Church!

Today, I am weary of people.  

I am weary of myself!  

I am worn out not just by the political dialogue, I am irritated by my tenants and I am burdened by discord and I am discouraged by my own impatient responses to my husband and children.

I am so glad that Sunday is right around the corner.  

Sunday School and corporate worship and the joy of serving.

There is no substitute for being in the house of the Lord with His people. 

I have supportive friends and a loving family,  but the worship and fellowship with my fellow believers re-sets me each week.  I do not find even the needed, warm, instructive and accepting environment of a small group to be a replacement for weekly church.

Attending church isn't a Magic Pill.  It's not even the heart of my Christianity- Christ is- and I have everything I need - My Bible, the Word of God- to know Him, love Him and serve Him, even if I never entered a church.  Yes, it is true, as a rebellious teenager will sometimes shout:  "I don't have to go to church to be a Christian!"

Although it is community it is much more than community.   Although it is instruction, opportunities for service, prayer, and praising God with worship songs, it is much more than these things.  These things result in my heart feeling loved.  These things result in my actions, thoughts, and words being challenged.  These things result in conviction and change.  These things result in motivating me to dig deeper into the Word, to love better, to serve differently.  Regular church attendance helps me sync my life with what God wants for it.  It creates a weekly "re-set".

I am 41 years old and I have likely attended 4,250 church services, plus approximately 2,000 Sunday School classes.  Do I just have this habit because it is what I grew up doing, what I know to do?  My answer is that I could not be more thankful that I grew up attending church and praise the Lord there has not been one part of my adult life when I have decided that I don't need it.  

Many Millennials have opted out of regular church attendance, citing hypocrisy in the church, in part. They feel that church is not relevant to them, not necessary in their spiritual growth.

Now I could attend church weekly and have a heart of stone.  "Being in a barn doesn't make you a cow."  Like all things, it is a matter of the heart.  I am not suggesting rigidity or church attendance as a measuring tool for godliness.  

But I will not disparage the humble habit of weekly church attendance.  I will not regard as inferior the small, basement Sunday School classrooms, smelling of vanilla wafers, with middle-aged women who open The Word and use flannelgraph boards.  I will not lift up or put down the Biblically-sound megachurches with their concert-quality musicians and their cafes and catchy slogans.  

These are the rooms where my faith was built and my mind and heart have been fed.  And even after a difficult choice to change churches and even when I don't quite feel settled yet- even after several years- I feel loved and I am fed and I love attending my church!  It is my weekly re-set.  It is noticeable when we forsake the assembly and it is immeasurable when we don't.  

One for the Mamas!

Some days are all glory and flowers.  Hope & peace & joy & fulfillment. 
Some days are not!

Some days are carefully constructed "Thankful Trees".

Some days- The pumpkin sits with no words written on it.

Even though this was the plan:

Some days we adjust.  And we throw our plans out the window.  Because some days our children need remarkable crafts from us and devotions that inspire and activities that become catalyst for thought.  And some days they need to be picked up early & they need a hug, some medicine, some essential oils & to be tucked in.  And some days they need to see that we can change our plans because we need to rest, or they need to rest, or a neighbor needs us.  

Mamas, one of the primary ways you are being salt & light in this world is by being a mama to these people you call children!!

And, oh to realize that it looks almost nothing like you thought it would, like you think it should, but that it is everything that it is supposed to be.  

"Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary."  -Galatians 6.

"Perfect thankful trees are deceptive and thankful pumpkins are fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."  -Proverbs 31.  Or something like that!!!

Moms: We Can't Do It All!!!

No question is worse to me than being asked,
"Have you been productive?"
"Have you had a productive day?"
[cringe]

Well, what do you consider productive? 
Are you asking if my laundry is done, my dishes are done, my house is clean?
Are you asking if all of these are done- at the same time!?
Are you asking if I exercised & had my devotions?
Why in the world are you asking me that?
Maybe you are asking because I've shared that I struggle with balance & feeling frustrated when my house is messy. 

Is it considered "productive" for me to sit in my car in the driveway for 45 minutes after I arrive home because this is the exact time that my teenager needs a listening ear? 
Is it "productive" for me to REST?
Is it "productive" for me to rest, even if my house is still messy?  Even if there is still more to do?

Like most moms I am really hardest on myself and it is with my self that I need to reconcile the reality that I cannot have it all, I cannot do it all. 

Recently I mentioned to another mom that it was so much easier for me when I was homeschooling, (and working!).  Now that I am working 5 days a week I find it very challenging if not impossible to find time to clean as much as I would like to.  When I homeschooled we had adequate "family time" because we were together all the time and fitting that in came easily.  Now, we look to weekends and evenings for family time, leaving me even less time for cleaning!  I really appreciate how the mom responded.  She said that she thinks it is harder to homeschool than to work, and reminded me that our personalities, preferences and giftings play strongly into which we find more rewarding or more challenging or more natural.  This is very true.  I am personally most satisfied when I get to spend lots of time with my family and lots of time at home.  That's not true for everyone. 

Today I took a day off work because I was desperate to "curb the crazy chaos" that is my house right now!!  Why is my house a crazy, chaotic mess right now?  Mostly because I can't have it all!! 

I can't possibly work 5 days a week, drive 2.5 hours a day, make homemade meals, have goats & chickens, attend church on Sundays, enjoy my hobbies, invest in my marriage, spend time in the Word & in prayer, wash dishes & laundry, run errands, have a garden, spend time with friends & family AND have an immaculate house.  I just can't! 

Moms, the first step is realizing that we cannot do everything. 
We all know this in our heads.  We all know that we can't, but then we go ahead and try to do it all anyway!!  We secretly think that somehow we are different . We can do it all.  Or just as wrong- we think that we should do it all.

