This is Why

This has been the kind of day that a home educating Mommy dreams about. It was a cold morning, really the first of significance this season. With a fire crackling in the fireplace, warm blueberry muffins and scrambled eggs on our plates, steamy hot cocoa in our mugs, the children and I had a brunch picnic on a blue plaid flannel sheet that we tossed out over the rug. Luke made the blueberry muffins, Alyssa scrambled the eggs, and John Pierce carried the sheet out afterwards to dump all the crumbs outside. I was the overseer/helper/instructor to Master Chef Luke.

While the food prep was going on, it was discovered that we did in fact have some marshmallows, (after previously mourning the lack thereof). They were the little kind, best for putting in hot chocolate or on top of sweet potato casserole. Alyssa, however, had other plans for the mini marshmallows. She braved the cold (in her bare feet - AAAAGGGGHHHH!) to go find a very thin, long, stick with which she could pierce her marshmallows for roasting. Her brothers and I were very impressed, and the boys eagerly followed her example until everybody had little sticks with gooey, burnt, delicious little blobs at the tip.

With full tummies and toasty feet, we all sat back to discuss some scripture I had been reading in relation to a bible study I am participating in with some ladies from our church. We are going through the study Stepping Up: a journey through the Psalms of Ascent, by Beth Moore. Anyway, the scripture was from Psalm 124, and Romans 8:28-39. The point of this reading was to point out to the children that our God is “for us.” I wanted them to really get that no matter what is going on around us, or how alone we may sometimes feel, our God is ALWAYS for us, and nothing can separate us from His love. This acknowledgement led to the most amazing conversation in which we discussed everything from blood sacrifices, the entrance of sin through the deception by Satan in the garden of Eden, Abraham and Isaac, how Israel got its name, how alone Jesus felt on the cross and how he was still loving and forgiving until the very end. Somehow our conversation went to the Roman Empire, Nero, Alexander the Great, early names for Germany(Germania), England(Britania), and Spain (Espania). We discussed the fact that the Jews didn’t fully understand that Jesus, because he was the only human who was totally innocent and had never hurt anybody, was the final blood sacrifice, and that animal sacrifice was no longer necessary. How, even today, the majority of the people of Israel don’t recognize their own Messiah and are seemingly baffled by Christians who love them despite the difference in belief. I explained that we love them because it was through them that Jesus came, along with our salvation.

There was more that we discussed, and it was all so - very - PRECIOUS! I don’t know how much of this morning will remain with them, but my heart is full to overflowing. I do have the promise that the word of God will not return to Him void, without having accomplished His purpose for which He sent it. To be able to participate in that miracle alone is indescribable. The rest, is just icing on the delicious cake of being the one who presides over the education of my children. To God be the Glory.