A new rule went into effect in our home today; there is to be no Wii between the hours of 9 and 3 on a school day. This is not a very popular rule. Toa of Boy almost perished through the long, terrible withdrawal. Yet, in the end he decided to use his free time to make a picture with his 3d paint set and build a complex lego spaceship.
He brought his lego spaceship into the kitchen to show me. He was describing wall the different decks and such and then said, "Guess what, Mommy? This ship doesn't have any guns."
"Really?" says his hippy-at-heart Mommy. "Is it an exploration vessel?"
"No, it has lazers!"
Of course.
The show and tell session then became a description of exactly how many ways this "gun-less" vessel could destroy other spacecraft.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The Point
When we set out on this endeavor of homeschooling, it was my siblings, and not my own children that I was homeschooling and we had the following goals--
1. To allow each child to learn in a safe, encouraging environment.
2. To allow each child to learn at their own pace and in their own way.
3. To allow each child to develop their own unique interests and abilities.
I was a new homeschooler, and I was still fresh from the college with my teacher's degree, and I know I made mistakes. I also had the notion that I should "spurring" each child on to the potential I knew they had. And my biggest mistake was in "spurring" rather than encouraging.
Then Vaya and Sweetling were added to the mix. For Sweetling, a new goal was added, to provide an integrated Christian perspective through our daily life and through our choice of educational materials. Sounds dry when I say it like that. There's the educational pedagogy coming back out. For Vaya, the goal was to provide a living example of a healthy family and a wholesome environment for her to heal and grow.
Now, it's a decade has gone by since I first dove into this homeschooling ocean. And I'm re-evaluating what our goals are, and whether what we're doing everyday is in line with those goals or not. And I'm soliciting input from Sweetling and Toa to make sure their needs and desires are being met.
This is what I, and I think the Jedi, want to see from our homeschool:
An environment and curriculum that promotes our faith.
An environment and curriculum that promotes being conscientious of the needs of others and of taking specific actions towards those needs.
An environment and curriculum that promotes family unity and good friendships with others.
An environment and curriculum that allows each child to learn and grow at their own pace and in their own way.
An environment and curriculum that allows each child to learn and develop their unique, God-given gifts, abilities, and interests.
An environment and curriculum that is engaging and encourages the joy of exploration, experimentation, creativity, and discovery.
Here is what Sweetling said one evening when I asked her what she thought was most important about homeschooling--
1. That I am her teacher.
2. That she doesn't have to worry about "crazy" classmates. (A good friend is really going through an emotionally devastating time with a group of bullies in her school.)
A few days later, when the kids and I sat down after lunch one day and discussed homeschooling, a made a written list of their responses to the following questions.
What is the most important aspect of homeschooling to you?
Sweetling--
1. independent work
2. reading
3. history
Toa of Boy--
1. math
2. reading together
3. seeing his progress bar (tracked on the computer as part of the on-line lessons)
What do you think our goals of homeschooling should be? Why do you think we should choose to do homeschooling rather than be part of a traditional public or private school setting?
Toa of Boy--
1. We learn at our own pace.
2. We can be done with school earlier in the day.
3. For Mommy to be the teacher, "cause I love you."
Sweetling--
1. We can be together.
2. We learn at our own pace.
3. We have more control over the lessons.
i was encouraged by how much of what they thought important was also part of my internal, unvocalized homeschooling goals. But I am also challenged because while there are many ways in which our curriculum has served us well over the years, there are now a few too many ways in which it is falling short of what we want from our homeschooling curriculum. The Jedi also agrees that it has some issues, and has given his agreement that other options need to be investigated.
This past year has highlighted the good and the bad for us.
On the one hand, Sweetling is VERY independent. I'm proud of how independent and responsible she is. But I feel that school has ceased to be engaging and a rewarding process for her. Instead, she goes to her room with her to do list and emerges with her to do list complete. Kudos to her for independent completion, shame on the system and the Mommy that has smothered the joy of learning. Similarly, while Sweetling's very first response, when asked what was important to her, was that I was her teacher, in truth I have advocated that role to the computer and an outside, pre-set curriculum.
Likewise, both children expressed the importance of being and doing things together....yet our current curriculum not only does not encourage any family projects or creative fun, but is actually a roadblock to field trips, creative explorations, and co-operative learning. The work load for each child is large, and completely divorced from what each other is doing.
Academically and spiritually, I'm concerned that our curriculum is so rigorous in and of itself, that it doesn't allow for additional pursuits of knowledge. In order to play chess together and to learn chess strategies and solve chess puzzles, we have to try to make up our curriculum time for the time "lost" learning chess. Its another addition to an already long and demanding day. Likewise for learning Spanish, ASL, or studying the Bible in more depth and detail.
Finally, having been through the curriculum with Sweetling once, I knew that as the curriculum progressed, it would suit Toa of Boy's hands-on learning style less and less. To cap that off, we recently received his second grade math book, which he was oh so excited to get. His excitement turned to dismay as we flipped through the book and found the first half of it nearly identical to the first grade book we had just finished. "I already know this," he said, "where's the new stuff?" I had to hunt to find it.
Regrettably, I believe this marks the end of our long and thus far successful association with k-12 and participation in OHVA. Sweetling, when I first told her that I was looking at some new curriculums, tearfully told me that she liked k-12. And I agree. I still like k-12 and would recommend it to others. But it is simply no longer best meeting our needs as a family.
Even more regrettably, this also means that this will likely be our last year at our Cardinal's Nest Co-op, since that co-op is driven by the k-12 curriculum.
BUT, we spend an hour or two looking through the curriculum possibilities I had researched over the week, and had sent to the Jedi for his input. Both children are excited about My Father's World and think it looks like fun. I gave Sweetling a choice between three different math textbooks and we will go with the one she chooses. Likewise, we will go with the science curriculum she picks out for herself. And I'm getting her opinions and selections on literature and language arts as well. (Originally, she said that "Homeschooling gives us control over our lessons," then she ammended it and said, "well, it gives you control over our lessons." I want to give her back some control over her own lessons. She is mature enough and responsible enough to help determine the course of her education.)
The Happily Ever After ending is that tears and sniffles have turned to smiles of excitement. And, because I know the extraverted boy really needs to be around other children as much as possible, I'm already thick in the process of getting us hooked up with another co-op. Sweetling knows and likes several families and young ladies at this new co-op, so that will smooth the transition for her.
1. To allow each child to learn in a safe, encouraging environment.
2. To allow each child to learn at their own pace and in their own way.
3. To allow each child to develop their own unique interests and abilities.
I was a new homeschooler, and I was still fresh from the college with my teacher's degree, and I know I made mistakes. I also had the notion that I should "spurring" each child on to the potential I knew they had. And my biggest mistake was in "spurring" rather than encouraging.
Then Vaya and Sweetling were added to the mix. For Sweetling, a new goal was added, to provide an integrated Christian perspective through our daily life and through our choice of educational materials. Sounds dry when I say it like that. There's the educational pedagogy coming back out. For Vaya, the goal was to provide a living example of a healthy family and a wholesome environment for her to heal and grow.
Now, it's a decade has gone by since I first dove into this homeschooling ocean. And I'm re-evaluating what our goals are, and whether what we're doing everyday is in line with those goals or not. And I'm soliciting input from Sweetling and Toa to make sure their needs and desires are being met.
This is what I, and I think the Jedi, want to see from our homeschool:
An environment and curriculum that promotes our faith.
An environment and curriculum that promotes being conscientious of the needs of others and of taking specific actions towards those needs.
An environment and curriculum that promotes family unity and good friendships with others.
An environment and curriculum that allows each child to learn and grow at their own pace and in their own way.
An environment and curriculum that allows each child to learn and develop their unique, God-given gifts, abilities, and interests.
An environment and curriculum that is engaging and encourages the joy of exploration, experimentation, creativity, and discovery.
Here is what Sweetling said one evening when I asked her what she thought was most important about homeschooling--
1. That I am her teacher.
2. That she doesn't have to worry about "crazy" classmates. (A good friend is really going through an emotionally devastating time with a group of bullies in her school.)
A few days later, when the kids and I sat down after lunch one day and discussed homeschooling, a made a written list of their responses to the following questions.
What is the most important aspect of homeschooling to you?
Sweetling--
1. independent work
2. reading
3. history
Toa of Boy--
1. math
2. reading together
3. seeing his progress bar (tracked on the computer as part of the on-line lessons)
What do you think our goals of homeschooling should be? Why do you think we should choose to do homeschooling rather than be part of a traditional public or private school setting?
Toa of Boy--
1. We learn at our own pace.
2. We can be done with school earlier in the day.
3. For Mommy to be the teacher, "cause I love you."
Sweetling--
1. We can be together.
2. We learn at our own pace.
3. We have more control over the lessons.
i was encouraged by how much of what they thought important was also part of my internal, unvocalized homeschooling goals. But I am also challenged because while there are many ways in which our curriculum has served us well over the years, there are now a few too many ways in which it is falling short of what we want from our homeschooling curriculum. The Jedi also agrees that it has some issues, and has given his agreement that other options need to be investigated.
This past year has highlighted the good and the bad for us.
On the one hand, Sweetling is VERY independent. I'm proud of how independent and responsible she is. But I feel that school has ceased to be engaging and a rewarding process for her. Instead, she goes to her room with her to do list and emerges with her to do list complete. Kudos to her for independent completion, shame on the system and the Mommy that has smothered the joy of learning. Similarly, while Sweetling's very first response, when asked what was important to her, was that I was her teacher, in truth I have advocated that role to the computer and an outside, pre-set curriculum.
Likewise, both children expressed the importance of being and doing things together....yet our current curriculum not only does not encourage any family projects or creative fun, but is actually a roadblock to field trips, creative explorations, and co-operative learning. The work load for each child is large, and completely divorced from what each other is doing.
Academically and spiritually, I'm concerned that our curriculum is so rigorous in and of itself, that it doesn't allow for additional pursuits of knowledge. In order to play chess together and to learn chess strategies and solve chess puzzles, we have to try to make up our curriculum time for the time "lost" learning chess. Its another addition to an already long and demanding day. Likewise for learning Spanish, ASL, or studying the Bible in more depth and detail.
Finally, having been through the curriculum with Sweetling once, I knew that as the curriculum progressed, it would suit Toa of Boy's hands-on learning style less and less. To cap that off, we recently received his second grade math book, which he was oh so excited to get. His excitement turned to dismay as we flipped through the book and found the first half of it nearly identical to the first grade book we had just finished. "I already know this," he said, "where's the new stuff?" I had to hunt to find it.
