Coming Soon: The Heart of Simplicity eBook

Introducing:

 

The Heart of Simplicity:

foundations for Christian homemaking

~To your heart from the hearts of over a dozen Christian women.

Today’s typical lifestyle is marked by busyness, consumerism, and stress. We, as women, often complain that there’s not enough time to “do it all.”

Do we suffer from a lack of time? No. We suffer from a lack of eternal perspective.

How we invest our time on earth will impact eternity in a million ways. Join over a dozen Christian women as we learn how to simplify our lives from the inside out and build homemaking foundations focused on Christ.

When we are faithful to focus on what is truly essential in our homemaking, we can build an eternal legacy . . . one simple day at a time.  

Simple answers to our daily lives can be found in the these chapters:

• Chapter 1: The Foundation: Surrendering our Homes to the Creator  
• Chapter 2: Marriage: Nurturing a Love that Lasts a Lifetime  
• Chapter 3: Motherhood: Delighting in our Children  
• Chapter 4: Missions: A Home-Based Vision for God's Great Commission  
• Chapter 5: Family Economy: Embracing the Simple Power and Peace of Contentment  
• Chapter 6: Education: Growing Hearts and Minds for God’s Glory  
• Chapter 7: Health: Bringing God Glory by Caring for our Bodies  
• Chapter 8: Cleaning: Tending the Gardens of Our Homes to the Glory of God  
• Chapter 9: Organizing: Reflecting our Orderly God by Keeping an Orderly Home 
• Chapter 10: Time Management: Managing our Hearts to Use Time Wisely  
• Chapter 11: Hospitality: Welcoming Others into our Homes  
• Chapter 12: Giving: Showing the Love of Christ through Simple, Intentional Generosity  
• Chapter 13: A Mother’s Legacy: Storing Up Treasures in Heaven

Ready for purchase on May 30th!

Are you interesting in guest posting for The Heart of Simplicity blog?  Please visit the contact page for details.    

First Grade Math Online Games: A Break from the Traditional Classroom Setup

 Introduction of Math Online Games to School’s Curriculum

Traditional methods of teaching involve a classroom setup where teachers rely on chalkboards, textbooks, worksheets and the like to impart the lessons to the students. The Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning has enumerated the advantages and disadvantages of traditional methods of learning. Although it has some drawbacks as compared to progressive method, we still cannot contest its effectiveness that is why majority of schools still follow these traditional methods in their curriculum.

But with the emergence of technology, most schools would want to expose their students early with the use of the different IT equipments such as laptops, computers, etc, that they have incorporated the use of these tools as part of their curriculum.

For first graders, one way of introducing the concept of the computer and the Internet to them is by exposing them to first grade math online games.

These games offer an interactive environment for the kids where they can choose among 100 different math games that will let them have fun, while learning different math concepts that they require for their grade level.

These different online games are smart as it can gauge the knowledge level of the student and present them with an individualized curriculum based on the student’s knowledge. As the student progress, the software tracks this improvement and will offer a more advance games where student can learn elevated skills.

Let us face it. First graders are still playful and they still have a short attention span. Introducing online math games for first grader makes learning fun and allows them to expand their academic experience beyond the four walls of the classroom.

The Heart of Homeschooling

The Heart of Homeschooling

Homeschooling is a lifestyle--not an institution. It is led by the heart while holding the hand of a loving God for guidance. Keep your eyes focused on your calling to educate your children academically, emotionally and spiritually. Children should feel like your greatest joy and not another paper to grade in between building a business, making dinner, and responding to another email. To fully enjoy the blessings from this season of your life, it is important to resist overextending you or your children’s lives. Busy lives do not lead to more productive people. We hardly have a chance to grow or enjoy family if we are constantly dealing with commitments. Busy days turn into a badge of courage or, worse, idols in our lives. Being active is important, but it should never be confused with being overwhelmed. We are not failing our children by limiting the number of activities, sports and outside classes we allow. When we are too busy, we lose sight of the big picture and see only the next slot in our datebook. We lack the time to be available to a neighbor, a church member, a family member or even God. Our calling to homeschool includes instructions in righteousness along with a high standard of academics. Take each aspect of your homeschooling and decide prayerfully what aligns with what God put in your heart. Pull the weeds that choke your time and zap your energy, and the fruit of your hands will grow abundantly. 

 ~Excerpt from The Heart of Simplicity eBook, by Richele McFarlin

Watch the Trailer:

Free Mini Unit Study: From Caterpillar to Butterfly

It's the time of year again when we all head outside to watch the butterflies flutter by.  Here is a mini unit study, I wrote a few years ago, to share with your preschoolers that compliments The Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.  ENJOY!
From Caterpillar to Butterfly

Sweet-spirited Mama

Character-building.

