Welcome to This Journey of Love

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  • Welcome to my world!
    I hope you’ll stay.
    Since Father’s love changed me
    I have something to say.
  • The One who loves me,
    See, He also loves you
    The things He’s done for me
    He will do for you, too.
  • So come with me
    As I follow the Lamb
    Wherever He goes.
    My life’s in His hand.
  • I trust Him and follow Him
    No matter the cost.
    Without His great love for me
    I would be lost.
  • The words that you find here
    I hope will breathe life.
    In each day and moment
    You’ll find His delight.
  • For surely His love for you
    Is greater than you know.
    Come with me now
    To His presence we’ll go.
    P.M.D.

Changed By Love and Still Changing

York, Pennsylvania 2011

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Katy, Texas 2012

Mary Jo Peckham Park

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Katy, TX 2013 Mary Jo Peckham Park

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Katy, TX Honey Farm, 2014

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Katy, TX Honey Farm, 2015

Katy, TX – MKT Railroad Park Caboose and Depot, 2017

Katy, TX – Heritage Park, 2020

Hi, I’m Penney Douglas. I have been married to my precious husband for 36 years. We have been exceedingly and abundantly blessed with 10 children. They all belong to me and my husband. And to think that I was afraid I would never get married! I got a late start (married at 25 and first child at 27), but I guess late bloomers can blossom profusely once they get started.
I blog for several reasons. I like to keep a record of what we’re doing in our homeschooling and share ideas for other homeschoolers or moms who like to work and play with their kids. I try to encourage families to keep Christ first in their homes so they can be all that they were made to be. I want to help others to draw closer to God. I hope to glorify God and give Him praise for all that He does for us.
I am constantly learning, changing and growing. Sometimes I feel like a beginner even though I’ve been a Christian since I was 4 years old and I’ve been homeschooling for about 27 years. And I’ve been living for __ years (long enough!).
But the Lord has been faithful to keep me and my family on an upward climb drawing nearer to Him in spite of our weaknesses and mistakes.
He has led us on a crooked path across the United States and back and then some. (From Ohio to Kansas City to Arizona to Colorado, back to Kansas City to Illinois to Pennsylvania and now to Texas!) We are still looking for that place to call home. We hope to find it before the oldest chicks are ready to fly from the nest! But our desire is that they land somewhere near us even when that time comes.
We are believing God for miracles of provision. We have already seen many. We suffered the loss of our home 19 years ago. Now we live in a different state, and my husband is making more money than ever before. But the money is beside the point. What God did in each of our hearts, convincing us of His reality and His love for us, is worth more than all of the houses or money in the world. But now He has enabled us to help others in need, and we are grateful for the opportunity to bless others.
Our children are truly gifts from God. They learn from us and teach us so much. I would never have known even a fraction of how much God loves me if I had never had the opportunity to be a mother to my precious children. They are teaching me even more as they grow in wisdom and understanding and we share together what the Lord is teaching us.
Family was God’s idea. Marriage was His idea. God has good ideas. His ideas work.
He wants our families to be training grounds for children (and adults) to learn His ways and right ways of relating to God and to people. We learn how to die to ourselves when others are dependent on us, and when we have to learn to get along with the people around us in order to experience peace and harmony. The rough edges are rubbed off as we care enough to be honest with each other and humble ourselves to receive correction even from those younger than ourselves.
God created us because He wanted a family. That’s more than a trite saying. He created us in His image so that He could have sons and daughters that would look like Him, act like Him and love Him. He wanted to be a father.
He created you so He could love you. Receive His love for you. Let Him be your Daddy.

Back to the Garden

Originally written in 2016 – Updated in 2025

 

I planted a garden today.

My new flower bed

I helped Garrett plant his garden a couple of weeks ago.

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Garden is the theme of the hour.

God is telling us to go back to the garden.
As I said before, so many things can be compared to a garden that I became overwhelmed with the enormity of the task of writing about a garden. I felt that the Lord was leading me to write about a garden, but I didn’t know which aspect of a garden He wanted me to address.
I think I have gotten some clarity on that now.
God delights in gardens and views each of his children as a garden.
My heart of hearts is a garden. It is God’s garden.
I meet Him there sometimes when I worship wholeheartedly.
When I enter into His presence.
Do you know what I mean when I say that I feel God’s presence when I worship?
Have you experienced a peace that passes understanding, a love that encompasses everyone around you and all that you know, as you focus on the Lord and His majesty, as you picture Him seated on the throne and the angels bowing before Him in worship and feel His holiness and power emanating from the throne?
There is a song by Misty Edwards that beautifully describes the secret garden inside of each of us where God will meet with us alone, if we will meet Him there. This takes some time, effort and Holy Spirit-inspired and empowered prayer to really enter into. If you are not aware that it’s even a possibility, you may never attempt to meet with the Lord in the secret garden of your heart.
Here is that song with some pictures of gardens to help inspire your imagination of what a garden inside of your heart might look like.
Adam and Eve walked and talked with God in the coolness of the day in the Garden of Eden.
They lost access to the garden when they sinned. Hence, all of mankind lost access to it. But after Jesus died and carried our sins away, He gave us access to the Father again. We can have relationship and fellowship with God, His Father – our Father – because the veil that separated us from Him is no longer there. The veil was ripped from top to bottom when Jesus was crucified.

