Today we found ourselves somewhere I hoped to never be- at the public school, filling out enrollment forms. Not for everyone, but it is still a failure in my eyes. I am completely and fundamentally against public schools. I agree that they are a danger zone for foster/adopted kids, especially. And yet, there I was.
I agree that at this point in time like no other, giving the government control over any aspect of our lives is opening us up for a mess. But we felt backed into a corner. Because some of the kids are still so angry about the adoption, they refuse to do what we ask. Oh, they’re behaved in public because we won’t tolerate anything else. They aren’t even openly defiant at home- they will stare out the window, drooling as if they have no clue what I am talking about. I didn’t really worry about it- I’m a 3 R’s is plenty kind of mom, anyway- as long as they have the basics and can function, I don’t care if they never learn Algebra. I’m also not a worksheet mom or a five-hours-at-the-table mom. The only time I worry about worksheets is when we have to put together portfolios for the certified teacher to go over. But that was one of the problems- for three years now we have had to scramble, beg, and bribe to get the kids to do enough work at the very end of the year to have something to show for it. The teacher was starting to feel uncomfortable signing off when they showed so little progress.
Then we come to the eating- Nellie has been starving herself again, only to go somewhere else and eat like she hasn’t seen food in weeks. The exact same kind of food. She does this to try and control me because it worked before- she got the doctor to question the other kids about discipline and made me a slave by saying I was to give Nellie whatever she wanted, so long as she would eat. We stressed over that because we know the case workers remove all kids from a situation and then ask questions. It would be beyond what I could handle if they took Mags and the two babies just because Nellie was attempting a coup. But because she knows that, she has started using food as a weapon against me by threatening to starve if she doens't get what she wants. Then she makes her face look pitiful and moans a little, and someone verbally attacks me while scurrying to find poor Nellie something to eat. With her initial entrance into school, there is the risk of someone falling for it like just happened to us at our homeschool group. But I am hoping that the excitement and attention of being the new girl will carry her through until the teacher figures her out better, and that will in turn insulate the other kids from her need to rule.
I know that we will be opening our home up to the possibility of swearing, drugs, humanism, and who knows what, but the alternative has left our daughter with constant stomach aches and headaches because of all the stress. We have also lost a whole year on her- I was reminded of a promise I made to her, and I said I would follow through once I got Nellie straightened out. Here we are, a whole year later and nowhere closer to that end. Meanwhile, I have ceased to have a baby in the house and suddenly realize I have a very mature toddler. I no longer see the sense in sacrificing many to save one.
But I think most terrifying is the risk to my marriage. We’ve discussed this problem from the day the kids arrived her nearly 7 years ago, and for the last year Gary has pushed to put the hardest kids in school. I have always managed to talk him out of it, for the above reasons and more. But after another stunt by Nellie this week, we found ourselves screaming at each other in such a tone that I feared for our marriage. He is, after all, my priority both because it is the covenant that we carry with us all of our lives, even after our children are grown and gone, but because if we dissect our oneness, what do the kids have to model their marriages after? I finally had to stop. Just stop and yield. I told him it was his decision and I would support him. And he decided.
I made it to the car after signing all the papers before the tears finally escaped my tight hold on them. All the more heartbreaking was the reactions of the kids in question- one wept bitterly, promising to do whatever we asked in exchange for one more chance. The other two were excited, recalling the fun they had at school when they were there before:
“Remember when we would run up and down the isle of the bus and the driver would have to stop?!”
“My teacher always had a bucket of candy in her desk, and when I would ‘forget’ my lunch money, I would go get it and put the candy in my pocket!”
“If we find some money we can buy candy bars in the lunch room!”
“If you tell the teacher you don’t feel good, she’ll send you to the nurse. Then just tell the nurse it’s because you didn’t get any breakfast and she’ll go get you something to eat form the cafeteria!”
Not only have I failed, I have wasted my time. They may one day realize how great they had it here, but I can’t keep emptying myself trying to reach that end and leaving the other 4 kids with nothing because I’m all wrung out.
Does this look familiar? Click on the comment link in any posting and leave us some feedback- we'd love to hear from you!
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
All in the Timing
I remember once (I was about 14) hearing a woman I admired discuss the fact that she and her family kept putting off their happiness. "We'll be so happy once the house is paid off. We'll be so happy when summer finally gets here. We'll be so happy when..." She finally realized they were putting off their happiness for a day that might not come. The lesson, of course, was to make today everything you want it to be, and I remembered the lesson well.
Unfortunately, when you try to squeeze all you can out of time, you can have a tendancy to get in a hurry. Everything starts to feel rushed to the point that you are missing the fun again. It hit me the first time when Mags was a baby, and I was worried about what age I ought to start allowing her to get the mail by herself. Talk about gettng ahead of myself! It requires balance.
It has taken me a bit longer to balance the today/tomorrow view with homeschooling. I've heard so many people criticize the home educated child who cannot read at 7, and that added pressure to my task of teaching my kids. Our schooling approach (actually, it would apply to every part of our lives) in unschooled. Super unschooled. There are so many learning opportunities in our house that I couldn't stop the kids from learning if I wanted to! But that fear of criticism coupled with the tendency to rush so as not to put off life made me quite anxious when my girls were not reading at 6. Oh, they had shown interest in it for a while, learning a few sight words and the sounds of the letters in their Dick and Jane books (or as Bailey calls them, Jick and Jame). But when I tried to do the "Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons" every day, it was like pulling teeth. Not because they wouldn't do it, but because they just couldn't. I would end up frustrated and worried. I finally had to let it go. My kids were not meant to be proficient early readers. It was a small consolation to me that they knew how to bale hay, shoe a horse, make bread, grocery shop, and so many other things. I had failed to produce early readers.
Then one day I overheard the three little girls playing house. They were dividing the list to find in their 'store', and Maggie told her sister to get the milk (remember that many of us cannot tolerate dairy). Nellie asked, "What if I can't figure out which one it is because they all look alike?". The reply? "Look for the one that says Lactose Free." By sitting at the table and staring that the container enough times, they had figured out what it said. Without my realizing, they had learned to read. I had put the 'don't miss out' aspect before the 'in good time' aspect.
Now, apparently, I need to pass that lesson on to my kids. I heard arguing in the bedroom between the 12 year old and the almost 8 year old. I went to see what it was about, and they were fighting over who gets to get married first.
Oy!
