Author Archives: Lisa @ Me & My House

Mini Books of Remembrance

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You’ve probably heard of MyMini Books of Remembrance by another name – lapbooks. Or perhaps shutterbooks. They are made up of little booklets, sometimes called minit-books, mini-books, or book folds. We began making them many years ago. But like many good things they sometimes got brushed aside, and we needed “reawakened” to them and their joys.

In Exodus 17:14 God tells Moses to write a book of remembrance and to tell it to another; “Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua.” Journaling is a big part of Lifestyle Education through Discipleship™. We teach our children to journal their learning, not only for their own benefit but also as a “text” that they can teach others from, patterning off of this Scripture. This too is how we learn to teach.

But sometimes plain old Journaling in our Notebooks can become kind of mundane. We begin to lose our joy in it. We forget the creativity God has placed in us. Sometimes we lose sight of the Wisdom seen in the “Big Picture”. That’s the time to remember to pull out our colored papers and colored folders, some scissors and glue, and make those Books of Remembrance” something to really remember, by making MyMini Books of Remembrance.

MyMini Books of Remembrance are perhaps the best, primary method of Journaling for our younger children. Our youth still enjoy it and can use it as much as they’d like also. These truly are books that help them remember what they have learned.

Just what is a MyMini Book of Remembrance (or lapbook)? It is several small uniquely cut and folded booklets, made from colored paper, containing the things we’ve learned – one thing per mini-book, attached to a shutterfolded file folder (preferably colored 🙂 ) Dinah Zike has written the definitive book for making the little books. It’s called The Big Book of Books.

Well, with that introduction, I close for tonight. I have much more to share with you on this topic. But it will have to be on another day. I hope I’ve at least inspired you to check this out further.

Continue to Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 of this topic.

 

We Won!

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I just received the most awesome news. Our family has won a week at Horn Creek Camp in Colorado for Little Bear Wheeler’s Outdoor Adventures Homeschool/Family Camp! This is a camp we have looked at in the past, but really was way out of our price league for our famiy of 8 at home.

When we registered for a free drawing at the Colorado home school converntion, we told the lady at the booth, “We’re going to win this one.” I don’t remember if they announced a winner at the conference or not, but now, nearly 3 months later, we knew we hadn’t won. And really hadn’t given it another thought for many, many weeks.

When I received the call this morning, on the other end of the phone, Robin told me that one of the winners was not able to make it – and our name keeps coming up.

has only 1 day of vacation left, so things will be a stretch on this end. But our God is so good and so awesome, and greatly to be praised. Rejoice with us!

Are You Ready for a New Start?

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We have returned from vacation, just in time for me to get a nasty sinus infection and headache – uggh. So I’m feeling like I should post, but my brain really is not up to thinking through an article at this point. So I’ll just share some basics on preparing for a new year of discipling our children at home.

Probably the most beneficial thing you can do is prepare a few foundational lessons for each area of study. Some keys I include in prepare these lessons are:
1) the Biblical perspective of the area of study
Every area of study has a Biblical philosophy behind it and can (and should in the Christian home and school) be taught based on that. Giving our children a “Christian” education does not mean just tacking Scripture verses or Bible classes onto your “normal” learning. It means studying everything from God’s perspective and for His glory. A good beginning resource for this is Ruth Haycock’s Encyclopedia of Bible Truths.

2) the foundational vocabulary of the area of study
It’s always good to know just what you are studying. What is the big picture of it? How does it all fit together? Knowing the vocabulary is the key to taking dominion. A good resource for this is Noah Webster’s original 1828 Dictionary. You can also use it for free online.

3) the source/ origin of the area of study and the purpose for studying it
Every area has a Biblical source or origin and reason for studying it. You could simply say, “It started with God.” But it is good to go a bit further than that. Use an exhaustive concordance along with the terms and definitions you got from Webster’s 1828 for this.

4) the rudiments of the study area
What aspects are the basic elements of the area of study? The whole of the study will expand from these – throughout all the years of study. The student that receives these seeds of each area of study will have a stong foundation for all his years of study to be built upon. Much of this too can be determined from the word studies in Webster’s 1828. Further helpful information can be found in the Noah Plan Curriculum Guides and the Guide to American Christian Education for Home and School.

