What's Your Legacy?

I learned something very interesting today.  Pearls are created inside oysters because a foreign substance, an irritant, gets under the shell of the oyster.  The oyster then secretes a film to cover the foreign substance; this becomes the pearl.  Something beautiful is formed from an irritant.  This caused me to wonder how do I handle irritants?  Ask yourself, how do you handle irritants?  Do we grow and mature, becoming more beautiful on the inside, or do we allow that irritant to scrape away at our insides, our heart and mind, until we are nothing but a nasty, ugly shell with no tender insides?

A few weeks ago, we received a kids' leadership book to review that asked the question, "What kind of a legacy are you creating?"  This has had me thinking about what I might leave behind for my kids and their kids.  I would like to think that I'm a fairly good person, that I don't have too many hang ups but, if I'm honest and really dig deep (don't have to go to deep), I'd see that I am impatient and selfish.  Probably deep down, we all are.  We all sin.  At the root of sin is satisfying ourselves.

We've (I've) got to get beyond that selfishness.  When I believed in Jesus and accepted his death on the cross for my sin and believed he rose from the dead, I became his child.  God, the Father, had given me a way to him that I would not have had were it not for his son's death.  In that, he made it so I would never have to be alone.  I would never have to go through the hard times of life by myself.  He gave me his Holy Spirit to guide me and convict me when I am doing something wrong.

Why do I still do things wrong?  Because I am not listening to the Holy Spirit.  I hold myself in higher regard than the God of the universe.  Putting that in writing makes it sound so foolish.  Well, that's because it is.  Whenever we do something that is outside of God's will, we think we are better than God.  We have no humility, just arrogant pride.

How, then, can I leave a good legacy for my children?  How can I ever hope for them to turn out to be kind and compassionate, loving and joyful?  I must model that in my life.  I must put God first even if no one around me does.  I need to focus on him and be willing to allow him to change me and make me beautiful inside, like the pearl.  There will be all sorts of things that happen in my life over which I have no control at all, irritants.  The kids fight.  The dog jumps and chews.  I get a large bill from a doctor.  I get sick.  And on and on.  You get the point.  What will I do with those situations?  What choice will I make?  Will I get all bent out of shape and be miserable or will I choose to go to God?  I know what the answer should be. It's as clear as day.  I am a selfish sinner, though, and I forget that God is beside me always wanting to help me and guide me.  Oh, how I wish I could always remember that and turn to him when everything isn't hunky-dory.  Things would be better; that's not to say that everything would turn out perfectly, but I would have a different perspective.  I would be more patient and kind, more peaceful and loving.

That's the legacy I want to leave for my kids, my family, and my friends.  I want them to say when I am gone, "Wow!  She really loved the Lord and trusted in him for everything.  It was great to know someone with such great faith."  I'm not sure at this point that that can be said.  Hopefully, I still have years ahead of me to change so that God can fix what I've broken.

What have you broken?  What is your legacy?  Is it one that needs changed.  Allow God to change you and give you his fruit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Trust in him and see what he can do when you submit and humble yourself before him.

Essentials in Writing

Is there anyone out there who doesn't want their kids to be confident and enjoy the study of language?  Essentials in Writing is a company devoted to producing "confident writers who enjoy the study of language."  Theirs is a "complete language arts curriculum with emphasis on composition...Grades 7 and 8 weave grammar instruction into the lessons during the drafting and revising stage of the writing process."

We received the Seventh Grade Program which included 3 lesson DVDs and a CD-ROM with printable worksheets, assignments sheets, and an answer key in PDF format.  (Future orders will contain a link to downloadable PDF files and no CD-ROM.)  The instructor, Matthew Stephens, is shown on the DVD in front of a white board on which he writes things during the lesson, just as if he were in a classroom.

The topics covered in the seventh grade program are:
- Sentence structure
- Compound sentences
- Complex sentences
- Prepositional phrases
 - Appositive phrases
- Formal paragraph structure
- The Writing process
- Mechanics of Dialogue
- Figurative Language
- Using Imagery
- Narrative Writing
- A Business Letter
- Persuasive Writing
- Parts of a Five Paragraph Essay
- Expository Essay
- Writing a Summary
- Compare/contrast essay
- Descriptive Writing
- The Research Paper

It is certainly not the most exciting program for writing I've seen, but the segments are short enough to not be boring.  Nate, my 7th grader, never complained about watching it, although he did complain about doing the worksheets.

I am a worksheet person; Nate is not.  Perhaps he doesn't see any use in them; he'd rather just write.  I have the mindset of needing to have something to fill a portfolio for the school district.  Nate has been writing for a while now and simply needs further instruction which is what the videos offered.  He watched 6 or 7 segments about sentences.  Each new segment begins with the wording related to the segment at the bottom of the screen.  I think he watched 2 segments about paragraphs and 2 lessons related to essay writing.  I simply put the DVDs into my computer, and Nate sat on the couch and watched the lessons.

