Foul Ball: Keeping a Hold on Humility

I'm not usually a big fan of football. Actually, there are very few sports I can sit and watch for hours, let alone jump and scream enthusiastically like some emphatic addicts. However, when I have a better understanding of and connection to the players' lives, I am much more apt to pay attention. Needless to say, Thursday found me watching parts (but not all) of the Gator Bowl; cheering at the right moments, grimacing at the collisions and injuries, and peering for a second glance at the writing on Tim Tebow's face.

As a homeschooler and Christian, what qualities I have seen from Tebow have piqued my interest and gained my respect. While I wouldn't pick a life of grunting, slamming and sweating as my ministry, it's exciting to see culture changers from my generation enter all different areas of life with the cross as their goal. We can't all be preachers or missionaries. We need to be sending arrows out into the political, medical, legal, entertainment and educational arenas. Every year I look forward to seeing what the Lord has in store for homeschoolers, and not because of a general vision we might have, but a unique and personal plan He has for each person.

So what's the problem? Where are the misleading trails and hidden nets? Invariably with the fight and progress come the setbacks, and even for the most grounded Christians there will a struggle against more than just quarterbacks and linemen. What I'm talking about is the big P-word that no human can escape; pride. As we endeavor to live in purity and holiness, and experience victory over sin in our lives and ministries, God will send encouragers as well as challengers into our lives.

Pride is such a hard sin to conquer. Often it creeps in without our noticing; sometimes at one simple praise, other times by wounded feelings or bitterness. It's possible to feel both broken and insignificant, and proud at the same time. In any case, whether we feel high or low, pride is never lurking very far to take down it's young and eager victims. It's one of the major hindrances to young leaders and culture-changers who are not prepared against it.

So. I'm excited for myself, Tim Tebow, and other young rebelutionaries who have a vision to impact society through the gifts God has given us. We can do so much through Christ who strengthens us, as long as we are not deceived into taking our eyes off of the cross and place them on our pride. It's when we listen too long to the praises and smile too much for the camera that our goal no longer has meaning, and our mission is not blessed. Meekness is the goal; not weakness, and indeed we crumble when we replace His praise with our pride.

So let's put on our helmets, line up together, and prepare to run towards the goal; not forgetting the game plan for our own pursuits, but working as a team with God's blessing.

Campaign Slideshow 2008

Legislative Victory (i.e. involved teens)

It's been a long and short past few days as I look back at coordinating a volunteer group for a local campaign. My sister and I gathered 35 homeschoolers to make hundreds of phone calls, do literature drops and wave signs Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. Our candidate was Beau McCoy for Legislature, and we were working in part as teen volunteer coordinators with the PAC.

I honestly had no idea what response we were going to get from the voters, and never saw any polls to know how Beau McCoy was coming. Even up to the few days before the election our opponent's supporters were making slanderous comments and sending out negative mailings about Beau McCoy. We were seeing money put to use, but money does not buy volunteers, and where negative rumors were sent circulating we had energetic teens running door to door and ten people to a street corner waving signs.

A month ago this quote was posted on New Nebraska Network;

"Regardless, even with a whole army of home schooled children "volunteering" for McCoy, this is still going to be a very close race. If the primary attacks on Moats are any indication, it's also going to get rather ugly from here on out."

We didn't have an army, but we did end up being blessed by having more volunteers than were expected. Regardless, the Lord didn't need an army to elect a godly man to office, but he chose to use homeschooled youth to impact society, and on Tuesday November 4^th Beau McCoy was elected Senator of District 39 with 54% of the votes.

We were so blessed by the Lord for protecting all the volunteers, and also for providing beautiful weather (which promptly changed the day after election!). He provided for everything and we are so thankful that He chose Beau McCoy to run, and to win.

I am tempted to now take a deep breath and go "now I can relax!" when in reality, now is the time we need action more than ever. The decline of morality in our candidates has come about because of failure by evangelicals to be involved at the state level. We have to work from the bottom up, starting right here in our own cities, districts and states. Responsibility has been thrown out the window and apathy has taken hold of many so called "Christians", and it will be everything we can do to raise up godly leaders, equip them to run, and campaign for them.

