Tapestry of Grace: Part One - The Convention

What do you get when you take one terrific curriculum. . . . . . . 

Two encouraging, energetic booth hostesses. . . . . .

A steady stream of curious, sometimes overwhelmed, always receptive homeschool moms. . . .

 And a crazy cast of supporting characters????

 (Well, the first thing you get is laryngitis.  But I digress. . . . . . )

You get three days of fun, exhaustion, and rewarding times at 

the CHEF of Alabama Homeschool Convention!!!

My longtime friends know that I have an - ahem - weakness for homeschool conventions.  Soft spot, yeah, let's call it a soft spot, that's the ticket!  I've attended them for about 14 years off and on (more on than off) and worked at them a few times as well.

So.

When I heard that the folks at Tapestry were looking for folks to host a booth at their local convention, how could I refuse?  It really is a joy to meet other moms on the same journey, to really listen to them, and offer encouragement.  I was thrilled to have the chance!

Let's examine the ingredients one-by-one, shall we?

(OK, I know, I know. . . these are the same pictures!  Sorry. . . . I was too busy talking to moms to get more than a handful of good shots!)

Ingredient #1: The Curriculum

We had on display everything you would use in one week's worth of Tapestry.

What more can I say?  Well, I guess I could give you my "elevator speech":

"Tapestry of Grace is a humanities-based curriculum that enables me to teach my kids on many different levels, using the same topics. It's a combination of Classical Education and Unit Studies, using real literature to make history come alive.   Would you like to learn more?" 

I gave a variation of that speech about - oh - a few dozen times over two days.  Tapestry of Grace has been a huge blessing in our lives . . . and I was so glad to share about it.  My next blog post, I'm actually intending to do a thorough overview of it, but for now, you'll just have to settle for my convention stories!

Ingredient #2:  Two Booth Hostesses

Here we are - The Dream Team!!  (Ha, only kidding!  Sort of. . . .)  Actually, we were a really good team.  I didn't actually know that Tamieka was coming until the morning of the set-up day (Wednesday), but boy-oh-boy (!) am I glad she was my partner!  Her kids are 8, 7, and 3, and she brought them home from school to use Tapestry last year.  She was full of great ideas and tips, and could really related to the younger moms (which does NOT imply that I'm an older mom, thankyouverymuch) who visited our booth in droves.  We had a ball. . . . . .  and I made a new friend!

Ingredient #3:  Homeschool Moms

 They came alone and in twos, homeschool moms in all ages and stages.  On Thursday, we had LOTS of moms whose oldest child wasn't even 7 yet.  It was so neat to meet all of them, and talk with them, hear their needs, their struggles, what they're looking for.  One of the blessings of being a booth hostess is that we were under no sales quota, or pitch, or anything.  Tamieka and I were simply free to share information and minister as the Lord led.

And minister we did!  I think I'm safe in saying that Tamieka's favorite moms were the ones with younger kids - she took great joy in showing them the simple yet effective way that she uses Tapestry, and how it can look when all your children are in the lower levels of the program.  My favorite moms were the ones with the large age spread in their families - you know, those of us who have emotional exhaustion from teenagers, combined with physical exhaustion from preschoolers!  I loved being able to say, "You know, you can meet the academic needs of your high schoolers AND still have fun and enjoy learning with your little ones!"

Even better:  when I watched the information video that Marcia Somerville (Tapestry's author) put together for us hostesses, she really stressed that we were there to minister.  That really freed me to steer moms in another direction - which, I must say, I occasionally did. (I also joked with the dads that we were the safest booth in the convention, since we couldn't take any of their money!)  Time and time again, we had moms of younger kids come and just ask for general homeschool advice, which was when I broke out, "The Cookie Speech".

Interlude:  The Cookie Speech

 (intended audience: moms with Kindergarten and younger students)

Bake cookies with them.  Take them to parks, museums, and the library.

Love them.  Read to them.  Love your husband.  Let them play.

