Interrupted by Grace 2015: Taffy Pulling & the Giveaway Announcment

I'm blogging daily in April. Learn more about the series here.

In yesterday's post, I mentioned my common tendency to get to the middle of the day and freak out a little if we haven't completed the day's school work and I have to use rest time to do so.  I get flustered and feel uptight inside.  My brain is telling me to not worry about it, there is still plenty of day left and I'm the only one putting pressure on myself anyway; but it can be a challenge to get the rest of myself to be reasonable!

One of Elizabeth's Language Arts activities yesterday was to make salt water taffy.  She has been reading excerpts from Lois Lenski's, Strawberry Girl, in which they harvest sugar cane and make candy.  The activities this week center around reading directions and giving instructions.  My girl LOVES  to cook or bake anything - except recipes that require the handling of raw meat, haha - and she said this was the best Language Arts lesson yet!

She was able to do the work on her own, but we hadn't had time to get to the "pulling" part.  I had planned for us to do that together and knew it would be fun and messy, but as I realized it was probably going to take up most of rest time, meaning most of the time in the middle of the day when I take a kid break, I started getting flustered.  I was not speaking and acting as kindly, gently, and patiently as I should, because I was only looking at the timer ticking away the minutes, thinking about other things I needed to be doing, and feeding my flustered feeling.

Elizabeth was having a great time pulling taffy and chatting away to me!  And I was unterrupted by grace as the Spirit basically said to me, Chill out and choose what is right!  I was choosing sinful behavior over righteous.  I was choosing self over God and others.  It wasn't making me feel good, but I was continuing down that path anyway because I wasn't getting what I thought I needed.  God reminded me that He would both forgive me and give me all I needed to turn around and enjoy the taffy pulling as much as Elizabeth.  I am always lamenting that I feel like I don't get to spend enough time with her anyway.  There I was, having time with her!

I wish I could tell you I did a perfect about-face and the rest of the time I was full of joy.  It wasn't perfect, but it was convicting and challenging to think about how I was in the midst of something I wanted but not getting something else I wanted.  Boy, I sure need the Lord's help each moment of every day to simply embrace each moment of every day for what it is, not cursing the moments for what they are not.  God is good to interrupt us by grace to help us see our errors, His loving-kindness, and offer forgiveness and hope!

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,

slow to anger, abounding in love.

He will not always accuse,

nor will he harbor his anger forever;

he does not treat us as our sins deserve

or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his love for those who fear him;

as far as the east is from the west,

so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Psalm 103:8-12

*     *     *

The Giveaway!

At the end of each monthly series, I love to give away a couple of treats.  Seems to me like a good way to wrap it up!  Next Thursday, I will announce the winners of these tasty local treats:

A bag of Colombian coffee beans roasted by Commonplace Coffee.
Three Gardner's chocolate bars: PB Meletaway, Salted Pretzel and Creamy Caramel.

How can you enter?  Glad you asked.  Here are some ways to get your name in the running one or more times:

1. Leave an "I'm in!" comment on a post between now and next Wednesday, April 29 before midnight EST.
2. 'Like' my Facebook page.  Here's a link!  (If you're already a fan there, that counts for an entry.)
3. Share a link to Life in the Valley or the Life in the Valley Facebook page on your page.  Or if you don't have Facebook, share Life in the Valley with a friend in another way.
4. Share your own interrupted by grace story in a blog or Facebook comment sometime before the giveaway.

I work on the honor system around here, so just let me know how many times I should put your name in the hat!  Also, if you are not a coffee lover, enter anyway.  Commonplace coffee makes a great regift; any of your coffee-loving friends will be glad to take it off your hands, and you still get to keep the chocolate!

Interrupted by Grace 2015: Time to Work

I'm blogging daily in April. Learn more about the series here.

Since yesterday's post was long, today's will be brief!  We had incredible weather here yesterday, almost like summer.  The kids played outside for most of playgroup and then my friend, Julie, invited my bigger two for lunch and more playing at their house.  Actually, her kids invited mine and then asked their mom if it was okay.  Remember doing that kind of stuff when you were a kid?  I do!  Julie's a generous friend and mom so, after mentally reviewing her cupboards and fridge to make sure she'd have food for them, she agreed to their already-arranged plan, 

I was interrupted by unexpected quiet time.  Katherine watched a show while I cleaned up the morning and got our lunches ready.  We had a really peaceful lunch together, chatting and writing a grocery list.  She went up to her room for rest time and I was able to get our lessons ready for the week.  It was almost unbelievable!  I was so grateful to Julie and to God for the provision of unexpected quiet and space to tackle the two things I really needed to do that afternoon.  The gift was made even more precious to me when exhaustion hit me at about dinner time.  I would not have had the energy to use the evening time to prepare those lessons.  Praise God!

