My name is Rebecca. I'm a wife, homeschooling mom, homemaker, and grandma. My husband, John, and I are in our 18th year of homeschooling. My hope is that this site will cover a little bit of everything...homeschooling, homemaking, gardening, cooking, grandbabies, thoughts, ideas...whatever. I see each day as an adventure and I look forward to sharing those adventures with YOU! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:20:00 -0500 Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:20:00 -0500 Here's the link to a story that broke yesterday about a Springfield, Missouri woman that was sentenced to 2-days in jail for her son's truancy: http://www.examiner.com/printa-1435188~Mother_sentenced_to_2_days_in_jail_for_son's_truancy.html I'm sure that there's much more to this story that what we're hearing from the media...for example...what's all this about the son's enrollment being revoked from Springfield public schools? Hmmmm....I wonder...Is this woman homeschooling because it's a heartfelt conviction? Something that she feels is mandated by her Heavenly Fathera above, and in accordance with His written Word? Or is she homeschooling simply because she had no other choice, because her child was kicked out of the public school system? Either way, it's a head's up for Missouri homeschoolers. Remember, folks, there are laws that must be obeyed (hours put in, records kept, etc.), and conditions that must be met in order to keep our freedom as homeschoolers in Missouri. Let' s make sure we're all doing our part. ~Rebecca http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/546141/ Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:20:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/546141/ Should Christians Observe Halloween? By Robin Sampson   Halloween is not just a time for cornstalks, pumpkins, apples and cute costumes. There is much, much more. Before deciding to celebrate or not celebrate any holiday, it is important to understand the history of that holiday. Halloween’s roots come from the ancient Celts, a tribe living on the British isles in northern France from 200 B.C. to about 200 A.D. They were first described as a fierce, warlike, terrifying people, many of whom would have strings of human heads tied on their bridles.Halloween was their main holiday, called Samhain. A festival that honored Samhain, the Celtic lord of death. The celebration marked the beginning of the season of cold, darkness, and decay. The Celtics related this with human death; they believed the Samhain allowed souls of the dead to return to their earthly homes for that evening. On the evening of the festival, the Druids, the priest and teachers of the Celts, ordered the people to put out their hearth fires. The Druids built a huge New Year's bonfire of oak branches, which they considered sacrificed. They burned animals, crops, and even human beings as sacrifices. Then each family re-lit their hearth fire from the New Year's fire. The lighted Jack-O-Lanterns used today are symbols of fires and torches. During the celebration people wore costumes made of animal heads and skins. They told fortunes by examining the remains of the sacrifices. These pagan Celts believed that evil spirits lurked about as the sun god grew pale and the Samhain grew stronger. The Celts believed the evil spirits would come to your house and you treat them or they would trick you. The Romans conquered the Celts in A.D. 43 and ruled what is now Great Britain for about 400 years. During this period, two Roman autumn festivals were combined with the Celtic festival of Samhain. Both pagan rituals, one of them, called Feraila, was held in late October to honor the dead. The other festival honored Pomona, the Roman Goddess of fruit and trees. Apples became associated with Halloween because of this festival. Regional Halloween customs developed among various groups of Celts. In Ireland, for example, people begged for food in a parade that honored Muck Olla, their sun god. The leader of the parade wore a white robe and the head of an animal. In England, families sat by the fire and told stories while they ate treats such as apples and nuts. In the United States, many early American settlers brought with them various customs such as the above. However, because of Christianity among so many of the settlers, Halloween celebrations were not celebrated until the 1800s when several immigrants from Ireland and Scotland introduced their Halloween customs. All Saints Day, a day the seventh century church set aside for memory of early Christians who died for their beliefs, was first celebrated in the month of May. By the year 900 the date was combined with the pagan rituals to be celebrated November 1. Another name for All Saints Day was All Hallows. October 31 was known as All Hallows Eve which was shortened to Halloween. The church made a grave mistake trying to combine pagan worship with Christianity. This is not scriptural! Because of that unwise decision, Halloween remains a holiday in America today. Scriptures warn us that the sins of the fathers are visited upon the third and fourth generations. “You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.” Exodus 20:5 Those who disregard God’s warning and make contact with occult spirits risk terrible repercussions in the form of misery, sickness, insanity and even early death. Why do people living in this age, especially Christians, desire to be a part of any pagan worship? This pagan belief, even celebrated by Christian churches, celebrates the union of gods and a goddess in the universe that supposedly control the seasons, bring fertility to crops and animals, and bestow magical powers on their followers. What Does God Say About Halloween? Joshua 24:14 Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. Click to read the rest of the Joshua 24 Halloween is not just a time for cornstalks, pumpkins, apples