Homeschooling

This is my eighth year homeschooling. It is amazing how fast time flies. Austin is in 6th grade this year, Karissa is in 3rd, Tyler 1st, and Aleigha preschool. I was a little nervous about how things would work out this year (homeschooling 4 kids, plus a 2 year old and a 4 month old), but so far it is going rather well. I made a daily schedule for this year and it is proving to be very helpful. It keeps me on track and focused. I am using the Abekka curriculum again this year and I am really enjoying it. 

For this year,I have decided to increase the number of  science, cooking, and art projects with the kids to make things a little more fun. We made a chocolate mousse cheesecake the second week of school, which turned out beautiful and delicious. The kids were very proud of it, and were very excited to share it with their dad (our very willing taste tester).

-Angie

 

Now to the title of our blog Joy;

Joy is not often (although it should be) distinguished from happiness. Happiness is a feeling, a state of happening, even just an emotion. While happiness brings pleasure it will not last. It is fleeting always requiring you to search for the next feeling. Joy is a choice! You look at the events, the circumstances, the moment and decide your attitude. It may even be best described as seeing the big picture. Now to be very clear I am not talking about putting yourself in a frame of mind to change the world. Nor that you can will your problems away simply by putting on a happy face. The big picture must include that big God. Without him I am nothing, I would live my life being happy at times and just like before I met Jesus I might have even told you I have joy. There is truly no comparison and while that might seem like a way to make myself seem exclusive or “better than” others it truly has nothing to do with me. I am not good, God is good. I did not achieve, God sacrificed for me. I am not getting better, God is making those unhelpful things  in my life fade away.

Joy is seeing my redeemed life through God’s eyes and being in the moment. Why discuss joy? Well even as I am truly blessed I do struggle with being joyful. I read a quote from another blog recently (sorry I forgot the reference and it is not a exact quote) “I recently saw a picture of my kids and I on a picnic. I wish I could remember what we talked about that day. What treasures did we find as we walked along” This quote made me think. Not immediately but it is one of those things that hits you later on. I am so “in to” moving to the next thing or completing a task that at times I fail to miss enjoying the moment. To take the extra time not just to listen to my children but to go deeper. Ask them questions explorer who God is growing them into. Example: After a long day at work I find we need milk (we go through about a gallon and a half a day and our fridge holds about 4 gallons) I have the choice to grab the family or maybe just one of the kids and enjoy (find joy in) the moment or I can get frustrated because I have to go out to the store after a long day of work and waste time I could be spending relaxing and instead go to the store by myself with a grumpy attitude.

 

We (in Christ) are a work in progress. Would you join me in living every moment to the fullest? It is not about what happens to you but about how you choose to react. Jesus says I have come to give you life and that more abundantly” let’s take him up on the offer.

-Jacob

First Post

We are new to this blogging thing so at this point we are still trying to figure out what exactly to include in our Blog. Our desire here is to keep in touch with friends and family and provide an interesting point of view on the world. You say how is it you say your point of view is so interesting. Well we have the 6 most amazing children on earth, me and my wife are deeply and passionately in love (also best friends), and we are focused (even though sometimes it gets a little hazy) on the giver of life and redeemer of the world. All of those plus many other blessings give us a deep Joy beyond what pleasures of this earth can bring.

This is the first of many post to come. Some will be written by Angie some by Me. Even though I am sure you will not like her post as well please do not tell her so. Bye for now.

Jacob

Trips to Grandma's

Today we went to Jacob's grandmother's house so he could help her out with some yard work.  We go over there weekly so he can mow her lawn and help her with any thing else she may be needing. The job today was pulling out about 100' of hedges out of her front lawn so she can have a fence put in. It ended up being a lot more work than Jacob expected, even though we used the Suburban to do most of the pulling. 

When we were finally done there, we went over to visit my parents who live in the same town as Jacob's grandma. The kids all went swimming with my mom and then ran around playing in their garden,eating tomatoes(my parents have 56 tomato plants) and playing with the chickens (who are so fat and spoiled from all the extra produce from the garden my parents give them). My younger sister and her friend Jen also came over and we all had dinner together. It was a very nice evening. 

My posts are better than Jacob's. -Angie