Before my holiday break I mentioned that I had some very exciting news….and today I’m sharing it with you! I speak all over East Tennessee about herbs…how to cook with them, make medicine with them, clean with them, grow them, preserve them…and more! I have never been paid to speak…usually I am allowed to sell some of my creations and often I have people sign up to take my class here on the farm. I spoke last year at the local Rotary Club. A dear friend (Hi Sue!) invited my whole family to attend. We had a lovely lunch at one of the nicest restaurants in town and after the meal I was the guest speaker. I told the boys that I had this feeling that something big would come from this.
After I spoke, a lady approached me and gave us four free tickets to the Biltmore House in North Carolina. You can read more about that here. I thought at the time that the tickets were the “big thing” because I had been praying for some time for a way to take my boys there. I was wrong….boy….was I wrong!!!
I had a phone call several months later from a sweet lady who attended that luncheon. She happened to be the Assistant Dean of Community and Economic Development for Walter State Community College. She asked if I might be interested in teaching my Basic Medicinal Herb Course for the college and if we could meet to discuss it. So, this past September, I met with her at the college. It happened to be my birthday. I was asked if I would be willing to teach for their Talented and Gifted program. It is a 6 week session that the college puts on for local kids in the 5th through 8th grade. The program is divided into 3 sessions. I was asked to teach my Basic Medicinal Herb Course for two of the sessions and to teach a Soap Making Course for the other session. I explained to them that I was a Christian and that I taught these classes from that perspective…I thought that would be a definite deal breaker but I couldn’t do it any other way. To my surprise, they did not have a problem with that at all!! So, of course I agreed!
We also discussed the possibility of teaching, in the future, some continuing education classes to adults on many of the lost arts….herbal medicine, soap making, canning, bread baking, cheese making, jam and jelly making, gardening and more!
None of us knew if children that age would be interested in my classes. The packets went out and sign-up began in October. The college called me to let me know that my classes were the first ones to fill up. We were both excited! I am thrilled to have the opportunity to teach these skills to other children who desire to learn them. These children had many choices (much “cooler” ones I thought!) and yet chose Herbal Medicine and Soap Making….how neat is that?!! Both I and the college are thrilled that they are this popular!
I must confess that the thought of teaching this to 20 kids at a time is a bit overwhelming! I’ve had to re-write portions of my book a bit because we won’t be able to cover it all in the time allotted and I have added a section on the History of Herbal Medicine. I have also never had to take all my paraphernalia and teach this class away from the farm. My greatest concern is that I might leave something home that I really need. I’m trying to make really thorough notes.
I am still finishing the Basic Soap Making book. Once it is done and polished it will be available for sale on my website along with my Basic Medicinal Herb Course.
I am ever so thankful to my Father! The fact that this happened on my birthday was such a neat gift! He continues to show us in many ways that He is faithful to provide, to help us grow this little hobby into a viable business that will allow me to stay home with my children and continue to home school them.
Beginning in the middle of January and lasting until the end of February, I will be spending portions of certain days teaching on the local campus! Please pray for me if you think about it and please pray for these children that not only will they learn about medicinal herbs and making soap but that I might be able to help them see that these herbs come from the Giver of All Good Things and that He cares for them, died for them and desires to have a relationship with them. Wouldn’t that be the ultimate teaching experience?!
I have had several emails and also phone calls from some of you who just can’t decide if you wanted to purchase this book while it is on sale. If you are one of those “on the fence” about whether this book would be good to use with your children, or is really simple enough for a beginner, perhaps it will ease your mind to know that my local Community College was pleased enough with it to ask me to teach it for them.
Remember! The sale ends at midnight tonight!
Blessings,
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