Take Root and Write

Welcome To Take Root and Write

 


Welcome to Take Root and Write!
November has arrived and much is on the horizon for Take Root and Write! This month we will see many new additions to our nook of the web. So, stay close, come on in, grab something warm to drink and stay for awhile. You can click on any of the columns or categories, or see posts through the Archives. See the calendar to the right, you can click on daily. Find out all about us in the column all the way to the right. It's there that you can also see our Christian Women's Community that has over 350 women & growing everyday! Getting Real, Getting Encouraged and Getting Rooted together to continue to Grow and be all God has created us to be! Christian Women Take Root! Click on and come visit and join us! Let's share the journey together. Blessings, from the Take Root and Write Team.

Christian Women Tweet Up~ November 24

 

Tweet Out to your friends about CWTU!

I Hear the Sound of Abundant Rain!

 

About this time every year I begin really focusing on hearing what God is saying for the new year to come. My husband, Craig has been doing this for weeks now, but it was only today that God dropped something in my spirit. So, prepare yourself, this is not going to be a typical, feel good, pump up "Feminine Fire" column. Rather, it is a declaration of prophetic proportions that will challenge your faith to see beyond what is apparent.

Like many of you, my family has rode quite a roller coaster throughout 2008. However, I must say that through the dips, climbs, and jerking motions, we have been been "dropped" into what seemed like never-ending valleys, but we were never forgotten!

I've been studying 1 Kings, chapter 18 where the Mighty God of Elijah proves Himself! There is SO much the Lord has been speaking to me... here a few "fire-y" nuggets...

Cave dwellers will no longer be hidden... Elijah had to "hide out" for a season in a cave so his life could be spared. Ahab hated him, he did not like the fact that Elijah had prophesied a drought that had lasted three years! He did not like that Elijah was the real deal! And to make m matters worse, Jezebel, his wife hated Elijah and wanted him DEAD yesterday! It did not matter that God had called him, it did not matter that he was anointed... Ahab, Jezebel and their followers refused to acknowledge or recognize the God in Elijah.

Here is what the Lord "dropped" into my spirit... Those who were forced to be "cave dwellers" in 2008 will be "uncovered" and released to fulfill their destiny in Christ. Where you were once resisted, held back or misunderstood, a season of 'hiding' was necessary. This season occurred  so you would be "preserved" for such a time as this. Your days of hiding in the cave were not in vain, just as Esther endured a season of preparation, the cave has prepared you for the fulfillment of your destiny.

Have you endured a season of confinement or being "hidden"? Were you forced to be silent when there seemed to be so much to say? Or perhaps your season of cave dwelling was brought on by  an Ahab or Jezebel. Although cave dwelling can be lonely and seem fruitless, remember that it was while Elijah was in hiding that God spoke to him and led him in one of the finest displays of His might in the Old Testament.

In 2009, get ready, those who were forced to retreat for a time will be uncovered and released to fulfillment in Christ!

Are you listening?

 

Question of the week:  Are you listening? 

Pondering:  We are so bad at listening.....to ourselves, to others, and to God!  We just keep talking and thinking and never stop long enough to listen for God's nudges. 

Coaching Concept:  To really catch on to our PURPOSE, we have got to tune in to the right frequency so we can hear what God is saying.  We have got to "Be still, and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10.  Most of the time we don't slow down long enough for God to get a word in edgewise.....right?? 

Challenge:  This week I challenge you to listen and write down all that God is saying to you.  Keep a log and recognize the messages all around you.   Listen and learn, my friends.  See where God is leading you.....

Learning from the Pilgrims and Puritans

 

It is the time of year we think of pumpkin, pilgrims and turkeys.  In our minds, the pilgrims are just another holiday decoration.  What fun to make a pilgrim hat!  Who doesn't want to color in the Mayflower?  My challenge to you this year to learn the WHOLE story, if you don't already know it, of this little Separatist congregation that sailed from England on the Mayflower. 

Back in those days (early 1600's), if you were English, you belonged to the Church of England.  There were still Roman Catholics in England, who refused to let go of their religion when Henry VIII rejected the pope and the church of  England was born, but, everyone else was part of the Anglican Church.  For those inspired and transformed by the Reformation, the Church of England did not go far enough in breaking with Rome.  Puritans wanted to see the Church of England purified, moving closer to based their practices on the Bible alone, rather than tradition.  Separatists, on the other hand, did not hold out hope for the Church of England.  They simply wanted to be free to worship God according to the pattern they saw in Scripture.  There was persecution for all those who rejected the Church of England.

