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Monday, March 7, 2011
Tab dividers
If you are looking for all of the items to set up your own binder, here are some other items you might want to check out:
■Zipper Binders – As Low as $12.99 shipped
■Baseball Card Sleeves – As low as $5.95 shipped for a 25 count or $14.99 for 100 count
I got all of my baseball card holders for about $.05/page on Ebay.
(Thanks pennypinchinmom)
Target 3/6-3/12/11
buy 3 Aveeno single bars or 2.5 oz lotions $8.67-$8.97
-3 $1 off Target store coupons $5.67-$5.97
get $5 gift card back
The Good Life Recipe for cats $.69-$.79
-$1.50 3/6 Redplum
Nature Valley 4 ct Granola Bars (Found in the Dollar Spot at Some Stores) $1
-$1.50/3 Select General Mills Food Items Target Web Coupon x4/2
(Cereal, Nature Valley Bars, FiberOne Bars, Pillsbury Toaster Strudel or Yoplait 4pk Yogurt)
-.50/1 Nature Valley Granola Bars zip 90210
-.75/2 Nature Valley Granola Bars 3-6-11 SS x4/30
-$1/2; .75/2 Nature Valley Granola Bars 2-13-11 GM x4/9
= As low as 3 FREE boxes stacking the Target coupons with three .50/1 manufacturer coupons
Kraft Barbecue Sauce 28 oz Bottle $1.74 – $1.79 (Regular Price)
-$1/2 Select Kraft Items Target Web Coupon x4/15
*Grey Poupon, Salad Dressing, Miracle Whip, Mayonnaise, BBQ Sauce, or A-1 Sauce
*-.75/1 Kraft BBQ Sauce 28 or 40 oz 3-6-11 SS x4/3
=as low as .49 cents each wyb 2 after stack depending on price at your store
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Menards
Menard's has a couple good rebates again this week. They have a 3 pack of Lint Rollers for $.09 after $5 mail in rebate. Ajax 98 load Laundry soap for $4.89 after $1.50 mail in rebate. (I have tried this Laundry soap and its not too bad.) Go Green garbage bags Free after $2 mail in rebate(limit 3 boxes per household). Oxy-Steam Carpet cleaner 96 oz $9.99 after $5 mail in rebate.
If you're not familiar with Menards and their rebates, this is how it works. You purchase the item and at the bottom of your receipt theres a rebate#. You go to the wall by the door and locate this #. Fill it out and mail it in with your receipt. In a few weeks you get a Menard's check in the mail. This works pretty similar to the Walgreens and Cvs register rewards/Carebucks. You use this check for your next purchase at Menards. You don't get money back if you don't spend it all though so make sure you figure it out to use up the entire amount in that purchase.
If you're not familiar with Menards and their rebates, this is how it works. You purchase the item and at the bottom of your receipt theres a rebate#. You go to the wall by the door and locate this #. Fill it out and mail it in with your receipt. In a few weeks you get a Menard's check in the mail. This works pretty similar to the Walgreens and Cvs register rewards/Carebucks. You use this check for your next purchase at Menards. You don't get money back if you don't spend it all though so make sure you figure it out to use up the entire amount in that purchase.
Hyvee
Hyvee has a promotion running this week 50% off Kellogg's. Now this isn't an awesome deal but if you re family is like ours we eat a lot of cereal and anytime we can get it around $1 or less we get it! In the frosted shredded wheat boxes I had gotten $1 off eggs when you buy 2 Kellogg's cereal and a few other $1 off cereal coupons. Now I thought if you bought 4 you got $2 off, but that was for General Mills cereal. This is what I did:
Hyvee eggs $1.49 -$1 from cereal box
12 boxes of cereal $47.75 -50% sale= $23.85
8 cereal coupons -$7.70 = $16.15
There also was a peelie on one of the cereal boxes for $1 off fruit when you buy 2 boxes of Kellogg's. So I then bought strawberries $1.68 -$1= $.68...or you could get free apples or something too.
