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I have a nice long post about what we've been up to following "Queen Ester for VP". But, I felt the article about VP was important, too. So, if you want to see what I'm up to politically these days, read on to the next post. For those who are just checking in and curious about the antics of my personal life click here to Read ON.... |
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I know it sounds odd, but this may be the year that a women is literally thrust into a place of prominence and position for no other reason than to put this country back on a solid, conservative track. While I support Sen. John McCain as the Republican nomination for the presidential race, I would be remiss if I didn't admitt that he is not quite as conservative as many would like. He desperately needs a strong, popular, kick-butt partner on his ticket. Someone who is young with strong, Christian values, a dedication to family, and a fiscal conservative. Meet Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska. She has it all. She's a young (44), pro-life, pro-gun (NRA member), mother of 5. Her husband, Todd, is a blue-collar worker for one of the oil companies part of the year and a commercial fisherman the other part. She's a Christian who regularly attends church and considers every child a gift from God. Sarah is in favor of drilling for oil in Alaska (ANWR) and supports the war in Iraq. She's known for cutting wasteful spending and recently vetoed more than $250 million dollars from the Alaska state budget. She has maintained an 85%-94% approval rating in Alaska for the past two years, and her nickname is "Sarah Baracuda". She's been endorsed by Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingrahm, Glenn Beck, Real Politics, and many more. And did I mention that she supports homeschooling? As for her family, she's married to her highschool sweetheart, Todd, who is affectionately and proudly known as the "First Dude". Her oldest son, Track, is 19 and serving in the US Army. She has two teenage daughters (Bristol and Willow) and a seven year old daughter (Piper). And just 6 weeks ago she gave birth to their son, Trig, who was born one month pre-mature with Down Syndrome. Now I know what many of you are thinking..."She should be home with her children, especially this new special needs baby!". I, too, had some of those same thoughts. After all, I am a very committed, stay-at-home-mom who homeschools. Shouldn't everyone? Isn't that what's best? I would say yes the majority of time. But every now and then there is an exception to rule. I have searched my heart and prayed for guidance, and I firmly believe that Sarah Palin is the exception. She has rapidly risen through the ranks of local government to become Governor and her current "fame" is not of her own campaigning or seeking. Others in the press are praising her for her accomplishments and raising her to notoriety. Many would rather see her as the Presidential candidtate. Even the NY Times thinks that she could be our first female president.! She is literally being drug to the palace to be placed on a throne - and it is for such a time as this. Several woman throughout history have sat on a throne, ruled their country, and gave birth and raised children at the same time. Queen Elizabeth II was not born into the 1st line of succession and was never expected to be queen. But with her brother's abdication and her father's sudden death, she became Queen when she was a newly married young mother of Prince Charles. She managed to get pregnant and give birth to three more children and without giving up her throne. Princess Dianna - one of the most popular of British Royals ever, managed to do her job as princess, train to be queen, raise her son to be king, and still maintain a very close relationship with her sons. She was involved and very much oversaw their education and every aspect of raising them. I'm sure that both of these women enlisted more than one servant to help with the actual care and feeding of the children, but they were in charge and were the ones raising their children. So is Sarah Palin. Even throughout scripture there have been powerful women who were appointed by God to serve. Deborah was a Judge over all Israel. She was married and, although the Bible doesn't mention children, it doesn't deny them. And what about the Queen of Sheba? Didn't she have children? Queen Esther gave birth to King Darius and stayed queen. Even the mythical Proverbs 31 Woman (our example) was not always a stay at home mom. She dabbled in real estate and ran a textile business. She was busy helping the hungry and the poor. And she saw well to the affairs of her household. She was up before dawn and prepared food for her family and her servants. I think these servants took good care of Prov-31's HOUSE, because she was taking good care of her HOME and told them how she wanted things done. And what about all these woman who are running Christian and/or homeschool ministries with their husbands? They have children and they work. I've seen them speaking at convention and retreats and they don't always