5) the Biblical principles of the study area
Here we look both at how the subject reveals the 7 Biblical Principles of Liberty and also the principles specific to the individual study. These will only be deduced from the above studies – reading and researching, and spending time ruminating and reflecting on the subject.

These 5 key elements form a foundation for each area of study that we can build upon each year. This year perhaps you will only scratch the surface of each, next year you can expand each area in each area.

Mom and Dad, there is only one way you can disciple your children. That is by beginning these studies yourself. You must be headed somewhere before you can lead your children there. That is what L.E.D. is all about – “you follow me, as I follow Christ”.

 

Freedom & Simplicity™ in HisStory & PIPEline

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I cannot believe I didn’t post this here. I will get some testimonials up at my website later, when I get a few moments. This is a labor of my love of learning and teaching by Biblical principles.

My Freedom & Simplicity™ in HisStory guide has been completely revised and expanded. Also I have developed the PIPEline of HisStory™ pictorial timeline.
Click their names, if you are interested in learning more about them or ordering them.

The Freedom & Simplicity™ in HisStory guide is almost 100 pages on the foundations of history and how to teach by biblical principles. I’ve tried to include plenty of practical helps, and recommended resources.

The PIPEline is 10 pictures of the links of the PIPEline – that is, People, Ideas, Places, and Events, key reference points of God’s dealings with His people throughout time. (There are 2 optional links for those looking for something similar to the Chain of Christianity.) No work to make this one, just print it out and cut it out. You can see a list of my 10 links here:
PIPEline and a picture too.

 

The Library

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Our library is begining to look like one. I don’t have any digital “before” pictures, but imagine walls with broken and missing plaster, oak floors with water damage and buckled, accoustic ceiling tiles with water damage and missing.

We aren’t completely done yet, some trim and doors yet to finish, but ceiling, walls and floors are done. Baseboards are up and the first of the bookcases are installed and loaded. Here’s a pic.

God’s Sovereignty

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This summer I am returning to my Foundational Studies. One area is in 7 Biblical Principles of Liberty. This post is about what I see as the first principle, God’s Sovereignty. I may post on each of the 7.

Also I have added several pages to my website this summer. Look under Bits and Pieces for Freedom & Simplicity. The page on 7 Biblical Principles of Liberty will show you what the other 6 principles are and my comparison chart will show you what others call these principles. Also several of our L.E.D. Resources & Recommendations pages have been updated. Here’s the page that will link you to those pages.

Here’s my understanding of the principle of God’s Sovereignty.

God’s Sovereignty – the Lordship of Christ:

The principle of God’s Sovereignty is that of God’s rule over us, as Lawgiver, Judge and King. God Providentially rules all things whether man acknowledges it or not, just as God is Creator whether man acknowledges it or not. When man acknowledges and submits to God’s rule he is able to live in both liberty and order.

When man rejects God’s Sovereignty, he sets up for himself a false sovereign, either the individual (resulting in chaotic anarchy, a false “freedom” with no order, that nurtures selfishness, pride, and perversion) or the state (resulting in stifling tyranny, a false “order” with no liberty, that nurtures passivity and dependence).

God’s Sovereignty, operates in both power and form, displaying His balance of freedom and order. It is God’s power that causes change and growth and His form that channels it aright. Order (through God’s law) protects man’s freedom from the sinful nature of others (this is the form), while freedom (through His grace) enables man to be creative and productive (this is the power).

We see in HisStory God’s Sovereign Providence directing man’s course, whether man acknowledges it or not. We determine who those involved “think” is sovereign. Although man (individually or corporately) can choose to walk after his own ways, disregarding the Sovereignty of the Lord, it is still the Lord “who directs his path”.

In man submitted to God’s Sovereignty, we see his internal and external governments patterned after God’s form to allow God’s power to flow through them. Therefore, this principle could also be called Faith in God and His Word, or Power and Form. Even in man choosing to look to a false sovereign we see power and form – but unbalanced. Rosalie Slater termed this principle the Christian Form of our Government.

 

Developing a Biblical Philosophy of Education

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I’m still working away at my Freedom & Simplicity in History guide and hope to have it finished in the next couple of weeks. But in the meantime we’ve begun our study of Guide to American Christian Education (GACE) through a yahoogroup and I’ve posted a 5 part series on renewing our minds to lay a foundation for Christian Home Education.

