I've never been a huge fan of worksheets. An unschooler at heart, I am drawn towards that which promotes natural learning. However, sometimes my kids adore having a worksheet or two to work through. And who am I to deprive them of that joy? If I must give them worksheets, these are the ones. I admit to being impressed with this book.
Language Smarts C is designed for second grade. It is a thick book, chock full of bright, colorful pages that teach your child everything from palindromes to vowels to mnemonics. It teaches grammar, comprehension, visual skills, phonic practice, writing skills, punctuation, etc. This is a full book. And it's cheery and inviting and, dare I say, visually appealing. It's not your average, dull looking workbook. It's huge and it's beautiful and it made my second grader get excited about worksheets.
At $39.99, it's a pricey workbook. What makes it worthwhile is that it is reproducible for your family. There are topics in here that my 4th grader has not yet covered, so I printed off a couple of sheets for her. You can print it in color right on your home copier/printer and it retains the visual appeal. If you're a fan of worksheets, you will love these. If not, check them out anyway and see what you think. I was surprised how much I enjoy this book!
*Disclosure: This book was provided at no cost for review purposes. for more reviews of this product, check out the TOS Crew site.*
The minute my son turned eighteen, our mailbox became flooded with credit card advertisements aimed at him. In our culture, young students and newly marrieds find themselves facing the expectation that they need to have it all, right now. Money management is a definite need in our homeschooling today.
Thankfully, there are many great products out there that help us with this. Family Mint is one of these. An online money management system, Family Mint allows parents to be the bank while their kids learn to keep track of their transaction and record their spending and saving habits.
If your family chooses to give allowances, this is one good way to keep track of these and teach your children good financial habits at the same time. If you do not give allowances, this could be used as a unit on finances with "virtual" money that could be spent on privileges.
The greatest thing about this program is that it is FREE. Free is always a plus in homeschooling families, as most are one-income. I believe a Pro version is in the works, but the free version has much to offer. Check it out at FamilyMint.com.
The winner of Start Here by Brett Harris and Alex Harris is Terri B.!
and
The winner of Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs is Barbara! Who, in the interest of fair and honest disclosure, happens to be my mom. She lives in a different state and has never entered a giveaway before and I did not in any way cheat or rig the drawing to make her win, just sayin'. In case anyone wondered. Although if you don't trust me, what in the world are you doing reading my reviews?
Winners, please send your address to me at HomeschoolReviewsandMore@yahoo.com and I will get those in the mail to you as soon as possible. Yes, even my Mom, as she moves frequently and I have no hairy idea what her address is currently. :-D
So, remember that taking the week for "Home Ec" plan? Seeing as how I am in bed, netbook on lap, with such a severe sore throat that I can't speak above a whisper, that's not looking so good. I'm trying to let it go, "It's beyond my control" and all that. It happens. The messy cupboards will still be messy when I feel better, probably more so.
Gee, that was encouraging.
Sore throats and stomach bugs are part of life. So are sunny days and Starbucks. Who can complain?
To look on the bright side, this gives me opportunity to catch up on reviews and the Blog Cruise question of the week. Those of you who subscribe may not see that as a "bright side" when your email box is full. [sheepish grin]
"How has homeschooling affected your family?"
It's such a big question but I'm going to try to stay with a simple response. There are many ways I could answer this, several directions to take, but the one that resonates the most right now is that it has helped to keep us a family. We spend more time together than apart and that's not a bad thing.
We don't live in each other's pockets. We have varied interests and activities outside the home. But our biggest influences are each other. Homeschooling is a large part of that. We learn together, we play together. We argue and fight and kiss and makeup. We make messes and clean up. We walk through the sore throats and stomach bugs and enjoy the sunny days and Starbucks, together.
Math, math, and more math. Have I ever mentioned that math is my least favorite subject? And how much of a visual person I am? I like the shiny, modern look. I don't like a product that looks out-dated and is not visually appealing (Stick around, you'll see that phrase a lot. I like that phrase- visually appealing. Visually. Appealing. Yeah.). Math Galaxy is both math and visually unappealing (Visually unappealing, not a word I like. No.). So one would assume that I would not like this product, right?
One would be wrong.
