OK, I am going to be transparent here.  In spite of  just last week’s celebration of Resurrection Day, this time of year I am dragging.  These last few months of the school year always seem interminable to me;  I tend to be focused on all there is to do, instead of all that has been accomplished.  I become frustrated with myself and my student(s) for not following my plans to the letter.

Did you happen to notice all of the “I’s” and “my’s” in these sentences?  That is part of the problem.  Too much focus on ME.  MY plans.

From the phone calls and notes I get this time of year, I know this discouragement is not only a problem for me.  As I have been looking for words of encouragement for you, I came across this video. If you watch it, you will be inspired.

Let’s remember all that we have and not focus so much on the way we want things to be.  Let’s put our noses to the grindstone and be faithful in the small things, day by day, so that we may finish this school year well.

He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.   Luke 16:10

His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’  Matthew 25:23

May we all be faithful,

In remembrance of Easter, I am posting a prayer from the Valley of Vision: a Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions.  These uplifting and theologically sound selections were gathered  from among the works of John Bunyan, Isaac Watts, David Brainerd, Charles Haddon Spurgeon and many others.  They never cease to move and inspire me.  I recommend this book for individual and corporate worship! Additionally, it would also be a wonderful primary source addition to your studies of the Puritans during the Colonial period, especially for high school students.

THOU GOD OF ALL GRACE,

Thou hast given me a Saviour,

produce in me a faith to live by Him,

to make Him all my desire,

all my hope,

all my glory.

May I enter Him as my refuge,

build on Him as my foundation,

walk in Him as my way,

follow Him as my guide,

conform to Him as my example,

receive His instructions as my prophet,

rely on His intercession as my high priest,

obey Him as my king.

May I never be ashamed of Him or His words,

but joyfully bear His reproach,

never displease Him by unholy or imprudent conduct,

never count it a glory if I take it patiently when buffeted for a fault,

never make the multitude my model,

never delay when Thy Word invites me to advance.

May Thy dear Son preserve me from this present evil world,

so that its smiles never allure,

nor its frowns terrify,

nor its vices defile,

nor its errors delude me.

May I feel that I am a stranger and a pilgrim on earth,

declaring plainly that I seek a country,

my title to it becoming daily more clear,

my meetness for it more perfect,

my foretastes of it more abundant;

and whatsoever I do may it be done in the Saviour’s name.

AMEN!

He has risen indeed!

Click on the book cover image to order this book!

The only problem with the book Raising Real Men: Surviving, Teaching and Appreciating Boys, is that I regret not having had the opportunity to read it earlier.  Just published this January, this 253 page volume (including the detailed index) not only helps us answer those frustrated mommy questions like “WHY did you do that?” when your feisty sons behave oh, so differently than your dutiful daughters.

(The event I was recollecting as I said that was when my now-17 year old son was about seven, and wondered what would happen if he squirted the light bulb in his dresser lamp with a water pistol.  The resulting minor explosion was just one of many ‘experiments’ conducted by my now-not-so-little explorer.)

We have only been blessed with one boy, but he has made quite an impact on our family.  The authors of Raising Real Men have six, so they are more than qualified to write this book; actually, they are not qualified just because they have six sons; they qualify because they understand that boys – just like little girls – are a picture of the image of God, tragically marred by sin. And that our focus must be on leading our sons into godly manhood, not just trying to manage them to make our lives convenient and more pleasant. p. 25

Hal and Melanie Young, the authors of this book, clearly speak the truth as they describe our culture’s desire to feminize men and our misguided attempts to ‘change’ our boys, rather than understand them.  The Youngs not only exhort us to celebrate the uniqueness of our boys, they give us very practical suggestions for how to train and ready them to use those special God-given characteristics to be the men God created them to be.

