Homeschool Brag Time Thursday Hop #30
1 day ago
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Reverence is more then just quietly sitting.....
I had hoped to get this blog post up Saturday night, but I have been hit by a migraine, so I didn't even get to work on this with my own family! But here it is.... what I have been thinking about lately!
I have been studying and pondering on reverence. I feel that personally I need it more in my life and my attitude and I wish for my children to have a firm understanding of what it means to be reverent. When I think of being reverent, my first thought is being awe-inspired. I love that term. It is powerful. When I am being reverent, I have fear in the Lord, I am awe-inspired by Him, I feel deep respect and the need to worship. Reverence truly is more then just quietly sitting. I feel respect, love and honor. Being reverent means showing restraint and quiet dignity. When we are reverent we are showing our devotion to God.
Let's face it- our world is loud. We have the tv blaring, the stereo on full blast, the computer is dinging at us because someone wants to chat, our kids video games are noisy in the background. I need to change this!!! My family needs to change! We need to become more reverent and one of the most important reasons to me personally, is because inspiration comes easier in peaceful settings. It is so true. I love in the evenings when the sun is beginning to go down, the kids are getting ready for bed, and I am sitting quietly in the yard watching the sun set. I feel peaceful. I feel content. I feel reverent. At this point, I can begin to pray etc, and slowly I begin to get that peaceful, reverent feeling. I love the fact that being reverent is one of the highest qualities a person can achieve. We learn so much more while being reverent, even if it is for a set amount of time each day, and then of course on the Sabbath ( which will be a whole new post!). D&C 76 states that in the celestial kingdom , before His throne all people will bow in reverence. What a beautiful thought and a good example of reverence. Another good example that comes to my mind.... the Savior in the Garden of Gethsemane... can you imagine the reverence that must have been felt there. Once again, the Savior is such an amazing example. We need to be more reverent in our homes too. This is something I am really wanting to work on in my family. I am guilty of having the tv on, music going and my computer on... all at the same time! President Marion G. Romney stated that parents who love the Lord and have respect for each other, usually have reverence in their home. Once again, it comes back to blocking out needless distractions which is something I spoke about in another post, being overwhelmed, and I think that blocking out these distractions is so vital. We will be able to feel the awe-inspired feelings of reverence, devotion, love and so much more. The Spirit will be able to whisper to us--- and we will HEAR it!! Now I want to make sure that everyone understands, I'm not saying that you have to throw your tv, stereo and computer out the window. We do much good with these instruments... we can listen to uplifting music, watch uplifting shows, and connect with others around the world thru the internet and help to be missionaries and good friends to them! I'm talking more about teaching our children ( and ourselves) to take time through out our day to be reverent. Meditate, pray, etc. Give yourself the gift each day of being reverent. I can't wait to put this into practice in my life and in my childrens lives. I hope to even make a little area of the house, maybe a reverent corner near our bookshelves etc, where we can ponder and pray, and be quiet! Where we can hear the Spirit whispering to us. Maybe a candle, and scriptures on a table in the reverent corner. Maybe some aromatherapy, becuase boy howdy I love aromatherapy. What ways do you teach your children the deeper meaning of reverence? Happy Parenting! Love, JL~
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Parable of the Ten Virgins
A couple of weeks ago I was praying to know what specific things to teach my children. I was amazed when the thoughts and ideas started flowing! I grabbed my journal and started jotting things down. One of the things was to teach my children the parable of the ten virgins. It is found in Matthew in the 25th chapter. Right after I had this little “planning session” with my Father in Heaven, my general conference Ensign came in the mail. I had watched general conference, but I am always happy to go over every little word in print. I was so excited to see this particular parable mentioned in one of the talks.
I was even more surprised when I remembered that we had a kerosene lamp we use for emergencies and I could have an object lesson… super fun!
I was even more surprised when the sunday night before our FHE, we needed the kerosene lamp because we ended up with no electricity for almost 4 hours.
Heavenly Father was making things easy for me! I had the lamp out, the general conference Ensign, the scriptures marked and ready. Then my son asked if he could invite his friend who lives across the street from us. Missionary moment! So that monday night we all sat in the living room for a simple FHE that hopefully would be a good missionary tool also.
