Dolls House

On Wednesday night, Albert and I were sitting on the couch talking about trusting God (and our lack of this trust) about his Exam on Thursday morning. While we were talking, we heard a knock on the door. It was our neighbour, dropping off a (free) doll house! We thanked him and asked him where it had come from.  "Oh" he said, "it was in my family's basement and they were going to take it to the local doctors surgery". "I told them 'no, no' I know a good home for the doll house"! WOW

I'm offically speechless. As I posted on my FB "God Provided Again! Not sure why that surprised me!"

Doll House

Kate with the house

It even came with accessories!

The Bedroom

The Lounge

Bathroom and kitchen and ?

Lots of Polly Pockets came with it as well!

Albert's Weekly Update 7/10

It's been another busy week. The temperatures continue to get colder. This morning when I woke up it was 30 degrees. In Fahrenheit. That's -1 in Celsius. It was a little chilly in the office! I will have to organize a heater I think.

One of the challenges I am finding at the moment is balancing all the work. There is lots to do, and there is a real art to knowing what needs to be done when. I am getting better and planning and prioritizing the work, but I haven't got it right yet.

After some good starts in Hebrew and Greek my grades have slipped a little. It's not for lack of working hard, I am just finding things a little tough in the language department at the moment. I am sure it will improve, but it is just a little disheartening putting in the hard work, and not quite getting the results. "Build vocab daily" is the encouragement of Rev van der Hart, my Hebrew teacher, and I am going to be more on top of regular vocab building this week. I am told the best way is to do little chunks often, and I have been guilty of trying to do too much at once.

Greek this week is a review week, with no new vocab, so hopefully I will be able to spend some time consolidating my weak areas.

It is also the season of Mid Terms. I have a 2 hour exam on Thursday for Theological Foundations: Prolegomena. Here is a sampling of some of the questions on my study guide. Feel free to skip these, but I thought that some of you might be interested.

Short Answer:

1. Explain how and why "Dogmatics is a Scientific Discipline.
2. Explain the usefulness of dogmatics as a distinct theological discipline.
3. Define briefly and succinctly : dogma; dogmatics; theology, systematic theology, prolegomena, principium essendi, principium cognoscendi.

Medium Answer:

1. Explain the emergence of "modern theology" and its distinguishing characteristics, including the influence of Christian Wolff and Immanuel Kant and Albrecht Ritschl.
2. What are the various "contexts" for pursuing the task of dogmatic/systematic theology? That is, discuss the role and limitation of Scripture/ the Bible, Tradition/ confessions, and personal faith and experience in doing the work of dogmatics.

Long Answer:

16. Should apologetics be regarded as a fifth theological discipline which provides the foundation for the rest of the theological enterprise? More specifically, what is the role of apologetics for theology according to B.B. Warfield in contrast to the view of Abraham Kuyper?
17. How can theology as a discipline get underway? That is, what is its method/ access according to classic Reformed theology. Using Muller and J. Wollebius, present the classic Reformed conception of the theological enterprise, including archetypal and ectypal theology.

I would appreciate your continued prayers as I continue to work at my studies. They make a difference, and it is appreciated.

I would like to finish off today by saying a special thank you to those who are supporting us financially. Without your help we could not be here. It is a privilege to be here, and your contribution is helping further the work of His kingdom. Your support helps spur me on when things are tough!

Have a blessed week,

Albert

History Lesson in Photos

On one of our last afternoons before seminary started we went the Community Veterans Memorial. Very fascinating (Mama you'll enjoy it!) if you like history! Here is our walk in photos.

Zara posing

Along the walk was a timeline engraved in bricks ranging from about 1800's until now. 

Notice the timeline?

Impressive

Girls took turns posing for all the scultures

I remember that, we went on holiday to Berlin not long after that. 

Michaela, I wonder how old she is?

Who doesn't remember this vividly?

Grace, I wonder how old she is?

Kate with her year

Zara and her year

Girls posing in front of the fountain

Can you recognise the flags?

PS Albert drives past this everyday to seminary. 

God's Providence

Does it need a caption? other than it's real bread?

God provides for us in all sorts of unexpected ways! I'll share some with you:

• At church after a evening service, they had a fellowship 'root beer floats' (which is like coke with vanilla icecream!) and asked us to take the leftover icecream home! (a tub with about 3-4 litres!)
  
