Training Good Stewards
October 28, 2020
In This Issue:
Mercy Every Minute  
Stewardship Is More Than Money

Whether it’s our time or our money or our children’s education, we are in charge of its wise stewardship. But I’d really like to take out the word, “our” from that sentence. None of it is actually ours. We have been given time, money, resources, and children by our God for this short dash on earth. We are really stewarding these things for Him and in His wisdom.

Time
We should be trying to redeem our little bits of time the same way we hole away little bits of cash. We need to do what is wise with it and not waste it away! We have very little of this precious resource of time; so we need to work just as hard to make our time stretch like our pennies. We need to plan our days and our extra minutes with wisdom in mind. If we have extra minutes, do we waste them on what is not wisdom? If our children (students) will become like their teachers (Luke 6:40) then we need to be modeling good stewardship in all areas, especially this one! 

“Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).

Money
To manage the money God gives us, we make categories of spending and give a set amount to that category, that way we make wise choices and can keep track of it easily. Being accountable, we are not tempted to spend on impulse. 

For home education, many spend very little money on their homeschool curriculum, and there are those who spend thousands each year. No matter what budget you have, even if nothing, homeschooling is possible. A Bible, a library card, and you are set. Pray over each child and ask God what they need. He is a good provider; I have heard countless stories of God’s provision. 

Self Stewardship
What about me? In order to be the busy mother of many, I must make my first priority a heart turned to the Lord. The busier I am, the more time I need with Him. When I give Him what little I have first, He gives strength for what’s next. When I have nothing to offer, He creates what is needed for those around me. May we not only budget our time and money, may we steward our walk with God as we make every minute count by seeking Him in each one and staying grounded in His Word. 

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding” (Proverbs 4:7).

Discipleship
You don’t need to pour more money into education to achieve a better outcome. It’s not about the money, it’s about the environment of home discipleship that makes it successful: parents investing their time, talents, and treasures into their children as they teach them about God and His ways. 

No matter what the cost, home discipleship will be the best investment you’ve ever made. If you are still deciding what to do with your children this next year, don’t worry about the time or the expense, worry about your children, and bring them Home. Where They Belong. 

~Deborah

P.S. Have you had a chance to read the Fall 2020 magazine yet? What was your favorite article, ad, or resource guide? I’d love to hear from you! senioreditor@theoldschoolhouse.com 

Piggy Bank Principles by Gabriella Smith
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Defining a “Good” Steward

This is an interesting topic to me. I'm not sure what is meant by “good stewards,” but I assume training them must mean they are OUR kids. The training part I get and is pretty straight forward because the best way to train is to “do” by example.

So if you want your kids to obey the law, you have to obey the laws (all of them).
If you want your kids to work hard, you have to work hard.
If you want your kids to be respectful to others, you have to be respectful to others.
If you want your kids to be kind, you have to be kind.
If you want your kids to grow up to love their spouse, you have to love your spouse right now.
If you want your kids to ask for forgiveness, you have to ask for forgiveness.
If you want your kids to love God, you have to love God.
If you want your kids to lead a selfless life, you have to be selfless.
If you want your kids to smile, you have to smile!!!!
If you want your kids to be good stewards (of the earth, their time, and their resources), you have to be a good steward as well.

I know when I think for a moment of what kind of example I'm setting in the way I “steward” the earth, my time, and resources . . . I get a pit in my stomach. If you do, too, that pit may be telling you something. It may mean that you need to be a little more intentional with your LIFE now because you're training your children for the future.

Be real,
Todd

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Front Row Seat to Stewardship Training

By the time your child reaches adulthood, he will be in charge of his life. A frightening thought indeed! This is especially terrifying when I consider that I must continually ask my eight-year-old boy to feed the dog or pick up after himself for the umpteenth time. On top of that notion, good stewardship has an endless to-do list. God has asked us to be good stewards of money, home life, church life, community life, possessions, talents, and the whole earth. We want our children to hear their Creator’s affirmation, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” 

How will my children become good stewards without my constant verbal reminders, stern looks, or occasional raised voice that happens on my need-to-repent days? The end goal of parenthood is to write myself out of a job. The steps to achieve that goal can be daunting at best and tiring for sure. Establishing the habit of good stewardship takes earnest effort.

Motivational charts and my personal favorite, my lectures, sadly give temporary results. Both can offer a good starting place for training; however, lasting personal responsibility rarely sticks without an internal change of heart. 

So how do we train our children to be life-long learners to fulfill their God-given calling to be a good steward? We need to switch our mindset.

Here’s what I can’t neglect; I’m in stewardship training, too! I can always become a better steward. That fact, my homeschool comrade, is the secret to your child becoming a good steward. 

Be real with your kids, my friend. What area of stewardship needs a tune-up or an overhaul in your life? We moms and dads haven’t arrived. Becoming a better steward is an ongoing transformation. 

Invite your kiddos to watch you engage in the struggle of re-prioritizing and adopting a new habit that will make you a better steward. Ask for prayer when you falter or need wisdom. Let them see your remorse without excuses when you fail. Do some happy dances around the living room when God allows you to taste sweet success! Real-life lived by mom or dad never gets forgotten and inspires more than a sticker on a chart. 

Motivational charts, incentives, and family talks are great starting places to help your child identify the area of stewardship that needs growth but learning to be a successful steward lies in giving your child a front-row seat to your struggle to become a good steward like Jesus.

You can find Beth Mora jogging while singing off-key near her home in Washington. She is the creator and teacher-on-camera for Here to Help Learning's Homeschool Writing Program for grades 1-6. She is a welcomed speaker at homeschool conferences and women's events. She loves blogging at Home to Home, and Peak Performance, HTHL's blogs for moms and homeschool businesses. Every week, she serves up HTHL's Writing Tip of the Week for those who are serious about teaching their kiddos how to write. Everything she does, whether laughable or heart gripping, is done to honor One, without apology. God's grace is the salve that has healed her own life, and God's grace is what she offers liberally to others.
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Getting enough healthy fats is important for growth and development. You need to eat them to help your brain and nervous system develop normally, besides supplying fuel for the body. For example an avocado (which is a healthy fat) is not only a delicious, creamy fat that we can make into guacamole or put on top of our tacos, it is considered to be one of the most powerful super-foods on our planet! 

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Trim Healthy Mama is produced by Trim Healthy Mama LLC. This company is not owned by The Old Schoolhouse, LLC (TOS), and TOS is not responsible for the content produced by Trim Healthy Mama. TOS may not approve of or endorse all content, resources, and other companies promoted by Trim Healthy Mama 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 nutritional, health, and exercise advice and recommendations promoted by Trim Healthy Mama are not a substitute for medical advice. You should consult qualified health professionals for health, nutritional, and exercise guidance tailored to your individual needs. 
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