In the little village of Scrooby, a tiny Separatist church met in secret to avoid imprisonment.  Their pastor, John Robinson, preached the Word of God faithfully week after week.  Among those listening to his sermons were William Brewster and young Will Bradford.  After an increase in probing and scrutinizing by royal officials and a time of the men hiding out in Sherwood Forest (Yes!  The same one from Robin Hood!), the little congregation decided to flee to Holland.  Holland granted religious liberty to its citizens and immigrants. 

Picturesque Holland with its lovely cities and quaint canals was a place where the tiny congregation could now worship without fear.  There were problems, though.  Holland had long since passed the days of revival and sin was rampant.  The Separatist children were picking up the ways of the world.  Not only that, they were losing their English culture and starting to speak Dutch! 

"What about the wilderness across the sea?" 

"Virginia?" 

"Could our wives and children make the journey?" 

"Ah, let's pray and see what God's will would be."

Beauty in Humility

"Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." I Peter 3:3-4

I want to take a moment to look at this well-known Scripture to draw out a point. Now, I know whole sermons have been preached on this topic, and massive theological arguments have been built on this verse, and being neither a preacher nor a theological scholar, I can only look at this from the standpoint of someone who reads Scripture to simply hear from God and find what applies to me.

Let me set this up briefly on the front end. As singles, we often look at our lives and ask ourselves what may need to change before we will be noticed, pursued, and wooed. Very well-meaning individuals around us, particularly those happily married and thus far removed from our situation, might "help" us along by pointing us to Scriptures that would "improve" our eligibility.

I have often felt that even though I strive to do EVERYTHING they tell me to do, for some reason those boys still will not ask me out! Try as I might, I cannot find any way to make myself more eligible. Now, I understand that some single women might have legitimate issues, but a majority of the single women I know are simply wonderful. (If you'd like to examine some of the other misconceptions of eligibility, see Boundless' excellent article Seven Myths Single Women Believe.) So my conclusion of the whole set up leads to the following: let us, as single women, strive to grow in Christ together, independent of trying to attract a man's attention.

Anticipating Life!

Zechariah waited for his son to be born. He also waited for his voice to return. He had to wait. The hand of God was upon him, making him unable to speak. It was on Elizabeth during the term of her pregnancy. All this time Zechariah waited, anticipating the fulfillment of the promise spoken to him by the angel in the temple.

He had changed his mind since that day in the temple. “How can I be sure of this?‌” he  had asked. God’s hand remained and his physical voice continued to be absent. Now he believed, he knew, he heard the words clearly, and saw the evidence of the baby growing inside his dear wife. He lived bursting with excitement, yet unable to shout aloud and share it with those around him.
 
He was allowed only a writing tablet for communication during those long months from conception to the birth of God’s plan. I’m sure he chose his words carefully. No singing in the shower, no gossip at the market, no heated discussion about the big game that weekend. During the silence, he was compelled to listen to God, Who was the author and finisher of the entire situation (from Luke 1:5-25).

What's In Your Purse?

Have you read Luke 10:4? “Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.” This passage focuses on Jesus sending out the seventy-two ahead of him to visit every town and place that He was about to go. Now, let’s jump over to Luke, Chapter 22:35-36, to the point in the passage where Jesus tells Peter how he will deny Him three times before the rooster crows: “Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" "Nothing," they answered. 36 He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.”

How many of you would have to confess that the idea of leaving your purse with all its “essentials” behind, and going away on a long journey for an unknown period of time, would be a stressful thing?

Just imagine... no cash, no cell phone, no day-planner, no tissues, no makeup, no pen, no paper, no nothing... and all for the cost of serving Him. Would it be easier to think of leaving it behind, in those terms? ...Or, would you be more relieved to be told to bring one along?

Come on, you have to admit that one of the handiest items for a woman “on the go” and trying to “keep it all together” nowadays, is an organized purse or tote-bag. Most of us would not leave home without one, in some form or another, and even a backpack has its practical uses!

PACK YOUR PURSE TO GO

Depending on your events, you can set yourself up with a smaller “purse in a tote" (or backpack). Particularly, if you travel, you can just keep the “essential” items in a smaller bag, tucked inside the larger one, for easy access; enabling you to leave the rest of your items in your vehicle or hotel room, when they are not needed, and when you don’t want to carry around the extra weight.

Here are some ideas to help keep your totebag/handbag efficient. Remember these are only suggestions. Take along what is needed for your particular needs.