Listen to some of these intriguing chapter titles/subtitles from Part One – Virtues in the Rough:

• Resisting Feminization
• Boys Need Heroes
• Visual Media
• Heroes from History
• Bring on the Boldness
• When to Comfort, When to Encourage
• Standing Alone
• Responsibility, Then Freedom
• Learning to Stand
• What the bible Says about Leadership
• Developing the Next Generation’s Leaders
• The Biblical View of Competition
• The Puritan View of Games and Competition
• What the Bible Says about Manners

In Part Two – Civilization for the Tough, the Youngs discuss that raising manly men doesn’t mean raising barbarians.  Men can and should be civilized. p. 126   Part Two is concerned with preparing a young man to interact appropriately with a world that so desperately needs his godly leadership. 

How can we teach our sons the things they will need to interact in society, to lead their families, to serve God?  Step by step, suiting the way God made them, in an intentional, thoughtful way… just the way we teach them everything. p. 126

Sometimes – many times – homeschooling seems overwhelming; homeschooling boys can be, especially.  I loved the above quote because it is in accord with the old Puritan saying, “Do the next thing.”  Let’s make a plan and just take one step at a time.  This book will help you make that plan for raising your boys to be the men they were created to be.

One of my favorite chapters in Part Two is called “Your Own School for Boys.” This chapter may well be your favorite chapter, too, if you have been pulling your hair out trying to home school your boys!  Melanie Young has home schooled six boys at a time and has obviously done some reading on the subject, offering us an explanation why and how boys are different than girls in the learning arena as well as many practical suggestions to get the most out of your boys.  Chapter subtitles:

• Developmental Differences
• Developmental “Delays”
• Gender Differences in Learning
• Louder, Mom
• “I Think He Must Be Hyperactive…”
• “Why Do I Have to Learn This, Anyway?”
• What’s Your Goal, Son?
• The Benefit of Stress

This is great stuff! Additionally, chapters include endnotes with scriptural back up!

Other very useful information in this book pertains to teaching boys how to be faithful stewards of their money, why we need to teach them to have good manners, how the Bible looks at work roles and how to deal with male/female relationships.  It even aids with considerations about choosing a college, for the college bound, and describes the counselor role we move into as our children leave the nest.

Imminently readable, warm and biblical, Raising Real Men will help you learn how to train and shape your noisy, dirty, rambunctious boys into real men who can stand on their own two feet and face the world, lead their families, and fulfill the purpose for which they were created.

Enjoy those boys!

P.S.  If you would like to order this wonderful book for you and/or others, please click on the book cover image at the beginning of this post!

January always brings a bit of a struggle for me.  The spiritual side of me wants to spend copious quantities of time in prayer and the scriptures, searching for God’s direction, asking Him to guide me and help me focus on His priorities for my life as we tackle our last school semester of the year.

But the spiritual side has to wrestle with the “practical” side that wants to DO SOMETHING. NOW.

I want to  PLAN everything myself,  make school bigger and better, add this over here and that over there, as well as insert another activity or two in an already busy schedule.

In other words, instead of seeking what God wants to do in and through my life, our family, our homeschool – I tend to want to make MY plans and just ask God to bless them.  How wise is that to act as if I know best?

I constantly have to remind myself that it isn’t about me, and rather than making ten New Year’s Resolutions, finding the perfect planner for 2010, or setting my personal and professional goals on my own, it would be a more profitable use of my time to seek more of HIS input first.  After all, He has the big picture!  He is already working in my life and that of our family’s, and it is my place to join Him in what He is doing rather than setting off in another direction.

Listen to advice and accept instruction,
and in the end you will be wise.

Many are the plans in a man’s heart,
but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:20-21

How puny my plans must be compared with the Maker of the Universe’s!

Here are some other verses I am praying over as I seek to know His plans for our family for the coming year:

I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills {his purpose} for me. Psalm 57:2

The plans of the diligent surely lead to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.  Proverbs 21:5

But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. Exodus 9:16

But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations. Psalm 33:11

Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be established.  Proverbs 16:3

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.  Ephesians 3:19-21

Am I the only one who struggles with this?  What do you do to keep yourself on the wise path?

God’s blessings on your New Year!

One of the most positive ways we can celebrate Thanksgiving involves expressing our own thankfulness for all the ways that God blesses us!

