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Answering "Why do you want to homeschool?" is difficult because it's a lifestyle not conducive to a one-sentence summary. We wanted a place to which we could direct inquisitive minds and remind ourselves of our vision when push comes to shove! Though we can't speak for everyone who homeschools, here's what we might say if you asked us why we want to.

"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." ~ Proverbs 29:18 1. We want to homeschool because the opportunities to disciple our children are great. Perhaps they are exceptionally misbehaved, but I find myself giving instruction and administering correction dozens, if not hundreds, of times every day. God has given this responsibility to parents (Proverbs 22:6; Proverbs 29:15; Colossians 3:21; Ephesians 6:4; Deuteronomy 6: 6-9; Proverbs 1: 8-9; Proverbs 19: 18), and we simply cannot be the ones training them up in the way that they should go if we are not with them.

We want to be able to stop in the middle of studying the human eyeball and praise the Lord for His glorious Creation; memorize Proverbs with our children and reference them when we struggle with cheerfulness, obedience, and diligence; sing Psalters at meal times; lay aside our bookwork to visit grandparents; converse with them about anything that's heavy on their hearts; and work to resolve issues as they arise instead of saving them for later.

2. We want to homeschool because we like being around our kids. Most days end by crawling into bed exhausted and emotionally spent, but I am also fulfilled and confident that there is nothing I'd rather be doing then interacting with my own children. On very bad days, it usually just takes a trip to the grocery store by myself to remind me that I really do enjoy the warmth of their giggles, incessant chatter, and questions about everything from how babies are made and what flies eat, to why I put bananas in our smoothie, and why we need four wheels on our van instead of three, more than the uncomfortable silence of being alone.

3. We want to homeschool because we want to integrate life with education. In the middle of the day, I want to teach math at the grocery store, figuring out the price per unit and assessing which brand is a better value; how to round numbers up and down to make easier calculations; how to estimate a bill's total and how to give correct change to the cashier; we want to take them to retirement homes so they can learn history from elderly men and women who are eager to tell someone their stories, and to the Creation Museum in the middle of the year with the whole family.

We want our son to have the time and freedom to cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit, if the Lord blesses him with one, and learn how to run a business; for our daughters, we envision them being able to efficiently and comfortably manage a home with joy. This comes with practice, and practice takes time. Time that we would be hard-pressed to find if they were away from home 8 hours a day.

4. We want them to learn about God's beautiful gift of sex from us and not the crude version from their peers; we want them to understand what the role husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, church members, and citizens of our country are by being part of a family that does things together rather than having a textbook tell them where their place is in society. We want them to know that family is the basic building block of society, not an artificial, individualistic, age-based structure.

5. We want to homeschool because we want our son to be able release his energy constructively. Most boys don't need the Ritalin they're prescribed; they just need alternatives to sitting quietly at a desk. If he is capable of reading better by hanging upside down from a tree branch, or memorizing spelling words while running laps, or getting excited about mathematical concepts by building a CNC router, then we want him to have at 'er.

6. We want to homeschool because there are hundreds of resources available that cater to the individual learning habits of our children. Each of our children are uniquely created by God; they have different strengths and weaknesses and are an eclectic mix of different learning styles. There is no one-size-fits-all curriculum that is equally advantageous and homeschooling allows us forgo "labeling" by using multiple methods simultaneously.

7. We want to homeschool because it's a proven method of education. Statistically speaking, homeschoolers fare well above average in every area of life from grades and social interaction to political involvement and preparedness for real life. Though numbers are not a deciding factor in our decision, we are encouraged to know that our children don't have to be jeopardized academically by staying home.

8. We want to homeschool so we can be good stewards of the resources God has given us. Because of where we live,the best Christian school in our area would involve over two hours of unproductive bus time everyday (public schools are not an option for us) and statistically speaking, homeschoolers spend an average of $500 per child each year compared to $9,963 per student by the government, yet their education is much more satisfactory in every measurable level.

9. We want to homeschool because we want our children to have the time to involve themselves in ministry. "We can't come/participate because Johnny has school tomorrow and Susie has homework," seems like a sorry reason to excuse ourselves from mowing an elderly couple's lawn, inviting neighbors for an evening tea, singing to someone in a nursing home, baby-sitting for a mother in an emergency, or praying with a young woman at a pregnancy crisis center who needs to know there's hope.

10. We want to homeschool because He who has called us is faithful. We can't even comprehend the grandeur of this task and we'd be lying if we said it never overwhelms us. But we have reason to step forward in faith because it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. His compassions fail not. They are new every morning and His faithfulness is great (Lamentations 3: 22,23). We couldn't survive a day of homeschooling in our own strength; we trust the Lord who called us to the momentous task of training up our children in the way that they should go (Proverbs 22:6) to provide us and our children everything we need for both life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).

Though there are 10,000 more reasons that make us passionate about our children's education and inspire us to keep writing and speaking about homeschooling, this is our own family's conviction, and not a method prescribed for everyone. The Lord convicts different people in different areas and no one but you is capable of answering "Why do you send your children to a Christian school, or public school, or homeschool?"

Do you have a vision for your children's education? How did you come to choose a particular method?

___________________________
Looking for more homeschool encouragement? Our brand new eBook, Homeschooling Day by Day is on sale this month for $2.00 (reg. $4.99)! It's 40 chapters of realism, practical advice, and plenty of grace from homeschooling Moms on every stage of the journey. You can read the Table of Contents here.

Homeschooling Day By Day: $4.99 $2.00 'til September 30! 40 Chapters (with Discussion Questions)
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Linking to: Raising Homemakers, Deep Roots At Home, Raising Arrows, Time Warp Wife, A Wise Woman.,Walking Redeemed, The Better Mom, The Modest Mom, A Mama's Story, We ARE That Family, Raising Mighty Arrows, Hearts For Home, Frugal Homeschool Family, Moms The Word, Hip Homeschool Moms, Trivium Tuesdays

Recently I was asked a question I had heard many times before: "How do you get everything done in a day when you have three small children and a blog? I only have one child and I can't even keep up!"

