Gateways to Joy

"W hat to cling to on days when you're drowning. " Ann Voskamp said that. Do you ever have those overwhelming days? Days where you are tired before you even get out of bed? When I'm having those moments I must be wise in who I talk to about how I am feeling if I share at all.  People, especially those who have not been called to homeschool are quick to tell me the many ways to alleviate my problem.  The first being is to put the kids into a "regular" school. For me however, God has grown and discipled me more through what I've read, than who I've talked to. Any since beginning my blog He has used an even newer and different way of ministering to me.  More often than not, if you have been visiting me for any length of time you know that I still read and share my reviews on books.  I certainly share my favorite blogs with you. But now I have something new to share.  It's something that until recently I'd actually shun.  And that ...

Every so often I have to pull out my " mission statement " for my family.  I am one who can get so caught up and led away from the very thing I deem most important. How would I feel if I was known for being a stay-at-home mom only, the way I was known years ago? Have I fallen into the trap of this world's lie of me not being good enough if I am only a mother? What about you?  Have you fallen into the trap? Is your home life evidence that you have fallen into that belief?  Do you feel that you have to be more? Many of us say that we've taken on more to have more, more curriculum, more this and more that, but why after we've reached our goals do we continue on in spite of subtly being led from our calling, continue investing so much of our time into ...? Can't we make do with what God has given?  Can we really make do?  Can we really help and still be home in our hearts and minds? How often are we "stay-at-home" mom's putting off what w...

Y ou might call it ugly.  Unattractive, but to us it's where the laughter, the talks and the love takes place.   The training of the next generation.   Husband and wife lovingly loving.  It's our home.  Once we called it "beautiful," but then my husband hired someone who really wasn't worthy of the work.  The door-to-door salesman understands how hard it is to provide for family on commissions.  Some day's, he knows, you make zero.  Nothing.  So when he met a guy who said he would transform our home —a guy who was out of work, down on his luck, he hired him wanting to help him out. Well, our tile got pulled up before we had new tile to put down.   The door with the oval glass that I loved so much got taken down and replaced.  The glass screen that I'd wanted for so long is put in incorrectly .  The painting of the walls...fireplace was started on, but was never completed....