Britfield & the Lost Crown - Crew Review

I recently reviewed a juvenile fiction filled with action and adventure called Britfield & the Lost Crown by C.R. Stewart from Britfield & the Lost Crown. It is a fast-paced adventure that transports the reader from the smoldering crags of Yorkshire, through the heart of England, and finally to the magnificent shores of Dover. Creating an interactive world of mystery and adventure, culture and education. Britfield is about family, friendship, loyalty, and courage.

Tom, number forty-seven, was locked up at Wimberly Orphanage for six miserable years. Every morning, each orphan marched to work in the factory. Girls made wicker baskets and boys made wooden chairs and tables to be sold in the local villages. The only enjoyment they had was reading. Each month, one orphan sneaked out at night to borrow one of the books from the Grievouses’ Victorian mansion, each book was exchanged for one of their own. Although Tom knew any violation of the Wimberly Rule Book resulted in punishment, it was his turn.

As the story unfolds, Tom finds out his parents are still alive so he makes plans to escape with his best friend Sarah. With the orphans help, they escape through underground tunnels. Tom and Sarah had run about two miles from Weatherly, ducking behind bushes when police cars raced by. Now, they are being chased by Detective Arthur Gowerstone. They discover a balloon and launch it in the air to blend in with a balloon festival. Here, Tom reads the note that Patrick passed on to him while leaving the orphanage - BRITFIELD is all it says. The balloon runs out of fuel and they end up at Trinity College. Here, Tom researches Britfield in the library and discovers it was a prominent family in England; but the information ends in 1837, when Princess Victoria became Queen of Great Britain and a new era was born. Professor Hainsworth offers to pay for fuel for the balloon and travel with them to London to find out more about the Britfield family.

As the story continues, Tom, Sarah, and Professor Hainsworth end up in Hyde Park where Prince Philip discovers that Tom had not been taken care of ten years ago; and so the adventure continues. They end up staying at Duke’s Hotel to visit Dr. Beagleswick at King’s College to see what he knows about the Britfield family. He had been collecting information for years. Queen Victoria’s reign was a long and powerful one. Because of her popularity, nothing could be done to challenge her claim to the throne, so the Britfields waited patiently. Those who didn’t leave Britain moved to southern England and hid in isolated manors along the coast. Queen Victoria died in 1901, and was succeeded by her son, Edward VII, but that only lasted nine years, and George V took over the monarchy and changed their to the House of Windsor. Two decade later was World War II and the country rallied behind their king. Thy dynasty searched for any remaining Britfield and anyone found alive was dealt with severely. The last remaining family moved to a secret location in Kent. Decades passed with no further trouble until one day the Britfields were betrayed by a close friend. Their house was found and their only child, a son, was taken. Devasted and in fear for their own lives, they left England forever. The Archbishop of Canterbury was their closest friend and confidant; and Tom is told if anyone knows where the last Britfields are, he does. Needless to say, they are on another adventure.

They reach Canterbury Cathedral and speak with the Archbishop. He gives Tom a folded paper with everything written down – the Britfields moved to France seven years ago and are staying at the royal Chateau de Chambord in the Loire River Valley. Here, Detective Gowerstone catches up with Tom and Sarah. They thought they were going to be arrested and sent back to the orphanage; but come to find out Detective Gowerstone was trying to reach them to help them, as he was the one who was sent ten years ago to look for the son that was taken. Professor Hainsworth takes Tom and Sarah to France while Detective Gowerstone gathers a force of policemen and heads to Weatherly. He arrested the Grievouses and made sure each orphan went to a loving home. As for Tom and Sarah, their adventure continues in Britfield & the Rise of the Lion, Book II. I can’t wait to read this book in the fall of 2020!

There is an 83-page pdf study guide that goes along with this book. The study guide is intended to be used over eight weeks (or longer) taking students through the book chapter by chapter. The study guide includes vocabulary, comprehension questions, going deeper, and resources for the student to learn more with technology.

