Nov. 20, 2012

My Thankfulness

By Jonelle
Share this post via email










Submit

I didn't really feel like I had any option on this blog: it's the week of Thanksgiving, time to list my blessings. Friends on Facebook have been posting things daily that they are grateful for and 'tis the season to focus on all the good we have.

Unfortunately, I haven't been feeling overly grateful.

This feels like a hard stage. Daily training. Too little sleep. Children with energy when I am crashing. No breaks. A very restricted diet because of health reasons...and on and on. This lack of gratefulness, though, makes me sad. I have been saved from so much, carried through so much, provided for so much...why can I not grasp those things in the day to day?

I've been chewing on my nails wondering when my sense of, "ah yes, this is the good life," would kick in so I could then happily pass that on to you. Well, at 9:30 last night Eliana started screaming. Poopy diaper and the beginnings of a nasty rash. Poor baby.

As I rocked her back to sleep, it struck me: here is my thankfulness.

I am thankful I am able to rock my children.

I am thankful for the boundless energy that allows Natalia to jump from chairs and the couch or whatever is handy and to just run and run.

I am thankful Eliana still crawls so I can hear the "thumpa-thumpa-thumpa" as she pounds down the hall, smiling with her two teeth.

I am thankful for children who are content with our home. A few weeks back, I was telling Natalia that we needed to pick up before her friend came over when Natalia replied, "I like our messy house."

I am thankful for a good vacuum.

I am thankful Natalia sings and dances.

I am thankful Eliana bounces along when she hears music.

I am thankful for a strong willed child who is not afraid to be her own self.

I am thankful for the expression of creativity through clothes Natalia has, and that she can make people smile just by looking at her.


(the girls and I a few weeks back)

I am thankful. And this is why this season is so important: to take a few minutes (or hours if you are feeling ornery like me) to figure out just a few ways we have been blessed.

I hope you have many reasons to feel blessed today.

Until next time,
Jonelle

Share this post via email










Submit
Tagged , , , | 4 Comments
Nov. 19, 2012

Sonlight: A Missions Minded Community

By Luke
Share this post via email










Submit

Sonlight is more than a company. Sonlight is more than a homeschool curriculum. Sonlight is also a community. This has been true since early 1995. Back then, the community was largely on the Forums. Much of the interaction was about finding a group of like-minded people and hashing out the challenges of homeschooling life. Today, now that the internet has "grown up," there are many places where you can meet homeschoolers online. Sonlight is no longer the primary hub for such interaction.

But that doesn't mean our community hasn't grown up too! Over the past four years, I've been thrilled to see the Sonlight community become something more: missions-minded. Missions is, of course, built into Sonlight's DNA. Each Core program is packed with global perspective that gives us a chance to see God move around the world. We, as students and parents alike, are encouraged to think about what God is calling us to do to reach others with Christ's love. And the many missionary biographies we read remind us that God uses regular people to do amazing things!

And four years ago, God started using us in a new way. We just completed our fourth giving project. It was a complete success! The final total isn't in yet, but you helped give over $155,000! That's huge! And it's one of the many things that make me proud to be part of this community.

You are generous and have a heart for the world. It is such a joy to partner with you in reaching those who have not heard of Jesus. And as our family sat around the lunch table yesterday and thought about it, we couldn't think of another group quite like this one. You're amazing!

And God is doing more than just raising money for missions, getting kids excited about giving, and letting us encourage agencies to create programs that can be used again and again--as My Passport to India has already seen. There's even more! By partnering with various agencies over these last few years, we have been able to connect them. That's right: Christian missions agencies that didn't really even know the other was out there are now working together to spread the good news!

And you are part of that.

So thank you. Thank you for being part of the Sonlight's missions-minded community. I am honored to count myself as one of you.

If you've got 14 minutes, please listen to Sarita share a bit about our heart for giving:

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Share this post via email










Submit
Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments
Nov. 15, 2012

Why in the world did the Pilgrims give thanks?

By Sarita
Share this post via email










Submit

The Pilgrims faced tragedy in their first year at Plymouth.

They landed at Plymouth Rock on December 16 – much too late to plant or prepare for winter. Without enough food or protection from the cold, families watched their loved ones suffer. In December, 6 of the 102 pilgrims died. In January, 8 more passed. In February, 17 more people died. In March, 13 passed away. At one point, only 7 people were well enough to care for everyone else who was sick. By spring, just over half of the original pilgrims remained.

Why then, did they give thanks? Would I have thanked the Lord in similar circumstances?

I believe that even as the Pilgrims mourned, they must have looked for blessings. When they met Squanto, who taught them to plant and gather new food, they recognized his help as a gift. When their crop produced well, they thanked God and rejoiced.

