Nov. 8, 2009 - My First Contribution to Heart of the Matter Online!
Once a Homeschool Kid, Now a Homeschool Mom
November 5, 2009 by Elizabeth
I have been asked many times to compare what it was like being a homeschool student to what it is like now being a homeschool mother – what I do the same, what I do differently, and how my experiences as a child have helped me now that I am homeschooling my own children......
YOU CAN READ THE REST HERE!
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Nov. 2, 2009 - Homeschooling at its Best
We have had an old computer lying around for years, too old to be worth using - probably from about 1996 or 1997. So, we let the kids take it apart. They had SO much fun! It was like a week-long project for them. I eventually had to make them take it to the garage to prevent them from scattering small and potentially dangerous parts around the baby, but I think there is just no better education than this! It is one thing to read about the way a computer is made, or look at diagrams or photographs, but it is just immensely better to see it in person, feel it, discover and explore. Hands ON! Actually, it was fascinating for me too!
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Oct. 26, 2009 - MORE FREE BOOKS!!
I have SOOO many things I want to post about, but I just have not found the time to do so!
In the meantime, though, I wanted to let you know about some excellent books I have the opportunity to give away at MamaKnowsBest!
Check out interview with author Betty Weinberger and enter to win a copy of her book, Enjoying Your Children. http://mamaknowsbest.net/article/interview-with-author-betty-weinberger-469-1.html
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Sep. 21, 2009 - Win A FREE Timeline
I dont know if you have ever heard of Add-A-Century timeline, but it is really a neat and flexible system for a history timeline!
I am excited to say that I am giving away a FREE starter set, which sells for $49.50, on MamaKnowsBest this week!
Click here to check it out and enter to win!!!
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Sep. 16, 2009 - A Little Encouragement Goes a Long Way
My biggest brother is an artist. Professional artist. He has drawn wildlife with a pencil that people have mistaken for black and white photographs. He is really, really good.
When I was young and had more time on my hands, I liked to draw. But I was never as good as Scott. I knew I never would be! There were even people who reminded me of that fact.....
But not Scott!
He was my biggest encourager! He gave me tips and pointers, let me borrow his really good quality art supplies and offered constructive criticism. He never compared my work with his or made me feel inferior in any way because I wasn't as good as him.
When I was about 14, I drew a horse to enter in our homeschool group's art fair. He cheered me on all the way! When I was done, he even took time to make a custom frame for my drawing out of barn siding he had found, and made a custom matte for it as well.
I got a blue ribbon for my drawing, but that didnt mean as much to me as Scott's encouragement did!
And Im still hanging onto this old drawing in the barn siding frame, not because I think what I drew was such a work of art, but because it is sentimental and reminds me that a little encouragement can go a long way. 
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Sep. 11, 2009 - Lone Ranger Homeschoolers
As you probably know, I was homeschooled. When I was growing up in this area, my family belonged to a Christian homeschool support group called CHESS (an acronym-nothing to do with the game!). It was a wonderful facet of being a homeschool kid and I have wonderful memories of my days in CHESS. It was not a daily interaction like you would get in a public school, but we did get together on a regular basis with other families for all sorts of different activities.
I don't remember doing very many field trip type things, like museums or what not, but rather the memories I have are of things like getting together every fall at the forest preserve around Thanksgiving. Each family was to bring a ziploc baggie full of meat and vegetables, which we all added to a big cast-iron pot over an open fire. While the stew simmered, the children played in the crunchy leaves and enjoyed the fresh, crisp fall air.
Then there was the time we did a reading co-op. Each participating family read Calico Captive on their own time, and then we got together for a day of bringing the book to life. We went dressed in garb of the era, and did several different activities - as I remember it, a cooking project and a craft or something like that - that had to do with the book. I don't remember the details of the projects, but I do remember how much I enjoyed it!
Every year we also had a History, Science and Art Fair, where students from K-12 could enter a project in one, two or three of these categories, for judging and prizes, but also for a time to get together and appreciate each others work as well. And all year long, it provided incentive for working on a project for the fair.
