Category Archives: Our Vision

Not Mini-Me

My posts are usually just a record of our schoolwork, but today I wanted to share a little of what God’s been teaching me through our first term of structured homeschooling.  Actually, it’s kind of a confession, because I’ve been doing things in our schooling that I knew weren’t best for my children, and yet I stubbornly held on.  I’ve been treating them like they were just like me, I suppose because it would just be so much easier if that were true!

img_3060My oldest, Ian, is my only “official” student this year, and since Kindergarten isn’t required in our state, even he doesn’t really NEED to be doing school work.  However, he is interested in so many things, and I love learning alongside him.  I scheduled more for his Kindergarten year than I would for any of my younger children simply because he doesn’t have the opportunity to be exposed to an older sibling’s lessons.  For the most part, that’s a good thing.  Ian usually enjoys his schoolwork, especially since much of it is simply listening to me read from carefully selected books.  I tried to lighten up our school load for November and December, and he missed some of his favorites, so I added them back in to my Schedule.

Last week, however, sickness hit our house, affecting all four children and myself.  The Schedule got set aside for a few days.  My first reaction to that was to groan.  Even as miserable as I felt being ill, the thought of missing some of what I had planned just didn’t sit well with me.  On the first day I told Ian he got the day off in celebration of Elijah’s birthday (fostering a little sibling appreciation!)  But then the next day I still wasn’t up to doing much and I didn’t bother coming up with an excuse.  The truth was, I had enjoyed watching the two older boys play together so much the day before (they were the least sick of our bunch) and I wanted to give them more of that.  I realized that Ian usually spends most of his weekday mornings with me.  I know how important it is to give a 5-year old time to play, and I think my Schedule has become detrimental rather than helpful.

Oh, that hurts.  You see, I thrive on schedules.  Seriously.  My husband and I have had an understanding since we first started dating: Deanna’s not big on surprises.  Yep, it’s true.  I am a complete party pooper when it comes to spontaneity and the unexpected.  Even wonderful, positive surprises usually feel negative to me at first, at least when it comes to things to do (though I have learned to push through that gut reaction because I do honestly have fun once I get past it). The thing is, surprises mess up my Schedule!  It’s not just about homeschooling for me; it’s a way of life.  No, I don’t always write it down (obsessively in nice little formatted tables on the computer, laid out both by week and by school term…), but mentally I have always liked to know at least generally what my day is going to look like, and to have at least some idea of where I’m going and where I’m going to be 6 months, 12 months, even 10 years down the road.  To some extent I think this is a good thing.  My organization helps us do things that wouldn’t we wouldn’t get to do if I didn’t plan ahead.  It helps me make thoughtful decisions about curriculum, field trips, etc.  However, I need to be the master of the Schedule that I love so dearly, rather than letting it be my master, especially when it’s not keeping in mind the best interests of my precious ones.

Because you know that sweet boy I was just talking about?  He’s not much like me.  I used to spend my recess time reading on top of the monkey bars.  Ian enjoys books, but even more he loves rough-housing and sports.  I tend to focus on the serious side of life; he adores silliness in all forms.  I love a quiet day at home; he wakes up asking, “Where are we going today?”  You get the picture.  As we’ve started school even more differences have become evident.  I learned quickly and got bored waiting for the rest of the class to catch on (especially in math).  I envied my homeschooled friends who got to just finish their work and then have the rest of the day to spend as they would, rather than wasting hours at school.  My report card usually had high marks for “takes pride in the quality of her work.”  I liked the feeling of accomplishment I got from finishing an assignment and knowing I had done my best.

None of this is how I would describe Ian.  I realized early on that his brain and mine work very differently.  When he wanted to learn to read, I started to teach him in the way that would have made sense to me.  It led to a lot of frustration for both of us.  He was four, and a lot of people would just say he was too young, but I knew it wasn’t a matter of age.  Thankfully we discovered Reading Eggs, and within a few days of turning his lessons over to the computer, he was off and running… er, reading. [Edited to remove link because I no longer recommend this program. See “Good-bye, Reading Eggs.”]