Math Galaxy is a software program that helps "tutor" your children in math. It's math practice at the student's pace. With discs covering whole numbers through Algebra, it is designed for grades K-12. Nothing is set at grade levels, but is listed by topic. This makes it perfect for homeschoolers, as grade levels often do not apply as much at home.
It's not pretty. There aren't cute little characters designed by your kids. Yet I like it. I never promised to make sense, I only promised to give you my true and honest opinion. Frequently, there is no logic to be found in my true and honest opinion. We liked Math Galaxy, you may or may not, but I'll let you know why we did. Basically, it boiled down to choice. I've learned from a friend of mine that options are a vital part of life and Math Galaxy gives you the option to work problems in a random fashion or an orderly fashion. It may seem like a little thing but I have also learned in life that little things make all the difference. This little thing made a big difference to me and my kids.
My nine year old really needs to drill her multiplication facts. She understands how to do multiplication but she needs them in her mind, easily accessible. If she's drilling the facts she is more familiar with, fives for instance, she can have them given to her at random. If she needs to cement the nines in her mind, she can work through the problems in order- 1x9, 2x9, and so on. This little bit of choice works for us.
Another bit of choice that works is the ability to drill Algebra. My fourteen year old flew through his Algebra book this year. Assigning him practice work with Math Galaxy was a huge plus. This will help reinforce the concepts and keep things fresh in his mind for Advanced Algebra in the fall. For a simple program, the choices built in are smart.
There are a lot of good math programs out there. Math Galaxy can be added to the list of recommendations. Not much in the way of bells and whistles but it works.
Each Math Galaxy CD sells for $29.95. They currently offer Whole Numbers Fun; Fractions Fun; Decimals, Proportions, % Fun; Word Problems Fun, Pre-Algebra Fun, and Algebra Fundamentals. They also offer worksheet generators to match. These would take this from a drill program to a complete curriculum option. Again, simple but very smart choices.
*Disclosure: I received a download version of the Math Galaxy products at no cost, for review purposes. To see more reviews on this product, check out the TOS Crew site.*
Would you like to win a voucher for Volume 1 or 2 of What's In The Bible?
Check out the Giveaway Instructions at the end of this post!
I fell in love with Veggie Tales way back when my firstborn was five years old (he's now nineteen!). The first few episodes remain my favorites to this day. "God is bigger than the Boogey Man, He's bigger than Godzilla or the monsters on TV." "Oh no, what we gonna do? The king likes Daniel more than me and you...Fill his ears with cheeseballs and his nostrils with sorbet." Classics. Classics, I tell you.
I remember experiencing mixed emotions when I heard the creator of Veggie Tales had gone through some difficulties, causing him to sell the rights to Veggie Tales. I was glad it would continue on in some form but sad they had lost the "mastermind", so to speak. When I heard Phil Vischer was partnering with Tyndale to bring us a new series, I was both excited and wary. Could he manage to do it again? Would we enjoy a series with PUPPETS, of all things?
We can and we did! The new series, What's In The Bible?, finds Vischer returning to his original goal of bringing kids deeper into the Bible. Although he plans to work his way through the Bible in order, this is not a mere retelling of Bible stories but a trip through theology for children. Theology may not be as across the board appealing as Veggie Tales but it should certainly be a hit with those who share his beliefs and now have a great way to communicate and teach. Personally, we found any minor points of disagreement to be a great discussion starter.
The puppets, interspersed with live action, animation and clips of children answering questions (ala, Bill Cosby), immediately brought to mind a favorite show of my childhood- The Muppets. There is even a couple of crotchety old ladies there to cackle and complain (in a most charming way of course!). The characters are quite funny, the humor reminiscent of the early Veggie Tales episodes. Buck Denver, newscaster, leads the way but my favorites were Sunday School Lady with her Magic Flannelboard (she's the only one who hears it speak to her. Uh huh.) and the kid in the minivan. We LOVED the kid in the minivan. My fourteen year old needed to leave the room for a minute and left instructions to pause if the kid came on, he didn't want to miss it.
Which brings me to the point where I must admit that Phil Vischer has done it again. I really thought this time he'd be entertaining a younger age group only. I doubted the large age appeal of something with puppets. But when I turned this on, everyone in the room was laughing and enjoying it. Ages 8-39 were having a good time together while learning about the Bible. Kudos, Mr. Vischer. Well done!