How has God been kind to you in the last week?  Have you been interrupted by grace, maybe surprised by joy or unexpectedly provided for?  Feel free to share a story any time in the comments!


Photo Credit: Elizabeth Ashe

Interrupted by Grace {Day 10}: Our New Co-op

Gonna have to be a quick post tonight.  We had a bit of a water problem this evening that took up our time.  Colin and I are just now sitting down to the things we wanted or needed to do tonight.  I also think Colin finally ate his dinner around nine.  Poor guy.

Anyway, yesterday I was interrupted by grace that it was a co-op day.  We moved here shortly before the school year began and I was looking for a homeschool co-op for our family.  Of the biggest groups in town, one was full and the other a little out of the way.  I was also not sure about how the timing of either would work for our current life stage, i.e. having a napper.

One day I was poking around online and found a note in a church bulletin announcing that a woman named Patty was trying to start up a new homeschool co-op to meet biweekly on Wednesday mornings.  Seemed ideal for us!  So in late August, I traipsed to a meeting with a couple of strangers to see how things would go.  Turns out they were hoping to have a fun, laid-back co-op environment, which is what we were used to and loved about the Pittsburgh group we left behind.

It has been a great year getting to know these two other families.  With only a few more sessions before the end of the year, yesterday I was feeling so grateful for God's provision of this group.  He hears our prayers and answers them, timing it all so perfectly.  Sometimes He even uses Google searches and just-coming-into-being groups!

Can you look back over the last six to twelve months and see the hand of God guiding your steps?

Many are the plans in a person’s heart,

but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:21

{Day 29} Interrupted by (a little more) Freedom

Oh no!  What's happening to me?  Here we are, nearing the end of the series, and I don't feel like I have any dramatically interesting stories to tell.  (Wow, Heather, way to make your readers want to read on!)

Aaaaanyway.

Mom went back to
Africa today.  <tear>

This year, I've been thinking about this idea of breaking free, meaning no longer being bound and paralyzed by the world's standards or the standards I create for myself.  I desire to live free in God's grace.  Having lived so long, however, in bondage to what I think people of think of me, my fears of failure, and my pride, I know this will not be an instantaneous transformation.  I'm a black and white kind of girl.  I want to know what to do and do it.  I hate grey areas.  I want to be sure that "I'm good."  (It's a pride thing, not a righteousness thing, by the way.)

Life and the Word are teaching me that most of life is lived in grey areas.  Scripture tells us to do (or not do) certain things, but how those things play out in day-to-day life can look very different from person to person and family to family.  And that is OK!

For instance, specific to my situation: homeschooling.  There are almost as many ways to homeschool as there are families that do.  This is beautiful.  But for me it is also uncomfortable, because I want to know that I'm doing it "right."  When I feel like I'm not measuring up, very quickly I become overwhelmed by all the options, dissatisfied with everything we're doing, unable to rejoice in and appreciate what others are doing, and all of life gets very tense.

Part of breaking free for me involves the process of becoming more flexible. Like a stiff reed that needs a  soaking to be useful, I need the Lord to soften me up every time I start to dry out and tighten up in my doubts, fears, plans, and programs.

Graciously, He comes along side and nudges me to trust Him.  For much of this month, I've been nudged a lot.  Schedules have been disrupted for various reasons, today by taking my mom to the airport during "school time."  But the build up to today brought me to a place that was okay with getting some work done in the car and other things later in the afternoon, without fear of disaster striking or us not being able to get to everything, because we were doing a better thing in the grand scheme of life.  (We got our work done before dinner, too!)

Reflecting on all of this I'm interrupted by grace.  God calls us to things by His grace for certain purposes.  We wander here and there around them sometimes, but He always graciously, gently, and compassionately takes our heads in His hands, so to speak, turning them to refocus on Him and the path He's clearing for us, that we may entrust to Him the unknowns, the uncontrolables, even the unbelief.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.  ~Galatians 5:1

Praise be to God!