We’ve run into similar frustration with math.  I really like our MEP curriculum, and Ian’s learned a lot, but sometimes I feel like I’m pulling teeth.  Some days he’s enthusiastic and seems to enjoy working through the lesson.  Other days he looks at me blankly after a problem like “0+1=?”  He couldn’t care less about which lesson we’re on or how fast he’s getting through the book (whereas I used to get extra workbooks just for the joy of completing each page and the satisfaction of finishing the whole book.)  When it comes to understanding concepts, we’ve tried number lines, Cuisenaire rods, counters, Unifix cubes, balances, dominoes… everything I can think of.  Some things work well one day but not the next.  Some days I just have to stand back and give him time and he comes up with the answers.  Other days stepping back just means time wasted.  His brain is a puzzle to me because it doesn’t process things as quickly as mine.  And it doesn’t seem to bother him, which is beyond my comprehension!

I have to admit that a few years ago I would have equated slower processing with lower intelligence.  Getting to know my husband helped me realize that just isn’t true.  Eric is much like Ian.  His brain seems to take a much longer time (and a completely different route) to understanding things that seem simple to me.  Yet he is incredibly intelligent.  Like me, he was frustrated in math class as a child, but for the opposite reason.  While I impatiently waited for the others to catch on so we could move to the next concept, Eric wrestled his way to a good understanding and then was irritated that they had to move on rather than staying there to enjoy the satisfaction of practicing what they had learned.

I think Ian is much like Daddy, and Mommy’s drive to press forward and stick to our Schedule just isn’t making him thrive.  He loves to learn, and I’m so afraid of squelching that by treating him like he’s a “mini-me.”  So I’m trying to loosen up and lean more toward “delight-directed” learning.  We’ve been spending time reading books and watching videos on underwater archeology, ocean exploration, the Titanic, astronomy, volcanoes… whatever he’s been showing an interest in.  It’s brought a lot of joy into our school day, which has been a relief to both of us.  There’s still some work to be done on finding a balance that suits both of our styles, but I have a feeling we’ll be fine-tuning that until he finishes high school.

img_3076-8x10As our other children get old enough to join in, that balance is going to become even more difficult.  I can already tell the Elijah is a LOT more like me.  He’s been self-motivated about learning to read and understanding basic math concepts.  He gets great delight out of finishing one leveled reading book and moving up to the next one (and he ALWAYS knows which number he is on).  He loves having a schedule and knowing what to expect.  This is a mind I understand!  My main challenge with him will be providing enough quality material to help him keep up the pace at which he wants to go.  I’ll also have to be careful about not comparing the two boys and still providing Ian with a school plan that works for him instead of just forcing him to join Elijah and me on our Education Express.

And who knows what Arianna and Nicholas are going to end up needing when it comes to school?  Only God knows, the one who formed these precious individuals for His purpose and pleasure.  As I disciple my children, I do want them to acquire my values, my worldview, and most importantly my passion for Jesus.  However, as uniquely created beings, they are not going to acquire my personality or my learning style, and I think I was starting to lose sight of that.  And so I cling to the promise of James 1:5, which says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (ESV).

I’m lacking, Lord.  Oh, am I lacking!  I look to You for wisdom in how to teach and guide these precious children with whom You have entrusted me.  They are Yours.  You designed them according to Your own perfect plan.  Thank you for showing me where I have strayed from what is best for them.  Help me, Lord.  “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.  Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” (Psalm 25:4-5)

More Classical Music My Kids Love

One of the subjects I’d like to be a part of our children’s education is music appreciation.  Ian’s already learning to play piano and enjoy making music through a Yamaha course, but I also want to help them all become familiar with some of the beautiful music that has been enjoyed for centuries through a little composer study à la Charlotte Mason.  Our children are still so young, but my plan for the next few years until we are “officially” homeschooling is to gradually add in the subjects that I want to be a part of our curriculum.  Otherwise it would be pretty overwhelming when Ian turns six if I suddenly try to jump into everything at once.  So since I have a fairly extensive background in music (not to mention an absurdly large collection of classical music CDs), I’ve decided now is a good time to start being a little more intentional in this area. (I tend to think in terms of the schoolyear starting in August, even though I intend to homeschool year round, taking breaks as we need them rather than a big summer holiday)

