The Homeschool Minute ~ Who Wants to Get Organized?

Who wants to get organized? I think the answer is EVERYONE! Just not me–today. How do I get out of this slump? I’ve lost the enthusiasm I had at the beginning of the year. Looking back, the times I’ve lost my joy are the times that I’ve been worn out physically, or the house is talking to me, or I lack spiritual nutrition.

First the nagging: get it out of your brain and write it down. Delegate. Take an organization day every two weeks, or take an hour a day. Are your children unruly? A little bit of consistent, intentional training (not yelling or nagging) goes a long way towards peace.

What really gets me down is when I’ve lost my perspective. I regain it in three things: Path, Presence, Pleasures

1. You will show me the path of life: Nothing and no one is able to show me the path for my life or for the lives of those around me except God. I can research, talk to friends, purchase the right curriculum, but it is God alone who is able to show us His path and how to walk it out. If I am weary, I may have begun to walk my own path.
2. In Your presence is fullness of joy: Nothing else and no one else can bring me joy. I will only find it in One thing: the presence of the Lord. I can look for joy in material wealth, or physical healing or close relationships. I may hope for joy in dreams fulfilled or in the lack of chaos. Joy is found in His presence. It’s not about the things in this life that have to come to me in order to bring joy. It’s not about the things in this life that have to leave me in order to have joy. It’s all about me in the presence of God and the presence of God in me!
3. At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore: I tend to seek pleasure away from God. I am prone to wander and look to earthly things or people. I think I will find pleasure in time to myself and by myself. Pleasure is found at the right hand of God. A wandering heart will only find pain and loneliness and confusion. Wander right back to Him. We can sit in the heavenly places with Christ even if we are on this dirty earth as we fix our hearts, souls and minds on Him; He is our pleasure.

When we dwell in the presence of God, we hear Him whisper His direction for life; we find our dreams and pleasures fulfilled, and we experience the fullness of joy! There’s no place I would rather be, and I will bring my children there with me as I keep them Home Where They Belong.

~Deborah

P.S. The beautiful 2016 Print Annual Edition of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is hot off the presses! Get yourself a copy now–only $17 until February 1st. (Price goes back to $25 after Feb. 1.) It’s our “Big Book”–a “How To Homeschool” manual for all methods, styles, and levels. You’ll love it!

Show of hands–how many of us resolved, committed, re-dedicated, and purposed to get organized this year? Researchers say that “Getting Organized” is the No. 2 resolution (right behind “Lose Weight”), so don’t feel bad–or special–if it’s high on your list.* Here are a few tips we’ve found–

Different lives need different tools.  They’re like clothes–you can find a lot of things to cover the immediate need, but try on a few to find what’s comfortable and fits your style. A great system for me might be totally unworkable for you.

Do you like pen and paper? I used a pre-printed notebook planner when I worked in manufacturing, but when we started our own business, I wanted a less-expensive system. You can create and print your own notebook planner with many different planning forms on the Do-It-Yourself Planner website–

http://www.diyplanner.com/docs.

Here’s a simple lesson planner that Melanie has used for years–
CLICK HERE to download!

Even cheaper: I finally switched to spiral-bound 6×9-inch steno notebooks–you can usually find them for $1 at discount stores. They’re small enough to be portable and big enough not to lose! I keep to-do lists separate from notes and memos and tear them out when I’m done.

TIP: Put dates on pages now and then, and when the notebook is full, write a table of contents in the front cover for future reference.

Our family runs on Google Calendar. When our second son entered high school, we overloaded our memory trying to keep track of everybody’s classes, rehearsals, meetings, and appointments. Google Calendar is easy to use, always available online, and easy to share with everyone in the family. Plus it will send you reminders if you like!

Do you share projects as a family? We use a neat online tool called Trello (www.trello.com). It’s basically a virtual bulletin board full of index cards with tasks and projects on them. Create three columns, “TO DO,” “DOING,” and “DONE,” and as you pick up a task, like ”
Run errands uptown,” you can just drag the card from the “DO” column to the “DOING.” When you’re finished, move it to “DONE.” This is a great way to keep track of what everybody’s [supposed to be] doing, like an “IN / OUT” board in a busy office, and to keep tabs on multi-step projects with several people working on them!

Start again as often as needed. Scripture and experience say that we often stumble. If you get behind on your system, don’t get discouraged–just pick it up and keep going! And if it doesn’t work for you, try something else. You control your calendar, and you can declare your new New Year’s resolution every month if you like!

In Christ,

Hal

If one of your resolutions is “Strengthen My Marriage,” check out our book My Beloved and My Friend: How To Be Married To Your Best Friend Without Changing Spouses. It’s funny, conversational, challenging, and Biblical. Use discount code thm120 and get free shipping on the book or audiobook – and there are downloadable versions, too–
https://www.raisingrealmen.com/product/mybelovedandmyfriend/

* Statistic Brain Research Institute, link (http://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/)

From: YWAM Publishing

As parents, all of us wish to point to worthy heroes as examples to our children. Sadly, our culture seldom promotes those values and character qualities that one can pronounce as “heroic.” If this has been a concern in your heart you will undoubtedly find the Schoolhouse Crew’s newest review encouraging.

YWAM Publishing is a company that desires to provide quality literature that promotes prayer, discipleship, evangelism and mercy ministries. Their books introduce us to men and women that have been heroes throughout history. Rather than list facts and events, YWAM Publishing’s team of authors have enveloped their readers in the true character and sacrifice of their subjects.

The Crew had the privilege of reviewing books from two series of the YWAM catalog. The Heroes of History Series feature political figures such as Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and Ronald Reagan. The Christian Heroes: Then & Now Series of books focuses on those men and women who have devoted their lives to answer God’s call. Missionaries like Amy Carmichael and Jim Elliot are featured.

Read how the Crew used these in their homeschools!

TO ENTER: Email  Heather (hmader@thehomeschoolmagazine.com) with your name, mailing address, and phone number for contact purposes, with the subject line, “John Adams Set” for a chance to win* it for your family!