Acacia received a Valentine from Grandma this week.

She read every word of it...

At least a dozen times...

She counted how many pretty flowers there were, and told me how the little girl in the picture looked "just like her"...except for the short hair...

Every once in a while, I read an online article about homeschooling that annoys me.

Because articles like this one pop up every couple of months or so, (and frankly, because I doubt that they are written by anyone who is actually qualified to talk), I'm not going to do any linking, quoting or copying. However, allow me to attempt to paraphrase the thesis statement:

Why does this annoy me, you ask? Shouldn't parents "count to cost" before they build?

Of course, educating our children at home requires some forethought and planning. I won't dispute that. However, I think for a lot of people, there is a "mystique" about teaching that makes them believe that education is something that is best left to the "trained professionals".

"Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers,
for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness."
James 3:1

I've heard Christians use this passage to argue that not everyone is equipped to be a teacher, and that some people just don't belong doing it.

If you are a parent, you are already called to be a teacher, whether you like it or not.

Ouch.

You. That means parents.

Notice that Moses didn't give the people the option of sending their children off to a trained Rabbi if they didn't have the "gift of teaching". Nowhere does God institute a school system where the Hebrew children can get together for grade level instruction in the Book of the Law.

It's a lot like the professional ball player a few years back who told us all that he didn't think he was a role model and didn't want to be a role model.

Sorry. Too bad. You already are a role model...now, what are you going to do about it?


What am I going to do about it? Well, the only thing I know to do about it is to homeschool my kids, endeavoring to give them as close to a biblical education as possible.

But, maybe that's just me.

So, what's a mama to do?

If I'm going to be obedient to God in my responsibilities to Him, my family, and my home, while also continuing in this ministry I have of writing online, something has to change.

2. I will do a general email check only twice per day--once in the morning, once at night. 15 minutes each. If a more lengthy response is needed to any messages, I will make a hand written note of it, and tend to it during afternoon rest time.

4. If I need to use the computer during the day (for example, to print out copywork or look at my checking account balance), I will do so without looking at other websites and will limit myself to 5 minutes. I will set my timer.

5. I will compose all blog posts on paper first, so I can be more involved with my children as I write. I will type out my blog posts during afternoon rest time, after bedtime, or first thing in the morning, before the children wake up.

7. Whenever possible, I will call a "real life" Titus 2 friend when I have a question before posting on a message board. I will think three times before entering online conversations. "Be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger." James 1:19

8. When I am overwhelmed, I will take a deep breath, take my supplements, and take my anxieties to the LORD. I will replace "escaping to the internet" with "prayer without ceasing".

So, what does this mean to you?

Well, for one thing, it means you won't hear as much from me on Facebook. That's probably a good thing.

Hopefully it means I will actually be a better blogger. Writing things out longhand, combined with limiting my time "in front of the box", might mean that I'll write more and better content. So often, I sit down at the computer to write and end up spending an hour doing anything but writing.

So that's where I'm at. 

These rules may need some tweaking over the next few weeks, as I bring this area of my life into obedience to Christ, but it's a beginning.

We're snowed in, and if the weatherman is right, we'll be snowed in for the next few days.

Little ones can get pretty stir crazy if they are cooped up indoors, so I've been busy coming up with ways to keep them busy...

 Today, we made Molasses on Snow Candy. You can find the recipe on page 192 of The Little House Cookbook by Barbara M. Walker. We decided to make a half-batch because we didn't have enough molasses in the house to make more.


Step one: Asher measured 1/2 cup dark molasses (i.e. all the molasses we had left in the house) into a liquid measuring cup.


Step two: We combined the molasses with 1/4 dark brown sugar in a 2 quart saucepan. (Don't use a smaller pan, the mixture needs room to boil). Stir the molasses and sugar together over medium heat, until it comes to a boil.


Continue to cook and stir the bubbly mixture for 5 minutes. Mixture is ready when a small amount dropped in a glass of cold water turns solid, like this:


This picture didn't turn out the greatest, but you get the idea...


Meanwhile, fill several cake pans with fresh, clean snow. This was Asher's favorite part!


You can store the pans outside until you're ready to poor the candy. Bring the pans inside--being careful not to dump snow all over the kitchen floor!--and set them on the table. We chose to cover the table with an old towel to catch any melting snow.


Drizzle the mixture into the snow, making whatever shapes you'd like!


We learned that you need to do this part rather quickly. If the molasses mixture cools, it becomes hard and stringy, and difficult to pour. When it hits the snow, the molasses will harden almost instantly, and become candy! We enjoyed some of it right away, and put the rest in the fridge to save for when daddy gets home.


Be sure to keep a wet washcloth handy, for all those little, sticky fingers...

HAVE FUN!!