Sharing from My Excess

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=220 BGCOLOR="#FFFBF0" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Crooked Pines Ministries"><U><IMG SRC="040bf930.gif" border=0 width="191" height="147" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id55.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Glance at Reading Readiness"><U>A Glance at Reading Readiness</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id65.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Look at Peppermint and Slippery Elm Ba"><U>A Look at Peppermint and Slippery Elm Bark</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id105.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Pleasing Palette"><U>A Pleasing Palette</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id62.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Treasure So Fine!"><U>A Treasure So Fine!</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id56.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Amazing Grace or Flaming Rebellion"><U>Amazing Grace or Flaming Rebellion</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Aunt Bettys BBQ Sauce"><U>Aunt Betty's BBQ Sauce</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id146.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Back to School"><U>Back to School</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Beginnings of Habit"><U>The Beginnings of Habit</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id68.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Being Poured Out"><U>Being Poured Out</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Broccoli Chicken Casserole"><U>Broccoli - Chicken Casserole</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id57.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Building Habits on the Dry Bones of Educ"><U>Building Habits on the Dry Bones of Education</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id144.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Choosing Curriculum for the new year"><U>Choosing Curriculum for the new year</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id69.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Comforter: the Fabric of Our Lives"><U>The Comforter: the Fabric of Our Lives</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id71.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dwelling in Safety"><U>Dwelling in Safety</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id127.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fall: The Season of Change"><U>Fall: The Season of Change</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id77.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fighting Burnout with Scriptural Promise"><U>Fighting Burnout with Scriptural Promises</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id63.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="For the Love of Ginger"><U>For the Love of Ginger</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="From Claddagh, Ireland to Florence, AL "><U>From Claddagh, Ireland to Florence, AL - A Covenant Journey Part 1</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id46.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="From Claddagh, Ireland to Florence, AL "><U>From Claddagh, Ireland to Florence, AL - A Pure Vessel Part 2</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id75.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Get Ye unto Your Tents... and REST!"><U>Get Ye unto Your Tents... and REST!</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id58.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Habit of Dawdling, The Cure"><U>The Habit of Dawdling, The Cure</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id78.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Happy is the Mom Who Puts Her Trust in t"><U>Happy is the Mom Who Puts Her Trust in the Lord</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id72.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Have You Been Working Out?"><U>Have You Been Working Out?</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id79.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="His Love"><U>His Love</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id118.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Home Educators and their Books"><U>Home Educators and their Books</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id83.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Homeschooling... A New Adventure"><U>Homeschooling... A New Adventure</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id81.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Homeschooling in the Shoals"><U>Homeschooling in the Shoals</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id80.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Homeschooling in the Springtime"><U>Homeschooling in the Springtime</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id82.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Homeschooling in the Swamp"><U>Homeschooling in the Swamp</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id133.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How the Created Thing "><U>How the Created Thing </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id64.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How to Prepare a Tincture"><U>How to Prepare a Tincture</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id59.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="In the Final Analysis"><U>In the Final Analysis</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id73.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Joy of the Lord and His Plan"><U>The Joy of the Lord and His Plan</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id97.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Just Enough Stress"><U>Just Enough Stress</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id110.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Loneliness in the Homeschool"><U>Loneliness in the Homeschool</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id131.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Message"><U>The Message</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nature Studies Indoors"><U>Nature Studies Indoors</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id76.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nursing ParkerDaniil"><U>Nursing Parker-Daniil</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id126.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Teacher"><U>Our Teacher</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id114.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Relationships in the Homeschool"><U>Relationships in the Homeschool</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id66.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="S is for Skullcap and Sleep"><U>"S" is for Skullcap and Sleep</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id60.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Satans Great Deception"><U>Satan's Great Deception</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Science through a Nature Club"><U>Science through a Nature Club</U></A></div> <div> <B>Sharing from My Excess</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id74.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sir, We desire to see Jesus!"><U>"Sir, We desire to see Jesus!"</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Storms of Change"><U>The Storms of Change</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id70.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Strength to Face the Day"><U>Strength to Face the Day</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id47.