Be Thou My Vision

I heard this precious song online yesterday and loved it. It made me sad and peaceful all at the same time. Here are the lyrics:

------------------------------------------
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
-----------------------------




Blessings
Mrs. White

My Access – Vantage Learning

TOS Crew Review

Product: “My Access” – an online writing program.

Company: Vantage Learning

Cost: One year Subscription is $99.95 for three students.

 

*I received this product from this company (for free), for the purpose of sharing my opinion.*

 

Product Description:

"My Access will help you develop the strong writing skills and confidence you need to be successful in both your academic and professional efforts. [It is] a completely web-based solution to improve your writing. My Access requires no software and is accessible anywhere you have a computer and an internet connection - at home, at school, at work, or at the library."

- From the website

Our Experience with the Product:

Amy, my 14 year old, loved this from the moment she signed on. She spent 2 and ½ hours having a blast. She wrote, she edited, she “published” her work and then emailed it to me. She loved it! As a matter of fact, I had a hard time getting her away from this! The only thing that got her to stop using this was the fact that dinner was getting cold! On other days, she was more than eager to use the program. She still enjoys it and we will continue using it.

Matthew, 16, is more of a “whatever” kind of student. He willingly did this but only a little at a time. He wrote a couple of short essays and did a few of the activities. That was about all he felt like doing. However, he is more than willing to work more on this, it is just a matter of everyone getting enough computer time. I plan to have him continue with this.

Some highlights:

1. There are several essay topics for your child to choose from, based on their age and level. You, as the parent, get to choose the assignments. The choices include different types of essays such as: narrative, persuasive, and informative. You can also add your own topics for your student to complete.

2. Once the student writes an essay, they click on “Editor” to see and correct any mistakes they have made. “My tutor” also explains things to them, giving them suggestions.

3. They can choose activities, which are wonderful. They are given passages to read and have to choose from multiple choice answers. This helps sharpen their writing skills.

4. The program evaluates your student’s writing and gives you a progress report in the following categories: Focus, Organization, Content and Development, Language Use, Mechanics and Conventions. [Note: We did not take these too seriously, but considered the overall program to be a worthwhile way to get in some writing practice.]

You can find information at the website: http://www.vantagelearning.com/home/products/mahome/

I think this is a fun addition to our homeschool program. I don’t consider this to be a curriculum, in and of itself, however, it is very useful and fun.

To see reviews from my fellow crew mates:

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/721291/

To find out more about my reviews, please visit "Introduction to our Homeschool Parlor"

Virginia Soaps and Scents

TOS Crew Review

Product: Handcrafted Soap

Company: Virginia Soaps and Scents

Price: A 4.5 oz bar sells for $4.50 or 3 for $12.00 or buy 4 get one free.

*I received these products from this company (for free), for the purpose of sharing my opinion.*

“Virginia Soaps and Scents” is owned by the Spargurs, a homeschooling family of 11. The entire family works together making a variety of soaps. They are mainly marketing to the homeschool community. Next year they will begin speaking at homeschool conferences on the subject of family owned businesses.

I received:

1. “Fresh Orange” soap.

2. “Shampoo bar” (This can be also be used for shaving. It is hard to get it to lather, but works well.)

3. “Coconut Lemongrass” soap.

4. “Oatmeal, Milk and Honey” soap.

5. “Laundry Soap Kit” (“Contains: Lard Cleaning Soap, Borax and Washing Soda” – Makes ½ Gallon)

6. An informative brochure with a picture of their lovely family. I appreciate all the information this contained. They gave a little history of soap in general, the work they are doing and information about their products.

In addition to soap, they also sell perfumed body powder, body lotion, and lip balm.

I found the soap to be very long lasting. We use it as hand soap. It barely melts at all, even when sitting in water for hours! The original fresh scent (from the essential oils) faded after a few days. But the soap is still working and I appreciate having soap that lasts so long. It is a good value considering how often I normally have to buy regular soap from the supermarket.

We received what they called “Bed and Breakfast sized bars,” which are cute little samples of their full size bars. I love the country design on their packaging. You will find a lot of information on their colorful website. There are many pictures of the variety of soaps they offer.

To see reviews by my fellow crew mates:

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/735619/

To find out more about my reviews, please visit "Introduction to our Homeschool Parlor"

 

Blessings

Mrs. White

The Date is Set

For the Prentiss Study. We will begin on November 16, 2009. For more information:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PrentissStudy/

To see my previous post about this:

http://thelegacyofhome.blogspot.com/2009/10/life-transforming-study.html

Blessings
Mrs. White

Sweetest video on Motherhood baking memories

In this sweet video, this dear lady talks about memories of her mother and how things were done.






This came from the following blog:
http://themediansib.com/2009/06/29/making-old-fashioned-buttermilk-biscuits/

Blessings
Mrs. White

A Life Transforming Study

Study upcoming..... We will be doing a major 3 month study using Elizabeth Prentiss' book, "Stepping Heavenward." This is not a book discussion, but a life-transforming program. This will begin in mid-November. I will need those who are interested to sign up soon. More details to follow this week.

