Prayers During Lent

The Valley of Vision is a rich collection of Puritan prayers.  Wow, could they pour out their hearts in prayer to God!  I am struck over and over by the depth and beauty of these prayers.  Love them!  During Lent, this year, we are starting our day by reading/praying a prayer from The Valley of Vision before breakfast.  The rich words and filling content nourish our souls before we eat our food.  Here are some prayers from this book that I have shared in the past.  

Rewards and Hope

I have mixed feelings about rewarding my children for their work.  On the one hand, we all love rewards for a job well done.  On the other hand, as we mature, it seems like we should move to a place where we are more internally motivated.  That said, there is nothing like a green sparkly star drawn on my kids completed papers to make them light up with a big smile.  Seriously, that gel pen, is a motivator for them!  And it is so easy.  I have even mastered turning a check mark, to mark a wrong answer, into a star, for getting it right.  The kids LOVE that.  They love to see that check mark transform into a star.  And I love doing it.  Isn't it great to watch a mistake go from being pointed out because it is a mistake to being marked with a big star that shouts "correct answer!"  It is a tiny picture of grace.

Last year M bought the boys some Lego sets on a business trip.  We saved them as a reward to be given upon the completion of their math books.  They were a great reward!  We had them set up on a high shelf in the kitchen and when the boys were feeling unmotivated about completing math, they saw those Lego sets and found some more motivation to keep going.  And when the days came for them to each get their Lego set, it was a time for celebrating hard work and the rewards that accompany it.

This year I wondered if I should give rewards for completing books.  Then the kids started to ask about it.  Then I went through a big clean out of the house.  I discovered some brand new hidden picture books that had been given to us years ago.  They aren't Lego sets, but they are good rewards for the completion of Handwriting Without Tears and Explode the Code workbooks.  But, I also wanted something more, something beyond just a personal reward.

So, here is what we decided to use for rewards this year.  For every completed workbook, the kids get a small personal reward, such as a hidden picture book and they get $1 to put into a jar to help save money for the adoption expenses of some friends. Or we might use it to buy a gift for their child or family.  The jar is decorated with the picture of the little guy who is waiting to come home to his adoptive family.  $1 isn't much, but it is doable and more important than the amount, it provides the kids with an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than themselves.  I wondered if the kids would be motivated by it, but so far, there has been excitement when workbooks are finished!  They are excited that they worked diligently and that their work helps to raise a little money.

My hope is that the jar serves as a reminder to them that education is a privilege and that there are kids in the world who don't get that privilege and/or who don't have families.  My hope is that they remember that while they sit in our little school room, in our home, there is an entire world out there.  A world that they can influence.  The hope is that, along with rewarding small steps along the way, they see the connection between their diligent studies and the needs in the world.  Completing math each day may not seem to matter much, but the character that is being forged through consistent diligence and the knowledge gained are crucial to a world full of needs.  It is our hope that they would begin to learn that their choices, day in and day out make a difference.  Those choices shape them into the people they will grow to be.  The hope is that short term rewards bring long term vision and perspective.  It is the merging of the short-term external rewards and the desire for long-term internal motivation.        

In Which I Recognize my Hoarding Tendency

Last night, as a Valentine's Day present, my husband upgraded my phone.  I went from having a smart phone to, now, having an even smarter phone.  Seriously, this phone is way smarter than I am.  After almost three years with my previous phone, and not using it to the fullest potential, at all, I wondered if I really needed a smarter phone.  Then over the last few months my phone started acting bogged down. It started to feel a bit clunky.  I was ready to upgrade.  And, this could be the best part for me, after the rebate and coupons we had, the phone came to $15.  How cool is that?  Such a bargain for all this technology!  Since M and I don't do much for Valentine's Day for each other, it was the perfect present.  A fantastic upgrade at such an unbelievable price.  I am still gushing and he is feeling awesome for presenting me with a gift that I truly love.