The second step is to prioritize. 
Priorities often change with the seasons of life.  Maybe you are taking a child to speech therapy three times a week and physical therapy three times a week and between that and all it means to have a baby and a two year old, you are exhausted!  Maybe you are in an important stage of your career and right now your career needs more attention than you have had to give it in the past.  Maybe you are in school.  Maybe you are emotionally and/or physically exhausted from an illness, a difficulty, and most of your output goes to that, leaving little left for other things. 

What are your priorities for right now, based on your personality, situation, preferences, etc? 
Maybe having a spotless house is non-negotiable for you, and you don't work outside of the house, and you can make that work.  Great.  Maybe making homemade meals isn't important at all to you.  Don't stress about it- that's fine!  Put your energies elsewhere. 

Comparison destroys contentment.  Don't compare your weakness to someone else's strengths.  I personally will stay up all night making cake pops, knitting a sweater, scrapbooking, getting ready for a Field Day.  Those types of things energize me and I enjoy them greatly.  I am terrible at decorating.  Not only am I lousy at it, I honestly don't really care.  I don't even have curtains at my house.  20 windows in my house and only 2 have curtains.  I just don't even think they matter!!  But I could start feeling quite cruddy about myself if I thought I was supposed to- Celebrate holidays, (a strength of mine), AND be an awesome decorator.  I'm not.  I'm just not!  God didn't make me that way!

So at this stage in my life my priorities are:

• Sending both my kids to Christian school.  
• Homesteading:  Maple syrup, Gardens, Foraging, Dairy goats & chickens, etc.
• Investing in my marriage.
• Quality time with family.
• Time with God.  (Church, devotions, ministry.)  
• Hobbies.  My hobbies are very good for my self-esteem.  They are a creative outlet.  

At this stage in my life, some non-negotiables are:

• We live a solid 30 minutes from school/ church.
• I have allowed my child to get a job.  My child does not have a license or a car.  This means that either I'm going to make an extra round trip to home and back each day my child works OR I am going to stay in town to conserve gas/ money.

Moms, step three is to look at your priorities, look at what must be done, and learn to let some things go.  And to not feel badly about that!!!  Why don't we feel badly about this?  Because, Moms, we cannot have it all!  We cannot do everything!  It is impossible.  For everyone!!  If I want my kids to be in a Christian school, the fact of the matter is that I am going to have to work 5 days/ week.  So I can either submit to that or I can fight that, always feeling frustrated that I can't be home.  If homesteading is important to me, than I can expect that the summer and fall are going to be a busy time for me, and that I will have even less time for extra things.  If I am working so my kids can be in school and I am spending my early mornings and evenings canning food and weeding the garden and picking berries, (because I want to), and I decide to make a bunch of knitted gifts, (because I want to and I find it relaxing and a healthy hobby), and I decide to knit:  4 long infinity scarves & 7 baby hats & 3 winter hats & a baby sweater & several dishcloths all in less than 3 months, then-  my goodness!!!  Of course my house isn't as clean as I would like it to be!!  (Yes, this has been my last three -joyous- months.)

Fourth:  If we are not expecting ourselves to do it all, then we had better not be expecting other moms to do it all.  [Don't judge.]  We have ALL done it, so let's not pretend we haven't.  We see how messy another mom's house is and at best we secretly judge.  At worst, we tell someone else that their house is messy.  We attend a child's birthday party and judge the store-bought cake.  (We would never have bought a cake.  Homemade- always.)  In this case, we compare our strengths to someone else's weaknesses. 

How about instead of judging- judging ourselves as well as judging other moms- we offer acceptance.  That alone is often enough because it is not always offered!!  Maybe we offer help!  Maybe you love dying Easter eggs and making gingerbread houses and maybe your Mom Friend feels like she is supposed to want to do these things but she cannot-even-handle-the idea.  Maybe you can dye eggs with her kids and make gingerbread houses with them and hey- maybe she will clean your bathroom!! 

Moms, cut yourselves an ENORMOUS break.
Moms, do not believe that you are supposed to be good at everything and do everything.
Moms, evaluate and make adjustments when necessary, (like taking a day off from work to get some cleaning done!).  Try to shape your life so that it is working for you and the way that God made you and the current situation you are in.
Moms, encourage other moms.  
Moms, be productive in the manner that God has called you to for the hour of the day that you are in!!  And remember that not only is this different for each mom, it will be different for you too- depending on the day and the month and the year and the season! 

As for me, it has been great to be home today!!  Brings joy to my heart!  (Still had to drive 2 hours, but- time in the car with my kids is something I will never complain about!!  But that is for another blog post!)  Even though haven't an immaculate house is not a high priority for me right now, having a decently clean one is, so it's been good to get closer to this goal!  But even then, I took the time to write this post, (my creative outlet for today), as well as play a game at lunch time with my husband, (part of my quality family time for today.) 

Hard Realities and the Growth that Comes as a Result.

Today I dropped my kids off with their dad.  For the rest of the summer.  They will come back just before school starts.  We have a new custody arrangement, one of the results of a divorce modification which culminated in a trial nearly a year ago.  Their dad asked for 8 weeks in the summer.  I countered with 3 weeks.  The judge decided on 5 weeks.  This is the most time that they have ever spent with their dad, post-divorce.

I didn't have children to not spend time with them.  It's unnatural. Sad.  Hard.

My kids were 1.5 and 3.5 years old when their dad decided to leave.  However, it wasn't until they were 2.5 and 4.5 that I had to drop them off at their dad's apartment for overnights.  I am telling you~ That first time that I packed their little backpacks and drove across town and walked them up the stairs and drove away:  I thought I was going to die.  It was very, very hard.

Being divorced and having your kids go back and forth between homes is a hard reality.  I have known today's extended visitation was coming, and I knew that it would be even more challenging because my daughter, Noelle, just arrived home 2 days ago from a month in Africa, only to turn around and leave again.  I had a little cry/ release about the whole thing today.

