A week or so ago, I had a dear friend's 15-year-old daughter give me a letter asking for a response. Due to a conference she attended, she was challenged to ask an adult, "What do you wish you knew when you were my age?" As she mulled this over, she felt the Lord encourage her to ask several people, of all "persuasions" (friends, family, Christ followers, Non-Christ follwers, acquaintances, and so forth). She may write or do some sort of art piece from the answers. With her permission, I share with you my response to her question. It doesn't really have anything to do with homeschooling (although she is and has been homeschooled) or with having only one child (she's the oldest of four). But it is a challenge to all of us, to look back and ponder what would be something we would have liked to know "if we knew now..."

My first paragraph concerned watching the internet broadcast of this past week's sermon. LifeChurch.tv does a sermon series based on movies for the month of July each year. They are only broadcast during the weekend Experiences (worship times) and online both on Sunday at 11:30am Central USA time and Tuesday evening, 8pm Central USA time. They are not archived since they do use clips of particular movies (a different one each week). This week was based on "The Bucket List" and was quite poignant. I encouraged her that she ought to make time to watch it on Tuesday (July 22nd). I thought specifically of her during the sermon Sunday morning (July 20) and thought she ought to watch it. (She and her family attend the same church we do, but she had not been able to attend church last Sunday.) This particular one won't be saved, so no one here will be able to access it, but if you're interested, you can watch this coming Sunday's (on July 27 and 29). It will be the last one for this year's "At the Movies" series. 

I continued my reply with the following....

Fifteen... I turned 50 this year. I never thought of myself "being" 40 or 50. Thirty, I think I might have thought of in some form or fashion at some point... figured I'd have kids and be settled into my own family by 30. Mike (our firstborn) arrived the September after the April I turned 31. So at 30, I didn't "have" all I thought I would by that age. In fact, I felt his first kick on my 31st b'day so that was pretty monumental for me. What does that mean to you, now, at 15? I'm not sure... maybe that what you envision for your life now (for then) may look TOTALLY different then than what you see now...

Plus, 15 is incredibly YOUNG. Realize that your life has barely begun. Traumas and heartaches now (and in the ensuing several years), however hard to walk through, might be seen in later years as "nothing" or mere bumps in the road. I'm not trying to minimize or invalidate those bumps and traumas and heartaches that you may have now (or in the next 5 to 10+/- years), but in the larger picture, the highs & potential lows -to-come- will truly make these upheavals diminish in size. Often 15-year olds see everything in the NOW, and the tragedy of things that happen to them...well, the way they see the situations they find themselves within are soooo tragic and sooooo large, and it's just not true. (Although adults around them need to remember that for this age, it IS tragic and horrible and traumatic to the young lady who is experiencing them, in her perception.) The young lady (or young man) just needs to remember that perception is not reality.

The last few years of one's life (at 15, meaning from even 8yrs old to 15 years old) are so full of change (with hormones and such; learning to be one's own self, not just an extension of one or both of your parents; challenging one's family beliefs, even in a small way, making them your own, etc.). There is just a LOT of change. Knowing that life does settle out and although we are always challenged (in different ways and methods), things do settle down some. Usually. ;) That is something that would have been nice to know at 15 (or even 19...) for myself.

I think another thought would be that no matter what you have to walk thru, that if you have a personal relationship with Jesus, He will walk through those situations (your life, period.) with you. You don't have to be alone. There may be desert experiences and times, but hang tight with Him and no matter the outcome, it will work out. Even if the outcome ends up in Heaven ultimately and you don't see one "good" thing in the here-and-now. I have lived WITH Him since I was 10. That's when I invited Him in. He's walked me thru a cross-country move (after living in CA the longest I had EVER lived ANYWHERE which was a little traumatic, but not horrible--I was 10), my parents' divorce when I was 19 (pretty traumatic for ANYONE, no matter their age!), thru the birth & life of a special needs baby (very high needs) and through his death.

I think the bottom line of what I'm trying to say in the above paragraph, is what happened to me during that weekend of Richard's death. (He died on a Friday morning and his funeral was on the following Monday, 3 days later.) The whole weekend ALL I could think of, kind of like a mantra without the Eastern Religious feel to it, was:  "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. BLESSED be the Name of the Lord." Over and over and over... it was all I was aware of almost. NOT Blessed because of what He has done or what He allowed me to walk thru, but simply for WHO He is/was/will be. I know without a shadow of a doubt that He is trustworthy. That He loves me. That He knows the "big picture" and I *CAN* trust Him in all things. Even the things that are not fun, are painful... and trust me, arms that held a baby that is not here in this life any more, those empty arms are truly and utterly desolate and empty... but even so, BLESSED be HIS NAME. I trust Him. I don't know if I could have ever even wrapped my mind around that happening and the depth of the Trust and Love I have for Him before it happened, living thru it, and after it, the and that Love He has for me, even in the midst of pain and travails.