*     *     *

REMINDER: Get your name in the running for this month's little interrupted by grace gift bag!!  Tomorrow is the last day in this April series because, well, it's the last day of April!  Click on this link to leave a comment letting me know you'd like me to put your name in the jar.  Make sure to get on it before 5pm EST tomorrow evening.  Thanks for hanging out with me here in my little corner of the internet this month!

{Day 25} Interrupted by a Language Arts Lesson

This morning crazy-mama did not pop in for a visit.  That was nice!  Before we got to school start time, we'd gotten through morning chores and gotten the kids' room cleaned up in preparation for our monthly fellowship time with church friends this afternoon.  The kids even had some time to play together before nine.  We were on the ball this morning, baby!  (One must celebrate these rare occurrences, no?)

After we read a Bible story and did today's catechism reading, Elizabeth got settled with her math and Brian and I did his reading lesson.  Katherine napped - good girl!  Then Brian got settled with some independent activities and Elizabeth and I worked on her Language Arts lesson.  Her dictation passage was a couple of sentences from a book about a girl who's frustrated with her little sister and how her parents tell her that siblings are forever friends (my paraphrase).  The middle of the lesson involved looking up the definition of a friend, making a list of what she thinks a friend is, and talking with me about friendship.  It was fun!  Then came the final activity.  Elizabeth had to make a chart with her siblings' names and spaces for each day for one week, and every day for the next seven days she can get a star or sticker for doing something special for Brian and Katherine to be a good friend to them.  I thought this was a wonderful idea.  So we all made charts!

What struck me most about this little activity was the simplicity of helping the kids to think of each other as friends.  I think they already do, but that may not always be the case.  I was interrupted by grace as I realized that the Lord guides and directs us as we raise our kids.  We don't need to over-complicate, buy a special program, or read a million books.  We can think about character we want to instill in them, talk with them about these things, model them, and maybe do a fun little activity now and then to be more intentional.

My natural inclination is to seek out a formula - for everything!  But life and relationships do not run on formulas, they run on time spent living and learning together.  I'm thankful for the reminder to take a deep breath, relax, and live this life one day at a time, seeking the Lord for wisdom and asking the Spirit to guide my words and actions. That's all I really need.  That's all any of us need.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶ 

in all your ways submit to him,

    and he will direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

{Day 9} Interrupted by a Really Great Day

Today was just plain peaceful.  The sun was shining.  The kids wore summer clothes.  School was conducted outdoors.  Katherine took a long morning nap.  Homeschool Co-op gym was held outside.  We got some Rita's Italian ice to celebrate the summery spring day.  And spaz-mom didn't make any appearances.  

Days like these are as common as I would like, with all of life's responsibilities and demands.  Do you find that to be true?  At this moment I will not take for granted that God interrupted us by grace in giving us such a gift.  I am thankful.  And that is all for this evening, folks.

How was your day?

{Day 8} Interrupted by My Best Laid Plans

I love Mondays.  For us the are generally unscheduled, quiet home days.

Today was different.

Two things rocked our Monday-boat.  The first was taking Katherine to the doctor during walk-in hours to have her little ears checked for infection.  (My mom, who is in town for most of the month - yay! -  told me to take her, and I knew that every time she saw Katherine with a snotty nose she'd say, "Have you taken her to the doctor yet?"  So I took her.)  She had not infection, thankfully.  Nevertheless, that jaunt up the hill to the doc's set our school start back about an hour.

The second blip on the screen was a trip I had planned  into our lessons, to the Museum of Natural History for Elizabeth to stroll through the Native American exhibit noting on a map what regions of the United States different tribes were from.  I was so excited about having come up with a not-another-novel-to-read history activity for her, so despite our late start, we were going to go for it!  Well, we learned something together on our trip to the museum.

It's not open on Monday.

The best laid plans of mice and men, as they say.

The Bible says

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.  

Proverbs 16:9

In the middle of our morning, I'd had a couple of what I'll call spaz-mom moments, just a couple more occasions of unnecessary loss of patience with the kids due to my own lack of self-control.  Yep, a little of that.  Again.  >Sigh.<

Apologies extended, I was determined to get to that Museum and redeem the day, even though our outing would extend well into Katherine's normal naptime.  But the Good Lord had a different idea for redeeming our day: getting us outside in long-awaited gorgeous weather, in an unexpected place, at an unanticipated time.  And so He interrupted me by grace.

