Seeking out the hidden things in Christ - Homeschool Blogger

Covenants

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 10:17:00 -0600

I was thinking about the covenant names of God this evening when a thought occurred to me�do we really understand what covenant means? So I thought I would look it up:

cov�e�nant n.

A binding agreement; a compact.
Law.
1. A formal sealed agreement or contract.
2. A suit to recover damages for violation of such a contract.
In the Bible, God's promise to the human race.

A covenant is a binding agreement. A covenant can be described as a law. A covenant is God�s promise to us. So we could safely say, a covenant is a binding law to those who are in Christ. In understanding that God�s covenant to us is binding, legal, and a promise let�s turn to the covenant names or the promising names, or the binding names of God:

� Adonai-Jehovah -- The Lord our Sovereign

� Jehovah-Eloheenu -- The Lord our God

� Jehovah-Hoseenu -- The Lord our Maker

� Jehovah-Rohi -- The Lord our Shepherd

� Jehovah-Shammah -- The Lord is Present

� Jehovah-Sabaoth -- The Lord of Hosts

� Jehovah-Mekaddishkem -- The Lord our Sanctifier

� Jehovah-Tsidkenu -- The Lord our Righteousness

� Jehovah-Shalom -- The Lord our Peace

� Jehovah-Ropheka -- The Lord our Healer

� Jehovah-Nissi -- The Lord our Banner

� Jehovah-Jireh -- The Lord our Provider

� Jehovah-Elohim -- The Eternal Creator

� El-Shaddai -- The God Who is Sufficient for the Needs of His People

� El-Olam -- The Everlasting God

� El-Elyon -- The Lord Most High

Now, if these are the promise names of God�who are you going to call upon when you have a need? He marches before us as our banner, declaring that He is Lord! He surrounds us with peace, He is there to heal our hearts, both emotional and physically. He is our Righteousness, praise God. He sanctifies us, He is always present with us, He is our Shepherd, leading us to lush fields and soothing water. He provides us with all our needs. He is the Lord Most High, declaring the wonders of His hands when He speaks life as our Creator and Maker! HE IS El-Shaddai�the God who is MORE THAN ENOUGH! Oh Hallelujah! Who can sing of the wonders of His hands and speak all that He is and all that He can do? Who can write a poem to describe Him? Who can speak of the fullness of His glory? Who can stand before Him? Who can defeat Him? Who can question the authority of His voice? Who can doubt Him? Who can question His love for His children?

Recommended book for week of Feb. 18th

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 10:01:00 -0600

H.G. and Anne Garlock were missionaries called to the wilds of Africa in 1921. No one knew what they could expect other than Malaria, Cannibalism and misery. What they found by following the obedience of the Lord's direction though, what a lifetime of friendship, love and the miraculous hand of God at work in their lives.

I read this story out loud to my children and we finished it in 3 days! Highly recommended to any family at any age of children. My kids were 13, 9 and 7 when I read this to them.

Daily Antics

Thu, 16 Feb 2006 22:51:00 -0600

We decided to take the day off for my hubby's birthday today instead of having class. Hubby has officially declared all birthday's holidays and the kids thought that was so cool.

We had to take our car to the shop to get the transmission fixed today. It had finally gave up the ghost, so to speak. As I was walking into the house, my son approached me and said, "Mom, did you know I have a baseball with signatures on it from two of the greatest baseball players ever on it?" To which I replied, "No, let me see it." He gets this great big grin on his face and shows me his baseball. In my little boys handwriting is Babe Ruth on one side and his name on the other. I was so tickled to see that I had to tell hubby about it and suggested that later in the day they go outside and toss the ball around.

So after we dropped off the car, hubby takes his son outside and starts to show him the proper way to throw a baseball for a fast ball and for a curve ball. The kids ohhh and ahhh at how well he throws the ball around until the wind starts kicking up and they decide to go inside.

