I am new to lapbooking.  We are going to do our first one this week on the Fourth of July and I think I can do it without my oldest being suspect that he is "doing school" during summer vacation.  I wanted to try it out to see if I should think about incorporating it into our school year next year.  I would love to hear your thoughts, opinions, favorite links, favorite topics, etc...Thanks in advance! Kasey

I am really thankful...for my husband, for my children, for friends, for family, for the way the air smells right before it rains, for my church, for faith,hope and love, and for the way God shows love to me. 

I have a theory that many people have a drama demon camped out on their shoulder.  Now, I am not necessarily one to see a demon behind every bush, but I do believe that they are real.  In the last few weeks, I have been around some people that the drama demon theory could be a reasonable explanation for their behavior.  Now, I am no Pollyanna, but I do like to give people the benefit of the doubt and appreciate it when people do the same for me.  There are some of our sisters out there that assume the worst and feel compelled to tell everybody else how bad EVERYTHING is.  Is this because of past hurt? Is it because of a poor self-image? No.  It is because self continues to be more important than Jesus.  Do you look to stir up trouble and strife wherever you go or do you strive to be a peacemaker? Are things never good enough for you? Do people leave your company drained or refreshed?  If you have a Drama Demon camped out on your shoulder claim the power you have in Jesus and flick it off. 

Are you a haughty homeschooler?  Boy, I sure am.  Webster’s dictionary defines haughty as blatantly and disdainfully proud.  This defines me at moments, then I yell at my kids, or I blow it on the math lesson, or I talk on the phone much more than I should.  At those moments, the reality of my righteousness comes crashing down around me.  The Bible tells me that my righteousness is as filthy rags ( Isa.64:6).  It also tells me that I am already seated in heavenly places (Eph. 2:6).  It is only grace that allows me to plug along day after day in my humanness…somewhere between the two.  I am trusting that despite my shortcomings God has promised to “make the rough places plain” (Isa. 40:4).  I hope this means that he will smooth over the rough places of my parenting in the minds of my children. 

I have noticed in the homeschool community that many of us live by the gold star mentality.  The workbook crowd (of which I am one) …gold star for thoroughness.  Unschoolers…gold star for flexibility and fun.  Charlotte Masoners…gold star for loving nature and reading the “right” books.  Classical…gold star just for keeping up with the schedule.  All of us get the biggest gold star of all just because our children do not darken the door of a public school.  To be honest I almost bust out laughing when people get that look of awe on their face when they find out I homeschool.  They immediately want to know how it is possible and assume that I am gifted with patience.  I immediately squelch the patience myth and let tell them that I do “this” only through grace.  I am not super holy, except in my imagination, which is what some people seem to think you need to be.  Now, I know the power I have access to (II Tim 1:7) is infinitely holy and powerful.  The problem is that I leave that on the shelf of my heart and attempt to muddle along in my own power.  The epitome of the gold star chart keeper.  In the end, the words of Job 42:6 ring in my heart…Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes…The little gold stars fade and fall away and the blood that covers my multitude of sins is all that  remains.