New Year's Resolution--Defeat the Enemy Within

To look at Jessica*, you'd never guess what she faces on a daily basis. Long, rich brown hair, a lean well-shaped figure, and a smile that could light New York City. Yet, a deadly killer lives inside her--growing. In her second bout of cancer, Jessica fights a battle against the enemy within.

When I asked how she was doing and how I could pray, Jessica said simply, "Pray that God blesses all I'm doing to get this out of me." To defeat the cancer, Jessica has radically changed her life. She follows a strict nutritional regimen, exercises, and has retrained herself on managing stress. She knows her healing is ultimately in God's hands, but she endeavors to live a daily response to His healthy principles in the hopes that her body will fight off this killer.

In talking with her, I realize we are really no different. We both have an enemy within that threatens to destroy. We both ultimately rest in Jesus for our healing. At the same time we both have a daily duty to reorient our lives to respond to God's life-giving.

At this Christmas season, I live in awe of a God who would give up heaven, the adoration of angels, and limitlessness to come to a dirty stable, filled with mocking people, and be constrained by the helplessness of a newborn. Jesus did all this to personally say, "I love you, and I want you to know Me." I came to be here. . .with you.

I live in greater awe that He came as the means, not just of sharing life, but of saving us from the enemy in us. That He chooses to live in us to defeat that enemy.

I see Jessica's desperation. She knows her life is on the line. She has responded by fully committing to a way that leads to life. I pray to be that desperate.

I pray my desperation leads me to walk more closely with Christ. Knowing all He has already done, I pray that I can use this coming year to cooperate in His work in me more fully. To radically change my life and my lifestyle to be in full conformity with Him.

I pray for the daily commitment to looking into His eyes to see whether my actions please Him. To ask myself daily:

• Am I showing grace to my husband, children, friends, and strangers? 
• Are my reactions bathed in patience and gentleness? 
• Am I spending the best moments of my day talking with Jesus about His plans for my day and then the rest of the moments obediently carrying those out? 
• Am I willing to accept unanswered prayers and disappointments as a necessary part of God's plan rather than seeing them as a failure of God to reward me as I deserve? 
• Am I living for God or for me? 

As I look to the coming year--I long for so many things. That diversity can scatter my focus and leave me unproductive. Jessica has offered a lesson in focus. I resolve this year to pray daily for a dependency on God's work in me and a willingness to engage in those efforts in my control to live for Christ and for His work to bring healing and life to my soul. I pray for defeat of the enemy within.


* Name changed.


Tess Worrell writes and speaks to groups regarding issues of family life and living as a Godly woman. She and husband, Mike Worrell, live in Madison, Indiana, where they are in their 14th year of home schooling. She would love to hear your insights. Comment here or email her at tess@YourFamilyMatterstous.com. If you would like Tess to speak to your home school or church group, you can learn more about her speaking at YourFamilyMatterstous.com.

2013 IAHE Home Educators' Convention

The IAHE has had recent Board changes and that means a new Convention Coordinator.  Thank you for showing us grace as we continue to learn as we work through the process of planning our Convention.  

One thing we've been trying to do is find a suitable venue for Convention.  We thought we'd be nice and early with our information, but unfortunately the only date we could obtain at our originally preferred location conflicted with a regional event.  With our size, it has not been easy, but we are working hard to try out options that make it easier for families in regards to parking and food while at Convention.  We maxed out the 2012 venue and are moving to the Indiana State Fairgrounds for 2013.

For the past year, we have been asking for feedback regarding the IAHE.  We appreciate your ideas!   We have some upcoming changes to share with you that we believe you will like.  Stay tuned...

The IAHE is a ministry to home educating families, but it is also a non-profit business that is run full-time, year round by volunteers.  Most of our funding comes from Convention, but we do appreciate your tax-deductible donations.  We have plans that we would love to see come to fruition that will help to educate legislators and Hoosiers in general while strengthening home education in Indiana, but it all is dependent on funding.  

We NEED your help at IAHE.  For information on ways you may help your state organization, contact our office.

Debi Ketron 

Member, IAHE Board of Directors

Protecting Our Children

My mind is still reeling from the news out of Connecticut. While so many in our culture ask, "How could someone go after children?"--we know the answer. Sadly. We know that we live in a culture that "goes after children."

From abortion, to the sexualization of children in advertisements, to the video games that target their minds with shallow pleasure, to the movies that espouse every religious view but true Christianity--our culture goes after children. John Stonestreet once said, "The signs of an idolatrous culture are sexual immorality and the sacrifice of children." Few Christians can look at the world around us and not sense the idolatry of our culture. And that children always pay the price of idolatry.

