The Pitcher

I love pitchers.

I love their shape. I love their symbolism of pouring out. I love their uniqueness--how each one is so different and beautiful and purposeful.

When I see a pitcher, I am drawn to it. To me, it is a symbol of refreshment. It represents home, hospitality, and warmth.

I once served as a women's ministry leader and gave one hand-picked pitcher away each month to honor a woman in the group. I chose the woman based upon her selfless giving. I also chose women who I felt needed encouragement and to be honored.

A pitcher can't pour out what it doesn't have inside, and a pitcher doesn't quench thirst in and of itself, it carries the true refreshment. It is available to serve.

To me, the pitcher became a picture of these women who quietly served behind the scenes--vessels of honor, poured out by God. These women added beauty to everything around them and each one of them served with her own unique personality and talents in very different areas of need.

Within your group, you can encourage your special givers by looking for the ways they give behind the scenes. You can bring this to light by honoring them publicly or by just sending them a personal note. But everyone needs to be appreciated and seen.

A good leader serves. Recognizing your givers who "lead" behind the scenes is a way to serve them and lift them above yourself. It also shows that you are not a great leader by yourself--it takes everybody. And that was really my heart as I handed out those pitchers over the years--the group couldn't have been what it was without them.

Your friend,

Denise

www.homeschoolgroupleader.com

Amazing Grace

I have been inspired.

My family watches a lot of movies together. Our weekly family night is often spent tucked under wooden tv trays laden with a favorite meal and everybody crowded on the couches to watch a great flick. We love great movies.

I saw Amazing Grace this weekend and it took my breath away. It is a film chronicling William Wilberforce's long-running fight to abolish slavery across the British Empire. At the end, the famous hymn is played on a bagpipe, and I could not help but worship and weep.

But what touched me even more than the incredible sacrifice and dedication of this great man on behalf of other human beings is that God put passion inside each of us. You wouldn't be leading if He hadn't.

You are a person of passion!

What did He specifically call you to? Have you forgotten? Bring it out. Dust it off and USE it. Use it to encourage. Use it to inspire. Use it to fight for freedom.

We live in an incredible day of opportunity. Let us use our servant positions for good and for God's glory. Homeschooling is a powerful platform from which we can work to do God's work in this world and make it a better place.

As the movie so eloquently portrayed-- do NOT give up doing good. You will get tired. You may even feel hopeless at times. You may feel you are doing no good to anyone. But Homeschool Group Leader is here to lift up your hands and God will lift up your head. Do not give up.

Two days before William Wilberforce died, Parliament signed into law that no one across the British empire could own slaves. The English economy greatly suffered and many colonies died out as a result of the law, but Wilberforce had been obedient to God's call on his life and this world was made better because of it.

Now, let us go out and do likewise.
Kristen
www.homeschoolgroupleader.com

Workbooks are My Friends

Let's talk.

Leading a homeschool group can be time-consuming and tough. For two years, I spent countless hours answering e-mails, putting out fires, and giving advice over the phone to people I'd never met. By the time I had accomplished my daily leadership duties, I was tired--physically and emotionally. There honestly wasn't a lot of me left over for teaching my children in the creative way I wanted to.

We homeschool group leaders can often be trail-blazing and innovative overachievers. What we do is so visible and we often receive great praise for our work or great condemnation for our mistakes. In an effort to please people, I found that I devoted much time and energy trying to keep people happy--happy with each other, happy with the group and happy with me.

And our homeschool suffered accordingly. I found I didn't have the time or energy to keep every plate spinning. Part of the problem was that I believed that a superior home education meant the ever-present presence of a hands-on mom. I had always had high expectations for myself and our homeschool. In the early years, I wrote our own curriculum with a friend and sat faithfully with my kids as they completed their reading, writing and 'rithmetic. The truth of the matter is that we all usually ended up in tears by the end of the day and I hadn't gotten a stitch of laundry, dishes or cooking done.

So, I kicked against the goads and swung the opposite direction--hands-off, borderline unschooling. We still did our morning devotionals together and bits and pieces of read-alouds. Nothing consistent, definitely noncommittal, totally sporadic. We were at the whim of our daily desires . . . and I admit, that was fun. . . for awhile. Then they began to cry that they were bored and began to bicker and fuss. School wasn't fun for us anymore.

As I daily answered all those e-mails and phone calls, I secretly hoped my public school administration family members wouldn't drop by and fervently prayed over a solution for our family. Seeing my distress, my husband suggested we have more structure and that I <> keep grades. They need accountability, he said. He could see what I could not.

So, in time, I baby-stepped into some workbooks and began to administer timed tests every Friday on important things like math facts and spelling words. But that carefree part of me clung to the things we loved like living books and notebooking and devotionals in the morning and oral exams and lots of field trips. I noticed I wasn't hearing so many cries of "I don't like school" or "I'm bored." It was delightful.

I'm being very real with you here. We are just people doing our best by our children, trying to make a difference for eternity. What did it matter if all the world thought I was an awesome homeschool group leader, if I lost the heart of my kids and squelched their natural desire for learning in the process?

So, I learned that workbooks are my friends and serve as useful tools during this season of my life. And just like an uncluttered house sets your mind free to be creative and productive, I felt the daily work in the workbooks set us free to learn to our fullest. I was happy because we weren't hopping around anymore at my whim and they were happy because they knew what to expect every day.

