Four Home Schoolers

Final words

2010-01-06T20:43:00.008-06:00

Dear Readers,
Allison, Luke, Katie, and Caleb began Four Homeschoolers with the purpose to encourage, build up, and inspire other homeschooling students. They posted mainly about school and worldview related topics, and occasionally a fun event. Working together and blogging about their lives as homeschoolers was a good idea. But it gradually became more of a challenge to keep updated. After about a year, Luke left and Kristen joined. Ever since the 4HS have been continuing, or attempting to continue, writing more on their current homeschooling experiences. As time went on, the 4HS struggled to keep their blog updated, and eventually became a burden to all of them.

After much thought and discussion, we decided at this point in our lives, it is best for us to end 4HS. We have enjoyed the time we worked together on this blog, but for various reasons we decided to invest in other things. We will continue our personal blogs, so we are not completely leaving the blogging world. Ultimately, we desire to use our time wisely by investing in things that bring God glory. Our desire was for this blog to be a productive place of encouragement and inspiration for homeschoolers. We hope that in some small way it fulfilled that purpose while it was active. We believe that this blog could still serve that purpose, if we had the necessary time to devote to writing on it. As of now, we lack the time and ideas and feel like it would be best to close.

We appreciate all who have taken the time to read our blog!

Signed,
The 4HS staff
Caleb, Allison, Katie and Kristen

2009-06-14T19:57:00.002-05:00

Dear All Readers,

We have been talking a lot recently about the purpose of our blog. We have decided to change many things on our blog, including the content, design, post frequency, and even authors. This is all very big, so we have decided to temporarily close 4 Homeschoolers. During this time we plan to begin implementing these changes. We plan to be reopening sometime near the end of the Summer/beginning of Fall, and we will post on our blogs when we open again.

Until then,

Caleb, Allison, Kristen, and Katie

Reminder to say "thank you"

2009-06-02T16:08:00.001-05:00

School is nearing completion or is done for most of you I imagine (unless you’re one of the homeschoolers that schools through the summer!). Most of the time when the last tests are done, everyone congratulates the students for finishing another year of school. Perhaps in your family or homeschool group you even celebrate with an end of the year party. You begin to look forward to a relaxing summer, or at least a break from school..... But wait, you forgot something!

Who’s the person who taught you diligently this school year, who sacrificed much of her time to plan lessons, teach, and help you?

Your mother!

Have you given your mother a heartfelt “thank you” for all she has done for you this year? Can I encourage you to take the time to write a card or letter thanking your mom for all that she’s sacrificed for you? As a homeschooler, you would not have finished this year without her! Perhaps you would like to go even further and come up with more creative ways to show your gratefulness for all that she’s done for you. But don’t sit by and not praise and thank her for her diligent efforts!

(If your father has helped you much this year, be sure to do the same for him!)

Competing at State!

2009-05-19T22:09:00.002-05:00

Last weekend my brother and I had the opportunity to compete at a state piano competition. Read more about the experience here!

Thomas Paine

2009-05-15T07:28:00.004-05:00

I enjoy studying American history. It’s amazing to see God’s hand through the harsh first winter the Pilgrims endured to the miraculous victory of the Revolutionary War. It’s encouraging to discover and study the godly men and women that lived during the birth of our nation, to read about the Great Awakenings, to hear how God blessed our nation as we followed Him. But even though our nation was developed on Christian principles, everyone was not a Christian. Some were influenced by worldly philosophies.

This year in World Views of the Western World, my brother and I listened to a variety of tapes about the American Revolution and the French Revolution. It was interesting to learn about the underlying ideologies and foundations of the contrasting revolutions, as well as the worldviews of the people who influenced or were a part of these radically opposing ideologies.

One person we studied was Thomas Paine. Thomas Paine is generally remembered as the author of Common Sense. As an American who lived in the late 1700s, it was fascinating to learn what he really believed. Paine was the author of Rights of Man. In our tape by Knowledge Products, they conveyed that, “Paine believed the French Revolution was based on the same principles as the American Revolution: natural rights, an implied ‘social contract’, and the right of revolution against oppressive governments. Paine…sees the government as the primary threat to social order. He has little regard for traditional institutions, if those institutions are oppressive and unjust.” This statement already should give you some clear ideas of what Paine believed. To claim the French Revolution was based on the same principles of the American Revolution is ludicrous. The humanistic concepts and ideals of French Revolution are a direct contrast from the biblical principles of the American Revolution. While the French Revolution built their ideas on the prior Enlightenment, the men of the American Revolution formed their beliefs upon the Reformation.

Because we know that Paine claimed the American and French Revolutions to be similar, we can already tell that his understanding of their principles is off, so we can rightfully assume we will find other flaws in his thinking. And thus is true, for Paine asserted that man will always pursue peace, whether there is government or not. This assertion reveals his belief that man is naturally good. Because if he truly believed man was evil, he would understand that there is nothing inside us that would pursue peace on our own. We are selfish. We want what’s best for us. If there was no government, there would be complete chaos as people would do what they considered best and good. Because of his presupposition of the goodness of man, he believed that revolutions were good. In his understanding, social order improves in revolutions when the government is destroyed. Chaos? Not according to Paine! People will be doing good and that leads to a “great” society. Because Paine did not grasp the importance of law or government, he believed that it is also wise to reject the past laws and bindings of the last generations, and instead to come up with new ideas. Forget the older, the wiser, the law—let’s come up with new things for our present generation! This is dangerous, and yet our culture has sadly imitated these same ideals by finding the wisdom in the youth.

I hope you were encouraged and inspired to truly study history from a biblical perspective. It’s so much more interesting that way! :) It’s so important to be able to discern and recognize faulty thinkers, philosophers and anyone else who is influencing others. We must take the ideas from any person to Scripture and make sure they are lining up with what God’s Word teaches.

Is failure bad?

2009-04-27T22:10:00.001-05:00

All of us experience failure at times in our lives. It’s not easy. But if God has a plan for each and every circumstance that happens to us, then what does God want to teach us through failure? What do we do when we fail?

As I’ve mentioned before, my brother Luke and I are taking advantage of CLEP testing and testing out of college classes alongside our high school work. I passed my first 6 CLEP tests. My seventh test was College Algebra, a subject I’ve not enjoyed, although my dad believes I’m better at it than I think I am. I studied and attempted the test…and failed. At the time I was more disappointed that I would have to re-study and re-test than the fact that I failed. But the morning before I tested I purposed to praise the Lord whether I passed or failed. Wow, that was tough! To praise the Lord for allowing me to fail and trust that His ways are better than mine, when it seems that finishing quickly and having it done is much better? It’s not something that you naturally want to do—especially on your least favorite subject. So I asked God to give me a good attitude about restudying math and asked that He would show me what He wants to teach me through this. Then I moved on to study for my next test—U.S. History I. I mostly enjoyed studying for that test because I enjoy history, especially U.S. History. I prepared, read, memorized, and went to take the test. Thinking I knew enough to pass, I was shocked when many strange questions came up—things I hadn’t studied or didn’t know well at all. I struggled and prayed a lot throughout the test, asking God to give me the wisdom to pass. After submitting my test, I looked at the score…and sighed. A 49. I needed a 50, and I received a 49. “Lord, not another test to repeat!” I thought. I was prompted again to praise Him, despite my feelings that conflicted. Despite the hardships, failings and troubles that may arise, it’s comforting to know that God knows best and that His ways work together for good for those that love Him (Rom. 8:28). And as I learned from a recent church memory verse we are to rejoice in suffering because suffering produces endurance and endurance character (Rom. 5:3-4). I’m also reminded of the words from the hymn It Is Well with My Soul that tell us “Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul!”

In the midst of failure, we need to pray and ask the Lord to reveal to us what He is trying to teach us.
If you’ve failed at something recently, do you feel that God is asking you to:

Work harder?
Depend more on Him?
Realize that you were too proud in that area?
Humbly recognize that you can’t do things on your own?
Submit your will to Him, trusting that whatever He allows is best?
Persevere and try again?

Brett Harris says: “Failure is never wasted if we learn to do the following: (1) turn to God and become more reliant on Him, (2) learn from our mistakes, and (3) get back up and try again.” Even if you fail, you are not hopeless and the experience does not have to be wasted! Wait on the Lord and seek His face, trusting and looking to see what He will do through your circumstances! :)

"when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me." Micah 7:8

English Lit CLEP study...

2009-03-05T22:04:00.004-06:00

Included the following books. My brother Luke and I studied for this test for a few weeks then took it in early February.

To prepare for this CLEP, my brother Luke and I analyzed some English Literature, took the CLEP official test and the AP tests, read Barron's 101 EZ Keys and answered the questions in the REA Analyzing Lit book that pertained to English authors.
We read summaries and children's versions of Shakespeare's plays (looking for plots and main characters) and stuff like that. I made a list of many English authors and their major works and we memorized some vocabulary. It wasn't too difficult to study for, and the test obviously wasn't too bad, because Luke and I both passed! Yay! 6 more credits!

New Poll!

2009-02-03T19:41:00.001-06:00

Please do us a huge favor by answering the new poll on the sidebar.
If you have any other thoughts, questions, or responses regarding it, you may comment here!
Looking forward to the answers... :)

Cleave Then Leave

2008-12-08T21:16:00.000-06:00

Divorces occur so often the word itself has become commonplace in our society. Couples renounce their sacred marriage vows and discard their wedding rings without scruple. Many who talk of divorce blame it on their spouse’s faults or failures in fulfilling the duties of marriage. In addition, people divorce to find happiness elsewhere when not achieved in a current marriage. However, the final product of divorce frequently introduces serious issues. Illuminating the true motives of a couple, divorce brings detrimental baggage as its end result.

Culminating in blaming discourse, people often justify their reasons for divorce by complaining about certain situations. Many times tensions develop when a parent does not spend time with the family. Without teamwork a spouse could become exasperated when the family’s burdens fall on his or her shoulders. Also, problems can surface when a crisis occurs within the family. Instances of debt, sickness, or death can permanently fracture a marriage. When tough circumstances threaten unity and happiness in a marriage, one encounters the temptation and desire for divorce in order to get a fresh start.

In many instances divorce flows from a discontent heart. Married life may have lacked the charm one had envisioned. When people notice and dwell on the flaws of their husband or wife, they never find satisfaction. They may only make things worse when attempting to straighten things out. However, in this struggle many often forget the fact that no man or woman can ever achieve perfection. At the same time, some may try to amend the shortcomings of a husband or wife and yet overlook their own faults contributing to a shaky relationship. Considering themselves undeserving of conflicts within a marriage, many see divorce as the solution to finding and pursuing happiness.

