Jesus to His Mother by J.R.. Miller

It was on the cross that Jesus paid his last tribute of love and honor to his mother.   The nails were in his hands and feet and he hung there in agony.  He was dying in deepest shame.  The obloquy of the world was pouring its blackest tides upon his head.  In the throng below,, his eye fell on a little group of loving friends, and among them he saw his mother.   Full as his heart was of its own anguish, it was not too full to give thought to her.  She would have no protector now.  The storms would beat in merciless fury upon her unsheltered head.  Besides the bitterness of her bereavement there must be the shame she must endure on his account, the shame of being the mother of one who died on a cross.  His heart felt all this, and there, in the midst of his own agony, he made provision for her, preparing a home and shelter for her.  Amid the dark scenes of the cross his example shines like star in the bosom of the blackest clouds saying to us, "Honor they father and they mother."

Gleanings from 'The Hiding Place" Corrie Ten Boom

"Sometimes I would slip the Bible from its little sack with 

hands that shook, so mysterious had it become to me. 

It was new; it had just been written. 

I marveled sometimes that the ink was dry. 

I had believed the Bible always, but reading it now 

had nothing to do with belief. 

It was simply a description of the way things were--

of hell and heaven, 

of how men act and how God acts. 

I had read a thousand times the story of Jesus' arrest --

how soldiers had slapped him, 

laughed at Him, 

flogged Him. 

Now such happenings had faces and voices."

~Corrie Ten Boom 

"The Hiding Place"

 

If you asked my family, they would tell you I am not an "emotional" mama.  I never have been.  They have seen me cry in church services where the Holy Spirit was moving more than the day to day moments of life.  Now my heart cries over many things...the injustices in the world, the desire for salvation to come to all my family and that they walk close to Him each day, the overwhelming awe for the mercy I receive each moment from a loving Father who knows my many faults and shortcomings yet still loves me, and more.   Even though I've read her story before, you cannot help but cry when you read "The Hiding Place".  

Your heart breaks that anyone could ignore such brutal inhumanity such as was inflicted in Europe by the Nazis.  Yet my heart wonders how many injustices I miss or am immune to each day while trying to get my daily list done and am about my own business.  

Encouragement in our God, who keeps you in His arms, is found when you read the many miracles experienced in the dark, brutally cold, crowded, flea-infested prison.  It's hard to complain about cobwebs and piles of laundry when you know how really blessed and free you are.  But you can live in a prison of your own design, if you walk in fear and miss the blessings He pours out each day for you.

If you want a quick read that will truly build your faith in our amazing God, who provides and cares for your every need, who is with you in the darkest of times, who has purposes and designs for your life this is the book for you.  Be sure to have tissues handy for the tears of heartache and the tears of thankfulness.

So much to do....so little time

Outside the trees are blowing sporadically in the grey sky while sprinkles of rain drops come down off and on throughout the afternoon.  Inside our home is warmth and coziness with most of it's members around the dining room table.  Two children are working on origami while two others are practicing their music.  Two other children are looking and sorting through the rock collection.  All the while I am answering e-mails, reading Pride and Prejudice for my co-op class, planning school and work for the week as beefy-vegetable and cabbage soup is permeating the air around us.  There is a floor to be mopped, clothes to be folded, and bathrooms to be scrubbed but for now I will enjoy these moments of togetherness that pass by so quickly.

I Peter 1:24
²⁴For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:  ²⁵But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.

Whom do you want to get noticed?

"When Jesus entered Jerusalem many people spread their clothing and palm branches on the street to honor the Lord.
"Jesus was riding, as the prophets foretold, on a donkey.  In this was the feet of Jesus did not touch the street adorned with clothes and branches, but instead the donkey walked right over them.

"It would have been very stupid of the donkey if she had imagined that she was very important.  It was not for her that the people threw their clothes on the streets."

Stupid are those who spread the good news of Jesus and expect to receive glory themselves.  The glory should go to Jesus.  

Excerpted from, "He Cares for You" by Corrie Ten Boom.

One door closes....and another opens

I've managed a warehouse for a missionary for about the last 5 years.  It's been a great blessing for our family to work together.  However, the business is closing this month.  It wasn't a total surprise as just a few years ago we were shipping sometimes 500 books a week and now we were shipping maybe 20.  It was a great provision from the Lord when we needed it.  As I was praying about what our new season would look like and knowing finances were going to be difficult if my husband didn't get cabinet jobs, I was sure of God's provision again.  In a very short time, we were given the opportunity of taking over the home school consignment store in the Augusta area.  Although it has made October very difficult with closing down a warehouse and starting a new business at the same time, (not to mention home schooling, teaching high school classes in our co-op...and would you believe my family still wanted to eat and wear clean clothes!!)  it's been exciting too.  I began a face book group "Big Happy Family Books" and will try to list books as they come in the store to keep folks abreast of what is available.  Although these are very uncertain times in our economy, I'm optimistic about our new direction.  Hoping to do a better job posting on this blog, along with my cooking and saving money blogs since we will be home more.  Thank you Lord for your provision!