PURSE-SIZED ORGANIZER-NOTEBOOK

Manners for Your Holiday Happenings

Column suggestions flooded my in-box this week. All of them are fantastic questions!
Thank you to each and everyone who wrote!


Here are some questions perfect for this week as we all begin to plan our holiday happenings. The first five have to do with attire, the last one is about how to respond if a host wants to know why you're not coming to his or her party.   
 
Is it nicer to put suggested attire on an invitation or to let people come as they wish?
 

This is an easy one! Always put what you'd like people to wear. You might think you're being accommodating by not mentioning suggested attire. What it really does is make guests have to think twice as hard to guess what everyone will be wearing.
 
Then at the party, half the guests will be dressed up and looking at the other half of the crowd thinking, "Why did I get all dressed up? I could have worn my comfy clothes." Meanwhile the casual crowd is thinking, "Boy, I look frumpy. If I had guessed people were going to dress up, I would have too!"

 
Can ladies wear pants to a semi-formal or formal event?
 

For semi-formal events, they're fine, as long as they're dressier than usual. Look for pants that are made of light, flowing fabric with wider legs than for everyday wear. For "Formal" events, long dresses are the standard choice.
 
What would be the best way to describe something for a dinner party for career adults that is better than standard office wear but not dressy?
 
I would choose, "Business Attire," hoping my guests understood that means to dress like an executive in a traditional firm. If they tend to dress a little more causally, I might choose "Semi-formal." 

 
Can I ask my host what to wear if nothing's mentioned on the invitation? I don't want to seem like I don't know the right way to dress.
 

Caregiving - Do YOU Have What it Takes?

This is the very question I asked of myself on numerous occasions. Can I really care for someone in their time of need? How much time and effort can I devote to caring for a loved one? How can I organize my life in such a way that I can still maintain my own affairs and that of another? You can probably add many more questions to the equation.  In this column, the Caregivers Corner, I will help you find answers to your questions.  It is my desire to encourage you to take on the responsibility of care giving one step at a time.

The prospect of taking care of an ailing or elderly loved one can produce feelings of fear and inadequacy to say the least. There are so many things that must be weighed, considered and prayed over carefully. Before I share my heart with you as a writer for this column,  I want to give you a prelude of my perspective right from the start.

I am living the life of a Christian and have placed my trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. The foundation of this column will be based upon the importance of trusting Him to meet your needs as YOU meet the needs of others. He is the best teacher and counselor throughout all of time and history. If you do not yet know Him, please answer the call today.  If you have already placed your trust in Him, then there is a good chance that you are reading this article today because He has placed a call upon YOUR life to see to the welfare of another. The needs of the person we are caring for will range considerably. The level and degree of care will be based upon age, physical limitations and medical needs.  Some will require minimal care while others will need 24 hour supervision.  If you are recently coming to the realization that the Lord is leading you to care for a friend or family member, there is one important thing you must take into account. When the Lord calls each of us to a task that in OUR eyes seems too impossible to fathom, always remember, HE will see it through to completion and enable you to accomplish His will.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.  Hebrews 4:16 NIV

Who has custody of your heart?

 

Here come the holidays. While I like Thanksgiving, I love Christmas. Love Love Love it! Everything becomes so peaceful and everyone feels more giving. I love how quiet it is outside at night when it snows. I love the lights and all the decorations, just everything.     

As a single parent I have to try extra hard to make sure custody and visitation issues do not put a damper on my Christmas spirit! Yes sometimes I get irritated, and I have to pray a few extra times for God to help me hold my tongue, but I think I manage pretty well to come out of it. This year will be different because I now have sole custody and I won't get in trouble if I don't do the you get the morning, I get the evening thing. And, my kids father is moving out of state in a few days so we don't even have to travel at all! We get to spend a peaceful Christmas at home! Woohoo! So while this is great for me, I can't help but think of the single parents who have to split the holidays, trade holidays, or don't get to be with their children for the holidays at all. And yes the children. As the adults, we have to do everything we can to make sure they have a wonderful season filled with the spirit of love, no matter what. The easiest way to do this, is to first make sure we know who has custody of our own hearts. Once we know this, He will help us take care of everything else.

Six Blocks to Eternity

Karen got off the bus, pressed through the crowd, and sprinted down the cluttered sidewalk.  She was late for her first day on the job.  The bus had been delayed because a fender-bender backed up traffic for miles during the rush hour.

