WHAT IS COMMUNITY?

One dictionary definition of community is “a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals”. Do you find it interesting that this definition indicates that community is a feeling? Like me, you might want to ponder that for a few minutes. Another dictionary definition of community is “a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common”. This is a familiar meaning of community, but I like the idea of community being a feeling (even though I’m not a big feeler).

While The Write Journey community does have particular characteristics in common (namely, we value quality writing and communication education for our children), we also create a “feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals”. So what are those common attitudes, interests, and goals?

• We desire healthy communication within our families and homes

• We seek instruction on how to help our children become excellent writers

• We value quality books that allow us to explore topics and engage in discussions to develop critical thinking

• We understand the high call of parents to be the boss of their children’s education - even when they choose to outsource aspects of that education

• We find success in partnership: parents, educators, instructors, students

• We long to explore creative ways to promote quality language arts skills

• We recognize the need to support (not judge) each other as we all do our best - imperfectly.

• We choose to focus on character training even as we teach academics, knowing that character matters more than knowledge

As we share these attitudes, interests, and goals, we experience “a feeling of fellowship” . . . and that is what The Write Journey community is all about. We appreciate every single family in The Write Journey community. You are welcomed and honored. We hope our community blesses your family.

SHARING HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

This holiday season offers so many opportunities:

• Reading fun holiday stories

• Watching classic holiday movies

• Listening to sounds of the season

• Creating gifts and decorations

• Tasting favorite family holiday cuisine

• Sleeping in a little

• Relaxing by a warm fire with a hot drink

These activities provide opportunities to capture solid holiday snapshots, and we’d love to see some of yours. Would you be willing to share some of your fun moments this holiday season?

We are a community of individuals journeying together to bring quality education--with a focus on communication--to our families. Even as we take a break and relax our academic routine for the holidays, we never cease to practice communication skills: reading, writing, and discussing. We always love to see pictures of your family’s educational journey, but there’s no time like the holidays to capture your unique journey.

We are not looking for picture-perfect shots. We’re looking for REAL LIFE! Whatever that looks like for your family, we would love a glimpse. Your picture(s) may or may not have people in them. Creations, decorations, actions (both work and play), disasters, etc. These all reflect real life. The holiday season naturally offers unique, engaging scenes of the raw beauty of family life.

Visit our social media platforms to share your holiday happenings with The Write Journey community. In this way, we build connections, and connections will result in support and encouragement for all.

Written by: Kris Cordell

TEAMWORK: BETTER TOGETHER

Seriously! Few holidays have deeper meaning and greater potential for good than Thanksgiving. This is the season that reminds us of the importance of choosing gratitude. As we choose gratitude, our actions follow suit: We act grateful. Imagine a world filled with grateful people. While that may feel hard to even imagine, that is exactly what I imagine for TWJ Community. We are a community that chooses to be thankful all the time. We are thankful for:

•  Friends/community

•  Books

•  Family

•  Sharing ideas

•  Encouraging words

•  Trials that help us grow

•  Art/beauty

•  Health

•  Nature

 And on, and on, and on

Of course we experience frustrations on our journey, but we do our best to remind each other to look for the blessings in each and every situation.

We are grateful that we get to partner with you on your journey to bring quality education to your children. Whether you are a homeschool family or not, we are with you; we are for you; we are grateful to support you in a variety of ways. We know a lot about teaching writing, literature, and communication in general, but we need you to teach us how to connect with you. In this crazy world of online connections, building relationships is filled with both challenges and opportunities. Would you help us find the opportunities? As parents who care about your children’s education, what are your greatest needs and how might we be able to help you, using the virtual platform?

•  Attend conventions (which ones?)

•  Create podcasts? (what topics?)

•  Hold live virtual meetings (when should they be scheduled?)

•  Create written documents to support parents (what content?)

The key to creating and supporting an active, vital community is communication. We want to hear from you whenever you have an idea that might help us serve families like yours as you educate your children.

No longer can we depend upon government run schools to do this job for us. For many reasons, the educational model that was built in the USA is no longer reliable, but that’s okay. In fact, it may be a blessing in disguise. Together we can teach our children well. Not only can we teach them about reading, writing, and arithmetic, but we can also teach them about civility, morality, honor. . . and gratitude. Together we can restore this great nation. This is a vision that requires teamwork and sacrifice at every level. As you do your part, we will do ours, and together we will travel this journey to make a difference. And we will give thanks for all the blessings (sometimes hidden) along the way.

Written by: Kris Cordell

BOOKS AND BEYOND

Last week when one of my dear friends came to visit me from the other side of the country, she brought me a cute notepad with quotes about books. These are the quotes I enjoyed the most:

•   “Think before you speak. Read before you think.” Fran Lebowitz

• “A book is a dream you hold in your hand.” Neil Gaiman

•  “A book is a device to ignite the imagination.” Alan Bennett

•  “Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.” Anna Quindlen

  (Do you have a favorite quote about books? If so, I’d love for you to share it with me.)

  I especially like the above quote by Alan Bennett: “A book is a device to ignite the imagination.” It reminds me of one of my all-time favorite children’s books; one that communicates an incredibly impactful message for adults too. The title of the book is What Do You Do With an Idea, by Kobi Yamada.

  “This is a story of one brilliant idea and the child who helps to bring it into the world. It’s a story for anyone, at any age, who’s ever had an idea that seemed too big, too odd, too difficult. It’s a story to inspire you to welcome that idea, to give it space to grow, and to see what happens next.” (quote from www.live-inspired.com)

  This is a book “to ignite the imagination”. (You can even find a YouTube read-aloud.) I’ve discovered that one of my favorite phrases is, “I have an idea”. As soon as I hear those words, I’m engaged and ready to listen . . . ready to speak life into your idea. I want to encourage you to check this book out and think about what idea God has placed on your heart and in your mind. If you feel really brave, share your idea with someone else. I’d even love for you to send me a message and share your idea with me or post your idea to our Facebook or IG. Of course, it probably goes without saying that this is a book you will want to read to your children often. They too have world-changing ideas.

  Written by: Kris Cordell krisspeakslife@gmail.com