School is In

As stretched as I get teaching so many different levels of school in one day, I cannot imagine missing out on seeing my 1st grader practicing her reading on me each day, my baby "schooling" with the others as they practice their Classical Conversations history sentences, math facts, English rules, Latin words, science facts, and timeline cards.  With my first two graduated, I've gone back to teaching at CC.  It's been difficult to learn Latin II and "relearning" Advanced Math in order to teach it; however, it's also been great to be able to work alongside my son and model life-long learning habits.

I've been blessed with a great class of students at co-op who get as excited as I do when we are looking under the microscope at pond water that we stored with egg yolk and see all kinds of  creatures that we get to draw and label in our lab journals.  We ewww and ahhhh together when we admire fascinating art like the mirror in Van Eyck's Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride.  It's only been four weeks of classes but already we have been discussing great British Literature that we've read at home between classes.   We all enjoyed Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Canterbury Tales.  Paradise Lost was not a favorite of many although it still made for great Socratic discussion.  They are to read Pilgrim's Progress this week and I hope it will become one of their favorites!  We do Logic together in class and are working through Francis Shaeffer's How Shall We Then Live book and watching the video series along with the book State of the Arts. 

Son # 3 is in another Challenge class that is also learning Logic, Math, Latin I, and Current Events & Debate.  They have been reading great books like The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and Little Britches.   They have been studying Kepler and Newton in science which has made for interesting conversation and discoveries. 

The rest of my guys are learning about the human body in science to coincide with their cycle 3 work in CC.  It's quite a bit of juggling and we don't always accomplish all I'd like but it's still a joy to watch your children grown in wisdom and knowledge.  Especially, when you see them making the connection in all learning to the One who created them and the wonderful creation that surrounds us.  To find His Truth hidden in every subject is one of the most exciting things of all.  Had I sent my guys to school, I wouldn't have taken the time to learn all I've learned over the past 20+ years of homeschooling,    Did I cover it all and get it all right?  Absolutely not.   But for what I did, I give Him the glory and pray He'll continue to grow and teach my children marvelous truths long after I've graduated them, continue to write His Word on their hearts, and continue to overwhelm them with His love and beauty.

Until,
Michelle

A Cup of Tea

Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful for beauty is God's handwriting--a wayside sacrament.  Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Read "Everything I Know I Learned Over Tea" tonight to relax after a day of teaching at co-op.  It's a great quick read and encourages to take time for family, for friends, for even yourself in this hurried world.  Always enjoying a tea party with family, I am going to try this little tradition as part of our 3:00 snack each day.  A little time out in the busyness of school, chores, homemaking, etc. to reflect on the blessings of the day, the needs of my children, or even to dig into the Word to refill from a day of "pouring out".  May we each take time each day with or without tea to reflect on the goodness and the greatness of our wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Until,

Michelle 

What Are You Passionate About?

Today is my birthday and the first thing on my list of to do's was to go to Dr. Dan Dickinson's funeral today.  He was hit by a car while riding his bike to work and was survived by his beautiful wife and 4 young adult children. My eldest daughter went with me as she was in youth group with his older children and was grieved by their loss.  There were very few dry eyes in the large church we were in.  I'm unsure if you can have a "favorite" part of a funeral, but if so, I loved hearing his best friends talk.  The theme throughout every story was that he had a passion for life.  He did everything with with great passion whether it was enjoying family, eating, bike riding, working, studying or reading the Word.  The common thread in all he did was his unashamed love for the Gospel and sharing it with the world.  They spoke of his overwhelming generosity with his time and resources to spread the Gospel.  Their stories were funny, serious, and encouraging and yet, you knew the great loss to the family of such a great husband and father.   Always wanting to learn and grow myself, there were many life lessons learned by his short but powerful life.  As one of his friends said, he lived more in 57 years than most folks do if they lived to be 100! 

First of all, he put God and family first.  He was disciplined in every area of his life.  If he gained weight because of his love for food, he went back to Weight Watchers to get it off.  He got up at 4 to study because he began work at a hospital with many young doctors and he wanted to stay sharp and knowledgeable.  From five to six, he studied his Word and had his quiet time.  Then he rode his bike to work because he was training for a big race later this year.  He kept his Christian childhood friends and they kept each other growing in the Lord, accountable and had a Jonathon/David type relationship.   He made regular time for medical missions using his personal vacation time to invest in others.  He was a true friend to others and made an impact for Christ.   My prayers go out to His family that the Lord will comfort them and that his children will grab his gusto for life, passion for Christ, and climb even greater mountains for the Lord.

