My kids and I have started a journey through the book of Exodus. Every morning for our Bible time before we start "school", we read and discuss a chapter from the book of Exodus. Since there are 40 chapters in the book, we know we are going to have 40 wonderful days of learning at the feet of Jesus.
Exodus is about the enslavement and redemption of the Hebrews and the birth of a Hebrew nation. We know that the enslavement of the Hebrews did not take God by surprise, in fact He told Abraham in Gen.15:13-14 that this was going to take place. I also believe that God chose to bring forth Moses at this time as well, so Moses' birth was not an accident at all.
We all know the story. When Moses was born, his mother decided to hide him, when she could hide him no longer, she put him in a basket and placed the basket in the river. For some reason (divine) Pharaoh's daughter decides to go wash at that same river at that time, then she spots the basket, when she opens it and finds a baby, she knows instantly that this is a Hebrew baby, but decides to adopt him. Then for some (divine) reason agrees to let a Hebrew woman nurse and raise the child until he was a little older. Pharaoh's daughter was obviously richer and could afford to give Moses' more stuff (i.e. private tutor, personal yoga trainer, etc), but God chose a godly woman who did not have stuff to give, but who knew what was really important to the upbringing of a child. God chose someone who would not give her God given responsibility over to the "experts".
This is the part that shows us the value of homeschooling. God knew that Moses cannot grow up to be the person he would use in the way He (God) intended to use him unless he was raised and taught the right values by the right person and this person was definitely not Pharaoh's daughter nor the household of Pharaoh. The Bible tells us that Moses was learned in the ways of the Egyptians. This means that he knew all about the idol worship and how the Egyptian royalty lived their lives, but he was not raised in the midst of it. Because he was nurtured by godly parents during his formative years, when he finally entered Pharaoh's palace, he did not become an Egyptian. He was not conformed to Egypt. He always knew he was a Hebrew, he even killed an Egyptian who was oppressing a Hebrew. Despite the fact that he was the son of Pharaoh’s daughter (keep in mind the Egyptians saw their Pharaohs as gods) and lived in the Palace and was probably worshiped just like the other members of the royal family, yet, he never considered himself an Egyptian. Prov. 22:6 and Hebrews 11:24-27 tells us why.
This was an eye opener for me as a homeschooling mom. God has given us our children to raise for his glory. During their formative years, it is ESSENTIAL that they are nurtured and raised in the right place (home) by the right people(parents) who will teach them the right values (godliness) so that when they eventually enter "Egypt" (the world), they will not conform to Egypt.
God Bless You
Elizabeth
Friday, July 25, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Why Home Education?
Why did you choose to home educate your child / children? The answer to this question will play a very vital role in shaping what and how you educate your kids.
There are lots of people home schooling today. Atheists are home schooling, Muslims are home schooling, Mormons are home schooling, Christians are home schooling, etc. However as a Born Again Christian, your reason for home schooling should be different from everyone else. Before we can even begin to home school, we ought to understand what our calling is in the Lord.
What kind of relationship do you want with the Lord? Do you want a very intimate relationship with God, the kind he had with people like Elijah, Elisha, Samuel, Joshua, Paul, etc. These people were mightily used by God not because they were special, but because they separated themselves unto the Lord, they spent a lot of time in the Word of God and in prayer.
Apostle Paul said in 2nd Tim.2:20 that in a house there are vessels unto honor and vessels unto dishonor, but if we can purge ourselves from worldliness, we will be vessels unto honor, fit for the Master’s use. We should always strive in our personal work with God to be vessels unto honor. Our desire as believers is to surrender our lives to Him, so that Jesus is not just our savior, but also our LORD. We should be willing to be set apart for the Masters' use.
Whether you are new to home education or already veteran remember to fix your eyes on the Lord at all times. Your mission as a home educator is not just to educate your kids, but also to sit at the master's feet so you can learn from Him also.
