Dec. 16, 2009 - Background Checks for Homeschoolers?
World Net Daily reports that just may become the case for British parents who wish to homeschool their children. The law stems, in part, to a problem that some parents are using homeschooling as a way to disguise abuse. However, what the law doesn't stipulate is what is required to pass a background check, it invades the rights and privacy of parents, and presumes them guilty until proven innocent.
As I've said before, there are already laws in place--in both Britain and the U.S.--in regards to child abuse. Government agencies are refusing to back those laws up. While there are several homeschool parents in Britain who are in agreement with making tighter restrictions on themselves in order to get rid of the few who give them a bad name, they need to recognize that this bill isn't really about protecting them. It's about a government trying to find ways to slow homeschooling down--period. Find out which parties and agencies are backing this bill and I think you'll find they aren't, and never have been, friendly to homeschooling.
Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB
Dec. 16, 2009 - Homeschooling Through High School ~ The Beginning of Wisdom (Part 2 of 2)
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.
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!
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 .
Dec. 16, 2009 - Taming the Gifting Chaos
Whatever tips or traditions we employ, the goal is to remind ourselves and our children that the packages we give are just our way of celebrating the Savior and remembering the greatest gift ever--the gift of Jesus Christ!
Domestic Chaos Tamer and Homeschool Mom of Five, Dell writes about home, heart and hearth.
December 15, 2009 - Feeling much better today.
I'm doing much better today than my last post. 
I didn't get to sleep in too much today, only about 20 minutes, but it was nice. Then my schedule was just thrown out the window. 
There were some things I needed to talk to Sarah about, teenage girl things. Nothing major at first, but the conversation ended up being about 2 hours long. 
It was well needed, and worth it, but of course that put our day behind two hours. Oh well. I just kept moving through the day, not worrying about the time. I didn't have anywhere to go, the kids knew the work they had to do, and I still got to rest a bit.
Since I didn't have to go anywhere, I decided to make a meatloaf dinner. By the time the afternoon came around, I really didn't want to make the dinner. I was tired, didn't want to have to work, or take the time to clean up after working with the meat. But since it was already defrosted, I did it. And you know what, I had a great time. Once I started working, didn't feel rushed because I just walked in or anything like that, it was fun. I ended up really making a nice spread. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn, salad, shredded some cheese for the salad (something I don't normally do) and sliced some green onions for Paul's salad, because I know he likes them (again something I don't normally do). I set the table, had everything ready for when Paul got cleaned up, and we all sat down to a lovely meal. Not rushed, not thrown together, but a planned out, full meal. It was so nice. And I said something to Paul about, "See what happens when I'm home." To which he said, "I like it when you are home." 
Though there are things I need to do, I'm going to try and look at my schedule a bit and see if there is anyway to combine some of the things I do, so I'm only out 1 or 2 days a week, so I can make more meals like this. Because for some reason, if I have to rush in at 2:00 or 3:00 and get dinner started by 3:30 or 4:00, I feel so rushed. I just feel overwhelmed. I know part of it is my raw meat/germ thing, and I don't like to think of all the cleaning I have to do after working with the meat. (Though let me say the Lord is really bringing me through that fear, and I am blessed by how much He has shown me and I continue to learn to trust in Him more than my cleaning. 
). So anyway, when I'm just home all day, don't have to think about, "Ok if I leave at this time, get home at this time, get school finished, get dinner started etc...", I do much better with dinner. So that is going to be my goal for next year. See if I can go out only 2 days a week, instead of running out almost every day like I feel I have been.
So I wanted to give you a more 'happy' post than my last one. My family and I have full bellies and enjoyed a nice meal together. Now it's time to have our devotion time (didn't get it in this morning) then watch the movie Up for the first time. Plus I'm trying to finish crocheting a scarf I'm making for Sarah for Christmas (shhhhh it's a surprise 
). Hope you have a blessed night.
Dec. 15, 2009 - Kitchen Moments ~ Christmas
If you can stand yet another Christmas cookie recipe, here's a very simple, yet tasty one:
Sugar-N-Spice Cookies
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup cane juice crystals (or other sugar of your choice)
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup organic unbleached flour (plain unbleached flour is fine, too)
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
dash nutmeg
Mix butter and sugar together. Stir in vanilla and egg until smooth. Mix flour and spices together and then stir into butter mixture until well blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes or until edges just begin to brown and tops start to crinkle and collapse. Cool on pan 30 seconds, then move to wire rack to cool. Enjoy!
May I encourage you to spend some time this week asking Jesus what He would like for His birthday? The answer may surprise you!
Perhaps your family could join ours in baking a batch of these cookies to share with those less fortunate than us who could use a bit of Christmas cheer this season. Be sure to tell them the reason for the gift ... It's Jesus' Birthday!
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
I pray your family has a blessed Christmas.
Catherine
Catherine Love lives in the heart of Texas with her husband Carl, and their 3 daughters, Sarah, Hannah, and Cana. They enjoy cooking, gardening, and learning new things as they seek to live a lifestyle of learning together as a family. You can read Catherine's Kitchen Adventures and more on her blog- Seeds of Love.
Dec. 15, 2009 - I'm a Winner
OK, I know I just said I was not going to post, but this is an emergency!!! I am a winner!!! I won a vacuum cleaner over at This Side of Eternity! I am so excited. Here is a video that explains what I won. Oh my! No more germs! And this really appeals to my germaphobic side. (OK, back to my break.)
Dec. 15, 2009 - Ho, Ho, Ho!
