Weekly Homeschool Wrap-Up 3/6

I'll start with the boys' activities from this week:

For writing this week they worked on writing a humorous story using the Write Shop Junior E curriculum. This is a sloppy copy--first draft. They also wrote a descriptive paper about a character from their Sonlight novel--The King's Fifth by Scott O'Dell. 

They're also reading in Story of the World, Early Modern Times, and in the Kingfisher World History Encyclopedia. For science they are continuing in Cool Stuff Science and in Evolution: The Grand Experiment, which delves heavily into evolutionary theory and discounts it line by line, with scientific evidence. 

They are continuing also in their Bibles and in the supplemental Bible books from Sonlight Core H.

Paul is working on a family newspaper, in which he writes stories about what's happening in our neighborhood, in our town, and in our home. His siblings can also submit stories for the newspaper and he pays them some pennies or nickels. He is having a controlled fit trying to learn how to use a newsletter template on the computer. I sympathize with him because I can't seem to learn how to write newsletters either! The columns never behave! Soon I need to get the boys into some computer classes to learn these things. 

Peter loves leftovers and hates boring sandwiches, but he'll eat anything I put in front of him. Here he's having whole wheat chicken enchiladas with brown rice. Paul liked the enchiladas but wouldn't eat leftover crockpot navy bean soup, which I offered yesterday. He is less picky about lunch than the girls, but not as well rounded as Peter.

Teaching Textbooks does a great deal of review on a regular basis. When a long division problem comes up, and they do frequently, both boys will groan. They can do them, but they hate them.

Peter is reading during morning devotions, and Paul is looking on because he is not an auditory learner. He follows read alouds far better when he sits right next to the reader and follows along in the book. I am like him, and the rest of the kids and my husband are all auditory. I can't listen to read alouds very long without having my own copy in front of me. 

Crockpot navy bean soup. Yeah, I know. It doesn't look too good, but it tastes delicious. You need six cups of chicken broth in the crockpot with soaked navy beans, some carrots, onion and celery, some garlic, a bay leaf, and some ham for flavor if desired. After it is done (7 hours on low, usually), pour in a can of diced, no-salt tomatoes.

Paul loves to read in the library and learn about all the presidents, and he enjoys politics.

Read aloud time with Daddy, using Sonlight's read aloud list. Again, Paul is right there following along. Peter is on the couch listening, and I am putting the girls to bed by this time usually.

They are always sleepy and hyperactive the day after AWANA. It ends at 8:15 PM, but they're too excited to fall asleep after arriving home. I have them take showers before we go, but whatever I try, it doesn't help get them to sleep at a decent hour. We had to switch back to a Wed. AWANA after doing it on Sunday, and I am having to change things around to accommodate their fatigue the next day. I really hate weekday evening events but it couldn't be helped. The kids really enjoyed themselves and the program was very well run.

Next, I will highlight Mary's activities (age 8). She has about 4 lessons left in All About Reading 2. Level 3 is on its way to our home. I'm spending a small fortune at the All About Learning Press company. All their curriculum sells very fast on the used markets and is hard to find. Here Mary is learning about the three sounds -ed makes at the end of words (ed, d, and t).

These are piles of review words from her box. We go over all of them periodically and discuss the rule and/or sound family illustrated.

Words that have a /t/ made by the -ed.

There is a new story about every other day, which includes the sound families covered in the previous lesson, plus all the review sounds from past lessons. The stories are engaging and we both love them. Marie Rippel did a wonderful job conceiving and writing this curriculum, which is exactly what those with dyslexia and other disabilities need.

She also learned the third sound of letter A this week.

Lambie likes All About Reading too!

More on the third sound of letter A.

Third sound of letter A--page from the lesson plan book.

A gumball game to practice words with the third sound of letter A. I give chocolate chips instead of gumballs.

All About Reading and All About Spelling come with card boxes to organize all your review words and sounds. You file them under: mastered, review, or future lessons.

I had just cut Mary's hair and Beth was so excited that it looked just like hers. They wanted their picture taken. Pretty in pink, I told them!

She's looking for easy readers to use for personal reading time.

