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Luv'N Lambert Life

Luv'N Lambert Life

A blog about living with Epilepsy, IBHS, Homeschooling and so much more

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god's blessing

Homeschooling with God’s Blessing {Epilepsy Awareness}

August 7, 2013 by Dana

Nine years ago around this time, it was time to enroll my sweet baby boy, my oldest into public school.  I totally wasn’t feeling it.  It just seemed wrong to me to send my sweet and curious boy away to someone else all day.  So this lead me to research.

I immediately got online and began researching our schooling options.  I had come across Homeschooling somewhere on a parenting board.  It intrigued me and I wanted to know more.

We {my now ex-husband and I} had just went through a long ordeal of beginning our journey into Epilepsy with Emmalee.  She was still just a baby, around a year old and had been doing great on her medicine though she would have the occasional breakthrough as the dose grew weak during her growth spurts.  School would be coming up for her before long too, as time has a way of flying.  I knew I did not want her to go through the same things I had as a child in public school with Epilepsy.   I researched homeschooling even more.

I prayed.  I remember I actually got down on hands and knees for this one.  I continuously prayed.  I’d look at my children and say a prayer, “God just show me what to do”.  I’d be in a store and think, “what should I do about school for them?”

It didn’t take long for the answer to come.  One day, I was shopping in a thrift store and came across some How to Homeschool books.  I grabbed them up.  A few days later I was dropping off some unwanted items into the local swap building and discovered a stack of homeschooling curriculum someone had dropped off.  Since it was free swap, I grabbed it up too.

I came across our homeschooling association.  I put off calling.  After finding the items mentioned above, I decided to give them a call.  They were absolutely wonderful!  So caring and so helpful.

I went to the local library the association had suggested.  I spoke in person to the lady in charge of curriculum materials for homeschoolers.  She was a blessing to me!  God was providing just the people I needed.  She showed me so much that day and taught me lessons I still give to others today.

I attended the New to Homeschooling class from our local association.  It was an “Ahhh” moment.  I left there still nervous and scared but so much more prepared for this journey than I ever realized I could be.  God had  more than answered my prayer over that few months.  Homeschooling was exactly what we were going to do.

We started homeschooling Winston immediately.  Emmalee would join in later.  I was prepared for only one kid.  I had invested in a Bob Jones curriculum from the local Homeschool Used Book Store.  I was determined this was going to be done right and that meant Public School at home.  No one would say I’m not teaching my kid!

Boy, how little I knew then!  It immediately failed.  We struggled.  Win hated school.  And those lessons have stuck with him for life.

Win is my hardest student.  He excels at Math.  He loves going outside to learn science and is hands-on about history.  He hates and is not good at reading.  We have used almost every program imaginable and still he struggles.

Emma excels at reading and trust me, I often question how.  We have used so many varied programs that she really should be struggling with it herself.  With all the time I have spent focused on her brother’s reading, she has really taught herself what she wants to know about the subject.  Sure the curriculum was there and it helped but the learning was all her.

{I am honestly proud, not only of her but she has shown me that I’m not a failure as a teacher after all.}

Over the years, we’ve kept plugging along with homeschooling.  There was a brief period in the midst that I enrolled the oldest two in Public School at the insistence of others.  I immediately regretted that decision when Emma began having migraines and seizure activity after being seizure free for a year.

And it was in that period of time that Win’s esteem suffered because the school made him realize what he never had: he couldn’t read at age 8.  Many boys don’t read at that age but they never explained that to him.  I’ve spent many a day trying to rebuild that destroyed esteem and let him know it’s ok that he struggles with something and it’s not the end of the world.  He will get it and he is getting closer to where he should be each and every day.

I pulled the kids back out of public school.  Emma’s health recovered almost immediately when we returned to our normal routine and she was able to rest and not stress.  Win and I are still working on the issues he gained while at public school but we are getting there.

Now here we are, 9 years later.  Over time, I have questioned our reasons for homeschooling.  I wonder if it was the right decision but then there is always something that confirms it was God’s will to me.

Just today, I thought about it.  I realized there is no way I could even begin to raise and care for four kids with three that have Epilepsy if I wasn’t homeschooling.  The schools in our area are not equipped for them.  Then there would be the issue of keeping up with their public school lessons, missing days, taking time off for rest and doctors, etc.  The truancy officer would surely be knocking on my door every week!

God knew just what His plans were for me as a Momma of children with Epilepsy.  He planned ahead, allowing me to Homeschool.  He blessed me with great children who love and listen and help each other along with Momma when she needs it.  He prepared us with a way to bond unlike any other and a way to learn that brings us even closer together.

As you consider your own journey into homeschooling, with or without medical reason, remember to pray.  Remember to ask God for direction.  Sometimes He will point you to Public School because He needs disciples to light candles in the darkness there too.  Sometimes He will lead you into Homeschooling because He knows it is what’s best for you, as has been our case.  Either way, the results will always be to Glorify God in the lessons and in Life.

Filed Under: 2013, blessed, Epilepsy Awareness, gift, god's blessing, homeschool, homeschooling, medical, our journey, reason, struggling learner, Struggling reader

Fear {Thoughts From Me}

April 5, 2011 by Dana

Fear is a horendous thing.  There are days when it runs through me like a train barreling down an extensive track.  There are times when I feel ready to run and hide just to avoid it.  It’s controling and disabling and creates unnecessary drama in lives when you least expect it.

Dictionaries define fear as being a distressing emotion brought on by impending danger, pain, evil, etc. whether or not the fear is imagined or real; it is the condition or the feeling of being afraid.  To be afraid of someone or some thing. 

There are many things to fear daily in our lives.  This world has become an inexplicable mess and is growing more dangerous everyday.  Evil has taken control of a large part of life and strives daily to grow fear and pestilence throughout the world.  Even the smallest child is not exempt from the terrors Evil’s fear provides.

What can we do to protect ourselves from fear?  How can we change our daily lives to prevent fear from controling us?  What changes should we make to keep ourselves safe from Evil’s control?

The bible tells us that God should be our only fear.  As Dueteronomy 10:12, 20-21 tells, “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.” This tells us that we, as Christians, should fear and praise the Lord in his mighty works.

Our first step to overcoming fear should be prayer.  When the feeling of fear comes upon us, we should immediately go to the Lord in prayer, sharing with him our feelings, asking forgiveness, shelter, peace and protection from our fears.  Then we should listen openly to find the answers we seek in return, which do not always come right away.

We should seek peaceful ways to overcome our fears, sometimes simply by facing them head on.  Other times by placing them into God’s hands to handle in His time and way.  Prayer is the best way to control Evil’s grasp upon us and only God can handle a battle such as this one.

To prevent fear, we should make prayer time an essential part of our daily lives.  We should also take the time to re-evaluate our lives to find why fear suddenly has taken control.  We should then work towards changing any reasonings we find in the re-evaluation process, once again laying these doubts into God’s hands to handle for us. 

Overcoming fear takes great Courage.  Courage comes from having a strong faith in the Lord, even if it’s only faith the size of a mustard seed.  The bible tells us to “be strong and courageous” and also tells us many times that “God will not foresake you“.  We must believe in these words in order to survive this crazy life and overcome any fears we may have daily. 

Isaiah 41:13

For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Do not fear, the Lord has our hands and will never foresake those who believe in Him.  Have strong Courage and Faith and use them to overcome any fears cast upon you each day.  May God bless each of you and keep you safe from the trials fear creates in each of our lives.

Filed Under: 2011, faith, fear, god's blessing, mustard seed, never fear with god, overcoming fear, scared, thoughts

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