It’s a Legacy!! by Cindy Rushton

Yesterday, we welcomed our precious Joshua Edwin Rushton into the world!

As I looked at him for the first time I finally GOT that verse in Proverbs 17:6:

“Children’s children are a crown to the aged.” (Proverbs 17:6)

We can have everything in the world–all of the stuff, all of the accomplishments, all of the possessions–everything. Yet, when the music fades and all is stripped away, only a few things really matter.

I have lived a life that has been sooo blessed. God has blessed me with so many amazing blessings. I cannot think that the cost for those blessings has been a big sacrifice for me when God has even made that EASY! All He has required is that I obey Him and offer my life as a daily sacrifice, doing what HE asks. How hard is that? Especially, when I look at the abundant and lavish blessings that just chase me down.

Yes. I have been blessed in so many areas of my life:

1. Yes, I have had a wonderful marriage. This year we celebrate 25 years of marriage. Talk about an awesome blessing! Read more

Time to Spring Clean!!!

Have you looked at the calendar? Do you know what Saturday was? Yep! The first day of spring! I am soooo ready for spring this year. It has been so damp, gloomy, cold this year. I am ready for some sunshine, fresh air, and nicer temperatures. Believe it or not, I am even ready to spring clean this year. So ready that I have already been spring cleaning EVERYTHING!

Want to join me? Super!

Over the next few weeks, we are going to look at several different areas of our lives that need to be “cleaned out” so we can have the best year ever. I really want for you to dig in and do the hard work WITH ME so we can spring clean our lives together.

What we will do is look at the need. Then, I will give you some action steps to help you get going. Read more

How Do I Know When I’ve Failed at Homeschooling?

Recently, I got the toughest question that I have ever gotten. I have chewed on it since mid-January. Wonder what it is? Here it is:

How do I know when I’ve failed at homeschooling?
Heather

Tough one, huh? I think that this is a great question. Actually, this is a question that makes me want to jump in an airplane and head your way to give you a great big hug! It is the perfect theme for this issue of HSEW.

I love this question because I think that somewhere deep down, we ALL have this one! We will all find ourselves grappling with this one. We all will feel this way from time to time.

I have hit situations that were so tough that I wondered about my own success or failure as a mom. We all want to be a success and somewhere along the line, we will hit a tough time that really makes us look  back and wonder if we have done all that we can or if we have been a success or failure. Sweet friend, you are NOT alone!

So, back to your question…

How would you know when you are failure? Read more

Declutter TODAY by Cindy Rushton

There is something this time of the year that actually compels me to reorganize, declutter, and clean. No other season does it quite the same!

This is actually the time of year that we clean up from the holiday whirlwind and gear up for another super year. Are you doing the same thing? Well, let’s work together by first decluttering and then getting our house in order bit-by-bit. Then, we will be ready to dig into our New Year full-force!

So, want to declutter? Let me help!

First, KNOW THAT YOU CAN’T CLEAN OR ORGANIZE CLUTTER. This is so essential. Ever get frustrated by cleaning and organizing to only look up and find that everything still looks messy? That frustrates me. If I will sit back and look, the problem is that clutter is always messy. It can’t be cleaned up or organized. It has to be attacked. It has to go. Read more

Reasons or Excuses????

Got your attention?

Just 11 short months ago I was a completely different person. All it took for me to find the change that I really needed was for me to face the truth–I was where I was mostly because of my simple excuses.

Oh! I did not call it that. Nope! I called it my “reasons” for being where I was and not where I really wanted to be. You see, I was over 100 pounds overweight. Boy, did I have my “reasons” for being there…

1. No time.
2. Too much going on.
3. Didn’t feel good.
4. Too much to do each day.
5. Didn’t want to put so much effort into losing weight only to gain it back.
6. Didn’t know where to begin.
7. It hurt.
8. Bombed already so this won’t matter…
9. I am recovering from an injury so I can’t do anything.
10. HAROLD…or MY MOM…or MY KIDS…or MY SCHEDULE…

Read more

Me-Time Ain’t a Myth! by Cindy Rushton

Me-Time. Is it an extra or essential? Is it a myth that is only there to disillusion and frustrate the godly woman? Is it a distraction from the call of womanhood?

