Lessons in Nature

I love my community of friends.  I love their willingness to share the knowledge that has been imparted on them.  I love those I know in real life as well as those I've only blessed with via social media.  All are important to me.  Despite my resistance to technology and the challenge I face daily of creating balance with it in our lives on a daily basis, there are many blessings poured into our lives through its presence.

Technology has so much to offer the homeschooling family; free e-books, free printables, free curriculum, free advice and guidance, access to information instantly without leaving home and too much research, and on and on the list could go.  As a product reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse I am growing more and more appreciative of my blogging friends.  Some I only know virtually, and others I am blessed to know personally.

A recent post from a good friend of mine got me thinking about all that winter has to offer educationally as well as spiritually.  You can read her original post here.  Inspired by reading this, I decided to take a peek at what the bible had to say on snow.  Did you know that there are over two dozen verses in the bible that directly reference snow?  There is a lot to learn on this subject.  With a quick overview, I picked a verse that spoke to me today and will be meditating on it throughout this week.  Here is is coupled with a picture I took this morning after the snowstorm at our home:

After searching snow in the bible, I decided to look up what is said about birds.  I have been enjoying watching all the varieties happily visiting our feeders today.  There is a seemingly endless amount of references made to birds in the bible.  Oh the amount we could learn on numerous subjects just by studying the bible's reference to birds.  Here is the verse I picked to focus on after my search on birds:

Today's visitors!

All around us nature is waiting to teach us and guide us to our creator.  If we only pay attention, there is a lifetime of curriculum right at our fingertips.  The possible references and lessons are endless.  Are you paying attention to what's around you?  How do you incorporate the lessons presented by nature into your homeschool?  I'd love to hear all about it!

A Fall Walk

 Now that the kids are getting just a little older I am able to carve out small amounts of time for myself.  I am learning more and more to identify those opportunities and grab them quickly and without guilt.  (Why have I struggled so much with guilt over the years?)  Anyway, progress IS progress, and I am growing and learning each and every day.  It is a beautiful thing.

Speaking of beautiful things, my property puts on quite a show no matter the season.  However, there is something glorious about spring and fall.  It is hunting season here, and my hubby loves his time in the woods in search of the next years dinner.  I do what I can to assist in the process.  Part of that is programming the trail cam and the timed feeder.  For some reason the feeder wasn't working, so I was asked to head out and figure out why.  The kids were very engaged in their activities.  I grabbed my camera and headed out.  It's a rare treat this time of year to get to walk my property.  The hubs is very protective of his space for fear we'll scare all he's hunting away and ruin everything for him.  (As a homeschooling mom with three eager to learn children this is a very challenging time of year for me.  I want to be out there with them exploring everything.  Fall is the perfect time to explore the woods, but we will wait until winter and spring for our closer look.)

Come along with me as I travel my property and explore what the absence of leaves has revealed:

"The God who made the world and all things in it, since he is Lord of heaven and earth,
 does not dwell in temples made with hands;" - Acts 17:24

"Worthy are you, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power;
for you created all things, and because of your will they existed,
and were created." - Revelation 4:11

"The heavens are the heavens of the Lord,
but the earth he has given to the sons of men." - Psalms 115:16

From the rising of the sun to its setting
The name of the Lord is to be praised." - Psalms 113:3

"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
- Colossians 1:17

"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
And he who is wise wins souls." - Proverbs 11:30

"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad;
for the tree is known by its fruit." - Matthew 12:33

"Moreover the Lord your God will send the hornet against them,
until those who are left and hide themselves from you perish.: - Deuteronomy 7:20

"While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat,
And summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." - Genesis 8:22

"For they will wither quickly like the grass
And fade like the green herb." - Psalms 37:2

"Finally, brethren, rejoice, 

be made complete,

be comforted,

be like-minded, 

live in peace;

and the God of love and peace

will be with you." 

- II Corinthians 13:11

I hope you enjoyed our walk and that it revealed the beauty and peace that lies all around us if we only take the time to look.  The lessons of God are before us if we only allow the time to slowdown, be present, and open our soul to receiving the gifts of God through nature.  A peaceful walk alone in nature is sometimes all we need to nourish our soul and open our hearts to God.