Visit the Crew Blog to read what the Homeschool Review Crew has to say about Britfield & the Lost Crown.

Curriculum Choices for 2019-2020

Living in Texas, in order to be a legitimate homeschool, you must have a curriculum which teaches reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, and a study of good citizenship; and you must pursue that curriculum in a bona fide manner. This curriculum may be obtained from any source and can consists of books, workbooks, or other written materials; or materials on an electronic monitor including computer or video screens, or any combination thereof. This year, I will have one student in 8th grade, one student in 12th grade, and one student in college; and today I would like to share with you what curriculum we are using in My Happy Homeschool.

8th Grade Curriculum Choices

Reading - Progeny Press - The Hiding Place

Spelling - Christian Liberty Press - Building Spelling Skills Book 8

Grammar - BJU Press - Writing & Grammar 8

Mathematics - Teaching Textbooks - Pre-Algebra

History - Memoria Press - The Story of the Thirteen Colonies & the Great Republic

Science - Apologia - General Science

12th Grade Curriculum Choices

Reading - Biographies with Book Reports

Grammar - BJU Press - Writing & Grammar 12

Mathematics - Dave Ramsey - Foundations in Personal Finance

Government - Notgrass - Exploring Government

Economics - Notgrass - Exploring Economics

Science - DONE - she has already completed 4 years of science

SAT Test Prep - using a variety of curriculum 

ASL - A Basic Course in American Sign Language

College Curriculum Choices

English - Composition I

French - Beginning French I

Theater - Stage Make-up 

Theater - Production I

Dance - Intermediate Modern

Dance - Advanced Ballet

Happy Homeschooling!

Texas HOME Educators - September Newsletter

Calendar of Events

September 6 Ballet Classes & Co-op Classes

September 13 Ballet Classes

September 20 Ballet Classes & Field Trip

September 27 Ballet Classes & Bowling League

Co-op Classes

Musical Theater – we will meet on September 6 at 1:00 p.m. at Midway Baptist Church, 4512 Ellis Drive, Kountze, TX 77625 to cast our “Annie” musical theater production.

Service Scouts – we will meet on September 6 at 2:00 p.m. at Midway Baptist Church, 4512 Ellis Drive, Kountze, TX 77625 to complete $20 registration and planning meeting for the 2019-2020 scouting year. Students K-12 may participate in Service Scouts, a program designed to award youth for their community service.

Ballet Classes

08:00 Tiny Tots (ages 3-4)

08:45 Ballet I (ages 5-6)

09:30 Ballet II (ages 7-10)

09:30 Jazz (ages 11+)

10:15 Ballet III (ages 11+)

11:00 Pointe (ages 11+)

Classes are held at Studio D in Lumberton, Texas. Tuition is $50 per class, per month. Tuition is due by the first Friday of each month. Girls ballet attire is black leotard, pink tights, pink ballet shoes, and hair in bun. Boys ballet attire is white fitted shirt, black jazz pants, and black ballet shoes. Girls pointe attire is black leotard, pink ballet tights, pink pointe shoes, and hair in bun. Girls jazz attire is black leotard, black jazz pants, and tan jazz shoes. Boys jazz attire is black fitted shirt, black jazz pants, and tan jazz shoes. If you have any questions, please text Susan Reed at 409-504-8135 or Brieanna Reed at 409-998-9159.

Field Trip

Register by September 13 for our family field trip on September 20 to see the Ellen Trout Zoo located at 300 E. Shepherd, Lufkin, TX 75902. Students will have a classroom session at 2:00 p.m. followed by a self-guided tour through the zoo. Grades K-3 will take the Body Coverings classroom session. Grades 4-7 will take the Animal Adaptations classroom session. Grades 8-12 will take the Modern Zoo classroom session. Cost is $3 per person. REGISTER by September 13 to join us at the Ellen Trout Zoo!