Truthfully, I don't get it all done in a day and I often feel way behind on everything. I can't remember when each room in our house was tidy at the same time or the last time I had all the laundry caught up.

That's why I want to do this reality series, because if keeping a home entails a perfectly tidy house, an organized linen closet, well-behaved, homeschooled children, and an empty laundry basket, I fear we're all doomed. It must be something more.

Yes, more!

Gloriously managing a home does not mean the laundry is always caught up, the towels are straight, and the kitchen counter is clear of clutter. It means rolling with the punches, giving yourself grace, determining to make the most of every opportunity to love and serve your family, and pleading God's promises, understanding that there is nothing more important as a wife and mother than your place in the home and the powerful influence you wield in your family.

Becoming an excellent homemaker is a growing process, not an overnight change. Life happens. When I've spent three nights in a row cleaning up after sick family members and cannot see beyond the mountain of laundry or dirty dishes in the sink, I must remember that God knew I would be facing this situation when He called me to be a Keeper of the Home and will see me through it if I choose to place it in His hands.

Our house was messier when we only had one child. I wondered how in the world I could handle more of them, homeschool, and keep our home running smoothly. God faithfully gives grace every day and always enough time for the necessary things to get accomplished. It's up to me how to learn to prioritize and manage it effectively.

Care for our children's souls must always trump cleaning floors and decorating drywall; our house will be rubble one day, but their hearts are eternal. Some days that means all we do is read books and take a walk to the park. Some days it can mean making three healthy meals plus extras for the freezer, accomplishing two days worth of school work, folding four baskets of wash, taking the kids to swimming lessons, and getting the bathroom deep cleaned.

The longer we're married and the more children we have, the more tools God gives to help me become better at this task. In this series, I hope to:

• share my favorite time-management tricks,
• share how I prioritize my list of things that "need" to get done
• homemaking stuff I don't do,
• recommend a list of invaluable resources,
• share my personal schedule,
• share real pictures of it all in action at our house.

Part 1: Keeping A Growing Home | A Management Series for Moms Part 2: Keeping A Growing Home | Know Your Role! Part 3: Keeping A Growing Home | Making Priorities & 15 Good Things I Don't Do Part 4: Keeping A Growing Home | Time-Saving Home Management Tips Part 5: Keeping A Growing Home | My Daily Schedule

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, Time Warp Wife, A Wise Woman.,Walking Redeemed, The Better Mom, The Modest Mom, A Mama's Story, We ARE That Family, Raising Mighty Arrows, Hearts For Home, Frugal Homeschool Family, Moms The Word, Hip Homeschool Moms, Trivium Tuesdays, The Prairie Homestead

I wish I could say I wasn't writing from experience, but I can't. This post serves as a painful reminder about the pride in my own life that needs to be put to death. Praise God for providing redemption through Jesus Christ!

1. Make sure people know that you are a well-informed person. Scroll through your Facebook feed looking for links to articles you disagree with (vaccines, education, birth control, home births, and diets are great topics). Never miss an opportunity to correct the person who shared it. Emphasize your point by sharing an article on your own feed that supports your point of view. Be sure the article is better written, and contains more resources from qualified professionals.

2. Believe you have all the answers. Don't ask for advice from anybody. If someone shares a differing perspective, assume it's because they aren't as knowledgeable about the topic as you are. Smile, and as humbly as you can, tell them you'll take their view into consideration. Then roll your eyes and laugh at their suggestion when you're by yourself or with someone else who thinks exactly like you.

3. Perfect your fault-finding abilities. It's easier to focus on people's flaws in order make yourself look better without actually having to become a better person. If you're feeling bad about your weight, visit the mall and stare at all the people who are much bigger than you. If your kids are misbehaving, taking them to a place (such as the library or Wal-mart) where you know there will be children who act worse than yours. Pat yourself on the back for your excellent parenting skills.

4. Pretend to be the Holy Spirit. When someone in a prominent position falls into a public sin, humbly suggest that it must be because they thought too much of themselves were not walking closely with the Lord (as you do, of course, but there's no need to mention that part). Jump to conclusions and interpret motives. Presume who is saved and who is not. You can know for sure by whether or not they share your convictions and lead a lifestyle that looks just like yours.

5. Don't make mistakes. You don't want anyone thinking you're just an average human being. Never skip a day of homeschooling. You don't want your child to get behind and prove you're a failure as a homeschool mom. Don't ever order pizza, buy bread, or let your children have anything that contains sugar. Moms who truly care about their families wouldn't dream of feeding that kind of junk to their kids. Keep your house clean no matter how many children you have, so no one will think you're a poor homemaker if they visit unexpectedly visit. Yell at the kids to get crackin' if you need to.

6. Don't ask for help. You are super woman! If you happen to get behind on laundry, stay up late to get the job done. Drink lots of coffee if you need to. Run yourself ragged, but don't ask for help because you're too good for that.

7. Only serve in public positions. None of this behind-the-scenes kind of stuff where nobody notices just how much you do for other people. Try to get on the committees at church, in your homeschool group, or help organize major events. Get involved in places where you get to wear a badge or your name will appear in print. Don't worry if it requires being away from your family for extended periods of time. Nobody notices the work you do there anyway.

8. Try to stay updated on other people's successes. That way you can one-up them. If their child starts taking piano lessons, sign yours up for cello. If they take a one-week vacation to another state, take a two-week vacation to another country. If they can twenty quarts of applesauce in one day, let them know that it was tough work but somehow you managed to get thirty-six jars done. If their blog gains new followers, stalk their page so you know exactly how many people you have to recruit to stay a comfortable number ahead.

