Summer at the Beach

“It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside.” 

Maud Hart Lovelace

In the long year since I've been gone, we actually moved to a new house. I haven't spoken about it anywhere, established blogs or otherwise, so I haven't had the chance to really get into the bittersweet event it was, to leave the house we thought would be our forever home, and make a new one, all in the course of a few weeks. But it was something that needed to be done, to put others' needs before our own. It was difficult, but we hope to be able to return to our Paradise House someday soon. It wasn't the best house for us, in terms of space (where we live now is much more spacious) but it was a house that had a lot of promise and dreams attached to it... with a lot of pain, now that I think of it, especially that last year, but nonetheless it remains a promise full of hope and we trust God for it's fulfillment. But I won't go into that here! Not yet anyway.

The house we moved to is just a hop, skip, and a boat ride away from the beach. (And by that, I mean a five minute drive. Wonderful, no?) So that's where we spent the majority of our summer. The boys taught themselves how to crab and even caught a few. We also (unsuccessfully) tried fishing.
Here are a few pictures to commemorate the adventures ♥



Look how big my little humdinger got! He's nearly eleven now - my sisterly heart could burst *sobs*

They found a whole little world of hermit crabs on this particular day and wanted to show me all of them. Pictured are the youngest of my brothers, including the baby of the family, who is just three and a half.



And here's a favorite of mine: the last glimpse of the sun on the dock and quiet waters right before we packed up our fishing supplies to head home.

And there you have it, a small tribute to our quiet, beach-filled summer which featured plenty of the smiling faces belonging to people that I'm privileged to call my family ♥

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 

1 John 4:9-11

 

My Favorite Things

Raindrops on roses
And whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things...

If I was a song, this would be it ♥ And just to round off the cake of nostalgia, I'll even top you off with the original Sound of Music clip:

I hope I've set the mood: a sprinkle of cheery, a splash of the sweet, and all the warm and fuzzy feels. (And while we're on the subject, I won't pretend this blog isn't going to be regularly doused in saccharine whimsy so if that isn't your cup of tea, scoot on out of here and come back when you're feeling less salty, mmk?)

Being my self-described happy little corner of the Internet, I figured I'd drag out the ol' treasure box of secret little things that make me happy and talk about them a bit. Join me whilst we take a tour of my happy place (my mental one, that is).

1. This Youtube channel

The channel is called bitsandclips and here we have one of the videos that I think best displays why I'm such an ardent fan of the lovely little world aptly by-lined "a cuppa happy."

The candy canes in hot chocolate, the sweet little pair of kiddos (her nicknames for them are Pickle and Bean. How stinking cute is that?!) and all the fuzzy-feeling-full Christmas decorations back-dropped with that lovely song: what more could a heart bent on cozy want?

Marie, the mama of both the channel and the kiddos, is a youtuber I've been following for about three years now. She has since had another little girl (named Sadie June... Sadie June, people. It's a name straight out of the forties, an era which I adore, sans the world war, of course) and her audience has grown somewhat, but all along, the heart and soul of this happy little channel has remained the same. I always finish a video of hers feeling warm and fuzzy and weirdly sentimental.

2. This photographer/writer/blogger

I found her on Instagram and fell in love with her long captions. She's also a mother of a sweet little one (are you sensing a theme?) and she has lovely photography, of course, but it's her writing that gets me every time. Thoughtful, beautiful, and whimsical, with all that starry-eyed wonder of a young woman embarking on her first voyage into motherhood.

It gets me, I tell ya.

3. Books, books, books

I couldn't pick a favorite book if my life depended on it, but I will say I have a few top favs so I'll share those:

• Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

I love classic literature and I also love stories centered around a female protagonist, ideally set in period times. Girl With a Pearl Earring is probably one of my all-time favorite books... it tells the fictionalized story of the girl behind the famed Vermeer painting, Girl With a Pearl Earring, and she is a fascinating character. The other two speak for themselves: iconic classics which are fully deserving of their popularized status.

4. It's a Wonderful Life (+ Jimmy Stewart)

Oh, doesn't that just make you want to curl up on your sofa with a soft blanket and a cup of cocoa? *all the happy sighs*

I only started watching this movie a few years ago, and already I've decided to make it an annual tradition (a little unoriginal, yes, but let's not spoil the moment with cynicism). Also, I'm a huge Jimmy Stewart fan... he definitely deserves an honorable mention on my favorites list ♥

5. Coffee + chocolate

What writer doesn't love a good cuppa coffee?

