Wishing for Tomorrow
March 16, 2010 by Christine
I admit it. I wish away certain moments and stages in my children’s lives. I guess I don’t know anyone who doesn’t occasionally do this, but I know many older women who tell me not to.
From their perspective, it’s clear that the moments and stages will pass quickly; from mine it often feels like an eternity till bedtime. The future seems bright and full of promise; today often feels like drudgery. I battle this feeling on some days more than others as I change diapers, sit someone in time out again, correct the same spelling word over and over, and say, “No, you can’t watch TV” for the 15th time.
The more I read in search of the perfect formula for saintly motherhood, the more I realize that the books on my nightstand are written to portray an ideal, and not a daily reality.
Failure today is inevitable; thankfully, forgiveness is failure’s close companion.
The future [is] not where real life [begins].
Each day [is] God’s perfect will for me.
In fact, it’s not just because we’ll regret time passing when we’re old and the children are gone. It’s not just that these moments will become sweet memories to savor as we rock on our porch decades from now. It’s instead that each moment, each today, is a block with which God is building us into the mothers, the teachers, the individuals, He plans for us to be. There have been times in the past few months and years when I didn’t, couldn’t, see the plan. I have questioned whether there even was a plan and, if I were to stumble upon it, why I should follow it at all.
Whatever the Lord requires, He also enables.
God’s perfect will for me is today. And isn’t it true that tomorrow never arrives but instead becomes today? I don’t want to pine for the elusive greener grass on the other side of midnight only to find that waking in the morning provides merely another opportunity to pine again.
Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.
Matt. 6:34 (MSG)
God is doing a good work in me (and you!) today. He is building, refining, preparing, requiring, enabling. My prayer is that today, we’ll let Him.
Quotes taken from Sally Clarkson’s The Mission of Motherhood.
Christine is a Christian, homeschooling mom to three boys and a girl, ranging in age from 9 to 2 years old. She is a musician by trade, eclectic in homeschool style, and continues to grow and learn along with her children in this journey of life and discipleship at home. Visit her blog at Fruit in Season.
A Simple Walk
March 12, 2010 by Dana
The sky begins to lighten, though the sun has not yet breached the horizon. I look out the window toward the chicken coop, wonder how much they care about having their coop opened up when there’s still snow on the ground, think about sinking back into the comforter and enjoying the warmth.
Mattias is standing in his playpen, watching me. When I look at him, he smiles and begins to bounce. I pick him up and he kicks his legs in excitement.
Of course you can come, Big Guy. You like helping mommy with the chickens, don’t you?
He squeals in delight as I dress him. I could be finished with the chicken chores by the time he is ready to go out.
In comes Elianna, sleep still in her eyes as she inquires,
Mommy? I tum, too?
Of course you can come, sweetheart.
I could be finished with the chicken chores by the time she is ready to go out.
Finally, we are at the door, putting on shoes. The sky is considerably lighter as I hear Nisa shout from her bed.
Wait for me!
She calls, and we wait. She’s ready quick enough, but we can’t find her shoes. I could be finished twice more by the time we find them.
The morning air is chilly, the children silent. We make our way to the coop. Hunter trots in front, sometimes sniffing, sometimes barking. He knows where we are heading and he scouts the path, following scents along either side of the path, circling the coop twice, letting me know all is safe by sitting on the step by the coop door.
I put the baby in a toy car and hesitate for a moment. The great old tree in our field almost looks like it has been set on fire by the sunrise, and the whole property seems to glow in the morning light. The children are standing by the fence, looking at a puddle and waiting for the chickens to come out. Hunter is just waiting to see what we do next.
I go in, greeted by four chickens who think the best way to be fed is to dart under my feet while I walk. I move the concrete block guarding their door to the run. The chickens, realizing I don’t have food, walk down their ramp to enjoy the morning air.
My daughters squeal their good mornings. “Chickalee! Chickalee!” calls the two year old, excitedly. “Good morning, Dora!” shouts Nisa. The chickens run to the fence, peering at the children, wondering if maybe they brought the food. We stand, and we watch. There is a peculiar joy in caring for animals.