It's tempting to think, "But we home school. We're safe. Our children are safe." If only it were so easy.

We see how the public schools have banned God from their midst. They determined that they didn't need God. We see the terrible fruit of that choice.

Do we live as if we need God? At every step? Or, do we fall into a sense that, because we home school, God will just cover us with His protection?

That was step one of the public school's departure from God. Many early public schools lived in dependence on God. Parents gathered together to set the agenda for the school, hired a Godly teacher, and focused on learning based on scriptural tenets. Then came the slow fade. Parents just assumed that the schools would honor God. Then, they assumed God would bless whether He was honored or not. Many Christians who send their children to public school still live in this fantasy.

Many home schoolers live in this fantasy as well. We assume that, because we began our journey by faith in God, somehow God will bless whatever we do. Whether we seek Him or not.

I find it so easy to fall into this. After so many years home schooling--so many times through the curriculum--I get lulled into a false sense of "I've got this." At other times I'm so overwhelmed, I grasp at any tool offered--forgetting to instead grasp for God. Daily I have to intentionally go to God, pray for the Holy Spirit to govern our day and be our teacher, and ask that God keep my ears tuned to hear His voice. It's an act of sheer perseverance to stay focused on Him.

Christmas is a time when God made abundantly clear--"My people need me. They need me living among them, walking with them, and guiding them at every step." The cry of Christmas is to accept Jesus in our midst. Daily. To live--eyes focused on Him. To walk with Him. To honor Him and be guided by Him in everything from our Bible lessons to our art lessons to our service in the community. We need to seek Him in teaching our children how to relate to us, to each other, and to those outside our homes. That is our protection.

What happened in Connecticut was not outside God's sovereignty. But, I believe it was outside His will. It was the fruit of living outside His will. May we as home schoolers vigilantly seek to live every day in His will. May we seek to be an example to a hurting world how to follow God in the dayliness of life--in every choice and every focus. May we recognize that He is the only protection we have.

Tess Worrell writes and speaks to groups regarding issues of family life and living as a Godly woman. She and husband, Mike Worrell, live in Madison, Indiana, where they are in their 14th year of home schooling. She would love to hear your insights. Comment here or email her at tess@YourFamilyMatterstous.com. If you would like Tess to speak to your home school or church group, you can learn more about her speaking at YourFamilyMatterstous.com.

New IAHE Region 5 Representatives

The IAHE is please to announce that we have new Reps for the busy Region 5 area located just west of Indianapolis that includes the following counties:  Hendricks, Boone, Putnam, Montgomery, and Parke.   They are Warren and Karen Whitesell.

Warren and Karen are the blessed parents of five children, ranging in ages from eight to nineteen.  All have been home educated from birth to the present with the oldest now pursuing a music degree through CollegePlus!.  Believing there can be no neutral position on the matter of child rearing and education, they have been dedicated to providing a distinctly Christian education.  Their goal has been to allow the truths and commands of Scripture, specifically from Psalms 1:1, Proverbs 1:7, and Deuteronomy 6:4-7, to shape, mold, and at times correct their approach to home education.  God has been gracious and certainly very patient while the family continues to discover what Biblical home education is all about!

The Whitesell family lives in Russellville, Indiana, on a small farm where, in addition to “formal education”, plenty of learning opportunities exist with gardening, livestock, etc.!  It is their family hope to encourage and to minister to other families seeking to home educate.

IAHE Board Changes

We had shared this on the IAHE Weekly Update, but forgot to share it here and on Facebook.   If you home educate and would like to receive the Weekly Update, register for a FREE account at IAHE.

IAHE Board News

We wish Greg & Kathleen Fowl well as they have retired from the IAHE Board after eighteen years of service as Region 13 Representatives and later Board members.

Please welcome our new Board members, Frank and Jackie Franks of Pendleton, Indiana (Madison County).  Frank and Jackie reside in central Indiana on their 80 acre farm. They have home educated and graduated their children Caleb, Rebecca, and John-Paul. Another daughter Amy lives in Austin, TX, with her husband and three sons. Seeing the faults of how they lived their early lives, they decided to, with God's help, raise adults committed to Christ. They felt the best way to do this was to intentionally homeschool and disciple. Without discipleship, they feel that the results of home education will be no better or worse than any other form of education.  
                                   

                                                                             

Frank ran his own marketing/distribution company for over 25 years, and has 40 years of experience in business. A highlights of home educating for him was teaching math. In 2003, one of his dreams was fulfilled as he moved to and converted a 440 acre property into a certified organic, grass-fed beef operation and timber farm. He felt this was an excellent place to raise children, without the distractions and entrapments of materialism. Today, he is a business consultant and organic farmer.  

