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A Net in Time

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Faith

Grief Held

November 20, 2020 By Annette1 21 Comments

Today’s Five minute Friday word provided for us by Miss Kate is grief.  It’s a hard word as it’s something that is so individualistic and doesn’t always play out the way we expect it to.  Today I ponder anew grief held.

grief held

Grief Held

I expected
After so many years
Of watching
of praying.

That this friend
Her grief over the loss
of a loved parent.
Would ease.

But often it seems that
the grief
Is as fresh today,
as it was yesterday.

I ponder that,
it makes me
Fret a bit.
Because this friend.

She and her mom
Love/Loved God dearly.
Doesn’t she know
Her momma is safe?

Doesn’t she know
God’s promises are true
TODAY you will be
with me in Paradise.

Not tomorrow
Not far off in the future
When God calls us home
We come home.

So where does this
Long-term, unsettled
Grief come from?
Why does it set so?

I do not understand it.
I loved my Dad.
He did his best as a dad.
But he has passed.

I know that his
grief and pain
are all behind him now.
My grief is passed.

For me the grief
Was intense but short.
God’s promises
Hold true … always.

Is it part of our
Sin-nature to hold on?
To not truly trust
God’s promises?

Or is it a
basic selfishness that
Causes us to hold on.
An anger at God

For taking away
one we loved
so much?
That holds grief in?

I don’t know
but today
I ponder anew
of grief forever held.

grief held

Scriptural Inspirations

Luke 23:43

And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Romans 8:18

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Matthew 11:28-30

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

And a song that might ease a hurting heart. 

Filed Under: Faith, Poetry

Review: Julie Naturally

November 18, 2020 By Annette1 2 Comments

DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW IN EXCHANGE FOR MY HONEST REVIEW. I WAS NOT REQUIRED TO WRITE A POSITIVE REVIEW NOR WAS I COMPENSATED IN ANY OTHER WAY.

Romans and Philippians are excellent books to study don’t you think?   At Julie Naturally, you will find bible studies suited to individual as well as small group endeavors. Julie Naturally focuses on homeschooling & unschooling, holy living and wholistic health.  Come along as we learn more about her faith journey bible studies. 

Julie Naturally Review

What I am Reviewing

Julie Naturally, produced by Julie Polanco, comprises the two studies that we are reviewing today.  They are Faith Journeys Bible Study Series: Romans bundle which continues video and PDF studies and Faith Journeys Bible Study Series: Philippians which just has PDF lessons. Romans is an 8-week study, Philippians is four weeks.  

Both studies are promoted as  appropriate for more mature believing moms.  Hard-working mom can, over the course of a week, complete each lesson. Each daily exercise contains 3-5 questions each day.  

What do you get?

The Romans study comes with video along with the bible study that comes as a PDF file.  The Philippians study, though it mentions video, at this time only comes as a PDF bible study. 

Program highlights include

Bible verses that are dated per week, and set up to be cut for easy placement in a wallet or elsewhere for putting God’s word deeper into your heart.  The verses are short and easy enough to memorize. 

At the end of each week in both studies, a colouring page is provided.  Romans used words, Philippians hearts. 

Each week is broken into six days.  Each day has scriptures that must be read. Often there is a brief explanation that highlights key details.  Following the explanation are questions that require you to not only think about the verses but to apply them in our lives.   You can do the studies as expected (six days per week) or complete them all in one sitting. Each day’s work does not take long to complete. 

The Romans study also provides videos to go with each weekly lesson.  The videos are about 10 minutes each.  The video for week four was missing for me.  Occasionally it seemed like something was missing from the video.  

You can purchase the Philippians for $8.49 as a digital download. The study is 45 pages long. Romans costs $24.99, and is 97 pages long. 

How did I use Julie Naturally?

I predominately used the Romans Study, listening to the video as I was sat on my stationary bike. 

Then over the course of the week I would work on the bible study. I loved that I didn’t have to print it off and could write my answers directly on the computer.  It made it so easy to take 5 or 10 minutes to learn something more about God’s word. 