Check out the You Tube preview here (which doesn't do it justice, just sayin'!) and don't forget to enter the giveaway! Instructions below the video. You also may want to head over to the What's In The Bible? web site, where you'll find more videos, blog entries, Facebook fan information and the like.
Giveaway Instructions!
We have two prizes, so there will be two winners. One reader will win a voucher for Volume 1 and another reader will win a voucher for Volume 2. I will mail these directly to you and you can exchange them for the DVD at your local Christian bookstore. If you don't have a local Christian bookstore ('cause I don't think I do!), you may mail in your certificate to Tyndale and they will mail you the DVD.
To Enter:
1. Leave a comment on this blog post (required).
2. Share this giveaway via Twitter (optional, leave additional comment with Twitter name)
3. Share this giveaway via Facebook (optional, leave additional comment letting me know you did so)
4. Share this giveaway on your blog (optional, leave additional comment letting me know you did so)
5. Follow/subscribe to this blog (optional, leave additional comment letting me know you did so- if you already follow, leave TWO additional comments)
6. Place my button on your blog (optional, leave TWO additional comments letting me know you did so)
Drawing will be held on Wednesday, April 7th. US & Canada only please.
THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.
*Disclosure: I received a promo copy of Volumes 1 & 2 from Tyndale at no cost, for review purposes.*
I was chatting with a friend this morning, who had called to drag me out to the park on this sunny day. We shared our frustration in trying to keep the house clean while homeschooling. This is her first year homeschooling, it's my fourteenth. This struggle is nothing new.
When the family is home all day, the house is lived in. Despite having regular chores, it begins to look it rather quickly. In fact, if we have had a really great day of schooling, it usually looks worse. The problem is, the messier the home, the grouchier I become. But I can either homeschool well or clean well. So what's my solution?
Send 'em off to school so I can clean all day.
Ha! Just kidding. I would rather spend my days with my kids than my Magic Erasers (as much as I love those things!). What seems to work the best for us is to take a week now and then for "Home Ec." (GRIN). We're way overdue for that around here, so next week is focusing on learning life skills. These life skills will include how to scrub a kitchen, cleaning a bedroom without shoving everything under the bed, and the fine art of using hangers in the coat closet.
Some days, this is much more crucial to our well being than multiplication, bacteria, and mythology.
Want to win a copy of this book? Giveaway Instructions located at end of post!
Already a fan of Liz Curtis Higgs via her Bad Girls of the Bible and Loved By God studies, I was curious to see how I would enjoy her historical fiction. I had heard of her previous fiction series, but never had the chance to read them. When I saw that she had written a new book, and I had the opportunity to review it, I looked forward to it greatly.
Here Burns My Candle takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The year is 1745 and bonny Prince Charlie is ready to fight for his claim to the throne. Elisabeth Kerr is a Jacobite to her core. Born as a Highlander and married into a Lowlander family, her family must make a choice as to which cause to support. Her husband, Donald, is a man with a weakness for the ladies. Her brother-in-law, Andrew, is of weak constitution. Her sister-in-law, Janet, and widowed mother-in-law, Marjory, are caught up in the trappings of fashionable society. But change is in the wind, as war looms on the horizon.
Very loosely based on the story of Ruth and Naomi of Scripture, Here Burns My Candle brings Edinburgh, the Stuart cause, and the society of the day to life. It has been awhile since I have read historical fiction for pleasure (I tend to go through genre "stages"), and I admit that it took me a bit to really get into the story. The author's writing is well-done, the history rich, the characters real, but I found myself waiting for the proverbial "shoe to drop". If I had not known this to be based on the story of Ruth, I may have enjoyed it more from the beginning. Expecting some of the key plot points was a major distraction for me.
That said, I did find that I enjoyed the book. This is not an overtly Christian story throughout, but Scriptural truth is there to be found. The themes gnaw at your mind; trusting in God, forgiveness, consequences for bitterness and a turning away, and then the beginnings of redemption. This is the best kind of story. One that stands on its own as a fully fleshed out novel and yet subtly speaks volumes into your soul. My own battle against bitterness was brought to mind, along with the challenge to leave it behind now and enjoy every moment of God-given blessing while it's here.
The sequel is due to be released sometime in the Spring of 2011. I can't wait.
