Yesterday's Classics

Below is part of an e-mail that I got from Yesterday's Classics. I have included this in my library blog since the S.V.H.E. Co-op has offered writing classes frequently. Some of the writing classes have been Andrew Pudewa's. " To be a good writer you must first be a good reader," is basically what Andrew Pudewa is saying. Taking this thought I urge you to encourage your children to read and read. But more than that I also encourage you to read to your children.

DO YOU STILL READ ALOUD TO YOUR CHILDREN?
Many parents stop reading aloud to their children as soon
as they can read for themselves. That is exactly what you
should NOT do, according to Andrew Pudewa in a lecture I
attended last month. To learn why, listen to a version of
this lecture recorded several years ago (which Andrew
suggested I post on my website):

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=Frm4h&m=1a1mjRrrhmlcOn&b=yRy2vGUSLsvxfTujZw9y2Q

It is a long lecture, about an hour and a half, but using
the audio control you can listen to it, a little bit
at a time.

Chris Klicka

http://www.hslda.org/docs/news/200910050.asp

Above is a link telling of Chris Klicka death. I had seen him several times at the TPA homeschool conference in Wichita. He was there this spring. He and his boys were staffing the HSLDA booth. The American homeschool community has lost a great friend.

I want to mention his books that we do have in the S.V.H.E. library. They are: The Case for Home Schooling, The Heart of Home Schooling, Home School Heroes: The Struggle & Triumph of Homeschooling in America, and The Right Choice -Home Schooling. We also have an audio cassette titled The Battle for our Children's Minds.

.

Already Gone

Already Gone by Ken Ham & Britt Beemer with Todd Hillard

Another name for this book is: Why your kids will quit church and What you can do to stop it

This book uses research done by America's Research Group directed by C. Britt Beemer. What led to this research was that nationwide polls and denominational reports were showing that the next generation is calling it quits on the church. Respected pollster George Barna was first to quantified that six out of ten twenty-somethings who were involved in a church during their teen years are already gone.

Ken Ham of the Answer in Genesis ministry wanted to know how and why this is occurring. So he asked Britt Beemer and his research group to help get insight into this epidemic the church is facing.

One of the first things this book questions is the Sunday School movement and the youth ministry. The authors suggest that parents are delegating their responsibility. Because parents are not teaching, disciplining and training their own children as Scripture exhorts in Deuteronomy 6: 4-10 and Ephesians 6: 1-4 the baton of faith is not passed on to their children. The authors, Ken Ham and Britt Beemer, believe the Sunday School syndrome is a serious contributor to the overall problem of young people exiting the church.

Irrelevance is another reason given by those young adults who left the church. Hypocrisy is often mentioned. They see a great discrepancy between what people are saying and the way that they are living. Interestingly the type of music played in worship services had no effect on church attendance or exit. Surprisingly the exodus begins even before college. Many high school and middle schoolers are exiting the church.

A whole chapter, The Short Road to Irrelevance, points out that authority of the Scriptures is constantly challenged and undermined. The relevance of Scripture is gone in our culture. People no longer have an understanding of basic Christian concepts. Our culture's constant emphasis on evolution through the media and in public schools has undermined the authority of the Book of Genesis and therefore the Bible as a whole. The foundation of the church is crumbling!

If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? - Psalm 11: 3

Over half of this book is dedicated to solutions within our grasp to stop this epidemic. Apologetics is needed. A completely new approach as how to educate is advocated. This approach uses facts to support and confirm God's Word and the Christian faith. Young adults will then realize that the Word of God is the real deal. Ken Ham's web-site http://www.answersingenesis.org/ is dedicated primarily to apologetics. Here is a link that you can hear Ken Ham talk about this book in the video The State of the Nation: http://www.answersingenesis.org/media/video/ondemand/state-of-the-nation/state-of-the-nation

The church in the midst of its many programs has often forgotten the most important thing. What is this most important thing? Data reveals that spending time in the Bible is hands down the highest impact personal spiritual practice. Reflecting on the meaning of Scripture is often called having a quiet time with the Lord. Research has shown that progressive musical worship, dynamic small groups, and seeker-sensitive Sunday sermons are not the answer to church growth. But true spiritual growth and a healthy church all start with a person accepting the Word of God for what it is - the absolute authority - and treating it accordingly.