• An anonymous person dropped a whole lot of frozen beef sirloin steak and venison mince off at seminary and the students were told to take one of each home! So we had sirloin steak for dinner one night, what a treat!
• The neighbour dropped me off about 2 dozen corn on the cobs.
• At a street party which we went too, there was a sign up sheet to received surplus foodbank items. I signed up and last week a box of bread turned up at my doorstep, it was expired but made good toasties and nice toast! 
• Last week, while backing out of our driveway very early in the morning on my way to swimming, I drove over the pop-up lawn sprinkler. OOPS. Albert asked the neighbour where he could buy another one from. The neighbour said leave it with me. One of the neighbour's friends came and replace it for free (ie he paid for it) and it turned out that he attends the same church as we do!
• I went to the optometrist last week to get a new prescription for my contact lenses as you can't buy them here without one. As I was about to pay for my examination, the receptionist told that because my husband is a seminary student the exam is free!
• On Sunday, Albert met a dentist, who told us that if we ever need a dentist for us or the kids, he will see us for free!
• We've been given so much I'll share a few: some snow pants, girls clothes, girls bikes, school desk (for each girl), toys, goggles etc
• I've also been able to providentially 'find' things I've needed very cheap/marked down, like the ring binders I needed for Albert as well as the girls for $1.48 each, some sandals I've needed for girls, a GOOD spatula etc. Secondhand again on a cheap/marked down sale, coffee mugs, life-jacket for Zara, 10c jeans/shorts for some of the girls, breadmaker, alarm clock for the girls (which is very cool because it projects the time onto the ceiling!)
  

Albert's Weekly Update 28/9/2012

It's slowly starting to get cooler here. The leaves are starting to go yellow. Just about everywhere that you look you can see squirrels with nuts in their mouths. We have one that we seems to live up one of the trees on our property. Hanneke and I have called him Fatso, but the girls want to call him Nutty.

It has been a good productive week at Seminary. I have been able to make some progress on the Books and articles that I need to read for my various subjects. I have also been able to make some progress thinking about some of the papers that need to be written this Semester. There is always something that needs to be done!

I have had both a Greek and Hebrew test this week. The Languages continue to be a challenge, but I am relishing that challenge. I also received back my Greek Intensive Exam this week. I passed reasonably well, so I am very thankful for that!

This week I have been reading the following:

Always Ready, by Greg Bahnsen - a text on Apologetics - finally finished!

Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof

Reformed Dogmatics by Herman Bavinck

Between Two Worlds by John Stott (A chapter on Sincerity and Earnestness in Preaching)

Redemptive History and the New Testament Scriptures by Herman Ridderbos (Very interesting with regard to the Canon of Scripture)

Some other Canon Material

I have also been doing some work flow planning. We went out to dinner to one of the senior students houses last Friday, and he gave me some good advice with regard to getting everything done. The recurring theme around here is that you can't do it all! The key is to know what needs my critical attention, and what is there as a background to the things that we are learning in class.

One of the things that I have noted across a couple of classes is that I am weak in the area of Philosophy. So I have downloaded an audio course from RTS on the History of Philosophy. It's interesting stuff! I have been listening to it when I am cleaning at Seminary, and also when I go out running.

The work-life balance is improving. Hanneke and the Girls have been understanding, but I have been working hard on getting all my priorities right.

I have started to do some more exercise, in the interest of keeping healthy (and sane!). I have run back from Seminary twice this week. It's a great way to recharge, and get rid of some physical energy. I am not used to all the sitting around that I am doing. I wouldn't want to get fat!

Prayer Requests:

Thanks for: A good week of Study and feeling more on top of my workload.

Requests: That I may continue to work diligently, and use the time given to me wisely. For Hanneke and the Girls as they continue homeschooling.

Have a great weekend and a Blessed Lord's Day!

Blessings,

Albert

Girls Hut

Girls Hut - It's even got a cleaning area, eating area and play area!

Front door, notice the bucket of water to clean your feet
and the brush to keep the hut clean. 

Zara showing me her trick

Grace with her trick

Kate with her trick
(Michaela's trick didn't turn out well on the photo.)

Having morning tea with serviettes,
paperplates and disposable american cups*

Yummy!

Girls in their second story hut!

*I didn't realise how much America is a throw away society! I don't think I have eating out on real plates and drank from real cups. We got given the 'throw-away' plates etc. The girls even went as far as writing their names on the plates and cups (which they do here as well). I have bought disposable cups for when we have a large crowd of people around as I haven't simply got enough glasses and it's not worth buying for the few years we are here.

Box day and our first 'school' day!

Here are some photo's of our curriculum arriving and unpacking, plus some firsts :). I haven't got much time this week with all this homeschooling and ironing so just a couple of photo blogs!

Three boxes of Sonlight
(We had been looking out for the Fedex Truck)

It's like Christmas!

Albert is checking the books against the invoice, no small feat!

Books keep coming out of the box

That's it! An entire year of school for all four girls even
down to the pegs needed for the science experiments! 

While I sorted out the books Kate made a
'Clifford and friends' train with the wrapping paper. 

The Instructors Guide - Oh How I love Thee!

Making Castles out of the boxes
 (they come pre-printed on the inside of the box!)

I suppose this is Zara's first day of school!
(Miss you Maree L!)

Michaela doing her Maths (Teaching Textbooks on  CD)

Reading one of the many books

Reading aloud with Dad!

M & G's Core D on the top shelf
Kate's Core A on the bottom shelf

Answer keys and Instructors Guides (blue folders)

All the homeschool stuff together
 plus Albert's books on the top shelf!