Enter to win a copy of Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs.
Simply leave me a comment and you are entered!
If you'd like extra entries, share this post on your Facebook, Twitter, blog, etc.
and leave an extra comment letting me know you did.
Drawing will be held Wednesday, March 31st.
*Disclosure: This book and giveaway copy were provided by Waterbrook Multnomah for review purposes.*
CBH Ministries, formerly known as Children's Bible Hour, began in 1942 when a pastor's niece asked him why there were no radio shows for children that told stories about Jesus. Their historical timeline is rather sweet, showing the growth of a radio program and how it blessed people during times of war and difficulty.
Their newSeasons of Faith Illustrated Book Series draws from old radio show scripts and turns them into picture books, complete with audio CD. And the audio CD's make the set.
I don't think I would enjoy these without the CD. The glossy softcover books, full of what one fellow reviewer cleverly described as "Sunday School illustrations", are a nice addition to the radio program but would not stand alone as well. These stories have the feel of radio program and are most enjoyable when hearing them read aloud by "Uncle Charlie".
Here's where I must admit to being a hypocrite. When reviewing Tales From Terrestria, I stated my dislike of stories that spoon feed you and shove their message down your throat. The Seasons of Faith stories seem to be created solely to make their point. They are shoveling it down your throat and yet they do it in such a charming way that I still find myself enjoying them. They are old fashioned, heavy handed, and moral heavy. And yet, this is exactly what they are meant to be. Call me crazy, but they make me forget my normal disdain for such things.
It may be the sweet memories they recall. Back in my college days, my toddlers and I would listen to Uncle Charlie's radio program, Keys For Kids. These were similar in style and yet we loved hearing his voice share the silly little stories with great big meaning. My little ones would clamor for radio time and we would enjoy precious moments together. Now these two are seventeen and nineteen and I long for those moments of togetherness. For me, this set brought that feeling back with my younger ones.
The Seasons of Faith books consist of four books, each covering a "season" of faith. They cover topics such as God's creation, salvation, forgiveness and relying on God during difficult times. Each book is available separately for $10. If you'd like the complete set, it is $40 but you may use the code FREESHIPAPR15 to receive free shipping, through April 15, 2010.
*Disclosure: The set of four books were provided to me at no cost, for review purposes. To read more reviews of this product, click HERE.*
I received this giveaway notice from Tyndale a few minutes ago. If I share with you, I may be entered to win a Bible or $25 gift card. Since I'm always on the lookout for cool giveaways to share, this is a no-brainer! So here's the info, if you'd like to enter. There are some pretty sweet prizes!
"The New Living Translation Break Through to Clarity Bible Contest and Giveaway
Fill out a simple form, take a quick Bible clarity survey, invite your friends to join and you’ll be entered to win one of our exciting prizes.
With each fan number milestone a new prize will be given away.
Grand Prize
Apple iPad 64G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the fifth milestone
Retail Value: $829.00
2nd Prize - Already awarded
32G iPod Touch and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the fourth milestone
Retail Value: $300.00
3rd Prize – Will be awarded when fan count hits: 3500
Kindle DX and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the third milestone
Retail Value: $489.00
4th Prize Will be awarded when fan count hits: TBD
Apple iPad 16G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the New Living Translation Fan Page hits the second milestone
Retail Value: $499.00
5th Prize Will be awarded when fan count hits: TBD
Apple iPad 32G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the first milestone
Retail Value: $599.00
Prize Eligibility – Recently updated to include more countries
Sweepstakes participants and winner(s) can be U.S. residents of the 50 United States, or residents of any country that is NOT embargoed by the United States, but cannot be residents of Belgium, Norway, Sweden, or India. In addition, participants and winner(s) must be at least 18 years old, as determined by the Company.
Choose one of six passages of Scripture from the New Living Translation and consider:
How do these verses encourage you to know God better?
What is God teaching you in this passage?
How does this passage apply to your life?
Submit your answer and you’ll be entered to win.
Just for signing up: Everybody Wins! Win a Free .mp3 download from the NLT’s new Red Letters Project. It’s the dynamic, new presentation of the sung and narrated words of the Gospel of Matthew. You win the download just for entering! Or choose to download the NLT Philippians Bible Study, complete with the Book of Philippians in the NLT.
