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Oct. 6, 2008
At The Well (Titus 2 Study) - Keeping Your Home
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Do you keep a neat and tidy home?
Just ask Mark, I am a borderline Obsessive Compulsive cleaner and organizer! I LOVE to clean! I LOVE to organize and keep a neat and tidy abode! Yes, I know…hate me, but it’s true. I do not care to cook (I would love a personal chef), but I do love to clean and organize. So, yes, I do keep a neat and tidy home.
Now, do I think that everyone’s home should be as neat and tidy as another’s? No. I think that we all have certain gifts and talents in the area of home management. Our individuals strengths will stand out and our talents will shine through. However, I do believe that a certain amount of orderliness brings a sense of peace to the home. If disorderliness and clutter abounds, peace cannot abound. A certain sense of cleanliness and organization is in order for us to be successful keepers of the home. Your home does not need to be picture perfect, but it should be generally picked up.
If so, what do you do to keep on top of this? Schedules? Routines? If you have children at home, do they get involved?
To answer these questions, I will refer to an earlier post of mine on my blog….
The most-asked question our larger-than-average family gets is this: "How do you handle all those kids AND homeschool?" Well, to be completely honest, we probably get the "How many kids do you plan on having anyway?" one even more often, but you'll have to ask God for the answer to that one. :) I, however, will attempt to explain how we do all that we do with soon-to-be 8 kids, all while keeping the peace and order in our humble abode! So, here we go!
Mark and I have 7 kids (#8 on the way) ages: 16, 9, 7, 6, 4, 3, and 1. Below is our usual schedule, but with a baby, toddlers and life in general this can all change at a moments notice. Overall, I like having a schedule so that the kids know what to expect and when, but I do NOT let it rule me. It's just a guide. It helps tremendously that we school year-round! It allows for extended holiday breaks and breaks throughout the year when I feel "burnout" coming. :) I am also a firm believer that just because a schedule works well for one family it might not work well for another, so keep that in mind when trying to create one of your own!
Our Schedule
7:00 - wake-up, make bed, tidy up rooms, put away night clothes and eat
7:45 - kitchen chores (95% done by children) and teeth brushed
8:00 - seatwork (kids sit at kitchen table and do math/language/typing)
9:00 - older kids teach younger ones preschool (it is really neat to have the older ones learn to teach their siblings...it develops their abilities in so many ways!)
9:30 or 10:00 - finish seatwork
Whenever seatwork is done - Mystery of History, Bible, Science (to see curricula it's on the right hand side of my blog) and Ellie naps
12:00 or 12:30 - Lunch and wake Ellie
After lunch - outside play time/educational games/reading/educational DVD's or YouTube unit studies (this varies according to my whim...ha)
2:30 - Julia and Ellie (2 1/2 and 8 months) nap
4:00 - Kids are inside and doing their afternoon chores
5:00 - Get ready for Daddy's homecoming (vacuum, set table, ready dinner, etc.) and wake Julia and Ellie
Dinner
Kitchen Cleanup by kids while Mark and I discuss our days (this is GREAT therapy for Mommy)
Nighttime routine is here, although we have added family worship to this, which is directed by Daddy. He reads a few verses, asks the kids what they think it means and asks for life application of that verse. Then we sing a few songs and pray before bed. That takes about 10-15 minutes at the most and that has been a WONDERFUL addition!
When do you feel as though you've actually ACCOMPLISHED all that you need to accomplish?
I would say that I feel as though I have accomplished everything I needed to accomplish if I have homeschooled the kids, done at least 2 loads of laundry, done some everyday chores (dusting, vacuuming, counter tops, general upkeep, etc.), prepared a good meal, had the kids learn life skills of some kind, and basically "worked at home" all day. It varies so greatly what I do each day that I would say that if I felt as though I have been a worker at home, according to Titus 2. I am to be loving my husband, loving my children and being busy at home. If I've done that to the best of my ability, then I've accomplished a lot. However, it can get monotonous and it can feel as though I haven't accomplished much, BUT drudgery is part of motherhood and that's all part of God's perfect plan. See this post! The Proverbs 31 is an ideal woman, accomplishing A LOT. I don't believe that any woman could accomplish all that she did every day, and we need to keep that in mind or we'll drive ourselves crazy! BUT Proverbs 31 is a GREAT outline to use overall!