My mission as a home educator is to:
To Love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul and mind and to diligently teach the word of God to my children, and talk of it when we sit in the house, when we walk by the way, when we lie down and when we rise up. Deut.6:1-9
To understand that education IS discipleship.
To understand that the center of my calling is to raise up godly seed, to teach them what the Bible teaches.
To understand that teaching my children are my delight, my joy, my opportunity.
To always remember that I am not only a teacher, but also a student. God who commands that I call Him Father is my teacher.
God Bless You.
Elizabeth
There are lots of people home schooling today. Atheists are home schooling, Muslims are home schooling, Mormons are home schooling, Christians are home schooling, etc. However as a Born Again Christian, your reason for home schooling should be different from everyone else. Before we can even begin to home school, we ought to understand what our calling is in the Lord.
What kind of relationship do you want with the Lord? Do you want a very intimate relationship with God, the kind he had with people like Elijah, Elisha, Samuel, Joshua, Paul, etc. These people were mightily used by God not because they were special, but because they separated themselves unto the Lord, they spent a lot of time in the Word of God and in prayer.
Apostle Paul said in 2nd Tim.2:20 that in a house there are vessels unto honor and vessels unto dishonor, but if we can purge ourselves from worldliness, we will be vessels unto honor, fit for the Master’s use. We should always strive in our personal work with God to be vessels unto honor. Our desire as believers is to surrender our lives to Him, so that Jesus is not just our savior, but also our LORD. We should be willing to be set apart for the Masters' use.
Whether you are new to home education or already veteran remember to fix your eyes on the Lord at all times. Your mission as a home educator is not just to educate your kids, but also to sit at the master's feet so you can learn from Him also.
My mission as a home educator is to:
To Love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul and mind and to diligently teach the word of God to my children, and talk of it when we sit in the house, when we walk by the way, when we lie down and when we rise up. Deut.6:1-9
To understand that education IS discipleship.
To understand that the center of my calling is to raise up godly seed, to teach them what the Bible teaches.
To understand that teaching my children are my delight, my joy, my opportunity.
To always remember that I am not only a teacher, but also a student. God who commands that I call Him Father is my teacher.
God Bless You.
Elizabeth
Monday, July 14, 2008
Called to the Impossible
As one reads the Bible, it seems that God has always called people to great tasks that always seem impossible. Take Abraham for example, God called him out of his country and from amongst his kin to a land he did not know. Gen 12:1 says "Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred and from thy father's house unto a land that I will show you". Notice that God did not even tell him where he was going, but only that He was taking Abraham somewhere and when he gets there, he will let him know.
Then God chooses Joseph as the person he would use to preserve the life of the Patriarchs during a great famine, but allows him to go through slavery and jail before he gets to position he was chosen for. Moses was also called to lead God's people out of Egypt into the Promised Land, a task that proved to be one of the hardest jobs of all time. When the people came out of Egypt, they had to overcome Amalek, Jericho and a host of other nations before they could go in and possess the land that God had for them.
As a home schooling mom, do you sometimes feel that you have been called to an impossible task? If so, you are not alone, but you do not have to despair because the Lord who has called you to this task has already equipped you with all you need to do a great job. Eph.1:3 says "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" also 2nd.Pet.1:3 tells us "....his divine power hath given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness........"
Beloved, He has promised never to leave you nor forsake you. So if you feel overwhelmed or feel like you have been called to the impossible, do not be discouraged, be of good cheer. As long as you keep your eyes and focus on him and not on the waves around you, trust me, you will be able to walk on water just like He did, because "Faithful is he that has called you who also will do it" IThess.5:24.
God bless You,
Elizabeth
Then God chooses Joseph as the person he would use to preserve the life of the Patriarchs during a great famine, but allows him to go through slavery and jail before he gets to position he was chosen for. Moses was also called to lead God's people out of Egypt into the Promised Land, a task that proved to be one of the hardest jobs of all time. When the people came out of Egypt, they had to overcome Amalek, Jericho and a host of other nations before they could go in and possess the land that God had for them.
