Nurture Your Creativity!

This article is excerpted from my book The Real Life Home School Mom, which is available as a free PDF in the sidebar of www.virginiaknowles.blogpot.com.

Nurture Your Creativity with Home Arts
How about home schooling for mom? Our creative home arts skills can flourish in our families and then overflow to the outside world. They make our lives more beautiful and satisfying. Edith Schaeffer, in The Hidden Art of Homemaking, encourages women to develop and express the “hidden arts,” the little creative things you do in your home that sometimes no outsider even sees. You might take them for granted, not aware of their potential, but if you start small and practice them consciously in your daily life, you may see them blossom outward from your home.


Our creativity flows from the fact that we are made in the image of our Creator. The Holy Spirit fills us with unique skills, abilities, and knowledge to serve God and others, not just ourselves. In Exodus 35-36, Bezalel and Oholiab not only crafted sacred articles for the temple, but taught their skills so others could join in the holy task. The shepherd boy David ministered with anointed music to soothe a disquieted king (1 Samuel 16:14-23) and wrote everlasting psalms of praise. Dorcas, in Acts 9, made clothes for poor people. The creative Proverbs 31 woman also spread out her hands to the needy.


What do you think of as creative? Here are a few ideas:

♥ drawing, painting, calligraphy, sculpture, stained glass
♥ photography, photo album arranging, origami, booklet making
♥ toy making, greeting card design
♥ sewing, needlework, clothing design, costuming
♥ hair styling, wardrobe selection
♥ singing, playing a musical instrument, composing music or lullabies
♥ puppetry, drama, poetry, humor, choreography
♥ story telling, fiction/factual writing, letter writing
♥ cooking, baking, menu planning, experimenting with recipes
♥ hospitality, celebration
♥ flower arranging, landscaping, gardening
♥ home organization, interior decoration, furniture restoration
♥ inventing, teaching, mentoring, problem solving


Obviously, you can't do it all! What do you want to do? Are you confined to the things for which you have natural talent? Some things may come easier, some you may enjoy more, and others you may excel at. However, you can learn a little something about many things to enrich your family and home school. Ask yourself these questions:


♥ What talents have I already nurtured?
♥ What hidden arts or secret ambitions do I want to develop?
♥ How can I use these talents to serve God and others?
♥ What steps must I take to get started?
♥ What equipment and supplies do I need?
♥ Can I get a friend to teach or coach me?

As you evaluate the options, please realize that creativity changes with motherhood. Your stage in life may inspire you to delve into areas you had not thought of before. On the other hand, if you have young children but you don't have a separate place for your own projects, there may be some activities you will have to save for another season of life. For me, this includes oil painting and extended quilting projects, since they involve time, mess, spread out space, and hazardous supplies. I still do crafts with the children, draw with markers, sew simple items, make up songs, and write. Calligraphy would be another fitting hobby since it requires minimal setup and supplies, and can be used for home decoration and gifts. What a blessing it would be to have beautiful Scripture passages to grace our walls!


Accelerate Your Learning Curve

When my daughters came home from Miss Dee's house with glowing accounts of baking bread from scratch, I just had to tease Dee about being “homier than thou.” But one day, since my husband has a weakness for homemade bread, I decided to try my hand at whole wheat. I called Dee for a recipe, gathered my ingredients, and plunged in. Three weary hours later, I had four soggy loaves, five dough-covered daughters and a totally messy kitchen. “Why did I ever do that?” I wondered. Yet I had lots of flour and yeast left over, so a couple weeks later I tried it again with a different recipe. I'm glad to say it was much easier and tastier the second time around! Several months later, I could bake four loaves with only about 30 minutes hands-on time. What made the difference? It was the learning curve! I had to discover more efficient ways to work, twiddle with the recipe, invest in tools and supplies, and learn to assemble large batches of dry bread mix ahead of time. I also found sources for bulk ingredients. For example, a two pound package of yeast costs about $2.50 at a warehouse club, which is a better buy than the four ounce $4.00 jar at the grocery store! But now I must confess the pinnacle of my learning curve: my mom gave me her old bread machine and now it's a snap! So was it a waste of time doing all the fiddling and learning? No! I still make my own huge canisters of bread mix with bulk ingredients, and at least now I know how to make bread by hand if necessary. I was also able to teach my daughters how to do it, and some of them actually enjoy the process!


