A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

encouragement

Fitting in the Basics of Life in the Midst of Busyness

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T’is the time of field trips, year end celebrations, graduations, co-op times and more. In the middle of it all is karate, art classes, homeschooling, youth clubs, volunteer work and more.  Just how do you fit in the basics when your family is always busy doing stuff? Fitting in the Basics of Life in the Midst of Busyness is not always so easy. Today I will address a vital component to making it all work. 

Fitting in the Basics of Life in the Midst of Busyness

Learning Opportunities Abound

Everywhere we look there are things we can do to keep ourselves busy with… err… Learn From! There are so many opportunities to socialize, develop our faith, our emotions, our bodies.

I have two teenagers living with me right now. One has youth group, full days in high school, and friends he wants to spend time with. In the middle of it he wants to see Canada, study for an important test in Brazil, and do well in school here. The second has karate, army cadets, church cadets, music class, a paper route, animals to care for, friends to spend time with and homeschooling to do.

And me… besides the mirade of small jobs I have… I have a household to run and youth to stay involved with. How does one manage it all.

Communication

Honestly, that’s what it comes down to.

Hubby asks daily “so what are your plans for the day?” He’ll mention what he has to get done, and I’ll bring up my plans.

Boy one: “Do I have youth tonight?” “Can I go ________?” “I must study, I stay home today!” We text mostly, and attempt talking occasionally. He’s not too keen on learning English this one. But still, communication happens.

Boy Two: “Are we on week one or two?” “Can I do this?” “Today is really busy, can I choose not to do this?” “How can I fit in this? I really really want to do this, how?”

Mom: “What day works best for me to go to the library?” “Can you make supper?” “Did you pay this or do I need to?” “Who is sweeping the floor today?” “Do we need to make cat food yet?”

Adjusting to Make it fit

By talking and adjusting our lives we make it all fit. Sometimes we choose one activity over another. For instance this coming weekend the lad had opportunity to go two different places… which to choose! Then I wanted a day away with hubby, how do to that if lad chose option two? Discussion happened. No fretting needs to happen if all the details are known.

None of it would happen without communication. Communication lets me know that we need more bread, or we’re out of deli meat. Communication lets me know that bathrooms have been done. Through discussion we decide if some schoolwork can slide so a project can be more timely completed. Conversation helps us to proactively take charge of what we to so that all those little things still get done that help make our house a home.

Your turn now…. how do you make it work? When life gets crazy busy and it seems something is always on the go, how do you maintain your home in the midst of it all? What is your key to Fitting in the Basics of Life in the Midst of Busyness?

Spiritual Education In Homeschooling

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For families that are faith based homeschoolers a question that often arises is how does one fit in a spiritual component to their homeschooling.  The question arises What is Spiritual Education?  How does one approach it?

Is it part of the homeschool day, as in, is it subject that is completed once a day just like math, science, art etc.  OR is a more generic part of the day NOT considered a subject in the curriculum.   The question then begged is, how do you as the parent teacher help your children understand the difference?

Spiritual Education in Homeschooling, two main methods

I admittedly am not sure of the answer but want to take the time to explore it.  Personally I’ve done it both ways, where it’s one or the other.   Currently I’m doing a mix of both. 

Faith in every Subject

Spiritual education can be woven into every single subject that is taught.  That’s a given in a faith-based homeschool due to the fact that as believers we understand that God is in all and through all and manifests himself throughout the entirety of the world.   He does.   So when we teach art we understand that God is the first artist and shows himself through the things he has created.  The more we understand how God put things together, the more we understand how much he cares for this world. All the details he holds in place show us his omnipotence.   But does weaving faith facts into lessons teach our children how to have a daily devotional time?  Does it teach them facts about the bible which they should understand?

I don’t think so.  It does teach them the relevancy of God to every subject and area of life, but it doesn’t actually teach them to dive deep into God’s word and to think meditatively about spiritual things.