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Two Moms, One Jesus"><U>Two Moms, One Jesus</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Waiting excerpted from Parables from Nat"><U>"Waiting" excerpted from "Parables from Nature by Mrs. Gatty</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id61.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Water and the Blood"><U>The Water and the Blood</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id106.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Why Are You Homeschooling"><U>Why Are You Homeschooling</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id84.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Winter... Dormant? Not Hardly!"><U>Winter... Dormant? Not Hardly!</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id67.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Your Liver loves Burdock!"><U>Your Liver loves Burdock!</U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="60372723.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>  Crooked Pines Ministries</B></FONT>     |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Crooked Pines Ministries"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> back to  <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Articles by Mary E. Woodis"><U><B>Articles by Mary E. Woodis</B></U></A></div> <div> Sharing from My Excess</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="http://www.hisimage.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.hisimage.org"><U><IMG SRC="05193950.jpg" border=0 width="147" height="149" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> Sharing from My Excess</div> <div> By: Mary E. Woodis</div> <bR> <div> While reading our devotion today from "With God on the Hiking Trail" by Nathan Chapman and Philippians 4, I came across this statement, "Although I delight in being able to log the miles by being light, I also like to see the smiles of folks when I share my excess. Either way, I can be content." Oh dear friends, this is why I study and read and write. I delight in settling down, at least once a month, and writing to you. I write from my excess and I write from my want. Sometimes I supply your need and sometimes, just through the simple act of writing down my need, you supply mine. My times of sharing with you from my excess are pure joy. I get so filled and excited by what I have learned that I must fly to the keyboard and log my thoughts. My excess pours from my fingers and I know that someone out there is in want of what God is pouring from me. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Inspiration from Scripture</div> <div> What do I read that inspires me so? Books, magazines, devotionals and pure Scripture. In Scripture, I follow the trails laid out for me by our precious Holy Spirit. A simple word will catch my interest and pure curiosity will lead me on a chase. I use my Strong's Exhaustive Concordance to find the definition and other verses that contain this word. </div> <div> Sometimes the chase entails a theme. For instance in </div> <bR> <div> <B>Philippians 4:18</B>, I read the phrase, "an <I>odour</I> of a sweet smell, a<I> sacrifice acceptable</I>, well pleasing to God."</div> <bR> <div> This put me in mind of </div> <bR> <div> <B>Romans 12:1</B>, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living <I>sacrifice</I>, holy, <I>acceptable</I> unto God, which is your reasonable service."</div> <bR> <div> I followed the word <I>odour</I> and discovered this verse:</div> <bR> <div> <B>John 12:3</B>, "Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the <I>odour</I> of the ointment."</div> <bR> <div> In this verse also, I find an acceptable sacrifice that was well pleasing to God. This theme sets my mind to churning. What am I doing that is an acceptable sacrifice for my Dear Lord. Is my life offering up a sweet smelling aroma? What do I need to change to sweeten the fragrance of my life?</div> <div> With this Scriptural theme running through my mind, my mind is being renewed. I am following the Scriptural mandates of </div> <bR> <div> <B>Romans 12:2, </B>"And be not conformed to this world: but <I>be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind</I>, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."</div> <bR> <div> There is also </div> <bR> <div> <B>Philippians 4:8,</B> "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, <I>think on these things</I>."</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Inspiration from Books</div> <div> I follow the same process when I find a nugget of truth from an edify work on homeschooling. Check this out:</div> <div> "Curriculum is not just something we do each day, but the vehicle that takes our children to their destination." <I>Easy Homeschooling Companion by: Lorraine Curry</I></div> <bR> <div> "We, believing that the normal child has powers of mind which fit him to deal with all knowledge proper to him, give him a full and generous curriculum, taking care only that all knowledge offered to him is vital, that is, that facts are not presented without their informing ideas." <I>A Philosophy of Education by: Charlotte M. Mason Volume 6</I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Making Adjustments</div> <div> With these ideas churning around in my mind I look over my children's curriculum and decide what is living and vital and will fit them for their purpose in life and what is superfluous and unnecessary. This must be done from time to time because we all tend to compare our curriculum to others and adjust it so that we can <I>keep up with the Joneses.</I> </div> <bR> <div> Scripture speaks to this dangerous pastime in </div> <bR> <div> <B>Galations 5:13,</B> "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." </div> <bR> <div> By seeking out only the best curriculum for our children we are following this Scriptural principle. We sacrifice our time as we complete this labor of love. There is so much curriculum out there now offered by companies only seeking to make a profit. Homeschooling has become big business and so we much be that much more careful about what we offer to our children. </div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Why I Share</div> <div> Oh dear ones, can you see why I get so excited and simply must write it all down and share it with you. This is great stuff, this is life-changing truth, this is why I write. I could go on and on and follow may more trails, but I think you understand where I am going. And so, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to share these things with you. I look forward to the times in this New Year when we will have a moment in time to share from our hearts and edify and encourage one another. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> May God bless you abundantly so that you too will have excess!</div> <div> From a loving heart,</div> <div> Mary E. Woodis</div> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Crooked Pines Ministries"><U>Crooked Pines Publishing.com</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>This article is copyrighted by Mary E. Woodis. If you would like to print this article in whole or part in your publication please </B></I><I><B>contact us</B></I><I><B>, Jessie and Mary Woodis at</B></I><A HREF="mailto:jessiew@hiwaay.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:jessiew@hiwaay.net"><U><I><B> jessiew@hiwaay.net</B></I></U></A><I><B> for permission and more details.</B></I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>This page last updated January 2005</B></I></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>