Inspired

Yesterday I had the amazing opportunity to be inspired.  Every mom needs inspiration from other ladies who have gone before or walking the path we are walking.  The path we are walking is homeschooling, a stay at home mom, and a family raising Godly children for God's kingdom work.  Yesterday was my day.  The lady who leads our co-op and her husband own Apologia. 

Apologia is mainly a science textbook company.  But since Rachael and her husband bought the company they have expanded their products to include books that encourage homeschooling families but also moms with children who are training them in the Bible.

They were doing video segments yesterday of two ladies.  They each have books they were promoting and did small 10 minutues talks on their book.

The first lady is Zan Tyler.  I have met her before at co-op.  She came back in March to observe our presentations we did as a family. 

I really didn't think much about this book until I heard her talk yesterday.  She and her husband homeschooled their 3 kids K-12 and all three went to college and now are very successful adults.

She talks about 7 tools but yesterday she highlighted just one of them.  She focused on Learning Styles, Spiritual Gifts, and Personality Types.  It is imporant for a mom to know these things about each child.  This is my mission this summer.  I know alot about my children but there are little "test" or "quizzes" to take to tell me exactly what each of the boys are in each area.

Another talk she did was on Worldview.  She focused on our children being surrounded by Godly people in home, church, and church community.  Research shows that 2/3 of the young adults that grew up in church are leaving the church.  She made a profound statement, "We need more Daniels and Esthers."  So I am going back to examine those qualities of Daniel and Esther.

The second lady was Debra Bell.

Can't wait for this one to hit the shelves.  This lady was go inspirational.  She was a public school teacher and then came home to teach all three of hers K-12.  She is now on the other side of this path and can't stop talking about all the fruits of her labor.  As she was talking, I was agreeing with so many things since she was a public school teacher like myself. 

 Her points were:

Her philosophy of education came from

Proverbs 20:5 "Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water,

But a man of understanding will draw it out." 

Children are natural learners from birth on up until about middle school then high school it seems to be gone.  The public school does an amazing job K-3, then 4-8 things change and so on until 9-12.  We are called in the verse to search it out.  Search out learning, shepherd the natural curiousity of a child.  Since the public school has 20 or so in a class, searching out each child's gift of learning stops.    Homeschooling is an incredible walk of FAITH.  It is giving limitations not just opportunities.  Another statement from her was, "I am not just PROTECTING you but PREPARING you to LAUNCH."  I want my kids to be so grounded in family, truth, bible, and obedience to God's calling when they leave me and I am ready to launch them into the world.  I can't wait for this book.

We ran out of time before Rachael spoke but I have heard her many times before and have this book already.  She points out so many things that God is telling us as we speak to our kids.  I know I have said these things to my kids a few 100 times.  I wonder how many times God has told me these things.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you"

"Be quiet"

"No"

What a great devotion book. 

So after a 2-1/2 hour video segment, I walked away inspired, encouraged, and very excited about this thing they call homeschooling and the precious gift of my children that God has so graciously allow

 Jeff and I to raise. 

Need some inspiration or encouragement, these books are for you even though you may not be homeschooling

It is nice to know others are walking the same path.  Surround myself with those people

I am so grateful for ladies who surround me, encourage me, and walk along beside me.  You guys know who you are.