Q: Good grief!  Why is there so much to read on this page!?!?!

Because there's that much to say!  Consider it reading a booklet, not just a web page. 

If, after reading all this and taking the course, you can tell me what, on this page, I could take out, I will gladly do so! (Assuming I agree!)  Every single word is here because it's something I felt you needed to know ~ things that will help you know whether or not this course is for you ~ or in answer to what others have actually asked, or indicated they needed to know because of something that was asked or said. 

For example...  One lady wanted a refund on the part of the course she had purchased (the $15 registration fee) because she didn't realize she would need to purchase materials for the rest of the course.   ...   Another woman was angry at me because she had not done the responses to the resources, and felt I should give her a Certificate of Completion anyway!  ...  I had actually fully explained both of these aspects, but they had simply chosen to not read them ~ because they just didn't have time; they wanted to get the course done quickly and out of the way.  So, "note to (your)self":  If you are wanting a get-it-done-quickly course, THIS IS NOT THE ONE FOR YOU.  This course is for those wanting to bring about change in their hearts, homes, and relationships, who are truly seeking the fruit and blessings God has in mind ~ and in store ~ for them during these homeschooling years.

[Especially for Washingtonians:]  It's not a quick fix or solution to the need to get qualified ~ in Washington State, in particular, either. As you'll see, I provide a Certificate of Participation for those circumstances it may be of help, but at this point, in Washington, we are not required to state how we qualify to homeschool, so if your Declaration of Intent to Homeschool form requires that, please know that it is not actually required by law to give that information.  And it is best that you not give it.  Instead send in this form that is actually the one set forth by Washington's Homeschool Law.

And a final note regarding the "ton of stuff to read" aspect, consider being the one who had to think it up, explain it, organize it, format it, figure out what to put on which pages, decorate it, create all the hyperlinks, connect with sponsoring and providing resources, and upload everything (many times over as edits and changes were made) ~ in addition to just designing the whole course itself. I have given this, literally hundreds of hours.  Yes, hundreds.  There isn't even one little punctuation mark, margin, or letter in all this material that didn't get here by my "putting" it there.   ...   And all you have to do is read it. 

Here are a few thoughts and ideas that I hope will help:

Consider this verse:  "Why spend your money on foodstuffs that don't give you strength? Why pay for groceries that don't do you any good? Listen and I'll tell you where to get good food that fattens up the soul. Come to Me with your ears wide open. Listen, for the life of your soul is at stake."  (Isaiah 55:2)  This course is FOOD for your mind, heart and soul.  Is it possible that God may have already provided for you to take the course, but you've spent it on other "(food)stuff" ~ curriculum ~ "that won't do you any good"?  Many moms have told me they wish they could get my stuff, but they just can't afford it ~ because they just spent hundreds of dollars on text/workbooks. 

If so, consider selling some of your curriculum text/workbooks, and then refrain from buying anything new until you're done with this course.  As I said, what you would pay (or have paid) for even just one or two subjects for just one child is typically enough to pay for the entire course!  (Several moms told me they did this!)  The benefit your entire family will reap from the money being spent on truly educating Mom first and freeing her up will far exceed any academic benefit of the text/workbooks.  It's much more important for Mom to get her foundation established and her vision set!  Then, if you still feel you need some textbooks later, God will provide. 

When facing something as big and as potentially unsettling as this "season," it's natural to want to have someone do it with you. But God may be asking you to embark on this alone.  In my finite wisdom I can see a few reasons why...
  
One is that He wants you ALL to Himself!  That's simple, yet profound. So you're not really alone in this at all!  You will get to know God in a much deeper way than you have ever known Him before!  There's no reason to be afraid of this ~ other than a healthy "fear of the Lord."  God is totally approachable.  He wants and even invites us to "approach His throne with confidence"!  This is His idea; not ours!

God often calls us away ~ even (if not especially) from our dear friends, and/or from others walking the same path, to better able to hear His voice ourselves. 

His desire is for us to be free to respond to what He shows us along the way with no concern for the thoughts of others ~ He wants it to be just between you and Him.  

Another reason is that He wants you to learn to hear His voice, to go to Him with your questions and confusion, and to not hear ~ or rely on ~ any other voices. Marilyn Howshall's wonderful book called Secrets of Solitude (part of the course) will be helping you get this concept rooted deeper in your heart.  I Will Be Found By You and Spiritual Discernment and the Mind of Christ both by Francis Frangipane are also excellent.
  
My encouragement is that, "if today you hear His voice ~ calling you to homeschool, calling you to enter a "season of re-education and renewing of the mind," calling you to mend relationships within your home ~ or whatever you hear Him calling you to do ~ or to not do ~ don't "confer with flesh and blood"; just OBEY.

Besides, you will find very few homeschoolers who are willing to go down this path of doing such a season.  Most are content to get their curriculum and call it good.  Though things are seldom truly good in their homes if that is all they do.  We can't ignore the Lord's priorities and still bear His good fruit.
 
That said, I am providing a Facebook forum for those taking the course.  However, because of "all the above," there will only be minimal discussion there.  One of the main reasons I'm setting it up is to have a place to give you updates on the course, which will inevitably come. 

