Blog - Meredith Ludwig Curtis

Raising World Changers

4/30/2012

"I just want to leave this world a better place than I found it," the elderly man explained. It sounded so noble.

"What do you mean, leave this world better? How would you do that?" the young woman asked him, as she continued wrapping the bandage around his leg.

Her question caught him by surprise and he didn't quite know how to respond. He pretended to wince at the pain as she checked the wound lower on the same leg, but he felt no pain. He was just buying time.

The conversation continued as the man tried to explain how to leave the world a better place without bringing God or the Bible into the picture. You see, he didn't believe it God. But every suggestion he made seemed to come back to the Bible.

Move to another scene....

How to Balance Your Checkbook

4/29/2012

Very few of us enjoy balancing our checkbook, but NOT balancing our checkbook gets us in trouble. First, review my article on Healthy Banking. Make sure that you are using your checkbook register faithfully for deposits, checks, and ATM or automatic account debits.

Are you ready to balance your checkbook?

You will need your checkbook register and the checking account bank statement. Do you have both? Okay, it's time to begin.

Step One: Bank's Balance

Review of ARTistic Pursuits

4/26/2012

Another art curriculum to review!

ARTistic Pursuits Junior High Book Two Color and Composition arrived in my mailbox with its companion, ARTistic Pursuits Junior High Book One The Elements of Art and Composition.

Teaching art intimidates me, so it was with a little anxiety that I perused these two non-consumable art curriculum books.

I understand the principles of art and design and can explain the elements of art. It's when we actually use media that I get a little nervous.

My renditions never look like the pictures in the book.

What a pleasant surprise awaited me!

Building Your Homeschool Library II

4/25/2012

Last time, in Building Your Homeschool Library I, we talked about shopping for children's picture books, classic literature, Christian literature, and historic fiction. Today, we will talk about more genres to add to your growing homeschool library. The following categories of books will make great additions to your homeschool library, so be sure to investigate these genres. Talk to other homeschool moms about their library suggestions.

Biographies

This is my favorite way to learn about people from other times and places. Biographies, like historical fiction, introduce us to the time and place we are studying by seeing it through the eyes of one person, the subject of the biography. When I close a biography, I feel like I have a new friend. Of course, usually this new friend lives somewhere far away and is no longer alive! When I was a little girl I read every single Childhood of Famous Americans, a series of biographies written for children, that I could get my hands on. Soon after he learned to read, my son Jimmy gobbled them up too. Autobiographies are biographies written about the author. Two autobiographies that our family enjoys are Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington and The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin. Closely related are diaries and journals. We read The Log of Christopher Columbus in US History class, his personal account of his famous voyage across the Atlantic in 1492.

Inspirational Books

These books are for all ages and help us grow closer to the Lord. Purpose Driven Life and Prayer of Jabez and wonderful examples of this category of books. My children have a deep desire to grow in their walks with Jesus in their teen years. They have enjoyed some of my favorite books and have discovered their own favorites. Here are some more Curtis favorites, both classic and modern, to inspire spiritual growth: A Christian's Secret to a Happy Life by Hannah Whittal Smith, Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hannard, Authentic Beauty by Leslie Ludy, I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Josh Harris, Prison to Praise by Marlin Carothers, Improving Your Serve by Charles Swindoll, Victory over Darkness by Neil Anderson, and Search for Significance by Robert McGee.

Cookbooks

Cookbooks are always fun, especially historical or geographical ones with recipes you can use to supplement history class. We have enjoyed The U.S. History Cookbook: Delicious Recipes and Exciting Events from the Past by Joan D'Amico and Karen Eich Drummond. I have created a cookbook to go along with Ancient Times for those studying world history, Time Travel in the Kitchen: Ancient History Cookbook. Another great E-book cookbook is Aunt Sarah's Alaskan Cookbook. Cookbooks usually have interesting food facts and history tidbits to spice them up. Don't underestimate their value in the homeschool library.

