Should Christians celebrate Easter or Christmas?

Truth or Tradition-Should Christians celebrate Chrismas and Easter? from JIM on Vimeo.

YHVH Provides at the AHEA conference!

AHEA (Alberta Home Education Association)  was amazing for me….I got so much encouragement listening to a talk on workboxes, and how I can implement that system of activities with my 2 yr old.  He NEEDS this kind of activity on a daily basis, just to keep him out of trouble!  He’s not content to play with toys like the other two were!

I also loved Clay Clarkson’s talk on Disciplinology…which I blogged about already, partly cause a friend wanted my notes…lol

I learned a lot about apprenticeship as well, which I think is likely the route my boys will want to go.

I also got to see so many hs friends that I only see once a year!…seriously, everywhere I turned I’m sure I saw someone I knew!  I don’t usually feel like I belong in big huge places like this, but I truly did…despite all my weird ways! LOL  The fellowship was sweet! And being around other head covering women is such an encouragement to me as well...modesty rocks!

I was amazingly blessed while at AHEA this year.  Jamie didn’t have work for most of the winter, it was a hard year for us even when our seasonal business was up and running, therefore we didn’t have the savings we normally have for winter.

I had no money for gas, and my tank was on empty…YHVH provided a ride for me!

I had no money for a hotel, yet YHVH provided someone to buy a couple sets of books from me and we swapped the cash and books at AHEA, so there was money for my share of the hotel and a warm meal and $5 in change to spend in the Exhibitor’s Hall! 

I made a beeline for a friends table cause I wanted to say “Hi” and I knew she always has lots of used curriculum to sell as well and you just never know what $5 will buy!  So after saying “hi” to her, she informs me that someone had stopped by earlier and wanted to give me a $50 credit at her store!!  Poor girl, I was in tears…hee hee.  I was so overwhelmed by my Heavenly Father’s provisions, I have no idea who He used so I will just have to thank Him and pray that that person knows that I was incredibly blessed!!  I was so excited!  I picked things up and put them back a few times…lol  wanting to buy JUST the right things!! Lol  

The friend I got a ride with and I, were of one mind regarding food so we packed our own food and ate our meals in her car while amusing her beautiful 3 ½ month old little girl…seriously the cutest baby ever...sigh, got me a good baby fix!

Then later during AHEA I was blessed with a box of used curriculum and with it came a $100!!!  It was all I could do to keep the tears from falling!  Thank you Father, as it was given to me anonymously as well!!!  After having gone around to the many booths, entering every draw possible and just looking at different curriculum with various friends, I already knew where the money would go!

So needless to say, this will be a memorable conference year for me! AND I won a vest at the stuttering booth…lol  I had a wonderful conversation with the lady that ran that booth and we were both thrilled when I ended up being one of the winners, she had no idea what my name was!

I LOVE how my Heavenly Father encourages me and blesses me when I least expect it! I can not wait to be able to bless others in the same way! anonymously! May my ears and eyes be open wide for the opportunities He will provide!

The Refiner's Hand

Here is a blogpost from a friend...as I prepare my heart and home for Passover, it has special meaning for me.  I want to be refined so that others can see my Master's image in me as well.  Got a ways to go...lol 

Malachi 3

¹BEHOLD, I send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me. And the Lord [the Messiah], Whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; the Messenger or Angel of the covenant, Whom you desire, behold, He shall come, says the Lord of hosts. ²But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap;
³He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the priests, the sons of Levi, and refine them like gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord offerings in righteousness.


A story goes like this:

Several years ago, a group of women studying the book of Malachi and pondered these verses. Curious as to how the process of smelting silver applies to God’s treatment of His People, one woman went to observe a silversmith at work.

As the silversmith held a piece of silver over the fire, he explained that he needed to hold the silver where the flame was hottest in order to burn away all the impurities. The woman, remembering the Biblical verse, asked if he had to sit there the whole time the silver was being refined. The silversmith responded that not only did he have to sit and hold the silver the entire time, but he had to keep a careful eye on it, because if the silver was left in the flame a moment too long, it would be destroyed.

“How do you know when the silver is fully refined?” the woman asked.

“That’s easy," he replied. "When I see my image in it.”

⁴Then will the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in ancient years.

blessings,

Gail