Recently my friend and I were discussing the government school system and she remarked that the public schools have been a huge success. She went on to tell me that indeed they have accomplished what they set out to accomplish. The masses have been indoctrinated into a secular worldview, they have become good little socialists and are happy to give up their individuality and freedom in order to be told what to do and how to live. They are willing to trade free stuff (healthcare, education, food etc.) for their freedom. They have become such sheep and believe that capitalism is evil and the Constitution is outdated and not important anymore.  They no longer believe in free speech for all but are bound by political correctness and an ideology of progressivism.  They follow lock in step the culture and ways of Hollywood never even considering the possibility that the culture is on the wrong path.
They do not believe in the authority of scripture and have no moral compass to guide them. They have rejected the long held traditions, beliefs, and godly heritage of their ancestors and have embraced the ideas and worldview of the secular humanists who teach them every day for 18 years. How sad that each of us is so willing to give up our children for 8 hours a day….for 18 years to be taught and mentored by folks who despise everything we believe in. How very sad. Yes, my friend was right…they have been a huge success.  Read more...

Several years ago my boys and I read through  Pilgrims Progress for children, but we’ve never read the full unabridged version of John Bunyun’s allegory of Christians journey from the city of destruction. We enjoyed the children’s version and found it to be a faith building book worthy to be read over again. I hope you enjoy this old animation from decades ago. Perhaps this would be a good rainy day program.
Don’t forget to turn off the website music first. 🙂

youtu.be/dlfEdJNn15E

Peace, unto this house, I pray,
Keep terror and despair away;
Shield it from evil and let sin
Never find lodging room within.
May never in these walls be heard
The hateful or accusing word.

Grant that its warm and mellow light
May be to all a beacon bright,
A flaming symbol that shall stir
The beating pulse of him or her
Who finds this door and seems to say,
“Here end the trials of the day.”

Hold us together, gentle Lord,
Who sit about this humble board;
May we be spared the cruel fate
Of those whom hatreds separate;
Here let love bind us fast, that we
May know the joys of unity.

Lord, this humble house we’d keep
Sweet with play and calm with sleep.
Help us so that we may give
Beauty to the lives we live.
Let Thy love and let Thy grace
Shine upon our dwelling place.

Edgar Guest

My dear friend and homeschooling mentor is the author of this very helpful piece which is meant to encourage the beginning homeschooler. Even though I’ve been homeschooling for nearly a decade now, I found this to be a good reminder as well. Even during the middle and highschool years, we may sometimes feel as though we are in a race…some kind of a competition…..against someone. It’s sort of sad, especially when we create this unnecessary pressure ourselves. Thanks to my friend for allowing me to post this! ~Anne  Read more...

As homeschoolers, we often feel overwhelmed…we worry about our children and are desperate  to do a good job training and teaching them.  We want our children to walk with the Lord and never want to  them to stumble or feel discouraged.  Sometimes we overbook and schedule so much that we miss our family time, we miss our time to just hear ourselves think…we lose our peace and our vision. Unfortunately, every now and then, we  make mistakes…we miss the mark. Homeschooling is a huge responsibility and can feel like a heavy burden at times.  Christ appeals to us, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11: 28-30 KJV)  If we have  His yoke upon us, instead of the yoke of this world, we should gain a new perspective…and see things differently than the culture does.  He will teach and guide us.  He will give us wisdom and direction and we will be able to focus on those things which have eternal value.  If we are followers of the Lord Jesus, we are already “yoked” to him.  May we learn to submit to him every day as we train and disciple our children.  Then we will have peace and our burden will be light.  Read more...

He has not served who gathers gold,
Nor has he served, whose life is told
In selfish battles he has won,
Or deeds of skill that he has done;
But he has served who now and then
Has helped along his fellow men.

The world needs many men today;
Red-blooded men along life’s way,
With cheerful smiles and helping hands,
And with the faith that understands
The beauty of the simple deed
Which serves another’s hour of need.

Strong men to stand beside the weak,
Kind men to hear what others speak;
True men to keep our country’s laws
And guard its honor and its cause;
Men who will bravely play life’s game
Nor ask rewards of gold and fame.

Teach me to do the best I can
To help and cheer our fellow man;
Teach me to lose my selfish need
And glory in the larger deed
Which smoothes the road, and lights the day
For all who chance to come my way.

Edgar Albert Guest

 

Monumental is coming to your town March 27th. To find a theater near you click here.

Please take 30 minutes to listen to this interview with Thomas Sowell.  Folks keep telling me that they have no time.  No time to read, no time to listen, no time to become informed.  Our republic is dying…..because we have  “no time .”  Frankly, the truth is,  we make time for those things which are important to us. Perhaps if we educate ourselves and our children, they will be able to tell their children about the days when America was the land of liberty and freedom. May the Lord have mercy upon us and forgive our sins…and heal our land.

Thomas Sowell, an American economist, political philosopher, and author of over 30 books is one who is worth paying attention to.  Thomas dropped out of highschool, received his Bachelor’s degree at Harvard, his Masters degree at Columbia and his doctorate at University of Chicago.  Mr. Sowell also served in the Marine Corps during the Korean War. Although his many degrees may be impressive to some, his good old fashioned common sense is what I appreciate…..this is more than refreshing to me.  Enjoy learning more. ~Anne

*hanging around until you’ve caught on. – Jonathan Kozol

*a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.-Edward Everett

*simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.
G.K. Chesterton

*an atmosphere, a discipline, a life – Sonya Shafer

*a discipline-that is the discipline of the good habits in which the child is trained. Charlotte Mason
*Freedom

*hands on

*NOT institutionalized schooling

*mentorship

*discipleship

*what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school.
Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

*to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives. ~Robert Maynard Hutchins

*an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity. ~Aristotle

* the movement from darkness to light. ~Allan Bloom

* learning stuff ~my son 🙂

Education can easily become a god in our lives.  The Bible cautions us against pride reminding us that “knowledge puffs up.” True wisdom and understanding come from God…and this is why we continually pray for wisdom. Proverbs 1:7 reminds us that  the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.  Our education begins  as we fear the Lord and seek his will for our lives.
Job 28:28 states “Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil, that is understanding.”
James 1:5 explains,”If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.  Read more...

