Take Root and Write

When Things Go Wrong

What a crazy summer it has been. So many things are still not finished in time for the new school year that happens to start tomorrow morning for us. Losing files on the computer, losing books, and changes in plans that are outside our control, have all contributed to a stressful start. Yikes! Where did the summer go?

"Mom, where is my schedule?" my son just asked me.

Oh, no! The schedules! I forgot to make them.

What happened to my day? Oh, that's right, I had to sort mountains of laundry. Thankfully, my daughter Shine asked if she could make dinner with Aisha. Could she make dinner? Yes, please!

Take a Deep Breath

Often, I find myself needing to take a deep breath, analyze my situation and regroup. I start by taking a deep breath so that I can relax.

God, are you there? Are you listening? Do you remember me? I have made a mess of things. Thought I could do more than I can so I didn't finish it all and in the stress of meeting deadlines, I forgot to do the more important things. Will you please forgive me? Now, I have a mess on my hands. Tomorrow, I have to homeschool...our first day. I had wanted it to be perfect. It will be a disaster. Well, I guess it doesn't have to be a disaster. You are bigger than this situation.

Teaching Joyful and Successful Children

Our children can experience a school year filled with joy and success.

Serve Jesus as Lord

As for you, and your family, make that choice to serve the Lord. Include your children in seeking the Kingdom of God first, before all other things. Tell your kids repeatedly, "There is nothing better than Jesus!"

Keep the focus on loving Jesus and obeying Him. Tell your children why you are doing what you are doing and how it honors Christ. "We are studying science because we want to learn about the world God created. The more we learn about things Christ made, the more we understand Him."

Or, "Today, we are learning to write clear, concise sentences to be able to communicate clearly so that God can use us to tell people about Him."

Let your children hear from your lips over and over how important Jesus is to you and your family. Tell your children that no matter what others do, you will serve Christ.

Assess Children's Strengths and Weaknesses

Think about your children. Where are they strong? Where are they weak? What are they really good at? Each child God has given you is different from any other child in the world and in your household. Know your child. Sometimes, their weaknesses are really the flip side of their strengths. A bossy youngster may be a strong leader in disguise. Your perfectionist daughter may be a trouble shooter who will discern problems before they even exist. The son who is always doodling just might be an artist.

Help Children Grow in Strengths

Our tendency is to focus on our children's weaknesses, which can make them feel discouraged. Instead, spend most of your time growing even stronger in your strengths. Yes, you heard me right. What are they good at? Help children become excellent at talents and all those things they love to do. 

Maybe you have a talker. Your daughter can talk her way out of a paper bag and into a free cookie when you are grocery shopping. Cultivate that strength. Teach her to communicate in a way that honors Christ. Help her to speak, debate, write, and converse clearly in a way that glorifies the Lord.

Maybe your son can take anything apart and put it back together. Give him things to take apart and put back together. Expose him to all kinds of things that he can tinker with. 

Help Child Learn New Things

Teach your children new things. Introduce your little lambs to the wonderful world of learning. Instill a sense of wonder and excitement about learning by living it out yourself. Get excited when you learn new things so that your children can imitate you. Be curious! Investigate! Research! Teach your children to do it with you.

Help Child Work on Weaknesses

Focus on strengths and learning new things with most of your time. Spend only a little time helping children work on their weaknesses. Instead, instill hope in your daughter -- rather than hopelessness -- by focusing on the positive things in her life. Be kind in the way you help your children to change. Remind them that Jesus helps us overcome our sins and failures.

"I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength," (Philippians 4:13 NIV).

Concentrate teaching new things and developing strengths.

Teach Children to Give Thanks in Everything

Teach your children that no matter what happens, to always thank the Lord. There are so many blessings to thank the Lord for everyday with your children. Remind them of all the good things the Lord has done and is doing each morning. A thankful heart is a cheerful heart.

Enjoy watching God move in our children's life as we seek Him first and move forward in His purpose together as a family.

Fourth of July Freedom

This Fourth of July, we celebrated my husband's 50th birthday! What fun with swimming, BBQ, laughter, and fireworks. Fourth of July isn't really celebrated by the Curtis household because we are always enjoying Daddy's birthday festivities. However, Fourth of July is a great time of year to talk with your children about the liberty that we enjoy as American citizens.

