A Net in Time

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Review: Handbook for Writers

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DISCLAIMER: I received this product free through the Homeschool Review Crew

420 pages.  Just think for a moment.  How thorough do you think a Handbook for Writers could be?  Let me tell you, how through two main sections, why you need this resource in your schoolroom.  You will find Excellence in Literature Handbook for Writers a very thorough treatise from Everyday Education.  Let’s learn more about it.

Handbook for writers

What I am Reviewing

Janice Campbell from Everyday Education has put together a very thorough Excellence in Literature Handbook for Writers. Not only does your student learn how to write, but you as teacher are taught how to grade their work. Such a helpful book to own. 

It is available for $39.  I received my copy as a PDF which I downloaded to my computer and put on a thumbdrive for my son. This way it was easily accessible for both of us.  Normally I would send it out for printing, and I’m still considering doing that, but at 420 pages it’s a bit more than I currently want to do.  🙂   My son is not in a rush for me to do so as I tell him what page and section to look at, on the drive, when I’m having him correct his own work.  

Everyday Education is run by Janice Campbell.  She has a passion for helping high school students develop the skills they need to write university-ready essays. Her love for literature has led her to create a five-year program, self-directed program introducing the great books of literature.  The Excellence in Literature Handbook for Writers is a necessary part of this course. 

What you Get in Handbook for Writers

The Handbook for Writers is based upon the work by Ian Johnston who put together literature to help students become better writers. Ms. Campbell took that material, combined it, and turned it into a singularly helpful edition. If you have ANY questions in learning the mechanics of how to write, you’ll find the answers here. 
 
This handbook comes with two sections. The First contains detailed instructions and samples of written work for putting together arguments and writing essays. The second 
 
Part One: Introduction to Essays and Arguments
 
In this section you’ll be introduced to Arguments divided into the following areas:
  • Some Simple First Principles,
  • Setting Up The Argument: Definition,
  • Defining Key Terms,
  • Deduction & Induction,
  • Organizing The Main Body Of An Argument,
  • Paragraph Structure,
  • Paragraph Functions,
  • Writing Arguments About Literary Works,
  • Sample Outlines For Essays And Research Papers,
  • Critical Approaches to Shakespeare,
  • Some Criteria for Making Literary Evaluations.
Part Two: Introduction to Usage and Style
 
This section covers all the mechanics of writing.   
  • Phrases, Clauses, Sentences
  • Words
  • Basic Punctuation
  • Pronouns
  • Parallelism Or Parallel Structure
  • Clarity, Logic, Structure
  • Modifiers, Gerunds, Infinitives
  • References And Bibliographies.   
  • Basic Format for Essays and Research Papers.
  • Keyhole Essay Graphic

I can see so many ways to use this large resource

As a reference manual.  With its very clear table of contents, it would be so easy to look up a particular area and refine your skills. 

As a textbook.  One could simply read it, learn the skills, and then test one’s ability to put them to use. 

As a method of self-correction. If a teacher marks a section as incorrect in your essay, you could use this manual to learn how to write better. 

How Did I Use Handbook for Writers?

My goal for this Excellence in Literature Handbook for Writers was to use it to mark essays my son was doing for another course.  That was the goal.  Honestly, it didn’t turn out that way.  Best laid plans of mice and men… don’t always pan out.  

Instead, I asked my lad for some essays he has already written that I simply didn’t get around to marking yet.  This eased the pressure on both my lad and myself, in a time when Covid is starting to mess with our minds.   Seriously.  Too much lockdown, not enough getting out, it’s been a battle. AND these essays needed to be marked anyways!  🙂 

My goal with reviewing the Handbook for Writers was to have a helpful tool in grading my son’s written work.   I loved all the how-to’s for grammar, punctuation, word usage, etc.   It meant that I looked at my son’s work and a sentence would make me frown wondering why I knew it wasn’t written well, I could go to the specific section in the handbook and figure out why. 