I wait until their interest wanes before we make it back to the house to start breakfast. Of course, we could be finished eating, if only the children hadn’t come along.
But this is what education is. A simple walk, an invitation to come along side, to join in my day. Some parts are formal, as I give assignments, correct mistakes and write new concepts on the marker board.
But the real lessons, the ones that mold who my children will one day become, those lessons occur in the simple tasks of the every day. They cannot be written into a lesson plan, nor measured with a quiz.
And ye shall teach them your children, talking of them, when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. –Deuteronomy 11:19
It is an easy enough concept for me to remember in the morning, before we have anywhere to be or anything to do. But as the day progresses and the schedule tightens, my priorities shift. My goal becomes completion rather than education. I want the meal cooked, the lessons finished, the house cleaned. The more stressed I am, the more the children are in the way.
Because I forget that this is exactly where I put them. Not “in the way” exactly. More “along the way,” where they can watch, and learn and grow.
Dana is homeschooling her five children while moving to the country. You can follow her plans and adventures while seeking to live life more abundantly at Roscommon Acres.
1 Corinthians 13 for Homeschool Moms
March 10, 2010 by Misty
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and teach my children Latin conjugations, Chinese and Portuguese, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal, and no matter what I say, they will not hear me.
If I have the gift of prophecy, and know my children’s bents and God’s plan for their lives, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and am the keeper of the teacher’s editions and solutions manuals, and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, and even keep up with my giant piles of laundry and dishes, but do not have love, I am nothing, even if all the people at church think I’m Supermom.
And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and my formal dining room gets turned into a schoolroom and our family vacations look more like educational fieldtrips, and if I surrender my body to be burned, never having time to get my nails done, put makeup on or even take a bath, but do not have love, it profits me nothing, because all my family cares about is the expression on my face, anyway.
Love is patient with the child who still can’t get double-digit subtraction with borrowing, and kind to the one who hasn’t turned in his research paper. It is not jealous of moms with more, fewer, neater, more self-directed, better-behaved or smarter children. Love does not brag about homemade bread, book lists, or scholarships and is not arrogant about her lifestyle or curriculum choices. It does not act unbecomingly or correct the children in front of their friends. It does not seek its own, trying to squeeze in alone time when someone still needs help; it is not provoked when interrupted for the nineteenth time by a child, the phone, the doorbell or the dog; does not take into account a wrong suffered, even when no one compliments the dinner that took hours to make or the house that took so long to clean.
Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness or pointing out everyone else’s flaws, but rejoices with the truth and with every small step her children take in becoming more like Jesus, knowing it’s only by the grace of God when that occurs.
Love bears all things even while running on no sleep; believes all things, especially God’s promise to indwell and empower her; hopes all things, such as that she’ll actually complete the English curriculum this year and the kids will eventually graduate; endures all things, even questioning from strangers, worried relatives, and most of all, herself.
Love never fails. And neither will she. As long as she never, never, never gives up.
Misty Krasawski is the overly-blessed mom of eight children whom she homeschools in sunshine-y Florida. She has been clinging ferociously to the hand of her Lord since she was knee-high to a grasshopper, homeschooling for the past thirteen years, and has eighteen more years ahead of her with the children who are glad she will have done most of her experimenting on those who went before. Her wonderful husband Rob has much treasure laid up for him in heaven for having been called to such a daunting task. After the house goes to sleep she can sometimes be found gathering her thoughts at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MistyKrasawski.
Homeschooling is Not the Hub
March 4, 2010 by Debra
I am a huge goal maker. My birthday comes on the heels of New Year’s Eve and so I spend several quiet winter nights reflecting on the past and projecting on the new year. This year as I journaled my thoughts I knew something needed to change… in me.
Honestly, I am at the edge of determining whether or not to continue this homeschooling journey. It’s simply not going the way I want it to go, not producing what I want it to produce. I am weary and worn and so are my boys. I know that I can’t continue doing the same thing and expect a different result. Albert Einstein called that “insanity.”
So, things must change.
An illustration gave me a shove in the right direction. If you imagine your life as a wheel with a hub and spokes, what would you say is at your hub? I nailed it right from the beginning: homeschooling has become my hub. It’s what I write and blog about, it’s how I define what I do when people ask. It snuck in there and became my center from which everything else springs.
