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Homemaking - Clean Humor

Inspirational Humor

Here are some inspirational stories and humor shared by our HomeschoolChristian.com message board visitors. May you be encouraged and blessed by these!

Carrots, Eggs, or Coffee?

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me, what do you see?"

Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they got soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked. "What's the point, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity--boiling water--but each reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable (easily influenced) heart, but changes with the heat?

Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level?

You CAN Do It!!

You CAN homeschool your child. That's a given. If you can parent your child, you can homeschool your child. If you have a child, you are automatically a parent. Likewise, if you have a child, you are automatically a homeschool parent.

Think about that previous paragraph a moment. It is something that should be better understood by everyone. A "homeschool parent" isn't an "oddity" or a "unique individual" or an "unusual person." A "homeschool parent" is a parent; a parent is a "homeschool parent." The oddity lies in relinquishing the parenting privilege to educate our own children.

For homeschool families, the option of sending children to a school is as alien a notion as sending their children to be raised by strangers. It simply is not an option at all. It is the farthest thing from our thoughts, when thinking of our children.

As parents of children we love and cherish, we would never send them off to be raised by strangers. Similarly, as parents of children we love and cherish, we would never send them off to be surrounded and swayed by strangers.

Again, if you have a child, you are automatically a parent. If you have a child, you are automatically a homeschool parent.

Jesus' Resume

The Resume of Jesus Christ

Address: Ephesians 1:20
Phone: Romans 10:13
Website: The Bible.
Keywords: Christ, Lord, Savior and Jesus

Hello. My name is Jesus -The Christ. Many call me Lord! I've sent you my resume because I'm seeking the top management position in your heart. Please consider my accomplishments as set forth in my resume.

Qualifications
I founded the earth and established the heavens, (See Proverbs 3:19)
I formed man from the dust of the ground, (See Genesis 2:7)
I breathed into man the breath of life, (See Genesis 2:7)
I redeemed man from the curse of the law, (See Galatians 3:13)
The blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant comes upon your life through me, (See Galatians 3:14)

Occupational Background
I've only had one employer, (See Luke 2:49).
I've never been tardy, absent, disobedient, slothful or disrespectful.
My employer has nothing but rave reviews for me, (See Matthew 3:15-17).

Skills Work Experience
Some of my skills and work experiences include: empowering the poor to be poor no more, healing the brokenhearted, setting the captives free, healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind and setting at liberty them that are bruised, (See Luke 4:18).
I am a Wonderful Counselor, (See Isaiah 9:6).
People who listen to me shall dwell safely and shall not fear evil, (See Proverbs 1:33).
Most importantly, I have the authority, ability and power to cleanse you of your sins, (See I John 1:7-9).

Educational Background
I encompass the entire breadth and length of knowledge, wisdom and understanding, (See Proverbs 2:6).
In me are hid all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, (See Colossians 2:3).
My Word is so powerful; it has been described as being a lamp unto your feet and a lamp unto your path, (See Psalms 119:105).
I can even tell you all of the secrets of your heart, (See Psalms 44:21).

Major Accomplishments
I was an active participant in the greatest Summit Meeting of all times, (See Genesis 1:26).
I laid down my life so that you may live, (See II Corinthians 5:15).
I defeated the archenemy of God and mankind and made a show of them openly, (See Colossians 2:15).
I've miraculously fed the poor, healed the sick and raised the dead!
There are many more major accomplishments, too many to mention here. You can read them on my website, which is located at: www dot - the BIBLE. You don't need an Internet connection or computer to access my website.

References
Believers and followers worldwide will testify to my divine healings, salvation, deliverance, miracles, restoration and supernatural guidance.

In Summary
Now that you've read my resume, I'm confident that I'm the only candidate uniquely qualified to fill this vital position in your heart. In summation, I will properly direct your paths, (See Proverbs 3:5-6), and lead you into everlasting life, (See John 6:47). When can I start? Time is of the essence, (See Hebrews 3:15).

Faith

Years ago, I was enthralled as I listened to a pastor who for several years had faithfully served the church. His executive responsibilities had taken him all over this country. As he concluded his message, he told of one of the most frightening yet thought-provoking experiences of his life.