If God leads you to connect with others (already in your life), that's fine!  I just wanted to encourage you to jump in without feeling a desperate need for anyone other than the Lord Himself.

Q:  Can my husband or someone who's going to be helping with our homeschooling take this course with me ~ and not pay?

This is a different situation from the one above.  In this case there's another person who will actually be helping or working with you in the education of your children.  I will answer this one option at a time:

Husband - Yes.  I'm happy to let you and your husband take the course without paying any extra!  And if he does all the course work ~ which needs to be documented in his own Course Syllabus ~ then he can have his own Certificate of Completion at no extra charge.  But again, ALL reading, listening to CD's, and Course Syllabus work needs to be done and documented separately from yours.

Your teen-age kids -  Yes.  I'm happy to let your kids take the course without paying any extra!  And if he or she does all the course work ~ which needs to be documented in his/her own Course Syllabus ~ then he/she can have his/her own Certificate of Completion at no extra charge.  But again, ALL reading, listening to CD's, and Course Syllabus work needs to be done and documented separately from yours.

Your Mom or a relative who's going to be helping with homeschooling, who doesn't have children of their own they'll also be homeschooling - Yes.  I'm happy to let this person take the course without paying any extra! And if she does all the course work ~ which needs to be documented in her own Course Syllabus ~ then she can have her own Certificate of Completion at no extra charge.  But again, ALL reading, listening to CD's, and Course Syllabus work needs to be done and documented separately from yours. (In Washington:  This person does not need to have their own Certificate of Completion to help you since you, as a parent, are "causing your child to receive home-based instruction.")  

A friend or relative, helping with your homeschooling or not, who has children of their own they'll be homeschooling - No. They need to purchase the course on their own.

Q: What if I don't feel I need a particular resource, or want to

              substitute something I have on hand or would prefer to do?

It would take me more time to check out (a) substitute resource(s) than I am able to give.  There is just not any way that I would be able to know whether or not the many people taking the course ~ or one person in particular ~ truly need a certain resource or not.  If you want a Certificate of Completion from me, which states that you completed this particular course ~ meaning all of it, in its entirety ~ you simply need to take the (whole) course. 

Don't just assume it would be best to start at the beginning of the list or syllabus and just go down or through it, unless that actually seems right to you.

God may want one person to start by getting their home in order, as in better organized, either physically or in their daily routine, because He knows they (or their spouse) will have a much easier time receiving and learning everything else when their environment is in (better) order.  Or...

He may start another in the area of relationships with their children because that, in His eyes, is most desperately in need of attention.  That would make sense because that this area is at the very heart of "true education"!

If you live in a "hot" states regarding the law, you may want to start by dealing with some of the legal issues involved in homeschooling.  You may want to start with this CD:  God vs. Caesar:  Obeying the Governing Authorities and/or by reading this article:  Obeying the Law, Testing, and Qualifying to Homeschool - (Both are by me, Barb Shelton.)

Or you may feel led to begin with a resource of a seemingly ~ or overtly ~ more spiritual nature.  However, you will find as you go along that this thing called "homeschooling" is really not separate from your "spiritual life" at all, but rather is a direct outflow from it!  So there will be many seemingly "non-spiritual" things that will start taking on a more spiritual "feel."  For example, getting your home in better order may be the most "spiritual" thing you can do!  Maybe activities of that sort have never heretofore been a joyful thing for you.  As you learn to hear from the Lord, and walk with Him, taking on concerns that are on HIS heart for you, to your joy, you will find joy start to bubble up in the doing of them, even if the activity, book, or focus has not, up until now, seemed to be particularly "spiritual" in nature!  To God, everything is spiritual!!!  So the sooner we can de-segregate the activities of our lives, the more we'll start seeing as He does, and experience more freedom and joy in the mundanities of Life!

Having put much thought and prayer into this course and how people should proceed through it, and in what order, I have come to the brilliant conclusion that there is just no "one best order" in which to do it because the Holy Spirit is doing different things in different lives.  It would be like me coming to you and saying "I am wanting to make some major changes in my home; I need to clean, rearrange, do some repairs, get rid of some old furniture (and get some new), and do some major remodeling; so which should I do first and in what order?"  You couldn't possibly give me an answer to that because you don't know what in my house is most in need of what, what's working and what isn't, or what needs remodeling and what's fine as it is. 

All I want – the only thing that will work – is for each one to pray, and then follow God in what they think He is saying. It may very well be that He will use this course as an exercise in learning how to hear His voice – areas I'm still growing in, and will until the day I go to be with Him in Heaven where all things will finally make sense!

It's going to be different for everyone, and there is no right or wrong way to proceed!  I do know it will be difficult to proceed peacefully through a season of renewing of the mind when things are not functioning smoothly around you or if you are not at peace inside.  You may need to get some things right with God and/or within your home and family relationships.  And if you don't know how, many of the resources in this course will deal with these very things. 

If you have babies or toddlers, plan on it taking longer to go through this season than you might like it to.  But rest in the fact that God knows your needs, your ability to read and absorb, and your time availability.