Last year I shared about some of the music we started listening to when they were quite little in the post “Music My Preschoolers Love.”  They still enjoy all those pieces, but now they’re also ready for a few more mature findings.  Yes, they’re SO mature now that the oldest is 4 1/2.  Seriously though, having been exposed to it early has made them more open to hearing things not necessarily meant for children so young.  I especially like finding CDs or other audio files that explain a bit about the music and give the kids something specific to be listening for.  For example, after hearing the composer tell about using tubas to portray the big boats in Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel, Elijah started asking, “Mommy, is that the big tubas?” every time they played.

Mike Mulligan and His Steam ShovelThat CD is the first one we bought from the Maestro Classics series.  It was such a hit, both with the boys and with me, that I also decided to get Peter and the Wolf, even though we already have another recording of this piece. I just really like all the extras that come on their albums–(plus the Peter and the Wolf (MP3) was just $5 thanks to a coupon from HomeschoolShare–they’re also sponsoring a giveaway until the end of July so check it out!)  And we just got The Soldier’s Tale to include in the last week of our July composer study on Stravinsky (post coming soon).  I’ve put the rest on the kids’ wishlists for gift ideas and I hope we can eventually collect the whole set.  Here are all the titles available:

The Maestro Classics website also has homeschool curriculum guides with lots of great suggestions for integrating different subjects with the music from each CD.Beethoven Lives Upstairs

Another great resource for exposing your children to the works of the great composers is the Classical Kids series.  A fellow homeschooler shared these with us, and while I haven’t yet listened to all of them yet, they get great reviews.  They tell a story about the composers’ lives, using various pieces of their music throughout the CD.  What a great way to help your kids become familiar with the unique musical “voice” of different composers!  Over the next school year I’ll be using these as the framework for our composer study, choosing one CD a month and supplementing with podcasts from Classics for Kids (lots of great resources there!), music from my own collection and kid-friendly biographies from the library.

There are two additional Classical Kids CDs that are thematic rather than being about a particular composer.

And just in case you needed any more ideas, I’ve recently added to our music library a couple other albums combining classical music (or classical style) with engaging stories.  We’ll be listening to Ferdinand the Bull and Friends when we “row” The Story of Ferdinand.   And although our listening schedule looks pretty packed this year, I’m really looking forward to queezing in some time for the award-winning Baroque Adventure: The Quest for Arundo Donax

Wow!  That’s a lot of music!  I hope you’ll try out some of our suggestions and share some of your family’s favorites in the comments. 🙂

(If you’re interested in implementing Charlotte Mason-style composer study in your home, check out Ultimate Guide to Composer Study over at Homegrown Learners for lots of great information and ideas!)

encouragement from Spurgeon

“O dear mothers, you have a very sacred trust reposed in you by God! He hath in effect said to you, “Take this child and nurse it for Me, and I will give thee thy wages.” You are called to equip the future man of God, that he may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work. If God spares you, you may live to hear that pretty boy speak to thousands, and you will have the sweet reflection in your heart that the quiet teachings of the nursery led the man to love his God and serve Him. Those who think that a woman detained at home by her little family is doing nothing, think the reverse of what is true. Scarcely can the godly mother quit her home for a place of worship, but dream not that she is lost to the work of the church; far from it, she is doing the best possible service for her Lord. Mothers, the godly training of your offspring is your first and most pressing duty. Christian women, by teaching children the Holy Scriptures, are as much fulfilling their part for the Lord, as Moses in judging Israel, or Solomon in building the temple.” — Charles H. Spurgeon

A friend posted this quote on Facebook today and I just had to share it.  Read more at http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/cyc16.htm

Where to Go Next With Our Bible lessons?