Activity Books

Building a Homeschool Library I

4/24/2012

Books, books, and more books! That's the way life is for homeschooling families. Every good school has a good library and home schools are no exception. But what books should you line your shelves with? Here's a quick overview of what kind of books will benefit your children and you during your family's homeschool adventure.

Remember you can build a library slowly. Don't rush out and buy everything. Look for sales and become a frequent shopper at used book stores and thrift stores. I have picked up many classic books for 25 cents. My favorite place to get books is at public library sales. The libraries often toss out older, more conservative books to make way for modern silliness. That's great for us! We can pick up expensive classic books for a song.

Here are the kinds of books that you should purchase with examples of quality reading material in each category.

Picture Books for Young Children and Early Readers

Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman was my husband's favorite book as a child. It's on our shelves too and my children enjoy it just as much as he did back in the sixties. A picture book purchase should be based on the story and the illustrations. There are picture books in our library that are practically works of art. There is a list of our family's favorite picture books on our website, Joyful and Successful Homeschooling.

Picture Books for Older Children

These books are wonderful for read aloud in unit studies. Do you know that no one is too old to read a well-written, beautifully illustrated picture book? But there are actually picture books written for older children that our family uses for unit studies. The Library of Alexandria by Kelly Trumble is a lovely book about the largest library of the ancient world. The oldest living story, Gilgamesh, is available as a picture book, Gilgamesh, the Hero by Geraldine McCaughrean, that our family has been delighted to listen to as mom reads aloud.

Classic Literature for Children

Your Home: A Reflection of Heaven

4/23/2012

Do you ever stop to imagine what Heaven is like? What sounds, smells and sights await us? What a joyous moment it will be when we finally arrive home!

God has prepared Heaven with His beloved bride (that's us!) in mind! Though first and foremost,Heaven exists for the GLORY of God, it is also our eternal home where we will live in the very Presence of God! Unlike earth, where we see through a glass darkly (I Corinthians 13), in Heaven we will see face to face!

Temporary Models of Eternal Things

Marriage, a temporary relationship, is a picture of the relationship that Jesus has with the church, a permanent relationship that lasts forever! (See Ephesians 5:22-33 and Revelation 21:2) Our marriage is a picture for our children of how Jesus loves His bride and how she loves him! Our marriage gives our little lambs a picture of the love relationship between Jesus, our Risen Lamb, and the church.

Our family, a temporary group, is a picture of the Family of God, a permanent group. (See Ephesians 2:19-22 and Ephesians 3:14-15). Our family models to the world what life in the church should look like with strong ties of love, loyalty, and commitment.

Our home, a temporary dwelling, is a picture of Heaven, a permanent home. (See Philippians 3:20) We can prepare a small-scale model for our husbands, children, and friends of Heaven itself. So, let's take a quick look at Heaven and then we'll talk about imitating Heaven in our homes!

"Be imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God," (Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV).

Heaven is a Prepared Place!

Jesus told His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them! When we glimpse Heaven in Revelation 21 and 22, we see a lovely place that has been laid out with order and precision. Our Heavenly Father started with a plan and carried that plan out completely. Heaven is clean, sparkling, and in perfect order.

"In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am," (John 14:2-3 NIV).

This side of Heaven, we have an opportunity to reveal Heaven to our little ones. Cleaning and organizing our home is one way to prepare our homes in imitation of our Heavenly Father. Our homes don't have to be immaculate, but they should be organized and ready for life to happen. A realistic schedule also provides security and order to our busy lives.

But beyond, cleaning and organizing--have you ever considered what it is you want your home and family to look like. What things do you want to do with your husband and children? Are there dreams you have that you feel are unreachable or unaffordable? Don't underestimate God! He may just surprise you! Or He may have an alternative that is just as wonderful as your dream. Prayerfully and purposefully, plan your home and family.

Heaven is Lovely to Behold!