The library's winter reading contest features prizes, like the Doc McStuffins set behind her in the case. She gets one entry each time she checks out and reads five books. Paul won last year so the girls are hopeful. They have a lot of entries.

Now for the kindergartner's activities. This is Beth, age 6.

She used the nifty new automated checker at the library--no more lines for checking out books! These are all over the library now.

She played on the library train.

Welcome to our school, stuffies! You look snappy in your school clothes.

 She had puzzle time all week while I taught her sister's reading lessons.

She is super excited about her accomplishment, as you can see by that face!

At the library--at first she made me chase her around the library for a picture, because she's goofy like that. What would I do without her playfulness? She's a joy and gives me strength and keeps me young at heart.

She made a huge tent in the playroom with her sister while I taught the boys their writing segment. I allow old bedding for these enterprises, but no sheets from the linen closet. I hate it when they grab clean sheets for their tents! These "tents" seem to be a universal kid thing. I will remember them fondly...well, mostly. :)

In her typical animated way, she acted out the words she read during reading time. If the word was "fast", she ran fast around the couch. She keeps me young and in stitches!

She is cutting a game apart to practice reading words with final blends. She had to find two matching socks and read the words behind them.

Her stuffies attend "school" with her.

Going over the review words for All About Reading 1. I love cozy time in the reclining chair listening to my girls do their lessons. I love that they're both small enough to fit comfortably with me here. Woe will be the day when they're too old to do reading lessons with Momma.

A story with initial and final blends in the second All About Reading 1 reader.

Practicing the "chocolate chip" sound. That's what I call it anyway /ch/.

Practicing final blends and plurals.

And finally, Beth's standard lunch staple--PB&J on whole wheat. She rarely wavers from it, but I keep trying. Sometimes it is colby jack cheese with mustard on whole wheat, but she hates leftovers. She won't eat tuna like her siblings. I pay more for natural jelly and peanut butter--no high fructose corn syrup so that I can feel good about the sandwich. It's hard to find whole wheat bread without additives, but I don't have time to make my own consistently so we scrutinize labels. I have to be careful that she eats a well-balanced diet because she is on the two immunosuppressants for the arthritis and needs a lot of nutrients to boost her immune system. She loves fruit, thank goodness, and will eat a half carton of strawberries or blueberries.

My favorite shelf at the library is the "new books" shelf. All the new non-fiction and fiction from the prior twelve months are kept here. I have used this library so many years that I have run out of a lot of options, except for this new shelf. We find our picture book read alouds and some great non-fiction selections too.

Here are some new picture books from the prior twelve months:

 Albie's First Word: A Tale Inspired by Albert Einstein's Childhood by Jacqueline Tourville



Here's a beautiful historical fiction picture book that provides a rare glimpse into the early childhood of Albert Einstein, the world's most famous physicist.

Three-year-old Albie has never said a single word. When his worried mother and father consult a doctor, he advises them to expose little Albie to new things: a trip to the orchestra, an astronomy lecture, a toy boat race in the park. But though Albie dances with excitement at each new experience, he remains silent. Finally, the thoughtful, quiet child witnesses something so incredible, he utters his very first word: "Why?"

Kids, parents, and teachers will be delighted and reassured by this joyous story of a child who develops a bit differently than others.



Dear Malala, We Stand With You by Rosemary McCarney with Plan International (About the Arabic girl who was shot by the Taliban in Pakistan after standing up for a girl's right to an education. She recovered and now resides in England and speaks about equal rights.)


Ben Franklin's Big Splash: The Mostly True Story of His First Invention by Barb Rosenstock



Every inventor has to start somewhere, and one of the greatest innovators in our history was no exception. Ben Franklin developed his first invention while doing what he loved best: swimming! Ben's Big Splash is the story of Franklin's first invention, his journey through the scientific method, and the surprising successes that result when you're willing to make mistakes. Barb Rosenstock’s rhythmic, whimsical style is the perfect complement to S. D. Schindler’s pen and ink and watercolor illustrations. Together they recreate history in an engaging and unique way. Both author and illustrator worked closely with Franklin experts, and the book includes Franklin quotes, an extensive author’s note, timeline, and bibliography.

