November 19, 2009 - The Meaning of The 12 Days of Christmas
At Christmas time, people sing the song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," but few know of the rich Christmas symbols behind the words of the song. They often think that "The Twelve Days of Christmas" as the days preceding the Christmas holiday. In reality, Epiphany is the time of the Christian celebration that starts December 25 and lasts until January 6, a duration of 12 days. This marks the Church's celebration of Jesus as the Light of the world and its remembrance of the pilgrimage of the three wise men.
Beginning December 25 until January 6, each day was a part of the Christmas celebration. As a time to show mercy and compassion, each day was spent by doing selfless acts of giving and loving generosity. Other cultures show that gift giving was not entirely done on a single day, but in fact, as the carol goes, spread throughout the entire Christmas season.
The Church in England was prohibited from practicing their faith openly or in private from 1558 until 1829. It was then that "The Twelve Days of Christmas" song was written to be sung in public without fear of imprisonment. It became a type of catechism. The words to the song are an allegory with two meanings: the literal meaning and the figurative meaning known only to Christian followers.
Each word in the song represents something in a religious context. God is represented as "true love." "Me" symbolizes the members called upon to receive these gifts as a Christian. The partridge in a pear tree given on the first day as a symbol of Jesus Christ coming to save mankind.
 Try and discover the meaning of the remaining days as you go over the words to the song:
On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me A partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Eleven pipers piping, Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Twelve drummers drumming, Eleven pipers piping, Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
How did you do?
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Copyright Stephen Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article as long as you don't make any changes and include the bio below.
Kerry Beck offers free advent calendars with daily Christmas projects to prepare you for Christmas. You will discover a lot about Epiphanythrough her projects. You can get her FREE Advent Calendar countdown at http://www.ChristmasCelebrationIdeas.com.
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Nov. 17, 2009 - Counting down until Thanksgiving Break!
School has been going pretty good this year. Right now I'm behind on grading papers, but tonight or tomorrow night I'll get caught up with that. I'm almost done making assignments until Thanksgiving break. I'm going to have the kids do school on Monday and somewhat on Tuesday. It will be more of "holiday school". We'll be shopping for food items, reading Thanksgiving books and watching holiday movies, but it will also be a catch-up day for my high schoolers if they need it, and they probably will.
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Nov. 2, 2009 - The Simple Woman's Daybook
Posted By momto4beauties
For Today.... November 2, 2009
Outside My Window...beautiful autumn sunshine and not too cold weather as I had first thought this morning. It's perfect outside!
I am thinking...I am frustrated with a lot of things right now and am trying not to be bitter.
I am thankful for...my daughters. They are a daily blessing to me. I get to hear their laughter and giggles, play with them and talk with them. They are my daily companions and joy.
I am wearing...jeans, my Woodchuck t-shirt, ankle socks and my tennis shoes. Comfy!!
I am remembering...things from autumns past..activities with friends and memories made.
In the kitchen...nuttin' right now, but am planning on gf pizza for tonight.
I am reading...several things: college stuff, my TOS magazine, as well as medical stuff for myself to address with my endo in December. Ugh.
I am hoping...for me to cheer up sometime soon.
I am hearing...the dogs barking next door and my girls playing out in the backyard.
Around the house...are many things to be done. More on my 'unfinished' list. lol!
One of my favorite things...sunshine..any time of the year! But I love to see the colors of the trees this time of year and try to hang on to it as long as I can, before the barreness comes for winter.
Plans for the rest of the week...homeschool, continuing with my workouts, Awanas, and possibly homeschool gym.
A picture thought I am sharing.... the picture says it all. Beautiful.
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Oct. 10, 2009 - I have moved
Posted By John8ThirtyTwo
September 3, 2009 - Only 43 Spaces Left For Tonight's Webinar!
As of this morning, only 43 spaces remain for tonight's COMPLIMENTARY
webinar about "Start School Right This Year!"
I've been helping parents develop a love of learning & a firm foundation of Biblical character in their children for years. I want to share these ideas with you so your school year gets off to the right start.
That is why I am hosting a FREE, LIVE WEBINAR called
"Start School Right This Year", TONIGHT at 6pm Pacific
During tonight's webinar, I will reveal how you can use classics to mentor your kids and develop godly leaders for the future . . . strategies that you can take and use IMMEDIATELY after the webinar!
This WEBINAR is absolutely free. You will be able to see and hear me on your computer, but you must register NOW to lock-in your spot!
http://budurl.com/rlnf
Here are just a few secrets I will be revealing...
- How to make this school year different & BETTER from all the years in the past ...
- How to develop a LOVE of LEARNING in your kids ... at all ages!
