Meredith Ludwig Curtis
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Review of 365 Read Aloud Bedtime Bible Stories

9/12/2017

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​We have five grown children who love Jesus.

This little book is one of the tools we used to raise godly children.

You see, Mike would read a story to the kids each night before bed, often a Bible story and we would read the Scripture to the kids in the morning.

When we had outgrown our favorite picture Bible books, we wanted something that would be meaty, but accurate. 

365 Read-Aloud Bible Bedtime Stories by Daniel Partner is a great next step for young children ages 3 to 8 who are ready for the next step.

We love this book! So many stories, such a good adaptation from Scripture. We give a copy to every new parent we know. 

There is a story for every day of the year and each story is straight from Scripture.


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Timing is Everything

2/12/2013

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"When do you want to go home?" I asked my almost-college grad daughter, Julianna.

"Mom, we just got here," she chided.

"It's freezing, Julianna," her best friend, Marla backed me up.

But, Julianna was determined. It was the first day of spring break and she wanted to ENJOY the beach. Hah! It was chilly and windy. But, I had promised to go, so I slid my sweat pants down to my bathing suit. Immediately, goose bumps rose and I felt chilled to the bone. I grabbed a winter blanket and cuddled inside of it, wondering why Christians have to keep their word anyway.

The hours dragged on unmercifully until it was time to leave. Now, keep in mind, the beach is my very favorite place on earth and had I been wearing a parka that day, I would have enjoyed myself. But, timing is everything.

In homeschooling, timing is everything too. Just like Julianna tried to rush summer fun ahead of schedule, we can rush into teaching subjects ahead of our children's time table. Children are unique and learn at different times and paces.

When to Start Formal Education

 Katie Beth, my oldest daughter, was ready to learn her to read at the age of 4. How did I know. Well, I copied pictures of each of the letters from the phonics program I intended to use and hung them on the wall in the dining room of our small seminary apartment. I made paper, scissors, glue, markers, crayons, and other art supplies available for her in a large drawer in the china cabinet. When she began to copy the letters on her own and ask to write her name, I knew that interest was there.

I had been reading aloud to her several times a day and she loved to pretend to read books to her dolls. We started a fun phonics program that involved learning phonics rules through songs.

Another daughter was not ready to learn to read until the age of 6, almost 7. I tried a couple of times to start reading instruction and she was just not ready. But when she was finally ready, it went smoothly.

The Early Years

The early years of childhood are the perfect time to prepare children for a lifetime of enthusiastic learning. Reading well-written, beautifully illustrated storybooks aloud, picnics at the park, and playground fun can fill your days. All the things mothers do naturally: teaching animal sounds, make up silly rhymes, singing songs together, and talking to children about family history introduce your little ones to learning in a fun way. Baking together, cleaning together, setting the table together, and shopping together introduce educational concepts to your sons and daughters. You can stop and look at leaves, bugs, flowers, and small critters when you go on natures walks. Or bring along a sketch pad and fill it with your discoveries.

Don't rush this time or turn learning into hard work. Enjoy living life together with your family, knowing they are learning so much in their memory-making moments with you. There will be plenty of time for formal education in the future. Fill the preschool years with precious memories that last a lifetime.

Your Child's Pace



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Review of Secret Code Time 

2/8/2013

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I love meeting moms who have raised godly children who are raising godly children. You see, I want to learn from women who have done it right and have good fruit to show for it. I also love meeting moms who are funny and spunky.

So, for me, reviewing this book was not like other reviews because I got to meet a happy, energetic mom who has run the race and is now enjoying her grandchildren. Her daughter is carrying on the principles her mother lived by and heartily endorsing them.


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Secret Cody Time: Creating an Unbreakable Bond between Parent and Child by Sky McNeill and Paula Stevenson is a book about relationships. This lovely book is not just for homeschooling families. Any parent that wants to forge a close relationship with his/her child will appreciate this book.

Secret Code Time is written by Paula and Sky, a mother/daughter team who believe in the relational principles of Secret Code Time and practice what they preach. Well written and engaging, the book is 142 pages long. Not a long book to get through. You will enjoy all the photographs through the pages of the authors and their family. The book itself looks lovely and would make a great gift for another homeschooling mom for birthday or Christmas.

