Alone with God (surrounded by kids)
January 15, 2020
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Gena Suarez
His Mercies are New
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Hal & Melanie Young
Here a Bible, There a Bible
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Diane Heeney
The Still, Small Voice Amid the Chaos
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Steve & Annette Economides
More Fun, Frugal, and FREE
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His Mercies are New
Hey Mama,
New year . . . new week . . . new mercies.
As you know, His mercies are actually made new every MORNING. And it is morning in my part of the world right now.
Take a moment to let your mind rest on the Lord:
-The One Who called you.
-The One Who loves you.
-The One Who set you on this path to educate these children at home for a PURPOSE.
He has a PLAN for you and your children’s lives. And it’s easy to fall into negative thinking when we are in a season of pain or confusion, when the kids are not listening, or when a problem rises and will not go away. It seems like it will take forever to get through the trial. But that is false. It will pass. All things shall pass away . . . except the LORD and His saints.
So when you feel like you just don't know where to turn or how to get a little time alone with God, read these articles from others in the trenches at
The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine.
And remember, Mama. . .
He has a BLUEPRINT for this day, for YOU. Did you know that? Ask Him what it is. Lord, what do I do first today? How can I glorify You? Set my feet, please Lord, on the path that gets me closest to You and Your plans for us. Create in my children’s hearts pure JOY and a lightness of spirit, a willingness to listen and to be instructed. And place in my own heart, Oh, Lord, that same willingness.
May God be glorified throughout this BEAUTIFUL DAY, full of NEW MERCIES. Mercy for me, mercy for my children, and for my household. And Lord, give me that same soft merciful and compassionate heart towards a hurting and dying world. Open up opportunities to share Your Word, to be a LIGHT, and to do Your work while I still have breath. This life is just a TEST. And I long to be found faithful to the end.
Mama, His hand is on your head today. But you knew that already. You know who you are in Christ. Even when you are in your worst moment and temporarily feel too upset to care, He will not leave you. Get back up, dust off, look up. He is willing to direct your steps, as always. Just the same way you are always there and AVAILABLE and WILLING to guide your own children—no matter what!
Walk in confidence because your Father is the King. That makes you a princess, Mama.
- gena
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Here a Bible, There a Bible
Just this evening, I was talking to a young mom who shared that one of the things she struggles the most with is finding time in the Word. It’s hard to feed your children spiritually if you aren’t being fed yourself. Our conversation reminded me of when our children were little.
I was pregnant with our fourth. The rest were eight and under. I was so tired and so frustrated. I couldn’t remember to have devotions. When I did remember, it was a time I
couldn’t do it—in the middle of bathing a child or cooking dinner or while we were driving on errands. I
knew I needed to spend time in the Word, but it seemed impossible.
That was what I was thinking while I was trudging up the stairs—big, pregnant, with my youngest on my hip. I cried out to God, “If You’ll just remind me to have devotions at a time I can actually do it, I won’t say no!” I have said no sometimes, I am ashamed to say, but the Lord has been gracious to continually remind me to spend time with Him, usually as soon as I open my eyes.
That was over twenty years ago, but I still need to spend time in the Word. My days are entirely different when I have my quiet times versus when I skip. If you’re feeling overwhelmed in the chaos, seek peace in the only place it can be found—Jesus Christ. He died to pay the penalty for our sin. When we repent and believe, He forgives us, and listen—we are His precious children. He loves us like we love our kids, but He loves perfectly!
Mama, He sees. He knows. He won’t leave you alone or forsake you. Isaiah 41:10 says,
“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
So, how do you get time in the Word? Put a Bible everywhere you might need it—by your nursing chair, where you do school, in the car, in the bathroom (yes!). Get a Bible app on your phone. Read the Word aloud to your kids. Listen to it on audiobook. The
Blue Letter Bible app will read a passage aloud to you. You need it. You need it so much. I know because I do, too.
Here’s a free download of a workshop I think will encourage you if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click
here.
Your friend,
Melanie (Hal is busy packing shipments tonight!)
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The Still, Small Voice Amid the Chaos
It didn’t take me long as a young mom to realize that the “dark thirty” quiet times I used to enjoy as a single gal were not a realistic aspiration with a baby in the house. Early on, there were late night feedings. In the toddler years, I was spent by supper time, just chasing children around the house. Even in my later years, we now have a child with health needs requiring lots of late-night vigils. I am perpetually tired!
Susanna Wesley was known to toss her apron over her head (in a busy household with 11 children!) while sitting in her chair—that was the indicator to her children that she was having her quiet time and was not to be disturbed. Here is the practical conclusion I came to: tithe your time.
We’ve all heard the sermon illustrations about how a soldier doesn’t put on his armor before he goes to sleep at night . . . he puts it on at the beginning of the day so he is ready to do battle. I appreciate that. But I’ve seen the wisdom of seeking out the best part of my day, when I am most focused and rested, and when I’m most likely not to have a ton of interruptions. That’s the tithe of my time. The best portion of that 24 hours.
