Have you ever wondered what you would do if you had to face cancer? How about the loss an arm or a leg? Try battling cancer and then loosing both legs and you will begin to understand why this story is so remarkable.
You need to see this if you haven't already... this is the story of that awesome mom that I had the privilege of meeting at the FIAR Homeschool Conference this weekend.
Jay and I led worship for several sets, but one of the highlights of our weekend was hearing Maggi talk about what God has been teaching her since she lost her legs last year after contracting meningitis.
My new perspective for facing any trial is going to be "What is God trying to TEACH me?" .... check this out ... and then pray for this precious family. I expect to be hearing a lot more from Maggi in the months and years to come. God isn't finished writng her story yet.
Don't you just LOVE IT when God shows up?? He did this weekend in Kansas City Missouri.
We have just spent the last four days ministering to an amazing group of homeschool parents, most of them (if not all) are Five in a Row users! We did the marriage conference for the first two days and ended this afternoon with worship. It was so sweet!
Spending time with God's people, meeting others who are seeking to know the Lord in a new way and then getting to be part of their lives as they grow is humbling.
We've been blessed.
See this girl with me? Her name is Maggie. She was diagnosed with cancer and she lost her spleen as a result when she was in her 20's. Then, about a year ago, she contracted meningitis. She had to have both of her legs amputated. This young mom is absolutely amazing. She is full of the spirit, and even though she has been through a terrible ordeal, she is being used by the Lord in a mighty way.
I was touched deeply by her desire to know the Lord better. I hope to see if we can have her come here for our next conference, I know you will be as blessed as I was. The reminder is to cherish every moment, even the mundane ones. You never know what is going to happen tomorrow.
This was taken from Candace's blog...
Those of you that are a part of the FIAR family know who I am talking about when I mention Maggi. On Friday morning we were blessed to be able to hear Maggi speak. For those of you who do not know, Maggi is a mom in her thirties, homeschools her 4 boys, 10 years ago had cancer and as a result of that had her spleen removed. She recovered, however, and was an athletic, energetic, homeschooling mom of 4 boys enjoying life with her family.
About 15 months ago or so, Maggi had what she thought was the flu. She ended up in the hospital with a form of menigitis fighting for her life. As a result of this sudden and vicious illness, Maggi lost both of her legs from the knees down. You can imagine the heartache and tragic time this family was going through. However, there were times when no one knew if Maggi was going to live, so in the end, Maggi is thankful to be alive and grateful that her lower legs are all that were taken.
Maggi shared with us that you just never know. We do not know what tomorrow holds. We are not guaranteed another day with our loved ones. We are not guaranteed the ability to walk tomorrow on our own two feet. Cherish even the smallest of moments with your children. Take pleasure in the simple. This was Maggi’s message to us. What a blessing it was to be able to meet this amazing woman. Thank you, Maggi, for living for all to see a life of faith and trust in the Lord that is an encouragement and inspiration to all of us. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. Thank you for sharing who you are with us.
We had the opportunity to meet some potential NEW First Class co-op directors, to worship together, pray together, cry together and laugh, too! God continues to do amazing things in the life of FCHM, and we are very excited about what is in the future.
Looking forward to the next three days before we hit the road again for eastern Tennessee!
Thanks for praying for us, and for praying for the ministry of First Class!
Aug. 11, 2007 - Update, Copy & Paste, Dinner at Our house
Well I am getting lazy with my blog entries :) I write a newsletter for a couple different homeschool organizations so I have decided to just copy and modify them a bit for my blogs. A girl can only do so much! I feel as if the summer has just flown by! Savannah is DRIVING now. (pray for me!) and the ministry that God has laid on our hearts to help churches reach out to homeschoolers (www.firstclasshomeschool.org) is growing almost as fast as our children. We have a few big announcements on the horizon. As we pray and seek the Lord hope to be able to make them soon. :) I know, I"m such a TEASE. hahaha!
