Even more where this came from!

“How colorfully and scientifically our generation talks down to the little child! What insipid, stupid, dull stories are trotted out! And we don’t stop there. We don’t respect the children’s thinking or let them come to any conclusions themselves! We ply them with endless questions, the ones we’ve thought up, instead of being silent and letting the child’s questions bubble up with interest. We tire them with workbooks that would squeeze out the last drop of anybody’s patience. We remove interesting books and squander time on ‘reading skill testing,’ using idiotic isolated paragraphs which no one would dream of taking home to read.” ~ Susan Schaeffer Macaulay

 I haven’t posted links for a while so there is quite a variety here. I welcome any thoughts…….

“It is time that such officials learn that being a good parent is a right not a privilege.” What does this mean? If this account is completely accurate, it is outrageous. But I do wonder if there is more to this story. It came along with a fundraising plea and these are the people who are pushing for the Parental Rights Amendment,which Homeschool Legal Advantage and others do not support.

I so appreciated this former EFCA pastor’s perspective on the Trayvon Martin story.  His question for all of us “Do you love truth?” is the right one to ask.

This is not a Christian website but this article that shows the link that evangelist Kirk Cameron has to Doug Phillips, Rushdooney, and the dominionist movement is alarming. Again, do we care about truth or not?

My friend, Sallie, a conservative Christian homeschooling mom whose thoughtful articles always make me think, has written these thoughts on Mark Driscoll and his notion that “manliness” is the future of the church. I can’t help but compare Driscoll’s notions with this story: “Pastor Cho of South Korea grew his church to close to 850,000 members, by encouraging women to have as much influence as God gifted them with, and he did this in a culture that, unlike America’s, has historically assumed women are subservient to men. Christian history may record that Pastor Cho’s decision to open the doors of influence to women in his church was a primary contributing factor in his country’s transformation from a predominantly Buddhist country to a Christian one.” from The Resignation of Eve by Jim Henderson. So, perhaps the so-called “feminization” of the church is a straw man? I have long suspected such. The truth is, the church needs BOTH men and women to fulfill the great commission!!!!!

Sallie further shares her concerns about the Acts 29 churches. I have seen this more and more….patriocentricity and patriarchy are becoming part of the code of orthodoxy to a point that differing views on baptism or cessation of tongues, for example, are all welcomed but the place of women in the body of Christ is never to be discussed. Be sure you are patient and look at Sallie’s link…I was stunned.

Here is also some insights from George Barna on why women are leaving the organized church in droves!

And now for a few fun educational/child development links that I found. Enjoy!

“Is your baby a good baby?” Ever get tired of hearing this? You will love this article plus all the links!

Are you also tired of hearing that you might be spoiling your baby because she actually wants to be held? This research confirms what mamas already know!

Those of you who love music will love this connection between rhythm and math!

The Hurried Child has been released….and none too soon! You will want to own a copy of this wonderful book!

Fans of Charlotte Mason and Susan Schaeffer Macaulay will appreciate these reminders on children basically needing to be children!

Some sound thinking on young dating. I so appreciated this balanced view.  

And finally, more thoughts on the Barna research regarding teens leaving the church and leaving the faith.

And last but not least, if you are thinking about attending a homeschooling convention this year, not sure you have the time, energy, or finances, or just want a little something different, I have just the resource for you! Now you can enjoy the perks of a homeschooling convention, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from the comfort and convenience of your own home! And the best part is that new and exciting resources, including reviews, workshops, forums, and much more are being added all the time! Check it out!

a family dinner shortly before the day of the fire

A couple weeks ago I spent the evening at a fundraiser with my friend Dawndra, whom I have known and loved for about 20 years! She reminded me that I had anniversary coming up soon since it had been almost 16 years since our house fire. She remembers it well because she was in the hospital 2 blocks away laboring and delivering her daughter while the wind blew and my house burned. It reminded me that I have never written much about that event, a really big one in our family history, and one where God showed Himself so faithful to us in so many ways. I thought this might be the time to do so.

