Gratitude – Homespun Sugar

Arms Wide Open

Michelle Underwood Homeschool August 17, 2021November 3, 2021curriculum, focus, Gratitude, Kindergarten, path less traveled, Preschool, surrender, tithe, women at the well 0 Comment

August 17, 2021 – Tuesday

Arms Wide Open

It has been two weeks since our morning spent on the North Carolina coastline. Since that time I have been pondering the invitation I received to focus on and capture the beauty in our days. It feels as if the Lord has been blowing on the fire He kindled within me that morning, by reminding me of the beautiful lessons He provided when I was fully surrendered and dependent on the leading of His Spirit.

During our early years of homeschooling, I chose to heed the still small voice of Lord and surrendered my school plans to Him. I laid down my desire to order store bought curriculum and I chose instead to simply trust God to guide us. As I surrendered to the Lord, I was humbled by how He used me to teach His precious children, and I was amazed at the gifts He sent day after day. You can read some of those stories in my Memoirs of a Preschool Teacher. It was a beautiful season. Our days were filled with nature exploration, creating beautiful art, and simply unwrapping each new gift as it was presented to us. Our activities honored childhood and even more importantly, I believe they honored God.

It is amazing what God can do when give Him space in our lives! Busy schedules and rigid curriculums leave little space in our days, and hinder our ability to discover the gifts and beauty waiting to be uncovered with each new sunrise. What we think we are supposed to teach our children, often stands in the way of what we want to be teaching and even should be teaching. The Lord will always meet us where we are. We cannot limit God. He has shown up in our homeschool when I am fully surrendered and when I am not, but full surrender has proven to be the most fruitful.

Many of us have our arms too full to receive the good gifts the Lord wants to give us. We are holding all of our ideas, curriculum, books and activities, much like a woman carrying bags of groceries into her home. Our arms are full of items that nourish our family. There is nothing wrong with what we are holding, except for the fact that our arms are too full to receive anything more. As we lay down all we are holding and stand empty handed, we are best positioned to receive the gifts the Lord longs to give us. Mama, our plans are indeed good – but God’s plans are perfect. He is willing. Are we ready? I can’t help but wonder what God could do with all of our time. What if we stand with arms wide open – open to receive? What if we shift our focus from our plans to our God? What if we focus on beauty?!

Have you have ever been in a quiet room and suddenly become aware of the tick tock of the clock? Once you have tuned in to the clock’s rhythmic sound, it becomes difficult not to hear it. In fact, it becomes all you can hear. I became aware of the clock on my son’s wall one night when I was sleeping in his room with him. The sound became so consuming that I eventually had to get out of bed, take it off the wall, and remove it from the room so I could go back to sleep.

What we focus on, we magnify. A magnifying glass can bring the sun into focus with such intensity it can create a fire. I have kindled many a fire with my focus – some beneficial and some harmful. We must be cautious where we focus our attention - the smallest spark can set a whole prairie ablaze. Whatever we want to magnify in our schools, our homes, our lives… that is where we must focus. Our primary focus should always be on the Lord. As we align our focus with the Lord, everything else falls into place. The Bible tells us we can magnify the Lord with thanksgiving (Ps 69:30). Oh the power gratitude! If I am longing to magnify beauty, I must first focus on beauty.

I will praise the name of God with song and magnify Him with thanksgiving. (Ps 69:30, AMP)

In Malachi 3:10, God invites His people to bring the full tithe into the storehouse and test if He will not open the windows of heaven and pour out an abundance of blessing! What would happen if we gave a minimum of 10% of our homeschool to the Lord? What could He do with it? Do we really need the next best curriculum or do we simply need God? There is nothing wrong with using curriculum as a guide, but not at the cost of crowding out the freedom of the Spirit of the Lord to move within our homes. 10% is a good start! Full surrender is where the magic happens. We can trust the Lord with our children and their education! This my friends is the path less traveled! This is the path that makes all the difference!

