Home Schooling in High School--Yes You Can! with Alicia Hutchinson

Hello friends and Happy New Year! Or happy New Years Eve, depending on when you listen to this. Whenever it is, I am so glad you are here. Thank you for being a part of my community in 2024 and I pray you continue in 2025. 

For this last episode of the year I decided to do a Q & A. It was a lot of fun! And I promise that if I didnt get to your question this time, I will in the future since I am going to be adding these to my podcast line up every month or so. Thank you for sending in such great questions. You make my job easy! 

And this is your last reminder of 2024 to you to grab your copy of my upcoming book, It's Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn: a Parents Guide to Helping Children and Teens Develop Sexual Integrity. If you pre-order now youll get it as soon as it releases, wont get charged until the book ships, and your orders get the book out into more book stores and retailers. It truly helps more people see this book and get the message they need so much! Pre order info below! 

I am already looking forward to all that 2025 holds and I cant wait to share it with you. 

God bless you! 

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

Pre-order your copy of Its Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn here 

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Merry Christmas all! Whether you are up late wrapping presents, up early making breakfast, or on a long drive to visit family and friends, I am glad to spend a little bit of Christmas with you. 

In this episode I am so excited to share one of our familys favorite Christmas stories with you. It is a true story from WWI, and happened on Christmas eve and Christmas day in 1914. There are numerous places where you can read about the real life event. There are even pictures, taken by soldiers who were there experiencing it. 

This is a heartwarming tale and I hope it fills your heart with hope. And that it will remind you that even in the darkest times, the light still shines!  

God bless you all. 

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

Get your copy of Shooting at the Stars here 

Read more about the Christmas truce of 1914 here 

See pictures and watch a video about the Christmas truce of 1914 here 

See James and Lillys original coloring sheets here 

In this episode I got to talk with the wonderful Lyndsey Mimnagh of Treehouse Schoolhouse. Lyndsey and I talk for a bit about home schooling and then we get to the heart of the episode, celebrating Christmas with our families in meaningful and intentional ways. This episode is full of inspiration and ideas, but also there is a lot of grace for the mom who might feel overwhelmed by Christmas when shes in a tough season. Lindsey offers fun and creative ideas, but shes also great at providing simple and practical ways for any family to have fun at Christmas. 

There are so many ideas for Christmas this year and next. I came away inspired and I bet you will too. 

Where to find Lyndsey: 

Find Lyndsey on her website here 

Find Lyndsey on Instagram here 

Find Lyndsey on You tube here 

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

Get 15% off all products from the Treehouse Schoolhouse shop here  

*Use the code GRETAESKRIDGE15 

Find Gretas cinnamon roll recipe here 

Find The Legend of the Candy Cane book here 

Find An Orange for Frankie book here 

Find The Christmas Miracle of Jonathon Toomey here 

Find the Favorite Things party details here 

Find the If Youre Sad at Christmas post here 

Some of my favorite quotes from this episode: 

We need to see something pretty that helps us strive toward something and at the same time we need to know how to do it. I want to be a place that provides both. Lyndsey Mimnagh 

We can see who God has designed our children to be when they play. Lyndsey Mimnagh 

School doesnt have to be in a classroom. School doesnt even need to be in a home. School can be outside! Lyndsey Mimnagh 

If you missed the start date of advent, you can start on whatever day of December youre on! This is the freedom we need as we celebrate Christmas. Greta Eskridge 

Wherever you are at this moment in December, its OK to say, I am going to put some of these ideas into practice this week. Its not too late! Greta Eskridge  

If you are in a season where it feels heavy and hard, and you have circumstances that dont lend themselves to doing all the Christmas things, that is OK. But also, if you are in a season where you can, or you are a person who finds doing all the crafts and Christmas activities life giving, that is OK too. We can be in both places at different times. Greta Eskridge 

What kids want and need is a calm and peaceful mom. Lyndsey Mimnagh 

Even if I want to be the Pinterest Christmas mom, if that comes at the expense of my peace, then it is not worth it for me. Lyndsey Mimnagh 

You have the freedom to do as much or as little as you can mange this Christmas because the focus of Christmas is Jesus and that is what we want to bring our kids back to over and over again. Greta Eskridge 

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org 

Dont forget to pre-order my new book, Its Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn: A Parents Guide to Helping Children and Teens Develop Sexual Integrity. This is the book you need to give you all the tips and tools for keeping your kids safe from the danger and damage pornography can cause. And most importantly, this book will help you feel confident and comfortable having some of the most challenging conversations with your kids. Pre-order it today, right here! 

What a perfect time to talk to my friend Alyssa Bethke about her new book, When Doing it All is Undoing You: Meeting God in Your Unmet Expectations. The Christmas season feels so full of to-do lists and activities and many, many expectations that are impossible for us to meet and that leaves us feeling like were letting down others and often feel let down ourselves. Alyssa shares her own journey of coming to a place of being undone and what it looked like to draw near to Jesus and His care for her when she began to tend her heart. 

We also talk about the importance of travel, having novelty and wonder in our lives, and peeing in the woods! So take a deep breath and settle in to be encouraged by this episode. I know youll come away from this episode feeling refreshed. 

Where to find Alyssa: 

Find her and her husband Jeffs website here 

Find Alyssa on Instagram here 

Find Alyssas book here 

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

Matt 11:28-30 Come to me,all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. 

Ann Voskcamps gratitude journal here 

Some of my favorite quotes from this episode: 

When I go for my walks, I try to notice one thing that is different or new. It helps me be less distracted and more present, to put away my phone and to ask myself what do I see and what do I feel? Alyssa Bethke 

Being an observant person, a curious person, a person who finds joy in your every day are powerful and important things to make a part of our everyday life. Greta Eskridge 

I felt like it was my responsibility to make sure everyone around me was OK. Alyssa Bethke 

I think you need a season of caring for your heart. Alyssa Bethke 

The goal of life is not to be free of pain but to be more and more intimate with the Lord, and letting Him see us through the pain rather than keep us from the pain. Alyssa Bethke 

Its OK to come undone and come to the end of ourselves because that is where God does His best work in our lives. Alyssa Bethke 

I wanted to live in my ideal life not my reality, but when we are honest with God He will meet us in our reality. Alyssa Bethke 

God always meets us with such grace and kindness. Its His kindness that leads us to repentance. Alyssa Bethke 

We have to ask ourselves, who or what are we doing all this for? What is my legacy? What do I want to leave behind? Greta Eskridge 

Every day I go for a 30 minute walk, without my phone, and Im going to talk to God. And I ask myself, where have I felt Gods presence and where have I not felt Gods presence? This was such a time for me to tend to my heart and commune with Jesus. Alyssa Bethke 

The world is telling you all these things you need to be and do and that is going to leave you disappointed. But instead, by tending your heart and going to Jesus youre going to find the antidote to that anxiety and stress and disappointment. Greta Eskridge 

There is always wonder to behold so go on a wonder hunt! Alyssa Bethke 

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Where to Find Corrie: 

Find her website here 

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

Find Corrie Ten Booms book, The Hiding Place here 

Find out about visiting Corries grave here 

Read about when Davy and I visited Corrie Ten Booms grave here 

Find the graphic novel Corrie ten Boom story here 

Find Good Book Moms reviews and book lists here 

Find the Christmas Mice book here 

Find the Promises Made, Promises Kept book here 

Find the Manger in Danger book here 

Find the A Wonderous Mystery book here 

Find the Little Pilgrims Progress book here 

Find the Little Christmas Carol book here 

Find The Best News of All book here 

Find the Shooting Stars book here