Dominion Academy

This Video is a MUST see...it made me cry!

2010-11-30T06:31:00.001-08:00

*Be sure to pause the music on the sidebar first (top right)

Beautiful!

2010-07-10T13:14:00.000-07:00

This is an amazing video. Although some people believe the captivated man is "freaking out", I beg to differ. I think his response to God's work in the sky is beautiful, touching and teaches us all to look deeper and to consider what we see. All around us the natural world is crying aloud of God's beauty, majesty and glory. How do we miss their awe inspiring declarations while we rush about in our daily lives?

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.

Psalm 19:1-3

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature.

Romans 1:20

The creation all around us speaks to us. It declares God's glory, His power, and His divinity!! What blind and deaf people are we to be able to pass by such beautiful proclamations with barely a second look. The man in the above video encountered God's creation with the child-likeness God calls us to. His response brought tears to my eyes and reminded me to stand in awe. I think of these words sung in the "Revelation Song" by Philips, Craig and Dean:

Clothed in rainbows, of living color
Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder
Blessing and honor, strength and
Glory and power be
To You the Only Wise King

Filled with wonder,
Awestruck wonder
At the mention of Your Name
Jesus, Your Name is Power
Breath, and Living Water
Such a marvelous mystery

Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come,
With all creation I sing:
Praise to the King of Kings!

Creation sings! Creation praises! Creation speaks loud and clear! What is it telling us?

"Beauty is transcendent- it is our most immediate experience of the eternal. Sometimes the beauty is so deep it pierces us with longing for life as it was meant to be. Beauty reminds us of an Eden we have never known, but somehow know our hearts were created for. Beauty speaks of heaven to come, when all shall be beautiful. It haunts us with eternity. Beauty says: there is a glory calling to you. And if there is a glory, there is a source of glory. What great goodness could have possibly created this? What generosity gave us this to behold? Beauty draws us to God." (from the book Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge)

In our modern, technological age, we must create new habits in our daily lives: habits of stopping, staring, and stirring our hearts to become alive again. As the Eldredges wrote in Captivating: "You have been and you will continue to be romanced all your life...every moment that has moved you to holy tears, all have been given to you from the One who has been pursuing you from your first breath in order to win your heart...in the form of sunsets and falling stars, moonlight on the lakes and cricket symphonies; warm wind, swaying trees, lush gardens...He knows what takes your breath away, knows what makes your heart beat faster...God has been wooing you ever since you were [little]...What romanced your heart?...The fragrance of the air after a summer rain?...The first snowfall in winter?...These were all whispers from your Lover, notes sent to awaken your heart's longings...We have missed many of his love notes simply because we shut down our hearts in order to endure the pain of life. Now, we must open our hearts again...so that we can hear his whispers, receive his kisses...If we listen, a Sacred Romance calls to us through our heart...it whispers to us in the wind...been drawn to it while watching the shimmer of a sunset on the ocean...Something calls to us through experiences like these and rouses an inconsolable longing, deep within our heart, wakening in us a yearning for intimacy, beauty and adventure...God has written the romance not only on our hearts but all over the world around us. What we need is for him to open our eyes, to open our ears that we might recognize his voice calling to us, see his hand wooing us in the beauty that quickens our heart...Life changes dramatically when romance comes into our lives. Christianity changes dramatically when we discover that it, too, is a great romance. That God yearns to share a life of beauty, intimacy and adventure with us..."

Wow. WOW.

Yes, God is romancing all of us, drawing us to Himself, to the One who loves us so much that He made this world for us to enjoy.

Has that sunk in?

As parents, we must help our children to see the world around them. We must help them to remain sensitive to seeing God's attributes in nature, and hearing the speeches that His creation is speaking. Dragging them from one activity to another, filing their schedules to the full, locking them indoors most of the day - these are not ways to help them. Children need time, and they need to spend much of their time outside. Let them alone with God's creation...let them hear what it speaks of God. I think of a poem by Fannie Davis, "For a Child":

Your friends shall be the Tall Wind,
The River and the Tree;
The Sun that laughs and marches,
The Swallows and the Sea.

Your prayers shall be the murmur
Of grasses in the rain;
The song of wildwood thrushes
That makes God glad again.

And you shall run and wander,
And you shall dream and sing
Of brave things and bright things
Beyond the swallow's wings.

And you shall envy no man,
Nor hurt your heart with sighs,
For I will keep you simple
That God may make you wise.

Enjoying nature art and poetry together is an additional way to keep hearts aroused by Creation and what it reveals about our Creator. Famous poet William Wordsworth wrote about how one day he was wandering as a cloud wanders over hills, when all at once he saw a host of golden daffodils. They were fluttering and dancing in the breeze, and tossing their heads in sprightly dance. Mr. Wordsworth writes in his poem:

I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

This poem and others like it can awaken our sensitivities to the natural world; to consider it, to stop and stare. This in turn opens our hearts to hear the messages that nature speaks to us, messages about God and His beauty, power and divinity.

19th century British educator, Charlotte Mason, writes that it is the parents' duty to help their children "cultivate the power to appreciate, to enjoy, whatever is just, true and beautiful." She also wrote:

"The natural world is the expression of God's personality in a form that is within the reach of all of us to comprehend...is not the natural world one of the greatest proofs that there is a God?...Beauty is everywhere...in white clouds against the blue...the lovely flight and beautiful coloring of birds, in the hills and valleys...in the wind-flower...God placed us in a world full of beauty and gave us a sense of beauty which enables us to see and hear and be as it were suffused with pleasure at a single beautiful effect brought to our ear or our eye...what we call nature is all beauty and delight and the person who watches nature closely...has his beauty sense always active, always bringing him joy...[but] it dies of inanition when beauty is not duly presented to it, beauty in words, in pictures and music, in tree and flower and sky...it is no small part of education to have seen much beauty, to recognize it when we see it, and to keep ourselves humble in its presence."

How is your beauty sense? Is it dead? Or is it always active?

I think the man in the video was "suffused with pleasure at a single beautiful effect" brought to his eyes. His beauty sense was active. It had not died. And, as the Eldredges wrote, something about the beauty he saw "pierced him" with longing for the Eden He knew His heart was created for. The beauty of that rainbow cried out to him: "there is a glory calling to you. And if there is a glory, there is a source of glory. What great goodness could have possibly created this? What generosity gave us this to behold?"

