Explorations in Antiquity - A Fabulous Field Trip!

Have you heard about the new Field Trip Blog Hop?     I'm excited to be linking up today... we had probably the best field trip EVER (well, LOCAL field trip, that is!) this past week and I can't wait to share it with you!

As part of the summer VBS program at our church  ~ Paul's Journeys ~ (have you read my story about our church... it's a story about trusting God!), a group of 50 youth and adults journeyed to The Explorations in Antiquity Center in Lagrange, GA.   It is essentially a living museum of life in ancient times.    Wow -- we learned SO MUCH!    


In addition to the bonds being formed between all ages at the church...

I got a chance to be with adults and middle/high school youth (while the younger children went to a Bible Land Adventure Camp) and learn about life in ancient times.  We sat under a real goat's hair tent and got a glimpse into the life of a shepherd.  We made our own bread and played instruments.  

The children participated in an archaeological dig, unearthing real treasures and artifacts!  

Ever since we began Volume 1 of The Story of The World, Miss B has had a bit of an obsession with archaeology.   Can you tell she was in heaven doing this dig?? 
 

Here's my junior paleontologist, also enjoying himself.   This dig comes on the heels of an obsession with dinosaurs!

Here's Miss B listening to one of the guides, and also showing off her Giant Chambered Nautilus fossil!  

Finally, a group of youth from the "lookout", making sure the village was safe!

We finished the day with a trip to Dairy Queen and lots of silliness in the van on the way home.   It was a perfect way to spend our day - learning and forming bonds with our church family!

God's Timing...

Last night my sweet Miss B had her piano recital.    I'm happy to report she did AWESOME!   The poise and confidence she shows for a nine year old is quite amazing to me.  Her three years of lessons and daily practice is starting to pay off... just goes to show that sticking to a difficult skill and persevering is one of life's best lessons.  


Compared to some of her friends, Miss B doesn't have a lot of family living nearby.  My husband's father (Granddaddy) lives just a few miles away and he never misses a special event in my children's lives.   I am so thankful for my sweet father-in-law.  Other than that, however, it's usually just our small family.    Sometimes that is ok, but there are other times where I know it kind of difficult for my children.  My mom and dad live twelve hours away, and most of their aunts, uncles and cousins live far away, too.

I need to sidetrack for a minute: 

I don't blog much about our church life, but I really should.     After much heartache and soul searching, we left the only church our children had known last year at this time.  Nearly 1/3 of the active members left as well.   This was the church that just the year before had seen me through a very difficult surgery and recovery - bringing meals, taking care of my children; basically anything I needed I could depend on my church.  This was the church where both of my children had gone to preschool, where I was the president of the preschool board, the church we called HOME.   It was beyond difficult, but the national church body  had made some decisions we did not feel were in keeping with Biblical teaching.  My husband (the wise leader of our family that he is) decided right away that we could not stay.    Yes, I was upset with him and didn't quite understand (I knew in my heart of hearts he was right, but I loved my church and wanted to stay), but I had to trust him as my husband....

Many, many tears were shed.   I felt we were without a church home.  My children had lost a whole support system and friends.  My dearest friend here remained at the old church.   Ugh. (I am happy to report, however ~ she is still my dearest friend!)   I just felt sad a lot of the time.  Last summer was spent visiting other churches and never quite finding the perfect "fit".   I don't know how to describe what happened next, other than it was a total "God thing".

A group of other "displaced Lutherans"  (all of them former members of our church) had formed a new Lutheran church.  Friends of ours had urged us to attend, but I guess we just had to discover for ourselves what was out there.  After seeing a dear friend of mine (who was helping start the new church) one day, my sweet Miss B just burst into tears and couldn't stop crying.  She was hurting so deeply, missing the fellowship, support, and love she had at the old church.   Her feelings were an exact copy of mine ~ she just let hers show, and I tried not to.  

The happy ending to this sidetrack is that we somehow the next week my husband said we should attend this new Lutheran church, appropriately named "Word of God Lutheran"... while in the service my husband leaned over to me and asked I would like our family to be a part of the group of charter members?   I remember wanting to sob right there in church because I felt like we were now at home.    So, the following week, 180 people signed the charter membership for the church.     God knew just what He was doing when he led us out of our old church and through the wilderness of looking for a new church.   All I had to do was trust His way was perfect, and yes, it was.  I found a lot of comfort in this verse:

Our church now - after just a year - is in its own worship and office space.   We met today to plan our first Vacation Bible School.   We have a FABULOUS interim pastor who I know was sent by God to heal so many hurting hearts.   We are a close group of Christians - in many ways a family.

