Pennsylvania

A 10-day road trip to Pennsylvania and back went surprisingly well.
Why Pennsylvania?  Neil's brother Jonathan was getting married to a pretty fabulous gal from PA.
We decided if it was going to take us 3 days to get up there, we may as well make the trip more fun for the little ones.  Bella and Balian have been on a huge camping kick.

During the winter, we had a couple of "camp outs" in our living room with sleeping bags on the floor and roasting marshmallows over the fire in the fireplace.

Then, when spring hit, and we knew we'd be making this trip, we went on a 1-night campout as a family as a sort of "try-it-out" kind of thing.

After that trip (and Neil and I not getting a lot of sleep) we realized that there were some things we needed to get before heading out for our big trip - like cots!  Apparently we aren't as young as we used to be.

We left on Saturday, May 25th, and camped for 2 nights on the way to Hershey, PA.

On our last (3rd) day of driving, we were trying to find a place to let the little ones run around an play at lunchtime.  We stopped at a tourist info place outside of Marion, VA, and they pointed us in the direction of Hungry Mother's State Park.  It wasn't exactly "on the way".  More like 10 miles out of the way, but it was gorgeous!

A beach, on a river, in the middle of the mountains.  ahhh...

The littles spent some time on the playground, and we walked around on a little trail, and just admired the beauty from a dock.

Along with Neil's parents and our niece, Maris, we stayed in Hershey for 3 nights, and had some vacation time.
We went to Hershey's Chocolate World, and went through the "tour".  It was essentially a simulation of the chocolate factory, and some history about Mr. Hershey and how chocolate is made.

Then, we went on a trolly ride of Hershey - again, all about Mr. Hershey, his trials in his various endeavors, and how he eventually figured out something that worked.  The trolly ride was pretty entertaining, actually, with actors/singers making it more interesting...and we got some chocolate samples too :)

Interesting facts:  Mr. Hershey wasn't hoarding all of his money for himself.  He pretty much built the town of Hershey, so that his factory workers had a town to live in.  He built a school, a park (Hershey Park, which later became the theme park it is now), and he began an orphanage for boys.  But he wasn't hands-off with the orphanage.  An orphan boy ate dinner with the family at his home every week.  After Mr. Hershey died, he put all of his company's stock into the hands of a trust.  Because of this, the Hershey Factory, Hershey Park, Hershey World, etc. are all linked, and profits from the Hershey company continue to pour into the school for orphans that Mr. Hershey began.  So....when you buy a Hershey bar, you are actually helping contribute to boys (and girls) that are either orphans, or at-risk, receive a quality education.  Never knew that one!

We also went to The Hershey Story Museum and took a Chocolate Lab class with the 3 bigger kids.  We learned the origins of cacao, how cacao turns into cocoa, cocoa butter, etc., and how everything works together to make chocolate.  Then, we got to make our own...sort of.  We got to put melted chocolate into a mold and add our own add-ins, then learn as our chocolate set.  Then, we got to take home our chocolate that we made :)

After Chocolate town, USA (aka Hershey), we headed on to Erie, PA for the wedding.

We spent some time at a State Park right on Lake Erie - again...a beach.  But the water was like ice!  no swimming for this crew!  But we still had a lot of fun playing/jumping/digging/walking in the sand.

Bella posing...oh dear...

The one picture of me from the trip.

We found some unused lifeguard stands...

There was a huge mountain of sand...so there was much jumping.

Later that night, we were back at the beach for Jonathan and Jess' wedding ceremony.  Praise the Lord we were able to have a beautiful ceremony before it rained.  It started pouring as soon as we got into our cars!  But the rain held out :)  It was beautiful!

Bella and Maris

This is our beautiful niece, Ellie (Jonathan and Jess' daughter):

Isaiah spent his time during the ceremony doing this:

Then, after the ceremony, the kids all spent their time doing this:

The reception was at an old mansion.  Beautiful place, but there was lots of really old stuff that couldn't be touched.  Balian was thoroughly confused when I told him that he couldn't sit on a couch.  Poor kid just didn't understand why a perfectly good couch couldn't be sat on.  But, alas!  There was something the kids found they could do!  There was a train in the basement that they could control - moving the train, and causing the whistle to go off.  The boys LOVED it!