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. (Mal 3:10, ESV)

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. ~ Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken

Each of us in a masterpiece created by the very hands of God, designed with a purpose to do the good works which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10). Who better than our Creator to guide us and our children on our journey to discover who we are created to be. Yes – I did say us and our children. It is through homeschooling that we also discover our divine purpose. God knows our resources, limitations, gifts, talents and interests better than anyone. No curriculum or school could ever gather together each of these details more masterfully or efficiently than He who created it all.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Eph 2:10, NLT)

Does this mean I can’t use any curriculum at all? I don’t think so. What I believe it means is that I need to hold each resource loosely and be flexible to lay it down when needed. As we journey with the Lord, He will give us the tools we need. There will be days he invites us to simply sit and rest at the well – to drink until we are satisfied. We must be willing to become women at the well!

Below are the lyrics to a song I wrote when we were preparing to leave our home in Colorado almost two years ago. These lyrics are as appropriate today as they were then. I am beginning to realize that having my arms wide open is a lifelong posture I should strive for.

I stand here with arms wide open.
I stand here holding on to nothing.
I stand here with arms wide open.
Open to receive.

I let go when you say let go.
I hold on when you tell me to.
Holding on to your promises,
means letting go.

So with arms wide open, I stand.

What if I do focus on beauty and capture our days? What if I fully surrender to the Lord like I did when my children were small? What could he do with all that time?

I have included a couple of journal posts from 2016 when I was searching for courage to fully rely on the Lord as our Headmaster and surrendering my desire for store bought curriculum. I am sharing those with you today in hopes that they inspire you.

July 26, 2016 (journal entry):
I feel like I could stay here safely in the boat, order a kindergarten curriculum, and school would be great. It would be laid out, easy to implement and high quality. It would also be expensive. And most importantly it would limit my free time to allow the Sprit to lead me. I don't feel like I am being called to float in the boat. I feel Him calling me out on the water. I feel Him saying to just try no curriculum for kindergarten. Give it a chance. Just one year. Yet, I struggle. There are so many curriculum choices that look amazing, yet I am torn because in my heart I know play based learning is best. Lord, help me to not conform to the patterns of this world. As I step out of the safety of my boat Lord, help me keep my eyes on you, lest I sink. Give me wisdom that surpasses what I can comprehend today. I lay my life on the altar, I lay our school on the altar. They are yours Lord. Today I commit to embracing play based learning for preschool and kindergarten. Guide me Lord. ‘Take me deeper where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters wherever you may lead’ (Oceans, Hillsong).

August 24, 2016 (journal entry):
Last winter I felt the Lord leading me to not buy ANY curriculum this year, and to trust Him. What?! But I WANT IT! I dream of Whistlefritz for Spanish, All About Reading, Math U See, My Father's World, Sonlight... $1500 later I would be buried in curriculum, driven by our schedule, and pressured to perform because of the price, and because of my love for finishing what I start. But instead, I sit here this morning and I don't have a curriculum. I don't have a plan. I don't have a schedule. What I do have is an abundance of idle time to simply follow the Lord as He leads us. Give me wisdom to know where to go from here. Speak to me not only in the early morning hours, but during our studies. Give me the right words, ideas, and wisdom. Lord - to you I want all the glory. Use me to accomplish your will.

Chocolate-Drizzled Pumpkin Muffins

Michelle Underwood Recipes December 4, 2020March 13, 2021advent, Gratitude, muffin, Pumpkin, recipe 0 Comment

We love these pumpkin muffins! It was a recipe I found on the blog Riddlelove years ago. It has become a staple in our home. The original recipe is gluten-free and grain-free. If you do not have the almond or coconut flour on hand, either or both can be substituted with wheat flour. You can find the full recipe HERE.

They are delicious right out of the oven as well as refrigerated overnight.

