There's just so much to see and hear, including fellow moms you meet while perusing a booth who need encouragement or can encourage you in your homeschooling journey.

At the same time, I know that homeschooling conventions can be overwhelming. So here is my advice for navigating and enjoying your homeschool convention: remember that God made you smart enough to homeschool your children.  

Go ahead and attend the workshops, listen to the vendors' sales pitch and friends' suggestions, but if it sounds too hard, too overwhelming, or too ... UGH, then don't do it and don't feel guilty about not doing it. God made you smart enough to figure it all out on your own.

Pick out the stuff you like and leave the stuff you don't like behind.

Take deep breaths occasionally and introduce yourself to the person next to you who looks just as confused as you feel. Who knows what might become of a "chance" meeting.

Be real ... and maybe I'll see you at the Great Homeschool Convention in Greenville, S.C., this weekend. In fact, the first person to stop by and say, "Yee Haw" (that's S.C. for welcome) gets a free audio CD of your choice!

Todd

But one of the best things about a conference is the opportunity to seek out experts and leaders in the area where you have the most questions. How often do you have to chance to bring your personal questions to your favorite authors and speakers, and get personal advice? How many people do you know who have the breadth of knowledge and experience to advise you on curriculum, learning disabilities, or special interests, as your typical homeschool vendor?  

So make the most of the opportunity!

Bring your most pressing questions to the conference. Think ahead of time what advice you really need: curriculum, raising boys, homeschooling high school, or whatever you need.

Look over the list of speakers and workshops and mark the most interesting ones.A big conference can be overwhelming once you arrive, and you don't want to miss a special session in the busyness of the day.  

Don't be shy! Most speakers are delighted to answer questions. Your concerns are important to them, and helping people like you is the main reason they come. The kind of questions we hear helps us decide what workshops to plan for the future, too.

Choose the best time. Speakers are usually free to talk immediately after a workshop or when they're in their booth. If you see them in the hallway between  sessions, though, please understand if they can't stop to talk right then--many speakers give five or six presentations in a two-day event, and they are likely on their way to one when you see them in the crowd. A smile and a thank you are always welcome, but ask if it's a good time before launching a question.

Do support vendors and speakers at the event. Everyone knows you may not be ready to buy that book or program at the event, and if you need more time to think about it, no one minds. But do keep in mind that if you have made the decision, your choice to save $1.50 by ordering from an online bookstore may actually be a $10 difference to the writer or publisher standing in front of you. Most are working hard to support their families and your purchases keep them coming back to conventions!

We're already on the road traveling to this season's conventions. Please come up and introduce yourself if you see us at one. We love to meet our readers! See you there ...

Yours in the battle,

Hal & Melanie

So many of you have asked us to put together a downloadable version of our Mom & Dad Special (a Raising Real Men book for Mom and an audiobook for Dad) that we have finally got it done! Head over here to download it now!

The Book of God (Graphic Novel)

The Book of God shares with us how the Bible came to be created. The beginning words, in a tribute to Dr. Henry H. Hailey, sets the tone for the intention of the book, "The Bible is not man's account of his efforts to find God but rather an account of God's efforts to reveal Himself to Man." Set in the design of a graphic novel, the content is quite meaty.

This book is set in four parts: The Production of the Bible, The Process of the Bible, the Preservation of the Bible, and the Proof of the Bible. Each area digs deep with quotes, historical time lines, and questions that lead the reader to want to discover the answers on the next page. Starting with how the Bible has shaped the world history, governments and laws then moving to how the Bible is still shaping countries and cultures with the abundance of versions and massive availability. The journey is with a main character who leads you through how the Bible was written from the Old Testament to the New with the authors and time lines.

We walk through how the canons were created, listening in to the men who left records of how different letters were included or left out. As we read we sit beside those who wanted to preserve the Bible. With the printing press we learn how those in authority wanted to ensure the preservation of the truth of scriptures were upheld. Each part of the book builds on the page prior with more questions as we turn to the next topic. (Read the rest of the review. . . )

You can WIN the Book of God!

TO ENTER: Email Heather with your name, mailing address, and phone number for contact purposes, with the subject line, "Book of God" for a chance to win* the book for your family!