He had been on a long flight. The first warning of the approaching problems came when the sign on the airplane flashed on: "Fasten your seat belts." Then, after a while, a calm voice said, "We shall not be serving the beverages at this time as we are expecting a little turbulence. Please be sure your seat belt is fastened."

As he looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many of the passengers were becoming apprehensive. Later, the voice of the announcer said, "We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the meal at this time. The turbulence is still ahead of us." And then the storm broke. The ominous cracks of thunder could be heard even above the roar of the engines. Lightening lit up the darkening skies, and within moments that great plane was like a cork tossed around on a celestial ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted on terrific currents of air; the next, it dropped as if it were about to crash.

The pastor confessed that he shared the discomfort and fear of those around him. He said, "As I looked around the plane, I could see that nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed. Some were praying. The future seemed ominous and many were wondering if they would make it through the storm.

And then, I suddenly saw a girl to whom the storm meant nothing. She had tucked her feet beneath her as she sat on her seat and was reading a book. Everything within her small world was calm and orderly. Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she would read again; then she would straighten her legs, but worry and fear were not in her world. When the plane was being buffeted by the terrible storm, when it lurched this way and that, as it rose and fell with frightening severity, when all the adults were scared half to death, that marvelous child was completely composed and unafraid."

The minister could hardly believe his eyes.

It was not surprising therefore, that when the plane finally reached its destination and all the passengers were hurrying to disembark, he lingered to speak to the girl whom he had watched for such a long time.

Having commented about the storm and behavior of the plane, he asked why she had not been afraid. The sweet child replied, "Sir, my Dad is the pilot, and he is taking me home."

- Author Unknown -

Ten Guidelines From God

Effective immediately, please be aware that there are changes YOU need to make in YOUR life. These changes need to be completed in order that I may fulfill My promises to you to grant you peace, joy and happiness in this life. I apologize for any inconvenience, but after all that I am doing, this seems very little to ask of you. Please, follow these 10 guidelines:

  1. QUIT WORRYING: Life has dealt you a blow and all you do is sit and worry. Have you forgotten that I am here to take all your burdens and carry them for you? Or do you just enjoy fretting over every little thing that comes your way?
  2. PUT IT ON THE LIST: Something needs done or taken care of. Put it on the list. No, not YOUR list. Put it on MY to-do-list. Let ME be the one to take care of the problem. I can't help you until you turn it over to Me. And although My to-do-list is long, I am after all... God. I can take care of anything you put into My hands. In fact, if the truth were ever really known, I take care of a lot of things for you that you never even realize.
  3. TRUST ME: Once you've given your burdens to Me, quit trying to take them back. Trust in Me. Have the faith that I will take care of all your needs, your problems and your trials. Problems with the kids? Put them on My list. Problem with finances? Put it on My list. Problems with your emotional roller coaster? For My sake, put it on My list. I want to help you. All you have to do is ask.
  4. LEAVE IT ALONE: Don't wake up one morning and say, "Well, I'm feeling much stronger now, I think I can handle it from here." Why do you think you are feeling stronger now? It's simple. You gave Me your burdens and I'm taking care of them. I also renew your strength and cover you in my peace. Don't you know that if I give you these problems back, you will be right back where you started? Leave them with Me and forget about them. Just let Me do my job.
  5. TALK TO ME: I want you to forget a lot of things. Forget what was making you crazy. Forget the worry and the fretting because you know I'm in control. But there's one thing I pray you never forget. Please, don't forget to talk to Me - OFTEN! I love YOU! I want to hear your voice. I want you to include Me in on the things going on in your life. I want to hear you talk about your friends and family. Prayer is simply you having a conversation with Me. I want to be your dearest friend.
  6. HAVE FAITH: I see a lot of things from up here that you can't see from where you are. Have faith in Me that I know what I'm doing. Trust Me; you wouldn't want the view from My eyes. I will continue to care for you, watch over you, and meet your needs. You only have to trust Me. Although I have a much bigger task than you, it seems as if you have so much trouble just doing your simple part. How hard can trust be?
  7. SHARE: You were taught to share when you were only two years old. When did you forget? That rule still applies. Share with those who are less fortunate than you. Share your joy with those who need encouragement. Share your laughter with those who haven't heard any in such a long time. Share your tears with those who have forgotten how to cry. Share your faith with those who have none.
  8. BE PATIENT: I managed to fix it so in just one lifetime you could have so many diverse experiences. You grow from a child to an adult, have children, change jobs many times, learn many trades, travel to so many places, meet thousands of people, and experience so much. How can you be so impatient then when it takes Me a little longer than you expect to handle something on My to-do-list? Trust in My timing, for My timing is perfect. Just because I created the entire universe in only six days, everyone thinks I should always rush, rush, rush.
  9. BE KIND: Be kind to others, for I love them just as much as I love you. They may not dress like you, or talk like you, or live the same way you do, but I still love you all. Please try to get along, for My sake. I created each of you different in some way. It would be too boring if you were all identical. Please, know I love each of your differences.
  10. LOVE YOURSELF: As much as I love you, how can you not love yourself? You were created by me for one reason only -- to be loved, and to love in return. I am a God of Love. Love Me. Love your neighbors. But also love yourself. It makes My heart ache when I see you so angry with yourself when things go wrong. You are very precious to me. Don't ever forget......

