violence, it's sucking them in

In raising boys, we (my husband and I) have always had on the forefront of our radar the importance of raising them to be Godly men in a culture that is stained with sexual sin/pornography. From the time our boys were young enough to to have an understanding of modesty, we started teaching them in this area. They know the importance of girls/women dressing modestly and we now have on our hands "fashion police" for myself and their younger sister, the boys love to point out when we might be showing too much skin and bikinis are strictly forbidden in our pool, per the boys. When we are out in public and they see an inappropriate bill board or poster, they have taught themselves to look the other way. We have a code word we use when we see something like that, we simply start saying brand names of shoes like Nike, Reebok, Addidas, etc.. and that is a clue to look at your feet. We adopted that from the popular show 19 Kids and Counting. We thought it to be so corny at the time but we tried it once when we were walking by Victoria's Secret at the mall and it just stuck. When a commercial comes on TV and it is inappropriate, the boys are the first to say something and cover their eyes. They know to be careful when on the Internet and that is the reason our computer is in the living area where we can all see what is going on. Getting rid of cable has been beneficial as it limits the channel selection and we now spend less time watching TV. Movies come with ratings, and we try our best to keep it age appropriate.

All this to say, I feel like there has been another area in our culture that has slowly creaped into our home and it's time we (Michael and I) as parents start paying attention to it. Like I said earlier, the sexual culture we live in has always been something on the forefront of our minds when raising boys but we seem to have not spent much time teaching them awareness about another topic, and that is violence. There have been many times when our kids have been exposed to violence on TV, in a movie, and mostly on the video games we have allowed them to play on the x-box. For the past month this has weighed heavy on my heart and I have been talking to God about it. I feel (in my personal opinion) that our culture is making a shift from the sexual sin of man and moving towards infiltrating young boys minds with violence. I'm not saying that pornography is not running rampant like wildfire because it is, but I do feel like people (Christian and non) are more aware of this issue and there are so many organizations in place now to help people who struggle with sexual sins. But violence in media seems to have infiltrated without us even being aware of it's heavy impact on our pre-teen boys. Like with any sin, it starts small and gets progressively worse and you crave more of it and before you know it you are dealing with a full blown case of something that is not honoring to God.

For example, we have allowed the boys to play an x-box game that is very popular among boys their age called Halo, they even have Lego Halo toys (it was a hot item at Christmas). The game consists of alien creatures fighting and they have different weapons they can use. You can build your own military base and set it up the way you want. Michael and I agreed this game would be acceptable after researching it, reading about it, talking to other parents about it, and playing it ourselves before we allowed the boys to play. It was not a decision that was made lightly. After playing this game for a while, it was no longer as exciting to the boys so they wanted to move on to another game that we let them get last weekend when they traded in a game. I am embarrassed to admit the name of the game but we are not perfect parents and we make mistakes so we allowed them to get Call of Duty, Modern Warfare. Just the name sounds violent, what were we thinking? After seeing them play it last weekend and yesterday, I couldn't handle it anymore. This game doesn't have alien creatures fighting but humans fighting in a war like setting. It is very intense, very violent, and not age appropriate for our boys. So this morning I talked with Michael and we agreed that this game was going to leave our home. We knew this would be disappointing to the boys and not go over well with them because after all, it's very popular among their friends. So we dropped the bomb, and you would have thought a real bomb went off in our home with one child in particular (the other one really could careless), but we knew we were doing what is right. Luckily, we were not seeing any concerning behavior they were exhibiting from playing this game other than an obsession to want to play it, and that was a red flag for me.

It's time we take a closer look and teach our boys awareness about violence and what it can lead to, an area we have somewhat neglected in their upbringing. We still need to have a discussion about the Halo game as it comes with the same rating like the Call of Duty game. And I'll just mention here that I do believe a lot of the video games are over rated because if it comes with a low rating, it's not as attractive so they up the rating to make it more attractive. How messed up is that? Personally, I think the whole gaming industry is messed up.

In conclusion, this is the beginning of us recognizing an issue in our family and doing something about it. I'm thankful for this time and I hope it will be a time of teaching as we train our children up in the way we want them to go so when they are teenagers and young adults they will be equipped with making God honoring decisions.

If you took the time to read this, I would love your feedback!

Goodbye Easter, hello summer!

The Easter egg hunts are over.

 The Easter baskets were filled.

 Our waist sizes have expanded, darn Easter candy!

 I'm not sure how to transition from Easter to this so I won't even try. Camden never does anything without incorporating some type of invention. Tonight he swept the patio but first he made this contraption to make his chore more fun.

 Swimming season is in full force around this house. Although the water is still too cold for most, the kids don't seem bothered. Anna does outlast her brothers though, shhhh- don't tell them I told you that.

