International Women's Day? {Being thankful for who I am}

I kept hearing bits and pieces today about it being "International Women's Day".

We have a special day, other than Mother's Day?

Well, apparently, yes.

However, most of the news bulletins I heard today involved some feminist or another bemoaning the lack of gender equality and wanting the same position as men in society.

Having googled, the UN does seem to try and highlight many genuine issues facing women on a global scale, which are genuine concerns and issues. Some of them are issues exclusive to women, others are more general and they simply highlight how they affect women.  Fair enough.

I do NOT like, however, the endless mantra of feminists - wanting to be like men. Belittling men in their efforts to promote women.  I hate it with a passion.

Today, and every day, I love being exactly who God made me to be. A woman. I do not consider myself to be less than a man, certainly not in God's eyes. I don't think my life is worth less, or my opinions less valued, or my responsibilities less crucial.  They are just different to a man's.  It's how God made it to be.

I don't want to be a man, or have the responsibilities of a man, or the role of a man. I am not a man, so why would I?

Instead of thinking myself lesser, I consider myself to be perfectly created to fulfil a role which God has set out for me.

Firstly, I am a child of God.  Certainly, in that way, we are all joint-heirs with Jesus - all children of the heavenly King.  There is no "male nor female".  All co-equal with the Lord.  Mind-blowingly "wow".  God does not look on me as lesser, or indeed greater, than anyone else that belongs to Him. All equally loved.  All equally cared for.  All equally saved.

Secondly, I am a wife.  I don't consider myself to be the "lesser" part in our marriage, because I am the wife.  Meekness is not weakness.  Submission does not mean inferiority.  I admire, respect and gladly submit to the authority of my husband.  I wouldn't want to have his role, and the weighty responsibility it brings. I don't always find it easy, but the fall has meant that the struggle will always exist.  However, it's God's plan for a marriage to work that way, and so I embrace it and give thanks for it.  I certainly do not covet the role my husband has. I like to remember the precious analogy - God did not make Eve from Adam's skull, so she could rule over him, not from his foot so he could trample on her, but from his rib, so she would be by his side and near his heart.  The essence of our marriage is a "side to side, near each other's heart" emphasis, with Biblical headship being only an element of that unity.

Thirdly, I am a mother.  A Stay-At-Home-Mother.  A mother who, by God's grace, faithfulness, provision, and goodness, is able, and desiring, to stay at home to care for the children God has given me.   I don't consider this job to be a menial one.  Nor is it done with begrudging or resentment.  I consider it to be the most precious and important thing I could and should be doing, and would not contemplate it being any other way.  It is a joy to see my children learn an grow - to hear them say funny things - to watch them do new things.  It's not always easy, but it's always worth it.  Even childbirth, in all its agonies and groanings, is still an absolutely amazing experience which I would never want to forego.

I am totally content with who I am, where I am and what I am doing.  I joyfully embrace the role that God has given me to fulfil, and pray that He will continue to give me the grace and strength to do it better every day - to take on the challenges with joy, and never with regret or misery.

I am thankful for who I am, and wouldn't want to be anyone else, anywhere else or doing anything else.

Clear, pure, water {are you a soda drinking Christian?}

I only fairly recently started enjoying drinking water. Just plain, pure water. I am a tad fussy. I prefer it cold, and with ice, to enjoy it most.

Previously, it wasn't what I liked to drink.  I pretty much always had squash (for Americans, that is a diluting juice, usually with added sweetrners and sugars - not pure fruit juice).  Sometimes I had fruit juice of soda fizzy drinks.  Virtually NEVER I just had water.

Then, I did Whole30 where you cut out ALL added sugars and sweeteners, and VERY limited fruit juice, so water it was.  I learnt to love water more than anything else.  SO refreshing and thirst quenching. Quite frankly, I don't know why I even liked those artificial tasting, overly sweet, squashes.  I now can barely drink them.  They taste pretty vile.

I have a daughter.   My "I'm thirsty" daughter. My "well have a drink of water if you are thirsty" daughter. My "but I don't like water" daughter.My "well, you need to learn to like water" daughter.

I can see myself in her.  I remember the days when it just wasn't what I chose to drink.

I was reading this morning, in John, about the woman at the well.  It got me thinking about "the living water".  Jesus, the water of life.  Our souls should be satisfied with only Jesus.  We should be going to His Word to search for Him, and we should be drinking in all that we can find and learn of Christ in the Word.  We should go to it for guidance in our lives - go to Him in prayer for needed strength.

