I have read so many lists about homeschooling, both pros and cons.  Most of the lists I read are pretty comprehensive and I agree with most of what they have to say...of course, they are general and speak to the greater public.

So, why do I homeschool?  Oh, for many of the reasons you have probably heard a hundred times.  I feel education is better suited at home...my kids have learned more at home than they ever did in school.  I also want to instill confidence in my children...a quality I saw was lacking before (well, maybe not for Daniel, he's a boy full of confidence).  I hate the state tests and feel that they do not prove anything.  I like having control of what my kids learn and don't learn.  I feel I can provide a safer social environment at home...I have heard what goes on in schools straight from the mouth of one who was in the mix (Sierra) and I am convinced it is not where I want my kids growing up.

But, at the heart of the matter...I have to say I LOVE having them with me.  I LOVE my kids.  I like having time each morning to cuddle and chat.  I love cuddling together on the couch to read a book or go over a math problem.  I love eating lunch with my kids as we pick out what to watch on tv.  I love hearing their laughter echo through the house each day.  I love having them around.  I was never one of those moms that looked forward to the start of school.  I was always sad when they left.  I love having them around.  I am in no hurry to get rid of them.  

This is the number one reason I homeschool.  It might sound selfish, but there are innumerable other reasons I homeschool...the ones listed above as well as several others.  But, time spent with my kids is precious and I would not trade it for the world!!

I hear a lot, from my friends who send their kids to school (private and public), as summer approaches it's end, lots of cheering at finally sending their kids back to school.  I'm not judging and I certainly understand.  3 months of entertaining kids who are "bored" all the time can get annoying.  I must say, I cannot wait for school to start, too.  I am beginning to wonder at waiting until after Labor Day.

Much like kids who school out of the home, my kids can get "bored" without direction.  They need goals, activities, entertainment of some sort.  Oh, for the most part, my kids have been wonderful this summer.  Sierra has taken advantage of doing some projects in her room...Daniel has been obsessed with his Legos...I have been obsessed with planning for and organizing for the school year.  But, summer is at it's end and we are all ready to get to it.

Earlier this week, I re-familiarized myself with what my kids are doing this year.  I organized their curriculum so early in the summer...concentrating so much on assigning and less time on executing...I had forgotten a LOT about their curriculum.  As I looked through their books, I found myself doing another organizational task, especially concerning my son's grammar work.  I made detailed notes on what tasks he would need to do each day which was so good for me as I had totally forgotten how this curriculum works (Shurley Grammar).

Today, I sat with Sierra and explained the new system with her.  This will be her third year as a home schooler and her third new system (hey, I am teaching her to adapt...right?).  I spent a long time on her system (and Daniel's...you can read in previous blogs) and I wanted her to understand what was expected of her so as to not waste time on this when school starts next Tuesday.  I want to jump right in.  I explained the binder system.  I explained what the expectations were.  You know...she's more excited than ever about school this year.  She is most excited about the new level of flexibility she will have...she will not be tied down to a computer...she can go wherever she wants in the house to do her school (we even just got her a FREE loveseat today to put in her room).

Daniel's school will remain much the same...just cozier with the loveseat in our school room and the level of work is raised exponentially.  

I am VERY ready for school to start.  I am ready to have a purpose for each day.  I am ready to get back into schedules.  I am also ready for the fun to begin.  Park Day...starts next Wednesday.  I have already gotten notices on upcoming field trips including one where we will tour the big baseball stadium downtown.  I am giddy with excitement.  

I sat in the schoolroom today talking to Sierra and I was looking around....the binders all lined up and ready to go...the school supplies, neatly organized and put in their place...my binder with everything so organized with calendars, grading sheets, and more.  I. Am. Ready.  

2012/2013 is going to be a great year!!

Like many boys, my son is a Legomaniac.  99%  of conversation from him is Lego related.  It consumes him.  He talks about Lego sets he wants, or what he can build with his other Lego blocks.  The obsession began when he was 4 and has grown exponentially since.  For the past few years it has brought us great joy to see him use his imagination to build great things and has brought us great pains as we attempt to cross our living room which is a mine field of legos!

