HOMEMAKING 101

"An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels."

Proverbs 31:10

 

As the girls get older, more and more we feel a sense of responsibility to use our time as wisely as possible in training their hearts to know and love the Lord and out of their love for Him, desire to be God-fearing keepers of their own homes one day.

 

(making sauerkraut here)

 

"She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness."

Proverbs 31:27

 

With this pursuit in mind, we look intentionally for opportunities in our homeschooling days to allow them to participate in the ways in which they will one day care for their own families. Whether it's preparing healthy meals, nurturing a baby or feisty toddler with kindness, organizing efficiently, managing wisely, or even just tidying up, they enjoy the process of homemaking

and prayerfully our efforts will reap a harvest in the years to come in the same ways they bless our family now.

 

 

"She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household."

Proverbs 31:15

 

(As a homemaker, you never know when a knight might pop in asking to help...)

 

(...or 4 princesses...also very helpful.)

 

"She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue."

Proverbs 31:26

 

Hey, we even emphasize the fact that when the girls do keep their homes one day, inevitably their plans will often be interrupted blessed with opportunities to be loving, even when it's frustrating. Learning the act of self-control, gentleness, and grace definitely counts in the list of homemaking skills and I want my daughters to be prepared! Sacrificial, servant hearts make successful homemaking hearts. It's helpful to learn this early and in our home there is ample opportunity.

 

 

"Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come."

Proverbs 31:25

 

So, as we go about our days here at home, we're mindful of how we spend our time, focused on the future as well as here and now. Our highest aim is to glorify the Lord and homeschooling works beautifully in allowing us the blessed gift of TIME.

 

"Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

'Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.'"

Proverbs 31:28-29

 

By God's grace, may we raise up Proverbs 31/Titus 2 women for His glory and the benefit of their families and those around them. May we always think carefully about how we spend our time and why we do what we do with the days we've been
given to rear and train up our children. And, may our efforts be fruitful because the Lord has deemed it so.

 

Lord, please grow and multiply these planted, cultivated, watered seeds to fullness as we sow Homemaking 101.

 

"Older women...are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled."

Titus 2:3-5

NOVA'S BOOKS

Nova loves to illustrate and narrate stories. She's always asking for help with her latest book. This one, Animal Garden, is about a little girl who finds a bird nest with eggs in the apple tree of her favorite garden. She had the whole thing planned out...SO cute!

 

Last night, we surprised Nova by reading her new book aloud to all the kids at devotion time and she was glowing!!

To add to the excitement, we discovered a baby bird filled nest in the creeping fig high by our rafters yesterday...SO sweet!

 

Our homemade books will always be my favorite stories...lifetime keepsakes...I love them!

 

Almost as much as I love my little Nova.

 

 

"The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly...In them the birds build their nests."

Psalm 104:16-17

SCRABBLE = SPELLING

 

It just does.

 

Not to mention it's extra enjoyable with this on my lap...

 

 

This is why we homeschool.

 

"Making the best use of the time."

Ephesians 5:16

CASTLE OF LOVE

Sometimes on an ordinary day, someone creates a project that particularly blesses my heart.

Today that someone was Olia with her impromptu tale, The Castle of Love.

 

(Love my laminator...Thank you, Brodie!)

 

(Love this special girl!)

 

...and her special story...



 

 I'm hoping this means our princess knows we love her

just as much as the king and queen loved theirs.

 

You're a sweetheart, Olia...and we love you very much!

 

"Love one another."

John 13:34

COMPASSION

 

Years ago we signed up to sponsor our first Compassion International child...a girl. Aida and Elka are her primary contacts.

Their name is on her account. They write the letters and send the gifts, pray for her. It's beautiful.

 

"All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do."

Galatians 2:10

 

At some point after, we signed up for our second sponsored child...a boy. Brodie (Jr.) became his primary contact. 

His name is on his account. He writes the letters and sends the gifts, prays for him. And, it's beautiful.

 

"If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing."

1 Corinthians 13:3

 

This year as I read Brodie's tenderhearted birthday card letter to his sponsored friend in Ethiopia, I had to hold back tears as I realized the compassion this opportunity has grown in my son...and my daughters. They are involved in the lives of these kids.