Regrettably, I believe this marks the end of our long and thus far successful association with k-12 and participation in OHVA. Sweetling, when I first told her that I was looking at some new curriculums, tearfully told me that she liked k-12. And I agree. I still like k-12 and would recommend it to others. But it is simply no longer best meeting our needs as a family.
Even more regrettably, this also means that this will likely be our last year at our Cardinal's Nest Co-op, since that co-op is driven by the k-12 curriculum.
BUT, we spend an hour or two looking through the curriculum possibilities I had researched over the week, and had sent to the Jedi for his input. Both children are excited about My Father's World and think it looks like fun. I gave Sweetling a choice between three different math textbooks and we will go with the one she chooses. Likewise, we will go with the science curriculum she picks out for herself. And I'm getting her opinions and selections on literature and language arts as well. (Originally, she said that "Homeschooling gives us control over our lessons," then she ammended it and said, "well, it gives you control over our lessons." I want to give her back some control over her own lessons. She is mature enough and responsible enough to help determine the course of her education.)
The Happily Ever After ending is that tears and sniffles have turned to smiles of excitement. And, because I know the extraverted boy really needs to be around other children as much as possible, I'm already thick in the process of getting us hooked up with another co-op. Sweetling knows and likes several families and young ladies at this new co-op, so that will smooth the transition for her.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Weekly Wrap Up: It isn't February anymore
Now, every year sometime in February, I'm ready to scrap my curriculum, my approach to homeschooling, my hairstyle, the bulk of my wardrobe, our schedule for the week, the arrangement of furniture in the living room, and, well...I'm just ready to start chucking things to the scrap pile. However, in the past 7 years, we've persevered through my winter duldrums and we've been using the same curriculum since Sweetling was in Kindergarten.
That being said, its now March, and I'm definitely reconsidering my curriculum for next year. While our curriculum has served us well, its no longer meeting our needs as a family. Even the Jedi has said its time to look at other options, so I know its not just me and my winter blues.
My Weekly-Wrap Up is:
I've probably spent as much time looking over curriculum on the web as I have actually teaching this week. It's been a long time since I've had to pick out curriculum. I'd really appreciate feedback from any other homeschoolers who have experience with any of the curriculum I'm considering.
Here's what our needs are:
I have a Sweetling, who is going to be 12. She loves to work independently and is advanced in math and in reading. She is quiet and loves routines and structure. Her little brother, who is going to be 7, is nearly her polar opposite. He is very hands-on, action oriented, can't keep still, little chatterbox. Despite the differences in ages and temperment, they get along very well. I want something that provides us the opportunity to study, learn, and do some projects together as a family....while still providing Sweelting with the quiet, independent study time she needs.
I'm looking at My Father's World: Exploring Countries and Cultures as our base curriculum.
For math, I'm considering Singapore Math for both children, on their appropriate levels of course.
For language arts, I'm considering Writing Strands 1 and 5. I'll continue Sweetling in her Vocabulary from Classical Roots while Toa of Boy will strenthen his spelling and word recognition skills with Sequential Spelling. In addition to "book basket" books and weekly library trips, Sweetling will read and study two novels of her choice using Progeny Press Literature Study Guides.
Sweetling is also looking through some science curriculums to determine what she might like to study.
So, that has been my week. I'd love to hear, good or bad, from anyone who has experience with any of those curriculums!
That being said, its now March, and I'm definitely reconsidering my curriculum for next year. While our curriculum has served us well, its no longer meeting our needs as a family. Even the Jedi has said its time to look at other options, so I know its not just me and my winter blues.
My Weekly-Wrap Up is:
I've probably spent as much time looking over curriculum on the web as I have actually teaching this week. It's been a long time since I've had to pick out curriculum. I'd really appreciate feedback from any other homeschoolers who have experience with any of the curriculum I'm considering.
Here's what our needs are:
I have a Sweetling, who is going to be 12. She loves to work independently and is advanced in math and in reading. She is quiet and loves routines and structure. Her little brother, who is going to be 7, is nearly her polar opposite. He is very hands-on, action oriented, can't keep still, little chatterbox. Despite the differences in ages and temperment, they get along very well. I want something that provides us the opportunity to study, learn, and do some projects together as a family....while still providing Sweelting with the quiet, independent study time she needs.
I'm looking at My Father's World: Exploring Countries and Cultures as our base curriculum.
For math, I'm considering Singapore Math for both children, on their appropriate levels of course.
For language arts, I'm considering Writing Strands 1 and 5. I'll continue Sweetling in her Vocabulary from Classical Roots while Toa of Boy will strenthen his spelling and word recognition skills with Sequential Spelling. In addition to "book basket" books and weekly library trips, Sweetling will read and study two novels of her choice using Progeny Press Literature Study Guides.
Sweetling is also looking through some science curriculums to determine what she might like to study.
So, that has been my week. I'd love to hear, good or bad, from anyone who has experience with any of those curriculums!
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Sisters
Despite the fact that my sister and I hold differing political views, differing religious views, and different tastes in clothes, fashion, and food, I love my relationship with my sister for the following reasons.
In the middle of the day, I can call her from Walmart (which she dislikes for ideological purposes), because I want advice on whether or not to purchase a $10 pair of grey cloth Mary Jane shoes. Rather than a lecture about child labor in China, my sister will enter into a serious discussion with me regarding the types and colors of socks I would need to purchase to go with my ten dollar shoes.
Similarly, I can call her after bringing home a five dollar black pleather jacket from the thrift shop. Not only is she all about the advice regarding a good hat choice, but she emails me a list of photo links of hats that will work with that jacket.
She understands the significance of the shape of the icicles hanging outside my kitchen window.
She laughs at my blog.
She loves my children and will listen to all my stories without tiring.
She can face-paint a cockateil based on a little girl's description that it "goes like this".
When Sarah Palin bombed during the vice-presidential debate, she said, "I'm so sorry," rather than, "I told you so."
She gets teary-eyed looking at a Chihuly.
She pretends that I'm a good garden designer.
When asked, "I'm reading a book about God; what's a fractal?" She's happy to launch into a detailed, but understandable, explanation of fractals without batting an eye.
Look, kids, art.
She understands that Eden Park is indeed thin space.
She joins me in my rant against Stephanie Meyer.
She doesn't join me on Team Jacob.
I can communicate with her in a look, and she grasps what I'm conveying.
She makes a phenomenal cup of hot cocoa.
When I say "virtual" instead of "vicarious", she doesn't correct me. She just uses the correct word in the correct context in her next sentence.
She taught herself how to be an excellent cook despite my attempts to mentor her in the kitchen when she was a teenager.
She doesn't care how many participles I leave dangling. At least to my face ;)
She spent an entire weekend stripping wall paper and spreading textured paint in a 5 x 7 space on very little sleep to help the Jedi surprise me with a redecorated bathroom.
For the Superbowl, she made little gormet appetizers that I can neither pronounce nor even google. (They were little date things stuffed with a cheese I can't name wrapped in a type of bacon and broiled.) For the same Superbowl, I reheated Skyline chili and scorched my attempt at caramelized popcorn.
She sends me links to cool dance videos. She doesn't get upset when it takes me forever to get around to watching them.
She sees the artistic merit of "rectangles of color".
She tells me about The Pioneer Woman.
She'll totally support me in my leap-without-looking scheme to take on the assignments at P.W. Photography. She'll probably volunteer to do them with me.
She totally supported me in my leap-without-looking scheme to participate in NaNo. She immediately volunteered to do it with me.
I'm sure as soon as I walk away from the computer, many more things will leap to mind. Just as I'm sure that I had a few other things in mind before I sat down at the computer, which now I can't recall. Still, it's a good sampling of the things I like about, so I'll stop fretting over it. Instead I'll fret over the extraordinarily loud crash which just happened upstairs.
In the middle of the day, I can call her from Walmart (which she dislikes for ideological purposes), because I want advice on whether or not to purchase a $10 pair of grey cloth Mary Jane shoes. Rather than a lecture about child labor in China, my sister will enter into a serious discussion with me regarding the types and colors of socks I would need to purchase to go with my ten dollar shoes.
Similarly, I can call her after bringing home a five dollar black pleather jacket from the thrift shop. Not only is she all about the advice regarding a good hat choice, but she emails me a list of photo links of hats that will work with that jacket.
She understands the significance of the shape of the icicles hanging outside my kitchen window.
She laughs at my blog.
She loves my children and will listen to all my stories without tiring.
She can face-paint a cockateil based on a little girl's description that it "goes like this".
When Sarah Palin bombed during the vice-presidential debate, she said, "I'm so sorry," rather than, "I told you so."
She gets teary-eyed looking at a Chihuly.
She pretends that I'm a good garden designer.
When asked, "I'm reading a book about God; what's a fractal?" She's happy to launch into a detailed, but understandable, explanation of fractals without batting an eye.
Look, kids, art.
She understands that Eden Park is indeed thin space.
She joins me in my rant against Stephanie Meyer.
She doesn't join me on Team Jacob.
I can communicate with her in a look, and she grasps what I'm conveying.
She makes a phenomenal cup of hot cocoa.
When I say "virtual" instead of "vicarious", she doesn't correct me. She just uses the correct word in the correct context in her next sentence.
She taught herself how to be an excellent cook despite my attempts to mentor her in the kitchen when she was a teenager.
She doesn't care how many participles I leave dangling. At least to my face ;)
She spent an entire weekend stripping wall paper and spreading textured paint in a 5 x 7 space on very little sleep to help the Jedi surprise me with a redecorated bathroom.
For the Superbowl, she made little gormet appetizers that I can neither pronounce nor even google. (They were little date things stuffed with a cheese I can't name wrapped in a type of bacon and broiled.) For the same Superbowl, I reheated Skyline chili and scorched my attempt at caramelized popcorn.
She sends me links to cool dance videos. She doesn't get upset when it takes me forever to get around to watching them.
She sees the artistic merit of "rectangles of color".
She tells me about The Pioneer Woman.
She'll totally support me in my leap-without-looking scheme to take on the assignments at P.W. Photography. She'll probably volunteer to do them with me.
She totally supported me in my leap-without-looking scheme to participate in NaNo. She immediately volunteered to do it with me.
I'm sure as soon as I walk away from the computer, many more things will leap to mind. Just as I'm sure that I had a few other things in mind before I sat down at the computer, which now I can't recall. Still, it's a good sampling of the things I like about, so I'll stop fretting over it. Instead I'll fret over the extraordinarily loud crash which just happened upstairs.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The Bees Knees
Today's Mosaic of Trivia--
Knees
I'm hoping that spring comes soon just because the knees of Toa of Boy's pants are all starting to give out. Every week I do laundry I have to pitch at least one more pair of pants because the knee has been completely shredded. When kind-hearted friends first started giving me clothes for the boy, I thought I had way too many clothes for him. Little did I know that I needed all those clothes and more because boys *destroy* clothes. It's maybe part of the y-chromosome, need to be continuously prepping for battle or something. At any rate, I stuff his drawers with clothes, and then keep at least one more bag of clothes in the closet to replace pants as they wear out....and I'm still running out of clothes by the end of one season.
