The Awe of God in Your Family

27. June 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: PECULIAR PARENTING

“And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim” Judges 2v10-11

Why did the new generation of the children of Israel in the promised land not serve God. Why did they turn to idols and not even know what God had done for previous generations? The buck stops with parents. These parents did not pass on the ways of God to their children.

“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deuteronomy 6v6-7

If we are not inculturating our children in the ways of God, they will be inculturated by society.

Many teenagers today are adopting the idols of the world around us. We see this through the things they see as important and the values they reflect. The blessing of God has not been taught diligently to our children when we sit, when we walk, when we lie down and when we rise up.

So what is the purpose of this wonderful thing called “the family”?

The family is God’s institution for teaching our children. The family is to glorify God through being the primary learning community for a child.

  • The church cannot replace parents – the church should equip you to do your job
  • The state cannot replace parents – but should protect you while you do your job
  • The school cannot replace parents – but should support you while you do your job!

The family is the primary: theological, sociological, and redemptive community for our children.

What does it mean to be a theological community – what does that look like in a family?

Theology is the study of God and God is the ultimate fact that defines and gives reason to every other fact. We cannot learn about history, science, maths, finances, relationships, purpose; – anything, without God. There is no knowing that doesn’t begin with knowing God – of knowing the person, the character and ways of God.

Our children are created to be revelation receivers. Just like us, they can never understand by research and experience all the things they need to know. We need the Bible to understand all things. God defines the nature and purpose of life.

Being a theological community in the family this doesn’t mean our days are filled with selfish little sermons. Rather our days should be filled with hundreds of moments of wonder and worship.

 If you look at the tip of your finger and see the delicacy, intricacy and effectiveness of its design.

If you look around you at the way bread is made – the intricacy of the yeast process that God designed – how it goes from flour and water to the unappetising dough ball to the rising of the loaf and then baking into a beaufiful brown crusty loaf.

If you look at your life, how your body is so wonderfully made, how people are made… every moment can be a moment of awe, of worship and of wonder.

“And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” Isaiah 6v3

Our children are hard-wired to live for something greater than themselves. As we see the blessing of God and wonder at His creation around us and His goodness, we are developing in our children an awe of God – of His wisdom, His glory and His faithfulness.

We need to live in awe of God. We need to raise children who are in such awe of God that when we sit down together to read the Bible they are in awe of God and their hearts are so ready to listen to and receive His Word.

As parents, it comes down to this – you can’t pass on what you don’t have! Let your life overflow with joy in Christ and with awe and wonder at His creation and it will spill over into the lives of your children.

This is the theological community that the family should be.

Summary of the teaching of Paul Tripp from his Parenting Series Episode 1 – What is A Family?

We are so enjoying this awesome parenting series! Preview here

“The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” Psalm 119v130

Organizing Craft Supplies

26. June 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: OPTIMISTIC ORGANIZING

I’d like to show you some of the ways that I’ve attempted to organize our (seemingly endless) set of craft supplies. They still seem to squeeze out all over the place! My plan is to try and keep things close at hand and accessible when we need them, but to hide them away so that the house looks more elegant (hopeful sigh!)

In preparing to organize your craft supplies, you could ask yourself questions like: where do we do most of our crafting? What can we never find or do we waste the most time looking for each day? What space do we have or could we make available to store supplies?

You want to find places that are easily accessible, that you can easily peep into to see what’s stored there and where its easy to get things in and out of; and perhaps places that where you can tuck things away nicely so that your home can be neat and inviting rather than cluttered. I’m working on this one! Here are a few of my solutions.

In the above pic you can see how I covered a low bookshelf with a soft silky tablecloth and tied it back so that it hangs to the floor and covers the boxes of crafts inside. Each box is labelled with different colour labels – each child has their own colour and in that box are many crafting and other activities that can be done at the table or in lounge time.

Here you can see a box that has been pulled out from underneath. I used thumb tacks to pin back the tablecloth around the bookshelf and put photo frames and candles on top.

 

Near our dining room table (which doubles as a school desk) we have a set of drawers with different colours of paper and cardboard in them. The little children still need to ask before using a piece of paper, otherwise they would use up most of it one day!

