tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69611847693755494162024-02-02T16:05:31.919-07:00Gospel Centered HomeschoolingSo neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, only God who makes things grow. 1 Cor. 3:7Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-50835097573155841572014-04-28T13:48:00.000-06:002014-04-28T13:52:33.837-06:00Stuff to PonderI had a good block of time this weekend to catch up on my favorite blogs and articles, so I have an overflow of great things to share. You might want to bookmark these to read later because I think they are all highly worth it. (I use an app called <a href="http://www.getpocket.com/" target="_blank">Pocket</a> to save stuff for reading when I have more time.)<br />
<br />
Homeschooling IRL asks the provocative question, "<a href="http://www.homeschoolingirl.com/blog/are-you-more-committed-to-homeschooling-or-to-your-kids" target="_blank">Are You More Committed to Homeschooling or to Your Kids?</a>" An important question for all of us to ask. This blog and podcast are definitely worth subscribing to.<br />
<br />
Gracy Olmstead blogging over at The Gospel Coalition asks another one: "<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2014/04/28/should-christian-parents-ban-books/" target="_blank">Should Christian Parents Ban Books</a>?" See if you agree with her thoughts.<br />
<br />
And the always funny and sarcastic Matt Walsh takes on <a href="http://themattwalshblog.com/2014/04/25/behold-the-two-absolutely-worst-arguments-against-homeschooling/" target="_blank">the two absolutely worst arguments against homeschooling</a>.<br />
<br />
Finally, a few thoughts from David Platt concerning a popular and sometimes controversial Christian book and movie that is in the news lately, to help us think carefully about how we know if <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEAko02HD5o&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">Heaven Is For Real</a>.Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-88863630784842428862014-04-23T16:16:00.000-06:002014-04-23T16:21:03.866-06:0010 Ways the Gospel Shapes How We Homeschool<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I haven't blogged in awhile and I've been thinking about starting up again. So I cleaned up a little, deleted a few posts and thought I would re-introduce the blog by reposting a favorite (of mine) that reminds me why this blog is called "Gospel Centered Homeschooling".</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How the gospel shapes our curriculum…</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The gospel shows us there is one grand story in all of history:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>creation, fall, redemption and restoration</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of our curriculum: history, science, literature, logic and others should be viewed in the light of that grand story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen</i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. </i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Rom. 11:36</span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">…these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.</i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> John 20:31<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The heart of our purpose in homeschooling our kids should be to show them their role in this grand story, and to plead with them to become reconciled worshippers of the One True God.</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Q:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is the chief end of man?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To glorify him and enjoy him forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(-Westminster Catechism)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The gospel propels us outward in mission, leadership and service</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We should always be seeking to help our kids to discover their gifts and talents and the unique ways that the Lord may desire to use them to bring glory to Him and to serve others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>(Ephesians 2:10)</em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How the gospel shapes our approach to “The World”…</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><strong>The gospel tells us that we do not need to avoid the world fearfully, avoiding all contact with the “bad influence” of the lost people around us.<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He who is in you is greater than He who is in the world</i>.”<em> (1 John 4:4)</em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Take heart for I have overcome the world</i>.”<em> (John 16:33)</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The gospel tells us that we once were those lost people!</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Romans chapter 3 reminds us that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“there is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God</i>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are saved by grace, not by our works, not by our homeschooling, so that no one can boast.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">If we protect our kids from the world, it should be for the purpose of preparation to enter and engage the world. </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The power to do this comes from the Holy Spirit through the new birth, not by religious observance <em>(See Colossians chapter 2 and 3).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></em>I fear that our protecting our kids can easily turn into becoming judgmental about all the wrong things in the world, so that we fear, hate and condemn the lost instead of having compassion on those who are enslaved to sin.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How the gospel shapes “The Rules”…</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The gospel reminds us that we are not saved by multiplying laws to keep ourselves from sinning.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Homeschoolers can be notorious for adding laws to follow, subtlely conveying that God will bless our efforts with our kids if we just keep all these laws.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a FALSE GOSPEL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>(See Galatians 1:6-7, 2:19-21, 3:1-14)</em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><strong>The gospel reminds us that we are saved by grace, through faith.</strong> I’ve already said this in multiple forms, but it bears repeating, because I am always prone to wander!<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For it is by grace, you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves – it is a gift of God, so that no one can boast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ephesians 2:8-9<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How the gospel shapes our view of failure and success…</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The gospel reminds us that our performance is not the basis of our acceptance.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we fail to live up to our standards, or the standards of others, we don’t have to despair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christ has covered all of our failures and imparts to us his righteousness – instead of despair we can have grateful joy.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The gospel reminds us that all our efforts are grace-driven effort.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we succeed, we are not proud, but humble recipients of grace from a merciful God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no place for boasting in the Christian homeschool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.</i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> 1 Cor. 15:10</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How does the gospel shape how you homeschool and in what practical ways?</span></h3>
You might also like this post: <a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/2012/06/more-ways-gospel-shapes-homeschooling.html" target="_blank">More Ways the Gospel Shapes Our Homeschooling</a><br />
<em></em><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.manylittleblessings.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"></a> </div>
Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-61381859775423202552012-08-24T00:00:00.000-06:002012-08-24T00:00:04.737-06:00Gospel Powered Parenting {Chapter 9}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XutTYGgfvjS2iVtVBk0k43twtGxvh_rYLtMuTHnvHeuGlS6m4s5dkbA91xeA7eBm08_PywttQvChdTekF73wfxo5DjlaIPySnCemEjW_dRU3UDFd5NeR5e1m0sq-ANvxnE1mlcgyhNo/s1600/gospel+powered+parenting.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XutTYGgfvjS2iVtVBk0k43twtGxvh_rYLtMuTHnvHeuGlS6m4s5dkbA91xeA7eBm08_PywttQvChdTekF73wfxo5DjlaIPySnCemEjW_dRU3UDFd5NeR5e1m0sq-ANvxnE1mlcgyhNo/s320/gospel+powered+parenting.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Discipline That Preaches</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The chapter this week has probably been the most practical yet, in that it has some specific steps and instructions for disciplining kids. Farley lays out a suggested model for discipline, based on eight steps for how to connect discipline to the gospel. His most important point, I thought, was to "use the discipline event to rehearse the gospel." (pg. 169) Unfortunately, he didn't give very much as to what this looks like or sounds like in a real life situation. I have found this to be very important in my own parenting, so I have had to learn how to do this in a discipline situation. I haven't done it perfectly - especially in the beginning. I would say that because my previous understanding of the gospel has really been to hear revival-type preaching, followed by an altar call where I would "re-dedicate" my life (again) to Jesus, I had a lot to overcome in learning what this meant, so that my poor kids didn't get THAT everytime they were disciplined. In order to avoid this in your home, I would suggest that you really dig into some resources regarding what the gospel really is about- make sure you understand it! Explain it to your kids over and over again in non-discipline settings, so when the emotion of discipline comes about, you don't sound like a hell-fire preacher who is bent on converting their sinful souls.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last chapter I recommended Tedd Tripp's book, <u>Shepherding a Child's Heart</u>, because it is so careful and thorough about presenting practical steps to follow when disciplining your child. After reading the chapter this week, I feel even more strongly that you need to read Tripp's book to get a good handle on what Farley is saying about discipline. I sort of felt like in this chapter that Farley had read Tripp's book, but he breifly summarized (some) of Tripp's method and moved on. The how-to of discipline, especially the use of corporal discipline can be a very difficult subject and I don't think that Farley does it justice just to claim that it is necessary and biblical. In this day and age, he really needs to do a more thorough job of explaining his reasoning, answering objections and helping parents to understand this in the right light. Tripp's book does that. Not only that, but he emphasizes other very important elements that need to be a part of discipline besides just the corporal discipline. Tripp discusses child development, authority, biblical and unbiblical goals, unbiblical discipline methods, and then several chapters on biblical methods - three on communication, one on appeal to the conscience and one on "the rod". This is the kind of thorough coverage of the subject of discipline methods that I appreciated as I was considering how discipline should look in our family. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In addition to Tedd Tripp's book, I would also highly recommend Jessica Thompson and Elyse Fitzpatrick's book, <u>Give Them Grace</u>. This book is also very specific in what a conversation with your child sounds like that "rehearses the gospel" - from everyday corrections, to specific discipline events. Where <u>Gospel-Powered Parenting</u> opened my eyes to the importance of using the gospel and not just the law in my parenting, <u>Give Them Grace</u> and <u>Shepherding a Child's Heart</u> gave me specifics and practical help. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Here are some links to the books recommended today. I didn't use any affiliate links, because I don't want you to think I have promoted these books for my own gain. I won't receive any compensation from your purchasing any of these books. And you really should get them!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHMK_5aQ7do7-F750rVk0XC4qbs2eE8Be6t3S0HWYue_Ee9s-cpHsqbyQhdexbhYnomA5qRlo8pQXPhlBFqBq1a0cPbzKJ-TFg00xmb5NR_vzhcyG0oyMEcShuHZTK097Mynfhc5sNOzc/s1600/IMG_4852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHMK_5aQ7do7-F750rVk0XC4qbs2eE8Be6t3S0HWYue_Ee9s-cpHsqbyQhdexbhYnomA5qRlo8pQXPhlBFqBq1a0cPbzKJ-TFg00xmb5NR_vzhcyG0oyMEcShuHZTK097Mynfhc5sNOzc/s320/IMG_4852.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Give Them Grace</strong> by Jessica Thompson and Elyse Fitzpatrick</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">$7.99 for Kindle at </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Give-Them-Grace-Dazzling-ebook/dp/B0050C86CW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1345673307&sr=1-1&keywords=give+them+grace" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Amazon</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">$9.99 for Paperback at </span><a href="http://www.christianbook.com/grace-dazzling-kids-with-love-jesus/elyse-fitzpatrick/9781433520099/pd/520090?item_code=WW&netp_id=867894&event=ESRCG&view=details" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">CBD</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Shepherding a Child's Heart</strong> by Tedd Tripp</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">$4.99 for Kindle at </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shepherding-a-Childs-Heart-ebook/dp/B005GG6BYC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1345673651&sr=1-1&keywords=shepherding+a+child%27s+heart" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Amazon</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">$8.99 for Paperback at </span><a href="http://www.christianbook.com/shepherding-childs-heart-revised-and-updated/tedd-tripp/9780966378603/pd/37191?item_code=WW&netp_id=112418&event=ESRCG&view=details" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">CBD</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And this is a good (free!) video from Jessica and Elyse on the content of their book... if you want a little bit more information and insight into what it is about. </span><br />
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/resources/a/parenting_issues_a_mother_and_daughter_perspective" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Parenting Issues: A Mother and Daughter Perspective (Elyse Fitzgerald and Jessica Thompson)</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Other book club posts can be found on the </span><a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/p/book-club.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Book Club Page</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-61134004707613754872012-08-22T15:21:00.000-06:002012-08-22T15:21:02.891-06:00Back to School Traditions<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last week was our first week of school for the new year. It is our sixth year homeschooling, and our first with all three boys in grade school. We have a 1st, 3rd and 5th grader this year! Six years ago, when it was time to send the oldest to kindergarten, I knew I was excited about homeschooling, but still unsure about what he might be "missing". All those first day traditions, riding the school bus for the first time, carrying a lunch box, meeting his sweet kindergarten teacher who would read "The Kissing Hand" or one of those other "back to school" first books. I began to search for some back to school traditions for homeschoolers - I found lots of ideas, but I'm not real crafty, so our traditions became what was realistic for me and seemed the most like "us". I also wanted it to be something pretty simple - no need to be elaborate, because it is harder to sustain elaborate. I wanted whatever we chose to be something we could do every year.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Breakfast!</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We always have a fun breakfast, usually a special request from the boys or a "treat" like waffles with whipped cream and strawberries. This year it was french toast and bacon, by request.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAOWTgm_0IPFycPzsklWkom_JG9zu6zqowPCJWe4IgQdk1ZPCRLQqCXA0MYW1_xbt2p01l2I4uZpjjLLp8rN7WNr9s9xtVfUOrJrgSCf1aVmCqF7u5Yli9mAeOhR-w_XPMCdhddTs0TY/s1600/101_0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAOWTgm_0IPFycPzsklWkom_JG9zu6zqowPCJWe4IgQdk1ZPCRLQqCXA0MYW1_xbt2p01l2I4uZpjjLLp8rN7WNr9s9xtVfUOrJrgSCf1aVmCqF7u5Yli9mAeOhR-w_XPMCdhddTs0TY/s400/101_0003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Music!</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We are a music loving family, so I usually have a song picked out to play to start our school day and call everyone to the couch to start our day with the Bible. This year our first week song was "Put on Love" from <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://seedsmusicstore.3dcartstores.com/?AffId=38"" target="_blank">Seeds Family Worship</a>. You can hear it </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ossZh0QsRx4&feature=plcp" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. It is a fun setting of Colossians 3:12,14a. </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience... and above all these put on Love!" </span></blockquote>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Here are the two youngest, "puttin' it on"...</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZgxJ4tVorQfPB8v6e5SkUN5ATHUbeqtM18yzlxEW5wYsdXrT6Wa-EOpBUaoPPEQJDDplO1iPuVjWH_QYySQCNj-gJTB1Do0mx4xcLcIOrb-5mrwdvcRBUyaNvRfd9rIYiMHKvFzXV2I/s1600/IMG_4840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZgxJ4tVorQfPB8v6e5SkUN5ATHUbeqtM18yzlxEW5wYsdXrT6Wa-EOpBUaoPPEQJDDplO1iPuVjWH_QYySQCNj-gJTB1Do0mx4xcLcIOrb-5mrwdvcRBUyaNvRfd9rIYiMHKvFzXV2I/s400/IMG_4840.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>School Supplies!</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It's always fun to get new "stuff"... so I save the fun school supplies for a surprise.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-9iKqkY0KRP_k5Ns9_3ssy5F0LCG3MfpLy6n3XYS8RuF1RVdc3aB1AHd_RGjD6eJuzrE74dmJbcT9DP0bQ8oA5JRQJ5saAmKsuJwka2MyONPX28KqII1DqlvNPpFxKTJ9ahU2-vOy64/s1600/101_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-9iKqkY0KRP_k5Ns9_3ssy5F0LCG3MfpLy6n3XYS8RuF1RVdc3aB1AHd_RGjD6eJuzrE74dmJbcT9DP0bQ8oA5JRQJ5saAmKsuJwka2MyONPX28KqII1DqlvNPpFxKTJ9ahU2-vOy64/s400/101_0005.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Oh, and a little treat, too. (Pop Rocks, with an silly note!)</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8QmRsoRTewUuAMeNgp-NUZHXCEM75TI5e3AN2sWBYfU3UoT88ES5vlV003pjCm20vYiUZ2tLXbwBYojI2RSpOYKXb4p3emNqlh2GqttGGMzf3WDQpSXuA2L2YFAng9y2dbIdkPXzD-uU/s1600/101_0008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8QmRsoRTewUuAMeNgp-NUZHXCEM75TI5e3AN2sWBYfU3UoT88ES5vlV003pjCm20vYiUZ2tLXbwBYojI2RSpOYKXb4p3emNqlh2GqttGGMzf3WDQpSXuA2L2YFAng9y2dbIdkPXzD-uU/s400/101_0008.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>First Day Pictures!