Archive for Sons

On Code Writing

Posted in Guests, My Children with tags , , on Friday, June 18, 2010 by Becky

When he came to me early this week saying, “Mom, may I post something on your blog?” I was super excited! So today, my Son, who loves to draw, and keep treasures and notebooks,the one who is always trying to learn something new, is my guest blogger.

Enjoy.


This is one of my son's drawings.

Codes can not only be used in Wars or Top Secret documents, but also in having fun. Even though codes are fun when using them, it is not that fun when you write them out for the first time. It will take a while, thinking of all the little symbols, and it also will take patience, because code writing is not exactly what some people would call “fun.”

There are easy, simple codes, difficult codes, and the third type, which I like to call “insane” codes. The first type, the G rated codes, are simple, easy to memorize, symbols. No upper or lower case; only one symbol per letter. This kind of code, of course, is the best one to start with when you are a rookie in code writing. It is painless but entertaining at the same time. The PG-13 rated codes are not easy; not at all. You have to write an upper and lower case for every single letter and use more crazy symbols. You think that’s all? No, there’s more “fun”! You also have to make a symbol for every single preposition, conjunction, and subordinating conjunction. If you just fainted, that’s a normal symptom. And finally, for the grand finale, I present you, the Beast; the R rated code; the dark side of code writing. Darth Vader. Not Luke Skywalker, not Obi Kenobi; Darth Vader. This code is vicious. The description can be resumed in thirteen words: make a symbol for every single word ever invented in the whole planet. If you have reached the doors of heaven, that’s a normal symptom.

To memorize your code, you can do it the boring, cheap way, or the fun, awesome way. The boring one is to sit on an old stool with your code in front of you and write the same letter or word over and over until you have memorized it. Then you move to the next one. Write, write, write, write, write. Memorize. Change to a different word or letter. Write, write, write, write, write. Memorize. Change to a different word or letter and so on! See? It is boring. The fun, awesome, party, cake-fight way is way better. You take a piece of paper and start writing with the code. If you don’t know a symbol, look for it in your code guide. The trick is to just keep writing and writing with your code. Eventually, you will have looked up the same word so many times, that you already will have it in your brain, memorized.

So code writing is always fun, no matter what type you use. So far, I have just used the PG-13 code, and have written 4 of them. But when you write a code and have memorized it, make sure you keep using it! At least once a day, just to always have it fresh; otherwise you’ll forget it. I say that from personal experience. And one last thing, if you ever do a VILE, R RATED code, let me know how it goes; I’m not doing one.

If you’re wondering how my “love” for codes started, ask my mom*, or memorize the Greek Alphabet.

*Mom here:
Just to let you know (in case you were wondering)
my son's love for codes started the year we studied
Greek!
And, of course, he is not displaying pictures of his
codes, because those are "top-secret"!

Books and Bikes

Posted in Learning at Home, My Children, My Thoughts with tags , , , , on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 by Becky

When the heavy load of school time is over, then he goes and takes out his calligraphy kit, his notebook and spends hours drawing, writing, inventing.

He goes to the bookshelf and takes out two books, The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci  ,who will be (I can already tell), his best friend this summer and a huge one full of Leonardo’s paintings and drawings, and he enjoys this time;  and I see the fruit of a Classical Education at hand. He is following the masters, he has been exposed to them, he knows he can find the best teachers in the books around our home, and he enjoys doing so.

But his best teacher is his Dad, and  now his little sister comes and asks him to  ride her bike with him, he agrees, he has learned this from Dad. He always comes to him.

So Big-brother comes and teaches her to ride her pink bike without the little training wheels, and she smiles, and he does too. And behind the scenes, my older daughter captures the moment, she loves to do so. She comes out from the living room where she has been, behind the piano trying to play by ear a new favorite piece, and grabs the camera and follows the wheels, the smiles, the feet, the joy.

I smile, I have learned by God’s grace to love the simple things that happen in our daily lives. I am grateful, for there could be no other better place for me than this, my home, and God has given me grace to understand that.

I am excited that our summer is here; summer in our home is not meant to put the books away, but to take out our favorite ones again; summer is here and it is about enjoying our children’s play and capturing the moments and keeping them in our hearts.

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.

Oh, Land.

Posted in On The Go, Pondering, Prayer, Uncategorized with tags , , , on Saturday, February 6, 2010 by Becky

Oh, Land

Dressed in beauty,

Fertile, full.

As I saw you my heart’s beat was loud.

