Hey, Mama,
Summer is a good time to mix fun and less structured learning. Whether you school year round or take a break, you'll find some great ideas for summer activities in The Old Schoolhouse� Magazine.
And remember . . .
If you know nothing else, you know that the God of the universe, the One whom you teach your children to fear, the One who has saved you, the One who keeps you in His hand, the One who has opened your eyes and given you hope for eternal life, the One who has given you compassion and love for a hurting world . . . that One . . . that God, Jesus Christ, the one true Living Savior . . .
His hand is on your head tonight. Rest in Him. What He builds, He does not tear down. He is not a God of chaos. He is orderly and has good plans for you. And He has given you these children and instructed you to walk. This is the path He has you on.
So you are covered. You are safe. You are His, and no one can snatch you away. Pray for your children. Ask God to turn things right and to be just with you. He will, because He is.
~ gena
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Relational Homeschooling
Diana is out on vacation this week. Her advice is-- Take a break! That is the topic of this week's video on Facebook. Check it out!
Diana
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Planning any road trips this summer? Traveling with your kids can be lots of fun--a chance to take a break, explore our wonderful nation, and learn more about God's creation. Road trips provide great opportunities to teach your kids about God and His wonderful plan of Salvation. Car time can easily become a time of intentional family discipleship.
On longer trips, play audiobooks or music CDs to help your children learn and memorize scripture. Connect what they've learned to examples of everyday life they see outside the car window. Each time you travel, play Bible games such as "Bible Character Who Am I?," license plate Bible book, and "Bible 20 questions" to keep their young minds focused on God. Ask open-ended questions like, "What's your favorite thing that God made and why?" Encourage them to share their thoughts. Organizations such as Focus on the Family offer downloadable printables filled with game and activity ideas for long car trips. Mix it up with coloring books, car crafts, and travel treat boxes.
As any road-trip expert will tell you, it's all about options. So don't forget your tablet! While electronic devices and apps will never replace real communication with your kids, they're a great Plan B for long road trips. And these days, there are plenty of ways to load up your tablet or phone with quality Bible-focused content. From educational games to kids' sermons to Bible stories, there are Bible apps available for all ages and budgets. Check out the iTunes and Google Play stores and see what you discover!
Did you know that apps turn into audiobooks? Depending on your car's audio system, you can often play a tablet or smartphone through your car speakers--a fun and creative way for the whole family to learn more about the Bible.
Take a look at our discipleship Bible storybook app, Bible Pathway Adventures--the world's first Bible storybook app for parents AND kids. Inside you'll find hundreds of pages of world-class illustration and animated narration, alongside Adventure Scrolls and Discovery Arks bursting with fun facts and fascinating archaeological, historical, and scientific discoveries. Best of all, its completely free! Plug the app into your car audio system, and listen to our animated Bible stories by the amazing Troy W. Hudson. Perfect for road trips--long or short!
Learn more about Bible Pathway Adventures and download the app at: www.biblepathwayadventures.com. Available on all iOS and Android tablets and smartphones.
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Dr. James Dobson
Safe at Home
By Dr. James C. Dobson
Granting love and attention to your kids goes a long way toward establishing a stable atmosphere at home. But the best way to foster security in young hearts and minds is to cultivate your relationship with your spouse. When children see, close-up, your ironclad commitment to each other, they'll begin to develop a sense of assurance about their own future that is likely to stay with them for the rest of their lives.
When you spoke your marriage vows to your spouse and committed yourself to loving and caring for that person for the rest of your life, you made a holy promise to your husband or wife. You may not have realized then that you were also making a commitment to a few special people who weren't even in the church that day--your children.
Conflict is inevitable in marriage. But how often do we pause to consider the impact of our battles on others? Even when the combatants make up, the fallout of harsh words or acts can linger not only between Mom and Dad, but also in the minds of their kids. I urge you to "live in peace with each other," and make the most of your relationship as husband and wife--for your own sake, and for the sake of sons and daughters who depend on you to provide a nurturing environment at home.
When fears and troubles threaten to overwhelm your sons and daughters, they will need to be able to hang on to the rock that is your marriage relationship. Security for children is rooted almost entirely in their parents.
Early in their marriage, FamilyLife ministry cofounders, Dennis and Barbara Rainey, decided to go away for a weekend. Their goal was more than a couple days of relaxation. Separately, they each created a list of values that they wanted to one day teach their children. After making their lists, Dennis and Barbara came together and settled on their top five family values. That project was a wonderful time of sharing for the Raineys that also established "true north" for their journey as parents. In later years, Dennis and Barbara had a written record to refer to when child-rearing issues arose. In fact, Dennis still carries that dog-eared piece of paper with him wherever he goes.
