healthy homeschool 101

Teacher Word Study

2014-09-10T00:55:00.000-04:00

My dear friend Marcy with Ben & Me Blog invited me to participate in her "Blogging Through the Alphabet" series and the letter I accepted was "T". I have been wanting to do a word study on the word "Teacher" with a new school year starting up, so found it to be a very appropriate time to finally do that! Thank you Marcy for the privilege to be a guest on your blog!

To read my guest post, click here: Teacher Word Study. Enjoy what I learned through this Teacher Word Study and please share any insights you may have received through this study too. Enjoy!

Perfect Love

2014-02-14T20:23:00.000-05:00

Today is Valentine's Day, so who can not reflect on the word “Love” today? This word is being seen everywhere right now and I wonder how many times it will also show up in newsfeeds, tweets, pins, etc. just today alone? I dare you to try and take a guess! Not sure if we could find out by the end of the day, but I am sure the number will be incredibly high!

For some reason though, I can't get this out of my head....”Perfect Love”. The Bible verse keeps coming to mind from 1 John 4:18 (KJV), “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear”. I feel as though the Holy Spirit is tugging at my heart, bringing this to memory for a reason, so here I write. And before I sat to write, God had already worked and prepared me in helping with this post, which you will see. There is a surprise and a gift at the end!

Searching in the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary, the word “Love” is defined as:

LOVE, n.

1. An affection of the mind excited by beauty and worth of any kind, or by the qualities of an object which communicate pleasure, sensual or intellectual. It is opposed to hatred. Love between the sexes, is a compound affection, consisting of esteem, benevolence, and animal desire. Love is excited by pleasing qualities of any kind, as by kindness, benevolence, charity, and by the qualities which render social intercourse agreeable. In the latter case, love is ardent friendship, or a strong attachment springing from good will and esteem, and the pleasure derived from the company, civilities and kindness of others.

Between certain natural relatives, love seems to be in some cases instinctive. Such is the love of a mother for her child, which manifests itself toward an infant, before any particular qualities in the child are unfolded. This affection is apparently as strong in irrational animals as in human beings.

We speak of the love of amusements, the love of books, the love of money, and the love of whatever contributes to our pleasure or supposed profit.

The love of God is the first duty of man, and this springs from just views of his attributes or excellencies of character, which afford the highest delight to the sanctified heart. Esteem and reverence constitute ingredients in this affection, and a fear of offending him is its inseparable effect.

From that verse, the word love comes from the Greek word, agapē; which basically means affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love.

Now to go beyond that, searching in the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary, the word “Perfect” is defined as:

PER'FECT, a. [L. perfectus, perficio, to complete; per and facio, to do or make through, to carry to the end.]

1. Finished; complete; consummate; not defective; having all that is requisite to its nature and kind; as a perfect statue; a perfect likeness; a perfect work; a perfect system.

As full, as perfect in a hair as heart.

2. Fully informed; completely skilled; as men perfect in the use of arms; perfect in discipline.

3. Complete in moral excellencies.

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect. Matt.5.

4. Manifesting perfection.

My strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Cor.12.

Perfect in that verse comes from the Greek word, teleios, which basically means brought to its end, finished, wanting nothing necessary to completeness, that which is perfect.

I do recognize in verse 1 John 4:18 (KJV), “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear”, that fear is mentioned twice. I could keep going further and define fear as well but I think we all understand what fear is and how it can consume us. We can be assured that God tells us, “do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God” (Isaiah 41:10). Even when we are struggling and feel otherwise; this is a command and a promise from God to you and me.

Reasoning through all of this, I believe the Lord is sharing with me that we are meant to have a complete affection and highest delight to the sanctified heart with God who loves us unconditionally, without fail. When we are abiding with God in this Perfect Love, then it should manifest in others too as we trust Him in all things. Why do I believe this? Because He says so in the verses prior to 1 John 4:18:

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.

God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:7-17)

Prior to writing this, God revealed His Providence and care for me. I want to share something neat so that you can see how He shares His Sovereignty and Perfect Love in the simplest and most meaningful ways, that only He can orchestrate. Sometimes it's just the little things like this He does that puts a smile on my face!

My Dad writes a column every few months in our Church's newspaper that gets mailed to others all over the US on a weekly basis. It came in the mail yesterday (2/13/14) and I saw that one he had written was printed in there. It's called, “A Transcending Peace”...if you want to go read it later, please do! So, I was in the mood to read and just felt like reading some of his past articles as well. I did a web search and opened an older article he had written called, “Searching for Perfection”. Keep in mind, this is when I was already having the words “Perfect Love” in my mind and was considering on writing something about it for today. As I was reading through it, the words that had already been in my heart, my Dad had written those exact words in this article. They popped out of the screen at me, just about! To top it off, it was dated one year ago exactly (2/13/13)! I don't know if it doesn't take much to amuse me, but I just think that is the neatest thing and I couldn't help but go and write this post...even if it was late at night going into wee hours of the morning!

God continues to keep me in awe of His Providence and Perfect Love for me. I am far from perfect here on earth but to know that He see's me as perfect and continues to want to reveal Himself to me in so many ways, big and small, I can't help but be in love. He see's you as perfect too. He created you. He loves you for who you are; with a Perfect Love that really no one else can give as He can. He gave us the best gift we could ever have that shows His absolute Perfect Love for us and that is Jesus Christ. One who gives us Salvation and Eternal Life just by believing in Him. There is nothing we have to do but just trust and believe, it's a free gift. Perfect Love...the best gift for all Eternity that we all must share!

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more..."

Philippians 1:9

Enjoy this song...

Go to the Ant!

2013-06-19T13:59:00.000-04:00

I woke up this morning and went downstairs to find hundreds of ants in the kitchen. I was immediately annoyed and overwhelmed with what to do with them. Thankfully, my husband had already sprinkled more food grade Diatomaceous Earth everywhere before he left for work.

As I'm posting my aggravation on Facebook and reading my friend's comments on what to do to get rid of them, I walk back in and find a whole new trail of MORE ants on the floor. These guys were really freaking me out because they were just coming out of nowhere!

I spent some time sucking the ants and Diatomaceous Earth up with the Shop Vac to just try to get them under control and out of my sight...for the most part anyways! Amazing how strong these tiny little guys are because they sure fought hard to not get sucked up!

Being a Principle Approach® Mom, it occurred to me that I should do a word study on "Ant". I brought it up with my mentoring Mom, Gina Glenn with A Cherished Keeper and she encouraged me with the Bible Verse from Proverbs 6:6...

