Zeezok Composer Series

We are all enjoying our composer study right now! We are reading Ludwig Beethoven and the Chiming of Tower Bells by Opal Wheeler, published by Zeezok Publishing. The story is very well written! We are enjoying the story of the childhood of Beethoven right now. We also have the Companion CD (Highly recommend!!). It is wonderful! It has each song in the book as well as coloring pages that go along with the story! The music score is even in the story book so you can learn to play too!

There are many other composers in this series! I can't wait to read them all!

Little House on the Prairie: The Pilot

I know many of us love the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I have only just begun to read them this year with my AO Year 2 children. However, I grew up watching the TV show.

I have heard from many LHotP book fans about how far the TV show strayed after the first couple of seasons. Recently, I purchased the Little House on the Prairie: The Pilot and was amazed at how well it stuck to the story line. Not, only that, but it is actually the WHOLE book! Then, the series picks up with the next book, On the Banks of Plum Creek, when they move to Walnut Grove.

I was disturbed with the way they portray Ma as disagreeing with Pa about many things, which she did not do in the book (although she wasn't fond of Indians, she was never disrespectful to Pa about it). However, she does realize the error of her ways reguarding Edwards and the Indians!

I quite enjoyed the Pilot and cannot wait to watch it with the boys when we finish the book in the next couple of weeks.

The Spiritual Power of a Mother

I haven't blogged in awhile; my reading has been a little scattered. But, last night I finished Michael Farris' (President of HSLDA) The Spiritual Power of a Mother. I was very encouraged!



The mother child relationship is something that has always intrigued me. And I have observed very destructive use of the spiritual power that a mother has. So, the title is what drew me to this book.

As mothers, we have an unprecedented opportunity of influence in children's lives. But, Mr. Farris points out one big thing that really struck me; I have mulled it over since I read it. He says, that our primary job as mothers is NOT to teach them not to pick at scabs and wear clean underwear (no matter how much they need to hear that...HA HA). Nor, is it to teach our children ABOUT God.

"Teaching about God is important, but the most important thing you can teach your child is to believe in God....We teach our children to love God through the course of everyday living by having them watch us as we live a life of faith. This is God's ordained teaching method for obeying His most important command to parents: teach your children to love God."

Ouch. So, no amount of preaching AT them will develop a love for God (kind of sounded better in our heads huh?), but mostly, the faith we live in front of them. He goes on to give examples of poor behavior that we often exhibit in front of our children which teaches them the opposite of loving a Sovereign God.

He goes on to walk through many of the daily battles Homeschool Moms face with fatherly advice and humor and realistic goals. I have been very encouraged by this book and hope you will be too!

CHRISTmas

We talk glibly of the "Christmas spirit," rarely meaning more by this than sentimental jollity on a family basis. But...the phrase should in fact carry a tremendous weight of meaning. It ought to mean the reproducing of human lives of the temper of him who for our sakes became poor at the first Christmas. And the Christmas spirit itself ought to be the mark of every Christian all the year round.
J.I. Packer, Knowing God

Merry CHRISTmas!!!!

Excerpt from Tree in the Trail by Holling C Holling

The Tree in the story has lived a long life and when a twister destroys it, it is made into a yoke.

'Seems funny not to see her spreadin' above us, don't it?" said Jed. 'But if a tree could think, I'll bet she's mighty glad to be a yoke, swingin' along, tinklin' pretty. That tree was too held down. Always pointin' as if she wanted to follow us on the Trail (Santa Fe Trail). Now she can go beyond her hill, away out yonder-- father than she ever dreamed.

Maybe it's that way with people, sort of. They git rooted down, too. Along comes some disaster, or what looks like it, an' they feel lost. But, maybe, if they only knew-- all that's happened to 'em is that they've been freed. Freed to go farther than they ever thought. Maybe they's bells waitin' for them, too. Bells that will tinkle inside 'em somewhere...'

Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ Ch 3

"Happy is he whom truth by itself doth teach, not by figures and words that pass away; but as it is in itself (Psalm 94:12).

Our own opinion and our own sense do often deceive us, and they discern but little...It is folly to neglect the things that are profitable and necessary, and give our minds to that which is curious and hurtful: we have eyes and see not.

...Who hinders and troubles thee more than the unfortified affections of thine own heart?

...This ought to be our endeavor, to conquer ourselves, and daily wax stronger and to make a further growth in holiness. All perfection in this life hath some imperfection mixed with it; and no knowledge of ours is without some darkness."