His Abiding Love

• Dec. 12, 2009 - Let it Snow!

Posted By Susie-Q
We are toasty warm tonight, thanks to a "new" woodstove.  Hubby purchased it locally through a Craigslist ad and spent the last couple of weeks working through the installment and inspection process.

I took a few (emphasis on few) photos of the installation.  I wish I'd gotten more "before and after" pics, because he really  made it look like new.  Oh, I should add that he also removed the light fixture that hung over this area (you can see a bit of it in the second picture) and installed a new one further away from the stove.

Here's the dura-rock stuff that went under the hearth:

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And here's the heat shield going up:

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Here's a really dark shot of the heat shields installed (along with the installation mess).  He did all the ceiling/roof chimney work himself:

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Neatened up a bit:

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A "Before" shot of the back of the stove:

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I thought using the portable hydraulic jack (that orange and white thing) to move the (very heavy!) stove into place was a brilliant idea on his part.

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Rust removal...

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The finished product!

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Isn't he handsome?

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• Dec. 9, 2009 - Brimful

Posted By Susie-Q
We got snow this week, which was a nice surprise so early in the season.   I like living in a place where the snow melts not too terribly long after it lands.  With warmer temperatures today, the snow melted into rivulets and rushing streams between the three ponds, and when my daughters ventured out to feed the poultry this morning, they were surprised and delighted to find the third pond full to the brim for the first time!

Hubby's runoff system is working excellently, as you can see.

Here is the third pond:

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Compare to a picture of the pond before the snowstorm:

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That's a lot of runoff!

It carved rivulets into the soft ground around the pond:

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Here is the water rushing toward the third pond (that's our neighbor's horse shed in the distance):
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Here's the water rushing around the third pond's dam.

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And we flow "gently down the stream" through the low-lying area between Pond 3 and Pond 2...

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...at the end of which the water rushes into Pond 2...

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...which, as you can see, is also brimful.

The water rushes out of Pond 2 here...

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...where it joins with the runoff that streams from the neighbor's property to ours.

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It flows behind the dam...

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...and through the pipes under the driveway...

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...into Pond 1.

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Pond 1's runoff system is also working beautifully.  The overflow runs in channels around either side of the dam.

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Here it comes!

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It joins with the overflow from the pipe hubby installed in the dam here...

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...and flows into the neighbor's woods as it always has from time immemorial.  Well, as it did before hubby built the ponds, anyway.

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Works like a charm!
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• Dec. 1, 2009 - A, B, C, D, & F Too Hard for Parents?

Posted By Gena Suarez, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Apparently the Spokane School system thinks letter grades are the cause of ongoing problems with communicating how a child is doing in their subjects. Numbers on the other hand make everything clear. Read the article to find out how.

I have nothing against numbers, and I have nothing in favor of letters--as grades, but the problem the Spokane schools are hoping to solve won't be cured because of their preference for numbers over letters. They could do the exact same report card using the letter system. Nor will telling parents how their children are doing after the term help. Parents need to know how their children are doing during the term. Unfortunately many teachers never communicate that at all and leave it to the report card to do their "dirty" work for them.

Just a few weeks ago I spoke with a mom whose son had been placed in a new school. She thought her son was doing well. She had signed up to be a substitute teacher's aide and one day she was called in to help in the remedial math class. She was shocked to find her son in it. At first she thought he'd lost his way or something, but he soon let her know that this was his math class. It was a rough day for her as she waited for the day to end to find out the answers as to why her son was in this special class and why hadn't she or her husband ever been told?

While the parent should always be the one to keep tabs on their children and not leave it up to the teachers to relay how a student is doing, parents have been conditioned to believe that they have put their children in safe hands and that until they are notified, by report card, everything is fine and dandy.

Communication among parents and teachers is bound to get worse, not better, no matter what grading system is used as long as parents continue to blindly follow the blind.

Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB
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• Nov. 29, 2009 - Coloring Pages to Accompany Advent Readings

Posted By Mom@HWTK in Links

 

 

I found these at Calvary Chapel's website!

Bible Coloring Pages

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• Nov. 28, 2009 - Preparing for Christmas- Scripture Study

Posted By Mom@HWTK in My View

We have done some of the free online Jesse Tree readings and studied the symbols for the past two years, but this year I wanted to do something a little different. So I've made up my own schedule of readings for the season.  Given more time, I'd like to find a few more Psalms or other praise verses to add, but I wanted to get the list completed before December was upon us!

