Homeschool and Mother's Journal, June 7

In my life this week:
Life always has surprises for us, yes? A pleasurable weekend hike left my husband with a mosquito bite-turned-into-an-abscess. The pesky mosquito penetrated a benign cyst in the area, wreaking havoc and generating medical bills and much pain. With no insurance we can only go to clinics, so it was a nurse practitioner who did the minor surgery, necessitating four visits so far. Yikes! We're also spending a small fortune on gauze and tape and ointment, with no end in sight.

But God is good. We have the clinics, at least.

This is a small blog but lo and behold, I got an e-mail offering a $25 gift card if I would insert one sentence about a certain product (with link) into a relevant post. After the medical bills it looked enticing, but I just couldn't respond. This blog reflects my heart and my heart isn't for sale. I don't begrudge those who use blogging to generate income and perks--it's a job like any other job--but I could never bring myself to do it here.

I don't believe my Lord--who didn't want his Father's house turned into a marketplace--would ever make it necessary here, on a personal journal. More than anything, my journal records the nudgings and whispers of the Holy Spirit unto my heart and that is sacred to me and to Him.

Last week I pontificated about a minor drought here in Northeast Ohio, and this week we have a flooded garden; the heavens wouldn't stop dripping.

On the bright side, tomorrow promises good hiking weather, after which we'll cover all mosquito bites with ointment and bandaids for a time, because y'all, I've learned my lesson. A mosquito's bite is bacteria's delight.

In our homeschool this week:
We dove into half days this week, after which we'll break in August for 6 weeks. The children had a good year and we could certainly stop, but too much free time is as dangerous as too little, and momentum is important.

Since I don't need their help on the farm (I wish we had a farm) continuing to read, write, do arithmetic and listen to stories for a few hours a day seems like the best option...and a good excuse to keep them out of the sun from 11:00 to 2:00. Two of mine would play outside from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM if I'd let them.

First I want to share our favorite picture books from the week.



There are so many beautiful picture books packed with learning and grace, that we scarcely need buy lower-elementary curriculum at all. One such book comes recommended by Honey for a Child's Heart, and tells the story of a  pioneer woman, lonely and heartsick out on the prairie, longing for friends, family and flowers. A Packet of Seeds by Deborah Hopkinson is a heartwarming story about a woman's broken heart and her young daughter's desire to see her mother smile again.

"I knew Momma wouldn't ask Pa to leave this new land...but I wondered if I'd ever see her smile again."

Woven between the skilled, poignant words is the story of all pioneer women and the incredible hardships they endured as our country expanded...a book every mother and daughter should discuss and enjoy together. The lovely Momma in the story must practice submission when her husband suggests moving west; she does so with grace, though she's heartbroken.

And the boys in your home? They can learn empathy for a wife from this lovely tale; don't leave them out of the reading. While it's labeled for ages 4 to 8, I think the depth is there for this to be a wonderful learning experience for kids up to age 14.

Picture books that teach history are rarely just for little ones. Who doesn't enjoy pictures to go along with deep story? I loved the art work in this book too, painted by Bethanne Andersen. Beautiful!

Have a blueberry lover in your home? Why not check out Blueberries for Sal, which is a tale as charming as they come for little ones, by Robert McCloskey (also recommended in Honey for a Child's Heart).

You'll find this suspenseful, surprising, and delightful. Afterward I recommend hands-on math games with blueberries or a suitable substitute. Grab a pale and do addition and subtraction as berries are manipulated to and fro. Visit a blueberry farm for picking and make something delightful with these nutritious berries, discussing the healthful antioxidants and other vitamins.

And don't forget all the preparation animals go through to prepare for winter, much as Sal's mother plans to can her blueberries for winter nutrition, and bear's mother explains why her little bear must fatten up for the long winter nap. Can your child brainstorm other animals who must prepare...like squirrels and chipmunks?

Been raining in your state? How about a walk down rainbow lane with A Rainbow of my Own, by Don Freeman. This classic tale lends itself to science experimenting with prisms, and to tissue paper or watercolor rainbow art. Or even to torn construction paper rainbows, not to mention a splashy walk in the summer rain.

11-year-old Peter is enchanted this week by The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E. L. Konigsburg., winner of a Newberry Medal. Full of humor and originality, this book both teaches and delights.



