A New Chapter

One week from today all of the kids will attend traditional school.

It is a happy time. It is a scary time. It is an exciting time.

Through all of our homeschooling the past 7 years, I knew we were doing the right thing. Now, that they are going to school I know this is the right thing.

How do I know?

Well, every school year I ask myself and the kids if homeschooling is still the best option for our family. I also ask myself, "Why am I doing this?" This last school year my answers began to change. I always homeschooled to give my kids a great education, to be a part of that education process, to protect them from pressures of other kids and to allow them to grow and learn at their own pace. I realized I couldn't do those things effectively anymore.

The reason, though, is not so much that I had lost the passion I once had for homeschooling. I still believe it is a great educational alternative and when done correctly has great benenfits. But, I realized I had a need to control those things myself instead of leaving them to the One who controls my children much better than I ever could.

I realized that God was doing a great work in me. I am quite a control freak. I like to do things my way. I don't like to be told I am wrong and I believe I do things better than most people. I thought I was controling the lives of my children. Ha!

That was the turning point. When I realized that God has control of my children. Not me. I am here as HIS tool and not HIM. Only God can protect my kids from outside pressures. Only God can provide them with sources of great education. Only God can teach them to rely fully on Him and not their mom when they are fearful of new things. Only God loves them more than I do.

Behold the birds of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they? Matt. 6:26

What a simple illustration of God's love and provision for us. He is able to guide my children. To teach them, to nurture them and protect them. It is all about Him after all and not about me.

Thank you Lord!!!

Our most excellent camping adventure

Bill and Ted had nothing on the Minneys and the Schoebs this weekend...

Did Wolfgang Puck begin like this????

Grant has a new found hobby and career path. He has decided he wants to be a chef. So he has been hangin out in the kitchen quite a bit and made Rice Krispy treats all by himself the other day and shared them with our professional chef friend Zac.

Zac, being a super nice guy, offered to spend a day teaching Grant the ropes of the kitchen. So, at 10 a.m. they began to prepare an amazing meal. We had homemade pasta, meatballs, some other things I can barely pronounce so I won't try to spell and a wonderful dessert thing. It was SO good.

Zac even gave Grant this get up so that he would look the part. Now, Grant loves to tell me what I am doing wrong in the kitchen and tells me what produce to buy. Ask him about tomatoes next time you see him.

His Christmas list is complete with a GOOD set of knives, a pasta maker and a new cookbook. Doesn't every 10 year old boy want that?

Faith of a Child

All of the kids have kind of being going through the "I'm scared" stage for the last few months. Actually, not Grant as much as the girls. But a couple of months ago I opened my Bible and read to the girls the verse in Matthew that talks about the faith of a mustard seed. I showed them some mustard seed and we talked about how small the mustard seed is and how little faith we need to have to know that God will take care of us. So we prayed and asked God to help them have the faith of a mustard seed that God will protect them through the night.

It was working really well until last night. Paige was especially frightened and she came downstairs for comfort.

Here's how it went down:
Paige: I'm scared.
Me: I'm sorry to hear you are scared Paige. Do you still have your mustard seed I gave you?
Paige: No.
Me: Would you like another mustard seed to hold in your hand while you go to sleep to help you remember that God is watching over you and protecting you.
Paige: No, I want to sleep in your room.

Well, she didn't get to but I did give her the entire jar of mustard seed to take to bed with her.

When I went to check on her about 20 minutes later she had the mustard seed wrapped in both arms like it was a stuffed animal.

This morning I asked her if having the mustard seed helped her to remember to have faith that God is protecting her. She said it did but it would have helped more if she could sleep in my bed.

I'll keep trying!

Thirty-Five Smirty-Five

Yip. Yesterday was the day. I'm half-way to dead.

Actually since my grandma is well into her 80s I guess I may have a few good years left in me.

On my 35th birthday I learned I have arthritis in my hand. I already had it in my back. I'm old.

But to prove to myself I can still move I played tennis with my husband and had to do it in the 97 degree heat just to show I could.

I bought a couple of pairs of pants and yes, they have an elastic waist.

I didn't get on the scale on my birthday. And no one can make me.

Really though, I look back on the last 35 years and I can't be more thankful for my life. I have three beautiful children and a wonderful husband (who bought me great presents!). Great friends and God who loves me even on my worst day.