The Year of the Launch

The approaching year is looming out there in the near distance like the moon on a cloudless night.  But instead of getting smaller as the night rolls in, it’s getting larger.  Still a bit mysterious.  Still undiscovered.  We know what it is in general, but we don’t know exactly what it will look like.  We are indeed seeing through a glass darkly.  

It’s like a large ship getting ready to launch out into uncharted waters.  We know he’s commissioned us; we know he’s spoken.  We know he’s given us the command, “Launch out into the deep waters.”  And we, like Peter, take a deep breath and try not to say, “But we’ve fished all night,” but rather to join in with the latter part of his statement: “Nevertheless, at your word, Lord, we will do it.”  We don’t know exactly how it will look, what storms we will encounter, what he will consider success for us in this new phase of our journey.  

Nevertheless we prepare to launch.  We gather our family, our belongings, and provision for the journey as best we know how, and move onto the ship.  Then we wait.  When the wind begins to blow, the sails will lift and the boat will embark.  Until then we remain in position, anticipating that powerful force to fully launch us into those deeper waters.  

We have no idea how many other boats are waiting in the wings ready to follow, just needing someone to go first.  Could there be two, three, or several thousand?  

Could Columbus have foreseen modern-day America when he climbed on board the Santa Maria?  DId Amerigo Vespucci know that two continents would eventually bear his name  when he began his voyage?

So it is with trembling knees we prepare for our launch and with our ears leaned in closely to the master’s heart.

Beginning the List

I've been challenged by Ann's 1000 gift list to begin one of my own.  

So I started the day after Christmas.  As I began listing things I was thankful for, something started happening way deep down.  As I was drifting off to sleep that night, I realized that thanksgiving is a feast for the soul.  The gratitude was changing me.  Changing my perspective, changing my outlook.  I am grateful for this experience, for this new-found joy. 

“Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.” John Milton

A snippet and commentary from my 1000 gift list:

# 14 Driving by a snowy hill - so thankful that I grew up with an appreciation for the beauty of nature.  My mom and dad gave me that.

I can still hear my mom squealing “It’s snowing!” in my inner ear.  Probably because she still does it every time it snows.  And every beautiful sunset that graces the sky, I hear her exclaim, “Look at that!  Look at that!  Look at that!”  

My dad’s quiet wonder at the beauty of Lake Tahoe.  His silent breathing in of the majesty of the mountains, lakes, trees, hills.  This brings healing  to my soul.  

New Year

Hey Everyone! Since it's January, I thought I would update my blog that I started in August! LOL. At least I warned you that I may not be able to keep up with it. To tell you the truth, I couldn't remember where the blog was located, the url, the password - nothing. But I finally found it again, so I think I'm could to go. At least for today. I didn't realize people were actually reading my blog and making comments. So... sorry for ignoring all of you all this time.

Lately however, I have been trying to write more. I find that when I write I can think through things. Sometimes I just end up with more questions, but at least I have narrowed down the issues to a few choice questions instead of random, crazy thoughts.

This has been a year of changes so far. Jana graduated from high school in December and is now in community college full time. She's only 17 and doesn't have her license quite yet, so that means I have a new job - taxi driver. :-) Not something I always aspired to be, but I am happy to facilitate her getting an associates degree for much less $$ than going to a "regular" school. She plans on going to Regent eventually. Does anyone have any great ideas for navigating through the fafsa website without losing your mind? Joanne Cava told me, "Just one question at a time." I guess that's the best advice so far.

We've been working through the book, The Heart of Anger lately. Let me tell you, this is an awesome book. I started reading it and decided it would great to use it as a springboard for family devotions. So we have discussed chapters 4 and 5 I think together and started putting into practice some of the suggestions in these chapters as family. It's a great tool and learning how to deal with situations in a Christ-like way - whether or not you think you have a problem with anger. One of the challenging things the author says is that Christians should be experts in biblical communication. Right away I agreed and thought, Ok, I need to work on this. So I decided to make my new years' goal to get better at biblical communication. How bout taking the challenge with me? Instead of aiming to lose 10 pounds or some other great feat, why not make a character goal this year? Getting better at being kind. Or improving your thoughtfulness skills. Something like that. What do you say? Anybody got any great ideas??

Questions About Homeschooling

Hey Everyone, I'm trying out the new blog. I have other blogs, but I haven't kept up with them. Maybe this one will be different. Maybe not.

As the new school is looming around the corner, I've been asked by a few of you about homeschooling. Aahh yes, I do that too. :-) Homeschooling is like eating meal. Sometimes it is the most satisfying experience and you feel great. Other times, it just doesn't set right and you have indigestion. But is all good in the end; children are nurtured and trained, and you will receive a vast reward - if you do it as unto the Lord.

Below I will tell you specifically what I am doing this year with my kids:

Jana is doing mostly college classes now either through local colleges or CLEP tests. There's a great book I've read called College Without Compromise that explains in detail how to do this. Also a great website resource is http://www.clepprep.tripod.com/ There you will find lesson plans and recommended resources for specific clep tests. Jana just got accepted into the Symphony Orchestra at UNCC. We are thrilled with this opportunity as it will be a whole new experience for her on violin.

Abbi is entering high school this year. She did Teaching Textbooks Algebra I last year (I highly recommend Teaching Textbooks for Math), and we're not sure if she will do Algebra II, Geometry, or Business Math this year. She will also do LLATL, Apologia Biology, and review all the Famous Men series history books.

I like to alternate Easy Grammar with LLATL. We've used Math U See and Teaching Textbooks. We flop around with history and science. I probably have just about every program out there. I use the Christian Liberty Nature Readers as well as various other resources. I have stuck with Apologia in the upper grades, and I am happy with that. We are currently working on All American History published by Bright Ideas press. I'm not thrilled with the textbook, but we're trying to get through it. I like Beautiful Feet's approach also, and my kids have always liked Our Island Story and books like that. I have an eclectic approach to homeschooling so I've used a lot of things. I've gotten a lot of resources from http://www.amblesideonline.com/ a wonderful site for Charlotte Mason style educating.

We have a first grader again this year! She will do Math U See and Sing, Spell, Read and Write as her core. I will probably also use some of Five in a Row and a new spelling program that I can't remember.

I try to get the older kids on a mostly independent study program for their main subjects so that I can work with the younger ones on reading and math. I like to read to them living history books, good literature and Bible. We are still working on the Genesis Commentary for Children by Nancy Ganz. Excellent book, by the way. It's just taking us a while to get through it. I also have enjoyed the Greenway Press Old Testament History book for Bible.

Curriculum choices are so varied, and there is no one program that will work for everyone. The great thing about homeschooling is that if something is not working, you can always change it. I think it's important to know your child's learning style and interests and also your style as a teacher. You can tailor your program to fit your and your child's needs.