Painting Jesus

Are you teaching your children the names of Jesus in your homeschool? This video is a great way to expand on that lesson. (HT: Rose)

This video is powerful! I think that many teens would like it and be touched. I know that I was!

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Homeschool Mom: Persevering or Proving Herself

I just read a great article in “Christianity Today” about “dropping out” of homeschooling. It got me thinking that home education is a huge commitment and perfectionists like me might wrestle with the decision to continue homeschooling. As I was reading this article, I kept thinking that I often do not show myself any grace, and the mother in the article didn’t either. She talked about her struggle to let go of homeschooling. She wanted it to work even though nothing she was doing made things improve, and she clearly heard God telling her to send her children to public school. It can be difficult to distinguish between perseverance and the need to prove something to everyone else. Perseverance is good, but proving yourself to others is not.

My husband and I have decided this:

• We will think about and plan school one year at a time. It is impossible to think through all of the possibilities and determine what will be best for our children beyond that time frame.
• We will remember that each child is unique. Home education may be good for one child, but not good for another.
• We will work together as a team to educate our children. Ecclesiastes 4:9Ecclesiastes 4:9
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  9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
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  tells us that we need each other. Hopefully that will help us make better decisions about our children’s education.
• We will pray about the direction of our home school. Right now we feel called to home educate our children next year full time, but God may have different plans after that. I want to follow His plan!

Show yourself some grace and pray. Homeschooling is hard work and rewarding. But if you find that home education is not working for your children, then investigate alternatives.

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Responding to Concerns about Homeschooling

Recently I have been talking with other moms about our decision to homeschool full time next school year - both kids. This seems like a big step for us since we are supplementing Montessori school right now. I know that we can do it, though. For some reason I have found it incredibly difficult to face those other moms when I tell them that. I think people think that we are weird.

I have a friend who just started homeschooling this year because she and her husband feel called by God to do that. She told me that although she is confident in their decision to homeschool, but she also finds it difficult to talk to other people about this decision. She also feels like people will think that they are weird and doesn’t know what to tell people. After some discussion about the topic, we came up with a couple of things you can tell people about your decision to homeschool.

• Our homeschool meets my children’s learning needs better than any other educational setting right now. I have more flexiblitity to try different curricula and methods to reach my children.
• We want to provide a Christian education for our children, but we cannot afford private school.

The other concern that others have when I talk about home education is about socialization. I have to wonder why socialization is the big concern and not the quality of the education that my kids get, but this is what I say:

• By not paying for school, we will have funds available to put towards dance class, horseback riding lessons, swimming lessons, and the like. These are the situations where my children will be involved in group learning experiences away from Mommy.
• We are active in our church, so my children are forming friendships with these children. This way I know the families already when we either host a play date or play at a friend’s house.

Some people are concerned about me doing too much. They talk about me needing a support system and a break, which I agree with. This is my response:

• I will find a co-op or just a group of other homeschoolers to talk to about our school and our joys ans trials.
• I will also continue attending Mom-to-Mom and my church’s women’s Bible study. I will either have to work with the Children’s Ministry Director or find an alternative form of child care for the children in order for me to be part of those groups, but I know that attending these programs is essential for me.
• My dear husband will also take charge of some ongoing math and science projects to work on with the children when he is home (in the evening, on the weekends, or on vacation). He will also discuss the curriculum with me. We plan to be partners in this endeavor!

What has your response been to well-meaning people when they raise concerns about home education?

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Encouraging Our Friends Considering Homeschooling

I have been talking with a good friend of mine about homeschooling. She and her husband both feel that God is calling them to home educate their children. He is completely on board with the idea. She is not so sure. She has been dabbling in it for the last few months and has had quite a bit of success. She has a couple of concerns about it, though. I wonder if you have had these same concerns at one time or another. Perhaps you can provide some encouragement.

“I don’t want the kids to be weird.” I think that many people feel that homeschooled children are a little different from children who are educated in private or public schools, and people do not view these differences very positively. Lots of people view homeschooled kids as lacking social skills. They think that these children dress out of the ordinary and are awkward. My take on this concern is that we as parents need to equip our children to live in this world, but to not be of this world (1 John 2:15-171 John 2:15-17
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15 Don’t love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s. ¹⁷ The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God’s will remains forever.