Then when I got to high school we had cooperative classes every Friday. Together we learned about Illinois history, the US Constitution, we took a Worldviews class, a leadership class, and even a speech and debate class, all taught by homeschool parents. These were not only times to learn together, but times to look forward to fellowshipping with other like-minded young people. I wasn't the only weird person out there! lol.
There were also gym groups, basketball teams, band, a biology class, and other things available over the years that I did not participate it, but many of my friends were able to take advantage of these wonderful opportunities. And being a member of CHESS provided the privilege of a graduation ceremony, both for eight grade and high school. Something to really celebrate!
Many of the friendships that I made in our homeschool group have lasted over the years. In fact, one of my good friends became my sister-in-law!
These days, I know a lot of lone ranger homeschoolers. I know life is busy. I know that you may still be able to have a positive homeschooling experience without belonging to a support group. But when I look back at my own life, I believe that one of the aspects that made my homeschooling experience such a positive one was belonging to a support group. If you are not a member of one now, I highly recommend that you find one in your area and join!
A few weeks ago, I went to a CHESS meeting - this time as a homeschool mom rather than kid. :)
I was surprised at what the leader was saying - that even among CHESS members, there are many that are choosing not to graduate with the group, because the children that would be graduating don't really even know each other, so they don't see the point! The moms go to support group meetings, which is a good thing, but apparently they don't participate in things regularly that could connect their children. I thought that was really sad. Looking back, I think I would have missed out on a huge blessing if we had not been an active part of CHESS. I am so thankful for those experiences that have played a role in shaping the adult that I have become today. :)
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Aug. 20, 2009 - Interview with Elizabeth from Raising Godly Tomatoes
I have had the amazing privilege of interviewing L. Elizabeth Krueger, author of Raising Godly Tomatoes, for MamaKnowsBest! You can read the interview here and also enter for your chance to win one of her books!
Interview with L. Elizabeth Krueger.
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Aug. 10, 2009 - Making Our Own Laundry Detergent
After way too long of "meaning to get around to it", we finally made our own laundry detergent! We used the recipe from here. We had so much fun doing this as a family project! Here are the pics of our adventure:
First grate the soap:
Then melt the soap: 
Next, add soda and Borax:
Put hot water in a bucket. I used a 5 gallon bucket because I made a double batch right away.
Add soap mix to hot water in bucket, then add more water. Let sit overnight to "gel" and WALA!!!
SO easy and SO cheap!!!
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Jul. 25, 2009 - Our Study of Proverbs
We finished our "ABC Bible Curriculum" and we have now started studying Proverbs. I am going to list here the things we are using for our study. This is partly for our personal journal, and partly so that if you feel like doing the same, you will know of some great resources. But mostly, it is to encourage you to use what you have! This study all came together because of resources that I had on hand, mostly from garage sales and used curriculum sales. I pick things up when I see a good deal on a great item, even if my children are still too young for it, etc. Eventually those things come in handy, and we have been able to put together great studies with very little expenditure!
This is a coloring book called Proverbs for Preschoolers. It is from Rick and Marilyn Boyer and can be obtained here: The Learning Parent
Next, this delightful book Wisdom and the Millers, which is just wonderful and inexpensive. My children LOVE hearing about how the Miller children learn about the Proverbs in their family devotional time. I enjoy it too! The workbook is optional, but I have found it helpful for Joshua. They concentrate on one character trait from the chapter, like discretion, or initiative, and include examples of children who did or did not practice those traits, etc. These are available here: Grace and Truth Books.
Here is another book I got at a garage sale that has stories that make Proverbs come alive for children. Some we have really enjoyed, and others are just "okay". It is available here: Wise Words
Then I found these little booklets that had sketches to illustrate different Proverbs. I like visual aids! There were three little booklets, but the only problem I had with them is that they were not arranged in any particular order that I could tell, either by chapter of Proverbs, or by theme either. So, to suit our needs, I took off the comb binding, cut off the top where the holes were in the paper, and arranged them chronologically by Proverb. There were several for every single chapter of Proverbs. I had this plastic case lying around, which I am storing them in. (see bottom picture). These have been a fun addition to our study.
