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3 Tips for Picking a Curriculum that's Right for Your Students

One of the hardest things to do as a homeschool mama is pick the right  curriculum     for our schools. When I was homeschooled, there were a handful of choices. Bob Jones, A Beka, Alpha Omega, and a couple others. Now there are so many choices it can be overwhelming. And let's face it...there's the fear that if we pick the wrong one our children will be forever scarred. So what's a mama to do?

1) Watch your children. How do they learn? Can they learn in a more traditional, workbook approach or do they require a hands-on approach to learning? Are they auditory or visual learners? Kinesthetic? A combination? Once you understand that, you can begin looking for a  curriculum that works to those learning styles.

2) Talk to homeschoolers who have been at it a while and are succeeding. What curriculum do they use? Why? How do they modify it to work in their homes? Ask what else they've used. For example I appreciate A Beka grammar -- it is solid and your student will know how to write when they are done, but I've never gotten the spelling component to work for us. Through asking on Facebook for recommendations, I found a spelling curriculum that is working very well for us. So be open to mixing and matching.

3) Pray. Ask God for heavenly wisdom to know what to do with your kids. And be willing to change it up from year to year. I'm convinced A Beka history and science are the best out there. In part it's because I used them through tenth grade and then got As in science and history in college. But that doesn't mean we don't use other programs, too. My kids just get a double dose of history and science. A Beka is very solid in math, but I also use Saxon especially as we hit the higher grades. But this summer we're going to do a different program for geometry because I noticed my daughter isn't grasping the visuals for geometry. This program emphasizes that aspect. 

Living in the Moment with Our Kids

There are days when being a Mom is absolutely, utterly draining. The days when one child after another comes to me, needy, clingy, and filled with attitude. There are days I'd love to check out -- even for fifteen, uninterrupted minutes.

My son in this photo is 2.5. Yesterday he was a newborn I was meeting for the first time. Tomorrow he'll be six, then ten, then fifteen. My 12.5 year old is knocking on the door to becoming a teenager when I could swear just yesterday she was five and beginning the adventure of school and growing up.

I adore my kids, but somedays being a mother is exhausting. So I take the kids to the library and read a book rather than interact with them. Or we go to the park and out comes my phone so I can catch up on something. And of course, that's the day when there's a challenge to moms to get out of our phones and notice our kids. Ironic timing.

Homeschooling: Is it for you?

It's that time of year when parents thoughts turn toward where their kids should go to school in the fall. For some, their thoughts will turn to homeschooling. How can you evaluate whether homeschooling might be right for your family?

I have often heard my mom tell people that homeschooling is for every child...it's just not for every parent. What she means is that every child can thrive in a one-on-one tutoring type instruction. It simply makes sense. Place a child with a caring instructor who can tailor his or her learning to the needs of that child and the child will learn and excel.

However, not every parent has the discipline, patience, endurance to make homeschooling work. I love my kiddos. Adore them even, but there are still days that it would be a lot easier to send them to a school. Fortunately, my kids would still do fine in a regular classroom environment. Yet we choose to keep them home even as we discuss the options available to us

Why?

• Homeschooling is a calling. It may not be a forever calling...I honestly don't know...but I know this is where our kids are supposed to be right now.

• It allows our kids to accelerate at their own pace. Right now, both school age children work above their grade level -- enough so that it would make it a little tricky to figure out where to place them. Still I also love that there's freedom and margin to slow down when needed to insure a subject is mastered before we move ahead.

• I can make sure my children are learning the things that matter most to you. Yes, I am STRINGENT about the three r's, but we start our day with devotions and Bible. This year we've read from Exodus through I Samuel. We're talking about some hard issues and solidifying their understanding of Old Testament history. That's critical to my husband and me.

• We have the flexibility to plan family adventures and school year round. Yes, even during the summer, I make my kids keep working on certain subjects: primarily math and one other area that I feel needs buttressing. But if I know I'll need to be at a conference a week in September, we start a week earlier in August. Homeschooling gives you the flexibility to take advantage of unique opportunities while still schooling.

If you homeschool, what motivates you? If you're considering it, what appeals to you and what scares you?

What's Your Name?

Today I am so grateful that God takes the names we give ourselves or other's label us and renames us with truth!

Guest Post: Speaking Blessings over Our Kids

I am absolutely delighted today to bring you a guest post from my friend Carey Scott. Her husband and I got to know each other through a small critique group in ACFW when I first started writing in 2005. I'm always looking for new tools and encouragement as I parent my kiddos. Here's Carey:

“Sara, you’re beautiful and smart… and you have Jesus in your heart!  Now go be the light of the world!”

I speak these words to my daughter as she heads off to school each morning. Usually, she smiles at me and says, “Mom, you always say that!”

She’s right… I do.

Why? Because I want to speak blessings into her life. Words are powerful, and when we speak truth and life into our kids, it sets them up for success.

Do you bless your children with your words?

When Jesus Wept: Captivating Biblical Fiction

I fell in love with WWII novels while reading Bodie Thoene's Zion Chronicle and Zion Covenant series. She has an absolute knack for making the history come alive in the context of story and characters that are so real. I've read several of her A.D. Chronicles (co-written with husband Brock), but when I saw this cover and this title, I knew I had to be part of this tour.