Let me tell you this: there is simply no strength in homeschooling and certainly not a sufficient amount to hold up every other aspect of life.
No wonder I feel like I’m collapsing.
I know that my hub needs to be my faith in Christ. I’ve grown up in the church. I’ve been through seminary. I’m married to a pastor for goodness sake. I feel stupid to have forgotten that. But I did. Homeschooling is only a spoke in my life, just like writing, ministering and mothering. I cannot make a decision about our future of homeschooling with a skewed center. So, I’m looking forward to putting things right again this season and to get back to balanced thinking.
If things aren’t going well for you then map out your own “wheel.” Honestly, what is at your hub? What spins your life wheel and where does your power come from? If it only comes from you then you may find yourself questioning the rest of your year as well. Move that incapable center off to the spokes and get on to driving the rest of your year with grace and truth.
Debra Anderson has three sons ages 10 and younger. Her passions are education, mentoring, her husband, writing, church ministry and missional living — not in that order. She has her seminary Masters degree in Christian Education and is married to her true-companion pastor-husband in their home of Denver, CO. In spite of moves between four different states, she has always home educated their boys — even on the hard days. She maintains a blog at www.emergent-homeschool.blogspot.com.
Sad Days, Promise Days and Blessed Days
March 2, 2010 by Lee
Sometimes I have a “sad day.”
Those are days when I am faced with Romans 3:23:
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
It is on those days I recognize the small or large problems with my now-grown children. Did I really forget to teach them that sleep is important? Have I failed them completely because they throw out Tupperware instead of washing it? “Sad days” are a good time to reflect a bit, fast, and pray. “Sad days” are usually followed by a promise from the Lord.
A “promise day” is when I hold to the promise in Proverbs 22:6:
Train up a child in the way he should go, and WHEN HE IS OLD he will not turn from it.
Sadly, there is no mention of regular sleep OR Tupperware in the verse. Perhaps that means it’s optional or even not required at all. Maybe what it means is that our children get to grow up and make their own decisions. They get to choose when to sleep, and what to throw out. In fact, there are a HUGE number of things they will choose to do or not do, regardless of how well we train them in the way we should go. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that their decisions won’t always be my decisions.
My friends with older children tell me there is yet another kind of day I will face, a “blessed day.”
A “blessed day” is mentioned in Proverbs 31:28:
Her children arise and call her blessed.
I confess. There are gaps in my children’s education.
I may have skipped the unit study on sleep. I think I only demonstrated the washing of Tupperware, without actually mentioning circumstances when it is appropriate to throw it away. We have to get used to gaps like that. My husband once had an enthusiastic young engineer who was really trying to do a good job. When Matt asked him one morning how he was doing, he replied. “I’m diligent, sir. Diligent and dedicated!”
I can relate to this. I always wanted to homeschool in a diligent and dedicated way. But the truth is nobody can really be diligent enough because children will grow up to make their own choices. As parents, we can’t possibly think of everything and every situation that our children may get themselves into.
It’s a sad day. Tomorrow will be a promise day. One day I’ll get to that blessed day. That will be fun!
Lee Binz is a veteran homeschooling mom of two and the owner of The HomeScholar, “Helping parents homeschool through high school.” She has a new free minicourse called “The 5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling High School”. You can sign up for her free email homeschool newsletter, The HomeScholar Record and get your daily dose of wisdom via e-mail from her homeschool blog, The HomeScholar Helper.
Homeschool To Do List
February 11, 2010 by Renae
Melancholy settled in as the hours passed. My to do list unmarked except for what I’d deemed most important: prayer, Bible reading, school lessons, and home-cooked meals.
Those things took all day. Literally, all day. What about the pencil-scratched trail of obligations and ideas for things I wanted to pursue?
My brain tried to focus in the quiet of the night, but darkness and sleep shut out the whispers of failure. That was enough for one day.
I am task-oriented by nature, so my spirit lifts when I can stand back and look at accomplishments. The dullness comes from my weary eyes. They glance around the room and get caught on the undone and the messes. Yes, meals are consumed, but the smiles and laughter linger. Lessons are, hopefully, stored in the hearts of my children. My little prayer book is stashed away to collect even more memories later.