 As much as I love to sleep, I couldn't resist waking up in middle of the night at 3 a.m. for a good love story and watch the Royal Wedding.

 Watching Prince William and Kate Middleton get married was amazing. I loved every minute of it.

resurrection cookies

We have had a great time celebrating Jesus for the past month as we lead up to Easter Sunday. Our final Easter project was to make resurrection cookies. It is to be done on Easter Eve. This is how it works. 

To make the cookies, you will need:

• 1 ziplock bag
• a hammer
• 1 cup whole pecans
• 3 egg whites
• 1 tsp vinegar
• a pinch of salt
• 1 cup sugar
• tape
• Bible

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°. Do NOT skip this very first (VERY IMPORTANT) step!

2. Begin following the chart below. Read the scriptures to the child and discuss each part of making the cookies and how it relates to the Resurrection.

Cookie Instructions	Biblical Correlation & Explanation	Corresponding Bible Verses
Place pecans in ziplock bag and let the child beat them with a hammer.	Jesus was arrested and beaten by the Roman soldiers.	John 19:1-3
Let the child smell the vinegar and put it into the mixing bowl.	When Jesus was thirsty on the cross, the soldiers gave him vinegar to drink.	John 19:28-30
Add egg whites to vinegar.	Eggs represent life. Jesus gave His life to give life to us.	John 10:10-11
Sprinkle salt into the child’s hand and let them taste it. Brush remaining salt into bowl.	Salty tears were shed by Jesus’ followers.	Luke 23:27
Add sugar to the bowl.	The “sweet” part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us! He wants us to know and belong to Him.	Psalms 34:8 John 3:16
Beat ingredients on high speed for 15 minutes or until stiff peaks form.	White represents our sins being cleansed by Jesus.	Isaiah 1:18 John 3:1-3
Fold in beaten nuts and drop teaspoon sizes of the mixture onto a cookie sheet covered with wax paper.	The mounds represent the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid.	Matthew 27:57-60
Place cookie sheet in oven and turn it OFF!!! Give the child a piece of tape to seal the oven door.	Jesus was placed in His tomb and it was sealed.	Matthew 27:65-66
Go to bed. (Explain that they may be sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight.)	Jesus’ followers were sad and in despair when His tomb was sealed.	John 16:20,22
On Resurrection morning, open the oven and eat cookies, taking notice of the cracked surface and that the cookies are hollow.	On the first Resurrection, Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.	Matthew 28:1-9

Our cookies are now sealed in the oven and tomorrow morning we will open the oven and enjoy the hollow cookies. From our family to yours, we wish you a very happy Easter! May you enjoy celebrating Jesus and praising Him for what He did when He died upon the cross. 

John 3:16 For God so LOVED the world that He gave His one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life!

Decorating eggs

All set up and ready to dye. (that just doesn't sound right?)

 All kinds of colors, thank you dunk n donuts for your cups. :)

 eggs washed, hard boiled, and ready to be decorated. Thanks to our chickens, we have a ton of eggs to decorate!

 Even the big boy wanted to get in on the action.

 a work in progress.

 getting closer to being done.

 Proof that I was in fact a part of it. I must have been saying, "wow, that's great honey!"

 I didn't realize what a mess my hair was. Oh well, let's just call it hiking hair (we went on a hike earlier today, see previous post)

 The finished product.

A food Friday indeed.

We started a tradition about 4 years ago of hiking on Good Friday. It is very symbolic and meaningful as we know our Savior, Jesus Christ, hiked a mountain at the age of 33, came to a place called Golgotha where He would be crucified on a cross and experience one of the most horrific deaths of all mankind. And He did it intentionally, knowing full well what His death would entail. He took the sin of the world upon His shoulders so that all who believe in Him can be forgiven of their sins and have everlasting life in heaven! We are saved by His blood, washed by His grace, and given the best gift of all, forgiveness for our sins and eternity with Him. Amen Lord Jesus! So this morning we took our hike up A mountain. Each year there is a cross placed above the "A". Such a great reminder! Here are a few pictures of our hike. And like last year, I forgot to get a picture of the cross. :(