 

In my little “admin” area of our bedroom I have this set of drawers which is great for printed pictures ready for colouring, sticker sheets, fancy cardboard for scrapbooking, paper for printing (I have A4 and letter sizes) and then some completed pages waiting to be filed. I desperately need these drawers as I find if paper gets into any kind of pile, whats underneath tends to be lost forever!

I wanted a place where the main craft and writing supplies could be kept where the children could reach them easily and where they were neatly tucked away. We cleared out this bottom section of our kitchen cupboards and this is our school cupboard – its works really well.

Here is what it looks like on the inside. The orange container with a handle works great and can be easily transferred to the table. It has separate sections for crayons, coloured pencils, glue sticks, scissors, pencils and erasers. Sharpener and celotape live in there too. The blue drawers hold small scrapbook and card making supplies: stickers, ribbons, etc. The green drawers hold metal embelishments and fancy coloured pens for writing, some sealing wax and metal stamps. Each child has an “art box” to hold A4 size papers – projects or art work that is in progress. Completed art work that the children wish to keep goes into Art Binder (A4 size) or Art folder (bigger than A4). Each child also has a pencil case on top of their art box with their personal scissors, erasers and a few other items – also easy to take somewhere like in the car for note taking. Playdough and pattern blocks are also stored in this cupboard.

Then we have our sideboard – I keep all our dishes, plates, etc. in the kitchen cupboards so there is space in the sideboard for craft supplies – the sideboard is also right next to our dining room table.

Inside the cupboards we have glitter glues and clay, boxes of feathers, pipecleaners, pom poms, sand art, chalk, rubber stamps, paints, stencils and then in the drawers are extra pens, punch, stapler, permanent markers, etc. Paper games like bingo are in the top drawer. This is all so convenient as everything is just an arms reach away.

Last of all, the A3 and A2 papers and cardboard, plus the children’s art folders and lapbooks live in this little TV table. The main challenge is keeping the top surface clear and looking nice!

How do you organize your craft supplies?

To Sum Up: Remember to do what works for you! Have a strategy in place that makes things easy to keep under control and maintain. Have fun organizing!

“Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.” Psalm 119v35

Are You Settling For Less in Your Marriage?

25. June 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE

Marriage is the ultimate picture of the Lord Jesus with His bride, the church.

In reality, our marriages fall far short of that awe-inspiring picture.

Many times this is because we get so caught up in the business of life that we forget to focus on the things of eternal value in our lives. I can be so easily caught up in my schedule and with the “next things I need to be doing” that whole days or weeks can become endless task lists that are never completed. To live like this is exhausting!

When I stop and look up and wonder at how God has created things with such beauty and life and I remember that he created us for communion with Him and for relationship with each other, then I realise how my life should be a showcase of God’s glory and not a task list to be completed.

Is your marriage a to do list?

Are you so busy getting it all done that your marriage suffers?

Here are some ways to guard your marriage and by God’s grace to ensure that it does not suffer (this is not the usual “go on date nights” type of list)

  • Recognise that your husband is a learning, growing, person just like you who needs God and His grace desperately – just like you! So pray for your husband every day whenever He comes to mind. Pray for strength, for grace, for wisdom, for physical health and protection, for protection of His thoughts, for God to bless and guide Him.
  • Recognise that your husband needs YOU more than He needs the things you do for Him. Yes, he needs supper on the table, children seen to, etc. but he needs you to STOP and look at him, to love him, to listen to him and to cheer him on. He needs to be able to tell you what is going on in his life and to hear you encourage him (not judge him). He needs you to need him, to put your head on his shoulder and be vulnerable with him.
  • Commit all your doings to the Lord – He gave you the time you need to get everything done – so ask Him what you should be spending each moment of your time on – and don’t spend it on anything else! The Lord wants you to have time for your husband – to listen to him, enjoy him and focus on him.
  • Realise that God intended you to be the hand of grace in the life of your husband – isn’t that such a wonderful ministry we have been given. You are the one who gets to make life better for your husband, to bless him and serve him. You are the one who gets to enjoy him, listen to him and pray for him.
  • Make time to spend together on things of value – whether it’s working on your family goals and strategies together, reading a rich book together and talking about it – or taking a walk together. Spend your time together on things that build your closeness and connect you to each other.
  • When life is busy for either one or both of you, then pray for the grace to find time in the midst of it all to look into one another’s eyes and ask each other how you are doing and enjoy that special oneness that God has given you.

