Those who know us well can probably tell you of our struggles with our second son, Peter. Since turning three he has become increasingly challenging as 2007 passed us by. We would have so many discussions over the fact that he is growing up and that we expected more from him in respect to his behavior. Each discussion and each consequence for inappropriate behavior seemed to be as a resounding gong, occurring without an impact at all. It was to the point where friends had offered us books and I had already polished off several on child training and I was still as close to wits end as I was prepared to get.

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Answer: Well, it is to God, and to me, too. Christianity is a word that describes my whole being, who I am, if you like. Being a Christian makes me who I am, and what I am. It makes me a Mum, wife, homeschooler and friend, somebody that you could entrust your life to. It gives me the values that people say they like in me.

This means that whatever I write will reflect the bias of Christianity, just as this blog and my homeschooling forums will reflect a Christian heart. This doesn't mean that I am intolerant of other people's faiths or perspectives on life.

Does this mean that I am perfect? No, not at all, just forgiven. I make mistakes, just like anybody else, but I am forgiven for them if I seek forgiveness with a repentant heart. In other words, if I say sorry to God and turn from whatever wrong I have committed.

What does the name "Christian" mean? The name "Christian" appears only three times in the New Testament, in Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28 and 1 Peter 4:16, but essentially it means 'like Christ', and disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Are Christians extremists? Well, some are, but all Christians should not be tarred with the same brush. What makes an extremist or a hardliner Christian? I believe that these are people who won't listen to other people's points of view and are intolerant of other people's faiths or lack of faith.

Jesus died on the cross for all people, not just for Christians. As a good Christian friend wrote, we are all under the same Shepherd.

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
John 10:11

Our turkey has just hatched four chickens and one bantam chicken. They make such good mums. Originally, she was sitting on turkey eggs, but they were unfertilised and didn't hatch. She still wanted to sit, so we sat her on a dozen chicken eggs and two bantam eggs.

About halfway through her sitting, a brown snake ate five of the chicken eggs. The turkey still continued to sit, and here is the result so far.




The bantam chicken is the one in front, with the GT stripe. What is even more miraculous about this is that all of the eggs came from refrigerated eggs.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Matthew 23:37

Answer: when I am trying to spend my quiet time with the Lord, and the rest of the family is engaged in trying to get rid of a four feet long brown snake that has managed to slither its way into the back yard.

The snake was in the side yard, near the house, and when my husband came around from the front yard, he saw it. The snake took off, under the grapevine, and then to the back of the house, where my daughter was just about to open the door to see what all the commotion was all about - I'm glad that she didn't. I don't like snakes, let alone welcome them inside.

I was trying to have my quiet time with the Lord, as I usually do each day, but there was no way that I could concentrate on my Bible reading with the rest of the family shouting loudly outside. I managed to reach the back door just in time for my husband to tell me to come and take a look.

This snake was the same one that stole five eggs out of the turkey enclosure, while the turkey was still sitting on them!

Praise God for keeping everybody safe and well, even the turkey.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Isaiah 41:10

This last week, we have had to rethink our ideas on pocket money and chores. Our children were being paid for everything that they did, but this methodology has its drawbacks. We have found that our eldest son wanted to be paid for everything that he did, and I found that extremely difficult to be able to deal with. It definitely wasn't bringing out the servant heart that we seek to cultivate in our children.

We have decided to institute a base pocket money system, and that all inside chores will be included in this amount. After all, we all live here, and we all help to make it dirty, so our children's help is expected for dishes, ironing, vacuuming, setting the table, getting the drinks and general cleaning chores inside the home. However, all chores outside the home will still be paid extra. Hopefully, this will also serve to cultivate a servant heart in our children.

After talking to some other home schoolers, we decided to try this and see if it works. It's day two, and everything is going well so far. Will it work for us? I don't know, but the attitude of our children has changed. They are willing to help with the outside chores, and everybody knows where they stand with the inside chores; their help is expected.

With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Ephesians 6:7

Do we have it all together? No, definitely not - only God does, but by listening to other people, and reading as much as we can on the subject, we too can learn, and hopefully make the right decisions for our children.

Twelve months ago, or possibly even longer, we thought that we had it all together, but times change, and so do children's attitudes. It takes a while for the changes that we implement to unfold in our children's lives, and for changes to become apparent, positive or negative. We always seek God's wisdom on the subject, but ultimately, the decision rests with us, for better or for worse.

for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7b

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Our garden is producing extremely well this year. The corn is higher than the fence, and the tomatoes are starting to colour up nicely. The cauliflower and broccoli have produced so much this year that we have ordered a freezer. My husband has been busy blanching cauliflower, cabbage, carrots and broccoli, and our current freezer is nearly full. The beans are just starting to form on the frame.



Hopefully, next year we will become more self-sufficient, as we close in the vegetable patch and fruit trees with bird wire. We also intend free-ranging the bantam hens in with the fruit trees. This will serve a dual purpose - fertilise the fruit trees and hopefully, the bantams will keep the insect pests at bay.

The sparrows have decimated the tatsoi and bok choy this year, and the parrots have also eaten all of the nectarines and nearly all of the pears. We were unable to cover the nectarine and pear trees with nets, as they were too large. The rest of the fruit trees are covered with nets, so hopefully we will be able to taste the almonds, apricots, peaches and apples. The parrots even sat on top of the apricot tree, eating the apricots through the net. Apples also taste so much nicer when eaten straight from the tree.