At the end of each lesson, I gave him a few worksheets to do.  There are plenty of worksheets to last a couple of days depending on how you use them.  A letter is included with the worksheets that explains the suggested process: look at the worksheets for the day's lesson, watch the video lesson, complete the assignment, and look at the next lesson.  A sample lesson plan is also included which is helpful to follow.

Each DVD set for each grade level sells for $40.  A pre-printed workbook is available for $20 for each grade as well if you don't want to use your own ink and paper to print out the worksheets.  

There are so many things we were unable to get through in the short review period, but we will continue to use it because of the wealth of information that there still is to learn.

If you are interested in reading other reviews about Essentials in Writing, please go to the Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog.

ARTistic Pursuits: A Review

ARTistic Pursuits is a company which has put together some amazing art books for kids in preschool through high school.  Jacob, my 9th grader, had the opportunity to use the Book 1 for High School: The Elements of Art and Composition.  He has a lot of courses this year that are more difficult than he is used to, so I was glad to get an art curriculum to review because he loves to draw.  He is especially good at drawing animals, as can be seen by the lizard he drew for an assignment in one of the first two units.  We made it through two whole units and two lessons in the third unit while reviewing this book.  He wants to continue using the book even though the official review period is over.  He said he would gladly keep using it because he really likes it.


There are 16 different units contained in this book and include such things as space, line, texture, form, value, contrast and unity, composition, balance, rhythm, depth by overlapping, one- and two-point perspective, atmospheric perspective, and others.  Jacob worked on space, line, and began working on texture.  This book includes a lot of different items in a lesson.  There is art appreciation.  The student is shown how an existing piece of art, which is displayed in color, exhibits clearly the topic of the lesson, be it balance, texture, or some other element. They are given a brief biography of the artist and an explanation of the history in which the artist lived and how it affected him and his art.  Work by other students is included throughout the book.  Inspirational quotes are also scattered throughout the book.


There are only a few art items needed during the first semester of the course: a drawing pencil set which includes 2H through 4B pencils, a vinyl eraser, a pencil sharpener, and a drawing pad.  The second course requires a few more items like vine charcoal, compressed charcoal, a charcoal paper pad, a kneaded eraser, and a few other items.  The second semester begins at unit 8  and teaches components of composition.  All of the supplies are able to be purchased through ARTistic Pursuits if you would rather not have to go out and find them yourself.  Simply click on the "Art Supply Packs" link and choose the pack that goes with the book you will be using.

I like that this high school course is student-directed.  The book is written to the student.  I don't need to do anything except make sure his assignments are getting done which really isn't a problem when it comes to art.  Every day I see him walking around with his sketch pad finding household items or items outside he can draw.  He had a clay lizard in his room which he drew for an assignment in unit 2.

Each of the high school books is $47.95 and includes 68 lessons on 92 pages. The second high school book is entitled, "Color and Composition," and works more with paint than with pencil and charcoal.  Jacob is a drawer, so this first book works very well for him.

I asked Jacob to give his opinion, and he says, "It is fun.  Some of the lessons give you a little bit too much work, like today's lesson that had you draw 10 things.  Otherwise, it is fun and can help you develop in your artistic skills.  If you wanted to be an artist, then this would probably be the curriculum for you."

If you would like to read more reviews about ARTistic Pursuits' products, you can find them on the Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog.

The Screwtape Letters Dramatization: A Review

Last night, performing at the Times Union-Moran Theater in Jacksonville was Brent Harris in 

John and I had the opportunity to go downtown and see this production thanks to a friend of his who had purchased tickets but couldn't go.  He graciously gave his tickets to John.  We were just three rows behind the orchestra pit.  They were the best free seats I've ever had.

I have never read The Screwtape Letters but had a good idea what it was about from what others have said.  I wish I had read it, though, so I would have been a bit more prepared for what I was going to see.  Brent Harris portrayed "His Abysmal Sublimity Screwtape."  He spoke almost continuously for 90 minutes.  Having done some minor acting myself (very minor), I was extremely impressed by his ability to memorize so much and be virtually alone on the stage the whole time.  There was another character, Toadpipe, portrayed by Tamala Bakkensen, but this creature didn't speak.  She simply hopped around the stage, making extremely creepy noises most of the time and even throwing up when they were talking about prayer.  I will remain convinced it was just water she was spewing.  I don't want to know if it wasn't.

In The Screwtape Letters, Screwtape dictates letters to his nephew, Wormwood, about how to keep his "patient" from becoming a Christian.  There are various techniques he can employ such as instilling pride, temptations, noise and busyness, apathy, etc.  The setting of the whole play is hell.  There was a wall resembling the Paris catacombs with skulls and bones displayed across it.  There was a ladder that reached up past where one could see.  Halfway up the ladder was a mailbox into which Toadpipe put each of Screwtapes letters and out of which she retrieved Wormwood's letters.  A chair for Screwtape and two tables sat on a slanted piece of stone.  The lighting was dark, sometimes red to resemble the fires of hell.  Twice during the play, bright white light flashed onto the stage to resemble heavenly light.  At times, when Screwtape was very angry, his voice reverberated, adding to the eerie feeling of this production.

