Thank You, Lord

How often do we sincerely thank our Lord for all that He has done? Our lack of praise and thanksgiving for His gift of salvation can be likened to the response of the ten lepers after being healed by Christ (Luke 17:11-19). Only one returned to give thanks. The other nine were centered more on what happened to them personally than on the One who healed their lives. Are we guilty of this same carelessness?

The words of the hymn THANK YOU, LORD were written by Seth Sykes in 1940 to help believers offer praise for the gift of salvation. Carry this musical tune with you and praise Him for His gift of salvation -

Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul,
Thank you, Lord, for making me whole;
Thank you, Lord, for giving to me,
Thy great salvation so rich and free.

USS Orleck Naval Museum

The USS ORLECK (DD 886) is a U.S. Navy Destroyer (Gearing Class). The ship was commissioned as a U.S. warship on September 15, 1945, and decommissioned on October 1, 1982, when she was transferred to the Turkish Navy where she operated as TCG YUCETEPE D345 for sixteen additional years, after providing thirty-seven years of meritorious service in Korea and in Vietnam, now is preserved as a Historic Museum Ship in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Experienced and knowledgeable guides walk you through history as you see what life was like aboard the USS ORLECK. Our homeschool group recently visited the USS ORLECK and our guide served four years in the Navy and was able to explain every area aboard the ship, it was a great field trip for all in attendance! Visit http://orleck.org for more information.

The Pencil Grip, Inc. - TOS Review

I was recently asked to review The 3 Step Pencil Grip Training Kit and The Ultra Safe Safety Scissors from The Pencil Grip, Inc. This is my second review for this company and I can honestly say they offer quality and innovation you can trust.

 

The 3 Step Pencil Grip Training Kit is highly recommended by doctors and occupational therapists because it corrects handwriting positions. This developmental training kit is great for righties and lefties.

Step 1: The Crossover Grip is a training grip with a “super hero cape” over the fingers to provide maximum structure and reinforcement of proper positioning. The finger guards hold fingers in the correct position and stops fingers from crossing over.

Step 2: The Pinch Grip is a transition grip with unique partial “wings” to provide both structure and freedom. The grip is not as structured as The Crossover Grip; but is a gentle guide for proper positioning.

Step 3: The Pencil Grip Original is the graduation grip. This grip is excellent for training all children to use a developmentally appropriate tripod grasp. It prevents the “bad habits” from forming during pre-writing and writing instruction. This grip does it all! It reinforces proper positioning, improves control, and reduces hand fatigue. This grip is the one recommended for extended use.

 

 

The Ultra Safe Safety Scissors are made with a fixed safety shield over the blades, making it impossible for kids to cut themselves. The ergonomic design allows the user to cut with safety and precision. A training lever automatically opens after being squeezed closed, making it useful for a child with limited strength or coordination. The lever can also be folded in for less restricted use. Very easy for adults and children to use!

Visit the Crew Blog to read what the Homeschool Review Crew has to say about The 3 Step Pencil Grip Training Kit and The Ultra Safe Safety Scissors.

 

 

 

Dealing with Difficulties

You have started homeschooling your children, but things are not going as you planned. Take heart! I can assure you that all home educators have bad days; but try not to get discouraged on these days, there are ways to deal with difficulties.

DO YOU HAVE A ROUTINE SET FOR SCHOOL TIME?

Students do much better when they know what to expect. When you set routines for your school day, it helps your students see your expectations for the day. Try making and following a school schedule. It can be very loose or very detailed. If you like, you can include chores and extra-curricular activities along with your school schedule. When you begin using your schedule, remember that it will take a week or two before your family flows with it. Also remember that nothing is set in stone. If part of your schedule does not work, change it to suit your family’s needs. Setting routines is supposed to alleviate stress – not add more.

ARE YOU TEACHING TO YOUR CHILD’S LEARNING STYLE?  

If you’ve ever faced the frustration of trying to teach one of your students something and they just don’t “get it”, it might be because you have not yet discovered their unique learning style. Discovering your child’s learning style and then teaching in such a way as to maximize his or her learning potential can be a great way to alleviate stress.

ARE YOU ALLOWING TOO MANY INTERRUPTIONS?

If the phone rings, do you answer it? Is the TV on during school? Are you trying to get other things done while you are homeschooling? It is extremely difficult to do other things while school is in session and have success. I encourage you to keep your priorities on school. This will actually help your school day move more quickly and give you time later for other things.

It is possible to homeschool through difficulties, we just need to learn from our mistakes and be willing to try something new – a new routine , a new way of learning, and a new perspective of our priorities. 

Brinkman Adventures Season 4 - TOS Review

The Brinkman Adventures is an exciting audio drama that shares true, modern, missionary stories through the eyes of the fictional Brinkman family.  My family has been listening to The Brinkman Adventures Season 4. The four CD’s contain over five hours of high definition, heart-stopping audio entertainment. Each of the twelve action packed episodes are about 30 minutes in length and will capture even the youngest member of your family.

