Special Babe

Millions and billions of babies are born,
Each one special - but only One we adore.
Why come as a babe?
Creator of the universe, galaxies and stars -
Orion You set; clouds come when You call.
But You came as a babe.
With beauty and glory arrayed
You tell the beasts of the field to play
Majesty and splendor adorn You
Who created the depths and mountains, too...
And came as a babe.
You tell the deer to give birth,
The seasons when to change the earth;
At Your word the horse is strong
By Your will the hawk flies long
All wrapped as a babe.
The dark spangled sky -
Did it ask why?
As it coldly shone on this tiny babe?
Fields which at your word bloom
Were they silent as tombs
When you cried as a hungry babe?
Your voice as a thunder clap
Your breath of whirlwind slap
In the voice of a tiny babe.

And yet the angels sang
And then the shepherds came
Knowing their voices would sing
To the glorious King of Kings
Who swaddled as a babe
For a moment left glory
To tell us the story
Of love coming down as a babe.
A brief time on earth
To show us our worth
A beautiful cuddly babe
Then a cross, then a grave
and now You are risen again - Hallelujah!
You came as a babe -
How precious the thought -
Your life and your death
Our sin has been bought
Because Love came down as a babe.

What do you think and feel when you see this picture?

This past weekend many millions of people around the world greeted each other with the phrase "Eid Mubarak".  Have you heard it?  Do you know what it means?  This is the traditional greeting of Muslims during Eid-al-Adha - also known as the festival of sacrifices.  It is a very solemn and universal celebration of almost all Muslims as they remember Abraham (Ibrihim) and his willingness to sacrifice his son.  Now we won't get into the discussion about which son (Ishmael versus Isaac) or why the Muslims call Abraham Ibrihim, both very deep and sometimes complicated histories of beliefs.  What I want to focus on is how we - Christian believers - those who claim the name of Jesus Christ - perceive and react to Muslims around us.

I am not a Muslim scholar or converted Muslim.  I do not live in a Muslim country.  But I do personally know (and previously worked with) quite a few Muslims - both Sunni and Shi'ite - from different backgrounds, countries and cultural and education levels.  This has made me ache for the missed opportunities.  You see, when I was in daily, almost constant contact with these precious children of God, I was not living for Jesus as the Lord of my life.  I heard them, talked with them and learned many of their perspectives in a sort of vacuum, not being in a heart position, or maybe just not being willing to step out, to offer them truth in place of error, hope in place of condemnation, joy in place of hatred, love in place of self-righteous works.

So now I watch the news and my heart breaks for people who greet each other with "Eid-Mubarak" - "Blessed Celebration".  How the evil one distorts truth with a slight twist to make it ring true in our sinful ears.  How very many are deceived to think earthly sacrifices are sufficient.  Some of my friends wonder how suicide bombers can think like they do.  We are all desperate for God, or totally making our selves into "god".  I get it.  They are desperate to win favor with their Creator.  Don't we all do ridiculous things with our hearts, minds and/or bodies to try to "please god"?  The true God, the true Creator, the Holy One of Israel, can never be pleased by any sacrifice, thousand prayers, rituals, "good" works, suicide bombs or anything else we humans can conceive or do.  So my heart breaks.  For they are so very desperate for the relationship we all want with the true God.

Does this photo make you angry?  scared?  worried?  sickened?  It makes me remember - "Suffer the little children to come to me".  Those were the words of Jesus.  They should be our thoughts and words, too.  Children of 8 or 18 or 80 who have never been able to mature into the truth because they have been deceived into thinking sacrifices are about rituals or prayers or good works or suicide and not knowing the price has already been paid.  Jesus, help us love. Then help us pray in love.  Help us look at this photo and many others like it and feel only love.

Homeschool Tip #3 - Avoid Addictions

How do you know if you are addicted to something (or some habit)?
Technically, there are several signs:
1 - Withdrawal symptoms - the patient has physical and mood-related symptoms. There are cravings, bouts of moodiness, bad temper, poor focus, a feeling of being depressed and empty, frustration, anger, bitterness and resentment.
2 - Social and/or recreational sacrifices - some activities are given up because of an addiction to something.

