I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I love everything I've received from Apologia Educational Ministries. From science curriculum to Biblical worldview studies to heart-convicting books, each product has been a blessing. My latest review, Flourish: Balance for Homeschool Moms, is no exception.
Flourish is a book written to help homeschool moms find balance in their daily activities and to truly flourish in everything they do. Mary Jo Tate, the author of multiple books, is a seasoned homeschooler of 4 boys, single mom, international editor and book coach, host of the "Flourish at Home" radio show, and teacher of English literature for homeschool co-op. She is one busy lady! Yet, she's found a way to balance her responsibilities with her desires. She used that knowledge and experience to write a book to help the rest of us who are struggling, exhausted, overloaded. To me the purpose of the book was beautifully summed up in an analogy about a plant:
"When we get bogged down in the difficulties and challenges of our busy lives, we start dropping like a wilted plant that hasn't been watered in a long time. But it's the flourishing plant--one that has been well-tended, with the right balance of good soil water, and light--that grows and offers beauty or nourishment.When you are flourishing, you can take better care of your family so that they too will flourish."
Right from the beginning, my heart was convicted. The day I read that was the same day that I had noticed our poor tomato plants. They had been beautiful, thriving. Flourishing. But we had gotten a lot of rain, and come to find out, there was no drain hole in the pot. The water that filled the pot was drowning my plants. While water is very necessary for the good of the plant, too much will kill it. I knew right away that it applied to me. I tend to take on too much, try to do everything. All those responsibilities are like water. I don't stop to think about how too much "water" will wear me down. Without taking time for myself, I, too, will become wilted like my plants.
Mary Jo points out on page 17, "True balance doesn't mean spending an equal amount of time and attention on each area of your life. It means spending an appropriate amount of time and attention on each area." I'm never going to start relaxing as much as I'm doing--my go-go-go personality can't handle it and it's not even appropriate--but I do need to take time for myself at times. It's a hard lesson I'm learning, especially now with this pregnancy. I've been so sick and have had to sit and not do. I don't think that it's a coincidence that I was given this book to read during this time.
It would take too long for me to relate every profound statemenet in this book, probably about 282 pages, ha. I'll list the chapter titles to give an idea of what it includes.
An Invitation to Flourish
Change Your Mind to Change Your Time
The FREEDOM Toolbox
Where Did My Time Go?
Aim High: Setting Goals
What Do I Do Next? Seven Essential Planning Tools
We Interrupt This Program
It’s Time for an Attitude Adjustment
Oxygen Masks and Monkey Bread Days
Training Your Children
Making Memories
Managing Your Home
All of Life is Learning
Solo Act: Flourishing as a Single Mom
Home Business
Moving Ahead
- See more at: http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/flourish-book-review/#sthash.sIdBX6ZZ.dpuf
An Invitation to Flourish
Change Your Mind to Change Your Time
The FREEDOM Toolbox
Where Did My Time Go?
Aim High: Setting Goals
What Do I Do Next? Seven Essential Planning Tools
We Interrupt This Program
It’s Time for an Attitude Adjustment
Oxygen Masks and Monkey Bread Days
Training Your Children
Making Memories
Managing Your Home
All of Life is Learning
Solo Act: Flourishing as a Single Mom
Home Business
Moving Ahead
- See more at: http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/flourish-book-review/#sthash.sIdBX6ZZ.dpuf
An Invitation to Flourish
Change Your Mind to Change Your Time
The FREEDOM Toolbox
Where Did My Time Go?
Aim High: Setting Goals
What Do I Do Next? Seven Essential Planning Tools
We Interrupt This Program
It’s Time for an Attitude Adjustment
Oxygen Masks and Monkey Bread Days
Training Your Children
Making Memories
Managing Your Home
All of Life is Learning
Solo Act: Flourishing as a Single Mom
Home Business
Moving Ahead
- See more at: http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/flourish-book-review/#sthash.sIdBX6ZZ.dpuf
1. An Invitation to Flourish
2. Change Your Mind to Change Your Time
3. The FREEDOM Toolbox
4. Where Did My Time Go?
5. Aim High: Setting Goals
6. What Do I Do Next? Seven Essential Planning Tools
7. We Interrupt This Program
9. Oxygen Masks and Monkey Bread Days
10. Training Your Children
11. Making Memories
12. Managing Your Home
13. All of Life is Learning
14. Solo Act: Flourishing as a Single Mom
15. Home Business
16. Moving Ahead
At the end of each chapter, Mary Jo challenges you to take action by asking some tough questions and encouraging you to apply what you learned. Some of the questions were difficult. What activities do I need to stop? What can I delegate? What's currently missing in my life that I'd like to make time for? How will I teach my children to take initiative? Not only are the words throughout the chapters convicting, the end review truly makes you reflect on where your stuggling and succeeding.
One chapter that I didn't really expect to have much of an impact was chapter 14: "Solo Act: Flourishing as a Single Mom," after all, I am very much not single. But this chapter surprised me. It's not just about how you yourself can flourish as a single mom, but how you as a married woman can help those moms flourish, as well. I realized that I should be reaching out to those moms more. It's not that I'm indifferent to their situation or just don't care, but that I get too caught up in my own family, rushing around taking care of my little ones. Mary Jo has shown me ways that I can be a blessing to other women in need, while caring for my own family.
One chapter that I didn't really expect to have much of an impact was chapter 14: "Solo Act: Flourishing as a Single Mom," after all, I am very much not single. But this chapter surprised me. It's not just about how you yourself can flourish as a single mom, but how you as a married woman can help those moms flourish, as well. I realized that I should be reaching out to those moms more. It's not that I'm indifferent to their situation or just don't care, but that I get too caught up in my own family, rushing around taking care of my little ones. Mary Jo has shown me ways that I can be a blessing to other women in need, while caring for my own family.
I have not marked in my book at all. I'm a little silly about that. One, notes, to me, are a bit personal. If I loan the book to someone else, I don't necessarily want them reading my notes. Two, if I were to loan the book, I wouldn't want my notes of what I felt was most important to hinder other parts from speaking to the new reader. Does that make sense? That doesn't mean that I haven't taken notes though! I have a notebook where I've written down page numbers and quotes and all sorts of things that have spoken to me as I've read this book. I've already flipped back through them and reread portions of the book that were exceptionally powerful. I know that I will appreciate having this resource for many years to come.
Flourish: Balance for Homeschool Moms costs $15.00 and is perfect for any mom that wants to take control of her life. Even in areas that I thought I was doing ok, I realize there is always room for improvement. This book would make a lovely gift to help someone you know.
Would you like to see how this book blessed other homeschool moms? Head over to the Schoolhouse Review Crew to read more reviews.
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