Valentine's Day.  Romance.  Flowers and chocolates.  I'm all for it!  I love
getting a heart-strewn card, roses, and a box of chocolates from the man I love!
And I love it that my 16 and 18 year old sons are seeing how much I enjoy it.
After all, I hope and pray that they, too, will shower their love with love on
Valentine's Day!

Actually, that last sentence is incomplete.  I left out a word...a single word which is all-important in our worldview.  Allow me to re-write that sentence here, and make it complete:

After all, I hope and pray that they, too, will someday shower their love with
love on Valentine's Day!

There, now that's better!  If you have junior high or high school students in your home, I'd like to take this opportunity to urge you strongly to begin with them (if you haven't already) an important and ongoing conversation about marriage and purity.  

I grew up going to a "dead church" (spiritually dead, that is).  Oh, I believed in God; I even believed that Jesus was God's "son," and that He died on a cross to save people from their sins.  But I never understood what that meant for me.  I never understood that Jesus died on a cross to save me from my sins.  I don't know if any of my friends at that church did.  I don't think my parents did.  We just went to church because that was what everyone did.  At least in our neighborhood, they did.  

By the time I entered high school, I was in the dating scene.  Everyone was.  By my college years, although I'd finally heard that Jesus was my personal Savior, and I'd accepted Him, I had my heart stomped on and broken, and I broke a heart, as well.  What a waste.  But, back then, I'd never heard of any other way.  I'm not kidding...I'd never heard!  Not even among my Christian friends.  We all were dating.  

I love to see God's hand at work.  And one of the most powerful places I've seen this is in the work He has done in the hearts of all of us homeschool parents with regard to teaching our children to protect their hearts before marriage.  Now, there are a lot of ways out there that people can go with this!  So, the purpose of this blog entry will not be to expound upon a particular method of courtship or betrothal or whatever-you-want-to-call-it.  What I want to do is to introduce you to two phenominal videos that have been catalysts in our home for the discussion of purity and heart protection before marriage, in the hope that one (or both) of them might help to launch a conversation and plant a seed in the hearts of your children as they mature. I will tell you straight out, right now, that if you've decided to let your children date, and you're secure in that decision, I'm not looking to condemn or to criticize.  That is not the point of this entry.  However, you may not  be interested in the rest of this entry...unless you are questioning that decision.  Just to let you know! 

The first video is an older Christian classic, "Pamela's Prayer" by Dave Christiano Films.  Like many of these early, groundbreaking films, the quality of the film and the acting is not something that has garnered praise from critics!  But, the content presented gave my two pre-teen sons a vision for the kind of young men they wanted to be that is still with them today.  I have heard from some who have viewed this that their kids wouldn't give the film the time of day because it's not "up to par" (in terms of cinematography and acting) with today's movies (and they meant secular movies), so they wouldn't show it to the kids.  That breaks my heart to hear.  I give this a "don't shoot the messenger" sign.  And I do think this one is best to show to your younger teens, before they've already entered into a desire to or habit of flirtation or recreational dating.

From the website comes this description:

"This motion picture portrays the unique and heartfelt story of Pamela Bucklin from her birth in 1969 to her wedding day in 1991. It also contrasts two Christian girls and their different outlook toward purity and dating. All of Pamela's friends were dating. She was not. And it seemed unfair that her father insisted on such a high standard of purity. Yes, it seemed unfair...until the day she married."

View the film trailer here (or at the website, if this isn't working for some reason):     

 

 

Pamela's Prayer can be purchased for just $9 at Christian Films.com; or, you can do what we've done, several times over...you can purchase 7 of them for just $3 each, as long as you promise to give them away!  (Speaking of giving them away, be sure to visit my HSB blog linked at the end of my post, to see the GiveAway I'm hosting!)

 

Another video that we've really enjoyed, though I'd say it has some slightly more mature storylines (that means you'll want to watch it before you decide to show it to a pre-teen or a very young teen), and that I highly recommend, comes from Advent Film Group.  The fact that it was produced by homeschoolers gives it extra points in my book!  "Come What May," set at Patrick Henry College, is the story of Caleb, a young man caught in the middle of two opposing worldviews.    

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF65PQm00Ng

Learn more about this exciting Film group, and the story portrayed in "Come What May":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF2uOze0XLo

What a wonderful topic we have this week here at the Front Porch!  Groundhog Day...our favorite holiday of the year!  The boys and I enjoy putting our high school studies on hold for a few days before February 2nd in order to study groundhogs, weather patterns, the city of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania...

In case you didn't guess, I'm being quite facetious.  We don't have time to do much more than listen to the radio to find out if furry little "Phil" saw his little shadow or not!  And then, of course, to sigh a little sigh that winter, at least here in northern Illinois, will be with us for a couple more months, no matter what the beast saw that morning!

And that brings me to my topic today...how to keep your homeschool high school scholars going through the long, cold days of winter.  (For those of you in southern climates, with no snow, ice, or bitter-cold temperatures, the problem still exists...we are in the "hunker down" months of the challenging high school year!)

I have but two ideas to share today...for two reasons!  One, I am sick, so it is all I can do to get to the computer and get this entry in (sorry I'm late, Tia!); two, I want to hear YOUR ideas today!  Sometimes I wonder if anyone reads this...we're all so busy, so few people ever comment here.   Let me hear from you today!  Don't be shy...we all LOVE to get comments!  It keeps US going here at the Front Porch! 

OK, here are my two suggestions:

#1. Bathe this time of year in prayer.  Ask the Lord to give you strength.  "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13)  Dedicate this winter's studies to His glory!  And...most importantly, pray with your students.  Ever hear the phrase, "basking in the warm glow of prayer?"  Try it out! 
"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16)

Be sure to "focus" this particular time of prayer with your students on feeling His strength, and being motivated by the idea of doing this work of studying to His glory.  "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." (Col. 3:23-24)

 #2. Change things up if you hit a really rough patch of "I hate winter and I'm sick of schoolwork!"  It is hard to set aside the routine of studies once you're in the high school years, but it is easy to take that routine and do it in a new place!  After breakfast, pack the backpacks with 3 subjects-worth of books and notebooks...bring the pencils, the calculators, the laptops...whatever you need to do the work, and head out to your public library, your community college library (get ready for a major dose of "culture shock" if you choose this option!), or, if you have one available to you like we do, an arboretum or botanic garden.  We live near a beautiful arboretum, and it has a gorgeous old wood-panelled library, with windows overlooking the arboretum grounds.  In warmer weather, we can go through the library to get to a small "reading garden," inaccessible to the visiting public who don't know how to get into it!  Obviously, this is not useful in the wintertime, but on that first 70-degree spring day, guess where we're heading for our studies???

A simple change of scenery will make a difference in your students' attitudes...and yours, as well!

Alright...YOUR TURN!!!  Let me hear from you, parents of high schoolers, and share your favorite "break the winter doldrums" ideas with our "Homeschooling Through High School" readers! 

