Why Homeschooling Matters

I know I have been absent on here and I apologize.  I really don’t have time to keep up on this blog regularly.  We are moving right along.  Lilly just finished 5th grade TT and is excited to be doing 6th grade math {she will be home one year from Ethiopia next Sunday and was unable to really speak much English at all – we are very proud of her!}.   Jordan just finished 4th grade TT and is equally thrilled to be doing 5th grade math now. 

We are more than half way through our school year and once this snow melts – we will begin to take some field trips.   We are still praying on what our homeschooling will look like next year and once I know I promise to share our decision.

I am reminded almost daily why the decision to homeschool has been one of the best we made as a family.  It is not because I get to teach them how to read, write and add.  It is because all day long I get to train them on how to develop and strengthen their godly characters.  Every day something comes up where I need to rely on God to help me show them what their choice to sin is doing in their lives and to our family.  Every day I get to learn from how the littlest sin can grow into a mountain in our lives if not dealt with quickly.  Some times this is way harder than it sounds.  Because it means not only am I dealing with their sins but mine as well.   I am constantly reminded more is caught than taught.   I must walk ever so closely to God for them to see Him in me and through me.   Without His grace doing this 24/7 would be impossible and if I am honest totally not desirable.  But because I fall down on my knees humbly more and more each day knowing I have nothing to give them and He has already supplied everything I need – I can face each day with hope and joy! 

HE IS FAITHFUL AND GOOD ALL OF THE TIME!  AMEN!

A friend shared this video and all I could say at the end was AMEN!!!

Many of you have asked me questions about homeschooling your high school students.  Today I found the following videos.

Go here first and you can learn more from her at www.ppea-homeschool.com.  When you watch Linda’s video on youtube* you will see many others she has posted there – all are very informative and helpful!

Then on *youtube look up homescholar she is a wealth of information!

I hope you are all doing well and finding the joy in the journey to train up your children to be the salt and light of this world!

Let me know if you would like me to keep sharing the devotionals I receive just for homeschooling families. 

Teaching our children to work…

The following was sent to me by our local homeschool group and sadly what this article shared isn’t very hard to see all around us.  

If you could name the most important thing you could do for your teenagechildren to give them a leg up and an edge in this world, what would it be?

Ensure them a college education? Enroll them in team sports? Make them take
music lessons?

Would it surprise you to know that the most important thing that you can dofor your teenager is to teach them to work?

We are raising a generation of children to remain... children. According to a leading magazine, 70% of men are not mentally mature even when reaching their 30s. A hundred years ago this wasn't the case. What happened to ourmen?

FDR and the New Deal happened to them. In his attempts to stop the flow of people into the workforce, Roosevelt extended school age attendance to 18.  Instead of young men becoming men, and girls growing into mature women with life skills, they sit in a school house until they are 18 years old, mentally and emotionally stagnating.

We as parents have added to this stagnation by:

• Indulging our children with endless gratification instead of instilling within them a sense of industry, thrift and work.
• We have decimated the family unit and can no longer find the time to sit at
  the same supper table with our children to eat.
• We have enslaved ourselves to debt and no longer have the means to pass on a long-term vision or goal that our children can get behind.

Join Bill Heid and Brian Brawdy as they interview the third of seven homeschooled children, Lance Seppi. Lance is an inspiration and a beacon pointing to the character that can be instilled within our children when we expect them to be more than they ever dreamed possible through hard work, initiative, and capitalizing on hidden talent.
http://www.offthegridnews.com/2011/01/07/the-ways-we-have-ruined-our-children/

I pray you are well – our homeschool year continues to move along – we have officially completed 95 days.  I’m glad we will finish in early May this year.  The snow in our area has been beautiful…you can see the fun we had together as a family here. 

NOTE:  If you are interested in photography or have a child/teen who is hoping to learn more about taking better photographs or learn how to use editing programs – share my photography blog with them.  Every week I am hosting tutorials and giving an assignment to follow along with.  You don’t have to blog to join.

Bethlehem Dinner–A family Favorite

Friday night (Christmas Eve) our family will enjoy our third Bethlehem Dinner.  A friend of mine shared this post 3 yrs ago that started our desire to enjoy this wonderful idea with our children. 

Here are some photos from our dinner two years ago and you can read this post to see exactly what we do:

 

This year will be Lilly’s first time sitting through our traditional meal on Christmas Eve.  She is very excited to experience it and to hear Scott read the story of Jesus’ birth, last supper and the ultimate sacrifice of His life from the gospel of Luke.  

I would love to hear how you celebrate the birth and life of our Savior.   Will you have a birthday cake for Him?  Do your children read His story in the gospels to your family?   What makes Christmas special in your home? 

Our children do not believe in Santa Claus.  They know this holiday is about the birth of their Savior and King – Jesus Christ our Lord – the gift of His life for theirs. 

From our family to yours Merry Christmas!  Thank you all for sharing 2010 with us.  Wishing you all a very blessed 2011!  Praying God continues to shine upon your families and give you great peace, comfort and joy as you trust and obey Him as the parents entrusted with the raising of His children.