I have searched high and low and behold, no previously written testimony. That means I have to start all over again....hmmmm
My childhood was a decent, go to church on Sunday, US of A upbringing but becoming a teen in the late 1960's was quiet a challenge for my creative artistic personality.
As a teen, I knew something important was missing from my life but I was not sure what that was. I was born a seeker and I looked everywhere for the "meaning of life".
Trying to find the truth, I took all the information available to me and made up a set of rules to live by. I tried living by my own rules for over ten years and found that I was only seeking more and more. I was becoming more and more dissatisfied with the answers I was manufacturing.
During that seeking, I finally condescended to go to university and eventually ended up in Art school. My creativity was unleashed and that felt really good. It was a part of me that had not been previously satisfied. I lived the unfettered life of a typical art student. My body and mind felt satisfied but something was still missing. In fact the more free I thought myself, the more I realized something was missing. My favorite subject to paint and draw was an empty turtle shell.
I searched myself hard and realized that there was something more than satisfying my body and mind. I discovered that part of me called spirit and wondered if that is where I was incomplete.
One day a fellow art student, Elizabeth Senter, invited me to her church's Christmas pageant. I though, hum, Christian Christmas, not my cup of tea, I knew churches were full of hypocrites but at least it would be an investigation into something somewhat spiritual.
I sat detached watching the pageant unfold. It was about the life of Christ, complete with volunteer pseudo-nailed to the cross. As an art student, I saw cliche written all over the performance. It was definitely predictable. I knew the story. It was not my theatrical "cup of tea".
However, what I could not predict was that the Holy Spirit was present in that church. I was not sure what was going on in my heart, but I knew that something here at this church was the something that was missing from my life.
Soon after my visit, I asked Jesus to be the Lord of my life.
My life is now changed. I am still a seeker, by my heart is at peace. I have the freedom to be who I am and not search for what I think I should be. I know even in the low times I am not alone. The presence of God is in my life. The peace he has given me is beyond words.
Although I immediately felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. I was not magically transformed, it took time and work. It took time and study to understand how to let God work in my life.
I began by going to a Unitarian Church that was intellectually satisfying and somewhat spoke to my spirit. Six months later I met a man (now my husband) who suggested I try the church across the street from the Unitarian one.
It was a fundamental Bible believing church. I was shocked. The people there were intelligent, believed the Bible AND the Holy Spirit was obviously present in their church. I was hooked. It was here that I asked Jesus to be the shepherd of my life.
For the last almost 20 years, I have studied the Word of God. I love to seek, I love to question, I love to learn, I love to grow. Each step that I take to follow God is more rewarding than the last.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Monday, February 07, 2005
Invoice
I am dedicated to "of the moment" teaching...And learning.
Yesterday my pastor gave the congregation homework. We are to write down our personal testimony and share it with our husband and children. It was a no brainer to post it here. Sooooo....
No problem, I have already written several that I can use according to which audience I am speaking...hmmmm. That doesn't sound quite right. I promise, they are all the same, some just more detailed...
Okay, so this was this morning's lesson to me. I am searching my computer, through the zillions of documents I have, looking for "Testimony". It did not exist. I searched other spellings, abbreviations, nothing. So all the while I am reorganizing my thoughts so I can type it quickly and go feed the horses.
I was scanning appropriate folders and ran across one that I read as "in" voice. My brain froze. What a word. I had never read it like that before.
What is your IN voice? To whom to do listen? If you are not listening for the voice of God for guidance, you are listening to a much less experienced and powerful voice. I am not talking "God's voice" a la Moses... But He does speak to us in so many ways. Through His written word, through his prophets (teachers not future tellers), through His children and through the Holy Spirit (which some would de-deify as conscience).
God is awesome.
.....I will post my testimony when I get it re-written.
May God Bless You...
Yesterday my pastor gave the congregation homework. We are to write down our personal testimony and share it with our husband and children. It was a no brainer to post it here. Sooooo....