The Love of the Father

"Let the clutch out slowly," Dad was saying.

All I had in mind was racing the engine trying to get it to move forward.

"The clutch, Son, let the clutch out..." before he could finish speaking I did let the clutch out. The car lurched forward violently and died, quivering in pain.

"Start the car," Dad instructed. I did, which of course was followed by more vehicular violence. "Push your foot in on the clutch first, then turn the key."

I did. No more whip lash.

"Slowly let the clutch out and lightly accelerate." The car began to move. "You still have your foot on the clutch." As I removed the offending foot the car gave a spectacular show of what it must feel like to ride a bull. Once more it died.

There was only one minor consolation in all of this misery and that was that I was driving on a little used dirt road out in the country.

I tried so hard but every time I would dump the clutch and the car would shudder its disapproval. Dad would simply repeat the steps which I could hear in my dream, "Press in on the clutch, put car in gear, let out on the clutch and lightly press the accelerator."

There came a moment when I finally got the car moving and my foot was no longer on the clutch. The engine began to whine as I traveled faster. "Press in on the clutch and shift to second gear." I pressed in on the clutch and accidentally tried to put it in reverse, oh the wailing and gnashing of gears. Once I got the car in second gear we were going slow enough that it only shivered and died.

"That's it," I yelled. "I'm never going to learn to drive. This is just too hard, Dad."

I exited the car and looked back and forth along the deserted stretch of country road. My dad never moved from his spot in the passenger's side of the car. He never called after me. He didn't even turn to look at me.

When I got tired of looking at tumbleweeds and gravel I walked back to the car.

I was about to say something when dad simply said, "Press in on the clutch, put car in gear, let out on the clutch and lightly press the accelerator."

This was a day that I will remember for time to come. I was so angry with my dad. He could see that I was having struggles; he could see I didn't want to do this thing called driving, he could see how frustrated I was becoming yet he made me do it anyway. He never yelled, he never argued, he never criticized but he wouldn't move from the passenger's seat either.

If we were going to get back to town it was because I did the hard thing in front of me and learned to drive. He could have done it all for me but he wisely chose not to.

I am suddenly struck by the fact that our relationship with God can seem so much like learning to drive. We don't understand how it is supposed to work, we read the instructions but they don't seem to help. God's instructions are clear but we can't seem to understand it all. We get mad thinking that God somehow got things wrong or that He's asking too much of us and we storm away waiting for Him to come to His senses.

He waits knowing that we will someday come back to Him for help and while we struggle to understand His will, He leaves us with the assurance, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Joshua 1:5 NIV).

I'm tired of looking at tumbleweeds and gravel. Aren't you?

Simply Put

Cindy Sheehan asked President Bush,
"Why did my son have to die in Iraq?"

Another mother asked President Kennedy,
"Why did my son have to die in VietNam?"

Another mother asked President Truman,
"Why did my son have to die in Korea?

Another mother asked President F.D. Roosevelt,
"Why did my son have to die at Iwo Jima?"

Another mother asked President W. Wilson,
"Why did my son have to die on the battlefield of France?"

Yet another mother asked President Lincoln,
"Why did my son have to die at Gettysburg?"