So don't relax. This is just the beginning.

Why campaign?

As a young person involved in politics, I receive many mixed reactions from people as I explain what I do and why I do it. Usually the expected response is “oh, wow! That’s great you’re so involved!” but it’s not uncommon to meet suspicion, questioning and sometimes ridicule as well. Of course you know, young people are so wrapped up in fun, games and frivolous things, that when someone under the age of 20 expresses an interest in big words such as government and legislature the first thing any sane adult does is wonder “what is wrong with that kid?

So what is it that makes teens campaign? Why are we seeing a growing number of young people working at a grassroots level for candidates? Obviously since teens care only about partying, it must be that the parents are forcing (i.e. pushing, telling, abusing) their kids to do slave labor for someone they couldn’t care less about.

Well, maybe if we’re talking about teens from public schools; they truly would feel as if campaigning for someone in the government or legislature would be abuse. However, it’s not teens attending public schools that are in question here (partly to fault because they simply have no time or freedom to volunteer). The explosion of young people we see going door to door, making phone calls and waving signs are largely homeschoolers.

As a homeschool graduate, I see these as the key reasons why teens like myself campaign:

We have the time

Homeschoolers have the flexibility and freedom to help a candidate when public schoolers may not

We have the energy

We’re young. We get restless. Having contests to see which team can get their literature drops done first; dancing and yelling at intersections with signs, making phone calls; it challenges us and gives us something to do where we can actually see our efforts directly impacting our culture.

We make friends

Simply the fact that we’re a group of peers with the same likes and dislikes, doing the same thing, makes an activity fun. The memories made on a campaign were not so great because of the work but more because of the people. I have never worked on a campaign where a teen was not there voluntarily and had a blast making new friends (and eating the great meals served!).

We care

Parents think their kids don’t care about culture, world issues, or politics. In our government schools, this is often the case. However, homeschoolers are taught up front by their parents that what happens in our legislature directly affects us, and that we have a duty to be involved and apply a biblical worldview to every area of our lives. We care, and this is what scares the secularists in our nation.

Our parents care

When we see our parents discussing the election, voting, and being involved, it’s not unnatural for us to pay attention to the same issues. Children follow in their parent’s footsteps and have many of the same priorities, and that’s where many parents fail in our nation today.

As of this summer my sister and I have been recruiting young people to campaign for Beau McCoy, a conservative homeschool graduate running for Legislature in Omaha’s District 39. Having been impressed with his honesty and conservatism on the issues, we have devoted more time to his campaign than any other we’ve worked on so far, working in part as coordinators with the newly created Political Action Committee of Omaha.

Recently the liberal site “New Nebraska Network” posted an article on Beau McCoy questioning the many young people working on his campaign, again asking the inevitable question; why ever do young people campaign?

“One of the great peculiarities of this race is the involvement of the home schooling movement on McCoy's behalf. McCoy is actually a product of home schooling, and they're evidently looking to get him elected so he might champion their cause in the legislature.”

As if it’s not bad enough that McCoy is a “product” of homeschooling, now he even has homeschool teens helping on his campaign! I think it is fair to say that we are electing him to “champion” our cause in the Legislature; if that means protecting our constitutional right to homeschool without restriction or harassment. (See my post “Declaration of War")

“This development becomes a little bit disturbing, though, in light of this PACs suspect efforts to recruit home schooled children as free labor for the McCoy campaign. When young people get involved of their own volition, as a step in developing their own political consciousness, that's a definite benefit to our democracy. But, where this involvement might cross the line into their school curriculum - dictated by parents pursuing their own political purposes - one starts to get a sense of why so many have such serious doubts about the quality and integrity of home school education.”

Of course when the Political Action Committee would consider asking teens to participate it is interpreted as an evil intention to force children to campaign against their will. This is a completely false and unfounded assumption. My sister and I as young adults ourselves have spearheaded a large part of the effort to bring specifically young people into Beau McCoy’s campaign, and not once have I met or worked with a teen on the campaign who was “forced” or unwilling to volunteer. This is an idea for teens, by teens. We work together, and it’s ultimately friends and peers, not parents, who get the fun-seeking, party-going kids out on the campaign trail.

