From the Editor - By Deborah Wuehler
Are you tired yet? I seem to be always off and running and getting cramps from the rush of it all! When will I learn to slow down? Maybe that's why I experience homeschool burnout by now.
As I thought through my dilemma, I started to wonder how Jesus handled everything on His "plate." I wondered if Jesus was rushed and off and running all the time. Yes, there were definitely times of a lot happening all at once. I could certainly relate to His dealing with crowds of people all day long and having to hide or get away early in the morning to spend time with His Father. And the number of things pressing on Him at one time were many. Twelve disciples to love and train and feed (and I only have seven), crowds of people to teach and heal, critics to rebuff and enemies to avoid, places to travel--and sometimes all in one day. He most certainly had more than I could ever deal with on any given day.
But as I looked into His life further, I saw incredible peace, knowing He only did what His Father told Him to do; I saw love and patience flowing out to His disciples, taking every opportunity to speak into their lives. I saw the Son of man displaying the character of God in His dealings with people.
I was immediately convicted that I, too, want to be a mother and teacher of peace, doing only what my Father tells me to do; to be able to minister to crowds of people or one person in need whenever that need arises, and not feel condemned because of the pull away from my own schedule; I want to feel the revival so necessary on a daily basis as I carve out a time and place to get alone with my Father; I want to have an answer for every man that asks me the hope which lies within--even and especially if that man is my own son.
It all boils down to this: I want to be like Jesus. And I know in order to be like Him, I must run like Him. I must run to my Father like Him. I must run to do my Father's bidding like Him. And then I will have peace like Him.
Oh to be like Jesus--there will my weary feet find rest, and there will I find the rejuvenation to run on to the finish of this homeschooling journey.
(Reprinted from HomeschoolBlogger's Company Porch: Master Teacher column)
Need some good reasons for keeping your children home where they belong?
Watch this and pass it on! |
From Our Readers: What's Around the Corner?
By Traci Weldie, Wauwatosa, WI
Do you ever feel that your life is at a standstill? You just don't know where to turn next or what to do tomorrow? Everything in front of me right now is a question--I am not being filled with God's Word in a small group; where should I go to be a part of a community? Homeschooling can be challenging; do I even want to do this anymore? Sometimes, I long to have more kids; will we take that step? I thought for sure God had led us to a wonderful house in the country; but when that fell through, was He saying not to move? Sometimes the questions start to drive me crazy, because what it comes down to is that I just don't have an answer for any of these.
Typically, I have my life so mapped out--it's as if I say to the Lord, "It's okay, God. I've got it all under control here. You can spend your energy on that woman over there. Trust me!" How arrogant of me to presume that I have any control over things in my life. I think God has brought me to this place of uncertainty and unfamiliarity to teach me what it means to wait upon Him.
What I keep hearing from God is WAIT UPON ME. It's like when your kids are home on a snowy day in January. Imagine it's around 10:45 am. They have been playing all morning, constructively working on a snow fort outside. Then, the beginnings of rumblings in their bellies sets in--they crash through the door and say, "I'm starving!" Meanwhile, you have been working on a delicious, hot potato soup that you know is one of their favorites. It just isn't quite ready yet.
"Mom! I'm starving! I am so hungry. Can we have a snack?" the kids ask.
"Well, I would really like you to wait about 30 more minutes for lunch. I know you will really like what I have planned," you reply, trying to be patient with them.
"But I am starving! I don't think I can wait 30 minutes. Can I please have some pretzels?" The kids' voices are getting urgent.
"Pretzels? But, what I have planned for you is not only nutritious, it is delicious and will feel so good in your tummies. Don't you think it would be better to wait?" you ask.
"No! I want to eat now."
Finally, you give in.
So the kids dive into a bag of stale and not so tasty pretzels that leave them incredibly thirsty. When lunchtime rolls around they take a few bites of soup, and although it is delicious, their bellies have been filled with the snack and so they push their bowls back and sigh.