As a whole, divorce arises from a lack of true devotion from the beginning. In case of divorce some make prenuptial agreements specifically naming their rightful property before marriage. This escape hatch gives a smooth slide from a marriage if unsuccessful. However, if a husband and wife reject their vows when things do not go their way, they most likely did not take them seriously. Instead, most divorces unveil marriages as momentary emotions easily shattered during the toughest of times. Divorce ensues due to a lack of commitment to stand beside one’s husband or wife even when he or she does not act faithfully. Broken marriages frequently take place due to a deficiency of true love—unconditional love—for a spouse even in the worst circumstances.

In summary, one can blame many scenarios as reasons for divorce; however, in the end divorce only produces new issues to hash through. Divorce splits a family and fosters a plaguing heart of bitterness difficult to leave behind. Furthermore, the separation of a father and mother can shipwreck a child and damage the family. Children deprived of a parent lose an important factor in their growth to adolescence. Both contribute in unique ways to a child’s development through their styles of parenting. Without a father or mother children also lose an influential role-model to shape their lives. Not only does the process of divorce inflict permanent wounds on the family, but it also has spiritual consequences as well. Dishonoring to God, divorce throws away the distinct, holy relationship God has designed in marriage as a symbol of Christ’s love for the Church. According to the Bible, God hates divorce and prohibits divorced men from holding positions as leaders in the Church. Because of their unstable example to others, those who divorce limit their opportunities to minister and deride their own reputation and testimony as followers of Christ. Although some may adamantly contest for divorce, it ultimately carries long-lasting and hurtful outcomes most neglect to consider at the time.

Shaping Service

2008-11-30T04:45:00.000-06:00

Last April my dad, brother, and I had the privilege of going on a medical mission trip to the Yucatan Peninsula. An eight-day trip, our team traveled to small villages (“pueblos”) around the city of Valladolid, Mexico. We spent each day from Monday through Friday in a different village, opening medical and dental clinics to minister to the needs of people in the area. Local pastors and missionaries used this opportunity to share the gospel with those who came for treatment. It gave my heart joy to hear of the Holy Spirit’s work in lives as a result of the trip.

For those considering short-term missions, know how worthwhile the effort is. Not only does it bless others, but God can use the experience to strengthen one's faith and relationship with Him. The Lord used our trip to Mexico in an instrumental way both in my life and my brother’s life. Not only were we exposed to a challenging environment, we also learned more about what it means to serve and cultivate a servant’s heart. Having studied Spanish two years, we found it encouraging to apply and practice what we had learned. It meant so much to communicate with the people even at a limited degree. We found that cultural immersion is absolutely crucial when learning a language. By the end of the trip, our Spanish speaking skills and accent had really improved.

Overall, the Lord has worked in the past missions opportunity to kindle an interest and reveal a purpose in learning the Spanish language. My brother Steven and I occasionally visit a Spanish-speaking church service nearby to exercise our Spanish and at the same time receive nourishment from the Word. How wonderful to observe the fervent love for Christ in other believers and feel the presence of God–a bond which ties us together as the Body of Christ–even when worshipping in a different language! In addition, we have just been accepted to go on a medical missions trip to Lima, Peru which will take place at the end of February, Lord willing. I find it encouraging that God has placed this opportunity in our pathway and hope that He will continue to use these missions experiences to shape our lives.

Encouragement

2008-11-05T19:27:00.001-06:00

Some encouragement in these times...

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
-Romans 13:1-8

To listen to the entire chapter, click here.

Perennial Pond Pleasures

2008-10-30T20:52:00.000-05:00

Whether during the hot days of summer or the arctic cold of winter, a backyard pond has multiple uses. Its shimmering glass-like surface reflects the surrounding trees, rippling with each raindrop and the splash of a lively bluegill. Not only does its beauty lie in the scenic serenity it symbolizes, but a pond also offers many opportunities for fun. Many do not realize the countless activities a small body of water provides. During the summer our pond serves as a swimming hole and a fisherman’s delight. Bitter winter temperatures quickly transform its surface into a skating rink. As a whole, a pond facilitates activities which produce pleasant memories among family and friends.

Throughout the summer a pond brings the thrills of the fishing season. Many of my family members rise at the crack of dawn to grab their poles and get an early start. One could easily spend the whole day relaxing in a lawn chair on the perimeter of our lawn gazing at a bobber. What the fish consume provides even more entertainment. In desperation for bait some have fished with marshmallows, corn, and hot dog buns. Many times just a plain hook works, but this shows someone has slacked in completing his chore of giving the daily fish food ration. When reeling fish in by the minute, who needs patience? This fishing spot, just a few steps from the back porch, provides an ideal place for any aspiring fisherman.

When July’s blistering heat prevails, one feels a strong urge to take a running leap into a pond’s cool, calm waters. In fact, our family makes these type of days into a special celebration. We invite several families to join us for an afternoon “pond party” to swim and relax. Coordinating games for these events has caused us to realize the variety of interesting relay races a pond can host. Last year we put our heads together and came up with a inner-tube race with a picnic twist. Rafting across the pond, the team and its vessel of inner-tubes had to safely transport a cooler of sodas to the opposite shore. After disembarking from the craft, the team members had to spread out a checkered blanket on the lawn and guzzle down a soda from their cooler before loading up and returning back to the starting line. Also, in the past friends have enjoyed water balloon fights on our water trampoline and canoe tug-of-war. Everyone looks forward to this exciting event of fun and fellowship each year. Having a pond makes these types of gatherings possible.

However, the end of the summer season only makes one look forward to the next. Our anticipation increases when we first notice a thin sheet of ice skimming the pond’s surface on a cold morning. At our home the skating season officially begins once the ice has reached a thickness of two-and-a-half inches. But maintaining a pond in the winter requires much more diligence. To keep a smooth skating rink, one must venture into the cold after each snowfall to complete the task of clearing masses of snow from the pond’s surface. In addition, our “pond maintenance crew” has found strategies for overcoming bumpy ice without professional machinery. Dire circumstances have forced us to thaw frozen backyard hoses with hairdryers in order to pump water out to the pond. After several hours of dragging the hose back and forth over the ice, one can produce a thin layer of smooth, glassy paradise. Ultimately, we learn to work together through these labors.

Such diligent upkeep enables one to enjoy a pond to the fullest. Our friends jump at any opportunity to ice skate. This sport makes the long winter days pass by quickly. Everyone comes ready for fun and filled with enthusiasm. Scarves trailing behind, skaters flash across the pond as delicate snowflakes float to the ground. Snowballs fly through the air in attempt to successfully hit a swift skater. Children young and old participate in games of tag. With boots and sleds as make-shift goal markers, hockey brings the adrenaline to a climax. Lit up with Christmas lights along its perimeter, the pond provides an inviting atmosphere on a clear, starry night. After working so hard, one can smile with satisfaction when sensing the happiness encased in such a beautiful scene.

In summary, having a pond adds to the joy of each season. Through summer and winter a pond’s versatility creates endless opportunities for entertainment. Such diverse activities from fishing to skating bring many occasions to draw friends and family close together. Many of my fondest memories include time spent in this way. Some may see a pond as unimportant, but in my eyes it provides an avenue of fun for all ages and a means for families to gather together as friends.

A Meaningful Journey

2008-09-25T19:35:00.004-05:00

(The following essay was written as a part of my advanced composition class):

Last June a portion of my family embarked on a trip of a lifetime. My dad, older brother, and I traveled to Sweden with my grandparents. Planning to trod the ground of my great-grandparents' homeland, we looked forward to getting a visual account of our family's background. Our schedule overflowed with ambition as we tried to pack as much as possible into short trip. We enjoyed exploring the past together as a family, digging deep into history, and learning more about the lives of our predecessors. God brought our family close together as we spent time with each other and contemplated his sovereign work in our history.

While traveling and sharing the experience together, I noticed our hearts bond in a unique way. Watching my grandmother converse fluently with family members and other Swedish people gave me a new respect for her. Her crucial role in translation helped us immensely, building a bridge between us and those who could not speak English. As we visited numerous family farms and churches, my grandparents joyfully shared facts and information with us. They related interesting stories about our forefathers and pointed out many landmark locations while we caravanned from place to place. I knew those walkie-talkies we packed would come in handy! Such quality time -- a total of almost two weeks -- gave us a deeper relationship with our grandparents as we listened to them share their heart. How meaningful for them to come alongside us to pass on such rich legacy!

Our tour of Sweden also brought a realization of the Lord's blessing on us. God directed my great-grandparents to America and gave them a solid faith. In America they could grow in the discipleship of a strong evangelical environment. Despite leaving their families behind, they gained something far more valuable: a deep love for Christ. As believers, they passed the torch of faith to the next generation. However, through our interaction with relatives and cousins in Sweden, we observed that those who remained had not handed down their faith to their children. Out of all of the relatives we met, not one of them demonstrated a relationship with the Lord. We grieved over their blindness. This instance highlighted God's mercy towards our family, a fact which humbled us and kindled an attitude of gratefulness.

In closing, our journey provided the means to visit and enjoy our heritage as a family. It served as an opportunity for my grandparents to share and expound on the depth of the legacy we will continue. That we could reflect on our family’s history together made this trip especially meaningful. We found a new appreciation for the lives of our ancestors but more importantly saw how God used their lives to affect us down the road. As a whole, the experiences we had during our trip to Sweden illuminated God’s hand in our history and knitted our hearts together in thankfulness for the grace he has shown toward us.