The article on New Nebraska (which, remarkably, has everything to say about what Republicans do wrong, and little to say about what Democrats do right) ends with this quote;

“Regardless, even with a whole army of home schooled children "volunteering" for McCoy, this is still going to be a very close race. If the primary attacks on Moats are any indication, it's also going to get rather ugly from here on out.”

While each energetic and excited teen does an amazing part in campaigning, I am confident because it is not the army that wins a battle, but the God who goes before them. If the Lord is pleased with our efforts, and with the intents of our hearts, He will cause Beau McCoy to win on November 4^th, teens or no teens.

Just be sure to honk for McCoy when you see all us of slave laborers dancing on the street corners.

The Film of My Life: Part 1

Delivered at the ceremony for my high school graduation, Saturday May 24th.

The plot

I have to warn you that the plot of my movie is quite unlike that of Mission Impossible, The Rock or Armagedden. While I'm all for saving the innocent civilians and doing the impossible for the good of the universe, my role as the lead actress in my movie is less about M-16s and gum that explodes, and more about my mission at home as a young lady. The overall and life-long mission is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. In the near future, the plot (which is always subject to change according to the screenwriter's plan) is to further my knowledge of God and His creation while serving my family and friends, as I hope you have seen evidence of in part one of my film.

Meet the director

First of all, I would like you to meet my director. I really couldn't have asked for a better father. Even when my act isn't all together, and things start to come out looking more like a comedy than an inspirational drama, he's gracious with me and always has time to go over the script together, page by page. Unfortunately, in our day and age, the audience is clamoring for productions of young ladies who are totally independent of any director. However, having stumbled through my lines and confused the script of God's word over and over, I am living proof that young ladies need a firm and constant director by their side to encourage, correct, and counsel.

There's another special person who stands behind the director, but is no less important, and that's the producer. Basically, without the producer, the director would be totally confused and the show would never quite hit the box office. She's a very special person; someone I want to be like when my solo role becomes a duet.

The stunt men

There are some other special cast members that you really ought to hear about. You don't usually hear a lot about the stunt men (and woman) but I have 6 and they all helped to make certain that the film didn't turn out to be a yawner! They kept things interesting and always provided ample bloopers for after the show. They are my critics, and my supporters who kept the show on the road when I was tired.

The theater

A sad and damaging aspect in modern film-making of culture today is the idea that once an actor or actress turns 18 it's time to hit the stage, lights on, cameras rolling! We're told that we've had the amount of training we're going to get, so go perform and don't mess up! Young people are cut off from directors and producers, assuming they are mature, strong, and tough enough to battle the demands of the audience.

And the majority of actors and actresses fall into the thinking that there's only one way to hit the screen and become a star; and that everyone around them has to do it the same way. Those who choose to perform in other ways, or to train backstage longer with the director and producer, are looked upon as failures who can't make their own way in the real world ; the world of Hollywood.
I can't promise the audience that I'll take the well trodden path to college, but I can promise them that there is a sequel to part one of my act, and it doesn't involve a halfhearted role backstage.

The screenwriter

So yeah; my whole plot really clashes with that of Hollywood's. In fact, my whole film is declared to become a failure when it hits theaters near you. My make up and costuming is more reserved than the audience likes to see, my backdrop more simple. Some people see it as a documentary; a boring film that doesn't spark any interest. Others are missing the plot because they see it as a wide screen; missing half of the story because their didn't comprehend the script.

I'll admit; it's pretty hard to ignore the critical and clamoring audience of the world. A clean, religious, or simply different style of movie can stand out almost like a sore thumb, and it's a constant temptation to try and change the script I was given in order to fit in and escape the rebuke of those around me. But my script says that if I have friendship with the World, I have enmity with my screenwriter, and there's only one who can get me through my film. It's hard to stay true to the script and ignore the status quo, but by the grace of God I can present a film that's a failure according to Hollywood, but a successful hit according to my screenwriter.

