Reflection

  There are many days where I stand in awe. In awe at God, His love, His mercy and grace.  Many days I don't deserve all He gives me.  Most days I humbly ask for a do over.  I love how he loves me though.  That is one of the immovable parts of God isn't?  His love, it is amazing.  I have thought a lot about what Jesus has done for me and you, and still know I could have never layed my life down like that.  To be beaten, skin ripped open, to be mocked and spit on.  Yet not say one thing to those who did this to him.  He took it all, he was separated from God so I and you could be with God.  He asked his Father to forgive those who mocked and hung him on that cross.  Not curse them.
   Have you every thought to yourself yeah, I forgive you, God go get em'?  That is so not what Jesus did.  He said Father forgive them, they know not what they do.  I think I miss that part sometimes.  He was dying for forgiveness of sins all sins, past, present and future for all people who except this gift. 
   How many times have I or yourself not excepted his gift but been one of the mockers, the one who took the whip and tore his flesh or even worse nailed and crushed his bones to that cross?  How many times have you thought, that's great but I don't think so, not today God?  We all caused the scourging, the beatings we have at one time been the one to mock and spit.  I know I have.  I have said that his dying love was not enough.  Only to realize his dying love is Everything! It is the life I have longed for.  His love, mercy, grace and obedience has gave me life.  A life I know I could have never in a million years gained on my own.  His richness of daily life is more than I could have every imagined.
  God sent his son, to die.  His whole purpose was to lead people to God, to close a gap that was formed and no one could fill.  No one except Jesus.  Many times I have heard someone say "I could never send my son to die."  You know what I could never do it either, but I don't have to and neither do you, God did it. He did it out of love.  To close a gap. To bring his creation back to the Creator.  Today and this weekend.  What will you focus the most on Jesus or the Bunny? 
   I love God, he is my lover. He has my heart and soul.  I love my family but God is above them.  I love him because he reached down pulled me up and said, 'Erica, I love you.  Enough to put my son on a cross.  Come home, rest in me, my grace is sufficient enough.'  You know what it is true his grace, love and mercy is more than sufficient it is perfect. 

Cooking with joy...

   Yep, I am a cooker...I love it! Cooking, baking, grilling, whipping up something new or a family favorite.  Maybe even just shooting from the hip and creating something wonderful (probably shouldn't ask for it again because I didn't write it down).
       But I am really starting to enjoy spring and the weekends.  Why?  Because my hubby and I tag team dinner.  I prep, he grills.  Not only is it fun, but we are spending time together.  Who needs a fancy restaurant or a whole in the wall, when you have a backyard?  Or a kind back yard. 
      Maybe I am enjoying so much because last year we (I) only saw him in passing because of his work schedule.  I guess when you don't see someone  in quantity you can forget why you love them.  I think I have been enjoying our cooking together and even our little at home dates.  I look at him and just fall in love all over again.  Do you ever do that?  Look at your spouse and think oh yeah, that's why I love you....

Unplugged and free

An Indian house, child inspired and child built

 Okay, confession this is my second attempt at writing this blog post.  Frankly, I think I get caught up and stand on my high horse once and awhile.  I am trying to speak from my heart and not my horse.  I would rather have a smile than a why do I even read what she had to say. 
   This post is lovingly titled Unplugged and Free. Unplugged from the world and Free to have fun.  I sometimes look around at my peers and feel overwhelmed for them (you).  I sometimes look at my life and feel the same way.   How do you find balance in life.  What is most important to you and is it reflected in what is going on?  (Notice this post has some fun pictures.  This is an unplugged result.  As with all programs results may differ.)
   We (the Moore Family) take a different approach to raising up our children.  We don't cater to them.  I do not feel it is my job to entertain all day long.  I do believe, I am to train, teach and mold them.  


Stefy working on the roof

UNPLUGGED: I also do not believe that is what cable, Dish network or any video system is for.  There also is no such thing as "mindless" entertainment or "harmless" entertainment each thing has a purpose whether we see it or not.  Okay sorry, that is what I believe you may disagree.  

   So what do we do?  How do are children function as children?  Well, check out our fun photos!!!  This is what might happen when you have the choose to unplug your family.  I love it!  There is never a dull moment. There are a lot of messes but at the end of the day they can be picked up.
   We allow about 1 1/2 -2 hrs of TV time a week usually Friday.  It is our family night.  We watch a movie or video from netflix or one we have here.   Yep that is it, they may ask for more, but usually they are directed to something else to do. 

AND FREE:  I also am not a fan of them being in a million trillion things where, myself and hubby would have to run in a million trillion directions.  We allow them to pick one activity, yes I would love for them to try all the sports out there and go to a million trillion things, but I need my sanity and so do they.  When they get to do one thing, you can focus on that one thing so they will not just be good but great.  When you are doing five different things when will they learn to appreciate what you allow them to do?  When will they learn the craft of what they are doing?  There also is the money factor now a days everything costs money, I would need two jobs just to pay for their fun things.  Hmmm.....I don't think so.

