I received this letter in my email box recently. Perhaps I’m not comprehending this correctly, because I am hearing very little outrage…where is the condemnation? Could it actually be describing what I think it is describing? Shouldn’t we be alarmed? Why isn’t this all over the news and on the front page of our newspapers? Have we already been under a dictatorship that was not implemented during past administrations? If so, this is news to me. Please comment on this one….indeed this is something we should be talking about around our kitchen tables…tonight! Praying for our America.
He’s Alive!
This song written by Don Francisco describes the moments and days after the death of Christ..from Peter’s perspective.
(Be sure to turn off the website music before beginning this video. )
Inevitable Triumph of the Gospel of God – Kirk Cameron
B-I-B-L-E Basic-Instruction-Before-Leaving-Earth
This video of Kirk Cameron speaking at the Bible Bee conference is worth listening to. I appreciate his explanation about being in God’s will. How do you know you are in the will of God? Listen and share with your children. (turn the music off)
Pine Tree Crosses
Last Spring on a Sunday afternoon we took one of our “nowhere” drives thru the country. My husband was quietly driving along some back roads. I was occupied in the front passenger seat watching out the window as the scenery went by.
I noticed out of the corner of my eye that my husband was straining to lookout my window. This startled me, since his eyes should be on the road in front of him. I asked him what he was looking at out the windows, and he quietly replied, “Nothing. ” He could have said he was looking for pine tree crosses for Easter. His eyes went back to the road in front of him.
After a few minutes, I looked over at my husband and noticed a tear running down his cheek. I asked him what was wrong. This time he told me, “I was just thinking about Pop and a story he had once told me.” Of course, because it had to do with his Pop I wanted to know the story, so I asked him to share Pop’s story with me.
He said, “When I was about 8 years old, Pop and I were out fishing and that’s when he told me that the pine trees know when it is Easter.”
I had no idea what he meant by that, so I pressed him for more information.
The Public Schools Have Been a Huge Success
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.
Make Mine Freedom (with current news clips)
This public domain film from 1948 reminds me of the term TANSTAAFL (There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch) Each “free” thing given to us from the government requires something from us. Someone pays for each government hand-out. Our freedom and personal liberties are always one of the prices to pay for more stuff from the state.
The Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyun
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. 🙂
Young George Washington’s Rules of Civility
Our America was blessed to have an extraordinary man, George Washington, to be our first president. Exactly like each one of us, he was indeed a sinner, yet God had a plan for him and preserved and protected him for the founding of our great country.
General Edward Braddock, Washington’s commander during the French and Indian War, wrote the following appraisal to a friend in 1755:
“Is Mr. Washington among your acquaintances? If not, I recommend you to embrace the first opportunity to form his friendship. He is about twenty-three years of age; with a countenance both mild and pleasant, promising of both wit and judgment. He is of comely and dignified demeanor, at the same time displays much self-reliance and decision. He strikes me as being a young man of extraordinary and exalted character, and is destined to make no inconsiderable figure in our country.”(Kinnaird, George Washington, the pictoral biography)
As a young schoolboy in Virginia, George compiled and copied this list of rules into his school book ….perhaps this would be a worthwhile copywork assignment.
The Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation
1. Every action done in company ought to be with some sign of respect to those that are present.
2. When in company, put not your hands to any part of the body not usually discovered.
3. Show nothing to your friend that may affright him.
US Capital Tour
Prayer For The Home
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
It’s Not a Race & Little is Sometimes More
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
Feeling Burdened and Heavy Laden?
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.
Two Versions of a Classic Tale
This very silly version of a classic tale makes us laugh…but should probably make us cry because it illustrates what is happening in our country. I see our America changing in so many ways and soon, if things don’t change, it will be unrecognizable to us. My children giggled while reading the modern version….I’m afraid I did not giggle as much.
The Ant & The Grasshopper
OLD VERSION
The ant works
hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper
thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.
Come winter, the ant is warm
and well fed.
The grasshopper has
no food or shelter, so he
dies out in the cold.
MORAL OF THE OLD STORY:
Be responsible for yourself!
MODERN
VERSION
The ant works hard
in the withering heat and the rain all summer long, building his house
and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper thinks the ant
is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.
Come winter, the shivering grasshopper
calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be
allowed to be warm and well fed while he is cold and starving..
CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN,
and ABC show up to
provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper
next to a video of the ant
in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.
America is stunned by the sharp contrast.
He Who Serves
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
The Welfare State and the Selfish Society
Get an education from Prager University….and have your children watch and learn as well. In this short video Mr. Prager shows us that capitalism teaches people to work harder while the welfare state teaches people to want harder.
Monumental
Monumental is coming to your town March 27th. To find a theater near you click here.
The Dismantling of America~Thomas Sowell
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
Von Trapp Children Singing
Turn off website music>>>>
This music video is a delight and sure to bring you joy…a mini escape from this stressful world. These lovely voices and sweet harmonies are from the great grandchildren of Captain and Maria Von Trapp from the sound of music. Enjoy!
