Santa

We don't "do Santa" as it is traditionally done in many homes. It's not a legalistic thing at all, but a very practical one. In thinking about what I wanted Christmas to be in our family and what I did not, Santa just didn't make the cut.

I have absolutely no problem with Santa in stories, movies, and the like. I enjoy those things with my kids as I would enjoy any other fictional story during the year. I don't tell my children that Santa isn't real, not until they ask, anyway.

I just never tell them that he is.

I have taught them about the historical account of St. Nicholas who is a worthy historical figure because of his kind and charitable acts toward the poor. Yet honestly, I see no resemblance between him and today's Santa.

Next to Linus' monologue on Charlie Brown, my next most cherished Christmas television quote is the following...

"And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!

“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store.

Maybe Christmas … perhaps … means a little bit more!”

Many of us appreciate the truth that resounds from that quote. Some of us, like myself, even tear up a little after reading it or hearing it each year.

Practically, if I want to teach my kids that Jesus is the reason for the season and the time spent with loved ones and loving others are the things that we should focus on most, the Santa facade would be completely counterproductive. So we don't.

It just helps to keep our focus where it belongs.

Other reasons are as follows...

- Jesus, who already has enough competition during this season and every other time of the year.  I think of the fact that every time I would be mentioning Santa, I could be reminding them of the real reason for the season. I don't want to throw away those opportunities.

-It's lying and I don't lie to my children, not about the hard things, the easy things, or anything else in between.

-I don't want the god of materialism to reign in my home during any time of the year. To me, Santa is completely equivalent to that.

-One of the things that bothers me most is hearing adults say to children that they'd better be good because Santa is watching. That's a total lie. There are kids all over the world who are being good and who get nothing for Christmas, while there are children who have been anything but good getting rooms full of presents that they've never learned to appreciate. For that reason, I could never utter those words to my children.

My children enjoy presents just like anybody else's and I LOVE being able to spoil them this one time of year.

I'm thankful though, that even if we didn't have any of it, we have Jesus, and He is enough.

Boundaries

For anyone who wants to get a better understanding of God and his great love and care for all that He has created, the "healthy" parent/child relationship is one of the best places to look. 

One of the most important things that good parents do is to set appropriate boundaries and enforce them. 

Well...God does the same. 

Like children, many of us question or even scoff at the boundaries He sets. Many of us intentionally defy those boundaries. That is called sin.

Like our children, we often question God in regard to such things. Why, Lord, would you prohibit this or command me to do that? 

In time, those who are faithful followers of Christ press on long enough to learn just as our children often do, that He was right all along.

Many of God's commands are in stark contrast to the things that are tolerated in our world. 

There's friction there, externally as these things become social issues provoking arguments and disagreements among people, and internally, as we as Christians try to process the contradictions between a culture that is at war with holiness and the commands written in God's Word.

Here again, I hesitantly bring up Phil Roberson's interview with GQ. He has received both accolades and words of condemnation for the things that he said. Though his approach is not especially agreeable to me, there are parts of it that, because of my faith and its applications to the things that I see happening in the world today, I cannot disagree with. 

"Everything is blurred on what’s right and what’s wrong. Sin becomes fine…Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men,” -

Now before you get mad and leave, did you know that...
-an Italian high court recently found ‘romance’ in 60-year-old man’s sex with 11-year-old, and overturned his guilty verdict?
-Canada just struck down their remaining laws that prohibited prostitution?
-a federal judge delivered a victory to a family of reality TV polygamists by striking down part of a Utah law that prohibits polygamy?
-medical journals in the most esteemed institutions of education (like Harvard) have recently published documents classifying pedophilia as non-deviant behaviors?
-bestiality is practiced in many areas of the world today?

To me, this is indicative of a society and a world that has not only pushed the bounds of morality but rather, have broken them. 

What many do not perceive is that, once we begin to do things outside of the framework in which God has created us to live, there are no bounds to what extremes we will go.

Just as we have reasons for the things that we require of our children, God has good, solid reasons for the things that he requires of and denies us.

Lately, I've seen instances in which worldly studies and data are reflective of the wisdom inherent in doing things God's way. 

Again, did you know that...
-Porn has recently been proven to reduce sexual satisfaction among men?
-Studies show that women experience far greater sexual satisfaction and fewer regrets after having intercourse within committed relationships than just casually.
-Men who have sex with men, which the CDC estimates at four percent of the American population, are more than 44 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV/AIDS than heterosexual men. They make up 52 percent of the American population with HIV/AIDS, and account for about 63 percent of all new HIV/AIDS cases.