Last night I was making dinner (london broil, salad, mashed potatoes and something else I can't remember) and I heard this funny "squirt squirt" sound coming from the living room. I peered around the corner in horror only to find Summer (age 4) squirting Sydney (age 2) with the sunblock! It was the pump kind, not the aerosol (thank heaven!!) but it was EVERYWHERE. All over the walls, the couches, Sydney, the carpet, and the stairs. I was TOO MAD to get pictures. Now I wish I had so you could all feel sorry for me at the same time :) Summer did clean it up (no way was I going to clean it up) but my London Broil was overcooked and the mashed potatoes got a little softer than I would have liked. Sigh.
Someone emailed me the other day about my "perfect, all-together life." :)
This should dispel that rumor!
Love to all! Heidi
Back to Homeschool
5 Tips for a
Great Start to the New School Year
"MOM!!! Spencer broke the chickens!"This was the call that came to my ears as I sat down to write this for you. "What chickens, Summer? We don't have chickens!!??" My mind was filling with images of the frozen chicken the in garage freezer, strewn all over the stairs, or of the darling chicken drawing one of the kids made for us, torn to bits. Fortunately for me, it was neither of those things. I had to laugh when she brought the "broken chickens" -which were not really broken at all. All that fuss for a toy chicken Jay brought home from a mission trip to Russia two years ago. And it wasn't even broken. I asked myself (outloud)
"Oh my, how am I ever going to fit homeschooling back into my schedule after taking the summer off?" Life is so full already!
If you are a homeschool mom, chances are that your life is as full and busy as mine. Your kids may not be "breaking chickens" but I'll bet they're up to some mischief! Are you ready to add schooling back into your daily routine?? As homeschool moms, we need to be ready to minister joy and love to our kids. The following 5 tips have helped me over the past ten years.
Be prepared Spiritually
Have you spent time in prayer? Do you know God's heart for your children this year? He wants to speak to you specifically about your homeschool plans! Take the time to listen.
Be prepared Relationally
How's your relationship with your children? Especially your teens ... are you connecting with them? Remember, homeschooling is about relationships, first! Talk a walk! Read together - affirm your kids!
Be prepared Academically
In Washington we are required by law to test our children annually. I have never looked at this in a bad way - it helps me to see where to chart our course for the following year maximize our homeschooling efforts. Be sure to lay out your course for each subject you are teaching, and then be willing to adjust it as you go along.
Be prepared Emotionally
Here is where you take care of the "me" in MOMMY! If you have not had a chance to rest and relax a little, take the time! Call a friend if you need to trade babysitting, or plan a nice quiet evening that you can sit down and ask the Lord to give you His joy for this coming year. Locate your favorite teacup (if the kids haven't broken it yet) and read a book, or journal your thoughts.
Be prepared Romantically
Yes- you heard right. If you are a homeschool mom - then you were a WIFE first. What came first, the homeschool chicken or the homeschool egg? I think it was the ROOSTER! :-) Spend time with your husband, and take joy from that relationship. It is from the Lord and He wants to bless your marriage! Share yourself withyour husband and connect with him in every way before you dive headfirst back into the school year. You'll both be glad you did.
-heidi st. john
Remember the heart of homeschooling - as Christian parents- should be to teach our children what it means to be fully devoted to following Jesus!
Our children are watching us more than they are listening ...
What are YOU saying by your example?
The theme for this past conference was Encouragement from the Father for the Heart of Homeschooling
Did you miss any workshops? You can purchase them in either MP3 or CD format!
GET CONNECTED!
Want to be part of an independent Christian homeschool cooperative?
First Class Homeschool Ministries has co-ops in Washington: Renton
Lake Stevens Snoqualmie Mount Vernon
Vancouver
Camas
Spokane
Longview
Nation-wide:
Central Louisiana
Louisville, KY
Appleton, WI
Dorchester County, MD
Classes start soon!
