Yvonne and Owen

In Launceston a few weeks ago it was a joy to meet with friends from Hobart! I am lonely up in Launceston. I cried when I couldn't find them at the place we were supposed to meet! It all ended happily ever after though, as we did find each other!

Yvonne diagnosed me with homesickness and recommended some remedies, which I have not yet followed. I have been at home for a week though, which helps. It was a great blessing to go to my own church last night, even if I did have to leave earlier than I wanted to (my cough was bad).

When I met with Yvonne and Owen in Launceston, we spent most of our time talking about the Bible's teaching on money. I think we agree that Christians should be extremely generous, but we should also save and care for our families. As usual in our conversations though, we got to this point via many seeming disagreements that were not really disagreements. Yvonne and I always seem to come at things from different angles and get lost somewhere in the middle. Isn't it great that we're still such good friends? Yvonne says that it is a testimony to the power of Christ to unite us. We agree about far more than we disagree on, and our "disagreements" have become something of a joke.

Yvonne is passionate about the world's poor. She recently did a post on fair trade chocolate and cocoa.

Here are some verses that seem to go well with our conversation in Launceston:

"The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all.

"The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing.

"and saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!

"For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.

Revelation 18:14-19a.

I can't wait to meet up with Yvonne again in the North!

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Kindly Thwarted

How kindly God has thwarted me,
so that I might learn to glory in disappointments.
Robert Murray McCheyne

Since reading Kimi's post Prayer, Healing, and Trust, I have been planning to write about my own experiences in this area. Firstly, I would like to share a few scriptures that have impressed my heart in recent weeks as I've thought about this topic of faith when God does not answer our prayers the way we would like.

O LORD God of hosts,
How long will you be angry
Against the prayer of your people?
You have fed them with the bread of tears,
And given them tears to drink in great measure.
Psalm 80:4-5.

Return, O LORD! How long?
And have compassion on your servants.
Oh, satisfy us early with your mercy,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days!
Make us glad according to the days in which you have afflicted us,
The years in which we have seen evil.
Let your work appear to your servants,
And you glory to their children.
And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us.
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands.
Psalm 90:13-17.

"For my name's sake I will defer my anger,
And for My praise I will restrain it from you,
So that I do not cut you off.
Behold I have refined you, but not as silver;
I have tested you in the furnace of afflication.
For my own sake, for My own sake, I will do it;
For how should My name be profaned?
And I will not give My glory to another.
Isaiah 48:9-11.

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Focusing on prayer

Recently, if was a blessing to receive a long comment on my blog from my friend Kerri who is a missionary in Bolivia. Kerri shared some of her experiences with prayer in response to my post Prayers, large and small. I thought other people would benefit from it, and I doubt you're into scouring my archives for new comments, so here it is!

I feel like I´m learning a heap about prayer at the moment - and that I have so much more to learn! A couple of thoughts to share that I have been thinking about or finding helpful:

Super-slow Bible reading. Saturating myself in the text, imagining the scene/concept, becoming the people in the text. Meditate on each word. For example I was doing this with psalm 103, and really visualing and putting myself in the pit described where my sin puts me . . and then imagining God reaching into the pit, drawing me out and ´crowning me with love and compassion . .´ feeling the sense of ´youth like an eagle´ that is described. It´s almost impossible not to spontaneously praise God and from this I find my prayer flows so much better

Kerri's experiences in this regard remind me of what was said about George Whitfield in Forgotten Founding Father.

Whitefield poured over the word of God, reflecting, using commentaries, and praying over every line and word, “making every statement a request and melting the passage into his soul.” He did this every morning, savouring and storing God’s word.

Due to this, later in life Whitefield could preach forty of fifty times a week without having time to prepare. He “could quote long passages of Scripture for his dramatic recitations.”

I often find that reading scripture leads me to pray about what I am reading. However, I am often reading fast. I have a Bible reading plan that goes through 4 chapters every day. However, I do find that I often want to go over the passage again. This can be a good time to put into action Kerri's "slow down and visualise" recommendation, and it has helped when I have tried it.

Kerri also shared about fasting, something I often think and read about but never do!