John 15: 5 says, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. "

Included in this book are suggestions for parents, the Christian educator, the youth pastor, and the pastor. These suggestions include defending and living the Word of God.

The authors are calling for a new reformation. They want to call the church back to the authority of the Word of God.

Even though this book has very little to do with homeschooling I wanted to include this book in the SVHE library to wake us homeschoolers to what is happening in our churches. Yes, we can make a difference today that will affect the statistics of tomorrow.

Back in 1980, when I was studying the Bible for the very first time, the first verse I was asked to memorize and meditate on was Second Timothy 3: 16-17. So I finish my review of Already Gone with the importance of all Scripture.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Harsh Truth about Public Schools

I have been looking for a book for young parents that are considering what type of schooling to pursue for their children. Do they consider public schools, private schools, Christian schools or homeschooling? I believe that I have found what I have been looking for in The Harsh Truth about Public Schools by Bruce N. Shortt. This book was originally printed in 2004 and then reprinted in 2007. Mr. Shortt and T.C. Pickney made national news in 2004 when they submitted the Christian Education Resolution for consideration at the Southern Baptist Convention. They had recommended homeschooling as the best choice.

This book contains 466 pages. It is well documented.
Titles of chapters include the following:
Why are you educating your children at a pagan seminary?
Do you like your daughter's nose-ring and tongue stud?
My child is on the honor roll
A blackboard jungle
School reform: A popular delusion
Government schools: The wages of Christian sin
Are your children unequally yoked?
Leading your children into the Promised Land of Homeschooling and Christian Schools.

Martin Luther is quoted in the introduction of the book. Here is what Luther says: " I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the heart of the youth."

As I read this book I thought of all the Christians I know who send their children to the public schools. I know pastors who send their children to the public schools. I just do not understand. Deuteronomy 6: 5- 7 must be missing from their Bibles. " You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up." In the chapter titled Are your children unequally yoked? it states that 85% of children from Christian families are in government schools. That is a lot of Christian children in the public schools. It would appear that Christian parents differ very little from non-Christian parents regarding the education of their children. Another verse that must be missing from some Christian parents' Bible is Romans 12: 2, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you many prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. "

Bruce Shortt's book is straightforward and easy to read. This book is based upon a clear understanding of God's educational mandate to parents. We as parents are to educate our children. Also, included in this book is a description of the anti-Christian thrust of the government school system which results in moral relativism, academic dumbing down, far-left programs, and near absence of discipline.

I do recommend this book to all young parents who are considering school choices. God does hold us responsible for the education of our children.

Handoff

Handoff by Jeff Myers is about passing the baton to the next generation. He has a web-site http://www.passingthebaton.org/ This web-site has helps for schools, churches, and families. The web-site claims that only one out of twenty Church families have any spiritual connection with their children outside of church. As homeschool families I hope that we are the exceptions. As homeschool parents we are not intimidated by the thought of discipling our children. The book Handoff tells us that civilization is at stake. We must pass the baton of following Jesus to the next generation.

In 2004 Athens Olympics the world watched as the U.S. women's 4X 100 relay team failed to pass the baton properly. The transfer of the baton from Marion Jones to teammate Lauryn Williams failed to happen in the exchange zone. In the race of life there is usually only one chance to pass the baton, and the truth is that this generation of young people is in danger of missing the baton. What can we do as adults? I invite you to read this book Handoff or go to the web-site http://www.passingthebaton.org/

Posted here is a link to Chapter 13 of the book Handoff : "How to Get the Attention of the Next Generation ( Without Yelling)" http://www.passingthebaton.org/images/stories/chapter%2013-how%20to%20get%20the%20attention%20of%20the%20next%20generation--without%20yelling.pdf

Two Trees of Knowledge

Two Trees of Knowledge by Diane Dekker is a book that convicts Christian parents to be true to the Christian faith. It is a biblical case for the separation of school and state. This book includes ten chapters. At the end of each chapter there is a Bible study. Diane Dekker takes a hard look at public education using Scriptures. There are alternatives. But these alternatives do require much commitment. Christian schools require tuition and homeschooling demands much time. Malachi 2: 15 says, "Has not the Lord made them (marriage partners) one? In flesh and spirit they are His. And why one? Because He was seeking godly offspring." As Christian parents, the single most important job we have is to raise our children to be godly men and women. That is the highest priority of our lives. This book I have included in the S.V.H.E. library to remind us of why we, the parents, are homeschooling our children.