My Thoughts

I LOVE that the PDF’s are fully editable.  This means I don’t have to print out the study in order to use it.  I would need to do so if using for a group bible study but on my own, just being able to type in my thoughts, gold!

The Faith Journeys bible study in Romans or Philippians would be ideal for women looking for an introductory study. The mix of textual and personal questions will be edifying. The videos may be hit or miss, Julie had good information to share, but didn’t always organize her thoughts well. 

For middle or high school students, these studies would work quite well.  Helping these young women to dig deeper into their faith, learning to question their attitudes and actions, in the light of scripture. 

One thing that Ms. Polanco brings is a fresh perspective.  Every bible study a person engages in always brings something new to the table.  These studies are an affordable option for seeing something new in God’s Word. 

Julie Naturally Review

Where to Find Julie Naturally

Website: https://www.julienaturally.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julienaturally
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/julienaturally
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/successful.unschooler
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/julienaturally
Podcast: https://crunchychristianpodcast.com

40 members of the review crew took in the Romans-Philippians bundle from Julie Naturally.  Click on the image below to read them. 

Filed Under: Faith, Homeschooling, Reviews Tagged With: Bible Study, Devotional, Review, TOS

Give Thanks to the Lord

November 16, 2020 By Annette1 2 Comments

So I’ve been debating this topic from the crew “Give Thanks to the Lord” for a couple of weeks now.  Should I do a light airy piece on all the things that I am thankful for, things that are important but not on the forefront of my heart; OR should I write what’s on the forefront of my heart knowing there are those who won’t understand it but might possibly help others?  OR should I make it homeschooling focused since this blog really is about faith AND homeschooling?   I guess you’ll have to read on to see what I do eh?  🙂 

give thanks to the Lord

The other day I was reading a devotional that talked about how so often when we read or teach bible stories we look for the actions of people.  We often fail to look at what a bible story reveals about God.  God’s word is actually all about God.  Stories might lighten the reading, but at the end of the day… the bible is the story of God’s glory revealed. 

It’s good to keep that thought in mind as one considers how one would give thanks to the Lord for the events or things in life. 

Affiliate links will be used. 

The Things of Life

There are things in life that I am ever so thankful for.  Big things like friends, a church to attend, service opportunities. Medium things like a house to live in, work to do, food to eat. And then the copious little things.

  • My tea maker – I love drinking cold tea and having a pitcher dedicated to the making of it.  Marvellous!
  • Our keurig machine – hot chocolate and bouillon… totally does me a solid good. 
  • Gardening.  Love getting plants growing, and working with dirt, and everything involved with that. Making relishes and canning.  🙂 
  • My tablet.  Ever so helpful for trying out new recipes.  Much easier to read than my phone. 
  • Contigo water bottles.  They hold my tea nicely.  🙂 
  • My fellows working together.  Can’t ask for much better. 

Homeschooling

Thankfulness for the ability to homeschool.  I give thanks to the Lord for:

  • in a province with few rules about homeschooling
  • in a current crisis, we have a government actually helping parents in the form of grants who need to homeschool 
  • for a school board that allows my son to take courses, I can’t easily figure out how to teach
  • in a time and age where schooling is available in many different formats: video, text, audio.   Textbooks, PDF’s, USB, online.  
  • Support provided quickly and easily.  Tonight on a Facebook group for SchoolhouseTeachers.com I saw a mom struggling with algebra get direct help on answering a question. 
  • for a lad who has fully embraced independence in his schooling. 

Rabbits and Other Critters

I know, I know, rabbits are neither homeschool or faith, but they are very much a part of my life.  🙂   BUT I promise they do have a homeschooling connection!