Review of Aunt Sarah's Alaskan Cookbook

4/22/2012

In the last election, Sarah Palin captured my heart and imagination with her spunky attitude, devotion to her family, and good common sense. I was so excited to see a woman of God who was not ashamed to talk about her faith in Jesus! Who was this woman from Alaska that I'd never heard of before? A governor? I never think much about Alaska, though my parents dreamed of taking an Alaskan cruise together. "Brrr...too cold," was my thought when they asked if I wanted to join them. But, as I have been learning more about this beautiful wilderness state of ours with its breathtaking landscape, I'm having second thoughts about taking an Alaskan cruise. At the very least, I am interested in learning about this wild state that produces hearty, spunky souls who value family and hard work.

With this in mind, I was eager to take a look at an E-book, Aunt Sarah's Alaskan Cookbook by Cheryl Moeller. With lovely illustrations by Susan R. Smith and breath-taking photographs by Clifford McGhyghy, this cookbook is a homeschool treasure. Use it as a foundation for a unit study on Alaska or just enjoy the yummy recipes.

Cookbook Chapters

More than a collection of recipes, Aunt Sarah's Alaskan Cookbook gives you a look at Alaska's history and beauty throughout its 60 pages. Divided into seven sections (six chapters and an appendix), each section contains information about Alaska that can be used as a springboard for a unit study or as a supplement to your family's Alaska unit study. Here are the sections with some recipe examples from each section.

Chapter One: Refreshing Cold and Hot Beverages (Polar Bear Guzzler, Pacific Rim Hot Lemonade, Dogsled Caramel Apple Cider, and more!)
Chapter Two: Berries and Fruit ("After the Sauna" Cold Fruit Soup, Aleutian Grilled Fruit-Kabobs, Klondike River Rhubarb Bars, and more!)
Chapter Three: Salmon and the Fish of the Sea (Fairbanks Citrus Salmon, Kanai Breakfast Fish Tacos, Water's Edge Crockpot Trout, and more!)
Chapter Four: Choose Moose, Rabbit, Deer, Elk, Bear and Caribou (Katishna Venison Sausage and Flax Pancakes, Barrow Buttermilk Grilled Rabbit, Wild Buck Beans, and more!)
Chapter Five: Dog Sled Race Party for Kids (Finger Lake Moose Munch, Rainy Pass Wheat Germ Cookies, White Mountain Ice Cream, and more!)
Chapter Six: Banquet of the North (Czar Alexander Elk Meatloaf, Easy Baked Alaska, Okmok Volcano, Mashed Potatoes with Gravy, and more!)
Appendix: Curriculum for Children (Coloring Pages, Comprehension Chapter Questions, Comprehension Chapter Questions Answer Sheets)

Exciting Alaska

Financial Record Keeping

4/22/2012

"Where is Mommy's bank statement?" Patty asked her two-year old toddler who was too busy gnawing on a table leg to answer her question.

Sue's husband, Fred, was even less organized than Patty. He left managing the finances to Patty. When Mike and I tried to help them get a handle on where their money was going, we discovered forgotten bank accounts and a self-directed IRA that Patty had opened while she was working for a mortgage company, intending to buy and sell stocks as investment for retirement. She had forgotten all about it.

My husband, a careful and precise record keeper was appalled, but I reminded him that most people don't know what financial records to keep and where to store them.

Let me give you a few tips on getting your financial records started, stored, and how to maintain them.

Financial records, like legal documents are important to be able to get to when you need them. My answer to everything administrative is to make a folder.

Record Storage

Review of Keyboarding for Christian Schools

4/19/2012

Keyboarding for the Christian School by Leanne Beitel is a back-to-basics curriculum. Nothing fancy. No bells and whistles. I like it!

This 107 page E-book contains 42 lessons taking you from the basics to formatting, footnotes, and addressing envelopes. The first 20 lessons help the student learn the location of the letters. Then the students become proficient at typing numbers. Here is a list of all the lessons.

