Welcome to Daily Encouragement!
Hi, I’m Charlene Notgrass. I was born a long time before you, way back in 1953. I loved homeschooling — once I learned how to make homeschooling who our family was instead of something I carried around like a big, heavy burden every day. From the lessons God has taught me, I offer you daily encouragement.
Clearing Up Relationships
Ray has a high school friend who emails occasionally to share news and to check up on us. Because this high school friend is not one of the guys, but one of the girls, he forwards them to me. One…
Children Who Don’t Like to Read
Back in 1994, when we finally figured out what kind of homeschooling family we really wanted to be and when we adopted our main goal . . . That we, our children and their spouses, our grandchildren and their spouses, and…
From This Day to Graduation
In the midst of the hills surrounding us here in Jackson County, we often hear echoes of the British Isles from whence we came in colloquial words and unique pronunciations. Most of the years since we have been here, locals…
Mamas, Daddies, and News
The Ashland City Times comes out every Wednesday in my hometown just as it did when I was growing up. So does the Jackson County Sentinel where we live now. Ray and I were amused when we read the Sentinel on Wednesday. The Sentinel…
Every Child Deserves Someone to Notice
Every Wednesday night Gary drives the church van to pick up children for Bible class. When the children put on special programs like they did last Wednesday night, several parents and grandparents come, too. First, some devoted ladies feed the children…
The Moose, the Tomatoes, and the Chicken Wire
I walked to the garden after church on Sunday to gather some tomatoes for lunch. Nothing tastes quite as good on a summer day as a Tennessee tomato, especially little tommy toes, marinated in olive oil, vinegar, and maple syrup!…