As Daniel's Lego collection has grown, my frustration level has grown.  There is no rhyme or reason to the blocks.  Picking them up is a nightmare each night.  He gets frustrated because he can't find a particular person or block shape or whatever.  I see him build great creations, but wonder how great they would look if they were not multicolored.  

One night, I was with some moms complaining about the Lego mess my home seems to always be in.  I said to them, "I really want to get individual boxes for each color...you know...to organize them."  I was instantly admonished for that.  They said it would squelch his imagination.  They said I needed to let him have his crazy Lego mess.  Well...I do not want to hinder his mad genius skills, so I bit my tongue.

A couple weeks ago, like a dream coming true, Daniel came to me.  He said, "I really want to get boxes to organize my legos by color."  Tears came to my eye.  I grabbed him and held him close and said "I can be ready in 10 minutes!"  We took a trip to the Dollar Tree and picked up some plastic shoe boxes.

It took Daniel about 3 hours to sort through all his Legos.  I am not kidding...now, he did eat lunch in that time and get distracted by the tv...but it was a hard task.  There are a LOT of little pieces.  When he was done, though, he was ULTRA satisfied with the results!!

Do you see the look of satisfaction on his face??  It is amazing!!  He has all his colors in boxes...he has a box for his people and accessories...and he has a box with parts for vehicles (tires, steering wheels, windows, etc.).

Now, you may ask....how long will this really last and did it really work!??!!

Well....let me tell you.  This new method has made him much more excited when building.  He can create using one color.  One of the first things he built was a pirate ship that was brown.  We put the boxes neatly in the book shelf and when he wants to build (which is every waking minute), he goes over and selects the colors he wants.

Now, during the day Legos litter the floor...we still have a mine field going on...but at the end of the day, he very happily takes ownership of cleaning up the Legos, putting them in their prospective boxes, and lining them up on the shelf.

One of the most awesome things to come from this is he has been able to rebuild models he had previously destroyed.  We have kept every manual, but it was always frustrating to try and sort through all his Legos to try and rebuild.  Now, he can look at his instructions and than look in the colored box for the part.

I can be a bit OCD about some things, but I have calmed down quite a bit over the years.  This act of having Daniel want to do this made that half-asleep part of my OCD brain do a little jig.  I totally recommend it.  $10 + tax and 2 people in the house with total peace of mind!!  Worth EVERY penny!!

Several months ago, I came upon a website that has been quite the resource for me as a Home School Educator.  It provides, daily, resources on ways to educate freely...in fact, it is called Freely Educate.  It is really fantastic.  I subscribe to their daily emails where they will post some freebies they have found and I also follow them on Pinterest where they seem to post more often.  

Today, they posted a link to a free, online Charlotte Mason magazine.  I am not a TOTAL Charlotte Mason follower, but I do take some of her concepts and work them into our school.  I just looked at this magazine and it is fairly simplistic, but still great.  The Summer 2012 magazine has the poem "Casey at Bat".  I remember reading this in school and had forgotten about it.  I am printing those pages to share with my kids.  

From the Freely Educate site:  Charlotte Mason homeschoolers -- and any homeschooling or classroom teachers who appreciate good literature, poetry, classic art, and old-fashioned activities and crafts -- will enjoy the free magazines that Sparrow Tree Square publishes online. 

You can look at older versions of the magazine and glean what you like and ignore what you don't.  I like that it is a more simple design which will be better for those pages I want to print (ink ain't cheap).

I wanted to share the Freely Educate site, but also share the link to the magazine, Sparrow Tree Square.

We are a modern family, but we still love the classics!!

Cheers!

Remember my recent posts with my GREAT organizational tips and my PROUD pictures of how great everything looked all put in it's place??  Well, my bubble has burst....and I am none to happy about that.

You see, about a week or so ago, we noticed a HORRIBLE smell in the loft.  It has been a constant point of anger and frustration for us for years (though not to this recent magnitude)...for WHATEVER reason, some of our animals think the loft is a toilet for them.  Seriously...our cats peed all over the perimeter of the room, even warping the base boards!!  We ended up needing to rip out that carpet and bleach the floor underneath (which being upstairs is sadly not concrete) and putting in temporary carpet.  That seemed to help.....SEEMED!!