Do you see much beauty?

Do you recognize it?

Do you keep yourself humble in its presence?

It speaks to you. Listen to what is declaring. Oh my! What is the source of this beauty? this brilliance? this glory? this majesty?

If this is the creation, what must the Creator be like?

Words cannot express the Creator and His goodness and His love for us. His creation proclaims His attributes without words, and we stand and behold in awe.

Simplifying Christmas: Gifts for Children

2009-12-05T07:53:00.000-08:00

To participate in this wonderful meme my friend Heather is hosting, go here.

Last night, I began Christmas shopping for my children...online. I love shopping online.

I am hoping to have chosen two gifts for each child by the time Christmas day rolls around. I would like to share with you all what I have decided upon. This is about simplifying the gifts we give our children.

I purchased two things last night for Princess, my seven year old daughter. Two purchases, but they will be packaged together as one "gift". Years ago, Princess had a necklace like this one, but she believes her brother accidentally broke it, so I think she will be pleased with this necklace and matching bracelet:

Made in Germany, this set is all wooden and completely natural...and quite beautiful. The company that makes these (Spiel and Holz, handcrafted and finished with natural dyes and oils) makes very high quality and enduring toys. I bought them from A Toy Garden

The second purchase I made was from Piggy Paint, where I chose a set of three natural bottles of nail polish for children. Princess enjoys painting her nails, but I have to admit that I have always been bothered by thoughts of what is in the bottles she was given. I can rest assured when she beautifies herself with these, though, that all is pure and wholesome. I highly recommend you read the short story of how this mom became inspired with the idea to create natural polish here.

I am going to include a brush and some chapstick in the box with the polish and jewelry, and that will be Princess' beautifying gift. For her second gift, I have purchased a few cloth doll diapers for her play pleasure from a couple of sellers at Etsy. Here are two of them:

Now onto Prince, my five year old little man. I have already purchased both of his gifts last night. While shopping online at A Toy Garden, I chose this wooden dump truck (which is handmade of smoothly sanded sugar pine) as one of his presents, and also purchased some acorn caps to fill it with for an inexpensive way to add fun to the gift! We live in Florida, and therefore do not find acorns and pinecones and such things as easily as others may:)

Prince informed me a while ago that he wanted a new gun, as a couple others of his have broken. Well, Vision Forum was having a sale (I think today is the last day) and I found a gun there for 40% off: the All-American Pop Gun.

For my twin girls, who are 2.5, I have bought two rainbow balls from A Toy Garden (one for each of them...good idea when you have twins LOL!) I love the size (a little smaller than those you find at supermarkets), the gorgeous colors, and the fact that they are BPA Free and Pthalate free (made in Germany).

I have not purchased a second gift for them yet, but I am hoping to buy them each one of these soft and cuddly dolls. They are made of cotton terry with wool stuffed heads, in fair trade in India. They look like the perfect babies for toddlers- simple, cuddly and the right size. And the price is very reasonable for a natural doll:) Nova Natural Toys also sells them, offering a couple more choices at this time.

I believe my gift choices this year are simple: no batteries needed, no constant noise, no confusing instructions. They just simply and naturally meet the developmental needs of those who are receiving them.

2009-11-30T12:04:00.000-08:00

My friend, Heather, is hosting a wonderful meme at her blog Heart Of A Mommy.

I think this is a great topic for us to be pondering as we create memories for our children this Christmas, and enjoy the month of December as Jesus would want us to. We are celebrating His birthday and our days should be filled with peace and joy, not craziness. I am looking forward to the encouragement we will receive, and give one another, through this meme. I invite all my readers to come join us!

AMAZING...Northern Lights / Auroras

2009-11-11T12:40:00.000-08:00

Photographs from this site

Warning: If you are like me, you may need a box of tissues nearby. At any rate, the following will touch you in a deep way.

Some of you smart individuals reading this may already know what I am about to share. I learned something new today while teaching my daughter. We were reading out of her geography book and what I read brought tears to my eyes.

Have you ever seen Northern Lights or Auroras? I have not, but on photos. I am believing to one day.

Do you know what causes them? What produces such breathtaking beauty?

The part of Earth's atmosphere called the thermosphere has a layer within it called the ionosphere. Explosions on the surface of the sun shoot hot particles toward Earth, sort of like a bunch of arrows heading our way. So why do they not kill us? God has given the Earth a shield to protect it: the ionosphere.

Following is a quote from my daughter's geography book:

"Did you know that from certain places on our Earth, on late, dark nights, you can actually see the ionosphere shielding Earth from these deadly particles? When these particles from the sun smash into the ionosphere, the collision creates the most glorious glowing lights...[these] are God's love lights to all of us who live on Earth...[They] are the result of the ionosphere shielding Earth from deadly sun particles...The next time you see a breathtaking aurora, red and green lights fluttering like a shimmering curtain in the night sky, remember how much God loves all of us on Earth! Thankfully, He created the ionosphere to protect the home He loves and made for us."

The author, Ann Voskamp, adds an interesting thought:

"Some believe that the prophet Ezekial in the Bible was the first person to ever write down a description of an aurora. Ezekial wrote, 'And as I looked, behold, a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing continually and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire." (Eze. 1:4) Do you think Ezekial may have seen God's love lights, an aurora?

THE SKIES OF NIGHT WERE ALIVE WITH LIGHT...,
THEY WERE ROSE AND SILVER SHOD;
IT WAS NOT GOOD FOR THE EYES OF MAN-
'TWAS A SIGHT FOR THE EYES OF GOD.

-Robert Service

Thank you God for loving us, protecting our home and revealing Your love and protection through such captivating beauty!

Guard the Nursery

2009-10-31T06:53:00.000-07:00

Charlotte Mason said,

"Guard the nursery: let nothing in that has not the true literary flavor; let the children grow upon a few books read over and over..."

and,

"Everything in the nursery should be 'neat'- that is, pleasing and suitable...nothing vulgar in the way of print, picture book, or toy should be admitted- nothing to vitiate a child's taste or introduce a strain of commonness into his nature."

and,

"Mothers owe 'a thinking love' to their children...how shall this heart, this head, these hands be employed?...that which they supply shall be wholesome and nourishing, whether in the way of picture books, lessons, playmates, bread and milk, or mother's love."

