Clements Academy

Clements Academy 2014-2015

We began Clements Academy on August 18, 2014. Days leading up to beginning, Annie-Sarah would wake up and ask, "How many times do I have to wake up until school starts?" The day "school" started Annie-Sarah woke up excited, I cooked her a back-to-school breakfast and surprised her with a new outfit. The night before I thought what a blessing it is that God called us to Homeschooling!!! I absolutely  love being Annie-Sarah's teacher. Our Church cover is Ridgecrest Christian School, the school also offers a co-op which we are very excited about. Our prayer this year that we become closer to God and as a result closer as a family.

The "Spoiled" American Church

        I am currently in graduate school and I am in a class that is tearing down any cultural bias that I might have in order to be able to better counsel people of all cultural backgrounds. This past Sunday I attended a worship service at a local Hispanic church. The worship was very different than I have ever experienced. A one word description of the service would be “beautiful.” Even though I did not understand any of the service I could feel the presents of the Holy Spirit in very real way. I also took Communion with my fellow Christians. Communion was a very moving experience because I could see the brokenness and longing for the presents of God to be with these people. There were five people that were baptized the day before and they received their letter of membership to the church. I will never forget the older women that received her letter and she broke down. She was so grateful to be part of the family of God. As I sat there I realized why it was so important to her, that church is the only place where is not the minority and she is full accepted for who she is, which is a beautiful creation of God. These people truly have to rely on God for strength in a foreign place. I also could see what a hard life this woman has had. She has calloused hands from the many hours of hard work to get where she is. She has fought every day of her life to make sure her family has better.  

         I think this whole experience impacted me emotionally in a big way. I really can not stop talking, thinking, and praying for the amazing people in that church! God was really opened my eyes to this amazing culture that is truly “right in my back yard.” A lot of my preconceived notions of this culture have been completely torn down and I have found a new respect for these HARD working people. Being the minority is very very intimating. While sitting in the pew being surrounded by a language that I did not know was intimating and scary. My mother always taught me to put myself in someone else’s shoes and I truly did that on both occasions, but the worship service had the biggest effect on my. I also figured out through this experience that my church is spoiled compared to what they worship in. There church consists of a metal shell of a building with no electricity, no bathrooms, and no running water. What if the churches we attended only had Porta Potties? God has rocked my world while doing this project and I love it. I have gotten my passion back for ministry that had been put out by the "spoiled" American church. 

         I have learned so much through this experience and I can not thank my profession enough for giving this assignment. I first learned that Hispanics are not here to “steal” our jobs, like us they just want better for their families and they are willing to do what it takes to do it. Second that they serve the same willing and able God that I serve just in a different language. Thirdly, as a society we need to embrace this culture and love on them and minister to them. 

        I want to challenge everyone to reach out to a culture that you have negative preconceived notions towards. I challenge you to step out of your comfort zone, seriously be uncomfortable and you will be amazed what God shows you. I think the biggest problem in the American church is that we do not challenge each other to be uncomfortable!!!!  

Finanical Check-Up for March

Financial Check-Up

 12 Money Saving Goals for 2012

1. Make Laundry Detergent (http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm)

Will be done this week!!! I will let you know how I like it.

2. Make Dishwasher Detergent ( http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/02/2011-do-it-yourself-experiment-2-homemade-dishwashing-detergent.html)

This turned out great!!! It cleans better than the store bought stuff!!!

3. Make Fabric Softener (http://acontentedcommonlife.blogspot.com/2011/08/for-love-of-things-homemade.html)

I am making my second around of this fabric softener this week, I am using a different scent this time. I want to change this up a bit.

4. Make Baby food (http://moneysavingmom.com/2010/05/freezing-homemade-baby-food.html)

I made 80 servings of baby food this month and Katie-Beth loves it!!! Made all the 80 serves for $20. I saved a total of $28 by making it myself.

       As you can see, she likes it!!!

5. Make rice and oatmeal cereal (http://www.homemadeginger.com/2011/02/homemade-whole-grain-baby-cereal.html)

I made this, but I didn’t like the texture. I am going to give it another try

6. Make baby wipes (http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/06/how-to-make-homemade-reusable-baby-wipes.html)

7. Cut grocery bill by $50 biweekly (http://moneysavingmom.com/31-days-to-a-better-budget-series)

I cut our grocery bill by about $200 this month!!!

8. Spend $0 on K3 curriculum(http://moneysavingmom.com/category/series/15-favorite-preschool-kindergarten-resources?orderby=date&order=ASC)
(http://teachbesideme.blogspot.com/2011/03/learning-alphabet.html)

I have started writing the Bible portion of the K3 cirriculum

9. Learn how to coupon, save $20 monthly (http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/08/couponing-an-investment-in-our-family.html)

10. Buy almost all clothes at thrift shops(http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/06/lessons-learned-from-my-first-thrift-store-shopping-experience.html)

I am changing the name of this one to buying everything at thrift stores. I have fallen in love with the concept of buying everything (except shoes and swim wear and things like that) thrift stores. This month I have purchased all clothing at Good Will, salvation Army, Rhea Lana(consignment), or Simon Says(consignment).

11. Only eat out 2x a month or less!
12. Take an inexpensive vacation
If I can accomplish these goals we have the potential of saving about $3500 a year!!!! That is motivation enough!!!!

IT IS FINISHED!!!

