Finding Hidden Treasure

 One of our a Bible studies for this year is Hidden Treasures in Philippians.  We are working double-speed through this study so we can begin Hidden Treasures in Hebrews after Christmas.

Heart of Dakota has “Bible” as an independent subject at this level.  However, I am doing the subject with my daughter.  I want her to learn to have personal Bible time, but I also think discipleship is not a solitary practice.  

Discipleship is a beautiful thing.  The discussions that happen during Bible time are priceless.  For instance, today we were reading about 2 Corinthians 6:14. 

“Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭6:14 NASB 

We talked about how being bound means having a close relationship.  We are bound when we marry.  We are also bound by our friends.  The discussion centered around choosing Godly friendships, or ones in which we choose friends that also love Jesus.  

This doesn’t mean we can never befriend someone that isn’t a Christian.  It does mean that we must be careful in our friendships; that our closest friends share our faith.    I gave the example of how it is easier to pull a person off of a chair than the person on the chair to lift up someone from the ground.  

These discussions are important to me because, as much as I want my child to remember the lessons in the Bible study, she will remember the conversations and the practical applications of the Scriptures just as much. 

“Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭27:17‬ ‭NASB‬‬

I look at Bible study at this crucial age as iron sharpening iron.  She does study her Bible for other things, such as challenges given in her youth group.  With Heart of Dakota, she is in her Bible daily to look up what it says about different topics she is covering in history or science.  

Right now my husband and I are beginning ministry classes.  We find doing them together or with a group gives us much more than just doing the classes alone.  We still have private time with God in the Word and prayer time.  However, doing the classes with others gives is the chance to trade ideas and discuss meanings. 

My favorite memories with my older homeschooled children were the Bible times we had in the mornings.  It was not a mostly serious time.  It was light-hearted and fun.  My girls would sing Veggietales songs, even into high school, when we got to a particular lesson that was related to a Veggietales movie.   They also had a blast trying to pronounce some of the Old Testament names.  This time has become part of our family culture, as the stories still are brought up during family gatherings. 

Is there anything better than having Bible study as a part of your family culture?

Our mornings start with the Word of God.  I love the name of this inductive study...  Hidden Treasures.  That is exactly what I feel like we are doing, digging for Treasure.  

I worried that this study might be a little too young for my daughter.  Instead, I have found we can always go a little deeper during our conversations.  Today, for instance, when we discussing being “bound” to friends, we actually talked about various friends of hers and mine.  This wasn’t a judgment on any of them, but more a conversation about which friends bring out the best side of us, encouraging us in our faith and our daily walk.  It was also a reminder of the type of friend we need to be to others.

Best of all, it was a reminder that Jesus is our best friend; always there to encourage, support, listen, and guide.  He will always be honest.  He will always correct us when we are wrong.  Most of all, He will always love us. 

Reproducing Michelangelo

 

This week the history project was to recreate a Michelangelo painting.  She’s pretty artistic, but would prefer to draw.  However, she dived in.  The end result was not quite a good as she wanted, but I thought she did a great job.  

Not many young people can paint like Michelangelo.  But the work will stay with her.  Every time she sees that painting in the future, she will remember that she once tried to recreate it.  She will remember the skill that Michelangelo had and appreciate the talent of artists.  

Studying different artists has been so good for her.  It encourages her to be artistic.  She has her favorites.  She talks about the different artists and their specialties.  She knows more about famous artists than me and enjoys learning about them.

To me, that is a good education. 

A Tale of Two Levels: Part 2

 

By around halfway through the year, we will begin the next level of Heart of Dakota:  Revival to Revolution.

Part 2:  Revival to Revolution

History

Revival to Revolution begins in the 1720’s and continues until roughly 1900.  A lot of history happened in this couple hundred years.  With books like George Washington’s World, The Growth of the British Empire, and Only the Names Remain, it’s a full schedule. 

There are so many things that are added that just make this program so deep and full.  This is no shallow history program.  Each week the student will learn about primary source documents, reading from them to know the original intentions of America’s founding fathers.  There is also a study of the fifty states, allowing students to get a brief history and knowledge of every state in the union.  

Science

Revival to Revolution focuses on Physical Science.  It’s a very hands-on approach that teaches students with real-life activities and projects.  It also contains an inventor study where the students read about the great accomplishments of scientists and record information about these discoveries and the lives of these scientists in gorgeous, quality notebooking pages. 

Bible and Devotional Study

 

Revival to Revolution works through the book of Hebrews with an inductive Bible study.  This study includes lessons on the ten heroes of the faith listed in Hebrews 11.  

Also included is worldview study to help teach students to view the world through the lens of Scripture. I went through this study with my older children a few years ago and it was awesome!   

Music

One of the things my older daughter loved about this level was the classical music study.  Learning about classical music and the musicians was fun for her.

My youngest daughter is a music lover also.  I think she will enjoy this study a couple times a week.  It also includes some hands-on projects. 

Reading

For reading, Megan will be on the last level of Drawn Into the Heart of Reading.  She will delve into some awesome books, such as a biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Gone Away Lake, and others.  I love the genre study.  Drawn Into the Heart of Reading has been a favorite of mine because it allows the chance to pick your own literature selections.  I love the offerings Heart of Dakota chooses, but have occasionally picked something else that I want my daughter to read or that suits her interests at the time.

I also tend to add reading.  There are so many incredible books that I want my daughter to read.  I try to schedule them in, while keeping a balance of work so that she isn’t over scheduled.  I tend to favor series.  We have read many series together for read-alouds through the years.  Now, she likes to read them on her own.  She dug into The Bobbsey Twins and Nancy Drew last year.  This year she is reading the Elsie Dinsmore series. 

