GraceGraceOnlyGrace

Homeschool Nerds

2006-04-06T11:53:00.000-05:00

My sweet brother-in-law told me when we first started homeschooling, "Just don't let them turn into homeschool nerds."

To be honest, I was quick to say, "Oh, of course not!"

Now that I am more seasoned and realize the why's and how's of this world and my faith, I have changed my opinion.

My "homeschool nerd" definition: kind, loves God, puts his parents opinions above peers, loves books and learning, loves his family, quiet and respectful. The more I think about these traits, I have to admit that they are EXACTLY what I want my children to be like!!! The opposite is a child who thinks learning is dumb, his parents and God are much less important than what his friends think, puts being accepted above his family, God and kindness.

I believe that as Christians, we think that in order to win a person to Christ, we must fit into the world. We must be able to relate to their lives so much that we are living the sins we are against: greed, consumerism, watching shows and movies just to have something to talk about.

I do not believe a Christian should isolate themselves, but I also believe we should be very careful in what we do and even more careful in what our children are allowed to do.

When it comes down to judgment day, I do not believe I will have to ask forgiveness for raising a homeschool nerd. That is MY goal!

My Purpose

2006-03-27T20:59:00.000-06:00

Each morning, I lay a foundation of God's Word to my mind and heart. I surround it with prayer. Then, each event I encounter throughout the day is applied to that standard. The foundation bounces off thinkgs that do not have a place in the life of God's child. It allows the good to soak in.

As a human, there is absolutely no good in me. It is my very nature to do wrong. I first need God in me to redeem my sin. Sin is debt that must be paid. I then have to make a continuting effort to live for Him. This is the only way to live a full, joyful, content life; to fulfill the purpose for which I was made.

The Bible speaks many times of teh importance of spending time in God's word. It also gives many examples of doing this in the morning. A bad experience in the morning can ruin your entire day. In the same way, time spent on the best thing, time with God, can make all the difference in having a great day.

It is important to spend time in God's word daily. Where your heart is, there your treasure is also. By hiding God's word in our hearts, we are giving Him our hearts and putting our treasure (our hope and future) in Heaven. Spending time in the Bible is focusing on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. It puts our focus on God instead of ourselves. By studying the words of God and the stories of His people, we learn the character of God so we can mirror it in our own lives.

Some say that the Bible is hard to understand. We must have God living in our hearts to understand His word. The Holy Spirit is the one who interprets God's message to us. Without the Spirit inside, the things of God do not make sense. As a christian, the more time spent in the Bible, the easier it is to understand and apply to life. Even when it is not easy, it is important enough to do regardless.

God's word is thesword to fight against tempatations. Jesus, the perfect example of life, used God's word to fight Satan in the desert.

The importance is not how much time or material is read, but rather the act of obedience to spend time with God. More time spent in God's word produces a fine-tuned ability to hear His promptings on where to read, how long to read and what it means.

After reading God's word, meditate on it. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and praise. Pray the scripture just read, ask God to speak through His word. Pray the Lord will speak through the day, talk to the Lord about daily plans and ask Him to make your plans mirror His. I pray that I am an encouragement to each person I encournter each day, a light of my Creator.

Beginning your day with God is fruit that you want your day to be filled with Him. It may not be easy to et into a routinge of spending your first fruits of your day with Him, but it will produce even greater fruits throughout each day.

Tags: Tipping+Point books

purpose

The Tipping Point

2006-03-16T14:33:00.000-06:00

The Tipping Point is my recent read for my book club. It is a quick read that is loaded with interesting information.

Tags: Tipping+Point books

Books

To Provide our children with a Superior Education

2006-03-09T08:40:00.000-06:00

I cannot tell you what reason originally prompted thinking about homeschooling our children. Now that I have both done and researched it, I have a better idea of the truths behind homeschooling instead of the myths and misunderstandings.

I would say that as I type, my number one reason for homeschooling is spiritual. I believe God’s hand is in our homeschooling and that it is His desire for us to homeschool. I believe the spiritual reasons are enough that even if I was not doing the best job academically, that God would still bless us because He looks at our heart and our motives. For us, God’s approval is more important than the approval of the local school board, our friends, family and acquaintances.

With that said, I believe that most homeschoolers are very committed to their children’s academic education. Homeschooling parents generally make it a continuing effort to seek out and teach with the best curriculum and materials for their children. The parent who takes such lofty goals of their child’s education is not generally one that is not committed to their family and to those goals completely. I have no doubt of the spiritual, social and academic superiority of homeschooling.

Gerald Greenwald, the Vice Chair of Chrysler said that

”American Industry spends more money to teach remedial math to US workers that all grade schools, high schools and colleges in this country combined.”

One on One versus a Classroom

No one would doubt the academic benefit of one on one tutoring. Taking time, one on one with any child is going to provide a greater learning experience for the student. A classroom, even a good one, has limits. A typical classroom (public or private) has 20-30 children in it. They have a limited time. They are on a schedule and have goals that are not for each and every child’s best, but for (as the NEA claims) the good of the average student. A homeschooling environment is tailored to the individual. If a curriculum is not working, another one is sought out. If a child has a problem, it is reviewed and looked at in another light until it is understood and mastered. If a topic is particularly easy, it is learned and the student moves on to other things. When something comes up that sparks the student’s passion, it is looked into more deeply. There is so much more that can be done in an educational setting without the restraints of a classroom.

