Cancelled

Due to a death in the family, this blog is on hiatus. Please pray for our family as we grieve.

I

Admittedly, I wrote this for my work. We're doing the A to Z Challenge over at Written World Communications' blog Exordium. H and I are not Homeschool related. H was just a little rabbit trail. (no I didn't use the hatchet on the rabbit) I is just because I wrote It for work. Interested in writing for a living, writing for magazines? Then come check us out at WWC.
And now for a break from your regularly scheduled program:

Impetus

What is the driving force behind your writing? Are you writing a memoir? Are you writing down the voices in your head, those characters that seem to come alive when you close your eyes? 

One of the most quoted movies around our house is Finding Nemo. “Keep swimming, keep swimming”. We often use it to motivate a child whose momentum has slowed. We use it when we are trying to point them in a certain direction. It’s an encouraging tool, sometimes impatiently, to move on in the same direction.

Does your writing “keep swimming”? What motivates you to write just one more sentence when the priorities of life are calling? What compass are you using to make sure your novel is moving in the direction you intended? Are you in a writer’s group or a critique group as an encouraging tool? Even when you think you’re the only one who hasn’t typed one word this week? 

The book of Habakkuk in the Bible God tells us that faith will be rewarded. Hab 2:2-4 says “Then the Lord answered me and said: ‘Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. ‘Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.”

What is your plan? Write in a journal your thoughts about why you are writing the book, the poem, or the novella that God has put in your heart. Reflect back to the day you said to yourself “I’m going to write …” Write down the vision and “keep swimming”.

H

Humbly, I was too tired to write H. I did not write H aHead of time, before I left for my women's retreat this weekend. But, Honorably, I Have to say, that I did throw that Hatchet and Hit the target. HeHeHeHe.

G

Grace
God's Riches At Christ's Expense
I heard a Great saying at my women's retreat this weekend. We want to smuggle character into God's Grace.
How do I respond to His Grace? I answer(ed) His call. Yes, Lord! Your sacrifice IS worthy. And there I find freedom. Freedom to not to perform, freedom to not add my list of to do's (or don'ts), freedom to not think I'm good enough.
What does this have to do with homeschool? If I'm learning Grace, then I am modeling it for my children. They can then model Grace for/to others. Oh, I fail. Constantly. But that's okay. They have a lot of Grace for their mommy. :-)

So Tweet it, Facebook it, blog it, web it, scream it in the streets. His Grace is sufficient!

F

And For a special break from Homeschool:

Freedom

It is for Freedom, Christ has set us Free.

Freedom is Found in grace. Freedom from the bondage of sin, Freedom to live in the Light.

Freedom is Forgiveness

E

Even though the laundry isn’t done, Even though you parents don’t understand, Even though you get grief from your friends, Even though you could have a two income household, you homeschool. Eventually (not always) they will know this is what you are called to do. Explanations are further between. Envious of others’ free time, you Entertain thoughts of private school. 

Writing silly Essays,

 the Erasers fly,

It’s not about the grades,

Eternity is Why.

D

Do Not Be Dismayed

So, do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Homeschool Moms – Do I need say more?

C

Creativity

So much planning goes into homeschooling. Preparing a room in the house, because, yes, it does Creep into every Crevice of your Cottage. But more than the Curriculum planning, more than the time and space, more than the Craft of education, Mom and Dad need to Consciously take into Consideration each child’s natural bent. You Can set goals until the Cows Come home, but unless you know what your baby’s love language is, unless you know how that Creature processes information, you Can shove Cold hard facts down their throats all day to no avail. 

Two of my favorite resources for ALL parents:

The Way They Learn by Cynthia Tobias 

And

The 5 Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman