NOW THOSE ARE SOME REALLY STRONG EGGS!!

Kenyon and Jacinta had another experiment today. We have learned that the arch shape is the strongest shape in architecture. We have also learned that you can not break an egg in your hand by squeezing it because the force of your hand is spread out over the entire egg. Keslee has started going through the days of creation and Kalysa has been learning about how God made everything wonderful. He thought of everything in regards to everything he created. There is no way it could have all happened just by chance. So today's experiment really tied into everyone's studies. We had 4 empty egg shells standing on their open ends and stacked books on them to see how much wieght they would support. The kids were all amazed that they did not break after the first book and were really surprised when we got 7 big books to set atop the 4 egg shells. They stayed for a minute and then the back corner gave in. I believe they could have held more if it weren't for human error. Only one egg crushed and the other 3 did not even crack. When I drained the eggs and broke one end off, I could not get them all 4 exactly even. I believe that is why the one did not make it longer. Either way, we put the books on the scale and discovered the egg shells held 24.5 pounds. Pretty Amazing!!

EVOLVING INTO A NEW ADDRESS

I am guilty of being naive. Naive about the condition of our world. I was raised in a small Texas town where everybody went to church somewhere and our science teachers actually taught evolution as a theory. I know that there are people that do not know about God but they are all in far off lands-right? I know that lots of people do some really horrible things but they all really know they are wrong and feel the guilt and-even if they refuse to-know they should be asking for forgiveness-right? I know there are people that say they do not believe in God but deep down they really do and even as they reject him they know he is there-right?

WRONG!!

This election has opened my eyes in more ways than one. I have listened to more people flat out deny the existence of God on national tv and make fun of Sarah Palin JUST for her faith. I have read blogs where people will argue and fight for someone else to have the right to kill a baby(the most disgusting thing I have seen was when asked about tax payer funded abortions, a women said she was fine with her money paying for that because it pays for births through medicaid and abortions were cheaper births). I have heard Obama supporters listen to his own words and then deny he said what he said.

I know that when you accept Jesus Christ he will open your eyes. My eyes have been opened wider and wider the past few years but now I know that because I was saved at an early age my eyes were never completely closed. I may have had bad eyesight because I was not actively seeking the Lord's truth but I never realized before what it meant to be truly blind. THERE ARE A WHOLE LOTTA PEOPLE THAT ARE IN TOTAL DARKNESS! I mean darkness darker than any darkness I have ever not seen before. I have been in shock for sometime now as it sinks in just how far gone some people are into the abyss. I just never imagined that it was really that bad and for that I ask my Lord to forgive me of my ignorance.

Because of that ignorance, I would never think twice about calling my kids my monkeys. They are so cute and they climb on EVERYTHING and they make messes and they are loud. I love monkeys and I love my kids. My kids make me think of monkeys. It wasn't until I saw homeschool blogs with big labels claiming "I am an EVOLVED Homeschooler" that I even thought about it....someone may really think I think my kids actually are/were monkeys. Evolution is the most ridiculous theory I have ever heard. I have never for a minute of my life thought that it could be true. There are sooooooo many things that disprove it that I really believed the only people that still held on to it were scientists because they just did not want to admit how stupid they sounded. I have never called my child my rowdy little monkey actually thinking that people once were monkeys; just like when Monty calls me deer he doesn't believe that we started out as deer at some point in history; and when I call him honey I never believed that he was once made by a swarm of bees. The Bible tells us to avoid giving even the appearance of unrighteousness so for this reason, I will be changing the address of this blog. I would not want ONE single person to think even for a moment that homeschoolingmymonkeys was some reference to us evolving from nothingness to monkeys to us. I do not want to give ONE single person the impression that I do not know my CREATOR. I pray that anyone that reads my blog will know that I know and love the Lord Jesus Christ but there are too many opportunities on the web for someone to see only the address and not the content and be misled. I have not yet come up with the perfect name to change it to but I will email anyone in my address book with the new name. If I don't have your email address or you have any suggestions for my new name, please leave me a comment. I don't know that I have any real loyal readers, but if so, I really am sorry for the hassle the name change may be.

update:As you can tell, the new name has been decided and the entire look of the blog was updated. Thanks to anyone that reads and I hope you enjoy your glimpse into my head and home!

