God's Wonderful Book Divine

After sharing this photo in my previous post
and after my heart really being filled yesterday,
listening to God's Word being preached
and just from being in His Word on my own,
my love for His Word deepens more and more
as I read and meditate on His Precious Truths.
I'm so glad He left us His Living Word!
What a blessing!

I started thinking of the lyrics of an old song
and wanted to share them...


What light is that shining so brightly for me?
That gives me such courage, the right way to see.
What hope for my trusting soul ever shall be?
God's wonderful Book Divine.


I love the old Bible, Precious old Bible.
Light on my pathway to shine.
It keeps me so happy, Always so happy.
God's wonderful Book Divine.


What hope for the traveler when strength's almost gone?
That makes him determined to keep plodding on.
What sweet consolation from Heaven's white throne?
God's wonderful Book Divine.


I love the old Bible, Blessed old Bible.
Light on my pathway to shine.
It keeps me so happy, always so happy.
God's wonderful Book Divine.


What chart can you trust as a guide for your soul?
When tempests would strand you on some treacherous shore.
What compass will point you to Heaven's bright door?
God's wonderful Book Divine.


I love the old Bible, Old King James Bible.
Light on my pathway it shines.
It keeps me so happy, Always so happy.
God's wonderful Book Divine.


Below is a video I found of a choir singing this song...

{You can stop my blog's background music in the right sidebar}

Simple Woman's Daybook...

For today... August 31, 2009


Outside my window...
the gray sky alludes to a cooler day


I am thinking...
a visiting preacher's sermon about
"If it weren't for the LORD..."
What great things He has done!


I am thankful for...
the blood of Jesus Christ
that cleanses me from sin and
saves me from an eternity in Hell


From the learning rooms...
finishing our study in Numbers and Deuteronomy
and pickng up with a few of our subjects
for the new school year while continuing
to (try to) implement our new schedule


From the kitchen...
dishes wait to be cleaned
and the coffee pot is giving off an aroma
that is inviting me to pour myself a cup

On the Menu...
... a new one needs to be made this morning


I am wearing...
dark brown, paisley square neck dress


I am creating...
dresses for the lil' girls...
from "scraps" from the closet


I am reading...
my KJ Bible through in a year,
currently in 1 King, Psalms, Romans;
A Wife After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George;
Reforming Marriage by Douglas Phillips;
When Women Walk Alone by Cindi McMenamin;
Won By One: A Workbook on Personal Soul Winning
by Clarence Sexton
Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey;
(with a friend aloud) Home Education by Charlotte M Mason;


I am hoping (praying)...
for the Lord to bring revival to my heart,
to my husband's, children's, and other family,
and to the churches and our nation;
to have victory in implementing our new schedule;
to have victory in implementing our new budget;
that I will be humble and right before Him


I am hearing...
Carolynne drawing at the table,
Will sniffling from the reading room (allergies),
and movement noises from the monitor


One of my favorite things...
reading the Living Word of God


A few plans for the rest of the week...
go to the commisary; homeschool;
mail the items I sold on Ebay;
attend our midweek prayer and Bible service;
try to eat healthier and exercise more;
go to our homeschool park day; enjoy daily life


Here is picture thought I am sharing...



"Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it."
~ Psalm 119:140

What a precious Book!

Haven at Home Happenings...

It was another full week here at our Haven at Home.
Early in the week, we had the blessing of being able
to minister to a "gramma" from church by visiting with her,
bringing her a basket of goodies, and helping her by
finishing the wallpaper in her kitchen, hang curtains, etc...
It was a real blessing to spend a few hours with her.


Two days this week were spent at the dentist's office.
Our time spent at home was more minimal than usual
and though we weren't quite able to stick with our schedule,
we were able to keep up with our History/Bible studies
and I was able to get a little sewing done.
Next week, Lord willing, we will be jumping back on board
of implementing our new schedule.

Below are some recent snapshots from our haven at home...


Beth and Carolynne pretending it's winter in August.
In this pic, they were "ice skating". ;o)



Sprinkler fun with a friends



Dad and Will fixing a curtain rod



Enjoying a tea magazine



Beth helping Mama make biscuits



Beth's phonetical spelling (according to her)
of one of our night's supper



Daddy's PT... dragging the children
around the house while they hang on to his ankles. LOL



Carolynne and Suzie
after she proudly dressed her up as a butterfly



Suzie wasn't as thrilled. lol


Hope you have enjoyed your week, too! *Ü*

Founding Fathers on the Threat of Tyranny...