*Click HERE for pictures of our Sweden Trip

Antarctic Krill

2008-09-06T11:40:00.003-05:00

The other day my English teacher on our Bob Jones Tapes told me to write a paragraph using the skills she has taught us so far this year. She said we could write on whatever we wanted, so I looked up Antarctica on Wikipedia and clicked a link to some of the animals that live there, and the most intriguing was the Antarctic Krill. I took a page and a half of notes and crammed it all into one paragraph. :)

The Antarctic Krill is one of the most fascinating creatures on planet earth. Living in swarms that can reach densities of ten-thousand to thirty-thousand krill per cubic meter in the Arctic Ocean, this relative of the shrimp survives on mainly phytoplankton, copepods, amphipods, and zooplankton. If they reach their maximum growth, they may get up to 2.4 inches long, and weigh up to 0.07 ounces; they can even live up to six years! Antarctic Krill are often referred to as 'light shrimp' because they periodically emit a yellow-green light for 2-3 seconds from their bioluminescent internal organs. They use 12 broom like legs attached to their thorax to sweep algae off the bottom of pack ice in a zig-zag pattern into their 1 μ mouth. Flipping their tail to swim backwards at speeds up to 60 cm. per second is their effective strategy for evading their predators. 334,102,635,200 to 690,046,873,800 pounds of krill are consumed by animals each year, and they are also eaten by people in Japan and Poland. When an Antarctic Krill molts, it can shrink its body if there is not enough food nearby, and this results in the creature using less energy and requiring less food. What is so shocking about this process is not the fact that krill can shrink, but is that every part of the body shrinks except for the eyes, and the outcome is a creature with one of the most advanced vision structure on the planet. Certainly, a creature as small as an Antarctic Krill has so many amazing features and designs that it can easily be called an extraordinary animal.

Lapbooks!

2008-09-01T12:59:00.004-05:00

Lapbooks are a wonderful way to store your schoolwork. My family has chosen to use them for history, but you can find other subjects to use them for! Never heard of a lapbook? Here’s what they typically look like…

They are simple file folders folded with construction paper flaps on the inside and whatever you want to glue! I have made them in the past to store my history writing, maps, and other work. They are much more enjoyable to look at and read, rather than reading old essays and writings compiled in a notebook. Depending on the time period and what we have to put in one, the content will vary. Almost always we make sure they contain the following though: map(s), famous people, a “scrapbook” of that period, key events or important dates, and writing we have done.

Here is one of the lapbooks I did a few years ago on the Revolutionary war...

Reformation's Role in the Founding of America essay and handwritten Preamble to the Constitution

Inside - Presidents Adams and Washington's fact sheets, key events...

Our list of key events

Famous people of the American Revolution

Paragraphs on miscellaneous topics of that period, Bill of Rights

Guide to Officers, paper on Christianity and the American Revolution

Also, here’s one site that gives you some ideas on the many different ways you can make folds for a lapbook!
http://www.notebookingpages.com/index.php?page=Free-Lapbooking-Templates-Mini-books-Cutouts

Now mine haven't always turned out very creative, but you could certainly add more decorative stuff on the inside, especially if a younger child is doing one and wants to add pictures. We've used coloring book pictures and pictures out of history books to add in.

On my next post I'll give some more examples from my a few of my other lapbooks...

My Historical Atlas!

2008-08-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

As part of my history study, I have compiled a geography notebook to file all of my map work for the year. Each geography assignment pertains to the location of the events focused on during the week. Placing an overhead transparent sheet over a paper base map, I shade in important areas, mark cities, label rivers, major water bodies, and landforms with permanent markers. The effect is most impressive when several of these transparent sheets accumulate over one base map, producing a layered progression of historical events. I am beginning my third year of compiling my own “atlases” in this way and think it is a great idea!

Here is last week's assignment displaying Napoleonic Europe:

Major battles carried out by Napoleon

A second transparency sheet layer shows the extent of French territory during Napoleon's rule.

Back to School! Or Almost . . .

2008-08-13T09:00:00.004-05:00

This week has begun my first taste of school for the year. Although I have not cracked open the books in every subject yet, I am starting Tapestry of Grace* (Year 3), which serves as our core curriculum for homeschool. This week has been nice to ease into things slowly. With a bit of an early start, when my other subjects begin after Labor Day, I will have a good foothold to dive into academics without feeling overwhelmed!

*Tapestry of Grace is a Christian, classical curriculum with a Reformed approach. Broken up into four years, it gives an in-depth, chronological study of history beginning with Creation and ending at the present. In addition, Tapestry of Grace incorporates worldview, literature, government, and geography into its rich program.

School starts soon!

2008-08-10T17:59:00.001-05:00

Katie and I start school the 18th.
Hopefully once school starts the 4homeschoolers will get some good posts regarding our school work and what we do during the school year!

When do you start?

The Potter's School: A Helpful Resource for Home Schooling High Schoolers

2008-07-11T12:11:00.007-05:00

Recently, my family came across an excellent resource which we now use as part of our home school curriculum. This coming school year, my older brother and I will begin our third year of using The Potter's School , Christian organization providing on-line high school classes (and some junior high courses) especially for missionary families and home educators.

I think one of the reasons parents become reluctant to home educate high schoolers is because they feel they do not know how to teach them. In courses such as math or language for example, parents may wonder how in the world they can remember concepts they learned in high school decades ago--let alone have the ability to teach and answer questions their children may have. Some parents, for this or many other reasons, choose to send their children into the public school setting during their high school years. But, know that there are resources out there that can aid in successfully home schooling through high school!

How do on-line classes with The Potter's School work? Each class section meets once a week using a program called Gather Place. With Internet connection, the program provides an on-line "class room." The sessions are live, but no web cams are used. When a student enters the class room, his or her name appears on the Participant List on the program's sidebar. A chat box included in the sidebar provides general communication throughout the class which students can use to respond to the teacher and overall class discussion. The instructor can pull up a PowerPoint program or whiteboard on the screen to use while teaching. Gather Place enables the students to see the PowerPoint too--even showing the teacher's cursor movements as well as anything they may point out, draw, or highlight on the screen while lecturing. One requirement is that the student uses a headset complete with a working microphone. The teacher has the ability to mute or un-mute students' microphones to call on them during class. This comes in very handy, especially in language courses, because the teacher can hear his/her pupil speak in order to correct any flaws in pronunciation or grammar.

Done with the nitty-gritty details! Now, let me share with you why my family has enjoyed this resource. As my brother and I have transitioned into high school and more advanced subjects, it has been helpful to have an avenue whereby we can learn under the tutelage of someone who has studied and taught a certain subject for many years. My parents have enrolled us mainly in math, language (Spanish), and advanced composition courses from The Potter's School. Apart from class once a week, we also complete assigned homework throughout the school week. If a question arises, we can always ask our teachers via e-mail and get a prompt response. Another benefit, we receive critique and evaluation from different sources, which aids in constructing a more appealing college transcript and helps my parents find out what our strengths and weaknesses are academically. Through these on-line classes, my brother and I have developed more accountability as we have learned to budget our time in order to conform to strict deadlines when completing assignments--a standard not always conformed to in a home school environment. Overall, this experience has and continues to prepare us to jump into the caliber of college courses with ease--if that is the road the Lord wishes for us to take.

Do Hard Things... By Allison!

2008-07-05T23:13:00.002-05:00

Since Allison is taking a break from computer, I want to send you to something she scheduled to be posted on her blog, Letter From Christ. Allison's Thoughts.

The Rebelution Conference 2008

2008-07-02T15:16:00.000-05:00

One-hundred years ago, there were no teenagers. That obviously doesn't mean that there weren't fifteen-year-olds, but it means that youths were not considered adolescents.

What do you think of when you hear the word, "Teenager?" Most people think of rule-breaking youngsters who have no respect for anyone and are rebellious in many matters. The word "Teenager" actually came around about 69 years ago in The Reader's Digest. Before, there was a fine line between child and adult. "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways." -1 Corinthians 13:11. Did he say, "When I was a child I acted like a child. When I was a teenager I acted like a teenager. When I became a man, I gave up teenager ways." NO! The myth of adolescence has overtaken our culture and it has set the bar of expectations entirely too low! It is shocking the difference between teens' expectations today, and teens' expectations one-hundred years ago.

Last Weekend, I along with Allison, Katie, and some other friends from church, attended The Rebelution conference in Dallas discussing Alex and Brett Harris' book titled, "Do Hard Things." I had a great time with my friends, and the conference had some really good discussions. I enjoyed it and learned from it, and I found a lot of encouragement in many areas.

They showed us reasons why procrastination is not something to make a habit of, for it has consequences. They showed us how small hard things such as dishes, chores, brotherly love, and humility all have great rewards, either in this life, or the next. Many things were shared, and they were all inspiring.

Not only was the conference great, but who could forget the fun we had in the cars and out! Friday night when we arrived, we had 3 or 4 hours before we were planning on going to bed. So we rounded up our people and headed for a bowling alley. On the way, we had to stop by a CVS Pharmacy to get socks for the girls. Of course, we didn't realize that they would cost $4 a pair. Haha! So we searched and searched: no Wal-Mart. But we did find a Super Target, and once we got what we needed, to the bowling alley we went.

Walking in, we hear loud rock music, and see huge screens of, unfortunately, inappropriate and crude music videos. For that reason we headed to another bowling alley; but the same thing occurred. So, to my great joy, we decided to go somewhere else. We would have a late night snack and what better to have than a couple(or more) Krispy Kreme Doughnuts!? We down here in Houston do not have any Krispy Kreme shops, so what a treat that was! I still have a Krispy Kreme hat as my souvenir. HAHA!

Out of cyberspace...

2008-06-30T18:29:00.004-05:00

This month, my siblings and I are taking a sabbatical from computer. Similar to the Technology Free week we've done in the past, we are going to spend the last whole month of summer "vacation" finding more productive things to do. The last week we will be at our Granny's, so although we may possibly be on the computer (it's our vacation, after all) most likely we will not go online. During this month, I hope to read much more than I have been, before school starts back again!
The reason we are not breaking from all electronics is because we've found computer to be the most tempting one. We rarely watch T.V. or DVDs, we don't talk much on the phone rather than answering it, we don't listen to i-Pods much or play video games ever. Yet we will not use our "no-computer time" as an excuse to spend on other electronics. We are planning on finding productive and hard things to do. :) If you are interested in taking a week off or more from computer and/or other electronics, feel free to join us! This was a last minute decision (made late last night) so this post is late. Sorry about that.

For the next month, you will not see posts from Katie or myself. I have a scheduled post about ideas for summer productivity that you can check out next week on my blog Letter from Christ.

Have a blessed and productive month! :D

Do Hard Things

2008-06-20T21:33:00.003-05:00

That's right, you heard me! Do Hard Things!

Alex and Brett Harris are the two teens who wrote the book, "Do Hard Things." This book was written to inspire teens to go above and beyond, and to break America's idea of what a teenager is. Alex and Brett have inspired many teenagers worldwide to expect more from their lives than what the world tells us to expect. I highly encourage you to purchase it and read it. Amazon currently has a deal on the book here. You can purchase it for $11.55.

