Homeschool Mom Tips News

FeedJournal Basic

11/27/2008 - 12/13/2008

Unique Children's Bibles By Mrs. Carrington Submitted at 12/2/2008 9:42:46 AM

Many of the children's Bibles available do a nice job of teaching children about individual Bible stories. These are an important part of biblical literacy but should only serve as a foundation for more advanced learning about the overall purpose and story of the Bible. Understanding that the Bible is ultimately the story of God's redemption of mankind is what will encourage our children to live this truth and share it with others. It is far too easy for both children and adults to view the Bible as series of unrelated stories and lists of rules with no central thread holding it all together. We have found two Bibles that we go back to again and again because they do a wonderful job teaching the

whole of the wonder of God's redemptive plan for us, his people. The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd Jones is the Bible that the children and I just finished re-reading (Dad and Grandma got in on the act too!). This brightly colored and often humorous Bible captivates my children each time we read it. Lloyd Jones makes difficult subjects like redemption easier to understand. One drawback: older children who know the Bible well may not care for the license Lloyd Jones takes in some of the stories. Each story is a brief re-telling of major Bible stories and as such does not include every detail, even some very familiar ones. For this reason, we use "big picture" Bibles as an adjunct to the actual words of Scripture in a conventional Bible. Overall, my children's understanding of God's purposes in human history

Advent Calendars By Mrs. Carrington Submitted at 12/9/2008 9:28:20 AM

I know that I am blogging about this past the official start of Advent but I feel that our family has been so blessed by celebrating Advent that I would like to see other homeschoolers join in even now. I ended up making an Advent calendar because I wanted one that had lift-the-flap with pertinent Scriptures underneath. This creation of mine took place after I spent time at the library and online looking for Advent ideas. I wanted to include some Advent calendar links to get you started. Remember, it does not have to be too fancy or perfect in every way, just a method to help you count down to the most important event in the history of the world- the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Lent and Beyond-very cute, innovative ideas (muffin tin advent calendar). You may need to be bit crafty for many of these.

BBC Online-an online calendar with poetry, music or Bible readings for each day of Advent. Family Fun always has good craft ideas and Advent calendars ae no exception. If you wanted to, you could find a way to add Scripture to the project along with or to replace the candy suggested. TeachingMom has (of course) a wonderful, very educational Advent calendar along with many links and great ideas for celebrating Advent. Christian Book Distributors, my favorite Christmas and Advent store has Advent calendars you can buy and have in just a couple of days with rush shipping. I have listed a few below. Advent Calendar on DVD 2: Christmas Carol Edition Advent Calendars I hope you find something you can use! Related posts: Advent Products At CBD, Our Advent begins, Homeschool Advent sites

have been enhanced by reading The Jesus Storybook Bible. The Big Picture Bible by John Helm is another favorite that we return to again and again. The larger format of this book makes it's illustrations especially wonderful. In very simple terms, Helm lays out God's plans for humankind beginning with Creation. As we read, we do not want the book to come an end it is so enjoyable. Helm's presentation keeps you on the edge of your seat, wanting to know the next scene in the Divine drama. I highly recommend this book as part of your Bible education for your children. The Big Picture Story Bible By David Helm The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name By Sally Lloyd-Jones

feedjournal.com

More Homeschool Advent Sites By Mrs. Carrington Submitted at 12/9/2008 10:02:52 AM

I found even more great homeschool Advent sites. Thanks to Homeschooling Coach (@HomeschoolCoach on twitter) for letting me know about her wonderful Advent devotions. Check out Piney Woods and her lovely Advent devotionals. Homeschooling Moms blog also has a list of excellent Advent links. Please take the time to look these Advent resources. Redeem Cristmas from the shopping madness/overindulgence holiday it has become. You and your family will be glad that you did.