And while we're asking rhetorical questions, who doesn't love chocolate?

'Nuff said.

6. The Christmas feeling

One of my all-time favorite feelings in the world... the Christmas feeling. Better even than the birthday feeling.

Funnily enough, we've never done much for Christmas. No presents (couldn't afford them) and we've only gotten a tree a handful of times. But to me, it's always been magical - at least in my head.

Living in Puerto Rico, one doesn't get the whole festive, snowy, twinkly experience that most seem to get, but I don't mind. We still get to enjoy looking at all the houses trussed up in their Christmas lights and decorative gear and we get to watch Christmas movies and listen to Michael Buble... most of our extended family live in the States so even though family get-togethers aren't possible, we still have one another and that's one of the reasons for the season so everything else is additional. That's the way I try to think of it anyway.

I like to think I'm a closet Caroline Ingalls. You know, make the most of what you get and do it all with a cheerful smile. I've failed on that frontier more times than I'd care to admit but more and more I'm trying to have that sort of attitude about things. So! Even if we can't afford decorations this year, we'll cut out paper snowflakes and watch holidays films and be grateful for another year spent together. And we'll play some Youtube videos like the one above, eat some candy canes, and get us some Christmas feels!

7. This song

This one just speaks for itself!

It's such a sweeping song. The rise and fall of the music, the way she takes his hand, and isn't it so beautiful how he just stands there smiling with his unseeing eyes closed... it gets me every time.

Honorable mention: Can't Help Falling in Love With You, also sung by Andrea, although I prefer Elvis' original rendition. Another one of those heart-stirring songs that sweeps you away! Someday I'd like to get all dressed up and go to one of these massive soirees and lose myself in a big orchestral number with Andrea Bocelli and maybe Tony Bennett singing.

Something for the bucket list, I suppose ♥

8. The simpler times of yesteryear

And last but not least...

My fondness for another era.

I don't know what to call it exactly. It's the period films, the Austen novels, the 1700s, the 1800s, the Victorian years, even the early 1900s... that elegant time of yore where ladies wore long dresses and gentlemen wore top hats and people danced at balls rather than bars. I love getting lost in daydreams of time travel and my list of favorite films should come as no surprise ;)

• Pride and Prejudice
• Belle 
• Amazing Grace
• The Phantom of the Opera
• The Nativity Story

Honorable mentions: Anne of Green Gables, Little House on the Prairie, and Downton Abbey. 

---

I'm 98% sure I'm forgetting something or other but I've got to stop my yapping or I'll go on forever... ironically, this post broadcasting my favorite things was just about one my favorite posts to write and I hope it was fun to read. This is like a little peek into the brain of yours truly, showcasing some of the stuff that makes me tick ;)

Till next time ♥

Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world... 

Philippians 2:14-15

 

My Happy Corner of the Internet

Hello, my wee little Sisterly Musings audience ♥

When I posted this blogpost on my sister blog, it had been a year from my last post. And what a year it was. I thought about coming back to write often, because I still absolutely loved the idea of this being my happy little corner of the Internet world, a little slice of cozy, where I can indulge in all the feminine, girlish whimsy my secret heart delights in.

I have had other blogs and because they were more public and established, I never felt the total freedom to be myself, to form my voice the way I wanted it to be heard, and to write about the things that I wanted to write about. So this is my escape, and I mean to keep whisking myself away to it as time goes on, because now I'm a world-weary twenty-two year old (I'm sure I'll be laughing at myself in ten years for that oh-so-melodramatic line) with stories to tell and worlds to build and this is the little world I want to build. Just for me, and whoever would like to come in and plop on my proverbial sofa, all curled up next to a fireplace with a cup of tea and a nice rainstorm swirling outside whilst I spin my tales as straw was spun to gold in that famed old fairytale. (How's that for a mental picture, huh? You're welcome *blows kiss*)

I guess I should say that since I live in Puerto Rico, fireplaces and curling up with hot cups of tea is but a daydream for me. And by this I mean to say, that this blog is where I'll indulge all my inner whimsy - and not where I will talk about the colder, grayer, tougher parts of existence. That I will save for elsewhere - private journals and angst-filled emails and day-to-day drudgery. (Life is not so drudgy for me as you might think after that line. How can it be, for a life surrendered to Christ? But it has it's storms and it's difficulties and it's not so easy to talk about those, so I will try to avoid it at all costs. One simply MUST focus on the golden, the sunshiny, the bright and the beautiful.)

