Last-Day-of-{Home}School Reflections

Friday marked the end of another year of homeschooling for us. As we wrapped up our final day of school, I felt a wonderful sense of accomplishment and gratitude for the most fulfilling year of homeschooling we’ve had yet. And mixed with those emotions were both excitement and disappointment–disappointment that our school year is already done and excitement for both a summer break full of family fun and for what lies beyond: another school year.

Maybe I’m a little nerdy for not being “soooo ready” for summer break and for already looking forward to next year, but I can’t help myself! For me, homeschooling has honestly been the most rewarding aspect of motherhood. I genuinely enjoy sitting around the kitchen table with my children, purposefully investing myself in them, and learning right alongside them. And each year just seems to keep getting better.

As our school year closed, I was thinking about how nervous I had been for it begin. I wasn’t at all sure how I would handle teaching a 1st grader and a Kindergartner while containing and entertaining two three-year-olds. But by God’s grace, it just happened. And it happened better than I could have hoped or imagined. It went so well that we even found the ability to throw ourselves into the pilot year of a new homeschool co-op, an investment of time and energy that complemented (not complicated, as I had initially feared) our educational and relational endeavors.

After checking off the last of my lesson plans on Friday, I (unsuccessfully) fought back tears as I praised and thanked the kids–and God–for a wonderful school year. I am so grateful that He has given us the ability and the desire to educate our kids at home and sound minds to learn the things which He wants to teach us.

As Isabel prayed, so I echo: “Dear God, thank You for a good school year. And thank You that we get to have a summer break and that You will be there.” Amen.

Want to know more about my homeschool? Check out these posts from a series I did last fall.

I Have Not a Care

For whatever reason, I’ve been feeling a lot of stress and anxiety lately. I’m not sure that I have much more going on than I always have before, but the weight of deadlines and expectations–even just basic responsibilities–has felt more overwhelming than at any other time of my life.

I ask myself why I don’t seem to be handling the stress as well anymore, but I just don’t know. A couple recent speaking “engagements” (That word sounds far too formal.)–one now over and one still looming heavy on my mind–have certainly been the cause of some added (but not regretted) stress. I’m excited about the opportunity to serve in this way, though the process of preparation has been one replete with growing pains (for which I am thankful).

I realize that worry and anxiety are not fruitful ways to deal with the pressures of life. I know that God tells us to cast our cares on Him (Psalm 55:22, 1 Peter 5:7); so I’ve been attempting to do that through prayer and confession.

As I sat before the Lord yesterday, I told Him all about my cares, I thanked Him for His promises, and then I asked Him, “And what would You say to me?” Now, I’m not very good at listening when I pray–and I even told Him that–but I felt the need to be still and quiet before Him. As I did, poetic lines full of God’s truths began filling my heart and speaking to me in such a way that I knew they must have been inspired by Him.

I’m not a poet, but the writer in me couldn’t resist the opportunity to let these lines flow from my heart and onto the page. May you be encouraged by these words as I have been.

I Have Not a Care

My God, You are with me. I have not a care.
Because Your word tells me You will always be there.

 

Through trials, temptations, troubles, and tears,
Your word will guide me. Of what shall I fear?

 

Your word tells me to cast my cares on You.
Your yolk is easy, Your promises true.

 

No place can I go where You are not there.
The omnipotent God, the Almighty, is near.

 

I trust You, I trust You, I trust You. I do!
Dear God, help me trust You each morning anew.

 

For where can I flee from Your presence divine?
I am Yours, this I know. And God, Thou art mine.

 

My Savior, my Counselor, Redeemer, and Friend.
My Guide by my side, evermore to the End.

 

I need You, I need You, I need You. I do!
Dear God, help me need you each morning anew.

 

For where can I go that You are not there?
You’re with me, within me. I have not a care.

 

Not one of my worries a legitimate thought,
For Your word says worry is all for naught.

 

You have a promise, and I choose to believe.
You promise that all I need, I’ll receive.

 

I seek You, I seek You, I seek You. I do!
Dear God, help me seek You each morning anew.

 

For You are my dawn and the Giver of Light.
I’ll find You when I seek You with all of my might.

 

No place can I go where You are not there,
My God, You are with me. I have not a care.

Frugal Living: Maintaining Frugality

This is the fourth and final post in my series on Frugal Living. If you missed parts 1, 2, and 3, you can find them here.

 
Now that we’ve examined the proper measure of frugality, realized that healthy frugality exists as a wide spectrum, and looked at the specific ways frugality is practiced in my home, I’d like to finish this series on Frugal Living by sharing my tips for success in maintaining a frugal lifestyle.

Give faithfully.

For Christians, the whole reason for living frugally should be because we desire to be good stewards of what God has given us. The first step in being prudent with our resources is being obedient to God by giving back to Him from the top of what He has given us. When we give cheerfully and faithfully and with the right motives, God will certainly be faithful to meet our needs as He has promised.

Live on a written budget.

