Most of us, of course, have read the story of Mary and Martha. I think most of us would love to be like Mary, too--but real life calls. I'm sure some are less practical than I am, but really, SOMEBODY had to feed those men--at least 14 of them (Jesus, 12 disciples, Lazarus, and who knows how many besides).
I mean, sitting around, listening to Jesus would be awesome! I would love to be able to just sit and do that. But doesn't someone have to cook a meal?
I have thought this way for years, until yesterday. I was reading "Choosing the Better Part," by Joanne Calderwood, in Home School Enrichment magazine. She just casually referred to this, as it she didn't realize how earth-shattering it was. But what she said was--
Martha did not "have to cook the meal." Who was she cooking for? Jesus--the guy who could feed 5000 people on 2 fish and a little bit of bread! Martha was all caught up in "I've got to provide for everybody," and she totally missed the fact that the provision was not her responsibility, at all.
Not that Jesus couldn't have asked her to feed them. He certainly did use people's gifts, and ate what they served. But He didn't NEED Martha to provide for His needs.
I haven't fully digested all the ways this works itself out, yet. It's clear, though, that this impacts a lot of the stuff I do--it's not me finding the perfect curriculum, or helping out X person, or doing whatever that meets the needs. It's all about Jesus.
Here are some Christian reviews of the Twilight series. One of the reviews is by a Cristian woman who was formerly deeply involved in the occult.
A Girl and Her Vampire: The Frenzy over Twilight
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.
For those who care--Augustus Caesar's World does NOT do a good job of presenting topics related to Biblical history. I understand that these ideas are fairly common, but I was very surprised to find them so very badly handled in this book, which is extremely popular in the homeschool world. I can't believe nobody is mentioning them, at least as a caution. (For those who don't know me, I do NOT typically go off the deep end about stuff. I just think people should be saying something like "this book is good for XYZ areas, but warn your kids about how she handles the Bible." Better yet, make it a read-aloud, so you can discuss it on the spot.)
p. 186ff There is a big section about the Jewish law. It starts with the somewhat typical "most of the OT was written after Babylonian captivity." (I wasn't really expecting this, from a book written as long ago as Foster's books were, I think.)
It continues with the idea that, during their time in Babylon, the Jews view of God changed from a vengeful God of war to a God of righteousness and justice.
Then it goes even further, stating that when the Jews were "just shepherds roaming the Arabian desert (???)", their god was just one of many "strange spirits which seemed to people the desert world about them," and asserts that as they traveled around, they sacrificed their children to this god, "for their protection"!!! Then, "fearing that their desert god would have no power in this land of green pastures and villages, they adopted the local gods of the Canaanites." I gather this is supposed to be said of Abraham, as it goes on with "later....they accepted the gods of the Egyptians."
It goes on to say that Moses "brought them to the worship of one God, whose name was Jahveh "the thunderer," whose dwelling place was the volcano Mt. Sinai...." Etc.
p. 279
- Jesus' name meant "helper of God."
- The 2 stories telling of his birth do not agree--"not a great surprise , for they were not written until after eighty or ninety years had passed. Seen through the distance of so many years, facts lose their sharp outlines and often appear strange and mysterious"
- Matthew was a Jew, "so he connected the birth of Jesus with old King Herod, who in the Year 1, had been dead four years." This, despite her having just said that Jesus was probably between 4 and 8yo, by year 1!
p. 286, a youthful Jesus is supposedly musing about the law and the prophets. OK, he probably DID think about them, and at least this is respectfully done, until the end: "How did they know what God wanted them to say?...But who was to judge whether a prophet was true or false?" Implies that one cannot know.
p. 287 states that the prophets were interested in only one question "How can we live in this world with other people and be happy?" !!!
p. 289 Amos is stated to be the first book of the Bible actually written down.
p. 290-291 Hosea and Micah "saw [God] as more gentle and loving than Amos imagined him." "And, just as they had feared, the blow fell first upon Israel." (That's more an implication, rather than stating outright the idea that they were just speaking out based on reading current trends.)
