The book, Hope for the Flowers, by Trina Paulus has been beloved by readers of all ages for more than forty years. It makes the wonderful basis for a short study of butterflies and faith.
“Monarch butterflies are one of the best examples of design in God’s Creation, for none of the stages of caterpillar/butterfly development occur by chance, the central principle of the religion of evolutionism. The facts show that God programmed every stage of the caterpillar/butterfly life cycle. If there were no other evidence of design in God’s Creation than caterpillars and butterflies, this alone would be enough to show the fact of His design in His Creation.”
Bible Study and Discussion Questions
Why isn’t Stripe satisfied? (Ecclesiastes 1:1-11)
Who can satisfy Stripe (and us)? (Psalm 107:9)
Where are most of the caterpillars going? (Matthew 7:13)
What caused Stripe and the other caterpillars to step on each other? (James 3:14-16)
What do you think they were hoping to find at the top of the pillar? What do people hope to find “at the top” if they’re successful?
Why did Stripe have a hard time believing he could be a butterfly? (1 Corinthians 2:5) Do you ever have a hard time believing you can change?
Stripe and Yellow both had to give up what they had to find their true purpose. Do Christians have to do this? (Luke 14:33)
The process of becoming a butterfly felt like dying, but Stripe and Yellow had new lives as butterflies. How is that like having a new life in Christ? (2 Corinthians 5:17)
When Yellow became a butterfly, what did she want to do first? (Romans 10:1-15) Do you know someone who needs to hear the good news about Jesus?
Who were you created to be? (1 Peter 2:9) Do you think it’s easier being a caterpillar or a butterfly?
When I first got serious about getting my children’s help with housework, I was most interested in them learning responsibility. Now I can’t keep our home running without my kids. Take the chore challenge and your whole family will benefit for years to come.
#1 Determine the chores that have to be done each week
I recommend you limit your list to the absolute musts. Washing the baseboards isn’t a weekly must, for example.
The easiest way to do this is to ask yourself what you want done morning and evening. To get you started, here are the chores we do both morning and evening:
Clear and wipe table and counters
Load dishwasher
Wash dishes that don’t go into the dishwasher
Sweep kitchen and clear window seat
Pick up play room
Pick up school room
The kids do one additional chore each in the mornings in addition to their bedroom and joint bathroom.
Weekly chores in our home include dusting, vaccuuming, Swiffering, mowing (in season), and emptying garbage (and replacing can liners–you can’t forget that!). The kids (ages 8 and up) are responsible for doing their own laundry on their assigned day.
#2 Assign chores to each child
Consult a list of age-appropriate chores like this one and discuss with your children which chores they are interested in learning. My children are now old enough that all of them are capable of doing any daily chore. When I rotated chores when the kids were younger, I helped the littlest do their chore if it was too much for them.
In our house, one child keeps the same weekly chore until he has matured to the next level. The youngest Swiffers while the oldest mows, for example. However, I recently demoted a child because he consistently failed to dust well. He is happier managing garbage and I am happier having the dusting done! This was a decision reached through family discussion.
#3 Choose a chore management system and set it up
I think I’ve tried just about every approach to chores there is. Everything has worked for a while, but then we get tired of it. The key for my family seems to be variety.
Our current approach for daily chores is a colored index card system. The kids draw cards to see what their chores are. The hot pink cards are drawn morning and evening. The neon yellow cards are for morning only. I’ve also created a set of orange cards for special once-a-week chores (e.g., cleaning the microwave) and a green set with spring cleaning tasks on them. One thing I’ve noticed is I need to rewrite the card as soon as the back gets a distinguishing mark on it. No cheating allowed!
Some considerations when choosing an approach to chores:
Does it require a lot of set-up or management time? Having to approve many individual chores for six kids on a computer was a nightmare for me, as was trying to determine point levels for each chore for rewards.
Does it offer convenient access? A computer program we used required individual logins. The bickering over access to the computer wasn’t worth it for me.
Is it flexible? You will need to be able to change it without spending a lot of time on it. I remember Konos author, Jessica Hulcy, saying she would assign chores to her boys on index cards each day, depending on what she needed done. That’s flexible!
Does it make it easy for you to check chores? The saying, “Inspect what you expect” is a wise one. Some methods I have tried for this include having a chore checker, shadowing one child during chore time, working on every room together as a family, not assigning myself chores so I have time to check, or taking turns doing the chore myself so I can see if it’s being done correctly.
Does it offer enough variety? Some children want to have the same chores, while others will want to rotate them. Are your children like mine and want to use a new approach regularly? If so, don’t spend a lot of time and money on something you’ll all be bored with soon.
