I am a grateful wife, enthusiastic mother, fascinated learner, and once "professional" educator. These are occasional musings about the principal business of my life. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homeoccupied/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:27:00 -0500 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:27:00 -0500 The blog entry at this link was just what I needed today. The lovely music in the background was a perfect match for the message to slow down and accomplish what really matters. Take a look!   http://aholyexperience.com/2008/10/improving-family-relationships.html   (sorry, you'll have to cut and paste the link, I was having trouble getting it to work from this blog, but it's worth it!)   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homeoccupied/611047/ Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:27:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homeoccupied/611047/ I just came across this article by Andrea Schwartz and it spoke to my exact feelings on this subject. (I can only dream of being asked to manage a political campaign, however.) www.chalcedon.edu/hsblog/blog.php It's entitled: "Looking Well to the Ways of Our Households" (Scroll down to the September 8, 2008 entry)   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homeoccupied/592066/ Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:42:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homeoccupied/592066/ Just an update to let everyone know I am still here, though posting only sporadically. I've been convicted to concentrate on keeping my house in better order and it is taking most of my time (imagine that!) Anyway, in light of my recent convicitions and the current political climate I couldn't resist sharing the following article and subsequent discussion about the VP nomination of Sarah Palin. You can see it here: http://74.255.56.30/blog/?p=171   My two cents is this: I really like Sarah Palin as a candidate! (Her charm and enthusiasim are endearing). For 5 minutes I actually considered voting for the McCain ticket. However, I would not have considered voting for McCain before and cannot, in good conscience now. If she were running, maybe. I, like many others, can't shake the question "Who is going to take care of her kids?" I can say that her speech did inspire me to work harder in the sphere God has called me to at home. I don't buy the false dichotomy that the only choices we have for voting are Republican or Democrat. There are other good men running for president.  I do believe each of us must vote for who, through biblical study and Holy Spirit conviction, we feel to be the best candidate for the job, even if ,for some, that means not casting a vote at all. God is in control of the election and the whims of all of those voting, His choice will come to power no matter who wins (either for our blessing or judgement).  So, I will continue to watch the race and pray for the leaders of our country, those currently in office, and those who are to come into it. With God's grace, I will continue in the path He has laid out for me, in obedience, so that my prayers may not be hindered. It's a little fragmented, but there you have it. I hope you all are doing well! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homeoccupied/587847/ Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:53:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homeoccupied/587847/ A friend who is considering homeschooling contacted me today about curriculum for a pre-K/kindergartener. I was honored and surprised that we have actually "done" enough homeschooling now to have some recommendations, so here's my slightly-edited-for-the -blogsphere reply. "Hi!  A really good book that I have used is "Slow and Steady, Get Me Ready" by June R. Oberlander ( you could get it on Amazon for around $15). It's got weekly developmentally appropriate activities from birth through age 5. Some of them are things I'm sure you've already done, but if you started at age 3 1/2 to 4, you'd get through all of the kindergarten stuff, from counting objects & recognizing #'s 1-10 to the letter- a -week through the alphabet as well as painting and recognizing right and left. "Leading Little Ones to God" by Marian M. Schooland is also a great book  for "Bible" curriculum. It has easy memory verses and theological concepts for little ones with scripture reading (by you). Evelyn (3yrs) is able to memorize the weekly verses. "Bubbles, Rainbows, & Worms-Science Experiments for Preschool Children" by Sam Ed Brown is good and Mary (my mother-in-law who is also an art teacher) helped me pick out "The Way They See It- A Book for Every Parent about the Art Children Make" by Brenda Ellis. I think you could get them all on Amazon for around $40-50 (total) except the art one and you could get it at www.artisticpursuits.com for around $30. So those are my picks for a well rounded pre-school for under $100. If you wanted a pre-packaged kindergarten, which, of course, are a little more pricey, www.sonlight.com and www.veritaspress.com have good ones.   As far as singing and dancing and playing with other kids goes, you could still take her to Kindermusic or dance lessons.  Some of my friends are active in civic theatre. You could also do paint your own pottery or check the local YMCA  for swimming lessons if that fits your schedule. We do a program at home (www.kinderbach.com) and invite our friends over to do it with us.   O.K. I said I'd try not to overwhelm you with too much info, but lastly, if you want a good book for Mommies (especially former educators),  I was absolutely rivited by "The Underground History of American Education" by John Taylor Gatto. He was twice the NYC teacher of the year until he retired and began researching what made the schools go bad. You can buy the book or read it online at www.johntaylorgatto.com   I hope this helps. May God bless you for caring about your kids, whatever you decide to do."   Julie http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homeoccupied/504819/ Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:31:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homeoccupied/504819/      "Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, that leads to righteousness?"     Romans 6:16     It has recently come to my attention that I am a servant. I know, I'm pretty slow, after all, I have been a mother for 5 years now and the thought just came to me. (Maybe that's why it just occured to me, too busy being a mother to have a complete thought!) I have to confess I don't really like the job title. I mean, if we are to do all things to the glory of God, then I have to be the best servant that I can be. This was never an area to which I aspired. Nobody says they want to be a servant when they grow up. I sure didn't. To serve someone else as their servant means that I have to do what they want me to do. I don't get to decide. I'm not "free" to make my own decisions. This grates on my nature in every direction.      But my recollection of the Bible's teaching on the subject doesn't allow for any alternative. A scanning of Strong's entries on the word "servant" reveals 4 pages of entries. I am a servant, either of sin or of God. No matter what my physical position in the world, I serve under God's authority.  Even if physically free, my soul was made to serve. Realizing this really changes my perspective. I have always been a servant.      When I recall my days of serving my sin and myself (an inherently sinful being) I realize that my master was a cruel and harsh one. I remember the despair, darkness, feelings of helplessness when things didn't go my way. I remember the lack of pleasure in getting what I wanted when it went against God's law. Standing back and looking at my life, realizing my true position, I can see how awful it is to serve my sin.      Somehow, I started believing that I was once free to do what I wanted and now I have to serve Christ. But that isn't true. I have always been a servant. I will always be a servant. But, thanks be to God, He has raised me to life in Christ and now I can choose who to serve. God is a much more benevolent master. When I realize the inevitabally of serving, I am much more motivated to serve the righteous master. The lie was that there was no master. The truth is that there is a good and gentle one. A master who is even willing to make me his child. A master who elevates his faithful servants to positions of honor (think of Joseph). And one who was even willing to die in my place.      http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homeoccupied/412761/ Mon, 22 Oct 2007 07:43:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/homeoccupied/412761/