An Unplanned Fieldtrip

For instance, we were recently studying trees. There were some great pictures in our book. One of my children pointed out… “Mom, we have trees OUTSIDE!” What a revelation! Not only did we have trees, but we were under no authority other than God and my husband (both of whom approve of tree-looking!) So we picked up our book, went in the yard and looked at the leaves, the bark, and a twig. We looked at the side buds, the shoots, and the girdle scars. We found out how old every twig we found was! Two houses down, a tree had blown down from the effects of Hurricane Katrina. It was lying by the road. We went there and counted the rings. We looked at the sapwood and heartwood. On the tree we also found bracket fungi. While we were walking back inside, we noticed a caterpillar making a chrysalis in my herb garden! We looked in the book and found out what type it was. We saw what the eggs looked like and started finding them… by the end; we had found three different types of caterpillars. We kept a close eye on it and counted over 40 caterpillars in the next few days. All of this took very little time, but my children still remember everything they learned that day… even the four year old who was really just along for the ride!! We had the freedom to learn what we wanted, how we wanted to.

Will God Provide?

Parents are given the authority by God to teach and disciple their children. I will go more into this in a future mission article “To grab hold of the grace, power and authority God has given to parents.” God does not give us more than we can handle. I believe that God will give parents the tools and wisdom they need to raise the children He gives them as gifts. He will not leave us unequipped. Common objections I hear are that “I am not smart enough”, “I do not know enough about the advanced subjects.” I feel that this not only doubting God’s provision, but it is also simple ignorance. There are so many things provided for homeschoolers that completely bridge the gap in the parents’ education and what the children need to know. In our personal homeschool, I feel that at the very least, I will buy a DVD or hire a tutor to help me in areas that I lack in. For I feel that is better than the alternative of public school. Spunky Homeschool talks about a time when she didn’t know the answer to a question: Teaching the Teacher. As parents, we are not expected to know every academic question that comes up in our children’s lives any more than we are expected to know the answer to every spiritual question. The difference between a bad or good parent and a great one is the admission of not knowing it all and taking the time and energy to teach your child how to find the answer themselves! The best part of this kind of learning is that both the child and the parent come out smarter in the end!!

How to Learn

Larry and Susan Kaseman state,

”How do children learn two very difficult skills, walking and talking, without anyone’s making a self-conscious effort to teach them? Could children learn other things, even “school” subjects like reading and math, in the same way, by imitating other people’s behavior, making mistakes, correcting them on their own, and asking for help when they need it?’”

I believe the goal of an academic education is to teach children to learn for themselves. This is the first academic mistake our public schools are making. They are not teaching our children the tools they need to learn. There is the idea that everything a person needs to know for the rest of their lives, they should learn in 18 years…. This is NOT the way God designed us. Each of us has a God-given desire to know more and learn more. The problem is that the boring, test-focused, cookie cutter public schools squash this desire. Children’s God-given desire for knowledge is one of many God-given qualities the public schools teach children to ignore.

Public Schools are Failing

Our present public schools are failing. There are 27 million people illiterate in the USA… MOST of them went to public schools. The United States is below the world average in math and science, SAT scores have dropped 78 points since the 1960’s. Public schools standardized tests average is 50%, the homeschooled average is 80% !

Our public schools are “teaching to the test”. This is an ineffective way to teach. It does not involve understanding and mastery of a subject, but rather memorization. Memorization of facts is not bad in itself, but it must be the minority of an education. Education must be ideas, stories and understanding. Memorizing facts is something that is done to firm the information in our minds, to make it easier to recall the ideas we are trying to convey.

Not only are teachers teaching to the test, but school districts are dumbing down the tests and a small group of teachers are giving the kids the answers to the tests. These tests are such an important measure of success in the public school, that they are actually a part of the problem. Tests can be very useful in an academic environment, but they must not become the point of academics.

Some other things that children are learning in our public schools are how to avoid true learning, how to appear busy, how to sneak behind the teachers back and how to turn in mediocre work just to get by.. Our public schooled children do not have the passion for learning, the real world reasoning for education... School is a block of time they are trying to finish.

The majority of homeschooled children see the real world reason for an education. They are out in the real world every day, they are reading great literature and learning about people who not only used real learning, but made history. They are not getting a watered down version that will fit in 180 days, 40 min. a day. Their time is not wasted watching and listening to others reprimanded, watching their teachers do paperwork, or waiting on the slower students.

For the “proof in the pudding”, I recommend reading the findings from the largest study done to date on homeschooling.

More evidence the public schools aren’t educating can be found in this interesting article: For Why Homeschool: The right to own a pet - The Simpsons v. The Constitution

Just because someone is a teacher does not necessarily mean that they are great at teaching. In an interview on CNN, Michael Farris points out that in

“Massachusetts tried to test teachers who teach math in schools where more than half the kids are filing their math test. The teachers’ union called the tests. As you probably know, discriminatory, which of course it was against inept teachers.”

The problem is not with the teachers, but with a broken system. Until the system is completely changed, it will not be an effective way of teaching children academics. And most importantly, it will quite possibly hinder their spiritual training.

For the rest of our educational mission statement, click here.

