Educators At Home

Sometimes I need to remind myself why I homeschool.  It’s not just a preference or something I will try.  It’s not about the academics or about my rejecting the government schools.  It’s about obeying and following the Lord’s commands to teach my children about His goodness, His faithfulness, His commands,  and His Holiness.  It’s about them coming to know Him and love Him with all their hearts and one day passing this on to their children…my grandchildren…who will pass it on to their children.  It’s really about eternity and I am so shortsighted that I forget this.  Psalm 78 helps me remember.  ~Anne

O my people, hear my teaching;
listen to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in parables,
I will utter hidden things, things from of old-

3 what we have heard and known,
what our fathers have told us.

4 We will not hide them from their children;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD,
his power, and the wonders he has done.

5 He decreed statutes for Jacob
and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our forefathers
to teach their children,

6 so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.

7 Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget his deeds
but would keep his commands.

This summer my children and I have been reading Our Country’s Founders by William J. Bennett.  This book which is called “A Book of Advice for Young People”,  highlights  speeches, poems, and famous documents of our Founding Fathers.  Patrick Henry’s  famous “Give me Liberty” speech caught my attention.  Although his speech was about the tyranny of the King, so much of it today could be applied to our President and representatives in office right now. Despite  all of the pleading, protesting, letters,  and petitions,  the will of the people has been discounted over and over again. Bills have been  passed without being read, the Tea Party folks are demonized, and  common citizens honest questions are mocked and dismissed.  Our Constitution is disregarded  and even the rule of law is ignored. As you read over this famous speech given on March 23, 1775, think about what’s going on in our America today.

May God have mercy upon our beloved country and heal our Land.  May our leaders humble themselves before the Lord, seek his face,  and seek guidance and wisdom. Even Benjamin Franklin acknowledged that God does indeed govern in the affairs of men.

No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope that it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen, if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve.  Read more...

Did you know that one of the communist party goals of 1963 was to destroy the concept of family?   A strong family is essential to a strong country, church and society.  Listen to what Voddie has to say. (Be sure to stop the music before you begin video)  ~Anne

I came across this poem over 10 years ago and now as I read it, it seems more relevant now then it was then.  It was written in 1986…how did the author know where we were headed? How did he know we would let our liberties just slip away without even a fight?

I had a dream the other night, I didn’t understand.

A figure walking through the mist, with flintlock in his hand.

His clothes were torn and dirty, as he stood there by the bed,

He took off his three-cornered hat, and speaking low, he said:

“We fought a revolution, to secure our liberty.

We wrote the Constitution, as a shield from tyranny,

For future generations, this legacy we gave,

In this, the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

“The freedom we secured for you, we hoped you’d always keep.

But tyrants labored endlessly, while your parents were asleep.

Your freedom gone, your courage lost, you’re no more than a slave,

In this, the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

“You buy permits to travel, and permits to own a gun,

Permits to start a business, or to build a place for one.

On land that you believe you own, you pay a yearly rent,

Although you have no voice in choosing how the money’s spent.”

“Your children must attend a school that doesn’t educate.  Read more...

I’ve been listening to preachers and teachers for many years now and I’m cautious about recommending them to others.  The longer I’ve walked with the Lord, the more I’ve come to realize that my trust belongs in Christ alone. My faith is in Christ and his word and I no longer put preachers and teachers…. or anyone at all,   on a pedestal like I used to when I was a young Christian. They never asked to be put on a pedestal…I did this on my own, and I was wrong. That being said, I appreciate the good teaching that I have been able to hear from Voddie Baucham; he has been such an encouragement to me and my husband. We don’t agree 100% with all of his theology,  but we feel so blessed by much of what he has to say about parenting and family life. The following quotes are some of my favorite about family living. ~Anne

~Many Christians believe the best thing they can do for their family is provide them with more stuff. So we continue to accumulate as though accumulation is the answer. All the while our children are screaming at us from beneath the piles of untouched toys and unworn clothes begging for a few minutes of our time. Time we simply don’t have because we are too busy trying to find that one thing we can add to the pile that will make the screaming stop.  Read more...

I would like to encourage all families  to speak out boldly for religious freedom and practice it each day wherever you go.  Pray in public, share the gospel in public, wear your cross, write to the editor of your paper and do all you can to use the religious freedom that we have before we lose it.  Our “representatives” are changing the language from      ” freedom of religion” to” freedom of worship.”  This way it can be restricted to  once a week meeting where we can hear “preaching” from the pulpit that has been approved by the government and call it our freedom of worship.

George Weigal  from the Denver Catholic Register hit the nail on the head when he said:

“Religious freedom, rightly understood, cannot be reduced to freedom of worship. Religious freedom includes the right to preach and evangelize, to make religiously informed moral arguments in the public square and to conduct the affairs of one’s religious community without undue interference from the state. If religious freedom only involves the freedom to worship, then, as noted above, there is “religious freedom” in Saudi Arabia, where Bibles and evangelism are forbidden but expatriate Filipino laborers can attend Mass in the U.S. embassy compound in Riyadh.”

For one who was born and grew up in the small towns of the Midwest, there is a special kind of nostalgia about the Fourth of July.

I remember it as a day almost as long-anticipated as Christmas. This was helped along by the appearance in store windows of all kinds of fireworks and colorful posters advertising them with vivid pictures.

No later than the third of July — sometimes earlier — Dad would bring home what he felt he could afford to see go up in smoke and flame. We’d count and recount the number of firecrackers, display pieces and other things and go to bed determined to be up with the sun so as to offer the first, thunderous notice of the Fourth of July.

I’m afraid we didn’t give too much thought to the meaning of the day. And, yes, there were tragic accidents to mar it, resulting from careless handling of the fireworks. I’m sure we’re better off today with fireworks largely handled by professionals. Yet there was a thrill never to be forgotten in seeing a tin can blown 30 feet in the air by a giant “cracker” — giant meaning it was about 4 inches long. But enough of nostalgia.

Somewhere in our growing up we began to be aware of the meaning of days and with that awareness came the birth of patriotism. July Fourth is the birthday of our nation. I believed as a boy, and believe even more today, that it is the birthday of the greatest nation on earth.  Read more...

O Lord our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of kings, and Lord of lords, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers on earth and reignest with power supreme and uncontrolled over all the Kingdoms, Empires and Governments; look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these our American States, who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection, desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee. To Thee have they appealed for the righteousness of their cause; to Thee do they now look up for that countenance and support, which Thou alone canst give. Take them, therefore, Heavenly Father, under Thy nurturing care; give them wisdom in Council and valor in the field; defeat the malicious designs of our cruel adversaries; convince them of the unrighteousness of their Cause and if they persist in their sanguinary purposes, of own unerring justice, sounding in their hearts, constrain them to drop the weapons of war from their unnerved hands in the day of battle!

Be Thou present, O God of wisdom, and direct the councils of this honorable assembly; enable them to settle things on the best and surest foundation. That the scene of blood may be speedily closed; that order, harmony and peace may be effectually restored, and truth and justice, religion and piety, prevail and flourish amongst the people. Preserve the health of their bodies and vigor of their minds; shower down on them and the millions they here represent, such temporal blessings as Thou seest expedient for them in this world and crown them with everlasting glory in the world to come. All this we ask in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son and our Savior.  Read more...