Bloom Where You are Planted

A death in the family necessitated a move to another town for my husband and our four children and me. It was very reluctantly that I gave up the old Victorian style house that we had lived in for the past eight years. It was a place where we had created some very special memories. It was here where we enjoyed the first two years of our last child, a beautiful baby girl. The log playhouse in the back yard where our twin daughters had spent many happy hours would long be remembered with much nostalgia. The safe streets of the quaint little town offered protection for our son as he expended considerable energy on his bike. The beautiful curved stairway in the entryway- how could we give up what we enjoyed and loved so much?

For four years after our move, I felt I had no home, since the house we moved into was basically up for sale. House sales were not moving very fast. One night I dreamed I went to a house and there was my mother and a sister-in-law's mother, both deceased, and now here I was, home at last! But, this was only a dream. Reality was still with me when I woke up.

One day I was walking down the street in the old historical town we had moved to. A handmade sign in a shop caught my attention. The words, "Bloom where you are planted" jumped out at me. I didn't appreciate someone's attempt to encourage others to make the best of their present circumstances. How could I possibly bloom where I was planted when I was yearning for my old Victorian home? Little did I realize then that this move was apparently meant to help shape my life, my children's lives and even my then future grandchildren's lives.

The move brought us closer to opportunities for better jobs, for further education and closer to family. Our enjoyment in life has been greatly enhanced. We bloomed where we were planted. Our three daughters attended the local community college. A well-known university was within driving distance. One daughter and I got degrees from it one semester apart. Both twins are registered nurses. All four children have been engaged in the health care field in one way or another. Three of them are currently active in a Christian Home School Academy. The fourth one is practicing nursing. Two grandsons have gotten some of their education from the local college. One of them is now attending the same university my daughter and I got degrees from, and is studying to become a physician.

Did it pay for us to put our roots down and bloom where God planted us? I think so. None of the opportunities were available to us before.

~ by Jeanne Davis
© 2007

Home School Mothers Contribute To The Welfare Of Our Nation

King Solomon said, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6.

Motherhood is not only professional, but it is also the highest calling on earth. Who is better to be the academic advisor to our nation’s youth than the mother? What better setting for teaching life’s important facts and skills as well as imparting academic knowledge than the home? Here the home schooled child can relax in a loving family atmosphere and free his mind from peer pressure and anxiety about required grades and achievements expected by traditional school teachers. He has the advantage of learning and achieving at his own pace and with his own style of learning.

A child in a homeschool atmosphere of learning, providing the mother is not traditional-school-minded or a perfectionist has the advantage of learning life skills to become a better person.
The home schooled child having more liberty for individual thinking, can evolve into a caring, honest person who is not as likely to be influenced by external forces or become dependent on others. He has his own reserve and resource of guidance in life’s perplexities. This is a great contribution to society in general.

Along with his academic achievements he has a better chance of acquiring useful life skills such as responsibility, being congenial and cooperative with others and showing kindness toward others and toward animals. His chances of learning self discipline and developing listening skills are enhanced. More importantly, he is more likely to have a proper attitude toward authority and toward God.

Thus, it can be said that mothers who home school their children and heed King Solomon’s advice contribute much to the welfare of our nation.

By Jeanne Davis, © 2006

Does Home Schooling Have You Stressed?

As a home schooling mom do you sometimes feel the stress of juggling schedules, lesson planning, housework, cooking and general child care is too much? Have you felt overwhelmed at times by the responsibilities you face daily as a home school mom? Do you think of stress as tension or emotional distress? Actually, stress can be defined as any situation or condition that causes us physical or psychological strain. There have probably been times when you have experienced both physical and psychological strain while attempting to meet all the demands placed on a home schooling mother.

Any stimulus that causes stress can activate the body’s automatic stress response mechanism, commonly called the fight-or-flight response. This can cause adrenaline and other stress hormones, such as cortisol, to be released in the body. These stress hormones can lead to problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, digestive and sleep problems, and a failed immune system. If left unchecked, this red-alert state can cause a myriad of physical and psychological symptoms. It is very important that we recognize the presence of stress in our lives in order that we might learn the best way to deal with it. In my next post, I’ll discuss ways that you, as a home school mom, can effectively reduce stress.

~ by Jeanne Davis, RN, BSN

Stress Prevention for Home School Moms

How can you as a home school mom prevent daily stress from overwhelming you? There are several stress relievers that can be easily utilized. The following suggestions, if done in moderation, have been medically proven to lower stress hormones and bolster the immune system.

A well balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables helps the body deal with stress. Exercising regularly increases the production of endorphins, the brain chemical that lifts mood. Stroking and talking to a pet can also help you relax. Several studies have shown that people who own a pet actually live longer, healthier lives. Listening to soothing music can relieve tension and increase endorphin levels. Do a relaxation technique such as deep-breathing exercises. Form good relationships with individuals whom you can share in-depth personal issues. Take time to get away for some recreation. Create some form of spirituality in your life like going to church, meditating, praying or volunteering to help others.

In my next post, I’ll discuss ways to get a more balanced diet without going to a lot of fuss or expense.

~by Jeanne Davis, RN, BSN