And yet another mother asked President G. Washington,
"Why did my son have to die near Valley Forge?"

Then long, long ago, a mother asked,
"Heavenly Father, why did my Son have to die on a cross outside of Jerusalem?"

The answers to all these are similar--
that others may have life and dwell in peace, happiness and freedom.

A Prayer Meeting on Mars Hill

A word of encouragement for Christian homeschooling parents

Some of what you are about to read may challenge your theology. That's O.K. God is bigger than your theology, and He is bigger than my theology. Please read this to the end.

This is a word of encouragement for Christian homeschooling parents. This is a story about a story. The story begins in 1986 when I was a part of a Youth With a Mission outreach in Salt Lake City, Utah. The teacher at the outreach was Paul Hawkins from the YWAM base in Kona, Hawaii. In 1987 Denise and I were married. In 1990 Denise and I visited friends at the Great Commission School in Bandon, Oregon.

While we were there, we found, sitting on a bookshelf, a third generation video of Paul Hawkins teaching much of the same material he did during the outreach in 1986. We got permission to copy the tape so we could add it to our library.

Fast forward to 2001. Denise and I are now the homeschooling parents of 5 children ranging in age from 2 to 10.

I decided to show the Paul Hawkins video to our two oldest daughters. We gathered the family together and turned on the video. About 10 minutes into the video, Paul Hawkins began to tell a story.

Paul's story took place in 1981. The prior summer he had traveled across the United States and Canada with a YWAM outreach called King's Kids. In 1981 the King's Kids outreach was to travel throughout Europe. The director of the King's Kids asked Paul if he was going with them that summer.

"No," was his answer. "I don't have any guidance, time or money."

The King's Kids' choreographer told Paul that she had a dream in which she saw Paul with the King's Kids in Spain. "That's interesting," said Paul. "But I don't have the guidance, the time or the money."

The King's Kids left for Europe without Paul. Because Paul's oldest son was part of the King's Kids outreach, Paul was one of the parents that had committed to pray for the King's Kids three mornings a week. One Friday morning Paul woke up at ten to six. He was tired and decided to skip the 6:00 prayer meeting for the King's Kids that morning. Then he was reminded of the commitment that he had made. In 10 minutes he was in the dining hall with two women who were there for the prayer meeting.

"Only three of us," thought Paul. "This isn't going to be very eventful." They began to pray for the King's Kids, who were in Spain, and for the YWAM mercy ship ministry in Athens, Greece.

Then God spoke to Paul. "Paul, I want you to go. I want you to go."

Right away, that woman spoke out, "Paul, you're supposed to go!"

"I know. I just asked God to confirm it through you so I'd know for sure. Can we ask God for one more confirmation, because this is kinda sudden."

They did, and a kitchen worker began to read out loud a chapter of Ezekiel that God has used many times to show Paul that he was about to go somewhere.

All day that Friday Paul prayed for God to show him details about this trip. When was he supposed to leave? Where was the money for the trip coming from? Paul knew he would be leaving soon, because of the choreographer's dream in which he was seen in Spain with the King's Kids. The King's Kids were only going to be in Spain for one week.

On Saturday he continued to pray. God told him to pack Saturday night. He still didn't know when he was leaving or how he was going to pay for the trip. On Sunday Paul spoke with the leadership at the Kona YWAM base. He asked them to pray for confirmation that Paul was going to Spain, and to pray about the money for the trip.

"How much will it cost?" they asked.

"I'm not sure, but I think I need about $1500."

That night they had a public meeting. At the end of the meeting, one of the leaders addressed the people. "Paul has come to us with guidance that he is to join the kids in Spain. We believe it is right. He needs $1500. If God is telling you to help Paul with the finances for this trip, we will close the meeting by having Paul stand and hold out his hand."

When Paul left the meeting, in his hand was $1500 and a round trip ticket to Los Angeles.

At 10:30 that night God told Paul to make reservations to fly to Los Angeles at 6:00 the next morning. He needed a ride to the airport, so he asked the man who had given him the ticket to Los Angeles. Paul figured that there might be a problem getting the ticket re-written. It might help to have with him the person to whom the ticket had been issued.