(Thanks to Becki for the heads up)
Hyvee eggs $1.49 -$1 from cereal box
12 boxes of cereal $47.75 -50% sale= $23.85
8 cereal coupons -$7.70 = $16.15
There also was a peelie on one of the cereal boxes for $1 off fruit when you buy 2 boxes of Kellogg's. So I then bought strawberries $1.68 -$1= $.68...or you could get free apples or something too.
(Thanks to Becki for the heads up)
Schnucks
Schnucks has a lot of great deals this week. I ran in and grabbed some of the Pillsbury biscuits $1 and the Progresso soup (only the veggie ones) $1. I used $.30 off 2 biscuit coupon and the $1/4 Progresso coupon. You can also get the Simply version of the biscuits and use $.35 off 1. I bought 8 soups and 8 biscuits and it printed me out $3 off next purchase coupon from General Mills.
Free cereal snacks
Venus Razor
I got to do a little shopping trip this afternoon and found a great deal at Walgreens I must have missed on the blogs. Walgreens has the new Venus ProSkin razor on a Register Reward. Its $7.99 and you get back $4. Last week 2/27 PG insert theres a $5 Venus ProSkin coupon!! So you pay $2.99 and get back $4.
Free full size sample!
John Frieda Hair care
Fill out this survey for a chance to get free hair colour! I am going to be receiving the Root Awakening Nourishing Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner.
Contact us!
Feel free to send us and email of deals you see around town, questions you might have, ideas for our future Follow me Tuesday video's, or anything you want! qccoupondeals@yahoo.com
Saturday, March 5, 2011
New Target store Mobile coupons!
*20% off Merona Accessory, Apparel or Shoes
*$2/1 Swimsuit top or Bottom
*$1/1 up&up SPF Skin Care Item
*$1/1 Mitchum® Deodorant
*$2/1 Rimmel Cosmetic Item
*$0.75/3 Trial & Travel items
*$1 off Pizza Hut Express or Target Café Item (excludes items 99¢ or less)
Rimmel Extra Super Lash Mascara $2.24 – $2.99
Use the $2/1 Target mobile coupon
Plus, stack with the $2/1 coupon found here
Final cost as low as $0.24! or free with stack!
Travel Size item deal scenario:
Buy 1 Sensodyne .8 oz Fresh Impact Travel Size Toothpaste $0.99
Buy 1 Secret Clinical Deodorant Travel Size $2.49
Buy 1 Satin Care Shave Gel Travel Size $0.97
Total = $4.45
Use the $0.75/3 Trial & Travel Items Target Mobile Coupon
And use the $0.55/1 or $1/1 Satin Care Shave Gel coupon found in the 2/27 PG
Use the $2/1 Secret Clinical Strength Deodorant coupon found in the 2/27 PG
Plus, use the $0.75 Sensodyne Product coupon found in the 1/2 RP
Final cost as low as all 3 products for FREE!
At our Target (Davenport)you can score some free Denim Jeans right now! Go here to subscribe!
Giveaway Winner!
Congrats to our Giveaway Friday winner Andrea! Thank you to all you entered. Stay tuned for next Giveaway/Review Friday. Have a great weekend and Happy couponing! (:
Friday, March 4, 2011
Potty Dance March 5th 2011
Don't forget to watch the Potty Dance at 12:30 Central time! Or here's another link if that one doesn't work for you.
Houseparty Giveaway Friday
This past Tuesday we did a video on signing up to host Houseparties - where companies sponsor you to host a party all about thier products.
This Giveaway is ALL about houseparties! I am giving away samples and coupons from 3 HOUSEPARTIES!
You get:
A Potty Dance mat
Potty training success DVD
Pull ups coupon $2 off
Pull ups wipes coupon $1 off
Crayola beginings coupon $1 off
Glade plugins scented oil twin refull or two single refills coupon $1 off
Glade room spray coupon $1 off
Glade sense and spray refill coupon $1 off
Glade odor eliminator coupon $1 off
Glade carpet odor eliminator coupon $.75 off
Shout laundry coupon $1/2 off
Ziplock bags coupon $1/2 off
Ziplock containers coupon $1.50/2 off
5 Enjoy the Ride Reward Points Code
Pull ups coloring sheet
Stickers
Coffee Mate coupons for FREE product up to $3.99
4 coffee mate dry creamer samples
4 Nescafe Tasters Choice instant coffee samples
Luna bar sample
Earth Friendly coupon $1 off
Revolution Foods coupon $.50 off
Plum organics coupon $.50/2 off
20% off code for ecomom.com
Episencial samples
Clean Well wipe sample and $1 off coupon
Earth bound Farm coupons $.75 and $1/2 off
And information on how to host your own parties and get your own packages!
