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A quote by Geoff Botkin keeps resonating….”A soldier is too busy fighting to have hobbies.”

Now before you leave my blog 😉 I think you’ll find that’s not such an extreme statement. As I bring up children (arrows), I must not forget that the spiritual war wages all the time. How am I helping equip them to fight? What activities am I encouraging them to be involved in that are ultimately bringing victory to the Kingdom?

Does mindless amusement add to their armour?

Mr. Botkin clarified that there are many things our children should enjoy and participate in. But shouldn’t we stand in stark contrast to the self-centered, couch-lying, game-playing, “my-world-is-all-that-matters” culture around us?

It challenged me to take inventory of our “past time”, and all our activities. Are we investing our time into things that will ultimately serve others, bring glory to God, assist the family’s economy or other such “Kingdom-building” end?

I want my children to be busy with their hands, not just to be busy, but to be always “others minded”. If it’s music, let them practice to be excellent, in order to reflect the image of God.

If it’s crafts, let them always be learning and striving to create in order to show forth good stewardship, making something of nothing, thereby demonstrating another attribute of God, and thinking of how those skills could be a blessing to someone.

But let me always be teaching them to “Redeem the time”.

Of course I let my children play with Legos….don’t get me wrong. (I’m hoping my son will grow up to be a designer of some kind!) But if we generally understand that we are raising “Kingdom workers” (I don’t mean to overuse that term, it’s just so good!) and show them, each day, how their activities, gifts, and bents can be meaningful, our “good works will so shine before men” that the world will glorify our Father.

The most comforting thing and the most terrifying thing about being a Christian is that God is sovereign, and we will never know if we really believe that unless our faith is tested.

We found out yesterday that my husband has “Retinis Pigmentosis“, a degenerative eye disease that causes slow vision loss, beginning with the peripheral vision. Sometimes it causes total blindness, and sometimes the central vision is maintained while all peripheral vision is lost. The doctor seems to think he will maintain his central vision. (BTW, my hubby is only 32!)

And while there are several factors in the physical realm that provide some comfort (new treatments that could be available in the next 10 years, etc.), our only choice, really, is to believe that God is working ALL things for our good and His glory. Period. He can heal, or he can show forth His strength in our weakness, more tangibly than ever.

My flesh reaches out on its own and contemplates our future…how will he continue to provide for us when a large part of our income involves his making occasional long, overnight deliveries across several states?

But isn’t that just like us in every situation? That’s the awesome thing–I don’t have to know or figure out the future. It’s already written. Aaron’s vision problem was woven into the same frame that was “fearfully and wonderfully made”.

God’s not wringing His hands, and neither should we be!

We just keep walking.

The most comforting thing and the most terrifying thing about being a Christian is that God is sovereign, and we will never know if we really believe that unless our faith is tested.

We found out yesterday that my husband has “Retinis Pigmentosis“, a degenerative eye disease that causes slow vision loss, beginning with the peripheral vision. Sometimes it causes total blindness, and sometimes the central vision is maintained while all peripheral vision is lost. The doctor seems to think he will maintain his central vision. (BTW, my hubby is only 32!)

And while there are several factors in the physical realm that provide some comfort (new treatments that could be available in the next 10 years, etc.), our only choice, really, is to believe that God is working ALL things for our good and His glory. Period. He can heal, or he can show forth His strength in our weakness, more tangibly than ever.

My flesh reaches out on its own and contemplates our future…how will he continue to provide for us when a large part of our income involves his driving out of state on a regular basis?

But isn’t that just like us in every situation? That’s the awesome thing–I don’t have to know or figure out the future. It’s already written. Aaron’s vision problem was woven into the same frame that was “fearfully and wonderfully made”.

God’s not wringing His hands, and neither should we be!

We just keep walking.

I bought this iron plant hanger at a yard sale for $5.00 (thanks Alison!) and since I’m too impatient (and cheap 😉 to wait until I can buy plants and stuff to go in it, I thought it would be neat to try candles. It hangs just to the left of our front door and makes a nice, welcoming decor. The dried carnations are some I’ve had for years.

“Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.”

I’ve tweaked our schedule, yet again. But, being the eternal optimist that I am, I don’t believe our previous schedules have failed, necessarily, just that it must change to keep up with this ever-sporadic Mommy. (At least I haven’t thrown off all forms of structure altogether! ;-P )

As I’m in the last stages of finishing up the next ebook “Relaxed Homeschooling: There is Another Way), I have been challenged myself in our homeschooling journey.

Just for fun, or encouragement, or ideas, or all of the above, I’ll show you what I did to our schedule and how our day went yesterday:

(FYI, we “do school” all year.)

Monday: reading, “buddy school”, kitchen preparation, bills

• Reading involves read-alouds, private reading, reading to siblings, etc. Just lots of reading!
• “Buddy school” is where an older child helps a younger child. This is as much for the older as the younger. I made each set a packet with things that I want them to do. (Days of the week, months of the year, books of the Bible, letter sounds, numbers, etc.)
• Kitchen preparation is *supposed* to make meals for the week easier. We try to decide on each night’s menu, and do anything ahead that we can (chop onions, prepare salads, etc.) I’m not very good at this, by the way.

Tuesday: Math, English, History of the World CDs

• We do A.C.E. math and English paces.
• History of the World is a comprehensive, from Creation til now history overview. It is hands-down, the most incredible, comprehensive history curriculum from a biblical worldview I’ve ever seen. It was a gift to us, and I cannot describe how wonderful it is that I am actually learning history for the first time.

