My baby boy is 17 today

The years have flown and I am really having a hard time with this birthday. There is something about ages 17-21. This is when all of the most important and major life choices really set it. I told Calvin this last night and he said " I know, and it is really scary". I was so GLAD he said that. It is evidence of him taking his future seriously.

But still, letting my first born out of the nest is really hard. It's not like he is leaving or anything, I am just seeing my son transform into a man and it is FREAKING me out. He is such a great kid and I am so blessed to have such a son.

My most profound memory is when Calvin was about 3 years old. We drove past a pro-life picket rally and he said "Mommy, why is that lady holding a sign with a picture of a dead chicken?" I had to pull over and I was bawling! He said "Mommy,why are you crying?" I began to explain what that dead chicken was and how sad it is when a mommy does not want her baby.

Meanwhile floods of memories poured over me at how upset I was when I found out I was pregnant with him. I did NOT want a baby yet. We had only been married 6 months and Brian and I were NOT getting along. I remember after a HUGE argument getting in the car and driving towards an abortion clinic thinking that maybe that was the best option.

Calvin knows this story and he knows that I was tempted by my sin to get an abortion. It really only lasted a few minutes, but had I NOT known The LORD and had I not been profoundly pro-life, I might have done it! That is sobering!

When Calvin was born I held him and cried and prayed over this "little man" as we used to call him. I thanked God daily for this little sweet blessing and was continually reminded of the blessing we would have missed if I had driven to that abortion clinic.

When Calvin turned 8 he proclaimed that he wanted to be a judge! I asked him why and he said "Do you remember that sign with a dead chicken?" I said "Oh Calvin you remember that!?"  He said "I want to be a judge so that I can make abortions illegal!" 

Out of the mouths of Babes!! We have encouraged Calvin to pray regularly about his career for his future and he still senses a call to be a judge. He is not exactly sure why or how he is going to get there, but for now he plans to go to law school and walk a path towards becoming a judge.

He currently volunteers at the Lewisville Police Department in the 911 Dispatch department. They said they will hire him when he is 17 1/2 to begin his formal training. We are praying about college and what that will look like. His undergrad degree will likely have some focus towards law enforcement.

Today we celebrate the birth of our first born and will culminate our celebrations by going out for sushi! Sushi is better than cake! I think I will have a glass of plum wine too!!!

Here is a pic of me and Calvin from 2 years ago and a pic of him playing in the Texas snow last week!

Having a Wisdom House

Today I was so encouraged by chapter 3 in the book Wise Women Build Houses. I scored a perfect score on the little test about keeping our domains in good working order. But, the past few weeks, I have had some struggles and I knew they were rooted in self-righteousness. After I scored my perfect score on having my domain ready to rule and serve, I turned the page of the book and the author cautioned that if you rule your domain well, one of the pitfalls to watch for is "self-righteousness". She was spot on!

A few nights ago I was convicted of self-righteousness after having a very ugly fit in front of my entire family. It was so horrible and was completely humbled by my ugliness and repented before the entire family at dinner the next day. I knew that 100% of my problem was rooted in a spirit of self-righteousness.

The encouragement that I have is so good. I am so thrilled that God has led us through a long season of chipping away at our sin and causing us to get our house in order. I do believe that I have a real wisdom house going on over here and I am thrilled. It puts a joy in my heart and a skip in my step. Proverbs 31:25 says "Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come". I can honestly say that I  am seeing fruit in my children, and I do believe that homeschooling has made all the difference in this.

Yesterday we had a full little wisdom house going on over here. Hannah and Elizabeth have been purchasing Polly Pockets on Ebay and have been cautiously planning their maximum bids and watching their expenses. They have lost many items that they really wanted, because it got too high for their maximum bid. They are learning patience, as they have been trying to buy a certain thing for 2 weeks. I know God is going to reward them soon for their diligence and patience.

  

Yesterday, Elizabeth was helping me cook cream curried chicken from scratch; although, it is currently Lydia's job to be my cook helper. Elizabeth graciously filled the post because Lydia was sewing her dress for the Greco-Roman Ball next Saturday. It was the first time that she designed and sewed her own dress without help from me! What joy that gave to me to see her completing this project all by herself!
Sneak peek of Calvin and Lydia's dance class to prepare for the ball. They are learning The swing, waltz, Virginia Rail, fox trot and many others. It is so fun to watch.

Homeschooling appeal for Christians

After yesterday's power punch appeal to Christians families, I decided to add another.

