Speech Therapy at Home

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The best-case scenario with blog link-ups is that you might find new friends--like-minded friends who understand you. Another possibility is that you'll find an invaluable resource you didn't even know you needed.

Today I enjoyed the latter via the Homeschool Mother's Journal link-up. I'm excited to have found free speech resources on Gypsy Road. Click here to see her full list.

What most blessed me is finding this site: Teachers Pay Teachers. I signed up for free and then typed speech therapy in the search bar. There are many free resources, and others that cost a few dollars. I downloaded several colorful, engaging games for practicing the /th/ sound in the initial, medial, and final positions.

Speech articulation practice can be dry and boring, leading to missed days of practice and a loss of momentum. With fresh material coming in, parents and children stay motivated and have some fun together. Language is fun!

You can use Teachers Pay Teachers to search for all kinds of lesson plans and ideas. It's not primarily special-needs-oriented. The site is invaluable for teachers wanting to freelance and make some money, or for teachers and parents who need fresh ideas at home or in the traditional classroom. You don't need to be an educator to join, and you can join for free (paid options are available as well, with more perks).

Let me know if you find something helpful.

With the Overflow of Your Heart

I am sharing an excerpt from a letter a formerly-sponsored child wrote to his Compassion International sponsor. The author of the letter, now an adult, has been the host for Compassion Bloggers this week in the Dominican Republic. His sponsor dramatically changed his life with her love, her prayers, her comfort, expressed through letters through the years. He refers to her as Grandma. Holley Gerth shared this excerpt on her blog. Read the full letter here.

image courtesy of Compassion International

What am I here for?

That was the question I asked myself many times when I was lonely, sad and empty, without purpose. And it was at that very moment that God used Compassion International to help me understand that, yes, I have a purpose and a reason to exist. This is what 80% percent of the children living in third world countries think–that they are nothing and that they have no future.

I wanted to start this letter that way because I wanted you to know that my life has really changed.

A very famous atheist said one day: “God does not exist because if God existed there would not be so many hungry children on this earth, nor so many diseases and catastrophes in the world.” My answer to that atheist is this: ”Millions of children, including me, have been released from material and mental poverty that undermined their lives through wonderful ministries like Compassion International.”

You are the protagonist in this love story–you are responsible for this change.

God has made man in His image and likeness and has given man the tremendous power to create; create Love, Faith, Hope, Dreams, Desire, Families, Communities, Cities, Nations, Opportunities and Compassion.

I will never be able to be grateful enough with words for your love for someone you never met before, someone who is not your family, your son or your nephew, or your grandson but someone that you loved without knowing him.

This is the answer to all those who claim that God doesn’t exist. You’re the answer.

And God is pleased with your work, God is happy because you have given more than what you had just like that widow who gave all she had. “In truth she has given more than all of you,” said Jesus.

You are the hands of God! And that’s why I no longer pray as I used to do before. I heard a pastor say: ”Do not ask God to feed the hungry if YOU have enough food in your pantry.” The truth is that many times we ask wrongly, because we ask God to do things when in our ignorance we forget that we are God’s response to the misfortunes of others.

This is why Jesus said: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.’’ John 13:34

Thanks again for writing. I treasure every one of your letters not only in a chest but also in my heart. I take time to read them over and over again because they are like oil of joy in times of distress.

I will never forget your prayers for me and for the coming generations–you left personal things to leave a legacy to the world.

With much love,

Jonathan Almonte

If you aren't already a sponsor, may I ask...what's holding you back? His Word is clear about what we are to do for children and the poor, and his faithfulness in our lives is proof we can do it without fear or doubt. If you aren't already committed beyond your means to other ministries, please consider Compassion, who seeks, through your love, devotion, letters and funds, to change a heart for Christ--a heart that goes on to bless multitudes of others, for Compassion children always give back to their communities. 

Become a part of a beautiful testimony of God's grace and love. Sponsor a child. For the earth is the Lord's and everything in it. We don't own our bank accounts or our paychecks or our possessions. We don't own the future and we can't secure it, either. We can only love the Lord with all of our heart, all of our mind, all our strength, and our fellow man too, trusting God for everything else.

The more possessions we fill our life with, the further we get from God and His blessing of provision. He knows what we need for abundant life. We are sorrowfully mistaken that it has anything to do with the material, for all the material things we need will be given to us as we put first the Kingdom of God. And that doesn't just mean going to church on Sunday. We have to live our lives for the Lord to be seeking first His Kingdom. We all fall short in this...we all want more than we need. In first-world countries, we all have more than we need. As we cling to God and his Word, he opens our eyes to what it means to be blessed, and what it means to be a blessing. 

