Many of you are aware that I also serve as the AZ State Ambassador (AZStateAmbsdr@cox.net) for the Home School Foundation; raising awareness and funds as well as engaging in projects to help families homeschool through hard times.  During our journey with Evan through his season of illness, the HSF was a wonderful source of support and encouragement for us so that we could "stay the course" in the midst of crisis.  Moments like you see in the photos above were made possible because loving people helped to provide for us in so many different and practical ways. 

So, just like we discuss in the eighth chapter of The Balanced Homeschooler program; about working as a family to support organizations like this, I encourage you to read more about the worthy cause of the HSF and the many ways that you and your family can help hurting homeschooling families right in your community.  Below is our own family's testimony about the HSF.

"Why don't you consider applying for assistance through the Home School Foundation?"  After completing a speaking engagement about "Homeschooling Through Hard Times" in 2011 with Mike Smith, President of HSLDA, his words of advice caught me off guard.  Yes, we had faced a very difficult year as our oldest son had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia in 2010.  Medical bills and other unforeseen costs of coping with such a difficult illness had been a challenging road to navigate.  But surely there were other people who needed the help more than we did.  At best, I was only vaguely familiar with the scope of what the HSF provides so I set aside the idea for a while.

However, the Lord kept placing the option in front of me, and I eventually did apply that year for assistance through HSF's Compassion Fund option.  We were blessed and thrilled when the assistance came through.  It came at just the right time as we faced a another year of deductibles to meet while still trying to afford the appropriate school materials for our three sons.  The next year, without even asking, the current State Ambassador for Arizona submitted our family's name for additional assistance out of the AZ State Fund.  Another year was upon us and the volunteers and staff at the HSF had continued to follow our family's journey and pray for us all while we persisted to help our son and were away from home for nine months; seeking treatment for our son at four different internationally-known medical institutions.  The prayer cards, e-mails, and notes we received were so encouraging and they even sent us a gift check for Christmas. 

But it was more than the money.  As our oldest son began high school, I had always had in the back of my mind that we would one day do the Constitutional Literacy DVD course by Michael Farris.  It is a small investment and I had been thinking about purchasing it just to get a jump on what we would eventually do.  Yet, as the months passed and our son's health continued to deteriorate, thoughts of curriculum and such plans took a back seat to the more important aspects of life and in late November of 2012, our precious son passed away.  Several weeks later, we received a package from the HSF.  Michael Farris had gifted his Constitutional Literacy course to our family.  I can tell you that I had tears in my eyes.  It was as if the Lord impressed upon me to, "Continue on the path I have set before you.  One day, your younger sons will follow the course you began with your eldest.  He has completed his journey well in this life and you must continue to prepare your other sons for My work.  Stay the course and do not grow weary."  Yes, the work of the HSF goes beyond money itself and blossoms into the fruit of what such resources can provide a hurting family.
​
Through the generosity of HSF and others, we never worried about whether or not we could continue homeschooling our boys.  Our sons were with each other every day, and no matter what state we lived in at the time, we were all together.  Homeschooling was our constancy and our rock.  While all else changed around us, our the homeschooling structure that connected us together never faltered and we have no regrets.  These are the ultimate gifts of what homeschooling and the HSF have given to our family.  So for the love and continued support of the HSF as the hands and feet of Christ in our family and in the lives of others, we are forever grateful."

During one of our many walks to and from the NIH for daily labs and treatments last summer, Evan and I observed a large weed that was taking over one of the beautiful flower gardens in front of the Children's Inn.  He bent over and started searching around for the very base of the weed and then it took A LOT of effort to pull the whole thing out by the roots!  We did not realize how deeply embedded it was or how large it was until he started to force it out.  The proof is in the photos!

Isn't that the way spiritual roadblocks and character issues are with our kids?  We see something that is a little concerning and wind up realizing that it is just the tip of the iceberg; that something much deeper has taken root in our child's heart.  Having one of those moments can be very discouraging.  After all, we are pouring every resource we have into our child's life and think, "Really?  How did THAT get there?"

But take heart, moms.  Remember that there is no issue that can stand up to the power of praying parents who are tuned into the ongoing needs of their family.  Also remember that the enemy attacks often times when he sees the good work you are doing in the lives of your children, so take heart when you face all kinds of trials.  Sound familiar? (James 1:2-5)

When character or behavioral issues crop up, remember that loving consistency and appropriate discipline are best used as a package deal. 

• Always reinforce your love for your child while making sure they understand the boundaries that must be respected.  Even when mistakes are made they are ALWAYS your child whom you love even if you are correcting their behavior.  In fact it is because you love them that you discipline them in order to repair your FELLOWSHIP with them.  Yet your RELATIONSHIP with them is never broken. 
• Stay the course and be consistent in whatever the issue is that needs to be addressed.  It is especially critical that your child receives the same feedback and interaction from mom as they do from dad.  It is also important that children be given the same boundaries at the appropriate ages.  Decide in advance what rules are universal for all of your children and which ones may vary depending on the age of the child so that there is consistency among the siblings as well.
• Do the work to figure out where this behavior is coming from.  Just like the weed in the photo, if you just trim off the visible part of the problem (i.e. the outward behavior) without addressing the inward heart issues (i.e. the root system), the problem has not been fully addressed and may come manifest itself in a more severe way in the near future.

​Remember that certain heart issues will resolve themselves over time while others need a concerted plan to address them.  Either way, as you homeschool your children look for opportunities to work on these "heart problems" as they arise.  Sometimes it is better to set the academics aside (they are probably not listening or doing what they need to do for school at that moment anyway!) until these types of problems are identified and acknowledged so that improvement or even healing can be more quickly achieved.
Read The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie O'Martian to help both you and your spouse focus on a variety of different priorities for your child's overall well-being and development. The chapters can easily be covered over the course of one month.  Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp is also a great resource for parents to utilize.