The next day we started our 3-day journey back home.  We stopped in Louisville, KY and in Hot Springs, AR.  The little ones had the most fun in Hot Springs, mainly bc we were able to spend some extra time playing in the morning, since we didn't have as long of a trip our last day.  They loved going on the trails, back and forth, back and forth.

over a bridge...

and just having fun. 

love those boys :)

There was another family just down from us and they had 3 kids, twins that were 5 and a 2-yr-old.  They were instantly friends.  We had a hard time pulling the kids back into the car to leave that day, even though they knew we would be home that night.

We had a ton of fun, but let me tell ya...there really is no place like home.  Even if you have to tackle the mile-high laundry mountain the next day.

Homeschool Decisions, Part 1: why?

My last post about homeschool had to do with frustrations about not really knowing what we wanted to do with our children to teach them. But God is faithful. I feel like in asking Him about school, God continually pointed me to James. Not only do we need to ask for wisdom when we don't have it (James 1:5), but we also need to ask with the right motives - rather than asking out of selfish ambition (James 4:3).
The decision about schooling my children should not be based on what is easiest for me, or what I believe my capabilities are. Rather, how I educate my children should be based upon
1.God's Word
2.The leading of the Holy Spirit.
That simple.

For me, as I have poured over Scripture, I see my role as a Mother more clearly. I see a passage like Deuteronomy 6 and I can't help but see that discipling my children should be something that I am doing constantly, in every opportunity that presents itself throughout the day.

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all of your soul and with all your strength. These commands that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:4-9

All 3 kiddos having their "quiet time" of the day.

And reading about Jesus with the disciples shows me this so much more fully. They followed Him wherever He went. To the market, on boats across seas - they were with him all the time. They were there when he was teaching in the synagogue, when he was ministering to the sick, when he was sharing things about God both as a group of the 12 and individually. They watched how he dealt with financial difficulty, opposition, frustration, the loss of a beloved friend, and ultimately His sacrifice for the sin of the entire world. Being a constant companion of Christ is what made them disciples...even those who would betray him.  Being the disciples of Christ didn't mean that they would do things perfectly.  Yes, we can talk about Judas betraying him, even after being his disciple for 3 years, but there were others as well.  Peter denied him.  Thomas doubted.  Others ran away.  Yet, they all followed him.

Paul had said "look to me as I look to Christ.". I don't think that I could ever make a statement so bold. But there is something in these words that teaches me about discipleship, and therefore how to disciple my children.

I've known for a long time that the best way to lead someone to know the Lord is simply by building relationships. The times that I have seen fruit displayed in sharing Christ with others have been in the form of long-term relationships (family...close friends), and have taken YEARS of just living among them, showing my faith through the way that I live, and pouring in Truth whenever possible.  Yes, it even meant getting through those really difficult Q&A times, praying with them, loving them no matter what they choose to do, and yet still not approving of behavior that doesn't line up with God's Word. The funny part is that I usually never even had to say that I didn't approve of something like cursing, because I just didn't do it. People notice.

 Anyway, all of this to pose a simple question: If this is the way discipleship looks like with others, shouldn't it be the same for my children? I've always been a stay-at-home mom, but lately God is digging my roots in deep. Making my foundation sure.
 Why do I stay at home? What is the ultimate purpose?
 It is to glorify God by living and pouring into my children at every opportunity. To be a living, breathing example of a person living for Christ. I need to pray with them and read God's Word with them.  I need to teach them to pray and study God's Word for themselves.  My ultimate goal, however, is not to simply teach them to know about God, but to Love God - with all of their hearts, with all of their souls, and with all of their strength.  It means being with them as much as possible, using every opportunity for training and instruction. I need to provide as much opportunity as possible for God's Word to take root so that it can land on fertile soil, instead of getting choked out by the world.  It means giving them a strong foundation, so that as opportunities come for them to walk out into the world to be a light in the darkness, they are able to stand firm and shine their light bright.  It means living among them, day after day, showing them Christ by the way that I live (even in messing up and asking for forgiveness over, and over, and over).

A turtle that found its way into our backyard

However, one thing that I noticed in Deuteronomy 6 is that these instructions are first and foremost for the fathers (or mothers)...to love the Lord with all of their heart, soul, and strength...that God's Word should be on their heart...THEN teaching their children is an overflow of what is in the heart.  They cannot teach what is not in their own hearts.  I cannot teach my children to love the Lord if I don't.  I can't teach my children to follow His commands, if I don't.  I can't teach my children to spend time in God's Word, if I never do.  Anything I teach my children must first begin with MY heart.  That doesn't mean I will be perfect.  It will never happen.  But to teach, I have to have a heart willing to learn, and a spirit that is continually yielding to the Holy Spirit of God.  I have to be willing for God to shape my heart, so that he can use me to shape the hearts of my children.

