The Reason Herein

Jul. 2, 2009 - Chastised

I recently chastised my friend Dani for reglecting her blog. Here is her response. I can't guarentee frequency or length, but I will post of few things. But, maybe not quite yet.... :-)

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Nov. 13, 2008 - A Few Noteworthy Articles

How Long Should the Homeschool Day Be?

Confessions of an Anti-Soccer Mom

Children of the State

A Diffferent Path

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Aug. 10, 2008 - Book Review: When You Rise Up

As the school year draws near I've started my annual "read a good homeschooling book to get pumped up." One of my favorites that I read over and over is "When You Rise Up" by R.C. Sproul, Jr. This book will challenge you on the "why" of your homeschool. R.C. Sproul writes in a very frank manner. I find it refreshing. Some may find it grating. I don't always agree with him but he certainly challenges me.

Our goal in homeschooling informs the homeschooling decisions that we make. From curriculum to outside activities. Should I teach Latin? What about sports? Sproul asserts that our goal should be the following,

"This is our goal - raising God-glorifying children, rather than raising responsible citizens who can manage to get along with the world around them."

~page 17, emphasis mine~

Sounds good, right? I am really, what Christian parent wouldn't want to raise God-glorifying children? But did you read the last part? We want both, don't we? We want it to read "raising God-glorifying children, and raising responsible citizens." However, though we may end up with both, Sproul would argue that our goal should be singular.

He goes on...

Our children are made to seek God, as we are. Therefore, if we are to train our children rightly, we must expunge from our own hearts that overarching agenda of the culture around us, the pursuit of personal peace and happiness.

So I am sometimes troubled by how we homeschoolers measure our success. It seems that every few months the headlines tells us of another triumph, that this homeschooler got a perfect score on the SATs or the other won the national spelling bee, or a third the Young Inventors Contest. And we present this that we are doing a good thing in homeschooling. Of course, there is nothing wrong with homeschoolers' achieving, nor is there anything particularly surprising about it. But these are not our successes.

~page 28

And this is all from Chapter 1. In Chapter 2, he provides his scathing opinion of the public school system and the ridiculous notion of a moral free education. He goes on to assert that parents are God's chosen teachers (Deut. 6) and we do wrong in shirking our responsibilities.

If you have read the book, leave a comment with your thoughts.

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Jun. 7, 2008 - Summer Read Aloud List

Here is a list of the books that I plan on choosing from this summer. Obviously, we won't get to all of them but it is fun to have options.

Among the Forest People
Kingdom's Dawn
The Bible in the Wall
Mr. Pipes Comes to America
The Little Bookroom
Miss Hickory
The Phoenix and the Carpet
Dandelion Cottage
The Trumpet of the Swan
The Bronze Bow
The Magic Bicycle Series

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May. 25, 2008 - Summer Schedule

A few notes:

*I haven't scheduled a time for the beginning items of the day. It doesn't seem necessary because they are motivated to get them done so they can play.

*This schedule looks very lean. But, it is realistic. My emphasis for this summer is focusing on chore training. School is bare bones - phonics review, math facts and read, read, read.

?? Wake up

?? Eat breakfast

?? Morning chores (get dressed, make bed, brush hair, brush teeth)

?? Play/Free time

10:30 School (with small snack if needed)

11:30 Lunch helper or play with DD'06 (dear daughter born in 2006)

12:00 Eat lunch and listen to read alouds

12:30 Quiet reading time

1:00 Rest time/nap

2:00 Afternoon Chores (see chore chart)

2:30 Computer time – 15 minutes each

3:10 Play/free time

5:00 Supper

5:30 Evening Chores (see chore chart)

6:30 Daddy home

7:00-7:30 DD'06 bed. Older girls have snack, listen to Bible and a read aloud from Dadddy.

8:00-8:30 Older girls in bed.

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May. 4, 2008 - Summer Will Come, I Hope

This year I decided to do something I never do...pay full price for a swimming suit. Most (perhaps all) of the girls clothes are second-hand, gifts or new but deeply discounted. And in that our budget rejoices! But, I've been less than happy in the area of swimming suits. They gape, they creep and they show too much skin. So, this year I took a deep breath and ordered some suits from Tamanu Sun Modest Swimwear. I love them and so do the girls! They look nice, are comfortable and hopefully will wear nicely as they are passed on. Also, the bottoms have a drawstring so they won't fall off. These aren't the patterns that we ordered but the style is the same.

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Apr. 11, 2008 - Cooking Inspiration

Are you looking for some new recipes to try? Check out Tammy's Recipes . Here are a few that I have tried that we thoroughly enjoyed.

Challah Bread This is a new staple at our house. Mind you, before I tried this recipe I had never successfully made bread.* Now, even my daughter can make this (see post below). We do have a KitchenAid mixer which makes the process much quicker.