Even though the Fourth of July is over, this week is a wonderful time to explore the freedoms that we have grown up with and take for granted like personal liberty, freedom of speech, the right to a trial by jury of your peers, and accountability of leaders to their citizens are things that many people throughout history have not experienced. So, where did this freedom stuff start? Did it start with the Magna Charta? Or did it start further back?

Law is King!

According to Samuel Rutherford, in his book, Lex Rex (Law is King), written in the 1600's by a Presbyterian pastor, the Bible makes it clear that the law is king. The king, or any other ruler, must submit to the law. Rutherford took an in-depth look at Scripture and history to prove this, shattering the popular philosophy of  the "divine right of kings" to rule as they please.

Things We Learned in London

God pours out His wisdom and blessing on us all the time. He certainly showered us with this on our trip to London. Our Heavenly Father surprised us with extra blessings, while we also learned quite a few life lessons as well.

First, let's look at the lessons we learned.

International Flights

It is more comfortable to travel across the Atlantic Ocean than to take trips across the United States. While we squish our legs, purse, coats, and carry-on bag into a narrow seat where we can barely fasten the seat belts, our plane seats (same airline) are bigger and more comfortable. They also feed you better. If I fly in the U.S.A., I am lucky to get a snack with my beverage, but on our flight to London, we got 2 meals and numerous drinks and snacks.

Lessons from a Hostel

"Mrmxpwh," my roommate said with a sweet smile.

I looked up confused, but tried to understand her English.

Pages

    Satan does not want marriages to succeed. We need to be strong standing for Christ in our homes. We need to keep guard on our hearts. We need to fix our eyes on Jesus.

 “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil” Proverbs 4:23-27 (NIV)

Our Trip to London: The Ultimate Field Trip II

Well, we are back from London and so excited to share about our trip! Yes, it was the ultimate field trip!

Streets of London

 "There's Big Ben," Jenny Rose squealed, pointing over the heads around us.

"I think I see the steeple of Westminster Abbey."

"Look! Whitehall is gorgeous! It looks like a cathedral."

"There's a red phone booth! Let's get a picture!"

The bustling streets of London are very much like American cities in so many ways, except that they drive on the opposite side of the road: business men rushed to work, tourists perused the monuments, moms shopped, and schoolchildren walked to school in cute, little uniforms.

Under London

Up bright and early our first day, we slipped on our backpacks and headed for the tube station. The first tube arrived and it was jam-packed.

"Let's wait for the next one," I said, my claustrophobia flaring up. We bypassed the next one and the one after that.

"We are going to have to get on one, Mom," my Julianna finally declared.

"It's rush hour," Katie Beth added.

So, I took a deep breath and we were off. (We never left that time of the morning again!) The tube became our home away from home and we took it everywhere. We learned to transfer, follow the "Way Out" signs, and ride the 3-story escalators. We even saw Victoria Station, Paddington Station, and all the others I had read about in novels.

As we wandered underground tube stations, I couldn't help but wonder if there were British citizens taking refuge while bombs fell during World War II,

Museums

 "There it is! The Rosetta Stone!"

Napoleon's soldiers found this famous marker in 1799 on the French-Egyptian campaign. Carved in 196 B.C., a group of Egyptian priests wrote on the stone to honor a Pharaoh. It listed his accomplishments in Egyptian and Greek. But here's the neat thing: it was written in 3 different scripts: Hieroglyphics, Demotic Egyptian, and Greek. Scholars used this stone to unfold the mystery of translating hieroglyphics. The stone was a breakthrough for historians and opened the door for us to understand Ancient Egypt.

Historical Monuments & Memorials

 
Everywhere we turned, there were monuments to famous people. In front of the Parliment Building, was my hero Oliver Cromwell.

The Wellington Arch commemorates Arthur Wellesley, who won the Battle of Waterloo (against Napoleon), for which he was made the first Duke of Wellington. This monument celebrates his victory!

The Albert Memorial is an absolutely gorgeous display of Victorian architecture, decor, and philosophy, erected in honor of her beloved Prince Albert by Queen Victoria.

The Nelson Column is in the middle of Trafalgar Square commemorating  his naval battle victories in the Napoleonic Wars. Vice Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson's battles represented are Cape St. Vincent (1797), Battle of the Nile (1798), Copenhagen (1801), and Trafalgar (1805).

