This & That

This week I've been doing a lot of thinking, planning and trying to figure things out. In so many ways I feel like I'm playing catch up: this friend already knows so much about natural ways of healing and strengthening the body; this friend is really good about making their own bread and other healthy things for the family; this friend is really good with budgeting and saving money; this friend has the homeschooling thing figured out; etc. God gave me a little reminder though during one of those "Oh, I want to be like that" moments - He's given me talents and understandings that those friends don't have and hopefully appreciate in me. So, instead of silently pining away and feeling sorry for myself, I can thank God for what He's given me, thank Him for those friends in my life, and then have a teachable heart and learn from my friends all these things that I so want to know (kinda sounds like a God-thing, huh?).

Here's some things that I wanted to share:

• momof9splace "In our generation the cultivating of the intellect is thought to be the answer; consequently, the child is taught, school is emphasized, and higher education is considered imperative. To be sure, the intellect is a part of the mind. There is, however, another part of the mind that is far too often overlooked - the will. For the intellect to be trained and the will to be untrained is dangerous.... The wise parent starts when the child is and infant in the training of the will."


• I think we have a new favorite homemade pizza recipe. I made the dough from scratch (recipe from EveryDay With Rachel Ray), doctored it up with crushed red pepper flakes, garlic powder and Italian seasonings, and baked it on the cast iron griddle. It was excellent!


• The laundry that we started Thurs morning is still in the dryer... maybe tomorrow morning it'll all find it's home. I don't like having undone or half-done projects around - it makes life feel chaotic. Life is much calmer and things run smoother when things are accomplished... Can one truly ever be done with laundry though?


• I pureed some sweet potatoes and some avocado-bananas for Ben today (maybe that's why laundry didn't get done). I have 2+ ice cube trays full for him. The little porker can already put away 2 cubes mixed with breast milk and cereal for one meal. Today he got 2 meals for the first time. Hopefully he'll make it until at least 6:00am - the last 2 days he reverted back to 5:00am, ugh.


• homeschool-not-about-education "The very word "homeschooling" can cause us all to forget that what we are doing is not about home-SCHOOLING but about creating that context in which we assist God in raising the little ones in our homes to become His men and women who are truly prepared for what is going to happen in their own generation. To be like King David whom God did not identify as a man "with a good job;" but as a man who "served his generation well.""


• And, as of last week, the siding on the addition is done! Yeah Tom!