and cute costumes. Witches have eight special holidays during the year. Halloween is their day above all days. Witchcraft is not child’s play. It is an abomination to the Lord. Johanna Michaleson, former occultist and author of The Beautiful Side of Evil said, “For a true Christian to participate in the ancient trappings of Halloween is as incongruous as for a committed Satanist coming from blood sacrifices on Christmas Eve to set up a nativity scene in his living room singing Silent Night, Holy Night with sincere devotion to baby Jesus!” Ephesians 5:1 tells us to be imitators of God. Our Lord Jesus would not go to a party to honor the feast of the Samhain. Moses did not come down from Mount Sinai and combine the Israelites Passover holiday with the idol worship that was going on. “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people. Therefore Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you." The verse says, “come out from among them, says the Lord.” Does that mean come out from among them--but don’t deprive your children from all that fun and candy -- celebrate the same pagan ritual in your church building? The Bible is very clear about Christians being involved in such celebrations. Ephesians 5:8-11 says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” One thing Halloween should not be for the Christian is a time of fear. It should be a time to rejoice in the fact that “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8. This is a time of spiritual warfare. October 31 should be spent in prayer for the community and children; a time of worship by singing praise to the Lord. This can be a good time to teach our children to sacrifice by not sharing in the rituals because you love the Lord. Whatever your family decides to do on this day, ask yourself, “Does it glorify the Lord?” “…they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons." http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/418127/ Tue, 30 Oct 2007 21:47:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/418127/ I come to you this morning, deeply grieved, saddened, and perplexed. I don't even know if I can relate all that is on my heart and mind this morning.   I have a dear friend...someone with whom I used to work very closely with on another internet group...someone from whom I have sought sweet council...someone who has been my friend and my mentor...someone who, for many years, has taught me and trained me in the ways of Biblical womanhood...someone I've looked up to and admired...someone I very much wanted to be like in heart and spirit. I haven't heard from my friend in a while...she is a pastor's wife, a mother, a grandmother, and a writer...and she's been very busy with life and so have I.   Well, last night, she sent me a copy of her latest book via e-mail. She was touting it as her 'best work yet'. I was so excited to be among the first to get a copy. It seemed like such an invaluable resource to have on hand...to learn from...to grow from. And, then, I started reading it. As I did so, my heart began to sink. Like so many others, apparently, my friend has been swept up into the New Age teaching that has overtaken the modern church of our day.   At one time, this gal, myself, and one other stood alone against such teaching in a forum of close to 300 pastors' wives. At one time, I used to wonder how, where the Bible talks about, that, in the end time, lest the days were shortened, even the very elect would be deceived...I used to wonder HOW could that ever happen? How could anyone who knows the LORD...knows His Word...knows His teaching...HOW could they ever be deceived to that point? Oh! It's so easy to see how now! With so many perverted Bible versions out there...versions that water down, and even omit the LORD's foundational teachings altogether, and with the influx of New Age and false teachers...people like Rick Warren and his "purpose-driven" life and church junk...it has become vividly clear as to how "even the very elect" could, and are being, so easily deceived...just as Christ predicted they would be.   In her latest book my friend says, in talking to others, "Stay away from Christian-ese phrases. These foreign or churchy words can alienate listeners and readers and keep them from identifying with your life. Here are some examples..." She goes on with a list of words to avoid...words like "born again", "saved", "lost", "Gospel", "sin", and "repent". SINCE WHEN ARE THE VERY WORDS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST "FOREIGN" AND "CHURCHY"?????   It is JESUS who told Nicodemus, "...Except a man be BORN AGAIN, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3)   It is JESUS who said, "He that believeth, and is baptized shall be SAVED; but he that believeth not shall be ****ed" (Mark 16:16).   It is JESUS who said, "For the Son of man is come to save that which was LOST" (Matthew 18:11).   It is JESUS who said, "...Go ye into all the world, and preach the GOSPEL to every creature" (Mark 16:15).  It is the apostle Paul who said, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other GOSPEL unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8).   It is JESUS who told the woman that was caught in the very act of adultery, "...go, and SIN no more" (John 8:11).   It is JESUS who said, "...except ye REPENT, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3).   These are the words that JESUS used!!! HOW can they be FOREIGN? FOREIGN TO WHO??? I don't understand!   Folks, please, understand that we MUST be in the WORD! We must KNOW what it says! And we must stand up for it at all costs! The apostate church is here, and it's swallowing up Christians left and right due to ignorance. Please pray for my friend. Pray for your churches and for church leadership. Pray over your families. Teach your children the Word of God IN IT'S ENTIRETY, and teach them to stand on it...even if it means standing alone.   