Freedom's School by Lesa Cline-Ransome



Synopsis: When Lizzie's parents are granted their freedom from slavery, Mama says its time for Lizzie and her brother Paul to go to a real school--a new one, built just for them. Lizzie can't wait. The scraps of learning she has picked up here and there have just made her hungry for more
.
The walk to school is long. Some days it's rainy, or windy, or freezing cold. Sometimes there are dangers lurking along the way, like angry white folks with rocks, or mysterious men on horseback. The schoolhouse is still unpainted, and its very plain, but Lizzie has never seen a prettier sight. Except for maybe the teacher, Mizz Howard, who has brown skin, just like her.

They've finally made it to Freedom's School. But will it be strong enough to stand forever?

Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper



Synopsis: Mazie is ready to celebrate liberty. She is ready to celebrate freedom. She is ready to celebrate a great day in American history the day her ancestors were no longer slaves. Mazie remembers the struggles and the triumph, as she gets ready to celebrate Juneteenth.This beautiful story by award-winning author and illustrator Floyd Cooper will captivate both children and adults.
You Wouldn't Want to Live Without Books! 

by Alex Woolf



Synopsis from School Library Journal: Gr 5-8-Modern-day conveniences, such as cell phones and toilets, and the ingenious ways that people in the past made do without them are explored in this engaging series. Filled with bite-size facts and humorous, cartoon illustrations, the books take readers on a journey through history, showing them how science and technology have made life easier, safer, and more comfortable. Time lines chart the inventions' major developments and discoveries, providing a solid background for each subject, while brief yet interesting historical examples will appeal to even the most reluctant reader. The "ick" factor and potty humor in Toilets and Antibiotics are sure to entertain many, and interactive elements, such as the hands-on activities in "You Can Do It!," encourage experimentation and critical thinking. The books are packed with so much information that the lack of a pronunciation guide in the glossary can certainly be overlooked.

How was your week, friends? Thank you for reading and visiting here this week!

When Church Hurts

Sometimes, I hate church.

Oh, I love the kids I work with plenty. Their smiles and eager hearts fill me with joy and I will never get over my love for children. But church comes with issues that hurt and then there's the healing and the trying to be upbeat and all. Church is full of fallen people and what can we expect? Extending grace towards each other and ourselves is all we can do, as we continue in the obedience of fellowship with other believers.

We just changed churches last summer because of Mary's extreme thunder fear. She didn't want to go anywhere at all, much less church. She didn't like the church we were in which met at the local elementary school. She loves worship music, which heals her fears somewhat, and that church didn't have any children's music and she had to be in a class without her siblings, which didn't help when she felt like throwing up over the weather (it happened once there).

We were desperate for a solution. The situation made it hard for me to volunteer when she was having unrelenting, debilitating fear. First, I resigned as nursery director and just worked once a month, instead. But still, it wasn't enough and I was stretched too thin emotionally. I was torn between being professional and reliable, and being there for my daughter.

Last year was just incredibly stressful all the months she suffered (and I dread thunderstorms this spring and summer). Unprepared for the intensity again, I'm praying for significant progress before the season hits.

Things improved when we changed churches because the new one was farther away, allowing her to calm down a little during the ride. Moreover, she had children's church with both Paul and Beth, which included children's worship.

All these months later, something else has come up in both our AWANA church and the church we attend. Maybe you've noticed that church is becoming an extension of the regular classroom? There isn't just worship and a sermon, but actual academic work to do. For the last thirty to forty minutes, after large group worship, the kids break up into age groups and Mary suffers through word searches and useless worksheets, both of which are a nightmare for dyslexics (especially word searches). She feels like an idiot and tries to look at other people's papers to get by. Church ends with her somewhat depressed, rather than joyful.

I thought at first of contacting the director and explaining gently that 1 out of 5 people have dyslexia, and that these kids feel anxious and depressed when given written work, word searches, or are asked to read aloud from their Bible in front of other children.

