You know what is just plain ugly?

Comparing ourselves to others.

Oh man is it easy though!  ”Why can’t I be like that…do what she does…have that?”  Ugly I tell you, ugly.

Why ugly? Because comparing ourselves to others robs us of the beauty of enjoying just how God weaved us together, which in return, robs God of His glory.

He made you.

He made me.

Unique. Different. Similar.

Wild.

Crazy.

Quite.

Witty.

Shy.

He knit YOU together for His glory and His purposes.

So if you struggle with comparing yourself to others, remind yourself of this…

You hem me in, behind and before…

For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
and lay your hand upon me.

Psalm 139:5:13-16

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

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Made in His Image art print found here.

“In that moment the two conflicted drives of my heart stood out in stark contrast-my commitment to motherhood versus my lurking desire to have life my own way.” P. 45

As I read through the third chapter in Mission of Motherhood, again I was struck with a theme: a divided heart.

Oh I often find myself in the familiar arena of selfishness and self-will. My darlings become an interruption; they have just too many needs, too much conflict…they just need me too much.

Wait, they do need me too much, and that is the way God made it. I am to lay down my life for them. I am to teach and train and love them as they grow through all the stages God intended for them to walk through.

“More and more, I have learned to see my children though the eyes of God and to accept the stages of growth through which he has designed them to grow.” P. 54

Why do I fight this calling on my life? I know why, sin. I have a sin nature just yearning to be free from responsibility…aching to live my way in my time frame. My little ones have the same sin nature (we all do), and it is my job at this time to help them take control of it through His strength. If I am to teach them the importance of reigning in our sin nature, delaying gratification, and laying down our our desires for the pleasing will of God, then I had better be a diligent model of what I’m preaching (again, through His strength).

A commitment to motherhood.

A full out, full-time joy commitment to raising eternal souls for the glory of God.

I’m in.

I’m in the fight to die to myself every day…and oh what a fight it is!

But I love my babes, and I love my calling and I love my God. It is all worth it.

“If a woman chooses to stay at home with her children, she has the opportunity of nursing her baby in the peacefulness of her own home, caressing her precious little one, singing sweet lullabies to comfort and please the child’s deepest emotional desires. She can offer them the restfulness of long, quiet naps in their own bedrooms. She has time to enrich the home environment with beautiful sights and smells – from the aromas of homemade soup bubbling on the stove to the beautiful pictures in books-and arrange outings that foster budding intellects and awaken curiosity. And she has the flexibility to change her schedule to respond to teachable moments-those times when children’s natural curiosity leads them to question and learn. Best of all, when a mother chooses to stay home, she has the time and opportunity to craft the kind of relationship with her young children that only extended time together can foster.” P. 48

If you’re reading along, would you leave a comment letting me know what stood out to you in this chapter?

Photo Credit: Divided Heart by The Show Must Go On

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Trust the Lord with your whole heart and lean not on your own understanding…

“If one of our children had an IQ off the charts, was able to read Plato, Aristotle and both the Old and New Testaments in the original languages, memorized the Bible and became a beloved world leader who brought peace to our world, but did not know and serve the living and true God, we as parents would have failed to accomplish our goal. On the other hand, if for some reason, one of our children was never able to read or write and yet loved and served God and applied His Word to all aspects of life then we have succeeded as parents.”  YES, it is in this spirit that I agree with the hope and goal of this statement, with just one caveat.

Read the whole wonderful article here.

She also has a thought-provoking article on the public school system here.

Oh wait, that’s our living room.

Yep, we do much of our home educating on those comfy couches!  We may move to the dining room table for some writing and crafts, but the living room is the center of it all. I realize there are no pictures on our walls, we’re working on that! We just painted and have yet to fill those blank canvases with life!

We do actually have another school room…our back yard. There’s a lot of learning that goes on there, you know, like cooking mud pies in our mud pie kitchen…

Scrumptious! (Idea found here)

I admit it.  I would love to have an official homeschool room, but you know what, this is where we are and what we have…and I’d say we are pretty blessed just to have the opportunity to teach our children as I stay home.  We have so much to be thankful for.

Okay, now make me covet (kidding!), do you have a homeschool room?

Related: Our Family and Home Education

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What do you think? This would be a fine addition to any school room, wouldn’t you say? ;)

Just a typical homeschooling day {ahem}

I’ve been thinking quite a bit about what it means for us as a family to home educate.

What do we want for our children? What are our goals? Why are we doing this? How are we going to go about it?

My husband and I are newbies at this homeschool thing, our children are only 4, 3, and 1 and so our journey is just beginning. However, we have been blessed to be mentored by the Brookshires, and glean wonderful advice from Sally Clarkson and Victoria Botkin (through her Curriculum Advice Volume 1).  It is with the wisdom and discernment of those who have gone before us that we take our first steps into the homeschooling ocean.