Unfortunately, when you try to squeeze all you can out of time, you can have a tendancy to get in a hurry. Everything starts to feel rushed to the point that you are missing the fun again. It hit me the first time when Mags was a baby, and I was worried about what age I ought to start allowing her to get the mail by herself. Talk about gettng ahead of myself! It requires balance.
It has taken me a bit longer to balance the today/tomorrow view with homeschooling. I've heard so many people criticize the home educated child who cannot read at 7, and that added pressure to my task of teaching my kids. Our schooling approach (actually, it would apply to every part of our lives) in unschooled. Super unschooled. There are so many learning opportunities in our house that I couldn't stop the kids from learning if I wanted to! But that fear of criticism coupled with the tendency to rush so as not to put off life made me quite anxious when my girls were not reading at 6. Oh, they had shown interest in it for a while, learning a few sight words and the sounds of the letters in their Dick and Jane books (or as Bailey calls them, Jick and Jame). But when I tried to do the "Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons" every day, it was like pulling teeth. Not because they wouldn't do it, but because they just couldn't. I would end up frustrated and worried. I finally had to let it go. My kids were not meant to be proficient early readers. It was a small consolation to me that they knew how to bale hay, shoe a horse, make bread, grocery shop, and so many other things. I had failed to produce early readers.
Then one day I overheard the three little girls playing house. They were dividing the list to find in their 'store', and Maggie told her sister to get the milk (remember that many of us cannot tolerate dairy). Nellie asked, "What if I can't figure out which one it is because they all look alike?". The reply? "Look for the one that says Lactose Free." By sitting at the table and staring that the container enough times, they had figured out what it said. Without my realizing, they had learned to read. I had put the 'don't miss out' aspect before the 'in good time' aspect.
Now, apparently, I need to pass that lesson on to my kids. I heard arguing in the bedroom between the 12 year old and the almost 8 year old. I went to see what it was about, and they were fighting over who gets to get married first.
Oy!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Our School Table
When we first moved to our new house, we had only one child that were 'unofficially' homeschooling (she was 2). She had her own little desk in her room in which to keep her papers and crayons and everything went fine. As the size of our family increased (by fours twice! most people have one kid at a time, but we would go from 1 child to 5 in a matter of minutes) we found that we not only needed more room in the bedroom for dressers and beds, we also needed more space for kids to work on school assignments. The dinning room table worked Ok for the kids in public school who only had to do homework and not a full day of learning at home, and we put the little desk in the corner of the dining room as well. But when the kids came home to school after the adoption, we needed a big change.
First, the amount of books/papers we were using tripled, so we bought some bookshelves and got rid of a couch. We also bought a bunch of little school desks at a school sale and put my dining room table in storage. This plan worked Ok until we had more kids of school age, and two who outgrew those little desks. We were also finding we were cramped in the dining room, so we did a complete overhaul of the house layout (which is hard to do!). We switched the living room and the dining room, so that the much larger living room became the school room. We set the dining room table back up and put the little desks in storage until we get our 24'X40' school room addition done. This plan helped when we had family over as well, since we could seat more people at the table than at little desks.
But then we had the problem of crayons getting all over my good table, and of how to switch it from a school table to an eating table without a lot of work. I found this idea in Above Rubies magazine, and it really helped solve the problems we were having. I had a bunch of cheap maps (from the Dollar Tree) so I set them around the table top. Then I bought a clear shower curtain and trimmed off the end with the holes. This left a sheet of good, heavy plastic but it was too wide and not long enough. I trimmed the side to the width I wanted, and transplanted the extra piece to the end to make it long enough. I covered the seams well with heavy duty packaging tape, and we had our school table that was functional and pretty, and protected the wood surface. This also wipes up very easily.
When we want to eat on the table, I simply put a white cloth cover over the plastic and then a pretty tablecloth. We had a planning meeting/dinner over the weekend, and it was very easy. We had our dinner at a pretty table, and then simply removed the covers to provide a good writing surface for the meeting. It's great!
First, the amount of books/papers we were using tripled, so we bought some bookshelves and got rid of a couch. We also bought a bunch of little school desks at a school sale and put my dining room table in storage. This plan worked Ok until we had more kids of school age, and two who outgrew those little desks. We were also finding we were cramped in the dining room, so we did a complete overhaul of the house layout (which is hard to do!). We switched the living room and the dining room, so that the much larger living room became the school room. We set the dining room table back up and put the little desks in storage until we get our 24'X40' school room addition done. This plan helped when we had family over as well, since we could seat more people at the table than at little desks.
But then we had the problem of crayons getting all over my good table, and of how to switch it from a school table to an eating table without a lot of work. I found this idea in Above Rubies magazine, and it really helped solve the problems we were having. I had a bunch of cheap maps (from the Dollar Tree) so I set them around the table top. Then I bought a clear shower curtain and trimmed off the end with the holes. This left a sheet of good, heavy plastic but it was too wide and not long enough. I trimmed the side to the width I wanted, and transplanted the extra piece to the end to make it long enough. I covered the seams well with heavy duty packaging tape, and we had our school table that was functional and pretty, and protected the wood surface. This also wipes up very easily.
When we want to eat on the table, I simply put a white cloth cover over the plastic and then a pretty tablecloth. We had a planning meeting/dinner over the weekend, and it was very easy. We had our dinner at a pretty table, and then simply removed the covers to provide a good writing surface for the meeting. It's great!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Grounding Your Kids in the Word of God
11 Reasons To Teach Biblical Doctrine
By Brannon Howse
Besides the all-important reason of keeping people from having to hear Jesus say “depart from me,” there are 11 benefits here and now of teaching Biblical doctrine.
1. Biblical doctrine builds discernment and reveals the will of God for our lives.
• Discernment
What parent does not want their children to have discernment to make Godly decisions? Discernment and sound judgment are a by-products of teaching Biblical doctrine.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 says, “but test everything, hold fast what is good.”
And Romans 12:2 commands, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
• Revealing the will of God for our lives
In John 7:17 Jesus said, “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.
2. Biblical doctrine prepares us for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
3. There has been a vast falling away from Biblical truth.
The Bible describes this great apostasy or this falling away from Biblical truth in 2 Timothy 4:3-4:
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ear away from truth and be turned aside to fables.”
4. False teaching is destroying lives.
Enemies of the truth know exactly how to encourage false teaching: “Education is thus a most powerful ally of humanism. What can the theistic Sunday schools, meeting for an hour once a week, and teaching only a fraction of the children, do to stem the tide of a five-day program of humanistic teaching?”