Bowling League

The homeschool bowling league is a seven-week season held at Crossroads Bowling Center in Beaumont, Texas. Bumper Buddies pay $5 weekly to bowl 2 games. League Members pay $8 weekly to bowl 3 games, plus a one-time $4 registration fee. Please bring cash weekly because all money is collected in team envelopes. League games will start promptly at 1:00 p.m. on the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th Friday of each month. Please note, no league games will be played on the 1^st Friday due to co-op classes.

A Study of Psalm 63:1-8

When we study Psalm 63, we see how David followed hard after God when he was in the wilderness of Judah. Carry the musical melody “Follow On” in your heart as we study Psalm 63.

Psalm 63:1 – O GOD, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.

Have you ever tried to express yourself, and not been able to say anything? This is how David feels. He tries to express how deeply he feels; but all he can say is O GOD. He is overwhelmed with emotion as he sees God’s holiness and his own unworthiness.

As Christians, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us because we can proclaim like David “thou art my God” and the Holy Spirit will put our thoughts into words for us. Look at Romans 8:26 – Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

The verse continues – early will I seek thee. How do you begin your day? David knew the importance of keeping God first in all things. Even Jesus set an example for us to follow. Look at Mark 1:35 – And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. I may not be able to devote a great amount of time in the early morning in study and prayer; but I can devote a quick, quiet moment with Him! And that moment determines my entire day!

The verse continues – my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is. Why does God allow us to go through wilderness times in our life? It was in the wilderness, where God taught David two principles; and God wants us to be like David, to totally depend on Him in the day-to-day. First, God puts us in the wilderness to teach us to fear the Lord. Look at Psalm 111:10 – The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. If we are constantly aware of God’s presence in our lives, it will make us wise, and we will live our lives to bring honor and glory to Him. Second, God puts us in the wilderness to teach us patience. Look at James 1:2-4 – My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. It is in the wilderness, where we can follow hard after God or further away from God. When we’re in the wilderness, we need to trust God and ask others to pray for us. Look at 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 – For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life. But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf. You may say, “If the wilderness is so good for me and teaches me so much, then why can’t God make it a little more comfortable? Why can’t I have a bigger house? Why can’t I have better health?” The answers lie in Scripture. Look at Philippians 4:19 – But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Sometimes the things we want may not be the best things for us. Look at Job 23:10 – But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Maybe God is preparing you for a specific tasks. God uses the wilderness to refine us through our trials and circumstances to make us pure as gold.

Psalm 63: 2 – To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

What is a sanctuary? It is describes as a consecrated place, a house of worship, a place of refuge, asylum, or protection. David longed to see God as he had seen Him in the sanctuary. Think about the sanctuary being the church. Do we see God working in our church services? Do we come expecting to see Him work? Yes, David had seen God’s power and glory in the sanctuary; but what about the sanctuary of the heart? Is your heart a sanctuary for God? Do we really follow hard after God? Look at Romans 12:1-2 – I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be ye not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. David followed hard after God, and like Abram received an exceeding great reward. Look at Genesis 15:1 – After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. Will we let our hearts be a sanctuary to God? Will we give Him complete control, and let Him give us the exceeding great reward?

Psalm 63:3 – Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

If you look up the word lovingkindness in the dictionary, you will most likely find that it is considered two words. When describing God, David puts them together. Not only is God loving, he is kind. God ultimately showed His lovingkindness when He gave His only Son to die for us! Look at John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. David says that God’s lovingkindness is better than life! In other words, he knew life was not worth living without God’s lovingkindness; and he praised God for His lovingkindness.

Psalm 63:4 – Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.

“Thus” refers to the previous verse. David is saying that because of God’s lovingkindness, he will never cease to praise Him. As long as he has life, he will praise the Lord!

David says that he will lift up his hands unto the Lord. This means he will solemnly pray to God above. Look at 2 Thessalonians 5:17 – Pray without ceasing. If our intention is to follow hard after God, we must pray.

Psalm 63:5 – My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.