9. Cover-up. Outward appearances are all people care about anyway. Carry your Bible to Church. Try to keep it in a place where people notice it (i.e. in your arm, not in your purse). Scuff it up a little so it looks well used. Wear plenty of make-up and trendy clothes so no one confuses you with the frumpy homeschoolers that seem to ruin it for everyone else. Leave challenging books like A Christian's Reasonable Service by Wilhelmus a Brakel, Teaching The Trivium by Harvey and Laurie Bluedorn, and At the Mercy of Tiberius by Augusta Jane Evans lying around when company is expected. They will make you look smart even if you've never actually read them. Memorize the back cover, in case anyone asks.

10. Place any guilt where it belongs: on someone else. It's your husband's fault supper is cold; he should've come home from work on time; it's the curriculum's fault your child just isn't "getting it,"; it's that other mother's lack of discipline with her own children when your son learns some choice words after hanging out with his peers; it's your kids fault your house is always messy; it's the church's lack of a Titus 2 ministry that leaves you without a mentor. Blame anyone but yourself. You don't need that kind of negativity.

11. Forget that it is by grace that you are saved, and not by your own works (Ephesians 2:8,9). Assume there's some sort of catch to the word "gift" when God says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6: 23). Build your own house; believe your labor is not in vain (Psalm 127). Doubt Jesus' sincerity when He invites you to cast all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). Don't put too much stock into spending time with Him when you could be busy with more important things (Luke 40:11). You can do everything in your own strength (Philippians 4:13). Search for happiness outside of Jehovah (Psalm 144:15).

I am evil, born in sin; Thou desirest truth within. Thou alone my Saviour art, Teach Thy wisdom to my heart; Make me pure, Thy grace bestow, Wash me whiter than the snow.
Broken, humbled to the dust By Thy wrath and judgment just, Let my contrite heart rejoice And in gladness hear Thy voice; From my sins O hide Thy face, Blot them out in boundless grace.
~Psalter 140 : 3, 4 (based on Psalm 51)

{photo source}

Looking for more homeschool encouragement? Our new eBook, Homeschooling Day by Day is available for $4.99! It's 40 chapters of realism, practical advice, and plenty of grace from homeschooling Moms on every stage of the journey. You can read the Table of Contents here.

Homeschooling Day By Day: $4.99 40 Chapters (with Discussion Questions)
PDF Version:

KINDLE version:

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 Better Mom, The Modest Mom, A Mama's Story, We ARE That Family,

I hesitated posting this today. I don't want anyone to think that what we're doing with our 4-year-old for school this year is what they should be doing with theirs. Neither do I want anyone to feel as though I'm trying to "cover my back" so the powers that be know we're doing "enough." Nevertheless, homeschool Moms love to glean from each other and it's good to do due diligence and be aware of the various teaching methods and curriculum available. So here's a general idea of what I'm hoping to work through with our four-year-old daughter this year.

Our number one goal in our children's education is to stress the importance of their salvation and the development of Christ-like character. We consider this more crucial than academics (notice I didn't say academia is not important!) because, as Douglas Phillips said:
"If you try to give people knowledge, and you haven't trained them in character, based on faith, they will become intellectual reprobates."To that end, you'll notice a heavy emphasis on Scripture memorization through different methods, Bible-based curricula, and classical read-alouds that reinforce life principles from Proverbs.

Memory work.

Our goal each week is to memorize 1 Psalter, 1 verse from Proverbs for Parenting, and 2 Q&A's from The Mother's Catechism.

Proverbs For Parenting. This is a wonderful tool put together by Barbra Decker to aid in the discipling of our children. She has categorized the Proverbs into chapters that deal with particular sins like selfishness, lying, anger, ungratefulness, etc. If we notice our children are struggling in a specific area, we focus on memorizing proverbs that correspond to their behavior and learning what God says we must do about it.

A Mother's Catechism. I wish I could reference this resource for you, but these ancient Presbyterian catechisms are nearly impossible to come by. However, I'm giving away 15 copies (yes, you read that right) at the end of this post so be sure to enter! It's the Westminster Shorter Catechism made even shorter so that our 2 and 4 year old are perfectly capable of memorizing the questions and answers. This is a great way for them to learn sound biblical doctrine that we pray will stick with them for life.

The Psalter. The Psalter, simply put, is the Book of Psalms for singing. It's a tremendous way for small children to memorize the Psalms. They are set to choral music and we sing the same one after each meal for one week. By then, it is memorized and Charity is allowed to choose two or three to sing again before bedtime. This is the same book we use in Church and our children love it when the pastor has chosen one they are able to sing along with.

Rod & Staff Preschool Curriculum
I absolutely love the Rod & Staff Preschool Curriculum. My mom used it with me two decades ago and I was tickled to see the workbooks hadn't changed at all in the last twenty years. I have fond memories of coloring, cut and paste, and singing jingles to help remember how letters and numbers are formed:
A straight line down and then you're done. This is how to make a one! Around and back on a railroad track! Two, two, two! Around and tree and around a tree; this is how to make a three!

Charity is a typical girly-girl and loves doing crafts, so this curriculum is perfect for her since it involves a lot of crayons, scissors, and glue-sticks! I've heard from other Moms that generally speaking, boys don't do as well with this curriculum because they lack the patience, interest, and fine motor skills at this age to find enjoyment in using all those things.

The set includes six workbooks and a Bible Story book complete with questions and answers. For $21.95 you can hardly go wrong!
1) Adventures with Books: This book aims to teach neatness and carefulness, how to follow simple directions (match with lines, circle, underline, cross out or mark with an 'X'), recognize colors and how to color correctly, practice cutting and pasting, drawing with lines and circles, regonize shapes, and practice words meanings (alike, different, left, right, big, small).

2) Bible Pictures to Color: This book includes 60 coloring pages that correspond to the Bible stories in Bible Stories to Read. Each story includes three questions and answers and a short memory verse.

