Jeannie's Journal Homeschool Newsletter

I'm so excited to report that the Jeannie's Journal newsletter is back up and running and the newest newsletter issue will be going out on Monday!

I have revamped the newsletter. Instead of having one long email with several pages of articles all with one theme, I will send out a few emails over the course of a few months that will relate to the same theme. This quarter's long awaited theme is Bible and Character Training.

I have received many emails and inquiries about the newsletter. It was long delayed, and for that, I do apologize. It was a long winter, but spring has come!

Have you ever gone through a period of trials that lasted quite some time that felt like a long winter? Then, when you passed out of those trials into a new day, you felt the sun shining down, warming your life, like spring had arrived. That would describe me right now. It was a year-long winter. But spring has arrived; I can feel it (although you would never know it by looking outside). Yet, it's not a literal spring; it's a spring of the soul. It reminds me of that David Crowder song Here is Our King that says "wherever spring has come to heal the ground..."

The funny thing is that I didn't even realize how dark and wintery my life had been until now. I look back and see that I felt fine, not great, but fine. I was strong for my mom as my dad's illness took his body, then his mind and then him. It was a year of suffering for all of us, but for mom especially. My siblings and I reconnected, talking daily, sometimes hourly through the entire year; and many things were revealed, many things needed hashing out; but relationships were restored. I researched and wrote Zoology 3 with an ache in my heart. I homeschooled my children with the strength that I borrowed from God (I'm so thankful that when we go to Him, he exchanges our weakness for his strength - that's a pretty awesome exchange!) I really didn't know how deep my grieving was until now...as I come out of it. The sun is now rising in my heart and a renewal is taking place. I feel its warmth like a long lost friend that I didn't even know was gone until it came back.

With this renewal comes excitement about what the future holds! The new issue of Jeannie's Journal is, for me, a symbol of God's promise of spring. A warm breeze is sweeping through my heart and I'm ready, ready for all that God has.

"See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me."

Song of Solomon 2:11-13

If you would like to get Jeannie's Journal, use the sign up block on the right to enter your email address. Jeannie's Journal is designed to encourage and edify the homschool community with curriculum reviews, articles, homeschooling tips and a drawing for free prizes - you are automatically entered into the drawing when you sign up.

Strengthen Yourself in the Lord

When a circumstance or situation comes your way that seems to deflate your joy - do what David did: Strengthen yourself in the Lord.
How do you do this? Following David's example, begin with praise.

Praising God even (or especially) when you don't feel like it is SO important. It's a true sacrifice - a sacrifice of praise! We should not be led by our feelings (our soul), we are led by the spirit. Our soul - our mind, will and emotions - should not rule us. Let your spirit rule and praise God inspite of the yucky thoughts and feelings going on in your soul.

Open to the book of Psalms and find a God glorifying Psalm of praise to God and begin reading it, or singing it aloud. Keep praising Him with His Word.
Put on some hymns or praise songs that usually ignite your soul - even if they don't today - sing them as if you were in the mood to sing them. Set your mind on God as you praise Him. Don't dwell on the things of this world, focus on God - the truth of His Word and His love for you, His desire to deliver you and help you and bless you.

God ordained praise as a blessing for us. The army of the Lord defeated the enemy with praise (2 Chron 20:22). Through praise, God also defeats the enemy. Remember, our battle is not against flesh and blood - and the enemy cannot stand against us as our voices are raised in praise to our Lord - declaring how great and mighty is our God.

When situations or circumstances try to defeat you, strengthen yourself in the Lord with praise.

Portraying God Accurately

If you have never seen the video, The Father's Love Letter, it is worth watching. http://www.fathersloveletter.com/

One comment in the Father's Love Letter touches on the truth that some people misrepresent God. We don't fully understand the love and affection of God. We see it as conditional - the way we love and have affection for others and ourselves. We have a tendency to think God is angry or disappointed in us because of our sin, though we are His children.

This misrepresentation is the very thing that causes us to pull away from God. We are led to believe that we must clean up our act before we can really enjoy close fellowship with the Lord and be accepted and cherished by Him. The truth is...God is not disappointed with you. He sees you as you will be. He sees the end of the story. You ARE seated in the heavenlies with Christ(Ephesians 2:6). In God's eyes, that's past tense. He isn't surprised and disappointed that you aren't perfect today. He knows the exact day you will give up that bad habit, that poor attitude or that particular issue with which you struggle.

I explain it like this. Imagine seeing a video of your child doing something horrid when they were three years old. Now, your child is a lot older and has turned out to be a great kid. When you watch that video of your child at three - perhaps biting another child. Are you mad at the child? No! You see the end product. You see the video and you are not disappointed. You know when he will quit biting. You are confident in the child's future.

Well, guess what! God is also confident in your future. He isn't mad at you. This misconception is what keeps us from really drawing near to God. We think we are too messed up. That's exactly what the enemy hopes we'll think. Because it's actually through spending time with God that we are transformed, that we are changed from glory to glory.

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Corinthians3 :18

It's so important that we not portray our Father God as displeased, angry and disappointed to our children. Let's accurately portray Him as a God that is full of mercy and love. Full of compassion and pity. Full of grace and blessings to all who draw near to Him through Christ. He doesn't want us to clean up our act before He will fill us with the joy of His presence. No, He will clean up our act as we are filled with the joy of His presence.