Home Education

-It works around here-

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by Patrick McDonnell

As political as I get

Come now, let us reason together! Be interested!

"There are no uninteresting things, 
only uninterested people."
--G.K. Chesterton

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Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They will be like wool.
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I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

Psalm 104

Rejoice In All Your Works 

Every mouth that cries for food, 

Every lung that yearns for breath, 

Every eye that searches through the dark for light— 

All creation looks to you 

For its breath and for its food. 

From the goodness of Your hand we’re satisfied. 

Oh rejoice in all Your works, 

King of Heaven, King of Earth! 

Every creature You have made declares Your praise. 

We rejoice in all You’ve made, 

God of all-sustaining grace! 

With the mountain, sky, and sea, we sing Your praise! 

Every tree that thirsts for rain, 

Every bird that seeks its nest, 

Every heart that waits in hope to be made glad— 

All creation looks to You 

For its breath and for its food. 

From the goodness of Your hand we’re satisfied 

Oh rejoice in all Your works, 

King of Heaven, King of Earth! 

Every creature You have made declares Your praise. 

We rejoice in all You’ve made, 

God of all-sustaining grace! 

With the mountain, sky, and sea, we sing Your praise! 

May the pond’rings of my heart, 

And the song upon my lips, 

With the chorus of creation join in praise: 

To the God who made all things, 

To the Spirit who sustains, 

To the Son who over all creation reigns! 

Oh rejoice in all Your works, 

King of Heaven, King of Earth! 

Every creature You have made declares Your praise. 

We rejoice in all You’ve made, 

God of all-sustaining grace! 

With the mountain, sky, and sea, we sing Your praise! 

-Wendell Kimbrough.

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Let us appear as lights to this world!

My sisters in Christ, as Paul says in Philippians 4:1, 
you are "my joy, my crown," 
this is how we should stand firm: 

Philippians 2:12-18
"So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, 
not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, 
work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 
for it is God who is at work in you, 
both to will and to work for His good pleasure


Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 
so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, 
children of God above reproach 
in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, 
among whom you appear as lights in the world,
holding fast the word of life, 
so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory 
because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. 

But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering 
upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, 
I rejoice and share my joy with you all. 
You too, I urge you, 
rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me."

Philippians 3:8-14
"...whatever things were gain to me, 
those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

More than that, I count all things to be loss 
in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, 
for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, 
and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,
and may be found in Him, 
not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, 
but that which is through faith in Christ, 
the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 
that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection 
and the fellowship of His sufferings, 
being conformed to His death; 
in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.


Not that I have already obtained it 
or have already become perfect, 
but I press on 
so that I may lay hold of that 
for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; 
but one thing I do: 

forgetting what lies behind 
and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 
I press on toward the goal 
for the prize of 
the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:4-9
"Rejoice in the Lord always; 
again I will say, rejoice! 

Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. 
The Lord is near! 

Be anxious for nothing, 
but in everything 
by prayer and supplication 
with thanksgiving 
let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, 
which surpasses all comprehension, 
will guard your hearts 
and your minds in Christ Jesus.


Finally, brethren, 

whatever is true, 
whatever is honorable, 
whatever is right,
whatever is pure, 
whatever is lovely, 
whatever is of good repute, 
if there is any excellence and 
if anything worthy of praise, 
dwell on these things. 

The things you have learned and 
received and heard and seen in me, 
practice these things, 
and the God of peace will be with you."
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Sisters, let us  appear as lights to this world 
and live in the moment for our great God 
and glorify His precious Name!
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Abounding in Real Knowledge and All Discernment

Life is truly so much more than Chocolate Chip Cookies!

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**Those of you who know 

Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, 

you are my sisters in Christ! 

What joy!
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Now, sisters...  

"I pray, that your love may abound still more and more 
in real knowledge and all discernment, 
so that you may approve the things that are excellent, 
in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; 
having been filled with the fruit of righteousness 
which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."
Philippians 1:9-11
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"Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, 
if there is any consolation of love, 
if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, 
if any affection and compassion, 
make my ( Paul) joy complete by 
being of the same mind, 
maintaining the same love, 
united in spirit, 
intent on one purpose. 

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, 
but with humility of mind 
regard one another as more important than yourselves;
do not merely look out for your own personal interests, 
but also for the interests of others.

Have this attitude in yourselves 
which was also in Christ Jesus, 
who, although He existed in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 
but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant,
and being made in the likeness of men.

Being found in appearance as a man, 
He humbled Himself 
by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, 
and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 
so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, 
of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, 
to the glory of God the Father."
Philippians 2:1-11
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Patriotism in the rural Midwest

This is our little girl

As political as I get:

2 Timothy 3

"But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.