Crying in the Library

 The British Library holds the Magna Charta. When I saw it, tears sprang to my eyes. This historical document changed history and was the basis years later for the Mayflower Compact and our U.S.Constitution.

But what really brought tears was the hand printed Bibles that had been laboriously copied by devout monks for hours as a service unto the Lord. The first Gutenberg Bible was found in this room too. When the printing press was finally ready to run, it printed Bibles. These Bibles would change history. Now the Word of God could be available to all people. What a blessing!

Our trip to London was a discovery of so much history, architecture, music, art, archeology, culture, and geography. I highly recommend taking a field trip to London.

 

 

Through Prayer

Through prayer many battles are won. And going to battle without the right gear on can be fatal. Satan doesn't want us to believe that our spouses can be won for Christ. Satan wants us give up on our loved ones. I want to encourage you to have faith and know that through prayer our faith grows strong. When you feel discouraged and don't think God hears your prayer - than you know that this is the time to pray.

I talk to God daily about my marriage whether its good or bad. Here’s how I sometimes find myself praying for my husband: Dear Lord. Did you hear what my husband just said? Did you see what he did? I offer up his words to you that your grace is sufficient to heal wounds and create life. Lord, I trust you with my husband and ask that Holy Spirit continue to work towards his salvation. Father, search my heart that I would be a vessel on behalf of your kingdom and speak blessing into every situtation. Give me grace for my marriage and fill us both with your love. Amen. 

 

Our Trip to London: The Ultimate Field Trip - Part 1

I had dreamed for years of teaching my children history by traveling around the world. I envisioned us going from country to country, with cameras around our necks and notebooks in our hands. We would soak in great artworks, beautiful churches, and historical monuments, letting their ambiance invade all of our senses.

What better way to study history than to go to the places where it all happened! I wanted to stand in cathedrals that were built for the glory of God. It was my dream to show my children architecture from different time periods and places. Would walking down the same street or eating in the same restaurant help us to understand people from other times and places?

Oh, if only I could time travel! I would go back and watch so many historical events take place: Creation, the dispersion at the Tower of Babel, the Exodus through the Red Sea, Esther's coronation, the conquest of Babylon by the Persians, the Peloponesian War, Alexander the Great taming his new horse, Paul preaching at Mars Hill, Athanasius defending the faith, Marco Polo's trip to the Orient, the Battle of Hastings, Martin Luther defending himself at the Diet of Worms, Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel, the signing of the Mayflower Compact, D-Day, and the homecoming of the hostages from Iran in 1980.

One of my favorite places to study is England. There are so many English people and events that fascinate me. From good King Alfred the Great to the infamous Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard the Lionhearted to the devout William Tyndale, and the intelligent Francis Bacon and conservative Maggie Thatcher.

I have imagined places while I read my favorite authors, Jane Austin, Charles Dickens, Agatha Christie, G. K. Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, and Dorothy Sayers. The town of Oxford, Kensington Gardens, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall, and Buckingham Palace are all alive in my imagination. Finally, I will get to see these places!

I will be traveling to London, England. In fact, when you read this, I will be over there, touring and traveling with my older daughters, Katie Beth, Julianna, and Jenny Rose. Two friends, Marla and Sarah, will join us too. This is the ultimate homeschool field trip. We will learn so much!

The girls and I have plans to see many places.

• St. Paul's Cathedral
• Westminster Abbey
• Whitehall
• Big Ben
• Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace
• British Museum
• National Gallery of Art
• National Portrait Gallery
• Wesley Chapel
• Kensington Gardens
• Kew Gardens
• Hyde Park
• Victoria and Albert Museum
• Tower of London
• Ritz
• Harrod's
• Churchill War Room Museum
• Bath

So, what are we the most excited about? Julianna is thrilled to be getting a stamp on her passport. Sarah can't wait to see Bath. Jenny Rose is looking forward to seeing the changing of the guard. Marla is excited to hear a concert or see a play. Katie Beth will enjoy British High Tea.