To sign up:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PrentissStudy/

Blessings
Mrs. White

A Simple Minded Mother

That's me.... I bought a children's book. It was written for young children. My youngest is 12, so obviously I bought this book for myself.

It is called, "The Berenstain Bears Go to Sunday School."

I love this sweet book. It reminds me of happy childhoods and small children who love home. It reminds me of respect and kindness.

So when my own children are acting up, I like to read these sweet books and it gives me some sense of nostalgia. Then I am okay again... Just a simple minded mother.


Blessings
Mrs. White

Today's Work at Home

It is so nice outside today. The leaves are all over the property. It is cool but not cold. I am going to tidy the house, listen to gospel music and just be as sweet as I can be. I have been smiling at the children a lot and it sets a mood of spreading happiness.

I will make a batch of homemade beef stew. I will also make a nice salad for later.

John (12) and I have been doing our Bible time every single day and it has been such a joy!

I will be doing some studying and private Bible reading throughout the day.

May you have peace and joy in your homes!

Blessings
Mrs. White

Hidden Tears in a Teenager's Eyes

I've seen it so many times. It comes out as anger. It is demanding. It is harsh. It is irritating. But the truth is all hidden.

Many teens, when having a bad day or going through a difficult time, become abrasive. They even do this to the people they love.

But underneath are hidden tears.

May God give us the patience and compassion to bear the burden of their pain.

Blessings
Mrs. White

The Easiest Lunch

Matthew (16) came up with an easy way to make a grilled cheese sandwich:

Take two pieces of bread. Put one slice of cheese in the middle.

(I know that sounds very elementary...)

Put this in a toaster oven. Toast as normal, as if you are making plain toast.

No need to add butter or anything else.

Very simple.

Blessings
Mrs. White

Two Hours a Day

When I was growing up, my Mother had us cleaning the house all the time. Later, as a teen, I worked summers with my best friend and her mother - cleaning houses. It took around 2 hours to deep clean a house. I also worked for a small cleaning company for a short time. We cleaned houses, condos and apartment buildings.

Just 2 hours a day.

This is what I started doing today. I just put on my apron, put my hair up, put on my ankle weights, and just spent 2 hours cleaning everything.

Laundry

Dusting shelves

Sweeping the hallway

Scrubbing the stove and fridge

Washing sinks

Polishing Canisters

Anything and everything that needs to be done, I work for 2 hours.

It makes it easy.

Blessings
Mrs. White

Voices of the Faithful Book 2

Book Review: Voices of the Faithful book 2

* This book was provided to me by Thomas Nelson Publishers for the purpose of sharing my opinion. *

Voices of the Faithful (book 2) is full of inspiring stories written by missionaries all over the world. Each one is a short devotion. It includes: A Bible Verse, meditation (true story or memory), and a prayer.

These are beautifully written. The book is just lovely. The concept was created by Beth Moore. But the book itself was compiled by Kim P. Davis. Kim also writes an introduction before each month’s reading. Kim and her husband are currently mission mentors to students at a Christian university.

Jerry Rankin, president of International Mission Board, SBC wrote a compelling Foreword to the book. He really helped me to understand what life is like for missionaries and how much they need our prayers and support.

At the end of the book, you will find an index, ideas on how to pray for missionaries, and helpful information about your church’s role in missions.

The book is designed to encourage readers to live a godly life and to have a heart for missionaries and the people they serve.

Review Bright Ideas Press

TOS Crew Review

Publisher: Bright Ideas Press

Products:

*I received two different products from this company (for free), for the purpose of sharing my opinion.*

First:

Book: Christian Kids Explore Earth and Space by Stephanie L. Redmond

Pages: 360

Price: $29.95

Age recommendation: Grades 3 –6. Bonus: the author offers helpful suggestions for including younger students.

I am a “relaxed” home school teacher. I rarely ever use lesson plans and don’t particularly like Teacher manuals. Throughout the years, I’ve had a very hard time finding Science curriculum that I actually liked. However, this book is different. Here is some of what you’ll find inside:

1. Vocabulary words.

2. Introduction to each lesson.

3. EASY Activities (such as looking at a globe and finding the continents). I think I can handle that!

4. A list of materials needed to do each lesson.

5. Coloring pages.

6. Review it! Section- (Short and sweet.)

The book suggests you get a three ring binder to store all your papers. The author says a Scientist must document and record their findings! I really appreciated her saying that, since I (personally) would rather not be bothered with too much paperwork. But she makes it very easy and fun and actually enjoyable!

Some of the lessons covered are: Structure of the Earth; Caves; Volcanoes; Earthquakes; Types of Rocks; Glaciers; and Air Composition.

I am really happy with this book. If (like me) you are intimidated by Science in general, this program will really get you excited and involved!

You can see some sample pages.

Second:

Set of books: All American History II - Student Reader (557 pages); Teacher’s Guide with Answer Key (336 pages); and Student Activity Book (306 pages).