The thing is, it has become so easy to become "soda" Christians.  It's so easy to go to other sources for our "thirst" to be quenched, when we really need the living water.

Like actual drinks, there are many things other than water that are not "bad".  There is water with added vitamins, or herbal teas.  Fruit juice in smaller quantities tastes great, and is not BAD in moderation. Some drinks have even been developed with great health benefits.

But, they are not water.  Pure water.

Those remind me of the great sources we can go to that are "good" -  books, devotionals, websites, blogs.  There can be much benefit in learning from others.  The content may be sweet to our "taste", and renew our spirit.

They are not ever going to be the same as going straight to the source for ourselves.  Digging deep into scriptures, and pleading at the heavenly throne.  Searching the scriptures for the answers we need, for the issues we face.  Making sure that anything we do read is founded upon the Living Water.

Then, there are drinks that taste good, look good, but have no real benefit at all. They may hydrate, but they may actually be doing more harm than good.  Caffeine laden drinks.  Alchopops.  Those squashes I used to drink with aspartame. High energy drinks.  They all have underlying, potential hazards.

Going to worldly friends for advice.  Reading worldly books for guidance. Having people rub us on the back when we are not behaving as Christians should, and saying "it's ok for you to feel like this".  All things that seem to be ok, but are not at ALL going to the pure, clean Source.

ONLY Christ can satisfy.  Only His Word can satisfy our thirst.  Only the Lord can refresh our spirit.

We get thirsty in our spiritual life.  The dry, barren spiritual conditions of this world that we live in give us a thirst.  They make us feel dry and gasping.  We mustn't just reach for the sweet and easy "thirst" quenchers. We NEED the Living Water.

It's so easy to step away from going to the Lord and His Word as our main source in our spiritual life.  Putting our reading of it - our study of it - our drawing from it's satisfying depths - as the mainstay of our spiritual growth.  Yes, using other resources, but not putting them BEFORE the quenching and strengthening supply of the Living Water.  Certainly not relying on the saccharine-sweet and non-nourishing resources that would push to make their way in to be the main "hydration" in our spiritual life. Don't be tempted to only read and listen to the things that are sweet and attractive and EASY.

You will never be disappointed by putting the reading of God's Word a daily priority.  You WILL be refreshed.  You WILL be encouraged.  You WILL be satisfied.  You WILL be refreshed.


"And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
Revelation 22:17

Chatting with Patrice {'av an avacado}

Hiya Patrice!!! We have spring springing up around us here.  Lots of pretty bulbs coming up, with lots of colour.  Weirdly, despite getting sunnier and brighter, we have had a few frosty mornings. It's weird because we have had such a mild winter, and NOW frost?? Hey ho!

Onto our chat!

1. Do you like avocados?

Do I EVER!!! 

When I started doing Whole30 for the first time, I was THRILLED to learn that avocado is a healthier fat, and is one that can be eaten EVERY DAY!!!! I love the creamy texture of a really ripe avocado, and I  would put it through a salad, mixed in with a can of tuna, or I make guacamole.  

I love them.  That's what.

2.  Have you ever gone on a roller coaster?

Not a proper one. A lame one. And  that, quite simply, was enough for a lifetime!

No desire, WHATSOEVER, to go on one. 

Never.

Ever.

3.  Do you do cross stitch, needlepoint, crewel work, or needle punch?

I cross-stitched in years gone past. Not my thing now.

My Mum cross-stitched a lovely design which I keep on my kitchen window ledge as a reminder.

Now, crochet?.....

4.  Do you cook with gas or electric?

Now, here's a sore subject. 

Electric.  Sad days.  I dislike it intensely. It's an induction hob, ceramic. Currently, it seems to be even harder to control the heat than usual, which is hard enough as it is.  You can't just leave things to gently simmer, and there is no instant heat when you need it. My dream cooker is large, with gas ho and electric oven.

Don't get me started on my electric fan-assisted oven which is cooking unevenly just now....

5. Tell me something good, pleasant, or uplifting. Please.

I have wonderful friends.  I just had friends visit at the end of last week, and it was such a joy.  Good friends are a blessing.  They are a God-given delight, and can truly enrich your life and uplift your soul.  I had a bad week last week, then my friends came.  The Lord knew how my week would be, and that these visits would be a balm to my soul.  

 One friend made me laugh - proper belly laugh - for the first time in days. She gave me good advice and shared in some fun baking.  The other friend helped me in so many practical ways - even just holding my baby whilst she slept, and whilst awake, to free up my hands for other things. I think my friend would say that was win-win!!!