</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Every year we take pictures by the same tree in the backyard, so we can see how the kids grow. This year, since they were going on the blog, we used some "disguises" because I decided I don't really like to post individual pics of the boys on the blog for just anyone to download.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKFMbfTzlDhh-Gy3IJjXrPGS3wDe4YpyS58W5mJ1b8_uJaZhtE0pxVJlMVWV7tveODA4sBQRqv1baBhYLrqDB-jt2s0jS4sQS3edfpNGCRnXeHxAJnMrO13rAdYnqG7OYE95f7YbUcOM/s1600/101_0014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKFMbfTzlDhh-Gy3IJjXrPGS3wDe4YpyS58W5mJ1b8_uJaZhtE0pxVJlMVWV7tveODA4sBQRqv1baBhYLrqDB-jt2s0jS4sQS3edfpNGCRnXeHxAJnMrO13rAdYnqG7OYE95f7YbUcOM/s400/101_0014.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">These are all pretty simple traditions, but it is fun to at least give the school year a little bit of specialness to start off. Of course, each year has it's unique traditions too - sometimes we have a field trip the first week, sometimes a special outing or activity. This year, we ended our "first week" with a pizza party, ice cream and movie night - celebrating our accomplishment! (No one was very excited about starting up this year, so we needed to celebrate that it was a good week and not as bad as everyone expected. Some years are like that.)</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo9nQuh2U9JXPq0Q2SdV4nfFkg4w6XJEwHKVmP1sABEtm6NaWUh82UHg-2q4cwjcr6t7Hr_4HLGEqW8LzgdRvsykoik4B5FU1Mp2BO0IMV2ercR8SqmBcjqcSspemglnarKJKS3iLKxYA/s1600/101_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo9nQuh2U9JXPq0Q2SdV4nfFkg4w6XJEwHKVmP1sABEtm6NaWUh82UHg-2q4cwjcr6t7Hr_4HLGEqW8LzgdRvsykoik4B5FU1Mp2BO0IMV2ercR8SqmBcjqcSspemglnarKJKS3iLKxYA/s640/101_0015.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Your turn.... </strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>What traditions do you have to celebrate back-to-school?</strong></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm linking up today with iHomeschooling Network's </span><a href="http://www.ihomeschoolnetwork.com/nbts-blog-hop-photo-week/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Not-Back-To-School" Blog Hop</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUSccL4-fuAlLO5aCG_IJGozwzyEFYHvFyUghNDd96PEXF5Xof3e318fRMk4S-HcUSdRKDz2DDgTWURVU9R7wOCnKu6uJv0XYG3TcRB_Eiu3b4cAejFSCV4zLpsgKMXlP9PMAxGvha_U/s1600/nbts-blog-hop-calendar-2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUSccL4-fuAlLO5aCG_IJGozwzyEFYHvFyUghNDd96PEXF5Xof3e318fRMk4S-HcUSdRKDz2DDgTWURVU9R7wOCnKu6uJv0XYG3TcRB_Eiu3b4cAejFSCV4zLpsgKMXlP9PMAxGvha_U/s320/nbts-blog-hop-calendar-2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<em> </em>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-87731923525205096102012-08-20T16:11:00.000-06:002012-08-20T16:11:20.564-06:00All I Have is Christ<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm singing the gospel this morning with this song from Sovereign Grace running through my head...</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>I once was lost in darkest night<br />
Yet thought I knew the way<br />
The sin that promised joy and life<br />
Had led me to the grave<br />
I had no hope that You would own<br />
A rebel to Your will<br />
And if You had not loved me first<br />
I would refuse You still</strong></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 10px;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>But as I ran my hell-bound race<br />
Indifferent to the cost<br />
You looked upon my helpless state<br />
And led me to the cross<br />
And I beheld God’s love displayed<br />
You suffered in my place<br />
You bore the wrath reserved for me<br />
Now all I know is grace</strong></span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><br />
</strong></span><span style="font-size: 10px;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone<br />
And live so all might see<br />
The strength to follow Your commands<br />
Could never come from me<br />
Oh Father, use my ransomed life<br />
In any way You choose<br />
And let my song forever be<br />
My only boast is You</strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Hallelujah! All I have is Christ -<br />
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life!</strong></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(Song by Jordan Kauflin, copyright Sovereign Grace Music)</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hear it, buy it, get free lead sheet downloads </span></em><a href="http://sovereigngracemusic.org/Songs/All_I_Have_Is_Christ/2" target="_blank"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">here</span></em></a><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span></em> Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-63583103653474108702012-08-14T22:15:00.001-06:002014-04-23T20:48:03.378-06:00Schoolroom Panic AttackLast week I spent the week cleaning and purging our school room, moving furniture and re-stacking bookshelves with new books and school supplies. Somewhere in the middle of all the clutter, I had a <strong>minor panic attack</strong>. You see, like many of you who may be visiting from the "<a href="http://www.ihomeschoolnetwork.com/category/not-back-to-school-blog-hop/" target="_blank">Not-Back-to-School-Blog-Hop</a>", I have seen lots of blogs with really cute ideas of how to organize a school room - some complete with matching furniture, cute posters, tons of craft supplies and creative learning space.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_aDx86rbwNf-Lxyeo-qd-B3lKCEeUUdM0tLgpkh4l8Doh6QBu0qWDPl1A1c6RMCICzxE8Ml7OlkPy54Xmoytpsz5BS31LZc6e8Ss-3-dIsgr_bc1l9gXay3LLVyb7srhAZiaav4Nyo4k/s1600/IMG_4685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_aDx86rbwNf-Lxyeo-qd-B3lKCEeUUdM0tLgpkh4l8Doh6QBu0qWDPl1A1c6RMCICzxE8Ml7OlkPy54Xmoytpsz5BS31LZc6e8Ss-3-dIsgr_bc1l9gXay3LLVyb7srhAZiaav4Nyo4k/s640/IMG_4685.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I sat looking at all my mismatched desks and bookshelves, faded couches, plastic bins and dust bunnies and desperately tried to figure out how to make it look "cute" or "functional" ....or maybe just "clean". I was suddenly overcome with discouragement.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fY9XHDSRjK1dyYxpr7PTE9f1Z_7tJehoKyhWtABcoQ0Mt782VRSYPR66VC_lB22Ft2uR8gqLD0Zt4Qj1c5Lak5YYwWYr7e0lv1ONMepTtdbH37H6pc82VErbh6qJThwlVZ7HRTIWGaI/s1600/IMG_4684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fY9XHDSRjK1dyYxpr7PTE9f1Z_7tJehoKyhWtABcoQ0Mt782VRSYPR66VC_lB22Ft2uR8gqLD0Zt4Qj1c5Lak5YYwWYr7e0lv1ONMepTtdbH37H6pc82VErbh6qJThwlVZ7HRTIWGaI/s640/IMG_4684.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
No matter how many times I rearranged the desks, I couldn't get one corner to accomodate what I had in mind for my desk and not only did I feel my lack of appropriately sized furniture, I felt my lack of ability at working with 3-D space. (I'm not much of an interior designer.) I called my husband at work and much to his surprise, started <u>sobbing</u>... not over our lack of space or our lack of stylish furniture, but MY lack... of talent, creativity, spacial awareness, housekeeping, and decorating skills. Have you ever had one of those snow-ball days? Well, it didn't end there, the blizzard of self-doubt and self-pity had just begun. (As usual when I unload my burdens on my husband, he listened empathetically and said he would help me out however he could when he got home. Poor guy, it's hard to deal with an avalanche of feminine emotion when you are at work!)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisT0nnoNeeyCWFAh71GkmcSiILQXrstnpd3CI6Dcy3Med76O8zsGZluW9VVAjehSqeyltqlqD4uDfZFGRpjBo9erYCC5OF9_FH_71f5Sn6Ha51VTkZ2TPoxBG-egJw1lAJDFGLgCWfDnw/s1600/IMG_4686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisT0nnoNeeyCWFAh71GkmcSiILQXrstnpd3CI6Dcy3Med76O8zsGZluW9VVAjehSqeyltqlqD4uDfZFGRpjBo9erYCC5OF9_FH_71f5Sn6Ha51VTkZ2TPoxBG-egJw1lAJDFGLgCWfDnw/s640/IMG_4686.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
In the past when I have had emotional meltdowns over all of my imperfections, unmet expectations and self-critical evaluations, I have eventually tried "talking to myself" using various strategies to try and crawl out of the pit. It usually sounds something like this...<br />
<br />
<strong>"You should be thankful for the things that you do have, think of all the people you know who don't even have a school room and wish they did."</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>"You should be proud that you aren't like all those other people who have to have 'fancy' things to do their school - you are thrifty, a good steward of your resources."</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, you should just go take a bath, or eat some chocolate, or splurge at IKEA - you deserve it!"</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>"You should remember that it isn't about the stuff you have but the stuff you learn that makes a good homeschool."</strong><br />
<br />
All of these answers have a little bit of truth to them, and some of them are definitely more "spiritual sounding" than others. The problem is, none of them do anything to fix my wandering heart. I may be thankful today, but my heart is prone to wander again. Is my measure of thankfulness really the solution to the problem? Being thrifty may be a valuable quality, but don't you think I sound a little prideful about my frugality? Then there is the self-gratifying indulgence of my chocolate or buying binges - probably not a good long term solution. And how long is the last argument going to last when it comes to the end of the year and I start assessing what we have learned? I sense a whole new <strong>panic attack</strong> coming along... I'll need to get some new coping strategies... <br />
<br />
<strong>So where is the hope for me?</strong> What do I really need? I need <strong>power</strong> to change my idolatrous heart, not just more "shoulds"... laws that I can't ever live up to. I don't need more "thankfulness", <strong>I need a</strong> <strong>Savior!</strong> It is not the measure of my thankfulness for my "stuff" that makes me acceptable to God, or that will make me more content. It is the measure of Christ's sacrifice that makes me acceptable to God and it is the power of the Holy Spirit that opens my eyes to seeing CHRIST as <strong>more beautiful</strong> and <strong>more valuable</strong> than all this world and all the best school rooms have to offer.<br />
<br />
So, I WILL be thankful, but not in my relative abundance, or in my humble lack....<br />
I will be thankful for the gospel... the GOOD news... will you rejoice with me?<br />
<br />
<em>Therefore, since we have been <strong>justified</strong> by faith, we have <strong>peace</strong> with God, through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained <strong>access</strong> by faith into <strong>this grace in which we stand</strong>, and we rejoice<strong> </strong>in hope of <strong>the glory of God</strong>. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces <strong>endurance</strong> and endurance produces <strong>character</strong>, and character produces <strong>hope</strong> and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit <strong>who has been given to us</strong>.</em> <br />
<em>For while we were <strong>still weak</strong>, at the right time Christ died for the <strong>ungodly</strong>. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person-though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die- but God shows his love for us in that <strong>while we were still sinners</strong>, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, <strong>much more</strong> shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were <strong>reconciled to God</strong> by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be <strong>saved by his life</strong>. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received <strong>reconciliation</strong>.</em><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Romans 5:1-11)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks be to God!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
As for the school room...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFY1YrgA0P_idEyCkUwY7NZSOox7MQoW5HB6W_MEiZJ5vpEesxKW1m7B-mYgvDkgpOGztf-Q7s-u5nAazCSlI98L0VRAhUdJ8AQyedFEP_yg2t74weN2kb6tjBA97ReKc-qhV8Prt1MhE/s1600/IMG_4836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFY1YrgA0P_idEyCkUwY7NZSOox7MQoW5HB6W_MEiZJ5vpEesxKW1m7B-mYgvDkgpOGztf-Q7s-u5nAazCSlI98L0VRAhUdJ8AQyedFEP_yg2t74weN2kb6tjBA97ReKc-qhV8Prt1MhE/s640/IMG_4836.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It's still hodgepodge, a little less dusty, a little more organized...</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQ6y5oQhD5fbNlXaAhZUw-vGwdCqX50SINUiLrtkym2tfpvk342XDXgBtw-4SDPXwBUo9s_h39PUblIo6F-Y8Yqp6iqiH3GXbRdgnwRiYTHV91gpKVRj0Ortz0jtSlPKZRAJHToigsko/s1600/IMG_4834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQ6y5oQhD5fbNlXaAhZUw-vGwdCqX50SINUiLrtkym2tfpvk342XDXgBtw-4SDPXwBUo9s_h39PUblIo6F-Y8Yqp6iqiH3GXbRdgnwRiYTHV91gpKVRj0Ortz0jtSlPKZRAJHToigsko/s640/IMG_4834.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
...and brightened by some beautiful flowers that my husband brought home for me that day. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4dg2pQ_u3T482XdAM5Xdtjt-9v4iNGZs1by2h30f46UFP3B7CWKtIoV0tkObz0NDW8GnlQRBkDhEoKzNx4-zL01AQjND1UyLF55Xn-zaw3EuuqgVzf_jQHvlmOijhVAYaZ3kHy5Iiq2A/s1600/IMG_4688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4dg2pQ_u3T482XdAM5Xdtjt-9v4iNGZs1by2h30f46UFP3B7CWKtIoV0tkObz0NDW8GnlQRBkDhEoKzNx4-zL01AQjND1UyLF55Xn-zaw3EuuqgVzf_jQHvlmOijhVAYaZ3kHy5Iiq2A/s640/IMG_4688.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Not a rebuke, a lecture, a quick fix, a to-do list.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Just flowers.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Undeserved love and grace -</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
just like Jesus.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
That's what they remind me of.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5q0jBLwXOIhACYCcK_5k3rJxYjrXmT3NmlwnQ_n9I0WCiEgSHfNgmjXeRT8Xu3vH3cQ4V33CUhkY7xoNq_R9jI61NV-emYcWw81I1319rMIKw3C-7jP3NSxCP0kInOGj9LrgUnyQQVU/s1600/nbts-blog-hop-calendar-2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5q0jBLwXOIhACYCcK_5k3rJxYjrXmT3NmlwnQ_n9I0WCiEgSHfNgmjXeRT8Xu3vH3cQ4V33CUhkY7xoNq_R9jI61NV-emYcWw81I1319rMIKw3C-7jP3NSxCP0kInOGj9LrgUnyQQVU/s320/nbts-blog-hop-calendar-2012.jpg" height="263" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-86607001649283643852012-08-12T18:18:00.000-06:002012-08-12T18:19:30.341-06:00Praying for You and Your School YearThis is my prayer for my family as well as yours as you begin (or continue) your school year this year...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGsjE-GMclgQ7fugBkwUTdHOvbySLOPmELFavBa4Tnj-CMpdONQj8ho_o-Bkt1iv3d7TB4Yu-rdIcbKufiJn2WxFF1t_Wnp6b2RgnZ5naGcLPjJJ-F5AgoD4Gfd36iODYoiTzGy2Hd83M/s1600/IMG_4532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGsjE-GMclgQ7fugBkwUTdHOvbySLOPmELFavBa4Tnj-CMpdONQj8ho_o-Bkt1iv3d7TB4Yu-rdIcbKufiJn2WxFF1t_Wnp6b2RgnZ5naGcLPjJJ-F5AgoD4Gfd36iODYoiTzGy2Hd83M/s640/IMG_4532.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">"...we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."</span></em></div>
<br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">(Colossians 1:9-14, ESV)</span></em><br />
<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-81126460771328167502012-08-10T10:50:00.001-06:002012-08-10T10:50:30.308-06:00Gospel Powered Parenting {Chapter 8}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobdDPq4TcUWjlPjpWgdTrMadyVAsZC4LgxaHzAJwUlDu76Jn8FIyDXSCiHIP9C9kjFUvc8HzPMonXdqoPxOy54itfdrflwEOK91UK5f9DppB6Gvscop6d5jOCBf6PvTZAe_uVfNBIjq4/s1600/gospel+powered+parenting.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobdDPq4TcUWjlPjpWgdTrMadyVAsZC4LgxaHzAJwUlDu76Jn8FIyDXSCiHIP9C9kjFUvc8HzPMonXdqoPxOy54itfdrflwEOK91UK5f9DppB6Gvscop6d5jOCBf6PvTZAe_uVfNBIjq4/s200/gospel+powered+parenting.gif" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Foundations of Discipline</strong></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Are all children (and yours in particular) born basically good? Are they sinful only when they have committed their first sin, and accountable to God only when they reach a particular "age of accountability"? This chapter taught me that our theological beliefs about sin, really do have an effect on how we choose to parent and specifically how we discipline our children. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is tempting to look at our sweet babies and think of them as total "innocents", and in a sense they are. They are completely in need of our care and protection and when those things are neglected, or as in some families they are shamefully abused, we all rightly say, "They are innocent! They don't deserve that!" In this sense of the word, I would absolutely, wholeheartedly agree.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In the biblical sense of innocent, however, children and babies are just as corrupted in their nature as we adults, who have been sinning our whole lives. Because of original sin, and the sin nature that we inherited as members of the human race, we are born with hearts that are oriented wrongly. That is, turned away from our Creator. Our natural tendancy, as soon as we are able to express it, is rebellion.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If however, you believe that children are not born tainted by original sin, that they behave badly only because of bad examples, environment or sickness (mental or physical), then you have not rightly understood how the bible explains the basic human condition. In fact, you may not be aware, but these beliefs I have just described (called Pelagianism) were opposed vigorously by Augustine and declared a heresy in the year 418 AD at the Council of Carthage. </span><a href="http://www.theopedia.com/Pelagianism/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(Reference here.)</span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In spite of the fact that these beliefs were long ago considered heresy, you will still find them in existence today. A person who believes these things might then go on to write a parenting book, espousing techniques meant to deal with the problem of children's disobedience that totally miss the mark. </span><a href="http://www.challies.com/book-reviews/how-not-to-train-up-a-child-part-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This book review</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> of one of those parenting books is a good example of how that works.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In our book so far, I think we have seen that Farley has clearly shown us that the main issue of parenting is not managing behavior, and preventing sin but getting to that rebellious, stony heart. As members of the human race, our hearts are automatically oriented away from our Creator, and sooner or later (usually sooner) we will begin to express that, despite our appearance of sweet innocence.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What are the tools that God gives us as parents for getting to the heart? They are the same tools that God himself uses as he parents his children. The discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph. 6:4), and the Gospel. Drawing from Hebrews 12:6 and Proverbs 3:12, Harvey makes it clear that "Biblical discipline always expresses God's love." Then Harvey goes on to explain two important foundations that effect the how and the why of discipline. He first emphasizes the importance of understanding the biblical concept of indwelling sin (which struck me the most and I have discussed above.) Secondly, he explains the importance of authority as a crucial parenting issue, when we see it through biblical eyes - namely, in the authority displayed within the Godhead itself.