"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise"

In the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary, the word "Ant" is defined as:

ANT, n. [Sax. œmet, emmet, contracted into ant; Germ. ameise.]

An emmet; a pismire. Ants constitute a genus of insects of the hymenopteral order, of which the characteristics are; a small scale between the breast and belly, with a joint so deep that the animal appears as if almost cut in two. The females, and the neuter or working ants, which have no sexual characteristics, are furnished with a hidden sting; and both males and females have wings, but the neuters have none. These insects meet together in companies, and maintain a sort of republic. They raise hillocks of earth, in which they live. In these there are paths, leading to the repositories of their provisions. The large black ants, in the warm climates of America, to avoid the effects of great rains, build large nests on trees, of light earth, roundish and plastered smooth.

The first few meanings of "Work" are:

1. In a general sense, to move, or to move one way and the other; to perform; as in popular language it is said, a mill or machine works well.

2. To labor; to be occupied in performing manual labor, whether severe or moderate. One man works better than another; one man works hard; another works lazily.

3. To be in action or motion; as the working of the heart.

Searching for the words ant and wise in my Logos software, the Scripture my friend shared came up along with Proverbs 30:24-25:

"There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer"

What a perfect picture of God's Principle of Individuality and Self-Government being portrayed even in the smallest of His creatures! We can look at them to just be aggravating and purely just an annoyance but that just takes away from God's splendor. His nature is revealed in ALL things and we can allow even the littlest creature to teach us something big. God has a plan and a purpose for all things. I never thought that God can use even a tiny little ant to convict me!

Ants are organized, they are wise and they are cooperative. Ants are also hard-workers, preparers and leaders. When I compare myself to an ant, it shows me what I am lacking in my character and that I need to depend on God more in becoming the wise woman that He intends me to be. Also shows me what I need to be instilling in my children as I want them to grow up to be self-governed in all that they do. To do all things without complaining and with a heart to glorify Him!

My dear friend Gina also shared this lovely song with me from Judy Rogers Music to play for my girls. I am blessed with these words in this song:

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://judyrogers.bandcamp.com/album/go-to-the-ant"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Go To The Ant by Judy Rogers&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

(Fast-forward to #1 for the song "Go To The Ant")

So, to sum all this up, God turned a nuisance into a lesson in self-government for me today!

"Go to the Ant! Observe her - see how she works all day

And she doesn't even have a captain to tell her what to do, but she works hard anyway"

Don't take irritating situations for granted because God can use them for good to teach you and draw you and your children closer to Him. Turn your eyes to Him and ask the Holy Spirit to teach and guide you in all things...even if it's just pesky little ants causing you more work and grievance than you desire.

I praise you Lord for these annoying little ants today...Now I pray that they will stay away!

Source & Purpose of God's Principle of Individuality

2013-05-03T22:36:00.002-04:00

In the Principle Approach® 4-R'ing the Seven Priniciples Training Series from Foundation for American Christian Education (FACE), Connie Moody explains how "words convey ideas and ideas have consequences". The internal operations of the mind defines ideas while consequences are the external and outward effects. In order for us to understand and use words rightly with authority, it's important to be aware of the source and purpose behind our ideas.

In the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary, Source is defined as:

First cause; original; that which gives rise to any thing. The first producer; he or that which originates.

“In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” ~Genesis 1:1-2

“That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it. Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come. Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.” ~Isaiah 41:20-24

The meaning of Purpose is:

That which a person sets before himself as an object to be reached or accomplished; the end or aim to which the view is directed in any plan, measure or exertion. Intention, design with the end in view; effect; consequence, good or bad.

“And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever." ~Isaiah 32:17

“For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” ~1 Corinthians 1:17-18

God created everything and allows to use all things for a purpose. For every cause, there is an effect, whether good or bad. What comes from within will be produced and shown externally. Where there is a beginning, there is an end. God is the only Source where we can find purpose and we need Him to live within us so that we can have the heart and mind of Christ to do that which is right. Through His power, we can bring others to the salvation of Christ so that they too can have the hope of eternal life.

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” ~1 Corinthians 2:12-16

"Teaching and Learning America's Christian History"

Page 64

Knowing our source and purpose, we can rightly understand God's Principle of Individuality. Upon defining those terms in the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary, the following are what I reasoned from them.

God is the highest and greatest existence in authority. He is an unchangeable God that will always remain as the Supreme Being; Jehovah. He is eternal and His spirit breathes and moves in and through all things He has created. He is supreme in power, possessing dominion of the universe. He is superior over all and is the sovereign good of all who love and obey Him.

Principle is the cause which produces an effect. It is the foundation that supports any thing that stands giving light to truth, fact and reality as it confirms to fix firmly in our mind that which is good.

Of is that which proceeds from to set or place that which follows.

Individuality is separate and distinct existence that makes something different and not confounded with any other thing. We are given life that has essence and unity with God. We are one with our creator yet separate in mind and body from any other thing He has created.

In essence, God's Principle of Individuality tells us that through an eternal and living God, we have a foundation that proceeds from a separate and distinct existence that He has given us and in His creation for a purpose. And, as my friend Ranae simply put it in relation to us as individuals..."Each of His human creations, if full of Jesus, reflects a different facet of His infinite individuality!"

Let us remember and reflect on the truth of God's Principle of Individuality in our studies and all that we teach and learn!

Click on image to purchase DVD to learn more about

God's Principle of Individuality

From Juicing to Muffins

2013-04-14T22:08:00.000-04:00

I'll be honest and say that my diet hasn't been the healthiest lately, so I've really been feeling the need to juice. After following my friend over at Juicing Momma and seeing pictures of all the beautiful juices she makes through her journey, I'm even more motivated! I finally decided to go get some organic beet, apples, cabbage, carrots and parsley to make one for myself yesterday.

This leads to...

The juice turned out to be a beautiful red color. It had more of a kick to it than I expected; from the cabbage, I assume. Besides the spiciness of it, it turned out to have a pretty good beet flavor, which I love! I ended up having the juice all to myself, considering that my family were not fans! I personally will rate it a 7 out of 10 and will use less cabbage next time.

...this, which leads to...

I was left with all of this pulp afterwards and just couldn't get myself to throw it away. I ended up just putting it in a baggie and placing it in the fridge for the meantime.

...this, which leads to...