Why do you suppose David says he is satisfied with marrow and fatness? Look at Isaiah 25:6 – And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees will refined. Here, we see that the fat things refer to a great feast. Look at Psalm 36:8 – They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. Here, we see that those who put their trust in God shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of God. God will meet every need and supply abundantly.  When we are satisfied, we will be joyful. This means we will tell others about how good God has been and give Him glory.

Psalm 63:6 – When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

The word remember means to recall to mind, to think of again, or to keep someone in mind. The word meditate means to reflect upon, to contemplate, or to consider thoughtfully. When we go to bed, we should remember all that God has done for us throughout the day. But this verse also encourages us to meditate on God in the night. As we lay in bed, we should meditate on His Word, who He is and all He has done for us. The more we see God work in our lives, the greater our faith will be.

Psalm 63:7 – Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

I David was helped by God so many times. David remembered all the times that God had brought him though. From the time David was a teenager keeping the sheep and God helped him kill a bear and a lion (I Samuel 17:34-37), God took care of David. He knew that God was going to make him king, even when running from Saul in the wilderness (1 Samuel 24:20-22). David went to God for restoration when he sinned his great sin with Bathsheba (2Samuel 12), and was restored. When he writes Psalm 63, David knows that Absalom is seeking his life, and he knows that somehow God will bring him back to Jerusalem and into leadership again. He can believe this because of the way God has worked things out in the past. David knew that God would care for him in the future. David rejoiced in the shadow of God’s wing; and this joy was an inner peace and abiding comfort in knowing God works everything for our own good.

Can you think of some ways you have seen God work in your own personal life? I want to encourage you to record ways God has worked in your past because it will encourage you to trust Him in the future.

Psalm 63:8 – My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.

The word follow means to come or go after, to pursue, to accompany, to obey, to comply with. The word hard is defined as resistant to pressure, firm, or rigid. David says his soul follows hard after God. His soul adheres to God firmly, and resists pressure to let go. What was the result of David following hard after God? God upheld David with his right hand.

Do you need a lift? Follow hard after God. Even if you don’t feel like it. Especially if you don’t feel like it. That is when you need to follow hard after God the most. Carry the musical melody “Under His Wings” in your heart as you meditate on the study of Psalm 63.

A-Z Animals: D for Deer

A-Z Animals provides a mini unit study for each letter of the alphabet for early learning. Each unit provides three activities using a children's book as the theme for parents and students to complete together.

Read With Me

Parents read the children's book "Bambi" by Golden Books and Walt Disney Studios with their student.

Learn With Me

Parents learn with their student about deer through this VIDEO LINK.

Create With Me

Parents create a deer craft with their students.

Happy Homeschooling!

Baby Blessings

Psalm 127:3 reads “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” It’s been a while since I’ve written a more personal post; but if we’re friends on Facebook, then you already know I am expecting. So many people ask me “Are you really pregnant?” Yes, I am pregnant. I do not have a due date yet; but hope to have one next Wednesday at my first appointment. Hard to believe, but my oldest will just have finished her first year of college and my youngest will be turning fourteen, when I have another baby. When I carried my three girls, I was sick the entire nine months, and so far I have not had any sickness; but I am extremely exhausted with this one. I could not take the prenatal vitamins when I carried the girls because it made the sickness worse; but I am able to take them this time with my dinner. I’ve even cooked steak two weeks in a row, and I am not much of a meat eater. Many think this will be our boy, because the pregnancy is so different; but we will not know until delivery. Just like with the girls, we will not be finding out the sex of the baby. My husband says “it’s like knowing what you’re getting for Christmas.” I even questioned him because of my age; but nope, we will wait in anticipation to see what the “fruit of the womb” holds.

Tenth Grade Literature Guide Set - Crew Review

The Tenth GradeLiterature Guide Set from MemoriaPress develops superior readers. This set includes a student book and teacher guide for the following pieces of literature: To Kill a Mockingbird, Romeo and Juliet, The Scarlet Letter, and Julius Caesar.

