I want to say hello to my reader(s) from New Zealand! I know you’re out there. Thanks for stopping in! There’s a little dot on my map that shows me SOMEbody is coming to read my blog from New Zealand, and that’s very fun!

My husband and I went to New Zealand years ago, as chaperones with a group of high school students who were studying marine biology. I have to say New Zealand is one of the most beautiful, pastoral places I’ve ever seen in the world. There were fields dotted with sheep at nearly every turn. Is it still that way? I hope so.

Today’s Carnival of Beauty is being hosted by Sallie of Two Talent Living, so click over to her place to see what 13 lady bloggers contributed on the topic of The Beauty of My Life.

BETH MOORE! We’re going to be up and running soon — we’ll probably start Monday, March 27. If you’re at all remotely interested in joining our Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit online study or being a faithful weekly lurker observer, then leave Lauren a comment here, and she’ll add you to our list. There are 14 of us signed up right now. Isn’t that fun? Not only us ladies, we also had a visit from Paul of Hill Country Thoughts blog who said he’ll be praying for our group. (I met Paul in person last fall at a writers’ conference — recognized the white cowboy hat and said, “Hey, you’re the Hill Country Thoughts guy!” He’s very nice and a gifted spiritual writer.)

OK, now onto to some other exciting news. It looks like our post Teens in the Blogosphere has captured the interest of USA Weekend Magazine, which is a little insert that comes in your weekend newspaper. It has a modest circulation of 47.5 million readers. (I did say million, ladies!!) Their ParentSmart columnist, Pat Olsen, is doing an upcoming series called “A Parent’s Guide to Blogging.” If you’d like to have some input in this story, here’s the address to contact USA Weekend Columnists. And if you haven’t had a chance to contribute your input into our Mom 2 Mom post here, please do. (The truth is — I did send them an email, but they wrote back and said they were VERY interested in our input. You just never know … This columnist may end up expanding the topic into a book someday.)

One more interesting tidbit: I got a note from Agent Tim yesterday — he thinks his mom wouldn’t mind my asking her some questions about raising teenagers. Does anyone have any questions for her? Her son is the 16-year-old visionary behind the new organization, Regenerate Our Culture.

P.S. If you’re going to be in the Beth Moore study, I found this Lifeway site has several sizes of online banners and graphics. Just click on it, save it, and upload it to your sidebar. Then you could link it to Lauren’s Created for HIS Glory site where we’re all “gathering.”

Our Carnival of Beauty topic this week is “The Beauty of My Life,” hosted by Sallie of Two Talent Living.

Since so much of my life right now revolves around my family and our children’s schooling, I thought it would be appropriate to share with you our educational journey.

It’s funny how the topics that interest me as a parent have changed over the years. Before I had children, there were ISSUES that I thought were truly life-and-death matters. Can you relate?

During pregnancy, I discussed with great passion these topics: will I use a midwife or doctor? Have a homebirth or hospital birth? Prepare for natural labor, epidural, or C-section? Breastfeed or bottle? Feed on demand or feed on a schedule?

Next, I headed into the baby development milestones and toddler years, which is where I still am with some of my children: bedtimes and discipline, what to eat and when, potty training, breaking habits like pacifiers or thumb-sucking, early educational ideas, etc.

Now, I’m deep in the trenches of this issue: how to educate our children. This is a HUGE topic of course — as it covers the ages of at least 3 to 18 for each child. Will we homeschool? Send them to a private school? Send them to a public school?

These are the years we have to do something … to make sure our children are raised to grow in wisdom which comes from fear of the Lord — and also to have the skills and knowledge they’ll need to get along on their own someday.

It used to be easy. There were fewer options. People let their kids all walk to the same school, which was down the street. Now the vast array of options is overwhelming.

Several people have asked me lately about why we homeschooled, and why we’re not now. Well, I don’t want to go into all that in such a public forum, so I’ll just say a few things. From the day our first child was born, I was drawn to homeschooling. I was surrounded by wise, godly families in our church and neighborhood who homeschooled. I hung out in their homes and knew that’s what I wanted for our family.

