You know the popular saying, “Ignorance is bliss”? So often in our lives it is easier to just pretend everything is okay and allow ourselves to be like a rubber dingy in the ocean, tossed around by the waves of what life brings. But this isn’t what we were called to. You and I have been called to be rooted, to stand firm, to suit up, and to be on guard. We all talk about spring cleaning our houses, but what about spring cleaning our hearts? As quickly as our kids’ bedrooms can be destroyed, our perspective can be tainted by the lies we believe and the license we give ourselves to be entitled to our feelings. Come join me for a podcast about taking your thoughts (and feelings) captive and how important it is to be on guard for those little foxes (Song of Solomon 2:14-16).
#8: Ownership
What are you taking ownership of? We’ve talked about taking our thoughts captive, but what happens when we don’t? Today we’ll be talking about some practical tools to get up and fight—and teach our children. If you’ve been speaking “I am, I have, I’m not, I can’t, I don’t . . . ” it’s time to test them against the Word. Are they true? Are they life? If not . . . they’re about to get an eviction notice. This one’s a doozy!
#7: Undone
Today’s podcast episode is all about the heart: The power of a heart that has been unraveled and is weak so that He can be strong. Whether you are walking through a season of being undone or just feeling desensitized and not even realizing how hard you have become, God seems to be highlighting to be a recurring theme of the heart. Hear some real stories of the power of compassion and gentleness as Rebecca shares some of her victories and failures, and walk away with hope in the midst of your storm, or a call to action to rise up and engage in the battle that you are most assuredly in—whether you are engaging in it or not. “Be strong and very courageous,” it’s time to fight!
#6: To the Overwhelmed
To the overwhelmed…I see you. I see the weight that seems to be pressing in on all sides. I know what it is to feel like you can’t breathe, to feel like you are failing on all sides. But I also know that the enemy of your soul wants you to believe it and stay stuck there and that is NOT what God has for you. Even in the midst of the storm, He has peace. Even in the midst of the pressure, He has joy. If you have been feeling crushed, come refocus your perspective so that you can remind yourself of what is true and start walking in victory. Come on and take my hand, and let’s walk out of this pit together . . .
#5: Confidence
Do you struggle with confidence? Do you feel like a wave blown and tossed by the winds of the many different opinions and perspectives that you are faced with? Are you often uncertain or plagued with doubt and insecurity? In this episode, Rebecca shares her life passage and the invitation she feels we have as Christians to rise up and walk in maturity—to stop looking to the world for affirmation, confirmation, or qualification, and start learning how to hear God’s voice and discern for ourselves. Whether you are insecure about your homeschool decisions, your theology, your marriage, your parenting, or anything else, this one’s for you!
#4: Stay Soft
Staying soft and flexible despite hurt and disappointment is not easy. It takes intentionality, it takes practice and purpose. Like a shield around us, we put up walls, distance ourselves, or become more rigid and set in our ways—determined that we are right and only those who agree with us can stay. In today’s episode, Rebecca shares a picture God gave her of how we can stay soft and flexible even amidst the hurt and disappointment. It is much harder, but it brings freedom. Come sit at the table and let’s talk about it!
#3: True Discipleship
Are you hungry for true community and discipleship in your life or is God laying on your heart the desire to be that for someone else? Let’s talk about it–what it can look like, what it definitely does not look like, and what she sees as some of the core problems. God is bringing healing and restoration to His body, and one of the ways He is doing this is through family and community. It is time for the older to teach the younger, for the mothers and fathers to rise up and speak life, and for us to lean on one another as the body of Christ.
#2: No Condemnation
Join Rebecca in her morning devotions as she shares from Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” We’ll be talking about the difference between judgement and condemnation, the problem with extremism in the body of Christ, and how we can walk with discernment rather than judgement, being led by the Holy Spirit rather than our own self-righteousness. This is a dig deep, pull out your Bible, and “search me and know me” kind of episode . . . it ain’t no milk. If you’re hungry for a little bit of “spiritual solid food”, this one’s for you.
#1: Sustainable Rhythms
Join Rebecca as she shares her struggles, her burnout, her low points, and her failures and the calling God is laying on her heart to slow down and find some peace in the midst of the storms of life. Sometimes you can’t stop the doing—life goes on, kids need you, businesses don’t “slow down” when you want them to—but like Jesus, we can sleep in the bow of the boat, unconcerned. Like Peter, we can step out onto the water. Or maybe just like the disciples, we can only manage to cry out “Master! Save us!” No matter where we are at in our relationship with God, let’s stop trying to bail out the water on our own strength and take a minute to seek what God has for us instead.
Gather ‘Round with Rebecca Spooner (Intro)
Who is Rebecca Spooner? What is this podcast about? In this intro, hear how Rebecca hopes to use this podcast to talk freely about whatever God is laying on her heart. Come walk alongside Rebecca for encouragement as God uses her journey and imperfections to point everything back to Him.
S2E3: Homeschool Failures: Turning our Struggles into Wins
In case you haven’t figured it out yet, homeschooling is hard! It is, in fact, one of the greatest challenges I have ever faced: more challenging than cleaning my house or doing a huge work project or even changing my husband’s mind (as if THAT were possible). So many mom’s I talk to feel like […]
Homeschooling Around the World: A Photo Series
I recently saw a photo series by a professional photographer that showcased homeschooling and it irked me a little bit. Don’t get me wrong, the photos were beautiful! The captions depicted children hunting, exploring nature, scaling ponds, and playing in the mud: unschooling in all its glory. The lighting was perfect, the focus was crisp […]
Does My Bad Grammar Give Homeschooling a Bad Name?
