Monthly Archives: February 2011

“Because life and time are short, we will be able to read only a few thousand books in our lifetimes. When we pick any book, we are ruling out hundreds and thousands of other books. How important it is, then, to choose time-proven great books that will [uplift and transform us], and enable us to rise to greater levels of truth and beauty and insight and understanding and, hence, spirituality. Many great men and women have found that a steady, systematic approach to literature has enabled them to fill their beings, in a lifetime of good reading, with the great thoughts of men and women of all the ages, for through reading great books we are put in touch with the great minds of all time, and we become their spiritual and intellectual heirs.” [George W. Pace]

“With regard to the kind of books that are read, great precaution should be used.  No doubt the destiny of individuals has very often been decided by volumes accidentally picked up and eagerly devoured at a period of life when every new impression is powerful and abiding.  For this reason, parents, or some guardian friends, should carefully examine every volume they put into the hands of young people.” [Mrs. Child 1831 Author of The Mothers Book]

We enjoy reading many types of books…but  certain books draw us closer to the Lord and change us in some way.  In light of the fact that this life is short and we only have so many years to read the great books, we do not want to waste our time on “twaddle.”  We hope to choose books that build character, reverence and love for the Lord, and love for our country. We seek out books that are uplifting and joyful  keeping in mind Phil 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.” Please help me add to this list.  If you have read a  great faith building….character growing book that you just loved please comment below and I can add to this list!!  I would be so appreciative!!

Many Blessings,  Anne

Classic Book List

(These are some of the books we’ve read with our boys ages 5-13)

The Bible

Hinds Feet on High Places (for Children)

Little Pilgrims Progress

Treasures of the Snow

Little Britches

Teddy’s Button

Clean Your Boots Sir (Lamplighter)

Joel Boy of Galilee

Titus Comrade of the Cross

Johnny Tremain

Old Yellar

Farmer Boy

Little House Series

Charlotts Web

The Kingdom Series (C. Black)

Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers

The Miller Series

Pathway Readers

From Sea to Shining Sea (For Children, Marshall)

Sounding Forth the Trumpet(Marshall)

The Light and the Glory (Marshall)

Abeka Readers

Anne of Green Gables

The Basket of Flowers (Lamplighter)

Silver for General Washington ( c. 1944  Enid Meadowcroft)

Summer with the Moodys

Spring with the Moodys (Sarah Maxwell)

The Giving Tree (Silverstein)

The Boxcar Children (Early books in series)

The Legend of The Cid ( c. 1963 Robert C. Goldston)

By Wagon and Flatboat ( c. 1938 Enid Meadowcroft)

We Were There at the Opening of the Erie Canal (c.1958 Meadowcroft)

The Story of Davy Crockett ( c. 1952 Meadowcroft)

Land of the Free (c. 1961 U.S. History-Meadowcroft)

The First Year (c.1946 Meadowcroft)

Holding the Fort with Daniel Boone (Meadowcroft)

When Nantucket Men Went Whaling (c. 1966 Meadowcroft)

The Story of George Washington (Meadowcroft)

On Indian Trails with Daniel Boone (c. 1947 Meadowcroft)

Texas Star ( c. 1950 Meadowcroft)

Ship Boy With Columbus (c. 1942 Meadowcroft)

The Story of Andrew Jackson (c. 1953 Meadowcroft)

Charlemagne ( c. 1964 Manuel Komroff)

(To Be Continued)

Our society has it’s priorities out of order. Our university professors,  politicians,  school teachers, and even our churches do not value the “Stay-at-Home” mother. Sadly, training up future leaders is not considered an important job. Loving and serving a family, keeping a home together, and teaching children is looked down upon. This author of The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, must have understood the high calling of motherhood.

Blessings on the hand of women!

Angels guard its strength and grace, In the palace, cottage, hovel,

Oh, no matter where the place;

Would that never storms assailed it, Rainbows ever gently curled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle,  Is the hand that rules the world.

Infancy’s the tender fountain,  Power may with beauty flow,

Mother’s first to guide the streamlets, From them souls unresting grow–

Grow on for the good or evil, Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle  Is the hand that rules the world.

Woman, how divine your mission, Here upon our natal sod!

Keep, oh, keep the young heart open, Always to the breath of God!

All true trophies of the ages,  Are from mother-love impearled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle,  Is the hand that rules the world.

Blessings on the hand of women!

Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,

And the sacred song is mingled With the worship in the sky–

Mingles where no tempest darkens, Rainbows evermore are hurled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle, Is the hand that rules the world.