Price: The entire kit is $68.00

This is a colorful, professional history curriculum. I LOVE it! Here are the basics:

1. Covers the Civil War to the 21^st century.

2. The Teacher’s Guide explains how to use the program. It has detailed instructions, teaching resources, book lists, Questions and Answers for further study, Answer Key, and much more.

3. The Student Reader has the “meat” of the program. The text is beautifully illustrated. It is set up to cover 32 weekly lessons.

4. The Student Activity book has worksheets, maps, and reviews. It is an excellent resource where students can take notes as they go along and really get a lot out of the program.

Here is how we are using this:

Amy (14) loves History. John (12) and I sat with her in the kitchen while she read the first section of the Student Reader. We took notes as she spoke. She paused on occasion to share a personal insight or reflection. When she finished the section, she opened the Student Activity Book and filled out the first sheet. She went back into the reader to find the exact answers. The entire process took about 20 minutes. We all really enjoyed it and plan to do this each weeknight.

We have come up with a fabulous idea……

The Author of this book, Celeste W. Rakes, has included an amazing list of books for further reading. These can be found in the Teacher’s Guide. The lists are broken into units and by grade level (K-4); (5-9); and (9 and up). She not only lists the books, but includes their descriptions.

We are enrolled in the Pizza Hut’s BOOK IT program for the coming school year. I plan to have the children read books from Celeste’s History reading list and use the Pizza Hut program as their reward. We are setting goals of 2 – 5 books each week. The children will have to fill out a book report form once they complete each book. These will then be placed into a folder. At the end of each month, as long as they’ve reached their goals, they will get their free personal pan pizzas!

I am just delighted with All American History Volume 2. It is an excellent product. Celeste has included so many wonderful ideas to add to the learning experience.

There is a Yahoo Group you can sign up for.

To read reviews by fellow crew members:

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/724592/

To find out more about my reviews, please visit "Introduction to our Homeschool Parlor"

Called to Home

There is a really good article over at vision forum ministry:

http://www.visionforumministries.org/issues/family/called_to_the_home_called_to_r.aspx


Blessings
Mrs. White

Free Lamplighter Theater on the Radio

I have just come across an amazing free resource. Have you ever heard of Lamplighter books? They are priceless treasures reprinted from many years ago.

But they are a bit expensive....

However, they have recently come out with audio dramas (much like Focus on the family's Adventures in Odyssey). These are now on the radio!!

If you would like to hear a sample, go here.

If you would like to see a listing of current radio stations all over the US who are broadcasting this, go here.

I found my local radio station listed (here in remote Vermont)! I wrote down the time it will be playing each week and will tune in with my children!! I am so excited!

Blessings
Mrs. White

Mama and John's Bible Plan

Buy at AllPosters.com





Yesterday, John and I came up with a Bible reading plan. Before I tell you about this, I want to introduce you to him:

John is my youngest child. He is the baby of the family, even though he is 12 years old. He is the dearest, sweetest boy in the world.

He opens doors for me..... always.

He wants me to be happy. "Can I get you a drink, Mom?" or "What would you like to do, Mom?"

He will not take the last cookie, if he even suspects I want it. I will say, "No, John, You can have it." But he won't take it. He wants to do as many nice things for me as he can.

He fiercely protects my honor. If his siblings are being annoying or irritating me, he will stand up tall, grit his teeth and say, "Leave her alone."

If I am crying or just full of sorrow, he will say, "Mom, how about we read the Bible together?" I am able to smile with that. Those are soothing words and he knows it. He is proud when he cheers me up.

I require him to do hard work. He doesn't always like it, but I encourage him. He doesn't give me any trouble about it.

John is a loving young man. He is the baby who was born while I had cancer. He has seen me suffer for many, many years. He is a treasure.

Early this year, he was baptized. Everyone who knows him well, can see what a good heart he has.

John loves singing hymns with me. He enjoys reading the Bible.

In order to encourage daily Bible reading in our busy, hectic lives, we came up with a plan:

1. Each day, around noon, John is to remind me to read the Bible.

2. He and I will read it together. We will read at least 2 chapters.

3. If he remembers to do this every day for a month, I will buy him a special present. (Such as a book, etc.)

4. We will continue this each month. It will put us both into a habit of daily, consistent reading.

5. This is something for just John and Mama. Our Bible time.

I will come up with a plan for the other children.

Blessings
Mrs. White

It Must Be the Salt

The children and I had some fried potatoes with our supper. Right when I finished eating, I really, really wanted some chocolate.... I was puzzled by this. I looked at Amy (14) and said, "It must be the salt."

At that point, I really didn't particularly care what caused it, I just wanted some chocolate. However, I didn't have a dime. I had no access to money at all. The banks were closed. (smiles) So I raced up to the third floor of our house and found Nicole (20) loafing on the couch reading a magazine.

"Cole!" I said. "Will you go to the store and buy me some M and M's?"

She was too tired and wouldn't budge. But she did get up and hand me a nice dollar bill. She is very generous and good to her Mama.