I guess that's my answer to her question, "What do you wish you knew when you were my age (15)?"

What would have been your answer?

Donna Conner lives in Fort Worth, TX with her husband, Glenn, their son, Mike, and their dog, Lucia. Donna and Glenn have been homeschooling their son since the beginning of his education. Mike completes his homeschooling this year. Donna is an artist and has always enjoyed writing. She wrote Homeschooling Only One five years ago, after discovering that there were many other families homeschooling only one child. Her website is devoted to those with only one student in their homeschool, with listings of online resources. You can visit her website at  http://donnac.com and read her blog at: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/DonnaC

copyright © 2008 Donna Conner ~~ All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of author, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles where the title and author are listed.

Oh what fun!  This week's featurd blogger, oldschoolmarm of Forty Acres, A Husband, and Three Kids, had her birthday yesterday.  Happy Birthday Julie! Her birthday post also gives her testimony, the best beginning anyone could have.

Speaking of birthdays, what about the birth of a homeschool?  Our Homeschool Beginnings describes how this homeshcool started and what they did.  It's amazing how quickly a homeschool can grow up!

Another new beginning is Julie's first blog post here at HSB, I Found It!  While she had lost her ring and later found it, she also found peace with Christ for a prideful heart.

As you read Julie's blog you'll see that she truly has a heart for the Lord and that she is excited by His creation. Go say hello and wish her happy birthday!  You'll be so glad you did and that you found a new friend!

Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB

Concluding this week with my series, A Day Without Communication is like...IMPOSSIBLE! 

You may be able to get through your entire life without ever having to make a speech but you can't get through one single day without communicating something to somebody!  

In the last eight weeks, I have shared how communication is important, not just for making speeches or for debate, but for every day life.  I talked about the importance of communication skills in marriage, parenting, defending and sharing your faith, learning, college prep , interviewing for a job, Job Success and business ownership.  The last major area of life in which communication plays a vital role is friendship. 


9. Friendship
"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." Proverbs 25:11

Good communicators enjoy:

• Self Confidence
• Leadership
• Personal Presence
• Credibility
• Ability to Explain and Persuade
• Understanding of Others
• Interaction Enjoyment
• Happiness
  

And all of these qualities help us make friends and maintain relationships!

A study by the National Communication Association in 2001 revealed that "Youngsters with poor communication skills are sometimes viewed as less attractive by their peers and enjoy fewer friendships.  Antisocial and violent behavior often accompany or occur with underdeveloped social and conflict management skills.  On the positive side, the ability to communicate orally supports sound psychological development.  One's self concept is acquired through interaction with others."

The study shows that effective communicators are more likely to make contributions in groups, exert influence over others to achieve a desired result and use socially acceptable behavior in doing so to accomplish many of their wants and needs.

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24

Effective communicators are also better equipped to handle anger in a positive way.  The American Psychological Association outlines four communication based steps to take when dealing with anger:

• Talk about your feelings
• Calmly express yourself
• Listen to others
• Negotiate

"An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of the citadel." Proverbs 18:19

Those with ineffective communication skills are unable to share their thoughts and calmly express themselves in order that their friends might understand them.  Further, they are unwilling to listen to others and negotiate with them in order to work through the inevitable issues friends have. 

Communication skills have always been important to master, but recent technological advances have left individuals with the impression that communication is easy and unimportant to study.  Many have come to think of communication as the very narrow speech and debate necessary only for lawyers and politicians.  If communication skills were not an important subject worthy of the attention given to math, science and history, then why has the Lord seen fit to mention it hundreds and hundreds of times in His Word?

"Let your conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:6

 

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:" 1Peter 3:15

"From the fruit of his mouth a man's stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied." Proverbs 18:20

"The wise in heart accepts commands, but the chattering fool comes to ruin." Proverbs 10:8

"He who answers before listening-that is his folly and his shame." Proverbs 18:13

"A fool's mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul." Proverbs 18:7

"A fool finds no pleasure in understanding, but delights in airing his own opinions." Proverbs 18:2

"With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape." Proverbs 11:9

"The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgement." Proverbs 10:21

"-So is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11

The world is a smaller place through technology and we are no longer sharing our thoughts with only like-minded individuals.  Communication technology does not equal communication skill and effective communication is required in every day life more today than ever before!

