3 WEEKS INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR

We have been schooling for 3 weeks and everything is going very well.  Actually, I think it's going better than any other year.  What's the difference?  Well, I have made it a point in starting school no later than 8:30 every morning.  I also am teaching English to Michael and Madison together.  We also start our day off in prayer.  It's sad, but I don't think I have done this before.  We would say our blessing in years past and pray at night, but never pray about our day in the morning.  The kids are helping a little more with keeping the house clean too.

It does seem that Melanie still has a lot of free time on her hands while I'm teaching the other two.  Yesterday we went to the Dollar Tree and I found some great little prepackaged crafts.  I am going to see how that works for next week.  I know how to come up with our own crafts, but a craft that's already prepackaged is GREAT!

I have even been able to work about 10 hours per week!  I pray this schedule will continue going so smooth!

YES YOU CAN

Have you ever wanted to learn how to do something but put off learning how?  That's exactly what I did with learning how to crochet.  I remember when I was probably around 9 years old and the ladies at our church would meet and crochet.  At that time, mama learned and all I did was learn how to crochet one loooong chain.  The main reason I never learned how to do anything more was because I am left handed.  Do you know how hard it is for a person who is left handed to learn something from a person who is right handed?  Well, it's very hard for me to understand how to do something looking at someone who is doing it the opposite way!  I gave up years ago and didn't pick it back up until  few years ago.  Unfortunately, I do not remember the next learning experience so I am going by what mama told me.  It was during the time I was pregnant (don't know which child but it was possibly Madison) and I wanted to learn to make a blanket.  I gave that up too.  I think mama said she has the piece somewhere that I worked on but I'm not sure.  I must have had a terrible experience with it because I believe I have blocked the whole episode from my confused brain.  I'm sure you have NEVER done anything like that before, right?  Something so ridiculous that you want to forget it and not think about it again in you whole entire life?  That blanket must have been something else!  Anyway, life has been a whirlwind since those days but now I feel it's time to focus again on something I want to do.  A few months ago I really felt the need to do something for someone else.  I wanted to start some kind of ministry that I could do.  I remembered hearing about prayer shawls.  Basically, you crochet a shawl and pray for the person that you will be giving it to while you are making it.  I decided that I would like to try something like that.  I bought a beginner book, needle, and yarn (again).  I did learn a few things from the book but I was still struggling with how to do other stitches.  Mama helped me a bit and also a lady from our church.  I still wasn't satisfied with what I was doing.  It was really hard for me to understand.  I did make a couple of dishcloths and even a couple of hats.  What really helped me "get it" was videos from you tube!  I was able to find many videos that showed exactly how to crochet so many kinds of stitches and things.  The videos were in slow motion also.                                                                                                                      

I finally was able to make a prayer shawl for a lady at church.  I was sooooo happy.  The above picture is the blanket I finally finished  for myself.  I worked on it earlier in the year and then I stopped when it got so hot.  I decided the other week that I wanted to finish the blanket.  It's not perfect and I have still have alot to learn, but I did it!  If you are wanting to learn something new, keep trying and I know there has got to be a way for you to do what you want!  I am sure that you could bless others with what you learn to do also.  What a blessing it is to serve one another!

I know it took me years to be able to learn how to crochet, but I would have learned sooner if I hadn't gave up in the first place.  The girls are learning how to crochet now, but what's funny is that mama is having to show Madison because she is right handed.  I don't have a problem with teaching Melanie because she is left handed just like me.  What a joy to be able to pass along something that seems to be a dying art.   

My Silly Son

We tease the kids at church about how silly they are.  You know the ones, they are the tweens and the teens.  They act all crazy and worry so much about their cell phones,etc.  Michael keeps saying he's NOT going to be that way.  Well, guess what?  He is EXACTLY that way.  He is so silly and can be such a crazy cut up.  He can say the goofiest things sometimes. 

So, we have eased into the preteen years and it hasn't been all that bad.  The only time it gets frustrating is when he decides he is right no matter what!  This happens quite often and he will even argue with facts from a textbook.  I have never been this way, so I can't understand his way of thinking.  He will argue you down if he thinks he is right.  I have to explain to him often that he really needs to know his facts before he starts saying someone or something is wrong.  It doesn't really seem to bother him when he finds out that he is wrong about something.  I've noticed about the only time he will get upset is if he's wrong and Madison is right!

What has helped me understand this phase of life is a book by Dennis and Barbara Rainey.  The name of it is:  Parenting Today's Adolescent.  It is very helpful and I'm sure I will be reading over and over again in the next few years.  If you are needing some heads up about the tween years, you may want to check it out!

