Little Miss Modesty

Blessings!!!

I am writing this post with a heart bursting full of joy, because my eldest daughter  has it upon her heart to blog! She is 8 years old and has the sweetest spirit of striving to help and encourage others to keep a mindful-modest heart, and walk with Jesus! I helped her set up her account and will be monitoring her as she writes her posts, proofreading, and trying to be there for her as she needs me.

She came up with the idea to start a blog upon reading one she found. It is www.kelly-annesblog.blogspot.com and entitled, "Beautiful Girlhood". I am so excited for her to see where Jesus is leading her. She is hoping and praying to reach the hearts and minds of young girls who may or may not know what a modest girl should be.

So, with no further adue.....here it is!!!

Little Miss Modesty

I pray this will open your hearts as well, to continue to be a blessing for YOUR daughters!

"Her children arise and call her blessed" Proverbs 31:28

How blessed I am indeed!

Be Encouraged!

Your Grace is Enough!

So, yesterday my check engine light finally came on, after my truck has been jerking back and forth for 3 weeks now and my RPM's pings down. I thought I had gotten bad fuel at a WaWa upon one of our house hunting trips up North. I had a friend/neighbor look at it and he thought it might have been a sensor on the side of my transmission because my check engine light never came on. So, I had it replaced just to be safe. Nothing happened and the truck was still not running right.

Yesterday, as I was running all over town handling things for our move and picking up a prescription at Rite Aid with my mom and kids….it finally happened. That little yellow CHECK ENGINE light came on and my truck dinged at me! So I headed straight to the nearest auto place. I went in and explained what was going on and the guy recommended getting a diagnostic check….so I did. After all, riding in an unsafe car with kids in 100* weather is a sure NO –NO and recipe for disaster!!!

While my truck was in the bay,  I sat out in front talking with the gentleman that I spoke to when I first came in for a little over an hour. We talked about cars and kids, cancer, losing a loved one, America falling to pieces, his past military affiliation, how he had a car messing up on him…and I too had 2 cars that were messing up on me! LOL We discussed the presidential race, the churches we go to, and how America has forgotten where we really come from. That the love of Jesus wasn’t here anymore and people’s priorities are not in place.

After we got done with our conversation…which I enjoyed very much, the tech comes out and states that the problem with my truck is that my spark plugs and coils went bad. The total came to almost $200.00 including labor. I didn't say anything other than “how long can I drive my truck like that without something happening and it getting worse?”  The guy looked at me with his head turned and tucked in his lips. Then and said, “Now listen to me darlin’…you go right down to the auto parts store and take this list. (he hands me a yellow piece of paper with his handwritten notes)  “Buy these parts, meet me at the shop tomorrow morning around 9am, and bring $30 dollars with ya...alright?” I stood there for a minute just looking at him with the feeling of an all too familiar presence by me. Then grabbed his hand, held it tightly and said thank you! I did as he asked me….and went home.

So today, after I drop Isaiah off at church because today is the youth group fun day at King’s Dominion and King’s Fest Concert…I head to drop my truck off around 9’ish like he told me, and my mom comes to get me and the girls. I am not too happy with how things seem to be all over the place, but I knew something was bubbling up quickly.

Good or bad. I didn’t know, but we walk by faith….especially in the moments of the unknown!

Not too long ago… I get a call saying that my truck was done. The same gentleman I had sat there with, was very persistent about coming to MY house to pick me and my daughters up to take it for a ‘test drive’ before checking out. I had a ‘feeling’ in my stomach that said, “NO WAY…you don’t know this man and your husband is NOT home!” But…with no ride and it not too far away from the shop it was worked on, I had contemplated it GULP! I called my mom of course and asked her opinion about it. She stated that she was too far away and had absolutely NO way back here right now… so I reluctantly agreed to his offer.

This gentleman shows up at our house with his 6 year old son riding with him in my truck. He gets out and says, “She’s riding real smooth for ya , now go get those keys to this GTO right here.” I looked at him again, no words…just a bizarre look upon my face, went into the house to get the keys, and did as he asked of me. No questions asked, for I didn’t know what to say. I came back out and handed them to him…he walked to the front of my husband’s car, asked me to hop in, pop the hood, and start her up. I did as he asked of me. He asks me for a cup and if my water spout on the front of the house worked. I did as he asked me.

Then he poured water in the radiator, walked over to check the light that had come on and the thermostat meter that was reading HOT….again. He told me to get in it and he will drive my truck back to the shop. “Your gonna leave it here until Monday and I will have it ready for you.” He said. “It’s your thermostat and it’s stuck….” I looked at him and asked how much it was to fix it. He looked at me and said, “Don’t you worry about it”…….just do as I ask.

I did as he asked of me….

I drove home in my truck with the girls right away, and called my grandmother from the driveway once I pulled in. I told her what happened to me. How this stranger treated me. How he just seem to make  everything all right…. for me. No questions asked. Nothing in return. But what he gave to me was priceless. His compassion, love, and eagerness to bless me and my family, was humbling. I am ashamed in many ways. I was scared I didn’t have enough to take care of all the things needed before our move, yet I ever made it known to him. I have allowed stress to overtake my day…my week…this whole deployment, and sometimes …honestly OFTEN, forgetting to praise My LORD in my storm. I did not know this man, but he seemed to know me. I am not worthy of his gift, but God’s mercy and grace towards me has shown that maybe, through all my trials of fear –vs- faith… I am?

The look upon my face as I glanced constantly at this man, may have seemed odd to him…or maybe not. But he will never know how blessed I really am to have been able to see in a stranger, …someone so dear to me.

His face

His heart

His hands…..