3 - Obsession - an addicted person may spend more and more time and energy focusing on ways of getting hold of their substance, and in some cases how to use it.

4 - Denial - a significant number of people who are addicted are in denial. They are not aware (or refuse to acknowledge) that they have a problem.

5 - Excess consumption - in some addictions, the individual consumes it to excess. 

Now why in the world do I bring up addictions related to homeschooling?  Do I think the pressures cause some to revert to drugs or alcohol?  Well, possibly, although I have yet to come across anyone yet.  But I do know of a significant number of homeschooling Moms with an addiction problem - addicted to electronic communications, that is.  They absolutely cannot go more than 15-30 minutes without checking their phone (see point 5 above - some cannot go more than 5 minutes).  Many cannot plan or implement a lesson without hours and hours on Pinterest.  Many are so tied to facebook that they constantly change their minds about what they are supposed to be doing based on what others have (or have not) posted.  More time is spent on perfecting an Instagram photo than was spent on the art project itself.  

Yes, addiction.  Addiction to data.  Addiction to electronics.  Addiction to wanting the "perfect life".  I've been there, done that.  And as a recovering addict, I can easily see the symptoms in others who have yet to realize that they are either addicted to social media, pinterest, electronic "communication" (I use that word in quotes purposefully), or just the need for instantaneous gratification by posting every move they make to try to get validation of their work.  or worth.  or acceptance.  Believe me when I tell you - it's a sad life with lots of wasted time.  

Why do we blog, post, instagram, tweet?  To get attention.  or validation.  Forgetting all the while that we are never worthy.  But the Creator and Master of the universe loves us anyway.  So much better than 500 "friends" hitting the "Like" button or 2,000 people retweeting our comment.  Enough said.  I have to get back to my recovery meeting.  With my Mentor.  HE is also my role model.  Let's help each other to recover by pointing each other to the One who wrote the code of our lives.  He's always ready to help us over our addictions.  

Homeschool "Tip" #2 - The Comparison Game

“How much time he gains who does not 

look to see what his neighbour 

says or does or thinks,
but only at what he does himself,
to make it just and holy.”
― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations


Once upon a time there were two homeschooling Moms. One was organized, detailed and precise. The other was creative, innovative, and gracious. Organized Mom felt quite superior, "Look how much better my home and yard look than hers." Creative Mom glanced across at her neighbor and thought "Oh, she is so pitiful - her children do not even play with playdough!" Outwardly they smiled and waved, inwardly they both grew in self-righteousness.

But over the days and weeks Creative Mom had one - then two - then three-in-a-row of "those" days. She sighed as she struggled to color code her paints and date order her children's math pages so that she would be more like Organized Mom and spend less time hunting for things. She still smiled and waved across the fence, but inwardly she steamed, "She has it so easy because she is naturally organized and doesn't have to deal with the chaos I have with three little boys!"

On the other side of the fence, Organized Mom was facing her fourth day-in-a-row of "those" days. Baby had spilled not only his own food, but big sister's drink and used the markers to draw on the walls, while oldest sister, almost a teen, whined constantly about being bored. She sighed heavily and said "Oh, my neighbor has it so easy because she always has creative ideas and doesn't freak out with spills like I do."

And every day they smiled and waved across the fence amidst their frustration of comparison.


“Peter must have thought, "Who am I compared to Mr. Faithfulness (John)?" But Jesus clarified the issue. John was responsible for John. Peter was responsible for Peter. And each had only one command to heed: "Follow Me." (John 21:20-22)”
― Charles R. Swindoll

What if the nation of Israel is wiped out?

Would the end of the world, the return of Christ be imminent if the nation of Israel as we know it ceased to exist?

Would your faith in Christ be shaken or destroyed if Christ did not return immediately if Israel was destroyed by her enemies?

