Life’s A Weekend!

I was brought up to go to Church on Sunday. That’s the first call on your time each Sunday. I have wholeheartedly believed this - til the end of last year.

Factors that have contributed to changes in my thinking about what church (small ‘c’) is, include:

• multiple migraines (and not wanting to endure teenage angst, weak songs, and poorly balanced sound during the ‘worship’ time at Church)
• busyness and lack of time ‘in the quiet’ as I home educate 2 primary-aged children
• 18 years ago doing church planting - church growth study and thinking at MISSONZ, thinking how best to ‘do’ church; how to fulfil God’s (com-)mission
• believing that overseas ‘missionaries’ get far too much attention compared to local ‘missionaries’-apostles-’set apart’-called people (which in my view should be all followers of Jesus).

I still hold the importance of observing the Lord’s Day, a Sabbath Day of Rest. 

But I now realise that ‘church’ (the Bride of Christ, people who follow Jesus on this earth)

• doesn’t necessarily have four walls,
• that it is better being thought of as ‘being’ church rather than ‘doing’ church, and
• that church doesn’t necessarily nor exclusively happen on Sunday (or your Sabbath Day of Rest).

Church is (like love) what church does. People are the church. We live fantastic lives showing God’s love and grace to people in our communities and networks. We are (like) salt and light in the world. We live a life that is visibly different from the world.

This may be able to be done within the confines of a structured, ‘institutional’ Church, but for me, for now, I highly value our home group on Wednesdays and meeting with my home educating colleagues casually yet regularly. We have spiritual conversations, share meals and communion, speak from the Scriptures, pray, correct, and generally “one another” each other. We share what God is doing in our lives and the exciting things that He is teaching us.

Followers of Jesus (Christians), what is church for you? what does it look like?

Here’s a few unrelated links to things that caught my mind-eye:
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Now I know where to find my Nana.

http://web.hcc.govt.nz/jsplive/assure32.jsp - fill in the name of the deceased in the boxes provided and their listing and map for the Hamilton cemetery will come up.

http://hamilton.co.nz/page/pageid/2145827212/Cemetery_Maps - maps

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An utterly fascinating illustration of this duping of ourselves is the latest arts building opened at Ohio State University, the Wexner Center for the Performing Arts, another one of our chimerical exploits in the name of intellectual advance. Newsweek branded this building “America’s first deconstructionist building.” It’s white scaffolding, red brick turrets, and Colorado grass pods evoke a double take.

But puzzlement only intensifies when you enter the building, for inside you encounter stairways that go nowhere, pillars that hang from the ceiling without purpose, and angled surfaces configured to create a sense of vertigo. The architect, we are duly informed, designed this building to reflect life itself-senseless and incoherent- and the “capriciousness of the rules that organize the built world.”

When the rationale was explained to me, I had just one question: Did he do the same with the foundation?

The laughter in response to my question unmasked the double standard our deconstructionists espouse. And that is precisely the double standard of atheism! It is possible to dress up and romanticize our bizarre experiments in social restructuring while disavowing truth or absolutes. But one dares not play such deadly games with the foundations of good thinking.
- Ravi Zacharias

Create a Sense of Serenity

There’s enough chaos in the world, but you can instead create serenity in your personal world. Here are 7 easy ideas:

1. Get rid of one thing. If the prospect of ridding your entire house of clutter seems to be am impossible feat, make it your goal to get rid of just one thing you don’t need each day.

2. Clear the clutter out of your vehicle. Get rid of candy wrappers, soda cans, old papers, magazines and other trash on a daily basis.

3. Eliminate the chaos from your desk. The surface of your desk should be free of all papers and other debris to set the stage for productivity and creative thinking.

4. Wake up earlier. Stop rushing around each day. Wake up earlier so you have enough time to relax with a cup of coffee, to step outside and breathe in the fresh air or to read a chapter in your favorite inspirational book.

5. Dedicate 30 minutes to You. Schedule no less than 30 minutes each day to do something you love. Keep that appointment, just as you would any other important one.

