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My Facebook Review

Posted in My Thoughts with tags , , on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 by Becky

Our friend encouraged us to open our Facebook account so we could see pictures of their family now that they live in another country; so we did.

The account is now open and I have been diligent for 5 months trying first to understand why is it so popular, then I have invested some time trying to find friends from old and then seeing their pictures; I have also been found by others;  so, I guess I am ready to give my review.

The first thing I would say is that yes, you find friends from old, but it is more like finding them in a mall on a Saturday. You and your family, and your “friend-from-old” and her (his) family. You hug and say after seeing all the pictures…(well actually you don’t get to hug each other!) “Wow, you look exactly the same! and your kids are so beautiful and big!” … and you keep the conversation back and forth 3-4 times, and that’s it.

Secondly, you spend more time on it that you never thought you would, and after so many minutes {that have turned into hours before you realized} you can say that you have seen pictures of your friends, your friends’ friends, and sometimes your friends’ friends’ friends!

I have seen odd things that people do, they collect animals in a farm, and read their daily horoscope, they open virtual lucky cookies, and some others even receive their “prophetic word of the day”! {which is in itself a whole topic for another post}

But hang on there, bear with my review.  Thirdly, believe it or not,  I would definitely encourage you, yes YOU, my dear friend, to open an account, because you will be amazed at what your children’s friends are talking about, or I would rather say how are they spending their hours, their lives.

I just can’t believe how many fool and empty words are being said,  how many immodest pictures are being posted from those friends’-from-old children. Many, boys and girls have turned turned their images into pop-stars and with their cameras are posing and capturing their bodies in change; exposing theirselves and losing their honor.

Do you know who are your child’s friends?

Do you know what kind of pictures are they posting?

Do you know in what type of conversations {if they could be called so} are your children engaged?

And let me tell you that it took me a while to decipher
all those letters put together in a very "creative" way.

Who is commenting on your children’s profile?

What is in his/her heart? Because remember that from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

I was amazed to find that the worst surprises were those cases where I could only find my friends’ children, but not their mom or dad, my friends-from-old. Mom and Dad were not present but I am sure they would be ashamed, they would be so sad, because they would never believe what others have already seen and read.

Please, be there, be present, be around. You will not be “breaking” into their privacy, you will be able, instead to reach into the pit and see where they are, you will be able to pray and see what can be done, and then do something about it.

Our dear friends who invited us to join Facebook, and their family have done a great thing. The whole family befriends their children; uncles, aunts, even grandparents. And all are actively involved.

Be there, maybe you will see  what you already knew in your heart, but did not want to see with your eyes.

But, please, don’t take me wrong, on the other hand, I have also found beautiful surprises, godly friends, godly encouragement, godly friends on my children’s group of friends; friends and their chatting that I wouldn’t mind you to see, openly and clearly.

And lastly, talk with your children a lot about all these issues.

Be open and transparent.

Be a Christian parent.

More on Your Kid's Facebook @ Credenda Agenda

This coming Friday we will start a new series here. The title is “Teaching the Word of God to our Children” the guest blogger will be my best friend, in real life and “Facebook”, my sister. Would you join us?

Please bring your own cup of tea along, and some cookies to share.

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Our Homeschool Goals (from the archives)

Posted in Learning at Home with tags , on Wednesday, April 7, 2010 by Becky

This post was originally published on September 17, 2009. I needed to read our goals again, so I undusted it from the archives and thought you might  want to share some of your own goals as well.

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My husband and I drafted some of these goals in the year 2006, we have been updating them since then; now I want to share them with you. Maybe you are thinking about starting to homeschool, or maybe you are weary after some years of doing it and need to be reminded of all the goals, that I am sure , you set before your eyes one day. I am sure I will come back some day an add more goals as my children keep on growing. May God help us achieve them!

1. Raise men and women who honor God and fear his commandments.

2. Raise men and women with godly character qualities, virtue, honor, responsibility, truth, love, faithfulness, honesty, hard workers, merciful, generous.

3. Raise men and women who will know by heart the Scriptures, which can make them wise unto salvation.

4. Raise men and women prepared to make right  decisions and stand firm on them.

5. Raise men and women who marry Christians, and build godly families.

6. Raise men and women who  would love to study, read, learn; capable of teaching.

7. Raise men and women able to love and appreciate aesthetics; music, arts, literature.

8. Raise men and women capable of expressing clearly  their thoughts and defend their beliefs, both, verbally and  written.

9. Raise men and women who will leave a heritage of godly principles to their children and   grandchildren.

10. Raise men and women who would love their Mom and Dad until the day they’d be taken away to their home in Heaven.

11. Raise men and women who would understand that God’s sovereignty has shaped our world and our history up to this day.

12. Raise men and women able to communicate in more than two languages, to be able to share the gospel in different places, and different circumstances.