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Not sure how much time there will be for blogging the next week or two with cookies to bake, presents to wrap, cards to make, and other festivities. I do want to visit some blogs here and there, but posting will have to take a back burner for now. So, see you again in 2010!
~Jenn
Dec. 15, 2009 - Tightwad Tuesday ~ A Tip To Make Using Milk In Baking And Sauses Cheaper
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A Tip To Make Using Milk In Baking And Sauses Cheaper
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I have been trying to recall ways or habits that I do without out really thinking to make our dollar stretch further. One thing I have done for years in my baking is it to dilute 1/4th 2 % milk or whole milk to 3/4ths water of what the recipe calls for.
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for example.... if the recipe calls for 2 cups milk I use 1/2 cup of milk( what ever type you want) and then 1 1/2 cups water.
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Also in soups I use 6 parts of chicken broth to about 1 part of cup of milk or in my white sauses. I don't miss anything b/c the broth is so flavorful.
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for example.... 6 cups chicken broth and 1 cup milk.
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I hope the examples make it more clear.
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Now to join in the fun of Tightwad Tuesday....
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Link your TWT post click on MckLinky and give exact the URL of your post. (each Tuesday that you join in on the fun)
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example of a URL ...
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Canadagirl/693425/
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Now go ahead link and read and comment on all these other's wonderful TWT's.
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Lets save our pennies, nickles, dimes, and dollars together !
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"There are only a few big ways to save money but there are many small ways ....that all adds up."
December 14, 2009 - A rambling of mine.
I'm tired, so very tired. I was reading my friends blog when I realized why I was so tired lately, I've been wanting to have the 'perfect' holiday, and I'm pushing myself too hard to trying to make it happen. I have all my shopping done, gifts wrapped and under the tree, some baking done, and 2 more parties and Christmas Eve with friends to get through. But here's the thing, I might be ahead of the game, I might look like I have it all done, but I've exhausted myself in the process. 
I'm tired, I keep feeling like I'm getting a cold, all weekend, but haven't been able to rest because of our schedule. Today was cleaning day, did I put it off, actually skip it for a week to rest? Heavens no, not me, not Miss scheduled perfectionist. Nope I pushed my way through it, then when I was sitting letting Paulie read to me, I almost feel asleep while he was reading. I had to stop him 5 minutes early, so I could lay down and nap. I only got a 30 minute nap in, then Sarah came home from her bible study and the dryer went off. So I had to get up and take care of laundry and now I'm awake, but still tired. Just got off the phone with hubby, he even said it sounded like something was wrong with me. He called to make sure I was ok. Yep, the tiredness is showing through. So I might have started out pushing myself to have the 'perfect' Christmas. To make sure I had the best gifts and snacks for parties, to make sure all my shopping was done early, and everything looks great. But I think it's taken it's toll, and now all I'm praying for is that I stay healthy until after Christmas. Today is a bit busy, our homeschool party. But then I have nothing until Friday. Paul said I need to unplug, do nothing all week, just relax. I think I'll take his advice. I'm thankful the kids do most of their schooling by themselves, and they'll be finished by Wednesday or Thursday anyway. But I'm bummed that I've pushed myself so hard for others, that I have no energy or desire to bake cookies for my own family this week. Thankfully we do have cookies from a cookie exchange I went to on Saturday, but I want to bake for them myself. But I can't stress about it, I need to let it go. Hubby is fine if I don't bake any, but I'm going to try with all my might to rest as much as I can this week so that next week, when we have no school, I can relax, have fun with the kids and bake for my family. Why I stressed myself out so much and pushed myself so hard on everything else, I'll never know. Well I do know, because it's how I feel 'loved'. It's how I feel others accept me, if I'm involved, and doing, doing, doing. I need to stop thinking that, and realize others love me without me 'doing' all the time. I need to realize a messy, not perfect life is just fine.
Anyway, thanks for reading my rambling. Just needed to get it out. I will try next time to have a more happy and joyful entry.
Dec. 14, 2009 - Craft Corner ~ Christmas
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Vintage Style Christmas Ornaments ~ Several of these darling ornaments are sure to add a nostalgic touch to your holiday decor.
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Pocket Advent Calendar ~ It's not too late to count down the days!
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Owl Garland ~ I'm not really sure what this has to do with Christmas, but I decided to add it, since it is so cute!
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Pine Tree Sachets ~ Make these aromatic trees to give or gifts, or even make a couple to place around your own home!
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Christmas Tree Ornaments in Denim ~ Everyone has an old pair of jeans at one time or another, so why not use them to make some cute ornaments?
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Minutia ~ Knitters will love this collection of tiny sweaters ornaments.
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Partridge Ornament ~ This makes me think about Quail more than Partridge, but then, I don't think I've ever actually seen a Partridge...
Homemade Gifts
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Peasant Skirt ~ Every girl will want one of these for Christmas! They shouldn't take too long to make, either.
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Headband Tutorials ~ Another great gift for girls.
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Brown Sugar & Spice Body Scrub ~ I definitely want to try this for myself sometime, but of course it would make a wonderful present too!
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Darling Pincushions ~ For the seamstress in your life.
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Ribbon Bookmarks ~ Who doesn't need more bookmarks?
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Adventure Pouch ~ I think this would be perfect for little boys to carry their treasures around in! Of course, grown-ups might like one too.
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Embroidery ~ Stitch an verse, or inspiring quote, to give to one of your loved ones.
Eyebright enjoys crafts of all kinds, especially knitting and crochet. You can find her blogging at Defective Compositions.
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