I read a million books about homeschooling. Well, not a million. But several dozen at least. I went to conferences when our oldest was only four years old! We joined a great local support group, and I went to all the meetings. So, we homeschooled for three wonderful years. But then I needed a break. I’ll spare you the details, but I had a lot of stress going on in my life, and I needed someone to help me out during school hours. The Proverbs 31 woman didn’t do it all either, you see. Our best option was public school, unless I went to work full-time to earn private school tuition, which we didn’t want me to have to do.

Our kids have wonderful teachers, many of whom read my blog, and I’m so appreciative of their sincere commitment to love our children and be a light in the world. I know many of them have strong Christian faith and do the best they can within the parameters of the system to teach our children God’s ways.

Yet … we still take things year by year. Child by child. I miss so many things about pouring my time and energy into homeschooling, and I miss being part of our homeschool group. I really, really, really want our children to have time to take music lessons and play instruments … and I love the Sonlight curriculum. But home educating is a consuming full-time job for me. If we ever did go back to it, I know without a doubt that I would not have time to do any writing from home. And maybe that would be fine. I’ve so enjoyed all the online friendships I’ve made in the past couple of years and working with editors and other writers … but we may be entering another season of change. I don’t know.

I try to think long-term, surround myself with positive people, and take it all step by step. That’s what we do every year. I have a ton more to say, but I’d rather not say it all here in my blog.

Raising children who want to serve God is a serious calling, one that takes constant thought and prayer. As parents, we want to do all we can … but ultimately we have to leave the results up to God and pray for His blessings upon our educational journey.

Yes, it’s true.

What’s a mom like me doing reading a 16-year-old young man’s blog? Well, if you’ve noticed that button in my left sidebar, there are only two more days until the launch of Regenerate Our Culture. So I thought I would sneak a peek over at Agent Tim’s blog to see if he’s busy getting prepared for the launch.

Busy is the word. But he’s not sitting around counting the minutes. He’s been joining top teen leaders across America at Teen Pact, which is being held at Patrick Henry College near Washington DC.

Here’s what he says about the week:

Well guys, I have to say the week was awesome. I have learned a lot, not only about government, but also a little bit about campaigning, blogging, writing, speaking, and listening. I’ve learned to speak better in front of large groups, even though I don’t really have a huge problem doing it. I’ve learned that I can get better at what I do, and I need to work a lot harder in my school work so that I can do well in the public arena. I’ve learned the importance of being grounded in what I believe when the issues are thrown in my faith. I’ve learned the importance of Scripture memorization.

OK. Can you say mentor? This is the kind of 16-year-old son I’d like to raise. Where’s this guy’s mom? How’d she do it? I’ve got a few more years between now and then.

I have to also say that I’ve noticed Agent Tim has one of the top-viewed blogs in the “Religion category” at Blog Top Sites. He’s ranked in the Top 20 in this category and has had nearly 50,000 hits since August. He’s blogging about important issues, and to me, he represents a generation of hope.

Now, I often choose guests to come visit my blog. The truth is, I just find successful people who I want to learn from, and ask if I can have a few minutes of their time. I’d love to ask Agent Tim’s mom a few questions about raising teenagers!! I think SHE would definitely have some sage advice.

By the way, Happy Birthday, Tim, and best wishes for your launch success!

I want to write a quick note to share a few things that are going on in our blogging community. It really is a small world now that we can click over and visit each other. If we met each week in a book club or Bible study, we’d probably go around and ask for prayer requests, right?

So this week, my prayers are with Alyice of The Dabbling Mum. Many of you read her blog or visit her website — I know some of you are her regular columnists. Alyice found out the devastating news that her mother suddenly passed away. Now she will be traveling across several states to be with her family. Even though she’ll probably be off-line for a while, I think it would mean a lot to her if you dropped by her blog and said you were thinking of her.

Also, Carol of She Lives wrote an essay about the death of her father-in-law a couple of days ago. I’m so thankful she took the time to write out some of her special memories and share them with us. We’ll be keeping her family in our prayers as well.