Much of motherhood and homemaking requires learning curves. We need time to acquire the skills of our trade without expecting instant success. Whatever the subject is -- academic instruction, child training, marital communication, cooking, gardening, hair cutting, sewing, crafts or house cleaning -- at the start it seems like you'll never get it right. It just doesn't seem worth the effort, does it? Yet you persevere. Try, try, try again. Practice makes perfect, and all that stuff. Pretty soon you're a veteran.


An extended trial-and-error process is not always necessary. Creativity is not just a matter of totally spontaneous originality. Our projects are often based on previously developed plans such as recipes or patterns. Especially when we are learning a new skill, we must be willing to follow instructions. When we have gained enough proficiency, then we can branch off into more original ideas. In my eighth grade sewing class, the teacher told us to go buy a pattern for a simple piece of clothing. Being a rather fanciful girl, I had other ideas! I sketched an elaborate velvet gown and told Mrs. Gregg that this would be my sewing project. “No way!” she replied. “You don't even know how to sew yet, much less design something like that!” I meekly bought a pattern for a rather plain skirt, followed the instructions, and learned the basics. The principles and practice from two years of home economics classes have served me well for 20 years. Now I can follow packaged patterns as well as design my own projects.


Do you want to accelerate your learning curve? Consider these tips:

♥ Read about your topic; the library is full of how-to books.
♥ Start with some form of written instructions or one-on-one coaching.
♥ If you have problems, ask someone to help you troubleshoot.
♥ Plan ahead to be sure you have the tools, supplies, time, and space.
♥ Relax and take a deep breath. It’s hard to work when you are tense.
♥ Work slowly and methodically, referring to your instructions often.
♥ Make sure you clean up promptly so the project won't haunt you!
♥ Evaluate the results and think of how you could do it differently.
♥ Write down your new ideas and try a few of them next time.
♥ After you have a grasp of the basics, you customize the project as you want.
♥ If you really don’t like it after a while, chalk it up to experience and quit!

Don't be afraid to try new things, including fresh variations on old routines or projects. Allow learning curves for the rest of your family too. Affirm their efforts and encourage their creativity, but don't demand perfection or squash enthusiasm. Let us all curve right on up to success. If we are skilled in our work, we'll serve before kings -- like King Jesus!

Find Your Own Learning Passion!