 I was looking at my ‘Papa’. This man’s resemblance in face, character, the smell of the days hard work in a greasy shop as he worked with diligent hands; that behold the scars of his youth. The words exactly how they were spoken and so straight forward…..was like seeing the most humble of souls so long been compressed. For I fight myself daily to think of him.

The pain. The memories.

The reality of the words,

 “It’s Over…never again will he be here for you”…

Because the pain is unbearable it forces me to try not to think of the past.

It is the past….he is in the past.

As I sit and write this now….I am amazed, humbled, and so joyful.  My LORD has given me a glimpse of him as He does know all my needs and cares. He hears my cries however silent they may be. The LORD knew I needed him, my Papa…my Dad. I needed to SEE, that while I don’t have him here with me anymore, God still wants me to know and remember that death does not mean forever. It means until next time…..and maybe this was just that……my ‘next’ time.

Thank you Lord…just thank you

A Day of Thanksgiving

Good Morning Beloveds!

Today is nothing special. Just a regular day doing what I do everyday. Homemaking and homeschooling.  Only today I have a heavy amount of THANKSGIVING overflowing from the depths of my soul! Simple things, that I so often take for granted. Simple things that I overlook while pushing to just 'do better next time'. Simple things that I will one day miss...for my season of homeschooling, being a mommy, and having a full nest will come to an end. (Cringing at that thought but trusting God along the way!) 

The Bible says in:

2 Corinthians 4:15

All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Psalm 69:30

I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.

How wonderful it is to have a voice to be able to shout to the LORD and dance around my livingroom  with my hands in the air. I wonder if my neighbors ever peek in my window and stare at me thinking, "What a crazied woman? " Gosh, I hope not...!

_________________________

~My simple list of Thanksgiving~

Thankful for my son washing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen.

Thankful for Missy helping to vacuum the floors and put items away.

Thankful for our Pastor coming and spending time at our home and for taking Isaiah out to lunch for 'Godly Man Stuff' lol

Thankful for my husband and that we only have 58 days left until my hubby is stateside checking out and 64 until he is home in ...our arms.

Thankful for all of our dear homeschool friends who have taught us so much, shared in our joys and frustrations, and been the rock of our educational journey of "HOW CAN I KEEP DOING THIS WITHOUT COFFEE? moments ;)

Thankful that we serve a MIGHTY God who never fails to surprise me with His grace and Love!

Thankful for the truck making it up to Northern Virginia and back SOOO many times without fault!

Thankful for the sweet reminders of why Motherhood is the best season in life! My paycheck is rich daily with the amount of hugs and kisses I receive!

Thankful for the new home the Lord is providing us with!

Thankful for the ability to cry.....I cry now because of the thankfulness overflowing from my heart for the things most others take for granted!

Life is truly AMAZING!!! I vow to you LORD to carry my cross, push through until the end, and dig deeper and deeper everyday to touch the garment you wear! I love you my King ♥ ♥ ♥

Be Encourgaged!!!

Fast Food Fiasco...The Devil Lives in the Drive Thru!

Blessings Beloveds!!!

I sit here with much joy and excitement in my voice as well as my heart, as I share with you that GOD has made all of our dreams come true! We have been praying for financial freedom for many MANY years, as most people do. We have seen the lowest of lows numerous times, endured the strongest of storms (literally), and have fallen victim to the ways of the world in so many ways,  that we literally had nothing...at one point. However, we never doubted for a second that God will provide....ALL of our needs with His perfect amount, each time as He sees fit. It was the doubt for ourselves and the temptations of daily living, that hindered our blessings and sent our focus in all the wrong directions!
  The amount of debt that we accumulate in one lifetime, is outrageous! Many times we endulge ourselves in 'wordly' things like clothing, furniture, toy for the kids, the prettiest dishes in the store, that new Hoover vacuum, StarBucks or Mc. Donald's 2-3 times a week, that we mismanage out money drastically leaving no room for future security!

Here is just a brief run down of  HOW MUCH we were eating out at one point in our lives. Just in fast food places over a 4 month time span, you can see our MAJOR errors!
 I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE you to print out those bank statements and adjust your budget! See just how many times you are wasting your money on fast food. Add up your total amount spent and figure out JUST how much money could have gone to groceries, gas, your savings account!

(WARNING.....JAW DROPPER INCOMING!!!)

These are our actual bank statement records minus our personal information. ALL dates, amounts, and payees remain the same, for our safety!