In Conclusion:

We will get through a good amount of Revival to Revolution this year, but some of it will be saved for ninth grade with Missions to Modern Marvels.  Technically, she could advance a level, but I don’t want her to miss the skills or the great books involved.  

Earth’s Plates

 As a lover of Earth Science, I find the science experiments my daughter does are fun!  I was luckily to have the option to study Earth Science in college versus the other options. 

This week my daughter has been studying the causes and consequences of an earthquake.  Now, like me, she also loves Earth Science.  She is fascinated by storms and weather and oceanography.  She loves geology.  She reads books about various Earth Science topics for fun. 

This isn’t exactly new material for her, but she is still as fascinated as if she had never studied the information in the past.  

Today her experiment used a graham cracker to get a visual of what happens to the Earth’s Crust when plates rub during an earthquake.  The visual was changed as she increased the friction or force. 

And at the end of the experiment, she smiled and asked, “Can I eat my science experiment now?”

And On to Eighth Grade

 Despite having been doing half days for a few weeks, I still considered this our first “official” day of school.  So, as tradition dictates, the obligatory first day pics are a must. 

A Tale of Two Levels: Part One

Eighth grade is upon us.  Since we did some other things last year, we could say we are “behind.”  But most homeschoolers know there is no “behind.”  The time away from Heart of Dakota was still filled with learning.  The beauty about Heart of Dakota is that the skills build on each other.  We can just pick up where we were and move forward as long as the child hasn’t progressed too far.  

So a few weeks ago we began eighth grade with half days because Covid had led to the cancellation of nearly every activity in which we normally participate.  Not willing to have a summer of YouTube videos, we began some school.  We picked up right where we left off and have kept moving forward.

However, we are over halfway through Heart of Dakota’s Resurrection to Reformation guide.  This means we will actually do two guides this year.  Megan will finish up Resurrection to Reformation by Christmas.  We will immediately begin Revival to Revolution. 

Part One: Resurrection to Reformation

I’ll go through the first part of our school year by going through Resurrection to Reformation and other things we are using.   There are a LOT of books my daughter will be reading.  That isn’t unusual for our homeschool.  

History:

With Mystery of History as the main spine for the remainder of the guide. Megan will be reading about Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci, Sir Walter Raleigh and so much more.  She will read and notebook her way through time as she learns history. 

I love the notebooking pages!  They are colorful and of great quality.  The lessons are so enhanced by the pages!  And it is such a fun way to keep track of what my daughter has learned. 

Science:

My daughter loves Earth Science, so finishing up this study is a joy for her.  She is relishing the experiments and often loves to tell me all about what she is reading. 

Shakespeare:

Resurrection To Reformation does a Shakespeare study.  I was afraid this study would be difficult for my child.  Instead, she LOVES it!  She gets excited when it is Shakespeare day.  Like the history notebooking pages, Heart of Dakota has created these beautiful Shakespeare notebooking pages. And they chose Charles and Mary Lamb’s Tales from Shakespeare.  Tales from Shakespeare is written in more modern English for younger readers. 

Bible:

Heart of Dakota’s Resurrection to Reformation uses the inductive Bible study Hidden Treasures in Philippians.  This is scheduled as an independent study to help the child develop good habits in their own personal Bible time with God.  However, I am planning to do this with my daughter.  She is at a sensitive age, and being able to discuss the study with her is important to me.  (Plus, I don’t want to miss out!)

We also have a different Bible study we do every other day or so from Christian Light Education.  I love how deep Christian Light goes into the Bible.  

Reading:

We are continuing with Heart of Dakota’s Drawn Into the Heart of Reading.  I love the perks of this program! I can choose which books to use for the different genres.  I can use library books to save money.  Or, as I tend to do, I can use books I have already purchased over time.  I like the choices Heart of Dakota gives in their book packs, and have used them often also.  But sometimes I switch out the book for something else. 

Extra Reading:

I chose two book series to slowly have Megan read through over the next two years.  These aren’t assigned in Heart of Dakota, but instead are something extra I want my daughter to experience.  She is reading them slowly so she can mature a bit with the characters as they age in the books.  I also want her to savor the books and think about the lessons contained.

The first series is a rewrite of Martha Finley’s Elsie Dinsmore series.  I read them all several years ago from the library.  Mission City Press did such a great job with these books and I am sad they aren’t as easily purchased now.  I still have the last two to purchase before we own the entire set.  Megan will read through at least three of the books this year. 

The second series is the Terrestria Series by Ed Dunlop.  I was first introduced to the series through Heart of Dakota when they offered a couple of the selections in the book packs for Drawn Into the Heart of Reading.  The books are allegorical and engaging.  My daughter often likes fantasy books, and these are very godly.  It will take her two years to get through this entire series when alternated with Elsie Dinsmore.  . 

What’s left?

In the next post I will go through what we are using for Revival to Revolution as well as what we use for math and any alternatives I am using.  It looks to be a very full year!

Summer Schooling

Homeschooling is tough.  Throw in part-time college classes, babysitting a new grand-baby, and just trying to serve in my church and still take care of my family; and I can honestly state that my attention was split.

Painting Fun

To be honest, it has been split for a few years.

I re-enrolled in college after 25 years because I had always dreamed of going back.  When I did, I was determined not to waste the opportunity.  After all, a dream held in my heart for a quarter of a century is one that is special.  But, as in everything, counting the cost must happen.