As for me, I’m still not sure what to do about my wrist — I don’t know if it might be broken or just sprained! I wrote the other day about how I fell up our makeshift “porch steps” and felt a really sharp pain. Of course, I ignored it, hoping it would go away. The bruise is gone, but I still feel too much pain to even do simple things like unscrew lids. And I’ve usually got a baby on my left hip while I do everything — so this pain is starting to be a real … pain. I don’t want to have to be billed for an x-ray if it’s one of these things that might heal on its own.

Also, if any of my local friends are reading this, does anyone know a good, reasonable carpenter? We’re in desperate need of getting back steps on our porch built, as well as a railing to protect our newly mobile baby from crawling off the porch. We keep thinking we’ll wait until we can save up … but we can’t wait any longer. This has got to be done! When I blog about things, it seems to move us into action around here. A sprained or broken wrist is nothing like a baby falling off a porch.

Now, for the good news. I discovered that Lauren of Created for HIS Glory is thinking about starting an online study of Beth Moore’s Living Beyond Yourself. She’s suggesting maybe if there are several of us who’d like to sign up for it at the same time, we could post about it once a week in our blogs, then create a blogroll in our sidebar of other participants. This looks like perfect timing for me, since our group here is just finishing up Beth Moore’s Believing God study.

If you’re interested, leave a comment here or at Created for HIS Glory . If you’ve never heard of Beth Moore or done one of her studies, let me just tell you, she will TEAR OPEN the Bible in a fresh way like you’ve never experienced before. She’s the most passionate teacher I’ve ever heard and speaks from such a humble heart. Her studies are intense, but they’re not aimed for scholars; they’re for real people who may need a few extra minutes to look in their index to find the book she’s talking about. So feel free to join us!

Last but not least, there are still a few more days to join into Barbara Curtis’ Love That Laundry Room contest over at Mommy Life. You have until March 15 to enter by sending her a picture of yourself in your laundry room, and you might win a copy of Lord, Please Meet Me in the Laundry Room!

Here’s one of my favorite poems that kind of relates to what I wrote about yesterday: that fork-in-the-road decision. Have you ever reached a point of crisis where you KNEW you just had to make a major choice about something? Or have you been through a time when you felt like you hit “rock bottom” and you had nowhere to go but up? Did you ask God to help?

He’s always ready to listen to you — it just takes a small step of faith to talk to Him. Tell Him what you’re going through, what’s bugging you. Unload it! Sometimes, it’s during these desperate cries of the heart when you’ll know God is breaking through to answer your prayer. Now THIS is the kind of story you could write down to tell someone else — and you just might change their life!

“The Road Not Taken”
By Robert Frost

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

From Bartley.com

Today’s scripture reading:

“We rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” Romans 5 : 3-4.

I hate the suffering part, and I’m not all that good at persevering, but I love the hope part. Don’t you?

Have you heard of God Allows U-Turns? I just discovered this book series has a blog! It looks like we’ve been missing a party.

Allison Bottke is the author of this series featuring stories written by people who’ve experienced the dramatic power of God changing the course of their lives.

I read over at The Writing Life that Terry Whalin is the guest blogger this week. Then I discovered that Allison has arranged a whole 2006 Guest Blogger Series, and many of my favorite writers are coming up. So, I’ll be checking back over there to see what’s going on — and maybe you can too!

One thing I like about reading other people’s dramatic stories is that it helps me think about my own life. I’m sure each of you have experienced a life-changing moment, a fork in the road, that perhaps changed the course of your life. Have you ever written that story down before? Reading other people’s stories may help trigger your own memory, and you’ll always be thankful you’ve written down your story.

Who knows? You may end up being featured in one of Allison Bottke’s future books! Here’s what she’s looking for now:

CURRENTLY ACCEPTING TRUE SHORT STORIES IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES:

Publication Dates: TBA
DEADLINE: July 30, 2006

God Allows U-Turns
The Choices Couples Make
The Choices Moms Make
The Choices Families Make
Medical Miracles

Have you ever had to make a tough choice as a mom? As a couple? As a family? Here’s a chance to submit your story.

