Tribulation Works Patience

Psalm 27:14

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart:
wait, I say, on the LORD.




Waiting for the Lord's answer was one of the points in our sermon yesterday. Ruth 3, where Ruth and Naomi wait to see how things will work out when Boaz meets the nearer kinsman at the gates.

Spiritual struggles.
The scripture tells us that tribulation works patience! (Romans 5:3) I find myself becoming increasingly impatient with my circumstances and I need to be still and wait on the Lord. Sometimes my heart is completely overwhelmed and frustration rises up which can, at worst result in anger but more often in tears.

Psalm 46
1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
10Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
11The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Physical struggles
I had a disappointment today. We rang to enquire how the waiting list is progressing for my eye operation only to be told that there were hold ups in the Eye Clinic and I had not progressed up the queue. I am still looking at 3 months plus for my operation. It seems that the priority list, which I was put on, is not the urgent list. Lord, give me patience.
Meanwhile, I can notice my vision  deteriorated week by week. I am down to shadowy outlines of figures without any faces, can't see clock faces etc. While I can read at the computer with magnification ( book reading has been out for months) I am finding that blurriness is getting very bad despite the size of the print.

Simple pleasures

Since I obviously can't drive at the moment outings are a special pleasure. We attended the Home Schoolers Cross Country event on Saturday / It was a great afternoon of catching up with the families and of course a big effort for all the children.

One of my little men is coming to visit this afternoon and the thrill of spending time with my children and grandchildren is one which never fails!

Blog reading
I am not writing very many blog posts but I am trying to read a little each day. Forgive me if I am not reading or commenting at your place so often at the moment. Particularly if you you have  a stark white or very bright background or if the print is very close in colour to the background, I struggle to read it.
Being on the computer less is actually a plus but frustratingly I am not able to do a lot else either! Cooking family meals is fine but baking  is only possible when someone else is there to do the measuring. This has been exacerbated by the boys reading limitations because I often need one of them to read simple instructions or phone numbers. I think we often take for granted the gift of sight (or any other sense) and it is not until we lose it that we realise how precious it is.

Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

Loving Winter in CQ

                           
                                   

School.
I do apologise that at the end of last week I had a little whine :- (
As always, God has used my bible readings, real life friends, my on line commenters and some of the blogs I read to help focus on the priorities. I am very pleased to say it has been a bumper week!!

I am sure many home school mums are just like me. We cruise along nicely most of the time. Not super mums, but managing to do all the myriad tasks involved in keeping house, teaching the children etc. But sometimes, when we drop our bundle a little, the whole house seems to grind to a halt. It reminds we again of the great responsibility and high calling of motherhood!

Family

It always adds to the special - ness of our week if we spend time with the girls and the little grandsons. The 20 and 19 month olds are increasing their vocabularies rapidly. They are exerting their little wills as is wont to happen but are being trained firmly and lovingly. The baby is six months old. and like a rolly poly. Very squeezable!

Friends
My family life does consume a great deal of my time at present. Plus, I am not able to drive which is very limiting. Still, I think in this season of my life I am content with those limitations. It is a time to concentrate on the children still at home and support and encourage the ones making their way in the adult world. I do miss my friends sometimes. Most of them are in the same season.
I mentioned a few weeks ago about the shift in some of my friendships and I have actually experienced a breech of trust with a friend who I considered quite valuable. I am seeing that God uses these experiences in our refining. I hope I am drawing closer to Him and to my husband and children and leaning less on the sometimes fickle affirmation of others. I pray that I am gaining wisdom and discretion through it all.

Winter

Central Queensland is magnificent at this time of year! We've had a few showery days, but mostly just brilliant sunshiny days and cool crisp, meant for sleeping like a bear in hibernation type nights!! You can tell I love the Winters here.
Hope you all have a great weekend. We plan to attend the Cross Country meet for the Homeschoolers tomorrow which is always a fun event on the calendar for our year.

QUEENSLANDER #1

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

A long way from Tipperary!

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Michael Daniel and Honoria (Annie) are my father's paternal grandparents.This photograph was taken at the time of their marriage in 1887. The couple immigrated from Tipperary, Ireland to Australia in 1888,with their baby daughter,

After landing in Sydney, they moved and settled in Brisbane.

My Grandfather (also Michael) was born in Brisbane in 1889. He is the handsome young man on the right in the family photo!(Sorry that some of the faces are lost in this almost 100 year old photo)This photograph of Michael and Annie was taken in 1911 with all nine children.

