My Blog = My Life: practical help

It's in the garden, amid the blooms and thistles, the soil and the stony ground, the dead seeds and lush vegetation where the story of sin and forgiveness, the Fall and Redemption, and life as one who has been engrafted into Christ can be told with real-life illustrations like no other. How fascinating it is that the place our children love to play is the same ground that can be used for discipling their eternal souls!

"Do you see that clematis? That's such a pretty vine! Jesus said that He was the True Vine. Everyone who loves Jesus has to bear fruit just like those purple flowers. Otherwise the Lord will cut off the dead branches like Mommy does so the rest can grow better."

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. John 15:1-2

"These flowers are called a peonies. Sometimes flowers like to grow in fields of grass where the horses are, even though they'll get cut down when the farmer makes hay. If God even cares about clothing a field of grass with pretty flowers, then we certainly don't have to worry about where we will get our clothes because He cares for us even more!"
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Matthew 6:30

"This pot is made out of clay. The person who made it is called a potter. The Bible says that God is the Potter and we are His clay. He made us and can do with us whatever He wants to do. That should make us very happy because God's plan for His people is perfect - much better than any sort of plan we could think of."

But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Isaiah 64:8

"These pumpkin seeds are dead. They won't grow if we leave them on the driveway. But if we put them in the garden where the soil is really healthy, they will begin to grow and produce beautiful orange pumpkins! Our hearts have to be like the soil in the garden, ready to receive God's Word with joy and produce fruit. If are hearts are stony like the driveway, than we will fall away from the Lord when temptation comes."

But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Matthew 13: 20, 21, 23

"What kind of plant is this? That's right, a tomato plant! How did you know? Because it has tomatoes! Jesus says of His people that by their fruits we will know them. The best way to tell if someone loves the Lord is if they want to do the things that please Him."

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. Matthew 7:16, 17

"When we're sick, we don't need to buy our medicine from the store. God tells us that the fruit from the plants He made are for food and the leaves are for medicine!"

And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine Ezekiel 47:12

The parallels here only scratch the surface. So much more could be said about Creation, the sin that enter the world by disobedience in Paradise, and what it means to be engrafted into Christ. Next time you're out pulling weeds, pause for a second and whisper these truths in to the eternal souls of your dirt-covered, sun kissed, wee ones.

... continued from yesterday. Read Part 1 here.
Currently, we're teaching our 2-year-old to memorize the Proverbs. Proverbs for Parenting | A Topical Guide for Child Raising From The Book of Proverbs compiled by Barbara Decker has proved to be a handy tool as each of the proverbs are organized into their respective categories.

If Charity is having a particularly difficult week with anger and temper-tantrums, we can flip to the anger section and choose a few verses from there to work on. If she's habitually stalling when we ask her to do something, we'll turn to the chapter on obedience. If she's having a hard time finding something nice to say to her brother, we'll memorize a verse on kindness.

There's nothing difficult or scientific about our method for memorization. For the most part, it's a simple process of "repeat after me." This past week, we memorized Proverbs 16:6: "By mercy and truth, iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil."
1. First, I'll read the verse through and explain any words she might not understand: iniquity, purged, depart.
2. Then I'll say the first phrase and ask her to repeat it back to me. I do this several times over with each section of the verse. That way, it gets ingrained in my memory as well as hers!
Mommy: "By mercy and truth... "
Charity: "By mercy and truth... "
Mommy: "Iniquity is purged... "
Charity: "Iniquity is purged... "
3. Once I think she's familiar with the phrases, we start combining them, two at a time:
Mommy: "By mercy and truth, iniquity is purged... "
Charity: "By mercy and truth, iniquity is purged... "
Mommy: "..and by the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil."
Charity: "... and by the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil."
4. Next, I leave out key words, and give her the opportunity to fill them in:
"By ________ and _______, _________ is ________: and _____ the _________ of the _______, men __________ from ______. Proverbs ____ : ____."
5. Once she's done the above a few time, we're down to just a few prompts until she can say it on her own:
"By _____________, iniqu... _______________; and ________________, men ____________________. _________ ___ : ___."
The whole process takes less than 15 minutes. I'll randomly review the verse with her several times throughout each day of the week until she can rattle it off and we move onto the next one. A few other things we've found helpful to aid in Scripture memorization are:

• Music. We sing a Psalm from our Church's Psalter with her before bed time. It's so fun when she picks it up and is able to sing along with us or recognizes it in a Church service!
• Regular Review. We try not to forget about a verse once we've moved on to a new one. To keep it fresh in her memory, we'll say the first word of a verse she knows when we're in the car or at dinner, and she'll finish the rest.
• Consistency. I find this to be the hardest part of all, especially if my morning is rushed by a tight schedule. However, if Charity's kept in the memorizing mode, it becomes easier for her to catch on. Once she recognizes it as part of our daily routine, she becomes the one who reminds me: "Mommy? Can we do the 'merry heart is good like medicine' one?"