Regenerate Our Culture

2006-03-04T12:38:00.000-06:00

Our culture needs an overhaul. There are people who don't just think that, but are doing something about it. I just found a fantastic new organization started by folks like Tim Sweetman, better known as “Agent Tim,” and Kristin Braun, or “Spunky Jr.” They’re all about changing the worldview of our nation from unbiblical to Biblical—quite a task! It looks like some great articles are going to be coming from their online magazine, and the blog network sounds awesome! Regenerate! Check it out!

Pocket Call Teaches Lesson From God

2006-03-03T19:35:00.000-06:00

A pocket call is when the buttons on the cell phone hit the side of your pocket or purse, accidentally making a call. I have done this a few times and I get at least one of these calls from friends and family every week!

So far, I have not heard anything worthy of the gossip pages. I pray that no one has heard anything from me! My two year old loves to turn the phone on to hear the lady say, "If you'd like to make a call, please hang up and dial again." He really thinks he has called someone! I am deathly afraid he will actually call someone at the exact minute I am loosing my mind! Others will hear and find out that I am not the perfect mother and wife, that I do say things that I regret.

Norris Burkes learned a lesson the hard way when he made a pocket call and his friend, Steve heard him giving his son a math lesson. His friend, Steve, called the next day.

"Steve called wanting to help. While his call was meant in some way to hold me accountable, his main purpose was to help restore a relationship that sounded broken to him. He called because he still thinks I’m a good guy who still has the ability to be a decent father.

Yes, God sees and hears us — but not because God keeps a scorecard. It’s because God wants to keep us in the relationship. "

What if our cell phones were always making pocket calls, to our mother-in-law, mother, pastor, stuck-up friend down the street? It would change how we talk to our families.

The hard thing to remember is that God is always listening! And that is the REAL reason we should change how we talk to others. The way to change? Not through fear and outward appearances, but by changing our hearts.

Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week

2006-03-03T08:17:00.000-06:00

March 13-17th is National Multiple Sclerosis Society's Awareness Week.

The National MS Society provides hope to
millions of people around the globe that
someday soon we will have a world without
MS. Support the MS cause and be part of the
message by wearing your own MS Band of Hope.
Wristbands are $1 each, sold in packs
of 10. Additional fee for
shipping and handling.

The Ribbon Of Hope is also available. Order now to be ready for MS Awareness Week!!

Should We Fear Those We Love?

2006-03-03T08:01:00.000-06:00

At first glace, fear and love seem to be opposites. Fear must be examined as a word before we can suppose if we should do it or not. Fear can mean many things, both good and bad.

”Jerry Bridges, the author of “The Joy of Fearing God” (Waterbrook, $19.95) reminds his reader that the Old Testament proclaims “there is joy in fearing the Lord.” In this ancient context, fear is synonymous with wonder, reverence and an admiring esteem for God’s omnipotence, along with the knowledge that this Awesome Power is the very Power of Love, a love so strong that it commands obligation.”

A very good article called, Parents Fear too Much, Children too Little is the basis of this post.
The point brought up in this article is that we have lost or are at least losing the healthy, necessary fear towards parents and gaining a bad one towards children in our American society.

I have personally been afraid the world will think I am not the Perfect Mom talked about in this article. Just two nights ago, I was out taking my children for there “socialization” that everyone says is so important for homeschoolers. One of my daughters was upset because she believed her older sister was leaving her out and one of her sister’s friends was talking bad about her. She came to me with her problem, but I was so excited about my own socialization that I gave her the sweet pat on the head and told her it was fine.

My daughter was tired and discouraged to the point that she decided to push this other girl, much to my horror. My daughter has rarely if ever acted in this fashion and I am ashamed to admit that my first thought was one of embarrassment. I quickly regained myself from the brinks of pride and did as needed in the situation with both discipline and compassion. The lesson she learned through this incident is that violence is not an answer for frustration. The lesson I learned was that pride is never an answer.

I take my lessons on good parenting from the Perfect Father. I see that we are to have a healthy fear and respect of Him. Although I do not deserve quite the fear and respect God does, I see in His model of Fatherhood to us, that they are necessary components of a healthy parent/child relationship.

My mother-in-law speaks of the type of respect she had for her father. She has told me that he rarely if ever told his children “no”. His children knew somehow what was expected and had a desire to do it. This is something I strive for in my children. I don’t want to be they type of mother who is always saying “no”. I want to be the type of mother that is loved and respected and that children want to please. I believe the secrets to this are in my relationship with my own Father. As I grow closer to Him, I will grow in the type of parenting that produces great results.

Declining Literacy

2006-03-02T10:49:00.000-06:00

Our public schools are not teaching children what they should. That is one reason so many parents are bringing their children home to teach them. The following quote is part of an article about the literacy crisis in America.

"In late January, The National Survey of America's College Students found only 40 percent of the nation's college seniors are able to distinguish fact from commentary in a newspaper editorial, understand documents such as maps and instruction manuals, or calculate a server's tip after a meal out. Only 13 percent of the country's adult population was deemed proficient in those basic skills.

Now comes a report from ACT, the nonprofit college entrance exam giant, that shows only half of the 1.2 million high school seniors who took its test in 2005 are prepared for the reading requirements of a first-year college course. The half who didn't meet ACT's benchmark were unable to understand relatively complicated texts with several layers of meaning."

Book Lists

2006-03-01T20:41:00.000-06:00

Semicolon has a very good book list that I will have to work on as soon as I finish my current reading!