Lesson 1-20: Alphabet keys
Lesson 21-25: Numbers and Symbols keys
Lesson 26-29: Number Pad
Lesson 30: Centering
Lesson 31: Enumerated Lists
Lesson 32: Tab Key
Lesson 33: MLA Report
Lesson 34: APA Reports
Lesson 35: Cover Page
Lesson 36: Works Cited
Lesson 37: Bibliography
Lesson 38: Personal Business Letters
Lesson 39: Business Letters
Lesson 40: Envelopes
Lesson 41: Proofreader's Marks
Lesson 42: Timed Writing & Timing Scale
Lesson 43: Tables

The lessons are easy to understand with clear directions that are easy to follow. A Christian company, the lessons include Scripture passages to type. One of the assignments is to copy the Gospel message in a nutshell entitled How to Become a Christian. All examples will encourage children in their faith.

When directions are given, many pictures are used to make the child's application of lesson clear. They show pictures of windows, computer screens, software, and more.

I remember typing class in seventh grade. We had a big picture of the keyboard in the front of the room, but all the keys on our typewriters were blackened out. This forced us to look up while we typed, a habit that I appreciate today because it allows me to type more quickly and efficiently.

How on earth do you learn to type on a computer keyboard I have often wondered. Should I blacken the keys on my keyboard and put a big poster on the wall. My husband's disapproval has prevented me from trying this method of teaching my children.

Books from Birth to College

4/18/2012

"And then the bird said, "Are you my mother?"...." I continued to read aloud to my bulging belly. This was my first pregnancy and I was determined to do everything the right way. I began reading Scripture aloud during my Quiet Times so that my unborn baby would hear the Word of God. Later while I nursed baby after baby, I continued this practice of reading both the Bible and books aloud to my little ones.

It has been my desire to introduce my children to living books and to instill in them a lifelong love of reading.

Living Books

Living books are books that breathe life, stir up emotions, and make you want to turn the page. Living books can be fiction, non-fiction, poetry, picture books, adventure novels, biographies, testimonies, fairy tales, parables, or nursery rhymes. They are not dry, dusty, and boring. They are filled with interesting knowledge instead of boring facts. In their pages, we meet real-life people or rounded, rather than flat, story characters.

Listening to Good Books

Homeschooling in a Post-Christian Nation

4/17/2012

I did not know any families that were divorced when I was a little girl. Everyone I went to public school with attended church or temple with their family. When people talked about preachers, priests, and rabbis, there was a respect in the tone of their voice.

But times are a-changin' and in my lifetime, I have seen sweeping changes throughout the nation and the world. The Bible is bashed, parents are dishonored, divorce is rampant, and Christians are ridiculed.

Secular Humanism

So how did these changes occur? Humanism was "reborn" in the Renaissance (the word Renaissance means "rebirth") that occurred in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The Ancient Greek culture was "rediscovered" along with their preoccupation with human perfection.

Where Is My Hairbrush?

4/16/2012

"Where is that necklace," I fumed, searching frantically through my dresser drawers. I was rushing off to sound check, running late, trying to get dressed and out the door. Suddenly, I had an inspiration. Rushing down the hall, I entered my daughter's room, opened her drawer and quickly examined the contents. There was my necklace! I scooped it up and headed to church!

Life with Daughters

God has blessed me with four daughters and one son. Life with five children is wonderful! I dreamed of having a big family as a little girl. The Lord has made my dreams come true! I never imagined that Jesus would give me such amazing children. If they weren't mine, I'd want to go out and adopt them!

There are some things, though, about sharing a home with four other women that make life challenging. For example, if I get a really cute shirt, I'll never see it again...except on one of my daughters. My make-up walks on its own to another bathroom because everyone denies borrowing it--it had to get there somehow. And worst of all, I can never find my hairbrush!

The Missing Hairbrush

Over the years I have bought hundreds of hairbrushes. I always put one in my purse and one in my bathroom drawer. Lo and behold, they always disappear within twenty-four hours of purchase! Believe me, I understand why banks have their pens on chains. I have considered chaining my hairbrush!

Partners in Ministry

Credit Card Wisdom

4/15/2012

"Another credit card offer," my daughter, a college senior reported, ripping up the entire envelope and tossing it into the garbage can.