It's a well known fact that a child's ability to remember things is second to none. The capacity to soak up their influences is the motivating factor behind our government's resolve to get them into the classroom at an increasingly young age. Once they're out from underneath their parent's control, the state has a no-holds-barred approach to indoctrinating our children with immorality and socialistic propaganda. This explains why the 4-year-olds in our province are going to school and being taught to question their gender, and why books like Heather has Two Mommies is perfectly acceptable story-time material.

It wouldn't be so bad if it was truth and righteousness our government was so concerned about instilling into our children. But then, if it was really God's Word the government looked to as their moral compass, they probably wouldn't be so quick to snatch the future of the nation away from their parents as soon as possible. Proverbs 22:6 was written to Dads and Moms; it is our duty to train up our children in the way that they should go, not the state's.

This reason, coupled with the desire to see our children's salvation and a life-time of blessing from the Lord, ought to make Scripture memorization and biblical instruction fundamental to the everyday life of a Christian family (Psalm 119: 9-11; Deuteronomy 6: 6,7; 1 Peter 3:15). If our children learn to abide by God's principles and commandments concerning marriage, economics, and life in general, they will become the leaders in a society that is craving for morality, prosperity, and stability.

What we think are the basics of life (i.e. arriving to a job on time and sober) are becoming extinct in a culture that's lost its way. This give a distinct advantage to the child who has learned to abide by God's formula for a happy and peaceful life:

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates, day and night." Psalm 1:1,2"He who heeds the Word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he." Proverbs 16:20"... His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who has called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." 2 Peter 1: 3,4If we want to give our children a good life, we must give them God's Word. It is the key to salvation and the pattern for success. No amount of toys, allowance money, clothes, or candy can produce righteousness or an outstanding member of society. We cannot save our children; that is an act of God's grace alone. But we can hide God's Word in their hearts and take comfort in knowing that it will never return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11).

It's easy to get discouraged when faced with the continual decline of our society. I'm particularly guilty of being a Debbi-Downer when it comes to current affairs, especially when we, of all people, have every reason to hope. Christians do not fight for victory, they fight in victory because Christ has already won the battle for us! (Revelations 1:18) Our victory is not only certain, but we've been provided with all the tools we need to wage battle against sin on this side of Heaven.

Some folks within the Christian community see no point in becoming politically involved. They reference God's sovereignty over cultural affairs as reason to accept whatever is dished out by the hands of diplomats. While we must submit to civil authorities (1 Peter 2: 13), we likewise must take seriously the command to "occupy" until Christ's return (Luke 19:13).

It's important for Christians to get involved in politics because, rather than "polishing brass on a sinking ship," our mission on earth is to be about the kingdom business of our Heavenly Father. Being a voice for truth and spiritual freedom in the public square is a particularly effective way for this to happen. Imagine what kind of change would occur in a society where judges made court rulings based upon God's law and politicians kept promises because they understood the seriousness of the ninth commandment!

It may feel like the worst of times, but in many ways it is also the best of times. The odds are in our favor - the rapid increase of homeschooling families - most of which are Bible-believing Christians - are not only having plenty of children, but according to Dr. Brian Ray of the National Home Education Research Institute, are fourteen times more likely to get involved in politics than the rest of society! You do the math.

Getting politically involved within your own community doesn't necessarily mean you have to run for mayor or city councilor. There are several things a family can do together to make a positive impact on their society. Here are a few things that don't require much time or effort when compared to the return on investment:

1. Vote! Voting is a Christian's opportunity to promote, protect, and preserve godly government, and the most basic responsibility we have as citizens of our country. Those we elect (or do nothing to remove), can choose can protect our freedom to spread the gospel or restrict it. Voting is one way to fulfill our civic duties (Matthew 22:21) and encourage righteousness within our nation.