 JANUARY

01-17 24.36 Wendys

01-17 20.64 Mcdonald's

01-17 18.62 Mcdonald's

01-23 34.31 Little Caesars

01-23 13.70 Starbucks

01-23 5.82 Starbucks

01-23 0.17 Starbucks

01-25 89.01 Romanos

01-25 24.70 Mcdonald's

01-25 17.48 Mcdonald's

01-26 30.94 Subway

01-27 8.48 Mcdonald's

01-30 45.92 Denny's

01-30 25.84 Wendys

01-30 2.21 Mcdonald's
_____________________
15 times -TOTAL: $362.20

 FEBRUARY

02-01 16.86 Mcdonald's

02-02 29.79 Hardees

02-03 41.05 Golden Corral

02-06 20.19 Mcdonald's

02-09 15.34 Mcdonald's

02-09 11.48 Mcdonald's

02-10 52.16 Ihop

02-13 24.35 Pizza Hut

02-13 22.09 Bojangles

02-13 18.75 Taco Bell

02-13 1.09 Taco Bell

02-14 41.92 Boston Market

02-14 36.12 Starbucks

02-14 20.07 Mcdonald's

02-16 10.90 Taco Bell

02-21 24.83 Mcdonald's

02-24 13.13 Mcdonald's

02-27 20.94 Dairy Queen

02-27 8.19 Krispy Kreme Dough

02-29 17.15 Mcdonald's

___________________
20 times- TOTAL: $446.40

 MARCH

03-01 22.04 Mcdonald's F8004

03-02 34.07 The Wild Side Cafe

03-02 6.39 Mcdonald's

03-05 9.01 Mcdonald's

03-07 4.38 Wendys

03-08 16.32 Mcdonald's

03-12 29.35 Pizza Hut

03-12 14.12 Mcdonald's

03-13 17.85 Mandarin Express

03-14 28.56 Mcdonald's

03-16 7.06 Mcdonald's

03-19 30.17 Mcdonald's

03-19 18.23 Chick-Fil-A

03-19 11.48 Mcdonald's

03-20 11.05 Little Caesars

03-21 11.67 Mcdonald's

03-22 23.62 Starbucks

03-26 13.58 Mcdonald's

03-26 13.58 Mcdonald's

03-26 11.48 Mcdonald's

03-27 19.97 Mcdonald's

03-28 3.97 Mcdonald's
______________________
22 times- TOTAL: $357.95


 APRIL

04-02 22.52 Mcdonald's

04-02 7.49 Mcdonald's

04-04 37.71 Golden Corral

04-04 4.42 Mcdonald's

04-05 4.42 Mcdonald's

04-09 11.05 Mcdonald's

04-11 7.06 Mcdonald's

04-16 16.10 Panera Bread

04-16 13.43 Mcdonald's

04-16 9.26 Panera Bread

04-16 6.39 Mcdonald's

04-16 4.42 Mcdonald's

04-17 17.44 Mcdonald's

04-19 11.05 Taco Bell

04-24 22.10- Mcdonald's

04-30 12.87 Mcdonald's
_______________________

16 times- TOTAL: $203.31


MAY

05-01 16.39 Mcdonald's

05-07 11.38 Ihop

_____________________

2 times- TOTAL: $27.77

THE GRAND TOTAL OVER A 4 MOTH TIME SPAN:

DRUM ROLL PLEASE....................................

75 times we bought fast food for a total of: $1,397.63!!!!

Now, if you will notice......the last month's total was ONLY $27.77!

This was the last month we have purchased ANYTHING from a fast food resturant after adding up ALL of our eating habits! We have set a limit to 2x per month and not to spend more than $20 each time. Some may say that $40.00 is alot of money to spend going out to eat 2x per month, but looking back at our history....it is great! We are taking baby steps to make sure we are spending our money more wisely for sure!

God's Word tells us: 

Romans 13:8 says, "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law."

We were only putting ourselves into farther debt.....and really had no idea JUST how bad out eating out habits were! We owed creditors for past due/unpaid bills, a furniture account, car/truck payment, rent, utilities, food etc.....which ALL come before this self indulgence just to satisfy our carnal desire to live the 'QUICK AND EASY' lifestyle. It is SO easy to just pull into the drive thru when you have 3 screaming kids piled into the backseat all whiney and fussy about how hungry they are. You don't want to spend much time in the kitchen cooking because you are exausted from all the homeschooling, working a 9 to 5, housework, soccer games and what have you......that it is just the EASY way out!

Well, let me tell you sisters, There is nothing EASY about being broke and hitting rock bottom just to be able to sit on your bottom and relax! God has not created the woman to look for the 'easy' way out, he has created us to be the caretakers of the homes he blesses us with by means of hard working husbands! For those of you who are unmarried....God bless you because it is HARD ( I know....been there) , your are wasting your hard earned paychecks all in the name is "Easy Street"!

Exodus 35:25 says, " Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun--blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen."

Proverbs 31:10-31

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

10^c A wife of noble character who can find?

She is worth far more than rubies.

11Her husband has full confidence in her

and lacks nothing of value.

12She brings him good, not harm,

all the days of her life.

13She selects wool and flax

and works with eager hands.

14She is like the merchant ships,

bringing her food from afar.

15She gets up while it is still dark;

she provides food for her family

and portions for her servant girls.

16She considers a field and buys it;

out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

17She sets about her work vigorously;

her arms are strong for her tasks.

18She sees that her trading is profitable,

and her lamp does not go out at night.

19In her hand she holds the distaff

and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

20She opens her arms to the poor

and extends her hands to the needy.

21When it snows, she has no fear for her household;

for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

22She makes coverings for her bed;

she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

23Her husband is respected at the city gate,

where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

24She makes linen garments and sells them,

and supplies the merchants with sashes.

25She is clothed with strength and dignity;

she can laugh at the days to come.

26She speaks with wisdom,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

27She watches over the affairs of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28Her children arise and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

29“Many women do noble things,

but you surpass them all.”

30Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

31Give her the reward she has earned,

and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

We are all familiar with the Proverbs 31 woman right?

~How perfect she is.

~How her family wants and needs for nothing.

~How she is up early catching that worm.

~That she is never lazy, idol, or slothful.

~How beautiful, strong, and prepared she is.

~How much her husband just adores her and how blesses her children call her!

PERFECTION AT IT'S FINEST

.....AND SO NOT THE WOMEN OF TODAY!

 Let me tell you beloveds, it is ok....we are not perfect by any means. However, making sure we are using the wisdom GOD has given us to spend our money accordingly is one step closer! Do you want to be the woman who's husband quarrels with her about finances? Do you want to explain to your children why you cannot send them to college? Do you want to wear raggity old clothes that have no more space for patchwork or stitching....all because of a fast food habit?

 NOT I SAID THE HEN!!!!!!

 

 

So, to conclude... we have stopped eating out as much as we were. We are now able to save over $1,300 towards purchashing our first home! Alongside cutting back we also held a yard sale which brought in $522.50! This whole process has been rough, I'll admit, but it has made an lasting impact on not only us, but our children as well. They have been such a blessing to us as their parents. They gave and donated graciously. They helped to organize and remind us NOT to put our money in the trash, and they loved helping to raise money to save towards owning our 1st home!