These are questions I have asked others lately and put them into a panic.  In all honesty I am asking not because I have any definitive answers but because they are so very sure that they do.  You see, as I read and study the scriptures more I see that each of us reads and studies from a very closed cultural context, and a very self-centered one at that.  Just a few days ago I heard several Christians state that if America were destroyed, it would of course mean that the end of the world was here.  Since I have had the privilege of international travel, and have a wonderful believing son-in-law from another country, I see things quite a bit differently.  The end of America as a democracy or country might coincide with Christ's return.  But how very self-centered (and incorrect!) we are to think that Christ's eternal Kingdom is dependent on America!  But what about Israel - "God's chosen nation"?  Isn't its very existence a fulfillment of prophecy of end times?

Firstly, we must remember that the nation of Israel as it exists is not the Israel of the Old Testament.  Are the descendants of Abraham special to God?  Certainly.  But who are the descendants of Abraham?  Romans 4 tells us "This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace, to guarantee it to all the descendants - not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of Abraham's faith.  He is the father of us all in God's sight.  As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations.  He believed in God, who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist.  He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be."

Who is Israel?  WE are Israel.  Romans 4 concludes: "Therefore, it was credited to him for righteousness. Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone, but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification."

Secondly, many are trying to affix a date, a time, of the end.  Yes, we are to look for ripening of the ages with scripture in hand.  But this is so that each generation can be aware of the brevity of life, the need for being ready at any moment to step from this "shadowland" into the reality of eternity.  Too many people are looking to the nation of Israel as a "sign".  Beware of signs, especially those that satisfy our need to label others, to boost our already too-large ego, or to draw us away from growing in Christ as we use our time and energy to satisfy our curiosity.  “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son —except the Father only."  Matthew 24:36

Much of my life I have looked at things (and often still do) from a temporal, "this-is-my-little-world" view rather than the universal and eternal view that the Lord has.  Certainly my finite mind and soul cannot begin to comprehend the complexity and longevity that the Lord could show me, but at least over the years He has allowed me to see how very tiny and extremely self-centered my view usually is.  And for some reason He has allowed me to see that others are caught in the web of deceit concerning the nation of Israel.

** Please don't misunderstand - I stand strongly with Israel and will do whatever I can to support not only her existence but her strength.   Most of all her people are in my prayers as I long to see her multitudes see the hope of the true Messiah and not to place their hope of peace in a worldly nation.  But just as I do not think Christ is dependent on America's existence to carry out the plan for His eternal Kingdom, I do not think He is dependent on the existence of the state of Israel, the nation of Great Britain, the house churches in China or the Islamic state of Iran to carry out His will.  Will He use each of these nations and the individuals in them for His purposes?  Of course.  But He is Sovereign and Eternal and Omnipotent and the nations are in His hands.

"For the kingdom is the Lord’s,
And He rules over the nations."
Psalm 22:28

Homeschool "Tip" #1 - "Scheduling"

A fairly new homeschooler (getting ready to start her 3rd year) asked me to try to put down on paper (aka blog) an explanation of what I have shown her that works for us for scheduling subjects for the year.  Note:  This is NOT a formula that works for many, maybe not even for a few, but since three different Moms have said they have implemented this (or their version of it) and benefited, I thought I would try to describe how it works for anyone that might find it useful.

The way I do scheduling makes it really easy to not stress over missed days, half days, days when we got only two subjects done because Grandma was in the hospital - you know - life happens and our philosophy is that school should not dictate life.  You know exactly when your 180 days are done - every subject is done.  It might actually be 207 days where some of those are 1/2 or 1/3 days, but you have done not only the equivalent of 180 days, but you will finish every subject (contrary to counting hours on the clock, this counts work done - sort of like the real world?!).

Before each year begins, I determine a "Daily Schedule" for each child.  I determine at that time which subjects they will cover, decide how often each week we will do that subject, and for how long each day (estimated).  Now part of it is from teacher's books (recommendation), part of it is from what I have learned works best for our family (taking into account extracurricular, social and farm activities), and part is just what we prefer to do (we work longer M-Th and only do half-day Fridays).  So, Step 1 is to make a "Daily Schedule" (see picture example).  You can find samples online for how long each subject should take your child each day to count as a "credit hour" (for High School).  This Daily Schedule is more like "Suggested Schedule" for us, since some days Math might only take 15 minutes and another day might be a test that takes an hour and a half.