I did a search tonight about how to use leftover pulp in recipes and came across a muffin one that sounded good. With some tweaks of my own, I gave it a try and was really impressed with how these turned out. They were a hit and everyone approved this time! So, if you have some leftover pulp and would like a healthier muffin recipe, this one is worth making! Feel free to tweak as you like too.

...this! Yumm!

Review: The Principle Approach® Primer

2013-04-14T07:35:00.000-04:00

"Today can be the first day of the journey towards a Biblical worldview and the mastering of an educational philosophy and methodology that is founded on the Truth of God's Word and sure to "set you free!"

Are you feeling trapped and overwhelmed with everything that needs to be covered based on your choice of curriculum and ready to be set free from the bondage it can bring? Do you want to begin a new season of learning at the feet of Jesus to bring purpose and liberty back into home education? Is it your desire to instill a Biblical worldview in your children? Do I have an excellent resource for you!

Gina Glenn with A Cherished Keeper is a veteran homeschool mom who loves the Lord and Liberty. She has written a short and easy to read e-book entitled The Principle Approach® Primer to introduce homeschool educators with the words, terms, philosophy, methodology and general ideas of the Principle Approach® method of education that can bring life and liberty back into your home. She has successfully educated her four children with this method of education and continues to grow and learn with excitement; not resistance or frustration that can be so common with home educating. Due to Gina's passion in sharing the Principle Approach® with others, she is offering this e-book for free on Kindle until Thursday, April 18th!

I have read through this e-book three times now and will definitely go back to read again & again...it's that good! Each time I have read through it, I gain more understanding and a heightened love for the Principle Approach® method of education. Gina did an amazing job putting this e-book together in such an easy to read and understand format. I love how she shares her story in the beginning and then goes on to helping you understand the lingo and terms used within this approach. She concludes it by sharing how important it is to teach and learn the principles of Christ using God's Word as the primary textbook and reclaiming our American Christian history for the next generation. I highly recommend this resource for every parent and home educator...familiar or not with the Principle Approach® method of education. Everyone will benefit by reading it!

Initially, The Principle Approach® Primer could be used as a quick read to learn more about this methodology and then become a resource to come back to and glean from as you continue your homeschool journey. You will be encouraged every time you pick this resource up because it will help carry you through as you learn and grow while sitting at Jesus' Feet to raise your children for Him!

Steadfast Spirit

2013-04-12T16:01:00.001-04:00

In the beginning of the year, my dear friends and accountability group partners went on a wonderful retreat that was much-needed for all of us. Each of us lead a devotion time and they were all spirit-filled. Marcy with Ben and Me had a special activity for us to do during her devotion. We were to create a heart map to help us reflect on people, things and ideas that we want our hearts to focus on this year.

The key verse she had chosen just happened to be the same as what I had shared in my devotion; these were individually planned prior to our retreat. I would say that's God's Providence working!

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."

Psalm 51:10

In the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary, renew means "to revive, to make fresh/new; to implant holy affections in the heart; to regenerate". Steadfast means "firmly fixed or established; constant; steady". While steady is defined as "not easily moved or persuaded; to support; to hold or keep from shaking or falling".

This verse has been placed on my heart several times since the retreat. The interesting thing is I am just now realizing it! Reflecting back on the past few months, I now see that the Lord has really been tugging at my heart. I believe that He knows how much more I needed renewal than I dare to admit.

Lately, I've been also meditating on the extension of that verse which reads:

"Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me."

Psalm 51:11-12

Restore means "to replace; to return; as a person or thing to a former place; to repair, to revive; to bring back after absence; to bring to a sense of sin and amendment of life; to renew or re-establish after interruption; as, peace is restored." Sustain is defined as "to bear; to uphold; to support; to maintain; to keep alive; to endure without failing or yielding".

I am thankful for the Lord's patience and persistence. I am so glad that He never gives up on me and how he lovingly convicts me for my own good! His forgiveness sets me free from my guilt and shame of so much time spent on other things that I felt were so important. Maybe I needed that time to open my eyes and bring me back to what's really important; learning at my Father's feet and spending time with Him so that His Spirit can work in me to the hearts of my children. I will continue to meditate on these verses and pray through them so that my joy may be complete in Him and not what this world has to offer.

Thank you Lord for working in my heart and renewing a Spirit within me that will not be easily shaken and reviving my soul with your joy and fulfillment that You alone can give!

If you are curious to read more about our retreat, R is for Renew, Refresh, Reflect, Rest, Read . . . Retreat! is an excellent post from Marcy! I encourage you to create a heart map of your own and include a life verse for you to meditate on.

While you're here, enjoy the song below and be blessed!

Review: Teaching Biblical Ideas & Reasoning Online Seminar from Pilgrim Institute

2013-04-06T14:10:00.000-04:00

I was recently blessed by attending a new online seminar by Mrs. Ruth Smith from Pilgrim Institute called Teaching Biblical Ideas and Reasoning.

In only about an hour's time altogether, Mrs. Smith will guide you through seven sections to enlighten your understanding of what the Principle Approach is, why we should teach biblical ideas & reasoning, how we teach using this method and what is required of us as Christian parents who want to raise our children with America's historic method of Biblical reasoning. You can also enjoy forum questions so that you can interact with Mrs. Smith and others involved in this seminar.

Even though I have been familiar with the Principle Approach method of teaching and learning for about 4 years now, this was great to attend as it breathed life back into me in regards to urging me onward to continue this task that God has given me. A task of bringing up these children that He has given me to raise them up to know Him and follow Him no matter what happens in this life. I want them to have understanding of His Providential care and to be self-governed. Where does that begin? With me! I am thankful for the Lord's convictions, His patience and work in changing my heart toward what he wants for me and my children.

With that said, this seminar was so timely and what I needed. I enjoyed how much I learned and was inspired in such a short amount of time. I assure that you will be blessed by it too!

I pray that I peaked your interest and that you will take a moment to register for this wonderful seminar that you can attend on your own time and go back to it over & over again!

For a limited time you can benefit from the Teaching, Learning & Saving Spring Sale that will be ending on April 9th. For only $15, the Pilgrim Institute allows you to register for the Teaching Biblical Ideas and Reasoning course that I so highly recommend.

Be sure to grab the FREE audio download:

The Christian Method of Correcting Wrong by James Rose

Please pass this post along to other parents and educators whom you know that would like to know about this. I'm sure this will be an answer to someone's prayers as you feel led!

"Cast not away therefore your confidence,

which hath great recompence of reward.