To enter just comment on this post with your email address - when a winner is chosen we will email you for your address.
This Giveaway is ALL about houseparties! I am giving away samples and coupons from 3 HOUSEPARTIES!
A Potty Dance mat
Potty training success DVD
Pull ups coupon $2 off
Pull ups wipes coupon $1 off
Crayola beginings coupon $1 off
Glade plugins scented oil twin refull or two single refills coupon $1 off
Glade room spray coupon $1 off
Glade sense and spray refill coupon $1 off
Glade odor eliminator coupon $1 off
Glade carpet odor eliminator coupon $.75 off
Shout laundry coupon $1/2 off
Ziplock bags coupon $1/2 off
Ziplock containers coupon $1.50/2 off
5 Enjoy the Ride Reward Points Code
Pull ups coloring sheet
Stickers
Coffee Mate coupons for FREE product up to $3.99
4 coffee mate dry creamer samples
4 Nescafe Tasters Choice instant coffee samples
Luna bar sample
Earth Friendly coupon $1 off
Revolution Foods coupon $.50 off
Plum organics coupon $.50/2 off
20% off code for ecomom.com
Episencial samples
Clean Well wipe sample and $1 off coupon
Earth bound Farm coupons $.75 and $1/2 off
And information on how to host your own parties and get your own packages!
To enter just comment on this post with your email address - when a winner is chosen we will email you for your address.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Weight Loss Thursday 3/3/11
It seems like my biggest issue is that I don't have time to work out and plan good snacks. It seems like its so much easier to just grab something pre-made and unhealthy. With 3 kids and everything going on who has time to plan in work outs!
Even if you only work out 20 minutes a day, its much better than not at all. If you make working out a habit for at least 20 minutes a day after a while you can increase that to 30 minutes and then maybe even two 30 minute work outs! Its time to take care of yourself and get healthy! You don't even have to do an actual work out for these 20 minutes. Go for a walk with the kids. Let them ride bikes while you jog. Go play tennis with the kids. Make it something you like to do and it won't get boring. You will start to feel great and want to do more!
I've been thinking alot about the snacks I have. I often forget to eat breakfast. Mornings are my busiest time of the day! Then by lunch or shortly after I'm so hungry I just want to keep snacking on what ever I can find. I have been trying to at least take the time to eat some yogurt in the morning. Its also been great having some pre-planned meals in the house from the Target Freezer deal. So I've been eating those or some Healthy Choice ones I also picked up. I need to work on snacks though. Usually before dinner I start to get kind of hungry and then after dinner I just want to snack! So I'm trying to plan out some almonds in snack bags. That way I don't eat too many but I'm getting my hunger in line before it gets out of control.
I just created a group on the Ea Sports Active 2 if anyone wants to join. It's 'qccoupdeal' ( It had to be 10 or less) and the password is 'coupon'. I'm not sure how the group thing works. I haven't played around with it enough but maybe we can encourage each other! (:
This week I was directed to take a look at Job. (Thanks Jennifer for pointing it out.) In Job 11:5-6 (really all of Job) If only God would speak; if only he would tell you what he thinks! If only he would tell you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom is not a simple matter. Listen! God is doubtless punishing you far less than you deserve!
This really spoke to me this week....
Even if you only work out 20 minutes a day, its much better than not at all. If you make working out a habit for at least 20 minutes a day after a while you can increase that to 30 minutes and then maybe even two 30 minute work outs! Its time to take care of yourself and get healthy! You don't even have to do an actual work out for these 20 minutes. Go for a walk with the kids. Let them ride bikes while you jog. Go play tennis with the kids. Make it something you like to do and it won't get boring. You will start to feel great and want to do more!