The student books train students to read actively and lead students through a four-stage trivium-based continuum to the acquisition and expression of the Central One Idea. Students are guided through pre-grammar, grammar, logic, and rhetoric stages. The student books feature helpful reading notes for background information and difficult words, extensive vocabulary training, comprehension questions, Socratic discussion questions, as well as, essay options to prepare students for sophisticated literary analysis and future study. The student book does not provide enough space for students to write their answers in the book, so my daughter used a separate piece of notebook paper to complete her work.

Each teacher guide reveals what is contained in the student book. The teacher guide is also the answer key, which is written beside the student book page.

Both the student book and teacher guide explain in detail the four stages to the Central One Idea for a proper reading and for cultivating wisdom and virtue. The joy of learning comes from the Elysian fount of discovery. Knowing the destination is vitally important in this four-stage sequence. For both the journey and the destination count, but especially the destination, which is the understanding and expression of the idea.

Each novel in the literature guide set has been carefully selected to nourish your child’s soul and improve their reading skills. To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression. The protagonist is Jean Louise (Scout) Finch, an intelligent though unconventional girl who ages from six to nine years old during the course of the novel. She is raised with her brother, Jeremy Atticus (Jem), by their widowed father, Atticus Finch. He is a prominent lawyer who encourages his children to be empathetic and just. He notable tells them that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, alluding to the facts that the birds are innocent and harmless. When Tom Robinson, one of the town’s black residents, is falsely accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman, Atticus agrees to defend him despite threats from the community. Although Atticus presents a defense that gives a more plausible interpretation of the evidence, Tom is convicted and is later killed. A character compares his death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds.

Romeo and Juliet is an age-old vendetta between two powerful families that erupts into bloodshed. A group of masked Montagues risk further conflict by gatecrashing a Capulet party. A yound lovesick Romeo Montague falls instantly in love with Juliet Capulet, who is due to marry her father’s choice, the County Paris. With the help of Juliet’s nurse, the women arrange for the couple to marry the next day, but Romeo’s attempt to halt a street fight leads to the death of Juliet’s own cousin, Tybalt, for which Romeo is banished. In a desperate attempt to be reunited with Romeo, Juliet follows the Friar’s plot and fake her own death. The message fails to reach Romeo, and believing Juliet dead, he takes his life in her tomb. Juliet wakes to find Romeo’s corpse beside her and kills herself. The grieving families agree to end their feud.

The Scarlet Letter is set in a village in Puritan New England. The main character is Hester Prynne, a young woman who has borne a child out of wedlock. Hester believes herself a widow, but her husband Roger Chillingworth, arrives in New England very much alive and conceals his identity. He finds his wife forced to wear the scarlet letter A on her dress as punishment for her adultery. After Hester refuses to name her lover, Chillingworth becomes obsessed with finding his identity. When he learns that the man in question is Arthur Dimmesdale, a saintly young minister who is the leader of those exhorting her to name the child’s father, Chillingworth proceeds to torment him. Stricken by guilt, Dimmesdale becomes increasingly ill. Hester herself is revealed to be a self-reliant heroine who is never truly repentant for committing adultery with the minister; she feels that their act was consecrated by their deep love for each other. Although she is initially scorned, over time her compassion and dignity silence many of her critics.

Julius Caesar tell of jealous conspirators who convince Caesar’s friend Brutus to join their assassination plot against Caesar. To stop Caesar from gaining too much power, Brutus and the conspirators kill him on the Ides of March. Mark Antony drives the conspirators out of Rome and fights them in a battle. Brutus and his friend Cassius lose and kill themselves, leaving Antony to rule in Rome.

Reading requires an active, discriminating mind that is challenged to think, compare, and contrast. Students who have been challenged by good literature will develop into superior readers and will never be satisfied with poor-quality books.  Visit the Crew Blog to read what the Homeschool Review Crew has to say about this Tenth Grade Literature Guide Set, as well as other products from Memoria Press.