My Paul is reading Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes, set in the 1770's, a book recommended by Sonlight American History, Part One.



Technically, for the 2012-13 school year we're doing American History, Part Two, but we didn't buy the whole set of Sonlight books last year, and since I had a little extra curriculum money this year we purchased (used of course) the remainder of American History, Part One, Johnny Tremain included. We'll go back and read the best of what we missed this summer, and my girls, when they're ready, will have the whole set ready to go.

The following excerpt is from a wonderful study guide for Johnny Tremain, found at the Glencoe Literature Library:

In Johnny Tremain, readers share not only a historical journey but also Johnny’s personal journey of growth and discovery. When planning the novel, Forbes was determined “to give Johnny room enough to change and grow.” She also wanted “an obstacle [for] Johnny . . .to face from the beginning to the end of the book. . . . This obstacle was to have psychological significance.” At the beginning of the novel, Johnny is an arrogant and impulsive boy, but then life knocks him around quite a bit. He runs into some bad luck and also creates some problems for himself with his excessive pride. He has to face his problems and try to figure out who he is and what matters to him. When the dramatic events of the American Revolution involve Johnny, he must decide what ideas and beliefs are worth fighting for.

Even if you don't homeschool, I highly recommend this story as a family read-aloud, or as required reading for your upper-elementary or middle-school children. Sonlight recommends it as a read-aloud, but instead I'm reading it alongside my boys, to both challenge them and make sure the depth sinks in.

The boys are also busy building Lego Creations amidst the heavy rain we're having. They're playing with magnets, caring for the snapping turtle we're observing, learning new chores, and settling with Mom what "half-day school" means.

We continue to enjoy Writing With Ease, Level 4, by Susan Wise Bauer. So much more learning is packed into this resource than just writing instruction. All the selections Susan chose for us to use in dictation and narration are from a classic perspective. My boys learned so much about Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance, just from their dictation and narration exercises! And there's much more to come. I'm so grateful for this resource, which is self-contained, thorough, organized, and well thought out.



Helpful Homeschooling Advice to Share:
I highly recommend starting with Morning Meeting, right after breakfast, which entails prayer, a Bible reading, and discussing the day's agenda and expectations. I've found this really sets the right tone for the day and makes all of us stay on track better. I have check-off sheets on the walls, but I still need to go over the expectations each day so the children won't forget their chores or other responsibilities. I have one son who hopes I'll forget the check-off sheets, and sometimes, without morning meeting, I do!

This goes without saying, but it works best to let the little ones leave the meeting earlier than the older ones.

Places We're Going and People We're Seeing:
We went to a movement, craft, and literature class at the library for my two girls, ages 4 and 6. And this Sunday afternoon we're visiting a pig farm with some friends so Peter can take pictures for a library photo contest. Promises to be fun and educational for all! Weather permitting, we'll do another family hike this weekend.

My Favorite Thing This Week:
My favorite thing is nearly always the same--reading to my kids! It relaxes and bonds us so well. And I'll have to add in the family walks this week as well.

My Kids' Favorite Thing:
Sometimes I know the answer to this question without asking them, but this week I had to ask:

Paul - That Mommy didn't have any headaches, family walks.
Peter - Storytime, family walks
Mary and Beth - Loving my Mommy, family walks.

I'm so glad I asked! :)

Things I'm Working On:
You know how the master bedroom seems to collect all the clutter, especially when you're cleaning for guests and short on time? We don't have a garage or basement so we're more challenged in this area. So this week I organized, decluttered, dusted and shined up the master bedroom. It's modestly beautiful, at last!

I told a neighborhood girl she can use our Teaching Textbooks math DVD-ROM to improve her math grades, but I don't know if she'll actually come (her motivation is low). Nevertheless, the room is ready for her, no longer a distracting disgrace. The computer in there is the only quiet place to listen to the lecture on the DVD-ROM.

 It would be a miracle if our 11-year-old friend earns a high-school diploma, I'm afraid. She's at risk for so many things, but none of it's too big for God...I'm thankful for that!

I'm back to regular walking and I love our neighborhood this time of year. So many pretty flowers and neat yards. Always a delight to stroll here, either alone or with the whole family.

I'm Cooking:
Dinner so far this week: french toast and cheesy eggs; crockpot whole chicken; chicken noodle soup; tacos; bowtie pasta; grilled chicken.

