Category: Homeschooling

Doing a new thing

Based on past performance, many of us can attest that doing a new thing is hard.   This is where some of us fall off the cliff — or don’t even try!  It takes determination to not allow past performance to thwart us from trying or doing a new thing!

Doing a new thing is tough.  Especially when that new thing takes will power or money — few of us have much of either.  And,  as we age, we have this daunting fear that past results (things that were good before they stopped being good) don’t necessarily mean that today’s performance will yield the same success results.  :o(

I think the devil delights in our doubts as much a he delights in our failings… surely he does when we doubt God or doubt our faith.  But he also delights in sabotaging our efforts seek the Lord and to do good.  Sometimes he’s successful at both.  We mustn’t doubt for a moment that we do have an enemy that hates for us to yield to God, hates for us to seek the Lord — especially seeking the Lord early – hates for us to be faithful to the calling of the Lord in our lives.

I say this because I want to suggest that any attempt to do good or to do a new thing must be bathed in prayer and executed with the blessing of the Lord.  I think failing these two things is what ultimately leads to our failure in doing that new thing — and, certainly, doing it well.

Take daily Bible reading or early rising or prayer or fasting, for example,  if we attempt any in our own strength,  we’ll fail — but, we know from Scripture,  when we commit to seeking the Lord — His will and His righteousness, He will work in and through us — even though it may not look to us (at the time) to be working!

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him;
and He shall bring it to pass.” -Psalm 37.5

So, as we launch out into the vast expanse of this unblemished year, this uncharted territory, we can be assured that the Lord is already here and He does, indeed, have a marvelous plan for each of us.  And all the things that face us, all the trials and temptations, all the joys and sorrows, all the successes and failures do not — will not — escape His gaze.  He is already there.

Then thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying,
This is the way, walk ye in it, that ye not turn to the right hand
and that ye not turn to the left hand.  -Isaiah 30.21

As we seek to do a new thing, we must first seek His face, take His hand and and wait! and see! if that’s where He wants to lead us.  I truly see Him doing a new thing… I want to follow Him in it… this is the first day of all our tomorrows…  O, may we do a new thing… in faith!

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth;
shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness,
and rivers in the desert. -Isaiah 43.19

the endearing faces

I stared blindly at the ceiling as I lay in bed and thought of the evening I’d just spent.  Sleep didn’t seem to come easily. Or soon.  I couldn’t stop thinking of them… their tender, lineless faces, bright smiles, dark hair and the playfulness of youth in their eyes.  And, I couldn’t help but — for a moment —  wish that I were once again in the place they were last night — once again a young mother with seemingly limitless opportunities before me — a young mother with a vast clean slate before me.

As I stood there sharing with them, glancing down at my notes and back up to their faces, every now and then I would catch a glimpse of a smile or a nod or an inquisitive look and I felt inadequate to convey what I knew must be conveyed to them.  O, how I prayed that, if nothing else, I’d at least give encouragement to press on — to not give up.  So I began by sharing some thoughts on the life of Elijah and how the Lord fed him — sustained him, spoke to him — even though he seemed to often face situations that were too great for him, but the Lord fed him and he carried on the strength of that meat…

I’ll write more about some gleanings from 1 Kings another time.

So, I was sharing things I’m glad we’ve done, decisions we’ve made as a family — as a homeschooling family — through the years.  I intended to share things I regretted doing or not doing, but as I was preparing my notes, I realized that having an old mom stand before them with a list of regrets was not going to help them very much — and it certainly wasn’t going to help me at all.  I already spend too much time at the regret counter as it is.  But, on the other hand, I had to share some of the shortcomings — and, as you know, there have been many through the years — so that they could see more of my heart, God’s mercy and His grace and where I was coming from when I was exhorting them to press on.  I referenced Philippians 3.14-15

All day as I’ve worked in our home, worked at the kitchen table on math and spelling, reading and writing, I’ve  been seeing the young mother’s tender faces before me and I’ve thought on how it was in the beginning for me… the beginning of homeschooling, the clean slate days, the: We can be/do/study anything! days.

It was so impressive that they were so eager to learn — the purposeful intent of their lives.  I so wish that I had been as they.  Many had very young children, some not even “school-age,” yet, there they were: already deeply committed to the task at hand,  gathering information, tools and inspiration for the road ahead.