I can say no more. My spirit is so grieved. Just, please, try to see what I'm saying here, and stand firm in the truth of the Word and your faith.   With All My Heart, ~Rebecca http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/389870/ Wed, 12 Sep 2007 11:47:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/389870/ Good Evening, Everyone! Here in southwest Missouri we are experiencing a prelude to fall. We shut the air conditioner off last night, and slept with the windows open. Our high temperature today was in the upper 70's, and all day long Tony and I have listened to the acorns pinging off the roof of the chicken shed as they fell from the neighbor's oak tree. THAT is always a sure sign that fall is on the way for us, as well as, the neighborhood squirrels. A cool north wind blew in around supper time. Right now we're in the mid-60's, with the promise of lows in the mid-50's before morning. It's colder just to our north, with lows in the upper-40's. We couldn't stand it. Tony and John had to go out and build the first bonfire of the season. We just came in from enjoying that. Now, the last of the cicadas are calling, and, it's time to do evening devotionals, then, head for bed. You all have a great evening. God bless all here!   All My Love, ~Rebecca http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/388831/ Mon, 10 Sep 2007 20:40:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/388831/ This morning, with the help of my 12-year-old son, Tony, I made the most interesting discovery about myself. Tony was in John and I's bedroom talking to me while I was making our bed. He asked me, again, who made the beautiful quilt that covers our bed. I told him that it was my friend, Tammy.   "Wow!" he said. "And this..." (he pointed to a mural that hangs on our bedroom wall) "...was made by Robin." "And this..." (he pointed to a tiny quilt that hangs on the rack above my bed) "...was made by who?"   "My grandmother, Maudie McCann," I said.   "Wow!" he said. "You've got stuff from your family and friends all over the place!"   And, you know what? HE WAS RIGHT!   (I never could understand people who were always wanting to redecorate their houses. I don't have much, but what I do have, I'm content with. And, even though none of it amounts to much, I'm a lot like Maureen O'Hara in "The Quiet Man." I always like having "...me things about me!")   It was then and there that I really started looking at the things that stay close at hand to me...and what treasures I discovered!   In our bedroom alone, there's the quilt made by my friend, Tammy, the mural made by my friend, Robin, the tiny doll quilt crafted for me, by hand, by my grandmother, Maudie, when I was 5-years old (she was bedfast for the last 25 years of her life and lived with us for a good many of the years before she died; the quilt was a "postage stamp quilt" made from 1-inch squares cut from the old flour-sack dresses that she wore during the depression of the 1930's, during the Dust Bowl of Western Kansas). Hanging below it, is the double wedding ring quilt that was started by my mother, and finished by my friend, Gayla. I discovered the quilt, one-fourth of the way finished, in a barrel, shortly after my mother's passing in June of 2005. My dad said that she had started it shortly before her death, and it was meant to be my Christmas gift that year. Needless to say, she wasn't going to be able to finish it, so my friend, Gayla, who is very gifted in the art of quilt-making, and who spent a lot of time with my mother discussing such endeavors, said she would be willing to take what was there, edge it as was, and make a mini-quilt out of it for me. She did. Then, instead of letting me pay for it as agreed upon, she hung on to the quilt, wrapped it up, and it became my Christmas present that year after all...from her AND my mom.   Then, there's the book on the head of our bed, HEARTS by Mary Emmerling, that was sent to me by my friend, Karen, in Canada. Karen died of stomach cancer years ago. Also on the head of our bed are the quilt runner that my friend, Bev, in Texas sent to me (a piece of bow-tie quilt that I can't remember the story on right now, but I remember was very special to Bev), and my Grandmother Viola's button jars...four short, stout, little, glass jars...one blue, one red, one yellow, and one green...each with flowers of the same four colors painted on the lids...and each containing buttons that my grandmother collected and carefully sorted into the four, basic colors, then put in the corresponding colored jars. They're still there today.   Coming on out around the corner of my room, next to the bathroom door, hangs the old, oval photo of my great-grandmother, Lorena Lewis Lemmons...still in its original frame. (I once had an antique dealer offer me several hundred dollars for the frame alone. I laughed and said, "No way!")    No, Grandma Lorena's picture was promised to me by Grandma Lorena's daughter, which was my Great-Aunt Tootsie when I was but a young girl. (Tootsie's real name was Ethel Mae, but she was dubbed "Tootsie" by her family when the song "Meet Me In St. Louie, Louie" came out shortly after her birth in the early 1900's. You know it..."...I'll be your tootsie-wootsie...we'll dance the hoochie-kootchie...if you'll meet me in St. Louie, Louie...meet me at the fair..."). Aunt Tootsie always said that the picture belonged to me, because of everyone in the family I reminded her most of her mother. On the night Tootsie died my mother and my Aunt Bev made a special trip to Tootsie's apartment just to make sure that no one else ended up with that picture. It's the only thing they knew for sure what Tootsie wanted done with. That was because every time the family gathered at Tootsie's house, she made sure and told everyone not to forget! LOL!   