When they got to the airport, the airline wouldn't re-write the ticket. Paul tried to put the airfare on his Visa card, but he didn't have enough left on his credit limit. There stood Paul at the ticket counter wondering what he was supposed to do.

The man who had brought Paul to the airport pulled $400 from his wallet and paid for a new ticket. "That's alright. When you turn in the ticket for a refund, you can pay me back." (It is very unusual for YWAMers to have much money, let alone have $400 in their wallets.)

Paul flew to Los Angeles and stayed with his parents. He was praying about when to fly on to London. God told him to go on Wednesday. He went to church with his parents on Tuesday night. There was a visiting minister who called Paul out from the congregation to pray for him. He prayed specifically about the trip that Paul was on. This minister had never seen Paul before. He didn't even know that Paul was involved in ministry. This was further confirmation to Paul that what he was doing was very important.

Paul flew to London, then to Spain. He stayed with the King's kids for a couple of days. On Saturday he went to meet with the YWAM mercy ship in Athens, Greece. He asked two of his friends, who were part of the ministry team on the ship, to pray with him about why he was there. God had told Paul to meet with the King's Kids in Spain, then go to Athens. God was doing all kinds of miracles to get him there, but Paul still didn't know why.

When they began to pray, God spoke to Paul.

"When you study the history of education, where do you always start?"

"With the Greeks."

"That's right. But the Greeks aren't the foundation of education. I am. Tomorrow morning go to Mars Hill, and in the shadow of the main altar of Greek antiquity, the Acropolis, tear it down in the spirit, because I am the foundation of education, not the Greeks."

They prayed about who was supposed to go. God gave them Acts 13:1--five prophets and teachers. So five of them got together in the morning and went to the Acropolis for a prayer meeting. While they were there, Paul says in his story, they turned to the east and the north and the west and the south and prayed for the release of Biblical Christian education around the world. Then they turned to the east and the north and the west and the south and prayed for the release of teachers into Christian education all over the world.

At this point in the video, God spoke to me very clearly. I turned to Denise and said, "I just had a thought."

Denise said, "I just had a thought too."

Both of us had the same thought. There is no doubt in my mind that it was God speaking the same thing to both of us at the same time so we would know that it came from Him.

That prayer meeting on Mars Hill in which five prophets and teachers prayed for the release of teachers into Christian education all over the world took place just before the Christian home schooling movement took off in the United States. If you are a Christian home schooler, you are part of the answer to that prayer.

Denise called the Home School Legal Defense Association to make sure we had our facts straight. They point to April of 1982, when James Dobson had Dr. Raymond Moore on his Focus on the Family radio program, as the time when the Christian home schooling movement began to grow rapidly.

This was less than a year after the prayer meeting on Mars Hill.

While Paul was flying back to Kona, God spoke to him and told him that the two-hour prayer meeting on Mars Hill was the only reason He had sent Paul to Athens.

"Was it really that important?" Paul asked.

Yes, it was really that important. If you are a Christian home schooler, let me encourage you with this: in the summer of 1981 God sent a teacher with Youth With a Mission half way around the world to pray to release you to provide your children with a Christian education. What you are doing is that important to Him.

Berry Mauve Or Muted Wine?

He found me weeping bitterly in the hospital room. "What's wrong?" Richard asked, knowing we both had reason to cry. In the past 48 hours, I had discovered the lump in my breast was cancerous; the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes; and there was a possible spot on my brain. I was 32 years old and the mother of three beautiful children. Richard pulled me tight and tried to comfort me. Many had expressed amazement at the peace that had overwhelmed me from the beginning. God was my comfort the moment before I found out I had cancer, and he remained the same after. But, it seemed to Richard that all that had crashed in the few moments he had been out of the room. He held me tight. "It's all been too much, hasn't it, Suz?" he said.