I thought this was worth sharing.
Powerful quotes from our founding fathers...


{background music on my blog can be stopped in the right sidebar}

Simple Woman's Daybook...

For today... August 24, 2009


Outside my window...
the sun is brightly shining


I am thinking...
about Pastor's message on willful sin


I am thankful for...
the blood of Jesus Christ
that cleanses me from sin


From the learning rooms...
continuing with our study in the Old Testament
and beginning a few of our subjects
for the new school year while continuing
to implement our new schedule


From the kitchen...
the counters and sinks are clean
and the coffee pot is inticing me to have a cup

On the Menu...
M ~ Wet Burritos
T ~ Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
W ~ Shepherd's Pie
Th ~ Chicken spaghetti
F ~Sourdough Pizza


I am wearing...
peach, floral printed, square neck dress


I am creating...
a new dress for myself
and four dresses for the lil' girls...
all from "scraps" from the closet


I am reading...
my KJ Bible through in a year,
currently in 1 King, Psalms, Romans;
A Wife After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George;
Reforming Marriage by Douglas Phillips;
When Women Walk Alone by Cindi McMenamin;
Won By One: A Workbook on Personal Soul Winning
by Clarence Sexton
Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey;
(with a friend aloud) Home Education by Charlotte M Mason;
reading aloud "Summer With the Moodys" by Sarah Maxwell


I am hoping (praying)...
for the Lord to bring revival to my heart,
to my family, to the churches, to our nation;
to have victory in implementing our new schedule;
that I will be humble and right before Him


I am hearing...
noises from the monitor
and Beth playing at the table


One of my favorite things...
singing to and about my Creator and Saviour


A few plans for the rest of the week...
homeschool, visit with an elderly lady from church
and put up wallpaper and do other tasks for her;
go to the dentist for all of our appointments;
attend our midweek prayer and Bible service;
try to eat healthier and exercise more; enjoy daily life


Here is picture thought I am sharing...



Oh, may we not allow sin to dwell in us!
May we be quick to confess it and turn from it,
that we not break fellowship with our LORD.
What a blessed promise that IF we confess our sin,
He WILL forgive us! Oh, what joy!

"I acknowledged my sin unto thee,
and mine iniquity have I not hid.
I said, I will confess my transgressions
unto the LORD; and thou forgavest
the iniquity of my sin. Selah." ~ Psalm 32:5

Illustrations from the Book of Numbers

In our history studies, we are going through the book of Numbers.
This week, two of the stories we read about were
the twelve spies that went to see Canaan
and when Korah rebelled and the Israelites complained.
What lessons we have been learning about complaining!!
It, surely, is something we should NOT take lightly.

In addition to our discussions, the younger ones
have added to their collection of Bible illustrations...



Carolynne and Will's illustrations are similar,
depicting the 10 "bad" spies and the 2 good spies.
Beth's, in the middle, depicts the two good spies
and how they saw giants in Canaan.
In addition to the illustrations, we have enjoyed singing the song
"12 Men Went to Spy on Canaan, 10 where bad and 2 were good..."



This illustration was after Korah and his followers
were swallowed up by the earth and what happened to the Israelites
when the complained about the situtation.
Aaron is illustrated standing among the dead and plagued
with incense, making an atonement for the people.
The clouds in the sky represent God
and how He came to them in a cloud.

I just LOVE reading, studying, and learning from God's Word!


"All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness:" ~ 2 Timothy 3:16

Haven at Home Happenings...

It's been a full week as we've been working

to implement our new schedule.

We've had successes and failures, and that's okay. ;o)

We're adapting where needed so that we can aim

to make the most out of the time that is given to us.

Here are a few photos from our week...

Will aiming his new cap guns that he bought

with some of his birthday money

Dressing up with a friend

I love this t-shirt! ;o)
And he wears it proudly!

Will and Daddy began a read aloud together this week
and the girls enjoyed listening in. ;o)

Will working on a character study about Korah
and a topical study about murmuring.

Ally making chocolate mint swirl cookies

The lil' girls having a sing along together.
Here they were singing "If You're Saved and You Know It..."

With implementing our schedule,
the children and I have been going on daily walks together
(Suzie, too, finds this time a delight!).

I have found that walking with the children is real exercise for me,
as they like to RUN, not walk, and I have to keep up. ;o)

A few finds from creation this week...


