Our First School Day!!!!!!

Our first school day started out with some rough edges...like Siah very adamantly wanting to be served muffins for breakfast, the guys working, forgot their lunch and had to come home, and then later forgot the laser level and came home again, and then Mercy fell and hit her head getting a knot on her forehead. After a few adjustment were made, Siah cheerfully eating what was served, gathering all the left things, and comforting a hurt, we ended up having a good day! Our school consists of a curriculim we use, the Wisdom Booklets put out by the Advanced Training Institute along with math, some reading materials, and phonics for the younger ones. We are seeking to learn how we are blessed if we are reviled and persecuted for righteousness sake. Our character quality is endurance-inward strength to withstand stress to accomplish God's best. I had a good test this morning and I don't think I passed. A definition I told the younger ones was to don't give up till you reach the goal. What a great quality I need so desperately. To endure the trial of being seperated from Joel and allow God to accomplish his best in my life and our family. We started school the same day last year. I remember Joel and Josiah participating in an activity we had outside and they were so excited to receive their "prize." Only one year ago he was so happy and appeared so healthy! I interviewed the children and asked their favorited part of school today. Hosanna said, "she liked the endurance races we had outside and the story of David and Goliath. (I read the story and acted it out with a "Giant" toy figure and a "little fellow" for David. We were listening for the reviling words Goliath said to David. Jeremiah said "he liked the races and the prize he won". Micah said" he liked the endurance races and math was good but not fun". Josiah liked the races as well. Andrew said he liked the "outside stuff." Joshua said he liked what Micah did; (all prearranged, Micah enters the room with his pant leg rolled up with homeade blood running down, he sure got everyones attention! We had just read the treatment for "cutting words." For Micah's cut we had to lay him down, Hosanna put pressure to stop the bleeding, Jeremiah and Hosanna cleaned the wound and we then bandaged it all up. So as cutting words can wound us, we must receive direction and reassurance, we need the cleansing power of God's word to wash our wounded hearts. We must be careful that infection and bitterness do not spring up at the offender. May the Lord help each of us to say words that give life!

As the Lord brings it to your heart, continue to pray for my physical situation. Still waiting. Thats all I can do right now is pray and wait. I feel fine, it's just hard to wait. Like we are trying to learn...Endurance! Joel and Josiah's 4th birthday is next Thursday the 13th. I have a big knot in my stomach. I want to be strong and cheerful for Josiah. I just keep remembering their 3rd birthday last year with never a thought of what a year would bring. It's the mercy of the Lord that we don't know the future. He gives us grace just when we need it. Pray for my heart...it hurts.

You are special!

~Cindy

(the picture at the top is at Micah's 12th birthday last year, August 30 '06. The rest are from today)