Discipleship. I know I tend to talk about this a lot lately, and you may be wondering what in the world this has to do with educating my children.
It has everything to do with it.
I believe discipleship is absolutely the foundation for education. If I am speaking about God's Word as I am sitting down, and lying down, in my home and on the road, then I am educating them.  I'm not just sharing about a tadpole turning into a frog.  I'm sharing about how God created that tadpole to turn into a frog.  When we talk about the universe, we stand in amazement at just how big God is, and we worship Him.
When they are at home, and they are helping me as I do my chores with joy, then I am teaching them to cheerfully do a task they have been given, and I am teaching them life skills to be used in the future.  Everything in their world somehow relates to who God is.  Their worldview is shaped based on God's Word.

Baby birds, hatched in my ferns hanging on the front porch

Unless my goal is to disciple my children, then what is the purpose behind home school in the first place? I'm beginning to understand the bigger picture.  That is where fear can set in. (It's a big responsibility.) And that is where Faith has a chance to thrive. (God is bigger.  God will equip.  God will provide wisdom.)  It means total dependence upon the Holy Spirit for guidance and direction. Only then can anything I do be Good.
 What works for us, may not work for you, but we are going where the Holy Spirit is leading our family, and that is such an exciting place to be!

Stay tuned for: Homeschool Decisions, Part 2: What?

What I'm Reading Now: Educating the Wholehearted Child

                  

So here's a really random story:
I was grocery shopping.  Isaiah was on my back, and the other two littles were in the basket.  *I hardly ever go grocery shopping with all the little ones with me.  I usually go grocery shopping on Friday mornings, when Neil is home, because well, especially these days, grocery shopping is a pretty big job...
So, I'm at the grocery store on a Tuesday morning with all 3 children.
Out of nowhere, this girl about my age comes up to me and asks
"Hey, did you sing at the Aarron Gomas (benefit concert) thing?"
I had, in fact, sung at the benefit concert with our praise team.  But our conversation didn't end there.  She then starts asking if I home-schooled.  I'm sure by looking at my very tall daughter in the cart, and being a Tuesday morning, it was probably a safe assumption.  But most people don't just look at your kids and assume all of a sudden that you home-school.
We got to talking and she also has 3 children, kind of around the same age as ours.  They home school as well.
As we continue talking I know that this was no accident. It was a divine appointment that only God could have orchestrated.

Really, I was at a point of just needing wisdom and encouragement with homeschooling.  I didn't know what we were going to do with Bella next year for school...and well...we really need to decide now.  I was super stressed out about it.
Should we do Kindergarten or First grade?
Should we get her tested?
Should we do full home school, or should we do the university model homeschooling (going to a "private school" 2-3 days a week for 4-5 hours those days, and doing work at home as well)?
Is it possible to do full homeschooling at home with 2 small boys?
If we school at home full-time, where do I even begin with a curriculum?  We've tried so many, it seems, and haven't really liked any of them.

The reason I was burdened was just because I really feel like God has shown me through his Word what I need to be doing.  I feel like I should have Bella home full-time.  I just kept looking at the obstacles.  In my flesh, I wanted to give in.  I wanted to send her away for a couple of hours a week, so I could "make sure to get one-on-one time with the boys", and possibly get a little bit of a "break".  But really, those were just excuses.  In reality, I wanted to give in so that somebody else could choose the curriculum for me, and just tell me what I needed to do.
Pretty much I was giving in because it just seemed too hard.
I wanted to be spoon-fed instead of relying on the Spirit of God and His Strength and Wisdom for our family.

But all the while, the Holy Spirit has been tugging at me.  Reminding me why we chose home school in the first-place:  So that Neil and I could be the most prominent influence in our children's lives.  So that we could instill the Word of God into every part of our children's lives as God's Word grows and is taking over every part of our lives.  And doing that in an environment where we aren't competing with the value system of the world day in and day out.

Back to my story.  So this girl I met at the grocery store, after our conversation, finds me on Facebook, and sends me a wealth of information that she had found.  I told her I just felt overwhelmed.
Then she sent me this book recommendation.  I had no idea what it really was, but got it anyway.