Surveys and Science

For some reason, Monty LOVES to do surveys online. He can spend hours answering surveys from everything to t.v. shows to laundry soap to what and when you drink anything all day long for a week. I just don't get it. I don't have the patience. I have to be in a REALLY good mood when I get the "This is not a sales call mam and will only take 2 minutes of your time..." call or I am hanging up. But my husband loves to do them(actually he doesn't care for the phone surveys as much but he will still do them.) He has several companies that he regularly takes surveys for. Our email is loaded daily with new surveys for him to fill out. I have learned not to complain because they have actually paid off many times. We have gotten samples to test and fill out surveys on. We have gotten 2 big bottles of Tide laundry soap, instant mashed potatoes, crackers, chicken broth, bottles of flavored water, shampoo, and more. Some surveys pay cash and we often receive checks in the mail for $3, $5, $7 or $10. He has done a few surveys that require the company to send him a palm pilot to record info on daily and when they receive it back he get $60-$100. The companies that he uses on a regular basis give him points that he can redeem for merchandise. We used all of his points last year for kids movies or books for Christmas presents for the kids and are doing so again this year. So that brings us to science. When going through the books available, we found The Everything Kids Science Experiments Book. It came in the mail this week and the kids were SOOO excited. There are experiments that pertain to biology, chemistry, physics, the earth and the human body. The have lots of little fun science facts and jokes throughout and even some puzzles and games. Each experiment has a question, material list, procedure, and then an explanation of what is happening. I have just browsed through it, but it seems like most of the experiments are things we will be able to do with things we have around the house. Kenyon was eager to jump right in and just opened the book and started reading...

Question: How can you peel a raw egg?

LET'S DO IT!

So we have an egg sitting in a cup of vinegar and are watching the acid eat away at the shell until we have a "see through" egg held together only by the membrane that holds the egg inside the shell. Our egg is very soft right now (we started it yesterday) so another day will probably do it. The kids are having a blast watching the slow chemical reaction and check on the egg periodically during the day.

Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE HOMESCHOOLING MY KIDS!?!?!

update:our egg was almost see-through. the book said we may have to gently rub the remaining white off for it to be completly transparent. Well, I did that and had about 1/2 a clear egg and then I got a little too eager and rubber too hard and it busted! The kids still got to see it and hold the shelless, soft membrane that was left.

DISCIPLESHIP-ASSURANCE part 1

Satan often tries to get Christians to doubt our salvation. The assurance of salvation study is to show us that when you accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you can KNOW for sure you are saved forever. Salvation is not based on a feeling. After you get saved you do not always "feel" saved and especially when you sin again(because ALL men do-saved or not!). Doubts will come but the Lord does not try to trick us. He wants us to know and he shows us how we can in His word.
Assurance of salvation is the intellectual and spiritual certainty that you have eternal salvation, that you are a child of God forever.

2nd Timothy 1:12 says ".....I am not ashamed: for I KNOW whom I have believed, and am PERSUADED that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."

1st John 5:13 says"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God"

God tells us right there that we can KNOW we have eternal salvation and not only that but he WANTS us to know. It is not something we have to guess at. He then tells us why we need the assurance of our salvation. Read 1st John 1:4 1st John 3:19,21 Colossians 2:2 and James 1:8.

