Summer Doldrums

I taped this to the front of our TV.

"M-ahhhh-mmmmm" whines the Boy, "I'm bored! Can I do something?"

"Like what?" I ask my sweet boy who is quickly turning into a young man.

 "I don't know, but there's gotta be something I can do."

"Well, you can pull weeds in the garden, clean your room, read some books for the summer reading program, color, paint, jump on the trampoline or take a nap." These are all productive ideas in my mind.

"No, thank you. I mean something fun. You know, like exploding rockets or watch TV." he says with a smile.

"Ummmm, we're not watching TV today. Didn't you read the sign on the TV?" I ask him, with a smile.

"Yeah, but I thought that we should take the sign down for a bit & watch something." he says with desperation starting to eek out in his voice. "We didn't get to watch TV until Dad came home yesterday."

"I know, it's alright to not watch the TV. We don't have to watch it just because it's there. There are plenty of other things to do. I can list stuff all day long that you can do." I can sense his dissatisfaction building up with each word that I speak because they have nothing to do with turning the TV on.

"I just don't understand!" the Boy yells in frustration. "Why can't we just watch the TV?"

"There are more & better things in life than watching that thing. There is a whole world to explore. You're not going to find everything you need for life in that box." I think that this is a great answer, than again, I'm not as desperate as the Boy.

"I learn lots of things from the TV, like nature & stuff." He's trying to make a valid point.

"Did you know that there is nature right outside that door? You can go discover something new." I try to persuade him.

"I already know what's outside. I need to learn about OTHER nature stuff. You know, like the Discovery Channel shows." he states.

"I think that you are addicted to the TV. Now go play with your race cars & tracks or go to bed for the rest of the day." I throw out my typical ultimatum.

This is an ongoing battle in our house. The TV. It beckons the children to turn it on & turn their brains off. My kids love that thing. They would watch it from the moment they opened their peepers to the second they close if you let them. I could live without it. Sure it's nice to be able to see what's on the other side of the world that we don't get to see. I enjoy watching nature shows, documentaries & history shows. I like to use it to play the Wii. That is where my love affair with the TV stops.

“Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation;" - Habakkuk 2:18

Is the TV an idol? It was crafted my man. Does it teach lies? Most of the time. Do we trust the things that are shown on it? Hmmmmm...

Now I'm not saying that the TV is pure evil. I enjoy the time I spend plopped down in front of it. The problem becomes when I spend too much time in front of it. My problem becomes when I watch TV & not wash the dishes after supper. My other problem is when I watch shows that cause me to be jealous of other peoples homes & lives. My biggest problem is when I put the fantasy box before my family's wants & needs. Ouch. 

God put the biggest nature channel right outside our windows & doors. Sometimes the simplest things bring the most joy; like when a boy finds out what happens when you take a magnifying glass outside when it's a bright sunny day! Or when a butterfly flits around the flowers. There is plenty of entertainment to be found out yonder.

What's Your Objective?

Time to get your objectives ready

If the school district superintendent came to your house & asked you to write down what you wanted you child/children to learn for the year, what would say?

Suppose it goes something like this:

"I would like for you to make a list of objectives you wish your child to accomplish for the school term." says the Super.

"Objectives?" you ask. "What are objectives?"

"They are goals for your child to accomplish throughout the school term. You'll need to list them by subject & be specific with your wording. They also must be grade appropriate, not according to your child's level. Oh, you have 30 days to do this. Oh, and you need to have your high school diploma copied. Um, did I mention you need to sign & fill out an affidavit. Yeah, I should mention that it needs notarized. By the way, you need to attach a a copy of your child's immunizations. After you get all that done, I'll review it & let you know if it is acceptable." says the Super.

This is what homeschoolers face every year this time. They just get finished handing in their portfolios to end the current school term, & then they have to start thinking about the next school year.

What is important to you for your child to learn? Math? Language Arts? Science? Art? What about character? Balancing their own checking account? Eventually be in charge of their own education?

"But these are children! They can't be in charge of their own education. They would pick Texting as an elective. Or worse yet, as an  English course."

The objective of most homeschoolers is to have their children be responsible for their education & ultimately the direction of their lives. This doesn't mean that the supervisor of the home education program, most times it is the mom, is getting lazy or simply doesn't care. It just means that at some point the child must leave the protection & guidance of the household & make choices about the future. Why not let them have control of decisions where if they make a mistake, it can be corrected or steered in a more profitable direction?

So, I ask you, "What is your objective for your brood?" Take a minute & really think about it. Go ahead, I'll wait. (I would play some music at this point, but I am not that smart.)

How many did you come up with?

Now think about what God's objective is for your charge? Is it to be the most successful? Is it to develop a special talent that may make the population of the opposite gender swoon over them? Does He want them to be voted Most Popular in the yearbook?