May God Bless you and your homeschool this week

~Lori

PS. I'm hosting a "giveaway" contest over at my blog...click a link below to be transported, and to learn the details!

Lori Havens has been married to Kevin for 25 years.  They live in Illinois with their two sons, Bryan (17) and Nathan (16), and dog Sunny (9).  Lori enjoys writing, gardening, reading, and the outdoors.  She hosts the "Thursday Talkin' About Teenagers" meme at her HSB blog, "Plans4You," and is the author of "Should I Be A Nurse? A Journey of Self-Exploration for Those Considering a Career in Nursing" and  "7 Essential Questions Every Future Nurse Must Ask."      You can find her blogging at both Homeschool Blogger and Homestead Blogger  .

One of the best things we have done in our homeschool high school has been to study astronomy.  Now, I'm not talking about "modern" astronomy, with it's focus on the things "out there" that require telescopes, computers, and complex mathmatical models to interpret; I'm talking about "Classical Astronomy"...studying that which can be observed with the naked eye. 

We live near the city of Chicago.  That means that we have access to some of the finest museums in the country, among them the famed Adler Planetarium.  We have loved visiting the Adler over the years, but I always found that, while I was tremendously awed and impressed with all the modern astronomy, I couldn't "appreciate" or "connect with" it in any tangible way.  Like much of modern life, it's all too "big" to get my mind around.  Most high school level astronomy curricula involves modern astronomy.  We couldn't see doing an entire year of it. 

Then, with the click of my mouse on a TOS newsletter link, I discovered "Signs & Seasons."  And what a year-long adventure this fantastic curriculum took us on, and how incredibly much we learned that we continue to enjoy each and every day...and night!

The year of astronomy study began with a great activity: we installed a compass in our front lawn!  Not the little hand-held kind...no, this was composed of 5 stepping stones (we used a tan-orange stone aggregate that would be easily visible in all four seasons), one in the center, and the others placed exactly north, south, east, and west, about 20 feet apart.  To give you an idea of the "hands-on-ness" of this course, determining where exactly the  north, south, east, and west stones were to be placed was done by mapping and marking with lawn stakes the length of our shadows over a period of several hours, including what we estimated would be "high noon."  We watched sunset and mapped it.  Eventually, we had our compass point stones in place, and knew they were correct.  We spent many enjoyable evenings and nighttime hours making observations and sketching the night sky from these stones as we learned the names of the constellations, and watched the way they moved across the sky to mark the days, weeks, and seasons. 

Many homeschoolers have read "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch," by Jean Lee Latham--the story of Nathaniel Bowditch, who perfected the science of navigation.  My sons and I read this book during our elementary school years, and we were just riveted by it.  I remember, at that time, thinking, "No one knows how to do this anymore!  There was a time when everyone had a basic understanding of navigating, on land or at sea, and of marking time by the celestial bodies.  I wish we knew how to do this!"  At the time, Signs & Seasons hadn't been written.  What a blessing it was when I discovered it at the perfect time for our family to use it!

Author Jay Ryan writes this on the Signs & Seasons website:

A lot of astronomy books are primarily text-based and only use illustration lightly, mainly for ornamental purposes. However, the sky is only understood visually, and typical astronomy books are not very helpful to the reader to finding their way around the sky.

Our goal at Fourth Day Press is to create a series of user-friendly astronomy books and curricula that present the visual appearances of the sky in a visual medium, relying heavily on illustrations that depict the actual scenes that a reader might expect to see.

We seek to promote Classical Astronomy, the traditional approach to understanding the sky, as it had been understood from ancient times through about the mid-19th century. The popular media today is full of Modern Astronomy, featuring black holes, big bangs and related "space cadet" topics. We hope to restore an historical understanding of the forgotten sky, to the greater glory of God.

 I'll leave you with a YouTube video preview of this wonderful curriculum.  Consider including it in your homeschool high school studies!  You will be able to claim one full credit for lab-based science on your students' high school transcripts.  More importantly, you and your students will gain a lifelong appreciation for the perfect creation of God as you learn and personally interact with the celestial markers that He put in place.  At the very least, go to the website and sign up for the free newsletter, so you and your family can begin to enjoy viewing and knowing the night sky!

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. - Psalm 19:1   

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. - Proverbs 25:2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wlqYwX8Nvw

 

May God Bless you and your homeschool this week

~Lori

Lori Havens has been married to Kevin for 24 years.  They live in Illinois with their two sons, Bryan (17) and Nathan (16), and dog Sunny (9).  Lori enjoys writing, gardening, reading, and the outdoors.  She hosts the "Thursday Talkin' About Teenagers" meme at her HSB blog, "Plans4You," and is the author of "Should I Be A Nurse? A Journey of Self-Exploration for Those Considering a Career in Nursing" and  "7 Essential Questions Every Future Nurse Must Ask."      You can find her blogging at both Homeschool Blogger and Homestead Blogger  .

In honor of Amelia Earhart's solo flight across the Pacific (this week's topic for the Front Porch Team articles), I wanted to share something that we have really enjoyed here in our home as we've tried to learn more and more about possible career options related to the things our sons were interested in.  In this case, it would be my youngest son Nathan's interest in design, technology, and the fun of flight simulation. 

What career might this be?  If you guessed Aerospace Engineering, you're right!  Now, I have to admit, I would find it just so much fun to say "yeah, my kid's a rocket scientist!"  Nathan's not so sure about all of that, but a mom can dream, right? 

Anyway, this link will take you to a wonderful "Interview with a NASA Aerospace Engineer," Jill Marlowe.  (Just in case you thought this might only interest the boys, take note...this rocket scientist is a "she!")  I learned a lot about this exciting field of engineering, and I hope you enjoy it, too! 

http://meweb.larc.nasa.gov/meweb/Aerospace_Engineer_Interview.html

We've also discovered a wonderful place on the web called "NASA e-Clips."  From their website comes this description:

NASA eClips(TM) are short, relevant educational video segments, designed for a spectrum of learners. These videos inspire and engage students, helping them see the value of their classroom learning through real world connections. New video segments are produced weekly, exploring recent and relevant applications of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM topics. The programs are produced for targeted age groups including: grades K-5, 6-8, 9-12 and the general public.

The video segment produced for grades 9-12 is called "Launchpad."  We just love to watch these!  Below are two of our favorites (I provide the URL links beneath the videos, just in case you aren't able to view them here for some reason).  This first one is a wonderful glimpse into just some of the practical problem-solving done by aerospace engineering:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqVs2G62lJ4

This second video is pure fun and imagination for the budding aerospace engineer!  Just in case you're wondering, Nathan started his now beloved hobby of computer flight simulation by using the free download of Flight Gear.  It takes time to figure out, but if you have a kid like mine, they'll love every confusing minute of it!  Someday, Nathan would love to be able to "play" in something like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOs-LKCPhmo

May God Bless you and your homeschool this week!  And if you know someone who works at Langley, and could arrange a tour for us, let me know!!!