When Queens Ride By

I read this story a few years ago in one of Joe Wheeler's books "Mom In My Heart.".  I loved it and thought it would make good reading for any wife.  I hope it blesses you the way it blessed me.

To read it:  click here

Isaac Watts Song on Salvation

The Invitation of the Gospel

Let every mortal ear attend,
And every heart rejoice,
The trumpet of the gospel sounds
With an inviting voice.

Ho, all ye hungry starving souls,
That feed upon the wind,
And vainly strive with earthly toys
To fill an empty mind,

Eternal wisdom has prepar'd
A soul reviving feast,
And bids your longing appetites
The rich provision taste.

Ho, ye that pant for living streams,
And pine away and die,
Here you may quench your raging thirst
With springs that never dry.

Rivers of love and mercy here
In a rich ocean join;
Salvation in abundance flows,
Like floods of milk and wine.

Ye perishing and naked poor,
Who work with mighty pain
To weave a garment of your own
That will not hide your sin,

Come naked, and adorn your souls
In robes prepar'd by God,
Wrought by the labours of his Son,
And dy'd in his own blood.

Dear God, the treasures of thy love
Are everlasting mines,
Deep as our helpless miseries are,
And boundless as our sins.

The happy gates of gospel grace
Stand open night and day,
Lord, we are come to seek supplies,
And drive our wants away.

Quotes for Moms

What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow.

 -Martin Luther

 

 

No ordinary work done by a man is either as hard or as responsible as the work of a woman who is bringing up a family of small children; for upon her time and strength demands are made not only every hour of the day but often every hour of the night. She may have to get up night after night to take care of a sick child, and yet must by day continue to do all her household duties well; and if the family means are scant she must usually enjoy even her rare holidays taking her whole brood of children with her. The birth pangs make all men the debtors of all women. Above all our sympathy and regard are due to the struggling wives among those whom Abraham Lincoln called the plain people, and whom he so loved and trusted; for the lives of these women are often led on the lonely heights of quiet, self-sacrificing heroism. 

 -Teddy Roosevelt, 1905

 

 

"I learned more about Christianity

from my mother

 than from all the theologians
in England."

- John Wesley

I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me.  They have clung to me all my life.  ~Abraham Lincoln

 

 

Our Family Beach Vacation 2011

The Family (minus Wesley, Cindy, Brandon, Rylie and Jackson)

We did our beach trip a few weeks earlier this year due to our expanding gardens.  It was a great, relaxing trip although it wasn't quite the same without Wesley and Cindy's family.   Probably my favorite moments were our daily walks, the games, and just enjoying watching the family eat, work, play and laugh together.  Yep, we even work on vacation....household chores can't escape a crowd this large anywhere.  Dishes still needed to be washed, clothes laundered, and floors vacuumed to keep the sand out.

Muscle Men

Every year since the boys were babies, they pose at least once showing off their muscles. The toddler got in on the act this year.  We've played bocce ball, volleyball, football, and frisbee every year at the beach.  This year the boys, sometimes girls, played a lot of beach soccer.  A few swollen feet, bruised shins and ankles but no breaks as in previous trips with the skim board. 

All boy's game

The brothers

Even Christopher gets a good kick in!

In the picture below my son is pointing at the sign behind the plane.  It says judgment day.   Can you believe the world was "ending" the same day we were out on the beach?   Thank the Lord we knew the Word says in Matthew 24:36, "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only."

The girls stroll along with us on our daily, long, beach walks.  These are great moments of bonding, talking about life, and enjoying God's great creation. 

 All and all another wonderful week and we are so thankful to our friend Suzanne.  We had such a great time when visiting with her that we can't wait to see her again soon. 

Lazy, sunny days, ahhhhhhhhh

Life is good

The end of the island and the end of this page.

Letters from My Grandma

Growing up, our family didn't live close to family as my father was military.  One thing we could count on regularly from family was letters from my Grandma.  I ran across a sweet handwritten note in my desk this morning that my grandmother wrote me when I was graduating high school.  Thought it was funny that I ran across this note as I've written so many graduation notes myself this week and my first son is also graduating high school.  She lived to be 93 years old and I would have loved for her to seen more of my children.  When I read this note this morning, it reminded me how much I missed her, her sweet and faithful notes, and her prayers.  Love and miss ya Grandma Williams!