Don’t settle for anything less!

 ”Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” Matthew 19v6

Post linked to Works For Me Wednesday, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home and Raising Homemakers

Florence Nightingale

24. June 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: EDUCATIONAL ENDEAVOURS

We have enjoyed learning about Florence Nightingale! She is a wonderful picture of selfless service to others in the face of great risk to herself. This is a trait that we’d like to grow in and to pass on to our children.

There is a poem written by Henry Wadworth Longfellow, entitled “Saint Filomena”, about Florence Nightingale which we are going to put up on the wall of our daughters’ room along with the picture below…

 Whene’er a noble deed is wrought,
Whene’er is spoken a noble thought,
Our hearts, in glad surprise,
To higher levels rise.

The tidal wave of deeper souls
Into our inmost being rolls,
And lifts us unawares
Out of all meaner cares.

Honour to those whose words or deeds
Thus help us in our daily needs,
And by their overflow
Raise us from what is low!

Thus thought I, as by night I read
Of the great army of the dead,
The trenches cold and damp,
The starved and frozen camp, -

The wounded from the battle-plain,
In dreary hospitals of pain,
The cheerless corridors,
The cold and stony floors.

Lo! in that house of misery
A lady with a lamp I see
Pass through the glimmering gloom,
And flit from room to room.

And slow, as in a dream of bliss,
The speechless sufferer turns to kiss
Her shadow, as it falls
Upon the darkening walls.

As if a door in heaven should be
Opened and then closed suddenly,
The vision came and went,
The light shone and was spent.

On England’s annals, through the long
Hereafter of her speech and song,
That light its rays shall cast
From portals of the past.

A Lady with a Lamp shall stand
In the great history of the land,
A noble type of good,
Heroic womanhood.

Nor even shall be wanting here
The palm, the lily, and the spear,
The symbols that of yore
Saint Filomena bore.

Isn’t that beautifully written!

Here are some great resources that we used when learning about Florence Nightingale:

  • A lovely Florence Nightingale paper doll with petticoat and dress – which I printed at 150% – nice and large. Our girls loved playing with them. Here is the doll and petticoat and the dress.
  • A wonderful printable download with pictures, life story and more of Florence Nightingale including a wonderful colouring page of her serving in the hospital. I can’t find where this comes from – and there is not link on it as to where I downloaded it from. If you know please tell me so I can give credit for the wonderful pack! In the meantime, here it is: Florence Nightingale info pack

We are so blessed to have History to learn from!

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” Galatians 5v13

 

Organizing Homeschool

19. June 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: OPTIMISTIC ORGANIZING

Do you have strategies in place for how your homeschool curriculum, books, binders, papers etc. are stored and used? Are they maximised for efficiency and to minimize preparation and execution time? This is an area I am motivated to work on regularly as streamlining the processes saves me huge amounts of time and helps our homeschool time be more effective! Some of this may be easy if you follow a set curriculum – but even then there is always room for streamlining!

Questions to Ask Yourself

When considering the effective of my school systems, I find it useful to ask myself questions. I have included a download at the end of the post where you can work on some questions and solutions relating to your homeschool. Here are some examples:

  • What do I need to prepare each evening for the next day’s school
  • What do I need to prepare each weekend for the next week’s school – prep time
  • What do I do with completed workbooks – when do I check them?
  • Where do I store up and coming paper resources
  • Where do I keep my daily school plans
  • Where do we store completed school work papers workbooks files
  • Where do my children find the books / papers they need each day

I will now go through some of the systems I use – and which I am continually trying to improve upon. Any suggestions would be most welcome!

My Home Education Planning Binder

This is a separate file to my Homemaking Binder and is made up as follows:

  • In the front I have my simplified school schedule. This is not as complex as our full family schedule but just lists the main structure with what I need to remember for each time slot on a single page.
  • Behind that I have a copy of each of the children’s weekly “to be completed” plans which they also have in the front of their binders.
  • Then I have my Home Ed weekly Planning page which includes my craft plans and daily and weekly focus reminders. You can download this at the end of this post. I write my current content focus here as well as things like “Focus on time with children – or reading time – or whatever I feel the children need or the Lord is leading me to do more of. This is a great daily reminder for me.