Fasting is something I´ve thought about a bit but not really done but my thoughts are – it´s not the act of fasting that helps us, its partly that fasting is a sin-finder – irritability, resentment etc that arise that we put as due to hunger are already there but surface when they are not masked by us satisfying our physical longings. We can find and confess seedling or hidden sins like this. Maybe we can extend this – in general I am too easily satisfied by food or other pleasurable activities. Time taken purposefully sacrificing something I enjoy in order to set this time aside for God teaches me to have my longings fulfilled by God and Him alone. NB even married couple are instructed ´not to deprive each other (of sex) except by mutual agreement in order that they can devote themselves to prayer´. Are we so easily satisfied by worldly pleasure that we don´t long for God like we should?

¨You, O Lord, are the thing that I long for
And yet, I´m not sure that I can bear the emptiness that this longing will involve.
If I really long for you then there will be no room for the clutter of a lot of other longings.¨ - author unknown

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The last shall be first

I am still sick, but today has been my best day since I came down with the virus on Sunday. God willing, I'll be back to work next week.

Susan's post on her experiences volunteering at a Vacation Bible School was fun to read. They reminded me of my experiences working with little children! Susan wrote:

"Isn't it amazing how selfish little girls can be, though? My crew was very well-behaved, but all (except one) of them were so self-centered! They each wanted to be the first in line, etc., and if they did something "good" they wanted everyone to know!"

I became tired of the children I work with trying to be first in line, especially one little girl. So one day after sport I told them that Jesus said "The last shall be first, and the first shall be last". I made them repeat it after me as we stood in line on the oval. I didn't quite know how to explain the meaning of it, but I was desperate!

They all still remember the verse, and know that it means we should not try to be first. They even quote it to each other. However, the little girl it was particularly addressed toward had a unique interpretation. One day she told me that "I picked up my drink bottle last, so that means I can be first in line now."

Susan also has some good discussion about teaching the gospel to children. I feel most inadequate at this, but I do believe their understanding has improved over the year. I try to talk to them often about how we have all done wrong things, and we all need to trust that Jesus died for our sins if we want to go to heaven.

Here are some more pictures of our crafts. Even while we do crafts, we talk about the Bible and God. Discussions about God are a natural part of our conversation together.



I made the anthill out of scrunched up newspaper with tissue paper over the top. Innovative, don't you think?

Another one of our creative displays . . .


This week I had planned to make hampsters, with wool for hair. The things you miss when you are sick :(. We'll have to do it next week.

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I came to the end

I really should be in bed right now, as I'm sick with a virus and having the week off school. I have been spending most of my time in bed. However, I've been planning to post something on this topic on this day for a while, and I can't resist!

For you have trusted in your own wickedness;
You have said, ‘No one sees me’;
Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you;
And you have said in your heart,
‘I am, and there is no one else besides me.’
Isaiah 47:10

Today is the year anniversary of the completion of the last exam for my Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Journalism. It would perhaps have been more aptly called a Bachelor of Arts in humanism, with majors in feminism, post-modernism, and Marxism. The topics I have mentioned seemed to form a large part of nearly every unit I took.

For the first few years, I found the continual attacks on my Christian faith at university deeply disturbing. I was a new Christian with many other troubles in my life. I had previously been exposed to the pain of many sins through the experience of friends. I had also experienced the pain and consequences of my own rebellion. However, being exposed whole disciplines devoted to explaining, justifying, and propagating such rebellion was a new experience.

I quickly discovered that my mother’s teaching about the way worldly philosophies oppose God’s truth was correct, even though I had long scorned her wisdom. As Isaiah 47:10 says, it is possible for “wisdom” and “knowledge” apart from Christ to warp people, not lead them toward truth. Without faith, people soon find more and more ways to justify unbelief and to scorn God. They trust in their own wickedness, and see man as the centre of history and thought. The idea that ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me’ (Isaiah 47:10) is a blasphemous twist of the truth that “I am the LORD, and there is no other’ (Isaiah 45:6).

During my early university years, I chose some of my subjects based on how opposed they were to my Christian faith. I loved English at the Christian school I attended for three years from grades 10 – 12, so I had intended to major in English at university. However, the way we expected to analyse every text through the lenses of aboriginal studies, or feminism, or another ism, destroyed the pleasure for me. Lecturers would often make disparaging comments about Christianity.

Around half way through my second year at university, I became less sensitive to attacks on Christianity. I also did not worry so much if I did not have something great to say when issues impinging upon Christianity were raised. I still spoke out, but did not feel the same pressure to always have something to say. Lecturers could call Christianity “rubbish” and it would not hurt at all. When an English teacher read explicit sexual poetry during a lecture, it was not even surprising.