Forget what your kids are learning for a moment! Do you have a topic that interests you personally? Give yourself permission to do a little research and reading. This is a good example for your children, as long as you don’t get carried away with it to the detriment of your family schedule. You can’t learn about everything, but I’ll bet you could be an amateur-expert (is there such a thing?) about one or two subjects. I obviously love to research family life, education, and Christian growth. In my case, I write from the overflow of what I learn, and this has turned into two books and ten years worth of e-magazines and freelance articles. I also love literature and history, which in turn richly equips me to teach in our home school co-op classes. I’ve been told that my enthusiasm for the subjects is abundantly evident. That’s because it comes from my heart! No, you don’t have to write books or teach classes about your chosen subject, but I do encourage you to enrich your own life and your family by learning for a lifetime.

~~~

P.S. You can find my recipe for whole wheat bread using a bread machine on my main blog, http://www.virginiaknowles.blogspot.com/, at Whole Wheat Goodness: Pancakes, Bread in a Machine, Peanut Butter Cookies.

Doing the Wash: Grandmother’s “Receet”

Doing the Wash: Grandmother’s “Receet”
(Author Unknown)

Laundering instructions from a time when the only “appliance” was a scrub board!

1.Bild fire in back yard to heet kettle of rain water.


2.Set tubs so smoke won’t blow in eyes if wind is pert.


3.Shave one hole cake lie soap in billin water.


4.Sort things, make three piles. 1 pile white, 1 pile cullord, 1 pile work britches and rags.


5.Stur flour in cold water to smooth then thin down with billin water.


6.Rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, then bile. Rub cullord but don’t bile -- just rench and starch.


7.Take white things out of kettle with broom stick handle then rench, blew and starch.


8.Spred tee towles on grass.


9.Hang old rags on fence.


10.Pore rench water in flower bed.


11.Scrub porch with hot soapy water.


12.Turn tubs upside down.


13.Got put on cleen dress, smooth hair with side combs, brew cup of tee. Set and rest a spell and count your blessins.
 
~*~*~
 
We've been without our washer for nearly two weeks.  It's supposed to be fixed on Tuesday, now that the parts have arrived.  In the meantime, we've been taking our clothes to the laundromat about a mile from our house -- and reminding myself that at least I'm not scrubbin' the stuff with a washboard!  So I'm countin' my blessin's!
 
Blessings,
Virginia

Simple Shoes?

Dear moms,

With a busy preschooler in the house,

even the task of putting on my shoes

becomes a little more complicated.
Yes, my life is sometimes one tangled mess,
thanks to Melody.
Perhaps I should buy Velcro shoes for myself?

Actually, speaking of shoes,

I try to keep buying them as uncomplicated at possible. 

I have one style of black loafers that works well for me.

When one pair wears out too much to be my best dress shoes,

I buy another identical pair at Payless,

and the old pair becomes my casual pair for running errands.

Last time in needed a new pair, I was in a hurry,

on my way to a funeral.

I got out of the car at 7:08 PM. 

I was back in the car at 7:12, shoes in hand.

I do try to keep my shoes simple.

I always laughed at people who wore crocs.

Too trendy for me, when they were more in style.

A neighbor gave us a pair of old black ones,

and when I tried them on, I suddenly understood!

Comfort at last!

And they're actually pretty cute.

A few weeks ago, at our home school co-op,

two of my sons were stomping through "Lake Metro"

which is the huge puddle that usually covers

our church's soccer field after a heavy rain.

Melody was getting a little too close for my comfort,

so I sploshed through a muddy spot to catch up to her,

getting my crocs quite muddy.

It was easy enough to rinse them in a deeper part of the lake.

Later, the boys were splashing around again,

and I grumbled to one of the other moms

about how they might cut their bare feet

and how they had to put their sneakers back on

when they were late for the next class after lunch break.

I said, "It wouldn't be so bad if they had crocs."

Jessica looked surprised.

She thought I was saying that it wouldn't be so bad

if there were crocodiles out in the lake,

perhaps so the boys could hop from croc head to croc head

like in the movies.

A mom always needs a good laugh!

Come, weary moms.

K.I.S.S.

Keep it simple, sweetie!

And try to find in the humor in your little frustrations.

After all, there are little feet

following in your foot steps.

Blessings,

Virginia Knowles

Joyful Liberty!

Dear friends,

I shared this testimony in the first part of my presentation "Amazing Grace for Home School Moms."  This is an excerpt of my speaking notes, but I added to it when I actually spoke.

~*~*~

