs 16:32

More Than Just a Simple Test

Today Al Mohler has published a post on his blog that has caused me to pause. "Will Babies with Down Syndrome Just Disappear?" highlights the new blood tests that will be made available in the very near future for the detection of Down Syndrome and other genetic traits without presenting any risks to the developing baby or mother. We already know that 92 percent of mothers who receive such a diagnosis opt for abortion and as a result, through people-watching, we see very few people under 30 who have this condition. It is absolutely appalling.

One really impacting quote he includes in his post (which I highly recommend reading if you have 10 minutes) made me want to share a new view. When expectant parents are presented with prenatal testing, they have a simple choice to make: to continue or abort.

"Knowing this, health care providers have historically operated under the assumption that if a woman consents to prenatal screening or diagnosing, she must believe that having a child with DS would be an undesired outcome and wish to terminate her pregnancy if such a diagnosis were made prenatally."

When Jeramy and I were pregnant with Moriah very shortly after consummating our marriage, the doctors asked me if we wanted to undergo prenatal screening for this and other "inconvenient" conditions our baby might have. We did consider whether or not we would submit to such testing. It was not out of a desire to remove life inconveniences but to prepare for any impending special needs he or she may have. Under no circumstances would we have considered the deliberate murder of our consummate blessing. But upon reading Mohler's post and this quote particularly, I realize that simply submitting to prenatal testing carries with it the assumption of abortion upon a diagnosis of Down's. In other words, it just continues to propagate the Culture of Death and encourages this worldview that dictates that some life is just not worth living and the desire to remain selfishly in control of our own destinies apart from God.

We did not do any prenatal screening on either of our two pregnancies. And I'm glad we didn't.

Fearful Friday

Knowledge, wisdom, instruction and blessing arise out of the fear of the Lord. (Job 28:28, Ps 111:10, Prov 1:7, 9:10, 15:33, Isaiah 11:2, 33:6, Micah 6:9) There are so many passages in Scripture that command God's people to fear Him. Indeed it could be said that all of Scripture is pointing people to fear God, the Maker of heaven and earth. We know that this fear is not just of paralyzing dread but also one of respect, to be submissive to God's authority as Creator. Let us fear God, that we might keep His commandments. Maybe I don't fear Him enough.

Do not let your heart envy sinners,

But live in the fear of the LORD always.

Proverbs 23:17

How blessed is the man who fears always,

But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

Proverbs 28:14

The End Is Near

Weaning has begun. Over the past week Lily and I have been transitioning slowly, but now there is a definite goal in view. It has been good to be able to breast feed for this long, 8 and 1/2 months, but the time has come. When the benefits do not outweigh the frustration, it is better to stop.

Lily has not really ever taken a bottle, so that will be the tough part for her. If she doesn't do well with that, maybe she will learn to pace herself with the sippy cup. If anyone has any weaning suggestions, I'm all ears.

There are some new photos in the right sidebar I added today. The pictures are from Grandma Jane and Grandaddy Dennis' visit came on Labor Day weekend and when some Virginia friends, Ray and Teresa Capuria, came down just after they left. We all had a great time together.

My Music Studio

My musical background and ability is not foreign to many who have crossed my path. Just as the Proverbs 31 woman was industrious in the context of her own home, teaching music lends itself well to fulfilling this Biblical model (though I am approaching it from afar . . . really far).

All that to say, music lessons are now available should anyone desire to receive musical instruction from yours truly. I have been teaching violin since 2001. My formal musical training included courses in string and violin pedagogy. Although I have not taken any formal teaching courses for piano, I am able to impart a beginning knowledge to those who are interested and for that reason I do not charge as much for giving piano instruction.

If anyone wants more information, simply click on Studio Handbook in the Contents column in the left sidebar for a complete resource guide. If anyone is interested, you may simply comment and I'll get in touch with you, or you may contact me directly if you have that info already.

I think I'll call it The Anderson Music Studio, at least if I can't think of any name better.

Louises Party Grape Salad

I made this for a Saturday brunch with wonderful church family/friends and had enough left over to bring to the Fellowship Meal after church. It's a really yummy recipe I got off the grape carton from King Fresh Produce at ALDI. Enjoy.

8 cups seedless grapes

8 oz. cream cheese

8 oz. sour cream

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

Wash grapes and remove the stems. In a very large bowl or container combine all the ingredients well and serve.

