Taking Lessons

Never to young to teach, never to old to learn.

In 50 years

The other day, my girls surprised me with a gift. It was a deck of cards with Conversation Starters. Monica thought it would be a fun thing to do in Sunday School as I always start the class with a question to help us get to know each other better.
This morning, at breakfast I asked my youngest to pull a card and we'd try one.
The question was, "What would you most be interested in seeing 50 years in the future?"

Many things flitted through my brain, but I rested on "The Canadian Church."
What will become of the church? Will we be persecuted and meeting in houses like China? Will we be empty buildings like England with many churches being sold off to Muslims?
Will we have revival?
What will the worship be like?
What kind of messages will be spoken from the pulpit for such a time as that?

I likely won't be here to see the church in 50 years, but my daughters likely will. What part will they play in this future church?

I think this deck of Conversation Starters will be a lot of fun for home as well as Sunday School! And, in case you were wondering, my youngest was most interested in knowing what the cars will be like in 50 years!

When in Doubt..

A while back I talked about my Mother's Day gift - the promise of a dumpster! 
I thought I'd update you as to how our purging is going!
We have given away hundreds of items:

•  to someone who was having a garage sale in support of Rescue Dogs.
• to the curb where we have been amazed that everything we have put out has been taken before garbage day! 
• scrap metal
• old lumber
• broken rocking horse
• chicken wire...
• to the Salvation Army Thrift Store
• to Monica's PSW's (cook books, a walker...)
• to the church library
• to the Public Library
• and finally, in big black garbage bags and recycling bins! 

The most amazing part is that the whole family is enjoying this process of cleaning and purging. I even get asked "Can we go down and do a few more boxes today!"

Yesterday I was clearing out books from my shelves and came across some papers. As I was trying to figure out what they were, I came up with the saying that I shall continue with: "When in Doubt, Throw it Out!"
And so, our purging continues. So far, no dumpster has been needed. 

Mom's Report Card

OK so theoretically school is over.
Time to grade - the teacher.
No bell curves allowed.

Last August I posted my New Year's "Resolution" for the school year. It is now time for my report card.

Here is a review of my list of goals:
 Our Agenda: 

• Study up for our trip to Israel - CHECK
• Go to Israel-  CHECK
• Ballet - CHECK
• A new Language Arts Curriculum - OOPS
• A new year of Math - Decimals and Percents - CHECK
•  Clarinet: Lessons Wind Ensemble, Band - 2 OUT OF 3
• Half a day a week for her to explore her interests - OOPS
• Exploring History (her favorite subject) through The Great Courses - continue working on Ancient History, and add a section on Explorers - 2 OUT OF 3
•  Field Trips to the Museum of History on a regular basis -OOPS
• Bible Study and Devotionals - CHECK
• Continue with a variety of chores - a sense of responsibility - CHECK
• Reading through some selected books on subjects like money management, leadership, and a classic or two. - OOPS
• Sewing lessons - CHECK
• Love Learning - Hmmm
• Have fun together- I DID....

Drum roll .... so what is the grade?
Grade: 13/19

And guess what? Anna-Lee could now figure out what percent that is!!!
 
And you know, the beauty of homeschooling is we spent time on what we needed to, and we were flexible enough to add things that weren't even on the list.
Things like:

• learning discernment by analyzing lyrics to songs alongside Scripture
• going to Toronto to help Grandma and Grandpa move
• Finishing up elementary Spanish as her second language choice
• Doing her Grade 4 RCM clarinet exam
• Science - discussion of creation vs evolution, and a curriculum looking at the physics of air and water and the biology of soil, rock, and plants.
• writing through blogging
• Grade 6 Russian ballet exam
• learning to play basketball
• Public speaking - about our trip to Israel to our church congregation, and about a Scriptural painting she was involved in to our church congregation.

 So, all in all, we did OK. We both learned. We both matured. We both grew closer to God. Not a bad report.

Happy Canada Day

Check out all the lyrics of our National Anthem.
Especially the last verse.

O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land, glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee;
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada! Where pines and maples grow,
Great prairies spread and Lordly rivers flow!
How dear to us thy broad domain,
From East to Western sea!
The land of hope for all who toil,
The true North strong and free!
God keep our land, glorious and free.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!

O Canada! Beneath thy shining skies,
May Stalwart sons, and gentle maidens rise.
To keep thee steadfast thro' the years,
From East to Western sea.
Our own beloved native land,
Our true North strong and free!
God keep our land, glorious and free.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!

Ruler supreme, who hearest humble prayer,
Hold our Dominion, in thy loving care.
Help us to find, O God, in thee,
A lasting rich reward.
As waiting for the better day,
We ever stand on guard.
God keep our land, glorious and free.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!

Taking Church to (Home)school

 "I don't even listen to the lyrics, I just like the music."

I'm sure many parents have heard that line when confronting their kid's music choices. Or perhaps we said it when we were kids?
Although a lot of the words to songs are hard to understand even when you are trying to hear what they are singing, words do penetrate somehow.

 But what about music that is Christian? What about words we sing in church?
About 15 years ago Dave came up with an idea for Sunday School/Youth Group. Analyze the lyrics to songs.
 As far as I know that did not get implemented, but I have implemented it in our homeschool. Each day I print out the Lyrics to a popular Christian song either sung in church or played on a Christian radio station for Anna-Lee to -  
Analyze, Ponder, Discern.
  
I give her a sheet with various questions for her to answer.
Things like 

• What is the message? 
• Are there any Scriptures referred to in the song?
• Is a name of God used, or just pronouns?
• Explain if there is  anything in the song that concerns you.
•  a couple specific questions pertinent to each song.

There is no limit to this. I've started doing it with blog posts, articles, quotes, and even sermons.

We are not created to be robots parroting back other people's words, ideas and opinions without having taken the time to comprehend the message under the plumb line of Scripture. And we certainly aren't created to ignore the words altogether.

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11