Just mix all ingredients up in your blender, bake, drizzle and serve:

Today we enjoyed these muffins as a part of our advent celebration, along with the advent devotional by Ann Voskamp, Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: A Family Celebration of Christmas. It is a beautiful journey through the lineage of Jesus, with daily suggestions on how to make your Christmas more holy. Each day comes with ornaments you can print or purchase. We chose to print them and are hanging them on our Gratitude Tree we left up after November. Additionally, we LOVE our beautiful advent wreath. Each day we light a candle as we read our devotions. If you are interested in purchasing one, they are available HERE.

On Common Ground we Stand

Michelle Underwood God is Good November 9, 2020election, Gratitude 2 Comments

Election results are in (though the battle is not over). Today, many rejoice (50%), and many lament (50%). It truly is a 50/50 split, a united nation… divided. Can you feel it? So can I. Can we be divided and still stand united? Yes! Here is the thing… we may not have voted for the same president… but that doesn’t mean we can’t stand united. What is our common ground to stand on?

As I pondered this question, the Lord led me to the book of Acts. The disciples had just watched Jesus ascend into Heaven and were gathered in the upper room. “All of them were united in prayer, gripped with one passion (they prayed with one soul), interceding night and day.” (Acts 1:14, TPT).

Prior to Jesus’ departure, the disciples had asked him, “Lord, is it the time now for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom (Acts1:6)? It sounds like a familiar question doesn’t it? Maybe you have asked God the same question… “Is it time now for you to restore our country?” I know I have. Here is what He said to the disciples:

⁷He answered, “The Father is the one who sets the fixed dates and the times of their fulfillment. You are not permitted to know the timing of all that he has prepared by his own authority. ⁸But I promise you this—the Holy Spirit will come upon you and you will be filled with power. And you will be my messengers to Jerusalem, throughout Judea, the distant provinces—even to the remotest places on earth!”

Our answer… unite in prayer. Half of our nation is red and the other half blue, but two-thirds of our nation has a common faith. As it turns out, we are on the same team y’all! We are His messengers. What is our common ground? To see the world know Jesus and to see His goodness on the earth.

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. (Ps 27:13, NKJV)

⁹And what is God’s “living message”? It is the revelation of faith for salvation, which is the message that we preach. For if you publicly declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will experience salvation. ¹⁰The heart that believes in him receives the gift of the righteousness of God—and then the mouth gives thanks to salvation. (Rom 10:9-10, TPT)

Let us come together as the United States of America. Let us pray for God to invade our nation and have His way. Let us put our political agendas aside and put God’s agenda at the forefront. A land that is infused with the goodness of God should be our agenda.

God, open our eyes to see that “those who are for us are far greater than those who are not (2 Kings 6:16)”. Open our eyes to see our authority as your sons and daughters. Unite us in prayer. Bless us with a fresh anointing of your Holy Spirit. Give us wisdom and power to steward well your message to the ends of the earth.

Let us set our gaze on the Lord! I decree that we are indeed the United States of America!

For more on unity, check out my post HERE on how gratitude unites us.

Creating an Environment of Thanksgiving in our Homes

Michelle Underwood Gratitude November 1, 2020November 15, 2021entitlement, Gratitude, homeschool, oak tree, Thanksgiving 0 Comment

My nine-year-old daughter has an amazing gift and love for endlessly asking questions. What is your favorite color? Favorite day of the week? Favorite animal? Favorite number? She recently asked me what my favorite month was, and after giving it some thought I settled on November. There are so many things I love about November. November is strikingly beautiful! I love the cool fall weather and change of the season, the cozy nights by the fire with a cup of tea and a good book, the brightly colored trees, and the crunch of leaves below my feet. What I love best though is the celebration of thankfulness. As we journey from a celebration of darkness in October, to a celebration of gratitude in November, November seems to shine even brighter. Perhaps the contrast makes the latter more stunning; perhaps the latter simply is more stunning.