When the play was over, I remarked to John that that was one of the weirdest things I had ever seen.  The producer, Max McLean, came out after it was over and invited the audience to stay for a time of discussion.  About half of the audience stayed, John and I with them.  I enjoyed this time more than the play, not to detract from the remarkable performance of Brent Harris.  Being able to learn more about people is something I truly love.  We learned about Max McLean's spiritual journey.  We talked about Christianity in the world of theater.  Mr. McLean and Mr. Harris were able to expound on some of the ideas presented in the play.  I think this allowed me to get past how strange the play was and focus on the message of it and the amazing wisdom and insight of C. S. Lewis.

It left me with questions I can ask myself: How strong is my faith?  How serious am I when I pray to God?  I was convicted by the segment where Toadpipe mimicked a person falling asleep when praying.  How often do I pray when I am too tired and end up falling asleep?  How often do I allow myself to be busy and just forget to read God's Word or pray?  Do I think that I am holier than I am?  Do I have too much pride in my knowledge?

There is no doubt that this play will stick with me for a very long time.  I will probably end up reading The Screwtape Letters so that I can be reminded of the spiritual battle that rages and how any apathy or lukewarmness I may display only serves to please the enemy.  I want to be sure my life is pleasing to the Lord.

I am glad I had the chance to see this dramatization.  If you don't have the opportunity to see it in person, read the book.

Thank you, Daniel, for giving us your tickets!!

A God of Peace

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:13

Most of us have hectic lives, things that go on in our lives beyond our own control that can cause us stress.  If our hope is in Christ, we don't need to worry.  Most people have heard the verses in Matthew 6 that tell us not to worry.  Why, then, is it so hard to stop worrying?  Why is it so hard to trust God?  Even when given ample evidence of his provision in our lives during our moving process, I still suffer from anxiety and panic attacks.  I allow myself to be consumed by the here and now and the what ifs and forget to turn to God when I have fear.

I stopped watching the news a while back because I would rather have my reality be what is real (go figure) instead of what the media tells me is real.  Ever heard of sensationalism?  I love the definition - the use of exciting or shocking stories or language at the expense of accuracy in order to provoke public interest (as defined on Google.com).  Before you comment and tell me I need to know what is going on and should be watching the news, know that I read enough headlines on Facebook and hear plenty of news through the Christian radio station that I listen to.  If I listen to the news, even the supposedly conservative news, I get stressed out.  If I read headlines, I can step back and think objectively before reading a biased article.

Worry isn't new to this 21st century.  It is seen in the New Testament which was written 2000 years ago. I'm sure it was in Old Testament times as well.  Can anyone doubt the Hebrew mothers worried and feared for the lives of their firstborn sons when Pharoah ordered they all be executed?  We read in I Kings 19 about how the prophet Elijah, after watching God send fire to burn up an offering, the stones of the altar, the wood, the soil, and even lick up the water that Elijah had poured over it all to prove to the people that God existed, ran for his life because he feared Jezebel who threatened to kill him.

Time and time again we see God working.  He is faithful.  We, however, are sinful people.  We are easily led astray.  I thank God for his mercy.  As a parent myself, I would grow weary if I watched my children making the same mistakes over and over again and forgetting that I am here to help them.  However, God never forsakes his children.  If you are his child, you are richly blessed.

I Corinthians 10:13 tells us "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."  God loves us so much he doesn't leave us alone.  He provides a way out of temptation.  I would say the urge to worry is a temptation.  It takes the focus off of God.  In my own life, I know that when I worry it is because I am trying to figure out what I can do to fix the situation. I don't turn to God first.  When you think about the fact that you can go to the One who created the universe and all that is in it, who made men and women and breathed HIS breath into them to give them life, who chose to give up his own life in the most horrible and painful way so that we are now able to "approach his throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16), why in the world wouldn't I go to him first?  How in the world could I, why do I, forget to go to him first?

I have noticed when I start to have a panic attack because I am thinking of things I can't control if I think about God, pray to him, sing praises to him, my anxiety goes away.  When I focus on him, things are put into perspective.  God will always be in control, and no one can ever change that.  Even if people say God doesn't exist, the fact remains that God does exist.  That fact is evident all around us.  I experienced it today when he saved me from an accident that could have potentially ended my life.  The way it ended I can only attribute to God's grace and mercy.

So, the more I turn to God, the greater my faith will become.  The greater my faith becomes, the more hope I will have, the more joy I will have, and the more peace I will have!!