Tears poured.

Is this land the one where he will build his house?

Is this land so far from his homeland, where he will found a wife?

Is this land where You Oh, Lord have appointed for him to live?

Oh, Land,

Be gentle with him if so be.

Let his seeds fall and yield fruit.

Let God’s love surround him.

Let our prayers be a covering, a song in his heart.

I saw this land and the families that abide it.

Oh, how close we are.

We believe in One Triune God.

We are one family.

Yet my prayer is that if he comes to dwell in this land he’ll found a family.

Oh, Land.

…………..

Thoughts, prayers, thoughts and prayers.

We never consider the option of one of our children leaving for college in another country, and without expecting it, we are now there. Filled with questions and expectancy.

He wants to attend a Christian Reformed College; in our country there are no options. We are praying, because we want to honor his godly desire.

Prayer…fasting. Our God will guide us; in a year from now decitions will be made, however, I know in whom I have placed my trust.

Surprised by Rain.

Posted in A Song to Sing, Endless Gifts, My Children with tags , , on Monday, January 11, 2010 by Becky

Isn’t it wonderful that God is merciful and surprises us at times with unexpected rain.

Our grass was dying, as well as our plants and flowers because we hadn’t had enough water, and suddenly without expecting it, God sent his rain. Several days of rain. It is the first time that we have  all of our flowers blooming in January.

Unexpected rain.

Unexpected mercies.

Unexpected gifts to count.

Two of our children even had a “camping day” on our backyard and had breakfast under that unexpected rain. It was glorious.

Unexpected warmth in a very cold morning.

Unexpected joy.

We have been surprised by rain.

Flowers blooming in January.

Children cooking and laughing.

Knowing that after fighting Goliath, unexpected rain pours from heaven.

Thank you for rain that fills my soul.

Thank you for your Word that waters my life.

I can yield fruit even in a time when no one expects it to be so.

Not because of me, but because of your unexpected rain.

Oh, God how great that thou art!

Click here to see my whole (public) list …currently on week 17 (#308- 338)

Thinking Soup? Come here on Thursday and let’s share our favorite ones.

I just found this…and I am ready to print it….Prayer guide.


A Young Man’s Reflection on Psalm 1

Posted in My Children with tags , on Saturday, January 2, 2010 by Becky

Psalm 1 talks about the way we should go…this is the first passage that we read as a family this new year.

As my husband asked my children what can we learn from this Psalm, our oldest said:

“I do not want to think about what I want to do or not to do this new year. I want to think about which way I will walk on…because if I walk in the way of the righteous it will be easier to do, as the Lord commands”

Praise God for words like these in the mouth of our Son.

When My Children Start Battling

Posted in My Children, Prayer with tags , , , , on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 by Becky

I see my young men and my young lady fighting their own battles. They are starting to use the Sword of the Spirit, the Word, to fight for themselves those battles that my Husband and I can not fight for them.

Our Son, came to me last night telling me about a plan he had devised, to conquer a specific sin that he is struggling with. We talked about that at night, around the Family Table, and we are now praying for him. We go in the battle through prayer, but the Lord wants him to lean on Him. To go to Him.

Our children are now seeing the need to walk in their prayer closets, they are starting to understand the importance of reading, and meditating, and loving the Word…they have struggles. They are not little ones any more.

Temptations are now real, those battles of the flesh are becoming evident.

My heart breaks and rejoices at the same time. I can’t go with them into some battles that they should fight on their own. I fight from afar. I see from behind…I can not go ahead of them. They are being called to fight, to stand, to meet the Lord. The Word that they have heard since the day they were born, must now be their stong fortress. The promises of a faithful God and a the trials of life are starting to show. On the other hand, I rejoice because I can see how they are fighting the good battle. They desire to reach the prize.

We have trained them for this day. We have prayed for them, we have invested in their lives….The Word has been planted. We trust in the God of  the Covenant. That is where are trust lays. He is faithful.

The Sword must be now unsheathed; they are being called to grow in faith and grace. When temptation comes, they know  that they must be ready to fight the devil. The Word in their hearts and mouth must be used. Memorizing the Scriptures, loving them has now a profit.

What a blessing to see that as they grow, the Lord allows us to stand by their side. They are still under my Beloved and me, we are still teaching them, we are praying for them, but as they grow, they are meant to fight their own battles. I am now realizing this. It is happening.

“Arise, O Lord and let your enemies be scattered…let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice”

Psalm 68:1-3


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