We still have a couple months’ worth of Bible lessons to get through for the ABC Jesus Loves Me 3-Year Old Curriculum, but I know the end is going to sneak up up on me more quickly than I would like.  So for the past few weeks I’ve been searching and praying for the right path for our family to take when it comes to Bible teaching once that time is here.  A few thoughts:

We don’t use the majority of the material in the lessons from ABC Jesus Loves Me.  It’s not that they’re not wonderful. On the contrary, I think they are amazing, and I’m so blessed by Heidi’s willingness to share all her hours and hours of hard with us for free!  I just choose to focus on Bible and let most of the other stuff happen in its own time.  The main thing I utilize the curriculum for is the suggested activities to enhance our time with each Bible story.  Those suggestions have led me to many wonderful resources which have made it easier to plan lessons around stories not in the ABCJLM-3YO scope and sequence.

That leads me to ask myself, if I can plan my own lessons, do I really need someone else’s curriculum?  Well, no.  I tend to tweak any curriculum I get to suit our needs (one reason I’m not willing to pay big bucks for something all laid out).  Still, it’s helpful to have something there to provide a basic framework and provide ideas.  So then I start thinking about the big picture.

I think eventually I’d like to help my kids develop habits of both reading the Bible daily (maybe going through it once a year) and devoting time to in-depth study of the Bible at a slower pace.  But that’s still a few years off, so I find myself torn between reading something new every day or taking our time and spending a whole week on a story as we’ve been doing.  I see positives to both approaches.  I want to try to include Elijah more so a slower, focused approach (like we’ve been doing) might be better.  I started doing Bible lessons when Ian turned 3, and Elijah will be 3 in the fall.

My next dilemma is what sort of framework I want: chronological or topical?  I tend to lean towards the former, both in my personal devotions and with my lessons for the kids.  But that means spending a long time on all those fabulous Old Testament stories, which leaves me missing Jesus for a big chunk of the year.  And I’ve found a number of programs I like that are more topical that I don’t want to just dismiss without due consideration.  Broaden your mind, Deanna!  Think outside your little box!

Here are some of the ideas I’m tossing around for where to go from here (all would just be spines; I plan to pretty much do my own thing no matter what I choose):

  • ABC Jesus Loves Me 4-Year Old Curriculum  Bible portion (topical, based on character traits)
  • Bible and Rhyme from Hubbard’s Cupboard (chronological; pretty even split between OT/NT)
  • “Little Ones” Calvary Curriculum (could do chronologically or according to their schedule, which alternates OT/NT)
  • My ABC Bible Verses (topical, based on Bible verses, using ABC as framework; would require more planning)
  • Long Story Short devotional book (OT only, but a companion NT book to be released.  Would be a LONG time on OT.  I’ve actually already purchased this because I’m excited to use it in the future–just not sure if now is the right time.)
  • Fruit of the Spirit (I’ve found a few good online resources for spending time on each “fruit” with preschoolers); could use this for Bible “study” and read through at a faster pace for devotions; could lead into character trait focus to finish out the year
  • OR… do I just write my own outline.  Once it’s done it could be just as useful as most of these since I don’t plan on following any of them to the letter.

So why am I processing all this “out loud” with you?  Well, for one, it just helps me clarify my thoughts to put them down in writing.  But my main reason for sharing my thought process is because I’d love feedback.  What have you used?  What have you considered?  What factors have I NOT considered but should?  My oldest child is only four, so I’ve still got a lot to figure out (and thankfully a lot of time in which to do so!)  Input! I need input!

A Time to Refrain

“The season of young children is a time to refrain. Refrain from most outside activities, even some church activities. Now is a time to be faithful in discipline…it’s the springtime of mothering. Redeem the time, don’t waste it.” -Sono Harris

I just came across this quote today, but this is the way I’ve been living for about the last year (since we moved farther away from church and I couldn’t find it in me to drag the kids along for the 35 minutes drive each way for midweek Bible studies, etc.)  However, lately I’ve felt nagging doubts, like maybe I was DEPRIVING them somehow.  So I found it reassuring that someone else felt the same way.