At first I was a full-time student.  But that was dropped to part-time quickly when my older daughter faced significant health issues.  I knew I couldn’t maintain the full-time pace when, at one point, I was trying to do a project with another student over Google Hangouts on my cellphone while sitting in my daughter’s ICU room.  That was not the time to be worried about a project, but my work ethic wouldn’t let me drop classes or watch my grade suffer. 

My part-time status helped, but there were still areas that suffered in my life.  My time with the Lord went down significantly.  My faith took a real battering due to several factors, and it took way too long to get it back to a place of growth with many extra responsibilities. 

My youngest daughter became my only student a few months into my college enrollment.  She is a smart little thing.  She reads well and voraciously.  Because of this, I found myself giving her more and more independent work over the materials that required me to be more mentally present.  I veered into more delight-directed work because she could do so much learning without me.  I used more computer learning.  And she would read everything I put in front of her.

None of this is bad or wrong.  We are blessed to live in an age where there are so many options for homeschooling families.  

A few months ago I began to feel a conviction about having let so much become independent.  I was handing my daughter materials but had no clue about what she really got out of them.  I felt disconnected from her.  With my older homeschooled children, we had done a lot together.  Two of the older girls had spent a lot of time studying the same material with each other and had been able to help each other and discuss different things.  My younger child, being seven years younger than her nearest sibling, didn’t have that same benefit.

The first thing God showed me was that my youngest shouldn’t be studying the Bible as a Lone Ranger.  While a personal Bible study time was good, one of the benefits of homeschooling had always been being able to share in the process of studying God’s Word with my children.  The discussions that happened around the dining room table each morning during Bible time were priceless.  We could talk about difficult points and tough issues.  So often we learned together.  My youngest was missing that.

So, I brought that back.

Then, in March 2020, COVID-19 hit.  My class work for college didn’t change as I was an online student, but as activities were cancelled, I began to take notice of my daughter’s learning.  I noticed some weak areas that needed more attention.

With libraries closed, the delight-directed learning became a bit of a problem.  We could no longer go and check out fifteen or twenty books on a subject of interest.  I also noticed that my daughter wasn’t as enthusiastic about diving into studies of her own interests as she had been.  Perhaps it was a little too much freedom and not enough structure. 

Summer came and everything that we had always done in the summer was essentially cancelled. Plans for a summer internship for my final college class stopped.  Even as fall approaches the chances of finding an internship in my field at this time are still nearly zero.  

I have been praying about it all.  My daughter’s usual summer theater group went to virtual only, and she seemed less than thrilled.  Part of the joy of theater for her is meeting with other students and putting all their efforts into a production.  It’s very hands-on and high energy.  She just wasn’t into what felt like more computer learning.

That didn’t stop her from being on the computer, however.   It only took a couple weeks of way too many hours wasted away on YouTube and online games before I knew I had to make a change.

We had slowly been making our way back to Heart of Dakota as our primary learning.  Ironically, the structure and routine seemed to help my daughter.  I think a part of her was stressed trying to constantly find a new area of interest.  She had spent a couple years digging into horses, weather, volcanos, and Harriet Tubman.  She was ready for more structured learning.  In her words, “not everything I like needs to be a subject, Mom.  I don’t always want to become an expert in every area I enjoy, just some of them.”

A couple weeks ago we decided to do school for the summer.  There is no pressure to do school daily or to even do a full day.  We do half a day.  If something comes up she would rather do, like visit a local splash pad with friends, she does that instead.  But for the hours at home that had her absorbed in screens, we mix in some school work.

And I decided that I don’t want her completely independent.  She may have the ability, but I want to be one of the voices guiding her at this time in her life.  That means we do more learning together.

Today she learned about diagramming sentences with me.  The program I was using didn’t teach diagramming.  It’s not necessary.  But as she sat by me on the couch, diagraming sentences on a white board with me, it became fun.  It was almost like a game.  

While it is still a balancing act with a baby at my home through the week, I feel a renewed purpose in homeschooling.  Instead of two solo learners, I feel like I am involved again in my daughter’s education and her life. 

I missed it.

My internship will probably come eventually when COVID-19 becomes less of a threat.  By working part-time through the summer, I no longer fear that my daughter will have to be a Lone Ranger in her own education to fulfill state requirements.  

I don’t regret the last couple of years trying to do it all.  This time in my life has shown me that a child can get a great education through homeschooling even if the circumstances of life throw curveballs.  Many parents work and homeschool.  Others have babies that disrupt their days as they try to teach.  For me, I don’t want to have my attention spread that thin.  (I could just be old now.)

I also don’t want to miss the moments with my daughter that being hands-on in her education gives me.  I don’t want to miss the talks, the prayers together, the light-bulb moments.  

There are so many influences in the world that want to infiltrate my daughter’s thoughts and heart.  So much slips by me when I am not paying close enough attention.  Even “safe” YouTube videos are not necessarily safe.  And sometimes even the “Christian” friends aren’t truly following Jesus.  And so, it has become important to me to put in front of my girl as many Godly, positive influences as I can.  And, by her side, discussing what we are learning, I plan to stay.  I honestly feel it is even more important now than when she was little. 

Our 2013/2014 Reading Lists

Here are the reading lists from last year.  I am positive I am missing some, as we moved in March and things got very hectic and disorganized for a bit.