When Jesus Wept transports readers to Biblical times. Lazurus is imagined as a recent widower who is trying to put the pieces of his life back together after his tragedy. In classic Thoene way, this book from the first page deposited me in a different time period and place and had me firmly believing I'd arrived. Rich historical and political details are woven into the backdrop in a way that adds authenticity without slowing down the story. I'm usually skeptical of Biblical fiction because I don't want the truth of the Bible muddied in my mind with an author's ideas. I've found in the Thoenes Biblical fiction a tone that adds richness to what the Bible describes.

If you love historical fiction or are looking for a fresh take on a well known friendship, give this book a try! I think you'll like it.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Book 1 in the Thoene’s new  Jerusalem Chronicles.

Brock and Bodie Thoene’s most powerful and climactic writing project to date, When Jesus Wept, captures the power and the passion of the men and women who lived through the most important days in the history of the world.

Lazarus occupies a surprising position in the Gospel accounts. Widely known as the man Jesus raised from the dead, his story is actually much broader and richer than that. Living as he did at Bethany, near Jerusalem, Lazarus was uniquely placed to witness the swirl of events around Jesus. When Jesus Wept, the first novel in The Jerusalem Chronicles series by bestselling authors Bodie and Brock Thoene, unfolds the turbulent times in Judea during Jesus’ ministry, centering on the friendship between Jesus and Lazarus. With rich insights from vineyard owners and vine dressers, the Thoenes explore the metaphor of Jesus as the True Vine, harvesting the ancient secrets found in the Old Testament.

Weaving the life of Lazarus, who owned a vineyard, into the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ will help you understand it is the hand of Love Divine that holds the knife, that cuts and breaks with such tender and loving touch, and that we who have born some fruit, after the pruning, can bear much more.

Purchase a copy here.

A Novel Lovers Giveaway: 12 Books by 12 Authors

Some of my writing friends and I have joined together for a giveaway of our books. To participate, just join in the Rafflecopter below. Here are the details: 

Some writer friends and I have a fabulous new giveaway for readers in the USA who are on Facebook.

The winner gets twelve fabulous autographed novels by twelve authors (see graphic at right). All you need to do to enter is Like all of the authors’ Facebook Pages. There are ten author Pages that must be liked in order to be entered. And we have two authors giving away books who don’t have author Pages but are using their Facebook Profiles. So if you would be so kind as to visit and “friend” Deborah Raney and Cara Putman, it would be deeply appreciated. Just click on the names to see their profiles and send a friend request: Deborah Raney and Cara Putman.

If you are unsure how the Rafflecopter form works, please look at the graphic at the bottom of this blog post. The instructions in red and screenshots will help make sure you enter correctly. Not everyone is completing all ten requirements. If you don’t complete all ten, you will not be eligible to win. You must see “10/10 Entries Earned” to qualify to win the 12 books (see graphic at left).

The contest ends at 12:01 am on May 1, 2013 and the winner will be announced later that day. Good luck to everyone!

Please tell your Facebook friends about the giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Do We Dare to Dream Crazy Dreams with God?

Last summer my family had a crazy adventure. For awhile the longing for a shared adventure had grown in my heart. Because my husband spent seven of his growing up years in the Far East, I’ve harbored a desire for our children to share a similar experience. The more I thought and prayed about it, the crazier it seemed. Yet the longing never left. So I tucked it close to my heart and prayed.

Let’s face it – this was one of those crazy ideas. Children can have wonderful lives without spending weeks in a foreign country. Still…I clung to the idea and prayed.

God sometimes smiles on those crazy dreams we have for our kids that we hardly dare to articulate. Last summer through a miraculous series of events, we spent eight weeks in Germany. Yes, eight weeks! Just because God loves to delight His kids – while we were in Germany my daughter, a competitive

Running with Perserverance

I'm in the middle of training for another mini-marathon. Each year that I do this, it seems God has something different for me to learn or ponder. This year it seems to be the issue of discipline.

Yes, I am a highly disciplined person. But this year God's using my training to reinforce that I am disciplined in the things I want to be disciplined in. Because I write late at night, I'm not a morning person anymore. Yet because of my crazy schedule right now, the only time for me to get in my

Love in the Balance: an Engaging Historical

Love in the Balance is a tale of star-crossed love...a tale where it seems the hero and heroine can absolutely never get together. There are so many rich layers, that it created a story that kept calling me back. There was nothing simple or easy about the journey or the resolution. And the twists kept me longing to return to the pages -- that's not easy to do with a book that is pretty much straight historical romance.

The characters started a wee bit flat, but became richer and more complex as the story developed. While it's the second in the series, it stands completely on its own. A very good thing, since I hadn't read the first book (though I want to.). The hero is a lay preacher of sorts, and a couple scenes with a couple that had experienced a miscarriage were very touching. As someone who's lived that journey, I appreciated the sensitive treatment of an unseen pain. This book also ends with one of the most beautiful scenes of redemption and healing that I have ever read. It was wonderful!