So, this is how we are doing our study. Each morning after breakfast, we read the Proverb of the week. For example, this past week we were on Proverbs 6, so we read that chapter each day of last week - sort of like Five in A Row's system!
Then, after our reading, we go on to do one of the other things, like read a chapter from Wisdom and the Millers, or Wise Words, or color a picture to illustrate one of the verses, or look at one of the sketches and discuss that verse.
Each week we also memorize one of the verses from the chapter. That verse is used for copywork one day for Joshua as well. And Dominique is beginning to do copywork too. I try to put the memory verse to a tune so it is easier to remember.
Joshua also gets some "vocabulary" words from our study - often from the character trait we learned about from Wisdom and the Millers, like "discretion" and "initiative". I have him fill out a sheet for his notebook, complete with an illustration he draws, and sample sentence of the word. =) I tried to find the notebook sheet again, but can't.... sorry! You could probably make your own, though! I usually have him look it up in the dictionary too, to practice dictionary skills.
Then, when I think of something else that might be a nice idea (lol), we do that too! For example, for Proverbs 1, I had this idea as I was reading through the chapter, so we did it!
Edited to add: This past week we were working on Proverbs 10, and I noticed how many, many times that chapter talks about the mouth, tongue, lips, words, etc.... so tomorrow I plan to print the chapter off of www.biblegateway.com, and have Joshua use a highlighter to mark every reference in the chapter to the things we say, and then discuss it. I know it will be enlightening, for me as well!
We are really enjoying it so far!!
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Jul. 17, 2009 - Joshua's Rock, Mineral & Fossil Museum
Joshua has a newly-opened
Rock, Mineral and Fossil Museum!
We would like to invite you all to visit us soon!
According to Joshua, the museum's real perks are:
*Lower admission than your average museum, at only $0.25 per person, and children four and under are FREE!
*At this museum, you may handle the objects; touching, feeling, and picking them up is encouraged, as opposed to most museums in which handling is forbidden.
PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY!!!
(Or leave a comment on this post.)
Mom's Note:
Joshua is hoping for enough revenue from this museum to employ Dominique for $1 a day! She is pretty excited about this prospect, and is planning to buy *dresses* with all the money she hopes to make! In fact, she told me the other day that she hopes to make SO much money that she will be able to buy enough dresses to open a dress museum soon!!! Stay tuned!!!
.
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Jul. 3, 2009 - Vacation Collage
We took an ultimate field trip this month to many different destinations on the East Coast and it was a blast! I had an idea before we left to collect brochures and things like that from the places we visited to make a collage with after we got home, as a recap of our trip!
So we did it last night. I started out with a blank outline map of the USA and pointed out on the map on our wall each state we visited or traveled through, and the kids had to match the shape on their blank outline map and write the initials of the state inside it.
We then put the map and the other items on our posterboard and put it up. It was so much fun!
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Jun. 30, 2009 - They are Happiest When They are Working!
I just published this article on MamaKnowsBest.net and I thought I would post it here too. There are many other great articles there - I hope you get a chance to check it out! I am also giving away some books there, so enter to win free books!!!
THEY'RE HAPPIEST WHEN THEY ARE WORKING
I think I have found a BIG key to happy children: giving them plenty of work to do. Good, physical labor seems to give them much better attitudes!
Don’t get me wrong – I certainly know the value of child’s play as well, and my children certainly get plenty of time for that as well. However, we seldom see the benefits of teaching children to work touted in our modern society.
Before I go any further, I want to be clear about what I am NOT saying. I am NOT saying that you should make your children your slaves and make them do all of your work while you sit and eat bon-bons while shouting orders at them and maybe cracking a whip over them now and then! (Does any mother ever do that??)
Okay, now that we are clear on that, I want to tell you how much happier my children are when they are working.