Then choose a simple, doable approach for your study and prayer time. What keeps me most focused during prayer is to have a list and pray out loud if possible. Very difficult for the mind to wander that way! For reading, I like something that keeps me on schedule, whether it is using a Bible with the readings already divided up, or a printed list to check off, or an app or website that sends me my daily reading. As educators we know that the more senses we stimulate, the better the information will “stick” . . . so journaling and study books can help.
Finally, if your study time gets derailed, don’t despair. God isn’t gauging your level of devotion with a stopwatch in His hand. He looks on the heart. Do what you can to make yourself mindful of His presence throughout the day. Small notes with meaningful quotes and scripture in prominent places in the house can be enough to refocus the mind.
A senior saint once told me that he sometimes would read several chapters in his Bible, sometimes a portion of a chapter, sometimes even just a phrase. His goal was to meditate on what he read. To truly meet with the Lord. To ruminate on the truth throughout the day . . . chewing that “cud” to get every possible nutrient out of it before our head hits the pillow at night. That’s wise advice. It has blessed me for over 25 years. I pass it on to you. No apron required.
Diane Heeney
is a graduate of Bob Jones University, where she served on faculty for ten years. She has been Assistant to the Director of Advertisng Sales at The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine since 2016. She’s homeschooled her three children over the course of the past 18 years, having graduated their two oldest. Diane, her husband Patrick, and their youngest child, Katie, reside in eastern Wyoming.
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Spring will soon be here! It is time to
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MoneySmart Family: Making Frugal Fun!
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More Fun, Frugal, and FREE
Whether you need them for church, homeschool, or for any other reason, this list is full of options for getting free or inexpensive copies made.
Whether you’ve got kids in high school or college, this list of ways to get FREE money for college will be a huge help. Four of our five kids were able to go to college and graduate debt-free by using resources in this article.
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Want more FREE resources? Sign up for our
FREE e-mail newsletter. We send out two email messages each month full of money-saving and time-saving tips to help you build wealth.
Steve & Annette Economides are New York Times Best Selling authors, homeschool parents of five grown children, and family finance experts. They are passionate about living the frugal lifestyle and sharing the fun and freedom they’ve experienced. They have authored three books: America’s Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money; Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half; The MoneySmart Family System—Teaching Financial Independence to Children of Every Age.
Steve & Annette’s enthusiasm about household finances has earned them appearances on Good Morning America, Today Show, Dr. Phil, CNN, Fox News, 20/20, Nightline, Yahoo Finance, People Magazine, and more.
MoneySmart Family is produced by
Economiser Publications, LLC
. This company is not owned by The Old Schoolhouse, LLC (TOS), and TOS is not responsible for the content produced by MoneySmart Family. TOS may not approve of or endorse all content, resources, and other companies promoted by MoneySmart Family in its columns. The views and opinions expressed in this column or newsletter are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of TOS on any subject matter. The financial advice and recommendations promoted by MoneySmart Family are not a substitute for expert financial advice. You should consult a qualified financial adviser for financial guidance tailored to your individual needs.
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Did you know?
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Sometimes it’s hard to get time with the Lord when you’re with kids 24/7. SchoolhouseTeachers.com has got you covered. We offer Joy in the Morning to get you started on the right foot every day. We also have Encouragement for Moms, a series of devotions specifically written for homeschooling moms and the challenges we face.
SchoolhouseTeachers.com isn’t just for the kids; it’s for moms and dads as well. Let us come alongside you!
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in the latest issue of
The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine.
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Congratulations to Bonita Timmons from Fort Worth, Texas, who won our November Contest Corner giveaway!
Contest Corner
for the month of January
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The Sumikkogurashi™ Writing + Plush Set is a cute six piece set that children will go crazy over.
My daughter was so excited when it came in the mail. The scissors are made for small hands. They have a cute rubber safety cap that has five of the Sumikkogurashi™ characters stacked upon one another. The pencil pouch is big enough to hold a fair amount of supplies, in addition to the supplies in the set. The spiral notebook has 50 sheets of paper. The outside cover, both front and back, are made of a bendable plastic and decorated with an adorable Sumikkoruashi™ design. Both the pen and mechanical pencil have a silicone grip. The vinyl pencil pouch has a cute zipper pull that is made from stackable Sumikkoruashi™ characters.
My daughter has really enjoyed the set. She really loved the plush as it is incredibly soft and squishable. She has loved using the notebook and pen/pencil set. This set has been perfect for in the car, appointments, and at home fun. Who is Sumikkogurashi™? I found this a fun and interesting tidbit of information about these cute little plush creatures.
“
Sumikkogurashi are the characters living a quiet and solitary life in the corner. They might be able to settle down when they’re in the corners, but they don’t like being in the center of the room. When they’re taken to the center of the room, they always rush back to the corner.”
This is a shortened review of
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so go on over to our site to
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ALSO visit this other excellent page of our site where you can
ENTER THE CONTEST
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Florida
Look What’s Happening!
Florida Parent Educators Association is hosting the
2020 FPEA Homeschool Convention on May 21-23 in Orlando, Florida.
Register now or contact
[email protected] for more information.
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Florida
Look What’s Happening!
FPEA with The Hip Homeschool Moms is planning a
Spies Wanted for Washington, D.C. Mission on April 26-30, 2020 in Washington, D.C.
Register now for a homeschool trip to remember! Contact
[email protected] for more details.
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