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Since our culture strongly rejects both of these aspects (indwelling sin and loving, gracious authority), it is important to have a foundational understanding about what the Bible says about these things.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One aspect of this chapter that I didn't feel was as strong was his emphasis on corporal punishment. Although I tend to agree that corporal punishment is an acceptable and biblical concept, there is a lot left unsaid about this subject that I think could use a stronger treatment. Harvey's point in this book is more ideological than practical, so I guess I didn't expect that he might go into the details of how punishment is delivered, when it is appropriate, what dangers there might be and numerous other questions that come up when we discuss the form that our punishment takes. For an excellent and very practical treatment of discipline that includes not only a discussion of biblical corporal punishment as well as other forms of punishment that doesn't neglect addressing heart matters as well, I strongly recommend Tedd Tripp's book, </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shepherding-Childs-Heart-Tedd-Tripp/dp/0966378601/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344616766&sr=1-1&keywords=shepherding+a+child%27s+heart" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Shepherding a Child's Heart</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. What I like the most about his book, is a very detailed description of a controlled, calm and purposeful method of discipline using corporal punishment that is redemptive and restorative in it's implementation. There is not a single time that I have used Tripp's specific advice on discipline and spanking that it was not beneficial and healing to both the kids and to me as well. Almost any other time I have spanked without his specific method, I have regretted it. (This recommendation probably leaves you with more questions than answers, so you will really have to go get the book... and let me know what you think!)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Next week, Harvey will discuss more about what he mentioned at the beginning of this chapter - that "communicating the gospel becomes the <em>end</em> (goal) of effective Christian discipline." (pg 146)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As always, I welcome your comments, criticisms, and questions on this chapter or any other chapter that you have read so far. You may comment on this page, or any of the other chapter's posts found at the </span><a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/p/book-club.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Book Club Page</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> tab.</span></strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-38279916557812351922012-08-06T07:26:00.000-06:002012-08-06T07:26:41.279-06:00A Prayer for My Children's Mother (Me)<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">O LORD God of heaven</span>,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, to hear the prayer of Your servant that I now pray before You day and night for my children. Grant them continual patience and forbearance to live with me, a wicked parent. For I have sinned against You; I have acted very corruptly against You by forsaking my responsibility to lead them in righteousness and the fear of You; I have not kept Your commandments, Your statutes, or the rules that You commanded Your servant Moses.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Prevent them from following my old self - when I am unfaithful to Your Word, when I neglect prayer, fail to redeem the time, speak carelessly, walk foolishly, fail to hope in You, seek great things for myself, become anxious about tomorrow. Protect them from my own indwelling sin-when I am beset with the fear of man, the cares of the world, or the love of money. May they never lose confidence that, in spite of my many iniquities and shortcomings, I am Your servant whom You have redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> O Lord, let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant. May they delight to fear Your name, and give success to them today, and grant them mercy (Nehemiah 1).</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">From <strong>Setting Their Hope in GOD: Biblical Intercession for Your Children</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">by Andrew Case</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For a free PDF or e-book visit </span><a href="http://hismagnificence.com/index.php/view/Content-Main/page/books.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">His Magnificence</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span></div>
</blockquote>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-5534852085464803452012-08-02T14:51:00.000-06:002012-08-02T14:51:10.208-06:00Gospel Powered Parenting Book Club {Chapt. 7}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUUrVGRJ0UhyZ2I6Wy2L3ubrnlZDCMsHHguuKHflB4GzMYlbtihg9EIDq3xU5D3eEP4e3wRWv9GaS7TB54mqJ1Q34qgPozbbvsK54SS0P5xxKOvoPi1pdwMUXQ0ehLPKigzxMHX4CJqI/s1600/gospel+powered+parenting.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUUrVGRJ0UhyZ2I6Wy2L3ubrnlZDCMsHHguuKHflB4GzMYlbtihg9EIDq3xU5D3eEP4e3wRWv9GaS7TB54mqJ1Q34qgPozbbvsK54SS0P5xxKOvoPi1pdwMUXQ0ehLPKigzxMHX4CJqI/s200/gospel+powered+parenting.gif" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Gospel Fathers</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Last week I mentioned that I wanted to get my husband's input on this chapter, (since it IS about fathers, of course) and I am finally getting around to the post. I hope you had a chance to talk with your husband too! First, let's review what the chapter was about.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h2 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Main Idea</span></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This chapter is primarily about the importance of fathers as the spiritual leaders of their families. Farley says, "When men abdicate, their children suffer. When men assume their proper role, parenting thrives." (pg. 126) He quotes lots of statistics and explains why this is true to support what he has said. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As the parent who is NOT the father, I began to feel a weight of despair. I would venture to guess that you might have as well? </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There are many reasons for this. You might have a husband who is a non-Christian. You might have a husband who is a nominal Christian. You might have a husband who, though he is a Christian doesn't express his faith much, attend bible studies or initiate spiritual discussions with the family. Or, you might be like me - although your husband is a Christian and a leader, you realize that YOU do not have primary control or influence - (which can be a very scary thing for someone who likes to control everything- like me!)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Farley then goes on to ask the question (that I was already asking!), "What can we do to attract men to our churches, to excite men about fatherhood?" Here are his three answers: (pg 133)</span></div>
<ol>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(Churches should) emphasize the objective truth of the gospel</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(Churches should) develop masculine role models (by emphasizing the model of biblical masculinity found in Christ and through men who have been impacted by the gospel)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We should encourage women to promote biblical masculinity.</span></div>
</li>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
</ol>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Since the first two solutions need to come from the local church body and other men, the last solution is really the one we as wives and mothers should focus on, (while trusting in God to provide for our husbands in the first two areas.)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h2 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Four Ways Women Can Encourage Biblical Masculinity</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Contrary to the often tried, but ineffective methods of nagging, guilting, condemning, worrying, panicking, controlling and usurping - Farley suggests a better way.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<ol>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Direct the children to their father when they have questions.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Respect your husband especially in front of the children. </span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Pray for your husband's masculinity to be defined by Christ's example.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Enourage your husband to lead - not by nagging, but "by calling attention to evidences of grace at work in him".</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<h2 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Some Thoughts...</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It can be really difficult for dads to learn to take the reigns of leadership (spiritual leadership especially) in their families. One reason is they may not have had an example of Christ-like biblical masculinity as they grew up. But another reason has to do with the roles and responsibilities that moms take on early in a child's life. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">From the time a baby is conceived mom is pretty much in charge of the child's nurturing and well-being. The very nature of pregnancy and childbirth tends to make the mom more interested in finding all the best ways to nuture, feed and prepare for the child. Once the child is born, breastfeeding, sleep patterns and staying at home with the baby can also be primarily the job of the mom. Although we agreed on the choices for our babies, I was basically the one who did the research, chose what I thought would work best (since I would be at home with them) and shared my findings with my husband. His job was to say, "Yes dear, can I give you a backrub?"</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As we began to make decisions about school, we both agreed that homeschooling was a great choice. But the tasks of choosing curriculums, methods, schedules and then actually teaching really fell to me. As a result - nearly all of the leadership functions in the house regarding the kids ended up falling to me. "Son, listen to your mother," and "Yes dear, can I give you a backrub?" was about all I wanted to hear.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Now my oldest is on the verge of the pre-teens and this statement from William Farley is really starting to hit home...</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>In terms of intimacy, care, and nurture - crucial functions- Mom's role is primary. But it is equally true that when a child begins to move into that period of differentiation from home and engagement with the world "out there" he or she looks increasingly to the father for direction.</em> (pg. 131)</span><br />
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In other words, I am starting to see my influence with the boys begin to wain. They are definitely looking increasingly to their father for direction and identification! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How can I as a wife and mother encourage, support and assist my husband in taking on this role as spiritual leader when most of the day to day leading has always been on my plate?</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Maybe I should ask my husband?!</strong> </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So I told my husband that I need some help and wanted his thoughts on something. He was definitely up for it, so we are just waiting for a date night to finish the conversation. Here are the questions that I came up with for us... you might want to use them as well, or use them as a starting place to work on some questions that would more uniquely fit your family.</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As the boys grow older they will begin to differentiate and look to you for spiritual leadership. How can I encourage that?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How can I provide opportunity for that?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How can I help you?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What are your fears about that?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What obstacles will hinder this and how can I assist or help find assistance in dealing with those obstacles?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What do I do that hinders your leadership?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What do I do that encourages your leadership?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What do you think my greatest weakness is in submitting to your leadership?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What do you think your greatest weakness is in initiating leadership?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Are you still supportive of our decision to homeschool? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What areas do you think we could/should focus more on or less on?</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Those are just a few conversations starters - some of them are similar ideas said in different ways. </span><br />
<br />
<h2>
Your turn...</h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What things do you do to encourage your husband's spiritual leadership?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How do you think your responsibilities as the "primary care provider" sometimes contribute to diminishing your husbands leadership role in the family?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Any other thoughts about this chapter?</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>If you are reading along with us, I would love to hear your thoughts on any of
the chapters you have read so far. You can comment here, or on the posts from
any of the previous chapters. You can find all of the posts on the new </em></span><a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/p/book-club.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #4c9900; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Book Club</em></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em> page.</em></span><br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-30016426266239976942012-07-30T07:21:00.003-06:002012-07-30T07:21:56.819-06:00Great God of Highest Heaven<em>I have mentioned my love of the Puritan prayers found in the <u>Valley of Vision</u> prayer book. Sovereign Grace music has a collection of songs based on these prayers, which can be very helpful to me to sing rather than just to read. Here are the lyrics of one of my favorites, to start your week.</em> <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">O great God of highest heaven<br />Occupy my lowly heart<br />Own it all and reign supreme<br />Conquer every rebel power<br />Let no vice or sin remain<br />That resists Your holy war<br />You have loved and purchased me<br />Make me Yours forevermore<br /><br />I was blinded by my sin<br />Had no ears to hear Your voice<br />Did not know Your love within<br />Had no taste for heaven’s joys<br />Then Your Spirit gave me life<br />Opened up Your Word to me<br />Through the gospel of Your Son<br />Gave me endless hope and peace<br /><br />Help me now to live a life<br />That’s dependent on Your grace<br />Keep my heart and guard my soul<br />From the evils that I face<br />You are worthy to be praised<br />With my every thought and deed<br />O great God of highest heaven<br />Glorify Your Name through me</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Words and music by Bob Kauflin<br />As recorded on <i>Valley of Vision</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">© 2006 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Hear it here: <a href="http://www.sovereigngracestore.com/Product/M4175-00-21/Valley_of_Vision_CD.aspx">Valley of Vision CD</a></span>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-89113558881360938722012-07-25T00:30:00.000-06:002012-07-25T00:30:00.174-06:00A Prayer for Parenting<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm busy this week writing lesson plans, going through books, (thinking about) cleaning the school room and starting the countdown to our first day in just four weeks! In the middle of all that, I really NEED to take the time to pray over our plans and focus on the things that matter most. But, I have to admit that I'm not a great pray-er. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYPiL8PiLxjuCD2sJ2UmEQXlApYLB7fNzHLmhY5pS8JG7Xn5aGz-CIoadg8TmXhTdJT6D-bjhcyV1ZZkTSqjlHu4xo0VH84BLoNvSbfvaEiQEV0ifJTbHneImkpEzWbdAqwj5c-EtACI/s1600/prayerlist1cl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYPiL8PiLxjuCD2sJ2UmEQXlApYLB7fNzHLmhY5pS8JG7Xn5aGz-CIoadg8TmXhTdJT6D-bjhcyV1ZZkTSqjlHu4xo0VH84BLoNvSbfvaEiQEV0ifJTbHneImkpEzWbdAqwj5c-EtACI/s320/prayerlist1cl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I know that I need to first and foremost pray for my boys, but sometimes it seems like I'm just bringing my shopping list before God - first, the staples: Milk, Bread and Eggs (salvation, health and safety). Then the extras - character traits I want to see them grow in, or particular needs we have had this week. I don't like my prayers to feel like a grocery list, so I kind of end up not praying very specifically at all. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Do you struggle like this, or is it just me? Anyway, I really want to grow in my prayer life - learning what it is like to really communicate with God, how to persevere in prayer and how to not wander into thinking about my <u>actual</u> grocery shopping list while I pray!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As I start this school year, desiring to incorporate more prayer into my plans, I will share what things have helped, what I have learned and hopefully you will feel comfortable with sharing with me too! I have found that sometimes it helps to read and pray written prayers to help me to learn how to pray. I have found great help reading the prayers in the </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Valley-Vision-collection-Puritan-Devotions/dp/0851512283/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343190498&sr=1-1&keywords=the+valley+of+vision" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Valley of Vision</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> prayer book. I also found a resource specifically for praying for your children, called </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Setting-Their-Hope-GOD-ebook/dp/B005CQ7DHU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1343190114&sr=1-1&keywords=setting+their+hope+in+god" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Setting Their Hope in God: Biblical Intercession for Your Children</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> by Andrew Case. (It is only 99 cents for Kindle right now!) I think I might try those resources as part of my morning devotions and when I find something helpful, I will post it here to share with you. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last school year, I had taped to the cover of my homeschool planner a prayer that I found at Pastor Scotty Smith's blog over at the Gospel Coalition and I wanted to re-post it here for you. Here is the link to the source, in case you might want to tape it to <u>your</u> homeschool planner!</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/scottysmith/2012/07/24/a-prayer-for-learning-to-parent-by-grace-and-faith/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A Prayer For Parenting Our Kids by Faith and Grace</span></a></div>