So I mentioned that it had been quite a year. I think my last post was in May, 2016 and I began to have a pretty miserable time after that, which I won't be going into on here, but it was very difficult, and it led to several other difficult experiences, which I've only just surfaced. I think I might talk about them someday, because it could prove beneficial to other girls in a similar boat, but for now, I'm still learning and growing in those areas and while I've learned a lot, I'm still not all there yet.

But moving on! I've come back right on the cusp of another school year and thankfully, I have a lot of planning and plotting to do on behalf of my siblings. I've had to get creative as money is so tight (but shh! no grimness allowed!) so I will be trucking a couple bags filled to the brim with crime novels to a sweet little lending library we found and exchanging as many as I can for any school books I can get my hands on! We're also a part of a homeschool group and the lady that runs it has some books for us as well. That, coupled with the books we had in storage will comprise the basis of their curriculum this year.

Blogging, writing, homeschooling, and continuing to serve in my home are the circles the Lord has me running in, and while I went through a long season of struggle with that reality, I've found myself on the other side, slightly more battle-scarred and worn, but with a deeper appreciation for all that is simple, pure, pleasant, and sacred. I'm blessed that I don't need to be concerned with or tied to pursuing an illustrious career. I'm blessed that I am secure and well-cared for by the Lord. I'm blessed that I can pour out my love on my family. I'm blessed, that while I don't have a far-reaching ministry or an assembly in which I can immerse myself, I have this family, this life, this mission field. And because the Great Commission weighs on my conscience, I will pour out my love here as well, to be a sister and friend, to be a light-bearer and a truth-teller to all who will listen.

Nothing I do or say or can produce will compare with the beauty, the truth, and the wonder that is my Lord Jesus Christ. Of that I am certain, and I hope that truth is evident in every line I write, in every thing I do.

I hope I can write at least two more posts in this coming week, but I won't promise anything because I'm notoriously bad at keeping up with posting schedules. But I want to write a little more about some ideas I've had for the coming year and also share some favorites of mine - to further develop this whimsical little world of mine! Until then, adieu, and God bless ♥

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Ephesians 5:2

 

A Study on Ruth (Part 4)

The final part of this series!

Last year, I decided to study the book of Ruth. I'd been having a hard time getting into the Word and I knew that there were hidden truths in Ruth that I had yet to discover. It was my first independent, personal, and in-depth study on a book in the Bible and it was a very special time. In fact, I can't help but wish I could go back, just to experience it for the first time all over again!

What I share here are my personal notes. I'm not an authority on the book and I'm sure there are more profound commentaries available. (I read this one as I was doing my own study, which gave me clarity on a few verses that I was having trouble with; this is another one which I'm reading now.) But if it can aid anyone, even one person, then here goes.

---

A Study On Ruth (Part 4)

Ruth 4:1-2

Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.

And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.

I see Jesus here in these verses. Our Lord, reckoning on our behalf. Attending to our redemption. How often the world fails in keeping its word to us. And here is Boaz, a representative of our Savior, keeping his word to Ruth and settling the matter of her salvation in such a timely way...

Like I mentioned in part 3, it is very likely that the "nearer kinsman" represents the Law in this book. So says this commentary, and I happen to agree. The commentary also goes on to say that it could be that these ten elders represent the ten commandments. Interesting, huh?

Ruth 4:3-4

And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:
And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.

There is none to redeem it beside thee.

When it comes to the matter of our purchasing - of the price being paid for the debt of our sin - there is none that can help us save the Lord. We are entirely at His mercy. Here we see there is another - a nearer kinsman - who ought to be able to do the job. And at first, he seems willing enough. So the Law seems, upon first inspection, to be able to do for us a work of redemption. Ultimately, it cannot.