The outside of her card was a little girl blowing daffodils with "happy" writing above her that says, "God love and you and bless you!"

Inside:

My Dear One, 

You did not say where you are going to college or what you are preparing for so you see, you have your "Gramma" wondering!

Wherever you go, whatever tries to "sell" you on the "new morality" - don't believe a word of it.

It is the same old morality that has not changed -- for God gave the directions and "He changeth not."  


Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lea not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths (Prov.3:5-6).


Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.  I Cor 10:31


(Then she underscored the verse in the card:  "The Lord is thy keeper".  Psalm 121:5)

Take these two verses as a guide to your life and always begin your day for God's guidance in your prayers and you will never  have to look back in regret for God is faithful and He will keep you safe.

I love each one of you very much.  Take this $10 and choose your own graduation gift.  Use it as you need to.

Much love,
Grandmother 

Maternal Influence by J.S. Law

Behold the tenderest sight on earth--the mother giving the first bent to the mind that is immortal.  O!  What lessons of heavenly wisdom may come down through her lips and find their way to a heart not yet in contact with the world!  Here may she seize on the first indications of intellect, and consecrate it to God.  How may the eye of a mother, beaming with affectionate regard, direct the little dependent being to the Savior!  A warm-hearted and prudent mother will exert almost an unlimited influence over her children the first six or eight years of their life; a period, above all others, when the heart is susceptible to deep and lasting impressions.  

Solomon frequently adverts, with great tenderness, to the pious counsels of a mother.  Timothy was instructed, when a child, by his mother and grandmother.  There are few men eminent for science and religion, who have not expressed deep-felt gratitude for the example, counsels, and prayers of a pious mother.  And it would be difficult to find an instance in which children have been brought up in the fear of God, and the love of the savior, where the mother has showed no marked solicitude to cherish a life of piety in her family.  OH, A MOTHER'S LOVE!  It conquers all.  it is identified in the mind of a child with its first knowledge of God.  She is contemplated with God.  Next to divine efficiency, her influence is all-pervading and most powerful.   ~Mother's Magazine

Baking With Your Children

Our family spends a lot of time in the kitchen.  We don't eat cereal except on very rare occasions.  We rarely eat sandwiches unless it's on homemade bread.  We try not to eat out much.  Therefore, we are cooking and baking quite a bit.  I love it.  I love that all my guys thus far will be able to cook for themselves if they are bachelors for a period and that my daughters will provide nutritious meals with confidence for their families.  I love that they "care" about what they eat.  They already had a lot of teaching from me but "Food Inc" definitely helped even more.

Tonight for dinner we had Mexican Lasagne.  I began cutting the onions and my 2 year old wanted to stir my chopper to cut them fine.  Meanwhile, I began cutting green peppers.  My 11 year old daughter decided to get out the pans while the onions, peppers and beef were cooking.  She began layering the flour tortillas and putting a layer of refried beans atop of the tortillas.  My 18 year old is breezing through and I have him reach the chili and taco seasonings for me.  He moves on to what he is doing when my 13 year old son happens to walk through, washes his hands, and decides to help.  He puts salsa on the beans, adds the seasoned meat mixture.  My daughter covers with shredded cheese and they begin again.  If you want this recipe, I have it available here.   Many hands definitely make the work lighter.  My 16 year old soon gets out the special cheese I bought for the tortilla chips.  My 6 year old daughter helps with plates and forks.  Before we know it, we are sitting around the table praying for our country on this National Day of Prayer and then enjoying one another's company.  I am thankful to Jesus for this day and the many blessings that surround our table.

Psalm 128:3b ... thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

~Michelle

One Room School House Field Trip

Breezy, sunny, 70's spring weather was ours today for the taking.  We dressed up for an adventure to a 1910 one room school house.

 The children were first given an idea of life in the early 1900's.  One of my favorite stories of this day was of an 104 year old woman who was interviewed recently and was asked what her favorite invention was since she has lived through such an exciting era.  Her reply was wire windows, also known as, screens.  Life in Georgia before air conditioning had to be hot.  However, thoughts of life before air conditioning with no screens on windows can only be imagined as "unbearable".  Those pesky mosquitoes as night would be torturers of rest.  Flies circling and landing on your food at all hours of the day would be an agonizing nuisance indeed!

Loved hearing the children recite the pledge, "America", and pray before the day began.   The day went quickly as the children learned the history of the one room school house and were able to participate in a spelling bee, recitations of Bible or poetry that you have memorized, and practicing copy work with their quill pens. 