*In the spirit of full disclosure, it was not the recipe that suddenly made me a bread making success. I was boiling the water and then adding the yeast. Apparently, it kills it. If you stick your finger in the water and yelp, it is too hot.

Amish White Bread Practical.

Homemade Bagels A little more putzy than I like. But, it was fun to try.

My Mom's Meatloaf Very moist. Did you know you could make meatloaf in a water bath?!

Pizza Roll A new favorite with the girls.

Tammy's Easy Pizza I really like the crust.

Farmhouse Chicken Delicious.

Chicken Parmesan Mmmmm...

I'm know I have tried more but they escape me at the moment. And I know (as you probably do too) that if I go upstairs to find them I will get booted out of homeschoolblogger and lose my post :-)

I have not tried any of her sweet recipes. We are not wanting for sweets around here. The Chocolate Chip Mandelbrot looks good.

Browse her website and leave a post if you try something.

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Mar. 9, 2008 - I've Been Tagged

I was tagged by Alethia Academy

The rules are:
(1) Link to the person that tagged you.
(2) Post the rules on your blog.
(3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
(4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
(5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

1. I can't bear to wear wet socks. If I step in the smallest amount of water, I will change them.

2. I studied Japanese in college...just for fun. I can write a little and speak a little. A very, very little!

3. I don't mention the name of my hometown unless absolutely necessary. I try to keep it general and say, "central Wisconsin." When pressured and I say it, people inevitably laugh. And, no, I'm not going to post the name here, either.

4. We don't have caller ID. I enjoy the anticipation of not knowing who will be at the other end. And, I'm ~~cheap~~ thrifty.

5. I make cookies a least once a week. Usually twice. And I eat too many of them.

6. I work part-time from home (generally in my pj's) doing bookkeeping for a small non-profit.

7. A bonus...I don't know 6 bloggers to link, so here are 4 that I tag...

A Home Education Tale

Back Pew Driver

In Pursuit

Learning to Meek and Mild, oh and Diligent

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Jan. 28, 2008 - In the Kitchen

I found the following post to be very helpful. Check it out!

Kitchen Tasks for Daughters Ages 3 to 10 Years Old

It occurs to me that it might even be a good idea to give the dishwasher a vacation and teach the girls to wash the dishes by hand.

Below is my very proud daughter displaying the Challah bread she made all by herself. I stood next to her and gave her instructions but I restrained myself from offering a "helping" hand. She really wanted to do it all by herself. I did show her how to braid the first loaf but I believe that is the only time I touched the dough. Oh, and at her request, I took the hot pan out of the oven.

While Challah bread is very yummy, it is not a very practical everyday bread. I found a very easy bread recipe that you start in the bread machine (mix and raise) and bake in the oven. I don't like how my bread machine bakes the bread. My daughter has now deemed herself the "Official Bread Maker."

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Jan. 18, 2008 - For Your Listening Enjoyment

My girls love audio books. Here are a few that they enjoy:

The Adventures of Sir Bernard the Good Knight! by Steve Green
The Pond These are our favorites. They even make my husband and I laugh. And, of course, they teach good lessons. You can listen to them online at www.hiskidsradio.net . They also have a website at www.lifeatthepond.com .
Jungle Jam
Your Story Hour
Focus on the Family Radio Theater We have The Chronicles of Narnia and The Secret Garden. On a side note, my sister in law blogged about some great Narnia audios that she purchased on ebay.
Classical Kids Series

We have many other CD's and tapes that we have found here and there but they are of no consequence to write about.

Here a a few that they listen to online:

Jonathan Park
Kiddie Records Thanks to a friend for this link. The girls love it!
His Kids Radio

I would love to hear more recommendations. Please post a comment!

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Jan. 10, 2008 - Excerpt from Streams in the Desert, by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

I longed to walk along an easy road,

And leave behind the dull routine of home,

Thinking in other fields to serve my God;

But Jesus said, “My time has not yet come.”

I longed to sow the seed in other soil,

To be unfettered in the work, and free,

To join with other laborers in their toil;

But Jesus said, “Tis not my choice for thee.”

I longed to leave the desert, and be led

To work where souls were sunk in sin and shame,

That I might win them; but the Master said,

“I have not called thee, publish here My name.”

I longed to fight the battled of my King,

Lift high His standards in the thickest strife;

But my Captain bade me wait and sing

Songs of His conquests in my quiet life.

I longed to leave the uncongenial sphere,

Where all alone I seemed to stand and wait,

To feel I had some human helper near,

But Jesus bade me guard one lonely gate.

I longed to leave the round of daily toil,

Where no one seemed to understand or care;

But Jesus said, I choose for thee this soil,

That thou might’st raise for Me come blossoms rare.”

And now I have no longing but to do

At home, or else afar, His blessed will,

To work amid the many or the few;

Thus, “choosing not to choose,” my heart is still.