When they have too much free time on their hands, they tend to get bored with their play. On the other hand, when a good bit of their time is taken up in good, honest work, their play time seems to become much more creative and enjoyable!
When they don’t have a valuable contribution to make to the household, they are whinier, less appreciate, and just idle! I just can’t stand to see idle children! They follow me around and are always in my shadow, while I bustle about and nearly trip over them every time I turn around! It’s like they are just begging for something useful to do…
So give it to them! Allow them the pride and satisfaction of being a useful, contributing member of the household, and watch them beam with pride when Daddy gets home and you brag on what they helped you accomplish during the day. Watch your relationship with your children thrive as you include them in your everyday life work, talking and singing together as you go, enjoying one another’s company. And as you train them to perform household duties, watch your own work load lessen over time as they become more and more able to assist you.
The Amish set out with the goal of training their daughters to be able to perform all household tasks that the mother can – cooking, cleaning, gardening, caring for babies and small children, etc – by the time she is 12 years old! I can assure you, they don’t wait until the girls are 9 or 10 to begin!
In talking with other mothers, I have discovered two main reasons they don’t encourage their children to work around the house:
*It’s easier to do it themselves. I know this is true – I have four children! But let us not be so short-sighted! It is never too young to start having them help, and it will pay off, very soon!!
*They feel they are doing their children some disservice by making them work. If you fall into this category, I would encourage you to see what the Bible has to say about work. The Proverbs are FULL of verses encouraging a strong work ethic, and Ecclesiastes as well. Then, moving into the New Testament, we see the same thing, even to the point that it states that if a man will not work, he should not be able to eat! (We have employed this verse in our household as well!)
Here are some practical ideas of household duties of my children.
My 2 ½ year old can do these things to help:
-Empty trash cans
-Run errands for mommy, like getting diapers for the baby or picking something up from the floor, etc.
-Help entertain the baby
-Fold washcloths
-Empty the hamper contents into a laundry basket, and push it into the laundry room
-Put his own dirty clothes in the hamper after changing
-Spot clean the kitchen floors with a spray bottle of water and rag
-Unwrap tea bags
My 4 ½ year old can do the above, and also these things:
-Make her own bed
-Sweep the patio
-Separate laundry into darks and lights
-Fold smaller clothes, like her own size and the littler kids’
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-Take letters to the mailbox and get the mail in the afternoon
-Water the garden and pull weeds
-Peel vegetables, make salad, break eggs and other kitchen help, with my supervision
-Set the table and clear the table after meals
-Fill ice trays
My oldest is just turning seven at this writing. In addition to the above chores, he can also:
-Make beds (he makes mine every morning, as well as I could. :))
-Sweep and mop the kitchen
-Fold laundry
-Get the baby out of his crib upon waking
-Get the toddler in and out of his high chair
-Cut vegetables for our meals and fruit for snacks (yes, with a knife!)
-Hang cloths on the clothesline and bring them in when dry
-Carry groceries in after shopping
Whenever our children get out of sorts, whiny, crabby, or bored, my husband and I look at each other and know what we need to do - put them to work!
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Jun. 1, 2009 - Interview with Mrs. Kendra Smiley !!
I had an awesome opportunity to interview author Kendra Smiley LIVE last week, and I have just published the first segment of the interview on MamaKnowsBest.net!!
It was so great to meet her - she is such a godly woman and so full of life!
She has generously donated ten of her books to MKB readers, so be sure to enter a comment for your chance to win!!! The books are from a biblical perspective, on parenting, marriage, and managing a home-based business!
Here is the direct link to the interview: INTERVIEW WITH KENDRA SMILEY
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May. 29, 2009 - Proverbs Project
Well, we finished our ABC Bible Curriculum, as I mentioned before, and we also did a "What the Bible Says About Manners" study, among other misc things.... but now we are starting a new Bible study, officially and I am SO excited about it!! This one is about Proverbs, and I will blog about it in more detail in the future, but I just thought I'd post today about a project we did today. It was totally impromptu!