  

P.S. Our new motto: When life hands you lemons...have a lemonade stand and turn your sourness into sweetness!

It is the hard moments that really make you realize just how BLESSED you are woman of God!

BE ENCOURAGED!

 Psalm 37:4 reads "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." TRUE INDEED!

Let the Homecoming Countdown Begin!

BLESSINGS!

First allow me to say that I LOVE MY U.S. NAVY HUSBAND! I cannot believe that I am finally in the home stretch of having him back in my arms! Safe. Loved. Proud. <...smiling so big right now) The children are super excited to make our deployment homecoming calendar and chains (posts with pics coming soon;) and just being able to see him, hold him, play with him. You never realize just how much you miss that nasty Navy ship smell as they walk in the door, until that uniform is hanging empty! Seeing your children standing in your closet hugging and smelling their Daddy's uniform, just to have him 'feel' close is heartwrenching! I know, I remember doing it as a child.

Many times I found our eldest daughter "Kitty", sitting in a corner with his boots on and wrapping herself inside him uniform shirt crying. The only thing you can so is hold them tight, not speaking or uttering a single sound, because no words can take away the longing for their Daddy. The simplest I LOVE YOU, is sometimes not enough.....but for the time being, it has to be
.
One day, as I was getting us prepared for bed and gathering our nightly bedtime stories, I found that Kitty took Daddy's uniform out of the closet and hung it on the downstairs coat closet by the front door. When I asked her what she was doing, she looked at me with her big brown eyes and long face then said, "I am just waiting for Daddy to come back home Momma, this makes me think of him."

How do I not cry looking at this face?

I couldn't hold it in...

.....I bawled

.....then she bawled,

then we both put on one of Daddy's t-shirts

and slept in our own puddle of tears.....good night sweetgirl, tomorrow we are one day closer.

This deployment is surely the longest one to date (1 year)  as we are at our 16 1/2 year mark. Hubby is talking about going for 30 years, so I am sure there will be more to come. But, to date we have been through 6 deployments and with each passing one, they seem to be getting longer and harder. Our 2 daughters don't quite remember the other deployments, as they were rather young, but Pika does. Having to say good bye in the midst of losing our 9th child and our home in Hurricane Irene makes this deployment even harder and one they will never forget!
Watching the news and seeing all the tragic events, natural disasters, and knowing that Daddy was right in the midst of it all, had us on the edge of our seats! The earthquakes in Japan and Thailand, the tsunami warnings, the piracy of the Somalia Pirates etc...was nervewrecking!

 I am so thankful that this deployment was not done alone though, as a few previous ones had been. We have so many dear friends here who kept us busy and never let us get too down in a rut!
Thank you friends....thank you!
Not that I would want ANY wife (or child) to have to edure the pain and longing for their husbands and fathers, but to know that we had friends here with us (10 of them in fact) that all had husbands deployed....made things so much better!
The mornings within the walls of our home gathered with girlfriends around the dining room table while sipping coffee as our children payed inthe back yard, made conversations something to cherish forever. The words spoken will never be shared -only understood, for the voices being heard spoke with honor, faithfulness, and pain......and came right from the soul. Some of them were fun and full of laughter and smiles. Others, not so simple as we craddled each other, cried on the shoulder next to us, and fought to hold back the anger that our deployments spewed from within our hearts. How they "never seem to go quick enough" and that "Everything that could go wrong on a deployment....did just that".

Seeing the hurt on their children's faces however, opened the door for a very valuable lesson to be taught and witnessed with our children. In the midst of our pain, we can still bring joy and comfort to others in need. Just having baked cookies and hot chocolate awaiting their arrival at our home, brings the joy out in everyone...no matter how hurt they made be. Just knowing that "someone cares" makes our hearts smile and we know it does the same for others as well!

 Our children also made many lifelong friends all because of this deployment. Seeing them hug and play games with friends who's daddy is deployed too, made them realize that there is no time for a pity party, because others need a friend just as we do! That a smile and a prayer go along way. Afterall, those who pray together....stay together right? ;)

Now that we are in the final stretch of having him home, I can say with MUCH appreciation; I AM READY TO HAVE ALL OF THE CRYBABY MUSHY STUFF OUT OF THE WAY! lol
Well, until we see eachother and make up for lost time that is ;)

AND NOW, FOR THE BEST NEWS EVER...........

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!

I received an email from my husband giving us our "OFFICIAL" homecoming countdown! We have 87 days left until our HERO is home safe in our arms and we cannot be happier! For the next few weeks, the kids and I will be putting together our homecoming handbook full of projects, pictures, and artwork for Daddy to see when he gets home. We will be preparing our signs (a bit premature, I know.....but OH SO FUN!), getting things ready around the house, making our menu of Daddy's favorite meals etc. This is the very best part of saying goodbye....being able to say HELLO again ;)

The homescoming of the USS Ross 2008 (our last deployment)

Be Encouraged!

Deployment Diary; Volume 1

So, I woke up this morning heavyhearted, yet again. I don't like to go into too much detail about things that happen in my daily life, if they are negative. NO ONE LIKES A NAGGING NANCY! (Sorry if any of you are blessed with the name Nancy....I am sorry, total figure of speech, I promise;)  Striving not to talk about the bad things and thinking, "Well...if I mention something bad, then I MUST add in something good right?" Hummm....still contemplating this one. So, with this frame of mind... I tend to keep things to a bare minimum. However, today somehow feels different, very different. While I sit here weeping, complaining, and in utter hell, over how things are going in my life....I find myself wanting to shout to the world EVERYTHING that is happening in all it's entirety and somehow hear from someone that I am not alone on this journey. I find myself seeking as much peace as possible because my heart, home, and ....well, everything is in complete chaos. Yet, with it staring me right in the face....I am blind to it.

