heartofdakota.com

Carrie,

Thank you for this forum. There have been times in the past year that I wished we had an off topic place to chat about our lives on here but I totally respect why you have said no. I was at another site recently and found their chit chat/off topic whatever forum and it was just awful. Snide comments, backbiting, topics that would make my grandmother blush, all of that. I can handle a lot but that was too much. I would much rather keep the drama to real life and my cyber friends for encouraging each other in this venture of homeschooling. It is nice to walk away from the forums and feel good, encouraged, and hopeful.

It is so refreshing to come here and have nothing but uplifting posts that are centered around homeschooling our kids. I fully agree with why you do not want a place for off topic type of posts on here. I appreciate it. Thank you for making the HOD forums a distinction among message boards.

I totally agree!!!!

Jessie,
I too felt like you did and thought an OT area might be nice. But then I realized, I have other people in real life to be OT with. After seeing other forums this summer, I was surprised at the kinds of topics being discussed and the ways differing opinions were expressed. I am now very thankful I can come to a place where people who are like minded can unite instead of debate. Of course the occasional OT post which allows us to help other families in prayer is also a wonderful way to keep this a place for us to unite in Christ.

Jessi,

I too appreciate this Board just how it is. I find it encouraging, uplifting, and it somehow seems to "keep me on track".
Good stuff here!


Candice

I completely agree, Jessi! Carrie and I once visited a forum with a post, "I hate my husband. What should I do?" The topics on that board - many boards I've visited - were often mean-spirited and totally had nothing to do with homeschooling.

Mike and Carrie had a long talk about what they wanted this forum to be, and first and foremost, they wanted the talk upon it to be Christian, uplifting, and related to HOD. I think they've done a great job with keeping it that way! It doesn't take long for a forum to spiral downward. I'm so glad we try to keep each other positive and keep our talk worthy of being heard by our Lord and Savior too - because of course, He IS listening. That thought is always a good reminder for me. Thanks for posting this - Carrie is writing today, but I know when she reads it, it will do her heart good!

In Christ,
Julie

Agree! This forum is The best!
Actually it is the only one I visit daily...I can't even remember which are the others I am a member of!
Thanks Carrie, Mike and Julie!
Dorla

Crystal- I agree about the off topic prayer requests. It is my honor to pray for my fellow HODies.

I would much rather keep the drama to real life and my cyber friends for encouraging each other in this venture of homeschooling. It is nice to walk away from the forums and feel good, encouraged, and hopeful.

It is so refreshing to come here and have nothing but uplifting posts that are centered around homeschooling our kids. I fully agree with why you do not want a place for off topic type of posts on here. I appreciate it. Thank you for making the HOD forums a distinction among message boards.[/quote]


Jessie,
Truly and beautifully said. I am just about ready to make this board my one and only watering hole.

God bless,
Geo

The topics on that board - many boards I've visited - were often mean-spirited and totally had nothing to do with homeschooling.

Mike and Carrie had a long talk about what they wanted this forum to be, and first and foremost, they wanted the talk upon it to be Christian, uplifting, and related to HOD. I think they've done a great job with keeping it that way! It doesn't take long for a forum to spiral downward. I'm so glad we try to keep each other positive and keep our talk worthy of being heard by our Lord and Savior too - because of course, He IS listening. That thought is always a good reminder for me. Thanks for posting this - Carrie is writing today, but I know when she reads it, it will do her heart good!

In Christ,
Julie[/quote]


Julie and Carrie,
All I can say is that this board really is just so...refreshing. I have so enjoyed the higher standard here. It means
the world to me. I just wanted you know that you can actually feel the difference here.

Ladies,

I'm off writing 12 hour days most days right now as we're very close to wrapping up CTC! However, my3sons let me know about this post on the board, and I had to pop-in and let you know how much it blessed Mike and I today.

We prayed long and hard over starting a board, as we'd seen many other boards downward spiral over time into just what you're describing, Jessi! It is our deepest desire to have a board that is an outpouring of Christ's love by being encouraging and uplifting as we all walk this homeschooling road together. So, it is a huge blessing that you shared your thoughts with us.

Thank you so much for taking the time to post ladies! This one blessed by heart more than you'll ever know and was such an encouragement to me!

Blessings,
Carrie

Amen! And thanks again, Mike and Carrie, for your steadfastness to what you were called to do.

Carrie- I forgot to thank Mike in all of this too so please pass that along to him.

So glad you found refreshment in the midst of your hard work. I only go to one other message board to discuss homeschooling questions that do not pertain to HOD. But this is still my FAVE place to be. I'd like to have a little house emoticon on the side because I literally "live" on this board!

Jessi wrote:Carrie- I forgot to thank Mike in all of this too so please pass that along to him.

So glad you found refreshment in the midst of your hard work. I only go to one other message board to discuss homeschooling questions that do not pertain to HOD. But this is still my FAVE place to be. I'd like to have a little house emoticon on the side because I literally "live" on this board!

GREAT idea!

Geo

I agree that some things should never be put in writing and put on the internet. The internet seems like a safe place to vent where we can blow off steam and feel better talking to complete strangers. I wish that every one would realise that these things they write are here forever...even after forums close and internet providers cease to exist...the thought and rants are forever out there for anyone to look up. You can use any search engine and look up your name, your user id, your children's names and read posts that you made years ago in the heat of the moment. I for one don't want my children to be teenagers or grown adults looking up our names for fun and find a trivial post that would make them feel bad about me, their father, themselves, or doubt what is real in our real life.
Val

Mike, Carrie, Julie I Thank you!
This forum is one of the few supports I have with HSing, with living out in a rural area we don't come into contact with many others who do HS and it is so nice to be able to read and connect on this level with other believers who have serving the Lord and leading their families at heart. I just wanted to chime in and say thank you.
This ministry is a blessing to more and in greater ways than you know.