P.S. I’ve read some of your blog posts that I think would be perfect stories for these books. You may get an email from me to bug you about sending it! Notice the deadline — you’ve got over four months to polish your story up!

My thoughts and prayers today are with the family of Missey Gray, a 31-year-old homeschooling mother and blogger who passed away unexpectedly during childbirth on Wednesday, March 1. I read about this on Spunky Homeschool, and I have been saddened at this loss.

Missy was an avid writer at Heartschooling, and it’s apparent through her words how much she loved teaching her children and encouraging other families. Please pray for her husband, Tom, and their five children, including her newborn daughter who survived the birth. She’s been named Melissa Kate, after her mother.

If you feel inclined, there are many ways you can help this family. A memorial post has been set up at the Homeschool Blogger Company Porch with information. You can send a card or financial gift to her family’s home in Arkansas or take part in an heirloom quilt project for her family.

This news has been shocking to me because it’s so rare for women in the U.S. to die in childbirth these days, and she had so much to live for! Only a year ago, I was about to give birth to our fifth child, and the thought sometimes crossed my mind that something could go wrong and I wouldn’t make it. I gained a greater understanding of God’s grace during difficulties reading this beautiful post, Heavy on My Heart, written by a grandmother of five who was in an email group with Missey. On the Friends page in Missey’s blog, one of her friends wrote in and said this:

As a tribute to her short life, I have decided to keep her memory afresh by choosing to live in the moment. I know I will fail, but I want to try to do it. I see so many sad and unhappy people every day. They mope through life, complain about what they don’t have, and spread negativity in all they do. There is so much in life to be thankful for and to give praise and honor to the King. There is no reason to spend one moment of any day not giving thanks and praise. There is nothing in my life to warrant a bad attitude. My time is precious here and only the Lord knows the number of days He has set aside for me.

I choose to REDEEM the time and live in the now. I choose to stop putting off until tomorrow what is best done today. I choose to LOVE those around me and tell them how much they mean to me. I choose to THANK the Lord today and always for His care and compassion. My heart is sad but it also rejoices. She is home with Jesus and knows first-hand what it means to see HIM and Praise HIM face to face.

Beautiful words to live by.

This week’s Carnival of Beauty is hosted by Marla of Just Marla, and our topic, of all things, is “The Bible.” As I’ve given this some thought during the week, I keep realizing how much I need the Bible as a mom. Are there other people like me, who feel like they’re dry and thirsty without daily refreshment from the Word?

I periodically look through my list of key phrases people type into search engines to find my site. It sometimes baffles me how a certain phrase will lead someone here. This past month, I noticed these phrases among many with the keyword “mom/mother:”

— frustrated mom blog
— bone tired mother
— advice for moms raising teenage boys
— frustrated mom of preschoolers
— christian words of comfort to a mother who is having a hard time with a teenager trying to discipline

I imagine what led a woman to her computer to type in one of these phrases. Perhaps she had a long day of work — either away from home or AT home with her children; she drove her mini-van to the grocery store or Stuff-Mart at least once during the day to pick up some necessity, kids in tow; she prepared at least one meal for her family, though possibly all three, including snacks (semi-healthy of course); then she drove her kids to all their activities and kept up with the other moms; she oversaw her kids’ homework; helped them with baths (if they’re still young); read them a bedtime story (or three or four); listened to their prayers; and tucked them in bed. Of course, somewhere in all that, if she has a husband, she shares time with him, discussing the day, planning for the next day, maybe even having a real conversation once the kids are in bed.

At some point during the day, she taps into her computer, “Bone Tired Mother.”

This is what I imagine, at least. She’d be even more bone tired if she’s a single mother, with no one to help share the load, and financial strain weighing heavily on her mind.

So what can I say to encourage these moms?

What I’d like to say is that there was another woman, in another time, who was also bone tired, exhausted from a fast lifestyle that made her feel cheap and used. She felt unloved and unworthy. When she went to draw water from a well in her city one day, a man who was there asked if she’d also get him some water.