Seek

gain

understand and

 ..............................apply

is my motto.

So, why am I not following my own advice here? Am I a Hypocrite or just fed up with seeking, praying, and trying, then not seeing the results I want?

ME ME ME ME ME right?

Yeah I know.....it is not my life! Some one please shout this out 100 times more with me!

 It is God's!

It is God's!!

It is God's!!!

 I feel that we, as regular people....(surprise...I am NOT super woman here!) try to do so much on our own that when failure comes our way....our world falls apart. When in deed if we had NOT done it OUR way to begin with....and focused upon HIM, our circumstances would be totally different. This being said; I feel that if I don't share what I endure...others who are going through similar situations, may feel like they are the only ones who battle life's hardships.

 NOT TRUE! With no further adue, here I am....as a witness...and maybe some of you can relate:

Being a military wife is.....HARD and anyone who tells us different has NO clue what SACRIFICE really is!

_____________________________________________

1. I hate deployments....with a passion and after enduring 7 of them.....I am so over it!

Yet I love knowing that my husband is away fighting for our country and can sleep soundly at night knowing that while my eyes are closed and my dreams are many, my hero is standing watch over my pillow.

2. I hate sleeping alone at night.

Yet I love how close I feel when I get a letter from him; and somehow alongside his fighting...he loved me enough to send me a piece of his heart in the mail.

3. I have no alone time to rest because I am the chef, maid, plumber, window washer, taxi, nurse, and teacher ALL as a single homemaking and homeschooling mother of 3!

 Yet I wouldn't trade it for the finest treasures of the world, as we are to live in the world...NOT OF IT! 

3. I can't stand seeing 2 coffee cups on the counter and having to put it's mate back into the cabinet.

Yet I am thankful for the fruit of my husband's rewards as he fills my cup every morning.

4. Going days, weeks, and even months (on occasion) not hearing from my husband sends chills up my spine and fills my soul with agony.

But I never would have imagined that it would be this type of separation that could bring me so close to the one who created my husband.

__________________________________________________

It is true...every rose has it's thorn and military life is at times, that thorn, especially when there are children who deal with it harder than we do. Knowing in all the trials, separations, lonely nights, and awful heartache in just well, ...not knowing; we have found that the best part in saying, "GOOD-BYE", means that saying, HELLO", is right around the corner!

Please be encouraged today in knowing that WE ALL GO THROUGH THESE FEELINGS but how we come out of it makes all the difference. Praying for each of us!!!!

Blessings!

Academic Statistics on Homeschooling 2004

 

	October 22, 2004

Academic Statistics on Homeschooling
Shared via www.hslda.org

Direct Article Link:

http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000010/200410250.asp

Many studies over the last few years have established the academic excellence of homeschooled children.

I. Independent Evaluations of Homeschooling

1. In 1997, a study of 5,402 homeschool students from 1,657 families was released. It was entitled, "Strengths of Their Own: Home Schoolers Across America." The study demonstrated that homeschoolers, on the average, out-performed their counterparts in the public schools by 30 to 37 percentile points in all subjects. A significant finding when analyzing the data for 8th graders was the evidence that homeschoolers who are homeschooled two or more years score substantially higher than students who have been homeschooled one year or less. The new homeschoolers were scoring on the average in the 59th percentile compared to students homeschooled the last two or more years who scored between 86th and 92nd percentile. ⁱ

This was confirmed in another study by Dr. Lawrence Rudner of 20,760 homeschooled students which found the homeschoolers who have homeschooled all their school aged years had the highest academic achievement. This was especially apparent in the higher grades. ⁱⁱ This is a good encouragement to families catch the long-range vision and homeschool through high school.

Another important finding of Strengths of Their Own was that the race of the student does not make any difference. There was no significant difference between minority and white homeschooled students. For example, in grades K-12, both white and minority students scored, on the average, in the 87th percentile. In math, whites scored in the 82nd percentile while minorities scored in the 77th percentile. In the public schools, however, there is a sharp contrast. White public school eighth grade students, nationally scored the 58th percentile in math and the 57th percentile in reading. Black eighth grade students, on the other hand, scored on the average at the 24th percentile in math and the 28th percentile in reading. Hispanics scored at the 29th percentile in math and the 28th percentile in reading. ⁱⁱⁱ

These findings show that when parents, regardless of race, commit themselves to make the necessary sacrifices and tutor their children at home, almost all obstacles present in other school systems disappear.

Another obstacle that seems to be overcome in homeschooling is the need to spend a great deal of money in order to have a good education. In Strengths of Their Own, Dr. Ray found the average cost per homeschool student is $546 while the average cost per public school student is $5,325. Yet the homeschool children in this study averaged in 85th percentile while the public school students averaged in the 50th percentile on nationally standardized achievement tests.^iv

Similarly, the 1998 study by Dr. Rudner of 20,760 students, found that eighth grade students whose parents spend $199 or less on their home education score, on the average, in the 80th percentile. Eighth grade students whose parents spend $400 to $599 on their home education also score on the average, in the 80th percentile! Once the parents spend over $600, the students do slightly better, scoring in the 83rd percentile.^v

The message is loud and clear. More money does not mean a better education. There is no positive correlation between money spent on education and student performance. Public school advocates could refocus their emphasis if they learned this lesson. Loving and caring parents are what matters. Money can never replace simple, hard work.

The last significant statistic from the Strengths of Their Own study regards the affect of government regulation on homeschooling. Dr. Brian Ray compared the impact of government regulation on the academic performance of homeschool students and he found no positive correlation. In other words, whether a state had a high degree of regulation (i.e., curriculum approval, teacher qualifications, testing, home visits) or a state had no regulation of homeschoolers, the homeschooled students in both categories of states performed the same. The students all scored on the average in the 86th percentile regardless of state regulation.^vi

Homeschool freedom works. Homeschoolers have earned the right to be left alone.