But, if we as parents think this is hard, we can't even imagine how it feels for our kids.  The kids of divorce are always the losers.  All they want is to love their Dad and to love their Mom and to have their Mom & Dad be together and to be able to be with both parents at once.  Divorce crushes kids.  It's not just something that they have to deal with in their childhood, the pain is long-lasting and the effects go on for a lifetime. 

When my husband told me that he was leaving, I remember calling my pastor and just crying.  Naturally I was devastated for myself.  My dream of a godly marriage and lots of children was ripped away.  But that night I remember mostly talking to him about my kids.  "What about my kids??", I wailed.  Every single life event from then on was going to be different.  Not to mention daily life.  They would never again come home to a mom and a dad.  Just horrible. 


Now let me say, I am truly thankful for what I have.  I have children- I am so thankful to God for that!  I have had the privilege of spending a great deal of time with my children, (for a divorced parent.)  I don't have to look far to see the pain from a lack of time with your child.  For the past 2+ years, my husband, for years the primary caregiver for his daughter, has spent very little time with her.  That is very painful.  Raw. 

So sometimes it's hard to be too sad about any part of my situation when comparatively, his is much harder.  I have a friend who helped me with this perspective.  At the time, her son & my daughter were both in physical therapy.  Noelle had multiple speech therapy and physical therapy appointments a week, on top of neurologist appointments and issues with her asthma, allergies & eczema.  But- My friend's son had severe issues.  A feeding tube.  Vomiting.  Autism.  Many more therapy and doctor appointments than Noelle and much harsher medical realities.  When we hung out and my friend would ask about how Noelle was doing in therapy, I would say, "Oh goodness.  We are fine!  She is fine!  She doesn't have a diagnosis!  What we are experiencing is nothing compared to what you are experiencing!"  My friend stopped me.  She said that just because her "leg is amputated" doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt when I break my leg, or stub my toe.  What a friend! 

So yes, sending my kids off for the rest of the summer is a hard reality.

However, everyone has hard realities.  Difficulties with health, finances, relationships.  Everyone.

The treasure is that it is usually through these difficult times that we grow in our faith.  We draw closer to the Lord.  My relationship with the Lord is absolutely, without question better and stronger because of the trials of my life. 

I had to learn to let go.  Funny, how we think we are keeping things in place or controlling anything at all!!  That week, years ago, when my husband left, I remember one day very specifically.  It was a Wednesday.  My one year old and my three year old were playing in the living room and I sat on the couch all day long.  "What am I going to do?"  Oh, that cry out to God.  The anguish.  The Spirit interceding for me with groanings too deep for words.  (Romans 8:26).  "Well, God, you are going to have to figure this out."  It was a release of control.  It was a spiritually significant day in my faith journey.  And as my mom said, "That's how God wants us to always be!  Not just in crisis, but all the time.  Letting go of trying to control our lives.  Releasing them and yielding to the Father." 

So, in hard realities we can be thankful that they are catalysts for growth.  Maybe you didn't grow up in a Christian home.  Maybe your husband doesn't lead you spiritually.  Maybe infertility has left you in a state of grief.  Maybe you are caring for an elderly parent and the struggle is very real.

I am so thankful that God has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong."  (2 Corinthians 12:9-10.)

"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."  (Psalm 34:18.  The Bible is full of comfort for us.  Also, God can use anything that is meant for evil against us, for good.  (Genesis 50:20).  

Whatever our situation, it is important to come to an acceptance of it.  Definitely change the things you can, but accept what you cannot.  Acceptance has been a big part of my spiritual journey.  

My daughter has asthma.  She is, of course, wise to be knowledgeable about asthma.  To be aware of her triggers.  To take her medication and follow expert advice.  It would be unwise to act as though she didn't have asthma- To try to climb a mountain without an inhaler, to push the limits.  My daughter has to have an acceptance that she has asthma and this may limit her in a few things.  


We all have to accept our limitations and not endlessly struggle against them.  Certain stages of life limit us.  Health problems can limit us.  The acceptance that this is my situation and I need to live within these confines helps me to move on and LIVE!  To be intentional with what I have.  To be thankful!  

And the peace!  Oh, the peace.  God tells us that we have access to a peace, a peace of God that surpasses all comprehension, guarding our minds and hearts!! (Philippians 4:7) Wow!  

And then we can say: 
"....Blessed Be Your name.  When I'm found in the desert place.
Though I walk through the wilderness.  Blessed Be Your name.
Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise.
When the darkness closes in, Lord, Still I will say-
Blessed be the name of the Lord...
Blessed be Your name On the road marked with suffering. 
Though there's pain in the offering, Blessed be Your name.
...You give and take away, My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name."  (Matt Redman.)

Is it a hard reality?  Oh yes indeed.

But God provides growth and acceptance.

I hold my children with an open hand.  They are God's kids, not mine, and it's easy to forget that.  Sharing my kids with my ex-husband helps me to remember that. 

Transitioning from School to Homeschooling and from Homeschooling to School

Here is our schooling history:
Noelle, currently 15 years old, attended 1/2 day Kindergarten at a Christian school, as well as grades 1-2.  She homeschooled for 6 years and has just completed grade 9 at a public school.
Micah, currently 13 years old, attended 1/2 day Kindergarten at a Christian school, homeschooled for 6 years and has just completed grade 7 at a Christian school. 

When transitioning out of a schooling context, parents need to remember that their children can't imagine school as anything other than what they have experienced at school.  (And we all know that "doing school at home" pretty much misses the whole point of the flexibility & freedom that homeschooling brings!).  The children, and maybe even the parents, have a schooling mindset.  Children who have been schooled cannot fully see the pros and cons of homeschooling because they haven't experienced it.  I would say that is true to a lesser degree of going from homeschooling to school.

When we transitioned from School to Homeschooling, my kiddos were young:  They had just turned 6 & 8 years old.  However, I believe my advice for this transition works regardless of age.  Ask your kids what they think they are going to miss about going to school.  If possible, try to re-create that for the homeschool setting.  

