I made these for the girls for Christmas. I'm so excited for Christmas morning!
Monday, December 22, 2014
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Neighbor and Church Gifts
43 bags of whole wheat pancake mix done :) I'm so grateful to have so many dear friends.
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Friday, December 12, 2014
Our Saint Lucia Celebration (rerun from 2010)
Yesterday was St. Lucia day. In our tradition St. Lucia and her Yule Gnome travel on the eve of her day leaving treats of maple candies to good little boys and girls. This St. Lucia Eve happened to also be the third Sunday of advent.
We read this story about St. Lucia by candle light with our St. Lucia and Yule Gnome doll as props.
The next day, on St. Lucia day, we baked her traditional buns. We use whole grain spelt instead of regular flour and we skip the saffron because it's so darn expensive. We enjoyed the buns during family game night. Yum! What a fabulous day!
Mouthwatering eh?
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Waldorf Alphabet Using the Little House on the Prairie Series - Kk
Today's book is On the Banks of Plum Creek. Page 282, the chapter entitled Keeping House.
In this chapter Ma and Pa go to town and leave Laura and Mary to care for toddler Carrie. They are Keeping house by sweeping, carrying in wood as a storm brews and having a warm Kettle of tea on the stove.
Our big K is Laura sweeping the floor and our little k is the kettle on the stove.
There are also many words in this chapter with k in them such as walK, talK, twinKle, etc.
Monday, December 8, 2014
Waldorf Alphabet Using the Little House on the Prairie Series - Jj
Today's book is Little Town on the Prairie, chapter entitled The Fourth of July on page 63.
In this chapter the Ingalls family is awoken on the 4th of July to fireworks! They Jubilantly Jump out of bed in July! Pa jumping becomes our big J and Laura jumping becomes our little j.
Friday, December 5, 2014
Frohe Sankta Nikolaus Tag!
Happy Saint Nicholas day!! December 6th is the feast day of St Nicholas, the REAL Santa Claus. On this eve we place our shoes by the door and St Nick will leave a bit of fruit, nuts, chocolate or money for good little children.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Waldorf Alphabet Using the Little House on the Prairie Series - Ii
Today's book is our family favorite, Farmer Boy. The chapter is called Filling the Ice House on page 65.
In this chapter the Wilder boys cut ice from a nearby pond in order to stock their ice house. The large cut blocks of ice become our big I and the small i is represented by young Almanzo.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Waldorf Alphabet Using the Little House on the Prairie Series - Hh
Today's book is the first book in series, The Little House in the Big Woods. We are reading from the first chapter, also called The Little House in the Big Woods.
In this chapter we are introduced to the Ingalls family and the basic goings on in their lives which are all centered around their little House.
The House becomes our big H and the cHimney on the side is our little h. This is a great opportunity to introduce the notion that little h makes the c before it say "ch." Like the word CHimney.
Monday, December 1, 2014
Waldorf Alphabet Using the Little House on the Prairie Series - Gg
Today's book is On the Banks of Plum Creek. The chapter entitled The Glittering Cloud, page 192.
In this chapter Laura's family observe a Glittering Green cloud on the horizon. This is no ordinary cloud because it is actually a swarm of Ground infesting, wheat Gnawing, brown and Green Grasshoppers!
The Green and Glittering cloud on the horizon becomes our big G and the little gs are the bulgy eyed, Grass eating Grasshoppers!!!
Enjoy this chapter but be prepared to feel the creepy crawlies from those little gs!
Friday, November 28, 2014
Let the season begin!
This day after giving thanks I grabbed my chalk and got to work creating a St Nicholas image for our black board. He who gave in Christ's dear name, and so may we all.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Waldorf Alphabet Using the Little House on the Prairie Series - Ff
Today's book is The Long Winter. Chapter entitled October Blizzard, page 37.
In this chapter a blizzard comes. The Fierce snow Flurries outside while the Family huddles under blankets by the Fire and Pa plays his Fiddle.
The Fiddle becomes the big F and the fiddle bow becomes the little f. Accented in the background by a Fire and a Flurry of snow.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Waldorf Alphabet Using the Little House on the Prairie Series - Ee
The book is The Long Winter. The chapter called An Errand to Town , page 15.
In this chapter Laura and Carrie run an errand for Pa into town. On their way back from their errand they take a shortcut through the slough grass to get to where Pa is mowing. They become lost in the tall grasses. The big E is the path traced by Pa's mower and the little e is the girls looping path as they Emerge from the grasses finally back from their Errand.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Waldorf Alphabet Using the Little House on the Prairie Series - Dd
Book: On the Banks of Plum Creek
Chapter: The Door in the Ground, page 1
In this chapter the family begins a new adventure moving into a dug out house in a hill. The door of the dug out becomes our big D and the door handle becomes our little d.
Monday, November 17, 2014
Waldorf Alphabet Using the Little House on the Prairie Series - Cc
From Little Town on the Prairie. The chapter called The Necessary Cat, page 19
In this chapter gophers are eating Pa's new corn crop. The family gets a cat to help eat the gophers. The big C is the half eaten corn crop. The little c becomes the cat guarding the crop.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Flashback! Super Simple, Waldorf, Jesus Doll for Your Nature Table
Originally posted on August 7th, 2010
Supplies:
1 nylon stocking
scissors
3 pieces of felt - white, tan and dark brown
String
Sewing needle and thread
Embroidery floss, brown
wool stuffing
1. Start by cutting out a 4-5 inch section of stocking. You should have a "tube" of stocking.
2. Tie the stocking off in the middle with a bit of string.
3. Stuff one end of the stocking up with wool and tie off the bottom with string. You should now have a "ball" of wool stuffing with nylon around it, tied off at the top and bottom, the top should have 2-2 1/2 inches of nylon tubing sticking out.
4. Tie a piece of light colored string around the middle of your ball.
5. Take the empty tubing at the top of your ball and pull it over your ball as if the ball were a bank robber pulling a mask over his face. Tie the bottom of the nylon "mask" off with string the same way you tied off the ball when you first stuffed it. Now you should have one ball of wool, double coated in nylon stocking.
6. Take the tan piece of felt and cut it in half length wise.
7. Sew the bottom of your ball onto the top corner of the tan felt, roll the felt up like a burrito and sew it shut. You now have a roll of tan felt as a "body" with the sewn on nylon head at the top.
8. Take the white felt and cut into a square roughly double the size of your doll body. Cut a whole in the middle of the white felt and pull it over the doll's head like a poncho. Use a piece of string like a belt and tie off around the middle.
9. Sew eyes onto the middle of the head, tying off the string in the back of the head.
10. Cut out two pieces of dark brown felt. One should be large enough to fit over the dolls head and be shaped like a horseshoe without the middle cut out. Using the brown embroidery floss blanket stitch the round end to the top and sides of your dolls head, folding and stitching as you go to make it fit.
11. Cut a smaller, long oval out of the dark brown felt for a beard. Cut out a mouth whole and blanket stitch it to the face.
You're done!!
You can make anyone a doll really, just use your imagination! I could see a beardless, redheaded version of this doll being a Mary Magdalene or a bald version with pipe cleaner glasses could be Ghandi, add a staff or tablets for Moses, or gray hair and animals friends for Noah.
Enjoy and happy crafting!
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Waldorf Alphabet Using the Little House on the Prairie Series - B b
The Little House in the Big Woods, Harvest, pages 199-211
In this chapter Laura's cousin Charley is naughty and jumps on a yellow jacket nest. He is stung all over by the bees.
