My dear friend and homeschooling mentor wrote up this piece in hopes that folks would choose to continue their homeschool journey into highschool. I hope you will find it helpful. 

I love home schooling high school. What I have to share is long, but I sincerely hope it will be helpful info as you make decisions for your family. There is so much to talk about on this subject.

I have been homeschooling for 15 years, and have graduated one son, who is now 19 and attending our junior college, with plans to transfer to a local university to finish his accounting degree. ( I also have 2 younger ones, coming up behind him.) What an incredible journey it has been… this homeschooling high school. I remember how intimidating it was, as I stood on that threshold, right where you are now. But God is so faithful, and He will guide you each step, as you continue to be faithful to His calling on your life to home educate and disciple your children, all the way to the finish line. This season of high school is the harvest season for all the time we have devoted to the basics. At the same time, I believe it is a very important time of discipleship and a most rewarding time as a parent. It will set the stage for your relationship with that child, as a young adult.  Read more...

Listen to Milton Friedman discuss our loss of freedoms.

Matt Barber calls upon pastors to confront assaults on culture, faith.

The secular left has mastered use of the Internet to further its extremist goals. In fact, President Obama’s web-based “Organizing for America” propaganda machine may have given him the 2008 election.

Let’s beat them at their own game.

To that end, I have a strange request. I’m asking each God-fearing, freedom-loving American who reads this column to forward it, post it, tweet it, print it out and give it to every pastor, priest or cleric you know. If you don’t know any, give it to someone who does.

Why? I agree with Barack Obama that November 2012 represents the most important election of our lifetimes – perhaps our history. Of course, that’s where my agreement with Mr. Obama both begins and abruptly ends.

Here’s the operable question: Do we want America “fundamentally transformed” to mirror the secular-socialist ideals of the radical leftist currently “occupying” the White House?

In Barack Obama’s America, individual freedom is trampled beneath jackboots as a matter of course. It’s already happening at an unprecedented rate.

One need only look to the HHS mandate forcing Christian groups – both Catholic and Protestant – to violate, under penalty of law, biblical prohibitions against abortion homicide.

Or consider recent attempts by multiple elected officials, all Democrats, to shutdown Chick-fil-A – a private, Christian-owned business – simply because its leadership holds the biblical view of marriage.

Is this George Washington’s America, or Joseph Stalin’s Russia?  Read more...

Have you ever heard the saying, “God laughs at appointment calendars?”  I’m not sure about this quote….but  the proverbs teach us that although we may make our plans; the final results are in God’s hands. Recently, I’ve told some of my homeschool buddies that I hesitate to even mark my calendar because life often changes things…life interrupts our appointment calendars.  Anymore,  I tell folks “Lord willing and the creek don’t rise,” we will do such and such.

With that being said, I thought I’d share my fall schedule    including the links in case you want to check them out as well.  These are my plans for the next school year: “Lord willing and the creek don’t rise.”  🙂

For our Math  curriculum we purchased Math Relief by Mr. Firebaugh. We will be studying Algebra I…yes I will be studying too. 🙂 For History we will use Mystery of History plus historical fiction added in. I am looking forward to studying history chronologically and including biblical events as well.  For Language Arts we will use A Beka (Themes in Literature), continue writing assignments using IEW (institute for excellence in writing), as well as Daily Grams (Jr high, High level)  Read more...

An Obituary printed in the London Times…..Absolutely Brilliant !!

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
– Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
– Why the early bird gets the worm;
– Life isn’t always fair;
– and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.  Read more...

My heart soars when folks stand up for biblical values.  It’s so uncommon these days, but Chick-fil -A  CEO Dan Cathy is taking the narrow road and rejecting the popular culture. I’m so proud of him and pray that his business grows leaps and bounds. Our family plans to enjoy dinner there this week in order to combat some of the boycotts that are planned. Evidently the liberal media and homosexual communities are having fits because  this man  has a moral compass and standard that is different from their own.  Dan Cathy is under persecution now for following his convictions and using his protected first amendment rights to express his beliefs. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, plans to block Chick-fil-A from building any restaurants in his city because Mr. Cathay’s  values do not reflect those of Chicago. The Homosexual Community plans on mocking the CEO (and God..by the way) by hosting a national same sex kiss day; there are many calls for boycotting this restaurant as well.
Some of my favorite Dan Cathy quotes are:

“That we might glorify God by being a faithful steward in all that is entrusted to our care, and that we might have a positive influence on all the people that we might come in contact with.”

“A person’s morals are demonstrated daily through our personal lives. In my personal life, I really try to live up to our Corporate Purpose.”  Read more...

