It's a God Thing!

Well, Operation Christmas Child is over for another year. We coordinated the filling and collection of boxes for our church this year - the first time they had been involved with this project. The response was overwhelming. We collected a total of 34 shoe boxes and enough money to cover the postage for all of them. This far exceeded my expectations. Someone congratulated me on what we had achieved and I explained that it had nothing to do with me - it must have been a "God thing". Apart from doing a presentation the Sunday that we introduced the project, and obviously working behind the scenes to collate the goodies, I didn't do anything to promote it or encourage people to become involved. God worked in people's hearts and prompted them to give so freely and I have to give HIM all the glory.
God brought that concept back to mind again today as I pondered something that has come about this week. I had been trying to organise some work experience for Hannah. We had approached some members of our church who owned a business and were actually in the process of organising for this to occur. Something didn't quite gel and I felt a little unease about it but was going to ignore that feeling and go ahead anyway. God, however, had other plans! Quite by "chance" we met up with a couple that we knew during our time at Bible College many years ago. Turns out that they own a music store and offered Hannah the opportunity to do some work experience there. If you know Hannah, you would know that this is far more up her alley than the previous buisness. We have confidence that the people she will be working with are strong Christians who have her best interests at heart and will guide her in more than just the physical aspects of working in a music shop. They will take her under their wing and nurture her for which we are grateful. Hannah is very excited and I am left praising God yet again for His ability to work things out sometimes inspite of me. Another "God thing"!
When will I ever learn to let God be God and stop trying to put Him into a box? When will I step out of the way and let Him work out His plan in His way, without my intervention?

Now I really feel old!

No, I haven't had another birthday, nor have either of the girls (although they are fast approaching). The reason for the title of this blog is that my oldest daughter Hannah recently obtained her provisional licence! When she first turned 16 (the age she could sit her theory test and obtain her learner's permit), she had no inclination to do so. That stage actually didn't last long and she passed the test first time. Then came the fun part - sitting behind the wheel of the car! Nine months later - she sat her driving test and passed first time! Initially she was rather hesitant about heading out on her own but that didn't last long. This week, as an example, she is out five nights, either on her own or with her siblings, as well as having the car one full day. Scary!?! Not really - I can't lie and tell you that I don't think about where she is or how she is going, but I do trust her and what is more, I entrust her to her Heavenly Father who loves her so much more than I ever could. I also have to admit that it has been really neat to have her drive herself places that I was previously required to. Tonight we met up somewhere and I reminded her that dad was wanting to go home, completely forgetting that she had the other car and her own keys and was completely capable of making her own way home. That is why I now feel really old - not only do I have a daughter that drives but I also forgot that she can!

The Sound of Music!

This morning the girls played their flute and trombone in the Dawn to Dusk Band at the school's car boot sale. It basically provided back ground music while people shopped at the stalls, rather than it being an actual concert. I especially like the theme songs from various movies that they play. Ones like Man from Snowy River, Star Wars, Raiders March. Stephen managed to get himself a real bargain - nearly 300 Yugioh cards for $5 so that kept him busy while we were listening. Another of the Banksia Park concert bands played after the girls and Hannah was invited to play what she could with them - all sight reading but a very good experience. Following lunch of sausages and bread, we headed off to the piano concert. All the children played in this one and despite the nerves did well. No rest for the wicked - piano lessons and band practice Monday and then Michelle's flute recital on Tuesday night.

One of the piano students played the Adam's Family theme song and it reminded me of this film clip. It is so NOT the way that WE homeschool but we enjoyed it none-the-less and thought that you might also. Besides that, it gives me a good excuse to experiment with doing different things on the blog. Here's hoping that it works! (Edit: I couldn't get the video to embed in my blog but click on the link and you can watch it on You Tube.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQRlmCNC5XE

Three Years Already?!

It is hard to believe that we are about to enter our fourth year of homeschooling. It was at the beginning of fourth term 2005 that we brought the children home. It has been an adventure for sure! As I look back on the last three years, I am pretty sure that it has been me that has learnt the most but that is another post in itself! I thought I would share some of our plans for the coming months since one of my goals for this blog was to be kept accountable.