My kids said that they were going to miss the "special days":  100 Day of School, Valentine's Day parties, and Field Day.  This is why we hosted our own Valentine's Day parties for homeschoolers:
http://carmelhillbillies.blogspot.com/2014/02/annual-valentines-day-parties-special.html
And this is why we hosted our own Homeschool Field Days:
http://carmelhillbillies.blogspot.com/2014/05/annual-homeschool-field-day-home.html

Additionally, in your school to homeschooling transition, if your curriculum and the level of your students allows for this freedom, let your children choose some of the subjects they want to learn about.  Perhaps a unit study in Science & a unit study in Social Studies of their choice.  Let them choose books that they want to read.  This will be fun for your children and it will also begin growing in them the philosophy of child-directed learning.  No matter what your homeschooling style, having students engaged & invested in their own education is one of the biggest goals, outcomes, and advantages of homeschooling. 

The Homeschooling to School transition is of course fresher in my mind, as just a year ago we were going through this transition.  Many homeschool parents, myself included, always worry about their weaknesses, the perceived & actual areas that their children are "behind" in.  Homeschooling has SO many options for curriculum, co-ops and classes, that a homeschooling parent always wishes that they had more time & could cover more material.  I certainly felt that way!  I was hard on myself because of the areas where I felt I should/ could be doing better & more.  I did not give myself enough credit for the areas where we were doing really well. 

We looked at homeschooling one year at a time.  My goal was always that should the children need to, they could easily fit back into their academics at grade level, at school.  However, as year after year of homeschooling rolls by, it can make you a little worried, wondering if they will be able to "do school" well at the appropriate level.

I have two very different children, with very different areas & levels of abilities, and let me just say:  They did JUST fine academically going back to school.  So take a deep breath and be encouraged.

Let me start with what I would NOT do.  If I can lay aside the wishes that we had done more of "x" or learned more in the subject of "y", then I can honestly say:  I would not change much at all.  I would not get up earlier and have long days so that they could "know what school is like."  I would not choose methods of teaching & subject matter that they are not engaged in so that they would know what it is like in "real" school.  I would not put time limits on their tests.  I would not refuse to allow more reading time.  Let the benefits of homeschooling be, whether you are transitioning to school or not.  The children did not have a hard time transitioning to a school day, getting up early, needing to be prepared with their books & pencils, having a limited time to take tests, etc.  What a shame it would have been if I had tried to incorporate these "school" ways of life into our homeschooling, in an attempt to prepare them for school. 

One thing that both of my children really missed after transitioning to school was time to read.  During homeschooling my children had the time to read HUNDREDS of books.  Upon beginning school, they simply did not have time to do anywhere near the amount of reading they had been accustomed to during homeschooling.  I guess we can look at that as one of those, "Don't be sad it's over, be glad it happened" type of things.  Homeschooling provided years of reading for us.  Now Noelle and Micah have in them the desire & love of reading, even if they don't get to do it as often or as much as they would like. 

Also, this is a reminder when you transition from homeschooling to schooling to try not to over-schedule the weekends.  This is hard for me personally.  I want to volunteer and go to fairs and plays.  When you are homeschooling, you can take advantage of every opportunity that weekends bring, because you know that you can just take a day off during the week, or adjust your schedule in some other way.  Once your kids are in a school setting, they are truly going to need the break during the weekends.  They will probably need to sleep and the weekends are also their time to see friends and pursue the hobbies they are interested in. 

Even at the end of their first year back in school, both children, in public and Christian schools, remained stunned and disappointed in how mean some people can be.  One said recently that they wished I had prepared them for how unkind and cruel other kids can be. 

Homeschooling today is certainly as social an experience as you want to make it.  My kids have always been involved with church, they took dance classes, participated in bookclubs and other extracurricular activities, volunteered in their community, and played in some sports.  They were used to hanging around people of all types.  However in going to school they noticed & experienced what can happen at school, a place where kids who are the same age spend a lot of time together:  Kids pick on differences.  They apply pressure that only certain clothes, shoes, cars, haircuts and music should be liked. 

I don't think that we can or should avoid the pain that people can bring into our lives, but I point it out because it is something both of my children experienced and mentioned multiple times this past year.  So there are some life lessons to apply here.  "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men."  (Romans 12:18).  I tell my kids that they will experience difficulties with people everywhere they go, for the rest of their lives!  The family they marry into, the family they are born into, the people they work with, the people they live with, the people they go to church with- It's a fact of life and a life skill to learn to work with people, and to learn to know when to walk away and choose not to work with someone.  

Let your children lead, (they've gotten used to that through homeschooling and child-directed interests), in the are of extra-curricular activities.  Both of my children chose to stop taking dance classes once they began school.  This was a little disappointing to me, however they both felt it would be too much to adjust to school and take several dance classes a week.  

Noelle had been doing plays & musicals as a homeschooler and she was excited to continue that in the school setting.  She did a fall school musical and a community play in the fall, quickly followed by a winter one-act play competition and not too long after that, followed by the Young Curators program.  We decided that two productions in the fall is too much!  So we decided together that we will not make that same mistake this next year!  

One thing that has stuck out and been obvious to their teachers is that my children are engaged in their education.  Particularly compared to their schooled peers.  I know that comes from years of homeschooling.  I received a lot of feedback from Noelle's teachers about her.  Here are some snippets:

• "In class Noelle is always focused and attentive... Noelle expresses her understanding with a smile and a nod of her head.  I know she's new to public education but it's clear she's learned to think for herself and to act responsibly and independently.  These habits will be very beneficial as she progresses through public education, although they may seem a little out-of-the-ordinary at this time.  Many of Noelle's classmates have learned through the 'middle school philosophy' which at least from my observations, emphasizes 'self-esteem' over solid, academic accomplishment and learning.... I like the model she sets for her classmates as an active and self-reliant learner."
• "You have been, from the moment I met you, one of the kindest, most present, young adults I have ever met.  You are both intelligent and articulate and your ability to step up and get the conversation going is an invaluable tool in group work and in life."
• "It has been easy to work with Noelle this year.  She understands that her teachers are here to help her change and grow.  I'm sure she has told you that working with some of our students is a real challenge..."
• "Thanks to you for raising such an interesting, hard-working and selfless daughter!" 
• "It has been an absolute pleasure to have Noelle in class; she's truly an exceptional student..."