The following year, my Grandad drew the block of land in the Callide Valley,which became my family home. I have written about it here.

At the time this picture was taken he would already have been working in the area.

Then in 1915 he and the other brother at back enlisted and fought in France.

In 2002, when I was working on my Family History Albums,Michael and Annie's descendants numbered 270.Quite a few have been born in the last generation since then,

including my own parent's 21 great grandchildren! (3 expected this year!)

I love Family History, but have had to put my research on hold in the last few years.

This is a pass time I hope to return to .......Maybe post home schooling!

Make Secular Things Sacred

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We shall be wise to make secular things sacred by trusting them with God. Faith is not for eternity alone but for this fleeting hour also. It is good for the shop and for the market-place, for the field and for the domestic hearth. For the cares of the moment, as well as for all else, we take refuge under the wings of God. There shall we be blessed for Christ's sake.

C.H Spurgeon

Much more than the Three Rs

Every one who home schools knows that education is much, much more than learning reading, 'riting and 'rithmatic. Every part of our daily lives becomes a useful tool for teaching the children given to our care and preparing them for life.
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So, why is it that we become so bogged down in the "academics"?I still see the value in the day to day chores, family co-operation, social events and arts and crafts, but how many weeks go by when we really struggle just to get the book work done? When the the boys were younger, I didn't sweat about this, but now the reality of a few short years left in the class room haunts me on weeks when very little is there to show for the week's work.

Today, we finished some Bible quizzes. This was supposed to be a fun activity which my fellows found arduous since they had to read/ write! You just can not fool reluctant readers that you are having fun and not really "doing school" when they actually have to read!

We did a little SOSE activity which included co-ordinates and geographical features.
Reading. Can we just do one more page instead of three? I'm tired. I can't read today.
Then Art. Of course, Art is fun. Colours, shapes, drawing. Oh Mum, let's just get it done. Are we finished for the day then?
No Maths, no English, no Science. Seemed like a fun day to me!

This afternoon we had a little blitz on some of the house, which was desperately needed but no more exciting to my boys. What they do seem to be excited about is having a friend come to play . ....sigh.....

I have to say that my enthusiasm waxes and wanes. I have always been very committed to home schooling but I seem to get so easily burned out these days.

On the bright side: The boys had a very productive morning with Rae when she came this week. She works one on one with them on phonics/ word building/ comprehension while I get some one on one time with the other. Sometimes they do regular stuff or they read or are able to look up stuff on the computer or we might just chat for a while. Sometimes, that is productive, too.

Education is much more than the three R's. I think I just need to refocus sometimes and not let frustration and poor attitudes wear me down. (theirs and mine : -) How are all you Home schoolers going this week in the classroom?
I do enjoy to read the achievements of others and the bright ideas!

Nil desperandum carborundum!

But do not be weary in well doing, for in due season you shall reap if you faint not.

Irish Immigrants 1888

                                   

            
             

                                   

Wordless  Wednesday

What's Happening at Homeschool Blogger?

Hi friends who blog at Homeschoolblogger.com.
I tried to comment at a couple of my regular reading places yesterday and couldn't work out how to get into your sites. Also, it is weird but the two blogs I was trying to access, Blogamy Lake and Restore the Ancient Paths, both had the same background. I was logged into Wordpress, which they appear to be, but cannot see how to access Homeschool Blogger. If you are reading, can you help me out? Or perhaps you are not with them but know how to get on to those sites?

Humble Servants

"The pastor ought to have two voices: one, for gathering the sheep; and another, for warding off and driving away wolves and thieves. The Scripture supplies him with the means of doing both." — John Calvin

I read this recently at a blog I was visiting and Calvin's quote came back to me as I was pondering the role of the Pastor (Teaching Elder) in our congregations. I have previously discussed the Pastor here. In that post I was pondering what our responsibilities are toward him and about the great stresses and pitfalls which men who are called into the ministry encounter.

Just now I am thinking about the Minister and his position in relation to his congregation. He is an elder, but one by reason of his calling by God to preach the gospel . He has authority and great responsibility in expounding God's precious Word to the people. This is the voice Calvin referred to as gathering the sheep, He teaches, exhorts and Lord willing unites the flock.
In his preaching and teaching he also has the difficult task of admonishing and warning the people. Driving away false teachers and those who would draw the people into false doctrines and practices. Again, it is a reminder to me to constantly pray for the Pastor, his labour in the Word of God, his family and that Satan would not get a foot hold. It seems that this is the devil's delight ~ to strike the (under) Shepards and scatter the sheep.

