I'm back...I am recommitting myself to my blog. I do like and enjoy blogging, however I feel a philanthropic compulsion to blog...like I need to give back. I've learned sooo much from blogs, it has in fact help fortify the person that I am today. Sounds corny, but true. Long before I ever met homeschooling, cloth diapering, Little-house loving, Ladies Against Feminism real-life women; I found solace and camaraderie in my e-friends. What right have I not to give back some of what I've been given, in the hope that it might bless others. But secretly, or maybe not so secretly, I doubt my ability and validity to help others. Who am I to, what right have I to, when will I, why will I, how will I, but they do it better than I, etc. etc. etc. flood my mind and talk me right out of blogging each and everyday. But I guess more and more I'm finding comfort in my weaknesses and imperfections. Not so comfortable, that I'm complacent; but comfortable in the sense that I'm not perfect and never will be. That's fine, because I have a perfect Savior who has redeemed me, and I am living my life for Him.


St. Peter Denying Christ, by Paul Gustav Doré (1832-1883)

Speaking of living for him, I found this great article whilst helping my son with his assignment. My wonderful mother advised me to integrate current events into our school day. So my oldest has started reading Scholastic.com and I let him write two paragraphs reviewing an article of his choosing. His favorite writing assignment is the Sticky Situations. He has to find one applicable scripture for the situation, which has been a great research exercise as well as a practical approach to teaching how the scriptures are useful for all things. Well I was helping him find a scripture about pleasing God and not men and came across The Folly of Trying to Please Man by Richard Baxter-I do love Puritan sermons! Oh this one cut me deep. I would do well to memorize this entire treastie.

Richard Baxter:
1. Remember what a multitude you have to please;
and when you have pleased some, how many more will be still unpleased, and how many displeased when you have done your best. Alas! we are insufficient at once to observe all those that observe us and would be pleased by us. You are like one that hath but twelve pence in his purse, and a thousand beggars come about him for it, and every one will be displeased if he have it not all. If you resolve to give all that you have to the poor, if you do it to please God, you may attain your end, but if you do it to please them, when you have pleased those few that you gave it to, perhaps twice as many will revile or curse you, because they had nothing. The beggar that speeds well will proclaim you liberal, and the beggar that speeds ill will proclaim you niggardly and unmerciful; and so you will have more to offend and dishonour you, than to comfort you by their praise, if that must be your comfort.
2. Remember that all men are so selfish, that their expectations will be higher than you are able to satisfy.
They will not consider your hinderances, or avocations, or what you do for others, but most of them look to have as much to themselves, as if you had nobody else to mind but them. Many and many a time, when I have had an hour or a day to spend, a multitude have every one expected that I should have spent it with them. When I visit one, there are ten offended that I am not visiting them at the same hour: when I am discoursing with one, many more are offended that I am not speaking to them all at once: if those that I speak to account me courteous, and humble, and respectful, those that I could not speak to, or but in a word, account me discourteous and morose. How many have censured me, because I have not allowed them the time, which God and conscience commanded me to spend upon greater and more necessary work! If you have any office to give, or benefit to bestow which one only can have, every one thinketh himself the fittest; and when you have pleased one that hath it, you have displeased all that went without it, and missed of their desires.

READ the entire 22 reasons why it is foolish to try to please others.
The complete sermon on Man-pleasing by Richard Baxter can be found here