  • Next comes a half a page document of what I do in our first lounge time – Memory Verses, Character definition and story, poetry, hymns, preschool things like days of week, counting, letter activities, etc. I need this list as a reminder each day.
  • Next I have large printouts of current character definition with scripture, current manners we are learning together.
  • Then I have a similar list for our second lounge time which is focused on the country, the history and the people we are currently learning about.
  • Then I have a double page with notes for other things like music, art, and notes about the current things we are working on e.g. this information page about the Huguenot Tunnel which we went through on the way to Kleinplasie last week.

  • Lastly, I have included the scope and sequence for our homeschool for reference. I like to have paper documents at my finger tips otherwise they get lost in the dark space inside my laptop.

My Hanging File Folder

I have a file folder that I store sections of curriculum that are done and are to come i.e. are not current. Some of this is in binders but my letter of the week activities each have a folder in this box and so does each country we have studied and are planning to study in the near future.

The Student Binders and Schedules

Each child has a binder with tabs for subjects that are not done in notebooks or workbooks or other means e.g. music worksheets. In the front of these binders is a list of the independent work each student needs to complete each day that week (we do about half of our work as a group and half independently – but still together at the desk)

Each day my children stick stickers onto each item that they complete. (I used to customise this schedule weekly with page numbers, etc. but to cut down on that workload it is now a generic schedule that I simply reprint for each week.)

The “Check” Basket

The children put completed books / binders which need checking into what I call the check basket on top of our little paper drawers and as I check the books I return them to their box.

Current Workbook and Binder Storage

Current school workbooks are kept in a handy basket box under the little table in our dining and school area. Reading books are kept in our large school bookshelf.

  • Other files and things that I need easy access to are kept in this neat little cabinet in the corner of our bedroom along with my 3 hole American and 4 hole South African punches which I cannot do without!

I’d love to see how you organize your school system. Please also let me know if you would like more details or visuals with any of these items. I feel like quite a beginner still with all this and I have learnt so much from others already – so please INSPIRE me :)

To Sum Up: Remember to put strategies in place that work for you – maximise their efficiency to save on your planning time and to enable you to enjoy each Homeschool day with your children – and to be able to focus on them along the way.

“Thou hast commanded [us] to keep thy precepts diligently. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!” – Psalm 119v4-5

Linked to Works For Me Wednesday and A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Intentional Parenting and Our Visit to Kleinplasie Museum

18. June 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: EDUCATIONAL ENDEAVOURS, PECULIAR PARENTING

We are going through a very exciting season in our family life – we are becoming more intentional and purposeful about our parenting. Some people would say we have always been intentional about our family life – and some people, I’m sure, would say that we go overboard… but its true that we don’t easily do anything without purpose. We tend to analyse things, checking them against God’s Word and God’s leading in our family, looking at what worldview things are coming from, what effect they will have on our children, what they will do to our family – and while we need to be careful not to alienate people through this process, I feel that its part of God’s blessing on our family – being intentional.

We have been so inspired by Vision Forum’s Phillips family – and while what they do is inspiring, its the vision behind it all that sets our hearts on fire. We love learning from like-minded families that are trusting God for more than just “bringing up their children” in the usual way.

One thing we have decided to do is to take our children on historical outings where Dad teaches us and we learn together from all we see – we study a place or a subject before and after our visit and record our visit in pictures and written memories.

This weekend we went to Kleinplasie (small farm) a historical farm museum. This was such a fantastic day for all of us – it had the richness of history, intrigue and creativity – along with the Biblical connection that Dad brought of hard work and team work that you can see took place on this farm – the teamwork and work ethic that we desire for our family.

It was a beautiful peaceful day!

A shepherd’s hut.

An animal shelter built from all the excess wood and clippings from on the farm.

The old sheep dip.

Dad reading the words on the gravestone to us.

Exciting pathways to explore.

Beautiful old wagon under the trees – with a beautiful young lady reclining in it.

