Dec. 8, 2009 - Kitchen Moments ~ Cooking Biblical Foods
I found a very interesting website when researching this week's topic:
When you go to a recipe at this site, such as Elizabeth's Carob Cake, you will find the recipe, a photo, and also tabs that will take you to a Bible Reference page and the History page for that particular food.
The site also has a meals section with links to recipes for each dish.
I plan to spend more time at this site in the coming days, and perhaps take a look at the cookbook if I can find it at a local library.
Another book that I find helpful in planning Biblical celebrations is Celebrating Biblical Feasts In Your Home or Church by Martha Zimmerman.
I hope these sources help you to add some tasty foods in with your Biblical studies.
Blessings,
Catherine
Catherine Love lives in the heart of Texas with her husband Carl, and their 3 daughters, Sarah, Hannah, and Cana. They enjoy cooking, gardening, and learning new things as they seek to live a lifestyle of learning together as a family. You can read Catherine's Kitchen Adventures and more on her blog- Seeds of Love.
Dec. 7, 2009 - Classical Education ~ An Anchor for Homeschooling
During the homeschooling journey, one will come across many times of stress, pressure and doubts. The journey is full of waves knocking us to and fro as we try to maneuver our way down the path of educating our children. It is always important to have God's Word in our heart. When we are in the middle of a storm, though, life is more manageable when we have His Word embedded in our heart. When we can cite His Words that bolster us up and incite courage into our very being, this makes the going a bit more bearable. His Word becomes our anchor as we are being tossed every which way by the waves of life. His Word calms our spirit and clears the emotional fog.
I have been in need of that anchor in the last few months as I have been dealing with health issues. These issues and the ensuing effects have caused me to doubt myself and my ability to educate my children. I have even gotten so far as to seriously consider putting them in school after the Christmas break. I feel like I have let my children down. Not only am I not giving them a Classical Education but it might also be debated whether I am giving them any kind of education at all.
Those are the words that I mutter to myself when I sink into that bad place. That dark, suffocating place that does not abide in hope. I don't like that place so I combat it by turning to God's Word. I read His Word and commit it to my spirit, so that when the darkness starts to enfold me, I can hold it off by the light of His Word.
When I am at this place, there are quite a few scriptures that wards off the darkness. Here are a few that I have relied on in the last few months.
For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. (Ps. 31:3-5)
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. (Ps. 31:24)
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness . (Isaiah 41:10)
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. (Ps. 5:3)
I am so thankful for God's Word that I can cling to as my anchor through this rough time. In clinging to His Word, I am assured that He will lead me to higher and drier ground in time.
Julia lives on the Canadian Prairies with her husband, homeschooling their 3 children (10,8,6) and is attempting to give them a Classical Education. You can read more at her blog.
Dec. 7, 2009 - Craft Corner ~ Bible Crafts

- Quilted Bible Cover ~ Although the Lord doesn't care whether our Bibles have a nifty cover, it's still a fun thing to make and use! Not to mention it can be very handy for holding paper and pen for sermon notes.
- Stenciled Bible Verses ~ I saw this done at a church once, and the result was pretty and charming. Get some lettering stencils, choose an appropriate verse, color, and wall, and get painting! You could also stencil your verse on other things.
- Another way to burn verses into your memory, almost literally, is to burn them onto a piece of wood using a woodburning tool. This technique is also called pyrography. It produces a simple, yet lovely, effect if you merely write out your verse in plain letters with your woodburning iron, and then decorate it with pressed flowers.
- Still another way to display your favorite verses would be to print or write them out on a piece of paper, decorate it, frame it, and then hang it on your wall. You could also choose to use counted cross-stitch to embroider your verse.
Dec. 4, 2009 - Featured Blogger ~ PearceFamily

It's time to get back to Featured Blogger again! It's been a nice break and it was nice to have Amanda Bennett on the HSB home page for two whole weeks, but there are so many other bloggers to meet!
This week I want to introduce you to the PearceFamily of Planted Oaks and Little Acorns. This fun family takes time to enjoy life and homeschooling.
We've been talking about preparing for Christmas here on the Porch but how about preparing for a baby? Lori is one blessed mama! Her oldest daughter gives her a pedicure before the new bundle of joy arrives. What a special treat!
Have you joined the workbox craze? Then meet another mom who has fallen in love with this way of doing homeschooling! She has a whole category dedicated to workboxes.
Now here's a fun idea for blessing other families this Christmas! Give them 12 days of gifts that fit with the 12 Days of Christmas song. Lori blogged about it in 2 separate posts, days 1-4, and days 5-12.
Go wish the PearceFamily a Merry Christmas!
Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB
Dec. 10, 2009 - Take Our Survey and Get 2 Free E-Books!

- Turning Points in Homeschooling offers ample support and incredible insight that will help answer many of the troublesome questions you may have.
- Fiesta of Freebies 2nd Edition offers incredible organization of the many Freebies that were offered throughout 2008 in the Freebie Friday E-Newsletter and The Homeschool Minute.