—1933, Charles Francis Potter, Humanism: A New Religion 1
And Colossians 2:8 prescribes the antidote: “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”
5. Biblical doctrine is not boring but a strong mooring.
As I said earlier, most self-professing Christians cannot articulate, much less defend, the essential doctrines of the Christian faith, but why is it that we spend so much time on things that will not last and that do not matter? Adults as well as teens can tell you all about pop culture, about sports teams and superstars but can these same teens and adults tell you how we know Jesus is God, how we know the Bible is true, or how we know Jesus rose from the dead?
Biblical doctrine is the Gospel, the will of God for our lives. It is what Jesus talked about during his earthly ministry. In spite of how it’s sometimes been presented, the real picture of Jesus and His teachings is riveting. Jesus commanded respect, inspired commitment, and renewed lives in ruin.
6. Biblical doctrine taught early and consistently builds a faith that lasts.
In 2 Timothy 3:15 Paul, speaking about Timothy, says, “And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
Who was it that taught Timothy the scriptures from such an early age? 2 Timothy 1:5 answers the question: “When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice which I am persuaded is in you also.”
Timothy’s mother and grandmother taught him early, and he became one of the most powerful leaders in the first century church.
Deuteronomy 6:7 also reminds us to always be teaching God’s truth to our children: “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”
7. Biblical doctrine stirs the heart and mind.
“Heart” refers to the core of a person’s being, and it is significant that the Bible mentions the heart 826 times.
Proverbs 4:23 explains that out of the heart “spring the issues of life.”
From the heart proceed our good and bad thoughts, emotions, and behavior. So preparing the soil of a child’s or teen’s heart is crucial if we want to plant the seeds of Biblical truth and see them grow to maturity.
The Bible also commands us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind. And Romans 10:10 makes the point: “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Because there is no application without acquisition.
If we want to see our children, friends and family apply Biblical truth to all areas of life, they must first know what the truth is. Knowledge means the acquisition of truth; wisdom means the application of truth.
So where do we find knowledge and wisdom?
Proverbs 2: 6 explains, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding”
Proverbs 9:10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
And Proverbs 1:7: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”
If adults and teens are to acquire wisdom and knowledge, we must encourage them to study Biblical doctrine and come to understand the character and nature of God it reveals.
Biblical doctrine convicts those that contradict.
Titus 1:9 says: “Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.” The scriptures are great at setting the record straight—whether in theology, doctrine, or lifestyle.
Remember, too, what 2 Timothy 3: 16 says: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
10. Biblical doctrine will last forever.
The Bible says that grass withers and the flower fades but the Word of God stands forever. The reason is, as John 1:1 tells us, the Word of God is God: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”
So, when we commit ourselves to teaching and training hearts and minds with the Word of God, we are planting in the lives of others something that will last through all eternity.
11. Because lives are at stake, and it is appointed unto every man to die once and then face judgment.
Pay close attention to James 5:19-20: “Brethren, if any among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”
Marching Orders
Would a fireman ignore a fire alarm, lean back in his recliner and watch the rest of the ballgame as hundreds of souls perish in a burning office building? Would an emergency room doctor sip coffee in the break room, reading the latest fishing magazine and ignore the Code Blue alert over the hospital P.A. system? Yet today, Christian school administrators, Sunday School teachers, youth pastors, senior pastors, Christian college professors and presidents, deacons, elders, and parents are just as culpable as they ignore the warnings, the cultural flashing lights, and all the social sirens that scream a spiritual Code Blue—the warning of imminent spiritual and eternal death.
Many of them won’t be disturbed because they are busy entertaining and being entertained. They won’t be distracted because they caught up giving adults and teens what they want, not what they need. They rally to be inclusive, not offensive. They’re committed to consensus more than truth, customers over converts, donors over disciples, a big tent over the narrow way, and self-actualization over self-sacrifice. They will not be awakened from their malaise because they don’t want to change their priorities or practice. The Christian life they falsely conjure offers everything and requires nothing.
Yet we should not be discouraged. God has seldom, if ever, moved among the majority, but He has historically and providentially worked among a remnant. And believe me, there is a remnant. It’s thrilling to see how many and how strong they are who flock to Worldview Weekends because they know their need. As you read this book and share it with your children, you are part of that vestige of hope.
I thank God someone once spoke doctrine into my life, revealed the true condition of my heart and mind, and declared Code Blue for my soul. It’s time we declare Code Blue for the American church and return to teaching sound Biblical doctrine before any more step unwittingly into eternity. I pray that this little book will be used by thousands of parents and grandparents to teach their children Christian doctrine. If we remain faithful to teaching a Biblical worldview and teaching sound theology, we will see lives saved for Christ.
This is an excerpt from Brannon’s new book: Building A Biblical Worldview Verse by Verse. Click here for more information or to order your copy:
http://www.worldviewweekend.com/secure/store/product.php?ProductID=483
By Brannon Howse
Besides the all-important reason of keeping people from having to hear Jesus say “depart from me,” there are 11 benefits here and now of teaching Biblical doctrine.
1. Biblical doctrine builds discernment and reveals the will of God for our lives.
• Discernment
What parent does not want their children to have discernment to make Godly decisions? Discernment and sound judgment are a by-products of teaching Biblical doctrine.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 says, “but test everything, hold fast what is good.”
And Romans 12:2 commands, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
• Revealing the will of God for our lives
In John 7:17 Jesus said, “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.
2. Biblical doctrine prepares us for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
3. There has been a vast falling away from Biblical truth.
The Bible describes this great apostasy or this falling away from Biblical truth in 2 Timothy 4:3-4:
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ear away from truth and be turned aside to fables.”
4. False teaching is destroying lives.
Enemies of the truth know exactly how to encourage false teaching: “Education is thus a most powerful ally of humanism. What can the theistic Sunday schools, meeting for an hour once a week, and teaching only a fraction of the children, do to stem the tide of a five-day program of humanistic teaching?”
—1933, Charles Francis Potter, Humanism: A New Religion 1
And Colossians 2:8 prescribes the antidote: “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”
5. Biblical doctrine is not boring but a strong mooring.
As I said earlier, most self-professing Christians cannot articulate, much less defend, the essential doctrines of the Christian faith, but why is it that we spend so much time on things that will not last and that do not matter? Adults as well as teens can tell you all about pop culture, about sports teams and superstars but can these same teens and adults tell you how we know Jesus is God, how we know the Bible is true, or how we know Jesus rose from the dead?