Continuation of "Learning to read and read" posted December 2008

The very first blog I did I talked about dyslexia. I promised in that blog to get more items in the S.V.H.E Library to help parents of children with dyslexia. Well, I came across a helpful book titled: The Everything Parent's Guide to Children with Dyslexia by Abigail Marshall. This book promises to gives you all you need to ensure your child's success. The book's back cover states that your dyslexic child can succeed in the classroom and in life. Although dyslexia affects ten to fifteen percent of the U.S. population, only five out of every hundred people with dyslexia are recognized and receive assistance. This book is your first step in facing the challenges of dyslexia with a positive attitude. The author, Abigail Marshall, has been the manager of the www.dyslexia.com Web site since 1995.

The S.V.H.E. library does take donations. One item recently donated was Reading Reflex by Carmen McGuiness and Geoffrey McGuiness. They are the founders of Read America, Inc. and the developers of the research-based Phono-Graphix reading method. This book promises to help your child unlock the sound-picture code. "Reading is the single most important skill for any child to develop. And the key to learning how to read effectively is recognizing the sound that letter or word represent. With the help of the revolutionary system known as Phono-Graphix, you and your child can discover the sound-picture code that is the foundation of the written English language. " (taken from the back cover)

As I am typing these book reviews the thought came to my mind that maybe I should again share what I use. I use the Barton Reading & Spelling System. It is expensive but it is cheaper than paying a tutor to help with a dyslexic child. There are ten levels. Each level comes with everything you need. There is the tutor training on DVDs to help the parent. There is a complete guide on what to say as you are tutoring your child. Information on this system can be found at http://www.bartonreading.com/ This web-site is helpful in helping you understand exactly what dyslexia is. I have found Susan Barton and her system of helping a dyslexic person very helpful.

Pajama School

Last Saturday, May 30th, I attended the 2009 TPA Homeschool Convention at Century II Convention Center in Wichita, KS. While in the exhibition hall there I came across a booth with just a table and a book on it. The book was Pajama School by Natalie Wickham. The lady in the booth was her mother. Since I had gone to the TPA Homeschool Convention several times in the past I was familiar with the Wickham name. The Wickhams had been involved with TPA and their conventions for many years. Natalie has been involved with the Adventures in Character (AiC) program for ten years. She is the current director. This activity is available for six to twelve year olds during much of the time that the convention is going on. It has been a blessing for parents who want to take their children along and make it a family affair going to the annual TPA Homeschool Convention.

Back to the book, Pajama School. It has just been published this year, 2009. Natalie tells of her adventures as a homeschooler. Her homeschool adventures began when she was in third grade. Her family started homeschooling in September 1990. Since that time many changes had occurred in her family. Her mother gave birth to three children. There are now six children in the family. Her paternal grandmother came to live with them until her death. Natalie family's close friends lost a mother and a son due to a car accident. Her sister and best friend, Nicole, got married while Natalie, being older and still single, lives at home. Natalie tells of how she became involved in teaching character education in the Derby grade schools. She tells of her camp experience in California. She, also, tells of her years being a piano teacher. Natalie spends several chapters on all the work and prayer that goes into the AiC program that is now part of the TPA Homeschool Convention. Since Natalie was so involved in life and various projects she did not always have time for school. But after she graduated from her family's homeschool her parents requested she take the GED test. She got a perfect score!

Natalie has a very strong faith in Jesus Christ. She is an avid Bible student, spending time daily in the Scriptures. This book is a tremendous encouragement for any homeschool family. It is a long book, 334 pages. Natalie goes into detail on how she sought the Lord for all the decisions of her life. The Lord was always faithful to help her in her struggles. I do recommend this book, Pajama School. You will enjoy the stories from the life of a homeschool graduate, Natalie Wickham. This book will be available to check out at the August 2009 S.V.H.E. homeschool meeting.

Ten P's in a Pod

Ten P's in a Pod: A Million-Mile Journal of the Arnold Pent Family by Arnold Pent III

This is an awesome book about a crazy family sold out for God. It is funny but serious. Each morning is spent in Bible study, not just a few minutes but hours. This always happens in the morning no matter where they are staying before anything else occurs. This family travels around North America in usually more than one vehicle with many vehicle mishaps but always gets to their destination on time. The entire family, children included, preached, sing, perform, and minister the gospel in churches, for radio, television, and to whoever would listen. This family homeschooled before homeschooling became popular. If you are looking for a book to entertain as well as inspire you in your homeschooling adventure, this is the book. Come to the S.V.H.E. library and check it out.

