So the planning for 52.4.Him has begun. One of my goals for this is to blog the experience so others with a similar desire will know where to start.

GETTING STARTED
1. First, I made 2 lists of ideas (weekly and monthly). These lists will grow, but this is a start! Be sure to send me your ideas!  Be sure to include your kids in these lists. My children delighted in helping come up with ideas, then they take ownership in the project.  **Not all ideas will be appropriate for all ages. Know your kids and be sure to ask about limitations on the age of children you bring.

                                      Family Ministry Ideas:


WEEKLY IDEAS
MONTHLY IDEAS
Cards for nursing home residents
Find a local struggling church or church plant that could use some help (drama/music/face painting/games/crafts are all great ways for your kids to help)
Collecting food for the food pantry
Visit a children’s home (monthly game night/pizza/BBQ)
Collecting clothes for the clothes closet
Visiting families who have visited your church
Cards for sick relatives
Visiting shut in members of your church
Cards/contact for friends and those we have met on mission trips
Serving at the food pantry
Giving toys to those in need
Serving at the clothes closet
Bringing a meal to a family who might need it (just had a baby/sick/going through a difficult time)
Serving at a soup kitchen
 Blessing Bags
Serving at a shelter
 Baking cookies to bring to a fire station/police station/nurses at the hospital/homeless shelter/ other non profit
Serving at a crisis pregnancy center

Neighbor outreach (outside movie night)

Helping at a local VBS

Serving at any local non profit (collecting resources/organizing supplies/cleaning) Ask how you can help!

Cleaning up a house or yard for someone unable to do it.














2. I made a list of local organizations to contact. 
         Florida Baptist Children's Home fortmyers.fl@FBCHomes.org
         LifelineFamily Center  lifeline4moms2B@lifelinefamily.org
         ECHO  http://www.echonet.org/
         Local church (I contacted our missions pastor and children's director to get started.)



I am just in this stage now, I sent an email along the lines of this:

My family are members of ___________church. We as a family have been challenged to be more involved in serving in our community. I was wondering if you had some ideas of how families with young children  can partner with you, how we can serve you and those you minister to.  We are open to any and all ideas and very much look forward to partnering with you in some way.

 Next steps are Step 3: Planning, where we actually begin to put some ideas on the calendar! and Step 4: Preparing your children. So excited!


       





52.4.Him Part One: Pre-Planning

by on 11:15 AM
So the planning for 52.4.Him has begun. One of my goals for this is to blog the experience so others with a similar desire will know where t...
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God laid this on my heart awhile ago and He has not let it go. Anyone who knows us knows we are passionate about missions. It is our hearts desire to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the nations. . . to see men, woman, and children be made complete in Christ. It is our hearts desire to raise up our children, as I pray over them every night, to be mighty servants and warriors for His Kingdom. We have taken at least one family mission trip every year since Ron and I were married. Our children all went on their first mission trip around 6 months old. We believe in family missions. It is our desire to raise children that understand the Great Commission was not a Great Suggestion. How do we do this? I admit, up to this point not very well. True, we talk about missions, we pray for missionaries, we go on mission trips individually and as a family . . . often. Yet, I still feel as though we are failing. Where is the day in and day out of serving? Seeing others through God's eyes, seeing needs and meeting them. This is my heart. This is what I want my children to be passionate about. If you want your children to be passionate about something, you have to be passionate about it. It must be modeled, lived out on a daily basis before them. This is what 52.4.Him is all about.  52 weeks in a year for serving God and advancing His Kingdom. I don't want my children to be mighty servants and warriors for His kingdom one day. . . I want that now.

Starting in June, it is my desire to highlight one service project/outreach opportunity a week for 52 weeks. I want serving to be a lifestyle, seeing needs and meeting them, a natural part of life.  I have small kids, and I fully understand the limitations of young families, but I will no longer allow mediocrity and busyness to control our schedule. We only do that which we prioritize, and I have failed my family at this for too long. 

Part of reality is that each week will not and cannot be a huge production. We will seek out small opportunities, bringing food to the food pantry, clothes to the clothes closet, making cards for the nursing home, or shut-ins. But it won't stop there. At least once a month I want my family to engage in an outreach opportunity outside of our home, such as visiting a nursing home, ministering at a struggling church or backyard Bible club, visiting those who are unable to leave their homes, or playing with the kids at the children's home. We will seek out opportunities to serve. I have no doubt this will be difficult. I have no doubt it will be much more challenging than I can imagine. I have no doubt there will be weeks we fail miserably, weeks we are encouraged, weeks we are ready to quit. . . I also have no doubt we will be blessed and God will be glorified.