Rustic cabins, canoe trips, pristine wilderness, and animals in their natural habitat. Family camp has been a highlight for the Brinkman family every summer for the past 16 years. This year, it’s even more special, the family is hosting the first ever missionary camp; and as the kids set their eyes on Paradise Lake for the first time, things do not go as planned. Listen to Episode 37: A Paradise Lost and see how God works in extraordinary ways through ordinary people.

In Season 4, we follow the Brinkman family from houseboats in Cambodia to frozen prisons in Russia to dangerous alleys in the Middle East. While dodging angry hippos and taming rogue robots, the Brinkman family will introduce you to Christian heroes who will strengthen your faith and provide important teachable moments.

The Brinkman Adventures is produced by Beachglass Productions, a non-profit, non-denominational Christian organization dedicated to inspiring, motivating and facilitating the next generation of Christian world changers. After listening to the episodes, you can visit their website for Real Stories where you can meet the actual missionaries and go behind the scenes and learn what really happened in each story. I was especially impressed by the example and encouragement it provides my children in how to share the gospel with their friends in everyday life, including the joys and the struggles that come with sharing the gospel with others. The Brinkman Adventures is a great tool for helping our children see how anyone can serve the Lord faithfully no matter the circumstances, seeing how God provides in amazing ways, and how needed the gospel is around the world.

This presentation was very well put together. The sound effects fit perfectly with the audio drama. The voices of Season 4 did an excellent job in speech, tone, and character. Our family will have to go back to Season 1 and follow the Brinkman family through the adventures leading up to Season 4.

The Brinkman Adventures provide wholesome entertainment for the whole family. Grab a season or two for your next road trip!

Visit the Crew Blog to read what the Homeschool Review Crew has to say about The Brinkman Adventures.

 

 

Learning Through Literature about Fire Prevention Week

Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire, the tragic 1871 conflagration that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. The fire began on October 8, but continued into and did most of its damage on October 9, 1871.

This was one of the major fires that changed the way that firefighters and public officials thought about fire safety. On the 40^th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire, the Fire Marshals Association of North America (known today as the International Fire Marshals Association), decided that the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire should henceforth be observed not with festivities, but in a way that would keep the public informed about the importance of fire prevention.

Since 1922, Fire Prevention Week has been observed on the Sunday through Saturday period in which October 9 falls. This is the longest running public health and safety observance on record.

My Happy Homeschool is learning through literature about Fire Prevention Week with the following books:

 

I Survived the Great Chicago Fire, 1871 (I Survived #11) by Lauren Tarshis

 

Stop Drop and Roll (A Book about Fire Safety) by Margery Cuyler

 

Fire Prevention Organization & Management by James Crawford

Happy Homeschooling!

Priorities in Place

As homeschool moms, we have so many responsibilities – wife, mother, teacher, chef, maid, nurse, banker, chauffer, seamstress – this list could go on and on. With so many needs around us each day, we could use a biblical system for keeping our priorities in place.

Genuine peace and joy come when we follow God in every area of our lives. So today we’re going to look at five areas specifically addressed in God’s Word.

#1 Your Relationship with God

But grow in the grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2

If God is not first in our lives, we will struggle in every area of our lives. We must abide in God’s Word and cultivate a heart of prayer.

#2 Your Husband

And the LORD God said, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Genesis 2:18

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. Proverbs 31:11-12

Wives, submit yourselves unto your husbands, as unto the Lord. Ephesians 5:22

God calls us to help our husband – not hinder our husband. We must ask of our actions “Will this help or hinder my husband?” God calls us to submit to our husband – this is a tough one; but we must speak and show him respect at all times – as we would to our Lord.

#3 Your Children

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Psalm 127:3

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon thy posts of thy house, and on thy gates. Deuteronomy 6:6-9

God calls us to train up our children and to teach them diligently so they will know Him, love Him, and follow Him in every area of life.

#4 Your Home

She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Proverbs 31:27

I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. 1 Timothy 5:14

That they may teach the younger women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Titus 2:4-5

God’s Word specifically orders our priorities – husband – children – home. God calls us to take home management seriously – and we will be held accountable for the condition of our home. In fact, when our husband or anyone else walks in the door and looks around the home, we have just revealed what we’ve been doing in response to God’s call to us to manage the home. What do people see when they enter your home? Do they find calm – or chaos? Peace – or panic? Palace – or pigpen? Evidence of preparation – or procrastination?

#5 Your Ministry

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58

For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Hebrews 6:10

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word and deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Colossians 3:16-17

God’s Word encourages us to be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. I want to encourage you to reach out and minister to the saints – show His love and admonish one another – your labour is not in vain – when every word and deed is in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Each day presents many opportunities and challenges to practice our priorities. One way to simplify your moment-by-moment decision-making might be to assign your priorities these numbers:

#1 God

#2 Husband

#3 Children

#4 Home

#5 Ministry