Our grill needed a part but thanks to Amazon's quick service we're back in business tonight.

I'm Grateful For:
Time with my children, fewer and fewer headaches, low-cost clinics for the uninsured, sweet kids, green lawns, walking, flowers, family dinners, a like-new master bedroom, that God always provides, that every day is meant for learning and growing closer to Him

I'm Praying For:
Family, husband, kids, friends, country, church, neighborhood, Compassion kids, my own heart to cling to Him for sustenance

Photo, Link, or Quote to Share:

How about a poem attesting to the delight children are to our hearts and lives, found here?

No Children!
Edgar Guest 

No children in the house to play--
It must be hard to live that way!
I wonder what the people do
When night comes on and the work is through,
With no glad little folks to shout,
No eager feet to race about,
No youthful tongues to chatter on
About the joy that's been and gone?
The house might be a castle fine,
But what a lonely place to dine!

No children in the house at all,
No fingermarks upon the wall,
No corner where the toys are piled--
Sure indication of a child.
No little lips to breathe the prayer
That God shall keep you in His care,
No glad caress and welcome sweet
When night returns you to your street;
No little lips a kiss to give--
Oh, what a lonely way to live!

No children in the house! I fear
We could not stand it half a year.
What would we talk about at night,
Plan for and work with all our might,
Hold common dreams about and find
True union of heart and mind,
If we two had no greater care
Than what we both should eat and wear?
We never knew love's brightest flame
Until the day the baby came.

And now we could not get along
Without their laughter and their song.
Joy is not bottled on a shelf,
It cannot feed upon itself,
And even love, if it shall wear,
Must find its happiness in care;
Dull we'd become of mind and speech
Had we no little ones to teach.
No children in the house to play!
Oh, we could never live that way!

Have a blessed week friends! If you read all the way to the bottom, I owe you thanks. :)

Trust and Obey

 

Hello Friends. I'm in Philippians today and contemplating these verses:

Philippians 2:12-13
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

This passage proves a difficult one to translate from the original Greek to the English. In Word Studies for the Greek New Testament, Kenneth Wuest says it well:

“The English translation is good, if one uses the words “work out” as one does when referring to the working out of a problem in mathematics, that is, carrying it to its ultimate goal or conclusion. The Greek word here means just this.”

In other words, we don't work for our salvation, we live out the salvation we already have. God's Holy Spirit makes us want to obey God's Word. Next, he gives us the power to obey. We will succeed because God's good pleasure wills our success.

Practically speaking, what is our job in the whole effort?

Trust and obey.

Trust and obey has everything to do with how we use our time. We can fill our days with non-biblical pursuits and say we don't have time to do more. Or we can write down God's commands and build our schedule around those. It's the difference between God first or me first.

Here's what this looks like:

~ God commands that we read our Bibles, so we pick them up and open them. We make the time, God does the rest.

~ God commands us to serve one another, so we serve at home, at church, and in the neighborhood. We make the time and God does the rest.

~ God commands that we pray, so we sit down and start talking; the Holy Spirit gives us the words.

~ God commands us to love the poor, the needy, the widows and orphans, so we spend less and give more, trusting God to give us the courage to live a humbler life than the rest of the culture. We set aside the resources and/or time, and God does the rest.

~ God says to disciple our children, so we talk to them about Jesus, about sin, about salvation, about God's work in our hearts. We share God's Word and we pray with them. We make sure our children are with us enough to accomplish this, and that we're not too busy ourselves. We make the time, God does the rest. The outcome is not our responsibility, just the obedience.

~ God commands us to be humble, so we practice not getting our way, and not consciously or subconsciously promoting ourselves before man, remembering our position before God, trusting the Holy Spirit to do the rest.

Working out our salvation is like a knee-jerk reaction. God commands something, we do it...without question or grumbling.


Philippians 2:14-16 

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life....

If we are Christians, God is speaking to us. We can't deny it, can we? He's nudging us to follow Him. The path is at times unspeakably difficult, like it was for Paul in prison, but that's where trust comes into play.

I will trust God, even though these hot coals will surely burn my feet. I will trust God, even though losing a job feels like the end of the world. I will trust God, even though having more children doesn't seem affordable. I will trust God, even though my husband doesn't deserve my devotion right now. I will trust God, even though my children are ansty when I read the Bible to them. I will trust God, even though I can't stand that neighbor across the way.