Now we can walk with God in the cool of the day again.

We can meet with Him in the garden by worshiping Him and praying. We stay there until we sense His presence. We listen for His voice. We get revelation from Him. Then we carry that revelation with us as we go into our daily activities.
But we never really have to leave His presence. He lives inside of us, so we take His presence with us wherever we go.
We must do our part. If you have the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you must really exercise your spiritual gifts that come with that and pray in your prayer language. Often. Every day. Not just every once in a while.
In this way, we can war from the garden, from the inside out.
And we can take the land or territory that God has told us to as we spent that time with Him in the garden of our heart of hearts.
A garden is a place where seeds grow. They grow into healthy plants if they are properly watered and weeded and have the right amount of sunlight.
A husband is a gardener and his wife is a garden. If he fails to take care of his garden, weeds of sarcasm, anger, bitterness, boredom, and resentment will start to grow. It is at that point that every man has one of three choices:
  1. The husband can choose to change gardens by way of leaving his spouse.
    2. The husband can keep his garden, yet grow bitter about the weeds.
        Colossians 3:19 says:
      “Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.”
     3. The husband can start doing what it takes to prevent the weeds from growing in his garden.
         Eph. 5:28  “In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his                 wife loves himself.”
Here are some thoughts about Gardens:
  • The blessing goes out from the house. God visits you in your house and in your garden.
  • Master the garden. Put a perimeter around your garden.
  • Light in a dark place. Plants need light. Sometimes we have to move them into the light.
  • Nothing is coming this year to take away from your prosperity or peace. Because God is coming to walk in your garden.
  • Back to the Garden – man given dominion over the Earth in the Garden of Eden
  • Jesus reacquired dominion in the Garden of Gethsemane – crucified and buried in a garden tomb
  • Heaven on Earth is like a garden – oasis, fountains of water
  • The sun never goes down when God is in your garden
  • Our mind is a garden. Plant good seeds (thoughts) in your garden.
  • Life started in a garden.
  • A wife is a garden.
  • Family is a garden.
  • Our minds are a garden.
  • God delights in gardens and views each of His children as a garden.
  • I am God’s garden.
  • God is coming to walk in His garden.
  • Jesus regained dominion over the Earth in a garden.
  • Jesus was crucified and placed in a tomb in a garden.
  • He resurrected in a garden.
Marriage is a Garden
(This was written by my daughter.)
Gardens are meant to be tended every day. If you leave it for others or allow nature to take its course, when next you walk those familiar pathways, you will find that things are not as you remember them. Flowers that you once knew as well as your own children change and either wither or grow so that you no longer recognize them, becoming lost in a tangle of weeds and other plants.
In a world where the common belief seems to be that all things are relative and vows that were once taken with the utmost gravity, intended as a lifelong commitment, are now taken with only today in mind with no thought towards tomorrow, it is at this time that we should draw from the ancient wisdom of the garden. Experienced gardeners will tell you, “Miss one day of watering and you will spend the rest of the week making it up.” While this may only be true for more delicate flowers, the principle is one to bear in mind and attempt to apply to one’s everyday life. A relationship is many things, but one thing to which it is often related is a flowering plant. While not all flowers require the same amount of sunshine, water, or trimming, at some point, especially during the fragile beginning of their life, a plant must be carefully guarded and observed. While still a tender sprout, it is easy to see why one must be vigilant so that nothing treads upon it. But when the plant nears its maturity, one usually begins to lower their guard, believing that the flower has grown strong enough to be left on its own, unaided. Other hobbies begin to feel important again, tasks that were once at the back of our minds slide to the forefront, we allow ourselves to become busy. Our garden no longer takes precedence in our hearts and is left to fend for itself. Know that wherever there is life, there will be those who seek to either protect it, or prey upon it.
When a woman is joined to her husband, the two must take their relationship and replant it in a new flowerbed. This is the start of their garden. When a flower is uprooted and replanted in a new garden, it must be watched closely for any signs of trauma or discomfort as it struggles to adjust to its new surroundings. Patience and love are required during this crucial stage. One cannot allow themselves to be distracted by other things, for it is at this time that adjustments must be made to accommodate the fragile plant. If the soil is too dry, or the wind is too strong, or the soil does not offer the proper nutrition, one must be willing to make whatever sacrifices are needed to keep their flower healthy and growing. When a man and wife come together, they are both equally responsible for tending this garden and keeping the many trees and flowers therein healthy and strong. Over time, many lose the initial excitement of owning a garden and let their interests drift toward other things, forgetting the responsibility they accepted when they planted that first flower. If you return to a garden that is in ruins, sometimes the best thing to do is simply uproot the dead plants and replant new ones. Do not abandon your garden simply because it is no longer as beautiful as you remember it. Take care of it, nurse it back to health, even if only one flower of hope remains. You planted the garden together and it is your shared responsibility. No matter the trials or distractions that caused you to drift from it in the first place, when you return, do so with the intent to heal whatever has withered in your absence. You cannot expect fruit from a plant that has not been tended throughout its season.