“How can you ask me for a drink?” [she questioned Him.]

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.”

“Sir,” the woman said. “You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?” …

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:9-13 NIV).

A spring of water … doesn’t that sound refreshing?

These verses are what I want to pass along to the bone tired, frustrated mom who is trying to manage toddlers or discipline teens. Dear mom, I hope you will find a few minutes today to read from the source of the well — maybe even opening up your own Bible to read John 4 and underlining or circling the phrase “living water.”

Then, if you want to see how the Word of God can change someone’s life, I have to send you to a powerful testimony I just discovered yesterday. Over a period of several years, through friendship and sharing Christian books, Carol of She Lives shared Christ with her housekeeper, who has now discovered Living Water. I know you’re busy and you have so much else to do and read, but if you have a chance to read She’s Got a Housekeeper (in three parts), this is what life is all about! Thank you, Carol, for sharing that with us!!

When the Samaritan woman at the well met Jesus, she couldn’t wait to go tell everyone else the Good News! I think that’s why many of us blog — we want to do the same thing in the 21st century.

When we’re thirsty, God’s Word is a well, always offering us a continual source of refreshment.

Let us drink deeply, sisters.

This week’s Carnival topic is “The Beauty of Contentment,” hosted by Bethany, and I must say this has been the most difficult one for me. I’ve wrestled with the Voice in my conscience, wondering if maybe this is the week I should skip. Lord, I don’t know what to say. You know I’m struggling with the whole idea of contentment! And He responded, Write what you know.

OK. So this is what I know.

This may not sound nice, but God doesn’t always want us to be content. At times, we’re not supposed to feel comfortable because He has something better for us. As God is moving us toward the next step in our life journey, we’re going to feel pressure and dissatisfaction — and we’ll keep feeling that way until we follow Him in obedience.

I finally read an analogy the other day that made sense to me. It’s from that inspiring book I picked up at CBA last month, Happiness Matters, by Dennis Leonard. He says, “Runners use the expression ‘hitting the wall’ when they are so physically exhausted that everything within them says to quit. They feel like they’ll die if they take one more step. But they know if they press through the pain they’ll get a second wind and the pain will be overwhelmed by the sheer pleasure of running” (p. 178-179).

I’m up against a wall right now, and I’m learning that I won’t be content and at peace unless I press through. I’m not called to sit down next to the wall and enjoy the warm sunshine and daisies; I’m called to move on, to press through, to climb over this wall I’ve never encountered before.

Those of you who read my blog regularly know the two things I’m working through now are my physical health and my home management. I’m not content with where I am in these two areas, so I’m “studying to show myself approved.” You can read about my new discoveries every week on FlyLady Fridays.

I’m not content to be in this postpartum slump either — I’ve finally reached the age where my body can’t deal with the junk I put in it as a teen or 20-something. I’ve got to purify my diet, increase my water intake, and exercise regularly or I’m on a high-speed locomotive heading toward diabetes and slothfulness. I’ve got to get off this train and board the one going in the right direction. And it ain’t easy.

I’ve also hit a wall with my writing — I’m getting to the hard part where I’m realizing the discipline and thick skin that are required to endure publication. If you’re a blogger, then you’re publishing your thoughts for all the world to see — people who might agree with you and others who won’t. Sometimes, I want to go back to that cozy safe place in my journal. When it’s just me writing a letter to God, I can let my emotions go in complete privacy, and nobody knows what I’m writing.

But this is a wall for me, and I’ve got to press through. Last weekend, I had some predators come into my blog and leave me hateful comments (cursing at me, calling me names). Since I moderate, they weren’t published, but I almost came in here Monday and wrote, “Well, this is not fun anymore. Sorry, but I quit.”

Yet God sent me to the right people — fellow writers and bloggers — who reminded me of the bullies in the blogosphere. They encouraged me to keep going, to keep being salt and light in this dark world. And so I don’t feel content to go back to my journal scribblings that nobody reads. In fact, it would be a sin for me to go back, the same way the Israelites wanted to go back to Egypt. My Promised Land comes from the connections I’m hoping to make with you, my readers. If I can encourage just one person (only one!), to have a better day, then that’s more than I would have accomplished if I’d written in my journal.