~Lori

Lori Havens has been married to Kevin for 24 years.  They live in Illinois with their two sons, Bryan (17) and Nathan (16), and dog Sunny (9).  Lori enjoys writing, gardening, reading, and the outdoors.  She hosts the "Thursday Talkin' About Teenagers" meme at her HSB blog, "Plans4You," and is the author of "Should I Be A Nurse? A Journey of Self-Exploration for Those Considering a Career in Nursing" and  "7 Essential Questions Every Future Nurse Must Ask."      You can find her blogging at both Homeschool Blogger and Homestead Blogger  .

I find myself in the odd predicament of not being able to find what the Front Porch's requested "topic of the week" was supposed to be for this week...I take that to mean I can write about pretty much anything!  So I thought I would briefly share a "snapshot moment" that I had over the Christmas break. 

We went to see the film, "Blind Side," and we just loved it.  If you haven't heard about it, you can view the trailer here.  There was a scene where the family takes their son to college, and the mama bravely hugs him, says "goodbye," and quickly gets into the car so he won't see her fighting back her tears.  Of course, he makes his way to the car and makes her come out to give him "a proper hug," and the tears are allowed to flow.

After the movie, we headed out to the car, and my almost 18 year old son got in the driver's seat to take us home (I sat in the back seat with my 16 year old son, as dad was up front).  As I watched my son driving us home in the dark, I suddenly, without warning, got a mental "glimpse" of the man he is rapidly becoming, and became acutely aware that my time with him at home full time was growing short.  I felt my eyes blur with tears that I rapidly blinked back. 

Although I'm sure the movie played a part in it, I don't quite know why else I suddenly had such a strong, instant emotion come over me.  But when things like that happen, I try to pay attention, and find out what it is that God might be saying to me.

Our children have never really been "ours."  They belong to God.  We all know this, we all know that we are just "stewards" of His creation, that He allows us to raise these children for Him, and then we are to give them back to Him when they are grown.  Every Christian "new mommy" can recite that litany.  But when that little baby in your arms is suddenly (it does happen suddenly, you know!) on the edge of that "time to give him back" cliff, WOW!  There is an awful lot to consider!

The homeschool high school years are so much more than just academics, credits, college entrance exams...though none of those things are unimportant.  But the real benefit of homeschooling through these years is the character development, and the nurturing of these young adults' relationship with their LORD that counts.  What a privilege!  What a joy!  What a blessing!  If you are reading this, and you're considering ending your homeschooling efforts before high school, oh, precious mom or dad...think again!  These final years of growing, of character-shaping, of relationship-building are the sweetest of them all!  Don't let your children go before they're ready!   Homeschooling through high school is not hard.  It's busy, and sometimes a little crazy, yes, but it's not hard.  There are lots of great folks here at HSB and other sites to help walk you through it! 

We have begun our "New Year's slide" back into school.  My 16 year old is getting all of his wisdom teeth out in the morning (Wednesday...please keep us in your prayers, as he is diabetic, so balancing insulin when he can't really eat gets very tricky), so we decided to hold off the full-on start up until next week.  It's been kind of nice, because we've really been able to focus our attention on a lot of worldview and character discussions.  I really love these two guys.  I love to hear what they think...I love to hear how they think (though I don't always get it!)...I love their ideas, their hopes, their dreams, their prayers.  

Give up this time of their lives to the public school system?  Not on your life.  When I give them up, it will be to give them back to the One who gave them to me...for a time.   

May God Bless you and your homeschool this week!

~Lori

Lori Havens has been married to Kevin for 24 years.  They live in Illinois with their two sons, Bryan (17) and Nathan (16), and dog Sunny (9).  Lori enjoys writing, gardening, reading, and the outdoors.  She hosts the "Thursday Talkin' About Teenagers" meme at her HSB blog, "Plans4You," and is the author of "Should I Be A Nurse? A Journey of Self-Exploration for Those Considering a Career in Nursing" and  "7 Essential Questions Every Future Nurse Must Ask."      You can find her blogging at both Homeschool Blogger and Homestead Blogger  .

The New Year marks a couple of important "points" in our homeschool high school.  First, it is the beginning of our next semester (no, we aren't starting on January 1st...just that our first semester is officially over, so we call it 2nd semester).  Second, it is the last chance that we have to "ditch" a curriculum that is failing us, but only if it is failing miserably.

Last January, we decided to "ditch" our language arts curriculum.  It is no small thing, during the high school years, to change curriculum this late in the game--the halfway point.  For us, it meant going through the summer to finish up the new curriculum.  Not to mention the extra expense.  But, as I alluded to in the previous paragraph, what we had been using initially was simply not working for us--not at all.  In fact, it turned out to be semi-disastrous for one of my sons!  It wasn't the curriculum's fault, for I thought it was fantastic when I got it!  It just didn't work for my kids.  For me, it has to be more than just, "I don't like it."  January is too far down the pike for "I don't like it."  I have to see that we are not learning/growing/accomplishing that which we need to learn/grow in/accomplish. 

Other than looking at your year-long curriculum to make sure it's working overall for you, this is a great time to look at your progress through your course work.  Are you halfway done yet?  Are you completing all of the work that the course recommends with each chapter/section?  If not, why not? 

I found that my sons' close friendship often worked against them.  They are 1-1/2 years apart in age, so we combine most classes for them.  They enjoy working at their desks in their room (which they share), and I often hear "chit chat" going on during the time that they're supposed to be working on a paper or a lab report!  I'm not a "heavy-handed" kind of teacher, but I did need to take some action when I realized that it was not just a couple minutes being chatted away, but 20 or more overall every few hours...that can be the time it takes to complete an assignment.  I had to separate them for a while, until they realized for themselves how quickly those wasted minutes add up.  With responsibility comes reward, and the opposite is true.  They're back working together, but I'm watching closely!

This semester we will begin our new Economics curriculum.  Unlike American Government, which was neatly divided into 15 chapters with 5 assignments per chapter, to be done 1 per day, Economics does not have an obvious breakdown.  There are 6 "packets," and each packet has anywhere from 5 to 9 sections, and each section is of varying length.  There are quizzes and tests in between.  At best, I'm trying to find, based upon section length, what might be the "halfway" point, and assign a target date to that point, given our desire to complete the course before Memorial Day.  Then I'll take that halfway point, and try to determine what is halfway to it, or the "quarter" point, and assign a target date to that.  I've learned, over the years, to always write my schedules in pencil, and to have a big eraser nearby!  

Sometimes, if I have a difficult-to-schedule course like this one, I'll just tell the guys to set their timer (which is in their room) for 50 minutes when they start work on that course, and when the timer goes off, class is over (of course, if there are just a few minutes left of work in order to complete a section/quiz/paper/etc., they should keep going).  At the quarter-point of our semester, I'll try to see if they're about 1/4 of the way through the curriculum.  If not, we add some weekends to get ahead, or we add more minutes on the timer each day.  Then we evaluate at the halfway-point of the semester, and see how we're doing.