Prayer

"So He said to them, 'This kind can come out by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.' " Mark 9: 29 NKJV

This Thursday, May 7th, is the National Day of Prayer. For more information go to this web-site: http://www.ndptf.org/home/index.cfm

Prayer is important in the daily life of a Christian homeschooler. It is the energy that helps us to survive the school day. Prayer is what brings miracles to our daily life. It fills in the 'gaps' where we as human teachers may fail. Prayer brings the impossible to happen.

Thinking about prayer reminded me of the books in the S.V.H.E. library about prayer. My favorite is The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie Omaritan. Stormie has written many books on prayer. Her books are all based on prayers using the Word of God. She was raised by an abusive mother. When she married she saw the same patterns of abuse developing in her marriage. She needed a solid foundation to based her life and her prayers on which she found only in the Bible, the Word of God. Another book we have in the S.V.H.E. library is The Power of a Praying Nation, which is also by Stormie Omaritan. We are told in I Timothy 2: 1- 2, " Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. " NKJV

Another one of my favorite books is How to Pray for Your Children by Erwin Prange. He gives the why and how of interceding for your children. Lam. 2: 19 states: "Arise, cry out in the night pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to Him for the lives of your children." This book is about family covenant prayer based on Acts 16: 31, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved and your household." On page 62 it talks about the wholeness of salvation and exactly what the word soteria, the Greek word for salvation, means. Chapter 6 talks about World War II. The author had served in the military during the war. He had wondered for years about the many miracles of that war: the Dunkirk Evacuation, why Germany turned away from totally destroying Britian, the Normandy invasion, the defeat of the Afrika Korps at the gates of Cairo, and Germany's mistakes in Russia. The author found out the answers to his questions when he was given a book entitled, Rees Howells Intercessor by Norman Grubb. This man, Rees Howells, and his school of intercessors prayed every night for five years about the war and God did intervene in the affairs of mankind during World War II. So if God can change the outcome of history through intercessory prayer, He can change the outcome of your children's lives. God can turn the outcome of your homeschooling and parenting attempts into good. You only have to pray! We have both these books in the S.V.H.E. library.

Other books we have include: When Children Pray and When Families Pray by Cheri Fuller, Prayers for Homeschool Moms by Michele Howe, How to be a Praying Mom by Jeannie St. John Taylor, and God Be with Us by Quin Sherrer and Ruthanne Garlock. For children we have the book I Can Talk to God by Jennie Davis and a cassette tape All about Prayer by Frank Peretti.

National Library Week

National Library Week is this week: April 12 - 18. To celebrate National Library Week I have written about my favorite topic, which is books.

When I want to relax I will read. I find reading a book reduces my stress level more than watching television or even exercising. Recently I came across a web-link that agrees with me. http://www.crosswalk.com/news/commentary/11601788/

What do we have in the S.V.H.E. Library that is relaxing?

The first thing that comes to my mind is the Elsie Dinsmore series by Martha Finley. We have 28 paperbacks and 12 hard bound books. These are interesting to read since the reader gets a picture of life in the late 1800s on a southern plantation here in the United States. Elsie was homeschooled by her father. She then homeschools her children and grandchildren with the help of her father. Christian values and issues are discussed along with the Scriptures.

Another series that the S.V.H.E. Library has includes ten books by Linda Hubalek. These are pioneer books that take you back to Kansas' frontier past. We have the following series: Butter in the Well, Trail of Thread, and Planting Dreams. If you want more information about this books or Linda Hubalek you can go this web-site. http://www.lindahubalek.com/pioneer-swedish-immigrant-books

Since I am talking about different series of books, I want to mention the Miller Family Series by Mildred Martin. Titles include: Missionary Stories with the Millers, School Days with the Millers, Wisdom and the Millers, Prudence and the Millers, and Storytime with the Millers. These are enjoyable character building stories.

Melissa Stone has an 8-volume series of books called Moments in American History. These books are filled with short biographies of people from American past. Titles are arranged chronologically and include: Larger than Life, A Cry for Action, Clouds of War, Rebellion's Song, Creative Days, Risking it All, Brighter Tomorrows, and Flying High.