1. Turkeys of Encouragement – this idea works best if you start at least a week before Thanksgiving to give everyone time to think. Make a turkey, minus the feathers, for each member of your family. Put the person’s name on the turkey body along with a favorite Bible verse. Hang the turkeys on a wall or door that is easily accessible for every family member. Cut out enough colorful feathers out of colored or construction paper to attach to each turkey. Place the feathers near the wall or door in an envelope (6×9 envelopes work well) along with a pencil or pen. Everyone, even visitors, can write reasons they’re thankful for that particular person on the feathers and then attach the feathers on the turkeys. Examples could be: I am thankful you read with me, I am thankful that you work so hard for our family, or Thank you for being obedient for mommy and daddy. You can overlap feathers, if necessary. On Thanksgiving, each person can take down their turkey and read the comments.

Many thanks to Jamie Sue Austin at freeprintablefun.org for the following turkey and feathers pattern. Right click on the image and copy into a document to print. You can use one of the feathers for a pattern to cut out colored feathers or print several sheets on different colors of paper.

2. Make it a Year of Giving – giving back to others when we have so much shouldn’t be limited to Thanksgiving and other holidays. Thanksgiving offers a wonderful time to brainstorm various ways your family can give to others in need throughout the year. Begin by brainstorming, with your children, ideas for serving other people. Be sure to allow your children to submit their ideas so they buy into the plan. You can help them focus by thinking of those who serve us or are in need. For example, sending care packages to soldiers, visiting nursing homes, supporting specific charities, inviting someone who doesn’t have a family to dinner, volunteering at an animal shelter or a hospital, collect donations to take to Goodwill, have a garage sale and donate the money to your church or a favorite charity, etc. Try to come up with enough ideas to do something once a month or so. Then take out a calendar and work with your children to schedule a way of giving each month. It’s best to schedule high exposure opportunities, such as visiting a nursing home or sending a care package to a soldier, for non-holiday months because so many people contribute during holidays and other times of the year are neglected. By your next Thanksgiving, you can delight in remembering the ways your family gave to others, being as Christ to them!

3. Cornucopia to share – sometimes children feel small or less than useful because they don’t realize all of the ways they can be helpful! Use a basket or a cornucopia and fill it with tried corn, small gourds, etc. Help your child brainstorm ways that he or she can helpful to others: praying for someone, specific cleaning ideas, sending a card, reading to a sibling, helping out a neighbor, etc. Write each of these ideas on a small pumpkin shaped (or other fall shape) piece of paper, then hole punch and tie each, using colorful fall ribbon, to one of the items in the cornucopia. Have your child select one each day to do throughout the holiday season. You can also reverse the activity by having your child select one to do and then tying it to an item in the cornucopia once it’s completed. For some children, this works better as an incentive to attach an idea to every item!

Educational

Incorporating Thanksgiving into school can add fun to the usual routine.

1. Vocabulary cup – using the pattern on page 56 in The Big Book of Books and Activities: An Illustrated Guide for Teacher, Parents, and Anyone Who Works With Kids!,  have your child fold the cup.  Have your child brainstorm Thanksgiving words that come to mind (thankful, Pilgrims, turkey, etc) and have your child write each word on a corn, leaf, turkey or other seasonal cut out. If you don’t want your child to cut out the shapes, you can find them pre-cut in school supply stores. Older children can draw the words out of the cups to write sentences and/or paragraphs.
2. Startwrite worksheets – if you recall my review of the Startwrite software, holidays are an excellent time to use them to your advantage. In the example below, the student wrote words and phrases of things for which he is thankful using the acrostic for THANKS. You can add clipart from the software or have your child illustrate the white space at the bottom of the page. This can be a writing assignment to assess the written work or you can use it as a handwriting assignment or copy work by supplying a Bible verse or a Thanksgiving poem for older children, such as the one below, Ballad of the Mayflower. Another idea to consider is using this time to have your children write “thankful for you” notes to people explaining why they’re thankful for them. You can use this time to teach the friendly letter format and use this software to create a template for your children to follow. It’s a great opportunity to teach your children to write a note even when they haven’t received a gift!

