Building Campaign

Our church is bursting at the seams. Again. It is a wonderful problem to have. It seems to be contagious. Everywhere you look churches are adding on to their buildings. Is there a spiritual awakening happening in our town? What an exciting thought.

So, as we think about how God wants us to contribute it gives us a chance to teach some economics to Sam. This is economics in God's kingdom, not in the USA alone. God's economy is so different. True riches are not $$$, but relationships--with the ultimate relationship being with our Lord. So, according to our missions pastor about 6 months ago, our goal should be to use the resource of money to amass the true wealth of relationships.

So, we are sacrificing financially in our family so that we can see more lives changed, have more brothers and sisters within our own body at PCC. We are anticipating the blessings that always come with sacrifice. We are searching for ways to infuse this kind of upside down (compared to human logic) into Sam.

This has also inspired me to think about a budget for my business. Dwight has a mental budget for our family finances which he cannot put on paper for me to see and understand (which is fine). I don't think quite the same way, so I am attempting to think about financial planning with my business--which will give me the practice I need in case I ever need to take over the family finances.

As I do this, I am also going to have Sam do the same with his allowance. He likes the idea of using quicken to track his money.

So, school is going great. I realized that the grammar book Sam is working through is a high school freshman English credit, so I worked out a gradebook that will be part of his high school transcript. We are beginning the next to last chapter in pre-algebra, so algebra will be starting soon. That will also be a part of his high school transcript. I have heard that you can do a transcript without dates and no one blinks, but if you indicate that your child did this class at a young age you have to answer lots of questions.

Sam will also begin high school science early. I have to start thinking about high school requirements earlier than expected. One thing I am trying to do is balance pushing Sam to challenge himself with making sure he's enjoying school. Having been in a classroom setting where almost every subject was too easy--he has developed some academic laziness. I want to eradicate that laziness, but at the same time not push to the stress level.

I think we are doing that in math, probably not in science (but without the algebra and algebra 2, he can't do chem and physics which is where that would happen). I am trying to do that in writing, but this is where he resists and the place where he is probably below grade level.

I doubt of the history will ever feel like that kind of level until he gets into college--I sure didn't. The VA advance high school diploma is supposed to have AP classes or college level classes. I know we can do that at the local community college when he gets a little older. The min. age might be 15, so I can wait to investigate.

By the way, I love Microsoft Excel--it is a wonderful platform for a gradebook and transcript!!