I've been thinking alot about the snacks I have. I often forget to eat breakfast. Mornings are my busiest time of the day! Then by lunch or shortly after I'm so hungry I just want to keep snacking on what ever I can find. I have been trying to at least take the time to eat some yogurt in the morning. Its also been great having some pre-planned meals in the house from the Target Freezer deal. So I've been eating those or some Healthy Choice ones I also picked up. I need to work on snacks though. Usually before dinner I start to get kind of hungry and then after dinner I just want to snack! So I'm trying to plan out some almonds in snack bags. That way I don't eat too many but I'm getting my hunger in line before it gets out of control.
I just created a group on the Ea Sports Active 2 if anyone wants to join. It's 'qccoupdeal' ( It had to be 10 or less) and the password is 'coupon'. I'm not sure how the group thing works. I haven't played around with it enough but maybe we can encourage each other! (:
This week I was directed to take a look at Job. (Thanks Jennifer for pointing it out.) In Job 11:5-6 (really all of Job) If only God would speak; if only he would tell you what he thinks! If only he would tell you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom is not a simple matter. Listen! God is doubtless punishing you far less than you deserve!
This really spoke to me this week....
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Homeschool Wednesday 3/2/11
So I got my HomeSchool Enrichment magazine in the mail today and started taking a look through it right away. I came across a very encouraging article written by Lea Ann Garfias. This article reminded me partly as to why I started home teaching and why we felt our family was lead to do it by God. You may not totally agree with everything she says but it really makes you think...hmmm..why am I home teaching? Take look! You can also go here to see more of her thoughts.
Why Would You Want to Do That??
It should have been a simple question for me to answer. Why didn't I have a simple answer? What was wrong with me? I cleared my throat, hoping my mind would clear with it. No such luck.
I was trapped like a rat in my McDonald's booth. Mom was munching her chicken fingers across from me and making small talk with the manager. Said successful manager turned out to actually own this franchise and another across town. She had just finished touting the joy of her career, her husband's successful career, and her beloved nanny came together to give her the life of her dreams. Radiantly, she turned to me and said. "So, what do you do?"
I had been dreading that question from the beginning of her monologue. I had seen it coming, and I had been sinking further and further down below the yellow table, hoping it would hide me, my stained t-shirt, and my ponytail too. Again, no such luck. "She Homeschools!" Mom piped up, encouraging. I wilted further. Then, the manager/owner/nanny-employer turned her eyes penetratingly upon me and demanded:
"Why would you want to do that?"
In that moment, I loathed myself. Really, truly, I was so ashamed that I just wanted to hide under my southwest chicken salad. But she waited, cold as the iceberg lettuce, as I inwardly berated myself.
I'm a homeschool grad. I am rearing four well-adjusted, never-institutionalized children. I'm a home-education writer, reviewer, and consultant. And I could not, at that moment, give One Good Reason why I would want to do that!
The fact is...Some days-and this happened to be one of them-I don't really want to "do that."
Home educating is just plain hard. It hurts. It makes me cry. I get lonely, even.
Home educating is a thankless job. My husband wants me to do it and has the most invested in this project, but even he forgets to throw me a parade every night. I still do not have my medal for being a Homeschool Grad from The Persecuted Years in America. So I am not holding out hope that the Second Generation is getting trophies here on earth, either.
Home education is a 24-hour-a-day, 356-day-a-year job, especially for those of us "real life" and "year-round" classical educators. What was I thinking? Teaching constantly all the time, "when I rise up, when I sit down, while I walk in the way..."? Where is the vacation or break there?
Home education disqualifies one from the Martha Stewart Homemaker of the Year. Some days, I just want to scream, "I can't take this mess anymore! Get you people and all your stuff off my floors and out of my house!" Living 24/7 in the same space with children who are home all day is a recipe for home clutter disaster.
Where do I put the books? I keep tearing down the bookshelves and building bigger bookshelves, but it is never enough for all the books!
