I'm amazed by how quickly we forget important things. I do it all the time by nature.
When the attacks upon NYC occurred 9/11/01, my heart grieved for those families who couldn't find their loved ones. My heart grieved for the terrorists who had been blatantly deceived into believing they were doing good by flying those planes on that fateful day.
Have you forgotten?
Saying "thank you" is not enough to express our gratitude to the American soldiers who are fighting to protect us from any more vicious attacks here in the USA. Not only to protect us, but to liberate the people in Iraq who are living in bondage. For this, we thank you. I am thankful for the freedoms we have in the USA. May we never take these freedoms for granted.
Columnist, Charles E. Sowell recently made some very important observations about the presidential candidate's views on national security:
At this point in time Americans have a lot to be concerned with, but it should be apparent that the two most critical concerns facing this country are national security and the economy. Most recently, as a result of the current economic crisis, we have heard very little about national security, despite the fact that we are still engaged in a fierce war with the same group of extremists that attacked us more than 7 years ago. It is time for America to reawaken to the fact that if we do not have national security, we will not have an economy to worry about!
Mr Sowell is right on target. Those in this country who take our freedoms for granted may be in for a rude awakening as they support a candidate who could very well place our sovereignty at risk. Senator Obama is ready to sit down with the adversary and negotiate without preconditions.
Any good negotiator also knows that every negotiating session is always preceded by posturing, position measuring (preconditions), and having in mind specific objectives for outcome. Just “sitting down to talk” for the novice negotiator could be a recipe for disaster.
Mr Sowell noted that Senator Obama is an idealist but what we need is stong leadership. All of you parents out there (hopefully most of you), understand the importance of protecting your children and seeing to their welfare. I want no less leadership in the highest ranking office of our country.
Think for a moment about all of the books that you have consumed in your lifetime up until now, either partially or from cover to cover. Now, in your mind, categorize them in only two columns, edifying or a distraction. This article is intended to be food for thought for those parents, homeschooling or otherwise, who have found that their child has been exposed to fantasy books and pressure now exists to bring them into the home.
I have found through the years that most of the pressure we encountered w/r to reading material and the various types, came from other Christian children and their parents who did not have any particular standard set in place. They were most often just happy their kids were reading ANYTHING. It didn’t matter the content.
It's easier to form a good pattern of behavior than it is to break a bad one. Seek to understand what excites your child. What are their interests or delights? Gently guide them to material that will uphold and under gird them in the faith while feeding their delights. Always err on the side of caution when evil is presented as good in fiction books.
Keep this in mind, when we partake of an author’s work we are fellowshipping with them and getting to know their hearts. This material can impact the core of our being in either one of two ways. It will cause us to think upon Christ, or it won’t. It will draw us closer to the Lord or lead us astray.
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” -Ephesians 5:11
There have been many times I’ve witnessed conversations as the topic of these fantasy books would be brought up, NOT by myself or my children but by those who consumed them. We’d been asked if we read them, and after hearing our response, which was “NO”, we were then put on the defensive and usually found ourselves BATTLING and DEFENDING our position, WHY WE didn’t want to read them. I found in order to end the discussion, I would reply, “If you want to read the material, or if you want to allow your children to read it, then that is between you and God. Please don’t try to sway us to your way of thinking on the matter.” You see our answer of “NO” convicted them. It was evident by their (close to hostile), continued questioning of us. Asking them what kind of books THEY read was the furthest thing from our minds!
“If this were your last day on earth or the last book you could read to or with your children, what book would you chose?” (Cindy Rushton)
16 Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. 17 Then the LORD’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the LORD is giving you.18Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. Deuteronomy 11:16-21
These are strong admonitions from the Lord and for our own good. We have to guard our hearts because there are so many little crevices where wrong thinking and corrupt ideas can creep in and spoil the fruit that we want to see brought forth in our AND our childrens’ lives. It may seem small, maybe an “iffy” book here and there, but that’s all it takes to begin acquiring a taste for that sort of thing. We only have so much time on this earth to lead and guide our children on the right path.
How many good years do you have left to train them to choose the best material for their hearts and minds? After they’ve grown and moved out, you’ll want that peace in your heart knowing they desire to spend their time reading material that will bring them closer to the Lord and further their education, helping to develop their gifts. There are SO MANY wonderful books to read. Even at my age I have a longing to read them all, but there is only so much time.
