How is Your Vision?

I admit that from time to time, my vision becomes blurry.

Anyone who wears glasses must take care of them in order for them to work properly. If you don't, things will start to appear distorted, fuzzy, or spotted.

I don't have a problem with my eyesight. I have a problem with my vision. There is a difference. Just like a pair of glasses after they have been left on the bathroom sink for any length of time must have the hairspray residue, water spots, dirt, & grime cleaned off of them, I need to have my vision cleaned as well. I don't mean to neglect it, but as time goes on, my vision just becomes more & more out of perspective.

Every night of our revival last week touched on the vision. The church needs a vision, the Christian needs a vision, the family needs a vision. All of these are important. Proverbs 29:18 "Where there is no vision, the people perish:..."

While I am very concerned with where our church is going, I need to concentrate on my Christian walk, my family, & my homeschool right now so I am available to be the pastor's wife that God wants me to be. My vision seems to have become blinded lately. I have forgotten who I am, where I am going, & why I have chosen this path.

Its easy to get caught up in the day to day insanity & lose focus on what's truly important. Our vision falls to the wayside. We forget our purpose. 

We I need to reevaluate.

We I need to remember.

We I need to refocus my vision.

I needed this reminder.

When was the last time you planted something & expected immediate results? No. The harvest will come & when it does, it will be worth it!

Remember, weary one, we are in this for the long haul. We are perfecting Kingdom work!

Tales of a Homeschool Nothing ~ Miles, Tag, & Vietnam

We have had revival at church this week. I love revival, but it tends to wear you out. We probably should have called off school this week, but getting a little bit accomplished was better than none.

We logged well over 1,000 miles this week!! So, its no wonder we only accomplished a little bit.

Saturday, we went to the Wilkes Heritage Museum, saw the Huey Helicopter, & toured the museum. I have never been inside the museum before so this was a real treat. We are even famous: here, oh & we were in the paper!  That's my, um, best side to the camera. I'm even advertising for our church!

We finished studying Vietnam this week so that helicopter was perfect timing!

An interesting tidbit - Pizza Hut, Domino's, & Little Ceasar's all opened for business within 3 years of each other. Wal-mart & K-Mart also opened the same year. We added these, plus the frisbee, flip flops, tab top aluminum cans, Barbie dolls, G.I. Joes, & instant cameras to our invention books.

Our Explorers club went to Bo's Thursday. This was another first for my family, we were not disappointed. 3.5 hours of kids running wild with unlimited fun - bowling, putt putt, arcade, & laser tag. If you are local & have never been, this is a trip that is well worth it!

I took advantage of another curriculum sale on Friday. I found well over $200 worth of books for around $40. I just LOVE looking for good deals!

I almost forgot.....we found a bird's nest this week. It was in Justin's dirt bike helmet! I guess it has been a while since the last time he rode!

I had the privilege of speaking to two different women this week who blessed me more than words can say. One is a new friend, whom just by speaking with her, reminded me just how blessed I truly am. The other is a long time friend who encourages everyone she encounters without even realizing it.

I've had one of those weeks where I've felt like I was failing at every thing that I attempted to do, so these talks came right on time.

Then I heard Amy Grant's new song "Don't Try So Hard" & felt like it was made just for me!

It's important to remember that I don't have all the answers, I don't have all the solutions, & I don't have to do it all, all the time. Sometimes, school will get done with no interruptions. Sometimes, my house will be spotless. Sometimes, my laundry will be clean, dried, & put away. Sometimes, my business will be thriving. Sometimes, the world will stop turning just so I can enjoy my kids. Sometimes, my relationship with my Savior will thrive. Most days, only 1 or 2 of these will occur at the same time. Some days, none of them will work out. But everyday, "God gives you grace and you can't earn it. Don't think that you're not worth it."

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Tales of a Homeschool Nothing ~ Errands, Cows, & a Party

Honestly, we haven't managed to get much done this week (as far as book work anyway). Man, that sounds like a broken record, doesn't it?

Makenzie has had 3 Dr appointments this week - 2 of which were concerning her foot (story here). The stitches pulled out over the weekend so we had to jump trough hoops to try to get that taken care of. Long story short - its going to have to heal from the inside out. That's easier said than done when the child refuses to sit still.

We had our 2nd achievement test this week.

I was blessed to find a BUNCH of good deals at a curriculum book fair in Lake Norman. I spent around $75 and brought home over $350 worth of goodies!

We had our end of year celebration with our homeschool support group. Yeah. What fun!!

Tomorrow, we are going to see a Huey Helicopter & talk pilots from the Vietnam War. I am so excited!!

Oh, yeah, Austin spent the biggest part of one morning helping to chase cows that decided to jump out of our pasture into the neighbor's pasture. Um, that crazy cow is still there!

Tales of a Homeschool Nothing ~ What's in a Number

We participated in a state mandated, necessary evil today. State achievement testing.

UGH, I HATE this. It puts pressure on the kids. It puts pressure on the moms. It makes everyone look around at you & say, "Well, did you pass?" When did it start coming down to pass/fail? Why is that number so important?

If you will recall, I have already tested Austin once this year. For the 3rd year, we have used the Stanford test. He did better this year (in relation to his grade level) than last year, but his language arts is still lower than I think it should be.

This is also the 2nd year that we have used the WRAT (Wide Range Achievement Test). He scored at or above grade level on everything accessed here.

 I find it very interesting (maybe confusing is the better term) that the results vary so widely between the two tests.

I know the areas that my children are excelling in as well as the ones where they struggle. I also know that no one test, assessment, evaluation, or method is a perfect fit for everyone. How do we really know which one is more accurate? How do we really know which one to use for the future and which one to accept as a waste of time?

And while I am at it.....  WHY do people still expect everyone to teach to the test?! If the only things we are ever taught are the things that we are supposed to be tested on, where does that leave room for free thinking?!