Someone said to me that the Pastor is to be held in respect. I do believe and seek to do this as his office requires. I do think however that a minister can become haughty. Most of us who have been in the Church for many years will have seen men who have become so proud of their knowledge/ gifts etc that they loose touch with the people to some extent. Some times he goes off on a tangent on some doctrinal issue and maybe leads away a group of followers who have slavishly listened or causes members to leave the assembly because of his domineering tyranny. Often when splits in churches occur they are not even over an issue of doctrinal conscience but rather personality clashes. Unity is lost.

While we are all responsible to search the scriptures and test the teaching we receive, we should all be willing and teachable when we have been heading down a wrong path. We make the minister's job so much more difficult when we are dull of hearing and hard of heart. But we must also be wise as serpents, alert to false teaching and "hobby horses" being pushed. This means reading, praying, meditating constantly on the Scriptures.

I have been thinking of the Lord Jesus, our perfect example both in Christian life and for the ministry. Yes, he spoke boldly and always the truth. Not everyone listened or received his perfect teaching.
But he was also meek and lowly in heart. He was despised and rejected but he answered not again. He was a humble servant. He washed the feet of the saints. This is a picture to think upon and treasure. The good shepherd who would leave the ninety nine safe and go looking for one lost sheep.

I trust you appreciate and pray for your Pastor. May the congregation of the Lord's people be blessed by Godly servants, humble in their high calling to proclaim the Gospel. And with eager "Bereans" in the pews who gladly receive the Word and live it.
God help us.

1 Timothy 3
1This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

When Bad News is Good News

I'm back!
The bad news: As expected, my right eye has a cataract. Apparently it is an uncommon type, far back in the eye and very dense (huh, go figure!). These are not the usual murky surface cataracts and it seems they are more common in diabetics. The light does not get around them as with the more common type, hence the almost total loss of vision
I also have a smaller version in the left eye which will need to be corrected later..

The Good News: My right eye is severe enough that I have gone onto  a priority list.

(Qld Public Health Priority List???) Aussies will get the irony.
Because of all my past medical history I will need a few work up tests and reviews first, then the operation and later follow up. This will entail further visits to Brisbane.

Country Girl at Heart♥  Oh! It is a rat race. Three days was a little long in the end. My in laws are lovely and all ~  but I just don't go well in that stressful environment. I missed my family unbelievably. The plane was about an hour delayed (fog in Canberra apparently) for the trip home and I found myself quite teary and emotional. Home now and all is well ♥


Observations:
☻Wonderful staff at the Royal Brisbane. Not only did the Specialist Outpatient department look very new and snazzy they were all very courteous and efficient.
☻ My mother~in~law is a beautiful person. She is a talented pianist who at 77 still plays magnificently (often accompanist for productions, functions  and concerts). She keeps on about a dozen students and it was a pleasure to hear her instructing them. She is a true teacher and tries to instill a love, a joy in music to her students.

☻That said, MIL is 77 years old and Brisbane traffic is horrendous. 'Nuff said!!
☻ The pace of life in the big smoke plus the labyrinth of roads and freeways and bridges make it a veritable maze to me. Turn me around once and I am bamboozled. I have never had a yen to live there. My friends who have recently moved south have rocks in their heads. About 1,000 people a week are flowing into that area.
☻ My guys survived very well with out me :-(  Soooo pleased to see them on home coming. Tears again. I haven't actually laid eyes on my grandchildren yet but I know they will be bigger, smarter, cuter when I do ♥

I am so thankful to the Lord for the way events have worked out this week. I am also thankful for the prayers many have been praying for me.

Have a good weekend one and all. 

S1s Art Work

WORDLESS  WEDNESDAY

Choices and Consequences

As we began a series from the Book of Ruth yesterday morning, Pastor pointed out the choices and consequences made by the characters in Ruth chapter 1.

The choice of Elimelech, unbelieving and unwise. A choice which let to disastrous consequences for himself and his family.

The choice of Naomi, hopeful but doubting. She chose what was right and good for herself but lacked trust to bring her daughters-in-law with her.

The choice of Ruth. The choice made in faith!

