5 things that are finally working
How’s school going?”
This seems to be a common question among homeschool circles this time of year. We’re about a month or so in, time enough to have a rough idea what’s working and what’s not. Our plans look so perfect on paper, but it takes a few weeks to get a feel for how it really works.
Only now do I feel like we’ve finally found our homeschool groove. Yes, it’s taken us five years! I’m fairly certain most of you work out the kinks a lot quicker than that!
I recently revisited this Power of the Beginner article and it took me back to those early days, trying so many options, reading every homeschool book I could find, researching different philosophies and always feeling completely in over my head.
Sure, there are days I still feel like that, but at five years in I can confidently say I know what’s finally working for us. Of course, these won’t work for everyone, but just in case you’re also in the “trying-on” stage or exploring different ideas and options, perhaps one of these will be just the ticket for you. {Read the rest over at Simple Homeschool–thanks!}
What’s so much better than right…
Photo by Lacey Meyers
There are so many reasons not to do that thing.
This is the way the inner-narrative runs. There’s the thing. That thing that you have to do, or are supposed to do, or are possibly supposed to do and that’s what you’re trying to figure out. And then, there’s that deep down no-way-around-it feeling that, you just don’t want to do it.
So what you do you do? Who do you talk to, to discern how to proceed? There are really only three options to consider.
- Talk to yourself.
- Talk to someone else.
- Talk to God.
Out on paper, it seems so simple, and we smile serenely and say of course #3. But the truth is, I almost always begin with #1. I think some people probably jump right to #2 (i.e. Crowd Sourcing on Facebook), but for me it’s a quieter poll:
I confer with me, myself, and I.
I make great points, you know, there inside my head. I am logical and thorough. I know my arguments inside and out. Astonishingly, I hear no counter-arguments. There’s no dissension whatsoever. We’re all in agreement and I win by a landslide. In fact, it’s a unanimous vote! All in favor say Aye! Hooray!
But then, the Spirit nags. Did I ask Him? Did I invite Him to my council-meeting?
*sigh*
I really should know better, by now. When I begin stacking up reasons for my own way, it’s usually a dead giveaway that I’m ignoring His nudges. [bctt tweet=”I find that following His leading frees me from building my case.”] Obeying His voice is always enough. I can usually leave my lists behind.
So I say fine. Yes, Lord. I will go your way. I decide to do the thing, even if I don’t want to, and His joy becomes my strength and next thing I know I’m looking forward to this!
Then, strangest of strange, another curve ball comes.
Wait? I thought this was turn right, and now it’s a turn left, and did I hear wrong the first time or am I now veering off course? And this time, thankfully, I tune in to His whisper more quickly than before, and almost instantly realize the answer to both is, “No, child.”
No, you didn’t hear wrong the first time.
No, you’re not veering off course.
I wanted you to choose right, because that was the only way to uproot the issue, the sin, in your heart. At that point, to go left would have been for your own selfish reasons, and that could never have been My best.
But now, you’ve chosen love, in order to go right. I’m so pleased. And now, in order to choose love, you need to go left. Both are obedience. Both are love. Both are denying yourself. Both are you choosing to submit your will, your heart, your life, to me.
That, dear daughter, was my plan all along.
This is what is so much better than right. The “right answer” will never give you rest. Arguments will never arrest your affections, your heart, and turn it to me. All your logic will never lead you to love. Listening will. Surrendering will. Worshipping will.
And so, like Abraham, we listen on the first day and the third. We listen when he says, “Sacrifice your son,” and when he says, “Stay your hand.”
This is loving our Lord and letting Him lead. It’s so much better than right.
{How is He leading you now? Thanks for reading.}
With. {A simple parenting approach}
We started back to school last week so my days are full of homeschooling and lots of time WITH my kids. I’ll keep blogging as I’m able, but if you ever wonder where I am, now you know. 🙂 I was reminded of this so I thought I’d share again. Enjoy…
~
…and lo, I am with you always…
Matthew 28:18
“Mommy, will you be with me?”
Next to, “Can I have something to eat?” this is the most common request I hear, on a daily basis. Besides food, really all my children want is me.
They don’t care what we do, they just want me.
There are so many parenting philosophies and educational models, and my heart and hope is always to share simple guiding principles without offering a certain prescribed method to follow. In fact, what most powerfully influences my schooling and parenting decisions is one simple word:
With.
Looking back at my own childhood, I see this powerful force at work as well. Sure, my parents weren’t perfect, but what marks my childhood and makes me recall it with pure joy and fondness, what makes it continue to be a source of strength and confidence for my adult-self, is that my parents had an unwavering dedication to be with us.
We did everything together. Yes, my mom homeschooled us, we spent every day together, we cooked together and cleaned together, we played and read and learned and ran errands — with her. But we weren’t isolated from the world. We took trips and did science fairs and field trips, we served people and explored.
With her.
My dad was an NCAA referee for 20 years. We all loaded in the car and traveled to countless college basketball games, sometimes up late and sometimes eating *ahem* fast food for dinner. My mom didn’t stress about bedtimes or burgers — we were together.
Wherever he went, we went with.
As we grew older Dad stepped away from college games so he could ref and coach us instead. My brother and I played 7 sports between us through our high school years and my parents never missed a game.
They were with us.
My aim here is not to guilt y’all who can’t be with your kids every second. I get it. The last thing we need, as mamas, is a guilt trip about not being everywhere at all times.