Wednesday: Math, Art/Music/Poetry

Thursday: Crafts, Cards, Ministry

• This mainly includes making gifts for other people. This is something I’m always talking about how important it is, but I rarely “squeeze” it in. So, why not make it a part of school? Already this morning, we’ve had a thorough math lesson figuring the dimensions of a rag-quilt diaper bag we’re making.

Friday: Cleaning, History of the World

Yesterday, our Art day, I browsed Netflix for an instant play movie about something related to art. (Netflix was invented for Moms like me…no planning involved 😉

I found one about Claude Monet. So before we watched it, I browsed our little library and found some paintings and info. on Monet. I read that, we discussed the paintings a bit, and then watched the short film.

When the character in the film decided to go visit Paris (this film was animated), I paused it, and showed the children her destination on the world map.

We discussed “impressionist” painting, and my art-bent child was really interested.

After that, we read an eye-witness book on MUSIC. While reading about how wind instruments were made, the book suggested the most primitive of flutes were made of basic reeds. SO…I called my neighbor because I knew they had bamboo in their yard, and sent my oldest children to go cut a stalk, and it still awaits transformation into a wind instrument. (Hey, my intentions are good.)

We also read how a flute was used in the Pied Piper of Hamelin, at which point, I went and dug up that poem to read.

The rest of the day was spent either drawing, legos or sewing…whichever they preferred.

So, that’s a day in the life of a flitting homeschool Mom. Bless my children for just going along 😉

In an age where “ME FIRST” is the motto, it is little wonder that the once-esteemed importance of manners and protocol are quickly dissolving.

Interestingly, too, is that a homeschooler still gets battered about the lack of socialization his child is receiving, (while the child stands there and interacts graciously), and the questioner’s public-schooled child can barely offer a decent greeting to adults (this is general statement…don’t take it personally 😉

We’ve been reading a book called “Protocol Matters” by Sandra Boswell. It has been such a great reminder of the importance of training children in basic human behavior.

Then, yesterday, I ran across a very old children’s book called “Manners Can Be Fun”, and this is the book’s definition of manners:

“Having good manners is really just living with other people pleasantly.”

Love it. And to a Christian, having good manners is really just loving your neigbor as yourself.

So, I thought I’d tell you some of the (forgotten) things our family is working on, and maybe you could join us! It can be hard with little ones when you’re just trying to make it through a meal without spilling a glass of water. BUT, it’s when they’re little that the training is so important.
Children who are old enough to sit by themselves and hold a cup are old enough to begin learning proper behavior.

Here are three things we’re working on, this week:

1. Everyone stand behind his or her chair until the hostess (mom) is seated. (This is a new practice for us. Years ago, you didn’t dare sit before the hostess. And if we are to expect proper manners when we are out, we better practice them at home!)

2. The boys should help the girls with their chairs. People once sat a party at the dinner table so that there was a lady to the right of every man. Each man helped her with her chair. (You know, back when women were so devalued? *sarcasm*)

3. Everyone waits to take a bite until the hostess has taken one. Unless she gives them the go ahead before her. (This one is tough with little ones, but not impossible.)

BTW, aren’t these great lessons in self-control! When you start observing these manners, you’ll begin to notice when you go places how few people, especially children, have been instructed in protocol. And you’ll begin to see how rude it can be when you sit down with your plate, and the teenage boy beside you has already shoveled his whole plate of food into his mouth with no thought for anyone else at the table. Let’s teach our children to consider others before them in every area!

Christians taking dominion at the dinner table!

It started out beautifully 😉

I’ll spare you all the details, but you know how it is when all the little things go wrong and it just seems to magnify your life way out of proportion?

(This was pretty much the experience all the way home…(did I mention it was a 3-hour drive? I wish I could include the sound.)

It’s 95 degrees and so humid the air drips. Driving a van. Remember how I’m such a scatter brain? This one takes the cake.

My sweet little children are just melting on the way to the funeral home. I keep lamenting that we don’t have rear air. My dad is driving. AFTER, and only after we’ve endured 2 days of miserable heat, in and out of the hot van, and we’re on the way home and the sun has started going down, giving us the first moment of relief, I called my hubby and when I mentioned how miserable the kids had been without air in the back he says,

“Kelly, what do you mean there’s no rear air? Is it broken?”

Yes, our van has rear air. (In my defense, this is our first summer in this van, and I hardly ever drive it, which makes me oblivious to all the “controls”…OK, I know, that’s a ridiculous excuse. I wanted to cry.

Anyway, kids losing clothes, rushing to get dressed at someone else’s house (we stayed overnight), exhaustion because the baby hardly slept in a strange place, trying to visit with friends and relatives while mentally tracking where all my children were….

I just came home wishing I had a calmer disposition; a gentler spirit, and a more cavalier attitude.

And the kids were GREAT. It wasn’t them; it was me. Just letting stress affect me…more inside than out, really, but stress all the same.

So today, we’ll pick up the pieces, unpack, and laugh together….I hope.

Here are a few pics…

A good book is all she needs!

Avi is why we don’t have a television 😉

Mallie Eden: She sang a song, ONE song all the way home. It was:

“Granna, granna, granna, granna, granna, granna”

That’s what she calls my Mom. It was sweet. For the first 30 minutes.

Our camera has been broken for a while, thus the picture-less blog recently! But I got my new one in yesterday…so excited.

I’m going to pretend to be one of those cool-Mom photographers with all the artsy pictures of her kids…but you’ll know I’m pretending. Stay posted for mostly photographic floundering. (These appear to be the artsy “no-smile” pics–not planned though! Smiling ones to come!)

Alexa…always watching.

She had a late night with me–she’s sleepy today! (And we’ve got a big yard sale going on in our dining room.)

 

Mallie…even her neck is fa….thicker. Squeeze!

 

 

 

Kyla…sweetie pie.