Jasmine - 10th Grade

1. Star of Light - Patricia St. John
2. Careful Enough? - Dillon Forbes
3. God's Tribesman -  James and Marti Hefle
4.  Amos Fortune, Free Man - Elizabeth Yates
5. The Reb and the Redcoat - Constance Savery
6. Songbird - Nancy Lohr
7. Michael Faraday: Father of Electronics - Charles Ludwig
8. The Secret Wish of Nannerl Mozart
9. John Paul Jones: the Pirate Patriot - Armstrong Sperry
10. George Washington's World - Genevieve Foster
11 The Egyptians - Life in Ancient Egypt - Liz Sonneborn
12. The Cherokee - An Independent Nation - Anne M. Todd
13. Cherokee - Richard M. Gains
14. Sioux - Richard M. Gains
15. Marie's Home - Caroline Austin
16. The Hiding Place - Corrie Ten Boom
17. Traveling Light - Max Lucado
18. A Shepherd looks at Psalm 23 - Phillip Keller
19. The Hiding Place - Corrie Ten Boom
20. Maggie's Dare: The Great Awakening - Norma Jean Lutz
21. Francis Scott Key - David Collins
22.  Albert Einstein Young Thinker - Marie Hammontree
23.  Lizzie and the Redcoat - Susan Martins Miller
24. 50 States Under God - Joy Dean
25. Heroes of the Faith - Evelyn Wheeler
26. The Signers - Dennis Brindell Fradin
27. Who is God and Can I Really Know Him? - John Hay and David Webb
28. Hearts and Hands Volume 4 - Mindy and Brandon Withrow
29. Physical Science - John WR Grunder
30. The Road Less Traveled - Tim Kennedy
31. Four American Inventors - Frances M. Perry
32. The Story of Inventions - Frank P. Bachman
33. American History Stories - Mara L. Pratt
34. Lydia the Patriot: The Boston Massacre - Susan Martins Miller
35. Unwrapping the Pharaohs - John Ashton

Laura - 8th Grade

1. Trouble Times Ten - Dave Lambert
2. Ink on His Fingers - Louise A. Vernon
3. Galen and Goliath - Lee Roddy
4. Leondardo Da Vinci - Diane Stanley
5. Mr. Pipes and Psalms and Hymns of the Reformation - Douglas Bond
6. Good Queen Bess - Diane Stanley and Peter Vennama
7. Gabriel and the Hour Book - Evaleen Stein
8. A Child's Geography: Explore His Earth - Ann Voskamp
9.  The Hidden Treasures in Philippians - Evelyn Wheeler
10. The Mystery of History: Volume III - Linda Lacour Hobar
11. Tales from Shakespeare - Charles and Mary Lamb 
12. Issac Newton - John Hudson Tiner 
13. The Tinker's Daughter - Wendy Lawton
14. Looking at Pictures - Joy Richardson
15. A Piece of the Mountain - Joyce McPherson
16. God's Design for my Body? - Susan Horner
17. From Girl to Woman - Sandi Queen
18. The War Against Germs - Josepha Sherman
19. The Mystery of History Volume 3 - Linda Lacour Hobar
20. Morning Star of the Reformation - Andy Thomson 
21. The War Against Germs = Josepha Sherman
22. The Egyptians - Life in Ancient Egypt - Liz Sonneborn 
23. Traveling Light - Max Lucado
24. A Shepherd looks at Psalm 23 - Phillip Keller
25. Make it Work Weather - Andrew Haslam & Barbara Taylor
26. Arty Facts Weather & Art Activities - Janet Sacks
27. Eyewitness Books Weather- Brian Cosgrove
28. Maggie's Dare: The Great Awakening - Norma Jean Lutz
29.  Francis Scott Key - David Collins
30. Henry Ford Young Man with Idea - Hazel B. Aird and Catherine Ruddiman
31. God's Plan for Growing Up Book #1 From Girl to Woman - Sandi Queen
32. What is God's Design for my Body? - Susan Horner
33. Lizzie and the Redcoat - Susan Martins Miller
34. Who is God and Can I Really Know Him? - John Hay and David Webb
35. The World of Biology - John Hudson Tiner
36. The Road Less Traveled - Tim Kennedy
37. Hearts and Hands Volume 4 - Mindy and Brandon Withrow
38. American History Stories - Mara L. Pratt
39. Lydia the Patriot: The Boston Massacre - Susan Martins Miller
40. Unwrapping the Pharaohs - John Ashton