For more information or to start a First Class co-op in your area, visit www.fchm.org
call 360.326.8826 or
email info@fchm.org
What folks are saying about the 2007
Seattle Conference:
"I have been absolutely and thoroughly blessed by the whole conference! I feel you hit the heart issue directly-that it's not all about the academics but about the relationships with our spouses, kids and most importantly God. Thank you for all your hard work, volunteer time and effort to make this weekend happen. We are new WATCH members and look forward to helping out in future events!" L.R. from Shoreline, WA
"(The conference) helped us feel like a part of a community. Calmed and encouraged us. Gave us direction. Loved that it was about so much more than what math book we should use." M.W. from Vancouver, WA
Yesterday was a lot of fun ... here's the snipit from the front page of the WATCH website. Hope you can make it this weekend!
Hear the radio interview with Diana Waring and Jay & Heidi St. John on the popular christian radio program "Live in Seattle" with Thor Tolo which aired Monday, July 30th. We spent the hour talking about the upcoming WATCH conference and answering questions about homeschooling.
Jul. 26, 2007 - Homeschool Conference Aug 3&4! Ya'll Come Now, Ya Hear?
This is the thing happening in Washington State this summer (imho) for homeschoolers!
I hope to see many of you there!|
$25.00 for 2 Full days!!! You are invited to the 13th Annual
WATCH
(Washington Association of Teaching Christian Homes)
State Homeschool Conference
featuring Steve Lambert
I have sort of given up blogging on HSB lately because I am too dumb to see it right I think. I use Firefox and I don't think it goes well with hsb. Anyway!
I keep a journal when we homeschool - and lately we have been on a break so I'm not writing things down that I would like to be. For example, today, our 6 yr old son and I were having this conversation:
ME: Spencer, you are growing up too fast! Stop that!
Spencer: Yeah, but don't worry mom, when I marry Kara (his crush for the past two years) I will still know you and still talk to you. I'm the only boy I know that fell in love at the wrong age.
Spencer says the sweetest things. I need find my journal before I forget to write them down! Spencer is also the one who created our favorite family saying - "I love you like HECK!"
The other night as I was tucking him in, I said, "Spencer, I love you like heck!" to which he replied, "mom, I love you toooo much."
Oh that time could stand still. I love being a mom.
The WA state legislature is at it again. If you have a child in the school district that is in 4th grade or above, you need to know what has been decided for you.
Actually, even if you don't have children in the public school, we urge you to be informed about what is taking place because chances are good that you know someone who has a child in the public school system.
Let me just get your interest by quoting from the first paragraph of the attached letter written by WA State Senator Val Stevens on June 15, 2007:
This year in Olympia, parents were sold out. The Democrat supermajority ramrodded a bill through the Legislature that takes complete control over what their children are taught about sex. Parents will have no say in the matter. No school board meeting to voice their opinion and no forewarning.
Starting with the fourth grade, the State Department of Health and the Superintendent of
Public Instruction have been instructed to wnte the curriculum that will include information about both homosexual and heterosexual sex and contraception. It is scheduled to be ready and coming to their child’s school by September of 2008.
The end of local control.
Parents, it is crucial that we understand what is being promoted to our children through the public education system. We must not become complacent and unaware - there is too much at stake!
Please take the time to read this letter and forward it on to other parents. We will continue to pass updates along as they become available. I called the office of Sen. Stevens on July 5th to confirm that this letter did come from her office, so you can be assured it is "the real deal" and you won't end up seeing it on an internet "folklore" site. You can contact the Senator as well - she represents the 39th district in Washington State.
The other day, I overheard a "celebrity" being interviewed on TV as I prepared dinner for our family. The questions seemed to center on her public life, and then, one question got my attention.
"If you could only say one thing to young mothers who are raising their children, what would it be?" asked the reporter. The woman thought for just a moment and replied, "Life is not a dress-rehearsal. You only get one shot at raising your kids. Don't mess it up."
Her voice cracked slightly, and I heard the familiar sound of missed opportunity in her tone. I wondered why. By all appearances, she had the "perfect" life. Beautiful children, lots of money, handsome husband. I put down my paring knife to focus on the remainder of her short interview. It turned out that she was estranged from two of her children. She lamented the fact that while she was raising her children, she and her husband spent so much time cultivating a "perfect" family, that they did not develop a relationships with their children that would last. It only looked good on the outside. And now, it was too late to start over. The time for raising her children had passed. She could only warn other mothers not to walk down the same path she had gone down. The time for sowing seed had passed. The harvest was in.
