God’s Character and the Planet Pluto

September 22, 2015

Many of you know that I love science. Science may send tremors down most people’s spine as they hearken back to their high school biology class when they had to dissect a frog or to a chemistry class when they had to memorize the definition of acids and bases. But for me, science is so much more than that. It is a purposeful method of observing the world around us in order to understand it better. And that often helps us to get a glimpse of the One who created it, too. You see, when you look at an object made by a person, say a painting created by Pablo Picasso, you get a glimpse into that person. How he sees the world. His perspective. I can pretty much pick out a painting done by this man because I can see his characteristic fingerprint/ his style. And if you have seen any of his paintings, you may agree with me when I say I believe that Picasso likely viewed the world from a skewed vantage point. His boxy, slanted style was his way of portraying what he saw around him. I’m not an authority on art, but he may have had some weird ideas in his head. I’m just sayin’.

Anyway, when we look to the heavens, we can learn about the God who made them. We can gain a better understanding of his character. After all, God gave us the revelation of his word as well as the revelation of creation. So it would be a good thing for us to study creation, wouldn’t it?

Take a look at Pluto. When I was growing up, Pluto was the outermost of the nine planets in our solar system. It was that little planet that orbited our sun but was the furthest away. However, thanks to advances in telescopic technology, in 2006, Pluto was demoted to a dwarf planet. Why? Well, scientists had discovered many more planetary bodies of similar size to Pluto that also were affected by our sun’s gravitational pull, so they had to either designate all of them to be planets, too, or demote Pluto.

Now Pluto had been a named planet for quite a while, hadn’t it? And we all know that its overall location in our solar system was in the outermost position of all the other planets. Yet it might surprise you to know that it is so far from our sun that it takes Pluto a LONG time to orbit it. In fact, from the time of Pluto’s discovery to the time it was demoted, that planet had not even made it around the sun once! That is because it takes Pluto 247 ¾ Earth years for a single orbit. THAT’s how big our solar system is!

And if it is that difficult for us to comprehend the vastness of our solar system, imagine how big our galaxy is. Our solar system is one of millions of systems within our galaxy. And our Milky Way galaxy is one of millions of other galaxies.

When we begin to comprehend the immensity of our solar system, located in a galaxy with millions of other stars, which is one of millions of other known galaxies that are grouped together in thousands of galaxy clusters, we can only start to understand the power and majesty of a God who in a day placed the lights in the heavens.

Talk about Big Bang…

God said, “Let there be lights in the heavens…” And, BOOM! They were there. All of the millions of stars just like our sun, some even larger and hotter. And each one set in perfect place…with gravitational forces and following other laws that keep the universe together.

In a word it was done. By his breath…..Let that sink in a bit. We have a powerful Creator.

Moreover, this same God who spoke all the heavens into being is upholding them today. If He were to remove His hand, there would be chaos. God did not just make everything and then leave it.

He is upholding all of creation. He is ever present and engaged. Nothing in creation moves or falls or even hiccups without His knowledge. We have an omnipresent Creator.

So as He is keeping all of the movement of the vast universe, we need to be reminded that His eye is lovingly fixed on us, too.

We might think that if God was so busy with taking care of other worlds, shouldn’t we see some neglect in how he manages ours? To keep up with anything as complicated as this, we as people would figure out a way to streamline the work, or else we would mess things up. But find one thing where it is evident that God is hampered by His being. It is pretty evident that He is not. The same God who holds the universe with its every system in the hollow of his hand, causes every flower to grow, feeds every blade of grass, and causes every being to move… is not disabled by the weight of all of his other cares, so that our world is so full of life and held together all the way down to its atoms and smaller. We have a loving and engaged Creator.

In all of the vast universe, we are told that a single sparrow will not fall to the ground without his appointment. That is a comfort to his BIGNESS and to our care because we are of more value to him than sparrows.

So when you look at the skies at night, I hope you are reminded how great our God is. The heavens are a testimony to His power in their creation, His ever-presence as he is upholding everything, and His loving-kindness as He is engaged with every movement we make.

When Challenges Build Character

September 15, 2015

As homeschoolers, we have lots of opportunities to face challenges, don’t we? There is the continual attempt to plan our weekly schedule. We are always looking for the best curriculum to meet our child’s needs (and to fit Mom’s needs, too!). We face days where our children don’t understand what we are teaching, or they don’t want to learn what we are teaching. We face days when WE don’t understand what we are teaching, or WE don’t want to teach it!

Yes, “challenge” is a common word when it comes to raising and teaching our children, isn’t it?

But let me tell you something. When it comes to parenting, actually when it comes to ANYTHING dealing with another person, challenges will always be there.

Yet, challenges often bring blessing.