Meditative Study

The way to really understand a subject is to take the time to read and think about what you are learning.  So as you do math you learn that 1 + 1 = 2 and then can bear that out with practical application.  To understand Shakespeare you read his works, consider the time period that he lived in, figure out what the words he used actually mean, and therefore are able to understand his works. The same goes for understanding God.  You actually need to stop, read his word, consider the history and time period, consider what you already know about him, and really think about the verses that you are reading.  What do they tell you about God, what do they tell you about people (including yourself).  It’s important to learn these skills early so they translate into continuing these skills as adult. 

Curriculum or Outside of Curriculum

The challenge I find is this.  Having a devotional time as part of your homeschooling day, means it won’t be forgotten.  Do your math, your science, have your devotions, do your English.  It’s just part of your learning time.  You know it will get done. But here’s a risk involved: your children will see this only as a subject to be completed, not a life skill to develop.

BUT if you separate out your devotional time what do you do on those really busy days when it’s hard to fit everything in?  Then you risk your devotional time being forgotten, or laid aside, in the busyness of life.  The risk you run is teaching your children that sometimes all the running around we do is more important than learning more about God and his will for our lives.   How does one counter that?  

Combination?

This is why I see combining the two methods as win-win.   Your child (as a subject) learns the books of the bible, or learns memory verses, or works through a Sunday School lesson. A regular study time that teaches without necessarily the meditative aspect of a personal devotional time. 

And then at a separate time (like at a meal or first thing in the morning) you can have a family devotional time, or take 30 minutes after (or before) you start your homeschooling day to have a personal time of reading God’s word and talking about it.  To that end, in our day, we do a couple of things.  First as I go through the book of John I talk with my lad about what I’m learning and get his insights as well. I’ll read verses to him and say “Hey, this is what I’m thinking and learning.  What are your thoughts?”  

At supper (almost every night) we are working through the book Comforting Hearts, Teaching Minds.   We are doing this with our international student which gives us a lots of reasons to stop and just talk as we want him to understand what we are learning too.  We take turns reading scripture and then applying that to what we have learned.  Sometimes we are so amazed.

What Others Do:

I know from talking with other moms that they  have their own routine.  Perhaps they will start their day with 20 minutes of quiet bible reading, or a morning circle time, and as part of their bedtime routine. We each, through trial and error, find our own way.  It’s important to do so though.  God gives us life and care.  His son died for us.  It’s the very least we can do to take time to know him, our heavenly Father, just a wee bit more eh?  

Seven Reasons to Find a Writing Community

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You know how easy it is for writers to write on their own? To stick to themselves, writing and reading on their own?  Anguishing over plot lines, fumbling over character development, musing over poetry lines, and waiting for the next blot of inspiration to hit. Sometimes we forget a rather important aspect of writing… having a community we can talk in.  Real people in life that we can talk to, gain inspiration from, realize that we aren’t alone and more.

seven reasons to find a writing community

You know how C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien founded the Inklings?   Feeling alone with their ideas that were out of the mainstream until they found each other and over ale and stories discovered encouragement.  Other men joining in, until they had a group of writers spurring each other on and offering ideas and inspiration to each other.

We are no different you know?   We need each other.  Do you know the benefits of having a community?

Benefits of having a community

  1. Encouragement/Support/Fun/Friendship – all wrapped up in one bundle.  Where would we be without good friends who share a similar interest?   How can we write alone all the time?  Where can we find the inspiration to go on when we don’t have others who share our hobby or interest?   In person or on-line, it’s great to have people you can laugh with, cry with, and just be with.
  2. Critique – A writing community will also want to help you do better at what you want to be best at.  They’ll critique you work in a building up manner, wanting to help you be the best you can be.
  3. Ideas – stuck?  Not sure what to do next or what word would fit well with your thought?  Struggling to understand a character you haven’t quite filled out yet?  Having a group of like minded souls can inspire you as you bounce ideas off each other.
  4. Mentoring/Education – Trying to figure out the best way to do something?  Stuck on what on-line platform to use, or what it means to tighten up a line or a paragraph?  Needing an answer to question that maybe someone else has already figured out?  Being part of a group is a good way to get those questions answered.. whether by you or another member.
  5. Accountability – ..have a goal.. like with NaNoWriMo 50,000 words in a month? Imagine you are all doing this encouraging each other, pushing each other along.  Have a deadline to get a poem in?   Or you need to do that mock up for an editor?
  6. Motivation – Stalling happens. Wouldn’t it be great to have a person who has been there done that be there to give you a nudge?  Tonight I was watching a show with hubby where a gal had given up doing her art, and another artist brought out a canvas and said GO… do it now.  Pushing her to return to a hobby loved. Giving her to motivation to do it for herself.
  7. Promotion/Publication – sharing our work.. whether it’s just for ourselves or for a larger audience, a writing community can and will help you with this.  Even if you only share within your group..a community gives you the opportunity to give a clearer voice to the words you write.  They can also host speaking events, or publish an anthology of your group works.