It is hard to hear those kinds of words. My heart hurt for this mom. Naturally, I thought of my own children. Our oldest is nearly 16 - and it seemed that it was just yesterday when we were holding her in our arms, in awe of her perfect features and scared to death that we wouldn't do everything "just right". I thought of my grandmother, who remarked to me just a few months after grand-daddy died that she was amazed at how fast her life had gone by. Grandma said to me, "Heidi, the best thing you will ever do in this life is to love your husband and to raise your children to love and serve the Lord. Don't let the world fool you into thinking that having children is anything less than the best thing you'll ever do." She should know.
I recently spoke to a group of women in Washington about the blessing of motherhood. It seems odd to me that many Christians have bought into the world's way of looking at children. It must grieve the heart of God when we think of our children as anything less than a gift straight from the heart of the Creator Himself.
The Bible is full of stories of amazing moms who understood their worth before the Father. God's word stresses the importance of mothers! In Exodus 2 we read about Jochebed, the mother of Moses. She protected her son, even putting her own life in peril, and then entrusted him to the Lord. Eunice, the mother of Timothy, instructed her son in the knowledge of the scriptures and he went on to write one of the most amazing books in the New Testament. II Tim. 1:3-5; 3:14,15
In the United States today, mothers are under enormous pressure to conform to the world's view of children. Radical Feminism has devalued motherhood in a quest for "greater meaning" and "true identity". But God sees things much differently.
God's view of children is a dramatic departure from the cultural norms of the world we live in.
The world says: "Children are a burden."
God says, "Children are a blessing."
The world says, "Try not to have more than two or three children. "
God says, "Blessed is the man who has many children!"
The world says, "Children get in the way."
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to ME."
The world has diminished the high-calling of motherhood to little more than a "stop-over" on the highway of life.
But God says that a wife of strong character is rare - she is worth far more than jewels! (Prov. 31.10)
If you are a mother, you have an amazing opportunity every day to shape the future. As a homeschooling mom, you have even more time to influence the lives of your precious children. Homeschooling provides endless opportunities to teach your children about God's love for them! Mom, your job is so important! You have been given the privilege of weaving a fabric of family life using the truth of God's word to impact the lives of your children... and ultimately this fabric will be a beautiful tapestry that will bear witness to the power and love of the Lord Jesus as your children walk with the One who created them in your womb.
I'm glad I was reminded of the fact that life is not a dress-rehearsal. I'm thankful that my grandmother loves the fact that Jay and I chose to have a family that doesn't fit the "worlds" mold very easily. The time does pass quickly. Let's redeem the time God has given us to influence these precious children for the Glory of God. It's an investment that yields a harvest of joy that will continue into eternity.
Happy Mother's Day!
Heidi St. John
Jay and Heidi are the blessed parents of six children - Savannah (15) Sierra (13) Skylar (10) Spencer (6) Summer Anne (4) and Sydney (1). In their spare time (??), they oversee the WATCH organization and First Class Homeschool Ministries. The St. Johns reside near Vancouver.
WATCH is pleased to invite you...
2007 Conference
Please Join WATCH for our next Conference in Seattle!
You are invited to join us on June 9th in Renton for the annual WATCH Homeschool Graduation.
If you have a high schooler and are curious about this wonderful opportunity for the future, we encourage you to come and be inspired by these families
.This year’s graduation will be Saturday, June 9, 2007, at 1:00 p.m. First Evangelical Presbyterian Church
(19800 108th Ave SE)in Renton, Washington.
WATCH Membership
WATCH is able to bring events and conferences to the homeschoolers of Washington because of the support of our members.
Isn't this great? Here are my most favorite people in all the world in ONE picture and they're all looking in the same direction! Amazing! My friend Kim snapped this for us when we were at Jay's parent's house on Big Lake in Mount Vernon two weekends ago. The LAST time we attempted to visit good old MV, we all got a terrible stomach virus so this time I prayed like crazy against the spirit of vomit :) before we even got in the car!
