Just how big was Noah's ark?

This week we are going backwards from ancient Egypt (what we have studied for the last 3 weeks) to study the creation through Noah's ark.  Our first project of the week was to measure just how big Noah's ark really was.

Genesis 6:15 tells us God's instructions to Noah: the ark was to be 300 cubits in length, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high (with three decks).

Here's everyone with their cubits!

Historians have determined that a cubit is approximately 18 inches, so that makes the ark 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet tall.  That sounds big, but it is a bit hard for the kids to wrap their heads around just how big it really is, so we measured it out.

We went to the field by our church and took our cubits and measure (and measured, and measured some more).

The distance between the kids in the picture above is the width of the ark.....50 cubits or 75 feet.

So this was 300 cubits or 750 feet, the length of the ark.  Hannah is standing at one end, and way, way down at the other end, you can barely make out a speck (otherwise known as Dakota) near the doors to the church.  300 cubits is the length of 1 1/2 football fields.  It was a long way between kids...even I was surprised how big it was.

We also determined (by best guess) that the ark was also about as tall as the point at the top of the church in the above picture.  This was a great visual for the kids, as well as a fun project to do on a beautiful Labor Day holiday!

My plan v God's plan

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.  Proverbs 16:3 

So this last few weeks is not what I had envisioned.  Back last November, when we first started discussing homeschooling, this isn't how it was supposed to go.  I had a grand vision of starting school with a completely put together classroom, everything planned, all copies made, and things organized to the "T".   We were going to start with fun activities, a great breakfast out to celebrate not going back to school the day when all their friends went back to public school.  Nathaniel was going to have an amazing first day of Kindergarten at home, and we were all going to have a great first day of Super Friday, the homeschooling enrichment classes the kids are attending on Fridays.  I committed all my plans to the Lord.

But that's not how it played out.

In June, we made a trip to the hospital with Nathaniel.  We were there several days and found out that he needed surgery on his kidney.  And guess when the surgery was scheduled...the week that I had planned to start school.  So I changed the plan to start a week earlier and give the older kids two weeks to finish up the first week's work. Of course, in between the time we were in the hospital the first time and August when the surgery was scheduled, Nathaniel broke his arm and had to have surgery on it as well.  Another 5 days in the hospital and 3 long weeks of treatment/recovery.  The week after his pins were removed, we started school, and it really was a great week.  Not what I had planned, but a great week nonetheless.

The next week was the surgery on his kidney.  We spent about 5 days in the hospital after the surgery, and things were awesome.  He was doing well, and we were released to go home.  The other kids hadn't gotten the few things from Week 1 complete, but James and I got them caught up and we were ready to start Week 2.

But Monday happened.  We had to make a trip back to the ER.

Nathaniel started having complications from surgery, and now we are at the end of the week and still in the hospital.  Not the plan at all.

But you know what...it's OK.  And just because things didn't go according to MY plan doesn't mean things aren't a success.  And that's something that I really needed God to teach me from the very beginning.   Homeschooling WILL be a success because it was a desire and plan from Him for my family, but God may (and probably does) have a little different way of getting us there than I had planned.

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9


and besides....seriously, it's only the second week, and I really need to just get over it.  This is really so minor in the whole scheme of things.  We've got many more weeks, months, and years to go :)  God already sees the end, and it is good!

One week down...a lot more to go

Today completed our first week of homeschooling, and I am so pleased with the way everything went. Was it perfect? No...we still have some kinks to work out and a couple of other subjects to include (those will start in a few weeks after we are done with Nathaniel's surgery/hospital stay next week). But, overall it was a great week in my humble opinion. :)

And can I just say, I am SO proud of my kids. They all surprised me, however I guess I shouldn't really be surprised. They are great kids! We had a few tears, but not many. This is so different for all of them, and they are really just getting in there and doing everything I am asking of them.

I also love that we've been able to start routine morning quiet times, something I wish I had made a habit when I was a kid. I really think it helps get the day going smoothly for everyone and it is so exciting to see them start the day in God's Word!

Here's a few pictures from this week....I want to take more of them doing "fun" things but I just couldn't get over how diligent they were this week!