We bought our old turn-of-the-century house in 1984, one of the original old lovely Victorian homes that sat on a street lined with Elm trees and brick sidewalks. I will never forget the older couples who warmly greeted us the week we moved in, welcoming us to the neighborhood, telling us stories of their grandparents who had also lived on this block. “This was all a big sheep pasture,” one woman told us, motioning broadly with her arms. “And of course, when I was a child, I used to play with the daughter,” she went on, describing the inside of the old Orrendorf estate and the man who founded the plow company and much of the town as well. While Clay and the other men unloaded boxes and the children madly drove their Big Wheels down the sloping drive, I absorbed all this woman told me, the history of her own beloved home, a few tidbits about our house, and the neighborhood we could now call home as well.

We had been living in a 5 room farmhouse before finding this antique treasure. My dad had walked through the basement, crawled through the attic, and thoroughly examined everything in between before pronouncing the house “a good solid home.” With three growing children we had room to spread out and space to be creative. From that first day we walked in the door, following a realtor who had shown this house numerous times and offhandedly gave us her presentation, we loved this old house.

When we first moved into our home, we were just beginning to think a bit about homeschooling. Though we hadn’t clearly decided it was what we would do, the notion kept introducing itself to us. We also hadn’t considered having a larger family or ever considered the fact that we might have one of our parents living in our home. So as I begin to share our story, I will say that the first lesson the Lord wanted to teach me was that He goes before us and provides for all our needs, even those we don’t know that we are going to have! It is a truth we have seen over and over again and one I will never take for granted!

Since that day nearly 28 years ago when we moved into this house, so much has changed….we went from being a public school family to a homeschooling family, a household with 3 children to one with 6 children and a grandmother, and now one where grandchildren come to visit and sleep under its sturdy old eaves. We have celebrated dozens of birthdays and nearly 3 decades of anniversaries. We have grieved together over death and loss and rejoiced at bringing babies and a grandbaby home from the hospital to this house. Clay has changed jobs, I have kept everyone fed and clothed, and together we have made a home. We have welcomed in strangers and loved ones alike and through it all the Lord has cared for us. It is because of His past faithfulness that we can rejoice every single day…His mercies to us are new every morning! Next is part two…..

Today’s lesson: the Lord goes before us and provides for all our needs, even the ones we don’t know we are going to have!

This is such a powerful reminder to moms as well as to anyone who spends time with little ones. In this exposition on 1 Thessalonians 5:14, Chris Yount Jones from Children’s Ministry reminds us of the importance of being discerning as we teach our kids.

You can also join their FB page for encouraging messages like this one.

Also, another good resource for ministering to our kids can arrive daily in your e-mail. Would love to hear your thoughts!

A couple days ago I had the privilege of getting the “sneak preview grand tour” of the new online homeschooling convention environment that will be launched on March 26th and, let me tell you, it is absolutely a dream come true for homeschooling moms! Brought to you by Scott and Rebecca Keliher,the same folks who publish The Home Educating Family Magazine and creators of The Well-Planned Day organizational planners, this amazing website will become your one-stop spot for all things homeschooling! Not only are your favorite curriculum suppliers ready to welcome your questions but this will be the very best place to find information about the various methods of homeschooling, workshops for everything from teaching phonics to preparing your children for college, and an online spot to meet and greet other homeschoolers who share your particular interests.

During the holidays when our family was home and we counted over a dozen computers and smart phones connecting us all to the internet 24/7, Clay and I were struck by the potential that technology holds for educating all of us in the years to come. Homeschool Convention Dot Com will be one of those resources I will find myself coming back to again and again and sharing with others. Check it out now to get a taste of what is coming…already there are many great blog articles and each week more reviews are being added to an already impressive line-up. There are also contests to enter and prizes to win…early registration for participating on the site begins soon and the best part of all is that all the resources are free and available whenever and where ever you are! It’s like having a little homeschool convention in your pocket!

“You are cordially invited to a panel discussion at Park Hill Presbyterian Church on April 2, 2012, at 7 p.m. entitled “The Family in Crisis: Three Pastoral Responses.” In a discussion moderated by the Rev. Greg Thurston, the Revs. Kevin Swanson, Shawn Mathis, and Matthew Kingsbury will present their views on how the Church should respond to the difficulties faced by Christian families today, interact with one another, and take questions from the audience. Held in conjunction with the next stated meeting of the Presbytery of the Dakotas, this evening is intended primarily to further discussion within the presbytery. As this is a matter of great concern to all the Churches, however, we earnestly desire the interest and input of all the brethren.”