An exoskeleton from a cicada

A katydid (a.k.a. leafy bug)

It's been a delightful week as we've been aiming to redeem our time.
I hope y'all have had a good week, as well. ;o)

With Organizing Comes Purging...

... so I've listed
a few books that
will no longer
have a home
on our shelves.



To see them,
click here.







The love of learning, the sequestered nooks,
And all the sweet serenity of books.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

A New Method...

We are adopting a new method...
Not a new method of homeschooling
but a new method in how we keep our books.
I have seen so many posts in the past month
regarding Sue Patrick's workbox system
and after reading posts, looking at photos, etc...
I decided that what I really wanted for us right now
was an easy way for the children to access their books
and to keep things more organized without much of a hassle.
So I decided, instead, to simply get individual "boxes"
for each child's homeschool books
and keep them on separate shelves.
Already we have found it very helpful...
Each child has their own bin with their own books in it
and even Mama has one for her books and for family resources. *Ü*


{top to bottom: Mama's; Carolynne's; Beth's; and Will's}

It's simple... I like it.

Today's Special...

We are really enjoying our new magnetic dry erase board,
which has a happy home on our refrigerator door...




The children love to look at it throughout the day,
anticipating the evening's meal.
Daddy, too, enjoys knowing what "today's special" is.

Relaxed or Lazy?

In the ten years of our homeschooling journey,
I've always leaned towards a relaxed approach.
But over the years, I have learned that
there is a fine line between relaxed and lazy.

The Holy Spirit is Faithful in growing me
and changing my way of thinking
as I seek to learn more and serve Him.
Something that I have learned about myself
(which, generally, tends to be painful)
is that for many years, I have used my "relaxed approach"
to justify my selfishness, lack of self-discipline
and motivation, and , overall, laziness.
He has opened my eyes to some of the bad habits
that my lack of consistency and faithfulness have born
and, though painful, I am praising Him for it.

I have never been a 'schedule person'.
In fact, the idea of a schedule will sometimes overwhelm me.
I have been able, in the past, to sit down
and create schedules but, alas, they become
pieces of pretty and well thought out ideas
collecting dust, age, and creases in a drawer somewhere.

Why did I not wrap my mind around it before? I don't know.
But, as only HE can, He has opened my eyes
and brought me, again, to a Scripture that, in the past,
I liked to "sugar coat"... knowing it was a "good idea"
but not something I, necessarily, needed to apply right away.
(Sounds ridiculous, I know)
But, thankfully, God's Word is Simple, Clear, and True
and so is His character.
All of creation was made in a particular order
and continues still, in an orderly way.
He is a God of order and One Who desires order.

"Let us do all things decently and in order."
~ 1 Corinthians 14:40

decently ~ suitably; decorously {suitable to a character}
in order ~ regular arrangement

That being said, prayerfully I sat to make a schedule
that would accomplish what I believe the Lord
would have for our family to do.
Today, bathed in prayer, we began implementing it.
Our first morning went very well,
though we encountered a few "situations",
He helped and gave us the victory. Praise Him!
By His grace and help, we will continue in it,
adjusting where He reveals is needed.
We will not be a slave to it, however.
When days call for us to be out of the house
(whether running errands, serving Him elsewhere)
or other situations arise, we understand that
interruptions are allowed of the Lord and will adjust as needed.

Below is a photo of our schedule with His command at the top,
reminding us why we will be doing what we'll do.


{click to enlarge}

We look forward to honoring Him
as we, prayerfully, redeem the time He has entrusted us with.

"... that in all things he might have the preeminence."
~ Colossians 1:18

Simple Woman's Daybook...

For today... August 17, 2009


Outside my window...
it's a clear day and the sun is brightly shining


I am thinking...
about what we'll be doing today


I am thankful for...
the Holy Spirit Who is growing me,
helping me, changing me


From the learning rooms...
continuing with our study in the Old Testament
and, perhaps, beginning some of our subjects
for the new school year while implementing
our new schedule (gasp!)