Megan - First Grade

1. The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse*
2. At a Farm - Rick Wagner
3. God Made the Opossum - Mrs. James Swartzentruber*
4. The Egg and the Chick - Mrs. James Swartzentruber*
5. The Squirrel and the Nut - Mrs. James Swartzentruber*
6. God Made Me - Mrs. James Swartzentruber*
7. God Made Us - Mrs. James Swartzentruber*
8. God Made the Firefly - Mrs. James Swartzentruber*
9. Not Dots - Ellen Tarlow
10. Hop In! - Julie Small-Gamby
11. The Hat - Judith Bauer Stamper
12. Jesus Washes Peter's Feet - Glynis Belec*
13. Family-Time Bible in Pictures - Kenneth N. Taylor*
14. Big Kid Day - Janelle Cherrington
15. Me Too! - Linda Ward Beech
16. We Should Be Thankful - Mrs. James Swartzentruber*
17. God Made the Opossum - Mrs. James Swartzentruber*
18. City Colors - Linda Ward Beech
19. The Bus - Joaquim Alvarez
20. A Lot of Dogs - Ellen Tarlow
21. At a Farm - Rick Wagner
22. Slim Sam - Margaret Crocker 
23. The Adventures of Chatterer the Red Squirrel - Thornton W. Burgess*
24. The Adventures of Grandfather Frog - Thornton W. Burgess*
25. The World God Made - Edward J. Shewan* 
26. Family Time Bible - Kenneth Taylor*
27. History Stories for Children - Dr. John Wayland*
28. The Cat in the Hat All About the Human Body - Tish Rabe
29. Would I Trade My Parents? - James Bernardin
30. The World Around Us - Rosemary Wells
31. Look and Learn, A First Book about Bodies - Nicola Tuxworth
32. Babar.s World Tour - Laurent De Brunhoff 
33. Dem Bones - Bob Barner 
34. You are Special - Max Lucado
35. The Pukey Book of Vomit - Connie Colwell Miller
36. The Digestive System - Rebecca Olien
37. The Skeletal System - Rebecca Olien
38. Just In Case You Ever Wonder - Max Lucado 
39. The Respiratory System - Rebecca Olien
40. The Circulatory System - Rebecca Olien
41. Heaven is for Real for Kids - Colton Burpo
42. The Bloody Book of Blood - Kelly Regan Barnhill 
43. The Adventures of Buster Bear - Thornton Burgess
44. Helen Keller - Margaret Davidson
45. The Magic School Bus Insect Invaders - Anne Capeci
46. Ants are Fun - Mildred Myrick
47. Ladybug - Claire Llewellyn 
48. Army Ant Parade - April Pulley Sayre
49. What's it like to be a Dragonfly - Jinny Johnson
50. Ladybugs - Susan Ashley
51. Fireflies - Susan Ashley
52. Spin with Spiders - Karen Latchana Kenny 
53. The Adventures of Buster Bear - Thornton Burgess 
54. We Explore - LuAnne Yeager, Ruth Hobbs, & Dorothy Nisly* 
55. Animal Babies - Harry McNaught
56. Annie and the Wild Animals - Jan Brett
57. Dig, Wait, Listen - April Pulley Sayre
58. I think I need a Pet - Pamela Chanko 
59. I'm Going to be a Vet - Edith Kunhardt
60. Sheep - Hannah Ray
61. Deserts - Neil Morris
62. Zoologists and Ecologists - Ruth Owen
63. Smudge, the Little Lost Lamb
64. Chick-Chick the Ping-Pong Champ - Russell Ginns*
65. The Crippled Lam - Max Lucado
66. The Boxcar Children - Gertrude Chandler Warner 
67. Going to Grandma's - Pamela Chanko
67. The Pepperoni Parade and the Power of Prayer - Barbara Johnson
68. What Will the Weather Be? - Lynda DeWitt
69. Whiteout: A Book about Blizzards - Rick Thomas
70. The Big Snow - Berta and Elmer Hader
71.  The Crippled Lamb - Max Lucado
72. Clifford and the Big Storm - Norman Bridwell
73. Clifford Keeps Cool - Norman Bidwell
74. Sizzle - Rick Thomas
75. Rumble, Boom! - Rick Thomas
76. Wind - Honor Head 
77. George Washington and the General's Dog - Frank Murphy
78. Ben Franklin and the Magic Squares - Frank Murphy
79. The Adventures of Jerry Muskrat - Thornton Burgess 
80. Mummies in the Morning - Mary Pope Osborne
81. Pyramids and Mummies - Seymour Simon
82. Unraveling the History of the Mummies around the World - Slyvia Branzei
83. The Boxcar Children - Surprise Island - Gertrude Chandler Warner 
84. Katie the Caterpillar - Pamela Chanko
85. We Learn - LuAnne D. Yeager, Ruth Hobbs, Dorothy Nisly
86. The Adventures of Jerry Muskrat - Thornton Burgess 
87. Mummies in the Morning - Mary Pope Osborne
88. Unraveling the History of the Mummies around the World - Slyvia Branzei
89. The Boxcar Children Book 2 - Gertrude Chandler Warner

Winter Art

Laura and Megan are studying weather.  We've had a lot of extreme weather this winter:  blizzards, snow storm after snow storm, extreme cold and polar vortex events. Watching the Weather Channel regularly with all of these extreme conditions this winter has provided quite an education of its own.  Living through the storms and cold has given lots of hands-on experiences.

A small unit on weather in our plans came at an opportune time.  Studying the extremes off winter are very apt with what we are experiencing day to day.  Studying the weather of other seasons gives us a nice reminder that winter won't last forever.

In all the great books I checked out at the library, one I found for Laura was perfect for her. It was a book of weather facts with accompanying art projects.  I asked her to do at least two.

The one she chose turned out beautifully.  While we are tired of winter, the beauty of it has not escaped us.  Laura captured it perfectly in her art project. 

Winter will be over eventually, even if it feels like we are trapped in a never ending Arctic mess.   Studying the weather has reassured us that if one thing can be certain, weather changes and seasons come and go.

From Prince to Shepherd

Moses had fled Egypt to Midian.  There,  he meets Jethro, a Medianite  priest, married Jethro's daughter, and transforms his life from a prince in Pharaoh's Kingdom to a shepherd in the desert.

One third of his life was spent in luxury.  He had the best food,  servants, power, the best education.   But  his heart was still with his people,  the Hebrews... The slaves. In a moment of anger,  Moses had killed a man.  Now, he had fled to escape the wrath of Pharaoh.  Can you imagine the closeness he might have once felt with the Pharaoh?  Now gone, had that left Moses feeling sad? Yet Moses knew the authority and decisions of Pharaoh would be carried out without question.  No doubt Moses had witnessed the "justice" of Pharaoh before,  and knew that his life wouldn't be spared just because he had grown up as a prince.   After all,  the Pharaoh was considered a god, not just a king.