The consistency will have time to mesh after some time in the refrigerator, maybe overnight. Also, I think that bananas and maybe cherries might add a little something extra, though I haven't tried it for myself yet. :-)

Perpetual Praise

Psalm 71

My praise is continually of You. . .

My mouth is filled with Your praise

And with Your glory all day long. . .

But as for me, I will hope continually,

And will praise You yet more and more.

My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness

And of Your salvation all day long;

For I do not know the sum of them.

My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You;

And my soul, which You have redeemed.

My tongue also will utter Your righteousness all day long . . .

Verses 6, 8, 14-15, 23-24

The Holy Spirit has used this passage (and the book as a whole) to convict me that the same attitude of praise and worship expressed in the corporate setting should also be that which characterizes all private settings. In corporate worship it is easy to focus completely on Christ, His person and work, to be thankful and full of joy and wonder at His glory. When we leave the building and go about the tasks and struggles of our daily lives - cooking, cleaning, changing diapers, tending mess-making and disobedient toddlers, miscommunication with loved ones - it is so easy to forget the glory and splendor of the King of kings and to get frustrated and bogged down. The tasks in themselves are not inherently bad, but shifting our focus onto them is. The effects of the Fall still express themselves in all our relationships, but there is victory in Christ, who overwhelmingly conquers. The challenge is to depend fully upon the grace of God through prayer as I practice conducting myself in a perpetual state of praise and worship, full of joy and gratitude every moment of the day, every day through the week.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed

2 Corinthians 9:8

Be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:18b-20

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Lily Update

Last night Lily kept Jeramy and I awake between 2 and 3:30 a.m. She has a new tooth! It was very easy to see a new white tooth coming down from her top gum over the past several days, but it had not yet pierced through to the surface, until last night! Yay!

Also, this morning I gave her some of my eggs and a few times she even began to feed herself, picking up a little piece and getting it to her mouth! It was great! Moriah and I clapped and shouted, "Yay!" After the second celebration, I think she realized we were celebrating her accomplishment because she smiled at us. :-)

A Quick Psalm

The Lord gives the command;

The women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host:

"Kings of armies flee, they flee,

And she who remains at home will divide the spoil!"

Psalm 68:11-12

Read the whole psalm.

Common Objections to Homeschool

Here are the last of my notes from The Children of Caesar DVD set by Voddie Baucham. Bruce Shortt has written a book very similar to this, The Harsh Truth of Public Schools, a resource available on Voddie's website. Needless to say, as a result of watching this DVD set, I am all-together gun-ho for homeschool! If anyone asks me why I don't send my kids to public school, I'll probably look at them like they've got a third eyeball and say something like, "The State has no Constitutional jurisdiction over education." Or, "Give me one good reason I should send my kids there! From school shootings, bullies, drugs and sexual assault to the amoral, immoral, pluralist, relativist, evolutionist and secular humanist curriculum taught there, besides the utter waste of time, I can't think of any! Why do you send your kids there?"

The History of the U. S. Public School System

It was established in 1870.

It is modeled after the Prussian format.

It is rooted in secular humanism. (!!!!)

Christians opposed public education for decades. (!!!!)

In 1900 two-thirds of children remained home schooled. (!!!!)

Today 90% of professing Christians send their children to public schools. Between 70-88% of these abandon any semblance of the Christian religion by the end of their freshman year in college.

The Most Common Objections:

What about Socialization?

Public schools provide unrealistic and overwhelmingly negative socialization. The only positive social skill learned in public school is standing in line. When was the last time you were in a room with 25 people your exact same age? Public school kids have worse behavioral tendencies overall than homeschool kids.

Is it Legal?

The 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution implicitly states that the government has no constitutional jurisdiction over education. Our children are not wards of the State.

What about your Curriculum?

The real question is "Who approves your curriculum?" Again, parents do not share their children with the government, homeschool parents do not need the State's approval to teach any specific curriculum.

What about the Cost?

Homeschool annual cost: $546

Public school annual cost: $7,000

(These numbers are one - two years old.)

Free Online Resource:

Home Schooling: From the Extreme to the Mainstream, 2nd edition

Other notes:

Education is synonymous with discipleship. Whoever is educating our children are also discipling them.

Because children are in public school for 40 or more hours per week, there is not enough time at home or church to correct what they are learning there.

Less than 10% of professing Christians have a Biblical worldview. A worldview directs one's daily decisions and actions. It is formed informally, uncritically, intergenerationally, intragenerationally, and over time (tens of thousands of seat hours in public schools from K-12).