Years ago, one of my children had great difficulty with spelling. I looked at every curriculum…they all had different methods and strategies. So I kept changing curricula each year thinking I was just a rotten spelling teacher. I kept searching the shelves, looking for a curriculum titled: “Fix my Broken Speller In-a-Box.” Guess what? They don’t make it. Believe me, I looked. The problem was that I was trying to take this problem in my own two hands and find a way to tackle it by myself.

But, when our Lord charges us to train up our children, He wants us to do it not with our own strength but with His. I kept trying to fix the problem and could not understand why we were having so much trouble.

Yet through this challenge year after year, there was an unexpected blessing! We learned something. Not spelling so much, but something waaay more important.

I learned patience (long-suffering) and my son learned perseverance. You see, daily, I was frustrated with his lack of progress (not lack of work, just lack of progress) and had to control my gut reaction which kept saying, “Why don’t you get this?” I kept biting my tongue, realizing MY inability to do this BY MYSELF. I began to call out to the Lord for His guidance, for His strength, for His patience. I started to see things from my son’s perspective and come alongside him to “fight this together.”

I realized that he, too, was frustrated daily with the difficulty he faced and how hard it seemed to be. We began to pray together, asking the Lord for encouragement as we faced a new spelling list each week. And my son persevered through it all. I began to realize that all that my children learn and can do is not because of my “amazing” teaching abilities or family genetics but what the Lord has done for US.

It turned out that my son had an issue processing information. We didn’t even know the name for his situation (dysgraphia) until he was in high school! But I was so blessed to see how we benefited from that challenge.

We were learning character. You may know that I place a great deal of value on building character. I think it is one of the most important things you can help develop in your children.

But this challenge was NOT a pleasure to go through. However it was a blessing to go through as we each learned to lean on the Lord for his help, to call out to him daily, and to wait for his timing. We learned that through this challenge, God was developing patience in me and perseverance in my son.

And my son continues to exhibit perseverance even today. He is in his first year of residency, with a PharmD studying pharmacogenomics. That is a testimony to God, not me, and I have seen God work in his life oftentimes in spite of me!

In fact, God provides in surprising ways because of our weaknesses.

2Cor. 12: 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Through this challenging spelling journey, I needed to learn patience. God knew I needed it. My son needed to be equipped with perseverance. God knew he needed it.

God tells us His grace is sufficient for our trials. In second Corinthians, He took care of Paul’s problem not by removing it but by increasing the grace to endure it.  It drew Paul closer to God and kept him from boasting…kept him humble.  These weaknesses are to put God’s power on display.

So the blessings of patience being built in me and perseverance being built in my son were gained through challenge.

There have been many other challenges in my life, and I know there will be many more. But I pray that God works in me through those difficulties to continue to conform me to Him.

And I pray the same for you. As you face struggles and challenges as a parent or educator, draw close to the One who has the power to overcome them. He will use those situations for your benefit, maturing you and giving you the opportunity to encourage others that in our weakness He is strong!

Why Does Everyone Else Seem to Have It All Together?

September 2, 2015

Have you looked around, lately? With the fall season coming and school underway, the weeks have begun to speed up. I can’t tell you how many times I have already seen “pumpkin everything” advertised. There are only “x” number of days until Christmas.

Why does the time from September through December always seem as if it warps somehow into a fast-paced, crazy, roller-coaster ride?

And amidst all of this rapid-fire activity, we are supposed to enthusiastically be teaching our children and bringing out our fall wreaths, pumpkin and gourd displays, and singing merrily as we do it. Sports activities have begun in full force. Co-ops and art classes started. Music lessons picked up again.

It seems to me that every fall I would begin this way. I would enthusiastically begin our school year, with all my planning set up, new curriculum in hand, and hopes high.

Then things would get started.

And someone would get sick. Unexpected meetings would pop up. A child would get stuck in his math work and need to slow down the pace.

So then I play catch-up, all while trying to ride the rapid-moving roller coaster of life through the fall semester.

I would look around at other families. It always seemed like things were going as planned for them. The other moms were smiling; had their little travel snack bags ready to go for their children; had files of books in the back of their minivans, ready for a quick lesson when the day’s travels slowed down a bit.

Things always seemed to go so smoothly for them. Why was I always a mess?

I got my answer one day as I was sitting at the park while the kids were playing. The older ones were at football practice, so I let the little ones burn off some steam in the playground while we were waiting (and, yes, I had forgotten the little snack bags and water bottles again…they’ll have to use the germ-infested water fountain, and I’ll douse them with Purell).

There was a little pond nearby, and I watched as a duck slowly eased itself into the water. It glided along the surface, so gracefully, so intentionally. I began to marvel at how smoothly the scene looked. The water around that little duck was barely disturbed. How lovely.

Then my science-y mind kicked in.

Wait. That duck is able to swim so well because of its webbed feet. They need to paddle like big oars so that he can move his hefty body across the water. Non-water birds cannot do this. I began to think about what that paddling looked like.