Biblical doctrine is the Gospel, the will of God for our lives. It is what Jesus talked about during his earthly ministry. In spite of how it’s sometimes been presented, the real picture of Jesus and His teachings is riveting. Jesus commanded respect, inspired commitment, and renewed lives in ruin.
6. Biblical doctrine taught early and consistently builds a faith that lasts.
In 2 Timothy 3:15 Paul, speaking about Timothy, says, “And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
Who was it that taught Timothy the scriptures from such an early age? 2 Timothy 1:5 answers the question: “When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice which I am persuaded is in you also.”
Timothy’s mother and grandmother taught him early, and he became one of the most powerful leaders in the first century church.
Deuteronomy 6:7 also reminds us to always be teaching God’s truth to our children: “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”
7. Biblical doctrine stirs the heart and mind.
“Heart” refers to the core of a person’s being, and it is significant that the Bible mentions the heart 826 times.
Proverbs 4:23 explains that out of the heart “spring the issues of life.”
From the heart proceed our good and bad thoughts, emotions, and behavior. So preparing the soil of a child’s or teen’s heart is crucial if we want to plant the seeds of Biblical truth and see them grow to maturity.
The Bible also commands us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind. And Romans 10:10 makes the point: “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Because there is no application without acquisition.
If we want to see our children, friends and family apply Biblical truth to all areas of life, they must first know what the truth is. Knowledge means the acquisition of truth; wisdom means the application of truth.
So where do we find knowledge and wisdom?
Proverbs 2: 6 explains, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding”
Proverbs 9:10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
And Proverbs 1:7: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”
If adults and teens are to acquire wisdom and knowledge, we must encourage them to study Biblical doctrine and come to understand the character and nature of God it reveals.
Biblical doctrine convicts those that contradict.
Titus 1:9 says: “Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.” The scriptures are great at setting the record straight—whether in theology, doctrine, or lifestyle.
Remember, too, what 2 Timothy 3: 16 says: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
10. Biblical doctrine will last forever.
The Bible says that grass withers and the flower fades but the Word of God stands forever. The reason is, as John 1:1 tells us, the Word of God is God: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”
So, when we commit ourselves to teaching and training hearts and minds with the Word of God, we are planting in the lives of others something that will last through all eternity.
11. Because lives are at stake, and it is appointed unto every man to die once and then face judgment.
Pay close attention to James 5:19-20: “Brethren, if any among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”
Marching Orders
Would a fireman ignore a fire alarm, lean back in his recliner and watch the rest of the ballgame as hundreds of souls perish in a burning office building? Would an emergency room doctor sip coffee in the break room, reading the latest fishing magazine and ignore the Code Blue alert over the hospital P.A. system? Yet today, Christian school administrators, Sunday School teachers, youth pastors, senior pastors, Christian college professors and presidents, deacons, elders, and parents are just as culpable as they ignore the warnings, the cultural flashing lights, and all the social sirens that scream a spiritual Code Blue—the warning of imminent spiritual and eternal death.
Many of them won’t be disturbed because they are busy entertaining and being entertained. They won’t be distracted because they caught up giving adults and teens what they want, not what they need. They rally to be inclusive, not offensive. They’re committed to consensus more than truth, customers over converts, donors over disciples, a big tent over the narrow way, and self-actualization over self-sacrifice. They will not be awakened from their malaise because they don’t want to change their priorities or practice. The Christian life they falsely conjure offers everything and requires nothing.
Yet we should not be discouraged. God has seldom, if ever, moved among the majority, but He has historically and providentially worked among a remnant. And believe me, there is a remnant. It’s thrilling to see how many and how strong they are who flock to Worldview Weekends because they know their need. As you read this book and share it with your children, you are part of that vestige of hope.
I thank God someone once spoke doctrine into my life, revealed the true condition of my heart and mind, and declared Code Blue for my soul. It’s time we declare Code Blue for the American church and return to teaching sound Biblical doctrine before any more step unwittingly into eternity. I pray that this little book will be used by thousands of parents and grandparents to teach their children Christian doctrine. If we remain faithful to teaching a Biblical worldview and teaching sound theology, we will see lives saved for Christ.
This is an excerpt from Brannon’s new book: Building A Biblical Worldview Verse by Verse. Click here for more information or to order your copy:
http://www.worldviewweekend.com/secure/store/product.php?ProductID=483
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Science Falsely So Called
The Fundamental Mistake of Theistic Evolutionists
by Jason Carlson and Ron Carlson
One of the most common charges the Christian evolutionists bring against the young earth creationists is that in disregarding the theory of evolution, young earth creationists are disregarding science itself. Christian evolutionists often argue that in holding onto a literal reading of the Genesis record of the history of creation, Christians are in danger of making the same mistake that they made with Galileo back in the 17th century. They claim that a literal reading of the creation account in Genesis does not correspond to the widely held “scientific” views of today; just like the 17th century Church’s reading of biblical passages which describe the movement of the sun did not correspond to the scientific observations of Galileo. Thus, Christian evolutionists fear that once again, the church is in danger of looking like fools to the more enlightened “scientific” community. As a result of their fear of looking irrelevant to the “scientific” community, theistic evolutionists abandon the creation record of God’s word in favor of the more widely held theory of evolution.
Unfortunately, theistic evolutionists have gotten their history of Galileo all wrong. The problem with the Church during the time of Galileo was not that they were using the Bible to help them interpret the scientific evidence of the day, but rather, the Church had allowed the dominant philosophies and science of the day to influence their reading of scripture. Prior to Galileo, the dominant scientific viewpoint regarding the universe was that the earth was the center of everything; and thus, the sun, planets, and stars all revolved around the earth. This theory was first developed by pagan philosophers like Aristotle (384-322 BC) and Ptolemy (AD 2nd century); and later was adopted as the most plausible scientific explanation throughout academia and the Church. Thus, the Church had allowed their reading and interpretation of scripture to be influenced by the false theories of pagan philosophers, which had been adopted by the scientists of the day.
The real point of the Galileo story is not that science made the Church look foolish, but rather, the Church looked foolish because they had given up a correct reading of scripture for the sake of accommodating the dominant pagan theories of the day. The Galileo story is actually an indictment against Christian evolutionists. Christian evolutionists have abandoned the literal history of God’s creation account in Genesis for the sake of accommodating the popular, man-made theories of today. In doing this, they are the ones who risk making the Church look foolish; for abandoning the biblical record of creation will never get one closer to true science. God’s word is not incompatible with true science; and true science will never discredit God’s word, because God’s word is an accurate and trustworthy record of God’s work in the world.