I am halfway through the book and it is obviously a God-inspired book. I am going to try to get a review up sometime this July.

Do Hard Things truly is a teenage rebellion against low expectations.

The Importance of a Summer Schedule

2008-06-20T21:09:00.005-05:00

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when I say “summer”? I imagine it’s probably not the words “work” or “schedule”. Why? Because we tend to think of summer as free time—“me time”, time for fun. If this is your idea of summer, then you’re about to make a 360 degree turn in your thinking—if you choose to do so. :) Why is it important to stick to a summer schedule? Isn’t summer a time for relaxing and vacation, for T.V., swimming, and fun stuff? And aren’t schedules for school? I believe that many of us (including me) have had a wrong view of summer. When we have wrong thinking for a long time, it negatively affects us and is difficult to change. Trust me. It’s not easy to turn and say, “I’m not going to waste my summer away. I’m going to find productive things to do.” But it is essential, for spiritual growth and discipline, and development of character. We have to learn to take initiative to do hard things, learn new things, and spend time on productive things. If we choose to do nothing this summer, what will we have to say we gained or learned?

So, I’ve conveyed the importance of not wasting our summer, but instead finding productive things to do. Where does the schedule fit in? Can’t I do productive things without a schedule telling me what to do? You may be surprised to find the answer is yes. You can make good use of your summer without a summer schedule dictating your assignments. The only problem is this—you have most likely had a difficult time getting motivated to do difficult and productive things in previous summers. How will this one be any different? I find it much harder to stick to my original ideas and plans if I do not have a schedule. Your schedule may be as simple as a few hour time-frames that say, “do SOMETHING productive”, and you have a list of ideas of things that you could do during that time. I encourage you to at least have some sort of schedule, and if you stick to it, you will find yourself doing many more things that have future and eternal benefit. Now I’m not saying that this summer you may not touch a computer, watch T.V., or have any fun. I’m simply challenging you to try finding some more productive things to fill at least part of your time. You will find them to be much more rewarding and fulfilling!

If you want to be encouraged, challenged, and inspired, I encourage you to start by reading Do Hard Things, by Alex and Brett Harris. Here are two quotes from their book:

“We do what comes easily; we certainly don’t do hard things. The consequence? We waste some of the best years of our lives and never reach our full God-given potential. We never attempt things that would stretch, grow, and strengthen us. We end up weak and unprepared for the amazing future that could have been. We like the freedom low expectations give us, but we’re really being robbed.”

“Where expectations are high, we tend to rise to meet them. Where expectations are low, we tend to drop to meet them.”

P.S. I also posted this on Letter from Christ. :)

The Wisdom and Freedom of Courtship vs. Dating

2008-06-17T09:38:00.004-05:00

THE WISDOM AND FREEDOM OF COURTSHIP VS. DATING
By Bill Gothard

Definition of Dating:Singling out one person of the opposite gender and cultivating interest through thoughts, looks, notes, talks, or events.

Definition of Courtship: Two fathers agreeing to work with a qualified young man to win the daughter for marriage.

Why Dating Causes Conflicts:

The motive is wrong—getting vs. giving
The goal is wrong—pleasure vs. commitment
The idea is wrong—human nature vs. limitations
The results are wrong—hurts vs. edification

The Rewards of Courtship:

Gives new freedom in friendships
Avoids envy and jealousy
Promotes self-control and moral purity
Eliminates defrauding and bitterness
Allows dedication to please the Lord (dating violates 1 Cor. 7:31-34)
Bases marriage on God’s will
Honors father’s authority

Requirements of Courtship:

A life purpose bigger than marriage

A “one-man, one-woman” commitment

A restraint of affection

A loyalty to parents

An ability to deal with infatuations

A readiness for marriage responsibilities

Sudoku Crazy!

2008-05-23T21:58:00.004-05:00

Recently, I have been having some fun learning to play a game called Sudoku(pronounced Soo-Dough-Koo). It looks challenging, and sounds challenging, and it is challenging. :) The object of the game is to fill the board with numbers. Now you cannot fill the board with random numbers, you have to fill it all out with the numbers 1-9. Sounds easy, huh? WRONG!

You must fit the numbers 1-9 in every column without repeating any numbers in that column. That makes it a little more difficult. But you havent heard the end of it yet! You must also put the num,bers 1-9 in every row without repeating. That sounds pretty hard, doesn't it?

Well, if you study a Sudoku puzzle board, then you will notice that there are rows of nine, columns of nine, and then there are boxes of nine. Yes, that's right, boxes. If you are thinking what I think your thinking, then I don't have to tell you that you also have to fit 1-9 in every box without repeating as well!

It might make more sense if you study a solved one.

Click Here for Enlarged Picture

So as you can see it can get pretty complicated. The game is mainly a process of ellimination. First you would look at the row and see, "Is there a 1?" and if there isn't you would find all the possible places in the row to put the 1, and mark it as optional. As you sontinue and find more areas where other 1's can be, you will eliminate more and more, and therefore leave only one left. Here are a few more puzzles that we have completed.

Click Here for Larger Picture

Click Here for Larger Picture

Click Here for Larger Picture

Now that you have seen it, why go to the stores for a book? Play it online free here! If you need some better instructions for playing, and some hints as well for how to solve, simply go to http://www.sudoku.net/ and explore around!

Have fun!

A Heartfelt Poem to Share...

2008-05-13T20:08:00.004-05:00

"Hold My Heart, Triune God"

By Kristen

Hold my heart, triune God; for, You
Have shown grace to those who through You came
From sorrow and shame to stand on Your name.
How great is this? to be made new;
What mercy does this compare to?
I, a sinner, You claim,
That Your work I might proclaim;
For to You all glory is due.
Take me, hold me in your hand;
Don’t let my heart be snatched away,
But, instead, fill it with joy to stay.
Even when I do not understand what You have planned,
Give me faith to persevere ‘til the day You appear;
And hold my heart, triune God; draw me near.

A Brief Intro...

2008-05-06T20:11:00.003-05:00

Hello!

As a new member of the 4Homeschoolers team, I figured that it may be helpful for you all if I gave a brief introduction regarding myself. First of all, I have been saved by the grace of Jesus Christ and have the desire for Him to use the life that He has given me to bring Him honor and glory. Serving as the second oldest of six children, I have three brothers and two sisters whom I love and enjoy. Among these, the Lord has tremendously blessed our family with three precious adopted children from the countries South Korea and China.

The Lord called our family to home school seven years ago. My older brother and I had previously gone to the public school as well as a Christian school. My parents want to give us an education centered on Christ, and one in which they could actively participate and direct us according to the knowledge that God has revealed to them.

An interesting side note, Allison and I met at a Family Camp in Michigan two years ago. Both of our families attended a week long camp, and through it she and I began a special friendship. She has been a wonderful blessing to me as a sweet sister in Christ!

In addition, I have a blog at www.everlasting-treasure.blogspot.com. I have recently been posting about a medical missions trip my dad, brother, and I went on three weeks ago. You can find out more about me there.

Blessings!
Kristen

New Blog Author!

2008-05-05T13:39:00.005-05:00

The 4 homeschoolers have a new blog member!!! Kristen is our new addition, our fifth author on the 4 homeschoolers “staff”. We are incredibly excited! We are keeping the original name—4homeschoolers—but are simply adding a dear friend and pen-pal of mine.

Please join me in welcoming Kristen, by leaving a comment! And to any readers who may not have commented before, please take the time to do so now... :)

The American Revolution, Worldview Paper

2008-04-16T16:16:00.004-05:00

“The American Revolution is inconceivable in the absence of the context of ideas which have constituted Christianity.” This quote explains that the war between the United States and Britain was not possible without God's sovereignty. Puritans fought with the English over religious freedom. But how could a small group of people possibly declare war on the king? It all started with the reformation, and then came two revolutions, which even had an effect on what takes place today.

The reformation not only reformed the church, but also laid the foundation for the constitution of the United States. Martin Luther influenced many people with his idea of Liberty of Conscience: the principle that people should be free to believe any religious ideas they hold true. Another idea that Luther was known for was the Creator-Redeemer Distinction, stating that the church and the state should have completely different roles. John Calvin's Resistance theory explains that a royal authority should not govern the mind. England's monarchy was trying to control the people's minds.

England's government was enforcing unjust laws that punished those who had different beliefs than those of the king. The Puritan Revolution, or more commonly known as the Glorious Revolution, was a revolt against the King. The Puritans were tired of England's laws. John Locke was a Puritan philosopher who had a deep influence on the founding of America by writing numerous books and inspiring many people, Samuel Rutherford being one of them. A book titled, Lex Rex, or translated, The Law is the King, was published by Rutherford. It reflected the theological and political views of John Calvin. Soon after Lex Rex was published, there was an assembly of Puritans and Scottish Presbyterians, it was called the Westminster Assembly. There they wrote the Westminster Confession, which was a series of questions and answers that expressed many of the same beliefs that Calvin and Luther taught. All the Puritans had a copy of the Westminster Confession and taught it to their children. But they still had the law enforcing King Charles I's beliefs over them.

The Puritans finally had a plan to be free. They would move to America, where they could have Liberty of Conscience. They drew up a document called The Mayflower Compact that had laws enforced to allow them to enjoy justice. It also kept the church and state from combining and mixing authorities. But soon after they inhabited America, they would forget the meaning, and the value, of Liberty of Conscience and the Creator-Redeemer Distinction. This eventually led to a split between the Puritans: Connecticut and Massachusetts. The Great Awakening then took place, a time that the church would be reformed again. A majority of the Founding Fathers would be reformed in their thinking, and thus have a great impact of the Constitution of America.

The American Revolution was not possible without God's Sovereignty. If God were not in control of everything in the universe, then how could the American Revolution take place? It couldn't! Nothing could take place if God were not in control! God has power over our very breath. If He were not to intervene in some way, then the American Revolution would not be in history. Man can not do what is righteous on his own. He must do so with the power given to him by God. If the reformers hadn't have assisted the constitution of the United States, then the colonists would not have had any moral right to declare war against King Charles.

2008-03-13T17:38:00.001-05:00

Supposedly, our blog's content is at college reading level. Do you think so? I was actually quite surprised. :O

WSSA Southern Regional/Texas State Championship

2008-02-18T18:51:00.002-06:00

Saturday, February 16, the 4 homeschoolers participated in the Southern Regional tournament. We competed in all the different events including the 3-3-3, the 3-6-3, the Cycle, the timed 3-6-3 Relay, the Head-To-Head 3-6-3, the Head-To-Head Cycle Relay, and Doubles. We beat two Texas State Records in the 3-6-3 Timed Relay and Doubles (by Allison and Luke).