I'm so glad that I did.
I feel like I'm reading a Bible study specifically made for home educators.  Encouragement.  Scripture references everywhere.
But really, what I love is that they get to the heart of homeschooling.

"Your overriding goal should be to raise spiritually mature children who have both the will and the skill to learn and the desire and ability to keep learning...to raise well-rounded, spiritually grounded, truth-founded Christian children whose goal in life is to make a difference for the kingdom of God, whatever life path they choose."

They talk about how "home school" is just an extension of nurturing and discipling your children in your home.  It all fits together in a beautiful, God-intended way.
And that is where my heart has been led.  And that's why I've been stressed-out.  Because even with present-day homeschooling, so much of it looks so similar to what they would receive in a classroom.  Curricula coming out of your ears.  Too many options.  Stressing about if I'll do a good enough job in teaching them.
The problem is that I was still looking to the standards, philosophies, and thinking of the world.
My standard should be higher.
There isn't really a lot of mentioning of education in scripture.  But we know that Jewish boys were sent to synagogue school - and had to memorize the entire Torah!  They memorized it so that they could then dig deeper into God's word and apply it...and for those who were so gifted - teach it.
But we also can see how much was taught in the home.  Just simply looking at Deuteronomy 6 shows how God wants us to teach our children - in everything we do - day in and day out - no matter where we are or what we are doing.

"The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and hen you rise up.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."     Deuteronomy 6:4-9 

And that's what I long to do.

I am, by no stretch of the imagination, there yet.
Honestly, right now, I'm still seeking wisdom on what specifically to do for school next year.
But that's just the tip of the iceberg.
God is showing me so much in such a small amount of time on how he wants me to disciple my children.
That it is a mission field.
That it is a sacrifice.
It takes dying to self in every area of my life, because I am to be an example of Christ to them.
It's dying to self, taking up my cross, and following Christ the same way I would if God called me to minister to anyone outside of my family.
It doesn't mean I'm perfect, and lack of perfection is that much more of an opportunity to share Christ with my children.  To humble myself yet again, and ask for forgiveness.

So it's like I've had this big-picture idea of what God wants for us, but I've had no idea how to get there.
Seems like this book is a great start.
And I never would have known about it without the help of my new friend I met at the grocery store :)

"My God shall supply all your need." Philippians 4:19

Things are Getting Crunchier Around Here...

Just when you thought we were a pretty stinkin' natural-liking, granola crunchy, organic-loving, weird family...


Things just got crunchier.


As of this week, we are officially trying to go vegetarian.
WHAT?
The goal is really to eventually go as vegan as possible, but for now, vegitarian is a start.
I know.  You're full of questions.  And yes, Neil is allowing this.
For those that don't understand just how incredible of a change this is... when Neil and I first got married (like, within the first few weeks), I cooked something without meat for dinner - I think it was Ravioli with zucchini and walnuts or something.  His response:  "Where's the meat?"  Apparently, if something didn't have meat, it was "just a snack."  seriously.  So, we have had meat every night for dinner for the past 6 years.  yes.  every night.  Unless it's Sunday - then we definitely have meat for lunch - and dinner is lighter - but still may have meat on a sandwich.  yeah.  lots of meat.


The truth of the matter is that this switch is for Neil's health.  Yes, he's perfectly healthy right now.
This is the deal:
Both Neil's mom and brother have been diagnosed with (taking a quote from my sis-in-law's blog, Heart Healthy Family)"Prinzmetal's Angina.  This heart condition, which is hereditary, causes the body to lack the nitric oxide needed to dilate the coronary arteries in the heart.  Instead of a plaque build up or blockage, the heart has a "spasm" and clamps shut.  The same releases found during a heart attack are found during one of these "episodes."


Neil's mom had her first episode at around age 30.  His brother Kyle was 27.


The research that is out there shows that the risk of having an episode is drastically reduced by increasing leafy greens (and veggies in general) and by eliminating animal fats as much as possible.
If you haven't seen the documentary, Forks Over Knives, it's a good eye-opening one.  It actually touched on Angina a bit, and it's good for knowledge for anyone as well.