No problem, I have already written several that I can use according to which audience I am speaking...hmmmm. That doesn't sound quite right. I promise, they are all the same, some just more detailed...
Okay, so this was this morning's lesson to me. I am searching my computer, through the zillions of documents I have, looking for "Testimony". It did not exist. I searched other spellings, abbreviations, nothing. So all the while I am reorganizing my thoughts so I can type it quickly and go feed the horses.
I was scanning appropriate folders and ran across one that I read as "in" voice. My brain froze. What a word. I had never read it like that before.
What is your IN voice? To whom to do listen? If you are not listening for the voice of God for guidance, you are listening to a much less experienced and powerful voice. I am not talking "God's voice" a la Moses... But He does speak to us in so many ways. Through His written word, through his prophets (teachers not future tellers), through His children and through the Holy Spirit (which some would de-deify as conscience).
God is awesome.
.....I will post my testimony when I get it re-written.
May God Bless You...
Saturday, February 05, 2005
Benefits and deficits of Homeschooling
Time is probably the crucial difference between homeschool and "send-off-to" school. Homeschool does not "take time" it "gives time" to your children.
Benefits ---this list may grow---
(BTW, I have a MS in Education and have taught in public schools. I now homeschool.)
You maintain a very close relationship with your child. Quantity is important. There is no way you can develop the same level of relationship when you send your child away from home for 7+ hours a day. Everyday, homeschoolers spend time with their children when everyone is fresh. Time is not limited to evenings after a long day and/or to weekends. You laugh and cry together all day long. You live life together as a family.
Your children's giftings can be individually encouraged. You can direct your child's learning toward their interests.
You know what your child is learning....And the homeschooling parent gets to learn new stuff. The benefit for the student is that he/she can actually carry on an intelligent conversation with an educated parent AND the student knows the parent does know something.
Your child can learn confidently on his/her correct developmental level. My dyslexic son reads and writes "one grade lower" and does math "two grades higher". He does not have to compare himself to anyone. He just has to learn.
Your child is not humiliated or frustrated by not doing well. You repeat, take a break and/or do it some other time. You can take as long as you need to teach something. The desire to succeed naturally motivates learners who have not been discouraged by failure.
Your child learns how to live real life. What is more important, family or job (school)? In homeschooling, family, not school is the focal point of your lives. Your child learns to be a functional member of a family. This cannot be taught in any school. In fact school-life might require a divided loyalty.
Thinking and self examination is not encouraged when a child must sit quietly, follow directions without question, read what and when told, do math when told, only move when told, have to ask to go to the bathroom, eat only when allowed, etc..... Schools are situationally artificial. For most people not in prison, life is not that controlled. Homeschoolers do naturally learn the skill of "quiet" but not for 7 hours a day.
The School is not in control of your family life. Your child can learn life skills by doing. They learn to shop wisely, cook, build, clean, even watch the news. You and your children can find time to attend weddings, funerals, visit nursing homes, do vacations, go to the vet.
If the dog dies, you take a break to grieve together without being left behind by the rest of the class. If your child is subsequently curious about illness of death, you can change gears and study it.
When they are 16 they can get a day-time part time job if they wish. However many homeschoolers invent their own jobs and maintain them long before they are 16.
Your child has adult family members for "major-time" role models, not peers. The homeschool kids that I personally know are generally more self confident and relaxed than kids who are put with a large group of peers for most of their day. Homeschoolers rarely succumb to peer pressure. It is much easier for them to become who they were meant to be, rather than who their peers feel they have to be. Homeschoolers do not develop their values according to TV commercial slogans.
Deficits of Homeschooling----
hmmm....I can't think of any right now...After 9 years of homeschooling, I will have to think hard...Some superficial ones might be;
I could make more money if I worked outside the home.
If I sent my son to school and didn't work, I would have more free time.
AHHH...I thought of one!!!!! The house gets messy!!!!!
