Christmastime In Our Homeschool

I posted about homeschooling during Christmastime on my Dad @ Homeschool blog. Christmastime is a wonderful time for both parents and children in our homeschool. Home education offers so much freedom compared to the rigid secularism in our schools. We can offer our children, and our God, so much more!

Messiah In the Mall

The Messiah, and the story of G. F. Handel, is an amazing testimony to God. Its "Hallelujah Chorus" has become one of the most well known classical pieces in the world. The message of the Messiah is obvious, but it consists of scripture alone. The most well-known parts are the Old Testament prophecies about Him. What an amazing work!

Organizers in Philadelphia brought this piece to life recently by staging a "random act of culture" in a department store gearing up for the Christmas rush. Complete with a pipe organ, the sound of the praises of our King, especially in a temple of materialism, is music to my ears!

Who Am I, Again?

It's beginning to look like Christmas around here. Advent has started. We're still waiting for our Advent Book on order. Tabitha's Travels is en route, I'm told.

I just had a delightful conversation with a 3 year-old. She proclaimed that Santa Claus was coming to give gifts to all the children. Of course, I pretended not to know anything about it. I asked if you had to be a certain age, which she didn't know. I asked her if she thought I could get a present too, even if I'm all grown up. Karen, my wonderful wife, chimed in, "Because he's still a kid at heart."

To which she replied, "He's not a kid! He's a boy!"

Rats.

Thanksgiving Special

My family has enjoyed Focus on the Family Radio Theater for years. The Chronicles of Narnia and A Christmas Carol are often listened to, almost as much as the Adventures in Odyssey, also from Focus. Radio Theater engages your mind much more than TV or movies. Your mind creates the stage for the performers, and the drama is perhaps even more real as adventures and drama unfold.

So, I'm thrilled to tell you that today, Focua on the Family Radio Theater is offering the Thanksgiving story of Squanto for FREE! I really love this story! Visit CBD to complete the download. You will need to complete a CBD order (and obtain an account if you don't have one), and you will likely need to download and install a player from Akamai to play the content on Quicktime.

It's a neat way to bring the story of Thanksgiving home tomorrow!

Escaping the Homeschool Matrix ....Follow this link!

Hi there, everyone!

I just found out that Nancy Carter of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine mentioned me in her e-mail. Some of you may have landed here, expecting to find the story. This is just my personal blog. If you're wanting to skip to the story,

It's actually right here, TOS: Escaping the Homeschool Matrix, 

or here, the original with artwork.

Thanks for reading! If you're interested in what else I have to say about homeschooling, or whatever else is going on, please make yourself at home! 

I'll be lion around here if you want to comment in.

Can We Park Here Or Not?

If you Google images like Funny Street Signs, you'll find all sorts of genuine bureaucratic boo-boos, mistakes, and botched jobs. I ran across my own where I live. When we were looking for a handicapped parking space, my wife and I noticed something was a little ...off.

It wouldn't be so bad if this wasn't a city crew's paint job. I guess with the recession, they're having to freehand it.

A Celebration Of Life, Of Memories, and Of Love

Writing, it seems, makes thoughts stick.

My dad is 70, as of August. His own dad never made it to 70. Perhaps as a celebration of sorts, he is writing his memoirs. And he's doing so with the patient help of my mom. I'm very proud to know he's doing this and more than a little excited! His memories are parts of my own history, and more importantly, a legacy that I can pass on to my own children and their children's children. That is, if Jesus doesn't come back before then, which is one of my dad's favorite caveats. He's anxiously waiting for Him, and so am I.

Still, if He does delay, I will have the memories of my dad long after he passes on, in the earthly sense. I say "in the earthly sense," because my dad really won't die. Sure, his body may stop living, and I will be very sad to see him leave. But he's going somewhere special. ;-)

A friend lost her uncle, in the earthly sense of course, last week. She's sad and we talked for a while, but like Paul said, we don't mourn like those who have no hope. The more I think about death, the more I am convinced it doesn't exist for the Christian. Again, we see the body they leave behind, but it's uncanny how many times I have heard relatives, after they've viewed the body of their loved one, state that their loved one isn't there. Call it a "death mask," or whatever, but based on my own experiences, I can confirm that the body is a shell that we leave behind and that dying isn't the end.

So, if Jesus does not return before I die, I have my dad's writings to help me remember and hold onto the good. And if that isn't something worth celebrating, I don't know what is! Whether with a camera, a paintbrush, or a pen, it is a good thing to make memories stick. Death cannot claim them if we are sure to make them last.

Thanks For Reading Patiently

Wow! You're still here! Thank you!

Sometimes I'm amazed anyone reads my stuff or hangs in there long enough to read when I do actually post. For these people, I am truly thankful. And maybe I can offer an explanation of where I'm at.

Picture blogging as farming. There are some massive producers out there. Everyday, or even every few hours, some blogs produce a new post. It's as if they're a large co-op, delivering from a silo on demand. I'm more like a simple family farm, delivering as harvests come available. Sometimes, I need to let land lie fallow as well, because of my disability or other shortcomings. I harvest when what He plants has ripened enough. I sell it from a little stand, and I don't worry about much except what God wants to do next. I trust Him for the growth and the increase.

Thanks again for being patient! I hope to produce the quality worthy of His name.

Wisdom And Artistry From Unexpected Places

My youngest has such a unique perspective! She's definitely the artist in the family. Last night, after a particularly hard day, I was about to lead the whole family in prayer, but then Shiloh asks, "Can I lead?" I was so taken off guard, the improper English didn't even register!

"Sure!" I said.

"Dear Jesus, please put the five pieces of our puzzle back together again ...and you be the board that holds us all together. Wow! Now I have two word pictures of God!"

To quote The Cat In The Hat, That is not all. Oh, no, that is not all.

Earlier in the conversation, before I even arrived, my firstborn was having a very real, teen-in-crisis moment when she confessed that she didn't see her purpose in life. This is a very honest question that I dealt with myself. Shiloh's answer, though, was one I'd never heard before.

"Kylie, I am so glad you're here because if you weren't, then Keegan and I would have to share a room. And we would have an empty room," she said, referring to the room they shared.

It didn't dawn on her that she would have had her own room just for her, or if it did, it didn't show. She's the one that's capable of sensing other's emotions and adjusting to the moment. That's a good foundation for an artist, or a counselor.

It's so good that we have her here at home with us! I'm certain beyond any shadow of doubt that putting her in a schoolroom would have negatively affected her, possibly to the point of ruining her wonderful, sensitive, kind, and loving spirit. I am so grateful for the gift of my young lady Shiloh!

Teething Bling?

Having child care in your home provides an opportunity to come across new and unusual products. A friend recommends this for moms of newborns to 24 months. I was fairly impressed by how simple an idea it is. Beats the real keys and other stuff some folks hand to their kids. Speaking of, graphite's not toxic, is it?

Dads, this might be a good "just because" gift for your wife if you have a teether. Can you believe we survived without this stuff? And no, I haven't tried this product personally, from either the mom or baby side.