Then, my dog....the little one, not the big one....decided that the middle of the floor looked like a GRAND place to start peeing.  Now, as a home schooler, we are accustomed to being home ALL the time.  Thus, whenever any of our two dogs want to go out, all they have to do is ask.  This dog, though, decided it wasn't good enough to just ask to go out...she decided to start going in the loft.  There is nothing quite so grand as walking across the floor every day to find a cold, wet mess.  I swear, she did it so often, the carpet was in a CONSTANT state of wetness...between her peeing on it and us using cleaners on it.  We put our dogs up when we are gone, and so it is EXTREMELY frustrating to know she is only out when we are home....thus all she has to do is ask.  Oh, for as long as we have had her, I have not taken it for granted that she will ask...we have her on a schedule in between her asking.  We let her out multiple times a day.  But, she still pees on it multiple times a week.

With school starting, we recently did a thorough cleaning of the area she has been using.  Matt had the brilliant idea of putting a rug over the spot to maybe "confuse" the dog from peeing on the carpet.  Then the odor came.  It was a horrid odor...unlike any we have seen.  The litter box was in that room and we thought...the cats must've done some really yucky business in there.  We cleaned the box, but the odor remained.  Matt investigated.  One or both of the cats had decided to use the rug as a toilet....soaking through said rug...through the rubber bottom (intensifying the smell) and soaking through the carpet.  It was DISGUSTING.  There was/is no way I can do school in such conditions...the smell was just atrocious.

Anger set in.  Why do we have pets??  Or, why do we have such bad luck with pets??  We have had two dogs that have been AMAZING (one died a few years ago...the other we have now), but all other pets we have owned have been AWFUL!!  Ok...the cats provide us with some interesting moments....there is nothing quite so great as curling up with a cat on your lap.  But why do they pee outside their litter box.  We tried getting more litter boxes...NO GO!!  One of our cats recently decided to start peeing on the tile in our kitchen!!!

So....what does this mean for my beautiful, wonderful loft/school room.  We IMMEDIATELY knew we had to cut out the carpet.  The smell was making everyone sick.  So, now I have exposed plywood floor.  We have wanted to get laminate upstairs anyway and have been trying to get someone out here for a quote, but we are not prepared, yet, to pay for it (maybe in a month or so).  Here is what we are dealing with....it is GROSS!!!!!

It is absolutely disgusting!!  We have sprayed the area with bleach.  Plans for the weekend is to take out the rest of the carpet and paint the plywood floor underneath with a paint to not only make it "more attractive", but also to cover up the odor...seal it up.  

We try to tell ourselves....we wanted to put in laminate floors anyway, but it is hard not to get upset when you are forced into it.  In the meantime, we moved the litter box...are taking out cats outside more....are taking the little dog outside more.  Left on my own, I would get rid of all of them (except our Husky, who is innocent in this whole mess)...but different members of the family have different attachments to certain animals.  I am stuck.  God willing, we will get laminate floors soon (which, I REALLY wanted anyway) and the peeing will END...school will continue in a non-hazmat way and we can put this all behind us.

At least I have my binders.......right??

Organizing can be overwhelming in any situation.  Often times, when I decide to organize a part of my house that has remained untouched for some time, I will sit and stare at it for a long time in order to figure out where to start. Other times, I create chaos and work my way through it until it is done.  It can be overwhelming, depending on what you are organizing...and it may take time.  Take heart and don't give up.  In the end, it will be so worth it.

At the beginning of summer, my kitchen table looked like this:

It got worse before it got better.  This was just the beginning of the chaos that was about to ensue.  It grew and grew and took me months to sort through.  But, this was June...

And now, mid-August, this is my table:

Everything is put in it's place.  My kitchen is clear of any and all clutter/school work/supplies.  It took time and patience and perseverance.  If you see my previous blog postings, you see that I have everything planned out, printed, and put in their respective places.  

You can do it, too!!

