Monthly Archives: September 2009

A Surrendered Life

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The name Chris Klicka holds a dear place in the hearts of many home educators. He has stood and helped home educating families since 1985, as Senior Defense Attorney for Home School Legal Defense Association. Many of us have been touched to hear Chris speak, and changed by his books, HomeSchooling: The Right Choice, The Heart of Home Schooling, and Home School Heroes.

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Chris has battled MS for several years, and has seen much deterioration lately. After his unsuccessful hyperbaric oxygen treatment late this summer, I was surprised to hear he was feeling well enough to attend the HSLDA Leadership Conference in Colorado Springs this past week.

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But during the conference he had to be hospitalized. After several ups and downs –  while the saints prayed fervently, they were able to get him fairly stable, yet not back to a place that he would be able to return home.

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Chris and his wife Tracy had already discussed what should be, if it came to this. He had determined he did not want to continue an artificially induced life. Tonight they are preparing to transition Chris to hospice care at a friend’s home in the Springs, where Chris will apparently spend his last days here on earth. Short of a miracle of God (which we continue to pray for) Chris will soon be with his Savior, Jesus Christ and Almighty Father God. For Chris, “to live is Christ, to die is gain.”

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Please pray for the Klicka family – Chris, Tracy and their children, and relatives. I’ll close this post with the words of Pastor Tito Mercato, on Chris’ Caring Bridge site: “In all of this, we have grieved and have been buffeted by the hope of Christ and of his saving grace and resurrecting power.  We are grieving with hope even now.  Would you please join Tracy and family in giving thanks to God for his grace in Chris’ life and would you pray for them that they would have strength and peace to continue to walk through the necessary details of this decision.”

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May God be praised. To Him be all the glory. We thank and praise him for the life of Chris Klicka and what He has done through him, that has blessed our lives.

And —

At the same time Mike Farris, founder of HSLDA, was called home from the same conference, as his wife Vickie was/is having a flare up of what was recently diagnosed as interstitial cystitis. This disease has no known cause or cure. It is severely painful, but thankfully not life threatening. She is going through a bad episode right now and she is not really functional–she can’t homeschool, she can’t manage the house, etc. Just about anything she eats causes pain reactions. Pray for Vickie and the Farris family too.


Off to a Good Start

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At the beginning of a new “school year”, most home educators have grand ideas for a new start? What are yours? Do you immediately think things like this: “We need to get caught up on math.” “I’ve got to get this child to read.” “How am I ever going to teach physics?”

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Although these may be good things, even important things to teach our children, they should not be our focus. As we look to new beginnings, we must keep our priorities in mind. “Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge…” (2 Peter 1:5) The most important matters in discipling our children should be looked at first. “Has this child been converted?” “How is he growing in Christ?” “Where is he struggling?” “Has he been taught the foundations of the true and living Gospel?” “Has he grasped those teachings?”

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In the Christian home, the Bible should never be another “tacked on” subject to “regular” school. Discipleship in the Word of God should be the foundation and framework of all we do. We should be first and foremost teaching God’s Word itself in our homes.

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In addition, we should be teaching everything else in connection with the Bible. Although we will use other resources to teach the details of other subjects, the Bible should be our Source book for every subject, for in it we find the meaning, the source, origin and purpose of everything we learn, of everything that is. It is all God’s. There is no knowledge outside of what God has Created and given, and to glorify Him, we begin with Him.

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As you start your “new year”, remember to put first things first.

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See also article: Foundational Anchors

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The B-I-B-L-E

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Getting started with our Bible Lessons for this year.

The Bible tells us what man is to know of God and what God requires of man – and a whole lot more, but this is a good overarching key. So in our studies those are 2 things we look for. Sometimes I state them expanded:

  1. Who is God?
  2. What has He done?
  3. Therefore, who is man?
  4. What is he to do?

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This week’s Bible lesson begins at the beginning:

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

We were looking at God’s Sovereignty. What does that mean? Is God really Sovereign? What is He Sovereign over?

Find scriptures that tell us what God is Sovereign over.

As we read the verses, the younger children drew pictures of the things we found that God is Sovereign over.

The olders assignment was to write a personal application.

  1. God is Sovereign (Ruler over all)
  2. God has made everything, and He holds it all together, and has it under His control
  3. & 4. Therefore, who am I and what should my response be?

What to do with Little Ones

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When working with your older children on lessons, what do your little ones do?

  1. Run the house on a seek and destroy mission?
  2. Sit with you bored and fidgety?
  3. Sit in front of the one-eyed monster being mesmerized?
  4. None of the above?

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If you chose #4, you are correct! What do you win? A little peace in your home. We’ve posted ideas for toddlers before, but you can also click over to Raising Olives today for a great idea!

TR

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This summer I listened to a fun and interesting audiobook that your children would probably enjoy. Although we’d already studied the individual earlier in the year, I wanted to take the time to listen to this one when I found it. It proved to be a keeper.

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The Boy’s Life of Theodore Roosevelt was written shortly after his death, with the cooperation and approval of his family.

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You can download it in audiobook format for FREE from ejunto, a public domain audiobooks site with historical and philosophical works.