At the end of the year, even Noelle's friends had some surprising things to say to her:

• "..You're truly an inspiration!  I wish there could be more people as thoughtful and selfless as you!"
• "..You're someone I can rely on and look up to..."
• (And an actual letter from a high school friend):  "I can't express enough how happy I am to have met you this year.  Ever since, you have been nothing but kind, caring, funny, and an all around happy person.  Your inner drive to help others truly inspires me every day to want to become a better person... I remember one time we were walking at school and you noticed a piece of trash on the floor and without hesitation you picked it up and did the right thing.  Anyone else would have just glanced over and kept walking.  By you doing that small act tells a lot about your character and I'm glad to call you my friend!.."

I did receive a few comments about Micah as well:

• "He is a patient friend and sees all of those around him equally and as friends.... His ability to adjust to changes and his willingness to try new things.  Micah is a learner and loves the interesting facts he finds in the material covered in his classes.  He is a strong, quiet leader in the classroom..."
• "He is a hard worker & dedicated learner in the classroom.  Micah is a hands-on learner that has an innate ability to apply what he is learning to real life situations."
• "He is a great student to have; and he has lots of knowledge."
• (And what every former homeschooling parent wants to hear:)  "Your kids are awesome, very normal in the right ways and different in ways that make them more mature than some of their peers." 

I include these comments to illustrate that that the important parts about school aren't always about "school" at all.  They are about character and impacting people.  Knowing how to get information and being driven to do well, from your own inside, not from someone trying to "make you get it" from the outside-in. 

When our previously-homeschooled kids transition to school, they are ambassadors for homeschooling, especially in the public school.  Administrators, teachers, and students may have preconceived notions of what homeschoolers are like.  Our kids have an opportunity to really shine.  And, if the children are Christians, as mine are, they have an opportunity to shine for Christ:  Whether they are in public or Christian school- to their teachers and other students. 

[The Power of] Family Warmth

This past week is the first time I have heard the term "family warmth".
I was listening to the radio program, Family Life Today.  The guest was Dr. Kara E. Powell, author of Sticky Faith.  She was talking about a subject dear to my heart:  Young people "leaving" the faith, drifting from the church, and research that indicates what is particularly effective at building long-term faith.


Dr. Powell spoke of research done by Vern Bankston, studying over 300 families over a time span of 35 years.  More than anything else that families did, it was the family warmth that most correlated, most related to the children adopting the faith than anything else.  More important than time together.  Most important in a "sticky faith" is that the kids feel like the parents want to be around them and truly enjoy them.  Family Warmth.  That the kids know that not only do their parents love them, they like them, whether they are in the highest high or the lowest low. 

The Power of Family Warmth.

I had never heard it put like that before, and I have been turning that over in my head since I heard it.

This is not a new subject to me.  Years ago I delved in to the research about what seems to make a difference in passing on our faith, helping create a "faith that sticks" in our children.  I learned particularly from Brian Haynes & Mark Holmen.  I learned & implemented.  Learned & implemented.  There are no guarantees.  Each of us gets to choose if we are going to follow God or not.  But I desire to do my best to honor the Lord with my parenting and to do all I can to help my children choose Jesus.  I already knew that family devotions were important. 

I already knew what Diana Garland discovered, that families serving together has special generative power! We've experienced that in our own family.  One of the best things we have ever done for our family is to serve a meal at Manna, once a week, for over a year.  The children were approximately 7, 9 & 11 years old when we did this. 

In this same broadcast, I learned that it's not so much how close parents feel to children that matters, it's how close the child feels to the parent.  Not about what we think as adults, but about what kids are perceiving and experiencing.

Are our kids experiencing family warmth?  Do they know that we like them, that we enjoy them, that we want to be around them?

I would think that the power of family warmth not only affects long-term faith, but also the emotional well-being of a child.

My children recently spent a week out of state with their dad and his family because their dad got married.  They have one uncle & aunt & two cousins on their dad's side and it was a treat to spend time with them.  One thing that my daughter told me when she got home was that when she gets married she wants to have a family like her aunt & uncle.  Their adult children want to spend time with them.  They do a lot of things together.  They laugh a lot together.  Then she added, "Kind-of like us!"

Family Warmth.  My thoughts led me to ask, what family do I know that exemplifies "family warmth?"  This was a bit tough because I know a lot of wonderful families, including mine.  One family immediately came to mind:  My Grampie & Grammie Boone.  Now, they were not actually related to me, but that's what I called them and they really were like grandparents to me.  I spent a lot of time in their home when I was a child, and even had frequent visits as an adult.  I certainly had opportunity to be in their home when some of their adult children & grandchildren were there and it still rings true:  Their family had family warmth.  How?  I'm not sure I can nail it down.  They were of humble means.  What about them made me enjoy being there?  In fact, I don't ever remember one time when I felt unwanted or didn't really want to go to their house.

1. So I guess that is one reason.  I was wanted.  By the time I was a child, they were basically retired & at home.  They had the time to sit and talk.  No one was rushed.  They cared about my life.  I wasn't, however, the focal point, the center of attention.  I am sure most of my time there was spent in a corner, maybe reading comic books, eating barley candy, going outside and walking on stilts, or just sitting there while the adults talked.  (Added bonus:  Research shows the importance of inter-generational relationships.  Hugely important.)
2. Secondly, and this is a big one:  Sense of humor.  The Boones had a great sense of humor.  We laughed a lot at their house.  The times I have been with them when their family has been with them, they laughed more than anyone I knew!  It was a long-to-learn lesson for me, but laughter and a sense of humor has probably been the #1 thing that has "saved" my marriage, elevated my marriage.  Learning to laugh at myself.  Not take things so seriously.  HUGE.  