Another highlight for our family was the picnic lunch in tin cans with tin cups, our homemade bread buttered and sugared wrapped in brown paper bag, and a fresh apple outside in 70's spring weather with the steady high pitched hum of cicadas in the background.  Happy day!!

A Prayer in Spring

Robert Frost

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fulfil.

Our Resurrection Celebration

My sister , Sandi, and her friend, Cecilia, have been tossing around an idea for a new get together tradition for a while now.  We had our first trial run at our gathering to celebrate this Resurrection Day.  It was a great success.  The idea is for each family to bring it's own "table."  You bring a table for your family and decorate it with sheets, tablecloths or a quilt.  Also, to simplify, each family should keep a box or a basket for these gatherings to store your picnic table settings.  I brought a yellow flowered quilt.  Everyone decorates your family's table however you desire.  Our family brought a long table and a small children's table.  We used cloth place mats on our quilt and tucked silverware in the pockets of the place mats.  Mason jars were our drinking cups.  Decorated two jars with honey suckle we picked on the way into my sister's lovely home.  The tables were all set under the trees.  Although the day was warm, the combination of shade and breeze was perfect for a family and friends picnic.  When it's time to eat, you can sit with whomever you desire at any table but leave the silverware and dishes at the chair you dined at when you finish.  When everyone finishes, you rinse your family's plates off and tuck back into your family's picnic basket.  We had a separate table for the food that everyone brought.  Each family also brought tea or lemonade to share.  It was so much fun.

Came home, threw my quilt in the washer with place mats.  The dishes, silverware, and jars thrown into the dishwasher.  When all was done, I restocked my family's basket for our next gathering.  Put my turkey carcass in a large pot for making stock.  Now after reflecting on my family's wonderful day, it's time to reflect upon my marvelous Savior.

1. Jesus HAS RISEN from the dead, PTL!  Matthew 28:7; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:6.
2. God raised Jesus from the dead.  Romans 10:9.
3. There were many eyewitnesses who saw Jesus after he was raised from the dead.  Matthew 28:9-10, 16-17; Mark 16:9, 12-14; Luke 24:15-43; John 20:11-16, 19-20, 26-29; 21:1-14; Acts 1:3-8; 1 Corinthians 15:5-8.
4. Jesus said that those who believe He has risen from the dead without seeing Him (like me!!) are blessed.  John 20:29.

Ready-to-halt, poor Fearing, and thou, Mrs. Despondency, and Much-afraid, go often there [the empty tomb]; let it be your favourite haunt, there build a tabernacle, there abide. And often say to your heart, when you are in distress and sorrow, "Come, see the place where the Lord lay."    ~Spurgeon


Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Lo! the Sun's eclipse is over, Alleluia!
Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia!

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia!
Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened Paradise, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Hail, the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail, the resurrection day, Alleluia!

King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, Thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing and thus to love, Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

But the pains that He endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured, Alleluia!
Now above the sky He's King, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!  
~Charles Wesley 

 

Prayer

Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
Unuttered or expressed;
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try;
Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach
The Majesty on high.


Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice,
Returning from his ways;
While angels in their songs rejoice
And cry, "Behold, he prays!"

O Thou, by whom we come to God,
This life, the truth, the way.
The path of prayer Thyself has trod:
Lord, teach us how to pray!

~James Montgomery 1771-1854

This Month's Family Story - Duncan's War

We have begun reading a new story for our family reading time.  We had bought it for the children for Christmas from Vision Forum.  Thus far, we have really enjoyed it.  Below is the write up from Vision Forum:

Set on the moors of Scotland, Duncan’s War transports the reader into a seventeenth century landscape inhabited by evil, danger, courage, and faith. Young Duncan M’Kethe finds himself caught in the web of Sir James Turner, the former Covenanter turned military leader of the persecutors. Duncan is torn by his hatred of Turner’s Dragoons, who have treated his friends cruelly, and his father’s instructions to love them. Duncan must be true to Jesus Christ while attempting to rescue his father from enemy hands.

The worship leaders in our last church had beautiful Scottish accents so I "hear" their voices as the father and mother speak throughout the book.  My children have informed me I need to give it up that I don't imitate a Scottish accent well, but I can't help but try as I read it.  :D

Our family loves studying history; therefore, a great historical fiction book is always a great find.  If you  think you may like it check it out at Vision Forum on my link to the right.   

A Mother's Holy Calling

Oh, Mothers of young children, I bow before you in reverence. Your work is most holy. You are fashioning the destinies of immortal souls. The powers folded up in the little ones that you hushed to sleep in your bosoms last night, are powers that shall exist forever. You are preparing them for their immortal destiny and influence. Be faithful. Take up your sacred burden reverently. Be sure that your life is sweet and clean.--JR Miller