Next, I had to find Matthew (16). He was my last hope to find someone to go to the store for me.

Well, I couldn't find him anywhere. A few minutes later, He walked in the door, reached into his coat pocket, grinned, and handed me a bag of M and M's. I was so happy. What a sweetheart.

[And yes, I did give him Nicole's dollar.]

Blessings
Mrs. White

[PS: Just in case you were wondering, we live right next door to a small country store. We are in rural Vermont.]

Mother’s Silent Influence in the Home

Sunday, May 17, 2009

There seems to be two kinds of Christians.

1. Regular Christians and

2. Spiritual Christians.

I’m going to explain my theory here and also how it relates to Mama and her quiet influence.

1. Regular Christians.
These dear people go to church regularly, have morals and do their best to live the Christian life. They are God’s children and He loves them dearly. But there is something lacking. This has nothing to do with their path to heaven but with their life here on earth. They have never fully experienced the sorrow, the wisdom and the blessed joy of weeping in God’s spiritual arms. This comes in time. This comes over a period of many years.

2. Spiritual Christians.
These are the “white haired” saints of old (even if they are not yet elderly). These people have been through the fiery trials of life and have clung to the Lord through it all. They have a Spiritual heart, and hunger for the Master and for Heaven. They yearn for it. They weep for, seemingly, no reason. You can hear them singing quietly to themselves while they go about their work. When you look at them, you almost see the angels surrounding them with comfort and heavenly love. There is something about them that reminds one of Moses, as he came off the Mount after meeting with God to receive the Ten Commandments. The faces of these Spiritual Christians shine (Exodus 34:29), as if they have just been in the company of the Precious Lord Himself. This is the earthly state that all Christians aspire to.

When our children are growing up in our homes, we want them to see Mama living for her God. They do not know Him literally yet, but they will be drawn to Him by watching a Godly Mother.

The other day, I was in my living room cutting out an apron pattern and doing some sewing. I listened to Bill Monroe on the radio, singing the old song “I am a Pilgrim.” And my heart soared with joy. My 19 year old daughter got all dressed up to go out for the evening. She was full of the cares of this life and she was happy. I smiled at her. We old people do that to the young. We smile at their happiness. But then she did this little dance and I gasped and had this sharp, brutal pain in the center of my chest and said so. She ran over to me laughing, “Oh, Mom, you are so cute. I will never do that dance again.”       -How precious-

My children tell me that there are things they will not share with Grandpa (my Dad). He is a godly man from the old south and he loves His Bible and Spiritual things. He would be deeply offended and spiritually wounded (saddened) by some of their worldly cares (exploits?) But when they say they will tell me things or let me read their tell-all books, or listen to their worldly songs, I get this sad feeling, that I compromise with them perhaps? That I am not as strong as my Dad? Would I rather they shared all these things with me or that they held some back out of respect for a saintly mother? I prefer to be considered more like their Grandpa, and strive for this more and more every day.

Our children are puzzled by the faith. They know God, they believe in Him but they do not have that Spiritual connection yet. They are but babes. All goodness and holy striving will come for them in time. Yet, they can watch Mama as she goes about her day, loving her Bible, loving sermons, godly fellowship and godly music. They will notice her aversion, more and more to the world, until she reaches that state of an “almost” perfection of the soul, where she is being prepared for heaven. All the worldly cares mean nothing anymore. This is the strongest testimony to our young. They observe all this and they want it, but don’t know how to get it. They will ponder these things in their hearts and when the time comes, they will cling to the silent witness of Mama’s life and be led to her Glorious God.

Blessings,

Mrs. White

Review Sarah’s Wish

TOS Crew Review

Product: Book, “Sarah’s Wish” by Jim Baumgardner

Publisher: Tate Publishing

Price: $9.99 (Free Shipping and Handling)

* I received a free copy of this book, from the author, for the purpose of sharing my opinion. *

I found this to be a very interesting story. It was written by a Grandfather. It is a Christian book with a really good message. You will also find a glossary of terms, and an inviting introduction.

The main character, Sarah, is described as “a girl with grit.” Her mother dies suddenly, leaving her in charge of the “packages.” You will learn about the Underground Railroad, slave hunters and much more in this book based on life during the 19^th century. The story is action packed and would appeal equally to boys and girls.

The writing is mostly very well done, but I did have a few problems:

1. At times I was confused. This was when a “scene” changed or a new chapter began. But this was minor. It did not take away from the overall story.

2. Granny, one of the main characters, had an accent which gave me some trouble. An example can be found on page 68, when she says: “Now, let me say sompun.” Or on page 91, she says: “These be mighty fancy fixin’s all right. Might have to ask fer a second helpin’.” One other problem I had with Granny was that she had an “unfeminine character,” which I didn’t care for. (Feminism) But I do realize she had to be tough considering the type of life she had to lead.