Sweet friends, “Me-Time” ain’t a myth! It must be a discipline. It can make or break you.

I was just peeking in at Facebook–I know, I know! I am SUPPOSED to be writing! Well, NOW I am! ha!

I ran across a link to an article that is STILL circulating on the web about the “Me-Time Myth” for moms.

Nice rhetoric. But, interestingly written by a YOUNG mom. I have written many, many things as a young mother. I have NO problem with youth. Just a problem with short-sighted youth. I just wonder what she will think about her ideas as she grows older? Read more

The Importance of Routine by Cindy Rushton

Good morning dearies! I just got an email from Mary Beth asking me to share this article. She remembered reading it before, but couldn’t remember where to find it. She asked if I could post it here. YES! Hope all of you enjoy! This is an oldie. Fun to read now that my crew are grown and graduated. I could not recommend better tips today. This one is timeless. Enjoy….

Homeschools come packaged in all sorts and types. Homes all have their own atmosphere…their own discipline…and their own life. What will make for happy homeschool days? My vote goes to routine!

As we look at different homes, we find that many people use many instruments to establish discipline. In our home, we have used primarily two tools–instruction and routine! You can probably see the need and benefits for instruction but why routine? Routine is the means by which we lay down the tracks of discipline. In our family routines, we take away much of the pain of who does what, when they are to do whatever, and how much they are to do. It has become part of our character to do all that we do with excellence…diligence…and of course, speed! So, what are some ideas for bringing routine into the home? The following thoughts are a hodgepodge of my thoughts on routine and form that I have jotted down as I studied this month… Read more

Let’s Make A Memory…Over a Great Book!

Hummm…was it the giggles the whole way through adventures with Pooh? My constant sobbing through every page of The Little Preacher? Our total addiction to every single page of Pilgrim’s Progress? The giggles and strategy as the children would run off to “play” every single bit of Daniel Boone’s life—with stiff warnings from Mom that NO ONE really got the hair-cut! Peeking outside to see the hard, hard work as forts were raised and mud pies “baked” for our beloved “soldier.” Oh, the precious, precious memories! Precious memories that are OURS forever!
Want the best homeschool year yet?

Why not make it a priority to curl up as a family over the pages of a great book each day? Get the water going…pull out some nice snacks…settle down for tea (or hot cocoa!!)…and dig into great books!

Game, but have no idea where to begin?? Come home with our family and get a picture of how easy AND awesome building a memory—over a great book—can be! Read more

Dare to Discipline!

Our society has a skewed impression about child discipline. It is obvious that Satan has set up a high place blocking the correct view of discipline. He has worked over-time to set up presuppositions about child discipline that now affect our society, even our churches.

First, let me tell you why I think the enemy has waged war in this area. He knows the areas of our lives that help us to know God and have a close, personal relationship with God. He always assaults those areas.

When we discipline our children the way that God designed for us to discipline them, they are brought up in a nurturing, teaching, training environment. They DO stick to it. They do not depart. What a delight they are. What a better life for them as a result.

I get letters every week from mothers who share that they TRIED discipline and that it did not work. They always continue to share how bad things are getting. Read more

Things I LOVE About the Charlotte Mason Approach by Cindy Rushton

I remember the day that one of my dearest friends introduced me to the Charlotte Mason Approach. It was a day that defined our homeschool.

It was the end of our very first year of homeschooling. I was having an afternoon of sewing and smocking with my friend (I taught classes on sewing and smocking as a part of my home sewing business). We had stopped our work to have tea. While we were having tea, I shared with her about the ups and downs of my first year of homeschooling. She was a homeschooling veteran. I really respected her ideas and opinions. She was rock-solid. I was SO impressed by her children and all that they had accomplished homeschooling. I shared with her that there were a few things that just worked GREAT for us….others that were, ugh, a nightmare! She was sooo calm as she declared a truth that would set me free to find the philosophy of education that was just for me and my children. She told me that I sounded like the perfect Charlotte Mason/Unit Study mom. As I listened to her ideas for getting to know more about those approaches, I thought back to the very first book that I had bought— Books Children Love, which was written with suggestions for great books to be sure to read to your children while they were growing up. And…another book, For the Children’s Sake, which just grabbed me! Read more

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