This is my life now. This is what is important.
The lists in my notebook grow each day, but the time I have with these children is short. Oh, some days feel like they last forever. The truth is they don’t.
Now is the time to make messes, so I brought the craft table in off the porch.
Now is the time to read great books, so I let my son devour a biography during our normal math time.
Now is the time to make a home, so I close my eyes to the missing boards around the windows and the torn up bathroom. Those things will be fixed in time, but I don’t want to miss the eternal for a nagging piece of paper. The truly important things I do in a day are hard to check off as done.
Renae teaches her eleven-year-old son and two little girls at home. She has prepared lesson plans, enjoyed children’s literature, and delighted in discovery with her children for five years. By studying Principle Approach philosophy, she realized what she always suspected: the Bible lies at the heart of all subjects. Find her reflections at Life Nurturing Education.
Genetics and Ability
February 2, 2010 by Maribeth
My son’s teenage friend asked my husband for assistance in designing a business card for a new entrepreneurial pursuit that he is initiating. Ben is very talented in photography and video-taping. He has proven himself capable in the recent filming of weddings and church functions. As a current high school graduate, he is setting himself up to be self-employed in a side business of his expertise.
Since my husband’s career is in the field of design, he is familiar with the various computer programs. So last night my loving spouse stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, doing layout, imaging, font size and background in an attempt to visually tell a story of Ben’s business abilities and the services that he offers – all on a little 2 x 3 ½ inch card.
What I was intrigued with is that my 19 year-old daughter and 15 year-old son stayed up with him, giving advice and opinions on visual appeal, and sorting through their own digital pictures for use. In so doing, they had a personal introduction to design, and learned valuable skills. It helped that they had an interest in this occupational field – just like their father. What a coincidence!
One of my favorite past times is to watch a group of unknown people and try to match children with their parents. Similarities like noses, foreheads, eye slants, hair color, and chins often make it easy. Sometimes it only takes observing similar height, strides, and gaits in teenagers to see that they belong to a particular “tribe”.
It is amazing what role genetics can play in personal appearance.
But genes aren’t just limited to looks. I find it interesting that my Chemical Engineer son had a grandfather who was a Mechanical Engineer, and that my Music Education daughter had a great, great uncle who was a concert pianist.
Coincidence or genetics?
My sixteen year-old son shares my love for writing. He enjoys putting words together for humor. This same son is also talented in cartooning. Could he have inherited a drawing gene from his artistic father and a gift for gab from his mother?
And just last night two of my children peered over their father’s shoulder, intently interested in computer graphics and photography. So much so, that they were willing to lose sleep to be of assistance – and LEARN!
These observations gave me much food for thought, as I made a connection with homeschooling. Many parents think that they are incapable of teaching their own children, or that their ability to home-educate plateaus at a certain grade level. Some even see their children surpassing their own abilities, and thus feel inferior. It is at this point that many quit.
Recently, I had opportunity to listen to a cassette tape of a homeschool seminar given by Dr. Jay L. Wile, author of the popular Apologia Science series. In response to the question of a parent’s ability to teach the higher sciences, his answer was very insightful:
“Your job is not to teach your child. Your job is to help them learn. That you can do! Fundamentally, if one of your kids can do something, one of the parents should be able to do it as well. Hopefully, between you and your spouse, you make up all the genetic information that is in that child. And if you expect that child to have the ability to do something, one of you ought to be able to do it, too. And that is the only thing that is required to help your child learn. And that is to learn right along with him.”
What some may see as interest or familiarity, Dr. Wile, a scientist, interprets as genes and ability.
God has a specific plan in placing YOUR child in YOUR family. He did not just randomly choose “Abby” to be your daughter, or “Jason” as your son. God has a purpose. There is something of importance that the Creator desires for you to impart to that child, something valuable for that child’s plan in life, that YOU or your husband can do best; a skill, a talent, a spiritual gift, that He wants YOU to teach, share, or encourage.