Big B becomes a bee and little b become a baby bee with its path shown as a trail behind.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Waldorf Alphabet Using the Little House on the Prairie series- Aa
Hello! Welcome to the start of a series which will become a FREE curriculum resource here at A Wise and Glorious Purpose!
Who is This For?
This curriculum is for children ages 6-7 who show readiness signs for reading. These signs include; child has lost two top front teeth, the child can skip, when painting the child separates colors as opposed to just swishing colors all together. This series gives both the upper and lower case letter however I suggest introducing only the upper case letter in first grade and then the upper and lower case together in second grade (yes, read this through twice, once in each grade!)
Introduce one letter every other day (roughly) during the school year. Have your student keep all the pictures in a folder or bind them into a book they can keep.
Why This Method?
In the Waldorf method a child should be guided through the stages of human development, the same stages our ancestors have walked through. Just like our ancestors a child learns first through the oral tradition (story telling), the main characters in those stories become shapes (like Egyptian hieroglyphics) and then letters, and then words, which leads to reading.
Typically the Waldorf method introduces letters using fairytales however this Waldorf alphabet curriculum uses tales from the Little House on the Prairie series. These true stories of the pioneering adventures of the Ingalls and Wilder families are beloved American classics. They bring a sense of wonder, history and story telling to your first and second grader. They embody a spirit of independence, self reliance, resiliency and determination. They help your child develop their love of hard work and are a perfect foundation to education.
Once this series is complete I will post a page on the website with a link to each letter.
What supplies do I need?
The collection of all nine Little House on the Prairie books. You can buy them from a place like Amazon or your local book seller, you can purchase them at a thrift shop or your local library should have all the books available there. Youtube also has videos of people reading the chapters aload.
You will also need paper and block crayons. If you cannot afford block crayons you can melt old crayons on the stove top in a pan you don't use for cooking and place the melted wax into an ice cube tray and allow the wax to harden.
How do I teach this?
You begin by reading your child the pages or chapter listed. You have them draw the picture and write the letters as shown in the pictures I provide. Ideally if you have a chalk board you would draw the picture first on the chalk board in colored chalk and the child would copy that image. You may draw the image first on paper as well or if you're in pinch you can have them copy the image I provide from the computer screen.
Let's begin...
A a
Farmer Boy, Late Harvest, pages 240 -242 (but feel free to read the whole chapter)
In this chapter Almanzo and his family harvest apples and onions. They place the apples in the cellar and the onions in the attic. Big A becomes the house with the peak of the house the Attic with the dried onions and the lower part of the A is the cellar with the apples (little a) inside.
Who is This For?
This curriculum is for children ages 6-7 who show readiness signs for reading. These signs include; child has lost two top front teeth, the child can skip, when painting the child separates colors as opposed to just swishing colors all together. This series gives both the upper and lower case letter however I suggest introducing only the upper case letter in first grade and then the upper and lower case together in second grade (yes, read this through twice, once in each grade!)
Introduce one letter every other day (roughly) during the school year. Have your student keep all the pictures in a folder or bind them into a book they can keep.
Why This Method?
In the Waldorf method a child should be guided through the stages of human development, the same stages our ancestors have walked through. Just like our ancestors a child learns first through the oral tradition (story telling), the main characters in those stories become shapes (like Egyptian hieroglyphics) and then letters, and then words, which leads to reading.
Typically the Waldorf method introduces letters using fairytales however this Waldorf alphabet curriculum uses tales from the Little House on the Prairie series. These true stories of the pioneering adventures of the Ingalls and Wilder families are beloved American classics. They bring a sense of wonder, history and story telling to your first and second grader. They embody a spirit of independence, self reliance, resiliency and determination. They help your child develop their love of hard work and are a perfect foundation to education.
Once this series is complete I will post a page on the website with a link to each letter.
What supplies do I need?
The collection of all nine Little House on the Prairie books. You can buy them from a place like Amazon or your local book seller, you can purchase them at a thrift shop or your local library should have all the books available there. Youtube also has videos of people reading the chapters aload.
You will also need paper and block crayons. If you cannot afford block crayons you can melt old crayons on the stove top in a pan you don't use for cooking and place the melted wax into an ice cube tray and allow the wax to harden.
How do I teach this?
You begin by reading your child the pages or chapter listed. You have them draw the picture and write the letters as shown in the pictures I provide. Ideally if you have a chalk board you would draw the picture first on the chalk board in colored chalk and the child would copy that image. You may draw the image first on paper as well or if you're in pinch you can have them copy the image I provide from the computer screen.
Let's begin...
A a
Farmer Boy, Late Harvest, pages 240 -242 (but feel free to read the whole chapter)
In this chapter Almanzo and his family harvest apples and onions. They place the apples in the cellar and the onions in the attic. Big A becomes the house with the peak of the house the Attic with the dried onions and the lower part of the A is the cellar with the apples (little a) inside.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Friday, November 7, 2014
Our Current Weekly Meal Plan (Fall/Winter 2014)
I love rhythm and I love food so it's no secret I like to meal plan. If you've been reading my blog for a while you will remember posts like this, this and this where I share the latest happenings in my kitchen.
So I just revamped our current weekly menu plan and I thought I would share it with you.
My foundations for meal planning are based on the Weston A Price diet and the Bible, which both believe grains are the most important staple of our diet, second come seasonal fruits and veggies, next is wholesome dairy products and lastly a little meat from time to time.
In the past I've been vegan, low carb, paleo, gluten free, grain free, vegetarian, primal, raw foodist, dairy-free - you name it! LOL But I've found that the best answer for my family was the simplest and one based on God's word.
Our Menu
Monday
B - Oatmeal, dried fruit and nuts
L - Meat and vegetable stew and salad
D- Baked beans, salad and oat bars
Tuesday
B - Polenta
L - Baked beans and salad
D - Bean tacos
Wednesday
B - Sweet potato hash browns
L - Refried beans, salsa and salad
D - Broccoli soup
Thursday
B - Eggs and toast
L - Broccoli soup and salad
D - Tomato soup and biscuits
Friday
B - Hot rice cereal
L - Tomato soup and salad
D - Baked bean chili
Saturday
B - Pancakes
L - Sandwiches
D - Whole grain pasta and veggies
Sunday
B - Millet porridge with berries
L and D - Meat and veggie stew (we eat a late lunch/early dinner this day because of our church schedule)
On our salad we've been enjoying my new homemade ranch dressing recipe:
One cup of sour cream
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoons immune boosting spices
1 tablespoon dill
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
2 tablespoons onion powder
dash of salt and pepper
Blend everything together and enjoy!
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Monday, October 27, 2014
A Healthy Fast Lunch for Less
The kids and I were running errands today when it got to be lunch time.
Eeeeek! Amma right?
It's always a grueling mental choice of "save money" vs. "poison my children."
I knew we could hit the drive through for $10 and that would feed all 5 of us.
So I decided to stop by our health food store to see what I could find there for under $10.
I hit the clearance rack and the sales. I'm proud to say I pulled a great haul for $9!
My conditions were that the food must be easy and clean to assemble and eat in the car.
I bought...
A loaf of organic bread $2.50
One bunch of fresh carrots $1.50
6 slices of organic cheese $2.50
One bag of Kettle Chips $1.99
We ate cheese sandwiches, chips and carrots.
I'm determined to make this our regular go-to option for quick meals on the run.