The fundamental mistake that is being made by Christian evolutionists all over the world is this: they are equating science with the theory of evolution. They have bought into a false definition that says “science equals evolution.” Thus, if someone legitimately questions the validity of the theory of evolution, theistic evolutionists assume that they are attacking science. This is 180 degrees from the truth. Young earth creationists are thoroughly committed to science and its method of observation and experimentation, along with its self-correcting abilities of verification and falsification based on the observable and repeatable evidence. Young earth creationists have no problem with science.
However, by equating science with the theory of evolution, Christian evolutionists have set up a false dichotomy between science and a literal reading of the biblical record of creation. Thus, anytime a young earth creationist raises a scientific argument that is based on a literal reading of the biblical record of creation, theistic evolutionists discount it right away as being unscientific. Christian evolutionists have redefined “science” so that any framework of interpretation that is not consistent with the theory of evolution is “unscientific”. Therefore, they are able to make the claim that since young earth creationists are not evolutionists, they are not true scientists.
I have observed this redefinition of the word “science” by Christian evolutionists on numerous occasions. In one recent debate that I participated in, a theistic evolutionist made statements such as: “Young earth creationists come from Christian homes where scientific insights are systematically denied”; and “you have the worldview of science and the worldview of young earth creationists”; additionally “if you accept the Bible only you deny the insights from the natural world of science.” These statements, and others like them, are completely false. They are false because in each of these statements the Christian evolutionist has made the mistake of equating science with the theory of evolution.
Christian evolutionists need to rethink this false dichotomy that they have bought into. Young earth creationists are not anti-science; far from it. In fact, history shows that all of the founders of the modern scientific disciplines and the discoverers of the most important scientific insights were committed biblical creationists, people like: Kepler, Bacon, Boyle, Galileo, Hooke, Newton, Pasteur, Mendel, and Linnaeus, to name but a few.[1] Each of these scientists recognized the fact that the world had been created by an intelligent Creator; and because of this, we are able to observe and experiment to gain logical and rational answers about our world and how it works. Thus, the real issue is not between science and a literal reading of the biblical creation account; rather, the correct issue is between a theory of interpretation called “evolution” and the biblical account of creation.
There are a number of important facts that theistic evolutionists need to grasp in order to free themselves from their bondage to this false definition of “science equals evolution”. The first thing Christian evolutionists need to understand is that true science does not equal evolution. This is often a hard realization for someone who has been trained their entire life to view science only through the interpretive paradigm of Darwinian evolution. However, unless the Christian evolutionist can distinguish the interpretive framework of evolution from the true discipline of observation and experimentation, which is actual science, they will never have a proper understanding of the relationship between the created world and the inspired record of God’s word.
The second concept that Christian evolutionists need to come to terms with is that both evolutionists and creationists are looking at the same scientific evidence and data. The question is not the evidence, but how you interpret the evidence. So, the real issue is this: does the scientific evidence best fit an interpretive model of evolution or an interpretive model based on the biblical account of creation? Unless theistic evolutionists can distinguish between the observable evidence and their interpretive framework for making sense of the evidence (the theory of evolution), they will never free themselves from their false definition of “science equals evolution”. Furthermore, if theistic evolutionists fail to make this distinction, they will always be forced into a position of abandoning the true record and testimony of God’s word regarding creation and the early earth; for God’s word simply does not allow for the theory of evolution.
The third realization that Christian evolutionists need to embrace in order to free themselves from the false definition of “science equals evolution” is this: Young earth creationists have no problem with the scientific realities of natural selection, survival of the fittest, adaptation, mutation, or microevolution (horizontal change within species). These are all established facts of science that are observed everyday around the world. Young earth creationists only take issue with the idea of macroevolution (one species evolving into another species). This concept, unlike the others, is not an established fact of science and has never been observed anywhere or at any time. Once again, young earth creationists have no problem with true science. True scientific observations, like the ones mentioned above, are in no way incompatible with the biblical record of God’s creation. In fact, they fit into the biblical record of creation, the effects of the fall, and the results of the global flood of Noah perfectly.
Christian evolutionists need to recognize that the issue is not between science and a literal reading of the Genesis record of creation. Rather, the issue is over how you interpret the scientific evidence. Once they make this recognition, then we can properly discuss the scientific evidence as seen through the lenses of the two models of origins and determine which model best fits the scientific facts: the theory of evolution or young earth creationism? As I shared earlier, we all have the same scientific facts. The question is: how are you going to interpret the scientific facts and which interpretive model do they more logically fit? Once Christian evolutionists recognize this issue, then we can honestly dialogue about cosmology, geology, paleontology, biology, chemistry, etc.
We all agree that God created the universe and our world, but the question is how? If we are ever going to answer this question correctly, we need to get back to the practice of true science, let’s not limit the discussion to only one framework of interpretation, and let’s allow for the possibility that the Genesis record of creation could be literally true. This is the only way that we will ever be able to engage in an honest pursuit of the truth; the truth revealed in the natural world and the truth revealed in scripture.
Christian evolutionists should be overjoyed to learn that they no longer have to be held in bondage to the false definition of “science equals evolution”. For a Christian especially, science is a wonderful pursuit. The more we observe and learn about the natural world, the closer we come to understanding who our Creator is and how he works. Furthermore, Christian scientists need not be ashamed of the biblical record of creation. The biblical record of creation is not at odds with science; it may be at odds with an interpretive model of the scientific evidence, but it is not at odds with true science itself. The Bible is God’s inspired record of his work in the world; part of that record is his revelation regarding his creative activity. The beautiful thing is that since God is both the Author of scripture and the Creator of the natural world, both of these arenas are an accurate reflection of the other; both the testimony of scripture and the witness of the observable scientific evidence declare this to be true. Christians need not fear science. Neither should we abandon the biblical record of creation. God’s word is consistent and true. God’s creation is consistent and true. And Christians can enthusiastically embrace both of these wonderful revelations of God’s truth.
by Jason Carlson and Ron Carlson
One of the most common charges the Christian evolutionists bring against the young earth creationists is that in disregarding the theory of evolution, young earth creationists are disregarding science itself. Christian evolutionists often argue that in holding onto a literal reading of the Genesis record of the history of creation, Christians are in danger of making the same mistake that they made with Galileo back in the 17th century. They claim that a literal reading of the creation account in Genesis does not correspond to the widely held “scientific” views of today; just like the 17th century Church’s reading of biblical passages which describe the movement of the sun did not correspond to the scientific observations of Galileo. Thus, Christian evolutionists fear that once again, the church is in danger of looking like fools to the more enlightened “scientific” community. As a result of their fear of looking irrelevant to the “scientific” community, theistic evolutionists abandon the creation record of God’s word in favor of the more widely held theory of evolution.