Now, I have and am using apps.  I guess I used them before, but I didn't have any cool ones.  Basically, I just used the Facebook app.  Now, I am so app happy!  Constellation app, "yes!"  Periodic table app, "I'll take it!"  How to tie a scarf app, "Alright!"  Khan Academy, "Love it!"  Merriam-Webster app, "Yup!" Bible app, "Of course!"  Crossword Solver, "Got it!"  The Federalist Papers app, "Oh yeah!"  Hold on!  The Federalist Papers?  The Crossword Solver?  I don't do crossword puzzles.  But, one time in the last 6 months one of my kids had a crossword puzzle in his schoolwork and there was a word that stumped us. I might need it.  And the Federalist Papers?  Really?  REALLY?  Do I need to tote that around?  Do I need that at my fingertips at all times?  Have I ever read it?

Suddenly I am downloading all these apps because they are free and I might, maybe, want them someday.  When it comes to my house, I like to clean out the clutter!  Seriously, cleaning out my house could well be said to be somewhat of a hobby of mine.  Hobby [hob-ee], noun, plural -bies, "an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation andnot as a main occupation: Her hobbies include stamp-collecting and woodcarving."   Yup, cleaning out could certainly fit the dictionary definition of a hobby.  It does bring me pleasure and relaxation and it is not my main occupation.

But, I think I could have an app problem because when I went to look up the definition of the word hobby, I noticed that that web site had an app and I felt really excited about that.  And I wanted to download it right away, even though I already have a dictionary app.  So, I looked up the word addict and found that in this case I might fit the 3rd definition of the word,to habituate or abandon (oneself) to something compulsively or obsessively: a writer addicted to the use of high-flownlanguage; children addicted to video games. "  But then again, that's not quite right, it's a little strong, so I looked up the definition of the word hoarder and yeah, I might be an app-hoarder.  It is defined as, "to gather or accumulate (a hoard)" and then there is this definition, "an accumulated store hidden away for future use".  So, yeah, that is what I am doing, but it is such a fine line!  I mean some of these apps really will be useful, but then again, others are just clutter.  Some just take up space and will never be used., but they don't take up REAL space and they could be very useful...and here I go making excuses, is that the sign of a problem?

New Seeds Album: Purity

Seeds Family Worship has a new album!  What could be better for Valentine's Day than a Seeds album full of songs that focus on purity?  Click here to buy and download the album!  It has just been released TODAY!

Seeds is also offering a Purity Pledge.  Here is what they say about that, "The pledge helps us all take a look at how purity in our children starts with purity throughout our homes. Every person who takes the pledge receives a free song from Purity and a free devotional download from the Passport2Purity curriculum by FamilyLife."

If you notice, the pledge is a Parent's Purity Pledge, not a kid's purity pledge.  It is for parent's to read and sign.  Click here to take a look at the pledge.   Whether you are into signing pledges such as this (okay, I'll be honest, I am not really into signing things like that) read over it.  It contains some things well worth considering and implementing into our lives.  If signing it could benefit you as a parent, sign it!  For myself, it gives some good food for thought and would be useful to refer to on occasion as a tool to help me evaluate purity in my life and parenting.  Signed or not signed, it is a great tool and a great reminder to examine our hearts and homes and to evaluate how high a priority we are placing on purity.  


The music that I have heard from this new album is fantastic!  Just as good as their previous music.  It might even be better?  We own and regularly play albums 1-6.  We love having scripture playing in our home.  It draws our hearts and minds back to what is true and good in the midst or our days.  I can't wait to download this new album!!!  Want to preview the music for yourself?  Click here.  

Lisa Who?

Does this or does it not look like it says, "Lisa"? But for some reason A does not like it when I call him that. Hey, I say if you're man enough to wear it, be man enough to be called it.

Can't Look Away

Another Christmas 2011 picture.  The cat was  mesmerized by the hex bugs.

Marionberry-Cranberry Pie

And the Christmas day dessert from 2011.  Yum.  I think we will make this marion berry-cranberry pie again!

Christmas Meal

Christmas 2011 meal.  We made a fiesta meal.  Several crock pots kept meat, beans and rice warm.  And, yes, that is a stack of dirty dishes surrounding that crock pot.  Opening presents was more of a priority :).  This was one of the most fun holiday meals.  Shortly before we ate we cooked up fresh tortillas (premade to make Christmas day less busy).  Delicious!

The day before we squeezed a bunch of fresh orange juice and garnished the glasses with pomegranate seeds.  Yum.