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Waldorf play and the big boy work
Today the boys and I organized some of the play room toys so we could be sure the 4 year old and the 2 year old had plenty to play with while the big guys did school work. Playing is their school work! In the Waldorf method we encourage play that mimics adult home making, such as cooking, as well as play that ignites the imagination with natural woods, beeswax, wool, cotton and silk.
I love these wood animals. Worth every penny, lasted through 5 children so far! Here we have our three friends a horse, a reindeer and a bear. Nearby is the wooden rainbow stacker and in the background a basket of pinecones with a felted owl and a little pocket baby.
Our play kitchen is modeled after a wood burning stove. At the time we made it we lived in a home where we cooked on a wood burning stove. Next to it is our basket of play dishes both tin and wooden.
And some of the big boy work - the water cycle!
Monday, October 20, 2014
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Beloved Ancestor Tree
October is a time to remember our beloved who have passed through the veil.
Here we have attached ribbons with their names to a stick to create a tree of rememberance.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
A Sweeter Halloween Series - Part 2 - Wholesome Activities
Little Sprite Boy enjoys a s'more around the campfire during our trip to the pumpkin patch!
Haunted houses, spokes, ghosts, zombies....it seems nearly impossible to find wholesome things to do on Halloween. I've really been prompted to stay clear of such demonic influences for several years but this year I threw my hands up and said "I'm DONE!" It all came about when I took my children to the opening day of the Spirit Halloween store. Their grandpa had just visited and gave each of them $20. I thought it would fun for them to start thinking about Halloween costumes and maybe buy some fun dress up things.
Boy howdy!
I could not BELIEVE what I saw in that store! Pretend dead babies with bleeding eye sockets. Little mechanical zombie girls with missing eyes, black stuff dripping from the eye sockets, that jump at you and yell for their mommy.
In short I was HORRIFIED and I think my children were scarred for life. Honestly, they still have nightmares.
It was beyond sick but was unfortunately not isolated to that store.
Imagine my surprise when I see facebook posts from one of my favorite family farms who were getting ready for their annual Halloween pumpkin patch by decorating with this zombie girl!
Wha? Seriously?
My home school group had a field trip planned to this farm. I decided my children and I would not be going to this pumpkin patch and I chose another farm, a little further away. This farm was more low key. They had a "Sleepy Hallow" theme and the scariest thing they had was a boy dressed as the headless horseman riding a real horse.
Most important about the headless horseman was there was no blood or gore. The horseman didn't frighten my children, they squealed with delight. It was just fake enough to not be terrifying and just real enough to cast a fun atmosphere.
This farm decorated with pumpkins and some white sheet ghosts only. No blood, no gore, no dead babies.
*sigh of relief*
My church holds an annual Halloween carnival and trunk or treat. 99% of the costumes, activities and trunks are not scary and are fun and playful however I'm not trilled with trick or treating in general so when someone in my local home school group decided to host an unHalloween party on Halloween night I jumped on the chance!
This party has a fairytale theme. We still get to dress up, have a costume parade but in addition there will be a sugar-free dessert contest, a soup potluck, a story telling time, karaoke, etc.
Wholesome. No candy, no guts, no blood, no gore.
Perfect!
So I encourage you to seek out a sweeter Halloween by minding what activities you choose to participate in. I encourage you to follow your promptings and pray about what your family will do in October and seek out the sweet! :)
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Christopher Columbus Day is Coming Soon!
Christopher Columbus thought the Native people were the "best and gentlest people in the world."
This is my blog. I try to keep it sweet, simple and inspirational. I try not the rant (too much lol) I want to present things to uplift so that you might be inspired in your home making, your home schooling and in your walk with the Lord.
It is on this note that I present a Columbus Day post. Columbus has become a very controversial character in history. Some adore him but it seems as if these days most people think he was anywhere from very bad to completely evil.
All the information and misinformation had me confused for years. First, I liked him, then I hated him. He's the perfect fall guy for the current social trend to hate all things Christian, white and male.
So who was he? Saint or sinner? Before I could present a Columbus day narrative to my children I HAD to know the truth, or as close to the truth as I could reasonably get.
So here it is. My best assessment of Christopher Columbus and I must say that where my research took me was not somewhere I expected to go.
I went into this project thinking, "OK, he was probably bad but was he that bad? You know, ear cutting, slave taking, cold blooded murderer that some pieces would make him out to be- bad?" and I ended up coming out at the other end of my research thrilled to have studied him!
I can honestly say he truly was a very brave, smart and faithful man. His journal logs were so inspiring that I've decided to make his entire log book mandatory reading for my boys as they come of age.
I would even venture to call him a "hero."
I know that's a bold statement in today's world. No doubt what happened AFTER Columbus was terrible for the Native peoples. As the Spanish came and eventually the migration to North America of the Europeans, millions of Natives lost their lives to European disease and slave labor.
Despite the fact that millions of Europeans found refuge in a New World and had their lives saved from religious prosecution and death in Europe, it cannot excuse what happened to the Natives of Central and North America and even though Columbus was not really the first to "discover" these areas nor did he personally exploit them (he died in poverty) others used Columbus' research and discoveries in an indefensible way.
Not all of those indefensible actions, however grave, can be laid upon the shoulders of a man who died only 14 years after he found this New World.
So let's get some of the "ugly" out in the open. Columbus is accused of horrible acts. He is accused of enslaving the native population onto farming plantations during his 3rd visit to the islands. Men, women and children died by the thousands during his reign as governor of this territory.
Did those thousands die of cruel treatment, or did they die of disease? Some most likely died of cruel treatment during his governorship and we know countless people lost their lives to European diseases. This is fact.
What is not fact however is how Columbus or his brothers, who were ruling with him, treated the natives. All of the negative accounts of Columbus' treatment of the natives comes from, or was gathered by, one man. Just one and he was not unbiased.
His name was Francisco de Bobadilla. Bobadilla was sent to check up on Columbus. After only a few days Bobadilla had Columbus and his brothers returned to Spain in chains without a chance to offer a defense.
Christopher wrote to a friend at court...
"It is now seventeen years since I came to serve these princes with the Enterprise of the Indies. They made me pass eight of them in discussion, and at the end rejected it as a thing of jest. Nevertheless I persisted therein ... Over there I have placed under their sovereignty more land than there is in Africa and Europe, and more than 1,700 islands ... In seven years I, by the divine will, made that conquest. At a time when I was entitled to expect rewards and retirement, I was incontinently arrested and sent home loaded with chains ... The accusation was brought out of malice on the basis of charges made by civilians who had revolted and wished to take possession on the land ... I beg your graces, with the zeal of faithful Christians in whom their Highnesses have confidence, to read all my papers, and to consider how I, who came from so far to serve these princes ... now at the end of my days have been despoiled of my honor and my property without cause, wherein is neither justice nor mercy"
Once in Spain Columbus and his brothers went before the King's court and they were acquitted of the charges. They were allowed to return to the islands but Columbus could not be governor any longer. Meanwhile Bobadilla had established himself as governor.
So, what are the facts here? Did Bobadilla have reason to arrest Columbus? Yes, he wanted Columbus' job and he got it! Did the King and Queen have reason to acquit Columbus yet not reinstall him as governor? What kind of verdict was that anyway -he was guilty enough not to be governor but too innocent for jail?
Seems odd.
But you see, under the Capitulation's of Santa Fe, the Spanish Crown owed Columbus 10% of the wealth found in the New World. So, of course when he asked for his retirement money, an old man with severe arthritis, they said "Nope, sorry, remember, we had to let you go."