[For older students I do a "High School Plan" when the student is 7th or 8th to try to determine what I think they will cover each year to be ready for any major college (yes, that's in bold because it is a working plan and what I think versus what I end up doing is pretty fluid, allowing me to plug into coops, free classes, free/cheap curriculum, different or more extracurricular as they develop special interests, etc. as the opportunity arises).  If they can do Biology in 8th instead of 10th (they are ready and it is available), mark that subject off your list as "done" and that will allow them more time for other things in 10th!]

After you determine which subjects your student will take that year, the next steps are easy.  Assuming you do a 180-day school year (doesn't matter if it's traditional or year-round or some other form such as "Farm-Comes-First-School-Comes-After" ) you then just need to determine how many days of the 180 you will do each subject.  For instance, we do a full year of Math in 144 days (giving us one "Math Free" day per week, which we chose to be on Fridays).    I look at the book(s) and determine how many Lessons/Tests, etc. there are to finish that subject (be sure to include in your count days for tests, quizzes, labs, etc.).  Then schedule that number of days (e.g. Days 1- 144 then you're done for Math).  If for some reason your child is sick, or you have to take an emergency day off and they all fall on Tuesdays, then yes, you might have more Math to finish at the end of the year than say Science, if the latter is only done on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.  No sweat.  "School" or "This Year" is only "done" when all the days for all the subjects are done.  Is it as clear as muddy water yet? (My Dad used to love to say that - - !)

So, for example, you do Science (the whole book including labs, quizzes and tests) for 108 days a year (I like to use multiples of 36 to keep the subjects somewhat easier to schedule), which is three days a week, you just take the whole of your year, and divide it into 108 days.  Yes, some days your student will do Science for 30 minutes and some days it will be 2 hours, even though your "Daily Schedule" plans for 1 hour each of the three days, but it's amazing how it so often evens out overall for the day (one subject longer than usual, two others a bit shorter, etc.).  And our focus again is not on hours in school but actual work accomplished (guess by now you've figured out that I am a big proponent for people earning what they accomplish, not in putting in hours - how great we can teach our children this lesson from an early age!)  Just take each subject, schedule it out into the number of days you want.

One other note - be sure to include a realistic time for non-academic things (chores, extracurricular, travel time, etc.) and of course take into account practical aspects such as subjects that require more attention from Mom being done during baby's nap time, middle school son being at his best during mid-morning to tackle his least-liked subjects, Dad working night shift and needing to sleep on Thursday and Friday mornings, etc. when scheduling specific subjects and times.  The key is - do what is best for YOUR family.  Your schedule will look different than anyone else's and the only time you need to be strict about exactly when something is scheduled and done is when it involves other families, coops, outside classes, etc.
It's a tricky balancing act to level out flexibility and discipline, academics and spiritual growth, social activities and family time, but it is worth every effort to read, revise, rework and reward what works best for your family situation.  Don't compare or compete with others, just enjoy this special blessing of the time spent with your children.  In other words, just find what works for you.

Lastly, never forget that character is more important than academics.  If you teach them diligence, stewardship, honesty and respect they will learn academically whatever they need to when they need it (i.e. it doesn't matter if you spent "too much" time on Ancient History and "too little" time on American History), and more importantly they will carry that character with them throughout every aspect of their lives, as well as through the years.  I always remind others that Character trumps Academics because I need to hear the reminder myself.  Constantly. Continually. Carefully.  Most of all, prayerfully.

Have fun scheduling!  I wish I enjoyed grading assignments as much as I enjoy planning them!