I will leave you with this verse spoken by Jesus.  I encourage you to read it again and again, soak it in, put it on your fridge, remember it...

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."  John 14:27.  (I added the bold and italics.)

Getting a Jump on College Planning

I haven't given college planning a whole lot of thought even though my oldest, Jacob, is in ninth grade.  When given the opportunity to review the product, Going to College and Paying for It Online Video and Workbook from College Common Sense, I saw it as an opportunity to get a head start on planning for Jake's next step.  I was soon to find out that I'm a bit behind in the game.

This product was put together by a woman, Denise Ames, who has knowledge in this area and who wants to see students and families succeed in getting into college and finding the best financial aid that is available.  The "About Us" page on the website says it well:

"We have inside knowledge about the college admissions and financial aid process from being in the industry for the last 10 years. We have helped thousands of students and families through this process on a one-on-one basis and want to reach more people."

As Jake and I started watching the videos that are a part of this course and reading the PDF files that we were able to download, we learned quickly that we could have, and quite possibly should have, started this process years ago.  This has caused me to think very critically about where we are in the process and how we will handle the next three years of high school homeschooling.

The videos included in this program are entitled, "The Big Picture," "How Financial Aid Works," "All About the Free Money," "The System that Works," "You in the Process," and "Put it All Together."  Each video includes a PDF file, which I like because they are written mostly to the student.  This puts the ball in their court.  This makes them, hopefully, want to learn all they need to learn and do all they need to do in order to secure their future when it comes to higher learning.

There are also email newsletters that can be sent to you which contain lesson plans each month.  The newsletters are free.  The only thing College Common Sense charges for is the $25 annual membership to view the PDF files and videos for a year.  You also have the option of ordering everything in the form of a workbook and DVDs for $50 (plus $5 shipping).  We have been using the online version and have not experienced any issues with it whatsoever.

This program isn't just for high school students, though.  Parents can begin thinking about college and scholarships with their kids who are elementary-school age.  The things I am learning now while trying to help Jake will definitely come in handy as my 13 year old enters high school in two years and in four years when my youngest enters high school.  Not just that, but there are scholarships available to even young children.  They are out there.  This program helps you find them.  Imagine knowing where to find scholarships for your 8 year old, to win them, and to have the money waiting for them to use once they enter college.  I am excited at the prospect.  I am also less nervous about the whole process now that I have had some help learning what needs done, where to find what I need, and how to obtain scholarships and grants, etc.

This has been one of the most useful products I have reviewed since I started with the Schoolhouse Review Crew.

If you'd like to view other reviews about this product, you can go to the Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog.

A+ TutorSoft, Inc., Math Program

I had the opportunity to review an online math program which was used by my daughter through A+ TutorSoft, Inc..  She is a little behind in math, so we were given access to the online homeschool version of grade 4 math, A+ Interactive Math Online.  

The first thing I noticed when trying to access this program is that it doesn't work too well in Google Chrome.  I needed to run it in Mozilla Firefox.  Once enrolled, my daughter did a lesson or two a day four days a week.  She worked through the program from "number sense review" to "fractions."  She also did some work with time and money, skipping algebra and geometry.  Clicking on the plus sign beside a topic on the left hand side of the screen, the student can see lessons.  Once a lesson is clicked on, it shows up in the screen on the right.  A female voice reads everything that shows up on the screen.  She reads slowly.  My daughter didn't like the voice and usually muted it and read the problems to herself.  When the practice problems come up, as soon as an answer is chosen, a window pops up with a character in it letting the student know the answer is right or wrong.  There is no "submit" button, no second chance.  

There are online worksheets, which my daughter did.  They show up one problem at a time, and the score is recorded automatically so that I can chart her progress.  A cumulative grade report can be printed out.  There are also printable worksheets and exams included in the online version.

My daughter says she didn't like the program, but she doesn't like math; so I'm not sure there would be a math program created that she does like.  I, however, liked the fact that she could be taught how to do each type of problem and then practice it before doing worksheets or taking an exam.  I would like it if she had to hit a "submit" button before entering her answers on the practice problems so that she wouldn't be frustrated or discouraged when it marks her answer wrong.  She did have to hit a button to enter her answer on the online worksheets. 

A+ TutorSoft, Inc., offers CD (Windows) and online versions of their math programs for grades 1 through 7 and Algebra 1.  The CD versions for each grade come in a standard edition for $99.99, a premium edition for $124.99, and an eBook edition for $59.99.  The online version is available in three different subscription lengths: 1 month for $19.99, 3 months for $49.99, and a full year for $124.99.  

The online version is the most comprehensive version as it does everything the CD versions do but also automatically grades worksheets and tests, generates additional worksheets and tests, gives the ability  to review questions and see step-by-step solutions, gives 24/7 access, and more.

A+ TutorSoft, Inc., is offering a 50% special promotion on A+ Interactive Math through the end of March.  The coupon code is SPOFFER50.