In light of some of my recent posts this poem may seem like “twaddle.” Well to some it may be….but when my children were little we read and recited this funny poem by Shel Silverstein and had a good laugh! A joyful heart is good medicine and healing to the bones. Sometimes we just need a little levity. 🙂

“I cannot go to school today”
Said little Peggy Ann McKay.
“I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash and purple bumps.

My mouth is wet, my throat is dry.
I’m going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
I’ve counted sixteen chicken pox.

And there’s one more – that’s seventeen,
And don’t you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut, my eyes are blue,
It might be the instamatic flu.

I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I’m sure that my left leg is broke.
My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly button’s caving in.

My back is wrenched, my ankle’s sprained,
My ‘pendix pains each time it rains.
My toes are cold, my toes are numb,

I have a sliver in my thumb.

My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,

I think my hair is falling out.

My elbow’s bent, my spine ain’t straight,
My temperature is one-o-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,  Read more...

This short video is definitely worth a few minutes of your time. Enjoy!

Because this topic of sheltering is so important and still comes up now and then, even in homeschooling circles, I feel compelled to share a few thoughts.  The subject of sheltering or protecting one’s children,  may be subtly mentioned at a gathering of homeschool moms, a luncheon date, or even at church. Many folks these days….even some homeschoolers,  are quite proud of the fact that they do not believe in “over” sheltering their children. They confidently  declare, “I don’t believe in sheltering my children because I want them to know how to make it in the real world” or “I think children need to be given more freedom so that they can make mistakes while still under our roof. ” In the past, especially when our children were younger, folks have actually suggested that my husband and I are sheltering our children so much that when they are on their own they will turn completely wild; having no self-control whatsoever.

These ideas make me pause and wonder…where is the verse in the Bible that mentions: “Thou shalt expose thy children to plenty of wrongdoing , so that when they are older they will not partake any longer.”  Subtly or boldly…with a passing hint  or a declaration, folks  feel the need to  enlighten my husband and I to the fact that we are over-protective. Often times these are the same parents who are irritated by their own children, cannot stand to have them around too much…and have recently put them back in public school. But that’s another blog post for later.

My husband and I work at protecting our children from temptations and even though we are conscious of this all the time, sadly, we have sometimes failed.  No matter how careful we are, because we live in this world, we will be exposed….no matter what.  Yet, when  someone speaks ill of  the idea of sheltering children, I feel grieved and disappointed and begin to wonder what they want their children to be exposed to anyway.  Aren’t we all exposed enough just living in this world?  Do they want their children to watch R rated programs, hang out with neighbor kids at the liquor store, have access to the internet, go to dances, attend drinking parties, hang out with unbelievers…what? Not exactly.  It seems that for Christian families, it may sound more like….”I want my children to participate in sleep-overs, have plenty of unsupervised conversation with peers, and very limited time with family…especially mom and dad.”  “I want them to be very active in youth programs and church activities away from our own family.”  Maybe they won’t admit that…but that’s the way it plays out. One dear christian friend of mine who’s son began taking drugs, remarked “I don’t know what happened, he was in youth group at church all the time!”

Have you ever passed by a really stinky garbage can? You know it is so offensive and smelly that you walk around it, hopefully avoiding the awful stench. It may have dirty diapers, old chicken bones, moldy food, maybe even maggots crawling around in it. You can tell just by walking by, that it is something to be avoided. It never occurs to us that we should examine it closer…perhaps rummaging through the contents a bit.   We would never taste of its contents to see how awful and  unacceptable it is.   If we are exposed to the rotten food, and actually taste it…..would that be helpful and give us tools to survive in the real world?

I’m sure you get my sarcasm here and understand my point.  My husband and I are careful to discuss what’s going on in this world with our children as we don’t want them to be ignorant, naive and vulnerable.  Surely, they are going to know about the contents in that trash can. We are exposed all the time just by keeping up with current events on the news.  Even with careful gatekeeping and sheltering our children will see things that will make us cringe. It is impossible to protect them from everything because we live in such a wicked generation.  Although our children will know about the evil and sin in the world,  they will not need to hang out with it.

We believe in sheltering our children. My husband believes in sheltering me and I shelter him. Thankfully our Lord shelters us…and may He never stop. He shelters us like a good shepherd….He leads us beside the still waters.  He leads us in the paths of righteousness.  Praise be to God that He doesn’t send us to places where we will be vulnerable and tempted to sin. Thanks to the Lord that He reminds us to run from evil…even the appearances of evil.