As a home schooling mom, do you sometimes feel that you have been called to an impossible task? If so, you are not alone, but you do not have to despair because the Lord who has called you to this task has already equipped you with all you need to do a great job. Eph.1:3 says "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" also 2nd.Pet.1:3 tells us "....his divine power hath given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness........"
Beloved, He has promised never to leave you nor forsake you. So if you feel overwhelmed or feel like you have been called to the impossible, do not be discouraged, be of good cheer. As long as you keep your eyes and focus on him and not on the waves around you, trust me, you will be able to walk on water just like He did, because "Faithful is he that has called you who also will do it" IThess.5:24.
God bless You,
Elizabeth
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
So You Did Not Feel Like "Doing" School Today?
Did you have one of those mornings were you did not feel like getting out of bed not to mention spending a few hours at the dining table going through workbook after workbook? Well, you are not alone, neither are you a lazy mom if you felt like spending a few more hours in bed. When you get one of these days, that is when it becomes necessary to focus more on the fact that education goes beyond workbooks. No matter what home schooling method you use, days like this call for the "relaxed" method of home schooling. This way, you are not only focusing on your reason for home schooling, you and your kids are also learning in a very relaxed way which is really fun and at the same time your "batteries" are begin re-charged.
We decided to home school because we wanted to our kids to grow up with Biblical world view and also wanted to be co-laborers with the Lord in raising godly seed. So when I get one of these days, I gather the kids in bed and we read lots of Bible stories and talk about them. This morning, we read about the Exodus and started a whole discussion on how archeological excavation supported the story of the Exodus. That pretty much took care of our history lesson for the day. We then proceeded to read a book on the life of Charles Dickens (Famous People)and talked about how the life of Dickens influenced his writings and generally what life was like in Dickens' day. We identified verbs, adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions and figures of speech such as similes and metaphors in the story (English). Since today was Friday and we had worked on math problems for at least 2 hours each day from Monday - Thursday, I decided to skip math for the day.
By lunch time I was completely relaxed and ready to go grocery shopping as well as run a few errands for the house. Home schooling is a lot of fun for me and my kids enjoy a lot of the things we do together. I have an eight year old and a four year old. The Bible tells us in Prov. 4:23 to guard our hearts with all diligence for out of it flows the issues of life. We should always be on guard and not allow the enemy to take a wholesome family activity like home schooling and turn it into a drag.
God bless you richly.
Elizabeth
We decided to home school because we wanted to our kids to grow up with Biblical world view and also wanted to be co-laborers with the Lord in raising godly seed. So when I get one of these days, I gather the kids in bed and we read lots of Bible stories and talk about them. This morning, we read about the Exodus and started a whole discussion on how archeological excavation supported the story of the Exodus. That pretty much took care of our history lesson for the day. We then proceeded to read a book on the life of Charles Dickens (Famous People)and talked about how the life of Dickens influenced his writings and generally what life was like in Dickens' day. We identified verbs, adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions and figures of speech such as similes and metaphors in the story (English). Since today was Friday and we had worked on math problems for at least 2 hours each day from Monday - Thursday, I decided to skip math for the day.
By lunch time I was completely relaxed and ready to go grocery shopping as well as run a few errands for the house. Home schooling is a lot of fun for me and my kids enjoy a lot of the things we do together. I have an eight year old and a four year old. The Bible tells us in Prov. 4:23 to guard our hearts with all diligence for out of it flows the issues of life. We should always be on guard and not allow the enemy to take a wholesome family activity like home schooling and turn it into a drag.
God bless you richly.
Elizabeth
Hand Selected By God
I was listening to Moody radio some time ago as I was serving the kids lunch and Dennis Rainey of Family Life Today was on and he said something very interesting. He said "Do you know you have been hand selected by God to introduce each one of your children to him?"