One important example came up recently in my own life. I wish I could say I trusted and obeyed immediately, but it's more an example of God's perseverance in my heart and life.

The children's ministry coordinator at our church resigned as of June 1. A notice went up in the bulletin in early May, asking for a successor. My heart immediately quickened. I have four children in Sunday classes and with that comes the responsibility to help make the programs a success.

But, I told myself, I have standing AWANA and VBS commitments, a once-a-month nursery commitment, and a Children's Bible study in my home each week (every other week in summer). I'm also a wife and homeschooling mother who teaches, prepares 21 meals a week, writes, and does laundry and cleaning.

How could I possibly be a children's coordinator? Especially when my boys have told me about behavior problems in the older classes (there are four rooms total). If having children hadn't retired me from teaching, behavior problems would have.

I knew coordinating means frequent teaching. Securing volunteers for children's ministry is very, very hard, and sometimes they get sick, or too busy and they resign. Or worse, they forget and don't show up sometimes.

I did nothing for two weeks, hoping someone else would step up. It seemed to me I needed more time to relax, not less.

The notice remained in the bulletin.

I realized I was grumbling in my mind, making excuses. God put the job on my heart right away and he wouldn't let me dismiss it.

In the third week I began praying, and then offered to coordinate for just the nursery and preschool rooms. I meet with the Pastor next week to discuss the ministry. I don't know if I'm a good fit for their vision, but I know God has given me skills to match the job.

I wrote the e-mail offering my service, and I'm trusting God to do the rest. My part is to be obedient; the outcome is not my responsibility.

Trust and obey.

1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

Psalm 18:2 “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”

Humility and Gratitude: Multitude Monday

Hello Friends and Happy Monday.

Twice I've written on humility this week: here and here. Today I'd like to explore the connection between gratitude and humility. Which begats which, do you suppose? Do I learn humility as I give thanks, or do I give thanks because I'm humble?

Wearing humility and thankfulness are not an option--not just an ideal. We're commanded in scripture to be both humble and thankful.

"Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done" 1 Chron. 16:8.

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5

Peter teaches that humility is something we put on, like our clothes for the day or our deoderant. It's not an easy garment to put on, but we must practice: we must wear it and walk in it.

But how? The short answer is that we do it through prayer, but there's a longer answer too. There's a fundamental truth we must grasp before we can put on humility and take off pride:

For from him and through him and to him are all things.

Our daily bread, shelter, clothes, family, jobs, gifts, friends, joy, peace, spiritual growth, and comfort. All of it is gift...undeserved gift.

Romans 11:33–36
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

It's when I grasp this concept that without God I am nothing and have nothing, that I begin to see everything as gift. I understand that I am completely dependent on God. He is the Almighty Living God and I am the created being. He is sovereign and all powerful; I am powerless and incapable of generating good outside of God's Holy Spirit.

This understanding of our position before God is crucial. We are beggars.

A beggar is thankful because he knows that without the handout, he starves. A beggar is humble because he has nothing; he has no source of pride. In fact, to be prideful--to quit begging to uphold some image--would mean sure starvation. A beggar can't afford pride.

From an early age we're conditioned to say thank you for birthday gifts. Not everything from God comes with birthday wrapping, but it's just as much a gift. When I begin to see these gifts--instead of feel entitled to them or take them for granted--I am thankful. My God is an awesome God! Without Him I am nothing. He's generous and loving. He sustains me. I praise You and thank you, Oh God!

Does a thankful person become humble, or does a humble person give thanks?

Yes and yes. A beggar is clothed in humility and gratitude. Both these graces are given to the beggar simultaneously by an Almighty God who loves to be glorified.

If God didn't love His own glory so much, He'd let us succeed in our own strength. But in fact we were created and saved to bring Him glory...not for our own pleasure. We are loved with an inexplicable, sacrificial love, and as that love transforms us, God receives His due glory. And we? We develop a love so deep, so all-consuming for Him, that we grow to delight in His glory.

A person who assumes a beggar's pose is one who fully understands; I am here for God's purposes and I get everything from Him.

When we come before the Lord begging for these graces, we are in fact praying. Our best prayer sessions with the Lord come when we are desperate, in full surrender, knowing we cannot generate what we need. Our hands are out-stretched. Our hunger is profound; we are humbled by dire need.