About four years ago, through a series of circumstances, I really felt like God was clearly telling me it was time to turn around and face the past so that I could change my future. I could think of several areas of life where he might want to be working on me, but I was waiting to see what he was going to bring before me because I knew it wasn't my place to go digging around. There were several times over the course of the summer when he brought certain things to mind through providential conversations, books, and church meetings. Sometimes this was really uncomfortable for me.

Then early on a summer morning, I was lying in bed contemplating my spiritual life and the Lord graciously gave me a vision in the shape of a heart. In this heart there were layers and layers of debris that had been gathering there for  decades past, rising up to a crusted layer on top. I saw myself walking on the surface of this hard crust, just surviving daily life and not experiencing the fullness of what God had planned for me. Then I saw springs of living water flowing up powerfully from the very depths to wash away the debris, break through that crust, and bring me authentic joy and abundant life, the fullness of what he had for me!  I knew this vision came as a gracious gift from God. I worshiped him for his mercy in spite my failures which I knew were many.

Over the next few years, God used this experience and others like it to knock a lot of self-righteous chips off my shoulders, because I had a whole lot of them. He give me a new compassion for other hurting women, and give me a new depth to my spiritual life.  I got more serious about reading Scriptures, praying, and journaling. 

This is also when I started seeing a new appreciation for the beauty of God and his creation, and for other peoples' reflections of that in their art, music, nature, and literature.  That overflowed into my home schooling as well.  It was also a time for what I call a fresh poetic surge when poems started pouring out of me in celebration of God's grace and goodness!

I was so aware of being kept in God's unconditional mercy to take me as I was, but at the same time, I still wondered how I could change the habits and attitudes that had hindered me for years?  It's wonderful that God takes me as I am, but shouldn't I have changed in some of these areas by now after 30 years as a Christian?  God takes us where we are, but he doesn't want to leave us there.  He wants us to move on and grow up.  

It seemed like many people around me were focused on mortifying their own sins and becoming holy by their own efforts, as well as by constant confession and accountability. For a while, this seemed like a humble and pious approach and I embraced it. However, over the years, I realized that it was way too easy to forget God's grace in this approach. The more I tried, the more I felt neurotic, depressed, anxious, and frustrated. I knew this was not honoring to God.

Last year, in his mercy, God opened my eyes to assure me that instead of being a filthy and depraved little worm with a deceitfully wicked heart, that I was now a new creation in Christ, a precious saint in his sight, covered in the righteousness of Jesus by his sacrifice! I needed to rest and rejoice in this glorious truth, that God was going to change me, not by my own self effort, but through his grace!

I started seeing how much I had succumbed to legalism. I think there are actually two kinds of legalism. One is made up of picky outward man-made rules to prove that you are in the "in crowd" spiritually.  I almost think this is the more harmless kind. The other kind is an inward legalism. It says, "I am going to be good no matter what!  I am going to hack those sins right out of me no matter what it takes!" It is an attempt to make yourself holy and remove your sin by your own efforts. It leads to self-righteousness and wanting to give up.

Both types of legalism are unfortunately rampant in the home schooling movement, in my opinion. Many times we do what we do because we want to raise kids with perfect godly character. We rely on our methods, our rules, and our curriculum to do this, rather than on the Spirit of God working in their hearts.  Unfortunately, if and when they don't toe the line, there's a lot of stuff to deal with!



Galatians 3:2-3 speaks clearly to this kind of legalism when it says, "Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?"


In learning to overcome this inward kind of legalism, I had to study the gospels.  I've been studying all four gospels concurrently over the past several months, working through them to find out: "Who is Jesus and how can I be like him?"  I want to find my true identity in Christ as a SAINT SET FREE from the power of sin, walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, willingly responding to what God was doing in my life rather than trying to hack out my failures by myself.

John 8:36 proclaims, "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." Why would we ever want to be in bondage again? Such joy and liberty comes from the amazing grace of God!  