Our Advent Celebration Begins By Mrs. Carrington Submitted at 12/4/2008 12:34:07 AM

This year, I felt the Lord leading us to commemorate his birth in a more meaningful way than in year's past. We are celebrating Advent and it has already been a blessing. It is very helpful for our whole family, parents and children, to be reminded of the "Big Picture" of the story of redemption revealed in the Bible. Now that Christmas is coming, we are mindful of the place of the birth of Christ in this glorious tale of our salvation. I have created a multimedia, musically-themed Advent celebration for our family. From a unique study presented on the site, Stand Firm, I got the idea of tying some of our daily studies to Handel's Messiah. Handel's signature work is a story of God's redemption of mankind and includes the singing of Scripture passages. Each night, we lift the flap on an

Advent calendar that I very simply created using foam-core board, construction paper, ribbon and stickers, to find that night's Scripture verse. I could not find a calendar that would allow me to incorporate Scripture. My son reads the verse from his NIV and then I read from the KJV (the language of Handel's Messiah). Next, we watched the video together which everyone enjoyed. Our Scripture for last night was Isaiah 40: 1-5. Although some of the videos of the Messiah referenced on the Stand Firm site are no longer available, I found others that conveyed the beauty and majesty of this grand story of redemption that I was looking for online. Here is our first video from last night's devotion: Look for our future "Advent Celebration" posts. Jump ahead to Day 3, Messiah video.

Fun Boy Gift On Vision Forum By Mrs. Carrington Submitted at 12/6/2008 10:31:01 AM

Vision forum is having a sale on some of their favorite toys and boys and girls and I just popped over there to complete my Christmas shopping. The toy that my son wants the most is apparently the toy that many other boys want as well, the Amphibious Remote-Controlled Tank is selling out fast and none will be re-ordered

once they are gone. The Amphibious Tank is now back-ordered but my cart says I will receive it in 9-13 business days. If you are looking for a real toy to engage your older boys, this is it. Check out the online video demonstration of how the toy works before you buy. Why Not Just Video Games For Boys? Studies show that video games,

most popular among boys and the most popular gift parents will buy their boys this Christmas, are not good for the emotional or physical health of boys. We constantly hear how American boys are on a steady downward decline according to many measures. Video games do not allow boys to act out their own fantasies, fears and interests from the depths of their own imaginations. Playing with real toys

has been shown in study after study to be superior. Even if you do not buy this toy, buy your growing boys lots of real toys this Christmas. Activity sets, construction toys, nature items and science kits make good alternatives as boy gifts this Christmas. See our Educational Gift Guide for more educational gift ideas.

2

FeedJournal Basic

Dear Jesus: My What's Wrong With Children's Devotionals? Christmas Wish List - Part 1 By Mrs. Carrington

Submitted at 12/8/2008 9:32:50 AM

By Mrs. Carrington Submitted at 12/3/2008 12:24:49 PM

I spent a long time looking for a children's devotional book that the children and I could do together to supplement our homeschooling. I even purchased a few child devotionals that seemed interesting and easy to use. Unfortunately, I was disappointed each time. Something seemed to me to be missing. I agreed with the basic premises found in the books (do not steal, do not lie, obey your parents), but the books seemed overly condemning and moralistic with little explanation. Most of all, the child devotionals I purchased did not seem to offer any advice of HOW the child was to accomplish the moral righteousness prescribed through its stories. As I matured as a Christian, I came to understand what was missing from the child devotionals- GRACE. I was learning firsthand of the importance

of grace and asking God for an extra measure of his help in teaching my children about grace so that we can learn and grow together. Although I want my children to be well-versed in the commands of our mighty God as he has laid out in his Scripture, I want all of us to avoid the traps of legalism or false selfrighteousness. The Lord has been gracious and shown me my tendency to pridefulness which would surely be made worse by any notion that I can be "good" on my own. Thus began my search for children's devotionals and Bible study that we could all learn from successfully. In subsequent posts, I will be sharing the books that we use for this important daily task. What are your thoughts? Have you noticed what I noticed? Do you use a children's devotional? Have you found one that you liked? Please share. Let us know!