When in His infinite love He satisfies us, we're overcome with gratitude.

For from him and through him and to him are all things. 

 "When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, ‘He is good; His love endures forever’" (2 Chron. 7:3).

Giving Thanks Today

Dear Lord, thank you for these graces and blessings:

~ 3 bird nests in the yard

~ little girls cuddled against me, enjoying good books

~ a steadfast husband

~ more rain

~ squash coming up

~ a son who loves cultivating the ground, making beauty from dirt

~ a prolific strawberry patch in the backyard, delighting my snacking children

~ half-day summer school here at home

~ library programs

~ good friends

~ my Heavenly Father, who continues his good work in my heart in spite of  me

~ lessons on humility

~ the power of God's Word

~ my family extending everyday grace toward an imperfect mother, wife, and homemaker

~ church dresses from the thift store for my girls, all at the bargain price of the day, and flawless

~ a loving church family

~ far fewer headaches

~ time with my children every day

~ the bonding gift of the family read aloud 

~ a son who once hated math, saying he's good at it and he likes it

~ a boy who likes to write stories and has a way with words

~ a snapping turtle to observe

~ a large yard

~ a strong desire to put on humility

~ the blessings bestowed on the one who dares to beg God for daily bread and blessing, knowing that outside the Lord's handouts, there is no sustenance

What's blessing you today, my friend?

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26 Things About Humble People

Hello Friends and Happy Sunday. I mentioned that I'm studying humility during my quiet time. Ugh. It's been good, wonderful even, don't get me wrong. But what a learning experience.

How ashamed I've felt; I'm far from humility even after 16 years as a Christian.

I see this study as monumental in my Christian walk. God has been speaking to me loudly about humility for nearly 2 years, but only now have I begun to really study it.

My personal stumbling blocks are these:

~ When I work hard for others, I want to be thanked.

~ I sometimes think ill of others in a blind effort to build myself up in my own mind.

~ When I don't feel like I'm enough, I work harder, not for the Lord, but for myself.

~ I'm willing to criticize my housemates, but I'm hurt and sad when they criticize me; I even try to defend myself.

~ I care what others think of me.

There are other things, but these stand out today. It's only by the grace of a glorious God that I'm learning these things. My job now that I understand what humility truly is, is to pray for it in my heart and ask for forgiveness when I fail in it.

Humility, I think, is a matter of putting on God's glasses, so to speak. When I see myself through His eyes, I see my filth and my need for forgiveness and redemption. If I can just remember the view from the God glasses--one of filthy sin--my heart will reflect humility; it will reflect gratitude that He could possibly love me enough to submit to death on a cross for me.

If I trust him with my salvation, I can trust him with my worth, and not care about what I'm worth to others.

A humble person...

...knows who she is in Christ.

...has a grateful heart.

...does not need to defend herself.

...walks in the power of God's Holy Spirit, not in her personal power.

...puts others first.

...defuses arguments, rather than participates in them; she is a peacemaker.

...handles unfair treatment peaceably.

...receives criticism graciously and learns from it.

...is not devastated by her own failures.

...asks for forgiveness readily.

...is courteous and loving, even when she needs to be firm.

...seeks the good in others.

...feels strong in the Lord.

...is aware of her gifts, but understands they come from God's grace alone.

...sees herself through God's eyes rather than her own.

...confesses her sins before God and man.

...submits to authority.

...accepts a lowly place; does not seek to exalt herself.

...associates with the poor and lowly.

...chooses to serve others.

...forgives readily.


Rewards for being truly humble:

Humble people...

...receive God's favor. (Prov. 3:34)

...receive God's wisdom. (Prov. 11:2)

...find riches, honor and life. (Prov. 22:4)

...will be exalted by God. (1 Peter 5:6)

...can get along with others. (1 Samuel 25)

Humility Quotes:

Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. --C.S. Lewis

A man can counterfeit love, he can counterfeit faith, he can counterfeit hope and all the other graces, but it is very difficult to counterfeit humility.-- D. L. Moody

The meek man is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. He has accepted God's estimate of his own life: In himself, nothing; In God, everything. He knows well that the world will never see him as God sees him and he has stopped caring.-- A.W. Tozer