Jackie's background in medicine as an RN, as well as her love of science, Creation, and healthy living, has permeated much of her family's education. One of the highlights of home education for her was interweaving the Word of God into everyday living. Feeling inadequate to educate her children at home, she was driven to her knees to simply ask for wisdom and empowering from the Holy Spirit on a daily basis. This prayer was answered more than she ever could have expected. Today, she enjoys working alongside her husband and each of her children as they process how they are now to live in light of the gifts and talents they have been given by God. She writes a blog, which encourages women in the art of making a house a home and filling it with the Spirit of the Lord.  

The Franks enjoy beautiful/traditional music, gardening vegetables and berries, raising bees and trees, traveling, organic food that tastes good (especially homemade artisan breads), and fellowship with family and friends.

Can Good Be Bad?

“My kingdom is not of this world.”

 ~Jesus Christ, the Master and great Shepherd of the sheep

As recorded in John 19:36

If we have chosen to follow Christ, we have committed to a life that is clearly outside the world’s cultural norms and is governed by heavenly priorities instead.  The lives of those who have chosen to homeschool fall even farther outside cultural norms.  But even in the homeschool world, we are not immune to distraction from what is of central importance to our Lord.  In fact, especially in the homeschool world, we may be lulled into a false sense of security when it comes to our priorities.  It is often said that the good can be the enemy of the best.  It is of prime importance that we regularly take stock of our lives to make sure that we have not received His grace in vain.

Might it be possible that we have become yoked to things that are really not of Him?   (See II Corinthians 6.)   Are we honestly and truly not of this world?   Or could it be, that in spite of a valiant attempt to keep from being conformed to and entangled in “the world” and its pagan, cultural wrappings and trappings, we are sometimes unwittingly lured into what is simply an alternate “world” to keep us occupied?

 “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world.

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world,

the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life,

is not from the Father, but is from the world.

And the world is passing away, and also its lusts;

but the one who does the will of God abides forever.”

I John 2:15-17

Could it be that an obsession with a morally clean cultural world might serve Satan’s purposes just as well—to sufficiently distract us from God’s real priorities?

The world has dark and dirty hobbies to keep its lives too busy for God.  Those who claim to follow Christ may have refreshingly clean hobbies, which ironically, however, often accomplish the same end.  Neither group has much time for God’s priorities.  My fear is that we are far too often energetic—exceptionally so—for things that are empty, feverish in our activity for that which is fading.

The world’s teenagers follow the latest fashion trends—daringly envelope-pushing, immodest ones.  Meanwhile, Christian young people can be equally enthralled with fashion, except, of course, that theirs would tend toward modesty.

The men of the world love sports and beer.  Multitudes of Christian men, too, can talk of nothing but sports.  They just generally prefer a less addictive drink to go with it.

While the world may be addicted to the dark side of technology, the Church may be equally addicted to its cleaner forms.

The world takes it view of Christianity from everything but the Bible.  And tragedy of tragedies, so does most of the “Church”, as is evidenced by way it whole-heartedly embraces the core beliefs of the rest of the world’s religions, while having not a clue where the ideas have come from.

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord,

so walk in Him. . . .

 See to it that no one takes you captive

through philosophy and empty deception,

according to the tradition of men,

according to the elementary principles of the world,

rather than according to Christ.”

Colossians 2:6, 8

Honestly, is what we let ourselves be consumed with actually prescribed in the Bible, or has some smooth talker just convinced us that it is?  Do we latch onto things, thinking they are worth our time, when in reality they, too, are passing away?  Are our priorities really the same as His?  

It is imperative that we ask ourselves these questions.  These are the kind of questions we need to be asking.  I have to ask myself these kinds of questions on a regular basis, and especially at holiday times when our schedules get even tighter than usual.  If we don’t ask ourselves these questions, and honestly stare the answers in the face, we may find that our dear Master is grieved with our hardness of heart and with our willingness to be distracted from what matters most to Him.

Lately, I’ve been reading the last letters of Peter and Paul (II Peter and II Timothy).  They’ve really gotten to me.  I have felt their emotion, as they knew their time on this earth was coming quickly to an end.  Those dear men, under the Spirit’s influence, were intensely passionate—and increasingly so, it seems, as they aged—that we should faithfully carry on what Jesus passed on to them, without getting sidetracked, deceived, or lead astray from their—and our—beloved Master.

