Shaping Worldview

You homeschool because your child’s faith is important to you. We want to support you in training up your child. These blog posts show how to give your child a biblical worldview of each subject.
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June 18, 2019 by Megan

I love to cook, and I especially love to bake. But a while back, I found myself in a quandary. I had three guests in my house. One was on a grain-free diet. Another was vegan. And I had no idea what to make for dessert. I had some fresh fruit in the house—including a large container of fresh strawberries—but all my usual strawberry dessert recipes had been ruled out. How could I possibly make a dessert that had no eggs, no dairy products, and no grains of any kind? Did such a thing even exist?

Showing Love with Food

People all over the world use food to nurture relationships with each other. Many of my own relationships have been built and maintained over a shared meal, a shared plate of cookies, or even a shared table at the local coffee shop. Food is an important tool that we as Christian homeschool moms can use to show love to our neighbors.

But, as I realized that afternoon in my kitchen, sometimes cooking for other people can get complicated. I’ve been blessed with a husband and children who can eat just about anything I care to cook. But many families in my church and some members of my extended family deal with food allergies and other dietary restrictions on a daily basis. How could I love my neighbor when they come to my home? By caring enough to adjust my cooking to fit their needs.

That afternoon, I managed to substitute my way through a strawberry cobbler recipe in order to meet the needs of my guests. To be honest, it wasn’t awesome, and I probably wouldn’t duplicate it even if I could remember the recipe. But it wasn’t a disaster. And it said “I care” in a very tangible way that went a long way toward making my guests feel welcome. In that sense, it was a very big win.

Cooking for Others with Dietary Restrictions

Here are a few tips that I’ve learned about caring for people with dietary restrictions.

Before you take someone a food item or have people over to your home for a meal, ask if there is anything that they can’t eat or don’t prefer to eat or if they are on a specialized diet (such as paleo). That way, you can avoid any potentially awkward moments.
Read the ingredients lists on food labels. Some items have ingredients that you would never expect. (Bottled salad dressings and other sauces can be particularly tricky.)
Pay attention to how recipes work. If you know what each ingredient contributes, you’ll find it easier to figure out substitutions.
Encourage your kids to eat whatever you fix, especially if you have guests in your home. I fix vegan meals on a fairly regular basis now, and my four young daughters eat whatever is placed in front of them. It’s their way of loving our guests and making them feel welcome.

And here are a couple of my favorite variations on the classic strawberry pie that are tailored to meet some specific dietary needs.

Vegan & Gluten-Free Strawberry Pie (from the Where You Get Your Protein website)
Paleo Strawberry Pie (from the Yankee Homestead blog)

Scripture for Your Homeschool Journey

May 7, 2019 by Megan

I’m about to finish up my third year of homeschooling. Our homeschooling journey so far has been filled with many fun, joy-filled days along with a lot of really hard, frustrating days. But that’s not really surprising; life is like that. We all have days of blessing mixed with days of trial. But regardless of whether you are in the middle of a dark trial right now or enjoying a time of blessing, God wants to teach you something. Here are some Scriptures to meditate on wherever you are in your homeschool journey.

Scripture for being mindful of the blessings

Honestly, some days my calling as a homeschool mom doesn’t feel like a blessing. Some days it feels more like a burden. I’m overwhelmed. Discouraged. Stressed. On those days, I need to read Scripture that reminds me of the great blessing and privilege it is to raise and teach my children.

Psalm 127:3

Children are an heritage of the Lord; and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

Psalm 128:1–4

Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.

Being a mom is a wonderful gift! These little seedlings in my home require a lot of time and care now, but someday, with the Lord’s help, they will be self-sustaining, fruit-bearing trees. I am continually amazed that I have the privilege to be a part of that growth process.

Trusting the Lord to do what you cannot

When I, as a homeschool mom, feel anxious and stressed, it is often because I am trying to control everything around me. I’m living in constant fear of failing because I’m forgetting something really important—that the one responsible for outcomes is God, not me. My only responsibilities are to trust the Lord and be faithful to what He has called me to do.

Proverbs 3:5–6

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

1 Thessalonians 5:24

Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Philippians 1:6

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

As homeschool moms, we have a calling—a calling to be our kids’ mom and our kids’ teacher. Most days, this calling feels like more than I can handle. But I am often reminded of 2 Corinthians 12:9: My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. I have always found God’s grace to be sufficient for whatever day I’m having. And I know that God’s grace will be sufficient for your day too.

The Best Gift of Christmas

December 25, 2018 by Jenna

During Christmas time, we often focus on giving. We teach our children that it’s better to give than to receive. You may have helped them create a Christmas gift budget. Or you may have encouraged them to give by serving others. We must remember that we as children of God are able to give in love because we were first loved. In this season of giving, let each gift shine with the love of God.