I know that some of you may find all of this way too "scheduled" for your taste, and you may prefer a "looser" approach to your homeschool year.  If it were just me, I'd be the same way.  But I found that my sons far preferred to see the "goal line."  They needed to know where the "light at the end of the tunnel" was, and to see the "landmarks" along the way.  Kind of like when I have a lengthy "to do" list, and I feel better about it as I make check-marks in the boxes next to each task along the way.  

So, if you have new curriculum to start in January, locate the "halfway" point, and make a note of where that should happen on your calendar.  If you are in the middle of a full-year course, take a look at how far your students are...are they halfway through?  If not, there's nothing wrong with having kids do one to two hours of school each day, or every other day, during their Christmas break to get them caught up!

May God Bless you and your homeschool this week!

~Lori

Lori Havens has been married to Kevin for 24 years.  They live in Illinois with their two sons, Bryan (17) and Nathan (16), and dog Sunny (9).  Lori enjoys writing, gardening, reading, and the outdoors.  She hosts the "Thursday Talkin' About Teenagers" meme at her HSB blog, "Plans4You," and is the author of "Should I Be A Nurse? A Journey of Self-Exploration for Those Considering a Career in Nursing" and  "7 Essential Questions Every Future Nurse Must Ask."      You can find her blogging at both Homeschool Blogger and Homestead Blogger  .

This week at HSB's "Company Front Porch," we've been asked to focus on Christmas.  Last week, though, I began a 2-part post about studying the Bible as it relates to Homeschooling Through High School.  In continuing that topic today, I think the Lord will allow me to do both things!  Grab a cup of java or tea, and join me as we take a "mind's eye journey" back to Bethlehem.

As I write this message, we are 10 days away from Christmas Eve.  Now that I no longer have little ones in my home, my heart is more atuned to our celebration on Christmas Eve than on the morning that follows...not that the date really matters!   Drawing upon my own experiences of being in a pasture with sheep in my volunteer work at a living history farm here in Illinois, I can close my eyes and imagine the shepherds out in the fields with their flocks by night.  I think most of us can, regardless of personal experience.  We've read the story, seen it illustrated a hundred times, or watched a dramatization of it on television or on the big screen.  

But that's NOT where I wish to take us.  I want to go deeper than just that.  I want to go back into the Old Testament, and set the stage for that event which took place out in those fields.  To do this, I'd like to introduce to you a dear friend of mine, Cindy Zeigler, mother of 4 homeschool graduates (all of whom are now married and 3 of whom are missionaries), and author of several of the best Bible studies our family has ever gone through.  In "Understanding the Bible: A Biblical Survey," we read the following (note: Cindy uses the NASB translation in her materials, so that is what is quoted here): 

Shortly after the onset of Judah's captivity, the city of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzer.  Then, after the Medes and Persians overtook Babylon, and after the 70 year period of Judah's captivity, Judah was allowed to go back to their land and rebuild Jerusalem, the wall, and the temple.  There were three post-exilic prophets -- Haggai, Zacharia, and Malachi -- each telling of the plans the Lord has yet for Israel.  After the Word of the Lord came to Malachi, the final prophet, there was a long period of silence from Heaven -- 400 years.

The prophecy of Amos came to bear on the Jews.  Amos, after being told by a priest to leave the Northern kingdom and go prophecy in the Southern kingdom (Amos 7:12), uttered these words:

Amos 8:11  "Behold, days are coming," declares the Lord GOD, "When I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, But rather for hearing the words of the LORD..."

So there was silence.

The voice of Heaven was not heard by the ears of earth.

...for 400 years.

...four hundred long years!

And...

A woman who was called barren,

bore a son, and they called him John.

Suddenly a bright light shown in the darkness...

...a star shining in the east.

A virgin had conceived and had borne a Son, and they called Him Immanuel, "God with us."

Then a voice was heard...

...a voice crying in the wilderness

...calling the people to

"Repent for the Kingdom of the Heavens was at hand."

Now, jumping ahead in the study, we come to the First Advent of Christ in fulfillment of so much prophecy...Cindy writes:

Not far from the city of Bethlehem was a place where shepherds were keeping watch over a flock of sheep.  After "Immanuel" was born, an angel appeared to these shepherds.

 

Luke 2

8     And in the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flock by night.  9  And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.  10  And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people;  11  for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior who is Christ the Lord.  12  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger."

13  And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." 

I can only imagine the explosion of praise that erupted from the heavenly host after 400 years of silence...after the end of the waiting in the heavens for this plan from the time of the creation to finally be put in motion...I can only imagine the sheer terror of those shepherds out in the quiet of that field!!!  The NASB translation quoted uses the phrase, "terribly frightened." The KJV says "sore afraid." The NIV offers "terrified."  I put myself out there on a quiet night in the fields with a bunch of sleepy sheep and try to imagine the event...I don't know if "terrified" is even descriptive enough! 

But the greater point is this...in the continuum of measured time from the creation of the world through the end of this world, dwell upon that which has just happened...in God's plan for His people, given the "silence from Heaven" that had been the reality for 400 long years, put the event of the birth of Christ and the preaching of John the Baptist on the timeline...this is so much more, when placed in the BIG picture, than what we can all too easily isolate as the birth of the Son of God!  As big as that is, the reality of the shattering of the silence of Heaven and the beginning of this part of God's incredible plan for His people, which will be completed at the Second Advent of Christ, is so much more!!! 

And that brings me back to "Part 2" of last week's post regarding Bible study in the homeschool high school, and the question we began with: "What is God's mind on education?"  Here are God's inspired words: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding" (Proverbs 9:10).  Encourage your high schoolers to dig into the Scriptures, and to dig deep.  Untold riches are often skimmed right over by all of us when we read what to us seems "familiar territory."  I love the way that Cindy and another of my favorite authors, Diana Waring, both keep coming back to the big picture of God's unchanging plan, of His-Story (Diana's word for history), of His promise and His glory.  May we all grow in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in these remarkable times!  

May God Bless you and yours during this Christmas Season, 

 

Lori

PS. Cindy's Bible studies are available free of charge at the link provided above and HERE.  Donations are accepted if you are able, but are not required.  This is a ministry of their church, and the call of God upon their hearts.  Studies are available digitally for download, or you may email and request a hard copy.  In either case, email and ask for a set of any DVD lectures that go with the studies.  The study I've quoted from in this week's post, "Understanding the Bible: A Biblical Survey," is recommended as a "prerequisite" and basis for all of the other studies offered.  For homeschoolers, it makes a wonderful one-semester high school study, providing a 1/2 credit (0.5 CU) in Bible.  It is 17 weeks long, with assignments 5 days a week, and a 45 minute video lecture to be viewed after completion of each week's study (we watched our DVD lectures on Saturdays, and looked very much forward to each one!).  Follow this with "Understanding Hebrews," a 16-week study, and your student will have a full year (1.0CU) of Bible for their transcript.  More important, however, will be their spiritual gain: the fear of the LORD which is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy which is understanding.  Whatever Bible study you choose to share with your young adults, encourage them to drink deeply from the well of God's Word!  