For ye have need of patience, that,

after ye have done the will of God,

ye might receive the promise."

Hebrews 10:35-36

Conference of Encouragement

2012-06-21T10:55:00.000-04:00

I am looking so forward to the 2012 CHEK Family and Homeschool Conference this weekend! This will be my third year attending and each year just seems to get better. I love seeing friends that I don't see very often and meeting new people. I love being there to encourage others and to be encouraged myself. I love going to the workshops and visiting all the vendors as it encourages me and helps brings excitement back into my planning. Another thing that I really enjoy about the CHEK conference is it's smaller than other conferences I hear about and not too overwhelming. It just feels like home when I'm there!

The conference is broken up into six different tracks so that you can easily peruse what is available that pertains to your family and interests. CHEK is committed to families and desires to have something for everyone...even Grandparents! Please visit each track below to read about the speakers and what they will be discussing this weekend. Great videos are available to watch too!

Children's Track
Teen Track
America's Christian History Track
Heart for Missions Track
Biblical Parenting Track
Practical Homeschooling Track

Consider coming to support everyone here that desires to bring our children up in the Lord. I am sure that you will be so blessed and encouraged too! But, don't forget to register for the conference as you will also be entered to win an iPad! Take a look at the schedule and plan out your weekend. I don't want you to miss out on anything that would be a blessing to you!

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." ~Hebrews 10:25 NIV

Image Courtesy of http://taste-that-which-is-good.blogspot.com/

Giveaways Galore!

2012-06-14T10:25:00.002-04:00

Today is the last day for giveaways on the CHEK Family & Homeschool Conference Blog! Don't miss out on these and enter to win by the end of tonight. These giveaways are an exciting preparation for what is to come at the 2012 Conference on June 22nd & 23rd. Striving to make this year the best one yet!

Please help us get the word out about CHEK and this Conference with your friends and on your loops. Someone on your list may be considering homeschooling that you're not aware of or a family may be struggling on their journey but aren't aware of this Conference, so please don't let anyone miss this opportunity. Also know that even if you can't attend, you are still eligible to win these giveaways as well! But, I really do hope to see you there!

Thank you so much for helping us get this information out! Below are the list of the last giveaways...don't miss out!

Beethoven Who? Music Appreciation Course:
http://chekfamilyandhomeschoolconference.blogspot.com/2012/06/last-prize-beethoven-who-music.html

Total Transcript Solution from The Home Scholar, Lee Binz:
http://chekfamilyandhomeschoolconference.blogspot.com/2012/06/givewaway-2-total-transcript-solution.html

Young Adult Literature Bundle:
http://chekfamilyandhomeschoolconference.blogspot.com/2012/06/day-10-of-10-days-of-giveaways.html

Free CHEK Membership & Conference Attendance:
http://chekfamilyandhomeschoolconference.blogspot.com/2012/06/free-chek-membership-conference.html

Vintage Remedies for Kids:
http://chekfamilyandhomeschoolconference.blogspot.com/2012/06/day-9-of-10-days-of-giveaways-vintage.html

Gift Bag from Homemaking 911:
http://chekfamilyandhomeschoolconference.blogspot.com/2012/06/10-days-of-giveaways-day-8-gift-bag.html

TRISMS Reading Through the Ages:
http://chekfamilyandhomeschoolconference.blogspot.com/2012/06/day-6-of-10-days-of-giveaways-reading.html

Parenting from the Heart by Marilyn Boyer:
http://chekfamilyandhomeschoolconference.blogspot.com/2012/06/parenting-from-heart-practical.html

Upgrade by Kevin Swanson:
http://chekfamilyandhomeschoolconference.blogspot.com/2012/06/upgrade-by-kevin-swanson-day-4-of-10.html

Restoring America's Biblical Foundations DVD Curriculum:
http://chekfamilyandhomeschoolconference.blogspot.com/2012/06/restoring-americas-biblical-foundations.html

IEW Linguistic Development in Poetry:
http://chekfamilyandhomeschoolconference.blogspot.com/2012/06/linguistic-development-thru-poetry.html

Full-Time Parenting by Israel Wayne:
http://chekfamilyandhomeschoolconference.blogspot.com/2012/06/full-time-parenting-by-israel-wayne.html

"For Such A Time As This" Conference

2012-06-14T00:07:00.003-04:00

Summer is an exciting time of year as it is a time to prepare and plan for next year. It is such a blessing to have the freedom of being able to homeschool our children. What a priviledge it is to have a strong community of people with the same passion to all come together annually for support, encouragement and to provide the necessary tools and information homeschoolers need on this journey. This is why I always look forward to attend our local homeschool conference given by CHEK. I love this year's theme for it too: For Such A Time As This.

I love the first statement that CHEK states about themselves that they are "dedicated to promoting the Christian worldview in child training and education". The speakers involved clearly portray that desire and I am having a difficult time deciding whose speaking engagement to attend as I want to listen to all of them! But, I am going to be sure to listen to a workshop from Mrs. Ruth Smith, co-founder and President of the Pilgrim Institute, as she is near and dear to my heart! I have learned so much from her and she has been such an inspiration to me. I highly encourage you to put her on your schedule because you will be blessed!

Please visit the CHEK Family & Homeschool Conference Blog and consider registering to attend on June 22nd & 23rd. Lots of giveaways being promoted and best of all the support is incredible. This event is for everyone and I pray that I see you there!

"For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14

Memorial Day...Let Us Not Forget

2012-05-27T20:00:00.000-04:00

Image courtesy of VintageHolidayCrafts.com

As Memorial Day approaches, it's helping me to reflect on what the active military personnel are currently going through. Some are at home living life as usual and so many others are separated from their family and living in dangerous conditions. My heart goes out to every service member with pride and honor for what they sacrifice to protect the country they love. They are serving our country in so many ways, whether it be local or overseas and that makes me proud!

Memorial Day is a day set aside to remember any serviceman that has gone before us. To those that have served and gave up their lives for our country. So many have fallen in service to our county and we must remember and respect all that has been done for us. We absolutely cannot forget the veterans and all the past servicemen that have served in the Armed Forces.

As a veteran myself, I am proud to have this day of rememberance. It helps me to put my normal, everyday life aside and reflect on what is reality to those serving and to the families that have lost loved one's that served our country. May it be during peacetime or wartime, they still sacrificed their lives.

Let us not forget that God had used these men and women to protect our country and our freedom. Let us be thankful to those who are currently serving and who have served in the past. Let us pray for all the servicemen and their families. Let us set aside time this weekend to pause and reflect how the Lord has blessed our nation through these men and women whose lives were laid down for the country they loved!

Memorial Day in Alden, MN. Was also my Grandfather's (Omer Helland)
Anniversary of his 60th year as a member of the American Legion Post 404.
This is my Mom, Joan Hazle, saluting. She has now advanced to the rank of CMSgt!

Mothering At His Feet

2012-05-12T23:04:00.002-04:00

A mother has great significance over her children. They will either "arise and call her blessed" (Proverbs 31:28) or they will "causeth shame and bringeth reproach" (Proverbs 19:26). That leaves me a great responsibility of what kind of mother I am to my children and who they become. How can I be a mom whom they will call blessed? How can I prevent them causing me shame and contempt? With anything, I need to understand what it means exactly to be a "mother" and what I can learn from God's Word in regards to what He has to say about being one to these children that He has given me.

After spending some time in the 1828 Dictionary defining "Mother" and key words within the definition, I came up with this to describe who a mother is:

"A female who has borne a son or daughter as her offspring or one who has raised a son or daughter as a parent. She gives parental advice and raises those weak in knowledge, experience and judgment and it is her duty to support, protect and educate them; a child becomes a product of her. This is a name given to a woman who gives concern, kind attention, cautious care to preserve & not to injure with a softness of expression to another.”

Convicting...you think! To know that my children will become a product of ME and that I am to give kind attention and express myself softly to them. I will be honest and say that my mothering does not hold true to that as often as it should. I am continually in prayer and asking for the Holy Spirit's help with this. To think that they will become like me...do I really want them to? This is why it's so important to reflect and meditate on the life of Jesus. He is the best parental model we have and I need to always learn from Him. I struggle with my flesh so much that I need His help daily to remind me of my selfishness and allow the Lord to help me reflect Jesus to my children. But, how often am I not...that I'm scared to admit.

Thankfully, I can allow my children to see my faults and I can show humility by asking them for forgiveness. They can have a better understanding of "forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye" (Colossians 3:13). I am also thankful that I can teach them God's law to "honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee" and encourage them that He has given a promise following that command..."that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee" (Deuteronomy 5:16).

I pray that the love of Christ shows through me more than I am aware and that they remember me as "a joyful mother of children" (Psalms 113:9). I also pray that when they are grown, our relationship will be close like that of Naomi and Ruth. The Lord has blessed me with an incredible relationship with my Mom and I desire to have that with my children too. He has healed so much from the past and I give all the praise to Him knowing that He is the healer in all things. That no matter what we go through, He is there to help me be the Mother that He created me to be as I continually sit at His feet. I am so thankful for the blessing of these children that He has given me and am so honored that He has allowed me to be their Mother. Even when I feel guilty and so far from perfect, Jesus encourages me to "be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48)....because He see's that in me even when I don't!

Philosophy of Education...For My Children

2012-05-11T11:56:00.001-04:00

I am so thankful to be part of a group with like-minded Mom's whose desires are to raise their children up in the Lord. We have been blessed with a local homeschool mentor from A Cherished Keeper who has a passion of helping us Mom's who choose to use an approach for our home education and all of life...the Principle Approach®.

We are currently meeting every week over the summer to develop lesson plans together. Our first assignment was to develop our own Philosophy of Education so that we can have a main goal that will direct our planning.

March of last year, I posted about how a Philosophy of Education is simple, but not easy. From our recent assignment, I have now expanded this as I went through the step of 4-R'ing the word "education" for myself. This is something that I have already done in the past, but it is actually very enlightening to develop my own Philosophy of Education every year to allow the Lord to continue to teach and guide me as life changes and as I gain more knowledge of this approach.

~~~~~~~

To develop my Philosophy of Education, I first defined the word "education" in the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary and defined the key words in that definition as well:

EDUCA'TION, n. [L. educatio.]

The bringing up, as of a child, instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.

Bring = to produce; to draw to; to attract; to cause to come to a point.
Instruction = the act of teaching or informing understanding which was before ignorant; conveying knowledge; direction.
Formation = the act of forming or making; creating or causing to exist; production.
Discipline = education; instruction; subjection; correction; to inform the mind.
Enlighten = to give light to; to give clearer views; to instruct; to illuminate with divine knowledge, or a knowledge of truth.
Understanding = comprehending; learning or being informed; knowing.
Correct = to make right; to rectify; to bring back.
Habits = temperament; condition of the mind or body acquired by custom or a frequent repetition of the same act.
Religious = pertaining to religion; pious; godly; loving and reverencing the Supreme Being and obeying his precepts; devoted to the practice of religion; teaching religion.
Duty = that which a person owes to another; that which a person is bound, by any natural, moral or legal obligation, to pay, do or perform; obedience; submission.

~~~~~~~

Based on these key words, I developed a definition of "education" in my own words:

“Directing a child to be drawn to understanding that which was unknown before and forming appropriate manners that produce piety and devotion to the Lord with love and reverence for Him. In doing so, it's the parents responsibility to instruct him clearly with divine knowledge as we correct his temper and bring him back to the temperament that is pleasing to God out of willful obedience and submission to Him so that he acquires godly character in whatever he does as he carries out God's plan for him.”

~~~~~~~

I then referenced some of those key words in the Bible using the Concordance from the Blue Letter Bible to find Scripture relating to what I want to know about education...Biblically. This is where I prayerfully allowed the Holy Spirit to guide me in what He desires for me in terms of educating my children.

Proverbs 1 (whole chapter)

2 Timothy 3:16

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”.

Proverbs 2:5-6

“Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”

Proverbs 29:17

“Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.”

Psalm 18:28

“For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.”

Romans 2:18-20

“And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.”

2 Timothy 2:21-22

“If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

~~~~~~~

Finally, I was able to put it all together and develop my own Philosophy of Education for my children. This is an exciting step to take and encourages me to have this as a direction to plan my lessons for next year!

“To bring my children up to honor and glorify our Lord Jesus Christ in all that they say and do. That I will produce a reverent love for Him as I instill Biblical knowledge and understanding in their lives as their Mother and teacher whose duty is to instruct them in God's Word (Proverbs 2:5-6). For them to take all instruction given to them and receive a pure heart that desires to be a vessel useful to our Master (2 Timothy 2:21-22).