) because we are strangers in a strange land. We need to give our children the tools to navigate our culture, but also instill in them our values. That may mean that in your family it is acceptable for your children to wear fashionable clothing that falls under certain parameters. It may mean that your children are allowed to watch particular popular television shows and read certain books that their friends read. However, that may also mean that your children miss out on events or other opportunities that their peers who attend public or private school are allowed to participate in. That could happen if your children were not homeschooled, though. Your rules may be different than other parents’ rules, but it may have nothing to do with where your children are educated. Honestly, I think home educated children have better social skills from the kinds of experiences they have in the world and by how they are coached by their parents since their parents spend that much more time with them.

“I don’t want to be judged by people who disagree with home education.” This is a difficult one, especially if you feel like you are being judged by other Christians. There are plenty of people who have misconceptions about why families choose to homeschool their children. No matter what you do, people will judge you, though. People have opinions, and they feel very strongly about those opinions. However, for most people, those opinions are based on very limited experiences. It is difficult to judge whether one family’s choice is better than another’s based on your own family’s needs. How could you do that? All children are unique and created by God to be that way. The fact is that we are all sinners, and many of us fall prey to the sin of judging others. If you have prayed about what God wants you to educate your children and you feel called to homeschooling them, then you need to be confident in that choice. All we can do is pray for those who are judging us. A sense of humor helps, too, along with a witty come back.

Are you considering home education? What are your concerns? What have people said to you about homeschooling?

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Home Education and Blogging: A Match Made in Heaven

These days my God is teaching me that He will use my gifts in ways that I have never dreamed of. Isn’t it funny how our God does that? He has foiled my plans again and sent me off in another direction. I am doing my best to be obedient like Abraham. God and I are entering territory that I have not been in before. He has given me the tools to navigate the trip, though. I am excited and scared to see where He leads me!

First of all, I have to tell you that I am Anti-Technology Girl who fell in love with and married Techno Man. (He really is my very own superhero!) I have consistently resisted the computer and always need help with something on it. Even just a couple of months ago I avoided checking my e-mail. Many times I have ranted at my hubby for spending hours on the computer just surfing or updating his Facebook page. There was no way that I would be tempted by the evils of the internet. Oh no! It isn’t social enough for me anyway. Who wants to look at a computer screen for hours at a time?

Then Techno Man suggested that I, Anti-Technology Girl, start blogging. “Why would I blog?” I asked. He insisted that this would be a great way to promote my business and establish my expertise in my field. It would replace the old e-newsletter I used to send out faithfully. “O.k. I’ll try it.” He had no idea what he was about to start! Now I am now Super Blogger Girl, and I can’t get enough! I love blogging!

I have always wanted to be a writer. I used to write poetry and short stories as a kid. I never pursued it because it is so hard to break into the writing world. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to make a living at it, at least not at first. I needed a dependable vocation and decided that teaching would be a better career for me.

However, writing has always been hanging on in the background for me. I was on committees involved in writing the school improvement plan or obtaining grants. I loved teaching writing in my classroom, too. I even had a job that involved writing curriculum. Yes, writing has never gone away, but it has always been on the fringe of what I do.

I went to school and got experience teaching. I know lots about the education world, and now I am even homeschooling my kids. Here comes the writing piece again. Now I blog about home education. This is a match made in heaven!

Thank you, God for sending me on this journey. I am excited to find out how I will get to Canaan! Help me to trust You to lead me.

I look forward to sending you all “postcards” along the way!

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Now We’re Composting!

We have finally gotten organized enough to start our very first compost pile. Here is another great instructional video about how to get started on your own compost pile.

We got started by using some plastic chicken wire and fencing off a small area for our pile. (We have a dog, and she would certainly get into our pile if she had a chance!) We, even Dad was in on the conversation, discussed what a compost pile is for and what kinds of things we would put into it. The kiddos put some of our leaves into the fenced in area, too, to get us started. Then we watched this video on YouTube. We’ve decided that adding to the compost pile is now a job for the kids in our house!

