Being Joyful

Be joyful always: pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Being joyful is something that I truly struggle with. It's not that I'm not a happy person, but I think that my mind is always focused on " the next thing to do." I am constantly preoccupied
and my expression shows it more than I'd like it to.

The Lord has really been dealing with me lately on this issue. My eleven year old, has recently asked me a few times "Mom what's wrong? Are you happy?" Of course, I tell her yes because there really isn't anything wrong. Her response "Then be joyful-smile!"

I'm not sure if my disposition has been like this, or if it has developed recently. It's hard to see yourself as other see you. I don't want to offend my family or anyone else, especially when there REALLY isn't anything wrong.

I'm working on not being so intense. It is so easy to get caught up in the things that really are not that important. (Like a spotlesss home..) I pray that the Lord will show me how I can change in this area and be ... a joyful mother of children ~Psalm 113:9

Scripture of the day: Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. ~Hebrews 13:16

Seven years ago, I quit working full time. My daughter "graduated" from preschool, and I quit my full time job. My husband and I had felt it would be the best situation. I had been commuting 32 miles to work one way, and experienced all the traffic jams, frazzled evenings, and late nights that went along with it.

That first summer of being home with my daughter all day, every day was interesting. At first, it was exciting and I planned this and that. After a few weeks, I was irritated. I did not know what to do with my child. I did not know how to just be with her and enjoy her. I felt out of place. I remember praying about the fact that I wasn't suppose to feel that way. I was really exasperated and wondered how I was going to make it all summer with her. I was looking forward to her going back to school.

Fast forward seven years, and here I am homeschooling for the fifth year along with chasing an adorable toddler. I am truly enjoying watching my girls change and grow. It is so natural to have them with me all the time. This is how it should be. They are MY children. How did I ever feel that way?

It is so easy to get caught in the mentality of society that says indirectly that our children are a burden. Of course, people don't verbally say it, but the comments about children, and the lifestyles that are lived speak louder than any words.

Homeschooling is a huge sacrifice, but what better way to live than to impart into the lives of your children all day every day.

There are days that are long and frustrating, but they are not the majority. I thank God for His mercy and grace, and for the blessing of being home with my girls.

"But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing." ~2 Thess 3:13

Socialization 

The Socialization Question

so·cial·i·za·tion n. The process of learning interpersonal and interactional skills that are in conformity with the values of one's society.

The homeschooler's favorite question was posed to me today as I sat in the dentist's office waiting for my daughter. I had a brief conversation with a very friendly gentleman who was waiting for his two sons as well.
The conversation went something like this:

"...that's great that you home school, but are you planning to continue through high school?"

"...yes, we believe we can do it with all of the available resources and my daughter will probably complete some classes at a local community college while in high school.."

"....that's great but what about SOCIALIZATION?..."


duhhhhhhhhhhhh!

This is our fifth year of homeschooling and I can't believe that every time someone asks that question, I am momentarily speechless. I went on to say something like this:

"..We're really not that concerned with it......It's not as if we live in some remote area and don't interact with others..."

I really can't remember exactly what I said, but I'm so disappointed in myself for feeling........awkward. Why didn't I just say what I really believe in my heart?--

".....socialization?....socialize with who?.....tons of other kids who are grouped into cliques....socialize in an environment full of profanity and promiscuity......NO THANKS!..that's not what God has called our family to do..."

I am very aware that the things I just mentioned are not a part of every public or private school, but in our area the public schools are pretty bad.

My 7th grade daughter is not by any means lacking in the socialization area, just by the shear nature of her personality. But even if she wasn't as outgoing, would I thrust her into high school to socialize her?

Out of all of the facets of homeschooling, why is socialization the only facet that people question?

I must develop a way to respond to this question in which I can share our family's view without being offensive.

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After the dentist, we went to the pediatrician's office for my toddlers check-up. While there the nurse asked my older daughter about school. She informed her that she is homeschooled. The nurse asked me---"What do you do about physical education?" Now that's a question that I can handle. (LOL)

Martha Stewart No project is simple for you,
everything is very involved; lace, ruffles, and
flowers make it a good thing. Your curriculum
is heavy on fine arts: art
appreciation/recognition, historical
architecture, music, creative writing, and
literary classics. If your students absorb a
little math and science along the way, so much
the better. Visit my blog:
http://www.GuiltFreeHomeschooling.blogspot.com


What Type of Homeschooler Are You?
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Martha Stewart????

"Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established" ~ Proverbs 16:3


This is our fifth year of homeschooling, and we are in the middle of the fourth week. Things are basically going well, but I'm finding that I must "tweak" our schedule. Teaching with a toddler at bay has given us extra excitement this year. :)

Through all of the pre-planning and "tweaking", one thing is for sure: without the Lord guiding me, I would not be able to teach my children. I have already experienced those days when my plans would not work. I have to seek the Lord daily so He can show me how I need to orchestrate our day. It never fails that when I seek Him, the day runs smoothly, and when I don't, frustration and chaos abound.

I am so glad that the Lord is leading my life and taking me along the path of this homeschool journey. Allow Him to lead yours.

One week down.........

Scripture of the day: "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." Galatians 6:9

We have completed our first week of school. This first week has been interesting, because this year we have an active little toddler prancing around our feet. :-)

Time truly flies by...."T" my 11yr old dd is amazing. I really can't believe she is in 7th grade already... And then I look at "GG" my toddler, and it seems like yesterday that T was her age.
I am gaining new perspective on cherishing every moment.

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It has been such a blessing to connect with others moms through blogging who have similar values, are striving for similar goals, and who go through very similar trials. There are many times that I recognize how different I am from many moms around me. (some friends, neighbors,church members) It is comforting to know that I'm not as "weird" as I thought. (tee hee)

Homeschooling is definitely a different lifestyle. Every year during the back to school season, many relatives and acquaintances ask "Are you still going to homeschool?" "Are you going to put T back in school for high school?" "I couldn't do it, my child would never listen to me!" etc. etc. etc. --

They don't understand that this is what God has called my husband and I to do for our family.
Is it easy? No--Do I get tired and want to quit sometimes? YES --But-- I love seeing my daughter get excited about learning something new, I love laughing with my children, I love sharing God's Word and discussing issues with my daughter, I love traveling during the public school season..... I could go on and on.

As we enter our fifth year of homeschooling, I count it as a great blessing. I am encouraged that the Lord will guide me every step of the way if I stay focused on Him.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. ~Matthew 6:33

This is a frequent visitor to our yard. We named him "Blackie" for obvious reasons. We have had many wild rabbits visit our yard, but this one has been visiting for about 4 months. 

Finding Balance

Quote of the day: "Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony." ~ Thomas Merton

I'd like to share some information that I received vie e-mail. I had an opportunity to hear Kathryn Stout speak at a Homeschool Convention 3 yrs ago. She was very encouraging and shared a great deal of wisdom as an educator and homeschool mom. You can read more about her at www.designastudy.com

Here's an excerpt from a recent teaching help e-mail. I found this very helpful by reminding me about the importance of keeping balance in our home school:

Balance also applies to daily schedules. Even meaningful or appealing approaches will leave children discouraged if little time is allotted to building up areas of talent or extreme interest. There's often something a child just "must" do daily in order to feel calm. Some draw or work on a craft, others write. Some need to move-running, bike riding, shooting baskets, others need to build something. My daughter "had to" have time to read books of her own choosing, while my son "needed" to create songs on the piano or violin.

Adults look for jobs where the required skills come fairly easily, not where they must rely on weaknesses day after day. Therefore, kids need to spend time building talents and abilities, working on weak areas to the degree that they won't hinder their future. Therefore, a balanced educational approach will include focus on building our children mentally, physically, and spiritually over all, but with an eye to meeting their need for personal expression. We are each unique, with a God-given purpose. As homeschooling parents we are in a position to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in order to train our children in a way that will prepare them for their destiny in Him. ~ Kathryn Stout

I hope someone finds this information as helpful as I did.

Evaluating For Excellence

Quote for the day: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
~ Aristotle

excellence- 1. The state, quality, or condition of excelling; superiority. 2. Something in which one excels.

As I continue to review curriculum, read books for literature, and create lesson plans, I am constantly looking for a structured way to monitor my daughter's work each year. I usually look over her yearly work and assess standardized test scores, but I did not have a general plan that I used each year to make these assesments.