As a parent you play a vital role in accomplishing God’s Perfect Plan for your child. Don’t let Satan’s lies of feeling incapable or inferior deter you from this task. If homeschooling is what God has called you to do, then He will equip you, send the opportunities you need, and open the doors of learning that He desires for your child.
Your job is to stay the course!
Maribeth Spangenberg enjoys writing as one way to leave a spiritual legacy to her nine, totally homeschooled children, six of whom, have graduated. She and her husband, Steve, are also the proud grandparents of four. Maribeth is a frequent contributor to homeschooling websites and magazines. She has also been published in Cup of Comfort Devotional books, Hugs Bible Study for Women, Praise Reports: Real Life Stories, The Secret Place, The Spirit Led Writer, and Crosswalk. Maribeth counts it a blessing to be able to come alongside other mothers and help them catch the vision of homemaking and the calling of home-educating.
Beyond Blah
January 28, 2010 by Bethany
It’s that time of year again. You know, the one that follows the most wonderful time of the year. It’s the mid-winter blah time of the year. No matter how much you and your kids love snow, you’re bound to get tired of it at some point during the cold, dark, shorter winter days. Can you tell I’m a warm, sunshine kinda gal? Since moving to Florida or Arizona isn’t in my plans for right now, I’ve had to brainstorm some more practical ideas for not only beating the mid-winter blahs, but for bouncing back from them.
My teenager and her friends came up with the following list: writing a story or writing in a journal, drawing, going to the farm (aka riding horses). and going to the movies with friends.
From my health-conscious acquaintances: get outside for some fresh air and sunshine the second you see the sun peeking through the clouds; get plenty of exercise (inside or outside); take a nice, long, soothing bubble bath (with a “do not disturb mom sign” on the door!); stay hydrated with plenty of water; eat nutritiously.
The Bible gives us some great encouragement and advice:
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint” (Jeremiah 31:25).
“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall” (psalm 55:22).
“You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothe me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever” (Psalm 30:11–12). Scriptures quoted from the NIV.
Here are some just-for-fun ideas: Have a summer-themed party inside, crank up the heat, put on a pair of shorts, blast the Beach Boys, and toss a beach ball around. Go outside and make snow angels—with or without your kids. Have a snowball fight with your honey; you know you want to! Warm up with hot chocolate, your favorite Starbucks drink, or a pot of tea with some chocolate chip cookies.
The bottom line is hang in there; this too shall pass. Before you know it, the math will click (I hope!), the days will be longer and warmer, the kids will stop fighting (at least for a little while), and you’ll realize that the blahs have become a bed of roses.
Bethany has been married for 16 years, homeschooling for 9 years, and organizing forever. She homeschools her two girls, grade 6 and grade 10, in North Carolina. She is also a partner in Codex Publishing, publisher of The Tutor and classic book reprints. When she isn’t homeschooling or driving the family taxi, Bethany enjoys reading, music, church activities, editing, writing, history, and keeping up with friends.
9 Homeschool Resolutions for Parents of High School Students
January 25, 2010 by Lee
Work on these easy resolutions and in only a few minutes you can feel confident in your ability to homeschool high school!
1. Start Record Keeping!
You can initiate a record keeping system in 5 minutes or less. Just grab box, and put it in an out of the way corner. You can use the box as a record keeping system, just by remembering to put things in it. Sure there are better and fancier ways to keep records, but ANYTHING is better than nothing.
2. Mark your Calendar!
Mark your calendar with important dates now, while this year’s calendar is still looking empty! Find the dates for important tests on the College Board website. Most high school kids take the PSAT in fall of 10th grade and again in 11th grade. The SAT or ACT test is taken in the spring of junior year.
3. Have a Parent-Teacher Meeting!
Go ahead, talk to yourself! Review your high school plan with your spouse and students. Every college has different requirements, so check with a possible college to see what is required. Usual requirements are: English 4 years, Math 3-4 years, Science 3 years,Social Studies 3-4 years,Foreign Language 2-3 years, PE 2 years,Fine Arts 1 year, Electives enough to make 24 credits.