Every day, one person will win the best-selling Life Application Study Bible!
The grand prize:One person will win a fantastic trip for two to the crystal clear waters of the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore in beautiful Hawaii."
I may have graduated college with honors but high school was a different story. I didn't see the need for actually attending classes much when in high school. If I wasn't interested, I wasn't there. So I managed to take a lot of writing and literature classes and avoided things like higher science and math. The highest math I completed was Pre-Algebra. My sciences consisted of Earth Science (where I managed to get a D the second time I took the class. And only showed up that time because the teacher was pretty cute.) and Wildlife Ecology (where we designed a zoo and came up with various out of the box uses for a stool. I loved that class!). So how in the world do I teach my teenagers subjects I never took myself?
For me, this question has been answered by using good curriculum that does the teaching for me. I don't need a lot of teaching helps in the area of history, writing, and literature. I live and breathe these things and naturally pass my passion on to my children (Sometimes to the point of overkill. Sh, don't tell them I admitted that!). I need more help, and a bigger budget, for the maths and sciences.
Math software has been a lifesaver for me. We have tried many different math programs and have fallen in love with Teaching Textbooks. The student pops the disc into the computer and watches the lecture. The problems are worked out on the screen and then they have practice problems to be sure they have grasped the concept. If those go well, they move on to the actual problems to solve. My kids will work these out on scrap paper and then enter the answer into the computer. Grades 7 and down grade these for you directly on the computer. Pre-Algebra and up require parent grading. I still love the program but will love it even more when and if they add the auto grading component into the high school math versions.
This is an excellent solution for this non-math Mom and especially for my non-math kids. They find the explanations easy to understand and the grade levels to be do-able and not too accelerated. For my math brained kids, we have also fallen in love with Life of Fred. This is a non-traditional math program that fits our non-traditional family very well. My current 9th grader worked through Life of Fred Algebra on his own and plans to move into Advanced Algebra next fall. This is beyond the scope of my mathy-ness but, as he has a brain for this, he has been able to move forward without me. Sniff. Sniff. (It does help that Dad is math-minded, if questions do come up, we can wait for Dad's help.)
We've used Rainbow Science and Apologia for the higher sciences. So far, we haven't had a budding scientist in the family and so these have been easy enough to work through independently or together. Sometimes I have to learn along with them and that's okay too! I'm learning to enjoy science in the elementary grades (we started making snot today and readied our petri dishes for bacteria growth), which is amazing in and of itself. My husband has been the one to help with the high school labs but I may just be about ready to branch out of my comfort zone and check out some cool high school science for myself. The amazing thing with homeschooling is that we usually learn right along with our children. And that's pretty cool.
Some of you may be math and science whizzes. You can do the same thing with any subject area of weakness. There is so much available in the way of good curricula to help. Any good book or software that teaches the advanced subject on its own can guide you in teaching your children. Learn along with them if you need to. Don't be afraid to let them learn more than you. We can't all be experts in every subject and that's okay (I have a whole post worth of thoughts on this topic. Someday!). There's no need to fear teaching advanced subjects with the wealth of material available to the homeschooler. Research your options, ask around, learn together. You can do it.
The book of Matthew is soon to be ingrained in my soul. My husband is currently preaching through this book, our small group is viewing it via The Visual Bible, and now I have the audio Bible set to rock music.
I'm not complaining.
The Red Letters Project is like nothing I have heard before and I love it. All the words of Christ from the book of Matthew (New Living Translation) are set to music. Mostly sung, sometimes spoken, this is a fresh way to "hide God's Word in your heart".
I would classify the music as a softer rock. It doesn't have a pop feel to me, but a definite rock vibe. It's great to purposely listen to and learn but also works well as background music. I can clean house or play on the computer or write reviews while singing Scripture. Hey, that works for me!
The 3 CD set comes in a really cool rectangular case and includes a booklet with the complete text of Matthew and song track references. It's very well done and impressive before you ever pop the first CD in the stereo. And it remains impressive. There are a few times when the non-rhyming words sound a bit awkward, but for the most part they have done an excellent job in combining the text and the music. A couple of my favorite tracks so far include Keys To The Kingdom and 70x7. "Noooo, not seven tiiiiiiiimes. But seventy tiiiiiiiiiimes seeeven." I will be listening to this for enjoyment for a long time to come.