There's a term I'm continuously coming across, especially among those with young children like my own.

Other familiar words: discipline, child-rearing, training...apply, instill...

We all want - we strongly desire - to raise obedient children with godly qualities. We don't want our children to stray and we are in constant worry about their future. For the longest time, I wasn't just worried...I was in constant panic-mode.

You see, I'm not the most godly mother. Allow me to not beat around the bush - some days I question if there's even a godly bone in me. This makes for a very difficult training opportunity with my 3 and 5 year old. It is like the blind leading the blind. 

Let me share something absolutely wonderful about that. I'm a work in progress, carefully molded by Hands of grace and filled with the sweetest of fruit.

I'm not perfect, but I'm a perfect match for my children. Among all of the wonderful, godly women out there - God chose an anxiety-stricken, short-tempered gal like myself to raise His children. Without a shadow of a doubt, I know that He has blessed me with my children not strictly for their character, but for my own.

Let me share the ways God uses my children to build my character:

1. They fill my days- my life- with laughter. I could be enclosed in a cubicle with a white noise machine, but instead I'm surrounded by a symphony of giggles, squeals, belches and all sorts of inappropriate sounds. In other words, they loosen me up.

2. They build my confidence. That's right - my children make me stand a little taller. Only my 5-year old would enjoy all of my made-up jokes and belly-roll laugh until he is blue in the face. He understands me.

3. They teach me to be serious when it is time to be serious. The only way to get Charlie the cricket to grow is to completely submerge him in water and layer him with mulch. It makes no sense to me, but it makes all the sense in the world to my 3 year old. And it is a very serious matter.

4. They remind me how precious and short life is. The other night I was snuggling with our son who will be six this year. I noticed his arms still have faint little baby creases. The tiny folds in his wrists are long gone, but he still has two little creases - one on each arm. It seemed like yesterday I was constantly kissing those chubby little arms. Time is so precious and these years are fleeting.

5. They sweeten up my spirit. They are my constant reminder, my motivation, my drive to outwardly enjoy my days with them, while inwardly making genuine growth. They make my life sweet.

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.

He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger forever;  

 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
    or repay us according to our iniquities.

Psalm 103:8-10

Simply Spray Giveway!

 Simply Spray is Simply Fun

I was recently introduced to Simply Spray and wrote about my experience on Families.com in my article; Fun Find: Simply Spray.  I shared how much my kids and I enjoyed using spray paint as an art medium.  Normally spray paint is harsh and toxic so rarely would a mom break out the spray cans with young children around.  With Simply Spray there is no need to lock up the kids.  The paint is permanent so you will want to wear old painting clothes.  However, with the non-toxic, non-flammable, and low odor formula, you will have no worries about allowing your children fun playing and creating.  

I have a seven and three year old who love to make big messes with paint.  The creativity explodes when they get a paintbrush in their hands.  You can imaging how much fun they had spraying paint!  It took a few tries to paint evenly since they were over excited but they were able to paint properly.  They decided that just praying it was fun enough so I let them have at it and make a graffiti backdrop.  My older daughter decided to try it out with stencils.  She played around for some time and was impressed by how easy it was to work with.  She made a board to put under the top bunk of her sister's mattress so her other sister would have something fun above her to see.  

Simple Facts   

• Made in the USA
• For use on craft foam, posterboard, fabric, and wood
• Permanent and fade resistant
• Aerosol, non-toxic and non-flammable
• Eight available colors: black, blue, purple, green, red, orange, yellow, and white
• Safe for kids and easy to use

 Giveaway

Sounds fun, right?  Enter the giveaway and you may soon be on your way to spray painting projects and wondering why you didn't do this before!



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PrintRunner Giveaway: Postcards

Who is PrintRunner? 

PrintRunner.com was established with little more than a small press and a dream. Ten years later our company became one of the foremost quality printers in Southern California. Our commitment to provide the best value and high quality full color printing at affordable price made our company grow.  PrintRunner is a full service high quality printing company located in Chatsworth, California.

Postcard Printing

Postcards are a great way to promote your business, event, or blog.  You can also use them as invitations or thank you cards.  There are many online printing services you can use for this purpose.  However, if you want high quality, complete customization, and a professional look from a reliable company, you may want to confine your online postcard printing to PrintRunner.  Having the pleasure of working with PrintRunner before, I know the quality they deliver. 

Giveaway Details and Entry Forms

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Disclaimer:  I was compensated with the same prize detailed in the giveaway.