We read Proverbs 1 today, and in verse nine it says , "Your parents teaching will beautify your life. It will be like flowers on your head or a chain around your neck."
When we read that verse, I had an idea! We got these foam circles and flowers that I picked up last year at a garage sale, some yarn, some beads and a pen. I asked the children some of the things that Mommy and Daddy are always trying to teach them, and we wrote these things on the flowers and circles, and then we made necklaces out of them!
This project was actually really encouraging for ME, because I saw that they could readily remember some of the things we were trying to teach them!
Our supplies:
I thought it was hilarious that when I asked them what Mommy and Daddy are always trying to teach them, this was the first thing they said:
Joshua busy working on his: 
Dominique's Finished Product:
Some of her "adornments" of wisdom:
Joshua's Finished Product:
And some of Joshua's adornments of wisdom:
These are some of the things Mommy and Daddy are trying to teach Israel:
And, Israel's finished product:
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May. 21, 2009 - Carlos' Story
This is a story I wrote, based on a true story I heard. I have considered publishing it one day as a children's book, with illustrations. I don't know if that will ever happen, but it is a dream....
There once was a young boy named Carlos who lived with his mother and his younger sister on a mountain just outside of a city in
Each day six-year-old Carlos would rise early in the morning, tuck a soft flannel cloth into his back pocket, leave his mother and sister in their tiny shack, and run down the mountain and into the city streets.
The city streets were always bustling with activity early in the morning. Carlos loved to watch the people hurrying on their way to work. He hurried too, on his way to the train station.
Here he saw many kinds of people. He saw men and women, fat people and thin people, tall people and short people, young people and old people, people with very dark skin and people with not-so-dark skin. Some people were dressed up and carrying brief cases, some young people were wearing sneakers and carrying bookbags and others were dressed in casual clothing and pulling large suitcases behind them. Sometimes he heard people speaking in other languages.
Carlos often wondered what it would be like to be one of those people – a boy on his way to school, a man on his way to the office, a family on their way to vacation. Carlos looked down at his own attire. He wore the same clothes every day, for indeed, they were the only clothes he had. His pants had gotten far too short the year before, and had also gotten holes in the knees, so his mother had torn them off for shorts and now he could wear them a third year. His t-shirt used to be a pale yellow color, but now it looked more like brown from constant use and infrequent washing. And his feet were bare.
It had been a long time since he had had shoes to put on them. He could remember several years back when his father had brought home a lovely new pair of sandals for his feet, but it had been a long time since he had outgrown them. His sister had used them after him, but she also had outgrown them and now wore bare feet every day.
Carlos settled down on the floor near the entrance of the train station and watched. Next door was a little café with a bench outside it. Many times the business men on their way to work would stop at this little bench to read their morning newspaper before beginning their work day. Carlos would watch for one of them.
He did not have to wait long, for presently a gentleman in a business suit sat down with his paper and began to read. Carlos approached and asked the man through his paper if he would kindly allow him to polish his shoes. The man briefly replied that that would be fine without once lowering his newspaper to look at the little boy with the soft flannel cloth tucked into his back pocket.
Carlos set to work immediately. He worked as quickly as he could to bring the gentleman’s shoes to a brilliant shine. Carlos had been shining shoes every day for the last two years since his father had died and he had gotten quite good at it now. He felt very confident of his ability to satisfy his customers with both his speed and the sparkle in their shoes, every time. Indeed, his very life depended on it, as well as the lives of his mother and his sister. For each day with the meager coins Carlos received from shining shoes, he would buy a little bread to take home to his mother and sister in their shack in the mountain. If he shined no shoes, he could buy nothing to take home to his mother and sister and they would have to go to bed without eating anything at all.
So, Carlos worked very hard to make sure his customers were completely satisfied with their shiny shoes, and this gentleman was no exception. In a mere matter of minutes, Carlos had finished the job and quietly told the gentleman that he was through.