And me? I'm really looking forward to seeing The Rosetta Stone in the British Museum. This is the archaeological discovery that opened the door to translate Egyptian hieroglyphics so that we could learnh more about Ancient Egyptians. And St. Paul's Cathedral is the perfect example of Christopher Wren's architectural gifting. There is also Westminster Abbey, home to Anglican worship, coronations, and royal weddings.

But, the thing I really can't wait to see is the original Gutenberg Bible.

I will be telling you all about our field trip in my next blog. Until then, blessings and big hugs!

 

Thorn In My Flesh

There are many times when I compared my relationship to a "thorn in my flesh". I have cried many nights for God to change my situation. To give me a spouse that loves Him as much as I do if not more. I have even asked the Lord to open the doors so I can walk away. That's when this verse seems to fit perfectly:

"Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me" (2 Cor 12:7-8 NIV).

Yeah! I can relate to  this! Lord just take him - my thorn in my flesh! Oh - But there is more.

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." (vs 9).

 

Happy Mother's Day!

"You are just like your mother," the young boy huffed at me.

"Well, I'm glad," I replied, haughtily. I was proud of my mother and even though I was young,  it didn't matter what anyone said. She was loving and kind, and a strong leader. Church family, those in our neighborhood, and our extended family loved and respected her.

Memories

I remember her making breakfast every morning. Sometimes, we had waffles with sausage and homemade syrup. Other mornings, we might have scrambled eggs with bacon. But my favorite was when Mommy made muffins and eggs and Canadian bacon in the muffin pans. This was long before Egg McMuffins from McDonald's.

Mom could bake, cook, or sew anything. However, what impressed me the most about her was the way she welcomed people into her heart and our home. There were always extra guests at holiday dinners, birthday celebrations, or family gatherings. Mom always hosted showers and parties. Because of that, at an early age, I learned to greet guests, pass chips and dip around, and set a beautiful table. We would choose the perfect tablecloth, cloth napkins, and centerpiece. Sometimes, we even polished the silver.

What about you? What are your memories?

Creating Memories

My oldest child is almost 25 years old and my "baby" is 13. Unless the Lord blesses us with a surprise baby, we have finished our season with little ones. What fond memories I have of that precious season! I wish it could have lasted longer. When I had babies, I was purposeful in creating memories that would last in their little hearts for a lifetime.

Don't Give Up

My husband isn't my best friend. This really hurts me because I want nothing more than for him to be my best friend. When I have a bad day at work I long to be encouraged by him. When I feel that I am not getting through to our children, I wish he would step in and tell them how they need to repsect their parents because the Bible tells them to. When I am sick, I wish he would comfort me with his kindness and gentleness.

When I am in a bad mood and nothing makes any sense to me, I wish he would just allow me to be me and listen to what is on my mind and in my heart until I am in a better place and able to hear what he has to tell me. When I am sleeping, I wish he would whisper a prayer to God for me. But he doesn't. So what do I do? I'll tell you what I won't do - I won't give up.

    "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak" Isaiah 40:29. (NIV)

 Breaking Point

I thought I was going to loose it this past weekend. My kids drug their feet getting ready for church. The dog kept following me around because no one felt like feeding her. When I finally got to church I just knew that when I began teaching the children their Sunday School lesson everything would fall in place and peace would befall us all - NOT - they all (well it seemed like all of them) were restless little jumping beans. I wanted to give up.

It’s hard to see what God is doing in our lives when it seems like the things we do for others don't mean anything. What I want to tell you today is - DON’T GIVE UP.

Waiting Patiently

It is so important to have patience while God is working on your spouse. When you understand that there is going to be a waiting period between your request for their salvation and His answer, you will encounter a peace that only God can bestow upon you. Know and believe that God is in control and His timing is the perfect time. I want to encourage you to embrace the fruit of patience. Keep praying for your spouse - even when it seems impossible to see them serving God.

Throughout my journey in my walk with Christ, I have often heard that praying for patience is not such a good thing to pray for. That if you pray for patience you will surely regret it. The Bible tells us that patience is one part of the fruit of the Spirit. It is a gift from God and a treasure to behold. Here's what the Bible says about having patience:

"A man's wisdom give him patience; it is his glory to overlook an offence" (Proverbs 19:11 NIV).

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control" (Galations 5:22, 23).

Heart2Homeschool Oil in Your Lantern Conference

"Oops, I was supposed to turn the other way," I admitted.