Exploring the old buildings.

Model of an old wagon.

The tobacco drying hut – very intriguing – and the best part…

Each of the places had rabbit burrows with little visitors popping out of them to say hello – much to this young man’s delight!

Examining the soap and candles that are made there.

The old butter churns and other contraptions.

A horse powered grain-mill with a very exciting ladder.

And a beautiful wagon – I could just picture her on it! I must say, though, I am glad we live now and not in those times – not an easy life!

We also got to go through the Huguenot Tunnel on our way there – which was much anticipated – and don’t ask me why but our children always sing “Scotland the Brave” when we go through a tunnel!

Each visit like this knits us as a family and gives us a sense of history, an awareness of those who have gone before and of God’s providence and blessing in our lives.

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised; And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:” Hebrews 10v23-24

Coming soon: Intentional Parenting and our House Decorations

PRESCHOOL CORNER: Floral Foam and Paperclip Flowers

18. June 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: EDUCATIONAL ENDEAVOURS

I love crafts that are EASY to prepare for and execute! This one is fabulous. We are learning about florists this week and so we started with a great tactile activity. I cut a piece of oasis (floral foam) for each child and then gave them each some paper clips and some pieces of foam / fancy paper.

They explored and pushed the floral foam and poked it with the paper clips.

We then unbent the paper clips until they were straight, leaving a small hook at the top.

Then we pushed the bits of paper and foam on the paper clips to make flowers.

Our oldest made it more of a work of art.

Easy and effective!

“This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Hebrews 10v16

Home Education Strategies, Part 2 – Looking Forward and Preparing for the Year Ahead

14. June 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: EDUCATIONAL ENDEAVOURS

Read Part 1 – Looking Back here

The next step is to spend a good amount of time looking forward, planning and preparing for the year ahead.

You might like to go away on a planning retreat as a family or just you and hubby. You might like to take a whole month to do planning, brainstorming and strategizing as a family in between reading and playing together. You might need a week before you officially start a school year to do all the practical planning and preparation. Or you might like to get a head start during the entire second half of each school year – writing down any ideas that come to mind – always looking to what lies ahead.

Whatever works for you, make sure you set that time aside.

A popular term right now in Home Education circles is “unschooling” and while I understand where people are coming from, I don’t like that description. It sounds passive and it sounds like the complete opposite of what we desire to do – which is to do things intentionally and with purpose. I love the phrase “a lifestyle of learning!” Here are some ideas of how to go about preparing your lifestyle of learning.

  1. Refresh in your mind / revise your family and home education vision, strategies and goals. Seek the Lord for your family for this year.
  2. Ask your children questions about what would they like to learn to do, what instruments would they like to learn to play, what places they would like to visit, what they’d like to learn about, what books would they’d like to read, etc.
  3. Think about what experience’s you’d like to have as a family, what areas you’d like to grow in as a family and as individuals, who you’d like to spend time with and what you’d like to accomplish as a family and as individuals.
  4. Work on goals for the year for your homeschool and for each of your children individually.
  5. Take stock of all that you have available to your family – all your books, resources, opportunities and people available to you that you could utilize in your learning lifestyle
  6. Then plan! – get the calendar, put in key events, add in specifics of what you have discussed, where you will travel when and what events you will be part of. Get your planning files and record keeping materials in order.
  7. Last of all is finding the books and curriculum that you need because now you know what to look for and can tie it all in to real life and learn as you go. School books and resources can be valuable but don’t pack your schedule so full of them that you don’t have time to pursue the things your children show an interest in learning about along the way!
  8. Organize your materials and set up your school schedules.
  9. Adjust as you go – most of all, enjoy this precious time with your children, learning together.
  • All of this planning and these goals actually help me to be less rigid and structured and more free to enjoy the learning journey with my children.