William Ross Wallace (1819-1881)

For more info on HSLDA or to sign up click here

“Do we really need school? I don’t mean education, just forced schooling: six classes a day, five days a week, nine months a year, for twelve years. Is this deadly routine really necessary? And if so, for what? Don’t hide behind reading, writing, and arithmetic as a rationale, because 2 million happy homeschoolers have surely put that banal justification to rest. Even if they hadn’t, a considerable number of well-known Americans never went through the twelve-year wringer our kids currently go through, and they turned out all right. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln? Someone taught them, to be sure, but they were not products of a school system, and not one of them was ever “graduated” from a secondary school.”
From: How public education cripples
our kids, and why
By John Taylor Gatto

Listen to John Taylor Gatto as he discusses the roots of the public schools. He states that according to the creators of the public schools,  “The family and tradition were the greatest obstacles to making a perfect society…a utopia ”

Romans 1: 20 speaks of God’s creation. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible attributes-his eternal power and divine nature-have been understood and observed by what he made, so that people are without excuse.” He is clearly seen in all He has made.
Our God is an Awesome God!!! I hope you will take a few minutes to watch this beautiful video and song.  ~Anne

I received this in an email and thought it was a good one to read to our children. It reminded me of the Lamplighter story “Clean Your Boots Sir.” The young boy in this story was promoted throughout his life because of his honesty. A totally honest executive or employee is worth more than gold to his company these days. Sadly, honesty is not valued in our society anymore…even many of our politicians cannot be trusted.

A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.

Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.

He said, “It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. “The young executives were Shocked, but the boss continued. “I am going to give each one of you a SEED today – one very special SEED.. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you.

I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO.”

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that
were beginning to grow.

Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.

Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.

By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn’t have a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by — still nothing in Jim’s pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn’t say anything to his colleagues, however, he just kept watering and fertilizing the soil – He so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.

Jim told his wife that he wasn’t going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful — in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.

Jim just tried to hide in the back. “My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown,” said the CEO. “Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!”

All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot.. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, “The CEO knows I’m a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!”

When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed – Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, “Behold your next Chief Executive Officer!

His name is Jim!” Jim couldn’t believe it. Jim couldn’t even grow his seed. “How could he be the new CEO?” the others said.

Then the CEO said, “One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead – it was not possible for them to grow.

All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!”

Prov. 12:22 – “lying lips are an abomination to the Lord”
Prov. 13:5 – “a righteous man hates falsehood”
Prov. 6:12 – “a worthless person, a wicked man, is the one who walks with a false mouth”
Prov. 6:19 – “things which the Lord hates…a false witness who utters lies”
Prov. 12:17 – “He who speaks truth tells what is right, but a false witness, deceit”
Prov. 12:22 – “lying lips are an abomination to the Lord”
Prov. 13:5 – “a righteous man hates falsehood”

If you’ve browsed around this site for a while you already know how I feel about Christian families signing on with the government schools  in order to “help” them educate their children.  Seems there are not enough hours in a day to train up and disciple our children as it is,  and if we are going to jump through all of the hoops  that the charter school program requires,  we will have even less time with our children.  Discipleship requires a great deal of time doesn’t it?

To tell you the truth I’m getting weary of the whole thing and somewhat tired of even talking about it.  I’m ashamed of myself though because the folks at HSLDA have devoted their lives to defending and protecting homeschooling rights.  I should not be  so weary of talking.

It’s quite obvious to me that Christian families should not be yoked with the government when it comes to our children ….I just don’t understand why we would join hands with the very people who are antagonistic and hostile towards our Lord Jesus. Many of my dear homeschooling friends have chosen this route, and I’m not judging their choice….I just don’t  understand how they came to it. I’m dumbfounded.

This post is intended for the young family who is thinking about homeschooling but does not know where to begin.  If you are thinking about homeschooling,  find a true homeschooler  and pepper them with questions.  A true biblical homeschooler will be so willing to give you as much information as they can…as well as share their books and supplies.   PLEASE DO NOT GO TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL AND ASK THEM HOW TO HOMESCHOOL. That would be like going to a butcher and asking them if they do computer repair work!!!   They will not tell you how to homeschool but are very eager to sign you up for the public school at home program in their school district.  They cannot wait to do this as they depend upon the money that they will receive when you do.  It’s all about the money……the money they will receive……and the pittance they will pass on to you for books, piano lessons and art supplies. Please consider the following list before you sign up for a government program.

If you choose to homeschool independently you will be able to bring God into every academic subject.  You will be able to choose curriculum from a Christian perspective.  Your children will know that God is the God of science, history, language arts, arithmetic and all other subjects.  You will learn that you are truly equipped to teach, love, train,  and disciple your children without any help from the government.  You will learn to depend upon God and your husband instead of the government.  You will be willing to learn with your children and  study yourself in order to fill in the gaps of your own public school education.  You will become a family that learns together. Instead of setting up a mini-public school in your home, you will be FREE to plan your child’s education as you wish. You will have 100% of the responsibility, authority and control over your child’s education, just as the Bible requires, and just as our Constitution allows.

