Hello! Thanks for visiting! My name is Keri and I am a Christian - saved by grace, I am a happily married, homeschooling mom of 10 wonderful children, living in the beautiful northwest corner of the US.
1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.[a]
3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit,[b] as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.
9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood,[c] the forgiveness of sins.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which[d] is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.
Our oldest four children have played as a string quartet for many years now...but, you know, time moves on, and their lives are changing. Benjamin, the violist is going school full time. He does still live at home, but time to practice is hard to come by. His sisters who comprise the other 75% of the quartet would rather still be playing together...it just doesn't happen.
Sooooooooooo, Rachel - the cellist and youngest member of the older quartet - has enlisted the 3 people just younger than her to begin playing together...the 2nd Edition! They consist of 2 violins and 2 cellos.
They are working on the songs "Rejoice the Lord is King" and "Wait on the Lord". Hopefully, they will soon be able to go to local nursing homes and play there - when they've learned some music! I must say, it is LOVELY to hear a quartet practicing again in the house! What a blessing to be with these wonderful people every day!
Perhaps I will post a recording of their first song...when they've practiced a bit more!
Well, I'm still trying to come up w/ pictures from the fair....(I didn't take a camera any of the 5 days!) Will post those pictures if/when I get some from friends. However, the shepherds had a grand time. Lots of blue ribbons and learning! All of their lambs sold at the auction (HOORAY!) and the two breeding ewes are on holiday - hopefully being successfully bred!
Meanwhile, we just attended our church's annual family camp. Such a fun time for the entire family. We didn't have a live speaker, so opted to watch video of R.C Sproul and Alistair Begg. Lots of good learning!
We also play....play....and more play. There are volleyball competitions to participate in, foosball, ping-pong, horseshoes, and even pinochle (of which Gregg and I are the reigning champions, mind you - 2 years running now)! On Saturday, we divide up into teams based on families. Our team won the "name that tune" game where you use BoomWhackers. We had to identify 20 songs in some amt of time. There are several other activities in this afternoon of fun - getting your entire team across a "no one can touch the ground" field only using a few odd (and very small) items, a water relay in which we got thankfully wet! (This was the hottest family camp we've been too - we are usually battling rain this time of year!), and a variety of tossing games.
There are also three legged races,
Apple Bobbing,
And enjoying friends!
We are all very encouraged and refreshed having spent time w/ our church family!
We have used these Scripture memory books for probably 15 years....Actually, it is our second set....we had the cassettes and books first, and then about 8 years ago purchased the set of books w/ cds. They are not flashy. They have a song, and then the chapter of Scripture (you know....where you hear a "ding" and turn the page - so non-readers can follow along and recognize the words that go w/ each picture!) and then at then end, the chapter is put to music; with the Scripture verbatim. (At least, I think mostly verbatim!) My kiddos (are supposed to) listen to them every morning. We have had good success using this resource.
This is the only product we have purchased from Thy Word Creations, (and we purchased them many years ago!) but they seem to have several other interesting options as well.
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Sarah needed to accompany some of her students on the guitar for her students' recital...she is teaching herself to play it (Gregg bought the guitar when he was in high school w/ those blue stamps that the grocery store used to give out....remember those?) Emily just got a mandolin for her birthday - she's had her eye on one for a few years ....so tonight they were just playing around...funny to go back to those beginner days w/ them (they play their violins so beautifully now!) But these instruments are a lot of fun! - I'm definately looking forward to some toe tapping music eminating from them soon, and if their laughter is any indication...it will be worth the effort!
