Tea Talk -- Whate'er the Father's Pleasure

Welcome to my home!

Sit and share a cup of tea with me as we encourage each other in the Lord.

To participate, click on Ruth's button above.

I'm having...Crème de Limon from the Serene Teaz (pronounced as the plural  of serenity) shop in Wheaton.  The tea is rooibos-based, and highly lemon flavored, truly yummy.  I always give a little roll of the eyes when I look at its name.  (Apparently a customer named it in a tea-naming contest.)  As a lover of words, it vexes me that crème is French and limón is Spanish.  If I'm in a French mood, I call it crème de citron.  If Spanish, then it is crema de limón.  There.  Now I'm happy.

I'm feeling...fine.  My back is almost at 100%, just little twinges every now and then.  I've just been busy these past two weeks home from Georgia--and it's mostly laundry!

On my mind...Danny's graduation, of all things, because plans are not set for this summer and fall, when they should have been set a year ago.  I want to go hide somewhere for a while, but I don't think that will help things.

I leave you with...lyrics from a hymn that I played in our church orchestra last month.  May He guide both you and me!

If You Will Only Let God Guide You

If you will only let God guide you,

And hope in Him thru all your ways,

Whatever comes, He'll stand beside you,

To bear you thru the evil days;

Who trusts in God's unchanging love

Builds on the rock that cannot move.

Only be still, and wait His leisure

In cheerful hope, with heart content

To take whate'er the Father's pleasure

And all discerning love have sent;

Nor doubt our inmost wants are known

To Him who chose us for His own.

Sing, pray and swerve not from His ways,

But do your part in conscience true;

Trust His rich promises of grace,

So shall they be fulfilled in you;

God hears the call of those in need,

The souls that trust in Him indeed.

Back to life,
Christine

visit my photography blog!
christine anne photography

It's Not All Academics

A few weeks ago, a short conversation was hopping around my circle of blog friends.  We all pretty much agreed that we don't post much about our homeschool.  For me, this blog contains the chronicles of our lives together as a family, a written heritage, if you will, of our family's life, including everyday life, special events, meals shared, recipes we've enjoyed, stories of joy and sadness.

I think the reason that I don't post much about our homeschool is that it is such an integrated part of our lives.  It's just what we do.  The school subjects are there every day, and they get done.  I don't really want to blog about what Thomas studied in history today, or about the essay paper Danny has to write for English Composition.  I guess that school is such a seamless part of our day and our lives that it doesn't seem important enough, or momentous enough, to blog about.  Don't get me wrong--it's important!  But it is as natural as someone going to work each day, or even as someone going to an actual school building each day.  It's just what we do.

Homeschool life is everyday life.  It is a lifestyle dedicated to these goals, in this order:

• Discipling our sons in His Word, and living out our lives with Him before them, that they would in turn become followers of Christ.
• Living our lives together, working on character training, building each other up in Christ--as iron sharpens iron
• Fostering a love of learning, and of books, and of curiosity
• Taking care of academics

Christ is the Preeminent One in our lives and in our home.  Academics are secondary.  This is the way it is.

I do have lots of images of the boys studying, doing school, and participating in activities--especially science experiments.  And every now and then, I'll post an image, or write a post, about what we're doing.  This post, then, serves as proof that we really do cover the academics!

Great are the works of the LORD;

They are studied by all who delight in them.

Psalm 111:2 nasb

Back to life,
Christine

visit my photography blog!
christine anne photography

Travelling to Spring

I'm back, and starting to get back into the swing of all things blog.  I'm still editing photos, and otherwise wandering around the house wondering what day it is and what exactly I'm supposed to be doing.  You see, I contracted a case--a serious case--of spring fever last week, and it has been hard to shake!

I'd like to publish just one post about my trip into warm weather, but after editing 800+ images, I'm not sure that will happen.  :)  I will post just the basic ones, though, so as not to bore you.  The really amazing captures will be posted over on my photography blog, for show-off purposes.  So let's get on the plane and begin.