13. …..

Do you homeschool? What are some of your main goals?

This coming Friday, my friend Eileen Lawyer, will be sharing in this space, her last entry about Homeschooling One Child, the title is “Our Journey”. It would be great if you could join the conversation.

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How Do You Keep a Moment Forever?

Posted in My Thoughts with tags , , , on Thursday, March 25, 2010 by Becky

Her little arms around my neck, his laugh, his big hands playing the piano, her hugs and smiles… her voice so sweet, her voice singing, his phone calls and the beautiful way he calls my name…

How do you keep such a moment forever?

How do you keep the feeling of your husband’s embrace?

How do you keep the smell of fresh lavender forever ?

How do you keep forever the feeling of the wind blowing over your face, or the warmth of the sun over your cold skin?

I take a deep breath, I smile, I hug, I know I must live living.

I have been thinking, and I guess writing is one way I know on how to keep a moment forever.

How do you keep a precious moment forever?

Tomorrow, we will continue our series by my dear friend and guest, Eileen Lawyer. The topic is The Love of Reading, I am sure you will enjoy it.

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A Lie We Don’t Believe

Posted in My Children with tags , , , on Tuesday, March 23, 2010 by Becky

We haven’t ever believed this lie which people around us yell, defend, and hold as their banner:

“As soon as your children turn into teenagers, expect the worse, expect rebellion, expect un-respectful attitudes, expect unloving attitudes, expect big problems”

And this big lie has gained more and more followers, fans, advocates. We see how parents around us start believing this lie as early as those days when their children turn two years old. They just stop disciplining their children, because the “terrible two’s are here…and no one can do anything about that”.

By God’s grace my Beloved and I have never believed that lie. We have never expected from our children the “typical teenage attitude”. We have always expected a godly attitude from them, and please, do not take me wrong, we are not expecting perfectionism, we know they are as sinful as mom and dad. We know they are in the flesh, and have battles of their own, but that is part of what we do expect. Sanctification in our home is a word that is over the table.

We have, instead, believed God’s Word.

He has promised that our work will not be in vain, He is faithful to raise a godly generation for Him. We have disciplined our children, listening to His word, and godly advice from God-fearing men and women, not  to those who claim that the rebellion in those precious years is normal, is just what we should expect.

It just breaks my heart to see how some of the friends (from Church) that my children had when they were little, are not living in God’s Covenant, they are serving other gods, far from their home, from the Church… but sadly to say I heard their parents say long ago… “They are starting to act as teenagers,we knew this time had to come but one day it will all be  OK again”


Meanwhile, we are starting to reap the harvest, a beautiful lady and two young men sit at our table; they love each other, they hug and kiss mom and dad, they have godly friends, and most of all they fear the Lord.

May God give us the grace to believe Him, to believe and act upon His Word, and do not swallow those dreadful lies that the world wants us to believe.

Grace Upon Grace, a great blog entry on parenting by Douglas Wilson.

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Saturday Reading

Posted in Read This with tags , on Saturday, March 13, 2010 by Becky

I am finishing a great book on the family, My Life for Yours, by Douglas Wilson. Can we ever read enough about how to build a godly family?

I don’t think so.

I remember the times when my oldest son (who is turning 17 today) as a toddler, I read so diligently all the chapters about that age. Now he is 17 so, I turn and study with more enthusiasm other parts of the book. Time changes us and our children as well. The time will come when, as a grandmother, I will sit and re-read all these books about child rearing, because I will need fresh advice on how to be the best grandma in the world…!

And the same applies not to our marriage, and the marriage bed. When you have teenagers, and you grow, things change, and we need to be always ready to learn, to adjust, to love in every season of our lives.

This book talks about every room in the house and what things happen there or must happen there…It is a “Walk Through the Christian Home”

For now, The Wilsons are my favorite authors on the subject. And this book, is one I have enjoyed a lot.

Here are some of the author’s words for you to taste and savour.

” A low view of church membership vows will lead to a low view of marriage vows. In our da,y when people walk away from local congregations so easily, why are we surprised when they do the same  thing in their marriage?” (p.69)

“…So the marriage bed is to be used” (p. 75)

” The Bible says that love covers a multitude of sins. This is good because hospitality frequently uncovers a multitude of them” (p. 99)

“The task of parenting is simple impossible …This is why  the task must be undertaken in grace, by grace, through grace, and because of grace. the grace of God in this provides two things all parents need. the first one is forgiveness for this morning, and the second is strength for this afternoon”

And of course, I can not cite a whole chapter, but believe me this is a great book indeed!

