WhO SaiD LeaRniNg CaN't Be FuN?? - Homeschool Blogger

Marine Biology - Fun Experiments #1

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 07:48:00 -0600

We are engaged in highschool level science again this year. There are many routes to take on the homeschool road when it comes down to making the choice for what materials you will use. We have opted again for using Exploring Creation - Apologia. Since we are taking the time to document our finds, I thought it might be fun to share some of our experiments with you in the form of photos and some vlogging. In the following video blog we are performing:
Experiment 1.3: The Effects of Salinity and Temperature on the Density of Water

Vocabulary Terms:
Density- the state or quality of being dense; compactness; closely set or crowded condition.
Salinity- the relative proportion of salt in a solution.

Results of our experiment:

We used food coloring to measure the density. By adding the blue food coloring to both hot water, cold water and hot water mixed with the salt or saline solution, we observed the following outcome in this experiment;

Cold water temperature = increased density (blue food coloring stayed on the bottom of cup)
Warmer water temperature = reduced density (blue food coloring mixed with the yellow)
Higher salinity (salt) = more density (blue food coloring stayed on the top)

Watch and Enjoy!

Click to play

Hey New York!! We Have NOT Forgotten You!

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 07:07:00 -0500

I'm amazed by how quickly we forget important things. I do it all the time by nature.

When the attacks upon NYC occurred 9/11/01, my heart grieved for those families who couldn't find their loved ones. My heart grieved for the terrorists who had been blatantly deceived into believing they were doing good by flying those planes on that fateful day.

Have you forgotten?

Saying "thank you" is not enough to express our gratitude to the American soldiers who are fighting to protect us from any more vicious attacks here in the USA. Not only to protect us, but to liberate the people in Iraq who are living in bondage. For this, we thank you. I am thankful for the freedoms we have in the USA. May we never take these freedoms for granted.

Columnist, Charles E. Sowell recently made some very important observations about the presidential candidate's views on national security:

National Security: The Lost Political Issue

At this point in time Americans have a lot to be concerned with, but it should be apparent that the two most critical concerns facing this country are national security and the economy. Most recently, as a result of the current economic crisis, we have heard very little about national security, despite the fact that we are still engaged in a fierce war with the same group of extremists that attacked us more than 7 years ago. It is time for America to reawaken to the fact that if we do not have national security, we will not have an economy to worry about!

Mr Sowell is right on target. Those in this country who take our freedoms for granted may be in for a rude awakening as they support a candidate who could very well place our sovereignty at risk. Senator Obama is ready to sit down with the adversary and negotiate without preconditions.

Any good negotiator also knows that every negotiating session is always preceded by posturing, position measuring (preconditions), and having in mind specific objectives for outcome. Just “sitting down to talk” for the novice negotiator could be a recipe for disaster.

Mr Sowell noted that Senator Obama is an idealist but what we need is stong leadership. All of you parents out there (hopefully most of you), understand the importance of protecting your children and seeing to their welfare. I want no less leadership in the highest ranking office of our country.

We must pray for our nation at this time.

May God Bless America - May We Never Forget.

© 2008 Who Said Learning Can't Be Fun
{Cathy Nagle} All Rights Reserved

Keep Your Eyes Focused on the Best

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:42:00 -0500

Think for a moment about all of the books that you have consumed in your lifetime up until now, either partially or from cover to cover. Now, in your mind, categorize them in only two columns, edifying or a distraction. This article is intended to be food for thought for those parents, homeschooling or otherwise, who have found that their child has been exposed to fantasy books and pressure now exists to bring them into the home.

I have found through the years that most of the pressure we encountered w/r to reading material and the various types, came from other Christian children and their parents who did not have any particular standard set in place. They were most often just happy their kids were reading ANYTHING. It didn’t matter the content.

It's easier to form a good pattern of behavior than it is to break a bad one. Seek to understand what excites your child. What are their interests or delights? Gently guide them to material that will uphold and under gird them in the faith while feeding their delights. Always err on the side of caution when evil is presented as good in fiction books.

Keep this in mind, when we partake of an author’s work we are fellowshipping with them and getting to know their hearts. This material can impact the core of our being in either one of two ways. It will cause us to think upon Christ, or it won’t. It will draw us closer to the Lord or lead us astray.

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” -Ephesians 5:11

There have been many times I’ve witnessed conversations as the topic of these fantasy books would be brought up, NOT by myself or my children but by those who consumed them. We’d been asked if we read them, and after hearing our response, which was “NO”, we were then put on the defensive and usually found ourselves BATTLING and DEFENDING our position, WHY WE didn’t want to read them. I found in order to end the discussion, I would reply, “If you want to read the material, or if you want to allow your children to read it, then that is between you and God. Please don’t try to sway us to your way of thinking on the matter.” You see our answer of “NO” convicted them. It was evident by their (close to hostile), continued questioning of us. Asking them what kind of books THEY read was the furthest thing from our minds!