Tape Measure
I think I've lost the Jedi's tape measure. Don't tell the Jedi ;) I briefly considered blaming the boy just so I would avoid getting in trouble. But then the boy woke up, came into the living room in a pair of pants with a huge hole in the knee, and snuggled up next to me on the couch. Even I type this, there he is, looking up at me with those big, dark eyes that just melt my heart. So plan B is let's replace the tape measure with a new one from Walmart and hope the Jedi doesn't notice.
Portrait of Insanity
Why is it that when I lose something, my search eventually deteroriates into looking in impossible, ridiculuous locations? I had the tape measure in the master bedroom. I was measuring the bed, so I could price fabric and sheets to determine if it would be cheaper to buy sheets or to buy fabric over the internet to make my own sheets. Therefore I naturally started my search in the bedroom. No tape measure. I started opening clothing drawers. Still no tape measure. I went into the closet room/server room. No tape measure. I sifted through the clutter on my desk. No tape measure. I came up stairs and looking in the cabinet that houses my sewing machine. No. I sat there, staring at the sewing machine cabinet and wondering where else I could look. My next logical thought? The freezer. That's right. The freezer. I didn't look in the freezer. I came and blogged instead.
Love/Hate
We couldn't log on to school yesterday. I don't know why. Sweetling wasn't disappointed. That makes for an easy day for both kids, since it halves the lessons we have access too. I'm proud to say that I didn't give up to play Zelda. I did phonics and math with a reluctant boy, threatening with the loss of all he holds dear if he didn't co-operate (beautiful portrait of home-schooling in action). And I did laundry. And worked on the Rez script for Easter. And made pancakes. And watched Olympics. See, I told you I didn't have a problem ;)
Knees
I'm hoping that spring comes soon just because the knees of Toa of Boy's pants are all starting to give out. Every week I do laundry I have to pitch at least one more pair of pants because the knee has been completely shredded. When kind-hearted friends first started giving me clothes for the boy, I thought I had way too many clothes for him. Little did I know that I needed all those clothes and more because boys *destroy* clothes. It's maybe part of the y-chromosome, need to be continuously prepping for battle or something. At any rate, I stuff his drawers with clothes, and then keep at least one more bag of clothes in the closet to replace pants as they wear out....and I'm still running out of clothes by the end of one season.
Tape Measure
I think I've lost the Jedi's tape measure. Don't tell the Jedi ;) I briefly considered blaming the boy just so I would avoid getting in trouble. But then the boy woke up, came into the living room in a pair of pants with a huge hole in the knee, and snuggled up next to me on the couch. Even I type this, there he is, looking up at me with those big, dark eyes that just melt my heart. So plan B is let's replace the tape measure with a new one from Walmart and hope the Jedi doesn't notice.
Portrait of Insanity
Why is it that when I lose something, my search eventually deteroriates into looking in impossible, ridiculuous locations? I had the tape measure in the master bedroom. I was measuring the bed, so I could price fabric and sheets to determine if it would be cheaper to buy sheets or to buy fabric over the internet to make my own sheets. Therefore I naturally started my search in the bedroom. No tape measure. I started opening clothing drawers. Still no tape measure. I went into the closet room/server room. No tape measure. I sifted through the clutter on my desk. No tape measure. I came up stairs and looking in the cabinet that houses my sewing machine. No. I sat there, staring at the sewing machine cabinet and wondering where else I could look. My next logical thought? The freezer. That's right. The freezer. I didn't look in the freezer. I came and blogged instead.
Love/Hate
We couldn't log on to school yesterday. I don't know why. Sweetling wasn't disappointed. That makes for an easy day for both kids, since it halves the lessons we have access too. I'm proud to say that I didn't give up to play Zelda. I did phonics and math with a reluctant boy, threatening with the loss of all he holds dear if he didn't co-operate (beautiful portrait of home-schooling in action). And I did laundry. And worked on the Rez script for Easter. And made pancakes. And watched Olympics. See, I told you I didn't have a problem ;)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Signs that you MIGHT be playing too much Wii
1. You're six year old can't read the word "turtle", but instantly recognizes the word "koopa".
2. The same six year old could spell the word Wii before he could spell his own name.
3. You find yourself explaining scripture verses to your children by making analogies to various video games.
4. The word "boss" means a big creature that you have to fight at the end of a level.
5. At church, Awana jewels aren't "earned", they are "unlocked".
6. Wii music is your primary music curriculum for your homeschool.
7. Other families with multiple children spend their Saturday's working out transportation to soccer games and other activities while your major scheduling headaches come from trying to regulate equal turns on the Wii.
8. As an adult, your biggest achievement for the week is completing the Temple of Time without dying even once.
9. A dream of walking through a beautiful redwood forest comes complete with floating heart icons.
10. You really hoping Nintendo comes out with a line of Edu-Wii-cation products so you can use the Wii for school work.
2. The same six year old could spell the word Wii before he could spell his own name.
3. You find yourself explaining scripture verses to your children by making analogies to various video games.
4. The word "boss" means a big creature that you have to fight at the end of a level.
5. At church, Awana jewels aren't "earned", they are "unlocked".
6. Wii music is your primary music curriculum for your homeschool.
7. Other families with multiple children spend their Saturday's working out transportation to soccer games and other activities while your major scheduling headaches come from trying to regulate equal turns on the Wii.
8. As an adult, your biggest achievement for the week is completing the Temple of Time without dying even once.
9. A dream of walking through a beautiful redwood forest comes complete with floating heart icons.
10. You really hoping Nintendo comes out with a line of Edu-Wii-cation products so you can use the Wii for school work.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Winter Indoors
I am not the only mother with a small boy cooped up in the house. In fact, I've enjoyed reading other mother's blogs and telling myself, it could be worse. Yeah, I'm that snide.
We have two feet of snow on the ground outside. I'm not exaggerating. While Toa of Boy loves to go out and play in the snow, there's also a lot of time when he is stuck indoors. For sanity's sake, here's a list of activities I've been trying over the last few weeks to keep Toa of Boy "constructively" active. (In other words, Toa needs an outlet for his activity, and ONE of the two of us is going to find creative ways to release that energy. Far better for it to be the Mommy who is the creative activities director.)
Here's our list so far:
Trampoline in the living room. This is still our most effective energy outlet. We don't have a coffee table, we have an exercise trampoline. Toa of Boy stands and just jumps continually on it while watching PBS or while playing Wii. Don't ask me how he bounces up and down while playing a video game which is run on a motion detector, but he does....and he still kicks my butt. According to the internet, which is never ever wrong, 5 to 8 minutes of jumping on the trampoline is equal to running a mile. Toa of Boy completes a mini-marathon every day.
Active Life Outdoor Challenge Yeah, we're totally dependent on electronics in our house. If you have a Wii and young boys, I strongly recommend this game. Toa of Boy and I play this nearly every morning between 7:30 and 8. I work up a sweat. So does Toa of Boy. Plus, he takes great pleasure in beating me at the log leaper. The game requires a floor mat, and its a good cardio workout. For Toa, its fun and competitive.
Bouncy Ball Keep Away A Mommy invention. This is good for 15 minutes of activity in the middle of the day. I set the kitchen timer for 15 minutes and grab a bouncy ball. I hold the bouncy ball up high above the boy's reach, and bounce it. If I can catch it without him intercepting it, I get a point. If he grabs it first, he gets a point. Whoever catches it gets to bounce it next. We play this in the kitchen and the ball goes under the table, out the door, down the stairs, etc. A great deal of energy is expended chasing the ball. And of course, whoever has the most points at the end of 15 minutes wins. Winning is a big thing for the boy. I don't know who he gets that from ;)
Paper Airplane Race This one isn't as popular with the boy, probably because there's no chance to beat Mommy in this activity. It was good for the first time I had him engage in this. I told him, make two of the very best paper airplanes he could. Then I sent him to the top of the stairs to conduct 10 races with the paper airplanes. This had him running up and down the stairs for a little while.
Ball, no chain We homeschool. But, Toa of Boy doesn't sit in a chair at a desk well. (As in, at all. We tried a chair in kindergarten and he used it like a jungle gym.) So, we have replaced the traditional school chair at his little school desk with a large ball (think exercise ball sized). He sits and bounces merrily away while doing his seat work. Score one for the perpetual motion machine. No, it doesn't effect his handwriting and it increases his ability to concentrate on his seat work. So, win-win for the ball at the desk.
Tickle Fights Yeah, yeah, not very creative, but Toa loves them. He especially loves tickle fights with Daddy.
Wrestling with Sweetling Sweetling is a very, very calm quiet child, but every now and then, Toa can manage to get her "wound up". If he initiates something physical, Sweetling has permission to practice the wrestling holds she's been learning in Tae Kwon Do on her brother. They both squeal and giggle a lot during these wrestling matches, so it still counts as good fun. Toa tries to declare a "tie" even after Sweetling has clearly pinned him, and that's the only time these matches are in danger of actually turning into an arguement. That's usually when Mommy has to step in and call them over.
I'm still looking for some other things to do at home with him. Any suggestions would be very welcome.
We have two feet of snow on the ground outside. I'm not exaggerating. While Toa of Boy loves to go out and play in the snow, there's also a lot of time when he is stuck indoors. For sanity's sake, here's a list of activities I've been trying over the last few weeks to keep Toa of Boy "constructively" active. (In other words, Toa needs an outlet for his activity, and ONE of the two of us is going to find creative ways to release that energy. Far better for it to be the Mommy who is the creative activities director.)
Here's our list so far:
Trampoline in the living room. This is still our most effective energy outlet. We don't have a coffee table, we have an exercise trampoline. Toa of Boy stands and just jumps continually on it while watching PBS or while playing Wii. Don't ask me how he bounces up and down while playing a video game which is run on a motion detector, but he does....and he still kicks my butt. According to the internet, which is never ever wrong, 5 to 8 minutes of jumping on the trampoline is equal to running a mile. Toa of Boy completes a mini-marathon every day.
Active Life Outdoor Challenge Yeah, we're totally dependent on electronics in our house. If you have a Wii and young boys, I strongly recommend this game. Toa of Boy and I play this nearly every morning between 7:30 and 8. I work up a sweat. So does Toa of Boy. Plus, he takes great pleasure in beating me at the log leaper. The game requires a floor mat, and its a good cardio workout. For Toa, its fun and competitive.