There have been many areas of my life where I have struggled for years and felt like I couldn't change, but when I began to focus on my identity in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit to change me, that is when I began to change the habits, the atttitudes, the patterns of thought.  The transformation came when I realized who I was in Christ rather than focusing on how much sin I had to get rid of it. 

Yes, there will be times when you stumble and fail. My encouragement to you is to get back up, ask God for help, and keep going. When I am discouraged or feeling blue or going through a monster case of PMS, I remind myself that the feelings will pass. It helps to get a nap or a good night's sleep, read an encouraging book, talk to my husband or a trusted friend.

Another benefit of being confident of God's love and acceptance, is that you become an authentic woman, not pretending or performing for others. As a home school mom, you don't need to impress others with your family's accomplishments and you don't need to criticize others to make yourself feel better.  I am delighted that my acceptance and approval are in God, not in other people. I don't need to crave approval from others, and I don't need to fear their disapproval.


Proverbs 29:25 says, "The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe." I found this to be true again last year. I needed to write an e-mail to my friends about an issue I had prayed about and that I knew had to be addressed. However, right after I hit the send button, I suddenly had a panic attack.  I had never had one before.  It was so weird! My heart was pounding. I tried reading aloud to my kids, but I couldn't even breathe normally. This went on for a few hours. Why? I was subconsciously afraid of how people would react to what I had written. Then I thought, I don't need to do this!  I am a Christian, I wrote what I needed to write, I prayed about it, and in confidence I can do the things I need to do! Once I realized that, I determined never to let that happen again. I took courage in God's grace and trusted him to use that e-mail for his glory -- and he did!  People have told me how much it meant to them.


If you are doing what God has called you to do, you don't need to fear anyone!  This precious truth has given me the liberty and boldness to speak up and speak out on other issues since then. People have told me how much they have appreciated my voice and my perspective. I am so glad that I am no longer captive to fear of others!

We can also be captive to our own fear of failure. What if we mess up in home schooling? What if my children are ruined forever because I used the wrong curriculum? What will people think? If you get stuck in this mindset, you will be paralyzed! You will be too afraid to do anything!

This holds true for our kids, too. If we are constantly demanding perfection or ridiculing them for their mistakes, they will be reluctant to try anything difficult. They will stick with the safe and easy stuff, rather than challenging themselves to stretch their abilities. This totally quenches the love of learning.  You'll get a dumbed down kid.

Instead, you need a holy confidence from God! He is quite capable of working in and through you in spite of your weaknesses! Your weaknesses showcase his power even more splendidly! I want to encourage you to focus on the good things -- the great things God has created you to be and called you to do. If you do that, you'll be too busy to spend much time messing up!

So get your joy and enthusiasm back! Your purpose in life is not so much to avoid sin and mistakes but to reflect the glory of God by trusting in him, by going out and living the Grand Adventure.

Romans 15:13 is such an inspiration to me when it says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Likewise, our motivation in deciding to home school our kids should not be in what we are trying to avoid, but what we are trying to nurture in their lives: a love for God, a love for family, a love of learning. This completely changes the focus of how we do it as the years go along, too. Home schooling becomes joyful journey rather than a dreary duty.  There is a fullness in it.

Jesus said in John 10:10, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."  The devil wants to steal your joy, your peace, your love.   Are you going to let him do that? How can we keep the devil from stealing our joy? How can we become full of abundant life?

In John 15:4-5 he continues, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

If Jesus's life is flowing through you, that's going to bring you the joy, peace, and love.  So you don't need to be a "driven" home school mom.  I'm not talking about being "type A" personality, but about having the mindset of "Just got to DO it, no matter what we squash in the process, we've just got to get this done to prove it, no matter how well we get it done!"
You can't make your kids holy either. You must rely on God, and rest and work in his grace.

Matthew 11:28-30 invites us: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

