This week’s Virtual Curriculum Fair Wrap – Up – is to Put it all together. I went out this morning for a Beach walk – with you all on my mind.  I’m not really sure to whom these thought should be directed. So – I’ll just start typing –

I almost didn’t join the Virtual Curriculum Fair – but I wanted to show what tools we use, as an Almost Unschooling Relaxed Learning Charlotte Mason Eclectic Notebooking Delight Directed Christian family. I’ve had people actually contact us to meet in person as they had never met a Christian Unschooler before. I didn’t want to throw out books and resources – and present the idea of – If you use these products you’ll turn out like us. Some would take that as a good thing, others not so much . . . ha.

I thought I’d leave with with advice that was given to me, that I would give to anyone – no matter what resources you use to train your child academically  —

Pray – Be Still – and Seek Him.  Have you spent time in quiet? Have you earnestly stopped and asked the Lord what goals he has for each of your children? Have you asked him about goals for the upcoming few months, this year, and when they are 25? Have you asked him what the mission of your family is right now?

Tell Fear To Flee.  Have you made choices in your child’s learning based on fear? On what they may miss out on?  If you looked at your days, weeks, and saw trouble areas, are these books or classes that you chose out of fear or peer pressure? Spend time reading books and blogs from those who have graduated children who primarily learned at home.  Not to see what they used – but to know that He Has A Plan – and that it will work out.

Be Flexible.  This year alone I thought I had two different plans in mind to go forward with – and it really didn’t fit our family – immediately other choices were presented.  We shifted, I changed gears and we moved forward.  Never stick your foot in the sand, unwilling to move, over academics.

Stand Firm. In the Word.  Read it! Daily! Read it with your kiddos.  As much as we have learned about Nature these last couple of years – learning to really observe things that we see every day – learning layer upon layer. Even items that we touched on last year, have more depth this season – the same is true for reading The Word.  Never think you know who God is. Never think you know what he has done. Always leave room each day to observe Him at work, read, pray, and follow.

Be Obedient. Be Uncomfortable.  It was uncomfortable for me to stand before my homeschool friends when the boys were little and declare that we would not use curriculum.  My parents said they would pay for anything we ordered. I think we worried them when our only supplies came up to $80.00 that first year for two boys and were all used book store field guides. Each year we have very little supplies to order, most of our supplies are online or at the library, or borrowed. My mom just called me this week to make sure we were letting her know about our book needs. If you are standing next to many Relaxed Learners – but you really need structured Scope and Sequence made for you – Be uncomfortable around me. If you really need that job and need to use an outside source to give your child academics – Do It. If you know not one unschooler but you feel that it is the way for you – Do it. As long as you’ve done the Prayer, Flexible, Fear Riddence, Standing, and Obedience – Do It. Be ready to do anything the Lord asks.

Be Ready.  I could write pages and pages of how we had a need, and that day, that hour, that morning, a call or email out of the blue answered the need. Financially, academically, spiritually.  The only need that never seems met is Janitorial Services.  I mean seriously. We don’t need homeschool waivers, we need Merry Maid Service.  Ha.

The Lord has promised to train you. He has a plan for your child. Make sure you are a part of that plan and not a hindrance or a block. And Enjoy. Be silly. Have fun.  As we enter 9th Grade I am so aware that we are almost done. I am no longer fearful of High School for the level of work involved, but reflective of how little time I have left to spend each day with my boys. I cherish every dirt filled zombie storied water fighting nerf blasting noisy moment. And, every once in a while, we’ll kick in some reading and math.

The links to the Curriculum Fair will go Live on Tuesday!!!!!

• Website: http://www.vineyardmusic.com/vm/
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DiscoverVineyard
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/VineyardMusic
• iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-love-your-presence-live/id491711353

This weekend our Worship Team is at a retreat in Cannon Beach – a Vineyard Worship Retreat.  I am so excited for them.  Also this week – I received ‘I Love Your Presence’ to review.  I kept it on my two iPods and laptop, and listened as I had time.  Today, I had a block of alone time, so I just turned it up and let it rip as I quietly went through my tasks in my home.  Compared to the last album, ‘Furious’ this one has a completely different flavor.  Slower. Quieter. I might call it a Lingering.  There are more female led songs – which I enjoyed, sometimes the octaves following the boys is hard for me. This gathering of worship songs seemed so personal.  I think it is why it was easier to listen to when I was alone. I could picture these songs on a Wednesday  night – one after the other – for over an hour, as we indulge our selves by stopping our pace, seeking his faith – being thankful to the King.  I highly recommend it!

I was given a copy of this to give away  – and I am taking a departure from the contest – and in honor of the retreat this week – I am gifting it to a member of our Vineyard Worship Team.

About ‘I Love Your Presence’:

LOVE OF GOD was recorded live at the Burn Bright: Worship and The Kingdom Of God conference, hosted by Vineyard Worship. Several hundred worship leaders and worshippers gathered in the Arizona desert to explore the nature of God’s kingdom through music and teaching with some of the Vineyard’s most gifted communicators and musicians. This inspiring collection of songs recorded live at the The Vineyard Church North Phoenix will immerse listeners in the powerful worship that was the highlight of the event. LOVE OF GOD reminds us to not just think of worship as singing songs, but also laying down our lives for Him. 

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I  only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255:”Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

We are studying John Singer Sargent, the Painter and Aaron Copland, the Composer as part of our Modern Art studies with Harmony Fine Arts Grade 8. I printed the Composer Notes for Copland from the A Young Scholars Guide to the Composer, and the notebooking pages from HFA Gr 8, and set Nathan to exploring about Copland’s life, while we listened to his music on You Tube. 

We watched the most fascinating video on John Sargent – a video slide show of his pictures.  Nathan was excited and said he really liked his work.  I liked how he seems to play with shadows and light.  He might have had a subject in a corner of a garden, and light would be shining some place else, – without shafts of light – but just – well hard to explain.  I really love the girls in his photographs. I could picture myself in his time, out doors with my pals, in canoes and by the lake, lounging for a painting with the children around. One in particular of the mom/friend holding a young boy’s hand as he stood behind a couch. I could picture Jon drumming on the couch and me holding him down. I really felt like I could have been IN any of his scenes. 

We went out to our newly arranged craft area to work on our pastel projects.  Brights on dark paper. 

Ya.  I really like art time. . . . We turned on Pandora and put in Sargent as a composer channel, then kept track of when which songs we listened to. I REALLY like his music. Maybe because I played Trumpet and French Horn in school. I recognized many songs through band.  Great theme music.  The boys recognized quite  few pieces.

We moved on to playing with skin colors, and faces – and I wish I had taken before photos . . .

Nate said his face looked like a balloon so he just changed it. . . . .

I adored their faces, then stopped to take a photo of the other drawings while they finished – when it happened. . . . .

Zombie Attack . . . Sigh. 

I think I’ll start taping up their drawings to the curtain in front of us. . . .

I’ll put up a link to the Composers study when it goes live – until then – Keep Studying the Composers! – Here’s Last Week’s Linkup!