Scrooge

We took a field trip yesterday and visited a local university's production of Scrooge.  We had a really good time!  They did a child-friendly version that wasn't as long as their regular production, and I'm guessing they left out some of the scarier bits.  One of the children in our homeschool group played Tiny Tim, and he did absolutely wonderful!  The costumes were outstanding too.

DS was able to follow the story very well.  DD kept saying that Scrooge was mean, and a grouch pot, and naughty, and that he needed a spankin'.

Amateurs Outperforming Professionals

There is at least one profession where amateurs have consistently been outperforming the professionals.  Can you guess what profession it is before reading this article?

I was going to paste parts of it in, but didn't want to infringe on the copyright.

http://www.creators.com/opinion/thomas-sowell/amateurs-outdoing-professionals.html

Playing Church

We talked about the Tabernacle last week in our homeschooling. We didn't go into the little specifics, but we did a pretty good little overview. I found some pictures online of what scholars perceive it to have looked like. Well then, my children took over our living room and turned it into a tabernacle. They let the dog in, but they made him promise that he was a high priest. In our overview, we learned that the Tabernacle was used for Old Testament worship. So of course they started doing their style of worship. They were playing church in there. DS was leading DD in singing, he was preaching, praying, and they even had pretend Lord's Supper. It was all so cute! They did this for several hours (although the dog escaped after a few minutes) until the sheets that made up the tabernacle started to cave in with the help of some cats... Then they played like a tornado had come and destroyed the tabernacle and they should build it up again in 3 days. I had so many laughs watching them and listening to them play! But that's what children do - they play and pretend like they see happening in life. They play church, house, tornado, going to the store, all kinds of things. I believe it's part of how children learn and process things. They just play.

But that's all it is. Play. I was in college and feeling rather worn out with what I perceived as Christianity. I was going to church when I should, doing everything I was supposed to, being a "good little Christian". But in my heart, I knew something was missing. I was really worried about it! Something was wrong! I talked to my professors, called home to my parents, talked to my friends. No one really understood what I was trying to say, and finally one of my suite mates told me it was just one of those times people just have to fake it till you make it. I tried that for a couple of weeks, and called to talk to my mama. I cried for a while and told her as best as I could what was wrong, and she told me something I will never forget. She told me that it sounded like I was doing everything right. But we can't do our way into heaven. She said my heart wasn't in the right place. I was going to church and doing all those things because I thought that's what was expected of me. Doing those things wasn't wrong, but I should have been doing them because I love God and couldn't NOT do them. I was just going to classes every day, and I should have been sharing Jesus with folks. I was at a Christian University, and there weren't very many non-Christians there. While I definitely grew in faith while I was there, I used that isolation as an excuse to keep quiet about Jesus. I'm so glad my mama had the wisdom and insight to tell me what I needed to hear and tell me what I needed to change to get right!

That's one of the things children need. They need their parents to show them what is right and wrong. As a child grows up, they don't need to play church anymore. They should be transitioning into adult life and learning how to be participating Christians. We have to put away childish things, and this is one of them (I Corinthians 13:11). My parents took my questions seriously and answered them and taught me. Just for the record, if I wouldn't have changed my attitude, it probably would not have been long before I stopped going to church at all. What's the point of pretending? You can't just go through the motions and expect things to get better on their own. When people play church, obviously they aren't there because they want to be. They feel obligated to for whatever reason. Maybe family goes and expects to see them every service, or maybe they feel like they should at least be seen so no one thinks they have fallen away.

Where we live, people think if you go to church, you must be a good Christian. That's not all there is to it according to the Bible. That's only a small part of it. Christianity is not only going to church for worship, but it's everything we believe with our heart, it's fellowship with other Christians, and it's helping people out and being there for them. It's how we LIVE. Playing church as an adult causes a person to look for a church situation where they are emotionally satisfied after the service or entertained appropriately while they are there. Maybe they just want to feel encouraged to make the same effort again next week. The emphasis shifts to self instead of where it should be on God.

God never asks for worship to include our silly little games and gimmicks to attract more people. If the Gospel is being preached, no gimmicks will be needed. God's Word brings people in. God's Word will convict people in their heart, and God's Word will show them what they need to do. If you find yourself playing church or going through the motions, find you a church home that focuses on the Word. Then it's a lot easier to get your attitude in the right place.

The Gospel

One of DS's homeschooling questions asked him what the Gospel was. His answer was that it was the good news about Jesus. I was glad that he got the right answer, obviously, but I realized we'd never actually come out and told him this. He's apparently picked it up from us, our friends, or from going to worship with us. It's definitely a reminder that children pick up a LOT more than we as parents can realize!

Later that afternoon, I got online and got an email from someone I hadn't talked with in years. I know this person had heard about the Gospel, but they seemed to have forgotten it's sheer importance. I think too often, we forget the simplicity of the Gospel and the need to share it with others.

The Gospel is the good news about Jesus. But what is this good news? It's not something that is drowning in theology. It's not confusing. It's very simple. Anyone can find it in the Bible if they want to.

Everyone, no matter how important or wealthy or good or whatever, was lost. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, sin and death was brought into the world (Romans 5:12 - Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned). God can't abide sin, and since all people sin, all are lost. God didn't want anyone to be lost. He loves us so much that He planned from the beginning of the world to send his only Son to the earth to be the sacrifice to cleanse us from sin (John 3:16-17 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved). With Jesus's perfect life, He defied sin (Hebrews 4:15-16 - For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need). With His resurrection, He defied death (Matthew 28:6-7 - He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you).

He bridged the gap for us so we don't have to be eternally lost. In fact, He is currently preparing a place for us (John 14:1-3 - Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also). All we have to do is choose to accept this gift of His grace. In Acts 2:37-39 - Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.