What about you? What are you doing to ensure your children are learning the art of service? I am completely open to ideas and suggestions . . . I am going to need them! And if you are local and ever want to join us, consider yourselves invited! This is new territory for us and I am excited to blaze this path and share it with others to help them journey together as a family on mission. 

52.4.Him

by on 3:55 PM
God laid this on my heart awhile ago and He has not let it go. Anyone who knows us knows we are passionate about missions. It is our hearts ...
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The end of our second year of homeschooling has come to an end.  I thought I would close up the homeschool year with a series of posts about our highlights, hits and misses of the year.

Our first major hit was Bible Study Guide for all Ages. E and C beg to do this. I am simply amazed at how much they love it, and at how much they have learned. We used the beginner student pages for both (first grade and pre-k) to keep it simple this year, and it worked perfectly. The front of the student page has a section for review and memory work and a "get active" section (in the interest of full disclosure I usually skipped the "get active" section because I never looked at it ahead of time to gather supplies...often I just summarized it or told the story.) The review and memory work were the key to the program for us. The front of the page also has an application and picture to complete after the back is done.


The back is the Bible study part. It is interactive and really keeps the kids engaged. E and I would often take turns reading, and yes it thrills this mama's heart to hear her read things like Israelites, Jerusalem, and pharisees without a hitch! ;)



Along with the student pages, I absolutely love the memory work built in. This year besides our Scripture memory that I added in, just through BSGFAA we covered Old and New Testament books of the Bible, the 12 Tribes of Israel, the 12 Apostles, the writers of the New Testament, and the 15 Judges, all to music found on their Children's Songs CD. Can you imagine your 6 year old begging to listen to a CD of the Judges of Israel? We also memorized the Beginner timeline which is 34 questions and pictures of major people and events in the Bible. We also used the Bible summary cards that teach the 66 books of the Bible. On the front is a picture of themes found in the book to help you remember what it is about. The back has a basic summary of the content of the book along with questions covering main themes, author, etc. I absolutely love the foundation our kids are getting, and how much I am learning as well! Ron calls it seminary for littles. :)

Bible is the core of our homeschool and choosing a curriculum was not easy for me . . . I am ummmm a little picky! ;) I am so very thankful to have found something that really meets our needs. We usually spend about 30 minutes for Bible right after breakfast. We begin with the BSGFAA student pages, then memory verse work that I add in, and end with a song and prayer. The kids then spend a few minutes finishing coloring their picture while I take 5 minutes for clean up.

When choosing curriculum for next year, I loved that this was an easy decision. We will be using two different sets of pages next year as C will continue with the beginner pages, but E will move onto the intermediate ones. I am not sure how the details of that will work out, but I will keep you posted!

Even if you don't homeschool, this would be a great resource for family worship or a home Bible study with your kids. There are levels for all ages preschool to adult and the great thing is everyone studies the same thing at their level. I love that!
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Yeah, so a week or so ago I wrote about finishing strong. And now I am going to share with you how we are finishing . . . creatively! We leave for a family vacation this weekend and our goal was to finish up "first grade" before we left, knowing we would continue with math and reading over the summer. Well, how do you finish 5 history chapters, 6 weeks of science plus all the rest in 3 weeks? Creatively! As I looked through our history notebook for the year I was convinced we did "enough." OK, way more than enough, this is first grade and my poot child has an overachiever for a mother. So, we read the last few chapters a few a week, a little coloring, notebooking and some extra books later, call it good. Science. sigh. The weakness of our homeschool. In all fairness to my type A personality, it did get "done," just not quite the way I envisioned. There is just not enough time in the day to get all those great experiments I really wanted to do (read: perhaps if I got off the computer we could have completed a few more of those experiments) ;) So, how to fit 6 weeks into 2. Our last unit of science was a plant unit. Well, Ron did plant a garden with the kids this spring. huh, perhaps we can redeem this unit after all. A little internet searching, printing, and we made an awesome lapbook on plants and flowers, memorized the plant and flower poems, added pics of the garden and call it good (details to come in case anyone is interested in that).

We were supposed to finish the rest this week. We are down to math, spelling, and reading. My intentions were to carry these into the summer after a few weeks off. Well, the school room is under construction and I couldn't get to our books today. There are shelves and cabinets everywhere. Half our books are in the downstairs bathroom. I assured Ron I would kill him if the toilet overflowed. Where in the world did all this stuff come from? Having Ron help me clean out the school room 2 weeks before convention was probably NOT a good idea. He is now thoroughly convinced I need nothing. : /  Not likely.