Convenient.
Like an old time cop drama "He was just two weeks away from retirement!!!"
But why when reading this history do I give Columbus so much benefit of the doubt? Because I read his logs. Whether or not he acted perfectly in every situation after reading his logs upon his first discovery of the New World I can safely say I know what his intent was.
He wanted to convert them, not kill them.
You see Columbus was a deeply religious man who had two goals, spread his faith and get gold for the court who funded his trip.
"But maybe he was trying to convert them through force?" some might ponder.
Columbus wrote in his logs on October 12, 1492 "I know they [the natives] are people who can be made free and converted to our Holy Faith more by love than by force."
In his logs he was always looking for gold but he had nothing but love and honor for the native people.
He wrote, "They are very well-built people, with handsome bodies and fine faces." October 12, 1492
"They traded everything with goodwill, but it seems to me that they have very little and are poor in everything. I warned my men to take nothing from the people without giving something in exchange." October 12, 1492
Columbus gave strict orders to his men to treat the natives with the utmost respect. When they rowed ashore to an island and found that the villagers had fled their homes Columbus ordered his men not to touch or take anything from the Native's abandoned homes.
"I ordered that everyone [Natives] be treated honorably because they are the best and gentlest people in the world..."
"I gave them [Natives] glass beads, brass rings and hawks' bells, not because they asked for anything but because it seemed to me to be the right thing to do..." December 21, 1492
"...I do not believe there is a better people or a better country. They love their neighbors as themselves, and they have the softest and gentlest voices in the world and are always smiling." December 25, 1492
During his travel among the islands many of the native people told Columbus of some tribes on nearby islands that committed horrible murders, slaughters and were cannibals. They even showed him men from their tribe with chunks of flesh torn from their bodies and told Columbus it was the cannibals who had done it.
Columbus did not believe them and still attempted to visit all the islands and natives that he could on his travels, which to me means two things. First, that Columbus was very brave and second, that there may have been natives in the area that Columbus later had to defend himself against in a violent way.
Perhaps Columbus abandoned his faith and began slaughtering the Natives later in life? Not likely. Records from his son show us that Columbus, who already praised the Lord every few sentences in his early journals, only grew MORE devout and faithful in his advancing age.
Conclusion and citations...
The issue is this: we may never know the full truth of who exactly Columbus was and what role he played in the deaths of the native peoples of America but that is no reason to demonize Columbus. There are far more historical evidences of his virtues than of anything else.
I do invite you however to read Columbus' personal logs. You can find them in The Log of Christopher Columbus by Robert H Fuson, PhD (complied by the National Geographic Columbus Project 1986) from which I derived most of this information. After considering many Columbus resources I found this to be the one which would give the best historical accuracy. I also cited Samuel Eliot Morison, Admiral of the Ocean Sea: A Life of Christopher Columbus p. 576.
"I ordered that everyone [the natives] be treated honorably because they are the best and gentlest people in the world..."
-Christopher Columbus
This is my blog. I try to keep it sweet, simple and inspirational. I try not the rant (too much lol) I want to present things to uplift so that you might be inspired in your home making, your home schooling and in your walk with the Lord.
It is on this note that I present a Columbus Day post. Columbus has become a very controversial character in history. Some adore him but it seems as if these days most people think he was anywhere from very bad to completely evil.
All the information and misinformation had me confused for years. First, I liked him, then I hated him. He's the perfect fall guy for the current social trend to hate all things Christian, white and male.
So who was he? Saint or sinner? Before I could present a Columbus day narrative to my children I HAD to know the truth, or as close to the truth as I could reasonably get.
So here it is. My best assessment of Christopher Columbus and I must say that where my research took me was not somewhere I expected to go.
I went into this project thinking, "OK, he was probably bad but was he that bad? You know, ear cutting, slave taking, cold blooded murderer that some pieces would make him out to be- bad?" and I ended up coming out at the other end of my research thrilled to have studied him!
I can honestly say he truly was a very brave, smart and faithful man. His journal logs were so inspiring that I've decided to make his entire log book mandatory reading for my boys as they come of age.
I would even venture to call him a "hero."
I know that's a bold statement in today's world. No doubt what happened AFTER Columbus was terrible for the Native peoples. As the Spanish came and eventually the migration to North America of the Europeans, millions of Natives lost their lives to European disease and slave labor.
Despite the fact that millions of Europeans found refuge in a New World and had their lives saved from religious prosecution and death in Europe, it cannot excuse what happened to the Natives of Central and North America and even though Columbus was not really the first to "discover" these areas nor did he personally exploit them (he died in poverty) others used Columbus' research and discoveries in an indefensible way.
Not all of those indefensible actions, however grave, can be laid upon the shoulders of a man who died only 14 years after he found this New World.
So let's get some of the "ugly" out in the open. Columbus is accused of horrible acts. He is accused of enslaving the native population onto farming plantations during his 3rd visit to the islands. Men, women and children died by the thousands during his reign as governor of this territory.
Did those thousands die of cruel treatment, or did they die of disease? Some most likely died of cruel treatment during his governorship and we know countless people lost their lives to European diseases. This is fact.
What is not fact however is how Columbus or his brothers, who were ruling with him, treated the natives. All of the negative accounts of Columbus' treatment of the natives comes from, or was gathered by, one man. Just one and he was not unbiased.
His name was Francisco de Bobadilla. Bobadilla was sent to check up on Columbus. After only a few days Bobadilla had Columbus and his brothers returned to Spain in chains without a chance to offer a defense.
Christopher wrote to a friend at court...
"It is now seventeen years since I came to serve these princes with the Enterprise of the Indies. They made me pass eight of them in discussion, and at the end rejected it as a thing of jest. Nevertheless I persisted therein ... Over there I have placed under their sovereignty more land than there is in Africa and Europe, and more than 1,700 islands ... In seven years I, by the divine will, made that conquest. At a time when I was entitled to expect rewards and retirement, I was incontinently arrested and sent home loaded with chains ... The accusation was brought out of malice on the basis of charges made by civilians who had revolted and wished to take possession on the land ... I beg your graces, with the zeal of faithful Christians in whom their Highnesses have confidence, to read all my papers, and to consider how I, who came from so far to serve these princes ... now at the end of my days have been despoiled of my honor and my property without cause, wherein is neither justice nor mercy"
Once in Spain Columbus and his brothers went before the King's court and they were acquitted of the charges. They were allowed to return to the islands but Columbus could not be governor any longer. Meanwhile Bobadilla had established himself as governor.
So, what are the facts here? Did Bobadilla have reason to arrest Columbus? Yes, he wanted Columbus' job and he got it! Did the King and Queen have reason to acquit Columbus yet not reinstall him as governor? What kind of verdict was that anyway -he was guilty enough not to be governor but too innocent for jail?
Seems odd.
But you see, under the Capitulation's of Santa Fe, the Spanish Crown owed Columbus 10% of the wealth found in the New World. So, of course when he asked for his retirement money, an old man with severe arthritis, they said "Nope, sorry, remember, we had to let you go."
Convenient.
Like an old time cop drama "He was just two weeks away from retirement!!!"
But why when reading this history do I give Columbus so much benefit of the doubt? Because I read his logs. Whether or not he acted perfectly in every situation after reading his logs upon his first discovery of the New World I can safely say I know what his intent was.
He wanted to convert them, not kill them.
You see Columbus was a deeply religious man who had two goals, spread his faith and get gold for the court who funded his trip.