My heart-sister Dee and her husband picked us up from the airport and we hit the ground running.  We had to stop to see their son Jay at work at Chick-Fil-A.  I don't even know if I spelled that correctly, but given their misspelled advertisements, I'm sure they won't mind.

Part of our kitchen tour!

Then it was off to Miss S's speech and debate tournament.  She presented two speeches and did a great job.  Before Miss S began, one of the judges turned to me and whispered, "Are you the mom?"  I replied, "No, I'm the auntie."  :)

Miss Jo made these amazing biscotti for the Mother/Daughter Encouragement weekend.  I took a ton of pictures, but here is the yummiest one.  :)

Then it was off to shoot the Mother/Daughter Encouragement event!  I didn't see Danny for a full day, but Jay, Danny, and the guys showed up on Saturday to work as volunteers.

Event photos to come at a later date.  Dee took me on some crazy golf cart rides (aka, nature photo shoots, or something along that idea).  Golf cart paths are woven around and through the entire city, through pine forests and shopping malls.  It's pretty crazy, but tons of fun.  Here is one of the golf cart tunnels.

See?  It really is a golf cart community.  This path runs through the park, and it was a 78-degree day.

So for this photo shoot ride, every now and then I would gasp, or holler, "Stop!"  Dee would brake, I would hop out (or change lenses then hop out), and snap a bunch of images of whatever caught my eye.  What a dear, dear friend to indulge me in this way!  Anything with color obviously caught my eye--neither of us knew what this flower was, except yellow--a simply lovely color after winter.

One possible downfall with electric golf carts is that they run out of "juice."  This happened to us on Sunday as Miss Dee's husband drove us around.  We were fairly close to their home, though, so it made a nice walk.  And I didn't have to holler, "Stop!" to anyone.

Below is the lake (pond?) at the end of their street.

They explained to me that it is rarely breezy, so Mr. B was enjoying the wind as we finished our walk home.

A day at Dee's home wouldn't be complete without a game of Scrabble.  The words below describe it all.

Looking through my images, I see that I have much more to post.  I wanted to put a few up here just to let you all know that I am actually back.  Now, I have to get to work--laundry, dishes, meals, convention planning stuff, etc.  The list grew while I was gone!

Back to life,
Christine

visit my photography blog!
christine anne photography

FFG -- Cinnamon Pecan Muffins

My sweet friend Lori hosts Friday Farm Girls @ Heart every week;

please click on her button to visit her blog

and to find out how you can participate!

I was so happy to receive my Pampered Chef stoneware muffin pan this past Monday from a young lady who recently hostessed a party.  Now that I have two stoneware muffin pans, I can make two dozen muffins.  No more hungry teenage boys crossing their eyes when I declare, "Three muffins each, now, boys!"  Now I have leftover muffins, to be eaten throughout the day, or even for breakfast the next morning!  It's proof to darling husband that I fed his boys breakfast.  Not that he requires it--the proof or the feeding--but now I can proudly point and say, "Look what I made for breakfast!  Would you like one?"  :)

Cinnamon Pecan Muffins

1 1/4 cup flour (I used fresh-ground whole-wheat and added an extra 1/4 cup)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar (I used cane juice crystals)
3/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 egg, beaten

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar (I used sucanat)
1/2 cup oats
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Coat muffin cups with butter.  Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt.  In a separate bowl, mix sugar, milk, butter, and egg.  Add liquid mixture to flour mixture and mix just until moistened.  In a small bowl mix topping ingredients.

Fill muffin cups about half full with batter, sprinkle topping, then fill cups with remaining batter and top with remaining topping.  Bake about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool ten minutes before serving.  Makes 12 muffins.

Back to life,
Christine

visit my photography blog!
christine anne photography

Tea Talk -- To Him Who Is Able

Welcome to my home!

Sit and share a cup of tea with me as we encourage each other in the Lord.

To participate, click on Ruth's button above.

