I FOUND THIS IN MY INBOX RECENTLY AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU - MY BLOG READERS AND FRIENDS, BOTH HOME SCHOOLERS AND NOT, COULD HELP ME TO ANSWER AMANDA’S HEARTFELT INQUIRY(FYI Amanda okayed me sharing this with you):

Hey Denise
I have been thinking about homeschooling for about a year now (it is my second choice as the Christian private schools are just unaffordable for a one income family) and I was wondering if you could give me the hard facts about successful homeschooling. No flower please. My husband doesn’t think I can do it because of my temperament and is convinced that homeschooling is what causes premature socialization. (he is comparing 4 homeschooling families and they are all, in fact, socially immature for their ages)
Can you give me some insight?
Thanks Amanda

O.K. LET’S GIVE IT TO HER STRAIGHT  AND REMEMBER, ANY COMMENT YOU POST ANY WHERE IN THE HISTORY OF MY BLOG IS ONE MORE CHANCE FOR YOU TO WIN DURING OUR…

 BIG MAY CELEBRATION! 

I’ve been reminiscing this week - you do that as your children grow older and pleasant memories of your own childhood reach out to capture your thoughts.

When my busy little boys once occupied nearly every precious waking moment of my happy life with their chubby cheeks, continual chatter and constant activity, I didn’t tend to ponder the events of my own childhood; I was too concerned with building theirs. But suddenly, one finds oneself with windows of time to reflect….

When I was a little girl, we lived in a neighborhood of acreages - which was quite common in our city in Nebraska - and our land was filled with lots of flowers.  We never planted anything, but somehow it was so normal to have tulips, daisies, clover flowers, purple cones, goldenrod, sunflowers, peonies and assorted unidentified bushes, blooming in an array of colors and petals.  I’m not sure why, but on the first day of May, I would run around the yard picking everything. I’d hold the flowers tight in my fist while wrapping the base in a makeshift hand-vase of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil, scrunching it real tight around the bouquet.  I’d run up to the front door of my favorite old people in the neighborhood, place the bouquet and a note declaring “HAPPY MAY DAY!” at the front door, ring the bell and run and hide.  Then I’d watch with glee at the delightful expressions on their faces as they bent down to retrieve their anonymous greeting.  Such fun.

I didn’t know Jesus back then, but His gentle hand was upon me, guarding and keeping me until the time we would meet.  I’m so grateful for His powerful protection and care as I walked through my young life without a revelation of Who He was.  Now I have so much more to give to my neighbors, than simply a bunch of cut flowers that last only a few short days.  I’m endeavoring to share His great love.  Many on my street are in their 70s and 80s, so desperately in need of Him.  I’m praying their hearts will be open and that our family can have an impact here.  I trust you’re doing the same where you live, work and play. 

HAPPY MAY…EVERY SINGLE DAY!

  Drab, damaged flooring.

Outdated, aging fixtures.

We recently moved to a home that was built in the ’80s.  The main bath on the lower level was rather unsightly.  Unfortunately I don’t have a really great, close-up photo of everything, but the walls looked like they’d been textured by an amateur, the color was an off-white-slightly-sick-beige and the flooring was the worst.  Old, ugly, stained, marred linoleum with speckles and grey stripes that appeared to have been cut with a razor and simply set into place where it could readily depress anyone who walked in the room.  No matter how much bleach I used, it never looked clean.  The light fixture was original ’80s along with the matching antiqued brass faucets.  Ugh.  Well something had to be done.  On a strict budget, nonetheless. 

1.  We painted all the walls.  Cheap fix.

2.  Hubby went to Home Depot and bought inexpensive light fixtures and faucets.  We bartered with a friend to help us install them.

3.  We found a white sheer curtain panel to cover the window and shirred it onto expandable rods (no screws needed to hang) and set it into the deep window well.  It not only gave us privacy, but softened the room considerably.

4.  THE BEST KEPT SECRET is the flooring solution we found.  Installation of tile, laminate or linoleum was going to be over our budget, so I went online to JC Penney and searched their huge selection of bathroom cut-to-fit floor rugs.  These are completely machine washable, come in a wide variety of colors, and will fit (after cutting) most any normal-sized bathroom floor.  You always buy the size that is larger than the measurement of your floor.  Then you get a very sharp razor, marking pen and some great music to listen to while you measure and cut for the next few hours.  I chose pure white-it sticks to the floor because its backing is thin rubber.  See how fresh and bright it looks:

      5.  Lastly I purchased ‘accessories’ like towels and contrasting rugs and toilet lid cover, candles, and a print for the wall to pull the color theme together.  (Target, Ross, and other discount stores have loads of this stuff)

Now this room brings a smile to my face.  No longer is it a drab-looking spot.  It’s more than merely functional.   