One thing I did last year with Daniel that was a raging success and I am continuing this year is making a daily checklist.  It is really great and I recommend it to anyone I know who is struggling with homeschooling.  This is why it works:

• It gives Daniel (and this year, Sierra) a list of what he/she has to do that day.  Instead of me telling him/her what needs to be done, it is right there on a sheet of paper.  It is just less overwhelming for them.
• Daniel/Sierra can look at the list and decide in what order they want to do school.  Sometimes, I will have to say, "no, we need to do that one last", but most of the time, they can choose what they want to do which makes it easier to get them to actually DO what they need to do.  Daniel was far more motivated to do school when it was in his power to choose how it would be done.
• There is a sense of completion.  When he/she gets done with a task, there is a box to be checked off.  Instead of just going from subject to subject, I like the idea of closure...the closing of a book, the putting down of a pencil, the checking off on the list.
• And, much like the sense of completion, there is the visual of seeing the end of school coming closer and closer.  The more checks on the list mean the end of school is quickly coming.  There would be great joy when Daniel would see he has one more task left and than he is free to play.
• The biggest reason of all is accountability.  It is much like getting a syllabus in college.  You know ahead of time what needs to be done.  There is also no such thing as saying "I forgot" or "I meant to".  It is there on the list and if it does not get done, than there are consequences.

I am including a word document that I created that has Sierra's schedule for the month of September.  I include a cute graphic just to personalize it.  I can't recommend this enough.  It makes life so much easier for you and your kids.  

Yesterday, I shared my school system...how I planned for a year of school activities and created a lesson plan for each kid as well as assembled binders.  Now, this may be a bit overboard for some who do not like being on a regimented plan, but it is vital for me.  I am a planner.  I need to know what needs to be done when and how it must be done.  I will not be a staff sergeant and will be open to altering, but it lays out what needs to be done which will make it easy for me to adjust if/when needed.

A couple weeks ago, I went to sit in our loft/school room and I recommend you do the same.  Go to where you conduct the majority of your school whether it be a bedroom, the kitchen, a dedicated school space...whatever...and just sit and look around.  Think about the last school year and what worked and didn't work.  Mentally tick off all that you already have and what you would like to have.  Soak in the room/space.

Last year, when thinking of space to work with my son, I thought that my bedroom would be the best spot.  It has a huge window that looks down on the street.  We have a loft that is never used, but I just didn't think about using that space (mainly because our cats had been using the carpet as a toilet...don't get me started).  At first, this worked out well, but soon the walls began to close in on me.  Waking up every morning to his desk in the corner of my room was less than ideal.  Halfway through the year, my husband and I knew we had to make a change.  We went into our loft and brainstormed.  The cheap fix was to cut out the foul carpet areas that had been peed on and bleach the plywood underneath (upstairs).  We cut new carpet to replace what we cut and the smell was MUCH improved.  We arranged his desk...a chair for me...a dry erase board here, a map there....and soon it was a usable space.

But, a couple weeks ago I began to think...it was usable, for sure, but I want to create a better environment for everyone involved.  Reading time with him in an uncomfortable chair, for instance, didn't scream fun learning.  There was just something missing.  I called Sierra in to get her perspective and bounce ideas off of her...."if I move his desk here and move the book shelf there" type of dialog.  After sitting in the room for a while, I began moving furniture...and an idea bloomed.

First off, I had the brilliant idea that we needed a couch in our loft...not a big couch.....a love seat would do nicely...or a futon.  How great it would be to sit side by side...cuddled together...reading a book or working through math problems.  I began searching on craigslist for something that might fit the bill and discovered a woman selling a loveseat AND chair for $50!!  I asked if she would take $40...she said YES!!  Than I told her it might be a couple days.  She said, if I sell it to you for $20 will you come get it today?  Uh....YEAH!!  So, now I have a love seat in the loft and a chair in my bedroom...microfiber...fairly comfortable.  All the other pieces fell into place after that.  My daughter LOVES hanging out in the loft now.  I can't wait to do school there.  It's great.

I arranged our book shelf...giving Sierra her own shelf, me my own shelf, Daniel his and the rest school supplies.  It looks great and here's hoping it stays.  Daniel's desk is positioned in front of a world map which he loves and the love seat is by a window that I can look out.  

All it took was me sitting in the room...looking all around....  There is more to be done.  I have a blank wall that I would like to hang some of my kids' art on.  We are looking into wood floors (the smell is still bad).  

You can often google organizing your homeschool space and get lots and lots of links from people who claim to be experts in organization and if you googled that and got a link for this page, I must say I am NOT an expert.  I am a mom...a homeschooler...a wife...I know what I need to make MY life easier and what I do may or may not work for you.  This year, my organization would make my last year's organization want to crawl in a hole and cry.  Is it a proven method?  I will let you know in a year!!  Shoot, I'll let you know in a week (a week after school starts, that is).