3) Counting with Numbers: This book teaches your child to identify and write the numbers 1 to 10 and explains what they mean. It also teaches number sequence and basic math concepts like more (greater than) less (fewer than), same (equal to), first, last, empty (zero), full (whole), and one-half.

4) Do it Carefully: This book teaches discriminating shapes, letters, a few sight words, writing letters and your child's name, as well as several consanant blends.

5) Everywhere We Go: This book is basically a review of what has been taught in the previous four. It also introduces character concepts like personal responsibility and courtesy and observations about animals, birds, plants and children that live in different parts of the world.

6) Finding the Answers: This book concentrates on developing critical thinking skills through rhymes, sequence, understanding sentence meanings, making comparisons and associations, learning to follow multiple directions, considering the senses, and gathering supplies to make or repair objects.

Read-alouds One of Charity's favorite things to do is curl up next to me on the couch and have a story read to her (I guess that's probably on the list of every child's Favorite Things To Do, isn't it? :-). We're working our way through the Miller Family Stories, also published by Rod & Staff.
I love these books because the stories are so relatable and each one emphasizes a biblical principle or proverb in a way a child can easily understand. The four Miller children grow up in a Christian home and have experiences very similar to ours. They struggle with obedience, slothfulness, bad influences, lying, snooping into other people's business, gossip, and several other battles we face daily. Each situation is ultimately resolved with an experience that brings sobering consequences or the direction of a parent that leads the children to choose what is right in God's eyes.

Charity is fascinated with pioneers at the moment, so we're reading through Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House Series. Once we are finished the set, we plan to dress up and pay a visit to a pioneer heritage village in our area.

To help expand Charity's vocabulary, I like to read her old English classics such as the stories by Beatrix Potter. This is a fun way to discover big words like "presently," "twitched," and "puzzled," and understand their meanings based on the context in which they are written. A Beatrix Potter Treasury is a fantastic collection of her most famous stories including the tales of Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-duck, and Benjamin Bunny.

Copywork

Charity's fine motor skills aren't quite where they need to be to begin learning cursive, but when she gets there, we'll start by using the set of printables I developed earlier this week based on the 1777 New England Primer.

The 1777 New England Primer Cursive Printable Alphabet Set includes 26 Scripture passages to correspond with each letter of the alphabet as well as the biblical ditties used by the Puritans to help enforce the Gospel message in the tender hearts of our children while they learn to write. You can purchase the entire volume for $2.99 here.

If you have any questions about any of the materials or where to get them (I've included links to most of the resources), feel free to ask! If you're interested in receiving a copy of A Mother's Catechism, enter below for your chance to win 1 of 15 I have available to give away.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In the interest of full disclosure, I was not compensated in any way for my review of Rod and Staff Curriculum The opinions expressed are strictly my own. 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. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Growing Home. Thank you for your continued support!
Linking to: Raising Homemakers, Deep Roots At Home, Raising Arrows, Time Warp Wife, Far Above Rubies, A Wise Woman., Hip Homeschool Moms, Living and Learning at Home, Walking Redeemed, The Better Mom, The Modest Mom, A Mama's Story, The Focused Homemaker, Home Grown Learners, iHomeschool,

New here? A warm welcome to you! Allow me to introduce myself and give you a whirlwind tour of Growing Home!

My name is Jacinda Vandenberg. I'm a 20-something Canadian girl who's happily married to the love of my life, Brad. We homeschool our three children, Charity, Judah, and Anna, and are passionate about home-based, parent-led, biblical family discipleship, mentorship, economics, and entrepreneurial endeavors, of which we have many!

I'm a second-generation homeschooler, passionate homemaker, lover of medium roast coffee, whole food novice, and deeply thankful for God's grace, without which I am nothing.

Growing Home is where we share a holistic approach to gospel-centered family building with the desire to encourage and engage our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Here you'll find our thoughts on everything from family life, biblical womanhood, homeschooling, whole food cooking, and natural remedies to preserving the homemaking arts and casting a vision for future generations.

We believe in the sufficiency of Scripture, and understand that it's not our work or methodology that saves us, but the perfect redemption bought and paid for by Jesus on the Cross when he died and rose again to satisfy God's justice on our behalf. To that end, we desire to live holy, holistically, and wholeheartedly for the glory of God.

A few popular posts around here include:

• 5 Things To Expect If You Homeschool
• Child Trophies
• Girls Shouldn't Be Highly Educated... (is something I've never said)
• How A Single-Income Family Can Afford A Whole-Food Diet
• How To Be A Perfectly Miserable Mother
• I am a Feminist (not really)

In my spare time (cough), I enjoy creating homeschooling and homemaking resources and eBooks such as the 1777 New England Primer Cursive and Alphabet Printable Sets, Growing Your Blog While Managing Your Home, Homeschooling Day by Day (a collaborative effort of 11 homeschooling Moms), and The Pursuit of Motherhood (another joint project involving 17 moms), and providing them to my readers as cheaply as possible.

If you'd like to connect in other ways, you can find Growing Home on Facebook, Google +, Twitter, Pinterest, and subscribe via email to receive updates each time new content is published.

We welcome your comments and questions as well, and will do our best to respond to them as soon as we can.

Thanks for dropping by! Join us again soon?
*** If you have a homemaking related product you'd like to give away on Growing Home, please vising our Advertising Page for more information.

You're a stay-at-home Mom.
You treasure the privilege of being able to raise your own children and manage your home, but sometimes you wonder if there's something you could do to contribute to the family income. Something that has the potential to earn a full-time wage without a huge start-up cost or sacrificing hours away from the first responsibilities God gave you.
You love to write and crave an outlet to express yourself while making a positive impact in someone else's life. You're passionate about a particular subject and desire to explore it deeper so you can minister to others, learn, and interact with a community of like-minded women.
If any of these sentiments resonate with you, you need to start a blog , and my brand new eBook, Growing Your Blog While Managing Your Home | The Ultimate Guide For Christian Mommy Bloggers will show you how to do just that.

