School Update

Wow, not much time for blogging at the New Creation Home School!

Things are going well. I am finally in the swing of things with my curriculum, which is such a relief. It has taken awhile to get organized and honestly, it has not been fun! One of the hardest things has been trying not to compare what we are doing with what I imagine they are doing in public school. Spending the first half of the school year in public school has been an advantage in that I sort of know where we should be in math and reading etc. It has also been difficult because I don't always see the learning in concrete ways like I did with grades and projects sent home in school.

I have to be honest, I am not sure if we will be continuing next year. I am trying to remain open to what God has for us, but I find it easy to get caught up in the stresses of daily schooling and getting "stuck" there. Whatever we decide, I really am pleased with what we have accomplished so far. I really mean that. I am doing something I never thought I could do. I need to let that sink in. God is working! The most amazing thing is the window into my children's hearts that I have been given through this experience. Some days the view blesses me and others it worries me...such is the human experience!

I am going forward for this year planting, planting, planting little seeds in their hearts. It is up to God to make them grow. I was so blessed recently to pull out my old Bible from when the kids were babies. I found some awesome verses the Lord gave me for my children then and I am praying them again now.

For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations. Isaiah 61:11

They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:3

They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor. Isaiah 60:21


There are more, but these stand out right now...thank you God for such sweet reminders! I am praying a lot that God will give me His view of my children...His children. That the Lord would delight me in them. They are precious.

i am tired

ok, it's way too late and I need to go to bed, but I am laughing at myself right now. I just looked at the picture for the mental gymnastics and I think my brain looks most like the upper left and lower left side pictures...ok, need sleep!

Mental Gymnastics and more, yipee!!

Well, one of my purposes in this home school blog is to journal through the ups, downs and all arounds so that I can look back and see from where we came a little clearer. Today, I am struggling and I am going to express that freely here.

The problem at hand is somewhat complicated, but equally simple, if that makes any sense. I am finding it very difficult to maintain order in our schedule and discipline as well. I am thinking that I am lacking in both areas, actually, I know I am The boys are not doing well at getting focused enough to get anything without major yelling from me and even when they do get things done, it seems like the battle to get there ruins the joy on my part. Interesting thing is that although I feel frazzled and annoyed to say the least, they really are still learning. It's kind of crazy actually. It amazes me! But I cannot and should not have to spend each day in mental duress because my boys want to do somersaults and giggle matches each and every moment of the school day. It is exhausting and I am ready for change.

Here is where the guilt comes in. I know that I have not been consistent in disciplining as a parent. As the kids get older, it becomes more apparent. Flat out, they do not listen to me, unless I reach an alarming decibel. This is not good! I will say, I do try, and I do care. It is sort of a shameful thing to me to be a Christian parent, especially, and have such a lack of obedience in my children. But the question is, how in the world do I start?

My own lack of discipline in my own life is a problem too. Today I was praying for wisdom concerning my children and I asked the Lord to send me a messenger to give me some insight. Well, not too long after, my husband called. After expressing some of my concerns (which are nothing new) I heard his analysis and immediately began to defend myself. Then I remembered that I am trying not to do that this week (a Bible study assignment, see post on colorfulwoman.blogspot.com). I have learned that in order to receive God's grace fully I must be willing to be vulnerable and let the walls down, not easy for me to do. So, I stopped defending myself and listened....important thing to do. My husband lovingly stated that he and I both could use a tune up in the self-discipline area. True. That is a good place to start because how can we expect the kids to model anything but what we are doing?

So, my head is spinning a little, it's my fault, in whole, in part, both, whatever. This is hard stuff. Something has got to change though because I am not going to give up on this homeschooling thing or on my children. So, what do I do? I have no idea :) Right now, I need to clean this house, which is a whole other issue...maybe. So, while I am doing mental gymnastics this afternoon and trying to clean up this mess, please pray for me if you read this message!

getting back on track

Today was a good day. I am so thankful that we got back on track because we have not done school in about a week! I justified this because life has been making school seem almost impossible lately. Also, the public school has been out too, so I figure it's ok:) One thing that has been such a struggle is the piling up of disorganization. This is pretty typical of how I operate, I start off strong, and then sort of fall off the cliff, then I get up and try again. With school though, the need to stay ahead of the game is essential! I was feeling a little discouraged until I stopped and gave thought to what exactly the boys have learned so far(this is our third official week). They have learned a lot!! I am not going to make a list here of everything we have gone over, but I am amazed at their ability to learn in so many different ways of delivery. I am sure that in many areas, they are learning so much more at home than they would be at school. I have also seen the boys connecting relationally with each other in a deeper way, which is so cool. They are more enjoying each other's company where before they mainly tolerated each other most days, very cool. I am actually pretty brain dead right now, so I am going to log off and write more at a later time. All in all though, I see God's hand at work in our family and that is so awesome.

Need to pray!

Things are going well. This week I am off balance though, I can tell. I feel like the main reason is because I have not been spending time with God before school starts. I believe I really can see the difference in so many ways. Prayer is so key.

Home with the kids and loving it?! How did this happen?