To take advantage of the parking we'd paid for, we set to strolling around.  The museum abuts the University of Pittsburgh's campus and many people were out: having their lunches, going to class, running, or just sitting, obviously thankful to be free to be outside.  Finally!  We made our way to a few different landmarks, enjoying the freedom of no schedule, beyond getting back to the car by 1:46pm!  I learned how many states Elizabeth can identify on a blank U.S. map.  Brian ran around and around a large fountain.  Katherine attracted many admirers.  I took it all in, quite thankful that silly museum is closed on Mondays, especially given I certainly did not deserve such a gift, (being spaz-mom and all).

God is good.  Is He not?

A very kind Pitt student offered to take our photo,
but Brian bolted before he could press the button.
I love this photo!

*     *     *

How did the Lord interrupt you by His grace today?

{Day 3} Interrupted by Not Being Interrupted

It is late; we went to the Pirate game tonight!  It was freezing, but they won - yay!

Today the Good Lord interrupted me by His grace through my little boy, Brian.  For those who don't know much about me, my husband and I have three children.  Elizabeth is in third grade, Brian is in preschool, and Katherine is one.  We homeschool.

For a long time, trying to figure out what to do with Brian when I needed time to work with Elizabeth was challenging.  This year, in addition to trying to be more proactive with him, I've seen him mature dramatically in his ability to occupy himself when necessary.  Today was a magnificent display.  Most days, I work with Brian on something first thing during our school time, leaving Elizabeth to independent writing or math work.  But this morning I knew I had to work with Elizabeth on a couple of things, so I started with her rather than Brian.

> As an aside, we're all in the same room, it's just that one is getting more attention.  Katherine was napping, in case you were wondering! <

The work with Elizabeth took much longer than expected.  But in that time Brian uncomplainingly did everything I asked him to do or suggested that he do: dot-to-dots, cut and paste, coloring a little with me while Elizabeth wrote something, cleaning up the papers under his desk, folding some clean dish towels.  Then he spent a long while playing with some little Angry Birds toys.  I was flabbergasted at the whole scene and thanked God in my heart for such a blessing: not only the freedom to work with Elizabeth without ending up losing my patience with Brian, but also the relief of knowing he is growing up and out of his (very normal, but sometimes trying) more baby-ish ways.  Such a blessing to find myself interrupted by grace without being interrupted by Brian!  Ironic.

The day was going so well!

Not too much later, however, I was rude to Elizabeth and lost my patience with her about a math lesson that she was having trouble understanding, (terrible, I know).  Absolutely no reason to get frustrated and speak so loudly, but I did.  Reflecting on that and thinking about Brian and his increasing maturity gives me hope for myself, despite the long way I have left to go in the holiness department.  Makes me think of this verse:

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  Philippians 1:6

Does that mean there is hope that one of these days I will be a patient math teacher?  Maybe by the time Katherine is in third grade!

Any grace interruptions in your world today?

Tweaking the "Regularly Scheduled Program"

I find the summer delightful: a break from all of the "normal" routines, swimming outside, maybe even a vacation.  With my personality, however, after too much non-routine, I'm so ready for it by the time the fall rolls around!  You?  We cranked up our school year yesterday and I wanted to share a little something with you to encourage you as you begin the new school year:

Now is a great time to make a change,

if you feel like things need to be shaken up a little!

We got into the habit long ago of letting our kids watch a television show every day upon waking up.  Sometimes if they got up at different times, it would be two shows.  As I thought about this earlier in the summer, I was disappointed with myself for letting our days start like this, wishing we could do it differently.*  Then my brain says to me, "Um, you and Colin are the parents, you get to decide how the household is run." And I replied to my brain, "Oh wow!  You're right.  We can change the routine if we want to, especially if it moves us in the direction of our real priorities."

Day 1 of the 2012-13 school year

Now, you may be quicker than I am on the uptake.  Yes, you probably are!  In the preceding months, I could have spent less time lamenting my failure to make the mornings what I wanted them to be by taking action.  Times of transition - the new year or a new school year - are great opportunities to reevaluate what's going on in your life and what is important to you.  Then make the necessary change or changes.

