A Mother Making A Difference
Inside the trend of Home Schooling P.14 $4.99 U.S. $5.99 Canada April 2010 Destiny.com Display Until April 30th, 2010
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Notes of Inspirations “ Happiness is not a destination , it ’s a way of traveling.” Sophia Hyde Plant City FL
“Faith sees the invisible , believes the unbelievable and receives the impossible .” Beth Velosa Plant City FL
“Go the extra mile - it ’s never crowded .” 2
Meghan Trivunovich Plant City FL
“The meaning of life is to find your gift, the purpose of life is to give it away”
Jill Welsh Plant City FL
At a glimpse... 5 6 10 16
Staying busy in April
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How a Mother is making a difference Home Sweet Home
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What’s a girl to do?
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And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this? Esther 4:14
ON SALE NOW
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Come join Beth Moore as she digs into Esther. She will take you through all parts of this royal story. Esther is like each and every one of us and women everywhere can relate to this study, “It’s tough being a woman”. Like Esther many of us deal with some kind of trivial problem everyday but when faced with a crisis she had a choice to make and that one choice determined her destiny. Sisters come join us...you might be one crucial step away from your Destiny.
Make the most of April...
April Easter HE has risen!
Love on your furry friend Pet Owner’s Day
Enjoy the Spring weather Take your exercise outside
EExchange xchange yyour our ccandles andles ffor or ffresh resh fflowers lowers today! today!
Mom’s kickback & relax... Today is no housework day!
April Fools Day
Tax Day
Take your child to work day
Hairstyle appreciation day! Show your stylist some love
Sibling day Pray for your brother or sister today
Send a card encourage a friend
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A MOTHER MAKING
AN IMPACT
na vid blogger b logger If you are a an avid
tthought hou ught it would would be a nice nice way to
Korn ner” might might ring ring g then “Kellys Korner”
s crapb book our our lives lives and maybe ma aybe scrapbook
a bell. Kelly Stamps is a sweet
keep a few out of town friends or
spirited and down to earth
family updated on us.” Much to
woman from Arkansas. With over
her surprise after just a couple of
7,000 followers and over 40,000
years her blog is a major hit.
hits a day her voice is mighty
Kelly is happily married to
big. Stamps started blogging
Scott Stamps and they have a
in 2006 and as she remarked,
one year old daughter, Harper.
“I started just because I saw a
Who, might I add, is cute as a
few of my friends doing it and I
button! Life wasn’t always so smooth sailing for the Stamps’ though. Kelly’s dream had always been to get married and have children – she was destined
to
be a
mother.
Problems arose and this proved to be not so easy for the couple. The Stamps tried for three years to have a child with all kinds of medical 6
assistance but they found no luck. There was lots of prayers sent up from them, their supportive family and all of the blogging community and finally they found themselves pregnant with a baby girl. If you knew anything about Kelly you knew that her little girl was going to be so adorable and dressed to the “T”. The prayers continued throughout her pregnancy and then the day finally arrived. The much awaited departure to the hospital was documented on video for the blogging world to see. The family was anxious and the supportive grandparents were also ready to see their precious granddaughter that they had earnestly prayed for. The delivery however proved to be another trial, their precious baby girl Harper was born “blue” and apparently developed pneumonia while inside the womb. The doctors told them the dreadful news that Harper would be lucky to make it through the night. They found themselves looking at their baby who had to be put into an induced coma whose eyes they wanted to see so badly. They knew that there wasn’t any luck involved but that it would take a miracle from God. 7
This could’ve been a devastating
until her 30’s. It’s so easy to
time for the Stamps and probably
have your life planned out the
was but their faith kept them
way you want but God has much
going and kept them believing.
bigger plans in store for us. She
Kelly and Scott put their total faith in God they said, “We have a very strong
“...I just pray each day that I glorify Him through my blog and that His light would shine through me.”
foundation
said that she would go through it all again because lives were changed
in our relationship with Christ.
and people accepted Christ
We prayed that night she was
through their story. Kelly is truly
born after they told us that she
making a difference through her
wouldn’t live and we told God she
blog. She and her husband are
can live or she can die - but we
also involved with Compassion
will still praise you and we will still
which is an international
bless your name and we meant
organization that helps poverty
it.” The prayers continued to be
overseas. You can “adopt” a
lifted up and after 21 days in the
child and provide them with
NICU Harper was finally able to
education, food and a future with
go home. Harper is doing great;
a small contribution
of
she is a beautiful healthy baby
$38 every month.
