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In Homeschooling, Life as Mom, Writing Life

Day 29: Together #write31days2018

Author Kiel LemonPosted on Leave a comment

I’m a day behind again (or still), so I’m just writing as if I’m not.

Today was my son’s birthday, and we spent the whole day doing some of his favorite things together for fun. Going to the library, hiking at the park, buying new shoes, making his cake and pizza for dinner. We had a really great day. And I am so tired. It was all simple, nothing extravagant or expensive. (Well, the shoes seemed expensive, but my son needed two pairs and my daughter also needed a pair!)

Just us. Together.

This is pretty normal life for us. As a homeschooling family, we spend a lot of time doing things as a family. When the kids were younger, it often felt hard to be alone with them, but now that my kids are old enough to enjoy playing and reading and drawing together, it is becoming so sweet. I love watching them become the people God intends them to be, even though that includes a lot of tiring, repetitive training.

Chew with your mouth closed.

Please stop whining and use your normal voice.

How do you ask for something nicely?

Don’t stand on the couch.

You get the picture. Parts of parenting are simply mundane and wearying. Some days I do just want to be alone and have a little peace and quiet. But at the same time, I am sincerely thankful that we get so much time together. I think that when my kids are grown, they are going to be some of my very best friends. And I will always be able to look back on these memories we made together and know it was time well spent.

This post is part of the 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes and Write 31 Days blogging challenges. Find all my posts in this series under the tag “write31days2018.”

In Homeschooling, Uncategorized, Writing Life

Day 28: Song #write31days2018

Author Kiel LemonPosted on Leave a comment

If you have been following my blog for a while, you know that music and singing are important in our family. Not only is my husband a music pastor, but we both majored in music in college and have both led choirs of various ages. In our homeschool, as well, music has a prominent place.

Each day during our morning time, my children and I sing a hymn and one or two folk songs. We also listen to instrumental pieces by important composers weekly. My son has to practice piano every day, and I have also gotten back into the habit of practicing a couple of piano pieces daily!

Song is such an important part of our family culture. It expressed praise to our Creator. It gives us a creative outlet. It forms a basis for shared family memories. I don’t know what we would do if we couldn’t sing or play music together.

As I think on the importance of music in our home and homeschool, I realize that it is nearly the end of October. That means that it is time for me to get another set of Memory Work Plans posted here! So I will take this opportunity to share those as an addition to this post. We are going with a Thanksgiving theme, of course!

November Memory Work Plans

Due to the demands of writing daily for the Write 31 Days challenge, I am not able to offer a printable plan for download this month. I did include links to everything, though. I hope that next month I will be able to continue the printables, though. Thanks for understanding!

Prayer: For our prayer this month, we will be using Ralph Waldo Emerson’s poem “We Thank Thee.”

Catechism: This month we are reviewing questions 7 and 8 of the New City Catechism.

Hymn: The AmblesideOnline hymn for this month is All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name. We have not previously done this one in our homeschool, so we will be doing it as scheduled.

Mottos: We are learning Way #5 from Our 24 Family Ways (affiliate link) this month.

Scripture: Our scripture passage this month is Psalm 100.

Poem: Last month we learned the first two stanzas of “When the Frost is on the Punkin,”so we will continue and memorize the final two this month.

Folk Songs: I just realized that I mixed up the scheduled AO folksongs for October and November, so we will be learning “Freight Train” and “Over the River and Through the Woods” this month.

In Faith Talk, Life in General, Uncategorized, Writing Life

Day 26: Moment #write31days2018

Author Kiel LemonPosted on Leave a comment

What am I thinking at this moment? I am thinking how behind I am in this challenge! This weekend was not good for writing. But it was good for making friends and spending time with family and creating memories.

At this moment I am thinking about how fast the years fly by. My son’s eighth birthday is coming this week, and I am wondering how many moments I have missed by being distracted by less important things.

This moment finds me tired, but happy, after a sweet time at our church’s fall bonfire. I enjoyed chatting with friends and watching my children play hide and seek in the dark with the other kids.

I am thankful in this moment for courage to try new things and to invite new people into my life. My first time hosting a book study group for homeschool moms went well, and I am looking forward to next month!

This moment in time is one we can never get back. I do not want to have regrets, do you? Let us be purposeful and follow God’s direction each day so that we live in a way that pleases Him and blesses those around us.

This post is part of the 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes and Write 31 Days blogging challenges. Find all my posts in this series under the tag “write31days2018.”

 

I am also linking up with the Five Minute Friday community today. To read more posts by bloggers on this prompt “moment” visit the link-up.

In Faith Talk, Uncategorized, Writing Life

Day 25: Capture #write31days2018

Author Kiel LemonPosted on Leave a comment

When I first saw this prompt, my mind went straight to the idea of capturing moments and memories, thus, the camera graphic. As I sit down to write tonight, however, I am more drawn to the verse below about taking every thought captive to obey Christ.

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:5

My tendency is toward worry and anxiety and negative thought patterns. Over the past year in particular, life has changed in many ways, and I am on a journey to better mental and emotional health. This verse is a big part of my healing. I am learning how to stop the negative thoughts through prayer and surrendering to God.

And today I had to do that very thing, as I was nervous about a new book group I am starting and inviting to my home this weekend. I have been worried about what the ladies coming with think of our little rental house and how things will go meeting these people for the first time. New things are scary. But I was reminded to take that concern straight to the Lord. I know He has called me to do this at this time, so I can be confident that He is in it and will bless it.

I also was reminded by an old Elisabeth Elliot radio program today to do this same thing with forgiveness. She was talking about keeping a record of past hurts that people have inflicted on us. This verse came to mind as I considered how to fight the temptation to bring up those things with the people I love. I have to take those thoughts to Christ and remind myself that His blood covers all those sins, so I don’t need to hold onto them. Instead, I can choose to let them go and be free to love the people in my life with grace. May you do the same, as well!

This post is part of the 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes and Write 31 Days blogging challenges. Find all my posts in this series under the tag “write31days2018.”

In Uncategorized, Writing Life

Day 24: Brief #write31days2018

Author Kiel LemonPosted on Leave a comment

Yes, this post is going to be pretty brief! I am really just trying to catch up on this challenge because I have been a day behind all week. I needed a break so desperately again this weekend. I just couldn’t think of anything to write and had other online work that was on a deadline. So I just finished my post on commonplacing, which was long, and now I’m writing this one!

This challenge has been so good for me creatively, but in all honesty, it has been hard for me to come up with something new to write every day! It is a good thing it only lasts 31 days! I am proud of myself for mostly keeping up, though, and writing a post for every prompt. I admire those of you who routinely write daily. I know some do it because they just have to get the words inside of them out, but I am not at that place as a writer, at least not yet.

It’s a good thing I have had a 5 minute time limit on myself, too, because that helps me not feel overwhelmed that I have to write some long thesis. Just keep it brief. And don’t overthink it. That is good for me. We have just one week left in the challenge, and I think I’ll make it to the end! How about you?

This post is part of the 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes and Write 31 Days blogging challenges. Find all my posts in this series under the tag “write31days2018.”