“If this were your last day on earth or the last book you could read to or with your children, what book would you chose?” (Cindy Rushton)

16 Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. 17 Then the LORD’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the LORD is giving you.18Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. Deuteronomy 11:16-21

These are strong admonitions from the Lord and for our own good. We have to guard our hearts because there are so many little crevices where wrong thinking and corrupt ideas can creep in and spoil the fruit that we want to see brought forth in our AND our childrens’ lives. It may seem small, maybe an “iffy” book here and there, but that’s all it takes to begin acquiring a taste for that sort of thing. We only have so much time on this earth to lead and guide our children on the right path.

How many good years do you have left to train them to choose the best material for their hearts and minds? After they’ve grown and moved out, you’ll want that peace in your heart knowing they desire to spend their time reading material that will bring them closer to the Lord and further their education, helping to develop their gifts. There are SO MANY wonderful books to read. Even at my age I have a longing to read them all, but there is only so much time.

Reading a book to better understand a particular culture or system of beliefs from a non-fiction perspective is different from reading what is pushed on our children as fantasy. Fantasy fiction books at best, only provide allegories and at worst, introduce children to the works of darkness.

“There shall not be found among you anyone who …practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you.” Deut. 18:10-14

Romans 12:9, “Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.”

Here's an excellent statement made by Charlotte Mason that I believe fits very well with the topic of what we and our children should be reading.

Education is a life; that life is sustained on ideas; ideas are of spiritual origin; and, ’God has made us so’ that we get them chiefly as we convey them to one another. The duty of parents is to sustain a child’s inner life with ideas as they sustain his body with food.

The child is an eclectic; he may choose this or that; therefore, in the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand, for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

The child has affinities with evil as well as with good; therefore, hedge him about from any chance lodgment of evil ideas.

The initial idea begets subsequent ideas; therefore, take care that children get right primary ideas on the great relations and duties of life.

Every study, every line of thought, has its ‘guiding idea’; therefore, the study of a child makes for living education in proportion as it is quickened by the guiding idea ‘which stands at the head.’

Corinthians 10:4-5 “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ….” 2

Our Lord Himself chose the medium of a book to convey the Gospel to us. Feed your mind nutritious and wholesome ideas. Encourage your children to make wise choices as well. Don't just tell them no, explain why it is so vitally important. In doing so, this is another way to keep our eyes focused on the "best" ......... on "Jesus."

© 2008 Who Said Learning Can't Be Fun
{Cathy Nagle} All Rights Reserved

The Back 2 School Blast!

Fri, 8 Aug 2008 09:52:00 -0500

Hey!
It's time once again for the Back to School Blast.

You see one of the neat things about the Back to School Blast is that everything is ONLINE. Cindy builds a private, exclusive Membership Site that includes everything from the BTSB in one place--it has audios (from all of the sessions and from the bonus gifts that her speakers give to us), ebooks, complete unit study guides, articles, printable notebooking pages, cookbooks, on and on. I can't believe all of the things that we receive for only $29.95. It is truly amazing!

The audios are recorded live today and tomorrow. You are welcome to attend for free.

If you are reading this post long after Aug. 7th and 8th, you can still purchase a ticket and listen to all of the super audios!

Have a Happy Day!
See You at the Back 2 School Blast!

Cathy :o)

Are You Thirsty?

Wed, 6 Aug 2008 12:48:00 -0500

As my doggie and I embarked on our early evening walk, my eyes were drawn toward the heavens. I noticed the Big Dipper. It hasn't changed since childhood, had I expected that it would?

My first thought was of "Living Water" and all who thirst can come to Jesus and drink of the water that He provides and never thirst again.

It's no accident that these and various other stars are displayed in a recognizable pattern in the sky for us to see.

The Big Dipper is one of the most popular and easy to find of the constellations among students of astronomy.

Psalm 19: 1-4 The heavens declare the glory of God; The skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; Night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, Their words to the ends of the world.

There is an account recorded in the Bible of woman who met Jesus at the well. I'm sure that after her conversation with the Messiah, she never saw the Big Dipper the same way again! She was no stranger to sin. She was also a Samaritan.

We read in John 4: 1 - 42 about this conversation. Jesus was tired and sat down to rest at the well. As she came to the well to draw water, she had a conversation with Jesus.

9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”

10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”

11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water?

12 And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”

13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.

14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” John 4: 9 - 15

Jesus then asked her to go get her husband and He then proceeded to tell her about all the husbands that she had in the past! She perceived Him to be a prophet.

It's interesting to note that this woman then ran leaving her bucket behind to go and tell the others about this conversation she had with the Messiah. Many came to believe upon Him that day.

His message is still the same for you and I today. As we drink water that Jesus provides, it becomes a spring of water welling up to eternal life .

I pray that you will spend some quiet evening time in the last days of summer to look at the stars and really take a closer look at the Big Dipper. It's a mighty big cup!