Reading a book to better understand a particular culture or system of beliefs from a non-fiction perspective is different from reading what is pushed on our children as fantasy. Fantasy fiction books at best, only provide allegories and at worst, introduce children to the works of darkness.
“There shall not be found among you anyone who …practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you.” Deut. 18:10-14
Romans 12:9, “Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.”
Here's an excellent statement made by Charlotte Mason that I believe fits very well with the topic of what we and our children should be reading.
Education is a life; that life is sustained on ideas; ideas are of spiritual origin; and, ’God has made us so’ that we get them chiefly as we convey them to one another. The duty of parents is to sustain a child’s inner life with ideas as they sustain his body with food.
The child is an eclectic; he may choose this or that; therefore, in the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand, for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
The child has affinities with evil as well as with good; therefore, hedge him about from any chance lodgment of evil ideas.
The initial idea begets subsequent ideas; therefore, take care that children get right primary ideas on the great relations and duties of life.
Every study, every line of thought, has its ‘guiding idea’; therefore, the study of a child makes for living education in proportion as it is quickened by the guiding idea ‘which stands at the head.’
Corinthians 10:4-5 “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ….” 2
Our Lord Himself chose the medium of a book to convey the Gospel to us. Feed your mind nutritious and wholesome ideas. Encourage your children to make wise choices as well. Don't just tell them no, explain why it is so vitally important. In doing so, this is another way to keep our eyes focused on the "best" ......... on "Jesus."
You see one of the neat things about the Back to School Blast is that everything is ONLINE. Cindy builds a private, exclusive Membership Site that includes everything from the BTSB in one place--it has audios (from all of the sessions and from the bonus gifts that her speakers give to us), ebooks, complete unit study guides, articles, printable notebooking pages, cookbooks, on and on. I can't believe all of the things that we receive for only $29.95. It is truly amazing!
The audios are recorded live today and tomorrow. You are welcome to attend for free.
If you are reading this post long after Aug. 7th and 8th, you can still purchase a ticket and listen to all of the super audios!
Have a Happy Day!
See You at the Back 2 School Blast!
As my doggie and I embarked on our early evening walk, my eyes were drawn toward the heavens. I noticed the Big Dipper. It hasn't changed since childhood, had I expected that it would?
My first thought was of "Living Water" and all who thirst can come to Jesus and drink of the water that He provides and never thirst again.
It's no accident that these and various other stars are displayed in a recognizable pattern in the sky for us to see.
The Big Dipper is one of the most popular and easy to find of the constellations among students of astronomy.
Psalm 19: 1-4 The heavens declare the glory of God; The skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; Night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, Their words to the ends of the world.
There is an account recorded in the Bible of woman who met Jesus at the well. I'm sure that after her conversation with the Messiah, she never saw the Big Dipper the same way again! She was no stranger to sin. She was also a Samaritan.
We read in John 4: 1 - 42 about this conversation. Jesus was tired and sat down to rest at the well. As she came to the well to draw water, she had a conversation with Jesus.
9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water?
12 And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”
13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.
14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” John 4: 9 - 15
Jesus then asked her to go get her husband and He then proceeded to tell her about all the husbands that she had in the past! She perceived Him to be a prophet.
It's interesting to note that this woman then ran leaving her bucket behind to go and tell the others about this conversation she had with the Messiah. Many came to believe upon Him that day.
His message is still the same for you and I today. As we drink water that Jesus provides, it becomes a spring of water welling up to eternal life .
I pray that you will spend some quiet evening time in the last days of summer to look at the stars and really take a closer look at the Big Dipper. It's a mighty big cup!