A harvested field
In the midst of their painful losses, they chose to give thanks for God's provision. And thus, the first Thanksgiving.

I'm currently reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. Like many other Sonlighters, I've taken the author's suggestion to start my own gratitude journal. Now every morning in my quiet time, I spend a few minutes recording things I'm thankful for.

And I agree with Voskamp – I think giving thanks builds joy. The Pilgrims could have been crushed under the weight of their loss, but they choose to mourn and give thanks at the same time.

Jesus Christ, who left the splendor of heaven to live as a man, chose to give thanks throughout his whole earthly life. Before he fed the five thousand, he gave thanks. Before he raised Lazarus from the dead, he gave thanks. As he prepared to face the cross and carry the world's sin, Jesus broke bread and gave thanks.

Jesus saw the gifts in his life as grace and in turn he thanked his Father. I wonder if this posture of gratitude helped build the joy in Jesus' life. Voskamp would say it did. She writes, "eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, charis. But it also holds its derivative, the Greek word chara, meaning joy."

One thing is certain – giving thanks opens our eyes to see the gifts God continually gives. If you don't keep a gratitude journal, consider whether you'd like to start one. From the very simple (e.g., warm cookies from the oven) to the more profound (e.g., the gift of children in the house) recording these gifts helps put me in the proper posture of gratitude before God. And, yes, I believe that posture builds great joy in my life.

Many blessings to you in this season of thanksgiving!
Sarita

Share this post via email










Submit
Tagged , , , | Leave a comment
Nov. 13, 2012

How to Teach a Love of Learning

By Robert
Share this post via email










Submit

These Sonlight children love to learn!

Sonlight seeks to promote a lifelong love of learning, but what helps children love to learn and what can hinder that outlook? Let's look at some possible answers.

When I asked my wife about this topic, her first response was, "Parental attitude." In observing the behavior of our four homeschooled children, parental attitude really does make a strong impression, either pro or con depending on the attitude we exhibit as parents.

For example, did we have a bad experience with math when we were children? If we vocalize a negative attitude, our kids may inherit our bad attitude about math. If, however, we express positive experiences about learning, children will notice.

Siblings, too, can influence one another, pro and con, when it comes to whether or not a love of learning is cultivated or smothered. As parents, we need to keep an eye on sibling interactions and, where we can, encourage a love of learning.

Access to positive learning tools can also stimulate a love of learning. This means, for starters, maintaining a good library of resources in your home. Supplemental videos, too, can help, so long as they are engaging and of good quality.  Maintaining a learning home is helpful, too. If kids don't have access to stimulating educational tools or are in an environment that is not conducive to learning, developing a love of learning will be more challenging.

Knowing the learning styles of children can also help parents better shape the homeschooling experience, so that a love of learning is promoted rather than stifled. Children are unique individuals, so we can't expect them all to learn or thrive in the same ways, but we can seek to understand how each child learns best and cater to those strengths whenever possible.

Great, engaging literature also stimulates a love of learning. When children connect with characters in a story, they can't wait to read more about what happens. If a story is worthwhile when it comes to its message, children can develop a love of reading, which in turn contributes to a love of learning. Conversely, bad literature can hinder a love of learning. Children may begin to think that books are "boring" and have nothing to offer. That's why Sonlight spends a lot of time selecting quality, engaging literature.

There are many other points we could add that can either help or hinder a love of learning. What do you think helps children develop a love of learning? What do you think hinders it?

Robert Velarde
Author/Educator/Philosopher

Share this post via email










Submit
Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
Nov. 12, 2012

Why Core Club Benefits?

By Luke
Share this post via email










Submit

If you've poked around Sonlight's website, you've probably read the Sonlighters Club Membership Details and Discounts. We got into a discussion about them again this morning, so I thought I'd share a few of the things that grabbed me. We think that:

  • You should love homeschooling. That's one reason why we discount our packages so much! Over the years, we have seen again and again that those who buy complete homeschool curriculum packages are far happier with their school year than those who just purchase bits and pieces. We want you to love your homeschooling experience, so if saving you money on packages will help, we'll do that!
  • You should get the right materials for your family. We say it again and again: Sonlight is NOT for everyone. You should never feel stuck with a purchase that isn't working for your family. That's why we have an unrivaled 1-year Love to Learn Guarantee.
  • You should have support and community. We always seek to give you great support, but sometimes the best help--when you're in the middle of the school year--comes from fellow homeschoolers. That's one reason why our Sonlight Homeschool Advisors are all Sonlight moms. But you can also find fantastic advice, uplifting encouragement, and brilliant ideas on the Sonlight Forums.
  • You should be able to get the latest and greatest. I don't know how many industries do this, but it's certainly true with software. Adobe lets you upgrade Photoshop for a fraction of the cost. Window 8 just launched and the update is $40. Apple does a similar thing. And we here at Sonlight give you a huge "repurchase discount" on your Instructor's Guide. We are constantly working to update our curriculum. So, if you're going to reuse your program from a few years ago, we want to make sure you have the best. You can always get the latest IG for half off!
  • You'll like working with us. That's why we give you discounts beyond just your first purchase. We want you to be able to come back and save money all year long... whether it's for an elective you decided to add or a great gift.