I Grew Up Rich

I grew up rich.
Don't let the tattered hand-me-downs,
Or rusted out floorboards
In the sputtering Chevy fool you.
Where the best, if any, meat on the table
Was a deer or rabbit
Or maybe a squirrel caught in
The sight of Daddy's rifle.
The thin, cold sheets on the squeaky, shared beds,
Pinto beans and cornbread suppers -
Again -
Don't give the secret away.
For we were wealthy beyond measure.
Not just a Mama and Daddy
Who loved us, corrected us, taught us,
Modeled character and
Prayed for us each day and night.
But more relatives and friends
Than gold bars in Fort Knox.
Grandparents, cousins, Uncles and Aunts,
Even Great Uncles who teased us
And Great Aunts who made blue-ribbon jams
If the weather was good enough
To be blessed with berries.
Days spent laughing and running,
Hours spent in church and praying for others,
Minutes spent to purchase sweet memories,
Lessons of life that last beyond life,
Still usable and spendable after others are gone.
Passed on by will and choice
To the next generation.
Love from our Eternal Father,
Priceless gift of His salvation
And blessing of His Lordship,
Lived out in love by others,
The greatest treasure.
I grew up rich.

The Love of Jesus

The love of Jesus
Is what remains
When death takes from us
All of life's gains.
So if it's glory
That you chase
Remember the end
Of life's swift race.
Run for the prize
That does not fade.
The love of Jesus
Is why you were made.

The Heaviest Weight

I used to think that the heaviest weight was the pressure of "success" doing well at school, career, family.  Then I found myself expecting a wonderful miracle and thought "Oh, the heaviest weight is trying to do things "right" for this child so that I will not mess him/her up really badly."  That weight continued and multiplied with each child, added to the weight of "success" and "marriage", it is just amazing that my back wasn't crushed into "smithereens" (one of our second son's favorite childhood words).  Then you divide your time and energy between how you look/feel/handle stress, etc., subtract any sense of completion and you have the perfect equation for a screaming woman.

And that was life.  For far too long.  I knew I was supposed to remember and believe "..my yoke is easy and my burden is light", I knew I was not to "worry about tomorrow" and to trust the One who counts the numbers of hair on our heads.  I knew lots of scripture, and good advice, and knowledge which came with experience.  Over and over others would remind me what I knew myself - this was not the way life for a Christian was supposed to be.  So another day, another good ole college try, another frustrating look back over the hours.  Truly I loved my Lord and Savior.  Truly I loved my family even when sometimes I didn't especially like them (or them like me).  But there were two problems entangling and strangling me.  First, I thought I knew what love was but had no idea what true agape love looked like.  As I heard recently it was "sloppy agape", not really consistent, not even truly loving for the full benefit of the recipient instead of me.  Secondly, I still had a really, really heavy burden.  It is worse than kryptonite for Superman but it is the most real, most binding burden.  No, it's not sin.  That's the second heaviest.  It is only four little English letters long but it is so heavy, so saturating that there is no hope for us to ever rid ourselves of the weight.  S - E - L - F.  period.  That is the heaviest weight, and that is the one that we don't have to carry.  Turning myself over to the one whose "yoke is easy" is the most wonderful choice, the most freeing choice.  Unfortunately, it is a daily choice and sometimes I still forget and take that weight back on my feeble back.  Will you remind me?  Will we remind each other?  His yoke is truly, honestly, lovingly, a relief and very light.  It's our own selfish burden that is heavy.  Remind me, and I will remind you.  Together we can dance, maybe even fly we will be so light!

The Ultimate Oximoron

This past week our pastor said there were two words that could never be spoken together.  He read from Acts 10 regarding Peter's rebuttal of the Lord's command to eat "unclean" food.  How often I have said those words "No Lord" (or "Never, Lord" or "Not So, Lord").  He pointed out that we can say "Why Lord", "How Lord" or best yet, "Help Me, Lord" but two words that cannot be spoken together -
NO
LORD
We either say No or we say LORD.  Period.  (Ouch!)

Only One Life

"Only one life,
'twill soon be past,
Only what's done
for Christ will last."

Oh, Master help me
   be wholly Thine,
Only a branch 
   to Your Holy Vine.
Help me, O Christ 
   as I work for You,
Only your Glory 
   in all that I do.
Each waking thought,
   each action and deed,
Only Your will,
   wherever You lead.
If this is the day
   that is all that is left,
Only Your praise
   be my final breath.
Refiners fire 
   cannot be tamed
Only true gold
   withstands the flame.