I was blessed to be able to share the highlighted portions from Sister Cook’s talk, and I was so impressed with the way the kids latched right on to the idea that we need to constantly be filling our spiritual lamps. Every good deed you do, every kind word you say, every prayer, every Scripture read, adds a drop of oil to your lamps. Drop by drop we add spiritual knowledge to our lamps. I was excited when my ten year old son started explaining to his friend….. “we need to be prepared for when Christ comes again.” I was blessed to listen to my son as he shared his testimony of Christ’s second coming and how he was ready to start adding more drops to his lamp! Then the boys got a big kick out of my husband putting the kerosene oil in the lamp and lighting it! In fact the neighbor boy said, “hey, you used that lamp last night- I saw it in your window!” We were able to tell him that we had been physically prepared in case of a power outage, just like we need to be spiritually prepared for when Christ comes. It was a wonderful, spiritual FHE and it only took about twenty minutes! Sometimes the most powerful lessons are the simplest.
While doing my own research into the parable of the ten virgins, I found so many things that I personally need to work on. But that will be a post for another day! Today , I share with you what we did for FHE…. maybe soon I will share my personal thoughts on how I can become a better person thru this parable. How thankful I am for Christ’s teachings and examples!
May Family Challenge : Show and Tell with your Family !
Sarah from www.playwithyourfamily.com is hosting our May challenge!!!!! Her site is awesome!!!!! Go check it out! :) Here is the post for the month from Sarah!! :) Can't wait to hear everyone's ideas and what they did! Love, JL~
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As the school year comes to an end I am wondering what new things I have learned this year. Have I gained a new skill, educated myself, become a better person? Being a mom and staying home to take care of kids it sure feels like I am falling behind in the rate I am progressing. My daughter basically learned a new language this year as all 1-2 year olds do. She also is learning to go potty by herself, get herself dressed, climb up very high objects, hold a pencil, count, get out of doing things with her cuteness, and trying to learn her colors. I am often jealous at how fun and easy it is for her to learn and progress. I wish I was still learning like that and having my eyes opened to the exciting world we live in
That said, I think there are things we have accomplished this year (even if we have to dig deep) we can share with our family. So my challenge to all of you is to have a family show and tell night. I think I might make the absolutely wonderful and almost healthy chocolate chip cookies that I have perfected this year (I think I have perfected them because I can't go more than a few days without having a stash of them in my freezer for those moments when you just need a cookie). 
Your kids could share their favorite school project, play the piano piece they learned for recital, or show you how to dribble a soccer ball. Whatever their thing is this year, let them have a moment to be proud of their accomplishments.Suggestions for Family Show and Tell Night:
- Make an invitation/ reminder for your kids with the day and time so they can be preparing what they will share with the family.
- Invite grandma and grandpa or a neighbor family to your presentation.
- Film your show and tell night. This is going to be memorable. ( I am hoping my husband will give us a dance party at the end which we always love to catch on video)
- Have refreshments afterwards, or during if it is your talent.
- Write an introduction for each member of your family that can be read before they show and tell. Mention some good choices they have made this year or reasons you are proud of them. Make them feel special.
Oh I am so excited to see all the ways this event can pull your family closer together. Make it a priority and I know you will not be disappointed. Please let us know how your show and tell night goes. I can't wait to see pictures about it and to see all the wonderful things your family has done this year.
May Family Challenge: Show and Tell Night With Your Family
Let us know how it goes by:
1: Commenting right here on our blog! 2: Jump on over to our Facebook Page and leaving a comment or a link for everyone to see! 3: Email us with a picture, if possible, and a description and we will share it! 4: Or share your experience and a picture with us by linking it up hereBrought to you by:
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
A Post on Being Overwhelmed
These past few weeks have been a non-stop trial for me. Anniversary dates of deaths, the due date of when I was supposed to have the baby I miscarried in September, a neighbor who is constantly needing me to do everything for her, and those normal life things like breaking a wisdom tooth and your husband getting stitches and the resulting hospital/dentist bills. The guilt, the pain, the work, trying so hard to be like Christ and be patient in dealing with someone who isn’t really a “friend” yet has no one else. I look at my husband, who is also so very overwhelmed. I look at my kids who are basically just playing outside and reading books, and watching movies. Their momma is overwhelmed.
For a couple of weeks, I just tried to keep going. Pushed myself harder. Worried non-stop and ran around constantly, feeling like I still am achieving nothing. I would fall asleep without praying sometimes. I would wake up still exhausted, not looking forward to another day of this. The depression was getting me lower and lower.
