Encouraging Moms Who Homeschool

It is very nearly February. In the life of a homeschooling family, February is often the longest month of the year (academically speaking) while simultaneously being the shortest month of year (per the calendar). The eight-ish weeks between the first of February and the thirty-first of March can drag on and on and on. But what if the Lord's plan for us is something more than time slowly dragging on and on, creeping by at a snail's pace? To play on both an age-old saying and a modern Christian pop song, I beg to ask you: "What if there's more?" There is more. Tons more. The Lord does not intend for any one chunk of time to ever, ever be drab or boring or lifeless. He desires to infuse every part of your life and every moment of your day with joy and peace and fulfillment. Note that I did not say you can have joy and peace and fulfillment without Jesus ~ because you cannot. Again note that I did not say you have to find a way to create your own joy and pea...

The study guide entitled The Transformational Adventure is a unique type of book, in that it corresponds with a unique type of Bible study. Sure, you watch video lessons online at a provided website. That's not a unique idea. But the way the author shares his heart in raw realism, and the way his story compels you to examine your own story...that is very unique. This is a 7-video session study, and it would work well for a small group or a retreat setting. But it could also be done by an individual, working quickly or at a more leisurely pace. The study guide has some  questions that can be answered on your own or as part of a group study. And there are also ways to apply each lesson and it's theme to your everyday, walking around life. That's what a Bible study ought to do, after all. I really enjoyed this curriculum, and I think, speaking as a homeschooler, it could be pretty easily adapted for use with high school age students. It's highly adaptable to a...

I recently did a Google search in an attempt to discover how the majority of homeschoolers would answer the following question:           "What is a homeschooling mothers #1 need?" I really wasn't confident as to what the answer might be. I mean, sure, I know what my main needs and frustrations are as a mom who has homeschooled all five of her children from pre-school through high school graduation. But I wanted to know other mom's thoughts on the matter. Because, as a blogger, I decided my 2018 goal would be to provide quality content that meets the most pressing needs in a very specific way. A Google search seemed like the perfect place to pose my question. (Next week I am going to use Pinterest to further explore this question.) Any guesses as to what Google revealed? The absolutely, definitive answer to my question about the #1 need of homeschooling mothers was...... ENCOURAGEMENT ! Over and over and over again, in different forma...

I agreed to review this book, in all honesty, simply because the title and subtitle grabbed my attention and did not let go. In light of the fact that I have been faced with two heart conditions that have been pushing me toward heart failure, a book about having courage for the unknown season and navigating whatever comes next with confidence and hope, this book practically demanded that I read it. And I am blessed that I did. Jan Silvious is a gifted writer. Reading this book is much like listening to a caring friend share her thoughts on your circumstances. She offers wisdom, wit, and Biblical encouragement as she deals with the weighty issues of life. While the book is primarily aimed at those who are aging, it was ridiculously fitting for me in my current situation. Every - Single - Chapter spoke to me at some point of my need. Every - Single - Chapter. If you are the child of an aging parent, this is a great read. If you are aging yourself, you must get a copy of this boo...

The book Life-Changing Miracles is a compilation of 37 short real-life stories that each displays an aspect of God's miraculous care in our modern day. Written by the people who experienced the miracles, these narratives move from the seemingly normal to the undeniably supernatural. (And by supernatural, I mean miraculous feats and acts performed solely by the Lord God Almighty) Each story is short enough that you could sit down and read half the book in one sitting, or possibly include one each morning as part of your morning devotional time each day. Even reading one or two before bed at night would be a great way to work through this book. As I have been facing serious issues with my heart (in a nutshell, heart failure) I found several of the things shared in this book encouraging and comforting. Whether a reminder to persist in prayer for healing or acknowledging that God often has plans very different than my own, Life-Changing Miracles was a pleasant book to read thr...

Once upon a time there was a busy homeschooling mother who had to plan out her school days in 15-minute increments.... Now there is a far less busy homeschooling mother who no longer plans out school days beyond updating her calendar with her last child's dual enrollment college class schedule. And it happened in the blink of an eye. If you are just beginning to homeschool ~ perhaps even starting mid-year in January ~ then it is very important for you to know that the busy-ness you are facing will come to it's end far more quickly than you can imagine. And if you are nearing the end of your homeschooling journey, be sure to take time to remember what it was like during those hectic days early on because, who knows, some sweet mama may need a little bit of encouragement from one who has gone before her. In this quiet pause between Christmas and the New Year, try to think of some way to encourage another mom, whether she homeschools or not. (And if you read my blog but ar...

I received the book The Sacred Slow to review from Thomas Nelson Publishers, and I thought I had a pretty good idea what this book was about. I was completely wrong. The book seems, at first glance, very similar to a personal devotional. There is a brief reading, Scripture references, and some thoughts to personalize and think about. But upon further study, I found that "personalizing & thinking about" each day's topic was just the tip of the iceberg. There is oh-so-much more going on beneath the surface. Let me say two things about The Sacred Slow :           #1 ~ The concept of slowing down & taking an actual Sabbath rest is missing almost entirely among Westernized Christians and this book deals with that lack directly and effectively. There is actual application contained herein.           #2 ~ The was this author draws out of you what is deep inside your inner man - an...

Job 23:10 reads like this: "He knows the way that I take..." Is this verse a reality for you right now, in whatever spot life may have landed you? Are you confident in the certainty that the Lord knows the way that you take? That He knows exactly where you are at this precise moment and that He knows exactly how you got here? Can you trust the Living God to manage the path of your life and believe that He has His eye on you right now? Do you know that He knows the way that you take today? Life does not play out the way most of us wanted it to. Rarely do we get what we planned to get out of our short number of days on this big, blue spinning ball called Earth. But, nevertheless, for those who know Jesus, the long walk of our short life is not walked alone. Not only does He know the way that we take, He walks that way alongside of us. It's a wonderful thing to walk the path of life hand in hand with Jesus. Don't think you have to do this on your own; you don...

So, prior to this book review I had not heard of the author Frederick Buechner - this despite the fact that I am a book-a-holic and the additional fact that Mr. Buechner has authored more than 30 books. No idea how I missed him entirely... For this review, I received not one, but two works by this author. I chose to dive into A Crazy, Holy Grace (The Healing Power of Pain and Memory) first because the subtitle was intriguing. After all, who wants to heal by way of pain and memory? Or, worse yet, via the combo of painful memories? Yeah, no...most of us will take a hard pass on that option. In many ways, this book tells the unique story of the writer's life and delves into some terribly difficult childhood experiences and his emotions - or more accurately, his lack thereof. I think many people would relate well to this scenario. Childhood trauma often deals us such a blow in such a formative time of life that we find ourselves ill-equipped to feel what we ought to be feeling...

Warren Wiersbe has said that sooner or later, every believer discovers that the Christian life is a battleground, not a playground. He is spot on. And for the homeschooling mother, we have one very intense battlefield. Our enemies are, of course, on the outside. From the checkout lady at the Piggly Wiggly to our distant third-cousin (twice removed on our father's side), we know people are going to question us in regard to homeschooling. (Why, just last night at a banquet where my husband presented five awards, a very kind woman at our table asked me the never-ending question about....socialization. It's like the Dorothy and Toto jokes for those of us who live in Kansas ~ I sometimes was to say, in a voice rich with sarcasm, "You know, I have never heard that one before....!!") Those battlefields, we know how to prep for those. But what about our own internal battlefields? What about those nagging fears that every mother has, but the homeschooling mom has on st...