2. Write letters to the editor. Generally speaking, the most interesting part of a newspaper is the Letters To The Editor section. Along with the funnies, it'll get read if nothing else. A simple letter to the editor regarding something that has gone on in your city is a free and efficient way of presenting a counter-cultural message to a large audience.

3. Write letters to your Member of Parliament or Congressman. ARPA takes away all the excuses with their EasyMail system. They connect you with the appropriate government officials in a matter of seconds and provide you with completely customizable letters addressing the current concerns in our country. It takes less than 5 minutes to let your MP know which way you'd like him to vote concerning proposed legislation.

4. Keep the phones ringing. Similar to writing a letter, calling your local politician on the phone is a personal and effective way of sharing your approval over a decision he's made or voicing your concern.

5. Attend town hall meetings. Another great way to have an impact in your community is to let your voice be heard at town hall meetings which are open to the public. Prepare questions or comments regarding the topic at hand ahead of time and keep a friendly, respectful tone when you're given the opportunity to share your opinion. Folks are more likely to ponder your point of view when they understand you're motivated by love for your fellow countrymen.

6. Volunteer during election campaigns. Volunteering - setting up signs, calling people on the phone, and printing ads on behalf of a godly candidate is at least as effective as a financial donation. See next point.

7. Donate. Kevin Swanson nailed it in this article when he said:
"A $100 donated to a Congressional campaign for a solid candidate is 100 times more effective than a vote for an unprincipled presidential candidate! If you are first assured that the candidate fulfills the Exodus 18 requirements, then why not get the most bang for your buck? Why not put your time and energy behind a candidate who give us life and sacred honor for the cause of principle? I organized a fundraiser in my basement and raised $14,000 for a godly congressional candidate in my state who has maintained a consistent record and rhetoric for 15 years of politics in this state. If he is elected, that’s about 2-5% of the monetary influence needed to put him in office. If I place a ballot for a socialist, pro-homosexual, pro-abortion Republican for president, I have 1/50,000,000 of an impact on that election (or.00002%). That’s almost zero influence for a candidate that will almost certainly lead the nation towards more socialism, more homosexuals in the Boy Scouts, and more tax-funded abortions. Don’t waste what few resources are left for the cause of righteousness! "
To further understand the importance of getting involved politically, we recommend the following reads: God and Government by Cornelius Van Dam and The Second Mayflower by Kevin Swanson.

Does your family get politically involved within your community? How have you done so?

Linking to: Raising Homemakers, Deep Roots At Home,,Modest Monday, A Mama's Story, Raising Arrows, Time Warp Wife, Far Above Rubies

Homeschoolers kinda like snow days.

When icy roads result in cancelled choir practice, swimming lessons, or co-op, we relish the opportunity to focus on important parts of an education that sometimes get brushed off to the side when we're gallivanting all over town, making sure our children are being well socialized (wink).

Snow days are fun days where the kids look forward to long periods of uninterrupted reading out loud on the couch, the opportunity to work on projects that are more time consuming, and the folder of fun things (a.k.a. Pinterest) Mommy reserves for days when it's too cold to play outside.

Our read-aloud list includes:

• Wisdom and the Millers by Mildred Martin
• Storytime with the Millers by Mildred Martin
• Missionary Stories with the Millers by Mildred Martin
• The Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit
• The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
• The Christopher Churchmouse Treasury by Barbara Davoll
• The Bronze Bow by Elisabeth George Speare
• The Door In The Wall by Margaret De Angeli
• The Tanglewood's Secret by Patricia St. John
• Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John
• Huguenot Garden by Douglas Jones
• The Minstrel in The Tower by Gloria Skurzynski
• The Hawk That Dare Not Hunt by Day by Scott O'Dell
• Ink On His Fingers by Louise Vernon
• The Answers Books for Kids by Ken Ham
• The Way of the Master: Teaching Kids to Share Their Faith by Kirk Cameron

Crafts. Painting, beading, scrapbooking, card-making: these all take extra time and result in a big mess to clean up, but it's not so bad when you can devote several hours to creating something beautiful that will be appreciated and remembered for years to come.