Enjoy them.  They're only young once.

Not that I would have taken that advice when Kathryn was five. . . but hey!  I can only hope some of these moms have more sense than I did. . . . . . 

Ingredient #4:  Crazy Cast of Supporting Characters

From L to R:  Nikki and David Caywood, Dana Caywood

 Does it get any better than to have the staff of Bookshelf Central next door!!!!!????  Seriously, they were wonderful.  For the uninitiated, Dana Caywood has been instrumental in the writing of many parts of Tapestry of Grace, and her company (Bookshelf Central) carries all the books needed for Tapestry's curriculum.  Their web interface is outstanding, the books are beautiful. . . .and they are such fun!  The running joke was that I knew everyone at the convention (which was only about 75% true).  Oh, and did I mention that they're having 10% off in July???  Bliss!!!  (Editor's Correction:  Thanks to handy-dandy David, I am reminded they have sale promotions All. The. Time, not just in July!  Be still my beating heart!  Thanks, David!!  Go read his comment for more details.  Better yet, visit their website!)

Note to the folks at the office:  if at all possible, put the Bookshelf people next to the Tapestry booth.  It was SO easy to just send moms next door to look at what books they might use with Tapestry!

Epitaph:  The Banner Support Stand

Here we see Tamieka with our beleaguered banner stand.  I think I used an entire roll of duct tape trying to get that thing to stand. . . . . and by about 2 p.m. on Friday, it had quit. It was pining for the fjords, pushing up the daisies. . . . It was an ex-banner stand.  You get the picture.

But it did hold the really cool Map of the Humanities. . . . . once.  For a limited time.

In Conclusion:

A big shout-out to Juli at Lampstand Press (Tapestry's actual company) - she really made the convention an easy undertaking (well, except for the blinkety-blink blank banner. . .but I'm not bitter.  Really.)  Tamieka and I had everything we needed for a successful booth, and we got lots of positive feedback.

It was a wonderful experience, and Tamieka and I already agreed that we want to work together next year!  A hearty thanks to Marcia, Juli, Dana, and all the good folks at Lampstand for supporting local homeschool conventions and making it all possible!

Blessings . . . . New Favorite Song

 So, I've got a new favorite album - courtesy of my sweet daughter :)  And because I'm too tired for anything else, I give you the lyrics.  Enjoy!

 Blessings - by Laura Story

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win

We know the pain reminds this heart

That this is not, this is not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

Sunday Sentiments: Sisters Edition

From ransomed men of tender heart 

Whose souls You taught to sing 

Your children lift their voice to You 

With thanks for all these things

From mountain heights and vaulted skies 

Your hand is clearly seen 

We cast our praise with nature's cry 

To God for all these things

In that night of wonder and promise 

Night when Christ was born

God Incarnate came to be with us all
 

For promises from age to age 

That caused our hearts to dream 

Purest adoration we impart 

With thanks for all these things

For refuge from the darkening storm 

And rest beneath Your wings

We worship You with grateful hearts 

Oh, God for all these things

In that day of suffering and sorrow Son of heaven died 

God eternal slain for the sins of men

With honor for the risen Lord 

We praise our coming King 

We consecrate our lives to You 

With thanks for all these things 

With thanks for all these things

- For All These Things, Nelson/Farrell

With a heart full of humble thankfulness to Jesus. . . . . what a blessing these three girls are to me.

Wordless Wednesday - One Week Later Edition

Picking Up the Pieces

This morning, I took our dog for a walk, and found this piece of wallpaper in our front yard.

Somewhere, this was part of someone's house.  In Tuscaloosa?  Mississippi?  I can only guess.  But this morning, all over Alabama, we are left picking up the pieces of the deadliest tornado - ever, I think - to hit our state.

After coming in from my walk, I checked email to find that a friend of ours died last night, protecting his family from a crushing beam as their house collapsed around them.  In his last weak breaths, he was uttering prayers that the Lord would protect his family. 