But, I didn't want to rattle feathers. I still don't know what to do about the situation. Why, oh why, does church have to be so academic? What's wrong with verbal discussion? Is it harder to keep kids calm and under control, without written work? Is crowd control part of the issue, like in public schools?


And AWANA? The program we attend isn't in our church. It's in a Church of Christ, which isn't a non-denominational church. We always prefer non-denominational churches because they tend to follow the Bible closely, and are not tied to hierarchies and heaped-on, extra-biblical rules, or a watered-down Gospel.

The first year we attended their AWANA, we didn't know about the doctrinal differences between Church of Christ and our beliefs. We know the United Church of Christ is liberal and perhaps a bit universalist, but we thought plain ol' Church of Christ was evangelical. Then last summer, I read about them online and learned some uncomfortable things, but the kids liked their friends there and we decided to give it a try another year, thinking that within the context of AWANA materials, these doctrinal difference wouldn't come up. We definitely didn't want to attend that church, but the AWANA program is tightly run and we thought it would be safe. My husband and Peter help out there, but I haven't this year.

Well, something really unfortunate happened last Sunday night during Paul's class. The Pastor of that church teaches the older Truth and Training class this year because the previous teacher moved. The Pastor wasn't very involved last year at all. For his "Bible lesson", he does this question and answer session with the kids, apparently so he won't have to prepare an AWANA-approved lesson. He believes that baptism is necessary for salvation, telling Paul that everywhere in the New Testament, baptism follows right after conversion, so one is not truly saved without being baptized.

Paul thought...what about the thief on the cross, who went to heaven without a baptism? However, Paul kept silent about his own musings, fighting back tears. He was devastated, and embarrassed because the kids noticed he was crying. The Pastor said, "Don't worry. We'll get you baptized. Just talk to your parents."

We have desired that our three older kids get baptized, knowing they were spiritually mature enough, but the boys previously felt afraid of the public speaking part and wanted to wait. They now feel ready, along with Mary, but we've come to find out, the church we now attend doesn't baptize children younger than 12, which we definitely don't read about in the Bible. Here again, a church is heaping on rules that aren't in the Bible. We like the church otherwise and we realize no church is perfect, but now we have three children eager and ready to be baptized, and only Peter is eligible at this church.

We may end up baptizing them in a river, for heaven's sake!

It is true that people were baptized in the Bible after they believed, but it wasn't a condition of salvation, but an obedient, public profession of faith. I believe the reason people wait now is because churches, many of them, make you go to classes first and only have baptisms infrequently. It only matters, I suppose, when someone really feels ready to be baptized and can't because of the "red tape".

It's unfortunate.

Sorry about this rant! Just blowing off steam here, after some hurt feelings, tears, and reassuring conversations and Bible verse searches about baptism to help Paul process the false teaching he heard at the AWANA church. He is a true Bible scholar in his own right, but he liked that Pastor and it's hard to reject a false teaching and see it as such when you like the person delivering it. We did let Paul make up his own mind, though, and he sees it as we see it--that baptism is an obedient, public profession of the changed heart brought about by faith in Christ and by the indwelling Holy Spirit, who came to dwell in us when we first believed.

We definitely made a mistake going back to this AWANA program after learning about the doctrinal differences last summer. We can't let the kids' wishes always dictate what church we do or do not go to, although we will always try to accommodate their individual needs.

Lesson learned. Tears shed. Hearts rather exhausted.

I had to write an email to that church telling them we respectfully disagree with them doctrinally about baptism and that we can't attend AWANA there any longer. I thanked them for their service to our children, and I went online to find another AWANA in a non-denominational church that we can attend to finish out the AWANA year, which goes until the end of April.

I hate that we have to attend an AWANA program that isn't at our own church. We love the AWANA program and feel it has aided our children in developing a strong biblical foundation, and in addition, AWANA graduates are eligible for college scholarships of up to five thousand dollars (depending on the college), and every bit helps. The church I found offers AWANA up through eighth grade, allowing Peter to earn another scholarship-worthy award. He aged out of the other AWANA at sixth grade.

I don't know if my children will attend a Christian college or not, but it helps to be prepared for anything at this point, and look into all scholarship options.