"That's not it," I cried and held up the hand mirror I had found in the drawer. Richard was puzzled. "I didn't know it was like this," I cried. I had found the mirror in the night stand and was shocked at my reflection. I didn't even recognize myself. After the surgery, I groaned in my sleep and well-meaning friends had freely pushed the self-dispensing medication to ease what they thought was pain. Unfortunately I was allergic to morphine and had swelled like a sausage. Betadine from the surgery stained my neck, shoulder and chest and it was too soon for a bath. A tube hung out of my side draining the fluid from the surgical site. My left shoulder and chest was wrapped tightly in gauze where I had lost a portion of my breast. My long, curly hair was matted into one big wad. What hit me the hardest was that over 100 people had come to see me over the past 48 hours and they had all seen this brown and white, swollen, makeup-less, matted-haired, gray-gowned woman that used to be me. Where had I gone? Richard left the room. Within moments he came back, his arms laden with small bottles. He pulled pillows out of the closet and dragged a chair over to the sink. He unraveled my IV and tucked the long tube from my side in his shirt pocket. He reached down and picked me up and he scooted the IV stand with one foot as he carried me over to the chair. As he sat me down gently on his lap, he cradled my head in his arms over the sink and began to run warm water through my hair. He poured the small bottles he had confiscated from the cart in the hall over my hair and washed and conditioned my long curls. He wrapped my hair in a towel and he carried me, the tube, and IV stand back over to the bed. All of this done so gently that not one stitch was disturbed. My husband, who has never blow-dried his thick dark hair in his life, took out the blow drier and dried my hair, the whole while entertaining me as he pretended to give beauty tips. He then proceeded, with the experience of watching me for the past 12 years, to fix my hair. I laughed as he bit his lip, more serious than any beauty school student. He bathed my shoulder and neck with a warm washcloth, careful to not disturb the area around the surgery and rubbed lotion into my skin. Then he opened my makeup bag and began to apply makeup. I will never forget the laughter we shared as he tried to apply my mascara and blush. I opened my eyes wide and held my breath as his hands shook as he brushed the mascara on my lashes. He rubbed my cheeks with tissue to blend in the blush. With the last touch, he held up two lipsticks. "Which one? Berry mauve or muted wine?" he asked. He applied the lipstick like an artist painting on a canvas and then held the little mirror in front of me. I was human again. A little swollen, but I smelled clean, my hair hung softly over my shoulders and I recognized who I was. "What do you think?" he asked. I began to cry again, this time because I was grateful. "No, baby. You'll mess up my makeup job," he said and then I burst into laughter.

During that difficult time in our lives, I was given only a 10-40% chance of survival over five years. That was nine years ago. I made it through those years with laughter, with God's comfort, and with the help of a man brought into my life named Richard. We will celebrate our 21st anniversary this year with our three children -- our twins, who are 17, and our 18 year old daughter. Richard understood what others might have taken for vanity in the midst of tragedy. Everything I had ever taken for granted had been shaken in those hours -- the fact that I would watch my children grow, my health, my future. With one small act of kindness, Richard gave me normalcy.

I will always see that moment as one of the kindest gestures of our marriage.

Letter of Encouragement

Dear Ladies,
Since I am at the end with 2 of my sons and one daughter who I homeschooled from infancy, actually a better term would be Home Based Discipleship, I thought I would throw in some reflections. The fruit is so sweet if you keep on and do not give up. I am in the phase right now of learning how to parent young men of 20 and 22 and a young woman of 18. I just spent a month with all my children together and it was such a blessing. I received thanks from both of the boys for homeschooling them and even though the 20 year old went through 2 years of being mad at us for not letting him go to public high school full time it was well worth the grief I suffered. Remember that the goal in our lives is not to have things go smoothly and comfortably. If homeschooling were easy and we were experts and our kids all did wonderfully then who would receive the glory and praise? We would, and people would want to be like us. That should not be the case. Homeschooling causes us to come to the end of ourselves and learn to trust and lean on God in a BIG way. Our goal should be to give all the glory and honor to God for all He gives us in the way of strength, endurance and wisdom. Sometimes the only way we get those things is through crying our eyes out on our bed. Homeschooling reveals our flesh but ladies please don't give up, it's right where God wants us so He can prove to be mighty and faithful. I weep for joy weekly over the goodness and blessings that He has bestowed on me for having persevered. I am now seeing the fruit of my labors in ways that I couldn't have ever imagined. Having relationships with my children in a way I never had with my parents and being friends with them is so awesome. I pray as we enter into this new year the Lord will give each of you (with your husband) a renewed vision for why you are homeschooling. I have invested 17 years (so far) into the process and I have to say that it was worth every minute for the blessings that I am now reaping.

Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

More humor!