Never too old to learn…

July 8, 2008 in Family life by Cindy Prechtel | Permalink

The past few months I’ve spent most of my free time learning about "urban homesteading" and have started a new journey toward simplicity.  I’ve had so much fun dreaming and making plans.  Lately I’m checking out more books from the library than my kids!

I have been VERY convicted that things are going to get worse before they get better.  Our family has realized just how tied we are to the grocery store and how we are lacking in many skills – depending instead on other experts to feed, build, and fix things for us.  What would happen if some of the services we’ve taken for granted were no longer available, affordable or both?  What if there wasn’t enough food in the grocery stores for everyone?  I’m not living in fear, but rather waking up to the realization that things may not always be as they are.  We depend on our heavenly Father to provide, but I am also reminded of the example of the industrious ant, and the life of Joseph who was told to plan and prepare for the coming famine.

We want to not only be more self-reliant for ourselves, but also so that we can be a blessing to others!

In case you’re wondering, I’ve made a list of my growing "Journey to Simplicity" bookshelf and put it on my other blog: www.journeytosimplicity.com

Resting and Reflecting – Back from FPEA

May 25, 2008 in Family life by Cindy Prechtel | Permalink

We’re recouping from a busy weekend at the FPEA Convention in Florida.  While there we visited with lots of homeschool families who stopped by our booth and had a great time encouraging one another.

We’re not traveling as much this year on the convention circuit, so it was nice to see other publishers and authors whom we haven’t seen since last summer.  Maggie Hogan was looking good and showing off the new "Mystery of History Vol. III", coloring pages for MoH Vol 1, and Christian Kids Explore Physics – wow, does Maggie ever stop?    I’ll have more to say about some of the new products from Bright Ideas Press over the next week or so..stay tuned!

We chatted a bit with Todd "The Familyman" Wilson – it’s great to see their whole family ministering together!

I also had the treat of getting a sneak peek at Rebecca Powell’s new book – literally hot off the press!  "Season of Change" is a book full of encouragement and practical tools for moms of middle schoolers.  She has done a great job of reminding us of just what it was like to be a middle schooler – it is indeed a season of change, both for our children and for moms.  I’ll have lots more to say about this great book when I get home and have a chance to upload some pictures.

Now we’re spending a few days with hubby’s parents and our nephew.  We’ll be at Disney for a couple days – just what my aching feet need (NOT!).  Today, I’m resting up for the parks!

Celebrating the Biblical Feasts

March 25, 2008 in Family life by Cindy Prechtel | 1 comment

I am excited to spend this year celebrating God’s appointed times – His feasts.  Each one points to either Messiah’s first or second coming.

Passover is in April on our calendar, but it is the first month of the Hebrew calendar.  I’m waiting to see when the moon is "new" to count to the 14th day of the first month.  Lev. 23 and other references tell when God’s people are to meet with Him for special times of remembrance and celebrating.  I figure, we’ve celebrated all the worldly holidays for years…what about the special days God has chosen to meet with His people?!?

I’ve been looking for a Passover Seder plate, and a Messianic Seder "program", also called a Haggadah, to be used during our dinner.  The day after Passover is the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  The Scripture gives some guidance on how to celebrate these two feasts (that are often referred to as one), and there are many wonderful traditions that have passed down.   One thing you do to prepare for the Feast of Unleavened Bread is to remove all leaven from your home.  For Christians, this is not only a remembrance of how the children of Israel had no time to prepare bread with leaven (couldn’t wait for it to rise) before making their Exodus from Egypt, but also as a reminder to rid ourselves of the sin in our lives, and to be thankful for the redeeming work of Messiah for us.  He has rescued us – we are no longer slaves to sin!

One book I’ve found especially helpful and that has inspired me to learn more about the Hebrew Roots of my faith is: Celebrating Our Messiah in the Festivals

I know some churches and synagogues offer a Passover Seder to the public sometimes, but I am really looking forward to celebrating with just our family.  We’ll all be learning together and I am praying that it will be a faith-building time for both my husband and myself, as well as our two teen boys.  My oldest will be returning home from his first mission trip (he’s going to Romania) right about the time of Passover.  I his homecoming will make our time even more special.