In a recent article some disturbing statistics are found in the UK which I believe are mirrored in the United States today:


"The number of children who arrive at primary school unable to speak in full sentences is rising, according to a government review which today reveals that 7% of children now have a serious communication problem."

"In some of the most disadvantaged areas of the country, up to 50% of children had speech problems"

"If a child is exposed to a relentless diet of TV and computer games and deprived of interaction at home, that is very damaging."

The article goes on to say that  "Instead of being an optional add-on, communication skills should be at the heart of the primary curriculum ... speech and listening have been elbowed out of schools for literacy and numeracy for too long."  And it confirms that "...people have fewer options through life if they cannot speak"

Virginia Beardshaw, chief executive of I CAN, a speech charity, said: "Communication is the fundamental life skill for the 21st century."

Don't make the mistake of thinking that your child will learn to communicate well just by talking.  Don't wait until he is in high school or college to begin teaching communication skills to your student.  Speech and debate classes can teach a great deal but speech and debate are NOT the only communication skills we need to master! 

Communication touches every aspect of our every day lives and each communication skill is unique and distinct.  You cannot learn to communicate effectively in your marriage, as a parent, to share or defend your faith or in business by taking one college speech class.  There is much more to communication skills than just speech and debate and it is vital that we take steps to ensure our children have the skills they need for success all areas of life!

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JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication, but it is her humorous approach to communication skills which has made her a highly sought-after Christian speaker and writer.  Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula.  You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com.  For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication skills for the whole family, including Say What You Mean Every Day, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com

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Hi Friends! 

Thanks so much for stopping by the HSB front porch.  We really enjoy doing these articles and we also enjoy your feedback!  I personally love to hear from anyone who stops by and reads one of my blogs.

Last week I goofed up and well, I posted an article for our dear editor and then I posted the same one to my personal blog.  I guess my brain was in neutral.  :)  Anyhow, here are some of my thoughts on what has been going on at our humble abode.

I posted on my personal blog about a dear little bird that we enjoyed for several days--Wow, what an experience!  The funny thing about it was that a couple of folks looked at me with downright disdain over it.  I hope to write more about that over at Homeschooling Is Life, as soon as I can.  In other news, we are in a frantic last ditch effort to get our "creative arts" projects done for the county fair.  Every year, well, for the last couple anyhow, we have entered several pieces of our handiwork in the fair.  I'd like to say that we have been consistently working away all year on these.  Some of us have (aka: my oldest daughter) but the rest of us are finishing up with only one full day left to do all we need to do.

The county fair is an excellent avenue to pursuing a goal.  Just seeing their work on display will thrill most children's hearts.  Not everyone gets a ribbon, but if they do then they will be even more excited!  I hope you will check out your county fair this year and see what you can plan for next time.  Some homeschoolers do 4-H, but your fair should also have open competition.  You can pretty much do ANYTHING and enter it in the fair.  You can do baking, sewing, building, painting, photography, etc.  The list goes on.  If you have already done this, please let me know!  I'd love to hear about your endeavors.

                                        (Columbine~Watercolor by me)

Today, while we were working hard (with two kids who are battling illnesses, no less) I got to thinking about things.  Most of us were being exceptionally productive.  There was so much creativity going on, I just loved it!  I said to the kids, "I want our "homeschool"  to be like this more!"  Everyone was working on individual projects, yet there was cooperation going on.  Not perfect, mind you.  We are just like most families - we gripe, complain, fight and all that other stuff I could do without.  But we actually do get along pretty well when we put our minds to it. 

So with all that said, I just love to see my kids being creative!  I can't wait to see all our projects hung up and on display, and hopefully some will have ribbons attached!  If not, that's ok.  We really enjoyed ourselves with all this flurry of activity. 

I will post some of our projects soon, over on my other blog.  Be sure to stop by!