Knowing this, I felt then — and I feel more so, now —  a very strong conviction to be careful with their thoughts, careful with their questions and respectful of their plans.  What an honour it was to share with them things — ideas, suggestions, helps —  that just might become part of the foundation of their homes.  I hope that some of our experiences might help them and that some of the  “things we’re glad we did” just might become some of their “things we’re glad we did.”   And, perhaps, someday one of those mothers will stand before a group of beautiful, bright, lineless faced, eager young mothers starting out on the path… and she’ll be able to encourage them to press on… because she did.

What’s Pulling on Your Apron Strings

That might sound like a strange title to a message I want to share with you today, but perhaps by the time you finish reading this letter, you’ll have an idea and perhaps realize some things you’ve been wanting to take care of for some time.

So, what’s pulling on your apron strings?  You know… the thing or things that nag at you or that seem to be pulling at you from one direction or many.  You may be attempting to work around your home and keep having interruptions or distractions that prevent you from accomplishing what’s really needful.  You may have plans or schedules, or wish you had plans or schedules, and yet every day something, or many things pull on your apron strings and prevent you from meaningful or notable accomplishment.

I know I have these same feelings or experiences from time to time –sort of as if nothing seems to go right or nothing measurable ever seems to get done. It’s as if at the end of each week I have relatively little to show for my efforts and certainly none for the fatigue I might be feeling.  Yet, my apron’s dirty and the strings are raveled at the end.

Over the years I had great ambition for great things.  I wanted to spend time individually with each of the children each day; I wanted to spend time reading aloud, fixing their hair, assisting them with schoolwork, chores and prayers.  I had lofty aspirations that we would do projects, tell and record stories: that I would pass on valuable stories, life-lessons and a rich heritage…

But then, many days –most days– I would come to my bedside and realize that, once again, yet another day where I’d failed to reach my glorious ambitions.  Instead, we had just spent another day –another hum-drum day.  Together.

Pulling at my apron strings were all the wouldda, shouldda, couldda’s and few of the atta-girl’s, way-to-go’s and wahoo’s of life.  At the point I realized that all those marvelous and coveted accolades were simply unrealistic, I also realized I truly was getting all those atta-girl’s, way-to-go’s and wahoo’s of life.  I truly had them… I just wasn’t seeing them, that’s all.  I wasn’t seeing the “atta-girl” in my son’s: “Mom, will you fix this for me? I can’t do it.” Or, in my daughter’s: “Mama, you’ve got to write down these recipes for me or I will not ever be able to cook like you!”  Or, “O, my mom will do it for you, she’s right here!”  Or,  probably the sweetest gift of all I just received and it was contained in a letter, reading: “Mama… You are the best friend I’ve ever had.”

See, I missed the blessings by being concerned
about the unimportant things or on my failings
instead of what really was most important for that day.

Often, pulling on my apron strings are all the things I’ve done wrong as a mother, wife or friend.  Pulling on my apron strings are the things I don’t do well or the things I don’t have (as compared with my friends) or all the ways in which my children don’t *seem* to measure up (again, compared to others’ or compared with a high ideal or whatever).

Everyday, nagging thoughts creep in and occasionally pull me here and pull me there… and even get me all tied in knots sometimes over the silliest things – all tied up over things only the LORD can take care of or only the LORD knows about.  Sometimes all tied up over things I *imagine* to be so.  And then, I stop and think:  wait a minute… should these things be pulling at my apron strings, pulling me down in despair?  Should I be letting those thoughts come in and flood my mind, or should I take those thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.

I know this to be a truth: I have never given to the LORD –any thought, desire, motive, whatever that was then rejected by Him.

He has never yet, will never, can never: fail me.  So then, I consider at thought or a pulling on my apron strings and I ask: is this of You, LORD? Or I say, I know this is not of You, LORD, and so I ask You to take this thought, desire, fear (or whatever), from me and I ask You to guide my thoughts, guard my heart and mind and help me to see only You.  Please hide me behind Your Cross, LORD.

O, sure, other women are going to have bigger, better, more than you or I; and sure, other families are going to have newer, brighter, more attractive homes, children, lives, accomplishments, etc., etc., than you or I.  But you know what?  They don’t get to be you—they don’t get to be me.  You’re uniquely you created by God, saved by Him unto faith and good works.  He loves you with an everlasting love and underneath you are His everlasting arms and in you is His eternal Spirit and surrounding you is His eternal joy of salvation in Christ Jesus.  Wow.  Now those are some pretty wonderful things.  Did you know you had all those treasures tucked in the pockets of your apron?

So, next time something starts pulling on your apron strings and you know it’s not simply one of the little blessings the LORD has given you, you just reach in your pocket and pull out one of the Truths of God’s Word and His love for you.

