Sick days

This week has been a long week. I caught the flu, and I lovingly shared it with most of the family. So kind of me, I know. Scott has been out of town most of the week, so he was the lucky one. The rest of us have spent more time in our PJs than not, and we have only stepped foot outside of our house once. Well, unless going to the mailbox counts because I did that once, too. ;)

One really nice thing about homeschooling is definitely the schedule. Sick days?! Nah. We just spend our time learning other important lessons like compassion, patience, quietness, kindness, mixed in with lots of snuggle time. Those are the best lessons anyway; they will get just about anyone far in life.

Despite laying around a LOT, we were able to mix some fun into our sick time by making a Valentine's craft. I have never been much of a Valentine's person, but Valentine's crafts are fun - and there are lots of ideas out there!

I think Landon was excited about getting started! This picture cracks me up. :)

 And, as always, Ella Beth posing for the camera. What am I going to do with this girl?!!

 The kiddos wrapped small pieces of tissue paper around their fingers to make "flowers."

 

Landon lasted about two minutes, and then he was done. Ella Beth and I, on the other hand, were very busy.

  Time to glue them on.

 And the end result is a very pretty handmade Valentine.

New Each Morning

Play Time

We have been enjoying the spurts of nicer weather lately. It's been a challenge to be cooped up inside for so many days on end with children who absolutely LOVE to be outdoors. So, when it warms up to around 50 degrees we are outside for as long as possible!

Landon got a bike for Christmas, and he is finally able to learn how to ride it. It only goes so far inside our house. ;) The bike came with a horn, and you can see that he squeaks it with one hand while he's driving with the other.

Landon got a tool set for Christmas from Scott and me. While we were outside he found one of Scott's real wrenches and got right to work on his bike. 

Ella Beth loves being outside as much as any little boy I've ever seen. Lately, she has been very into accessories. She likes to sport a handkerchief often these days - even when red clashes with pink!

Hoping for more nice days to come soon so that we can all get out and let out our pent up energy!

Renewing Your Mind

This morning my devotion really struck a chord with me. In my journey to become content with where the Lord has me in my life, I have been learning to take my thoughts captive. Romans 12:2 is a verse that I memorized while I was in Haiti and have hidden in my heart. It is also a verse that I come back to often on my journey...many times daily, and honestly some times more than once a day. Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." (emphasis added)

I am in the Birds on a Wire mom's group, and we are going through NPMi's HOPE curriculum. HOPE is about taking off our "flesh" (sinful nature) and replacing it with the Spirit of Christ.

I come back again and again to another verse that I memorized while I was in Haiti: Philippians 4:12 (emphasis added), "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." The process of taking off our flesh, of renewing our minds, must be learned. I am a sinful person by nature, but I can learn to take off my own flesh and replace it with that of Christ's. By taking my thoughts captive, renewing my mind to believe in my heart the promises of Christ and then living out those promises, I am able to fully live in the Presence of my Savior.



-----
I hope God will speak to your heart through this devotion.

February 2, Jesus Calling by Sarah Young



I am renewing your mind. When your thoughts flow freely, they tend to move toward problems. Your focus gets snagged on a given problem, clingling round and round it in attempts to gain mastery. Your energy is drained away from other matters through this negative focus. Worst of all, you lose sight of Me.

A renewed mind is Presence-focused. Train your mind to seek Me in every moment, every situation. Sometimes you can find Me in your surroundings: a lilting birdsong, a loved one's smile, golden sunlight. (Remember my new Habit #1 of 2011 - to count my blessings? Even the smallest of blessings are still straight from our Heavenly Father and He doesn't want us to miss them.) At other times, you must draw inward to find Me. I am always present in your spirit. Seek My Face, speak to Me, and I will light up your mind.

Romans 12:2; Psalm 105:4

A New Kind of Day

We have been having "new" kinds of days lately here at the Castleberry Clan. I haven't posted much (at all?) about our decision to start homeschooling Ella Beth and Landon. It was not a decision that we made lightly, nor was it an easy choice.

