Just the Nine of Us

Just the Nine of Us

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Summer is here!

Sometimes as a momma, you wonder if you're doing it right. You wonder if they're listening when you tell them about the Lord, about His Word, about life. You wonder just what kind of kids you're turning out. Well let me say that in the last few weeks, I could not have been prouder of the young woman I have seen emerging in my oldest, 12 year old Allie Grace. She has definitely been listening. I've had the song constantly on my mind that goes, "I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses. . . " and I've been singing it, humming it, a lot for about a week. She's never seen the music to it, but Friday before she left for her dad's for the summer she played it on the violin for me. I think she did a pretty great job to have figured it out by ear. This is only her second run through ever of the song on violin.

She's pretty amazing. If you think about it, say a prayer for her in the next few weeks. She has some pretty awesome Spirit-led convictions that are being tested by the fire in Charlotte. I am claiming God's promise for her, that the testing of her faith will produce patience, and will leave her faith perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:2-3).

God has brought her some lovely friends in the last year or so. One good friend is Mikayla, who has been coming over every Tuesday this semester to work through the Vintage Remedies Book for Tweens, doing herbal science projects together. They ended the year by giving an herbal tea party for their friends. The hostesses:

I was so proud of the job they did creating a beautiful setting, preparing all the food and tea, and presenting what they learned about herbs to their friends. They inspired a couple of them to start their own herb gardens at home and try some of the remedies.





So what does a momma do when her lovely, precious daughter is gone for five weeks? I pray a lot. Thoughts of her come to me every few minutes, and when they do, I pray. I ask God to follow her with goodness and mercy (Psalm 23), to give her a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7), to strengthen her with all might, according to His glorious power (Colossians 1:11), and for her not to forget her mother's teaching (Proverbs 6:20-27). I pray those things over and over. And I pour myself into all my other little people. Because they need momma to keep on keepin' on.

We are starting ISR swimming lessons in the morning so that we can enjoy the pond without fear. We will be picking up the slack around the farm, so early each morning I'll be milking the goats and each evening they'll be pulling weeds with me in the garden and helping take care of the chickens. We're continuing on with schoolwork most days, because honestly it's easier when we have stuff to do and things to learn when Allie's gone. Otherwise we'll all just sit around and cry. :) We've got some great read alouds we're doing. We just finished Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard, which was amazing. Now we're reading through Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright, a simpler read but still very enjoyable.

Other than ISR, we're sticking close to home this summer. We have no other commitments- not VBS, not violin lessons, not even Wednesday night activities. I think we will enjoy the slower pace and the concentration on HOME. Titus 2 commands the older women to be "teachers of good things" and to teach the younger women to be keepers at home. Since I believe Scripture, I take this very seriously. And as much as I don't want to think of myself as an older woman :), in my home I am the old woman teaching the younger women. And this is what the Bible commands me to teach those younger women.  I'm not commanded to make sure they're busily involved in every activity available for their age or that they've completed every activity I've pinned on Pinterest or that they have enough play dates to keep up their social lives. I'm commanded to teach them to be "self controlled and pure, busy at home, and kind", and show them how to love a husband. Period. We've been hosting church in our home since early April with three other large families, so once or twice a week we have 27 children aged 1-15 in our home, building strong relationships with all our children. They will certainly get enough "socialization" over the summer. :) But I'm using Titus 2 as a guide for my focus with my precious daughters.

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