Where Were You

the morning of September 11, 2001?

I was on my way to my 9 a.m. class at GMU, completely oblivious to the tragedy that had just occurred. It was about lunchtime that I got the full story.

Mom was working in Fairfax and my Dad was at home.

Many people at my church who worked in the Pentagon had other commitments that kept them from going to work that day.

Never forget.

Never forget that God is sovereign. It is easy to understand but very difficult to grasp.

Say to God,"How awesome are Your works!

Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will give feigned obedience to You.

Psalm 66:3

A Gentle & Quiet Spirit

For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be merely external--braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.

1 Peter 2:21 - 3:6

Lately the Holy Spirit has been using this passage to convict me about the general attitude women should display as we go about our daily lives. The gentle and quiet spirit is more than just an outward behavior, this spirit arises out of authentic feminine, Christ-like character as evidence of a transformed heart.

These holy women from the past were not contentious. The gentle and quiet spirit doesn't nag and insist upon selfish methods or priorities. This woman is not bent on having her husband fulfill her personal agenda on her own time line. She doesn't turn a cold shoulder or make others feel uncomfortable in her presence by harboring an angry, bitter attitude. She doesn't seek to vindicate herself when wronged but instead forgives much and lets offenses committed against her pass to the righteous judgement of God. She is not fearful and she only values God's opinion of her.

This woman is full of joy and depends on the abundant grace of God, communicating such grace in her marital relationship. She is content with little or much and trusts fully in Christ, being satisfied by His fullness alone, and as she submits to her husband, trusts him also. She maintains an eternal perspective of her priorities and responsibilities. She is self-controlled and restrained. She understands her personal accountability before our Almighty Judge to conduct herself in this manner regardless of how she is treated, even if her husband is not a believer . . . especially if her husband is not a believer because that is her witness of the Gospel to him.

Nagging is the best way to communicate disrespect and emasculate our husbands. After a while they begin ignoring what we say letting all our words pass over their heads. Some men might respond with perpetual silence becoming emotionally and physically distant and others at the opposite extreme might even resort to physical abuse. Nagging is the primary way to tear down our houses with our own hands (Proverbs 14:1).

The chapter, Wives Like Sarah and the Husbands Who Honor Them, in Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood by Wayne Grudem exposits this text, which is an excellent read. My friend Erin at A Full Heart copied an awesome list of "A Woman's Rules to Live By".

"Getting Your House in Order"

Here are more of my notes from The Children of Caesar DVD set by Voddie Baucham. I think that his book, Family Driven Faith, is an extension of this similar exposition.

Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Then it shall come about when the LORD your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satifsfied, then watch yourself, that you do not forget the LORD who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall fear only the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name. You shall not follow other gods , any of the gods of the peoples who surround you, for the LORD your God in the midst of you is a jealous God; otherwise the anger of the LORD your God will be kindled against you, and He will wipe you off the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 6:4-15

Six characteristics of a properly ordered home:

1. Worship God without rivals. Do not allow idols in your heart.
2. Build your home on a foundation of Biblical love. Dfn: An act of the will, accompanied by emotion, that leads to action on behalf of its object.
3. Be committed to a Biblical worldview. The Bible is inerrant and sufficient.
4. Teach the Word of God to your children. Raise up a generation of Christian thinkers.
5. Mark your home as God's territory. Participate in family worship in your home.
6. Keep your prosperity in check.

As we teach our children the Word of God, we must also teach them to systematize their theological thought that they might have a thorough grasp of a Biblical worldview. When issues arise and debate ensues over the nature of God, Man, Truth, Knowledge, Ethics, Logic, etc. they may be able to engage the secular mindset and do more than just give an adequate apologetic, but to put the secular worldview on the defense. The Word of God gives Christians an objective leg to stand on when entering such debate, but many (myself included) find difficulty using this powerful offensive weapon, the Sword of the Spirit, in such a manner that exposes the nihilistic ends of a worldview based on secular humanism. The Christian worldview is the only consistent worldview that accounts for rational, logical thought.

House Update

Since the last house update, the Bank has since assigned a negotiator to the case, confirmed that they have received all the necessary paperwork to move forward and conducted an appraisal on the house.

Today we requested our Leasing Office for an extension on our lease and it was granted! So, we are praising God that we don't have the hassle of moving twice. We are so thankful for the grace of our friends and family to offer a place for us to stay during the transition, but we are also thankful to our God for granting us grace with our Leasing Company to allow us to remain for one more month while the details of our house come together. That really alleviates a lot of temptation for anxiety.