Moses ran for his life.  He became a shepherd.  After all,  the Egyptians had no use for shepherds. That is why the Hebrew people were originally given land by a Pharaoh of the past during Joseph's life.  Goshen kept the shepherds separate from the Egyptian people, in a place with grazing for sheep.  As slaves, they now worked for Pharaoh, but Moses would learn the trade of his ancestors after he fled Egypt.   He would become a shepherd.

Moses was a prince, a shepherd, and eventually a savior for his people.  Christ was also all three.

And so, we pause now in the study of Moses' life to study shepherding.  Like studying Egypt to learn more about the Bible,  studying shepherding brings the Bible to life.   We catch glimpses of the forty years of the life of the shepherd Moses.   He was humbled there.  The arrogant prince changed his fine clothes for rough robes.  I'm certain the changes on the inside were just as drastic,  the contrast just as strong. 

The Lord is my shepherd,  I shall not want.

I was blessed to learn that my library has a book on Psalm 23 by Philip Keller.   I am also reading Traveling Light by Max Lucado to my daughters. We will spend the next three and a half weeks engrossed in sheep,  shepherds,  mammals,  deserts,  and maybe even the weather.   The Bible is coming alive for us as we study, read, watch videos,  and learn.  

Psalm 23 was written by David,  but so exemplifies Christ.   I look forward to all that God has in store over the next few weeks! I look forward to blogging about our adventures!

We Have Begun Exodus

Our studies have finally finished Joseph and Genesis and begun Moses and Exodus.  A couple of years ago my then preschooler learned a song about Baby Moses.

"Baby in the basket.  Float, float, float."

We are deep into studying Egypt.  Netflix movies, library books, even my Baby Moses Precious Moments plate have helped to get us into the time and place.

Oh, how we are loving learning with the unit study method!  My children are retaining so much!  It seemed a bit strange at first to read about mummies with my six year old.  There are times I have to edit some of the reading so she isn't exposed overly to pagan gods and beliefs.  Obviously Egypt was quite pagan.  But I'm finding that we have some interesting discussions about what the Bible says versus how the Egyptians believed. 

My older girls are grossed out by the mummification process, and yet intrigued too about this time in history.  Even my history hater is getting engrossed in the stories and movies.  It's awesome!

Slavery had been a topic we have talked about lately, considering that Joseph was sold as a slave and that the Hebrews were forced into slavery under the Egyptians rule.  We've talked a bit about Egyptian slavery and slavery in America and slavery today. 

We will take a week or so next week to study shepherding.  I'll be hitting the library for books as we study Psalm 23.  Moses spent 40 years as an Egyptian prince and then 40 years as shepherd in Midian.  What a contrast!  It'll be interesting to see what God will reveal to us in our study!

Joseph

We have been studying the life of Joseph during our Bible time.  He is absolutely one of my favorite men of the Bible.  He spent years going through all this stuff that wasn't his fault.  Sold into slavery as a teenager, sent to live in a foreign land.  Can you imagine the terror? The confusion? The heartbreak?  Do you think he struggled with hatred and bitterness toward his brothers?  Do you think he ached for home?

Then to be lied about by some cougar lady, put in prison.  I would be screaming and angry.  I would be ticked!

The Bible continually says God was with Joseph.  God blessed Joseph as a slave.  God blessed Joseph as a prisoner. Sitting in jail for years, forgotten even by the ones you helped after they are released.  The temptation to be discouraged must have been overwhelming.

It begs the question, why do we go through such difficult times?  Joseph loved God, and God was with him, but the hard times came anyway. God didn't stop Joseph from being sold into slavery.  God didn't stop Joseph from being lied about and thrown into prison.  God didn't get Joseph's wrongful conviction overturned in a short time.  God blessed Joseph during those hard times, but He didn't get Joseph out of them.

Not until it was time.

 

Not until years passed by.  

Then, suddenly, the day arrived.  Pharaoh dreamed a dream only God could have given, one that only His chosen Hebrew prisoner could interpret.  

God's timing.

The result?  Joseph's family, as well as the nation of Egypt and surrounding areas, were saved from starvation during a severe famine.  

When the very ones that had sold Joseph into slavery, his own brothers, showed up in Egypt for food, Joseph didn't have them sold as slaves in return.  He tested them, to see if God had changed their character.  That doesn't mean he held unforgiveness for his brothers.  He just wanted to take the opportunity, while he was still unrecognized, to see who his brothers had become and how they treated the youngest.  

Somewhere along the many years in Egypt, whether in the hardship of slavery and prison, or in the service of Pharaoh, Joseph had released his brothers' fate to God. 

Have you released that person that hurt you to God?  That person that crushed you?

Joseph could see, after he saved his family from starvation, that God had been the one to send him to Egypt.  His brothers may have physically sold him, but God was in charge.

Can good come out of what appears to be horrible circumstances?  Can our attitude in the midst of struggles and crushing circumstances make a difference?

God wasn't with Joseph because he spent those years angry, bitter, complaining, and cursing his unfair circumstances.  God was with Joseph because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  God was with Joseph because Joseph kept his attitude right and didn't sin...even when it flaunted itself in the form of a seducing woman.  Joseph continued to care for the prisoners in the jail, even after the cup-bearer forgot about him.  He continued to do what was right, even though I am sure he felt wrong!  

Don't you think Joseph struggled with intense feelings of betrayal, abandonment, anger, bitterness, and even hatred?  

He didn't allow those feelings to take hold.  If he had, he wouldn't have kissed his brothers, having forgiven them, after years and years.  

