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	<description>Proclaiming God's Faithfulness</description>
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		<title>I Remember…</title>
		<link>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1559</link>
		<comments>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1559#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:22:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Phyllis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[~ Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ God's Faithfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Parenting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Testimoneys of God's Faithfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[children]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian walk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[encouragement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[faithfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Godly women]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1559</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I think it is one of the richest things about getting older – we have so many memories to draw on – that is when we can remember. While I often have difficulty with current things (what did I come into this room for&#8230;?) I have a fine memory for family times from the past.
Recently [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I think it is one of the richest things about getting older – we have so many memories to draw on – that is when we can remember. While I often have difficulty with current things (what did I come into this room for&#8230;?) I have a fine memory for family times from the past.</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">Recently I was reminded about something my mother-in-law used to tell me after we would visit them. She would say she wasn’t going to wash her patio windows because from her chair she could see the handprints of our children, and they were such precious memories to her. She enjoyed just sitting there looking at them and remembering the different happenings from our visit.</div>
<p>Those were loving thoughts to my mother’s heart, knowing that she was finding such enjoyment in fingerprints on her windows, but I didn’t really understand her joy until I found myself doing something similar after my great granddaughter’s visit.</p>
<p>We were celebrating her second birthday and delighting in her antics. As we sat in the living room she rearranged my candles and decorative items so that she could lie down beside them on the coffee table. Then she took a decorative throw to cover herself with and pretended to sleep. We taught her how to blow candles “on” and “off” using the battery operated ones that light up and flicker without a flame.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://phyllis-sather.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/34594_443829881479_659021479_6411570_7174580_s.jpg"><br />
</a><a href="http://phyllis-sather.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/39815_452714251479_659021479_6649222_1218001_n.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1572 aligncenter" title="39815_452714251479_659021479_6649222_1218001_n" src="http://phyllis-sather.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/39815_452714251479_659021479_6649222_1218001_n-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a><a href="http://phyllis-sather.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/38434_139297936091976_100000353102793_279906_6014049_n.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1570" title="38434_139297936091976_100000353102793_279906_6014049_n" src="http://phyllis-sather.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/38434_139297936091976_100000353102793_279906_6014049_n-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>
<div id="_mcePaste">The next morning I looked at the living room in disarray and found myself smiling as I remembered the fun from the evening before. I sort of laughed at myself as I walked away without straightening things up, but found myself drawn back to that room several times to reminisce about the previous evening.</div>
<p>We have a family room and our living room is used mostly when we have company, so it was a couple of days before anyone else realized that it had been left rather messy. Would you believe that someone had the nerve to straighten it up? That’s exactly how I felt when I stopped to look at it and everything was back in its proper place. I found that I had become just like my mother, or in this case, my mother-in-law.</p>
<p>I now understood to a greater degree the joy she found in childish fingerprints on her windows.</p>
<p>Proverbs 17:6a “Children’s children are the crown of old men…”</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">Handprints on my window</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">Reminders of laughter and joy</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">How quickly these days go by</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">It’ll be awhile before they can come again</div>
<div>Meanwhile, I have handprints on my window.</div>
<div>Finding Joy in the Journey,</div>
<p>Phyllis</p>
<p>I would love to have the opportunity to keep in touch with you. Please sign up to be notified of new entries and to receive my Free E-zine. (Your address will not be shared)</p>
<p><a href="http://phyllis-sather.com/?page_id=198&amp;preview=true" target="_blank">Sign me up! </a></p>
<div id="_mcePaste">Phyllis Sather</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">Proclaiming God&#8217;s Faithfulness at:</div>
<p><a href="http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com">http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com</a></p>
<div id="_mcePaste">© 2010 Phyllis Sather</div>
<p>All rights reserved</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">Contact me at:</div>
<p><a href="mailto:phyllis@phyllis-sather.com">Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com</a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">
<p style="text-align: left;">
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		<item>
		<title>Some days I would like an opportunity to be bored, but then&#8230;</title>
		<link>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1548</link>
		<comments>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1548#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Aug 2010 21:50:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Phyllis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[~ Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ God's Faithfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Homemaking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Homeschool]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Marriage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Testimoneys of God's Faithfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[children]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian walk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[decisions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[encouragement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[faithfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Godly women]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Scripture]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1548</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I remember long hot summer days – days that had plenty of time for pretend cooking under the back porch, which was one of my favorite shady, thus cooler, summer spots. I also enjoyed going into our grove behind the barn. There was one of my favorite things, an old horse driven plow. I would [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I remember long hot summer days – days that had plenty of time for pretend cooking under the back porch, which was one of my favorite shady, thus cooler, summer spots. I also enjoyed going into our grove behind the barn. There was one of my favorite things, an old horse driven plow. I would climb up into the seat and dream away the hours, thinking about the day when I would be a wife and mother.</p>
<p>There was jump rope, bike riding, reading, and of course, the necessary weeding the garden and doing chores, but there was also something else – time to get bored!</p>
<p>Just think about it for a moment. When was the last time you were actually bored? As I think about this I can remember brief moments of boredom, but they never lasted beyond checking my list, to see what was next. I don’t mean checking it for work, but actually having things on it that I enjoy and take delight in, such as a book I want to read, scrapbooking, calling a friend, time to write – not just articles for publication, but letters or e-mails to family, missionaries, and friends. Today’s technology allows us to keep in touch like never before. I find it exciting to be able to write a word of encouragement that won’t take days, weeks, or months to reach the person the Lord has brought to mind.</p>
<p>Lately I’ve begun thanking the Lord for all the fun things He has given me to do. Yes, there will always be the normal, everyday, responsibilities, but doing them “as unto the Lord” can even give new meaning to them.</p>
<p>I am so thankful to have enough interests and work to keep me from being bored – in fact; I’ve sometimes said I’ll need another lifetime to complete all the things I would like to do.</p>
<p>Aren’t you glad that the Christian walk doesn’t have to be boring? Aren’t you glad being a wife and mother doesn’t have to be boring?</p>
<p>Psalm 16:11 says:</p>
<p>You will show me the path of life;<br />
In Your presence is fullness of joy;<br />
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.</p>
<p>As a new believer, this was the first Bible verse the Lord ever made personal to me. I remember one particular time early in my walk when I was having serious doubts as to whether all I was experiencing and feeling was real. My thought was, “What if none of this is true?” Immediately this verse popped into my mind. It so described my life in Christ that it quickly dispelled all my fears. I said, even if it isn’t true, the life I’ve had with Christ is so much better than anything else I’ve had that I will follow Him forever.</p>
<p>How about you? Are you finding joy and pleasure in your walk with the Lord? Or has the Christian walk become dull and lifeless? If this is the case, read Psalm 16 again and ask the Lord to bring you into His presence and fill you with His joy.</p>
<p>Finding Joy in the Journey,</p>
<p>Phyllis</p>
<p>I would love to have the opportunity to keep in touch with you. Please sign up to be notified of new entries and to receive my Free E-zine. (Your address will not be shared)</p>
<p><a href="http://phyllis-sather.com/?page_id=198&amp;preview=true" target="_blank">Sign me up! </a></p>
<p>Phyllis Sather</p>
<p>Proclaiming God&#8217;s Faithfulness at:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com" target="_blank">http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com</a></p>
<p>© 2010 Phyllis Sather</p>
<p>All rights reserved</p>
<p>Contact me at: <a href="mailto:Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com">Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com</a></p>
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		<item>
		<title>Fear of failure got you down?</title>
		<link>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1535</link>
		<comments>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1535#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:29:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Phyllis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[~ Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ God's Faithfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Homeschool]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Marriage]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1535</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I’ve been feeling a bit down the last few days. We’ve been doing a lot of fun things, but that has meant that we’ve been even busier than usual, which is difficult even for me to believe.