When Sky was a baby, Paula purposed in her heart to begin building a lifetime friendship with her daughter. The foundation of the this relationship is loving communication.

When Sky needed to talk to Paula, she would say, "Secret Code Time 305." Paula would drop everything. Sky was able to say anything she wanted without fear of punishment, reprimand, or any other reprisals. Sky could talk to Paula about anything, any place, any time.

This established complete trust as the foundation of their mother/daughter relationship. They remained close through the middle and high school years. Today, they remain dear friends and Sky has continued this tradition with her own children.

Paula did instruct, encourage, and help Sky walk through issues in her life with Biblical principles, but Secret Code Time was simply a time that Sky could share her thoughts and feelings freely.

Another relationship builder was a weekly date with Mom and a weekly date with Dad. Though Paula admits that weekly dates would be impossible with large families, she does encourage monthly dates instead for parents of many children. Paula did everything she could to make these dates special by dressing up, going some place fun, and even shopping for special treats.

Paula began these all these habits with Sky when she was a very young child and calls it "Advanced Parenting." She set the stage early in life for Sky to know that she was valued and loved unconditionally.

What about Boys?

While some boys are great talkers, willing to share their emotions with Mom and Dad, others would rather visit the dentist than share their feelings. So, can this work with boys too?

There is advice given to help with boys who are more active and less likely to want to sit and chat. Recommendations include throwing the football together or engaging in an active pastime together first. But, the authors believe that Secret Code Time is just as important for boys as it is for girls.

Does the Book Talk about Anything Else?



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The Seven R's of Homeschooling

2/6/2013

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"There is just so much to cover this year!  How can I get it all done?" has been asked of me more times than I can count. 

  My favorite subjects to teach are music and history!  What fun we have had exploring these subjects over the years. But I have found that it is important to "major on the majors" and "minor on the minors."

There are subjects and then there are tools and skills that are needed to learn all subjects.  When we give our children the tools of learning, they can explore every subject to their heart's content. 

After homeschooling for 21 years with a sixth, eighth, and eleventh grader still being educated at home, I have found that there are seven things (7 R's) that make a big difference in the success of our family's homeschool.  From Kindergarten through twelfth grade, I try to keep these things predominant in my homeschooling: relationships, rhetoric, reading, (w)riting, (a)rithmetic, research, and right living.  I weave them in to all that I teach or that our family explores through unit studies. These are not the only subjects in our homeschool curriculum, but they are the ones that get priority.

Relationships

Lives are changed in the context of relationships!  People, including your children, hunger and seek to be loved and understood.  The security that comes with healthy relationships allows people to learn and grow, reaching their full potential and destiny. 

The most important relationship that your child will ever have is his/her relationship with the Lord. Let your little ones see how much you love the Lord, especially by setting aside time each day to spend in prayer and Bible reading. Be committed to church, tithing, obedience, and serving because you love Jesus with all your heart.  Teach your children to have a relationship with Him too!

Children (and adults too!) want to model people they admire and trust, especially if they believe those people have their best interest at heart. When your child enjoys a healthy relationship with you, he/she is more likely to try to imitate your life, as well as attempt to please you!  This desire to please parents is present in almost all children, but ebbs away in teenage years if the relationship does not remain strong.

Rhetoric (verbal communication)

Rhetoric refers to communication both written and oral, but I'll use it to refer to verbal communication from casual conversations to formal speeches. 

Casual conversation, questions, and answers are the beginning of education for young children. "Why is the sky blue," your toddler asks you and prattles on with more questions.  From the time your little ones can talk, engage them in conversation. "Did you like the pretty pictures in the book?" you might ask after you finish reading them a book.  "What was your favorite part of our day," you query as you and your toddler set the table.  Don't shoo children away--talk to them about everything!  Speaking requires thought processes that stimulate intellectual growth! Ask questions and answer them!  Put down what you're doing if you need to and give your child undivided attention. But learn to talk with your child as you wash dishes, run errands, and cook dinner.