"I wish I would have waited. This is so much better than pretzels, but the pretzels filled me up."
How many times has that been the scenario of my life decisions? I rush to fulfill my own desires, not willing to wait for what the Lord had in store for me. Despite the fact that I had a temporary "fix" as I did my own thing, the joy and satisfaction were so fleeting when I realized what I could have had if I had waited for what God had planned.
As I sit here, trying hard not to be frustrated with the lack of direction in my life, I am reminded to not be like the child who insists on eating the pretzels before the delicious soup is brought out.
Psalm 27:13-14 says, "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."
This passage concludes a Psalm in which David confidently prays to God asking for deliverance from his enemies. While I am not being hunted like David was, my enemy is my self-reliance and my tendency to be impatient. Thoughts swirling in my head saying "you can do it by yourself" and "God is taking too long on this decision" hunt me down and convince me to take matters into my own hands.
Yet, how many times do I need to learn through the failures I experience? More than once I have been known to say, "I wish I wouldn't have acted so rashly." Inevitably, when I rely on my own strength, intellect, or power, I come up short of the goodness that God has in store for me. David says to me, "I know how you feel, but wait! Be strong and take heart and wait!" I can picture David yelling this to those who will listen, trying to assure us that God's plan is so much better than our own, if only we will be patient.
What I love about David's instruction here is to "be strong." Isn't it the easier thing to just do something yourself? Isn't it easier to quench the hunger pangs right then and there than to wait for that wonderful banquet planned at the end of our life on earth? I pray that God would pour His strength into me so that I can be strong and wait on Him. The good news is that He is not asking of me anything that is not common to all of us--we all are called to just wait upon Him.
So, if you ask me what my plans are for next year, this summer, or even tomorrow, I may not be able to give you an answer. I will learn from David's words; I will be confident, sure, and determined to stay with God and let His plan unfold in His perfect timing. I will not quit; I will stay with God and wait for His goodness to appear.
Want to see your devotion highlighted here?
Send it in to devotions@thehomeschoolmagazine.com for consideration.
Q&A with Deborah
Q: "I just read your article on The Old Schoolhouse Magazine website (July '05 Devotional e-Newsletter). I was just curious about how you organize the reading rally you spoke of. How much time do you give to each student? Do you have any handouts that you give to families for guidelines as to what to share, how long to present, etc.?"
A: We hold our Reading Rally at our local library's multipurpose room once a month, which is booked in advance. As families enter, they sign up on a sheet in the back. I call the children in order of signing up if it looks like we have a lot of presentations and may not be able to accommodate those who are late; otherwise, I call them in a random order. We allow the children to present whatever they'd like to present for as long as they like (we have never had any child go longer than about five minutes). They may present anything from a recited Bible verse to a book report to a science project--whatever they are learning in school. We even have little ones recite their alphabet or show us a story in picture form. The goal is to get them to feel comfortable presenting to an audience. We also have a piano in the library room, so we have piano recitals and other instruments as well. We actually just had our Reading Rally last week and we had about twenty presentations which lasted about an hour total. We allow for two hours so that we can fellowship and have snacks afterwards. Some months we combine our Reading Rallies with our holiday parties. I provide a reward for those who present: a small item from our reward box, or a coupon for a free meal, ice cream cone, etc., from local vendors.
Hope this answers your questions. Reading Rally has been one of our favorite things to do as a support group.
Here's a handout we have in place for our group:
Reading Rally/Recital
a. Children's opportunity for the following:
- learn presentation and speech skills in a positive environment
- present reports, Scriptures, poems, experiments, etc. for an audience
- perform music recitals, songs, drama, etc. before an audience
b. Projects should be original work of the child (i.e., made the project himself) or can be a family project.
|
a. Approximately 1½ hours (1 hour when coinciding with a party)
b. Time limit does not include party
c. Time limit helps younger children to succeed at sitting quietly
d. Party day presentations need to be shorter than normal
|
| 3. Signup List - first come, first served |
|
a. If too late, we may not get to fit your child in
|
| 4. Children first; then, if time, adults may give presentations (must be educational) |
Do you have a specific question for me? I'll do my best to answer it.