Bouncy Ball Keep Away A Mommy invention. This is good for 15 minutes of activity in the middle of the day. I set the kitchen timer for 15 minutes and grab a bouncy ball. I hold the bouncy ball up high above the boy's reach, and bounce it. If I can catch it without him intercepting it, I get a point. If he grabs it first, he gets a point. Whoever catches it gets to bounce it next. We play this in the kitchen and the ball goes under the table, out the door, down the stairs, etc. A great deal of energy is expended chasing the ball. And of course, whoever has the most points at the end of 15 minutes wins. Winning is a big thing for the boy. I don't know who he gets that from ;)
Paper Airplane Race This one isn't as popular with the boy, probably because there's no chance to beat Mommy in this activity. It was good for the first time I had him engage in this. I told him, make two of the very best paper airplanes he could. Then I sent him to the top of the stairs to conduct 10 races with the paper airplanes. This had him running up and down the stairs for a little while.
Ball, no chain We homeschool. But, Toa of Boy doesn't sit in a chair at a desk well. (As in, at all. We tried a chair in kindergarten and he used it like a jungle gym.) So, we have replaced the traditional school chair at his little school desk with a large ball (think exercise ball sized). He sits and bounces merrily away while doing his seat work. Score one for the perpetual motion machine. No, it doesn't effect his handwriting and it increases his ability to concentrate on his seat work. So, win-win for the ball at the desk.
Tickle Fights Yeah, yeah, not very creative, but Toa loves them. He especially loves tickle fights with Daddy.
Wrestling with Sweetling Sweetling is a very, very calm quiet child, but every now and then, Toa can manage to get her "wound up". If he initiates something physical, Sweetling has permission to practice the wrestling holds she's been learning in Tae Kwon Do on her brother. They both squeal and giggle a lot during these wrestling matches, so it still counts as good fun. Toa tries to declare a "tie" even after Sweetling has clearly pinned him, and that's the only time these matches are in danger of actually turning into an arguement. That's usually when Mommy has to step in and call them over.
I'm still looking for some other things to do at home with him. Any suggestions would be very welcome.
Monday, February 01, 2010
Charlie Brown
Sometimes I feel like the teacher on Charlie Brown. "Mwah mwa mwa mwah mwa mwah..."
This is from a worksheet Toa was working on on double letters in past tense verbs. The box of word choices at the top of the page held the following verbs: nap, wag, beg, pat, hop. Toa is to read the sentences, select the appropriate verb to complete the sentence, and then write the new word in the sentence.
He had already successfully completed two sentences without any trouble whatsoever.
1. The dog begged for a treat.
2. The dog wagged its tail.
The third sentence is, "Rich _______ the dog's head." Toa reads the sentence, selects the word "pat", and then reads, "Rich pat the dog's head."
"Almost," say I. "The verb IS pat. But we don't say, 'Rich pat the dog's head.' Can you change the verb to show that it already happened?"
"Nap," guesses Toa. "Rich nap the dog's head."
??? say I. "That doesn't make any sense. Pat IS the right word. You just need to change it to make it something that already happened."
"Nap," guesses Toa.
"Are you listening to me? Look at me. You found the right word. It IS pat. You need to change pat."
"Hop," guesses Toa.
"Toa, what did I just say?"
"Wait?" guesses Toa.
This is from a worksheet Toa was working on on double letters in past tense verbs. The box of word choices at the top of the page held the following verbs: nap, wag, beg, pat, hop. Toa is to read the sentences, select the appropriate verb to complete the sentence, and then write the new word in the sentence.
He had already successfully completed two sentences without any trouble whatsoever.
1. The dog begged for a treat.
2. The dog wagged its tail.
The third sentence is, "Rich _______ the dog's head." Toa reads the sentence, selects the word "pat", and then reads, "Rich pat the dog's head."
"Almost," say I. "The verb IS pat. But we don't say, 'Rich pat the dog's head.' Can you change the verb to show that it already happened?"
"Nap," guesses Toa. "Rich nap the dog's head."
??? say I. "That doesn't make any sense. Pat IS the right word. You just need to change it to make it something that already happened."
"Nap," guesses Toa.
"Are you listening to me? Look at me. You found the right word. It IS pat. You need to change pat."
"Hop," guesses Toa.
"Toa, what did I just say?"
"Wait?" guesses Toa.
Algebra Conundrums
Yes, it's that time again. I have four algebra problems to present. Two of them are word problems. I hate algebra word problems....unless I can draw a diagram. If I can draw a diagram, I'm usually able to figure out the problem. If I can't diagram it, I'm at a loss. Thus, the famous following famous household quote was born....
Me: "What do you have?"
Smurf: "A drawing of a helicopter and a boat. What do you have?"
Me: "A helicopter and a boat."
The two word problems I'm presenting don't even have helicopters, boats, cars, or trains that can be drawn. (Ok, one of them does involve distance and driving times, but really, even I'm not desperate enough to draw a little car by the problem.)
The other two problems I'm presenting I can work when I do them one way, but get the wrong answer if I take a different approach. My question is, why is the "incorrect" approach incorrect? This is needed because Sweetling took the latter approach. I can show her the way I did the problem, which led to the text book answer, but I feel that's rather valueless without also being able to help her understand why the approach she took didn't work. Otherwise, math becomes a rote memorization of steps, and not a critical thinking exercise.
All four problems I'm presenting are from the same lesson on "mixed expressions". We have been learning how to multiply and divide polynomial fractions. We've learned how to find the LCD of polynomial fractions, to rewrite them as equivalent fractions using the LCD and then to add and subtract polynomial fractions. The textbook given objective for this lesson is "to write mixed expressions as fractions in simplest form.
So, c +5⁄c = c2 +5⁄ c
(On an unrelated side note, its amazing what the absence of the first backslash in a short series of html tags does. I'm still not quite happy with how my fractions look, but its better than staight typing I suppose.)
And, (x) + (5x + 2⁄x - 1) - (7⁄x - 1)
Eventually equals x +5.
No, I'm not showing my work. I'm having enough headaches with just the html tags for the problems, and I still don't like how they look.
To give myself a break from my sorry html, here are the two word problems:
OH MY GOSH! As I was typing that in, I realized what I missed. Ok, I can do that. You're welcome to do it for fun if you'd like. (If you're wondering, I totally missed the "answer in terms of y." I think that should have been part of the problem, not part of the hint underneath the problem that I didn't pay close enough attention to. Here's the second one, though if they just want an answer in terms of a variable, I can totally do that. I was thinking that they actually wanted me to solve the problems. My attempts to come up with a numerical solution were extrodinarly circular and frustrating. Now I know why. Duh.
Now that I've embarrassed myself with the word problems, I'll move on to the second set of algebra conundrums.
Here's the problem:
( a+b⁄a - 1)(a⁄b +1)
If we add the fractions in parenthesis first and then multiply, we get the textbook answer. If we FOIL first and then add fractions, we do not. Is this just a matter of order of operations?
Here's the next problem:
(9- 1⁄x2) / (3x-1)
When the problem is rewritten as:
(9x2-1⁄x2) (1⁄3x-1)
The correct answer can be reached after some factoring and simplifying.
But, when the problem is rewritten as:
(9x2-1⁄x2)(1⁄3x - 3x⁄3x)
--in other words, when the individual terms of the second part of the expression are inverted rather than the whole term being inverted-- The correct answer is not reached. So, the question is, why should the whole term be inverted rather than inverting the terms and then combining them. "Don't do it that way; do it this way," isn't a very satisfactory answer.
To recap, I know longer need help on the word problems, but you are free to work them for yourselves for fun if you'd like. But, I really do need some clearly worded explanations for the last two problesms. I know how to do them, and did them correctly, but I don't know how to explain why the second approach for each problem didn't work. That's where I need help.
Finally, here are the answers for all four problems.
Don't read this far if you want to work the problems first ;)
The answer to the first word problem is:
distance = 10y2 + 180y - 400
The answer to the second word problem is:
$ (n2+38n-80⁄n)
The answer to the third problem is:
a+b⁄a
The answer to the fourth problem is:
3x+1⁄x2
Thanks for your help!
Me: "What do you have?"
Smurf: "A drawing of a helicopter and a boat. What do you have?"
Me: "A helicopter and a boat."
The two word problems I'm presenting don't even have helicopters, boats, cars, or trains that can be drawn. (Ok, one of them does involve distance and driving times, but really, even I'm not desperate enough to draw a little car by the problem.)
The other two problems I'm presenting I can work when I do them one way, but get the wrong answer if I take a different approach. My question is, why is the "incorrect" approach incorrect? This is needed because Sweetling took the latter approach. I can show her the way I did the problem, which led to the text book answer, but I feel that's rather valueless without also being able to help her understand why the approach she took didn't work. Otherwise, math becomes a rote memorization of steps, and not a critical thinking exercise.
All four problems I'm presenting are from the same lesson on "mixed expressions". We have been learning how to multiply and divide polynomial fractions. We've learned how to find the LCD of polynomial fractions, to rewrite them as equivalent fractions using the LCD and then to add and subtract polynomial fractions. The textbook given objective for this lesson is "to write mixed expressions as fractions in simplest form.
So, c +5⁄c = c2 +5⁄ c
(On an unrelated side note, its amazing what the absence of the first backslash in a short series of html tags does. I'm still not quite happy with how my fractions look, but its better than staight typing I suppose.)
And, (x) + (5x + 2⁄x - 1) - (7⁄x - 1)
Eventually equals x +5.
No, I'm not showing my work. I'm having enough headaches with just the html tags for the problems, and I still don't like how they look.
To give myself a break from my sorry html, here are the two word problems:
It took Jan y hours to drive 200km. If she had increased her speed by 10 km/h and driven for 2 h less, how far would she have gone? (Hint: make a chart. Answer in terms of y.)
OH MY GOSH! As I was typing that in, I realized what I missed. Ok, I can do that. You're welcome to do it for fun if you'd like. (If you're wondering, I totally missed the "answer in terms of y." I think that should have been part of the problem, not part of the hint underneath the problem that I didn't pay close enough attention to. Here's the second one, though if they just want an answer in terms of a variable, I can totally do that. I was thinking that they actually wanted me to solve the problems. My attempts to come up with a numerical solution were extrodinarly circular and frustrating. Now I know why. Duh.
Ted bought n rolls of film for a total of $40. He then sold all but 2 of them for $1 more per roll than he paid. How much did he receive for the rolls of film that he sold?
Now that I've embarrassed myself with the word problems, I'll move on to the second set of algebra conundrums.