After making such a wondrous discovery this morning, I took a quick little tour through the rest of my house. Here are some of the things I discovered...   ...a two-tier, glass tea-tray, a special picture, a clock, a lamp, and a stepping stone from my friend, Darla...two doilies lovingly crocheted by my friend, Pat...a picture framed in tartan, a miniature tea set, a unique, little set of window clingies, and a scenic calendar from my friend, Gaynor, in Scotland...a miniature picture and my Celtic cross necklace, which I rarely, if ever, take off, sent to me by my friend, Janet, in Belfast...a reminder of faith from my friend, Carla...a plate with an Irish blessing on it from my cousin, Christina, who passed away two months before my mother did...a bowl made from red clay and beautifully painted from our missionary friends, the Loaiza's, from Guatemala...two books on John and I's Scottish Clan histories and a crushed thistle brought back from Scotland with friends, Brian and Gayla...a Celtic drawing purchased and colored in for me by my young friend, Patsy...a plaque featuring the words of Ralph Waldo Emmerson from my friend, Laura...a clock brought back to us from Germany by our son-in-law, Patrick, before he was our son-in-law...and the list goes on and on...   Interspersed and intermingled among all these tiny treasures are loving mementos presented to me by my husband, my children, and grandchildren.   While it's true that, in the big scope of things, material things mean absolutely nothing to me, still, it's nice to have these small tokens of love and remembrances from those that have come before me, those that have gone on to see Jesus face-to-face ahead of me, those that are close at hand and heart to me today, and those that are near and dear of heart...no matter how far away they may be in physical proximity. I praise the LORD for each and every person that He has used in the past to make me who I am today, for every single person that He has used to touch my life in some special way...even if only but for a brief moment in time...and for all who make up this beautiful tapestry of life called family and friends.   ~Rebecca http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/386061/ Wed, 5 Sep 2007 22:47:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/386061/ I have always loved keepig up with my children...especially in the arts and crafts and nature journaling department. Here' s my own first 'scrapbooking for school' page... http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/378718/ Thu, 23 Aug 2007 21:32:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/378718/ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/378715/ Thu, 23 Aug 2007 21:29:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/378715/ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/378713/ Thu, 23 Aug 2007 21:26:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/378713/ It's been forever since I've posted here, but , thus far, we've had a great first week of school! I just wanted to share these photos of our first attempt at scrapbooking for school. Our plan is to scrapbook one assignment per week. Our first assignment was "The Eastern Hemisphere" which is what we are studying in Old World History and Geography. Here's Tony with his first two-page spread... http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/378707/ Thu, 23 Aug 2007 21:13:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/378707/ Wow! It's been like FOR-EVER since I've posted here! Way too long, I know! And there's been so many things going on that I don't even know where to begin. I guess I'll just jump in where we're at and go from there. Things are going well here. I've spent quite a bit of time this week preparing for the 2007-2008 school year...which, by state law...begins July 1st (not that we have to start doing book work, but I do have to have my paperwork in order and know where we're heading).   Our day here was good. We've been trying to get most of the heavy work around the place, like mowing, done on Fridays, but with the heavy rains, I doubt that we'll be able to mow at all this weekend. John cleaned the chicken house out this morning. Then, he and Tony and I ended up going to Lamar. We had lunch together at Taco Bell, then went to Wal-mart. We had some birthday shopping to do. We've got two granddaughters turning 2 within the next two weeks. Abby's birthday is on the 5th; Audrey's is on the 9th.   We've had more animal problems. Earlier in the week our daughter-in-law found a little kitten in their barn. It had some sort of eye infection. She called our daughter, who has a friend that works for a veterinarian. Our daughter took the kitten and, with her friend's help has been trying to nurse the kitten back to health. Yesterday the friend ended up taking the kitten to work with her, and the vet ended up removing the poor little thing's eye. Well, last night about 10:00 our daughter called on the verge of tears. She said that she thought the kitten was dead, but she wasn't sure. We went over and, sure enough, it was. The poor little thing never even came out from under the anesthetic. We ended up bringing it home with us and buried it...in the pouring down rain at 10:30 last night...in the primroses with Tony's hampster...which died on Father's Day.   AND I had a hen that seemed to be having some sort of respiratory problems yesterday; this morning she was dead on the nest. According to the gal that runs the feed company, all this rain is causing respiratory problems in a lot of area animals...including cattle. I started my chickens back on antibiotic this morning.   Well, I need to go for now. You all have a great weekend, and, hopefully, I'll talk to you all soon! God bless all here! ~Rebecca http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/349673/ Fri, 29 Jun 2007 21:35:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31heart/349673/