Send questions to: devotions@thehomeschoolmagazine.com
This Month's Contests!
- Latino Kids Songs Video: LatinoDirect introduces 11 of the most beloved traditional Latino Kids songs on video, sung in English and in Spanish.
- Latino Kids Songs CD and Booklet: Same songs as above in English and in Spanish offered in CD format including a booklet.
See both of our LatinoDirect product reviews here.
- Viva La Musica CD: 28 Spanish Songs by Elise Carr Sumner. See our product review here written by a missionary in Mexico.
|
|
TO ENTER:
Send an email to Devotions@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com with your name and mailing address for a chance to win one of these gifts. Note: We never use your personal information for anything other than sending out prizes.
Disclaimer and Legal Notice:
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC ("Company") is sponsoring the March 2007 Devotional Newsletter Latino Kids Songs Video Contest, the March 2007 Devotional Newsletter Latino Kids Songs CD Contest, and the March 2007 Devotional Newsletter Viva La Musica CD Contest, each running from March 1, 2007, to March 31, 2007. You must be 18 years of age or older and follow all rules to participate. Entering the contest constitutes full and complete acceptance of, and a warranty that the entrant has read, understands and agrees to, all contest terms and conditions, including without limitation all of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC Contest Rules ("Official Rules") at http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/Resources/Contests.php and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Writer Guidelines and Terms and Conditions for Submitting Queries (as published on the Internet at http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/legal/Writers_Guidelines.html). All Official Rules apply. Entry also constitutes full consent and unlimited permission for Company to print, publish, broadcast and use all intellectual property and personal information submitted as part of the Contest entry on the Internet and in any and all Company publications in accordance with the Rules. Entries become the sole property of Company and will not be returned. Employees and independent contractors of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC, Contest sponsors, individuals or entities furnishing Contest prizes and their family members may not participate in this contest. Company reserves the sole, discretionary right to determine contest winners and to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the contest or the Rules at any time with or without notice or cause, subject to applicable law. See Official Rules for details.
No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law.
For a full copy of the Official Rules, please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine: Official Rules Request, PO Box 10, White Pine, TN 37890.
Blog of the Month
Each month I will feature a different blog site from TOS's HomeschoolBlogger.com
Here is a very informative blog from the Senior Editor of HomeschoolBlogger, Tia Linschied. Visit her blog today to find out about blog contests, adoptions, and the every day life of a wonderful homeschool mom.
Haptoon:
Interested in more Haptoons? Email to purchase your own mini book of cartoons here: haptoon@juno.com or visit the website here: http://www21.brinkster.com/haptoon/
Testimonials
Hi,
You don't know me but I learned a little about you this morning as I did a general search for the location in God's word for His mercies being new every morning and happened upon your site.
God bless you today as you depend on him for everything. Your words are inspiring to those around you.
I happily identified with much that God is doing there. You see, I am the most blessed and fortunate man I know. Married for 34 years to the most wonderful woman I know, Christians for 31 years, parents of four girls and four boys all of whom love the Lord, grandparents to five and active members in a great church for 29 years. My wife has homeschooled each of our children, on and off, for 23 years.
To God alone is all the glory!
God Bless!
Bill
Comments? Email devotions@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com
Schoolhouse Store Spotlight
 |
Looking to add some excitement to your science curriculum? If so, you'll want to check out the latest addition to The Schoolhouse Store. The Teaching Tank® and The Teaching Tank Discovery Books© are designed to stimulate students so that they can experience what science is, by allowing them to do what a scientist does.