That through correction from foolishness and guiding them to divine wisdom, they will be made perfect in His sight so that they are inspired from God's Word in all that they do (2 Timothy 3:16). I want to be a light to them to lead them out of darkness as I know His excellent will for me to form in them His knowledge and truth of the law of His living Word (Psalm 18:28, Romans 2:18-20). I trust that with this correction, my soul will be at restful delight as I watch them grow in the Lord (Proverbs 29:17).

It is my prayer that my children will grow up to be devoted and obedient to Christ as they love and serve Him with all their heart, and with all their soul and with all their might (Deuteronomy 6:5). I pray that for myself as well so that I will be devoted and obedient in having an intimate relationship with Him. That I will continually allow His Holy Spirit to guide and direct me as I have an awesome responsibility to bring up His children to serve and love Him for all eternity.”

Cellular Nutrition The Body Craves

2011-08-26T10:15:00.000-04:00

Below is an article that I wrote as a guest writer for Naturally Sports & Wellness's blog. Enjoy!

Desiring to find a supplement that works best in helping you with endurance and recovery during your training and competing? Looking for something that helps your body heal from inflammation? Seeking proper nutrition for optimal health and prevention as you age? Well, we all know how crucial nutrition is for the body to function optimally. Sadly, our fruits and vegetables have lost their nutritional value and it's simply too difficult to possibly consume the crucial amount of nutrients that our cells need just through eating. Our bodies are fighting toxins daily and become weak from lack of nutrition, so supplementation is becoming a necessity.

I was on a search to find just the right nutritional supplement for my health and that of my family. My daughter has an auto-immune blood disorder that affects her body's ability to fight off bacterial infections. I needed something that would give her immune system the nutrients it needed to be strong and healthy. I was also on a quest to find the right supplements to keep all of us healthy. I wanted something natural and safe but kept coming across ingredients in supplements that I questioned were even safe. Sodium benzoate is one very common preservative in liquid supplements. I prefer liquid over pills, so those are what I mostly researched. Sodium Benzoate is okay until it's combined with ascorbic, citric acid or Vitamin C. When those are mixed, it creates a chemical reaction making it carcinogenic. To me, that defeats the whole purpose of taking a nutritional supplement!

Thankfully, I came across the safest nutritional supplement that I could find. My searching was complete and problem solved! It's called Seven+ by a company called eXfuze®. Another great thing I found out was they have a product called Seven+ PROformance that is designed to help the body with stress and give it increased energy by adding a Panax Ginseng extract and adaptogens of Eleutherococcus and Astragalus. This product is designed for inflammation and has been great for athletes. Because of that, eXfuze® even made sure that the product was BSCG certified! They have also formulated a safe and healthy energy shot called GreenZilla that has been a great energy enhancer. These products are all plant-based (organically grown or wild-crafted) and have no synthetic ingredients, no added caffeine, no artificial sweeteners and no harmful preservatives. So, for optimum performance and quicker recovery, consuming Seven+ PROformance and GreenZilla have been very effective. Even their formulation for the brain called Seven+ Focus has made an excellent addition in helping with athletes focus during competitions. That's what I love about eXfuze® products; they work together synergistically!

With that said, Seven+ products give the body true cellular nutrition from whole-food extracts. The enzymes remain active through a very sophisticated extraction process that is used. I love how pure and potent these are, that I only take one ounce per day. I get my vitamins, minerals, omegas 3,6,7,9, CoQ 6-10, fatty acids, amino acids, anti-oxidants and more from the synergistic blend of botanical extracts these have. I feel great and can tell that my daughter's immune system is boosted!

Below are the seven main botanicals that you will find in Seven+ products and a quick detail of some of the benefits they offer. The plus factor of Seven tells you that there are more extracts in these that give the body more nutrients. The benefits that these products offer for better health are endless!

--Noted for its anti-inflammatory and immune system

support*

--Strong vascular health and cellular rejuvenation*

--Rich with anti-oxidants and amino acids

--Contains trace minerals and beta-carotene

--Aids in detoxification*

--Combats and neutralizes free radicals*

--Rich combination of nutrients to aid in
cardiovascular health*

~Information from eXfuze® product brochure.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, registered nurse, or licensed dietician, just a home-schooling mom. Any information I provide is for general education purposes only. I recommend that everyone work alongside their personal physician while pursuing treatment for any condition.

A Heart To Live Well

2011-08-19T08:41:00.000-04:00

Here's a question for you. What do you do to "live well"? Definitely an interesting question to contemplate! First thing that I think of is, what does it mean to "live"? We know what it means to do things well, but to "live well" in particular is quite a thought and something to pray about. Am I living well for my own good, for the good of others or in obedience to God Himself? Could it be for all three and where's the balance there? Who am I living well for and what does that really mean to live?

You can do a word study on "live" all day, but I will spare you from too much and just bring out the main terms that stick out at me for this particular question. Below are just a few ways how the 1828 Noah Webster American Dictionary defines "live" that I find quite interesting.

To have the bodily functions in operation, or in a capacity to operate.
To live, emphatically; to enjoy life; to be in a state of happiness.
To be inwardly quickened, nourished and actuated by divine influence or faith.

Would you agree that all of these are essential to "live well"? I can give a generic answer stating that I live well by trying to eat right & taking care of my body, helping others and knowing God's love for me. But, there's more to it than that. Why do I want to be healthy and take care of my body? Why do I want to help others so badly? Why do I have a heart for God? I believe and trust that God has put those passions and desires in me and I just pray that I give them all back to Him. That I don't take them all for myself and forget Who I should be living well for. And, to be content when life doesn't always go my way. To trust in the One who understands all and whose hands my life is in. That is what I should be living for with a joyful heart daily...as unto the Lord!

So, as we strive to "live well", my prayer is that we know why and who we're doing it for!

"Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess."

A Special Word Study...

2011-07-06T12:31:00.000-04:00

A thought just came to my mind that I have not shared this! My Mom serves in the Air National Guard and was promoted to Chief Master Sergeant last year. This was a great accomplishment for her and I decided to do a word-study of "Chief" for her, since that is now what she is being called by at work. I printed these out on patriotic paper and placed these in 3 separate frames for her to have. Enjoy the study below!

I defined the term "chief" in the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary:

Chief = Highest in office or rank; principal or most eminent, in any quality or action; most distinguished; having most influence; commanding most respect; taking the lead; most valuable; most important; a word of extensive use; first in affection; most dear and familiar. A commander; particularly a military commander; the person who heads an army; equivalent to the modern terms, commander or general in chief, captain general, or generalissimo.