I know we're not ultimately in control of our destinies; that's God's job.  He does call us to faithfulness, however.  And often those little nudges or irritations in our mind and soul are an indication that it's time to take action; the Spirit is prompting.  I wonder what that might be for you?  Are you making any small or grand changes in your personal or family routines this fall?  I love how the Proverbs challenge my passiveness (okay, let's call it what it is, laziness!):

The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

Proverbs  13:4

Go for it!  Make a change!!

*For the record, there is nothing wrong with morning television.  But it was bothering me, so I know it needed to be addressed in our family.  I'm offering this as an illustration of the theme of this post.

Caring for Your Homeschooling Friend

You may be familiar with articles about 'Caring for Your Introvert.'  While out jogging last night, I thought perhaps it would be helpful, since homeschoolers can be misunderstood, to let you in on some ways you might best care for a homeschooling friend.*

1. Do ask how school is going.  I have a good friend who regularly asks me how school is going.  Every time, it makes me feel so loved, cared for, and known.  I never told her to ask, she just always has.  To me it's really no different than asking a "regular" teacher friend how the school year is going.  I know it's weirder and I can appreciate that perhaps you might be afraid of being bombarded with a barrage of information about how awesome your friend's kids are, but more than likely, you're gonna get some honest answers: some days are great, some are blah, one child is really struggling with something, another child is difficult to keep entertained.  Ask.  And I do hope your friend also inquires about how school is going for your kids and you, too!

2. Don't revere.  So many people say to me, "I just don't know how you do it," in an awestruck kind of way.  Sure, your friend has chosen to homeschool, but that doesn't make her a supermom.  Seriously.  She's not doing anything above and beyond, just different.  In fact, if it is a Christian friend, chances are she's doing that to which she and her husband feel called.  She has really crappy days sometimes.  Her kids act out.  She's constantly second-guessing herself and feeling insecure.  She's a human being just like you.  Don't let your awe at her ability to have her kids around all. the. time. keep you from getting to know and enjoy her.  You'll be surprised, I'll bet, to find out that there are times she doesn't like what she's doing at all and wishes she were in your shoes.  *Gasp!*

3. Don't despise.  Most people don't homeschool out of a need for superiority.  I'd wager that your friend doesn't feel like she's a better mother or person than you.  At.  All.  She might be pretty excited about homeschooling and really deep down wish you did it too, so you could be in it together.  But more than likely, she doesn't judge you because you don't.  (And if she does, she shouldn't, so be gracious with her.)  Before we started - 'bout to drop some truth on you here! - I thought only weirdos homeschooled and pretty much looked down on them.  LORD, HAVE MERCY!  Does He not have a sense of humor, seeing as now I am an enthusiastic homeschooler?!

4. Ask, don't assume.  I know homeschoolers who are doing such for so many different reasons.  I don't know of any two homeschools that are the same.  If you're curious about why your friend homeschools or what exactly they do all day, ASK!  You might be surprised to find that they started because of a learning disability, not because they are a crazy fundamentalists afraid of what public schools might "do" to their children.  (A little more truth for ya: I still sometimes make assumptions about fellow homeschooling families without knowing them, and am often humbled by what I learn when I get to know them.  As I said earlier: Lord, have mercy.)


To summarize, the best way to care for your homeschooling friend is to treat her like a normal person.  She possesses no super powers and likely struggles with many of the same things you do.  And while schooling her children does take up a fair amount of her time and energy, it is only one aspect of who she is.  As I walk through life, I'm learning that often we have far more in common with our fellow man than we think, but we are afraid of that which is different and make assumptions that prevent relationships from developing.


After reading, I wonder if there is anything you would add to this list.  Feel free to leave a note in the comments!  And happy new school year to those of you who have already started, no matter where that schooling is taking place.  I wish you all the best, especially those just getting started with Kindergarten!!



*I'll be using female pronouns in this post because most homeschoolers are mothers, but you can insert male pronouns as needed if you're friends with a homeschooling dad.