Until now I haven't really mentioned much about the screenwriter, but His fingerprints are all over my director, producer, and my film. He gave us the whole script, complete with the backdrop of our home and adequate training supplies and cast. When we were tired of always editing and rehearsing He got us back on track. The best part of it was, we didn't even have to set up a time to ask questions and go over the script; He was constantly there with a ready ear.
This is not a film about me. I want every act, audition; even the deleted scenes to be about my Screenwriter! When the red carpet is pulled out, it is my prayer that you would see Him in me and that I would give my Lord all the glory and credit for my performance here on earth.

-Jennifer

Happy Home School week!

WHEREAS, The State of Nebraska desires to promote excellence in education; and

WHEREAS, Dozens of studies confirm that children who are educated at home score significantly above average on national achievement tests; and

WHEREAS, Studies demonstrate that home-educated students excel in college; and

WHEREAS, Home education has a long history of success in this country, helping to produce such notable Americans as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, John Quincy Adams, Patrick Henry, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, John Marshall, Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Booker T. Washington, Thomas Edison, William Henry Harrison,
John Tyler, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, Mark Twain, Irving Berlin, Rembrandt Peale, George Patton, Douglas MacArthur, John J. Pershing, Standing Bear, Roscoe Pound, Edward Creighton, Willa Cather, William Jennings Bryan and Bertram Goodhue,
architect of the Nebraska State Capitol; and

WHEREAS, Home education strengthens the family and promotes the highest standards of honesty and morality, which are essential elements in the preservation of a free society; and

WHEREAS, Home education promotes good citizenship and positive socialization; and

WHEREAS, The State of Nebraska recognizes the fundamental right of parents to direct the education and upbringing of their children; and

WHEREAS, Home educators view the cost of their children’s education as their own responsibility and do not add that cost to the burden of the state; and

WHEREAS, It is appropriate that home educators be recognized and commended for their dedication to excellence in education and for their significant and vital contributions to our society.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Dave Heineman, Governor of the State of Nebraska,
DO HEREBY PROCLAIM
the week of March 30 – April 5, 2008, as
NEBRASKA HOME EDUCATION WEEK
and I do hereby urge all citizens to take due note of the observance.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and cause the
Great Seal of the State of Nebraska to be affixed this Thirteenth day
of March, in the year of our Lord Two Thousand Eight.

And all I can say is: I thank the Lord I live in good old Nebraska, and not California!

Looking for cracks? Try our public schools.

On Tuesday, February 26th, 1,300 homeschool parents and children gathered at the State Capitol in Lincoln, Nebraska; setting a record number of attendance for any bill hearing in Nebraska’s history. The reason for such a crowd? With a proposed bill that takes away the freedom of a family to choose their form of education, parents concerned over the spiritual and physical well being of their children made sure that our Legislature hears our opposition.


One large chamber and five overflow rooms were filled with men wearing suits and ladies wearing skirts as homeschoolers gathered to watch the opponents and proponents (of which there were only 3 out of nearly 25 who testified) on TV screens. Among those testifying before the Education Committee against LB 1141 were UNO professors, HSLDA attorney Michael Donnelly and several homeschooling parents with their own stories of past struggles in the failing public school system.


The opponents spoke well, clearly and calmly stating facts proving the unconstitutional restriction of the bill over families who choose an education based on Christian principles. Senator Schimeck’s support for her bill was weak in light of the statistics brought forth showing the wide success of homeschooling, and the widespread failure of public schools. The concern for those children “falling through the cracks” has been pinned down on the minority; those who choose to stay at home, when the high numbers of dropouts and failing grades are in not in the home but in the State’s own government schools. It is clear to see that this bill was born out of an atheistic and non-biblical perspective, as Schimeck herself stated that it is the State’s responsibility to insure that children are receiving a good education.


HSLDA attorney Michael Donnelly said “This was an incredible work of God and an amazing testimony to Nebraska homeschoolers. Thirteen hundred people in attendance is an overwhelming number, and the decorum and behavior of all reflected greatly on the homeschool community. It is such a privilege to serve the people of Nebraska, and I pray that the Education Committee can see that there is no need or public demand for this legislation. Homeschoolers do an incredible work even as they fund the public schools without much complaint through their taxes. All they want is to be left alone to continue turning out successful graduates.”