Any organizing tips or secrets?
Check out these posts:
1. Never leave a room empty-handed. Always return something to its proper place.
2. 30 second rule....If it takes less than 30 seconds to put away, do it immediately!
3. Have pick up time before Daddy gets home and before lunch time!
4. Teach kids to do chores and to pick up as they go (30 second rule with them, as well)
Any tips on how to get the kids to clean up after themselves?
As I've mentioned time and time again, we are big on "chore training". My kids all have chores. We use this age appropriate chore list as a guide. Our kids have chores as soon as they can crawl and they will pass them on to a younger sibling when the younger sibling is ready. The younger sibling will become the "apprentice" and the older becomes the "master or teacher". The younger will watch the older do the chore between 2 and 5 times before they attempt it themselves. Then they move onto doing the chore themselves, with the older one watching and instructing PROPERLY (no bossing allowed...Mommy's listening in). After about 2-5 times of the younger doing the chore under the older's supervision and instruction, the younger will do that chore on their own. From that point on, Mommy checks up on them randomly to see if it was completed properly. If it was not, then Mommy instructs the younger on how to correct it. Of course, age is always factored in.....I don't expect my two year old to wipe the table the way I would. BUT, they should be doing it to the best of their ability.
How old should a child be when they begin having chores?
Our kids start chores as soon as they can crawl, and although it's tedious to Mommy in the beginning, I've found that it pays off BIG TIME in the long run!!!
What does God think about chores? Shouldn't kids just be kids?
Unfortunately, today's society has taught us that life should be easy, kids should be kids, take the easy way out in life, but in all reality I can't find where it says any of that in Scripture. In fact, Scripture says that LEADERS and SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE will work hard! Shouldn't we be training up the future leaders of tomorrow's families and world?
Using the below Scriptures when teaching children about chores and hard work will mold their spirits now and train them for their futures! This is why we believe that children should regularly contribute to household maintenance.
*Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and never succeed. Proverbs 12:24
*He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment. Proverbs 12:11
*All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23
*Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.Colossians 3:22-24
What are the consequences for not completing chores?
IF chores are not completed with a good attitude and without being asked/reminded, they will either have reading/play time deducted, be given extra chores, sent to time out, or in extreme cases - spanked (for direct disobedience/continued poor attitude). This system has worked really well and, honestly, we rarely have an issue with attitudes or chore completion. They know that Daddy and I mean business. They also are used to having chores, because they start doing chores as soon as they can walk. In fact, the older ones are so used to doing their chores and do them with a proper attitude that the younger ones CAN'T WAIT to go into an "apprenticeship" under the older ones to learn the chores! Now, yes, chores get repetitious, but they do get done with correct attitudes and without being told (the majority of the time, anyway - no one's perfect).
I hope this was of some help and an encouragement to you! May you all be WORKERS AT HOME and follow God and His Word in all you do!
Lisa Metzger
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Oct. 2, 2008
Video of Ellie Roaring and Crawling!
Oct. 2, 2008
Grammar Poem - This is GREAT!
Grammar Poem
Credited to Green Baker from a Freedmen's School, circa 1865
Three little words you often see
Are articles - an, a and the
A noun is the name of anything,
As school or garden, hoop or swing.
Adjectives tell the kind of noun,
As great, small, pretty, white or brown.
Instead of nouns the pronouns stand -
Her head, his face, your arm, my hand.
Verbs tell of something being done -
To read, count, laugh, sing, jump or run.
How things are done the adverbs tell,
As slowly, quickly, ill or well.
Conjunctions join the word together,
As men and women, wind or weather.
The prepositions stand before,
A noun, as in or through the door.
The interjections show surprise,
As Oh! How pretty! Ah! How wise!
The whole are called the nine parts of speech,
Which reading, writing, speaking teach.
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Oct. 1, 2008
Voting record of Presidential candidates
Our Nation was founded to be
"One Nation Under GOD"
NOT under an elephant or a donkey!
Don't buy the hype!!! or Campaign Rhetoric!!!!!!!!!!
HERE is a non-partisan list of the voting record that illustrates the ACTUAL beliefs of the Presidential candidates.
I urge all of you to not be loyal to ANY PARTY!