Travel and guests mean fun, but they also bring with it a sort of emotional letdown when they are [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I’ve been feeling a bit down the last few days. We’ve been doing a lot of fun things, but that has meant that we’ve been even busier than usual, which is difficult even for me to believe.</p>
<p>Travel and guests mean fun, but they also bring with it a sort of emotional letdown when they are over, and it can be difficult to get yourself back on track emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.</p>
<p>Usually my first reaction is that I must be failing because I’m not “feeling” like I think I should be feeling. Then I usually try to push through by pretending everything is fine, when it actually isn’t fine at all.</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">Recently I learned a valuable lesson. We had traveled over the 4th of July weekend, and returned with a house guest who stayed for a week. When she left my first instinct was just to collapse. I had a lunch date with several Christian homeschool moms who I really wanted to be with, but really didn’t feel like I had much to give so I thought I might as well stay home.</div>
<p>Thankfully my husband made the decision for me. So I was getting ready to leave, knowing that all three of our young adult children would be here to begin the clean up and preparation for our next guest who would be arriving in less than a week – after we went on a three day retreat. Yes, yes, we’ll talk later about overbooking yourself, or leaving a margin in your plans.</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">This lunch would require over an hour’s drive each way and I wasn’t looking forward to doing that alone, but I really didn’t have any other option. Then one by one our young adults came to me and said they would really like to go along. My first thought was if they all came along, who would be getting the work done?</div>
<p>Thankfully the Lord interrupted that thought to remind me that they were probably feeling as drained as I was and could use some down time to regroup too. So they all got ready in less than 20 minutes and we were on our way.</p>
<p>I spent some time listing to my friends share what the Lord has been saying to them, which was a lot on trusting the Lord and His faithfulness – things I really needed to hear. My young adults had lunch together and then spent time at a book store browsing and chatting.</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">On the way home we ditched our more complicated dinner plans in favor of something very simple and shared with each other about our time out.</div>
<p>I was surprised when we got home and everyone got right to work – without me asking them to – and I think they accomplished more than they would have if they had stayed home.</p>
<p>Today I read this article by Deborah Wuehler, titled <a href="http://www.crosswalk.com/homeschool/11632667" target="_blank">“That Guilty Feeling:  Fighting the Spirit of Failure”</a>.  She talks about homeschooling, and has some great points, but what grabbed my attention once again is that our fear of failure in whatever we are doing comes from expectations –regardless of whether they are of myself or others.</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">Her points on homeschooling can easily be applied to anyone:</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">- Everyone else has a better ________ than I do – fill in the blank.</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">- I am inadequate</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">- I feel guilty about not getting it all done.</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">- I feel guilty about ______ &#8211; fill in the blank.</div>
<div>- Others make me feel guilty because I (we) are different or don’t fit in.</div>
<p>We can all come up with reasons we think we are failing. That is when we need to take our eyes off ourselves and get them on the Lord. We need to hear what He is calling us to do and where He is calling us to go – regardless of how that looks to others, or sometimes even to ourselves.</p>
<p>Here is the cure for feelings of failure, found in Micah 7:7-8</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">“But as for me, I will look to the LORD;</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">I will wait for the God of my salvation;</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">my God will hear me.</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">Rejoice not over me, O my enemy;</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">when I fall, I shall rise;</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">when I sit in darkness,</div>
<p>the LORD will be a light to me.”</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">Finding Joy in the Journey,</div>
<p>Phyllis</p>
<p>I would love to have the opportunity to keep in touch with you. Please sign up to be notified of new entries and to receive my Free E-zine. (Your address will not be shared)</p>
<p><a href="http://phyllis-sather.com/?page_id=198&amp;preview=true" target="_blank">Sign me up!</a></p>
<p>Phyllis Sather<br />
Contact me  <a href="mailto:Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com">Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com</a></p>
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		<item>
		<title>August! How Can it Possibly be August Already?</title>
		<link>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1531</link>
		<comments>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1531#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:42:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Phyllis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[~ Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Family Traditions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Generational Faithfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Homemaking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Marriage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Parenting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vacations]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Does this sound as impossible to you as it does to me? Where does the time go? This has been a different sort of summer for us.