#4 Teach at least one chore
Surprisingly enough, we homeschool moms can forget that learning to do chores is just another subject. Kids can succeed when the work is broken the down into easy steps they can do.
Having the kids do their own laundry became so much easier when I taught them step-by-step how to fold clothes, for example. Model, have them try, encourage and correct, and when they’ve got it, keep doing spot checks. Kids have a habit of “forgetting” things they don’t like to do.
I really like this DVD from Cleaning with Kids. She demonstrates an easy way to clean the shower and recommends kids clean in pairs. We used it as part of school one day.
Are you using a chore system that works for you? Tell us about it!
This year I’ve gotten familiar with 15 homeschool blogs that I love and I think you will, too. After I tell you all about them, I want to tell you about my Versatile Blogger Award from Stories of Our Boys. April’s blog isn’t a homeschool blog, but I absolutely love it. Her posts about her four darling boys remind me so much of myself years ago. It’s a fun walk down memory lane. Part of the Versatile Blogger Award is sharing seven things about myself, so I hope you’ll stick around for that, too. Now for the must-read blogs!
Amy’s blog, Homeschool Encouragement, is aptly named. She is definitely an encourager! She offers monthly printables to her subscribers, Lego printables, and this great “clean kitchen” checklist that only a mom can appreciate. My favorite pin is her Jane Austen resource list. When my daughter is a little older, we’ll be taking advantage of it!
This Sweet Life of Mine with Tara Mitchell
This Sweet Life of Mine is a great place for reviews, recipes, and more. My favorite article is
Our Abundant Blessings is a wonderful place to go for homesteading and healthy eating information as well as great homeschooling articles. One of my favorite posts is You Say Sheltering As If It’s a Bad Thing and one of my favorite pins is Big Mac Salad ( I can’t wait to make this!).
I now nominate the above 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award (which means you win). The rules are listed here. One of the rules is sharing 7 things about myself. Here goes:
I rarely read fiction, though I enjoy it. I’m a nonfiction junkie.
I have a hard time not eating an entire bag of chocolate covered pretzels.
I ate gluten, grain, lactose, and sugar-free for eight years and I won’t do it again.
I am terrified of playing piano for people.
My favorite restaurant is Panera.
I can’t stand being cold.
My dream is to publish my own language arts curriculum.
Can you relate to any of my personal facts? I would love to have you follow me on Pinterest and Google+ for homeschool sanity.
It can be easy for homeschooling families to take service to the church to one of two extremes — either always being at church to the neglect of family and homeschooling or never being there. This week, we are going to take time to discuss and pray about how God is calling us to share our time, talents, and tithes with our faith family and the world.
#1 Review Your Current Church Service
If you don’t yet belong to a church, I encourage you to make that a priority this week. The Lord urges us to be in community with other believers to worship Him, to serve, and to be cared for.
If you do belong to a church and you are currently serving, write down what you are each doing. Consider these factors:
Does your service take an appropriate amount of time?
Does your service take advantage of your talents?
Does your service meet a need?
Spend time discussing how you each serve and praying about what, if any, changes the Lord would have you make.
#2 Consider Time Commitments of Potential Service Opportunities
If you or your family aren’t serving at church, this is the week to consider how you can do that. If the way you are serving isn’t working, this is also a time to consider a change.
Many homeschooling families find their time is best used serving together. I know some who make yearly participation in a church musical or outreach activities (like an Easter egg hunt) a family activity. My family and our homeschool friends prepared meals together for Feed My Starving Children this year and the time flew because we had so much fun.
Our church offers the chance to participate in mission trips during the year. This is a good time to determine if these opportunities work well with your family’s schedule.
Some acts of service can be fit around your regular schedule. I love Not Consumed’s idea of an Acts of Service jar. When it’s full, the family celebrates what they’ve done.
#3 Consider Your Talents and Interests When Considering Service Opportunities
The Homeschool Classroom offers great ideas for service opportunities for your family. Your church office may have some ideas, but even better, ask people you know who are in charge of various ministries. Ask your children what they would be most passionate about doing. The Pleasantest Thing shares service ideas that even toddlers can enjoy.
Some of the best ideas for serving come from your children themselves. My daughter has organized a lemonade stand to raise funds for malaria nets and a bake sale for African orphans. If the ideas fit with your child’s God-given talents and interests, you won’t have to beg them to serve.
#4 Consider Your Tithes
Have you shared with your children your commitment to giving to the church and to charity? If not, share with them the sacrifices you willingly make and the blessings of giving. Also share why you are passionate about the causes you support.
Give your children the opportunity to give their own money to church and other causes. Lead them in prayer about the amount and the distribution of the money they will give. If you leave the gift amount open-ended, you may be surprised by how generous they will be.