Our Homeschool
I homeschool our one son, YES, who gets along well with his peers and is very social.
We use a variety of curricula, some canned, some that I develop.
We volunteer together to work at the local children's museum.
We participate in a coop. We have a "group co-op school" every other Friday. Some moms rotate teaching classes in which they have skills. They have a play production and a musical and holiday craft parties (all the good stuff from schools). They also have a 4-H group.
My son also plays in a homeschool band that started up this year. The director is wonderful, the kids love him. After 4 months they are already in the second year book.
He has taken fencing, karate, basketball, swimming and will start soccer this spring.
We participate in many church activities. He had a lead role in the last children's play.
He enjoys playing video games online and off. He is something of a computer nerd and at 11 has taught himself how to "hack" into some of the games he owns.
Benefits ---this list may grow---
(BTW, I have a MS in Education and have taught in public schools. I now homeschool.)
You maintain a very close relationship with your child. Quantity is important. There is no way you can develop the same level of relationship when you send your child away from home for 7+ hours a day. Everyday, homeschoolers spend time with their children when everyone is fresh. Time is not limited to evenings after a long day and/or to weekends. You laugh and cry together all day long. You live life together as a family.
Your children's giftings can be individually encouraged. You can direct your child's learning toward their interests.
You know what your child is learning....And the homeschooling parent gets to learn new stuff. The benefit for the student is that he/she can actually carry on an intelligent conversation with an educated parent AND the student knows the parent does know something.
Your child can learn confidently on his/her correct developmental level. My dyslexic son reads and writes "one grade lower" and does math "two grades higher". He does not have to compare himself to anyone. He just has to learn.
Your child is not humiliated or frustrated by not doing well. You repeat, take a break and/or do it some other time. You can take as long as you need to teach something. The desire to succeed naturally motivates learners who have not been discouraged by failure.
Your child learns how to live real life. What is more important, family or job (school)? In homeschooling, family, not school is the focal point of your lives. Your child learns to be a functional member of a family. This cannot be taught in any school. In fact school-life might require a divided loyalty.
Thinking and self examination is not encouraged when a child must sit quietly, follow directions without question, read what and when told, do math when told, only move when told, have to ask to go to the bathroom, eat only when allowed, etc..... Schools are situationally artificial. For most people not in prison, life is not that controlled. Homeschoolers do naturally learn the skill of "quiet" but not for 7 hours a day.
The School is not in control of your family life. Your child can learn life skills by doing. They learn to shop wisely, cook, build, clean, even watch the news. You and your children can find time to attend weddings, funerals, visit nursing homes, do vacations, go to the vet.
If the dog dies, you take a break to grieve together without being left behind by the rest of the class. If your child is subsequently curious about illness of death, you can change gears and study it.
When they are 16 they can get a day-time part time job if they wish. However many homeschoolers invent their own jobs and maintain them long before they are 16.
Your child has adult family members for "major-time" role models, not peers. The homeschool kids that I personally know are generally more self confident and relaxed than kids who are put with a large group of peers for most of their day. Homeschoolers rarely succumb to peer pressure. It is much easier for them to become who they were meant to be, rather than who their peers feel they have to be. Homeschoolers do not develop their values according to TV commercial slogans.
Deficits of Homeschooling----
hmmm....I can't think of any right now...After 9 years of homeschooling, I will have to think hard...Some superficial ones might be;
I could make more money if I worked outside the home.
If I sent my son to school and didn't work, I would have more free time.
AHHH...I thought of one!!!!! The house gets messy!!!!!
Our Homeschool
I homeschool our one son, YES, who gets along well with his peers and is very social.
We use a variety of curricula, some canned, some that I develop.
We volunteer together to work at the local children's museum.
We participate in a coop. We have a "group co-op school" every other Friday. Some moms rotate teaching classes in which they have skills. They have a play production and a musical and holiday craft parties (all the good stuff from schools). They also have a 4-H group.