Twelve Days of Christmas Writing Activity

December 11, 2018 by Guest Writer

If you enjoyed the Twelve Days of Thanksgiving activity Rebecca posted, you may also enjoy this Christmas writing activity! Encourage your children to keep a journal entitled “Twelve Days of Christmas Meditations.” The idea is for them to write about a different topic each day, reflecting on God’s goodness in all the different gifts He has given us. Ultimately, these reflections should lead them to our most precious gift, His Son who laid down His life for us. Feel free to use these topic suggestions or come up with your own; the possibilities are endless! You can even use this printable visual as a writing prompt for each day.

“On the twelfth day of Christmas, my Lord God gave to me . . . ”

One Only Begotten Son

What better way to start this journal than by thanking God for His unspeakable gift, our Lord Jesus Christ? Find some prophecies about Him in the Old Testament and how they were fulfilled in the New Testament.

Two Testaments

We can also praise God for giving us His complete and perfect Word. Explain how Jesus is the central theme in both the Old and New Testaments.

Three Talents

God has graciously given us different skills and abilities. Choose three talents the Lord has blessed you with, and write how you can use them for His glory.

Four Glad Seasons

Write about your favorite aspects of each season of the year and how each one points us to our Creator.

Five Bible Servants

List your choices for the top five individuals in Scripture, and explain why they are your favorites.

Six Precious Verses

Write out six Bible verses that have special meaning to you. If you just can’t limit yourself to six, feel free to list more!

Seven Special Creatures

Praise the Lord today for seven of His most unique mammals, insects, birds, fish, reptiles, or amphibians—any creature you find amazing or interesting. Again, you don’t have to choose just seven!

Eight Promises Given

Write down eight of God’s precious promises given to us in His Word.

Nine Faithful Heroes

Make a list of nine people who have made an impact for Christ and on your life as well. Write a short explanation of why you included each one. They can be missionaries, evangelists, pastors, or anyone else who has affected your life either in the past or in the present.

Ten Fingers and Toes

Psalm 139:14 says, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well.” Spend some time in your journal today praising God for how He created your body and reflect on how you can use it to serve and glorify Him.

Eleven Carols Ringing

So many carols, so little time! Write down eleven Christmas carols you enjoy singing at this time of year; see if you can find some “new” old ones you’ve never heard before and try to learn them with your family.

Twelve Favorite Things

God has so richly blessed us with all kinds of things! List a dozen of your favorites, and spend some time thanking the Lord for them. Examples include a favorite toy, book, stuffed animal, souvenir, food, article of clothing, and so on.

As your children work on their journals, encourage them to think of ways they can give back to their good and gracious Giver.

• • • • •

Jennifer is a pastor’s wife and mom of two young girls and loves homeschooling them. During her own twelve years of being homeschooled, Jennifer developed a passion for reading and writing. She earned a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and relishes writing during her free time.

Why Be Thankful?

November 21, 2018 by Guest Writer

“Thank you” are two of the first words we parents teach our children to say. Even before our daughters could talk, we taught them the sign for “thank you” in sign language. It’s important to train our children to express gratitude for the things they receive. But it’s also equally vital to teach them why we should be thankful because it’s more than just a matter of using good manners. If we can lay a biblical foundation for thankfulness while they’re young, we will help them develop a habit of gratitude for the rest of their lives.

A Few Reasons to Be Thankful

So why should we be thankful, and why should we teach our children to be thankful? Here are just a few reasons—by no means is this an exhaustive list.

God commands it. Several times throughout Scripture the Lord instructs us to give thanks, and of course whenever He gives us a command, we should obey because we love Him (Psalm 50:14; 105:1; 107:8; Colossians 1:3; 2:7; 3:17; 4:2).
Gratitude is God’s will for us. Probably 1 Thessalonians 5:18 immediately comes to mind: “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Many Christians want to know God’s will for their lives, and He tells us some very specific things that are always His will for us. Gratitude is one of them. God makes it very clear that thankfulness is always His will for our lives, no matter what our circumstances.
Gratitude is evidence of the Holy Spirit indwelling us. It’s one of the marks of a true believer. If we profess salvation in Jesus Christ, our lives will be characterized by a thankful attitude. When we submit ourselves to the control of the Holy Spirit, He produces the fruit of gratefulness in our lives (Galatians 5:22).
Gratitude is a choice. Our children need to learn that they can choose to give thanks even when they don’t feel like it. As parents, we must learn this ourselves so we can teach them to follow our example. How often do we find ourselves complaining? Do we give God praise only when things go our way? Do we thank Him for trials as well as blessings? These are a few important questions to ask ourselves as we strive to help our children learn true biblical thankfulness.

No Thanks

Our Christian character cannot be complete without thankfulness. Faith apart from gratitude becomes empty and powerless. Love apart from gratitude will disintegrate under adversity and discouragement. Sacrificial giving apart from gratitude will sour into resentment. A British pastor, John Henry Jowett, once said, “Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road.” In short, we can’t be the Christians God wants us to be without it! Now is the time to cultivate gratitude in our families so we can grow “unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).