These versus tell us that assurance brings us JOY, CONFIDENCE BEFORE GOD, COMFORT OF HEART AND STABILITY. Well that makes perfect sense!! When we are SURE of anything, we have joy, confidence, comfort and stability in regards to the thing we are sure of. It only makes sense that God would provide us a way to have each of these things in our life in regard to our walk with Him. When we have an assurance of our salvation it also enables us. Read 1st John 5:4,5 John 1:40,41 John 4:28,29 and acts 16:10. Assurance enable us to overcome the world and effectively serve the Lord by telling family, friends and strangers about Jesus. So we do not have to guess about our salvation-it is not something that we feel, our feelings can change daily, hourly and sometimes every minute but our salvation does not! God gave us His word and we can find the answers to anything he has for us to know. The Bible is His word-straight form Him to us and it is UNCHANGING. What was in there yesterday is still there today and IT STILL APPLIES!!
1st John 5:11,12 says "and this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life."
There are 3 grounds for our assurance...
1.God-God said it so that settles it! read Titus 1:2 and it tells us that God CAN NOT lie. It doesn't just say that He wont lie but that he CAN'T. He is a Holy and Righteous God so He is not ever capable of telling a lie.
2.The promises of God-read John 5:24 John 6:37 and Romans 10:13. God promises that I have everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, Because I came to Jesus Christ, He will in no wise cast me out and the who ever calls upon the name of the Lord SHALL be saved. He says I HAVE everlasting life-I posses it, own it, it is mine to keep and he will not ever cast me out and anyone else that calls on his name SHALL, not might, not could but SHALL BE SAVED.
3.The presence of God-read Romans 5:5 and Romans 8:16. God tells us that when we are saved he gives us His Holy Ghost to dwell in our hearts and the Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit that we are in fact God's child. God gives us His Holy Spirit. He does not loan it to us or send it to us sometimes to check in-He gives us His Spirit and it dwells(stays, lives) in our hearts.

God Is Bigger than the Boogy Man!!

Don't really know what to say about the election yet so I will just put it to you all the same way I put it to my dear sweet concerned little six year old.

With election coverage playing on the tv, Keslee takes notice of something said and says...

Kes-Are we losing John McCain?
me-Yes we are.
Kes-Oh no! Now do we have to live in a cave? (fyi-she did not get that idea from me but from another child that is a bit older than her)
me-Of Course Not! Why would we have to live in a cave?
Kes-If we lose John McCain, Obama will be the president and we will all have to live in a cave!
me-Is God bigger than the Boogy Man(veggie tales song from a scared in the dark video)
Kes-YES
me-Well then God is bigger than Barak Obama too!!

End of Story!

just to clarify-I am not opposed to living in a cave if that need does arise but as of right now-I am not looking for one (YET!)

So Halloween is Really Over!