I read about Evaluating for Excellence by Teresa Moon on a curriculum board, and came across a copy of it at a used curriculum fair. What a gem! It really gives direction for evaluating student progress and setting goals from year to year. It is definately a valuable resource.
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Summer is quickly flying by! I am enjoying the extra time with my family, along with the summer heat.

I had anticipated blogging more during the summer, but it has turned out to be a less. I guess when the usual routine returns in mid August, then I will blog a little more.

Literature Enthusiasm

Quote of the day: "To read is to empower. To empower is to write. To write is to influence. To Influence is to change To change is to live." ~ Jane Evershed ~

My 11yr old daughter is currently reading The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. She and a friend decided to read this book, so that they could meet for discussion.

When she informed me of the book that they had chosen, I was quite surprised. The book is unabridged and all of 1095 pages. When I was eleven, just looking at the size of the book would have scared me away.

Nevertheless, she is engulfed in this book. She approached me after dinner last evening because she wanted to share the excitement of the book with me. As she described the events of the book, I was captivated as she gave the vivid descriptions.

When moments like these take place, I am thrilled that she has embarked on one of my loves--reading. I am also amazed at her willingness to challenge herself and perservere. It are these moments that I'm glad that my husband and I chose to homeschool some 4 yrs ago.

I pray that she continues to challenge herself in this area, and allow books to take her to places she's never been, experience ideas that she never thought of, and give her knowledge to build upon.

The Count of Monte Cristo 

Lazy Days of Summer 

Lazy Days

Scripture of the day: "But the seed on good soil sands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it and by preserving produce a crop." ~ Luke 8:15


Whew! After the hustle and bustle of a school year. Life is back to a normal pace. We completed school May 27, and are in the midst of our two week total break. How relaxing!!!

My little one celebrated her first birthday this weekend. It is absolutely amazing how times seems to just fly by. She is such a joy and blessing to our family. She is approaching a new stage in life---a time of exploring, rapid development, language, and independence--toddlerhood. What an exciting time for our family.

I am looking forward to the lazy days of summer. We have a few "school" things to accomplish over the summer, and a few activities for my preteen. Other than that, I'll continue to plan for the upcoming year, and we can just go with the flow.

Quote of the day: "Just as eating against one's will is injurious to health, so study without a liking for it spoils the memory" ~ Leonardo Da Vinci

Our schedule has been very busy with softball season and our other regular activities, but I can see rest on the horizon. :-) This is the last week of the softball season, and Memorial Day is two weeks away. Memorial Day has been our school cutoff date. After Memorial Day we take off two weeks of "school". Learning is constant in our home, but during this time I do not plan anything or give any type of assignments. My daughter will still pick up a workbook or her math book on her own. After those two weeks I usually schedule some type of work for a couple of times a week during the summer. Typically it is review like math to stay fresh, or if we need to catch up in any areas. We resume our usual school schedule in mid August.

As I mentioned in previous posts, our schedule this past year was overbooked especially with a new baby. We decided to limit outside activities for the upcoming year. Of course since this decision, every class or co-op possibility has been offered. I'm happy to say that I have not been enticed to enroll my daughter. :-) This year has been a learning experience! Babies change things--especially your energy level :-)

My latest read has been Ignite The Fire by Terri Camp.(www.ignitethefire.com) She talks about seeking God's direction for our homeschool and asking Him for direction in the way we should educate each of our children.She also describes the importance of adding activities that will help children be excited about learning and enable them to better retain the material that they learn. This is where I realized that I needed to add more spark to our studies. She gives a lot of good ideas that can be implemented into any teaching style.

One of my goals for my daughter this year is to incorporate more creative ideas and activities into her studies. This part of the planning has been really fun, and I know she will be very excited with some of the ideas and activities. :-)

Mickey Mouse

Quote of the day:"Our heritage and ideals, our code and standards - the things we live by and teach our children - are preserved or diminished by how freely we exchange ideas and feelings." ~ Walt Disney

I haven't blogged in quite a while. I've been on vacation with my family to--Walt Disney World, Florida. :-) We had an awesome time. It was not our first visit to Disney World, but it was still totally awesome. It was exactly what our family needed-an opportunity to spend time together away from the daily "pulls" from the outside, and just focus on one another and have fun.

During our last visit to Disney (3yrs ago) our then 8yr old daughter wanted to go on almost every rollercoaster that existed! I'm not very fond of rollercoasters,but I didn't want to be a party pooper, and decided to ride on all the wild rides with my husband and daughter. What a big mistake! When we returned from that vacation, I had a backache for weeks.

