November:

An update on the books we are reading:

We just finished Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne

This was a read aloud the whole family enjoyed and we followed Phileas Fogg on his journey using blank maps.  The outcome was great, and we learned about many things, three things I'll take the time to mention.

1. In India (in the time period of a certain tribe) a widow must go to the grave with her husband and be buried with him.

2. How assumptions can get you into trouble.

3. What a sloop is.

also for the holidays we are reading the Chicken soup for the soul Christmas Treasury for kids

And we continue our Bible story book, we just read where Nebuchadnezzar lost his mind as soon as he exclaimed how wonderful he was!

We continue reading Christian Heroes by Dave and Neta Jackson.

The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste was a favorite story about the soilders they made stay out on an iceflow until they renounce Jesus.  But they refused and angels took them away. 

Recently we recieved the Tightwad Gazette for a study Mandy is doing in Economics.

I picked this book up and read it front page to back if was full of all kinds of info.

Here's what I decided I can do to save money.

1. pack a lunch on town days instead of buying it.

2. hang my clothes to dry (I already do that)

3. Make use of coupons ( I really don't like doing that, I always haul them around and forget to use them)

4. bring my own coffee instead of the urge to splurg on Starbucks.

5. Make our own cards and wrapping for birthday.

Just a start.

I also recently got the book, Reaping the Harvest the bounty of Abundant-Life Homeschooling by Diana Waring.  I love her history cd's and tapes we listened to True Tales of Ancient Civilizations and it's really good, also her Noah's Ark cd is great.

For Me:  I'm reading The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace;

               I'm still reading Pioneer Evangelism, I think this will be our next read-a-loud and we will follow bro. Riggle on a map also.

               The Be happy Attitudes by Robert Schuller is great.

Here's some great quotes from his book: 

attitudes are more important than facts.

You'll never be licked as long as you know what it is you've lacked.

 When faced with a mountain,

I will not quit!

I will keep on striving

until I climb over,

find a pass through,

tunnel underneath,

or simply stay and turn

the mountain into a gold mine--

with God's help!

what happens to good people when bad things happen to them?

They become better people!

-------------------------------------------------------------

August, we finished the George MacDonald book and now we are reading various history accounts.  Right now about the queen of Sheba.

Also I'm reading a very interesting books called Pioneer Evangelism by Riggle, this is a fascinating book that I'm going to read aloud to the kids.

And A wife after God's own heart by Elizabeth George, is very encouraging and continuing the Just around the Corner by Steven and Teri Maxwell, very thought provoking.

We finished Masada.  It has such a sad ending, but it's real life.  I enjoyed how the writer brought out the time period so well.

We started a new book,

George Macdonald has a very fun sense of humor, the kids all love it and Isaac always begs for one more chapter.

The polished cornerstone book is a bible study I do with the girls.  This is the most complete curriculum I've found.  I understand there is one for boys too but I don't have it yet.  I really enjoy the studies in this book and we jump around to whatever we want to study next.  Today we studied "reproof".  There are charts to help you organize your studies also.

I love all the Emilie Barnes books and this book has been good for Isaac to polish up on manners since we have so many visitors and company.

The Christian Heros book is awesome.  It reminds me somewhat of Foxes book of Martyers but includes all ages.  We read one little story a day.,

The testimonies is a book that we got at a campmeeting and it real testimonies of people I've known or heard of so it really has an impact.

My personal reading involves the Bible, The king James Version. the old Pilgrims Progress, This version has footnotes for study and verses to go with the story.

Then there is:

Helpful insights from the Maxwells in "Just Around the Corner" and From Clutter to Clarity is not only getting rid of clutter and "Stuff" but how things can clutter our spiritual life.  The last book by Gary Smalley is The Blessing and I've learned a lot by reading this book.  It's how we all need to bless our children and parents.

That's not exactly all for I'm reading all the time, I'm reading on book my neighbor loaned me on Root Cellaring, and different magazines and the Press, and books from the library too.

I just love books!

My mom, Ruth Carmichael Ellinger, has written history christian fiction.  A series called, The Wildrose of Lancaster.  See the preview link.  These books are about our Scottish heritage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJSYjAmi3dI

Here she is in Scotland.   Ruth is legally blind but has not let that hinder her from writing thru her minds eyes.

I find disciplining children one of the great challenges in life.  It is something that demands consistency even when one is tired of it all.  But my love for God's word and my desire to please God keeps me going with it as He has intrusted to me the training of my children.  And when I feel at a loss to know how to handle a situation I know God will provide quidance. 

Books I've enjoyed on child training are :

To Train up a Child by Micheal Pearl

Shepherding a Child's Heart by  Tedd Trip

Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit by Teri Maxwell

Proverbs for Parenting

The Five Love Languages of children by Gary Chapman

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey

I'm sure there are more books I've read but that's a start.

Other things that I've learned from trial and error are:

1. Teach- don't scold!!!!

This was a hard one for me, I had a tendency to scold the child for doing everything wrong or not listening or not following directions correctly when what the child needed was some training or teaching in what I expected and some discipline to reinforce it.

2. Give plenty of Praise.

A child will not be perfect so don't expect it.  Even when you must bring up the negative to correct a bad attitude or behavior find something to praise them for so they will be much more willing to listen if they know they can do some things right.

3. Don't forget to hug.

This seems so obvious but for those of us that are not touchy type people we have to remind ourselves to do this.  A child will respond much better to advice given with a hug.

4. When you offer advice, don't accuse.

This is something I've just recently learned by watching how adults react to advice. If you are not critizing but being constuctive with your advice not judgemental just showing what you see it is better recieved.  What you want is for your child to listen and hear you.  If they get defensive right at the start then they probably won't hear a word you say.  So don't come at them with an accussing attitude.

