During the Christmas season, my church embarked on a radical journey. The sermon series was called “What Child is This?”, and focused on the heinous acts of human trafficking.
We partnered with an amazing organization, International Justice Mission, and sent our entire offering from the Sunday before Christmas and Christmas Eve to help free those in slavery.
Recently, a friend of mine shared an incident he encountered during the holidays. He saw a church member out, and he commented that he hadn’t seen them lately. The man said they haven’t been coming to church because the sermon series was too depressing.
Wow. That response has gnawed at me ever since it reached my heart.
Depressing? Sure, it wasn’t your typical “Jesus was born to save us all, so let’s sing ‘Joy to the World’ and feel warm and fuzzy inside” sermon.
Yes, it’s depressing to think that there are perhaps thousands of little ten-year-old girls forced to live in a brothel and do unspeakable things with an unimaginable amount of men. Every. Single. Day.
Yes, it’s depressing to know that there are countless six-year-old little boys ripped from their homes and forced to haul heavy bricks every day. All. Day. Long.
Yes, it’s depressing to be aware of the entire families living within the confines of barbed wire fences, abused and forced to work in rice mills. Every. Waking. Moment.
However, there is one thing more depressing than each of these scenarios, and the many others not mentioned. It’s the thought that so many people, who claim to follow Christ and His teachings, choose to turn their backs on these people. Simply because they don’t want to be depressed.
Call me crazy, but I’d much rather be depressed and do something, than be joyful and useless.
A unique skill to have is the ability to communicate articulately in a variety of ways with the widest possible audience. This includes bilingual ability as well as the ability to communicate in non-verbal ways for the benefit of the disabled – primarily the deaf.
At the same time, a growing shortage of qualified interpreters fluent in American Sign Language has led to more career opportunities. So whether you’re using it as a way to expand your job opportunities or to learn something new, it’s something that is best learned at a young age.
Signing Before They Can Speak
A great deal of research has clearly demonstrated that the early years of ages 2 to 5 are the best time to educate children in different modes of communication and language. This includes going beyond the spoken word, many young children have an aptitude for signing as well. This can be taught at home or some child care programs incorporate it into their curriculum.
Many indigenous peoples around the world, including American Indian nations, have used sign language for centuries to facilitate communication with other tribes with whom they do not share a language. In fact, recent research suggests that sign language is innate.
An article published in the Boulder Daily Camera in 2003 presented strong evidence that babies as young as six months old communicate with their hands:
“…by 6 to 7 months, babies can remember a sign. At eight months, children
can begin to imitate gestures and sign single words. By 24 months, children
can sign compound words and full sentences. They say sign language reduces
frustration in young children by giving them a means to express themselves
before they know how to talk.” (Glarion, 2003)
Another study, funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, shows that young children who are taught sign language at an early age actually develop better verbal skills as they get older. The ability to sign has also helped parents in communicating with autistic children; one parent reports that “using sign language allowed her to communicate with her [autistic] son and minimized his frustration…[he now] has an advanced vocabulary and excels in math, spelling and music” (Glarion, 2003).
The Best Time To Start
Not only does early childhood education in signing give pre-verbal youngsters a way to communicate, it can also strengthen the parent-child bond – in addition to giving children a solid foundation for learning a skill that will serve them well in the future. The evidence suggests that the best time to start learning ASL is before a child can even walk – and the implications for facilitating the parent-child relationship are amazing.
Co-written by Emily Patterson and Kathleen Thomas
Emily and Kathleen are Communications Coordinators for the Austin child care facility, a member of the AdvancED® accredited family of Primrose Schools (located in 16 states throughout the U.S.) and part of the network of child care preschools delivering progressive, early childhood, Balanced Learning® curriculum.
Dear Peyton and Madden,
One thing I’ve noticed during our years of homeschooling, is how well you two get along. Yes, there is the occasional tiff – and sometimes it’s not so occasional. However, mostly you play exceptionally well together. There are also times when you might be arguing one minute, then sticking up for one another the next. I really love that.
Sisters have a special bond. Yes, I know there are exceptions in every family – thankfully, not mine. As I think about how glad I am you have each other, I want you to also know my hope for you.
Here’s what I want for you as sisters:
1. Always have each others’ backs. You may be the only one doing so at the time.
2. Be nice to one another – whether you’re alone, or around other people. It’s important.
3. Choose your words carefully. Hurtful words spoken carelessly can last a long time – sometimes forever.
4. Be each others’ biggest fans. It won’t matter who else is cheering.
5. Tell each other secrets, and keep them.
6. Always say “I love you” – and mean it.
Wow. It’s barely August, and I’m actually prepared. For the first time in my six years of schooling at home, I know exactly what we’re doing and have most of what I need.