My Heart is on overflow right now. Complacency is observable these days within the Body of Christ. As I noted this in others, I was even more aware of it in my own life. I'm hungry for God's Word. Take a good look around you, we find ourselves living in fast moving and changing times. We face upcoming elections in America, gas and other consumer goods continue to soar in price. Our pace is also so swift we can barely find the time to dig into the Bible! Now more than ever MUST make that time! The darkness that surrounds us will begin to get a foothold in our lives if we neglect to study the Bible for ourselves. In Luke 12:48 we read a parable about a faithful servant and this is also where we find the heavily quoted phrase, “
For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”
For the most part, Bibles are plentiful in the USA. Most families have several different versions within the home. There is no excuse for not making time for the most important study of our lives. The more we study scriptures the more of His Word we will crave. This is a lifesaving cycle that we need to ground DEEPLY in our life pattern! We must renew our minds DAILY. As we live our lives and meet with various encounters and people who don't know the love of the Savior, the scriptures will remain in our hearts. The Holy Spirit will bring to our remembrance verses of scripture that we ingest during our study time. He will keep the light of truth shining brightly before us all day long when we do this.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105 KJV
Not only will we present a more solid witness, we will be better equipped to defend the faith. Like it or not, we are in a battle!
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, Ephesians 6:12.
We have a fierce enemy who hates us with a passion. He is the devil. Satan is a deceiver and a liar. He will scheme and plot against the Christian. This wrestle with the devil and his demons will be experienced throughout our whole lives. At times the battle will be very intense. As every Christian will encounter this combat, every Christian MUST under gird his or her life with the truth of God's Word, the Bible. Satan comes to us as an angel of light pretending to be something THAT HE IS NOT in order to deceive us. Don't forget, the STAKES are HIGH! Our relationship with him must be ENMITY. The American Heritage dictionary defines enmity as follows; deep-seated, often mutual hatred. If we become too complacent the enemy can very easily begin to muddle our thoughts. Complacency is a feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction, especially when coupled with an unawareness of danger, trouble, or controversy. In these times it is essential for us to Guard our Hearts!
Guard your heart more than anything else, because the source of your life flows from it. Proverbs 4:23.
When we reach the end of our earthy lives and yes, we all will someday, nothing will matter more than this, NOTHING. Where is your heart focus? Keep it on Jesus.
Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, Hebrews 9:27
We can all too easily lose track and become satisfied with ourselves and our lives. We forget to judge ourselves and our own hearts and motives. We have to keep running that race, even though we may get tired at times. If we are yoked with Jesus Christ, He promises to give us rest and strength to endure to the end of the race. Get back into your Bible and be refreshed and renewed. In my sidebars you will find some tools to get you up and running if you need some help digging into the Word. I'm also in the habit of listening to the Bible in a year on my Ipod device. Listening to the Word in this format may appeal to you for starters. Rick Meyers has created software to assist Bible students, it called E-Sword and it is 100% free! Here's a short description from his website; e-Sword is a fast and effective way to study the Bible. e-Sword is feature rich and user friendly with more capabilities than you would expect in a free software package. The fact that e-Sword is free is just one of the blessings and does not speak of the quality of the software.
It's hard to see when the lights are dim. Keep the oil in your lamp and keep it burning BRIGHTLY!
My family and I live in the United States. Here we celebrate what is known as "July 4th" or "Independence Day". In the mid 1700's, when the USA was still quite young, Americans had found it quite difficult to live under England's rule. A series of significant events led to the signing of the Declaration of Independence that eventually led to freedom from English rule after America won the Revolutionary war. We celebrate Independence Day on July 4th as this was the day that the Continental Congress completed the final draft of the Declaration of Independence. People thus began to celebrate. In Philadelphia, bells rang out and firecrackers were set off. We still celebrate in much the same way to this very day.
I marvel at the fact that we, like our Creator have been endowed with amazing creative abilities!
