#9-5: Summertime! (Family Reunions, Hospitality, Field Trips, Summer Safety, Nutrition & More)
Posted by: homenews <homenews@...>
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Hope Chest Home School News
with Virginia Knowles
June 7, 2006
#9-5: Summertime!
Family Reunions, Hospitality, Field Trips, Summer Safety and Nutrition & More
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The Hope Chest is written by Virginia Knowles, wife of Thad, mother of ten children, and author of a couple of home schooling books that you can find out about if you poke around on the web site!
Web site: http://www.TheHopeChest.net
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Dear Hope Chest readers,
This is just a quick little issue for summertime, inspired by an e-mail about family reunions from the Deffinbaughs at The Timberdoodle Company (http://www.timberdoodle.com) one of my favorite home school suppliers. I bought our Cuisenaire rods from them about 15 years ago, and Im still using them to demonstrate long division and other math concepts! They also carry the Miller family series that many of us love so much. Plus, they usually send a free book with each order! Right now, the free book is Created for Work: Practical Insights for Young Men by Bob Schultz. The Deffinbaugh family has gladly given me permission to enclose part of their e-mail message in this Hope Chest issue. I think Ill start with that, and then touch on the topics of summer fun, hospitality, and health. Oh, and theres some more last minute profound stuff at the end, so be sure to read all the way through!
Blessings,
Virginia Knowles
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Summer Family Reunions
Dear Friends,
For many of us, June signals the beginning of the family reunion season. This year both sides of our family are getting together, one to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Dan's folks, and the other as an end to an era as Deb's dad's failing health makes future gatherings more uncertain. So we are asking ourselves, what can we do to make them the best family reunions ever? Here are our thoughts:
1. Don't let ourselves or our children embrace the idea that this is a deserved vacation time. We will have plenty of rest time in eternity. At each reunion we should try to outdo one another in service. There is more satisfaction when we drop into bed exhausted from attending to the needs of others instead of fatigued from self-centered play. But we need to do it with delight; no one wants to be around a martyred mom, duty-driven dad, or cranky children.
2. Don't seek our own glory in either the activities or the discussions. This can be such a battlefield. But before we speak or act we need to ask ourselves, will God get the glory? We should not rob glory from God; nothing good will ever come of it.
3. We need to graciously give up preconceived ideas of must-do activities. The inner tube we bought for the occasion may go unused, the pinochle tournament may flag for lack of interest, and the community sing-along may give way to popcorn and games. No one may want to do what we want them to do, but when we hold everything with an open hand, having it slip through our fingers will be less painful.
It is hard to keep our minds on the things above when there is so much going on in the here below. But if we keep the right perspective, these could be the best reunions ever, this side of heaven.
Looking forward to serving you as you seek His balance,
Timberdoodle Company
Dan, Deb, Joy, Hope, Grace, Abel, and Pearl
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I was so touched reading this e-mail from the Deffinbaugh family. You see, in just a couple of weeks, baby Melody and I are flying up north to go to the Hess family reunion in Pennsylvania. The poignant thing about it is that at this same reunion 30 years ago, my cousin Cindy and Aunt Fay shared the gospel with me, and God so mercifully saved me. It may not seem like that big of a deal, but I was in sorry shape spiritually, morally and emotionally, even at the tender age of 12. Its trite to say, My life has never been the same! but its true. As much as I am often befuddled by the swirl of theological opinions in popular culture, I cannot imagine life without Jesus at the center. I know that in years past, there have been some unpleasant conflicts on the matter of religion within our extended family. It is not my intention to stir these up again at all. Still, if I can somehow winsomely share the peace and joy I have found in Christ, I will be grateful. Please pray for me! And while youre at it, pray for Thad, who will stay at home with the rest of the kiddos -- aided, of course, by our capable teenage daughters! Oh, another thing about this reunion is that its probably the last one that my grandparents, Henry and Dorothy Hess, will be able to attend. Now in their nineties and in declining health, they finally moved back in with my parents last month. Grandpa cant go work in the garden anymore, but Mom sets up a chair for him to at least go enjoy looking at it. He also tells her what SHE needs to do with it! I am SO looking forward to seeing them!
Whether you are traveling or going to a family reunion or not, summertime can be a wonderful opportunity to relax and have fun with friends and family! Ive sure enjoyed lunch-after-church with various families over the past couple of months either at their houses or ours. Hope Chest reader Sunny Lerch and her family (who are from Texas) even stopped by on their vacation to Orlando, and joined us for church that morning, too. What a treat! You see, Sunny and Steve and their four kids are not our blood family, and we had never met them before in person, but they ARE family our brothers and sisters in the Lord! So every opportunity of fellowship is a family reunion!