And the Lord did - the rest of them - his 12 children and his wife - were physically protected from the worst of the devastation.  Tom took the punishment of that blow on his body, and saved those he loved.

The pieces of their lives that they are picking up today. . .and the next day. . .and the next. . . . .are far more shattered than a piece of wallpaper.

Tonight, I was up planning worship for the final meeting of the kids' missions group tomorrow night - my heart hasn't been in it all day, but tonight I could put it off no longer.  The theme for tomorrow night is, fittingly enough, "Restoration".   One of our verses is Revelation 21:4. . . .

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

Oh, how I long for that day.

This is one of the hymns I chose for tomorrow.  I know most of you know it, but pay close attention to the third verse - it's not sung often.  But it has spoken to me tonight.

Be Still My Soul

Be still my soul – the Lord is on thy side;
bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
leave to thy God to order and provide;
in every change – he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul – thy best thy heavenly Friend
through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know His voice
Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still my soul – when dearest friends depart,
and all is darkened in the vale of tears,
then shalt thou better know his love – his heart,
who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul – the waves and winds still know
his voice who ruled them – while he dwelt below.

Be still my soul the hour is hastening on
when we shall be forever with the Lord,
when disappointment – grief and fear are gone,
sorrow forgot – love’s purest joys restored,.
Be still my soul – when change and tears are past,
all safe and blessed – we shall meet at last.

May all our souls be still, in the knowledge that the Lord, He is God.  And He is good.

(Note:  Any of you who are moved, donations for the family who lost their father - and other families who experienced complete devastation - are being collected by Christ Church Branch Cove.  Just click on the link to donate.  Thanks.)

Heavy Heart Tonight

I have just lived through the worst round of storms I have ever witnessed.

The destruction here in Birmingham metro - and across the state - is unbelievable.  The death toll I'm hearing tonight is 53.  I was stuck in the first line of storms this morning - before 6 am - and count myself blessed to have escaped unharmed.  News reports and pictures show entire neighborhoods and streets just simply obliterated.

We - somehow - managed to not even have our power interrupted.  I actually feel a little guilty - survivor's guilt, or something to that effect.

Tonight, I got word that 3 families we are friends with have significant structural damage to their homes, and one family has lost everything.  Praise be to God, they are all physically unharmed.

There are no words.

Please pray.

Resurrection Sunday Sentiments: The Last and the First

It was almost an offhand comment, really.

In the middle of the sermon, in the middle of corralling the 6-year old wiggle-worm (how many times can she drop her stuffed puppy on the floor???), but it stuck in my mind and resonated all morning.

"They were the last, and they were the first."

The women, that is.  The women who loved Jesus, followed Him, listened to Him. . . . they were the last to leave the tomb on Friday night, and the first there on Sunday morning.

Isn't that just like us?  Us women, I mean.

Look.  Here I am, up late, doing the things that need doing for my family.  (Editor's note:  Yes, I know.  Blogging does NOT count as "a thing that needs doing".  Except for my sanity. So there.)  Tomorrow morning, Lord willing I will be up early, getting the day started, doing all those mom tasks that just must. get. done.  Often, I am the last to bed.  I'm not often the first up (hubby beats me there most days!), but I'm often starting my day's tasks early.

Just like the women who loved Jesus.

However.

Unlike those women who stayed late at the cross, and went early to the tomb - and here's the confession - I am all too often found grumbling.   Allowing self-pity at "my lot in life", grumbling at the work set before me.

To my shame.

And it struck me this morning.  It was a privilege - a privilege, I tell you!!! - for those dear saints, sisters in the Lord, to be the last and the first.  Because if they weren't, they would very likely have missed the miracle, the honor, the blessing of being the first to see the empty tomb.

So I started wondering.  Am I missing the miracle, the honor, and the blessing of serving my family, of serving Jesus, through my sinful attitude?

I'm afraid I am.

So let me live as my sisters of old, being the last, being the first.  Serving and loving.

And living in Reality of the Resurrection.