A few extra notes:

  • I have a document to follow with goals for each of my children within each area of learning e.g. Nature study – I write details of how I’d like to go about that “subject” that year as I often forget along the way e.g. go on a nature walk each week and find something of interest to photograph and write about…
  • At the family table at dinner time our children come alive with delight as they discuss all they are learning and experiencing as they share with Dad and each other. Dad leads the conversation asking questions and drawing out each member of the family. Such lively animated discussions bond us as a family and enhance our home education journey.
  • We have begun to be very intentional about the places we visit or travel to. Traveling to places rich in history and spending weeks or months beforehand planning, learning, studying the history and significance of the places you are going to visit makes them come alive.
  • History becomes so rich when it is not just from a book but part of our lives as we learn, explore, visit places and honor those who have gone before. We become thankful as we search out the providence of God in our lives, our families, our country and our world.
  • We use and love the Abeka curriculum but we also use bits and pieces from Vision Forum, Sonlight, Rod and Staff, Bob Jones and Christian Liberty Press.

In summary, the main things I want to emphasize are:

  • that you have a vision for your Home Education so that you can evaluate how you spend your time
  • that you look back with joy to be able to celebrate with your children all that God has done in your and their lives
  • and that you look forward with anticipation; involving everyone in the excitement of planning for and the anticipation of that which is to come.

Home Education Strategies, Part 1 – Looking Back

13. June 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: EDUCATIONAL ENDEAVOURS

Vision In Every Area

Vision in every area is critical. A vision for how you would like your kitchen cupboard to look and function gives you the strategy and motivation to get it done. Having a vision for how you would like your family time or your Home Education to look will help you find the strategies and put the systems in place to make it happen.

Much of my life I have been operating without vision and STRUGGLING because I don’t have the motivation to do what needs to be done.

Now when I spend time with Hubby talking and praying and when I get a glimpse of the bigger picture – and of God’s greater purposes, everything has greater significance and I have the motivation I need to follow through.

I have realized that giving my children a vision of not just a clean room but a special and inspiring place to live – encourages and motivates them to work alongside me to meet that goal – instead of me trying to drag them through it.

For me, turning away from perfectionism (where I exhaust myself) to using vision in every area helps me make things efficient and effective without them needing to be perfect – is a wonderful breakthrough.

Home Education Strategy

A Home Education STRATEGY is something that we have only recently become aware of. We have always heard so much about the various curricula and methods, but it is hard to find much that goes deeper than that.

People always ask: What curriculum do you use? So in our homeschool I have gotten hung up on doing lots of research on what’s out there and on finding the most suitable “program mix” for us – the right maths, the right language program, the best science worldview, most interesting history, etc.
All this may be part of a good process to go through but I didn’t realise how profoundly different and effective it is to START with your Home Education Vision, goals and STRATEGY!

This has changed home education for us!

A note: Before I could step out into planning and strategizing for our home education freely and completely, I had to talk to my husband about fears that I realized I had. Turns out I’m a hypocrite! I always encourage people to not be bogged down by other people’s ideas, reservations or concerns about homeschooling – yet I realized I have not been able to be completely free in my Home Ed journey because of worrying what certain people will say or think. The thing is, though, hubby and I know what God has called us to do with our children and we know what direction He is calling us to take. It is a road that goes far beyond anything we have ever imagined and it is daunting, stretching, rich and exciting all at the same time. Talking through my fears with Hubby and then giving them to God – taking the LEAP of faith of letting go to Him has been so freeing. Now we can be free to make our choices based on God’s leading alone – and not out of fear that we “should” be doing certain things.

We have been so inspired listening to Doug and Beall Phillips on Family Strategies.

Being Intentional and Remembering

We have been reminded to be intentional about every part of our lives including Home Education.

The Phillips family spends almost a month at the end of each year looking back, recording and evaluating everything they have done during the past year.

This month of consolidating and looking back gives the children such a sense of accomplishment, of teamwork, of being part of something bigger than them.

The Phillips family record everything from which books they have read to which places they visited to how many teeth they lost and what memory verses they memorized – anything significant and meaningful in each child’s life.

We want to look back on which people we got to know during each year, big things God has done in our lives as a family (like finding a church that we love and have become part of.) We want to remember and record the ways our children have grown spiritually, emotionally, in character, in physical abilities, etc.

This is a huge amount to record but what fabulous memories to look back on for them. And if it is done throughout the year as well as at the end then it is not such a daunting task.

