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Archives: June 2007

HEAV Convention Thoughts

I, and four of my children, had an instructive and edifying time at the HEAV convention this past weekend. From Doug Phillips’ keynote address Friday morning on the providence of God in history to the inspiring workshops to shopping in the Exhibit Hall, we passed a very busy, tiring, but spiritually refreshing two days.

On Friday afternoon, mid-convention, we buckled our weary selves in the minivan and began the trek home. Oh, boy – I-95. We found our entrance ramp without a hitch and headed north – Richmond, Henrico County, Hanover County, Caroline County, and then Spotsylvania County. As we traveled along the busy highway, we each shared accounts of our day. After things quieted down, my 20-year-old son, David, who was driving, put his new Doug Phillips CD in the player. Doug reminded us of the lessons Job learned in severe adversity: God is sovereign and no one can question His ways.

We entered Stafford County – aaaaahhhh, only a few more exits to go. After passing through a rough downpour with extremely limited visibility further south, we were especially relieved to be nearing the safety of home. Sam was fast asleep and Emily and Sarah were quietly taking in the passing scenery. Then David looked in the rearview mirror and in a measured, foreboding tone I will never forget said, “Oh, my word.” Instinctively, I looked in the passenger-side mirror just in time to see a light-colored Toyota Corolla careening from side to side in the middle lane of the highway. A split second later it lost control completely and veered directly into the path of a tractor-trailer in the right lane. The truck tried vainly to avoid a collision, slamming violently into the passenger side of the Toyota, pushing it with massive force up the right lane and off the road.

I have never seen so horrible a scene. I felt sure that I had just witnessed someone getting killed. I’m afraid my response was anything but reasonable and calm. I screamed at the top of my lungs over and over and over. My son’s instinct was to pull off the road immediately and dial 911 but as he pulled onto the shoulder I screamed, “No! no! no! Get off the highway! Get off the highway!” I was terrified that we would be hit, although it looked as though all the traffic behind us just got further and further away.

We pulled off at the next exit and into a McDonald’s parking lot where I lost control of my emotions altogether. I can only imagine what I must have looked like to the others in the lot – a middle-aged woman rocking back and forth, hands covering her face, screaming and crying, “I just saw someone die!”
The experience was singular and I hope never to repeat it. One good thing emerged from the horror, however. My son and my 14-year-old daughter, Emily, rushed to my aid, proving themselves stronger in mind and spirit than their mother. David called home so my husband could speak to me and calm me down. While he was explaining the situation, Emily held me and reminded me of Doug Phillips’ words earlier that day: “There are no accidents. God is in complete control. Whatever the circumstances, God is sovereign and every detail of the universe is in His control.” I was not raised in a Christian home. I did not learn the truth of God’s sovereignty until I was well into my twenties. It takes me hours, sometimes days to find the peace that my children find in minutes. How dear, how precious to have children who are grounded in what is really important in life and who, by God’s grace, confidently place their trust in Him.

When we arrived home I spent a few private minutes praying and regaining my composure. Initially, I canceled my plans to return to the convention. As the evening progressed, however, I felt a strong nudge from the Holy Spirit urging me to rethink my faithless response and trust God to protect me. I often say to my children that most people think the worst thing that can happen to a person is to die, but the truth is we all die; the worst thing that can happen to a person is to die without Christ and spend eternity in hell. Wouldn’t fearing the highway, choosing to miss out on the blessing of the convention be a cowardly, weak reaction? I knew that I needed to walk my talk. I would be going back to the convention after all.

The next morning during his keynote address, Ken Ham stressed that our children are the only things we invest in that will live on through eternity. He related the profound influence his godly father had upon his life as well as his own efforts to be a godly influence on his children and grandchildren. For the first time, I got a very real sense that homeschooling had the power to affect, not only my children, but many generations of their descendants. For these unborn, unknown relations I resolved to put my dishonoring fears to rest and instead fear God and God alone.