p. 293-294 the Jews learned in Babylon (from Zoroaster) the ideas of paradise, angels, and the devil; "it was to be a heavenly kingdom...ruled over by some celestial being."
p. 303-304 Jesus in the temple, stated to be at age 12 in Matthew, 14 by Luke's count, for some inexplicable reason. Then, "Confused and puzzled over many things he had seen and heard, he found many questions he wished to ask the teachers in the Temple. They could tell him, he felt sure..."
p. 319, after several lengthy quotes picked and chosen from Jesus' teachings, "Each human being then holds the key to the Kingdom of Heaven, for it lies within."
p. 324, speaking of Paul, "He was on his way to Damascus....when, suddenly along the highway, he fell. And as he lay their in the dust and heat, he had a vision. Jesus seemed to speak to him..." (Here, it's an implication, clearly, that he just fell, maybe hit his head or something, rather than that he saw a light and Christ, and therefore fell.)
p. 325 speaking of Paul in Rome, "because of Paul's teaching, the belief that Jesus was the Messiah or Christ, though it died out among his own people, spread ...through the Roman world." (This is not historically true. It was as common among Jews as among Gentiles until the Roman Emperor took it for all Rome, and then persecuted Jews.)
I haven't read the book thoroughly. My 15yo was horrified, so she showed me the first section; then I looked through the other sections that seemed to relate to Biblical teaching.
I must say that it makes me question how much she understands of other world events, given how little she seems to understand of the Bible. (Even if she takes it from a liberal perspective, still she is not letting it speak for itself as a source.)
Prices do not include shipping. All books in used condition.
There are a few more, but I can't finish uploading right now.
$1 per book or 3/$2
Troll Illustrated Classics -
*The Little Princess by Francis Hodgson Burnett
*Peter Pan by James M. Barrie
*The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss
*The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
*The Twits by Roald Dahl
*Emily's Runaway Imagination by Beverly Cleary
*Dear Mr.Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
***************I actually have four more Beverly Cleary, I just don't have pictures.*********************
*Second Grade Ape by Daniel Pinkwater
*Alone in His Teacher's House by Marvin Redpost
*Horrible Harry and the Dungeon by Suzy Kline
*Don't Do That, Dexter! by Jodee Mcconnaughhay
*Rockin Reptiles, The Gator Girls bk.2 by Stephanie Calmenson
*Arthur's Underwear by Marc Brown
*3 copies of Green Wilma by Tedd Arnold
*Froggy Goes to School by Jonathan London
*Froggy Eats Out by Jonathan London
*Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus
*Blabber Mouse by True Kelley
*Sherman Crunchley by Laura Numeroff
*Imogene's Antlers by David Small
*Amazing & Incredible Counting Stories by Max Grover
*Trashy Town by Andres Zimmerman
*Daniel's Dinosaur by Mary Carmine
*The Monster Bed by Jeanne Willis
*Dinorella by Pamela Duncan Edwards
[img]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2775/4097787315_90e4695e4a.jpg[/img]
*Let's Go Home, Little Bear by Martin Waddell
*The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie dePaola
[img]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2450/4099063178_8abd0ba0f2.jpg[/img]
*A Pocketful of Stars: Poems about the Night by Nikki Siegen-Smith
*The Spring Rabbit by Joyce Dunbar
All items are in gently used condition.