Now, this is very interesting because not only are we chosen by God to raise our kids, we were "hand selected" to introduce them to God Almighty! It sure gives parenting a whole new meaning when you look at it that way. I will go a step further and say, not only where you hand selected by God to introduce each one of your children to Him, you were also hand selected to disciple them. This is one of the reasons I decided to educate my kids at home. So I can disciple them more effectively.
As we carry out this God given job of introducing our kids to God and discipling(making disciples of) them, let us remember that more is caught than taught. They will learn more from what they see us do and how we react to situations than what we tell them. In the daily devotional "Our Daily Bread" for Tuesday, September 12, 2005 here is how the writer talks about discipleship:
In the first century, a Jewish man who wanted to become a disciple of a rabbi (teacher) was expected to leave family and job to join his rabbi. They would live together 24 hours a day walking from place to place, teaching and learning, studying and working. They discussed and memorized the Scriptures and applied them to life.
The disciple's calling, as described in early Jewish writings about basic ethics, was to "cover himself in the dust of [the rabbi's] feet," drinking in his every word. He followed his rabbi so closely that he would "walk in his dust." In doing so, he became like the rabbi, his master.
Our calling is to disciple our kids by example. We are to do this by living together 24 hours a day walking from place to place, teaching, learning, studying, working together as well as discussing and memorizing the Scriptures and applying them to life.
God Bless You,
Elizabeth
Now, this is very interesting because not only are we chosen by God to raise our kids, we were "hand selected" to introduce them to God Almighty! It sure gives parenting a whole new meaning when you look at it that way. I will go a step further and say, not only where you hand selected by God to introduce each one of your children to Him, you were also hand selected to disciple them. This is one of the reasons I decided to educate my kids at home. So I can disciple them more effectively.
As we carry out this God given job of introducing our kids to God and discipling(making disciples of) them, let us remember that more is caught than taught. They will learn more from what they see us do and how we react to situations than what we tell them. In the daily devotional "Our Daily Bread" for Tuesday, September 12, 2005 here is how the writer talks about discipleship:
In the first century, a Jewish man who wanted to become a disciple of a rabbi (teacher) was expected to leave family and job to join his rabbi. They would live together 24 hours a day walking from place to place, teaching and learning, studying and working. They discussed and memorized the Scriptures and applied them to life.
The disciple's calling, as described in early Jewish writings about basic ethics, was to "cover himself in the dust of [the rabbi's] feet," drinking in his every word. He followed his rabbi so closely that he would "walk in his dust." In doing so, he became like the rabbi, his master.
Our calling is to disciple our kids by example. We are to do this by living together 24 hours a day walking from place to place, teaching, learning, studying, working together as well as discussing and memorizing the Scriptures and applying them to life.
God Bless You,
Elizabeth
Moving Old Posts
For the next few posts and days, I will be moving some of the blogs I posted on an old blogsite to this one.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Top 10 Ways to Salvage an Interrupted Day
Got this from "Guit Free Homeschooling" website and I thought I should share it
You had finally found your homeschooling "groove." Lessons were zipping along, your students were working like well-oiled machines, and then it happened: something came along that broke that wonderful, systematic rhythm. You may have known it was on the calendar, but that still didn't prevent it from upsetting your entire homeschooling apple cart. Now you feel as though your students may never regain their previous momentum.
Rather than taking an entire day off, you may be able to salvage the remaining portion of an interrupted day and manage to keep enough of the energy that the interruption is merely an insignificant blip on your radar. Here are several ways to complete "school" when the normal routine has been interrupted by doctor's appointments, a minor family crisis, a field trip or co-op class, a funeral, or any number of other inconvenient breaks. These measures may also help you get through a bad weather day, a not-feeling-so-well day, or a we-really-overdid-it-yesterday day. (Tip: In the case of a minor family crisis that lands you and your loved ones in the local Emergency Room, try to redeem the experience as an impromptu field trip: encourage observational skills and appropriately timed Q & A sessions about what the medical professionals are doing, so that your students gain knowledge about other career fields along with the immediate medical attention. Plus, it can also help focus children's minds away from pain, suffering, and generally frightening situations.)
