An unmarried, teenaged girl. A poor carpenter pledged to be her husband. Two of the most unlikely people chosen to birth and be responsible for the upbringing of the Savior. Even though we know how the Christmas Story unfolds, we still marvel each year at what seems to be so unexpected. We say, as the song goes, that it was "such a strange way to save the world." But is it really that unexpected? All throughout the Old Testament, we are told of God's plan of salvation beginning with the promise to Abraham in Genesis 15:5. From his line of descendants (as numerous as the stars) was to come the long awaited Messiah. The Gospel of Matthew starts out with the genealogy of Jesus, revealing Christ's family tree. It strikes me ... Read More...
3 Ways Homeschooling Helps A Child Attach After Adoption
November is National Adoption Month, and I'm thrilled to have Naomi Quick as my guest poster today! She is a homeschooling mom of six, and the author of Don't Waste Your Wait: Embracing the Journey of Bringing Your Child Home. You won't want to miss her insights into the connection between homeschooling and adoption. Naomi is also generously giving away a copy of her book to one person! Enter to win your copy at the end of this post. We decided to homeschool when we were pregnant with our first child. As a homeschool graduate at 17, I could appreciate the benefits of home education. Benefits such as children being able to learn at their own pace, using teaching methods tailored to a child’s strengths, and incorporating the foundational ... Read More...
Dear Mom Burdened With Endless Needs
As I folded the weekly mountain of laundry the other day, my son sat on a chair next to the bed and read his Bible chapter out loud. Among socks, shirts, and underwear, I was transported to the story in Numbers 11 where the Israelites are complaining about only ever getting manna to eat in the wilderness. And Moses had had it up to here with their whining. He began crying out to the Lord, claiming how unfair it was of God to burden him with all their needs. Hmmm, sound familiar? "Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth?" he asks. When my kiddo got to the part where Moses said, "If this is how you're going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me," he burst out laughing. In its context it was a rather hilarious statement. ... Read More...
The One Thing You Must Do to be a Great Homemaker
My family and I recently experienced an unexpected move. Things were just settling down after another unexpected event, the passing of my father. We had fixed up the school room with a new coat of paint and gotten everything organized. Then, we learned that the owner of the house we've been renting for the past two years wanted to sell it, so we moved into another development about three minutes away. And for the past couple of weeks, I've mainly been consumed with unpacking, organizing, and decorating the new house, trying to get "a place for everything and everything in its place". If you've read this blog for a while, you know my struggle with anxiety, fear, perfectionism, and allowing myself to rest. Having a neat, orderly home helps ... Read More...
To The Mom Who Believes Her Work Is Ordinary
One of the biggest lies these days is that your act of mothering is unimportant. That what you do every day is so ordinary, you can easily be replaced with a daycare worker or teacher. That you should be doing something else more significant, more valuable. This lie from the pit of hell has been packaged and sold in various forms to women over the last five decades. The most blatant is that motherhood is synonymous with slavery and if you have children, your life as you know it will be over. Okay, changed forever, yes, but not OVER. The truth is that mothering is Kingdom work, and essential to the Great Commission. This is why it is so viciously attacked. Feminists might be sowing the seeds of discontent, but the enemy of our ... Read More...