I have gained much wisdom from that experience, and I no longer ride anything that goes faster than the merry go round.--I have nothing to prove.-- I was content hanging out with my 11 month old. On the other hand, my dear hubby still decided to ride with the "wild rollercoaster rider", who not only wants to ride the rollercoasters, but ride them over and over and over....... After the first day at the parks---He was pooped and confessed "I can't hang with her anymore!" (Next time we'll let her take a friend!)

The vacation was great, but it's back to the daily tasks. We have three weeks of "school" left. I am continuing to plan for next school year, and I have purchased a few curriculum items. I've got my list, and I'm checking things off. :-) I finally feel like I'm making progress.

It' s late. I better get some sleep............

"These things I have spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." ~ John 15:11

Decisions, Decisions

Scripture of the day: "Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." ~Hebrews 12:1


I did it!!! I finally made the decision not to indulge and overburden myself or my children in extra activities next year--and I told my ll yr old daughter--who loves her co-op class (that's 40min away). (Don't forget softball, basketball, bible-study, art class, music lessons) .

For some strange reason, over the past few years, I have always felt compelled to have my daughter in quite a few extra curricular activities. At the time we began homeschooling, she was an only child, and we don't have other children in our neighborhood, so I felt she needed others to "socialize" with. I think that was my reasoning. Nevertheless, we always seemed to manage the logistics of things pretty good. Since I had my 2nd daughter almost a year ago, life has changed for us--Momma is exhausted!

My daughter is a social butterfly. She makes friends wherever she goes, and is well liked. So, I must admit-- I was ready for a complete preteen hormonal melt down when I told her the plans for next year.--NO Co-Op! and one weekly evening activity. Gulp! (Why was I feeling this way?)

Initially, her eyes looked like they were going to pop out of her head. I shared with her that the pace we were going at was not inline with our goals. I shared my tentative plans for various subjects and activities and she was fine with it! (Hurray!)

It is amazing how children can change our pace. (Or am I just getting too old for all this stuff) My little sweet cheeks will be walking before you know it, and our household will change once again. It's all good though. This season will pass before I know it. I can't believe my 11 yr old is 11. It seems like just yesterday she was reciting entire Winnie the Pooh books from memory! She still doesn't forget a thing.

Well, after making the schedule changes and sharing them with my daughter, I feel like a load has been lifted. I'm free. I can breath. My planning has been going much smoother just knowing that we will be at home everyday. It will be much easier to plan field trips and occasional extras.

Whew!!

The Book of Life

The Book of Life..

Scripture of the day: "...and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life." ~Revelations 20:12


The Book of Life

Our lives are like Books in God's vast library of time.
They begin with our birth and every event is recorded on a sacred line.

As we grow and mature or work through each crisis one by one,
we can rest quite assured there's a chapter in our Book that is done.

But if we stumble in the middle and aren't sure of the way we should turn,
we can raise our eyes to Heaven and know God is trying to teach what we should learn.

For remember that the Lord has already read our Book from start to end.
He's memorized each line, so He knows where we'll stumble or we'll sin.

When you're stuck in Chapter 12 and feeling torn apart as if it's all in vain,
turn your eyes toward the Heavens and lift your prayers to Him, in Jesus' name.

For He's a loving God who say's we'll never walk through this Book alone.
So stretch out your hand to Him and know He hears your every whimper, cry and moan.

Remember when Joseph prayed from the darkness of his lonesome prison cell, for God to release him from the injustice of his own personal hell?

Surely Joseph thought this time must have been near the ending of his Book.
But if you've forgotten the role he played years later, then take another look.

For Joseph wasn't finished. In fact, his Book had really just began.
And God, in His knowledge of the plot, put Joseph in a position to command.

And don't forget the story of all the suffering and pain of poor old Job,
who said bravely, "When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as purest Gold."

God takes His gold and melts it in the hottest of any other smelting pot,
to make it pure and refined, to be the very best that He has got.

So, open your eyes and your heart and reverently take a long and silent look. And keep in mind that God above knows the beginning, every page, and the end of your book.

Copyright 2001, Ferna Lary Mills

"The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land"~Song of Songs 2:12