I have pondered these things throughout our study of Joseph.  They have really spoken to my heart during this time in my life.  Joseph's family had a covenant with God.  Joseph was a part of that covenant.  But guess what!  We also have a covenant with God!  It is a Messianic covenant paid for by Jesus Christ!  It is a covenant that can't be broken by our circumstances.  It is a covenant that makes us priests and ambassadors and heirs.  It makes us family with a King!  And that covenant is a sustaining force in the midst of trials.  Whether you are losing your health or losing your home, God is with you.  

It may seem unfair.  It just might be unfair.  But, God is the one in charge. 

Back to Work after Thanksgiving Break

It's late on a Sunday night.  Tomorrow we start back to school after our Thanksgiving break.  I didn't part of yesterday planning out a couple weeks of school work.  Surprisingly, that planning went a different direction than I had originally anticipated. 

I'm tired.  The girls and I did a little bit of Christmas decorating after church today.  Usually my teens are busy with youth group on Sunday evenings.  But since the youth leaders had family plans this week, I had some enthusiastic helpers.  We won't put up a Christmas tree until right before Christmas, after my oldest and her husband are done with college for the semester.

Needless to say, after a very busy few days, I'm grateful to get back to the routine for a few more weeks.  My daughters each spent a couple days with family, giving us all the break from school we needed.  However, our family Bible time stopped over Thanksgiving break.  Over the last few months I have really become addicted to that time in the Word with my daughters. 

It stated out as a way for me to go through the Old Testament with my eighth and tenth graders.  Last year my tenth grader did a New Testament Survey class on her own for credit.  She passed it with flying colors, but didn't get much out of it spiritually or even intellectually.  She learned what she needed to for the test, and then promptly forgot it.

I decided to use a different curriculum and added my eighth grader to the study.  I joined in on the lessons, literally going through each one with them. Besides our study of the Old Testament, we are also spending two days per week going through the book, Who Is God, that we received with our Heart of Dakota curriculum.

Since we began this, God has really dealt with me in some areas.  He had revealed why the "perfect" curriculum was stressing me out and not working at all for one child.  He has deepened my relationship with Him as, even if I miss personal time occasionally, I am still in His Word daily. I have even brought the six year old in to listen to the lessons.  I'm amazed at how much she picks up. I usually read the lesson to her from one of her story Bibles during our individual school time.

Over the weekend I read the ebook, Bible Based Homeschool by Karen Debeus.  I then realized whour Bible time was going so well.

Studying the Bible together is a natural way of learning.  It's discipleship.  It's instructing my children in the way they should go.   It's helping to lay a foundation that my children need on which to build their lives.

A few weeks ago I was really struggling.  One daughter had spent weeks blowimg off some of her work.  I was discouraged and knew that what I was doing wasn't working.  She was very much in trouble, as there are consequences.  But, for me, I dug down deep in prayer.

God showed me that, while independence and self-learning are vital skills, my children need me to be more in charge, more involved in more aspects.  Computer classes and self-led programs are wonderful, but they should be used in moderation.

Of course, it was NEVER my intention to be uninvolved.  As this school year progressed, I found myself overwhelmed with teaching my first grader and keeping up with three children in three different grades studying three different everything.  It stressed me out and, very simply, hasn't been working as I had anticipated at the beginning of the school year.

At this point, as I continue to pray, I have changed some things up.  My youngest is working on basics and various topics.  My tenth grader is continuing most of her studies, but some has been halted as I have assigned her a research project instead.  My eighth grader continues on a normal for now until after Christmas, when she will finish her current curriculum.

Never delude yourself.  Homeschooling is hard work.  Even the most pre-planned, expensive curriculum can (and often does) fail.  

I have a few options on what direction to go from here.  I could combine my oldest two, leaving me only two levels to keep up with on a daily basis. I could switch to a more universal unit study style where studies are arranged by topic and each studies at their level.  I have to carefully and prayerfully consider each step since the oldest is earning high school credit.  

One vital area where God opened my eyes is to how short my time is to impact my daughters for Christ.  Knowing His Word has become vital.  I have an urgency about this that I lacked before.  If I want my daughters to be Biblically literate, it's my responsibility.  Sunday school, youth group, and Sunday morning service will NOT be enough training.  It's the icing on the cake, but not substantial enough to truly feed souls.  They need much more than what my local church offers for a few brief per week.  Besides, as a parent, God places the responsibilities on the shoulders of my husband and me.

To Combine or Not

It was Laura's project.  She was to make a paper mache rattle.  Normally Laura looks forward to the new projects.  Occasionally, the projects are...well...sticky.  For Laura, sticky means icky.

I don't believe she is OCD.  One look at her cluttered bedroom would throw that notion out the window.  She has just always been a bit... particular.  She hates sticky things or gooey items.  She does fine with things like cookie dough, but nearly falls apart when she was taking pumpkin seeds out of the pumpkin last month.

As you can tell in the photo, Laura was unhappy about the glue/newspaper combo.  Ironically, we have been known to skip projects if I don't have the supplies on hand or if I think it's just busy work.  She didn't ask to skip this one.  Maybe she underestimated the icky factor of the paper mache.  

About half-way through, Jasmine came to the rescue.  The opposite of Laura, she doesn't mind sticky projects at all.  In fact, the ickier the better.  She dived into the project with both hands, a smile on her face the entire time

.

It's at that moment that I had a small light bulb moment.  These girls need to be working together.  Yes, they are two grades apart.  They have their "own" levels.  But to have them  separate in everything is silly. 

We do some things together.  Bible time in the morning is done all together.  We are studying the Old Testament and we are working through the Who Is God book.  My two older girls are great together.  They help each other.  We have some amazing conversations together during Bible time. 