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
Jeremiah 31.3

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”   2Corinthians 10.3-6

I pray the LORD will just bless you and bless you over and over and that you will be assured of His great love for you and that He will guide your steps and guard your thoughts.

always in His hands, love,  pamela

Another homeschooling year

So, yes… another homeschooling year has begun.  We’ve already had the usual variety of commitments — planned and unplanned, absences and extra-curricular activities: some sick, some tardy, some cutting class (uh, that would be two of the teachers :-O ), etc., etc.

  • Three days into the new school year:  We’ve already had to revise our expectations — both raising and lowering them regarding courses of study and assignments for different students.  We’ve had to do this many times through 22 years of homeschooling.  We seem to forget this every year!
  • Three days into the new school year:  We’ve discovered we have too many of some and too few of other materials we need for each days’ work for each student.  Again… this is a repeat of the previous 22 years.  Someday we will “get it!”
  • Three days into the new school year:  The teachers have forgotten, missed, or been late to the kitchen table class.  Ditto, the students.
  • Three days into the new school year: For what can be accomplished in any given amount of time, we’ve had to revise our expectations.  Up and down.
  • Three days into the new school year:  We’re saying:  we are off to a great start! This is going to be a wonderful school year: we can just tell!!

encouragement & geography today…

 teacuppamela.pngI’m thinking of how our children learn, what motivates them the most and what creates the greatest results in homeschooling?  Yes! it’s enthusiasm and love — it’s saying to our children: I am so for you!!  I love you!!

Maybe at home today we need to give a little more attention to what’s most important and, remember, we all need a little more enthusiastic encouragement for whatever we’re teaching (or learning).

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What’s for dinner? And more questions.

teacuppamela.pngEvery day… every day… day after day, there’s the dilemma:  what’s for dinner? Or… for many, the daily questions are more like: What’s for breakfast? When’s coffee? What’s for lunch? What’s for snack? What’s for dinner? Where’s the chocolate for me?

Here are a few dinner recipes and you might also want to print up a couple of these… “Dozens of Dinners” dinner ideas and a page of “Bunches of Lunches” lunch ideas I wrote up for a cookbook a long time ago.

As an aid for the kitchen sink ponderings as to what to have for dinner, I posted these pages on our website several years ago so that women could print them out and tape them to the inside of the kitchen cabinet near the sink.   For most all my homemaking years I have had lists, recipes, notes and photographs on the inside of the doors of my kitchen cabinets so that I will have ‘ready reminders’ of what to fix (lists of meals), how to fix (recipes & notes), and why to fix them (photographs of people I love) — for lunches and dinners and other meals.

Bon appetit!

Hey… and remember those chickens we butchered a few weeks ago?  Well… the cool thing we used for “plucking” or defeathering them was a Whizbang chicken plucker – just like the one shown here at The Deliberate Agrarian!  The first plunging of the chicken into the boiling water and into the Whizbang plucker was stomach-churning. Really.  After the first one, the rest were easier (sort of).  And I don’t know when  if I could ever do the neck slicing deal – you know.  I would say that the best way to do the chicken butchering job is to share it (and the equipment) with friends.  Well… that’s probably the only way I would could do it.

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Another first day of school

  teacuppamelaI woke up this morning with eager anticipation for the day: our 21st “first day of homeschool.”  In the early days of homeschooling, I would not have even guessed where we would be today — in terms of both where we’ve been or how many children have been taught at the table.  I could not have asked or imagined the blessings that have come through the years.  Additionally, I most certainly didn’t know enough to know that there would be days of anguish or exasperation — near despair over what I don’t know and couldn’t communicate.  But I also didn’t know enough to know that there would also be days of immeasurable satisfaction and that the accomplishments over the years would bring such great joy.  I suppose, I didn’t know the LORD enough to know that He would be my strength and my song — my ever present help in trouble or in time of need.

