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The Biblical Role of Women
Here's an excellent article by an older, wiser woman of God which I encourage you all to read: A Woman's Place
So, You're Thinking About Homeschooling?
So, You're Thinking About Homeschooling: Fifteen Families Show How You Can Do It by Lisa WhelchelI got a copy of this book in the mail on Friday and had read it through by Monday night! I could hardly put it down. I was intrigued by reading about these fifteen very different homeschooling families-- from single-parent families of three, to farm families of twelve, to families who live in an RV and travel year-round, to grandparents who homeschool their grandchildren, to mothers who bring their children to work and homeschool them at the office-- this book has about every genre of homeschooling family that exists. And there is just as wide of a range of methods and curriculum used as well. If you ever thought you might be interested in homeschooling, or if you just wish you knew how others did it, I would highly recommend you get a copy of this book. It's a fascinating read and will be an encouragement to any weary mom.
A Good Reminder...
For my fellow bloggers, here's a good reminder: http://buriedtreasurebooks.com/weblog/?p=1102 Blogging can be a wonderful form of communication, encouragement, inspiration, and the like. But, I never want my blog or any other blog to keep you from your most important duties. There are a lot of good things out there to choose to spend your time on, but remember to always choose that which is BEST.
Worthy of Double Honor
“Worthy of Double Honor”: A Father’s Day Tribute to My Father “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.”
1 Timothy 5:17 Dad, I’m so thankful to not only have you as my father, but also to have been under your leadership as elder of our church for so many years. Even though I am no longer living in the same town as you and therefore attending a different church, I still think you are deserving of “double honor”! You have always lived out the bishop qualifications given in 1 Timothy 3:2-7: “A bishop then must be blameless”
You have always been above reproach. Yes, I know you’re not perfect, but you have always been an excellent example! “the husband of one wife”
Your marriage is honorable. You emulated to me the qualities of the kind of husband I always wanted to have. You have always been faithful to love and serve Mom and sacrifice for her. “vigilant”
You are a hard worker. Whatever you put your hand to, you do with all your might. And you are always on the lookout for dangers for us and constantly helping to keep us on guard so that we are protected from sin and error. “sober”
You have never been rash. You are always steady and easy-going. Even if others are terribly upset and angry, you keep your cool and keep your tongue. “of good behaviour”
Your life is such a testimony to me and many others! “given to hospitality”
You always display hospitality. I can’t even begin to imagine how many families and individuals you have initiated inviting over to our home. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve so many in this way. “apt to teach”
I appreciate the many things you taught me. Not only through just your life example, but through the countless family devotions you led and all of the sermons you preached at church. “Not given to wine”
You have always had such balance in your life. You were never “overboard” in any area. Always cautious, but never too hesitant. “no striker”
You were never one to be contentious or to meddle in things which didn’t concern you. “not greedy of filthy lucre”
You have never been greedy for fame or money. I remember how you always encouraged us to seek to minister to others, never to try to gain money or reputation. “but patient”
You are one of the most patient people I know. You have had plenty of opportunities to get impatient in your life and yet you always stay calm. “not a brawler”
You are never one to start an argument with others. You can always quietly disagree and walk away. How I wish I could be more like this! “not covetous”
You are always happy for others to get praise, when you were actually responsible for. You have always been content with where God has you and what God has given you. “One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity”
I know that we weren’t always in perfect subjection to you, but you always patiently and lovingly trained and discipled us “in the way we should go.” “Not a novice”
You definitely aren’t a “novice”—you are quite a pro, in my eyes, at least! “Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without”
Everyone likes you! I have always been amazed at how you are able to converse and interact with anyone at any level. “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
1 Peter 5:1-4 Your reward in heaven will be great! There are so many other things I could say about you, this listing is very incomplete. Most of all, I just wanted to say “thank you” for being such a wonderful father! Happy Father’s Day! I love you! Dad with Kathrynne
Curiosity Survey :)
Would you do me a favor? Out of curiosity, if you've been reading my blog and haven't commented, would you be so kind as to comment and tell me who you are, a basic idea of where you are from (if you want to disclose that!), and what types of posts are your favorite and which ones you dislike (not that I'll stop posting about what you dislike, but I just thought it would be interesting to know!)? If you'd rather not post this publicly, you can drop me an e-mail. Of course, no one has to do this, but there have been so many visits to my blog recently and I was just wondering what the basic demographics of the readership was. Thanks so much!