I hope you’re taking care of the garden of your heart.

And remember to spend time with God in the garden of your heart.

Love,

Penney

 

Safe Haven Newsletter for July

I’m so glad that you’re a part of our Safe Haven family.

Last month I told you I would tell a story about homeschool freedom.

Here are some of the freedoms I’m talking about.

The Beautiful Freedom of Homeschooling

One of the most beautiful gifts of homeschooling is freedom—and it shows up in so many life-giving ways.

  • Freedom to set your own schedule
  • Freedom to choose curriculum—or create your own
  • Freedom to decide what your children learn and don’t learn
  • Freedom to live where you want (no need to stress about “good school districts”)
  • Freedom from comparison and competition
  • Freedom from worrying about what’s happening to your kids while they’re away from you
  • Freedom to choose their friends and influences
  • Freedom from bullying
  • Freedom to take field trips whenever you want—for as long as you want

In our home, we embraced that freedom. We were a family of night owls, and we were so thankful we didn’t have to rush out the door early every morning. We could stay up late reading, talking, and enjoying one another. If we had a commitment, we got up and went, but we weren’t ruled by a school bell.

One evening, my husband came home late from work, and instead of missing out, he joined us for Poetry Teatime. He sat down holding our guinea pig, picked a poem to read aloud, and munched on snacks with the rest of us. It was 8 o’clock at night, and it was absolutely perfect. Learning wasn’t limited to certain hours. Life and learning happened together, all the time. You can read more about that episode here.

My oldest son, Shawn, once told me at age 15 that he wanted to spend his year studying the Bible. I was surprised—but thrilled. I asked him to also keep up with a bit of math and write about what he was learning. He agreed, and he dove deep. He filled notebooks with Bible study notes, read The Divine Comedy, listened to audiobooks like Sherlock Holmes and G. K. Chesterton, and became a true thinker. Today, he teaches a young adult Bible study at his church and has even preached sermons. He and his wife have a podcast too, called Partnership Vision Podcast.

My son Morgan once read King Alfred’s English, followed by The White Horse King: The Life of Alfred the Great. He was captivated and read it twice in one week! That lit a spark in him for Medieval history. Since then, he’s read more classics than I have— including The Scarlet LetterA Tale of Two Cities, the entire Miss Marple series, and Hamlet.

Today, he works at a restaurant where his managers constantly praise his intelligence, creativity, and work ethic. He sees problems and solves them. He’s unafraid to jump in and take initiative. And he carries himself with a confidence that’s rare—because he was never boxed in by judgmental peers or discouraged by teachers who didn’t understand him.

That’s another gift of homeschool freedom: the freedom to fail—without shame. My kids knew it was okay to make mistakes. They were never mocked or compared. So they grew brave. They tried new things. And they discovered what they were truly capable of.

We read so many good books together. We pursued their interests, explored new ideas, and went on adventures. We shared the same friends. They learned life skills I never thought to “teach.” And now that they have homes of their own, I see the fruit of those years—confidence, wisdom, creativity, and courage.

They didn’t spend their days stuck inside doing pages of busywork. They experienced the world, discovered who they are, and learned to love freedom.

And I’m so thankful I gave them that.

Here’s a strange question for you…
Do you like soda (pop)?