As always, we seek to train up the children in the way — in the way they should go — in the fear and admonition of the LORD.  My goal/our goal is for the children to be taught of the LORD at His pace – in peace – in His time.  As a homeschooling mother, I’ve been learning that the greatest achievement will not be what I do, say or model, but what the LORD does in and through each of the children based on how and what they learn and how they apply their studies. So then, I’m profoundly aware each day of the awesome task before me – I’m mindful that they will be influenced for good or evil, to be industrious or slothful in work, attentive or ignorant in learning, obedient or disobedient in behaviour, careful or careless in presentation, eager or apathetic concerning the things of God, studies or prayer or a myriad of other things.  If my work is half-hearted, if I murmur or if my example is poor, then the resulting teaching will be unfruitful and will bring them a snare.

quote… a child left to himself bring his mother to shame.”  —proverbs 29.15

what a powerful proverb. But what joy a mother has whose children walk with the LORD.

quoteI have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” –3John 1.4
Truly, I am beginning to grasp the tremendous truth and blessing of faithful children.  I know no greater joy than this… and so, today as we embark on another year of homeschooling, I’m desiring this above all things — that the children will walk in Truth — that they will know Him.

quote But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children’s children;” –Psalms 103.17

I pray to teach them to love to work, to love to read, help, learn and then I pray to see frequent use of education through application and teaching of others by example.  Above all, I pray each one of our children will be found faithful.  I pray they will have good understanding and rich insight and that the LORD will make them wise.

I pray to be found faithful to the unparalled calling of motherhood and I pray to demonstrate this in joy to each one of our children.  How grateful I am to know that I am not alone in this great calling — in this great charge.  King Lemuel’s mother (or Soloman’s mother) taught him well — and, my-o-my, what an example we’ve been given in theProverbs 31 passage of Scripture.

quoteAnd that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. –2Timothy 3.15

 

An eye on California…

Homeschool law.

From the HSLDA E-lert Service

June 25, 2008

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You can only do so much…

No one can be everywhere at once. And you can’t be at home, teaching your children, while monitoring your state’s legislature. Through electronic legislative services, HSLDA is monitoring state legislation for you—watching and listening carefully for any proposed laws that could erode your right to homeschool.

Join HSLDA today—we’ll watch out for your future. We also provide 24/7 legal assistance and some great money-saving benefits!

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Start shopping here to contribute to HSF at no cost to you!

Keep Praying for the
California Homeschooling Case

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends:

To read more visit HSLDA’s California Homepage.

On Monday, June 23, 2008, HSLDA founder Mike Farris argued in defense of homeschooling in the California Court of Appeal in the now-infamous Rachel L. case. In February, this same court had ruled that homeschooling is illegal in California. The court later vacated its own decision in response to a request for rehearing filed by attorney for the father, Gary Kreep of the United States Justice Foundation, with substantial assistance by Farris and other attorneys at HSLDA. Farris argued as a friend of the court on behalf of HSLDA’s 15,000 member families in California, as well as Focus on the Family, and Private and Home Educators of California.

Farris was joined in his defense of homeschooling by lawyers representing the Attorney General and Governor of California, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, California’s three largest homeschooling groups (California Homeschool Network, Homeschool Association of California and Christian Home Educators of California), Pacific Justice Institute on behalf of Sunland Christian School, and Alliance Defense Fund lawyer Jeff Shafer, on behalf of the family.

“The weight of legal and scholarly authority presented to this court in defense of homeschooling is unprecedented,” said Farris, who has argued dozens of similar cases since founding HSLDA 25 years ago.

In addition to those who presented oral argument, friend-of-the-court briefs in support of the right of parents to homeschool were submitted by Pacific Legal Foundation, National Legal Foundation, Sutherland Institute, Liberty Counsel on behalf of 13 members of Congress, Gifted Homeschoolers Forum, et al, Seventh Day Adventist Church State Council, Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence (prepared by noted law professors David Llewellyn, John Eastman, and Erwin Chemerinsky), American Center for Law and Justice and The Western Center for Law and Policy.

Farris is guardedly optimistic that the three-judge panel will not repeat its earlier error, but he covets your prayers. “The homeschooling movement has been successful not because of the work of lawyers but because the Lord has blessed it,” noted Farris. “We must always remember Proverbs 21:1—‘The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever he wishes.’ ”

A decision is expected within a few weeks.

Sincerely,

J. Michael Smith
HSLDA President

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“Should Home-Schooling Be Illegal?”

teacuppamela.pngThat’s the title of an article in this week’s Parade magazine: Should Home-Schooling Be Illegal?

I don’t often read much of the Sunday paper – well, that is, unless an article catches my eye or unless there’s a series I’m following. So this week, as I was tidying up the table, I was just glancing through the different pages and sections and happened to open the Parade magazine to the page where the aforementioned article is posted in the IntelligenceReport (Parade.com/intel) column. There’s just something about certain words that catches my eye and when I see particular words in the same heading, I take notice! Today’s words? Home-schooling and Illegal.

The very brief article that opens with question: Should home-schooling be illegal? and closes with the question: Should parents need teaching credentials to home-school their kids?

You can vote in the poll here. I think the results might surprise you.

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