People, appreciate the people God has given YOU in your life. 

As ever, lovely to chat, m'dear!

Children learn what they hear {yelling....}

I have spent the last few weeks, noticing that my children have NOT speaking very kindly to each other.  Far too much yelling.  Not gentle words. Not peace-makers.

Then, one day last week, when I was having a baaaaaaaad day... {read that as - Simeon drawing on the wall, then cracking nearly a dozen eggs with a pizza cutter he got from the drawer, children not doing as they were told, me feeling ill, and various other minor, not-usually-an-issue things that got my goat, me crying, and ending up needing a rest.. yes, that bad)

 ...It struck me afresh.  The children yell, because *I* yell.

Convicted.

I have heard said before, and there is much truth in it

If I make a "hot" and "fiery" atmosphere, with my words, actions and emotions, then that will me reflected in those around me.  The children will have short tempers, and get all hot and fiery, too.

I make a "cool" and"calm" atmosphere, then the household will follow suit.  They will tend more to be gentle, quiet and peaceable.

I am pretty certain, children being children, that it would not be entirely likely to happen ALL the time, that the children will be gentle and quiet.  I am talking in generalities, here.

The generality HERE being more of the hot and fiery than I would like.

I have an article to share with you at the end, written by someone who I enjoy reading, talking about "reasons" for yelling. Before I share that, I will tell you what *I* think about it.

I was talking to my friend the other day, about days when I just lose the rag and have an outburst at the children.  I almost feel like I turn into a monster woman, who is just not me, and joked that I wondered if I had something wrong with me.  Her words were wise and spot on.   I have a sin problem, and it's me wrestling with my sinful nature and letting it have the victory.

Ouch.

I am so glad for friends who speak the truth, in love.

Sin.  Sin is the answer as to why we yell.  Yelling indicates a lack of self control, gentleness, and of long-suffering.  When we get aggravated, frustrated or annoyed, and SHOW it, we are not controlling our emotions, words and actions.  We try and teach our children not to be like that, but if we behave that way, then they are not exactly getting the example that helps them to live it out! Yelling is simply not keeping control of yourself.

Also, it may be a result of not dealing with an issue sooner.  If we do not immediately address a situation when we see it cropping it up, we may become so frustrated that we yell.  For example, we ask a child to do a job, then we ask again, then we ask again, until we end up yelling at them for not doing it. That, really, is not the child's issue, it's ours,  If, after not obeying the first time, we deal with the situation - check they have heard, check they have understood, or established that they plain disobeyed - in a calm and measured way, we are less likely to end up at the "yelling point".

I have also realised that I struggle FAR more to be what I should be, if I am tired.  It's our job to make sure we manage our own lives in a way that ensures we are well rested, and feeling tip top.  I know that there are sometimes issues outside of our control, but when we CAN, making sure we rest well.

After feeling very convicted about my yelling, I had a funny thing happen yesterday.  At least, I found it amusing.

I lost my voice!!!

It was AMAZING to see how I could still deal with the children with virtually no voice at all, and NO yelling! In fact, as the same wise friend said, you will find your children yell  less, if you are speaking REALLY quietly!

So, it is my intention, by God's grace and help, to try and speak more gently and quietly to my children this week. No, not just this week, just in general! Intentionally making an effort to lower my voice when I speak to them, and be more gentle and patient.  It's not easy, and children test your patience BIG time. "When I am weak, then am I strong". "I can do all things through CHRIST which strengtheneth me".

Now, here's the link to Sheila Wray Gregoire's website. Sheila gives some great advice.


May we look to the Lord for His help to be non-yellers

Chatting with Patrice {holding babies, and spring cleaning...}

HI there Patrice! I'm back for a wee blether with you today.  Just a quick one, mind you, because I have things to do, which are calling out for me to do! Crochet may just be part of it - a little spontaneous, spring-inspired, quick hook up. More of that in another blog post!

Onto our chat!

1. Have you been watching the Olympics?

Not really.  I have no TV, so I figure if you can't watch it when it is on TV, you end up seeing the results online and it's not so exciting. 

I HAVE watched a bit of the curling.  Did you know it's pretty much only Scottish people in the UK curling team?  That alone makes it worth watching. I mean, who doesn't love to hear Scottish people shouting random, unintelligible words to other team members, whilst others scrub away at the ice to make the stone go where it should? Fascinating, and oddly gripping, stuff! 