1. Half-Lessons--Scheduled interruptions (such as dentist appointments or well-child check-ups with the doctor) can allow you to plan ahead for a half-day of lessons. Shorten each subject's work load to a portion of its regular size and zip through your schedule in record time. Your students will know they have covered the usual subjects, and the results of the faster pace can spur your students into working more quickly on "normal" days, too.
2. Consumer Math--Shopping is necessary for every household, so incorporate it into your curriculum by posing price comparisons to your students. Show them how to read the labels for ingredients, size of contents, or any other vital statistics, and then help them compare brands and sizes to determine the best value for your family's needs. Yes, this can make shopping take longer, so I do not recommend doing this with every item when you are already pressed for time or when you are restocking a nearly bare pantry.
3. Life Skills--Sewing on buttons, hemming a skirt, ironing shirts, following a recipe for cooking or baking, washing windows, folding the laundry, cleaning out a closet, organizing the kitchen "junk" drawer, or sweeping out the garage--all are vital skills for life that can redeem the productivity of an interrupted school day.
4. Phys-Ed--Let 'em run. Dust off the bicycles, roller blades, baseballs, or jumpropes. Everyone needs a physical break now and then, and younger children need them even more often. The physical exercise relaxes their tired muscles and gives their brains "processing" time. You may be surprised at the creative ideas that are hatched during this "down" time.
5. Snuggle Up & Read Day--Grab your favorite books and head for the sofa. Read to each other or just let each person read his own book, side by side. Snuggle up with warm blankets and thick, warm socks. I love soaking in the warmth from a sunny window when the winter weather is too cold to enjoy venturing outdoors.
6. Craft Day--There is something infinitely satisfying and therapeutic about creating things with your own hands. Whether you make silly masks with paper plates and colored markers or intricately detailed ornaments for your next Christmas tree, the time spent with your children provides an opportunity to talk together, create together, and giggle and laugh together. Check hobby stores for ready-made craft kits if you need help getting started.
7. Cooking or Baking Day--Make an extra-large batch of cookies or soup and freeze the extra for use on your next too-rushed-to-cook day. Dicing onions, celery, or carrots to freeze for future use in soups or casseroles is a time-saver as well as an opportunity to work and talk together with your children.
8. Game Day--Play your favorite board games. Combine the pieces from several games and invent a new game. Don't keep score, but focus on the aspects of strategy and sportsmanship, instead of on winning and losing. Show lesser-skilled students how to plan ahead and think through their moves to help them strengthen their abilities for next time.
9. Nature Study--Take a walk. Sit under a tree. Watch and listen to the birds. Weed the flower bed. When the disruptions of life have intruded upon the security of your routine, regain control by surrounding yourselves with the peace and solitude of God's handiwork. It can be even more refreshing than a nap!
10. Video Day--Watch a favorite movie. Watch a new movie. Watch an old movie. Use technology to your advantage and pause the movie at strategic moments to discuss why the characters act the way they do or discuss how the plot would have changed if a key character had chosen another option at a crucial point.
Life Happens. I repeat that often to explain what has disrupted my formerly-planned day. When Life happens to your schedule, use it to your advantage to teach valuable life lessons. And remind yourself that children sitting in orderly rows in a sterile classroom are missing out on the inevitable spontaneity that is Life.
God Bless,
Elizabeth
You had finally found your homeschooling "groove." Lessons were zipping along, your students were working like well-oiled machines, and then it happened: something came along that broke that wonderful, systematic rhythm. You may have known it was on the calendar, but that still didn't prevent it from upsetting your entire homeschooling apple cart. Now you feel as though your students may never regain their previous momentum.