It seems like more of our friends are having visitors and visiting others than in years past. I think it is partly due to the economy, since it is [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Does this sound as impossible to you as it does to me? Where does the time go? This has been a different sort of summer for us.</p>
<p>It seems like more of our friends are having visitors and visiting others than in years past. I think it is partly due to the economy, since it is far less expensive when you visit someone and don’t have hotel expenses and costly meals out, and having friends visit is always fun. Often times we do things with visitors that we have never considered doing alone, or just haven’t taken time to do.</p>
<p>We used to live 10 minutes from Mall of America and only went there when we had guests who wanted to see it. Of course we aren’t big shoppers, but just looking around was fun.</p>
<p>So far this summer we’ve done a number of things with guests that we haven’t managed to do since we moved here five years ago. We discovered that our little county museum has an amazing amount of information for such a small town. We learned things we never knew about the area. For instance, this area was one of the biggest bootleg liquor areas in the state. Our Minnesota Thirteen bootleg whiskey was famous during that era.</p>
<p>We’ve taken time to play games, watch old movies, look at photo albums, swim and sit on the dock – things that there just never seems to be enough time to do.</p>
<p>To me this has been one of the benefits of a tighter economy. When I look back I realize that my family only took one real vacation in all my growing up years, and that was to visit family in Canada. I marvel at how we have come to expect expensive vacation trips as a way of life and despair when we find we can’t do it. Or worse yet, charge it on a credit card and then pay a high percentage of interest for months until we can pay it off.</p>
<p>Are vacations necessary? Do we “deserve” them?</p>
<p>No. We can get along without vacations, and yes, we all work hard, but “deserve,” I don’t think so.</p>
<p>What we do need is time to relax, kick back, be refreshed, and we can do that at home as well as we could on a vacation. In fact, I’ve come home from some vacations when I felt like I needed a vacation to recover from my vacation.</p>
<p>One summer we decided to visit all the Minnesota Historical sites that we could get to and back from in a day. Since we did this over the space of a couple of months we were able to really enjoy them. Yes, there were days when we returned home tired, but then we could take several days to recover before planning our next outing. I’ve lived in Minnesota most of my life and had never visited most of the places we visited that summer. I’ll bet that the same is true of you and your state.</p>
<p>Another good idea is to send for tourism information on your state – just like you do when you go to a different state. Often you get discounts meant to lure vacationers, but residents are welcome to take advantage of them too.</p>
<p>If you or your spouse doesn’t get paid vacation time, another good way to regroup is to follow this command:</p>
<p>Exodus 20:8-11 (King James Version)</p>
<p>“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”</p>
<p>We tend to forget that the Lord made provision for us to be refreshed – weekly. I don’t mean that you should do nothing on Sundays, but there are probably a number of things, which if discontinued on Sundays would provide you more of a day of rest. We don’t turn on our computers until later in the afternoon – we know people who don’t use them at all on Sundays. Taking a break from our normal activities can be very refreshing. I know people who take naps on Sunday – in fact I used to be one of them.</p>
<p>Finding Joy in the Journey,</p>
<p>Phyllis</p>
<p>I would love to have the opportunity to keep in touch with you. Please sign up to be notified of new entries and to receive my Free E-zine. (Your address will not be shared)</p>
<p><a href=" http://phyllis-sather.com/?page_id=198&amp;preview=true" target="_blank">Sign me up! </a></p>
<p>Phyllis Sather</p>
<p>Proclaiming God&#8217;s Faithfulness at:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com" target="_blank">http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com</a></p>
<p>© 2010 Phyllis Sather</p>
<p>All rights reserved</p>
<p>Contact me at:<a href="mailto:Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com">Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com</a></p>
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		<title>Sameness: One of the Missing Ingredient in our Families</title>
		<link>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1503</link>
		<comments>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1503#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jul 2010 22:39:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Phyllis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[~ Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ God's Faithfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Godly Heritage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Homemaking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Marriage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Parenting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Uncategorized]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[This June marked the 20th year our family has vacationed at the same cabin that we’ve rented from the same family. That is the entire life span of our son Eric, who was just three months old the first time we came here. Our daughters were two and four.
We lived in the same house for [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This June marked the 20th year our family has vacationed at the same cabin that we’ve rented from the same family. That is the entire life span of our son Eric, who was just three months old the first time we came here. Our daughters were two and four.</p>
<p>We lived in the same house for fourteen years and went to the same church and after moving we have lived in the same house for five years and attended the same church. My husband had the same job for fourteen years and has been at his current job for five years.</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">Do you notice all the “sames” in the above sentences? Memories and a sense of security are built on the foundations of sameness.</div>
<p>Gone are the days of a father working for his entire career at the same business. Gone are the days of families who have lived in the same house for the entire life span of their children. Gone are the days of going to the same school with the same friends from beginning to end. We no longer have a family physician that not only delivered all our children but cared for them for their entire life. The vow we take at marriage “till death do us part” no longer seems relevant to most people, having been replaced with “until I no longer love you” or some other trite phrase.</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">During my lifetime I’ve had four different sets of friends – each time we change houses, employment, or churches we also change friends.</div>
<p>There can be some good in these changes. I’ve learned to be more flexible, I’ve learned how to develop new friendships, I’ve learned how to make an enjoyable life for myself in new situations, but I’ve also lost touch with old friends, and lost some of the sense of security that comes with having sameness in my life.</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">It grieves me when I think of the relationships I’ve left behind. Sure, some of them continue and when you get together once or twice a year it seems as if nothing has changed and you can readily enter back into the comfortable relationship that you had for years. That seems to be the exception rather than the rule.</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">The loss of sameness in our children’s lives leads to this same loss of security – only they are less able to compensate for this loss.</div>
<p>50% percent of first marriages, 67% of second and 74% of third marriages end in divorce, according to Jennifer Baker of the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in Springfield, Missouri.</p>
<p>This means that half of the children in the United States not only faces all of the above changes, but needs to adjust to living in two different households, switching every week or month as set up by their parents. They often have to adjust to having a new mom and/or dad and new sets of siblings in both of those relationships.</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine having to live in two different houses and two different families and switching places regularly. Yet this is what we have come to expect from millions of children all the time.</div>
<p>The other situation children of divorce often find themselves in is growing up without a father. Fully 40% of children with divorced parents have no father who is active in their lives.</p>
<p>Children who don’t have the coping abilities of adults are losing even their basic sense of sameness. Is it any wonder that so many of them end up with emotional, physical, and psychological problems?</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">We are often told that children are resilient and learn to cope with these losses. Single parenthood is promoted as normal on TV and in movies.</div>
<p>I contend that parents separating and leaving each other and their children is not normal, and that children of whatever age do not learn how to cope well, but that losing their sense of sameness leads to lifelong damage.</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">This is not a popular stand because if you are the one who is tired of your spouse or have met someone new and want to get out of a marriage, you don’t want to hear that you are going to damage your children irreparably. You don’t want to hear that the best thing you can do for them is to love your spouse – to make that relationship work. Yes, work – marriage is work, and most of them fail because someone is no longer willing to work at that most important relationship. We seem to have forgotten that love is not just a feeling, but a decision, and once we make that decision we need to be steadfast and be willing to work through the difficult times to make it work.</div>
<p>When I got married 25 years ago our pastors asked us to make a commitment to each other that divorce would never be an option. I’m really grateful for having been asked to do that and that both of us were willing to make that decision. I’m glad to say that even during the roughest times it never was mentioned as an option.</p>
<p>Would you be willing to make that commitment to your spouse today?  I think we as a society need to recognize what we are doing to future generations by removing the sameness in their lives, and be willing to take seriously our marriage vows. We need to give our children the years and years of sameness that they need to develop into adults who are healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong> &#8220;Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?  He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.&#8221; Matthew 19:6-8 (King James Version)</strong></p>
<div id="_mcePaste">Finding Joy in the Journey,</div>
<p>Phyllis</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">I would love to have the opportunity to keep in touch with you. Please sign up to be notified of new entries and to receive my Free E-zine. (Your address will not be shared)</div>
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<p><a href="http://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/homeschool-id/" target="_blank">Free or Professionally printed Homeschool ID cards from the Homeschool Buyers Co-op</a></p>
<div id="_mcePaste">Phyllis Sather</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">Proclaiming God&#8217;s Faithfulness at:</div>
<p><a href="http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com" target="_blank">http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com</a></p>
<div id="_mcePaste">© 2010 Phyllis Sather</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">All rights reserved</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">
<p>Contact me <a href="mailto:Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com">Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com</a></p>
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		<title>An Accidental Writer</title>
		<link>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1493</link>
		<comments>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1493#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:28:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Phyllis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[~ Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ God's Faithfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Homeschool]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Parenting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Writing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1493</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I hope you all enjoyed your 4th of July weekend. I know we did. Its always good to have some extended family time.