© 2008 Who Said Learning Can't Be Fun
{Cathy Nagle} All Rights Reserved

Jacob's well, Nablaus-Shechem, c. 1900-1920

Here is a picture of Jacob's Well as it looks today.

Let's Get BACK into the Bible

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:38:00 -0500

My Heart is on overflow right now. Complacency is observable these days within the Body of Christ. As I noted this in others, I was even more aware of it in my own life. I'm hungry for God's Word. Take a good look around you, we find ourselves living in fast moving and changing times. We face upcoming elections in America, gas and other consumer goods continue to soar in price. Our pace is also so swift we can barely find the time to dig into the Bible! Now more than ever MUST make that time! The darkness that surrounds us will begin to get a foothold in our lives if we neglect to study the Bible for ourselves. In Luke 12:48 we read a parable about a faithful servant and this is also where we find the heavily quoted phrase, “

For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”

For the most part, Bibles are plentiful in the USA. Most families have several different versions within the home. There is no excuse for not making time for the most important study of our lives. The more we study scriptures the more of His Word we will crave. This is a lifesaving cycle that we need to ground DEEPLY in our life pattern! We must renew our minds DAILY. As we live our lives and meet with various encounters and people who don't know the love of the Savior, the scriptures will remain in our hearts. The Holy Spirit will bring to our remembrance verses of scripture that we ingest during our study time. He will keep the light of truth shining brightly before us all day long when we do this.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105 KJV

Not only will we present a more solid witness, we will be better equipped to defend the faith. Like it or not, we are in a battle!

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, Ephesians 6:12.

We have a fierce enemy who hates us with a passion. He is the devil. Satan is a deceiver and a liar. He will scheme and plot against the Christian. This wrestle with the devil and his demons will be experienced throughout our whole lives. At times the battle will be very intense. As every Christian will encounter this combat, every Christian MUST under gird his or her life with the truth of God's Word, the Bible. Satan comes to us as an angel of light pretending to be something THAT HE IS NOT in order to deceive us. Don't forget, the STAKES are HIGH! Our relationship with him must be ENMITY. The American Heritage dictionary defines enmity as follows; deep-seated, often mutual hatred. If we become too complacent the enemy can very easily begin to muddle our thoughts. Complacency is a feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction, especially when coupled with an unawareness of danger, trouble, or controversy. In these times it is essential for us to Guard our Hearts!

Guard your heart more than anything else, because the source of your life flows from it. Proverbs 4:23.

When we reach the end of our earthy lives and yes, we all will someday, nothing will matter more than this, NOTHING. Where is your heart focus? Keep it on Jesus.

Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, Hebrews 9:27

We can all too easily lose track and become satisfied with ourselves and our lives. We forget to judge ourselves and our own hearts and motives. We have to keep running that race, even though we may get tired at times. If we are yoked with Jesus Christ, He promises to give us rest and strength to endure to the end of the race. Get back into your Bible and be refreshed and renewed. In my sidebars you will find some tools to get you up and running if you need some help digging into the Word. I'm also in the habit of listening to the Bible in a year on my Ipod device. Listening to the Word in this format may appeal to you for starters. Rick Meyers has created software to assist Bible students, it called E-Sword and it is 100% free! Here's a short description from his website; e-Sword is a fast and effective way to study the Bible. e-Sword is feature rich and user friendly with more capabilities than you would expect in a free software package. The fact that e-Sword is free is just one of the blessings and does not speak of the quality of the software.

It's hard to see when the lights are dim. Keep the oil in your lamp and keep it burning BRIGHTLY!

Stay Close to the Heart of the Savior,

© 2008 Who Said Learning Can't Be Fun
{Cathy Nagle} All Rights Reserved

Listen to the Voice of Wisdom. . . .

Tue, 8 Jul 2008 16:15:00 -0500

My family and I live in the United States. Here we celebrate what is known as "July 4th" or "Independence Day". In the mid 1700's, when the USA was still quite young, Americans had found it quite difficult to live under England's rule. A series of significant events led to the signing of the Declaration of Independence that eventually led to freedom from English rule after America won the Revolutionary war. We celebrate Independence Day on July 4th as this was the day that the Continental Congress completed the final draft of the Declaration of Independence. People thus began to celebrate. In Philadelphia, bells rang out and firecrackers were set off. We still celebrate in much the same way to this very day.

I marvel at the fact that we, like our Creator have been endowed with amazing creative abilities!