have the baby on the hip while they do it . Gov. Palin keeps her newborn at the office with her and, as you can see in the picture below, even takes him to meetings. Now, I'm not advocating that everyone go dump their kids back in the schools and daycare and go get a career. No. But I am saying that there are women who know how to run a business (or a country) without sacraficing their role as wife and mother. And Sarah Palin is one of them. All I'm asking is that you visit the website of the movement (she is not connected with them) and just look at her. Read the links. Listen to the press. See what others are saying and see if this could be a Queen Esther of our day who will be placed in the palace for such a time as this. As for who will take care of her family? Well, if God has chosen Sarah Palin and is taking care of her path, then I trust that He will also provide the wisdom and the way for her take care of her family also. If you want to help keep this snowball rolling -- MSNBC is currently running a poll Veepstakes 2008. Go there and vote this week. And pass this on to all your friends and encourage them to vote and tell Sen McCain who you'd like to see as his second in command. Thanks for your time. God Bless you and God Bless America. Blessings & Shalom, Crime bill signedJUNE 6, 2008 - 6:44 AM
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I know that's nothing new for our life, but the last six weeks have been a real whirlwind. It's like it's tornado season in my home and family life -- and it's starting to lshow in the house as well. So just to give you a quick update: April 27-30 Chrysanthemum attended a Christian Writer's Conference for 4 days here in town. From our door to Glen Eyrie (where the conference was) is about a 45 mins drive. She stayed over night, but there were a few "supply" runs during the time. I dropped her off on Sunday afternoon and on Monday my dad decided to come down with a case of double pnuemonia and thought he should spend the rest of the week in the hospital. He was also diagnosed with COPD (Emphesema) and they are running some other tests I'm sure. The following week (May 5-11) was spent helping a dear friend whose teenage daughter ran away from home and when I wasn't busy with that, I was making arrangements for Crocus' graduation and helping him finalize his resume. I also helped Chrysanthemum finalize projects for co-op/enrichment classes and prepared for my own classes final presentaton day. Of course Mother's Day was thrown in there on the 11th. The week of May 12-18 was very hectic. Tuesday the 13th was our very last day at Enrichment Classes. Then on Wednesday, Chrysanthemum and I drove 2 1/2 hours up to Estes Park for the Colorado Christian Writers Conference. We were there until Saturday evening and then drove home. It was very encouraging and educational for my Chrysanthemum and she even had a publishing agent interested in one of her books. It's very exciting, but it was still busy. We arrived home on Saturday evening (May 17th), went to a friend's son's graduation party on the 18th. The rest of that week was spent preparing for Crocus' college graduation on Friday the 23rd. I had to bake a cake (gluten free) and get it to the decorator on Wednesday; We had some unexpected out of town guests for the graduation fly in on Thursday, so I had to have all the party food (meat/cheese/veggie platters) prepared on Wednesday for a huge party on Sunday the 25th, and of course just to make the week a bit more hectic, my birthday was thrown in there on Thursday the 22nd. (I got to go see the opening matinee for the new Indiana Jones movie -- it was great!). Last week was a bit slower. Our 4H club had their biggest fund raiser of the year on Wednesday, so I was making baked beans for 50 and shopping with my Fund Raising committee. We're still taking TaeKwonDo and I'm helping Crocus and Chrysanthemum get their bearings for the summer. Of course Crocus's grassroots political blog project (started last Jan) to draft Sarah Palin for the republican VP slot has literally exploded, so instead of being able to look for a job, he's spending most of his time answering e-mails, keeping up with the political news scene, and updating the blog. But, he wants to effect change in the world -- why should I interfer when that's exactly what he's doing. BTW, my next post will be how could or should we, SAHMs, support a a soccer mom of 5 to be Vice President of the United States. Just think Proverbs 31 and Queen Esther. Oh, and my husband was sick with Bronchitis all week. This week showed some hope of slowing down, but then Monday we were hit with a very sorrowful and unexpected death of our friend, Paul. Please pray for my friend and fellow homeschool mom, Theresa (44), as her husband Paul passed away this weekend. He leaves behind his wife, Theresa, one grown son (w/DIL and grandson), and three young children still at home. She is coping and just taking things one day at a time, one breath at a time, and one footstep at a time. I'm sure I will be busy visiting with her. The funeral was Monday and by Tuesday, I'd caught whatever DH had that turned into