They've watched them grow up over the years and prayed for them through the seasons. Their letters and donations

make a difference and they're learning eternal things through their correspondence.

 

 

Children can do ministry...Yes, they can!

 

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example

for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity."
1 Timothy 4:12

 

(The kids keep their letters in folders.)

 

Last year we attended a Compassion International Change the Story event and it was awesome! All of us were enthralled and captivated to take a walk through real life stories of children just like the ones we get to invest in. As the kids saw the keepsake letters written from sponsors just like them, they were able to see with their eyes and touch with their hands the tangibility of the opportunity they have to influence a life for God's glory through their letter writing and contributions.

 

 

The whole experience that day further encouraged our children in their Compassion International friendships across the globe and they all dream of the day they will get to take a trip to meet them in person. What a special day that will be!

 

Compassion International is an excellent ministry, giving adults and children alike the privilege to participate in kingdom work.

We're thankful for what it adds to our homeschool and lives. I'm sure there will be more sponsored children joining our extended family as younger siblings observe and become ready to begin their own correspondence as well...thanks to Compassion.

 

WWW.COMPASSION.COM

 

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain,

but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good,

to be rich in good deeds, to be generous and willing to share."

 1 Timothy 6:17-18

 

"And the King will answer them,

‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’"
Matthew 25:40



THE GOD KNIGHTS

I walked in to find my little knights, Boden and Noble, in a very creative state today.

Upon inquiring, it turns out they've been watching the big kids around here, coming up with grand plans of their own.
They were so cute. They had their whole endeavor named and figured out for their knight books, both titled:

The God Knights

The God Knights are a valiant team of kingdom knights by the names

Sir Brodie, Sir Noble, Sir Boden, and Sir Beck, all led by the brave Sir Daddy.

I was especially amused to see the way each boy depicted himself.

Sir Noble was larger than all of the other knights in his book, an encouraging sign for our Noble if you ask me.

In Boden's book, Sir Boden was protecting the princess..."Mommy the Princess"...Awwww!!!

It's so fun to see the progression from scribbles to artwork and to marvel at the joy of creating.

Boden and Noble, we're all so proud of your books and your desire to glorify God with your art!

Keep up the great work!!

 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God."
Ephesians 6:10-11

NEW DESK STATION

 

When the kids were little (and fewer) we enjoyed having desks along with an art table, but as they grew and our family morphed, we gradually ended up using our kitchen table as our primary work space for both. Recently, in an effort to make it work even better while we remain in our current home, we decided a new project was in store for us...our new desk station.

 

 

Our preschoolers are always creating in one of the many art spaces around our home, and now our older kids are ready (again) for their very own sense of space as well. Complete with their desired supplies and wall pockets to catch the daily happenings before they make it to our filing system, in just a few days time, I can see already that this project has met a need.
 

 

Organization is a must in a family of our size. I'm all for flexibility, spontaneity, and a kickback attitude about making messes during creative mode...but...there also must be organization or it just won't work for us. Fortunately, even our most carefree children tend to appreciate such things (probably a product of nurture), so they've especially enjoyed organizing their supplies.

 

(Usually, I'm anti-plastic storage, but these wall organizers from IKEA were super inexpensive and practical to keep the desks free and available for work space, not to mention apparently the kids have "always wanted those!"...so we went with them.)

 

I wanted a space to hang some of the latest projects, so we opted for free twine, nails,

and clothespins since there is always an ample supply of all three around here.

 

 

Aida, Miss Organization, has been particularly excited about her space since she spends so much time and effort on her schoolwork, writing, planning, etc. She is loving getting herself all set up and I'm so happy for her to feel organized and ready for high school! next year. (As a side note, we really don't place much emphasis on "grades" whether that be age grade or letter grades and there's a long story why behind both, but nevertheless, it does keep us ordered to a certain degree to consider age grades, though we don't pigeon hole the kids in terms of schoolwork.) That said, Aida is very eager about her education and though there are days I ask her to "chuck the list" (ha!) I value her structured and dedicated commitment to everything she does and it's a joy to see her at her new freshly-sharpened-matching-pencils type of very Aida work space. :)

And this little one...