Beginning and Ending and Beginning

September 2011

June 2012

Summer Vacation 2012

Today begins our first week of summer vacation.  I have myriad hopes and plans for the next couple of months.  I have books I want to read, projects I want to complete, and major organization I want to do in the house.  I'd also like to make fun memories with the kids: going on outings, enjoying days at home, swimming at the pool, reading good books.  I'm fairly certain my plans far extend the time frame and my human limitations (like, I need to sleep!)  Knowing myself, I tend to get very flustered and/or frustrated when plans don't go as, well, planned.  So this morning as I talked with the Lord, I was asking Him to give me some verses to keep me grounded as we embark on the summer.  Here are a few that came to mind:

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

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.Proverbs 3:5-6 

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.I Corinthians 10:31

How about you?  Do you have a bunch of hopes and plans for the summer?  What are they?  How do you approach them with the Lord?  (Rather than leaning toward control freak tendencies or worry, like I am prone to.)  I would love to hear about it and learn from you!

So My Friend Wrote an eBook ... And I'm Giving Away a Copy!

I wanted to alert you, my dear readers, to a new book that will appear on the Amazon virtual-shelf in just a couple of days!

Back to Homeschool:

23 Days to Prepare Your Heart, Home, and Homeschool Calendar for Your Best Year Ever

by Misty Krasawski

If you click on the title above, you can check out the giveaways that Misty will be doing over the next week and even get a sneak peak at the book.  To get in on the excitement of the launch, I'm giving a copy away this week.  Wa-hoo!!!  I had the privilege of getting to read the book for review before its release.  Below you can see my review.  But before you get to that, here are the details to enter the giveaway.  You can have your name entered one time for each of these things, just let me know in your comment how many times to submit your name into the drawing.

• leave a comment here for an entry
• post this post on your Facebook or Twitter page for another entry
• email your homeschool group or friends to spread the news

The drawing will take place on the evening of June 5th at 7pm EST (that's only TWO days away!!!)  Be sure to leave your comment before then so you don't miss out on the chance to get a free copy!

*     *     *

My review of Back to Homeschool by Misty Krasawski

If I had to give you reasons quickly about why you should get this book, I’d say this: You should buy a copy of Back to Homeschool because it is encouraging, comprehensive, practical, flexible, and reusable, and will set you on a purposeful path for the coming year, far beyond simply choosing great educational materials.  If you are a Christian homeschooler, I recommend this book to you.  If you are Christian and NOT a homeschooler I recommend this book to you (more than half of the book can be used by any homemaker to get a better handle on where you are and where you’re going with your family.)

[If you want a little more depth of review, please continue reading.  If not, just skip to the last paragraph of this review for my final thoughts.]

This book is ENCOURAGING: Misty is an experienced homeschooler and home manager.  She’s passionate about not simply educating her kids, but also about home discipleship.  She points her readers to the God of the Universe for strength, courage, and guidance as they prepare for the coming school year.  And she throws in some humor, as well; I definitely “LOLed” a couple of times!

This book is COMPREHENSIVE: As you work your way through the days, you will think about goals for yourself, your marriage, each of your children, and your family; you will look through curriculum options and do some shopping for materials; you’ll clean rooms of your home to ready them for the school year.  Misty walks her readers through an examination and cleaning out of their minds, hearts, schools, and homes.  So thorough!!

This book is PRACTICAL: There’s no hard and fast rule that you need to complete this book in 23 days.  You could expand it to 46 or use it over a full summer to get ready.  Mostly it’s put together in a wonderful order to get you thinking and then get you “doing” to prepare for the school year.  On day one, you focus on that topic, knowing that you will later get to buying binders and cleaning out your school room!  Misty also includes practical tips for home and school, and she suggests resources one might find as helpful as she has.

This book is FLEXIBLE: As I mentioned, you don’t have to complete this in 23 days.  In fact, we finish school this week and I’m thinking I’ll devote two days (a couple of hours each day) to each “day” in the book.  And even Misty admits by the end that she didn’t get everything!  But she got started, and having a general plan to follow is so helpful for staying focused and making progress.

This book is RESUABLE: I imagine I’ll be using this book every summer!  Not only will it calm my when-will-I-get-to-it-all craziness in my mind, it will refocus my heart each year on what really matters, far beyond the content of our school days: listening to what plans God has for our family, discerning what’s going on in each of my kids’ lives, and discipling their little hearts as we grow and learn together.

To wrap up, Misty is a real mom who lives in the real world with a real family, marriage, and herself.  She also knows the One True God.  With those things in mind, she’s written this wonderful resource to get us all thinking about and asking God what He has in mind for us each school year as we “do life” together with our families.  Don’t miss out on this gem!

(One final thought: reading this book will not make your year, USING it will!)