My husband and I are enjoying the conversations around it, there is a lot to think about. We still have a lot to learn.

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It’s Saturday Already, Have You Sung?

Posted in A Song to Sing with tags , , , on Saturday, March 6, 2010 by Becky

Yes, this is question I am asking to myself today..“it is  Saturday already, have I sung?”

Has my song of love been heard in my home?

Has my song to the Lord been heard in the Heavens?

Have I raised my voice this day in prayer?

Has my mouth been  filled with a thousand songs?

What has been my song this week?

What is the music that I have followed?

What is the dance I have pursued?

It’s Saturday already and I want to sing, I want to dance,

Dance with my Beloved Husband, my children, my friends,

Following the sweet melody of love that I have received from Him.

It’s Saturday already, and I want to sing,

A never-ending song of praise and thanksgiving

To Him who has set my feet free from the bondage of sin.

That’s why now I can sing,

Now I can dance,

Now I can fill the air of my home with a thousand songs,

and dance,

and praise,

and rejoice.

It is Saturday already, have you sung?


Are you homeschooling “The Classical Way”?

Maybe you’d like to start following my friend’s new blog, The Classical Experience.

Have you stopped lately at Pixels and Stories? This week I posted another  picture: Light Bulbs in the Air.

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Homeschooling One Child

Posted in Guests, Learning at Home with tags , , , , on Friday, March 5, 2010 by Becky

My Friend, Eileen Lawyer, is my special guest and is sharing with us about Homeschooling One Child. It is a serie that is being posted in this corner of the cyberspace, on Fridays. Be welcome to follow her! (Part one, Laying the Foundations, is found here)

Welcome, grab a cup of coffee and listen to her…it is a delight!

Last week I wrote a few items of consideration for laying the foundation of your homeschooling life. What comes next? Read on…

What is the core of all learning? Well, the answer should be similar to “What is the chief end of man?” (Question #1 from the Westminster Shorter Catechism.) The answer to the catechism question is, “The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” If we truly believe this, which my husband and I do, then that is also our goal, or the core, of our homeschooling. How can our daughter glorify God and enjoy Him forever if she doesn’t know Him, His character, His Son? These are things you should know as well, so you may teach them.

How do you do this? Study your Bibles. Read and re-read the stories in Genesis, so that when a rainbow appears, you can bend down to your little one and point to the rainbow and repeat the story of who made it, and why, and what we’re to remember whenever we see it. Do this every time a rainbow appears, not just once. We don’t read our Bibles just once. We read them over and over. So, tell God’s stories over and over. Soon, when your child is able to speak, they will be able to answer your question, “Who made the beautiful rainbow?”

Your child’s education doesn’t begin at age five or six, it begins the minute you have your sweet bundle laid in your arms. You pray over your baby (she will learn to pray). You thank God for your meals (she will learn to who to thank). You hug your husband (she will learn the joy of being married). All of your day-to-day actions are teaching your child how to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

In Deuteronomy, God instructed the Hebrews:

“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”

(Deu 6:5-7 KJV)

So, take the opportunities that God gives you. Lie on your bellies together on the lawn and watch the ants. Bundle up on a foggy morning, walk outside, and look at a spider’s web glistening with dewdrops. Spread a blanket under the evening sky to watch the stars, or lay with your faces to the sky during the day and create cloud animals. Do more than just watch these happenings. Relate them to our God. In Proverbs, God commends the ants for their ways. The book of Job talks of our God – the God who made the constellations. Show your child the beauty of God’s words and His world, for His words are life.

As your child gets older, you can ‘glorify him and enjoy Him forever’ in different ways. Last year, while Mike was at work, Rachel and I took our normal school day and threw it out the window. Instead we took a ‘flood day’ (as opposed to a ‘snow day’). Our winter had warmed up fast, the snow had turned to rain and the creeks were rising! Rachel and I put on our tall, rubber boots and headed out to a stream, which had become a swollen river. The walking path beside it was gone. Ponds existed where a field had previously been. We sloshed around in the gooey mud (coming close to falling many times) for hours. We made memories together. And, even though our books didn’t get opened once that day, both Rachel and I learned a tremendous amount about God - His blessings upon our lives, and the might of His hand to rule over all creation.

Be creative with your child and your time with them. Glorify God in your creativity, so that this generation and the generations to come will be blessed.

Eileen

(Note: I am not advocating that the ‘nature experience’ is more important than learning reading, writing and arithmetic. However, our daughter works diligently during school, allowing us a little freedom with our school schedule. This enables us to take flood days, or snow days, or spring days…)

Part three of this series, “Plays well With Others” is found here.

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Note…Today you can read me (Becky) in The Classical Experience, about “Memorizing Life”

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