Six city blocks turned into an eternity as she literally counted her steps.   Her heart was racing, her adrenaline pumping; she found it hard to catch her breath.  She had no time to waste; it was important to make a good impression.

Bong! Bong! Bong! Bong…

The bells in the old church steeple on the square chimed loud and clear—an ominous reminder she was still countless steps away from the door to the office.  Her mind raced … how will I ever pull this off?

Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere a man appeared.  She was startled as he stepped directly into her path as if he had targeted her from afar off.  Without hesitation, she tried to sidestep him but he jolted in the same direction to block her from her mission.

“Please, sir, I’m in a hurry!”

Instead of politely stepping aside, he pressed in closer holing his hat in front of her face begging for money.

“Can you spare a coin or two?”

Karen quickly pushed the man’s hand to the side and tried to escape this unseemly public abduction.

“Please, ma’am, I am hungry! Can you spare a coin or two?”

Rather than fighting and causing a scene, she opened her purse and reached for a few coins.  His eyes followed her hands inside as she fumbled.  Uncomfortable with the situation, she was careful not to remove her coin purse, she grabbed a few quarters.  Before she could lift her hand out of her purse, the old man grabbed her arm.

“There!  That’s what I want!”  He reached down and pulled her purse-sized Bible out.  “Tell me!  I need to know!”

Boots and Blessings

When I was a baby my parents didn't realize there was something wrong with my feet until I started trying to walk. Instead of moving forward when my legs went into high gear, each of my feet charged off in different directions causing me to land on my diaper clad bottom. It seems that instead of pointing forward like feet are suppose to, my tootsies turned outward in opposite directions; hence my many crash landings.

Sometime after my first birthday I was fitted with special shoes that sat on opposite ends of a hinged bar. It was quite the fashion statement. At various intervals of time, the orthopedic doctor adjusted the bar until my feet were ultimately pointing forward. The entire process took about six months and my mother celebrated my emancipation from the "fashionable footwear"; gone were the tears of her frustrated toddler and visits to the trash can to rescue the "enemy" shoes I was constantly trying to eradicate from my life.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of my treatment. For many years afterwards I had to wear corrective shoes with supportive sides and soles. They were fairly expensive and hideously ugly! And, to make matters worse, they came in limited colors...brown, brown, and brown. It was this little girl's nightmare because I grew up in the era of go-go boots and Nancy Sinatra belting out her hit song "These Boots Were Made for Walking." I dreamed of having her bouncy blonde locks and awesome boots but, alas, I was stuck with my short, home-styled "do" and brown corrective clunkers.

Adding insult to injury, my older and more fashionable sister (who had normal feet) had two pairs of go-go boots. One pair was bright red and the other was black and white patent leather. I was so desperate for my defective feet to be cradled inside a pair of sumptuous boots that I would steal Gail's and clandestinely prance around in the closet.

From a Veteran

I planned to give you a book review today, but then I realized what Tuesday was and decided this would be more along the lines of what I wanted to talk about today. Last year, after returning from Iraq, my husband was asked to speak at a Veteran's Day ceremony. The following is the speech he gave to a small crowd. A year has passed since that Sunday evening and things have greatly improved in Iraq since my husband returned home. But the same thoughts could be said even today.

Ladies and Gentlemen as we gather to remember and give thanks to our veterans I’d like to talk about a commonly asked question. Many people want to know from my perspective if what we are doing in Iraq is worthwhile. My family, friends, acquaintances and sometimes complete strangers all want to know more than anything if I think we are doing the right thing. I’ll be honest, while over there sometimes I wondered. I wondered “what are we doing here?” “Are we doing any good?” “It doesn’t seem so.” But today I’d like you to come with me on a quick trip through history and I will show you that while military service is rarely fun, and often demanding, the US military has a long proud history of doing the right thing.

I’ll start with Vietnam. The Vietnam War was full of controversy and many thought the U.S. was waging an “unjust” and “fruitless” war. Periodically I hear some compare Iraq to Vietnam. I spoke to a Malaysian man once. I was in uniform. He told me Thank-you. I was somewhat puzzled and asked “What for?” He said “You Americans, you think you lost Vietnam”, then he continued “But had the U.S. not stood up to Communism in Vietnam, Malaysia was next.” That discussion hit me hard, and to this day no one can tell me, Vietnam was “fruitless”. Thank you to all Vietnam Vets for doing the right thing. Thank you Korean War Vets and World War 2 Vets. I cannot imagine the difficulty in being drafted. I now know its tough to deploy soldiers to a foreign land in an all-volunteer Army. I know this because I wasn’t crazy about going to a foreign land. Yet we all voluntarily signed our enlistment papers. I knew full well the risk I took by enlisting. Thank you for doing the right thing, for going to war even if you didn’t want to. You still are and will always be the Greatest Generation.