The more deeply embedded your roots ~ your heart and your thinking ~ are in "the system," the longer it will take for everything to "sink in," unless you're unusually good at "letting go" quickly.  I'm not, so it took longer for me.  Plus I didn't even know I was in such a season!  So, of course, no one gave me a roadmap of resources to take in, as what I am giving you here, because most of the resources weren't even written back then!  Most of the authors were still learning, growing, and experiencing ~ probably even mudding through and figuring out ~ everything themselves!

I want to share with you the thoughts of one mom who went through this course/season.  It is obvious that God was doing a very good work in her!

I love her second-to-last sentence:  "There have been moments of sadness over how off-track our parenting and home have been, but the Lord is full of grace and mercy, He is a patient loving teacher."  People don't usually even realize just how deeply embedded their roots are in "the system" until this process begins!  And as Chris said, it can be a slow process.  So don't try to speed it up, but at the same time, don't allow the discomfort you'll most likely feel slow you down either.  Just plow through it with the grace and tenacity the Holy Spirit will give you!

As you proceed through this season, you may feel anger or fear rising up, and/or a churning unrest, confusion, or a combination of these.  But please do not allow the enemy to rip you off at this point by believing the lies he will feed you that you don't need or have time for this.  That's where the enemy tries to ensnare, frustrate, and overwhelm many moms – because of how pressed for time most of us are! This is especially true if you have younger and/or many children, or if you have many commitments outside your home.

Ask God to show you the way that will work for you ~ how much time to spend where. He alone knows your needs, and "the whole picture" of your life.  You certainly don't want to neglect your family or your home. But the problem is that, in the name of not neglecting their families in the areas of home life, many end up unintentionally neglecting them in the area of "soul life" – overburdening their children with a supposedly (but not truly) "educational" burden that Jesus never recommended or intended, robbing them of the delight in learning and joy of life!  I assure you that this will take much more time to UN-do than it would have taken you to put yourself through a "season of re-education" now ~ in which your mind and heart will get renewed, and your children thus directed in the way the Lord wants to take them rather than having to spend a lot of time attempting to un-do and re-do!

As much as you may want to try setting a "finish line" for this season, either for your own sake, or your family's, at this point you really have no idea how long it will take.  So it would only be a wild guess at best; a false hope at worst.  You might give them a minimum such as: "We can plan on this going on for at least 3 (or 6 or 10) months" ~ depending on how focused you want to be on it, how much help they are willing to give, and how fast of a reader you are.  Remember, there are many variables. 

I do hope you will let it take longer than just 2 or 3 months to go through the course.  It's a season, and you will get much more out of it if you take your time doing it.  (Look for more in-depth coverage of this topic further down this page.)  So let it take as much as it needs to take.  It will go deeper if you are applying it to your real life, not merely reading about it.  As you go, and as you grow, you will find yourself walking in more and more wisdom, grace, understanding, and freedom ~ which can't be forced.  Let God lead, and follow Him through this.

(The following was excerpted from my article "Help! I Need to Homeschool, But Have NO Idea Where to Start!" here at my website. So if you've already carefully read that, you can just skip this section.)

"I can't thank you enough for getting me

started onto a different (from the traditional, binding,

burning-out norm) path of homeschooling!"

"I have avoided so many pitfalls that my homeschooling friends

 are now stuck in and are having a hard time getting out of!"

"What a joy and relief to have started out on the peaceful,

tailor-made path God has for my family!"

Q: Is your course the "only" or the "best" way to do a homeschool course? 

Of course I'd like to think it's the best, not from a prideful angle, but because it's how I believe the Lord led me to create it, and I know the freedom and fruit it will (therefore) bring to those who truly enter in and let the truths presented in it take root in their lives. 

The ideas herein didn't originate with me.  I only wrote some of the resources; the majority are by others.  And then as for the idea of such a season ~ it's been amazing how many people have told me how similarly the Lord has led them.  God's heart is always to lead us out of ways that are binding us, preventing us from walking in and enjoying what He has in store for us, and into ways that will bring us more joy and freedom than we thought possible.

I was spending so much of my time hand-feeding my ideas, a few at a time, to moms, that I decided to gather it all up into a "whole picture" framework.  What pushed me into put it into a more "formal" format is that here in Washington state, one of the ways to "qualify" to homeschool is to take a course that is sponsored by a post-secondary institution.  I must insert here that I personally don't feel that parents truly need to "qualify" to homeschool ~ God already qualified them ~ and I have written about this (and more) in an in-depth article called "Obeying the Governing Authorities, Testing, and Qualifying to Homeschool." It's pretty radical, but really, it's "radical" only because our culture has veered far from God's purposes for and ways of "educating." 

This course is what I see as being good and needful from what I have observed and experienced ~ and lacked ~ in my early years of homeschooling.  The Lord leads His children individually, but I could get only so "individual" in my suggestions for this course because I'm ministering to many moms with many different needs.  But if you draw close to the Lord, He will minister to you in your particular needs, as He knows you and what you need.  However, to issue someone a "Certificate of Completion" I need to have a uniform set of requirements for all to complete.  I am unable to take the time to work with each of the many moms who will take this course/season and personalize it for each of them.  I trust that the Holy Spirit, working and ministering and speaking between the lines of everything that's read, will do all the personalizing.  

