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.
Dolly Lesson 1 — Time to Be Free
I was a dolly sort of girl. I fed Betsy Wetsy water until she did what her name implies she could do (if you know what I mean; do they still make dolls like that?). I got a Barbie doll not long…
“Hang To”
I am relishing listening to Laddie. Your children may have read Freckles or A Girl of the Limberlost. Laddie is another book by Gene Stratton-Porter, published in the early 1900s and set in rural Indiana. Laddie, a college graduate who has returned home…
Old-Fashioned Pen Pals
When I was around twelve years old, I had a pen pal — not a Facebook friend or a texting buddy or an email friend, but an old-fashioned pen pal. Her name was Meiko; she was from Japan. I don’t remember…
Family Memories Made One at a Time
Mother, Mary Evelyn, Clara, Wesley, and I recently visited my Aunt Nan (Mother’s sister) and Uncle Jerry. I have written about Uncle Jerry before. This is the photo I shared then. Here’s a photo taken after the talent show. Aunt Nan and Uncle Jerry love our…
Homeschool To Do List, Part 4 — Appreciate Art
One of the objectives on our Homeschool To Do List was: Appreciate art and music. Today I would like to share one way that our children learned to appreciate art. One of the best ways to appreciate anything is to try…
Making a Round Wheel Fair and Square
Since the birth of John in 1979, Bethany in 1981, and Mary Evelyn in 1983, one of my guiding principles has been to treat each of our children fairly. After these photos were taken when Mary Evelyn was six weeks old, I figured…