I stand corrected . . .

and have deleted my previous blog entry. If you missed it - good! I poked fun at the expression ". . . words can't express" and basically said "Words can express - buy a thesaurus, you idiot." It was a glib and mindless post, and I see it now for what it was - peevish arrogance.

There ARE times when "words cannot express." What do you say to loving Christian parents who are burying their toddler? What do you say to a mother whose husband walked out? What do you say to the heartbroken parent of a prodigal, or to someone with terminal cancer, or who has lost their home?

We've had a sobering year - death, disease, destruction, divorce, discouragement (and no I'm not intentionally trying to alliterate) has intruded repeatedly into the lives of those we know and love. And words cannot express our hearts. For the past few days I've been thinking about how Jesus responded to Lazarus' death. He knew He was going to raise Lazarus, but as He stood with Lazarus' family, He wept.

A lesson for me - Words are wonderful - but there is a time not to use them. Far better to weep with those who weep - and say nothing. (Romans 12:15)

Nothing like a cold drink on a hot day.

The celebrity racing hogs at the county fair today. Out in front we have Sara Jessika Porker, closely followed by Ah-nold Schwartzahogger. He lost, but he was heard to oink "I'll be b-a-a-ck" as he was trundled off to the hog trailer. Other competitors included HaMMa Montana and Squeally Nelson. A star-studded event to be sure.
Our youngest daughter LOVES pigs, so there a lots of piggie photos from today!

Bliss . . . you can see it all over his face! We settled for standard fair fare - cotton candy and snow cones . . . and looked something like this fellow while we indulged.

The colors of encouragement

Last week was rough - it really was - in many ways. But I do think, as Christians, we are expected to "take our thoughts into captivity" and choose what to focus on. (See the verse in my sidebar). I think it's dishonoring to God to allow ourselves to wallow about in self pity or disappointment or discouragement or whatever. Not that I'm a "Pollyanna" by any means, or some kind of stoic, but I am convinced that God wants us to bring our cares to Him, and then choose to set our minds on whatever is good, lovely, pure, of good report, etc.

So . . . I spent a good part of the week actively looking for glimpses of goodness, joy, and loveliness. On Saturday morning when I walked into the kitchen I was struck with this scene - and had to take a photo.

Is this not the cutest purse ever! Last month in Canada I admired the purse a new friend was carrying. What do you know - she bought me one just the same, and I've been using it ever since. It really is a happy bag, and here it was hanging on the kitchen chair - reminding me of her kindness. In the background - a row of happy sunflowers that neighbors brought when I had them for dinner last Thursday - another blessing to me.

The colors of encouragement - right in my kitchen!

Updated to add: Then I came across this article today from one of my favorite writers, Andree Seu. Interesting food for thought! Here's an excerpt:

I was accustomed to thinking of discouragement as something that happens to a person. But on closer examination of discouragement in my existential experience, I have been taken aback by how -volitional or "active" it is. To go around saying, "I am -discouraged," as if it's a saddle someone strapped to your back while you kicked and screamed against it, is akin to Aaron's version of how he made the golden calf: "So they gave me [the gold], and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf" (Exodus 32:24). Um, no.

Homeschooling, Writing and College

While looking at writing programs for our oldest daughter I came across the following quote at the One Year Adventure Novel website. I thought it was worth keeping - and sharing!

“Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.”
Cyril Connolly

I've taught a high school writing class for the past couple of years at our co-op, but some of these kids are really ready to move on to something far more than I can give them. A couple of them display real talent (in my opinion) for fiction writing - and the One Year Adventure Novel program seems very promising, though a bit spendy for my budget. It's amazing how many outstanding teaching products are available to today's homeschooling family.

One of the tired questions that I do get asked about homeschooling is "How can homeschooled kids go to college?" The fact is, they not only CAN go to college, but many colleges (at least in the U.S.A.) actively recruit homeschooled students. For proof I need go no further than my own mailbox. Here's an excerpt from a letter that arrived this week (and I receive many that are similar). This one is from a well known college of art and design . . .

"The (college name) recognizes the outstanding achievements of homeschooled students and welcomes applications from this talented group of individuals. Current students who were homeschooled have proven to be self-motivated, independent learners. In addition, those with above average G.P.A. and standardized test scores have received some of the top scholarships from the college."

From curriculum to colleges, and so many other opportunities, it's an exciting time to be homeschooling in the U.S.A.

Island Living

We live in area of rivers and hills . . . lots of rivers and hills. It makes for some interesting winter driving, but it also makes for beauty!

Homeschooling friends of ours spend about 6 months of the year living on an island in the middle of a large river. It's a concept that fascinates me - and makes me a little jealous!

We spent the afternoon at their place yesterday, and in spite of feeling wretchedly sick with earaches and sinus problems, I really enjoyed the time. It's a blissful getaway - right in the middle of suburbia, but truly a world apart!

Here are a few photos:

A "parking lot" for boats where the island residents keep their small boats for ferrying back and forth to the island.

On the island, looking towards the river - these trees are enormous!

The dock.
Looking upriver from the dock on the island - the far riverbank on the right.

Our three daughters (with dessert and salad) waiting for their boat ride across the river to the cottage.

How Beautiful Heaven Must Be

It seemed a bit random when that thought struck me yesterday. I was sitting down with a cup of tea and as I glanced around the room, something caught my eye (probably because I was hungry!) A dozen or so almost ripe peaches are piled on a plate on my counter. . . and they are so beautiful. Immediately I thought "How beautiful heaven must be!"



Millions of peaches ripen every year, and each one looks like someone painted its colors on by hand. If God makes millions of peaches so beautiful - what must His home be like? What must MY home be like that He has gone to prepare?



It's probably a function of getting older, and also because I've had dearly loved people in my life taken home to be with the Lord - but heaven is no longer just an airy fairy "somewhere over the rainbow" concept to me. It's my eternal home - and I'm so looking forward to being there! Don't get me wrong, I love my home here, but at times I really feel the words of this song by Jimmy Scott:



Sometimes I grow homesick for Heaven,

And the glories I there shall behold;

What a joy that will be when my Savior I see,

In that beautiful city of gold.