You have to wonder why the mainstream media doesn't report such statistics as are listed in my third example. Might it be that it flies in the face of the liberal agenda of normalizing homosexual behavior? Additionally, studies show that the majority of these men continue to have sex with other men despite knowing that they have AIDS.

In this country, where nurses are being required to get the flu shot for the protection of their patients, of what benefit is it to withhold such information from the general public?

Yet sadly, the more we as a society refuse to recognize homosexuality as a deviant behavior, the more of a problem this will become.

We set up fences for our children for good reason. God gives us boundaries in His word for good reason. It's okay to have doubts. If you do, I encourage you to talk to Him about it. Yet, whatever you do, I encourage you not to let those doubts take you off the path of righteousness that he has planned for your life.

My purpose is not to harp on homosexuality here, though I felt it important to address. Yet God, in His Word does not exalt this above any other sin.

"...know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." 
(1 Corinthians 6:9,10)

But thankfully that is not the end of the story.

"... such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:11)


I'm sorry but I can't come up with a better ending for any of us than that.

11 Things I Wish I Had Known Before Becoming a Mama

1. Your house is not supposed to be spotless and your husband is fine with that. The best thing you can do is develop routine, order, and mealtimes that are predictable and nourishing, Your house won't be really clean until all of your kids are in college and beyond, and it really doesn't matter to anybody but you. Live and laugh. Enjoy THIS. A happy family trumps a clean house any day.
2. REST, child! You will be a kinder, more loving mom and wife as a result.
3. Don't believe the popular lie that there just aren't enough hours in the day. It just leads to frustration and burn-out. And really, there is not enough time for you to do everything that you want to do BUT there is just enough time for you to do everything you need to do. Be guided by the Lord in this area, not by your flesh.
4. Start your day with the Lord. If you don't know where to begin, then buy one of Beth Moore's Bible studies and let her or another great Bible teacher lead you for a while. The Bible teaches that your spiritual nourishment is even more important than your physical nourishment. THIS is the main thing. KEEP it the main thing.
5. Less is more. Keep it simple. Your child does not need all of those toys that you feel like you just have to have. Stay away from electronic toys for as long as you can. Excess will add disorder and chaos to your home. In this distracted world, our children need to learn to focus on one thing at a time. Set up your environment accordingly.
5. You are not going to want to go back to work. Plan your finances and do without whatever you need to so that you won't have to. This time will pass way too fast. Be there, savor it, and enjoy it. Don't pass these pleasures on to someone else who is incapable of treasuring them as you do.
6. There will always be something to worry about. Yet, with each new challenge, God will bring mercies that far outweigh your troubles. He is the man with the plan. Keep your focus on Him and let Him be your peace so that He may be glorified through it all.
7. Don't compare yourself to other parents or your kids to other people's kids. Rejoice with others when their kids are doing well and encourage them when they are having trouble. In the grand scheme of things, you're all in this together. Your kids will be growing up in the same world with those kids and it is in everyone's best interest for them all to become the best people they can be.
8. This too shall pass. Really, it will.
9. Humble yourself and ask for help when you need it. We're put here to love and support each other. Help others when you can and don't be afraid to ask for help. God created us to live in communities, not in isolation. As His love is shared among people who are not required to serve each other in any way, He is glorified. Live out that truth.
10. Don't take credit for your kids' good qualities and behaviors or blame yourself for all of their bad ones. Much is genetically pre-determined. Just love them where they are, allowing the Lord to direct your paths as you allow Him to work through you to mold them and make them into all that He created them to be.
11. Keep it in order, God first, husband second, and kids third. Everything will run more smoothly and peacefully if you live within this framework.

Duck Dynasty

I kind of wish I had stayed away from FB today (though that would be a first) because this Duck Dynasty stuff keeps running through my head. I've liked a lot of things of seen, and then wished I could go back and unlike them all. I even shared one article. Then I deleted it.

Obviously my feelings have been mixed. I must empty my brain of this nonsense so I can sleep so here it goes; my thoughts are as follows...

-As my sister-in-law posted and I thought earlier today, we do have freedom of speech but that does not free us from the consequences of the things that we say. Period. Whoever you are, that's the truth.

-I've seen in a couple of places that GQ excluded part of the interview. If what I am seeing is in reference to this interview, then the part left out was pretty important. It said that the DD guy and his family don't judge and that they tell everybody about Jesus no matter who they are. That's the short version. Again, whether it's true or not, I don't know, but it changes things somewhat I think.

-I have to say personally, that some of the things I read in the interview made me squeamish. I didn't like the language that he used. You can quote the Bible all day in a respectful, loving way but much of what he said was far from that. A true follower of Christ needs to speak words that are God honoring or just not speak at all. As a friend asked me earlier, do you think Jesus and his disciples would have spoken the words that Phil spoke in that interview? I think not and I would guess that those of you who read the actual interview would agree with me. As Christians, our main goal in life should be to walk in love and in that interview, Mr. Phil missed the mark by far.