There are several other courses offered in the state; I have not ever taken one of these, nor have I ever researched what they teach.  All I know is that I wanted my course to be one that would not encourage people toward "doing school at home."  I don't know if that's what's taught in other courses, but you won't find it here.  I believe that educating our children within the context of their real lives and their real relationships is "the real thing."  Real education.  School is only a cheap ~ or rather, very expensive ~ imitation.  Why imitate the imitation?!?!?  And pay money to do so?!?!?  Doing "school at home" only overwhelms and burns out ~ both moms and the kids!   

My hope is that all homeschoolers will put themselves through some sort of a "season of re-education and renewing of the mind," whether they think they "need" it to "qualify" to homeschool their children or not. They will save themselves much heartache, disillusionment, frustration, disappointment in the lack of good fruit in their lives, and money!
   

Q: Does the Certificate of Participation stand up to the law since technically

                 we aren't yet certified until after we complete the course?

It might.  And it might not.  It totally depends on who you are in contact with ~ especially in your school district ~ and how "pro" or "con" homeschooling they are. This is part of why I would not put myself under their jurisdiction to begin with. I would kindly and politely inform them that I am currently taking a course, and here is my "Proof of Participation," but it would not be in the form of requesting permission from them, or asking them to approve.  I would simply be informing them.  But, again, I wouldn't feel obliged to even do that as the law (here in Washington State) does not require us to tell how we "qualify" or provide proof of it.

Q: What about the Declaration of Intent to Homeschool form? 

Here is a simple Declaration of Intent to Homeschool form that is in compliance with WA's homeschool law.  Please take a look at this.  (Click on this mini form to see the full-size one.)  If the form you get from your school district looks much different from this ~ and asks for more information ~ feel free to contact me, and I will help you figure out what to do about it.  (If you are a member of HSLDA, go directly to them.)

Q: What's the best way to sign up to homeschool?  Not for this course,

              but to homeschool ~ as in signing up with my school district?

If, after reading "Obeying the Law, Testing, and Qualifying to Homeschool," you still feel the Lord would have you do this ~ and it is truly between you and Him ~ my suggestion, when you go to sign up, is to first call the office of the Superintendent of the school district in which you reside, and ask them to mail you a copy of the "Declaration of Intent to Homeschool."  Carefully look it over, and if it requires you to tell them anything other than the names and birthdates of your children and your name and address, please email me, or better yet, send me a copy of the form ~ ALL of it ~ and I will take a look at it.  If you are a member of HSLDA, I will probably refer you to them, but I'd like to be aware of what's specifically going on in my area (since I'm the one who ends up being asked about it), so bring me into the picture at some point. 

Some school districts go beyond what the law actually dictates, and you should not give them any more information than what the law requires. You don't even have to tell them how you qualify. But many school districts don't know that.  Or they do know it, but still ask for more info than they are legally authorized to ask for. 
 

Q:  This is a lot of stuff to do; how will I possibly have time for this? 

It may be that your schedule is already so maxxed out that you can't even imagine how you could possibly fit this course into your life.  Maybe you have no idea what you could possibly cut out. This is where it will take prayer and a major overhaul in your lifestyle, beginning with an open heart and mind ~ open to what God wants you to do, and to what He wants to do in you, specifically in shifting priorities and changing your focus. 

He may lead you to make some changes in the arena of commitments, and show you where to start whittling these down.  If saying "No" to requests outside your home is hard for you, it's likely the Lord will be doing some work in you there.  Just because you are asked to do something doesn't mean that God is leading it.  As He gives you vision for what your home life should look like, it will become increasingly clear to you that some outside-the-home things will have to be laid down. 

Your reason for starting or keeping any activity that you keep should be because it is part of His vision for you and your family, not because you just couldn't say "no" to a request.  Do not feel bad saying no to things He is not calling you to, because saying yes to things God doesn't want you doing is actually saying no to things He does want you involved in ~ specifically, your family, and getting it whole, healthy, and connected.

With the many loud voices calling for your attention, you will need to focus ~ and stay focused ~ on hearing His voice in this area, and wait for His answers, which may be very different from what you might have thought they would be, or what you had hoped He would say.  "God's ways are higher than our ways; His thoughts higher than ours."

Here is how one homeschool mom ~ Susan Hitchcock, the mom of six boys and pregnant as well at the time ~ who was taking my course made time for it:  (She shared this on a homeschool forum.  Here's a picture of her so you can put a (sweet) face to all her writing that she has so graciously allowed me to use here!)

It may be that you will need to regain godly control of your children before being able to do this.  That's what part of this course is all about.  Be ready for a complete overhaul in how you relate to your children if that area is at all lacking.  Come to Him open and empty-handed so that HE can fill you and your home with Himself and His heart, and mould you and your relationships into ones that honor Him and each other.  You don't have time to not tend to this!  This is the most important work that you do as a mother.

Q: What if I start feeling overwhelmed?!?!