Home educating is very tiring. That is the thing. I just get tired. Tired of grading papers; tired of listening; tired of answering; tired of picking up; tired of holding; tired of wiping; tired of reading; tired of fixing; tired of correcting; tired of correcting again; tired of answering again; tired of reading; tired of listening again...I am so...so...tired...so tired..
"Why would you want to do that?"
It was particularly hard to answer Happy Career Mom that day because I was a Very Tired Home Educator at that moment. But after some more sleep and deeper reflection, I remembered again why I want to do that.
I love watching my children grow and learn! When I tell our personal homeschool story, I mention teaching my firstborn for "just one year" and then becoming addicted within those first months. It is true. I watched him put letters together to make words; I held his hand to write and watched him form his name on his own for the first time; I saw his excitement at writing number sentences like a mathematician. These learning moments and other milestones became precious to both of us, like watching a baby's first steps. I don't want someone else to teach my children about the fall of Rome, the martyrdom of Tyndale, or the theory of relativity. These are ours to share.
I love being with my own children! OK, truth be told, I do need time away from them all to refresh my spirit and re energize myself once a year or so, but I could not imagine sending my four offspring away every day. They are important people in my life whom I love an cherish. This time with them is already going by too fast; my firstborn is more than half-done with his time with me. These are days to cherish.
Home education is a superior educational model. My children benefit from a very small class size and frequent one-on-one instruction, utilizing the mentor ship model. They are trained early on to learn from a variety of resources, including reading and researching from classic works and primary sources; interviewing knowledgeable people; attending cultural events, festivals, and concerts; and observing and experimenting. They spend the bulk of their day not only on reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also on entrepreneurship, home economics, home repair, and music, This educational variety and life training simply would not be possible had they been institutionalized. Home education gives my children greater educational variety.
My teaching focus is different from that of a classroom teacher. I am not concerned that my children score high on a test; they have never colored in a circle in their lives; I don't care if they forget every date and most of the names, or if they never learn to spell(I never did), or use their fingers to cipher (I sometimes do. It didn't help for calculus). I am after a greater goal: character, not acclaim; wisdom and understanding, not mere knowledge; work ethic, not riches; service, not popularity; godliness, not grades. That's not to say some of those other things aren't important-they just aren't the focus.
Different results call for different means. This is a sowing and reaping principle. If I wanted the same thing as Happy Career Woman, I would do the same things she is doing. But since I have a different goal, a different vision, and a different calling, I must be different. My life should be lived in a radically different way. My children, if I want them to be completely different from the culture in which they live, must be trained in a completely different way. How could I do the mainstream thing and expect different results? I must also have faith that God will reward my patient planting, watering, weeding, and tending to reward me with a spiritual harvest which none can take away.
Teaching my own children is a calling. I am called of God to be the mother of my children (1 Timothy 2:15). Keeping my home, including training my children and managing our family's resources, is a responsibility on which our testimony hangs (Titus 2:3-5). This is not a task to be taken lightly. My very God has given it to me.
Most importantly, and perhaps I don't say this often enough, my husband and I have come to the conviciton that God's people should rain their own children. As my husband says, there is no wonderland for everybody; difficult trials and family situations make this just t rear each child in godliness and uprightness according to His Word. We believe God's admonitions in Deuteronomy 4-6 are still applicable to His people today, calling us to pass on our life of faith to succeeding generations by how we teach and live with them daily. We believe that the promises of Proverbs to the family who imparts knowledge, wisdom, and understanding to their young are still to be claimed today (see particularly chapters 1-4). And we further believe that the example of the New Testament believers builds on these principles (see especially Paul's epistles to Timothy). From the beginning, God's chosen method of education has always begun with the family.
Two years ago, my husband took us to visit his homeland of Peru. For the children and me, it was a mind-altering experience. Seeing the truly poverty-stricken and destitute people living in close proximity to the well-off was a sharp contrast we have never erased from our minds. Since we look so obviously American, flocks of begging children accosted my own children to buy their candies for pennies, leaving my children heartbroken for their plight. As we drove down the streets, we could not bring ourselves to look full upon the cardboard houses stacked on the dirt hills. When we flew back to he U.S. and drove into our driveway, we sat in our minivan a moment just gazing upon our house. "It looks like a mansion now," my son said.