 Nothing disciplines the inordinate desires of the flesh like service, and nothing transforms the desires of the flesh like serving in hiddenness. The flesh whines against service but it screams against hidden service. It strains and pulls for honor and recognition. --Richard Foster

 Humility is nothing but truth, and pride is nothing but lying. -- Vincent de Paul

 I am sure that there are many Christians who will confess that their experience has been very much like my own—that we had long known the Lord without realizing that meekness and lowliness of heart should be the distinguishing feature of the disciple, as they were of the Master. Such humility is not a thing that will come on its own. It must be made the object of special desire, prayer, faith and practice. --Andrew Murray

I long to accomplish a great and noble task; but my chief duty is to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble -- Helen Keller
Simplicity is the nature of great souls.-- Papa Ramadas

We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed. --Brother Lawrence

How do we know if we have a servant’s heart? By how we act when we are treated like one!--Unknown

 Be not proud of race, face, place, or grace. --Charles Haddon Spurgeon

 Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.-- Thomas a Kempis

 The meek man will attain a place of soul rest. As he walks on in meekness he will be happy to let God defend him. The old struggle to defend himself is over. He has found the peace which meekness brings.-- A.W. Tozer

We have forgotten the gracious hand which has preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving Grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. --Abraham Lincoln

Your turn. What have you learned about humility this year?

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Homeschool and Mother's Journal, May 31

In my life this week:
I'm nearly there in experiencing victory over rebound headaches! This has been a long-time prayer and I thank the Lord for His wisdom and healing. I'm so excited about this new-found health!

The central air conditioner in our house went out again today, so it wasn't all good this week. Last week it was the circuit breaker, but we checked that first thing this time. We can't afford a new unit so I pray it's something minor. This Momma needs her air; some people do heat well but that's not me. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I'll be saying that a lot if we lose our central air!

I'm doing fine washing dishes by hand after last month's dishwasher demise, but I must say, doing dishes in the hottest water you can stand gets very hot in the summer!

Wearing lighter clothes this time of year means less laundry. My whole house is neater and cleaner because of the time freed up. Makes it easier to host and teach a Saturday Children's Bible Study here in our home.

Our friend Dean helped Peter repair one of our bird boxes and now we have a bluebird pair nesting in our yard!

In our homeschool this week:
I'm working my girls hard (ages 4 and 6) now that they sit still longer. We added in regular modeled writing. I use chart paper to write the sentences they dictate, talking about grammar and spelling while I write, eliciting the sounds from them as we sound out the words together. Then, they use a pointer and read the "daily news" back to me. I then copy their sentences onto lined paper and cut them apart between each word, and the girls put them back in order and read their sentence to me, and read the words out of order too.

We added in a second read-aloud session, starting our school day with 5 stories chosen from Honey For A Child's Heart.



Here are the favorites this week:


Publisher synopsis "Bobby was named after his best friend, his grandfather, Bob," begins Tomie dePaola's heartwarming tale of the special relationship between grandchild and grandparent, Now One Foot, Now the Other (1981). The title refers to one of the boy's favorite stories: how Bob taught Bobby to walk. And after Bob has a stroke, it's Bobby's turn to help his grandfather relearn how to walk. 

My notes: The special bond grandfather and grandson share is so heartwarming and the tale itself is woven expertly. I never wanted it to end but it ended grandly! We were all smiles (and Momma was in tears too).




 Publisher Synopsis: If you are lucky you know someone like the elderly lady in this book. Whenever she sees you--coming home from school, trick-or-treating at Halloween, or walking with your dog in the wood--she makes you feel special. She is someone you admire. She is someone you love.

My notes: Great for reinforcing seasons, hospitality and kindness. The girls and I loved this!



Publisher Synopsis: When a young girl from a poor eastern European village learns that she must leave her beloved grandmother for a new life - and a new love - in America, they both feel that their hearts will break. The sure and inspired narrative by award-winning author Amy Hest is paired with paintings by P.J. Lynch that glow with warmth and carefully observed detail, creating an unforgettable tribute to the immigrant experience.

My notes: Very special story and a wonderful social studies selection for all ages. I don't know why this didn't win a Caldecott Medal; the paintings are so exquisite. I had to linger on every page...the detail and beauty were so amazing.