If, at any point along the way, you start feeling overwhelmed, I encourage you to not give in to fear or fatigue, but remember this verse, which happens to be one of my favorites:  

         
"Come to Me all you who labor and are weary and

heavy-laden (over-burdened, overwhelmed), and I will give you rest.

My yoke is easy, my burden is light. Learn from Me for I

am humble and meek..."   (Matt. 11:28)

  
If/when we start feeling overwhelmed, it's often because we are starting to "come into the light" and realizing ~ probably for the first time ~ just how far we have to go, and just how "off track" we have been.  At least in an area that's important to God and to us.  But remember, God never shows us this ~ or anything ~ to overwhelm us; only to get us into the position of realizing our need to trust Him for our whole lives.  He wants us to rely on Him to not only show us where He wants us to go, but to get us there, and in the manner and speed at which He wants to take us there. 

We need to be led by the Holy Spirit; He will not overwhelm, and He knows exactly how to lead each of us, and what we need when, and in what order. So if we are feeling overwhelmed, we may be getting ahead of Him. And even just one step past Him can throw us into this unsettled state.  

It may be that this feeling of unsettledness isn't just from getting ahead of Him, but from realizing where He wants to take us and where we aren't.  Marilyn Howshall, as you will soon find out in the Lifestyle of Learning resources, calls this feeling "disequilibration."  Things that we once held dear, and that provided a degree of security to us, start falling away, or at least coming down off of a pedestal, and things that we have heretofore not seen as important start rising up before our eyes, causing our hearts to quake and feel very unsettled.  Fear can easily set in at this point, and the urge to flee ~ anything to get back to a place of comfort.  But now is not the time to run...

Embrace that unsettled feeling ~ "take every thought captive" ~ and let it compel you straight to the feet of Jesus, the open arms of the Father, under the wings of the Holy Spirit ~ the place God has been wanting to get you to.  This is where we will find rest and peace, not from fighting with the struggle itself.  Saying "Yes, Lord" to everything He is leading us into ~ and out of ~ is the only thing that will get us to the next step, and the next, and the next...  until finally one day we are out of Egypt, and Egypt is out of us!  So don't avoid the struggle.  It has to happen if we are to get set free ~ it's part of the process.  If you need to rest, then rest.  But know that your true, lasting rest will come only from surrendering to Him, to His leading, and to His plan for you.
   

Q:  Is this the same course as the one you had before?

To any of you who knew of ~ or even took ~ my course "before" (prior to now), I have made many major changes, including:

I have added many new and updated products of my own, as well as many wonderful new Lifestyle of Learning^TM resources.

More of the content of the course is appropriate for ALL parents, no matter what the ages of their children. 

The Course Syllabus is now online, so you have the option of doing it right on your computer!  If you prefer handwriting, you're welcome to print it out and write your responses instead, however, if you print it, you will need to scan your finished syllabus, and email it to me as a digital (on-computer) document.  (I do not want to have to store, deal with, or dispose of many-paged documents.)  As you will see, two versions of the Syllabus are available; both are digital, but one is for those who will be typing right in the document; the other is for those who will print it out and then write in it.

Q: I would prefer to pay for the whole course at one time; can I just pay

    one blanket fee for the whole course, and not have to deal with  

       getting everything individually?

That's a great idea, and I will work on providing that sometime in the future for the products *I* have produced that are part of the course.  However the rest of the materials are through other ministries, so I will not be able to provide a "blanket deal" for those. 

As for mine, what you're requesting is going to take a good chunk of time to do, and there are many other responsibilities that require my time and focus first.  Even just designing and setting up this course has taken hundreds of hours.  With all that I have going on in my life (which is correctly prioritized,) I am doing well just to get the course itself set up and keep it going.

Q: What if I already have enough college and/or am a teacher?

Michael Farris, founder of HSLDA, and a popular homeschool speaker, was once asked by a reporter if his wife had a teaching degree and was therefore, in the reporter's eyes, qualified to homeschool their children. Mike's response was "Yes, she does have a teaching degree, but fortunately she has been able to overcome that handicap and is capable of actually homeschooling our children."  That might seem like merely a humorous response, but it is actually very true!!! 

One of the ways to "qualify" to homeschool in Washington state is to have one year of college. Another is to have one hour of contact a week with a certified teacher.  Therefore, if you have a year of college or are a certified teacher, you are covered legally.  The problem is that this will give you a sense ~ a false sense, I firmly believe ~ of security about your ability to homeschool your children.  Stay with me here, because I don't want you to misunderstand what I'm saying...  

I am NOT saying that, just because you are a teacher or have [any amount of] college under your belt, you are automatically not capable of doing a good job of homeschooling!  What I am saying is two things:

1) What it takes to truly educate your children has nothing to do with college! 

2)  In fact, I personally feel that much of what ~ and how ~ you learned in college is actually a hindrance to your being able and free to operate as God would have you in the homeschooling realm.  The more worldly-wise education you have, the more you think that's what education is! 