Are you guarding your "nursery"? What are you letting in? What are you admitting? Are you thoughtfully choosing the books and toys with which your toddlers and preschoolers are growing by? You, as a parent, have the power to choose what is allowed to come into your nursery.

A poem by Walt Whitman says,

There was a child went forth every day;
And the first object he look'd upon, that object he became;
And that object became part of him for the day, or a certain part of
the day, or for many years, or stretching cycles of years.

The truth is, we often do become what we behold. Charlotte Mason also said,

"It is no small part of education to have seen much beauty, to recognize it when we see it, and to keep ourselves humble in its presence."

I believe the best way to expose our children to much beauty is through God's creation. We also surround our children with the beauty of God's word (the Bible), with beautiful music, and with beautiful pictures. Yet...how about their toys? What playthings are you admitting into the nursery? Charlotte said we should not let anything in that would "vitiate a child's taste or introduce a strain of commonness into his nature." Instead, parents need to supply "wholesome and nourishing" books and toys. Yes, toys can be wholesome and nourishing. Beauty nourishes humans and our children need to see much beauty so that they will recognize it when they see it, thereby refining their tastes to appreciate and enjoy all things pure, lovely, and good.

I love what John Eldredge wrote about beauty in his book Captivating,

"Nature is not primarily functional. It is primarily beautiful. Stop for a moment and let that sink in. We're so used to evaluating everything (and everyone) by their usefulness that this thought will take a minute or two to begin to dawn on us. Nature is not primarily functional. It is primarily beautiful. Which is to say, beauty is in and of itself a great and glorious good, something that we need in large and daily doses (for our God has seen fit to arrange for this)...

Beauty nourishes. It is the kind of food our souls crave. A woman's breast is among the loveliest of all God's works, and it is with her breast that she nourishes a baby- a stunning picture of the way in which Beauty itself nourishes us....Beauty comforts. There is something profoundly healing about it...Beauty inspires...It is our most immediate experience of the eternal...Beauty reminds us of an Eden we have never known, but somehow know our hearts were created for. Beauty speaks of heaven to come, when all shall be beautiful..."

We can see just how essential beauty is to life, but how does this apply to the toys we supply our children with? Jane Lambert wrote in her book Before Five in a Row, that there is a "beauty, mass, and warmth in wood", and I agree with her. Toys that are made out of natural materials, such as wood and cotton, give our children a picture of beauty much more than any plastic toy.

Wooden toys are often more expensive, but there are a couple things we would do well to consider when deciding on whether or not to purchase such playthings. First, how much do adults spend on "toys" for themselves that are not needed such as TV's, i-pods, and all other technology related items. How much do we spend on items for ourselves? Why do we not consider the cost factor for our "toys" as easily as we do for our children's toys? Second, we must realize that our children do NOT need a lot of playthings. It is far better for them to have just a few worthy toys than a room full of "junk food" toys! One year, when we got our tax refund, I spent a good chunk of change on toys for my children. Since that year, we have only added a few things to their collection and my children still play with those quality, wooden toys that I bought that one year! So is the cost worth it? Most definitely!

The key is finding worthy toys; ones that are of quality both in their substance (materials that last for years, even generations, and that are beautiful) and in their play value. Let me share some more about the issue of a toy's play value.

A worthy toy to buy for your child is one that is open-ended. It is a toy that can be used in many ways, unlike those high tech plastic toys. For instance, wooden nesting bowls and boxes can be stacked but children also find other amazing ways to use them, such as cooking pots, pools, boats, seats for dolls, etc. The wooden rainbow I will link to below can not only be stacked, but also be used for bridges, baby cradles, tunnels and caves, boats, etc. Toys that are open-ended allow the child to use his imagination in deciding how to use them; one day for one purpose, another day for a different purpose. Playsilks can be used as picnic blankets, tablecloths, curtains, capes, dress-up, doll blankets, rivers, etc.

In today's world, too many of the toys our children play with are either meant to just entertain them or to teach them certain skills. There is a place for entertainment in every person's life, and there is value in limited toys that teach academics and skills, but most of a child's playthings should be those that are open-ended and foster creativity, imagination, and problem-solving. This is when play truly becomes the work of childhood, when children play with toys that help them to become problem solvers and encourage "out-of-the-box" thinking. Children need toys that some adult has not determined how the child will play with them. The child needs to be the one to find uses for the open-ended, multi-purpose toy. She needs to use her mind in creating, imagining, and thinking outside of the box. Children who play with toys that foster such mind work are on their way to becoming independent thinkers and problem solvers.

Wooden toys give our children a more beautiful image of the world. Wood is also made from nature, from a living thing, and is warmer and adds texture, so toys of wood appeal to a child's senses much more than toys of plastic. Of course, when choosing wood over plastic, we should also remember how plastic effects us and our environment.

All this said, I am of the opinion that, when it comes to the playthings we admit into the nursery, we should supply quality toys that are open-ended: such as the wooden ones I will link to below, a couple beautiful cloth dolls, and playsilks. All these toys add beauty to a child's life while also allowing him to do the work of childhood.

I have found that the German company "Grimm's Spiel and Holz Design" produces the most pleasing toys that I have ever set my eyes upon and touched. These are all wood and colored beautifully with non toxic water based dyes. The following are open-ended, multi-purpose playthings from them that I HIGHLY recommend- well worth the cost, these will last for many, many years. Your children can easily pass them down to their children!

As for other wooden toys, these are not necessarily open-ended, but they do have play value:

***Go to my store (see top right of sidebar) to find more toy recommendations, including wooden food and many educational toys!

These blocks are also made in Germany and they are truly awesome! They are sort of like big, wooden duplos:

Consider also a wooden memory game or two:

Organic, natural, cloth dolls can be expensive, but remember that children do not need many of them. Even one or two can be enough. Waldorf dolls are usually handmade and great play options. I have chosen to purchase a few of the "cheaper" ones for my children to play with (I say cheaper because one can pay over a hundred dollars for a single doll), similar to this doll:

Lastly, the playsilks I spoke of above can be purchased, or I have heard, can be made:

Make Your Own Playsilks

In my next post, I will write about choosing the best books to admit into your child's nursery.