Blessings,

Nancy

Nancy Baetz is a homeschooling Mom of four, and the author of "Haircuts For Little Men," an e-Book designed to teach Moms how to cut hair at home!  She is also a contributor to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and The Girlhood Home Companion.  She's working on some other projects, but has NO IDEA when they will ever get done~ :)

Greetings!    TOS is Celebrating the Olympics with a Fun Project!   TOS is putting together a fun little Olympics activity E-Book for use in an upcoming promotion. We would love to include your creative contributions. Do you have a yummy international recipe?  Maybe your children enjoyed a fun recipe while studying a country. Perhaps your family lived overseas and aquired some favorite local recipes. Or, do you have a fun geography activity or art project that would fit in well with the theme? Do you have a favorite related website or reading recommendations? We're excited about creating this fun resource from TOS! Please send any contributions (asap - we are going to launch this soon) to Karen Walden at kwalden@thehomeschoolmagazine.com. Please provide any website or credit information, if applicable, with your contribution. Thank you!

Lean Hard!

I'm sorry that I've been a bit quiet over the past few weeks.  My inlaws just left today to return back to their home in Maine.  While they were here they shared with me a website that sends out daily devotionals.  I'm so glad that they did because our summer has been FILLED with unexpected "crisis" of varying sizes and shapes.

Now that you have finished "planning" for the fall and your school year with your high schooler, let me remind you (and me) that unexpected things WILL happen during our school year.  When they do, we have choices to make.  We can fuss and fume about our lives being disrupted!  We can panic and talk to whomever will listen to our chatter. We can worry about what might happen next!

OR

We can LEAN HARD on the strength that comes from HIM.  Here is a devotional from the website my favorite inlaws shared with me.  I am planning on keeping this devotional accessible throughout this school year so that when the inenvitable UNEXPECTED situations occur, I will be reminded on whom to lean.

Faith and Courage,

Lori

Lori is married to the love of her life John and together they have four sons ranging in age from 22 down to 10.  The two oldest boys have graduated from home school and successfully entered college and/or internship positions!  (YEAH!) She is the author of “Beginning With The End In Mind”, a frequent speaker on home education, family and the arts, as well as the founder and Executive Director of Artios Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts where she has worked with hundreds of homeschooled high school students.  You can see some of the pictures of their home in the central Colorado Rockies by visiting Lori’s website at www.theendinmind.net where you will receive encouragement for the journey.  You can also hear Lori on “The End In Mind” broadcast on www.blogtalkradio.com/theendinmind

 

Over the last week I was at the Arlington Fly-In, a yearly airshow featuring experimental aircraft.  Each day offered classes that taught varying aspects on how to build your airplane.  There were also classes with special speakers.  I attended the forum that Lt. Colonel William Holloman lll spoke at.  Mr. Holloman was a Tuskegee Airman. 

The class was about what it was like to be a Tuskegee Airman and the difficulty those airmen faced due to segregation and prejudice.  Before the class began Mr. Holloman was speaking about how textbooks in the public schools today do not mention World War II or they just skim over the topic.  That's a big reason why he goes around speaking publicly about his experiences, so that others can learn about a major part of our history. 

I wondered what would happen after all the World War II veterans were gone.  Who will tell the story then?  Who will remember the horrors and atrocities of that war?  The textbooks aren't going to teach the students.  They will remain silent and history will be forgotten.  Even in fictional books, the popular genre is magic, not history.  How long does it take for fact to become legend and a legend to become myth? 

Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB

 

 

Comments

Jul. 16, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by JacqueDixonSoulRestES

Tia~
I was just thinking the same thing a couple of days ago. Eric watched the entire 15H series of the PBS documentary of The War.
I enjoyed hearing the older people discuss their memories and their feelings about the war and about after the war. My Grandfather was in the war, but does not talk about it at all. Amanda made him a scrapbook of all of the photos he had from that time in his life, and he so appreciated it.
I was thinking about him not wanting to talk about it, and what would we do when there was no one left who was actually there?
Matt's grandfather was also in the war, and we were given most of his photos from that time and also the flag and his uniform. As I watched that documentary and could feel what Eric was feeling through it, I really gained a greater appreciation for that flag folded into a triangle, sitting on my shelf. I am waiting for the display case that I ordered to put it in.
I hope that there are more people who have taught their children to love and appreciate these men and women who not just gave their lives, but lived through it too.

Thank you for bringing up an important topic. We - well, I do, and I know many others do too - we know that a lot of history is fading. How else can you forget God's blessings and His Hand if you have it recorded in history??