Decisions, Decisions

I have many friends in the midst of deciding where to send their children to school next year.  It can feel like so much rides on the decision and so much can go awry if we make the wrong choice.

In January, my friend Misty* wrote a marvelous little post entitled Disappointment at Home: But What If They *Don't*.  It's written primarily to homeschoolers (specifically the moms) who are banking on certain results from that educational choice, but the overall gist of the post is for all parents and can apply to various situations in our lives.  Misty closes the post this way:

If you are homeschoooling or discipling your children a certain way because you’re expecting a guaranteed result, it might be a good idea to spend some time in prayer about that.  Because there are no guarantees but one: if you are educating and discipling and training your children at home because God told you to, then when you stand before Him, you can say “I educated and discipled and trained my children at home, because You told me to.”  And He will say, “Well done, My good and faithful servant.”

And that will be enough.

If you're one of those in the midst of school decisions.  Seek the Lord.  If He's given you many options and it's not completely clear which is "right," choose one ... and commit to loving and serving God there, whether you keep your kids home or send them to school.  The Sovereign Lord will see your children (and you!) through school, wherever they are, and has so much more in mind for them than I'm sure we can even imagine!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart  

   and lean not on your own understanding;  

in all your ways acknowledge him,  

   and he will make your paths straight.

Let me know if I can pray for you as you decide.  It would be a privilege.

*Misty and I met in Colorado at a training conference in the home of Sally Clarkson two summers ago.  She has a heart for moms and families and writes to encourage those involved in that sometimes delightful, sometimes messy business.  You can learn more about her on her blog!

Book Recommendation: Games for Writing by Peggy Kaye

This is one from the archives that I wanted to endorse again. We follow a copy/dictation/from-memory writing plan.  On Fridays, we've been using a game from this book for Elizabeth's writing lesson, just to mix things up a bit. She is always so excited when it's a "Games for Writing" day!  Parents, I highly recommend this book, especially if you have a hesitant writer in your family and even if you don't.  I'd be happy to lend this book to you if you're local and want to check it out!

*     *     *

October, 2010

I bought this book last year because it was recommended somewhere. I enjoyed using the activities a little here and there, but didn't get into it much.

Last week, I was thinking our writing routine was getting a little monotonous and returned to Games for Writing. We played two games this week and E wrote up a storm! One reason these games have been fun, is her current writing level: she knows how to form all of the letters (though not always in the correct orientation!) and has attempted a little writing and invented spelling on her own, outside "school time." As her teacher, I picked a couple of games I thought might really get her going.

For the record, this is a book full of fun activities you could do with a child in school; it's not a homeschoolers book or part of any curriculum. Many of the games grew out of a desire to inspire kids who hated writing and is geared toward children in Kindergarten through third grade.

I'm sure you're wondering, so here are the two games we played this week!

1. A Race of Words - Race the child to write as many words as they can naming things in the room in 10 minutes. You can give the child a head start and she suggests a scoring system.
2. Do it! - Take turns writing down something for the other to do, and then they have to do it! For example: jump up and down three times, crawl around the table like a crab, go up the stairs and slide down, etc. (Both of these games are writing, NOT spelling, activities.)

I think the games in this book for after the child already knows his letters and can do a little writing are more fun than the "getting started" ideas. That's not a fault of the book, just a personal observation; I'm mostly excited to see my girl writing!

And why not let it be fun?

Homeschooling: I Will Not Be a Jerk About It

I read article today called The Tyranny of Socialization, and while I agreed with content, I bristled at the tone.  It's a tone I often find comes out when homeschooling is discussed by homeschoolers.  It's a condescending, holier-than-thou, "us vs. them" tone that lumps all homeschoolers into the "good" camp and schools (usually of the public variety) into the "evil" camp.  I find this quite troubling on several fronts:

1. Such attitudes don't represent me accurately as a homeschooler.
2. The "us" and the "them" are ill-defined categories.
3. Barriers are promptly erected that may prevent someone from ever considering homeschooling.

It makes me sad.  What saddens me is the reality that it's easier to be mean, condescending and make assumptions than it is to be compassionate, considerate, and ask questions.  (I know this because I know my own heart and what the Bible says is in our hearts!)  Naturally this happens from both sides, there are some "holier-than-thou" non-homeschoolers who look proudly down their noses at weirdos like me, making all kinds of assumptions about who I am, why I chose homeschooling, how my children will likely turn out.