Unfortunately, theistic evolutionists have gotten their history of Galileo all wrong. The problem with the Church during the time of Galileo was not that they were using the Bible to help them interpret the scientific evidence of the day, but rather, the Church had allowed the dominant philosophies and science of the day to influence their reading of scripture. Prior to Galileo, the dominant scientific viewpoint regarding the universe was that the earth was the center of everything; and thus, the sun, planets, and stars all revolved around the earth. This theory was first developed by pagan philosophers like Aristotle (384-322 BC) and Ptolemy (AD 2nd century); and later was adopted as the most plausible scientific explanation throughout academia and the Church. Thus, the Church had allowed their reading and interpretation of scripture to be influenced by the false theories of pagan philosophers, which had been adopted by the scientists of the day.
The real point of the Galileo story is not that science made the Church look foolish, but rather, the Church looked foolish because they had given up a correct reading of scripture for the sake of accommodating the dominant pagan theories of the day. The Galileo story is actually an indictment against Christian evolutionists. Christian evolutionists have abandoned the literal history of God’s creation account in Genesis for the sake of accommodating the popular, man-made theories of today. In doing this, they are the ones who risk making the Church look foolish; for abandoning the biblical record of creation will never get one closer to true science. God’s word is not incompatible with true science; and true science will never discredit God’s word, because God’s word is an accurate and trustworthy record of God’s work in the world.
The fundamental mistake that is being made by Christian evolutionists all over the world is this: they are equating science with the theory of evolution. They have bought into a false definition that says “science equals evolution.” Thus, if someone legitimately questions the validity of the theory of evolution, theistic evolutionists assume that they are attacking science. This is 180 degrees from the truth. Young earth creationists are thoroughly committed to science and its method of observation and experimentation, along with its self-correcting abilities of verification and falsification based on the observable and repeatable evidence. Young earth creationists have no problem with science.
However, by equating science with the theory of evolution, Christian evolutionists have set up a false dichotomy between science and a literal reading of the biblical record of creation. Thus, anytime a young earth creationist raises a scientific argument that is based on a literal reading of the biblical record of creation, theistic evolutionists discount it right away as being unscientific. Christian evolutionists have redefined “science” so that any framework of interpretation that is not consistent with the theory of evolution is “unscientific”. Therefore, they are able to make the claim that since young earth creationists are not evolutionists, they are not true scientists.
I have observed this redefinition of the word “science” by Christian evolutionists on numerous occasions. In one recent debate that I participated in, a theistic evolutionist made statements such as: “Young earth creationists come from Christian homes where scientific insights are systematically denied”; and “you have the worldview of science and the worldview of young earth creationists”; additionally “if you accept the Bible only you deny the insights from the natural world of science.” These statements, and others like them, are completely false. They are false because in each of these statements the Christian evolutionist has made the mistake of equating science with the theory of evolution.
Christian evolutionists need to rethink this false dichotomy that they have bought into. Young earth creationists are not anti-science; far from it. In fact, history shows that all of the founders of the modern scientific disciplines and the discoverers of the most important scientific insights were committed biblical creationists, people like: Kepler, Bacon, Boyle, Galileo, Hooke, Newton, Pasteur, Mendel, and Linnaeus, to name but a few.[1] Each of these scientists recognized the fact that the world had been created by an intelligent Creator; and because of this, we are able to observe and experiment to gain logical and rational answers about our world and how it works. Thus, the real issue is not between science and a literal reading of the biblical creation account; rather, the correct issue is between a theory of interpretation called “evolution” and the biblical account of creation.
There are a number of important facts that theistic evolutionists need to grasp in order to free themselves from their bondage to this false definition of “science equals evolution”. The first thing Christian evolutionists need to understand is that true science does not equal evolution. This is often a hard realization for someone who has been trained their entire life to view science only through the interpretive paradigm of Darwinian evolution. However, unless the Christian evolutionist can distinguish the interpretive framework of evolution from the true discipline of observation and experimentation, which is actual science, they will never have a proper understanding of the relationship between the created world and the inspired record of God’s word.
The second concept that Christian evolutionists need to come to terms with is that both evolutionists and creationists are looking at the same scientific evidence and data. The question is not the evidence, but how you interpret the evidence. So, the real issue is this: does the scientific evidence best fit an interpretive model of evolution or an interpretive model based on the biblical account of creation? Unless theistic evolutionists can distinguish between the observable evidence and their interpretive framework for making sense of the evidence (the theory of evolution), they will never free themselves from their false definition of “science equals evolution”. Furthermore, if theistic evolutionists fail to make this distinction, they will always be forced into a position of abandoning the true record and testimony of God’s word regarding creation and the early earth; for God’s word simply does not allow for the theory of evolution.
The third realization that Christian evolutionists need to embrace in order to free themselves from the false definition of “science equals evolution” is this: Young earth creationists have no problem with the scientific realities of natural selection, survival of the fittest, adaptation, mutation, or microevolution (horizontal change within species). These are all established facts of science that are observed everyday around the world. Young earth creationists only take issue with the idea of macroevolution (one species evolving into another species). This concept, unlike the others, is not an established fact of science and has never been observed anywhere or at any time. Once again, young earth creationists have no problem with true science. True scientific observations, like the ones mentioned above, are in no way incompatible with the biblical record of God’s creation. In fact, they fit into the biblical record of creation, the effects of the fall, and the results of the global flood of Noah perfectly.
Christian evolutionists need to recognize that the issue is not between science and a literal reading of the Genesis record of creation. Rather, the issue is over how you interpret the scientific evidence. Once they make this recognition, then we can properly discuss the scientific evidence as seen through the lenses of the two models of origins and determine which model best fits the scientific facts: the theory of evolution or young earth creationism? As I shared earlier, we all have the same scientific facts. The question is: how are you going to interpret the scientific facts and which interpretive model do they more logically fit? Once Christian evolutionists recognize this issue, then we can honestly dialogue about cosmology, geology, paleontology, biology, chemistry, etc.