All of the above books are children's books found in the S.V.H.E. Library. I have read these books to my children and do recommend them.

National Library Week is a time to celebrate. What better way to celebrate than finding a good book and sitting down to read it. Reading is fun!

More on Babies!

http://generationswithvision.com/RadioShow.aspx?sid=1123

I came upon this web-site surfing the web. This particular radio show commented on the quiverfull movement. I had created an entry in February in which I commented on the book A Full Quiver by Rick and Jan Hess and the book Be Fruitful and Multiply by Nancy Campbell. These books spoke of the blessings of having children. The speaker in this web-linked radio program is Kevin Swanson from Colorado. He is a second generation homeschooler. He and his wife homeschool five children. He has some interesting things to say about having children. You may or may not agree. But do check it out!

Heaven Help the Home!

Recently, I went to my favorite place to get books. It is the Salvation Army thrift store in Salina, KS where you can get children's books for $.25. I like to browse through the shelves of books at this store. Yesterday, I found Heaven Help the Home! by Howard G . Hendricks. It was in the children's section so I got the book for $.25.

This book was originally copyrighted in 1973. Then it went through several printings. In 1990 the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association published the book again through special permission of the original publisher, Victor Books. I read this book in the 1970s when I was just starting my family. Since it is an older book there is no mention of computers or the Internet. Also, there is no mention of homeschooling. However, the entire book is on the importance of the home. I recommended this book for any homeschooling family.

In chapter five Hendricks tells of a great preacher of God named Richard Baxter who took a new parish. He preached with great passion for the God to bring revival for three years but no results. Finally, one day Baxter threw himself across the floor in his study and cried out to God to do something or else he would die. God seemed to say to him that revival starts in the home not the church. Baxter then went home to home and helped the individual families start family worship. Finally, the Spirit of God started to light spiritual fires all over the congregation and true revival came.

Howard Hendricks, having spend many years with Dallas Theological Seminary, states that there is a big difference in the students who came from Christian homes and those who became Christians in their young adult lives with no Christian upbringing. Those without a Christian upbringing have so many struggles. Without doing so intentionally Hendricks is a good spokesman for homeschooling. Homeschooling from a Christian perspective involves much of what Hendricks talks about in his book.

Just what does Hendricks talk about in his book? Hendricks gives much practical advice starting with Psalm 127. " Unless the LORD builds the house they labor in vain." In chapter three Hendricks talks about Joseph from the Book of Genesis. Joseph was a man of convictions who was very consistent in living out his faith. Joseph is what we want our children to be liked. He is the standard we strive for with our children. Hendricks, also, talks about discipline, finances, roles, relationships, attitudes, and sexuality all from a Biblical worldview. This book is chock-full of practical advice about your life at home with your family. This book is worth your time to read it.

The importance of libraries

http://adv.visionforum.com/email/2009/03/04_mans-library/Little-Boy-Down-the-Road_The-Mans-Library.pdf

One of the new additions to the S.V.H.E. library is a book entitled The Little Boy Down the Road: Short Stories and Essays on the Beauty of Family Life. It is written by Douglas W. Phillips. The above link talks about the importance of libraries. This selection is found in chapter five of the book.

Quotes on reading from Nancy Campbell of the Above Rubies Magazine

"Today a reader,

Tomorrow a leader."

~ Margaret Fuller ~

When I was about eight, I decided that the most wonderful thing, next to a human being, was a book. ~ Margaret Walker ~

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~Anna Quindlen ~

No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting. ~ Lady Mary Wortley Montagu ~

There is no substitute for books in the life of a child. ~ Mary Ellen Chase ~

A room without books is like a body without a soul. ~ Marcus T. Cicero ~

Never judge a book by its movie. ~ J. W. Eagan ~

When you have mastered numbers, you will in fact no longer be
reading numbers, any more than you read words when reading books
you will be reading meanings. ~ Harold S. Geneen ~

Books are not men and yet they stay alive.
~ Stephen Vincent Benet ~

Books are not made for furniture,
but there is nothing else that so beautifully furnishes a house.
~ Henry Ward Beecher ~

A book is good company.
It is full of conversation without loquacity.
It comes to your longing with full instruction,
but pursues you never. ~ Henry Ward Beecher ~

A Blog on dyslexia

www.funlearnctr.wordpress.com

The above web link tells you information about dyslexia. The homeschool library does have the booklet Put Reading First that is talked about in the February 20, 2009 blog. The video that is posted for February 23, 2009 says about 10% of the population has dyslexia. This is the reason I posted this link on the S.V.H.E. library blog. Do check out the web link.