Truly, the best our senators can do is recognize the success of homeschooling in Nebraska, and focus their “concern” on the failures in public school. One is tempted to wonder with all this attention to the successful minority, if this is something besides a genuine concern for homeschooled children, such as a desire for money and power over those who have chosen not to follow the crowd. Hitler also chose to exercise his power through the schools and children, and the similarities between his reign and the direction our government run schools are going is not a little unnerving.


So, Nebraskans, we had a good turnout.


Now what?


While we wait a week to hear which direction the Education Committee votes, what can we do to keep up the pressure, and insure that bills like this are not passed (or even proposed) in the future in our Legislature?

1. Keep up the phone calls and letters!
2. Pray that the Education Committee would vote against the bill; that they would not be blind to the needless and negative affects the bill would have.

Read HSLDA’s report on the hearing

I want YOU for the homeschool movement...

Last Wednesday, on February 6th, six hundred homeschool students and their parents attended the second annual Legislative Day at the state capitol in Lincoln, Nebraska. Though the number in attendance was lower than the expected 1,000 (because of the ever-present snow) the capitol building was filled and senators kept busy. From 10:00am to 4:30pm, students listened to senators' thoughts on LB1141, met with and spoke to their own senators privately, and listened to various speakers on the importance of being involved in our Legislature, such as Al Riskowski of the Nebraska Family Council.


All in all, it was a very good turnout, with this being only the second year for NCHEA to hold Legislative Day at the capitol. Governor Dave Heineman stated that he would veto the bill 1141 if it reaches him, while many homeschoolers pray that it will not go that far. Senators that spoke strongly against the bill, and in great support of homeschoolers and the advancement of Christ's kingdom, were applauded and greatly appreciated. It's encouraging to see and be reminded that there still are Godly, convicted men still in office today, despite the decline in upstanding or backbone among our senate.


So we had one good turnout, but the fight for the killing of this bill is yet continuing, and requires even more attention and work than ever before Saturday the 26th, when the bill will be discussed at a hearing. This is a serious encroachment of the rights of homeschoolers, and I urge my readers, even those outside the State, to take action and make your voice heard.


Here's what you can do to fight LB1141:

• Write a personal letter to senator/s voicing your opposition

• Give them a phone call

• Write an article for your local paper

• Let your friends know; spread the word

• Pray and alert your Church

• Keep informed and up to date (join NCHEA and sign up for their newsletters)

• Attend the hearing at the capitol on Saturday, January 26th (where HSLDA attorney Michael Donnelly will be testifying against the bill)

Get out there and start fighting this! You may not be “into politics”, or concerned for the present, but I can assure you that if this bill goes through, your children and their children will be harrassed and restricted by it. This bill will not only bring to pass the harsh control that it spells out, but will open doors for harsher and even more restrictive bills to be passed. Join the army. Pick up your sword (the Word), and march with us into battle. The Lord wants YOU to join his army, and defend the God-given rights of the family.


Lex, Rex

600 passionate, conservative home educators all in one room. Quite the experience.

We met with our senator, Kent Rogert, to voice our opposition to LB1141. It was disappointing that he did not know much about the bill, or give us a clear answer as to whether or not he would oppose it.

Go here to read an article and watch the video of Lincoln's coverage for Legislative Day, as well as leave your opinion in the lengthy comment section.

Declaration of War- Nebraska

When the President sent troops overseas to fight the Taliban after 9/11, people made a fuss over the fact that we had not officially declared war. However, despite that fact, we were, indeed, already engaged in war with Muslim extremists. It wasn’t something we wanted, it wasn’t something we asked for, but it was something we were thrown into without a doubt of the intentions posed by our enemies; kill the infidels and destroy the moral foundations our country was founded on.