It's now becoming a tradition in our family to venture to a local amusement park where we are privileged to watch a spectacular display of fire works. Every year they try to out do themselves at Lakemont Park. I must have counted nearly a dozen different colors as they dazzled the evening sky. I couldn't help but to marvel, ponder and entertain various thoughts as we kicked back to watch. I marveled at the fact that we, like our Creator have been endowed with amazing creative abilities. I thought about the skill that is required to set off such a marvelous display of fire works without blowing oneself up in the process, and the ingenuity that is required to create the many colors and patterns. Oh, how we resemble our Maker! I found my mind then began to think about our very thoughts! How precious it is to have the ability to commune with one another, to share a word of encouragement, to plan an event, share a dream or to teach one another! Oh, how precious this truly is! I thought about those whom we have known and loved that have slipped from our realm and view. Those whom we love who have gone on to be fully in the presence of our Lord. I thought about the way they used to share their thoughts with us and the fellowship that we shared with them together on this earth. We human creatures can be a very forgetful bunch!If we don't become pro-active in either recording our thoughts, particularly, of the most vital thoughts on salvation and Jesus Christ the Word, just imagine how easily and quickly how our thoughts about such things can fade away! As a believing Christian, I do not believe that our thoughts vanish altogether when we die, they only vanish from this present earthly life. King David and King Solomon, two very wise men who sought after and loved the Lord provide us with wisdom in this and many others areas of life. The Psalmist admonishes us to put our trust in God and reminds us that in the day that we breathe our last, our thoughts perish. This is how the Amplified reads:
Psalm 146:4 3-Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no help. 4-When his breath leaves him, he returns to his earth; in that very day his [previous] thoughts, plans, and purposes perish.
Some theologians interpret verse 4 to mean that we cease to be completely, that our thoughts are gone for good until the resurrection. Hence, the doctrine of "soul-sleep". Still others interpret verse 4 to mean that our thoughts are now no longer accessible by inhabitants still on the earth but our spirits & thoughts will return to God. King Solomon, also quoted from the Amplified Bible provide us with these words of wisdom:
Ecclesiastes 12:7 7-Then shall the dust [out of which God made man's body] return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return to God Who gave it.
If our thoughts and plans on this present earth cease when we enter eternity, how important should it be that we actively record our thoughts for our friends and loved ones? How often do we even give thought to our heavenly home? As brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, heaven should be uppermost in our thoughts, for it is there that our Heavenly Father resides. Allow yourself, if only for a moment to consider your great grandchildren. Will they remember you? Will they even have the chance to meet you this side of heaven? Unmarried? Well, how about your siblings? Your nieces and nephews? There is a way to reach beyond our small scope and even past the small amount of time that we have here to touch future generations for Jesus Christ! We are given MANY creative talents for this very reason! To glorify God and to reach BEYOND ourselves. Remember what James wrote; " Faith Without Works is Dead".
Prayerfully consider how you can reach out and share the Gospel, even in the future!
Actually, she is so "pumped" that she has just shared a sneak peek into her Membership Site.
You see one of the neat things about the Ultimate Homeschool Expo is that everything is ONLINE. Cindy builds a private, exclusive Membership Site that includes everything from the UHSE in one place--it has audios (from all of the sessions and from the bonus gifts that her speakers give to us), ebooks, complete unit study guides, articles, printable notebooking pages, cookbooks, on and on. I can't believe all of the things that we receive for only $40. It is truly ULTIMATE!
Anyway, back to the reason that I am sharing with you...
Cindy just sent me permission to give you a sampler of one of her free gifts that is included on the Membership Site. I am so excited to give it to you! It is a audio and ebook set that she actually sells on her website, but she is giving away on the Membership Site. Here is the link:
A Quick Start for Notebooking Mini-Set!
Need ideas for encouraging your young writers and QUICK?
Ready for a FUN way to encourage your most reluctant writer to write AND like it???
This fun-filled, hands-on workshop is one that you simply CANNOT miss!! Cindy Rushton, who has become known through the years as THE BINDER QUEEN, uses Notebooking for EVERYTHING! She will show you how to begin whether your child is a toddler or the most skeptical high schoolers. This workshop is sure to light a fire that will equip YOU to help your children deepen their studies and document learning all along the way!
TOPICS FOR THIS WORKSHOP INCLUDE:
Hey! Do I Have A Chance At This??;
Why On Earth Notebook???;
Down to the Nitty Gritty...WHAT Do I Need and HOW Do I Do It?;
Step-by-Step Through Notebooking;
Scrapbooking! YES! You CAN Have Fun Homeschooling;
Hey? What is Legal? What All Goes Into A Notebook???;
Developing FUN Studies That Teach and Inspire!!;
Copywork...Answers to ALL of Your Questions;
Taking the Writer From Reluctant to Researching;
Ideas, Ideas, Ideas, There’s Gotta Be One for You;
PLUS Much, Much More! PLUS!
Cindy doesn't stop with the workshop, she also includes the Q/A Session after the workshop AND her handouts/samples of student notebooks. Awesome!