I should be really excited, and proud of my diligence in being organized early for once. Maybe I am, just a little. However, the excitement and pride are somewhat tempered with a underlying apprehension. That whole “the best laid plans” fear keeps creeping in. What if the girls hate their new Math curricula? Was Latin the best language choice, or should I have gone with Spanish? Did I get enough binders?
Then I take a deep breath. And exhale. And remember that the God Who called me to this homeschooling thing will be with us whether I’m prepared or not. And for that, I am grateful.
Disclaimer: I’m not a dietitian or a doctor, and I don’t play either on TV. I also didn’t stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but that’s another blog.
Recently, I read a health article that highlighted five foods you should eat every day. Being the article it was, the foods obviously had some health benefit. The piece mentioned the benefits and included ways you could add the foods into your meals.
Spinach made the list (shocker there, I know). I learned that this leafy heavy weight is a rich source of plant-based omega-3s and folate, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis. The article also indicated that eating spinach can increase sexual arousal and performance (I think they just put that in there because it was a men’s magazine).
I’m all for eating foods to fuel your body and keep you healthy. However, I think I like my list better. Here goes:
1. Dark chocolate: It’s a great way to get your “sweet tooth” fix for the day. Plus, you don’t have to feel guilty because it’s good for you. Chocolate is made from plants, so it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. These benefits are from flavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Flavonoids can help relax blood pressure, and antioxidants protect your body from aging. Heck, dark chocolate should be on this list twice!
2. Popcorn: I don’t mean butter-dripping, salt-covered movie popcorn (that’s on my once a month list). Good old fashioned, whole kernels popped on the stove with a little canola oil is what I’m talking about. It’s actually a whole-grain snack, and it provides a full complement of nutrition benefits, including dietary fiber, protein and B vitamins.
3. Tablespoon of Peanut Butter: When I’m hungry, but too lazy to fix a snack, this is perfect. It also provides protein, vitamins B3 and E, magnesium, folate, dietary fiber, arginine,[8] and high levels of the antioxidant p-coumaric acid.
4. Ice cream: No health benefits I can think of. I just like it and could eat it every day.
5. Red Wine: It may or may not reduce your risk of a heart attack. Some studies even show that it can increase your HDL (good cholesterol) and decrease your LDL (bad cholesterol). I just think it’s a perfect way to unwind after a hectic (or not so hectic) day. Bubble bath optional.
I’m such a sucker for profound or witty things other people say.
Often I find myself Googling to find that perfect quote to fill the status update on my Facebook page. Yes, I realize that is sort of cheating, but isn’t “It is not length of life, but depth of life.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) so much more inspiring than “It’s going to be a great day!” (Kristy Tolley)
I even take notes and write quotes in my Bible (God-related, of course – mostly!). That’s what gave me the idea to share a couple in my blog today. Well, that and the fact that I haven’t blogged in way too long.
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Jim Elliot
“Everything you give has a destination.” Talbot Davis (my pastor)
Who knows – maybe if I saturate myself with words of wisdom and inspiration on a regular basis, someone may end up quoting me one day. Okay, maybe not. At the very least, perhaps by ingesting and living out encouraging or thought provoking quotes, I can help make the world a little bit nicer for someone.
This is a tough time of the year for me, as I’m sure it is for many homeschoolers. More cold and rainy days than warm and sunny days seem to push me into a state of, dare I say, apathy. Curricula that was shiny and crisp is now worn and tired. The bubbly excitement of a school year has waned.
I’ll admit I have let these feelings affect my homeschooling way more than I should. Instead of having two – even three weeks of lessons planned in advance, I often fill in the planner during our school day. As a result, our lessons suffer. Often times awesome side projects or activities that would have greatly enhanced our lesson were abandoned because I failed to plan.
I know we all have lulls in our homeschooling routine, and sometimes they can be beneficial. Who doesn’t need a time to recharge once in awhile? What I need to remember is that the lulls mustn’t control me. I must control them. A “rest” period can consist of a trip to our local park for a nature hike; taking a break from our regular subjects to do a unit study on something the girls are interested in; or declaring a “craft” week to scrapbook, make clay projects, or learning to sew.
The bottom line is, God has called me to this task of homeschooling my daughters. When I haphazardly plan our school, I’m not giving this task the attention it deserves – and I’m certainly not living in His will. It is God’s priority for me, therefore it is my priority – I should treat it as such.
Lord, help me rise to the occasion on every task You have for me – especially in the area of educating my children. Please forgive me when I fail to do so because of apathy on my part.
A friend of mine emailed this to me recently. I don’t know the original author, but wanted to share it.
I admit too many times I’ve been the garbage truck more than I’ve been the receiver of the garbage! Also, because most of my time is spent with my children (as a homeschooling family), I’m afraid my kids are more often the recipients of me spreading my bad attitudes. This short story was a good wake up call for me!