In addition, The Teaching Tank® is easy to set up and easy to use. It provides a creative, hands-on way for students to see and learn science. You'll definitely want to check out the pictures to see just what this amazing, versatile tool can do. Perform literally hundreds of experiments with just one Teaching Tank!
Take advantage of FREE shipping and special Schoolhouse Store pricing!
|
Do you Subscribe to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine?
Here's what our readers are saying:
"A mind banquet! I am in awe of how much you put together in one issue, and in such a pleasant and inviting way. I will feast and dine at this banquet repeatedly, for there always seems to be something fresh to savor upon each return."
~ Glenna Grant, Loxley, AL
US Subscriptions:
Whether you are new to our magazine or a long-time subscriber, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine has an incredible offer that you won't want to pass up!
In the past, we couldn't offer the renewing subscribers the 19 free gifts - those were only for new customers. But for a limited time only, RENEWING subscribers get all 19 gifts, too!
I'm a new subscriber…what do I get?
With your two-year subscription to TOS you'll receive:
- A 2-year/3-year subscription to The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine
- 19 FREE gifts for you (over $200 value)
All this for ONLY $39 for 2 years and $59 for 3 years
Click Here to Purchase Online
Or, call 1-888-718-HOME
Already a subscriber?
Renew now and receive your choice of either Two or Three more years of your favorite homeschool magazine and 19 FREE gifts.
All this for ONLY $39 for 2 years and $59 for 3 years
Click Here to Purchase!
Or, call 1-888-718-HOME
The first 3,000 two-year or three-year new subscriber or renewing your two or three year subscription, you will receive (by USPS mail) NINETEEN free homeschooling gifts. But you don't get four gifts - you get 19! Even the shipping is paid for, and you are not required to buy anything again.
Hurry! Promotion will sell out fast! - TOS Staff
(US Residents Only)
Click Here to View the FREE Gifts |
 |
International Subscriptions:
Whether you view your subscription as a gift for yourself, a homeschool conference delivered to your door, a professional journal, or simply a wonderful opportunity to fellowship with other homeschool families around the world, subscribe now to insure that you are in the first 2,000 and receive this incredible International Subscription Homeschool Gift Pack!
One-Year International Subscription:
Receive four issues of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine delivered directly to your door and 19 FREE gifts from our generous sponsors. Subscribe now! Only $38!
And we have an additional gift for two-year and three-year subscribers!
Two-Year or Three-Year International Subscription:
Receive 8 issues of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, the 19 free gifts, AND our Secrets of Successful Homeschooling e-book! Subscribe now! Only $69 for 2 years and $83 for 3 years!
These special offers will expire soon, though. Subscribe or renew today so you don't miss out on this opportunity!
We have three easy ways to subscribe!
- Subscribe online
- Call 1-888-718-HOME
- Mail your order to:
The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC
PO Box 10
White Pine, TN 37890
Hurry! Promotion will sell out fast! - TOS Staff
(International Residents Only)
Click Here to View the FREE Gifts
|
Thank you for spending time with us here at The Old Schoolhouse Devotional e-Newsletter! We pack into every issue as much practical homeschooling help and godly encouragement as we possibly can and send it out once a month via email.
You may forward this e-Newsletter to your friends in its entirety.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following information is a reminder of your current
mailing list subscription:
You are subscribed to the following list:
The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine Newsletters - Devotional using the following
email: Devotional@tosmagazine.com
You may automatically
unsubscribe from this list at any time by visiting the following URL:
http://www.tosmagazine.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/Devotional/
If the above URL is inoperable, make sure that you have copied the
entire address.
Some mail readers will wrap a long URL and thus break this
automatic unsubscribe mechanism.
You may also change your subscription
by visiting this list's main screen:
http://www.tosmagazine.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/list/Devotional
If you're still having trouble, please contact the list owner at: Devotional@tosmagazine.com
The following physical address is associated with this mailing list:
http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/
|