By Linda G. Paulsen

There was a ship, Mayflower by name; Hey, Ho~
Took a trip, she crossed the main; Hey, Ho~
Full of people seeking peace,
Praying for freedom to increase;
Hey, Ho, Dee-o, Dee-o! The Pilgrims came to Plymouth Rock; Hey, Ho~
Simple people, strudy stock; Hey, Ho~
To be free they crossed the sea,
Thanked the Lord on bended knee; Hey, Ho, Dee-o, Dee-o!
How when the crops were gathered in; Hey, Ho~
A dinner party did begin; Hey, Ho~
Pilgrims, Indians, pumpkin pie, Turkey, venison, corn, oh my!
Hey, Ho, Dee-o, Dee-o! Bet you thought my song was done; Hey, Ho~
But I’ve really just begun; Hey, Ho~
Ever since that autumn day,
Thanksgiving has been here to stay, Hey, Ho, Dee-o, Dee-o!

Hope you have a blessed time with these activites and ideas! May God’s blessings pour out over your entire family this Thanksgiving! Please share your favorite Thanksgiving ideas with our readers by commenting on this blog.

In Christ,

Beth

Did you know that Abraham Lincoln wrote poetry? He also wrote several letters to Stephen Douglas prior  to their infamous debates. You can read one of his poems and some of the letters, in Lincoln’s own  handwriting, online at the Library of Congress. I know I can be pretty nerdy and I do love history more  than many people, but when I discovered these primary source documents and realized that they  were within a few clicks on the computer of being in my grasp, I became giddy! By the way, Lincoln had less than perfect handwriting!

In our American History I high school curriculum, we teach students about primary source documents:

Letters, diaries, legal documents and photographs all may be considered primary sources as well as other documents created during the actual time period in history being studied.  Primary sources contain first-hand accounts or contain direct evidence of historical events.

Just as a detective looks for the details of first-hand accounts and evidence to help him solve crimes, an Epi Kardia student uses primary source materials to acquire a thorough study of history.

Primary source documents present a beautifully relevant way to help our students examine the truth in history. So often, our children read books that present historical figures and events as biased, based on the author’s own opinions and impressions. Primary source documents leave less room for such error. Bias can occur innocently or with malice. It can also be extreme, with one author presenting all of our founding fathers as pure men of God while another author focuses only on their human weaknesses. Neither of these extremes is realistic or healthy for our children to study. We know that all men are born with a sin nature and can only be saved by the grace of God, and what we really desire is for our children (and for us) to learn from other people’s mistakes, rather than repeat them. History, when studied properly, is a wonderful tool for seeing God in all things, even the past.

Some examples of primary source materials from our American History I course include:

• Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography – You can’t read Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography without hearing a hint of arrogance, or at least an abundance of confidence. The words are his exclusively and he knew what he was writing when he wrote it to his son. It’s fascinating to learn about the man while examining his historical contributions, as well.
• Benjamin Banneker’s letter to President Thomas Jefferson - pleading on behalf of slaves, Banneker’s humbleness and intelligence could never be questioned. I was emotionally moved when I first read this letter as it moved slavery from a philosophical issue to a real life event for me. Banneker’s character is revealed through the letter as he demonstrates his compassion for slaves and his respect for Thomas Jefferson, the President of the United States.
• Photographs from the Civil War – these sources offer a realistic and sometimes devastating view demonstrating the affects and seriousness of war.
• Strategy Maps from the Civil War – Maps created and used during various time periods offer a   clearer picture of specific battles and allows students to see the tools that soldiers worked with during that time.

The value of primary source documents when studying history can’t be overstated. The interest level for students tends to be much higher if they feel connected to the history they’re studying. They can relate better to a historical character when they realize that they’re studying a real person, and not a flat character from history who is only known for his accomplishments or failures.

With Epi Kardia, we strive to use primary source materials in our curriculum. In our recently published American History I, we incorporated all of the above examples and more. Through primary source books and internet sites,  Epi Kardia students have the opportunity to see the reality of history and the impact of primary sources makes history more memorable for many students.

The next time you choose curriculum, consider not just what you want your children to learn but also how you want them to learn. Living books, primary sources and other valuable materials create a path to learning that teaches children not only a specific subject matter, but also instills in them a methodology of learning and hopefully, a love for learning that will be useful to them all of their lives.