It's now becoming a tradition in our family to venture to a local amusement park where we are privileged to watch a spectacular display of fire works. Every year they try to out do themselves at Lakemont Park. I must have counted nearly a dozen different colors as they dazzled the evening sky. I couldn't help but to marvel, ponder and entertain various thoughts as we kicked back to watch. I marveled at the fact that we, like our Creator have been endowed with amazing creative abilities. I thought about the skill that is required to set off such a marvelous display of fire works without blowing oneself up in the process, and the ingenuity that is required to create the many colors and patterns. Oh, how we resemble our Maker! I found my mind then began to think about our very thoughts! How precious it is to have the ability to commune with one another, to share a word of encouragement, to plan an event, share a dream or to teach one another! Oh, how precious this truly is! I thought about those whom we have known and loved that have slipped from our realm and view. Those whom we love who have gone on to be fully in the presence of our Lord. I thought about the way they used to share their thoughts with us and the fellowship that we shared with them together on this earth. We human creatures can be a very forgetful bunch! If we don't become pro-active in either recording our thoughts, particularly, of the most vital thoughts on salvation and Jesus Christ the Word, just imagine how easily and quickly how our thoughts about such things can fade away! As a believing Christian, I do not believe that our thoughts vanish altogether when we die, they only vanish from this present earthly life. King David and King Solomon, two very wise men who sought after and loved the Lord provide us with wisdom in this and many others areas of life. The Psalmist admonishes us to put our trust in God and reminds us that in the day that we breathe our last, our thoughts perish. This is how the Amplified reads:

Psalm 146:4 3-Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no help. 4-When his breath leaves him, he returns to his earth; in that very day his [previous] thoughts, plans, and purposes perish.

Some theologians interpret verse 4 to mean that we cease to be completely, that our thoughts are gone for good until the resurrection. Hence, the doctrine of "soul-sleep". Still others interpret verse 4 to mean that our thoughts are now no longer accessible by inhabitants still on the earth but our spirits & thoughts will return to God. King Solomon, also quoted from the Amplified Bible provide us with these words of wisdom:

Ecclesiastes 12:7 7-Then shall the dust [out of which God made man's body] return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return to God Who gave it.

If our thoughts and plans on this present earth cease when we enter eternity, how important should it be that we actively record our thoughts for our friends and loved ones? How often do we even give thought to our heavenly home? As brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, heaven should be uppermost in our thoughts, for it is there that our Heavenly Father resides. Allow yourself, if only for a moment to consider your great grandchildren. Will they remember you? Will they even have the chance to meet you this side of heaven? Unmarried? Well, how about your siblings? Your nieces and nephews? There is a way to reach beyond our small scope and even past the small amount of time that we have here to touch future generations for Jesus Christ! We are given MANY creative talents for this very reason! To glorify God and to reach BEYOND ourselves. Remember what James wrote; " Faith Without Works is Dead".

Prayerfully consider how you can reach out and share the Gospel, even in the future!

In Him,

Free! A Quick Start for Notebooking Mini-Set!

Tue, 8 Apr 2008 09:22:00 -0500

Hey!

I just got an email from my friend, Cindy Rushton. She is "pumped" about her upcoming

Ultimate Homeschool Expo.

Actually, she is so "pumped" that she has just shared a sneak peek into her Membership Site.

You see one of the neat things about the Ultimate Homeschool Expo is that everything is ONLINE. Cindy builds a private, exclusive Membership Site that includes everything from the UHSE in one place--it has audios (from all of the sessions and from the bonus gifts that her speakers give to us), ebooks, complete unit study guides, articles, printable notebooking pages, cookbooks, on and on. I can't believe all of the things that we receive for only $40. It is truly ULTIMATE!

Anyway, back to the reason that I am sharing with you...

Cindy just sent me permission to give you a sampler of one of her free gifts that is included on the Membership Site. I am so excited to give it to you! It is a audio and ebook set that she actually sells on her website, but she is giving away on the Membership Site. Here is the link:

A Quick Start for Notebooking Mini-Set!

Need ideas for encouraging your young writers and QUICK?
Ready for a FUN way to encourage your most reluctant writer to write AND like it???

This fun-filled, hands-on workshop is one that you simply CANNOT miss!! Cindy Rushton, who has become known through the years as THE BINDER QUEEN, uses Notebooking for EVERYTHING! She will show you how to begin whether your child is a toddler or the most skeptical high schoolers. This workshop is sure to light a fire that will equip YOU to help your children deepen their studies and document learning all along the way!

TOPICS FOR THIS WORKSHOP INCLUDE:

Hey! Do I Have A Chance At This??;
Why On Earth Notebook???;
Down to the Nitty Gritty...WHAT Do I Need and HOW Do I Do It?;
Step-by-Step Through Notebooking;
Scrapbooking! YES! You CAN Have Fun Homeschooling;
Hey? What is Legal? What All Goes Into A Notebook???;
Developing FUN Studies That Teach and Inspire!!;
Copywork...Answers to ALL of Your Questions;
Taking the Writer From Reluctant to Researching;
Ideas, Ideas, Ideas, There’s Gotta Be One for You;
PLUS Much, Much More! PLUS!

Cindy doesn't stop with the workshop, she also includes the Q/A Session after the workshop AND her handouts/samples of student notebooks. Awesome!