The kids had no problem finding all the games that were displaced. I thankfully had the foresight to take out our math review and reading book for today. Other than that, I think we played Zingo, Dr. Seuss Matching, How Tall am I?, and Word on the Street Jr. (Hey! That TOTALLY counts as spelling for today!). And dare I admit I watched TV in the middle of the day? Where in the world did all those extra hours come from?!? Not doing school was . . . ummm nice? Eh, who needs spelling in this summer, just narrowed our summer plans to math and reading.

I am by personality and philosophy a classical homeschooler. Just the term "Relaxed homeschooler" stresses me out. Well, our homeschool got a nice needed dose of "relaxed" this week. Since I can't get to the books, we might as well call it done. (Well, after a math test tomorrow. I think I can find that. :) And did I mention the toddler was throwing up tonight? yeah, definitely done.

I still say we finished strong, just creatively. ;) So, I am calling it. Let the summer begin!

Finishing . . . creatively

by on 2:20 AM
Yeah, so a week or so ago I wrote about finishing strong. And now I am going to share with you how we are finishing . . . creatively! We lea...
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8 days of the school year left. 2 days until a work training and certification test. 9 days until we leave on our family Disney cruise. 14 days until Orlando vacation. 18 days until my niece's graduation party and my birthday. 21 days until C's VPK graduation. 22 days until homeschool convention. 25 days until niece's graduation. 26 days until my nephew's birthday. 34 days until VBS. 38 days until I can breathe. oh wait and then we have E's birthday and. . . yeah you get the point.

While this is a super busy time for us, it never is really calm. All wonderful things (well mostly!) ;) Yet, sooooo much. How do I keep things in perspective, not waste these days looking onto the next? I will never get these days or weeks back, and in the midst of the chaos, I want to finish strong . . . not just finish.

So as I look towards the end, I am always reminded of the beginning. When finishing a homeschooling year, homeschooling moms know we are not focused on the current year, we are all busy planning the next year! I have heard of moms even scratching their current plan to begin the new one early. Always looking ahead to better or newer. Looking to the beginning allows us to reevaluate our priorities and goals. We are reminded anew why we do what we do, and can get back on track if we have allowed ourselves to drift.

Last week at a leadership planning meeting as we filled the calendar with dates of Bible studies and activities, my first reaction is, I don't mind being busy but it has to be worth it. It has to have eternal value. The key to finishing strong is to only finish that which is worth it. Take a look at the calendar, get rid of that which isn't worth it. Focus on that which advances the Kingdom of God. Our goal is to pursue the glory of God in all things in our lives. In homeschool we glorify God by pursuing excellence in all. We do not sacrifice character for academics. We do not sacrifice academics for character. Excellence may not always look the same for every every family or even for a family at any given time. It is about giving our best. Even in finishing.

Finishing Strong

by on 10:22 AM
8 days of the school year left. 2 days until a work training and certification test. 9 days until we leave on our family Disney cruise. 14 d...
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We are planning to use Sonlight Core C/  the second part of World History next year. Anyone who knows me knows that I cannot do anything as is, and thought I would share some of the supplements: crafts, coloring pages, websites, and notebooking pages I have found. I am not finished, but will update as I go, just wanted to go ahead and make it available for those who are planning like me!