My husband said at the supper table last night that I could put he four children in school and get a job if I wanted to bring in another paycheck. That would increase our income so drastically that we could then put the house up for sale and move to a better neighborhood, even live in a home that doesn't need any repairs. My husband could buy a new sedan, instead of driving the beat-up Toyota Tercel. We could buy electronics for everyone and go out to eat frequently. But non of those things are needs to any of us anymore, he reminded us. With food and raiment, we are content.
I am working for something much more valuable than a paycheck, a house, electronics, or social status.
I never got to share with Happy Career Mom why I would want "do that." By the time I gathered half my wits about me, she was called away to manage the restaurant. I am thankful, however, that the Lord used that conversation to remind me of the importance of knowing why I do what I do...even when the going gets tough.
written by Lea Ann Garfias
Why Would You Want to Do That??
It should have been a simple question for me to answer. Why didn't I have a simple answer? What was wrong with me? I cleared my throat, hoping my mind would clear with it. No such luck.
I was trapped like a rat in my McDonald's booth. Mom was munching her chicken fingers across from me and making small talk with the manager. Said successful manager turned out to actually own this franchise and another across town. She had just finished touting the joy of her career, her husband's successful career, and her beloved nanny came together to give her the life of her dreams. Radiantly, she turned to me and said. "So, what do you do?"
I had been dreading that question from the beginning of her monologue. I had seen it coming, and I had been sinking further and further down below the yellow table, hoping it would hide me, my stained t-shirt, and my ponytail too. Again, no such luck. "She Homeschools!" Mom piped up, encouraging. I wilted further. Then, the manager/owner/nanny-employer turned her eyes penetratingly upon me and demanded:
"Why would you want to do that?"
In that moment, I loathed myself. Really, truly, I was so ashamed that I just wanted to hide under my southwest chicken salad. But she waited, cold as the iceberg lettuce, as I inwardly berated myself.
I'm a homeschool grad. I am rearing four well-adjusted, never-institutionalized children. I'm a home-education writer, reviewer, and consultant. And I could not, at that moment, give One Good Reason why I would want to do that!
The fact is...Some days-and this happened to be one of them-I don't really want to "do that."
Home educating is just plain hard. It hurts. It makes me cry. I get lonely, even.
Home educating is a thankless job. My husband wants me to do it and has the most invested in this project, but even he forgets to throw me a parade every night. I still do not have my medal for being a Homeschool Grad from The Persecuted Years in America. So I am not holding out hope that the Second Generation is getting trophies here on earth, either.
Home education is a 24-hour-a-day, 356-day-a-year job, especially for those of us "real life" and "year-round" classical educators. What was I thinking? Teaching constantly all the time, "when I rise up, when I sit down, while I walk in the way..."? Where is the vacation or break there?
Home education disqualifies one from the Martha Stewart Homemaker of the Year. Some days, I just want to scream, "I can't take this mess anymore! Get you people and all your stuff off my floors and out of my house!" Living 24/7 in the same space with children who are home all day is a recipe for home clutter disaster.
Where do I put the books? I keep tearing down the bookshelves and building bigger bookshelves, but it is never enough for all the books!
Home educating is very tiring. That is the thing. I just get tired. Tired of grading papers; tired of listening; tired of answering; tired of picking up; tired of holding; tired of wiping; tired of reading; tired of fixing; tired of correcting; tired of correcting again; tired of answering again; tired of reading; tired of listening again...I am so...so...tired...so tired..
"Why would you want to do that?"
It was particularly hard to answer Happy Career Mom that day because I was a Very Tired Home Educator at that moment. But after some more sleep and deeper reflection, I remembered again why I want to do that.
I love watching my children grow and learn! When I tell our personal homeschool story, I mention teaching my firstborn for "just one year" and then becoming addicted within those first months. It is true. I watched him put letters together to make words; I held his hand to write and watched him form his name on his own for the first time; I saw his excitement at writing number sentences like a mathematician. These learning moments and other milestones became precious to both of us, like watching a baby's first steps. I don't want someone else to teach my children about the fall of Rome, the martyrdom of Tyndale, or the theory of relativity. These are ours to share.