Now, for the first time, the gentleman lowered his newspaper and looked at Carlos. His eyes were kind as he looked into the boy’s face. It was a dirty face, whose eyes were dull, and whose cheeks were rather hollow, not round and ruddy as a six-year-old boy’s should be. The boy seemed to be very proud of the job he had done on the shoes, and yet he was too timid to look fully into the gentleman’s face.
The kind gentleman reached into his pocket for some coins to give Carlos, while he wondered what else he could do for the boy. It seemed such a shame for so little a boy to have to be out working this way. He looked down at his freshly polished shoes and they truly shone in the early morning sunlight! A fine job Carlos had done!
And then, as he saw his own shoes shining in the sun, he looked also at Carlos’ feet which bore no shoes at all and the gentleman felt a sharp pang in his chest.
He asked Carlos his name and handed him the few coins. The hint of a smile played on the boy’s mouth as he thrust the coins into his pocket. Then the gentleman gave him a kind pat on the shoulder and went on his way to work, but he did not forget about little Carlos. Truth be told, all day long, Carlos was on his mind.
The next morning, Carlos tucked his soft flannel cloth in his back pocket once again, left his mother and sister in their shack, walked down the mountain and into the city streets all the way to the train station, sat down in his usual spot and waited. Whose shoes would he polish today?
Carlos lifted his eyes and there, across the street, he saw the kind gentleman from the day before. Soon he was approaching the bench in front of the café next to the entrance of the train station. Perhaps he was planning to sit there once again to read his morning newspaper before heading off to work. But he did not sit. As he got closer, he scanned the street to the right of the café, and then to the left. He seemed to be looking for something. Carlos wondered what.
Just then, his eyes settled on Carlos. The kind gentleman smiled and walked right toward the little boy sitting on the floor at the entrance of the train station. Carlos wriggled. It made him feel uncomfortable to be approached this way. No one had ever paid any attention to him sitting there on the floor of the train station and he wondered what this man was going to do? But, there was a quiet kindness about the man’s face that restrained Carlos from running away. He waited there until the man squatted down right in front of him.
Carlos did not look up. He felt too shy to look into the man’s face. His mother had always warned him to not trust strangers. What would the man say to him? Maybe he was not happy with his shoe shine and would want his coins back from the day before?
The kind gentleman said, Buenos Dias and gently lifted Carlos chin so that he could smile into his six-year-old face. The warmth of the man’s smile dispelled any fear that Carlos felt about the man’s approach. Then the man reached into a bag he was holding in his other hand and pulled out a beautiful pair of tennis shoes, just Carlos’ size!
Carlos’ eyes grew round as saucers. Could they really be for him? He had never had a pair of tennis shoes before, in all of his six years! And these were just so lovely, indeed, the loveliest pair of tennis shoes Carlos had ever seen in all of his life. The man was talking to him, but he barely heard what he was saying for his excitement over his new shoes – his very own pair of brand new shoes!
Next, the man pulled out a small package of socks, opened it and handed one pair to Carlos, asking him to put them on and try his new shoes on for size.
Carlos snapped out of his daze and excitedly began to pull on his new socks, the very first socks he had ever owned, and next his very first pair of brand new tennis shoes. He believed he had never felt such joy in all of his life. And they fit perfectly.
The man helped him get his shoes adjusted and commented in a calm voice about how handsome Carlos looked in his new shoes and how happy he was that they fit him nicely. Then he bid Carlos a good day, told him that he hoped to see him here again, gave him another kind squeeze on the shoulder, and turned to go on his way to his office.
Carlos watched the man walk away, on his way to catch his train, and thought. He looked down at his new shoes and as he did, he could almost hear the words that his mother told him daily in his head: “Jesus te ama, Carlos. Jesus loves you. Don’t ever forget that, my son. Jesus loves you. Jesus loves you…..” And once more he looked up at the man on his way to the train.
Then suddenly he was up and running, running in his new tennis shoes toward the man on his way to the train. He felt as though he were running on clouds in his new shoes! In a flash he caught up to the kind gentleman and tugged on the sleeve of his business suit.