From the kitchen...
the counters and sinks are clean
from this morning's chore time

On the Menu...
M ~ Penne Rigate Bake
T ~ Tacos
W ~ Green Bean Casserole Deluxe
Th ~ Chicken and stuffing
F ~Sourdough Pizza


I am wearing...
lavender square neck dress with pink trim


I am creating...
nothing currently
but hope to sew something this week



I am reading...
my KJ Bible through in a year,
currently in 1 King, Psalms, Acts;
The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery;
A Wife After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George;
Reforming Marriage by Douglas Phillips;
When Women Walk Alone by Cindi McMenamin;
Won By One: A Workbook on Personal Soul Winning
by Clarence Sexton
Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey;
(with a friend aloud) Home Education by Charlotte M Mason;
reading aloud "Summer With the Moodys" by Sarah Maxwell


I am hoping (praying)...
for the Lord to bring revival to my heart,
to my family, to the churches, to our nation;
to have victory in implementing our new schedule


I am hearing...
Chopin playing in the kitchen
and the children finishing their Bible illustrations


One of my favorite things...
teaching my children at home


A few plans for the rest of the week...
implement our new schedule;
mail my Mama's birthday package;
attend our midweek Bible service;
go to our homeschool park day;
enjoy daily life


Here is picture thought I am sharing...
no time to prepare a picture thought this morning.
Perhaps I'll be able to share one later.

But here is a verse we are memorizing, meditating on,
and focusing on practicing this week:
"Let all things be done decently and in order."
~ 1 Corinthians 14:40

Tea Time With Friends...

Yesterday the younger children enjoyed having tea time together.
They grabbed a linen tablecloth, spread it on the floor,
and prepared the miniature cups and saucers
as the cheese was sliced and the variety of teas were made.
What a delight it was for them to share this time together...



"What better way to suggest friendliness - and to create it -
than with a cup of tea?" ~ J. Grayson Luttrell

Enjoying Exodus and Sharing Samples...

The children and I continue to finish up with our reading
in the history of Exodus this month.
It has been a real joy to read of God's wondrous works!

We recently read when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments
and have been memorizing them using hand gestures,
which has been a lot of fun for the children.
In addition, we have been continuing with our illustrations
of the Bible history that we have been reading.
I am glad we will have these illustrations to look back upon
in the years to come. I just love to see their imaginations on paper!

Here is one sample of many that the children have been drawing...


{click to enlarge}

Here was Mama's illustration, listing the Ten Commandments.
This remains on the dry erase board this week as we memorize them.



What a joy to not only be in God's Word but to be teaching It,
learning It, and reminding myself of It right along with the children!
That is a delight, indeed!

"We will not hide them from their children,
shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD,
and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done."
~ Psalm 78:4

Learning Logistics 2009-2010

Every year I love to sit at my dining room table
with my books, notebooks, and pens (...oh, the pens!)
spread out before me to compile a 'master list' of the resources
that we use or intend to use during our year of learning.
I posted our 2008-2009 plan back in January,
in my Learning Logistics post,
and the time has rolled around, again,
to be thinking of and planning the new school year. *Ü*
I just love planning a new school year!

I usually post our resources each year, too,
and what fun it would be if you shared, as well!
It can be a real delight to read others' ideas,
discover new resources, or be reminded of ones
that, perhaps, we had considered before.
It's always so fun to share!

Learning Logistics...
... the planning, implementation, and cooridination
of the details of... our learning at home.

Below, is our list of our learning logistics
for this upcoming year of learning at home.

If you'd like to share your's,
please feel free to grab the graphic below,
post about your homeschool plans for the upcoming year,
link back to this post (so others can join),
and sign the Mr. Linky at the bottom. *Ü*
I look forward to this time of sharing!





Bible/Character:
(family)
Daily OT Bible reading and discussion
Scripture memory work
Missionary biographies
Lessons from Nature by John Bunyan
Character Sketches Volume 1 and 2

(for 11 year old/6th grade)
Personal Help for Boys by Pearables
or Increasing in Wisdom by Michelle Zoppa
Anecdotes for Boys by Harvey Newcomb

(for 16 year old/Daughter at Home University)
daily, personal Bible reading and prayer journal
Discovering Doctrine by Sonya Shafer


Language Arts:

(5yrs/1st grade)
Language Lessons for Little Ones 2
Phonics (Rod & Staff We Learn Letter Sounds)
Noah Webster's Handbook for Reading
miscellaneous 'readers'
copywork/narration

(6yrs/2nd grade)
Language Lessons for Little Ones 3
Language Lessons for the Very Young 1
reading aloud
copywork/narration