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. <strong><a class="lbsBibleRef" data-reference="Psalm 127.1-3" data-version="" href="http://biblia.com/bible/Psalm%20127.1-3">Psalm 127:1-3</a></strong></span></em><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Heavenly Father, it’s a liberating joy to address you today as the architect and builder of your <em>own</em> house—including the household of faith and my children’s place in your family. No one cares about and loves our children more than you. I know that <em>now</em> better than ever. Our kids are <em>your</em> heritage.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I grieve the years I spent in pragmatic parenting, assuming if I prayed and parented <em>just right</em>, my kids would be converted at a young age, would never get into big trouble and would be protected from all harm. How naïve on my part. But my rejoicing is much greater than my regretting, for you’ve proven yourself faithful to your covenant love… even when I was overbearing and under-believing.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I praise you for rescuing me from parental “laboring in vain”—assuming a burden you never intended parents to bear. O, the arrogant pride of thinking that by our “good parenting” we can take credit for the encouraging things we see in the lives of our children. O, the undue pressure our children must feel when we parent more out of our fear and pride, rather than by your love and grace. O, the miserable unbelief of assuming that by our “bad parenting” we’ve marred our children forever and have limited what you’ll be able to accomplish in the future.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Father, <em>only you</em> can reveal the glory and grace of Jesus to our children; <em>only you</em> can give anyone a new heart. You’ve called us to parent as an act of worship—to parent “as unto you,” not as a way of saving face, making a name for ourselves, or proving our worthiness of your love. I really believe this, but the move from parenting by grit to parenting by grace has often been three steps forward and two steps back. Take me deeper; take me further.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Since our children and grandchildren are <em>your</em> inheritance, teach us how to care for them as humble stewards, not as anxious owners. Give us quick repentances and observable kindnesses. Constantly remind us that you call us to be faithful parents, not “successful” parents. More than anything else, show us how to parent and grandparent in ways that reveal the unsearchable riches of Christ. Keep teaching us how to love and lead your covenant children “in line with the truth of the gospel” (</span><a class="lbsBibleRef" data-reference="Gal. 2.14" data-version="niv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/niv/Gal.%202.14"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Gal. 2:14 NIV</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">). Father, dazzle and delight our children with your grace. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ faithful and loving name.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">How do you make praying for your kids a priority and a habit? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">How do you make it more relational and less like a shopping list? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">What prayer resources do you recommend?</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
(I look forward to hearing from you!)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</blockquote>
A great way to connect with me and get more gospel centered resources throughout the day is by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GospelCenteredHomeschooling?ref=hl" target="_blank">"liking" this blog on Facebook</a>. Can you help me get to a (whopping) 30 likes? Thanks!<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Linking up today with:</div>
</blockquote>
<a href="http://newlifesteward.com/tag/wip-wednesday/" target="_blank"><img alt="WIPWednesday" height="125" src=" http://newlifesteward.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/WIPWedButton2-1.png" width="125" /></a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
</blockquote>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-30982112544978154052012-07-24T00:30:00.000-06:002012-07-24T00:30:03.134-06:00The Story of the World - a review (part 2)<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><em>{This is a two part review of <strong>The Story of the World:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>History for the Classical Child</strong> series by Susan Wise Bauer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This post will cover the final two books in the series, <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/vol-3-early-modern-times-hardcover/susan-bauer/9780972860307/pd/860304?event=AFF&p=1167309"" target="_blank">Vol. 3 – The Early Modern Times</a> and <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/story-world-vol-4-modern-hardcover/susan-bauer/9780972860345/pd/860347?event=AFF&p=1167309" target="_blank">Vol. 4 – The Modern World</a>.} <a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-story-of-world-review-part-one.html" target="_blank">The previous post</a> covered the first two books in the series, <span id="goog_1942814513"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/">Vol. 1 – Ancient Times<span id="goog_1942814514"></span></a> and <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/world-vol-2-middle-revised-hardcover/9781933339108/pd/339108?event=AFF&p=1167309"" target="_blank">Vol. 2 – The Middle Ages</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></em></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">}</span></em></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8bJsrD7wz4jbAEBtDwoOyPvwyP0XQbrkNRtaoLOuynSM0jI1wtBorxuHsmx5tyOZteSqFVQ_tknDC4ljtUvqm9V8QRgwmaT8-ZK7d3b29I3mIRYxGMJ11ZxJYwB-aTpOf0N6j4OmrDM/s1600/SOTW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8bJsrD7wz4jbAEBtDwoOyPvwyP0XQbrkNRtaoLOuynSM0jI1wtBorxuHsmx5tyOZteSqFVQ_tknDC4ljtUvqm9V8QRgwmaT8-ZK7d3b29I3mIRYxGMJ11ZxJYwB-aTpOf0N6j4OmrDM/s1600/SOTW.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
The first year of Story of the World, I was teaching only a 1st grader, the next year a 2nd grader and a Kindergartner. There wasn't too much adjusting for age differences because I was primarily just teaching one child, and the others would listen along, but not really be expected to be responsible for any real content or activities. It was just fun stories. For Year 3, we had both a 3rd grader and a 1st grader and for Year 4, I was teaching all three boys - 4th grade, 2nd grade and Kindergarten. So for the last two years of SOTW I really had to deal with making adjustments for teaching multiple ages. In addition, as SOTW progresses, the work required in the activity book advances and the subject matter (20th century especially) becomes more mature - slavery, holocaust, civil rights, 9/11. In this post, I thought I would share how we negotiated those challenges in our family.<br />
<br />
Additionally, Year 3 and Year 4 cover the time periods of the development of the American nation, but since it is a World history program, the emphasis is not on American history. I wanted to make sure that we covered more in that subject area than was offered, so I will share some supplementary materials we used to make sure the boys knew enough about our country's history.<br />
<h2>
<br />Adjusting for Different Ages</h2>
Year 3 of the SOTW was pretty easy to adjust for differences in ages. All the boys like the coloring pages (it gives them something to do with their hands while I read aloud.) After reading the chapter section, I would do the comprehension questions orally. My 1st grader was better at remembering the details and the competition helped motivate the 3rd grader to try hard and remember the answers. I didn't ask the 1st grader to narrate, at least not every time. I did begin using the test book this year, but written responses were required only from the oldest, we used the questions in a game-show type review for the others.<br />
<br />
Year 4 required the most adjustment for the ages. Instead of narrating, the book begins to teach outlining and writing from an outline. We all worked together on completing the outline, but not even the oldest was outlining on his own by the end of the year. We worked on writing from an outline in our writing curriculum, so we didn't work on it here as well. We used the tests for both the 4th grader and 2nd grader to do comprehension reviews (much more than the previous year.) The 4th year of SOTW doesn't include coloring pages anymore, so I ordered a file of coloring pages from the publishers website. This gave us at least one picture to color for the younger kids (2nd and K), and we also used a few Dover coloring books or online resources as well.<br />
<a href="http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/volume-4-coloring-pages.html" target="_blank">SOTW 4 Coloring pages</a><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1889241474">Dover Coloring Books (History)</a><br />
<a href="http://www.usa-printables.com/" target="_blank">American History Coloring Pages</a> (free)<br />
<a href="http://www.edupics.com/coloring-pages-history-c116.html" target="_blank">History Coloring Pages</a> (free)<br />
<h2>
<br />Adding More American History</h2>
The other thing I adjusted for in Year 3 and 4 of SOTW was to add more American history either by spending more time on the stories they did cover, or by adding stories that were left out that I wanted to include. (How did I add more and still finish one book each year?) We still read all the stories in the book, did comprehension questions and map exercises. I didn't do nearly as many of the enrichment activities for these chapters. I wouldn't say we "skimmed" those chapters, but we didn't linger long on them. My pace was generally to read one chapter section each day (5 day schedule) and complete the coloring page and map activity for that chapter. At the end of the chapter, we would spend one day to review the content and any additional reading or activity we had time for. When we reached a chapter on the Jamestown colony or the Pilgrims we might spend an extra day or two on the sections - completing extra enrichment activities. We would usually find a historical literature selection to spend even more time on those areas, even after we had moved on in the history text. (Literature selections we used are at the end of this post.) <br />
<br />
Certain events were significant enough to spend two or three weeks camped out on them and completing a mini unit study. <br />
<h3>
Year 3 Mini Unit Studies</h3>
<strong>13 Colonies</strong> (2 weeks)<br />
(library books)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY4yrp2OzUFucV2gRF0X-6mTMNaUDzrQYEsfhGBbYqfSyXhVnpBq5NfW-h8mpRS6I5RnoYa8C1zfCmngVhyzmvOX4iFWZP7Q2u2sJa_S4GpjNYv8xQBtZFvRcvD4tIK4Fil246fYM1tF8/s1600/IMG_3023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY4yrp2OzUFucV2gRF0X-6mTMNaUDzrQYEsfhGBbYqfSyXhVnpBq5NfW-h8mpRS6I5RnoYa8C1zfCmngVhyzmvOX4iFWZP7Q2u2sJa_S4GpjNYv8xQBtZFvRcvD4tIK4Fil246fYM1tF8/s320/IMG_3023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong>The Revolutionary War</strong> (4 weeks)<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-Revolution-Landmark-Books/dp/0394846966/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343000704&sr=1-1&keywords=the+american+revolution+landmark+books" target="_blank">The American Revolution (Landmark Books)</a> by Bruce Bliven, Jr.<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-Revolution-First-Books--America-War/dp/0531156524/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343000620&sr=1-1&keywords=the+american+revolution+alden+carter" target="_blank">The American Revolution</a> by Alden R. Carter<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Land-Battles-Revolutionary-War-Smolinski/dp/0613554876/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343000739&sr=1-1&keywords=land+battles+of+the+revolutionary+war" target="_blank">Land Battles of the Revolutionary War</a> by Diane Smolinski<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/History-Pockets-Evan-Moor-Educational-Publishers/dp/1596732601/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343000453&sr=1-1&keywords=the+american+revolution+history+pockets" target="_blank">History Pockets: The American Revolution</a> (Evan-Moor Publishing)<br />
<br />
(Toy soldiers are great for boys learning about wars - this is the Battle of Bunker Hill.)<br />
<br />
<br />
Between year 3 and 4 we studied Colorado history by traveling to lots of historical sites for our summer camping trips and reading books on famous people from the time.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Year 4 Mini Unit Studies</h3>
<strong>Civil War</strong> (4 weeks)<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fields-Fury-American-Civil-War/dp/0689848331/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343000373&sr=1-1&keywords=fields+of+fury" target="_blank">Field of Fury</a> by James M. McPherson<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/History-Pockets-The-American-Civil/dp/1596732598/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343000319&sr=8-1&keywords=history+pockets+civil+war" target="_blank">History Pockets: The Civil War</a> (Evan-Moor Publishing)<br />
<br />
<strong>Westward Expansion</strong> (1 week):<br />
Library books and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/History-Pockets-Moving-West-Grades/dp/1557999023/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343000212&sr=1-1&keywords=Westward+expansion+history+pockets" target="_blank">History Pockets: Moving West</a> (Evan-Moor publishing)<br />
<br />
<strong>World War I</strong> (1 1/2 weeks):<br />
Library books and <br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Truce-Day-Soldiers-Stopped-Fighting/dp/0545130492/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343000011&sr=1-1&keywords=truce+by+jim+murphy" target="_blank">Truce by Jim Murphy</a><br />
Coloring pages<br />
<br />
<strong>World War II</strong> (3 weeks)<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Good-Fight-How-World-War/dp/0689843615/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343000562&sr=1-1&keywords=the+good+fight+how+world+war+ii+was+won" target="_blank">The Good Fight</a> by Stephen E. Ambrose<br />
Coloring pages, library videos, great grandparent interview<br />
<br />
Several subjects didn't involve full unit studies, but we focused our project work or extra reading on those subjects: the great depression, civil rights, space race, fall of communism, 9/11 and the war on terror.<br />
<br />
We also wanted to make sure that we memorized all the Presidents of the United States and did a quick overview of what they were known for. We put each president on our timeline, learned a song to memorize their order and watched a great series on the presidents that gave a quick but helpful overview of each president. We watched these segments as we came to their time in history. I recommend this series: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Disneys-American-Presidents-Revolution-Interactive/dp/B0035CP4O2/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1342999625&sr=1-1&keywords=disney+presidents" target="_blank">Disney's The American Presidents Video series (Vol. 1-4)</a><br />
<br />
Whew! That is how we worked in a little more time in American history and still maintained the context of overall world history from the Story of the World. I hope that is helpful to you if you are using SOTW and wanted to emphasize American History to a greater extent.<br />
<br />
Now for our literature lists:<br />
<br />
<h2>
Historical Literature We Enjoyed with Vol. 3</h2>
Pocahontas by Joseph Bruchac<br />
Pocahontas and the Strangers by Clyde Robert Bulla<br />
Voyage to Freedom by David Gay (About the Mayflower)<br />
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (Revolutionary War)<br />
Kanousky, the Indian Boy and David Brainerd The Indian's Missionary (<a href="http://www.graceandtruthbooks.com/">www.graceandtruthbooks.com</a>)<br />
Stowaway by Karen Hesse (About the travels of Captain James Cook)<br />
Duel! Burr and Hamilton's Deadly War of Words by Dennis Fradin<br />
Seaman by Gail Langer Karwoski (Lewis and Clark expedition)<br />
Stolen Man: Story of the Amistad by Barry Louis Polisar<br />
Amos Fortune by Elizabeth Yates (Slavery) Excellent!!!<br />
Journey of Jesse Smoke by Joseph Bruchac (Trail of Tears)<br />
The Boy in the Alamo by Margaret Cousins<br />
The Francis Tucket series (Books 1-5) by Gary Paulsen (Oregon Trail, westward adventures)<br />
Zeb Pike, Boy Traveler by Augusta Stevenson<br />
Kit Carson by Ralph Moody<br />
<h2>
<br /> Historical Literature We Enjoyed with Vol. 4</h2>
<em>(This list is my longest, it includes read alouds, independent reads for the two older boys and picture books...)</em><br />
Hard Gold by Avi (Colorado Gold Rush)<br />
Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder (homesteading)<br />
Courage to Run: A Story Based on the Life of Harriet Tubman by Wendy Lawton<br />
The Drinking Gourd by F.N. Monjo (Underground railroad)<br />
Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine (slavery)<br />
Ben and the Emancipation Proclamation by Patrice Sherman<br />
Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt<br />
The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln (Illustrated by Michael McCurdy)<br />
Abe Lincoln goes to Washington by Cheryl Harness<br />
Abe Lincoln, the Boy Who Loved Books by Kay Winters<br />
Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln by Jean Fritz<br />
Iron Thunder by Avi (The Monitor and Merrimac)<br />
The Story of the H.L. Hunley and Queenie's Coin by Fran Hawk (Civil War)<br />
Abraham Lincoln by Ingri D'Aulaire<br />
Escape by Night: A Civil War Adventure by Laurie Myers<br />
John Brown: His Fight for Freedom by John Hendrix (Harper's Ferry)<br />
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain<br />
The Journal of Sean Sullivan, a Transcontinental Railroad Worker by William Durbin<br />
The Battle for Little Big Horn by Marty Gitlin<br />
The Wild West by Henry Brooks<br />
Sergeant York and the Great War by Tom Skeyhill (WWI)<br />
War Horse by Michael Morpugo (WWI)<br />
"In Flander's Fields" A poem by John McCray (WWI) Great for memorizing!<br />
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom (We watched the video, also check out this great virtual tour of the Ten Boom home... <a href="http://tenboom.com/en/">http://tenboom.com/en/</a>)<br />
Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot by Margo Theis Raven (Berlin airlift)<br />
Balloon Sailors by Diane Swanson (Berlin wall)<br />
Children of the Storm by Natasha Vins (persecution of Christians in USSR)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-79769296640104593042012-07-23T08:15:00.001-06:002012-07-23T08:22:10.577-06:00The God Who Promises Deep Personal Change<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsB8Dcu7Ek-FvTfpzydxBBUF2yduBAFxbrO6hbHtcFoGCGZ_irQqoloDpAEwSTgxvIPSHFppmn20-j7iRj_nbN7XiuDNlGS1t2_YpgV6z-6_BZMH9AiQGa8__5SRjiLBZQNoje67VPmk/s1600/IMG_1345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsB8Dcu7Ek-FvTfpzydxBBUF2yduBAFxbrO6hbHtcFoGCGZ_irQqoloDpAEwSTgxvIPSHFppmn20-j7iRj_nbN7XiuDNlGS1t2_YpgV6z-6_BZMH9AiQGa8__5SRjiLBZQNoje67VPmk/s400/IMG_1345.JPG" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>"Because Christ lived perfectly, died sufficiently, and rose victoriously, you and I can come out of hiding. We are free to own up to, without fear, the darkest of our thoughts and motives, the ugliest of our words, our most selfish choices, and our most rebellious and unloving actions. We are freed from our bondage to guilt and shame. We are freed from hiding behind accusation, blame, recrimination, and rationalization.</em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Confession is powerful and effective. It turns guilt into forgiveness. It turns regret into hope. It turns slavery into freedom. It turns you from mourning over your harvest to planting new seeds of faith, repentance, and hope. You see, you are not trapped! Things are not hopeless! The Lord, the great Creator and Savior, is the God who never changes, but at the same time he is the God who promises and produces deep personal change. The changes he makes in us are so foundational that the Bible’s best words describing them are ‘new creation.’ God’s plan is to change us so fundamentally that it is as if we are no longer us; something brand new has been <span style="white-space: nowrap;">created!" <span class="closequotemark"></span></span></em></span><br />
