Single Parents & Home Education

Most of you know I've been struggling for awhile over what to do about my blog. I can't seem to share without offending.

I was going to set up a whole new blog that focused only on my quilting, as a way to share, teach and sell.

Prayerfully, I've come up with a way to keep this blog up and going, without (hopefully) offending. I will also be able to share the quilts here.

You'll be seeing some changes in the decor around here as well. Janet, at Pineblossoms has agreed to help me give this place a pick me up that will be more in line with what I'm hoping to share.

I will still share an occasional thought of encouragement for single mothers who are homeschooling.

I would leave you with this thought - scripture tells us that those who love the law, NOTHING shall offend them. So if you're here and you're reading and something offends you, I'd challenge you to check your own heart first. I have found that when I'm offended, it's usually my heart attitude and not the "offender" that needs adjusting.

Blessings, MaggieRaye

Jul. 21, 2008

Single Mom's - The Church - Welfare

This is a HOT topic, and so I'm really going to limit what I have to say here, this time.

It was recently pointed out to me, that because of the sin in my life (in the past, and long repented of) that I "deserve" to be where I am, going through the things I do. There are actually people who do not want my family as a part of their regular fellowshipping/church. (If this offends you, read the previous post, please.)

I'm so grateful that Christ didn't look at us, and go, "Father, the "deserve" to suffer, they are nothing but a bunch of worthless sinners."

We all have sin in our lives -- mine just happens to be more obvious than some, because the results are walking talking reminders.

Over the years, I've searched scripture and believe the things I do, based on scriptural principles, commands, and teachings.

I've come to peace with much of this, and am sharing it with you moms, because I know many of you have experienced the same thing. Whether your husband has abandoned you, abused you or maybe you've never had a husband, many of you have experienced a great lack of empathy from fellow believers.

The other day when I was doing my Bible reading (I'm doing the John MacArthur Bible in a Year) I read a Psalm that though I'm sure I've read before, I never thought of enlight of single moms, the church and welfare. I have debated whether to share it with you or not. Recently the Lord has spoken clearly to me about not fearing what man may so or do, as long as my stand is for Him. And so, while I'm not out to offend, I'm certain there are some who will be offended. I am sorry. I'll just say it now. I am sorry to offend, for that is not my intent. However, I can not remain silent, out of fear.

Psalm 82:3-4
"Defend the poor and the fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and the needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked."

I don't believe there is anything more wicked and corrupt than our government system. It bothers me that churches say, "we pay tax dollars into the system there is no reason Christians shouldn't take advantage of it" One pastor even told me once, that if the church had the funds that all it's members paid in taxes it might be different, they'd be able to do more. Have we forgotten that the heavenly Father's treasury is limitless, when it is for His purpose?

I believe that the church is making the government father of the fatherless, and I believe that this is unscriptural.

Now, ladies, if this is where you are, where many of us are, take heart. The Lord blesses anyway. My advice to you, is pray, remembering we are in the days when churches are lukewarm.

Claim Hebrews 13:5 & 6, " Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have; for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."

For isn't it better to say the Lord is our helper than to depend on man (the church or the government) though the Lord may certainly use man as His vessel from which to pour blessings on us.

The Lord has so blessed my life amidst trials, during the last few years. Yes there has been sin in my life, but there is sin in all of our lives, whether we neglect the poor, lust, covet, gossip, have a rebellious spirit there is sin in all of our lives and we should esteem others better than ourselves, coming along side them to encourage and edify them, when they will allow us to.

I'm sadly certain that there are those who will read this and be offended, again, I am sorry that you are offended. But I have been keeping silent out of fear, and it is time to speak out and take a stand again for what the Lord has laid upon my heart, not for myself, but for others.

May the Lord stir your heart toward Him,
Blessings, MaggieRaye

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Jul. 15, 2008

Throwing Open the Windows

One of my favorite lines from The Sounds of Music is something to the effect (I'm bad at exact quotes) of,

When the Lord closes the door, somewhere He opens a window.

I feel as if He has been throwing open windows of opportunity around me lately. I made one decision recently, just one, and it seemed rather small, (read door closed) and as a result many opportunities for serving Him, from my home, with my children, have presented themselves(read open windows).

I will be joining Homebound Missions as a full time volunteer beginning September 1st. I'll share more details about that another time.

We are going to be able to begin sponsoring a child through His Hands for Haiti's orphanage His House, immediately -- it's not adoption, but it's as close as we could come.

It is amazing how the Lord will use us, if we will but obediently get out of His way and stop trying to serve Him in our way.