As we thoughtfully consider what our children should learn, what they should read, how they should spend their time and with whom they should spend their time, let us also give thought to the toys we supply them with. Let us offer our children playthings that are healthy, beautiful, and open-ended. Children do not need many toys, but the toys we do supply them with should be the best that we can give them.

A Thinking Love

2009-10-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

"Mothers owe a 'thinking love' to their children...how shall this heart, this head, these hands, be employed?"- 19th Century British Educator Charlotte Mason

How do we love our children? With thoughtfulness. We love them by choosing to be thinking parents, intentional parents. What is an intentional parent? According to Sonya Shafer, it is a parent who trains her children thoughtfully and purposefully. This parent does not just follow the crowd or culture, but intentionally considers and plans for the best for her children.

Following are some considerations of a thinking mother:

How shall this child's heart be employed? The child needs something to love.

Perhaps this would be better understood as someone to love. Is your child's heart being filled with love? Are you talking to your child about the love of God “when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deuteronomy 6:7) Are you continually drawing the heart of your child toward his Maker? Children also need your love to be poured into their hearts. Are you giving her your focused attention and affection? Is he feeling those caresses, hugs and kisses and seeing your eyes looking at his as he shares his childhood stories? Are you filling your child's love tank? How is your child's heart employed? I hope with love overflowing!

How shall this child's head be employed? The child needs something to think about.

Philippians 4:8 admonishes us to think about things that are true, noble, lovely, pure, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. Well, this verse applies to your children also:) How can you help them think about such things? You feed your children nourishing meals every day, avoiding junk food as much as possible. Children need healthy nourishment for their minds also. Where can you find such wholesome food for their minds? One of the best ways is through the ideas found in books. And the best book is the one God wrote. Reading the scriptures and bible stories to our children gives them awesome ideas to think about! Adding to this classic books (whether read aloud by mother or read silently by child herself) will aid in wholesomely employing a child's head with excellent thoughts. Children are also drawn to thinking about lovely and praiseworthy things through the music we play around them and the beauty they experience, especially the beauty of God's creation! Lastly, the child's head must be employed with his academic studies, such as math and geography. How are you employing your child's head? What sort of thoughts are you planting in his garden? What books is she reading? (Not sure which books are worthy? Check out my recommended "books about books" below). What music does she hear? Is he also employing his head with healthy mental exercises that grow the brain (rather than sitting in front of a TV screen all day)?

How shall these hands be employed? The child needs something to do.

Sounds simple right? I am referring to worthwhile activities though (of which watching TV is not one of these!) Meaningful ways for a child's hands to be employed can be through disciplined work (we all have to learn to complete those chores!), creative work such as art and handicrafts and the imaginative "work" of playing with open-ended toys. (Hearthsong, Rosie Hippo, Nova, and The Magic Cabin are good places to find such toys). Playing outside is also a healthy thing to do. What are your child's hands touching today? The broom, the paintbrush and the wooden blocks or the remote control? What is your child doing today?

May we be thinking mothers, who thoughtfully consider how to employ the hearts, heads and hands of our children. Plan ahead what books you will feed their minds with, what music you will play in your house, and what toys and creative tools you will set before them. Purposefully include talks of God and your attentive ears and touch in your child's days. Do not neglect time outdoors bathing in God's beautiful creation or the needed discipline of mental and physical work.

Give your child's heart love, her head wholesome thoughts and his hands meaningful occupations and watch the wings sprout...

A few of Charlotte Mason's quotes to ponder:

"The culmination of all education....is that personal knowledge of and intimacy with God in which our being finds its fullest perfection."

"A parent's chief duty is to form in his child right habits of thinking and behaving. Next duty is to nourish the child daily with loving, right and noble ideas."

"The learning by heart of Bible passages should begin while the children are quite young, six or seven. It is a delightful thing to have the memory stored with beautiful, comforting, and inspiring passages, and we cannot tell when and how this manner of seed may spring up, grow, and bear fruit."

"People are naturally divided into those who read and think, and those who do not read and think; and the business of schools is to see that all their scholars shall belong to the former class."

"Mind appeals to mind and thought begets thought and that is how we become educated. For this reason, we owe it to every child to put him in communication with great minds that he may get at great thoughts; with the minds, that is, of those who have left us great works; and the only vital method of education appears to be that children should read worthy books, many worthy books."

"It is no small part of education to have seen much beauty, to recognize it when we see it, and to keep ourselves humble in its presence."

"It is the part of the parents to bring the minds of their children under the influence of the highest, purest poetic thought we have...We must read our poets...till our minds are full of the best thoughts and the loveliest expressions that the world has yet uttered."

"Let his arithmetic lesson be to the child a daily exercise in clear thinking and rapid, careful execution, and his mental growth will be as obvious as the sprouting of seedlings in the spring."

"Knowing that the brain is the physical seat of habit and that conduct and character, alike, are the outcome of the habits we allow; knowing, too, that an inspiring idea imitates a new habit of thought, and hence a new habit of life; we perceive that the great work of education is to inspire children with vitalizing ideas as to every relation of life, every department of knowledge, every subject of thought; and to give deliberate care to the formation of those habits of the good life which are the outcome of vitalizing ideas."

"He practices various handicrafts that he may know the feel of wood, clay, leather and the joy of handling tools..."

***Ideas adapted from Karen Andreola's A Charlotte Mason Companion

German Schultüten

2009-10-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

Germany has a wonderful and fun tradition to celebrate a child's first day of school: each child receives a "schultüte", or school cone, filled with supplies and other goodies. Being that I am a German American, I wanted my children to enjoy such a celebration! Two years ago, my daughter received her school cone and now it is my son's turn, although I'll have to wait a little longer to give him his. Here are a couple of photos from 2007:

Here is an old photo of a little girl celebrating
her first day of school! There are places that sell pre-made school cones (such as Magic Cabin toys and Kindercone) and I have seen sites with instructions on how to make them yourself. Just google the topic and your children can enjoy this fun tradition too!