Since our garden is growing so nicely even though I have a brown thumb, I hope that our new compost pile will also be a huge success. The kiddos are really excited about it. They are even talking about how we can reduce the amount of trash that we make every day by putting banana peels and apple cores into the compost pile. Perhaps we will have kids who are more “green” and want to do more to protect the environment! I also hope that our children learn a few lessons about how God is the expert recycler, too, since He created the whole decompostition process. I’ll keep you posted on our progress!

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Thanks for the Reminder

One of my favorite blogs, Holy Experience, has an amazing re-post called How Would Jesus Teach? It is funny that I received this particular post in my feed today because it really hits home for me. I felt like I was at home when I read it because this is truly how I want to educate my children. My goal is to become more Christ-like, right? Why not teach the same way that Jesus did when He was here on earth?

I want to glorify my God every day. I also want what is best for my kids educationally and otherwise. The funny thing is that following Jesus’ example will actually do both things for me and my kids. I need to teach my children the way that Jesus taught His disciples and the people around Him, out in the world through service and with scripture. Thank you, Holy Experience, for the reminder!

I have been working towards this goal. I have thought through how to make it happen, but I can’t seem to make it all come together. I have been missing one key piece, though – prayer. I have to pray about it and commit to making it happen.

Lord, transform me. Give me the wisdom I need in order to guide my children on this journey called life. Help me teach my children more like Jesus has taught us. Amen.

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“Lord God. Food. Amen”

“Lord God. Food. Amen.”

My two year old prayed for the first time last week, and volunteered to do it, no less. It was just so beautiful to hear. It was genuine, too.

Jesus tells us that we should come to him like little children (Matthew 18:3Matthew 18:3
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3 and said, “Most assuredly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

). Listening to my dear little one pray reminded me of that. I know that God honored that sweet, little prayer because the intent was heartfelt. It was innocent. It was for God. I want to come to God in that same way, but so often, especially when I pray in front of other people, I feel like my prayers are for the listeners. That is not God honoring. That is self honoring. I want to honor our awesome God instead. I want to come to God as innocently as my two year old does. Have you thought about your prayer life? Are you coming to God like a little child?

My kiddo innocently offered to pray over our meal and extended a hand out to Jesus. This is more than what some adults do, including me. I am challenged by my two year old’s act of faith to reflect on my own intentions this week.

“Lord God. Food. Amen.”

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Why Homeschool?

My hubby and I were watching the season finale of “So You Think You Can Dance”. (I am so incredibly behind on my tv shows these days, and thanks to Tivo I am catching up). Nigel Lithgoe was dancing with a group of children, and there was some genuine camaraderie between him and the children. I began reminiscing about my days as a classroom teacher. That particular moment reminded me of what I had always wanted as a teacher – to have a group of kids that I truly felt a special bond with. I wanted to be one of those teachers who changed the world one group of kids at a time like the teacher in the movie Stand and Deliver. Nigel’s moment with those kids stirred that memory for me for some reason. Why did I let that go?

In the middle of my dreamy state I realized that I have something better than that kind of experience now. Instead of bonding with someone else’s children for just one school year, I have my own children to bond with for a lifetime. Instead of being limited to a certain curriculum and schedule, I can decide with my children what we will learn about. (Yes, I do mean “we”. I learn along side of my children.) We can take our time to learn. I can take my kids on field trips to any place that I feel is educationally worthy. And in the middle of it all, I am able to spend time with my children. I am making memories with them, and I am enjoying them while they are young. I am influencing my children. I am giving them the greatest gift I can think of – the love of Jesus. Why wouldn’t I homeschool them?!

My struggle with the idea of home education is that sometimes it feels like a burden to me. Being the parent and being the teacher is a lot of responsibility. Deciding on our curriculum is a big responsibility. Staying organized and committed to doing work every day is difficult. The burden of explaining why I am homeschooling and how my children benefit from home education makes me uneasy. Then I read about everything happening in California with homeschooling and read up on the presidential candidates’ opinions of home education, and I get overwhelmed. Why would I homeschool my children?!

When I see myself doubting, I have to remember what I want for my family. I want my children to love God and to feel loved. I want my children to have great memories from their growing up years. I want my children to grow closer to each other. I want my children to have positive role models and to be safe at school. I want my children to know their parents and see how we navigate life in this fallen world yet still love Jesus. Who else can give them that? Why wouldn’t I homeschool?