"But maybe he was trying to convert them through force?" some might ponder.
Columbus wrote in his logs on October 12, 1492 "I know they [the natives] are people who can be made free and converted to our Holy Faith more by love than by force."
In his logs he was always looking for gold but he had nothing but love and honor for the native people.
He wrote, "They are very well-built people, with handsome bodies and fine faces." October 12, 1492
"They traded everything with goodwill, but it seems to me that they have very little and are poor in everything. I warned my men to take nothing from the people without giving something in exchange." October 12, 1492
Columbus gave strict orders to his men to treat the natives with the utmost respect. When they rowed ashore to an island and found that the villagers had fled their homes Columbus ordered his men not to touch or take anything from the Native's abandoned homes.
"I ordered that everyone [Natives] be treated honorably because they are the best and gentlest people in the world..."
"I gave them [Natives] glass beads, brass rings and hawks' bells, not because they asked for anything but because it seemed to me to be the right thing to do..." December 21, 1492
"...I do not believe there is a better people or a better country. They love their neighbors as themselves, and they have the softest and gentlest voices in the world and are always smiling." December 25, 1492
During his travel among the islands many of the native people told Columbus of some tribes on nearby islands that committed horrible murders, slaughters and were cannibals. They even showed him men from their tribe with chunks of flesh torn from their bodies and told Columbus it was the cannibals who had done it.
Columbus did not believe them and still attempted to visit all the islands and natives that he could on his travels, which to me means two things. First, that Columbus was very brave and second, that there may have been natives in the area that Columbus later had to defend himself against in a violent way.
Perhaps Columbus abandoned his faith and began slaughtering the Natives later in life? Not likely. Records from his son show us that Columbus, who already praised the Lord every few sentences in his early journals, only grew MORE devout and faithful in his advancing age.
Conclusion and citations...
The issue is this: we may never know the full truth of who exactly Columbus was and what role he played in the deaths of the native peoples of America but that is no reason to demonize Columbus. There are far more historical evidences of his virtues than of anything else.
I do invite you however to read Columbus' personal logs. You can find them in The Log of Christopher Columbus by Robert H Fuson, PhD (complied by the National Geographic Columbus Project 1986) from which I derived most of this information. After considering many Columbus resources I found this to be the one which would give the best historical accuracy. I also cited Samuel Eliot Morison, Admiral of the Ocean Sea: A Life of Christopher Columbus p. 576.
Pumpkin Patch- at home !
Wee Baby Girl shows off her tiny little pumpkin from our pumpkin patch in our back yard! This was a dream come true for me to grow our own pumpkins this year!
Sunday, September 14, 2014
3 Ways to Make Your Husband's Homecoming Brighter
I haven't done an "Honoring Our Men Eternally" post in forever. Momma life has really taken over and I've sorely neglected my blog (my facebook, Twitter and Pinterest obsessions don't help either! LOL)
So, as I sit here on this fine afternoon, waiting for my charming husband to walk through the door, I thought I would share with you my thoughts on greeting a husband when he comes home from work.
Our men, they work hard! We want home to be a sanctuary. Often times we are bubbling over by the time he gets home with a laundry list of complaints (especially about the children's behavior) and about things that need to be taken care of (broken dryer, mowed lawn, etc.) and we chew his ear off about them the second he comes through the door.
But think about it, your husband arrives home from work, most often times, tired, stressed out and seeking a refuge. If he doesn't get it at home he'll find somewhere else (a friends house, a local hang out spot, even his parents house).
When he walks through the door he needs to be greeted by an enthusiastic, well managed household full of charming people he loves and adores and who love him back.
*record scratch*
Seriously?
Yes, I'm dead serious. Now, is life a perfect 1950s episode of Donna Read? Of course not but we CAN create a sanctuary for our husbands, most evenings, even if it's just for a few moments when he first comes home to help lessen the load of his day. First impressions after all, are everything, as they say.
So here are a few tips and tricks....
1. Freshen up
About 10-15 minutes before your hubby is due home freshen up yourself and the children. Comb your hair, put on a little make up. Don't forget about the kids! Check to make sure everyone has on pants, no one is horribly stained or mussed. Wipe smudges from cheeks and check diapers for odors.
Tell your children how important it is to look presentable when father comes home. Let your girls know especially how much they can brighten his day with a fresh face and clean appearance. Be sure your children know how important it is that Papa is coming home, this is something special!
2. Quick Clean
Move that laundry out of the front room. Have the children pick up their toys. I clap my hands and shout, "Quick clean!!" to the kids and we dash about and pick things up for a few minutes. This doesn't mean your house must look perfect but just straighten up. Be sure that Dad isn't going to trip on things when he walks through the door, check for shoes and school bags thrown about - that sort of thing.
3. Greet him
Stop what you're doing (I know, that's hard!) and greet him. Give him a hug, a kiss and wide warm smile. When you can, do your best to appear smooth, cool and relaxed. Men love it when they can rest assured their wife has everything at home well in hand (even when we don't LOL)
All this will all take just 10-15 minutes of your day but you would be amazed what a wonderful spirit it will bring to your home :)
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Home School has begun....
A 6th grader, a 2nd grader and a pre-schooler all live in my house.
We began our home schooling for this year, in September!!
Love it!!
A field trip to Zion Park to get us started out right!
Some fishing too!
Blessings for the new school year!
Little Lassie's Blessing
This past Sunday was our Little Lassie's blessing.
The ladies; Nana, Momma, Little Lassie and Wee Baby Girl
Friday, July 25, 2014
She's here! Lily's birth story
Lily's due date was either July 15th or July 22nd depending on what method of due date one picks. Of course, as my long time readers know the estimated ultrasound due date of July 22nd sounded fine and dandy but all my babes are THREE WEEKS late, so we weren't expecting Lily to join our family until the first week of August - at the earliest.
On July 13th at 5 am, I woke up with contractions. I was stunned. I couldn't believe it. How could this be happening almost a MONTH early? I panicked. I wasn't ready! There was so much to do! I begged my husband to make the contractions stop (ha!).
At noon that day suddenly everything slowed down. By 1 PM everything stopped. Now I was really confused. Not only had a I never had an early baby, much less an on time one, I had never had a false labor start. I didn't know what to think other than my body was not behaving in it's normal way.
Over the next week I really fixated on mentally and physically preparing for the birth. A trip to the Temple helped immensely. On July 22nd, a little more than a week later, I woke up again in the early morning with contractions. The same pattern I had experienced the week before started to play out again.
I had no idea what to do. This seasoned birth veteran didn't know whether or not she was in labor! I tried going about my day as best as I could. I called the midwife, I called my mom and dad. I waited. By noon the contractions hadn't stopped but they hadn't picked up either. I also usually have fast labors so this added an even bigger question mark into the pot.
I got down on my knees and prayed. I told Heavenly Father that I as ready, to please be gentle with me, but that I was ready to do this. My contractions immediately went from 10 minutes apart to 3 minutes apart.
The midwife came at 2:30 pm at which point we knew this was really labor.
I ran around the house. I sang, I swayed, I pounded on the doors. As I entered transition I could not find a comfortable way to sit and I could no longer stand. Usually I have laid down on my side during transition but something about these contractions made that an unbearable thought so I squirmed around on the floor in a variety of ways.
Sometimes I prayed out loud during a contraction. I told Heavenly Father how much I loved him and that I trusted his design for birth. Sometimes I chastised my contraction like a mother scolding a child. "You hurt!" I would tell it.