As the cold November wind blows the final leaves from the trees, the absence of the leaves allows us to see beyond, to what we couldn’t see before, and our vision becomes enhanced. Similarly, the November wind of thankfulness gusts through our lives, and enhances our vision. Gratitude by nature enhances vision by adjusting focus. I have heard it said many times, “What we focus on, we magnify”. November blesses us with the opportunity to focus on, and therefore, to magnify gratitude.

Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. (Ps 34:3, NKJV)

When we gratefully acknowledge the visible everyday gifts, we open our eyes to God’s goodness in our lives. A posture of gratitude allows us to “see the visible, which makes us understand the invisible” (Rom 1:20). Thanksgiving, by definition, is grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favors, especially to God (www.dictionary.com). Thanksgiving begins with acknowledgement. In order to understand this fully, we have to understand an important truth. Everything we have is from God (Ps. 24:1). We cannot acknowledge the Giver if we do not know the source.

The earth belongs to the Lord. And so does everything in it. The world belongs to him. And so do all those who live in it. (Ps 24:1, NIRV)

Opposition to truth cannot be excused on the basis of ignorance, because from the creation of the world, the invisible qualities of God’s nature have been made visible, such as his eternal power and transcendence. He has made his wonderful attributes easily perceived, for seeing the visible makes us understand the invisible. So then, this leaves everyone without excuse. (Rom 1:20, TPT)

In a world of entitlement, I think we would all agree that there is space for more gratitude. Two day shipping, 1-click shopping, pressure cooked meals, high speed internet, instant text messaging, and movies on demand, all reinforce a message that we are entitled to what we want, when we want it. We are blessed to live in a time such as this, but we must pair these benefits and privileges with the wisdom gratitude imparts. Gratitude shifts our focus by allowing us to first acknowledge the gift, and in turn, express our appreciation to the Giver. By better understanding the definitions of these terms it will help us to define the solution.

Entitled: having a right to certain benefits or privileges (Merriam-Webster); real or perceived.

Grateful: to be appreciative of benefits received (Merriam-Webster).

Thanksgiving: grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favors, especially to God (www.dictionary.com).

Entitlement is simply a right to certain benefits, whereas gratitude is an appreciation of those benefits. Entitlement and gratitude are designed to go hand-in-hand, which is the nature of thanksgiving – the act of acknowledging our benefits and favors with gratitude, especially to God.

“I hope my child grows up to be entitled,” said no mom ever! As parents, if there is one thing we would all agree on, I believe, it is that we want to raise grateful children. In a world where there is so much division, gratitude is a common denominator that unites us. Raising grateful children may feel like a daunting task, but be encouraged, we can! We become transformed by the renewing of our mind. How do we renew our minds – we can begin with a focus on thanksgiving.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Rom 12:2, NASB)

Entitlement alone is not the problem plaguing our nation, but rather, entitlement paired with the absence of appreciation and gratitude. There are many things we are entitled to. Simply by being born in America we are entitled to freedom to worship as we wish, the right to vote, the right to choose how we educate our children (public, private, homeschool), “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”… The list of our privileges in America is extensive. That truth alone should make us grateful.

Even greater than any privilege we may be entitled to on this earth, are the unlimited privileges and benefits of being children of God. We are abundantly entitled! The world seems to consistently get the right message with the wrong interpretation. We got the message that we are entitled – we just misinterpreted it. To see how we missed the mark on COVID click here. We are entitled to a Kingdom full of blessings because of a Savior who adores us! How do we tap into the truth of entitlement? Gratitude. How do we do it? We shout for joy to Lord, and we enter His gates with Thanksgiving (Ps 100)!

Psalm 100
A psalm. For giving grateful praise.
¹Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
²Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
³Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
⁴Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Everything we have, that is good, is from God (Jm 1:17). When God opens His generous hand, it is full of blessings, satisfying the longings of every living thing (Ps 145:16). God loves us so much that he calls us His children, and as His children, we are heirs to His promises (1 John 3:1, Gal 3:29).