Without Jesus to bridge the gap, it doesn't matter how good anyone is. There is still sin to separate us from God. We can't be good enough to earn our salvation (Titus 3:4-6 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour). We are pitifully undeserving! We have NO hope if we are relying on our own strength. But with Christ, we don't have to rely on our own strength. He's already done the hard part.

The only thing we have to do is read the Bible and see the instructions He's given us for living. There are instructions for parenting, marriage relationships, working, worship, and even finances. He even gives us our fellow Christians as a support group. Don't take what anyone says for fact unless it can be verified in the Bible. Nothing else, just the Bible. It is the infallible word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17 - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works).

Zoo Field Trip

We have been focusing our science studies on the flying creatures God created on the fifth day. We are using Apologia's Zoology 1 - Exploring Creation with Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day. DS has really been enjoying it, and we were thrilled when one of our homeschooling groups planned a trip to the zoo this past Friday. They have a special even called Winged Wonders going on where lots of different birds fly over the heads of the audience and do neat little things. The person at the front was talking about each of the different birds as they would come out, and DS was just so excited that he knew so much of what she was saying. His favorite bird was the bald eagle. Afterward, he went to the handler for the bald eagle, and she just stood there chatting with him about them.

The zoo also has a lorikeet display. The lorikeets come out in shifts, and zoo patrons can feed them a little medicine cup full of special nectar for $1 a pop. Of course we were suckered into getting each child a little cup... But the fun they had was so special to watch! They were laughing and grinning. Then I the caretaker for the lorikeets over there talking with DS. And he was just carrying on an adult conversation with her about birds. I'm so proud of him! I'm so glad that he's not forgetting what he learns right after he studies it.

We had a great time at the rest of the zoo, and no one dropped sippy cups in with the capybaras this time :) It was warm, but not too bad, and then we had a little shower just when everyone was getting tired. So it cooled everyone down and gave us all a little burst of energy. We got to know another homeschooling family a little better, and my DS says he thinks he's found his best friend. He loves to play with other boys and gets so excited when we do.

I had started out the day with a bad headache, and was not exactly looking forward to the trip. But having so much fun made the headache tolerable. And by the time we got home, I still crashed and went to bed very early. But I sure enjoyed the trip!

First Day of This Homeschool Year

Today was the day. We started back to school today. We didn't start till 10, and we took a 2-hour lunch break with my parents at "Waffle's House", as my DS used to call it. But that's the joy of homeschooling, at least one of them.

We are using Christian Light for Language Arts and Reading. DS likes it so much better already! We had a different curriculum last year, and we all dreaded school. I'm so very glad we switched! We're still using Saxon for math, and I think we'll stick with that. He's always begged to do more, and today was no exception. We're using Handwriting Without Tears. I shared some of the cute little stories and rhymes in there, and I think he's better about remembering the difference between b's and d's. He likes it anyway, and that's a big plus for me! We started Spanish classes. I hope I don't blunder with this one. I think it's important for him to learn another language, and Spanish is very common where we live. We are using Mystery of History again this year, and he started jumping up and down when I got the book out. For art for today, I let them both finger-paint with shaving cream. They had a good time getting messy with that! For science, we are doing Apologia's Zoology - Exploring Creation - Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day.

So today was fun, and my tummy is hungry. Now to get ready for supper :)

Our Not-Back-To-School Party

The public schools here began yesterday. The schoolbuses started up, and bleary-eyed children tumbled on them at a quarter to seven and didn't return until 4:30. Our original plan was to begin our school when public school began. But when I got to thinking about it, I wanted to plan something fun and special. So I called my friend here (who will remain anonymous), and we decided the perfect time to get donuts would be when the schoolbuses were finished and the rest of the world was doing their thing. So we called all our homeschooling friends who live close and planned to meet at the donut shop. I woke up my bleary-eyed children, and we all excitedly got ready to meet our friends.

Let me just say that we really like this new tradition, and we all decided that we must do it to begin next year as well and even some in between :) As usual, we all learn from our experiences, even the good ones. So next time, we will change some things. We absolutely packed that donut shop! Next time, we might just get donuts and go to the park to eat them so the children can run around and play it off. I think we will try to find a cheaper donut shop too. Of course, that just may be me. I haven't ever just bought a dozen donuts, and it seemed a trife expensive to me. One of my friends said there is another donut place across town that also has other things on the menu besides donuts and sweet stuff. While I love a good donut, and these were really good, I'm really watching what I eat now that I'm pregnant. I was glad that I ate before we went as they didn't have anything else.

The best part was getting to sit and be with my friends and watching my children laughing and playing and just having fun. We had 5 mothers and 14 children all in one place. The children were all well-behaved and all ages played together happily. One of the workers there commented to me on how good all those children were :) So to all you mothers, and you know who you are - Good job! And let's do it again soon!

Wonderful find!

My mama called me from a yard sale she was perusing. She told me to come quick because they had a bunch of homeschool stuff. Needless to say, I was there within 10 minutes. When I arrived, they did indeed have a bunch of homeschool stuff. I did not really have time to go through it all, but after looking for a bit, I realized it was good stuff. I asked how much for it all, and they told me that for all 5 crates (you know, the huge rubbermaid kind) they would take $20. Of course I snatched it all up. It filled up the whole back of my dad's truck! Then mama called again and said they found another crate. She's a pretty smart woman - she bought it for another $2. After going through it leisurely at home, it has a lot of reading things for elementary school and a bunch of astronomy and science things for high school. There was even a spectrometer! Of course, the thing my DS was most excited about was the lone baseball in the bottom of one crate.