Before formal speeches, give your children plenty of practice reading the Bible, stories, and poetry aloud.  Encourage expression, inflection, and enthusiasm in the presentation. It is a great idea for older siblings to read to younger siblings, especially for the three years after they've learned to read. 

Eventually you will graduate to speaking in front of people to formal speeches to debate.

Reading

Listening to well-written beautifully illustrated story books make toddlers and pre-schoolers look forward to the day that they will read for themselves. As Christians, what joy there is in reading and obeying the Word of God!  No matter what career they choose or lifestyle they live, we all want our children to be Bible readers, understanding everything the Lord has to teach them. Reading is a necessary skill for growing in your walk with the Lord!

Phonics is the method I have used to teach all my children to read (Sing, Spell, Read, and Write) and they have all learned in about a year's time. The goal was to get them reading!  My son was less enthusiastic about reading then all his older sisters, so I had to "make him read."  I had to search for books he liked.  The "Three Cousins Detective" series and "Childhood of Famous Americans" were both series that he enjoyed, so I bought every book I could find in the series. 

To foster a love for reading, I allow the children to choose the books the want to read within parameters.  I have book lists for various ages (feel free to download these lists:  http://joyfulandsuccessfulhomeschooling.com/readinglists.aspx ) that are based on my actual bookshelves. 

Reading aloud is fun to do together as a family or with only one child at a time. We love reading aloud and snuggling. Reading and speaking lay the foundation for writing.

'Riting

Writing concretely, concisely, and graciously is the goal of Understanding Writing, the writing curriculum I have used through the years. Written by a homeschool mom, she stresses writing to glorify God. We have added poetry, stories, journalizing, and other fun writing assignment to our writing lessons over the years. 

Reading good writing and expressing yourself clearly through speaking set children up to write well. You need both to lay the foundation a writer needs. 

Start with sentences. A sentence has five things. (noun, verb, complete thought, begins with a capital letter, and ends with a period, question mark, or exclamation point) Teach your children to examine their sentences for these five things.  Once that is down, help them to write clearly. Teach them to use adjectives and adverbs to express themselves and to avoid clutter words such as very, a lot, and really.

The next step is paragraphs. My children write a paragraph once a week from second grade until sixth grade.  Sometimes they write longer papers, but they always at least write a paragraph, I correct it, and then they rewrite it. Re-writing should be part 2 of every writing assignment. A good writer always rewrites! Don't be negative about it, though. Praise their papers and then move on to the next part of the assignment--making their paper better!

'Rithmetic



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What Do Homeschoolers Do When They Graduate?

1/31/2013

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You teach and train your children for from birth, looking forward to the day when they graduate from high school and enter adulthood. Well, maybe not looking forward to that day so much. Maybe you are like me and you want the years to last a little longer as they fly by.

Still you know that all you do in raising and educating your children is for that eventual day when they fly out of the nest and take their place in the world. You pray for their future mates and children, looking forward to meeting your grandchildren one day. You worry, even though you know you shouldn't. You imagine and daydream about what they will be like and long to see them walk uprightly with God all the days of their lives.

It has given me great joy to graduate three daughters and to watch countless friends graduate their own children. What are these children up to? Let me introduce you to some high school grads.

My oldest daughter, Katie Beth, graduated from high school at age 16 and commuted for four years to Stetson University. As a National Merit Finalist, she could have lived on campus with her scholarship, but instead chose to drive back and forth each day so that she could stay connected to our family and to the church. She won numerous awards in her four years of college and was the outstanding senior in both of her majors, English and Spanish. Katie Beth spent a semester in Mexico her junior year, her first time away from home. After college, she worked as an editor for Harcourt for a year and then went back for her master’s degree. Right now, she is teaching freshman English at the University of Central Florida. She is still living at home and is involved in ministry at our church.

Katie Beth found that the most difficult part of college was the intense animosity toward the Lord and His Word. She found herself having to stay on her toes, being ready to defend The Truth and share her personal testimony. She found that knowing the Word of God and reading Understanding the Times helped her so much to be ready to give an answer when one could be given. Sometimes she felt lonely, especially when she saw other Christians surrender their trust in Jesus and accept the lies of the world. RIght now Katie Beth is teaching two classes of Freshman English at UCF--what a great opportunity to serve the Lord and reach out to college students!