When I say halloween is over, it has a whole new meaning to us now. I have never been convicted before about celebrating halloween or taking the kids trick or treating. Amy and I had just talked about it a few weeks before the big day. We were in agreement that it was just something fun for the kids. Who doesn't love to dress up and we never did the gory-scary costumes anyways. And of course who is gonna argue with free candy!?!? It was just a few days after my conversation with Amy that it hit me...What are we celebrating?.....Why?.... How is it benefiting the Kingdom of God-and for that matter-How is it actually BENEFITING my family? OH NO....ANOTHER CONVICTION!!!! I have already convinced enough people that know/knew me that I am a "crazy religious radical". Now I am supposed to take trick or treating away from my kids?!? Please God, tell me how I am supposed to do THAT! I prayed about it for a few days and then talked to the kids. I asked them if they could tell me how God is glorified at all during halloween? Kenyon, of course, is only concerned about the candy! I let them know that we can always do something with our own family that would be as much or more fun while others are trick or treating.
YEA RIGHT MOM! WHAT WOULD BE AS FUN AS TRICK OR TREAT???
Maybe we could make popcorn balls or caramel apples. Watch movies together. Just be together and do a family thing. We can do anything we want!!
Well the girls were all for the family together thing and were ready to abandon halloween right then but Kenyon was not yet convinced. Also there is one little problem....I had not even talked to Monty yet. Sometimes God doesn't give the husband and wife the same convictions at the same time. When I was ready to homeschool-Monty was not totally on board and I believe he thought me to be a little radical but he went along with it and is now totally on board. I really did not know what he would think about no halloween. It was also just about 3 days away! So one night(or morning) while laying in bed I just said...
me-There are a couple of things I wanted to talk to you about.
him-Ok. what?
me-I want to get a gun and I don't think we should do halloween anymore.
him-WHAT?! Why do you want a gun?
me-Well, I just don't know if a time may come when we CAN'T get them and think maybe we should get one before then.
him-Ok! So get a gun.
me-(thinking)wow! I did not expect that response. He has not ever been one to think we needed a gun around-this may be easier than I thought. (now speaking) Well I have been wondering WHY do we celebrate halloween. WHAT are we celebrating? Is there any reason for it and if so is it the right reasons? blah blah blah
him-grumble
me-would you just pray about it and see what you get please?
him-ok! ZZZZZZZZZZ (yes it literally takes him that long to fall asleep!)
So I told the kids my concerns again and decided we would trick or treat this year but I wanted them to be on the look out while we were out. I wanted them to let me know it there was anything they saw that brought glory to God with this "holiday." I also wanted them to see if they saw anything that did not.
Well we went out and I could see it on their faces! Every bloody gross monster that passed by-they gave me a look like "Ut-oh!" They knew it was over and it was not just because mom said so. They could not find a reason either! Why were we doing this? How is it helping anybody? I did not say anything while we were out but they did. Things like "I can't believe this is our last trick or treat" or "that's not right" regaurding a costume or decoration. Just little things through out the night that let me know they got it. God gave it to them and it was not just some mean momma that wanted to steal away their fun. They made out like bandits!!! Even Kalysa, who normally goes to the down town businesses and then sits in the car through the (safe) neighborhood we usually go to because her leg hurts. She walked the entire time-she hit every house with the other 2. They made the most of their last time.
Still Monty had not given me his input. That night we started hearing news reports of kids being killed while trick or treating. Monty said-Forget it! It is not worth it! I said that can't be our reason. It can't just be out of fear. Next thing I know he comes to tell me he has been reading up about halloween online. Something about Celtics fighting evil spirits with costumes and sacrificing and death and evil and spirits and and and "That is the end of it! We are done! No more halloween for us! It is not a celebration of anything worth celebrating! It doesn't have anything that glorifies the Lord! It is over!"
So I guess that's it! As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Halloween is out and everyone in this house is just fine with that.

Update:Amy called on halloween night and said when she was trying to get her kids(6,4,1) ready for trick or treat they just did not want to go. They wanted to stay home and did not feel like getting dressed up. She started wondering why she was trying to force a holiday on her kids that they were not interested in and could not figure out what they were "celebrating" either. So halloween ended for them right then. If you remember-we had BOTH decided halloween was ok before hand. It is amazing how God changed each of our minds independently. It is even more amazing how many times God has brought Amy and I down the same road at the same time.

I think we are all better now...

Well last Sunday night/Monday morning(about 1am) Keslee started us off. She came and climbed in bed with me and within about 3.25 minutes, was throwing up all over my bed. I got to clean that up plus clean the bathroom(she had been there before my bed), and also clean her up. Nothing like giving baths at 2 am! I finally got about 1.8 hours of sleep when Monty woke me up to go do my paper route and also let me know Kalysa had gotten up and was following her big sisters lead. He had been sweet enough to take care of that and let me get a little sleep. Monday evening Monty called from work saying he felt awful but was gonna stick it out. When he got home, he brought with him a fever of 101 and missed the next 2 days of work. Then it hit me as well. I believe we went through about 8 rolls of toilet paper in the last 5 days. Someone was always in the bathroom either "hugging" it or "sitting" on it. Kenyon was the only one that somehow escaped. He did complain of his stomach hurting several times and was extra gassy but he kept everything down. Yesterday was the first day that everyone was feeling better(although no one is still really eating much) so I went to the store and got Lysol-bleach-and toilet cleaner with bleach. My house now smells like a hospital but (trust me) it is way better than what it did smell like!! Hopefully I have killed any lingering remains of this evil virus that attacked us.