If home schooling has become burdensome to you, you're probably taking on too much.  It's not that you need to do less, but that you need to transfer your burden to Jesus.

So we can pray with Quaker poet John Greenleaf Whittier from his hymn "Dear God and Father of Mankind":

Drop Thy still dews of quietness

Till all our strivings cease;

Take from our lives the strain and stress

And let our ordered lives confess

The beauty of Thy peace.

Blessings,

Virginia Knowles

You can hear the full presentation here: Amazing Grace for Home School Moms and read part of my other speaking notes here: Tender Compassion for Mothers

The Password of Praise

Dear friends,

I can't resist sharing another Melody story that Joanna told me.

Mischieveous big sister Lydia, 15, was teasing little Melody by blocking a doorway and telling her she couldn't pass.

Melody confidently looked up at her and defiantly retorted: "M. E. L. O. D. Y!"

Lydia let her go by, of course.  Pluck like that deserves its reward.  Joanna was laughing because Melody thinks she is the center of the universe and that her name itself wields power.

But there is a sense in which MELODY is the password.  It's the password of praise, the exit from the prison of despair.  It worked for Paul and Silas in Acts 16:25-26 -- an earthquake shattered their prison cell when they were singing hymns at midnight!

Matilda Nordtvedt, a missionary and pastor's wife, struggled with depression for years and then fell into six months of deep, completely debilitating depression.  Then one evening, she happened to pick up a copy of Hannah Whitall Smith's classic book The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life.  Three weeks later she was out of the dark tunnel.  She wrote in Living Beyond Depression:

"During my time of acute depression I greeted each dawn with dread.  Worries flooded my mind as soon as I awakened.  How could I make it through another weary day?  What awful thing might happen to me or to the ones I loved in the unknown day that lay before me?  I felt anxious and afraid.

I did not recognize the enemy's voice.  I did not realize that I could put him to flight if I greeted the dawn with a song of trust and praise instead of doubt and worry.  The psalmist says, "Let us greet the dawn with song" (Ps. 57:8, Living Bible).

After I learned this secret, how different my waking moments became!  Before Satan had a chance to plant negative, destructive thoughts in my mind, I began to thank God.  The devil can plant his seed of discouragement anywhere except in a thankful heart.  As my heart sang a song of praise to Him, doubts and fears crept away ato be replaced by faith and joy.  I knew it would be a good day no matter what happened.

Throughout the years, men and women of God have put into words and music the songs of the heart.  What a blessing these hymns and songs of praise have become.  Isaac Watts is called "the father of English hymnody" because he was the first Englishman to introduce hymns of human composure into the church.  Many of our best known hymns are from his pen.  During a crucial battle of the Revolutionary War, a regiment of American soldiers ran out of wadding for their guns.  Rev. James Caldwell, an American preacher, rushed into his church, brought out all the hymnbooks and distributed them among the soldiers.  Tearing out the pages, the desperate men used them as wadding for their guns while the preacher encouraged them by shouting, "Give 'em Watts, boys!  Give 'e Watts!"

Have you ever tried giving your enemy "Watts" or some other hymn of praise?  We may not always sing our song audibly, but if it's there in our hearts, our enemy seeks entrance in vain.  Praise routs him every time!"

~*~*~

Come, weary moms...

Do you feel trapped by discouragement or depression?  Sing a song.  Keep on singing.  Get help from others for your problems if you need it, but try a song.

MELODY opens the way.

Peace and joy to you,
Virginia Knowles

Mommy, Can I Help You?

I'm tired from a long day. 

I'm trying to wash a very full sinkload 

of pots, pans, mixing bowls, cookie sheets.

"Mommy, can I help you?"

She nudges against me.  I sigh.

There is no more room at the sink.

I don't want a wet mess. 

"NO!"

Then I come to my senses.

What am I doing?  

Here I have a willing helper!

And a lot of work to do!

"Here, Melody, how about drying for me?" 

Melody dried a dozen things,
handed one by one, mother to daughter.

She even put them away without being asked!

Then she said, "That be a good job!"

Yes, it was!
"Thank you, sweetheart!"

Come, weary moms....

Let your children help you.

Work together side by side!

Keep a happy heart

and it might rub off on your kids.

After all, Melody's happy heart

sure rubbed off on me!

"That be a good job!"

Tender Compassion for Mothers

Tenderness is a special character quality for mothers, but it comes from God. He leads us with gentleness so that we can lead our children with gentleness.


Isaiah 40:11 says, "He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young."