5. consistency in all disipline!

Consistency is hard when your day is long and your tired.  But it is so important and watching my daughters horse instructor really reminded me of this.  My daughters horse was with serveral other horses and so when she'd take it away to 4-H it would throw a fit.  ( this is called herd bound)  Her horse wouldn't listen and was being a total pain.  Mandy who adores her horses and has a tendency to spoil them would get so frustrated trying to be as nice as she could and yet get the desired result she wanted from her horse.  Finally her instructor had her get off and she took over she disciplined that horse making it redo every wrong move over and over and over again until the horse gave in and submitted.  Then she told Mandy.  You cannot let her get away with anything you must correct her every time.  How like children are in this matter.  Sometimes we must discipline a child for the same thing over and over but we must not give in until they submit.  Mandy's instructor stayed and worked with Mandy's horse in the pouring rain after everyone else was gone home she was going to make sure her horse knew who was the boss. 

I've also seen this same instructor help load a horse that was refusing to get in the trailor.  They worked and worked and the horse rared and kicked and bucked and they kept on trying.  Finally they got the horse into the trailor and everyone gave a sigh of relief then to our horror the instructor brought the horse back out and said he must do it again and do it right!  She worked with that horse making him go in the trailor and back out over and over again until he did it without resistence.  If we could only be so consistent with our children in discipline making them do something over and over until they did it right then we wouldn't have to fight with them every time they went to do it.

Another lesson I learned from watching this instructor was when we were trying to help another 4-H member get her horse to take a bit.  The horse was really fighting it.  This instructor came over she knew this horse, it was old and should know better than to behave this way, and she hauled off and kicked it, reprimanding it at the same time, the horse immediately took the bit.  He's just trying to get away with something she said.  You got to let him know you mean business.  My husband looked over and saw the stricken look on the little girls face after she had kicked her horse and he went and put his arm around her and said, "you didn't like that did you?" she nodded her head no, "well, you will learn that Renea (not real name) knows what she is doing, that horse barely felt that kick but he did know he needed to listen after that."  She nodded smiling and everything was ok.  Sometimes children too need something more than coaxing to get their attention , sometimes the rod is necessary.

And now I can't help bragging on my beautiful daughter as she sang her solo and duet with her dad for her recital they did an awesome job.

Mandy sang completely for her solo the words are below;

1. The secret of life, is letting go

The secret of love, is letting it show

In all that I do, and all that I say, right here in this moment

2. The power of prayer, is in a humble cry

The power of change, is in giving my life,

And laying it down, down at your feet, right here in this moment

chorus--  Take my life, take my soul, I surrender everything to your control. and let all that is within me, lift up to you and say,l am yours and yours alone, completely!

3. This journey of life, is a quest for truth,

 this journey of faith, is following you,

Every step of the way, through the joy and the pain, right here in this moment.

And the duet they sang was The road home by Brad Paisley.  That's why the've got their cowboy hats on.

Christian Book Distributors is one of my favorite resources for books and music.

My newest read is a birthday present from my dearest friend.  Duggars: 20 and counting! I love this book! How inspiring!  What do I have to complain about? I love how this family let's God guide them in all their life's decisions.

It's Christmas time so I'm updating this to show our family favorite Christmas books;

A Little House Christmas by Laura Ingalls

Saint Nicholas by Julie Stiegemeyer (this is a great book to teach about the real Santa and where he came from.

The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett

Alabaster's Song by Max Lucado

Miracle in a shoe Box by Franklin Graham

Lassie- A Christmas Story by Hanners and Sipes

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomay by Wojciechowski and Lynch

The Little Match Girl by Anderson

We also like to listen to Focus on the Family's Christmas Carol each year on CD.

Have fun reading!!!!

This is a Bible from Scotland that was pierced through with a sword when soldiers came looking for a convanteneer. (People who refused to yield to the church of England but wanted to worship from the Bible)

This is Beatrix Potter's Garden in Scotland, her family would vacation in Scotland.  This is the fox's house.  I love Beatrix Potter's books, one is never to old for Peter Rabbit are they?

check out my library at librarything.com

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/keeperofthefires

Flywheel by Alex kenddrick and stephen kendrick.  Just for fun.

Mary Queen of Scots (the royal diaries) Queen without a Country.by Kathryn Lasky. A historical novel read aloud.

Created to be his helpmeet by Debi Pearl is a lifechanging book for wives!

Facing your Giants by Max Lucado is an excellenct study of David and Goliath.

A Passion for the Impossible by Miriam Huffman Rockness a book on the Life of Lilias Trotter a missionary and writer/artist.  Wonderful book if you like real life books.

From Clutter to Clarity by Nancy Twigg- simplifying life from the inside out, the secret to clarity is spiritual, emotional, physical, and financial simplicity.

Golden Rules, the ten ethical values parents need to teach their children by Wayne Dosick.

Just around the Corner, encouragement and challenge for homeschooling dads and moms by Steven and Teri Maxwell.

So Much More by Anna Sofia Botkin and Elizabeth Botkin, The remarkable influence of visionary daughters on the kingdom of God.  This is the read aloud book for my daughters. Beware of reality of truth!

The King's Daughter and other stories for Girls- character classics vol. one. This is the read aloud character book we are reading.

Redwall by Brian Jacques- a read aloud for my son, he loves it!

I have 3 other books I'm reading up stairs in my bedroom but I'll add them later.

The Bible is the Best book!  Don't forget to read it every day!

We have a reading hour every morning.  It starts with Bible reading then reading  to my son and readings for my daughters.  All the children sit through the readings.  We also like to do a Geography  lesson and sometimes read from Creation Magazine or another article I've found.  Then the kids go their separate ways for their own studies.  I love the reading hour.

O taste and see that the Lord is good.  Psalms 34:8