6. Make your bedroom a restful haven. Every morning, make your bed right after you get up. Remove the piles of paper. Clear off the dresser tops. Put any dirty clothes in the laundry room. Remove the dusty stuff stored under the bed and get rid of anything you no longer need. When you’re ready to go to bed at night, you should be able to do so in a peaceful, uncluttered place.

7. Sprinkle in some rewards. Many people agonise just trying to get through their To Do lists. To make your day more fulfilling, while still getting things done, sprinkle rewards throughout your day. For example, take 10 minutes to do something you enjoy after every single task you complete.

http://www.getorganizednow.com/ - August 2006

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I hope you noticed that I tagged this “future” - one day this may be the reality in my home! It’s good to remind myself.

Are there any homeschoolers who are immaculate cleanies??

http://aholyexperience.com/2007/05/one-piece-life.html -

“the profane is just the sacred abused” (quote from Buchanan)

“In God…we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

“God be in my head, and in my understanding,
God be in my eyes, And in my looking,
God be in my mouth, And in my speaking;
God be in my heart, And in my feeling;
God be at my death And at my departing.” ~Walford Davies, hymn
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Quote from: http://aholyexperience.com/2008/01/seven-daily-rungs.html

First Rung ~ Listening: a way of the Spirit (Scripture reading, prayer and memorization)

Second Rung ~Love: a way of sacrificing (that which is at the the heart of everything we do)

Third Rung ~ Labour: a way of serving (farm work, household chores, creativity, ministries, volunteer work)

Fourth Rung ~ Loveliness: a way of seeing (Poetry, Nature, Music and Art)

Fifth Rung ~ Literature: a way of seeking (discovery through great books)

Sixth Rung ~ Language: a way of speaking (narrations, Latin/Greek, grammar, writing)

Seventh Rung ~ Logic: a way of scaffolding (ideas, reasoning, science, mathematics, discussing)

As the sun sets in the west, we ring the farm table, and pause to reflect on the shadow of the seven daily rungs.

Hands to ears, we ask of the first rung: Did we listen to our Lord today? Hands over hearts, we question the second rung: Did we love Jesus by loving others?

Then, holding fingers high, we mark off the five remaining rungs:
Labor: Whom did we serve today?
Loveliness: What did we see today?
Literature: What did we seek and discover in good books today?
Language: How did use we speak, written and orally, today?
Logic: How did we scaffold into new ideas and understanding today?

Hands reach out to lace fingers together.
…
In the quiet coming down, we crown the day with laughter, taking our daily heart medicine of joy. … But from each of the seven daily rungs in a holistic homeschooling education— listening, loving, labouring, looking on loveliness, learning literature, language and logic– we’ve kept our eyes on our reward. The Lord Himself.

Who is the Way through everyday.

– start the day with … (http://mamahooper.blogspot.com/2008/01/invitation.html)

An Invitation

Lord, please be with us today-
Bless our school in every way.
We promise to
Listen to
Everything You say!

Help us as we learn new things,
Guide us as we count and sing.
When Mama speaks
We’ll be meek
To honor You, our King!

Lord, we want to learn and grow,
Because You gave us minds, and so
We’ll begin
Following
The way that we should go!

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http://www.emergentkiwi.org.nz/archives/smash_communion.php - read about a different styled communion service.

‘Colliding Worlds’ is about a Christian worldview meeting/clashing with a secular world view. Expectations and opinions that don’t match, mesh, or meet well - if at all.

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Enjoy reading more of these blogs above.

Blessings on your and your household,
Johanna

God in the beginning didn’t want Israel to have a king, but the people nagged him, so they got a king. One by one most of them failed - and even David showed his human frailty.

The pressure and scrutiny on people in leadership is intense and it’s not for the faint-hearted. So people want a leader, but it seems to me that that just takes the heat off the individuals for making their own decisions and being responsible for what they do. We see this in schools, churches, and government.

Our family homeschools. We take responsibility as to what part of the NZ curriculum we do - or not. Our family does the 3Rs plus ‘religion’, research, and real life. The children learn what to do and how to do it, learning the process and the content.

