First Day of Fourth Grade!

Oh, school, why must you always start again!?

My sweet girl, Flower, started back to school on August 27th.  It made me quite sad!  Sure, we all joke that we are so ready for school to start.  But, Flower was my little buddy during the summer!  When the little ones took their naps, she and I stayed up chatting, reading our Bibles, praying, playing games, or knitting.  It is a little lonely here without her.

But, a child must be educated!  Thankfully, we got the teacher we were praying she would get.  The kids we wanted in her class are, and the ones we didn't, aren't.  We are really blessed this year!

It is so hard to believe that I have a child in the 4th grade.  I remember 4th grade so clearly.  It was the first year we began to home school, and probably the year I was pushed to "dig deep" the most.

Flower on the first day of fourth grade

Isn't she just beautiful?!  And look how much she has changed:

Flower on the first day of third grade

She looks so grown up.  So mature.  Such a young lady she is becoming!

God has truly blessed me with some amazing children.  

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth.  Blessed is the man who's quiver is full of them."  Psalm 127 3-5

My God Amazes.

From the day I found out I was pregnant with my first child, Flower, I had two prayers: that they would be healthy, and that they would love the Lord, listen to what He tells them, and be willing to serve Him.

Numerous times, they have shown me that they are listening to Him, and it always starts when they are quite young.

Yes, I do take my children to church, but honestly, we don't  go on a regular basis (and there are several reasons for this I won't go into).  At home, I do teach my children about God.  We red the Bible together.  We pray together.  But several times Flower has come up to me and told me that God told her something...and I know it is something we haven't discussed together.  But it is always totally, Biblically correct.  I'm always astonished by her knowledge, and willingness to listen to the Lord.

Yesterday, it was Little Man's turn. We were outside; I was sitting just inside the garage, knitting, and Little Man was riding his tricycle.  He rode out to the mailbox, and just stopped and sat there for several minutes.  Then, he started yelling "MOMMA!!  MOMMA!!", and pedaled his little trike over to me as fast as he could.  He said "Mom, Jesus told me my heart was dead.  But he fixed it now, and it's 'live again cuz a Him! Did you know that mom?  Your heart's 'live too, Mom.  It is.  Jesus told me dat, Mom."

Wow.

Now, my Little Man is only three.  I haven't exactly gone over the "Plan of Salvation" with him.  We sing about how Jesus loves us, and how we love Him.  We talk about Jesus making the sun come up in the mornings, and the strawberries grow on mommy's plants.  But I've never told my son that his heart is dead and Jesus makes it "'live".  Honestly, I'm not ever sure that I have ever told him that Jesus talks to us.

How was my rough and tough, three year old little boy able to completely explain God's gift of His son to us in the most basic of ways?  Anyone could understand that.  Is there more to it?  Sure.  But God's love for us boils down to this one thing: that we are dead inside, and until he accept His son we will remain that way.  Only after we accept His son will we be truly alive.

I think there is only one explanation.  I prayed that God would speak to my children, that they would listen, and be willing to be used by Him.

I, for one, believe God did answer my prayer, and that it is just the first of many times that it will happen.

1 Samuel 3:10b "Speak Lord, for your servant is listening."

Be blessed today!