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God-moments

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The title to this chapter in The Faith Shaped Life, is What Faith Sees.   As I read through this chapter on the providence of God I thought, you know what Mr. Hamilton is talking about?  God moments.   Those moments when we see God in action.

God moments

You see, God is ALWAYS in action, but sometimes, just sometimes we see it more clearly, and then when we pause to think about it, when we see those moments, we see ALL those moments that led up to it.

Take for instance Esther.. becoming queen in a land that was not her own.  And through her a whole people was saved.  A total God moment.  But do we pause to think about how God orchestrated her parents meeting, her officials being impressed by her beauty, how she knew who to listen to, how to take advice and follow protocols. God made her the person that she was for such a time as was needed.

Do we pause to think about how God orchestrated Esther's parents meeting, her officials being impressed by her beauty, how she knew how to take advice and follow protocols. God made her the person that she was for such a time as was… Click To Tweet

God-moments surround us.

I look at these past couple of weeks of selling the items in the church.  It’s been hard busy work but OH… the stories.

A church needing pews, another needing hymnbooks, two boys with a love for stories finding books to read, a missionary blessed with needed supplies, bibles filling church pews, a community kitchen with dishes to spare, a mom with a daughter needing a vacuum, and so many more stories.  God moments each and every one.

Sanctuary Pews

As irritating as people can be who want things for free, or who get angry when they don’t get what they want, the treasures of people you meet, people who fill you with hope… these people make it worth making an effort.  God at work, bringing people out of the woodwork that I never knew existed. There is difficulty in closing down a church and seeing it dismantled.  It’s a tough thing, but oh… after hearing stories… it’s a GOOD thing you know?   Seeing those connections of God-moments. WOW!  Churches grow, churches fail, Facebook is invented, buy and sell groups come to life, people connections happen with friends and relatives, laughter and tears, community kitchens serving the meals, seeing needs not always readily apparent.   Items coming ready just as they are needed.  Timing… it’s all in the Lord’s hands.  He’s orchestrated it all and has given us…..God moments.  

And so I am blessed.

The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!
He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!  Ps 99:1

 

What am I thankful for?

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Today is Thankful Thursday, what are YOU thankful for?

Well.. right off the top of my head?  I’m glad this is the last one of the five day blog hop posts I need to write!   GAH, I got so far behind!   Anyways, you all will forgive me right?  Even if I wrote them out of order who cares eh?

But seriously what I am thankful for?

what are you thankful for

Friends

This week I desperately wanted to be able to tackle two-three weeks of the lads chosen course of study for this coming year.  The World Wars.   I’ve felt like I’ve had ZERO time over this summer to work on this so was starting to feel pretty desperate. Was talking to a friend and she said “the lad can come here for a couple days”. I did a double take and ask “are you sure?”  Answering in the affirmative I felt my heart grow lighter.   I sent him along to her house Monday night and he came home Wednesday and we had a lovely meal together.  

I am thankful for moms who take a chance to help another mom out in the quest to make new friendships. I am thankful for boys who are willing to expand their circle of friendship.  I am thankful for the internet that broadens my world.   I am thankful for volunteer jobs that help me to see deeper into the lives of others. 