Here's the problem:
( a+b⁄a - 1)(a⁄b +1)
If we add the fractions in parenthesis first and then multiply, we get the textbook answer. If we FOIL first and then add fractions, we do not. Is this just a matter of order of operations?
Here's the next problem:
(9- 1⁄x2) / (3x-1)
When the problem is rewritten as:
(9x2-1⁄x2) (1⁄3x-1)
The correct answer can be reached after some factoring and simplifying.
But, when the problem is rewritten as:
(9x2-1⁄x2)(1⁄3x - 3x⁄3x)
--in other words, when the individual terms of the second part of the expression are inverted rather than the whole term being inverted-- The correct answer is not reached. So, the question is, why should the whole term be inverted rather than inverting the terms and then combining them. "Don't do it that way; do it this way," isn't a very satisfactory answer.
To recap, I know longer need help on the word problems, but you are free to work them for yourselves for fun if you'd like. But, I really do need some clearly worded explanations for the last two problesms. I know how to do them, and did them correctly, but I don't know how to explain why the second approach for each problem didn't work. That's where I need help.
Finally, here are the answers for all four problems.
Don't read this far if you want to work the problems first ;)
The answer to the first word problem is:
distance = 10y2 + 180y - 400
The answer to the second word problem is:
$ (n2+38n-80⁄n)
The answer to the third problem is:
a+b⁄a
The answer to the fourth problem is:
3x+1⁄x2
Thanks for your help!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Co-op Lunch Room
Most boring blog entry ever. Seriously, don't read it.
I'm writing because I'm forcing myself to write. I don't have any motivation, I don't have a topic, but I'm going to write anyway. Why? Because if I have some time to write, and if I decide not to write because I don't have a stellar blog entry, I'll quickly become trapped in perfectionism. Those of you who know me well may at this point be laughing at the thought of me being a perfectionist. And you're right, I'm not a perfectionist. But I am always at risk for being a defeatist. There is always, always the risk of falling prey to the mindset that my efforts/ability isn't very good, so why try? One of the ways that I combat that, at least when it comes to writing, is to give myself permission to write poorly anyway. (And then inflict my poor, rambling writing on the rest of the blogosphere).
Random thoughts--
--I'm sitting in the co-op lunch room. Hence the thrilling title. I'm free fourth period, for now, and I've finished the Bible study I brought to work on, so here I am with some free time and a netbook. Go me and my netbook.
--Toa of Boy tale. Yesterday I called the children into the kitchen to check out how the snow had melted on excatly half of the front lawn, which is on the north side of the house. The shadow of the roof line made a sharp edge of demarcation between the green grass and the white snow. I was just so impressed by the clear difference between the sun and the shade. Toa of Boy's comment, "So, we can go bikeriding?"
--Crazy Love. I'm going to love this book. I watched a video segment on the website "the awe factor of God" and it was, in fact, awesome. I tried to pull the video segment up on the flatscreen tv in the living room (which is run through a media center pc), but I wasn't quite the techno geek for the task. I'm going to give The Songwriter all sorts of grief next Tuesday for not liking the video segment.
--Sweetling. Sweetling no longer makes apperances in my blog entries and facebook updates because many of her peers are on Facebook. I don't think Sweetling would appreciate her Mommy sharing "cute Sweetling stories" that are visible by the entire church youth group. Still, I feel guitly that I share about Toa and am silent in regards to Sweetling.
--Three pounds. No, this isn't at all like Seven Pounds. Only that between the middle of December and the middle of January, I've gained back three of the four pounds I lost when I spent several weeks carefully counting calories last August and September. Two months to take off four pounds, one month to put almost all of it back on. And yeah, I know three to four pounds isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but darnit, I worked hard to lose those four pounds. I really don't want to go back to knowing how many calories are in two measly peanut M&Ms, so I'm looking into The Belly Fat Cure instead.
--Sewing. I can do it, I don't like it. It's like cleaning....I can do it, I don't like it. I tend to procrastinate any sort of sewing project. I know you are all shocked by this. Yesterday, the Jedi asked me, again, if I could please mend one of our waterbed sheet sets when I got the chance. I realized later that whenever the family needs anything, the Jedi prioritizes the task and gets it done no matter how unpleasant it is, how grueling it is, how frustrating it is, or how tired or stressed he is. None of that matters. What matters is that something needs done, and he does it. I'm ashamed at how immature and selfish I am by comparison.
--Water. The water in the co-op school building tastes yucky. I bring two waterbottle with me to co-op each week. Today, I had drunk both of them by the end of lunch. Now I have no water and I'm thirsty. Ok, no good water.
--Stampede. Co-op is ending. I hear the echoing stampede of feet on the stairs.
I'm writing because I'm forcing myself to write. I don't have any motivation, I don't have a topic, but I'm going to write anyway. Why? Because if I have some time to write, and if I decide not to write because I don't have a stellar blog entry, I'll quickly become trapped in perfectionism. Those of you who know me well may at this point be laughing at the thought of me being a perfectionist. And you're right, I'm not a perfectionist. But I am always at risk for being a defeatist. There is always, always the risk of falling prey to the mindset that my efforts/ability isn't very good, so why try? One of the ways that I combat that, at least when it comes to writing, is to give myself permission to write poorly anyway. (And then inflict my poor, rambling writing on the rest of the blogosphere).
Random thoughts--
--I'm sitting in the co-op lunch room. Hence the thrilling title. I'm free fourth period, for now, and I've finished the Bible study I brought to work on, so here I am with some free time and a netbook. Go me and my netbook.
--Toa of Boy tale. Yesterday I called the children into the kitchen to check out how the snow had melted on excatly half of the front lawn, which is on the north side of the house. The shadow of the roof line made a sharp edge of demarcation between the green grass and the white snow. I was just so impressed by the clear difference between the sun and the shade. Toa of Boy's comment, "So, we can go bikeriding?"
--Crazy Love. I'm going to love this book. I watched a video segment on the website "the awe factor of God" and it was, in fact, awesome. I tried to pull the video segment up on the flatscreen tv in the living room (which is run through a media center pc), but I wasn't quite the techno geek for the task. I'm going to give The Songwriter all sorts of grief next Tuesday for not liking the video segment.
--Sweetling. Sweetling no longer makes apperances in my blog entries and facebook updates because many of her peers are on Facebook. I don't think Sweetling would appreciate her Mommy sharing "cute Sweetling stories" that are visible by the entire church youth group. Still, I feel guitly that I share about Toa and am silent in regards to Sweetling.
--Three pounds. No, this isn't at all like Seven Pounds. Only that between the middle of December and the middle of January, I've gained back three of the four pounds I lost when I spent several weeks carefully counting calories last August and September. Two months to take off four pounds, one month to put almost all of it back on. And yeah, I know three to four pounds isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but darnit, I worked hard to lose those four pounds. I really don't want to go back to knowing how many calories are in two measly peanut M&Ms, so I'm looking into The Belly Fat Cure instead.
--Sewing. I can do it, I don't like it. It's like cleaning....I can do it, I don't like it. I tend to procrastinate any sort of sewing project. I know you are all shocked by this. Yesterday, the Jedi asked me, again, if I could please mend one of our waterbed sheet sets when I got the chance. I realized later that whenever the family needs anything, the Jedi prioritizes the task and gets it done no matter how unpleasant it is, how grueling it is, how frustrating it is, or how tired or stressed he is. None of that matters. What matters is that something needs done, and he does it. I'm ashamed at how immature and selfish I am by comparison.
--Water. The water in the co-op school building tastes yucky. I bring two waterbottle with me to co-op each week. Today, I had drunk both of them by the end of lunch. Now I have no water and I'm thirsty. Ok, no good water.
--Stampede. Co-op is ending. I hear the echoing stampede of feet on the stairs.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Draw Near
I'm working through an excellent Bible study which I downloaded, all by myself, in e-book form. Currently, I cannot reveal the name of the ebook or the site where I found it, but as soon as I finish it, I shall do so. My secrecy will make sense at that time.
I've been doing most of the writing assignments and written responses in my little spiral bound devotion journal rather than on-line. (Cause its a secret for now, right?) However, I want to remember the lesson from today's devotions. Occasionally I do go back and reread my blog. I rarely go back and reread my devotion journal. Sad, but true. So, that said, here is the scripture and the question and answers from today's devotions:
--homeschooling
--being a foster mom
--being an adoptive mom
2. Prayerfully consider each of the above achievements. Circle the one you sense God was most involved in for you.
--being an adoptive mom
3. Fully remember the details surrounding all the aspects of this achievement. Prayerfully make some notes about what was most important during this time. Think in terms of how you thought about challenges you faced, how you overcame them, what your thought patterns were like, etc.
(While I could write a book on the process we went through for our international adoption I limited my 'thoughts of note' to the following:)
--God's selection of Toa of Boy that I can now answer his question of "who picked me out?"
--waiting on the process
--> faith in God's sovereignty
--> image of the Israelites following the pillar
--God's sovereignty even in out illness that allowed Sweetling to be reassured of her part and importance in the family
4. What do you sense God wants you to know about yourself, based upon this achievement?
--God will lead me in walking by faith if I seek him in my circumstances.
5. What do you sense God wants you to know about Him, based upon this achievement?
--see above ;)
6. What do you sense now that you didn’t know when you were in the midst of the achievement?
-- It isn't that God wasn't as involved with me in other parts of life or in other acheivements, it's that I wasn't as involved with God.
7. In terms of achievement, how are you viewing your progress in doing [name of book]? Go back to the “Understand This First” section at the beginning of the book and evaluate how you are doing in each of those areas. Do you need to make any adjustments? If you are in a small group, how is your group doing?
The "Understand This First" section included a fairly extensive self-evaluation and reflection section. At the end of that section the book asked me to go back over my responses and pick two key aspects that I felt led to really focus on over the course of the study. My two areas of focus were to be:
--prayer, and
--a spirit of power, love, and self-control
To be bluntly honest, I had completely forgotten about the exercise of picking two key areas of focus. However, I feel that, once again, God is orchestrating the details of my life to bring me what I need. At church we are beginning a season of focus on prayer and fasting. Also, today was the first day of a reinstituted women's Bible study in which we will be reading and discussing the book Crazy Love. And now I'm being drawn back to the "draw near" verse.