3. Some of the situations made me wince a little. These were things like describing the characteristics of some of the bad men – their appearance, the yucky description of their chewing tobacco, etc. I understand these are all minor things but I would like to just explain the reason behind my point of view. I am the type of person who wears a skirt and heels even while cleaning the house. I do not like dirt. I never garden. I can often be seen sipping on hot tea using a real tea cup. I am of a frail nature. My boys have never brought a frog into the house. If they had, I would have fainted on the spot. This is why I got a little stressed when reading some of the action, descriptions and adventures in this story. However, I am absolutely certain that my personal squeamishness would only apply to ME. I am quite sure that you, my dear readers, would greatly enjoy and be encouraged by this book!

My Overall Impression:

It is based on strong Biblical values. The story would hold the attention of any reader. It is educational and entertaining. There are more books in the series and I would be delighted to read them all (even if I did faint or have a heart attack)!

There is a nice bonus feature. With the purchase of Sarah’s Wish, you can download an audio version of the book. Full instructions are included on the last page.

The Author has an excellent free newsletter.

To read more reviews by my fellow crew mates:

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/726402/

To find out more about my reviews, please visit "Introduction to our Homeschool Parlor"

Needing a Little Spiritual Nourishment

A few things happened today to cause me to be uneasy. (sigh). I know how to get out of this mood. I am going to just enjoy cleaning and polishing my house and I am going to listen to my playlist here on my blog. It always calms and soothes me.

Well, I need the Lord... it is like running to "Daddy," and saying, something happened in this world and it hurt me. I need your comfort. And he does an amazing job comforting me.

Hope you are all having a peaceful, joyous day.

Blessings
Mrs. White

Review Writer’s Easy Reference Guide

TOS Crew Review

Product: Writer’s Easy Reference Guide (12 pages)

Author: Bonnie Terry, M.Ed.

Publisher: Bonnie Terry Learning

Price: $17.00

* I received this product free, from the publisher, for the purpose of sharing my opinion.*

About the Product:

From the website:

“The Ultimate Guide for Writing

The Writers Easy Reference Guide takes the pain out of learning to write!

The Writer's Guide is 12 pages packed with tips, hints and short lessons to guide

your child or your students through the sentence, paragraph, essay and letter writing

maze. Its hints and insights will improve the clarity, complexity, and quality of writing

for students ages 7 to adult.

Includes: Paragraph Writing Hints, Essay Writing Hints for the Four Basic Essays,

Steps of the Writing Process, Words to Make Your Writing More Interesting, Common

Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words, Grammatical & Literary Terms, How to Write a

Bibliography with examples, and much, much more!”

My Impression:

There are some really neat features:

1. It is “three-hole punched’ and all ready to be place in a binder.

2. Each section has some quick, compact and “to the point” facts to help your student understand exactly what he is supposed to do.

3. It is printed on durable and colorful (blue and white) card stock.

Some of the useful information you will find:

1. Essay and paragraph writing tips.

2. Types and examples of sentences (such as a simple sentence and a complex sentence).

3. Steps in the writing process – an excellent quick guide.

4. Plenty of sample words you can use in your writing – including synonyms, transition words, etc.

5. Rules for capitalization and punctuation.

6. The four basic essays

7. Much more.

I have five children and have homeschooled for about 19 years. I have taught most of them to write and am still teaching this essential skill to my younger children. It is very important to have good reference books to use as a guide. Children will only listen to lectures and ideas so much from adults. They really need something more… They like to see rules and examples, in print, with an easy presentation.

I really love how this reference guide is so short. It includes so much information in a simplistic, fun format. I have many guide books but they are so meaty and are hard to get through. My children will love this easy reference. We will gratefully use it for years to come.

 

To learn more about the author.

To see reviews from my fellow crew mates:
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/735602/

To find out more about my reviews, please visit "Introduction to our Homeschool Parlor"

Some encouragement

Buy at AllPosters.com




A dear friend shared some quotes with me recently. I just love them and plan to post them on the wall.



"The Secret to Abraham’s strong faith was that he kept looking to God instead of looking at his problem."

- unknown



"I find nothing in the Bible but holiness, and nothing in the world but worldliness.

Therefore, if I live in the world, I will become worldly;

on the other hand, if I live in the Bible, I will become holy...."

-S. Wigglesworth


Blessings
Mrs. White

Review Bible History Timeline

TOS Crew Review

Product: Amazing Bible World History Timeline

Publisher: Bible Charts and Maps, LLC

Price: $29.97

With your purchase you will receive two free downloads:

1. Interactive Maps of the Holy Land (a $14.97 value)

2. Digital Amazing Bible Timeline (also a $14.97 value)

*I received a free copy of this map, from the publisher, for the purpose of sharing my opinion. *

The idea for a Bible Time line, which includes both world and Bible history is intriguing. I thought this was a wonderful idea. We took the map out of the box and placed it on our dining room table. It is enormous and measures 38" x 46." The dates go from 4000 BC to 2000 AD.

The children and I started reading this. There is a lot of small print and it is quite overwhelming. I was a little concerned, though, when I read the following quotes (printed directly on the map):

“One can realize the difficulty in arranging a chart of this character in the light of extreme and contradictory accounts for all dates previous to about 1000 BC.”