From this whole experience, I have learned to let go of trying to keep everyone happy (it is impossible, by the way). I have learned how freeing it is to adapt our homeschool to fit our lifestyle, not the other way around. And I have learned that simple is just as excellent an educational approach as complex. Now, if you'll excuse me--the phone's ringing.

Your friend,
Kristen
http://www.homeschoolgroupleader.com/

The Path to Encouragement

Have you heard the saying that humility is not thinking of yourself as small, but it is not thinking of yourself at all?! It is such an insightful saying and the key to successful homeschool group leadership!

Humility will enable you to encourage your members with a true genuineness. From a sincere desire to help others succeed, you can express many ways to lift them up on their home schooling journey.

There are several ways to put this desire to encourage into action as you communicate through speaking or writing that are good:

• open up about yourself--others will be able to relate in part or all of your story. It comes with risks to self, but the rewards are worth it.
• show sympathy to each--this is a response of sensing and sharing in their feelings, needs and experiences.
• compliment their talents--appreciate the work and special touch that each give to the group.
• give credit to all involved--success comes from the understanding that we did not get it done without others.
• always speak well of others--the biggest encouragement will come when they can trust that you always speak well of everyone in the group whether they are there or not.

Out of your humble leadership and genuine encouragement your group's members will feel safe, comfortable, understood, and appreciated. You will be establishing an environment for building some great friendships and supporting really great home schools.

Then when you see their wonderful smiles, their friendships, their confidence in home schooling, you can smile contentedly and give all the credit to whom it is truly due--the Lord Jesus.

Thanking my Lord,
Denise
www.homeschoolgroupleader.com

You Are Not Alone

When I (Kristen) first became president of our homeschool group, I felt. . . well, let's see. . . intimidated, overwhelmed and completely inadequate. I vividly remember that first monthly meeting.

I was wearing an orchid t-shirt and my favorite blue jeans and I just knew everyone could see me sweating. I didn't speak loudly enough, my hands and lips wouldn't stop quivering, and my thoughts wouldn't come together for the life of me.

Now, forget the fact that I had been voted into that office. And many wonderful people believed strongly in me. And it was those same wonderful people who walked by me at the end of that meeting, smiling and encouraging me and saying how excited they were to be a part of the group.

I was mentored very well by the president before me. She was my confidant, my friend and my advisor and prayer partner during that tough first year. She was a lifeline to me.

But what if you don't have anyone like I did? What if you are the first leader of your group or for some reason, you don't have a good relationship with the one who went before?

That's where we come in. Denise and I want to be there for you.

We built Homeschool Group Leader by the Lord's guidance to mentor you as a leader, turning your heart toward Him and offering you resources and helps for leading your homeschool group in this present age.

We want to know what you need. What are your biggest questions? What are your greatest fears? Please, share your joys with us, too. We wish to rejoice with you and see you fulfill your calling. You can do this!

We commit to pray for you. I had many praying for me during those early days. And the Lord showed me that He alone is my strength and with Him by my side, I was not alone--ever-- even when my hands were shaking and my mind went blank. He will complete His good work in you. He's guaranteed it!

Blessings!
Kristen
http://www.homeschoolgroupleader.com/

Announcing New Teleseminar!

Are you overburdened or stressed out?

This interview will greatly encourage you. Denise Grosse, a veteran leader from western Arkansas, will share her insight with us about what she has discovered it takes to lead with a stress-free attitude, greatly preventing burnout--plus, much, much more.

Denise Grosse and her husband have led their group H.E.D.G.E. (Home Educators Devoted to Godly Education) for the past 15 years. She lives in a very rural area of Arkansas and deals with homeschoolers who need a group to interact with that does not decrease their effectiveness at home.

She says that the challenge has been to keep their group an asset to all involved rather than add additional burdens to their already busy lives.

Denise and her husband also serve together on a steering committee for Arkansas' Education Alliance. This alliance works with the state legislature on issues affecting education. "It has been a tremendous blessing to be impacted by leaders all across our state and glean from their experiences," Denise said.

The Grosses are parents of six children, three of whom are still at home. She says that they began homeschooling when their eldest son was born 25 years ago, and are still in the thick of it!

You can register for this heart-changing seminar at http://www.homeschoolgroupleader.com/.

We look forward to you joining us!
Denise and Kristen
www.homeschoolgroupleader.com

Group Leader Teleseminar was Outstanding!

It was really wonderful.

If you didn't get to join with us on Tuesday for the teleseminar with THSC's Lyndsay Lambert, you missed out! She really shared her heart with us. Her words were exactly what was needed to encourage and strengthen leaders before, during and after conflict.

This recorded talk with Lyndsay Lambert is so important that we are looking for ways to have it available to you and all other homeschool group leaders. It is so important because she explained beautifully the steps to take that truly work to resolve conflict; the deeper roots that can lead to win/win negotiations; and the hidden paths to full forgiveness. Not every conflict will always work out, but she encouraged us to never give up praying for the others or for resolution.

Keep checking back with us, so that you can find out how to get your copy of "Conflict Resolution with Lyndsay Lambert" from HomeschoolGroupLeader.com.

Have a peaceful day,
Denise & Kristen
www.homeschoolgroupleader.com