So, Family Warmth.  You know it when you see it.  This past week included the 4th of July.  I spent as much time as I could squeeze in with my parents, my brothers, my nephews, my niece, my uncles & aunts & cousins & their children.  I feel family warmth with my Sjoberg family.  I see the security it brings to the children. 

My thoughts have led me to examine what our little family does to create family warmth.  Our favorite family activities have created family warmth, but it strikes me that we have also had bad experiences with every single one of those activities. 

We have played games together in a way that was fun & memorable.  Just a few weeks ago we were camping & we played "Catch Phrase".  As we were playing the batteries started dying & the voice that says, "Team one has 1 point..." sounded so funny that we couldn't stop laughing!!  We have had other times when we did the same activity and it was the opposite of family warmth!!  Same with everything we do:  Bike rides & walks & camping & fires in the backyard.  Some of these memories are amazing & others are frankly terrible.  This tells me that it's not really the activity that creates family warmth.  The activity can be a vehicle to help with family warmth, but really only is successful when the parents are setting the tone, are peaceful, are quick to forgive & ready to laugh. 

It is of course much harder for blended families to create family warmth!  Oy vey!  Loyalty conflicts & differing schedules & interference from ex-spouses.  It's a tall order!  But- Not too tall for God.

Without a doubt, homeschooling my children for 6 years helped us create family warmth. 

Family warmth may be my son knowing that he is free to say anything. Anything!  (Because he is secure.)  So when he tells his chubby mom that, "at least if a boulder were to hit your belly you would be well-protected" (!!) he knows that there will be no backlash.  That we can laugh at what he thought was a true compliment!!  

Family warmth may be the knowledge a child has that their parent is going to listen to them, truly listen, and be willing to change the plan, change the course, change the schedule, to meet the child's need.

Family warmth may be watching The Middle every Thursday night, (as we do).  It may be Movie & pizza nights & after-supper walks.  It may be shared activities like games & canoeing & hiking & camping.

Family warmth definitely is:  Laughter.  Love.  Acceptance.  Forgiveness.  Flexibility.  Belonging. 

If our kids don't feel that they are liked, if they don't feel like they belong, why would they ever want to spend time with us & want to adopt our faith system as their own? 

I have a lot more thinking to do about "family warmth".  I think we are doing well, but I see some areas for improvement and I am praying about how to do better. 

Annual Matagamon Fishing Trip with the Booker Boys!

"God loves to talk to little boys while they're fishin'

That seems to be the time boys listen best.

It's the only quiet time there is for wishin'

It's the only time when God and boys can rest."  -Gaither

7 years ago, in 2010, my husband decided to take 5-year old Micah on a fishing trip!  He invited his friend, Kevin Booker & his two boys, K & J.  Micah caught a 12" trout in Pleasant Lake that year!  My Kevin & Micah spent one night sleeping in the truck & one night camping with the Bookers.  A tradition was born!

Traditions & relationships are reinforced as each year passes & we build year upon year of.. 

... Ice Fishing Weekends:

http://carmelhillbillies.blogspot.com/2014/01/creating-special-maine-post-family-post.html

... Labor Day Weekend camp-outs:

http://carmelhillbillies.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-family-table-labor-day-weekend.html

Or even the ones that have now ceased, but gave us 6 years of memories and fun, like Valentine's Day parties:

http://carmelhillbillies.blogspot.com/2014/02/annual-valentines-day-parties-special.html

And Homeschool Field Days:

http://carmelhillbillies.blogspot.com/2014/05/annual-homeschool-field-day-home.html

Yearly traditions become hooks to hang our hats on.  Stories to tell for a lifetime.  Memories to cherish.  Yearly traditions are like regular, warm, family times- on steroids!

And so it has become.  

Sometimes in May and sometimes in June, an extremely tightly-packed vehicle with now 4 boys & 2 men & boots, lures & poles, marshmallows & glow sticks, bug spray & sleeping bags- Heads from Carmel, Maine to Matagamon Wilderness Campground.  No cell phone coverage.  Time available for fishing & bonding!

So far, 2 "stories to tell for a lifetime" stick out:

1.  The Epic Vomit of 2014!!!

Poor Micah.  His precious belly can't handle the combination of lack of sleep and too many sweets!  In the middle of the night he woke my Kevin up to tell him that he had thrown up.  Oh, had he!  ALL over his friend, K.  All over his sleeping bag & pillow & his hair!!!  I'm not sure of the exact details, but I think Kevin's response went something like this:  "It's the middle of the night!  We all need to sleep!  If I wake Kevin up, we're going to have to all get up....  I think I'll just clean Micah up & we'll wait til morning.  (Morning arrives.)  K wakes up wondering what the sticky, stinky, thick substance is- In his hair, on his bedding!  I can't say for sure, but I think there might have been some burning of pillow cases!!  I don't know if the Bookers have brought supplies for campfire eclairs since!!

2.  Camping with Pneumonia

Kevin is a trooper.  2011 was only the 2nd year of this Fishing Expedition tradition.  And boy, was he sick!  He had pneumonia, but he thought he could do it.  And he did.  Barely.  He was terribly sick the whole time and what-do-you-know, he literally had a heart attack within hours of returning home, due to the stress & lack of oxygen from the pneumonia.  (True story.  His ticker is fine.  They even checked!)  So I daresay the moral of this story might be that our bodies have limits & maybe camping & fishing when you are very sick isn't a great idea!