Growing Your Blog While Managing Your Home The Ultimate Guide For Christian Mommy Bloggers by Jacinda Vandenberg
PDF version

KINDLE version

Since the first edition of this eBook in 2012, Growing Home has grown ten times in size and now generates a five figure income annually. I’ve encountered many new challenges and opportunities not included in the original version and decided it was time to re-write it all.
I started Growing Home with the purpose of encouraging Christian wives, mothers, and homemakers in their noble calling. More recently, homeschooling has been added to the queue since we officially started home educating our oldest child last year.
Writing has always been a favorite pastime of mine and I loved the idea of interacting with like-minded women all across the globe. I began as every blogger does: with one reader, one Facebook fan, one Pinterest follower who pinned my posts.
A few years later, with God’s extraordinary blessing in spite of myself and an exceptionally supportive, tight-knit blogging network, at the time of this writing, Growing Home is a community of 30,000 readers and is a significant contributor to our family income.

Growing Your Blog While Managing Your Home The Ultimate Guide For Christian Mommy Bloggers by Jacinda Vandenberg $7.99
PDF version

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I have nothing to boast about. I couldn’t have imagined it this way, not in my wildest dreams! This is solely the result of the Lord’s blessing on the tools He has given me. He’s responsible for it all and He gets the glory!
The goal of this eBook is to share with you the same principles and techniques that God has used to grow Growing Home, both as a ministry tool and a means of income for our family without taking me away from my first responsibilities as a wife and mother.
What Other People Are Saying: "Jacinda Vandenberg's book is fantastic. Everyone is going to want to read it, even if you already know how to blog and manage your home. Coming soon to a theater near you. Very soon, in fact. January 13th. Don't get popcorn grease on your Kindle." ~ Melinda Martin, Professional Blogger and Virtual Assistant. I hope you find in these pages:

• a vision for purposeful blogging,
• helpful tips to manage both your home and your online presence,
• valuable information that will help supplement your family's income.

Growing Your Blog While Managing Your Home The Ultimate Guide For Christian Mommy Bloggers by Jacinda Vandenberg $7.99 PDF version

KINDLE version

Table of Contents
Introduction Part 1 | Creating a Vision and Maintaining A Schedule
To Blog Or Not To Blog? That Is The Question
Setting Priorities
Time-Saving Home Management Tips
This Is My Schedule, And I’m Sticking To It
Efficiently Managing Your Time Online Part 2 | Content and Design Content Is King

• Originality
• Brevity
• Titles
• Engagement
• Readability
• Hyperlinks
• Photos
• Character
• Professionalism
• Inspiration
• Understanding

• Platform
• Simplicity
• Branding
• Color
• Fancy Fonts
• Whitespace
• Centered Gadgets
• Placement
• Comments
• Image Use
• Navigation
• Call to action
• Browsers
• Recommended Blog Designers

• How to Grow Your Blog
• Link Parties
• Commenting
• Following
• Guest Posting
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• Google+
• Twitter
• Email Subscriptions
• Community
• Giveaways
• Posting Frequency
• Advertising

• Make Money as a Seller
• Make Money as an Affiliate

• Deciding Your Options and Setting Your Rates
• Do’s
• Don’ts

• Dealing With The Nay-Sayers
• What To Do When Someone Steals Your Content
• Legal Stuff
• Affiliate Links
• Comment Policies
• Copyrights
• Disclosures
• Disclaimers
• Taxes

Growing Your Blog While Managing Your Home The Ultimate Guide For Christian Mommy Bloggers by Jacinda Vandenberg $7.99 PDF version

KINDLE version

Praise for Growing Your Blog While Managing Your Home:
"One of the most important things that caught my attention in this book is that, she admits, she doesn’t try to do it all. Oh, how I loved this! Finally someone who was real about what actually happens during their day." ~ Shari A. Miller"Growing Your Blog is a worthwhile read if you’ve ever felt like your blogging was taking over your life, whether you are seriously considering monetizing or not. There’ve been many times over the past few months that I’ve felt maybe I just need to quit…after reading this book, I know I just need a better plan. My priorities have been out of whack. I knew it, but I needed a “blueprint” for turning them around." ~ Homeschooling Hearts & Minds"Growing Your Blog While Managing Your Home offers a great vision of keeping your focus where it should be, without having letting go of your goal to grow your blog." ~ A Diligent Heart"If your dishes have been known to pile high while you aim to type one more blog post, then this ebook is for you... Priorities. Priorities. Priorities. Come on a journey as she shares her own story, schedules, and tips for Growing Your Blog While Managing Your Home. You will be encouraged and inspired by her beautiful simplicity." ~ The Homeschool Village"Growing Your Blog While Managing Your Home is going to be a resource I turn to time and again. I am thankful to not have to use Google to find answers to my blogging questions anymore!" ~ Thankful Homemaker"Jacinda’s book is a great introduction to the how-to’s of blogging for business. It’s refreshing to read a take that is from a decidedly Christian viewpoint. I found the details for advertising, ebooks, and affiliates especially helpful. She is very transparent and shares her own advertising and reviewing rates, which is also very helpful." ~ The Sunny Patch"{Jacinda}gives a ton of information of how to blog while balancing home life helping women to keep a wise balance and does it from a Christian perspective. This is hard to find and why I recommend it." ~ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home"What kind of blogger are you, or do you want to become? If you merely blog for the sake of keeping a family journal then this eBook probably won’t benefit you. But, if you want to step it up a notch then it’s definitely for you!" ~ Raising Mighty Arrows
***A special thank-you to my dear husband for proofreading the manuscript, Lindsey and Richele from Crisp Apple for their tremendous job on the design, and Melinda from Helply Helper VA Services for the many late nights and early mornings she spent editing and formatting my mess into something that looks professional!