"Only one life,
'twill soon be past,
Only what's done
for Christ will last."

HE

HE cannot be described, 

   but HE can be shared.

HE cannot be understood,

   but HE can be felt.

HE cannot be seen,

   but HE can be followed.

HIS Love cannot be duplicated,

  but It can be our example.

HIS Mercy cannot be measured,

   but It can be accepted.

HIS Wisdom cannot be contained,

   but It can be gathered.

His Grace cannot be ended,

   but It can give us eternity.

What's Your Mission?

“If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.”

Lewis Carroll

Now, I am not a big fan of Lewis Carroll (that's for another post on another day), but he certainly said the above correctly.  I'm afraid that too often I have lost the forest for the trees in both parenting and homeschooling.  At the beginning of the year, I have grand plans, can clearly see the long-term goals we have for our children (namely, to become God-glorifying adults), and think that all the planning will lead us to the ultimate victory.  But this year I am again reminded of how very, very easily I get sidetracked, distracted, off-the-track, --- what was I saying?  Oh, yes, sticking with goals.

Since the first year we began homeschooling (back in the Dark Ages), I have kept our "Mission Statement" in the front of my teacher's notebook.  Coming from the business world into homeschooling, I knew that we would never reach the ultimate vision we set unless we clearly stated our "Mission" in writing.  It is amazing to me how many parents have no idea what their "Mission" for homeschooling might be.  As I talk with them, I am sometimes discouraged to find out that the real reason they are homeschooling is a fear of public schools, a fear of what their children will be exposed to, a fear of how they will be bullied, what they will be taught, how long they might be away from a doting mother.  Now, realistic fear is healthy, but 2 Timothy tells us "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."   If the only reason you are homeschooling is out of fear, you should pray about whether or not you have truly been called to do this!

Even more amazing is how much of life we use up, waste away, let slip by, or just forget our own goals or mission in life.  We fill up the hours, even the minutes, with busy-ness sometimes not even realizing that we are running from that all-important question - "Why am I here on this earth?"

There are a lot of things wrong with businesses today, and there were many poor or bad habits I learned being in the business world for so many years.  But as with all things, we can learn from the positive elements (and the negative, but again, that's another post!).  One of these is the fact - yes, fact - that if you want to see your vision become reality, you need a clear understanding of your Mission and Goals.  As I look back over the past 15 years, I realize that although we started some school years with a clear mission and goals, most years I just got lost in the trees of curriculum, activities and life pressures; not a great model for my children and not working diligently to make sure they understood how very important it was to us that they knew Christ in a real and all-consuming way.

As we go about each day and get overwhelmed with the details of life, we are constantly drawn away from the real, meaningful actions.  We get lost in words and activities, and miss those precious points of true connection with friends and family.  We hurry and scurry about to get "it" all done and ignore the quiet tug in our souls to get alone and quiet with the One who is sweetly calling our new name.

What is my "Mission"?  Sure, I could say "To raise Godly children" and that might be very true.  But that is a vision - a "big picture idea", not a mission - and it will never help me to achieve the vision.  "To use XYZ curriculum" might be the thing on my heart and mind right now - but that is an action to support the mission and goals, not the mission.  Totally confused yet?  Stick with my rambling, please - I hope you will be glad you did.

God through His Word tells us: "The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord." The Message says it this way: "Mortals make elaborate plans, but God has the last word.  Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good; God probes for what is good.  Put God in charge of your work, then what you’ve planned will take place".

Too much of what I have done and continue to do is based on "whatever looks good".  Too little is based on what IS good - deep down, cleansing, healing, changing, molding that only the Holy Spirit through the Word of God can do.  My "Mission" in life and in our school is to allow the Savior to be LORD of all - for HIM to rule and reign in every nook and cranny, cleaning out the cobwebs under the laziness of my heart, shining His light into the damp, stinking corners in the basement of my soul to bring fresh life, and to cleanse the layers of grimy selfishness away until they are sparkling clean.  My mission is to be a follower, a disciple, a servant.  And then if I can just let GOD be in charge, it will be pleasing to Him, which is all any of us can ever desire as our mission.