Back to the original story:

I started this whole post telling you about a piano recital and our lack of family in the area.  Last night at this recital, my daughter had a group of NINE supporting her... her grandaddy, our good friends from church, and our wonderful pastor and his wife.    We went out for ice cream afterwards and it did my heart such good to see both of my children surrounded by so much love and joy.    

It just goes to show that family doesn't have to be a blood relative.  

It just goes to show that God's timing is perfect, even if it doesn't match up with my timing.  

It just goes to show how many blessing we have and how I need to count them each and every day.

All this comes around to one thing -- I am so grateful for the support system I have in my church. I am thankful for God's care and protection in my life, and I want to strive to do what God wants me to do - in my job as a homeschooling mom, a piano teacher, a wife, a church family member, and yes ~ as a blogger!  Lately God has been speaking to me through some wise people.... have you been listening for God in your life?

*Images courtesy Photobucket

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Who would have thought that last year at this time Georgia was suffering from a severe drought? Right now we are suffering from bad moods and boredom because of so much rain! If I see another day of gray, dreary drizzle with temperatures in the 40s I think I just might go crazy! Thank goodness we are headed to Naples, FL, next week to visit with my mom and dad. The kids are excited because this will be Gizmo's (our Shih Tsu) first time on vacation with us. It should be interesting. :-)

Things continue to progress well with homeschooling. I am beginning to see a whole other side of my daughter that I thought was lost somewhere in the middle of second grade, and I am so happy. We are noticing that everyone in our house is happier, more relaxed, and just enjoying each other's company so much more. I have to admit I wasn't completely sold on the idea of homeschooling at first, but I now believe it when people say you will discover so many blessings along the way and your family will be stronger because of the journey. God is good, that is for sure.

We finished a beautiful book this week, "The Secret of the Andes" that kept both Anna and I enthralled. It's very interesting to learn about the Ancient Incans and just what a sophisticated society they were. I love using the Sonlight homeschool curriculum because it does not "talk down" to children - the literature is beautiful, and the subject matter is sophisticated and solid.

My iphone is also coming in quite handy for homeschool (all the more reason I need a newer, faster, phone -- HAL!). We are doing multiplication drills on the phone and Anna can now do times tables at 35 mph. Pretty cool. Better yet -- I think I need an iPad come spring to really be the best homeschooling mom possible! Oh, and who knew you could play math games on the Wii, too? The site is Arcademicskillbuilders and it is great! I relax math instruction on Friday and ditch the workbook in lieu of games like this.

Grant continues to toodle along happily in preschool at our church - what a blessing! Today was backwards day, so he went with his shirt backwards and even read a book to me backwards this morning! He is a clever little guy. Of course, once the weekend gets here it's all about unlocking the Spear on Mario Kart - so I am sure we will work on this tomorrow and Sunday. He begins to play t-ball in just a few weeks and Hal and I are very excited to see how he likes it.

On a personal note, I think it's amazing the way God works on us throughout our lives. Over the past year I have had several glaring examples of just how NOT in control of my life I really am. First, surgery and a difficult recovery. Then, stomach problems (which took a long time to diagnose). Then (and still!), a herniated disc that causes pain every day. All of this after 37 years of perfect health. Go figure. I think God was telling me to SLOW DOWN, trust HIM, and spend more time with my precious children and time helping others. As I do these things, I am feeling so peaceful and content. And of course I have the best life partner in the world who shares all of this with me.

We continue to pray for the future of our church, as our congregation faces a difficult vote over the issue of same-sex people in leadership positions in our church. Regardless of our stand on the issue, it is bound hurt our church family and this is so sad to me. Our church is a wonderful collection of people who love each other so very much - it is sad when politics and agendas of larger bodies work to destroy that. I know many Lutheran churches are going through the same thing and it saddens me.

That's all the musings I have for this evening.... enjoy the video of my little G rocking out to the Mario Kart music!