One of the few things that managed to shock me during my fourth year at university was a poem presented in a writing class. We critiqued each other’s poems in this class. A young woman, who always arrived heavily made up, presented a poem that was an explicit description of prostitution. She then told us that it was about herself. Jesus’ teaching on how to treat prostitutes suddenly seemed more real than ever before.

University was not all bad. There were many things to be grateful for. Each week I attended the Christian group and heard great talks on the Bible. The preacher worked through whole books of the Bible. I was also able to socialise with other Christians. In third year, I began a pro-life group on campus and we were able to hold seminars and discussion meetings. We also held a stall on clubs and societies day. Some classes also had enjoyable or useful aspects. In Political Science I enjoyed learning about different political systems, history, geography, and political theory. Journalism taught me many writing skills. I also appreciated learning to interview people.

It took me four and a half years to complete my degree. I found it difficult to study with constant back pain, so I studied part time. I lived at home, which was a blessing. At my graduation, I knew only two people. Many of those I had met at university graduated before me, as the degree is only three years full time. One of the people I knew was the woman who’d told us she was a prostitute. We talked about how exciting it was to graduate, and the journeys we’d taken to get there.

I am not sure if doing a degree was the best thing for me to do with those four and a half years. I’ve certainly enjoyed life more, and learnt more too, since finishing. Teaching young children is a great learning curve! I have also begun new hobbies, and pursued my own reading and writing interests. However, I know that in God’s providence my Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Journalism was not wasted. If nothing else, it has made me a stronger person with clearer ideas about what I believe. I am grateful that God led me through it, and by his grace I came to the end.

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Homeschooling is no Saviour

There were several girls near my age in our small homeschool support group. I was friends with most of them, partly due to lack of any other choices for friendships. When I look at what has happened to these friends, it is saddening. Fornication, suicide attempts, anorexia, witchcraft, self-mutilation, drug and alcohol abuse, wild parties, bisexuality, single parenthood, and adultery spring to mind when I think of them. I once participated in some of this. I do not like to think of or speak of those times.

I have chosen to write about this because I believe some people have unrealistic ideas about what homeschooling will do for their children. I am an unashamed advocate of Christian education. I passionately believe that every child born into a Christian home should be taught about God all day long, not placed in educational institutions that deny God. The Bible says that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and understanding. How can places that deny God also promote true education? I would argue that they cannot. Children need to be in a place where sin is dealt with biblically, and Jesus is pointed to as the solution. They should not be "educated" in a place where sin is celebrated, seen as the normal way to act, or covered over.

I do not believe other Christians are 'in sin' if they consider it good to send children to places where God is not acknowledged, but I also think their arguments are without merit. Some argue that the children can be evangelists, yet they simultaneously acknowledge that they do not even yet know if their children are converted. This seems like a contradiction in terms. How can a person of dubious or no faith be an evangelist? If a child is well grounded in the faith, and has a demonstrated ability to stand up for it, that may be a different matter. Until a child has reached that point, parents and schools need to disciple them to reach it. This should include teaching on how to evangelise others.

Unsurprisingly, I have not always felt this way about Christian education. Seeing what happened to my friends, and my own rebellion against God, caused me to oppose it for some time. Now, my support of Christian education is informed with a healthy dose of reality. Education of any form is no Saviour. Humanists teach that it is the way to better people, a better society. Yet the decades following the implementation of their plans for compulsory, government funded education should demonstrate that they are wrong.

Some people homeschool because they believe they are removing their children from sin. This is a grave deception, and shows a lack of understanding of the human heart. Sin begins in our hearts, not in our surroundings. Christian homeschools and institutional schools, with their understanding of man's nature and God's remedy, are simply better places for dealing with this sin. They can never be Saviours from sin. Teachers there can point children to repentance and apply God's word to their lives. If teachers there do not have an understanding of these truths, they will not be effective. Our greatest danger is not from our surroundings, but from ourselves.