Free also gives our children the freedom to be children.  They can still play with their friends and work on their forts outside.  Take time to know what is like to be a child.
    What about the summer?  All year long I hear mom's talking about how they can not wait for summer to get here.  Then all summer long I hear them talk about how they can not wait for school to start.  Ladies, there is something wrong with one of those statements.  I will let you choose which one.  Summer is supposed to be fun, but it also can be cheap.  Cheap on gas and you.  What if you chose not to send them to day camps all summer long?

What would happen?  Would you or my children really be climbing the walls?  Does that really mean you have to entertain them all summer long?  NO!!! I bet if you unplugged and freed yourselves this month that summer would be a blast.  If you encouraged them to find something to do all on their own without electronics it could be your best summer ever.  Kick them outside.  I do, not just when they are alone but even when friends are over.  Go, outside and p-l-a-y.  Yes this is a little tricky at first because they will come back and say I am b-o-r-e-d.  Well go be bored outside, is my usual comment or  well your not coming in.  Yes I am a mean mom.

Unplugged and free is tough and the being but give it a year or two.   You and your family might just love it and who knows it might change your family life completely.  Not for the worse but for the better. 
   This is who we are, simple and uncommon.  We love every minute of it.  Sometimes it is nice to go against the grain in stead of following it. 



Looking in the Rear View

     Looking in the Rearview mirror or looking behind you what has past, what did you learn?  Do you focus on what you accomplished, how you could have done better or even the failures?  Do you dwell on them or move on?  Keep on keeping on, keep on trucking, oh well better luck next time or UGH!!!! I can not believe I am such a failure, what was I thinkin'.   I am all of these things, I guess really it depends on what part of life I am talking about.  If it is a new stage of life, that means I might try some things a little different.  If I totally let God down, I try really hard not to dwell on it but ask forgiveness and not go down that path again.  Then there is home schooling....
    What about my failures there?  Yes, I said what about my failures, since I am not perfect I have them too.  Since my children are mine and my husbands offspring, they too are not perfect. School would be beautiful all day everyday if we were all perfect wouldn't it?  We are not, so it is not.  That does not mean I am quiting, throwing in the hat and sending them all off to school.  No, it means I look at the year that is behind us.  What did I fail my children at?  What do we need to work on over the summer?  Where do we go from here? 
     What I did not do right...
          1. I did not willing, listen to my husband when he said our Kindergartner was not getting what I was teaching her.  I should have yielded immediately and found something she could understand and excel in.  Which, we have now done and it is a joy to teach her again.  She no longer calls Math "Latin".  Hello mom it is foreign to me.
         2. Allowed my 6th grader to not write papers, because her pitiful whining was not worth the fight.   Well, first problem, was I helping her by doing this or me?   Second problem, when will she learn if not now.  Plan of action even though 180 days of school ends this week, we will still be in school.  Learning how to write papers.  Oh and again, Daddy aka the principal stepped in.  He is in charge of this, I over see and make sure it happens.  It is not that she is not capable and smart. More of just finding out it really isn't that hard.  She has already improved over the last three days.
     What we are going to work on this summer....
              Writing and the basics so we don't lose what we have worked so hard on learning.  Will it be 8 hour days no, but each morning there will be time set aside to work on what needs to be improved and put into memory.
     What can I learn from this....
              1. Not be offended when my spouse tells me something is not right.  He is actually trying to help me not pick a fight.
              2.  I have got at least 21years on my children.  I have the title mom not them.  So next year we will not have mom submitting to child but the other way around. 
              3.  Every child learns different, so you might have to use something different with each child. 
              4.  Stick with what works, I do not have to change every year, because it looks neater, funner or easier; stick to what works.  Yes I said it twice therefore it is important.
   I am not beating myself up because we have learned and blossomed.  It was not all bad.  Once the corrections were put in place, the children and I have moved foreward. It also means I am going to stick with what works. I will not druel overthings that look nice and fancy. I will not change everything to try new curriculums, unless what we are using stops working. I will continue to look in my rear view every once and a while to make sure we can learn from our accomplishments and failures.  Not to dwell on them but to grow from them. 
    Most importantly, I will remember that home schooling is a blessing, it takes hard work like everything else God gives us to do.  It is not about yelling or tears.  It is about loving your children, teaching them from your heart. So they can one day go into the world around them and be a light.  So the can exceed in whatever they decide to do. How amazing I get to stay  home with my lovies everyday.  Not every mommy can do that, I get to, Thank you Jesus.  Thank you for allowing us to teach our children in a safe enviroment where we get to weed out the trash and teach them your ways. 
             