We had a nice, vomit-free visit.
I've decided not to blog too much since I already need about 18 hours more in each day and my blogging doesn't seem to give me more hours but somehow I end up with less. Crazy how that works!
We're coming back up to Mount Vernon this weekend and we'll be staying for a few days so the kids are looking forward to that. We are too. Bunch of neat people up there that we love love love so it's always fun to make the drive. Well, not the drive. But the destination, we love!
Our family is growing so fast. (No I'm not pregnant... that I know of ) Savannah just got her driver's permit (she'll be 16 this summer) she aced it last week on her first time! We've decided NOT to let her get her license for two years, choosing instead to let her drive as much as possible and let her get experience with us before turning her loose on the freeways. (You're welcome.)
Spencer just lost his first tooth. :) That little boy is a dreamboat of a child! Yesterday he came up to me and said, "Mom, you're soooooo beautiful! I'm going to kiss you!" Which he did. Then he went on to tell me it was okay if you wipe off someone's kisses because wiping them off only makes it so that other people can't see them - kisses always stay on.
We're going to try year-round schooling on a scaled down version. We have had a good year this year homeschooling, we've notebooked like crazy and we've had a great year at our co-op. However I have let math slide a little so we're going to play some catch-up this summer. I've noticed that the kids do best when we focus on subjects rather than trying to do six different ones each day. So far the kids don't hate the idea *too much*.
Jay has been home now for five months. The Lord is teaching us so much about His nature during this time. For one thing - we're learning all about God's provision. When He asked us to take this step of faith with First Class Homeschool Ministries, we knew it would be a leap into the unknown. It's sort of like bringing your very first child home from the hospital - no one can really tell you what that will be like. Nothing can prepare you for the emotions and the wonder and the LOVE that you will feel for that new little one. You have to walk through it.
I'm learning that God's call never lacks God's provision. Never. It may not always be in my timing (in fact it usually isn't as I recall) but it always has the ear-mark of God.
It may not always look like what I had envisioned but it is provision nonetheless and it's growing me in my relationship with the Lord. Or maybe it's just testing the patience of the Lord?! Good thing He is so long-suffering!~
We've been preparing for some time to take the homeschool co-op that we started in Mount Vernon and "package" it up so that others in different parts of the country can join First Class and become part of a nation-wide network of Christian Homeschool Cooperatives. Since we are in leadership in the homeschooling community we have had the opportunity to see upclose and personal some things that have persuaded us of the need for a cohesive group of independent homeschool co-ops across this country.
Since the time we finished the First Class DVD, we have received requests from nearly 40 states and are praying fervently for the first one outside of the state of Washington. It's only been a couple of months (March) but the response has been amazing. We have five First Class Co-ops in Washington now, and possibly adding two more to that number before the fall. Our prayer is that this will give parents alternatives to government-funded programs and encourage parents to keep their homeschooling separate from the ps system, while helping them form friendships and receive support!
Most of you who know Jay and me personally, know that we have never been able to do anything on a small scale (Notice the family photo.) I remember thinking, "Well, if First Class Homeschool Coop was good for those families in Mount Vernon, it would be good for families in Vancouver!" and the natural progression was, "Well if it's good for the state of Washington, it would be good for the United States!" See how we are? Yeah, we know. It's crazy. But then God seems to do a lot of "crazy" things. I think people thought Noah was totally out-to-lunch, and Joshua, the crazy guy, believed that God wanted him to win the battle with the Amalekites so much that he took it upon himself to ask God to keep the sun in one place so he could finish the job he had begun. God is in the business of the miraculous! We're trusting Him to build this ministry so that it will touch lives all across the country, and help parents homeschool God's kids.
A lot is coming up for First Class Homeschool Ministries this summer. We have our very first fundraising dinner down here in Vancouver at the Heathman Lodge on June 16th. We're so excited about what God is doing through the ministry of First Class. Our friends, Steve and Jane Lambert, who wrote the Five in a Row curriculum have really caught the vision and are coming from Kansas City to help us cast that vision as we look for God to provide financial support through His people. I'd appreciate your prayers!