“The Author [of this map] has followed the more conservative writers, and trusts the student will take all dates and data which are not well established as being suggestive only.”

These quotes really startled me. My problem with the map is this:

Children are very quick to memorize and digest facts, whether or not they are true. It scared me to think of them as reading these entries (which seem to be entirely trustworthy), and then considering it all truth. We, as a family, do a lot of studying and I am very careful about what we read. Whatever goes into our minds tends to stay there. I do not feel like this is a safe or appropriate product for our family. For this reason, I cannot recommend this product.

However, please investigate and come to your own conclusion. Perhaps this map is just right for your family.

To find out more about the authors.

To see reviews from my fellow crew mates:

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/726414/

To find out more about my reviews, please visit "Introduction to our Homeschool Parlor"

A Special Dinner

I bought some new dishes at the grocery store. They are called "Blue Willow" and are English dishes. I bought a set of four place settings. (They cost $3.99 each.)

When I got home, I laid out our best tablecloth. I washed and dried my new dishes, then set them out on the table.

I put napkins and silverware beside each plate.

Everything looked so elegant.

I made a nice dinner and then served homemade cake (chocolate with strawberry frosting).

I closed the window blinds. The outside world was shut out for a time. We were warm and cozy in our house.

This all reminded me of my childhood. Mother always set the table. We had a breakfast nook in the corner of our large kitchen. There were French windows all around. Mom made a nice meal each evening and we would all sit together around the table. We lived in a wonderful town near the beach in Massachusetts. We had little money, but we always lived well and never noticed any sense of going without. Our parents taught us to work hard. But the greatest lesson of all, was to sit together each night to have our dinner and enjoy the fellowship of family.

When I got married, a new tradition emerged. My husband wasn't accustomed to sitting at the table on a regular basis. He liked to eat in the living room while watching some T.V after a hard day at work. This was a shock to me. (smiles). At times, I thought it was fun, but would miss sitting in the kitchen. I learned to adjust to running the home the way he liked it best and this has been a blessing.

I still love to have our special dinners (the elegant ones) at our dining room table. They are such a treat!

However, it is more often that we will have our "suppers," - a less elegant version of a meal together. There may not be any cake..... or a tablecloth... But there is good food and it is served at my dining room table. It is okay, on these nights, that some of us take our plates to the other room and watch a movie.

Blessings
Mrs. White

Raising Real Men

How do you raise boys? This question often comes up in homeschooling circles. We have plenty of resources to raise our daughters – home economic kits, great fiction, aprons, and homemaking magazines. However, there are few serious tools to help parents in the herculean task of training sons. Until now……………

Hal and Melanie Young have created a much needed guide to raising godly boys in this society.  They sent me a copy of their 250 page book, Raising Real Men – Surviving, Teaching and Appreciating Boys.  It is packed with brilliant insights. Some of what you’ll find inside:

1. A godly and realistic look at Media / T.V. / Movies

2. How your family history can help your sons find real heroes.

3. Excellent book suggestions for your sons to read.

4. Information on teaching boys about Finances- such as: credit cards, bank accounts, odd jobs, and preparing your boys to support a family.

5. Good Competition and its purpose.

6. Home Education.

7. Very serious talk about the importance of College.

8. Equipping your boys to interact with the world.

9. How to approach the rowdiness that seems to be in their nature.

10. A Biblical look at fighting.

11. They even touch on controversial issues like: The proper use of guns, learning disabilities and Temptation.

12. Much more.

This book is packed with eye-opening information from the perspective of a family with six sons (and two daughters). I love their laid-back, conversational style of writing. Their ideas make sense to me, logically and practically. As I read, I felt a growing trust in their wisdom. In each chapter, they included facts, personal examples and Biblical truths. This presents a powerful teaching tool parents will appreciate. The Youngs have done a great service penning this book.

                       -                       -                      -                  -          -

For more information, please visit their website:

http://www.raisingrealmen.com/

 

You can also sign up for their free monthly newsletter:

http://www.raisingrealmen.com/newsletter/

To read a sample chapter:

 http://www.raisingrealmen.com/samples/RaisingRealMen-SAMPLE-RacingToWin.pdf

Encouragement for the Keeper at Home

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It is raining and lovely outside here in Vermont. I am going to sit quietly, drink hot chocolate and spend the day reading. I have a little housework to do. I will do this slowly and methodically. Someone once called it "puttering around the house." You do little tasks to brighten and cheer the home.

I came across an encouraging post about being a keeper at home. It is from Abounding Treasures, which is a precious blog. Here is the link:

http://aboundingtreasures.blogspot.com/2008/06/im-keeper-at-home.html

Blessings
Mrs. White

Spiritual Duty of Mother

If mother's daily - moment by moment delight was in spiritual matters: hymns, Bible, sermons, prayer and this gave her great joy - don't you realize the serious impact this will have on the silent witnesses [her children] in her home.