I was going to share some verses from II Peter and II Timothy but couldn’t narrow them down; they were all too relevant.  So instead, I urge you to go pull out the actual letters and soak them up as you would precious pen and paper letters that just arrived today in your mailbox.  You certainly won’t regret it; in fact, it may save you from regret.

“And now, little children, abide in Him,

so that when He appears, we may have confidence

and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.”

~From yet another intensely devoted follower of Jesus Christ

As recorded in I John 2:26-28

Homeschooling with her husband, Scott, since 2001, Carol believes nothing is too difficult for God.  She is a passionate encourager and loves using creative means--including writing music, singing, speaking, and blogging--to encourage others to trust God through all the adventures He calls them to.  You can read more from her at her Unsmotherable Delight blog (udelight.blogspot.com), where you'll find faith-filled original songs, favorite scriptures, family stories, and even a little film about adoption, all designed to inspire and lift your spirit.  Her original 'theme song' titled Captain's Anthem can be heard on Vimeo at http://vimeo.com/30769152.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

3 Tips to Prevent Meltdown at Christmas Gatherings

Tis the season to see friends and family, attend special programs, and tour the lights. As our family sat around the dinner table the other night, a question came up, "What are your favorite family traditions?" Everyone named a Christmas tradition--a few simply said, "All the stuff we do at Christmas."

Yet, as special as those events can be--all too often they can lead to meltdowns. Tantrums, crying spells, extra fighting--and that's just the parents. What can we do to keep the "special" in special events?

Children (and parents) misbehave most often when they are tired, hungry, or out of their routine. The key to preserving the joy of family events is to think ahead for each of these.

Aim to keep family members rested. Whether the family attends a special concert or a neighborhood party, special events tend to go past bedtimes. With darkness descending ever earlier--the toll is even greater. When parents know that evening's activities will likely keep children up too late, including a rest in the daily schedule may be the key to preserving the evening fun. As home schoolers we have the advantage of orienting the day to match life. Too often the realization of upcoming breaks persuades us to try to squeeze every last math problem or research paper out of our children before the break begins. Added to the increased strain holidays bring with their added commitments and activity, that can be the last straw.

Better approach--recognize that January through March offer long days with not much else to do but school. Save the push for the winter months and enjoy the wonder and joy of Christmas. On our third year of home schooling, (because we still had only young learners) we opted to take the month of December to devote to enjoying Christmas. We made crafts, baked goods for gifts baskets, read great books on the history and meaning of both Christmas and Christ's birth from a variety of perspectives. We took on special projects to minister to neighbors. The lighter approach meant less strain and more enjoyment. Even though we can't take the month anymore--we do focus on core subjects rather than the full schedule. More, I do include rest times for the younger members, even if it's just an hour in bed reading. This keeps the energy going when special events run late.

Aim to prevent hunger. Special events often center on food--but the timing can be very different than your home meal schedule. A package of cheese crackers or baggie of almonds can make all the difference. When children, or spouse, starts getting grumpy because their stomach is growling and the host won't serve food for another hour--pull out the reserve snacks and head off melt-downs.

Aim to preserve routine. The thing about special events? They're . . .special. Out of the ordinary. Out of the routine. Children thrive on routine. Routine offers security, predictability, and signals for how to act. Deprived of these--children can feel like they are in a metaphorical free-fall. Not the best feeling for inducing good behavior.

We can help by offering the benefits of routine--even when routine is missing. Before going into Grandma's for the family party or the concert hall, remind children of behavioral expectations: use manners, give adults the seats and sit on the floor, listen to others, etc. If children only see family members at Christmas, offer reminders as to who they will see and how they are connected. You might also offer interesting details that allow your children to connect. Let children know how long you will be there and what to expect during the event.

Just as important--keep your December calendar in front of you at all times. When a friend calls to invite you for a neighborhood gathering, check the calendar. Don't just look to see if you are booked. Look to see how many other nights are booked. Preserve nights to be home and rest. You can even take the time to block out nights at the beginning of the month to ensure time at home. 

Tis the season to enjoy family, friends, and special events. By remembering the triggers for misbehavior and preparing ahead, we can help keep the "special" in special events. We trade tears and tantrums for wonderful family memories.


Tess Worrell writes and speaks to groups regarding issues of family life and living as a Godly woman. She and husband, Mike Worrell, live in Madison, Indiana, where they are in their 14th year of home schooling. She would love to hear your insights. Comment here or email her at tess@YourFamilyMatterstous.com. If you would like Tess to speak to your home school or church group, you can learn more about her speaking at YourFamilyMatterstous.com.