I still don't know if I'll ever get to set foot on Haitian soil, but He can use me there, even from here.

This weekend, the long coveted corner station for my computer "appeared" at a yard sale for FREE. What a blessing it is to have everything so neat and tidy.

I've been given two sewing machines (that work) in addition to the two I already had, guess we'll definitely be going ahead with doing sewing lessons. The irony in this is that with the exception of making quilts, I really hate sewing, especially clothing. One of my biggest classes is going to be making medieval costumes -- this should be interesting.

And today I was paid two compliments - thus feeding my nearly starved vanity. The new short sort of whimsical hair cut looks really good on me, according to one friend. The other told me that my face really looks healthy and that the dark circles that are normally under my eyes seem to be much faded. Wow! I must have looked way worse than I thought!!! We've cut so much of the refined, processed, prepackaged food out of our diet in the last year that I hope my body is beginning to gain some health value from it. It is just not fun having to walk by the Little Debbies Swiss Cake Rolls knowing that I can't buy them, because I can't eat just one....

As if in reward, I received fresh lettuce, swiss chard, and black rasberries (not to be confused with black berries) today from my neighbor. Yum!!!

Well, I don't know what the Lord is doing in your life, but if He's closing doors or opening window, and you'd like to share, please leave a comment or send me an email.

Blessings, MaggieRaye

Jul. 7, 2008

Following up on BUSY and Amazing Message Posts

I just spent 1/2 hour typing a long reply to the anonymous commenter who asked:

A little confused. BUSY would be the mondane things not need in our lives. How does sowing the seeds with other Christians fall in to BUSY.?

The thing is I can't really answer it without getting into a whole lot of other stuff. And I can't do that because I will certainly offend people, albeit unintentional.

Suffice to say, that I think as Christians we often loose sight of the best things because we become distracted and BUSY (Brought Under Satan's Yoke) with the things that are merely good.

I have been a very BUSY Christian for years doing church 3x a week, being involved in a multitude of ministries. My kids were a mess, I was a mess. It wasn't until this past winter when our lives went through some radical changes that I began to look at church from a very different perspective.

It is a blessing to see the changes in my children, and my attitude toward them. This does not mean we've forsaken church or assembling with other believers. It does mean it's changed how we do it and more importantly why we do it.

Even this is probably more than I should have said.

Let me however close with this. Sowing seed is important, but not at the expense of our own children. Not at the expense of our own personal walk with the Lord. We don't have to look for opportunities to sow seeds. The Lord truly presents them to us where we are, I've seen this in the last few months.

Blessings, MaggieRaye

Jun. 1, 2008

One of those "Wow!" Devotional Moments

It isn't so much that the devotional itself was a "Wow!" but more my thoughts on it ten years ago and then today.

GOD'S CALLING JOURNAL
p. 163
"I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." Song of Solomon 6:3

"The way of the soul's transformation is the Way of Divine Companionship.
Not so much the asking Me to make you this or that but the living with Me, thinking of Me, talking to Me -- thus you grow like me.
Love me. Rest in Me. Joy in Me."

My journal entry from Monday, June 1, 1998:
"I often forget that for my family I can claim the Lord's promised companionship -the promise to be a husband (provider) and a father to the fatherless. I need to claim this perfect companionship as I struggle to raise my daughter. I am a single parent, but I'm not alone, if I claim this."

Wow! This was before homeschooling, before I believed I could be a keeper-at-home, before I had ever heard of Doug Phillips or listened to Defending the Fatherless (click on this in the Link section of my side bar for more information). Ten years ago, the Lord was already laying the foundation, that would be built upon through my life.

How quickly I forget what the Lord has already taught me. How many lessons He must teach me over and over. I'm so glad for His long-sufferings with me.

How about you? Are there lessons that you find the Lord is teaching you again, and again, and again?

Blessings, MaggieRaye

May. 25, 2008

Making Do . . .

I've thought a lot recently about the concept of "making do". It was one that my maternal grandparents were quite familiar with. I've been thinking more and more about applying it to my own life.

Some how, it seems drab and poverty ridden, if thought of in the wrong light. But it is also resourceful and creative.

Here is my most recent example.
Usually when I plant a garden, my mother comes for the weekend, we go shopping, I buy the seeds and seedling and we plant them. There are certain things I choose, every year to plant, tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, basil and pumpkins.

This year a friend has promised me seeds, from an abundance she was blessed with. Yet the Lord continues to providentially hinder her from bringing them to me. While I had a little money this weekend during my mothers visit, it was not what I would usually spend on putting in my garden, not even close. So, I decided to "make do" and see what God will do with it.