 

...is quite the big girl these days.

("Mommy, look at me!" she yells, pencil behind her ear. I love Nova!)

These two...

Always up to something, they have their matching outfits on here for whatever game they were playing just before and I have to stop to enjoy the fact that they are...together. The togetherness is what gets me most with homeschooling. It's such a beautiful gift to be BFFs with siblings...warms my heart every single day and we never take it for granted!

Brodie is always creating. It's a privilege to give him the time to be the artist God designed him to be. Lately, when we're indoors, if he's not playing the piano or building a Lego masterpiece, he's likely to be here, so excited to have his own drawing space!

(Inspired by The Kingdom Series by Chuck Black)

 

 

. . . . . .

 

That's the debrief on the latest in homeschooling for us. There's nothing like refreshment and newness to get everyone invested. Since I started the school year out sicker than sick with sweet baby in my belly this year, then we went into China mode for a month, then adjustment mode with Bea and Beck, we kind of feel like this is our second start to a new year, which is fun!
We do tend to function in a year-round schooling mindset anyway, but still, there is something inspiring about getting
organized and embarking upon more journeys...a great reason to be thankful for our new desk station!

 
. . . . . .
 

*As always, a BIG huge THANK YOU to the men in our life for building us this special new space!*

Your efforts are definitely appreciated, especially as you serve with willing and joyful hearts.

 

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."

Proverbs 16:3

 

3 IN 1 (OR MORE)

One of our favorite aspects of homeschooling is how often subjects collide, simplifying life...ahhh.

 

 

Although this happens in multiple ways daily, one of our most common 3 in 1 (or more) activities is Reading/Bible/Handwriting.

 

 

I suppose technically there is also art involved when we utilize A Reason For Handwriting, memorization,

character training, discipleship, and various other virtuous lessons learned in this way...indeed more than 3.

 

 

Though it seems obvious, it's really worth our while when striving to make the best use of

our time to realize how many different subjects we cover in singular educational activities.

We love how it streamlines life with minimal technical "curriculum" needed.

 

 

Life is curriculum and curriculum is life. At least that's how we see it.

 

 

It may take more intentionality.

 

 

It may look untraditional.

 

 

It may even seem overly simplistic...but then again...it is.

 

 

All things considered, it works for us to keep things simple, all the while learning.

 

 

Recently, someone asked the kids about our "Bible curriculum". It's odd to us to consider that we would need a formal curriculum of sorts to learn more of God's Word when it is living and active, completely sufficient, and direct instruction from the Author Himself, but that seems to be typical protocol for most homeschoolers...which is by no means wrong! It just tends to be more fuss for us than what works best in our family. (True, it took us years to figure this out.) But anyway, when it comes to Bible, we keep it simple and constant. It is definitely not a subject we cross off a To Do list in our homeschooling day. We're always doing Bible.

 

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

2 Timothy 3:16-17

 

 

For us, Bible study doesn't require expensive online orders, lesson plans, or requirements,

but rather it is an all day everyday ongoing activity that seeps into all of our learning and life.

 

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."
Proverbs 22:6

 

We read it, break it down, sing it, study it, research it, write it, memorize it, and talk about it continually.

 

"You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house,

and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."

Deuteronomy 6:7

 

There are also times when we look to other sources such as books, videos, or worksheets, etc., but for the most part our Bible
subject boils down to being readers and doers of the Word, sufficient to illuminate our hearts and minds in and of itself.

 

"Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."

Ephesians 6:4

 

For us, it's really that simple.

We want our children to grow to hunger and thirst for the Word, to crave it and desire to know it without regiment.
We pray that our approach makes the Bible approachable and not dutiful...because that's who God is.

 

 
"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome."
1 John 5:3
 

And so, Bible included, we look for multiple subjects within the context of education at all times and in creative ways each day.

We cover Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, and such in multiple and varying methods. We're always on the look out, intent to be intentional. And, we're ever grateful for homeschool and the flexibility it allows extensively, consistently...3 in 1 (or more).

 

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time."

Ephesians 5:15-16