Months ago I greatly appreciated what Spunky Homeschool had to say about being realistic homeshcoolers, and focusing on God:

"Just in the past few months adultery, divorce, and suicide have all touched our local homeschool community. Homeschooling is not the salvation of our culture. Jesus is. Homeschooling will not make a family successful. Jesus does. Homeschooling will not keep a child from rebellion. Jesus does. Homeschooling will not keep a marriage strong. Jesus does. And the minute, I think that homeschooling will do any of these things, is the day I begin the slide toward defeat. Homeschooling will not build a successful family any more than a hammer will build a successful house.

Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it. Psalm 127:1

Don't expect homeschooling to do what homeschooling was not designed to do. So if you find yourself, as I often have, in a panic because you think you are not meeting the standard of a "successful homeschooler". Think again and give up the "mythical standard." Don't compare yourself to those around you. Fix your eyes on HIM."

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I've decided!

I have decided on this photo for my wall, Some of those who voted in this post swayed me toward it. It was Yvonne's eloquent explanation that swayed me most:


I go for no.3, it looks more natural than no.2 - it has the balance of the formal grown-up clothes on your nephew but in a natural, relaxed child position. So overall, number 3 results in maximum cuteness (and less like he's been forced into the clothes and made to stand there!)

I did not want the little guy to look forced into clothes and made to stand there! I've been known to change my mind though, so who know what will really end up on my wall!

As you can see, I've also updated my blogger profile with this picture. The other picture looked far too much like summer as I sat here blogging dressed in wool!

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A glimpse of my classroom

Here is a glimpse of my classroom, with one of the latest displays. It is amazing what you start getting excited about when you teach small children all day.

I was very excited about making this display :). The tiny purple fish is my demonstration one. The fish have toothpicks, fur, feathers, glitter, celophane, and tissue paper glued to them. Thus the name "Feely Fish". I enjoy seeing the children's enthusiasm for things like this! Since we made these a few weeks ago, we have made another exciting display. "Ants on an anthill" is coming soon to Small Things.

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Very excited!

On Sunday night I was very excited to hear that I have another niece!! I felt so much joy, and have been praising God ever since! The night I heard, whenever I woke up during the night I'd slowly remember my new niece and feel that joy creeping up again. I am unable to share her name online, as her parents have only given permission for pictures of their children.

Her family is pictured here. It is lovely for her parents to have a girl after two active tiny boys! They are not the sort to go around saying they are "trying for a girl" (thankfully!), but I think most people are happy to have a bit of variety! I think nearly every woman wants a daughter. Their oldest child turns three in about a week, so for a very short time they have three under three!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of purchasing my little niece a cute bear in a pink dress. Apparently Darian (my brother) hates pink, but I think he is going to have to get used to it :).

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Read Kimi's blog!

Kimi writes a lot of good posts. She seems to have an ability to turn out a lot of indepth posts. Here are a few I have enjoyed in the past few weeks:

Why Food

Prayer, Healing, and Trust

Weddings and Modesty parts one and two. I don't necessarily think that strapless dresses are immodest. I have seen some very nice ones. However, I would not be comfortable wearing one. While I am not getting married any time soon (unless I meet someone tomorrow and have an extremely rapid courtship!), it is good to know that there are many styles available with more coverage! I especially enjoyed seeing the styles at Beautifully Modest. A whole lot of wedding dresses with sleeves!

Finally, check out Is this what it means to be an adult?

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Prayer request update

Thanks to those who have been praying about the matters I mentioned in this post.

Thankfully, my furniture problems are resolved! While Mum, Dad, and I could not find a way to adjust my chair to make it right, there was a mechanism for doing so that was not visible. All it took was an explanation over the phone from the saleswoman at the shop where we ordered it. God willing, I'll have no more trouble with furniture for my back for many years ahead! Another positive is that Dad told me on the weekend that he'd help me pay for the chair.

My inner problems are, as usual, less easily adjusted! Prayers that I'll not be covetous or angry would continue to be helpful. I've been learning Hebrews 13:5. Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For he himself said: "I will never leave you or forsake you."

I mostly had a good time at home. I had been away for so long that I'd forgotten where some things where, and couldn't find them! I think I need a book on organisation. Esther continued to be very excited to play with Aunty, and even enjoyed my singing! She stayed quiet while I sang the song I wrote of here. Maybe it just takes a child to recognise my true talent ;) . I also loved seeing my parents and friends, and attending church.