And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee:

for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge:

thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. Ruth 1:16

The Book of Ruth is the story of the redemption of one family. But greater still it points to the redemption found in Christ. Our own choices always have consequences either for good or evil. I look back over my life and know that many choices have been made in unbelief, doubt, fear and lack of wisdom.

Oh to be like Ruth. To choose to cleave only to the Lord and his people and to choose that good and right path. What great consequences came about from her faithful life.

"For this God is our God for ever and ever, He will be our guide even unto death."

Psalm 48:14

My Mother

Thankyou Lord for my mother,
I always loved her
but not until I married,
bore and lost a child,
fed babies through the night,
washed endless nappies,
wiped bottoms and runny noses,
mended wounds,
watched anxiously over little sick ones,
experiencd the great joys
and the desperate lows of motherhood,


that I really appreciated her.

The Ayes/ Eyes/ I's have it!

That's how I feel at the end of this week!

Some weeks seem to hurtle by! Here it is Friday already. I feel as though I have passed myself coming and going on the front steps over the last few days!
We had the final farewells to our departing friends. The boys have actually taken it all very well now that it has come to the crunch. They are mentioning their friends in prayer and anecdotes often at the moment, but are not upset about the departure. Now begins a new era of emailing, phone calls and Lord willing, the occasional  exchange of visits.

We have also enjoyed some nice family stuff this week. An early Mother's Day lunch with one of the daughters and family as they have gone on holidays.  Oh! we miss them already. Two weeks is a long time when you are used to seeing one another every other day! The little guy is sure to grow up and learn new trick while they are away.

We had a nice play in the park with the other daughter and her children during the week, too. 5 month old has very squeezable chubby cheeks and big round eyes. Ooooh he is cute. Big brother is very clever on all the play equipment, climbing frames etc. My heart is often in my mouth but I do love to see adventurous young boys not afraid to have a go.

School is picking up pace too. I cannot express how thankful I am for the progress the boys are showing. It is quite noticeable almost every day. Of course, one does not make up the years in a few weeks but I am truly excited with the leaps and bounds we are making. We have some ongoing Speech Pathology sessions over the next two terms. I will be interested to hear what the SP thinks as far as progress goes. after a six month break.

Yesterday it made my heart rejoice to hear Rae working through exercises with the boys, each of them joking back and forward. Then finishing on a game all together and actually seeming to enjoy a phonics game!! What a blessing. (Okay, enjoy is stretching it but laughing out loud at their attempts at least!)

The biggest hurdle in the last few weeks with school has been the teachers deteriorating eye sight. It has been my inability to read things and properly help the boys which has caused the most stress to me. In fact, I have been becoming anxious as to how long I could hold out like this. We were looking at options for the operation.

BUT GOD:  Just when things seem at the lowest ~ a prayer is answered! Yesterday I was notified that I was still on Catagory 3 and an appointment was long into the future which my husband was not at all impressed about. So, he phoned and queried where I had been placed on the list, explaining the problem and the deterioration and that my own doctor had just days ago written a further urgent request......... Long story short, the right doctor was there and in God's good providence, I was given an appointment  on TUESDAY! Yep, next week! How long it will be between this initial appointment and the removal of the cataract I am not sure, but not long :-)

It has brought home to me just how very busy our weekly schedule is. I will fly to Brisbane on Tuesday for the appointment and take the opportunity to stay a couple of days with my mother-in-law and visit a few other friends and relatives. This means leaving everything clearly planned out for Dad to get the boys to all of their necessary events. It is always a shock to discover they can actually manage just fine in my absence!

We will enjoy dinner with my parents on Saturday to celebrate Mothers' Day. I know I say it all the time but I just love that I have 4 generations of my family living close enough to spend special days togehter. Thank you Lord for all of your abundant blessings.

And a Happy Mothers' Day to all you Mums, Grandmas and spiritual mothers out there ♥

Walk in the Park

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Christ Alone

Psalm 62

1 My soul with expectation
depends on God indeed;
My strength and my salvation doth
from him alone proceed.

2 He only my salvation is,
and my strong rock is he:
He only is my sure defence;
much mov'd I shall not be.

(Scottish Metrical Version)

The word in our English Bibles, and used often in the Psalms Salvation ~ Yeshua ~ JESUS. If you sing/ read the Psalms with this in mind, substituting Jesus each time the word salvation comes up it is truly beautiful. . Christ is found all through out the Old Testement and so clearly in the Book of Psalms.

Jesus, my strong rock of defence and my only salvation.