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17, NIV)

When you open your generous hand, it’s full of blessings, satisfying the longings of every living thing. (Ps 145:16, TPT)

Look with wonder at the depth of the Father’s marvelous love that he has lavished on us! He has called us and made us his very own beloved children. (1 John 3:1, TPT)

And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. (Gal 3:29, NLT)

Let’s ponder the thought that perhaps we do want to raise entitled children, entitled children who are equipped with the wisdom gratitude imparts. We are raising children of God who are entitled to all the blessings of the Kingdom. That’s a big darn deal y’all! Our goal should be to raise children who know who they are, who their Father is, and how much He loves them. Gratitude imparts wisdom. By acknowledging and appreciating our gifts and knowing their true source, the atmosphere in our homes will shift.

The bondage of entitlement comes from the absence of gratitude. As gratitude increases, the bondage to entitlement decreases. The result… thanksgiving!

I recently heard it said, “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the next best time is now”. This really spoke to my heart because our family just moved to a new property, and we inherited very few established trees. We can’t help but question why the people before us didn’t plant any trees when they moved in 15 years ago?! I get it, starting with little saplings feels like such a long-term investment, and may often feel like it is hardly worth the effort, especially if your residence is temporary. But the truth is, if we don’t plant them today, we will never have trees. We can dwell on the time we missed, or embrace the opportunity today! So today… we are planting trees!

One of the trees we have chosen to plant it an oak tree. Much to my surprise, even tree enthusiasts have tried to sway us away from the long term investment of the slow growing oak, particularly if we are uncertain if we will be in this house forever. If we approach life with this philosophy… we are missing the mark on our purpose here. We are here on this earth for only a short while, this is our temporary residence. We must embrace an eternal perspective when choosing what seeds to plant and water. While we are here, we are called to create beauty and to leave a lasting mark for future generations. Your temporary impact has eternal rewards! Plant the oak tree!

As with trees, the best time to teach children about gratitude is today. Don’t dwell over missed opportunities. Yes, we could have started 5 years ago, but the next best time is now. There are ways you reinforce gratitude daily with your children, you know what they are. You are doing a good job. That little sapling is growing up to be a mighty oak. Just stick with it. Instilling gratitude in children is indeed a long-term commitment with eternal rewards!

My hope is to both encourage you and equip you with practical tools you can use in your home during this season of Thanksgiving and throughout the year. Join me in focusing on and magnify thanksgiving in our homes!

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thess 5:16-18)

What you can do (open links for attached lessons)

Memorize Psalm 100. This is a beautiful Psalm you can spend the month of November focusing on with your family. Our family loves this song version of this Psalm.
Gratitude leaves
Gratitude Journals
Meal Time Praises and Prayers – This is a family tradition of ours, and is basically what it sounds like… During our dinner prayer we have each person say a praise and a prayer as we go around the table. It creates a daily environment of thanksgiving in our home, and also teaches little ones how to pray.
Other gratitude resources:
1. Not Consumed
2. ABC Jesus Loves Me (for younger children)

Leaves of Gratitude

Michelle Underwood Gratitude November 1, 2020November 15, 2021Gratitude, homeschool 0 Comment

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thess 5:16-18)

Every November I bring out the gratitude leaves in our home. Years ago a friend introduced me to this concept and we have been using it ever since. It has taken on a few different forms over the years, but the underlying message is the same, thanksgiving – grateful acknowledgement of all we have been blessed with. There are so many versions of this concept on the internet – you can search and be inspired for hours. While the inspiration of the internet is a huge gift, it can also lead to lots of inspiration without a lot of action. Set an action plan for yourself. Anytime you start is great, just get started.

Gratitude Leaves and Display Options

Cut leaves

These leaves will be used to write messages of gratitude on, throughout the month of November.

Amount needed: To have enough leaves for the entire month of November, plan on 1 leaf/person/day (~30 leaves x number of people in your house). You can cut about 9-12 leaves per sheet of paper, so you need about 3, 8×10, sheets of paper of person. You can share leaves if you write small.