1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 also talks about the gentleness of motherhood when is says, "As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us."

And so our children become dear to us, and we are delighted to share our own lives with them -- but only as we are filled with God's tender compassion for us. As we live in the lavish love of God, we can learn to listen and respond to our children, rather than react at them. We don't need to be tyrannical dictators anymore. We don't need to feel like we must dominate our children, to use our own self-effort to make them holy, as if we expect a bunch of outward rules to change their inward hearts. Josh McDowell once said, "Rules without relationships reap rebellion." We've all seen the tragic results of teens and young adults who have walked away from their family and their faith because life was all about legalistic rules, without any warmth or grace.

GRACE! Our own grace toward them will lovingly point them to Jesus, the source of God's grace. On the other hand, our bitterness will only drive them away from God. We need to let go of the bitterness and anger of daily irritation or unmet expectations of how mature your children should be by now. Hebrews 12:15 says "See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled."   Many people think that our children will only be defiled by the TV, by bad friends, or by the Internet, and yet one of the worst ways they can be defiled is by bitterness in the family!  This will alienate them from you and your values faster than anything.  Anger just doesn't work.  As James 1:19-20 exhorts us: "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God."  Proverbs 15:1 reminds us that "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."

The issue of child discipline can be rather tricky at times. Yes, we must deal firmly and directly with issues, rather than being in denial. However, we must do this with right motives and with self-control. We don't need to shame or guilt-trip our kids into doing what is right, but teach them a better way. 1 Corinthians 4:14 sets the standard for parenting when Paul says, “I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.”

So instead of coming against our kids to inflict vengeance on them when they disappoint us, we come alongside to restore them with grace and to gently teach them the right way to live. So we can say, "I care so much about you that I want to see you succeed in life. This kind of behavior is going to bring you down, so I want to do whatever I can to help you choose better in the future. Now let's talk about it…"

We can choose to speak sweetly from the heart, with deep and tender affection. Tell your children often how much you love being their mother. Give them hugs, kisses, pats on the back -- even if they seem to resist it. Cheerfulness should start early in the day with a hearty "GOOD MORNING!" because "This is the day that the Lord has made -- let us rejoice and be glad in it!" You don't need to be morose or uptight! Enjoy your day! Be energized with a smile!

We can begin to affirm in our children the ways we see that God has gifted them and how they are growing up. We can notice and praise little acts of kindness or signs of progress. We can celebrate their accomplishments, whether it is learning to read a few words, or making the baseball team, or playing in a piano recital, or finishing a project. Whatever it is, celebrate it!

There is so much power in our words and small gestures. Do you really really REALLY want to get through to your kids? Then don't yell at them! Speak sweetly to them! Proverbs 16:21, 24 reminds us that "The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction… Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."

This is just part of the "Tender Compassion" segment of  the Amazing Grace for Home School Moms presentation I did in Gainesville, Florida on March 11.  Be sure to listen to the whole presentation!

You might also like to read something I posted last year on my main blog: The Greatest of These Is Love.

Amazing Grace for Home School Moms

Dear friends,

On March 11, I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Gainesville, Florida, to speak to the home school group led by my friend Mardy Freeman. Mardy had asked me to share a fresh testimony of what God had been doing in my life, so my topic for the evening was "Amazing Grace for Home School Moms." I spoke for a little over an hour about Joyful Liberty, Tender Compassion, and Wise Guidance, and ended with a Questions time. For your convenience, I have split the audio into these four sections.

I have to say that much of the growth in my life as a home school mom has come because of Mardy's perspective and encouragement over the past few years. I wish she had been there Thursday night (she was out of town), because I am so thankful for her, and for others who have spoken words of wisdom and grace to me. I did, however, get to see my dear friend Bonnie Carmichael, who moved to Gainesville about 11 years ago. Bonnie has been so kind to send me sweet e-mails through the years. You'll hear her insight in the Questions section.