From the bunnies:

  • bunny education classes
  • finances to provide homeschooling materials
  • education in running a small business
  • joy in having furry beasts to care for
  • seeing God at work in ways unexpected
  • friends to make
  • skills to develop

The other critters

  • cats!  oh my.. the cats are both a source of vexation and laughter.   Lizzy too smart for her own good, Milo getting old and losing strength of body and mind. 
  • Snake: Fireheart has taught us so much about her needs, her abilities, and just how interesting it is to have a pet snake. 
  • Budgies: the sadness of loss when they die, the joy when you convince a scaredy-cat bird to land on a finger, the remembering to provide care, the laughter when she squawks to unique noises, it’s good
  • Makes me remember how in the bible it says that if people won’t praise God, the world around us will do so. 

Parenting

If anything has caused me the hardest time, it’s parenting.  My lad was relatively easy as a child growing up.  He’s proving to be a more difficult teen making decisions that hurt my heart deeply. But in that struggle, there are things in which to give thanks to the Lord for;

  • he is currently still at home, directly under the care of people who love him and will continue to pray for him, and talk with him. 
  • my prayer life has more than tripled.
  • my understanding of the deep hurt that parents can feel over the actions of their children has quadrupled. 
  • how alone one can feel, and how God says “hey, I’m here” into the quietness of one’s heart.
  • even in hurt, one can express gratitude, because God’s hand can still be seen.
  • friends are sometimes unexpected blessings, sending links that help a heart.

How about you?  What is in your life that you can give thanks to God for?   Do they help you see him more clearly?

November 2020

Filed Under: Faith, Homeschooling Tagged With: encouragement, faith, holidays, TOS

Lift Your Heads Ye Mighty Gates

November 15, 2020 By Annette1 4 Comments

I first posted about this hymn on my previous blog.  Many places that I looked call this an advent hymn.  I don’t know.  I kinda see it, and yet, I kinda see it as something more.  I’ll let you make up your mind about that.  Anyways, let’s learn more about Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates!

Lift up your heads ye mighty gates

Lyrics

Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates,
Behold the King of glory waits;
The King of kings is drawing near,
The Savior of the world is here;
Life and salvation doth He bring,
Wherefore rejoice and gladly sing:
We praise Thee, Father, now!
Creator, wise art Thou!

The Lord is just, a helper tried,
Mercy is ever at His side,
His kingly crown is holiness,
His scepter, pity in distress,
The end of all our woe He brings;
Wherefore the earth is glad and sings:
We praise Thee, Savior, now,
Mighty in deed art Thou!

Oh blest the land, the city blest,
Where Christ the ruler is confessed!
Oh happy hearts and happy homes
To whom this king in triumph comes!
The cloudless sun of joy He is,
Who bringeth pure delight and bliss:
O Comforter divine,
What boundless grace is Thine!

Fling wide the portals of your heart,
Make it a temple set apart
From earthly use for Heaven’s employ,
Adorned with prayer and love and joy;
So shall your sovereign enter in,
And new and nobler life begin:
To Thee, O God, be praise,
For word and deed and grace!

Redeemer, come! I open wide
My heart to Thee—here, Lord, abide!
Let me Thy inner presence feel,
Thy grace and love in me reveal,
Thy Holy Spirit guide us on
Until our glorious goal is won!
Eternal praise and fame
We offer to Thy name.

Author and history

Georg Weissel (note the lack of an e on this first name!) was a Lutheran pastor out of Germany.  In his day this area of land was known as East Prussia.  His dad Johann was both judge and mayor of his town, Domnau. 

Being a pastor was a second career for him, he had started off as the rector of a school. After his finished his studies, he became the pastor of the newly built Altrossgart Church in Königsberg in 1623. He remained there until his death in 1635.

Weisel was well-known as a poet, and wrote 20 hymns as well. These hymns he generally wrote to mark the greater festivals of the church year. 

Lift up your heads ye mighty gates, was based on Psalm 24

7 Lift up your heads, you gates;
    be lifted up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord strong and mighty,
    the Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, you gates;
    lift them up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
    The Lord Almighty—
    he is the King of glory.

Ponderings

Did you know I’ve written songs based on scripture?  Yes I have.  It’s not as easy as it sounds.  And no, I haven’t shared them with more than one person (she helped me write the music for them). 