You know the saying that a picture captures a thousand words,well...what about a a gift like this??? And, just think...this is only ONE of the awesome gifts included on the Membership Site. There are hundreds more!
Take my word for it, you will WANT a ticket to this event and access to all of the wonderful resources. Grab your ticket here:
The United States of America, the Land of Opportunity with Liberty and Justice for All, is a Great and Mighty Nation.
We have been blessed with freedoms in the USA. There are some who take horrible advantage of these freedoms for their own selfish, personal gain, from multi-million dollar corporations down to special interest groups who only care about their own agenda to the exclusion of the rest. We, as a nation will be faced with some huge decisions in the later part of this year as we elect our next president. Since our government has been created by the people and for the people, we must PRAYERFULLY take EVERYTHING before the Lord BEFORE we cast our vote as we evaluate WHO and WHAT a PEOPLE are!
Have you ever viewed the game show the Weakest Link? Yeah, yeah, I know, it's just a game for our viewing entertainment, but the name in a sense reflects the heart of our society. I have never personally been subjected or exposed to the values clarification taught in some public schools where the children are presented with a hypothetical situation. In a nutshell, the situation is presented to the students in story form where various types and ages of people are out at sea on a boat. They are told that the boat can only hold so many and you must decide who to throw from the boat. I must say that the schools can only get away with attempting to impress this hog-wash thinking upon our children ONLY if we allow them to! It is cruel to EVER subject a child into making a decision like that, hypothetical or not!
WHO decides what life is of MORE value than that of another and what is the basis? Who's measuring stick is being used?
When you cast your votes this year, TRULY vote FOR THE PEOPLE. HOW we treat the WEAKEST among us and how we VIEW the WEAKEST among us says WAY more about the HEART of this nation than ANY well thought out and planned presidential debate can EVER do. Unwanted infants and babies in our throw-away society and senior citizens who can no longer contribute via the workforce, do we say that they drain the system? SHAME ON US!
Ladies, if you want to exercise your right to choose, then please make the choice to abstain from relations until you are ready to take on the responsibilities of a child, at LEAST! Do yourself a favor and embrace marriage, THEN have children. PARENTS, DO NOT neglect the instruction of your children in this or ANY area of vital importance. Where is the choice for the infant, for the child? I am going to save my thoughts on the treatment of our elderly for another day.
Theologian and author Francis Schaffer rightly noted in his book, Whatever Happened to the Human Race, that the character of a society will be judged by the way it treats its most vulnerable members.
Do YOURSELF a favor and see the true light. For ONE day, you may find yourself among......
WhO SaiD LeaRniNg CaN't Be FuN??
Welcome to our homeschooling treasure trove of learning and ideas. This is our place to share some of the exciting things that we are doing and learning together in our family's homeschooling adventure. We are Christians, and our goal is to yield to our Heavenly Father's will. We hope to encourage others who may be considering homeschooling and help to dismiss some of the misconceptions they may have about living a life of learning!
*Days of Creation Poll*
*Worship With Us* VolumeI Click the CD cover above to listen to Sound Clips
Recorded at Daylight Sound and Recording Studio High Quality Sound at an Affordable Price!
This article is intended to be food for thought for those parents, homeschooling or otherwise, who have found that their child has been exposed to fantasy books and pressure now exists to bring them into the home. 
I noticed the Big Dipper. It hasn't changed since childhood, had I expected that it would?
I couldn't help but to marvel, ponder and entertain various thoughts as we kicked back to watch. I marveled at the fact that we, like our Creator have been endowed with amazing creative abilities. I thought about the skill that is required to set off such a marvelous display of fire works without blowing oneself up in the process, and the ingenuity that is required to create the many colors and patterns. Oh, how we resemble our Maker! I found my mind then began to think about our very thoughts! 
There are some who take horrible advantage of these freedoms for their own selfish, personal gain, from multi-million dollar corporations down to special interest groups who only care about their own agenda to the exclusion of the rest. We, as a nation will be faced with some huge decisions in the later part of this year as we elect our next president. Since our government has been created by the people and for the people, we must PRAYERFULLY take EVERYTHING before the Lord BEFORE we cast our vote as we evaluate WHO and WHAT a PEOPLE are!