If you’ve ever seen a duck’s feet from underwater while it swims, you wouldn’t quickly forget it. Here’s a link in case you are curious.

It is pretty much mayhem. It’s actually funny, too. Their feet need to rapidly fan out, capturing as much water as possible, then they have to scoop the water behind them. A duck’s legs are set widely apart. That is so that they can better propel themselves forward. Think of the spacing oars need on a canoe. They extend out because they get better forward thrust that way. Because duck legs are so apart, though, they look anything but graceful. They are all over the place, crazily moving around in seemingly unorganized directions, all for the purpose of propelling the animal forward.

So the graceful appearance above is only that way due to the chaotic, disorderly motions below.

I think that is what our lives appear to be to each other. We look at one another and see smoothly, organized, well-planned lives. We think that other families have it all together, because on the surface they “gracefully glide.” And we don’t think that of ourselves, because we know what we look like behind the scenes…under the water, if you will.

Yet, we ALL have a bit of craziness and chaos in order to move our lives along. It is way too easy to present ourselves as having it all together. Putting up a good face is not really difficult, because it isn’t hard to hide what’s going on underwater.

But it is there. We cannot expect to move forward without lots of work. There will be challenges, disorganization, and even setbacks, because life is messy that way. We are called to do the work set before us, training and raising our children as we love and serve our families. And we cannot expect it to look like a graceful duck, swimming across the water. That is why everyone else seems to have it all together. We are only seeing what’s going on above the water.

It will look more like duck feet, scrambling along, working constantly with a well-designed purpose of moving forward.

Graceful on top…and a planned, but crazily-moving performance below.

We All Have Weeds

August 25, 2015

This morning I went out early to do some weeding in front of our house. Now before you start thinking that I am one of THOSE people who are up singing with the sunrise and doing 500 things before breakfast, I need to disclose the purpose of my morning chore: We are having people over.

Yes, I really haven’t been focusing too much on that part of our household. After all, I live in Florida, where it rains every day in the summer, humidity is 1,000 percent, and the temperature is usually a lovely 85 degrees by 8 AM. I always seem to find “more urgent” things to do than weed the front beds.

But because I was “motivated,” I went out to do it, and I am so glad I did. You see, as I was pulling weeds, I began to wonder how these weeds keep popping up. I have weeded these beds before. I removed the plants I didn’t want growing and allowed the ones we planted to stay. But these crazy unwanted plants still appear. And why is it that none of them are rose bushes or fruit trees? They always seem to be wild looking ones that take over and choke the others.

Well, I pulled and pulled, and sometimes when I grasped a weed, it came out with its roots still attached. Other times, the stems would break off, leaving the roots behind.

Now, you have to understand. My background is in science, and I have one of those weird minds that analyzes what is going on with living things. So whenever I pulled a weed without the roots attached, I reached a crisis. I could keep on going my merry way, knowing that at least the beds will look good on the outside, or I could stop and get the hand shovel to dig out the roots. But that was more work, and I had a lot more yard to cover.

You see, weeds can continue to grow if you leave the roots in the soil. They slow down a bit, but they do keep sending their roots deeper and eventually send out shoots and leaves that are bigger than they were before. That’s because those deeper roots can reach more water and nutrients. So if you pull weeds just from the tops, leaving the roots behind, you’re going to make your work harder later on.

Now, why all this conversation about weeding? Well, sin is like a weed in our lives.

Judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field. Hosea 10:4

If we allow sin to sit for a while, it grows deeper. When we realize we are having a struggle, we can do one of two things. We can easily cover it up, hiding the leaves so nobody can see it. But that means that its roots remain, growing deeper and getting a better foothold. That will cause bigger problems later on. Of course, we can completely remove the sin. But that is more work. It is messy.

It might leave an open spot for a while, where everyone can see something was wrong. However, it won’t easily come back.

Can you see where I’m going with this?

When my children were younger, I struggled with discontent. I had left a really fun career, and frankly, most folks thought I was crazy to leave. There I was, at home with my four children, keeping the house, caring for them, educating them. I knew what I was doing was important, but society sure didn’t think so. Sometimes, I would allow the roots of that discontent to stay. I would remove the visible leaves, putting on a happy face, trying to really get in to this homemaker gig. But when I did that, I just felt worse.

Like those hidden roots, that unhappiness would sit deep inside, coming out when I was up for the third time at night with a child or during a particularly long day of doing laundry.

How could I remove it? It would require work, and getting to the root of the problem. My issue wasn’t that I didn’t like being with my children. I liked it. But I had a need for the recognition that I had received when I was working. I needed to feel important. I wanted to do something that challenged my mind more.

Moms don’t usually get lots of recognition, do we?

