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.
Grandpa Helps with School
I published my first blog post on April 29, 2013. I got my first encouraging response from Melissa (not her real name) on May 2. Many more have followed. I first met Melissa at a small homeschool event about 2001…
Spared
We heard a wonderful story from John yesterday. On Monday he did “One Soldier’s Story” for a group in St. Louis. This is John’s performance in which he dresses in Ray’s dad’s World War II uniform and tells his grandfather’s story in the first-person.…
Mother Joy
On the twenty-third of February in 1979, I was waiting, as I had been for the last eight months–waiting to see the little joy growing inside me. I saw my obstetrician that day for one of those weekly appointments expectant mothers…
An Unwelcome Guest
Yesterday morning was our first trip to town since our icy weather started last Monday. I was surprised at how slick the roads still were and completely unprepared for what we found in town. The street in front of our church building…
The Costume Box
Ray and I have always lived near universities. Our current church is the first one we have been a part of during our entire marriage that has not had a ministry to college students. As our children were growing up,…
The Eight-Hour Phone Call
My husband is brilliant! Mother started coughing on Sunday. On Monday it sounded like it was coming from throat irritation. I gave her lots to drink and kept asking her how she was doing. Our road was in no shape to attempt a…