Oh... and do you know the very first thing the Khmer Rouge did when it took over Cambodia? They wiped out all history books and killed anyone with a degree or an education. They wanted to set the history books/Time at 0 and break the minds and souls of the people. Their influence was Communism.
I have felt like our country and its lawmakers have a Socialist agenda and are pushing the minds of American young in that direction. This is just another means to an end. The End.

God is Sovereign.
Blessings!

Jul. 16, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by PB

I hated the fact that we never got through our history textbooks in jr/sr high school. The same would happen with science textbooks. BIG advantage of homeschooling-getting to learn about everything!

Jul. 16, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Anonymous

I was listening to a call-in radio show one day and a man called about his daughter's history text. He said there was a whole chapter on Sacajawea, not Lewis and Clark, Sacajawea. Nothing on WW1 and 4 pages on WW2. He was livid. And rightly so. My 13 year old son was listening and proceeded to tell me about his friend's history teacher who extolled the virtues of the Japanese over the Americans in WW2. All I have to say is thank you God that you have led us on this path and I pray He will increase (as I see with my eyes He is) the numbers, so that truth, the whole truth has a chance to be taught.
~C
http://isaiah5413.blogspot.com

Jul. 16, 2008 - That Drives Me Crazy

Posted by Anonymous

I have an uncle who is a PS teacher, and he gives me lots of the discarded textbooks from his school district which we use to homeschool with (I read through them, and use only the best ones, which aren't Christian, but you can use the money you would have had to spend on science/math books to buy Christian materials, so it works out great!) Anyhow, we were covering WWII here in our homeschool at the beginning of last school year, and I couldn't find A SINGLE THING in those books! The selection at the library was nearly as bad (or other desperate homeschoolers had checked everything out, I'm not sure!) It was just plain sad. Thank goodness for PBS documentaries. I just don't understand the reasoning behind this, it makes no sense...

- Home Where They Belong

I really intended to write my own column this week instead of just linking to my friend Chautona again.  Really.  

Alas my regularly scheduled column will have to wait.  Chautona's 56 Days is just too good to miss!  Her challenge consists of 8 weeks of daily tasks for taming the chaos of domestic disharmony--starting with mom.  (Ouch!)  I've read all 8 weeks and they are phenomenal. 

I'll be doing it as well.  I've gotten grouchy lately and it isn't pretty or effective.  I need a kick-start to get my priorities focused and my attitude joyous--who will join me?

We start on Monday and focus on each day's tasks--one day at a time.  Visit her blog each week to get your new assignments. It is very simple--but it isn't easy!  

Here's your first day's assignment (click here to see the rest of next week):

For the next eight weeks, you’ll need a small notebook. You want something you can fit in your purse and take everywhere. You’ll also need a pen that is with it at all times. You don’t want anything to be an excuse not to do your assignments. 

Day 1. (Monday) Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Your goal is to observe your children all day. If you’d normally correct behavior, by all means, do it now but don’t start worrying about new problems to fix. Just identify them. Write it down.

Something like:
John- Disrespectful expressions when he doesn’t like my answer/direction.

Sally- Whines for what she wants. Other kids seem to give in to quiet her.

Mary-Tantrums around nap times. Need to de-stimulate her earlier.
 
Just keep the list running all day long. Write down your areas too.

Things like:.

 When I’m tired, I tune them out.

I ignore behavior when I don’t want to deal with rebellion.

I dread naptime.
 
Whatever needs changing, write it down. Even things as simple as, "We need to bake cookies more often." Or "The children need more frequent baths."

Take the 56 Day Challenge with me! 

Domestic Chaos Tamer and Homeschool Mom of Five, Dell writes about home, heart and hearth.

Garden Sorrel - Sorrel flowers are tart, lemon tasting. So use like a lemon: on pizza, a salad topping, in sauces, over cucumber salads.

Gladiolus - Flowers, with the anthers removed, have a nondescript flavor and taste vaguely like lettuce. They make lovely receptacles for sweet or savory spreads or mousses. Toss individual petals in salads as well.

Hibiscus - Cranberry-like flavor with citrus overtones. Use slightly acidic petals sparingly in salads or as garnish.

Hollyhock - Very bland tasting flavor.

Honeysuckle - Sweet honey flavor. Only the flowers are edible. Berries are highly poisonous - Do not eat them!

Hyacinth - Only the Wild Hyacinth (Brodiaea douglasii) bulbs are edible. The bulbs can be used like potatoes and eaten either raw or cooked and has a sweet, nut-like flavor. NOTE: The common hyacinth (found in your gardens) is toxic and must not be eaten.