But the fact of the matter is education will not save our children, only God can.  How does the Proverb go?  In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.  (16:9)

We need to make wise choices on behalf of our children.  We need to consider where they will receive the "best" education.  We need to pray and ask God for guidance.  We need to stay connected to our kids' lives.  Certain educational options may give our kids opportunities they won't get with other options, but the outcome of their lives is not entirely dependent upon where the attend school.  Our God is MUCH bigger than that!

I'm quite convinced that schools are not the problem with our children, home is.  Prosfessionals cannot do what parents need to and are called to do: nurture, guide, discipline, and protect their children.  Teachers (God bless them) train to instruct students in specific areas of study, not how to rear 25 children at a time for only one to six hours a day!  But unfortunately, somewhere along the line, parents have been told only the pros can educate their children. So from day one, we're convinced that we couldn't possibly provide what our kids need - we send them off to preschool for short periods of time as early as 2 years and 9 months!  On the flip-side, you could homeschool your children, yet do very little to nurture, guide, discipline and protect them, despite providing them a stellar classical education.

I will not let this blog become a homeschooling blog, the sum of me is much more than the way we've chosen for our children to receive their education.  (And for the record, I'm not convinced that I am the "best" education for them - but I am convinced it is the right thing at this point in their lives.)  Nevertheless, this blog is a place where I write about things that are on my mind for the edification of my readers.  I need to be human here.  I want you to know that I struggle with where I am right now, how to navigate the opinions and judgments that swirl around me and within me.

Homeschooling is a beautiful option for any family; I encourage you to consider it.  (It IS reasonable to feel that there's something not quite right with sending our kids out of the house for 6 hours a day at 5 years old!*)    But if you don't, I promise I will not be a jerk homeschooler about it.  I cannot follow Jesus and refuse love my brother.

If you are a parent, wherever you kids do or will go to school, my primary advice (that I've received from others) is to invest in your kids.  Study them: learn what makes them tick, how they communicate, how they feel loved, what breaks their hearts.  Nurture their tender souls, introduce them to the God of the Bible, guide them through difficulties and failures, let them be themselves.  Discipline them so they learn not only what is wrong but also what is right; discipline is not just punishment and consequences, it's teaching and guiding along the right path.  Protect them from things they don't need to see/hear/experience until it's appropriate, if ever.  Your children want and need YOU, even if they act like they don't.  Love them, right where they are, as they are.

With that kind of secure foundation, your little ones will always be able to find their footing, wherever their doing their math, reading, science, social studies, etc.  :)

I am thinking of writing a brief post about the most common responses I get from people when they learn I homeschool our kids: "I wouldn't have the patience." and "Oh, well, you were a teacher...."  I'd like to share my thoughts on these, because I feel the need addressing.  Stay tuned.

And, by the way, if I ever start being a jerk homeschooler to you.  Please, call me out on it.  Call me out on it good!

*We actually began homeschooling because our district only offered full-day K; it seemed silly to me to only have Elizabeth for the hours she was tired and cranky.  There were no wonderful, holy reasons here - only practical.  I find God often guides my way like that; I guess He knows how to speak to my heart, given that He made me!

April School Field Trip

Last school-day of each month we have special breakfast and go on a field trip to one of the many Pittsburgh attractions.  Today it was scones on china and the zoo.

The Pittsburgh Zoo in the Cold

We went to the zoo for our January end-of-the-month field trip.*

It was freezing.

I bundled the kids in their snow gear, slathered their faces with Aquaphor, and we had a great time!

parking wasn't a problem

pacing tiger, waiting for something

he kindly walked by this window, even rubbing his giant head against it,
like he wanted us to pet him

the elephants indoors

LUNCH!

got to see the polar bear dive in for a swim;
he too graciously swam near to say hello

the three baby tigers were out by the time we left!

The monkey house was CRAZY!

I think the animals are more fun when it's cold; my brother had mentioned this to me a while ago.  There aren't as many of them, but they're certainly more active than in the summer.  The Pittsburgh Zoo is really a lovely place.  If you come to visit, we'll take you along!

*A new school tradition we established this year is to take a field trip the last day of the month, preceded by a "fun" breakfast (ie: better than cereal).  It keeps me using our memberships and it's good to just have fun; school can sometimes get to be a little monotonous.