A personal reflection: It seems to me in verse 3-5 that Boaz's approach to this other kinsman was almost strategic. Almost as if to dissuade or discourage him from redeeming Ruth. As if he really wanted to himself. Which got me thinking - Jesus wanted to redeem us for Himself. He knew there was a price to pay but He did it. Unflinchingly. Boaz wanted Ruth as Jesus wanted us. He negotiated on our behalf. He did it openly, without shame - He called for witnesses for He wants His ownership to be unmistakable. Boaz wanted all to know to whom Ruth belonged - and Jesus wants all to know to whom we belong. Amen ♥

Ruth 4:5-6

Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.

And so it comes out of the kinsman's mouth: I cannot redeem it.

Again, the law cannot redeem us! It doesn’t save us from the penalty of sin or from the power of sin. Good works alone can't do it. There's only one who can save Ruth, and that's Boaz. And so is there only only One who can save us and that is Jesus. 

Ruth 4:7-10

Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel.
Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.
And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.
Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.

The contract is drawn up. The law says: "Buy it for thee." The keyword here is buy. There is a price to pay for our redemption. Boaz (Jesus) pays in full and makes Ruth his own. He takes her, as Jesus takes us, to be his bride.

Ruth 4:11-13

And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman.
So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son.

Verse 11 gives me the impression that Ruth may have been barren indeed when she was married to Mahlon, for after marrying Boaz, the Lord "gave her conception" and she had a baby boy. Here we see the fruitfulness of her marriage and how she was blessed!

So are we blessed and made fruitful in our union with Christ. We were strangers - empty, sinful, broken, barren, in need of redemption with no one to save us. And then Christ came. He is our Husband, our Redeemer and kinsman. And we are blessed when we are found in Him!

Ruth 4:14-17

And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.
And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.
And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.
And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

And now we see how Naomi, once bitter and backslidden, is blessed and restored. She becomes the grandmother of Ruth and Boaz's son, Obed. And Obed, as we know from the following verses, will one day be the father of a man named Jesse, who will have eight sons... the youngest of which will be a boy named David, who will become the King of Israel.

It is no coincidence that out of this line comes the Great King Himself, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

---

Reflections

And that wraps up my study on the book of Ruth! I enjoyed doing this study so much and I hope that if anyone stumbles across this blog that it will bless them, too. My notes were far from profound, but it was the truth God chose to reveal to me, personally, and that blessed me so much.

From this book I learned so much about my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I learned that He restores. He redeems, He sanctifies, comforts, nourishes, protects, blesses, provides, satisfies, commands, is kind, pours out grace, is my rest, is mighty, powerful, a Gentleman, and the lover of my soul. I saw these things as I never had before, and I pray that if you, dear reader, choose to study this book called Ruth, that you see these lovely truths about Him as well.

God bless you!

My #1 Tool For Studying the Bible

This post originally appeared on Ruth, Writer. 

“You ought to search the Scriptures yourself, to discover the glorious gospel.”
Lailah Gifty Akita

As a lot of us know, studying the Bible is a cornerstone of the Christian walk. The Bible is, after all, the Word of God, and it is just as prevalent to us today as it was when it was originally written 2,000+ years ago.

I grew up reading it, of course. Studying the Bible in communal gatherings is also familiar to me - my family sits down together every morning to read and study with my father leading us. But when it comes to my private relationship with the Lord, I've always felt a little bit confused and unsure about how to go about it. Do I close my eyes, open the Bible, and point with my finger, assuming that's the verse God wants me to read that day? Do I start at the beginning and work my way through to the end? Most of the time I'd just pick a random chapter to read through, but I wouldn't retain anything.

I wanted to be diligent to spend time in the Word, but I didn't know where to start or how to do it. I started Googling things like "How To Study the Bible" but nothing really stood out to me. Except for this video, which I actually found when my sister showed me this channel:

After watching this video, I understood that I needed to have a focused approach to Bible study. Taking elements of what Gretchen spoke about, and compiling them with the bits and pieces that I was picking up in other places, I began tackling my "secret closet" time in ways I never had before.

But it was one particular thing that brought studying the Bible to a whole new level for me.

A notebook.

“I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from The Savior of the world is communicated to us through this Book.”
Abraham Lincoln

So just how do you study the Bible using a journal?

First of all, watch the video up above - Gretchen, the speaker, gives a great foundation on how to go about it, including insight on how to navigate choosing your study. When I started using the method of journaling as I studied my Bible, I chose the Book of Ruth for my first in-depth study (and wow, was that a huge blessing!)

Pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit

This is first and foremost. You should pray before every study session for the Lord to touch you and anoint you with wisdom and understanding. He wrote the Bible; He holds the honored and glorified position of interpreting it to you. Don't leave Him out.

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name."
Psalm 100:4

Read

Using the Book of Ruth as an example, I open up to the chapter I'm preparing to study, and I read through several verses. How much you read through and how long you take to study a particular verse, or verses, is up to you. Sometimes, I use the whole of my study time to focus on one single verse; other times, I read through and take notes on several verses. It depends, and there's no right or wrong way of doing this. Let the Lord lead you and take rest in the fact that this is a learning process and a journey - you can't fail!

Reread & meditate

Often, we skim over the words, not letting them take root in our hearts and minds; being a fast reader, I'm particularly prone to this. Read slowly. Meditate on the words. Read the verses over and over and over again. (Literally. It's amazing how things start to become clearer when you've read the same verse eight times in a row.)  If you're wondering about the meaning of the word, get your hands on a Strong's Concordance (if you don't have one, consider investing in one - it's a priceless addition to your Bible study toolkit). You can find the Hebrew root meaning of any given word in that concordance, and oftentimes the verse you're studying can take on new depths and meanings when you understand where the word comes from.

Take notes

This is where the journal comes into play. I write the date; some people choose to write the hour and the location - I don't bother with that sort of thing, but you can if you want to. I write down the verses I'm studying, and then I break it down. Sometimes - like when I was studying Psalm 119 - I copy down the verse, and then I write my notes on it. My notes include everything from my impression of the verse, what I think it's saying, how it pertains to me, what I think God could be showing me with it, and so on and so forth. If I don't understand something I write it down. This brings the Word home in a deep and personal way. I'll never forget those verses that I took notes on, that I meditated on and pondered.

You can ask yourself these questions:

1. How does this apply to me?
2. What is God showing me through this verse?
3. What can I take away from it? 
4. How can I learn from it?

Other things I write down in my prayer journal are personal testimonies, answers to prayer, dreams, things God is showing me, trials I'm going through, and how God is ministering to me through my study of the Word.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Be open to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. You may be in the middle of a study on the book of Proverbs, but God may put into your heart one day to turn to the book of Galatians. Don't hesitate. That's God speaking to you. He wants to show you something.
2. It's okay to play 'Bible Roulette' every now and then. (That's when you close your eyes, open your Bible, and point to a verse.) Sometimes when we're desperate and in need of an answer, God will use this method of "chance" to minister to us. However, use wisdom. There's a story of a man who does this and the verse his finger falls on is that of the man who vowed to God that he would sacrifice the first person who came out to greet him on his return home from battle and it ended up being his daughter (Judges 11:29). Naturally, this left our Roulette friend pretty confused. I would pray and ask God for discernment if you're confused about what you've read.

 

A Study on Ruth (Part 3)

Last year, I decided to study the book of Ruth. I'd been having a hard time getting into the Word and I knew that there were hidden truths in Ruth that I had yet to discover. It was my first independent, personal, and in-depth study on a book in the Bible and it was a very special time. In fact, I can't help but wish I could go back, just to experience it for the first time all over again!

What I share here are my personal notes. I'm not an authority on the book and I'm sure there are more profound commentaries available. (I read this one as I was doing my own study, which gave me clarity on a few verses that I was having trouble with; this is another one which I'm reading now.) But if it can aid anyone, even one person, then here goes.

---

A Study On Ruth (Part 3)

 Ruth 3:1-4

Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

The Hebrew word for rest in verse 1 is manowach (pronounced maw-no'-akh). It means quiet, i.e. (concretely) a settled spot, or (figuratively) a home: (place of) rest.

What comes to mind when you read that? I thought of Hebrews 4, about the rest spoken of therein and how Christ is our rest. He is my "manowach," my quiet place, my home, my place of rest; He is what settles me. He is to be sought after. And it is well with me, with my soul, when I am found in Him.

Ruth 3:2-4

And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.
Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.
And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.

According to my research, the threshing floor was where the wheat was separated from the chaff. Jesus uses the parable of the "field" to describe the world in Matthew 13. We, the beloved, are the wheat; the unbelievers are the chaff.

