The Homeschool Minute – February 24, 2021
Singing the Winter Blues
February 24, 2021
| Deborah Wuehler Perspective over Feelings |
Todd Wilson
A Secret Weapon Against the Winter Blues
Kerry Tittle
You Are Not Alone
Dan Beasley
The Glass Is Still Half-full This February
| Be sure to scroll to the bottom to enter the contest! |
Mercy Every Minute
Deborah Wuehler, TOS Senior Editor
Perspective over Feelings
I feel like quitting today. Really, I do! Why? Because I am overwhelmed again and am behind in some important things. That can be depressing, and if I let my feelings take over, it will be a deep pit that will be hard to dig my way out of. So what I need is a different perspective to rule over my blue feelings.
Perspective—where do we get the “right” perspective when our hearts are so overwhelmed? I love to read in the Psalms because it shows true human emotion—the ups and the downs that I can relate to, like this one:
“Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle forever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him. So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows” (Psalm 61:1-4; 7-8).
This is so applicable to having the right perspective over the wrong feelings:
- Prayer is vital. Am I conversing with the living God? I need to cry out more often.
- I need a higher place—that high rock where I have an eternal perspective of my circumstances.
- From that higher eternal perspective, I can see that the Ruler of the universe, rules me.
- From that perspective, I see the same God of history Who preserved others will preserve me.
- I look to His dwelling place, wanting to stay in His presence.
- I trust in His covering. I am safe and protected from the enemy.
- His mercy and truth preserve me and hold me together.
- I must sing praise to His Name. Praise lifts us up out of the pit and onto that high rock.
A heart that has been lifted from being overwhelmed to a place of praise will gain a new perspective full of faith, no matter if our feelings try to tell us otherwise.
~Deborah
The Familyman
A Secret Weapon Against the Winter Blues
One of the big question marks in my head is this: “Do people in warm climates suffer from the winter blues?” I know we do up here in Northern, IN. Christmas is long past, Valentine’s Day has come and gone, and now there’s nothing left but cold, dark skies, snow, and slush.
Hot chocolate or sitting snug by the fire doesn’t even cut it anymore. We’re just plain tired of the cold and fantasize about beaches, palm trees, and sunburns.
And then there’s school. There is no light at the end of the tunnel . . . it seems dark and endless. The excitement has gone . . . and you’re just trudging through.
But there is hope—homeschool hope—because we, as homeschoolers, have a secret weapon when faced with the winter blues. Just take a deep breath and say, “We’re NOT doing school today . . . or tomorrow. We need a break.” Then go bowling, invite someone over, lounge around . . . or do whatever sounds fun to YOU.
Yes, the winter blues come . . . but you are not defenseless . . . you NEED to and SHOULD pull out that secret weapon when you need it the most. Even if you live in Florida . . . and have sunshine, palm trees, and beaches (FYI – I hate you).
Be real,
Todd
https://www.nap.edu
Kerry Tittle
https://www.refinedfamily.org/
You Are Not Alone
Do you worry about your lack of life or love for homeschooling in the middle of winter? Are you wondering if you have taken on too much? If your “feelers” are broken, you are not alone. Many of us struggle during the seasonal doldrums. Here are a few practical tips to help pull you through.
| Kerry Tittle is a mother of nine children and a 20-year homeschool veteran. She was the owner of ReformationKidz with her husband Rob until a tornado destroyed their home and business in 2014, taking the lives of Rob and two of their daughters, Tori and Rebekah. Kerry is the founder of Refined Family, which is created to encourage others to find hope in the gospel in the midst of trials. |
Learn more at www.wonderfilleddays.com.
Dan Beasley
Pillar of Future: The Glass Is Still Half-full This February
At just 28 (or 29) days, February is the shortest calendar month of the year . . . but it often feels like the longest. It is cold. It is dark. The thrill of winter has passed, and most homeschoolers are just waiting for the fresh air and light of spring.
This year, there is added stress of a global health crisis and a new federal administration that brings some uncertainty for homeschool freedoms. But instead of wishing things were different or that February were May, homeschoolers can and should embrace the good.
There are around twice as many homeschoolers this winter compared to last, which means opportunities for new friends abound (even if virtually). The strengthened numbers also mean more homeschool advocates to defend freedom and advance good homeschool policy, and meeting legislators (again, even if virtually) is a perfect opportunity for a hands-on civics lesson.
When tempted to despair, my wife (and mother of four little ones) often reflects on the popular saying: “The days are long, but the years are short.”
This is just as true in the shortest month of the year as it is in the longest. So happy homeschooling; enjoy the last week of February.
As a HSLDA staff attorney, Dan Beasley assists individual homeschooling families and advocates for homeschool freedom in the courts, legislature, and court of public opinion. Dan is also a homeschool graduate and homeschooling dad of four.
Send your student into the world confidently using the “Post High School Opportunities: College & Trade Schools” Resource Guide in the Winter 2020-2021 issue of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine. This three-page guide is packed with college-preparation tips and college and trade school options including careers in finance, ministry, and fashion.
Florida
Look What’s Happening!
Florida Parent Educators Association presents HEROIC: The 2021 FPEA Homeschool Convention on May 27-29 in Orlando. Early Bird Registration (January 2 to March 1) is $65 for FPEA Members; $105 for Non-Members.
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Share this newsletter with a friend, and be sure to let those CONSIDERING homeschooling know about the enormous FREE info-pack which awaits them here: www.TryHomeschooling.com.
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Winter may seem dull, but the winter lesson activities on SchoolhouseTeachers.com aren’t! We have winter-themed copywork, art, and science lessons for your family’s enjoyment. Keep the learning going and still enjoy the snow and sledding. Follow the Iditarod with a unit study during these cold months. Or Ditch the Desk and dive into cold and insulation. We also offer a Nature/Outdoors course that includes lessons on evergreens and cold weather. With all this variety, you won’t get cabin fever this year!
in the winter issue of
The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine.
Congratulations to Amy Caton from Ohio who won our December giveaway!
Contest Corner
for the month of February
Addition and Subtraction Workshop
http://superflashmath.com
Mary Jo Stewart is the author of Addition & Subtraction Workshop because of 30+ years of tutoring and homeschooling. She noted students’ frustration when it came to learning addition and subtraction facts. She tried to eliminate the frustration of students being slowed down by basic math facts with her method of learning.
All 121 basic addition and subtraction facts are laid out in nine sections in this flip-style workbook. A plastic overlay is supplied for dry erase markers to be used on each of the lesson’s pages. There are short lessons at the beginning of each section and then many varying exercises to expose the child to the math facts studied in each section. These exercises include but are not limited to fill in the blanks, matching, speed tests, and number lines. The answers to each exercise are on the rear of the page. The plastic overlay can be removed and placed on the answer side to see if the child’s lines or answers match up.
I used this book with my 6-year-old son. He knew nearly half of his math facts before starting this workbook so we used it to accompany the math curriculum he was currently using to reinforce his lessons and gain a new perspective on the same information. We drilled with this book daily for the last several weeks. I must say, I have never seen him so excited to do his math before! He wanted to do more pages and never wanted to put it away. He especially loved the timed exercises as he is competitive and thrived on trying to beat his previous score.
Go to the contest page of our site where you can ENTER TO WIN the Addition and Subtraction workbook.
The WINTER issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
is now available for FREE online!
Click the link below to read it cover to cover.
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