I've been doing most of the writing assignments and written responses in my little spiral bound devotion journal rather than on-line. (Cause its a secret for now, right?) However, I want to remember the lesson from today's devotions. Occasionally I do go back and reread my blog. I rarely go back and reread my devotion journal. Sad, but true. So, that said, here is the scripture and the question and answers from today's devotions:
Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy --think about such things.1. Please list several “achievements” from your life – these are things you have worked hard to accomplish, over time, and have (whether known to you at the time or not) received God’s help in accomplishing them. Some examples might include finishing your degree after having kids, training an assistance animal, starting a Bible study in your neighborhood, raising a child, finishing your first quilt, etc. If you have difficulty in coming up with 3 of them, ask your husband, a sister, a good friend and God for direction on which 3 you should pick from your life and list them here:
Phillipians 4:8
--homeschooling
--being a foster mom
--being an adoptive mom
2. Prayerfully consider each of the above achievements. Circle the one you sense God was most involved in for you.
--being an adoptive mom
3. Fully remember the details surrounding all the aspects of this achievement. Prayerfully make some notes about what was most important during this time. Think in terms of how you thought about challenges you faced, how you overcame them, what your thought patterns were like, etc.
(While I could write a book on the process we went through for our international adoption I limited my 'thoughts of note' to the following:)
--God's selection of Toa of Boy that I can now answer his question of "who picked me out?"
--waiting on the process
--> faith in God's sovereignty
--> image of the Israelites following the pillar
--God's sovereignty even in out illness that allowed Sweetling to be reassured of her part and importance in the family
4. What do you sense God wants you to know about yourself, based upon this achievement?
--God will lead me in walking by faith if I seek him in my circumstances.
5. What do you sense God wants you to know about Him, based upon this achievement?
--see above ;)
6. What do you sense now that you didn’t know when you were in the midst of the achievement?
-- It isn't that God wasn't as involved with me in other parts of life or in other acheivements, it's that I wasn't as involved with God.
Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.I had that verse on a golden key chain that someone I worked with gave to me. I subsequently lost the key chain, along with the keys that were on it of course, but I remembered that verse. I haven't always applied it in my life as much as I would like, but I want to begin applying it now. K-Love this morning was talking about picking a "word" for yourself for 2010, presumeably a key word that would bring to mind a certain scripture verse. I think my words will be "draw near". Yes, I know that's two words, but you know how much I like to break the rules of any assignment.
--James 4:8
7. In terms of achievement, how are you viewing your progress in doing [name of book]? Go back to the “Understand This First” section at the beginning of the book and evaluate how you are doing in each of those areas. Do you need to make any adjustments? If you are in a small group, how is your group doing?
The "Understand This First" section included a fairly extensive self-evaluation and reflection section. At the end of that section the book asked me to go back over my responses and pick two key aspects that I felt led to really focus on over the course of the study. My two areas of focus were to be:
--prayer, and
--a spirit of power, love, and self-control
To be bluntly honest, I had completely forgotten about the exercise of picking two key areas of focus. However, I feel that, once again, God is orchestrating the details of my life to bring me what I need. At church we are beginning a season of focus on prayer and fasting. Also, today was the first day of a reinstituted women's Bible study in which we will be reading and discussing the book Crazy Love. And now I'm being drawn back to the "draw near" verse.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Autobiography
Toa of Boy is my name. I like playing wii. I like to eat dinner. I like to play in the rain. I lik to play in snow. I like io play in Sharon Woods. I like to swim. I like KirBy. I write this.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Condition Stable
Dad's condition seems to be stablizing. It's still going to be a very long, slow recovery, but the doctors are talking about long-term treatment options whereas before they were rather pessimistic about him pulling through.
So today, the first thing I am thankful for is:
<3 Bapa's health
<3 Deb's safe flight in from California
<3 soft tacos for dinner
<3 snuggles with kids in the big arm chair
<3 completed school lessons yesterday
<3 working with Sweetling on algebra
<3 lots of hot chocolate
Readings: GENESIS 18:1-21:7 and some thoughts--
--how many hours did it take to prepare the food Abraham served to his guests?
--when did Abraham realize who was sitting in the shade of the tree, enjoying his hospitality?
--I can almost hear God's small, patient smile in his reply to Abraham's plea bargaining
--why doesn't Lot return to Abraham after Lot left Zoar instead of going to live in the mountains by himself?
--Abraham's second 'prostitution' of Sarah, and again, he profits by it. I wonder how bitter and heartbroken it made Sarah feel. Did she cling to the fact that God protected her even when her husband would use her?
So today, the first thing I am thankful for is:
<3 Bapa's health
<3 Deb's safe flight in from California
<3 soft tacos for dinner
<3 snuggles with kids in the big arm chair
<3 completed school lessons yesterday
<3 working with Sweetling on algebra
<3 lots of hot chocolate
Readings: GENESIS 18:1-21:7 and some thoughts--
--how many hours did it take to prepare the food Abraham served to his guests?
--when did Abraham realize who was sitting in the shade of the tree, enjoying his hospitality?
--I can almost hear God's small, patient smile in his reply to Abraham's plea bargaining
--why doesn't Lot return to Abraham after Lot left Zoar instead of going to live in the mountains by himself?
--Abraham's second 'prostitution' of Sarah, and again, he profits by it. I wonder how bitter and heartbroken it made Sarah feel. Did she cling to the fact that God protected her even when her husband would use her?
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Forgot my Devotion Journal
My devotional journal is at home. I am not. Therefore, once again, you few readers get another exciting glimpse into my devotional time.
thankful for--
<3 a SAFE trip last night
<3 being here for the Jedi's mom
<3 the Jedi is visiting with his dad right now
<3 kids are heading out to play in the snow
<3 well heated van
<3 reading the Love & Respect book with the Jedi
<3 a good night's sleep
Readings: GENESIS 15:1-17:27 and thoughts:
--Abram counted as righteous because of his faith, always one of my favorite concepts
--the sins of the Amorites do not yet warrant their destruction...during Abram's time, their were priests of the Most High God among some of the people in the land. Yet, all the people would eventually become so vile, they would warrant their own destruction.
--Sarai gets a bad rap. God's first promise was just to Abram. Sarai wasn't included in that promise, so I don't think she acts in disobedience, or with a lack of faith, when she presents Hagar to Abram.
--The God who Sees Me.
In other news, lessons I'm learning in my mother-in-laws kitchen:
--boxes of spaghetti in the cabinet above the stove might be open. Be careful how you remove them when your rumaging for cereal in the morning.
--not all plastic stirring spatulas are heat resistant.
--step stools are your friend
--toasters must be plugged in before they will actually toast bread
thankful for--
<3 a SAFE trip last night
<3 being here for the Jedi's mom
<3 the Jedi is visiting with his dad right now
<3 kids are heading out to play in the snow
<3 well heated van
<3 reading the Love & Respect book with the Jedi
<3 a good night's sleep
Readings: GENESIS 15:1-17:27 and thoughts:
--Abram counted as righteous because of his faith, always one of my favorite concepts
--the sins of the Amorites do not yet warrant their destruction...during Abram's time, their were priests of the Most High God among some of the people in the land. Yet, all the people would eventually become so vile, they would warrant their own destruction.
--Sarai gets a bad rap. God's first promise was just to Abram. Sarai wasn't included in that promise, so I don't think she acts in disobedience, or with a lack of faith, when she presents Hagar to Abram.
--The God who Sees Me.
In other news, lessons I'm learning in my mother-in-laws kitchen:
--boxes of spaghetti in the cabinet above the stove might be open. Be careful how you remove them when your rumaging for cereal in the morning.
--not all plastic stirring spatulas are heat resistant.
--step stools are your friend
--toasters must be plugged in before they will actually toast bread
Monday, January 04, 2010
Simple Woman's Daybook
For today, Monday, Jan 4, 10:42 pm.
Outside my window...its a whole new world of cold out there. I opened the patio door a little after seven this morning to toss some crackers out for the squirrels and every joule of heat in the air around me was immediately sucked away. There is no snow to speak off, only tiny little flecks that have not really formed far enough past the basic ice crystal state to qualify has a snowflake. There is just enough of them in the air to swirl around in the bitter wind to sting eyes and face. I was outside for a second time this morning to carry library books to the car for Mama. I looked up once to see a swarm of snow's more sinister cousin come swirling off my neighbor's roof during a gust of wind. I hustled my shivering body back inside.
I am thinking....we're likely driving back up to Canton today. The Jedi's mother was going to give us a call this morning with an update on Dad's condition. Here's what needs done today:
--pack clothes for me and the kids.
--pack the bathroom bag?
--pack Toa's school books
--pack Sweetling's school books
--make a list of easy menus I can cook up in Canton
--make a grocery list and check Meijer's sale flier for the groceries I need
--go to Meijer and/or Walmart to get some of the shopping done before the drive
Sweetling has just finished her math for the day, and Toa is just now finishing up phonics. The laundry is done and folded, so we're off to a good start.
I am thankful for...a good and gracious God who hears our prayers.
Toa is finished with his phonics worksheets. I'm off to start packing.
Outside my window...its a whole new world of cold out there. I opened the patio door a little after seven this morning to toss some crackers out for the squirrels and every joule of heat in the air around me was immediately sucked away. There is no snow to speak off, only tiny little flecks that have not really formed far enough past the basic ice crystal state to qualify has a snowflake. There is just enough of them in the air to swirl around in the bitter wind to sting eyes and face. I was outside for a second time this morning to carry library books to the car for Mama. I looked up once to see a swarm of snow's more sinister cousin come swirling off my neighbor's roof during a gust of wind. I hustled my shivering body back inside.
I am thinking....we're likely driving back up to Canton today. The Jedi's mother was going to give us a call this morning with an update on Dad's condition. Here's what needs done today:
--pack clothes for me and the kids.
--pack the bathroom bag?
--pack Toa's school books
--pack Sweetling's school books
--make a list of easy menus I can cook up in Canton
--make a grocery list and check Meijer's sale flier for the groceries I need
--go to Meijer and/or Walmart to get some of the shopping done before the drive
Sweetling has just finished her math for the day, and Toa is just now finishing up phonics. The laundry is done and folded, so we're off to a good start.
I am thankful for...a good and gracious God who hears our prayers.
Toa is finished with his phonics worksheets. I'm off to start packing.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Reaching the Children
I have a tossed salad of thoughts to write about today. However, I shall group my thoughts and subtitle each section, cause you all know I'm an organizational goddess.
(Disclaimer: Toa of Boy loves church. Always. Well, disclaimer to the disclaimer, he always loves children's church. He groans about having to sit with Mommy and Daddy once a month on family Sunday. But children's church you can't keep him home from. Combine his eagerness to go to church with lessons that he really understands and talks about later AND many memorized scripture verses and you get a picture of an extremely effective children's program. So, the disclaimer is that the amusing antedote I'm about to share is an exception to the norm.)
"Mommy," says Toa of Boy, "We started a new program at church today."
"Oh," says Mommy, quickly remembering that they had wrapped up the previous curriculum just before Christmas. "What's the new program?"