Well, we think we don’t. But here is some:

Lo, children are a heritage of the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Ps. 127:3

She is clothed in strength and dignity. Prov. 31:25 Her children rise up and call her blessed;

    her husband also, and he praises her. Prov. 31:28

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,     but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.Give her of the fruit of her hands,     and let her works praise her in the gates. Prov. 31:30-31

I realized that my position was an honored one. One the LORD honors. And, now that my children are older, I have a perspective to see exactly how amazing that position has been. I AM truly fulfilled. It was the hardest, but the absolute best endeavor to be home with them as they grew. We have so many memories together. Our relationships are strong, too. And there are so many more blessings that come with this “occupation.”

That is why I’ve titled this blog Just EXTRAordinary. Yes, we are “just” moms. Yes, we work amidst the ordinary. But it is just that ordinary-ness, done each day, lovingly serving our families that makes us extraordinary. Sometimes we will struggle with feeling unfulfilled or whatever other issues come up. But if we go to God’s word to see what He has to say about our position, we will be encouraged. We will dig out those roots, sometimes with tears, sometimes by asking forgiveness, sometimes confessing to others. And often that will leave us messy for a bit.

But ALWAYS, that will provide a fresh start with a renewed spirit! Don’t put off that weeding; we all have to do it.

KNOW that your position is an extraordinary one, as given to you specifically by our awesome LORD!

A Fun Way to Write a Short Biography – and a FREE printable!

August 18, 2015

If you are like me, you have some students who really, really, really (really!) do not like to write. I always looked for ways to make writing at least a little bit more enjoyable, and this was one way that helped. Whenever we read about an individual, whether it was a missionary, a scientist, or even a lead character in a book, I tried to help my children summarize what they learned about this person. We did a biography “report,” but we did it in the form of a little craft.

Now don’t worry. This craft doesn’t require you to haul out the massive bins of craft supplies and sift through assorted sequins, pipe cleaners, and clay. This is an easy one. You just need a sheet of paper, colored or white, scissors, and a glue stick or tape.

You’re going to make a little “shirt” for your character, putting his or her head on it. Then all their information can be written inside.

Step 1

First, fold the paper in half, like the Step 1 picture.

Step 2

Then you need to make a cut for the collar. Begin the cut not quite an inch down from the folded side and cut in about 2 ¼ inches. Then cut down towards the open end of the paper (See Step 2 picture).

Steps 3 and 4

Now continue the horizontal cut another ¾ inch towards the middle. Do the same thing on the other side. You have created two flaps.

Fold each one in and down at an angle, letting them overlap each other. Now you have made a collar for your person (See Step 4).

Photocopy or print out an image of your person’s head. I used Isaac Newton, and I included his amazingly scientific curly hair! Make sure your head is sized about 4 inches in height.

Cut out around the head and neck. You may have to cut off the shoulders, just do a bit at a time until the head fits into the collar (Step 5).

Step 5

Next, glue or tape the head and collar pieces.

Have your child write the person’s name on the front. They can decorate the front with buttons, a placket, front pocket, apron, or anything that goes along with their person if they want, too (Step 6).

Steps 6 and 7

Now they can write key details on a separate sheet of paper, about 4 inches wide by 4 ½ inches in length. Then they can cut and paste that information inside the shirt they made (Step 7).

I included a template for you to download and use if you’d like.

Click here to download

When this is complete, your student has a little booklet they created, showing the major information about an important person.

It’s a creative and more enjoyable way to document what they are learning!

Why Is Homeschooling So Much Work?

August 11, 2015

As a new school year begins, most of us are excited. We have new curricula, shiny pens and pencils, matching notebooks and paper, and we cannot wait to start! But I always had in the back of my mind some hesitation. Kind of like when you wanted to dive into the pool when you were a kid, but you knew the water was cold. You knew the sudden blast of frigidness was going to be shocking. But you just had to jump in. That was the only way. That’s how I usually felt at the beginning of each school year. A little hesitant to dive in. I didn’t share it with anyone, because they all seemed so excited. And, really, I was too, but the excitement was always coupled with a little bit of dread.

What? How can I say that?

Well, I’m just being honest. I knew the upcoming year was going to be filled with, let’s face it, hard work. And I just couldn’t be absolutely, completely happy about that on the inside. But as I faced this feeling year after year, I began to realize a few things.

You see, a productive life is a messy one. As a farmer, if you have oxen that you are using on the farm, then you will have a messy barn, won’t you? There will be hay strewn throughout their stalls and, of course, the byproduct-of-eating-hay strewn all over, too. That means there will be more work to keep things in order. And it won’t ever really be completely clean, will it?

I used to sigh out loud and think to myself as I looked over my house, “Yep. We live in a barn.” And this was before I really understood this proverb. It seemed that no matter what cleaning plan I had or what chore schedule I made, we always had messes.