Impatiens - Very bland taste.

Jasmine - The flowers are intensely fragrant and are traditionally used for scenting tea.

Johnny-Jump-Ups - Lovely yellow, white and purple blooms have a mild wintergreen flavor and can be used in salads, to decorate cakes, or served with soft cheese. They are also a great addition to drinks, soups, desserts or salads.


1. Lay the flowers and herbs flat on top of the cheese in the presentation that you want to display. Then remove the flowers and herbs, laying them aside in the pattern you want to display them.

2. In the medium size saucepan over medium heat, combine the white wine and gelatin. Stir until gelatin is completely dissolved and the mixture is clear.  Remove from heat and put the saucepan in a larger container filled with ice.  Keep stirring as it thickens, NOTE: Stir slowly so you don't create bubbles.  (If it gets too thick, you can reheat and repeat.)

3. Place the cheese in a dish to catch the drippings from your glaze.  Spoon the glaze over the cheese and spread evenly. After a few minutes it will become tacky to the touch, then you can "paste" on your flowers in the design pattern you planned.

4. Refrigerate about 15 minutes; then remove from refrigerator and spoon more glaze over the flowers. NOTE: Make as many layers of glaze as necessary to cover your decorations. If the glaze thickens up too much, just reheat and replace in ice.

Serve with crackers.

  (The cheese can be prepared 24 hours in advance of serving. Use flat chunks of cheese, with edible rinds, in a variety of shapes. Cheddar, Jack, Brie, or Camembert, in round, wedge, or square shapes.)

Jennifer Dewing has experience in the restaurant business. She turned in her chef's hat and donned the many hats of a stay-at-home mother 7 years ago. She is now the mother to 5 children, 7 years and under. She home schools her eldest two children. Her husband is a professional chef and in their house, food is a big part of their family. Come visit her and her family at The Days' Dewings

The craft for this week is what I call the Sharpie Shirt.  You probably already have the stuff needed for this project lying around the house.

 

Supplies:

One white T-shirt

Shirt board (can also use cardboard or posterboard)

Sharpie permanent markers in an assortment of colors

Rubbing alchol

Spray bottle (a paper towel will also work)

 

Begin by placing the cardboard inside the shirt so that when you draw on it with the markers, the colors will not bleed through to the back-side.  Using the Sharpie markers, make random drawing (swirls, dots, basic shapes, squiggles, etc.), switching between all the colors.

 

When you are happy with the design, use the spray bottle and fill it with the alcohol.  Take the shirt into a well ventilated area (think outside) and spray the shirt well.  Leave the carboard inside until the shirt is completely dry.  The markers react to the alcohol and spread out creating the tie dye look.  The alcohol can also be applied by saturating a paper towel and wringing it out above the marks until they are all soaked.  The alcohol application should only be done by an adult or an older child as it will burn they eyes and is flammable, so just use common sense here.  It dries quickly.

 

My daughter loves this shirt and wears it as fast as I can launder it.  This would be a fun and inexpensive project for groups, clubs, or VBS.

 

I'm Dianna, and due to the high gasoline prices, we've been staying home most of the time this summer.  However, we are actually enjoying it!!  We've been doing all the craft and art activities that we never seem to make time for during out regular school year.  I just love doing crafts of all sorts and I really enjoy sharing the fun with my children.  If you've been enjoying this craft section of the HSB Company Blog, let me know.  I just adore comments!!  Have a happy Summer!

This week I want to share with you a helpful resource. If you’re interested in having your child use distance learning to earn a college degree, you may want to check out CollegePlus! 

First let me share some of my college background with you...

After I graduated from homeschooling in high school, I worked on earning my degree at a community college and a state-run university. Eventually I got burned out from being inundated with ungodly, liberal teaching. In 2006 I felt God calling me to pursue distance learning to finish my degree. That’s when I enrolled with CollegePlus! 

The Program:

CollegePlus! is a biblically based coaching program that helps students earn their degree from an accredited independent study college using accelerated distance learning methods. Upon enrollment, the student will be paired up with a coach who will provide guidance, encouragement, and accountability for earning credits. 

I loved my experience with CollegePlus! With the help of my mentor, I earned all the rest of the credits I needed to finish up my English BA. My coach encouraged me in my studies and in my walk with God. She helped me set up a study schedule so that I still had time to spend with my family while working on earning my credits in a timely manner. 