My son also plays in a homeschool band that started up this year. The director is wonderful, the kids love him. After 4 months they are already in the second year book.
He has taken fencing, karate, basketball, swimming and will start soccer this spring.
We participate in many church activities. He had a lead role in the last children's play.
He enjoys playing video games online and off. He is something of a computer nerd and at 11 has taught himself how to "hack" into some of the games he owns.
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Our Personal Prisons
Free thought on bars.
We all have bars that limit our abundance of life.
My personal prison is transient. Sometimes I feel very confined, other times free as a bird.....But even the bird has bars.
Unfulfilled desires can create the bars behind which we live.
My personal prison is wanting to hear approval from other people. Running in the background is the thought "if I don't hear approval, then 'they' are not approving".
If I do not hear approval, then I find myself likely altering my behavior. This is the structure of the bars. Prisoners have their behavior modified by the bars of their prison. My thinking could really put a burden on other people and/or limits upon myself.
Ideally, I should be able to function with only the approval of God. However, I do believe He has put in us the desire to hear from our fellow humans. He has made us social. Social requires bonding. Bonding requires dependency. Dependency creates limits...Bars.
The bars are a part of human nature.
The question is: "Are the bars detrimental"? Ah, therein lies a very complex answer. Without bars or limits in our interactions with others, we become very self serving and preserving.
Bars can create a bit of safety. They can protect us from dangerous activities, relationships, etc. They can also be a hindrance. They can limit our behavior so severely that we do not function to our full ability.
So how does one tell if our own personal bars are protective or hindrance? The answer is relatively simple. If your bars are keeping you from doing God's work then they are a hindrance.
So what is God's work?
Again the answer is simple: Glorifying God by loving our neighbors by strong>DOINGto others as we would have them do to us.
All the rest pales before this command.
People make life so complicated when in reality if we keep our focus on the right mark, it is realitively simple. Super Bowl weekend is upon our country. The players work together for a single purpose. They take hits for each other, they block the "enemy" all with the goal in mind.
The bars, the blocks, the hits, the hurts, the obstructed paths all fall into perpective as part of the inevitable life on earth. God's team functions best with gloryfying God as the goal.
We all have bars that limit our abundance of life.
My personal prison is transient. Sometimes I feel very confined, other times free as a bird.....But even the bird has bars.
Unfulfilled desires can create the bars behind which we live.
My personal prison is wanting to hear approval from other people. Running in the background is the thought "if I don't hear approval, then 'they' are not approving".
If I do not hear approval, then I find myself likely altering my behavior. This is the structure of the bars. Prisoners have their behavior modified by the bars of their prison. My thinking could really put a burden on other people and/or limits upon myself.
Ideally, I should be able to function with only the approval of God. However, I do believe He has put in us the desire to hear from our fellow humans. He has made us social. Social requires bonding. Bonding requires dependency. Dependency creates limits...Bars.
The bars are a part of human nature.
The question is: "Are the bars detrimental"? Ah, therein lies a very complex answer. Without bars or limits in our interactions with others, we become very self serving and preserving.
Bars can create a bit of safety. They can protect us from dangerous activities, relationships, etc. They can also be a hindrance. They can limit our behavior so severely that we do not function to our full ability.
So how does one tell if our own personal bars are protective or hindrance? The answer is relatively simple. If your bars are keeping you from doing God's work then they are a hindrance.
So what is God's work?
Again the answer is simple: Glorifying God by loving our neighbors by strong>DOINGto others as we would have them do to us.
All the rest pales before this command.
People make life so complicated when in reality if we keep our focus on the right mark, it is realitively simple. Super Bowl weekend is upon our country. The players work together for a single purpose. They take hits for each other, they block the "enemy" all with the goal in mind.
The bars, the blocks, the hits, the hurts, the obstructed paths all fall into perpective as part of the inevitable life on earth. God's team functions best with gloryfying God as the goal.
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