But take another look at the first part of that verse: “Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty…”

I would sometimes let my thoughts go this direction, “If I had no children, of course my house would be clean and ordered. Or at least if I didn’t homeschool them, I would have a few hours each day to stay on top of the clutter.”

But, of course, I really didn’t want that. I love my children. I LOVED watching them learn and grow at their pace and with loving and supportive encouragement. I knew that they were a gift from God, and we felt that God had called us to homeschool.

And it would be work. So it would be messy.

But let me just say that ANY productive life is messy. We were created to work for a purpose. Many people think that work was a curse that came with the fall of Adam and Eve. But think about it. They LIVED. IN. EDEN…a place where the ground was rich, and there was no disease. So the plants grew richly. Adam and Eve were instructed to tend that garden.

Tending was work. The fall introduced toil, sweat on our brow, weeds, and disease. But work was a part of who we were created to be.

It gives us purpose, productivity, dignity. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.

Working gives us great satisfaction. We have purpose and are productive. Of course, we then model that for our children…a good work ethic, working unto the Lord.

And mess will always be a part of that.

So as you begin your school year, smile a little when you see those little messes that pop up. Thank the Lord you have laundry to wash and food to feed your family. Be grateful for the work ahead of you. As our lives are filled with little ones who we are charged to raise, rejoice in the fact that our mangers are not empty and we are working for an abundant harvest.

Once you jump into that pool, after the initial shock you find that the water is refreshing and holds you up. Let’s focus on these things as this year begins!

Have an extraordinary day!

Sherri

How the “Lowly” Lichen Causes Problems for Evolutionary Theory

August 5, 2015

You’ve seen them in forests, parks, and perhaps even in your front yard. But you’ve probably never really looked at them. They are lichens – amazing creatures that have a fascinating story. You see, a lichen is not a single organism. It is composed of two creatures: a fungus and an alga. “Gross,” you say? Oh, no. These guys tell a captivating tale!

You see a fungus is an organism that has a sturdy protective coating. Think of a mushroom. Mushrooms are growths from fungi and have pretty tough exteriors. That means they can endure harsh conditions. A fungus can retain moisture when the environment is dry. It can withstand cooler temperatures, too. But fungi have to take in food from another source. They have to feed off of dying material, such as decaying tree trunks or leaves.

Now the type of algae living in a lichen is not too sturdy of an organism. It requires a narrower range of environmental conditions to survive. However, an alga (the singular for algae) can make its own food. It can photosynthesize, taking energy from the sun and using chemicals in the earth and the air, converting them to sugars.

Well, a lichen is composed of a fungus and an alga living together in what is called a symbiotic relationship. Symbiosis is a situation where two or more organisms live together and at least one benefits from the deal. There are actually three types of symbioses: parasitism, where one organism benefits and the other is harmed. (Most of us are familiar with the term, parasite, and we know we would not want one living in a symbiotic relationship with us because WE would be the one being harmed.) The second type of symbiosis is commensalism, where one partner benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed. The third type is mutualism, where both organisms benefit from living together. Now, there are literally thousands of examples of mutual symbioses in the world.

Symbiosis, especially mutualism, is a difficult phenomenon for scientists to explain via evolution.

Think about our lichen. It is not a single organism, but a symbiotic mutualistic relationship between an alga and a fungus. In a lichen relationship, the alga will photosynthesize and provide enough food for itself and for the fungus. Yes, it will share. In return, the fungus provides protection from the elements.

When these two organisms live together, they can actually live in places that neither one could endure alone. Lichen are often found growing on rocks, at very high altitudes, or in places that are too harsh for other organisms. This is because the fungus has its sturdy, chemically fortified cell walls that can withstand the elements, and the alga living inside can photosynthesize to produce enough food for the both of them. The alga gets a protected place to live, and the fungus gets a constant supply of food. This is mutualism. But is a special type of mutualism where these guys could not possibly live without the other one. Scientists call this situation Obligate Symbiosis. They are “obliged” to live together and cannot survive without one another.

In fact, these two organisms are so reliant on one another for survival, that when a lichen is ready to reproduce, it will make a special disapore (a lichen “egg”) that holds the spores of the fungal and the algal reproductive cells together!

That way, when the diaspore lands in a new location, the alga and the fungus can grow simultaneously so they will survive.

Now, think about mutualism from the view of an evolutionist. These guys had to have evolved into this living situation. Fossils similar to modern lichens have been found in rock that evolutionists date to the Devonian Age (supposedly 400 million years ago). So they have not changed in appearance in all of these years, and are considered to be simplified creatures, supposedly coming early in the evolutionary timeline.

Yet evolution is supposed to be a result of random mutations which will occasionally produce a trait that might be beneficial to help the organism better survive and pass this new trait on to the next generation. But for a lichen to be formed, a free-living fungus must have mutated to a form where it needed help to survive AT THE VERY SAME TIME as a free-living alga that mutated to a form where it needed help to survive. And they found each other at just the right moment, before the fungus died of starvation and the alga died of exposure, resulting in a new living situation that would be self-propagating!