This morning I received an e-newsletter from CollegePlus!, in which an article by Lauren Bleser titled, "A Teacher Learns the Truth About Education,"  was shared.  Ms. Bleser's opening paragraph reads,

 

In 2002, I graduated with my Master’s degree as a reading specialist after having finished a teaching degree from the State University of New York at Oneonta. I was fast on my way to a full and busy career in the public school system when I was caught off guard by a homeschooling parent who asked if I could explain God’s mind on education. I had never really considered that before, always taking it for granted that we simply go through the system, memorize the information required, and graduate. This challenging question led me on a quest that changed the course of my life.

Bless that homeschooling parent, whomever he or she was...what a question!  It is one that every homeschooling parent should ponder.  Can you explain God's mind on education?  God's mind can be an intimidating thing to probe.  And yet, He desires us to do just that...by diving into the Scriptures. 

My feeling is that by the time we are homeschooling high school, we have probably begun to study Bible in school!  So I'll not be offering advice on Bible curricula.  What the Lord has laid upon my heart to share, rather, is the "mindset" of studying Bible in our homeschool high school.

We are preparing our young adults, at this point in their lives, for independence.  In case you haven't taken a good, long, focused look at the world out there lately, you really ought to.  I'll warn you...it isn't pretty.  I know--I spend one hour a day, 4 days a week sitting in my local community college cafe or study lounge while waiting for my 16 year old son's German class to finish.  I do not have the "gift" of being able to simply "tune out" people's conversations.  I'm verbal.  I listen, whether I want to or not.  Words do not escape me.  The standard fare of conversation around me is typically what I would call "disgusting."  Often times the spiritual darkness that lives and thrives in this place feels stifling, oppressive, suffocating.  This time of week, I push myself to write this blog in the midst of the chatter.  Other days, I sit in front of my computer, or walk the halls, simply praying.  But I digress...

The point of that paragraph was just to say that our young men and women, our high school students, need to have the FULL ARMOR OF GOD (Eph. 6:10-18)  to protect them out there.  To bring us back to today's blog topic, I'll ask you a few questions, and you can decide whether or not you'd like to ponder them with me!  Here you go:

• Is your study of "Bible" in your homeschool viewed or treated by your student as a subject he must study and check off the "to do" list, just as history and math are? 
• Are you studying the Bible with a curriculum workbook that has them reading articles which explain the Bible to them, or tell them what the passages mean?  Are questions given in such a way that much of the answer is already given, with just a few "fill-in-the-blanks" required? 
• Is the time your student spends studying "Bible" going hand-in-hand with their history course?

None of these things are bad in and of themselves...it is vitally important that our students understand the Bible's role as a source of true history.  BUT...do they develop a hunger for and love of God's Word in our young people?  Do they bring about the things that our young adults are going to need in order to survive their first steps into independence--spiritual maturity, wisdom, and a consistent and close walk in obedience to Jesus Christ?

So, what is God's mind regarding education?  Here are a few passages to consider:

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10)

 "And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." (Job 28:28)

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever." (Psalm 111:10)

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7)

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."  (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

We'll end here for today, and continue next week.  May God bless you and your homeschool this week!

Lori

One of the greatest things about homeschooling is the way we can emphasize life skills and worldview in addition to academics.  We are not raising our children for the glory of the University...we are raising them for the glory of God, and to be ambassadors for Jesus Christ, the soon-coming King, before whom every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess His Lordship! 

As we enter the season of Advent and then Christmas, I desire to be mindful of the worldview I espouse, and the messages I send via my actions, my traditions, and my decisions.  All of life is a classroom for our young adults, and they are learning from everything we do, even when we don't think we're teaching. 

I do not wish to lay a "guilt trip" on anyone regarding holiday traditions, or the cleanliness/guest-readiness of their home, the "beauty" of their home decor.  Quite the opposite!  Many homeschooling families, as a matter of fact, are choosing not to celebrate Christmas because of the overwhelming commercialism the holiday has come to represent to the world, among other things.  A dear friend of mine has come to this conclusion, and her family simply doesn't "do" Christmas.  Although I won't personally be following that practice, I do understand the reasoning behind their decision.  And, as a result, I have thought long and hard about the Christmas "practices" in my own home.  The following is a brief glimpse into what I've been contemplating, and you are invited...if you'd like...to join me in answering these questions: 

1. What am I teaching my children as I go about my holiday planning?  There should be an intentionality about my work, about our traditions, which is not focused on the world but rather on Christ's incarnation and the reason for His coming to Earth.  If I am putting decorations up inside and outside of my home, why am I doing it?  Sometimes traditions are just that--they're traditions, handed down through generations.  My sons know that I do the things I do, decorate the tree the way I do (actually, they do it now!), bake the cookies that I bake, because it is how my parents did, decorated, and baked. 

My personal thoughts: Traditions aren't bad.  Christmas trees aren't bad.  Cookies aren't bad...in moderation!  But do they show or reflect the miracle of God Incarnate?  Can they?  So where should my priorities be, given a choice of decorating and baking vs. spending time on a missions or outreach activity?     

2. What is the overall "focus" of Christmas in our home?  When my sons speak to their children someday (Lord willing) about what Christmas was like when they were growing up, what will they say?  What will stand out in their minds?  Going to Wisconsin to cut down a tree (we live in Illinois), a 7 t 8 hour event, big yellow dog included, will be a highlight!  But will they remember the outreach activities?  Hospitality?  Missions?  Hymns?  Or will they talk about presents, food, vacation from schoolwork? 

My thoughts: I didn't grow up in a Christian home.  We were faithful church-goers, but the church of my younger years was a spiritually-dead church.  So Christmas was focused on Santa, the cookies, the tree, the presents.  There was church, there were Christmas carols and candlelight, and I loved all of it, but I didn't comprehend the intensity of what God was doing when He came to us as a babe in that manger.  All I knew was that "Jesus was born on Christmas," according to the Christmas carols.  I praise God that He found me, and that He drew me to Himself, and that I have been able to share so much more with my sons about that babe in the manger!  But again, where has the main focus appeared to be?  I know my heart is thinking about Christ, but what are my actions showing my sons?  More is "caught" than taught.

Within the practice of holiday decorating, a key for our family is to get that decorating done in one fell swoop, even though it's a three-day-long-fell-swoop!  Our tree was cut and brought home from Wisconsin on Saturday.  It was decorated on Sunday after church, and today (Monday as I write this) I will pull out and put up the last of the special things we use only once a year in December.  From tomorrow on, then, our focus can truly be on remembering and reflecting upon Christ, and His first-coming...with our eyes and and our hearts FIRMLY fixed on His second-coming.  Our "holiday busyness" can be because of missions and outreach activities, not "decorating."  We can be praying, worshipping, and fellowshipping with the saints, rather than racing around at WalMart.  We can enjoy relaxed fellowship with one another, as a family, in the baking of traditional German cookies to share with loved ones, rather than in haste and impatience.  Should the latter become the atmosphere of our home at Christmas, then the activity should cease.  