Julianna went to Stetson University and majored in Accounting and Information Systems. She works in the Health Care Information Systems field at Aon Hewitt. During her college years, she completed a summer internship with a Christian Financial Planning Ministry, which she loved. She has a passion to help people make wise financial choices and to line up their money management practices with the Word of God. Julianna also chose to commute, rather than live on campus and managed to combine school work, school fun, ministry, and family life in an amazing juggling act. Right now, she leads a LIFE group and sings on the worship team.



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Facebook: Friend or Foe of Homeschooling High School

1/11/2013

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"Have you finished typing your paper, Shine?" I asked yesterday.

"Almost..." she replied sheepishly. 

I looked over at the computer to see her Facebook page filling the screen.

"I'll exit out," she offered quickly.

"You're grounded from the computer for the rest of the day," I admonished.

Wisely, Shine said nothing in reply.

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In the last few years, homeschooling teenagers has taken on a whole new set of problems in our house. Internet has been around for a long time, but never really affected us too much until the last few years. There have been times that my children have opted to "research" on the internet, rather than using the books and resources we have checked out from the library.  But the real culprit in our house has been Facebook. My teenagers love it.  All their friends love it and have pages too. I have a Facebook profile myself and have enjoyed finding old high school friends and keeping in touch with distant family members. But, these online communities can be addictive and consuming. Can any of you moms say “Amen”?

Yesterday & Today

Back in my day, we talked on the phone for hours on end. My teens prefer texting, which I like because it saves minutes. Yes, as a teenager, I spent time on the phone with friends having conversations my parents could not hear, but Facebook takes it to a whole new level. Why do teens love these places online? Well, teens have always wanted to connect with other teens with a great desire to build relationships and to feel close to others. Plus, there is that build in "radar" for attractive members of the opposite sex. No matter how godly your daughter or son is, they will notice when a handsome boy/pretty girl walks into the room.

Facebook is a large social network on the internet. Your child has a profile page where she posts notes, pictures, and personal information. Yes, these pages can be made private so that only his "friends" can see them. But, here is the important thing to keep in mind:  Who are all these people your child is adding as friends? Are they really who they say they are? Predators are a huge problem online, but this article is not about that! (I'm not dismissing predators as a huge, scary problem, just not tackling it today.)

Profile Pages

Profile pages give children the opportunity to put their best foot forward with the prettiest pictures, exaggerations about accomplishments, and all kinds of "little white lies" meant to impress. Friends add friends of friends and give access to their personal information to young people they don't even know. I'm sure if they met these young guys and gals in person, they would be shocked to find out who these people really are...rather than the image portrayed on their page.



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Teach Apologetics in High School

11/13/2012

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When I first heard the term apologetics, I immediately thought of apologizing. It sounded like Christians were saying, "I'm sorry for what I believe." But the term apologetics refers to intellectually defending the faith. As believers in Jesus, we are commanded to give a reason for the hope that we have, to answer the intellectual questions of our day. The Bible does have an answer for the questions the world is asking.

"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of your slander," (I Peter 3:15-16NIV).

Teens Defend Their Faith

People will ask you and your Christian teenager questions such as "Why do you believe the Bible?" or "Why do you think Christianity is the only right way to believe?" Is your teen ready to answer those questions? Maybe you are thinking, "Golly, I'm not ready to answer those questions." That's okay. You and your teen can learn together.

Where do we start in teaching our teens to defend their faith? Set apart Christ as Lord. Set Him aside as the Supreme Master of your life and home. Whatever He says goes! His Word is Truth. His commands are obeyed. He is the One we live to please, not the world, our friends, or our college professors.

Training

Next, we receive preparation or training so that we can be prepared to give an answer to those who ask. This preparation can be in the form of a class with you or your spouse. There are many wonderful books available on the subject of apologetics such as More than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell or Know Why You Believe by Paul E. Little. My husband taught an apologetics Sunday School class that we have adapted for our teens. It covers the following topics.