I sighed, so thankful that she had not been enticed. Credit card companies target college students, giving them credit cards at an early age, to make them think that using a credit card is a normal part of the rest of their lives. Many college students not only graduate with student loan debt, but also graduate with credit card debt. What an awful way to begin life as an adult.

Through the years, I have watched people use credit cards in a destructive way, sabotaging their financial goals with these little plastic rectangles.

Harm of Credit Cards

Sunday after Easter, The Power of the Resurrection

4/15/2012

Read the Bible

I Corinthians 15:12-28
I Corinthians 15:38-55
Ephesians 1:15-22
Philippians 3:1-21

What kind of power raised Jesus from the dead?

Driving it Home

Try reading the Bible with only 1 lamp on….first use a 25 watt colored light bulb. Then switch to a regular 100 watt light bulb. Power makes a difference.

Easter Week Devotions, Resurrection Saturday: The Ascension!

4/13/2012

Read Bible

Mark 16:19-20
Luke 24:51-53
Acts 1:9-11

How did Jesus go back to Heaven? Isn’t that cool?!
What do you think the disciples were thinking as they watched Jesus leave earth?

Driving it Home

Buy or make a traditional diamond shaped kite. The sticks behind the diamond can symbolize the cross. Fly the kite together and talk about how Jesus ascending into Heaven through the clouds.

Easter Week Devotions, Friday: Great Commission II

4/12/2012

Read Bible

Luke 24:45-50
Acts 1:1-11

Give the order of the places that the disciples are to spread the Good News to starting with where they are in Jerusalem.
Locate these places on a map.
How far are they going to have to travel?

Driving it Home

Take out a map of your city, state, country, and the world. Talk about how your family would have to fulfill the Great Commission from your city. What kind of people are “Samaritans” in your city?

Easter Week Devotions, Resurrection Thursday: The Great Commission

4/12/2012

Read Bible

Matthew 28:16-20
Mark 16:14-20

What is the “Great Commission?”
Who has the needed authority to get this job done? Is He with us?
How long will it take for the “Great Commission” to be accomplished?
What three things are involved in making disciples?

Driving it Home

Take a piece of paper and write “Make Disciples” on it. Turn it over and fold it in thirds, making three columns.
At the top of one column write, “Go!,” at the top of another column write “Baptize,” and at the top of the third column write “Teach everything.”
List ways your family can fulfill these three different aspects of making disciples. When you are finished, cut out pictures for the other side of the paper that represent making disciples.

Easter Week Devotions, Resurrection Wednesday: Jesus Reinstates Peter

4/10/2012

Read Bible

John 21:1-25

How would you feel if you were Peter, after denying Jesus?
How does Jesus treat Peter?
How does He restore him to ministry?

Driving it Home

Act out 3 parts of this song together: Jesus predicts Peter’s denial, Peter denies Jesus, and Jesus reinstates Peter).

Easter Week Devotions, Resurrection Tuesday: The Road to Emmaus

4/9/2012

Read the Bible

Luke 24:13-35

Who was traveling on the Road to Emmaus?
Why didn’t Jesus reveal Himself right Away?
How do you think the disciples felt after Jesus had left them?
Has God ever revealed things to you and you just didn’t get it for awhile? Share some of those things with one another.

Driving it Home

Take a walk with one another and show each other something using Scripture only, not your opinion or experience.

Easter Week Devotions, Resurrection Monday: Jesus Appears to His Disicples

4/8/2012

Read Bible

Mark 16:9-15
Luke 24:36-44
John 20:19-31:

Why didn’t Jesus call FOX News or CNN to make a very splashy, public display of His Resurrection?
Name all the people Jesus appeared to.
What did Jesus say and do?
How do you think His disciples felt when they saw Him again.

Driving it Home

Discuss a friend or family member that has already died. Imagine that they came back to life. What would you want to ask them? What would you do with them? Remember that people who had died came to life when Jesus died. It was an exciting time to be alive!