During Anne Miller’s workshop on teaching boys, her youngest son expressed eloquently the most important advantage of homeschooling: the godly atmosphere. I doubt my children would have responded Friday afternoon with the same confidence in God’s control if they had spent the better part of their waking hours surrounded by ungodly peers, teachers and textbooks. How grateful I am to have been graciously led by God to homeschool my children – a decision my husband and I made before they were even born.

I spent Saturday afternoon chatting with author, Connie Lapallo, about the writing of her book, Dark Enough to See the Stars in a Jamestown Sky. I’m only on page 22, but already I see God repeating the theme for the weekend: trust Him and fear Him alone. “Where the hand of God leads me, the hand of God saves me,” says a character in the book. The same character goes on to say, “But the hand of God is not the hand of misfortune, even when it seems so. Even in death, it rescues.”

God has used the entire HEAV convention experience, including the trips to and from, to put my focus back on Christ and eternity. I pray that I will retain the lessons learned, by His grace, and that my great-great-great-great grandchildren will be found in Him on the Last Day.

Kathleen Dillie

NOTE: There was nothing on the internet or the local newspaper
about the accident, so I am concluding, thankfully, that no one was
actually injured in spite of what it appeared like at the time.

HEAVBlogger @ June 13, 2007 | Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Thanks, HEAV, for a great convention!

I’m just back from HEAV’s 2007 convention, and I wanted to say ‘thanks’ to everyone who worked so hard to put it together. It was a busy three days, but smooth and well-organized all the way.

One of the best things I noticed over the weekend was the number of graduated homeschool parents and grandparents shopping with their families. It was delightful to see mothers and daughters discussing possible curriculum choices for the next generation! Just think how blessed the children of homeschooled parents will be, with grandparents who wholeheartedly support the family’s goals and understand the journey. This will be a very good thing!

Another wonderful thing I noticed was that many young mothers were shopping with an older friend. From the conversations we heard in our booth, it was apparent that experienced moms were taking time to share what they had learned with others. We even witnessed casual encounters in which an older mom stepped up to offer a suggestion or answer a question asked by a new homeschooler. It was a sweet illustration of ‘older women teaching the younger’ in a very practical context.

Our booth, Everyday Education, was busy much of the time. We had the new editions of Transcripts Made Easy: The Homeschooler’s Guide to High School Paperwork and Get a Jump Start on College! A Practical Guide for Teens, and they just flew off the shelf. Grammar Made Easy: Writing a Step Above was popular as well.

I didn’t make it to any workshops but the ones in which I was speaking, so I look forward to getting the CDs. All my workshops seemed well attended, and it was a joy to be able to share about homeschooling through high school, paying for college, creating transcripts, teaching essay writing, and evaluating writing. I always learn something from my audience, and I enjoy the conversations we have after the workshops. Homeschooling isn’t always easy, and it’s a blessing to see parents patiently working to learn what they need to know in order to do a good job.

The 2007 HEAV convention was excellent. I know it’s a tremendous amount of work, but the HEAV board and convention planners always make it feel like a labor of love (thank you, Flo, Vicki, Tammy, board, and volunteers!). If you missed it, be sure to get a CD of the workshops, and plan on coming next year. The CD is good, but the encouragement you’ll receive by actually being there is much, much better. As a homeschooler, it’s one of the few places you can go where you are among thousands of others that are traveling the same road. That’s a pretty encouraging feeling! And of course, there’s always the shopping….

Janice Campbell
Everyday Education

HEAVBlogger @ June 10, 2007 | Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Join the HEAV Volunteer Team!

Join the HEAV Volunteer Team! Have a lot of fun while making new friends and being a part of making the HEAV Convention 2007 a success! These young ladies are glad they did!

Pictured l. to r. Melissa Howland, Rachel Kent, Susannah Miller, Hannah Musick, and Rachel Bunn.

