Some more summer pics

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www.onetruemedia.com  Thought you'd all like to meet some of the moms I do life with here.  I realized that we've had a lot of fun together the last 3 years and have very few pictures to show for it.  On Sept 11 I figured it would be a good idea to celebrate life and enjoy the freedom to apple pick with homeschool friends and then make apple sauce.  I didn't take any pictures of the apple sauce, but I canned over 30 quarts of apple sauce, apple butter and apple pie filling.  The kids are a huge help and John jumped in last week to assist with the final batch of pie filling.  It turned out yummy!
My girlfriends Kim, Anna-Britt and Dawn met out at the orchard.  Somehow we didn't get pictures of Dawn.  We'll need to fix that next time.

On the first Saturday of the month we host a potluck BBQ for families we are close to.  Of course, every month I swear I'm going to take pictures and we never do.  This last month we did snag a quick pic of Molly and I together at the end of the evening.  These are always such special times for the Dads and Kids to fellowship.  Sharing hearts, creating community, praying for one another, that's what it's all about.
The last but not least mom in this montage is Emily.  I took this shot at church camp meeting a couple of weeks ago during worship time.  Her sweet boy was exhausted from a long weekend at camp and snuggled up to  mom so sweetly.  It's always a blessing when moms get to hear the entire sermon!!
I love these moms and all their kids.  We do life together and I think we're doing it pretty darn good.

here's a quote about Hope from a book I'm currently reading that I enjoyed this morning.  I had no idea just how much I was going to need these phrases today!
 "Hope dares to imagine the future as a legitimate alternative to the vicious repetitions of the past.  But the refusal to forgive is a toxic memory of the unforgiven past poisons the present and contaminates the future."-Brian Zahnd from his book Unconditional the Call of Jesus to Radical Forgiveness.

We had a peaceful Yom Kippur here this week, but I didn't take any pictures.  We just took it easy and the boys had a huge play date for the afternoon.  It was a  great day!

  

Prophetic Holy Feasts | Blowing of Trumpets

It was just a day of homeschooling.  That's all.  As was our custom for many years, we read.  Every morning 10 AM.  We read and read and read.  History, historical fiction, missionary stories, apologetics, science and so on.  Upon our move to Italy a few years later, we'd have collected 9 six feet tall book shelves full of our reading and studying material.

But, back to the particular morning above.  We were studying from a very intriguing book by Foster entitled Augustus Caesars' World.  We loved it.  Living in Germany at the time, so very close to Rome,  (closer than Illinois anyway.....)we loved studying European History with Sonlight Curriculum.  But then it happened, we started to learn exactly what happened in History, the taking over of the Scriptures by early church fathers and councils.  The Roman influences on everything from our calendar to the months of the year, days of the week and the Roman gods such a calendar represents.  We read and discussed the taking over of druid holidays by the Church to convert many to Salvation.  As a mom, I had no idea where this would all take us, where any remedy for us might be found in helping to keep our eyes on Jesus.  After all, He is the author and finisher of our Faith.

So, we went to Awana.  I was and am so grateful for the part that amazing program has played in the lives of helping to develop my children.  We memorized Scripture, played games and learned about sportsmanship.  But most of all, we memorized Scripture.  We studied to show ourselves approved because approved workmen are not ashamed!  

Now, here we are 10 years or better from that morning in Germany above and it's 10AM.  We've just read and discussed Scripture, the Feasts, it's significance in our lives today and in the life of the Church.  We read Psalm 81, Ezra 3 and are learning more and more about Worship in the life of the Christian.

No, we aren't being legalistic.  No, a single celebration kept isn't what Salvation is all about.  But I can tell you what our years of study, reading, sitting under powerful Pastors of God's Word and the New Covenant have taught us: an appreciation and love for the entire council of YHWH.

We understand Jesus, Messiah, better.  Who He was, IS and FOREVER will be.  What He fulfilled, what He provides for us through His death and the power of God unto Salvation for all who believe.

This morning, at 10 am, once again, through study, while our world rages in war and rumor of war and martyrs are being made, we are Shouting!  Blow the Shofar!  Our God Reigns.

Thank you, YHWH, for the gift of schooling my children, Your children.

Watch the video above, and come study with us.

A Day of Sounding

http://www.ourwholeheartedfamily.com/blog/category/biblical-holy-days/

I wish I were a better blogger and understood how to imprint text correctly to just say "go here" and you could click on a pretty link that everyone else seems to know how to do.  However, until Stephanie herself comes and hangs out on this coast in Oct, I'm just going to have to continue in my primitive ways.

I started last December with a Kings and Prophets 5 Part Bible study by Precept Ministries to try and learn even more about the Old Testament and YHWH's ways and teaching.  I've just wanted to read the Bible and the Bible only, studying precept upon precept as we should to find more and more ways of how we are free to live our lives.  (Gal 5:1)

The more I read, pray and study, the more fascinated I am with the provision of the FEASTS of Israel.  They are such a gift to us, such a heart opening amount of love for us to understand Him better.