"Don't worry I get lost all the time," my friend, Maria reassured me. "But, it is a bit frightening that you are my navigator."

We both laughed.

During the last weekend in February, I headed west on I-4 with my friend, Maria and our daughters. We traveled to Sarasota for a ladies retreat offered by Heart2Homeschool for homeschooling moms. Was it refreshing!

Hearts2HomeSchool is a brand new statewide homeschooling organization in Florida for Christian families founded by Maria Gerber and Lorri Murphy. They offer Christ-centered support, networking, resources, information, inspiration, curriculum guidance, and educational opportunities. What a blessing these lovely ladies are, with a vision to impart truth and encouragement to homeschooling families in their state. Their enthusiasm and creativity made this conference life-changing for me.

"Look how beautiful everything is!" Christina gushed. "Everything is pink!"

"There are hearts everywhere and look at all the chocolate." (That was me!)

Even Maria and Lorri were dressed in pink. Everything was feminine and lovely and they welcomed us with warm smiles and kind words. We could feel the Presence of the Lord through their actions.

Oil For Your Lantern Retreat was a 2-day combination retreat and mini-homeschooling conference. They treated us like queens with lovely decorations, delicious food, welcome gifts, and door prizes. There were several vendors with lots of neat homeschool materials to look at and enjoy. The best parts for me were the speakers who spoke right to our hearts; imparting wisdom to homeschool without compromise.

Just Jesus

Sometimes I forget who my battle is with. I find myself focusing on the fact that I'm married to an unbeliever and not focussing enough on who Jesus is in my life. When I allow myself to be consumed with pleasing my spouse, many unwanted emotions begin to arise and I become  distracted from where God is leading me. I need to remember that Jesus desires to be the center of my attention. I need to press into prayer and get into His Word.

Although our spouses are our friends, we need to remember that Jesus comes first. No matter how bad we want to have a strong relationship with our spouse, we need to first build a strong relationship with God. I want nothing more than to have a "best friend" relationship with my husband. But I don't want to build it on "me," I want to build it on the Rock. I don't have a great relationship with my husband at this time and that's okay because all I really need right now is Jesus - Just Jesus.

The Secret of Joy in Homeschooling

 

 

Imagine if Adam and Eve had never eaten the forbidden fruit. Think about our world without the results of sin: clear blue skies, peaceful communication between people and nations, perfect weight, perfect self-control, joy, love, patience, and constant fellowship with the Lord. Our world would have no pollution, traffic jams, or wrinkles.

We were created to live in a perfect world, even though it is not a reality. But, just because the world (all of us) is in a fallen state does not mean that there isn't a longing inside our hearts to live in that perfect world. The fallen world with its' headaches and heartaches never feels quite right.

When I understand this, freedom comes because I no longer berate myself for my frustration with our world. Instead, I turn the longing for perfection towards thoughts of the place I will one day live in: Heaven!

Longing for Heaven

Heaven is perfect. Once we are there, pain, sorrow, trouble, and sin evaporate.  Our hearts will experience joy at all times.

Books from Birth to College

"And then the bird said, "Are you my mother?"...." I read these words aloud to my bulging belly - determined to make my first pregnancy just right. I also read scripture during my quiet times so that my unborn baby would hear the Word of God. And later, while nursing baby after baby, I continued this practice of reading both the Bible and books to my little ones-- out loud for all of us to hear.

It has been my desire to introduce my children to living books and instill into them a lifelong love of reading.

Living Books

Living books are books that breathe life, stir up emotions, and make you want to turn the page. They are not dry, dusty or boring. Living books can be fiction, non-fiction, poetry, picture books, adventure novels, biographies, testimonies, fairy tales, parables, or nursery rhymes.

Listening to Good Books

Even as adults we need to listen to good writing. Picture books (Katy No-Pocket, Are You My Mother?), fairy tales (Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty), adventure stories (Swiss Family Robinson, Jungle Book), tender stories (The Little Princess, Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates), and allegories (Pilgrims Progress, Hind's Feet on High Places) can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Little people love to hear chapter books read aloud, using their imaginations to paint pictures of the stories in their minds. Big people are never too old for a well-written, beautifully illustrated picture book.

First Test Post

First test post - Family and Relationship column