Hello Friends, We hope you are well and learning much in your family! As many of you may be aware, our family has been lately preparing to make a geographical move. In our earlier years as a family, we used to move frequently, but we’ve been in this house for more than 8 years now.… Continue reading The Freedom of Clearing Out
Author: BarbiePoling
Love Empowers Obedience
[from the archives] A few months after my whole family’s life was radically changed through the miraculous events that I’ve written about and discussed in Remembering Ellen and Empowering the Transfer of Moral Values and Faith, I was sitting in my friend’s living room visiting as my kids and hers were all in the family… Continue reading Love Empowers Obedience
They’ll Know We are Christians by Our Love
[from the archives] In my last blog I wrote about Rachel’s dream to play horn in a wind quintet and I described her process of bringing it into reality. The quintet was finally all set up when classes started last week. Two days before the first rehearsal Rachel came into my room. She explained to… Continue reading They’ll Know We are Christians by Our Love
You Are His Workmanship
Dear Friends, I hope you’re having a wonderful fall time of making memories with your family! This last week my husband and I went with our kids to get some pumpkins to carve for our fall season. Just last year at about this time we had gone to a pumpkin farm where there was a… Continue reading You Are His Workmanship
Christlike Moral Character
[from the archives] Rachel has a dream. It’s a short term dream for this fall quarter of college. Nonetheless, it’s definitely a dream. The thought of it inspires and excites her. She’s passionate about it, and is willingly and eagerly doing all the complicated tasks it has required to set it up. She wants to… Continue reading Christlike Moral Character
The Importance of Play
I’ve been thinking this morning about the many moms that I’ve heard say something like this, “I’m trying to implement Lifestyle of Learning™ principles in our homeschool, but my kids aren’t DOING anything, they aren’t interested in anything.” So then I like to ask them, “Are you serious? They don’t do ANYTHING? They literally sit… Continue reading The Importance of Play
Dancing with Joy
[from the archives] I meandered out into the kitchen to get some late breakfast. Annie and Lizzy were in the living room dancing. As soon as they saw me, Annie exclaimed, “Mommy Mommy Mommy! Watch us!!” I watched as the girls danced to the beginning of “Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree”, but something was missing. … Continue reading Dancing with Joy
Identifying Cruelty
[from the archives] I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth getting ready for bed. Lizzy came in. “I need to get a new band aid for my thumb, Mom.” She showed me a ½ inch long shallow slice down the front of her thumb. “How’d you do that?” “Missy did it to me.” Missy… Continue reading Identifying Cruelty
Marimba Harmony
[from the archives] My husband made a marimba. Several months back we were at a music event in downtown Seattle, and we saw a marimba band. It was very cool! The marimbas looked as though they were made of PVC and 2x4s. We all agreed we should make some someday. The other day Tim decided… Continue reading Marimba Harmony
My Note to Moms
[from the archives] I’ve been thinking about you. I’ve been thinking about those who read my blogs. I’ve been writing a great deal about how I specifically talk with my kiddos about the issues of their hearts. It’s occurred to me that some may be thinking, “Great! If I just say things like Barbie says… Continue reading My Note to Moms