I pray that some of these thoughts might be a blessing to you as you go about your holiday activities with your high school-age children!  May we all seek to honor Christ Jesus throughout this Advent Season!  And may God bless you and your homeschool this week!

Lori

Thanksgiving Greetings and Blessings from Chicagoland!

I want to take this opportunity to share with my Homeschooling Through High School readers a new meme which you (and parents of all our awesome homeschooling teenagers) can join!  Hop on over to my HSB blog, "Plans4You" to learn all about...

Next, I have a simple recipe to share which your high schoolers can make with all your leftover Thanksgiving turkey!  Be sure to log the time they spend making this on their Home Ec time card so you can apply it to a Home Economics credit!
(If you're not sure what a "Home Ec time card" is, please read my posts from August 19, 2009, "Keeping Track of Credits," and August 26, 2009, "Clever Credits."  You can find them HERE.)

• Biscuit dough: arrange biscuits on top of turkey, overlapping the biscuits if necessary. 
• Drop biscuit dough: drop small biscuits on top to cover.
• Pie dough: roll dough out into the shape of your pan, place on top of turkey, and tuck the edges in against the pan sides. 

Brush the top of the dough with about 2 Tbs. (1/2 an egg) of beaten egg for a goldeny-brown glaze.

Bake 25 to 35 minutes until the turkey mix is bubbly and the topping is nicely browned.

TURKEY TETRAZZINI

1-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
8 ounces sliced mushrooms (about 2-1/3 cups)
8 ounces spaghetti, macaroni, or egg noodles
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted lightly
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a 13X9-inch baking pan.

Heat butter in large skillet over medium-high heat until the foam begins to subside.

Add sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring, until tender...about 5 minutes.

Stir the mushrooms into the Turkey Master Blend.

Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot of salted water until tender.  Drain well.  Stir pasta into turkey mixture along with almonds.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Bake 25 to 35 minutes until sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown.

TURKEY CHILI PEPPER CASSEROLE

One or two 4-1/2 ounce cans of chopped mild or hot green chili peppers, drained (the amount you choose is determined by how hot you want this!)
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
4 ounces tortilla chips, lightly crushed (don't pulverize these...should have 2 to 3 cups after crushing.)
8 ounces grated Cheddar cheese (2 cups, lightly packed)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a 13X9 baking pan.

To the Turkey Master Blend, add chili peppers (be sure to drain them first!) and cumin.  Mix well.

In the prepared pan, layer the turkey mixture alternately with layers of tortilla chips and cheese.  End with a layer of tortilla chips sprinkled with cheese.  

Bake 25 to 35 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown.

TURKEY AND RICE CASSEROLE

1-1/2 Tbl. unsalted butter
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (about 2-1/3 cups)
3 cups cooked white rice or wild rice blend
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
1/3 cup dry, unseasoned breadcrumbs
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs. melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a 13X9-inch baking pan.

Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until the foam begins to subside.  Add mushrooms and cook, stirring until tender--about 5 minutes.

Stir the mushrooms into the Turkey Master Blend along with the cooked rice and toasted nuts. Pour the mixture into baking pan. 

In a bowl, mix together breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and melted butter.  Sprinkle over top of casserole. 

Bake 25 to 35 minutes until sauce is bubbly and the crumbs are golden brown.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving, enjoy your leftover turkey (or make every single one of these with chicken and enjoy that!), and enjoy your teenagers! Be sure to visit me at Plans4You to check out the new meme.  May God bless you and your homeschool this week!

Since my children were very small, I have tried to be very deliberate about establishing and keeping family traditions.  Many came from my own childhood, and were "imported" to my new home once I was married.  I still carry so many fond memories of the Thanksgivings of my youth back in Michigan, waking up to the wonderful sounds and smells of my mother's early Thanksgiving morning cooking routine.  I was determined that my children would awaken to the same things, and they do!

The onset of the winter holidays here in the USA lets me know that time is about to really FLY for the next 2 months.  It is easy to get overwhelmed, between holiday preparations, houseguests, shopping, and the rapidly approaching end of the semester.  I think that the high school years are unique in that there isn't always room in the schedule for too many interruptions, no matter how  wonderful the interruptions may be.  Gone are the years when we could take an entire month to study pilgrims, make model Mayflower ships out of popsicle sticks, or read nothing but books about Thanksgiving.  Our schedule is particularly heavy this year...so how can we put an old-fashioned "focus" onto Thanksgiving in the midst of Algebra 2, C++ Programming, Chemistry, American Government and Economics, English Composition, Foreign Language, Logic and Rhetoric, and CLEP prep? 

We enjoy turning to the Psalms in the evenings, seeking passages dealing with being thankful in the midst of tumultuous times.  Aren't we in the midst of a tumultuous time?  Do you think things are going to get even more tumultuous in the coming months and years?  I sure do!  What a wonderful habit for ALL of us to be in: giving thanks in all things!  And what a wonderful habit to instill in our young adults who, should Christ's return be yet a ways off, will have to live out their lives in a world far different from the one we grew up in. 

Our copy of William Bradford's "Of Plymouth Plantation" finds its way to the dinner table as well, and we enjoy reading it out loud.  There is nothing better than going directly to the source when the desire is to know the truth of an historic event.  Today's commentators and writers, whether secular or Christian, were not present in Plymouth with the pilgrims...but William Bradford was.  To read his words is such a treasure!  I pray that every Christian high school homeschooler (and every homeschooler, period, for that matter) would have the joy and privilege of reading Bradford's account of the entire journey, from start to finish!  It was translated from Elizabethan English into "modern English" in 1909, but it is still a challenging read to get into...at first.  By the end of the first chapter, especially if reading aloud, I found my brain and my tongue pretty well adapted to the style, and no longer had to read and re-read every other sentence to have it make sense!  It is well worth the effort. 

(An aside here...if American History is yet in the future for you and your students, strongly consider obtaining a copy of this book, and have your students begin it early, perhaps over the summer.  You will have a source of original "American truth," and can then use it as the standard by which you judge the material your purchased curriculum offers.)

Another fun, relaxed, and entertaining way to enjoy and focus on this special season of giving thanks is through a unique and free resource called "Homeschool Radio Shows."  Homeschool dad and entrepreneur, Jim Erskine, from Canmer, Kentucky, has long had a passion for old-time radio shows.  He's collected and catalogued hundreds (thousands?) of them, and makes them available at no charge to those who join his mailing list.  Right now, he has a couple of Thanksgiving-themed shows available for downloading.  You will receive links to a new show every week, and will, from time to time, be offered a collection of stories for a small price.  But they always maintain a wonderful weekly offering of free shows.  I have been a member of Jim's mailing list for many years now, and I've purchased a few of his marvelous collections.  The mp3 files can be burned to CD's, and we've enjoyed doing this in order to have wholesome listening entertainment during road-trips, or vacation days.  We love to gather around the CD/mp3 player during the colder months with a crackling fire, a sketch book or some hand-work, listening and laughing together.