*Comprehensive Reading and Writing Assesment - grade 3 - $2
*Scholastic Write Away! by Stephen Krensky - grade 3-6 - $2(One author's favorite acitivities that help ordinary writers become extraordinary writers)
*Nonfiction Reading Comprehension - grade 3 - $2
*Science Made Simple - grade 2 -$2
*The Jumbo Book of Short-N-Simple Science - grade 2 -$2
*Art Today and Everyday: Classroom Activities for the Elementary School Year - $2
*Kids' Big Book of Games - $2
*Happy Fall & Winter: Reproducible Activity Sheets for Grades K-1 -$2
* Themes from A to Z: 26 Cross-Curricular Theme Units - Preschool & K - $2
*September Patterns, Projects & Plans to Perk Up Early Learning Programs - $2
*Reasons for Reading: 28 Reproducible Pages and Teacher's Guides - grades 3-4 $2
*Holiday & Seasonal Celebrations -PK-3 $2
*Families Thematic Unit - Early Childhood - $2
*Language Arts Step by Step Homework booklet - Level 2 $1 (vowels, blends, consonants, rhyming words, alphabetical order, sentences)
*Phonics Homework Helpers Book One - grade 2 $1
(consonants, blends, vowels - it seems more like grade 1 to me)
*Phonics Homework Helpers Book Two - grade 2 $1
(special vowels, consonant diagraphs)
*Activity Cards Stories to Finish - Middle grades - $1
*McGraw Hill Math K - $1
*McGraw Hill Math 1 - $1
*McGraw Hill Math Readiness ages 4-7 - $1
*McGraw Hill Phonices Readiness ages 4-7 - $1
*Scholastic Superskills K: Counting & Numbers $1
*Scholastic Superskills K: Shapes & Patterns $1
Well, I am writing this before I fillin for a nanny. Daddy has been "taking charge" of homeschooling now that I am at the ministry office on normal office hours, more or less. So, in reality, that means that not a whole lot is being done.
Should that bother me? should it not? my kids are home almost all day with their daddy.....something that many kids don't have the priviledge of (and having 3 boys, that is great they have their daddy around all day).........daddy has been teaching them their Chinese lessons and occasional math. Well, for "work" wise, that is about it....so are then called unschoolers? That bugs me for some reason.....I am a textbook person, not trying to keep up to par with peers ,but I like to know where I have been and where I need to go.
I do have a question for my 3 readers out there:-).....history.....this bugs me....we live in Taiwan and only go to the USA once every 4 years.....should I not bother too much with history and just use our time in the USA to "catch up " on it? they do take the IOWA tests, does history matter that much?
Also, I am thinking of just working out something with dh that they do mostly Chinese now, and after dinner (whether they like it or not), I do spelling and reading/grammar so I know they are getting it.......oh....this bilingual stuff is hard.....I am not going to give up on it though, they need it and I KNOW one day they will appreciate it!!!!
suggestions?
I haven't really decorated Amy's room. Up until now she has shared with her brother, so I didn't do much. But, we're shuffling kids around in our 3 bedroom house, and pretty soon Amy will be all by herself in her room. The 11 year old is going to make a bedroom in the sunroom (we need to add a door) and the three little boys will be sharing the big bedroom. My prayer is that God will add another little girl to our family and then Amy won't be lonely!
Here's the nursery now:
So, I'm looking for inspiration to redo her room (for very little cash).
this is cute from Design Dazzle
and maybe a homemade rag rug (go here for tutorial)
I've been having fun playing around with photoshop and creating some digital scrapbook pages. I'd love to finish a book for each child each year, but...um...yeah. That may not happen, but I do have a goal. And they say having goals is important.
That way I can know exactly when I've failed, right?
Anyway, here's what I've accomplished the past two days. I also got the laundry done (almost), but that is not nearly as impressive.
If you like the images you see here, you can download all of the elements, lettering, backgrounds and many other page kits for FREE at www.shabbyprincess.com.
Occupying three little boys so that I can do "big school" with my oldest and entertain my baby can be difficult. File folder games are fun, simple, and inexpensive ways for little ones to learn on their own. To make the games you can buy a book with reproducible pages or check online for free.
Here are my little guys enjoying file folder games:
This is my two year old. He is matching fruit to their silhouetted shape. He loves this one, and will do it over and over again. The gameboard is made by gluing shapes onto the folder and then laminating the whole thing. The pieces are stored in a plastic baggie that is placed in the folder when its put away.
How much fun is it to match the front of an animal to the backside of an animal? Just ask my three year old.
This game is quite versatile. For the younger kids it helps with matching colors, but for my five year old it is working on word recognition. It seems like a simple game, but it really works!
Here are a few sites that offer printable file folder games:
http://www.filefolderheaven.com/
Have fun adding file folder games to your homeschool!