This week I have a very special guest writer &#8211; my daughter Emily.  She is oldest of our children who are still at home  and has always been homeschooled. I must say that [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I hope you all enjoyed your 4th of July weekend. I know we did. Its always good to have some extended family time.</p>
<p>This week I have a very special guest writer &#8211; my daughter Emily.  She is oldest of our children who are still at home  and has always been homeschooled. I must say that I was often discouraged by her lack of desire to finish any writing assignments. She would sit for hours and never write  more than a couple of words. But&#8230;I&#8217;m getting ahead of myself.</p>
<p>Lets hear this from her point of view. Perhaps some of you will be able to share some of her insights with your reluctant writer.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em>&#8220;With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.&#8221; (Matt. 19:26b)</em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em> </em><em>“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” (1 Cor. 12:9a)</em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you’re anything like me, you can likely think of at least one thing that you’re absolutely, hopelessly, <em>bad </em>at – probably several things. There are a number of areas in which I’ve felt that way, and some in which I still do. But, gradually, my perspective is changing. God seems to be taking great delight in proving to me that I have very silly ideas of what is or is not possible for me – and that His plans can’t be predicted or confined by what skills I think I do or do not have.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am an editor, and a writer. That may not sound surprising, but not so long ago I would never have expected those titles to apply to me. My interests lay elsewhere, as did my talents. When I look at my life today, it’s nothing like anything I had dreamed God might have in store for me. In fact, if I had known only a few years ago that <em>this </em>would be His plan, I would probably have been horrified. But now, even though I don’t yet see His plans fully, I love the work He has given me. It’s not easy, but it is far better than anything I could have come up with on my own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I became an editor about four years ago, almost without realizing it. Ever since I could remember, I had hated writing, and everything to do with it. In all my years of school, I have never completed a writing course. Oh, it wasn’t for lack of trying. I truly did put effort and thought into it. But even the highly-recommended courses we tried… I loathed. I was so very, very bad at it. I read voraciously, adored good literature, could recognize good writing. But for myself? No. Writing was cruel and unusual punishment. When it was required, I did it, but it was a slow and painful effort.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My poor mother, who had always loved writing, wondered what had gone wrong. How could a child of hers not love writing – never mind <em>hate </em>it? Had she failed as a teacher? Or was there, perhaps, something seriously wrong with me?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But through a number of “coincidences” and circumstances (which are an entire story in themselves), my love of reading led me into reading stories for more than simple enjoyment. It began with my sister – she wanted me to look at her stories, and correct the mistakes in them before she showed them to anyone else. Well, it wasn’t as if I knew what I was doing, but I agreed to help her.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Much to my surprise, I found I was good<em> </em>at it. And, even more astonishing, I <em>liked </em>it. Eventually, other friends gave me their writings to read as well, and even my mother began asking me to read her articles before she sent them to magazines. Sometimes they just wanted a general opinion, sometimes they wanted me to correct the mistakes or make suggestions.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The more I edited, the more I enjoyed it, and the more I wanted to learn the rules and art of language so that I could improve. I sought out books, reading and learning more through experience, and by the time I put a title to it and began working professionally, I had actually been an editor for some time.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the time I had no idea where I was going, but in hindsight God’s direction has been almost laughably clear, gently turning me away from my own dreams, and replacing them with something even better. Out of something I had always hated and been entirely inept at, God has given me work that I love, and opened countless doors for ministry, giving me the ability to help and encourage my family, my pastor, missionaries, and many other brothers and sisters in Christ. And, as far as a “productive” career is concerned – I’ve never yet had to apply for a job. Again and again, He’s brought opportunities right to me, without any initiation on my part.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Despite all of that, some things didn’t change. Writing…. Ah, there was an area where I was <em>truly</em> beyond hope. I might like editing, but writing was still a different matter entirely. I would never be a writer. It surprised some people – writing and editing were supposed to go hand-in-hand, weren’t they? But I still hated it.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em> </em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And then, completely by accident, I started writing a book.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It started out as simply a short article for an online writing community. As an editor, certain common writing mistakes <em>really </em>bother me, so I wrote an article on the proper and improper usage of exclamation marks in fiction. It was actually quite fun. One article turned into two, and then three. Not only were they well-received, but when I shared them with friends and family the universal response was that they were helpful – <em>and </em>that they should be expanded into a book.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Honestly, I was stunned, and kind of scared. I wasn’t a writer! I <em>couldn’t </em>write a book! But enough people had said the same thing that I started to wonder if God might be trying to tell me something. It seemed strange – how could writing advice about fiction be a way to serve God? It was perfectly legitimate and reasonable as something a <em>person</em> might want to do, but could it really be something He<em> </em>wanted me to do?<em> </em>But in the end, I surrendered.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So now, I am not only writing a book, but I’m writing a book <em>on </em>writing. I don’t have any idea what I’m doing, and I still have plenty of doubts. But I am confident that it was God who started me down this road, and He’s the one who will give me the abilities I need to walk it. It is certainly pride and folly to trust in our own abilities, but I’m learning that it is equally so to refuse to trust in His ability to enable us to do the tasks He has for us. His strength <em>is</em> made perfect in our weakness, and I truly think He delights at times in giving us tasks we feel completely unfit for, so that through us His greatness can shine all the more.