Family:

Then my mom-in-law said “I’ll take the lad, he can come here til Sunday.” My heart grew lighter still.  MORE TIME!  YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Isn’t it marvellous?

But then here I sit, Friday night and you know what?   I miss my boy, his chatter and presence, his “can we play _____ together?” questions.  His help with chores and life.   I”m such a silly goob eh?  Good reminder I have to feed the birds!  Be right back.

And this week I was talking with my sis-in-law about concerns I had about mom and she gave me a different perspective to take and a small sorrow in my heart was lifted.   Changes in perspective are such as amazing thing.  Taking the time to explain, to show a different side, it’s a matter I deeply appreciate.  

Faith

It’s an integral part of my life you know?  Even though I often forget to pray and I often forget to bring God into conversations, when it comes right down to it, I wouldn’t give God up for nothing.  He gives me heart hugs, and reminders, and pushes me to be more than I am.   He melts my heart at unexpected times and helps me see a bigger world beyond my walls. Daily I find myself aware of my foibles and wishing I didn’t have them.  That I could remember daily to think of him first, instead of myself.

But take this week for instance.  I HAD PLANS I was going to work diligently at the lad’s schooling.  Getting six weeks organized and I’d be on top of the world.  I’d have all my reviews done and life would be at ease.

Then… Monday was a horrible no-good rotten sort of day.  I got a review done that I’ve been dreading doing (funny how when you are in a rotten mood it makes hard jobs easier).   

Tuesday.. I went to the library and I made progress!  Worked hard for five hours!

Wednesday… didn’t run the way I expected it to.  Didn’t get to the library   Wednesday… the lad was coming home again, and I really can’t remember the day very well other than I made supper for friends and muddled about.  Didn’t get much done (the toilet was my friend I remember that much).   

Thursday came and I thought YES!  I can get things done.. more work on schooling this afternoon.  Well… after taking the lad to Gramma’s and putting groceries away and kissing hubby off to work my body went into “NO you can’t sit still. NO, move move move.”  So nothing good came of that day except at night I had a long overdue chat with a friend.   I shouldn’t say NOTHING good came of the day: I got two loads laundry done, lawn mowed front and back, two old trees removed, downstairs bathroom cleaned and something else. OH.. most of my HOPE class organized (but not completely).

Friday..that’s today eh!   London happened.  Needed to get some stuff for hubby, sold a bunny on the way there, picked up some supplies, and came home hoping to get some posts written and I DID!!!!   YEAH!!!!!  Sold another bunny at supper time.  

So you see, even though the week didn’t go as I wanted it to, God was good eh?   He helped me get a grip on the schooling stuff (three weeks ahead is probably better than six weeks ahead as it gives flexibility), I have some posts written, albeit late, I sold some bunnies who were starting to squabble with each other, and I had good conversations with two different friends this week.  It’s good.  I’ve been able to support hubby in his career shift, and give my boy time with people that he dearly loves.  God is SO AWESOME!

What are you thankful for?  I’d be delighted to hear.

 

back to school blog hop

Follow the links for the series total!

Dear Frantic One.
Exploring Canadian History through Field Trips.
Easy and Hard how-to’s of homeschooling.

Here are those of us taking part.