BOOKS

2009-10-13T12:34:00.000-07:00

There are plenty of them in our home:

But do the children love them???

I think so:)

Christopher Columbus, the Christ-Bearer

2009-10-12T11:19:00.001-07:00

Christopher. In Latin, it is said "Christo-ferens" which means Christ-bearer. Did Christopher Columbus live up to his name? Was Jesus on his mind at all? Did God have anything to do with his discovery of America?

Today my children and I talked about this ancient adventurer. In my researching and planning of what I would teach, I learned much that astonished me. Let me share some of this with all of you.

From the time he was a little boy, Columbus wanted to be a sailor. Not only did he dream of such a future, but he worked hard preparing for it. He was basically self-taught at home, devouring any book having to do with geography and navigation. As a young man, Columbus felt that God spoke to him, telling him that He would cause his "name to be proclaimed throughout the world" and give him "the keys of the gates to the ocean which were closed with strong chains".

Columbus was only 14 when he set off sailing with some other men. One day, his ship was attacked by pirates, whom he fought but was overtaken. The ship was wrecked, yet God saved Columbus. He held onto an oar and ultimately landed in Portugal. Though this seemed to be a horrible occurrence, Columbus soon realized that God had arranged everything for the best. In those days, Portugal was the biggest sea power in in the world and the captains in this country sailed their ships to far places in search of new land.

In Portugal no one doubted that the world was round and so geographers created globes. Columbus had come from an area where he had been laughed at with his professions that the earth wasn't flat. Now here in Portugal, he could study all the various sized globes!
Columbus also married a woman of high birth in this country, and for this reason, among others, became highly respected.

Christopher had heard stories of Lief Erikson and his desire to bring the Christian faith to Greenland, but how a storm had tossed his ship about the ocean. Lief had eventually landed on a strange coast on the other side of the ocean. When Columbus heard these stories, a fire was lit within him. He felt as if the Lord had chosen him to sail west across the sea to carry the Christian faith to the heathens. In fact, he later wrote: "It was the Lord who put in my mind the fact that it would be possible to sail from here to the Indies. There is no question that the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit...No one should fear to undertake any task in the name of our Savior, if it is just and if the intention is purely for His holy service." (Written in Columbus' Book of Prophecies)

Christopher Columbus first asked the king of Portugal for help for his voyage. After a time, the king refused him and claimed that it cannot be done since it had never been done before. So Columbus went to Spain where there ruled a king with a queen at his side who was known for her virtue and wisdom. Queen Isabella wanted to share her faith with the people in the East who had never heard about Christ, but at that time her kingdom was engulfed in a war.

Columbus waited seven years, during which time his money dwindled. He took his son and together they began begging their food. One day they came to a convent and there one monk took notice of Columbus. This man was struck with his dignity and said of Columbus, he is no ordinary beggar. The monk had connections with the Queen (either he knew her personally or knew her priest personally, my studies did not make this clear to me). Through him, a good word was put in for Columbus.

King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella finally won the war and summoned Columbus. They were so happy that they agreed to all his requests and the queen said that she would even sell her jewels to help him. So before dawn on Friday, Aug. 3rd, 1492, Columbus led his men to church and prayed for a safe and prosperous voyage.

While on the expedition, the sailors became increasingly worried. Columbus kept the faith though, believing God would bring them to land. His crew wanted to turn back for home, though, and threatened to throw Christopher into the sea and take over the ships. So he finally agreed to turn back, but asked them to just give him three more days. If they did not come to land in three days (which would be October 12th), they would return home. It was after this agreement was made that the wind suddenly picked up and sped the ships through the water. By the second day they began to see sticks floating and land birds flying above.

Before dawn on the third day, October 12th, the first sight of land was made! Just in time!

When the crew made land, they stuck a cross into the sand and Columbus fell to his knees with all his men, thanking the Lord for having brought them safely to the island. He named the place "San Salvador" which means Holy Savior.

Columbus later moved on to discover other new areas and one night while he was sleeping, his ship struck a coral reef and broke into pieces. The Indians there came to help him and also told him that there was gold in the mountains. Columbus again marveled at how God had arranged everything for the best. Just as when the pirates attacked long ago, he had lost his ship but now had gained a gold mine for Spain. Both times God had used something horrible and turned it around for the good.

On his way back to Spain, there was a bad storm and Columbus was not sure if he would live through it, as he wrote a letter and put it in a bottle. In the letter, he spoke of his trust in God. Yet I am afraid his love for God may have begun to fall second to his love for the gold. There is evidence in his life later, and lack of evidence of God's hand for that matter, that Columbus allowed pride and greediness to get a foothold in his soul. No, he was not a perfect man but it is evident that his discovery of new land was both led by God and done for God.

Washington Irving wrote of Columbus: "Whenever he made any great discovery, he celebrated it by solemn thanks to God. The voice of prayer and melody of praise rose from his ships when they first beheld the New World, and his first action on landing was to prostrate himself upon the earth and return thanksgivings."

Columbus wrote that in naming the first island San Salvador, he was "thus bestowing upon it the name of our holy Savior under Whose protection I made the discovery." Regarding the natives, he wrote, "I made them many presents of useful things which I had carried with me, for the purpose of gaining their affection, in order that they may received the faith of Jesus Christ..."

About the voyage, Columbus wrote, "The Lord often granting to men what they never imagine themselves capable of effecting...even in that which appears impossible...in this manner has it happened to me who have succeeded in an undertaking never before accomplished by man...and now ought the King, Queen...as well as the whole of Christians, to give thanks to our Savior Jesus Christ who has granted us such a victory and great success...Let Christ rejoice upon earth as He does in heaven, to witness the coming salvation of so many people."

Amen.

I want to leave you all with one last quoted paragraph from my childrens' old history book:

"As you grow older and read larger histories than these, you will find that seldom has a great man or woman brought to the world any great new truth, that ignorant and superstitious people did not scoff at it and make the life of the brave discoverer one of persecution."

I believe this is a true conclusion; but thanks be to God that we are more than conquerors through our faith in Jesus!