If you're interested in coming, please contact us! Tickets have already been paid for, and now we're inviting people who are interested in seeing and supporting what God is doing through FCHM to come on the 16th. We hope to have people there from all over the country.
Please pray for First Class and for the wonderful parents who are helping us get this ministry off the ground!
If you would like to support First Class we would be so blessed. We're a Federally registered non-profit now (Yea!) so all donations are tax-deductible. You can donate on our website.
Hopefully I'll be back to blog soon, but just so you know, even though I'm not writing much I am READING your blogs! Ya'll are fascinating and funny - and I enjoy hearing what is happening in your lives.
Mar. 10, 2007 - Notebooking, Babies, and Blessings!
Saturday, March 10, 2007
What's THIS??? A blog? I forgot how to use the thing! I'm copying this entry off of another page... I still can't figure out why the HS blogger buttons are not showing up in my browser!
((sigh))
Did I mention we have six kids? I don't know where I was finding the time to blog before, either!
I'm excited about today ~ I'm throwing my friend Jenny a baby shower! But before that I 'm running TO another shower for my friend Joyce!! Joyce just adopted the sweetest little girl from China, (here she is -----> "Gracie" is her name) and Jenny's baby is due in 4 weeks! I love both these dear women!
These women have a lot in common now... both have big "spaces" in between children... it's been almost 12 years since she had a baby , and Joyce's last baby was born about 11 years ago. I'll try to post a picture later, Jenny is adorable. She's one of those women you want to shoot for looking so darn cute pregnant that it makes the rest of us look ... well.... just plain old "ordinary!"
So I am wondering why I am not taking a shower right now instead of updating my blog .... not good ... oh well!
Our two oldest girls just got back from 5 days in southern california. One of my sisters is a travel agent and every once in a while she gets killer deals. This year, Savannah & Sierra got to enjoy 3 days at Disneyland and two nights in the Disneyland Hotel for an unblelievable price! It was so neat to see them get to do something so fun that we could actually afford! I'll get some pictures off her camera as soon as she shows me how!
Meanwhile, I had a birthday ~ I turned 27 (again) and Jay made me the nicest dinner including marinated steak (a favorite!) asparagus and red potatoes. YUM! The boy can cook AND he's gorgeous! What a lucky birthday girl I was! The really cool part was that he made me a chocolate cake with four layers! It was impressive, people ~ these two boys you see here reallly did a great job with the cake. We had a very nice, quiet (if there is such a thing) evening together.
I was tired I think when Jay snapped this picture but Summer looks so sweet I put it in here anyway! Summer helped the boys put these little roses and candles on top of the cake. She was so proud of herself. I wish I had a picture of the streamers they hung :) too cute!
Homeschooling is going so well this year. We have started notebooking which is sort of like scrapbooking only for school. It has changed the way I look at homeschooling. After ten years of doing this we've found a "groove" that we all enjoy! Last week Savannah noted that she has 90 pages in her notebook now, since September. They're really proud of them and their writing and spelling skills have improved dramatically since we are doing a lot of copywork, etc.
It's very Charolette Mason in the approach, and our kids (even our high schooler and Jr Higher) love it!!
I'm teaching a notebooking workshop here in Vancouver if anyone wants to come :) It will be on April 3rd. See our website for more information! www.firstclassclarkcounty.org In the meantime here are some favorite notebooking links:
Our homeschool co-op here in Vancouver is also going to have Barb Shelton here to speak later this month! More information can be found here. She was just at the WATCH conference, has graduated three kids from homeschool and is a dear friend, not to mention a dynamo speaker. If you live in the area, c'mon by! You'll love her!
Well I better scoot ~ I hear some ruckus coming from the kitchen which tells me I'm already too late to prevent a mess Can anyone relate??
This was the view from our living room this afternoon. Isn't God good?
I have been so busy with life that I'm not blogging much anymore ~ that and I don't like the new format on homeschoolblogger! I can't get the buttons to show up and I don't have time to "fiddle" with it. :)
I hope you are all doing well ~ my husband and I are excited about the changes at our ministry to homeschoolers (www.fchm.org), as we are now getting requests from all over the country about First Class!