Imagine the President today trying to get support for a war that would last four long years, cost more than 600,000 lives, on an inflation adjusted basis more than 100 billion dollars, countless damage to families, utter destruction to personal property. Be honest, give yourself a gut-check and tell me. Would such a war be worth it?

Before You Go...STOP!

I've heard in marriage ministry before that such a ministry isn't needed because "our marriage is good."  The thought is if a couple enters a marriage ministry, that means admitting something is wrong.  What's wrong---is that line of thinking!

Like I wrote last month, a good marriage can always be better.  There is always another level to strive for.  A marriage near divorce can survive.  A great marriage can work to be excellent.  It's a daily, constant work but the rewards are eternal.

Whether your marriage is in that great category or I'm ready to leave, there are things I learned, read, and observed that put boundaries in place that might help you (and me) wherever you are.  If you are in a good place, praise God.  Don't be complacent, marriage comes in seasons and winter can be brutal if you are not prepared.  Please don't skip this column because you don't think you need it.  We all do!

The same for if you are on the brink of separation or divorce.  I am not a counselor, I do not want for one second for you to think I am your marriage Savior.  BUT I know Who is.  I strongly encourage you to seek Biblical, Christian counseling.  There are places to go if finances are tight.  If your church is Bible believing and speaks on covenant living, make an appointment with a clergy member.  There is HOPE!

Here are boundaries for all of us.  Again, these are things I picked up a long the way, you might have ones of your own to add, or change, but the point is, pray about what boundaries you need to maintain in marriage and communicate them with your spouse.  Your marriage is worth it!

1.  Never utter the "d" word in conflict.  It's an easy threat to throw, that you want a divorce.  Words have power of life and death, do NOT utter death to your marriage, even if you are just speaking it in the heat of the moment.  Think about covenant living, this is the standard you entered when you said your vows.  I realize there are Biblical situations where divorce is understood.  I am talking about the fights you have about money or whatever where your button is pushed and you want to win by saying something harsh.  I know you've been there, because I have.  We all have.  Do not let the word divorce enter your conversation.

2.  Even and especially in ministry situations, do not go alone with a member of the opposite sex.  My husband has very rose colored glasses when it comes to approaching life.  My glass is half empty.  But when it comes to appearances and temptations, we both have to deal with reality.  When we were youth workers I put this boundary on both of us because you just do not know.  One accusation and not only is your ministry over, but your career, your reputation, everything.  Just be safe, not sorry.    When it comes to babysitters, I picked them up and took them home.  When we had boys hang out at our house for youth or young adult ministry, he took them home.  I did not give rides to male colleagues alone or go to lunch with one alone.  If I thought that might take place, I let my husband know in advance.  I want to be accountable.  So do you.

Let The Chips Fly

Here is a truth that will change some of you, confirm others, and jump start some of us to try again--you have a place in the world that is just for you!  Something in my inner being as a child told me that what I saw around me, didn't have to be my future.  It doesn't matter when we take the step forward, God has a perfect plan at the time you get the message.

When I was a kid, my father tried to instill in my brothers and me that a job was forever, and once accepted you never left.  His generation thought that an employee owed the "boss" their life.  My brothers went along with that idea, I did not.  My brothers also found that we lived in the age of layoffs, and downsizing.  My father had not.  I chose jobs to give just good service to my employer, but also to learn new skills.  Never one to be afraid of trying something new, I was put into positions I was clearly not qualified for, but in which my employer would train me.  One of the secrets I found in corporate life is that everybody above a certain level knows the game and plays it to the max.  My brothers didn't get the message until very late because they refused to move.  They both had master degrees and I had not graduated college, but my pay far exceeded theirs. 

My skills had kept up with the rapidly moving technology.  If we choose to stand still, we cannot move forward. We become like statues, and a statue is only an interpretation of imagination. Let me tell you a story that I happened across the other day.  Its an old story, but worth retelling.

Do Wrinkle Creams Really Deliver?

One of the greatest mystery of our time seems to be, do wrinkle creams actually work?? Forget about the meaning of life, what everybody really wants to know is, can I ditch the wrinkles without Botox?

