Homeschooling Is Life! - Do you read the Bible?

• Aug. 18, 2006 - Do you read the Bible?

Do you use the Bible in your homeschooling? How do you use it?

If you could only have one book to use for your homeschool curriculum, would you choose the Bible?

How would you describe the Bible to someone who has never heard of it?

Although there are a thousand books or so filling up my home, my favorite is my Bible. It is always new, always thought provoking and soul cleansing. It is sometimes convicting and many times, the uplifting that I need when I need it. It teaches me about who God is, who I am, what I am to be like. It teaches me how to love my husband, nurture my kids and how to love my enemies and keeps my priorities straight. It teaches me history, and shows me glimpses of the future~ a bright future!

The Bible is a resource nobody should be without. It actually is way too much of a living treasure, to be called "a resource," but I have also heard it called the "instruction manual for living." It truly is.

Now, I am not here to debate versions, but when I was younger, say......in my early 20's, I had a little pocket new testament. It was KJV. I knew it was important, and that I needed to read it. But I could not understand the language. It was too hard, to foreign, too.......King James English. Still, I kept it and reverenced it for what it was, God's Holy Word.

One day someone introduced me to THE BOOK version of the Bible. It was written by Kenneth Taylor, (or paraphrased by him) for his children. Since I was still "a child" at that time, it spoke to me too. I especially liked reading the Old Testament, because I could understand it more. After that, I could go and read a more concise version and get the whole meaning. Or at least that which the Lord revealed to me at that time. I don't want to be so presumptious to say that I "get" the whole Bible. I don't. I am always learning something new!

God's word to us is ever changing---only because it speaks to us in new ways depending upon where we are in our journey, not because God is fickle.

God's Word stays the same. The Bible says that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Isn't it wonderful and calming to know that some things never change? We deal with so many changes in our lives and for some, change is hard to handle. We lose loved ones, change jobs, deal with illnesses, see loved ones and neighbors morv away......change happens. Houses are torn down, fields are plowed and developed, our favorite little shop closes for good. Friends change allegiances, children grow up and people change their minds. Sometimes change is the only constant in our lives.

But we are made for change. From the tiniest dot that we begin as, in our Mother's womb, we are changing at a rapid pace. If we didn't, we would die. It was planned that we would grow, and with that growth we would change; not becoming different for the sake of the same, but to grow up. The Lord knew that we must grow. We have to grow in stature and in wisdom. We must grow in knowledge and in character. And the "changes" that go on around us are the catalysts for that growth and maturation.

So what does the Bible have to do with any of this? It guides us along the path of change. It keeps us on the straight and narrow. It feeds us and gives us purpose as we walk "this way, not that way." And if we have stepped off the path......it gently leads us back.

The Bible is lliving, breathing, life giving sustenance for me. I could not live the life I am supposed to live, without it.

If you haven't been introduced to the Bible, get a hold of one today and read it. Click here for a place to start---I have compiled some links to the great lists of the Bible. You can also click on the BibleGateway link on my sidebar and start right at the beginning, in Genesis. And let me know what you think!

May the reading of His Word bless you greatly today!

Nancy

Homeschooing Is Life!

©Nancy K. Baetz

Homeschooling Is Life 2006

Comments

• Aug. 18, 2006 - Amen!

Posted by PatriciaWHunter

I agree. We begin every day with Bible, and spend more time there than in any other subject! Nancy, I am hosting the carnival of homeschooling next week and would LOVE it if you would submit a contribution. Love ~ Patricia

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• Aug. 18, 2006 - hi

Posted by dawilli

Good stuff, I needed a reminder of just how precious that book is and should be to me!

thanks,
have a good one,
ali

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• Aug. 19, 2006 - Lovely entry...

Posted by MamaBugs

thought provoking and sweet. We use the Bible everyday for SO much of our homeschooling and LIFE! Bug learned to read using the Bible. We've been discussing the need to memorize scripture recently and are embarking on memorizing Ps 139 together. Each month in the HomeFront e-News we have a scripture we encourage our readers to memorize along with us. We are SO blessed in this country to be able to have such easy access to so many versions and translations of the Bible. It's amazing that in some places there are people dying (literally) to be able to keep a copy of His Holy Word.

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• Aug. 22, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by CommunicationFUNdamentals

The Bible is definately a precious resource and guidebook for life, and more than that, the words of almighty God.

JoJo

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• Aug. 23, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by spunkyhomeschool

Excellent reminder. In our curriculum this year we are doing Ancient History. And one of the things I enjoy about Tapestry of Grace is that the Bible is used as a primary source for much of the information.

We also read the Bible together as a family together in the evening. We are working our way throught the New Testament for the third time and we are into Proverbs in the Old Testament. We read a little of each every night.

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• Aug. 30, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by WalkInFaith

Hi friend!

We sure do use the Bible in our homeschooling - and it is *the* book I'd choose if I could only have one to "school" from!

Off the top of my head I'm remembering we've done quite a bit of math from the Bible - figuring cubits for building the arc and temples and such. We had a blast with those type things. And the history! My son has learned so much history that just comes out in natural conversation and in making the connection to other events that are more commonly known as history by school standards. Honestly it saddens me the deficit I realize in alot of public school + secular children with regard to the history to be found in the Bible! You're probably thinking "goodness, she's going to go on and on" LOL... I could... the science that's in that book!! Wow. It really is a one-stop-shop, so to speak. Plus you have all the typical stuff you automatically think of as learning in the Bible.

I have read the Bible daily for many years and, like you, always, always find something new revealed to me - always find something shining brightly that before didn't stand out so to me. Because of my "habit" my son also picks his Bible up quite frequently to figure something out or refresh his memory. As a mother, it's what I've hoped and prayed for!! :-)

How would I describe it to someone who's never heard of it? -- I would tell them it's a conversation, a love letter, a life-road map, an invitation, and fair warning. That by reading it you'll know where we've been, where we are, and where we're going. In it you'll meet your creator, the Father. He'll guide you, provide for you, chastise you when necessary, allow you all the free will you think you can handle and still love you, and he'll invite you to be with Him always. He'll leave it up to you whether you accept that invitation or not -- and He's good enough to give you a glimpse of what either choice has to offer.

When it comes to "really good reads" -- God wrote the Book!! :-)

Blessings!

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About Me

Hi There!

Welcome to my blog.
How nice of you to drop in. What is this all about you say? Well, take a look and see.

Just like the plants springing forth we are following the Son, soaking up the living water and pulling the weeds. We can't wait to see what will bloom THIS growing season!

Oh, and just for fun, I will tell you a little about me, since that is what this space is for. :)

I am a mother of four lovely kids who are perfectly human in every way. They are sinful, selfish, loving, happy, grumpy, excited, capable, frustratable, (I know, that isn't a word but sometimes I make up my own) and sometimes contrite, and just like their parents. But they are ours and we think they are all keepers!

We have homeschooled them all since birth with the trial and error method. I think they all have "made the grade" and they are now 16, 13, 11 and 9 years old.

We're not experts, except in the area of making mistakes and living to tell about them and hopefully learn from them! We hope you will find some encouragement here as you read about the seasons of our life as a homeschooling family.