Here is our focus in a nutshell:

• Love for God’s Word – Know Him through His breathed out revelation as given in the bible, knowing Him, loving Him
• Character – Building into the hearts and spirits the good things we should seek to become
• Obedience – Learning it is well with our children when they obey; obeying because of love for us and the Father
• The Good Things – We want to fill our babes up with good things with the hope that they will cling to the good and forsake evil
• Traditions – Rooting our family bond in the good, the fun and the memorable
• Celebrations – Enjoying and celebrating one another as those in the image of God – living it up for His glory

You will notice, I’m sure, that “subjects” are not included in my list. There are two reasons for this: 1. It is so important for us to instill a foundation in our children before we get into the nuts and bolts of education. 2. We believe that in the younger years, we can seamlessly weave into our day many of the subjects without them being official.  In fact, most of life is filled with the arts, literature, math, science, etc, we just have to grasp onto it as we walk long with our children. Down the road these areas of study will be refined (we are currently teaching our daughter to read).

Our Homeschooling Philosophies

We are educating our children with a biblical worldview – everything we study will be through a biblical lens.

We believe that ultimately education is about being able to communicate well with others so that we can live with and flourish in our skill sets and callings while glorifying God and being a light to the world.

We are not just raising our children, but we are raising generations. This is powerful to us, and we want to take up the responsibility of doing our very best to pass on a godly legacy to those will never even know. We believe shepherding our children as opposed to outside schooling is the best way to do this (in the spirit of Deuteronomy 11:18-21).

We are quite fond of the Charlotte Mason method.

Textbooks are out, living books are in.

We are very eclectic.  I couldn’t decide on one curriculum if I wanted to! We are taking bits and pieces from here and there…

The Good Things – Something God Has Been Teaching Me About

In the education of our children, in how we do life together, we don’t want to focus on the “no’s” but rather we want to fill them up with the good things first and foremost. For example, I’ve struggle with “shouldn’t my children read the classics like Peter Pan…even though I’m not sure how I feel about teaching my children about fairies yet?” Well, maybe, at some point, but for now we’ll stick with things that instill godliness and goodness and love (thanks for the advice Robin!).  We will fill their minds with good music and good books (as opposed to “twaddle“), and will put beautiful things before their eyes, and delicious smells all around them.  We want to engage all their senses in the magnificent, because our Creator has done all things magnificently.  We have opted out of Youth Ministry, not because it is bad, but because we think we’ve caught on to something better. We’ve opted out of regular school not because it is all out horrible, but because we have a glimpse that there is so much more to be offered.  The good things…we have a vision for them.

Resources We’re Using in Our Home Education

The Bible – Need I say anything more? ;) (Aside from teaching out of the bible, my babes listen to the bible on CD in the mornings while I make breakfast.)

The Local Library – Hello? Free books! Perfection.  (I am happily surprised that our library carries the Elsie Dinsmore series, which we will be reading throughout the year.)

Educating The WholeHearted Child – Excellent excellent excellent foundation and information for every home educator.

Teaching Character Through Literature Study Guide ($14.95) from Beautiful Feet Press – We are borrowing the recommended books from our library (I did buy a couple books because they didn’t have them available at our library, but I searched all over for the best prices).

Our 21 Family Rules – We have taken these rules on as our own.

Home Economics, Level 1 from Pearables

Classical Kids - We’ve started with Mr. Bach Comes to Call and my babes really enjoy it.

Polished Cornerstones (a great and helpful resource, but don’t feel like you have to buy it!)

For Instruction in Righteousness (same note as above)

Questions & Answers from the Westminster Shorter Catechism (free online)

Free audio books (HOLLA!)

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons (not what I wanted to use, but it seems to be best suited to us right now…and it’s getting the job done!)

Well, there you have it, where our family is at when it comes to the education of our children. We will be praying for wisdom and mercy. I’d love to hear some of your families ideas and resources!

Related

Blogs/Websites:

Sparkling Adventures

The Crafty Crow

10 Million Miles (Laura always has wonderful teaching ideas)

Articles:

Why I Choose to Homeschool

Solving the Crisis in Homeschooling – Exposing the 7 Major Blind spots of Homeschoolers

Audio:

The Children of Caesar (This teaching had a huge impact on my husband and I)

Curriculum Advice, Volume 1

The World’s Greatest Stories – Bible dramatizations

“You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give them…”  Deuteronomy 11: 18:21

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I am not a natural at organization, so homeschooling does not come easy to me as the teacher.  However, I have His strength to rely.

Today is her birthday.

Two years ago she was supposed to be dead.

That’s what they said.

Two months was the guess, but could be two years…doubtful. “She has no working liver left.”

When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place.

What is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower than the heavenly
beings and crowned him with glory and honor

PSALM 8:4-5

This week I’m focusing on teaching my babes the creation account.  I found some things online to help; maybe they’ll help you as well!