Publisher Synopsis:  Springtime is here, and Zinnia can’t wait to plant her seeds and watch them grow. She carefully takes care of her garden, watering her plants, weeding, and waiting patiently for something to sprout. And soon enough, the first seedlings appear! With art just as colorful as a garden in bloom, young readers will enjoy watching Zinnia’s beautiful garden grow, and may even be inspired to start one of their own.

Good Reads Synopsis: Zinnia grows many kinds of flowers in her garden. Sunflowers, sweet peas, and (of course) zinnias bloom in the sunshine. Customers come to pick their own bunches of flowers. Bouquet-bright artwork shows all Zinnia's tasks, from planting the seeds to cutting the beautiful blooms. The perfect tie-in to elementary biology units about plant growth-and school gardens-this book will be especially welcomed by teachers. It is a splendid addition to Monica Wellington's nonfiction for the very young and a true spring delight that's good in any season

My notes: A must-read for preschool and lower elementary. What a beautiful, exciting science book!



Publisher Synopsis:  Apple cider, applesauce, apple muffins, cakes, and pies! Annie is a very busy apple farmer. She bakes yummy treats with the apples she picks and saves her best apples to sell at the market. Follow Annie through her apple-filled day of picking, counting, sorting, baking, and selling, and then try making some of her simple apple recipes.

My notes: Another outstanding preschool and lower-elementary science pick!

Publisher Synopsis:  One afternoon late in August, before the start of a new school year, Jay finds Cricket. Cricket fits just right in small spaces--like under a tea strainer or in Jay's very own pocket--and Cricket makes the most exciting sounds. But what happens when it's time to go back to school? Will Cricket come too?

Forty years after its original publication, this charming tale continues to capture the imaginative world of a child.
 

On his way home with the cows one evening, a six-year-old Kentucky farm boy catches a cricket and makes it his friend. The story reveals a child's sense of wonder about nature in verse-like prose. Caldecott Honor Book. 

Publisher's Weekly: Honoring its 40th anniversary, the Caldecott Honor book, A Pocketful of Cricket by Rebecca Caudill, illus. by Evaline Ness, is back, starring six-year-old Jay who meanders through the countryside and finds striped beans that "felt cool-like morning," an arrowhead and a cricket that he brings home, among other treasures. Caudill's gentle sentences pair well with Ness's charming vintage scenes in mustard, red, avocado and black inks. 

My notes: As a mother of boys and littles, I can definitely say this book captures the wonder of childhood. Excellent nature book we can use to give thanks to God for his glorious gifts. I loved every descriptive word and all four of my kids did too! Outstanding story.


My boys had a great school week too, but in the interest of time I'll be brief about them this time.

Peter, age 11, thanks to the Teaching Textbooks math program he's used for 2.5 years, now says he likes math and he thinks he's good at it! I can't tell you how thankful I am for this program and for my son's new enthusiasm!

Peter's spelling skills, too, have come a long way...so much so that I no longer consider him behind in spelling (or in anything, actually). This year has been one of real blossom. All the reading he's been doing for the last three years has had a great impact on his writing and spelling skills. Nothing helps more than 2 hours of reading a day, which he gets between literature, science and history. We do read-alouds with him on top of that. I like our spelling program, Avko Sequential Spelling, but it didn't have half the impact reading itself did.

Helpful homeschooling advice to share:
Don't fret when a child has difficulties. Pray them through. Pray for guidance on curriculum choices and then wait for the Lord, and the books, to do their work. Cut out worksheets as much as possible and get them reading.

Places We're Going and People We're Seeing:
The children enjoyed another year of A Day Out With Thomas the Train on a strangely cold May day, tickets compliments of the Children's Hospital 4-year-old Beth goes to for Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. The boys also enjoyed two fishing trips with Daddy and our friend Dean. The girls and I went along for one of them and after a couple of hours of fishing we all enjoyed a two-mile hike.

Neither Dean nor my husband care much for fishing, but they're glad to help the boys. I must say, though, it's stressful due to all the problems that occur with the poles. The boys and Mary caught a multitude of 4-inch blue gill, reeling in one right after the other. Peter kept them to fertilize our garden with, which he does every year.

 

Our friend Dean giving Beth a break from walking.