Blessings,
Kristy
One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches. The driver of the other car whipped his head around, started yelling at us, and flipped us the bird. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, “Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital.”
This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, ‘The Law of the Garbage Truck.’ He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they’ll dump it on you. Don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don’t take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.
The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life’s too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So, love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don’t. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it.
Tags: Christian, God, Homeschool, Moms, parenting
“Lord will you please get me through this morning?” seems to be a prayer I lift up many times as a home schooling mother. I write that with a sprinkling of humor. However, as a Christian, I can’t think of anything more important than infusing prayer with our teaching.
As home schoolers, we have the unique opportunity to make learning the Bible a part of our curriculum. Whether it’s teaching my children to pray, or striving to lead by example, prayer is an integral part of our home school. As a matter of fact, prayer brought me to this place in our family’s life.
Before we had school-aged children, I was interested in home schooling them. My husband wasn’t keen on the idea, but I felt strongly it was God’s plan for our family. I began praying “Lord, if this is what You want, let him know it! If it isn’t, get me over it!” Over time, my husband’s outlook on home schooling shifted to the opposite end of the spectrum, and he is my biggest supporter. (Seeing our children thrive in this type of educational environment spurs him on, too!)
Prayer plays a major role in many areas of our lives. However, as a parent, two aspects of prayer stand out.
Pray with your kids. I have no doubt prayer sets an example for our children. When they see and hear us pray openly, it shows them the importance of a healthy prayer life. One thing I do often is pray out loud for people involved in car accidents we drive by or for the inmates picking up road side garbage. “Are you praying Mommy?” I’ll hear from the back seat. They are used to it now, and know it isn’t just some maniacal ramblings of their crazy mother (although those can happen at times, too!).
When my older daughter became four, we explained to her since she was a “big girl” now, her dinner time prayer probably shouldn’t be the “A B C Song” prayer anymore. She could do her own thing. That first big girl prayer brought this big girl to tears. Every single sentence of her pretty extensive prayer began with “Thank you”. Oh, what we can learn from those little ones!
When my oldest daughter was six, I ordered a craft kit for a prayer box for us to make. She loved making it, and was very enthusiastic about its intended use. Until we packed up most of the house when it went on the market, the box sat on her desk. Aside from the first six pieces of paper she put in there, I don’t know if she added any more prayers. However, she knows the purpose of the box, and hopefully, she’ll need a bigger one someday.
Pray for your kids. I have always prayed for my girls. Usually, they were the surface “keep-them-safe-let-them-be-Christians-and-could-you-please-make-them-mind-me-for-once!” prayers. One day, a sobering thought occurred to me – I may be the only one praying for them. I had a burden to be more specific and more intentional with my prayers for them.
A friend of mine gave me a copy of a “prayer calendar”. I have used it ever since. Each day is a different prayer based on scripture. On the first of the month, I pray for their salvation (2 Tim. 2:10); the 18th of the month I ask for their perseverance (Heb. 12:1); and on the 21st I pray for responsibility (Gal. 6:5).
By using this calendar, my eyes have been opened to the many different facets of my children’s lives that should be infused with prayer. It has also helped me notice the areas where they are showing improvement.
When my five-year-old finally cleaned her room without me asking her a second time, I remembered my prayer for responsibility (Gal. 6:5). I thought of the prayer for compassion (Col. 3:12) when my eight-year-old sent the money she had saved (for months) for Heelies to an organization that provided surgery for children with cleft palates.
You can obtain a prayer calendar at this web site:
http://www.wvupci.org/wvnop/articles/Parents-Prayer-Calendar.asp
I’ll admit I fall off the prayer wagon many times than I would like. Life happens, and unfortunately, my prayer life suffers for it. However, if we can keep an attitude of prayer in all things, whether it’s passing a wreck, doing a school project, or eating a meal – our children will pick up on it more than we may realize.
Many people look forward to the new year for a new start on old habits. ~Author Unknown
I’m sure like many people out there, I’ve been pondering a bit about what I should or shouldn’t do in 2010. I know I’d love to have a nickel for every person making health related goals (including myself!). Setting goals has just never been something I’ve been very good at. I’ve actually thought of setting a goal to set a goal this year.
Don’t get me wrong. I love January 1st. I’m a big fan of fresh starts and all that jazz. I think it comes down to the fact that my calendar doesn’t end at December 31st. Things I want to do or strive for just seem to pop up every now and then, sometimes evolve into something else, and sometimes even get achieved.
So, for what it’s worth, here are my perpetual New Year’s resolutions. My goal this year is to hold to them tightly when I need to, but give myself grace when I don’t .
- Lead by example: let my children learn spiritual truths, healthy habits and compassion by seeing it firsthand from me.
- Let God: give Him my husband, my children, my home-schooling, and (especially) me.
- Kiss my husband passionately more often (I know, TMI for some folks!).
- Live on purpose.