We brought home 20 medals and one trophy. To his disappointment, Caleb was doing really well on his practices, and even placed on the 3-3-3 and 3-6-3, but once he got up in front of the judges for the cycle, fumbled and did terrible. Luke didn’t make an 8 on the cycle as he had hoped, but he made a decent 9.65 in finals. Sadly, Katlyn didn’t make it past the prelims in the Cycle stack in her age division. There’s some tough competition in her age division—a lot of really fast kids! Allison had it easy, because there were only 5 people, including her, in the 15-18 age division. Although it’s fun to receive medals for our hard work, ultimately we did this because it’s something we enjoy. Everyone agrees that the best part is the relay…it’s a blast!

Just as an encouragement for anyone competing in any type of thing, winning isn’t everything. Everyone likes to win, to do well, but really, what are a few trophies and medals going to be worth in 10 or 20 years? The best part is to have fun, and to be a good sport no matter how good or bad you do.

Technology Free Week

2008-01-24T21:59:00.001-06:00

This next week, from Sunday, January 27- Saturday, February 2 (at least 3 of) the 4 homeschoolers are taking a technology free week. Yes, that means no computer, T.V., radio, i-pod, video games, etc. We are not going completely electronic free, but we are taking a break to hopefully put our time into some more productive things. Anyone who would like to join us is welcome! Because we rarely use certain electronic items such as the phone, we are not “banning” ourselves from it, although others may choose to if they wish. Now we have made a couple exceptions. For instance, if the computer is needed for a school project (i.e. a writing assignment) it may be used. But for that reason only. No “pleasure” activities. We will return after that week. Here’s a small list of some things you could do in place of the time you spend on these electronic devices:
• Clean and organize! Whether your room, or other places in the house to be a blessing
• Extra chores…. Suggestions could be cleaning and vacuuming the family van, mopping, vacuuming the blinds, cleaning the windows, or anything else that you can think of!
• Improving a skill you have started…
• Read some character building books, or books on a skill you are learning
• Cook, bake, experiment! Try out that new recipe you’ve been wanting, or bake some cookies… any baking or cooking is fun!
• Serve! What could you do to serve your family and/or others?
• Write a letter…Yes, you can take the time to send a handwritten letter this week… everyone loves to receive mail!
• School… Of course, many of us have school in the midst of this. You can’t slack on it during this week! Some don’t spend much time on electronic things in the first place, but my point is to give some ideas so you aren’t unproductive if you choose to do a technology free week. And if this week is not a good one for you, choose another! You will reap the blessings of the productive things you choose to do instead…

I’ll tell you what I was able to do during this week… I don’t know, maybe I’ll make this a pattern to do every couple months! :)

Summary of Maxwell Conference

2008-01-22T13:20:00.000-06:00

Monday evening, January 7, we had the great pleasure of attending a conference by the Maxwell family. We had never been to one, and it was quite encouraging, inspiring, and convicting. For the first session, the young ladies attended a talk by the Maxwells’ oldest daughter, Sarah. Sarah spoke on joy, giving explaining various things such as what we need to experience joy, and hindrances to joy. She also spoke on how discontentment and worry can rob us of joy. Practical areas of joyful young womanhood she included were: dress, guarding our hearts, and marriage. One of the main things she encouraged girls to do was invest in their siblings and build and strengthen their family relationships. Reminding that we have an influence over our siblings, Sarah exhorted us to evaluate our thoughts and actions. Ultimately, for young women, our joy should come primarily from our relationship with our Lord, and in serving and helping our family. "You make known to methe path of life; in Your presence there isfullness of joy.” Psalm 16:11

The second session was by Christopher and Sarah, for all the young adults. It was geared towards practical advice on starting an in-home business. We learned that in order to have an in-home business, it is essential that you have a good relationship with God and your parents. Tithing is an essential part of having a business, because we are merely God’s stewards and we should joyfully honor Him in that way. In starting a home business, even before we’ve graduated from high school, we are learning business and life skills. We should be honoring God through it, and using the gifts God has given us. Our focus should not be on money, but to ultimately and completely honor God. There are three types of businesses: learning businesses, ministry businesses, and profitable businesses. The goal in learning businesses is simple to learn a great skill and be productive. In ministry businesses you do not get paid, but serve others. Ministry business examples they gave for young ladies included sewing modest clothes, making Scripture greeting cards, cake decorating, and writing children’s stories. Profitable businesses may start out as a learning or ministry business, and someday grow into a way to make money as God blesses. Profitable businesses often have a good balance of time invested and profit earned. Of course, you don’t have to have a degree to have an in-home business, but there are some prerequisites. You must have a desire to work, and it will be inevitable that you will have to work hard. Dealing with all kinds of people, and being able to talk and carry on conversations with adults is important. Even though you don’t have to hold a degree in a particular field, you still can’t begin without knowing anything. Computer and typing skills, book keeping and financial skills, and basic tax knowledge can be of great help when starting a business. Overall, both of these sessions were fantastic. It was encouraging, inspiring, and a blessing to be able to go.

Cup Stacking Tournament

2008-01-13T20:23:00.001-06:00

In 2006, my interest in Cup Stacking was triggered. Luke was the first person to show me, and I started stacking when I received a set of blue cups for Christmas. Not to brag, but I excelled remarkably fast. So, since I was doing so well, the four of us decided to make a Cup Stacking team. We thought for about a week for a name, and finally came up with one, The Swift Stackers. We went to the competition in February and scored second place in the Texas State Regionals for the 3-6-3 Timed Relay. Coming home, we brought back about 25 medals and a trophy. This year we plan to return as the Swift Stackers. I have to admit, this really was a good name when we first made it up, but now it has degraded in my mind, and doesn't appeal to me very well. Anyway, now that Allison is a year older, we are in the next age category. The Texas State Record in our age category for the 3-6-3 Timed Relay, is a time that we can easily beat, and so going to the competition this February should be promising. Allison does doubles with Luke, and last year they placed second(I think) in their age division. Katlyn and I also did doubles last year, but unfortunately we didn't succeed in placing well in our age division. Hopefully this year will be better. We should have something up about how we do sometime in late February or March.

Productiveness on Winter Break

2008-01-08T17:46:00.000-06:00

Often, when we have days off of school, we tackle house projects, especially when we have long breaks. During our winter break, my parents decided it would be the perfect time to do some much-needed painting in the front living areas. After Christmas, we painted the living room ceiling, walls, and trim. Productiveness even on breaks! :) It’s good to be productive and not waste our time idly, although I must admit I really enjoy painting. We have a friend who taught me how to paint baseboards and trim without an edger, so I had the assignment of helping with all the trim. However, painting a ceiling is NOT so fun. It takes a lot of hard work, muscles, and upper arm strength. Because you are painting over your head, it’s even more difficult. Don’t drip paint in your eyes or hair!! (That did not happen, thanks to safety glasses.) After New Years we painted the music room and Dad’s study, which are our two front rooms. As with the living room, we did the walls, ceiling, and trim. It looks so much nicer!

Would anyone else be interested in sharing what they did on winter break?

Letter to Job

2007-12-10T15:20:00.000-06:00

For a worldview writing assignment, I wrote a "letter to Job", giving some comfort after my study of affliction and suffering. Of course, because the Job of the Bible is dead, I can't actually give it to him, but it was a good practice for how to respond to someone in the midst of suffering. Here's what I wrote (with some revising help from mom) :) :

Dear Job,

I have heard that you are experiencing all kinds of difficulties and consequently, are being “comforted” by your friends. I too, would like to share some things with you that will hopefully encourage you. I see in your life a theology of why we suffer and what our response to suffering should be. Also, I see you living out the true source of our hope and what we should do with that hope.

The question “why am I suffering?” is a common thought. Many believers long to be guaranteed that because God is good, they will never experience any pain, any suffering. On the contrary, the reason this cannot happen is because we live in a fallen world. As a result of Adam and Eve’s sin, all people will experience some form of suffering. For believers, suffering is sometimes God’s chastisement for unrepented sin. Nevertheless, as you have experienced, we are also afflicted because of Satan. However, as you also know, everything must pass through the hand of our Sovereign God.

As believers, we know we will suffer at some time on this earth. 1 Peter 4:12-13 states, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” Satan, who desires to underplay God’s name, afflicts numerous believers, confident that they will curse God or turn their backs on Him. Continually, Satan is proved a liar as believers choose not to do such a thing, but instead trust God in the midst of suffering and affliction. Scripture articulates that we will experience affliction, but it is not the end. Unlike unbelievers, we can trust a loving God and have hope. Ultimately, whether our life here is full of suffering or not, we understand that when we are in God’s presence after death, there will not be any pain or sorrow.

Once we have confirmed that the reason we are suffering is not because of sin, but instead the affliction of Satan, our response should be to completely trust God. Uncomplainingly, we are to be “patient in affliction” (Romans 12:12) and to “rejoice in our sufferings” (Romans 5:3). Thankfully, we can ensure that God is working godly character into our lives and accomplishing His purposes in the midst of persecution and affliction. He is using us to bring glory to Him and be living lights to the world. Persevering, we should ask God to give us the strength to defeat Satan’s attacks and walk by faith.

Finally, in the midst of affliction, believers should be filled with overwhelming hope for their future. We should also be able to give the reason for the hope that we have. (1 Peter 3:15) Our hearts should overflow in gratitude that God would choose to develop character in us, and we should turn to Him for help and comfort during trials. Trials will only be for a short while compared to eternity in heaven. Thank you for being a living example of how to respond to suffering and continuing to put your hope in our Sovereign, Almighty God.

Sincerely,
Allison

EETAOW!

2007-11-21T09:39:00.000-06:00

Last night, my family watched a film on Godtube. It was about missionaries going to a tribe in Papua New Guinea that had never had any kind of contact with God. The amazing transformation is displayed throughout the entire video. God really did a wonderful work through these missionaries.

We were talking afterward about the film, and discussed the fact that in the eyes of the Lord we are just as sinful as these other people who worship spirits, and lie to half of their tribe. But the transformation of the people is amazing. I love seeing this kind of thing, the work of God throughout the world.