There is also a free one-month homeschool edition subscription.  Try the program for free before buying a subscription or CD.

You can read other reviews of this product by checking out the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog.

Bends, Backstretch, and Burning Rubber

I am not a NASCAR fan, but John received two free tickets to the Daytona 500 on Thursday.  I'll try just about anything once, especially if it's free.  Thankfully, a friend was willing to take my hours on Sunday at work so that I could go.  We went to church Sunday morning and then headed down.  Daytona is only an hour away from where we live.  We figured we'd watch a little bit of the race, have the experience of being there, and then head home before the crowd left.  It didn't work out that way.  I didn't want to leave.

We parked behind the track and walked to a shuttle.  As we were walking, we saw the Thunderbirds.  I think they had performed earlier in the morning and were in the process of shutting down when we were there.

I was impressed by the level of organization there was with the shuttle service.  You could tell they had done this sort of thing before.  There was no waiting around to board a shuttle.  Bus after bus arrived to carry people to the track.  The experience was the same when we left.  The only lag was waiting for people to climb on board the buses.  There was a man behind us on the bus talking to his friend about being in the service and having to spend some time in the "Land of the Yankees."  John and I chuckled.  We were definitely in the south.

I got excited as we neared the speedway.  The fact that we actually had the opportunity to be there was thrilling.

Behind the Backstretch

Heading towards the Backstretch 

The Backstretch Gate

After having our bags inspected and tickets scanned, we headed to our seats.  Thankfully, I'm not afraid of heights.  I imagine if you were then climbing the steps to your seats would be a daunting task.

We had fairly good seats.  We were sitting in the backstretch directly across the way from the start/finish line.  We couldn't see the start/finish line, but there were a few Jumbotrons set up so we could see the action on the other side.

In the lake in front of us was a party boat with "Duck Dynasty" advertising all over it.  We were told the entire cast was on board.  I didn't see anybody I recognized from the show, though.

The drivers ran a few warm-up laps behind the pace car before the race began.

Danika Patrick (in green) - First woman to get pole position in Daytona 500.

The K-Love car.

Jimmie Johnson before the race he would soon win.

Once the pace car left the track, the race was on.  There was a great deal of excitement at the beginning of the race, whenever drivers came back on the track after a pit stop, after the yellow caution flag went away, and during the last few laps.  The time in between when they would follow each other in a single file line, lap after lap, was quite boring.  Sometimes the yellow caution flag would go up because of debris on the field.  Once it was cleared, things got exciting again.

A few crashes were within our sight as turn #2 claimed handfuls of cars various times throughout the day.  It makes you feel bad for the teams that spend so much money to be a part of something like this only to be taken out because of another driver's mishap.

Cleanup

These jet sweepers were louder than the race cars.

We had a beautiful day of weather while we were there.  There was not a drop of rain, even though folks were worried it would.  It did get chilly enough for a jacket but then warmed up again once the sun came out.  We left under cloudy skies again, but they were beautiful.  We finished our date with dinner at Red Lobster on the way home.  It was delicious!  The whole day was wonderful, definitely worth blogging about.

A Florida Alphabet

Since we have been here in Florida for almost 9 months, I thought I'd have a little fun with my blog and list 26 things I have discovered or enjoy about Florida, following the alphabet...

A is for Alligator Farm in St. Augustine.
B is for Borillo's Pizza - the owner has Steelers paraphernalia all over the walls of the restaurant.
C is for Cocoa - the name of our puppy we got in September.
D is for Disney World - only two hours away!!!!!!!!!!
E is for EverBank Field - where the Jaguars play.
F is for First Lego League - Jake's team made it to Regionals.
G is for Go Fish - the store where I work in downtown St. Augustine.
H is for hurricanes - never really had to worry about them before moving down here.
I is for I-95 - the main highway that runs North and South through Florida.
J is for Jacksonville - the city where John works.
K is for Kilwin's - a local ice cream shop.
L is for Lions - the Bridge of Lions - connects St Augustine to Anastasia Island over a beautiful bay.
M is for Mandarin Christian Homeschoolers - the co-op we attend on Friday mornings.
N is for Navarre Beach Sand Sculpting Competition - drove 6 hours to camp with friends and see sand.
O is for Outlets - there are two different outlet malls just five miles away.
P is for Publix - the closest grocery store - they have the best spinach artichoke dip.  :-)
Q is for Quaint Old St. Augustine - I love the stores, the forts, the history, the tourist traps, all of it.
R is for Ribault Club - an destination of the rich and famous in the early 1900s, now part of a state park.
S is for St. George Street - the pedestrian-only street full of shops in Old St. Augustine.
T is for Turning Point Christmas Lights.
U is for UCF - where Jake had his Lego League competition.
V is for Virtual Charter School - Jake is taking his driver's ed course through FVCS.
W is for Winn-Dixie - the grocery store that closely resembles Giant Eagle and gives $ off gas.
X is for Ximenez-Fatio House - historic attraction in Old St. Augustine - never visited but filled the "x" spot.
Y is for Yogurt Co. - the first self-serve yogurt shop we'd ever been to.
Z is for Zebra Longwing - Florida's state butterfly - it'd be a good one for Steelers Country.