The Balance Between Homeschooling and Homemaking

So many people ask me “How do you balance homeschooling and homemaking?” And my answer is quite simple – order. 1 Corinthians 14:40 reads “Let all things be done decently and in order.” I have used good time management skills for years and I would like to share with you today how I balance homeschooling and homemaking.

#1 My homeschooling and homemaking is done decently and in order with a plan in place.

In fact, I have two planners, one for homeschooling and one for homemaking. I have created a homeschooling planner that includes curriculum planner sheets for each student, lesson planner sheets for each subject for each student, and to keep life simple, I am also able to record grades, so everything is all in one place – My Happy Homeschool Planner. I have also created a homemaking planner where I write down everything – church, school, dance, soccer, piano lessons, meetings, weekly infusions, doctor appointments, household chores, meals, etc. I have found that the more you plan, the better you manage your time and the more you achieve.

#2 My homeschooling and homemaking is done decently and in order with a routine in place.

It’s probably no surprise, I have two routines, one for homeschooling and one for homemaking. The experts say trying to do the same thing at the same time every day conserves and generates energy. It conserves energy by cutting down on indecision. You perform menial tasks by remote. It generates energy through habit, completing these tasks at a particular time. I have a homeschooling routine where we complete our subjects in the same order every school day – Bible, math, spelling, English, science, history, and reading. I have a homemaking routine where everything is written down in my planner and completed in an orderly fashion – household chores, laundry, meal prep, dishes, etc. Try to put as many tasks as possible into a routine.

#3 My homeschooling and homemaking is done decently and in order with priorities in place.

With so many needs around us each day, we could use a biblical system for keeping our priorities in place. Genuine peace and joy come when we follow God in every area of our lives. So today we’re going to look at five areas specifically addressed in God’s Word.

1.       Your Relationship with God. 2 Peter 3:18 reads “But grow in the grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.” 2 Timothy 2:15 reads “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” If God is not first in our lives, we will struggle in every area of our lives.

2.       Your husband. Genesis 2:18 reads “And the LORD God said, it is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Proverbs 31:11-12 reads “The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.” God calls us to help our husband – not hinder our husband. We must ask of our actions “Will this help or hinder my husband?”

3.       Your children. Proverbs 22:6 reads “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Deuteronomy 6:6-9 reads “And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon thy posts of thy house, and on thy gates.” God calls us to train up our children and to teach them diligently so they will know Him, love Him, and follow Him in every area of life.

4.       Your home. Proverbs 31:27 reads “She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.” Titus 2:4-5 reads “That they may teach the younger women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” God’s Word specifically orders or priorities – husband – children – home. God calls us to take homemaking seriously – and we are held accountable for the condition of our home. In fact, when our husband or anyone else walks in the door and looks around the home, we have just revealed what we’ve been doing in response to God’s call for us to manage the home. What do people see when they enter your home? Do they find calm – or chaos? Peace – or panic? Palace – or pigpen? Evidence of preparation – or procrastination?

5.       Your ministry. 1 Corinthians 15:58 reads “Therefore, my brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” Hebrews 6:10 reads “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” God’s Word encourages us to be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. I want to encourage you to reach out and minister to the saints, your labour is not in vain.

So, how do I balance homeschooling and homemaking? The answer is quite simple – order. My homeschooling and homemaking is done decently and in order with a plan in place, with a routine in place, and with priorities in place.   

Happy Homeschooling!

Strength for the Day

Does your burden seem heavy today? Sometimes we are overwhelmed with all that has to be done as a homeschool mom. Take heart, God sees and knows your burdens. He cares and will provide the strength you need to face each day's tasks. Matthew 11:28 reads "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Just when you think you can't do another thing, trust God. He will not give you more than you can bear. Philippians 4:13 reads "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Does your burden still seem heavy? Psalm 55:22 tells us to "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."