The Books Beside Me

2006-03-01T13:50:00.000-06:00

I sincerely believe that reading is the cornerstone of education. Here is what we are working on right now:

I am reading Mere Christianity. I really had no idea what to expect from this book. I began it for a book club. Although the book club met to discuss it last Thursday, I am still working through it. It is not a quick and easy read. It stimulates so many ideas and thoughts in my head that it is taking me 10 times longer than I normally take to read a book. I am getting close to the end and I predict reading it again in the near future. It has too much great information to take in reading it just once.

For a fiction book, Blink by Ted Dekker is next on my list. My husband has read this book and some of Ted Dekker's others. Since it is rare for my husband to recommend a book, Blink is next on my list!

On my nightstand, I also have The Grace Awakening. I put it aside so that I could finish Mere Christianity for my book club. I will most definately take it back up, it is a good one!

I am glancing over and researching a book called Discovering Great Artists. It has gotten a lot of great reviews. I checked it out from my local public library. I believe I will end up buying this one to add into our art curriculum.

We were planning on seeing a play a few weeks ago on the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder. We began reading Little House in the Big Woods in preparation. We decided against going to the play, but kept on reading the book, only at a much slower pace. I am surprised that my 4 year old son likes it. It has so many references to hunting and all of the stories that "Pa" shares are of pure boy stuff! We have to read it in short settings and we don't read it every day.

We are also working our way through The Book of Virtues. The stories are short and the kids like them. I am very happy with this book.

Multiple Sclerosis Walk

2006-02-28T11:15:00.000-06:00

My husband was diagnosed with MS a little over a year ago. We are participating in the MS walk this year. Visit the "Brett's Team" website to register to walk with us or to pledge!!! Thanks!

From the MS website:

Multiple sclerosis affects lives every moment of every year. At any time, someone with MS may suddenly be unable to stand up, hug their child or see a friend across the room.

This year, I'll be participating in the National MS Society's annual MS Walk to help raise funds for research and local programs. It's a small thing for me to do for people who face the devastating and relentless effects of MS every day. Step by step, I hope to bring the National MS Society closer to a cure.

Will you help by sponsoring me in this year's MS Walk? With your generous support, we can end the devastating effects of MS, sooner rather than later.

Thank you!

Here are some FAQ's I copied from the MS Walk Website:

How much does it cost to participate?
There is no fee for the MS Walk, but we ask that all walkers bring a pledge/donation to help fight the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis. Your donations and efforts help the 7,000 living in the Mid South with multiple sclerosis. If your pledges total $100 or more, you will receive an official MS Walk T-shirt. You can also qualify for other great prizes the more you fundraise.

How much money should I raise?
Raise as much as you can! In order to receive a 2006 MS Walk T-shirt, you need to raise $100 and then you are eligible for great prizes above $400. Very soon you'll be able to check out the prizes online. In 2005, MS Walkers raised an average of $126 per participant! Raise more than $126 and become a part of the BEAT THE AVERAGE Club!

Where does the money go?
Your money helps the 7,000 people living in the Mid South with multiple sclerosis as well as funding national research. There are numerous research programs happening around the country and you can read about those here. Your money also helps with fundraising costs, administrative costs, and public and professional education.

Is there a minimum pledge goal I must meet?
No, but setting goals to fundraise is a great way to help end the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis.
Please keep in mind that it does cost some money to host the MS Walk, although we try to get a majority of the materials donated. The money raised goes to funding national research, chapter programs, and public and professional education.

Is there a minimum pledge goal I must meet?
No, but setting goals to fundraise is a great way to help end the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis.
Please keep in mind that it does cost some money to host the MS Walk, although we try to get a majority of the materials donated. The money raised goes to funding national research, chapter programs, and public and professional education.

Can my child (12 or under) participate in the Walk? Do they need to raise money?The MS Walk is a family event for all ages! We recognize that young children may not have the ability to raise funds like adults do. You can always bring your children as it’s part of the MS Walk fun! However, please keep in mind that with a little help from an adult, children have the potential to be big fund-raisers!!

How long is the MS Walk?
The walk distances vary depending on the site, but generally options range from 2 to 6 miles round-trip.

How long will the MS Walk take?
It depends on how fast you walk. Usually, you can estimate 20 to 30 minutes per mile.

Do I have to choose my distance I’m walking before the day of the event?No. If you decide that day that you’d rather walk 6 miles instead of 2 or if you’re feeling wobbly and would rather only walk 2 when you planned on 6, it’s totally fine. Once you’re on the route you can make your decision.

Are the routes accessible to people who use wheelchairs or scooters?
Yes. All of our routes are accessible for participants in wheelchairs or scooters, as well as families with strollers or wagons.

Can I bring my children’s strollers?
Strollers are welcome at all walk sites. All sites are fully accessible for strollers, wheelchairs, and scooters. The MS Walk is a family-oriented event, and we encourage the entire family to participate.

What if it rains?
The MS Walk will take place RAIN OR SHINE.

What if I get tired along the Walk?
Rest stops will have restrooms and will be stocked with free snacks.

How do I become a CHAMP, or walk for someone who has MS?
If you would like to walk for someone you know, that has MS, call the office and let us know, and we’ll send you an “I’m Walking For” Pin-on to wear the day of the walk. If you would like to be paired with someone who has MS, and walk in honor of them, call the office, and we can pair you up. You will also receive a pin-on the day of the walk to wear on your back that proudly states your CHAMP partner.