However your homeschooling-through-high-school-family decides to bring its focus around to Thanksgiving, I pray that you will find the time and space in this busy season of life to simply do so!    

May God bless you and your homeschool this week!

Lori

 

Lori Havens has been married to Kevin for 24 years.  They live in Illinois with their two sons, Bryan (17) and Nathan (16), and dog Sunny (9).  Lori enjoys writing, gardening, reading, and the outdoors.  She is the author of "Should I Be A Nurse? A Journey of Self-Exploration for Those Considering a Career in Nursing" and  "7 Essential Questions Every Future Nurse Must Ask."     You can find her blogging at both Homeschool Blogger and Homestead Blogger  .

Home Economics...a class I never took in high school because I was in band...was part and parcel for young ladies in high school once upon a time.  Girls were taught how to cook meals, sew clothing, do laundry, etc.  Nowadays, few girls in the public school system receive such training.  If they do take what we might call "Home Ec" classes, they're more likely to be referred to by different names, such as "Applied Science: Foods," or "Consumer Education." 

A quick glance at the course catalog of my own local public high school shows such courses as, "Interior Design," "Fashion Merchandising," "Culinary Arts and Nutrition," "Food Science," "Child Development," "Parenting," "Adult Living/Personal Relationships."  ALL course descriptions provide the way that these courses will relate to a future college-major/course of study. 

A few years ago, my niece and her then-boyfriend (now husband) joined our family for Thanksgiving dinner.  I invited her to join me in the kitchen to help with some of the last minute tasks...I figured I would let her "show off" a little to this young man by showcasing her skill in the kitchen!  I realize that this is a VERY old-fashioned way of thinking...and this side of the family does not know Christ, does not value home-education, nor the "training up" of children for any purpose other than attending college so as to get the best possible job and make money so they can have a "good life."  Even so, I knew that men enjoy a good meal, and I was determined to set up a scenario where this potential husband-to-be would be impressed! 

 "Sweetie, come help your old aunt with dinner...can you make the mashed potatoes tonight?"  "Sure, I guess.  I've never made them before...what do I do?"  "Well, the potatoes are all in that big bowl...they're all washed, so just peel them, quarter them, and put them in that big pot of boiling water to cook."  "OK, how do I peel them?"  "The vegetable peeler is right there, see?"  "OK, I see it, but how do I peel them?"  "How do you peel them?  I'm sorry, do you prefer a paring knife to peel your potatoes?"  "A what-knife?"  "Sweetie, what do you like to use to peel a potato?"  "I don't know...I've never peeled a potato.  I don't know how." 

I showed her how to use a vegetable peeler and a knife on a potato; she chose the vegetable peeler, and began to work, slowly.  Her mother joined in to help speed things along, as did I, with my paring knife.  Once the potatoes were boiled, the two continued the impromptu cooking lesson, mother teaching daughter the art of adding milk, butter, salt, and pepper to get the perfect consistency.  Together, they hunted down and removed all the lumps left in the creamy masterpiece...a tragedy, in my opinion. My daddy always told us, "if there aren't any lumps in it you don't know they're real potatoes...the best made-from-scratch mashed potatoes ALWAYS have lumps, they're no good without the lumps!"

I pulled my niece aside and quietly told her, "you know, the lumps are OK...you don't always have to remove all the lumps!"  She surprised me by immediately going back over to her mom, and saying, "I'll take out the lumps...I am her daughter!"  "Good for you," I thought!  "And good for you, Mom...you taught her how to peel a potato and make edible food from it!"  Better late than never.  This was a 21 year old who considered putting a box of icy stuff in the microwave to be "cooking." 

The point of this isn't really to debate the best way to prepare mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving (that'll be next week's article).  Nor is it to criticize anyone who puts a frozen box of pasta in the microwave and calls it "cooking dinner," for I have done it myself on more than one occasion!  

What I desire to share is something most homeschool parents already realize, and that is the alarming inability, due to the simple lack of any training, of the average young adult in this country to manage a home in a healthy, financially responsible, and balanced manner.  Our young men and women are largely being "trained" for college entrance and career.  Within the homeschool community, I realize that there are widely varying opinions on the issue of career-women vs. home-keepers.  Therefore, I will not be going there!  Whichever side of that fence you fall on, I believe we can all agree that if our young people are blessed to enter into marriage and family, they will save themselves boatloads of emotional angst if both of them know how to: prepare food at home from scratch; buy just what they can afford and truly need rather than be attracted and drawn to excessive home decor that can only be purchased with credit and debt; sew simple articles of clothing rather than having to purchase everything at the store; repair fixable broken items rather than replacing them; give regularly to the work of the church and save some of their income on a regular basis rather than spending every penny that comes in on "wants" -- as opposed to needs.  

This is the "art" and "science" of home economics.  Parents of homeschooling high school students...I would beg you, do not ignore this most important area of "study," even if one or more of your students is a college-bound guy, as is one of mine.  Curricula abound out there, if you desire this, or you can simply bring them alongside you when you cook dinner, make a sandwich, do the laundry, scrub down a bathtub, or clean a toilet.  

Inge Cannon of Education Plus has a wonderful recommendation in her "Transcript Bootcamp" program...she says to give your teenage children a copy of their "Emancipation Proclamation."  This is a list of life-skills which you create that are required of your young people before you will issue them their high school diploma...no matter how many course credits they've earned! Whether or not you create a home-economics course out of the accomplishment of this list is up to you.  Either way, what a wonderful gift of learning and life we impart if we put this idea into practice!  

A couple of weeks ago, I introduced one of my favorite books by Edith Schaeffer to you.  This week I'd like to introduce another one: The Hidden Art of Homemaking.   As with the other book, Mrs. Schaeffer's writing can be a bit dificult to "get into" at first because of stylistic choices she makes, but the content is so wonderful, it's worth the time and little bit of effort! 

In closing, let's share a few verses from God's word which can focus our children's studies and practices in the area of home economics:

Proverbs 31:27  "She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness."

I Timothy 6:6-10  "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

I Timothy 6:17-19  "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life."

I Peter 3:7  "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered."

I Thessalonians 4:11-12  "And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; that ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing."

May God bless you and your homeschool this week!

Lori

 

Lori Havens has been married to Kevin for 24 years.  They live in Illinois with their two sons, Bryan (17) and Nathan (16), and dog Sunny (9).  Lori enjoys writing, gardening, reading, and the outdoors.  She is the author of "Should I Be A Nurse? A Journey of Self-Exploration for Those Considering a Career in Nursing" and  "7 Essential Questions Every Future Nurse Must Ask."     You can find her blogging at both Homeschool Blogger and Homestead Blogger  .