<cite style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><span class="author">— Paul David Tripp</span><br /><span class="book" style="margin-left: 16px;"><a href="http://www.wtsbooks.com/product-exec/product_id/3792/nm/Lost+in+the+Middle%3A+Mid-Life+and+the+Grace+of+God?utm_source=byl&utm_medium=byl?utm_source=byl&utm_medium=byl">Lost in the Middle: Midlife and the Grace of God</a></span><br /><span class="academic" style="margin-left: 16px;">(Wapwallopen, PA: Shepherd Press, 2004), 124</span></em></span></cite>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-73021079354268431642012-07-19T22:35:00.001-06:002012-07-19T22:35:20.578-06:00Gospel Powered Parenting Book Club {Chapter 6}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPs5fp9tmKcoPhVZ8EClqJv3s6j8rK3Tf5DI8N6lx5EPBIA1t_DwdXwSNgXAEwmLPrHgQRjyhrHyf7lKxCG2uCjq1u91TomTvGVAtoyNoG-4t3RvfSfaALdAfZKG45uUI7VuX4W4UPPcA/s1600/gospel+powered+parenting.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPs5fp9tmKcoPhVZ8EClqJv3s6j8rK3Tf5DI8N6lx5EPBIA1t_DwdXwSNgXAEwmLPrHgQRjyhrHyf7lKxCG2uCjq1u91TomTvGVAtoyNoG-4t3RvfSfaALdAfZKG45uUI7VuX4W4UPPcA/s200/gospel+powered+parenting.gif" width="200" /></a><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">The First Principle of Parenting</span></strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"If you ask parents what is the most important thing they can do to raise children who will follow Christ, some will mention adequate discipline, others enrollment in a Christian school, still others the importance of homeschooling or Bible reading. They rarely mention example. <strong>Yet example is the first principle of parenting</strong>." William Farley, (pg. 107)</span></em></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">That statement is enough to really put fear into me. In fact, I really didn't like the whole first part of this chapter. I felt like a bigger and bigger weight of despair was sitting on my chest. It is probably what Jesus' disciples felt when Jesus explained the true meaning of the law to them in the Sermon on the Mount. He showed them how what they thought were "keepable" laws were really deeper heart issues. Not just "Do not murder" but "Do not hate", not just "Do not commit adultery" but "Do not lust in your heart". He reveals the depth of our depravity when we realize that we cannot keep God's standards of holiness. And this is how I felt when I read the statement above. Even though it would require a lot of effort and commitment from me, I <u>could</u> do all the right <strong>actions </strong>(homeschooling, bible reading, discipline) that might guarantee that my kids would follow Christ, but if my <strong>example</strong> is the standard... <strong>I am crushed</strong>. Does that mean there is something wrong with the standard? Is Farley wrong about "example" being the main tool in our toolbox to raise children who follow Christ? I don't think he is. I think there are definitely those who have come to Christ in spite of their parents' examples, but if I am thinking solely of what MY responsibility to my kids is, it would not just be words, but a consistant example of what it means to follow God. <strong>Did I mention how much I felt <u>crushed</u> by this?</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Christ is the only example that perfectly reflects what it means to follow God. So, should I just try harder and hopefully I'll come pretty close and God will say, "Well, you tried, I guess that is good enough, no one is perfect, of course, and your heart was in the right place"? I don't think that is it. But that is what I would have thought was the right answer for most of my life. <strong>Just try harder.</strong> Farley perfectly describes what I am feeling when he says, "Aware of the importance of example, sincere parents strive to model the gospel - but the harder they try, the more aware of their failings they become." (pg. 118)</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Obviously trying harder is NOT gospel powered parenting.</span></strong></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The answer, Farley says, is <strong>humility</strong>.</span><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>"The key to the family functioning as a redemptive community, where the Gospel is the glue that holds the family together, is parents who so trust in Christ that they are ready and willing to confess their faults to their children."</em> - Paul David Tripp (quoted on pg. 119)</span></span></blockquote>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Let me open up a window on my life to show the opposite of humility... Let's say I show ungodly anger to my children in a moment of frustration and unrestraint. When I realize my sin, I feel shame- my pride causes me to want to ignore the action and move on. Listen in on my conversation with myself... <em>"After all, I apologized to them for the same kind of outburst yesterday - they will think that I didn't really mean it. If I'm constantly apologizing, they won't respect me anymore. In order to maintain my authority, I am not going to apologize for this, I'm just going to move on. They were disobeying me, they need to know that they can't continue to push me this far. In fact, my anger is just the consequences of their continued disobedience!"</em> OK, that was embarrassing... but do you see how all that guilt, shame, justification and blaming all came from basically the sin of pride? I don't want to admit (to my children, or to <strong>myself</strong>) that I don't have it all together! (I still think that I have some merit in me that deserves the favor that God has given to me.)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So how does the gospel help with my problem?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A few helpful quotes from Farley...</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>The gospel opens my eyes to who I really am - "wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked" (Rev. 3:17). "Biblical humility," notes G. A. Pritchard, "is not some self-induced groveling or hang-dog attitude. Biblical humility is seeing ourselves as we are. Humility is a response to beholding the holiness of God."</em> (pg. 118)</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Those who meditate on the message of the cross strive for holiness. Their efforts only make them more aware of their failings. This causes them to run to the cross for forgiveness more frequently. It causes them to need the cross more desperately. All of this happens because they feel the weight of their sins more biblically."</span></em></blockquote>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What is the effect of this humility in parenting?</span><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>"Confession sends a crucial message to our children. It reminds them that, yes, my parents are imperfect, but they are deadly earnest about following Christ, about wanting to change, and about doing things God's way."</em> (pg. 120) <em> </em></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And I no longer feel crushed, I feel freed.</span></strong></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I hope that you got as much out of this chapter as I did, even though I really had to wrestle with it. I didn't touch at all on Farley's emphasis on marriage from this chapter, because it was not the area that struck me most. Please feel free to comment on that aspect of the chapter if it is what struck you.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As always, I would love to hear your thoughts. Please comment on any chapter that you have finished either here or on that chapter's post. You can find all the posts </span><a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/p/book-club.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. I find that writing out my reflections really helps me to cement them - maybe you will too. </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-74847394544337321542012-07-19T00:00:00.000-06:002012-07-21T13:08:56.857-06:00The Story of the World - a review (part one)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><em>{This is a two part review of <strong>The Story of the World:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>History for the Classical Child</strong> series by Susan Wise Bauer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This post will cover the first two books in the series, <span id="goog_1942814513"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/">Vol. 1 – Ancient Times<span id="goog_1942814514"></span></a> and <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/world-vol-2-middle-revised-hardcover/9781933339108/pd/339108?event=AFF&p=1167309"" target="_blank">Vol. 2 – The Middle Ages</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next post will cover the final two books in the series, Vol. 3 – The Early Modern Times and Vol. 4 – The Modern World.}</em></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjuFznWrRH4uvg7c8CirFqET5K4AhKOjkQN5pPoRzfo_bkPT6wzF1cg837-4nepouqhsB8KZPtD79ZndxpyszW5JcAVxOSO6fvX9izCWWymRNNyf8c_dxxd4xmKyxwgED9kSdk-Oc-BI/s400/SOTW.jpg" width="400" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><em><o:p></o:p></em>Now that we have finished all four years of <strong>The Story of the World</strong> series (SOTW), I feel ready to give an assessment of how it has worked for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have found in the past that I have been too quick to recommend a resource without sufficient time to evaluate it and then either regretted would have tempered my recommendation after I had actually used the entire curriculum or had compared it with something else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having used the entire scope of this curriculum now, hopefully my thoughts will be more helpful, rather than just enthusiastic and hopeful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I will start off by saying that I do highly recommend this series. It worked extremely well for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No curriculum is perfect, so if you are looking for a perfect curriculum, this is not it, but good luck on your quest!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will explain what we liked about SOTW, what was challenging for us and also how we changed it to suit the things we either didn’t like or that didn’t work as well for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<h1 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #17365d;">Introduction<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></h1><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">First, an introduction… if you are not already familiar with SOTW, it is <u>world</u> history curriculum for elementary ages (1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> – 4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> grade) written by Susan Wise Bauer, author of <strong>The Well Trained Mind – A Guide to Classical Education at Home. </strong>The highlights of world history are taught in chronological order over 4 years starting with Ancient Times (beginnings to the last Roman emperor), then the Middle Ages (Fall of Rome to the Reformation), Early Modern Times (1600 -1850) and the Modern Age (British empire to turn of the 21st century). Materials for each year include the story book, an activity book/teacher's guide (definitely recommended), and a test book (not necessary, especially in the younger grades).</span></div><h1 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #17365d;">What We Liked<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></h1><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The Stories</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> – The boys loved history time, because it was basically read-aloud time. They got to hear well written stories, that happened to be about real people in real places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it was time for history, the boys got out their history notebooks and would color a page from the activity book while I read a story to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They might also get out their Legos and build something to go along with the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Susan writes in an engaging manner with lots of drama and interest for elementary school age kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also loved when we could get the SOTW <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/world-vol-1-ancient-times-audio/susan-bauer/9781933339047/pd/339047?event=CPOF" target="_blank">audio book</a> from the library.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are recorded by storyteller Jim Weiss who is really fun to listen to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a fun added resource and great for car-schooling!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The Maps and Activities - </span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After we heard the story, we would complete the map activity from the activity book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a great way to learn geography because it was associated with a story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also helped us to review what we learned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also enjoyed completing the activities that were suggested in the Activity Book, but I have to admit that I wasn’t brave enough to try and mummify a chicken!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes the boys made up their own activities just from their interest in the subject – my oldest tried to make his own papyrus from cattail leaves (which didn’t work very well, but was definitely a learning experience!) We finished the first year with a Roman feast, which everyone loved.</span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">World History – </span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I really liked that this history was truly <u>world</u> history and not just western history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have noticed that many homeschool history programs, especially classical history, limit their study to ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, but this series includes civilizations all around the world – the Americas, India, Africa and China are all included, at least in the most significant events.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Literature Suggestions – </span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The element of the program that cemented history the most for our boys was the historical literature that we read along with the time period that we were studying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Activity Book has lists of recommendations for each chapter of study – you could never possibly read them all, but we were able to find many options that the boys really enjoyed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Occasionally the list will contain an out of print or hard to find book, so I would find other alternatives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will include the list of books that we read for the first two volumes at the end of this post.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<h1 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #17365d;">Answering an Objection<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></h1><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Many people that I know have really enjoyed this series, but there is one objection that I have heard from some that may cause some to avoid this series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have heard people say that it isn’t “Christian” enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think by this objection people may be comparing this book with those from Christian homeschool publishers where every chapter has an explicit reference to Christ, Christianity, the Bible or Christian morality integrated into each subject or chapter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Admittedly, this book does not do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, to say that a book isn’t explicitly Christian on every page is not to say that it is somehow compromised or anti-Christian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Susan Wise Bauer is a Christian author, and includes several important Christian stories in her books. In Vol. 1, she recounts the stories of Abraham, Joseph, the birth and crucifixion of Christ and the destruction of the temple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For Christians ,this is not near enough Christian history and they will want to supplement or integrate other biblical history into their study.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I’m OK with it not being included in my history text – not because I don’t think that the Bible is history, but because I don’t always agree with how homeschool publishers explain this history – their theology may not be the theology that I teach my children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">As a parent, I want to make sure that the way the biblical history is told matches up with the biblical theology that I believe and that my church teaches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without naming names, there are homeschool publishers from all over the theological spectrum and I want to guard the gospel in my children’s education!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">So I will willingly take on the extra task of integrating biblical history into our Ancient History study, early church history and biographies into our Middle Ages study, Reformation stories and missionary biographies into our Modern History curriculum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I will list some of our favorite resources along with the literature selections at the end of this post.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Finally, if you are interested in this series of books but are unsure about whether they contain enough “Christian” influence, I would suggest reading Ms. Bauer’s own reflections on why she wrote the way she did, <a href="http://www.welltrainedmind.com/a-neutral-education/"><span style="color: blue;">in this article</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<h1 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #17365d;">Historical Literature We Enjoyed with Vol. 1<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></h1><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>The Golden Bull</strong> by Marjorie Cowley</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>Seven Wonders of the Ancient World</strong> by Mary Hoffman</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus</strong> by Aliki</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>Alexander the Great</strong> by Jane Bingham</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>Detectives in Togas</strong> by Henry Winterfeld<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We loved these books <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– a great look at the life of a young boy in Roman times, with a mystery to solve too!</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>Mystery of the Roman Ransom</strong> by Henry Winterfeld</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>See You Later, Gladiator</strong> by Jon Scieszka<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>Peril and Peace:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chronicles of the Ancient Church</strong> by Mindy and Brandon Withrow <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This is the first book in the History Lives series – an excellent set of resources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Subject matter might be too advanced for 1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> graders and you may need to verbally edit any sensitive subjects (specifically martyrdoms) but definitely worth adding to your library for reading at a later age.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr> <td valign="top"><a href="http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1167309&item_no=508142"><img align="" alt="508142: History Lives Box Set" border="0" height="180" hspace="-1" src="http://ag.christianbook.com/g/product/5/508142.gif" title="508142: History Lives Box Set" valign="" vspace="0" width="180" /></a></td> <td valign="top"><b><a href="http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1167309&item_no=508142">History Lives Box Set</a></b><br />
