Home with Tracy

We are about to start homeschooling. I only have three more days to prepare. Can you ever, really, be fully prepared. I don't think so! Recently, I had a friend send me an article about preparing for God-Centered Work, a home-school curriculum . Her intention of this article was that I could research it so when the kids are in high-school, I could use it. The article was, basically, stating that God created us to continue His works here on Earth. No matter where we work, or what we do, we should do it for God. If we are a mechanic, we are a mechanic doing God's work. If we are a CEO of a company, we are a CEO doing God's work. Whatever position we hold, we represent God in all aspects of it. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10 It is our goal, as parents, to raise our children to honor God in all they do. It is our goal that their measurement of succ...

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the LORD. For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:22-24 These verses have, at least in my up-bringing, had a negativity attached to them. The word "submit" is, I believe, the center of the negativity. God, however, did not mean for this verse to be negative, or cause resentment. This verse simply tells us how to have a successful relationship with our husband, and more importantly, with God. I will be the first to confess that I do not let my husband lead as God wants me to. For the first 7 years of our marriage, my husband wasn't interested in leading and I certainly wasn't interested in following. In this past year, however, God has been working on my husband and he is a changed man. He wants to lead. I, however, am hesitan...

Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 1 Kings 19:11-12 I was suppose to be in Romania right now...or so I thought. A few months back I was asked to pray about going to Romania on a missions trip to help with a kids camp. All around me, I felt that God was showing me that I should go. But, I am still here. A couple weeks before I was suppose to go, my husband share the above verse with me. In my stubbornness I responded "how am I suppose to hear a still small voice when I am in a house with five kids all day?" This week I have felt frustrated because I didn't hear God voice like I thought I...

Today is my birthday. For as long as I can remember, I have not looked forward to my birthday. As my birthday would near, I would get depressed and try to ignore the fact that it was coming. When I was a little girl, the one thing I wanted more than anything on my birthday, I could not have. I wanted my dad to be there with me. My parents divorced when I was around 3 years old and I was adopted by my step-father when I was 5. From that day on, I was not allowed to see my father. I was told how awful my father was by my mother and my adopted father. I was told how awful their marriage was. As a result of this, I grew up thinking I was awful because I was a result of that marriage. For that reason, I hated my birthday. In my adult years, especially recent years, I have dreaded my birthday because of what bad thing might happen. Four years ago, I went into pre-term labor with our twins on my birthday. I ended up spending the 3 days following that birthday in the hospital. I was...

Have you ever had a day where you want to give up? Where you think that it would be easier NOT being a Christian? Sadly, I must admit, today is one of those days for me! Today is a day that I am angry and if I am not careful, that anger will turn into bitterness, which will turn in to sin. If I am not careful, I will turn that anger on my husband and my children. It is okay to be angry, as long as you heal, and as long you do not take it out on those around you. "Be angry, and do not sin". do not let the sun go down on your wrath. Ephesians 5:23 My husband and I have been married for 7 1/2 years. We were suppose to close on our first home by today and we were excited because not only was it a new home, but we qualified for the first time home buyers rebate. That rebate would be enough to pay our mortgage for a whole year! How great is that! Needless to say, it did not work out and we still do not have a home to move in to. I was suppose to be leaving for Romania in 10 d...

Since I have been home, I have realized that little mirrors are always around me. These little mirrors are my children. Although they do resemble me physically, each in their own way, that is not the mirror image I am speaking of. These little mirrors are images of my temperament, language, reactions, all the ways that I act, talk, move. As I watch my children, I am sometimes overjoyed by the way they treat each other and others around us. I think "great! my kindness is rubbing off on them" other times I see the way they act to each other and to situations and it is very unpleasant. My first thought in those situations is "where did they learn that behavior?" that is when God whispers in my ear "don't you remember acting like that just yesterday?" Being home I have had to do a great amount of self reflecting. God created us in His own image and wants us to live and love like Him. He wants us to teach our children to live and love like Him. ...

..."Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. Matthew 18:3-5 NKJV I have recently been blessed with becoming a stay-at-home mom again, after working for a year. My children and I are trying to get use to each other again. I am trying to set up some structure in our home. This is not going as well as I had thought it would. Last week my children were not listening to me, not following directions and being very disrespectful. When I would tell them not to do something that could harm them, they would do it anyways. When I would tell them something that would make the task they were doing easier, they would ignore my advice and go about doing it their own way, the hard way. They simply did not want to obey. Somewhere in the m...