I stumbled over a website promoting this CD set and they have four songs available to check out. The site lists this as not being available yet. Tyndale's page says June 2010. Christianbook.com lists the release date as April 2010. I'm not sure which one is correct but highly recommend picking this up when it is released! Love it, love it, love it!
Did I mention I love it?
The CD set will be available for a list price of $29.99, from Tyndale or your favorite local or online bookstore.
*Disclosure: This product was provided by Tyndale Publishers at no cost for review purposes.*
Homeschool in the Woods is one of my favorite companies. I already own her timeline figures on CD and the beautiful timeline book (and have for years). Last year I reviewed one of her new Activity-Pak lapbooks. This year I was able to receive her new map sets for review. Sometimes it's good to be me.
The thing that sets Homeschool in the Woods apart and makes it one of my favorite publishers is the high quality art work. These maps are just gorgeous. They are all done in black and white, in the old fashioned style. They come labeled and unlabeled and are just waiting for a good quality colored pencil (If you own Prismacolor, these are worth pulling out the high dollar pencils). They say a picture is worth a thousand words and this is one of those times that especially true. Feast your eyes on these maps.
As if the maps weren't enough, she also gives us notebooking pages.
I highly recommend Homeschool in the Woods for the supplemental materials that help round out our studies and create wonderful timelines and notebooks. I love, love, love these products. Can you tell they excite me? This is the simple stuff that seems to add so much.
The map sets are available in e-book format for $18.95 or buy both for $28.95. If you prefer them on CD, they are $19.95 each or $29.95 for the set of two. You can download free samples HERE and see if you like them as much as I do!
*Disclosure: The e-book version of these maps were provided to me at no cost for review purposes. Check out more reviews of this product at the TOS Crew site.*
Summary: At the age of eighteen, Alex and Brett Harris wrote Do Hard Things—and launched a movement that would change a generation. Young people around the world were ready to be inspired, ready to move beyond complacency, ready to rebel against society’s low expectations.
Now the highly anticipated companion book, Start Here, answers the questions Alex and Brett have received from thousands of teens on their worldwide conference tour and popular online community: How do I get started? What hard things does God want me to do? How do I keep from getting discouraged or burned out? What is the best way to inspire others?
Filled with stories and insights from Alex, Brett, and other real-life rebelutionaries, Start Here is a powerful and practical guide for young people who are ready to take the next step and blast past apathy. Let the rebelution continue.
Authors:Alex and Brett Harrisare the coauthors of the best-selling book Do Hard Things, which they wrote at age eighteen. Today the twins speak regularly to audiences of thousands on The Rebelution Tour, maintain a hugely popular online presence through their blog, TheRebelution.com, and have been featured on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and in the New York Times. Raised in Portland, Oregon, the brothers currently attend Patrick Henry College in Virginia.
My Thoughts:The Harris brothers are familiar names in homeschool circles. Their big brother, Joshua, is now pastoring a church as well as authoring books himself. I recently reviewed his book, Dug Down Deep, which I really enjoyed. The younger brothers are following in his footsteps, so to speak, by attempting to reach the teens of their generations.
I have heard of the first book, Do Hard Things, but have not read it. I do believe it would have been helpful to have read this prior to Start Here. I believe the former book gives the foundation for why Christians of this generation need to not be content with the image of adolescence created by our culture, but instead should strive for more. To do more, to be more, to Do Hard Things.
Start Here contains stories of those who accepted that challenge, as well as answering the question of, "Okay, I'm ready to do hard things. So where do I start?" I appreciated that the authors pointed out that hard things are not always big things. Starting with the small things may be just what you need for today. Or perhaps there is a big thing God is leading you to do but you fear you're too young or can't do it. This book strives to give the encouragement needed to follow the call put forth in the first book.
It's a good book but not necessarily one I'm jumping up and down to assign to all of my teens for reading. It didn't always grab me, although the content was pretty good. Good book, not great. Perhaps reading the first one first would have been good.
Start Here is available for $12.99 from the publisher, or at your favorite local or online bookstore.