Specific Examples

It was wonderfully helpful to say, third paragraph, you had some trouble.  Go to section —— and see if you can figure out where you went wrong.  Correct it for me, please. It gave him the specific assistance that he needed.  THIS is the beauty of having a PDF copy.  Occasionally I spared him the effort of looking up the section and simply sent a screenshot for him.   Honestly… he MUCH preferred it when I did this.  🙂 

When I mark a students’ work I make a point of not pointing out EVERYTHING they have done wrong.  I don’t want to be a point of discouragement, but want to overtime, have their skills improve.   So I’ll point out different concerns in different paragraphs. 

Sometimes my lad will ask “why did you do it here, but not here?” My response is “well in this paragraph it was glaringly obvious, this paragraph, this other issue leapt out at me.   Well done in spotting it yourself.”   Overtime, he’s improving, which honestly… is my goal. 🙂 

In the paragraph above I referred my lad to the section on phrases, use of commas etc. 

From that, he was able to spot his incorrect use of a comma and changed a couple of his sentences so they read better. 

I love having a resource that helps my son learn how to correct his own work. To be able to say, go to this resource, this section, so you can figure out what you can do better.  95% of the time that was all the help he needed.  The rest of the time, we’d have a discussion about it and he’d understand.  An excellent resource for us.

handbook for writers

What I wanted to dig into

One of the sections I most looked forward to reading through was Some Criteria for Making Literary Evaluations.  I found this article well-written, articulate, and made me ask questions.   I don’t know if I agree with all the sentiments expressed, but I appreciated the fundamental need to judge a work according to the type of work it is.  So to not judge a dramatic work as if it were a comedy. 

Would I add anything?

As a Canadian, the only thing I can see to make the Excellence in Literature Handbook for Writers better would be add a “Canadian particularities” section.  This section would focus on our Canadian spelling and grammar as it differs from American usage.  This would make it a truly North American resource. 

Should you Get Handbook for Writers?

You will find this a very thorough work with 420 pages.  It is available as a paperback or as PDF ebook for $39.

You can use it with any literature or writing program, but has been designed to go well with the other offerings from Everyday Education.   This well-written work will serve your students well as they move into higher education.   

Excellence in Literature Handbook for Writers is everything you need to round out your high school literature courses!  With specific examples, attention to niggly details, well-developed table of contents, and an easy-to-read format it’s a winner to go on your resource shelf. 

Social Media Links

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Everyday Education handbook for writers

Learn More about Everyday Education

28 members of the review crew have been privileged to look at the Excellence in Literature Handbook for Writers.  I urge you to read what others had to say about Everyday Education. 

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Review: Personal Finance Lab

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DISCLAIMER: I received this product free through the Homeschool Review Crew

For the last few weeks, my son and I have been enjoyed playing a financial game put out by PersonalFinanceLab.com.  They have come out with an online game to help teach the basics of personal finance and trading in the stockmarket.  Imagine a game that my son enjoys playing that has nothing to do with blowing things up!  Pretty good eh? Personal Finance Lab is a great way to having fun and learning too!

Personal finance Lab

What I Am Reviewing

PersonalFinanceLab.com has come out with PersonalFinanceLab Budgeting Game, Stock Market Game and integrated curriculum.  I have received access for a school year which is nine months. 

What you’ll get is an online, unique experience for each of your students in learning Financial Literacy, Business and Economics subjects.   Integrated learning and assessments are built into a personal budgeting game and a stockmarket challenge. The goal is to provide learners with real-world skills that last a lifetime. 

Parents/Teachers can register an account for each student, and each account will have access to our personal budgeting game, stock game, 50 Personal Finance lessons, and 20 Introduction to the Stock Market lessons. 

Our resources start by using our budgeting and stock games as long-term foundational activities – teachers usually dedicate at least 30 minutes per week for each game they choose to include. Students typically manage their long-term budget and/or stock game portfolio over a 6 to 12 week period.

How We Used it

I set up the program, though honestly, I got frustrated in the set up.  I had it all set to go and then something odd happened and I really don’t what it was but I had to start from scratch and it seemed like too much work.  So I ended up just doing all the defaults no tweaking.  There are lots of ways to tweak in regards to how many lessons to complete.  I set up an account for me and for my 15 year old. 