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Homeschool Conventions

Ever since I was a homeschooled child, I have wanted to attend a homeschool convention in the USA. There are more homeschoolers in the USA, and they seem to do more exciting things. Imagine going to a place where there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of you! The funny thing is that I still want to go! Mum does too, and since we are both teaching we have even more reason to be fascinated. All those materials. I am sure we'd be overwhelmed. We would also love to hear the speakers. I have even found a list of the times when conventions are on, just in case I "happen" to be over in the USA! It is a pity I did not do this before I visited in June 2003, as they are mostly around May/June (near the start of the school year in the USA).
I have enjoyed reading about others' experiences at conventions or conferences.

Susan's post had me laughing aloud at the Online Access Centre. I think I'd feel right at home in a place where nearly everyone views government schools as "The Schools of Pharoah", and I'd love to be at an event where a speaker who announces he has 15 children is greeted with applause instead of grimaces and explicit advice on birth control. According to Susan: "The conversations you overhear between middle school girls are not about boys, movies, or make-up, but about theology, constitutionalism, and dominionism". I can't say this was my home school experience. However, it would be a refreshing change. I loved to talk about boys, books, and super models. Unfortunately, my interest in theology seemed to extend solely to criticising the theology of my friends' parents.

Jen IG is having lots of fun over at her blog, creating stories about homeschool celebrities she met. The problem is, it is hard to know which parts to believe. Apparently, Doug Phillips: "kept getting this far-away dreamy look in his eyes and mumbling a countdown of when his wife was supposed to show up (apparently she was driving down to meet him and he was planning to take her on a date) He looked like a giddy teenager when he spoke about her."

Jessica's post was also fun to read. I so want one of those water bottles: caution - unsocialized homeschooler! I was pleased that Jessica pointed this out: "Don’t get me wrong, the majority of people there looked pretty much like the average American, but there was a percentage (of whom I was probably one) who “looked like homeschoolers”…and good for them! " While some homeschoolers are known for wearing long flowing skirts, they are just one group. When I was homeschooled I got teased for wearing skirts, since none of my homeschooled friends did except on special occasions.

Amy's post convention thoughts includes an attempt to exonerate herself from stereotypes: "Yes, I’m a homeschool mom, but it’s only because I happen to homeschool my kids. It’s not because I wear denim jumpers and bore people with mono-discussion about curriculums. (I drive a large white van, but we’ll keep that part a secret.)". For the unitiated Australians, it is important to note that a jumper to Americans is a type dress (it is not a warm top - that is a sweater). Some people think denim jumpers are homeschool Mum uniform.

Crystal met Amy in her dreams. This has encouraged me to confess that I too have met bloggers in dream land. Yes, it is true. I went to the Girotti's house in Virginia a few months ago. I have been dreaming about going to Virginia again for years, so it is no surprise that somehow I ended up at the Girotti's house. I don't remember what happened there, except that there were some of the usual confused dream land events. I think it involved stairs and high windows and gardens.

For those "real world" friends who are concerned about the socialization (or lack of it) I received through being homeschooled for so many years, I am considering buying a new T-shirt. Jessica passed onto me the link for the water bottles, and the same slogan is also available on t-shirts. I just have to check that they ship internationally. You can see it here: Caution: unsocialised homeschooler". What more is there to say?

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April Wedding

I am finally posting pictures of the wedding back in April. My sister-in-law's brother James was was married to Lauren, one of my friends at school. I prayed for a long time for Lauren to follow the Lord, and I know that many prayed for James as well, so it was special to see them loving the Lord and getting married! Lauren and I came to our school at the same time: Grade 10. Lauren moved from a different school, but it was my first year at school ever! Neither of us were following Christ then. I was converted first, and then prayed for Lauren for many years. We worked together as waitresses at one stage.

The ceremony was held in a garden with all the beautiful autumn leaves.



My nephew stood very still the whole time. I'm not sure why! Perhaps he was scared and didn't know what else to do. It was wonderful that he didn't cry or muck up! He just held securely to Aunty Shellyanne's hand the whole time.


Here is Phil, who used to have a blog, with his lovely . . . . sister. Phil is my sister-in-law's brother or, if you prefer this term, my brother's brother-in-law. There should be shorter and easier term for this relationship, don't you think? Phil and I go to the same church. I like to tell people at church that Phil and I share nephews, and then watch them try to work out how that works. They usually can't work it out (or can't be bothered!), so I tell them that my brother is married to Phil's sister.


Back safe with Daddy.