Stay at Home Moms-- Letting Down the Team?

2006-02-27T18:02:00.000-06:00

"Are stay at home moms a threat to civilization? Those of you who are shocked by this question should take note of the fact that ABC's "Good Morning America" program devoted segments to this question on two successive days, featuring the arguments of Linda Hirshman, a prominent feminist thinker."

The above quote is how this very interesting article begins. Somehow, I am not shocked that there are people with these views. I believe that raising children is one of the most important commission God gives us. It is no wonder that it's institution would be attacked... Sad.

(I originally read about this on twotalentliving.com )

Seeking & Inspiring- the first in a series

2006-02-12T22:10:00.000-06:00

This is the beginning of a series of posts explaining how I feel about each of our educational mission statements. I hope to make clear my passion for homeschooling through this series. Forgive me as I interchange "I" with "Us". Although this blog is all mine, these thoughts and ideas are a collaboration of mine and my husbands, as are our children! It is hard to stay in just one person!! Onto the first mission:

"To teach our children to seek the Lord above and beyond everything else and to inspire a passion for God."

This is the first statement of our educational mission. This statement is the cornerstone of our homeschool. It is the standard by which we measure everything. When I am sidetracked in life, I soon realize, I need to re-read my mission statement. This very first statement is usually the one gets me back on track! It asks this question: Is what I am doing day to day teaching our children to seek the Lord and inspiring a passion for God?

The Lord told us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all of your heart, soul and mind. This ONE verse gives us enough reason to instill that desire in our children.

If my children learn NOTHING their entire lives EXCEPT to love God with all they are... Then, I have succeeded as a mother. I do believe there are other things in this world that are noble and worthy of spending our time on. But it is most important for us (as well as our children) to know, from the very beginning of our lives, that God is MOST important, MOST noble, and MOST worthy! I believe this is more important than education, friends, more important than socialization.

Should my daily life show this? Of course the answer is yes! How can I love God with all my heart, soul and mind unless I do it everyday, all day? What do I do each day that shows this and what do I do each day that shows the opposite. What do my children do and not do, that shows that I believe this is important in their lives?
The question becomes, when my child reaches school age, does public school accomplish the command to love the Lord with all of your heart, mind and soul?

There is no doubt in my mind that public schools are humanistic. Chris Klicka says this:

"Humanism simply means that man, rather than God, is the measure of all things. Humanism does not recognize God or His Absolute moral values, but instead asserts that each person can set his own values and control his own destiny."

I do not believe that man is the measure of all things. I believe that God is. Children cannot spend 7-8 hours a day in a humanistic environment and not have their judgment clouded by those ideas. Even if a public school is in the middle of the Bible belt, has a Christian principal and a Christian teacher who is a good friend of yours, the basic values of a public school are humanistic. The curriculum and the core of public schools are man-centered. Until the laws of our nation change, the agenda of public schools are clearly against God.

I have often heard that if you can truly believe the first statement in the Bible, the rest is easy. Our public schools are teaching that the first statement in the Bible is completely false. How hard will it be for children to “believe the rest” when the foundation isn’t there? They are teaching at best that God is okay as long as you don’t bring His name up at school, at worst they are teaching that He doesn’t exist or is ineffective and unnecessary.

I cannot imagine teaching science without praising the Lord for the amazing things He has created; or teaching social studies without looking at God's rules for living and the consequences for not doing them; not studying great men and women of God who have given their lives for Him; not looking at history in God's light.

Actually, the more I think of it, I can imagine it. I went to a public school for 13 years. It was a nice, small school, with good teachers, and really nothing incredibly bad happened that I can recall. It really wasn't the worse thing I can think of going through for 13 years...So what is the problem? I know more now. I know God and I sincerely desire for Him to be in the center of my life. That means He should be in the center of my family and my children. And if my children are spending 7-8 hours a day NOT learning about God, then He is NOT in the center of our lives. I no longer am satisfied with simply knowing He exists, I need to seek Him and to become more like Him.

Homeschooling may be radical thinking, but that is okay. When I come face to face with my Lord, I will be able to account for those over 1200 hours a year each of my children could have spent in a public school, learning humanistic agendas and I will be able to say, I took that time back from teachings that are clearly against Your will and I gave it to You, Lord.

I will be the first to admit that I do not spend every minute doing what I should. But my heart longs to please the Lord. My heart longs to do what He desires for my children.

How are we incorporating this into our homeschool? Just like with anything we want our children to learn, we model it. Everyone knows that children do what they see! Our children see SO much more of our lives (as homeschoolers as opposed to children that go away to school). We are "on display" all the time. Just as being a parent intensifies your desire to be a good person, being a homeschooling parent intensifies it even more.

As my children get older, they see and mirror more and more of my behavior. One of the crowning moments of my life is when my oldest daughter got up one morning and let herself out the back door and was sitting on the porch reading her Bible. She was doing this because she saw me do it. She knew that I feel that God’s word is important and she was making it important in her life, too.

Our children are seeing the good, the bad and the ugly. They are seeing how we handle daily life and how we incorporate God into it. And they see when we don't have God in the center of it and how that works out!