I had what felt like a lot of time in between contractions - at least it felt that way to me. I'm use to them coming right on top of each other - no time to think, just do. I didn't like the time to think. It made me feel weak, like I couldn't do another one.
Eventually I found myself leaning back with the help of the midwife assistant. I started feeling pressure with the contractions. I knew I had to change positions but I wasn't sure what. The midwife suggested getting on my hands and knees. I almost said no because I knew she was right and I wasn't sure if I was ready to push.
I got on my hands and knees, again with the assistant's help. I leaned over her back and with the next contraction I felt the baby move into the birth canal. Again, this birth was so untypical, normally I LOVE this part - really I do. The pain nearly goes away as I push and feel myself make progress and I know I'm almost done but this time I didn't like it. I wanted to just stop but of course I couldn't. I cried out, "Oh God! Oh God!"
Another push and she was crowning. Now at this point I just wanted to push her out - be done, but the contractions were still far apart. My midwife was telling me to slow down, to wait. I'm glad I followed her advice because it made it hurt less to slow down. Another push and out the head came. My water broke. I waited what felt like an eternity for the next contraction.
"Just pull her out!" I joked with the midwife. Another contraction came and out she fell. Now THAT was, and is, the best feeling on earth!
Lily was born on July 22nd at 4:37 PM.
Her entry into the world was witnessed by her three brothers, her papa and her big sister slept through it just a few feet away, apparently unimpressed (ha ha)
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Whipped honey oatmeal rum cookies (no sugar!)
I came up with recipe a few days ago to use as refreshments for a scripture study book club I just started hosting. They came out so well I thought I would share :)
Whipped honey oatmeal rum cookies.
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 Tsp honey
1 1/2 c oats
3/4 c olive oil
2 eggs
1 tsp imitation rum extract
Whipped honey for topping
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, honey and oats.
3. Make a well in the center and add oil, eggs, and rum extract
4. Mix together with a spatula. Form the dough into balls and place on cookie sheet slightly flattening them out 5. Bake 10-12 minutes Allow to cool then top with whipped honey :)
Some Thoughts on Energy Work
This past weekend I attended a Christian Holistic Living conference. About half the classes were on things like herbs, natural baking and soap making. The other half were on energy healing and self improvement. I felt uncomfortable with some things I saw and heard discussed.
Today on a facebook group I am on someone brought up energy healing in particular and I felt prompted to share my thoughts regarding this controversial subject for many Christians. When I was done with my post I felt prompted to share it here as well. I've modified it to make it a bit more general in regards to faith and a bit more specific when it comes to my personal feelings on the dangers of self help movements and energy work.
I mean all that I say here in the kindest possible way. I wish only to see others come to Christ and in these days things can be very confusing. A lot of churches have strict definitions as to what priest craft is to keep members safe. It is a matter usually left up to personal revelation and local leaders. I've seen many dismiss their local leaders as being "too narrow minded" or "it's because he's a lawyer and he doesn't understand" etc.
I came to Christianity after spending years in paganism and new age. I was a columnist for SageWoman magazine and I have a Master's degree in Women's Spirituality from Sophia College of Palo Alto, CA. I'm grateful for the Christian women who were practicing energy work and similar practices, who first got me involved in the Church, however, I have seen literally DOZENS of women go astray with these practices.
It begins with the self help movement things that aren't Church approved or that don't follow what Christ laid out for us. This then moves into energy work, chakras, nature worship/veneration, Ayurveda and before you know it eternal families are torn apart and Christ is left on the road side while mom chases a mortal guru.
I'm not saying this happens in every case, certainly, but I do think it is playing with fire and you have to be very, very, very careful not to get burned. Energy work, like meditation, can be a HUGE doorway to Satan if you're not constantly vigilant and always putting Church teachings, scriptures, etc. first and foremost in your life.
Case in point, if you carry around cards, literature or etc. about energy healing in your purse but do not carry any scripture material that you are reading equally as frequently - this, in my opinion, would be an issue.
If you're calling your energy worker before you call your pastor for a blessing, this can be a problem.
If you are listening to a self help guru more than church leaders, this can be a problem.
If your husband, pastor or Bishop is concerned and you blow him off without seriously pondering and praying over his concerns - this could be a problem.
The biggest question we must ask ourselves when pondering energy work is- if Christ, the scriptures and my Church leaders aren't enough for me.....why?
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
What are your reasons for homeschooling?
What are your reasons for homeschooling? It is an often asked question and a long complicated answer! LOL I thought I would write a blog post and try to address the top, most important, reasons my family chooses to home school and some of the benefits we get from home schooling.
1. The Bible tells parents that they are responsible for their children's education.
"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6 is probably one of the most quoted yet most ignored scriptures. Many parents abdicate their responsibility these days to personally train up their children. Starting with day care and extending through 13 years of public schooling we allow the majority of our children's day, for the majority of the week, for the vast majority of their precious years to be spent with strangers simply assuming they will be trained up. Well, they will certainly be "trained up" but will it be in the way they should go - that is to say, the right direction?
"And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them [the words of the Lord] diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. " Deut. 6:5-9
We cannot really teach the word of God to our children diligently while we sit in our house, while we are going to and from life pursuits, while we are napping or putting them to bed, and when they rise up if you have them in school eight hours per day.
Christ taught in Luke 20:25 that we should "Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which be Cæsar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s." My children do not belong to Caesar AKA the government, period. They are not the property of the government to do with as they please. They are made in my earthly image and ultimately in the image of God. They are His and it is my responsibility to be sure I have done everything to guide them back to Him.
For more Bible quotes on homeschooling visit here.
2. To create a Christian worldview and combat the religion of secularism
Make no mistake secularism is a belief system - it is a religion. It is suppose to be a system where religion is treated as neutral but that's not the reality as it is practiced. Secularism is a belief itself. It is the belief that education somehow can be conveyed without turning to God or His word. Secularism behaves as if we can stick God in one container and education in the other, yet how can we do this when God is the author of everything? How can you teach wisdom on any subject and leave the creator out? It isn't possible to do! Yet that is exactly what school both public, charter and private attempt to do!
The scriptures teach us the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom simply cannot be gained any other way except looking at it God's way! Math becomes God's recipe for creation, science the result of that recipe, language the gift of communication given to us to use not only with each other but to pray to our Father. Reading is important to learn so that we may read the scriptures and be guided by God's word that He has given us. Writing supports that learning through scripture study and the ability to share the Gospel with others. Everything is related to God otherwise they are just meaningless half facts on a sheet of paper which are worth nothing eternally.
3. Sheltering my child from bad behavior/bad examples
I was a preschool teacher for many years before having my own children. I also taught kindergarten for a time. I saw first hand how bad behavior set by the bad example of other children. This behavior was like a virus that would infect even the sweetest, best behaved children.
I would see a dear child dropped at day care for the first time. Mom was going back to work and the child who had been at home until then was now in a world of children from a variety of backgrounds. I don't blame the bad behaved children. Some of their parents were alcoholics who hit them, some were ignored, some had mental issues - whatever the problem every school class had at least one or two bad kids and those kids infected the ones around them.
Part of the problem was that one teacher cannot guide the emotional and behavioral needs of 30 students at a time. Even 10, all the same age, was too many. Without individual care and attention the class dissolves into a child created, child led hierarchy which places the most aggressive at the top and the weakest firmly at the bottom.