This week's entry will be brief (perhaps a welcome alteration from my usual ramblings for some of you busy homeschool moms!).  As always, the homeschool high school does not typically have a lot of "room" for "extra projects" or holiday crafts.  So what to do about Veteran's Day in relation to my blog's focus, homeschooling through high school?

It is my personal opinion (and ONLY my personal opinion) that one of the greatest gifts this country can give to our veterans is to teach our children the history of our nation's battles.  The very fact that the Korean War is nick-named "The Forgotton War" belies the lack of intentionality which most American's apply to their study of American history. 

Philosopher, poet, literary and cultural critic George Santayana is known to have penned, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”  In the grand scheme of world history, America is but a babe of a nation.  In comparison with, say, Europe or Asia, we here in America really don't have that much history to remember!    Homeschool moms and dads, as I reflect upon Veteran's Day, we owe it to the brave men and women who have fought and/or died in service to this great nation of which we have been blessed to be a part, to teach our children their history, and to teach it to them well.  Require a deep consideration of history at this, the high school level.  And, most importantly, unfold our nation's history...our world's history...by looking at it from the overarching viewpoint and plan of the Author of human history.  It is, afterall, HIS-story.

 

I have recommended it before, and I'll recommend it again:  the best history curriculum for high school that I have come across is Diana Waring's "History ALIVE!"  Beginning with Creation and ending with the VietNam War, the curriculum is a three year tour through the history of the world ALL presented in a format that is glued to the Guiding Hand of God as presented in the Bible.  You and your students will learn to see His purpose in each and every event for achieving His desires for His people, all laid out in Scripture.  In the process, you will cover history, literature, composition, geography, art and architecture...even cooking!  Every learning style is accomodated with Diana's coursework, and the course is a dynamic learning experience. 

Give a veteran an important gift during these important years in your homeschool.  Give a veteran a young adult who comprehends the gift that our veterans have given us.

May God bless you and your homeschool this week!

Lori

 

Lori Havens has been married to Kevin for 24 years.  They live in Illinois with their two sons, Bryan (17) and Nathan (16), and dog Sunny (9).  Lori enjoys writing, gardening, reading, and the outdoors.  She is the author of "Should I Be A Nurse? A Journey of Self-Exploration for Those Considering a Career in Nursing" and  "7 Essential Questions Every Future Nurse Must Ask."     You can find her blogging at both Homeschool Blogger and Homestead Blogger  .

I've had quite a week.  So much so that this blog entry is being turned in late...sorry, Tia.  Though the theme for this week's articles is "sickness," I am better prepared to write about something like, "When Appliance Breakdowns Interrupt." 

First the refrigerator died.  Two days later, the oven died.  Two hours after the oven repair man left the house, my kitchen sink backed up.  Of course, it was after 5:00pm, so we just had to leave it that way.  Fortunately, I had a jar of enzyme drain cleaner, which I dumped down the drain and taped off the area so no one would accidentally turn on the faucet over the next 12 hours.  It worked!  That's one more service call bill we won't have.  We are thankful for that!

But that's not what I'm supposed to write about today!  Actually, I had my post 90% finished on Monday...but I broke the most important rule that we ALL know, and that is to hit the "Save" button periodically...just in case.  I didn't do it, and for some unknown reason, my computer screen blinked, I lost the internet connection, and the whole article was gone.  Told you it's been a rough week.

But sometimes, when these things happen, there's something better waiting at the end of them.  Not always, but sometimes.  The Lord has led me to share something completely different now than what I had originally written.  (Hold on just a second while I hit the "Save As Draft" button...!!!)

We have a lot of experience with chronic illness in my family.  One of my children has type 1 diabetes (Juvenile diabetes), and also suffered from childhood migraines.  The combination of the two conditions  landed him in the emergency room a few times, but mostly caused a 12 to 16 hour seige of intense blood sugar monitoring, nausea and vomiting, and pain.  A few months after we had him annointed and prayed over for healing by our elders, the Lord was gracious in relieving the severity of the headaches, and they are all but gone now...Praise You, God!!!  But there were several years of his suffering prior to that blessed happening. 

The interruption to our homeschool was difficult in some ways, but God has taught us so very much through it all!  One of the things that He used is a book by Edith Schaeffer titled, "What Is A Family?"  Some of Mrs. Schaeffer's books I find a little difficult to read.  She reminds me of the Apostle Paul sometimes in that she can construct some very long sentences in which it is easy to get lost!  But I love her writing, and this book is a favorite.  

In "What Is A Family?," there is a chapter titled, "A Shelter in the Time of Storm."  This chapter helped me to find a way to deal with what had been some very dark and anxiety-ridden days.  When we look at illness--whether it is acute and short-lived or chronic--and our homeschool high school, it is my humble opinion that we need to keep the paradigm that Mrs. Schaeffer suggests in our sights. Allow me to share some of her thoughts:

 

"When illness hits we should remember that this period of time is part of the whole of life.  This is not just a non-time to be shoved aside, but a portion of time that counts.  It is part of the well person's life, as well as part of the sick person's life.  'In sickness and in health' is a promise made, it seems to me, to recognize that the time which sickness takes is part of the married life, part of the family life; and the time which health takes is another part of the married lifetime and the family lifetime.  There is an importance attached to the use of the whole span of time which means that creativity, imagination, work, appropriate contribution, blending of talents, and pitching in to do whatever needs to be done, applies to periods of sickness as well as periods of health--periods of tragedy as well as periods of special happiness.  We are to recognize that to waste this time is as much a loss as wasting a time we might think of as the height of productivity."

"A family should be a training place for growing human beings to know how to care for a great variety of sicknesses and for people who have just had accidents or operations, because each one has received both knowledgeable and loving care and has watched it being given to others.  The knowledge of what is necessary for basic care (and what is added thoughtfulness to make the time more bearable) should be absorbed through years of living in a family."

Homeschooling our children isn't a sprint, it's a marathon.  We can adjust our pace as necessary, slowing down here, speeding up there, and still arrive at the finish line in good time.  That which is learned along the way is more important than the number of days it takes us to learn it, in the end.  When illness interrupts your homeschool high school, use it  as a time to pause, to pray, and to teach the art of compassion through simple acts of caring. 

Jesus taught, "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."  (Matthew 25:34-40)

When illness strikes your homeschool, relax about the lesson plans.  Set aside the schedule.  Back to Mrs. Schaeffer:

 "He is the One who also points out that when we have cared for the very least of the sick ones or thirsty ones, we have cared directly for Him.  How better could we use our time than caring for Jesus?  If we are losing time (which we had set aside for something we thought very important) in order to care for a sick person's comfort, we are promised we will find something amazing one day when Jesus thanks us for caring for Him!"

May God bless you and your homeschool this week!

Lori

PS. I encourage you to read the other Company Front Porch bloggers' articles about sickness...each of us have come at it from different angles, and the ideas and stories shared are applicable to all ages and stages of homeschool! 

 

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