<br />
By Mindy Withrow and Brandon Withrow<br />
<br />
Let history come alive and learn about early Christianity with this 5 softcover boxed set! Featuring books that span Christianity from 3BC until 1860AD through tomorrow, these books will teach you about important people, events, and places---all the important events that have led to Christianity being what it is today. Books included are:<br />
<ul><li>Peril and Peace, Volume 1</li>
<li>Monks and Mystics, Volume 2</li>
<li>Courage and Conviction, Volume 3</li>
<li>Hearts and Hands, Volume 4</li>
<li>Rescue and Redeem, Volume 5</li>
</ul></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<h1 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #17365d;">Historical Literature We Enjoyed with Vol. 2<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></h1><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>One Thousand and One Arabian Nights</strong> by Geraldine McCaughrean</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>Monks and Mystics</strong> by Mindy and Brandon Withrow <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(Vol. 2 in the History Lives Series)</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>Son of Charlemagne</strong> by Barbara Willard</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>The Adventures of Robin Hood</strong> by Roger Lancelyn Green</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>Little Pilgrim’s Progress</strong> by Helen Taylor</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>Beorn the Proud</strong> by Madelieine Polland</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>The Minstrel in the Tower</strong> by Gloria Skurzynski<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>Knights of the Round Table</strong> by Gwen Gross</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>Joan of Arc</strong> by Shana Corey</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>Leif the Lucky</strong> by Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>The Sword in the Tree</strong> by Clyde Robert Bulla</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>The Whipping Boy</strong> by Sid Fleishman</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>The Door in the Wall</strong> by Marguerite de Angeli</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><strong>Courage and Conviction</strong> by Mindy and Brandon Withrow <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(Vol. 3 in the History Lives series)</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">(Most of these selections were read alouds and a few were read independently, as my son’s reading level developed.)</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">In my next post (look for it next week!), I will review Vol. 3 and Vol. 4 of the series and address some of our difficulties and accommodations as the subject matter gets more difficult and we began to teach multiple ages, as well as how we integrated more American history into the world history curriculum.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(This post contains affiliate links.)<o:p></o:p></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-34775881044137341672012-07-17T00:00:00.000-06:002012-07-17T00:00:01.102-06:0010 Random Thoughts {From Our Vacation}Our family was on vacation last week, so this is a pretty light week on the blog as I get caught up on laundry and grocery shopping and life. A perfect day to post a Top 10 Tuesday... <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
"10 Random Thoughts {From Our Vacation}"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">1. This could have been my new profile pic, if I hadn't put the flower in my mouth.</span></strong><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2l5q7UWxnwqatz_6akMv434nEcYudXJ2S_-elpGq11GCnyXF6u1tmJnmYVXX0P6XtWtI09IqhXNmrulIDHhAbFn7gAQ9te6uZN436kpU3uLQapllBNIQAtWAJzOWA37M3lWRxfOG8MY/s1600/IMG_1367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2l5q7UWxnwqatz_6akMv434nEcYudXJ2S_-elpGq11GCnyXF6u1tmJnmYVXX0P6XtWtI09IqhXNmrulIDHhAbFn7gAQ9te6uZN436kpU3uLQapllBNIQAtWAJzOWA37M3lWRxfOG8MY/s640/IMG_1367.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful field of Colorado columbine on a very steep mountain.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>2. That is a really long drop. I'm pretty sure that they are not as close to the edge as it looks.... um... right?</strong></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqyRwtXF3tG7_qwJfaZ_TiwG2EVWA-0KmcckpxDy7Ub5LDqPceZaRTn2xALTy2FJbKdm8QxMSqkDw84tugYLVIs32P-E5GK6LZMTY4yoMKGGTN-47O_sBm9x7KtH79Ke0Kw2ZlGzMcXyg/s1600/IMG_4347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqyRwtXF3tG7_qwJfaZ_TiwG2EVWA-0KmcckpxDy7Ub5LDqPceZaRTn2xALTy2FJbKdm8QxMSqkDw84tugYLVIs32P-E5GK6LZMTY4yoMKGGTN-47O_sBm9x7KtH79Ke0Kw2ZlGzMcXyg/s640/IMG_4347.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Last Chance Mine Creede, CO</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>3. How quickly confidence can turn into despair...</strong></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPA2MymJQv7NE1u3MrAM9f9S0ULJeSHXfbeQl7yaMC3VIy1sSebLbUWy_D-N8JKf1iUaV1PFTeuAuPPVjxt99kwepbTCQ0Mbm64cfh1u4lUDxESCwVOoVX29Crh22Vme4NRcVAflYSAA4/s1600/IMG_4377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPA2MymJQv7NE1u3MrAM9f9S0ULJeSHXfbeQl7yaMC3VIy1sSebLbUWy_D-N8JKf1iUaV1PFTeuAuPPVjxt99kwepbTCQ0Mbm64cfh1u4lUDxESCwVOoVX29Crh22Vme4NRcVAflYSAA4/s640/IMG_4377.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the top of Engineer Pass 12,800 ft.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmzoXVdV3hlkdGv515arfWTaAls72kfxpjpXXgjQldjPFhltkXlxym_cDSi0UmrfwfaWCDMSdo2bJ3P1Wy2cCpykYUJ7t80v1cLw6k6BrVdcW52ZOhJzg0g0NnGegky9cDIYaixHYqfA/s1600/IMG_4396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmzoXVdV3hlkdGv515arfWTaAls72kfxpjpXXgjQldjPFhltkXlxym_cDSi0UmrfwfaWCDMSdo2bJ3P1Wy2cCpykYUJ7t80v1cLw6k6BrVdcW52ZOhJzg0g0NnGegky9cDIYaixHYqfA/s640/IMG_4396.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Um.... yea. The car wouldn't start at 12,800 ft. <br />
It was a tense 20 minutes until it providentially came to life after banging around on it alot and praying really hard.<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">4. Some park rangers can be pretty tough on you if you get the answer wrong in the Junior Ranger book about feeding the wild animals.</span></strong><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0WvOZrBKSLUgOWMbl_EGOYZ188VVnII9NayhQDp6NBZ31sJLdjPgOUM2KP-xn1QJrOf5DS3wpiEMyFVER9XccN4Hc8r2yxtiY1oZBCUvJAjFDnC8GClryf1dcigz-J2jWjjRhnvqH2o/s1600/IMG_4424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0WvOZrBKSLUgOWMbl_EGOYZ188VVnII9NayhQDp6NBZ31sJLdjPgOUM2KP-xn1QJrOf5DS3wpiEMyFVER9XccN4Hc8r2yxtiY1oZBCUvJAjFDnC8GClryf1dcigz-J2jWjjRhnvqH2o/s640/IMG_4424.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHzab0nw8fSoXWjkBYgdNqSVF6PmESQnSzXfnA29K6E8jiW9K87G5vh-DiCJcgeMMNbKSXlZhIpmWkNKUUrywr4ATe_U0kKP91yLHgFB-QW5MIZX17-BB6VHvhx-pRitXjxc2wGbvnbY/s1600/IMG_4350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHzab0nw8fSoXWjkBYgdNqSVF6PmESQnSzXfnA29K6E8jiW9K87G5vh-DiCJcgeMMNbKSXlZhIpmWkNKUUrywr4ATe_U0kKP91yLHgFB-QW5MIZX17-BB6VHvhx-pRitXjxc2wGbvnbY/s640/IMG_4350.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Come to think of it, we might have confused him a little with this.<br />
I guess it's not all his fault he got the answer wrong.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>5. This is what happens when three boys have been camping at high altitudes for a little too long.</strong></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFqkgDs8sTAUBMZf0g0PmaA4wpzfv10cUVNVHWhsTrH5rI9trAfqeDsRKPRCQp3gqvDrirV07TDEJntkuz4obLAG4w8pyarIdrP_0VE-EugNs4l26TuxN-mvsp5D3zs0HwJK1bRiQmYyU/s1600/IMG_4481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFqkgDs8sTAUBMZf0g0PmaA4wpzfv10cUVNVHWhsTrH5rI9trAfqeDsRKPRCQp3gqvDrirV07TDEJntkuz4obLAG4w8pyarIdrP_0VE-EugNs4l26TuxN-mvsp5D3zs0HwJK1bRiQmYyU/s640/IMG_4481.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OK, you got me. It's not my boys, it's three marmots.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>6. {Sigh.... } I love vacation!</strong></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIj-vCdOb-GwcyTStYUKiV2zPIpoXGD_iPh0xhVZYDHYLV4qWC73fL89zAPARAK4M_udAXqJJPhc9tcG9YABLwN5WJVQckBzMQUi6bSgT82Ys2GR4_b2zbBE_5Jvjowsh0SeGYFy4B6Eg/s1600/IMG_4530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIj-vCdOb-GwcyTStYUKiV2zPIpoXGD_iPh0xhVZYDHYLV4qWC73fL89zAPARAK4M_udAXqJJPhc9tcG9YABLwN5WJVQckBzMQUi6bSgT82Ys2GR4_b2zbBE_5Jvjowsh0SeGYFy4B6Eg/s640/IMG_4530.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> A field of fuschia paintbrush above timberline on Imogene Pass.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">7. According to my middle son, sour cream and onion potato chips are more "lady-like" than other potato chips.</span></strong><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5SlI7ogOtBlDd7ovmsUmsgDHlEt1cy8cBwJ3uwXzt97IX9Amk752P3jKHiOu_OguVEKEe7zDwR7MEradgZzTluZtUUFkj3EIrPHG5Im_QGeTgE_TkC8b_uq1EwIh57br2ivN-Flb87o/s1600/IMG_4668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5SlI7ogOtBlDd7ovmsUmsgDHlEt1cy8cBwJ3uwXzt97IX9Amk752P3jKHiOu_OguVEKEe7zDwR7MEradgZzTluZtUUFkj3EIrPHG5Im_QGeTgE_TkC8b_uq1EwIh57br2ivN-Flb87o/s640/IMG_4668.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Maybe it's because he wanted the BBQ chips all to himself.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">8. Really, is it necessary to document the use of the alpine potty? I'm sure I've used toilets that are higher in altitude than this one.</span></strong><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTn6ew3PQO4mYvfKXEe2VHr_HTSNplCbl5Rdpe5neg63rhJXJnloOizHg42rGQu-oaLLD-4B4kr8RKIx4731UKQj-wACyWULpPHdDLAMeGpypWDVA3UbSotMvHllMbanV12YmRXr-wcXQ/s1600/IMG_4671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTn6ew3PQO4mYvfKXEe2VHr_HTSNplCbl5Rdpe5neg63rhJXJnloOizHg42rGQu-oaLLD-4B4kr8RKIx4731UKQj-wACyWULpPHdDLAMeGpypWDVA3UbSotMvHllMbanV12YmRXr-wcXQ/s640/IMG_4671.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Well, not as nice as this one though.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">9. Anytime is a good time for a geology lesson. Good thing Dad is a geologist.</span></strong><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-L5wluw0WTNdBhSHuXbWFHvILNnpGbJ_dDeQ6cX5kfdIGEpv32cAlnD1Swz_w-I7ZJ_bATOcIPtfLIhe4EElURkIZvSAI0Wr6hE2A4FMBLRNPNrwa9HRDcNqz3M-7o_19QXoPmIJdZcw/s1600/IMG_4307.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-L5wluw0WTNdBhSHuXbWFHvILNnpGbJ_dDeQ6cX5kfdIGEpv32cAlnD1Swz_w-I7ZJ_bATOcIPtfLIhe4EElURkIZvSAI0Wr6hE2A4FMBLRNPNrwa9HRDcNqz3M-7o_19QXoPmIJdZcw/s640/IMG_4307.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Is this one worth anything?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>10. God has really made a wonderful, beautiful world and blessed us with blessings beyond compare! Imagine what heaven will be like!</strong></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXnZfOGZjr4ncBcX8I0CbQ7ReBVCBwpqaIZPBDBUTboVEDYjknQxGRHviWJUBh4Qiq5TFOyNvozY4hyyAMnlul6ePuEhPA813gFkucp_DqAiYNab6iPWcIzUfLyOUQ928xA89K3Q6RcE/s1600/IMG_4393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXnZfOGZjr4ncBcX8I0CbQ7ReBVCBwpqaIZPBDBUTboVEDYjknQxGRHviWJUBh4Qiq5TFOyNvozY4hyyAMnlul6ePuEhPA813gFkucp_DqAiYNab6iPWcIzUfLyOUQ928xA89K3Q6RcE/s640/IMG_4393.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(Our vacation included lots of 4WD trips over the high mountain passes of the San Juan mountain range in Colorado. We visited Creede, Lake City, Telluride, Ouray, and Silverton... with a stop in Gunnison to fix the starter on the car.)</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>I'm linking up today with Top Ten Tuesdays at <strong>Many Little Blessings</strong>...</em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em> if you joined us from the linkup <strong><a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/2012/05/welcome-to-my-blog_16.html" target="_blank">Welcome to My Blog</a></strong>!</em></div>
<div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.manylittleblessings.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Top Ten Tuesday at Many Little Blessings" height="114" src="http://www.manylittleblessings.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/top_ten_tuesday_small.png" width="150" /></a></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-64189354055620359062012-07-16T00:30:00.000-06:002012-07-25T23:15:56.948-06:00I Love Being a Mother of Boys!<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
One of the blogs that I like to read is called <strong><a href="http://www.themobsociety.com/" target="_blank">The MOB Society</a></strong> - (for <u>M</u>others <u>o</u>f <u>B</u>oys). </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The mission statement from their blog is:</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirSR2OddySwqGviGjCfSs_FUcGrXTmeRm4bDWIQtjKhrtF4sQX-J_uHP27QngwWhuN9i9TK_Ann99qfkFQs86GPd4zTr8FhUoPpGJxNzMvFiJeF1eThwzzz_GJnL1uLuN0HXxqWUHHqGY/s1600/MOB+mission.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirSR2OddySwqGviGjCfSs_FUcGrXTmeRm4bDWIQtjKhrtF4sQX-J_uHP27QngwWhuN9i9TK_Ann99qfkFQs86GPd4zTr8FhUoPpGJxNzMvFiJeF1eThwzzz_GJnL1uLuN0HXxqWUHHqGY/s1600/MOB+mission.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Used by permission from </span><a href="http://www.themobsociety.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> The MOB Society</span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Being a mother of <strong>three boys</strong> myself, that is a mission statement I can get behind!! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(I only wish I thought of it first.)</div>
<br />
I am participating with their <a href="http://www.themobsociety.com/" target="_blank">Boy Mom Blog Hop</a> this week, so if you are a new visitor to this site, <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">let me introduce myself...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
I'm Jennifer- new blogger, and a not-so-new homeschooler, but still feeling like a novice in both capacities. I primarily write to point others to the sufficiency of Christ in all things, specifically in homeschooling and parenting. Here are a few posts to give you an idea of what I care most about and to give you a sample of the blog...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/2012/05/welcome-to-my-blog_16.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Welcome to My Blog!</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/2012/06/10-ways-gospel-shapes-how-we-homeschool.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">10 Ways the Gospel Shapes How We Homeschool</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/2012/06/motivating-summer-read-alouds-for-boys.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Motivating Summer Read Alouds for Boys</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I also love to share <a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/search/label/great%20links" target="_blank">great links</a> to articles or quotes that keep our minds on the power of the gospel, great resources for teaching kids <a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/2012/06/helping-children-to-understand-gospel.html" target="_blank">important spiritual truths</a> and I have started an <a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/p/book-club.html" target="_blank">online book club</a> where we are currently reading <strong><u>Gospel Powered Parenting</u></strong> by William Farley. </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">And here is the Family!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJN6wq3UPy-ZEmXAIJ3HO6nP6ZUDZJ60C_hVWXnPxu7Ws1zZrWqjqlOW5yjwq6YkQNDN6rzNK7vl0-Oxjg5on0raKO9CJHsMHD3enJM6Jzys6Hp0PhV4odPozRM7tAO51T5NOt82b5L50/s1600/IMG_4098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJN6wq3UPy-ZEmXAIJ3HO6nP6ZUDZJ60C_hVWXnPxu7Ws1zZrWqjqlOW5yjwq6YkQNDN6rzNK7vl0-Oxjg5on0raKO9CJHsMHD3enJM6Jzys6Hp0PhV4odPozRM7tAO51T5NOt82b5L50/s640/IMG_4098.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
Thanks for coming over to our blog and checking us out! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
I would love to "e-meet" you too, so leave a comment so I can check out your site and say hello!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=GospelCenteredHomeschooling&loc=en_US">Get Gospel Centered Homeschooling updates by Email</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
or "like" GCH on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GospelCenteredHomeschooling">Facebook</a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5lWAvBs4DePE3Z1PotElR5NMnRn1kdXenpIQBqahJ_cszxbElA95Lwpg-SFkt786kZNEypNyyum94eyK60hlLKNuhRy-DIkcoW40mTGn_flQLRonRVtwarukgSz2_jFsviYykXiZW3s/s1600/bloghop-banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="87" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5lWAvBs4DePE3Z1PotElR5NMnRn1kdXenpIQBqahJ_cszxbElA95Lwpg-SFkt786kZNEypNyyum94eyK60hlLKNuhRy-DIkcoW40mTGn_flQLRonRVtwarukgSz2_jFsviYykXiZW3s/s640/bloghop-banner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<script src="http://www.linkytools.com/thumbnail_linky_include.aspx?id=154485" type="text/javascript">
