Last week I had the bright idea of choosing a small wall and painting it with chalkboard paint. It’s really not difficult nor expensive, as some may think.

There are many uses for a chalkboard wall. I chose to make one to keep read alouds from different subjects current and fresh in my mind. Plus, the children can use the bottom half of the wall to create their own art.

I picked up two quarts of chalkboard paint at $10 each from Home Depot. I didn’t even use a full can for my project.

I prepped my area. Yes, I taped–we’re using black paint y’all.

• I filled in nail holes with plaster, let it dry and sanded it down
• I wiped the wall down with water and let dry
• I taped off the wall so I didn’t get black on walls I didn’t want black
• I removed the light switch cover and taped around that

I followed the directions on the can. Yes, it’s always important to follow directions.

• I rolled out one coat of paint and let dry four hours
• I rolled a second coat of paint and let dry four days
• I conditioned the chalkboard by rubbing a large piece of sidewalk chalk over the entire wall (helps the chalk stick)

A few tips:

• After you rinse the roller out for the second coat, be certain to soak all the water out of it with an old towel. Excess water can thin the paint in certain areas on your roller.
• Peel off the tape shortly after you finish because you don’t want the paint to fully dry, otherwise you’ll be peeling the paint off with your tape

Where could you use a chalkboard wall in your home?

Abide in Him- Metal Wall Décor

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I originally titled this “The One Goal Every Homeschool Should Have”. But this isn’t just for homeschool families. It’s for every family. It would apply to the homeschooling as well as non- homeschooling family.

Every family dynamic is going to be different. But there is one common thread that should run through them all. A very important thread. The most important thread.

Jesus.

This should not be something cliche’ in our lives. We should not be offering mere lip service in our walk with Christ. Jesus was such a good storyteller. I’m not. I’m not great with making illustrations to help people understand better what I’m trying to convey. But he sure told many stories to the people because they just couldn’t “get it”. The secrets of the kingdom were not revealed to them. He explained spiritual things to them with earthly stories to help them grasp understanding of it.

The parable of the sower is a great illustration of how we should cultivate the hearts of our children. It should be our first priority in child rearing, not just homeschooling.

What kind of ground are we laying? Are we laying the ground for success financially? For education and the wisdom of this world? For financial stability?

Jesus named four grounds where the seed fell, but only one brought forth fruit. One.

The path

The sower threw seed on the path. Paths are typically patted down from everyone walking on them. The seed is exposed for anyone to snatch up. They didn’t understand the Word so the evil one snatched it away.

We need to make sure we understand the Word so that we can help our children understand it. This will take time and consistency, but even at a young age, children can be taught what the Word of God means. As they grow, their understanding will deepen. Don’t just read the Bible; teach the Bible and live out the Word of God.

The rocky places

This can be a deceiving ground. Unfortunately, I think many seeds fall onto rocky ground. Many parents believe that doing just enough to get by will bring about good soil. It doesn’t. What happens is because there isn’t enough soil, the word is received with joy, but since it has no root, it quickly withers. When trouble comes, he falls away.

When Jesus is preached as Someone who simply enhances one’s life, there is no root. Jesus is much more than that. So, when things go awry, the person throws Him off. Our children need to understand their need for Christ.

Jesus isn’t an ornament in our lives, He’s a lifeline.

The thorns

Are our children growing up in a house full of worry? Are we deceiving them with the comforts of wealth and stuff? This is another very common ground for seed to fall on. When the pleasures, worries, and wealth of the world are present, the Word of God is literally choked out by it.

This is so very important. We must reject the lust of the world and worldly living. We must. We can no longer give excuses on why it’s OK. It’s not. The Bible says it’s not.

We can’t go half way. We can’t be half-hearted. It’s all or nothing. God rejects the lukewarm. Don’t be lukewarm.

Good soil.

So, we have the soils that don’t produce fruit, in order to have good soil then, we need to do the opposite of all the things the bad soil wasn’t enough to do.

Teach our children understanding; immerse them in God and His word; and reject the things of this world so they don’t drown Jesus out of our lives.

This is our tilling season. This is our time to work to cultivate the hearts of our children in order to prepare them to receive the seed of the Word. What kind of ground are we preparing?

Next week I’ll share practical ways you can till good soil for your children. One way is to teach your children what their purpose is.

I’ll share what resources we use to help us with this goal.

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It’s the million dollar question: Why do you homeschool? Aren’t you afraid your children won’t learn social skills or be able to interact with other children their age? Don’t you need a degree to homeschool?

Those are the most common questions I get anyways. It’s understandable since it goes against what’s normal in culture.

