Celebrate the Journey

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I have just returned from the Apologia Live retreat in Atlanta this weekend. It was my first time and can I say, "WOW!?!" This retreat is  for Christian homeschooling moms and it was amazing, encouraging, and empowering! I am so thankful that my husband encouraged me to go and that I had friends to go with (I also made some new friends). I almost didn't go to this retreat because I did not know anyone there. My other homeschooling friends were not sure they could go, but I had it on my heart that I really needed to go. Then, I remembered another homeschooling mom that I had just recently met. The deadline to register was just a few days away and I sent "S" a FB message, "It's short notice but would you like to come with me?" She replied, "oh wow short notice. Let me talk to Hubby tonight." Then, she yes. This was not accidental, friends. This was God's work. The prayers that I had been praying...God answered them by sending me to this retreat. Everything I heard on this retreat was just what I needed to hear...to encourage me as a wife, a mother, and my children's teacher.

These speakers were pioneers of homeschooling. It was such an awesome privilege to hear the testimonies of how God worked and is still working in these women's lives. I kept getting goosebumps. Sometimes it's so hard to see what it will look like in the future for our family, how our children will turn out, and all the other worries that the enemy tries to bombard us with so we can doubt God's will for me and my family. We can't see the big picture that God sees but that isn't what he asks of us. He only asks that we obey and follow with faith.

Back to the speakers...Rachael Carmen (I am smitten by her!) presented her talk on Love, Laugh, and Learning and how as homeschooling moms, most of us probably have the list flip-flopped. Where we have placed academic learning above loving and laughing. I admit, that when I began this homeschooling journey, I did it with the intent of love. But somewhere along the way, I lost the tenderness and laughter as I let my prior experiences as a teacher and as a student from secular schools inhibit the way  why I should be homeschooling. I had not freed myself or my children from the ways of institutionalized "schooling". I confess...I was not smiling...I was not laughing. I was being way too serious.  I was in fervent prayer about it all for awhile now and God answered my prayers as I fellowship with these other amazing homeschooling moms at this conference. I needed to lighten up, enjoy my children, and celebrate the journey that we were on.

Did I mention that Pam Tebow was there? She sang to us...scriptures that she sang to her children. SO AMAZING! She is such a lovely person. I love how she referred to her son as Timmy :)

We also got to hear Debra Bell, Elizabeth Smith, Jeannie Fulbright, and Zan Tyler. They were all so wonderfully talented and eloquent in their words to us. Everything they shared was everything I needed to hear. God did this. He planned this for all us homeschooling moms that were in need of rest and renewal. 

I have to share that I love Anne MacCallum! She wrote a song specifically for this year's retreat theme "Celebrate the Journey" and has done the same for previous retreats. What talent she has for singing and songwriting. I loved the theme song and I bought one of her CDs while there- Over The Moon and absolutely love it! Even my kids listen intently to her CD. If you have never heard her sing or her songs, please spoil your ears by checking out her music.

This scripture has been on mind lately and one that I am trying to commit to memory...

1 Corinthians 13
¹ If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,but do not have love, I gain nothing.
 ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Another one of my favorite part of the retreat was the time for prayer. Both nights, we were given time to pray as Rachael walked around praying for us as well. It just reminded me how important prayer is in my daily life. I came home exploding with excitement and sharing it all with my husband. I have already told all my friends who weren't able to attend that we must go next year.

Thank you God for answering my prayers, for leading me beside quiet waters, for refreshing my soul, and for guiding me along the right path for your name sake. Thank you God for this journey!

PS. I had the honor of meeting Gretta (far left) this weekend at the retreat and hear about her wonderful testimony of God's providence in her life. She also does a beautiful job of describing the Apologia retreat this weekend. She did it much more succinctly than I did without some much rambling. ;) Visit The Johns Family to read all about our awesome weekend! I'm honored she mentioned me and my little ole blog :D

~H

An experimental journey

Why... hello? It's been a long time since I've been on here...so sorry. I'm probably talking to myself but that's ok. I'm on here to document an experimental journey of fasting that we are taking with our small group. We (not Hubby) have just finished an awesome book by Jen Hatmaker called 7-An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess. You can read about it here on her blog. She is a phenomenal writer...really brings you into her life. It's like you're right there with her. And she is hilarious. I would totally be her friend. :) There is also a blog set up for those trying this experiment out called Fasting with Seven.

Anywho...Our small group decided to try out this experiment. So this first month is Food. We don't really think about it too much. I mean we eat what we want usually. Sometimes, we can be pretty wasteful, too. We are pretty picky...even those of us who claim we aren't...we still are. It's just your perspective. We each picked 7 foods that we would eat this month. Salt, pepper, and olive oil were sanctioned seasoning. We are also taking vitamins supplements this month.
My seven foods are:

• chicken
• rice
• eggs
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Bananas
• Tomato (it's a fruit and can be used like a vegetable!)