The gentleman turned around and saw Carlos standing there with an earnest look on his face. “Yes, mi hijo?” the gentleman asked.
Carlos looked into the kind face of the gentleman fully for the first time and asked, “Señor, I was wondering, are you Jesus? My mother always tells me that Jesus loves me. You gave me shoes today, so I know that you love me. So, I was wondering, Señor, are you Jesus?”
The kind gentleman’s heart was pierced by the earnest expression on the little boy’s dirty face as he waited expectantly for his reply. He put his hand kindly on Carlos’ shoulder and said, “No, mi hijo, I am not Jesus. But Jesus does love you, and I can tell you all about Jesus’ love.”
And the gentleman proceeded to tell little wide-eyed Carlos all about the Jesus who loved him, so much that he gave his own life for him and wanted Carlos to live forever with him in heaven. In fact, He was there now, preparing a mansion for Carlos to live in! Not only that, but He also wanted to live in Carlos’ heart, so he would never be alone again.
Carlos stood wide-eyed as he listened to the story of Jesus for the first time. He always knew that Jesus loved him, but he did not know who Jesus was.
After a few short minutes, the kind man explained that he really must be going to work now, but first he prayed with Carlos, and Carlos asked Jesus to come and live in his heart. Then the gentleman promised to be back again to speak with Carlos, and he was off.
Carlos went back to his usual spot and sat back down on the ground to wait for his first customer just as he did every other day, but today was not like every other day. His black eyes shone just like the shoes he polished as he looked down at his very own pair of brand new tennis shoes and thought about the Jesus who loved him so much that He was preparing a mansion for him in heaven where he would live forever and ever. He would never be alone again!
“…Inasmuch as you’ve done it to the least of these my brethren, you’ve done it unto me…..” ~Jesus
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May. 12, 2009 - Have More Children and Raise Them for Christ!
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May. 4, 2009 - Breakthrough!
I will try to make this concise, but we had a MAJOR breakthrough w/ my 6year old about the end of March!
My little boy had been SO difficult about that time. We had been consistent, keeping him close to us, faithfully spanking, teaching, instructing, enjoying time together to tie heart strings, etc, etc....
but he was still resistant. He had the HARDEST time admitting when he was wrong! He would cry when a spanking hurt, but not tears of brokenness. His heart was hard and I didn't know what more to do about it. He is the one I posted about a few posts down, about how we were quitting "academics", to work solely on character training and training in godliness.
I cried out to the Lord, ALL the time, for my boy. For his heart to be reached by the Lord, and for wisdom in how to effectively deal with him...
The weekend before the 'breakthrough' was the worst! I was about to knock my head up against the wall, and his too!
Then on a Sunday night... he needed a spanking... again. He got it. Afterwards, we were talking and I just said, "Joshua, you need Jesus! The Bible tells us that the Lord will give us a heart of flesh when Jesus is in our hearts. That He will help us realize when we are wrong and that we have sinned and that we need HIM! Your heart has been stony. Unyielding. Stubborn and resistant to correction. Not teachable. Do you want to pray that the Lord would replace your stony heart with a heart of flesh?"
Then... he broke. He started crying, tears of brokenness! He said he did want to pray, and we prayed together. I was crying too. He was so genuine! We had an awesome time together, and then we read Ezekiel 36.
Later we were in the kitchen and he was playing w/ my 6month old so nicely. Then he looked at me and said with the sweetest smile, "I love you, Mommy. And there is something else I want to say." He hesitated, so I went closer. Finally, he said, "All these days I have wanted to obey you, but I just found it so hard to do!"
I cried again, and hugged him and told him that I understand completely and that none of us can do what we wish we could without Jesus - that's why we need Him so badly!
Last night was certainly not the first time I had shared the Gospel with him, but it was the night that the Lord chose to break through to him personally. It was amazing. I wasn't sure that he was not saved before that, and I didn't even know at the moment that we prayed that that was what was happening, but the fruit has made it evident.