Please, sponsor a child today. We need to be rescued from our abundance, as much as Compassion children need to be rescued from the hopelessness of poverty.

If you already have a sponsor child, write to him or her today and at least monthly. On behalf of Jonathan Almonte and other graduated Compassion children like him, thank you for your love, your time, for your desire to be obedient and share the overflow of your heart.

Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Other posts from this Dominican Republic week:

Bonnie at Faith Barista: Why Compassion Isn't a Project But an Intimate Whisper of Love

Ruth Soukup at Living Well Spending Less: Just One

Bonnie at Faith Barista: Why Love is Not a Consolation But a Light

Weekly Homeschool Wrap-Up 2/20

Outside my window:

Outside here in northeast Ohio we're having the coldest winter in at least ten years, which is about how long we've lived here. Tonight it will be 13 below--and not just wind chill. My husband is depressed about having to get out of bed in the morning to face it, being a winter hater. Usually, I balk at complaining about the weather, rolling my eyes at those who view snow and cold as the anti-Christs, but even we die-hard optimists are tired of the cold this year.

Inside Our Homeschool:

I mentioned last week that my boys, ages 11 and 13, are abandoning Sonlight Core G (World History Part 1), only to take up Sonlight Core H instead (World History Part 2, the last 500 years). We'll finish the Core G at another time.

We'll be using Core H's Bible, History/Literature, some of their language arts writing lessons based upon the readers, and all the read-alouds. So basically, the whole curriculum will be enjoyed.

They've delved in joyfully and I'm so pleased. I put each synopsis for the books in red type, so if you're not interested just skip all the red type. Here is the first reader:

The King's Fifth

Set in the year 1541

Amazon reader synopsis: (by reader Chatelaine) Esteban was a cartographer, or map maker, on a ship on the coast of South America. Their ship was to rendezvous with another to make a search for the Cities of Gold. One of the officers aboard the ship wants to mutiny, and strike out to search for the cities, in hopes of collecting even more gold and fame. He talks Esteban into accompanying him, along with some others.

They travel and encounter all kinds of dangers from nature and from the natives. They ask the people they come across for gold, but to them, it is not important. Esteban and his companions find it all important. As they travel on toward the Cities of Gold, their lust for gold gains a tighter and tighter grip upon them. At the beginning, Esteban marveled at the way the desire for gold had warped others, but later on, he ceases to care for others, and is willing to sacrifice whatever and whoever may come between him and the riches his soul so greedily craves. He ends up with a great amount of gold, which he tries to carry back with him. Eventually, he sees that his greed was killing him, and deposits the gold where it can never be recovered.

The story is told from Esteban's prison cell. It is the law to give one fifth of all discovered treasure to the king of Spain. The chapters alternate with Esteban recalling his journey through South America, and his recording what is happening in the prison. He says his indictment is true; he did discover treasure, and he did not give the king his fifth. His prosecutors and jailor are not so much concerned with the king's fifth, however. They want to know where the treasure is, so they can find it. They ask for maps, which Esteban draws; but he says they will never find it. Even he, who knows where it is, could never find it. He is offered his freedom from his sentence if he will be a guide to the gold, but he turns it down. He has realized that, after all, the gold is not important. He has learned what is important, and when he has served his sentence, he will pursue the things and people that matter.

Bible Devotionals

Sonlight Cores come with assigned daily Bible verses, as well as accompanying devotionals. There are five devotionals for teens/tweens in Core H, the first being The BBC Manual: Turning Your Bedroom into a Bible College:

Synopsis: The Bible, What A Book! No other book has influenced the world like the Bible. No other book has sold more copies, been translated into more languages, yet suffered as much persecution as the Bible. A miraculous compilation of 66 different book, written over a period of 1,600 years by over 40 different authors, yet possessing a supernatural unity from Genesis to Revelation. Impossible, if written by many minds, yet possible if written by one God through the hands of many men (II Peter 1:21). The Bible is God's marvelous "love letter" to man. 

FEED "Feeding" on the Word of God is much easier when you learn the principles of observations. "How to Read the Bible" and "How to Study the Bible" will help you unearth the treasures found in God's Word. Bible study sheets and Bible reading plans will help you to "chart" your progress as you get a "grip" on the Word. 