  • Reality and Uniqueness of the Bible
  • Creation and the Evolution Scam
  • The Flood
  • Archeology
  • Prophecies of Cities' Destruction
  • Prophecies of the Coming Messiah
  • The Trilema: Is Jesus, Liar, Lunatic, or Lord?
  • Jesus' Resurrection


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Honoring Homeschool Moms

5/8/2012

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This Sunday, we will celebrate all mothers and give them the applause and honor they deserve for their love, sacrifice, and devotion. To all you homeschooling moms out there, this is my applause to each of you. You are my heroes!

Come On Over For a Visit!

If you could come over to my house, I would put the tea kettle on and make you a big mug of herb tea. Then I would serve you a slice of my gooey rich Tunnel of Fudge Cake, rich chocolate cake with a ribbon of creamy fudge running through it. We would sit and talk about life, homeschooling, husbands, children, world affairs. I would encourage you, tell you that you are doing a great job, and remind you that you are the perfect parent for your child. 

Then, I would give you a dozen roses, one for each year of homeschooling your children. I would ask you to smell the lovely fragrance and remind you that we are the fragrance of Christ to our children; and our whole family is the fragrance of Christ to the world.

We would tell each other stories and swap homeschooling tips, maybe even trade recipes. Soon, we would admit the really funny stuff, those stories that make us laugh until tears stream down our faces.

After our visit, we would probably discover that, in spite of all our differences, we have so much in common, especially our heart for our children.

Homeschool Moms are so Cool!


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Raising World Changers

4/30/2012

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"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....


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Building Your Homeschool Library II

4/25/2012

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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


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Building a Homeschool Library I

4/24/2012

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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


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Books from Birth to College

4/18/2012

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"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


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Review of Biblical Feasts and Holy Days

3/29/2012

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Is there anything more fun than celebrating holidays? Christmas stockings, Easter baskets, and Valentine hearts filled with chocolate all bring a smile to my face and my heart. Life is good when there's a holiday to celebrate. God, of course, is the inventor of holidays, or holy days. What holidays did God establish for the nation of Israel? I can't think of a more enjoyable Bible study to dig into.

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Grapevine Studies' Biblical Feasts and Holy Days by Diana Wiebe is a thirteen week study for your home school Bible class. Written for teens, this study would be enjoyed by younger and older folks too. We have college students, high school students, and middle school students in our home. All liked this Grapevine study on the Biblical holidays. We received a teachers manual and student worktexts to review.

Before I tell you about this delightful Bible study curriculum, let me tell you about Grapevine Studies. I love their mission. In fact, let me just quote it from the teacher's edition. "Our mission at Grapevine Studies is to provide believers with a method and curricula to study the Bible, using a timeline, stick figures, words, symbols, and colors to teach chronological lessons." What a great idea! Combining the intellectual (timelines, chronological studies) with the more emotional (stick figures, symbols). The result is that both the left and right sides of the brain are engaged, but more importantly, I think, is that both the heart and mind are engaged in these studies.

Each of their Bible studies start with a timeline as the framework for the entire study. Bible passages, characters, and events are understood within the big picture. Being a "big picture person" myself, I immediately latched on to this teaching method! Each day, your student reads a passage and then does some "stick figuring." Stick figuring is a method of note taking using stick figures, colors, charts, words, and symbols. It is definitely more fun than normal note taking. The lesson ends with a memory verse.

The teacher's edition of Biblical Feast and Holy Days was very helpful for me to teach this material. I did need to use a dry erase board, dry erase markers in several different colors, a Bible concordance, and a Bible dictionary. I am already familiar with using these Bible reference tools, but if you are not, they are relatively simple to pick up and use. All the children needed was their workbook, Bibles, and colored pencils.


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Solar Powered Homeschooling

3/26/2012

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Monday morning and no need for an alarm clock. I popped out of bed with a song in my heart!  Barely sipping my coffee, I turned my attention to the day's assignments. What fun lay ahead for the children and me!

However, Tuesday morning was a completely different story.  I overslept, drank three cups of coffee, and still could not find an ounce of energy inside!

Solar Powered

What made the difference?  I am solar-powered!  If the sun is shining, I have energy. When the sun disappears, so does my energy. How blessed I am to live in the Sunshine State! Some of you are nodding your heads because you are solar powered too! Some of you love rainy days and you think I'm crazy. But all of us do have one thing in common...apart from Jesus we can do nothing!  In that way, we are all "solar powered!"