Kelly
girl who in everyone’s mind is a
and Scott had the opportunity
of a miracle. mirracle e. product of
to go ov isit the eir child child overseas overrseas visit their a nd Kelly Kelly y blogged blogged d about about it and
ne of of the the hardships harrdshiips This is justt o one
ne earlly every every day. day. Through h that that nearly
Kelly has has had had to o face face in her her life. life. Kelly
iinteraction nterac ction much much h of of the the blogging bloggiing
Another was was s not no ot getting getting married marriied Another
c om mmun nity got got involved involved and community p ledge ed to to help help out. out. pledged
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The verse Kelly holds close to her heart is Ephesians 3:20 which says, “God is able to do abundantly more than all you could ask or imagine”. She continues to show God’s love through this and it is reaching so many people. The list could go on and on about the things that she does every day to reach out to the world. I asked her if she ever imagined this and she replied, “No! But I have always hoped and prayed that God would give me some form of ministry. I knew I couldn’t teach or sing or go door to door so I had no idea how He would do it. I could never have imagined the audience He has given me for sharing my faith but I’m so thankful and I just pray each day that I glorify Him through my blog and that His light would shine through me.” And that it has, her sweet spirit is reaching the world. God brings us through things so we will be equipped to help others. Kelly’s blog relates to the single and unmarried, th he paren nts trying trying to have have a child, child d, the e ones one es the parents who have have lost los st a child, child, the the ones ones who who can’t can’t h ave children, childrren, the the moms who who do do have have e have ch hildren, and and any any woman woman trying trying to to fi fin n d children, nd e nc couragement and and fellowship fellowship p with with other other encouragement w om men can can fin d iitt h ere e. Y ou c an follow follow women fin nd here. You can K elly’s blog blog at KellysKornerblog.com. KellysKornerb blog g.co om. Kelly’s
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Home sweet Home The new way of schooling your children By : Tara Parker
It’s cool to homeschool
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H
ome sweet home is what these two families think every morning. There is no rushing to get to school on time, there are no five minute bathroom breaks, there are no lunch lines or 30 minute lunches, there is no day wasted with 5 passing periods, no Fcat and no late bells. These two families have a routine and it’s very structured but to their liking and not the school board’s agenda. They can celebrate the holidays they want and disregard the ones they don’t believe in. They can dig deep to find out further information on something they are curious about instead of worrying about passing a certain test. They can follow the curriculum they choose and can work at their own pace. These two families are a part of a different way of getting an education, they are in the homeschooling program.
Homeschooling sometimes comes with a stigma. We all know it, it goes something like this: will the kids still be socially acceptable, will they have friends, will their education be as good and will they be able to go somewhere in life? Those are a few of the thoughts running through an average person’s head when they hear the words “homeschooling”. These two families are here to prove them wrong. These children are excelling and are way above their own grade level. They will be the first to tell you that it’s not always easy but that it is totally worth it. The “Hale Academy for Little Girls” as they like to call themselves started in 2009. The Hale’s -Mark and Melissa and their two children Meghan and Maddy, made the decision to home school 11
for a couple of reasons. One of the reasons was time efficiency. When a child attends a public school a lot of the time is used for passing in between classes, using the restrooms, lunch break and a couple of other extras that aren’t needed when at home. Homeschooling allows you to get done what you need to get done in a shorter amount of time without having to deal with all of the distractions that you would have in a public school. Another reason that the Hale’s decided to homeschool their girls is to be able to instill in them a biblical worldview. To teach them not just about science but where science came from. Not just teaching them history but to teach them where our history is rooted. The Mash burns’- Marc and April and their two boys Taylor and Matt, began the 12
homeschooling program in January 2004. There decision wasn’t so black and white. When April first heard about homeschooling she thought to herself that she could never do it and that she wouldn’t be adequate, little did she know that God had other plans. He began to work on her heart; she now calls it a “God Thing” because it wasn’t of her but of his plans for her and her family. They began homeschooling their oldest, Taylor during his fifth grade year. Another reason was the corruption of society, she didn’t want to have to deal with that school drama and didn’t feel a peace about him going back to school. She also wanted to teach him things that the school wasn’t because they were more focused on getting the students to pass the standardized test.
Both of these families have children of different ages but they can both agree that homeschooling has ended up being one of the best things that they have done for their families. The homeschooling “Our family is together, learning together! I am learning my girls learning styles instead of a stranger.”