The family.

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Which one? I want your vote!

In April my brother, sister-in-law, and nephews visited from Queensland for a wedding. I had some photos taken with my eldest nephew. Recently I had the idea of getting a picture of myself with each neice and nephew blown up and framed. I have my own opinion of which of the following pictures would be best, but I'd also like yours! Nephew is all dressed up to be page boy in the wedding.

Here are the options:


1. Nephew looks distracted, but cute. My earrings look big (as they do in all the other pictures, so don't make that the deciding factor!)





















2. My favourite. Nephew looks like the strong, serious type - or tired and stunned, depending upon your perspective! I like the way we are positioned in this photo.















3. Nephew is smiling a bit in this picture - which is a big positive! However, I don't think the our positions in the picture are as good as in number 2.
















4. None of the above. Those earrings are just too big. Do another photo shoot next time you see him. (My reply: "What! He'll never be dressed in such a cute way again!")

5. None of the above. It is phenomenally egotistical of you to want a framed picture of yourself with each of the little ones. (My reply: "maybe, but I want to do it anyway".)

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Back home and in need of prayers

I am back home for the first time in five weeks! I came down in a car with a friend from work, and we had a great time talking. Three hours went quickly! I have been staying in Launceston so much that I've started to call the house where I board there "home", but it is nothing like my real home! Up there I have a bed with someone else's floral bed cover's on it, walls with someone else's pictures, and a bookshelf with only about 15 residents. Here I have shelves covered with my familiar friends, walls with my BA certificate, cross stitch, and a print of a homey cottage and garden, and a bed with my own butterfly cushion and bright bed spread. I also have that much desired connection with the "world": my computer. It is nice to sit and surf without someone coming up behind you and saying "you have five minutes remaining", or without the bell at school ringing to signify that my break is finished that I need to be back in class!

On the way back home, Mum and I stopped to visit my sister and brother-in-law and their daughter Esther (2 1/2). They live five minutes from our house. I have been longing to see Esther, and woke up excited about it this morning. It was nice to see that the feeling was reciprocated on her part. She heard yesterday that I was coming, and pestered her parents all afternoon about when I would arrive. Every five minutes the question was "Sherrin coming?" Her Dad got so frustrated that he called my Dad to ask where we were! We had a good time playing the usual games: chasings and dolls.

Now, on to the "in need of prayer" part. Ever since I began my job in Launceston I've had struggles with furniture. Due to my chronic back problem, I need specific chairs and mattresses. At first I was not sure whether or not to purchase a new chair and mattress for Launceston, but it became obvious that it was necessary. My new mattress is great, even though parting with $700 was painful. I also took my old chair, which is great, up to Launceston with me and ordered a new one for my parent's house. It was supposed to be exactly the same as my old one. Mum picked it up and paid for it a couple of weeks ago. When I arrived home tonight, I discovered it seems to be different in ways that mean it is not nearly so comfortable. This is a small thing in the big scheme of things, but it is a great disappointment to me. I thought my furniture struggles were all solved, and now it seems more problems are ahead! It cost $470, a big amount in my small salary, so please pray that I'll be able to get an exchange or refund.

I also need prayer in regard to my attitudes. I have been struggling with feeling covetous, probably because I am away from a lot of my things and I am always driving past shops on the way to work (which was not the case when I lived with my parents). I have also been struggling with frustration and anger. This is particularly in relation to my boarding situation. The lady I live with is a wonderful servant hearted person, but she also tries to help in ways that irritate me. I have struggled with feeling angry or ungrateful when she helps in ways I have not asked for, or she has not asked if I would like (for example, coming into my room to get my washing and do it when I am out). I also struggled with frustration, anger, and stress at school at times. This is often due to needing more patience with the children. This week I had a more unusual difficulty, when it seemed one mother was considering removing her daughter and placing her in a public school. I think this has been resolved, and the little girl will stay, but I need continued wisdom. I would be upset to see her move especially since, as the little girl said, "you are not allowed to pray there".

Here ends my confessions! I don't intend to begin using my blog as a personal "journal" (whatever some of my non-blog reading friends might think) and I am certainly not disclosing everything online. I have a journal. Trust me - this is not it! I prefer to post about ideas/events that have some relationship to others experience or may help them. However, the things I have mentioned here are ongoing struggles and I would appreciate your prayers.

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