Don't get me wrong now. I agree with what the Bible says about homosexuality. Yet condemnation has never drawn a person to the Lord. Only love can do that.

-Now for some perspective...regardless of whether or not this suspension is permanent, he is going to be fine. Maybe he'll just have more time to hunt and do the things he loves. It sounds like they're pretty much financially set for life. So why the big uproar.

How consequential is any of this in the grand scheme of life? It is essential to put our energy and thoughts toward things that are worthy of them.

Speaking of that, do any of you remember Pastor Saeed? He is an American pastor imprisoned in Iran for the TERRIBLE crime of being a Christian, for telling others about Jesus just as the Bible teaches us to. He has two kids and a wife praying for his release so that he can come home to them in Idaho. He's been tortured mentally and physically and has endured more than any person should ever have to, and all for the cause of Christ.

So how many of you shared my posts about that? A day was set aside for rallying people to write their congressmen and the president to advocate for this man's release. How many of you went to the website and sent even one e-mail on his behalf? How many have prayed for him and his family?

It's far easier to click share on here and to blab out our opinions on every subject under the sun. It's much harder to actually stand for something real and to serve others in practical ways.

Keeping the main thing the main thing is tough, but there's little that will bring greater meaning to our lives and the lives of those around us than that.

Chore time

One thing I've learned in the last 10 years of being a parent is how important it is that we train our kids to do chores. It teaches them responsibility, emphasizes each person's important role in the family, and helps Mama out tremendously!

When we had two kids and were planning our third, I got really serious about it. I knew that to make room and time for another little person, some things were going to have to change.

Now for those of you who have come by during our messy house time (which happens every day), you're surely chuckling that I have the gumption to share something like this.

Yet balance is important. I perceive all of the learning opportunities inherent in playing with play dough, painting, making a big mess cooking in the kitchen, and building huge block structures that end up looking like they've endured a natural disaster.

It's about balance, though, just like with anything else.

So my kids have what I call jurisdictions, or areas in the house that they're responsible for cleaning up every day at certain times. I got the term from the Duggars, by the way.

So for anyone who is looking for encouragement in this area, this is how we do it.

When we began, I put their chore lists in paper protectors and taped them to the wall; they checked off each thing accomplished with a dry erase marker. That helped them to learn what was expected of them.

Morning chores/jurisdictions involve things as simple as dressing and brushing teeth to cleaning their bedrooms and practicing piano.

Afternoon jurisdictions for one child include feeding the chickens, collecting the eggs, cleaning either the living room or the toy room (they alternate this), and either washing dishes or folding a load of clothes (alternately as well.) The other oldest kid takes out the compost, dumps the recycling, along with cleaning one of the rooms mentioned above and doing either a load of laundry or washing dishes.

You can only imagine the feeling of relief verging on euphoria that I experience after seeing our house change from a disaster area to a place of order, balance, and tidiness after just 30-45 minutes of us all working on it together.

And THAT is why I wanted to share this. If any of you are in that frustrated place, then I encourage you to take control, formulate a plan, and just do it. The task may seem daunting right now, but I assure you, if you work with them consistently, they will get it. Your reward will come and so will theirs.

Due to being around his brothers and sisters, two year old Camden is good at cleaning up as well. There have been times lately when I thought he was dumping something out, went to check, and he was actually cleaning it all up.

That kind of thing really does make it all worthwhile. : )

History: Do They Want it to Be A Mystery?

I just got up from a sweet rest time with my 2 year old. It was nice until thoughts started assaulting me, for which reason I have been forced to release in some format or another...

I don't know why President Obama didn't go to the Gettysburg event in Illinois today to commemorate President Lincoln's speech, although it is somewhat surprising. Yet I guess when you look at the grand scheme of things that really, it's not so much.

I wonder how many school kids heard or read the Gettysburg address today. A poll of that would be interesting. Mine haven't, not yet anyway, but it is on the agenda.

I want to say that the problem with our nation's schools began long before Common Core. History is one subject that has not been taught well in schools, or at least in my lifetime.

As a "good student," graduating at least in the top thirty (number, not percent) of my senior class, my understanding of History as an almost 18 year old, had I been assessed, would have been an embarrassment.

I did not begin to care at all about History until Mrs. Elliot's 11th grade U.S. History class. Mrs. Elliot was an old lady with a bag on her side but she could do some historic reenactments like nobody's business. She was definitely passionate about the subject matter.