I love being with my own children! OK, truth be told, I do need time away from them all to refresh my spirit and re energize myself once a year or so, but I could not imagine sending my four offspring away every day. They are important people in my life whom I love an cherish. This time with them is already going by too fast; my firstborn is more than half-done with his time with me. These are days to cherish.
Home education is a superior educational model. My children benefit from a very small class size and frequent one-on-one instruction, utilizing the mentor ship model. They are trained early on to learn from a variety of resources, including reading and researching from classic works and primary sources; interviewing knowledgeable people; attending cultural events, festivals, and concerts; and observing and experimenting. They spend the bulk of their day not only on reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also on entrepreneurship, home economics, home repair, and music, This educational variety and life training simply would not be possible had they been institutionalized. Home education gives my children greater educational variety.
My teaching focus is different from that of a classroom teacher. I am not concerned that my children score high on a test; they have never colored in a circle in their lives; I don't care if they forget every date and most of the names, or if they never learn to spell(I never did), or use their fingers to cipher (I sometimes do. It didn't help for calculus). I am after a greater goal: character, not acclaim; wisdom and understanding, not mere knowledge; work ethic, not riches; service, not popularity; godliness, not grades. That's not to say some of those other things aren't important-they just aren't the focus.
Different results call for different means. This is a sowing and reaping principle. If I wanted the same thing as Happy Career Woman, I would do the same things she is doing. But since I have a different goal, a different vision, and a different calling, I must be different. My life should be lived in a radically different way. My children, if I want them to be completely different from the culture in which they live, must be trained in a completely different way. How could I do the mainstream thing and expect different results? I must also have faith that God will reward my patient planting, watering, weeding, and tending to reward me with a spiritual harvest which none can take away.
Teaching my own children is a calling. I am called of God to be the mother of my children (1 Timothy 2:15). Keeping my home, including training my children and managing our family's resources, is a responsibility on which our testimony hangs (Titus 2:3-5). This is not a task to be taken lightly. My very God has given it to me.
Most importantly, and perhaps I don't say this often enough, my husband and I have come to the conviciton that God's people should rain their own children. As my husband says, there is no wonderland for everybody; difficult trials and family situations make this just t rear each child in godliness and uprightness according to His Word. We believe God's admonitions in Deuteronomy 4-6 are still applicable to His people today, calling us to pass on our life of faith to succeeding generations by how we teach and live with them daily. We believe that the promises of Proverbs to the family who imparts knowledge, wisdom, and understanding to their young are still to be claimed today (see particularly chapters 1-4). And we further believe that the example of the New Testament believers builds on these principles (see especially Paul's epistles to Timothy). From the beginning, God's chosen method of education has always begun with the family.
Two years ago, my husband took us to visit his homeland of Peru. For the children and me, it was a mind-altering experience. Seeing the truly poverty-stricken and destitute people living in close proximity to the well-off was a sharp contrast we have never erased from our minds. Since we look so obviously American, flocks of begging children accosted my own children to buy their candies for pennies, leaving my children heartbroken for their plight. As we drove down the streets, we could not bring ourselves to look full upon the cardboard houses stacked on the dirt hills. When we flew back to he U.S. and drove into our driveway, we sat in our minivan a moment just gazing upon our house. "It looks like a mansion now," my son said.
My husband said at the supper table last night that I could put he four children in school and get a job if I wanted to bring in another paycheck. That would increase our income so drastically that we could then put the house up for sale and move to a better neighborhood, even live in a home that doesn't need any repairs. My husband could buy a new sedan, instead of driving the beat-up Toyota Tercel. We could buy electronics for everyone and go out to eat frequently. But non of those things are needs to any of us anymore, he reminded us. With food and raiment, we are content.
I am working for something much more valuable than a paycheck, a house, electronics, or social status.
I never got to share with Happy Career Mom why I would want "do that." By the time I gathered half my wits about me, she was called away to manage the restaurant. I am thankful, however, that the Lord used that conversation to remind me of the importance of knowing why I do what I do...even when the going gets tough.
written by Lea Ann Garfias
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