The first step to becoming an excellent manager of your home is to understand your role and why it is so important.

As a whole, our culture dismisses the impact of a faithful homemaker and constructs stereotypes that are outlandishly opposed to our exemplary in Proverbs 31. For instance, note who gets attacked when one young girl says she's going to be a nurse and the other says she's preparing to be a homemaker, which, biblically and historically, is God's normative plan for women. It is considered a waste of talent and intelligence to bless your family with the gifts God has given you for eternal rewards, but admirable if a paper certifies a particular area of focus and you get paid monetarily.

We must not rely on society's view of homemaking as our source of strength, purpose, and encouragement. Our value and fulfillment is found when we understand that the almighty God of the universe has called us to this task, and therefore, there is no greater work as a wife and mother that we could be doing.
"... teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." Titus 2: 4The title "manager" denotes different types of jobs we must oversee to ensure our homes are running smoothly. Let's list them:

• Accountant
• Baker
• Chauffeur
• Cheerleader
• Chef
• Coach
• Counselor
• Dean of Education
• Entertainer
• Fashion Coordinator
• Food Service Manager
• Filing Clerk
• Fitness Trainer
• Gardener
• Gift Coordinator
• Health-care Practitioner
• Interior Designer
• Laundress
• Maid
• Purchasing Agent
• Referee
• Secretary
• Short-order Cook
• Travel Agent

A woman who purposely trains to do all these things well will not just be an asset to her husband, but should the Lord call her to singleness, she will be able to minister well to anyone, wherever she is planted. This is why I tell my daughters that preparing to be a godly homemaker thrills Mommy's heart just as much, if not more, than having them trained, indebted, and degreed, in one particular field of interest at college.
"Putting up the lunch for the children or cooking a good meal for the family may seem very insignificant tasks as compared with giving a lecture, writing a book, or doing other things that have a larger audience; but I doubt very much if, in the ultimate reckoning, they will count for as much." ~Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House in the OzarksOnce you begin to understand and embrace the importance of your place inside your home, you can begin to draft a "mission statement" to refer to when you're feeling weary in well-doing, or you need to be reminded of your vision. It can be as simple as photo-copying Proverbs 31 and posting it on your fridge, or writing out your own summary on a note card and placing it above your sink. I've written mine inside my journal where I see it everyday:

"Called, authorized, and empowered by my Redeemer and Friend, with the blessing and support of my husband, my mission as the Keeper of our Home is to create an atmosphere of grace and forgiveness, order and flexibility, warm love and gentle affection, nutritious meals and fragrant aromas, conversation and education."
I want our home to be: (Check all that apply)

• Welcoming
• Stressful
• Warm
• Light
• Dark
• Messy
• Cluttered
• Happy
• Perfect
• Neat
• Chaotic
• Tidy
• Educational
• Shiny
• Sloppy
• Organized
• Attractive
• Dusty
• Beautiful
• Positive
• Well-arranged
• Tense
• Fun
• Calm
• Rigid
• Creative
• Chaotic
• Cozy
• Unique
• Balanced
• Homey
• Joyful
• Tacky
• Intense
• Purposeful
• Simple
• Appropriate
• Immaculate
• Functional
• Fresh Bright
• Expensive
• Relaxed

Recommend Resources
These titles encourage Keepers of The Home in their God-given calling. I'll list resources specific to organizing and maintaining different areas of the home as we cover them in this series. These are my affiliate links, but you are under no obligation to use them!

• Passionate Housewives Desperate For God by Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald
• The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace
• Queen of the Home by Jennifer McBride
• The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson
• Praise Her In The Gates by Nancy Wilson
• Home-Making by J. R. Miller
• Large Family Logistics by Kim Brenneman

Part 1: Keeping A Growing Home | A Management Series for Moms Part 2: Keeping A Growing Home | Know Your Role! Part 3: Keeping A Growing Home | Making Priorities & 15 Good Things I Don't Do Part 4: Keeping A Growing Home | Time-Saving Home Management Tips Part 5: Keeping A Growing Home | My Daily Schedule

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 Better Mom, The Modest Mom, A Mama's Story, We ARE That Family, Raising Mighty Arrows, Hearts For Home, Frugal Homeschool Family,

Books

Motherhood

• Large Family Logistics by Kim Brenneman
• Passionate Housewives Desperate for God by Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald
• Raising Godly Tomatoes by L. Elizabeth Krueger
• Parenting On God's Promises by Joel Beeke
• Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic
• The Mother At Home by John S.C. Abbott
• A Mother's Heart by Jean Flemming
• Be Fruitful and Multiply by Nancy Campbell
• A Full Quiver by Rick and Jan Hess
• Fit To Burst by Rachel Jankovic
• The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson
• Proverbs for Parenting by Barbara Decker
• Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney
• Desperate by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson
• When Motherhood Feels Too Hard by Kelly Crawford

• Large Family Logistics by Kim Brenneman
• The Hidden Heart of Homemaking by Edith Schaffer
• The Christian Homemaker's Handbook by Pat Ennis
• From Mother to Daughter by Vivienne Bolton
• Homespun Gifts from the Heart by Karen Ehman
• Homespun Memories from the Heart by Karen Ehman
• Mrs. Dunwoodey's Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping by Miriam Lukken
• Home Ec 101 by Heather Solos
• How To Sew A Button by Erin Bried
• Home Economics: Vintage Advice and Practical Science for the 21st Century by Jennifer Trontz

• Upgrade | 10 Secrets To The Best Education For Your Child by Kevin Swanson
• Teaching the Trivium by Harvey and Laurie Bluedorn
• When You Rise Up by R. C. Sproul Jr.
• Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto
• Weapons of Mass Instruction by John Taylor Gatto
• Indoctrination by Colin Gunn
• The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer
• Lies Homeschooling Moms Believe by Todd Wilson
• Educating The Whole-Hearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson
• Hand That Rocks The Cradle: 400 Classics for Children by Nathaniel Bluedorn
• Chucking College by Melanie Ellison