The fact is that what it truly takes to homeschool ~ as God would have you ~ is probably already in you, but very deeply buried in worldly thinking.  That's why a huge part of this course involves UNdoing and DISmantling of old thinking so that what has been "buried alive," so to speak, the good stuff He put in you, can be unearthed, rediscovered, and come (back) to life!!! 

I have often observed that college-schooled teachers feel that, because they have a degree (or someone has had some college), they don't need to put themselves through a season of re-education.  This grieves me.  They are actually doing their children and themselves a huge disservice.  In fact, and please forgive me if this sounds insolent, but in some (I'd even say many) ways, those who are college-schooled are in even greater ~ or at least just as much ~ need of going through a season of re-education than those who have never gone to college.

So it is for any and all homeschoolers that I have designed this course, if not especially for those with college degrees who need some UNdoing to take place in their thinking before they are totally ready for God to do the new thing in them.  All parents are "true teachers" whether they know it or not, but the more formal education we have, the more unearthing it may take ~ depending on our view of our own education and the education system.)

Here are some encouraging words from one homeschooling mom, Claudine:

Q: What's the Certificate of Completion about?

If you want to earn a Certificate of Completion from us, you are welcome to do so.  However, I need to make it clear that I'm not saying you ought to or have to. The Certificate of Completion that I issue (after you have finished the course) signifies that you have completed the work I have set forth as requirements; it does not mean that you are "certified."  I say this only because a homeschool mom commented that, after taking my course, she would be a "certified homeschool teacher." 

In reality, my course would qualify her ~ in the state's eyes ~ to homeschool.  However, whenever I say this, I must add that in God's eyes, you are already qualified. So this is just a hoop we jump through for the state ~ and you would do this only if it is your conviction to do so.  See my article "Obeying the Law, Testing, and Qualifying to Homeschool" for my thoughts on the whole issue of how we as homeschoolers relate to "the law."  (This article is required reading for anyone taking my course, and you can read it now or later, and still be able to check it off.) 

In Washington state, one of the options for "qualifying to homeschool" is to have "completed a course in home-based instruction (homeschooling) at a post-secondary (which means "after high school") institution."  See my article entitled Washington's homeschool law article for more about this.  My course is one of about ten courses offered in this state that satisfy this option of qualifying to homeschool.

Here is a reduced picture of the certificate.  (Click on it to see a full-size 

version of it.  Click your back button to return to this spot on this page.) 

Q: What do I need to do to get a Certificate of Completion?

To receive a Certificate of Completion from us, you need to enroll with us, complete all the reading (books and articles), listening (workshops, audio recordings, and CD's), assignments (like reading this whole page that you're currently reading, for example), the "Thoughts/Responses" and worksheets in the Course Syllabus, and after all that is completed, email or snail-mail a copy of your completed syllabus to us. 

Q: What if I don't want a Certificate of Completion?

            (Actually, please read this even if you DO want one.) 

You don't have to get one.  It doesn't matter to me whether you do or don't.  I have simply made it available for those who want it.  I know there are many Christian (and Washingtonian) homeschoolers who do not share my views regarding the law.  (which you will read about in my article "Obeying the Law, Testing, and Qualifying to Homeschool.")  They will seek out some course to satisfy that option of the law.  I felt there may as well be a course that will move them going in the direction I'd like to see them head.

       If you are not interested in earning a Certificate of Completion from us, you are totally free to just pick and choose whatever looks good to you from my suggestions as if they were a smorgasbord and do it your own way, in your own timing.  But many who do not live in my state ~ and thus are not doing this to satisfy any state requirements ~ are just as interested in pursuing such a season. In fact, I highly recommend you do so.

Q: For Washingtonians only:

As has been stated, one of the four ways to "qualify" to homeschool in our state (Washington) is to "complete a course in home-based instruction at a post-secondary institution."  Many years ago, when I was first considering creating such a course, I checked with Washington State's Dept. of Public Instruction office asking if there were any stipulations or requirements for either the course or the sponsoring institution.  Not that it mattered to me personally, but I figured at least one person  taking my course would one day ask.  There were not. They said the requirements for a course were to be determined by the instructor ~ and the sponsoring institution, if they cared to be part of the process.  So I designed this course totally independent of the state or any school system.  Online Bible College (OBC) is my sponsoring institution.

A further note:  I took my course to a local community college to see if they would sponsor it, and what I fully expected to happen did happen...  which was that they told me I would need to take out all references to God for them to be able to sponsor it.  I told them that, since God was the foundation of my entire life, was my whole reason for homeschooling, and was therefore the foundation for my course, I would not be able to take God out.  Needless to say, this was not one of the most comfortable situations I had ever found myself in, but it did end with a cordial (on both parts) parting. 

There are three primary things you'll want to plan to invest in this season:  your whole heart, a good chunk of time, and some money.  Let's take each of them one by one:

A GOOD CHUNK OF YOUR TIME:   The bottom line is that what we value is what we spend our time on.  Those with younger children have less elective time, but they do have elective time. Ask the Lord to direct you in showing where you can do some "rearranging" to make the most of the time you do have available, or how to actually create time by spending the rest of your time in a more productive manner.  I share practical ideas for how to do this elsewhere, so I hope you'll implement the "how to's" immediately, so you can start reaping the benefits.