For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, 
revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving,
irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, 
haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure 
rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, 
although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.

For among them are those who enter into households and 
captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various 
impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge 
of the truth... 


...Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, 
love, perseverance, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened 
to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions 
I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me!

Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, 
deceiving and being deceived.

You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become 
convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that 
from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able 
to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which 
is in Christ Jesus.

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, 
for reproof,for correction, for training in righteousness; 
so that the man of God maybe adequate, 
equipped for every good work."

2 Timothy4:1-5

"I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, 
who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing 
and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season 
and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience 
and instruction.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; 
but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate
for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,
and will turn away their ears from the truth and will 
turn aside to myths.

But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, 
do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."
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Sisters, let us keep our eyes on Jesus!

Hebrews 12
"Therefore, since we have so great 
a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, 

let us also lay aside every encumbrance 
and the sin which so easily entangles us, 

and let us run with endurance the race 
that is set before us, 

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author 
and perfecter of faith, 

who for the joy set before Him 
endured the cross, despising the shame, 
and has sat down at the right hand 
of the throne of God.


For consider Him who has endured such 
hostility by sinners against Himself, 
so that you will not grow weary 
and lose heart."
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Praise and Glory to our great God!

Jesus is faithful, His justice will prevail

Isaiah 42:3
“A bruised reed He will not break
And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish;
He will faithfully bring forth justice."

also shared in the New Testament:

Matthew 12:20
“A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF, 
AND A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OUT, 
UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY."

and so dear sisters in Jesus be encouraged!

Galatians 6
"The one who is taught the word is to share 
all good things with the one who teaches him.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; 
for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

For the one who sows to his own flesh will 
from the flesh reap corruption, 
but the one who sows to the Spirit will 
from the Spirit reap eternal life.

Let us not lose heart in doing good, 
for in due time we will reap 
if we do not grow weary.

So then, while we have opportunity, 
let us do good to all people, and especially to those 
who are of the household of the faith."

If you confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God raised Him from the grave you will be saved.

Acts 2

...“Brethren, what shall we do?” 

Peter said to them, “Repent, 

and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ 

for the forgiveness of your sins; 

and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

For the promise is for you and your children 

and for all who are far off, 

as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”

And with many other words he solemnly testified 

and kept on exhorting them, saying, 

“Be saved from this perverse generation!”

So then, those who had received his word were baptized; 

and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching 

and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer...."

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Romans 10

 "Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God 

for them is for their salvation. 

For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, 

but not in accordance with knowledge.

For not knowing about God’s righteousness 

and seeking to establish their own, 

they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

For Christ is the end of the law

 for righteousness to everyone who believes.

For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness 

which is based on law shall live by that righteousness.

But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: 

“Do not say in your heart, 

‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down),

or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ 

(that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” 

But what does it say? 

“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”

—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 

that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, 

and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, 

you will be saved;

for with the heart a person believes, 

resulting in righteousness, 

and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

For the Scripture says, 

“Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” 

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; 

for the same Lord is Lord of all, 

abounding in riches for all who call on Him;

for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved...”

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Isaiah 1

“Come now, and let us reason together,”

Says the Lord,

“Though your sins are as scarlet,

They will be as white as snow;

Though they are red like crimson,

They will be like wool.

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True Forgiveness

We were once falsely accused and viciously told, 
" I forgive you, but I will never forget."

In His Word the LORD God says:

“I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions 
for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins." 
Isaiah 43: 25

and again in the New testament:

“For I will be merciful to their iniquities,
And I will remember their sins no more.”
Hebrews 8:12

The LORD God can not forget, but He chooses to not remember.
What a beautiful example to follow.

In God's Word we are told to emulate His forgiveness 
in that when we forgive people we may not be able to forget, 
but we can intentionally choose to not remember; 
that is, we are to never bring it up (even to ourselves), 
and, most importantly, we do not hold it against them. 
It is a choice. It is in the past, and not to be remembered.

Glory to God! His forgiveness is not vindictive.
He has no grudges on those who seek forgiveness.
He does not revel in our pain and sufferings.
He does not plan revenge on His children.

"I will remember their sins no more.”

Thankful for our freedoms!

Grace reigns through righteousness

Peanuts
Charles Shultz

Romans 5:1-11
"Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God 
through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also 
we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace 
in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, 
knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;
and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;
and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been 
poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit 
who was given to us.

For while we were still helpless, 
at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

For one will hardly die for a righteous man; 
though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, 
in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, 
we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God 
through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, 
we shall be saved by His life.

And not only this, but we also exult in God through 
our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now 
received the reconciliation..."

Romans 5:1-21

"...The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; 
but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, 
as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign 
through righteousness to eternal life through 
Jesus Christ our Lord."