Hubby's foods are:

• Chicken
• rice
• shredded wheat cereal (easy breakfast and snack option if wife is still sleeping)
• broccoli
• carrots
• apples
• coffee (i'm jealous about this one, but he needs this to stay awake in front of the computer all day)

Even the kids wanted to give up some foods. At first I thought about 7 foods for them like ice cream, cake, cookies, candies, juice, etc but then it took away all their fun foods...didn't want to be so mean so we settled for 3. They both gave up ice cream and juice. E-Pie chose chocolate milk so she is drinking strictly white milk and is enjoying it. She asks for it at dinner, too. C-Bear gave up cookies and if you know him, that is a BIG deal. He LOVES cookies. So we are very proud of them both. I was thinking they do the whole 28 days with us but Daddy feels a week should be enough.

I will be documenting some of my days on here this month if you are interested in finding out how we did on this journey (and if you have nothing else to do ;) Knowing me, I will have a hard time blogging about it all but at least you can catch a glimpse of some of this month's journey. It will not be posted until the end of the month.

The day before our first day, I drank a good amount of coffee. Our small group got together for our "Last Supper" and we all brought various goodies to share and stuff our faces with. Time to BRING IT!

Day 1
Today has not been so bad except for a dull headache all day from the lack of caffeine. I really wanted something to snack on but nothing on the list for good crunchy snacking. Too many carrots and I will turn orange. I could feign a really bad spray-on tan. Grape tomatoes were working but definitely feeling the urge to change bananas to cereal option since I hadn't eaten a banana yet. Kids were excited about giving up some foods. Super proud of them. They even enjoyed our first 7 dinner.

Day 2
I will just have to take my coffee through my olfactory senses as I make it for Hubby. No sign of headache yet. Still contemplating switching out bananas for cereal. Since we have slightly different lists, I keep forgetting that Hubs doesn't have tomato on his list. Headache finally hit after lunch and I napped it away. Confession time...I had some of Hubby's cereal because I was intending to replace the bananas but I had an epiphany during dinner...RICE CAKES! and BANANA CHIPS! so I am switching back. Hope you don't hate me. I ran out to the Asian supermarket that night and bought some.

Day 3
Rice cakes are my new best friend!

Day 4
The headaches have subsided! At least for today. I am sure that being outside on this beautiful sunny day helped, too. The kids and I walked to the park. They played while I chatted away with my sweet friend about our 7 experiences. She told me that they sell chicken sausage at the store...so, guess what? I went and got some! Hubby will be super excited about this little change. I also bought him some apple cider. Another sweet surprise. I got me some banana chips...yummmm.
I also noticed today that I was not as cranky as I have been lately. I did pray fervently about it last night...for patience and love for my children..everything that 1 Corinthians 4 talks about. They are the ones that have to suffer if Mommy is cranky and moody. This fasting is allowing me to draw closer to God...not to rely on me but to rely on him. In my weakness He is strong and He will carry me through. Only 24 more days! Staying strong! :D

Day 5
The kids and I were invited to Cracker Barrel for lunch by the In-Laws...it would have been rude to tell them no so we went. No twisting of arm needed. I did stay as close to the diet guidelines as I could get out. It was a nice treat though..I am not complaining ;)

Day 6
We were invited to a friend's birthday party. She was really sweet and made sure to have some food on hand for us during her brunch meal. We have to confess we did eat some carrot cake cupcakes because it would have been rude not to eat the cupcake at the BIRTHDAY party. I did avoid the frosting. We did not want to be rude...and we are not perfect legalists either.

OK...I have always been bad about sticking with something (like keeping current on my own blog) so this is as far as I got with the documenting of each day of this food month.

But overall, we stayed true to our diet. I did switch out bananas for yogurt in the middle so I could get in more calcium and Vitamin D. Hubby took coffee off his list for a week and did yogurt as well but had to go back on coffee when he could not focus at work. One cup did the trick for him. When we were invited out to eat with family which totaled about 4 times this month, we tried our very best to stay within the guidelines.

Today is Day 28 of our journey. We will celebrate as a small group (sans children) this evening by going to a Mexican restaurant and eating it up! I am so excited to share our journey's confessions and struggles with one another and also to eat chips and salsa among many other things.

What I have learned from this experience...we are blessed beyond words to have what we have. We eat what we want when we want. There is no lack of whatsoever. If we crave this, we go to the store/restaurant and get it. It allowed me to be thoughtful of the millions around the world that does not have the luxury of convenience and variety. I learned that I could do this...that God gave me the strength and perseverance to get through each day on the 7 foods. I had energy and was still likable. I had to be intentional. I could not be lazy and wait around for meal times to figure out what to eat. I had to plan and prep food. Hubby brought lunch from home when he went to work so I had to make sure to have leftovers so that he would have something to eat. It was not something I could whip up early in the morning while half asleep. If I didn't have his lunch ready, he would not eat the entire day and that would have made for a grumpy husband and that he was not. He did miss his evening beer, though. I had to be creative on how we could cook chicken, rice, broccoli, and carrots...how many different combinations and methods. Here are some pictures of the dishes that I remembered to capture on camera.

Overall, we did it and it was definitely a learning experience. I hope this stays with us as we move forward...to be thoughtful and grateful for what we are blessed with. Next month is clothing....