Whether you write your values list on paper or in your heart, it's important to recognize where you are leading your family. As Yogi Berra once said, "You got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there." Your children will discover and embrace the values that matter--love for each other, kindness, integrity, devotion to God--only if you have the right map to lead them there. Choose your values wisely (see examples in Matthew 7:12; Romans 12:9-13; 1 Corinthians 16:13-14; 2 Peter 1:5-7)--then stay on the trail!
For over 30 years, Dr. James Dobson has been America's trusted source for psychologically sound, biblically based advice to help strengthen marriages, parents and families. For more practical help and encouragement, visit: drjamesdobson.org
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The Familyman
I'm sitting in front of my computer, giddy that the Mediacom guy is fixing our Internet. We've been off-line since Monday, and we're falling more behind than we already were after traveling for the past several weeks.
We've had more than one conversation about what they did in the old days . . . when there was no Internet. The answer is obvious: they sat around on back porches talking, playing, and interacting. We don't do that anymore because we live online.
So here's my summer activity suggestion: turn off the Internet, the TV, the game devices, the computer, and FACEBOOK, and see how much time it frees up in your lives. Let the kids be bored a day or two, and let them discover what summer fun is all about.
Be real,
Todd
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FREE CURRICULUM for VOTING YOUR CHOICES:
It's time for the annual The Old Schoolhouse Excellence Awards, and we need your input! Please take a few minutes to vote in such categories as your favorite homeschool literature book, preferred online learning tool, and best app. The Old Schoolhouse will send you a FREE WannaBe series as a "Thank you," just for taking the time to vote! Click here!
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A division of The Old Schoolhouse� Magazine
Did you know? Every class is INCLUDED for members!
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A membership to SchoolhouseTeachers.com gives your entire family access not only to year-round curriculum, but also a summer resource center full of ideas that can save your sanity! We've got summer-themed lessons, short intensive classes for high schoolers who want to continue building their transcripts, and a TON of fun classes you can do this summer that don't even feel like "school" . . . because learning never takes a vacation!
Sign up and try us for 30 days for only $1. There are no per-child fees or additional fees for textbooks, and courses are not live, so you can start them at any time. If you or someone you know is interested in teaching a class on our site, please contact Executive Editor Bonnie Rose Hudson at bhudson@theoldschoolhouse.com.
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Contest Corner
For the month of June 2016
Who was Martin Luther? Most of us know him as the German father of the Reformation movement in Europe. If pressed, we might recall that he nailed ninety-five theses, or statements of Christian faith, to the door of the Wittenberg church. Yet there is so much more to this controversial man's life that will come as a surprise to many. Author Danika Cooley, in her historical novel for teens, has brought the story of Luther the man, as well as the reformer and theologian, to vivid and striking life. My family and I received WHEN LIGHTNING STRUCK! in hardback form for the purposes of review.
It's difficult to imagine the brutal world in which Luther was born, lived, and died. Picture a world where sanitation is irregular or nonexistent; where many babies struggle to survive; where superstition is rampant; where ignorance and illiteracy are the norm. In 1483 Europe, most lived under these conditions, where life was a struggle each and every day.
Now, add to these arduous living conditions an absolute terror of God; and utter hopelessness and confusion regarding an individual's chance for salvation. If you've got all of this in your mind, you'll have a sense of what Luther's world was like.
Martin Luther's parents planned for him to become a lawyer and marry a wealthy woman from their town. Yet as he walked the fifty miles one day from his parents' home to the University of Erfurt, a torrential storm blew upon him, complete with terrifying thunder and lightning. Martin wondered if the storm was God's way of communicating His displeasure with Martin's choice of profession. Could he possibly receive salvation in the worldly profession of a lawyer? When lightning seemed to chase him down the road and then struck the tree he was hiding under, tossing Martin to the ground, he cried out, "Saint Anna, help me! I will become a monk!"
And so began his years as a monk. Brilliant and sharp-tongued, he brought to the priesthood a trained mind that caused him to examine and question the doctrines of the Catholic Church. Yet the more he learned, the more uncertain he was that he'd ever be able to work hard enough to earn his own salvation. For this was the doctrine of the era: the purchase of indulgences to shorten one's time in purgatory; confessing sins over and over; never knowing if one was really saved; and for Martin and other monks, fasting and poverty. Regardless of how much Martin did, he was ever burdened with the deep knowledge of his own sinfulness and his own unworthiness. So he worked harder and harder.
One day, his prior offered him a Bible. Martin was overjoyed. Ever since he'd seen one chained to a desk in a school library, and had read the story of Hannah and Samuel, he had longed for this precious book, rare and difficult to find. Yet, this Bible did not become part of his priestly studies, which focused on the writings of theologians. Rather, he pored over it for hours in the time he had alone. The more he read, though, the more his dissatisfaction with himself grew. (. . .)
Read the rest of the review to find out more!
YOU can WIN this awesome historical fiction book!
TO ENTER: Email Heather (hmader@thehomeschoolmagazine.com) with your name, mailing address, and phone number for contact purposes, with the subject line, "Martin Luther" for a chance to win* it for your family!
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