Last year, I was praised by so many by my seemingly orderly way of doing school.  I would sit down each week and make out a plan for the upcoming week...making checklists for my son to check off on daily so he can see what he has to do as well as take ownership over his schooling.  This method worked very well except for a couple things.  I would have busy weeks and weekends (oh wait, I am a stay at home mom....I just sit around all day watching soaps....my bad) and would not have time to sit down and figure out what needed to be done the next week.  I would say to myself...eh, why not wing it...that's the beauty of homeschool, right?  But then the end of school came rapidly closer and I had let a LOT of things go and all of our goals were not accomplished.

So, after really burning out some brain cells, I decided I needed a new game plan.  My first thought was to plan a month's work at a time, but I started thinking...what if I plan out a month and I get to April and realize that we have SO MUCH left to do.....or I crammed too much in and frustrated Daniel and I.  I decided the best course of action was to conquer a year's lesson plan at once.  I would be able to see what my end game looked like and could see where things could be shifted when needed (field trips...vacations).  It seemed to me that if I could have the whole year planned, I could concentrate solely on teaching and less on administrative stuff.

And that is just what I did.  I sat down, subject by subject and I formulated a plan for each kid.  I created my own lesson plan book for each kid and personalized the schedule for the kids.

Here is what my lesson plans, calendars and all things administrative look like:

One thing I am doing different this year is binders.  I am keeping each subject for each kid seperated by binders.  I have also organized each binder with dividers I created on my computer that gives info like chapter titles and subjects to be learned in that chapter.  I have put in a schedule for each chapter that lists what dates certain areas will be covered.  This is also a check-list of sorts.  This is all about accountability both for me and the kids.  This allows all of us to see what is coming up...supplies needed...  Also, having a binder for each subject allows the kids to get a subject out and done and than put it up and get another one.  It is all about closure and moving on.  It also keeps things organized...no getting science and history mixed up.  In theory, a subject will be taken care of from taking off the shelf to replacing on to the shelf before going on to the next.  Also, with the dividers I created, it will make it easier to study topics.  Here is some of what that looks like:

They have daily folders.  Each week, the folders will be ready for them.  In each folder will be a daily checklist of what they need to do that day.  The folder will also contain any worksheets or notes that need to be done.  On my bookshelf I have a "teacher's inbox" where the folders will be placed upon completion for me to check as well as any work that needs to be checked.  

Just about every subject has a binder.  I opted to use loose leaf paper for writing and note taking so their papers and/or notes can be easily inserted into the right place (i.e. Sierra's notes on Chapter 1 in America Land I Love will be in the Chapter 1 section of her binder...which will make it easier for her to study for quizzes and tests).  Neither have binders for Math or Spelling...they will just use composition books for those subjects.

Tomorrow, I will try to post on how we did our school set-up.  I am pretty excited about this system and have high hopes that it will work out well!!

Today is August 1st which means it is Chick Fil A Appreciation Day.

What does that have to do with the bible?  Well, you have, no doubt, heard, read, seen, partaken in all the debate going on with the CEO coming out with a statement against gay marriage.  While I do have my opinions about the statement (which side mostly with the CEO), I have chosen to remain out of the debates...out of the firing off of words.  I do find it interesting that a company can come out FOR gay marriage and the troops will rally around the company and praise it for it's bravery in stepping up and taking up "their cause", but a company who is KNOWN for being a Christian owned and operated company comes out with an opposite view and the outrage is ferocious and a mayor bullies a company for standing on it's principles.

Ok, that is enough of my views.  

I have spent time reading some of the debates being put out there on facebook and the news.  I read as people go back and forth on the topic...one shouting out for allowing people to love who they wish and calling the other side haters....the other shouting first amendment rights and trying to explain why their views are their views.  I have seen harsh words exchanged...by both sides.  