I finally stopped and realized, I can’t do this anymore. I wasn’t being a good wife, or a good mom. I felt I wasn’t even being a good person! I was just running and running with no point or purpose trying to keep everyone happy. The kids were miserable, they were acting up trying to get attention. They were bored… and I felt like this:
I started dreaming of what life would be like if it was just simple. I probably would take it for granted and not be appreciative. I decided something needed to change. So I made sure to do the “simple things”. Prayer, Scripture Study, etc. We all know the answers. During my scripture study, I found some really neat things that I wish to share with you. Also, I bought Stephanie Nielson’s book “Heaven is Here” and read the entire thing in an afternoon. That really made me want to get my booty moving to take care of my family. I highly recommend it and will be adding it to our ldsparenting amazon store, in the sidebar. Here are some of the things that I was blessed with during my study.
General Conference came at such a blessed time for me. I needed to hear those words. I needed to get my priorities straight. I needed to focus on my family. One of the most important things I learned is that I need to block out needless distractions. This is different for every person. My needless distractions are not the same as yours…. I needed to sit down and really look at my life and literally make a list and x out the needless distractions. Yes my house is not as “perfect” as I’d like. But I can worry about that when the kids are grown and all I have left to do is clean. I am not posting to my blog the way I dreamed of… but Heavenly Father understands that I need to learn some lessons first. Sometimes supper consists of running to taco bell. But no one is perfect and I really love their double decker tacos! In all honesty, I needed time to block out the needless distractions. I am still looking at my journal, writing my list, x-ing out the things that I don’t need. Trying to deal with the guilt!
My next “quest”- to make goals. I need to have a list of things I’m working on. My list used to consist of millions of things like “ bake this for neighbor” , “ get this laundry done”, “ call so and so and make sure they are ok”, it all seemed to be so much. Major overwhelming list. I decided that for the rest of this week, I was going to study my scriptures, and general conference etc, and focus on a few big goals, that I could complete successfully this week. Most of them have to do with my children. I take my job as a momma, so seriously. When I’m not doing all the things I want to be doing, all of the things that we have been commanded to do… I feel extreme guilt, which turns into depression. So I made a list for this week. Small goals, that will take just a little time, but the rewards would be great. I would feel successful. As I prayed and asked my Heavenly Father what it was that He wanted me to teach my children this week, I was surprised as the thoughts came rolling in. I wrote them all down, then chose a few that I could concentrate on this week. A certain conference talk I want to share with the kids, a certain parable that I was blessed to have a neat “object lesson” idea on, etc. Then there were some personal goals, being a sweeter wife to my husband. Going thru my prayer list, three times a day. I just needed to learn to calm down!!!!!! Guilt is my biggest thing. I struggle so much with it. But I feel less overwhelmed and guilty when I know that my to-do list is inspired and that they are small goals that I know I can succeed with. There is not a million little things that really have no significance. I need to concentrate on things of an eternal nature. I love this quote by Richard G. Scott, :
“ A pebble held close to the eye appears to be a gigantic obstacle. Cast on the ground, it is seen in perspective. Likewise, problems or trials in our lives need to be viewed in the perspective of scriptural doctrine. Otherwise they can easily overtake our vision, absorb all our energy, and deprive us of the joy and beauty the Lord intends us to receive here on earth.”
It is all about perspective. Hmm… easy to say and understand, not so easy to do, especially when the guilt starts in. Maybe we all need a long bubble bath!! How do you deal with being overwhelmed? What things have you learned, that can help us?
I leave you with this one special quote, from one of my most favorite people in the world.. Sister Hinckley. How I love that woman. She was smart. We can be smart too!
I say these things, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, AMEN!!!!!!!
love, jl~
Monday, April 2, 2012
GET OUTSIDE! { APRIL Monthly Challenge}
This is my first time hosting The Family Network’s Monthly Challenge! I am so excited! It’s a great challenge that we can all do! Here are some of the details :
My family loves to be outdoors together. We start in early spring getting everything ready for a whole season of outdoor living as much as possible! We get the gathering area ready:
Apples !
We get the strawberry patch weeded:
We just got chickens and bunnies this year! So we are outside all the time watching them play and grow!
We feed the birds there suet and also fill up the kids window feeders :
We plant the window boxes :
Of course we enjoy outdoor activities like riding bikes, wagon rides and playing on the trampoline and swingset exploring the woods is also fun!
When it gets warmer out we lay on the trampoline and stargaze!
This month we want to challenge you to :
GET OUTSIDE!!!!