Our Curriculum and Schedule

2009-10-08T13:25:00.000-07:00

Here is a peak into our 2009/2010 school year plan:

1) We begin our "school lessons" with Bible Time. Catherine Vos' The Child's Story Bible is my chosen read aloud, along with a psalm and proverb directly from the Word of God itself. We alternate between the NT and OT each day, and the children color a picture of the story as I read to them. I find our coloring pages here. After the reading, Princess dictates a narration to me, which I record on a "notebook" page from this site. She will often then illustrate the story. All these notebook pages go into her binder. I do not yet require Prince to do "formal" narrations this way.

2) Next comes "Circle Time". This is when we work on our memory work and recitation of scripture, poetry and our school mottoes. During circle time we also sing together and talk about character traits and good habits. Excellent resources for such "habit training" are Laying Down the Rails, For Instruction in Righteousness, A Child's Book of Character Building, Stepping Stones to Bigger Faith for Little People, Everyday Graces: A Child's Book of Good Manners, and A Child's Book of Virtues. Circle time is the time for our FIAR picture book reading and brief discussion/activity relating to it. Lastly, this is the time when we learn a bit of German through music and games, using the Teach Me German CD's.

3) Now it is time for Princess's phonics lessons. Last year, we began Alpha-Phonics and will continue through that book this year. Prince is free during her lessons. On Friday's she will read from her McGuffey readers instead of the usual phonics lessons.

4) Time to do some Kindergarten work with Prince. We read one of the little books from Beatrix Potter or a few fables from Aesop. Then he completes some "Letter of the Week" work (using the Explode the Code A, B, and C workbooks) along with ideas from other resources. While I am schooling Prince, Princess is sitting at the table with her copywork and math flashcards to keep her occupied.

5) Now it is snack time for the children. While they eat, I read aloud to them. Mondays we read a chapter from Our Island Story; Tuesdays a story about American History (utilizing the books listed on the sidebar under the said category); Wednesdays is half a chapter from The Little Duke; Thursdays we read a chapter from A Child's History of the World when it is scheduled (in the AO Year 2 schedule), or one of the Heroes for Young Readers books; and Friday's is either Parables From Nature or Tales From Shakespeare. The weeks that neither of those books is scheduled, we either finish the story from the previous Friday (many of them require two sittings to read through) or the time is open for more American History readings.

6) Time to do some brief language arts activities with Princess. My goal is no more than ten minutes. Following is what I have scheduled: Monday- Primary Language Lessons; Tuesday- Spelling By Sound and Structure 2; Wednesday- English for the Thoughtful Child; Thursday- Writing Strands 2. Nothing is scheduled for Fridays as they are our "Fine Art Fridays". More on that later. Prince is also free during this time, although I may give him educational toys/activities to play with.

7) At this time, I like to give the children ten or so minutes to get up and do a few exercises, short physical games or dancing.

8) Next I get Princess started on her math work with the Singapore and Miquon books. I need to explain things to her but then she is able to do most of the exercises herself. While she is at work with those, Prince and I do the second part of his schoolwork. We begin with a fingerplay and poem or nursery rhyme. Then it is time for some workbook pages in either the DEL workbooks or the ABC Series (see sidebar under Kindergarten curriculum for more info).

9) We conclude our morning reading with science/nature or geography readings. M, W and F are our science/nature days. We are using Exploring Creation With Zoology 2: Swimming Creatures of the 5th Day, learning about animals that live in water. This excellent text is the foundation of our science studies. It has 13 lessons, which are long and must be divided up. So we spend 2 weeks on each lesson, reading from the text twice a week. The third day of our science study is spent reading a story from one of the following books: Among the Pond People, Burgess Seashore Book, or By Pond and River. I choose a story that best goes with the lessons in our foundational text for that week. All the stories actually teach scientific truths through fiction. As can be seen, our scientific focus this year is water. I decided to study this topic because, well, we live in Florida. (And only God knows if we will live here next year!) Our studies will be enhanced through activities such as watching live tadpoles develop into frogs and trips to aquariums in our area. (I also own Considering God's Creation which I found at an awesome price and plan on including applicable parts with our science studies this year).

Tuesdays and Thursdays are devoted to geography readings. We are using A Child's Geography: Explore His Earth, The Seven Little Sisters Who Live On the Round Ball That Floats In the Air, and various books from Holling C. Holling, beginning with Tree in a Trail. So one day we read part 1 of our foundational text (A Child's Geography) and a Seven Sisters story and the second day we read part 2 and a chapter in the Holling book (all short chapters).

10) Each day we may, or may not, do an activity at this time (or we may wait until after lunch if our lessons took longer that day). The activity could be working on our history notebook pages/timeline, geography related activity, or science experiment.

**Tea time is a part of our day after afternoon "quiet time", usually around 4pm. During tea time, I read from our current literature read aloud, which are listed in the sidebar. Our current read aloud is Dangerous Journey, which we read from three days a week. The fourth day we read a chapter in Understood Betsy. Friday afternoons are open for outdoor activities and nature study.

Fridays are Fine Art Days. Instead of our usual math, language arts and kindergarten lesson, I have scheduled art, drawing, and music lessons; using Artistic Pursuits, various drawing books, Keyboard Capers, Nine Note Recorder lessons, and Color the Classics.

There it is, our plan for this school year!

Biblical Focus or Excellence?

2009-10-07T19:01:00.001-07:00

Tonight, I have been preparing lessons on Columbus for Columbus day. I have two books from which I read; both written for children, one originally published in 1908, the other in 1992. Let me share a few lines from each:

The 1908 book-

"There was born in the little village of Genoa, Italy, a baby boy who was destined to do more than guess and dream about the land beyond the sea...the little boy, eagerly drinking in all the wonderful stories the sailors were so fond of telling, thus learned much of the far away countries...When the natives saw the white sails of the vessels, they rushed down to the shores, yelling with astonishment, for they never had seen a ship before, and of course were terribly frightened. Some thought they were great birds with white wings..."

The 1992 book-

"Christopher Columbus was the first European to sail west through the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. He discovered the continents of North and South America...Christopher Columbus grew up in the seaport town of Genoa, Italy, where his father owned a wool shop...Columbus welcomed the two captains into his private cabin. His smile disappeared when he saw their expressions. They did not look happy."