I think there are always solutions to trouble-spots in our homes - even if we’re renting and on a tight budget.  I hope some of these ideas will help you, too!

Today as I was reading in Mark 9, this passage really spoke to me and I thought I’d share it with you.  The entire account begins at vs. 14 and generally, it’s about a father who brought his demonically oppressed son to the disciples, so he could be set free. 

You can imagine, as a parent, what this Dad was dealing with:  a son who was mute; who had seizures at random, foaming at the mouth, grinding his teeth, then becoming rigid and lifeless.  Oh the days of sorrow this family must have endured, feeling powerless to effect change in their precious son.  The father went on to describe how the boy had been ‘thrown into fire and water’ by the evil spirit, with the demonic intent of destruction…since childhood.  What constant anxiety and regular panic this must have caused these tired, loving parents, who suddenly had hope that their son would be unfettered from such debilitating spiritual chains by this pack of godly men. 

Unfortunately the disciples couldn’t get the job done and suddenly Jesus showed up on the scene.  In verse 22, the father says, “if you (Jesus) can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”  Sort of like, “um, well, I’ve tried everything else, maybe you’ll be my good luck charm, Jesus, ’cause I’m pretty hopeless”.  It appears he’d lost his will to war and to believe for change. 

In verse 23, Jesus replied, I believe, with incredulity and perhaps some indignation, with these strong words, “If you can!  (Can’t you just imagine Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, King of Kings thinking…well, let’s see, I created the heavens and the earth, I’ve opened blind eyes, fed 5,000 people with a small bag of food, turned barrels of water into wine…”If you cannnn?!?!?!”) But he maintained his composure and our loving Lord then patiently added this:All things are possible for one who believes”.

Did you hear that?

ALL THINGS.

ALL THINGS.

ALLLLLLLL THINGS!!!!!!!!!!

I was reminded of how small we pray and think at times.  As I glanced at my current prayer focus list, I was convicted to lift my level of expectation.  Instead of confidently expecting Jesus to DO WHAT HIS WORD SAYS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY and those I love and minister to, I can end up lowering my level of expectation, subtly ‘crossing my fingers’ and hoping something good happens.  Let’s get indignant about this weak ‘faith’ we’ve embraced, these lies we’ve believed and let’s remember Jesus said ALL THINGS! God does not live in our little boxes and He is not limited by our ‘limitations’.  I WANT MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Let’s go after it.

P.S. I have to tell you how much I’m enjoying this new version of the Word this year (see my January 1 2008 post).  It’s the ESV and it’s sharp and clear and fresh.  I’m planning to order the mp3 and load it onto my iPod as soon as the budget allows.  Sometimes a little change will do you good.

Exhibit A- Bright white, like new, and just in time for warm weather!  How did I do it?  Well first, check out my March 6th post Stubborn Stains to see my secret.  Before I submerged the shorts in the recipe of ’special brew,’ I first sprayed all spots with these two products: Spray ‘n Wash is an old stand-by for all-around light stains.  Goo Gone is one of my best laundry friends and lifts all sorts of greasy stains, tomato-based stains - you know those ’shaded blotches’ that show up all over clothes? Especially kids’ clothes.  Well, spray some of this on them, launder as usual and those spots are history! I soaked the stained shorts for 3 days and then laundered them in warm water.  I packed up the shorts and shipped them off to my boy.  I love being a MOM!xoxo

P.S.  (Today my husband found some unsightly, stubborn blotches on our patio tile from where the barbecue grill was sitting - he applied some Goo Gone and they were GONE).  Great stuff.  And I don’t get paid to say that.  Happy weekend everybody!

…opened this week.  I pulled a plump package out of the mailbox - which is always fun, anticipating who sent what.  So, I open it to find a bright pair of men’s summer shorts!  Hmm…wouldn’t fit anyone here, but really, really nice ones.  Then, come to find out they are my bachelor-son’s and are speckled about with all matter of stains..coffee, ink and who-knows-what…..this is “my mission if I choose to accept it!”

Boy oh boy, am I feeling special, or what?!  But, am I up to the challenge?  Will I succeed?  I boiled the water and stirred the brew as I squinted my eyes, bared my teeth and glared at the ugly resistant spots…we shall soon find out… 

(to be continued)

I just had to share this with you guys…got home from prayer meeting after my day of improvisation and creativity :), began to prepare a snack for the fam…and when I touched the oven door - IT FELL OFF!  Just like you see here. Thud.