First Week!

We did it!  We made it through our first week of "schooling"!  It's been a great week.  Not only did we learn about the first explorers of America, but we still had summer fun and I was able to work 12 hours.

What has really helped us this week is getting up no later than 7:30 and we have been schooling usually by 8:00.  Another biggie is that we are all beginning our day with prayer.  I have a devotion before the kids get up and then we all pray together at the table.  I admit that this isn't something I have made a habit of doing.  We always pray with the kids at night, but I tend to get busy in the mornings and neglect to start the day off with the Lord.  No matter how busy you are, how much you think you are lacking in your home school, or life, PLEASE do not leave Christ out of the beginning of your day.  It really does make a difference.  I also like to listen to praise and worship music to get me going in the mornings. 

Next week I am adding English and Spelling into the mix of things so it will be a little more hectic, but I know we will be ok!

Have you ever had a trial and it seemed to last forever?  I just went through something for the past few weeks and didn't realize how bad I was until my trial ended.  It wasn't a trial that I could really put my finger on.  My trial was a mental thing and I believe it started when our dog kennel was stolen from our yard.  At times I was happy and everything seemed alright, but other times I was just going through the motions of living.  I didn't like where I was, but I wasn't able to overcome my situation either.  What was I struggling with?  I had thoughts that I wasn't a good wife, mom, teacher, women's leader, and song leader.  I also would get upset real easily.  I got tired of doing things and being so busy.  At other times I just didn't want to do anything, but when I wasn't doing anything I wasn't happy with that either.  Crazy, huh?  A lady at church said she could feel a dark cloud beginning to come over me (could it have been oppression?).  I didn't like that thought but I couldn't get away from it either.  I do feel like that cloud was heavier at times than other times and maybe some days I didn't have it at all.  It continued to be near and would come visit me often.  So how was I delivered? 

I set my sights on a need from a sister in the Lord.  I became burdened for this sweet girl because she was going through something herself.  I began to pray for her and as I was giving her words of encouragement from the Lord I began to feel a peace that I haven't felt in awhile.  My cloud was lifted last Saturday as the Lord was ministering through me to someone in need.  I was obeying my heavenly Father.  I felt the Lord's strength so strong that I was able to give words from the Lord to several other people last weekend.  I feel that I am not a very opinionated person.  I do not offer my thoughts to people unless they ask for my opinion, however I felt so strong last week that God was wanting me to talk to certain dear friends that are going through things of their own.  I'm not telling this for any other reason but to let you know that God delivers in amazing ways.  I shouldn't be surprised, but I am.  When we take our focus off ourselves and begin to carry a burden for others, that's when we are blessed.  I love the saying, "it's not about me."  It really isn't about us at all.  Life is about God and what he wants to do through us.  It's so easy to start thinking about ourselves, especially when we are going through a trial of our own. 

Jeremiah 29:11-13 11For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Is there a special person in your life today that needs your help in seeking the Lord on their behalf?  If so, I urge you to go to them and give them encouraging words from the Lord.  If you step out in faith, the Lord will guide your tongue and give you the words that the person you encounter needs to hear.  Not only will that certain person be uplifted, but you will receive a blessing that you weren't even expecting!

On Your Mark

Get set, GO!  Another school year under way already?  Where did the summer go?  The summer began with celebrating Phillip's 40th birthday by having an awesome surprise party for him.  Then our summer was busy with the pool, waterpark, VBS, Charleston, Six Flags, museums, kayaking, nights spent with grandparents, friends spending nights with us, church camp, scout camp, 4th of July celebrations, family reunion, and much more!

What a blessing to be able to do so many things with friends and family, but alas, all good things must resume to some kind of normalcy around here.  I miss my schedule, teaching the kids, projects, etc.  What's in store for our 7th year of schooling?

We will be using My Father's World unit study once again.  I know that the Lord has ordained this himself and I have no questions of using it.  We are in the 4th year of the cycle and therefore will be learning about Exploration to 1850.  I remember the first time I heard about MFW.  I was at a mom's night out and we all were suppose to share what we were using.  I heard about lots of good curriculum that night, but MFW stood out from all the rest.  I like it because it's Bible based.  The Hazel's focus on the Lord being at the head of homeschooling and it shows in the curriculum.  I am also assured that when I purchase my curriculum from them that part of the funds go to Bible translation.  Another great feature is that the planning has been done for me.  I just need to read what I need to do and make sure I have the materials.  Unit studies are great to use for moms with many children because most ages can benefit from the same lesson.

