Heart of Wisdom Academy

Thoughts for Young Men is a phenomenal little book. I wish it were titled thoughts for young people instead, because the problems and solutions he suggests are easily applicable to both genders.

Proverbs 1:8...and do not forsake your mother's teaching

The implication is clear, mother's are teaching their children, presumably, to fear and love the Lord; obey his commands and walk joyfully in truth and light.

So here is what I'm teaching my boys right now.( Thoughts for Young Men) I pray that they won't despise it.

Please take a little time and read this short book this week, whether you have boys or not. I have printed the book and put it in page protectors to be enjoyed for many years to come.

Almost exactly 5 years ago I printed out the entire Raising Godly Tomatoes website. I find myself re-reading it again with an ill trained two year old. Now that I have the baby, I wish I would have been more diligent in training our new toddler to obey the first time, come when called, and respond consistently to the word "no". If I knew how to use those emoticons I'd have one here, the eye roll... At any rate, we are making progress, I moved him to a big boy bed, so that is good training in obedience right there.

Life is fun with the baby. I've been extremely lonesome for my husband who is working so much, but I couldn't ask for better friends who have been so loving and faithful in helping me through. I feel kissed by God. To know that he cares about all my little cares, makes me feel so loved. I've been clinging to Passionate Housewives Desperate for God, easily my favorite chapter is Weary Women, I've read that a lot this week and I feel refreshed today. I had a C-section so I'm still in recovery mode, but the pain is under control and I'm slowly getting back to myself.

Now I must attend to my toddler, thanks for all the well wishes for our new baby. God Bless

I mentioned that as a church we read the book Crazy Love; a wonderful life changing book.

Quotes on my mind from Crazy Love:
"Perhaps you start a movement called Aspiring to the Median, where people commit to living at or below the median U.S. income ($46,000 in 2006)and giving the rest away. Is it intimidating to think about giving radically and liberally?"

"Maybe you have already made sacrifices...The temptation is to level off increases with each passing year. Pride tells you that you've sacrificed more than others. Fear tells you it's time to worry about the future. Friends say you've given enough, that it's someone else's turn now."

"The idea of holding back certainly didn't come from Scripture. The Bible teaches us to be consumed with Christ and to faithfully live out His words."

"If one person "wastes" away his day by spending hours connecting with God, and the other person believes he is too busy or has better things to do than worship the Creator and Sustainer, who is the crazy one? If one person invests her or his resources in the poor-which, according to Matthew 25, is giving to Jesus Himself-and the other extravagantly remodels a temporary dwelling that will not last beyond his few years left on this earth, who is the crazy one?"

Luke 14:12-14 Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

We finally finished Hedge Fence. It was every bit as wonderful as I hoped it would be. We will read this book again and again over the coming years and I especially recommend this book for young boys. In this book a young boy Frank is writing letters to his cousin about his adventures with his hedge fence. After he got in a fight with his brother he huffed under his breath that he wished he had a hedge to keep him from doing wrong. An older friend overheard him and offered to send him a hedge fence once a month. The hedge was a scripture. Every month Frank couldn't see how that scripture could help him, but every month the scripture proved invaluable. Frank came to depend on those scriptures. He truly treasured them and contemplated often about them and he was ever so mindful not to "jump the fence". One thing I really appreciated about this book was it's applicability. Frank has problems real boys have. He gets made fun of, laughed at, and mocked for not following the crowd. The most memorable lesson for my son was "be sure your sin will find you out". Even today, he prayed that everybody will read this story and know that their sin will find them out. This book has been the spring board for so many good conversations. I can't wait to read it again and again. I just found it online FREE HERE I'll always love real books over ebooks, but I'm sure there are plenty of people who love ebooks. Enjoy. I hope to write a review about our newest read aloud Captive Treasure .

Last month we also read lots of Arabian tales. Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, The Three Princes, The Enchanted Horse, Sinbad the Sailor and so many more. My oldest read The Sword in the Tree which was an excellent book. It way exceeding my expectations. Now we're enchanted by knights, and castles. So most of our books for Nov. are about King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, knights, castles, Camelot, etc.

I started my MBA this week. I'll blog less and less and less and less. I'll do everything less, I guess. Glad I got my reading in before school started. I read the hilarious yet very informative Don't Eat This Book: Fast Food and the Supersizing of America . Find out what happens when I guy lives off of McDonalds food for a month! You'd be amazed. As a church we read Crazy Love This book I will have to read again, it really was too good to soak it all up in one read. This guy is truly consumed with a passion for Christ. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I love books and I really enjoy picking my own books, so it's honestly hard for me when we read the same book as a church, for some reason I almost never care for the book. This book was very convicting! As was our book last year American Idols: The Worship of the American Dream.

In family news: My baby almost has one tooth!!!!! My darling daughter is a ballerina, my oldest son is having date night with Dad, and my middle boy is practicing medicine. That boys loves blood and medicine. I overheard him asking my husband if he could touch his blood. My husband got hurt at work last week and had to get stitches. Stitches are no match for my four-year old Doctor who would have sewed them in himself if we'd let him. Ha!