Let’s Try Notebooking Audio Mp3:
(Cindy's Workshop)
TALNotebookingPartOne.mp3

(Questions and Answers)
TALNotebookingPartTwo.mp3

Handouts:
E-Book LetsTryNotebooking!

Samples of Student Notebooks:
Ebooks SamplesofStudentNotebooks

Isn't that FUN?

You know the saying that a picture captures a thousand words,well...what about a a gift like this??? And, just think...this is only ONE of the awesome gifts included on the Membership Site. There are hundreds more!

Take my word for it, you will WANT a ticket to this event and access to all of the wonderful resources. Grab your ticket here:

The Ultimate Homeschool Expo 2008!

In Him,

The Weakest Link..........

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 03:34:00 -0500

The United States of America, the Land of Opportunity with Liberty and Justice for All, is a Great and Mighty Nation.

We have been blessed with freedoms in the USA. There are some who take horrible advantage of these freedoms for their own selfish, personal gain, from multi-million dollar corporations down to special interest groups who only care about their own agenda to the exclusion of the rest. We, as a nation will be faced with some huge decisions in the later part of this year as we elect our next president. Since our government has been created by the people and for the people, we must PRAYERFULLY take EVERYTHING before the Lord BEFORE we cast our vote as we evaluate WHO and WHAT a PEOPLE are!

Have you ever viewed the game show the Weakest Link? Yeah, yeah, I know, it's just a game for our viewing entertainment, but the name in a sense reflects the heart of our society. I have never personally been subjected or exposed to the values clarification taught in some public schools where the children are presented with a hypothetical situation. In a nutshell, the situation is presented to the students in story form where various types and ages of people are out at sea on a boat. They are told that the boat can only hold so many and you must decide who to throw from the boat. I must say that the schools can only get away with attempting to impress this hog-wash thinking upon our children ONLY if we allow them to! It is cruel to EVER subject a child into making a decision like that, hypothetical or not!

WHO decides what life is of MORE value than that of another and what is the basis? Who's measuring stick is being used?

Barack Obama, as an Illinois state senator, voted against the BAIPA (Born Alive Infant Protection Act) twice, and then, as chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee in 2003, prevented it from advancing to the floor. Yes, you read correctly, Obama voted against the BAIPA (Born Alive Infant Protection Act) twice, and then, as chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee in 2003, prevented it from advancing to the floor. Again, may I remind you, this tells us quite a bit about a person's heart. PLEASE don't tell me how he will give us the stars in the sky. If we WIPE OUT the NEXT generation, then who will be here to realize these so-called promises? If you have no idea about how these babies are destroyed and left to die, please see this link.

When you cast your votes this year, TRULY vote FOR THE PEOPLE. HOW we treat the WEAKEST among us and how we VIEW the WEAKEST among us says WAY more about the HEART of this nation than ANY well thought out and planned presidential debate can EVER do. Unwanted infants and babies in our throw-away society and senior citizens who can no longer contribute via the workforce, do we say that they drain the system? SHAME ON US!

Ladies, if you want to exercise your right to choose, then please make the choice to abstain from relations until you are ready to take on the responsibilities of a child, at LEAST! Do yourself a favor and embrace marriage, THEN have children. PARENTS, DO NOT neglect the instruction of your children in this or ANY area of vital importance. Where is the choice for the infant, for the child? I am going to save my thoughts on the treatment of our elderly for another day.

Theologian and author Francis Schaffer rightly noted in his book, Whatever Happened to the Human Race, that the character of a society will be judged by the way it treats its most vulnerable members.

Do YOURSELF a favor and see the true light. For ONE day, you may find yourself among......

.....the weakest.

Thank You Mr Heston..........

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 21:20:00 -0500

It's not often, in fact, it's very rare to find a gem in Hollywood, but they do exist on occasion. We had a nice time with family Easter weekend. We actually colored some eggs and put up some decorations at Gramma's house. Among other sweet memories, one that means a lot to me was the time we spend with an old friend who portrayed a beloved leader of old by the name of Moses. The actor? None other than Charlton Heston. Yes, Easter eve we watched the Ten Commandments. Mr Heston gave us a beautiful glimpse into the accounts that we read of in God's Word about the deliverance of His people from bondage of Egypt.

Sometimes when we read the Word, it can be difficult to recreate in our minds what the life was like in various stages through time and the cultural differences. When I see movies like these, and actors who put their *whole heart* into the portrayal it really helps me to better understand what God was doing and how He prepared His people for deliverance. The purpose was twofold, they were prepared and we see the preparations for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The Passover is a beautiful, beautiful picture of His sacrificial death to cover our sins.

Gramma was waiting patiently for ANOTHER Biblical blockbuster, Ben-Hur. It wasn't scheduled to air this year so I was planning to rent it. I browsed through our movie library at home and "low and behold" to my surprise we do own the movie!

If you have never taken the time to watch Ben-Hur, I can promise you, it will be well worth your time! Again, Charlton Heston did a phenomenal job and we learned many things as we watched, (very good movie for history buffs too!)

