Blythswood Shoe Box Appeal

 

 

In recent years, we have taken part in the Blythswood Shoe Box appeal. The shoe boxes are given as Christmas present to people in other countries who are in severe need. The depot our boxes go to serves Serbia, Romania and Hungary. It has been a great blessing being involved in this work, and for the last three years, some of us have gone to help sort the boxes. Today, however, was the first day that we saw a container being loaded ready for transport. The truck was Serbian and alongside many big boxes crammed full of shoe boxes were medical and educational supplies.

 

Today it struck me how encouraging the ladies are who volunteer for Blythswood. They spoke really kindly to the young people, encouraging them in what they were doing and explaining what happens to the boxes and how they get to where they are going. Sometimes in our busy lives we can forget that a kind word can have a big effect in somebody's life. I am reminded of the words, "Love suffers long and is kind," 1 Corinthians 13 v 4, and I thank God for those ladies who took time out of what they had planned for today, to speak kindly to my children.

 

 

 

 

Beautiful Autumn

Battersea Park in Autumn

We thank God for the beautiful autumn colours in our back garden, otherwise  known as Battersea Park. This week our family had a lovely walk round the park. Isn't it wonderful that as the days are getting shorter, the Lord gives us such colours to enjoy? We can do lots of projects on trees, different types of leaves, etc etc etc, but nothing beats running through leaves in the autumn! I'm sure Charlotte Mason says something somewhere about the value of children running through autumn leaves...

 

This time of year can be quite depressing, however, we are reminded of God's promise to Noah;

 

"While the earth remains,

Seedtime and harvest,

Cold and heat,

Winter and summer,

And day and night shall not cease."

Genesis 8 v 22

 

The Lord says,

"Heaven is My throne,

And earth is My footstool.

Where is the house that you will build Me?

And where is the place of My rest?

For all those things My hand has made,

And all those things exist."

Says the Lord,

"But on this one will I look;

On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,

And who trembles at My word.

Isaiah 66 v1-2

 

Wow, this beautiful earth is just God's footstool - what is heaven going to be like?

 

 

 

 



Keep Going

Recently I met a lady who has just started home-educating her three children. She was telling me about all the things she is doing with her children. She talked with such enthusiasm and it reminded me of when my older children were little. At some point over the years my enthusiasm has waned and at times I have lost sight of why I started home-educating in the first place.

As always, the Word is such a blessing to the soul, and speaks to my heart. Yesterday morning I read:
"But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work."
2 Thessalonians 2 v13-17

God chose us for salvation - how wonderful and precious He is. Praise Him! Glory to the Lord Jesus Christ.

In all aspects of our life, we must look to the Lord to comfort our hearts and establish us in every good word and work. In home-education, it is so easy to get caught up with the mundane tasks that have to be done, or the problems that come with understanding a new concept. It's so easy to become discouraged, but if we look to the Lord we will remember that this is the Lord's work and trust that the Lord would guide our steps and establish us in this good work as we serve Him.

delivering grace: Home education and anxiety

delivering grace: Home education and anxiety

A blog not a brag

A friend of mine said to me some time ago that blogs should be called "Brags". Recently things have been quite tough and I thought that a blog to encourage might be in order. I hope that this blog doesn't become a brag.

Last night our car was broken into. We have lived in London nearly 20 years and have only once had a car broken into, and last time nothing was damaged. This time a window was broken and an MP3 player and Sat Nav stolen. This is annoying. And inconvenient. Yet I know that the Lord has provided for us throughout our married life and will continue to do so. Afterall, a car, a Sat Nav and an MP3 player don't add up to necessities by any stretch of the imagination. We are blessed by having a home which is well heated - well, ok, has the potential of being well heated - we have clothes to wear and shoes to put on our feet. We have never gone without a meal due to lack of food.

I am reminded of the following verses:

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
"Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
"Which of you by worrying can add add one cubit to his stature?
"So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
"and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
"Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
"Therefore do not worry, saying,'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
"For after all these things the Gentile seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble".
Matthew 6 v 25-34

David was able to say:
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And he delights in His way.
Though he may fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the Lord upholds him with His hand.
I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.
He is ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed."
Psalm 37 v 23-26