Photo by Seth Fisher, Through My Lens Photography

admin @ June 9, 2007 | Uncategorized | Comments (0)

History is Alive at the HEAV Convention!

Surprises abound as you walk through the Exhibit Hall at the HEAV Convention today! Historical re-enactors including Thomas Jefferson, Gen. George Washington, Patrick Henry, and Gen. Jackson & his lovely wife Mrs. Jackson were joined by young homeschool patriots to pose for a picture.

Mrs. Jackson was delighted to hear about the amazing new invention that took a “picture” of someone, asking many questions about the marvelous new contraption.

Photo by Seth Fisher, Through My Lens Photography

admin @ June 9, 2007 | Uncategorized | Comments (0)

The Crowds Arrive!!

Crowds of enthusiastic attendees eagerly await the doors to open on the newly expanded Exhibit Hall! Come and see for yourself!

Photo by Seth Fisher, Through My Lens Photography

admin @ June 8, 2007 | Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Hello, from the HEAV Convention!

The premiere night of the convention has passed, but you still have time to come for two great days of homeschool conferences and book buying! As a vendor, I was very pleased with the number of people in the exhbit hall tonight. What has impressed me the most at this conference has been the efforts of the volunteers who put this convention together. They have thought of the smallest details to make this convention a great experience for the participants and vendors alike. And I have felt the Spirit of God at this convention. That is the best part of being in a convention where you know God comes first.

If you are considering coming to Richmond for this convention, please come! I think you will be as impressed as I have been with it. You are welcome to come by and tell me, “Hello.” And please be sure to thank any of the volunteers that you see throughout the convention center.

Have a blessed day! Tami Fox
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Tami
http://www.dhss.com

HEAVBlogger @ June 8, 2007 | Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Hello Everyone,

I am Eric Roberts, Author of the 8 Chords, 100 Songs Worship Guitar Program and Online School.

Stop by our booth at the 2007 convention to learn more about the online school and how it can help all of your kids. Last week in Chicago I caught up with students that have been learning with my program for only a year and many of them are leading worship, writing songs and having great success. I always knew that it really worked but now I am begining to seze the students from the past year and I am really impressed with their progress. I have posted their stories as video interviews on my youtube channel. You can watch them

Bring your kids by to meet me at booth #267

Our guitar and book pack special for HEAV is only 149.99
Also, you can try the program on my web site at:

Hope to see you soon,

Eric Roberts
Booth 267 HEAV 2007

HEAVBlogger @ June 7, 2007 | Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Behind the Scenes

Have you ever thought about the work that happens behind a convention? I never had really given it much thought until a year ago when I got a booth for the first time. I quickly discovered that booths, nametags, signs, schedules, and the thousands of other little aspects of the convention don’t just fall into place on their own. It takes lots of people working hard behind the scenes to put a convention together.

This afternoon, the HEAV exhibit hall will open its doors for the premier evening of shopping. Few wandering the halls would have guessed what a frenzy of preparation that same hall looked like a few hours before as exhibitors scrambled to get their books unpacked and displayed. Fewer still will have imaged the year’s worth of planning and preparations that went into organizing the convention. A lot goes on behind the scenes.

As I’ve been getting ready for the convention, I have been struck by the similarity between a homeschooling convention and homeschooling itself. Homeschooling involves a lot of work no one ever sees or seems to appreciate–things like teaching phonics lessons, changing diapers, and washing dishes. Yet just like the “behind the scenes”� work at a convention, there is value in teaching the seemingly endless lessons and washing the never-ending pile of dishes. In fact, there’s no better use of your time than training your child for eternity–even if no one else acknowledges what you do “behind the scenes.”

I hope you will join us at the convention this weekend and that you will be encouraged there to continue the “behind the scenes”� work you are doing in your own home.

In His Care,

Katherine Loop

Katherine Loop @ June 7, 2007 | General | Comments (0)