Jennifer @ Dear Homeschooler
Joelle @ Homeschooling for His Glory
Karen @ Tots and Me…Growing Up Together
Kelly @ Hope in the Chaos
Kellyann @ Walking Home …
Kimberley @ Vintage Blue Suitcase
Kristen @ A Mom’s Quest to Teach
Kym @ Homeschool Coffee Break
Laura @ Four Little Penguins
Linda @ Apron Strings & other things
Amanda @ Hopkins Homeschool
Angie @ Run Ran Family Adventures & Learning
Annette @ A Net in Time
Ashley @ Gift of Chaos
Betty @ Let’s Get Real
Brenda @ Counting Pinecones
Carol @ Home Sweet Life
Chareen @ Every Bed of Roses
Christine @ Christine Howard
Christy @ The Simple Homemaker
Dawn @ Schoolin’ Swag
Debra @ Footprints in the Butter
Diana @ Homeschool Review
Felicia @ Homeschool 4 Life
Jacquelin @ A Stable Beginning
Jeniffer @ Thou Shall Not Whine
Jennifer @ A Glimpse of Our Life
Nicole @ Bless Their Hearts Mom
Patti @ Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy
Rebekah @ There Will Be a $5 Charge For Whining
Rodna @ Training Children up for Christ
Stacy @ A Homemakers Heart
Tess @ Circling Through This Life
Wendy @ Life at Rossmont
Yvie @ Gypsy Road
Lisa @ Farm Fresh Adventures
Lori @ At Home: where life happens
Margaret @ Creative Madness Mama
Marla @ Jump Into Genius
Meredith @ Powerline Productions: Being World Changers/Raising World Changers
Michele @ Family, Faith and Fridays
Missica @ Through The Open Window
Monique @ Mountain of Grace Homeschooling



Dear Frantic One

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Welcome to the Homeschool Review Crew’s Summer Blog hop.  In this blog hop you will find five days of encouragement as we head back to school.  You’ll see our overall topics posted in the image.  I’m going to be working this day by day so it will be a surprise eh!  🙂   Some of the topics I have no clear leading on and others I have an idea in the works but sometimes, those ideas go in directions different than what I plan.   Let’s walk through this week together, do some good reading, and be encouraged.  Day One is about encouragement for the school year.

back to school blog hop

I write today’s post quite honestly with me in mind.  My thinking is that if I am feeling a certain way, others will be as well as God’s word tells us that there is nothing new under the sun.

Right now I am feeling a bit frantic.  My son has a goal in mind for what he wants to learn about with this schooling this year.  He wants to learn about the great wars and he wants to make it as all inclusive as he can.  So he will learn geography, science, art, music etc all around the idea of the the wars and their time periods. Not only that, he’d very much like to study how Canada was involved in the wars.  So that’s where I am at, and here’s what I want someone who’s been there done that to say to me.

woman looking over lake, text dear frantic one

Dear Frantic One

Calm yourself.  This is your child you are schooling.  Do you think he’s going to freak out if you don’t have everything organized or if you have to delay for a day or two as you catch your breath before you dig in?  Did you raise your child to fret or to think schooling is more important than people?

Calm yourself, talk to your child.  Do they envision a certain way for their schooling to happen?  For instance, do they want research projects or papers to write?   Does he envision art projects or science experiments?  Would videos and making a report on them fill their desire to know more?   Can you work around the desire to not have to write things down by focusing on narration or hands-on efforts?

Calm yourself, think about what you have. Do you have create a whole program?  Are there things you have at hand that will do the job?   Can you tweak what others have done to make something that will suit your child better?

Calm yourself, do you have to have all the answers for September  4th (or whatever day you start)?   Are you going to go all in right from the start or will you ease your way slowly in?  Is a delay going to ruin your entire year or can you work a bit more five days throughout the year if you aren’t quite ready yet?

Calm yourself, if you are a person of faith, have you taken the time to talk to God?  Have you committed your day and year to him?  Have you discussed your plans with him?

Calm yourself, have you talked with your partner   Have you talked about your  worries?   Have you listened to advice?  Sought his/her help?

Calm yourself and remind yourself, this is something YOU can do.  Just take your time, grab your moments, and figure it out.  You can do it!   One small step at a time and before you know the whole year will be over.  A child to teach, experiences to share, and life to live well.  🙂 

Some of the participants:

Amanda @ Hopkins Homeschool
Angie @ Run Ran Family Adventures & Learning
Annette @ A Net in Time
Ashley @ Gift of Chaos
Brenda @ Counting Pinecones
Carol @ Home Sweet Life
Chareen @ Every Bed of Roses
Christine @ Christine Howard

Nicole @ Bless Their Hearts Mom
Patti @ Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy
Rebekah @ There Will Be a $5 Charge For Whining
Rodna @ Training Children up for Christ
Stacy @ A Homemakers Heart
Wendy @ Life at Rossmont
Yvie @ Gypsy Road



Observe, Collect, Draw

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Observe, Collect, Draw is a journal to help you learn more about yourself (by collecting data) in order that you may become more connected to who you are.  Doing this will enable you to be the creative, talented person that you are.    So if you are an artist, or writer, or sculptor, you can bring forth your talents more easily.  🙂  This is my review. 

