Over Labor Day weekend, I was privileged to hear a very encouraging sermon by our pastor, Mac Williams. Ever since leaving the work force to stay home with my children, I have struggled with finding fulfillment. I love my children. I love homeschooling them. I love preparing healthy foods for my family and making sure that our home runs smoothly. But there has always been that thought that I should be doing more. At first, I missed the financial benefits of working outside the home. Over the years, though, my struggle has stemmed more from my perception of the teaching of many churches that we need to be active in ministry outside our homes. Then there is a sense that as a Christian, I should be doing more than "just" taking care of my family and schooling my children.
Pastor Mac spoke about the "Doctrine of Vocation," the idea that God changes the world by common people living out their faith in their everyday lives. We don't need to be ministers or missionaries to be included in God's plans for the increase of His kingdom. At least three times, Pastor Mac mentioned housewives and parents fulfilling their roles in the Kingdom of God by caring for their families and children. I needed to be reminded of that, to be encouraged that God's work for me is right in front of me everyday.
It was also a good reminder to me that by constantly seeking for "other things" that I should be doing, I may very well be neglecting the very work that God has chosen for me. If you need that reminder or encouragement, you can check out the sermon at www.tworiverscc.org. Click on the sermons link, then check out "The Sacred Calling of Work" from 9/1/2013.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
The Case for Good Taste in Children's Books
A friend once commented to me that rejoicing over your children reading comic books simply because they were reading was like feeding them candy and rejoicing because they were finally eating something. Neither should be our goal for our kids.
Understanding that some have extenuating circumstances in teaching reading to their children, I would still encourage everyone to press on toward the goal of reading better materials. No matter where you are on the reading spectrum, there is always room for improvement. At a young age, my children could not read primary sources or the great classics themselves. However, that was my ultimate goal, so we read non-fiction books that contained quotes from primary sources whenever possible and fiction books that were adaptations of the great books I hoped they would read some day.
So I was pleasantly surprised to see this month's Imprimis (publication of Hillsdale College) titled, "The Case for Good Taste in Children's Books." It was adapted from a speech given by Meghan Cox Gurdon, a children's book reviewer.
Ms. Gurdon laments the "increasingly dark current" running through young adult fiction. She says that this category of books has become "increasingly lurid, grotesque, profane, sexual, and ugly." She believes that adults ought to discriminate between good and bad books for their children, just as we make judgements about what is good, healthy, and beautiful in every other area of our lives. She encourages parents to steer our children toward books "that make aesthetic and moral claims." She talks about the rare few books that are "filled with wisdom and beauty and answers to important questions. These are the books that have lasted because generation after generation has seen in them something transcendent, and has passed them on."
As you choose books for your children to read this year (or better yet, books to read aloud with them), I would encourage you to think about the kinds of books you would like them to choose for themselves when they become adults. You can do much to steer them towards that now by choosing books for them that have good character development, that challenge them to think about truth and beauty, that are adaptations of the great books that have withstood the test of time. Ms. Gurdon puts it this way, "Let me close with Saint Paul the Apostle in Philippians 4:8: '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.' ...And let us think about these words when we go shopping for books for our children."
If you would like to read all of the article, you can do so at www.hillsdale.edu/news/imprimis.asp Happy reading!
Understanding that some have extenuating circumstances in teaching reading to their children, I would still encourage everyone to press on toward the goal of reading better materials. No matter where you are on the reading spectrum, there is always room for improvement. At a young age, my children could not read primary sources or the great classics themselves. However, that was my ultimate goal, so we read non-fiction books that contained quotes from primary sources whenever possible and fiction books that were adaptations of the great books I hoped they would read some day.
So I was pleasantly surprised to see this month's Imprimis (publication of Hillsdale College) titled, "The Case for Good Taste in Children's Books." It was adapted from a speech given by Meghan Cox Gurdon, a children's book reviewer.
Ms. Gurdon laments the "increasingly dark current" running through young adult fiction. She says that this category of books has become "increasingly lurid, grotesque, profane, sexual, and ugly." She believes that adults ought to discriminate between good and bad books for their children, just as we make judgements about what is good, healthy, and beautiful in every other area of our lives. She encourages parents to steer our children toward books "that make aesthetic and moral claims." She talks about the rare few books that are "filled with wisdom and beauty and answers to important questions. These are the books that have lasted because generation after generation has seen in them something transcendent, and has passed them on."