The Life of Abraham

2007-11-16T12:27:00.000-06:00

This is the story about a man named Abram, a man chosen by our God to become the father of an enormous nation, Israel. God came to him in a world where few remembered God and told him to leave and go to a land God Himself would show him. Abram believed and confidence in this God and God led him to become the father of many nations, including Israel. In doing this God shaped him and molded him for His purposes. God also had a relationship with Abram in which Abram was called God’s friend.

Numerous years ago there was a man named Abram. He was an old man cheerfully living in the city of Ur with his family. One day God called Abram and said “Leave Ur and go to a superb land that I will promise you.” God made a covenant with Abram. He said “I will bless you and make you into a grand nation.” So Abram trusted God and took his wife, his nephew and all of his possessions. God encountered Abram again after his victory over the five wicked kings. Abram showed his trust in God by refusing a reward from the King of Sodom. God even told Abram that He was his reward! It is during this encounter that God tells Abram that his offspring will be as abundant as the stars. Here, God makes an official covenant with Abram and in the significant moment of sacrifice, God Himself walks through the pieces of the sacrifice.

Some time later, Abraham saw that his wife was unfortunately giving him no children. Listening to his wife’s counsel, he took his wife’s servant Hagar to bear him a son. Abram decided to take things into his own hands instead of letting God give him a son. After Hagar gave birth to Ishmael, God encountered Abram again. During this encounter, God changed their names from Abram to Abraham and Sari to Sarah, began circumcision as a sign of the covenant and told Abraham that Sarah amazingly would bear him a son. Although Sarah initially laughed at the idea of bearing a child, she soon bore Abraham a son whom they named Isaac, which means laughter.

Through these circumstances, God was preparing Abraham for the ultimate test of his faith, the sacrifice of his only son. Soon the time came. God told Abraham to take his son on a mountain and sacrifice him instead of a young lamb. Abraham’s deeply developed faith now trusted God to be in control of the situation. So Abraham prepared everything for the offering including the wood, fire and his son. Right before he was to sacrifice Isaac, an angel came to Abraham, rapidly stopped him and showed there was a ram in the thicket. Both Abraham and Isaac sacrificed the ram instead.

So this is the story of Abraham, the man chosen to be God’s friend. God told Abraham what to do and he trusted and obeyed God. Primarily, God told him to leave Ur so he left. Secondly, God told him he would have a son from his wife and he trusted God and his wife did have a son. Finally, God told Abraham to sacrifice his son and his willingness to do so again revealed that he trusted God. Because he trusted God and obeyed Him, he became the father of many nations and the father of God’s chosen people, the Israelites. Abraham, through his obedience, allowed God to shape and mold him and was considered God’s friend.

More on Wisdom!

2007-10-30T21:17:00.000-05:00

Although the topic of wisdom has already been posted on, I thought I would add a few thoughts, some great Scripture and a definition.

From Webster’s 1828 dictionary, Wisdom is defined as:

The right use or exercise of knowledge; the choice of laudable ends, and of the best means to accomplish them. This is wisdom in act, effect, or practice. If wisdom is to be considered as a faculty of the mind, it is the faculty of discerning or judging what is most just, proper and useful, and if it is to be considered as an acquirement, it is the knowledge and use of what is best, most just, most proper, most conducive to prosperity or happiness. Wisdom in the first sense, or practical wisdom, is nearly synonymous with discretion. It differs somewhat from prudence, in this respect; prudence is the exercise of sound judgment in avoiding evils; wisdom is the exercise of sound judgment either in avoiding evils or attempting good.

Wisdom gained by experience, is of inestimable value.

You can’t add much to this fantastic definition, except Scripture. So here are some verses on wisdom…

James 3:13-17 (ESV) “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitterjealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is notthe wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. Butthe wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits,impartial and sincere.”

Job 28:28 “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.”

Ephesians 5:15-17 “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

Scripture informs us that wisdom comes from above, and that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The book of Proverbs, written with insightful counsel, is clearly full of wisdom, contrasting wisdom with foolishness. I encourage anyone desiring wisdom to turn to the Bible for their answers.

Faithfulness, Diligence and Determination

2007-10-21T15:34:00.001-05:00

I would like to start off this post with definitions for these following words...

Determination —Purposing to accomplish God’s goals in God’s time regardless of the opposition

Webster’s 1828 dictionary definition of Diligence—Steady application in business of any kind; constant effort to accomplish what is undertaken; exertion of body or mind without unnecessary delay or sloth; due attention; industry; assiduity.

Webster’s 1828 dictionary definition of Faithfulness— Strict adherence to injunctions, and to the duties of a station; as the faithfulness of servants or ministers.

What’s the difference between faithfulness and diligence? Faithfulness has to do with completely obeying and finishing the task you are given, while diligence is working hard and quickly. Using both of them will produce great benefits, for they go hand in hand.

Here are two verses that relate to these crucial virtues…
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, “Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.”

Proverbs 10:4 “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth” (emphasis added)

Proverbs 28:20 “A faithful man will have many blessings, but one in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.”

Why are these character qualities essential? Being diligent, faithful and determined in all the tasks you are given will build great character and integrity in your life. Developing these as you are young will be of tremendous benefit to you as you mature and get older.

How do I cultivate them? Practice whenever you are given an assignment—whether in school, chores, or any other allotted task. Take it on with JOY, working promptly, speedily and diligently. This is often hard to do, but scripture reminds us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord”—Colossians 3:23. By practicing with your parents now, you are preparing for the work your future will entail.

These character traits fit well into a sport the “4 homeschoolers” love to play—tennis. We only started last spring, with lessons beginning rather recently, and we have so much to learn. However, we found it tremendously enjoyable, especially since it is a lifelong sport, despite our need to practice and improve. Like many activities/sports, it requires diligence, faithfulness, and determination if we ever hope to be decent players.

Another example would be Cup Stacking. Although some argue it is not a true sport, we consider it one, and so does the World Sport Stacking Association. We have had fun with this “sport” for probably about 2 years, Caleb even less. Nevertheless, with our hard work, we were able to participate in the Regional tournament this past spring and bring home over 20 medals between the 4 of us. This sport involves hand-eye coordination, and patience to advance to “world-class”.

We have had fun playing tennis and cup stacking, but that’s clearly what they are—primarily a fun way to get exercise. Ultimately, when we stand before our God, will we want to say, “I was faithful in cup stacking and playing tennis”? We should yearn to invest most of our time in things that will last—serving, studying God’s Word, having a relationship with Him, and learning practical skills. For instance, one thing I am endeavoring to learn that requires diligence, faithfulness and determination is how to manage a household. Although sports and other hobbies may be fun, many of them do not have lasting purpose. We should strive to spend our time learning, practicing, and doing things that will be beneficial for our future, and that will have kingdom impact. For girls, learning how to manage a household is especially important because they will someday be given the task of running their household. We can also obtain the wisdom and knowledge about important skills from our mothers, and likewise for boys, from their fathers. Make an effort while you are young to learn all you can from the wiser people around you; your parents number one, and other godly influences, diligently and faithfully with determination!

QUOTES:

“The leading rule for the lawyer, as for the man of every other calling, is diligence. Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today.” Abraham Lincoln

(emphasis mine)

“How does a project get to be a year behind schedule? One day at a time.” Fred Books

“I decided to turn my undivided attention to my schoolwork.

I was so focused on my tasks that even Miss Day was not able to find fault with me that day.” Elsie Dinsmore by Martha Finley, concerning diligence in schoolwork

Questions for all of us…What things with eternal value have you done this week that you have been diligent, faithful, and determined in? What can you do to become more diligent in the work you are given? I encourage you to pray about this, ask God to give you the ability to be diligent, faithful, and determined in all the tasks you are presented with, and to ensure you are taking them on with joy. Above all, make sure God is coming first in your life and that you desire to do things that have kingdom impact and bring all the glory to HIM!

Top 8 Signs You Cup Stack Too Much!

2007-10-19T22:09:00.001-05:00

Fellow cup stackers will relate to these funny signs we found a while back on the Speed Stacks website…

Top Signs You Cup Stack TOO Much

“There’s no such thing as too much stacking!”
Your hands move so fast they break the laws of physics
The socks in your drawer are arranged in a 3-6-3 pattern
You think “bicycle” means doing the cycle twice
When you wake up in the morning, everything in your room is stacked into little pyramids
The words “tipper”, “toppler”, and “slider” almost make you cry
Instead of “hello”, you say “what’s your best time on the 3-6-3?”
You think the Egyptian pyramids were pretty cool, but they should have used cups

Visiting Jamestown

2007-09-26T12:15:00.000-05:00

Jamestown, founded in 1607, was the earliest successful colony in the United States of America. It’s important because it was the first colony based on common law government, the first to build a church, the first to baptize an Indian convert and the site of the first interracial marriage, the marriage of John Rolfe and Pocahontas. Jamestown’s charter included as part of its purpose to spread the gospel to the Indians. Before we went, we listened to about 28 hours of Vision Forum’s Jamestown Quadrincentennial, which were filled with fascinating truth about our Christian heritage. Our first stop was Historic Jamestown. There you could walk in the Powhatan village, climb onto one of the small three boats that brought the settlers or tour inside the Jamestown fort. In the Powhatan village I learned how to carve an arrowhead and burn out a log to make a canoe. On the boats, I realized how difficult the journey overseas must have been. Inside the fort I learned about muskets, blacksmithing, how food was cooked and stored, how the settlers lived. My younger brothers dressed up in armor and protected the fort with the canons! We also went inside the church, which had the 10 commandments and Apostle’s Creed hanging on the walls, as well as other important truth. A docent told about the history of Jamestown in the church which was in the center of the town. Afterwards, we went to the Jamestown historical site, the actual site of the original Jamestown. At the beginning of the path there was an extremely tall memorial inscribed with Bible verses and quotes to remember what happened 300 years ago, which clearly reveal our Christian heritage. It was made in 1907. Further in, there was part of the original church and two statues, one of Pocahontas and one of John Smith. Inside the original walls there was a real historical dig. On a path on the other side of the settlement, there was a memorial to the first pastor of Jamestown, Rev. Robert Hunt. The memorial pictures him serving communion in the makeshift church, under a tent hung on the trees. He was the one of the best pastors in Jamestown even though died a few years after the colony was started. A little down the road there was another memorial for those who died during the first years, including those who died during the difficult Starving Time. Unfortunately, the information we heard and saw at the visitor centers left out much of our godly heritage. I believe that our experience in Jamestown was magnificent.