This is so shocking and important to be aware of………………………turn off music>>>

Gain wisdom and learn more as you read this piece by Rev. Michael Bresciani.  Read it once…and then again. Read it slowly and begin praying for our America… for  repentant hearts…for revival in our homes and churches….for mercy. 

 

In this day of the history challenged it may not be safe to assume that everyone knows that it was Captain John Paul Jones who in the fall of 1779 said the famous words, “I have not yet begun to fight.” Even fewer may know that his ship the Bonhomme Richard had its upper decks nearly blown off and with what may have looked like a tattered raft the fight continued. Two hands assuming that both captain and first officer had been slain went about to lower the ship’s pendant from the mainmast, but were interrupted by Jones who flew toward them with pistols in hand.

The captain threw his unloaded pistols at the mates missing one and striking the other on the head leaving him unconscious. The master of the powerful British warship Serapis called out to Jones and asked if he was about to quarter. (Give up and surrender) Jones’ famous reply has been the example of every great naval officer since, but it doesn’t stop there. The best fighting men, statesmen and ordinary Americans, ever since, have been heard to say the same.

Only moments after Jones replied to the master of the Serapis a grenadier threw a hand bomb across the deck of the Serapis that tumbled into a lower magazine and ignited the powder and shells. The rest is history. But is it?  Read more...

Looking forward to viewing this….and sharing with others.

 

This Book is the Mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation,

the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers.

It’s doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding;

its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.

Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, practice it to be holy.

It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the

soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s character.

Here paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell

disclosed.

Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its

end.

It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet.

Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully.

It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure.

Follow its precepts and it will lead you to Calvary, to the empty

tomb, to a resurrected life in Christ; yes, to glory itself, for eternity.

~Anonymous

picturecredit

 

Although my husband and I often read historical fiction and biographies with our boys,  I certainly appreciate the A Beka history program and have found their textbooks to be interesting, informative and easy to read.  It is an unfortunate fact of life these days that  revisionist history is everywhere…. history programs, newspaper articles, textbooks, teachers and  college professors are zealous to indoctrinate, teach and re-write American history. Sadly,  revisionist history prevails in our culture.

An almost effortless counterbalance to this assault on history would be to pick up some used Abeka history books….any grade level  and read through them with your family.  So much of the information makes for good discussion around the dinner table as well.  We have read through the A Beka history books since kindergarten and find them to be quite interesting even for a  textbook.  Refreshingly, God’s providential hand is never overlooked.  Here is a sample of  America, Land that I Love; 8th grade 

John Adams was one of the first leaders to call attention to the dangers of the French Revolution.  He is called the Father of American Conservatism because (1) his belief in freedom with responsibility and (2) his defense of the Constitution as a document which checked the selfish nature of man.  Conservatives are those who believe that there are eternal values that need to be conserved.  They insist that if Americans leave God, decency, morality, and self restraint out of their thinking and living,  American liberty will not last.  John Adams wrote regarding the violence, bloodshed , and atheism of the French Revolution: Is there a possibility that the government of nations may fall into the hands of men who teach … that men are but fireflies, and that this all [ referring to God’s creation] is without a Father?  Read more...

I am blessed to be able to attend a church where the word of God is not watered down. When I leave, I do not feel as though I’ve attended a self-improvement course or motivational meeting. In other words our preacher does not waste his time on “twaddle” but digs deeply into the word of God.  I enjoy a good old fashioned sermon that convicts,  but even if our pastor simply stood and read God’s word to us that would be enough. It would be more than enough because God’s word is powerful and has every thing we need for instruction in righteousness. God’s word is LIVING…it is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. I hope these verses will encourage, embolden and comfort you as you train and disciple your children.  ~Anne

Deuteronomy 6:5-9
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.  Read more...

The years have flown.  It seems like only yesterday we set up our homeschool classroom complete with the Pledge of Allegiance adorned on our wall,  desks full of new school supplies, and   brand- new shiny workbooks and readers.  I was so excited to begin teaching my children  but had no idea what this homeschool journey would actually look like….I didn’t know how marvelous and fulfilling it would be or how much it would change our family.  As an idealistic and very eager homeschool mom,  I did not envision or understand that in addition to my children learning,  I would also experience growth and  change.   The focus was on my children, but now I understand that biblical homeschooling requires the whole family to transform and learn together.  In those early days , I heard someone describe homeschooling as a “lifestyle”.  I was somewhat puzzled by this description, but now I understand completely.

Undoubtedly,  I would be teaching my children reading, writing and arithmetic, but I also would spend a great deal of time praying for patience…. for wisdom and working on character issues…with my children…. and myself.  In order to homeschool independently and biblically,   the emphasis would have to be on training and discipleship because the Bible is clear on this  calling for parents.   If our dear children did not obey, how could we ever hope to teach them?   We had to choose  curriculum carefully making sure it reflected a biblical worldview,  and my husband soon became a prayer partner and homeschool advocate as well.  Even our dear Grandma joined in to help with some subjects.  Read more...

“We are going to raise our own children….teach our children values while the rest of the world effectively  is going to hell in a hand basket.”                                 Turn Music Off>>