This year, we have also had more success with strawberries, as we have grown them in containers and watered them with rain water. We save the water (in a bucket) that usually runs down the drain as the shower temperature is adjusted, and it's amazing just how much water is saved by this one water-saving measure. Last year we attempted to grow them in the garden using bore water, but they all curled up their toes. My son counted the strawberries on the plant below, and there were 28 on the one plant, minus the one that I have already eaten.






These strawberries are growing well, and my son has planted the runners that are growing from the parent plant. We are planning on planting them in an old feed trough when they have finished flowering and the small plantlets have well established roots.

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
2 Thessalonians 3:10

Yesterday, we started trying to install Creative Suite CS4 Design Premium Student Edition onto my son's computer. He had already tried on Wednesday evening, without success.

However, we tried again yesterday, and tried and tried, but it wouldn't install. Eventually, I reasoned that perhaps the DVD player was faulty, so my husband took the DVD player out of my computer and placed it into my son's computer. We put the Creative Suite DVD into the computer and it started to install, so we continued with the install process. Eventually, it was installed, and the smile on my son's face was a mile wide.

My son is ecstatic, and is busy learning how to use the programmes. The programmes that are included are:

• Adobe InDesign CS4
• Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended
• Adobe Illustrator CS4
• Adobe Flash CS4 Professional
• Adobe Dreamweaver CS4
• Adobe Fireworks CS4
• Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro

When buying from Student Discounts, you will need verification that you are a home schooled student, but you could use your certificate of exemption if you are a registered home schooler. They will also accept a letter from the school that you are registered with. Adobe also ask for a photo of the student and proof that you are a student before you can register the product. The product cannot be used for commercial gain.

Student Discounts have many computer-based products, and they were extremely helpful.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; Ecclesiastes 9:10

It sure is Silly Season here at our place. We’re heading off tomorrow to visit with my Dad and I have several loads of laundry to do, the car needs to be cleaned, as does the house and in all that some people still want to be fed! Ha, they’ve got buckley’s! Click to continue reading

It sure is Silly Season here at our place. We’re heading off tomorrow to visit with my Dad and I have several loads of laundry to do, the car needs to be cleaned, as does the house and in all that some people still want to be fed! Ha, they’ve got buckley’s! Click to continue reading 2

Well, my son has been busy re-designing my blog, too. Can you tell that my favourite colour is pink? He only started it this afternoon, so I am really pleased with the result. The programme that he used to create the banner with was PaintShop Pro X2.

He has just ordered Creative Suite 4 Design Premium today, so I can't wait to see what he can do with that. His graphic design skills are excellent, and I might just call on him to teach computer next year.

I thought that my last blog design was great, until I went onto it last night, in a different pixel size, and all of my objects in the sidebar were everywhere...not a good look, because it was a fluid design, but this one is a fixed design. It definitely works much better!

Thank you, my son from the bottom of my heart.

Students in Victorian state primary schools will soon be taught that there is no evidence that God exists. The Humanist Society of Victoria has developed a curriculum that the state government accreditation body intends to approve.

These volunteers will be able to teach their philosophy in the time allotted for religious education. When you take the religion out of religious education, what does it then become? What will be next? I hesitate to think!

This country was built on the Word of God and on Christian morals, our heritage, ethics and standards. Heritage is passed down from generation to generation, and I ask, what is it that these people will be passing down to the next generation?

Australia is a Christian nation. The opening sentence of the preamble to our country's Constitution is, "Whereas the people of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania, humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty God, have agreed to unite in one indissoluble Federal Commonwealth under the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and under the Constitution hereby established:"

Many of our famous forebears were Christian people, such as Captain James Cook, Charles Sturt, Edward John Eyre, Flynn of the Inland and Governor Lachlan Macquarie, and they passed down a Godly heritage. These are just a few of our Christian ancestors.

God's Word tells us to:
"Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations, ask thy father, and he will show thee; thy elders and they will tell thee. When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel ." Deuteronomy 32:7,8

Here are a few good resources for your encouragement, information and edification. Click to continue reading 2

Here are a few good resources for your encouragement, information and edification. Click to continue reading

This post is from my heart. It’s not meant to encourage, inspire or inform. It’s just my way of expressing a deep feeling. It is personal yet need not be private. It is just me wanting to write, to honour, to respect a woman who was the most dearest woman to me. Her graduating to [...] 3

This post is from my heart. It’s not meant to encourage, inspire or inform. It’s just my way of expressing a deep feeling. It is personal yet need not be private. It is just me wanting to write, to honour, to respect a woman who was the most dearest woman to me. Her graduating to [...]

This year, for Christmas, we have bought a York exercise bike, Model number C202. The roads are very rough where we live, especially just after harvest and after seeding, so that the children can't ride their bikes on the road.

Sportscene have a lay-by system, whereby you hire the item for eight weeks, and if you then want to buy it, the hire fee is deducted from the purchase price, and you only pay what is left.

The exercise bike is a perfect solution, and a way for my husband and children to keep fit, no matter what the weather or the road conditions are. Although, we need to remember to exercise our minds in the way of Godly things, too, for we need to remember to whom we belong, and our final destination.

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 1 Timothy 4:8