The beging of a new season

As winter has turned into spring, you get the lion and the lamb,  some days are beautiful and some are stormy.  That is the same with the seasons of life too.  We have stormy days and seasons along with beauty and peace.   It is almost official, we as a family are going to be out of the preschool/toddler age.  Wow, I can not believe it.  Life is a flash of light that passes, quicker than you think. 
    We have three children sigh, one is now a preteen or "tweenager" and two are at the dawning of their school age.  How did this happen?  I have called them babies for so long, and they are not.  They are now what I call monkeys or duckies it depends on the day.  Duckies when they all line up and follow mommy around and are helpers.  Monkeys when well, they are themselves, wild and crazy.  In a good way though, very creative and rarely bored *Warning if they are quite, that probably is still not a good thing*.  
     The last six years have blown by, some days a whirl wind, some a peaceful dance.   Many people ask if our youngest two are twins, they are not.  They are thirteen months apart.  Many have said "How in the world do you do it?"   "Better you than me."  My answers, " God helps me every day, life isn't really that hard, it is easy if this is all you know.  Well we are out diapers and strollers.  We are now facing new challenges. Like teaching them not to panic one their bikes, paying attention to their surroundings, how to focus on school work, teaching them that letters have sounds and make words.  If the last six years have not aged me, I am sure the next two will.  I had no idea, teaching a child to read could be so complicated.  Just for the record, every child does learn differently trying to figure out how is a little more tricky than I thought.  I have recognized though which one learns like myself.  Which means more repetition and time.  I am okay with this though because they will be gone before I know it. 
    Our oldest, is at a whole different stage in life, she will be who she is for the rest of her life in the next few years.  Her views and morals are being set right now.  You can see a reflection of who she is when you talk to her.  You can see compassion, love, stubbornness and a yearning to be right.  I think she needs to be a lawyer.
   Although it doesn't mater what I think anyone of them should be, it is about what God has planned for their lives.  It is my Husband and I job to train them and help them with their natural abilities so they can be effective servants one day.  Not the servants, like a maid or butler, but servants of their Lord.  To teach them, how to honor Him in whatever they do.  Whether it is a missionary, lawyer, Doctor, wife, mother, teacher ect. 
     So as Spring has sprung so has a new season at the Moore house.  Welcome to the dawning of our new adventure.  I hope it will be just as wonderful as the the first.

Letting go....

Letting go of things is rather hard isn't it? We (I) love running with our stroller it, is a close third behind God and my Husband.  This is my sanity, having a bad day, put the kids in and go.  Talk to God and vent about whatever it is.  Having a great day jump up and down with joy as I jog down the street praising God. 
   This you should know about me, I would rather be outside than in. I Love the conversations about what ducks eat or why a horse bms, followed by every other animal.  Most of all I love the songs, made up or real, sung to me while running.  Sometimes even them just peacefully sleeping and me getting my thoughts straight.  I love to jog for these reasons.  There is a peace about jogging or running. We started out just going a mile or so but now we go about 8 mi some days.  Our adventure in this stroller has been three years.  My little monkeys were 3 and 2 when we first started out.  Soon they will be 6 and 5.  My monkeys have been asking for months to either walk or ride their bikes.

I just couldn't let go.  Then this January my sweet hubby mentioned maybe I could give my stroller away to someone else.  That statement actually confused me a little.  I so couldn't think straight.  What?  Give my beloved thing away?  Really? Wow.  So a month later I thought well I am waiting until May to give it away.  Until yesterday, when they got in and I thought I had a flat tire, only to realize, my monkeys are maxing out the weight limit. As we ran along they played so happily,  throwing there weight around that it almost drove us off the side walk.  I don't think I will get to May, yesterday was it.  I tried to convince them to get in today, they begged to ride their bikes instead.  I was trying to wait at least until the training wheels came off.  Alas I allowed them to ride their bikes.  You should have seen their beaming smiles, they are finally a big girl and a big boy, riding on the big road.  I will never get them in to my beloved stroller again.  I know it is a thing and its going to burn according to one of my friends, but I still love it.  I am going to miss the random person saying did I see you and a stroller running?  Wow.  Even the butcher at Winn Dixie last night asked if he saw me earlier running up that hill with my two kids.  I smiled and said yes.  It is also what has kept me going, knowing that someone always sees me, so I shouldn't quit, silly I know.   So good bye loved thing I hope you are as loved by your new home as you were loved at this one.  I hope you may run down roads for

at least another three years and be passed on to another momma looking for a breath of fresh air in her day.      I would like to give a shout out to BOB STROLLERS, one of the best investments ever,  who needs a gym membership when you have a BOB?  I wish I could keep my little monkeys, little forever and they could stay in their stroller forever but they can not.  My monkeys must grow which is just as sad as saying good bye to the stroller, but that is a whole other blog post.