True Followers of Christ are Loyal to HIM and Him alone. -"No other gods" includes - party lines, personal opinions, and "conventional wisdom."
There are a lot of issues to examine, but the most important is the character (which is demonstrated over time through consistent action) and achievements of each candidate not what they SAY!! We all know talk is cheap! WE MUST look at the record of what each candidate has; done, or not done; supported, or not supported. DO NOT BE influenced by the left or the right, Be solely influenced by "above".
I challenge you, ..... I plead with you to take the ideology and character of each man and woman running and compare them to the ONLY TRUE STANDARD, God's word.
Erase the names, and the parties.
Take candidate A evaluate his/her record and character against Scripture.
Take candidate B evaluate his/her record and character against Scripture.
God's WORD is the FINAL authority!!!! There are no "ifs", "ands" or "buts". Scripture speaks concerning: family, military, marriage, sexual orientation, truthfulness & justice vs "doing what is right in your own eyes", only place for sexual activity-the value of children/Life, welfare (who should and who should not eat), what happens to nations who ignore God's laws in their selection of leaders, doing what is right or doing what is popular, Leadership....
I wish there was a candidate running that was the embodiment of virtue and experience but HE is in heaven and is not running for US president. In comparison to Christ, all men fall short. We must then seek to choose the leader who will most honor the standards of Scripture. We must love what God Loves and Hate what God hates and have the humility, fortitude and grace to seek His approval above ALL others.
Grace and Peace!
Jimmy Ferebee
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Oct. 1, 2008
Kaitlyn Turns 9 and Other Late September Shots!
Sep. 29, 2008
At The Well (Titus 2 Study) - Spiritual Dryness
 Our host today At the Well - In Pursuit of Titus 2 is Heather. Here is her post on the topic of Spiritual Dryness. Let's take a look at today's discussion questions!
* Have you noticed a pattern of when you find yourself spiritually dry? *
Yes. I find that it happens when I become stressed out or overcommitted! That's why I try my best (and, yes, I HAVE improved…ha) to say no to things that are not required of me by God and my husband (my "earthly head").
* What do you do to move quickly through that season of dryness? *
If I feel like the task I've been asked to commit to is admirable and might just be God's Will for me to take on, I do not say 'no' right away. Instead I explain to the person that I need to pray about it (no matter how small) and talk to my husband about it. I take anything that I feel might be overindulgent to my husband and ask him for his opinion on whether or not I should take the offer, accept the task or make the commitment. Wow, has this done WONDERS for me! Mark sees that my heart is in the right place...wanting to help out and serve others....but most of the time I tend to over-commit my time which should be reserved for God, my husband, my kids (this includes homeschooling) or my houseKEEPING. By taking even the smallest things to God and Mark help save me from a lot of stress and spiritual dryness.
It is also important that I keep nibbling on spiritual matters throughout the day. This doesn't necessarily mean that I need to be ALONE or QUIET to do this, either. It means that I can bring God and his Word into my daily tasks by reciting verses, singing songs, or even talking about God to my children. Leading little ones in devotions or explaining God's purpose for them through life is a GREAT way to sharpen your spiritual skills and to keep in the Word daily - er, hourly.
Thanks, Heather, for the great topic! And, ladies, let's KEEP OUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT and learn to say NO! It's okay to say no for the sake of your family and your spiritual health!
~ Lisa Metzger
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Sep. 29, 2008
Spiritual Survival for Mothers
| Spiritual Survival for Mothers |
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| By Bonita Lillie
Summer 2007
How do I find time for Bible study and prayer? I've heard so many mothers ask this question, and when I had small children I asked it myself. When you're drowning in a sea of diapers and toys, it's hard to find time for God. Yet, it's absolutely necessary, because a mother sets the tone of the home.
You've probably heard the saying, 'If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.' Well, if Mama isn't getting her quiet time alone with God, she's not going to be happy and will likely be quite snappy. Nobody needs spiritual food more than a busy mom! It's one thing to know this in theory and quite another to put it into practice. What steps can an overloaded mom take to ensure that she remains in close fellowship with the Lord? Is getting up before the rooster crows the only answer? Here are a few suggestions that have worked for me.
