Tag: Moms

Awakening Wonder at Home with Sally Clarkson

Don’t miss this FREE conference!

Hey Mama,

I want to tell you about a very special treat!

Sally Clarkson, whom I consider one of my wonderful parenting mentors, is having a fabulous online event that I do not want you to miss. Whether you are considering homeschooling, have already started your homeschool year or simply need some refreshment as a mom (homeschooling or not), please sign up for this conference!

Normally, Sally has multiple conferences across the USA and a few international locations, but this crazy COVID year is different. She and her husband, Clay, are offering this online version to all of us at no cost.

What a gift!

Here is a message from Sally with links to sign up . . .

Dear Friends,

Tomorrow, August 18, is the launch for my new book, Awaking Wonder.

I am so very excited to release this book into the world as it is a legacy of our family, the story of how we lived together at home, opening up the worlds of faith, creation, ideas, creativity, education to our four children and how home was a perfect place to nurture life and to pass on purpose to them for their own lives.

It would mean so very much to me if you would help me spread the message to the world, as so many parents are in need of inspiration, encouragement and support at this time.

It is my heartfelt prayer that this book will inspire and remind parents and teachers that our children are precious, that we are those who help construct their foundations of faith and virtue, and that our labor to love and serve them is of eternal value.
Clay and I had reserved hotels all across the US to host Awaking Wonder conferences. However, because of Covid, all of the conferences had to be cancelled. We then dreamed up filming our own in-home conference, in the rooms where our children learned, grew up and were inspired. We hired a professional videographer to record 12 messages that correspond with the book Awaking Wonder. They turned out beautifully. We decided that since so many are in need of encouragement that we would give this conference away for free for 12 days so that anyone any place in the world might enjoy these messages. (Available for free from August 20-August 31) We will have fun giveaways for all who register every day for 12 days. Don’t miss out.

All you have to do to receive these conferences as a gift from us to you is to register at: awakingwonderathome.com

Registration ends on Wednesday night, August 19th at 12 midnight (MT). Please make sure to register in time to be eligible to win a gift from our drawing.

Be sure to pre-order your copy of Awaking Wonder so you can follow along the conference with your book.

It means so much to us to have such an encouraging, engaged community. Thanks for helping us spread the word and thanks for supporting our messages through the books we write.

What an honor to be a part of what God is doing to bring the hearts of parents to their children at this time. We are very blessed.

Love to you all!
Sally

Please let me know if you sign up!

Registration ends on Wednesday night, August 19th at 12 midnight (MT). The videos will be available for 12 days and will then move to Sally’s member-only site. So don’t miss out!

Thinking of you,

Scarlett xo

(This message does not contain affiliate links. I know how much Sally has meant to me over the years! And I want you to be encouraged, as well, especially in this challenging season we are in. This is one of the best ways I could ever think of!)

Take a deep breath, Mama

It’s all going to be okay. Even better than okay.

Unsplash: Tim Mossholder

I’ve been spending a greater amount of time than normal on Facebook lately. I’m in a few homeschool groups, and goodness, they are being inundated with moms (and a handful of dads) who are choosing the homeschool journey for the first time. It is a crazy thing to watch.

They are making their decisions because of so much uncertainty regarding COVID-19. 

Some of them are afraid their kids will get sick. 

Others do not want their kids in front of screens all day. 

Some of them have realized, thanks to the schools choosing to teach virtually back in the spring when we all began the quarantine, that they can ditch the regular school work and create their own. 

And others of them have seen their children truly flourish by being home. 

Are you one of these moms?

What questions do you have?

What concerns?

Have you written your goals for the school year?

Have you chosen your curriculum?

Are you lost?

Frustrated?

Overwhelmed?

Is your spouse or significant other onboard?

Are you worried about the workload?

How will you get everything done?

Maybe you work full time, and your spouse will be home with the children. How will that work?

I get you. I truly do. And I am sending a gigantic virtual hug right now.

I remember those months before I started homeschooling. The overwhelm was strong. The choices for curriculum, and even which philosophy I aligned with, were many. I spent so much time researching and contemplating. 

Every single mom I know has struggled with confidence, not knowing if she was making the right choices for her kids. 

Every. Single. One.

But I promise you, it will all come together! 

You are not alone.

I believe in you!

You can do this!

I encourage you to write out Philippians 4:13 and make it your mantra. Post it on your washroom mirror, by your coffee maker, on the dash of your vehicle. 

Keep it in front of you and declare it often! I believe the Word is powerful. And speaking it out loud is powerful. It changes the atmosphere. It redirects our thoughts and attitudes and lights up our paths.

Try it . . .

How did that feel? Do you notice a difference? If not, go for it again. Keep going until you know it aligns your spirit with God’s truth.

This is a practice I encourage you to go through daily. 

Fill your mind and heart and home with Scripture. 

And please reach out if you have questions or would like some mom-to-mom encouragement. 

I had moms in my life who were such huge encouragements to me because they had walked the road a few miles ahead of me. 

I would be honored to give to you as they did for me. To be a life-giving voice in your life. 

It would be my joy to support you.

Please contact me now!

Thinking of you,

Scarlett xo

Hey there, Mama,

Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

How is your week going?

Happy July! Happy summertime! We’ve made it halfway through 2020!

What are you up to this week?

Here in the United States, all the states are opening (or, in some cases, closing again) at different rates. In Virginia, we’ve had some of the most strict regulations and are slowly opening back up. Phase 3 begins today and hopefully stays that way. Family and friends in Texas are dealing with the reigns tightening again because things opened up too soon.

What phase is your state or country in now?

What does your summer look like for you? Have you had to cancel or change your original plans?

How are you coping with all the changes? And staying home so much of the time?

Even though we have homeschooled for many years, this staying home business has been tough on my younger girls and me. We usually like to be on the go! We’re still hoping to travel, though. We have a new baby cousin to meet! 

It is still so surreal to think much about all the activities and events that are being canceled. When thinking about it causes me to become anxious or sad, I give myself permission to feel all the feels. I used to be a “stuffer” or a “just push through it” kind of person. I am a positive person and like to dwell on the bright side of life. Life is too short to dwell on the negative. 

But life throws some curveballs. Like a global pandemic. And in the past few years, I’ve learned to sit in the dust for a while after the ball hits the ground.  It’s messy. I’ve never liked the dust. It makes me sneeze and sniffle, my eyes get bloodshot, my throat tightens up and gets scratchy, and the dust gets on everything. It feels gritty. The particles linger in the air for a long time. 

But once the dust settles, it’s good to just be. To just sit. To feel all the sorrow and sadness. To acknowledge the disappointment, the longing for things to be different. To breathe out the anxiety. To breathe out the dust.  And then, after I give those feelings some time and attention, I move my focus to peace. 

And I start breathing in the clean air and hope and refreshment. 

My faith is the foundation of my life, so I ask Jesus to sit with me in the mess. He made the dust, and me, so dust doesn’t seem to faze Him one bit. He doesn’t get anxious or stressed out or lose His cool. He’s perfectly calm and is perfect peace and makes the best companion for just being. He knows all the details, so I don’t even have to say much or even anything at all. We just hang out for a while. He knows my needs, and I know His love and goodness and compassion and kindness. He gives me His heavenly perspective, and I refocus my attention on the good again.

I let Him dust me off. Then we get up and move on to the next thing. 

Thinking of you today,

Scarlett xo