It kind-of kills this picture-taking, picture-loving mama that I have very few pictures of these fishing trips!!  However, as you can see, Kevin has given me some good ones! (And a couple of these I stole from the Booker mama!)

These boys get GRUBBY!  They build fires & play in the dirt & buy treats at the store & go tubing & giggle at night & have glorious, screen-free, free-range, outdoor, Daddy-son-friend fun!  

Fishing teaches the boys respect:  Respect for other fisherman, respect for the rules, respect for the environment.  Fishing teaches the boys patience!

And you know what?  Although the Booker boys are quite hard-core fisherman, Micah isn't truly that 'into' fishing!  Although he does love to eat the fish!

But here's the secret:  It's not really about the fishing- We all know that, right!?

Here is a blog post that my friend, Amy, (of the Bookers), wrote about these fishing trips:

http://thebookerblog.blogspot.com/2014/06/boy-camping.html

6 Ways to Encourage & Help a Blended Family

Kevin & I are nearly 9 years into blended family life!  We are not the Brady Bunch!  But we have gained some wisdom, and as blended family expert, Ron Deal says, we have wandered in the desert looking for the Promised Land! 

Although I have been a single mom, I have been through a divorce, and continue to experience the struggles of co-parenting, this post is specifically about:
How to encourage & help, (but not hurt!) a blended family.  

Keep in mind that blended families come in all varieties.  However, they all are in existence as a result of loss.  Personally, our blended marriage came about as a result of divorce, not death.  I brought into our marriage two children, who were 4 & 6 years old at the time.  My husband brought into our marriage a 7 year old daughter, who primarily lived with him, and a 13 year old step-daughter from his first marriage.  My experiences and therefore advice has been shaped by these factors.

1.  Bless Their Marriage:
   Anything that you can do that will benefit the marriage of a husband & wife who are leading a blended family is helpful.  Approximately 7 out of 10 second marriages will end in divorce.  A marriage in a blended family is under tremendous pressure.  The Biblical plan for marriage is for two to become one.  This is very hard to accomplish when you are trying to blend two families, and you have entered your marriage as already-functioning, separate units.  Blended families are everywhere, including in the church, and yet they are one of the most under-served populations in the church.  Trust me:  They want & need help!
   Pay for counseling.  Pay for a marriage retreat or conference.  Babysit for free so that the parents can attend these marriage-builders.
  Be a sounding board & a listening ear, but do not damage the marriage by feeding what is bound to come up:  Discontentment, disillusionment, a desire to leave.  The decision has been made.  The marriage has happened.  Feed that!  Be supportive, but only offer Biblically sound advice.  Affirm the marriage.
  Support individual health.  Support hobbies and healthy outlets.  For me, my farm animals, gardening, foraging, hiking, scrapbooking & knitting are all healthy outlets for me.  Most of these things I do alone.  So they are not marriage builders in the sense that Kevin & I are directly receiving benefit from them.  But I would say that we do indirectly receive benefits from them.  A healthier, happier Wife & Mom means a better home and a better blended family, and a better marriage.
  So, invite that husband fishing.  Take that wife out to coffee.  Offer to pay for a scrapbooking retreat or a fly tying class.

2.  ALL of the children are part of the blended family:
   Particularly if the blended family has children of somewhat similar ages and if those children do live, at least some of the time, in the blended family unit, then they need to be considered part of the unit.  This means:  Grandparents, aunts & uncles & close family friends:  If you buy a present for 'your' grandchildren, 'your' niece, 'your' nephew, you need to do the same for their step-sibling.  (Generally speaking.) 
  Obviously I am not speaking of the parents & siblings of the divorced spouse who is not in the blended family.  I would never have expected my former mother-in-law, grandma to my two kids, to buy my stepdaughter gifts.  She actually did sometimes, which just demonstrates how amazing she is!  However, that sort-of understanding is not typical and certainly not something that should be expected.
  However, if your adult child has chosen to get married and now has a blended family, you have gained a new grandchild.  There are exceptions to this rule.  If the children are older, if the children do not spend time in the blended family unit, if there is an estrangement. 
  If you want to support the blended family, and especially support the marriage, you will do this!  Anything that draws a line down the middle of a blended family and separates the family into original units, (parent with biological kids pitted again parent with biological kids), is toxic.  Blended families are having a difficult enough time already.  By favoring your biological grandchild or nephew or niece you are creating another pit for them to fall into, another mountain for them to climb, another issue to have to work through.  Please don't!
  This is not to say that you cannot do special things sometimes with your biological or 'original' grandchild!  Use wisdom, discretion and balance.  Get permission from the man or woman who are leading this blended family.  I would suggest that sometimes it is a good & positive thing to keep some one-on-one 'original family' time for not just parent & child but also with the extended family. 

3.  Money, money, money: 
  Blended families are often more financially strapped than original, intact families.  A divorced parent may have had to sell their home, take on a second mortgage, and/or give a large pay-out to their ex-spouse.  Other common financial burdens are court costs, child support, and increased gas money spent to transport children to & from their home.  Gas cards, groceries, and gifts of money are very helpful.

4.  Practical Helps:
  When a person is in crisis, perhaps with cancer or grief or yes- in a blended family, a lot of emotional & mental energy is being used toward issues.  There are problems to solve, situations to explain, hard, very hard disagreements to work through between husband & wife, all while doing the everyday things that life requires:  working, parenting, ministering, cleaning, cooking, etc.
   Anything that you can do to alleviate pressures, reduce stress, free up time, will help and be appreciated.  Offer to transport the children to school or activities, make meals, babysit the children, help clean, attend court for the inevitable divorce decree modifications.
  Many blended families begin the marriage with too much stuff! When blending two households you end up with two of everything!  It's overwhelming!  Often one family is moving into the home of the other, and every place- every closet, every room, every drawer, already has stuff in it!  I know this happened to me!  (Disclosure:  9 years into our marriage & there are still drawers, cupboards, and places in our home that I have not touched!  Whatever was in them when I moved here, remains in them!)  If I had it to do over again, I would get help so that beginning even 2-3 months before the marriage, much of this stuff that belonged to our two households would be weeded out.  So- Offer to help with this!  Help by running boxes to donation sites or helping with a yard sale.