Check out my friend Tracy's blog, she has a video about First Class on her site! One of these days I'll figure out how to do that, too. But for now, I'm just happy to have a rainbow on my blog :) (Thank you, Sierra..!!)
Hi Everybody! I wanted to stop in and plug the WATCH conference for anyone reading this who lives in the Pacific Northwest! My husband and I head up the organization, and we have spent the last two months getting ready! It's this weekend. I hope to meet some of you!
My husband and I are passionate about building up marriages, and we'll be teaching some workshops at the conference. If you need some encouragement, or some fresh ideas and insight, don't miss it!
FEBRUARY 9-10
CALVARY CHAPEL SPOKANE!
See you there :)
Blessings,
Heidi St. John Washington Association of Teaching Christian Homes Would you like to start a Christian Homeschool Co-op? First Class Can Help!
WATCH presents: "Joy for the Journey" our 2007 Eastern Regional Conference
WATCH
Ready, set, SPOKANE!
WATCH 2007 Conference Feb 9-10
Greetings!
Dear Fellow Homeschoolers,
Have you ever been invited to a party, where the hosts serve your favorite kinds of food, the conversation is fun and encouraging (and you understand what people are talking about!), and everyone is glad you came? Do you remember how delighted and renewed you were afterwards, after you made the effort to go -- even though it was difficult, troublesome, and almost impossible to get out of the house?
Well, WATCH is throwing a party next weekend in Spokane, and you are wholeheartedly invited. We are going to have your favorite kinds of speakers who will encourage, refresh, and inspire you. There will be vendors with great materials, who will be available to personally answer questions and spend time to help you. Other homeschoolers will be there, soaking in the mid-winter "Son"shine, and they will be so glad to meet new friends who are also walking the adventurous road of homeschooling.
It IS hard to make arrangements and to pay the price. But the deal with parties is that they are one time events -- it's not going to happen again the following weekend or the following month or the following season. It's sort of a "be there or be square" happening, just for you. And, we really want to see you there so we can share the amazing joy of loving our spouses, loving our children, and following God!
On a personal note, months ago I asked Steve Lambert, the keynote speaker, to come to Spokane, because I know his message will encourage you down to the depths of your being.
Steve is real, he's funny, and, in great integrity, he has walked the talk for many years. No other speaker on the homeschooling circuit has Steve's ability to meet you where you are on the journey and give you hope for where you are going. I pray that each of you who are struggling with homeschooling will make the effort to come, because our time together will be life-changing.
God bless you!
Diana Waring
For the WATCH Board
Special Hotel Rate Reservations End on Feb 2nd!
WATCH is pleased to be working with Travel Savvy, Unlimited, a homeschool-friendly travel agency based in Fairview, Oregon. We have blocked rooms at the Red Lion Inn. To receive the WATCH rate, you MUST make your reservations by February 2nd. Please make sure you identify yourself as a WATCH Conference Attendee.
7919 N. Division St. , Spokane, WA, US, 99208 Phone: (509) 467-4900 Fax: (509) 467-4933
Conference Exhibit Hall
Opens at 3:00 p.m. on Friday February 9th. Come early! We will have several exhibitor workshops running during the first hour.
Online Registration Ends Soon!
The WATCH team is traveling to Spokane soon! If you are planning on coming to the conference but have not yet registered online, please do so as soon as you can. Online registrants will have a special packet ready for them at check-in ... so no (or very little) waiting in line, personalized information, doorprizes and more!
We will also be taking registrations at the door.
Follow the signs upon arrival at Calvary Chapel.
Bottom line: Your advance, online registration helps WATCH serve you better.
Curious about notebooking? Would you like to learn more about the "Charolette Mason" method of homeschooling?
You won't want to miss this opportunity!
Catherine Levison, mother of five, author, and a resident of Washington state, began homeschooling in the 1980's. Home education had only recently been legalized in her state and she found herself in need both of materials and a philosophy in a relatively new field. Catherine thoroughly researched various educational methods looking for the best possible choice for her family. Concerned for the quality of education for her children, she also needed a method that could keep her interest as she anticipated over twenty years of home schooling before her.
