Archives

Just a Little Longer!

Mar11

This weekend was Daylight Savings Time and that makes me happy. I love Spring and the longer evening hours. It seems like I accomplish more when it is stays lighter. I just wanted to give you a few things to think about as you wrap up your winter and head for spring.

1. Stay focused.  Look ahead at what you have left to do for the school year. (That is if you finish in the spring, if not, what do you have planned for the spring?)

2. Take a quick evaluation. First, assess your student. Where are there weaknesses/ strengths? Is there an area that needs to be addressed now and do you need to continue it for next year? Or will a few weeks of studying before summer break be adequate? Last, assess your curriculum. What did you like/dislike about the curriculum you used this year? Do you need to make changes for next year?

3. Plan some outdoor activities. Yes, take advantage of the weather and do some science projects (planning/planting a garden, nature walk, field trips, etc.)

4. Have fun! Take some time to do something fun with your husband and plan another activity with a girlfriend. You’ll feel energized and gain a new perspective on life. 🙂

“After all, I deserve it!”

Feb25


Yep, I am in one of those kinds of moods. My girlfriend and I have been training for the half marathon since January and I am getting an attitude. I can’t say it’s a good one either! I hoped I would see some pounds being shed as I continue to take longer and longer walks, but it’s not happening. I am up to 7 miles and you’d think I’d see some lower numbers on that scale.

I have been using various exercise videos on my cross training/ easy days. Wow, I realize that I have a long way to go to get in shape. I won’t name any names, but the first DVD my friend brought over was for older, wiser exercisers. I quickly grabbed it out of her hands, threw it down on the floor, and pretended to stomp on it. I was insulted that my friend put us into that category! Grant it, I am not a spring chicken any more, but I’m not that old either!  I did do it twice and there were some great stretching exercises, but I was looking for a more stringent program and a younger crowd to work out with. After all, I deserve it.

The next video my friend showed me was a woman who is older than me, but she obviously has been working out a whole lot more than me! Her videos were 20 minutes and my friend and I were both panting and gasping for breath as we were doing the video. I had felt that I was fairly fit, but after working out with that said individual I realized that I am going to have to step up my cross training. A thought did cross my mind about her though… “She is pretty well off financially. Maybe she has had some nips and tucks here and there. ” I know, what a terrible thought to have. 😦 I drank some water and completed my session with an ice cream bar. After all, I deserved it.

I then spoke to a friend who is a few years older than me and she has run 3 half marathons. She is planning on running this marathon too. Did I mention I am walking, not running? Anyway, I asked her what she has done previously to cross train.  She mentioned another lady who I think most of you have heard of, but she shall remain nameless as well. (Her initials are JM.) I watched a UTube video of her as she twisted and contorted, encouraged, and modified exercises for beginners that I am sure she felt were fairly easy.

“Are you kidding me?” I screamed at the video screen. I huffed and puffed, grunted, growled, and finally fell down laughing at how pathetic I was at doing the exercises. After a day of psyching myself up, I decided to give it another try with a different easier video of hers. Yeah, right! I did reward myself though, with a little chocolate since I had burned off quite a number of calories. After all I told myself, “I deserve it.”

So, here I sit no lighter than I was before I began training, but no heavier either. I guess I can see now why I haven’t lost any weight. I have convinced myself that I deserve all of the fattening things that I have consumed after exercising and have even rationalized that muscle weighs more than fat.

What I really deserve is exactly what I have now- no difference in my weight. So, I am going to try to do better; eat more veggies, cross train and lift weights more diligently and I am sure I will see a difference.

Speaking of seeing a difference,I want to see a difference in my attitude towards my family and others.  I am also going to give grace liberally.  I am sure that when I am less impatient and listen with empathy I will see a difference. It has to start with me. After all, it’s what they deserve.

~Lisa

Seasons of (Homeschool) Life

Feb18

searchI feel sorry for Cincinnati weathermen. They have to have one of the most challenging jobs in an area that the weather quickly changes. The forecast called for a rain/snow mix this past week with no accumulation. We ended up getting one inch of snow and slippery roads when I was trying to get back home from teaching. As I sit here now looking out my kitchen window, just two hours later,  the snow is melting and there are large green patches of grass where the sun is shining down. In a couple of hours you wouldn’t even know there had been a winter weather advisory issued!

That reminds me of our everyday homeschool life and how quickly moods change. One minute things look bleak and the next minute all is sunny and you’d never know there had been bad weather. So, if you are discouraged today, take heart. Tomorrow is a new day and things will get better. I am thankful that His mercies are new every morning.

We are one day closer to spring, one day closer to summer.  Be encouraged; you are almost finished with school. Don’t give up. You and your students can do it! 🙂

Galatians 6: 9 “We must not get tired of doing good things. If we do not stop doing them, we will get something back when the right time comes.”

~Lisa

Butting Heads: Working through Issues

Feb4

urlI don’t know why, but winter makes me testy. Maybe it’s the cloudy weather and the limited opportunities to go outdoors.  Perhaps it’s the diligence that is required to be sure that assignments are completed that makes me less patient.

It is sometimes hard to see the gift the Lord has given us in our children. Yes, my children try my patience, but I have a lot of rough edges to work off! I am certain they can say that I test and try them too. 🙂 I was reflecting today about one of the struggles I had with one of my sons several years ago. I hope that by sharing what occurred you can learn from one of my many mistakes.

Ian is a leader and likes to be the one who initiates ideas and plans. When he was in middle school and junior high it was difficult to have him complete school tasks that were assigned. He and I would have these “discussions” about why they had to be finished. Countless times the “discussions” would end with me getting him to do the work, but feeling like a heel for having to motivate him in ways that were less than desirable (taking away electronics, no extra activities, etc.). I just wanted him to have this intrinsic desire to work hard and perform with excellence.