4. Adjust Curriculum!
While you are looking at your high school plan, think about what is working for you. If it doesn’t work, throw it out! Try a different strategy that may work better. It doesn’t matter how wonderful the curriculum is, what matter is if you children are learning. Out with the old, and in with the new!
5. Try a Transcript!
You don’t have to finish, your goal is to just START your transcript. The way to make your transcript accurate and professional-looking is to work on it regularly. Spend just a few minutes writing down what you have already done.
6. Identify Specialization!
Check your annoy-o-meter and in 5 minutes or less you can determine your child’s area of specialization. What is your student most likely doing when you say “Will you PLEASE put that down?” Is it possible that is your child’s specialization? Their interests may be annoying, so look closely at what they are doing when you feel frustrated.
7. Estimate SAT score!
Quickly estimate an SAT score from PSAT results. In each subject area on the test, add a “zero” to the end of their score. For example, a 50 on the PSAT math section would be approximately a 500 on the SAT math. Knowing this number can help you determine what college would be a good fit, and if SAT preparation is important.
8. Make a Reading List!
On a piece of paper, print “Reading list.” Then have your students collect books they have read in the past 3 months. They can practice typing skills while listing the name and author of each book.
9. Sip Tea!
Each of these resolutions is is very quick and easy, and you could get through this list in a few hours. Once you have accomplished these resolutions, and now it’s time to take a break. Your job is to sip some herbal tea and relax.
Lee Binz is a veteran homeschooling mom of two and the owner of The HomeScholar, “Helping parents homeschool through high school.” She has a new free minicourse called “The 5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling High School”. You can sign up for her free email homeschool newsletter, The HomeScholar Record and get your daily dose of wisdom via e-mail from her homeschool blog, The HomeScholar Helper.
Looking Ahead with Hope
Hello my friends and welcome to a new year! Do you look forward to this year with delight and a vision in your heart? Are you excited? This year many of us are not so excited about the new year. Whether you are facing unemployment, sickness, rough finances, or any number of life aggravating issues, I understand the feelings of sadness and uncertainty.
When my husband was still a college student we had little money and many medical bills. We had a lovely little girl, but we were mourning the loss of our second daughter. It was a sad Christmas. Christmas rolled into the new year and frankly I wanted to pull the covers back up over my head and ignore everything.
How did I get back from that low? How can you look ahead to this year with hope?
Start with Christ!
Psalm 46:1,2a God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear,
Hebrews 13:6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
How can we take this scripture and use it in our lives?
Saying stop fearing or worrying is easy but the doing is hard.
Let us start with some simple tips.
- Memorize the scriptures from above or other scripture that help you rely on the Lord for your strength and refuge.
- Write down that you are giving this year to the the Lord. By writing it down you are making a commitment and making a record you can return to, to draw strength from.
- Talk to your husband about your fears. Sharing a burden will lighten the load.
You can turn this uncertain year into a stellar life changing year! Think of all the good things simply changing your outlook can affect. Your children who watch everything you do will notice your “can do” happier attitude and respond. By following God’s Word you will be rewarded with a closer relationship with the Lord and a deeper understanding of your Christian walk.
Back to me under the covers wishing the world would go away. I didn’t know it but I was suffering from depression. I got so bad that I wondered if anyone would notice if I just disappeared. I never wanted to harm myself. I just wanted to disappear until things somehow got better. Are you that low?
Please if you are experiencing thoughts of harming yourself or your loved ones, have continual thoughts of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness or if you are sleeping all the time or you cannot sleep, these are signs of depression. Please go see your doctor or pastor. You need to talk to someone to help you get back out of that sad and lonely place.
This year is uncertain but not lost. We can choose to make it a better year. Leaning on God for our strength, wisdom, and protection we will make 2010 a wonderful year! What are some of your ideas on making this year wonderful?
Heather Laurie and her husband, Christopher, have been married for 13 wonderful years, and have been blessed with 7 children, two of whom are awaiting them in Heaven. They began their homeschooling journey eight years ago, amidst trials and unexpected journeys, including genetic disorders, austism, sensory disorders, and lupus. Heather and her husband created the ministry Special Needs Homeschooling as a way to use their trials for the Lord’s glory and to encourage special needs parents and homeschoolers.