Schooling VS. Educating
After my post on "educating from birth" Teresa responded: I agree that a child should be *discipled* from birth, but not *schooled.*I think waaaaaaaaaaayyy too much emphasis is placed on academics in our society, to the detriment of real character & discipleship.Incidentally, your own argument of the ability of young children to learn, is the same argument used by *them* to pull young children out of their homes & place them in the government institutions known as *school.*Who made the decision for a child to be 5 or so before beginning school? When schools first began in this country, the children had to already know rudimentary skills in the 3 R's before they could ever begin!!!!!!!! They learned those things at home first!!!!! Then the local pastor took over their education. Read Sam Blumenfeld for more information on the history of education.And think *Discipleship* as you're rearing Kathrynne for the Glory of God!I enjoy reading all your thoughts. Thanks for sharing your life with us so closely.Teresa, Thanks so much for commenting! As you can tell, we have a lot to learn and the best place we have found to learn from is those who are older and wiser than us. So, thanks for sharing. I realized that I had probably not made myself extremely clear. I originally used the word "school" just because that is what I call any kind of learning. But, my husband wisely told me I should replace that word with "educate." If you got the impression that we are sitting down and doing long division with Kathrynne, we aren't! I have a lot of things I'd like to share on this, but that will have to wait until later as I need to help my husband now. I'll write more soon!
Tagged on Books
Mrs. Happy Housewife tagged me on books: Q. Most books I've ever owned:I have no clue, but I definitely own a lot right now and my collection keeps growing. :) I am hoping to do some regular reviewing of books on my blog so I've been acquiring some for the purpose. We hope to someday have a whole library with bookshelves lining the walls. Right now, we just have a couple of bookshelves in our livingroom and office and boxes in storage. Q. The last book I bought.Hmmm. I honestly do not know. I have been getting a lot of books sent to me free for as review copies (one of the perks of owning an online bookstore! You rarely buy books because you can get them for free). I did buy a couple of books for Kathrynne at the homeschool conference. But other than that, I have not bought a book for a long time. Here are my latest review requests (look for reviews of these coming soon-- And I have a stack of books on the floor next to the rocking chair which I am currently working through): From Crossway Books: For the Children's Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School - Susan Schaeffer MacaulayFor the Family's Sake: The Value of Home in Everyone's Life - Susan Schaeffer MacaulayBiblical Womanhood in the Home - Nancy Leigh DeMoss (Editor) By Design: God's Distinctive Calling for Women - Susan HuntFeminine Appeal - Carolyn MahaneyThe Legacy of Biblical Womanhood - Susan Hunt, Barbara ThompsonWhere's Mom?: The High Calling of Wives and Mothers - Dorothy Kelley PattersonFrom NavPress: Calm My Anxious Heart: A Woman's Guide to Finding Contentment by Linda DillowA Mother's Heart: A Look at Values, Vision, and Character for the Christian Mother by Jean FlemingFrom Vision Forum: What's a Girl to Do - CD Sleeping Beauty- CD Victory for Daughters- CD Father/Daughter Retreat- CD Verses of Virtue Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America Mother HomeMaking The Role of Women in the Local Church- CD Q. The five books that meant the most to me.
-The Bible, of course, and I am particularly fond of my KJV Hebrew-Greek Bible :) As for the other four, this is tough! I think I'll have to list more than four and I'll put down the most life-impacting books: - Created to be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl The Life and Letters of Stonewall Jackson By Mary Anna Jackson This book is the beautiful tribute of a loving wife to her faithful husband. It depicts Jackson, not as the dashing heroic Confederate general we all know him to be, but as the beloved husband of Mary Anna. It is the story of one man’s devotedness to his God, to his wife, and to his country. Stonewall Jackson was an extraordinary man—a general who would not give up inspite of extreme adversity, a husband who loved his wife more than anything else in the world, and a Christian man who was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret By Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor This book is brimming full of truths to impart and strengthen those hearts who are desiring a deeper, closer walk with their Lord and Saviour. Learn what true greatness is in God’s eyes from this triumphant missionary. P ower Through Prayer By E.M. Bounds You will be greatly challenged and convicted as I was, as the author tells of the prayer life of some of those we would consider “spiritual giants.” The secret to their fruitful ministry was a life rooted in prayer. Many of them testified that prayer is the greatest work and therefore they willingly spent the best part of their day engaged in it. Call of Duty: The Sterling Nobility of Robert E. Lee By J. Steven Wilkins In my short lifetime, I have come across many exceptional books; few, though that rank as superb as this gem! It is definitely well worth your time. Although I have always held respect for Robert E. Lee, it was not until after I read this book that I came to realize what an excellent character he truly was. Lee was much more than the well-known General he is often remembered as. His life of total giving, serving, loving, and sacrificing for others made a profound impact on me.Inspite of the many trials he endured throughout his life, Lee faithfully and obediently submitted to the overruling providence of God. He placed his faith in the firm unshakable, solid foundation of Jesus Christ. This was the key to his steadfast integrity and devoted walk. Abandoned to God: Biography of Oswald Chambers By David McCasland This was definitely the most life-changing book I have ever read. Oswald Chambers was not an ordinary man, nor did he live an ordinary life! Though he lived a short life, it was a dynamic powerful life of brokenness before the Lord. This is a book that I cannot put down! I have reread it at least three times! Do not read this unless you want your life changed. The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment By Jeremiah Burroughs If you have ever struggled with discontentment before, than this Puritan classic is for you! The