Any day of April will do, choose an activity, plant a flower, stargaze, take a walk as a family, clean up trash, hang a birdfeeder, etc… then come and tell us what you did! What was your favorite part? What will you remember the most? We are making memories here!!!
Share your ideas and pictures by:
- Commenting right here on the blog
- Jump over to our Facebook Page
- Email me with a picture and story, I will share it on the facebook page! ldsparenting@hotmail.com
- Link up here!!! (an http address is optional)
We cannot wait to be inspired by your ideas!
ENJOY!!!! Happy Parenting! Love, JL~
Brought to you by The Family Network:
Monday, March 26, 2012
Getting Your Family Excited for General Conference!
Our Prophet , Thomas Monson
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General Conference is next weekend! I got completely mixed up and thought it was Easter weekend… thank you so much to my awesome Home Teachers who came last night and reminded me that it’s this coming weekend! Now it’s time to prepare!!
I love conference. I love our dear Prophet. I love the General Authorities ( we all have our favorites). When I was a kid, General Conference meant going to church to watch a tiny tv, and be incredibly bored. I never really got into Conference until I became a teenager and then it really interested me. I want different for my kids!!! They are excited for Conference and I try to make it a happy , special time. There are so many amazing resources that we are blessed with, things they didn’t have available in the 80’s ( yup, totally gave you a hint on my age!)
So, without further ado… my favorite links and resources to make General Conference fun and meaningful for families! Even little kids can get into this fun stuff! Happy Conference to everyone! ~
Sugardoodle.net – I go there first for EVERYTHING!!!!
http://www.sugardoodle.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8529
Green Jello With Carrots- they have a cute file folder game for just over a buck!
LDS . org- They have the best things of course! Here is a great article about preparing for Conference!
There are so many great ideas out there…. I’m going to try and get some more neat resources, so check the facebook page and also the comments!!! What do you guys do to make Conference Time special for your family????
Happy Parenting! Love, JL~
Friday, March 23, 2012
Christ’s Mother ~
To purchase this beautiful poster go here : http://www.ldsbookstore.com/real-hero-posters
They have amazing posters that are really uplifting for all of us… imagine your children’s bedrooms plastered in these posters ( yes I will have to take down the Joe Jonas poster in Sydney’s room, but it is worth it!)
Love, JL
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During this Easter Season, as we focus on our Savior, I decided to do some special study on Mary, his earthly mother. As a mother myself, I just wonder and marvel at this special woman. I was studying in this fantastic book, Daughters of God- Scriptural Portraits by S. Michael Wilcox, and so many quotes just jumped out at me and made me ponder. Did you know that Mary was a quiet woman, according to Scripture, she “ Kept all these things , and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19. Think of all of the amazing , awe inspiring things that Mary witnessed as the mother of Christ. She followed the Lord’s counsel to “ treasure upon these things up in your hearts, and let the solemnities of eternity rest upon your minds.” D&C 43:34. When I quietly think and ponder of the ‘treasures’ that Mary had stored in her heart, I feel humbled. We each have special spiritual moments that we can treasure and as we ponder them, the Spirit will continue to teach them.
When Mary was pregnant with Christ, she ended up giving birth in a very humble situation. I did some research on this…. being a very modest person, I thought maybe giving birth in a barn with no one to see might be ok… until I learned that she gave birth in a caravansary. This is basically like an open air market/bunch of stables and barns. I know in my heart that the birth of our Savior was humble and very special, but sweet Mary, what she had to go thru! I look at her life and think there is no way I could ever do what she did. She had the responsibility of teaching the Savior! Here I am , trying to teach my three children the Gospel, and I freak out and worry that I’m not doing a good enough job. She taught the Savior! Another thing that brings my heart to a stop, is when I read this part of the book,
“ Mary felt deeply the pains of her Son many times throughout her life but none more strongly than when she stood at the foot of the cross. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” ( John 3:16). Mary, too, gave her Son, a gift that caused a sword to pierce her soul. When Jesus was on the cross he cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). For the Son to fulfill his great atoning sacrifice, the Father had to withdraw his Spirit. Nevertheless, Mary, Jesus’ mother, remained with him during his long hours on the cross.” p 172, Daughters of God, S. Michael Wilcox
I can’t begin to tell you the emotions and feeling I have when I read this. As we ponder and “treasure” the sacred things that happened this season we celebrate our Savior, please remember and take the example of Mary, one of the true heroes. What a beautiful, blessed woman, and such an important part of our Savior’s life.
Love, JL~ happy parenting!
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