(11yrs/6th grade)
Character Quality Language Arts: Red Series Level A
Linguistic Development Through Poetry Memorization cd (I.E.W)
Pictures in Cursive: Book B (Queen HS)
reading aloud
narration in all subjects
living books list

(16yrs/Daughter at Home University)
Vocabulary Cartoons
Literature and living books list
Greek 1 (Rosetta Stone)


Science/Nature Study:
(family)
birdwatching
nature journal
miscellaneous living books
Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock
Birds and Blooms magazine
Kent Hovind seminars dvds
Considering God's Creation music cd
Character Sketches Volume 1 and 2
The Burgess Seashore Book for Children by Thornton W. Burgess

(5/6yrs/ 1/2 grades)
Caterpillar Green by Marla Martin
Little Jewel Bird by Lucy Ann Conley
Christian Liberty Nature Readers K and 1

(11yrs/6th grade)
Exploring Creation with Zoology 2: Swimming Creatures...
Under the Sea Dot-to-Dot
Creation or Evolution by Mike Snavely
notebook

(16yrs/Daughter at Home Universtity)
midwifery books
herbal medicine and healthy lifestyle books


History:
(family)
Joshua through Malachi & Ancient Greece (Simply CM)
Streams of History: Ancient Greece by Ellwood W. Kemp
Classical Kids: Activity Guide by Laurie Carlson
Ancient Greece notebooking by Night Owl Creations
Science in Ancient Greece by Kathlyn Gay
Aesop's Fables
The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War by Emily Little
The Librarian Who Measured the Earth by Kathryn Lasky
Archimedes and the Door to Science by Jeanne Bendick
Learning Through History magazine
miscellaneous living books from all eras

(11yrs/6th grade)
Hittite Warrior by Joanne Williamson
Theras and His Town by Caroline Dale Snedekar
Adara by Beatrice Gormley
Charlotte Mason's Elementary Geography (Queen HS)
historical and missionary biographies

(16yrs/Daughter at Home University)
missionary biographies
Baptist history books


Math:
(family)
living math (trips to store, kitchen work, etc...)
living books (M&M Math; Equal Shmequal; A Place for Zero, etc...)

(5/6yrs 1/2 grades)
manipulatives
Right Start Level B

(11yrs/5th grade)
Teaching Textbooks: Math 6
Multiplication & Division: Classical Math to Classical Music

(16yrs/Daughter at Home University)
checkbook keeping


Music:
(family)
singing

(5 yrs/1st grade)
intro to piano lessons
children's choir at church

(6yrs/2nd grade)
violin lessons
children's choir at church

(11yrs/6th grade)
piano lessons
harmonica learning/practice
children's choir at church

(16yrs/Daughter at Home University)
continue advancement in
piano, violin, guitar, banjo, mandollin
extend knowledge in theory
piano teaching
choir and orchestra at church
composing own hymn arrangements

Composer Study:
(family)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Ludwig van Beethoven
Antonio Vivaldi
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
George Frideric Handel
Frederic Chopin


Picture/Artist Study:
Mary Cassatt
Leonardo DiVinci
Michelangelo
Edgar Degas
Claude Monet
Jean Francois Millet
Benjamin West


Hymn Study:
Silent Night
It is Well
Amazing Grace
How Firm a Foundation
This Is My Father's World
What Can Wash Away My Sins?
(more to be decided)


Poetry:
Lessons from the Clock by Miriam Zook
Poems for Memorization
selections from
Emily Dickinson
Robert Frost
(more to be decided)

Literature Read Alouds:
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss
A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter
Stick to the Raft by Mrs. George Gladstone
Saved by Love by Emma Leslie
Christie's Old Organ by Mrs. O.F. Walton
As You Like It from Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare

Foreign Language:
French cd-rom


Miscellaneous/Electives:
Life skills (ongoing list)
Handicrafts (ongoing list)


That is our list of resources that I hope to use throughout the year.
It may seem a bit intense but it helps me to have them listed
so I can stay focused on what my goal's are for this year
(and it helps those books to not collect dust on the bookshelves!).
It helps me to remember that all of them are NOT used every day.
Some of them are not long in content and will not be used long.
Others are used for a length of time but only in "small bites".
Being a visual person, this keeps my ideas afresh!
I tried to link to all of the resources that we'll be using
and pray it is a help and blessing to some.


If you'd like to participate in sharing
your upcoming homeschool plans,
please leave a link to your Learning Logistics post
in the Mr. Linky below (comments are great, too *Ü*):