Cindy Rushton

Tag: godly home

  • Setting Up Your Home to Learn by Cindy Rushton

    Homeschooling? Thinking about Homeschooling? BUT…do you have to turn your home into a school? No, my dear friend, you do not need to turn your home into a school. Your home can still be a HOME. A home ready to learn! Ready?

    Ready? This is EASY as ABC…

    –>  Find a good nook! It does not have to be huge. Certainly does not need to be expensive.  All that is needed is a place that invites your children (and YOU!) to think, work through the studies (writing, reading, studying, proofreading, projects, experiments…). Ask yourself, “Where do they gravitate toward to read…to research…to write…to print?” (more…)

  • Psst! A Secret to Scheduling Success! by Cindy Rushton

    Want to know one of my biggest secrets to homeschooling the easy way? Want to know one of my biggest secrets to scheduling success? This one secret can make your daily schedule finally fit. It can end your scheduling frustrations forever.

    I am not a “schedule by the minute” type of person. (GRIN) I fail with schedules like that. They don’t meet my needs. My life includes too many areas that have different needs daily. Timed schedules just do not work for me.

    So, what has worked for me? Setting up a framework to my day. This is one incredibly powerful tip. It can make a HUGE difference in your day as well. It just might be the secret that has alluded you through the years.

    Wondering what I mean by a “framework” for your day? By framework, I mean a general flow to each day that includes all of the areas of my life that I juggle. But, how do I do that? Here are some quick tips:
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  • ‘s Word FOR THEM!

    The Bible is one of the most popular selling books in all of history. It has been translated into more languages than any other book. Even today it is being translated into many different languages for people all over the world to read. The most incredible thing is that the Bible is not being translated into many different translations and versions just for children. Using different translations and versions can assist in teaching kids about the Bible and introducing them to God so they can pursue their own personal relationship with Him.

    Please don’t think I am “downing” my Bible growing up. I loved it. It was very, very precious to me. I just remember how tough it was for me to read and study it. I was very bright, but the translation that was used most often during my childhood was the King James Version. As a kid, reading the King James Version was quite hard and frustrating. All of the formal language (thee and thou…shouldst and didst) got in the way and distracted me from the message. (more…)

  • How Long Has It Been….

    How long has it been since you have written a sweet love letter to your sweetheart?

    Today, my husband called to ask me to stop by his office and grab some things that needed to be shipped out. I stopped by just to grab the goodies. But, I could not leave without grabbing a Sharpie and writing him a quick love letter.

    It only takes a minute…or a few. Yet, personal, handwritten love letters are an ideal way to let someone know you really care. They really express your feelings that so often are left for others to “guess” or “just KNOW.” (more…)

  • Romance on a Shoestring with Cindy Rushton

    Romance is vital for a forever marriage. Satan has stolen romance and perverted the beauty in romance. He has made it look wrong, nasty. Even for those who do not buy into that lie, he has made it look out of reach for the Christian home. It is time to take it back! Begin by dating your mate!

    Dates are an important part of any couple’s relationship, but especially married couples. Dates are fun and add a bit of spontaneity to a marriage. For couples with children, dates can be few and far between for a few reasons. It’s easy for couples to forget to make time to go out together sans kids. Then, there’s the money issue. With kids, money can get tight, especially if you have to pay not only for the date but a sitter as well. If you’re having a hard time coming up with wallet-friendly date ideas, try these seven. I think you will find them doable…

    Seven Shoestring Date Ideas for Couples

    1. See a Matinee
    Want to go out and see a movie? Instead of running with the rest of the crowd to the eight o’clock show, take in a matinee instead. The theaters are less crowded and you don’t pay near as much for the tickets. There will even be money left over for popcorn and a soda. One cup…with two straws, of course! :)

    2. Hit the Buffet
    Buffets are not necessarily about how much food you can shovel in your mouth at one sitting, but about getting a good meal at a great price. Find a cozy table for two in the corner and have a meal for two that costs less than it would for one at a fancy restaurant.

    3. A Walk in the Park
    A change of scenery is good from time to time. Visit the local park on a weekend afternoon to spend time together. Watch the geese, take a ride in the paddle boats, or bring your bikes or hiking boots and explore a trail.

    4. Visit a Museum
    Culture doesn’t have to come with a high price tag. The local museum may have an art exhibit you have been longing to see. Broaden your horizons as a couple and create new memories taking in a bit of history.

    5. Soak up Some Local Atmosphere
    From big cities to small towns, there are always things going on around the community. Sometimes you just have to look a bit harder. Check out an outdoor concert with local bands or classical ensembles. Many localities have community theater groups who put on productions of famous Broadway plays for as little as five or ten dollars per ticket.

    6. Night of Jazz Music
    Find a nice downtown restaurant and listen to some good music. Some restaurants may have outdoor seating allowing you to enjoy the night air while listening to the sounds wafting from the inside.

    7. Movie Night at Home
    We all like to turn down the lights and enjoy a good flick. This type of date is perfect for parents of small children. Once the little ones are tucked in bed and off in la-la land, set the scene. Pop a large bag or two of popcorn and your favorite drinks and snuggle up on the couch or a blanket on the floor. Take turns watching each other’s favorite type of movies.

  • Things I LOVE About the Charlotte Mason Approach by Cindy Rushton

    I remember the day that one of my dearest friends introduced me to the Charlotte Mason Approach. It was a day that defined our homeschool.

    It was the end of our very first year of homeschooling. I was having an afternoon of sewing and smocking with my friend (I taught classes on sewing and smocking as a part of my home sewing business). We had stopped our work to have tea. While we were having tea, I shared with her about the ups and downs of my first year of homeschooling. She was a homeschooling veteran. I really respected her ideas and opinions. She was rock-solid. I was SO impressed by her children and all that they had accomplished homeschooling. I shared with her that there were a few things that just worked GREAT for us….others that were, ugh, a nightmare! She was sooo calm as she declared a truth that would set me free to find the philosophy of education that was just for me and my children. She told me that I sounded like the perfect Charlotte Mason/Unit Study mom. As I listened to her ideas for getting to know more about those approaches, I thought back to the very first book that I had bought— Books Children Love, which was written with suggestions for great books to be sure to read to your children while they were growing up. And…another book, For the Children’s Sake, which just grabbed me! (more…)