Supplementing Sonlight Core C 

Supplementing Sonlight Core C

by on 5:10 PM
We are planning to use Sonlight Core C/  the second part of World History next year. Anyone who knows me knows that I cannot do anything as ...
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       Ron and I were discussing this week about how others view our parenting. Strange topic, I know, but Ron and I are super passionate about marriage and family and helping others in these areas of their lives.  I was concerned, albeit slightly, in how others viewed us in this area. Ron responded that he thought people see us as radical parents. I was kind of taken back. Radical? Really? Ron was quick to remind me of the time we made a huge splash because we refused to put J in nursery for a woman's ministry class I wanted to take. "She was only six months old," I responded. I shrug. It just doesn't seem radical to me.  It seems logical. I suppose in our small conservative Christian bubble that has some seriously staunch views on how parenting is supposed to be done, I guess we are kind of radical.
       I have grown so much as a parent in the last almost 7 years, and I know God will continue to grow me into the parent he wants me to be. When I had E I thought I totally knew what I was doing. I had been an aunt for years, nannied, babysat, worked in children's ministry . . . I was totally ready. ha! I was clueless. I thought my newborn would eat on a schedule, sleep on a schedule, and that we would all be following "God's plan" for raising a child. I mean, every good Christian young mom reads Babywise, right? Then I had an actual baby. Just letting E cry as an infant just didn't feel right. Making her wait to eat or sleep unsettled me, as did watching her in a seat or swing when I wanted to be holding her, but didn't want to "spoil" her. I am the first to step up and tell someone not to follow their feelings for "the heart is deceitful above all else" (Jer. 17:19).  However, when you have a check in your spirit, go to the Lord. I did, and I relaxed on a lot of the things I thought I was "supposed" to do, but I still had so much to learn. Young parents, especially moms are under such pressure to do this parenting thing right. The thing is no matter what you do, someone will think you are doing it wrong. When all we want is raise our child in the love and admonition of the Lord, that is a lot of pressure.
      Due to some bad advice and not enough information on my part, I gave up breastfeeding E at 3 months, and I put her on a schedule sleeping in her own bed. Since we were doing it "gently" and with very little crying, I thought I was doing all the right things. Then we moved to Ecuador when E was one and all the scheduling I did was worthless. Most days there was no quiet room or crib, just my lap and a crying tired baby. So much for that plan. How I wished I had rocked her to sleep more! I used a sling because it was convenient, but knew nothing about babywearing or attachment parenting.
      Fast forward. I had C and a 22 month old toddler. C had reflux and everything I thought I knew about parenting (which was not much at this point!) went completely out the window. I breastfed on demand because he hardly ate and I was worried about weight gain. We coslept because that was the only way we could sleep (and when he mostly ate!). I researched babywearing because, goodness surely something out there would help this poor baby get some relief while I could still have 2 hands to play with my toddler and focus on surviving. Those crazy first 2 years of C's life taught me more than I ever could have imagined about being a parent. God was quick to teach me about being a Holy Spirit led parent. No book, author, educator, or professional knew MY child, but God did and I did. He taught me to be careful about being dogmatic on things He is not dogmatic about. I would have said my children would never sleep in my bed, or sleep in a swing to establish a nap schedule. Well, they did. I learned you truly cannot spoil an infant. They are created to eat when they are hungry and sleep when they are tired. A small child's body really does regulate eating and sleeping patterns on their own with very little gentle external encouragement, and holding them or wearing them constantly does not make them spoiled, it makes them secure and independent.
     So then number 3 came along. A perfectly healthy baby with no reason that necessitated co-sleeping or babywearing. Yet I saw the amazing benefits it had on child #2, and I see the lack of attachment in child #1 that I am now having to go backwards to build. I choose babywearing and part time co-sleeping to help facilitate the attachment that I now so desperately value. Oh yeah, and I nursed until she self weaned with a little gentle prodding at 17 months, and yes, she is still rear facing at 27 months because safety not convenience is paramount.
       Sometimes I feel like we don't fit in anywhere. We are not true "attachment" parents as we do believe our children are inherently sinful, and need truth and correction. We believe in structure and boundaries, and training our children in the truth about our sin nature and the cross that sets us free. We believe in positive discipline, but we also believe in consequences. Our Christian friends just think we are weird for the most part, and just too extreme for them. After all, the way they are doing it has worked in the church for years. But I ask, has it? 80% of youth leave the church at 18 and don't come back. Something is wrong. I cannot single handedly change the church's approach to children and youth ministry, but I can change my family's approach to my children.
         I respect my children because they are made in the image of God. I love them and treasure them and desire to enjoy them. I mess up often, but my heart is to raise compassionate, empathetic, loving, and mighty servants and warriors for the Kindgom of God. It is true we rarely spank and believe that a myriad of other more positive discipline techniques and mostly reality discipline works best. We homeschool, practice family worship, family missions, and are consumed with passionately pursuing the Glory of God in our family. Is our parenting philosophy radical? Yeah, I  guess. But since when is being radical a bad thing?
 


*********************************************************************************
TIPS for developing a personal parenting philosophy:

1. Develop a biblical parenting philosophy as a family. Base it on Scripture, truth, love, and grace. (everyone needs a plan) Know your objective (to raise a godly child that loves God and follows Him with all their heart) and decide how you will accomplish that.
2. Have reasonable expectations. For both you and your child
3. Walk with grace. (this does not mean you ignore, it simply means we treat our children with as much respect and grace God gives us when we sin)
4. Be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Keep your mind and heart open to what He has to say and where He leads you and your family. Do the research, know your stuff, but then seek Him as your filter
5. Enjoy them. If we are faithfully training our children in the Lord We will never look back and say we wish we were harder on them. We will wish we sang more, played more games, and held them longer. 

Radical Parenting

by on 11:35 PM
       Ron and I were discussing this week about how others view our parenting. Strange topic, I know, but Ron and I are super passionate ab...
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