Maybe you don't care for MGM or the Hollywood twist on movies, but if for no other reason, watch the film as even an excuse to compare it to scripture. It will be a good, no, a GREAT springboard for you to get some study into your life!

Homeschool Cartoon

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:49:00 -0500

I just *Love* this cartoon created by Jim Erskine!

ENJOY!!!

CurrClick's First Annual "Easter Egg Hunt for Parents

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:45:00 -0500

Who says Easter egg hunts are only for kids?!

You're invited to CurrClick's first annual "Easter Egg Hunt for Parents."

When: Monday March 17th-Sunday, March 23rd

Where: http://www.currclick.com/

Our wonderful publishers have been arranging for tons of great surprises and our technical crew has been hurriedly preparing and hiding your virtual eggs. There are over 45 of these eggs hidden all over CurrClick, all with promotional codes worth up to 75% off select eBooks. There are even 7 totally free titles ... If you can find them. Start hunting now! Have fun and don't push anyone. (We had to say it. It's an Easter egg hunt!) *Every code can be used once by every customer.

Happy Easter!

The CurrClick Staff

Curriculum in a Click!

Reading the Bible in a Year!

Wed, 9 Jan 2008 10:28:00 -0600

It's now the year 2008! I guess you all know that by now. I've again started my yearlong Bible study and I've found an awesome aid to assist me in reaching my goal of reading through the Bible in a year. It's called the One Year Bible Podcast, narrated by Tom Dooley. It's fabulous. Included with each scripture reading is a small commentary along with beautiful background music. I actually started this last year but got off course a bit because I joined a bit late. I am staying on track this year! If you have ITunes you can subscribe to the podcast by clicking on the logo below. If you don't have ITunes, here is a link to the website where you can listen to the readings online; http://www.bibleonradio.com/
You can also read along by visiting this site that contains all of the scriptures from the New Living Translation; http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/

So do yourself a big favor and GET into THE WORD!!

God Bless You and Have a Blessed 2008!

The Christmas Gift! My Brand New E-Book Just Released!

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 09:46:00 -0600

To Purchase Any of our Available Titles, Click on the Graphic!

FOR A LIMITED TIME! LEARN HOW YOU CAN OBTAIN THIS TITLE FOR FREE!
These Special Offers Will Not Be Available After Dec. 31st!

The Christmas Gift E-Book

Will provide you and your children with some amazing facts that you may not have known about these beloved Christmas hymns.

The History Behind the Hymns
Meet the Songwriter
Lyrics Page for Each of the Songs
Print Section for use with Your Favorite Watercolors, Colored Pencils or Crayons
Decorated Copywork Pages
Lovely Graphics Throughout!

The Christmas Gift Compact Disc Music Audio

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD SALE 1/2 OFF!!!!! $5.00 These money saving prices will not be offered after Dec. 31st!

Come into the studio with Dave, Cathy, Cassandra and Annette as they record some of most cherished Christmas songs ever! There's nothing quite like praising the Lord as a family!

This CD was recorded in 2004 and it includes the Nagle sisters, *Cassandra and Annette* as they join their mother *Cathy* to sing these precious and memorable Christmas classics.

Recorded and Mixed by *Dave Nagle* of Daylight Sound and Studio!

We Have Reason to Celebrate! Sing along with us and remember the Reason for the Season!

Go Tell it on the Mountain
Hark the Herald Angels sing
What Child is This?
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
O Little Town of Bethlehem
We Three Kings
Silent Night
Angels We Have Heard on High
O Holy Night
Joy to the world
Greensleeves
Christmas Medley

Small One - Someone With a Friendly Face

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 08:41:00 -0600

I just had to share with you a very small portion of a movie/cartoon created by Disney when I was a child. Don't let the name fool you. This cartoon has a BIG heart message! It brings to mind so many things, but most of all, no matter how small or how insignificant we view ourselves or maybe even how others view us, the Lord has a very special place and job for even the smallest of small. Another are His precious creatures. The love that this little boy and the donkey share between one another is so Christ-like in nature and no matter how bleak things may look, remember, God ALWAYS has a plan always.

In His Love, In His Love,

CFC's Destroying the OZONE? Sign Petition - Get Informed!

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 06:50:00 -0600

Just when you think you've heard it all, power mongers and uneducated activists will leave you scratching your head! We have all heard the environmentalists making their many unproven statements about the ozone layer depletion due to CFC's. The latest attack is now upon innocent asthmatics, young AND old alike!
A recent FDA ruling requires that ozone-damaging chemicals called CFC propellants be removed from inhalers, including Primatene Mist. In January 2006, an advisory panel voted 11-7 to recommend that the FDA remove the "essential use" status that Primatene Mist and other similar nonprescription inhalers require to be sold, spokeswoman Laura Alvey said. They are planning a complete BAN of these inhalers by DEC. 2008!