Is there someone in your church or in your neighborhood whom you would love to know better? Invite them over for a meal! Summertime hospitality can be so simple, especially if you have a comfortable place to eat outdoors. The Rejonis family had us over after church yesterday, and we all spread out indoors and outdoors so wed have enough place to sit. It takes guts to invite a huge family like ours over, but it sure worked well! It blessed me to see the older kids sweetly serve the younger ones so the parents could have plenty of time to chat. They have also been really good about helping with meal preparation, whether were at our house or someone elses. If fixing a feast seems too challenging for you, try a potluck!
Of course, outdoor eating is fun everyday, even if you dont have guests. Several of my kids just enjoyed lunch on our back porch at our two Little Tykes picnic tables, in between dips in our above ground pool. I told them to just jump in with their clothes on since they were all hot and sweaty from spending the morning on a summertime field trip with me. We went to Leu Gardens, a local botanical garden which has free admission on Mondays if you get there before noon. We sketched by the lake where we had fed bread to the fish and turtles, snacked on pretzels in the rose garden gazebo, and strolled around enjoying the gorgeous flowers and trees. Im planning weekly field trips this summer to get us off the couch and out of the house. I think the Orlando Museum of Art is still free to local residents on Thursday afternoons, and they have an exhibit of works by Eric Carle, the illustrator of such classic childrens books as The Very Hungry Caterpillar. We also have a family membership to the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford. Then there is the Audubon Birds of Prey rehabilitation center in Maitland. There are also many local parks and playgrounds to enjoy. Orlando recreation is not just about Disney World!
Maybe well splurge and get a BBQ grill this year for Fathers Day, especially since Thad and the kids have worked so hard getting our yard in shape. Last week, he and I took a date to two local plant nurseries and picked out Japanese boxwood, star jasmine, Mexican heather, and African irises to plant in the area where he terraced and mulched the front yard. What a guy!
Summertime is also the time to think about hot weather safety. Here are a few things I try to remember:
□ Drink a lot of water to stay well hydrated! Is it eight cups a day that we normally need? Drink MORE if youre out, even if youre driving in the car. We like to keep bottled water handy in our storage room so we can grab it on the way out the door.
□ Put on your sunscreen or cover up with a T-shirt when youre swimming! (You certainly dont want skin cancer years down the road, not to mention the sunburn now! Ouch! Babies are extra sensitive!)
□ Watch little ones closely around pools and at the beach! Our younger children have swimsuits with foam floats sewed into them for a little extra protection. I bought these at Wal-Mart last year. Of course, floats are no substitute for adult supervision.
□ Dont ever leave kids or pets in the car! I know well all see news stories about kids whove suffocated in the heat or about parents who have been arrested for negligence. Dont let it happen to you.
□ Be careful around those BBQ grills, campfires, matches, and lighters!
□ Remember food safety at picnics! Dont leave out anything with mayonnaise or eggs. Watch out for raw meat juices around other foods. Wash your hands, too!
□ Keep a little first aid packet in your car for when youre out. Stock it with bandages, sterile wipes, itch cream, antibiotic lotion, and whatever else you think youll need on the go.
For more summer safety tips, visit these sites:
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/summertips.htm
http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/welcome/summer.html
Health and safety are so vital, yet are often neglected in home school families. One topic I am studying this summer is nutrition. I need to lose about 50 pounds after having 10 babies in 18 years. Really! A few years ago, I read Christian nutritionist Pamela Smiths book Smart Weigh: The Simple, New 5-Point Plan for Losing Weight Forever Without Losing Your Soul. And I was losing weight, since I was also walking regularly. But then I had thyroid surgery and another baby, and gained more weight. OK, now its time to get back to business. Not only this, it seems that several books related to nutrition having been finding their way to the little bookcase in my bedroom, or have been recommended by friends. My friend Beverly Rejonis lent me her copy of SuperSized Kids: How to Rescue Your Child from the Obesity Threat by Christian physician, Dr. Walt Larimore, and dietician Sherri Flynt. He recommends nutritious food, proper sleep, exercise, sane daily schedules, cutting back on TV and computer use, and other healthy measures. His book includes a doable 8 week lifestyle plan to get your family in great shape, whether they are overweight or not! (For more information, check out http://www.SuperSizeKids.com or http://www.DrWalt.com. You can even sign up for free e-mail newsletters, take a risk quiz, and read Dr. Larrimores views on alternative medicine, which may be a balance to other resources I mention here.)