MONEY:  Any money you have to spend will be well-spent on resources that are going to edify and encourage you. You don't need to be in a hurry.  If you have a high schooler, getting a Jumpstart Plan (at the beginning of Senior High: A Home-Designed Form+U+la, right before section one) set in motion will free you up and take the pressure off for them to be doing something .    

As you invest some of your hard-earned money, keep in mind that many of these authors are homeschoolers themselves, and homeschool pioneers who have gone before you and done all this ground-breaking work for you.  They are "servants who are worthy of their hire," and by supporting them, you are making it possible for them to continue in their ministry to homeschoolers.  Without their having taken the time to put all their knowledge into readable, hearable form, you would be on your own – as we were when first starting out!  There was a grand total of three homeschool books when I started my search for knowledge in this area many many years ago!  (31 years, as of this writing, in Autumn of 2013.)  I would have given my eye teeth and possibly even my firstborn to have had the wealth of resources available now!!!  So realize you are not just "buying books" and "spending money," you are supporting the ongoing ministries of homeschool servants.

Also realize that you'll be saving yourself hundreds of dollars by not having to go through a curriculum company. The bundle you'd spend there (or at a Christian school) in just one or two months is no more than the money you will be spending on the many enriching resources in this course that will more than adequately equip you to do the job yourself!  You'll still probably end up using a few text and workbooks, but not nearly as much as what you thought you'd need before you allowed God to start changing your ideas about education and learning!  If, after reading and processing all the suggested resources, you still feel you need closer guidance, that's the time to go to a company that offers curriculum guidance all along the way.  But my humble opinion – my strong and educated hunch – is that you won't need them...

Why?  Because more often than not, once the fears and misconceptions have been exposed and dealt with, and an understanding of the learning process and how to best facilitate it in your children has been gained, you will be quite able to "stand alone," not needing a prepared curriculum program.  Yes, really!  Remember, our goal is not to imitate school; school is actually an imitation of the real thing:  LIFE!  And at home you have an opportunity to experience real life!

In fact, once you start gaining vision, you'll likely find that the total textbook (for all subjects) approach will only bind and "cramp your style."  This is assuming, of course, that you are firmly planted in and standing on the solid ground of Jesus Christ with Him as your Curriculum Guidance Counselor! "Let your [homeschool's] roots grow down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love, and draw up nourishment from Him." (Colossians 2:6b - Living Bible)

And lastly, you'll want to invest...

ALL YOUR HEART into this season.  The saying "Anything that's worth doing at all is worth doing well" applies to this as much as anything!  And I would add that, if it's worth doing at all, putting your whole heart into it is what will get it done well.  Here's an excerpt from Wisdom's Way of Learning that will help turn your focus to the right place.

What Marilyn is referring to here as a "season" was what the Lord took her through, on her own, completely unique and tailor-made for her.  It was not the same as what I suggest here, though there is some overlap and similarity.  This "season" will actually look/be different for everyone, even if the same resources and tools are used, just because each of us is in a different place, with differing needs, pasts, values, and experiences.

I have a wonderful example of a mom who invested her whole heart into this season ~ into JESUS Himself, really ~ Susan Hitchcock.  And here is what she shared with me:  (I left all of her all-cap words and exclamation marks just as she put them!  ) 

A few ideas that might help:

Would your spouse and/or an older child consider taking over making dinner at least one or two ~ maybe even a few ~ nights a week? 

Or maybe he/they would take care of ~ or help more with getting ~ younger kids to bed in order to give you more time?   

(Quick Side Note:  People ask me how I have accomplished what I have, and I can only say that "my husband" is most of my answer!  This couldn't have happened if he was not on board, which has meant much open and honest discussion of our goals.)

You may need to lower some of your housework standards (unless they're already "substandard" ~ like mine were), or delegate a bit more responsibility to older children.

If you have a favorite show, pastime, or hobby, would it be worth it to you to sacrifice some of that to "redeem" more time for this season?  I have watched very little TV (we opted to not have cable for the very reason of not wanting our time to be consumed by it), which has indeed been very "worth it."

With the prospect of seeing good (and better, and more) fruit in your marriage and children, your husband and hopefully your family will be happy ~ or at least willing ~ to help more than usual.   

My Home Organization Workshop Duo ("Creative Flexible Home Organizing" and "Papers and Records and Files ~ OH MY!") and my "Real-Life Homeschool Learning & Organizing Tools for Younger Children (age 4~12)" CD both have many practical tools that will help with getting your home, your children, and their and your lives in order, which will, in turn, be of tremendous help as you embark on this season.  Having your home in better order ~ schedule-wise, relationship-wise, and stuff-wise ~ will bring about a peace and settleness in the home (starting with Mom's heart!) that needsto be at the foundation of Mom entering such a season.  Plus it will help you get better connected to your family – which will further free you up emotionally for your season. 

Let's look at that word: redeem. It means "to give or surrender something of little or lesser value in exchange for something of great or excellent value."  Redeeming has become the theme word and the norm for my life! It doesn't usually feel good at the beginning of the process (or often along the way!), but I assure you this will be worth every little (and big) sacrifice you make!  You can't surrender more to God than He will give you. 