This power punch is only 2 minutes long, but I hope it will stretch you and encourage you once again to read the 2 books that I posted on my blog yesterday.

The Children of Ceasar by Voddie Bacchum

In Love,
Adrienne

P.S. If you don't think you can homeschool, please remember the promise of Phillipians 4:13 " I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me".  Also, remember that Christ has called us to die to ourselves. Believe me, homeschooling is a daily laying down of self.

Convictions Part 2

In chapter 2 of Wise Women Build Houses I was much encouraged, but convicted in a completely different way. I was more convicted on the passionate need to appeal to Christian women to take up the banner of homeschooling.

This book is NOT about homeschooling, it is about building a wisdom house. In fact, she does not once mention homeschooling.

Proverbs 24:3-4  "By wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established: And by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches."

Chapter 2 is about SERVING in the wisdom house that you have established ( Proverbs 9:1).  The author challenged me with a great question "After building your wisdom house, how will you fill it?" she goes on to say that "Only by choosing an area and mastering a skill in it will we produce the excellent riches that properly appoint a true wisdom house."

.....HALT! STOP!....what does that mean? WOW! I camped on this one for a few minutes and really pondered what she was trying to say.

Right after this she continues "Skill produced in godliness brings multiple blessings".

The questions I asked myself were: "What are my skills? What do I think I have mastered that will or is producing multiple blessings?"

The answer for me was "Homeschooling (with an important understanding of Charlotte Mason's philosophy and gaining a conviction of the need for a passionate foundation of a philosophy of education, without which you are just homeschooling for the sake of homeschooling and not for the sake of really having a deep conviction on a philosophy of what education should look like). Okay, do you hear my passion? 

EVERY educational system has a goal and a philosophy!! Does the public school's philosophy of education match your religious convictions?! If you have no idea, then I challenge you to run to the bookstore and buy THIS BOOK to learn what the educational philosophy is in this nation! And IF it does NOT match GOD's WORD, then you really need to get your kids into a school system that matches GOD's philosophy of education! And frankly, the only philosophies that I have found that come close to God's way are Hebrew schools and Charlotte Mason's philosophy that can be read in THIS BOOK, which was written by Francis Schaeffer's  daughter!

Moving on and getting back to the topic.....

Proverbs 9:3 [Wisdom] has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in town, "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" To him who lacks sense she says, "Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways and live, and walk in the way of insight."

The author then goes on to say "Wisdom does not invite the wise and accomplished. She invites fools and know-nothings!....She is offering wisdom for life, and she wants to give it to young fools, those who are simple and naive. These simple ones still have the capacity to choose wisdom before hardening into incorricible fools".

---WOW! Sounds like our kids! Proverbs 22:15 says "Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child".

So here is my question to you!! If God's WORD says that foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, then why are we sending them OUT of our "wisdom house" to go to an institution so that they can get educated and socialized in the presence of a "company of fools"? Proverbs 1:22 and 29 tell us that fools hate knowledge and instruction. How many kids in public school LOVE learning? How many of them love instruction and gaining knowledge!? Do your kids come home from school saying "I hate school"?

 I can tell you that my PASSION as a homeschooler was to get my kids to LOVE knowledge and learning! Shouldn't this be our gain in our wisdom house? Shouldn't we be passionately inviting our children daily to our banquet table of learning in our wisdom house? Shouldn't we be filling our homes with the best literature and music and books and giving our kids a chance to learn from the BEST environment possible?

In the book, the author goes on to list all the areas by which you as a "Lady Wisdom" can invite fools into your home. The list is as follows:

• If you have food, invite the hungy
• If you have clothing, invite the unclothed
• If you have healing hearts, invite the sick
• If you have fellowship, invite the lonely
• If you have counsel, invite the confused
• If you have teaching, invite the learners
• If you have the gospel, invite sinners

I would like to add to this list:

• If you are a wife, invite your husband!
• If you are a mom, invite your children!

The American church is consumed with each of us trying to figure out our individual calling. But, it grieves me deeply to see so many, well intentioned moms who really believe that their ministry is to people outside their own homes. God first called women to be wives, and then moms. This is our full-time ministry unless we are single. The other ministries can happen, but let your kids be homeschooled and let them see you inviting people in and training them first hand what it looks like to be a wisdom house!

As a mom, I challenge you to dig deep and consider inviting your children home to learn. If you don't have ANY vision for this and you really believe you are CALLED to send your kids to public school, please AT THE VERY LEAST.....read those 2 books that I added to this post and then give me a call!

Loving you deeply,

Adrienne