We don't do English and Math that MFW recommends.  For English we use Rod and Staff and for Math we use Horizons.  This will be the last year Michael uses Horizons because it only goes up to 6th grade.  I'm considering Teaching Textbooks for next year. 

What else will we be doing?  Well, of course we have co-op classes, Michael has drum lessons and scouts.  Madison will continue guitar lessons.  The girls are interested in Girlscouts and as far as anything else we need to be in prayer about it.  There are so many things for the kids to get exposed to.  I never worry about socialization (that will be a different post altogether one day). 

    My Father's World         Rod and Staff

   Horizons

I Said I Wouldn't Do It

It's funny how you end up doing things that you had all intentions of NOT doing!  Michael has a cell phone and even texting now.  How did we get here?

A couple of years ago my mother bought Michael a phone because he walked his dog by himself at the edge of the woods.  I was ok with that.  Well, the other day he was going on a kayaking trip and it had been too long since we had put minutes on that little cell phone, so I ended up buying a Verizon pay as you go.  Was this a big mistake?  I don't know.  Here is what has been happening around our house since then.

Michael enjoys texting family and some of his friends.  If we continue to allow him to have the phone, someone has to pay at least $15.00 per month to keep it active.  I don't want to pay it simply because I do not see a need for it right now.  He is usually with us anyway.  On the other side, I know he enjoys the phone alot.  It makes for a great incentive to "act right."  Then we have other issues to contend with.  Guess who asked how old she has to be to get her own phone?  Oh yes, Madison!  Here we go. More expense and for what? 

I know there is a day coming that he will need a phone.  I thought that day would be when he starts driving but now I'm not so sure. 

We will be praying about this situation for the next few days until it's time to add more minutes to the phone.  Ahhh, the life of a parent. 

7th Year of Homeschooling

I am amazed at how the time has flown since that first day of schooling Michael in 2004.  We have had our ups and downs, our trials, things that worked, and things that didn't.  We have come a long way in our confidence, but by no means do we try to do it on our own.  The first few years are so hard because you are trying to find what fits for YOUR family.  What works for one child may not work for another.  And if you are comparing your family to another, WATCH OUT! 

I've learned that you set yourself up for a big fall if you look at other families.  I know, I've done it.  I have listened to what other families are doing and what kind of projects they have done.  I start second guessing myself and wonder if we should be doing the same thing.  The assurance of what we are doing dwindles and I slowly fall in to a pit of misery.  I start feeling that I am failing my kids somehow.  How do I keep from not feeling this way?  I cling to the hope of knowing God is showing us what's right for our family.  We are all different and we have different needs, wants, talents, desires, and lives.

 I believe a big part of knowing what is right for each child is exposing them to different things.  They are young and can experiment to see what their interests are.  I believe we are getting there with our children.  Believe it or not, Michael is not playing football this year.  He chose scouts because he felt like he would miss important meetings if he was playing football.  It's a little sad for me, but this is the path that he has chosen. 
 
We are blessed to be able to teach our kids at home.  I've said it before, we don't see it as a sacrifice.  What we do is what God wants our family to do.  It's a comfort to be in God's will and know it!  By no means have we perfected what we are doing.  We still struggle from time to time.  There are hard aches.  When people ask me if homeschooling is easy, I tell them the truth.  Of course it's not easy, but it's full filling to know that we are in the center of God's will.

It's exciting to be starting a new year.  A fresh beginning.  New books, school supplies, and new grades to teach.  What a privilege it is to be able to guide our children in to a world of knowledge with the Lord at the forefront of all we do.

I'm back

Yes, it's been awhile, hasn't it?  Having my blog up for invitation only didn't seem to work well, but to be honest I haven't felt like blogging either.  I'm back to it (for now).  I thought I would focus more on HOW we live more than just what is going on in our family.  I feel that I may be able to help someone more if I post about how we live our lives and how God continues to bless us as we do so.

Like a previous co-worker reminded me, it's not the product but the process.  This statement was about crafts, but I believe we can use it for our life also.  The process of our lives.  We learn from our lives, even small things that arise throughout our days that impact us so much (and at the time we do not realize it).  How we deal with everyday issues, what our responses are, and how we allow the Lord to work things out instead of us working it out ourselves.  Isn't that what he said to do? 

Romans 12:1-3


1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
3For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

IT'S REALLY NOT ABOUT US, IS IT?  :-)