We all agree that God created the universe and our world, but the question is how? If we are ever going to answer this question correctly, we need to get back to the practice of true science, let’s not limit the discussion to only one framework of interpretation, and let’s allow for the possibility that the Genesis record of creation could be literally true. This is the only way that we will ever be able to engage in an honest pursuit of the truth; the truth revealed in the natural world and the truth revealed in scripture.
Christian evolutionists should be overjoyed to learn that they no longer have to be held in bondage to the false definition of “science equals evolution”. For a Christian especially, science is a wonderful pursuit. The more we observe and learn about the natural world, the closer we come to understanding who our Creator is and how he works. Furthermore, Christian scientists need not be ashamed of the biblical record of creation. The biblical record of creation is not at odds with science; it may be at odds with an interpretive model of the scientific evidence, but it is not at odds with true science itself. The Bible is God’s inspired record of his work in the world; part of that record is his revelation regarding his creative activity. The beautiful thing is that since God is both the Author of scripture and the Creator of the natural world, both of these arenas are an accurate reflection of the other; both the testimony of scripture and the witness of the observable scientific evidence declare this to be true. Christians need not fear science. Neither should we abandon the biblical record of creation. God’s word is consistent and true. God’s creation is consistent and true. And Christians can enthusiastically embrace both of these wonderful revelations of God’s truth.
Friday, February 16, 2007
How do you do it?
We get many questions relating to caring for and managing so many kids. I would have to say the most frequent is about how we manage to get them to be quiet, courteous, and well-behaved in public. There are many aspects to this, starting with the age of the child when he or she comes to live with us. It is MUCH easier to train a baby from the beginning than to try and re-mold the heart of a 9 year old. So since it is so vast a question and has so many possible answers, I decided to pick the one 'theme' that would answer most any of them:
Mean what you say!!!!!
I have seen so many parents who warn a child repeatedly, threaten, bribe, excuse, and make light of a child's disrespect. The bottom line is that the child knows there is always a way around it. Not in my house. That's the difference. My kids are not brainwashed, genetically programmed (and the refuting evidence for those who think good kids are just born to lucky parents is the fact that we have kids who are not biologically related to one another or us as parents), or just extra-cheerful kids. They are kids. But they know I mean business. When I say anything, there is weight to my words because I have proven that I will follow through. I do not say "sit down or I will smack your butt" only to say "I said sit down" 30 seconds later. This is also why I do not believe in giving 1st, 2nd, and 3rd warnings or counting to 10. There is an established space of grace in those tactics (I can misbehave until she gets to 9).
One of the troubles we were having for a while was the attempt at trying to get away with something because others are around. I do not wish to embarrass my children or myself by disciplining in front of others. It also makes an adult nervous to be in the middle of a parent and child during a correction. But my kids picked up on this and tried to use it to their advantage. We did speak to them en masse once about the fact that disobedience in front of other would not be a protection. So when the two girls decided to pinch one another at the end of the church service, I directed each one to a corner to stand in. Now this is not the way I would handle it at home. And although these were my girls, we must be very careful about any corporal punishment in public because as foster parents, we are held to different rules for those in our care. But I knew enough that having to walk over to that corner and stand in it with the people of the church socializing around them would be enough of a weight to show my intentions, and it worked. I did not have to do it a second time.
To avoid the image that my kids are cowering in fear, I want to explain that most of our approach is centered in the grace of God, and in camaraderie. We both hold ourselves accountable in front of the children for God's commands, and evoke their sense of belonging and teamwork to gain their cooperation. They take great joy in having others come up to us and comment on what a nice family and what wonderful children we have. We have explained to them that this is a very powerful witness to the world, and they love God and want to both please Him and share the gospel with others. As young as they are, they are careful not to call bad attention to themselves because they know it will tarnish the name of Christ. Is that amazing or what?
And our kids have plenty of time to be kids. They play in the mud and snow and rain. They laugh out loud, and in snickers when they have a funny surprise waiting for me. They are not being deprived of anything by being expected to behave. In fact, I would argue that they are being given more. They are learning now to control themselves, rather than being let go to do as they wish only to grow up into a world full of rules. They know why we require what we do, and that we mean it, and that takes away the need to try and figure it out. We would all rather know what is expected of us, wouldn't we?
Mean what you say!!!!!
I have seen so many parents who warn a child repeatedly, threaten, bribe, excuse, and make light of a child's disrespect. The bottom line is that the child knows there is always a way around it. Not in my house. That's the difference. My kids are not brainwashed, genetically programmed (and the refuting evidence for those who think good kids are just born to lucky parents is the fact that we have kids who are not biologically related to one another or us as parents), or just extra-cheerful kids. They are kids. But they know I mean business. When I say anything, there is weight to my words because I have proven that I will follow through. I do not say "sit down or I will smack your butt" only to say "I said sit down" 30 seconds later. This is also why I do not believe in giving 1st, 2nd, and 3rd warnings or counting to 10. There is an established space of grace in those tactics (I can misbehave until she gets to 9).
One of the troubles we were having for a while was the attempt at trying to get away with something because others are around. I do not wish to embarrass my children or myself by disciplining in front of others. It also makes an adult nervous to be in the middle of a parent and child during a correction. But my kids picked up on this and tried to use it to their advantage. We did speak to them en masse once about the fact that disobedience in front of other would not be a protection. So when the two girls decided to pinch one another at the end of the church service, I directed each one to a corner to stand in. Now this is not the way I would handle it at home. And although these were my girls, we must be very careful about any corporal punishment in public because as foster parents, we are held to different rules for those in our care. But I knew enough that having to walk over to that corner and stand in it with the people of the church socializing around them would be enough of a weight to show my intentions, and it worked. I did not have to do it a second time.
To avoid the image that my kids are cowering in fear, I want to explain that most of our approach is centered in the grace of God, and in camaraderie. We both hold ourselves accountable in front of the children for God's commands, and evoke their sense of belonging and teamwork to gain their cooperation. They take great joy in having others come up to us and comment on what a nice family and what wonderful children we have. We have explained to them that this is a very powerful witness to the world, and they love God and want to both please Him and share the gospel with others. As young as they are, they are careful not to call bad attention to themselves because they know it will tarnish the name of Christ. Is that amazing or what?
And our kids have plenty of time to be kids. They play in the mud and snow and rain. They laugh out loud, and in snickers when they have a funny surprise waiting for me. They are not being deprived of anything by being expected to behave. In fact, I would argue that they are being given more. They are learning now to control themselves, rather than being let go to do as they wish only to grow up into a world full of rules. They know why we require what we do, and that we mean it, and that takes away the need to try and figure it out. We would all rather know what is expected of us, wouldn't we?