To find the answer to this question, you really have to turn to science. Scientific research suggests that there are a few things you can do to "enhance" the appearance of wrinkled skin. Notice I didn't say, "eliminate" the appearance of wrinkles. Sorry to break it to you. The good news is that there are products available that you can apply topically that will offer considerable wrinkle relief for most people, without needles and cosmetic surgeons. The bad news is that some of them you can only get with a prescription.

If that option fits your budget, call a dermatologist and ask for Retin-A, Avita, Renova or Tazorac. These products will offer a noticeable decrease in the appearance and the depth of wrinkles, mainly because they stimulate skin's collagen production. Collagen, which has become a little bit of a buzzword in recent years, is really the magical ingredient in our bodies that gives our skin its texture and structure, yet oddly enough, putting collagen into a cream will not help your body produce  more collagen.

For those of you looking to find a miracle in your local drugstore, the keys to noticeable reduction in the appearance of fine lines and even wrinkles are vitamins, antioxidants and cell-communicating ingredients. Most products that come with these ingredients are sold as moisturizers, and bringing moisture to the skin is half the battle of refining the texture and structure of the skin. And ironically enough, water doesn’t do much to hydrate the skin, so its important to find a good moisturizer that will deliver moisture to the skin.

We all know that vitamins are good things to put into and onto your body, but most people wonder what’s up with antioxidants and cell-communicating ingredients. Antioxidants can prevent and even reduce the free radical damage that takes its toll on your skin. Free radicals, which you are exposed to just by going outside in the morning, are the culprits that age your skin, and antioxidants are your best super-hero defense against them. And while vitamins and antioxidants are essential for making your skin look its best, many vitamins actually have antioxidant properties.

I WAS, Once Blind But Now I See......

 

I WAS Eyes To The Blind.
I Was Feet To The Lame,
I Was a Father To The Needy;
I Took Up The Case of A Stranger.
Job 29:15

Beautiful One, there was a time in your life when you were blind but through the love of a Savior, those blinded eyes of yours- now see and I am wondering- what is it that you see?

We all have heard the wonderful and timeless hymn "Amazing Grace," it's lyrics and script has been recited and sung throughout all of history.The song was penned by Captain John Newton, and this was no ordinary Captain and neither was the cargo he transported the many miles he traveled across the sea. John Newton was in the slave trade industry and the very deck in which this man got saved by God on, still, for a time afterward held below it, men, women and children -slaves- human beings that were created by God himself.

You see, although John had submitted his life to God in a raging storm and had a real conversion into Christianity, it took some time for his spiritual eyes to begin to see and to focus on what God the Father sees. And like John, maybe it has taken you and I some time to really see and care about what God cares about.

Who is the blind? Are they just the ones who have lost their physical sight? Are the blind the ones who are deceived? Are they lost? Are they the careless? Maybe they are the blind on purpose?

Who is the blind?

What is a High School Credit?

How many credits does your teenager need to graduate from high?  And what exactly is a credit anyway?  These are the questions that begin to emerge as your child enters eighth grade.  Relax!  It's not as confusing as it all sounds.  Teaching high school at home is not only possible, but not as hard as you might imagine.

Let's talk about college credits first.  A high school credit is different from a college credit.  A college credit is usually based on the number of hours per week a student spends in class.  A 3 credit class usually means three classroom hours per week (MWF 8 a.m. - 9 a.m., TR 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m., or W 7 p.m.-10 p.m.)  There is, of course, many hours of homework outside of classroom time. 

In contrast, a high school credit is equal to 150 hours of classroom time.  Realize that for homeschooling families, classroom time is anytime they are learning something for a particular class. Understanding the amount of time that should be invested by your student in a one credit or 1/2 credit class, makes it easy to design your own high school classes (we'll talk about that in a future article!)

One reason to understand the difference between high school and college credits is that should your child choose to duel-enroll at a local community college, their 3 credit college course will usually give you 1/2 or 1 credit toward high school graduation.  The college will give you that information on a class by class basis.  I just want to protect you from confusion when your son takes a 3 credit class to get 1 credit on his high school transcript.

Now, keep in mind that in a high school classroom setting, there is not 150 hours of uninterrupted learning time making up that credit hour. There is talking, shuffling of papers, trips to the bathroom, and time wasted while a teacher brings order to the classroom. But, then again, high school students do lots of homework outside of school.  Well, SOME high school students do lots of homework outside of school.  So, 150 hours is pretty reasonable for a one credit course.