We designed Sonlight's Club Benefits to help you get the most out of your school year. And I hope that, thus far, your year has been absolutely fantastic!

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Share this post via email










Submit
Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment
Nov. 9, 2012

Discover the Joy of Scripture ...and find other great gifts!

By Luke
Share this post via email










Submit

Sonlight's Christmas sale started today. I know, I know: WAY too early to be talking Christmas. I agree! But it's always a great time to talk about Scripture. And that's a major focus in our sale this year.

You'll first notice the What's In the Bible? DVDs which provide a great introduction to the content of Scripture. I was personally surprised to see Rhett & Link singing songs about the Old Testament. These guys are pretty big on YouTube nowadays, so it's cool to see their creative energy in such an important project.

Speaking of songs, you have got to go take a few minutes to listen to the audio samples of the Seeds Family Worship CDs. I got to hear them for the first time yesterday and was thoroughly impressed. I also love that they include a second copy of the CD in your package so you can give one away! How cool it that?

And if you flip to page 88 of your Sonlight Catalog, you may notice a little blurb about BibleMesh. Well, here we are, seven months later, and it's finally available. Check it out. There's a free 30-day trial for your family to enjoy.

Sonlight Christmas Sale

Of course, there's a lot more. And I'm sure we'll be sharing more in the coming month. But for now, enjoy the Seeds audio samples, the 30-day BibleMesh trial, and the funny clip from the good people at What's in the Bible.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Share this post via email










Submit
Tagged , , | Leave a comment
Nov. 7, 2012

When family disapproves...

By Jill
Share this post via email










Submit
On a family field trip in 1992.

On a family field trip in 1992.

When I talk to homeschoolers one of the top three problems people mention to me is this one..."My family disapproves." It may be parents, or in-laws; a sister or pastor or even a next door neighbor, but chances are if you homeschool you have close family members or friends who disapprove of it. You can provide them with statistics and show them studies, but they still think you are ruining your children.

We had this problem too, and since I am done with homeschooling I thought I would give you a glimpse into how this played out in my family. Perhaps it will encourage you.

I come from a family of teachers. In fact I have a teaching degree but chose to stay home and have a large family (5 children) instead of working outside the home. My parents were opposed to homeschooling from the start---and that was in 1990. We treated homeschooling as the proverbial "Elephant in the Room" -- we didn't talk about it. My dad did teach the boys drafting and wood-shop, but my parents felt the kids needed a classroom setting in order to be able to go on to college, be successful,  etc. At that time we were in a church of about 3000 and we were the only home educators in our church.

I think it goes back to the premise I was raised with, that education is your salvation. It is how my dad pulled himself out of poverty, so it is no wonder they were skeptical.  In their eyes if we ruined our kids' education, we were in effect, destroying their chance of having any type of fulfilling life. Although Christians, they did not understand any of our convictions for educating our 5 children at home, and they didn't want to see us spoil our kids' chances for happiness and success.

After SEVEN YEARS of homeschooling, my dad came and sat at the table where I was checking over some math papers and said, "You know we never approved of you homeschooling the kids; (long pause) but I see what great kids you have, and the closeness they have, how well they are doing and want to tell you your sacrifice was worth it. You have done a great job and you made the right decision."

Sometimes you just have to live it out---you can't talk it out or prove it with statistics, you have to live it out, just like your faith---day by day. My dad died a few years later, and oh what a sweet memory that kitchen table conversation is for me. How glad I am that we stuck to it, that we lived it out and that we were kind and gentle with scoffers.

Hopefully you will be able to tell your own stories of acceptance in the years to come.

Take care,

Jill

As a note: We did not ruin our kids! They have all graduated from college, are self supporting, live in the same area  we do, and best of all, they like each other and us!

  • Cris has been married for 11 years, has a daughter and is an electrical engineer.
  • Dusty has been married for 11 years and is an accountant.
  • Chad has been married for 4 years, has two daughters and is a software engineer.
  • Kari served 1 year in Americorps and currently is an industrial safety manager.
  • Scotty works as an industrial technician.
Share this post via email










Submit
Tagged , , , | 1 Comment