2. In a study released by the National Center for Home Education on November 10, 1994. According to these standardized test results provided by the Riverside Publishing Company of 16,311 homeschoolers from all 50 states K-12, the nationwide average for homeschool students is at the 77th percentile of the basic battery of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. In reading, the homeschoolers' nationwide grand mean is the 79th percentile. This means, of course, that the homeschool students perform better in reading than 79 percent of the same population on whom the test is normed. In the area of language arts and math, the typical homeschooler scored in the 73rd percentile.

These 16,311 homeschool students' scores were not self-selected by parents or anyone else. They represent all the homeschoolers whose tests were scored through the Riverside Publishing Company. It is important to note that this summary of homeschool achievement test scores demonstrates that 54.7% of the students in grades K-12 are achieving individual scores in the top quarter of the population of students in the United States. This figure is more than double the number of conventional school students who score in the top quarter.^vii

3. In 1991, a survey of standardized test scores was performed by the Home School Legal Defense Association in cooperation with the Psychological Corporation, which publishes the Stanford Achievement Test. The study involved the administering of the Stanford Achievement Test (8th Edition, Form J) to 5,124 homeschooled students. These students represented all 50 states and their grades ranged from K-12. This testing was administered in Spring 1991 under controlled test conditions in accordance with the test publisher's standards. All test administers were screened, trained, and approved pursuant to the publisher's requirements. All tests were machine-scored by the Psychological Corporation.

These 5,124 homeschoolers' composite scores on the basic battery of tests in reading, math, and language arts ranked 18 to 28 percentile points above public school averages. For instance, 692 homeschooled 4th graders averaged in the 77th percentile in reading, the 63rd percentile in math, and the 70th percentile in language arts. Sixth-grade homeschoolers, of 505 tested, scored in the 76th percentile in reading, the 65th percentile in math, and the 72nd percentile in language arts.

The homeschooled high schoolers did even better, which goes against the trend in public schools where studies show the longer a child is in the public schools, the lower he scores on standardized tests. One hundred and eighteen tenth-grade homeschool students, as a group, made an average score of the 82nd percentile in reading, the 70th percentile in math, and the 81st percentile in language arts.

4. The Bob Jones University Testing Service of South Carolina provided test results of Montana homeschoolers. Also a survey of homeschoolers in Montana was conducted by the National Home Education Research Institute. Dr. Brian Ray evaluated the survey and test results and found:

On average, the home education students in this study scored above the national norm in all subject areas on standardized achievement tests. These students scored, on average, at the 72nd percentile in terms of a combination of their reading, language, and math performance. This is well above the national average. ^viii

5. In North Dakota, Dr. Brian Ray conducted a survey of 205 homeschoolers throughout the state. The middle reading score was the 84th percentile, language was the 81st percentile, science was the 87th percentile, social studies was the 86th percentile, and math was the 81st percentile.

Further, Dr. Ray found no significant statistical differences in academic achievement between those students taught by parents with less formal education and those students taught by parents with higher formal education.

6. In South Carolina, the National Center for Home Education did a survey of 65 homeschool students and found that the average scores on the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills were 30 percentile points higher than national public school averages. In math, 92 percent of the homeschool students scored above grade level, and 93 percent of the homeschool students were at or above grade level in reading. These scores are "being achieved in a state where public school SAT scores are next-to-last in national rankings." ^ix

7. In 1990, the National Home Education Research Institute issued a report entitled "A Nationwide Study of Home Education: Family Characteristics, Legal Matters, and Student Achievement." This was a study of over 2,163 homeschooling families.

The study found that the average scores of the homeschool students were at or above the 80th percentile in all categories. The homeschoolers' national percentile mean was 84th for reading, 80th for language, 81st for math, 84th for science and 83rd for social studies.

The research revealed that there was no positive correlation between state regulation of homeschools and the home-schooled students' performance. The study compared homeschoolers in three groups of states representing various levels of regulation. Group 1 represented the most restrictive states such as Michigan; Group 2 represented slightly less restrictive states including North Dakota; and Group 3 represented unregulated states such as Texas and California. The Institute concluded:

...no difference was found in the achievement scores of students between the three groups which represent various degrees of state regulation of home education.... It was found that students in all three regulation groups scored on the average at or above the 76th percentile in the three areas examined: total reading, total math, and total language. These findings in conjunction with others described in this section, do not support the idea that state regulation and compliance on the part of home education families assures successful student achievement. ^x

Furthermore, this same study demonstrated that only 13.9 percent of the mothers (who are the primary teachers) had ever been certified teachers. The study found that there was no difference in the students' total reading, total math and total language scores based on the teacher certification status of their parents:

The findings of this study do not support the idea that parents need to be trained and certified teachers to assure successful academic achievement of their children. ^xi

8. In Pennsylvania, 171 homeschooled students took the CTBS standardized achievement test. The tests were all administered in group settings by Pennsylvania certified teachers. The middle reading score was the 89th percentile and the middle math score was the 72nd percentile. The middle science score was the 87th percentile and the middle social studies score was the 81st percentile. A survey conducted of all these homeschool families who participated in this testing found that the average student spent only 16 hours per week in formal schooling (i.e., structured lessons that were preplanned by either the parent or a provider of educational materials). ^xii

9. In West Virginia, over 400 hundred homeschool students, grades K-12, were tested with the Stanford Achievement test at the end of the 1989-90 school year. The Psychological Corporation scored the children together as one school. The results found that the typical homeschooled students in eight of these grade levels scored in the "somewhat above average" range (61st to 73rd average percentile), compared to the performance of students in the same grade from across the country. Two grade levels scored in the "above average" range (80th to 85th average percentile) and three grade levels scored in the "about average range" (54th to 59th average percentile). ^xiii

10. In Washington state, a survey of the standardized test results of 2,018 homeschooled students over a period of three years found that the median cell each year varied from the 65th percentile to the 68th percentile on national norms. The Washington Home School Research Project concluded that "as a group, these homeschoolers are doing well." ^xiv

11. Dr. Brian Ray, president of the Home Education Research Institute, reviewed over 65 studies concerning home education. He found that homeschoolers were performing at average or above average on test levels. ^xv

12. In 1986, researcher Lauri Scogin surveyed 591 homeschooled children and discovered that 72.61% of the homeschooled children scored one year or more above their grade level in reading. 49.79% scored one year or more above their grade level in math. ^xvi

1.