Pocahontas

front of the Jamestown church

Luke

East Coast Trip

2007-09-24T15:32:00.000-05:00

My family had the pleasure of taking a trip to Williamsburg, Virginia, thanks to the lending of a timeshare from one of our church families. In one week, we visited Washington D.C., Mount Vernon, Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown. God orchestrated the weather to be perfect—while we saw all the history, it was pleasant and absolutely gorgeous. It’s was amazing to think through and see all the incredible works of God’s hand, especially since we studied American history a couple years ago in school. Before we left, as well as on the way, we listened to the Vision Forum Jamestown Quadricentennial CDs. They were fantastic, and helped us remember our thrilling providential history. It was amazing to finally be able to see the things we had learned about! We were able to tour the Capitol, as well as George Washington’s home—Mount Vernon.

The capitol of Colonial Williamsburg
In Colonial Williamsburg, there were shops with people playing the characters, horses and carriages, and many girls dressed up in cute colonial costumes. We got to participate in a courtroom trial, hear George Washington and Marquis De Lafayette speak about the Revolutionary war, and ask questions concerning the things happening in those days. It was like stepping back in time!

A Colonial house!

The Jamestown church

Historic Jamestown, on the original land the fort was built, had a statue of Captain John Smith, the church in the center of the fort, and some history monuments that unless completely removed, do nothing but exemplify and give glory to the exceptionally great God we serve. One monument reads: “Lastly and chiefly the way to prosper and achieve good success is to make yourselves all of one mind for the good of your country and your own, and to serve and fear God, the giver of all goodness, for every plantation which our heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out.” –advice of London council for Virginia to the colony -1606

Captain John Smith

A typical house of the Jamestown fort

Allison

Summary of So Much More

2007-09-11T15:29:00.000-05:00

So Much More, a wonderful book by Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin, is directed towards young women, giving practical advice on serving their fathers and radically changing the culture for good. Refuting the deceptive lies of feminism that have swept our nation, the Botkin sisters explain God’s ways of doing things, including the subjects of courtship, college, purity, feminine strength and more. You will find biblical advice in this book that is encouraging and challenging. One thing that makes this book different from many others is that the Botkin sisters continually direct their readers to their father’s authority, relating the importance of blessing and following their father’s vision as they make it their own. It is there, along with their Heavenly Father’s guidance, where they are to find the utmost protection and blessing in submitting. If you desire to become a virtuous woman by not only embracing the God-given roles, but running with them, this is the book for you. Here is what Anna Sofia and Elisabeth Botkin say, explaining what this incredible book is about: “This book is not another Christian-teenage-girl ‘survival guide’. This book is about how Christian girls can wage the war with the world and win. We aren’t going to tell you how to be swept into a horrendously perverse culture while still hanging on to the teeny little shred of purity that the world allows you to have. We’d rather focus on how young women can rise above their God-hating culture and change it for the better.” I loved reading this book—being challenged and motivated, and anticipate reading it numerous more times. Be inspired, encouraged and blessed by biblical advice found in this book.

Allison

Knowledge vs. Wisdom

2007-09-03T15:26:00.000-05:00

I learned most of this from a book called, “Created for Work” by Bob Schultz.

Many people might think that there isn't a difference between knowledge and wisdom. There is a big difference. The story of Solomon is a superb example. Even though he was offered anything he could possibly want, he only asked for wisdom. The definition of knowledge is being acquainted with facts, truths, or principles. Wisdom is the ability to discern what is true, right, or lasting, or in other words, knowing how to use knowledge. If you don't know what to do with the knowledge you have, then why have it at all?

An example: Bill and Sam are hungry. In front of them is an apple and a donut. Both know that the food will satisfy their hunger. Bill chooses the apple, but Sam chooses the donut.
Bill and Sam had one thing in common, they both had knowledge that they were choosing an edible item that would satisfy their hunger. But what Sam had that Bill didn't have was wisdom. Bill was aware that the donut was bad for his health and made a wise choice.

You see, the reason we need wisdom, is because if we only had knowledge, then we wouldn't be able to do anything good with it. But if we have wisdom, we know what we can do to make a good outcome. The source of all wisdom is obviously God Himself. God chooses to bless many people with wisdom. Why? Because He loves us. If we desire to have wisdom, then all we must do is ask God. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him”(New King James Version) God has all knowledge and all wisdom. 1 Kings 3:28 says, “And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.”

I encourage everyone reading this, pray for wisdom, ask God, and He will give it to you.

Let Us Highly Resolve Summary

2007-08-27T18:47:00.000-05:00

Here is my first book summary I've done for school this year. I am using David Quine's "World Views of the Western World", and have enjoyed it thus far.

LET US HIGHLY RESOLVE

By David and Shirley Quine

Chapter one-Let Us Resolve To Build our Families on a Biblical World View

Building a Biblical worldview in our families is incredibly important. It is the foundation upon which we base our lives. David Quine says, “The Biblical worldview is based upon the existence of God”. Without a Biblical view, we would not be equipped to stand against the culture and its secular beliefs. Parents need to teach their children from a Biblical worldview in order that they might know the difference when wrong philosophies and thinking are thrown at them. One lie that comes from the secular worldview is that there is no absolute truth. If so, there will be great chaos and destruction! Sadly, our culture has bought into the lies of ‘no absolutes’, and thus, is reaping the consequences. Absolute truth is based on the very nature of God. A Biblical worldview says that the Bible is our standard, and is the absolute truth.

Chapter two- Let Us Resolve to Establish Our Children’s Lives upon Truths and Absolutes

As our culture has completely turned from God, following the philosophies that teach that truth is relative, it is vital that Christians teach their children upon absolute truth. Deuteronomy 6 tells us two things that are to be passed on to the next generation—one is a personal knowledge of God, and the other is a whole-hearted love of Him. The reason this is vital is because God’s people, throughout history, have the natural tendency to follow the culture. Because the secular worldview states that man evolved, logically truth can also evolve. Secular humanists also believe in tolerance; what’s right for me may not be right for you, but don’t question my beliefs. Divergently, a Biblical worldview would believe that we base our beliefs on the Bible, the ultimate source of truth.

Chapter three- Let Us Resolve to Equip Our Children to Reason

Behaviorism has entered our culture, having upsetting effects. It treats people as robots, needing to be programmed. David Quine suggests, “If the secular position of man is correct, then it would be appropriate to program or condition him. If the Biblical view is correct, the use of behavior modification techniques on people eradicates everything that makes human life valuable from the standpoint of what God meant us to be as men in His image.” He also says, “According to a Biblical worldview we live in a cause-and-effect world. There are consequences to ideas and behaviors. …Behaviorism is rarely concerned with the why; rather, the focus is only on the external behavior. Man is reduced to biology and nothing more.” The reason behaviorism is working is because children are not being taught to think, resulting in adults reasoning at childish levels. We must learn to think and reason, or else we will mindlessly buy into the behaviorism.

Chapter four- Let Us Resolve to Enter into True Spirituality

Every man looks for fulfillment in life. If man turns to God to find a relationship with Him and true spirituality, he will find true fulfillment. If he doesn’t, he will turn to other things, looking for answers. Humanism leads to obliteration and hopelessness. A Biblical worldview leads to life.

Chapter five- Let Us Resolve to Be “By Faith” Families

Living “by faith” does not mean we cross our fingers and hope for the best. It is trusting God in whatever challenges we face. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph are incredible examples of 4 generations that walked with God, and lived by faith. They remind us that we must remember the mighty works of God and be faithful to pass them on to the next generation. David Quine says it this way, “There is no greater calling than making disciples and there is no greater opportunity than discipling our children.”

Chapter 6- Let Us Resolve to Prepare Our Children as a “Letter of Christ” to the Culture

Just as it says in 2 Corinthians 3:2, we are letters read by all men. Christians need to make sure that they are representing Christ in such a way that He is glorified. In order to do this, David Quine encourages parents to value their children—realizing each one is a precious gift from God, inspire them to know and love God, and teach them right from wrong. Doing these things will prepare them to be “letters of Christ”, and lights for Jesus Christ.

Chapter 7- Let Us Resolve to Challenge the Culture with the Truth of Christianity and the Life of Christ

We are to be the light of the world. (Matt. 5:15) This means we as Christians are not to isolate ourselves and hide from the “bad” that is out in the world. We are to be ambassadors for Christ. David Quine expresses, “Our children must be taught to resist compromising Christian thought with secular ideas. …Our children need to know how to express the Christian worldview in compelling ways to modern culture. As their ideas are applied in the various fields of study, they will be the light shining in our current darkness. This is a vital part of the 21^st century apologetic. …We must be adequately preparing and equipping our children to converse with those of the 21^st century.” Being capable of challenging the culture with the truth of Christianity and the life of Christ is imperative.

Allison

THSC

2007-08-18T13:15:00.000-05:00

The Texas Home School Conference was August 17, 2007. It is similar to the SETHSA conference. I was not looking forward to it all, but the night before I began changing my mind. I looked at the lectures and was excited about going to a lesson from Jim King on financial planning. It turned out, we got there twenty minutes after it ended. We were stuck in traffic. We also planned to go see a speech from Andrew Pudewa, my english tutor. But it is today, and we decided not to go today.

For math curriculum, I use something called Math-U-See. The instructor on the DVD, Steve Demme, was at the conference. I went to the lecture that he taught. It was mainly focused on the point of Math-U-See and he demonstrated how to make math fun. Afterwards, he took questions and once he was done(I listened to all of them just out of interest) he asked me to help him take some of his things downstairs to his booth. I obviously offered my help, and in return, I received a Math-U-See t-shirt.

Overall, I really enjoyed it. I am very glad I went. Although, my sister had not the best time in the children's program. She despises these things and told me the only reason she told mom she wanted to go is because she wanted to hurry up and get back to playing Polly pockets. That was so funny!

Our Worldview

2007-07-31T16:00:00.000-05:00

We as four homeschoolers do not just walk up to a random individual and boldly state, "I am homeschooled." We are often asked, "What grade are you in?" thus beginning a conversation. Home education makes us different from the world, but not necessarily better. As people meet us, we want them to see the light of Christ through our countenances, our attitudes, and our actions. We are home schooled because this is what God has called our parents to do and what we believe is scripturally right.

In whatever we do we try to keep our focus on God. We do not do all this for our glory, but to the glory of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Carefully we attempt to base our worldview on the truths of the Bible. This does not mean that we are always right and always know the answers, in fact, it is quite the opposite! We are still young, and learning. If there is something questionable, whether in beliefs or whatever else, we turn to God and our parents to look for direction.