When I mentioned that our friend Teddy Morgan has Crohns disease, several of you wrote notes with book and web site recommendations, which I passed along to Teddy, and to our dear newlywed friend Jordan, whose husband Marty has Crohns. The two recommendations that come to mind are Jordan Rubins The Makers Diet (http://www.makersdiet.com/) and Barbara Kerrs web site and vegetarian cook books (http://tasteofhealth.net/about.htm) -- both authors survived Crohns disease through the nutritional approach. These resources are NOT just for people who are already sick, but are great for those who want to STAY healthy. Please understand that I have not read these resources, though I have checked the web sites briefly. I just provide them as a starting point of research for you. Both of these web sites have a lot of information right there, even if you dont buy the books.
And finally, Ive been reading Kathy Warrens book How I Survived My Doctors Care and What I Learned Along the Way. Kathy is a local home school mom who, several years ago, was debilitated with severe breathing, digestive and cardiac problems, as well as tinnitus. Many times she thought she would die. After months of expensive and frightening ER visits, specialist consultations, and prescription drugs, she finally landed in the office of a natural health practitioner who recommended nutritional changes and massage therapy. Kathy started her journey back to health. She wrote this book as a warm reminder for us to trust in the Lord and be good stewards of our own health, and not merely expect doctors to work medical miracles with whats left of us after years of misuse. She, too, recommends books by Jordan Rubin, the author I listed above. She also shares how their home schooling lifestyle was such a blessing and comfort during her months of poor health. Here is a short excerpt from Kathys book:
In discussing the history of my problems with Sue [the natural health practitioner], I was almost brought to tears because of the guilt I felt over the poor eating habits I had and the way they affected the eating habits of my family, especially my two children. In some things I was ignorant, but in many things, I was neglectful. I did not take the time necessary to plan proper meals for my family. Too many days, we would grab something quick while we were out on errands, and too many nights we would order in. Coffee, caffeinated beverages and drinks high in sugar were too much a part of our diet. We were eating the typical American diet. We would take a daily vitamin and expect good health. But too much of our diet contained refined sugar, bleached flour, and foods lacking in fiber. There was no real food value in our meals. God had entrusted David and me with the care of our two children. I felt like a horrible failure. Being their mother, I was supposed to do my best to care for my children and train them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. How could they learn, if I was feeding them so much garbage? My mind was swirling; there was so much to absorb! I knew in my heart this was the path the Lord had shown me. It was so different from what I was used to, and letting go of my bad habits would not be easy. That is where trust came into play. Answers from God may be totally out of the realm of ones comfort zone, so I prayed for grace, courage and strength to follow the direction I felt God was giving me.
You can order Kathys book by visiting her web site at http://www.familytalents.com or write to her at 112 Michael Drive, Oviedo, FL 32765. The price is $14.95 + $2.50 shipping and handling. Florida residents need to add 6% sales tax to the total.
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I wrote all of this yesterday. As I was trying to finish it up, Julia mentioned that she was going to Wal-Mart. I needed some stuff there, so I decided to go with her. I also wanted to look at The Makers Diet book which my friend Marlene Baron said she had found at her Wal-Mart in Tampa. Well, I couldnt find that book, but I did find one by the same Christian publisher (Siloam http://www.siloam.com): Eat Your Way to a Healthy Life by Ed and Elisa McClure, which outlines what they call The Zoe 8 Weight Management Program (http://www.Zoe8.com). I was in a hurry, and grabbed it rather impulsively, even though I knew it probably had most of the same stuff as Pam Smiths book, which I also need to reread. I havent read this newer book all the way through yet, so I cant comment too much on the nutrition part of it. However, the first eight chapters have reminded me that the issue is not just food, its the heart. I felt like God was clearly telling me, You have some unresolved issues to face from your past, and now is the time to do it! I am amazed at the kindness of God to bring these things to my attention through the process of preparing this Hope Chest. It is good for me to write, because it forces me to think through things. I am also amazed at how the various themes of this issue nutrition, hospitality, and family reunions have converged together to bring the point home to me. How? I have being thinking back over my childhood, my extended family, and my salvation experience in 1976. I have also had the opportunity to discuss some of these health, family, and spiritual issues in those lunches with Sunny Lerch and Beverly Rejonis. (Isnt God good? After I was working on this issue yesterday, both Sunny and Beverly, by divine coincidence, sent me e-mails to follow up on our times together!) And after reading part of the McClures book last night, I prayed that God would work in my heart to release me from some of the habits and memories of my past. These have profoundly affected how I relate to God, to my husband and children, to the care of my home, and yes, to how I eat and exercise and otherwise treat this temple of the Holy Spirit that I call my body. So, now I face the process of making peace with the past in a way that I have only barely touched before. Now is finally the right time for it, and my dear husband Thad is being so supportive. Please pray for me as I work through this, that the merciful work of God will overflow, not only in my life, but to those around me -- whether it is in my home, at church, at a family reunion, or in writing for you all. He is so good! Do you really know him yet?
Love and blessings,
Virginia Knowles
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