The truth is our priorities are revealed by our schedules.  There are a lot of “good” things out there that could fill up our days, but I try to use discernment to only commit to what is “best.”  My children will only be little for a short time.  I believe my most important job as a mother of little ones is to be laying a strong foundation for the years of discipleship ahead of us.   Right now the best way I know how to do that is disciplining them (and teaching them self-discipline), helping them become familiar with the Bible (and praying they develop a lifelong love for God’s Word), encouraging a hunger for learning, and sharing God’s truth with them through literature.  All those things are easiest to accomplish at home.

If I were to go out and do all the things I might like to do (Bible study, bookclubs, playdates, etc.) it would be hard to find time to do our “schoolwork.”  That’s not to say we never go out.  And it’s not to say that our way is the right way for everyone.  But I know it’s right for us.  I honestly don’t relate (at least not yet) to moms who say it’s normal to feel “overwhelmed.”  I get tired, yes, but for the most part I just feel content.  And joyful.  And oh so blessed.  I don’t think I’d feel that way if we were running around town.  So for now, we pretty much only go out for church (Sunday and Wednesday), one shopping day a week (often combined with a trip to the library), and an occasional doctor’s appointment or playdate (usually about once a month).  I see this season as “a time to refrain,” trusting that God will bring abundant fruit as a result of these early years of sowing.

Beautiful Vision by Sally Clarkson

“Seeing my children’s hearts and souls as treasure chests so to speak, I prayed and pondered, how could I so invest in their lives so that they would have eternal and true values and memories, and foundations of truth and godly purpose to carry with them and to draw from the rest of their lives.”

This morning I was reading Sally Clarkson’s latest blogpost, and I just had to share the link.  It puts into words so many ideas I’ve had floating around in my mind but haven’t yet found a way to express.

Learning as we play…and drive…and live

I recently realized that so much of our day could qualify as “school,” but I don’t necessarily think of it as such because it’s just life for us.  I’m talking about the audiobooks and read-alouds that Ian listens to throughout his day.  Yes, we listen to the iPod playlists I put together for our Bible lessons, and sometimes he requests other Bible stories too.  But I realized I had the opportunity to introduce some quality children’s literature through my iPod as well.

It started when I stumbled upon some recordings of A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner.  I have always loved the stories and thought I’d see if Ian would enjoy listening to them while he played as much as watching the movies.  (He’d found my old VHS tapes and was asking to watch them far more than I wanted to have the TV on.)  They were a big hit from the start.  He started listening to them at bedtime.  And in the car.  And playtime.  Everyday.  I liked the initial recordings I’d found, but they were a dramatization, rather than a true reading of the book.  Different actors (big names like Stephen Fry, Judi Dench, all fabulously talented!) read the parts of the different characters and they were so much fun to listen to, but I missed the full flavor of Milne’s writing.  So I bought a complete set of A.A. Milne’s Pooh Classics recorded by Peter Dennis.  They are everything I hoped they would be, and even now after a year of listening to both sets of recordings, I’m still not tired of Pooh.

I did want to expand Ian’s horizons a bit, however, so I started introducing him to other stories as well.  I found some fun CDs at the library, such as Stellaluna, Thumbelina, and other classics like The Three Billy Goats Gruff (from a wonderful collection read by actors like Ben Kingsley and Holly Hunter)I knew there were tons of classic books out there that I wanted to share with my kids and I didn’t want to be limited by our library selection or my wallet, so I started looking at free recordings of books in the public domain.  There are so many great books available at librivox.org! That’s where I downloaded Old Mother West Wind by Thornton Burgess.  (I’d never read anything by Burgess, but some of his books are part of the Ambleside Online curriculum I’m planning to use later on, and someone had said their 3-year old enjoyed these stories, so I thought we’d give them shot.  I was surprised at how even after one listening Ian recalled details of the stories and requested them for bedtime that night.)  There are several books of “Mother West Wind” stories (all about the escapades of various little animals), so I downloaded some others as well.  I tried Uncle Remus stories (remember Br’er Rabbit?), but the dialect was a little hard for Ian to follow and he didn’t get into them.  I decided to save those until he’s older and his grammar is better established anyway.  I’m going to try him on some of the Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy stories once we need a break from the animals in the Mother West Wind books.