In 1982, Dr. Raymond Moore studied several thousand homeschooled children throughout the United States. His research found that these children have been performing, on the average, in the 75th to the 95th percentile on Stanford and Iowa Achievement Tests. Additionally, Dr. Moore did a study of homeschooled children whose parents were being criminally charged for exercising their right to teach their own children. He found that the children scored on the average in the 80th percentile. xvii

13. Statistics also demonstrate that homeschoolers tend to score above the national average on both their SAT and ACT scores.

For example, the 2,219 students reporting their homeschool status on the SAT in 1999 scored an average of 1083 (verbal 548, math 535), 67 points above the national average of 1016. In 2004 the 7,858 homeschool students taking the ACT scored an average of 22.6, compared to the national average of 20.9.

According to the 1998 ACT High School Profile Report, 2,610 graduating homeschoolers took the ACT and scored an average of 22.8 out of a possible 36 points. This score is slightly higher that the 1997 report released on the results of 1,926 homeschool graduates and founding homeschoolers maintained the average of 22.5. This is higher than the national average, which was 21.0 in both 1997 and 1998. ^xviii

II. State Department of Education Statistics on Homeschoolers

Several state departments of education or local school districts have also gathered statistics on the academic progress of homeschooled children.

Tennessee
In the spring of 1987, the Tennessee Department of Education found that homeschooled children in 2nd grade, on the average, scored in the 93rd percentile while their public school counterparts, on the average, scored in the 62nd percentile on the Stanford Achievement Test. Homeschool children in third grade scored, on the average, in the 90th percentile in reading on another standardized test, and the public school students scored in the 78 percentile. In math, the third grade homeschooled children scored, on the average, in the 87th percentile, while their public school counterparts scored in the 80th percentile. In eighth grade, the homeschooled students scored, on the average, in the 87th percentile in reading and in 71st percentile in math while their public school counterparts scored in the 75th percentile in reading and the 69th percentile in math. ^xix

Alaska and Oregon
Similarly, in 1986, the State Department of Education in Alaska which had surveyed homeschooled children's test results every other year since 1981, found homeschooled children to be scoring approximately 16 percentage points higher, on the average, than the children of the same grades in conventional schools. In Oregon, the State Department of Education compiled test score statistics for 1,658 homeschooled children in 1988 and found that 51 percent of the children scored above the 71st percentile and 73 percent scored above the 51st percentile.

North Carolina
In North Carolina, the Division of Non-Public Education compiled test results of 2,144 homeschool students in grades K-12. Of the 1,061 homeschool students taking the California Achievement Test, they scored, on the average, at the 73rd percentile on the total battery of tests: 80th percentile in reading, 72nd percentile in language, and the 71st percentile in math.

The 755 homeschool students who took the Iowa Test of Basic Skills scored at the 80th percentile in the total battery of tests: 81st percentile in reading, 77th percentile in language, and 77th percentile in math. The remaining students who took the Stanford scored, on the average, in the 73rd percentile in the whole battery. ^xx

Arkansas
In Arkansas, for the 1987-88 school term, homeschool children, on the average, scored in 75% on the Metropolitan Achievement Test 6. They out-scored public school children in every subject (Reading, Math, Language, Science, and Social Studies) and at every grade level. For example, at the 10th grade level public school children scored an average of 53rd percentile in social studies, while homeschool children scored at the 73rd percentile. In science, an area in which homeschoolers are often criticized for lack of facilities, the homeschoolers scored, on the average, 85th percentile in fourth grade, 73rd percentile in seventh grade, and 65th percentile in tenth grade. The public school students, on the other hand, scored much lower in science: 66th percentile in fourth grade, 62nd percentile in seventh, and 53rd percentile in tenth. ^xxi

Arizona
According to the Arizona State Department of Education, 1,123 homeschooled children in grades 1-9, on the average, scored above grade level in reading, language arts, and math on standardized tests for the 1988-89 school year. Four grades tested were a full grade level ahead. ^xxii

Nebraska
In Nebraska, out of 259 homeschooled children who returned to public or non-public schools, 134 of them were automatically placed in their grade level according to their age without testing. Of the remaining who were given entrance tests, 33 were above grade level, 43 were at grade level, and 29 were below grade level. Approximately 88 percent of the returning students were at or above grade level after being homeschooled for a period of time. This survey was the result of the responses of 429 accredited schools. ^xxiii

III. Local School District Statistics on Homeschooling

1. In 1988, 30 homeschooled children in Albuquerque, New Mexico, participated in the state-mandated testing program (Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills) and scored on the average in the 83rd percentile for 3rd grade, the 85th percentile for 5th grade, and the 89th percentile for 8th grade. This group of homeschoolers scored 20 to 25 percentile points higher than the local public school students taking the CTBS in 1987. ^xxiv

2. In a 1980 study in Los Angeles, homeschooled students scored higher on standardized tests than children in the Los Angeles public schools. ^xxv

3. In South Carolina, the Greenville County School District stated, "Kids taught at home last year outscored those in public schools on basic skills tests." In that county, 57 out of 61 homeschooled students "met or exceeded the state's minimum performance standard on the reading test" of the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills. The homeschool students' passing rate was 93.4 while the public school counterparts passing rate was 83.9 percent. Furthermore, in math, the homeschooled students passing rate was 87.9 percent compared to the public school students' passing rate of 82.1 percent. ^xxvi

4. In Nevada, according to Washoe County School District's data, homeschooled students scored higher than their public school counterparts in first through seventh grade. All children were tested with the Stanford Achievement Test, and homeschoolers consistently scored higher in reading, vocabulary, reading comprehension, math concepts, math comprehension, math and math concepts and application.

