Weekly Homeschool Wrap-up–May 17, 2009

If you want to participate in this meme, please visit Carol at ThreeLittleLadies, and be sure to link your post to her Mr. Linky so that we can all see what life has in store for you.   From where I sat this past week,

As an individual, I…

am still basking in the richness of our pastor’s words today.   He talked about the reasons that more of us don’t walk in God’s abundance.   I fully realize that the immediate reaction to the word abundance in connection to church is to dismiss every word following as some version of the controversial prosperity messages that flow through many churches.   So for the few of you left, this word wasn’t just about financial well-being; abundance can be spiritual (as in discernment or wisdom), emotional (as in peace or joy), and/or physical (health).   Anyway, time ran out on him, but he stepped all over my toes with some of the reasons he did share:

1)    Lack of revelation

2)    Incorrect teaching about God’s will and God’s plan for our lives

3)    Not developing our gifts and talents

4)    Not recognizing opportunities

As I said, he ran out of time, but I’m sure indifference and unrepentance were coming up on the list as well.    We are so casual about the things of God.   Amazingly, we spend thousands of dollars to educate and train ourselves, we run after those things we perceive as must-haves, even spending hours on ourselves to feel more attractive to those around us.   What’s our attitude when it comes to running after God?  “Well, if He wants me to have it, he’ll give it to me…”   Our pastor used the story of the man who continuously missed the fountain of healing because he wouldn’t position himself to be the first in the pool.   Instead, he stood before the Lord with his excuses.   The Lord’s simple and profound response to the man was, “Do you want to be made well?”    I can hear Him saying the same to me as I see places where I’m not positioning myself to be healthier, wealthier, and closer to Him.

As a wife and homemaker, I…

am glad to have the superhero at home again, simply stated.   I think we’ve snuggled every chance we get to sit down together.   

As a mom and homeschooling parent, I…

have had a very busy week this past week.   For the last several years, I have helped a local homeschool group with the Iowa Basic Skills testing.   Even though our kids did not test this year, I consider it a ministry to be able to work with the kids and help the parents.   Larger than that, I love praying for the kids in light of what the tests really mean—at least, to me.    Parents are so anxious about how the kids will perform, and on the first day, you can feel the anxiety in the room.   One of the many questions I want to ask God when I see Him is whether or not we were created to need so much outward approval.   Why do we—me included—constantly look for others to validate us?    (As an aside, I’ve had blogging buddies who’ve turned off their comment capabilities; I’ve considered doing the same, in part because I wonder whether it would change what I wrote).   So, I make a point to speak over those kids what God has already said about them—they are head and not the tail, above and not beneath, blessed in their going in and in their coming out, able to do all things through Christ which strengthens them.   I pray that the tests will be nothing more than a guide for the parents as to what the kids have mastered and where they need help—not the be-all-and-end-all of their academic existence.  

Our son was so wonderful on last week with helping the youngest on phonics and math, so this week I pulled in some things that we’d not done in a while—our phonics dictionary, handwriting, and poetry.

The older two managed somehow to stay on track, even after spending ½ day in the park with the kids who tested on last week—I guess the right motivation can yield tremendous results.   We will study the Kennedy assassination on this week, but obviously won’t wrap up by next Friday. 

The kids are moving steadily along as we near our official year-end on next week.   We actually only have three days between Memorial Day (we’ll take a holiday since Dad will be off work), and then the citywide minority homeschooler event, which will consume a good bit of our day on Friday.  

 We are now official a Teaching Textbooks household as I ordered the Math 7 set for our son.   I’ve been shopping Vegsource for deals on a Sonlight 5 instructor’s guide.   I’m not sure of the connection between vegetarianism and homeschooling, but they have one of the best swap sites on the web!   The only problem is that each time one comes up for sale, someone beats me to it!    I’m horrible at online garage sales, so to speak.   I guess I’m not vigilant enough.   I’m also in the market for Bob Jones 1^st grade readers.   Maybe in the next few weeks…

As a business owner, I…

have had an incredible week.   One of the questions the federal government asks in determining how to list your business is whether it is truly a business or a hobby.   One of the issues that the Lord has convicted me about is that, because the business is not my sole means of income, I sometimes find myself guilty of running it like a hobby.   There is a vision I have for it, but time is so precious, and I tend to complete all the research to make the vision happen in my spare time—i.e., it never happens.   So, this week while the kids tested, I had quite a bit of time on my hands while waiting for the clock to wind down.   I worked on editing and listed ideas.   I believe in my heart that the Lord honored my rededication.   Out of nowhere, an acquaintance called that I’d not seen in a year.   She walked me through exactly how to complete another piece of the vision.   It is all good, and all God.

May He blow your mind this week as well!