I’m still laughing as I recall that perfect ending to my glorious day…I guess this just means I won’t be baking for awhile…

Because I am living by faith, not feelings.  Doing what I should, not necessarily what I want.  I am at this moment correcting math workbooks.  I am tired of math corrections, and of hearing, “I need help…I can’t go further…I don’t get this…”, (which means an entire hour I had planned for them to do their math lesson has just gone out the window until I phone the math tutor and schedule an appt. for him to help us at his earliest convenience) you know the script.  I’ve seen enough improper, inverted, mixed number and proper fractions for a lifetime and polynomials, trinomials and binomials can take a hike into cyberspace forEVERRR. 

“Momma said there’d be days like this, there’d be days like this, my Momma said”. But I press on because this is my life and I am a stay-at-home, home-schooling-bulldog-mother because, however I might feel this second,  I believe in this stuff!  I am also, while marking papers, simmering vegetarian chili, loaded with everything possible I could find to dump in it that is healthy (including grated carrots and lentil soup) because my fridge is nearly bare and I haven’t had time to go to the grocery store (too many papers to correct-hahaha!).  I will then pour it over baked potatoes and egg whites, scrambled, much to the children’s dismay because they would prefer macaroni and cheese out of a box.  But I press on because they will be healthy, happy, grateful children and they’re just fortunate they aren’t living in a box in India eating out of garbage cans, right?! That’s what I thought, too. (OK, I tried that line on them and they just reminded me that they are living in boxes at the present time - see April 13th post - they keep me laughing)  Earlier today, I created smoothies out of almost nothing, also sneaking in withered fruit in the form of very tired-looking strawberries, raw almonds, rice milk, keffir and flaxseed oil, so we would all get the nutrients we need…I even squeezed oranges in my citrus juicer because we’ve also run out of juice for smoothies!  This is just one of those…….days ………….of………improvisation and creativity!  Yeah, that sounds better.  Then, later, I will go to prayer meeting at church when I’d rather sit home and watch history dvds because I am committed to the cause of corporate prayer.  Yep.  This is a lifestyle of faith I am determined to hold to.  Because I know that these are the things I pledged my life to when I was worshipping God and getting goosebumps and dreaming big dreams, and just because I don’t have goosebumps right this second, the truth is still the truth and it always pays to live truth, especially if I want my big dreams to become my reality.  And they will.  Yes sir, they will.

Amen.

 EASY…HEALTHY…DELICIOUS!

Chinese Chicken Salad.  I promised you some great new recipes for health.  Throw a bag of broccoli slaw (available at any supermarket), chopped chicken breast (we used leftover grilled breasts), fresh cilantro leaves and  raw sliced almonds in a bowl.  Toss with Newman’s Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger salad dressing (improvise with another brand if you want).  Four ingredients.  The kids love it.  Daddy loves it.  Our bodies thrive on raw veggies and raw almonds - I go light on the chicken and dressing FYI.  For work:  toss everything but the dressing ahead and keep in the fridge - add the dressing at lunchtime.  Let me know how you like it! 

We just purchased a few items and they  came packaged in some really hefty, over-sized boxes.  My heart leaps when I see empty boxes - I LOVE BOXES - they’re just sooo…’filled’ with possibilities!  Well, my two youngest feel the same about these cardboard containers and immediately laid claim to their favorites.  They each hauled one up to their bedrooms that afternoon, and began to work away; planning, ’sawing’, creating.  The afternoon wore on, everyone said goodnight, and the day was done.  In the middle of the night about 2:30 a.m., I popped into my youngest’s bedroom to check on him and - gasp - the bed was empty and the bedding was gone…

  My eyes shot to the right, where his box sat, apparently intact…until I took a closer look and saw a line which appeared to be a slit in the side.  I pulled down on the sliced panel and a child suddenly sprung up, startled by the sound of the box being jolted. 

  It was him, of course. and here he is later - blankets, pillows and cushions for comfort; a handy little hole cut in the top so he can reach his hand through to turn his reading lamp off and on.  What a scream.  He’s been sleeping in his box for days.  Boys!

  And here’s my fourth born, loving every minute of his box time.  We were screaming with laughter as he displayed his comical antics in his new-found-playhouse.  He’s set up camp in his box, too.  One day last week I was going on about how much the boys love their boxes, when my husband said, “I understand.  That’s why I liked my camper so much - it was my box.  It’s a guy thing.”  Here he is in his box, enjoying a moment with his boys.

 Sometimes the most fun comes free, without electricity and “instructions for assembly”, doesn’t it?!  Bring on the boxes!