Sunday Reflections: Hard at Work

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Life at the Strauss House...

School is in full swing.  I love when you hit that part of the school year where tiny glimpses of progress begin to show fruit.  While I know that little bits every day add up, sometimes it's hard to remember when the rubber hits the road.  Grace has been working on Latin for about 10 - 15 minutes per day, but everyday she gets faster and more confident in what she's learning.  Ellen has been reading to me every day, and I can see her decoding skills getting stronger and her enjoyment of reading increasing.  I love being with my kids for these moments!

Where I'm reading in the Bible...

John writes in his first epistle about fellowship, and walking in the light.  It's easy to feel like you have to be perfect in order to enjoy this fellowship.  The reality is that we are all sinners.  If we are expected to live perfectly, even with the help of God, we will fail.  It's impossible.  If anyone presents himself as righteous by his own merit, he's deceiving himself.  In 1 John 2:1 John's encouragement is that "if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."  In the righteousness of Christ alone can we place our hope.  With my masks of perfection taken off, I can live humbly in the understanding that while I strive to be Christ-like, I'm going to fail, and He will take my case and advocate for me paying all of my penalties.

What books we're reading...

Jason: His music lessons have started in full swing...his book list has shrunk a bit!

• Norms and Nobility
• Bronze Bow
• The Odyssey

Betsy: .

• The Scarlet Letter

Family Read Alouds: 

• Mary Slessor

Will: 

• The Scarlet Letter

Grace: 

• The Middle Moffat
• The Extraordinary Education of Mr. Benedict

Ellen: 

• Winnie the Pooh

Nana:

• A Rose Blooms Twice

Steps towards a healthier lifestyle...

This week has been a bust in terms of sticking to my resolutions.  Steps have been minimal, caffeine has been excessive.  What do you do to recover from failures?  I know that the best way to turn things around is to take it one choice at a time.  I think my deepest failures are the fact that I attempt to do things in my own strength.  I can never succeed in my own strength to do what God has called me to do.

This week's highlights...

I love seeing my son work hard for his family.  He's pretty much taken over the yard care, and sometimes that means troubleshooting mower malfunctions.

I also attended my first blog conference ever! Blog Elevated was a great introduction to the world of blogging as a business.  My favorite part was hanging out with my friend and fellow homeschooler, Esther Irish, who has mentored me throughout my blogging beginnings.

 Sunday Reflections:

As I look back over the week, ten things I can thank God for :

• 12 hard working students in my Challenge I class
• Watching IEW videos with friends
• Hints of fall weather in the air
• Grace and forgiveness resulting in reconciliation of relationships
• My dishwasher - both my mother and the machine that does the rest of the work
• Inquisitive kids that figure out when to use "sh, ti, si, or ci" in spelling...I need help!
• Park playdates with friends
• My husband taking the kids to church on Wednesday night, giving me time to read/study
• Lavender essential oil that makes me fall asleep quickly!
• My mother watching my kids for me for my conference...she's wonderful!

The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26

I'm excited to be linking up with Collage Friday!

Betsy

Betsy Strauss is an unexpected homeschooler, mother of three, who is in a relationship with a sweet man for life. She loves reading books, drinking coffee, and learning anything with her kids.