My children are constantly praised for their good behavior, their kindness, their patience, their hard work ethic. They weren't born that way (don't we wish we could be! LOL) No, I instilled those virtues, through God's grace, and sheltered my children from the wrong examples of badly behaved children while my children's minds were too young to properly processes the negative examples of children around them.
4. Giving my children real socialization
The 30 children to 1 adult ratio of most schools is not real socialization. No where else in life will you ever be in such a situation where you are placed only with your peers, plus or minus six months of age.
In homeschooling my children interact with their family first -multiple age levels with a variety of ways to interact with them. They learn how to interact with their older siblings, their younger siblings as well as their parents. They go out to museums and playgroups where the population is always varied and changing. They learn to interact with all people, young and old, healthy and sick, smart and challenged, etc in real life settings, not a class room.
5. To build strong family ties
As I write this my 7 year old son is reading a book to his brother who is four and his sister who is two while my 10 year old works on answering questions about ancient Greece. Later when Papa gets home the older boys will go with him to get the oil changed on the car and the younger ones will stay home with me to help prepare dinner.
We are together all day. My children get to experience a deep family connection that children in school simply cannot because they are sectioned away from each other all day. My children aren't placed in grades or age groups. They cheerfully interact with older and younger siblings they have never been segmented from. Siblings are best friends - someone to play with, serve and love everyday.
We get to experience milestones together. We are together when the youngest member of the family takes their first steps. We share in the joy of a child learning to read, we see the baby teeth fall out one by one, we help each other on Scout badges and advancements. Nothing is missed, all is shared.
6. A superior education
It's no secret that homeschooled children do better on all testing. The attention of loving parents is simply far superior than the best teachers in the public and private system and the homeschooled children learn more. Period. Like any parent I want the best education for my children.
7. Sexual predators
Your child is more likely to be sexually abused by a teacher than anyone else. Not a priest, not a Scout leader - a public school teacher. This issues has largely been ignored by the media but has recently gained some traction. Keeping my kids at home keeps them safe.
8. School Violence
School violence is no secret. It seems nearly every week we hear of a school shooting, a school stabbing or other violent act. Home is safer for my children.
9. Commercialism
My children are not potential consumers to be branded and exploited yet that is exactly what happens in public schools.
10. Time with my children as they grow (it goes by so quick!)
My children are only children for a blink of an eye. The days may seem long but the years are too short! I want to be with my children and I want them to love being with me! I don't want family day to be Saturdays. That gives me 52 days per year with my children? No way! Everyday is a day to relish in my sweet babies because once they are gone I cannot get those moments back.
11. Avoiding Common Core, mental conditioning and data mining
Government is eroding our rights everyday and one of the main battle grounds is public schools. They are exploiting our children as future slave laborers in Bill Gate's workforce. It's no surprise that Bill Gates was the biggest supporter of Common Core. My children are not going to be educated to only ever be low level clerical employees for the elite and I will not have the government trolling and stock piling personal data on my children. My children do not need a "permanent record" following them around in this new digital age based on something they said when they were 7.
12. Protect their hearts
Small children can get their hearts and hopes set on things and people who make promises or who show caring to them. A child may feel all the love and affection for a school teacher that should be directed at their patents and siblings only to discover a year later this precious teacher cannot recall the child's name. The child is simply one child in a revolving door of children in this adult's life. That can crush their spirit, their heart and their trust in authority figures, leaving a child who misdirected their love away from their family, feeling completely alone and bitter.
13. Listening to the Holy Ghost and relying on prayer for guidance
Listening to the guidance of the Holy Ghost is probably the most important thing we can teach our children. Schools teach this out if them (and of course they are largely successful, they spend more time with our children than we do!).
Schools teach children to go to "facts" and "experts" alone for true wisdom. They will present science theory as fact and counsel our children to regard only the footnotes for guidance on what is "true." However, as anyone who's tried to research a subject online can attest; finding out the "truth" can be tricky when you can find studies supporting different sides and "experts" who cannot agree.
Our public schooled children learn to chase down elusive "facts" as a way to seek truth and guidance in their life and this directs them to ignore the Holy Spirit. In home school we can stop, pray, and wait for revelation as we explore various subject matter. We can gain powerful insight when coupling the "facts" with personal revelation and we strengthen our ability to hear and quickly respond to the guidance of the Holy Ghost in our lives. This relationship with the Holy Ghost will be more instrumental in our children's successful future than anything they could possibly learn in school.
So those are my top reasons. Of course these are my insights and my opinions and many are based on my faith. I don't judge people who choose to, or who must for the time being, use public schools. I don't judge public school teachers, many of whom are doing their very best in an imperfect system. Of course good children can come out of public schooling. This isn't meant as a personal attack or judgment.
Much love :) <3
1. The Bible tells parents that they are responsible for their children's education.
"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6 is probably one of the most quoted yet most ignored scriptures. Many parents abdicate their responsibility these days to personally train up their children. Starting with day care and extending through 13 years of public schooling we allow the majority of our children's day, for the majority of the week, for the vast majority of their precious years to be spent with strangers simply assuming they will be trained up. Well, they will certainly be "trained up" but will it be in the way they should go - that is to say, the right direction?
"And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them [the words of the Lord] diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. " Deut. 6:5-9
We cannot really teach the word of God to our children diligently while we sit in our house, while we are going to and from life pursuits, while we are napping or putting them to bed, and when they rise up if you have them in school eight hours per day.
Christ taught in Luke 20:25 that we should "Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which be Cæsar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s." My children do not belong to Caesar AKA the government, period. They are not the property of the government to do with as they please. They are made in my earthly image and ultimately in the image of God. They are His and it is my responsibility to be sure I have done everything to guide them back to Him.
For more Bible quotes on homeschooling visit here.
2. To create a Christian worldview and combat the religion of secularism
Make no mistake secularism is a belief system - it is a religion. It is suppose to be a system where religion is treated as neutral but that's not the reality as it is practiced. Secularism is a belief itself. It is the belief that education somehow can be conveyed without turning to God or His word. Secularism behaves as if we can stick God in one container and education in the other, yet how can we do this when God is the author of everything? How can you teach wisdom on any subject and leave the creator out? It isn't possible to do! Yet that is exactly what school both public, charter and private attempt to do!
The scriptures teach us the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom simply cannot be gained any other way except looking at it God's way! Math becomes God's recipe for creation, science the result of that recipe, language the gift of communication given to us to use not only with each other but to pray to our Father. Reading is important to learn so that we may read the scriptures and be guided by God's word that He has given us. Writing supports that learning through scripture study and the ability to share the Gospel with others. Everything is related to God otherwise they are just meaningless half facts on a sheet of paper which are worth nothing eternally.
3. Sheltering my child from bad behavior/bad examples
I was a preschool teacher for many years before having my own children. I also taught kindergarten for a time. I saw first hand how bad behavior set by the bad example of other children. This behavior was like a virus that would infect even the sweetest, best behaved children.
I would see a dear child dropped at day care for the first time. Mom was going back to work and the child who had been at home until then was now in a world of children from a variety of backgrounds. I don't blame the bad behaved children. Some of their parents were alcoholics who hit them, some were ignored, some had mental issues - whatever the problem every school class had at least one or two bad kids and those kids infected the ones around them.
Part of the problem was that one teacher cannot guide the emotional and behavioral needs of 30 students at a time. Even 10, all the same age, was too many. Without individual care and attention the class dissolves into a child created, child led hierarchy which places the most aggressive at the top and the weakest firmly at the bottom.