Well, hubby thought that he needed a bit more practice on tossing the ol' baseball and accidentally throws the ball through our garage window! I was in the bedroom and heard glass crash so I run outside to see what has been broken. There stands my husband, with a sheepish grin and blushing from the neck up! We all had a good laugh about it and it gave me the opportunity to lecture the kids on how bad of an idea it is to throw a baseball around the house!

The stars and our solar system

Thu, 16 Feb 2006 11:10:00 -0600

This is the mini class/discussion we'll be having today in our studies and through the remainder of our unit. I'll also post some links to websites we'll be using as additional resources. Hope you enjoy and find some good info to help if you choose to teach along this topic!

Understanding stars

Stars were formed on the fourth day of creation. As we read and study the word of God, we can learn many things about the stars that are important to our daily lives. We know that there is a finite (countable) amount of stars in the sky, but can you count them all? Abram was told by God that his descendants would be as uncountable as the stars in the sky. Who can be counted among Abram descendants? Can you tell by looking at someone if they are one of Abram�s descendants? How often is that number changed or added to?

Some scientists estimate that there are at least 10 million trillion stars in the universe, but that number can only be an estimate because our equipment is not strong enough to see the end of the expanse of the universe. Scientists have discovered stars that cannot be seen using our most sophisticated equipment. These stars produce sounds, and by using mathematics and measuring gravitational force of stars, we can estimate where they would be located�but we cannot see them all.

Our nearest stars are so far away that if you traveled at the speed of light (7 miles per second) it would take you 115,000 years to reach them. We measure space distances in light years rather than miles, feet or inches. A light year is a unit of distance used to measure the space between stars. It is the distance traveled in one year by a pulse of light. One light year is 5.88 trillion miles. A jetliner traveling 500 mph would fly 1.34 million years to travel just one light year.

Alpha Centauri and Proxima Centauri are our nearest stars (Not counting the Sun). The three largest stars in our galaxy are: Mu Cephi (1500 times the sun), Betelgeuse (900 times the sun), and Antares (530 times the sun). These stars are so large, that they would more than fill the distance between the Sun and the Earth.

Stars are made of gases like Hydrogen and Helium. The temperatures in the middle of stars are so hot that nuclear reactions take place. This produces the light we see emanating from stars. The radiation produced by stars does not harm us because the atmosphere around the Earth filters out the harmful radiation produced by nearby stars, including the sun.

Astronomers use the evening and nighttime hours to study stars. Why? Stars are still in the same places during the daytime as they are at night. If you turn on a flashlight during the day while you are playing outside, can you see the light beam from the flashlight? It is the same with the stars. The light produced from the sun washes out the light produced by stars and makes it impossible to view during the daytime. Where you live can also play a factor in how well you can see stars. If you live in the city, you will have a harder time viewing dimmer stars than if you live in the country. A full moon may also make it difficult to view dim stars at night.

Depending on the time of the year, when you examine the night sky you will see different constellations, or groups of stars. If you live in North America and view the night sky, will you see the same constellations as your friend who lives in the Southern Hemisphere? No, the tilt of the Earth depending on the season affects our ability to see all the constellations all the time. Constellations exist in large groups, or families called galaxies. Our galaxy is the Milky Way. There are many other galaxies that have been discovered by astronomers.

Another job of an astronomer is cataloging stars that we already know exist. One way stars are cataloged is by magnitude or grade. First magnitude or first grade stars are the brightest. Here is a chart that shows how stars are classified:

1. Very bright � First Magnitude

2. Bright -

3. Fair - Second Magnitude

4. Medium - Third Magnitude

5. Faint - Fourth Magnitude

6. Very Faint - Fifth Magnitude

Camping and a Concert Oh my!