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sometimes, even though in our minds we know differently, it can feel like we have to be doing something really “spiritual” in order to serve God. The truth is, God calls us to serve Him wherever we are, and anything we do can be for His glory.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), even the servant with only one talent was expected to do <em>something </em>with it, and the Master was very displeased when he buried it. It’s all too easy to listen to the voices of doubt and insecurity: “I can’t do that. I’ve got no talent for this. This is impossible.” This talent may feel like a very little, weak, and useless one, but who knows?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I do know that I’ve got to be a whole lot more careful about what I decide I’m hopeless at, because I never know when it might wind up being in the center of God’s plans for me. When she first asked if I would be interested in being involved with Regenerated Magazine, I told Veronika, the head of our editing department, that I would like to edit, but that I doubted I’d ever write anything for it. After all, I am most definitely <em>not </em>a writer. I didn’t even intend to write this article, but I think it’s quite obvious what God thought of <em>that </em>idea.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Where are you hopeless? Is there something that God’s been bringing into your path, but you’ve been hesitating because you don’t think you’re up for the task? When we are weak, He is strong: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16px;">It might not be easy<em>, </em>but if it’s something God wants for us, we <em>can </em>do it. And you never know: you just might be surprised when God gives you “the desires of your heart,” (Psalm 37:4) and you find it’s something you once thought you hated.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16px;">You can talk with Emily about your editing or writing needs at: Kind Corrections Editing Service <a href="mailto:striderfcr@yahoo.com">striderfcr@yahoo.com</a></span></p>
<p>Finding Joy in the Journey,</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">Phyllis</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">I would love to have the opportunity to keep in touch with you. Please sign up to be notified of new entries and to receive my Free E-zine. (Your address will not be shared)</div>
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<div id="_mcePaste">Phyllis Sather</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">Proclaiming God&#8217;s Faithfulness at:</div>
<div id="_mcePaste"><a href="http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com" target="_blank">http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com</a></div>
<div id="_mcePaste">© 2010 Phyllis Sather</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">All rights reserved</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">
<p>Contact me  <a href="mailto:Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com">Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com</a></p>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The biggest fireworks are July 1. 4-day savings&#8211;limited supply</title>
		<link>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1485</link>
		<comments>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1485#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:41:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Phyllis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[~ Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1485</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Happy Fourth of July to all of you. I hope you are all enjoying some family time or just a time to kick back and relax. For the first time in years we will be spending it out of town. We will spend the weekend in Lincoln, NE.
Before we leave I wanted to take just [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Happy Fourth of July to all of you. I hope you are all enjoying some family time or just a time to kick back and relax. For the first time in years we will be spending it out of town. We will spend the weekend in Lincoln, NE.</p>
<p><a href="http://phyllis-sather.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/July4th140x180Button.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1486" title="July4th140x180Button" src="http://phyllis-sather.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/July4th140x180Button.jpg" alt="" width="140" height="180" /></a>Before we leave I wanted to take just a moment to let you know about this sale at The Old Schoolhouse.</p>
<p>1776 was a spectacular year, and it&#8217;s a smashing, save-more-money price! Grab your subscription to <em>The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine </em>during their four-day Fourth of July sale, and check out the craziest price on July 1 only! Receive a 2-year subscription, free Homeschooling with Heart tote bag, and five FREE E-Books for just $17.76! While supplies last. U.S. and Canadian residents. July 2 through July 4 the unprecedented savings continue. The sparks are flying at TOS Magazine . . . join in the celebration and savings! <a href="http://thehomeschoolmagazine.com/2010/Fourth-of-July.htm" target="_blank">Get the details here</a>.</p>
<p>Have a wonderful weekend.</p>
<p>Phyllis</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">I would love to have the opportunity to keep in touch with you. Please sign up to be notified of new entries and to receive my Free E-zine. (Your address will not be shared)</div>
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<p>Phyllis Sather</p>
<p>Proclaiming God&#8217;s Faithfulness at:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com" target="_blank">http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com</a></p>
<p>© 2010 Phyllis Sather</p>
<p>All rights reserved</p>
<p>Contact me <a href="mailto:Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com">Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com</a></p>
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		<title>Freebies from The Old Schoolhouse</title>
		<link>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1457</link>
		<comments>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1457#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 26 Jun 2010 22:13:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Phyllis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[~ Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1457</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Many of us have chosen to be a one income family so that we can homeschool our children. This can often mean tight budgets without money for those extras.
The Old Schoolhouse is offering some free e-books that might be just what you need.
