Homeschool Hump Day Encouragement

Today, I pulled my kids out of school. If you're thinking, "Wait! Doesn't she homeschool?" Yes, I do! But we had attended a supplemental school for the past six years. And today, I withdrew my children from that school. It had evolved into something less than its previous identity, and it no longer aligned with our homeschooling goals.

Homeschooling Mama, I want to encourage you that if you feel as though you need a change, be of good courage and step away from whatever needs changing! You only get this time to educate them, to make the best choices for them and their schooling, and you have a right to do what is best for your family.

Has anyone else had experiences with making changes for the better or that turned out to be for the best for your family? Please share your experiences with us!


Have a great rest of the week!


Lyn~

What Are You Expecting?

Expectations are a wonderful thing to have. They can help focus you and guide your path toward the will of God. Have you ever thought about what it is, though, that you're expecting? When a farmer plants his corn seed, he doesn't expect to harvest watermelons. NO! He planted corn seeds, and he expects to harvest corn. When we work for a wage, we expect to get paid the money we've earned, not to work for free. So it is in our lives, the seed we plant is the harvest we can expect.

This weekend I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Jerry Savelle preach as he concluded his Chariots of Light Christian Bikers tour. He made me stop and think about what it really is that I am expecting from the seed I've sown and about the great things God has for me. Personally, I had to come to understand that God wants me to prosper, so I should EXPECT to prosper. I shouldn't expect to live in lack because that's what I'll get, just what I was expecting. Instead, I should expect to prosper and expect to live in abundance! 

With that, it takes faith, and faith is an active thing not a passive action. You don't say, "I have faith for that," and sit there. No, you get up and begin applying your faith through the Word of God, speaking the Word, by looking for opportunities, and by being willing and ready when God tells you to go somewhere or do something. 

We sang a song as the service ended. The words were:

The song goes on to say that "my breakthrough's coming!" When you plant that corn seed or you work for a wage, something has to give way, break forth. The seed will begin to sprout; you'll get your earnings from working. Your breakthrough is coming! Don't give up. It could be just around the corner! 

What are your expectations? Do they line up with the Word of God and His will for you? What are you expecting God to do in your life?

Have a blessed, victorious, breakthrough-is-coming week!!

Lyn~

Friday 'Fess Up

Have you ever noticed that clutter seems to simply appear in a certain area? One minute your desk is clean and cleared off, and the next minute (or so it seems), it's a cluttered mess. Slowly, we place a piece of mail there, move it to the side, and another soon after. The area on your desk begins to resemble a post office sorting area before you know it!

Our lives become cluttered in a similar way. We might take on an extra hour of work, an extra duty at church, a needed role at the homeschool co-op. Suddenly, we turn around and see how busy we are and that our busyness has caused a lifestyle of clutter.

My confession today is that I'm taking time off to declutter: my desk, my school room, and my life. It's okay to re-evaluate what it is we are doing and to see if those things are pointing us more toward our goal and vision! I will continue blogging, so don't be concerned that you will miss the weekly Homeschool Hump Day Encouragement or the Friday 'Fess Up! Those will continue as normal. I'm going to take time to evaluate what I'm doing and eliminate those things that are wearing me out, pulling me down, and moving me away from my vision rather than steering me closer to it!

Take time this weekend to seek the Lord as you re-evaluate what you're doing in your life. Take time to declutter and give yourself permission to step out or away from those roles or positions that don't fit into your own vision.


Have a blessed weekend!


Lyn~

Homeschool Hump Day Encouragement

If you're on social media like me, you have likely noticed all the "Back-to-School" photos your friends have posted. As homeschoolers we often don't necessarily want to be like the public schools. But we can, and I think should, be just as proud of our kids beginning a new school year as our public school counterparts.

Do you post back-to-school pictures of your kids each year? Do you take pictures at a studio or through a photographer to document the start of the new school year? How do you celebrate the school year with your children?