Catechism to Memorize (Source: The Westminster Shorter Catechism):

Q. What is the work of creation?

A. The work of creation is, God’s making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good.

Creation Coloring Pages

Days of Creation – A Poem (Source)
Day one brought heaven earth and light.
It must have been so very bright!
Day two God made the clear blue sky.
A place for many birds to fly.
Day three brought land apart from seas.
With all the plants grass and trees.
Day four shone forth moon, stars and sun.
The work of God was not yet done.
Day five we see the fish and birds.
God did all of this with just His words.
Day six God formed all beasts and man
To finish His creation plan.
Day seven was especially blessed,
A day for worship and for rest.

Days of Creation (Source)
(Tune: This Old Man)
lyrics written and contributed by Sharon Broome

On day one God made light
Made the difference in day and night
God just spoke the words and it came true
Wonder what else God will do?

On day two Split in two
Skies above the water blue
God just spoke the words and it came to be
What will happen on day three?

On day three God made land
Then he put plants in the sand
God made herbs and grass and fruit on the tree
This was all done on day three

On day four God made lights
Some for days and some for nights
Stars are dim, but the sun and the moon are bright
Aren’t you glad that God made lights

On day five God made alive
Fish for the waters and birds for the skies
All the things that swim and birds to fly
These were made on day five

On day six God did fix
Animals, mankind and even ticks
God made lizards, cats, and other things that lick
Animals were created on day six

On day seven God in heaven
Rested from all the work he’d done
He’d made the earth, the stars, the moon, and sun
It was good what God had done

This video is fun for the babes…

This one just gives me the chills… Apollo 8 – The First Manned Mission to the Moon

Indescribable

“He counts the stars and calls them all by name.” Psalm 147:4

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Like the newness of the whole world, she knew she was a new creation…

Vows of the Groom

I, Peter David Bradrick, covenant before God and man, to you Kelly Jeannette to be your loving husband, and to lead you, to protect you, and provide for you in the fear of the Lord. I vow to love you as my wife even as Christ also loved the church, to lay down my life for you; to wash you with the water of the Word; to love you as my own body and to nourish and cherish you even as the Lord the does the church; to render unto you the affection due you, knowing that I do not have authority over my own body but you do; to dwell with you according to knowledge, giving honor unto you, as unto the weaker vessel, and living together with you as heirs together of the grace of life. You alone will be my delight as the wife of my youth. I will fight for you, for our sons, for our daughters, and for our household. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me. I will be yours in times of plenty and in times of want, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of failure and in times of triumph. I pledge to you my life as a loyal and faithful husband.

Vows of the Bride

I, Kelly Jeannette, covenant before God and man, to you Peter David Bradrick to be your loyal wife and to submit myself under your headship. Just as the Church is subject to Christ, so I will be to you in everything. I will live first unto our God and then unto you, loving you, caring for you, obeying you, and ever seeking to please you as my earthly lord. I will be your discreet, chaste keeper at home, diligently, industriously, and faithfully caring for the affairs of your household so that your heart may always safely trust in me. If the Lord chooses to so bless us, it will be my delight to be your fruitful bearer of children, and I will help you diligently teach them the commandments of the Lord as we talk of them in your house, as we walk by the way, when we lie down, and when we rise up. Wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me. I will be yours in times of plenty and in times of want, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of failure and in times of triumph, I pledge to you my life as an obedient and faithful wife.

Source.

None of us can.

None of us can do this child raising thing perfectly.

None of us can take the credit if our children have chosen godly lives.

It is by His grace and for His glory that we mold hearts and love well.

It is by His grace that children grow up to know Him and love Him.

It is by His grace that we fall into Him when we fail, because we will fail.

We are not going to get it all “right” and we are going to mess up time and time again. It is why we need Him so desperately, and it is why our children need Him so desperately.

Lead them to Him, because he is the only one who can teach and train and love and heal and comfort perfectly.  We can guide them to him, and love brokenly in the meantime.

Moms, don’t give up.

Feel the dust on your knees.

Remain faithful.

Persevere.

Stop comparing yourself with other mothers. Find an older woman to look up to and learn from, but don’t compare. Learn. Cry out to your God for wisdom and mercy.

“If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.”  2 Corinthians 11:30

1. Teach our children to love God with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength, and memorize God’s word together as a family.
2. Teach them to have a servant’s heart, leading by your example. Love your neighbor as yourself.
3. Daily read the Proverb of the Day that corresponds with the day of the month and discuss it as a family.
4. Diligently keep up with each child’s attitudes and actions and ask what is going on in their heart. Pray with them one on one letting them lead in prayer and then you closing the prayer time together.
5. Ask God to help you conquer anger because it can destroy your relationship with your children. Praise them ten times more than you correct them.

Source.

I also like there Duggar House Guidelines.

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The fruit of the Spirit art print can be found here.