Observe, Collect, Draw - a visual journal

From the back cover:

A guided journal with a fresh approach to the trend of journal-as-tool-for-self-examination. The journal is delightfully illustrated in the authors’ trademark style-accessible, whimsical, detailed. Blending inspiring examples with engaging instruction, this journal asks: What do we learn about ourselves when we measure our gratitude, confidence, and distraction levels? What do our collections say about who we are: our books, music, the clothes we wear? Observe, Collect, Draw! functions as a mini-course in information design, as accessible to beginners as it is engaging to seasoned info designers.

Observe, Collect, Draw - a visual journal

The Nitty Gritty

Three main Sections to this journal

Part one: learning to see.  This is where you overcome your fear of the blank page while learning more about using the data you have as material. 

Part two: Observing, Collecting, Drawing.   Immersing yourself in the world of data by following guided exercises to observe, acknowledge, count and draw.

Part three: Crafting your visual language.  You’ll find open ended ideas for drawing with the data you have collected, following your own rules and using your own style.   Your work, done your way, using your own style and rules. 

Observe, Collect, Draw - a visual journalThroughout the pages you will find whimsical drawings starting with learning what Data is.  Data is simply getting the math about the things that are in your life: plants, people, food, events, interactions, it’s all just data.  It tells us who we are and what we do.  What’s important to us is shown to us in the data we collect about our lives. 

You can then take that data and turn it into a useful form.

Like when a person enjoys a beautiful sunset and takes those colours and turns into a painting, necklace or rug. 

The goal of this journal is to help you figure out what the data is in your life, so that you can in turn take that data and be the artist you are meant to be. To that end, guided exercises are given to help you collect data. 

For instance, grab up your camera/phone.  Take a look at the pictures that are on it.  Now map out what’s on it, animals could be blue, people red, houses orange… Whatever.  Just map it out.  Colour code and use dots and shadings to show connections.   This gives you data. 

Observe, Collect, Draw - a visual journalYou not only look at the good things of your life, but you also get into the harder things in life, like figuring out what makes you complain.  What you complain about?  Who do you complain to?   It’s all data. 

Observe, Collect, Draw - a visual journalThe more you document your life, the more data you can mine, which gives you more information you can turn into artistic endeavors.  Once you have worked your way through all 35 exercises, you are invited to then draw.  First you analyze the data you have collected, find the stories of your life, then experiment with how those stories look using colour, lines, images, and before you know it you have a data image.  Once you have that, you work your way through 12 additional exercises, or if you will, drawing prompts.

These drawing prompts include things like the animals you see, your holiday souvenir, your family, small talk, social media and more. 

My Thoughts:

I wasn’t too sure about this book when I first got it.  It’s like HUH?   I’m supposed to examine my life so that it makes my art better?  Who in the world has time for that?!?!?!?  But as I went through it, it started to make sense.  The more you know about yourself and the way you put things together, the more you can bring yourself out in the art that you produce.  It’s not a bad thing that, is it?  

Is it worth getting?  I think so. It’s good to stop and think about the things you do sometimes, helps a body to become more aware of personal foibles, strengths, interests they perhaps weren’t aware of, and gives ideas to talk about.. for instance today I was thinking about how much I like mint tea… making MY OWN mint tea, and then wondered if I could inspire others to like mint tea. This I thought about because of a page in this book.   Good yes?  Indeed. 

Observe, Collect, Draw - a visual journal

 

Observe, Collect, Draw! A Visual Journal.
Giorgia Lupi
Stefanie Posavec
Princeton Architectural Press
Softcover, 160 pages
Journal, Art, Self-discovery
Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

Other Giorgia Lupi books you might be interested in
Dear Data.
Dear Data Postcard kit.

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