"I am the Vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing," (John 15:5 NIV)

It is hard not to be task oriented when you are homeschooling. In fact, to homeschool successfully you have to be woman with a plan. But we don't want to plan focused homeschooling moms, we want our focus to always be on Jesus. He is the One that has an even better plan than the one we have made. We can trust Him when He changes our plans to have our best interest at heart. That is why we can surrender each and every homeschooling day to Him.

Surrender

We often talk of surrender. We surrender our "whole lives" for His glory. Yet it is often the details that we hold onto because we have not truly surrendered. Giving up control of our lives does not mean that we don't have an agenda. However, we hold our agenda loosely always wanting the greater will of God to prevail. It is in the place of surrender that the grace of God is poured out. 

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9

The beginning of power is surrender. It takes humility to surrender. Humility allows us to admit that God's ways are better than our ways. It is perfectly ok to say to the Lord, "I just don't know how to teach my son this subject." The great thing about belonging to God is that He knows exactly how to teach your son that subject. We can receive wisdom from our heavenly Father as long as we are willing to humbly ask for His instructions.


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Help! Homeschooling Through Tough Times

3/21/2012

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Let's travel back in time in the Curtis home school.

In January 2007, my mother unexpectedly passed away at the age of 69 (after her mother had lived to be 101!)  We were all shocked and grieved so deeply --and still miss her.  How thankful we are that she knew the Lord.  She had planned to spend the month of May with us to celebrate her 70th birthday, Katie Beth's graduation from college, and Julianna's graduation from high school.  There was so much disappointment for me and with a heavy heart, I tried to make my lovely daughters graduations as special as possible. 

After my mother went home to Jesus, I spent nine months driving back and forth to South Florida (four hours away) to take care of my dad and clean out their house.  I would take the younger children and their school books--it was a challenge!  My children and I spent the entire summer cleaning out Daddy's house and then moved him up closer to our family.

Once Daddy was here, we had to find doctors (he was very sick, staying alive through the prayers of our church family) and life became full of doctor visits and medical decisions. Added to this, I was homeschooling, leading worship, and leading the ladies' ministry at church. 2007, 2008, and 2009 were not been "normal" homeschooling years. 

What is a "Normal" Year of Homeschooling?


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Top Ten Reasons to Homeschool

3/13/2012

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Though reasons to homeschool are as numerous as the excuses your children give for not cleaning their room, there are ten top reasons for homeschooling.  Here are the top ten, starting at number ten.

10.  You are just not busy enough being a wife, mother, and homemaker, so you need something more to fill up your days.

You know the famous question people ask you, "So, what do you find to do all day?" Now you can be furious instead of simply annoyed when they ask you! When people ask me that question, I smile sweetly and bite my tongue. I'm just not godly enough to speak.

 9.  Your children don't carry a concealed weapon, so they wouldn't be safe at school.

Schools have become dangerous places with lying, sneaking around, and thoughts of murder...and that's just the teachers. You simply don't want your children to have to take self-defense classes before they're six years old.

My dear sister is a teacher who loves her students and she is so sad to see the decline of morality year after year. To many children, she is closer to them relationally than the parents. As moral standards decrease, it is more important than ever that our children have good role models.  Unfortunately, children become closer to others students than teachers. Children are not the best role models for other children. The Bible tells us that "He who walks with the wise grows wise! But a companion of fools suffers harm!" (Proverbs 13:20 NIV).

 8.  The neighbors already think you're crazy, so you want them to REALLY have something to talk about.

You already go to church, not once, but twice, a week and you don't get drunk at the block parties. Your children pass out tracts at Halloween and go Christmas caroling at nursing home at Christmas. To the neighbors, you're just plain weird. Homeschooling gives them MORE to talk about. Oh, and, just maybe, they will ask you some questions about WHY you do what you do!