Toa of Boy shrugs.
"What did you do?" asked the Mommy who knew he just needed a little help clarifying his thoughts.
Toa of Boy grins and declares, "We yelled a lot of things loudly!"
"What sorts of things did you yell?" was the perfect, teacher-type follow-up question. So the Mommy asked it.
"One team, the home team yelled, 'We want to win!' And the other people yelled, 'We are superstars!"
This wasn't the Biblical truths the Mommy was expecting, and she must have looked confused, becasue Toa of Boy went on to explain, "Some people were the home team and the other people were the visiting team and Miss Bethann was the coach and when she said 'visitors' then the visitors had to yell and you had to yell the loudest and the home team was the loudest by a little bit I think."
At least, I think that's what he said. Sometimes following Toa of Boy's explanations can be a bit challenging. I do know what that Mommy said next. Not to be detered from having a beautiful and meaningful teachable moment to follow up and reinforce the deep spiritual insight he had surely experienced at church, the Mommy asked, "So, what was the lesson?"
"I don't know," says an unphased Toa. "She talked a lot of words so I don't remember them."
However, the last month being the month of December and a little busy, our record keeping left a little to be desired. Plus, on many days we were doing educational activities, but just not our regular curriculum. For those of you unfamilar with how attendance works in a virtual school, each day (ha ha) the parent or primary instructor is to log into the on-line system and log the amount of time each student spent in each separate subject. I, being the unschooler that I am at heart, often have difficulty figuring out under which subject to log our extra-curricular activities. Building fairy houses? I take the total time and divide it evenly among art, language arts (for the story-telling), and science (for the nature hike portion of the expedition.)
So, I'm an old hand at deciding how to log worth-while, educational, enriching activites that just don't fit in the regular mold. However, I struggled with a few of our Christmas activities. I was going to post these on Facebook for opinions, but there were too many.
Three hours of work at the food pantry at church? Health, since it builds character.
Helping to make 90 some Ojos de Dios and hand-colored envelopes to hold them? Art, of course.
Zombies card game? Technology (for strategy decisions) and language arts (for the cleverly written carrds).
What about, really really wanting to pet the cow on Uncle Tommy's farm but accidentally spooking the cow multiple times, cause we were too excited to approach it carefully? Science, for animal behavior.
Attempting to ride an old tractor hubcab down a steep hill in the pasture? Um, physical education.
Making a small folding chair out of cardstock to stick on our Christmas tree after watch Curious George's A Very Monkey Christmas? Art.
Making a snowball to put in the freezer because someone else we know has a snowball named Frederickson living in their freezer? Science, annoying science, but science.
Building a 14 inch tall Lego Ogre Warrior who lived only long enough to get his picture taken and then do battle against the Bionicles, whereupon the Legos were gathered up and reassembled over the course of several days, with several rebuilds, to make a red dragon with moveable limbs, a multijointed tail, and a nearly two foot wingspan? Technology.
Backgammon at Mrs Ria's? Algebra.
Mythbuster marathon? Science.
Man Vs Food? History. That's pure American culture right there.
To Nora, ttptptptptptptptp. You are such a bad influence. How many questions are there? Way the heck too many. That's work is what that is. What, do you think I like to write or something?
Last, but far from least, please keep the Jedi's father in your prayers. He's back in the hospital, in ICU, in critical condition. Things are not looking good for him. We are traveling back up to Canton, likely tomorrow.
I'll update later with more specifics.
Interview with Toa of Boy
(Disclaimer: Toa of Boy loves church. Always. Well, disclaimer to the disclaimer, he always loves children's church. He groans about having to sit with Mommy and Daddy once a month on family Sunday. But children's church you can't keep him home from. Combine his eagerness to go to church with lessons that he really understands and talks about later AND many memorized scripture verses and you get a picture of an extremely effective children's program. So, the disclaimer is that the amusing antedote I'm about to share is an exception to the norm.)
"Mommy," says Toa of Boy, "We started a new program at church today."
"Oh," says Mommy, quickly remembering that they had wrapped up the previous curriculum just before Christmas. "What's the new program?"
Toa of Boy shrugs.
"What did you do?" asked the Mommy who knew he just needed a little help clarifying his thoughts.
Toa of Boy grins and declares, "We yelled a lot of things loudly!"
"What sorts of things did you yell?" was the perfect, teacher-type follow-up question. So the Mommy asked it.
"One team, the home team yelled, 'We want to win!' And the other people yelled, 'We are superstars!"
This wasn't the Biblical truths the Mommy was expecting, and she must have looked confused, becasue Toa of Boy went on to explain, "Some people were the home team and the other people were the visiting team and Miss Bethann was the coach and when she said 'visitors' then the visitors had to yell and you had to yell the loudest and the home team was the loudest by a little bit I think."
At least, I think that's what he said. Sometimes following Toa of Boy's explanations can be a bit challenging. I do know what that Mommy said next. Not to be detered from having a beautiful and meaningful teachable moment to follow up and reinforce the deep spiritual insight he had surely experienced at church, the Mommy asked, "So, what was the lesson?"
"I don't know," says an unphased Toa. "She talked a lot of words so I don't remember them."
I haven't logged my school attendance hours since November 30th. Now, for the actuall school days, we have spiral-bound notebooks that we write down start and end times for each subect. (In theory. That lovely record keeping theoretically happens every school day.)
School Attendance
However, the last month being the month of December and a little busy, our record keeping left a little to be desired. Plus, on many days we were doing educational activities, but just not our regular curriculum. For those of you unfamilar with how attendance works in a virtual school, each day (ha ha) the parent or primary instructor is to log into the on-line system and log the amount of time each student spent in each separate subject. I, being the unschooler that I am at heart, often have difficulty figuring out under which subject to log our extra-curricular activities. Building fairy houses? I take the total time and divide it evenly among art, language arts (for the story-telling), and science (for the nature hike portion of the expedition.)
So, I'm an old hand at deciding how to log worth-while, educational, enriching activites that just don't fit in the regular mold. However, I struggled with a few of our Christmas activities. I was going to post these on Facebook for opinions, but there were too many.
Three hours of work at the food pantry at church? Health, since it builds character.
Helping to make 90 some Ojos de Dios and hand-colored envelopes to hold them? Art, of course.
Zombies card game? Technology (for strategy decisions) and language arts (for the cleverly written carrds).
What about, really really wanting to pet the cow on Uncle Tommy's farm but accidentally spooking the cow multiple times, cause we were too excited to approach it carefully? Science, for animal behavior.
Attempting to ride an old tractor hubcab down a steep hill in the pasture? Um, physical education.
Making a small folding chair out of cardstock to stick on our Christmas tree after watch Curious George's A Very Monkey Christmas? Art.
Making a snowball to put in the freezer because someone else we know has a snowball named Frederickson living in their freezer? Science, annoying science, but science.
Building a 14 inch tall Lego Ogre Warrior who lived only long enough to get his picture taken and then do battle against the Bionicles, whereupon the Legos were gathered up and reassembled over the course of several days, with several rebuilds, to make a red dragon with moveable limbs, a multijointed tail, and a nearly two foot wingspan? Technology.
Backgammon at Mrs Ria's? Algebra.
Mythbuster marathon? Science.
Man Vs Food? History. That's pure American culture right there.
Tagged
To Nora, ttptptptptptptptp. You are such a bad influence. How many questions are there? Way the heck too many. That's work is what that is. What, do you think I like to write or something?
Prayer Request
Last, but far from least, please keep the Jedi's father in your prayers. He's back in the hospital, in ICU, in critical condition. Things are not looking good for him. We are traveling back up to Canton, likely tomorrow.
I'll update later with more specifics.
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Crabapples in Tupperware
I found a link to this article on To Love, Honor, and Vacuum.
There is the question of why I want to write. I don't have a specific goal in mind. I don't have a burning, driving desire to be a novelist. I don't have a specific story or message that God has laid on my heart to share with others. I just like to write. I have this delusion that I'm occasionally good at it, and I want to practice and hone that ability.
That being said, I didn't write much today. I did read a few blogs. I failed to add The Starr Blog to my list. I accidentally deleted a story thread from my g-mail account. (But Christopher Robin is going to rescue me, cause she has the story thread and is going to resend it to me. After rolling her eyes of course.) And I came up with the oh so clever comparison that if a word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver, then my words were more often like crab apples in tupperware. (By the way, Holly, I didn't mean to imply that I only directed my temper tantrums at God. My friends and family members also receive some fall out, though the Jedi gets the hysterical tears part more often than the temper tantrum part of my little emotional meltdowns.)
And now, Toa of Boy is snuggled into bed, so I can't play Zelda. No, that doesn't have anything to do with writing, The "and now" was a topic transition. Anyway, Toa of Boy is my cheerleader, commentator, and advisor while I'm playing Zelda. So, I can't continue on through the Water Temple without him, because the Zelda game has become nearly a team effort. I think I'll go play Sims Racing instead.
There is the question of why I want to write. I don't have a specific goal in mind. I don't have a burning, driving desire to be a novelist. I don't have a specific story or message that God has laid on my heart to share with others. I just like to write. I have this delusion that I'm occasionally good at it, and I want to practice and hone that ability.
That being said, I didn't write much today. I did read a few blogs. I failed to add The Starr Blog to my list. I accidentally deleted a story thread from my g-mail account. (But Christopher Robin is going to rescue me, cause she has the story thread and is going to resend it to me. After rolling her eyes of course.) And I came up with the oh so clever comparison that if a word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver, then my words were more often like crab apples in tupperware. (By the way, Holly, I didn't mean to imply that I only directed my temper tantrums at God. My friends and family members also receive some fall out, though the Jedi gets the hysterical tears part more often than the temper tantrum part of my little emotional meltdowns.)
And now, Toa of Boy is snuggled into bed, so I can't play Zelda. No, that doesn't have anything to do with writing, The "and now" was a topic transition. Anyway, Toa of Boy is my cheerleader, commentator, and advisor while I'm playing Zelda. So, I can't continue on through the Water Temple without him, because the Zelda game has become nearly a team effort. I think I'll go play Sims Racing instead.
The Problem with On-line Bibles...
The problem with on-line Bibles is that they are online. As is Facebook, my blog, and a host of other distractions. Day Two of the New Year leads me to "Take Three" on my resolutions. Today I was nearly sabotaged by the online aspect of the chronological Bible. I opened my netbook while I was making my breakfast, with the intention of sitting down and doing my devotions while I ate. Somewhere between the sitting down and the devotions, I had become sidetracked on-line.
But I'm here now, doing devotions. And, as stated yesterday, the devotions will not become a regular part of the blog, so Facebook buddies needing go hiding all my updates just yet.