Thu, 16 Feb 2006 11:01:00 -0600

My eldest daughter is a big Toby Mac fan. She subscribes to his mailing lists that tell where the next concerts are going to be, etc. We went to Winter Wonderslam in Lubbock, TX right before Christmas this last year and she absolutely loved it! So....he is having another concert in Amarillo along with the Newsboys and Newsong on March 4th. We've decided to go and make a mini-vacation out of it. Palo Duro Canyon is just outside of Amarillo so along with another family that is very close to us, we'll be taking a 3 day camping/concert trip! My kids are so excited about this as we've not had the ability to take a vacation for quite some time and they all love camping out under the stars. They all have calendars in their rooms and they've been counting down the days until they get to go. The other family is equally excited and the chatter has been ongoing about what it will be like, etc.

Our last camping trip we tried was a disaster! We had a great time at a Bird Santuary camp ground...until nightfall. We were caught in the worst lightning storm I've ever experienced! By the time the wind quit howling and we were completely soaked we decided that we wanted warm beds and soft pillows and drove home at 4am.

I was thinking that I would do some research on Palo Duro canyon and maybe make a homeschool mini unit about it. That might seem strange to the parents going with us (they don't homeschool), but why not take advantage of the great outdoors, the lack of textbooks and nature at our fingertips?

When we get back, I'll hopefully be able to post some pictures of our adventure as well as some interesting facts we learned while we were there.

Ah, the beauty of homeschooling and family time...don't you just love it?

Blessings all,

homeschoolmom

Homeschooling accountability??

Fri, 10 Feb 2006 11:13:00 -0600

This seems to be a pretty hot topic as more and more parents are choosing to homeschool their children. Dissatisfaction with the Public School system at large, overcrowded classrooms, restricted religious viewpoints, and many more are just a few of the reasons why parents are "opting out" when it comes to the standard education system. Whatever the reason, it has some in the education community rattled. More and more often, we are seeing the right to homeschool challenged in the news. Legislation is being pushed through to give homeschoolers tax credit relief but in the fine print is the catch...in order to qualify, they want to know how you are teaching. This smacks of the devil getting his foot in the door. Give a little and you lose a lot!

The problem arises when you try to let another dictate what is and is not an acceptable teaching style. Eclectic, unschooling, classic approach, unit study, Charlotte Mason method and many more that could be named are just a few of the methods that many parents choose. Which is the correct way to teach and which is not? A parent that chooses the classic approach may disapprove of the unschooler, but does that mean that the unschooling child is not learning and thriving under the method chosen?

Accountability must come from the parent(s) involved and go no further. When we allow government, society, or an outside influence govern how and what we teach our children, we fall back into the same deadly trap we shunned when we pulled our children from public school. It is the parents' responsibility to ensure that our children get the proper nutrition and have clothing suitable for the child's needs, and education should not be any different.

If we really want to boil it down to the basics, lets compare a child who is not being homeschooled to their full potential and a typical public school student. The PS student goes to school, fidgets through class, brings home a load of homework they never finish and watch MTV all afternoon. On the weekends they spend their time at the park or at a friends house playing video games. The homeschool child that is not being schooled to his or her potential simply skips one step in the scenario. Both will have to make up for what they lost in not being educated properly on their own and either choose or lose in society.

Sounds harsh, but I was one of those children. I dropped out of school and left home at the age of 14. A product of a drug abusing parent, I had to choose to make it for myself or become what my mother had become. I educated myself, sought gainful employment and became a productive member of society. Education does start at home, but it ends with the individual.

For the christian homeschooling family our accountability comes from the Word of God. He tells us, You raise up your child in the way he should go. We have to get out of the thought process that someone else is more responsible, more knowledgeable, more understanding, more educated than we are. A tutor can be employed to help with subjects that we are not proficient in, such as higher math, but that does not mean that this person is better at making the decisions that are right for your child in his or her education. No one knows your child better than you, and in spite of the "village" concept so many have adopted lately, you CAN raise your child without getting the latest professional advice on wool vs cotton, wheaties or cheerios, nylon vs spandex!