HEED Meditation is the key to "good success." Moving the Word of God from your head into your heart is the goal of Biblical meditation. Practical pointers on how to get God's Word into your mind and heart will make memorization and meditation a delight. 

DEED Learning to apply God's Word to your life is the goal of a devotional walk with God. Determining your objectives, defining your goals and developing your action plan will help you to "deed" the Word, not only "read" the Word. Climb the staircase to realized objectives. Gregg Johnson is a gifted speaker, writer and musician. Gregg travels internationally ministering to tweens and their parents, young people, youth pastors and adults in camps, conferences and churches. At 14 Gregg turned his bedroom into a Bible College and his devotions became a delight.

On Fridays they'll be reading Don't All Religions Lead to God?

Synopsis: Insightful comparison of Christianity to several other key religions. Concise, accessible arguments against today's tolerant culture and for faith in Jesus. An easy-to-read apologetics work.

The History spine includes The Story of the World Volume 3: Early Modern Times, and The Story of the World Volume 4: Modern Times. Two other spine books included are The Usborne Encyclopedia of the World (I have the 2009 edition), and The Kingfisher Encyclopedia.

Synopsis: 

Volume 3 in this series covers the major historical events in the years 1600 to 1850, as well as includes maps, illustrations, and biographies.

This captivating guide to the history of other lands is written in an engaging, straightforward manner and weaves world history into a story book format that is entertaining and easy to read.

As always, I'm very impressed with Sonlight. I didn't dislike the novels from Core G, which we abandoned. It's just that the topics were mature for my boys' ages, more so than Core H novels as a whole. Each child is different and you can't always go by suggested ages. We'll get back to those books in the next couple years.

K and 2nd Grade News

The girls, ages 6 and 8, are still enjoying Sonlight Core B books, read to them by myself and by my two boys. They are also doing All About Reading Level 1 and 2, and All About Spelling Level 1. Mary, age 8, will be finishing both her spelling and reading soon, and we move on to Level 3 in reading and level 2 in spelling.

All About Reading Level 1, for Beth, age 6 - learning /ch/ and /sh/ consonant blends. The mouse gets to eat the cheese (words written on back of the cheese pieces) if child can read the words correctly.

All About Spelling Level 1 - Learning when to use /c/ at the beginning of a word, and when to use /k/. Student is taught to leave the slot for the /c/ sound blank, and go on spelling the rest of the word. Then, go back to the /c/ sound and use the spelling rule. C says /s/ before e, i, and y, to decide whether to use a c or k. Always try c first. 

All About Reading Level 1 - Learning /ch/ and /sh/

Kitty gets to help read the words. Stuffed animals go to school too around here.

Drawing books used for their daily drawing time, during morning devotions. We started this so the six year old would stay still during devotions, which is sometimes a problem. 

Personal reading time for Mary, age 8.

All About Reading Level 2 - Gerbil game for practicing the rule: G says /j/ before e, i, or y.

Read each word as gerbil goes through his "cage".

Melissa and Doug Body Puzzle, 2-sided

Learning how to make a stitch. Paul is teaching Beth, which resulted in two needle pokes and some tears;, after which my six-year-old started making a doll from felt pieces and glue instead.

This is Mary's "workshop" pose, used when she really needs to concentrate to decode a word. She's a hoot. I love teaching my own kids!

In case you think we are rich and can afford Guess jeans, let me just say those were brand new jeans from a thrift store for $2.50. I don't buy any new clothes, except socks and underwear and sometimes winter coats and shoes. If you are willing to look through every child's garment on the racks at Goodwill, your kids can come out looking quite nice...and you too for that matter. You just need a two-hour chunk of time about every couple months to store up for future seasons and sizes, taking from the best they have.

Health News
Beth's eye muscle surgery to correct wandering eyes (strabismus) will be on April 2. She also goes for another infusion of Orencia next Tuesday, which she is dreading. Still no side effects so far from this new medicine. The swelling in her arthritic knees is down slightly, but the full effect won't come for a couple months. She is now taking two immunosuppressants and it's hard not to be concerned about her getting sick. I am trusting God, but I have to keep giving it to Him. I hate sitting in the waiting room, too, when someone undergoes surgery. I always imagine--what happens if they never come out of anesthesia? How will I make it through that? Then I remind myself how rare that is, but it's still incredibly nerve wracking.

Other News
It was a shorter week. We took Monday off for President's Day, but it was too frigid to go anywhere. Then Tuesday we took off to deep clean and organize the bedrooms, which were all an eyesore. Everything still looks spiffy in all the bedrooms, which is so nice!