Are you considering homeschooling, or are you curious and simply want to know [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;">
<p style="text-align: left;">Many of us have chosen to be a one income family so that we can homeschool our children. This can often mean tight budgets without money for those extras.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The Old Schoolhouse is offering some free e-books that might be just what you need.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103470271339&amp;s=1282&amp;e=001Wq_scOnRbd9aRWPVkX6ff3cEwJ-upffdNmsw_DsjSScDyY2rY-l-28aKaVNj_sFd1jXDniUhGGsbnYJdtH06BxdwwszIVxCf4q6qz8iszTvg9OUNO369HyuLL_uhLFwBR1nX16UvN5EgIMmliGoqp1MjhhRsF5pU7KvLwLy7ZSsfgw883kD_9A==" target="_blank"><img src="http://trish.theoldhomeschoolhouse.com/christie_files/mscgrfx/HS101/DigiSupplimentbutton140x180.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="150" height="190" align="left" /></a>Are you considering homeschooling, or are you curious and simply want to know more? What if you were offered a commendable, complimentary class on homeschooling taught by experienced educators that included hands-on tools for your personal use? The course is called Homeschool 101 . . . Would you like a front-row seat?</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The Old Schoolhouse® is thrilled to share this FREEresource with you&#8211;a digital supplement to the Schoolhouse Expo . . . <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103470271339&amp;s=1282&amp;e=001Wq_scOnRbd9aRWPVkX6ff3cEwJ-upffdNmsw_DsjSScDyY2rY-l-28aKaVNj_sFd1jXDniUhGGsbnYJdtH06BxdwwszIVxCf4q6qz8iszTvg9OUNO369HyuLL_uhLFwBR1nX16UvN5EgIMmliGoqp1MjhhRsF5pU7KvLwLy7ZSsfgw883kD_9A==" target="_blank">The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine&#8217;s Homeschool 101 Supplement</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="color: #000000;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103470271339&amp;s=1282&amp;e=001Wq_scOnRbd_jXs1urDH4BgP0hw6k1JTy2Bv2bAVwm1tmQgIubr3GpiKNxKYOFg_JncW2eYT5XZ5K1xMs4HtEV4n_uMklH4gyII6qJ003GAf-axHQt9qQ1R45aHHazu2nyy6Q75Q69M3VCi_8oH8M4bVQ5ZBgwXtSKNGeju2vHGycdwF09SWIruzbPN3V7zdz" target="_blank"><img src="http://trish.theoldhomeschoolhouse.com/christie_files/mscgrfx/pr/prsupplement140x180.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="150" height="190" align="right" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
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<p style="text-align: left;">Have you struggled to find quality curriculum for your homeschool? With thousands of choices available to you, how do you find the perfect resources that fit your particular family? Is it even possible?</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The TOS Product Review Team works hard to check out a variety of products in their own homeschools, and then they report on them with extensive written reviews of each product. The team is delighted to share this FREE resource with you&#8211;another quality digital supplement to The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine . . . <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103470271339&amp;s=1282&amp;e=001Wq_scOnRbd_jXs1urDH4BgP0hw6k1JTy2Bv2bAVwm1tmQgIubr3GpiKNxKYOFg_JncW2eYT5XZ5K1xMs4HtEV4n_uMklH4gyII6qJ003GAf-axHQt9qQ1R45aHHazu2nyy6Q75Q69M3VCi_8oH8M4bVQ5ZBgwXtSKNGeju2vHGycdwF09SWIruzbPN3V7zdz" target="_blank">TOS Lab Presents: Your Guide to Examining Curriculum</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">
<p><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103470271339&amp;s=1282&amp;e=001Wq_scOnRbd9Dlq8XEuH8sf4ZFi1u8IohwM3j8qRPclKlPI07mDDYoCz1E5UwZBa9Yvh-AnH2RSoy376NkkdCpg-q1ukpEf9qdHj9kZYBP2F3MM_EJjYn7xU5c42J_2KPmvqUCgeYHnn273RdTyJywPpM_Hl_QRzR0cpE_2ZyZVr0hBxAgxq1pg==" target="_blank"><img src="http://trish.theoldhomeschoolhouse.com/christie_files/mscgrfx/PublicSchool140x180.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="150" height="190" align="left" /></a>Are you looking for something shorter and convenient to hand out to curious friends and family? Our newest brochure examines public schooling vs. homeschooling.</p>
<p><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103470271339&amp;s=1282&amp;e=001Wq_scOnRbd9Dlq8XEuH8sf4ZFi1u8IohwM3j8qRPclKlPI07mDDYoCz1E5UwZBa9Yvh-AnH2RSoy376NkkdCpg-q1ukpEf9qdHj9kZYBP2F3MM_EJjYn7xU5c42J_2KPmvqUCgeYHnn273RdTyJywPpM_Hl_QRzR0cpE_2ZyZVr0hBxAgxq1pg==" target="_blank">What About Public Schools?</a> is ideal. Print it out and pass it around at your next group meeting or share it electronically among your members. Help fellow members better understand the advantages of homeschooling!</p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103470271339&amp;s=1282&amp;e=001Wq_scOnRbd9x9iOHbaeiZgB-50872DBgwuAilV8Ady2-WbBMtsrBtfw5N0Gc4QenAmfDBuXz9ZLPB2DfB2_6Sa8bKuKgOi9reWTb_RvuziAB-zV2hWAPCHj6FZDwUkLD61E7202iC32Imz9mP3xJmQ==" target="_blank"><img src="http://trish.theoldhomeschoolhouse.com/christie_files/mscgrfx/HomeschoolWithConfidence140x180.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="150" height="190" align="left" /></a>Could you or those you know use a little more confidence? Our<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103470271339&amp;s=1282&amp;e=001Wq_scOnRbd9x9iOHbaeiZgB-50872DBgwuAilV8Ady2-WbBMtsrBtfw5N0Gc4QenAmfDBuXz9ZLPB2DfB2_6Sa8bKuKgOi9reWTb_RvuziAB-zV2hWAPCHj6FZDwUkLD61E7202iC32Imz9mP3xJmQ==" target="_blank">Homeschooling With Confidence</a>brochure answers ten of the most commonly asked homeschool-related questions. </span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">What about a dose of E-couragement? Have you jumped into the E-Book craze? Electronic information is increasingly popular. In addition to the list above, three of our most popular E-Books are available to download for free&#8211;no strings attached.</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://thehomeschoolmagazine.com/TOSEBookSellSheets/The-New-School-Year/index_TheNewSchoolYear.htm"><img class="alignleft" src="http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/TOSEBookSellSheets/The-New-School-Year/TheNewSchoolYearCoverSM.jpg" alt="" width="175" height="227" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Get ready to plan a year of enthusiastic homeschool learning with consistent input from the Lord! Take the guesswork out of your planning, systematically organizing your homeschool this year with the E-Book, <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103470271339&amp;s=1282&amp;e=001Wq_scOnRbd8FV4gEs_vkWmJLqByVzvmKrb-SnLVdt0kZ_NdoCgdhMjhT4DfYflEHSc1nWHsRDijP3FEnUEcUG_Y8sHlB6ZvdPXP2JJ8lZR-dXpNHrrkPlRbcumTsJMM35oX4Qg7a3NGY3XwmHCvdz3M9lL-8itxOCU9u9YL7asT-YUaO8zJLtMm5oqss2YKMGMzny8fm7nzDySK2yOHb7EvcHbJd0gFd" target="_blank">The New School Year: Planning Your Course and Letting the Lord Determine Your Steps</a>. Written by homeschoolers from a Biblical foundation and using plenty of personal experience, this book will help take your homeschool to a whole new level. From curriculum to field trips, and from co-ops to homeschooling with the heart in mind, God is by your side. Let Him be your guide!</p>