Later that same evening, he told my husband that it was the best day he'd had in a long time. When asked why, he said, "Because Jesus changed my heart!"
He brought me a note that said, "I love you, Mommy!" on one side, and on the other side it said, "I love you, Jesus!!!"
The following day, he got several more spankings... but he was SO much more teachable. And since then, he still needs correction. He is still a child and does foolish things, but he is definitely a new creature. He is not resisting; he is admitting he was wrong. The change is marked and refreshing.
I have no greater joy...
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Apr. 9, 2009 - Bible Curriculum Wrap-Up Lapbook
Well, as I mentioned earlier, we finished up our Bible curriculum, and as a review and wrap-up, we did this lapbook. It took a long time, as all of our lapbooks have, lol, as simple as I try to keep them. The children love doing them, but they can only take so much per day of cutting the same shape over and over and tracing and writing and such. So, we did it a little at a time over about three or four weeks or so, and it was probably better that way, really. I am the kind that would rather just work on a project obsessively until it is DONE, but children don't function best that way. I'm learning. 
We made this lapbook with two file folders, which I folded each separately, the traditional lapbook way, and then laid them side by side and glued the right flap of one to the left flap of the other. That sounded a little confusing, but it wasn't. Just hard to put into words. Hopefully you will be able to see in the pictures.
Here is the front, followed by the picture of the back. After we had finished all the contents, we looked through a bunch of magazines for pictures that would represent unreached people groups, or anything about the Bible, or sign language. It was fun! Then we cut and glued in collage fashion, and, of course, I later covered it all with contact paper. 
When you open it up, you see our little "table of contents":
-Bible verses
-Bible-less people
-Sign language
Hopefully here you can see how the folders were put together, right? I later stapled them too, to make it stronger.
We made one "library pocket" for each letter, using a free template from here, but I looked the other day and didn't see this one there any more.... but Im sure it must still be available for free somewhere. The cards we used were also from a free template from the same place.
Here is a closer-up of the cards from the inside. Each pocket had three cards, one for the Bible verse, one for the sign language, and one for the Bible-less people group - with a sketch of the country they live in. On the flip side of the people group cards is written the name of the country .
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Mar. 30, 2009 - What Will Our Children Remember?
I published this last week at www.MamaKnowsBest.net, and I decided to post it here as well. :)
About a month ago, we went to a local restaurant that we hadn't been to for quite a while. My husband and I were *shocked* when we pulled into the parking lot and our 6 year old told his sister, "Yay! This is the place that gave me a free ice cream cone!" We were shocked because that happened about 4 1/2 years ago, when I was still pregnant with his sister; he was just barely turned 2 years old. We have not talked about it since it happened, so how could he remember that?
On the other hand, he was 4 1/2 years old when his little brother was born, and he was present for the birth. It did not seem to make much of an impression on him, however, because he does not seem to have any recollection of the event!
This has really made me think about the things that make an impression on our children. They may not always be the things we think! The really "big" things, or at least the things that *we* think are "really big" may not be of much consequence to our children. On the other hand, the smallest gestures of kindness (or unkindness), the looks, the time spent or a game played - these may be the things that stick in their minds.
Last week our home group watched a video by Paul David Tripp, and he made a good point: most of our lives are made up of mundane moments. We will likely only make 3-4 big decisions in our entire lifetimes! If God is not God of the mundane moments of your life, He is not God of you at all.
This has inspired me to make the mundane moments I have with my children special. We don't have to go fancy places or spend a bunch of money to make our children feel special and loved. As mothers, we may feel like there aren't many significant events happening in our daily lives - but let's start seeing those mundane moments we have with our children as significant, because they are! And I'm sure our children see them that way too.
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Mar. 25, 2009 - Recent Sewing Project
I finally got around to making this dress for my daughter, with a matching bonnet and handbag. I thought it looked like something out of Sense & Sensibility! I just love older style dresses and have often wished I could dress like they did in the 1800's without sticking out like a sore thumb! :-)
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