I wish we had the foresight to choose a church last summer that offered AWANA. Then, the children would see their AWANA friends more frequently, and we would know more about the people administering the program. The idea of changing churches again feels so fickle and upsetting, but maybe it would be best to admit we made a mistake?

The AWANA church we will try out tomorrow night also has children's church K-6, which my three younger children could potentially attend together on Sundays, if we switched. It includes children's worship music. A second hour includes grade-level classes, which are extra and not required.

Do you find church trying at times? Ever been hurt by a church in some way?

The SAT vs. ACT: Differences & Accommodations

This article has two goals: (1) to help parents of children with disabilities plan ahead in obtaining testing accommodations, and (2) to help all parents and students decide which entrance test better fits their strengths.

Testing Accommodations

If you have a child who may need accommodations on standardized testing, such as on the ACT, plan ahead. I read over the procedure for obtaining accommodations for the ACT and found it quite burdensome.

The most widely used accommodation is more time.

Plan early and have your professional practitioners lined up at least three years before your child plans to test. Save every piece of paper and keep a log with dates and notes.

With appropriate documentation, accommodations can be obtained for the following problems:

- Visual impairment

- Hearing impairment

- Learning disabilities (this documentation can be expensive to obtain ($3,000  to $5,000) and usually only profound cases will qualify)

- Speech or language disorder

- Autism or developmental disorders (PDD) (ASD)

- ADHD

- Physical (medical) disabilities

- Psychiatric disorders -  Mood or Anxiety Disorders or Serious and Persistent Mental Illness

- Traumatic brain injuries

Related Links:

Read this information from the College Board (creator of the SAT) about receiving accommodations for the SAT, PSAT, and AP exams. It can beneficial to go through your child's high school to obtain permission from the College Board. More documentation may be required if you do the paperwork on your own. All accommodations must be approved by the College Board.

Read this information about the rules for accommodations on the ACT.

Read here for information about what type of accommodation your child may request on the ACT.

Read here (Pacer Center - Champions for Student With Disabilities) for parent information and timelines regarding accommodations on the ACT. This includes information on how the IEP and 504 Plan can help.

Here is a quote from an ACT representative:

Ed Colby, a spokesperson for ACT, says there is “no simple answer” for why an application is rejected. “Every case is looked at individually,” he said. “If reviewers feel that there isn’t a substantiated need, it will be denied, but it will depend on the information provided by the student, and they will have the opportunity to provide additional information if needed. We go to great lengths to make sure that students who need extended time or other accommodations for the ACT have the ability to receive them.” 

Which Test Should I Take?

The Princeton Review gives the following information about the difference between the ACT and SAT (all quoted below):

Colleges will accept either the SAT or ACT. So which should you take?

It's all about the numbers. Some students end up scoring substantially higher on the SAT; others do better on the ACT. In lieu of a crystal ball, we created The Princeton Review Assessment (PRA) designed to help you determine which test is better fit with your abilities.

To help you zero in on the right exam, here are seven key differences:

ACT questions tend to be more straightforward.

ACT questions are often easier to understand on a first read. On the SAT, you may need to spend time figuring out what you're being asked before you can start solving the problem. For example, here are sample questions from the SAT essay and the ACT writing test (their name for the essay):

SAT: What is your view of the claim that something unsuccessful can still have some value?
ACT: In your view, should high schools become more tolerant of cheating?

The SAT has a stronger emphasis on vocabulary.

If you're an ardent wordsmith, you'll love the SAT. If words aren't your thing, you may do better on the ACT.

The ACT has a Science section, while the SAT does not.

You don't need to know anything about amoebas or chemical reactions for the ACT Science section. It is meant to test your reading and reasoning skills based upon a given set of facts. But if you're a true science-phobe, the SAT might be a better fit.

The ACT tests more advanced math concepts.

In addition to basic arithmetic, algebra I and II, and geometry, the ACT tests your knowledge of trigonometry, too. That said, the ACT Math section is not necessarily harder, since many students find the questions to be more straightforward than those on the SAT.