Here is the bottom line. Our desire is to daily, put God in the center of our children’s lives. We are seeking the Lord's will above knowledge, above education, above socialization and above convenience. At times, I stand beside myself and think, "What in the WORLD am I doing!" and then I remember... what I am doing is NOT of THIS world; I am trying to please a God that is completely OUT of this world. It overwhelms me to see the ways that the Lord honors this choice we have made. Stay with me through this series and see the amazing blessings!

New Tomb in Valley of the Kings!

2006-02-11T10:06:00.000-06:00

A new tomb was discovered in the Valley of the kings. We have been studying the valley and this is an exciting peice of news to share with my kids!

Why am I learning this?

2006-02-07T21:40:00.000-06:00

I have been reading a book on Grace for a week or so now. In the last week, I have had four HUGE opportunities to show grace to others in a big way.

My question is this...
am I reading on Grace because God wanted to prepare me for the situations that He knew were coming into my life this week?
or am I simply more aware of the situations to show Grace around me because I am reading about Grace?
or am I being tested on the things I am learning through my reading?

No matter the reason, I know I have grown as I demonstrate grace in a deeper and more confident way. Each time I am presented with a situation in which grace is needed, I am more aware of my own need for grace. I am also becoming more aware of how I want to be treated and less aware of my humanly desire for revenge.

Books: Baby to Preschool

2006-01-06T21:51:00.000-06:00

This is the beginnings of a list of our favorite books for babies up to preschool age (although I will admit even my oldest still likes these!!)
The Snowy Day The Snowy Day, a 1963 Caldecott Medal winner, is the simple tale of a boy waking up to discover that snow has fallen during the night.
Blueberries for Sal A quiet comedy of errors ensues when the young ones wander off and absentmindedly trail the wrong mothers.
Corduroy
Goodnight Moon
Maisy's Bedtime This book may not be on most “greats” lists, but my children have all loved it and begged for it over and over!
Rockabye Farm Such a sweet story about all of the animals and farmer going to sleep.
Sandra Boynton Books Our current favorite it “Snuggle Puppy”
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do You See? An easy book for children to “read” back to you with it’s easily memorable and repetitious lines.

Belief Statements

2005-12-02T16:41:00.000-06:00

In a child’s early years, their greatest needs are love, attention, nourishment, exposure to the world, and an introduction to the greatness of God.

We cannot fulfill the commandment of Deuteronomy 6:5-9 with a child who is away from home 7-8 hours a day, 1200 hours in a year, in a humanistic, non-Christian environment.

God has given parents the tools they need to succeed with their own children. In His divine wisdom, He has placed children and parents in perfect relationships. Given the challenge, godly parents will rise up and accomplish the task of raising and educating their children. We believe most parents hide behind standardized schools and fear instead of trusting the Lord with their children. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Children learn best by example. Each day we use life skills, common sense, and academics. We apply God’s truths to our lives, minister, make mistakes, and socialize with others. By having our children with us, we believe they will have well-rounded views and experiences, which will benefit them more in the “real-world” than sitting in a classroom all day.

Public schools are failing: 27 million illiterate in USA- most went to public schools; USA is below world average in math and science; SAT scores have dropped 78 points since the 1960’s; students are getting more A’s and B’s but know less; PS teach children to avoid true learning by looking busy, how to sneak behind a teacher’s back and how to turn in mediocre work just to get by; PS standardized test average, 50 percentile, homeschooled average, 80 percentile.

By sharing daily events with our children, they develop both an awareness of academics in their daily lives and a need to know it.

There is no such thing as education without values. If you aren’t teaching one set, you are teaching another. The values of government schools are not ours.

We believe that not only can our children learn a lot from us, but also we can learn volumes from them. Matthew 11:25: “…you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” Matthew 18:3,4: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Mark 10:15 and Luke 18:17: “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

Children tend to adopt the values of those whom they spend the most time around. 1 Corinthians 15:33 and Proverbs 13:20

God is not welcome in the public school setting and we believe God should be welcome in ALL areas of our children’s lives.

Public schools teach 1200 hours a year using a humanist agenda that has NOTHING to do with Christ…. We are taught to take EVERY thought captive for Christ and devote your ENTIRE mind to Christ. Matthew 22:37, 2 Corinthians 10:5, and Colossians 3:1-2

Although knowledge is not inherently wrong, it will pass away. If our children learn to value and honor love, hope and faith above knowledge, we will have accomplished a great task. 1 Corinthians 13:8,13: “where there is knowledge, it will pass away… And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Hebrews 5:14 “…mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil”; Colossians 4:6 “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone”; Ephesians 6:13 “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you, always, to the very end of the age.” In each of these verses, we are not commanded to be “salt and light” or to stand against the devil or up for what we believe until we have matured, put on the full armor of God or been discipled. We do not believe children are to be salt and light. We believe that children should be taught, discipled and matured, able to put on the full armor of God before they are sent out into the world to be a light and a soldier for the Lord.

Children should be taught how to have graceful conversation to be able to answer for their faith. Psalm 127:3-5 , Psalm 139:13-16

How to Socialize: Romans 12:13 “Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” 1 Timothy 5:10 “and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality…” 1 Peter 4:9 “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” 1 John 1:7 “…we have fellowship with one another…”

The best way to prepare children for “real” life is not by segregating them into age groups, but by teaching them to interact with all age groups.

Traditional schools provide an environment for children to become more peer dependant, with less self-worth, less optimism and less respect for parents.

The act of home schooling distinguishes this group in terms of their exceptionally strong commitment to education and children.