In Matt. 3:12, John the Baptist prophesies about Jesus and how He will "purge" His floor. That's what the threshing floor is about. The separation from the world, the "purging" of our consciences.
There is MUCH significance to the instructions that Naomi gave Ruth:

• Wash Yourself

This has to do with purification, with being washed from our sins. (See Titus 3:5; John 13:5-10)

• Anointing

Purification, sanctification. The unction of the Holy Spirit which is given to us.

• Raiment

This is about character. About righteousness (see Zedekiah 3).

"Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment." (Zed. 3:4)

From these three elements, we see more and more of what this book is really all about. We see redemption, we see adoption, we see transformation, we see purification, we see righteousness... I don't feel qualified at all to be offering my dim views of these profound scriptures but I would encourage you, reader, to dig into these verses yourself and let the Holy Spirit reveal the hidden truths that are found therein.

"...and lay thee down, and he shall tell thee what to do."

Ruth was given specific instructions. She was being asked to trust, to put everything on the line. To lay herself down and wait on the word of this man. It's such an example of humility, of obedience, of trust and faith, especially when we read her response:

Ruth 3:5-6

And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.
And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.

"All that thou sayest unto me, I will do."

All.

Not some. Not a little bit. All.

And she does.

She goes "down" to the threshing floor. I read recently that the threshing floor is always "down." Down in humility, down on our knees before the only Man who can truly redeem us from our debt.

Ruth submits. She obeys. She humbles herself. She goes forward in faith, obeying down to the letter all that she's been told to do. It strikes me that she didn't offer her own opinion on how she should behave. She didn't question Naomi's method. I find myself guilty of doing this. I offer my own perspective on how things should happen; I offer a partial, or reluctant, obedience. Not Ruth.

Ruth 3:7-13

And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.
 And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.
And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the Lord liveth: lie down until the morning.

Boaz sees Ruth's humility in this display. She finds favor with him. He is pleased by her. He blesses her. She didn't go after the younger men - worldly pleasures, that which satisfies the eyes, the lusts of the flesh. She sought him out. She humbled herself to him, and this pleases, touches, gratifies him. Her virtuous behavior he acknowledges. He calls her his "daughter", one whom he will now care for.

In verse 9, when Boaz asks, "Who are you?" Ruth responds: "I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman."

She gives herself to him in this moment. She is saying, "I am yours. You are a redeemer - redeem me! Spread thy skirt over me - protect me, take me as your own; spread your wings over me. I offer myself to you."

Her words are so stunningly beautiful! What more - his response!

He tells her not to be afraid and that he will do for her all that she requires. He's going to take care of the matter of her redemption - he will do it the very next morning! He puts her needs first before all. He does not say, "I'll do the best I can." He doesn't say, "I'll try and see what I can do." He says, "I WILL do all that needs to be done for you." No if, and, or but. No hesitation, no reluctance. Just "I will" and it's to be done. He takes the matter of Ruth's redemption as a chief concern in his heart.

And the question of the nearer kinsman? This baffled me at first. I think there are probably many interpretations of what he represents, but I read in one commentary that this nearer kinsman could very well have represented the Law - an explanation that rings true in my heart. More on him later!

Ruth 3:14-18

And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.
And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.
Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.

I wonder what it was like that night for Ruth... to be at the feet of this man, totally at his mercy. I wonder, did she sleep at all? Did she worry, thinking about this nearer kinsman? Perhaps she already had feelings for Boaz. She'd worked for him an entire harvest season. To wonder and not know... perhaps that's why Boaz said twice, "lie down until morning." He'd already given her all she needed in order to be at peace in her heart through the night. He told her not to fear, that he would see to the matter of the nearer kinsman the very next day, and that if this other man refused to do his part, "as the Lord liveth," he would do it.

"Just rest," he was telling her. "I will see to everything; your fate is in my hands, and I will do right by you."

And so she does. She lays in this place of humility and submission as he instructed her to, trusting that he will protect her (she was the only woman there and she was surrounded by men) and she trusts him implicitly.

When she goes home, she tells all to Naomi. And Naomi says, "Sit still, my daughter." It sounds quite similar to the well-known scripture, "be still." So much in that word - "still." Ruth had to be still, knowing her fate rested in Boaz's hands and having to trust him with it. Naomi assures her that "the man will not rest until he has finished the thing this day."

