A fun update on our homeschool year! I share what we're up to, what we're loving, and what we're learning.

Resources:

NHC Podcast: Homeschooling with Toddlers and Babies

Gather Round Homeschool

NHC YouTube: The Good and The Beautiful Math

Geography from A to Z: A Picture Dictionary by Jack Knowlton

Fix It! Grammar from IEW

Amy Carmichael by Janet & Geoff Benge

NHC YouTube: Gather Round Homeschool

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A question I get often is, "How do you know what to read?" In a world where there are millions of books, how does one sift through it all? There are so many books and so little time! 

In Educating the Wholehearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson, they give a list of qualities to look for in a good book. I share this list and talk you though it. I hope this will help us all find the best literature choices. 

Resources Referenced:

Educating the Wholehearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson

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Simeon and I just celebrated our 10th anniversary! We have had the sweetest time reflecting on the past decade and all that God has done in our lives together. 

On this episode, Sim joins me to share some memories of our early days, as well as things we've learned about marriage. 

We share...

-Things We've Done Well

-Things We Want To Do Better In

-Thoughts on Marriage Growth

-Best Marriage Advice We've Received

Resources Referenced:

NHC Podcast: What Does It Mean to Cherish Your Spouse?

NHC Podcast: Episode 2- Our Love Story

Cherish by Gary Thomas

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Kara Rodgers joins me to share her family's story with trusting their children to God. Jordan and Kara have five children, and their oldest has non-verbal autism. In recent days, God has opened amazing doors for their son that has allowed him to communicate and share what God is doing in his mind and life.

You WILL be encouraged as you listen to their story! Maybe this will speak to your heart as you navigate challenges of having a child with special needs. Maybe that is not something you face, but this will help you know how to encouarge friends who walk this road.

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Join me for a deep dive into research surrounding the debate between whether manuscript or cursive should be a child's first handwriting instruction.

We discuss...

-Is handwriting instruction important?

-Progressive education's introduction of the print "ball and stick" method

-Development of early motor skills

-Contrasting the differences between cursive and manuscript

Resources Referenced:

The Good and The Beautiful Handwriting 

Pencil Gripper

Montessori Sand Tray for handwriting

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Scripture only records two sentences that Job's wife says. They are words of condemnation towards her husband and bitterness towards God. What a legacy to leave behind!

While we can feel deep empathy for Job and his wife at all they lost, they handle their trial in very different ways. We can glean wisdom from their example that will strengthen our marriages as we walk through grief and loss.

Scriptures Referenced:

Job 1; 2:1-10; 42:10-13

Proverbs 14:1

Resources:

Undesirable Couples of the Bible Study 

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"Is there an ideal 'house' for homeschooling? Yes! It's yours- the one you have right now. The key to a great homeschooling house is to use the house you have to its fullest." -Julie Bogart, The Brave Learner

For the homeschool mom, there can be pressure to cultivate a "perfect homeschool environment." What does that look like? Is it recreating what we see on social media? What happens when we don't have the resources, rooms, funds, etc to make it happen? Do we have to settle for a "less than" education for our children?

In this episode, we discuss the most important aspects of a homeschool environment. A loving and contented mother who is using the resources she has to the fullest will surpass any Insta-worthy classroom you might see. 

You will be challenged to find satisfaction in what you have while being creative to make the space you desire with the resources you have.

Resources:

The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart

Educating the Wholehearted Child by Clay & Sally Clarkson 

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Hear what books I've been reading this quarter!

1. Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef 

2. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis

3. When Your Child is 6 to 12 by John M. Drescher

4. Really Very Crunchy by Emily Morrow

5. How Can I Feel Productive as a Mom? by Esther Engelsma

6. Be Your Child's Pediatrician by Rachel Weaver

7. A Lifelong Love by Gary Thomas

8. Mind the Gap by Terrie Chappell

9. Heartfelt Hospitality by Terrie Chappell

10. The Railway Children by E. Nesbit

11. Calculated by Nova McBee

Resources Referenced:

NHC Blog: 2024 Reading Challenge (Quarter 2)

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1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage. That statistic is staggering, even more so when you become the one. When we believe that life begins at the moment of conception, the loss of a baby at any week gestation is a deep grief. A person has died. A person that a mother and a father have fallen in love with.

More and more, we are hearing from the mothers. They are opening up on what has previously been termed as a "silent grief." But we do not hear from fathers much. The truth is, though mother and father might grieve differently, the loss is deeply felt by both.

Simeon joins me in this episode to share his heart, a father's heart on miscarriage. In June of 2021, our baby Victory went to heaven. Though the sorrow was great, God's comfort and peace are greater still! This episode will be encouraging and helpful to men who also walk this road, or those who seek to help others navigate this grief.

Scriptures Referenced:

Isaiah 25:8

John 11:35-44

Romans 12:15

I Corinthains 15:54

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"God's call to you is not to get things done but to use time well. God's will for you is not to get things dome but to grow in sanctification. God's purpose in creating you is not to get things done but to glorify Him." -Esther Engelsma

I recently read the booklet, How Can I Feel Productive as a Mom? by Esther Engelsma. My heart was so challenged! She looks at productivity and motherhood through the perspective of eternity. There are many demands of motherhood, and we often struggle to prioritize well. Sometimes, we get much done but we missed the things that are the most important. 

In this episode, I share my takeaways from this helpful booklet. I pray it will encourage you as much as it has me!

Scriptures Referenced:

John 10:10

Philippians 2:7

Resourced Referenced:

How Can I Feel Productive as a Mom? by Esther Engelsma

Trusting Christ When Your Hands Are Full by Gloria Furman

NHC Podcast: Mundane Moments or Moments of Worship?

Faithful and Flourishing E-Guide

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