plans and the purpose that prevails

Communication Corner ~ When All Your Family's Not Christian at Christmas

Posted by HomeschoolBlogger Company Blog
7:28 AM, Dec. 10, 2009 .. Posted in Communication Corner .. 0 comments .. Link

This is one of my very last podcasts before I go off the air in 2010, but it's a very special one! Come join me live as I talk about how we can have a special Christmas with family and communicate in love with our non Christian relatives. It can be a challenge for both sides when not everyone has the same beliefs. Non Christians can feel badgered and Christians can feel like they can't express their beliefs. How can we have a blessed time with relatives this time of year? Effective Communication skills! Come join me for some tips and share your experiences today: 8am PST/11am EST http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736

Tips are based upon my study, Say What You Mean: Defending the Faith. Check it out here.

Can't make it live? We hope to be able to keep uploading our audios after the show, so come live if you can!

No name

Posted by jdg50
7:04 AM, Dec. 10, 2009 .. 0 comments .. Link

This entry has no name. I can't think of one.

That's all I have to say, NOTHING. lolz

Homeschooling Through High School ~ The Beginning of Wisdom (Part 1 of 2)

Posted by HomeschoolBlogger Company Blog
11:02 AM, Dec. 9, 2009 .. Posted in Homeschooling Through High School .. 1 comments .. Link

This morning I received an e-newsletter from CollegePlus!, in which an article by Lauren Bleser titled, "A Teacher Learns the Truth About Education," was shared. Ms. Bleser's opening paragraph reads,

In 2002, I graduated with my Master’s degree as a reading specialist after having finished a teaching degree from the State University of New York at Oneonta. I was fast on my way to a full and busy career in the public school system when I was caught off guard by a homeschooling parent who asked if I could explain God’s mind on education. I had never really considered that before, always taking it for granted that we simply go through the system, memorize the information required, and graduate. This challenging question led me on a quest that changed the course of my life.

Bless that homeschooling parent, whomever he or she was...what a question! It is one that every homeschooling parent should ponder. Can you explain God's mind on education? God's mind can be an intimidating thing to probe. And yet, He desires us to do just that...by diving into the Scriptures.

My feeling is that by the time we are homeschooling high school, we have probably begun to study Bible in school! So I'll not be offering advice on Bible curricula. What the Lord has laid upon my heart to share, rather, is the "mindset" of studying Bible in our homeschool high school.

We are preparing our young adults, at this point in their lives, for independence. In case you haven't taken a good, long, focused look at the world out there lately, you really ought to. I'll warn you...it isn't pretty. I know--I spend one hour a day, 4 days a week sitting in my local community college cafe or study lounge while waiting for my 16 year old son's German class to finish. I do not have the "gift" of being able to simply "tune out" people's conversations. I'm verbal. I listen, whether I want to or not. Words do not escape me. The standard fare of conversation around me is typically what I would call "disgusting." Often times the spiritual darkness that lives and thrives in this place feels stifling, oppressive, suffocating. This time of week, I push myself to write this blog in the midst of the chatter. Other days, I sit in front of my computer, or walk the halls, simply praying. But I digress...

The point of that paragraph was just to say that our young men and women, our high school students, need to have the FULL ARMOR OF GOD (Eph. 6:10-18) to protect them out there. To bring us back to today's blog topic, I'll ask you a few questions, and you can decide whether or not you'd like to ponder them with me! Here you go:

Is your study of "Bible" in your homeschool viewed or treated by your student as a subject he must study and check off the "to do" list, just as history and math are?
Are you studying the Bible with a curriculum workbook that has them reading articles which explain the Bible to them, or tell them what the passages mean? Are questions given in such a way that much of the answer is already given, with just a few "fill-in-the-blanks" required?
Is the time your student spends studying "Bible" going hand-in-hand with their history course?

None of these things are bad in and of themselves...it is vitally important that our students understand the Bible's role as a source of true history. BUT...do they develop a hunger for and love of God's Word in our young people? Do they bring about the things that our young adults are going to need in order to survive their first steps into independence--spiritual maturity, wisdom, and a consistent and close walk in obedience to Jesus Christ?

So, what is God's mind regarding education? Here are a few passages to consider:

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10)

"And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." (Job 28:28)

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever." (Psalm 111:10)

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7)

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

We'll end here for today, and continue next week. May God bless you and your homeschool this week!

Lori

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 .

Taming the Chaos ~ Bible Time in Busy Seasons

Posted by HomeschoolBlogger Company Blog
10:57 AM, Dec. 9, 2009 .. Posted in tamingchaos .. 0 comments .. Link

Some of us all are or nothing types, but there are areas where we learn that sometimes doing things part way is better than not doing anything at all.

Food is one such area. Our bodies need nourishment. Ideally, I love serving wholesome, home cooked meals with time to fellowship together and linger, enjoying our dinner and family time. In certain seasons, however, we might need to compromise the ideal, and we learn that a drive-through or instant is better than going without food entirely.

Just as we must fuel our physical bodies--we need spiritual fuel. Perhaps you've gotten out of the habit of having time in scripture yourself, or in providing Bible time for the children. Here, I'd suggest that something is better than nothing. Perhaps this week you aren't making time for an hour of Bible study and digging deeply into a passage. If you are reading this article, you could take time to read a single verse or chapter and reflect on it through the day. Consider it like you would a drive-in or microwave meal. It might not be the best to deeply nourish for the long-haul, but far better than going without food entirely!

We are "snacking" a bit here in my home this season. We knew it would be hard to fit in our usual advent devotions, so we've scaled back and will be spreading out a 12 days of Christmas devotional; using it through the whole advent season. It isn't what I'd choose for every year, and is more of a snack than a four-course meal we crave, but it would have been worse to lose that time entirely just because we can't be as thorough as we have other years.

There are seasons where I can delve deeply in my scripture time, and times when just grabbing a few verses "on the go" is all my tired mind can grasp.

Through this busy season, incorporate scripture into your home. Perhaps a Bible on MP3 or compact disks would be a great family gift if you are van-schoolers or planning to be on the go. Perhaps simply reading a few verses in the morning and leaving your Bible open on your bed to "snack" through the day will help you dwell on Christ.

With our hearts centered and focused above, we can better make order out of the chaos around us.

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

Back from a funeral

Posted by jdg50
7:37 AM, Dec. 9, 2009 .. 0 comments .. Link

Okay guys, I'm finally back to start blogging. Since I blogged last, a lot has happened. About two weeks ago, I went to the beach for a while. it was AWESOME. Then I came home, and had a good thanksgiving. Then, I found out my grandpa died, and my family and I had to drive to WV for his funeral. And I just came back to texas from WV yesterday. Wow, what a hectic week.

Jdg50

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