Let's celebrate one another as we embark on the school year and the continuation of our homeschooling journey!

Here are my three youngest children, now all in high school!! An 11th Grader and 2 Ninth Graders!

Share your school photos with us! We would love to see them!

Have a blessed week!

Lyn~

Triggers Study Guide Release!!

The moment you've been waiting for! The new Triggers Study Guide releases TODAY!! This will make a great companion to the Triggers book that Amber Lia and Wendy Speake release earlier this year. Find out way to combat reacting to your kids by learning how and what triggers you face as a mother.

Get your Triggers Study Guide TODAY!!

On Amazon and if you haven't picked up your copy of Triggers, be sure to add that to your list!


Be blessed!!

Lyn~

Homeschool Hump Day Encouragement

For most students, school is getting ready to begin or already has begin, even for homeschoolers. Many homeschoolers may feel a sense of panic thinking about embarking on the next batch of curricula, maybe standardized testing or evaluations, and wanting to know for certain that they have not messed their children up academically.

Take a breath, mama! You've got this school year! If you're new to homeschooling, take it one day or one week at a time. If something isn't working, don't be afraid to stop and change things up. After all, isn't that one of the reasons you chose to home educate your children? Ask your children what they want to learn this year, what field trips they would like to take, and what area they might like to travel to in order to learn more about our great nation.

Remember, we are not just striving to fill our children with knowledge but to learn how to become lifelong learners! What better way to encourage learning than by asking the children what they want to learn?!

Have a great start to your homeschool year!

Blessings!


Lyn~

Coming SOON! Triggers Study Guide by Amber Lia and Wendy Speake

Earlier this year, I shared a book review about the triggers we face as mothers. That book has been such a big eye-opener for me, even with older teen children! Well, today, I'm sharing the post again to get you all ready for the new STUDY GUIDE for Triggers! It's a wonderful companion for personal use or for use in a group setting! More on the release of that study guide is coming, so check back here often to see when and how to get your copy!

When raising our children, we've likely been in a situation where the kids are disobeying, there's a strong-willed child to contend with, a diagnosis of ADHD has been made and don't even get me started on video game addiction! It seems the more the day goes, the more our precious little angels just really know how to push our buttons!

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Even when the kids aren't really getting to use, sometimes situations such as generational habits, exhaustion, no personal space, and a messy house just set us off! So what can we do about these situations that will inevitably occur at church, school, or when we're out and about? The answers are in "Triggers" by Amber Lia and Wendy Speake.

The writing team tells of their real-life struggles and how they overcame them. The book doesn't officially launch until Tuesday, February 16, and it is definitely a must-have manual for parents. Each section explains the author's experience and then is accompanied by a prayer at the end. This part is particular good for those times when we're at our wits end and doesn't know how or what to pray.

Follow the link to purchase the book: Triggers by Amber Lia and Wendy Speake


If you purchase this book, let us know!

If you have any questions or comments, let us know that, too!

Happy settling down your triggers!!


Lyn~

First Things First

I know many of you are busy, like me. There are things that have to get done throughout the day: kids needed to be taken care of, laundry needs to be done (is it ever REALLY done?!), meals need to be planned and cooked, if you homeschool lessons need to be taught, there is cleaning to be done daily, errands to be run, and so many other things through the day and week. Devotions are no different than the meals we need to eat or the lessons we need to teach our children. We need to make time and make sure we spend time with the Lord at the start of our day.

If you don't make time already in your daily routine for time in the Word of God, I want to encourage you to start doing that now. We're each given the same 24 hours in a day. But the Word tells us to be watchful of how we spend our time.

So today, even if you had a plan to do your devotions and time got away from you, make a point to pen in on your calendar time with the Lord. Start your day by giving God your first few moments of the day. Give Him your first and all else will fall into place throughout the rest of the day! Seek first--FIRST--the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and He will give you everything else you need!!

Have a blessed day!!


Lyn~