bronchitis and am now coughing up lovely green chunks of mucous and taking naps at regular intervals. Tomorrow night will be our very last ever 4H General Meeting (bittersweet). Of course I have things to start getting ready for next school year, I'm helping Chrysanthemum brainstorm and edit her novel, Crocus needs some serious admin support, and DH and I just need some time. So, that's what I've been doing with my freetime instead of blogging. It's a very full life and sometimes I'm just tired. But, I guess if I took some time to check in every now and then, I would at least have the support and prayers of friends. If nothing else, I'll be putting up the occassional political post and my friend Betty has motivated me to get back on the "planning" bandwagon with menus, devotions, and time with everyone that's really important. She's also great at making me feel guilty for spending money and giving me many wonderful ideas how to be much more frugal. Well, that's it for now. This week is looking pretty clear, so maybe I'll be back soon. Until then, Take Care and Shalom, |
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I seldom blog/share on Shabbat as it is a day of rest. But, the following article from FOX Sports on MSN, was just so much an example of loving-kindness, even to our advesaries, that I had to share it. I am reminded of the story of the Good Samaritan and the Golden Rule. This young woman, Mallory Holtman, is a true role model for my children and myself. I'd like to meet and congratulate the parents that raised such a person. May this story bless your Sabbath as much as it blesses mine. Opponents carry injured home-run hitter around basesUpdated: April 30, 2008, 7:40 PM EST 801 comments PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - With two runners on base and a strike against her, Sara Tucholsky of Western Oregon University uncorked her best swing and did something she had never done, in high school or college. Her first home run cleared the center-field fence.
But it appeared to be the shortest of dreams come true when she missed first base, started back to tag it and collapsed with a knee injury. She crawled back to first but could do no more. The first-base coach said she would be called out if her teammates tried to help her. Or, the umpire said, a pinch runner could be called in, and the homer would count as a single.
Then, members of the Central Washington University softball team stunned spectators by carrying Tucholsky around the bases Saturday so the three-run homer would count - an act that contributed to their own elimination from the playoffs. Central Washington first baseman Mallory Holtman, the career home run leader in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, asked the umpire if she and her teammates could help Tucholsky. The umpire said there was no rule against it. So Holtman and shortstop Liz Wallace put their arms under Tucholsky's legs, and she put her arms over their shoulders. The three headed around the base paths, stopping to let Tucholsky touch each base with her good leg. "The only thing I remember is that Mallory asked me which leg was the one that hurt," Tucholsky said. "I told her it was my right leg and she said, 'OK, we're going to drop you down gently and you need to touch it with your left leg,' and I said 'OK, thank you very much."' "She said, 'You deserve it, you hit it over the fence,' and we all kind of just laughed." "We started laughing when we touched second base," Holtman said. "I said, 'I wonder what this must look like to other people."' "We didn't know that she was a senior or that this was her first home run," Wallace said Wednesday. "That makes the story more touching than it was. We just wanted to help her." Holtman said she and Wallace weren't thinking about the playoff spot, and didn't consider the gesture something others wouldn't do. As for Tucholsky, the 5-foot-2 right fielder was focused on her pain. "I really didn't say too much. I was trying to breathe," she told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Wednesday. "I didn't realize what was going on until I had time to sit down and let the pain relax a little bit," she said. "Then I realized the extent of what I actually did." "I hope I would do the same for her in the same situation," Tucholsky added. As the trio reached home plate, Tucholsky said, the entire Western Oregon team was in tears. Central Washington coach Gary Frederick, a 14-year coaching veteran, called the act of sportsmanship "unbelievable." For Western Oregon coach Pam Knox, the gesture resolved the dilemma Tucholsky's injury presented. "She was going to kill me if we sub and take (the home run) away. But at the same time I was concerned for her. I didn't know what to do," Knox said. Tucholsky's injury is a possible torn ligament that will sideline her for the rest of the season, and she plans to graduate in the spring with a degree in business. Her home run sent Western Oregon to a 4-2 victory, ending Central Washington's chances of winning the conference and advancing to the playoffs. "In the end, it is not about winning and losing so much," Holtman said. "It was about this girl. She hit it over the fence and was in pain, and she deserved a home run." |