Homeschool Advent Sites By Mrs. Carrington Submitted at 12/8/2008 10:05:25 PM

Want some great homeschool advent devotions and resources? I have found a few good ones. It is never too late to start your advent celebration, even if you are not in the very beginning. Any Advent devotions that you do will bless your family and enhance your celebration of Christmas. Advent devotions and studies are a wonderful way to teach Christmas in your homeschool. Here are some Christian Advent links: Lent and More features the most comprehensive list of links for Advent that I have yet seen. From here, I found many other wonderful sites. The wonderfully talented Miiko, a

fellow homeschool mom blogger, has on her site a very comprehensive word-study based Advent devotional for families, Eleanor Zweigle's Advent Study, that I downloaded. Just amazing how gifted some ladies are with teaching God's word simply and helping others understand for themselves. Finally, many of you know that I am doing a unique Advent series based on Handel's Messiah that I put together from the Stand Firm Site. If you have a chance, take a look at some of the Handel video posts on this blog along with the accompanying Scripture. This makes a nice evening devotional plus we are learning about classical music appreciation at the same time. View our most recent advent devotion, day 8 My Redeemer Lives.

This is the time of year that we are all thinking about gifts, getting them and giving them. I was journaling this morning, writing a letter to God and trying to remember to prayerfully ask for what I need instead of worrying or becoming frustrated. There are several gifts I would like to ask for and if they come well before Christmas, that is OK: • To be able to pray more. As I referred to above, my natural instinct is not to pray in all things, unceasing. I would like help from you Lord in remembering to pray all the time. • To re-commit to my daily Bible studies. I would like help to never skip a week here or there but to remain consistent despite the circumstance (sickness, whatever).

2008 Black Friday Ads By Mrs. Carrington Submitted at 11/27/2008 6:16:00 PM

Black Friday Online. I have had so many Black Friday specials and deals come in my e-mail from my merchant partners that I can not offer them all. I have tried to choose the best sales and deals to highlight. I hope you find something nice at a good price! Happy Shopping! Babystyle is a source of wonderful toys and clothes for kids. Give giggles with a 20% off discount on babystyle's high quality toys - Use promo code "FUN20" Fitz and Floyd offers a variety of home furnishings and collectibles. Official Fitz & Floyd Site Limited Time Event - Save 15% OFF Site Wide Plus Free Shipping!

Submitted at 12/4/2008 12:25:44 AM

Today, we started our devotion with the third video in this series from the Messiah by Handel. We watched only the first part today, corresponding to Isaiah 9:6. How wonderful to hear the prophecy of our Savior's birth and triumph sung so powerfully. I took this opportunity to teach my children the power of the Scriptures, even when one hears them in a

language one does not know. You may have heard reports of the amazingly emotional response of the Chinese to a large performance of Handel's Messiah earlier this year. Many were bought to Christ as a result. I recounted the story of God's transforming love through music and then had to add this sad footnote to remind us of our freedoms- Handel's Messiah is no longer allowed to be performed in the country of China. Chinese officials also noticed what

Event Ends Midnight December 1st. Even jewelry is on sale this Christmas season! Christmas Jewelry Sale - Save an Extra 20% + Free Shipping Illy Cafe has terrific coffees and teas and related accessories. Fabulous selection of gifts under $50 from illy for the coffee and espresso lover on your list! Create your own illy coffee 2 pack plus receive a free logo spoon and free shipping all for just $28. Celebrate the art of tea with unique, handpicked premium French teas from Dammann Frères. Abbey Press is a long-time provider of religious gifts and books. Black Friday Bargains: Free Shipping on Any Abbey Press Order Nov 28-Dec4

Disciple Like Jesus By Mrs. Carrington Submitted at 12/8/2008 10:06:58 AM

Advent Celebration: Handel's Messiah Video By Mrs. Carrington

• To teach my children to pray and study the Bible. Please guide me as I am reviewing ways to show Chase how to do a word study. • More faith in a faithful God who never changes. • More joy in all circumstances, just because I am saved by God's grace and I am to rejoice in the day the Lord has made. • More of the peace that passes all understanding. Again, despite the circumstances, peace in what I pray for to you today. Jesus, I know that I have been more naughty than nice and surely do not deserve your blessings. But I ask that you in your grace and mercy, through the sacrifice of your son, Jesus grant me these things of which I am asking. Amen.

happened and the growing Christian church in China is viewed as a threat to the Communist leaders. So as we sat in our cozy home, watching our lovely Messiah video for free and with complete freedom, we were reminded that there are others not so fortunate. Please pray for Chinese Christians. May this video inspire you. See our prior Advent Post with Handel's Messiah video, Day 1, here.