Only a few weeks ago, war was declared in Nebraska. Only this time, M16’s and grenades were replaced for the Sword of the Word and the armor of God. On January 23^rd, Nebraska State Senator DiAnna Schimek introduced LB 1141 that would, in essence, make homeschooling in our State nearly impossible. Below is a list of what the bill would require from homeschoolers (the entire list can be found here):

• Have to submit to discretionary approval by the Commissioner of Education.
• Gives the Department of Education (“NDE”) approval authority over whether homeschoolers may file under Rule 12 or 13 and over their curriculum;
• 
  

• Have to submit to intrusive and ill-conceived annual assessments.
• Requires an annual in person evaluation, at the parents’ expense, but by a person of the Commissioner’s choosing and at a time and place determined by the NDE. Parents may be allowed to observe as long as they are “under the supervision of the Commissioner or designated staff person.”
• To avoid the NDE’s required annual in person evaluation, a homeschooling parent would have to submit extensive documentation to a certified and approved teacher, including a complete written record of all the educational activities a child has been involved in and a portfolio of the student’s work, and the results of any assessments conducted. And even then, the teacher’s positive report would merely create a “presumption” that adequate progress was being made.
• Requires that assessments be conducted against standards created and approved by the NDE and based on age/grade levels of their peers in public schools;
• 
  

• Have to submit detailed attendance records every year.
• Requires homeschoolers to submit attendance records annually to the Nebraska Department of Education (“NDE”);
• 
  

• Have to test before you start.
• Requires first time homeschooled students to take an NDE-approved test for “baseline educational data” (presumably this test is to be used by the NDE to determine whether or not “progress has been achieved”);
• 
  

• Give the Commissioner authority to hold your kids hostage in public schools at his discretion.
• Require homeschooled children to attend an accredited public or private school if they do not make adequate progress as defined by the NDE and would prevent the child from being homeschooled until the NDE approves.

Before I go on to make my readers presume that Nebraska is in a unique situation, I would hasten to remind that Senators and Governors across the United States are working for the destruction of the structure in Christian families, just as our own beloved Senator Shimeck is here in our own Red State.

Just can’t take “no” for an answer

HSLDA has called this bill one of the worst homeschooling bills ever proposed. Angered and passionate Nebraskans would have to agree. In the 1980’s a similar bill was introduced and passed, which resulted in fathers being thrown into jail and mothers being forced to flee the State with their children, including a couple from our Church. Since then Nebraska had relaxed its laws on homeschoolers, after a long and hard fight, only to have another bill introduced by, ironically, the wife of the head of Government Relations for the Nebraska State Education Association. Don’t even attempt to claim that this bill wasn’t introduced for personal gain!

Consider…

• The State is asking not only that homeschoolers pay outrageous taxes for a failing school system they do not even attend, but that we now ad the costs of annual exams that we don’t even want to take

• The State is assuming that the public school system is the only answer to supposed learning disabilities and problems (why should we hand ours over when they can’t even handle their own?). What happens when children at schools shoot each other, abuse each other, struggle on their tests and show lack of cleanliness and happiness? Then I think it’s time they hand over the kids to the parents.

• The State is assuming the right to protect your child and provide safety and education. One might have to ask, then, did God give my children to me, or to the government? As my Dad says; over my dead body will you walk into my home and assume that God-given right.

As a homeschool senior about to graduate from high school myself, I cannot stress how glad I am that my parents chose to be my teachers, instead of dumping me off at school and asking a total stranger (and in some cases, a rapist or ex-convict) to educate me for the next 12 years. Believe it or not, I am healthy, happy, and not a complete idiot because of it. Homeschooling works, and so well it’s scaring the Board of Education. The growth and success of God’s army is scaring Satan, and he is now visibly taking steps to defeat us through our own government.

So please, brothers and sisters;

• Be aware that wars are being fought all across the States. If LB 1141 goes through in Nebraska, it could very well go through in your State. One thing leads to another and we MUST pull out of political apathy and be constantly aware of what goes on in our legislature.

• Be in prayer for Wednesday, February 6^th. Nebraska will be holding it’s second annual Legislative day for homeschoolers at the capitol. Last year 300 people attended to meet with Senators and go to hearings, and this year, after the introduction of the bill, the expected number blew up to 1,000 homeschoolers and counting. This is going to be an awesome time of witnessing and fighting not only 1141 but the impetus to introduce other such restrictive bills. Be in prayer that the weather would cooperate, and that the senators would be greatly impacted by the turnout, and have their eyes open to the constitutional right they are breaking.