Here's an interesting piece on what's happening in the North with the ozone. This is only one of many articles.

http://www.discerningtoday.org/ozone_depl_twilight_.htm

Thus, Mt. Erebus spews out over 150,000 tons of HF in the Antarctica stratosphere. Only 2,480 tons per year of fluorine are theoretically released by the alleged breakup of CFCs. Even more curious is that most CFCs are produced in the northern hemisphere, yet little to no corresponding ozone thinning has occurred at the north pole!

I have spent quite a bit of time reading articles and browsing forums and the majority are singing the same tune. Drugs that are being distributed to control symptoms of asthma sufferers DO NOT and CANNOT replace emergency inhalers. No one can predict when and where an asthmatic can have an attack. It can be brought on by just about anything an asthmatic can be allergic to; pets, cold air, molds, over exertion, the list varies with the individual. Emergency inhalers are lifesaving in these instances. Primatene Mist is used by 3 million Americans for mild or intermittent cases of asthma and when you can't breath and don't have access to your primary inhaler, the Primatene Mist in the past has been available in stores and drugstores sold as an over-the-counter for the past 60 years! Some nay-sayers claim that in an emergency, you can easily hop on over to your nearest ER and they'll fix you right up! SURE, if you can plan WHEN and WHERE you have an asthma attack!

Dr. John Murray of Vanderbilt University Medical Center has this to say;

However, pulling these products from the market could force patients who self-treat their asthma to obtain proper care from physicians, said Dr. John Murray of Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
"The real concern is letting people self-medicate their asthma and potentially get into serious trouble covering up the symptoms," Murray said. "If Primatene Mist is pulled from the market, the result would hopefully bring more asthmatics to seek appropriate medical care."

But he does not get it. Asthma can only be controlled and the added drugs prescribed can only do just that, control the symptoms. For those people with mild asthma, who use products like Primatene Mist periodically, several times a year for seasonal allergies, why should they be given a daily prescription with the added side effects that would also cost 3 times the amount?

Some have also made the claim that Primatene Mist is not safe, WRONG! Many users have been using this inhaler from the time it was placed on the market back in the sixties! Epinephrine is the key ingredient in Primatene Mist and it is plant based. Surely with anything, EVEN FOOD or vitamins, if you take too much it can harm you. Do we need the FDA to tell us how much and what kinds of food to eat? I would HOPE not!

Dr. Enright has an excellent article on WEB_MD

Here is a portion of an online Petition that you can sign to help make your voice heard.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/saveCFCinhalers/

The FDA, in compliance with the Montreal Protocol, has banned the use of life-saving CFC propellant asthma inhalers in order to restore the ozone layer, even though it has been acknowledged that these inhalers do not perceptibly harm the ozone layer. We call upon the President and the Congress to take whatever actions are necessary to overturn this ban and continue to make these critical CFC inhalers available to asthma patients who cannot tolerate the new replacement HFA propellant inhalers.

Tremendous progress has been made in reducing CFC emissions in the U.S. to less than 1% of what they were during 1987, our peak year of CFC use. However, in order to eliminate this tiny residual amount of CFC use, millions of patients have recently been forced to use the new HFA inhalers which, for far too many people, are much less safe and effective than the original CFC inhalers.

Find out what you can do to prevent this atrocious attack against asthma sufferers from taking place. Read up on this topic in the various forums. Here is one of several:

http://www.topix.com/forum/us/fda/TJ2MSCFLKGNB3PQ5I/p7

Don't Forget to Sign the Online Petition

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/saveCFCinhalers/

Stay Informed and Let Your Voice be Heard.
In His Love,

I Wish You,...One Quiet Night

Sat, 8 Dec 2007 04:24:00 -0600

It's time once again for the dramatic musical to take place at our local body of worship. We've practiced and prepared for quite some time now. Our family is very involved in the musical. These musicals offer a unique avenue to reach out to the lost, but there is more than meets the eye. Being a part of the choir or becoming involved in any sort of ministry through your local church is very important for your growth as a Christian.

So many of us (Christians included) have misconceptions about what heaven will be like. We wrongly believe that when we arrive at the gates of heaven that there will be nothing more to do than float around on distant clouds and strum on a few harps, WRONG!
But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed].

Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man's scrutiny].

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (Amplified Bible)

The Lord wants to reveal His heart and plans to us! Maybe not everything but certainly what we need to know along with those desires He places within us. We are servants to the Master and heaven will NOT be boring!! We will be busily working and serving our Lord AND each other! What better preparation than right here on this flawed earth! Our Lord gave His life to REDEEM that which had been lost! He has not tossed us aside! His plans are to save us. He could've wiped out everything and started over, but the Lord loved His original creation so much.

Involvement in the church prepares us for Heaven. We will not be idle and the work will not be drudgery, it will be our joy. Imagine for a moment, the temptations and trials that we experience upon this present earth, they will be done away with in Heaven and we will be free to SERVE and WORSHIP in a place where sin will exist NO MORE!!! In true love & harmony!