Paper: any colored or patterned paper will do. You can use a combination of yellow, red, orange and brown if you like. This year I am using patterned paper I purchased years ago (I found it in the scrapbooking aisle at one of the big-box stores).

Cutting: I use EK Tools Paper Punch, Large, Maple Leaf. It makes the process much quicker for 100+ leaves. You can also cut leaves by hand, just keep the pattern simple.

Leaf display options – choose an option that works best for you. I have done them all. We are not striving for perfection here – just gratitude. Do what works for you this season.

Gratitude Tree (OPTION 1): scroll down for other options

STEP 1: Download GRATITUDE TREE FILE HERE: GRATITUDE TREE

STEP 2: Save PDF file onto your computer.

STEP 3: Print images (12 sheets of paper)

Option 1: Print images onto brown cardstock
Option 2: Print images onto white cardstock to paint brown yourself.

STEP 4: Assemble printed documents.

Note: Start assembly right to left, and then proceed top to bottom. We taped the paper together with masking tape on the back, and filled in the paper overlap on the front with glue (see photo).

Glue paper overlap on front of tree to create smooth seams

STEP 5: Paint your tree (if using white cardstock). If you chose to use brown cardstock you will omit this step and proceed to STEP 6 (ASSEMBLY).

We painted the tree brown, and then we mixed brown and black paint, and used a sponge to add texture to the tree.

STEP 6: DISPLAY

To display tree, attach to wall or surface of your choice. We used blue painters tape to attach it to the wall. Masking tape leaves a sticky residue behind and is not recommended.

That’s it, you are done and ready to hang your leaves.

STEP 7: LEAF ATTACHMENT

I will be using the same blue painters tape to attach my leaves. Blue painters tape is easy to remove and will allow us to use our tree year after year, with proper storage.

Gratitude WALL (OPTION 2):

Choose a wall or window where you can attach rows of loosely tied jute twine. I didn’t intentionally capture a photo of our wall last year, but it was in the background of another picture… so this is the best I have for you. Hopefully it gives you the idea. We used jute twine and clothespins.

Gratitude Jar (OPTION 3):

Have a clear glass jar to collect gratitude leaves in. Simple and beautiful.

Gratitude Tree, Branches (OPTION 4):

We used this option a few years ago, but with 6 people in our family, we simply had too many leaves for our branches. I do however plan on using something similar on our Thanksgiving table this year for guests to fill out and enjoy.

What to do at the end of November?

I sort the leaves by person and we read over them again. We then glue them into our gratitude journals and date the page. These leaves have become a fun keepsake. I try to encourage my little’s to write their own leaves because I treasure their sweet handwriting as much as their simple gratitude. With that said, I also want this to be a fun memory for them, so if they don’t want to write, I simply do the writing for them. This is not a lesson in handwriting, it is a lesson in gratitude. I have to remind the multi-tasker in myself to stay focused.

Blessings to you and your family this holiday season. May the blessing of gratitude overwhelm your hearts this Thanksgiving season and throughout the year.

Gratitude Journals

Michelle Underwood Gratitude November 1, 2020November 5, 2020Gratitude, homeschool 0 Comment

I mentioned Gratitude Journals in my post Creating an Environment of Thanksgiving in our Homes. You can read the full post here: http://homespunsugar.com/creating-an-environment-of-thanksgiving-in-our-homes/.

One of our favorite ways to focus on gratitude throughout the year is a simple gratitude journal. We each write what we are thankful for as a regular part of our routine. We have been doing this since my children were very little and it has become such a treasure. Don’t hesitate to sit down with them and either write or draw (I do both) in your journal too. Gratitude is something we all need more of in our lives. And don’t forget, gratitude is caught not taught, so be sure to allow them to see you being thankful too!

For my younger kids (elementary ages) I use this journal:

Strathmore Kids 100 Series Youth Story Drawing Book, 8-1/2 x 11 Inches, White, 30 Sheets. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0022JOAZI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

Here are some sample journal entries my children have done.