I have predominately played the budget game, and have forayed briefly into the stock market where I seem to be having success.  My son spent all this time in the budgeting game.  He wants to complete it before moving on to the stock market.  Currently, for the budgetting game I am in my 7th month, my son is in his fourth month.  Each month takes about 20-30 minutes to complete. 

The Set Up of Personal Finance Lab

As the parent I have my own dashboard so I can see progress made.  I used this to set up how the game runs. My son and I each have our own dashboard.   I appreciate that not only is there an overarching dashboard which shows your progress in both financial areas, but also that each separate area has it’s own dashboard. 

personal finance lab

You can see the difference in each dashboard below. 

Budget game dashboard
Stock market Dashboard

The Budget Game

The budget game from PersonalFinanceLab.com places each student into the scenario of being a college student with a part-time job. They can customize their living arrangements, grocery bill, and entertainments.   The job helps them learn to balance their expenses against their income while reaching for saving goals.    

Game play lasts 18 months, you start each month needing to figure out your income, potential expenses, and hopeful savings markers.  On average I found that a month took about 20 minutes to complete, occasionally a bit longer.   

Game play proceeds through rolling a dice.  The dice will move when it it time to roll it.  Sometimes you progress through one day at a time and occasionally one dice roll will go through a few days. These dice rolls generate expenses and occasionally benefits!   

These expenses range in value from cheap purchases for cutlery or snacks, all the way up to expensive repairs on cars.  These expenses were not predictable and didn’t always make sense from a living life perspective.  I know my son struggled with multiple speeding tickets in one month.  

personal Finance Lab

On Fridays you get your paystub with all expenses delineated.

On the weekend you are given four options to engage in.  Working extra hours, socializing, doing chores around house or studying.  Sometimes these activities earned extra money, sometimes they would cost you dollars. 

Lessons pop up with consequences

Lessons would occasionally pop up teaching things like managing credit card debt, how banks operate, as well as other financial matters.  You would need to read through the lesson and answer a question correctly.  Answering incorrectly would incur a debit, answering correctly earned a reward.  Sometimes lessons would need to be read carefully to get the correct answer, and I found didn’t always match real-life (for instance on what day to get your credit card bill). 

Each month a variety of bills will pop up, some scheduled like electric, phone and rent.  Each pops up with a query on how much to pay and how. 

personal finance lab can't pay rent

At the close of the month you could see all your expenses at a glance (debits in red, incoming funds in green).  You’d also receive a pop up so you could see if you met your savings challenge, any bonuses received, and see how your budget balanced. 

The Stock Market Trading

I have to admit, I am a wee bit intimidated by the idea of trading in the stock market.  I look at it as so much potential to lose thousands of dollars.  It’s so nice to have a game where I can learn and not actually risk real money.  A game that runs in real-time with real stocks. AND there are videos and tutorials to help you through it all!   You will find these tutorials in the blue bar on the top of your screen. 

Every trade you make whether buying or selling won’t show up until the next day.  To be honest… I’ve made some bad trades simply because I didn’t pay enough attention to if stocks were on a downward trend or upwards. 

I did note that using chrome I couldn’t click through on names in a list even though the video said I could.  It was easiest to simply select from the list that appears on the right of the screen when trading. 

Students start off with 10 Introduction to the Stock Market lessons and a virtual $100,000 in a brokerage account.  Can you imagine having 100,000 dollars to play around with? 

I personally loved the little touches like the word of the day and quote of the day.  They added completeness to this package for me. 

Overtime your students will be able to build a portfolio of stocks, bonds, ETFs, and mutual funds at real-time prices.

You can completely look into the different stocks/companies available for trade as they have income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, historical prices, analyst ratings, and more.  Additional lessons occur as students get more experience. 