Compassion International News

Compassion International took a team of bloggers to the Dominican Republic this week. I love to support Compassion International! See my highlight of favorite Dominican Republic posts here. I think of the four Compassion children we write to as my own children. I feel wholly invested in their lives and hopes and dreams, and in their spiritual growth. I just know you will be changed, and your children too, if you sponsor a child. Outside of being a mom and wife and daughter of the King, writing to these children is my greatest joy! The Lord loves the little children and He loves it when we speak life into them. We represent Him when we love a child and give the gift of Hope.

Difference Between World Vision and Compassion International

Different than World Vision, Compassion International works with local churches to administer their program, which uplifts these children and their families spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and socially. 84% of your $38/month sponsorship money goes directly to the children so they can attend the Child Development Center (at the local church, administered through Compassion staff), and receive health care, Bible teaching and discipleship, emergency food, supplemental food, and school fees and uniforms, and benefit from parenting, nutrition, vocational, and hygiene classes. Every child or family gift you send goes directly to the family, which is not true of World Vision, which operates a far less direct organization, using a different approach (bottom-down approach--change the neighborhoods to change individual outcomes).

Compassion goes with the family to the marketplace to spend your gift money, and helps them analyze their needs and how best to use the money. In this manner, local economies are stimulated. You receive a photo of the child next to all that was purchased with your gift money. Understand that you are not required to send any gift money. The letters you send make the most impact on these families. They treasure them like gold, rereading them for years. Many of these children are never told they are loved, until they receive a sponsor and start going to the Compassion Child Development Center, where staff love on them two to three times weekly, after school and on Saturdays. Their parents are in survival mode, and showering love on their children isn't part of their daily reality, which is characteristic of abject poverty households generally speaking, but not in all countries.

The difference between World Vision and Compassion International is that Compassion invests heavily in one child and that child's family, and through that intense investment, changes a whole neighborhood for Christ. The bottom-up approach, with the pastor of the local church and church attenders helping the whole process along as well, partnering with Compassion staff.

Neighborhood children are enrolled and their families are helped in emergencies even before their child is chosen by a sponsor (but they can't attend center activities unless they have a sponsor). World Vision does work with families, but less directly. They hope to change things by also changing the community the children live in, but without the discipleship involved in Compassion International's approach. World Vision works even in regions where the Bible and Christ are forbidden topics, and you cannot mention anything about these topics in your letters to children in those regions.

Compassion only administers their program where they can use the name of Jesus and bring Bibles and Bible teaching. You as a sponsor are encouraged to speak spiritual life and hope into your child through regular letters (hopefully at least monthly letters). They need to know that poverty need not define them. Your child will write back to you three times a year at the very least, or after every one of your letters, depending on the staff available to help the children. My children answer almost every one of my letters.

How was your week? Thank you for reading here. Bless you!

Sharing with other moms at this link-up, here.

The Joy in Compassion

Compassion bloggers are in the Dominican Republic this week, sharing the incredible blessing Compassion International is in the lives of these precious families. I am linking to my favorite posts below.

Read on to find out why $38 a month to sponsor a child is the best decision you'll make this year.

Bonnie at Faith Barista: Why One Country Road Paved With Dirt Let to a Waterfall of Joy

Bonnie at Faith Barista: Meeting Braudy: How One Tin-Roof Shack Turned Brokenness Into Beauty

Bonnie at Faith Barista: The First Child I Saw, Standing in His Story


Brianne McCoy: To Even Exist

Ruth Soukup : The Last Thing I Expected to Find

Holley Gerth: Hopes and Dreams

Modeling Humility for the Children

Today was a long, hard day characterized by non-stop deep-cleaning of the bedrooms. We take better care of common areas than we do the bedrooms, so it was time to take a snow day and get busy. I rarely give my children snow days or cold weather days as the local school district does, so there was no guilt in this decision, but I definitely wanted it done in one day.

Thus, the non-stop pace. Being a very goal-oriented person and knowing my kids don't do well with too much time off, I put a lot of pressure on myself to finish by evening, working hard from 10 AM on, only stopping to eat a sandwich while standing up.

We got all the junk out from under the beds and off surfaces and processed all the paper, dust, and unneeded stuff.

Boy that's a good feeling, and it makes the bedrooms easier to dust and vacuum in a snap.

The master bedroom was the worst; that's where stuff is stashed when I don't have time to process clutter before guests arrive. I was so ashamed of that room, yet there was never a chunk of time to tackle it.