Rank = Grade of official standing, as in the army, navy, or nobility; An aggregate of individuals classed together; a permanent social class; an order; a division; degree of dignity, eminence, or excellence.
Principal = A leader, chief, or head; one who takes the lead; one who acts independently, or who has controlling authority or influence.

Leader = One who, or that which, leads or conducts; a guide; a conductor.
Authority = Legal power, or a right to command or to act; as the authority of a prince over subjects, and of parents over children. Power; rule; sway; The power derived from opinion, respect or esteem; influence of character or office; credit; as the authority of age or example, which is submitted to or respected.

Distinguished = Separated or known by a mark of difference, or by different qualities; separated from others by superior or extraordinary qualities; whence, eminent; extraordinary; transcendent; noted; famous; celebrated.

Qualities = Disposition; temper. Acquirement; accomplishment; character. Superior rank; Persons of high rank, collectively.
Character = By way of eminence, distinguished or good qualities; those which are esteemed and respected; and those which are ascribed to a person in common estimation. Adventitious qualities impressed by office, or station; the qualities that, in public estimation, belong to a person in a particular station.

Influence = To move by moral power; to act on and affect, as the mind or will, in persuading or dissuading; to induce. To lead or direct.

Move = To persuade; to prevail on; to excite from a state of rest or indifference. To propose; to recommend.
Lead = To conduct, as a chief or commander, implying authority; to direct and govern; to precede; to introduce by going first; To draw; to entice; to allure.
Govern = To direct and control, as the actions or conduct of men, either by established laws or by arbitrary will; to regulate by authority; to keep within the limits prescribed by law or sovereign will.
Respect = Regard; attention; that estimation or honor in which men hold the distinguished worth or substantial good qualities of others; good will; favor.

Affection = Passion; desire; inclination.

Commander = A chief; one who has supreme authority; a leader.

Secondly, I found Scripture to go with those key words. From Scripture, we can determine that the Lord is in control and is our main authority. We seek Him for direction! :

Zechariah 3: 7 … “This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'If you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.”

Romans 12: 7-8 … “If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.”

Proverbs 11:16 … “A kindhearted woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth.”

Ephesians 6:5, 9 … Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. … And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.”

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 … “Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.”

Daniel 6:3 … “Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.”

Deuteronomy 1:15 … “So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you--as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials.”

Deuteronomy 17:10 … “You must act according to the decisions they give you at the place the Lord will choose. Be careful to do everything they direct you to do.”

Psalm 119:35 … “Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.”

Joel 2:11 … “The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command.”

2 Timothy 2:3-4 … “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs-he wants to please his commanding officer.”

Lastly, by using these key words and what I learned from them, I defined the word "Chief" for myself and personalized it for her. We can look at this definition and see how our character can reflect Christ:

CHIEF

A “Chief” describes a person who has supreme authority,

being given a grade of an official and distinguished standing.

A person who achieves this rank is one of

excellence, respect, honor and favor,

as she desires to be an influence to those under her command.

She is a leader and a guide,

using her extraordinary qualities of character and authority.

She is one who takes the lead with the most respect

and is given honor in her accomplishments.

Overwhelmed On My Own Strength

2011-06-21T12:23:00.000-04:00

Overwhelmed? Yes, that seems to define me lately. I'm trying to figure out if this is a good thing or not. I guess it's all based on perspective and if anything is being neglected. Or, as I'm thinking about this, doing it all on my own strength. How can one person do so much without feeling guilty about something that isn't being accomplished on the long list of things-to-do? I know that I need to do this and that and so much more. How can it all be done, I'm always asking myself? Well, that's when things aren't done for me. I get overwhelmed, so nothing seems to fully get accomplished. It's either all or nothing for me and this is a terrible fault of mine. I'm in constant prayer about this and need help with obedience in the most important priorities. It's also all the little things that adds up and I just don't know where to begin! I look way ahead of myself and get easily overwhelmed just at the thought of it all. I know that I need to just take it day-by-day and this is not natural for me as I am very much a future thinker. As I'm torn with all the responsibilites I have, I want to define what it means to be overwhelmed and ask the Lord to show me how to handle it all.

The 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary defines the word overwhelm as this:

1. To overspread or crush beneath something violent and weighty, that covers or encompasses the

whole; as, to overwhelm with waves.

2. To immerse and bear down; in a figurative sense; as, to be overwhelmed with cares, afflictions or

business.

3. To overlook gloomily.

From that, the term immerse also means "to involve" or "to engage deeply". The term overlook also means "to oversee; implying care and watchfulness", "to pass by indulgently; to excuse" or even "to neglect".

There's a great balance that needs to be understood from being overwhelmed. How to handle it is another thing; on our own strength or with God's help. I don't want to miss out on anything that God has planned for me if I continue to struggle and focus on this state of being overwhelmed in a negative (gloomy) manner. So, I desperately seek God's help in this area of my life right now and pray that His mercy will help me through this! I pray that the important things will not be neglected over all the little things that don't matter when it comes to the hearts of my children and their relationship with the Lord. We need to seek the Lord's help in all things, especially when we're feeling overwhelmed with the pressures of this life and to not do it all in our own strength. Psalm 61 is a beautiful passage for this!

^"1Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.

²From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

³For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

⁴I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.

⁵For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.

⁶Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many generations.

⁷He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.

⁸So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows."

What do Fractions have to do with Jesus?

2011-04-27T22:49:00.000-04:00

God's perfect timing continues to amaze me! I had an unplanned Math lesson with my 7 year old daughter on Good Friday. The next lesson in our RightStart (TM) Mathematics curriculum was on fractions. So, I looked up the word "fraction" for her in the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary. This is where it all begins!

FRAC'TION, n. [L. fractio, frango, fractus, to break. See Break.]

1. The act of breaking or state of being broken, especially by violence.

2. In arithmetic and algebra, a broken part of an integral or integer;

any division of a whole number or unit, as 2/5, two fifths, 1/4, one fourth,

which are called vulgar fractions.

Wow! That FIRST definition popped out at me and I was so excited when I read it to her. I explained to her that this didn't have to do with just numbers or plain-old arithmetic at all. I asked if this reminded her of what we just talked about in our Bible reading that morning. That Jesus' body was broken for our sins. That He suffered greatly for us in such a violent manner. Isn't it amazing to find out how fractions go back to Jesus?! Imagine how much more we can learn about Jesus and God's character by using such an approach as this. Through this, you can learn how there is a much bigger purpose behind Math than just numbers. And, this isn't just with Math, it's for each subject that we learn. There IS a reason for everything in all of life!