And there is that word - finished! "It is finished," Jesus said, hanging on the cross. Amen! Do you not see how these pieces fit together in such a divine fashion as an illustration of our Redeemer who shouldered the matter of our redemption and did not neglect to perform it? And when He had done His awesome and majestic work He declared, "It is finished!" And so it is, always!

Homeschooling My 9 Year Old Brother

As the title suggests, I have been homeschooling my brother for a little over a year now.

I was homeschooled my whole life (except for a three-month stint in a private school while I was in foster care... but that's another story) and I love everything about it, as I talked about in my last homeschooling post, My Family's Homeschool.

I started working with my little brother when I was twenty years old. My mom was overseeing the large group and my little humdinger was slipping through the cracks. He's always been a remarkably smart kid but he needed one-on-one work and she wasn't finding enough time in her overstuffed days. She asked me if I'd be willing - and I said yes.

I've worked with my siblings before. I've always loved teaching (I wanted to be a teacher when I was little... then a lawyer... then a writer...) and I had some free time in my mornings to dedicate to him. So that's where we started.

(Side note: I wrote this post in May, 2016 but I'm uploading it again now in September, 2017! Just in case there's any confusion :)

The Beginning

He was eight and in third grade. (We don't really prescribe to the whole grading thing except on a general basis, by the way.) He could read and write but wasn't doing very well with either. At first he was excited to work with "his Ruthie." Then the daily grind set in and it's been quite the adventure ever since ha di ha.

What I wanted most in working with him was to plant in him a real desire and love for learning. After all, I loved learning as a child. I loved books. I loved the sense of accomplishment. If you can get a child to love learning, then you've given them the world at their fingertips.

Well, despite the little man's innate brilliance (and I'm not exaggerating, I genuinely think the kid is a genius!) he had none of that stuff. He didn't want to read. He loathed copywork (still does). He wanted to do the bare minimum and not a speck more. He had this habit of working for about 1.5 minutes before tipping over sideways on the couch and insisting that he needed a "break" whilst sliding a pillow beneath his head.

So what did I do?

I started out by reading A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola. (This book is worth it's weight in GOLD.) We pretty much adhere to the concepts Charlotte Mason teaches but I guess you could say we're pretty eclectic. We don't really prescribe to one method or any one particular type of curriculum. But reading that book gave me a lot of focus and helped me decide what it was I wanted to do with him.

Books & Narration

The first book I started reading to him (because I think that the secret to unlocking a kid's love of learning is getting him to love books) was The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare. At first, I could barely get him to listen to a full chapter. Teaching him to narrate was another doozy. But I kept at it... and soon, he was begging me every day to start out by reading to him. (Although it could have just been a ploy to put off the dreaded copywork as long as possible... whatever. I took what I could get.)

We worked through the book slowly but steadily. (I'm only talking about books at the moment, but this was in addition to the rest of his subjects. More on that later.) About halfway through, I introduced another book: Stories from English History. He loved this one! He didn't have much patience for the tedious chapters about obscure kings and princes (I found them super interesting - not that he cared, ha)... but he loved hearing all about the different battles and wars that took place.

Using Karen's Companion book as a guide, I got creative. He still hated narrating, so one day, I asked him if he'd like to draw a picture of the battle scene we'd just read about. He went for that, so I got him a piece of paper and some crayons and watched him set to work. (Art, narration, and history all in one? Yes, please!) It was a hit. From then on, whenever a battle scene was particularly engrossing, he would plead to draw a picture of it.

Because I started working with my brother halfway through the school year, I had to do a lot of assessing on the go. Right away, I realized that his reading skills were poor and he wouldn't do any writing unless I threatened to ground him from the television. Having him read aloud to me, and also copy down Bible verses every day, became my main focus for him.

My approach to science was pretty relaxed. I introduced nature study, and while he showed little interest, he preferred it compared to most of his other subjects. I handed him off to work with my other sister for math, since he wasn't struggling with it and seemed rather to excel in it. History was and still is our favorite subject as it springs from a variety of living books. I think it's the only thing he truly enjoys in school.

Where We Are Now

He's now nine years old and we are wrapping up fourth grade. His reading has greatly improved: when he reads aloud, the words flow with fewer pauses or stumbles. He is reading to himself, too, and that was a miracle in itself as I no longer have to beg him to get his reading done. (Thank you, Robinson Crusoe!)