The two kids next to us weren't catching anything so my boys took them under their wing and gave them worms, baited their hooks and advised them not to reel the line in so often. The little girl then did catch one fish and she was thrilled. Seeing my Peter help her warmed my heart so! Their father wanted to fish himself and he was very impatient with his kids, not wanting to untangle their lines or bait them. It made me appreciate my husband's brand of fathering so much, let me tell you. He's a wonderful Daddy--not perfect, but sacrificial, always putting his children first. Sometimes you have to witness another father in action to gain new appreciation of your husband's family ways.

While at the nature park and pond, few to no mosquitoes, thank the Lord, even though we were on a deeply wooded trail. I keep saying we're having a minor drought here in Northeast Ohio, and the low water level in creeks points to the same. No mosquitoes is nice but it usually means not enough rain in these parts, and conversely, too many mosquitoes means too much rain. Food prices went up after last year's serious drought so I'm hoping for good crops this year.

Peter will enter the children's library photo contest again this year. He turned in fine photos last year but the winner took a picture of a cute pig and it seems all kids--who are the main voters--love pigs. My Peter has it in his mind that to win this contest he must have a pig photo. Lo and behold, our friend Erica keeps pigs out at her parent's 32-acre estate. We're all going out there next week to visit the pigs so Peter can take photos. They told us they'd bring the whipped cream because the pigs are hilarious when they get that special treat; Erica and her husband shoot it right into their mouths.

This is their second collection of pigs, and they name them all, so it was disconcerting to hear them talk about how good the bacon was from their last collection. Don't ask me how you can name a pig and have fun with it, and then talk about how good its bacon was, but whatever, we love this family. I want to live on a farm alright, but I don't want to kill any animals or think about them going to slaughter. Silly, I know.

Tomorrow the boys will take part in a kids' fishing derby contest at our favorite nature park. Three hours of untangling lines and such; my husband is a saint.

My Favorite Thing This Week:
Our nature hike last Sunday. So special to be all together, exploring and exercising.

My Kiddos Favorite Thing This Week:
The water balloons they played with in the backyard today.

Things I'm Working On:
I'm studying humility in my quiet time and really enjoying that. Peter is working on the garden and I hope to help him finish up this weekend.

I'm Cooking:
So far this week for dinner: crockpot porkribs, turkey sloppy joes, turkey burgers, spaghetti, crockpot whole chicken. We filled the propane tank today so grilling is next!

I'm Grateful For:
My Lord, my husband, my children, our friends, our garden, the healing power of prayer, family devotions in Isaiah, flowers, birds, hiking trails, pretty ponds, sweet kids

I'm praying about:
Our 11-year-old neighborhood friend, Lexie, repeated the fourth grade this year and still earned D's and F's. I'm praying about having her come every day in the summer to use our 4th grade Teaching Textbooks CD Rom. I know it would help her and staying a couple hours for school with us would too. But, she is high maintenance; her ADHD makes her jump from one activity to another like the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie book series. My son Peter doesn't have this same type of ADHD--he's not inattentive, just hyper and impulsive. She's an exhausting guest but I love her and want to help her, but part of me is screaming "NO way! I can't do it!" I plan on praying another week before mentioning it to her. She's said many times she wishes I could homeschool her--not to improve her grades, but because she gets bullied at school.

Homeschoolers or not, we all need to pray for the nation's youngsters; bullying is a complicated, heartwrenching problem.

Poem to Share (for upcoming Father's Day):

A Father's Prayer

Lord, make me tolerant and wise;
Incline my ears to hear him through;
Let him not stand with downcast eyes,
Fearing to trust me and be true.
Instruct me so that I may know
The way my son and I should go.

When he shall err, as once did I,
Or boyhood folly bids him stray,
Let me not into anger fly
And drive the good in him away.
Teach me to win his trust, that he
Shall keep no secret hid from me.

Lord, strengthen me that I may be .
A fit example for my son.
Grant he may never hear or see
A shameful deed that I have done.
However sorely I am tried,
Let me not undermine his pride.

In spite of years and temples gray,
Still let my spirit beat with joy;
Teach me to share in all his play
And be a comrade with my boy.
Wherever we may chance to be,
Let him find happiness with me.

Lord, as his father, now I pray
For manhood's strength and counsel wise;
Let me deal justly, day by day,
In all that fatherhood implies.
To be his father, keep me fit;
Let me not play the hypocrite!

Edgar Albert Guest
Have a blessed week, friends!
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