Tonight at Sundown, we should be able to find the sliver of the new moon and the Day of Sounding (Trumpets) will begin.

Just another deeper way the Father, dying on the Cross for us gives us the ability to worship Him completely.

There are a couple of things in the text I've linked to above that are a bit of a jump for John and I, but after reading and studying with John this weekend, I wanted to share it with all of you.

Of course, we are NOT saved by works or legalism or the blowing of a shofar or the keeping of any Festival.  But I can say for myself that these set apart times are wonderful insights for me and I enjoy scratching the surface of them with my children around the breakfast table.

What a Summer it was!

***Disclaimer!  Turn the music down!  I have no idea what posted with the video, but it's not the music I chose this morning!!!!****

Well, we've all been alive, just wonderfully busy enjoying a fantastic summer.  One of the gifts that I'm finding from not moving for 4 years now is a great summer knowing where you are at, where you can travel to and truly enjoy the time with no school work or outside demands!   Here's an update from all the goings on.

1.  Adam graduated from High School and received a wonderful scholarship that will pay for all of his Freshman and Sophomore years.  He had a quiet summer at home, worked a bit at a local coffee shop, and got back in the swing of cooking for the family.  We always enjoy when Adam gets out the spices and kicks things up a notch.  Adam left for college in late August.  He's studying at Richard Bland College in Petersburg, Va.  It's a 2 year Community college that prepares kids to enter William and Mary after graduation.  Ofcourse, it's my hope that he'll find his way to one of the great Nazarene Schools and graduate from there.  (Hey, a Mom's got a right to a say, right?)  Adam's keeping us all abreast of fantasy football and I am happy to hold over his head that the Bears beat the Giants in preseason before he left home.

2.  Lyndsay came home and starting pounding the pavement immediately looking for a job and place to live.  She sent out no less than 60 applications all over the USA and after 3 months found a job working in Winchester, Va for Valley Health.  Lyndsay works on a telemetry floor caring for Cardiac Patients.  Her preceptor is a Youth Pastor's wife from Purcelleville, Va. She is very comforting to Lyndsay from a professional and spiritual perspective.  They've become fast friends, for which, I'm very grateful.  Lyndsay found a brand new apartment in historic Old Town Winchester and she and Joy Bug are very happy there.  You'll find a picture of her with her new apartment keys at Olive Garden where we went to celebrate.  Lyndsay comes home often to do her laundry and hangout with Emily and Jesse.  They are very happy to have their sister again!  Oh, to break some of the employment stress this summer while waiting, Lyndsay helped out with the kids at their swim meets.  We had a blast cheering them on.  Our community at Urbanna Swim Club is just a blessing to us.

3.  Emily and Jesse had a blast of a summer.  We went to Hershey park, rode rides and made chocolate bars.  We took a trip to Hilton Head South Carolina and rode bikes, pet the horses, ate at Salty Dog Cafe, swam in the ocean, ate amazing Italian food, watched TV and made plans to take the entire family with us next year.  Hours at the pool, helping me can jams, jellies, soups, green beans and on and on.  Well, it was such a summer for childhood fun and they have had it!

4.  John is doing great at Integrity management consulting.  He's taken trips to Kansas City, San Diego and how now attended working breakfasts at the Army Navy Club in downtown DC.  He's very happy there, loves civilian life and we are all enjoying the easier hours.  He wore his Dress Blues for the last time on Active Duty to Adam's graduation.  I treasure those pictures.

5.  I've joined a local gym, workout 5 times a week, and try to keep in some sort of shape.  My new favorite thing is Body Pump.  Total blast with girls weight lifting and getting tone.  I now know for certain that I have triceps because they often hurt after working out.  I've enjoyed restocking the house and canning all summer.  We thought we were moving to the middle east, again!  So, I'd gone through all of my stash everywhere.  It took about 4 months, but we are all stocked up and ready for winter.  Classical Conversations has taken a lot of my summer time this year.  I took a 6 week Latin Course and now understand enough to try and tutor my 10th graders on Fridays.  I also had the dining room a mess with a leaky ceiling for 4 weeks of the summer while it was repaired TWICE!  But it now looks beautiful and there was no real damage thank goodness!  Oh and to top the summer off, 2 weeks ago I went cow shopping with my girlfriend, Emily in Amish Country, Md.  Yes, cow shopping.  Total hoot!  Long story, good memories!

This fall we are looking forward to visits from the B family after Sukkot and my mom for Thanksgiving.  I also wanted to give you a heads up on some cooking/ canning books you may want to consider for your library:  Blue Ribbon Canning is a new favorite of mine.  A new girlfriend of mine here in Va will have her cookbook released 1 OCT it's called A Farmer's Daughter, recipes from a Mennonite Kitchen by Dawn Stotlzfus.  Also, look for her blog!  I'll try and get her button up soon on my blog roll!  That's it for now.  Time to hit the school books!

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