Another year has come and gone.....

  Another year has come and gone.  I arose early today, because this starts a new semester here in our household.  The house is a mess and in complete chaos from Christmas, so I thought I'd try to get some stuff picked up before we start on our next leg of my children's educational journey.  I got up, walked into the kitchen started my self a mug of hot cocoa and sat down to write this post.  (There's so much cleaning going on right now, I can hardly stand it;)
  Anyway, I thought it was important I sit down and reflect for a little while.  Once, again, it's bee so long since I've written and I keep saying I'm going to try and get better, but life keeps happening. And I've decided, that's ok too.  Everything is just rushing by so quickly.  All I want to do is sit and enjoy it for a moment.  And if we get started a little late, then so be it.  :) 
  Looking back, I realize just how fast my babies are growing!  All 3 of my children are reading, no one is in diapers, everyone can make their own oatmeal, buckle themselves in the car, clean up their own messes ( :O !!! )  But somehow, I'm finding they need me even more now than before.  Not me, physically doing anything, but my listening.  They are constantly wanting "one on one" time.  They constantly want to pour their hearts out to me.  I'm trying desperately to be a good listener and not a director.  I'm a fixer and this thing called life is so hard to fix sometimes.  I hate seeing my babies hurting, and all I want to do is fix it, but I can't.  My children are noticing lost people all around us, and it breaks their little hearts.  The things they are concerned with and pray for amaze me and crush me all at the same time.  So sometimes, all I can do is listen and guide them to Jesus, who truly can fix things.  I'm learning very quickly that life is not going to be any easier for my children, than it was for me, if not even harder.   And don't think for a second, just because they are home-schooled, they are sheltered from all the peer pressure, crime, and the hurt of the world.  Yes, it helps tremendously, and it is a big reason of why we do what we do, but even Satan battles against home-schooled children and their peers. 
  The preacher at church, yesterday, discussed family again (we are a family-integrated church, we discuss this a lot ;) and just how important it is to BE together.  Satan works so hard at breaking families apart, so he can in turn break us down individually.  If we work diligently at sticking together, even in life's roughest valleys, it will make us stronger on the other side. 
  So for this new year, I pray that God directs our family's paths, and that we will continue to grow together.  I am praying for your family, I am praying that God is building up some strong soldiers in His army to fight this on going war.  I praying peace inside our homes, that home may be a place that we can come and rest from the outside raging war.  And, last of all, that we can be a light to this outside, lost, and dying world. 

  Happy New Year and May God Truly Bless You,
Amanda