So we would have to expect that the alga mutation and the fungus mutation had to occur at the same time in history and at the same location on the planet for them to find each other, too!

Because non-deadly mutations are so rare, to imagine the probability of two organisms with slightly detrimental mutations (instead of deadly, which is more common) to occur in their DNA simultaneously in history is absolutely improbable, and I would even say impossible. And to call this evolution is even more absurd. EVEN IF these guys mutated and happened to find a living solution before they died, this is not adding MORE information to the DNA of either organism. It is less information, resulting in a weaker organism. This is not an example of evolution as it is defined today, and it is a situation that is extremely difficult (if not impossible) to explain from that theory.

So when you take your next hike and notice some lichen growing on a rock or tree, think of their unique design. Remember their complex living situation and how they work together even to produce a dual spore so more lichen can grow. And give glory to our Creator for His amazing, creative design!

You Really ARE Teaching More STEM Education Than You Think

July 28, 2015

As home educators, we often look ahead to the long stretch of our children’s education and tentatively plan what it will look like. But for most families, there is a big gray splotch in the high school years they are afraid to think about. It has to do with teaching science and math.

Add to that fear a buzzword traveling around education circles: STEM requirements. What is STEM? Are we talking about a very loudly spoken part of a plant? Of course not. STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It involves a set of educational goals that many educators feel are necessary for the next generation to meet. And that acronym can be scary. Yet, even if a student does not want to become a rocket scientist or a brain surgeon, having a basic understanding of these fields will be extremely important as he or she enters the future workplace.

As an author and homeschool mom of 21 years, I have had opportunity to talk with many parents about the importance of teaching science to our children. After all, even if your student is not pursuing a career in science, having a basic understanding of anatomy and physiology is helpful when you are up at 2A.M. with a sick toddler, right? Well, I’m here to give you some encouragement while also inspiring you to look forward to these subjects as you educate your children, preparing them for the life God has for them as adults.

Let me first break down the STEM components for you. Science is a way of thinking, a way of asking questions and looking for answers to them. Technology is a tool, using the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, such as sharing of information and connectivity. Engineering is the application of these concepts, using them in real-world situations such as design and construction. Math is a means to take collected data, study it, and evaluate the results.

Looking at those four definitions you can see how at their core they are really just methods of studying the world around us in an orderly manner and applying that knowledge to benefit everyone. Well, that’s what we do in home education! We come alongside our children and study our world in an orderly way, whether it’s through literature, science, history, or math. Then we take that information and apply it to how we live our lives. You see, if we believe God created our world and desires us to know him, then by studying creation, we learn more about our creator. That’s our motivation!

This is something all of us should be doing, not just future theoretical physicists. As home educators, we need to realize that advanced math and science education isn’t just for those students who are enthusiastic about becoming doctors and architects. Everyone will benefit from a working knowledge in these fields.

I’m not saying all this because I have a background in science. I am here to tell you that YOU are scientists, too. When you take your toddler for a walk outside and he suddenly stops to look at a caterpillar on the sidewalk, do you whisk him away, saying, “That’s science. We don’t do that stuff.”?

Of course not. You marvel along with him at those amazing little legs and how they work in a coordinated manner to create movement. You are amazed at the coloration, allowing that small creature to perfectly blend in with its surroundings. You think, Hey, I should go to the library and borrow that sweet book about caterpillars so I can read it to my son.

Did you know that you are taking part in the ideals of STEM education when you are doing this? National education pundits say that it is important for parents to weave science into everyday experiences, because it becomes less mysterious and more a part of everyday life. You probably don’t have to make your children curious or excited about looking at how the world works. Children have a natural love for exploration. Our job as home educators is to encourage and foster that natural love.

STEM advocates are striving to prepare students to become lifelong learners, knowing how to access and analyze information. Because information today is rapidly growing and changing, the best prepared students will be those who can look at problems systematically, find cause and effect, determine creative solutions to those problems, and teach themselves about new material as it is necessary. Home educators already do this!

So as you prepare your students for middle school, high school, and beyond, don’t forget to include a solid education in STEM. If you’re uncomfortable doing that, look for co-ops in your area or other helps. Consider giving your kids opportunities to shadow people in STEM careers. Look for internships where they will see how the information they’re studying is being applied in real life. By coupling science and math instruction with problem solving and critical thinking skills, you will be preparing your children for the future.

So be encouraged, not daunted by the new emphasis on STEM education. Homeschooled students are showing themselves to be leaders with creative and organizational abilities. Focus on these skills as you discover together more about how our world is created, and you will be providing your students with the potential to succeed in a science career or any other direction the Lord takes them. Now is the best time for STEM!