I bought seeds in bulk from the local farmers union - rather in the little packets from WalMart (another opportunity to avoid WalMart basked in). I bought lettuce (due to my recent efforts to eat more raw), pole beans (take up less room) and summer squash. I had some "mixed" bean seeds at home in my seed box, along with arugala, dill, thyme, oregano and sweet marjoram. I also had both regular and giant pumpkin seeds we'd harvested in past years. Oh, and I almost forgot, the partial bag of potatoes that had gone to seed, we cut those up and planted them, too. So this afternoon, after my mother had headed home, we set to planting.

***Here let me interject a HUGE T H A N K Y O U ! ! ! to Mr. C. for tilling my garden for me, again this year. With the back problems I've had this year, there is no way I could do it by hand. What a a blessing. ***

I still plan to buy several tomato plants and basil if the Lord provides the funds and we're still hunting for cucumber seeds -- that lady at the Farmer's Union said they are scarcer than hen's teeth this year.

I can freeze pumpkin, beans, and tomatoes. I can dry store herbs and potatoes. The lettuce and summer squash are the only really seasonal things we'll be growing.

This is the fifth year we've been in this house. It's also the fifth year we've had a garden. Every year it's a little different. We seriously grow as the Lord provides. We share the abundance. We are so blessed. While it may not necessarily make sense, I've learned that the Lord's reasons often elude our finite human minds.

May the Lord show you and inspire you to begin finding ways to be a better steward by "making do" with what He gives you, even if it doesn't make sense to you.

Blessings, MaggieRaye

May. 25, 2008

About Blogging

Some time back I posted about how hard I was trying to keep my mouth shut and my fingers still. I was challenged to think about each post in terms of standing on my front step with an amplifier and saying what I wrote to anyone and everyone who walked by or writing it in a journal and leaving it on the counter in the ladies room at WalMart for all to read. Would I do that? If not, then why would I put it out there for the whole world to read . . . because truly we never really know who is reading our blogs.

I've tried to keep my posts as of late to the topic of homeschooling and single parenting and stuff not so personal.

Tonight I find myself not willing to purse my lips shut and sit on my hands, but I need to. As always, what I want to share, would certainly be taken wrong by some and cause offense. I can not be a stumbling block.

I'd just like to thank the ladies who've contacted me recently to say that they are encouraged by my blog. I'm praying for a time to come when I can feel free to blog without having to worry about causing offense.

To those of you who are single moms, grandmom's or even dad's who are or would like to home educate, I'm here to encourage you. By God's grace and for His glory you can do the impossible. Don't listen to people who will tell you that you can't or shouldn't. Avoid too much contact with those who are not supportive. Most of all, hang in there, lean on the Lord and trust in His promises to provide for your every need. He is faithful, even when we are not. I know. I just finished out my 7th year as a single parent home educator. If God can do it through me, He can do it through you!

Blessings, MaggieRaye

May. 19, 2008

A New/Old Love In My Life

I was planning on no longer sharing real personal stuff here - but for those of you who are single mom's I think that this may encourage you.

I'm not sure what prompted this thought process -- and at the same time, I do know. I have found I can't watch those movies that have the happily ever after love story themes. I grow discontent in the life the Lord has blessed me with. I recently was able to purchase the complete Christy series -- one of my favorites. I spent my vacation working my way through watching every episode. I started feeling that restless discontentment growing, wondering why I have to do this alone.

These words are the thoughts I had after praying and repenting of my ungrateful attitude. The Lord has so blessed my situation, that I have no room to be ungrateful.

He chose me. Not because of who I am. He loves me in spite of that, because of who He is. He is a husband to me and a father to my children.

I am His princess, daughter of the King.

He knows my every weakness, my every betrayal, my every short coming, my every failure and still He loves me, anyway.

It is what I always desired, what I sought desperately, in places it could never be found, never realizing I had it all along, the love of the Master.

He is my rock, I can lean on. He protects me and shelters me, He listens. He comforts my sorrows.

He provides for me. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He desired His very best for me.

What right have I to want more than this? I pray the Lord will bless you through these thoughts.
MaggieRaye

May. 2, 2008

Things I am Willing to Pay For

Okay, I've been thinking about the whole thing about loving and homeschooling for FREE whenever possible. I love FREE there is no doubt about it. It just makes it easier to use our limited cash money for the things that must be purchased.

