A Verse Hid in Our Hearts…B is for…
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.” Psalm 103:2-5
A Hymn to Impart…“Sweet Hour of Prayer”
A Sweet Little Prayer…“Lord, Teach a Child”
A Poem to Share…“The Frog and The Bird”
How Our Week Was Spent
B is for Black Crowned Night Heron. We saw one on the coconut tree next to our lanai. It just landed there and wasn’t doing anything wrong but a bunch of Mynah birds got mad at it anyway and started flying around it’s head and yelling at it. The Heron wasn’t even afraid though because it was way bigger than all the Mynah birds combined. But finally it got tired of all their squaking and just flew off. Then all the Mynah birds landed right where he had been sitting and just sat their gossiping about him (by Titus, 9 1/2 and Joel, 8).
We painted our own wooden birds. Mom painted one for Gideon because he is too little to paint or do school. Also I got an A on my first spelling test (by Nate, 6).
Teacher’s Two-Cents
The cute little kit we painted our birds from also included a dozen or so little leaves. The picture on the box showed them in beautiful, cool, green hues scattered among the brightly colored birds. But when my oldest son and I sat down to paint them I couldn’t help but splash on warm autumnal shades of gold and orange and red. This, and an involuntary squeal of delight when I spied candy corn in the grocery ad this week might clue you in to the fact that I am a true lover of Fall. Once dried, however, my pretty little autumn leaves looked sadly out of place in their tropical environs, just like the gilded evergreens and inflatable snowmen in the shopping centers will in a few months. The truth is, all the cheap, artificial decorations and warm and fuzzy Starbucks flavorings in the world can never truly usher in a change of seasons here. Hawaii is, and always will be, endless summer.
Homeschooling is also a season. The all-consuming fullness of days that is having children in the house 24/7 will pass just like every other season of life. And when it is over and the results have been tried in the fire, I want to know that the work I have done is at least authentic. I can decorate a school room, buy glittering educational products, and keep my students busy for hours doing worksheets but that doesn’t make for a real education anymore than a Pumpkin Spice Latte makes for Fall.
In the light of eternity, I don’t want any of what we are learning to look cheaply out of place. I don’t want to be distracted by the endless amassing of facts. I want to have constantly as my goal the very real, authentic knowledge that only comes from deeply-rooted fear of Lord and a genuine delight in His works.
Of Skies and Seas 
Amen! So true. I need to print this and read it every morning. Authentic. That is perfect. Why is it so easy for me to get distracted?!
It’s funny, but I remember the first comment you made on my blog last year was on a post about our trip to the pumpkin patch. You said that you weren’t fooled by the lattes. You are a lover of Fall, aren’t you? Maybe you need an Autumn trip to Arkansas ! 😉 By the way, Arkansas is one of the top poultry producers in the US, and Tyson headquarters are here. Not the bird info you’re looking for, but I thought I’d share.
This new theme is so cute! Can we expect all 6 things each week?! Too fun! I hope you save Gideon’s bird. Love the camo. It’s one of our favorite colors, too.
Love, love the verse. It’s a favorite. Maybe we should learn it, too… along with the prayer.
Thanks, friend, for this encouragement. It’s just what I needed. Love seeing your fun week!
Thanks for remembering a fun fact for the state of Arkansas! We were actually a little surprised to learn this week that the little notch in your southwest corner is due to a mistake made my Andrew Jackson in his negotiations with the Choctaws and an “involuntary suicide” by one of their leaders.
To answer your question, you can indeed “expect” all 6 categories each week. But you are only guaranteed the first 4. 🙂 I typed up our verse, hymn, prayer, and poem at the beginning of the summer so that all we would have to add to each post was “How Our Week Was Spent” by the boys and my own “Teacher’s Two-Cents”. So far this has served it’s purpose of making this whole blogging thing a lot easier for me with a new baby in the house.
Thanks for “spurring me on” like you always do!
Well stated sweet Julie! We delight in knowing our grandsons are “growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord”!
Also . . . CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR FIRST “A” Nate!
That’s Nate with a Big A . . . . n A t e !
Thanks, Oma!
A great and marvelous hymn. I also enjoyed the poem regarding “The Frog and the Bird”. You have created yet, another great blog and I’m looking forward to another year reading about you and family on the Big Island. Have a great day and weekend.
MIkey
Thanks, Mikey! The poems are a new addition for us this year and so far we are really enjoying them.