I just found out about this new site, Disciple Like Jesus, designed to help parents disciple their children. There are a number of interesting articles on the site. I have not read them all but the main point of the site, that we as parents must work to reverse the trend of our children leaving the church, was a valid one. This Sunday, the sermon was about the problems in the American church. Our elder and speaker, Vince Loparo, mentioned that discipling grown children, ages 18-34, is still very important as that group seems largely uninterested in traditional Christian values according to poll data from our recent presidential election. Homeschool parents, like all other Christian parents, must constantly reevaluate how we are doing in raising our children with a biblical worldview. The bottom line from Sunday's message at my church and the Disciple Like Jesus website is that it must begin with us, in our hearts and minds as parents.

FeedJournal Basic

3

Advent Celebration: Handel's Advent Celebration: Handel's Messiah Video Day 5 Messiah Video 2 By Mrs. Carrington By Mrs. Carrington

Submitted at 12/4/2008 12:47:30 AM

Today's Advent devotion and accompanying Messiah video focus on two key Scriptures- Isaiah 40:5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. and Malachi 3: 2-3. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify

the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. I especially enjoyed the musical rendering of Malachi 3 and reminding me about the "refiner's fire" was appropriate for me. I spent some time explaining refiner's fire to Chase and I was surprised at how easily he grasped the concept of God's purification through trials sometimes. View the video below. View our Advent devotions for Day 3 and Day 1 with the accompanying Messiah videos. Soli Deo Gloria!

Advent Devotion Day 8 VideoMy Redeemer Lives By Mrs. Carrington Submitted at 12/8/2008 9:40:08 PM

More beautiful music from Handel's Messiah with even more beautiful words from Scripture. Today, we will split the video and verses into two parts. Part 1 Scriptures are Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the

dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. The kids were especially interested in how the soprano voices were slow and quiet for v21 but very upbeat and loud for v22. What delightful music to end each day. If you have not looked, I added a Handel music bar for your listening pleasure while you are reading this blog. It is in the left sidebar. Have a blessed evening!

Prince Caspian Is On DVD! By Mrs. Carrington Submitted at 12/4/2008 12:01:14 AM

Hurray! We loved the Prince Caspian movie and went to see it the first day it played in theaters. We do not often go to the movies so this was quite a special event for us. We splurged and got popcorn, drinks, the "whole nine yards" and it was wonderful. I am a big C.S. Lewis fan and I especially enjoy how his stories often remind me of Bible stories. No arguments here about whether or not

his work is biblical allegory. I just like the familiar feeling I get when reading or watching the works of Lewis. So my birthday was yesterday (now officially past the 4-0 mark) and guess what I got? Yep, the NEW, just released Prince Caspian. Now I can watch it over and over again (in all my free time). Get your Prince Caspian DVD today!

Submitted at 12/5/2008 10:16:37 PM

Today's devotion was particularly moving. We watched part 4 of the 6 videos in this series. The main verse for today was Isaiah 53:4-5 (vocabulary- iniquities, transgressions; lessons-why Jesus came and died for us, the power of Old Testament prophecy- my kids were amazed that these verses in Is

53 were written long before Jesus was born). It is amazing that I have listened to Handel's Messiah for years and never even known what the words were! The words are so powerful that we are all being changed by this study. Reading the verses in two versions and then hearing them sung with such emotion is just indescribable. Watch and enjoy.

Jonathan Park On Video: Behind The Scenes By Mrs. Carrington Submitted at 12/6/2008 10:19:03 AM

We were thrilled to find a video of Jonathan Park: Behind the Scenes on YouTube. It was fun to "meet" the voices behind the characters we had come to know and love. Did you know that Jessie and her mother, Martha, characters in the drama, are mother and daughter in real life? The mom states that is a lot of fun practicing and performing with her daughter and they have been involved for many years now with the production of Jonathan Park. If you are a Jonathan Park fan, check this out and if you are not yet a

fan, take a listen and see if you and your family might enjoy listening to the series. Find Jonathan Park in our Educational Gift Guide.