So I am always amazed at someone who can take scripture and then turn it into a GOOD song. Whether it’s a simple one like last week, or a more complicated one like today. 

Did you take time to read the words of this song?  Following along with Jesus promised, Jesus here?  Then onto Jesus our helper, Jesus will return?  The doctrine in this song is worth looking at. 

Filed Under: Faith Tagged With: faith, history, Hymn, hymns

Freedoms are Cancelled

November 13, 2020 By Annette1 26 Comments

Miss Kate has offered us up a new word prompt this week.  The word is cancel.  I thought my weekly poem was going to go in a different direction, one that spoke to the need to understand the truth of God’s word.   This one turned on its head though, and that’s okay eh?  🙂  Sometimes you need to follow where the words lead you.  Freedoms are cancelled is the end result.

freedoms are cancelled, angry child at closed playground

Freedoms are Cancelled

Hold the presses!
Stop the run!
New news!!!
Cancel it now!

And so the presses stop,
the printing stops.
A new article written,
Is it accurate?

Covid hits!
Cancel it all!
No meetings, no friends.
No gathering in groups.

Then pressures ease.
Restrictions lift.
Cautiously, slowly,
Life resumes.

But really,
below the surface,
Tensions seethe
Emotions roil.

People hate it,
the restrictions.
They only see
Infringement of rights.

Arguing with others,
Finding ways to pick fights.
Forgetting others,
in the quest for self.

I understand it,
The view of both sides.
Wanting to be free of masks and rules
yet… the need to protect fills my bones.

I wonder what will happen
When restrictions eased
Get cancelled.
Will fear rule?

Will there be a
boiling over of
resentment?
Or will grace prevail?

Relying on grace
is what sees me through.
Able to snooze
Persistent arguers.

But I fear
what will happen
When again
Freedoms are cancelled.

freedoms are cancelled

Did you know that Five minute Friday has been going on for a rather long time?  A weekly gathering of writers who take the time to encourage each other along the way.  Why don’t you join us?  Be encouraged!

Filed Under: Faith, Poetry Tagged With: Poem, poetry

Harvest Time Decor

November 9, 2020 By Annette1 2 Comments

The Home School Review crew has issued the challenge for today… harvest time decor!   I saw that and thought GAH I haven’t a clue.  I’m really not a decorator for things like that.  I do Christmas cause it’s easy, but any other seasonal/holiday thing, it’s just really not my thing.   

I talking with my tenant that this week’s challenge and her prompt response was “oh, that’s easy!   Can I write it for you?”  Never one to turn down a freely offered gift I said “sure!”   So here goes her post: 

Harvest Time Decor

There is a ton of decorations for Harvest time.

Let’s start with nature and the beauty of the leaves turning colour. I’ve seen a mountainside with a green background and coloured trees throughout with the greenish-blue of the Atlantic Ocean, and the blue of the sky…magnificent!

Harvest Time Decor

We try to bring that beauty inside when harvest time comes around. Yes, in spring and summer we may bring in the odd bouquet of flowers, but it’s not like harvest decorating. We bring in gourds, pumpkins, corn and corn stalks, hay bales, and let’s not forget the cornucopia, also known as the Horn of plenty.

A cornucopia is an assortment of fruit. It’s a familiar part of harvest time decor. When referring to the horn of plenty, it is a basket, shaped like a horn, and fill with the freshness of harvest.  You’ll find pumpkins, fruit, dates, grapes, apples, gourds, squash and more.  The abundance of harvest for all to see.

That is what I would like to focus on. What kind of fruit is in your cornucopia?

white and orange pumpkins on table
Photo by Anna Tukhfatullina Food Photographer/Stylist on Pexels.com

Pruning for More Fruit

In John 15, Jesus talks about branches that bear no fruit are taken away, branches that bear good fruit, are pruned, so they can yield more fruit the next harvest.