Amazingly, our Math lesson that day led us to the Bible with this verse: "And when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me." ~1 Cor. 11:24

So, we were able to finish our math lesson that day with excitement. We had our minds fixed on Jesus and His great love for us as we worked on learning the second part of the definition. I will be honest and say that I hated fractions but I absolutely can't say that now. I LOVE FRACTIONS!

Prevention

2011-04-19T12:21:00.000-04:00

Are you living a life of prevention? Do you eat healthy to prevent illness? Are you in God's Word to prevent wrong behavior and making the wrong decisions? Do you keep your children home to prevent them from gaining a secular education? There is a lot that we do to prevent us from things that we want to avoid or work on for our own good...whether it be for our faith, our safety, our health or our relationships. This is a lot to ponder and we can seek the Lord to help give us wisdom on what we can work on in terms of prevention for His glory.

I love the defnition of "prevent" in the 1828 Webster's Dictionary. It means "to go before; to precede, as something unexpected or unsought; to anticipate; to preoccupy; to pre-engage; to attempt first; to hinder; to obstruct". A lot to think about as all of these convey an action from us!

What are the things in your life and in your childrens life that you want to prevent? Ask the Lord what changes He wants you to make. Please join with me in meditating on this! I pray that "mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word" (Psalm 119:148).

Health...a Biblical Perspective

2011-03-18T13:42:00.000-04:00

Health...what does that mean exactly? This is what the 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language says about it:

HEALTH, n. helth. [from heal.] That state of an animal or living body, in which the parts are sound, well organized and disposed, and in which they all perform freely their natural functions. In this state the animal feels no pain. This word is applied also to plants.

          1. Sound state of the mind; natural vigor of faculties.
          2. Sound state of the mind, in a moral sense; purity; goodness.
                  There is no health in us.
          3. Salvation or divine favor, or grace which cheers God's people. Ps.43,
          4. Wish of health and happiness; used in drinking.
                  Come, love and health to all; an elliptical phrase, for, I wish health to you.

I completed a word study on this term in 2009 because natural health has been a passion of mine. Word studies are a great way to get a deeper meaning out of something and to be able to search God's Word. Researching the Scriptures helps you find the Biblical purpose and origin of any term or subject that you are studying. So, as I defined those key words that are underlined above, I then researched the Scriptures. These are just a few things that God says about health in His Word:

Gen. 2:7 - "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
Matt. 10:28 - "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
1 Cr. 6:19 - "What know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"

After this research, you are able to reason through what has been shown to you and relate it to your life. The whole process of this is called 4-R'ing (research, reason, relate and record). In conclusion, this is what I came up with in regards to "health":

"Health begins with God forming us and breathing life into us. There is an internal and external aspect to our health that affects each other. God gave us our body and formed it perfectly to function as it needs to live. God also gave us a soul to complete our living body. Our bodies can be healthy or it can be sick, determining how we take care of it. We have a choice. It is seen how God cares about us by looking at how He formed us perfectly and how everything works together as it should. It's important that we take care of what He has given us. We must take care of our physical bodies as well as our soul."

I encourage you to do a word study of your own on any topic that interests you. Through that, God will show you so much as you "commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established." (Proverbs 16:3)

Philosophy of Education...Simple, But Not Easy

2011-03-06T17:25:00.000-05:00

What is your philosophy of education? Have you even thought about that? You may be asking, what do you mean by having a philosophy of education? To understand what I mean, you have to define "philosophy" and "education" from the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary.

Philosophy = The love of wisdom; an explanation of the reason of things.

Education = The bringing up, as of a child, instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations.

If you ponder those definitions and allow the Lord to guide you through His Word with them, you can come up with your own Philosophy of Education. By doing this, it will give you wisdom that governs all of your choices and decisions that you make for instruction and discipline. It will give you a vision to aim for as you strive to give a Christian education. As you are submitted to God's Word, make it the heart of education so that it produces a Biblical Christian Worldview in yourself and in your children. Your philosophy of education should be rooted in the authority of God's Word. We must cultivate the hearts and minds of our children by instilling Truth in their hearts.

The Lord has simply given us His Word, but this is not easy! We, as parents, have to begin by continually renewing our minds and being transformed into His likeness. Parenting and teaching are heart-to-heart. It takes diligence, perseverance and seeking the Lord to do so. As I write this, I am convicted because I know what I ought to do, yet don't. Just like what Paul says in Romans 7:19, "For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice". I am challenged to not follow my own flesh, but to follow the will of God and walk in obedience. Oh, I need His help daily to do so!

It is my prayer that, through the Lord's help, our children will be raised with a desire to be more like Jesus. That they will grow and become strong in spirit, just as Jesus did. That they will be filled with wisdom, just as Jesus was. That the grace of God will be upon them, just as Jesus had. ~Luke 2:40

My Journey So Far

2011-02-26T10:20:00.000-05:00

My husband and I made the decision to homeschool when our older daughter was a toddler. We knew that we did not want to put our children into public school and could not afford to put them in private school. We didn't even feel led to do that anyways, so that was out. Homeschooling was really the only option we considered. Our desire for our children was not to be academically successful. Sure, academics is important, but that has not been our main concern. Our desire for our children was that they would grow up to know and love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. Their eternal well-being is most important.

Three years ago, I attended a learning session on a homeschool approach that was posted on our local homeschool loop and I am so thankful that I did. It was exactly what I desired for my children and what I was praying for. It's called the Principle Approach. It excited me when I heard that the Bible is the focus for ALL subjects. It's not separate from the subjects and just an addition, but it is a part of each subject. God's nature is revealed through everything, even Math...I never knew! The purpose of this approach is to train our children up to learn how to reason everything from the Bible. That they would grow up having a Biblical Worldview. I was intimidated and felt so inadequate learning about this approach, but trusted that God brought me to it and I accepted the fact that I have a lot of learning ahead of me. My mind has be renewed because I sure wasn't brought up learning how to reason through the Bible. It was not part of my education and I have so much of that public school mindset in me still. So, I see the Principle Approach as something not only for my children, but for myself. It's not only just for "education", but for all of life! This is not only a school curriculum, but a tool that helps us to learn how to reason biblically and have a closer walk with Christ. It's definitely a journey that I'm looking forward to. Yes, I still struggle with feeling overwhelmed and inadequate. Yet, "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered ME faithful, appointing ME to His service." ~1 Timothy 1:12.