I've also been thinking that there are some things that are worth paying for, brand new. Not many but a few.

One of those things is Home School Legal Defense Membership. If I couldn't buy anything else for homeschooling, this would be a must have. Fortunately, the Lord has graciously provided this, often at a reduced cost to my family. I have had a membership almost the entire time I've homeschooled. I would go without other supplies before I would go without this.

Another thing that I would pay for - now that I've been blessed with a gift subscription to it - is a subscription to the website MathWorksheetSite. Limitless math work pages to reinforce concepts. I have recommended their free section to many, many people. And I tend not to recommend things that I don't use myself. We use this one ALOT! Having only briefly experienced the value of their subscription page -- I'm telling you it is worth the $25 a year. I will be working this into our future homeschooling budget as well.

Right now, I can't think of much else I would pay for or feel that we must have to homeschool -- maybe internet service, but I get mine for a ridiculously low price ($4.95/mo) so I'm not sure that really counts. That is one of those "nearly" free things anyway.

Everything else, I definitely get for free or for as little as I can possibly spend. I love to barter, trade, borrow -- but also to share. This past year I had the opportunity to bless several homeschooling families by sharing volumes of my Saxon that we weren't using as well as other books.

It just reminded me that no matter how little we have - if we let the Lord, He can use what we do have for His glory to be a blessing to others.

How has the Lord used you to bless others? Have you hindered Him from allowing you to be a blessing, by blocking the channel through which His blessings flow?

Blessings, MaggieRaye

May. 1, 2008

Best Blessing of All

If you've been reading my posts lately you know that my family is just bubbling over in rejoicing the Lord's blessings. The blessing I'm about to share is going to seem small in comparison to all that has been going on, but it was "the hugest" to me.

A couple years ago, a dear friend gave me a beautiful, brand new sewing machine to have to do my quilting with. The machine has sewed many miles since then, not just on quilts but also making diapers and frock for Haitian orphanages. It has also taught a couple of young ladies to sew.

About six months ago, after a cleaning, the sewing machine started breaking needles, and I figured I'd just worn it out. I knew that getting it serviced would cost almost as much as a new sewing machine at WalMart. I struggled and prayed for months over whether to have it serviced or just to buy a new machine, maybe not quite as fancy, but still functional. In the mean time, I dug out my dependable old (1966) Brothers beast that weighs a 1/2 ton. This was a bit of a shock to the system, after using my light weight new one. Needless to say, taking projects with me when I traveled became out of the question.

I went to WalMart a week ago, I'd made a decision, I was going to buy a new sewing machine. I got there and the one I could afford was not one, but two steps below the level I currently have, and it just didn't have what I really wanted/needed for stitch options. The one that was equivalent to my machine in price and stitch options was computerized and to me that just seems like something that should NOT be. It's a machine not a computer. It's suppose to run on gears and motors and things I can take apart and figure out. So, very muddled, preplexed and confused, I left WalMart with no sewing machine. Figuring, if I really, really needed it, I could go back and buy the computerized one -- even thought it was more than what I wanted or needed to deal with.

We won't even discuss the serger that I looked at briefly, and decided against.

I came home, took out my machine, and decided to give it one last chance. I prayed. I prayed a lot. I tinkered here, and adjusted there. I checked everything one checks. I tried hard not to be frustrated as I broke 4 more sewing needles, in less than a 1/2 hour.

Finally, when I was about to give up, "Lord, I just don't know what to do. If I had a husband, he could tell me what I should do, here. Lord, I need to know what to do!!!" Then I noticed that the shaft where the needle goes wiggled back and forth, hence the broken needles -- because they kept hitting the metal plate. Hhhmmmm . . . that isn't suppose to wiggle like that, so I turned the machine around, and sure enough there was a very loose screw in the back.

A loose screw -- of all the simple, mundane, frustrating, things. For six months I had not been able to do any serious sewing because of a loose screw!!!!!

So, I did the only reasonable thing I could do -- Thank the Lord!!!!!

Oh, and of course, tighten the screw. And Voila! Screw tightened -- sewing machine fixed -- no money spent!!!!

Having my sewing machine back and working has been the biggest blessing of all.

How has the Lord been blessing your life?

MaggieRaye

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Apr. 26, 2008

Discontentment

Does anyone else grow discontent this time of year? Do the mass of homeschool catalogs that are beginning to arrive, cause you to desire that which you can not afford? Do you begin to doubt if your hodge podge of "stuff" will actually educate your child sufficiently?