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Wow. It's been 11 days since my last blog and life has been so very full and blessed I don't know where to begin! I was blessed to celebrate my father's 70th birthday this past weekend. My brother (whom I haven't seen in two years) flew in from TX for the occassion. Since my parents divorced 10 years ago, we seldom get family/group time with Dad. So, my two brothers, my sister and I took Dad out to dinner at his favorite upscale restaurant. It was wonderful! Expensive, but wonderful. There were no spouses, no grandkids, no babies, just the five of us! It was truly a blessing to my Dad. My kids went and visited him during the day and took him 3 tickets to the local AAA baseball game. Now they get to spend 4 whole hours with their grandfather and he can't try to weasel out to save them money; tickets are already purchased! Crocus is within three weeks of college graduation (May 23rd). We're finalizing resumes and sending them out; folding, stuffing, and addressing graduation announcements; working out details for the party, etc. Of course he's still trying to finish up papers, and the Student Government elections are finally over (he's campaign manager). But we're also trying to navigate the anxious reality that in 3 weeks all his medical coverage stops (not pretty) unless we transfer him over to COBRA ($150 - $200/mo). He wants to get a job, and get back to DC...so we're navigating that nightmare, too. Oy...at least he still needs me for somethings! Chrysanthemum DD has been busy preparing for various writer's conference. Right now she's at the Glen Eyrie Writer's Conference and having the time of her life. The conference is being taught by Nancy Rue & Angela Hunt and there are only 37 attendees. I was a little anxious about her staying in a room by herself, but I was willing to let her try. We kept trying to find her a roommate, but were getting no where. I prayed and trusted G-d and told Chrysanthemum that maybe we would run into someone she knew once we got there. We'll we didn't meet anyone we know, but we did meet a wonderful young lady and her mother approached us. Her daughter had wanted to stay overnight, but without a roommate mom didn't feel comfortable. As the two girls talked, they discovered they participate in 4H together (but never met) and have a very good friend in common. Needless to say, that was our miracle and my DD has a wonderful, godly young woman to share her room and time with. And they are the only two teens registered for the conference. Isn't G-d just absolutely amazing! I'm awestruck! Did I mention that she's having a wonderful time?! She mananged to get the courage up to approach Nancy Rue to ask her some questions about her (DD's) story. Nancy not only obliged, but gave Chrysanthemum a 30-minute 1-on-1 session and helped her with advice on her novel. DD is soooooo excited! She feels like she met the President! I can't wait til she comes home on Wednesday. Of course in the midst of all this, there is unfortunately another woman at our synagogue in the final battle with cancer. So, I've been helping to minister to her. Oh, Passover was in there, too. What else....hmm...more dentists appointments, working, 4H, Tae Kwon Do, and did I mention I homeschool? Don't you just love living a full life! Today, I actually got a real day off! DS was in school, DH was at work, and DD is at the conference. I didn't have to fix anybody anything. No one interupted me or wanted me to do anything. The phone didn't even ring! I stayed in my jammies until noon; read lots of DD's stories and papers, surfed the internet, and just relaxed in general. It was grand! Well, it's past pumpkin hour and time for me to turn in. I just wanted to take time to share my joy and excitement -- especially the miracle of getting a roommate! May everyone be as blessed as we are, and may you all have a wonderfully full life serving the rest of the world and preparing your kids to grab this world by the horns and shake it up a bit. Blessings! Julie |
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Because I'm running around like a chicken with it's head cut off trying to get things in order for Passover. Of course I probably don't have time to blog, but just needed a quick break, and don't want rumors of the alien abductions to start up again. For the sake of my dear friends who have asked questions: Okay, there's a spice cupboard and three junk drawers with my name on them waiting in the kitchen. I have to disconnect 17yo Chrysanthemum from her ipod and we're back to cleaning. I'll try to take pics and catch up with you all real soon. |
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Just checking in to let you know that we haven't been captured by gypsies or abducted by aliens. On top of that, I'm trying to get Chrysanthemum all registered for two different writing conferences during the next four weeks (Glen Eyrie Writer's Conference the end of April and Colorado Christian Writers Conference in May) and get her started on TaeKwonDo Instructor Training this week. Did I mention anything about homeschooling on top of all that?! Figures. Yeah, I still have to do all that, too. So, as you can see, it's pretty much life as normal around here. With a bit of nudging and intervention from above, maybe I'll get the chance to write something inspirational this week. See you soon. Julie |