Baking. The kids love to help me in the kitchen. They often slow the process down, but culinary skills are important and snowy days provide us with lots of time for everyone to take a turn measuring, pouring, stirring, rolling, and of course, licking the spatula.

Writing. One of my goals for our children's education is to instill in them a love for writing. I want them to be able to articulate their thoughts and express themselves in a way that serves others. Perhaps the earliest, most practical way they can do this is by mailing hand-written cards of encouragement.

Our 4-year-old learned how to form her letters using the 1777 New England Manuscript Printable Set and adores being able to write the letters I dictate to send a message to her grandparents. When she's finished writing, she gets to decorate her letter and address the envelope (another necessary skill). Few things are more rewarding than discovering that Grandpa and Grandma received her card and loved it!
Our "FUN" list includes:

The January Printables by Kristy Howard. Our kids love Kristy's printables (She also has a set of Christmas themed printables that are a blast any time of the year)! They are just as educational as they are fun, and for $2.00, they provide many hours of productive enjoyment for kids between the ages of 4 and 6. The January set includes:

The ABC's For Godly Girls activities and crafts. We're working through Lindsey Stomberg's The ABC's For Godly Children Bible Curriculum this year (you can read my full review here), and snowy days are the perfect opportunity to work on the activities and crafts included with every lesson that we don't always get to otherwise.

If you need more fun, inspiring, educational ideas, Homeschool Enrichment Magazine always comes chock full of them. Among many other great ideas in the current issue, they suggest making it through the mid-winter "slump" by learning a handcraft, taking art classes with another family, hosting a games day, and operating on an alternative schedule.

Until the end of January, you can get a 1-year subscription for 58% off the cover price for a total of $14.95. In my completely biased opinion (it's the only homeschool magazine we subscribe to), that's a deal too good to pass up!

How do you like to spend your snow days? Do you dread or welcome them?

In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Growing Home. Thank you for your support. If you enjoyed this post, you may wish to follow Growing Home for updates via Google Friend Connect, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google +, or have them emailed directly to your inbox. Linking to: Raising Homemakers, Deep Roots At Home, Raising Arrows, A Wise Woman.,Walking Redeemed,, The Modest Mom, A Mama's Story, We ARE That Family, Raising Mighty Arrows, Hearts For Home, Frugal Homeschool Family Time Warp Wife

This post contains affiliate links for products we love!

Our youngest children are a two and a half year old boy and a nine month old girl; a curious trouble maker chap with a keen sense for adventure and a crawler.

It can be a challenge finding ways to keep them occupied so I can homeschool our other daughter. I wrote down some ideas that have worked for us with hopes that you would benefit from them too. If you have anything to add to the list, feel free to share in the comments; I'm all ears!

Give them something constructive to do. Children like to feel useful. They feel empowered when given the opportunity to handle a dust pan or a rag "like a big person"! Often toddlers get into trouble simply because they're bored and lack a sense of purpose. Keep them occupied and train for future usefulness by giving them some responsibility. We let our toddlers engage in the following chores:

• Line up footwear neatly in the closet when coming in from outside.
• "When you take something out, you put it back." If they're big enough to dump all their toys, they're big enough to put them all away.
• Help Mommy put laundry in the washing machine or dryer (this works well if you have front-loaders. Top loaders are probably too difficult for them to reach).
• Sort laundry by colors.
• Fold wash-cloths, tea towels, socks, and small blankets (Our 3-year-old daughter loves to do this. Our almost 2-year-old's fine motor skills just aren't there yet).
• Dust baseboards.
• Bring dishes to the counter after they're finished eating.
• Straighten the hand towel in the bathroom after using it.
• Tuck chairs underneath the table after eating
• Use a hand-held vacuum to pick up crumbs

To help make chore-time even more fun and meaningful, I recommend using The Chore Jar by Kristy Howard. It's on sale for $2.00 until January 17.

... Read the rest at Free Homeschool Deals.

Homeschooling Day By Day: $4.99
$2.00 'til January 17! 40 Chapters (with Discussion Questions)
PDF Version:

KINDLE version:

For more ideas on how to build a homeschooling routine that works, managing multiple ages, and a glimpse of what it all looks like in reality, you might want to snag yourself a copy of the 40-Chapter thriving guide for homeschool moms: Homeschooling Day By Day. It's authored by eleven moms and is on sale for $2.00 until January 17! You can preview the Table of contents here.
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