Before you sign up for a charter, independent study, virtual, online , cyber computer based, workstudy, distance learning, or public school at home program please consider the following information. Please feel free to email me for more information on biblical independent homeschooling.  Blessings,  Anne

1.  The term “charter school” means a public school. They are under the jurisdiction of the public school system.

2. According to the CA education code (and most states) No public money shall ever be appropriated for the support of any sectarian or denomination school.

3.Charter schools are funded by taxpayer monies, and all publicly funded schools must be under the “exclusive control of the officers of the public schools” (CA Constitution)

4.In order to fulfill the requirements of the California Constitution, religious instruction cannot be given in public schools, even indirectly.  During school hours parents may not legally talk about the Lord, read the Bible, pray etc.  They must wait until school is over just as parents who have their children in a regular brick & mortar public school must wait until dinner or bedtime to pray with their children. Religious instruction is not legal in any type of public school….period.

5.Parents who are enrolled in a charter who wish to offer religious instruction of any kind must circumvent this law during school hours.  If they wish to explain a bible truth or simply pray over a bad attitude, they legally cannot do this during school hours because they are receiving money from the government while enrolled in the charter program.

6.The Philosophy and goals of the charter school are most likely  polar opposite of your goals for your children. Ask the charter school for their philosophy or mission statement and see if they match up.

7.Charter school children who participate in school activities, classes etc. will be subject to peer pressures and influences similar to what one would find in any other public school.

8.  Charter schools are prohibited from purchasing materials which include any promotion of religion, and they are prohibited from allowing such materials to be used in their programs even if they are purchased by the parents.

9.Although some well meaning charter school teachers have told parents to go ahead and use their own Christian materials….they do not record them on the schools records.  These parents us their charter school budgets for other items like computers or lessons.  This seems like an ethical compromise in doctoring school records in order to hide Christian teaching.

10.If a parent chooses to supplement their child’s secular school books with Christian materials, the compromise will be in teaching two different world views to their children.  I question whether it will even be possible to teach Christian worldview after completing all of the requirements of the public school program. Charter school programs take a lot of time.  There are not enough hours in the day to provide parallel education programs…one secular and one Christian.

11. Charter school programs require the same testing as brick and mortar schools do.  Just as teachers do….you will be required to spend time learning materials simply to pass the test even if the content has little value to you or your family.

12. In Ca all graduating public schools students  must pass a High School Exit Exam in order to get a high school diploma. This includes charter schools.

13.Charter schools are not free.  The books, computers, lessons etc. are paid for by the tax payer.  Parents pay the same amount of taxes whether their children to the public school, private school,  or homeschool; charters add to the tax burden.

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When was the last time you paused to thank God you are an American?

Too often, I am guilty of taking the blessing of being an American for granted. I had no control over my birth place. The Creator granted me this blessing.

What a different world we would face if we were born in Somalia…or India…or Kenya. For all the problems we face…for all the issues raised on this daily broadcast…for all our political differences…living here is a blessing. The personal liberty and the limited government our forefathers developed and passed down to us through 100 generations of brave men and women has made this the best place on earth to live and to raise a family.

It has been passed on to our generation to defend this heritage of liberty and to preserve it for future generations. This shining light of freedom called America is not just for those born here…but a beacon for the entire world.

Pause now and say, “Thank you, Heavenly Father”.

inspireandignite

“There is only one way to lead a child down the right path….that is to go that way yourself”

My children are getting to the age when they are beginning to notice the faults of my husband and I….they are noticing the human frailties, the inconsistencies and the shortcomings.  Even though we’ve told them over and over again that Mom and Dad are sinners and that we make mistakes all the time, I don’t think they were paying such close attention as they are now.  They are growing up and just as I knew about my own parents faults and imperfections,  they will know of mine.  My prayer is that they will still see Jesus in me and my husband and know that we are still a work in progress even though we are old.   My prayer is that they will see our hearts.  I hope they will see  hearts  full of love for them and love for our Lord who forgives and promises to continue the work He has begun in our lives.  My prayer is that they will  grow up to love the Lord and realize his mercy and grace in their own lives as well.  Many Blessings to you as you train and disciple your “little ones.”  ~Anne

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My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less
By: Edward Mote

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteous;
No merit of my own I claim
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils his lovely face,
I rest on his unchanging grace;
In every high and story gale
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

His oath, his covenant, his blood
Sustain me in the raging flood;
When all supports are washed away,
He then is all my hope and stay.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When he shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in him be found,
Clothed in his righteousness alone,
Redeemed to stand before the throne!
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

Hymn # 368 from Lutheran Worship
Author: John Stainer
Tune: Magdalen
1^st Published in: 1836