When I consider ALL that I learned throughout my 13 years of school in regard to History, the result is depressing. I don't think I could type one page on it.

Most people walking around today, if interviewed, would not be able to tell you who gave the Gettysburg Address or have any clue what it is. How sad it is that something so pivotal has been lost in the shuffle.

That, along with the fact that there are people suing for the right to say "The Pledge of Allegience" in our schools makes me sad.

It makes me want to ask "why," which leads me to the quote that went through my mind and initiated this post.

“Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it.”

Is that what they want? A group of people who are too ignorant to understand the corruption and evil that is overtaking our government, and thereby shackled to simple thoughts, hence incapable of calling out the powers that be for their wrongdoing and initiating positive change?

Well it seems that their plan is working quite well.

My recommendation, if History is not being taught at your child's school in a way that makes an impression and an accurate one, then teach it yourself. As a witness from 18 years of public education, you can't do any worse.

Like

Thanksgiving...
Feels like feet pacing across the floor impatiently, in anticipation of the day to come, like a cold nose, and air, cool, crisp, and invigorating, then like the warmth of my Grandma's house in contrast, taking my breath away, and her arms wrapped around me so tightly in welcome, squeezing the life out of me as I patiently endure, finally wiggling until she gives me release, grabbing on to my hand in one last attempt to secure me...
Looks like the painted, red fence behind my Grandma's house, with falling leaves covering the ground,
Smells like a smoking chimney, and the earthiness of decaying leaves, scattered across the ground,
Sounds like the creaking door of my Daddy's orange, Chevrolet truck, and its engine, pressing dutifully to our destination, and like crackling leaves, crunched by little feet and shouts and laughter as I run and play with my brother and cousins in Grandma's back yard,
And tastes like appetizer burgers and fries from McDonald's, as lunch is running late, and later like veggies piled high upon my plate in my typical effort to please, bitter to my inexperienced taste buds, followed by chocolate pie, bought the previous day at Wilson's Market.

When the Answer is No

This morning, I woke up really early, and was able to do my Bible reading in complete quietness. One thing I especially savored was reaching for and grabbing onto my Bible in the darkness of my bedroom. As I picked up the treasured book that my Grandma gave me, I felt like I had just caught hold of a good friend, though much more so.

I've read through the words of Jesus taking Passover with his disciples a few good times but I had never really slowed down enough to savor it. In the quietness, this morning I did. I put myself, as best I could, in their places, trying to experience the sensations that they felt and to understand what thoughts they must have been thinking.

Then I read on to Luke 22:42, where Jesus says, "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."

I would guess we all know how God responded, not audibly so, but since the crucifixion shortly followed, it seems that His answer to Jesus' heartfelt plea was "no."

According to the Bible, this was not a stoic moment for Jesus. Following the words in v42, "...being in agony (of mind), He prayed (all the) more earnestly and intently, and His sweat became like great clots of blood dropping down upon the ground." (Luke 22:44AMP)

We can only begin to grapple with the intensity of what he was feeling.

Yet he was still crucified. From that, I can only infer that to Jesus' fervent request, God said "no."

None of us like to be told "no" do we?

Over the course of the past year or so, I've read a quote something along the lines of this..."God's answers to your prayers are either yes, not now, or I have something better for you." I've even told my kids this a few times.

Yet after my reading this morning, I no longer think that it's true.

We must take care to not try to fit Jesus into a worldly mold. We are His workmanship. He is not ours.

When I'm tempted to sin, God definitely says "no." When I've prayed for the healing of loved ones with cancer, God has said "no."

I realize that the two scenarios are infinitely different, but each time, God said "no."

Do I believe that He has good reasons for saying "no." Most certainly!

I don't say "no" to my children unless it is necessary and in their best interests, and I believe that He uses the same love and wisdom in His dealings with us.

And do I believe that for the faithful follower of Jesus, every "no" is followed by a greater yes? Most definitely!

 I believe with all my heart that for every loss we endure, the gain will far surpass it. The key to enduring is keeping an eternal perspective.

This can only be done by reading the Bible and praying, every day.

Then we will learn to be thankful in all things as His word commands us, even in those moment when He answers us with a "no."

Opt Out, Parents!

Parents, are you not aware that you can opt your children out of these tests? Now, they are certainly not going to present this is an option; it would be strongly frowned upon by the higher ups. But YOU as a parent have the power to make choices for your children, to take a stand for what is right. 

Teachers won't speak out because they might lose their jobs. If you think K-2 testing is not coming to NC then you should think again. Just as it has in NY, stringent teacher rating programs are going to require it.

I would once have said that this is developmentally inappropriate. But now, I would side with the writer of the article I just shared and proclaim in my loudest voice that it is developmentally DESTRUCTIVE.