I love ice dancing/figure skating, but just have not got around to even finding it to watch online.  

2.  Does the grey winter affect your moods?

I don't THINK so?? I know that having a warm, spring day makes me happy, but I am pretty certain that I am not more depressed in the winter.   I am generally quite a "cup half full" person, so something like the weather is not a negative thing for me.  In fact, I like being snuggled cosy, indoors, hearing the wind and rain outside.  I love that it is dark in the morning, and I turn on my light to do my devotions, in a quiet house, with just the light of the lamp.

I AM looking forward to spring, though, and warmer weather. I LOVE spring, and am so pleased to see flowers appearing. Now what we DON'T need is for snow to now appear, after staying away ALL winter!!!

3.  When was the last time you held a baby?

That's a funny question! About 5 minutes ago? I hold a baby A LOT every day.  I love it, VERY much.  My little Tabitha is such a smiley, happy blessing.  When I think back to the bleed I had, and how her life seemed to be only just held by a thread, I am so blessed to hold her at all.  It could have all been so very different.

4.  Do you do a thorough spring cleaning each year?

Erm..... no.

5.  Please tell Wendell a bedtime story. He asked. I said I'd ask you.If you don't feel 

that creative, tell him a favourite book you think he might like. please:)

I think you would love one of my daughter's favourite books.  It was written by a girl who was home-schooled, and it's called "Summer of Suspense".  It's a story of adventure and mystery, all including a horse called Arrow.  Any girl (or horse) would love it, especially aged from about 10 onwards.

Nice to have a chat with you, as ever, Patrice! 

Tapestry on Tuesday {all about reading lists & a book review thrown in for free!}

Today, I want to tell you a little bit about the weekly reading lists on Tapestry of Grace, and how they work.

First, I would say this -  the books have been carefully chosen to grasp the interest and abilities of the age of child they are directed at.  Most of them are pretty easy to get your hands on, and it is only very rarely that I have not been able to find them in the UK. They are often award-winning books, particularly the picture books they choose for literature selections for grammar stage children.  I will carry on reviewing various ones that are particularly wonderful as I work through the next 4 years.

Every week there is a reading list that looks something like the one below.

As you can see, there are 5 main areas covered in the reading list.  History Core, History In-Depth, Literature, Arts & Activities and Worldview.  There are various sub-categories, but I will only cover the ones I have actually used.

Tapestry of Grace curriculum has its roots in history, so needless to say the reading list majors on that area.  They choose books that not cover history simply, but in  many interesting ways, with lots of fascinating information and lovely illustrations.  There are two categories for History - Core, and In-Depth.  The core books are ones that I always try and get my hands on, as they are the meat of the week's studies.  The In-Depth ones are simply adding and expanding on the information found in the core books.

I am going to give you Week 4 as an example, as we have just recently finished that particular week, and it includes the book I will review below!

As I mentioned in a previous post about TOG, these lists are broken up by learning level, and by topic.

The first category is History Core.  These books cover what TOG calls the "main message" for that week.  You will see that this week covers Creation through to Noah. For the Lower Grammar students the main book is the BIBLE!  Being a Christian curriculum, they use the Bible wherever they can, as an important book to be referred to.  You will see that the Upper Grammar level also has a Bible Atlas and Companion to use. There are often great books like this which add in extra geographical or cultural information which may help the child to understand an era more fully.  Joshua as a lovely one that he is using, for Dialectic.  These Bible Atlases help to picture the travels of these Old Testament characters, and brings a deeper understanding of how they lived their lives.

Then, there is the History In-Depth.  These books tend to take up one or two elements from the history that week and take a deeper look at them - the  "secondary message".  You can see Lower Grammar focuses more on creation, and Upper Grammar on Noah.  The book you see listed for Dialectic is the one I will review in a moment.  A brilliant book!

It's worth noting that for Dialectic students, their Thinking and Accountability questions will draw from BOTH of the history categories, so it's worth trying to track down all these books, if possible.  If you don't, you may need to tweak what you expect your student to answer that week.

Following this, there is often a suggested read-aloud. This is not essential to use, ut will enrich the topic studied that week.  The book you see for this week is the one I reviewed recently.  We use it through Year 1.  That often happens with books - they are used more than one week.

Next, we have the literature selection for that week.  Again, Lower Grammar were focussing on Creation, Upper Grammar on Noah.  I will tell you a funny story about this. Beth read her Upper Grammar selection and came to me saying "Mum, they have got the details of this ALL wrong!"  When she hit her Student Activity Page she realised she was to compare and contrast the three accounts of the story of Noah, deciding which things were covered in the reading selection, and which
h things were not, or which things were not true! THEN she realised why she was asked to read it! It was great to see that she knew the true account and what was error. Needless to say she found the activity page a breeze!