Rather than taking an entire day off, you may be able to salvage the remaining portion of an interrupted day and manage to keep enough of the energy that the interruption is merely an insignificant blip on your radar. Here are several ways to complete "school" when the normal routine has been interrupted by doctor's appointments, a minor family crisis, a field trip or co-op class, a funeral, or any number of other inconvenient breaks. These measures may also help you get through a bad weather day, a not-feeling-so-well day, or a we-really-overdid-it-yesterday day. (Tip: In the case of a minor family crisis that lands you and your loved ones in the local Emergency Room, try to redeem the experience as an impromptu field trip: encourage observational skills and appropriately timed Q & A sessions about what the medical professionals are doing, so that your students gain knowledge about other career fields along with the immediate medical attention. Plus, it can also help focus children's minds away from pain, suffering, and generally frightening situations.)
1. Half-Lessons--Scheduled interruptions (such as dentist appointments or well-child check-ups with the doctor) can allow you to plan ahead for a half-day of lessons. Shorten each subject's work load to a portion of its regular size and zip through your schedule in record time. Your students will know they have covered the usual subjects, and the results of the faster pace can spur your students into working more quickly on "normal" days, too.
2. Consumer Math--Shopping is necessary for every household, so incorporate it into your curriculum by posing price comparisons to your students. Show them how to read the labels for ingredients, size of contents, or any other vital statistics, and then help them compare brands and sizes to determine the best value for your family's needs. Yes, this can make shopping take longer, so I do not recommend doing this with every item when you are already pressed for time or when you are restocking a nearly bare pantry.
3. Life Skills--Sewing on buttons, hemming a skirt, ironing shirts, following a recipe for cooking or baking, washing windows, folding the laundry, cleaning out a closet, organizing the kitchen "junk" drawer, or sweeping out the garage--all are vital skills for life that can redeem the productivity of an interrupted school day.
4. Phys-Ed--Let 'em run. Dust off the bicycles, roller blades, baseballs, or jumpropes. Everyone needs a physical break now and then, and younger children need them even more often. The physical exercise relaxes their tired muscles and gives their brains "processing" time. You may be surprised at the creative ideas that are hatched during this "down" time.
5. Snuggle Up & Read Day--Grab your favorite books and head for the sofa. Read to each other or just let each person read his own book, side by side. Snuggle up with warm blankets and thick, warm socks. I love soaking in the warmth from a sunny window when the winter weather is too cold to enjoy venturing outdoors.
6. Craft Day--There is something infinitely satisfying and therapeutic about creating things with your own hands. Whether you make silly masks with paper plates and colored markers or intricately detailed ornaments for your next Christmas tree, the time spent with your children provides an opportunity to talk together, create together, and giggle and laugh together. Check hobby stores for ready-made craft kits if you need help getting started.
7. Cooking or Baking Day--Make an extra-large batch of cookies or soup and freeze the extra for use on your next too-rushed-to-cook day. Dicing onions, celery, or carrots to freeze for future use in soups or casseroles is a time-saver as well as an opportunity to work and talk together with your children.
8. Game Day--Play your favorite board games. Combine the pieces from several games and invent a new game. Don't keep score, but focus on the aspects of strategy and sportsmanship, instead of on winning and losing. Show lesser-skilled students how to plan ahead and think through their moves to help them strengthen their abilities for next time.
9. Nature Study--Take a walk. Sit under a tree. Watch and listen to the birds. Weed the flower bed. When the disruptions of life have intruded upon the security of your routine, regain control by surrounding yourselves with the peace and solitude of God's handiwork. It can be even more refreshing than a nap!
10. Video Day--Watch a favorite movie. Watch a new movie. Watch an old movie. Use technology to your advantage and pause the movie at strategic moments to discuss why the characters act the way they do or discuss how the plot would have changed if a key character had chosen another option at a crucial point.
Life Happens. I repeat that often to explain what has disrupted my formerly-planned day. When Life happens to your schedule, use it to your advantage to teach valuable life lessons. And remind yourself that children sitting in orderly rows in a sterile classroom are missing out on the inevitable spontaneity that is Life.
God Bless,
Elizabeth
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