I have noticed critiques on my blog about spelling and/or grammar. I am aware of the fact that I make mistakes in my writing, both in grammar and spelling (especially when I am writing passionately). Don’t get me wrong, I am not bothered when someone mentions a spelling error or grammatical error, in fact, it […]
20+ Tips for Homeschooling the Distracted Child
One of the greatest challenges we face as homeschoolers is keeping our kids on task. Whether you have a large family with kids that would rather play together than work or have a child that can’t seem to concentrate for longer than a few minutes, I have put together a list of over 20 practical […]
S1E5: Is Traditional Homeschooling Right for Me?
Traditional homeschooling is a style of education that closely resembles the school system. In homeschool circles, it is often referred to as “playing school” because you try to mimic the look, feel, and rhythm of a regular school day in your home. It can work wonderfully for some moms and children, but for a good […]
S1E2: How I Do it All
Homeschool mom’s wear a lot of hats and trying to get everything done is exhausting and sometimes just entirely out of reach. One of the most common questions I get asked is “How do you do it all?” I realized that people see pictures and videos of us homeschooling, they see my very obvious presence […]
S1E1: Homeschooling Language Arts
One of the things that I learned about homeschooling language arts is how we run around doing SO MUCH and yet accomplishing very little. We have a quantity approach and yet I think we need a quality approach. Language Arts is infused into everything we do, every subject we teach, every part of our day. […]
The Day I Gave Up On Homeschooling…
I gave up on homeschooling! Yes, I did! I just had it and had to say: “No more!” I gave up on homeschooling PERFECTLY, without any flaws! I gave up on having the perfect homeschool room that never gets used and buying curriculum other moms brag about that don’t work for my children and are […]
Why do Kids Chew on Their Shirts and What Can You Do About It?
I will never forget the day I realized I had a chewer. When my son was a baby he would chew on the side of the crib… no biggie, he was teething right? The problem is that it didn’t stop. When he was four years old, he moved to a wooden bunk bed with his […]
How to Make Small Space Homeschooling Work for YOU!
Hello everyone! I am SO excited to be here helping out on Hip Homeschooling while our beloved Rebecca is away. I’ve been a fan of this blog for a long time now, and after taking Rebecca’s How To Start A Blog Coaching program, I’ve started blogging over at Up Above The Rowan Tree. I am […]
What Homeschooling 5 Kids Really Looks Like
Let’s put aside Pinterest and Facebook, even Instagram! Let’s put aside the bright photographs of smiling children and talk about reality. Homeschooling 4 children with tornado toddler hanging off my legs is far less glamorous than I would have you believe. I wish I had it all together, the perfect children with the perfect curriculum […]
How to Deal with Homeschool Haters
We all have those people in our lives, the ones who raise their eyebrows in skepticism when we tell them we homeschool our kids. The ones who always have to make a biting comment or express their heartfelt (negative) opinion on your choice to homeschool. How do you stay strong when you are dealing with homeschool […]
Make the Bible Come to Life for your Children & Enter to win!
I have heard a lot of controversy over Sarah Young’s “Jesus Calling” book so when I saw “Jesus Today” (Devotions for Kids) I was intrigued. This is a 150 day devotional for children that essentially takes scripture, paraphrases it for little minds, and writes it as a letter to them from God. Whenever something is […]
5 excellent ways to keep a clean house while homeschooling
Homeschooling is a difficult task but having to keep a clean house at the same time can be very daunting. Check out these 5 practical tips to keep a clean house and stick to them in your daily schooling and household activities. Make your homeschool day more efficient and less stressful today! 1. Involve your […]
5 Things Husbands Wish their Wives Knew about Homeschooling
Many women feel alone when it comes to homeschooling. Their husbands seem standoffish at best, judgmental even of their progress. When they try to approach their husbands they are met with what appears to be indifference. I have caught myself wondering if my husband even cares that I am homeschooling or recognizes what I do! […]
Organize your Homeschool and Life with this 1 Powerful Tool…
As a homeschool mom to five young children… I have had my days (possibly months) of utter chaos; days when I wanted to quit. Weeks when I felt like I was hanging on by a thread, when I have questioned what I am doing and why I am doing it! Have you been there? […]
Teaching in a Way That is Not Your Strength
Are you teaching in a way that is not your strength? School in this house generally means workbooks, readers, paper and pencils. That’s MY kind of school. The smell of fresh workbooks, the excitement of a blank assignment before me with endless possibilities. However, for my very kinesthetic, hands on daughter, this type of learning is […]
What is the point of report cards?
I have a confession to make… I hate report cards, especially for the younger grades (they become more necessary in the upper grades). I don’t really see the point and think they can have some really negative effects. Take a look at some of the top reasons I don’t give my child’s report card a […]
5 Reasons my House is a Mess when You Come Over
Many people have asked me how I keep my house clean with 5 young children, the short answer… I don’t. Every day is a battleground with me: the vacuum, the dish pile, and the laundry pile. Every day I go through my lists and tidy up the random chaos of my home. And yet every […]
The 5 Days of Homeschooling: Which One Describes Your Homeschool Day Today?
On the first day of homeschool my children brought to me: a pile of books and blissful harmony! On the fifth day of homeschool my children brought to me: Screaming and fighting! Run and hide away, drink more coffee, please let it be Friday, and patience that I cannot seem to find… I recently read an […]