As you consider purchasing curriculum, don’t miss out on our current special! If you order our American History I by midnight on Monday, October 26^th, at our discounted introductory price of $34.95, you may also receive a second high school course of your choosing for half price*.  That’s a great savings on two courses!

At Epi Kardia, Dana and I have worked hard to create curriculum that teaches more than just content. We hope to empower you to instill in your children a love for learning and a Biblical worldview as well as the educational skills they need.

*Note: if you order online, your American History I curriculum order will show the reduced price, but the discount for your half off curriculum will not show up in your shopping cart until your credit card is actually processed. We do not process any credit cards until the order is actually shipped. Please let us know in the note section of your order form which curriculum you are ordering for the half price option.

In Christ,

Beth

Happy 2009, Everyone!

If you have been following our blog, you know we have one more book to give away.  Due to everyone’s desire to focus on our families and on the holidays in December, we decided to save our last book for the new year.  If you are visiting our blog for the first time, we are referring to our Christmas Book Give-away.  We have given away at least one book a week for the month of December. To be considered for a free book, all you have to do is subscribe to our mailing list and make a comment on our blog.  Please keep checking back to see what book we will be giving away this month!  In the meantime, we hope you enjoy Dana’s review of the book below.

Have a wonderful week!

Beth

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“What you are holding in your hands right now is a challenging book for teens by teens who believe our generation is ready for a change. Ready for something that doesn’t promise a whole new life if you’ll just buy the right pair of jeans or use the right kind of deodorant. We believe our generation is ready to rethink what teens are capable of doing and becoming. And we’ve noticed that once wrong ideas are debunked and cleared away, our generation is quick to choose a better way, even if it’s also more difficult.”

Thus opens the book Do Hard Things: a Teenage Rebellion against Low Expectations, written by Alex and Brett Harris, forward by Chuck Norris. If those names sound familiar, it is because the authors are the 19 year old twin sons of well-known homeschool veterans Gregg and Sono Harris, and younger brothers of popular author Joshua Harris (I Kissed Dating Goodbye). This book lays the groundwork for understanding The Rebelution – a term coined by the twins (combining the words “revolution” and “rebellion”) to define a “rebellion against low expectations.”

Their insightful premise states that our culture has bought into the deception that teens are helpless, weak, irresponsible individuals, incapable of caring for anyone but themselves. They assert, as most fellow homeschoolers believe, that “the teen years are not a vacation from responsibility,” but instead “they are the training ground of future leaders who dare to be responsible now.” They exhort teens as well as adult Christians to be an effective countercultural force by truly living as salt and light in the world: by having Christ-like character, by a commitment to competency in their endeavors, and by their willingness to work in collaboration with other like-minded believers.

Not only do the authors feature accounts of several amazing teens who accomplished phenomenal, large-scale projects, but the Harris twins bring the concepts down to earth by also sharing stories of ‘normal’ teens who have chosen to stand apart from the stereotypical norms with smaller scale endeavors. This section includes a helpful, easy-to-understand list of principles that are recommended as a beneficial place to start self-examination before crafting one’s own action plan. Additionally, the Harris twins walk us through this process by sharing a few teens’ stories as well as their strategies to become ‘rebelutionaries.’

My favorite chapter describes accomplishing “Small Hard Things.” (Every mommy can relate: these are the things done behind closed doors that are often tedious, mundane, repeated constantly and don’t come with accolades or recognition.) As we know, often it is these small disciplines that have to be mastered before we are ready for the “big” things. The twins encourage teens to first identify those “small” things in their lives and to take control of them before launching into the larger-scale projects.

This challenging book is peppered with scripture, encouragement and simple strategies to help identify and deal with stumbling blocks in our teens (and our) lives and describes principles to adopt to help us accomplish more for Christ’s kingdom. The book ends with a very clear and compelling presentation of the gospel.

I recommend this book, especially for those teens who are likely to respond best to peer encouragement. Check here for more information!

May God bless your transition back to school!