 

Here's our schedule for 2009:

Suggested Family Reading Schedule for Advent (23 days)

Day

  Selected Scripture

1

Isaiah 11:1-10

 

2

Isaiah 9:2-7

 

3

Isaiah 65:17-25

 

4

John 1:1-18

 

5-11

Luke 1:1-80  (divide into daily readings as follows: 1:1-7, 8-17, 26-37, 38-45, 46-55, 56-65, 66-80)

 

12-15

Luke 2:1-40   (divide into daily readings as follows: 2:1-7, 8-20, 21-33, 34-40)

 

16

Matthew 1:18-25

 

17-18

Matthew 2:1-23   (divide into daily readings as follows: 2:1-12, 13-23)

 

19

1 John 5:11,  John 6:39-40 

 

20

1 John 1:1-7

 

21

Titus 3:3-6,  John 17:2-4 

 

22

Psalm 96

For those who want to use the King James Version, I actually copied the passages from BibleGateway.com and made a little booklet.  Here's the text version:

 

Selected Readings for Advent -2009

Isaiah 11

 1And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

 2And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

 3And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

 4But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

 5And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

 6The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

 7And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

 8And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

 9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

 10And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

Isaiah 9:2-7

 2The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

 3Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

 4For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.

 5For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.

 6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

 7Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

 

Isaiah 65:17-25

17For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

 18But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

 19And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.

 20There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.

 21And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.

 22They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

 23They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.

 24And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

 25The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

 

John 1

 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

 2The same was in the beginning with God.

 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

 4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

 5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

 6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

 7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

 8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

 9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

 10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

 11He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

 12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

 14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

 15John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

 16And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.

 17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

 18No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

 

Luke 1

 1Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,

 2Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

 3It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

 4That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

 5THERE was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

 6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

 7And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

 8And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,

 9According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

 10And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

 11And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

 12And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

 13But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

 14And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

 15For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

 16And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

 17And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

 18And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

 19And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

 20And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

 21And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.

 22And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

 23And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

 24And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

 25Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

 26And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

 27To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

 28And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

 29And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

 30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

 31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

 32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

 33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

 34Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

 35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

 36And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

 37For with God nothing shall be impossible.

 38And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

 39And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;

 40And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

 41And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

 42And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

 43And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

 44For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

 45And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

 46And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

 47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

 48For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

 49For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

 50And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

 51He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

 52He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

 53He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

 54He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;

 55As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

 56And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

 57Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.

 58And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.

 59And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.

 60And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.

 61And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.

 62And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.

 63And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.

 64And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.

 65And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

 66And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.

 67And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

 68Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

 69And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

 70As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

 71That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

 72To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

 73The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

 74That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

 75In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

 76And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

 77To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,

 78Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

 79To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

 80And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

Luke 2

 1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

 2(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

 3And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

 5To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

 6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

 7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

 8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

 9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

 10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

 12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

 14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

 15And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

 16And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

 17And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

 18And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

 19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

 20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

 21And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

 22And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;

 23(As it is written in the law of the LORD, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)

 24And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

 25And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

 26And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

 27And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

 28Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

 29Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

 30For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

 31Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

 32A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

 33And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.

 34And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;

 35(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

 36And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;

 37And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

 38And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

 39And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

 40And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

 

Matthew 1

18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

 19Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.

 20But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

 21And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

 22Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

 23Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

 24Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

 25And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Matthew 2

 1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

 2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

 3When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

 4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

 5And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

 6And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

 7Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

 8And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

 9When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

 11And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

 12And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

 13And when they were de

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• Nov. 27, 2009 - Currclick's Sale Starts at 10 on Friday

Posted By Mom@HWTK
CurrClick

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• Nov. 24, 2009 - NEA Puts Power Ahead of Kids

Posted By Gena Suarez, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
It's really no surprise to anyone ever that the NEA was more interested in protecting its power than educating children. What is surprising is that they actually feel confident enough in their power to admit it. Here's the NEA's General Counsel admitting as much in his retirement speech this past summer.
"Despite what some among us would like to believe it is not because of our creative ideas. It is not because of the merit of our positions. It is not because we care about children and it is not because we have a vision of a great public school for every child. NEA and its affiliates are effective advocates because we have power....

This is not to say that the concern of NEA and its affiliates with closing achievement gaps, reducing dropout rates, improving teacher quality and the like are unimportant or inappropriate. To the contrary. These are the goals that guide the work we do. But they need not and must not be achieved at the expense of due process, employee rights and collective bargaining. That simply is too high a price to pay.

(View YouTube video on this subject here.)


If you're a parent with children in the public schools you can voice your objections here. But the best way to object is by removing your children from their schools. Without your children they have no real power.

In a related story, future teachers in Minnesota are being "reducated" and become "culturally competent"

Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin
in order to obtain a teacher certificate.