process is pretty easy in Florida, you just have to send a letter of intent to the school board that you have decided to pull your children out and open your own “school”. Another step is getting your children evaluated every year to see if they are on grade level. Since these families began the process they have seen a lot of positives come out of their decision. As Melissa
explains, “Our family is together, learning together! I am learning my girls learning styles instead of a stranger. I now know that while other things are going on Meghan can’t concentrate that Meghan is a visual learner.” April also agrees, “For me personally, the positives in our home schooling program begin with the amount of time I get to spend with my children. We are not promised a tomorrow and our children grow up so fast. This allows me to be with them so much more than if I worked full-time and they were in different schools during the day. Instead of only spending an hour or two in the evening with them, we’re able to be together most of the day.” Both moms’ also agree that the flexibility is nice. April explains, “We are required to have 180 days of school just like the public school, but ut 13
we can plan our vacations at our convenience. If we decide to do something at the spur of the moment, we can. If we stayed up late because we were ministering to another family, we can sleep in.” Melissa also shared that because of the flexibility, during the Olympics her girls were able to research where they originated and what everything meant. They were able to use that topic to incorporate all of their subjects. However, her friend that is a teacher at a public school wasn’t able to take the time to do that because she had to prepare her students for the FCAT. While the moms shared their benefits the children chimed in with their reasons they liked homeschooling. Taylor said, “It is a Christian environment and I get to spend more time with my family. I also get to sleep in!” Meghan answered sl 14
with, “recess is fun! I get to ride bikes, play the Olympic Wii game, and jump on the trampoline.” Maddy was probably the most honest when she answered, “That I can get my daily naps.” These two families are enjoying being able to guide their children in the right direction while providing them with a great education. This homeschooling concept isn’t always easy though in fact sometimes these moms will agree that its one of the toughest jobs there is. When asked how they stay strong and keeping going April replied, “every time I question myself whether I’m doing the right thing, God ALWAYS confirms it for me. This may sound funny, but it may come through a story in the news reporting about another school shooting or a teacher
who has been inappropriate with a student, or at the end of the year when my kids “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”
homeschooler is like I hope this article gave you a little more insight on both. I think we can all see that it is doing many great things for this family – will you consider it for yours?
are evaluated and score above their grade levels. My husband is also very encouraging when I have bad days. He reminds me about all the positives.” Melissa says, “I am just now seeing some fruit (just completed our first year) any little bit of fruit keeps you going. Another thing is when I quiz them and I know they retained. There are things that I won’t see fruit until they’re gone but the little fruits are what keeps me going. Galatians 6:9.” So weather you are considering the homeschooling process or were just interested to know what the life of a 15
What’s a girl to do... Fun ideas for a “Girls Night Out”
A night on the town
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Gather up a group of girls and head out for a fun night on the town. First decide what the attire is going to be. A couple of cute ideas are a black and white affair or a diva night. The black and white affair sets the tone for a more classy event. While the diva night is a more casual event that calls for the attire to be a little more loud and dramatic. The next step is to figure out transportation. If the budget allows it’s always fun to rent a limo so that no one has to worry about getting somewhere and everyone can talk, dance, laugh and have a good time. If you are working with a tighter budget you could always hire someone you know to tote the group around in a SUV or big enough vehicle for everyone to fit. Last decide on an agenda. Some fun ideas are dinner at a fun resturant or heading to watch a concert. Whatever you do don’t forget the camera!
Stay in for a fun night
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There are many ways to have fun without going out and spending money. One fun thing to do is have a dessert night. Make a guest list and send out invites telling your guest to bring their favorite dessert. If you feel ambious set up a choclate fondue for the night to add some fun. Another thing you can do is a slumber party themed event. If you want, you can send out a survey to your guest and ask them to vote on the movie. Have guess can come in their favorite pajamas, throw in some popcorn and pop in your favorite chick flick. It’s a simple and budget friendly way to have a lot of fun!
Shop til you Drop
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What girl doesn’t like to shop? A fun thing to do with a bunch of girls is to go shopping. But to make it extra fun you can turn it into a shopping scavenger hunt. No matter what age you are it’s a fun way to spruce up the normal mall trip. Compile a list of things that you can find around the mall and then split into groups and see who can gather the most things in a certain amount of time. It will be fun to see how creative you can be and what your team can come up with!
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Host a Party
One way to have a great time is to host a party! Everyone likes to go somewhere and have a fun time. You can choose to have someone come in and run the evening or you can organize something on your own. There are companies like Premiere Jewelry, Mary Kay, and Pampered Chef that have representatives who will come to your house to promote their products. All you have to do is invite the guest and prepare a few snacks and your part is done. The representative will take over from there and run the evenings events. Usually they play some ice breaker games to get everyone warmed up and it makes for a fun relaxing evening and at the end of the night you usually end up shopping for some fun items to keep. Another idea is to host a party on your own. A lot of ladies around the country gather for a Bunco night. Bunco is a fun game of dice that is easy to play while conversing with others. It’s a mindless and strategic free game that will call for laughter and a stress free attitude but at the end of the night someone will still win! Go get your game
Do something for others
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It’s true that when you give you receive. Every time I have ever volunteered or gave my time to help someone else I have always received a blessing in return. A fun thing you can do is give back. Many organizations always have a way for you to help out. A walk-a-thon, bike ride or a fundraising dinner are always a fun way to help an organization back. Another thing you can do to help someone else is simply invest time. Many people ache for a listening ear and what someone to take the time to listen. Others may be disabled or unable to get something done and might need a little help. Whatever the task might be you will be blessed when giving of yourself from a cheerful heart.
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e c u r p s o t s y a e l w y t s w e r f e A ur summ fo yo 19
Share the love
Share Christ’s love somenone today.
You never know who might need it. 20