Requests

As a member of the S.V.H.E. homeschool library committee I have always asked if members have requests. Recently, a mother requested a DVD called Truth Be Told from Apologetics Press. This DVD is a seminar exposing the myth of evolution by Kyle Butt and Eric Lyons. There are 6 sessions about 38 minutes each. I was surfing the web and did find part of this seminar at Only Believe TV. Here is the web-link for Dinosaurs, part two: http://www.onlybelieve.tv/view_video.php?viewkey=a7d85472dd6fd0015f04&page=80&viewtype=&category=mr By watching this section online you can then decide if this is what you need for your current curriculum.

This DVD seminar examines the creation/evolution controversy in the light of reason and revelation. This DVD is copyrighted in 2008. In 2005 the same men, Kyle Butt and Eric Lyons, had published the book Truth Be Told. It is written as a high school textbook with questions at the end of the chapters. There are many pictures and illustrations. What I liked best is that the print is big enough that I do not have to take my glasses off to read. Other high school science curriculums that many homeschoolers use such as Bob Jone University Press, ABEKA, and Alpha Omega Publications do include many of the truths included in this book Truth Be Told. But this book Truth Be Told goes into much more details exposing the myth of evolution. It just might be worth your time to check this book or DVD out from the homeschool library.

Babies: Burden or Blessings?

I borrowed this title from the latest Vision Forum e-mail newsletter. In case you do not know about Vision Forum here are its web-links: http://www.visionforumministries.org/ and http://www.visionforum.com/ Vision Forum's main goal is to rebuild the Christian family one household at a time. Their latest newsletter talked about what is going on recently in the world concerning having children or not having children. Nancy Peloski, the Speaker of the House, as part of the $825 billion economic stimulus package wants to include taxpayer-subsidized effort to prevent the birth of more children. Why? She argues that children are bad for the economy. Meanwhile, in Japan there are not enough children. Italy and France are facing similiar situations. There are not enough children to maintain their economies. But what about China and India's population? There seems to be too many people in these countries.

Is there really an overpopulation problem in the world? The homeschool library has a copy of the Handbook on Population by Robert Sassone. This book addresses the myth of overpopulation. Yes, it is a myth. Read this book to find out more.

Whenever a question like this comes up it is always best to check what the Word of God say. To help find what these truths are the SVHE homeschool library does have a useful book. It is titled Be Fruitful and Multiply by Nancy Campbell. Mrs. Campbell uses Scripture to tells us the importance of having children. Another book A Full Quiver by Rick & Jan Hess uses Scripture and includes the practical part of having multiple children. An interesting discussion of the quiverfull movement can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiverfull. Since I have watched this movement the past twenty years I have observed that many Christian families have agreed with this quiverfull concept but instead of having many of their own natural-born children they have adopted other children into their families.

Psalm 127: 3-5
Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD:
and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man;
so are children of the youth.
Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them:
they shall not be ashamed,
but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Money

I am going through the library list looking for items on economics. The economic struggle that the world is experiencing is constantly in the news. A few weeks ago Dr. James Dobson on his Focus on the Family radio program had a rerun of an interview with Larry Burkett in the early 1990s. Larry Burkett had written a book called The Coming Economic Earthquake in 1991. We have that book in our homeschool library. I remember listening to his radio program Money Matters in the 1980s and 1990s. Larry died in 2003 of cancer. Anyway, the coming economic earthquake that Larry foresaw many years ago is now happening in 2009. Every day there is news of more lay-offs, more economic woes.