-Spunky

Cross-posted, with permission, from SpunkyHomeSchool

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• Nov. 20, 2009 - Joshua's Bible Reading Challenge

Posted By fulltime mama

My husband Fabio challenged our oldest son Joshua (7yo) to read through the whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.

Joshua likes to read. A lot. He generally reads about 2-3 hours a day, and goes through books like water. We have always been very careful about what he reads, but Fabio still thought he could and should be spending more time reading God's Word. So, he told him that if he finished reading the Bible through before we left for Brazil, he would buy him a watch that he had been wanting. That was on September 8th, of this year!

I was skeptical. I was afraid he would be too overwhelmed and get discouraged. But Fabio believed he could do it! That first day, he finished reading Genesis, and I thought, "Well, maybe!"

He put his other beloved books aside for the most part and took his Bible with him everywhere. He spent naptime reading the Bible and time riding in the car. He would fall asleep at night on the floor in front of the crack in the door where he had been reading his Bible.

Fabio had him keep a log of what he read each day, and we questioned him about it frequently to make sure he was really digesting and not skipping anything! We continually reminded him that, while it would be nice to get the watch, the most important treasure he would get was God's Word hidden in his heart, and what we hope will become a life-long habit of Bible reading.

He hit a lull after he got to the New Testament, for some reason. He just lost motivation for a couple of weeks and stopped reading so much. We encouraged him to keep going, without forcing him to do it. And, eventually, he regained momentum and finished the last page of Revelation on November 15th, just over two months from the time he started!

We are proud of you, Joshua!



















Someone asked me today how we did this? I decided to include my answer here. :-)

First of all, we cannot take credit for the mind the Lord has given him and the grace of God on his life. We thank God for what HE is doing in Joshua's life.

But, if I were to boil it down to three things we may have done to encourage him in this area, it would be:

1) Read lots of book. From birth on, we have always read a lot of books and all of my children love reading. Yes, even Johann. :)

2) Not indulge in much media entertainment. We don't have a tv, and we greatly limit movies we watch. No video games either. There is a lot of research that has been done showing how these types of media (regardless of wholesome content or not), greatly effect the brain's ability to "picture" what one reads in a book, and also is detrimental to attention span development, etc.

3) When it comes to God's Word, children learn a lot from what they see modeled in their parents, when they love the Bible and read it daily, talking about it enthusiastically and teaching it to their children.
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• Nov. 18, 2009 - Homeschoolers and Health Care

Posted By Gena Suarez, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
For all my homeschooling friends who think ObamaCare will solve their financial and health insurance woes, think again. It may give you temporary relief for your financial headache, but it may also invite government nannies into your home to improve your child's well-being and health.

HR 3200 that passed the House of Representatives, currently has a provision for funding states that implement a "voluntary" home visitation program for parents with young children or who are expecting. (See Sec. 1904 sec. 440)
The intended purpose is to " improve the well-being, health, and development of children by enabling the establishment and expansion of high quality programs providing voluntary home visitation for families with young children and families expecting children."
In America we used to believe that was the role of the parent, but now it's the role of our benevolent and compassionate Uncle Sam. A gaze over the Atlantic will show us exactly where we're headed,
"Health and safety inspectors are to be given unprecedented access to family homes to ensure that parents are protecting their children from household accidents.

New guidance drawn up at the request of the Department of Health urges councils and other public sector bodies to “collect data” on properties where children are thought to be at “greatest risk of unintentional injury”.

Council staff will then be tasked with overseeing the installation of safety devices in homes, including smoke alarms, stair gates, hot water temperature restrictors, oven guards and window and door locks.

The draft guidance by a committee at the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) has been criticised as intrusive and further evidence of the “creeping nanny state”.

Where are the safety devices for the "creeping nanny" who keeps sticking her nose into our personal lives?

Why homeschoolers support this bill or President Obama is beyond my understanding.

-Spunky

Cross-posted, with permission, from SpunkyHomeSchool

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• Nov. 16, 2009 - State Mandated Parental Interference

Posted By Gena Suarez, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Mike Huckabee, Chuck Norris, and Michael Farris talk about how the new health care bill that will allow the government to enter our homes and tell us how to parent our own children.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSqmDC28jPk

You can read Chuck Norris' article about the bill on World Net Daily.

Huckabee, Norris, and Farris also discuss how international law may be used to judge a case on juvenile heinous crimes instead of American law. This is important for homeschoolers to know because because the international law that may be used is from Europe and Europe has made the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child. So Europe is telling us how we have to judge our juvenile criminals and that can lead to telling us how we have to raise our children as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrtiEAC1wlk&NR=1

Hat tip to Lisa Barthuly

Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB
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