So, to "redeem the time" in your home, you're going to need to communicate with your family, or it will be easy for misunderstanding and resentment and tension to develop.  This is entirely unnecessary and completely avoidable.

This first "heart-sharing" one is from Pam, a mom who went into the "season" with an open heart, which is why she got so much out of it...

Here is the conversation between me and another mom, Sharon:

Here's a letter from another precious mom, Trisch, who was obviously being stretched by God in ways she never expected!  (This was written many years ago, as you'll see by her comment referring to when her oldest will graduate ~ in 2005!!)

Encouragement to do this NOW:

"If today you hear His voice, harden not your heart."  Countless homeschool moms would have spared themselves SO much agony and wasted time and money had they had only pressed in to hear God's gentle voice speaking to their heart to seek and hear His will for them regarding the education of their children when He first called them to it.

Many moms begin to hear His voice, but then just jump headlong into curriculum, thinking they have heard God!  He may have been leading them, but His desire is always for us to learn from Him first, not follow a Christianized version of the world's (heavy) ways of educating ~ which aren't really even truly educating, but merely bringing "school" into the home!  Now ~ right at the beginning ~ is the time to get your thinking straight, because "As a man thinketh, so is he."  Translation for homeschoolers:  "As a mom thinketh [about education], so doth their education become!"  Whatever you think education to be, that is what you will follow!  So it's much better to get your thinking straight now, before you have invested hundreds of dollars, hours, and tears into it.  (And if you're one who has done that, you know what I'm talking about!)  Make sure you are following God's way of approaching education.

Here is a note from a mom who "got it" early on, and is going to enjoy the fruit of her "getting it" for all the years she has her children at home with her... 

And here is a quick, short-but-sweet thought for any of you who feel that the situation you're in ~ of parenting and training children ~ will last "forever":  It may seem like you will have kids underfoot forever, but let me tell you that the day comes all too quickly when they will be gone, as we now know with all three of our children being out of the nest!!!  You only have one chance with your children!  Don't squander these precious years with a "trial and error" approach!  You don't have to make the mistakes that others have made!  God has something better!  Let Him lead you to the "place of no regrets"! ~ which is HIS way!

Expect the unexpected!

Here are a few more thoughts from several homeschooling moms on this path:    

We often start out with certain expectations, but as we move along the path God has for us, we start seeing something quite different!  Be open to the possibility of this happening, no matter how far you feel you have (or actually have) come in and with the Lord. 

Concerned about your kids not learning enough?  ... Enjoying your kids!

One mom said:  "I'm a little worried (ok, A LOT worried!) about not doing anything with my children for any length of time since that's basically what we have been doing for the last two years due to burn-out," and here's how Joan, a homeschooling mom in Wisconsin, responded...

   Have I been doing it all wrong? ... Is it too late?  ...  Guilt?!?!?

She went on:  "Will He have me put them in school?" ...  I (Barb) can't imagine that He would bring you out of Egypt only to send you ~ or your children ~ back in!  (However, that's not "the word of the Lord" ~ just my opinion!)

And she continued:  "Have I just let it go too far?"  To which I would say:  "Is there anything too difficult for God?"  Of course the answer is NO!!!!  God is in the REDEEMING business!  It is what He does!!!  It's Who He IS:  the Redeemer!!!  He has redeemed too much absolutely hopeless-appearing junk in my life for me to think that anything is too hard for Him!  You will just need to keep drawing closer and closer and closer to Him so that you can hear His voice as He leads you through this wilderness one step at a time. He knows how weak we are!  If He didn't know how to lead particularly weak people, I wouldn't be here!  Or have any good stories to tell, or any encouragement to give!

Debbie C. responded to the "redeemed" thoughts above:

Take any guilt ~ and its first cousin, Fear ~ to Jesus' feet and let His blood cover and His grace transform them!  Instead of continuing to struggle, we need to stop struggling and surrender our will to God. "When I was a child, I thought like a child..." but now it's time to grow up ~ into the full stature of what the Lord has for us.  Hannah Whital Smith said, in A Christian's Secret of a Happy Life:  "We are only one repentance away from experiencing full peace."  I love that!!!  We don't need any more "knowledge" ~ we just need to obey.  NOW!
 

Major shifting of priorities.

Here's what another mom whose priorities were undergoing a major shift shared...

Learning how to learn ourselves!

One last comment from Susan Hitchcock:

So, as you can see, this course is at least as much about becoming learners ourselves as it is about homeschooling our children!

In closing... 

I hope that everything I've shared here gives you a better idea of what to expect as you proceed through this season, and how to prepare for it, in your home, but also and especially in your heart and mind.  God's ways are higher than our ways, as are His ideas of what He views as being needful to happen ~ in your life, with your unique children ~ during such a season. 

I so appreciate the vulnerability of these ladies in allowing me to share their thoughts with you.  I hope that all of this has been an encouragement to you as you proceed ~ or consider putting yourself ~ through this course.  Remember, a season of tilling, planting, sowing, and nurturing must always precede the harvest.