I wish I could explain to you how important brain development is in the first 10 years of life, and give you a concrete understanding of how much this Common Core debacle is going to cost our children, not only now but throughout their whole lives if someone does not stand up and stop this idiocy.

Who better to do it than their teachers? Who better to do it than their parents?!!

Get informed, I encourage you. Get informed and advocate for your child. They can't do this for themselves. Please stand up!!!

Teacher Mamas

Did you know that YOU, Mama, are your child's first and BEST teacher? 
Whether you work a full time job or stay at home full time, you are a teacher. 

We as women are often victims of comparison. Although, once we grasp that reality, it is our choice to discard the lies that have lead to that kind of thinking, or to allow them to keep suppressing us in our roles as mothers and wives.

God has given YOU the exact characteristics, strengths, and passions that you need to be the the mom that YOUR children need you to be. Whether you are artist mom, science mom, bookworm mom, homesteader mom, or all those things wrapped into one, you were designed specifically to mother the children that He has given to you.

You don't have to TRY to be enough; you ARE enough. The key is surrendering to Him daily, allowing Him to channel your passions in the ways that are most beneficial to your family, not you as an individual mind you, but you in the context of your family.

Though worldly thought tends to draw moms to perceive a mental divide between what is optimal for the individual female and what's optimal for her family, a Godly vision does not. If what you're doing is not in their best interest, then truly, it's not in yours.

For some that may seem constraining, but to me it brings meaning and beautiful simplicity to life.

Applying it and trusting Him for the results is what makes all the difference.

The Bigger Picture

We've done some Spanish today, completed chores, practiced piano, had a good Bible study lesson, and picnicked in the front yard. I learned a good lesson from that one; feed the chickens FIRST. 

Parenting is full of good lessons too, huh? If we don't keep a proper perspective, though, we can easily lose sight of this.

Have you ever perceived the bigger picture, that when you're teaching your little tyrant... (oops, I mean child) something, that you as a parent have something to learn as well.

If we look to God, He can take those broken pieces of a lost temper, misspoken word, selfishness, pride, etc. and transform it into opportunities through which we may grow in character and glorify Him in the process.

Keep learning, keep growing. Read His Word and pray, every day. If you don't have time for that, then you don't have time for anything. We were made to live lives glorifying to Him. Apart from Him, it's not possible.

The best part is that no tragedy, trial, or trouble is EVER wasted if you will submit your life, your days, minutes, and seconds to His authority.

Now we're gonna go paint some pumpkins. Have a great afternoon. : )

Non-Messy Alternative

We're likely to use the phrase "terrible twos" when we're viewing things from a defensive adult perspective. Our higher calling as parents requires that we as adults empathize with our children; that's how they will eventually (best case scenario) learn empathy.

The girls were just washing dishes and Camden climbed up on the stool ready to "help." Well, you can imagine how that would have gone. Anyway the girls naturally didn't like the disturbance so I offered him an alternative.

It's not that he wanted to make a mess; he just wanted to play with water. He's fascinated by it. I took out a little art tray with different compartments, put a little bit of water in the middle, and gave him a medicine cup, syringe, and a straw, and now he's having a terrific time and learning in the process. Even the girls finished what they were doing and joined in.

I'm thankful for non-messy alternatives. Family learning is fun. : )

We Need to Pay Attention...

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King, Jr

I guess if you perceive me as an outlier, you're probably right. I don't believe in conformity, not when it goes against my faith and value system anyway. Sometimes I wonder how many people read my stuff and consider me a troublemaker, though that's a funny thought actually. All the way through school, I was one of the kids with good grades who rarely talked. I remember being in elementary school and being 99% confident that I knew the right answer and not raising my hand because of that other 1%.

I look back and realize how sad that was.

I'm not looking for trouble with your child's curriculum. My life was simpler before I stared concerning myself with CC. Believe me, my job is full time and more, and I am not looking for another one. I'm not looking for trouble but it seems to have found me.

I truly would love to find evidence that it is the best thing going and that its creators have only the best intentions of your children at heart. But I'm not seeing it, or anything close to it.

I've prayed to God that if it is His will for me to leave it alone that He will take away my concerns; then I could just pour all of my passion into my own children and home with a thankful heart that we're not having to deal with it personally.

Then I wake up the next morning thinking about it again, feeling concerned for your children and what they're going to be dealing with on a given day.

I just pray that you are paying attention, parents, and that if you see that something is wrong you will express your concerns. Your children deserve your very best advocacy in this area. Don't be lazy, distracted, or too busy to do the right thing.

Don't count the cost of standing up for what's right; the cost to your child, educationally and personally, will be far greater if you ignore the problems.