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Jan. 5, 2008 - The Purpose of Toys

Lately I have been thinking about the purpose of toys. I used to think that their purpose was simply to occupy children. If that was accomplished then their purpose was fulfilled. But, should that really be enough?

Douglas Phillips, in his audio CD What's a Girl to Do?, makes the following statements,

"Every moment of a girl's life, every single moment, counts for God...play, recreation...all of this stuff has to be Christ-honoring. It should specifically be geared toward helping a person prepare for life's purpose. Every single bit of it."

"We should not allow in play life what God would not allow in real life."

I am going to keep these thoughts in mind as I weed out the girl's toys and consider new purchases. What kind of toys do I really want to encourage?

For some practical suggestions, Titus2 has an article called Worthwhile Toys or Should It Be Tools? which I found helpful.

P.S. Dear Sister-in-law, I have not gone psycho and thrown out our Polly Pockets and Barbies. When you visit, we still have a plethora of purposeless toys for everyone to play with.

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Dec. 28, 2007 - A Little More Organization

I took some time over the past week to organize and re-evaluate what we are using for homeschooling. I found a great Excel Weekly Planner on Donna Young's site that I plan to use. I would explain it further but it would be easier if you just went and checked it out!

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Dec. 21, 2007 - A Little Organization

We took the week off of school. My intention was to get more organized so as to start the new year with gusto. I'd give my results a C+. But, there is so much more to do. I want to thoroughly clean every cabinet, every closet, every nook and cranny. Purge, purge, purge our material possessions!

Deep breath.

After I finish the purge, I need to get back into my cleaning routine. That is, if there is anything left to clean. A few years ago I set up a check list of chores that I do throughout the week. It has worked very well for me.

Basically, what I did was make a list of the chores that needed to be done to keep the house clean. But, I only listed the things that I don't do automatically. For example, I automatically load and unload the dishwasher, pick up clutter, etc... I don't need to be reminded to do these things. I see it, I do it.

I hang this on my refrigerator and check it off as I do it. On Saturday, I finish up any chores that I missed throughout the week.

Oh, and one more note. I've found that I'm more diligent about training the girls to do housework when I have it scheduled. They do several of the chores listed below.

MONDAY

___ Clean toilets

___ Change bathroom towels

____ Vacuum main areas

___ @ Scoop litter box

TUESDAY

___ Clean out purse

___ Pay Bills

___ Give girls bath

___ Clip girls fingernails

___ Clean upstairs bathroom

WEDNESDAY

___ Clean downstairs bath.

___ Wash windows

___ Wash lightplates

THURSDAY

___ Wash floors

____ Dust downstairs

FRIDAY

___ Dust

___ Water plants

___ Check stock of toilet paper

___ Vacuum

___ @ Litter

SATURDAY

___ Give girls bath

___ Prepare for church

van packed

clothes ready

breakfast prepared

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Dec. 21, 2007 - Merry Christmas from My Girls!

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Dec. 9, 2007 - Something to Ponder

"For the sole true end of education is simply this: to teach men how to learn for themselves; and whatever instruction fails to do this is effort spent in vain."

~Dorothy Sayers

We learn through reading. Therefore, to accomplish the above we need to make our children lovers of books. Read to them, read in front of them, read with them, read! In doing so, you will open the floodgates to life long education.

I'll leave you with a few more quotes:

"No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally worth reading at the age of fifty."

~C.S. Lewis

"Never read a book through merely because you have begun it."

~John Witherspoon

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Nov. 26, 2007 - The Israelites

"Boy, I'm glad I'm not like those Israelites!"

We have been reading through the Catherine Vos Story Bible. I've really enjoyed the Bible. The author really does a nice job of presenting the Old Testament with its laws as a foreshadow of the Redeemer.

But, I find myself frustrated with those Israelites. "When will they ever learn?" I think. The cycle of sin, repent, restore makes me dizzy. When we they ever learn that God is the One True God and there is no other? How many miracles does he have to perform? It seems so simple on this end of history. AGH!

And, then it hits me.

I am just like the Israelites.

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Nov. 8, 2007 - Glorifying God

~Westminster Shorter Catechism~

Question 1: What is the chief end of man?
Answer: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

"A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell." ~C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

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Nov. 3, 2007 - Missionary Stories

I love to read missionary stories to the girls. Below is a list that I have compiled. I have put an * by the books that I have personally read or own. If you click on the title it should take you to the book. Please leave me a comment if you know of any more good missionary books.

* Missionary Stories with the Millers

*From Arapesh to Zuni: A Book of Bibleless People

*Window on the World

From YWAM Publishing

Christian Heroes: Then and Now Series

Hero Tales

*Heroes for Young Readers

From SIM International

*Stories from Africa

Snake Stories from Africa

*The Village Well

*You Can Change the World - Help Children Pray for the World