Review for Time for Learning

I have been invited to try Time4Learning for one month for a candid review.  My opinion will be entirely my own, so be sure to come back and read about my experience.  Time4Learning can be used as a homeschool curriculum, for afterschool enrichment and for summer skill sharpening.  Find out how to write your own curriculum review for Time4Learning.
As always, please feel free to contact Time4Learning at reviews@time4learning.com

A New Adventure Begins

Over the past 6 years of our children being in school, I have always been the one who says...I will NOT homeschool!  Well, guess what?!  I am.  Tomorrow marks the beginning of a new JOURNEY for our family.  We have four kiddos and the three older ones, all girls, are who I will begin to homeschool tomorrow!  This decision has come with MUCH prayer and time in the Word.  

I am NOT a teacher and yet the Lord keeps reminding me...
                 I taught them all how to tie their shoes
                 I taught them how to share
                 I taught them how to cook
                 I taught them how to clean
                 I taught them how to love
                    -and so much more!

So, Yes, I CAN TEACH, God reminds me...  "You CAN do this" He says!  In my greatest inadequacy, HE is our STRENGTH and HE will lift us up!

I am excited...nervous...happy...joyful...teary eyed ...but most of all EAGER!

...EAGER to get to know our children more, Eager to learn what they like and dislike, Eager to learn their learning styles...Eager to laugh with them!!!  Eager to GROW with them...in knowledge and in TRUTH, in good times and bad, in laughter and sorrow...to GROW...in the LORD and in Education...

Here we go girls...Buckle up...this could be a bumpy ride!  lol

The Voice of God

Tonight, as I was tucking our precious Ashlyn, age 4, into bed, she said something that stopped my heart still.

She said "Mommy, I hear God!"
I said "You do Ashlyn?...and what does He sound like?"
"It sounds like a Daddy voice!" she said with a huge smile. "He says things all the time!"
"Wow, Ashlyn, that's AWESOME , God is speaking to you! What does He tell you?"
"He told me to 'come up to my heart, Ashlyn.' " She giggled while giving a sweet smile.

I could hardly move, breathe or think a next thought! WOW, here is our 4 year old daughter reminding me of something that I needed to hear....listen for the voice of God! He's there, longing for us to listen, if we would just take the time.

Psalms 29:3-10 says... 3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

4 The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.

5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
Sirion ^[a] like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the LORD strikes
with flashes of lightning.

8 The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;
the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the LORD twists the oaks ^[b]
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

10 The LORD sits ^[c] enthroned over the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as King forever.

His voice is so POWERFUL..."Here I am Lord, I'm listening", I told Him after I put her to bed. I found it so precious that for one, she was that open to sharing that with me, and then two, finding myself wanting to be like my four year old daughter, where I can hear the voice of God that clearly! It makes me smile. He's there, wanting to share His thoughts with us, longing for us to listen. If we would just take the time, we too will hear Him in, as Ashlyn would say, "a Daddy voice.", because that's who He is...our Father.

Our prince

In August, we welcomed our new little prince into the world-Austin Michael. I never knew that having a boy would be this life changing. I know, I know, the real change hasn't come yet..."just you wait 2 years"...you all keep telling me, but I mean the change that happened in me. I never thought that I could be a "boy mom", but oh my goodness, here I am, totally in love with this little guy! He's wonderful. So sweet and beautiful, so precious and pure... It's bringing out a side in me I never knew existed. Don't get me wrong, princess paraphernalia can still be found in just about every nook and cranny of the Sweet household, but, I must say, there's something about "Boy" that has me in head over heals!!! And with three little mommies...Austin's every need is surely met. I love to just sit back and watch these adorable moments unfold before me. The girls are so good with him- loving him and watching him, even as he sleeps, in sheer adoration. The Lord is showing me a lot through him. It amazes me to think that Jesus watches over us with that same love and adoration...loving us so unconditionally and watching over us, even as we sleep. Michael and I are truly blessed! Our little prince is sure to grow up loved, loved, loved! I am forever changed.

The other night, I was parked in an area where the headlights of my car were shining brightly onto the freshly fallen snow. I sat for a moment looking at the beautiful snow and how it gleamed in the light. But then I stopped, pondered for a moment and then noticed something amazing...the snowflakes that were turned just so towards the light reflected the light with incredible brilliance! Just nothing, one might think, but the Lord stopped me and I thought...those of us who are turned just right towards the Father, our Light and Salvation, will reflect His light with incredible brilliance! That's what I want my life to be...a reflection of Him...turned just so to be a brilliant reflection of Jesus. Another amazing thing that I pondered as I sat there...out of all the millions of snowflakes that had fallen to the ground, only but a few were shining. "Oh, Lord, make me like you, may I be yours alone, reflecting your Light." Oh, I am nowhere where I could be, that's forsure...but the Lord is molding me and shaping me and I am realizing that it is up to me to turn myself just so, in order to be a reflection of Him!