The number one concern that people have about vegetarian, and especially vegan, diets is getting enough protein.  Neil did some research on this by asking the question "can I be a vegetarian and not eat beans?"  That's funny right there. Ha.
He found the website www.nutritiondata.com that breaks down every food that you can think of and gives loads of information on it.  One thing it does is shows the quality of protein (how many of the 9 amino acids it has) and the nutrient balance completeness score.  Search some stuff and you'd be surprised.  For example, everyone seems to be raving about Kale - how it's a super-food.  But compare it to spinach, and you'll see that Spinach is actually better.  But the cool thing is that you take something like kale, and it says it would be more complete if added with something else, then it gives suggestions on what to match it up with to give complete nutrition.  Great resource because it helps us know things like how much protein(and other nutrients) we each (based on gender, height, weight, and activity level) need each day, how much protein and other nutrients are in the foods we eat, if they are lacking in nutritional value and we need to match it up with something better, and even what the rating is as far as fullness factor (just FYI, spinach has a higher fullness rating than chicken).


Anyway, back to protein - it's entirely possible if you have a good combination of fruits, veggies, nuts, bread and pasta, etc.  (did you know that a cup of almonds has like 30g of protein??)


So we're going pretty much meatless for dinners.  I got some crab meat to make crab cakes - other than that, no meat for dinner.  We're hoping to phase out a lot of stuff as time goes on- replacing animal-based things for plant-based things.  We'll see how it all goes.  Just taking it a step at a time...


So far this week:  Minestrone Soup with Salad and yummy bread.  I even got Neil to eat Garbanzo Beans - and he LIKED it!!


Coming up: Crab Cakes with oven-baked Ratatouille, salad, and bread. 
                   7-vegetable medley with couscous, salad, and bread.


Hopefully I'll be able to get more creative as far as sides.  For now, I'm just using what I've got as far as recipes.


Recipes, cookbooks, or other helpful resources would be greatly appreciated!! 

Shabbat

The beginning of the year is always special.  It reminds us of new beginnings.  A fresh start.
God seems to use this time of endless resolutions - the time when people are actually thinking about what happened in their lives over the past year, and what they want to change in the next, to help us see where we need to grow - to change - to be pruned.  He also uses it to show us where we need to focus, what we need to pray more diligently for, and also where we need to step out in faith - or just simply have faith as small as a mustard seed so that we can see the power that a small bit of faith holds.

Again, as I've stated before, I'm not one for "New Year's resolutions."  It's not that I think resolutions are bad.  No, just the opposite actually.  I just feel like I am consistently making resolutions - setting goals - tweaking and changing through trial and error - and I should be listening to the Lord constantly to hear what he has to say.  Because honestly, if I don't see somewhere that I need to change about a million times or more throughout the year, then I'm probably not as close to the Lord as I should be.  If I'm not in His Word, then I won't see that there is any need for change.  I won't see how far I am from the perfection of the Lord, the very One that I need to represent with my thoughts, words, and deeds each and every day.  And if I'm not spending time in prayer, then nothing around me, or inside of me for that matter, is going to change.
We don't receive because we don't ask.
So God works at the beginning of the year the same way that He works throughout the entire year, and sometimes (most of the time, really) there is something that He shows us at the beginning of the year - to kind of focus our attention - our affections - on Him.
In years past, He has called us to fast.

This year, He has called us to eat.
sort-of.

We celebrated our first Shabbat with our Church Family on New Years Eve, and we have continued it since, every week, at our home.  Neil and I had been learning a lot about Jewish Festivals - The Spring Festivals (Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Firstfruits - that Jesus all fulfilled) and the Winter Festivals (Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Feast of Tabernacles - that are "practice" for what has yet to be fulfilled).  While studying this, we also were learning about the Sabbath (Shabbat).

How many times had we really thought about the fact that obeying the Sabbath and keeping it Holy is a command, not a suggestion?  Yup.  One of the 10.

Jesus says that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27, Matthew 12).  What I think he was condemning was the Pharisees extreme legalism about the Sabbath.  They got onto Jesus for healing on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:10-14).  They got onto Jesus for letting his disciples collect grain to eat on the Sabbath (Mark 2:23, Matthew 12).  And he's saying "Look.  God didn't say that you couldn't move a muscle.  He said to honor the Sabbath.  to keep it Holy."  That doesn't mean you become bound by it to the point that you can't lift a finger (or a dish, or a diaper), or take care of things if a circumstance arose, but you need to have a reverence for it.  To treat it as a special day.  If you have a job, you need to only work the first 6 days, and rest the 7th, just as God did.  When you're at home, you need to try to set this day aside for rest, and time with the Lord.  Spend time with family.  Have fun.  Relax.
But in our culture, even this is difficult.  Sometimes it's out of our control when we have to work.  Most of the time, Neil works 10-hour days Monday-Thursday.  But when it's outage time at the plant, he could be on days, he could be on nights, and when he works is based on a rotation, so you just never know.