"Nothing you do for children is ever wasted."

Why I'm Against Common Core: Part 1

-Common Core has not been field tested, and it is now the curriculum being used in most of our states. Nor is it modeled after one of the numerous countries (at least 16) that is ahead of us educationally.

-This was not written by educators. It was spearheaded and financed by Bill and Melinda Gates.

I heard a testimony this morning from a lady who used to write the state curriculums and set teacher licensing requirements in Minnesota. She explained the part that she had in its implementation in her state. It went as follows...

Sandra Stotsley, whose position is equitable to that one of the big dogs at the NC Dept. of Public Instruction, was chosen to be on a validation committee for CC along with about 26 others. She was one of only two content experts or professionals in the field of education chosen for this committee. The other 24 were people who worked for testing companies. Everyone except this woman and another experienced teacher gave the common core their seal of approval. Note...Testing companies are all for this. Pearson, especially is getting big bucks through its implementation.

-If you thought testing was a problem with No Child Left Behind, you will see that Common Core blows that completely out of the water. In many states, Kindergartners are being tested. They are being required to fill in bubbles while many of them don't even know how to hold a pencil yet. This is ethically, morally, and developmentally wrong.

-Here in Person County, a select group of teachers met last year to create lesson plans for the classrooms in the county. Teachers are expected to follow these lesson plans. This curriculum is taking away their freedom to create lessons that they feel will best suit their students.

If you've never worked in a classroom, you may not be able to begin to conceive the problems that come along with this. It can best be summed up in my opinion by the following quote...

"If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn."

Common Core takes away teachers' ability to do that.

-I've seen math problems as they are taught in CC. Though throughout school, I was always in the top math classes (I really don't know how that happened), I couldn't make heads or tails of it. The following  well represents the change in the math curriculum.

"The classic method of, for example, adding two-digit numbers is to add the digits in the “ones” column, carry the remainder to the “tens” column, and then add the “tens” digits. This “standard algorithm” works first time, every time. 

But instead of teaching this method, which enables students to solve problems quickly and routinely, Common Core creates a two-step process. 

The first is to let students choose from several alternative algorithms (number lines, estimating, etc.) for doing one-digit additions, subtractions, and multiplications. 

The second is probably to extend these student constructions to more complex calculations. (We say “probably” because the standards are not at all clear on this point.) 

There is no point where the student-constructed algorithms are explicitly replaced by the very efficient standard methods for doing one-digit operations.

Why does Common Core adopt this convoluted method of teaching math? The stated reason is that learning the standard algorithm doesn’t give students a “deeper conceptual understanding” of what they’re doing. But the use of student-constructed algorithms is at odds with the practices of high-achieving countries and is not supported by research. Common Core is using our children for a huge and risky experiment."

Answered Prayers

"And Jesus said, to him, "If you can! All things are possible for one who believes." (Mark 9:23)

I've had two prayers answered with "yes" this morning. While many would call them coincidences or good luck, I won't; I don't believe in those things. I believe in God; I prayed two things very specifically and He made them happen.

I wrote in my NB recently about this verse...

"In the past, I've questioned this Scripture (above) and some like it because I've experienced times of having faith in a healing that did not come. Yet what I'm seeing here is that faith can bring things into the realm of possibility; that doesn't necessarily mean that things are going to play out the way we want them to."

"Yet, faith is extremely important. What an amazing thought that ANYTHING in the heart of a true follower of Christ can come into the realm of possibility through faith."

Prayer is an expression of faith. If you're speaking it to God, then it may happen. When you pray for a good outcome, even in situations that appear hopeless, He can produce a positive result.

Here's the rub. When things don't turn out the way you think they should, you're supposed to keep on trusting Him anyway. Just as we expect our children to trust in our love and our good judgment for their lives, we are to trust in our Heavenly Father for those same things for our own.

With all of the trouble in the world and in our small town, I guess it is hard to fathom that a loving God will work sometimes in the little things (though our relationship with Him is truly no little thing) and then allow tragic things to happen. We all have to work through this issues in the midst of our faith walk.

Where I am now in that understanding is this. God has an individual plan for each of our lives. The most important thing is that we live surrendered to the plans and paths for our lives through which He may be most glorified.

We focus on the temporal but He sees the eternal. Our lifetimes here are like a grain of sand on the beach when compared to eternity.

Keep your focus on Him in the midst of trouble. He is bigger than any of it. Even better, get involved. Live your life according to His promises and BE a part of His great plan by pouring the blessings of your life into the lives of others.

All my love! Happy Sunday! : )

Common Core Curriculum

Until fairly recently, I had never feared the federal takeover of anything. Even now, if a plan created by the federal government for the people, if by all appearances was in the best interest of the American people, I would support it.