I hope you enjoyed a little taste of our adventures.

Unfolding a Scatterbrain, a Cauldron, and an Ant

The first known use of the word scatterbrained was in 1747.  I had been using this word to describe what my brain has been like the last few weeks, but I've learned it's not really a word I would want to use to describe myself.  Merriam-Webster defines scatterbrained as "having the characteristics of a scatterbrain."  That makes it very clear, doesn't it?  Okay, so what is a scatterbrain?  It is defined as a "giddy, heedless person."  The definition becomes increasingly more clear with every word I look up.  NOT!!  The dictionary says the first known use of scatterbrain was in 1659.  Was it really almost 100 years before describing a person as a scatterbrain and saying they are scatterbrained?  Hmmm.  Must just be first time in print.

Anyway, we probably all know what a giddy person is like.  A heedless person is one who lacks direction or thought.  My mind isn't like this lately.  It is more like a cauldron full of thoughts all mixing together.  I can multitask to an extent but, when there are two or more urgent matters swimming around in my mind, I have difficulty.  I am starting to think about Jake going to college and what needs to be done here in the next 3-1/2 years to be sure he can get into the college he wants and study the major he is interested in.  I also have to consider what is best for Nate and Paige for their future and my sanity as a homeschooling mom.  I am having to work with an attorney to be sure my medical bills are paid from an accident I was in last year.  I always have our finances on my mind and being sure we are not overspending.  (The $10 late fee charge I just got hit with for being late on Paige's dance class payment doesn't help that.  Utilities don't even charge that much for a late payment.)  I am taking a class online that will hopefully allow me to begin doing medical transcription again.  I have friends with cancer.  The list goes on and on.

I would rather let life just happen but, at some point, I need to be proactive so that things are done and done well.  If I do nothing, there will be consequences.  If I don't do right by my kids, they may not get where they want to be in life when they get older.  I know they have to play their part in the process, but finding their curriculum and teaching them is my responsibility.  Dealing with the attorney needs to be done so that my bills are paid.  Going through this class is something I have to do if I want to be able to work at home and be there for my kids as opposed to having to work outside of the home.  Good things in life are worth working for.

I am reminded of Proverbs 6:6 which says, "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise."  A sluggard is a habitually lazy person.  I do not want to be a sluggard.  I'd rather be like an ant.  The female worker ant takes care of the queen, the young, and the ant nest.  They search for food.  They store the food.  They build the nest.  Some worker ants are soldiers, guarding the nest.  Worker ants are born for a life of service, and they live on average 1-5 years.  Why should I, being made in the image of God, choose to be lazy when a small ant, not made in the image of God but created by God, works from the time it is born until the time it dies?  God is always at work but does rest.  He is always creating and is always involved in our lives, but he takes time for rest.  I should do the same - expect to work and work hard but take time for rest.  It shouldn't be the other way around - lounge around all day every day and then do a little bit of work from time to time.  I need to just get busy and get stuff done.

Unfolding A Weekend Excursion

Want to know another reason why I love living in Florida?  Disney World is only two hours away (if you don't count Orlando traffic on a Friday afternoon during rush hour).  We made our second trip to WDW this past weekend since we moved here.  Our main purpose for heading to Orlando was for Jacob's Regional First Lego League competition.  They were competing for a bid to the state level, which they didn't win unfortunately.  Since we had to be there at 7:30 a.m., we decided it would just be easier to spend the night in Orlando on Friday.  Of course, then, we just had to make it a Disney weekend.

My original plan was to leave at 2 p.m.. on Friday, but I found out that Cocoa was due for a booster shot on Saturday.  Fearing the kennel would not let her stay the weekend, I made an appointment for her to have that booster at 2:00 on Friday.  That meant I had to leave our co-op as quickly as possible, but that didn't happen because I needed to talk to one of the teachers before heading home.  Instead of being able to wash the dishes in the sink before I left, I just threw them in the dishwasher and closed the DW door.  I don't recommend doing this.  It took quite a while for the stench to go away with a Scentsy burning after I came home and opened the DW door.  Ew!