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Thanks to those of you who stopped by for my soap-box hour and many thanks to those who posted comments. They're always encouraging. It's nice to be back to blogging and encouraging others after months away, but sometimes it's just so hard to find something to say. I've spent quite a bit of time reading almost everything I've written in the past 3 years; partially as a walk down memory lane (after all this is a diary of our life) and also to re-encourage myself. (DH & DS think I should start compiling it all and publish a book. Yeah right, in my freetime.) As much as I love writing and encouraging, I'm still recovering from my cold and trying to prepare to teach my Geography class tomorrow at our local co-op. So in the essence of time and space (and the benefit of newer readers) I invite you to share a stroll down Blogger's Memory Lane. I have a few that are permanantly linked on my sidebar, but here's a rundown of some of my favorite posts from the last 3 years. SPIRITUAL/ENCOURAGING FAMILY & TRADITIONS Blessings to All and Happy Reading Julie |
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First things, first. I'm alone at home, with a cold, laying on the couch, with my laptop. Translation: I'm on a soapbox (with foggy brain) and this will be long!!!! So, for those of you who are brave and want to continue, be my guest and please excuse the typos. If the rest of you are crunched for time, I'll understand if you go visit someone else. Now that you've been warned.... For those of you who are new to reading my blog, you have figured out that this actually has nothing to do with real flowers but is a reference back to my title which is explained in my very first blog . It's been a while since I wrote that article (almost 3 years), so I thought I would revisit the subject a bit since my "flowers" are almost done blooming and starting to grace the world with their beauty. It's been 13 years now since I started homeschooling, and if there's only one thing I've learned and would impress on anyone coming up through the ranks of homeschooling --- Please! Please! Please! Train them up in the way THEY should go -- not the way that anyone else (including us) thinks they should go. It breaks my heart everytime I see a homeschool mom with wilting flowers and doesn't realize that she's the one that's killing them. It's a terrible thing to plant a chrysanthemum in your crocus bed, water and care for it like your crocuses, trample it in the garden when it doesn't bloom "on time", and then have the audacity to punish the flower and blame it on a "lack of motivation" or a "spiritual" problem. They use the same curriculum on all their flowers, put them in all the same activities, and do what all the other homeschool moms do. Of course some flowers will thrive and others will wilt. But these moms hope or expect that if their Chrysanthemum spends enough time in the example and presence of the Crocus, then he/she will become one. The only thing worse they can do is to show their disappointment because he/she didn't turn out to be a crocus. It happens far too often. Rather than seeing the student as a thriving, beautiful example of a Chrysanthemum, all they see is a failure of a Crocus. What a tragedy. My 21yo Crocus recently wrote an article about the stereotype of homeschoolers by the outside world as seen in the movie "Horton Hears a Who". But his very first paper in college was about the stereotype and pressure put on homeschoolers, not from outside their community, but from within it. How many of you have see the youtube clip about "A Homeschool Family"? There's some truth to this. Often, you're only considered a true success if your kids a going to college at the age of 16 on a full scholarship. Anything less is considered just "average". And heaven help those who don't go to college! My 21yo Crocus is a success by "homeschoolers" standards and suffers from the prejudice from the outside world. My 17yo Chysanthemum is the exact opposite and suffers from the prejudice from within our world. She didn't read until she was 11, is academically a grade or two (or three) behind her peers, can't spell to save her soul, and will probably "flunk" any written test you give her. By standard "homeschooler" expectations, she is "behind" or "failing". I think she's AWESOME. But, at 17, people are always asking her what she plans to study after highschool. I think if one more person chastises and crucifies her for not wanting to go to college after highscool, she's going to punch someone! She never has (and probably never will be) the university type. She is an artist, a free-spirit, a designer, a photographer, and an entreprenuer. She is a right-brained person trapped in a left-brained world. She expresses herself in