August 30, 2009
Where the heart is...
Curriculum l Home l Meal Planner l Homeschool Planner l Articles
Welcome to the July 2009 edition of A Living Education E-zine!
Wow, I am just getting this in on time, one day to go until the end of Winter and then its Spring. The reason this ezine is so late is due to a number of factors.
We have been very busy preparing our garden for spring plantings and have been putting in long hours sowing seed, planting hanging baskets and making more room for more vegetables. Remember you can follow our food growing endeavors on urban homesteading blog.
During this time the Lord has been speaking to me about what I treasure. While I have been thinking along these lines..."I treasure my children/family/husband/home", there have been niggles in my heart because I have found over the years that where we spend our time is normally where our hearts are and therefore where we are storing up treasure in that place. Over the last few years I have spend a lot of time, perhaps too much time, building my online business
This has been a good thing in many ways as my websites are earning me a wonderful income and for this I give God all the praise. It has been great help in this economic climate.
However, while my family has never gone without me and has carried on to achieve their schooling and sporting goals, I have taken strain. This tiredness cannot be labeled as homeschool burnout as it is not related to homeschooling. This tiredness is due to my heart...so the Lord has been calling me away from the computer and, well, this is a long explanation for why the e-zine is late!
Charlotte Mason
Another thing that I have neglected is our nature study times. It has been wonderful that we have been busy in our garden, even installing an owl box and hopefully soon a hive, but Charlotte Mason in her wisdom speaks to us moms and teachers to make a regular trip out into a wild place to look, observe, marvel and journal about creation.
I think it is something that we will be doing much more of now that the weather is turning. For those in the north, even as your fall approaches dont be like the bears and squirrels and prepare for hibernation. Continue to make time in your week for a walk or a picnic with your family, before winter arrives in full force.
Family Relationships
One of my children have been battling with obedience. In a moment of desperation I called out to the Lord for His wisdom and because He is faithful He answered. I took this child into our vegetable garden as the Lord led, and we started pulling weeds together.
As we were spending time there I shared with him how our heart can be like a productive vegetable garden. I asked him to look around and tell me what he saw. Well, there were lots of winter veggies but also lots of weeds.
I shared then how our hearts grow both things too and we want to have more veggies that weeds growing. This illustration has been so helpful to him as he learns to choose the right response to my instructions.
Organizational Tips
The Flylady says: You cannot organize clutter! How true this is. There is another saying: One mans rubbish is anothers treasure.
As we are spring cleaning each room we are finding clothes, books, CD and other objects that we no longer use, but are still fully functional. Freecycle.org is a worldwide organization which runs on a yahoogroup by area where you can giveaway items for free. Do consider signing up for your area if you have things to giveaway.
Quote
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:20 - 21
Living books
I have shared with you readers before how much my family has enjoyed Patricia St Johns books. These Christian themed stories have the ability to stir our hearts and to help us grow in our relationship with the Lord.
I was delighted when a friend offered to lend me her copy of
Patricia St. John Tells Her Own Story
Even though we know that each of her 24 books that she wrote for children are fantastic, this book can be used as a read aloud for all ages, a read alone for fluent readers or for moms to read in a quiet moment.
Updates at Homeschool Curriculum for Life
This month I added a page to the site on Frugal Homeschooling ideas.
Going back to my introduction to this newsletter, I have decided that as much as I enjoy writing to my subscribers and sharing what is happening in our home and schooling as a means to encourage you in yours, I need to take a break from the regularity of writing.
I plan to change this ezine from a monthly one to a quarterly or intermittent and ask your indulgence for me to do so.
Please remember that all 39 of my past ezines have been back issued on my site for you to read as well as having been reformatted into my homeschool quick tips and I have loads of articles to encourage you in your tasks as well.
For all the new subscribers, do remember to sign up for one or two of my free E-courses:
Take care until next time,
God’s richest blessings to you as you homeschool,
Wendy
PS Please pay it forward by sending this E-zine on to other homeschooling moms who will benefit from my thoughts. If you received this from a friend, sign up here