The kids did a share of the work, then had free time while I finished up--free time that led to more messes. I tried hard to curb my growing irritation, but near dinner a headache pounded, so off we went to the pharmacy for my Imitrex, as well as to Little Ceasar's.

If you're a mom, you know what it's like. Sometimes you just have to stop everything and deal with clutter to get your sanity back. And when you've knocked yourself out and the rooms look smashing and ultra-organized, you probably expect some praise or at least a thank-you.

My kids were very grateful and full of praise, knowing how hard I worked. They went to bed in very nice looking rooms, happily. I'd even made special places for their stuffed animals, which thrilled them.

But hubby? It wasn't good. 

The pharmacy didn't have my prescription ready so we returned with me still sporting a pounder, already having tried the over-the-counters.

Hubby got home and went into the bedroom to get something. He paused more than usual, surveyed the room, and only came out to say, "Where are my CD's?"

Oh, man. That didn't go over too well for me. That room looked superb, after looking like trash for weeks, and that's all he has to say? Did he even have a clue how much paperwork and clutter I went through to thoroughly clean in there?

Exhausted and head-achy and mad, I could only think of how much he's becoming like his father. Mean-spirited, never praising, never appreciating anything...or so it seems.

In front of the kids I told him he's becoming just as mean as his dad and why couldn't he at least say the room looks nice?

When I'm mad he says nothing, always waiting for a calm wife to address anything that was said. He's amazing that way and I love him for it. Because of it, we aren't fighters. The Lord works on me, and him, separately, and then we move on easily, understanding each other without many words. I always apologize humbly for carelessly thrown words or wrong attitudes, and he always sees where he might be wrong, without me having to explain anything further.

As soon as the belittling comment left my lips I was horribly ashamed, but too shaken and exhausted to do anything about it just then. I went off by myself to finish the vacuuming while they ate pizza. Then, because I was still mad about being overworked and under-appreciated, I let loose some anger on the kids for their messes during the day, which still lay unattended.

So, that was my day. Productive yet shameful, and too much pressure on myself.

They're all in bed now and I'm just sitting here, feeling oh-so-humbled, analyzing it all in the quiet of the night.

I don't know what I would do without this time alone in the quiet of the night to process my day, my feelings, my shortcomings and my sins. It's a time to pray and process Scripture and listen to the Holy Spirit, before writing out what He wants from me.

My husband's love language is quality time and mine is affirming words, though these days I do fine as long as people aren't hurtful with their words; I no longer need much affirming, as long as there isn't a lot of criticizing.

Despite understanding love languages, I'm not very good about spending time with him and he's not very good about being appreciative or affirming. Somehow, the marriage grows in grace nevertheless, with the commitment unwavering. We need to be educated in love languages to understand where a spouse is coming from, but we don't learn new tricks easily.

My husband's father was a critical man who never praised his wife for anything, no matter how hard she worked at home. My husband is an improved version of his father--not generally critical, but he does take my work for granted most of the time, which I'm used to and handle fine on typical days. As he gets older I see more of his father in him and I wonder how I'll handle it.

I'm afraid to ask if he sees my mother in me, but he's spent very little time with her, so I think I'm safe for now, even though I must admit my temper to myself and to God.

That's got to be a pretty universal thing among spouses, I would think...or maybe it's just me. You think you're seeing the worst of your father-in-law in your husband. Or a husband sees the worst of his mother-in-law in his wife. Probably true, but probably exaggerated in our minds as well.

Some time ago I realized I would never become the perfect, submissive wife. My kids would never see in me the biblical model of womanhood...or at least not consistently. So I began to pray about my weaknesses in front of them. I wanted them to understand that marriage is about continually praying you'll get better. Better at respecting your husband. Better at loving your wife. Better at forgiving. Better at being kind to an overtired, overworked spouse. Better at turning the other cheek. Better at praying for the marriage, for the spouse, for one's own humility before God.

At the end of the day, the message is the same from the Holy Spirit. I don't have to be the perfect wife or mother. I just need to be a humble wife and mother who leads her children to Jesus by going ahead of them, to His loving, redeeming arms, asking yet again for His forgiveness and blessing.

In the morning during devotions with the kids, I'll apologize and confess my impatience and harsh words, and ask that the Lord make me a submissive, loving wife, and a kindly, gentle mother.

We can't be good, so we better be humble. Once we realize we'll never be good, we grow in grace.

Do you have days like that? When you try to please everyone, only to end up making a fool of yourself?