I earned most of my credits with CollegePlus! by taking CLEP and DANTES tests. My coach thoroughly prepared me before each test I took. She helped me figure out what books to study, and she guided me as to what each test covered. Thanks to her help, I passed all of my credit-by-examination tests on my first try, except for one – the CLEP Western Civilization 2 test.  Not too bad of a record! 

Your child doesn’t have to be of college-age to enroll with CollegePlus! The program works for highschoolers too. With some hard work and the help of a knowledgeable CollegePlus! coach, your child could earn a college degree before they graduate from high school.  

Why not check it out today? Visit www.CollegePlus.org for more info. And if you use my TellaFriend code: 4345, you can receive a $50 discount on tuition! 

Amanda Suryan is a homeschool graduate and former distance learning student. She has an amazing mini-course about accelerated distance learning called, "Five Reasons Why You Should Consider Becoming a Distance Learner!" To claim your FREE copy, visit: http://www.DistanceLearnerSite.com

".....Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." Matthew 28:20

Scott and I are looking at taking a break from the mission field for a while as we prepare for the birth of a seventh child. Our last birth was an ordeal of moving from place to place, capped off by an emergency c-section, and we are hoping to welcome this baby with a little more tranquil living situation. As we have been thinking and planning this possible move, we have gotten a wave of bad news about different situations in the world. Wars and rumors of wars, fires, recession and increasing government control are all bits of the news we have heard. Just as we are looking for a rest from a high-pressure mission field full of crime, where in one weekend we heard of a friend's baby on the verge of death, another man losing his wife in childbirth and a young mom being raped by a passerby, it seems our homeland is ramping up the pressure as well.

I am encouraged by reading Eric Liddel, Olympic gold medalist who was immortalized in the film Chariots of Fire. As he was facing internment in a Japanese prison camp, while serving the Lord in China during World War II, he had this to say, "Help me in the day when I need it most to remember that: 1. All things work together for good to them that love the Lord. 2. I can do all things through Him that strengtheneth me. 3. My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

He chose to meditate on God's word, instead of the circumstances and daily proclaimed Christ by his acts of service. When a job needed doing he quietly went to work on it, encouraging many others by his cheerfulness and willingness. As we care for our children each day, there are many opportunities to  model peaceful, servant leadership, and in doing so encourage others in whatever their circumstances may be.

Jennifer Pepito-TOS Chapel Editor

To begin, I want to thank you for stopping by my Friday Column today. I'm going to have a short one this week. We've had my mom living with us for over a month now, and it's going well. I do appreciate your prayers this coming Monday; however, as she will have her first eye surgery (left eye) to remove her lenses and replace them with man-made, to take care of her cataracts. Her right eye's surgery is scheduled for August 11th. She's been dealing with a quintuple whammy--1) cataracts making sight a bit fuzzy, 2) glaucoma damage (we'll evaluate what needs to done after the cataract surgery) giving her blind spots, 3) damage consistent with strokes (she had an episode in October 2006), 4) plus the only prescription glasses she has now are sunglasses and 5) they are an old prescription! We are hoping that the cataract surgery is successful and gives her some relief from all this. So thanks for the prayers!

My husband is a fan of This is True^®. He forwarded one of his emails a few weeks ago and I wanted to share Mr. Cassingham's writing with you all.

For those who don't know, from the website:

This is True^® is a weekly syndicated newspaper column by Colorado humorist Randy Cassingham. True reports on bizarre-but-true news items from legitimate newspapers from around the world (never "tabloids"). Each story ends with commentary by Randy -- a tagline which is humorous, ironic or opinionated. An online pioneer, True has been publishing online weekly since June 1994. You too can have such true stories of human weirdness sent to you once each week by e-mail for free. 

Zero Tolerance has definitely  found its way into This is True^® and he has got some great things to say about it on several of his pages. Please read: http://www.thisistrue.com/zt.html where he has some great stories and commentary. Some interesting comments from his readers are posted on http://www.thisistrue.com/zt2.html. He shows that Zero Tolerance is more than a "schoolhouse playground" issue on the third page, found here: http://www.thisistrue.com/zt3.html .

Feel free to come back and post your own thoughts on Zero Tolerance. I find that this kind of thinking (really "NONthinking") takes "common sense" out of the equation. Every case is different and should be judged based solely on the situation and what is right and wrong. When we start spouting "Zero Tolerance," we start to lose caring for the individual. It sounds real nice and pro-civilization, in a way, but once authorities don't care what the individual case is about, we're all in trouble.