</script>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-24527744848501115792012-07-15T22:07:00.000-06:002012-07-15T22:07:23.357-06:00Wimpy Theology Makes Wimpy Women<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOarDqfwbJUcp0amo1JY2URQ1jYupYC6MU5jlVTRvbalCApyZtZKGp-Nef8mxrxXC8chSbLgQKQa0Iv2mDR34vVI6o70cv6UBqOufkgK3c_tPJS1U6TPABIG3zVUnx2KGzlUwk1UzEWQ/s1600/wimpy-women-no.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOarDqfwbJUcp0amo1JY2URQ1jYupYC6MU5jlVTRvbalCApyZtZKGp-Nef8mxrxXC8chSbLgQKQa0Iv2mDR34vVI6o70cv6UBqOufkgK3c_tPJS1U6TPABIG3zVUnx2KGzlUwk1UzEWQ/s1600/wimpy-women-no.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/wimpy-theology-makes-wimpy-women" target="_blank">John Piper, from the Desiring God Blog</a>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-26228579469016810132012-07-13T00:30:00.000-06:002012-07-13T00:30:01.808-06:00Gospel Powered Parenting {Chapt. Five}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><h2 style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" height="200" src="http://ag.christianbook.com/g/oversize/3/381353o.jpg" width="200" /></h2><h2> </h2><h2> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">A Gracious Father</span></h2><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last chapter we learned about the holiness of God, which includes his perfection, his purity, his justice and his wrath. Pretty heavy stuff. But such an important background to what our chapter is about today.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love."</span></strong></em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Psalm 103:8</span></strong></em></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What amazing news! Do you realize that this is the description that God gives of himself over and over again in the Old Testament (the place we usually think of speaking mainly about his wrath)? God's plan to extend grace to us did not begin in the New Testament, it was his plan from the very beginning. But he knew that grace would be at a very high price. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">So what is grace?</span></h3><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Farley introduces us to a commonly used acronymn to understand grace (God's Riches At Christ's Expense), but he says that it doesn't quite go far enough, because it doesn't include the important concept of what we really deserved - which was holy wrath. He also mentions that many Christians don't have a very good understanding of what grace is. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><em>At this point of the book, what would you have defined grace as?</em></strong> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(I commonly used the G.R.A.C.E. acronymn minus the mention of what we actually deserved.) </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Farley procedes to explain grace with what he calls "five important propositions":</span></div><ol><li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>God is Free.</strong> (He is free to be gracious to some and not gracious to others - he is not obligated to give grace.)</span></div></li>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>God has no needs</strong>. (He is not gracious to satisfy a need in himself - such as fellowship or being loved, or being unhappy.) <em>*Side Note: Watch for these errors in children's bibles!*</em></span></div></li>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Sin is infinitely offensive.</strong> (The depth of our demerit is impossible for us to fully understand. God was gracious to <em>enemies</em>, not to friends.)</span></div></li>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>We are helpless.</strong> (And we have virtually no knowledge of it- we believe that we merit grace by our works.)</span></div></li>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My capacity to understand grace will always be a function of my understanding of what it cost the Father to be gracious.</span></strong></div></li>
</ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My favorite quote from this section was: "<em>Virtue keeps more people out of heaven than all their sins combined</em>." (pg. 96) He goes on to explain what he means:</span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>God's son came to earth and suffered infinite pains precisely because we are helpless. Christians are those who confess, "Our situation is and was helpless." In fact, reliance on our virtues is not a neutral issue. It is deep sin. It makes God angry. Why? Attempts to be "good enough" reject Christ, his cross, and his atoning work.</em> (Pg. 97)</span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How should God's holy grace affect parents?</span></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The author says:</span></div><ol><li><div style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The grace of God should convince us that our pretensions to parental perfection are futile. </span> </em></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>The grace of God makes parents increasingly sincere, gracious, and humble. It prompts us to confess our failings and ask for forgiveness. It causes us to administer God's discipline with tenderness and compassion.</em></span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>The grace of God motivates us to love our spouse and our children sacrificially.</em></span></div></li>
</ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Here are the study questions I want us to focus on today:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There are many motivations for serving Christ - fear, guilt, insecurity, pride, and grace. Which of these motivates you most frequently? </span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What would a Christian look like if that person were motivated by nothing but the grace of God? </span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How can we motivate our children with grace?</span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I look forward to your comments and thoughts on these questions! Remember you can comment on any chapter you have read so far, by going to the <a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/p/book-club.html" target="_blank">book club page</a> to find the post related to that chapter. </span></div><ol><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></ol><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><ol><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-72598847728705210782012-07-11T00:30:00.000-06:002012-07-11T00:30:02.206-06:00Miscellaneous...<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeKz_BV0g9Y6VpII-6bvhbRpnM4yvm9dlhue66_tYdVmT_PGRYyRObulh9rBHtEsv_QDURzSCjR2A0X8xMpdavfDrXIR1zo9FA0RTrWLeP3DGzDVIMrW8wJDyvByTdgNNx47kal-PrNc0/s1600/IMG_4223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeKz_BV0g9Y6VpII-6bvhbRpnM4yvm9dlhue66_tYdVmT_PGRYyRObulh9rBHtEsv_QDURzSCjR2A0X8xMpdavfDrXIR1zo9FA0RTrWLeP3DGzDVIMrW8wJDyvByTdgNNx47kal-PrNc0/s320/IMG_4223.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I'm on vacation with the family this week, camping with the family in the Rocky Mountains! Today I'm sharing a few great links I've found around the internet and a special discount for books!</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
First, I often recommend books on this site through my affiliate relationship with <strong>Christian Book Distributors</strong>. (An affiliate relationship allows me to earn a tiny amount on any purchases that you might make by clicking through my site. This tiny amount might in the future allow me to pay a blog designer to upgrade this blog and increase it's reach.) Anyway, CBD very frequently has as good or better prices on their books as Amazon, but they don't usually compete because of Amazon's better deal on shipping. Today, I want to offer you an incentive for buying through CBD by giving you a special discount code for free shipping on orders of $35 or more. This code is unique to me and can be used three times, so if you want to make a purchase, snag it up - first come, first serve!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here is the promo code: <strong>379395APFZSB</strong> and here is my link to CBD...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ag.christianbook.com/g/affiliate/medium_banner/cbdlogo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ag.christianbook.com/g/affiliate/medium_banner/cbdlogo.gif" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/home?event=AFF&p=1167309">Christianbook.com Home</a></div>
<a href="http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/home?event=AFF&p=1167309"></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
And my favorite articles and links lately.....<br />
<br />
<a href="http://studerteam.blogspot.com/2011/11/25-rules-for-mothers-of-sons.html" target="_blank">25 Rules for Moms of Boys</a> This is a fun list of things for moms of boys to remember.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/2012/06/our-job-is-to-protect-our-childrens.html" target="_blank">Our job is to protect our children's innocence</a> This author brings up some really important thoughts about being too quick to expose your kids to movies and music with violence and sex in them. She effectively argues from her own experience being over-exposed. Who can't relate to that!? I sure can. I also like how she admits that she couldn't protect them from everything, but that doesn't negate the point at all.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://simplehomeschool.net/summer-art-and-science-fun/" target="_blank">Summer Art and Science Fun</a> Do you cringe when your kids want to get out the paints and brushes, the glitter glue and the volcano science kit because you just know how much mess it will be to clean up? Why not take the science and art outside. This post has some great ideas.<br />
<br />
Three links to articles that help me remember what is important: <br />
<a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/christ-is-our-treasure-not-our-homes">Christ is Our Treasure, Not Our Homes</a><br />
<a href="http://momheart.org/they-dont-want-pinterest-they-want-you-how-to-make-life-changing-memories-without-actually-doing-anything-special" target="_blank">How to Make Life Changing Memories Without Actually Doing Anything Special</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-91441014746219388362012-07-10T00:30:00.000-06:002012-07-10T00:30:02.589-06:00Myths, Half-Truths and Propaganda Part 2<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last week I posted my list of <strong>Top 10 Homeschooling Myths, Half-Truths and Propaganda</strong>. I was being a little silly and sarcastic, but my point is that you need to be aware of these things so that you can be discerning and not base your support for homeschooling on weak arguments or false expectations. Here are the last five of my Top 10 list, and then I will have some thoughts about why all this is important.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Continuing from last Tuesday...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">6. We don’t need no socialization!</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Myth.</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If there is one question that homeschoolers get constantly it is, “What
about socialization?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we have built
up lots of arguments against this, almost to the point of refuting that it is
even a legitimate issue at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s
face it, we have all seen homeschoolers who are the “stereotype” of a strange,
awkward, unsocialized kid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most people I
know don’t want to be “those homeschoolers”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By that I mean, we don’t want to be so removed from the world that we
can’t even communicate with it anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And it can be difficult at times trying to find the right activities for
your kids to get involved with, trying to balance protection and unrealistic
sheltering, and making sure your kids are exposed to non-christian,
non-homeschooled kids so they can learn to interact with people who are not
like them!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we ignore that this can be
a challenge because we don’t want to acknowledge the repetitive socialization
question, then we might be closing our eyes to a legitimate concern.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">7. “Train up
a child” is a promise!</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Half-Truth.</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hold on, how can I say that the Bible is half-truth?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Train up a child in the way he should go and
in the end he will not depart from it.” (Prov. 22:6)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The problem is not with the Bible, it is with the interpretation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is a helpful alliterative phrase to help
you with wisdom from the book of Proverbs:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Proverbs are <u>Principles</u> not <u>Promises</u>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This means that it is a true principle that training up a child in the
way they should go is a very good indicator that they will continue to follow
in those ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reverse principle is
also true, if you don’t look to the ways you train a child, you can’t expect
for them to follow in those ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
Proverbs are not promises or guarantees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Look to any mature Christian parent and see how many have raised all their
children with exactly the same training and yet one follows the Lord and
another doesn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see, we think that
because we homeschool our kids we are then guaranteed that they will turn out
great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is not what the passage
means.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Salvation is of the Lord and if
we don’t realize that, we will be trusting in our efforts and not in the power
of Christ.</span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Homeschooling protects my child from evil in the
world.</span></strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <strong> </strong><em>
</em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Myth.</span></em></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The evil is not in
the world, it is in US. We are the problem. Our hearts don't seek God, they are
in rebellion against him. If we believe that all we need to do is to keep the
external evil away from our children - we will be missing the most insidious
evil: OUR attempts to be our own Savior through our own righteousness. I have a
great <a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/p/book-club.html" target="_blank">book club</a> going on right now on this subject, if you want to study this
more!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">9. Government schools are the enemy.</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Propaganda.</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is true that government schools are
based on a naturalistic, secular worldview, that many times there is a subtle
agenda towards teaching certain subjects according to the prevailing
politically correct cause and that prayer and religious expression have all
been eliminated from the classroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
let’s not be confused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>The enemy is
Satan.</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are many public school
teachers who are Christians and who are battling that enemy in their classrooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are Christians in our churches who
maintain a high level of involvement as a witness in the midst of
this highly secular environment, because they believe they have a calling to
that mission field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Public schools have
good resources to offer to homeschoolers in terms of enrichment programs,
testing services and sports programs to name just a few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many times the assistance offered by the
public schools can help a new homeschooling family to transition into
homeschooling on their own, or help them with academic resources and experts
for free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This leads me to #10…</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>
10. Homeschooling is the only biblical way to
educate</strong>.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Half-Truth.</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I think the case can be made (and has been
strongly made) by homeschool speakers and advocates that parents are responsible
for the education of their children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
do not believe that we can then extend that to mean that every subject that a
child is taught needs to be taught by the parent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most homeschoolers will admit that they take
advantage of all kinds of resources – tutors, co-ops, computer learning,
grandparents, other homeschooling parents to help them to teach their own
children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of this occurs under the
supervision of the parent, even if they aren’t the ones doing the
teaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additionally, if we were to
say that children should only be educated by their parents then we would have
to discount all kinds of biblical examples of children being educated by Rabbi’s
in the synagogue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is likely the way
that Jesus was educated, as all Jewish boys were educated this way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, if we are so dogmatic about this,
what would I do if I were to have a debilitating stroke, my husband were to
lose his job and we had no ability to educate our own kids?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would send them to public, charter or
private schools because this is what God has provided for us in that
situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would also trust that God
would help us to continue to supervise their education, to disciple them in
their faith and to help them to discern between truth and error.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Conclusion</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Most of the first 5 in my list have been silly and harmless, but these last 5 are a little more touchy. All 10 of them can have serious implications. One big implication that comes from over-stating benefits is that it can lead to false expectations and assumptions about what things will be like. Another implication is that we cannot notice our own blind-spots and weaknesses. Finally, we can become prideful and exclusionist towards other believers who have not made the same educational choices that we have. For all these things there is a remedy - Repent and Believe! Your acceptance in Christ is not based on your performance, but on Christ who was the Way, the Truth and the Life. Look to him and be amazed that he has given us access to the Father apart from our works, but on the basis of His Work - His life, death and resurrection.</span></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-54849063554131917472012-07-09T00:30:00.000-06:002012-07-09T00:30:02.776-06:00The Gospel StoryToday's Gospel reminder is the story of the bible using classic art...<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/A4WL0w3it0s" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
The Gospel Project is a new Gospel Centered Sunday School curriculum for adults, youth and children. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You can find out more here: <a href="http://www.gospelproject.com/" target="_blank">The Gospel Project</a></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-3826836805503867392012-07-06T00:30:00.000-06:002012-07-06T12:25:08.430-06:00Gospel Powered Parenting Book Club {Chapter Four}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h2 style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img border="0" height="200" src="http://ag.christianbook.com/g/oversize/3/381353o.jpg" width="200" /></h2>
<h2>
</h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">A Holy Father</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Chapter three taught us that God blesses parents who fear the Lord and that the fear of the Lord is taught best not in the Old Testament but through the Gospel in the New Testament. This chapter fleshes out what is meant by that statement. </span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In an effort to be brief and summarize Farley's arguments, here are some bullet points of what he argues in this chapter:</span></div>