<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103470271339&amp;s=1282&amp;e=001Wq_scOnRbd8Agbr-HBKS8pK3Lho_VMwN0lzo--HJyBTuBGkYhcomObfT3jxPIrsELow0Ynf4vPNQ4muCvPiNaERC810XmyeD9acLRWjNWE_lH1lpkVdblbC8svuOglbEBnyTNZ07JxQg-iJLmasLd6GRZAcDSuC773ygsY4xlfr8FgOtzPbDfKDA4lMtydIsxkj22zEXnNGRejUlPMztpA==" target="_blank">E-Homeschooling: Embracing the E-Book Revolution</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103470271339&amp;s=1282&amp;e=001Wq_scOnRbd8Agbr-HBKS8pK3Lho_VMwN0lzo--HJyBTuBGkYhcomObfT3jxPIrsELow0Ynf4vPNQ4muCvPiNaERC810XmyeD9acLRWjNWE_lH1lpkVdblbC8svuOglbEBnyTNZ07JxQg-iJLmasLd6GRZAcDSuC773ygsY4xlfr8FgOtzPbDfKDA4lMtydIsxkj22zEXnNGRejUlPMztpA==" target="_blank"><img src="http://thehomeschoolmagazine.com/assets/banners/E-Homeschooling140x180.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="150" height="190" align="right" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span>E-Book is also completely free to download!<br />
Discover all you ever wanted to know about E-Books, their use in homeschooling, and even how to publish your own! Gain a better understanding of the many ways E-Books can improve your homeschooling by quickly and resourcefully linking you with the latest information on a seemingly endless supply of lessons, encouragement, support materials, and more! E-Homeschooling is hyperlinked to additional reference material, purchasing sources, and free E-Book websites to sample and enjoy.</span></div>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103470271339&amp;s=1282&amp;e=001Wq_scOnRbd_u62nxtHhhNqrfsQBGTONH2_vtBEVAbpefMFAUTDVBbbxPtgW0IPLaNqAyg_LXGtceJ7Q6he9INrlrjZrM4zOg75v730vEQVGQAaG8bvcDg2XOWxX6KKr1zddlKO1Xw19Jp_mTSlC2d37v5YJLha5h2kRWYdWoprbXKkuuHLI_5w==" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103470271339&amp;s=1282&amp;e=001Wq_scOnRbd_u62nxtHhhNqrfsQBGTONH2_vtBEVAbpefMFAUTDVBbbxPtgW0IPLaNqAyg_LXGtceJ7Q6he9INrlrjZrM4zOg75v730vEQVGQAaG8bvcDg2XOWxX6KKr1zddlKO1Xw19Jp_mTSlC2d37v5YJLha5h2kRWYdWoprbXKkuuHLI_5w==" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103470271339&amp;s=1282&amp;e=001Wq_scOnRbd_u62nxtHhhNqrfsQBGTONH2_vtBEVAbpefMFAUTDVBbbxPtgW0IPLaNqAyg_LXGtceJ7Q6he9INrlrjZrM4zOg75v730vEQVGQAaG8bvcDg2XOWxX6KKr1zddlKO1Xw19Jp_mTSlC2d37v5YJLha5h2kRWYdWoprbXKkuuHLI_5w==" target="_blank"></a></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103470271339&amp;s=1282&amp;e=001Wq_scOnRbd_u62nxtHhhNqrfsQBGTONH2_vtBEVAbpefMFAUTDVBbbxPtgW0IPLaNqAyg_LXGtceJ7Q6he9INrlrjZrM4zOg75v730vEQVGQAaG8bvcDg2XOWxX6KKr1zddlKO1Xw19Jp_mTSlC2d37v5YJLha5h2kRWYdWoprbXKkuuHLI_5w==" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/freebiedirectory/2010/2010_FD_140x180.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="150" height="190" align="right" /></a></span></span><span><span style="color: #000000;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="color: #000000;">The Old Schoolhouse® would also like to help others receive free items for use in their homeschools. Our amazing <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103470271339&amp;s=1282&amp;e=001Wq_scOnRbd_u62nxtHhhNqrfsQBGTONH2_vtBEVAbpefMFAUTDVBbbxPtgW0IPLaNqAyg_LXGtceJ7Q6he9INrlrjZrM4zOg75v730vEQVGQAaG8bvcDg2XOWxX6KKr1zddlKO1Xw19Jp_mTSlC2d37v5YJLha5h2kRWYdWoprbXKkuuHLI_5w==" target="_blank">Freebie Directory</a> is a wonderful list that offers 40 free items from vendors within our homeschool community. These are free to pass on, and there is no need to buy anything.</span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">Free or Professionally printed Homeschool ID cards from the Homeschool Buyers Co-op</p>
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<td><a href="http://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/homeschool-id/"><img src="http://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/images/stories/hsbc_id/sampleid.png" border="0" alt="" /></a></td>
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<td><a href="Get'&gt;http://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/homeschool-id/"></a><a href="Get'&gt;http://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/homeschool-id/">Get a <strong>FREE</strong><br />
Homeschool ID Card!</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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<p style="text-align: left;">Don&#8217;t forget to stop by the<a href="http://phyllis-sather.com/?page_id=1000" target="_blank"> <strong>sale</strong></a> in my bookstore. Pick up a freebie there too or perhaps you need my book<em> <a href="http://phyllis-sather.com/?page_id=1000" target="_blank"><strong>Purposeful Planning</strong></a></em><em><strong> </strong></em>to help with your school plans for this fall.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Leave me a comment and let me know if you find these free resources helpful.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Finding Joy in the Journey,</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Phyllis</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I would love to have the opportunity to keep in touch with you. Please sign up to be notified of new entries and to receive my Free E-zine. (Your address will not be shared)</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href=" http://phyllis-sather.com/?page_id=198&amp;preview=true" target="_blank">Sign me up! </a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Phyllis Sather</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Proclaiming God&#8217;s Faithfulness at:</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com" target="_blank">http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com</a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">© 2010 Phyllis Sather</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">All rights reserved</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Contact me <a href="mailto:phyllis@phyllis-sather.com">Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com</a></p>
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		<title>Can You Hope to Homeschool With a Chronically Ill Chilc?</title>
		<link>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1446</link>
		<comments>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1446#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:21:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Phyllis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[~ Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ God's Faithfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Homemaking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Parenting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Testimoneys of God's Faithfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[children]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian walk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[decisions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[faithfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[~ Homeschool]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1446</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Our son Eric was diagnosed with Leukemia in July of 1991 whenhe was 16 months old. That was the year our oldest daughter was to start school in the fall.