— What do you call it where you’re from? Where I’m from in Ohio, we call it “pop”. But I lived in several other places where everybody called it “soda”. I guess there are some places where they call every soda “coke” no matter what kind it is! —

Well the reason I’m asking is, I’ve always been a Pepsi drinker (started in childhood when we didn’t have good water in our well), but I’m trying to get away from drinking it. So I’ve been drinking Poppi or Ollipop when we can find it on sale. It’s pretty expensive.

I really like Poppi. It only has 5 grams of sugar and contains prebiotics, so it’s often marketed as a healthy option. But after doing some research, I found that the health claims aren’t entirely accurate. The amount of prebiotics in the drink isn’t significant enough to make a real difference, and the type they use—called inulin—can be difficult to digest and may cause bloating in some people.

According to several health and nutrition websites that analyzed these claims, Poppi and similar drinks shouldn’t be relied on as a true source of prebiotics. It’s also recommended not to drink more than one per day, especially since there haven’t been enough long-term studies to confirm their safety.

Nutritionists generally agree that these drinks are a better alternative to regular soda because of their lower sugar content, but they’re not as healthy as they’re made out to be.

My family really likes the Alpine Blast flavored Poppi, the green can in the picture up there. Our Walmart has had them on sale, so we have been buying many cans of it the last couple of weeks. We like the flavor and the low sugar. It does have 55 mg of natural caffeine. So this is helping me to drink a little less Pepsi. That’s a good thing!

By the way, I just learned this on Olipop’s website, “If you’ve ever been curious about why soda is also called pop, it’s because back in 1812 when the term was coined, soda was bottled with corks, and the cork would “pop” when it was drawn!”

Make sure you come back next month when we’ll talk about some of the heroes who fought for us to be able to have the freedom to homeschool without fear of government interference. We owe a debt of gratitude to the pioneer homeschoolers who went before us to change the laws to make homeschooling legal in all 50 states.

I would love to hear from you! If you have any prayer requests, hit reply and let me know what’s on your heart.

If you are struggling with letting go of the school mindset and embracing freedom, I am here for you. I can help!

If you would like to book a free 15-minute call with me to talk about curriculum planning for next year or developing a homeschool mindset or lifeschooling or whatever! – go to this link to schedule a Zoom meeting with me   https://calendly.com/safehavenhomeschool.

Speaking of Lifeschooling –  Danielle Papageorgiou, who wrote the book I’ve been telling you about is going to give away her secrets for writing and publishing a book. Her book is amazing, but so is the journey that led her to write it. She is planning an event for July 3.

On July 3rd at 7:30 PM EST, Danielle Papageorgiou is going to share her own book writing journey and how she finally overcame all the obstacles and found success through a private, limited Zoom event. After years of waiting, countless distractions, and feeling like it would just never happen, Danielle has written a book about homeschooling called Lifeschooling: Learning to Think Outside the Curriculum Box.

If you are interested in writing a book, you will not only be encouraged by Danielle’s story (because God was so clearly directing the whole thing!), but you will also learn some practical tips and advice that will help you pursue your own dream of writing a book, using your God-given gifts for Him!  (We’re never too old to lifeschool!)

At the end, there will be an open Q&A time for unlimited questions! Yes, you can pick Danielle’s brain all you want about writing, publishing, and promoting a book! The event will go as long as people have questions…within reason, of course.  Danielle wants this to be really helpful, and almost like a group coaching session!

To join “A Message, a Mission, and God’s Crazy Methods: My Book-writing Journey,” go here  https://penneymarie–lifeasalifeschooler.thrivecart.com/live-book-event/ (AFF link).
I hope to see you there!

Please Forward this to a friend if you think they would benefit from this newsletter.

I appreciate your support!

Your Homeschool Life Coach,

Penney Douglas, B.S. in Elem. Ed.
Safe Haven Homeschooling

My books on Amazon

Curriculum I’ve created with a Charlotte Mason twist plus other conventional types of curriculum

E-course I created – The Basics of Learning and Homeschooling

Coaching Course I created – Also called The Basics of Learning and Homeschooling – I take you through the course and do a coaching call with you each month

My shop for homeschool merch, t-shirts, mugs, notebooks, phone covers, and much more!

linktr.ee/penneydouglas – All the places you can find me!

Changed By Love – My original Blog about Homeschooling, Family, Faith, and Alternative News

My YouTube Channel – Safe Haven Homeschooling Channel – Homeschool Encouragement for Newbies and Burnt-out veterans, Family projects, Relationship Building, and Interviews with Homeschool Experts

 

A Blessed Birthday Surprise that radically changed our homeschool

 

Mommy’s Birthday Nature Walk

A Blessed Birthday Surprise

I remember a time when I felt like my kids were all drifting—not just from each other, but from me, too. Even though we were home together every day, it felt like we were living separate lives. Everyone was doing their own thing, and we hardly spent any time truly together.