Regardless of the spiritual state of those children, it will affect them.

It may not be seen now... or tomorrow... as we cannot watch a little plant grow in a day. We must wait as long as it takes for the result. God does not ask more of a parent who is hopelessly flawed.

Blessings
Mrs. White

Our Duty while Living - Quotes

"You are not called to convince anyone. You are simply called to be an open channel for the Spirit of God to flow through. You can never be anything else, even though you may think so at times. Follow the pathway of obedience, let the Word of God do its own work, and you will be used by God far beyond your own powers."
- Corrie Ten Boom, survivor of the Holocaust.

"Lord, lay what burden thou wilt upon me, only let thy everlasting arms be under me: strike, Lord, strike, and spare not." - Martin Luther

Getting a Focus

I had some hard moments yesterday. Just feeling a bit of despair. But I shook it off and got up and started peeling potatoes for supper. There is just something so comforting about making supper.

Amy (14) came into the kitchen and helped me work. She made some corn muffins and heated up some beans. We had a simple meal.

After we ate, I pulled out the Bible and read a couple of chapters to the children from Psalms. Psalm three was so sad. It was written during the time that King David had to "flee" from his son Absalom. This intrigued me and I went back over Scripture and studied. I read this to the children and then found the deep sadness David felt, later on, when his precious son was killed. It just broke my heart because this is what was said in II Samuel 18:33 "And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!"

This just broke my heart. It reminded me that there is so much more to life than our own happiness. There is just so much going on around us. We really need to keep our focus and do God's work.

Blessings
Mrs. White

Going on a Spiritual Fast

I wrote an article several years ago about fasting from the world. It was written during the time I was struggling with cancer. My life was so dramatically different than it is now. I seemed to be on top of everything. I did my devotions, studied my Bible and had the emotional energy to train my children in godliness (even from a sick-bed). Over the last few years, I have been emotionally destroyed by trials in my life. I have been confused, mentally exhausted and spiritually assaulted by LIFE. I have been healing over the past year or so, but am not entirely better yet. Something, it seems, died in me and I am slowly trying to revive it. While I do have many days of sheer happiness and contentment in the Lord, there are plenty of days of sadness or a feeling of being overwhelmed by the wickedness and darkness of this world.

What I need to do is go on a spiritual fast. It is something I came up with many years ago and wrote an article about. You will find a link to it below. I pray it will be of help to someone else. If you plan to do this too or have a similar experience, I would be delighted to read your comments.


http://puritan55.tripod.com/id59.htm

Blessings
Mrs. White

Precious Stories

When my children were little, I would gather them around me and read story after story out of my favorite series of books, "Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories." These were such a delight. These are darling accounts written about children. Such sweet and precious lessons come through each page.

Some of the stories, broke this mother's heart and I would hold back my weeping as I read to my children. One such story was about a family who lived in the lighthouse. A storm had come up, late one night, but father was very ill. Mother was worried sick about him and no one could go up and run the light. The ships desperately needed to see to get back to shore. So these dear little children, struggled and hustled and got the light working. They suffered so much, but they helped bring those terrified sailors home. All the while, The Dad was so ill and they were worried sick about him. But they did this precious and blessed task with hearts full of love and compassion. Of course, every time I read that story, I would just cry.

Other stories are about answers to prayer when families needed food or a miracle. God always provided in marvelous ways. Sometimes little ones in the book would misbehave and their dear Mama used godly, gentle wisdom to teach them their lessons. Oh, we just adored those precious stories.

I still read these to the children, even when they are older. Around the time they become mid-to late teenagers, they no longer listen, but they see me reading to the younger ones and there is a smile and a warmness in their souls.

My oldest, Rachel, (21) has been living in her own home for about three years now. Yet she still remembers Uncle Arthur and talks about his dear stories.

Even though our young adults may have difficulties in this life, they still remember home, their childhood, and their growing up years with fond affection. May it always be so.

Blessings
Mrs. White

Something to Ponder

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In a recent post, I mentioned I would be reading "Urbane and His Friends" by Elizabeth Prentiss (1800's). Today, I came across a quote from the book, I'd like to share:

"For my part," said Apelles, "I envy those who love and feast upon the Bible; for, though I speak it with shame, I am lacking in that love. I read a passage every day, of course, in my closet, and again in my family, but not as my old father did. Once, when he thought himself unobserved, he has been seen to press the sacred book to his lips. And on her death-bed, my mother called for hers, and took leave of it as tenderly as she said farewell to her children."

The writings of Mrs. Prentiss are the most dearest I've ever come across.