Biblical Fellowship: Acts 2:42-47 “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. The broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” By living this life described, there were numbers added DAILY to those being saved!!!! This type of fellowship, socialization and hospitality is precisely what we believe God will bless.

Jesus did not send the disciples out on the great commission (Matthew 28:19,20) until AFTER years of teaching and discipling them… until AFTER the resurrection! Shouldn’t we disciple our children BEFORE sending them out into the world?

The 1st and 14th Amendments give us the right to homeschool.

Proverbs 29:15 “a child left to himself disgraces his mother.” Are we leaving our children to themselves by being apart from them at least 1200 hours a year?

Public schools generally produce politically correct children, conformity instead of individuality.

It is not individual teachers which are failin our children, but the public school system as a whole.

Everything we do is learning. During distractions, our children are learning priorities and time management, during our mistakes, they are learning forgiveness and our need for God.

The values of government schools are not our values.

Children can learn more in less time with less stress than in a traditional school setting. Children need time to dream and dawdle- 2-3 hours spent in homeschool opposed to 8 in a traditional school setting.

We believe that children should be taught truth all the time. Truth that God is a part of EVERYTHING in this world…. That is NOT taught in public schools.

We believe that “marriage should be honored by all” ( Hebrews 13:4). In the name of intolerance and being politically correct, we do not believe government schools honor biblical marriage.

Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” Public school: hollow and deceptive philosophies, human traditions and basic principles of this world sum them up.

Some standardized schools may be okay or have good components, but when the day comes for us to stand before the Lord and give an account of our stewardship of the gift of our children…. We want to be able to say that we strived to give them the best. Our ultimate reward would be to hear “Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matthew 25:23

Research Behind Our Homeschool Ideas

2005-11-19T16:42:00.000-06:00

Inspirational Quotes and Statistics

A very good article called Homeschooling Grows Up , covers topics such as: Can they get into college? And What about Socialization?

“Humanism simply means that man, rather than God, is the measure of all things. Humanism does not recognize God or His Absolute moral values, but instead asserts that each person can set his own values and control his own destiny.” --Chris Klicka

“American Industry spends more money to teach remedial math to US workers than all grade schools, high schools and colleges in this country combined.” -- Gerald Greenwald – Vice Chair of Chrysler

The National Institute of Education found that the risk of violence to teenagers is greater in public schools than anywhere else.

“God has delegated the authority and responsibility to teach and raise children to the parents first. Parents can delegate their authority to teach and raise children to someone else, but they can never delegate their responsibility to teach their children to anyone else. God will hold parents responsible for what education their children receive (whether from teacher, books, projects, or peers). To whom much is given, much is required. We have a free choice in this country to not send our children to an ungodly public school – we will, all the more, be responsible.” -- Chris Klicka, Senior Counsel for the Home School Legal Defense Association

Josh McDowell Ministries tracked thousands of children for 12 years. By the time the public school children were seniors, 90% had dropped out of church and said they no longer believed in God. Christian schools “lost” 10% and homeschoolers “lost” less than 2%. Focus on the Family and Citizens for Excellence in Education did similar studies with the same results.

“What children need is not new and better curricula but access to more and more of the real world; plenty of time and space to think over their experiences, and to use fantasy and play to make meaning out of them; and advice, road maps, guidebooks, to make it easier for them to get where they want to go (not where we think they aught to go), and to find out what they want to find out.” --John Holt

“Any child who can spend an hour or two a day, or more if he wants, with adults that he likes, who are interested in the world and like to talk about it, will on most days learn far more from their talk than he would learn in a week of school.” --John Holt

“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” – Mark Twain

“One of the most important effects of the study of a subject should be the development of a spirit of inquiry. The ability to ask real questions is more useful than the capacity to answer simple ones.” --Raymond Harris

“It is easy to give a quick nod to lifelong learning, more difficult to consider what it really means, for the idea that people should study for about 12 years and then start living is more deeply seated in our culture than many people realize. Lifelong learning is more than an occasional adult education course. It is the expectation that someone will know more at age 40 than she did at age 30, the realization that it is never too late to begin learning another language, the belief that there are important new insights just over the horizon, no matter how old you are. But it is easy to forget these things, and a great deal of pressure on a homeschooler results from the perhaps unintentional assumption that everything a child will need to know during his life must be mastered in his first 18 years.” --Larry and Susan Kaseman

“Over 71% of homeschoolers participate in a voluntary church or neighborhood association, compared with 37% of U.S. adults. Over 76% of homeschool graduates ages 18-24 voted in a national/state election the past 5 years, compared with just 29% of 18-24 year old public school graduates. Only 4.2% of homeschool graduates consider politics and government too complicated to understand, compared to 35% of U.S. adults. Over 95% of homeschool graduates were glad that they were homeschooled. 82% of homeschool graduates would or are homeschooling their children.” Source: “Home Educated and Now Adults” by Dr. Brian D. Ray and the NHERI.

Summary of Major Findings from the largest study done to date.

Major findings: Achievement

Almost 25% of home school students are enrolled one or more grades above their age-level peers in public and private schools.

Home school student achievement test scores are exceptionally high. The median scores for every subtest at every grade (typically in the 70th to 80th percentile) are well above those of public and Catholic/Private school students.

On average, home school students in grades 1 to 4 perform one grade level above their age-level public/private school peers on achievement tests.