English educationalist Charlotte Mason proved to be the answer. Her family flourished due to creative and effective techniques such as using poetry, masterpiece artwork, nature sketching--all combined with consistent attention to the academics. Catherine will be presenting three workshops for the WATCH Conference in Spokane, geared toward teaching your children using Charolette Mason's methods. If you are interested at all in this method of teaching, you won't want to miss this wonderful opportunity!
Speaker Highlight: Steve Clark
Need some fresh insight on High School level math?
Steve Clark is a “homeschool dad” who personally teaches his own children. He and his wife, Katrina, live in Louisville, Kentucky, and have 5 children, ranging in age from 14 to 20. From 1997 to the present, Steve has worked with VideoText Interactive, where his main focus has been to advise and counsel parents who want to make sure that their children excel in high school math. In order to accomplish this goal, he first talked with hundreds of experienced homeschoolers and their children, and then Clark personally used these newly developed programs to homeschool his own children. Along with his work at VideoText, Clark is also President of the Homeschool Speakers & Vendors Association. HSVA is a company that helps homeschool vendors in the development and promotion of their products, with the goal of ensuring that all homeschoolers in the US and Canada have access to the very best curriculum available.
Purchasing WATCH Conference Workshop CD's and MP3's
You may visit our online store for MP3 and CD orders from our recent conference this past August in Seattle with Dr. Jay Wile.
The Spokane Conference recordings will be available for purchase soon! Keep watching for more details or visit Best Christian Conferences after Feb 12, 2007.
Okay I never thought I'd hear myself say this but....
I'M GLAD CHRISTMAS IS OVER!
I'm back to my blog but only for a moment because I have a house to clean up and dinner to put in the crock pot. 2007 has officially gone down in St. John history as the WORST Christmas for us on record. After traveling to MV, Spencer, our 5yob, came down with a terrible , throwing up flu at about 9pm which I followed up by getting the same thing at exactly 11:30 p.m. We both threw up all night -slept side by side on the bathroom floor at my in-laws (yuck) and about 6:00 a.m. we both crawled back into bed.
With morning came the raging fever,my body ached so bad I could not even bend my fingers... THEN came the phone call from my sisters that EVERY SINGLE ONE of the family at my mom's Christmas party the night before had come down with the same terrible flu, Ryan and Haley were in the ER getting IV fluids and even my mom's huband's daugther had it bad. This stuff is so contagious, we could see the entire extended family Christmas runined because we came to visit!
SOOOO, Jay decided that rather than pass it to the St. John clan MV we would go home. Skylar threw up most of the way home and I was semi-comatose and after putting the two babes to bed went to bed fully clothed and slept for over 12 hours. Yesterday was a wash, but am feeling much better today.
Needless to say the kids are terribly disappointed to have missed all the partying in MV , but grateful to be alive after the ordeal. They were so "done" with Christmas that by the time I got out of bed yesterday the tree was down and all the decorations were a thing of the past. Happily we replaced them last night with our collection of snowmen and snowflakes which are cheery and fun to have in the house.
Seems that everyone is feeling better today, and Jay and the three olders (who we ordered to take airborne before the symptoms set it) escaped the terrible stuff. Luckies!
We're going to have a new year's eve party to make up for it though :) At least then the Christmas lapbooks we have been working so diligently on will have something good to report!
Alrightey then!!! I'm ready for summertime. Are we there yet?
5 Tips for a 
Remember the heart of homeschooling - as Christian parents- should be to teach our children what it means to be fully devoted to following Jesus!
You are invited to the 13th Annual 
Redeeming Our Time
Crazy how that works!
) Savannah just got her driver's permit (she'll be 16 this summer) she aced it last week on her first time! We've decided NOT to let her get her license for two years, choosing instead to let her drive as much as possible and let her get experience with us before turning her loose on the freeways. (You're welcome.)
Okay I never thought I'd hear myself say this but.... 