What To Do When Homeschooling Is Over (Part 2)

July 21, 2015

In my last post HERE, I introduced some general ideas to begin thinking about what we moms will do once we have completed our homeschool journey. I remember for me, the realization that I had less than five years left was a huge wake-up call. I could count my remaining number of homeschooling years ON ONE HAND! And I knew that meant things would go quickly. What was I going to do with all that extra time?

Before we get into that, I want to encourage you to not wish away those last few years. Remember we want to finish well! We need to stay engaged with our students, helping them to navigate their way through the high school years and plan THEIR future as well. That should be a given.

I’m writing this series because I think we, as moms, tend to do that at the expense of forgetting what we will be doing when that last child closes the last book on the last day of class. Now what?

Well, if you have been keeping a list of activities you would like to do, it is time to revisit it. Many moms share with me that they are interested in a part time or full time job. But they are a bit concerned that a decade or two gap in their “career” might be a challenge to overcome.

The problem with that last sentence is what you call the time raising and educating your children. It is not a gap…you didn’t sit on the couch for the last 18+ years and stare at the wall. You were busy. And believe it or not, you were gaining skills.

Most homeschool moms I know are excellent at organizational skills. Some of us got it by default. In order for our household to SURVIVE, we had to have some semblance of organization. Add to that our ability to multitask. With two eyes, two arms, and two legs, we moms can keep one child busy with his math, another on task with her reading, have a load of clothes in the wash and another one in the dryer, dinner in the crock pot, and cleaning bathrooms and a short trip to the farmer’s market planned for the afternoon before nap time.

So, whether you are hoping to work or not, I want you to put together a skills resumeˊ for yourself. You see, you are so much more than “just a mom,” and I want you to see that. You have a great deal to offer.

Think about what you have been doing during the course of your children’s education. Have you been in charge of any co-op classes? Were you involved in any leadership of a homeschool group, field trip planning or science fair?

During the education of your children, was there a subject you suddenly fell in love with? I know for me, history became something I was fascinated learning. Regrettably, I had a poor history education when I was growing up, and I really didn’t like history because of that. But because I was required (literally forced) to teach this subject to my kids, I developed a new love for understanding the stories and accounts of people long ago. I could see the unfolding of God’s amazing plan throughout history as it opened up before our eyes. So now, I enjoy reading historical books in my free time!

Perhaps you have a new love for a subject, or you have enhanced an original love for one. Is there a desire to continue that education? Or do you love teaching others about it? Maybe you might want to start a co-op class of your own for other home school families. You may look into continuing education online or at a local college to get a certification or degree in one of these areas.

It boils down to this. The time you spent home educating your children was not wasted time when it comes to you and your life plan. You were using that time to the best of your abilities, training and raising your children to be productive young men and women. I think that is the best endeavor we, as moms, can do.

But the fringe benefit was that we gained so much through this process. We were exposed to ideas and information that round out who we are. We learned skills of planning, organizing, coordinating, communicating, and so many more.

So as your children enter their high school years, and your time becomes more and more available, embrace this transition process as a new adventure that lies ahead for you. Prayerfully consider what your practical options are. Do you need to work for financial reasons? Should it be full or part time? Or do you have absolutely no idea what you can do? For those looking for employment, consider your gained skills from your homeschool endeavors. Don’t look at that time as a gap away from practical work. And make sure prospective employers see that, too. Fill in your resume with activities, accomplishments, and leadership/organizational skills that you utilized.

If you are not looking for employment, consider what opportunities are around you. Are there areas within your church where you can engage? You are certainly skilled at teaching and training children. Maybe you can play a major part in organizing a Vacation Bible School each year. Perhaps you can begin a Bible study for young moms in order to encourage them. Look to the homeschool community, too. Can you be involved in your state or local organization? Can you offer a co-op class or two? Can you be a “guidance counselor” of sorts for younger moms who aren’t really sure where to begin?

If you have multiple children, often by the time you are done teaching your youngest, you will have older, married children, some even with children of their own. What a blessing!

You can use available time to bless and encourage your married children and grandchildren. That may be a time filler in itself! They will benefit from financial counsel, organizational counsel, spiritual counsel, and, of course, babysitting!

Believe me. You have much to offer! Over the last decade or two, you have been not only training your children, you have been building a unique skill set that God can use to bless and encourage others.

No, it was not a wasted gap within your career path. It was a valuable task…one of the best ones you could have done.

And when you are on the other side, you are equipped to do so much more. Activities that you could not have done if you didn’t experience the journey of homeschooling.

So be excited about the new season in your future. Spend time in prayer, looking forward to what else God has for you!

What To Do When Homeschooling Is Over

July 14, 2015

I know many of you taking a peek at this post are doing it with a bit of trepidation and guilt. After all, is it really OK to take some of our precious time away from our children and household and think of what we’re going to do with ourselves when this homeschooling journey is over? And, let’s face it, most days feel like it will NEVER be over.

