Lesotho

TOMS

Black History Month

Race Equality

Jesus Loves All the Children of the World

John 3:16

Oldie But A Goodie

There are days, like today, when everything goes down hill.  Everyone has a few parenting tricks up their sleeves to attempt to turn things around.  At our house, 'Oldies' are magic.  We turn up the music and no one can keep the rhythm from penetrating that happy part of their heart and so, we dance, smile, laugh.  It's therapeutic to say the least.  Need a little pick me up?  Here's one of our family's absolute favorites:

Game List: Interactive Play

• Big Bad Wolf: Colored Eggs
• Animal Charades
• Mother May I?
• 20 Questions
• Duck, Duck, Goose
• Simon Says
• Camping Trip
• Doggy Doggy Where's Your Bone?

So far...

...so good.

Today is our official first day of trial homeschooling.  Really, I'd say it's been a success.  I am so thankful that I have a peace. It has assured me through out the morning that we are doing what we are supposed to be doing.

My homeschooling-mother-friend gave me a word of advice two days ago.  Interestingly, the subject had, in fact, been on my mind.  "How do you manage the younger children while teaching the older ones?"  My friend told me that she has learned that investing ten to fifteen minutes with the little ones at the very beginning of the day helps fill them up with attention and love, so that it eases the weight of your divided attention the rest of the day.

That advice was very helpful and I did hone in on our one year old in order to make sure I was extra sensitive to his needs.  As unfair as it may be, if he is not happy, we all tend to suffer.  It turned out that balancing school with the older ones and attempting to entertain a toddler was the most challenging aspect to our day. 

Overall, I am pleased and look forward in anticipation.

Our Unit Study

For our trial semester of homeschooling Spring 2011, we are using this book:


So far, I really love it!  I am sure I will refer to this book often so I thought I would share the informational link with those of you who are looking for ideas that educate children while simultaneously incorporating a biblical worldview.

Mother Teresa

 "...Of free choice, my God, and out of love for you, I desire to remain and do whatever be your Holy will in my regard." --Mother Teresa

On 10 September 1946, Teresa experienced what she later described as "the call within the call" while traveling by train to the Loreto convent in Darjeeling from Calcutta for her annual retreat. "I was to leave the convent and help the poor while living among them. It was an order. To fail would have been to break the faith."


In 1952 Mother Teresa opened the first Home for the Dying in space made available by the city of Calcutta. With the help of Indian officials she converted an abandoned Hindu temple into the Kalighat Home for the Dying, a free hospice for the poor. She renamed it Kalighat, the Home of the Pure Heart (Nirmal Hriday).^[33] Those brought to the home received medical attention and were afforded the opportunity to die with dignity, according to the rituals of their faith; Muslims were read the Quran, Hindus received water from the Ganges, and Catholics received the Last Rites.^[34] "A beautiful death," she said, "is for people who lived like animals to die like angels—loved and wanted.


Mother Teresa soon opened a home for those suffering from Hansen's disease, commonly known as leprosy, and called the hospice Shanti Nagar (City of Peace).^[35] The Missionaries of Charity also established several leprosy outreach clinics throughout Calcutta, providing medication, bandages and food.

Naaman's servants went to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'!" So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.  Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, "Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Please accept now a gift from your servant.  The prophet answered, "As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing." And even though Naaman urged him, he refused. - {2 Kings 5:16 NIV}