author gives so many reasons why one should be content that you will never again have an excuse to give way to feelings of discontentment! Carry a Big Stick: The Uncommon Heroism of Theodore Roosevelt By George Grant This was an inspiring book to read! Although I don’t agree with a lot of Theodore Roosevelt’s philosophies and have that impression that he was a rather proud man, reading about his life is still a huge motivation. Roosevelt enjoyed nothing better than plain hard work. He saw obstacles as challenges to be overcome. Physically, he had a very weak body, but that did not stop him from anything he set his mind to. He was always at least ten feet—sometimes even fifty feet—ahead of those around him and his schedule should have worn out ten men put together! The Disciplined Life By Richard S. Taylor I thought I was somewhat of a disciplined person until I read this little volume. This book is not for those seeking an easy life. Taylor presents the dire need in today’s culture for men and women to rise to their full potential through a disciplined life. We are called to be a disciple of Christ. We are to “deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow” the Lord. This book gives practical insight into what that really means from a Biblical standpoint. Don’t read unless you want to be convicted! Evidence Not Seen By Darlene Deibler Rose At an early age, God called Darlene to be a missionary. Little could she have dreamed when she set out as the first American woman to enter the Baliem Valley of New Guinea, that in just a few short years she would be in a Japanese prison camp facing execution. This book recounts this young woman’s miraculous faith in the midst of pain and suffering. One of the best 10 books I’ve read. Please note: some of the content of the book may not be suitable for younger children. All Books by Amy CarmichaelI have read every book by Amy Carmichael I can get my hands on. There is such depth, meaning, and inspiration in them. Here is a listing of a number of them which have been reprinted
Educating from Birth
Natalie asked:Where did you hear about the concept of starting "schooling" with children so young? I am very interested to hear more as it sounds like something I would like to consider doing with my babies.I don't really recall hearing the concept of educating children from birth from any particular place it is just something I have always felt I would do whenever I had children. I used to teach violin lessons and from that I learned that young students usually learned best. Why? Well, my theory was that they had little to cloud their brain and so they were much more able to focus. Yes, it does require more repetition and patience to teach younger students, but once they learn something, they usually have it learned for life. When my youngest brother was first born (Zachary is now six), Mom wanted to have us all be involved in his life and education. So, almost from his birth, she had scheduled times where we were to teach him things. One of us read to him, one of us taught him sign language, one of us sang with him, and so on (I have six siblings ages 26 to 6 in case you are wondering). From getting to experience him learning things from birth firsthand, I began to realize that every young child has great potential in what they can learn which is often overlooked. It is so rewarding to have some of the first words out of a child's mouth be Bible verses! Jesse and I have been reading Ten P's in a Pod and we have been so inspired (I HIGHLY recommend this book! It is a wonderful family read-aloud). This book is the story of the Pent family-- a family of ten who travelled the country together preaching and sharing Christ with others. One thing that they practiced daily was to read the Bible for 30 minutes after every meal. Each family member, who could read, would read 2 chapters each. After a few years of this, many of them knew books of the Bible by heart, without even trying to memorize them. This book is packed full of great stories, encouragement, and challenge, but two things which really stood out to me were: 1) Mr. Pent required all family members to be present at all family Bible readings. Even the infants were present. If they were asleep, he would have them woken up so that they could hear God's Word read. 2) One thing which is reiterated again and again throughout the book is that the years between zero to three are the most formative years in a person's life. Jesse is often remarking about how defunct the public education system is. Not only is it unconstitional and based upon a Darwinian model of peer segregation (I won't get onto my soapbox on the public education system in this post... maybe later!!), but they completely miss the boat in making children wait until they are passed the most formative years of their life to begin teaching them "skills" and "knowledge." Whoever came up with the idea that we must make a child wait until they are five to start kindergarten? Why not educate from birth? ****I plan to post more on specific things I did with my younger brother and what we are specifically using with Kathrynne since some of you have asked. I am working on putting together a couple of products which are things I use with Kathrynne and I think other families might enjoy. I am considering selling these on Biblical Womanhood to assist mothers in teaching their young children. Is there an interest in products like this? Drop me an e-mail if you are interested and let me know specifically what you might be interested in. ****
Different than the World
One thing the Lord has really been impressing upon Jesse and I recently is the need for us, as Christians, to be different from the world. We are children of the King of kings! It is one thing to say that but another to live it. We have been so influenced by the world that we often don't even realize it. The influence of the world is seeking to creep into every area of our culture. Instead of adapting the world's way of doing something to make it more "Christian" and therefore, presumably, "okay" we need to start with the Word of God. The Word of God must be our basis for our life and existence. God has given us everything we need for life and Godliness through His Word and His spirit. Are we holding all of our actions, thoughts, words, behavior, and attitudes up to the standard of His holy Word? If so, our lives and minds will be transformed. We will walk a different walk than most everyone around us and we will be able to rejoice because we are called to a standard of holiness and righteousness which the world will not understand.
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