All About Spelling is the Best Spelling Program

I have done a lot of spelling programs with my children through the years. Nothing has improved testing scores like All About Spelling though. My one child improved by 5 stanine levels after two years of doing AAS. It is unreal to me. The first year the improvement was 30%, then this year it has been a bit more than 20% again.

If you need a solid spelling program, try AAS. It is worth it.

Doctrinal Statement of TMS

I was reading the doctrinal statement of The Masters Seminary tonight. It is a terrific way to study the fundamentals of biblical Christianity. Here is the link: http://www.tms.edu/academics/graduate/mdiv/.

When you click on About the Seminary, the first line you'll see in the tab is Doctrinal Statement. It would be a worthwhile endeavor to print it out, grab a notebook and Bible, and start looking up the references given for the statements made. It would be a lengthy and free Bible study that I think would enrich any Christian's pursuit of holiness and truth.

Conviction of the Holy Spirit

Are you a Christian, meaning you have trusted Christ as the payment for your sins and you live according to the Scriptures, bearing the fruit spoken of in the Bible, which is evidence of your conversion? If so, have you experienced people wrongly attributing judgment to you, which you would not actually pass? For example, you aren't told about the sinful choices of others because it is assumed you will lecture about the wrongful nature of the choice. Perhaps you get told only part of a story so the rest, which is evidence of sin, can be casually mentioned like it is 'no big deal' at a later date. If so, take heart, Christian! Realize that unbelievers or lukewarm believers usually mistake the conviction of the Holy Spirit as something else entirely.

I recall being told by one of my best friends in high school that she felt judged by me when I became a believer. I had not said a word to her about alcohol, smoking, fornication or unwholesome speech--I only changed my behaviors. It makes no difference, it is as if people hear you saying things that they are actually 'hearing' in their own head.

Conviction from the Holy Spirit is a blessing. It is meant to turn us from what is wrong to embrace what is God's way and will. One day God will remove the chastening power of His Spirit when the church is raptured; people will be left fully to their own devices.

It is a form of persecution when we are wrongly accused or wrongly assumed to be a way that we are not. Go to God and rejoice in opportunities to suffer for Him. Remember as believers we are to rightly judge whether something is holy or not. It is the world's lie that says we are never to judge sin as sin.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
Ps 91:1 NASB

Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Matthew 7:6

Pressing on,

ACL

Demas?

I wish that for a while now I wasn't writing about heartache, but writing helps.

There was someone. I allowed vulnerability on my end, and rejoiced in new-found similarities...but something happened. It was shown that the similarities were not really there. A seed which sprouted on the rocky soil and wilted in the sun. My singing heart cracked. Old wounds reopened, and in vain have I tried to press on.  While time may heal wounds, it can also cause them.

We do not war against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of darkness...

I'm feeling how narrow this road can be. 

If only there weren't views of those rejoicing along the way, on another road.

Psalm 40 NASB - God Sustains His Servant. - For the - Bible Gateway

Psalm 40 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

God Sustains His Servant.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

40 I waited [a]patiently for the Lord;

And He inclined to me and heard my cry.

2

He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the [b]miry clay,

And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.

3

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;

Many will see and fear

And will trust in the Lord.

4

How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust,

And has not [c]turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.

5

Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done,

And Your thoughts toward us;

There is none to compare with You.

If I would declare and speak of them,

They would be too numerous to count.

6

[d]Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired;

My ears You have [e]opened;

Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.

7

Then I said, “Behold, I come;

In the scroll of the book it is [f]written of me.

8

I delight to do Your will, O my God;

Your Law is within my heart.”

9

I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation;

Behold, I will not restrain my lips,

O Lord, You know.

10

I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;

I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;

I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.

11

You, O Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me;

[g]Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.

12

For evils beyond number have surrounded me;

My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see;

They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,

And my heart has [h]failed me.

13

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;

Make haste, O Lord, to help me.

14

Let those be ashamed and humiliated together

Who seek my [i]life to destroy it;

Let those be turned back and dishonored

Who delight [j]in my hurt.

15

Let those be [k]appalled because of their shame

Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”

16

Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;

Let those who love Your salvation say continually,

“The Lord be magnified!”

17

Since I am afflicted and needy,

[l]Let the Lord be mindful of me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

Do not delay, O my God.

via Psalm 40 NASB - God Sustains His Servant. - For the - Bible Gateway.

When Your Kid's Friend's Parents Are Not Necessarily Your Friends

I'm not sure just when it happened, but at some point between when my kids were in the young childhood stage and now, my friends stopped being the parents of my kids' friends. When I was younger and my kids were younger, we enjoyed meeting up at the park with 'our friends' or having people over so we could see all of our friends. With homeschooling, it isn't long before the lengthy days of school prevent regular afternoon playing. Somehow between that, personalities, and aging we are no longer part of the 'lets meet up at the park' crowd. The moms of my children's friends can be people I was once close to, am close to, really don't know, am just getting to know, or somewhere in between. Intermix a rather significant life situation, aka minor life crisis, and the dynamic changes. Intermix a change in your homeschool group, and it is akin to a nail in the coffin.

Today was a nice day to reminisce of how it used to be, and how I hope it can be again one day. I miss how life was when my kids were younger and everything felt easier and more carefree. I'm not sure why reaching 40, with all it encompasses, has been so difficult for me. I miss who I used to be, when time felt more on our side.

Sola Sisters: Christianity vs. Roman Catholicism

Sola Sisters: Christianity vs. Roman Catholicism - A Side-By-Side Chart of the Beliefs.

This is the best comparison chart I've seen between Biblical Christianity and Roman Catholicism. I hope it helps someone come to know Christ as Savoir. There are other resources on the Sola Sisters website, though it isn't upkept as a regular resource as of 2016. 

5/6/15

College Days

I had the best afternoon today. An old friend from college was up in our state, staying about 2 hours south of me. It is supposed to be 1.5 hrs away, but living where I do, there is always traffic. It was a nice ride by myself to see her, taking more than 2 hours to arrive. She is staying with other college friends from our 'group' who have been married for quite a while. Just visiting and talking with the 3 of them was such fun! A little reminiscing, laughing about how we're all older and have to work to keep the weight off, and talking about child rearing.... To enjoy the fact we're all still walking with the Lord was the most satisfying part of it all. We had all been in FCA together.

Sometimes it is easy to forget my college years. I sort of jump from high school to when I got saved during college, and then it is just marriage, children, homeschooling...

I loved being with these folks talking about familiar things from 18 years ago, and sharing how our lives are now. I hope God gives more opportunities like this.

Distance

There is a truth I've learned after more than 20 years of living away from my hometown.

Distance does not effect closeness to people as much as we might like to pretend it does.

Effort does.

Interest does.

It is sometimes painful to accept, but actions speak louder than words.