My mind can't help but wonder how they would do if I combined history as well.  Would it be a blessing?

I wondered briefly if Laura would be able to keep up.  Then I remembered that she is taking on high school Spanish and is successfully getting good grades. 

Laura will finish her current history level in a few weeks.  But, Jasmine is weeks into the next level.  Not sure if I should slow Jasmine down till Laura catches up, begin with Laura and review with Jasmine, or just skip the entire idea.  I'm praying.

Time in the Word Together

I love having time studying the Bible with my daughters.  It's so amazing to sit together, reading the Bible, and discussing it together.  This year we have two Biblical studies that I am doing with my teens.

First, with our Heart of Dakota program, we are going through the book, Who Is God and Can I Really Know Him?  This was originally scheduled for me to work through with Jasmine, but I decided to pull Laura in on the study.  She would be starting the book with me about mid-year.  It seemed silly to be doing the same book with each girl separately.  So, a couple times per week, we gather around the dining room table together.  So far, the study has seemed very basic.  However, I don't see that as a drawback.  As the girls get older, I want them to have a solid foundation in Christ.  Building our lives upon the Rock of Christ has been the heart of our lessons thus far with Who Is God.

The second study I felt led to do with my older girls is one that covers the Old Testament.  We've done various studies together.  Last year we did a Wisdom study written by Robin Sampson, using a great book written by Charles Stanley.  We also read through the book A Young Woman After God's Heart by Elizabeth George.  Both studies were interesting and beneficial.

 

Jasmine and Laura will both need to do a study of the Old Testament for High School. Since Laura is receiving High School credit this year for her Spanish study, I decided to include her now in a thorough study of the Old Testament.

I'm using a couple of resources for our venture through the Old Testament.  Ruth Beechick has some wonderful books that I would like to include.  I'm also using an Old Testament class from Christian Light Education for a spine.  Laura LOVES the Bible lessons from Christian Light. She loves the format, and the historical culture references that are included that help explain so much of the time periods.  I love the affordable price and the Teacher's Guide, that gives me project suggestions and an easy-to-follow format.  I also love that the program is simple to supplement so I can add depth to lessons if I want. 

Normally the class takes one school year.  It will take us longer.  High School credit is important, but not as important as having a solid foundation in the Bible.  Jasmine was in public school for most of her school years. Laura knows quite a bit about the Bible after years of study in our homeschool. No matter how much or little each girl knows, there is always lots more to learn, lots of growth that can occur.  

My time with the girls is limited.  If I have learned anything from my older girls, it's that time is precious and fleeting.  We only have so much time to influence our children for the Lord.  When they are young, we often think we have forever. After the first ones grow up, the realization of how fast time flies by is imprinted deeply on a mother's heart. 

I feel such a desperation to do all I can to guide the girls to live for Christ.  As they get older, they will have to gravitate from living the faith of Dad and Mom to a deep, strong faith of their own.  If their faith doesn't mature into their own faith, if they don't know what they believe and why for themselves, they will stumble when that faith is tested.  Some stumbles lead to prodigals, to children that walk away from their faith because their foundation wasn't firm.  

There is no perfect formula in raising children to live for Christ.  Each child is unique.  However, there are some things parents can do to encourage a child in their faith:

1.  "More is caught than taught."  Live out your faith honestly in front of your children.  Pray in front of them as well as with them.  Study God's Word in front of them as well as with them.  Admit your struggles, apologize for your mistakes, and do your best to live what you believe, for they are always watching.

2.  Make your faith an all-the-time, everyday part of your life.  Don't fall into the trap of letting "Church" be the source of nourishment.  Even if you are at the church every time the doors are open, it's a weak substitution for parental influence.  What has more impact on a child?  Seeing Mommy or Daddy praying with the family every morning before school or every evening at bedtime; or seeing them close their eyes to pray when the pastor ends a sermon.  Children see through church facades easily.  They won't respond to fake shows with church faces on. They respond to authenticity, to love, to parents living for Christ in the day-to-day.

3. PRAY!  No advice on parenting will be as impacting as what God would tell you.  As you study the Word of God and bring your children before Him in prayer, He WILL guide.  Don't neglect prayer.  Bring your children before the Lord daily.  I've slacked in this area, and the results have been harsh. Even if nothing immediately catastrophic happens, you will find you that, as a parent, you start doing things in your own strength.  Without prayer, I noticed that I wasn't as patient with my children, causing stress on us all. I also noticed that I would over or under react to situations.  Sometimes the guidance of the Lord would alert me to situations, even attitudes, that I had been overlooking.  When I wasn't praying as I should, I would miss vital things. More than once, that led to consequences I regretted.

4. Forgiveness.  This is important to model for your children.  Forgive, not just others, but yourself.  Too many parents beat themselves up for mistakes, and then watch their children do the same thing later.  If you blow it and, in frustration, overreact to something, be sure to ask for forgiveness...and then receive it from the child and God.  If, to your regret, you have inadvertently helped cause your child to turn from you and maybe even The Lord, do all you can to fix the situation, but them forgive yourself. Don't let Satan or your child hold you in bondage forever. 

I'm planning a series on prodigals.  I'm in the middle of reading and studying, following where Christ leads. There is nothing in my life that has been as heartbreaking as watching my older girls struggle, even stumble.  One daughter took a rough path for awhile, but she returned to her faith.  Another is struggling still.  So, as I disciple the teens that are home, I know the very real consequences of a child that doesn't have as firm of a foundation as I thought. I'm trusting the Lord to guide me as He wills, praying He holds ALL my children in His hands.