So I run. I persevere. Despite my struggles and the bullies, I’m going to keep going. I won’t feel a peace if I don’t. I’m going to drink water when I don’t want to. I’m going to walk my dog when it’s cold outside and I don’t feel like it. I’m going to eat an apple when I want to pile up a plate with cookies. I’m going to keep following FlyLady’s routines when I don’t feel like turning on my timer to do a room rescue. And I’m going to keep writing here — for as long as the Spirit compels me.

Are any of you encountering a wall in your life? Do you feel a spirit of unrest about something you’re doing or not doing? Then don’t pray for God to help you feel content; instead, pray that He’ll help you press on and break through. He has something even greater in store for you. Don’t sit down next to the wall and dream and sigh! Where do you see yourself a year from now? What will it take to get there? If you need to make a phone call or set up an appointment, then do it today. Get off the computer and do it now.

P.S. I’m going to be hosting next week’s Carnival — here! So send me your favorite recipes — the topic is “Comfort Food.” Gather your fellow blogging friends, stop by Two Talent Living for the rules, and come on in for a Valentine’s potluck. Send posts by next Tuesday at 3 pm to heatherivester at bellsouth dot net. Pull up a chair and let’s eat!

It’s time for the Carnival again, and I’ve been going over a million ideas in my mind for “The Beauty of Gentleness.” Iris is hosting this week, and she already has an awesome post up. What can I say that’s different?

I keep going back to my one of my favorite Old Testament heroes — Elijah. I love Elijah! I can relate to his emotions so well. He had a hard time with the things I struggle with. When his body was run down physically, his spirit got weighed down with heaviness too — and he just wanted to give up.

Yet God met his every need and spoke to him in a gentle whisper.

Oh, how I love that whole story. You can read it in 1 Kings 17-19. The heartless queen Jezebel reminds me of the evil queens and stepmoms who show up in fairy tales I read with my kids. She and her rotten husband Ahab were out to get Elijah. Do you remember the big showdown on Mount Carmel? The phony god Baal versus the one true God.

After a whole day of watching hundreds of Baal priests beg their false god for fire (to no avail), it was Elijah’s turn to show everyone the truth. He built an altar and surrounded it with water — and when he prayed, our real God sent fire from heaven and completely burned up everything! It was a MIRACLE.

The very power that sent fire from heaven is the God who is available to YOU. He still works miracles today — no matter what you’re going through. If you’re a mom, you know what miracle took place when God formed your baby within you. All you did was crave pickles and ice cream! (or Arby’s roast beef sandwiches, in my case). And according to Psalm 139, He knit the baby in your womb.

Yet in this story, Elijah got scared of Ahab and Jezebel — and he ran away as far as he could! He was so tormented by his fears, he didn’t eat or drink anything until he was completely famished. Then he stopped running, worn out, and wanted to die. An angel brought him food and water. Later the story continues in 1 Kings 19:11-14:

Then the Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord … [But the Lord wasn’t in the wind, earthquake or fire.] … And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

This is how God spoke to Elijah — in a whisper. And that’s the way He speaks to you and me. Yet we get so busy, the noise of our hectic lives blocks out the gentle sound of God’s voice. But He’s there, always waiting for us.

When we meet Him through reading the Bible, He speaks to us loudly — in a roar sometimes, like Aslan’s. But throughout the day, I can hear Him whisper, as my conscience reminds me to do what’s right. Don’t look at that. Tell him you’re sorry. Stay on track. Give her a call. Go beyond yourself.

That’s the gentle voice I seek — and I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to listen and discern what He’s saying to me. But isn’t that what our faith is? It’s an adventure in getting to know God, to trust His voice. The Christian walk is a continual journey, one not unlike Elijah’s. We’re always moving toward finding that place in our hearts where God’s whisper can best be heard.