Yesterday, DH and I attended a fantastic seminar led by Scott and Marcia Somerville called Building Your Homeschool Together.   It was a beautiful time, visited, I believe, by the Holy Spirit, full of wise counsel and excellent content, led by humble teachers willing to be vessels of God's message to us.

Marcia is the author of the Tapestry of Grace curriculum that we have been using this fall.  Friday, Kelli and I attended Marcia's seminar on teaching with Tapestry.  It was more technical than yesterday and it was encouraging and helpful. I am now more thankful to God than ever, that he led me to this curriculum at just the right time for our family.  But yesterday is what I want to focus on here.

Scott and Marcia divide the husbands from wives and teach them separately.  DH remarked what a wonderful idea that is, and should be more widely utilized.  I cannot speak for what Scott taught the men, but DH reported that it was "very helpful" and that is high praise indeed! 

As for Marcia, she taught the women first on "Meeting with God, A Toolbox Approach."  She outlines several methods to use and then teach the children to use to meet with their Creator on a daily basis.  As I have been leading their morning devotions for years, it inspired me to actually equip them to get into the Word, without needing a parent to do it for them.

Next was a relevant and helpful talk called "Bleach for Stained Hearts."  We focused on how to identify the idols and lies we have had on the altar of our hearts.  It was worth the price of the entire seminar and more.

(These talks will be made available soon on CD_ROM at their website for Lampstand Live.) 

We next heard her talk on "Tips for Teaching a Houseful."  I have a houseful ,so I was gratified to hear that I have been doing some things right over the years and resonated with her admonition for young moms of infants and toddlers to get themselves used to being content AT HOME and not running all over creation from McDonalds play area to play group to Target, etc.  all week. She called it "getting into the rythms of life."  meaning be HOME when they need a nap- every day!

Then, the husbands and wives were together for a practicum where we tried to identify, with God's help, the idols in our hearts that cause conflict between us.  At this time, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit guiding us (the couples).  As the Somervilles pointed out, we are often blind to our own sins and idols.  Who better than our spouse to gently, humbly, lovingly, (KEY words) help us identify them and dethrone them.  Then Scott wisely pointed out that knowlege isn't change!  We must sorrow for our sin, repent to God, plan for future growth and (ahem) repent to our mate.

The Somervilles also had a four part video of their children introducing the family, remembering things from their growing up and homeschool years, giving their testimonies (big tearjerker!)  and more.  It was so encouraging to see the "fruits of their labor."  I pray my children will turn out as well!

The last component of the seminar was a "fireside chat."  At this time, we were able to ask our own personal questions of the Somervilles and they gave us wise answers that I was so grateful to hear.

Please, if you are in Colorado (Denver Area), or Ohio (Cincinnati area) avail yourself of the opportunity to attend these seminars over the next few weeks.