<ul><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How we parent is not about techniques, but it is a "by-product" of how we think - specifically, how we think about God.</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There are two important fundamentals in how we think about God, both are illustrated best in the cross: his holiness and his grace. (This chapter will explore the first- God is Holy.)</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Holiness is God's fundamental attribute. It means he is fundamentally different than us in his perfection, and purity. It is difficult to understand how completely "other" he is.</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The cross illustrates how completely God separates himself from sin and sinners. <em>"Here is the stunning truth: Such is the holiness of the Father that when his Son bore our sin and transgressions, God separated himself from him. (Matt. 27:46)"</em> (pg. 75)</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Part of God's holiness is also his justice. <em> "He is just, and his justice is holy. It is not like this world's justice. It cannot be suspended, compromised, or ignored. It must be executed with perfection. It must be satisfied. In other words, it woud be sin for God to compromise justice."</em> (pg. 76-77)</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Because God is holy and God is just, we next need to understand his holy wrath. Farley quotes Jerry Bridges, [His wrath]<em> "is the tangible expression of His inflexible determination to punish it </em>[sin]. <em>We might say God's wrath is His justice in action, rendering to everyone his just due, which because of our sin is always judgement."</em></span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Another great quote: <em>"The real question is not: 'How can God be loving and wrathful at the same time?' Rather, ther real question is: 'How could God be good - infinitely good in the way the Bible describes him-and not feel intense anger at sin and evil?'"</em> (pg. 79)</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">God poured out his wrath on his son, who bore our sins, at the cross. Which leads us to this conclusion: <em>"There are only two types of people. There are those who put their faith in Jesus and let him bear God's wrath in their place. And there are those who try to earn salvation on their own terms. They will bear this wrath themselves, in hell, for eternity."</em> (pg. 81)</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Farley then draws 5 conclusions for parents:</span></div>
<ol><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The cross and it's implications teaches us to fear God.</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The cross teaches parents to pursue their own holiness. It causes us to take our sin seriously.</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The cross gives us an eternal perspective. We will one day stand before this holy God, either on our own merits, or on the merits of Christ.</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The cross teaches us not to presume upon grace, but to take decisive action.</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The cross makes us needy - we cannot earn salvation, we must find it in Christ alone.</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
</ol>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> My thoughts</span></h3>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For me, I would say that it is very difficult to understand the depth of God's holiness. I too often think that he is like me. I get angry at sin, but my anger is biased to certain kinds of sin. It is disproportionate in it's response. It is blind to my own failings, but harsh on others. I see sins primarily as actions and not as attitudes. If I (or my children) can manage our actions to socially acceptable behaviors, I feel like we are much closer to holiness - we are doing pretty well. This is not a correct definition of holiness. God's holiness helps me to understand that God looks upon the heart, that even the cleanest, most moral individuals still required the sacrifice of his son to atone for their sin! I want my kids to understand just how bad sin is. Not just lying and stealing and disobeying, but the heart attitudes that cause us to prefer a host of other things to God, that cause us to rebel against his good authority in our lives. These things are in ALL of us, no matter how clean we look on the outside.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The most sobering quote in this chapter for me was this one:</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>In their book How People Change, Lane and Tripp insightfully write, "One of the reasons teenagers are not excited by the gospel is that they do not think they need it. Many parents have successfully raised self-righteous little Pharisees. When they look at themselves, they do not see a sinner in desperate need, so they are not grateful for a Savior." Children raised by diligent parents immersed in the holiness of God are not apt to share this problem.</em> (pg. 83)</span></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">What quote stood out to you the most?</span></strong></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">In what practical ways should the knowledge of God's holiness motivate Christians to parent their children differently?</span></strong></div>
<br />
If you are reading along with us, I would love to hear your thoughts on any of the chapters you have read so far. You can comment here, or on the posts from any of the previous chapters. You can find all of the posts on the new <a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/p/book-club.html" target="_blank">Book Club</a> page.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
</blockquote>
Linking up today with: <a href="http://www.lovingourjourney.com/2012/07/06/faithfully-parenting-friday-a-toddlers-prayer-of-grace/" target="_blank">Faithful Parenting Fridays</a><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/”http://www.lovingourjourney.com/“"><img src="”http://i.imgur.com/YTS9a.gif“" /></a>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961184769375549416.post-79384238300021975752012-07-05T00:30:00.000-06:002012-07-05T00:30:03.432-06:00How Do You Make Learning Fun? {The Answers!}<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last week I asked all my blog, Facebook and email friends to help me with ideas for making learning fun. I had several people share their ideas with me and so I wanted to make them available to you! I have grouped them in categories based on school subject or type of learning activity:</span><br />
<ul><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">General Ideas, </span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Math, </span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Memorization,</span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Reading, </span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Educational Games, Apps or Websites</span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></ul>
<h3>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> General Ideas</span></h3>
<ul><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Always be a little goofy and surprise the kids</strong>. If they never know what you will do, they stay interested. I would stand on a chair, talk in silly voices now and then, sometimes not talk at all and just use hand motions. (HC) This especially works for me when we have long read-alouds! (JG)</span></span></span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Try and make it as "real-life" as possible</strong>. Act out the stories or songs, when we study coins, I set up a "shop" full of their toys and they "buy" them, I have recently turned out basement into the desert for our science unit, we have acted out segments of history. The physical nature of all this also seems to help kids retain the learning a bit more too. (HC)</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOoSNY5sDOx-8kvmFr-kI4Sd64bn3fQouu7c2fnxkQFpq3Z-oo4nzBhnftIKjMdQlVVI9q9lOxuWl8BMz_M49S6a1dZQ9biSZE4cCt7dV7XJNPrcDpmE-GVNeAycAoR1uBjgKEUxM5IM8/s1600/Heathers+Biomes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOoSNY5sDOx-8kvmFr-kI4Sd64bn3fQouu7c2fnxkQFpq3Z-oo4nzBhnftIKjMdQlVVI9q9lOxuWl8BMz_M49S6a1dZQ9biSZE4cCt7dV7XJNPrcDpmE-GVNeAycAoR1uBjgKEUxM5IM8/s320/Heathers+Biomes.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Heather's Science Biome Activity!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Pz9wcrG6YRXhlIfgAAhr50ZBJXqFKk_msQaPov6a_yIEw9zFxQi014pEXB9zCT7G8vepplO3_E78lsYqlR0dwivVZXlW3T4dGMLPmDtncamo-ive8sDOaX8f9mjUdUxBOB-ijzvHYq8/s1600/Heathers+Biomes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Pz9wcrG6YRXhlIfgAAhr50ZBJXqFKk_msQaPov6a_yIEw9zFxQi014pEXB9zCT7G8vepplO3_E78lsYqlR0dwivVZXlW3T4dGMLPmDtncamo-ive8sDOaX8f9mjUdUxBOB-ijzvHYq8/s320/Heathers+Biomes2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span></span><br />
<ul><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: accent1;"> </span><strong>Working with a partner</strong>. Sometimes it is just more fun to work with a partner on a task. Whether it be something creative or even something "dry" such as measuring items around the house. (HC) Sometimes <u>I</u> am their partner - we "figure it out together" especially if it is working through a tough math problem or brainstorming ideas for pre-writing. There is always less stress if Mom joins the ranks of learner with the kids! (JG) </span></span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Occasionally, when least expected, <strong>we "work" for treats</strong>. Usually I did this after a day when the class was just being blah and didn't seem to have their brains turned on. (HC)</span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <strong>Have a guest teacher or co-teacher</strong>. Even letting a kids teach can often add a new dimension of fun to the classroom. (HC) We had Grandpa in for a lesson one day, since he is a former NASA project manager! (JG)</span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Change the learning environment</strong> - whether a field trip, just going outside, or just redecorating / moving furniture. This can often inspire new ideas. (HC)</span></span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Videos</strong> - I judiciously use video, since boys especially are captivated by images. I don't let them watch the movie version of a book until they have read the book (or had it read to them.) I don't substitute the video learning for the book, but after we have learned some about a concept, I will then reinforce what they've learned with a video (Discovery channel, BBC Earth, Bill Nye the Science Guy, History videos from </span></span><a href="http://www.havefunwithhistory.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">www.havefunwithhistory.com</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">). Sometimes the videos enhance their interest and cause them to go back to the books to learn more! (JG)</span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Family Vacation</strong>- We always make sure we hit an educational stop on our family vacation. We love national parks and national monuments - the boys are accomplished Junior Rangers at quite a few destinations. (JG)</span></span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Kinesthetic Learners</strong> - Letting them bounce on an exercise ball while doing their work or reading or memorizing really helps. Chewing gum is also a good thing to help those kids who hae to move, to focus (LH).</span></span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span></span><br />
<h3>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Math</span></h3>
<ul><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Facts practice</strong>: Turn it into a game of around the world, or something of the sort. A game where the more facts you know, the more moves or chances you get. When we were introducing simple addition within 10, I put plates on the floor 0-10 and had my kids hop on them like frogs. (i.e. - I told them to stand on 2 and asked how many till 10, they would hop 9 plates - we then said 2 + 8 = 10). (HC) I have been teaching multiplication by making rows of little cars on the floor. Ex: 3 rows of 4 cars each is 12. I also have my son add up the scores to board games and card games (especially UNO) to teach math. (PB)</span></span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Fractions</strong>: Food! Cookies, pizza, pie, amount of M&Ms etc. Begin with the whole... what if we each get half, etc. You can also use cardboard boxes (or carpet squares) as houses and divide up the "house: into frations according to "rooms". (HC)</span></span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Measurement</strong>: I have the kids measure things around the house You can also do a scavenger hunt. "Find the item in this room that weighs 2 pounds or is 3 inches long". Cooking is great for measurement as well (cook something yummy they will want to eat). If they are older, you can have them build something - build a birdouse that is 5 inches high and 6 inches long etc. Obviously they will need help cutting etc. But what a great example of what an actual builder does. You can even introduce blueprints, CAD etc off this. You can have them predict which is longer, weigs more etc. or how many inches or pounds it is. Closest prediction gets a prize. (HC)</span></span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Word Problems</strong>: I think if they can be acted out (at least some of them) it helps kids nderstand that word problems are real life math - not just something in a book that they hve to do. Many times kinesthetic learners (like me) get lost in all the words. The chance to act or draw out the problem not only makes it more fun but also makes it understandable for them. (HC)</span></span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></ul>
<h3>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Memorizing</span></h3>
<ul><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Use music!</strong> You can set almost anything to a familiar tune. (We sing the presidents to the tune of Yankee Doodle.) Lots of resources are available that set different facts to songs, from math facts to geography facts to bible verses. (Check out my post on </span></span><a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/2012/06/super-fun-scripture-memorization.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Seeds Family Worship</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> for more on verse memorization.) (JG)</span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Rewards!</strong> When we have pancakes, waffles, crepes or French toast for breakfast, I let our kids put whipped cream on top (out of the spray can). If theycan recite a Bible verse (any verse, including the reference) they can have a "dollop" directly in their mouths. They LOVE it, and the small amount of sugar content is worth hearing them BEG to recite verses many mornings, sometimes several verses at a time! (SE)</span></span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Motions!</strong> We like to make up motions to anything we are tryng to memorize. (SP)</span></span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></ul>
<h3>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Reading</span></h3>
<ul><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I motivate my boys to read by reading aloud to them to stir their interest in a new author or series or subject. I wrote more on this<span style="color: #274e13;"> </span></span><a href="http://gospelcenteredhomeschooling.blogspot.com/2012/06/motivating-summer-read-alouds-for-boys.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">here</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. (JG)</span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mine are too young to read on their own. I have seen people do sticker charts for each book and then get a reward after so many books read. Theme units can be fun too. Find books on a topic the kids may be interested in (country, aimal, sport, time period etc) and study it - nothing intense. You can add any related art, music, dress, games, food or other projects (paper mache etc. ) to it to help make it fun. Sometimes even "sharing" reading. You read a page to them, they read a page to you under a tree, tent or in a hammock can be fun. (HC)</span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I have recently decided that it's completely okay for some of their reading time to be books tat are WAY too easy for them. Sometimes letting them just revisit the easy stuff below their level gives them a boost of confidence and not everything has to be a challenge every time. So, my idea here is just to simply back off and let them take a few steps back every once in a while! (Can you imagine?) (SE)</span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></ul>
<h3>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Educational Games, Apps or Websites</span></h3>
<ul><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Jeopardy</strong> - Our kids LOVE to watch Jeopardy on TV. Seriously. I have to create this game myself but I like to write out questions to review content we have learned during the year, or during a particular unit. We did a World War II jeopardy game and I was really surprised at how much they remembered. We also did one as an end of the year wrap-up and celebration. It was fun to see everything we had covered! (JG)</span></span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Math </strong>- </span></span><a href="http://www.fun4thebrain.com/"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">www.fun4thebrain.com</span></a></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Spelling</strong>- ipad app called "Spelling Test". We load each girls spelling list into the app. It speaks the word to them and they have to spell it corretly. It keeps track for me too. (SP)</span></span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Geography</strong> - iPad app called "Stack the States", </span></span><a href="http://www.yourchildlearns.com/"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">www.yourchildlearns.com</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> has interactive maps and interactive stories. </span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Reading</strong> -</span><span style="color: #274e13;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.starfall.com/"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">www.starfall.com</span></a></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Vocabulary</strong> - </span></span><a href="http://www.dynamo.dictionary.com/"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">www.dynamo.dictionary.com</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> - You can input your word list and play games.</span></li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>General</strong> - </span></span><a href="http://www.purposegames.com/"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">www.purposegames.com</span></a></li>
<li><strong>Board Games</strong> - The Scrambled States of America, Ticket to Ride, Settlers of Catan, Cash Flow, Set (card game), GeoPuzzles... </li>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></ul>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">What other ideas do you have to add to our list? Add your ideas to the comments section! I'm hoping this will be great inspiration for adding creativity to the upcoming school year!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>**Thanks to Heather (HC), Sarah (SP), Sue (SE), Patty (PB), and Lara (LH) for sending ideas for this post. </em></span>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593567812774142277noreply@blogger.com0