Shalom!
Cindy

Getting Things Done

March 20, 2008 in Family life by Cindy Prechtel | Permalink

A friend turned me on to the book "Getting Things Done" by David Allen.  I am organizationally challenged so at first I had a hard time wrapping my brain around the concepts.  Actually, I put the book back on the shelf to read when I could think more clearly.  Last week I pulled it out and skipped the first chapter, as I had a hard time getting it.  From chapter 2 forward, I have finally "got it"! 

I have started applying some of the concepts introduced in the book and my email inbox is – are you ready for this? – empty!  Having my own business, leading a support group, being involved in church, etc., means HUNDREDS of emails everyday.  I set up some folders and began processing emails in a similar way that Allen lays out in GTD, and it is so freeing!  I’m working through my desk today and tomorrow.  My kids can’t believe they can actually "see" the top of it

So what is so great about GTD?  Well, I think the thing I related to the most is the idea of all of the many projects and things we know we need to do that we keep in our head as "open loops".  These open loops stay with us and interrupt our workflow.  This is true for the executive (who GTD is targeted to) as well as a homeschool mom.  By getting every project (that is anything that requires more than one action step) down on paper, and setting up a reliable system to check over our "next actions", we free our mind to be more productive.  He does not recommend making a daily To Do list, but rather organizing all the "next actions" by whether that task can be done when running errands, at the computer, phone calls, etc. 

Maybe this isn’t news to the naturally organized, but for me the idea of having everything written down, files set up to take in every piece of paper so I don’t worry about anything getting lost is revolutionary to me!  I find myself really trusting my calendar, as I know if I put something on it, that thing will get done – as it isn’t a To Do list, but rather, the items on my calendar are "must do" THAT day, or they wouldn’t be on there!

I’m not sure I’ve done GTD justice in my little rambling here, so I’ll point you to some other sites that have done a great job summarizing what GTD is all about:
http://www.coloradocollege.edu/library/Instruction/gtd.html  Great summary with other useful links
http://www.minezone.org/wiki/MVance/GettingThingsDone  Summary of GTD in outline form

Now back to clearing my desk!  When I’m done, I get to do taxes – ugh!

Productively yours,
Cindy :-)

Slow but sure – catching up!

January 21, 2008 in Uncategorized by Cindy Prechtel | Permalink

We’re slowly getting back into the swing of things around here!  It seems we’ve had a harder time getting into our full routine this January.  "Things" keep popping up that distract us :-)   Some of these things have been really good – like our field trip today to a Holocaust Museum. Other things were chosen because they were "easy" and then I didn’t have to face all the stuff we needed to do at home – yep, procrastinating, guilty as charged!

Having older kids, it seems like I find myself feeling the pressure to "keep up" with the system so my oldest will be prepared for the A.C.T., college entrance, etc.  We’ve been working on transferring more responsibility to my oldest in regards to time management.  Since we’ve always been more relaxed, this move to more structure and the pressure to keep up, has been a bit of a paradigm shift!  My oldest is actually enjoying having more structure.  We’ve added basketball to our schedule (our first time doing organized sports since the boys were little).  This has caused my oldest to have to do "homework" in the evening, so he can keep working on math – Algebra is going to kill one of us!

The co-op has been a good thing this year.  It has given me more accountability :-)   I really enjoyed teaching writing last semester.  This semester I have 12 high schoolers studying "Thinking Like a Christian".  I am REALLY enjoying it so far!  I think we are all seeing how easy it is to just take in news and other info., without applying a biblical worldview and thinking through things.

God has really been opening my eyes (convicting) me of many things the past few months.  I’m looking forward to sharing what He’s been showing me as I have time.  One BIG change has been that I have begun to wear a headcovering!  I’m anxious to put my journey in writing :-)   I’ve been journaling a bit – why is it that I can’t stay consistent with journaling?!?

Time to run – I need to get a load of laundry going!

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