Technical Glitches Happen

Technical glitches happen, and Personal Finance Lab is no exception.  I don’t think I’ve ever used an online system that didn’t have something needing tweaking.  None of these glitches affect how the budget game progresses.  You get bills, payments, rewards, unexpected expenses, unexpected treats etc. Everything continues to function as it should BUT occasional head-scratchers have occurred. 

  • the minimum amount for credit card continues to be paid or at least appears in your calendar as being paid even if the credit card has been paid off. 
  • occasionally when you go to pay the rent on the day the rent is due the program skips me ahead a day or two meaning the rent then is overdue.  Now MY PROFILE won’t let me pay the rent early.  I was talking with my lad, and his profile will let him.   So I LOVE that the simulation isn’t the same for every person…but .. I want to pay my rent early!  🙂 
  • Sometimes if you want to perform an action, another action will overlay it (life event, pay stub etc), which occasionally results in odd things happening to the action you’d intended to take (saving money, paying credit card, etc).  I have an overdue notice on my account that I can’t figure out how to pay off for instance. 
Personal finance Lab

What I love about Personal Finance Lab

It has been a pleasure to work with Personal Finance Lab.   I think it’s a great program and wish every teen out there could use it.  Seriously.

I love that every player has a unique experience.  From how they customize their lifestyle to what rewards and unexpected expenses they get. No two games are exactly alike. 

I love that the information pop-ups are clearly written, though I have to admit to needing to reread a few in order to get the right answer. 🙂  Consequences/rewards given for reading through each carefully. 

Everything is worded in a clear, easy-to-understand manner.  Proper terminology is used but within a context that doesn’t put finance up over anyone’s head.

I adore that such an easy way to learn personal finance has been created.  What a wonderful way to introduce students to how to watch their money and learn how to budget.

completed month

What My 15-year old has to say

Overall I like the budget game, however, there are some things which I think could be done to improve it.

Starting with the positives some of the things I liked were. The clear display of necessary information at the top of the screen, things such as credit score, checking balance, net worth etc. The calendar which shows when bills will be issued and are due, as well how much money is spent and gained each day of the month. The way that bills are displayed and paid, which makes it easy to pay them, understand when they are due, and how much needs to be paid. I also like the way that lessons are done. They are opened as a pop-up which makes it easy to switch between them and the budget game, and stops them from getting in the way.

Some changes which would be nice would be if the game could go full-screen so you could see the entire thing at once, as because of how it is now either a small portion of the top, or bottom of the game will be off-screen. It would also be nice if purchases which would be optional in real life (such as buying snacks) were also optional in the game, as well as a way to avoid speeding tickets.

Personal Finance Lab

Social Media Links

Facebook: Personal Finance Lab.
Instagram: @pfinlab 
YouTube: Stock-Trak – 

Read the Reviews

25 members of the Homeschool Review Crew checked out Personal Finance Lab. Click the image below to see what we had to say. 

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Perfect Indoor Games

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The challenge from the Homeschool Review Crew this week is perfect indoor games. The best indoor games are ones that promote laughter and conversation don’t you find? 

It doesn’t matter if you are using your body on a balance board, making an indoor race track, mental challenges, callisthenics, playing board games, or doing indoor phys ed.  Whatever works for you and your family… makes for the perfect indoor games don’t you think?

perfect indoor games

Make Games to Suit Your Family

My son and I spent ages when he was a young child making up stories and playing games to go with those stories.  Sometimes they were based on the history coffee table books or the fun books we read, and yet other times just our imaginations fueled the activities of our characters.  These spilled out into other aspects of our homeschooling as jumping games for learning math, singing games to learn sight words, and more.  

I love how this mom used a track layout to practice education skills and to have fun doing new ones.  The accuracy for the toothpick challenge… how much fun is that eh?   What a great indoor game this is eh? 

Your muse might be board games

educational board games

So many games to play!   Games to learn words or math, spelling or history.  Games like scrabble, nab-it, settlers of Catan, The game of life, payday and more.  Teaching specific skills, or highlighting needs people would face from History. 