<3 Saturday morning snuggles
<3 family pictures on the flatscreen tv
<3 Sweetling's smile
<3 a clean an empty sink
<3 Christmas reflections book
<3 Zelda time yesterday
<3 God lets me sniffle on his shoulder when I need it
GENESIS 4:1-5:32;
1 CHRONICLES 1:1-4
GENESIS 6:1-22
--universality of God's warning to Cain. If you do what is right, you will accepted. But if you refuse to do what is right, watch out! Sin is crouching at your door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master. Too often we think the choice is between being obedient to God versus doing whatever we want. In reality, refusing to do what is right allows sin to control and enslave us.
--I can't read about the mark of Cain without immediately thinking, "vampire". Just being honest here.
--When I was a little girl, I always loved the Bible story of Enoch. I had a picture Bible that showed an illustration of a path winding around a group of flowing plants and shrubs. I wanted to be just like Enoch, walking closely with God.
--meaning of Noah's name is rather ironic. The father received what he wished for, a release from the toil of working the ground, but not in the way he expected.
--
But I'm here now, doing devotions. And, as stated yesterday, the devotions will not become a regular part of the blog, so Facebook buddies needing go hiding all my updates just yet.
<3 Saturday morning snuggles
<3 family pictures on the flatscreen tv
<3 Sweetling's smile
<3 a clean an empty sink
<3 Christmas reflections book
<3 Zelda time yesterday
<3 God lets me sniffle on his shoulder when I need it
GENESIS 4:1-5:32;
1 CHRONICLES 1:1-4
GENESIS 6:1-22
--universality of God's warning to Cain. If you do what is right, you will accepted. But if you refuse to do what is right, watch out! Sin is crouching at your door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master. Too often we think the choice is between being obedient to God versus doing whatever we want. In reality, refusing to do what is right allows sin to control and enslave us.
--I can't read about the mark of Cain without immediately thinking, "vampire". Just being honest here.
--When I was a little girl, I always loved the Bible story of Enoch. I had a picture Bible that showed an illustration of a path winding around a group of flowing plants and shrubs. I wanted to be just like Enoch, walking closely with God.
--meaning of Noah's name is rather ironic. The father received what he wished for, a release from the toil of working the ground, but not in the way he expected.
--
Friday, January 01, 2010
New Year's Resolutions, Take Two
That's right; it's 10:23 am on New Year's Day, and I'm already on take two of my New Year's Resolutions.
See, I made my breakfast (well, ok, the Jedi made my breakfast), and I was planning on sitting down with my breakfast and my One Year Chronological Bible, which I loaned to mother a couple years ago. So, Mama, with perfect timing, walked into the kitchen, and I asked her for the Bible....having already spoken to her about my intent to read through the Bible again this year.
And that's where take two comes in. She might have left it in a car that died and got junked. She might have loaned it to someone at work. She meant to buy me another one so that I would never know, but she forgot.
No biggie. I just hoped on my cool new netbook, and did a search for an on-line chronological Bible, and voila.... this one is even cooler because you don't have to start on Jan 1. You can set your default start date on any day you choose. So, someone in April can still commit to reading the Bible in One Year, and not feel like they are starting out "behind" and, even better, still be able to read through it chronologically.
So, rather than get up and go fetch my pink pen and devotion notebook, I'm just doing today's devotion online.
I always start with seven specific things I'm thankful for.
<3 I'm still so proud of my kids' attitude, manners, and patience when we spent several hours of Christmas day visiting Bapa in the hospital.
<3 I'm glad Sweetling has a Jedi who cares for her so deeply and understands and connects with her.
<3 We got to spend almost the whole week at home with no outside obligations, commimtments, or appointments.
<3 I love my new penguin blanket and my new netbook.
<3 The Jedi tells me daily, daily, many times a day, how much he loves me and cherishes me.
<3 We got to see Tommy and family over Christmas.
<3 I love spending time with the Jedi, and I'm grateful for all the evenings we have had together this week.
And today's reading is Gen 1:1-3:24. Some thoughts as I read--
--I wasn't really motivated to read Genesis. I felt like, yeah, I know this part already.
--Why do you think God puts in so many references to "each one after its own kind."? He emphasizes that with regards to the plants, the fish, the birds, and the animals.
--Adam and Eve were vegetartians.
--The garden of Eden is always depicted as a "jungle". But the Bible says the "Lord God *planted* a garden..." I want to see the garden design!
--the NLT version doesn't contain the reference to God placing man in the garden "to work it". Nevermind. It's in verse 15 "to tend it and watch over it."
--How many days, how much time passed between the creation of Eve and the day the serpent came to her? How much time did she have to live in and enjoy paradise before she and her husband sinned and were cast out of the garden?
--Wonder if the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple had any artwork that symbolized the cherubim and the flashing sword that guarded the way back to the garden and the tree of life.Ah yes, Gen 26:31....the cherubim are there, but not the sword. Though the ark itself was protect by God's glory, so perhaps the Glory of the Lord *was* the sword?
Don't expect this every day. Most days I'm lucky if I manage seven short blessings jotted in my notebook and a few verses read in the midst of breakfast and Toa interruptions.
See, I made my breakfast (well, ok, the Jedi made my breakfast), and I was planning on sitting down with my breakfast and my One Year Chronological Bible, which I loaned to mother a couple years ago. So, Mama, with perfect timing, walked into the kitchen, and I asked her for the Bible....having already spoken to her about my intent to read through the Bible again this year.
And that's where take two comes in. She might have left it in a car that died and got junked. She might have loaned it to someone at work. She meant to buy me another one so that I would never know, but she forgot.
No biggie. I just hoped on my cool new netbook, and did a search for an on-line chronological Bible, and voila.... this one is even cooler because you don't have to start on Jan 1. You can set your default start date on any day you choose. So, someone in April can still commit to reading the Bible in One Year, and not feel like they are starting out "behind" and, even better, still be able to read through it chronologically.
So, rather than get up and go fetch my pink pen and devotion notebook, I'm just doing today's devotion online.
I always start with seven specific things I'm thankful for.
<3 I'm still so proud of my kids' attitude, manners, and patience when we spent several hours of Christmas day visiting Bapa in the hospital.
<3 I'm glad Sweetling has a Jedi who cares for her so deeply and understands and connects with her.
<3 We got to spend almost the whole week at home with no outside obligations, commimtments, or appointments.
<3 I love my new penguin blanket and my new netbook.
<3 The Jedi tells me daily, daily, many times a day, how much he loves me and cherishes me.
<3 We got to see Tommy and family over Christmas.
<3 I love spending time with the Jedi, and I'm grateful for all the evenings we have had together this week.
And today's reading is Gen 1:1-3:24. Some thoughts as I read--
--I wasn't really motivated to read Genesis. I felt like, yeah, I know this part already.
--Why do you think God puts in so many references to "each one after its own kind."? He emphasizes that with regards to the plants, the fish, the birds, and the animals.
--Adam and Eve were vegetartians.
--The garden of Eden is always depicted as a "jungle". But the Bible says the "Lord God *planted* a garden..." I want to see the garden design!
--the NLT version doesn't contain the reference to God placing man in the garden "to work it". Nevermind. It's in verse 15 "to tend it and watch over it."
--How many days, how much time passed between the creation of Eve and the day the serpent came to her? How much time did she have to live in and enjoy paradise before she and her husband sinned and were cast out of the garden?
--Wonder if the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple had any artwork that symbolized the cherubim and the flashing sword that guarded the way back to the garden and the tree of life.Ah yes, Gen 26:31....the cherubim are there, but not the sword. Though the ark itself was protect by God's glory, so perhaps the Glory of the Lord *was* the sword?
Don't expect this every day. Most days I'm lucky if I manage seven short blessings jotted in my notebook and a few verses read in the midst of breakfast and Toa interruptions.
Blog Year in Review
Forty-five minutes after the ball has dropped, Toa of Boy and Mama are in bed. Sweetling is on her compter giggling at HomeStar Runner. The Jedi is on his computer searching for a PC version of an old Commadore game. And I'm on my new netbook under my new penguin blanket bloggiing.
This is how this works. For each month of last year, post the first sentence written on your blog for each month. Then post here, and let me know so I can come read too :) I forget whose blog I saw this on first. Maybe tomorrow I'll search and see if I can find it.
January
Why are resolutions yucky?
February
I think I'm supposed to be sharing this Sunday in the women's Bible study.
March
I am thinking... that the Jedi and I have scared three of the youth boys into eternal bachelorhood after last night's class about marriage and communication.
April
I feel like I should start by saying that I'm not at all a Bible scholar.
May
Because I just did math with Honey Bunny.
June
I just need to stop visiting Nora's blog.
July
At Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers, they do a thing called week in review.
August
It's August already.
September
I am....sitting at the park.
October
Simple Woman's Daybook....cause I need to get back into blogging.
Novembeer
Toa of Boy likes to look at artwork produced by other young children.
December
Place an X by all the things you've done and remove the X from the ones you have not, then tag your friends (including me).
In other happenings....
New Year's Resolutions
1. Read therough the Bible in a year. (I've successfully done this before using The One Year Chronological Bible,)
2. Write 250 words a day, except Sundays. Doesn't matter what or where I write. Some of it can be on my blog, some of it can be for Associated Content, some of it can be in a word program. Just write. (Or, alternatively, I can also take a day to revise anything I have written.)
This is how this works. For each month of last year, post the first sentence written on your blog for each month. Then post here, and let me know so I can come read too :) I forget whose blog I saw this on first. Maybe tomorrow I'll search and see if I can find it.
January
Why are resolutions yucky?
February
I think I'm supposed to be sharing this Sunday in the women's Bible study.
March
I am thinking... that the Jedi and I have scared three of the youth boys into eternal bachelorhood after last night's class about marriage and communication.
April
I feel like I should start by saying that I'm not at all a Bible scholar.
May
Because I just did math with Honey Bunny.
June
I just need to stop visiting Nora's blog.
July
At Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers, they do a thing called week in review.
August
It's August already.
September
I am....sitting at the park.
October
Simple Woman's Daybook....cause I need to get back into blogging.
Novembeer
Toa of Boy likes to look at artwork produced by other young children.
December
Place an X by all the things you've done and remove the X from the ones you have not, then tag your friends (including me).
In other happenings....
New Year's Resolutions
1. Read therough the Bible in a year. (I've successfully done this before using The One Year Chronological Bible,)
2. Write 250 words a day, except Sundays. Doesn't matter what or where I write. Some of it can be on my blog, some of it can be for Associated Content, some of it can be in a word program. Just write. (Or, alternatively, I can also take a day to revise anything I have written.)
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