S-I-N-G

The Five Minute Friday word prompt of the day is the word sing.  

When I mentioned it to my hubby he immediately popped up with  S-I-N-G, the self-defense song... and once he said it... I couldn't get it out of my mind.  So with that I bring you the Self-Defense Song

Solar plexus

Instep 

Nose and

Groin 

So remember... ALL women should be able to defend themselves eh? 

While remembering that our ultimate defense is in the Lord's hands.

S-I-N-G IT OUT!!!

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate.  What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.
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The Holy District

Today we are reading from Ezekiel 45:1-6.    Last time we met I was reminded to think on the sacrifices people make to support the ministries of the church including the pastor's family.

 “When you allot the land as an inheritance, you shall set apart for the Lord a portion of the land as a holy district, 25,000 cubits long and 20,000 cubits broad. It shall be holy throughout its whole extent. ² Of this a square plot of 500 by 500 cubits shall be for the sanctuary, with fifty cubits for an open space around it. ³ And from this measured district you shall measure off a section 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 broad, in which shall be the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. ⁴ It shall be the holy portion of the land. It shall be for the priests, who minister in the sanctuary and approach the Lord to minister to him, and it shall be a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary. ⁵ Another section, 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits broad, shall be for the Levites who minister at the temple, as their possession for cities to live in.
⁶ “Alongside the portion set apart as the holy district you shall assign for the property of the city an area 5,000 cubits broad and 25,000 cubits long. It shall belong to the whole house of Israel.

This passage is all about apportioning off a part of the land for the temple, the most holy, a place for the priests to live, what God calls the Holy District.   A part of the land set aside for him and his use

What catches my eye is in the first verse.  "When you allot the land as an inheritance, you shall set apart for the Lord a portion of the land as a holy district, 25,000 cubits long and 20,000 cubits broad. It shall be holy throughout its whole extent." When I looked to the commentaries to explain they talked about how God was the inheritance of the people and how it was a duty for them to set aside this land for him.  

When I first read this passage though and saw the word inheritance I thought about how special it was.   They had all this land given to them, it was their inheritance.   Something they receive as... well I think of what an inheritance is... a gifting to you from someone who died.  Or you can think of your future inheritance...which again is something you get when someone dies.

This land they are given is their inheritance.

And part of that, God is saying, needs to be set aside for him and his use of it.  A holy section...which will be a good call (I should imagine) for people to remember where all their land comes from.  It is an inheritance promised by God.   He demands part of it be set aside for him.  For his temple, his priests, his city that is for ALL the people.

I dunno... I just think it's rather important you know.  To remember that our inheritance is from te Lord and he calls us to remember that in designating part of it for his use.  Kinda like what we do when we tithe.

We're saying here Lord, this is for you.  This part reminds us of all that you have given and done for us, this part is for use by you and the church, this part is holy.

Makes me think to myself... do I see my tithe as a holy portion fit for the Lord to use?   I often think of it only as a duty and not as the reminder that it is.

How about you?

 You can read more in my Ezekiel Studies here and here.

This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Five Things We Enjoy: No One Makes Me Get Out of Bed Before I Want To (respect)

 Welcome, welcome to day four of  things we enjoy.   The Homeschool Review Crew is having fun this week sharing knowledge, joys, sorrows and encouragement.

Day one: The Joys of Working at our Own Pace.
Day two: Miss Natalie and her support  
Day Three: Studying what interests you

Today my boy wants me to tell you about how much he enjoys that NO ONE makes him get out of bed before he wants to.  :)

Mind you.... we normally don't have to as he's up and busy often before I'm even functional.  :)

Allow me to tell you where this stems from:  When I was young my parents would wake me up simply by staring at me.  I have a huge startle reflex and they used that to good advantage.  I would wake up startled and frightened...not that they were INTENDING to scare me...but shaking me awake would be a good way to get inadvertently whacked.  So staring from a distance worked really well.   I am unfortunately still like this...  really... don't wake me....just don't do it.

Anyways, since I have bad memories of being woken up, I don't wake people up unless I HAVE to.   When the lad was younger occasionally I'd need to get him up, but not often and never without having a good reason. Now that he's older I just say "I need you up at ____ time, and yes, if you aren't up, I'll give you a call or send the cat in to greet you." Admittedly...there is the odd time when the lad stays in bed late on purpose just so I will send the cat in to get him up.  :)  (You can always tell because you'll hear moans from his room, "Oh, I'm so tired, I wonder if mom will send Milo in".  :)

My son LOVES this.  He loves being able to have a lazy morning if he wants to (it rarely happens but...when it does...we are usually ALL being lazy).  If he's tired he's up around 830, but normally 730 and he's off schooling, doing chores, catching a quick game of Clash Royale or more likely watching science videos.

In fact, I am positive that my son learned this fact from some science video. For when the lad and I talked about why this was important enough to put into his five favourite things, he said:  "It is better for people to wake up on their own, to ease into wakefulness, than to be startled awake.  Some people have problems with their heart and breathing if they are woken up.  It shortens your life to be woken up all the time."   

He then added "thanks for not shortening my life mom."
  Being the mom that I am, with a logical child, I use this respect of his need to rest as a training tool.  When he does get up early (and like me once he's up, he up chatting, I can say: "SHUSH be quiet.  When you talk first thing in the morning, you wake everyone up, so SHUSH, I don't wake you up, so you don't wake me up."  It makes sense to this logically minded lad.  It's a way to teach mutual respect.

Respect for each other.
I listen to you, you listen to me. 
You ask for help instead of getting angry, I ask for help instead of getting angry.
You tell me your goals for the day, I tell you my goals for the day and together we work to see those goals met.   
Respecting each others needs and wants, it's one of those important things in our home.   Mutual respect...It helps us to give way when it has to be done eh?

When we know that the mutual respect is there, the communication comes easier, you know?   What is one way you use to teach respect for each other?

It starts, in our house, with respecting a child's need to wake up when he wants to.  (and I end up not shortening his life). :)

This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/