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How Can Homeschooling Families Make Disciples III

2/23/2012

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"And Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely, I will be with you always, even to the end of the ages.'"  (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV (c)1979)

​Jesus came to seek and save the lost. As His ambassadors, it is our privilege to tell the world the Good News! We have talk about 
building godly character and habits in our children. We also discussed mentoring our children and being planted in a local church. Now it's time to talk about winning the lost and making disciples with our children. What a glorious privilege!

This an extension of both mentoring and being planted in a local church. Local churches are in the business of winning souls and making disciples, fulfilling the Great Commission. Find out how your local church does it in the city where you live. Get involved!

A Gospel Outline


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How Can Homeschooling Families Make Disciples? II

2/22/2012

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"And Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely, I will be with you always, even to the end of the ages.'"  (Matthew 28:1-20 NIV (c)1979)

We've talked about building godly character and habits in our children's lives. Now, it's time to mentor our children, be planted in a local church, and reach the lost.


Mentor Your Children

Take your children under your wing and teach. Spend lots of time talking and listening to your children. Each of your children will be different, with different gifts, talents, strengths, weaknesses, and quirks. Learn to give thanks for each child and make it your ambition to truly know and love your children. Give your child positive feedback as often as possible, affirming and encouraging your child to be the best he/she can be.

​Look at Jesus and try to imitate his style of mentoring.


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How Can Homeschooling Families Make Disciples? I

2/20/2012

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"And Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely, I will be with you always, even to the end of the ages.'"  (Matthew 28:1-20 NIV (c)1979)

​Christians call these verses "The Great Commission," our glorious purpose while we are on this earth. Homeschooling families who love Jesus desire to fulfill this Great Commission in their lives. But, how can we fulfill this great task?


Our first priority in making disciples is not in the faraway nations of the world, but our children are our first ministry. We want to make disciples of our little ones. Our goal is not converts ("Susie accepted Jesus when she was 10 months old, but doesn't like church anymore), but rather disciples ("Susie accepted Christ as a young girl, but she has been growing closer to Jesus in the past three years, there has been much transformation!). The question we ask about our children is not "Have they accepted Christ?", but "Have they accepted Christ and are they growing in the Lord?".

The responsibility to make disciples in our home does not belong to your pastor, your teen leader, your children's pastor, or your wonderful homeschool curricula. The responsibility to instruct our children in the Lord and His ways belongs to us!  No one can take the place of godly parents who love Jesus, model a godly Christian life, and mentor their children to follow in their footsteps.


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Finish Well by Raising a Daniel

2/8/2012

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_Everybody knows the story of Daniel and his friends in Daniel chapter one. He resolved not to defile himself with the unclean food of the Babylonians because he was a servant of the Lord. The guard agreed to let Daniel and his friends eat a different diet that would honor the God of Israel.

"At the end of ten days they look healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away the choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead. To these four men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds." (Daniel 1:15-17)

Not only did God bless these young men spiritually who had resolved not to defile themselves, but he also gave them knowledge and understanding of literature and learning. If we want to raise smart and godly kids, there is only one way to do it!  Resolve to not defile them with the world's ways, but instead always seek first the Kingdom of God. The Lord always blesses those whose hope is set on Him!

Finish Well is a Homeschooling High School Conference that was started to minister to homeschooling teens and homeschooling parents. We want to see homeschooling families finish well by raising men and women who will be world-changers who impact the world around them for the glory of God!

Looking forward to seeing you at Finish Well!
Merey (Meredith Ludwig Curtis)

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How to Know if There's a Teen Living in Your House

2/8/2012

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What happened to your little girl who loved to twirl around in your old prom dress and high heels?

What happened to the little boy who would bring you flowers that many in the world would consider weeds?

Have they entered the teen years?

​How did that happen?

Here's how to know if there's a teenager living in your house.

Food disappears in massive amounts and your grocery budget doubles. Didn't you just go grocery shopping? What happened to the chips, ice cream, sandwich meat, bread, popcorn, grits, fruit, and crackers?

​And, by the way, where did the leftovers from last night go?


Your cell phone has a million snapshots of their faces at odd angles. Oh, that's it! They are holding the camera out and taking their own picture.