Blessings
Mrs. White

Review of Nature Friend Magazine

TOS Crew Review

Product: Nature Friend Magazine

Price: 1 year (monthly) subscription $36.00 (plus $2 per issue if you want the optional study guide edition)

Introduction:

Nature Friend Magazine is a science publication. It “upholds the principles of the inspired word of God, high Christian family standards, Divine Creation (no evolution), and practical Christian Stewardship of God’s creation.” *

Product Overview:

I received two issues for review: August 2009 and September 2009. Some of what you’ll find inside:

1. Story.

2. Scavenger Hunt (find hidden objects).

3. Detailed facts and photos on animals and nature.

4. Pictures and poems submitted by readers.

5. Word Search.

6. Crossword puzzles .

7. Quizzes, research questions, projects / lessons on writing (in the study guide).

8. Drawing lesson.

9. Motto for the month (in the study guide).

10. “Mailbox” – questions from readers, answered by the editor. One interesting letter concerned an incident of strange weather - a thunderstorm and snow at the same time!

This is a wholesome publication you would be happy to have in your home. I do have a personal drawback that would probably only apply to me… (smiles)…. You might laugh when I say this, but some of the photos made me a little queasy. That is simply because I am frail and do a lot of “fainting” at the sight of medical or science pictures – including ones of insects or animals! Of course, I am certain I am the only one with this problem. The magazine would be perfectly fine for every other family. (smiles)

Would you like to find out more about this magazine?

You can see the May 2009 issue (24 pages).

You can also see the May 2009 study guide (8 pages)

Please note: If you choose to subscribe to the magazine and also purchase the study guide, it will all come attached in one issue. This is a great feature!

There is a homeschoolers guide to the magazine.

To see more reviews on this from fellow crew members:

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/729105/

* The Above Quote was taken from the magazine.

To find out more about my reviews, please visit "Introduction to our Homeschool Parlor"

College Prep Genius Part Two

TOS Crew Review

Product: College Prep Genius Master the SAT class

Publisher: Maven of Memory Publishing

Price: $79.00 (limited time –special offer)

 

This product includes:

1. Master the SAT class DVD (4 disk set)

2. College Prep Genius Textbook

3. Class Workbook

 

To see part one of this review, go here.

I am going to describe two ways of using this product. The first is for those who either don’t want to go to college or are unsure. The second way is for those who are serious about college and want a full scholarship.

FIRST:

Take some time to read the textbook. I brought this along with me on car trips. While waiting for children to get out of a college class or dance class, I would study and take notes. I brought a pen with me and marked up the book, highlighting passages and writing in the margin. I have every intention of keeping this book, so I had no problem writing all over it. It is a valuable resource.

Watch the DVDs. The narrator has a cheerful, encouraging voice. She guides you through each lesson. You will see problems on the screen. She helps you through each process. I found her tricks and tips to be enlightening. Some examples of what you will learn:

a. In the Math DVD, when you see a division problem, she shows you, using logic, how to come up with the answer without actually doing the problem. Once you have located the most likely answer, she then has you do the math. It is a brilliant trick!

b. In the Writing DVD, she outlines some key tips on writing essays. I love her suggestions. I plan to use this guide to teach my children. I have to say that in High School, I had several good English teachers. My favorite made us write an essay every single week. Because of this, I can write a detailed essay, on any topic, in just a few minutes. This is a valuable skill no matter what you plan to do in the future.

c. In the Critical reading DVD, she has some enlightening tricks for “passage based reading.” I was so amazed by this, I couldn’t wait to tell my son Matthew (16) who struggles with taking tests. The problem is that he gets so bored and doesn’t care about the passage, so he guesses the answers. With the techniques taught in this course, Matthew will learn the quick and easy way to resolve this problem! When I mentioned this to him, his eyes widened and he got excited!

The Textbook, workbook and DVDs are very long and detailed. I would just have the student go over a small section at a time to prevent boredom and overwork. They need to glean small amounts of this at a time for the most benefit. This is not a quick program. Plan to spend months on this with lots of time for practice.

The combination of the DVDs and workbooks make learning and studying very easy. I was impressed by the entire program. My children will greatly benefit from this.

SECOND

For those who want to go to college, this program is just want you need. You will want to follow her program exactly. She mentions this course to be like earning $500 an hour for college. This means that she expects you to learn acronyms, take practice tests, take actual tests over the course of a few years, do the writing and math lessons and study, study, study. The amount of time she suggests you spend on this is approximately 150 hours. This is spread out over a long period of time. She explains everything for you in detail. All you have to do is follow her directions.

OUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE SAT

My two oldest children, Rachel (21) and Nicole (20) both took the SAT test. I believe they were 15 at the time. I bought them books from College Board for them to study. They worked hard and long on this. At the time, I didn’t expect either one of them to attend college. We basically did the test for fun and for the experience. The girls love school and looked forward to the challenge and adventure. Later, Nicole took the test for a second time and then went on to college. She is halfway to earning her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. As for Rachel, she ended up going to a technical college. The SAT was not required. She went through a one year program and then graduated. Both girls did well.

However, we really didn’t know very much about the SAT. I believe this course would have been valuable to us. I do still have three more children who will take the test, so we will enjoy this resource and use it to our advantage.

Overall, I believe it is an excellent program.

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To see more reviews by fellow crew members:

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/721345/

To find out more about my reviews, please visit "Introduction to our Homeschool Parlor"