Signing off,

homeschoolmom

Wrapping up a unit

Tue, 7 Feb 2006 13:36:00 -0600

Well, today was the last day of our unit study. I dislike it when we wrap up a unit in the middle of the week. I need to finish out this week's L/A and spelling planned, but other than that I think we'll have a mini "Grace Week".

A "Grace Week" is similar to an unschooling concept but with defined goals and projects. My 10 yo daughter needs to finish out her reading assignment and my son has found a new joy in cursive writing using this wipe off practice board I picked up for him on Ebay. I want to encourage him to have some fun with it! My oldest daughter still has a bit of paperwork to finish since I give her a more intense workload(She's in 8th grade). Typically I give her an outline of what her assignments are for the week and we go over them together if she has any questions. I will point out important due dates with her if she has a research paper due, but I allow her to set her study schedule.

Does anyone else homeschool a teen? How do you work their assignments with them? I would love to hear your tips and what your typical routine is like.

Blessings!

Doorposts

Tue, 7 Feb 2006 13:32:00 -0600

Deut 6:6-9
"These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.
You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them
when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you
lie down and when you rise up. "You shall bind them as a sign on your
hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. "You shall write
them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

All of us have gone to the Christian bookstores and have seen the
beautiful works of art created out of scripture. I'm sure many of us
have at least one of them hanging in our home. I know I do. How many
of us can quote that scripture without looking at it? Do you stop
when passing it and reflect on what it means to us each time we see
it?

God is calling us to keep His word ever before us, to even go so far
as to hang them on our gates and the doorposts of our home and write
them on our hands! Why would we need to do this? I can tell you why I
need to...

I have had some difficulties in life and have found that unless I
listen carefully to the Spirit speaking, I will focus on the problem
rather than the promises. And how easy that is to do. I have purposed
in my heart that I will make it a point NOT to grieve the Holy Spirit
any longer by ignoring the words and teachings given to me to combat
the circumstances that come upon me. God does not promise us a
trouble free life, but He does promise victory in every turn.

Isaiah 30:21 says: Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is
the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

Let us all purpose in our hearts to hang our own scriptures on the
walls, gates and doorposts of our home. Take time to read them as you
walk in and out of your home, room or yard everyday and see what
happens. God has promised us that if we diligently obey His
commandment that we will eat the best of the land! (Isa. 1:19)

Blessings,
Christine

The Whipping

Mon, 6 Feb 2006 09:11:00 -0600

There was a school with a class of students that no teacher had been able to handle. Two or three teachers had been run off from this school in one year by the unruly students.

A young man, just out of college, heard about the class and applied to the school.

The principal asked the young man, "Do you know what you are asking for? No one else has been able to handle these students. You are just asking for a terrible beating."

After a few moments of silent prayer, the young man looked at the
principal and said, "Sir, with your consent I accept the challenge.
Just give me a trial basis."

The next morning the young man stood before the class. He said to the class, "Young people, I came here today to conduct school. But I realize I can't do it by myself. I must have your help."

One big boy, they called Big Tom, in the back of the room whispered to his buddies, "I won't need any help. I can lick that little bird all by myself."

The young teacher told the class that if they were to have school,
there would have to be some rules to go by. But he also added that he would allow the students to make up the rules and that he would list them on the blackboard.

This was certainly different, the students thought!

One young man suggested "NO STEALING."
Another one shouted "BE ON TIME FOR CLASS."

Pretty soon they had 10 rules listed on the board.

The teacher then asked the class what the punishment should be for breaking these rules? "The rules are no good unless they are enforced", he said.

Someone in the class suggested that if the rules were broken, they should receive 10 licks with a rod across their back with their coat off.

The teacher thought that this was pretty harsh, so he asked the class if they would stand by this punishment? The class agreed.

Everything went along pretty good for two or three days.

Then Big Tom came in one day very upset. He declared that someone had
stolen his lunch.

After talking with the students, they came to the conclusion that little Timmy had stolen Big Tom's lunch. Someone had seen little

Timmy with Big Tom's lunch!

