Blog Hop for Week 3 Stressed Less Living #Blessed

So I have just completed week 2 of my online Bible study - Stressed Less living.  One of this week's blog hop topics is "Hope from Upstream".  So today, I will be blogging about some ways our family tries to follow God's will for our lives.  

One thing we do is homeschool all four children.  This has been such a blessing for our family.  Instead of just getting into the word on Sundays, our children are surrounded by the word all day long.  Last year we joined the Advanced Training Institute and our children are now submersed in God's Word all day long.  Almost all the material we use is centered around the Bible.  We open our days with prayers.

We have just started back reading 3 chapters in Psalms and 1 chapter from Proverbs each day.  

We spend a lot of time just talking with our children.  Since my husband is a rear detachment commander with the Army Reserves, we have started going to the unit with him most days.  This lets him be engaged in what the children are doing.

We talk with them about their hopes and dreams for their future.  We talk about our expectations for their lives and we spend time in prayer.  I also spend a lot of time praying over them and for their future spouses (whoever that special person may be - if that is within God's will).  Mostly we try to just spend time engaged with one another and doing things we all enjoy.  I am hoping we get to spend some time camping this summer so we can get away from everything.

#Blessed Part 2

I have been working to complete my Week 2 assignments for my online Bible Study "Stressed Less Living".  For week 1, I began listing all the ways I am blessed.

Here is that list:

Today I want to make a list of things I am thankful for:

1) that Jesus was willing to die for my sins
2) My husband who is also my best friend
3) Our four wonderful children and my mother who lives with us and provides help and support
4) That my husband has a job
5) That we serve a God for whom nothing is impossible
6) That we are free to read our Bibles and attend church services along with homeschooling our children
7) Our family and friends who support us

Now today I want to add to our list:
8) That we have health insurance
9) That my children and I are able to go with my husband to work and complete our homeschooling there
10) All four of our children have now accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior
11)  That we found a house to live in when we moved last August and have our home rented out currently
12)  That 6 of us are participating in a Beginner Band at our church
13)  That my children will be able to attend Music Camp through the Salvation Army this summer - three will be going on their new to them Brass instruments while my oldest goes for guitar.
14)  That my daughter and I are learning Timbrels together
15)  That we are able go to the YMCA as a family to work out and take care of our bodies that God blessed us with 


So as you can see again this week, we are truly blessed.  Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the negatives all around us instead of looking for the good.  This week, I plan to strive to look for the good and concentrate on those things.

#Blessed and what I hope to gain from the Stressed Less Living Bible Study

I am participating in an online Bible Study for the book called "Stressed Less Living" and today I am participating in the first blog hop for this study.

Boy is this book coming at the perfect time.  There is so much going on in our lives right now between my husband's job requiring a lot of extra hours and a lot of extra travel time away from the family.  Add in my oldest still have stomach issues and joining a new church plus considering a possible career change and that adds up to a lot of stress.  I hope to improve my ability to turn this all over to God and let him be my strength, my comfort, my rock.

Today I want to make a list of things I am thankful for:

1) that Jesus was willing to die for my sins
2) My husband who is also my best friend
3) Our four wonderful children and my mother who lives with us and provides help and support
4) That my husband has a job
5) That we serve a God for whom nothing is impossible
6) That we are free to read our Bibles and attend church services along with homeschooling our children
7) Our family and friends who support us


As you can see I have a lot to be thankful for.  I am blessed beyond measure.  Even when there are hard times, we can rely on God to see us through.   I can look back at my life and see the one set of footprints where Jesus carried me through the trials.

Update on our family

Well we have had an exciting week.  On Easter Sunday, Dennis and I became Senior Soldiers in our Salvation Army Corp.  Rebecca and Nathan became Junior Soldiers.  The older two are taking the Senior Soldier class, but have not made a commitment yet.  

Then on Tuesday nights, I am attending Home League (their Women's group).  After that, Rebecca and I learning Timbrels (tambourines).  Finally on Thursday night, we attended the Beginning Band class at the Salvation Army.  Dennis, Nathan and Rebecca are going to be learning the coronet.  I am playing the Alto horn (similar to the French horn which I played in High School).  Joseph is learning the Baritone and Jacob is learning the Bass. 

Dennis and I are teaching the Young Adult Sunday School class (basically anyone out of high school up to our ages).

We are still working on homeschooling and our other activities as well.  Dennis is preparing for his AT in June.

This summer all four children will be attending the Salvation Army Music Summer camp.  So life keeps on moving here.