This game from  Home School in the Woods resulted in my son spending a few hours playing with his dad. My son adores strategy games and this one worked well for him.  So nice when a company includes a good game into their studies don’t you think? 

home school in the woods

I’ve listed some of my favourite games below, affiliate links to make it easy for you to check them out.  It helps support my blog without any added cost for you. 

Physical ways

Did you know that my son is two belts away from getting his black belt in Karate?  Even though with covid going on with so very few classes being held, it’s given him a physical energy outlet.   

Sometimes we have to be a bit more creative about how to use up our energy in the house. 

Have you ever done nature study in the house?   How about taking a good look at your household pet? Giving your children a chance to encourage their pet to move so they can study their pet’s movement, and perhaps copy it.  Can’t you just see your children being bunnies, cats or puppies? Can’t you see all the energy they will use up learning as they play with their pet? 

You could also go on a scavenger hunt for spiders, insects, or even mice. (depending on your house of course!).  🙂 What can you find in your house?

Other ways to add in some phys ed into your perfect indoors games.

  • table tennis
  • ping pong
  • darts
  • Skeball
  • bowling
  • target practice
  • perfecting your putt

Looking for Phys Ed inspiration?

Affiliate links to books and games on amazon that might inspire you. 

What are your perfect indoor games?  Have I missed ideas?  Share your inspiration with me!  🙂 

February Social Media Challenge

Family Traditions

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Family Traditions is the theme of this week’s crew challenge.  It’s easy to talk about the things we do that help make our family special to us. Traditions are a huge source of comfort as we navigate life don’t you think?  A sense of familiarity even when everything it topsy-turvy.  Is it any surprise that people are starting to decorate for Christmas early?   In a year that’s been hard… family Christmas traditions help keep us centered on what’s important to us. Today we’ll talk about some of the traditions that are important to us.

family traditions

Mom, Can Grandma Come?

This was a question from my 15-year-old when he came home from grandma’s last week.  I must have looked a bit startled/confused… for he went on the explain. “Grandma wants to come and do some tidying and stuff so we can put up your village.  Can she come?”   My response was that “it is much too early for that”. 

I’ve thought about it since then and told the lad this morning that he should “call grandma up and figure out a day, you two can put up the village”.  It gives us something to look forward to don’t you think?  A bit of normalcy in a rather crazy year. 

Christmas Village

Christmas Devotions

You might call these advent devotions, but they help us focus on the true meaning of Christmas.   This year we’re doing on written by John Piper. It’s called Joy to the World. It’s put out by DesiringGod.org. 

Christmas Music Traditions

Every year on my blog I do Christmas music on the Sundays leading to Christmas.  One year I think I did one almost every day.  It was fun!  Anyways, beyond posting Christmas music on the blog I have a whole shelf full of Christmas music, and we often put on a long-playing YouTube video with Christmas music with a fireplace as the backdrop. 

Family Traditions – Baking

Just before I started writing this post I told my fellows that I’m starting to want to make Christmas cookies.  You know what?   They didn’t complain about that idea at all!  🙂 

I’ve shared some of the cookies we’ve made over the years.  I’ll probably make many of the same, though I just got a huge bag of mini rolos so might try my hand at Christmas cookies with them. 

Christmas Tree

I have to admit, I used to decorate the whole house with knick-knacks but I decided three years ago that as much as I like to, it’s just too much work.   I know I know… lazy of me isn’t it!?!?!   Part of that “too much work” was my tired hubby’s comments of “where is my _____” because I moved it to make room for my knick-knacks.   It’s more important to keep the peace than to rearrange the house AND end up with a frustrated fellow.  He works really hard and deserves less frustration when he’s home eh? 

BUT we do put up a tree.  We have tons of decorations, homemade, purchased or gifted.  Our tree changes every year.  Of course we have favourites (such as my joy snowmen) that go up every year, but the rest more or less rotate their way through. 

Before Christmas Tradition

One of our before Christmas Traditions is closing out our review year with the Homeschool Review Crew. I normally do a post with our favourites but I’ve decided to include them here.  It’s always good to have a break you know?  You can find the favourites of the crew in this post. 