Spelling is our current focus. He isn't writing cursive without prompting just yet, but as we plan to work through the summer, it will be one of my goals. I also plan on teaching him how to use the dictionary. He hasn't done drawing for narration in awhile, and while still reluctant, seems to enjoy narration more when I don't know the subject material (like when he reads silently to himself).
Here is a brief overview of his current subjects.

SOCIAL STUDIES/HISTORY

Since January of this year, we have read at least eight books together. Sacagawea: Girl of the Shining Mountains taught us all about Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery Expedition. (We drew maps and pictures of them and their journey - he loved it.) The Sign of the Beaver brought early American settlers' interactions with Indians to life. Who Was Abraham Lincoln? introduced our nation's sixteenth president. Robert E. Lee: Hero of the South (by Charles P. Graves) paired nicely with our study on Lincoln and the Civil War, and was further supported by Civil War on Sunday by Mary Pope Osborne. We've just finished Boys and Girls in American History (by Alfred F. Blaisdell... it's no longer in print - cry with me) which he seemed to enjoy a lot. He is currently reading Revolutionary War on Wednesday and this one he reads to himself and then narrates to me. (And believe it or not, we read more...)

GEOGRAPHY

When it comes to geography, I wasn't sure how to approach it at first. I mean, do I get a book on it? Do we just fit it in when we can? Turns out, I needn't have worried. It all came together naturally as we read history together. I keep an atlas and several maps nearby and as we read about wars and battles, people and places, I tell him to try and find the places we're reading about on the map. We discuss each place. If there's something we need an answer on, I look it up online. (Like the exact location of Fort Sumter, which our books weren't providing.)

While we were learning about the Civil War, I printed out a blank map of the USA and he colored in the Union states, the Confederate states, and the territories that weren't states yet. This helped him visualize how the secession affected the US a little better. Using a detailed atlas, we found where Robert E. Lee grew up; we traced Lewis and Clark's journey across the country; we discussed the places and rivers that Henry Hudson forded, and so on and so forth. Thankfully, geography has become a no-brainer.

SCIENCE

We're currently doing Steck & Vaughn's 4th grade Science workbook. I'm not crazy about it. I like how direct and to the point it is, but that's about it. I'm currently compiling a wishlist of living books that will hopefully bring all this science stuff to life.

I've printed a lot of worksheets off the Internet and I have a really colorful and fun Encyclopedia of the Human Body which points out all these fun and interesting facts. To be honest, science is still a work in progress. I don't feel like kids learn well from workbooks and textbooks and I want him to know all this stuff we're learning about - not just memorize a truckload of boring facts. I'll let you know when we've had a breakthrough!

MATH

He's actually on his third math book this semester. First, he did Sylvan's fourth grade math. It was pretty easy and not as in-depth as we would have liked. Then, he briefly dallied in a workbook we had on hand (not realizing it was lacking the accompanying textbook) before we realized it wasn't working. Then he did a 3-4 level workbook on multiplication and division. When he finished that, we moved him into this math book, which my mother contends is the best, because of how thorough it is. That's where he is now, and he's cruising along quite well. We will be working through the summer, and once he's finished this book we'll move him up to the fifth grade one.

LANGUAGE ARTS

Phonics, copywork, narration, cursive, and creative writing - these comprise the bulk of his language

arts. He's still doing phonics. It's just what's best for him right now. His reading skills need strengthening and I really want him to understand and know the different phonics rules before moving on. For phonics, he does A Beka's Level B Phonics book. He's nearly finished with it. For copywork, he does Bible verses or poems (currently doing Robert Frost's poems). Same as for cursive.

He dislikes writing so finding sneaky ways to get him to do it is a challenge. I had him writing down answers to writing prompts for a few months there, but he wasn't into it. Needless to say, writing is a work in progress, too. I really want him to find a passion for it (or at least a tolerance) but so far, no dice. I'm thinking of Emma Serl's Intermediate Language Lessons for next year... but we'll see.

Ideas?!

Final Thoughts

So there you have it - homeschooling my brother as a second-generation homeschooler! I truly enjoy it, even in spite of my little humdinger's boyish follies. Watching him grow and learn and comprehend more has been a blessing I think I'll cherish my whole life. After all, how rare is this relationship we have? That of sister and brother is not uncommon, but sister, brother, teacher, and student? I hope and pray that he looks back on these years with as much appreciation as I do now.

It's been fun!