Yet my experience is becoming so that I believe more all the time that those instances are few and far between, if not non-existent.

A lot of people are "up in arms" about healthcare, and their concerns are reasonable. I have concerns of my own about it.

Yet, I perceive that the greater threat to our nation and its people is being ignored by most. In actuality, it has gone too far to be perceived as a threat; it has become a reality. I am referring to the Common Core Curriculum.

Teachers don't like it and many even despise it, though they are afraid that if they say so they're going to lose their jobs. They have lost control over their classrooms. Lesson plans for the year have been distributed and they are expected to follow them. Regardless of individual needs and the makeup of their classes, they are expected to adhere to those lesson plans. They are no longer allowed to think. They are expected to act as trained, mechanical devices with no intellect of their own. 

Teachers, you did NOT go to school for this. 

As for students, they are on the receiving end. They are required, even from Kindergarten, to master material for which they have been given no concrete framework of understanding. The knowledge being imparted is not knowledge at all. Lesson plans being implemented seem to complicate the learning process rather than simplifying it. As teachers are being required to teach their lessons exactly as they are written, students are having to endure a one size fits all approach to learning. This "my way or the highway" mentality has never brought about anything good and it never will.

Why do I care? I homeschool so why on earth is this bothering me so much? It would be much easier if it didn't. 

My best answer is that I am a natural born educator. I love children and want what's best for them.

Aside from this, the success of our nation depends on the education of our children. Ultimately we will all be affected by these changes. 

My plea to you parents and teachers is to stand up for what is right. It is too easy in this era of big government to believe that what you do doesn't matter. That is a lie. Every good change that has ever come about started with an individual. Stop talking quietly to those who have no influence and start speaking up to those who do. Write letters to the president, governor, and our representatives in Congress. Write letters to our Board of Education members or go and talk to them personally. Express your concerns to your principal. 

For the sake of your children, share their experiences and yours. Make your voices heard. Stand up for your children. If you don't, who will?

 Apparently, I will but we can get a lot more done together than apart. Let's do this.

I was looking through an American Girl magazine this morning that came in the mail yesterday. As my daughter was pointing out the things she liked, I looked at some of the prices and thought I might choke on my toast.

How could I buy a $36 dress for a doll when I know that I could buy two chickens for a hungry family with less than that? Who are we and who have we become? I can understand why so many people in the world hold us in such contempt. 

I am not the best giver, but I am learning. I'm praying that God will show me avenues through which what we give as a family will be of the greatest benefit. I'm thankful for His conviction and that He is faithful to answer our prayers.

May we now and on into the Christmas season live out the truth that it really is more blessed to give than to receive.

Maybe we should make lists of things that we can do for others rather than lists for ourselves.

Our children deserve better. Their little souls deserve better. Where we put our money matters, temporally and eternally. I pray the Lord will grant us generous spirits and surrendered hearts and minds to this end.

This is Why We Do It

Homeschooling is 100 percent the best choice for my family. I love teaching. I taught K and Pre-K before I had my first child, and then went back to work. I was miserable. I'm thankful for that. I came home and opened a home daycare so I could be with my son all day, every day.

Teaching is a part of me, a part of everything I do. As a result of that and the fact that kids are naturally inquisitive, they have been learning in a very natural, realistic way since birth. This makes learning fun and enables me to be less encumbered by the academic stress that limits so many.

Homeschooling has made our family closer. Everything is connected in a very natural way. My husband is able to call twice a day and find out what we're all doing. We all eat dinner together, and breakfast and lunch. My kids are best friends, so much closer than they would be if they were in public school. I read God's Word with them almost every day.

There's simply no end to the benefits of doing this. Maybe it's because teaching is my thing, but I have absolutely nothing negative to say. I love what I do. I love my family. I love that they are my focus and that everything I do is for them and to the end of glorifying God.

It's such a blessing to see His master plans unfold in our homes and hearts daily. He is so good and so faithful.

Many moms lose their passion because they're not looking to the Lord to sustain them. I've learned that giving Him just a little bit of time in the morning makes all the difference in my attitude and in our day. Do your part, and He will do so much more.

I saw a job title of a lady on FB that was something along the lines of "CEO of (family's last name)." I really liked that a lot. Mothering is an extremely important job, and making a house a home and loving your husband in the midst of it just adds to that complexity. There's nothing boring about it. It stimulates me. It drives me. It is my God given passion.

There's always something to be learned, always something that you can do better, and all the more if you don't have to work a job that sucks the lifeblood out of you.

I would prefer this role over that of a queen in a palace. That's the truth.