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Literature for Life

1/24/2012

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"Mrs. Rachel Lynde lived just outside where the Avonlea main road dipped down into a little hollow, fringed with Alders and Ladies' Eardrops and traversed by a brook that had its source away back in the woods of the old Cuthbert place; it was reputed to be an intricate, headlong brook in its earlier course through those woods, with dark secrets of pool and cascade; but by the time it reached Lynde's Hollow, it was a quiet, well-conducted little stream, for not even a brook could run past Mrs. Rachel Lynde's door without due regard for decency and decorum; it probably was conscious that Mrs. Rachel was sitting at her window, keeping a sharp eye on everything that passed, from brooks and children up, and that if she noticed anything odd or out of place she would never rest until she had ferreted out the whys and wherfores thereof," (Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, opening paragraph)
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From the moment we read this paragraph, we are hooked! To the little town of Avonlea we go, across the Lake of Shining Waters, greeting beloved folk, especially the inhabitants of Green Gables. Literature takes us to delightful places such as Prince Edward Island.

All people in all places around the world love stories. It must be because our Creator is the Master Storyteller and we live in anticipation of His final climax: His Glorious Return and the final destruction of our enemy and all those in his bondage. As we gather together with extended family, there are always stories, "I remember when I met your mother..." "The first time he ever..." "When I was your age...." Once we hear the beginning of a good story, we are hooked, wanting to hear the rest of the tale.

We teach our children to read so that they can read the Bible, drawing closer to their Savior and Redeemer, Jesus. That is the most important reason. We also want them to read to learn. They will read all kinds of writing that brings knowledge and information. There is a third reason we teach our children to read: we give them a passport. This passport can take them on any adventure they would like to embark on, to places where they can meet people they've dreamed of meeting, or to any place in the entire world, real or imaginary.

When children are young, teach them to value reading as a treat and privilege--something they look forward to! If your child is always having to write a book report or read books he doesn't like, reading may not be a great joy in his life. If television is always on, he will most likely choose it because watching television is a passive activity that requires no mental exertion! Remove the computer and the television as competitors by limiting their use. You might have television-free and computer-free hours between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.



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Master Plan of Evangelism Review

1/20/2012

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I finally read "The Master Plan of Evangelism," Laura admitted to me. (I thought she had read it years ago.)

"Did you like it?" I asked, dying to ask her why she had waited so long to read it when I had been begging her to read the book for nine years!

"I tried to read it several times, but it isn't really light reading material," she informed me.

I nodded in agreement. It isn't light reading material. In fact, while most books we read are written at a fifth to eighth grade level, this book is written for college students so it is a more challenging read.

"I loved the book!" Laura broke into my thoughts. "You were right about it making you see all of life in a new way."

"Really?"

"Really.  I'm so glad I read it.  I'll never be the same!"

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I read The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert E. Coleman when I was a sophomore in college. This book changed my life! I have my children read it in high school for one of their Bible classes. It is a book that I would like to see more Christians read, especially homeschooling parents. Robert, born in 1928, grew up in Texas, attending a Methodist church. He pastored for six years and moved into teaching. He has a Masters in Theology from Princeton, a PhD from the University of Iowa, and a Doctorate of Divinity from Trinity International University. His writing style is academic, but don't let them keep you from reading this book.

Along the way, Dr. Coleman became convinced that schools were not the answer to raising up mighty men of God. He carefully studied the life of Jesus, coming to the conclusion that Jesus knew exactly what He was doing in laying a foundation for the Church. Dr. Coleman values Jesus' pattern of ministry and embraces it in his own life.

Jesus spent His life calling people to repent and believe while healing the sick and injured, performing all kinds of miracles, and teaching His beloved people. However, He invested in a small group of men, His disciples. These He gave focused time and attention to for three years. He imparted to them truth and modeled a lifestyle that they could imitate. What a blessing to take a closer look at the life of Jesus!

The Body of Christ is called to fulfill the Great Commission by spreading the good news, leading people to Christ, and making disciples. We are called to evangelism. But, Dr. Coleman wants to make it clear that Jesus' definition of evangelism is broader than our own and involves mentoring people to a place of maturity.



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    Meredith Curtis, homeschooling mom & worship leader, is married to her college sweetheart. She is blessed with 5 amazing children, 3 adorable grandchildren, and an awesome church family!
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