The secret to their success

"Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character is in their own hands."  Anne Frank

This quote sums up what I truly believe about parenting and homeschooling.  Homeschooling is about giving our kids the best opportunity to succeed, but the ultimate responsibility for that success will be on their shoulders.

I would add of course, that parents can do more than give good advice, we can pray for God's will in their lives and speak the Word over them--which does influence the outcome! But, even with our spiritual influence, they will choose their paths and be accountable to God for those choices.

A Great investment

When you boil it all down, everything we sow into our kids lives is sown through an investment of our time.

Homeschooling takes time, no question about it. This statement is a good reminder of how valuable our time is—when we are sowing it into our kids and into their futures. What greater goal could a parent have than to invest in their child’s future? But, we are talking about more than money here…something far more valuable. Your time.

Remember this the next time you begin to resent your kid’s demands, and the demands of homeschooling. Remember that you are investing into a priceless commodity! One that will have eternal rewards, both for them and for you!

Creativity is a terrible thing to waste!

I thought this was a great quote and study...albeit a sad one.  Please let your kids play today...creativity is a terrible thing to waste.

"Early on in life, creativity is natural and even encouraged as we develop.  In our childhood years, our lives are filled with creative thought and potential.  Studies reveal that children in the on-to-six age group score in the ninetieth percentile of creative ability. Those same studies show that once these children hit aga seven, they experience "creative cramping" that drastically lowers their creativity score.* What happens to children between the ages of six and seven? One word: school."

Ed Young, from the Creative leader
*Marlene LeFever, Creative Teaching Methods: Be an Effective Teacher, Cook Communications

I was trying to think of some of the most imaginative playtimes my boys had, for example:

• Building a cockpit out of cardboard in the workroom which lasted many months

• Alphabetizing the books on the bookshelf while playing library

• Eating lunch on top of the swingset pretending to be high-rise construction workers

• Building a fort that filled an entire room with three sleeping quarters and a campfire (lincoln logs and night lights)

I'm sure there were hundreds more. Looking back, I am so grateful that they had plenty of time to just be boys and let their imaginations run wild! I'm even more grateful that I got to be there to see every minute...

Merry Christmas from The Brage Family

Here are the Brages doing a little elf dance for you!
Go here to make your own...

Thoughts on the Golden Compass

I am quite curious over the buzz yet another movie is stirring up among Christians.  The Golden Compass is built on a troubling premise, written by a troubling author, agreed.  However, I want to be on the side of engaging discussion and offering truth, not blacklisting and boycotting.  This thoughtful and thorough review offers much food for thought. I am considering seeing this movie to weigh for myself the ideas being propagated.

What are you thinking or saying about this movie? Anything?

Sunset

Sunsets

 

I can't help see a sunset without thinking of a friend from my past.  Last night as I watched the breathtaking sky on my drive home I thought of her again.

 

She and her family considered moving to my beautiful state, and were all prepared to do so, save one thing. She had the idea that you couldn't see sunsets in Colorado. I don't know where this idea came from. I believe the most gorgeous sunsets are in Colorado!  The sky is bigger here and add the mountains into the mix, what's not to like?

 

As I was contemplating this last night, it struck me that this is how many people live their lives.  They have seen some beautiful sunsets, and they are afraid if they embrace change they will lose the security of what they already know.  I think we all have things that we believe were better when.  We have no idea if that is the truth, but it's all we have.  When we do finally let go and move into something new, we may be amazed that the new thing far outshines the old. 

 

I have this running dialog with myself, that I need to "get back to" the prayer times I used to have with the Lord. They were intense, meaningful, and so intimate.  Yet, since I became a working person, that just isn't doable--at this time in my life. Still I find myself looking back to what was...instead of allowing--and asking--God to do a new thing.

 

So, like my friend who wanted to keep her sunsets, I cling to the familiar as though it is a standard. It's not, it's just what I know.  I want the new thing, I want bigger sunsets, I want what God wants to do now, not yesterday.

4 Conversations Christians need to have in 2008

I found this to be an interesting article by Phil Cooke. Regardless of where you find yourself on the Christian landscape, these thoughts and ideas impact us--because they influence the way the world views Christians as a whole. Although Phil is talking about ministry organizations in particular, I think his points apply to the local church and the Body of Christ at large.

Four Conversations:
1) The Prosperity Gospel is done.
2) The luxury life of TV Evangelists* is over. (*and may I add pastors and ministers in general)
3) Fundraising is undergoing a dramatic change.
4) We're seeing a dramatic shift from a first generation leadership style (confrontation) to a second generation leadership style (engagement).

Read rest of article here...