I've experienced many, many glimpses of a love that runs so deeply through the hearts as we fellowship with the choir at our local church. We see the love and life of our Savior Himself in the eyes of our brothers and sisters in Christ. As I grow in His grace, I crave this more and more and find I can't live without much of the time.

May many lives be touched for His glory through, not only our local Christmas musical. May you the reader be blessed the Christmas and may YOU have many quiet nights basking in the Love of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

In His Love,

How Do YOU Want to be Remembered

Mon, 3 Dec 2007 15:39:00 -0600

I don't think that any of us need a reminder of how quickly time can pass us by. As I have spent quite a bit of time lately researching the lives of my ancestors, I've come to realize that much of what I am surrounded by at this very moment in time, my knick knacks, blankets, housewares and such, and even the very house that I am sitting in can be long forgotten with the passage of time. In as few as 50 years or so, only those material things that I make an effort to preserve and pass on, may be the only things that will make a lasting impression on those who will come after my husband and myself.

Put yourself in the shoes of your parents. Do you remember what was important to them as you were growing up? What did they hold dear? What family traditions did they pass on to you? Did they do special things during the holidays? My mother can't walk very well at this time in her life but that hasn't stopped her from recalling each and every step that she takes in prepartion for the up and coming Christmas celebrations! Her reasons for placing one of several nativity sets in certain designated places in her home varies but we've all grown accustomed to her way of preparations. Though I had never met my grandpa on my mother's side of the family, I know that he made an impression upon her heart with the nativity set that he carefully displayed before my mother when she was a child.

It hasn't been 80 years since my grandfather passed away but just about everything that had been a part of his daily life in the realm of the material is gone now. Living at the time of the Great Depression was very difficult. They didn't have much in the way of things, so it isn't difficult to see why not much in the neighborhood of memorabilia was on hand to pass down.

What stirs YOUR memories of your parents? How about your grandparents? What are you doing in your life that is similar to the patterns of living that they have displayed before you? What have your children shared with you through the years that they have taken with them in their hearts? The only good thing about SOME of the clutter that we collect are those good memories that had been built. A long forgotten time of hugs and kisses, those memories can all come flooding back as you stumble upon that once cherished vase of imitation plastic roses that once adorned your mantel or shelf. It was the very first gift that your child saved pennies to buy, just for you.

How will YOU be remembered by your loved ones? What impressions are leaving upon them in your daily comings and goings?

In His Love,

Timesavers Please!

Sat, 1 Dec 2007 02:03:00 -0600

Have you ever put quite a bit of time compiling a post on your blog? Not just any old post, but one that really described your heart on a matter to a tee? Okay, picture the perfect post disappearing with a careless or maybe an accidental slip of the fingers onto the wrong key! Ah Ha! I saw you CRINGE! I've backspaced away HOURS of paragraphs into the unknown reaches blogosphere!

So, as I make note of these tips for myself, I'll share them with you too!

1. Save your work OFTEN!

2. Prepare your work beforehand in a program like Windows NotePad, then after it's saved to your harddrive, copy and paste it onto your blog post.

I recently found a free open source program that is very similar to Windows NotePad but it has a few extra features built in but still remains rather lightweight. It's called NotePad2 and you can download it here: NOTEPAD2

3. If your blogging software has a "save as draft" feature, use it if you are not quite done with your post.

Well, that's it for today's Timesaver Tips!

In His Love,

Mom! There's a Snowflake in my Ice Cream Cone!

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 09:15:00 -0600

I'll be the FIRST to admit that wintertime is not my top favorite season BUT none the less it's still packed with fun! Gazing upon the new fallen snow as it covers the tree tops can generate some fond memories within me, not to mention the peaceful atmosphere these snowflakes can generate.

But can they still have that same effect when found nestled in an ice-cream cone? Yes, it's true! Annette found this beauty mounted upon a chunk of chocolate in her ice-cream and she even tried to lick it away with no success. So we decided to take a picture.

It's amazing to ponder the fact that those snow covered mountains are actually made up of BILLIONS of little fellas like the one pictured above! God's handiwork is once again on display. He's given to us a heart to appreciate this beauty. Think about that for a moment if you will. He has placed within us a longing and desire for Him and that includes all that His awesome hands have created.

I know, I said that winter was NOT one of my favorites, but as a Christian I am learning that even during those times when I may not be comfortable driving on snowy roads or when I find myself in another trial-like situation, His goodness and beauty is ALL AROUND me, if only I submit to the Holy Spirit so that I may see with my spiritual eyes
We can find God's purpose and joy in everything. This is the reason we are told in God's Word, "In Everything Give Thanks, for this is the Will of God for You in Christ Jesus" 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Don't travel so quickly on the path of life that you miss the individual snowflakes! They CAN be seen you know!
Here's a FUN snowflake activity site. Check it out! Paper Snow Flakes

In His Love,