I'm having...a cup of hot chocolate, with a dusting of mix on top.  I think it looks pretty even in muted tones.

I'm feeling...decent, trying to get over this cold, which is mostly just sneezes and sniffles.  I'm thankful, though, that I came down with it this past week, and not next week when I'm scheduled to fly to Georgia for a weekend-long photo shoot.  I should be healthier by this time next week, and ready to travel.

On my mind...is that very photo shoot!  I have the great privilege of shooting images--both candid and portraits--for Southeastern Christian Home Discipleship Families.  I need to make sure all of my camera equipment is ready to go, and that I have everything I need.  Of course, my always-handy vacation list needs to be modified, and this time for two!  Danny will be accompanying me as my traveling companion, luggage and equipment handler, and "minister of friendship" to the T. family (specifically their son Jay!) while we're in Atlanta.  Though Danny was supposed to be a "surprise" for the T. children, they found out anyway (they usually do one way or another), so there are no secrets to be kept and we can concentrate on simply preparing for our journey.

I leave you with...a praise and benediction to the Lord.  I have been reading various verses about how the Lord is glorified, and how He is (and will be) glorified through us, and how we must live to His glory (and not to our own).  These following verses are fitting.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly

beyond all that we ask or think,

according to the power that works within us,

to Him be the glory in the church

and in Christ Jesus

to all generations

forever and ever.  Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21 nasb

Back to life,
Christine

visit my photography blog!
christine anne photography

Counting My Blessings -- February 15

Join us in counting our blessings by clicking above to visit Tamara's blog.

Oh, how I praise the name of my heavenly Father, who adds to His Kingdom those He has chosen.

Our sweet Joseph

Joseph has struggled with faith and doubt these past three or four years.  He has asked the tough questions:  Why did God make me like this?  Why did He give me autism?  What is the purpose?  How come He hasn't healed me?  He has had agonizing conversations with his dad, struggling to put his thoughts and emotions into words.  And his dad has been so patient with him, giving words for those thoughts, the things locked up in Joseph's head.

On Sunday, February 13, Joseph, with the help of his dad, surrendered his life to Christ once and for all.  Doubts about the future may linger, struggles on the path are certain, but Joseph belongs to Him now.  And there is no doubt about that.

How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,

Whose sin is covered!

Psalm 32:1 nasb

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,

but you are fellow citizens with the saints,

and are of God's household.

Ephesians 2:19 nasb

Back to life,
Christine

visit my photography blog!
christine anne photography

Tea Talk -- Praise the Lord

Welcome to my home!

Sit and share a cup of tea with me as we encourage each other in the Lord.

To participate, click on Ruth's button above.

I'm having...Earl Grey tea sweetened with raw honey.  Perfect in the afternoon!  Below is an image of my favorite tea mug, which I'm no longer using.  I posted its fate here; for now, I'm enjoying being able to see it whole and useful with this image taken before its demise.

I'm feeling...It's funny, I don't usually think about how I feel.  I always have to pause and think about what to share here.  :)  Happy or sad, healthy or sick, peaceful or overwhelmed?  I feel fine, though I am getting a cold, I think, with fighting a headache and general lethargy which I know is not laziness.

On my mind...Oh, lots of things to do this week.  Doctor appointment today (nothing serious), "date" with my parents tomorrow (they invited me to a Home & Garden show!), "fashion show" at Christopher & Banks on Saturday (I get to "model" two outfits in the store).  A busy end-of-week but hopefully a peaceful weekend to rest, recuperate, and accomplish some goals for school and cleaning.

I leave you with...Psalm 117.  Yes, the whole Psalm.  (It's only two verses.)  My head isn't thinking clearly enough to post anything "deep," but these two verses are deep enough!

Praise the LORD, all nations;

Laud Him, all peoples!

For His lovingkindness is great toward us,

And the truth of the LORD is everlasting.

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 117:1-2 nasb

Praise Him; His truth stands forever.  He is my Rock.

Back to life,
Christine

visit my photography blog!
christine anne photography