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Sep. 29, 2008
Not Now, I'm Busy
| Not Now, I'm Busy |
| By TEACH columnist Laurel Diacogiannis |
| When my oldest daughter was five, she came to me one morning and whispered, "Mommy, can I talk to you?" As I turned to her and started to say, "Not now, I'm busy," the Lord stopped me. I heard in my heart, "If you take the time to listen to her today, she will still want to talk to you when she is 15." Since I had heard from so many mothers that their teens did not talk to them, I knelt down and listened as she told me what was on her mind. It would have been so easy to tell her that I was busy, yet I am so glad that I listened to the prompting of the Lord that morning. Now, eleven years later, I am still busy, but I cannot imagine what would have happened if I had continued to use that excuse whenever the children came to me.
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Sep. 29, 2008
Homeschooling Teens
| Homeschooling Teens |
By Janice Hedin
From Summer 2000 |
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The Homeschooling Teens' Formula for Success
- C = Homeschooling teens are in the powerful position of taking control of their lives.
- R = Homeschooling teens have access to limitless resources that are as close as their local library to "chatting" with professors from around the world.
- S = Homeschooling teens, with the support of their parents or other caring adults, are able to strive for and reach lofty goals.
- T = Homeschooling teens have time to develop and pursue personal interests that lead to fulfilling hobbies, skills, and careers.
"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore, be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." Ephesians 5:15
Control + Resources + Support + Time = Success
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Sep. 29, 2008
You Know You're A Homeschool Mom When...
You Know You're A Homeschool Mom When...
author unknown
You get to change more than diapers, you get to change their minds.
When a child busts a lip, and after seeing she's okay, you round up some scotch tape to capture some blood and look at it under the microscope!
You find dead animals and actually consider saving them to dissect later.
Your children never ever leave the "why?" stage.
When your teenager decides to take one community college course, and comes home and asks you why the teacher wrote "At" on his paper. (A+)
You ask for, and get, a copier instead of a diamond tennis bracelet for your wedding anniversary.
Your kids think reading history is best accomplished while lying on the floor with their head resting on the side of their patient dog.
Your husband can walk in at the end of a long day and tell how the science experiment went just by looking at the house.
You never have to drive your child's forgotten lunch to school.
The only debate about the school lunch program is whose turn it is to cook.
You never have to face the dilemma of whether to take your child's side or the teacher's side in a dispute at school.
If your child get's drugs at school, it's probably Tylenol.
Your neighbors think you are insane.
Your kids learn new vocabulary from their extensive collection of "Calvin & Hobbes" books.
Your formal dining room now has a computer, copy machine, and many book shelves and there are educational posters and maps all over the walls.
You have meal worms growing in a container....on purpose.
If you get caught talking to yourself, you can claim you're having a PTA meeting.
Talking out loud to yourself is a parent/teacher conference.
You can't make it through a movie without pointing out the historical inaccuracies.
You step on math manipulatives on your pre-dawn stumble to the bathroom.
The teacher gets to kiss the principal in the faculty lounge and no one gossips.
Your honor student can actually read the bumper sticker that you have put on your car.
If your child claims that the dog ate his homework, you can ask the dog.
Some day your children will consider you to be a miracle-working expert and will turn to you for advice.
Your kids refer to the neighbor kids as "government school inmates."
You can't make it through the grocery produce department without asking your preschooler the name and color of every vegetable.
You can't put your produce in your cart without asking your older student to estimate it's weight and verify accuracy.
You live in a one-house schoolroom.
You try to (quickly) capture the huge bee that was knocked unconscious as it accidentally flew into your car window, so the kids can classify and inspect it.
Your bank statement reflects the fact that you spend more at Books-A-Million than at fancy clothing stores.
You've got more books and bookcases than anyone you know.
You DREAM of a room (or even a whole house!) with wall to wall, ceiling to floor bookshelves.
The walls of your dining room are decorated with posters of the US Presidents, Periodic Table of Elements, Map of the Moon, Spanish Conjugation Chart and a copy of the Declaration of Independence, not to mention a poster of the Ten Commandments since no one can tell you not to!
You have children draped all over the furniture....and they're reading...for the FUN of it!
Your children actually enjoy spending time with their family, even their siblings!
Your children aren't embarrassed to be seen playing with someone younger than they are!
You are on a first name basis with the majority of local librarians.
You've laughed out loud when someone asked you "What about socialization?"
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