Would you like to win a copy of this book? Simply leave a comment on this post and be entered to win. Follow or subscribe to my blog and/or Twitter, Tweet, blog or Facebook this giveaway and leave an extra comment for an extra entry! Winner will be announced on Wednesday, March 31st.US only for this one, please.
*Disclosure: This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.*
In my search for my old NaNo novels, I stumbled across a post that I wrote three years ago but don't seem to have posted. As I read, I was amazed to discover that I could have written the same thing today. Well, except for the surprising the reader sentence. After years of blogging and Facebook, I don't think anyone is shocked that I don't live up to my press. In fact, my press has probably changed. And I'm okay with that.
I found it oddly encouraging and wanted to share with you all. Do I find it encouraging that I still struggle? Well, not really. But I needed the reminder from my past self on where to find my strength. Seems I could use some of that, even today.
Confessions of a Not-So-Super Homeschool Mom
I struggle.
There, it’s out.
As a mother of seven in my eleventh fourteenth year of home educating, who happens to be married to a pastor, I have heard all the accolades. When I recently expressed to an acquaintance that I was struggling with balancing everything, she asked me what had happened to my Wonder Woman costume. I promptly told her it was a wrinkled mess under my bed, along with everything else I can’t find.
I don’t think she was expecting that answer.
I find it difficult to manage my house, my children, ministry, friends, and the daily “stuff” of life. I struggle with implementing my priorities into reality. I agonize over curriculum choices. I worry that by the time I get this whole homeschooling thing figured out, my children will be grown. I fear I will fail them in some way. I lose sleep wondering if they will make the right choices. I lose sleep wondering if I will make the right choices.
Sometimes I feel overwhelmed.
Sometimes I want to give up.
Sometimes I want to buy a one way ticket to Hawaii.
Alone. :-D
Sometimes I look at all those magazine covers of perfect homeschool families, or surf the homeschooling websites, or attend a homeschool convention, and instead of feeling encouraged and refreshed for my journey as they intended, I feel more pressure. I feel a heavy weight of failure that I don’t seem to measure up.
I bet that surprises some of you.
And that’s why I share this with you all. We all tend to compare ourselves with those around us and we can sometimes feel as though we come up short. We can look at others and think they have it all together and it’s easy for them. We can become discouraged and think no one understands because no one else struggles. We can portray ourselves as more than we are for pride’s sake but when we do that, we aren’t really helping anyone. It’s only as we come together, as fellow adventurers on this journey, and share our struggles as well as our victories, that we can truly encourage each other.
It’s in sharing my struggles with you that I glorify God. It’s in my weakness that His strength is portrayed. When I try to accomplish life on my own, my struggles intensify. My spirit is heavy, my joy is gone, my vision is clouded. I spend way too much of my life in this state. I start to believe my own press and think I am some kind of Super Mom or Wonder Woman. And then I wake up one morning and realizing I am failing, drowning in my own self righteousness and self imposed pressure.
And He gently lifts me up and reminds me that the greatest commandment is to love Him with all my heart, soul, and mind. And then, to love others as myself. To seek Him first and all these things, all the “stuff” that weighs me down, will fall into place. Any glory in my home or homeschool, is His. He will work despite my failings and all He asks is for me to be faithful. He will be faithful to complete what He has begun, and that includes my children and their education.
In order to share with you my source of strength, I must first admit my own complete and utter weakness. Life is not always easy, raising children is difficult, marriage is work, laundry is never done. When I want to give up, when my spirit is so heavy I can barely pull myself out of bed and I want to run away, He says “Run to Me and I will give you rest.”
Sometimes I do.
Sometimes I go dust off that Wonder Woman costume and keep trying to do it myself.
Basically I am a woman, wife and mom of 7 (9-20), major geek to my non geeky friends, minor geek to my geeky friends (Wait...I went to a con in cosplay. I don't think I can call myself a minor geek to anyone anymore). I have been homeschooling for 16 years. I cannot tell a lie and that can be a blessing or a curse. I am a night owl and hate mornings. I am a coffee snob. I am a gamer Mom. I am a cat person. I am a blogger!
1= Not a Fan
2= It's Okay
3= I Like It
4= I Love It
5= The Best
Disclosure
I receive many of the products at no cost for review purposes. I promise to not allow that to influence my reviews, but to always give my fair and honest opinion in the nicest way possible. 'Cause that's the kinda girl I am.
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