Believe me, I have been right where you are. I have homeschooled our four children for 21 years. There were days when I wanted to just give up. There were times when I felt like I couldn’t go on. So why should I spend any energy on what I am going to do when the homeschooling years are done while I have so many more ahead of me?

Because you need an exit plan. And it is wise to think about it before you get to the END and don’t know what to do with yourself.

That’s right. You see, homeschooling is so intertwined in our home life that it is difficult to separate from everything else we do. We plan our house-keeping/laundry/grocery shopping around homeschooling. If you are like me, EVERY vacation becomes a field trip opportunity, too.

I can’t tell you how many times my children asked me, “Mom, can we PLEASE go to the beach just once without it becoming a field trip?”

And my unashamed answer was, “No (with a smile, of course).” That’s because there is so much to learn out there, and we as homeschool moms cannot help ourselves when learning opportunities are present. That is one of the awesome things about homeschooling!

Now, when our children grow older (and believe me, they will!), we have a goal of basically working ourselves out of a “job.” We aim to help them become independent in their learning skills. We train them to plan their days and weeks; we teach them how to gather information from texts and other sources; we let them build skills out there in the real world as they work at a part time job or in an internship.

And as they do these things, we are needed less and less. They are working and growing towards becoming independent young adults. That’s a good thing. But where does that leave Mom?

Well, I want to help you walk through several ideas as you approach the day YOU graduate from becoming a homeschool mom as your youngest child graduates from high school.

First, let’s think about the big picture. As I wrote earlier, your goal as teacher is to help your children become self-directed, independent learners. And that means you will slowly be giving them more and more responsibility over their studies. In the same way you taught them to dress themselves, they first learned to put on their pants and a shirt, maybe asking you for help with a button or a zipper. Then once they mastered that, they may only have needed you to tie their shoes (and maybe suggest a better choice of clothing options). But once they got that down, you were not needed at all. They took complete responsibility of dressing themselves, giving you more time to do other things.

And that’s the way it should be with their school work. As they go through high school, you become less and less of a teacher and more and more of an overseer or facilitator. They should slowly be taking on the planning of their school week. They may have some input in their curriculum choices and the types of subjects they are interested in. They dialogue with you more when it comes to making decisions about extracurricular activities, sports, and jobs.

So you will find yourself with more and more available time. This will be a gradual thing. Your days won’t look like they did when you had a first grader.

With this understanding of the possibility of gradual extra time, you can begin to brainstorm what you want to begin to do. I’m going to take this and one or two more posts to go over some helpful ideas.

First, understand that as you are given a bit more free time, you may not actually see it as time open to do whatever you want. During those teen years, you may be driving them around to co-op classes, work, babysitting, or sports activities. You may find your “extra” time is spent in the car or waiting at a coffee shop or zipping through the grocery store while your teen is doing something.

You may also be using that little bit of free time to catch up on things in the house that you might have put off for the last few years (or decades). That dresser that you were refinishing. That closet that likely contains remnants from the previous century. A file pile where items are filed according to how deep they are located within the pile. (I like to call that the fossil-record-filing method.)

So realize that as you might be getting a little more free time, it may be filled with recovery or getting to things that have been put on the back burner for a while.

But there WILL eventually be time to fill, and if you don’t have a plan, you can be sure that the extra time will be filled for you.

One of the things you can do right now as you look forward to your homeschool “retirement” is to begin to brainstorm about activities you would do if you had free time right now. When that alarm clock goes off tomorrow morning, what goes through your mind? Think to yourself, If I didn’t have homeschool or mother responsibilities, what would I do today?

Would you start a large garden? Would you look for a job at a bookstore? (Face it. Most of us homeschool moms become die-hard book lovers!). Does the idea of regular workouts make you excited? How about going to school for a degree or certification in an area that fascinates you?

Write these ideas down as you get them. You may be wishing you could be more involved in a ladies’ ministry at your church or you like the idea of having a full or part time job. You may want to bring a little more income to make household finances easier. These are just ideas. They are not things you are required to complete once you get to that point.

But they give you a glimpse of where your needs are and your passions may lie. They may be just ideas that point you in a completely different place, too. We’ll talk about that more later.

I know that you may want to do absolutely NOTHING once this journey is over, but realize we are designed to have occupation. It is fulfilling, because we are designed for work. You may take a few weeks or months off once your last child graduates, but, just like a person retiring from a job: once the newness of doing nothing wears off, boredom replaces it. And if you don’t have a bit of a plan, you may find yourself swept into something that is not as fulfilling.

With a little preparation, prayer, and patience, you can plan ahead so that your transition to homeschool teacher graduate is a smooth and fulfilling one.

Next time, we’ll talk about more specific things you can do to narrow down your ideas and plan with a purpose.