Common Core

Currently our school system is in the process of a massive overhaul. This year, North Carolina and many other states are implementing the Common Core Curriculum. North Carolina bought (or to state more accurately, was bought) into these national standards for education. 

Little as parents are aware of the extent to which this will alter the educational experiences of their children, you might construe that it was carried out undercover, and intentionally that way. Deep pocketed proponents have been so efficient in this process that perception even among the most educated is that it is a done deal, and that there is no turning back.

However, although many seem to have forgotten, ours is a democratic government. If we don't agree with something, and especially something as personal as how our children are being educated, we do have the right to speak out. I'm writing this to encourage you to do just that.

May we as a people not be lulled into complacency when it comes to things that really matter. May we not allow busyness to distract us from keeping the main thing the main thing. I encourage you parents, as you and your children experience the fall-out of these drastic changes, to not keep quiet. Speak to or write letters to the members of our Board of Education, write letters to our Senators and representatives, research and share information on social networks, and advocate for your children through every other avenue that you can find.

Most of all, when your children, even your Kindergarten children, bring home papers that even you can't decipher, do not blame them. Do not push them to try harder when you know they are already doing their best. Encourage them. Take stock of their strengths and build upon those areas. Let them know that you love them unconditionally, and that a test cannot BEGIN to define them or their value in any way, shape, or form.

Ask yourself whether or not what is being taught is worth knowing. The true goal of education is not to achieve a desired letter grade or numerical score. A time will come when all of that will be unconsequential. If all that is gained is a long list of competencies that look good in a database but are in no way applicable to the real life aspirations of our children, then sadly we will look back and see that it was all just a big waste of time.

My New Diet

I'm trying this new diet, a Facebook diet. I've felt changes in my heart and mind lately, a greater challenge to live out my priorities in a more meaningful way. When I first started Facebooking, I thought it was the just about the coolest thing on earth. It has been terrific for helping me to connect with old friends and in making new ones, learning about world events, sharing and strengthening my faith.

Yet as time has gone on, I've noticed that staying connected in one area can diminish connections in the areas of life that matter the most.

This is my second day of my diet. This morning I've spent so much more time with my two year old than normal; we've played in the living room floor with blocks and cars and we fed the chickens while breathing the fresh fall air and looking at puffy, white clouds.

And I felt fully there!

I'm realizing that my strong-willed little boy needs me not only during meals and in the midst of routines; he needs me to be there just because I love him and I want to be. I want to know him more so I can love him better.

I feel less pulled and distracted and so much more peaceful.

Time goes by so fast and we can't make more of it. Yet I'm choosing to redeem the time that I have been given for all that it's worth. And I'm excited!

Playground Talk

One side effect of having a writer's brain is that even your embarrassing moments become fodder subject to some level of publication.

I don't normally think of myself as clumsy. I jog and don't remember the last time I fell; that was true before this morning at least. 

I do often trip as I'm crossing the street beside Huck Sansbury. I usually laugh at myself, and then have a moment of thankfulness for my agility.

Well, this morning was not like that. I was running, or kind of barreling down the hill on Gordon Street, and I tripped and landed pretty hard on the pavement. A guy stopped in his truck and asked if I was okay, while a lady stood on her porch asking the same thing. They kindly waited while I stood up to check, and then I finished my run.

It felt good, not the burning, bloody knee and elbow, but it felt good to be able to get up and finish. I felt strong and capable, which is one of my biggest reasons for running in the first place.

Running makes me feel strong and capable, which leads me to my actual point.

Our kids need to feel strong and capable too. They need loving care and responsive parents, but they also need to feel strong and capable.

We can do that by NOT saying when they're outside...

-Don't run. You'll fall.
-Awww, don't sit down in that. You'll get your clothes dirty.
-Don't hurt yourself.
-Be careful.

Most of these are words from the hearts of well meaning parents, but I encourage you to see deeper to how the kids are likely to receive them.

When they hear...

-"Don't run. You'll fall," they may be hearing, "You little pansy. I don't think you're strong enough to pick yourself up if you fall."

-"Awww, don't sit down in that. Your clothes will get dirty," they may be hearing "Appearance is more important than authenticity. Stay clean so I can put pretty pics. of you on FB so it will look like I'm a really great parent."

-"Don't hurt yourself," they may hear "I see you as incompetent and incapable of overcoming obstacles. Also, this world is a very scary place and you should act accordingly."

We all need to find balance in these areas. Yet, we are not preparing our kids to live in this hard world successfully and independently if we protect them from everything uncomfortable or painful, and discourage them from physical challenges.

Maybe the best way we can remind ourselves of this is to grab our kids and take on some of them together.