Holy Week Devotions, Resurrection Sunday!

4/7/2012

Alleluia! Alleluia! He is Risen! Praise Him Forever! Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Read the Bible

Matthew 28:1-15
Mark 16:1-8
Luke 24:1-12
John 20:1-18

Who saw the risen Lord first?
Why did Jesus appear to them first?
Why did John and Peter run to the tomb?
How did Jesus show His disciples that He had risen from the dead?

Drive it Home

Hand everybody an empty egg. Have them go outside and find something to put into the egg that represents new life. You might find a flower or a budding twig. A small rock might represent the rock that was rolled away. This is fun when everyone shares what they chose and why.

Holy Week Devotions, Holy Saturday, Jesus' Death & Burial

4/6/2012

Read the Bible

Matthew 27:45-66
Mark 15:33-47
Luke 23:44-56
John 19:25-42

Describe Jesus’ death?
Who was with Him?
Why do you think Joseph buried Jesus’ body?
What would you have thought about everything if you were a bystander?

Drive it Home

Here are the Seven “Last Words” or Phrases of Jesus

1.      “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34)
2.      “This day you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43)
3.      “Woman, behold your son” (John 19:26-27)
4.      “My God, My God, why have You forsake Me?” (Mark 15:34)
5.      “I thirst” (John 19:28)
6.      “It is finished” (John 19:30)
7.      “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit” (Luke 23: 46)

Each person write down their last seven phrases and share them with one another. What would you want to communicate and take care of before you die?

Holy Week Devotions, Good Friday: Jesus' Death on the Cross

4/5/2012

Read Bible

Matthew 26:57-27:50
Mark 14:53-15:37
Luke 22:54-23:46
John 18:12-19:30

Summarize the entire story….there is a ton of reading today.
Name all the things that Jesus endured as part of the punishment you deserve.
What does His betrayal, arrest, beating, mocking, agony, and death show us about the holiness of God?

Driving it Home

Have your devotion time at 3 pm, the time that the Bible says Jesus was died.
Everybody writes down their sins on pieces of paper. Papers are nailed to a wooden cross.

Holy Week Devotions, Thursday: Betrayal & Arrest in the Garden

4/4/2012

Read Bible

Matthew 26:36-56
Mark 14:26-52
Luke 22:39-54
John 15:1-18:14

Why was it so hard for the disciples to stay awake?
How did the John, James, and Peter fail Jesus as a friend?
Why was Judas betrayal of Jesus with a kiss so significant?
Have you ever been betrayed? How did it feel?
How did Jesus behave through this entire ordeal?
What did Jesus focus on through his prayer, betrayal, and arrest?

Bible Prophecy Fulfilled

Messiah Betrayed
Psalm 41:9 / Mark 14:17-18
Zechariah 11:12-13a / Matthew 26:14-15
Messiah Abandoned
Psalm 22:11 / Mark 14:50
Psalm 69:20b / Mark 14:33-41

Driving it Home

Try to stay up and pray as late as you can. Who stayed awake the longest?

Holy Week Devotions, Wednesday: The Passover, Last Supper

4/3/2012

Read Bible

Exodus 12:1-36
Matthew 26:17-29
Mark 14:12-31
John 13
I Corinthians 11:23-25

Who celebrated the Passover together?
What preparations were made?
Jesus did the job that the lowest servant would do by washing their feet. Then He gave a new commandment to love one another as He loves us. How are these 2 things related?
How can you wash feet?
How is communion a memorial to the Lord?
How does communion help us to remember Jesus’ Death & Resurrection?

Drive it Home

Read about the Passover Feast and how it is fulfilled by Jesus. See the section in Celebrate Easter that explains the Passover and celebrate a Christian Seder Meal.

Celebrate Communion: Bread representing the Body and Wine representing the Blood of Jesus.

Get feet really dirty by playing outside; then wash one another’s feet. Yuck!

Publix has a great booklet, Passover Haggadah written in Hebrew and English.