Yay!

Red Bell Pepper

Here is a picture of the first red bell pepper from our garden! The color is so bright and pretty - Jeramy and I had to take a picture. It took quite a while for the color to change from green to yellow to finally a brilliant red.

Also, our yellow banana peppers are finally having a chance to ripen from green to yellow. They're supposed to turn yellow in the cool temperature of the morning, but our deck holds the heat from day to day. Since the temps have been cooling lately in general, ripening is occurring!

Jeramy is a great farmer and we have thoroughly enjoyed the abundance of tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro, basil, green bell peppers, and okra. All of the rewards are worth the work.

A Biblical Mandate for Education

Wonderful friends from our church family graciously allowed us to borrow the full 2 disk DVD set of The Children of Caesar and it was awesome! Here's a 2 minute preview. The following are the Scriptural references that have thrown me over the top (so to speak) and made me excited and to eagerly anticipate homeschooling our children, now and in the future. These are the passages that reference the training of the mind, the thoughts of the mind and the disciplines/discipleship of the mind and character.

A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.

Luke 6:40

Train up a child in the way he should go,

Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:5-9

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers.

The wicked are not so,

But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,

But the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 1

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2

We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

2 Corinthians 10:5

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

Colossians 2:8

O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called "knowledge"-- which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith Grace be with you.

1 Timothy 6:20-21

Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:19

The Biblical evidence is so overwhelming; it cannot be refuted or ignored because it is the Word of God. I feel that there's no way to fulfill these commandments except to homeschool. But it is done with joy knowing that this is God's will.

Fearless Friday

Get yourself up on a high mountain,

O Zion, bearer of good news,

Lift up your voice mightily,

O Jerusalem, bearer of good news;

Lift it up, do not fear.

Say to the cities of Judah,

"Here is your God!"

Behold, the Lord God will come with might,

With His arm ruling for HIm.

Behold, His reward is with Him

And His recompense before Him.

Like a shepherd He will tend His flock,

In His arm He will gather the lambs

And carry them in His bosom;

He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

Isaiah 40:9-11

Baby? Lily

Lily will be eight months tomorrow! I will have to stop referring to her as "Baby Lily" because she's soon not going to be able to fit in that category any more. Which makes me think that we need another baby . . .

She is sitting up beautifully now for long periods of time unassisted. She rolls over from back to stomach to back again, but I think it's all in the same direction. She's even started moving! At first she started rotating while on her belly, which she still does, changing directions to face whatever is interesting. This past week she has started to prop herself up on her knees, trying to crawl! She doesn't get them under herself fully, so she ends up scooting backwards an inch at a time! :-) She's so cute.

Lily plays with her feet and anything she's given or gets her hands on to. She loves to watch her sister and seems to be really eager to be able to play with her. She has picked up some of Moriah's more unpleasant behavior patterns, but we still love her. :-) She smiles a lot and still very pleasant, content and relatively low maintenance when not tired or hungry. She has started a kind of humming, "hmum," which makes me think that she's calling my name. :-)

She weighed in yesterday at 16 pounds! She eats very well, though she gets easily distracted at mealtime. She is still nursing, but the day is soon approaching where plastic will replace flesh.

Lily is still inconsistent in her sleeping patterns, but her mood isn't compromised as a result of less sleep. Some nights she'll surprise us with eight hours and others will be interrupted at three, four or five hours after going to bed.

Lily is a bit under the weather currently, but today she was much better than yesterday. Hopefully it's just a minor head cold and won't develop into anything more serious.

Our Happy Helper

Moriah does, indeed, help with loading and unloading the dryer and the dishwasher. She loves to be a helper. She's so funny! This was my first video attempt. Hopefully I'll get better.

In yesterday's post, it might seem as though we do not discipline Moriah by spanking. Some parents encourage spanking and others don't - it can be a controversial parental decision today. The Scriptural mandate is clear on this issue. Jeramy and I are firm believers of spanking and we do it often. The point I wanted to make was that her temper tantrums in the last two weeks have caught us by surprise by the sheer dramatic exhibition of it. Historically we have spanked her for outright disobedience, etc. I could have used a lot more spankings than I actually received. :-)

He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.

Proverbs 13:24

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.

Proverbs 22:15

Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.

Proverbs 23:13-14

The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.

Proverbs 29:15

"FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES." It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

Hebrews 12:6-11

"'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.'"

Revelation 3:19