We do not have a timetable or a predetermined plan - more a menu from which to choose. We have a theme for the term, selected by the children, which colours what they do and learn. My 10yo is at the stage where she can decide what to do each day and achieve a longer term goal of completing a lapbook (a creatively presented unit study project).

In churches, the congregation tends to sit in the pews soaking up the entertainment and words from the front. What thought or direct worship with God comes from the masses as individuals? We make the pastors/preachers into ‘kings’ - weakening the personal responsibility of the individual for their own relationship with God. And then it’s not uncommon for the masses to turn on and criticise or judge the leaders (maybe rightly, possibly not). This is partly why our family is seeking meeting with Christians who will ”bring a word” or Psalm, sing a song, exercise their God-given gifts, and all contribute towards a corporate collective expression of faith. No ‘kings’, no ‘king-makers’, except the King of Kings.

Glorify Him!

This is not an authoritative treatise on decision-making, though I’ve read plenty of them recently as I consider a new opportunity and ministry role.

How do you make decisions? With a grid analysis chart or some ranking system. Maybe you consider different criteria and options. Let your mind wander down the lane of consequences if you do - or don’t - take the position or buy that car or house. A mind map with a brainstorm, or a quad with YES, good + bad and NO, bad + good in the corners can also clarify some issues.

Maybe your God-centred worldview will encourage you to read the Bible, listen to various advisors, and line up attitudes, abilities, and what you know of God’s ways - like the ship lining up lights in the harbour channel.

Hey! It says in the Bible (Proverbs 16:33) that God controls the fall of the dice (or the coin), so it might be time-saving - and stress-saving - to just assign a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ (like ‘thummin’ and ‘urim’ of the Jews) and go with the result - and really, if you’re desperate to do the other thing - then do it! What’s the worst thing that can happen anyway?

Does God have an individual plan for your life? I’m not so certain. He gives us His wisdom and principles by which to live life - and a creative brain. We have to supply a theology of failure (and success too for that matter) - and then just make a sensible decision with the information that you’ve gathered.

Analysis paralysis cramps your style. Launch out with the confidence, joy, faith, and nerve-calming wisdom that God gives. Yep! Intelligent beings can still ask for God for His wisdom - and so often it’s a case of : You don’t have cos you don’t ask!

… I need to ask, God, for some wisdom …

Why don’t I write much on Thoughtful Thursday?

Why do I forget  …  ?

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(love this .. sorry, can’t remember who I swiped it off)

Who said that ‘thoughtful’ can’t be tongue-in-cheek?

http://www.teachinghome.com/newsletters/newsletter207.cfm

April Fool’s light hearted approach to homeschooling

Here’s the Headers:
Top 10 Tips for April 1st

10.  How To Make Your House Clean Itself
  9.  P.E. Can Work Out for You
  8.  Hands-on History
  7.  Lazy Science
  6.  999 Ways To Teach the Multiplication Tables
  5.  Free Math Manipulatives
  4.  Short Cut To Reading
  3.  How To Plan a Field Trip
  2.  Easy Home Schooling
  1.  How To Be the Perfect Home Schooler

Enclosed is a Prayer (Table) Mat (click link ) -

Children’s Prayer Mat

Discuss the big words and ideas. Pick and choose from each day?
Write names or add pictures to boxes under the family members. Add in a Bible passage and a song - there’s one way to do family worship.

A great mealtime activity - morning AND night?

You can print it out on card and laminate or put in large ziploc bag.

Mummy Monday
- to young children, home educating mothers

Tummy Tuesday
- recipes, healthy food

Weblinks Wednesday
links for anything that interests me - homeschool, migraines, creativity 
- or maybe Wordless Wednesday? - a picture or photo

Thoughtful Thursday
- a question, a ponder …

Fellowship Friday
- friendships, organic church …

I do not promise to post every day every week, but I thought this could put a structure on my thinking and posting.

See you soon,
Johanna
www.lapbooking.wordpress.com
www.lapbooking.tumblr.com

DH - www.2Restore.wordpress.com
chn - www.kiwikids.tumblr.com