May the Lord bless you as you train and disciple your children…protecting and sheltering them as the Lord shelters us. ~Anne

(Rom. 12:1-2), “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

(Isaiah 40:11) He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

(Mark 9:42) And whosoever shall offend one of [these] little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

Psalm 23:1-4 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.  He restores my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

What a concept…actually reading something before signing it. Can you imagine our founding fathers signing their name to the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution before reading it? Do you remember when Nancy Pelosi said that we needed to pass the bill in order to find out what is in it? I’m dumfounded at the stupidity of it all. I’m afraid for the American people because we are being played. If our leaders were really on the side of the folks, there would be outrage…every day until the constitution was upheld. Check out this video of Rand Paul discussing reading the bill before passing it.

If Noah had lived in the United States today the story may have gone something like this:

And the Lord spoke to Noah and said, “In one year, I am going to make it rain and cover the whole earth with water until all flesh is destroyed. But I want you to save the righteous people and two of every kind of living thing on earth. Therefore, I am commanding you to build an Ark.” In a flash of lightning, God delivered the specifications for an Ark. In fear and trembling, Noah took the plans and agreed to build the ark. “Remember,” said the Lord, “you must complete the Ark and bring everything aboard in one year.”

Exactly one year later, fierce storm clouds covered the earth and all the seas of the earth went into a tumult. The Lord saw that Noah was sitting in his front yard weeping. “Noah!” He shouted. “Where is the Ark?”

“Lord, please forgive me,” cried Noah. “I did my best, but there were big problems.

First, I had to get a permit for construction, and your plans did not meet the building codes. I had to hire an engineering firm and redraw the plans. Then I got into a fight with OSHA over whether or not the Ark needed a sprinkler system and approved floatation devices. Then, my neighbor objected, claiming I was violating zoning ordinances by building the Ark in my front yard, so I had to get a variance from the city planning commission.  Read more...

The rule of law is perhaps the most critical component of liberty. It is the bedrock of justice and America has been unique in its application. The principle that no man is above the law and that the rule of law is the stabilizing consistent standard of a free society has been under attack since January 20th 2009.

From dropping a case already won in court against the New Black Panther thugs caught on camera intimidating voters, to the declaration by the Justice Department that civil rights laws only apply to minorities and that whites need not apply…from the theft of bond holder property given to the automobile unions to the public declaration that he would not defend the Defense of Marriage Act…from the contempt of court on display when the administration refused to lift the drilling moratorium in the gulf to the contempt of Congress by the Attorney General, this administration has deemed the law is whatever they say it is.

No democratic republic can long stand without a deep and abiding belief that the law is the same for all men and not subject to the pernicious whim of a few. When the idea takes hold that the ruling class no longer answers to the will of the people…when it becomes apparent that government does not have the consent of the governed, then the social contact establishing that government is void and drastic action must be taken to re-establish that trust.  Read more...

Deeply saddened by the downward slide of our America, I post this just in case you are asleep or not paying attention. Yesterday the Supreme Court ruled that it is perfectly permissible (constitutional)  for the government to require its citizens to purchase something.  As long as they call it a “tax,” they can require us to buy it and with this purchase undermine most of our freedoms. Where are we anyway?  Is this still the United States of America? 

1. No person shall be elected to the House of Representatives from the same congressional district for more than three consecutive full terms. Nor shall any person be elected to the Senate for more than two consecutive full terms. These term limits are effective upon ratification and apply to all sitting elected officials.

When I first started homeschooling, I used to attend a monthly homeschool  meeting in our neighborhood.  I was so excited about my new homeschooling life and I was anxious to learn all I could.  I remember one evening noticing an older homeschool mom sitting in back of the room,  and I went to sit by her. This lady who has now become a friend of mine, was nearly done homeschooling her only son.  He would soon be graduating and then she would be moving on to other adventures.  After we had been talking for a while, I asked her a question that I commonly asked back in those early homeschool days.  Regarding homeschooling I inquired,   “What is the one thing, you would have done differently?” and “Do you have any great homschooling tips?”  I was so anxious to hear some really good advice about teaching reading, curriculum ideas, or homeschool philosophy.  Maybe even some ideas on teaching history.  Oh how  I love history!

To my surprise she offered this piece of advice that was somewhat of a let down to me.  She said, the one thing she would have done differently was that she would have devoted more time to her husband and marriage!!!  As a younger homeschool mom…idealistic and overly enthusiastic about teaching my children, this was a non-answer.  What kind of homeschooling tip was that anyway? I wanted some really helpful advice!!!  Read more...