A book that lovers of historical romance will enjoy...and maybe find themselves challenged by the spiritual journey and questions that fill the pages.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Handsome Cowboy or Debonair Tycoon.
How’s a Girl to Choose?

Molly Lovelace dreams of a life without cares in Lockhart, Texas. She also dreams of handsome wrangler Bailey Garner, her ardent but inconsistent beau. The problem is, with Bailey’s poor prospects, she just can’t fit the two dreams together.

Then mysterious stranger Edward Pierrepont sweeps into town–and her life–and for the first time Molly wonders if she’s met the man who can give her everything. But he won’t be in Lockhart long and while it certainly seems like he talks about their glorious future together, she can’t quite get Bailey out of her mind.

What’s a girl to do with all these decisions when love is in the balance?

Purchase a copy here.

Read an excerpt here.

4 Ideas for Transmitting Faith

One of my goals as a homeschooling momma is to transmit my faith to my kids. I want them to have a personal relationship with Christ from a young age. But I also understand they can't ride on my coattails, or my husband's or their grandparents, or aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.  You get the picture.

So I long for them to catch sight of who Jesus is so they can spend the rest of their lives chasing Him and His will for their lives.

Let in snow, let it snow!

Who knew it would snow so much for my birthday... Loving it.

Isn't this a great photo of our puppy? She LOVES the snow. Capital letters doesn't quite do her affection for the white, cold, wet stuff justice. She won't come in she loves it so much. She's catching a snowball in this photo. Love it!

Soak in the Truth

No matter what your week has been like, take a moment to soak in this song. I am so grateful that God never leaves me...not for a moment. I might forsake Him, but He is always there. Such truth and hope in these words. Remember no matter what is happening He is always good and sovereign.

You were singing in the dark 
whispering Your promise 
even when I could not hear 
I was held in Your arms 
carried for a thousand miles to show 
Not for a moment did You forsake me 

Swept Away from Mary Connealy

Mary Connealy is one of my favorite authors. She's from Nebraska which is enough on it's own to make her someone I enjoy. Then she writes with such humor that I spend most of the time I'm reading laughing. And she fills her books with  a rich spiritual thread. Many of them I still ponder months and years later.

With deadlines, I haven't had time to read this book yet, but it is next on my TBR pile. And I know when I start it, I'll be swept away in a story that transports me to the 1880s and characters that I love.

ABOUT THE BOOk

When a cowboy focused on revenge encounters a woman determined to distract him, there’s going to be trouble in Texas!

Swept away when her wagon train

Grave Consequences: Sweeping Gilded Age Tale

Grave Consequences is a book that will sweep you into the world of the uber-rich during the Gilded Age. I felt like I became the silent member of a group of Americans on their Grand Tour of Europe. The book is a sweeping continuation of the series and one that left me dying for the next installment...enough so I've been tempted to drive to Colorado and beg the author for an early copy.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series!

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Powerful, Epic Romance Continues, Book 2 in Lisa T. Begren’s Grand Tour series

For Cora Kensington, the journey of a lifetime takes unexpected twists. And her future—her very life—depends on the decisions she’ll make at each crossroad. As her European tour with her newfound family takes her through Austria, France,

Monday Meditations: The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock

Yesterday our pastor taught another sermon in his series The Crux. It's been a great set of thought-provoking sermons as we lead up to the moment in time when the Cross transformed from a sign of contempt and justice to one of grace and mercy. (You can watch the great trailer here)

Yesterday Pastor Ted talked about the two houses at the conclusion of Jesus' sermon on the mount in Matthew 7. Now does anyone else groan a bit? Think you've thought about every piece of that story? I'll admit, I stifled a groan. What's there to know about a story I've known since I could sing the song in Sunday School? Sing it with me, "The wise man built his house upon the rock..."

Building Our Faith...

God has been challenging me for a little over a year to stretch my vision. Today I wanted to share a short clip with you that highlights how God builds and stretches our faith. Mark Batterson's book the Circle Maker is a great book to read if you want to have your faith and vision exploded. And be challenged to pray with God for bigger things. Have any of you read the book? What did you think?

 

Show v. Tell: 4 Tips from Author Jordyn Redwood

Today I'm delighted to have Jordyn Redwood join me with a guest post on how to write show v. tell. As you'll see below, this is something I believe she did with excellence in her new novel Poison. It's also why I asked her if she'd like to write a post to share. Without further ado, here's Jordyn:

Because the great Cara Putman asked me to do this—am I doing this—but let me first say I am hardly an expert on show versus tell—every writing teacher’s admonition for every storyteller out there. In fact, I was quite shocked when Cara said she was taking notes on some passages in Poison because she thought they were good examples of showing. I am still hoping she will tell me exactly which ones so I can admirer my own amazing work because I was that surprised.

Showing versus telling can definitely be learned (after all, I did it and was never an English major) so don’t go over the writer’s cliff Thelma and Louise style if some of these points don’t hit home. I am still learning some of the more advanced points myself and that’s a mark of a true writer—always desiring to learn more.

The concept of showing could also be described as Deep POV. I think these concepts are honestly interchangeable. So if you hear one—think of the other.