We have a worldview that most would think is strange. In fact, probably many non-homeschoolers have a picture of us that may not be completely true. But we strive to avoid going by the standards of the world, and we hope those who misunderstand us might see the reasons we appear peculiar. Choosing not to live like the world can mean we are persecuted. Presently in America we are not facing intense persecution. However, as quickly as America is turning from God and running in the opposite direction, we may someday have to face it. We, as Christians, must be able to stand up to persecution of the worst type. During the Renaissance, people were persecuted so much that millions of people died each year. The kings would go to every extreme to stop Christianity from spreading. We are now trying to reform the world of the current day, showing godliness in our lives to everyone who meets us. We are striving to be bright lights to a lost and dying world.
Caleb once wrote a paper on his worldview, it says:

The question, “What is your worldview?” does not come up very often in our culture today. But, in this paper, I am going to personally answer that question. “Worldview” is a term that is defined exactly as it sounds, a person's view of the world. My worldview is based on the Bible.

God, an infinite and personal being, with all authority in heaven and on earth, is the wonderful Creator of all. Our triune God, unlimited and eternal, has many amazing characteristics. He is unchangeable no matter what, immanent and transcendent. Holy and loving, He is supreme creator of all things-- man, animal, and the universe.

The Universe, its origin, and its nature are all wonders of the Heavenly Father. Its intelligent design reveals God's creativity. Nothing exists outside of God's design. The existence of the universe proves that there is a creator.

Man was once holy, sinless, and perfect, until he was deceived, disobeyed God, and fell into sin. Our ancestors tried to deceive God, and still sinful man walks to please himself, not God. We were created in the image of God, unique having dominion over all animals. We are made to bear God's image. Although this is a blessing, man still chooses sin today, and because man is sinful, he needs the restraining hand of God.

There is a standard for morality, that is God Himself. Jesus is God, so we can look at His character in the Bible for the standard. One example of His character is trustworthiness. His righteousness is another. If we do not follow the rule of ethics and morality, we will surely suffer great consequences.

The question, “Why do we suffer during our lifetime?” has a very simple answer, because of sin. All was good, but man brought sin into the world. We are free in our moral choices, if we were not we would be like robots. The real source of evil is Satan. If evil had not come into the world, then there would not be death, and Hell would be non-existent. But man chose sin, and there are consequences.

What happens to a man at death is based on what his beliefs are. If you are a believer in Christ then you go to Heaven, if you are not you go to Hell. The most common belief is that works gain entrance into Heaven. But Jesus said, “...I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” John 3:3

The meaning of History is how God relates to man. There is a sequence in History, and it all leads to an exciting climax. No one is completely sure of the end-time events. Every true Christian knows that Jesus will return. All believers should be alert for it.

There are many worldviews, but there is only one that is true. Our infinite God is true. He is the source of goodness and love, that we should follow with all our hearts. Free to choose obedience, being created in the image of God, dominion over all on Earth, these are blessings from the one and only true God of all creation.

We attend a Family Integrated Church together. We all love it! There are some differences between Family Integrated Churches and normal churches. One is that we don’t have Sunday school. Another is that we don’t offer children’s programs or youth groups. We do everything as families. Our church believes that it is the father’s responsibility, along with the mother, to teach and train their children. Our fathers lead us in family worship, memorizing Scripture, and growing in our knowledge and love for the Lord Jesus. Even though we do not have age-segregated programs, we are not at all bored or stuck with adults all the time, even though we enjoy spending time with adults, and talking with them. After our church service and fellowship meal, we often play games together. Sometimes there may be an age range of 3 years old to 16 years old playing! We believe it is healthy for our families and our church to keep everyone together. As young adults, we are learning how to serve others. Whether it’s by cleaning up, playing with kids, or watching babies, we can do it, and cheerfully, right? Our church is such a blessing, even if it is different.

To understand our worldview, you must know that we do these things for the Lord, not to gain attention for ourselves. We are homeschooled because God’s Word says it is right for parents to teach and train their children. Here are some verses on the subject:

DEUTERONOMY 6 "These words that I am giving you are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children."
PSALMS 78:5
"He commanded our forefathers to teach their children"
PROVERBS 1:8 Listen, my son, to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching"
EPHESIANS 6:4 "And fathers, don't stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."

We enjoy homeschooling so much, and we get to be with our family all the time. When you are with your family 24/7 you are constantly bonding with each other.

Dating vs. Courtship

On Allison's blog, she made a post on the matters of courtship vs. dating. It reads:

" As different as my family is, especially since we home school, we get a variety of questions. However, a popular one is, "Why aren’t you going to date/why don’t you date?" I’d like to give some of my perspective on this issue.

First of all, many people haven’t ever heard of courtship. When you tell them you aren’t planning on dating, the first thing they think is, "How are they ever going to get married?!" So let me give a little insight into courtship. Courtship is designed with the thought that marriage is permanent, and so to find an appropriate mate requires discernment, with the guidance of parents. In courtship, you do not have a romantic relationship, but rather one with a high standard, godly and honorable.

There are many ways to "do" courtship, but there are a couple basic principles and stages. The first stage is, obviously, friendship. If a young man thinks a certain woman could be his future bride, he then discusses it with his parents and prays. If his parents agree and are at peace with it, he will get the father’s permission, concluding that marriage will be probable. One difference between dating and courtship is the father is involved in courtship. In most dating scenarios, it is boy and girl alone. Most of dating has to do with useless infatuations and "this person likes this person this week". There is no long term commitment, especially if the participants are not ready for marriage! Back to courtship, in an ideal courtship situation, the families will have already known each other for a while, and perhaps go to the same church. With this, the father would have a pretty good idea of what the man’s beliefs are, his character, and his relationship with his parents and siblings. Usually the father will have questions to ask the young man about theology and doctrine, his life goals, and other things. For instance, if the man was planning on being a missionary in another country and the woman he wants to court doesn’t want to leave the state, there would be a problem. After a period of months of examination and determining God’s will, and both agree that it is God’s will for their lives, they decide to marry. This is called the engagement/betrothal stage.

These are our thoughts on courtship. Of course, each and every courtship is unique. There will be differences in every courtship story you hear. Not one of us personally have reached the age to court, so what I know is what we’ve learned and what my family thinks will work. In conclusion, we would like to add a section from a book Allison highly recommends. It is called, So Much More, by Anna Sofia & Elizabeth Botkin.
How should a girl relate to young men? The Botkin girls respond,"When in the presence of young men, we should act as though our husbands might be in the room watching us. We should pray that no young men ever rob us of feelings we are saving for our husbands, and in the same way, we must not defraud other young men of what belongs to their wives, because God has chosen wives for them, too. It is almost as though they are already married, and this fact should affect the way we treat them, so that they will think of us "as sisters, with all purity" (2 Timothy 5:2).

John W. Thompson explains his views why dating is a problem:
Dating, even Christian dating, generally results in a series of emotional attachment or bonds with different dating partners. To express this language of romance, a young woman gives a piece of her heart to a young man when she becomes emotionally involved with him. By the time she meets the man she will marry, she will have only a fragment of her heart left to give. Even without going out on a date, a young woman can give pieces of her heart to several young men during her youth, so that by the time she marries, she is no longer a one-man woman (1 Tim. 5:9) Yet Paul’s analogy of Christ and the church in 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 explains that a pure maiden saves her love for one man only, not just physically but emotionally too. The goal is not just physical purity but emotional purity--only one romance for life!"

College

She also wrote about college; we do not think it is needed for some jobs. The world says you have to go to college and get a diploma, a “stamp” of credit by them, or you will utterly fail in the world of business. Why would you want to be approved by the world’s standards anyway?

Another topic that I’ve heard a lot of controversy on is the whole college issue. Because we are home schooled, the question often arises, “What about college?” If we reply by simply stating we are not planning on doing traditional college, it is a shock and taken negatively. Many people seem to incorrectly conclude that if you don’t go to college, you are dumb, can’t get a job etc. However the opposite can be true! My parents are not planning on sending me or my siblings away to a secular college because of all the worldly philosophies. This does not mean we won’t have any learning after high school, and it doesn’t mean my brothers will not pursue college at all. Most of the stuff I will say now will relate to girls going to college.

Most likely, we will do distance learning. My sister and I are going to learn some things that would make good home businesses. One example is teaching piano. My family is very musical. My mom went to college to get a music degree, and teaches her children piano. I have recently completed my last level and am being “apprenticed” by mom to learn how to teach. It is a great in-home business! Some other suggestions for in-home businesses are flower arrangement, cake decorating, sewing, art lessons, cutting hair and grooming dogs! Some skills can be beneficial for your own family as well as great home businesses. Cutting hair would be one. If you have a skill at cutting hair, you can use it as a side job as well as for your own family. Of course, the main job that both my sister and I will take on is being a wife, mother and keeper at home!

We believe in our church that it is the father’s role to protect and guide his daughters. How could he do that if he was sending his girls off to be taught by some person he didn’t know?! Statistics also prove that we are losing a majority of the Christian youth the ways of the world when they are sent off to college. This is because they are not well grounded in truth, resulting in them falling away because they cannot back up their own beliefs!

I have to say; hoping this isn’t taken wrong, that I don’t believe God would call women to certain jobs. Certainly God does call some ladies to be single, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, there are certain jobs that I believe God would not call women to do. Running the state or country would be one of them. Being a Pastor would be another. Some would complain, “But I’m sure God is calling me to do this!” I must say that God has never and will never call anyone to do something that is out of His revelation. If it is clear in Scripture, He will not go against what He says there. It is evident in Scripture that God says the normal state for women is to be married and at home! Having children! Keepers at home, watching over their households while they teach and train their children in God’s ways. So, my sister and I are preparing now to be future wives and mothers, not pursuing careers. Although we DO believe education is important, the purpose is different. We are learning how to think, resolve a Biblical worldview, and discern the difference between right and wrong—good and evil. We are endeavoring to prepare for the future, by establishing skills and habits that will be beneficial. What we choose to do, or not to do, will affect the next generation.

Note: These are our thoughts and views on some different issues. Obviously, there is even more that we could choose to write on. If you have any questions that have to do with what we believe, leave a comment. We will attempt to answer questions through the wisdom and discernment of our parents. We hope that this home school blog will be honoring to God, and an encouragement to other homeschoolers, as well as to everyone else who visits.

-Caleb

-Allison

-Luke

-Katlyn