When I made the change to stay home full-time it was so that I would be with my kiddos full-time. I struggled with the thought of keeping Ella Beth in school. Ella Beth loved going to her Montessori school, and to be honest we really enjoyed having her there. She was learning SO much, and she was thriving in the Montessori environment. But...it seemed counter productive to my decision to stay at home. Why would I send her away for half of each day when what I wanted most was to spend all of my time with her and Landon? So...that's one of the major factors in starting to homeschool.

Now, I ain't gonna lie...homeschooling is not exactly easy and every day presents a new adventure/challenge. Mostly, the biggest challenge for me personally is with my patience. But, I feel that God is using my kiddos (especially Ella Beth lately!) to teach me more and more.

Here are some pictures to show some of the fun things we have been up to.

Painting is a huge hit in our house! One thing I had to adjust to was Landon wanting to be involved in everything. He's no longer taking a nap, so there is no "secret" painting time any more. :)

 He sure does enjoy it!

And, Ella Beth is our "crafty girl." If an activity has any type of art/craft/coloring/gluing/etc. in it, she is ALL ABOUT it!

 There are always big smiles.

And, one fun math activity that we did recently really held Ella Beth's attention. For the last couple of months Ella Beth has been absolutely obsessed with dinosaurs. I'm talking, OBSESSED. She can name and identify any dinosaur - and some of them have names like Quetzalcoatlus and Euoplocephalus. 

So, one morning we found a HUGE dinosaur footprint in our house. "It's a Tyrannosaurus Rex footprint, Mama!" she said. Yup. We measured things around our house with the T-Rex footprint and her tiny footprint, and then we compared our measurements.

So, right now, homeschooling is going well. There are easy days, and there are short-on-patience days. But, I have asked Ella Beth regularly if she wants to go back to Montessori school. She gives the same answer every time, "No, Mama. I like homeschool, and I really like being with Landon." With an answer like that, I guess I've made the correct decision!

His Glory

I have heard it said that whatever occupies your mind the most becomes your god.

What occupies my mind the most?

Me. Myself. I.

What am I going to do today? What are my kids going to do? What am I going to wear? What am I going to buy for myself? How am I going to spend my time? What do my kids want and need?

I told you I could be a very selfish person. And, frankly, sometimes it's ugly to be convicted.

Over and over again in Scripture, we are told that the reason we are here in this life - the only reason God has given us breath - is to bring Him glory.

Glory - noun. - very great praise, honor, or distinction bestowed; renown

But, oh, how often do I give myself that honor that does not belong to me? How often do I look to myself and my own desires before looking to God? Too often do I think of myself before I stop to think of others; let alone God.

At church today, we sang a song that has been my favorite song since the very first time that I ever heard it. What I like the most about the song "Forever Reign," by Hillsong is that every single line of the song gives Jesus all of the glory.

He is Good.
He is Love.
He is Light.
He is Hope.
He is Peace.
He is True.
He is Joy.
He is Life.
He is More.
He is Lord.
He is Here.
He is God.

My heart will sing no other name. Jesus.

May what occupies my mind more and more be less of me and more of Him.

Discontentment


God has really been laying on my heart lately how easily I fall into the trap of being discontent. So I am going to concentrate 2011 on the art of being content.

Phillipians 4:11-12 says, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."
I believe the key word in these verses is "learned." In our society (and apparently in societies many years ago) there is always the pull to want something different than what we have.
I found these quotes by Kent Crockett on contentment:
* The grass is always greenest in the center of God’s will.
*A nicer golf course won't make you a better golfer. A nicer environment won't make you a better person.
*Has it ever occurred to you that the things you now have were once things you were trying to get?
* Contentment in life is not found in a perfect set of circumstances but by choosing to be happy in every situation.
The last quote is my favorite - being content is a choice. And it is my choice to make 2011 a year of purposefully learning contentment.
A website that I have recently fallen in love with is http://www.aholyexperience.com/. Ann Voskamp is such a beautiful writer, and I have told more than one person that her site has changed my life. ;) One thing I am doing to intentionally learn to be content this year is by following the 100 Day Calendar found here. More and more I want to have a grateful heart, for truly God has blessed me with so much. I am choosing to develop 3 new habits over the next 100 days.
It's hard to be discontent when you count your blessings.