But sometimes what we need isn’t to do more, it’s to do less, but with them. This can apply to every educational method and model, to every country and culture. 
I see it this way: I get these kids for about 5 minutes, in the grand scheme of things. I’m going to blink and be 50 and they’ll be gone, flying on their own around this world. My time with them is so short. There are a thousand other things I could be doing, but this is one thing no one else can do.
No one else can Mama my kids.
No one else has the fierce love for them like me. No one else can know their hearts like me, can see that look in their eyes and know exactly what it means. No one else can show them the heart of God, can identify their love language, their motives and fears.
A couple years ago, I asked God to give me wisdom to help guide my Sacred Mundane with my kids. The word with came to my heart. Because I’m nerdy and like mnemonic devices, I turned it into an acrostic, to remind me every single day of how to be WITH my kids in intentional ways:
W: Work. How can I work with my kids, giving them skills and training them as we go?
I: Inspire. How can I inspire faith in my children today, teaching them to trust God more?
T: Teach. How can I teach my children the knowledge and wisdom they need to thrive in life?
H: Help. Where are my kids struggling? How can I help them to overcome an area of weakness today?
Isn’t this what Jesus does for us? His name is Immanuel: God with us. Jesus comes and lives among us, rubs shoulders with us, then promises that even after He leaves, He will be with us as we carry out His great commission (Matt. 28:18). He’ll never leave us or forsake us, He’ll be with us forever, even to the end of the age.
WITH is at the heart of the gospel, and I believe it’s at the heart of parenting too. This can look so different for every family–that’s the beauty of it! No one-size-fits-all. No template! No cookie-cutters!
You with your children and God with you.
{Bless you, faithful mamas and daddies, as you do life with your kids today. Thanks for reading.}
*Originally from last fall.
Recipes & practical stuff {last post of the fasting series!}
Let’s finish with some nitty-gritty practical details. I realize this might be a little late–I’ve heard from several of you that you’re already in the middle of your 40-day fast. But whether you’re already in the middle, or still considering and praying about embarking on a fast, hopefully these “field notes” will be encouraging along the way.
FASTING SURVIVAL GUIDE
The day before the fast began, a dear friend gifted me with what she called a “fasting survival guide.”
In an incredible labor of love, she put together a special journal with a color-coordinated pen 😉 and a special message and scripture tucked away into a tiny envelope at the top of the page for each day of the fast. Every single day! Every single morning I would come downstairs, get my Bible and my journal, and open my special envelope and read her encouraging message and scripture. 
It was SUCH a huge blessing to have this personal encouragement and to have a special verse from God to begin my day. It also helped me be mindful about journalling every day, and keeping record of all the emotions, experiences, and insights from God. I can’t imagine doing the fast without it — it was truly my survival kit!
RECIPES
I only share these as an example of one way to embark on a 40 day fast. This was what I did, and it provided adequate nutrition. Physically, I felt great. I had no headaches, stomach aches, no physical issues. Of course, the Lord will guide you to what you should go, but in case this can be helpful:
Protein Shake (Breakfast)
- 1 cup rice milk (or coconut milk) plus about another cup of water/ice (Costco’s brand has no added sugar and is the best price in the 12-carton case)
- Spoonful of sunflower butter (I got at Costco)
- Vega or Orgain protein powder (Orgain chocolate is my fav, Costco carries both)
- 2 tsp. Dandy blend (optional: This is a detox tea blend that I love. But it tastes delicious without.)
Blend until smooth.
Smoothie (Lunch)
- 1 cup rice milk, coconut milk, or water
- 1/2 mango or 1 frozen peach
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- Amazing Grass superfood powder
- 5 TB chia seeds (added after blending)
Blend until smooth, then add chia.
Rice & Spinach (Dinner)
- Brown rice (Costco has a great deal on organic, short-grain brown rice that’s delicious)
Cook according to directions, then add:
- 1 TB coconut oil
- 2-3 TB hemp seeds
Serve over a plate of baby spinach.
*After a few weeks, we felt freedom to add lime juice, cilantro, and sometimes garlic or onions (which tastes like heaven after eating it plain for awhile!)
—
Final thoughts: Usually it’s easier to be hungry in the morning rather than late afternoon. Even though I’m an early-riser, I aimed to have my breakfast shake between 9-10am, lunch between 1-2pm, and then could make it to dinner around 5:30pm without completely falling apart. 😉 I’d go for a daily walk around 12:30-1:30pm which helped me really focus in prayer during hunger, plus walking made it less tempting to eat lunch early. If there was a day I felt particularly tired (or cold, which is very common when fasting) I’d take a hot shower and drink a cup of hot herbal tea.
That’s it! I know many of you are in the middle of, or just about to embark on a 40-day fast, and I’d love to hear how God leads you in your specific fast, what you lay aside, how He meets you, what you learn, etc. I’ve been struck by how simple it is to just set something–anything–aside for a season in order to seek the Father more fully.
While I’m not in the middle of a fast now, I feel like God is constantly showing me ways I can turn aside from distractions, fillers, and needless things in order to sharpen my focus and look to Him more fully. I don’t always obey His nudges, but I long to. I’ve never regretted a single moment seeking His face, and we will never regret forsaking an earthly pleasure in order to know Him more. It’ll be worth it.
{Thanks so much for following along on this series. Happy weekend. Thanks for reading.}