Friday, February 9, 2007
Wal-Mart Math
Math lessons are everywhere if you are paying attention. We had some appointment in town yesterday and had time to stop at Wal-Mart to get the baby's birthday portraits taken. There were several racks of clearance clothing, and though the sign might say $5.00, the item might actually be marked down further and not be tagged correctly yet. So we spent about an hour with the kids finding appropriate clothes, seeing what the tag said and what the sign on the rack said, and then checking on one of the price-check machines to see what the price really was. It was fun, got something accomplished, and the kids were working on math. Each had a certain budget to work with for purchasing, and they were very savvy consumers! They knew enough to see that the two-piece sets for $5.00 were a better deal than separates at $3.00 each. And we literally had a cart heaping full of clothes for very little money, as the cashier noted (actually, she jokingly said something about us robbing Wal-Mart), and when someone with an un-approving look at the exit asked if there wasn't school today, I smiled. Those kids were doing their math!
It took me a very long time to adjust to the idea of Homeschooling not being Public School in a Home Setting. I bought books and workbooks and visual aids and manipulatives and CDs, and then felt smothered by the amount of space the schooling was requiring. Don't get me wrong- I want to teach my own kids and am certainly willing to sacrifice to do it, but I saw stacks of items that were never touched. I started to think about those pioneers I dream of being like so often, such as Abraham Lincoln, and how they did not have mountains of books and materials. I also remember my own school years and how the lessons I remember most are those I was interested in and that made sense in life. The same is true for college, just last year! I do not remember much at all about most of the required classes I took to become a 'well-rounded' student, but I remember those history classes and the geography. Those were fun! I also learned more in math class, though my pride got in my way at first to be required to take college math after having completed Calculus and Trigonometry in High School (but it was too long ago to count) because the college book gave examples that were applicable to life, such as figuring out the interest rate on your home and how to pay it off sooner or determining the best food choice by factoring out the calories versus the serving sizes. I actually did an assignment on the sodium content in various flavors of Hamburger Helper!
Learning does not have to take place at a desk for a certain amount of time and in a certain pattern. It is everywhere in everything we do with our children, and learning to let go of the notions that we must be rigid and follow anything but the Lord and our own parent hearts is very freeing!
Wal-Mart is usually pretty empty on Thursday mornings. Maybe we'll start making it a regular field trip. The possible lessons to find there are endless!
It took me a very long time to adjust to the idea of Homeschooling not being Public School in a Home Setting. I bought books and workbooks and visual aids and manipulatives and CDs, and then felt smothered by the amount of space the schooling was requiring. Don't get me wrong- I want to teach my own kids and am certainly willing to sacrifice to do it, but I saw stacks of items that were never touched. I started to think about those pioneers I dream of being like so often, such as Abraham Lincoln, and how they did not have mountains of books and materials. I also remember my own school years and how the lessons I remember most are those I was interested in and that made sense in life. The same is true for college, just last year! I do not remember much at all about most of the required classes I took to become a 'well-rounded' student, but I remember those history classes and the geography. Those were fun! I also learned more in math class, though my pride got in my way at first to be required to take college math after having completed Calculus and Trigonometry in High School (but it was too long ago to count) because the college book gave examples that were applicable to life, such as figuring out the interest rate on your home and how to pay it off sooner or determining the best food choice by factoring out the calories versus the serving sizes. I actually did an assignment on the sodium content in various flavors of Hamburger Helper!
Learning does not have to take place at a desk for a certain amount of time and in a certain pattern. It is everywhere in everything we do with our children, and learning to let go of the notions that we must be rigid and follow anything but the Lord and our own parent hearts is very freeing!
Wal-Mart is usually pretty empty on Thursday mornings. Maybe we'll start making it a regular field trip. The possible lessons to find there are endless!
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Old Fashioned Wisdom
I ran across a book in the library, just walking by and saw it on the shelf, which I think is very interesting. The title is Keeping Hearth and Home in Old Ohio by Carol Padgett, ISBN#0-89732-420-X This is a compilation of old recipes, advice, and instructions for women. The first section tells a girl what she should do while still in her father's house, and then it moves to being married and keeping a home of her own. Some of the medicinal advice may be folklore (I have not researched them) but much of it is very good advice, causing me to wonder when everyone became so haughty that they threw away the old wisdom for new ideas that don't work anyway.
There are a few quotes that I don't hold to agreeing with myself (such as not to marry a man who has more money than your own family) and much of the spiritual advice is very general, but this is altogether a very neat little book. I intend to put it in the Hope Chests. It also makes a great vocabulary book for a young woman, full of words which are hardly in use any more.
Here is a sampling of what's inside:
"Remember Cleanliness. The last thing you should do before beginning to cook is to wash your hands and clean your nails.
Prepare Ingredients. Prepare each ingredient for mixing, that the dish may not be delayed when half finished because the flour is not sifted, the "shortening" not warmed, the sugar and butter not creamed, the meat not cut up, or the herb not minced.
Save Failures for Yourself. Scorched soups and custards, sour bread, biscuit yellow with soda, and cake heavy as lead come under the head of "hopeless". They are absolutely unfit to be set before civilized beings and educated stomachs, Should such mishaps occur, lock the memory of the attempt in your own bosom, and do not vex or amuse your guests with the narration, still less with visible proof of the calamity." Padgett, Page 109
There are a few quotes that I don't hold to agreeing with myself (such as not to marry a man who has more money than your own family) and much of the spiritual advice is very general, but this is altogether a very neat little book. I intend to put it in the Hope Chests. It also makes a great vocabulary book for a young woman, full of words which are hardly in use any more.
Here is a sampling of what's inside:
"Remember Cleanliness. The last thing you should do before beginning to cook is to wash your hands and clean your nails.
Prepare Ingredients. Prepare each ingredient for mixing, that the dish may not be delayed when half finished because the flour is not sifted, the "shortening" not warmed, the sugar and butter not creamed, the meat not cut up, or the herb not minced.
Save Failures for Yourself. Scorched soups and custards, sour bread, biscuit yellow with soda, and cake heavy as lead come under the head of "hopeless". They are absolutely unfit to be set before civilized beings and educated stomachs, Should such mishaps occur, lock the memory of the attempt in your own bosom, and do not vex or amuse your guests with the narration, still less with visible proof of the calamity." Padgett, Page 109
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