• The Second Mayflower by Kevin Swanson
• Folks, This Ain't Normal by Joel Salatin
• Apostate by Kevin Swanson

• Biblical Economics by R. C. Sproul Jr.
• Whatever Happened to Penny Candy by Richard Maybury
• The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn
• Calvin and Commerce by David Hall

• When Sinners Say "I do" by Dave Harvey
• What Did You Expect? by Paul David Tripp
• The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace
• Reforming Marriage by Douglas Wilson
• Family Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham
• Family Shepherds by Voddie Baucham
• What He Must Be by Voddie Baucham
• I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris
• Of Knights and Fair Maidens by Jeff and Danielle Myers

• Trim Healthy Mama by Pearl Barrett and Serene Allison
• Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
• Making Babies by Shoshanna Easling

• Bringing Up Boys by Dr. James Dobson
• Created to Work by Bob Schultz
• Future Men by Douglas Wilson
• Boyhood and Beyond by Bob Schultz
• Plants Grown Up by Pam Forster
• Practical Happiness by Bob Schultz
• Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris

• So Much More by Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin
• It's Not That Complicated by Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin
• Joyfully At Home by Jasmine Baucham
• Feminine By Design by Scott Brown
• Beautiful Girlhood by Karen Andreola
• Let Me Be A Woman by Elisabeth Elliott

• End Of The Spear by Steve Saint
• Safely Home by Randy Alcorn
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
• Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss
• Lord Foulgrin's Letters by Randy Alcorn
• Deadline by Randy Alcorn
• Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

• 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

• The Bible
• Calvin's Commentaries by John Calvin
• The Christian's Reasonable Service by Wilhemus Brakel
• Running Scared by Ed Welch
• War of Words by Paul Tripp
• Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
• Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper
• Choosing Gratitude by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
• The Answers Book by Ken Ham
• Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible by Matthew Henry

• Homeschooling Day By Day co-authored by yours truly
• The Pursuit of Motherhood co-authored by yours truly
• More Than Rules | Exploring the Heart of Beauty and Modesty by Bambi Moore (read my endorsement)
• Overwhelmed: Hope and Help for the Financially Weary by multiple authors (read my review)
• The Heart Of Simplicity by multiple authors (eBook)
• Trim Healthy Mama (Read my review)
• True Christian Motherhood by June Fuentes (eBook)
• When Motherhood Feels Too Hard by Kelly Crawford (Read my review)
• 31 Days To Clean | Having a Mary House the Martha Way by Sarah Mae

• Answers In Genesis
• Creation Ministries International
• JM Cremps | The Boys Adventure Store

• Deborah & Co. (Read my Maternity Skirt Review)
• Flirty Aprons
• Joyfully Sewn Designs (Read my review of our daughter's dress)
• New Creation Apparel
• Shabby Apple
• Very Jane

• Beeyoutiful (Their Miracle Salve is our favorite hand cream!)
• Bulk Herb Store
• Cowgirl Dirt (natural make-up)

In Part 3 of this series, I emphasized the importance of keeping our priorities aligned as God desires (God, Spouse, Children, House) and listed 15 Good Things I DON'T Do so I can give them adequate attention.

You cannot schedule long, lingering hugs with your husband, heart-to-heart's with your children, or circumstances that bring you to your knees and compel you to worship your Creator; but you can learn how to manage your secondary duties efficiently. This does three things:

1. It affords you more time to invest in the souls entrusted to your care.
2. It keeps your home "company-ready," and open for hospitality, whereby some have entertained angels, unaware. (Hebrews 13:2)
3. It teaches your daughters, by your own example, how to care for their own homes one day.

There are thousands of books available to help learn how to organize your home (I'll list my favorites at the end of this post), so I'll keep it short and simply list a few small, but meaningful things that have been a great asset in helping me manage our own home:

Meals for the freezer. 1. Double up when you cook or bake. Get into the habit of cooking extra so you have one meal for dinner and one to put in the freezer or give away. It takes almost no extra time or energy to double (or triple) a recipe and having a healthy "heat-and-serve" meal available on busy days is a great stress reliever! Some of our favorite things to freeze are soups, chili, casseroles, muffins, cookies, and brownies.

Making granola and sweet potato fries in the kitchen while the kids do school at the table. 2. Make supper at breakfast. I try to make my meals in the morning, or at least get some of the prep work done while the kids are doing their independent work at the kitchen table. That way, if school takes longer than normal or we have swimming lessons in the afternoon, 5 o'clock isn't as rushed as it could be.

3. Learn to use the kitchen wonder-tool: your crock-pot! You don't even need to use a recipe. Throw in a frozen cut of meat, a few vegetables and some spices in the morning, cover and set to 'Low,' and you'll have a tender, flavorful meal ready by dinner.

Our "school" cabinet across from the kitchen. The small drawers contain our pencils, markers, crayons, glue sticks, erasers, etc., and the four larger drawers contain our workbooks (one for each child, and one for Mommy). 4. Manage your space efficiently. Don't make yourself walk across the kitchen to retrieve the pepper grinder while you're simmering soup. Keep your baking essentials in a cupboard above the area where your blender is stored; your plates and silverware in closest proximity to your table (or dishwasher, if you have one); the schoolbooks on a shelf or drawer near to where you normally do your lessons (for us, that's the kitchen); the toys where the children play.

An uncluttered house is easier to clean up! 5. Clear the clutter. Get rid of the stuff you wouldn't know was missing if it suddenly disappeared. Donate, re-gift, recycle, or throw out. You'll spend less time trying to organize and clean what you don't need and your home will feel bigger and brighter. Cleaning up their toys will also be less daunting for your children when they have fewer of them to put away (you can read more about the toy storage system for our small house here).