5.  Prayer:
Lots & gobs & loads of it.

6.  Understanding:
  Some hurts and problems have more curb appeal than others.  Divorce and re-marriage has very little curb appeal!!  It is more likely to make people run from you than run to you!  Hopefully we can help change that, but in the meantime, it's true.
  One of the biggest hurdles of a blended family, (the kind that has children going back & forth between homes), is scheduling.  Ack!  I think I just broke out in hives thinking about it!  ~just kidding!  But seriously, it is a primary issue. 
   So how can you help with scheduling?  You really can't, but you can be understanding as to why a child cannot make it to a birthday party, a camp, or a school event.  Many, many times in our own blended family, one child or another had to say 'no' to something due to the schedule between homes.  It is disappointing to not be able to participate in a spelling bee that you earned the right to be in, to go to your best friend's birthday party sleepover, or not be able to participate in the concert at church, because that's a weekend you are at your other parent's home.  Be understanding. 
  Abide by the wishes of the husband and wife team who are leading a blended family.  They are acutely aware of their needs and the painful, not-yet-healed hurts in their family.  There may be a very good reason why they don't attend a sporting event, why they chose not to purchase something, or why they are saying no to an invitation.
  Do not EVER say, "Well, you knew what you were getting into!"  Did you know what you were getting into when you got married?  Probably not.  I can nearly guarantee that if any of us knew what we were getting into when we re-married, most of us wouldn't have done it!
  If a friend or family member feels safe enough to share with you some of the struggles of blended family life, do not ruin that by suggesting that it is their fault because they knew that... he had kids.  Or her ex-husband was a ticking time bomb.  Or the list goes on.  You don't know what you don't know!!  Offer support and a listening ear and firm boundaries, if needed. 
  This is where, as is true in any thing, parents in blended families will get the most support from those who have been there.  Seek out the couples who have made it!!  They know.  They may have just the words of wisdom that you need. 

  All members of a blended family need validation and support. 
  In thinking what I feel children of a blended family need, I would say that most of what they need also falls under the category of 'understanding.' 

• Children of blended families need to know that they are valued just as much as children from intact/ original families.  I don't know that the term 'broken home' is beneficial for children to hear.  They are not second class citizens because they are not growing up with a dad and a mom who are in the same home.  
• Children of blended families need to be given permission, 'allowed' to love all the adults in their life.  They need the freedom to speak freely of their mom and their dad.  So- Grandparents, do not speak ill of the ex-spouses.  Just don't do it!
• They need extra love, care & grace because their home life can be very rough.  At first it can be exciting that there is going to be a wedding and new siblings and a new parent!  But disillusionment sets in when it things and people don't work out quite the way we thought they would.

 I am grateful beyond my ability to express it, for those who have loved me through the past decade!!  We have had amazing grandparents to our children who welcomed in these new additions!  I have called my mom hundreds of times with tears & failures & hurts & she has listened.  Thanks, Mom!  I have great friends who have not become exhausted with all that I have needed to express in these past years.  We have been blessed by several people who have been willing to transport our kids for us, which has been a huge help.  Without a doubt, being part of a small group was a booster for us spiritually, but also in building friendships. 
  Now my desire is that we "go and do likewise!"

To the blended family:  Other blog posts will cover some advice, but persevere.  This too shall pass and when your marriage comes out on the other side, it will be with a "sacred history" and a depth that you did not think was possible.

To my husband, Kevin:  We are doing it!  Beating the odds & I am so thankful that we didn't give up when it was hardest!  

And for 50 minutes Life Slowed Down...

I confess that I am far too attached & tethered to the screen.
The struggle is real & we use screen-free days & family togetherness to combat it.  My concern is complicated & contains multiple layers and I am often preoccupied with thinking about how to make small changes & improvements while at the same time I have an awareness that I am the first to resort to the screen for down time. 

Life with an almost-teen and a teen is much different than life with younger children- as it should be!  They are following the needed & healthy path toward independent lives.

The combination of the availability & desire for screens, plus all that comes with having 'older' children, plus our life change of sending the kids to school & me working:  It changes our family life. 

However, this morning, for 50 glorious minutes, life slowed down.
It happened naturally, which is far more fulfilling than when it is orchestrated! 

Today is a snow day!  For Micah anyway.  After taking Noelle to school I had a bit of down time on the couch, you guessed it- watching some TV.  Kevin was on the other couch having his devotions. 

Micah woke up at 8:30 & was excited to have a snow day!! 
I immediately turned off the TV.  I gave him a surprise- Snow Day Cotton Candy that I had been saving for such a day as this.  He made himself a hot drink, sat on the couch opposite me, pulled the blanket up & looked at the window. 

We talked about snow days & the snow & how his leg hurt & where he wants to build a treehouse someday & how he likes his coffee & how he thinks he is getting even taller.  

We enjoyed the quiet & the falling snow & the warmth of our hot drinks.  We laughed & joked with Kevin.  

And not once did he ask for a screen or indicate, 'could we rush through this cozy time because I'd like to play Minecraft.'  

50 glorious minutes.  50 safe & secure, snuggled-up minutes.

I'm so glad I was home for them.  

I'm so glad I didn't miss them because I was tending the goats or folding the laundry or doing 100 other things that truly need to be done.

I don't know when 50 minutes like this will come again.  And even if they come again next week, they are still just as precious.  

We've got to be ready for them when they come.  And be mindfully present.  Fully experience them.  Soak them in.  And intentionally push back the impulses, thoughts & desires to too quickly move on to the next thing. 

And for 50 minutes, life slowed down...