For years we had been praying about and planning on homeschooling our children. We knew several families with children older than ours who were homeschooling and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://everydayeducator.com/click.html?x=a62b&amp;lc=HwCP&amp;mc=m&amp;s=BliSq&amp;y=4&amp;" target="_blank"><img class="alignleft" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll227/hcate3/ImageC.jpg" alt="" width="75" height="75" /></a>Our son Eric was diagnosed with Leukemia in July of 1991 whenhe was 16 months old. That was the year our oldest daughter was to start school in the fall.</p>
<p>For years we had been praying about and planning on homeschooling our children. We knew several families with children older than ours who were homeschooling and we liked what we saw happening in them. We had waited two years to purchase our home because we wanted something in the same neighborhood where several families from our church lived. Most of them homeshooled and we wanted to be close so we could be supported in our efforts, since we were new to this adventure.</p>
<p>Now here we were with a critically ill baby. The thought of trying to homeschool seemed more than just a little overwhelming at that point. But we really felt that it was something the Lord was calling our family to do, so we prayerfully sought him during that summer.</p>
<p>In the end, Eric having leukemia became the deciding factor. We knew he would be healthier (if you can talk about being healthy while you have Leukemia) during his treatment if his sister wasn’t bringing home a lot of childhood illnesses from her classmates. So the decision was made: We would homeschool!</p>
<p>Now we just needed to figure out how to do it. Our days were very unpredictable. The world of Leukemia really ran our schedule. In addition to our regular weekly and sometimes bi-weekly visits to the clinic there were many different reasons that would prompt an unexpected trip to the clinic or hospital. If Eric had a temperature over 102 degrees, it was an automatic trip to the clinic. If he had an allergic reaction to one of the drugs, which seemed to happen on a regular basis, off we went. One time he woke up from a nap and his catheter had somehow fallen out. That time it was a hospital stay and unplanned surgery to replace the catheter.</p>
<p>In addition to that, our children were only five, three and one.</p>
<p>We needed a plan. We really wanted school to be fun and interesting. We were excited to be teaching Emily, but having mom all tense and nervous about what wasn’t happening didn’t sound like much fun to any of us. And that’s about where I was – tense and nervous because I didn’t see a way to make this work. I had visions of just getting started and being interrupted to take Eric to the doctor. That in addition to the normal interruptions of a one year old and a three year old really made it look impossible.</p>
<p>But God…</p>
<p>As we sought God in this I believe He revealed His plan to us. It must have been His plan because it worked so well.</p>
<p>Some of the verses He used to guide us were:</p>
<blockquote><p>1 Corinthians 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.</p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p>Psalm 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous:</p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p>Psalm 18:32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.</p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p>Psalm 25:9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.</p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p>Psalm 25:12 What man is he that feareth the LORD? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.</p></blockquote>
<p>It was a simple plan. Isn’t that so like God? I quit trying to fit in school at home. I packed a bag with all the things I would need to teach Emily. As we sat in waiting rooms, emergency room, and hospital rooms, we “did school”.  Rebekah and Eric listened in as I read to Emily. They watched as she learned to read and watched her write in her new workbooks. Soon Rebekah wanted to know when she could have her own workbooks. It became something everyone looked forward to whenever a doctor’s visit was necessary. One of the girls would always grab the “special” bag as we headed out the door.</p>
<p>Not only did it work – and work well &#8211; but it was such good use of what otherwise would have been a lot of down time, time spent just waiting! I would have been looking for ways to entertain bored children, but instead they all looked forward to watching Emily do school.</p>
<p>Now I can see that from God’s perspective everything was in order and working as planned. Sometimes we have to step around a situation that we see as a problem and get God’s perspective. What is His plan in all of this? How does He see us in this situation?</p>
<p>This taught us a valuable lesson that we used often during our 18 years of homeschooling. When things get tough or difficult or even seem impossible – we don’t look for a way out. Instead, we ask the Lord to help us get His view – His perspective. He’s the best consultant available – and He’s always ready and willing to help.</p>
<p>2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.</p>
<p>Homeschooling can be especially challenging with a chronically ill child in the family, but if the Lord is calling you to do it He will also provide a way.</p>
<div id="_mcePaste">Finding Joy in the Journey,</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">Phyllis</div>
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<div id="_mcePaste">Phyllis Sather</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">Proclaiming God&#8217;s Faithfulness at:</div>
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<p>© 2010 Phyllis Sather</p>
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		<title>Lazy Cabin Days</title>
		<link>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1437</link>
		<comments>http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1437#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:20:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Phyllis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[~ Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=1437</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Since we are on vacation I decided to post a link to an article I posted a couple of years ago about the cabin we’ve been renting for 20 years. We are spending time there now, and rejoicing at how the Lord provided for us. It has truly been more than we asked for and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Since we are on vacation I decided to post a link to an article I posted a couple of years ago about the cabin we’ve been renting for 20 years. We are spending time there now, and rejoicing at how the Lord provided for us. It has truly been more than we asked for and a very great blessing to our family.</p>
<p>This cabin has been a haven for our family and remains one of our favorite places to kick back, relax, and reconnect as a family.</p>
<p>As parents of three young children we hoped for a place that we could return to year after year and make memories that would last a lifetime. This cabin has been all of that and more. We have so many “traditions” that we can no longer do them all in one trip so we are forced to pick and choose. Plus we continue to add to our list. Sometimes I think that everything we do and enjoy becomes a tradition.</p>
<p>And the memories – we talk for hours about all the things we have done here and the family and friends who have spent hours or days with us here.</p>
<p>Please click the following link and take a walk down memory lane with me by enjoying this slide show and article.</p>
<p><a href="http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=175" target="_blank">http://phyllis-sather.com/?p=175</a></p>
<p>Finding Joy in the Journey,<br />
Phyllis</p>
<p>I would love to have the opportunity to keep in touch with you. Please sign up to be notified of new entries and to receive my Free E-zine. (Your address will not be shared)</p>
<p><a href="http://phyllis-sather.com/?page_id=198&amp;preview=true" target="_blank">Sign me up! </a></p>
<p>Phyllis Sather<br />
Proclaiming God&#8217;s Faithfulness at:<br />
<a href="http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com" target="_blank">http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com</a></p>
<p>© 2010 Phyllis Sather<br />
All rights reserved</p>
<p>Contact me <a href="mailto:Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com">Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com</a></p>
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