As you see, Joshua's selection included something about "magic". TOG is really great at having children read about subjects, and then get them to place them alongside what the scriptures say and analyse why they are right or wrong in God's eyes. You cannot escape the fact that many eras of history include people who were involved in wrong behaviour and acts, so the older children, in particular, analyse these topics against the through of the Bible.

The next category is "Art/Acitivities".  If there is anything relevant for that week, to aid you in doing these kind of topics with your children, it will be listed here.  This particular week there was nothing to list, but I will show you one that does have them.

The picture above shows Week 5.

Many of the books in that category are also multi-week books that are used over and over again, filled with great idea of fun activities to do, relevant to that week and period of history.

So, back to week 4 again, and the final category - Worldview.  This topic allows the child to see Bible and Church History, as well as how other religions developed throughout history - looking at them alongside the truth of God's Word, analysing why they are wrong, and being aware of how these religions operate today and how we can pray for countries where these religions are prominent.

You will see for this week that there are Bible passages included, as I mentioned earlier.  I sometimes pop it on as an Audio Bible, and they listen to it as a "read aloud", whilst they are doing jobs in the kitchen, or colouring in the dining room.  Similarly, there are often books on the way thought the four years that you can find as Audio books.  It's a great way for a reluctant reader to be helped out with their reading for that week, or if you have a busy week with driving around that you have to do, they can listen to their literature assignments as you travel! It's worth keeping an eye out for Audio books as an option.


Finally, I wanted to share another book with you.

This is a book that is listed for Dialectic level students. However, it would be a lovely "table book" for the whole family, or as a read aloud.

This book could be used for Bible studies, or for science.  It picks up on various topics throughout the Bible covering the topic of the natural world. They range from rain to fire, lions to locusts earthquakes to lightning.  

For each topic, it first of all gives a page of factual and fascinating information about the topic covered.  The second page of the double page spread tells us something about how we should look upon it in light of the scriptures, and how God views it.  

The book also includes beautiful photography to tie in with each subject.

I love how it weaves facts in with God's Word, highlighting God's greatness and power.  There is also a focal scripture passage to show us where scripture speaks of the subject.

Again, it's a lovely book selected y the writers of the curriculum, which allows the children to learn in a factual, yet striking and captivating, way.

The book is published by New Leaf Press, and available from many online retailers, including Amazon.

Crochet Creations {Crocodile Shoes}

Ok, so as much a song may spring to mind, I didn't actually make shoes. I made the most adorable little bootees for Tabitha.  They use a stitch called the "crocodile stitch", as it looks like little scales, I guess?

They were my first ever project that required a bit more concentration and savvy, as well as learning some new stitches.  Due to those factors, the first bootie took quite a it longer than the second one. Once I got the hang of the stitches, the second one was WAY quicker. It was SO worth it! It was the first "3-dimensional" item I had made, and I felt such a sense of achievement!

This be them.  SO adorable!! 

I happened to have the perfect buttons to match them, too.

Here's my adorable model wearing them! 

I made these weeks ago, but just hadn't got to sharing about them.  

I learnt how to do FPHDC and BPHDC.  We would call it FPHTC and BPHTC, though. 

"Front post half treble" and "Back post half treble".  Instead of putting your hook under the loop at the top of the stitch, you go around the post underneath - either front to back, or back to front. It took a it of googling and sussing out, but I got there in the end!

So, to make life easier for any who don't know how, and to save you searching, here are some videos!

This one is for Front Post.

This one is for Back Post.

I chose one American, one Australian, just to keep the whole thing multi-cultural!

There was another step that was needed in the pattern, but the pattern included some instructions for that step, and I found it fairly simple.

By doing the FPDC you get the little ribbed effect at the front of the bootie!

The adorable thing is this - the pattern includes a children's and an ADULTS size of this pattern! I want to make both, but have not quite got around to doing it yet, as I have been working on a couple of other projects first. I will, though, and I will share once I do!

You can find the pattern here, and I will share it on the crochet page, too. This pattern is NOT free, but worth the purchase, if you think you will have people you will gift them to.

Right, I have had a busy day, so I am off to work on my WIP. (Work in progress)  By next week I hope to share it, and share about a skill that will be new to me! BLOCKING!