The ACT Writing Test is optional on test day, but required by many schools.

The 25-minute SAT essay is required and is factored into your writing score. The 30-minute ACT writing test is optional. If you choose to take it, it is not included in your composite score — schools will see it listed separately. Many colleges require the writing section of the ACT, so be sure to check with the schools where you are applying before opting out.

The SAT is broken up into more sections.

On the ACT, you tackle each content area (English, Math, Reading and Science) in one big chunk, with the optional writing test at the end. On the SAT, the content areas (Critical Reading, Math and Writing) are broken up into 10 sections, with the required essay at the beginning. You do a little math, a little writing, a little critical reading, a little more math, etc. When choosing between the SAT and ACT, ask yourself if moving back and forth between content areas confuse you or keep you energized?

The ACT is more of a "big picture" exam.

College admissions officers care about how you did on each section of the SAT. On the ACT, they're most concerned with your composite score. So if you're weak in one content area but strong in others, you could still end up with a very good ACT score and thus make a strong impression with the admissions committee.

A Spiritual Testimony

Something occurred in the last few days that really highlighted the growth God has graciously facilitated in my life and heart. I used to worry and fear and wonder what would become of us, especially after we went down to one income in 2005, and then husband lost his job in 2009.

We went against the grain. I didn't return to work and we continued to homeschool. It was hard and I fretted. In those days I wanted things before I felt the need, not after, but giving up I just wouldn't do. I never entertained the thought of joining the dual-career households and saying goodbye to my children.

Slowly, through the years, a pattern emerged. When there was genuine need, the need was always filled. My fretting tapered off as I began to trust what our history had shown me: God always provides for my needs.

In all the years we didn't go to restaurants like a typical family (and still don't, unless we get Pizza Hut gift cards). We never went to movies, or on vacations, or on expensive outings, and we still don't. Our kids don't know what a decent restaurant or a movie theater or an amusement park is like. They know the County Fair and the library and the lake beach and numerous hiking trails and nature centers. We lead simple American lives.

Sometimes I worried that my children would be defined by their American-style poverty. True, they knew a warm house and decent things and when something was truly needed, God provided.

But they don't know much about the fancy or the new or the latest. They don't know what it's like to have needs met ahead of time. We are behind the Joneses in even this, a lower-class neighborhood. The neighbors go to the movies and to restaurants and they can afford yearly camping trips and fancy phones...and even land phones, which we forsook long ago.

Another pattern emerged. I saw blessing in our lifestyle. When my kids did get something new from relatives or friends or from us, I noticed a sense of entitlement creep in, fueled by getting used toys from Goodwill too, a few times a year.

The more they got... the more they wanted...and the less they appreciated.

I love them always but I like them best when long stretches occur without gifts. I prefer the unspoiled versions of their personalities. There is something precious about a child receiving the unexpected. The eyes light up and they're amazed. The first thing they want to do is hug you and thank you, gratitude bursting from their little hearts.

I have come to understand human nature more through my children (and my own folly). Lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and he shall make your paths straight.

Straight paths aren't fortunate paths, necessarily. We won't come into our fortune by acknowledging God's ways. Straight paths aren't new furniture, new cars, new paint and fancy trim, a trip to Disneyland and a remodel of the bathroom.

This verse speaks of a spiritually straight path. We kicked and screamed some, but God put us on a hard road that yielded much in the spiritual realm and I am a different person.

My kids will flourish more because of what they don't get. I'm sorry it has taken me ten years to really learn that, but I'm so grateful for the lesson.

So, this week we had a hard three days and instead of fretting, I trusted God completely through it all, calmly. I just knew God was working and I let him. I even enjoyed it.

Here's the scoop...

Thursday, after my husband arrived home from work at 7:00 PM, my plan was to grocery shop. I bundled up and got into my van, only to learn I had a dead battery--probably due to the extreme cold.

I took my husband's van instead, and upon my return my husband used the jumper cables and presto, my van was back in business.

The next morning, Friday, his van's battery was dead so he used my van to jump his.