The achievement test score gap between home school students and public/private school students starts to widen in grade 5.

Students who have been home schooled their entire academic life have higher scholastic achievement test scores than students who have also attended other educational programs.

There are no meaningful differences in achievement by gender, whether the student is enrolled in a full-service curriculum, or whether a parent holds a state issued teaching certificate.

There are significant achievement differences among home school students when classified by amount of money spent on education, family income, parent education, and television viewing.

Major findings: Demographics

Home school parents have more formal education than parents in the general population; 88% continued their education beyond high school compared to 50% for the nation as a whole.

The median income for home school families ($52,000) is significantly higher than that of all families with children ($36,000) in the United States.

Almost all home school students (98%) are in married couple families. Most home school mothers (77%) do not participate in the labor force; almost all home school fathers (98%) do work.

Home school students watch much less television than students nationwide; 65% of home school students watch one hour or less per day compared to 25% nationally.

The median amount of money spent annually on educational materials is about $400 per home school student.

The distribution of home school students by grade in grades 1-6 is consistent with that of all school children. Proportionally fewer home school students are enrolled at the high school level.

To read the full study online, click here.

“God has given the primary responsibility for the upbringing- religious and academic education and socialization- of a child to his parents.” -- Norma Kunda

Homeschoolers know how to get close to their children. That is something every American family needs to relearn. – Mario Pagnoni

“Children have more need of models than of critics.” – Joubert (1754-1824)

“It is imperative that Christian parents teach their children the Word of God from a young age, showing them how to incorporate it into their daily lives, trusting continually in God. ‘All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work’ (2 Timothy 2:16-17 NAS). Spiritual training is never more important than academic training, and it doesn’t happen by accident; it must be purposeful and habitual.” –Unknown

“Many parents find that listening to their child is one of the most important things they do. It provides clues and insights into how he thinks, what interests him, what he has learned, what his concerns are, etc. It helps parents figure out how to help their children learn.” -- Larry and Susan Kaseman

“The biblical solution to providing social training for children is practicing hospitality.” -- Greg Harris

“It is the duty of a citizen in a free country not to fit into society, but to make society.” --John Holt

”I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the heart of the youth.” – Martin Luther

“People would be busy doing interesting things that mattered. Doing them, they would grow more informed, competent, and wise. They would learn about the world from living in it, working in it, and changing it, and from knowing a wide variety of people who were doing the same.” -- John Holt

The question of our children being salt and light in our public schools:

In order to be salt and light, they (children) must exhibit in their school classrooms and playgrounds the kind of mature, practical, single-minded devotion to Christ that results in a peculiar attractiveness: a magnetism of qualities that preservers the good, enlightens the darkness, and gives glory to God.

Speaking for ourselves, we know we were not salt and light in our elementary schools. We were fools (Solomon’s appraisal of children in Proverbs 22:15, and we thoroughly agree.) As such, we paid close attention to the other fools in our class – how they acted, what they said, what they wore, and what they valued. We teased those whom it was safe to tease, rebelled just enough to be considered cool, and tried to be well liked. By most worldly measures we were successes both academically and socially. But unlike Jesus (who did not regard the opinions of men), we monitored the opinions of our peers constantly.

As for influence, we learned more about evil from the group than the group learned about righteousness from us. And we didn’t shed as much light as was snuffed out by the company of immature friends.

In our opinions, the risks are too great and our children too unprepared. In the battle of who is more likely to influence whom, our children (like their parents before them) are more likely to be losers to the larger forces about them that vice versa. And the loss may be greater than we realize. Nothing could be clearer from the above New Testament passages of salt and light – “If the salt has lost its savor…. It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden underfoot of men (Matthew 5:13; see also Luke 14:34, 35) --Excerpt from “On being salt and light” by Frederick C. Foote

“Because the United States Constitution is the highest law of the land, homeschooling has always been legal in all 50 states.” -- Michael Farris

“All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.” --Sir Walter Scott

“How do children learn two very difficult skills, walking and talking, without anyone's making a self-conscious effort to teach them? Could children learn other things, even "school" subjects like reading and math, in the same way, by imitating other people's behavior, making mistakes, correcting them on their own, and asking for help when they need it?” --Larry and Susan Kaseman

“With an individually designed home environment, children can receive a dramatically different education of fine craftsmanship rather than mass production.” --Christine Field

“One of the first things a family tries to teach its children is the difference between good and evil, right and wrong. One of the first things our schools do is destroy that distinction.” --John Taylor Gatto

“For many parents, homeschooling is a matter of heart and belief; they feel deeply and strongly that they should be homeschooling. They sometimes start homeschooling with only this conviction to go on, unsure of exactly how they will proceed, and they work out practical details and solve problems as they go along.” --Larry and Susan Kaseman

Article about the Content of True Education by Chris Klicka

“My grandmother wanted me to have an education, so she kept me out of school. --Margaret Mead

“You can just be a farmer in the woods and never really get out into the world at all, but if you have live a life of kindness and simplicity, you’ve contributed. You haven’t left the world a worse place; you’ve left it a better place.” The Walrus, a bimonthly journal by Alfred Starratt

“Teaching is really another form of discipling.” –Christine Field

“All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children’s peace.” Isaiah 54:13

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6

“I have no greater joy that this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.” 3 John 4

Hebrews 13:5 “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.”