If you’re like me, you haven’t been the most organized with the church offering and tithing envelopes. This is the week to change that. You may want to get your children a Giving Bank, so they can clearly see their offerings. You can also use an app like Spend. I have 10% of my children’s incoming money automatically added to a tithing account. Now my children and I need to make sure the money makes it into their envelopes!
How do you and your family serve the church and the world?
Easter is a very important celebration for my family. But sometimes, busyness gets in the way of preparing for it. If you’d like to have an organized Easter this year, join us in completing this week’s tasks.
#1 Plan Easter events
Our church has two important Easter events besides our midweek and Easter services. We volunteer for one of them and invite friends and neighbors to both. Today is the day to put special Easter events on your calendar and issue invitations to those who don’t normally attend church.
Today is also the day to plan family Easter celebrations. Determine the place and menu. If you’re hosting Easter, aren’t you glad you started the Spring Cleaning challenge last week? My husband’s family has an Easter brunch every year and everyone brings different cut-up fruits for a fruit salad. Love it! Here’s the link to the Amish Breakfast Casserole I frequently make.
#2 Plan spiritually
It’s easy to get caught up in all the extras that surround Easter, and forget what it’s all about. In past years, we have done Easter unit studies, read Easter devotions, watched videos about Easter, and made Easter treats (like resurrection cookies) that go along with Scripture. Last year, we were blessed by the video Christ in the Passover. Be sure to check out this list of great Easter learning links at Cynce’s Place.
#3 Plan outfits
I’ll admit it. I’m one of those kind-of corny moms who dresses her kids alike for Easter. Every year I say I will quit, but I can’t! I love the family photos I get at church (even if I have a hard time keeping other people out of the photo!). I really will quit this year in honor of my 17-year-old son who has been such a good sport all these years. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have to plan outfits. It’s no fun to realize the day before Easter that your kids have outgrown or worn out their nice dress clothes. The sizes you need are sure to be gone! And you don’t need the stress of trying to decide what to wear yourself at the last minute. Plan outfits today and you’ll be so glad you did next month. My favorite place to shop for Easter outfits is Kohls.
#4 Plan gifts and crafts
You’ve seen all the great Easter ideas on Pinterest, but if you don’t plan for them this week, come the day before Easter, you’ll be standing in line at Wal-Mart buying the egg dyeing kit, overpaying for a lame Easter basket, and trust me–you will not be in the Easter spirit! Ask the kids what traditions and crafts are most important to them. Pick up supplies today and plan time to do them. Doing these things with friends can be even more fun and provides an extra measure of accountability.
For Easter gifts, I usually give my kids things I bought on sale during Black Friday. My Christmas gift list for kids is still appropriate here, but I love to give them gifts for outdoor fun: hula hoops, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, squirt guns, scooters, sports equipment, and outdoor games. I’m not opposed to a little chocolate either!
What Easter traditions do you want to be sure and plan for this week?
If you don’t go to the gym…don’t make a healthy meal…don’t read to your child…don’t put money in savings…don’t encourage your spouse…don’t write a page of your book…don’t work on your business plan…don’t spend time with God…
Then it will be easier not to do it tomorrow…
It will be easier to hit the snooze button…go through the drive-through…surf the internet…spend too much…criticize…get lost in busy work…watch TV…stare at your phone…
And it will make sense to put it off until next week or next month…
When the weather is better…when you feel better…when you’ve had time to rest…when the extra money comes in…when it’s a special occasion…when you’re not traveling…when you don’t have so many commitments…when you’re not so stressed…
When you’ll try to get caught up…
By working out twice as long…eating half as much…spending a weekend focused on your kids…selling something to build your savings…going on a trip with your spouse…writing a book in a weekend…networking at a conference…attending a church retreat…
But months later, you won’t have anything to show for it…
You won’t remember what you did when you weren’t at the gym…what you ate in exchange for a healthy body…how you spent your evenings when you weren’t playing with your child…what you spent your money on…what was more important than your marriage…what you created when you weren’t writing your book…where you spent your time when you weren’t achieving your dream…who you were talking to when you weren’t getting to know God…
So do what’s most important today…
Get a short workout in…eat some fresh vegetables…read a funny book to your children…take the money you would have spent at the drive-through and save it…surprise your spouse with a loving gesture…set a timer and write for 15 minutes…take one small step toward your goal…pray and read a chapter of the Bible…
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16
I’m a Christian psychologist turned homeschooling mother of six. My life can be a little crazy, so I look for sanity-saving ideas to use and share. I hope you’ll read my About page to learn more.