Homeschooling had always been about learning side by side, growing as a family. But somewhere along the way, that togetherness seemed to fade. My heart ached for connection.

So on my birthday, I asked for just one thing: I wanted all ten of my kids to go on a walk with me. Just a simple walk along the trail behind our neighborhood. That was it.

Now, you have to understand—my kids are strong-willed and fiercely independent. If they already had something in mind, convincing them to change course wasn’t easy. But when I told them that was all I wanted for my birthday, they (reluctantly) paused their video games and other distractions, put on their shoes—no small task!—and joined me.

As we walked down the street, I realized we probably looked like a small parade. Not that anyone was around to see it—but it made me smile.

The trail led us past the flooded woods, typical of that part of Illinois. These woods were more like swamps, not the kind I loved to explore. Still, we took it in. Patrick said he’d gone back there before, but it was a little spooky.

We all began noticing the beauty around us—wildflowers, buzzing insects, tall grasses swaying in the breeze. I love nature, and I’ve passed that love on to my children, so this became an impromptu nature walk. My soul felt full again. It had been too long since we’d all done something like this. Just being together. I was so happy.

Then I noticed some plants that reminded me of milkweed—the kind I remembered from Ohio, where they were thick and plain. These were different: slender stalks, delicate pink blossoms that reminded me of the Ohio milkweed flowers but prettier. But something in me knew—they had to be a kind of milkweed.

I paid attention because years ago I had raised Monarch caterpillars, feeding them milkweed leaves. My daughter Katie noticed the plants too and picked a few to take home. She pointed out a tiny caterpillar clinging to one of the leaves. I was mildly curious—until we got home.

When I looked closer, I realized—it was a Monarch caterpillar.

Excitement bubbled up. I placed the plant in a jar, and sure enough, the little guy started munching away. Soon we needed more leaves, so Patrick went back to the swampy trail and brought more. The caterpillar grew quickly, gaining bold black, white, and yellow stripes. He was beautiful—and definitely a Monarch.

Monarch caterpillar on the second day – he’s growing!
Now we have our very own very hungry caterpillar – and he’s still growing!

We started researching again—how long until a chrysalis? How long inside before the butterfly emerged? It had been years since I’d done this.

We learned it would take about two weeks for the caterpillar to form its chrysalis, and another two weeks until it became a butterfly.

All the kids were suddenly invested. They checked on him daily, made sure he had fresh milkweed, and tracked his progress. This little caterpillar became our family pet. When he finally formed his chrysalis, everyone celebrated. We couldn’t wait for the butterfly to emerge.

He finally picked a place to call home. Here he is looking like a J
Fiona’s picture of eggs, caterpillars, chrysalis and butterfly
Looks just like real gold!

That tiny caterpillar brought us all together again. It became a shared family project that filled our home with wonder and joy.

And I knew—it was no accident.

God had given me a special surprise for my birthday. He heard the quiet cry of my heart and answered it in the sweetest, most unexpected way. He didn’t just bring us together for one walk—He gave us something beautiful to share for weeks afterward.

Sometimes life feels stale. Ordinary. Disconnected. We can feel disappointed or discouraged—especially when things don’t go the way we hoped.

But God is always good.

He never leaves us—not even in the quiet, messy, weary seasons. And sometimes, He sends a little surprise—just to remind us how deeply we’re loved.

So if your heart feels heavy today, tell Him. He’s listening.

And keep your eyes open. Look for the small signs of His love—like a caterpillar on a milkweed leaf.

You never know how He might bring joy back into your life.

If you let Him.

See a limerick I wrote about this story HERE

And you can get a journal page that goes with this too HERE

An Interview with the Founder of Safe Haven Homeschooling

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My son and daughter-in-law interviewed me about my thoughts on homeschooling. I homeschooled my son, Shawn, all the way through high school and beyond. We still read books together up until he got married and left home!

And now he reads books aloud to his wife, Brandi!
Needless to say, he considers his homeschool experience a very successful one.
I also homeschooled his 9 brothers and sisters, so I had lots of homeschool experience!
Shawn and Brandi are experienced podcasters, so they wanted to do an episode with their mom to talk about what homeschooling is like.
This is the result of that interview.
https://penneydouglas.substack.com/p/an-interview-with-the-founder-of
And here is their podcast Partnership Vision Podcast.