Cocoa ate food right before we left for the vet, but I didn't have the wherewithal to pick up her food before she ate.  So, she threw up in the car on the way to the vet.  That was just lovely.  She didn't have a fever, so I just chalked it up to having just eaten and my crazy driving so we wouldn't be late for her appointment.  The vet appointment took 15 minutes, but then I had to go to the post office to mail something to my mom.  Nothing ever gets done quickly in St. Augustine.  The traffic was horrible, and the line was long so I used the machine to print out my own postage and pay for it.  I also had to get gas.  By the time I was on I-95, it was 3:00.  We reached Orlando in time for rush hour.  That was not fun.  Cocoa also threw up two more times in the car.  Of course we knew this was from a Nylabone I had given her.  I bought two bones for her a few weeks ago expecting to hold onto the bacon-flavored one for our trip.  This would be a special treat.  I didn't know the bacon-flavored bone was edible, unlike every other Nylabone she had ever had.  She ate half of it and was car sick the whole way there.  I was sure the kennel would be calling us to get her in the middle of the night because she was sick.  Thankfully, she didn't have any other issues all weekend.

After Cocoa was settled and we checked into our room, we had dinner at the counter service restaurant at our resort.  We stayed at Old Key West.  It is the oldest Vacation Club Villa.  It doesn't have amenities as nice as some of the other deluxe resorts, but it is okay for a weekend in January.  There is a pool, but it was too cold for us (Floridians) to use.  :-)

After dinner, we went to Epcot and purchased Disney passes.  This is something I had wanted to do since before we moved down, so I was thrilled to finally have them in my possession.  Our first ride that night was Mission Space.  The kids all rode the more intense version, and John and I rode the less intense one.  We got into the capsule and had a delay which turned into a second delay.  If you know anything about Mission Space, they put you into make-believe hypersleep for your trip to Mars.  I told John I was putting myself into hypersleep and that he could press the buttons in front of me when it was my turn to press them.  Our next ride was Test Track.  They have refurbished it, so it doesn't have the large room when you enter where you see all of the car parts and crash-test dummy areas.  It is a hallway you follow that shows various elements of car design.  There is an area where you can design a car, which then can be in a commercial you create after the ride is over.  Nate's computer crashed, so he couldn't design a car.  The next morning, the computer crashed on John.

We rode Soarin' which worked just fine, but three kids tried to jump almost the entire line while we played games on the large screens in front of us while we waited to get on the ride.  We caught them and stopped them, making it impossible to jump the line any further.  Some people's kids.  :-(    Our last ride that night was Battleship Power Nap...I mean Spaceship Earth.  I cannot ever remember the name of this ride.  It always comes out Battlefield Earth or Battleship Earth.  John calls it Spaceship Power Nap.  So, we have affectionately named it Battleship Power Nap, or is it Battlefield Power Nap.  I may never get that one right.

The next day Jake and I were up at 5:45.  We stopped at McDonald's for breakfast on the way to UCF.  Jake likes French Toast sticks, and I remembered that McD's had them.  I was a bit surprised when his French toast had ham and cheese between the bread slices.  Really?  That doesn't even sound good.  Jake just picked at the bread.  He hates cheese.  My maple and fruit oatmeal was good though.  I highly recommend it.

We all had fun at the Lego competition, but it was sad when they didn't get a bid.  It all worked out the way it should have though.  The coach found out two weeks ago that she has breast cancer, and she starts chemotherapy on Friday.  Please pray for her.  Her name is Karyn.  Thanks!!

That night we went to the Magic Kingdom.  I was eager to see the new Fantasyland.  I am not impressed yet.  They aren't finished.  Right now, there is a very expensive restaurant, a counter service restaurant, a character greeting spot and a ride with a very long wait time.  I looked at the menu for the restaurant.  We peeked our heads in the counter service restaurant, Gaston's Tavern, and saw Gaston's great big chair, and then decided Ariel's water ride wasn't worth the 40-minute wait at 9 p.m.  Nate wanted to ride Space Mountain, but the wait was too long.  When we went back later, it was shut down for "technical difficulties." (I'd be avoiding this even if it was rideable.) There was definitely a theme running through the weekend.

Sunday was great.  I woke up around 7:30 and went to the gift shop to buy cereal.  We had breakfast in our room and then went to visit Cocoa.  We did this twice a day, so it made it a bit easier for all of us having her in a kennel.  Best Friends Kennel is right on Disney property.  I recommend this kennel if you are looking to board a pet while you visit WDW.  The prices are pretty reasonable, especially if you are staying on property.  They really take care of the animals there, and the facilities are great!  You can pop in any time you want to see your pet.

In the dog park - Cocoa and Jake

Cocoa mid run

Playing with Nate

Hulk at the Lego store

Jake wanted to eat lunch to celebrate his birthday at T-Rex in Downtown Disney.  We had just enough time to get to Hollywood Studios and maybe ride one ride and get Fast Passes for Toy Story Mania.  We got the FPs and then went to lunch.  John and the kids wanted to ride Rock 'n Roller Coaster, but the wait was 40 minutes or 60; I can't remember.  I myself have been advised to avoid the harder, more intense rides at Disney because of issues with my neck, so I have to forego most of the roller coasters from now on.  The other ride we could have gone on was the Tower of Terror, but the wait for that was 30 minutes; either one would have made us late for lunch.  Even though we were early for our reservation, they seated us.  The kids played at the Lego store while we waited for our food.  We ate in the Ice Cave where there were meteor showers every 20-30 minutes.  The walls of the cave turned from blue to red and back to blue.  It is very, very loud in this restaurant, but it is a lot of fun as well.

