Summer Science Project

The Bustos Academy summer science project kicks off this week. We will be learning about gardening. The kids will be responsible for raising 2 vegetables each.  They have to measure the plants, study the different parts of the plants and seeds, as well as learn about composting and rain barrels. A trip to see Grandma's worm farm is included too!

We also will study gardens from around the world and see who is planting what.  Furthermore, we will read "The Secret Garden" together and go see different gardens in the area such as TallTree Arboretum, Ogden Gardens, maybe Creme de la Crop and the Chicago Botanical Gardens. It will be a great summer unit study!

Field Trip

We are getting ready to go on our first Homeschool Mega-Field Trip. After a month long unit study on the Revoluntionary War and Colonial Life, we are heading to Colonial Williamsburg.

I think I am more excited than the kids. Granted, they are excited to go to VA but I am excited to get away and head off on a retreat of sorts! It seems that our schedules are just crazy right now and full of appointments. It will be good to have a week to exhale all the busy-ness of life and just inhale my family and love on them solely.

I want to know what makes my girls feel beautiful and my son feel strong. I want to encourage them this vacation week to walk in those things and know that there is a God who sees their beauty and strength and loves them inmeasurably. Isn't this what vacations are for? To pour into our children our time, and love. Oh, I am sooo excited!

Faith

The Divine is stepping in and providing supernaturally for a women's conference that our ministry hosted last fall. The money is due tomorrow...a total of $2110.50. God has provided $1510 of that so far! We have $600 more to go. I wish I could say that I have sat in complete peace letting His yoke carry this burden; but alas, I have picked up the yoke and carried the burden too.

Last week when the money was due, I cried for awhile feeling so alone. I could hear the Spirit whispering to me that I wasn't alone. He was there. The Body was there. I chose to let Him carry this burden and gave it over to Him. It has been difficult, but I know that my faith is stronger for letting God Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth carry my little monetary burden.

I have compared this week to the battle at Jericho. It wasn't only Joshua out there walking around that wall, it was the whole army! They walked united in faith and purpose, believing that God would do what He said He would do. They walked in silence for 6 days. Then on the seventh, the shofar was blown, the army gave a shout, and the walls came down supernaturally.

For 6 days we have faithfully been marching around this debt and tomorrow the shofar will blow, we will give a shout, and the walls will crumble and we will see His faithfulness once again. Praise God!

The Bustos Academy Opens Tomorrow

Tomorrow at 9 AM the "Bustos Academy" will open for our first day of school. This is the name that the state of Indiana gave us when I transferred my 6th grader to our homeschool from public school. So, we are running with it. I have spent the better part of this school year praying, praying, and then praying some more about bringing the kids home. God has given me the strength and the courage to do what I have perceived, "The Impossible."

One child will start tomorrow and the others will begin full time in June. It has been an intense winter and spring, learning everything I can about different philosophies of education and trying to hybrid the best of all of them into one teaching philosophy that will anchor us. I have settled on combining Charlotte Mason and Classical education for the bulk of our schooling and adding a dash of unit studies and a pinch of workbooks. Given we are transitioning to an all year school calendar, I think all these will flow well together.

I am excited for school tomorrow and am looking forward to what this year has for all of us! I know there will be tremendous growth and educational progress!

Transition

I like to think that I am on a tantum ride with God moving or transitioning from one phase of life to another. He is riding with me every revolution I make, He is there.

Transition would be the word to best describe my year so far. I have transitioned from being a stay at home mom to being a working mother. I have transitioned from one area of ministry to another.

I have begun to transition my children home to start homeschooling. My tastes are in transition as well. Today, I would much rather read children's literature full of fanciful imaginative characters then read a biography.

This fluidity of life keeps me active and engaged. The best part is that all this transition is done under the constant companionship of a God who is unmoved. I can work or not work, read or not read, teach or not teach--all under the watchful loving gaze of my Father.

Age old debate isn't really a debate

I think I have come to the conclusion that there isn't a debate whether a mother/woman should stay home and be a homemaker or go to work. Really, what it boils down to is following God's calling on your life. He doesn't call everyone to stay home and He doesn't call everyone to go to work.

Our responsibility as believing women in the Body of Christ is to support our sisters in whatever God is calling them to whether it is working or staying home.

I am a very black and white person. I have to work hard to see shades of grey on any situation including this long debated topic. It is freeing to finally reconcile that God calls some women to work and He calls some to stay home. Although across the board, He calls us to love and care for our families first and foremost. So, if He is asking you to work, He will give you the grace to work and if He is asking you to stay home, He will give you the grace to stay home.

As for me, I don't know yet if my days will be changing in this respect. I have been a stay at home mom for the past 11.5 years and now may be the time that I go back to work. I will continue to pray and ask God where He wants me to serve Him. I will live my life with an open hand to be ready to go where ever He is calling me.

I AM NOT

I am not an evangelical that is more concerned with the cause of conservative political values than the gospel of Christ. Lately, I think too many western Christians are focusing on the causes and the agendas that are temporary rather than focusing on the Eternal Word of God.

The time has come for us to put all this stuff in perspective. There is a difference between some one's vision versus some one's cause. A cause isn't something we build our lives on. We don't spend our entire lives focused on a cause--it is something we are intentional about for a season of our lives. On the other hand, a vision is something we embrace whole heartedly. It is our stream of life. Usually visions are more long term than causes and we put our whole heart into carrying out our vision. I know that politics have their place and someone has to be the mouth piece for conservative values, BUT it has become our vision instead of a cause.

My ultimate vision is to see those around me have an organic and intimate relationship with the living breathing God Almighty. My vision isn't for politics that are a part of the earthly social structure that is going to pass away. Christian, stop being distracted and start focusing on the Kingdom of Heaven. It is at hand.