Enjoy!

~*~*~

"Joyful Liberty" is 20 minutes long. How do we get set free from failure, fear, and frustration so we can live with joy, confidence, and enthusiasm?  You can also read my notes here: Joyful Liberty!

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

~*~*~

"Tender Compassion" is almost 20 minutes long. How do we learn to thoroughly enjoy our children and come alongside them for positive change -- instead of being angry, bitter, and frustrated with them? How can we communicate with them effectively?  You can also read my speaking notes here: Tender Compassion for Mothers.

"As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us." 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8

~*~*~

"Wise Guidance" is almost 20 minutes long. How do we discern what to do in our home school? How do we set an example for our children in seeking wisdom? This segment also includes a brief description of the Charlotte Mason method of home schooling.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." James 1:5

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God." Philippians 1:9-11

~*~*~

"Comments and Questions" is about 7 minutes long. This includes my answer to the classic question, "What do I do with my two year old?"

Virginia Knowles

A Mother's Seeds

A Mother’s Seeds
by Virginia Knowles

A mother sows seeds
Sows in hearts softened by sweet nurture
Seeds of myriad sizes, shapes, and sorts:
Truth, mercy, faith, repentance, salvation
Wisdom, praise, discipline, responsibility
Love, joy, peace
Here a seed, there a seed, everywhere a soul seed

No mother is purely saint, saintly pure
So subtle weed seeds slip from her packet too:
Bitterness, pride, impatience, sloth, doubt, scorn, fear
She may wisely snatch them up again right away
Before harm takes root in tender spirits
But some sink in and grow in spite
Later to be plucked out, or not

Yet she seeks to sow good seed in good soil
Not for the pleasure of plowing, digging. straining
Staining hands and knees with clay
Casting bloodied thorns and stubborn stones aside
Not for these trials she toils, bowed low
But for the hope, for the promise of the soul seed’s sole purpose:
Oh, for the fruit!

Working, watering, worrying, weeping, watching, waiting. wondering:
Will these tiny seeds fulfill destiny
First with green stem and fragrant blossom, and then fruit at last?
Or will they lie lifeless underground or shriveled on dry crust of earth?
Oh, did one, even just one, take root deeper and deeper in the divine deep?
Anchored by a sturdy, centering, downward shaft
With fragile spreading threads tangled outward, seeking sustenance?

Oh, for the fruit of those roots unseen!
So: more seeds! Sow more seeds! Sow and sow again!
Lord, make them grow!
For a mother must be faithful but He alone can bring forth fruit!
(Soli Deo Gloria! Gloria in Excelsis Deo!)
His fruit is sweet and succulent, swelling with more seeds
Later to be scattered far beyond her own field, season after season

Nations and generations shall witness her seeds and His fruit
Fruit from seed, and seed from fruit
From her home to His uttermost gardens
From her time to His eternity
For a mother’s heart sows well beyond her own wee plot
She mothers young and old, neighbor and sojourner
Her reach is far and deep, patient and persistent

Any seeking soul becomes her soil
She meets needs with diligent deeds
Bathes each one in warming rays of kindness and prayer
A mother’s heart sows these seeds then
Waters, works, watches, waits, wonders again and again
By faith, hope, and love, she reaps abundant harvests
When goodly, godly fruit is ripe at last!

~*~*~

This poem was first posted on my main blog, http://www.virginiaknowles.blogspot.com/.

Many blessings,
Virginia Knowles

Titus 2 Mentoring Podcast and Links

Dear friends,

Many of you know that I recorded a podcast with Karen Campbell this past weekend.  I got an e-mail this morning that the first of two segments is already on-line.   I wanted to provide some links to go along with this!

The podcast part 1 (hint: turn off the music in her sidebar when you get there!) 
The podcast part 2
The podcast part 3

My links to go with it:

Calling All Mentors
The Joys of Mentoring
Do It Well, But Keep It Humble 
Child Discipline or Child Abuse? 
A Mother's Seeds poem
The Real Life Home School Mom PDF
Pure Pleasure: Why Do Christians Feel So Bad About Feeling Good?
Read, Reflect & Respond audio
Mardy Freeman web site
Cheryl Bastian web site

You may also like listening to my four segment audio of "Amazing Grace for Home School Moms" which I recorded in Gainesville, Florida on March 11.

My other blogs:

www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com daily life stuff!
www.StartWellHomeSchool.blogspot.com for preschool & elementary
www.ContinueWellHomeSchool.blogspot.com for middle school
www.FinishWellHomeSchool.blogspot.com for high school

I'd love to hear your comments about this podcast and the links, so hit the comment button!

Blessings,
Virginia