My little pep talks usually get me back on track.

I think again about my goals for my children. I remember how I know that my children imitate me – whether the behavior is good or bad – and they imitate people they look up to. I want to be the model that they follow, not someone else who does not have a lifetime invested in them. I want to be the person they ask about the big questions in life, not someone else who doesn’t understand our values. I know that teachers have the best intentions and do wnat what they think is the best for their students. However, they are employees of the school system they work in. They have to comply with the school’s goals. They want the best for my children, but they are not my children’s parents. They will not care nearly as much about my children’s well-being as I do despite their best intentions. Why wouldn’t I homeschool?

My head spins when I think again about the responsibility. It would be easier for me to allow the schools to educate my children, and if we need something, then I would be able to say that the school has to help us. As a homeschooler, I have to be more vigilant about my children’s needs and take a different role than a typical mother. Talk about intimidating! Then I remember that I do not have to go it alone. God is ultimately in charge, and if I believe, I will see Him do the impossible. (Jeremiah 32:27Jeremiah 32:27
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27 Behold, I am Yahweh, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?

) I do not have to educate my children on my own. God is right here. Nothing is impossible for God! I can offer my life as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1Romans 12:1
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12 ¹ Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.

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) and watch Him do the rest! Why wouldn’t I homeschool?

I can be like the teacher in “Stand and Deliver”. I can have that special bond with my own children and change the world one group of kids at a time. Why wouldn’t I homeschool?

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Getting Well

After having my first baby, I was afflicted with postpartum depression. Then it struck me again after my next baby. This is the story of my experience of God’s powerful healing the first time I walked in darkness. My experience the second time is reserved for another post.

I was anxious and stressed out. Everyone walked on pins and needles around me trying to avoid upsetting me. I just couldn’t be comforted. It was so difficult for me to admit what was happening to me – postpartum depression. That happens to other people, doesn’t it? I waited a really long time to treat it because I was embarrassed by it. How could I feel this way? Children are a blessing from God, right? I was meant to be a mother, right? What would people think of me?

The reality of motherhood didn’t match my perceptions of what it would be like. I felt burdened by the responsibility that I now had. God gave me this precious child who was helpless and completely dependent on me. What if I made a mistake? I was terrified that something would make my baby sick, so I became obsessed with hand washing and insisted that others wash their hands before touching the baby. I also obsessively checked on the baby after bed time because I needed to know that my beautiful baby was safe.

I was in the dark. The fear was paralyzing.

The Bible repeatedly tells us that God is light. I needed to come out of the darkness and into the light. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm119:105) I learned about the power of praying God’s word through a Beth Moore Bible study, Breaking Free. I prayed God’s word during that dark time, and I experienced God’s healing.

When I read Psalm 103:1-5Psalm 103:1-5
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103 By David. ¹ Praise Yahweh, my soul! All that is within me, praise his holy name! ² Praise Yahweh, my soul, And don’t forget all his benefits; ³ Who forgives all your sins; Who heals all your diseases; ⁴ Who redeems your life from destruction; Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies; ⁵ Who satisfies your desire with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

the other day, I remembered the feeling I had during that time.

¹ Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

² Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—

³ who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

God heals His people. Growing closer to God and learning more about Him is essential to the process of healing. You learn to trust Him during that time. But you also have to take time to listen to Him when you pray. What action does He want you to take? I am reminded of the story in the Bible of the man who was at the healing pool for thirty-eight years.

When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6John 5:6
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6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had been sick for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to be made well?”

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)

It is an interesting question. I have to ask myself that – Did I and do I want to get well? Do I prefer to be ill so that other people see me? Is it easier to feel badly because that’s what I know best?  When I think about my actions in the past, I do wonder if I really wanted to get well. I was paralyzed just like the man by the healing pool. I needed someone to ask me if I wanted to be healed, though.

Jesus knows the human heart, doesn’t He? He knows that we need to be seen. Rest assured, Jesus sees you! He sees you in the same way that he saw the man at the healing pool. He knows all of your hurts – better than you do. He wants you to be whole.

Will you let him heal you? I did.

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