The teacher called little Timmy up to the front of the classroom.
Little Timmy admitted he had taken Big Tom's lunch.

So the teacher asked him, "Do you know the punishment?"

Little Timmy nodded that he did.

"You must remove your coat," the teacher instructed. The little
fellow had come with a great big coat on. Little Timmy said to the
teacher,"I am guilty and I am willing to take my punishment, but
please don't make me take off my coat?"

The teacher reminded little Timmy of the rules and punishments and again told him he must remove his coat and take his punishment like a man.

The little fellow started to unbutton that old coat. As he did so, the
teacher saw he did not have a shirt on under the coat. And even worse, he saw a frail and bony frame hidden beneath that coat.

The teacher asked little Timmy why he had come to school without a shirt on?

Little Timmy replied, "My daddy's dead and my mother is very poor. I don't have but one shirt, and my mother is washing it today. I wore my big brother's coat so that I could keep warm."

That young teacher stood and looked at the frail back with the spine protruding against the skin, and his ribs sticking out. He wondered how he could lay a rod on that little back, and without even a shirt on. Still, he knew he must enforce the punishment or the children would not obey the rules. So he drew back to strike little Timmy. Just then Big Tom stood up and came down the aisle.

He asked, "Is there anything that says that I can't take little Timmy's whipping for him?"

The teacher thought about it and agreed. With that, Big Tom ripped his coat off and stooped, and stood over little Timmy at the desk.

Hesitatingly the teacher began to lay the rod on that big back. But
for some strange reason after only five licks that old rod just broke in half.

The young teacher buried his face in his hands and began to sob. He heard a commotion and looked up to find not even one dry eye in the classroom. Little Timmy had turned and grabbed Big Tom around the neck apologizing to him for stealing his lunch. Little Timmy begged Big Tom to forgive him. He told Big Tom that he would love him till the day he died for taking his whipping for him.

Aren't you glad that Jesus took our whipping for us? That He shed His precious blood on Calvary so that you and I can have eternal life in Glory with Him. We are unworthy of the price He paid for us, but aren't you glad He loves us that much?

This is a story everyone needs to know. So if you know anyone else who may be blessed by this story, please pass it on.

God bless you, and keep you safe. Most people's troubles come from too much time on their hands - and not enough on their knees.

For the Christian - Prayer is not an option but an opportunity.

"In prayer; expect setbacks, but refuse retreat."

Don't tell the Lord how big the problem is, tell the problem how Great the Lord is!

Teaching kids to write like they speak, pt. 2

Sun, 5 Feb 2006 09:55:00 -0600

My older daughter, age 13 is using a rather comprehensive program called High Way to English Grammar that I absolutely love! When I first purchased it, I wasn't sure if this program was going to provide a full language workup and wondered if I was going to need a supplement. After looking through the teacher's notebook and student text I discovered that this program will do all that is required for the next 2 years if worked by the schedule recommended. It uses diagramming to break down what a sentence is really saying. In doing this, the child learns all aspects of language, what the role of each word is in a sentence (adverb, preposition, conjunction, adjective, etc.).

Yesterday, I overheard a conversation between my oldest daughter and her friend who came over to spend the night. It went something like this:

d=daughter

f=friend

d: I can't believe you said that, that is an oxymoron if I ever heard one.

f: what is that?

d: You don't know what an oxymoron is?

f: No, what do you mean?

My daughter went on to explain it to her in typical teenage fashion.

For my oldest, this program has helped her to unlock her creative potential. She's started writing a book. At this point it is about 13 pages, front and back, on notebook paper. She writes poetry as well. She has her teenage moments of course, but overall I would have to say that she speaks very well and can articulate her thoughts both verbally and written.

She also wrote a wonderful report on J.J. Audobon for a class assignment that was wonderful! Perhaps I'll post it and share.

Blessings,

Homeschool mom