The kids and I have been reading a book called The Case For Easter by Lee Strobel. At one time Lee Strobel was an atheist and after his wife became a Christian he took his investigative skills he had acquired through being a journalist and decided to investigate the death of Jesus. He was skeptical about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. The book details his findings as he investigates and interviews many scholars and what he learned during those visits. I have been reading this book out loud to the kids, I've only skipped over a few parts as some of it was way over their heads but for the most part, I have been able to read them most of it. The first part of the book Mr. Strobel interviews a medical doctor who explains what Jesus body endured from the time He was arrested until he breathed His last breath upon the cross, from a medical perspective. I had never thought before about the condition Jesus was in before He was nailed to the cross. The doctor describes it this way: "Because of the terrible effects of this beating (speaking of His flogging the night before he was crucified), there's no question that Jesus was already in serious to critical condition even before the nails were driven through his hands and feet." It goes on to describe how Jesus would have been in a state of hypovolemic shock already before He even got nailed to the cross. The details of Him being nailed to the cross are simply excruciating to even read. I also found this interesting, "The pain was absolutely unbearable. In fact, it was literally beyond words to describe; they had to invent a new word: excruciating. Literally, excruciating means 'out of the cross.' Think of that: they needed to create a new word because there was nothing in the language that could describe the intense anguish caused during the crucifixion." I am once again reminded what Jesus did for me, my children, my family, my friends, you, and the whole world! It's no wonder we worship Him, how could we not!

what if the trials of this life are our mercies in disguise?

This song by Laura Story is amazing. If I could put into words how I feel, what I think about, the questions I'm asking, what I'm praying about, my frustrations, my emotions; this song captures it all. It is so fitting for what Michael and I are going through while he it out of work and as we seek God so deeply during this time. This song nails it right down to each and every word.  




We pray for blessings 
We pray for peace 
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep 
We pray for healing, for prosperity 
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering 
All the while, You hear each spoken need 
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things 

(Chorus)
'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops 
What if Your healing comes through tears 
What if the thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near 
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise 

We pray for wisdom 
Your voice to hear 
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near 
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love 
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough 
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea 
And long that we'd have faith to believe 

Chorus

When friends betray us 
When darkness seems to win 
We know the pain reminds this heart 
That this is not, this is not our home 

Chorus

What if my greatest disappointments 
Or the aching of this life 
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy 
What if trials of this life 
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights 
Are your mercies in disguise

Pool recess and one cool bridge

The kids watch PBS from 5 to 5:30 as I make dinner and last night's show the kids on the show made a bridge. As soon as our boys finished their dinner, they got right to work making their own bridge. I think any family with boys should have scrap wood laying around for times like this. I can't tell you how many times they just go outside to hammer nails into wood, even Anna enjoys it and it keeps them busy for quite some time. I am always amazed with what creations the boys come up with. See for yourself. 

During our lunch break today, it was time to put it to the test. And by golly, it worked! Each of them walked the bridge a handful of times. 

 And then right after this Jadon jumped off it and we heard the wood crack.

 So now it needs to be repaired.

But they still had some fun.

 I'm in love with this picture. Nobody is fighting, they are all chatting with each other, just hanging out. It makes my heart super happy.

Names of God

In preparing for Easter, we have been studying the different names used for God throughout the Old and New Testament. So today we came up with a little craft and wrote these names on a small paper plate and then created something pretty cool with the finished product. We each did three plates. 

This was one of Jadon's

 Anna did this one. She was referring to Jesus as God's gift. Love it!

 One of mine.

 Then we hung them on this garland in the entry way of our home.

 We read this book which was OUTSTANDING! I highly recommend it. We checked it out from the public library. Such a good book!

 This doesn't go along with any of the above but in our Botany Science unit we are on, the kids have created a leaf notebook and they are classifying the leaves. They do 1 to 3 each day so here is Jadon working on his.

A lesson on symmetry

I'm am so enjoying homeschooling this month as we have been spending time preparing for Easter. Through a homeschool friend, I was given this idea of taking a lesson centered around an Egg Tangram and bringing some geometry into it. We had so much fun with it. 

I introduced symmetry by showing them this. It was Anna's first time learning about symmetry, the boys had already studied it before.

 Then the kids made their own lego creations with something symmetrical. Camden made this.

 Anna made this.

 I can't tell you how often I use my iPhone during homeschool. I especially like the free dictionary app I have. I read the kids the definition of symmetry while they built their lego creations. I didn't get a picture of Jadon's because being the perfectionist child that he is, he spent a lot more time on it than I planned for so his wasn't near completion at this point.

 I then introduced this.

 And they put the tangram together.

 And then tried to create different birds by using all 9 shapes from the egg tangram.

 My little engineer loved it!

 It was a fun lesson!

colorful flowers

I hosted a potluck at my house to celebrate the ending of a bible study that I had the pleasure of leading. Myself along with about 20 amazing women studied the book of Revelation. It was a great study! I wanted something colorful for the centerpieces and found these beauties at the grocery store. 

 It was a bit windy outside the day of our potluck so I picked some rocks from our rock bed out front and wrote some of the names of God that we studied in Revelation. This happens to be my favorite and means Beginning and the End.