The most extreme gap between the public school children and the homeschooled children was in the area of vocabulary. For example, fourth graders in public school scored in the 49th percentile while the homeschooled fourth graders scored in the 80th percentile.

Conclusion

These statistics point to one conclusion: homeschooling works. Even many of the State Departments of Education, which are generally biased toward the public school system, cannot argue with these facts. Not only does homeschooling work, but it works without the myriad of state controls and accreditation standards imposed on the public schools.

This memorandum is an excerpt from Appendix 1 of Home Schooling in the United States: A Legal Analysis, by Christopher J. Klicka, Esq., a volume covering the laws for homeschooling in all U.S. states and territories.

These and many other statistics on homeschooling are also covered in Home Schooling: The Right Choice, also by Christopher Klicka. This book is a comprehensive home schooling handbook. It covers the biblical basis for home schooling and the constitutional right to home school, as well as home schooling's history and benefits, academic success through college, how-to tips, teaching children with special needs, handling social workers, rights in the military, and much, much more!

Both of these books can be ordered by contacting Home School Legal Defense Association - http://www.hslda.org, 540-338-5600, info@hslda.org.

Copyright 2004, Home School Legal Defense Association. Permission to reprint is granted.

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Endnotes

i		Dr. Brian Ray, Strengths of Their Own: Home Schoolers Across America, National Home Education Research Institute, Salem, OR, 1997.
ii		Lawrence M. Rudner, Ph.D., Director of the ERIC Clearing House on Assessment and Evaluation, Home Schooling Works: The Scholastic Achievement and Demographic Characteristics of Home School Students in 1998, published by the Home School Legal Defense Association, Purcellville, VA 20134, www.HSLDA.org. ERIC is sponsored by the National Library Services of the U.S. Department of Education.
iii		Dr. Brian Ray, Strengths of Their Own: Home Schoolers Across America, National Home Education Research Institute, Salem, OR, 1997
iv		Id.
v		Rudner, Home Schooling Works: The Scholastic Achievement and Demographic Characteristics of Home School Students in 1998
vi		Dr. Brian Ray, Strengths of Their Own: Home Schoolers Across America.
vii		Klicka, Christopher, The Right Choice: Home Schooling, Noble Publishing, p.135-136.
viii		"Study Shows Homeschoolers Ahead in Achievement," The Grapevine: Montana Home School News, January, 1991 newsletter, Seeley Lake, MT, p. 6.
ix		Statistics compiled by the National Center For Home Education, P.O. Box 125, Paeonian Springs, VA 22129 in 1990.
x		Dr. Brian Ray, "A Nationwide Study of Home Education: Family Characteristics, Legal Matters, and Student Achievement," National Home Education Research Institute, Seattle, WA, 1990, p. 53-54.
xi		Id. p. 53.
xii		"PA Homeschooled Students Score High!" article which appeared in "Pennsylvania Homeschoolers" newsletter, Fall 1990, Issue #33, Kittanning, PA p1.
xiii		Psychological Corporation, San Antonio, TX.
xiv		Jon Wartes, "Report From the 1988 Washington Home School Testing," February, 1989. This report is the result of the findings of the Washington Home School Research Project conducted by 13 public school educators and home schoolers.
xv		Brian Ray, Education and Urban Society, vol.21 No.1, November, 1988 16-31 (Newbury Park, CA).
xvi		"Home Schoolers Excel," The Home School Court Report, Vol. 3, No.1, January-February, 1987.
xvii		"Home Schooling: An Idea Whose Time Has Returned," Human Events, September 15, 1984.
xviii		Christopher J. Klicka, "Homeschooled Students Excel in College."
xix		Office of the Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Education, Home School Student Test Results: 1986 and 1987, (Nashville, 1987).
xx		"North Carolina Home School Nationally Standardized Achievement Test Results 88-89 School Term," (Raleigh, Office of the Governor, Division of Non-Public Education, Dec. 1, 1989).
xxi		"Standardized Test Results," Update, (Little Rock, Arkansas Christian Home Education Association, Sept. 1988), Vol. 7, No. 1. This newsletter reported on test results compiled by the Arkansas Department of Education of 760 home schooled students.
xxii		Arizona Department of Education, Students Taught at Home 1989 Average Grade Equivalents, compiled by Steve Stephens, State Testing Coordinator, July 1989. For earlier statistics for Arizona home schoolers success on standardized tests see article by Patricia Lines, "States Should Help, Not Hinder, Parents' Home Schooling Efforts," Education Week, May 15, 1985.
xxiii		"Grade Level Placement of Rule 13 Students Returning to Approved or Accredited Schools" Dateline: Education, June, 1989.
xxiv		Teaching Home Magazine, "Albuquerque Home Schoolers Score High," Portland, OR, April/May 1989, p.21.
xxv		Roy Weaver, "Home Tutorials vs. Public Schools in Los Angeles," Phi Delta Kappan, (December, 1980), pp. 254-255.
xxvi		"Home-Taught Students Surpass Public School Peers at Basic Skills," statistics taken from The Greenville News, (Greenville, S.C. August 3, 1990).