"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."  Deuteronomy 6:5-9


 "Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it."  Proverbs 8:10,11


"For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous."  Proverbs 2:6,20

Now, are your goals & God's the same?

So, would you rather your child ramble off the entire Periodic Table of Elements by grade 4 or have a godly character that people know him/her by?

I found a book that is helpful in aligning your goals & God's goals for your home education program. It's called The Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach: Bible-Based Homeschooling  by Robin Sampson. It's a good start & a great reference book. You can find out more about this teaching method at http://www.heartofwisdom.com.

Zucchini Brownies

What was left of the Zucchini Brownies after supper

This weekend I bought (gasp!) some zucchinis. I did not plant any in the garden this year. I just completely forgot when I was planning it this year.

I love zucchini. Grilled. Deep fried. Stir fried. Baked in cakes, breads, muffins & pancakes. My kids on the other hand do not love zucchini. If they can see it, forget it. My friend put a zucchini recipe in a cookbook that their church made a few years ago. My kids LOVE it.

Zucchini Brownies. Who knew that zucchini could taste like chocolate? I thought that I would share the recipe with you in what is now Zucchini Season. If you don't have any in your garden, you can ask around. Chances are that some one has a surplus of the green veggies lying around.

Zucchini Brownies

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

1/3 c. cocoa

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla

2 c. zucchini, grated

2 c. flour

Combine all of the ingredients by hand. The mixture will be dry & crumbly at first. Then it will turn into a thick batter. Put it into a greased 9x13 greased baking dish. Bake at 350 deg. F for 25-30 minutes.

Try them out this week. Let me know how they were perceived at your house. I hope that you enjoy them.

The Big Scary Witch

The new me.

I tell Girly to get in the shower, for the second time. "No, I'm not!" She screams this from the other room at me. "Yes, you are. Right now. Get up the steps & into the bathroom." This does not go over well with her. She lets me know this by her shrill screams.

I find her getting undressed in the bathroom with tears streaming down her face. "Why?", she wants to know. "Because you need to get clean. Besides, I don't remember the last time you got a shower."

Yes, I know. Please don't judge me.

I look at her hair. It's all matted & tangled. "We'll need to brush your hair before we can wash it." I grab the bottle of detangler & start spraying. She loudly objects to this. "I'm sorry, but your hair is a mess." After I use half the bottle, I start combing. "No!" The tears are rolling down her checks & dropping on the floor. "Stop it!"

"I'm sorry, Sweety. Hold still & it will be done sooner." She continues to cry & scream. At this point Hubby comes upstairs to see what the commotion is all about. "Girly's hair is a mess. She hasn't brushed it in 2 or 3 days."

I get it all brushed out in 15 minutes. I turn on the shower, & she gets in. "Get your hair wet. Make sure you get the top of your head all wet." I go downstairs to explain to Hubby that I am getting tired of washing & brushing Girly's hair. He is sympathetic & says that he could brush her hair in the evenings. "That's nice, but it needs brushed & fixed in the morning."

I go back upstairs to check on Girly's progress. I open the curtain & she loudly exclaims, "You're big scary witch!" "That is NOT nice." She cries some more. I get the shampoo & start scrubbing her semi-wet hair. "You're big scary witch!", she yells at me while looking into my dumbfounded eyes.

 My heart sinks, & I proceed to explain to her that her words hurt Mommy, & now she must go to bed without popcorn. This proclamation was met with despair & protest from her. I continue to wash her hair & tell her to rinse. I help her to rinse & put the conditioner in & help her rinse that, too. She starts to clean with the washcloth & soap.

I go back downstairs & ask my Hubby, "How much longer do I have to wash her hair? She's almost 11. I shouldn't have to keep doing this." "Soon, Dear, she'll do it by herself," he reassures me. "She won't do it by herself. I have to help her or it won't get done. She won't even get a shower without me telling her."

 Now I'm just complaining. "Do everything without grumbling or arguing," Philippians 2:14

You see, autism is weird. It doesn't care if it didn't get a shower, change it's clothes, brush it's hair, wash it's face, wear deodorant, match it's clothes or brush it's teeth. These are all things that most normal people care about. Picture Albert Einstein. He wasn't making a fashion statement with his hair. He had autistic tendencies.

I am reminded of what Jesus told his disciples. “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" Matthew 25:40

Now, I'm not saying that my daughter is any less of a person because she has autism. She just has less skills & certain abilities that others. 

I go back upstairs & into her room to see if she's dressed. She's wearing long-sleeve flannel pajamas. "You need to brush your hair." "Okay, Mama." I hand her the brush & watch. She does about half of it & puts the brush away. "Babe, you didn't finish. Can I help you?"