Donna Conner lives in Fort Worth, TX with her husband, Glenn, their son, Mike, and their dog, Lucia. Donna and Glenn have been homeschooling their son since the beginning of his education. Mike completes his homeschooling this year. Donna is an artist and has always enjoyed writing. She wrote Homeschooling Only One five years ago, after discovering that there were many other families homeschooling only one child. Her website is devoted to those with only one student in their homeschool, with listings of online resources. You can visit her website at  http://donnac.com and read her blog at: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/DonnaC

copyright © 2008 Donna Conner ~~ All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of author, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles where the title and author are listed.

Continuing this week with my series, A Day Without Communication is like...IMPOSSIBLE! 

You may be able to get through your entire life without ever having to make a speech but you can't get through one single day without communicating something to somebody!  

In the last seven weeks, I have shared how communication is important, not just for making speeches or for debate, but for every day life.  I talked about the importance of communication skills in marriage, parenting, defending and sharing your faith, learning, college prep , interviewing for a job, and Job Success.  There are two more major areas of life in which effective communication plays an important role: business ownership and friendships.  Let's talk a bit about business ownership this week.


8. Business Ownership
"Let your conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."  -Colossians 4:6

When you own your own business, you wear all the hats in the company!  You are: employee, co worker, the customer service department and the sales department all rolled into one.  Not only do you need the skills we talked about last week for getting the job (getting the account) and climbing the corporate ladder (your own!) but you need sales skills and you need to know how to handle customer issues and perhaps even employee relations. 

There are so many other company details that involve communication skills that owners need to master.  An employee doesn't need to worry about the suppliers unless he is the Supply Manager.  If you are the owner of a company, you ARE the Supply Manager!  Little things like getting the most from your relationship with your suppliers can save your company hundreds or even thousands of dollars. 

Take my company for example.  A little over five years ago, I began Art of Eloquence with only one study, Say What You Mean for Teens.  I found a wonderful printer, but he didn't usually deal with the public.  He isn't like Kinko's or Copy Max.  He doesn't handle small jobs.  He does printing for large companies like the School District and IBM.  He does mostly manuals and large flyer orders.  He doesn't have a waiting room or a price sheet.  He doesn't need one because he doesn't deal with the public.  He handles most jobs on a case by case or job by job basis.  Because of this, his rates are lower than most of the printers my business associates use for publishing their products.  Furthermore, he doesn't require that I purchase thousands in order to get that discount. 

Five years ago, I didn't think I had much of a shot at having him agree to print my studies.  After all, I wasn't going to give him the kind of business the School District did!  I was a start up business with one study wanting to purchase 25 at a time!  How silly, right?  Wrong!!

I went in to talk to him that day over five years ago and was able to convince him that I would grow, that I was worth his time.  I was able to persuade him that I may only have been a start up company, but that I would grow quickly and that I was looking for a printer who would grow with me.  I explained my vision for my other studies and how I wanted them printed.  I asked for his input in how the printing should be done. 

You know what?  He was surprised that I had already thought through my business plan and he was impressed with my plans to expand my company and the thought I had put into my study.  He was interested in how I researched my market and we discussed homeschooling a bit.  Bottom line: he took me on!  Only a few years later Art of Eloquence had five studies we were having printed there in much higher quantities and SEVERAL times a year!  And we are still growing! 

If you own a business, you might be thinking about the following issues:

• How to save time and money on your supplies.
• Creating a communication package for your business
• How to present yourself as an expert in your field
• How to effectively handle customer service, complaints and returns
• How to make contacts 
• Effective use of networking groups 
• Handling kids and business
• How/when to share your faith in business
  
• How to gain support from family and friends

If you have a larger business: 

• How to motivate your employees
• How to train your customer service staff
• How to deal with customer relations and company image issues
  

All of these issues involve mastering certain communication skills!  When you are a business owner, you have to speak effectively to your customers.  Everyone knows how important sales is to a business.  However, you also need to speak effectively to your business associates, employees, suppliers and even to your family and friends!  A business owner's image and company image is vital in communicating with the public. 

Eighty seven percent of what people do all day is communication related.  It takes even MORE communication skill to run a business! 

"He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend."  -Proverbs 22:11
 

Next week is the last week for my series "A Day Without Communication is like...IMPOSSIBLE.   I am going to share why communication skills are so vital for making and maintaining friendships.  Stay tuned for my last installment on this topic! 

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