- 3 ways you can instill leadership characteristics before the age of 10
- A SPECIFIC strategy you can use at home to encourage a LOVE of learning in your own family.
- How you can use classics with your kids and develop critical thinking skills
- How & why a Biblical worldview is imperative to give your own students.
- How to transition from teacher-directed homeschool to a more independent student-directed homeschool
Bottom Line...
On this 70-minute Webinar, you'll discover how to give your kids the tools of learning so they can think Biblically & critically as a leader of tomorrow.
You can get the full story here:
http://budurl.com/rlnf
Warmly,
Kerry Beck
P.S. - I have never taught this updated information to the general public before. I wanted you to be the first to hear one of the biggest education secrets!
P.S.S. - I have something VERY special cooked up for those who attend the webinar LIVE. It will be worth your while to be on.
You can get the full story here:
http://budurl.com/rlnf |
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September 2, 2009 - Free Homeschooling Resources So Your Kids Learn How to Think
 Leadership training and education is one of several instructional strategies that help raise your children to be leaders of the future, entrepreneurs in business, elders/deacons in the church, statesmen in the community - who do the right thing. These are the leaders who will make a change in our society. My plan is to use home schooling curriculum so my own children will be excellent leaders of the future.
You may wonder why one child gets an education to become a leader and someone else receives training to follow. It really depends on the instructional strategies that are used in your home schooling curriculum. A child who learns “how to think” will become the leader of tomorrow. When a young man or woman can think outside the box, when they can think on their own, and apply their knowledge to real life situations, then he or she will become the leaders of tomorrow, rising to do what is right thing.
How do you train children to think? What homeschooling resources can you use. . . for free?
Andrew Kern, of Circe Institute, says the quality of questions you ask determines the quality of your life. Leaders have been brought up learning to ask the right questions. They do not simply think on literal terms; they think beyond the literal, evaluating and analyzing issues.
Asking questions of your students is free and easy, as well as extremely effective instructional strategy. What a terrific homeschooling resource! Questions should allow your children time to think and ponder. Your responsibility is deciding which question are the best ones to ask and leading a discussion with your students.
When questions are asked, decisions must be made. As your students answer questions, they develop the habit of making good decisions. Sometimes good decisions must be made with the mentor’s guidance. Therefore, give your students plenty of practice answering questions with you at their side. Classics are a great place to start your questioning.
Choose a classic book on your students’ reading level. Have them read the book daily and write down their thoughts about the book. Once or twice a week you, as the teacher and mentor, lead a Socratic discussion. Begin by asking simple, literal questions to give your students confidence in participating.
Once you set the stage with simple questions, start asking questions of comparison. Compare two different characters or settings. List the ideas on the board to generate more discussion. Most of all, be careful that you, as the mentor, do not answer your own questions. When there is no answer for your question, rephrase your question and wait for your students to respond. Silence is great at allowing our children to think on their own.
Leadership training is absolutely necessary as one of today’s instructional strategies. Questions and discussions are the beginning point of educating our children to be leaders who can think on their own.
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Copyright Kerry Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article, as long as you don’t make any changes and include the bio below.
Kerry Beck is the author of Raising Leaders, Not Followers and Teach Your Children “How to Think” with Mentoring, which outlines ways you can lead profitable, Socratic discussions and mentor your children to become a leader who rules wisely. She would like to give you a free report & workshop about Home Schooling Curriculum at http://www.raising-leaders.com/.
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September 2, 2009 - How to Homeschool for Life
Education is a life-long activity. To become an excellent leader, your children must always learn new ideas and concepts. These formidable years in your home are a wonderful and exciting time to provide a love of life-long learning. Use these learning strategies as you discover better ways how to homeschool.
Not only does an early love of learning prepare your children for future leadership, it also prepares them for independent studies in their near future. Those students who enjoy learning are one step ahead with studying on their own. Since independent studies are a major goal in leadership education, you must provide the pre-requisite while your children are young. Do you children love to learn?
Providing an environment that encourages education is the first step to building a pattern of lifetime learning. As a way of forming that environment, your home schooling curriculum should include plenty of books, arts & crafts supplies, science kits, and educational games. Of course, these items should be easily accessible to your children so that learning is part of playing.
A learning-friendly environment also includes time to enjoy reading, creating, playing and dreaming. Your schedule should allow time to develop character through work, but also include time for learning. Find a balance in your daily schedule between the development of character and a love of learning.
One of the best ways to develop a strong desire for lifetime education is reading aloud as a family. Choose a quality classic your children will enjoy and read it aloud everyday. In the beginning, simply read for pleasure. Allow your children the opportunity to interact with excellent books. Once your children see pleasure in books, you should discuss the ideas found within the story. Not only will your children start to learn from read alouds, they will also grow in wisdom as they contemplate the questions you pose.