The other free site I like for audiobooks is Lit2Go.  They don’t have as wide a selection, but I like they way they put their info at the end of the book rather than the beginning.  Sometimes Ian has lost interest before we even start a new story because he had to listen to the long promo for librivox.  This is where I got a great collection of Beatrix Potter stories (like “The Tale of Peter Rabbit”).  Podcasts are also a great source for children’s stories.  I really like Tales from the Forest, but there are a number of good ones available on iTunes.

We rarely drive anywhere without listening to stories.  As the boys play in the living room, Ian usually asks for stories.  And every naptime and bedtime he likes to listen to stories before he falls asleep.  Is he a little too addicted?  Yes, probably.  Especially since we also read picture books throughout the day.  He (and Elijah, who is constantly bringing me books to read) is proving to be a lot like his mama when it comes to a love of books.

Still, I think all this listening has been SO good for Ian’s language development.  I catch him using words and phrases he can only have picked up from the stories he’s heard.  It gives us so many new things to discuss (though sometimes I have to clue Daddy and others into what on earth he’s talking about!)  In addition to our audiobooks, I’ve started adding chapter books to our bedtime routine.  We’ve always spent time reading a few picture books before bed, but now we read a chapter from whatever novel we’re going through as well.  We started with Beverly Cleary’s Ralph Mouse books.  I thought the first one The Mouse and the Motorcycle would capture Ian’s attention because of the subject matter, and boy was I right.  As soon as we finished it, he wanted to keep going, so we moved on to Runaway Ralph the next night.  Now we’re a little more than halfway through Ralph S. Mouse.  I think we’ll try Stuart Little or Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White for a change of author.

So now you know our secret.  Our days are not just Ian, Elijah, and Mommy hanging out alone at home.  We have lots of friends like Pooh, Peter, and Ralph who share life with us throughout each day!

A little treasure (10 Commandments, part 1)

Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.  Proverbs 119:11 (NASB)

My number one goal in raising my children is to “make disciples.”  To accomplish this, I think the most important thing I can do while they’re little (aside from letting them see my own walk with God) is to build a foundation of knowing God’s Word, both stories and memory verses.  Hence the beginning of our homeschool journey.  Ian’s been enjoying our Bible story time each week, and he seems to be remembering the verses we’ve done, but I wasn’t sure until this morning. We had a sweet moment that showed me he really is understanding what I’m trying to share with him.

This week we’re learning about the Ten Commandments.  Yesterday at church I came across a little board book called The Story of the Ten Commandments that provided a good introduction for us.  (I’ve read a couple of books in this series.  For the most part I like them, but many of them talk about “school.”  Since I’m not planning to send my kids to school, I don’t want to confuse them or create an image in their minds of this wonderful place they won’t get to see.  So I edited the book a little as we read it, since following rules at school isn’t really an essential part of understanding the 10 Commandments.)

Anyway…

This morning I got our flannel board set and let Ian and Elijah play with the pieces for the week as I reviewed the story we talked about yesterday.  When I got to the part about God meeting the people at Mt. Sinai, I told them the Israelites were very scared. (“So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.” Exodus 19:16)  Ian made all the people hide under the mountain and told me, “Sing ‘Keep me safe, my God…’,” which had been our memory verse during the week we talked about Noah’s ark.  I had chosen that verse, Psalm 16:1 “Keep me safe my God, for in you I take refuge,” because I figured a three-year old could relate to being scared, as Noah and his family must surely have felt.  I wanted him to have a verse in his heart that would comfort him in such moments.  I LOVE that he thought of it when I talked about the people being scared.