I remember one winter morning Ian and I were at an impasse with him completing school work and dealing with a crummy attitude. I had pulled out all stops (calling the principal, taking away privileges) and nothing was working. “Do you want to go to school? If you do, I am willing to talk to your dad about it!” I said angrily  to him. That was the first time in the 8 years we had homeschooled that I had spoken those words. The room got extremely quiet as Ian stared at me. I think he couldn’t believe I had said that; I couldn’t believe it came out of my mouth either. It was a desperate moment and I was grasping for anything at that point.

“I want you to pray  about whether to continue to homeschool and I will too.” I said in a calmer tone than I had a moment ago. “I mean it, really go and ask the Lord about what you should do and I’ll check back with you in 15 minutes.”

I set the timer so I had to time to cool off and  pray. My thoughts were racing as I reflected about the words I had blurted out. Why did I threaten Ian with schooling outside our home? Was I willing to let Ian go if he said he was unhappy and wanted to go to a traditional school? The timer went off and I went to find Ian.

“Well, what do you want to do?”  The moment of truth had arrived. Would he say that he was glad I had finally considered letting him go to a traditional school?

“I am going to stay home.” was his nonchalant response.

That day I realized  there were many things that were driving me to be less than Christ-like in my interactions with him. Yes, I wanted him to do well and complete his work, but I had to examine bigger issues that were in my life. What was causing me to be so harsh?

I realized that it was my need to feel that I was a fantastic teacher and I was raising an excellent student. You see, the focus was on me and not my son. When I saw the ugly, raw truth it was sad and at the same time freeing.  I was sad that I had treated my son in a manner that I would not treat a friend, but freeing that I could change and act differently toward him.

I decided to try a different strategy when it came to school and my attitude toward him. The “you-better-get-your-schoolwork-done- or else” approach was crushing the both of us. I was tired of butting heads and feeling bad about our school days. I was exhausted with being resentful when he didn’t want to do school and wasn’t enjoying being at home. If I were in his place, I wouldn’t have enjoyed it either!

My  first step to stopping some of the conflict was to go and ask forgiveness. First, from the Lord for treating my son poorly, and then from Ian. It was humbling, but at the same time, great for my son to hear I truly loved and respected him as a young man.

The second thing I did was to ask him to pray with me and to come up with a different plan. I told him that I would try my utmost to have a better attitude if he would try too. I also realized I had to give up my idea of the perfect teacher, the perfect student, the perfect son. After all, who could ever live up to that?  I asked Ian to give me some ideas about what he wanted to study and I incorporated as many of those ideas as I could. He knew his ideas were valid and he had more interest in school. That day was a turning point in our school and our relationship. We didn’t live happily ever after, but I stopped trying to make him into my idea of a super homeschool student and let him be the great young man God intended him to be.

The bottom line:

Pray before beginning your day.  

Check your attitude and motives.🙂

Discover your child’s strengths and interests. Incorporate them into your school as much as possible.

Be your child’s greatest cheerleader. 

Partner with your student when assignments are hard or not enjoyable. 

~Lisa

Holiday Cheer: Staying Focused and Content

Dec3

imgresHoliday Cheer, what exactly does that mean? Why did someone start saying this in the first place? I imagine it was first used as an advertisement slogan, but on the other hand, it might have been first said by someone who saw a bunch of grumpy, unhappy people enduring the holidays. It’s easy to get caught up in the commercialism of Christmas and the hectic schedule of doing school, going to activities,  buying gifts, and spending Christmas with extended family. School can become an irritating event and the lack of focus can be great during this month. If you plan ahead for the month you can find joy in this season instead of rushing through it and having school be one more item to check off your To-Do list.

Prioritize

Make school your first priority and modify if necessary. School doesn’t have to be all workbooks. You can incorporate holiday activities into your school routine. How about having your children make cards and write a message to someone on your list? It used to be that I got a lot of Christmas cards. I used to think, “That’s nice.” and not really look at the card again after I had read it once. With the advent of electronic media and communication I receive very few cards any more and it truly is a treat to receive a card.  Studying fractions? What about having your mathematician double family holiday cookie recipes? Handwriting can be included as they can write out the grocery list for the supplies that are needed to buy the ingredients.

Set an Example

Are you finding that your children are getting restless and can’t stay focused? Part of that is the excitement of the season and activities, but part of it can be how you are acting and responding during this time. If you find that you are losing your patience and catch yourself responding in short, clipped sentences or raising your voice about a spelling test, take a quick inventory. Find out what is causing you to be annoyed and a way that you can eliminate it. I have found that if I stayed focused and worked alongside my children we got more accomplished in a shorter amount of time.

Focus on Others

The holidays can make you get all wrapped up in what you need to do and not look to see what other people need. “The others “can mean your family or could it also mean a person who is struggling during this season. There is nothing better to help me gain perspective than to see the needs of others. See if there is something you can do to bring a smile to your family. If you have household chores, can they be pushed off to the side for one day? How about writing a quick I love you because note and leaving it on your child’s pillow or the dashboard of your husband’s car? If you want to help others you can volunteer at a local event or you can send a card to a serviceman. Don’t have the extra time? Another idea is to donate to a charitable organization. Have the children get involved by choosing what you will do. In the past I haven’t had extra time to do something so we sent money to the Salvation Army or World Vision. Other years when we have had more time we have purchased gifts for a giving tree or dropped off cookies to neighbors. What if you don’t have extra money? A phone call or an electronic card would be a great encouragement to people and you can brighten someone’s day by letting them know you are thinking of them.

May this season be one of joy and peace for you and your family!

~Lisa