T-Rex skeleton in the Ice Cave

 After lunch, we headed back to Hollywood Studios to use our Toy Story Mania fast passes.  Totally worth it!!  John and the kids headed to Rock 'n Roller Coaster while I rode the Tower of Terror by myself.  This is my all-time favorite ride.  The wait was only 10 minutes.  So that was a bonus!

John and Paige in the back/Nate and Jake in the front totally enjoying their ride

Jake in a silly hat.  Doesn't everybody have a least one family-member-in-a-silly-hat picture?

Jake, Paige, and I rode this.  We enjoy this every time, especially when they open a new line right when we get there.

Once we finished up at Hollywood Studios, we spent the rest of Sunday at Epcot.  We spent some time in Club Cool.  Why not spend time drinking free Coke from around the world?  We've been there enough to know the two flavors that are worth drinking.  Half of the experience of Club Cool is sticking to the floor because of all of the Coke that gets spilled throughout the day.  ;-)

I forced the family to head to World Showcase.  All I kept hearing was, "Why are we here?  What is there to do here?"  I can't explain it, but I just loving walking around back there.  The theming here is excellent.  There is so much to see and hear and smell.  We ate dinner in Paris and had dessert in Paris, America, and Germany.  

Hand-carved $8,000 elephant.  Nate said it didn't look like it was worth more than $7,000.

A Corner of Paris taken from our outdoor table during dinner.

John and the boys rode Test Track again.  I think this time it worked out for everyone.  Paige and I stayed off and bought jackets at Mouse Gear.  It was downright chilly, and we were not dressed for cold weather.  Once we finished riding and eating and shopping, it was off to pick up Cocoa.  She was so happy to see us and finally get to leave via the front door.  She made it the whole way home without any issues at all.  We arrived safely home around 11:00 and slept until almost 11 the next day.  It was totally worth it!!!!!

I hope you enjoyed my weekend getaway journal.  Thanks for reading.

Unfolding Breath

I have no idea why this word, "breath," was brought to mind the other day in relation to Scripture, so I decided to dig a little deeper.  Using the NIV, we first see the word breath in Genesis 1:30.  God has just created the entire world, culminating with Adam and Eve.  He then gives them a command:

"Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. ³⁰ And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.  God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.  And there was evening, and there was morning -- the sixth day."  (Genesis 1:29-31)

In this command is the phrase "everything that has the breath of life in it."  Everything that has lived, lives, or will live does so because God breathed life into it.  If you live, God chose you to live.  He breathed life into you.  You have a purpose.  Don't waste it.

The next time we see this word is in Genesis 2:7.

"The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."

It is only because God breathed into man that he became alive.  Without that breath, he would have just been a body lying in the dirt.  I love how this verse says "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life."  This comes from God.  God is life.  This helps me understand how God is able to bring people back from the dead.  He is LIFE!  He has always had victory over death.  He is LIFE!  Do you feel dead?  Turn to God.  He has the breath of life.  He can resurrect you and make you alive!!

Job says it well - "The Spirit of God has made me, the breath of the Almighty gives me life." (Job 33:4)

Psalm 150:6 gives the living a directive: "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord."  Why?  He gave us life.  We should praise Him.

Ezekiel 37 tells the story of Ezekiel being in a valley full of dry bones.  God tells him to speak to the bones, to tell them that the breath will enter them and they will come to life.  The bones start to rattle, and tendons and flesh are attached; but they will not be alive until breath is breathed into them.  He prophesies in God's name that the breath will enter them.  It does, and dry bones become living beings once more.

Fast forward to the New Testament, and we see in John 20 Jesus speaking to his disciples.  He says, "'Peace be with you!  As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.'  And with that he breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit!  If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.'"  Jesus' life-giving breath.  The disciples are made alive spiritually.  They are given the Holy Spirit, who is part of the Trinity.  So, He is life!  When you become a follower of Christ, you are given the Holy Spirit.  You are given life!  This life will never end.  Even when we die, this life continues in us.  We will live for eternity in Heaven...really live.  There will be no more suffering.  We will praise God always and live in peace.

There are many verses that talk about breath.  There are verses about the breath of life.  There are verses about how the breath of God destroys those things that are evil.  One of the greatest is II Timothy 3:16-17:

"All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

The Word of God, the Living Word, is literally the breath of God, the breath of life.  God's Word gives life.  It teaches and corrects.  It helps us live.  It helps us avoid the road that leads to destruction.

Won't you let God breathe on you so you can live?