HEART Book Club: Chapter 5

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Liz Corson

 

Teach Them Truth by Rachael Carman

So here it is, at the end of the day, the most important thing you can teach your kids about is: God. Learning about God comes from studying and knowing His word. Through study of His word your family will come to know what real Truth is and who Truth is. This knowledge of God will draw them to Him and grow within them a desire to glorify Him in all things.

One of the huge advantages of homeschooling is that we can make being out in God’s creation a priority as we educate our children. We can take the time to make a plan or change our expectations for the day when we intentionally seek an opportunity to admire and explore the wonder of God’s handiwork. In our home school we have had many circumstances which have presented themselves wherein we have been able to see God’s creations up close and personal.

Here are just a few examples:

-When my boys found fresh frog eggs in the creek out back, we paused to make a habitat for these little creatures.

-When the black birds came by the thousands through our back yard with all of their loud talking as they eat the early berries and bugs. They were in our woods for over 30 minutes chatting among themselves, and then they were gone.

-When a hummingbird got trapped in our garage, we took about an hour to get a ladder, find some gloves, mix some sugar water and rescue it. I was praying a bunch too. We were able to get the bird’s wings free then after it drank a little sugar water, he flew off, apparently uninjured.

-When we found a baby squirrel that had fallen from its nest, we brought it in and abandoned the whole homeschooling plan for the day while we researched and called experts to find out how to nurse the little guy back to health. We released him about 6 weeks later.

There have also been bats, caterpillars, deer, comet showers, owls, a baby rabbit, and countless lizards. Each of these have been tangible examples of the true existence of a marvelous God. Each of these creatures/situations have given all of us the opportunity to interact with God as we take the time to really see Him in His creation.

“Man is without excuse”, Paul writes in Romans. And as we look at His creation we see that it is true there is such obvious evidence of God’s hand — His actual fingerprints in all aspects of creation.

Teaching our children truth, just like the other points in the book, means living out loud what we already know to be true. It means glorifying God in all we say and do, pointing our kids to Him as their Answer to life’s questions. Teaching our kids truth means trusting Him with their challenges and dreams. It means praising Him together and praying to Him together. Teaching them truth means resting in God’s sovereignty — all the while being confident that He is faithful.

Thank you all for the blog posts. Each one was insightful and encouraging. May God continue to bless you as you seek to have a HEART for your kids.

In His grace,

Rachael

*image by WonderKris

HEART Chapter 4

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Liz Corson

 

HEART, Chapter 4 by Rachael Carman

This aspect of having a heart for my kids has been the scariest and the most rewarding. Having been under the impression for so long that I was in control, the idea of letting go was terrifying. I was really convinced that I knew what was best. I was so wrong.

Space does not allow for the whole story, but as you read the book you have come to know Charles and Anderson — my two oldest sons. Well, they have both graduated now. Our journey together has substantially changed; they are young adults. Both of their lives have taken turns that I could not have predicted. Both of them have gone in directions that I would have made me anxious years ago. But I am confident that both of them are seeking God and His direction. That knowledge gives this mom the peace she needs to let them go.

You see, Charles has moved in a direction that has taken him to college in New York City. Yes, he goes to school in the city — actually on the island of Manhattan. And yes, he rides the subway. And yes, he has encountered some hurting, angry, suspicious people. I know, I know, New York City is a dangerous place. I get it — we’ve visited. Mothers whom I do not even know have questioned the wisdom of allowing Charles to go off to NYC. “What are you thinking?” they ask. Well, I’m thinking that Charles is where God wants him and that is all of the safety assurance I need.

I could choose to let the fact that Charles is living in the city keep me up at night, depriving me of sleep and subsequently sanity. But that is not of God. God desires that I would not only let Charles go, but that I would trust Him with Charles. God is really growing Charles through this experience. I have commented several times that he is getting a multi-dimensional educational experience via navigating his studies, the subway, and the culture. He just smiles. God is preparing Charles for something big to bring Himself glory.

As a side note, my second son, Anderson, is studying animation through an online school. God has gifted him with some incredible talent. Talk about a questionable industry in which to send your kid. But his desire is to glorify God through animation. His dream is in Los Angles or San Francisco, California. Yeah, the exact opposite side of the country — I’m just saying.

If you are reading my book and you are a mother to little ones during this season, then take advantage of this time — snuggle long, smile often, and sing loud. If your children are in the pre-teen stage, start dreaming with God. Look for opportunities where you can begin to let them go in little ways. Let them go and watch them shine. If you are the mom of the high school students, then seek God with them, and embrace letting them go wherever God needs them to be. They are safe with Him!

Don’t delay, pray about this today!

HEART Book Club: Chapter 2

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Liz Corson

 

Enrich Your Marriage

Over the last several years Davis and I have witnesses several marriages implode. Marriages that we thought were solid, friends we had had for years. But behind doors over time things started declining.

This last summer we had a fabulous celebration of 25 years of marriage. We had a great party with friends and family. It was our desire to set before our kids an example of what marriage looks like, to celebrate God’s goodness and faithfulness.

In those 25 years we have, by God’s grace, developed some good habits. We pray together regularly. We have found this to be a valuable investment. I love to hear Davis’ heart during these times. We write each other love notes and leave them for each other to find. I love to come across one of these hand-written notes from Davis. I have several boxes of them from over the years. We also still date each other. We put them on the family calendar so that the kids know we are going out together. It has been a priority for us over the years to have these times for just the two of us. We only lived near family for a couple of years when we had young children and not at all since. God blessed us with inexpensive sitters and friends who helped us get these times to recharge together.

As for interactions and habits that we are still working on, that have not to date been worthy of imitation, there are always areas to work on. 

HEART Book Club: Chapter 3

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Apologia

HEART blog-post for book club by Rachael Carman

Chapter 3

A-Accept Your Kids

It cannot be anything but providence that in just the last two days I have had conversations (and subsequently prayer) with parents who are having a difficult time accepting their children. Both wrestling with God’s plan and purpose for their kids. Both sure that God must be punishing them. Both questioning God’s ability to show them how to proceed. Both doubting they are going to survive the teenage years.

These conversations reminded me again of my own struggle to accept my own first born. I remember being shocked and ashamed when I realized that even through I loved Charles given that he was my son, I didn’t like him. He was difficult and defiant, disobedient and discouraging. I wanted to enjoy our days together, but I felt like I spent most of them disciplining him and at night I would cry myself to sleep feeling like a complete failure.

Now all these years later, I can still remember the anxiety of those days. I am grateful for those years, those battles, those trials, God’s strength, patience and mercy. I have since seen God’s faithfulness in a myriad of ways. On this side, I am overwhelmed by grace.

God taught me so many things through those trials, things about Charles, about me and about Himself. I learned that Charles is like me and not like me; he is his own person and that person is passionate and strong. I learned that I didn’t have it all together even though I thought I did. But God loved me anyway and He wanted me to want His will in my life and not my own. And I learned that God is God and I am not, that He alone is worthy, He is able and He is my answer. At the end of the day accepting my children meant accepting God as God.