Over the last couple of months we have had Operation Christmas Child as a major focus. This will continue for another two weeks. It is a project run by Samaritan's Purse, in which people pack shoe boxes full of toys, writing materials, items of clothing, toothbrushes and soap which are then sent to children around the world who are suffering the effects of poverty, war, sickness etc. We have been busy sewing, knitting and crafting things to put into the boxes. We have presented the project at church and have been very encouraged by the response. Next week we will be getting together with some of the church folk and packing the boxes with all the lovely things that people have brought along. Then Sunday October 26 will be presentation Sunday where the Sunday School children will bring the boxes to the front of the church and we will pray for all the little children who will be receiving them. Hannah and one of her cousins are also volunteering at the local processing plant two days a week. This is where all the shoe boxes are checked before being packed into containers and sent overseas.

It will be Michelle's 13th birthday on the first of November and we have something fun planned. Over the next couple of weeks we will be looking at the Victorian Era for our history studies and this will culminate in a mid 1800's picnic at our friend's property in the hills. We have already been sewing some clothes for the girls (bonnets, skirts and aprons) and have begun thinking about the type of food they ate and games they played in that time period. We have invited the mothers and female siblings of her friends also as we see it as a time to build relationships with these people, not just celebrate her birthday. We are getting quite excited about this project!

Music is a ongoing focus for our family and these next two months will be busy ones in that regard. All the children learn piano and have a concert next week. Michelle will also be sitting her first grade theory exam at the end of October. Michelle also has flute lessons and plays in a band called Dawn to Dusk. Hannah has picked up the trombone this last term and has joined Michelle's band as well as an adult beginner band on Tuesday nights. Stephen has started playing the Clarinet and has joined the junior band called Beat Bugs. They are all playing at a Car Boot Sale this coming weekend, a Remembrance Day Service and the local Christmas Pageant in November. Just for good measure, all the children will be joining their cousins for a Christmas concert at a Nursing Home. They all do items on their various instruments and this time we are also planning a "sing-a-long" of some of the older songs that the residents may remember.

Whew - I am exhausted just writing down what we are planning, let alone doing it, along with all the other things that we are involved in. Just as well we are relaxed, flexible homeschoolers!

Blessing?

We were talking with friends last night and the subject of being blessed by God came up. People tend to think that God is blessing you if you have a good job, making lots of money, a lovely family, the kids are doing well etc. etc. I sometimes think that these things are actually a trap - not that they are wrong, in and of themselves, but they can so easily take us away from what is really important. I wonder if those that are truly blessed by God are the ones who have to struggle for their health, or through the loss of a loved one etc.
The blogs that I have stumbled across and yet continue to be drawn to, are the ones whose owners have suffered indescribable loss yet they cling to God. They would be the first to admit that their path is one they would definitely not have chosen but having walked it, they know that God walked with them in a way that is almost just as indescribable as the loss. They have grown so much in their relationship with God through the hard times and they are thankful for them.
While waiting for the results of some medical tests back in July, I read from Paul's letter to the Colossions "Since then you have been raised up with Christ, set your hearts on things above...set your minds on things above, not on earthly things!"
Oh how I needed to be reminded of that - stop dwelling on the things of this earth - things that do not last, things that are corruptable. Instead, I was instructed to set my heart and mind on Christ. God met me in my feeble attempt to focus on Him and Him alone, rather than on uncertain test results. He gave me a peace about the whole thing and even a sense of excitement about what He was going to do in my life through this whole experience.
Fast forward three months - where is my focus now? I would love to say that it has stayed on Christ, that my heart and mind are on "things above". Somehow it was easier to look to Him in the storm than it is now. The hum-drum of everday life has a way of taking my focus off of Christ and back onto me. There has got to be a balance between being so heavenly minded that I am of no earthly good, and being so distracted by things of this earth that I no longer look to Him.
There are a number of health issues that are still rearing their ugly head in my life and I was forced last night to question wether I see myself as being blessed by God in my current situation. I have to admit that while I don't think of myself as being cursed by God, I definitely hadn't been looking at my situation as a blessing either.
I know that God wants more of me but I get so scared of what He will require of me. I want the benefits that come from a relationship with Him with out the responsibilities, if that makes sense. I know that God loves me unconditionally but for relationships to work they need to be two way. It is only as I allow Him to work in and through me that I will be able to see this season of my life as a blessing.
I so long for that to happen in theory, in practice it is another matter!