This is what Wikipedia says about Larry Burkett's book, The Coming Economic Earthquake: In The Coming Economic Earthquake (Moody Press, Chicago, I11. • 1991), Burkett delineated growing federal deficits and the ever increasing use of debt by business and households out of control. Burkett points out those severe economic times will appear sometime shortly after the millennium unless current polices are changed. Burkett believed that Keynesian economic policies, with ideals for continuing federal deficits and the implicit preference for higher levels of consumption, reduced saving, and a larger role for government in the economy are a means to disaster. As Burkett states in the book that as interest on the debt consumes a larger and larger portion of the yearly federal budget, and more money is borrowed each year to pay the interest on what was borrowed in previous years, there will be a temptation to “monetize” the debt at an increasing rate leading to a calamity not seen since the Great Depression. Burkett questioned whether or not elected leaders would take action in time to prevent fiscal chaos, and believed they would not. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Burkett

I want to include other related books we have in our homeschool library. One good book is Money Matters for Parents and Their Kids by Ron and Judy Blue. Living More with Less by Doris Janzen Longacre might be a good book to read in today's world. Training Your Children to Handle Money by Malcolm MacGregor is much needed for parents to prepare their children for adulthood. Jonni McCoy has two books that are worth reading. I remember these books being checked out frequently by homeschool moms. They are Frugal Families and Miserly Moms.

What do I think of these financial struggles that our world is going through? First, I want to say that I look to God as my Jehovah Jireh. He has always provided for me and my family. Hebrews 13: 8 says that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So I will continue to think of God as my Jehovah Jireh. The Scripture has more to say about looking to God as our provider. David says, " I have been young, and now am old;Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread." That verse is found in Psalm 37: 25. God can provide as seen in this verse: "For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills." Psalm 50: 10. Paul in the book of Philippians says he has learned to abase and to abound. Here is the verse in Philippians 4: 12: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. The next verse, Philippians 4: 13 is one of my favorite ones: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

So I end this blog asking the LORD to provide for our needs. In Jesus' name. Amen

New Year's Resolutions - Read the Classics

It is a new year. 2009. Time for resolutions. One homeschool web-site www.lovetolearn.net sent me an e-mail newsletter about resolutions. Their first resolution was to get organized. That is everybody's resolution. The second resolution was to read the classics. This confirmed to me the homeschoolers' need to read the classics. So I did purchase some classic unabridged literature. In 2004 Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. published a classic literature collection of unabridged children's books. Recently I purchased 10 of these books. These books are hardcover with a dust jacket. They also have a colored ribbon to help the reader keep track of their reading place. The titles purchased were: Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift, Heidi by Johanna Spyri, Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne, A Little Princess by Frances Burnett, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle, Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss, and Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, already in the homeschool library, is one of my favorite classic novels. I remembering reading it to my oldest daughter, Sara. The Salina Public Library has the videos that go with the book. We saw the videos several times. We even purchased paper dolls of Anne and Diana. We did change their clothes frequently. Because I enjoyed that classic novel so much I wanted to make other classic novels available in the homeschool library.

Another beautiful girl novel is Heidi by Johanna Spyri. There are also two other Heidi books that are worth reading: Heidi Grows Up and Heidi's Children. Be sure to read these books, also. Heidi is a lively young orphan who is sent to live with her grumpy grandfather in the Swiss Alps. The other two Heidi books follow her life as she grows up, marries, and has children. They are very charming books.

Another story told from the Swiss Alps is Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John. I considered this a classical novel. The homeschool library, also, has the video that goes with the book. This is probably Patricia St. John's most-loved children's book. It presents and deals with the issues of bitterness, hatred, and unforgiveness in a way that children can understand and relate to.The story centers around Annette, who feels she can never forgive Lucien, a neighboring boy, for causing her young brother, Danny, to fall down a cliff and break his leg. Annette goes out of her way to make sure everyone else hates Lucien, too. But then some surprising things start to happen to both of them. In the end, hatred and bitterness give way to forgiveness and friendship.

As the weeks go by I will write more on children's classics from literature. Be sure to come back to read more

Continuation of Christian History

To go along with the Christian History theme a children’s three book set on the Reformation was added to the library. The titles are Stories of the Reformation in Germany and England, Stories of the Covenanters in Scotland, and Stories of the Huguenots in France and Italy. This year 2009 is the 500^th birthday of John Calvin. Vision Forum, Inc. has recognized him as the man of the past millennium. To honor the anniversary of John Calvin’s birth the book John Calvin, Man of the Millennium is placed in the homeschool library.

Also, from Vision Forum is a fiction book named, The Princess Adelina by Julie Sutter. It is an ancient Christian tale of beauty and bravery.We saw clips of the latest DVD of Pilgrim’s Progress at our church. We were impressed since it was not animation. Pilgrim’s Progress: Journey to Heaven is a modern adaption of John Bunyan’s beloved classic tale. You can check it out at the homeschool library, also.