I am taking a brief moment here to jot down some thoughts on school this week. First of all, I love it! If anyone knew how unlikely this is for me to be procclaiming, it would be shocking! I am the least likely, I am sure of it:) Days are going well, although there are some issues that need dealing with. For one, my boys think it is really funny that Mom is now suddenly Teacher. I am not laughing, I am yelling! Not so good... But, I am also Praying, hard, that God will work this out. I am praying He will instruct me, their instructer, with Godly wisdom in how to respond. I am also praying that He will shape and mold their little hearts in a brand new way ("Behold I am doing a new thing!") One of the ways I know He is working is through our Bible study time each morning. We start our day out with Bible and prayer and I can see them taking in Truth each time, what an amazing thing! If nothing else ever came of this in some profound way, the simple fact that I have the time to disciple my children is indeed a "new thing". I have long wanted to do this much better than I have been, but time has always been my speedy opponant in this matter. Days, weeks and years racing by with the ever present thought of "I have got to get to teaching them..." We started out with the Ten Commandments. We are learning them and discussing the meaning of strange words like "covet" and "adultery"(in a kid friendly way!). These are some of our new vocabulary words(actually, not adultery...don't want any rabbit trails on that one yet!) Things are just good, blessed and fruitful.

Thankyou God for divine appointments in life.

Getting Started

Well, today starts a new blog adventure:) I guess with God, every day is a new adventure, and this seems to fit in with my life now, rather unexpectedly.
Years ago, I had a thought that if I ever started a ministry, that I would name it New Creation.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! " 2 Cor 5:17


I can think of no better way to describe my own life. God has and continues to make me into something new every day, and indeed every season of life. Through the years I have used the phrase new creation for many things that needed a label, so when the need arose to name our home school for the records being kept by SCAIHS, it seemed only natural to name ourselves New Creation Home School.The interesting thing is that I never imagined that this would be the type of ministry He would call me to. A ministry born completely of Him and given all unto Him for His good purpose. A ministry that I could have never dreamed up or desired. A ministry to my family, my precious children and His servants in training. Hmmm. . . It leaves me with a lot to ponder actually. You see, homeschooling is not something that I would naturally have been drawn to. If you want to know the truth, children are not something I was naturally drawn to (before my own of course!) My husband and I started our marriage with the birth our our first child a little less than a year from our wedding day! I am amazed at how God has changed us completely and how He continues to strip the selfishness from us year after year. I love children now (especially ours!) and really enjoy seeing God reveal Himself to them in ways only He can.
Homeschooling has always interested me, but honestly I felt it was not something I could do in my own life. Partly because I felt I had too many dreams of my own to work on. Since toddler hood I have been thinking how nice it would be to have all three of my children in school someday and get to work on some other things that were on hold. Well, now that someday is here. My two oldest boys are in first and second grade and my youngest, my girl, is in 4k. Finally some me time!
The only thing is that God had other plans, and honestly being home alone wasn''t all it was cracked up to be. I really didn't get that much done and I felt I was running around town doing things a lot more, still no time. I think this is when I started understanding that my time was not fruitful because God had something else in mind for "my" time...actually His time :)
I could recount so many details of how we ended up here, but for now I will just say that God worked some miracles through some tough times and brought us to this place. I actually had decided to start in January after Christmas break...until we got MONO...of all things! I went ahead and pulled the boys out and we began about a week and a half ago with very little planning and resources. I have to say, it has not gone as I thought...
I find myself frustrated and a little (OK, a lot) discouraged most days. I am realizing some of the obstacles we need to overcome, like the boys feeding off of each other's energy, and giggles (and jokes, teases and other very "boy" like bodily functions that keep the two of them very entertained!) The other day I was having a hard time reigning them in again and again when Benjamin, my six year old, lifted his leg and let out a big one right on David. That was the last straw and I yelled out "Alright, that's it! School is done, go to your rooms!"...I can laugh now, but seriously, that is the crazy stuff I am working around right now:) I know we'll be fine, boys will be boys and for all I know, Ben could of done that to one of his classmates and I just never heard about it!
I am just ready to get all of my curriculum and a plan and organized and caught up with housework and a run on sentence with a million other ands to accomplish. Sigh...
But God...He is recreating me already and we have barely gotten started. He's up to a new creation in my heart, and I do feel a deep peace underneath my doubts, fears and apprehensions. I just really have to lean on Him and choose to believe Him over everything else. Today after some prayer time when I was pouring out all of my "stuff" to Him, I felt Him say, "Emily, will you believe me even when you don't see?"
Will I trust Him?
I want to.
I will say, the enemy has already been planting seeds of doubt and confusion and I do want to give in a lot of the time. But I really feel this is where I am supposed to be and I keep turning back to God again and again.
I am excited about this season of life, it is something brand new. I don't know how long it will last, but I am open. I am inviting God in to recreate our family according to His plan, we do so desperately need it...and I trust that He is good.
So, here is my first entry, I wonder what the future holds...school is definitely in session, for the kids and for me as well, I look to Him for the lesson plan...


Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb. 12:1-2