Can you tell the difference between those two books? The wording of the first book pulls one into the story more than the second book does. Try reading both paragraphs aloud. Which do you find more delightful to read? If you were a child, which would you rather listen to?

I own the second book because it shares much about how certain individuals in American history were led by God and gave Him glory. For this reason, I am grateful to read it; but that book is, unfortunately, not as well - written, not as captivating. Therefore, I have decided to read the first book aloud to my children, and simply share insights or a few paragraphs from the second book. This way my children will get the best of both worlds: excellent writing and God-glorifying truths.

It is unfortunate that most books written today would fall into the category of twaddle - or dumbed down stories that are full of facts but lack heart, emotion, and vocabulary to challenge the intellect. That is why in our home school, we read many older books. They truly are more pleasurable both to read aloud and to listen to.

These books do not always weave God and biblical truths into their stories (although many of the older books include worthy moral lessons). It is the job of the parents to include thoughts of God in all subject areas, but wouldn't it be lovely if there were more books today that are well-written and God-glorifying?

With the growth of homeschoolers implementing Charlotte Mason methods of education into their lessons, there is also a growing number of individuals today who are writing books that are excellent and Christ-oriented for the homeschoolers to read. Some examples that come to mind are Jeannie Fulbright's living science textbooks and Ann Voskomp's geography books.

We need more books to be written which are worthy in both the above aspects. Perhaps the child we are reading to now will one day grow up to write such books. So what are parents to do? Provide well-written literature for your children to feast upon, while also researching and sharing how each subject area points to the Maker of that subject. If children are nourished with both excellent books and a life where the Lord is in everything, they can grow up to write future classics that bring glory to God!

This is one of the reasons we use Ambleside Online for our curriculum. I will close with a quote written 0n their site (here), which I wholeheartedly agree with: "Ambleside Online attempts to use the best book based on various criteria. If there were an excellent book for any required subject area that met our standards and also taught from a non-secular perspective, we would use it. (One might ask, Why aren't Christians, especially in our modern world, producing excellent work to offer us? One theory is that a mediocre education using inferior-quality materials may result in a person who is a solid Christian, but nonetheless doesn't know or recognize quality and therefore is unlikely to produce cultural work of excellence. Perhaps a well-disciplined Christian trained with good habits and accustomed to the best that culture has to offer will be in a better position to write works that rival the old classics, and will be better equipped to represent Christianity to a society that values creativity. This is one of our highest hopes for Ambleside graduates!)"

"They must grow up upon the best...there is never a time when they are unequal to worthy thoughts, well put; inspiring tales, well told. We shall train a race of readers who will demand literature - that is, a fit and beautiful expression of inspiring ideas and pictures of life..." (Charlotte Mason)

Charlotte Mason Quotes

2009-10-05T07:14:00.000-07:00

Mother's Duty

"Mothers owe a 'thinking love' to their children...how shall this heart, this head, these hands, be employed?...that which they supply shall be wholesome and nourishing, whether in the way of picture-books, lessons, playmates, bread and milk, or mother's love."

"A parent's chief duty is to form in his child right habits of thinking and behaving. Next duty is to nourish the child daily with loving, right and noble ideas."

Bible

"Let the imaginations of children be stored with the pictures, their minds nourished upon the words, of the gradually unfolding story of the Scriptures, and they will come to look out upon a wide horizon...they will see that...some heroic men take sides with God; and that others, foolish and headstrong, oppose themselves to Him. The fire of enthusiasm will kindle in their breast, and the children, too, will take their side."

"The mind of the little child is an open field….where, morning by morning, the sower goes forth to sow, and the seed is the Word. All our teaching of children should be given reverently, with the humble sense that we are invited in this matter to co-operate with the Holy Spirit."

"The Learning by heart of Bible passages should begin while the children are quite young, six or seven. It is a delightful thing to have the memory stored with beautiful, comforting, and inspiring passages, and we cannot tell when and how this manner of seed may spring up, grow, and bear fruit."

Books

"People are naturally divided into those who read and think, and those who do not read and think; and the business of schools is to see that all their scholars shall belong to the former class."

"Mind appeals to mind and thought begets thought and that is how we become educated. For this reason, we owe it to every child to put him in communication with great minds that he may get at great thoughts; with the minds, that is, of those who have left us great works; and the only vital method of education appears to be that children should read worthy books, many worthy books."

"No education seems to be worth the name which has not made children at home in the world of books...it is our part to see to it that books take root in the homes of our scholars."

"They must grow up upon the best...there is never a time when they are unequal to worthy thoughts, well put; inspiring tales, well told. We shall train a race of readers who will demand literature - that is, a fit and beautiful expression of inspiring ideas and pictures of life..."

Nature

"The natural world is the expression of God's personality in a form that is within the reach of all of us to comprehend...is not the natural world one of the greatest proofs that there is a God?"

"Let them once get touch with Nature, and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight through life. We were all meant to be naturalists, each in his degree, and it is inexcusable to live in a world so full of the marvels of plant and animal life and to care for none of these things."

Recitation

"I hope my readers will train their children in the art of recitation; in the coming days, more even than in our own, will it behove every educated man and woman to be able to speak effectively in public; and in learning to recite, you learn to speak."

Beauty

"It is no small part of education to have seen much beauty, to recognize it when we see it, and to keep ourselves humble in its presence."

"Beauty is everywhere...in white clouds against the blue...the lovely flight and beautiful coloring of birds, in the hills and valleys...in the wind-flower...what we call nature is all beauty and delight and the person who watches nature closely...has his beauty sense always active, always bringing him joy."

Curriculum

"Because the relationships a child is born to are very various, the knowledge we offer him must be various too...it is a mistake to suppose that the greater the number of 'subjects' the greater the scholar's labor; the contrary is the case as the variety in itself affords refreshment...not the number of subjects but the hours of work bring fatigue to the scholar; and bearing this in mind, we have short hours."

"We wish to place before the child open doors to many avenues of instruction and delight...he is eclectic; he may choose this or that; our business is to supply him with due abundance and variety and his to take what he needs...we never know just where a child's talents lie, until we give him a variety of opportunities and a wide curriculum...we owe it to them to initiate an immense number of interests. The question is not,-how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education-but how much does he care? and about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? and, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?"