Okay, so the Israelites didn’t really hide under the mountain.  We’ll work on the details of the story throughout the week.  What’s important to me right now is that he’s applying what he’s already learned.  I loved those moments as a teacher, and it’s one of the main reasons I looked forward to homeschooling my own children.  I just love it when they “get” it!

The awesome power of God (The Red Sea, part 1)

When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.” Exodus 14:31 (NASB)

This morning I told Ian the story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt and God parting the Red Sea for them to escape from the Egyptians.  It occurred to me what an amazing privilege it is to be able to introduce Him to the wonderful things God has done through the ages.  He’ll be hearing this story for the rest of his life, but today I got to make that first impression on his heart.  As I tried to convey what an incredible event this was, I myself was overwhelmed at the realization of God’s magnificent love and awesome power.

We will not conceal them from their children, but tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done.” Psalm 78:4 (NASB)

First I told Ian the story using our flannel board set.  He definitely caught parts of it, especially the fact that they were leaving Egypt and following God in the pillar of cloud.  The parting of the waters was less dramatic than I would have liked (just a small picture that looked rather far off).  So I turned to some of our Bible storybooks hoping to find some pictures that would help him understand.  I love the pictures in Classic Bible Stories: A Family Treasury.  Most of them are the same as the original illustrations in The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes, but the pages are bigger so it’s easier to focus on the details.  (I haven’t seen the illustrations in the new version, but I’ve read reviews from people who’ve seen both, and most of them seem to prefer the older pictures) Ian loves looking through both of those Bibles because of the the beautiful pictures.  They didn’t let me down.  The picture of the Israelites beginning to cross between the waters was gorgeous and powerful.

After studying that picture for a while we pulled out The Beginner’s Bible and I read the story one more time.  I usually really like the way the Beginner’s Bible breaks the story down into simple language while still including the important details.  (Incidentally, I have the older version by Karen Henley.  I guess it was republished under the same name but with different text and illustrations.  Not sure why they kept the same title when they changed everything else, but again, reviews from people who are familiar with both seem to favor the older version.)  I was disappointed with this story though.  It didn’t mention anything about Moses raising His staff to part the waters; it just said “God sent a strong wind to push the sea back.”  I guess they were trying to emphasize that God did the miracle rather than Moses, but the staff had been part of our flannelgraph story and was in the other Bible story books, so it just felt like something was missing.

After we’d read through the story Ian seemed to be catching on to what really happened, but I wanted to really leave a strong first impression.  I turned on The Prince of Egypt and cued it up to the beginning of the song they sing as they’re walking out of Egypt.  The enormity of what God had done in freeing his people hit me hard and I just started weeping.  Then came that amazing scene where the waters fly up and leave the dry ground.  I watched in awe as the people picked their way across the sea bed.  And then, when the sea had come crashing in over the Egyptians and the Israelites looked back across the now peaceful waters, I let out a big sigh.  I was so overcome with the emotion of what had just occurred.  And to my delight, Ian was all excited as well.  He kept trying to show me with his arms what had happened to the water.  “Holy Cows!” he shouted.  (Thank you, Grandpa, for teaching him this new favorite phrase.)  He got it.  That made me cry even more.

What plans does God have for my children’s lives?  Where will He take them?  What mighty works of God will they see before they die?  Only He knows the answers to those questions.  But I get to prepare their hearts to walk that journey.  They will expect mighty things of God because they will know “His strength and His wondrous works that He has done.

Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach

As I shared in this earlier post, I really want to focus on the Bible as the center of our homeschool.  Along those lines, I have been reading the Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach by Robin Sampson.  I think I first stumbled across the Heart of Wisdom website looking for teaching ideas back when we started with Creation.  Although much of what she has is geared toward older children, I find her site  (and the book) very encouraging, and I know I’ll be spending lots of time gleaning from Robin’s years of experience.

I haven’t finished the book yet, so I can’t write a review (though I plan to eventually!), but I wanted to go ahead and share because she’s doing a giveaway on her blog!  Check out the fabulous reviews on Amazon if you’re interested.  You won’t be sorry!  (You can also download an excerpt from the book to get started!)

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