Building a love of learning is essential to prepare your children for life-long learning and to become wise leaders. Your home schooling curriculum should utilize teaching techniques that encourage a love for learning.
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Copyright Kerry Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article, as long as you don’t make any changes and include the bio below.
Kerry Beck helps parents develop a love of learning in their kids as she teaches how to homeschool. She has a free workshop with learning strategies you can use at this link http://www.Raising-Leaders.com. |
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September 1, 2009 - Why Homeschool to Develop Godly Character
Before I can develop leadership in my own children, I needed to evaluate their character. Character is foundational to be a wise leader and that answers the question "why homeschool" in our family. Wisdom and virtue are absolute necessities for leaders who change the world in a positive manner. Perseverance and a healthy work ethic must be in place for your children to think and study on their own. These must be evident in your home schooling curriculum too.
I have always wanted my children to have strong character in the Lord. My desire to raise leaders for the future encouraged me to re-evaluate my children’s strengths and weaknesses.
Take a look at your own children and determine what should be furthered in their character development and what needs to be weeded out. Begin to push your children to persevere in the face of adversity. Taking small steps now with integrity, dignity, and honesty lays a foundation for adult life.
Last, but not certainly not least, is the development of wisdom. One of the best ways to develop wisdom is to ask questions on a regular basis. Questions about your family’s readings are a fantastic place to start. As you ask questions and provide opportunities to think, your children start walking down the road to wisdom. Wisdom must be cultivated and you are the perfect one to do this for your child.
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Copyright Kerry Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article, as long as you don’t make any changes and include the bio below.
Kerry Beck, author of Raising Leaders, Not Followers, has a free workshop about how to homeschool. You can get your workshop at http://www.raising-leaders.com/. |
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August 31, 2009 - How to Start School Right this Year
I love the start of a new school year. It is a great time to really think through
and evaluate how I want this year to be better for my kids than last year.
I also love helping parents to overcome problems homeschoolers face
each year and showing them how to start school on the
right foot...so this year is the best year ever.
I'd like to invite you to a LIVE webinar
I am holding THIS Thusday, September 3...
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Start School Right This Year Webinar
Thusday, September 3, 2009 at 6pm (Pacific Time).
=================================
It's complimentary - especially for you, my customers and
subscribers.
How's that for a deal!
http://budurl.com/rlnf
On this groundbreaking free event, using the latest webinar
technology, I will reveal tips & strategies to give your
kids a superior education where they will learn how to think
critically & Biblically . . . for life.
I will be sharing tips that you can take and use
IMMEDIATELY after the webinar!
BUT, most importantly...I will reveal how you can use
a love of learning, mentoring and classics to train your kids
to become leaders of tomorrow - Godly leaders who will change
the world!
Plus not only will you be able to HEAR me, but you'll also SEE
and WATCH it happening in real time on your computer screen,
complete with real examples! (And it doesn't
matter what connection speed you have or even if you have a PC or
Mac.)
In case you may be wondering what a webinar is or why you
should join me on my " Start School Right "
webinar Thursday night, let me assure you it is simply a complimentary
class that you watch on your computer....at no cost to you!
Your children deserve more, so take it a step further this year and give
them the ability to lead others well and make wise decisions as a
mom/dad, husband/wife, employee, entrepreneur, church member, or
neighbor
I only have 400 spots for this event. So it's a SURE BET this
webinar will FILL completely.
Claim your spot here while you can:
http://budurl.com/rlnf
Don't delay and kick yourself later.
Sincerely,
Kerry Beck
P.S. - I have never taught this updated class before. I am adding
new information from the last 2 years of homeschooling.
P.S.S. - I have something VERY special cooked up for those who
attend the webinar LIVE. It will be worth your while to be on
this webinar, I guarantee it!
http://budurl.com/rlnf |
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Aug. 26, 2009 - High School Courses
I have two in high school this year. There are the courses they are taking.
Zarek 10th Grade
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English II - A Beka
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Spanish II – with FLVS online
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Psychology – with FLVS online
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Life Management – with FLVS online
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World History II - A Beka and Sonlight
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World Literature - A Beka and Sonlight
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Bible - A Beka and Experiencing God Bible Study
- Health - A Beka
- Chemistry - Apologia
- Geometry - Teaching Textbooks
Alexis 9th Grade
- English I - A Beka
- Pre Algebra - Teaching Textbooks
- Bible - A Daughter's Worth, Experiencing God and Precept Isaiah
- Hebrew History (Old Testament) - A Beka
- Physical Science - A Beka
- World History II - A Beka and Sonlight
- World Geography - A Beka
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