Homeschool Mom Tips Top 10: 2008

Mom Poems

By Mrs. Carrington

Submitted at 12/4/2008 11:35:00 AM

Submitted at 12/4/2008 9:32:56 AM

Want to know what are my top 10 Homeschool Mom Tips? I put together a little presentation for you to view and share with others. Look for upcoming blog posts to give more information, links and resources for each tip. View it below. Prefer to download the pdf? Grab a copy at ScribD, a site where I host my documents.

By Mrs. Carrington I have seen a growing interest in my collection of mom poems that I published as an e-book several years ago. I thought I would share the collection with my current readers. The mom poems and prayers are meant to warm your heart and make you glad to be a mommy. I hope they bless you today or whenever you need a little "pick-me-up". The free e-book can be found on my Scribd site.

Education Gifts and Learning Toys Guide Ready Now By Mrs. Carrington Submitted at 12/6/2008 9:57:52 AM

T h e o f f i c i a l HomeschoolMomTips.com Educational Gift Guide 2008 is finally here! V i e w T h e HomeschoolMomTips.com

Educational Gift Guide Webpage. View a screenshot of the

Educational Gift Guide below: Read some of our other Christmas Gift Articles: National Geographic Educational Gifts Remote-Control Tank Selling Out Christian Christmas Gifts Why I Shop Christian Book Distributors For Christmas

2008 Black Friday Sale At Old Schoolhouse Store

Quiet, Snowy Day

By Mrs. Carrington

Submitted at 12/6/2008 11:16:33 PM

Submitted at 11/27/2008 10:56:53 AM

Homeschool curriculum and more on sale at The Old Schoolhouse Store online the day after Thanksgiving! This is the first ever so-called "Black Friday" sale that I have ever heard of

just for homeschoolers! Get up to $450 in free gifts. Stroll over to your computer in your comfy robe with a cup of coffee or tea on Friday morning and shop, shop, shop! Have fun! Black Friday Sale

By Mrs. Carrington We were in all day today. We entertained our little cousin and my sister, made cookies and had a generally good time despite the falling snow and howling wind. What a nice feeling to be safe and snug inside. My heart breaks for families who are not so blessed. I am grateful for all that God has given to me. May I use it all for his Glory.

2008 Black Friday Vision Forum Sale By Mrs. Carrington Submitted at 11/28/2008 5:55:00 AM

Vision Forum is having a "Buy 2 Get One Free" Sale starting on Friday, November 28. Alyssa and Chase have already decided what they want- Alyssa wants two of the dolls and the baby doll carriage and Chase wants the entire Jonathan Park series on the iPod Nano. Get your gifts soon- the sale does not last long. Happy shopping! Just click on the banner below.

4

FeedJournal Basic

Thankful For Family Win Prizes At Old By Mrs. Carrington

Schoolhouse Store!

Submitted at 11/28/2008 2:32:37 PM

By Mrs. Carrington

This year, as we all went around the table to say what we were grateful for before our Thanksgiving feast, we all focused on various aspects of family. This was different than years past. I think that the loss of Grandpa in September has made us realize how very precious we are to each other. And for that, I am grateful.

BJU Homeschool Curriculum: Free Shipping By Mrs. Carrington Submitted at 11/28/2008 7:56:58 AM

Looking for BJU homeschool curriculum? Go to the Bob Jones Homeschool Store for free shipping on BJU Homeschool Curriculum packages. See the examples below for K4 and K5. K4 Foundations Home School Kit K5 Beginnings Home School Kit (3rd Edition)

Submitted at 11/27/2008 7:55:02 AM

The Old Schoolhouse Store is having another fun contest in which they are offering lots of great prizes to one lucky store visitor. Click on the banner for more details. Win Big An early Christmas for customer #67,000 in Schoolhouse Store