We have taken Dave Ramsey‘s advice to spend every dollar on paper first. What this means is that sometime prior to our paycheck hitting the bank account, Travis and I sit down and have a budget meeting. We assign dollar amounts to various line items within the categories of giving, saving, and spending until every cent has been “spent” on paper (or rather, in Travis’ amazing Excel spreadsheet). This accomplishes three things.

  1. It encourages openness and accountability with your spouse on money matters.
  2. It encourages you to consider your upcoming needs (and wants) and to prioritize them while at the same time discouraging the practice of impulsive or unplanned purchases.
  3. It helps ensure you aren’t spending more money than you are making.

 
We have also taken Dave’s advice to make purchases with cash. Being able to literally see what’s available to spend seems to increase the incentive to spend–or to NOT spend–wisely. Our cash categories include the following.

    • Groceries
    • Dining Out
    • Consumables/Household
    • Clothing
    • Hair Care
    • Gifts
    • Blow Money (“Angela,” “Travis,” and “Family”)

 

For more on implementing a written budget and cash envelope system, read The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey.

 

Save wisely.

A large part of what has allowed us to maintain a lifestyle of good stewardship is to save all year round for bigger, upcoming expenditures. By setting a little aside every month for these things, we hope to avoid having to come up with an unmanageable amount of money all at once (which usually leads to debt). The savings categories which we fund on a monthly basis include the following.

    • Retirement
    • Christmas/Gifts
    • Auto Fund (for maintenance and for future car replacement)
    • Education Fund (for all costs associated with homeschooling)
    • Home Fund (for home improvement, future appliance replacement, etc.)
    • Vacation Fund
    • Medical Fund (used to fund our HSA)
    • College Fund (for our children)

 

Stay content.

Know your weaknesses when it comes to spending money. If browsing the ads in the Sunday paper makes you want to spend money you don’t have for things you don’t need, then avoid them! I have found that when it comes to staying content, ignorance is bliss. Not knowing what’s out there means not wanting to buy it! :-) Contentment is a means to spending less money, but more importantly, it’s a Godly character trait for which we ought to strive.

“Godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6)

Don’t worry about your needs.

As you work to maintain a frugal lifestyle, always remember that it is God who meets your needs.

“Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:8b)

“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

 

Top 5 Kitchen Electrics

When it comes to adding gadgets or small electrics to my kitchen, I’m pretty selective. Counter top/workspace and cupboard/storage space are limited and valuable, so any new thing that’s to be added to my kitchen has to add enough culinary value to warrant its keep.

Here are 5 valuable kitchen electrics that have made my cut.

1. Oyama® Rice Cooker

Oyama Rice CookerI love this thing. After 7+ years of eating rice that just wasn’t cooked quite right, the Oyama® Rice Cooker has been a welcome addition to my kitchen. We chose this one because of the sealed lid and stainless steel cooking bowl and steamer basket. And the other good thing about it? It cooks my rice faster than my vegetable steamer did. Just the other night, it successfully accommodated my last-minute decision to make rice for supper, cooking 2 cups of long grain white rice in under 15 minutes.

2. TASSIMO T20 Home Brewing System by Bosch

TASSIMO T20 WhiteI never was a regular coffee drinker until I decided to eliminate pop from my diet (again) a little over a year ago. While coffee drinking isn’t the healthiest of habits, I figure it has to be better than pop. And the coffee I make at home with organic cream and liquid Stevia is certainly more healthy (and less expensive!) than what I would get at Starbucks. Most people with a single-serve coffee maker probably have a Keurig, but I liked the TASSIMO T20 because of its small size and its ability to make frothy drinks (and… okay, I admit it… because it looks good sitting next to my Bosch Universal on the counter top…).

3. Bosch Universal Plus Kitchen Machine and Blender

Bosch Universal with BlenderAfter burning up a KitchenAid stand mixer in under 18 months of whole wheat bread-making, I learned that the Bosch Universal Plus is a must for bread-making success. This powerful, large-capacity machine also comes in handy for mixing up my rather heavy cookie dough recipe and my huge bran muffin recipe; and the blender attachment is nice for making smoothies, shakes, and pancake batter.

4. L’Equip Nutrimill Grain Mill

LEquip NutrimillI got my Nutrimill at the same time I got the Bosch Universal Plus. Prior to owning this variable high-speed grain mill, I was using a grain mill attachment for my KitchenAid–which was possibly responsible for the KitchenAid’s short lifespan. Since the Bosch doesn’t have a grain mill attachment, I needed a stand-alone grain mill. The Nutrimill takes up a lot of space in my cupboard; but its large capacity and mess-free design make it well worth its keep.

5. Krups Belgian Waffle Maker

Krups Waffle MakerA waffle maker is one thing I always thought my kitchen could do without, mostly because I had this perception that all waffle makers are bulky and space-consuming. My husband and son would drop hints from time to time about getting a waffle maker, but I figured we could just stick to pancakes. My griddle doesn’t take up much space, after all. But when we saw the Krups Belgian Waffle Maker and its sleek, upright storage design, my mind was instantly changed. I’m sure it’s not the nicest waffle maker on the market, but it certainly does a good enough job to earn its small space in the cupboard.

Those are my current kitchen must-haves. What are yours?

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