Giving Thanks

Greetings from Me and My House,

What are you doing on the computer, instead of spending time with your family? OK, perhaps like here, the guys are "bonding" in a quick round of golf and the kids are getting ready to go to Grandmas, so you're just sneaking in a few moments.

I just wanted to send a quick note to encourage you all to, if you haven't yet, spend a few minutes relating the Story of Thanksgiving to your children. Let them know this isn't just turkey and football day. It isn't a day of gorging themselves, or even just a day to be with relatives. It is a day set apart for expressing our thankfulness to God.

Tell them how the Pilgrims sought religious freedom to not only worship God as set forth in His Word, but to raise their children in an environment conducive to them developing their own rightful walk with the Lord - we must take a stand to follow God no matter where it leads and we must take our children there with us. How many lost their lives, but not their souls, in taking the risk to be trailblazers for those to come after (half of the people on the Mayflower died that first winter) - sometimes the costs are high to be the first one to do what is right, but someone must step out. How God's provision came from the help of one "outside" (Squanto) - we can't remain in the huddle of "us 4 and no more"; we must reach out to the world, to those different than us; perhaps God will use them as instrumental in our blessing. How they were thankful in lack as well as in plenty - whether we are abased or abound, God is there and to be praised. How in their preparations of their Feast, their own efforts proved "inadequate" (although God had brought a great harvest, their Feast would not provide for all the extra people that came,) but - God provides above and beyond what we can see, think, or even dream of. We must never trust in our own efforts but always trust in the One who alone is Trustworthy and Faithful.

Tell your children of a country founded on the belief and faith in Yahweh God the Creator and Redeemer, a country fought for and forged on those beliefs. Tell them how it was a President 240-some years later who proclaimed this memorial Feast day begun by those Pilgrims as a National annual Holiday. Tell them how we are Pilgrims sent by God to uphold His truth in this land that has largely forsaken Him.

Above all tell them to give thanks to the Lord for He is good. No matter what they feel they lack, they have so much to be thankful for. Give them each 5 kernals of corn, the daily provisions of the Pilgrims before that harvest came in, and tell them to "Count their blessings, name them one by one. Count their many blessings, see what God has done." Give thanks to the Lord who satisfies your mouth with good things, as you enjoy the abundance He has provided for you today.

Give thanks to the Lord for the ability to educate our children at home without having to disobey man in order to obey God. Give thanks to our Lord for your husband, for each and every child He has blessed your union with, for extended family, for spiritual family, for friends and neighbors - for relationship is everything. People are the only thing that lasts forever. Cherish each of these and let them know today that you are thankful to God for them. Most of all for Salvation from our sin through the death and resurrection of His very own Son; for Reconciling us to Himself in the most awsome Relationship for Eternity. Halalu Yah!!! Praise Him!

At Jesus' feet,
Lisa

In the Beginning ...

Greetings from Me and My House,

Some people (maybe you) may still be saying, "Lisa, I still don't get it. Just exactly what do you do, and how do you do it? Tell me simply , what does L.E.D. consist of." Although most of our "how to" information is in our seminar ** and books, we've reduced it to its simplest form and put it on a new page on our website. Here it is for you, below.

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In the Beginning ...
The concepts and methods of Lifestyle Education through discipleship may be so totally foreign to you that you look at the philosophy here and say, "I don't have a clue how to start, where do I begin?" If that's you - you agree with what we're saying, but need a hand to hold for a while, this page is for you. While we don't want the Hodgen home to be a cookie-cutter for anyone, we realize you may need some specifics at first. We trust that as you grow, in hearing God directly for your children's education, as well as in your confidence in following that alone, you will let go of our hand.

Sola Scriptura- Everything we do is based on Scripture alone. That doesn't mean the Bible is the only book we use in our home. It does mean that the "earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof." We do not study anything without looking at it from God's point of view and looking for His hand in it.

Journaling- We record what God is doing in our lives. This isn't just a diary or log, but anything He's laying on our hearts and minds - what we are thinking about and what we are learning.

Phillipians 4:8 Life-changing Literature- Family read-aloud time is the foundation of our learning. In addition to the Bible, we read real interesting stories of faith and virtue - biographies, historical narratives, even historical and virtuous fiction, to learn of God, His World, His Plan and Ways in this world and in our lives.

Copywork and Dictation - We Copy the great writing of those that have gone before us - to learn both content and how to write.

Narration - We re-tell the stories we read - to learn to be good speakers and writers.

Notebooks- We compile our loves and our learning to create records and presentations of our Life Message.

It really is that Simple, and really brings much Freedom.

At Jeus' feet,
Lisa

** This comes from the L.E.D. Freedom and Simplicity Seminar - a 7 session seminar presenting not only the Philosophy, Principles, and Practical Application of L.E.D., but also Times of Refreshing, Relection, and Renewing the Mind. Hands-on Discipleship yoU! exercises will help you integrate L.E.D. into your own life. Sessions include:
"Times of Refreshing"
"All your children Shall be Taught By the Lord" - Introduction to L.E.D.
"The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom" - 8 Principles of L.E.D.
"I Show You a More Excellent Way" - 7 Pillars of Excellence
"Wisdom Has Built Her House" - 7 Pillars of Learning
"When You Rise Up and When You Lie Down" - An L.E.D. Day in the Life of Me and My House
"In the Beginning ..." - Getting Started with L.E.D.

Would you like to arrange a seminar for your group?