A typical wash day: Charity (4) helps me fold (she's better than I am!), Judah (2) mountain climbs the unfolded pile, and Anna (7 months) watches us for entertainment. 6. Devote specific days to specific tasks. This is not a new idea. For Ma Ingalls and other pioneer women, each day had its own chore:
Wash on Monday. Iron on Tuesday, Mend on Wednesday, Churn on Thursday, Clean on Friday, Bake on Saturday, Rest on Sunday. Nowadays, with machines that speed up a great deal of these things and imported products that are cheaper to buy than make, my list looks a little different but the principle is the same. In addition to homeschooling everyday, I typically do laundry on Monday, groceries on Tuesdays, freezer cooking and baking on Wednesdays, swimming lessons and the bulk of my writing/blog business on Thursdays, housework on Fridays, outside work on Saturdays, rest on Sundays.

7. Multitask. I make dinner while the kids are doing their schoolwork at the kitchen table, check my emails or read aloud when I'm nursing, dust when I have a phone call to make, and review memory work while we're folding laundry.

What I aim to have our kitchen look like before going to bed at night. 8. Clean up the night before. I'm much more excited and motivated to start my day when I wake up to a clean kitchen and a tidy house. Every evening after supper, Brad and I wash and dry the dishes while the kids clean up their toys. They are rewarded with a bedtime story if they get the living room (also our play area) neatly organized before we're finished.

9. Ensure you're are being spiritually fed. You can read the scriptures out loud to your children while you are nursing, sing Psalms at the kitchen sink with your two-year-old, or pray while you're driving. I keep my Bible on my nightstand so it's the first thing I see every morning before starting my day.
"He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:29-31

When I remember to wear one, a pretty apron makes me feel like a real homemaker! My favorite ones come from Flirty Aprons. 10. Dress for the job. There's a reason the corporate world abides by a professional dress code. Dressing for success often leads to success. Your clothes make a strong visual statement about how you view your job. Comfort aids productivity and your personal, creative, feminine style tells the world your role is freeing, not stifling. Decide what you're going to wear the night before and put it next to your bed. Commit to not leaving the bedroom until you're dressed!

If you struggle with the temptation to stay in your robe like I do, I highly recommend reading Frumps to Pumps: Your 1-Month Motivotional to Getting Dressed and Staying That Way by Sarah Mae.

11. Take care of yourself physically. Eat healthy, take your vitamins, get fresh air, shower, go to bed on time, and adopt an attitude of joy that will energize you for the tasks at hand.

My very simple meal plan on a magnetic menu pad I found at Wal-Mart. 12. Meal plan. I'm not a rigid meal-planner, but I like to have a week's worth of dinners written down so I have a general idea of what I can prepare in the morning. It also saves me time and money at the grocery store.

13. Unplug. Turn off your distractions. Consider getting rid of the TV if it keeps you from going to bed on time and get an emergency only plan for your cell phone. Unplug the computer if you won't be needing it for several hours and keep it in an inconvenient location so it's a pain to check Facebook when you're supposed to be homeschooling.

Before and after the kids have cleaned up the living room/play area. 14. Involve the whole family. Managing a home doesn't mean you have to do all the work; it means you are responsible for seeing that the work gets done. Don't assume your children are going to learn how to run a home by osmosis. Let them take responsibility by giving them their own chores, and in the process of teaching them life skills, you will find more time to engage in fun, memorable family activities like hiking, tobogganing, or traveling together.

15. Stay home. Novel concept, isn't it? If too many trips out are keeping you from fulfilling your duties at home, it's time to cut back. I try to set aside one morning a week to do all of my grocery shopping and limit our extra-curricular activities. Currently, we're involved in swimming lessons and leave one other afternoon open for visits to the library, a friend's house, or a field trip. I don't go to Ladies Bible Study at Church and rarely go shopping "just for the fun of it."

My to-do list, decorated by someone who found a pen. 16. Make lists. Remember all of those careers being a homemaker encompasses? Making bite-size lists can do wonders when you're feeling overwhelmed. You can see exactly what needs to be done and get the satisfaction of crossing off a task when it has been completed.
17. Just do the next thing. When your kitchen sink is overflowing with dirty dishes, the floor is sticky, and dinner still needs to be made, just do the next thing. Don't look over your whole list or get side-tracked by thirteen other things that are calling for your attention. Just pick up the dish-brush, fill your sink with hot, soapy water, and do the next thing.

18. Accept help when it is offered and ask for it when it's not. Accepting help is not a sign of weakness or failure; it means you're a human who understands that no one can do it all. Asking for help humbles a person and opens their eyes to the community of believers that God has arranged to encourage and support each other (1 Thessalonians 5:11-13).

If you could recommend one life-altering home management tip, what would it be?

Recommended Resources
These are affiliate links for books I love, which means I make a small commission if you choose to purchase through them, but please don't feel obligated to do so!

• Large Family Logistics by Kim Breneman
• More Hours In My Day by Emilie Barnes
• Saving Dinner Basics by Leanne Ely
• Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley (The FlyLady)
• The Christian Homemaker's Handbook by Pat Ennis
• The Family Manager Takes Charge by Kathy Peel
• The House That Cleans Itself by Mindy Starns Clark

Part 1: Keeping A Growing Home | A Management Series for Moms Part 2: Keeping A Growing Home | Know Your Role! Part 3: Keeping A Growing Home | Making Priorities & 15 Good Things I Don't Do Part 4: Keeping A Growing Home | Time-Saving Home Management Tips Part 5: Keeping A Growing Home | My Daily Schedule

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 Better Mom, The Modest Mom, A Mama's Story, We ARE That Family, Raising Mighty Arrows, Hearts For Home, Frugal Homeschool Family,