5.28.2013

IT WILL ALL WORK OUT

There's a common thread that weaves through the homeschooling mom syndrome of ambition to train our children well. There's an effortful well-meaningness that can cause even the most intentional, loving moms to crumble.
There's a "trying hard" called over-achieving and it masquerades under the guise of stress.
It's not God-honoring. It doesn't trust. And it deserves a thoughtful response.

To counter such discouraging inclinations that slither into homeschooling homes, I'm here to share the motto that God has used to encourage me time and time again. It's really rather simple, yet biblical when we digest and I believe it's worth etching on hearts that carry burdens we just aren't intended to bear.

Here it is...let's prepare ourselves with open-mindedness and carefully think this one through:
 
It will all work out...
 
I'm sure of it!
 
It will all work out...
 
Let's chant it in our minds.
 
It will all work out...
 
Because here's the thing...God is in control. He is wise. He is good. His plans CANNOT be thwarted. They cannot.

So, even if we feel we've accomplished a massive fail, we haven't. God is over all and He never makes mistakes.
He uses everything for His purposes, even our lowest valleys, even our flailingest fails, even our worst regret.
 
It will all work out...
 
I'm really sure it will!
 
It will all work out...
 
We serve a great God who is trustworthy beyond compare.
 
It will all work out...
 
So let's homeschool parents take some pressure off and enjoy our kids while they're ours! Let's dedicate their (and our) lives to Him. Let's loosen the reigns and let God drive. (He's the one driving anyway...so why don't we just admit it?!)
 
It will all work out...
 
Let's homeschool moms and dads relax. Let's let the small stuff go. Let's realize what will and will not impact our children's eternal experience. Let's let our little ones be little. (There's plenty of time to prepare for college should that be God's will.) And, let's make a choice to stop sinning in our efforts to do good. Really so much of what we moms stress over just simply is unnecessary and often sorrowful upon post-reflection.
 
It will all work out...
 
Even if it seems as though things haven't worked out...and everything feels all messed up. It's not.
Because God uses ALL things for good. He does! I believe it.
 
It will all work out...
 
So, here's to exhhhhaaaling...and tending to the hearts of our children.
Here's to trusting God for the outcome of things we can't control.
Here's to letting stressors fall by the wayside that really just don't matter.

Let's remain eternally focused. Let's seek Him first above all else and realize like we really mean it...
that it WILL all work out because God is good!
 
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,
for those who are called according to his purpose."
Romans 8:28


5.20.2013

DRESS UP HISTORY

We're always looking for ways to make learning fun and interactive, conquering the stigma that "school" equals sitting at a desk all day hammering through textbooks and worksheets.
Not that textbooks or worksheets are bad...we use them too, but if I were a kid (or the adult teaching my kids) I'd much rather learn (and teach) in creative ways...especially while they're young.

Hence, dress up history.
 
Our costume closet wardrobe is stocked with time period learning fun.
The kids of all ages LOVE it!!

 
We love historical fiction and we're always reading as a primary method of learning.
I'm constantly encouraging the kids to open up our Big Book of History (from Answers in Genesis) and see where their history reading plugs into the BIG picture. It's a great resource!
 
What a blessing to see siblings big and small putting their learning into action, playing together on an ordinary school day, traveling back in time, letting their imaginations lead the way, cooperating with one another...to name a few of the many reasons why we homeschool!

 
 
It's true that learning is always more fun when you (literally) get into it! It warms my heart to listen to them play, it's a privilege to have them home, and I can't imagine a more interactive way to "dress up" learning good old fashioned history than what my kids are up to today.
 
"Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy."
Psalm 33:3

5.08.2013

READING BUDDIES

We like the buddy system around here and I'm all for creativity to make our schooling FUN!
 
 
Today, I laughed out loud when I found Aida pulling her reading buddy around in the wagon as Elka read aloud. Hey...whatever it takes, right? I LOVE it & I LOVE them!

 
 
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up."
1 Thessalonians 5:11

5.03.2013

OCEANOGRAPHY

I love when a school lesson becomes a life lesson. Yesterday we had one of those days. What started as a science study of marine life wandered us over to the ocean for some surf and play and eventually landed us at Petco at 8pm! Ha! I laugh when we get ourselves into such events. It's fun! All 10 of us browsed the isles last night (half in PJs), looking for just the right aquarium for our home. We're still debating if it's the right choice for us (after all aquariums can be complicated), but the kids were excellent about leaving the pet store empty handed, though not empty hearted. We all had a great time!

Also, I think we were able to encourage the store manager who helped us out. We talked about adoption and God's love through ordinary folks like us and it seemed she felt the LOVE. Perhaps she's the reason we went on our aquarium outing in the first place. Time will tell if we'll be welcoming new pets into our family in the near future or not...stay tuned!



We also love: Oceans by Disneynature


God's creation under the sea is absolutely AMAZING!!


"The sea is his, for he made it."
Psalm 95:5