We have started scrapbook journals for each child and each week we add to these photographs and drawings of places we have visited and significant events that we have been part of and the children write what they remember from these places and events – what has been special for them and what they want to remember. We felt it was important to start this while our children are young as the memories from this season of their lives are so special. Our 8 year old does her own – and I help the younger three with sticking and writing down what they narrate on each page.

The year end becomes a time of celebrating the richness of family life together and of thanking God for His incredible grace that we have seen throughout the year.
After this rich time of thankfulness and looking back, its time to prepare for the year ahead.

What ways do you use to record and remember in your family? I’d love to hear!

Home Education Strategies Part 2 – Looking Forward to the Year Ahead

“And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.” Deuteronomy 8v2

Linked to Works for Me Wednesday

Family Values and Home Education Vision (a work in progress)

11. June 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: PECULIAR PARENTING

Whew – its been a rather busy week with birthdays and all. We had a wonderful outing to the South African Museum. An incredible amount of stuffed animals and birds and natural history to discover.

We are so enjoying working on our vision and goals together – we are seeing fruit already. I have felt so inspired today about every part life as a family – and not at all weighed down by struggles. Having a vision helps hugely!

Here’s what we have come up with so far. Perhaps it will inspire you. (We are still working on the different bits – and will edit them more as we go.)

Our Family Values

  • What do we value?
  • What do we want to see in our own lives and in our children?
  1. Integrity, Virtue, Honesty
  2. Grace for others (flowing out of God’s grace towards us)
  3. Strength of Heart: being able to cope with difficulty without being swayed or giving up
  4. Courage, boldness, bravery: to step out and do what is not easy, courage to obey God
  5. Faith in God’s character and His Word and His salvation
  6. Love for and closeness to God, close real, relationship
  7. Close Relationships: strong and close marriage, close relationships with our children and them with each other
  8. Value, respect and honour for God’s Word
  9. Children honour, respect and obey parents – in speech, in heart and in behaviour
  10. Love and respect our children in speech, heart and behaviour
  11. Femininity / Masculinity: in outward appearance, heart focus and roles in life
  12. Manhood / Virtuous Womanhood - Proverbs 31, Titus 2, …
  13. Giving / hospitable / loving to others starting in the home with brothers and sisters and Mom and Dad
  14. Putting people before things, not materialistic, focus on relationships – eternal value
  15. Respect for authority: civil, government, etc.
  16. A love for history and honour for those who have gone before – especially those who have suffered or died in serving God and bringing reformation
  17. Dilligence
  18. Patience, longsuffering
  19. Contentedness: not wanting more or wanting things to be different
  20. Thankfulness: because we don’t deserve anything
  21. Joy in God’s goodness and God’s redemption
  22. Meaningful family communication: passing on the stories and knowledge to our children
  23. Taking responsibility for what God requires of us in all areas of life
  24. Ability to work hard and be productive
  25. Self-discipline: sticking to what you decide to do, doing the hard or unpleasant thing even when you don’t feel like it
  26. Uplifting conversation (not coarse talk or frivolous talk or vulgar joking): Phil 4
  27. Resting in God’s peace and being refreshed in Him rather than through worldy means
  28. Humility: seeing ourselves as God sees us
  29. Intentionality and living on purpose
  30. Needing each other: by choice

Home Education Vision

 We want our children to:

  1. Develop a love for and a knowledge of God’s Word – by reading and learning it and applying it to life. We want them to develop a Biblical perspective on all of life.
  2. Character Development a priority – character traits chart
  3. Learn to work as a team and to be an effective part of a team.
  4. Develop a love for learning – not just for the sake of knowledge but an appreciation for God’s creation, a sense of our purpose and His plan throughout History
  5. Develop a love for books and reading, for good literature and good poetry
  6. Develop self-discipline in being able to learn and carry out tasks efficiently and effectively.
  7. Learn to think logically and communicate effectively – so that we can bless and serve others and we can live orderly productive lives.
  8. Actual knowledge is not the first priority, but is a wonderful blessing! Knowledge comes as a result or consequence of the other goals.
  9. Learn to write with good penmanship and excellent language skills so that they can effectively communicate their thoughts in writing.

Coming soon: Day 5 – Home Education Strategies and Organization

“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” Proverbs 29v18

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