As you choose books for your children to read this year (or better yet, books to read aloud with them), I would encourage you to think about the kinds of books you would like them to choose for themselves when they become adults. You can do much to steer them towards that now by choosing books for them that have good character development, that challenge them to think about truth and beauty, that are adaptations of the great books that have withstood the test of time. Ms. Gurdon puts it this way, "Let me close with Saint Paul the Apostle in Philippians 4:8: '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.' ...And let us think about these words when we go shopping for books for our children."
If you would like to read all of the article, you can do so at www.hillsdale.edu/news/imprimis.asp Happy reading!
Friday, August 9, 2013
NDCHEA Meetings for 2013-2014
September 10 – Vision for the Future. How long will you continue homeschooling? Are you equipped to school through high school? Kirstin English will lead the group in evaluating and accomplishing our long-term goals. Bring a Bible.
October 8 - Fellowship. Is your year off to a great start or do you need some encouragement? Do you have questions or concerns? Fellowship meetings are times for us to discuss problems, rejoice in successes, and ask questions of each other.
November 12- Learning Glitches – Sometimes, super smart kids must work very hard to learn. Lisa Cox will discuss common learning "glitches" and teach some simple exercises that help to correct symptoms such as letter reversals, reading fluency, and crazy spelling patterns. (From Dianne Craft, right-brain, and Orton-Gillingham techniques). A love offering will be taken.
December 10- Fellowship
January 14- Not of the world, but sent into it (John 17:15-18) How do we balance being sent into the world, but not being of it? This meeting will be a roundtable discussion about practical ways to protect our children, yet prepare them for the real world.
February 11- Fellowship
March 11- Homeschooling: Yes, You can! This meeting is open to all who are wondering what homeschooling is, how it is actually done, and if it might be an option for them. Please spread the word to those who might be interested.
April 8- Fellowship
May 13- Training Godly Habits and Manners. – The Bible emphasizes how a man’s character reveals his master. Good character does not save a man, but it does indicate a changed heart. We have a responsibility to train our children’s character just as much as we ensure academic success. Come to this meeting ready to share ideas and tips on character training.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Thank You CHEO!
I just returned from the annual CHEO convention in Akron, OH. As always, the convention was set apart from other conventions that I have attended. Beginning each day with a worship service and each session with prayer is awesome! The convention is covered in prayer by the staff and board of CHEO well before the actual convention weekend, and it shows. I return home refreshed and not exhausted; equipped and not overwhelmed. I am amazed by the diversity of those who love the Lord and are seeking to serve him in their own sphere of influence. This year, I attended the workshop of a medical doctor who takes his children street preaching. I also attended the workshop of a man who sees the opportunity for homeschoolers to witness on the campuses of the ivy league colleges, which many of us wrote off years ago. It encourages me that God has places for all of us to serve within his kingdom. I was also reminded that for many of us that place right now involves mostly doing laundry, feeding our families healthy food, and trying to get enough sleep to be functional -- but we are still in the place He has called us to be at this time.
The most helpful thing that happened to me this weekend was that when I asked for direction in how to get a new blog started, one of the CHEO board members actually pulled out her laptop and set up this site for me. I'm sure that it will change over the next couple of months as my daughter and I figure out how this blog works. But I am so grateful that we have a blog again so that I can keep you all updated as to meetings and other news. Most of all I'm grateful that at a state convention, in the midst of people needing her time and attention, Jen took time out of her busy schedule to sit with me and get this started. Thank you so much, Jen, and all of CHEO.
The most helpful thing that happened to me this weekend was that when I asked for direction in how to get a new blog started, one of the CHEO board members actually pulled out her laptop and set up this site for me. I'm sure that it will change over the next couple of months as my daughter and I figure out how this blog works. But I am so grateful that we have a blog again so that I can keep you all updated as to meetings and other news. Most of all I'm grateful that at a state convention, in the midst of people needing her time and attention, Jen took time out of her busy schedule to sit with me and get this started. Thank you so much, Jen, and all of CHEO.
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