John 15:1-2  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 

The first idea I have here is that we often equate pruning with something bad. Granted the bad fruit needs to be taken care of, but in this instance, Jesus doesn’t talk about bad fruit, but good fruit.

When gardening, there are some plants that must have the fruit harvested in order to produce more fruit. If the fruit is left and not harvested, the next yield will be stunted, or the fruit will go bad. So, when a pruning or plucking happens in your life, deal with it willingly, not willfully. (That right there will show you the condition of your fruit).

close up photo of grape fruit
Photo by Henri Guérin on Pexels.com

Consider then the branches

Next, Jesus talks about the relationship between the branches and the tree.

John 15:4-8 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

This is an allegory of our individual relationship with God. I know no one is perfect. We all have shortcomings. It’s how we deal with those shortcomings, though. If we are properly grafted into the root of God and His Word, then we are always dealing in humility and repentance. (Now in this let us not forget the apostle Paul’s words in Romans 6. We don’t purposely sin to make grace abound). Our relationship with God is of the utmost importance. It is up to us to keep it healthy, not someone else. To abide in Him, and He in you is a lifestyle of perpetual awareness of what God has for you.

Taking Stock

Now I am going into a possibly sore area.

What condition is your fruit? Is it fresh and useable, or does it resemble plastic fruit? Fake it ‘til you make it type thing?

I remember as a child I got plastic fruit confused with real. My mother informed me of the truth, and I learned a lesson. Not all fruit is real. We often talk about bad fruit, but what about fake fruit?

I know life is hard at times and we need a break. That is okay. It is better to take a break than to fake being okay and producing fake fruit.

The bottom line is, we are so wanting a harvest and for God to use us, we move ahead without letting our fruit mature. We think we have developed well, but our fruit is artificially ripened fruit. We have the power, but not the authority. Authority we would properly obtain with properly ripened fruit.

So, this harvest time, as you look around at all the harvest time decor, take time to consider what kind of fruit is in your cornucopia.

Is it going to be helpful, well developed and nourishing for you and others around you, or will it be a little off and sour?

When the fruit of the spirit is healthy and well developed, we can then proceed to call in the harvest. Are you ready?

November 2020

Filed Under: Faith, Homeschooling Tagged With: holidays, Seasonal, TOS

Some May Trust in Horses

November 8, 2020 By Annette1 3 Comments

I was doing a whole day of running around the other day. Travelling along   which is sometimes a good thing, and sometimes it just isn’t.  I have been struggling lately with some anxiety/stress and have been wanting to retreat into myself.  To fight that impulse I thought I would play music loudly so I could hear the words well and sing along.  This song, Some May Trust in Horses, came up and I was just what I needed.  Such a good reminder of just who I really do trust in. 

Some May Trust in Horses

Lyrics

Some may trust in horses, some may trust in chariots.
But we will trust in the name of our God.
Some may trust in horses, some may trust in chariots.
But we will trust in the name of our God.
 
In the name of Jesus our salvation lies
He will hear from heaven to answer every cry
 
By the blood of Jesus, sins are washed away
We sing for joy to God our strength
His banner we wave, we wave

History and Author

All I can find for this song is that it was generally performed by Bob Fitts.  As to who wrote it?  I really don’t know.   

It does come directly from scripture.

Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Pondering

As I ponder this word Trust, it makes me think about just what people trust in.  In this song it mentions horses and chariots.   But what else might people trust in?

I was watching Frasier (tv show) the other night and Frasier realized he didn’t know who he was outside of being a psychiatrist, it’s been his definition of himself for years and years.  I know from watching this show it’s his default position to fall into.  So it’s like he’s trusting in psychiatry to see him through.  He came to a point when he realized it wasn’t enough. 

What do you trust in?  Sex, work, science, helpfulness, doing right, understanding people or life processes, or even your own work ethic?  What do you think will get you through in life? What, in your mind, holds the answers? 

Over the years, I’ve learned that trusting in God is what will see you through in the end. Have you discovered this truth yourself?

Filed Under: Faith, Homeschooling

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