I have great trust in the God who created our nation, and I am totally pumped about attending Legislative Day at the capitol tomorrow. I know God is going to do amazing things through this bill as we work to fight it and have victory in His name.

Soli Deo Gloria…

Links:

(More reasons) why this is a stupid bill

The bill in it's un-translated entirety

NCHEA on 1141

NCHEA Legislative Day Info

HEN on 1141

For Sale

I am applying my “why-I-haven’t-been-posting” excuse ahead of time as I ponder the many “hard things” that come about when moving from one home to another. Yes, this sheltered country girl is going to make her way to the city, and will be leaving behind her childhood home and family’s business. Not four months ago moving would have been a very foreign and outrageous idea, but God has a way of completely crashing the plans we thought had been His long-term will, and revealing a whole new adventure we couldn’t have imagined!

The reasons for moving out of the home we completely renovated for 15 years (my mother, upon moving in, had emphatically prayed that we would never have to move from such an investment!) are as follows:

1. My father is training to become an elder in our church, and presently we are too far away for him to perform the work of an elder (we would also like to become more involved in our church in ways we’re not able while living an hour away).

2. We felt God was pulling my Dad towards his job in Omaha instead of keeping us rooted in our small town as we had hoped, and the hour long drive every day (plus insane gas prices) has taken it's toll.

3. We felt that we were just too completely isolated and sheltered from normal people and society, and felt the pressing need to surround ourselves with real worldly human beings whom we could socialize with, and who could inform us as to how to educate ourselves, and tell us how to live every single details of our lives like everyone else so we can fulfill our duties as good conforming citizens, and therefore better our community and nation.*

We are currently looking for about 1 acre of land in/outside of Omaha, with a house of the right size, in the right area, within the right price range, and which is ready at the exact time our home and business sell. Do hard things, right?

My mom and dad have invested so much in our home, and for the past 3 years our business. It is our hope and prayer that we could pass on our dreams and work to another family with the same vision for healthy living and ministering in our small town. We would dearly love to see a like-minded, homeschooling family buy our home and business, so I will post some information here for those interested to pass on or use. If you or someone you know might be interested in such an offer, feel free to contact us at garyduff@surfbest.net. More detailed info and pictures can be found at duffestate.blogspot.com.

Home

Beautiful 5 acres surrounded by trees is set in quiet area five minutes from highway. The 3 story, 100 year old renovated farmhouse is 2,715 square feet, complete with full basement. 5+ bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, wood burning stove, and library lined with built in bookshelves perfect for homeschooling family!

Business

Very large, renovated building on Main Street, Oakland, Nebraska. Large fitness center room with hydraulic equipment, 24 hour access gate, and camera system. A beautiful 1 bedroom apartment, front office, large party room/dance studio and full basement.

Click here for more information on the business and home.

*Sarcastic remark to those hopeful of my conversion to a socializing, non-isolated city girl. I will continue to hold to my ideas of being protected from harmful society, and do not expect our social circle to change so drastically with moving.

No response

For all the posts I've put up in the last week there have been no comments... I'm guessing this is because Jen's readers have declined due to the lack of posting in the past few months. I know Jen hasn't been keeping up the blog very well, but she has a good excuse.

Jen has one year of school left, plus she has ballet twice a week, and to pay for those classes and gas money she teaches ballet as well. She also had four ballet performances this spring, plus the normal outings that keep everyone busy. I think it is good that she hasn't been spending as much time online, seeing as she has more important things to do-mainly school. If I could do my high school years over again, I would study a lot harder. After you finish high school you just don't have as much of a chance to devote so much your time to learning. And the education we are getting at home is specifically suited to our faith and worldview. You won't get such a Christian perspective or such loving and thoughtful teachers in college or anywhere else. Our teachers love us more than any public or private school teacher ever could because they are our parents, thus they care so much more about what we learn and how we think.

Anyway, it would be nice to get some feedback to know someone is still reading.