What we feel God is showing us is this: set it apart, if and when it is at all possible.  That's the very definition of Holy, isn't it?  Set apart.
And the Jewish culture has a beautiful way of doing this.  It's called Shabbat.  A celebration of the Sabbath.
We have a special dinner together.  Think along the lines of Thanksgiving - just not so gluttonous, but still a lot of food - and every week.  Neil has learned to smoke a chicken to amazing perfection.  I make Challah bread (pronounced Halla, with an "H" like you're clearing mucus out of the back of your throat).  It's a rich egg & honey bread, braided with 3 strands of dough (a chord of 3 strands is not quickly broken).  We use 2 loaves to represent the double portion that God promises to the Israelites for the Sabbath - and he provided a double portion of Manna on the 6th day so they would not have to collect it on the 7th day. (we definitely always have a double portion or more of food...leftovers for the day of rest, for sure!)  We have 2 candlesticks that I light as I open in prayer at the beginning.  We wash our hands.  We thank God for providing.  We break bread.  We pass the cup.  Not the cup of suffering and sacrifice that led to salvation, as in communion, but a cup of Joy.  It's a time of rejoicing.
But the part that really stuck out to us when we were learning about it is this: the blessings.
Part of Shabbat is that the husband/father speaks blessings over each of his children.  It's a special time that he takes them, lays hands on them, and speaks blessings over them - and encourages them in accomplishments, character that has been built, or other things worthy of praise that the father has witnessed in the child's life that week.  Then, he speaks blessings over his wife (I'm rather fond of this part).  He prays Proverbs 31 over her, and encourages her - and encourages the children to praise her (to "Rise up and call her blessed.")
Yes, we praise our children as part of everyday life, but this is a special time - to make a point to say things that maybe you didn't get an opportunity to do throughout the busy week.  To Bless them - to speak things that are not as though they were.  There is power in that.  If you call a boy a knight or a warrior, and speak to him as though he were one, he will rise up and become one, because that's what he comes to believe about himself and his abilities. We name our kids intentionally.  We want them to grow into their names, and live out what their names mean.  Balian means "warrior".  We want him to grow to become a warrior for God's kingdom.  A prayer warrior, and one that will fight for God's Truth.  So we bless him - "May you become a warrior for God's kingdom - one who, like Stephen, loves the Lord more than his very life."  That's a good place to start anyway.

It's just beautiful.  We follow a Messianic version, so everything that we do puts Jesus as the focus.  It's not just some ritual that we do just because.  We have a reason.  We love it.  We look forward to it, and our kids do to.
One day, while my kids were playing with dried beans and Tupperware (yes, they can do this for about an hour), Bella was pouring beans over Balian's hands, saying what we say at Shabbat when we wash our hands:  "I dedicate my hands to you, Jesus, to serve you only."  Yes, they are just repeating what they have heard, and what they say, but there is profound truth to that.

Bella gets excited about our "Special Dinner".  She likes to help me set the table and get everything ready.  Balian's favorite part is sitting down to dinner and saying "Shabbat Shalom!"
Isaiah's favorite part is eating the bread.
All three kids are all smiles as Neil lays hands on them and blesses them.  It's a special time.

Most of the time we end up breaking out into spontaneous songs of praise at some point.

And I can't help but think that God smiles as he sees us setting this time apart - to remember that we should have a day of rest - making it easier to consciously have a true day of rest the next day.
I can't help but think that this may have a lot to do with breakthroughs and changes in our house.  As we honor God, he honors us.

There's still one part of Shabbat that we aren't so sure about though - The specific day.  As Christians, most of us make Sunday our day of rest.  When did this change, and why?  The early Christians still went to the synagogue and observed the Sabbath on Saturday - the 7th day of the week (and Messianic Jews still do), so it couldn't have simply been because Jesus rose on the First day of the week.  It's not my wish to be legalistic.  I just want to honor God the way he has asked me to.  Commanded me to.  If he says to rest specifically on the 7th day of the week, then why did everything get changed to Sunday?  Are we breaking God's command?
For now, we've been celebrating Shabbat on the day of rest we have been accustomed to (Saturday night, for a day of rest on Sunday), until we get specific guidance on this one.
But no matter the day - it has been so, so special to our family.
Just wanted to share.