Tag Archives: Word for 2015

“Blessed” to Overflowing in 2015

2015 was the year my cup overflowed.  As the year began, I joined other bloggers in writing about a “Word for 2015,” not yet knowing how well my chosen word would fit.

Blessed
In the previous few years, we’d had our share of difficult times: burying far too many loved ones, job loss, financial difficulties, losing our first home, losing our fifth baby… We were thankful for the Lord’s strength and grace that got us through, but I was hopeful that 2015 would see us heading in a new direction.  I prayed about my word for the year and went with “Blessed.” I had hopes about what that might look like, but I reminded myself, “No matter what trials and difficulties I may face, Father, help me always remember that I am blessed.”

overflowingOh, am I blessed.  This past year the Lord heaped blessing upon blessing for our family, and I finished the year feeling like the fountain in our new back yard that just keeps filling up and spilling over.  We moved into a beautiful little house where not only do my children have space to run around, they’ve also been given wonderful neighbors with whom to do it.  We welcomed Nathaniel into our family, healthy after some respiratory complications due to his early arrival.  Actually, everyone has been remarkably healthy this year.  Eric and I celebrated our ninth anniversary, and we’re more in love than ever.  We have so much for which to be thankful.

I know life won’t always be like 2015, but it was a beautiful respite from the trials and struggles that normally face us.  I am humbled and awed by the blessings of this past year, and I feel like I can now take a deep breath and plunge into the future, whatever it may hold.  And while I don’t expect new houses and babies to keep pouring down on us, the truest blessings will always be ours in abundance.

“…You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Psalm 23:5-6

Reflections on My Word for 2015 (Blessed)

Blessed buttonWell, we’re not quite halfway through 2015, but I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the word the Lord impressed upon me for this year: Blessed.

I am overwhelmed by God’s goodness to me.  Ten years ago I wouldn’t have dared to imagine that I would be living this life.  In the spring of 2005 I had just barely met Eric in a group at church, and while I was drawn to him, I didn’t think there was much chance of anything happening between us.  For years I had longed for marriage and children, but it felt like that was just a dream that would never be a reality for me.

Yet here I am, ten years later, married to the man of my dreams, blessed with four healthy children in our home, one in heaven, and another kicking in my womb.  I get to spend each day loving on them, teaching them about the Lord, and raising them up for His purpose.

Back in January, I mentioned some of my hopes for 2015:

Ever since we lost our fifth child early in my pregnancy last fall, I’ve been hoping we might still have another.  Yet even if 2015 closes without any new members of our family, I don’t want to forget that I am blessed.

I dream of moving to a house with a big yard so my kids can spend more time outside each day.  Yet even if we head into 2016 still in our mobile home, I am blessed.

While I certainly would still have been living a blessed life even if neither of those things came to pass, the Lord has continued to shower His abundance on us and both are going to be realities within the next few months.  I found out I was expecting just a few days after I wrote that, and we signed the final escrow papers on our new home yesterday.  Thank you, Lord.  I am amazed at your generous love.

I must confess I feel slightly overwhelmed in this season. Blessings do not necessarily make life easy.  Packing up our entire house to move while I’m five months pregnant and still trying to keep four other children out of trouble is a challenge.  Add to that the stress of trying to keep the house presentable enough to show to potential buyers, and I fall into bed absolutely exhausted every night.  I don’t want to forget, however, that all of it is because of God’s goodness.  No matter what trials and difficulties I may face, Father, help me always remember that I am …

Blessed

Wrapping Up Week 23 (2014-15)

weekly wrap-up
 This was one of those weeks where I’m amazed we managed to get any schoolwork done at all.  In addition to our regularly scheduled activities (ballet, gymnastics, music, park day…), three of the kids had to go in to the doctor for their regular check-ups.  Then you throw in the fact that I am in the blessed throes of first trimester nausea (we found out 3 days after I wrote about my Word for 2015!), and you can understand my amazement that we somehow got anything accomplished this week.

Bible/Circle Time

Ian is really enjoying Little Pilgrim’s Progress, and it I weren’t having him write a little for each chapter, we’d probably read a lot more than two each day.  Still, I think it’s good to pace ourselves, as it’s giving him time to really think about the story.  I found a Pilgrim’s Progress game on eBay, which Ian was really excited to set up and play.  Some of the characters and places are from parts of the book we’ve yet to read, and he’s eager to find out more about them now that he’s seen them in the game.

P1050391x

Math

Mondo Math; Addition Facts 1-12In our continued attempts to help Ian master his addition facts, I decided to try listening to songs from Mondo Math that cover the facts from 1-12 using various fun musical styles.  I’m not sure if they’re going to help Ian, but Elijah absolutely loves them, especially the second half of the songs, where they don’t say the answers and he gets to call them out himself.  I can guarantee that Elijah is going to have his facts memorized long before first grade.  Hopefully Ian’s natural competitiveness will help push him to learn them as well, rather than being outdone by his little brother.

He’s doing pretty well with his daily practice on xtramath.org, though some new facts were added in this week, which threw him for a loop.  When he scores well, he’s rewarded with free time on Mathletics, which ironically he’s been choosing to spend in the section with songs for learning his times tables.  I pray that will be a less painful process for him than the addition facts!

Through it all, he’s still working through MEP (Year 2).  I adore MEP, but it definitely requires quite a bit of teacher involvement, so I’m wondering if it’s going to be the best choice for us next year when we’re adjusting to a new baby.  I’m considering letting Ian take some time off MEP to do something he can work on more independently while letting Elijah catch up (he’s about halfway through MEP Year 1).  Then they can move onto Year 3 together so I’d only be teaching one math lesson each day.  This idea has been in my head for almost a year, but the new baby is making me think about it more seriously.  My main hesitation is simply in not letting Ian move forward when he’s been doing so well.  But it would probably do him good to just sit on what he’s learned for a while.

Everything Else

Apart from math and spelling, our week was pretty thin.  We managed to keep our heads above water as far as our Ambleside Online, Year 1 readings.  We got through a few chapters of Our Little Roman Cousin of Long Ago, and covered lessons 29-31 on skin in The Human Body (including fingerprints, which led to a messy time of exploration), but we didn’t manage to do any notebooking or extras of any kind.

P1050394x

Upcoming Reviews

I’m currently reviewing several products, especially now that the Schoolhouse Review Crew is back for 2015.  Watch for more about these soon!

Word for 2015: Blessed

Blessed buttonAs I consider the coming year, my mind first jumps to the things I hope will come to pass. While I think it is important to hope and dream, I do not want to do so at the cost of overlooking the abundance with which the Lord has already blessed me.  I considered “gratitude” or “thankfulness,” but in the end, I decided there was a more appropriate “Word for 2015” for me: Blessed.

Ever since we lost our fifth child early in my pregnancy last fall, I’ve been hoping we might still have another.  Yet even if 2015 closes without any new members of our family, I don’t want to forget that I am blessed.

I dream of moving to a house with a big yard so my kids can spend more time outside each day.  Yet even if we head into 2016 still in our mobile home, I am blessed.

Life is fragile.  I know too well how quickly things can change, as our family has lost several loved ones over the last few years.  If in the next twelve months we have to say good-bye yet again, we are still blessed.

I want to to walk through 2015 with this word at the forefront of my mind as I go about my daily life.  I don’t know what this year will hold for me, but I do know this:

And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them (Psalm 139:16b)

The Lord alone knows what is ahead, and whatever happens, I want to remember that I am …

Blessed