Poetry

"Poetry is, perhaps, the most searching and intimate of our teachers...It is the part of the parents to bring the minds of their children under the influence of the highest, purest poetic thought we have...We must read our poets...till our minds are full of the best thoughts and the loveliest expressions that the world has yet uttered."

Math

"The chief value of arithmetic, like that of the higher mathematics, lies in the training it affords the reasoning powers, and in the habits of insight, readiness, accuracy, intellectual truthfulness it engenders. Give him short sums, in words rather than in figures, and excite him in the enthusiasm which produces concentrated attention and rapid work. Let his arithmetic lesson be to the child a daily exercise in clear thinking and rapid, careful execution, and his mental growth will be as obvious as the sprouting of seedlings in the spring."

Art

"Everyone delights in pictures...education is concerned to teach him what pictures to delight in."

"At last we understand that everyone can draw, and that, because drawing is delightful, everyone should be taught how."

Music

"Many great men have put their beautiful thoughts, not into books, or pictures, or buildings, but into musical score, to be sung with the voice or played on instruments."

"The art of singing is entirely a trained habit...every child may be, and should be, trained to sing."

Homeschooling and Entrepreneurship

2009-10-04T13:14:00.000-07:00

I have heard that homeschooling and entrepreneurship are like two peas in a pod. If you are going to take charge of your childrens' education, you may just be the type of person to take charge of your own career as well. Furthermore, just as homeschooling frees a family in their time and activities together, so may entrepreneurship. For a homeschooling mother, starting her own business and working from home may also be an answer to her family's need for increased income.

For a long time now I have wanted to work from home. Yet I have four young children, two of whom I am homeschooling. This season in my life is precious, but at the same time probably the most difficult one I'll ever have. If I were to work at home, my business would have to utilize my talents and interests, so as not to add undue stress to my already full schedule. My question, though, has been what? What can I do?

I have not received much in the way of answers yet, but I know God will reveal His will for me in this area when it is time. I am currently researching a book that I feel led to write, and have pondered getting paid to write now, which is something that I need to look into.

I recently found the following websites which I am hoping will be tools to help me reach my goal for generating income from home. Perhaps they will help you also.

Home Paid Blogger

Homeschoolers~Work~At~Home

Best of Both Worlds at Home

Homeschooling WAHM

Working in my Jammies and Loving It

The Homeschoolers Income Makeover

Momma's Choice

Homeschooling and Earning an Income

Hybrid Mom

Homeschooling-wahm

Homeschool Entrepreneur

The Work at Home Woman

Thinking Like God

2009-10-01T19:03:00.001-07:00

This is an amazing video. Why am I sharing it on a homeschooling blog? Because we want to raise our children to think God's thoughts, as young Albert Einstein did:

**Editing this to add that AFTER I chose the title to this blog, and explained myself, I discovered that Albert Einstein said the following: "I want to know God's thoughts; the rest are details."

Celebrate Autumn

2009-09-30T09:11:00.001-07:00

My favorite season, although it does not really exist here in Florida. So I will celebrate it through these poems. Will you join me?


Merry Autumn Days

By Charles Dickens

Tis pleasant on a fine spring morn
To see the buds expand,
Tis pleasant in the summer time
To see the fruitful land;
Tis pleasant on a winter's night
To sit around the blaze,
But what are joys like these, my boys,
To merry autumn days!

We hail the merry Autumn days
When leaves are turning red;
Because they're far more beautiful
Than anyone has said.
We hail the merry harvest time,
The gayest of the year;
The time of rich and bounteous crops,
Rejoicing and good cheer.





October's Party 

by George Cooper

October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came--
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.

The Chestnuts came in yellow,
The Oaks in crimson dressed;
The lovely Misses Maple
In scarlet looked their best;
All balanced to their partners,
And gaily fluttered by;
The sight was like a rainbow
New fallen from the sky.

Then, in the rustic hollow,
At hide-and-seek they played,
The party closed at sundown,
And everybody stayed.
Professor Wind played louder;
They flew along the ground;
And then the party ended
In jolly "hands around."

Come Little Leaves

- By George Cooper

"Come, little leaves,"said the wind one day,

"Come over the meadows with me, and play;

Put on your dresses of red and gold;

Summer is gone, and the days grow cold."

Soon as the leaves heard the wind's loud call,

Down they came fluttering, one and all;

Over the brown fields they danced and flew,

Singing the soft little songs they knew.

Dancing and whirling the little leaves went;

Winter had called them and they were content-

Soon fast asleep in their earthy beds,
The snow laid a soft mantle over their heads.

Autumn Fires

*Robert Louis Stevenson (from A Child’s Garden of Verses, 1913)*

In the other gardens And all up the vale, From the autumn bonfires See the smoke trail! Pleasant summer over And all the summer flowers, The red fire blazes, The gray smoke towers. Sing a song of seasons! Something bright in all! Flowers in the summer, Fires in the fall!

How the Leaves Came Down

By Susan Coolidge

I'll tell you how the leaves came down.
The great Tree to his children said,
"You're getting sleepy, Yellow and Brown,
Yes, very sleepy, little Red;
It is quite time you went to bed."

"Ah!" begged each silly, pouting leaf,
"Let us a little longer May;
Dear Father Tree, behold our grief,
'Tis such a very pleasant day
We do not want to go away."

So, just for one more merry day
To the great Tree the leaflets clung,
Frolicked and danced and had their way,
Upon the autumn breezes swung,
Whispering all their sports among,

"Perhaps the great Tree will forget
And let us stay until the spring
If we all beg and coax and fret."
But the great Tree did no such thing;
He smiled to hear their whispering.

"Come, children all, to bed," he cried;
And ere the leaves could urge their prayer
He shook his head, and far and wide,
Fluttering and rustling everywhere,
Down sped the leaflets through the air.

I saw them; on the ground they lay,
Golden and red, a huddled swarm,
Waiting till one from far away,
White bed-clothes heaped upon her arm,
Should come to wrap them safe and warm.

The great bare Tree looked down and smiled.
"Good-night, dear little leaves" he said;
And from below each sleepy child
Replied "Good-night," and murmured,
"It is so nice to go to bed."