My children are constantly praised for their good behavior, their kindness, their patience, their hard work ethic. They weren't born that way (don't we wish we could be! LOL) No, I instilled those virtues, through God's grace, and sheltered my children from the wrong examples of badly behaved children while my children's minds were too young to properly processes the negative examples of children around them.
4. Giving my children real socialization
The 30 children to 1 adult ratio of most schools is not real socialization. No where else in life will you ever be in such a situation where you are placed only with your peers, plus or minus six months of age.
In homeschooling my children interact with their family first -multiple age levels with a variety of ways to interact with them. They learn how to interact with their older siblings, their younger siblings as well as their parents. They go out to museums and playgroups where the population is always varied and changing. They learn to interact with all people, young and old, healthy and sick, smart and challenged, etc in real life settings, not a class room.
5. To build strong family ties
As I write this my 7 year old son is reading a book to his brother who is four and his sister who is two while my 10 year old works on answering questions about ancient Greece. Later when Papa gets home the older boys will go with him to get the oil changed on the car and the younger ones will stay home with me to help prepare dinner.
We are together all day. My children get to experience a deep family connection that children in school simply cannot because they are sectioned away from each other all day. My children aren't placed in grades or age groups. They cheerfully interact with older and younger siblings they have never been segmented from. Siblings are best friends - someone to play with, serve and love everyday.
We get to experience milestones together. We are together when the youngest member of the family takes their first steps. We share in the joy of a child learning to read, we see the baby teeth fall out one by one, we help each other on Scout badges and advancements. Nothing is missed, all is shared.
6. A superior education
It's no secret that homeschooled children do better on all testing. The attention of loving parents is simply far superior than the best teachers in the public and private system and the homeschooled children learn more. Period. Like any parent I want the best education for my children.
7. Sexual predators
Your child is more likely to be sexually abused by a teacher than anyone else. Not a priest, not a Scout leader - a public school teacher. This issues has largely been ignored by the media but has recently gained some traction. Keeping my kids at home keeps them safe.
8. School Violence
School violence is no secret. It seems nearly every week we hear of a school shooting, a school stabbing or other violent act. Home is safer for my children.
9. Commercialism
My children are not potential consumers to be branded and exploited yet that is exactly what happens in public schools.
10. Time with my children as they grow (it goes by so quick!)
My children are only children for a blink of an eye. The days may seem long but the years are too short! I want to be with my children and I want them to love being with me! I don't want family day to be Saturdays. That gives me 52 days per year with my children? No way! Everyday is a day to relish in my sweet babies because once they are gone I cannot get those moments back.
11. Avoiding Common Core, mental conditioning and data mining
Government is eroding our rights everyday and one of the main battle grounds is public schools. They are exploiting our children as future slave laborers in Bill Gate's workforce. It's no surprise that Bill Gates was the biggest supporter of Common Core. My children are not going to be educated to only ever be low level clerical employees for the elite and I will not have the government trolling and stock piling personal data on my children. My children do not need a "permanent record" following them around in this new digital age based on something they said when they were 7.
12. Protect their hearts
Small children can get their hearts and hopes set on things and people who make promises or who show caring to them. A child may feel all the love and affection for a school teacher that should be directed at their patents and siblings only to discover a year later this precious teacher cannot recall the child's name. The child is simply one child in a revolving door of children in this adult's life. That can crush their spirit, their heart and their trust in authority figures, leaving a child who misdirected their love away from their family, feeling completely alone and bitter.
13. Listening to the Holy Ghost and relying on prayer for guidance
Listening to the guidance of the Holy Ghost is probably the most important thing we can teach our children. Schools teach this out if them (and of course they are largely successful, they spend more time with our children than we do!).
Schools teach children to go to "facts" and "experts" alone for true wisdom. They will present science theory as fact and counsel our children to regard only the footnotes for guidance on what is "true." However, as anyone who's tried to research a subject online can attest; finding out the "truth" can be tricky when you can find studies supporting different sides and "experts" who cannot agree.
Our public schooled children learn to chase down elusive "facts" as a way to seek truth and guidance in their life and this directs them to ignore the Holy Spirit. In home school we can stop, pray, and wait for revelation as we explore various subject matter. We can gain powerful insight when coupling the "facts" with personal revelation and we strengthen our ability to hear and quickly respond to the guidance of the Holy Ghost in our lives. This relationship with the Holy Ghost will be more instrumental in our children's successful future than anything they could possibly learn in school.
So those are my top reasons. Of course these are my insights and my opinions and many are based on my faith. I don't judge people who choose to, or who must for the time being, use public schools. I don't judge public school teachers, many of whom are doing their very best in an imperfect system. Of course good children can come out of public schooling. This isn't meant as a personal attack or judgment.
Much love :) <3
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Raising Heroes
One of my favorite blogs is Raising Homemakers. Until recently, I didn't have any homemakers to raise. God gave my husband and I three boys to start off our family. It had gotten to the point where I figured I just wouldn't have any girls at all and this began me thinking - what's the male equivalent to homemakers?
I thought of words and concepts like "arrows" or "workers" or "leaders" but none had the right zing to it. Now that the Lord has blessed me with not one but two homemakers, ironically I finally thought of an umbrella term that sums up the type of men I am trying to raise up for God...
Heroes
I want to raise up heroes. Heroes for God, heroes for their wives, heroes for their children, heroes for their community.
I'm raising heroes.
Heroes walk with the Savior. Heroes lift others up. Heroes are hard workers. Heroes honor their parents, love their siblings and keep their hearts and minds pure for the day they will marry the woman God has for them. They will love that woman as Christ loved the church.
Heroes do not deny Christ, they feast daily upon the scriptures and to their wives and children they may as well have a cape on their shoulders as they strive righteously to provide, to love and to protect.
Heroes are trained - they are not born.
Proverbs 22:6
King James Version (KJV)
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
If you do not diligently train your hero everyday do not expect a hero to magically manifest when he turns 18 just as you wouldn't expect a girl to know the art of homemaking automatically at the age of 18 simply because she was born a female.
God's WORD trains heroes. Period.
Men who follow God's word aid in training heroes. Don't expect to leave a boy child with no righteous role models and have him figure it out on his own. That will produce mixed results at best. Fathers, uncles, cousins, brothers, Scout masters, neighbors, church brethren, etc. are needed to train heroes.
Train him to love God, to lean on God for everything.
Train him to love and respect his future wife by keeping his heart pure now.
Train him to love his future children by patiently loving his siblings.
Train him to work hard now by giving him work today! Don't let him grow soft! Train him to love work and to work to the glory of God!
Your man will lead his family but first, you, his mother, must lead him. Lead him to God. Lead him to be a hero! :)
If you do not diligently train your hero everyday do not expect a hero to magically manifest when he turns 18 just as you wouldn't expect a girl to know the art of homemaking automatically at the age of 18 simply because she was born a female.
God's WORD trains heroes. Period.
Men who follow God's word aid in training heroes. Don't expect to leave a boy child with no righteous role models and have him figure it out on his own. That will produce mixed results at best. Fathers, uncles, cousins, brothers, Scout masters, neighbors, church brethren, etc. are needed to train heroes.
Train him to love God, to lean on God for everything.
Train him to love and respect his future wife by keeping his heart pure now.
Train him to love his future children by patiently loving his siblings.
Train him to work hard now by giving him work today! Don't let him grow soft! Train him to love work and to work to the glory of God!
Your man will lead his family but first, you, his mother, must lead him. Lead him to God. Lead him to be a hero! :)
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