But what if you’re the one wrestling with whether or not you should homeschool. I know some people, particularly Christians, believe people homeschool out of fear. Some believe that our children need to engage with a lost world and learn to interact with it, in hopes that their peers will come to know Jesus.

This is what I say: We are called to obedience to God, not man. I’m not saying God requires that everyone homeschools. I am saying He requires everyone to obey. Whether that is to homeschool or not.

As strong as my convictions are for my family to homeschool, I cannot say that God requires that of every family. I just don’t know if that’s true or not.

So, how do you know if God is telling you to homeschool?

Knowing God does want you to homeschool doesn’t mean you’ll have all the support you need or have all the answers upfront. It doesn’t mean you’ll feel 100% confident in your abilities. It doesn’t mean your finances are in order or you have enough space in your home.

So if you’re trying to make a decision based on anything that is in your control, you may be missing God’s voice for your family. Sometimes, God asks obedience of us before He equips us. Sometimes, we won’t find that peace until we’ve surrendered our own will to His.

When my daughter was 3, I was looking into charter schools in the area; getting ready to put her on a waiting list so she was sure to get in on time. That’s when I began to hear God whispering, “homeschool her.” I wasn’t homeschooled and the only interaction I ever had with a homeschooler was a boy who was really mean to me when I was in middle school. So I never gave that option any thought.

I began to fret about my lack of abilities and knowledge. It wasn’t until I stopped fighting and finally obeyed that I found that peace and confidence. God sent people to encourage me and build up my abilities! It wasn’t until after I obeyed that everything fell into place. But it wasn’t immediate, either.

My daughter is now almost 10 years old and we have not lacked in anything. God has equipped us with everything we need, and we’ve had 4 more children in that time as well. He continuously confirms His decision for us to homeschool.

My encouragement and challenge for you is this: turn down the voice of everyone else, including the voice of self, and see if you can’t hear what God is speaking to you. Let all the worries and “what if’s” go and just listen.

Sometimes, we need to let go of the voice of our own “reason” and simply trust that God knows what He’s doing. A great example of such a story is Erin from Home With the Boys. She didn’t ” plan” on homeschooling. The reasons why are inconsequential. The point is she obeyed, even before she had all the answers.

Again, this is if God is actually calling you–don’t resist. He’ll just chase you down anyways!

Trust that He knows what He’s doing, even if you don’t understand it.

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Homeschool talk has been some what quiet here. However, I have some wonderful ideas swirling around in my head that I’d love to share with you. But these ideas are never limited to just homeschoolers.

All types of “schooling” families are welcome to use any ideas laid out here. We are very much into exploring and enjoying art and “the arts”, writing stories, reading aloud as a family, talking nature hikes–all things that any family can do together. We try not to call it “school” since my children think that’s a dirty word. Anything formal (math, handwriting/grammar, etc) we call “lessons” or “formal lessons”, or most recently, “disciplined studies”.

I’m not a “veteran” homeschooler, but I am learning–in the trenches–and I’ve come to learn some things I’d love to pass along to you. Especially if you’re a beginner and need some direction, motivation, encouragement, and/or empowerment. We all need support in some way! But also if you’re right smack in the middle of it.

My favorite, most thorough and complete homeschool resource is Clay and Sally Clarkson’s “Educating the WholeHearted Child“. I will be referencing this book often and will even be giving some copies away. I have read many books on homeschooling and none come as close to being as complete and close to my heart as this one. It is a large book with over 300 pages of motivation, philosophy, resources, method explanations, learning styles, home life, and much more wonderfully useful information. It is really the heartbeat of what I’ve been trying to implement, but didn’t know how. This has showed me how.

So, here is what I’ll be writing on in the coming months each Tuesday:

April

• Why we homeschool and evaluating your own reasons
• Goals
• Environment/Atmosphere
• Tools/Curriculum/Finances

May

• Foundation/Schedule/Routine
• Chores/Responsibilities
• Cultivating a love for learning early
• Rainy Days

June

• Summer enrichment activities
• Benefits of “schooling” year round
• Family Read Alouds
• Nature Study

July

• Art & Supplies
• Audio CD’s
• Copy Work
• Writing

August

• A week in our homeschool (to show you how each day looks different)
• A closer look into specific aspects of our days (for 3+ weeks, depending on interest)

These are going to be shared from the perspective of our experience and how we utilize each so you can see it in action. This schedule is subject to change based on readers questions and needs, or other fun things which may arise that I’ll want to share.

Many of you are probably getting ready to wrap up your formal homeschool year. We are year-rounders and have found life has simply worked out that way. I have found many benefits of this way of homeschooling and look forward to sharing them in the future!

Is there anything NOT listed here that you would like me to address?

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