There are two things that have really gotten to me:

1)  It bothers me that Christians argue so with the other side.  Is this furthering the kingdom?  What is really going to happen when you make your point clear?  Will it even be clear to the one sparring with you, or will it cause harm to the cause?  Jesus did not come with fire in his tongue, but with a tongue as sweet as honey...and even if our typed out words on the screen are intended to be that of honey, is that the way it is perceived by the one reading it on the other side.  I think not.  That other person is set in their mindset just as you are set in yours.  You get frustrated and consider them to be hard headed, close minded and blind....and they think the same of you.  To what end does this bring?  Could it's end be a further pushing of that individual on the other side of the screen away from your cause...and what of those, like me, who are simply reading the exchange.  What impression does that leave.

Oh, I think the cartoons with cows holding up "First Amendment" signs are cute.  Promoting today is great.  Showing your support for the company by purchasing food today is a strong show of support (and a positive show). But the arguing, the condemning, the banter...I just do not see how this does anything to further the kingdom.  I think of Pat Robertson (yes, a much more public figure) and the damage he has done by opening his mouth and saying things like...God sent hurricane Katrina to New Orleans because of the evil that resides there.  I, personally, felt the punch in the mouth of Christianity in that one.  Who wants to hear from a group (Christians) who could have such an outspoken leader as that....I know we often get associated with people like this and I think we should do all we can do to distance ourselves from that.  This is not to say the CEO should not have come out and said what he said...I applaud him and his bravery.  I speak to those who argue with those who protest.  Let those who protest say their piece and just smile and know who your God is.  It is He that will be glorified in ALL things.

BUT, on a different note...my #2 reason for writing this and the #1 reason I titled this The Bible!

In reading the different debates that are being written throughout facebook, news sites, blogs and other media, I have been shocked at the number of "Christians" who are coming out in SUPPORT of gay marriage and are speaking out against this CEO for taking such a stand.

It is a trend I am seeing more and more among Christians...and not just with gay marriage.  Christians are becoming God...or trying to be anyway.

When we become Christians, there are 2 truths....we are now and forever saved by the grace of Jesus who died for us on the cross....and we have a handbook that was written especially for us that is 100% true and God breathed.  When we start taking a magic marker and crossing out the parts of the bible that do not fit our ideal, we are playing a dangerous game...and when we decide to start ripping out pages, we are getting in the fire.

In the movie Pirates of the Caribbean, there is a pirate code the pirates are supposed to go by.  In the movie, though, they admit it is just "more of a guideline", not necessarily to be taken at 100%.  I can assure you, the bible is NO guideline.  God did not put things in the bible to have them later ignored.  It is 100% truth.  When God said, Thou shalt not kill, do you think he was just being blase about it?  No.  And this is an easy law to follow...it doesn't get the black marker treatment.  But, somehow, along the way, people began to take their markers out to black out those truths that do not "fit" into what they think God should be.  

I see so many Christian women who gather together and lust after men who are not their husbands.

Job 31:1  “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman (man). 

Matthew 5:28  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman (man) lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 

1 John 2:16   For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.

I know many Christian women who lust after men (Hollywood) when their eyes should go to their husbands alone.  Black marker...

And now, Christian women are coming out FOR gay marriage...proclaiming that men and women should be allowed to love whom they love.  WHAT?!!!  That goes against God and what he placed in the Bible.

Romans 1:24-27  Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.  Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

If you believe in God...if you believe that He would send His ONLY son to die for our sins, you MUST also believe in the handbook...the living word that He BREATHED into being.  You can NOT choose for yourself what to believe or not believe.  YOU ARE NOT GOD.  You CAN NOT know more than HE does!!  

Isaiah 55:8-9 New International Version (NIV)

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,” 
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, 
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

It is disturbing, this turn in Christianity.  The picking and choosing what to believe when it is convenient for us.  The damage it can do to our marriages, our children, our lives.  

While I am not interested in participating in a debate about gay marriage (if asked, I will stand firm in my belief, but will not be sparred into a firing of my tongue), I am interested in why...why is it that so many Christians feel it ok to ignore, black out, rip out so much of God's instruction.  It wasn't put there for the benefit of God, but for the benefit of His people...of you...of me.  Now, I am not without sin.  I can list off some significant sins He speaks against (debt) that I have myself and I have to work on these.  But I recognize His authority and while I do question Him at times, I have to just tell myself Isaiah 55:8 over and over again.  I am NOT God.  Neither are you!!