PrincipledMom™

It's so easy as a home educator to "feel guilty." There's no shortage of stuff to feel guilty about concerning our kids (whether the guilt is deserved or not): too much free time, not enough social time with friends, not enough rigorous academics, too much sugar, too late getting to bed, too little spiritual discussion/application, too little fun and games, too much yelling...

The Holy Spirit reminded me of a scripture today and I wanted to share it here, just in case a reader may struggle with feelings of guilt and/or condemnation.

18 My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. 19 This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality.

20 It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves. 21 And friends, once that's taken care of and we're no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we're bold and free before God! 22 We're able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we're doing what he said, doing what pleases him.                  1 John 3:18-22 The Message

It is so comforting to know that God knows our hearts (Jer 17:9, 10) and He is greater. With God's grace we can be free of guilt, whether it is appropriate or not. Guilt keeps us focused on ourselves. Self-criticism keeps us swirling in our own thoughts and actions. Our worried hearts keep us from resting, physically and mentally.

What is the key to freedom from guilt? L-O-V-E. This passage says to practice real love and that it will "shut down debilitating self-criticism." Mature love (God's kind of love) is the key to many things, like:

freedom from fear--

There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror!        1 John 4:18 AMP

stability--

17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.             Eph. 3:17-19 KJV

God is love (1 Jn 4:8). All you need is wrapped up in Him (Eph 1:23). He sent Jesus to us (John 3:16) and He continues to love us as He always has (Eph 2:4-8).

So we are free from guilt because of the work of Christ. If He, as the only one who has a right, does not condemn us, we should not do so ourselves (Rom 8:31-34). Rom 8:31-39 is blessed confirmation of God's commitment to love us:

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Rejoice that you are set free, even from your own worried, self-criticising heart. Nothing you have done, or have yet to do, can separate you from Him and His love, His love that covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). Now you can walk free in boldness and get busy living for Christ. Praise God!

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Today is Israel's 60th birthday. What a miracle this little country is! To celebrate this momentous occasion, there is lots of activity at the Jerusalem Post you can take part in, from sending Israel an E-card to viewing highlights of the last 60 years. You can also check out celebrations happening all around Israel.

 Our city has a sister city in Israel: Tiberias. This isn't really public knowledge I guess but I was glad to learn about it at last year's A Night to Honor Israel. If there is one planned anywhere in your area, consider going. It is a wonderful night to show solidarity with the American Jewish community and Israel as well.

Please take time today to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. For more info on how to get involved with Israel, visit CUFI or ICEJ.

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Some of you have been asking about the baby. He's two months old already. WOW! Time flies.

How cute is he? He wakes each day with lots and lots of smiles, smiles so big his eyes become little slits. He's cooing little sweet nothings to us and loves to snuggle.

 Here are my other little blessings:

Sophia has just completed her 3rd year of piano class. Next year she will start private lessons and she is really excited about that. She loves to write and is almost daily writing stories, songs and poems. She is a gifted communicator who loves to share Jesus.

Jack and baby brother:

He can't get enough of the baby. He loves to hold him in his lap. Jack wants to be a drummer when he grows up, so any time he has access to anything resembling a stick we have to endure the rhythmic banging. Actually he's pretty steady with his beat, so who knows...

Gabrielle is 10 now. She loves art and we are really into Art Academy Live and their affordable art lessons, so she is learning to draw from their instructors. She also helps me in my bookmaking studio. Her cheerful help at home is invaluable to me.

These are the reasons I do what I do every day. It is my joy to call them my kiddos and I am a blessed woman.

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Today I had a lovely luncheon with the mothers in my family. The invited them over for a yummy lunch and we had a wonderful time. As I sat aound the table with my mom, grandmother, mother-in-law and sister-in-law I had to smile.

We are all unique women. My sister-in-law is Hispanic. My grandmother is 87 and from a very different generation. My mother-in-law only had one child. My mother is a widow. If we were not related our paths may never have crossed. But with all our differences we share a most common bond--motherhood.

For Mother's Day this year I wanted to cook for my family, as it is one way I express love. Our table was decorated with flowers, candles and other girly things, punctuated with construction paper cards for all from my kids. And there were little expressions of love all around, including glycerine soap and brass bookmarks. Through three courses we laughed and reminisced as we shared tales of our mothering experiences. There were stories of children and all that raising children entails. The day was simply wonderful. (A lunch at home beats a crazy mother's day restaraunt meal any day!)

It was nice to remind myself that all moms everywhere understand the language of motherhood. It is a language of hope, of compassion and of angst. It is bittersweet to raise up children to not be dependent on you anymore. But as moms we are all on some point in this path and it's nice to reach out a hand from time to time and share the journey.

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...at Renae's blog. She was kind enough to ask me to be a guest writer. Hers is one of the 5 blogs that I read faithfully. She's one of the few online friends I have met in real life and I cherish her friendship. I hope you'll bookmark her blog because she's an amazing writer. Thanks Renae! It was my pleasure.

Life Nurturing Education

My post there will be continued here in the near future so stay tuned...

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