That night on his drive home he got a flat tire and pulled into a church parking lot, which happened to be on an incline, making the jack useless. A good Samaritan pulled over to help but he couldn't get the jack to work either and it broke. The good Samaritan called Triple A.

They had a long wait. Apparently the man had been on his way to an AA meeting (Alcoholics Anonymous, that is).

The kids and I piled into our van thinking we could at least bring Daddy some dinner, but alas...my van's battery was dead again.

My husband has been a Christian long enough to know that if you get a flat tire in frigid temperatures and someone on their way to AA stops to help you, then you better bring up God, because why else would such a thing happen? Our personal business can be all manner of things, but God's business is souls and my husband knew better than to think he could get through this and not try to witness to the recovering alcoholic, who just might have been a little inebriated, even though he "hadn't had a drink in 18 months".

My husband never drank or smoked or had premarital sex--no bad boy history to use to change someone's life around with a miraculous tale of God's redemption. He only has this simple story: When he was seven years old, having been in church all seven of his years, he knew he wanted to go to heaven and that he needed God's forgiveness, so he said a salvation prayer and never looked back.

Was it enough, this simple tale?

Every time my husband tried to bring up anything spiritual in their two-hour conversation, the man changed the subject.

When Triple A got there, the possibly-inebriated good Samaritan moved his car out of the way and apparently side-swiped the Triple A tow truck, which angered the Triple A guy. He suspected this man had been drinking so he called the police, who came and found the Samaritan's blood alcohol level unacceptable. He was arrested.

By this time husband really needed help and couldn't worry about the man's fate, but it did raise his eyebrows and he thought...okay God, I wasn't expecting that.

The temperature was dropping, the hour was getting late, and our mechanic wasn't answering his phone. My aunt and uncle are still in Florida and the Triple A guy wasn't helping.

Our mechanic has become a friend over these last ten years. Our old vehicles have visited his back-yard shop pretty often. Our kids love seeing him and his huge dog and looking for crickets and grasshoppers on his two acres. He's come to our aid in library parking lots at 10 PM, and doctor's office parking lots at 2 PM.

And he's not saved yet. I suspect when he does get saved, our cars will break down less.

On this particular night he wasn't available, so our friend Dean the airplane mechanic who lives 40 minutes away and was bored anyway, came to my husband's aid.

He brought another jack and they moved the van to flatter ground to lift it, only to find the van's spare tire flat and useless. They go to get air in it and then put it on, finally making it to a McDonald's before 11 PM for some food.

Dean's been having a tough time and needed the company, it turns out.

Coming out of the McDonald's, husband tries to start up his van but the battery is dead again. Dean jumps the battery, and then all is well and husband makes it home.

But when he goes out this morning to go to work, and northeast Ohio is barely waking up from sub-zero temps, his van's battery is dead again and mine is still dead.

It being Saturday we wait for people to enjoy their morning sleep-in before pleading for help. A little later, we ask our neighbor to jump husband's van, but it just won't turn over.

Dean was coming anyway for dinner and a boys-night-out college basketball game, so he comes early and takes husband to the store for a battery, which does solve the problem for husband's van. My battery is only a year old so it has to go back to Walmart for inspection before they'll replace it.

I remained calm throughout. I didn't worry about the money or my husband freezing to death, or about the lack of transportation, or how my husband was going to get to work.

And when the nice neighbors mentioned they were going to the movies and offered to leave us their battery charger, I didn't worry when one son asked me later why we never get to go to the movies.

Don't lean on your own understanding. God has a plan in all of it...a spiritually rich plan. 

Despite the childish comment, I see evidence that my children are distinguishing wants from needs and gaining fulfillment in spiritual things. Already, they have a treasure trove of spiritual knowledge and faith built up in their young hearts and minds. I was spiritually dead until age 31, and a spiritual infant for years after that. I marvel at the privilege of watching my own children experience the spiritual blessings I never knew as a child or young adult.

My peace and joy are a testimony that God works all things for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to his purpose. 

Do you have a spiritual testimony of God's faithfulness in the last decade? Write it down...share it...tell it! There are many who need to hear: the spiritually dead who need to awaken, and spiritual infants who need to mature.