I didn't realize that I was discontent until recently. Probably when I began to clean out all those extraneous books I just had to have, but when faced with the idea of moving them, decided really weren't so important.

I think it is easy (or at least a "good" excuse) for single moms to become discontent. So and so is using this or that very new curriculum and there is just no way we can afford it on a limited (read non-existant) homeschooling budget. This group is going a a field trip here (or there) but the cost for us is prohibitive. When I look outside my home, at everyone else, it is too easy to become ungrateful, disconent, and just generally thankless of the Lord's abundant provision for my children and I, so -- I'm currently avoiding the following things:

homeschool group meetings discussing portfolio's (I even find that I'm discontent that I didn't do what someone else did this year),

homeschool group meetings discussing curriculum,

curriculum catalogs (I already know what I think I need for next year and know where I can get it for the least amount of money, no point in looking any further only to discover something I don't really need but would like.),

used book sales,

used curriculum sales,

conferences or conventions where curriculum (new or used) will be available to peruse or purchase.

I have everything I need and so much more abundantly. We are so blessed. I need to start really being grateful for the abundance the Lord has bestowed on me, and not try to "do it myself". He does a much better job. And if I'd just trust Him and not work so hard to "collect" stuff for too far into the future , well, I probably wouldn't have so many boxes of books to get rid of, in order to avoid moving them.

Is the Lord refining you? Leave me a comment if you're willing to share.
Blessings, MaggieRaye

Apr. 22, 2008

God's Precious Perfect Provision

Awhile back, probably in January, I had put up a post (which I have since removed) that I was considering applying for funds from Homeschool Foundation's (http://www.homeschoolfoundation.org) Children of Single Parents Fund (http://www.homeschoolfoundation.org/funds/SingleParent.asp)
to help out with some financial burdens I'm carrying, right now, from poor financial decisions made in my youth (before I had children or even knew homeschooling was an option for those who did).

It took me awhile to bring myself to actually put the application in. I just kept thinking -- I'll make it somehow. There's my sin nature - pride - rearing it's ugly head.

I recently submitted my part of the application process, knowing that my references had long since been received by HSF. I also knew the ball park that I could expect to receive.

When I checked the mail the other day, there was a check, from HSF. My request had been approved. And for a higher amount than I originally anticipated.

While I basically know where this money is going. I'm taking the next three days to pray for the Lord to show me specifically how I can best use it for His glory in our homeschooling endeavors. The grant is a one time thing, so this is it. I need to be the absolute best steward of this blessing that I can!

This isn't the only way the Lord perfectly provides for my family and I, but it's the most recent way, and I need to give Him, all the praise, honor and glory for this.

Blessings, MaggieRaye

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Apr. 22, 2008

What to Do With This Blog?

A dear online friend and long time reader, recently asked me if I'd decided what I was going to do with my blog.

I have not, not really.

I can't let it go, and yet, I can't post quite the way I have in the past. While I want to encourage single mothers that their situations are not unique, I often find myself in hot water for posting things that are too personal for my local reading audience.

So, for now, I'm going to continue to resist the urge to "share" with you all that is going on around me. At the same time, I'm praying for wisdom and the Lord's words to continue to encourage single parents who are or would like to homeschool.

I truly believe, as I have for many years, that the Lord does and will bless the single parent who steps out on faith to train up their children for His glory, in spite of difficult circumstances. My life has been an ongoing testimony to this fact.

So, for those of you who were wondering, I guess I won't be taking the blog down, unless the Lord clearly shows me that I must. At the same time, He is definitely refining me in the area of keeping silent on some things that I use to share more openly about my family.

My prayer is that it will continue to be a blessing to those it is meant to minister to and to anyone else who happens by.

Blessing, MaggieRaye

Jan. 15, 2007

THE LIST - Revised & Reposted

For those of you who have frequented my blog over the last year, you'll recall that I had a post called THE LIST with over 100 resources for single homeschooling moms. Well the list has been revised and reposted over at Jehovah-Jireh Mission. (Sorry, I'm still having trouble adding hyperlinks since the change over here at HSB so you'll have to copy and past the following to get there from here - http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jehovahjireh/269605 or you can click on THE LIST in my link colum to the right.)

I have cut a lot of stuff out of the original list for various reasons. The primary reason being that I know that homeschooling moms have a limited amount of time, single homeschooling moms have even less, so I've tried to pare the list down to only the very best of the best, the most helpful and useful resources, as I become aware of them.

If you have a resource that you feel would help others that you don't see on the list, please let me know about it. I'll try to add it in during the next revision.

Blessings, MaggieRaye