Alrighty, I finished the challenge and I have to say that I feel amazing!!! I am never finished anything! This Friday will be 2 weeks since I finished this life changing challenge. Since finishing I have only taken the time to put makeup on 4 days!!! I have to say I like myself better without it!! Man, that is a change! If you remember back to when I first started this whole thing, I would not look people in the eyes when I would speak to them and was just utterly ashamed of what I looked like without makeup, but God has delivered me from that. I know Satan is going to attack me extra hard because I just said that(or typed it, whatever). Any who, I want to thank the women and teen girls that went on this journey with me. Lori, thank you keeping me accountable through this, thank you for sharing you struggles with me, and thanks for letting God rock your world!  Rachel, thank you for being such an encouragement through this, I do not know what I would have done without you! Marshall, thank you for being you, thank you for being beautiful on the inside and outside, you are an encourager, and a pretty stinkin' amazing girl and I know God is going to do pretty amazing things through you. Keep it up! Madison, thank you for being an amazing Godly girl, I learn things from you all the time, God is going to do amazing things through you! Jordan, even through you only did the challenge for a short time, I am very proud of you! I am proud that you did it and God was able to show you things in your life that you need to work on.
     Okay ladies(and guys if you wear makeup), I want to challenge you now!! Do this challenge, it is life changing. I know what some of you are thinking, makeup, really? Yes, makeup! No matter how attached or not attached you are to makeup, God can use this challenge to show you things. Think of it as a fast because in reality it is a fast. You will be amazed! Please leave a comment if you feel the pressing upon your heart to do this challenge, I want to be able to encourage and pray for you and I will even do this challenge again if need be.

Update: 12 money saving goals of 2012

Alright so the first month of money saving is almost up and I think I have done a pretty good job. So here’s how I have done:

12 Money Saving Goals for 2012
1. Make Laundry Detergent (http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm)
2. Make Dishwasher Detergent ( http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/02/2011-do-it-yourself-experiment-2-homemade-dishwashing-detergent.html)
3. Make Fabric Softener (http://acontentedcommonlife.blogspot.com/2011/08/for-love-of-things-homemade.html)

I made this fabric softener yesterday and it turned out great. My clothes smell great!!
4. Make Baby food (http://moneysavingmom.com/2010/05/freezing-homemade-baby-food.html)
5. Make rice and oatmeal cereal (http://www.homemadeginger.com/2011/02/homemade-whole-grain-baby-cereal.html)
6. Make baby wipes (http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/06/how-to-make-homemade-reusable-baby-wipes.html)
7. Cut grocery bill by $50 biweekly (http://moneysavingmom.com/31-days-to-a-better-budget-series)

I have actually cut my grocery bill by $150 this month!!
8. Spend $0 on K3 curriculum(http://moneysavingmom.com/category/series/15-favorite-preschool-kindergarten-resources?orderby=date&order=ASC)
(http://teachbesideme.blogspot.com/2011/03/learning-alphabet.html)

I have started writing the Bible portion of the K3 cirriculum
9. Learn how to coupon, save $20 monthly (http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/08/couponing-an-investment-in-our-family.html)
10. Buy almost all clothes at thrift shops(http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/06/lessons-learned-from-my-first-thrift-store-shopping-experience.html)

I really had to lay down my pride on this one, but once I did God really delivered. I was able to get almost all the girls spring and summer clothes for $80, where as I was spending $600 a season on Annie-Sarah’s clothes alone. I also bought myself a pair of American Eagle jeans, a gap shirt, a Columbia Shirt with the tags still on it, an Old Navy skirt with the tag still on it, a really cute shirt and a sweater dress for $15.50!!! I was so excited!!!

11. Only eat out 2x a month or less!
12. Take an inexpensive vacation
If I can accomplish these goals we have the potential of saving about $3500 a year!!!! That is motivation enough!!!!

February 20-24- No makeup Challenge

No I haven't fallen off the wagon! I am still doing it!!! I have had sick little girls this week and this is the first chance I have gotten to give you an update. I am actually starting to like the way I look and somewhat haven't cared what others have thought. I know surprising. My husband has been such an encouragement through this challenge and he has told me how beautiful I look! I really like the reaction I am getting from my hubby. God is showing me alot through this. God has also given me alot of opportunities to tell Annie-Sarah that we are beautiful the way we are. She is a lip gloss fanatic, I am not joking, if I allowed she would use 6 tubes of lip gloss a day. Okay maybe not 6, but probably at least 1 tube a day! lol She has been dying to put lip gloss on me and I have had the opportunity to explain to her about my fast and she really seems to understand. She is such a smart little girl.I am so thankful that God has called me to do this because He is showing me that I was beautifully made by Him and He is also using me to show my little girls that they were beautifully made by Him as well. I can do this and intend to follow through with this with the strength that only can come from God.

Day 2 and 3

I have decided that on the weekends that I am only going to give you an update Sunday. I want to spend as much time with my family as possible!

Yesterday (Saturday) and today (Sunday) have been pretty hard days. My skin is going through detox right now, my pores are being cleansed and that means my face is breaking out. If I was not already self-conscious enough before, I now feel like a teenager going through purity. I almost feel as if I need to apologize to people for the way I look. I have been really praying about that and God has convicted me saying, “Who are you to say that my creation is not good enough.” I am not boasting by any means, but my God created me just the way He wanted me to look. I am beautiful in his sight. I am learning to love myself the way I am. God is teaching me a lot through this journey and I am scared and I am loving it all at the same time. I serve an amazing God, who loves me and took the time to knit me in my mother’s womb.

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.” Psalm 139:13