unspoken and unwritten form, but not in an uneducated one. To force her into the world of textbooks & research papers is just a formula for failure. So, why would I ever want to train her up to be College Student? I'm training her up to be what G-d wants her to be and I will encourage HER talents, HER gifts, HER ideas, and not count any of them as useless, wrong, or meaningless. She will (and does) get and "F" on just about every history test she takes, and that's okay. I don't even say a word about it. She gets an "A" on her history projects and enjoys learning and writing it intor her stroies. But I know that she will get's an "A" on every photograph or sewing project she submits. She's wonderful at working with children and is great at what she does. So I don't bother her about her "academics" grades, because I know that's not where she's going. I ecourage, praise and push her in her business skills and the design elements of her stories and photographs. This is what has and will make my Chrysanthemum bloom into a lovely Chrysanthemum. There is a scipture that says "Delight yourself in the ways of the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." I think far too many people interpret that incorrectly to mean that if we include G-d in everything we do, He will give us whatever we want. I think it means that if we focus on G-d, delighting in his ways and teachings versus mans, then He will gives us desires in our heart that will lead us down the path He has planned for us. I remember when Crocus was just entering HighSchool and, like many homeschool moms, was panicing about everything he had to do to get into college. At that time, I was studying the Torah (pentatuch to many of you) and looking for direction from G-d for what to teach him and how! To my amazement, I discovered that the only thing as a parent that I was expected to teach him was "to love the Lord, his G-d, with all his strength, with all his soul, and with all his might." and I was to do that be teaching him (and her) "when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.." Nowhere in scripture could I find anything about Algebra or Chemistry, textbooks and research papers. So I didn't worry about any of those things. I train them in Torah, and compassion, in living in the world as G-d had commanded, I put full trust in G-d that if he wanted my son or daughter to go to university, then he would put that desire in their heart (not mine) and that the requirements to do would be met through the path we were taking. Crocus had the desire to go to university. I "relaxed" or "unschooled" him the entire time. He got 5 of his HighSchool credits from a box, and he had a very unusual transcript. He's graduating from college in 6 weeks and his career and opportunities continue to bloom and take him where I'm sure G-d wants him to go. But, I could have killed that Crocus, too. I could have forced him to finger paint and take art lessons, and chastised him for not staying in the lines. Instead he did research on art history and fell in love with VanGogh. I let him quit piano lessons after only one year, and let him sing in the choir instead. I could have forced him to learn only from Textbook A pp. 101-135, do a research paper and a silly crossword puzzle; instead he watched CSPAN and British House of Commons on cable and memorized all the capitals of every country in the world. I could have demanded he finish the World History homework instead of being in the local HighSchool musical (I let him get an F in history and letter in Drama). I could have made him take Algebra II (I didn't, Algebra I was enough of a nightmare), Rather, I let him do an internship for the GOP and he took remedial algebra in college. I could have made him practice his penmanship, instead of teaching him to type. I encouraged his love of learning, never told him to wait until next year when we study that, and I always encouraged his genius and helped him with the difficult areas. That's how you make a this Crocus bloom. But I can guarantee, he is no Chrysanthemum, and sometimes I wish he were more like her! But he is what he is and she is what she is. And I'm so proud of what both of them have become...successful in their own right. In closing, I admonishes all of us to "Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old, they will not depart from it". Help them to grow and follow the path G-d is putting them on. To try to turn our children into something the world thinks they should be, would mean to deprive the world of what they were meant to be. Thanks for the soapbox time, |
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Lately, there’s been quite a bit of discussion among the homeschool community related to the movie “Horton Hears a Who” and the portrayal of the villain as a Kangaroo who “pouch schools”. Here’s an article published today on The Campus Word (national online magazine for US colleges) written by homeschool graduate my very own Crocus. He’s a regular columnist with the Word so you can browse and see some of his other articles while you were there. Hope you enjoy this one. I feel so proud ... and so vindicated. |