It is some of my thoughts and some notes and quotes from GACE on:
Why Christian Home Education?
Why the method of teaching by Biblical Principles?
What are the challenges and rewards?
How can we overcome the challenges?
What do we do to develop a Christian philosophy of education?

You can read these posts on my website – here.It’s too long to post here on the blog, and would just get lost amidst the other articles.

 

Announcing … GACE study

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I’d better post something or you’ll all think I’ve dropped off the face of the earth as a couple of my internet friends have. (But it has been less than a month since my last post, and sometimes that’s about par for me.)

Anyhow, I’ve been working hard on my audios and books – and our home remodel, and life. Freedom & Simplicity in HisStory is almost finished. What you say, I thought you already had that? Well, the conversion to downloadable ebook, led to a complete rewrite and big expansion. I was hoping to have it finished before convention, but we leave tomorrow and I must pack today, so hopefully next week or so.

ANNOUNCING! As if I don’t have enough going on, (but this one shouldn’t be a burden on me 🙂 —- ta dah —-

A new elist! Anna-Marie (a co-moderator with me on the bibleprinciples elist) and I are offering an introductory book study for preparing to teach by Biblical Principles through A Guide to American Chirstian Education for Home and School (GACE) by James Rose. We will be following his “getting started” steps on page 118 of the book. If you want to enrich your study even further, we’ve added into the schedule corresponding readings from Teaching and Learning American Christian Education: The Principle Approach (T&L) by Rosalie Slater.

You will need the GACE book – if you dont have it and aren’t ready to purchase it yet, perhaps your library can get it through interlibrary loan for you. You will also need Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language – if you don’t have and aren’t ready to purchase it yet, you can use it online. You will also need a notebook binder and LOTS of paper, and a Bible. T&L is optional. You can get it interlibrary loan also, or order it. All the ordering links here take you to CBD where you will recieve a discount on the books, and Me and My House ministries will recieve credit for your order if you use our links. (You only have to use the link for one book in your order, the orders can be added by searching once you get to the site.)
You can view more about these books on our site – this page has all 3 of them listed. I also have a few of my notes from GACE posted. Hope you can join us. The list is called GACEstudy and is on yahoogroups. I’ll get a join link posted on my site later today.

 

For Those Who Aren’t Home Educating

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This is a rare post for those who are not home educating or providing distinctively Christian private education for their children.

As parents you have a tremendous responsibility to not just train your child in religious matters, relegating God to a “spiritual” box, but to show Him forth in every area of life and learning. Your children will spend nearly 15,000 hours, from K-12 being taught knowledge apart from God. You must teach them to see God aright in everything they learn. All truth is God’s truth and He must be glorified in it. He must be shown as Source and Sustainer of all things, even, and especially in your situation, in academic things where He has been consciously edited out of His own world.

This is not just countering “millions and billions of years ago” or “Heather has 2 Mommies”, but showing that 1 x 1 x 1 = 1 because GOD!… That South America has jungles and exotic wildlife and North America has rolling plains for man’s habitation because God… The importance of every word that we write, speak, read, or hear because God… That the Pilgrims came to America to not only have freedom in Christian religion, but to propogate it because God… And now America has no tolerance for distinctively Jesus-centered Christian religion outside the church walls because God – has given us over to our own devises. That George Washington wrestled in prayer and the Word to determine the justness of fighting a war against unlawful authority, and then was preserved by the Providential hand of God as his coat and hat were riddled with bullets because God… Of course I could go on and on, but I am not writing a Christian curriculum in one blog post. You must research and learn these purposes for yourselves. The answer is not just “because God”, but a Biblical, individual reason and purpose for each thing.

This all goes back to my one key message, that we as parents must first renew our own minds. We must know these things ourselves; these things must be in our hearts. We must see God as the Source and Sustainer of all things. We are to get Wisdom, the most important thing, which is seeing all of life from God’s perspective. We must relate all truth and knowledge back to Him and His purpose for it, which is to glorify Himself. The fear of the Lord is, and must be, the beginning of all knowledge.

And then we must, we are commanded to, diligently teach these things to our children. We must, we are commanded to, bring them up in the instruction and discipline of the Lord, seeing Him as Lord over all, not just all the big picture, but understanding Him as Lord over each and every detail. Oh for all our children, may they not only know God, but glorify Him as God in every detail of life, that their hearts not be darkened.