Reviews that we did this year

Favourites from the year?  Simply Coding (the lad) and Journey Homeschool Academy (me). 

So what family traditions do you have during this holiday season?  Are you starting early? Have a favourite cookie recipe?  (if so, please share!  Good cookies are fun to make). Do you put up a tree?  Have a favourite ornament to share?  What makes Christmas a time of comfort for your loved ones?

November 2020

Review: Julie Naturally

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DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW IN EXCHANGE FOR MY HONEST REVIEW. I WAS NOT REQUIRED TO WRITE A POSITIVE REVIEW NOR WAS I COMPENSATED IN ANY OTHER WAY.

Romans and Philippians are excellent books to study don’t you think?   At Julie Naturally, you will find bible studies suited to individual as well as small group endeavors. Julie Naturally focuses on homeschooling & unschooling, holy living and wholistic health.  Come along as we learn more about her faith journey bible studies. 

Julie Naturally Review

What I am Reviewing

Julie Naturally, produced by Julie Polanco, comprises the two studies that we are reviewing today.  They are Faith Journeys Bible Study Series: Romans bundle which continues video and PDF studies and Faith Journeys Bible Study Series: Philippians which just has PDF lessons. Romans is an 8-week study, Philippians is four weeks.  

Both studies are promoted as  appropriate for more mature believing moms.  Hard-working mom can, over the course of a week, complete each lesson. Each daily exercise contains 3-5 questions each day.  

What do you get?

The Romans study comes with video along with the bible study that comes as a PDF file.  The Philippians study, though it mentions video, at this time only comes as a PDF bible study. 

Program highlights include

Bible verses that are dated per week, and set up to be cut for easy placement in a wallet or elsewhere for putting God’s word deeper into your heart.  The verses are short and easy enough to memorize. 

At the end of each week in both studies, a colouring page is provided.  Romans used words, Philippians hearts. 

Each week is broken into six days.  Each day has scriptures that must be read. Often there is a brief explanation that highlights key details.  Following the explanation are questions that require you to not only think about the verses but to apply them in our lives.   You can do the studies as expected (six days per week) or complete them all in one sitting. Each day’s work does not take long to complete. 

The Romans study also provides videos to go with each weekly lesson.  The videos are about 10 minutes each.  The video for week four was missing for me.  Occasionally it seemed like something was missing from the video.  

You can purchase the Philippians for $8.49 as a digital download. The study is 45 pages long. Romans costs $24.99, and is 97 pages long. 

How did I use Julie Naturally?

I predominately used the Romans Study, listening to the video as I was sat on my stationary bike. 

Then over the course of the week I would work on the bible study. I loved that I didn’t have to print it off and could write my answers directly on the computer.  It made it so easy to take 5 or 10 minutes to learn something more about God’s word. 

My Thoughts

I LOVE that the PDF’s are fully editable.  This means I don’t have to print out the study in order to use it.  I would need to do so if using for a group bible study but on my own, just being able to type in my thoughts, gold!

The Faith Journeys bible study in Romans or Philippians would be ideal for women looking for an introductory study. The mix of textual and personal questions will be edifying. The videos may be hit or miss, Julie had good information to share, but didn’t always organize her thoughts well. 

For middle or high school students, these studies would work quite well.  Helping these young women to dig deeper into their faith, learning to question their attitudes and actions, in the light of scripture. 

One thing that Ms. Polanco brings is a fresh perspective.  Every bible study a person engages in always brings something new to the table.  These studies are an affordable option for seeing something new in God’s Word. 

Julie Naturally Review

Where to Find Julie Naturally

Website: https://www.julienaturally.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julienaturally
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/julienaturally
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/successful.unschooler
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/julienaturally
Podcast: https://crunchychristianpodcast.com

40 members of the review crew took in the Romans-Philippians bundle from Julie Naturally.  Click on the image below to read them. 

Give Thanks to the Lord

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So I’ve been debating this topic from the crew “Give Thanks to the Lord” for a couple of weeks now.  Should I do a light airy piece on all the things that I am thankful for, things that are important but not on the forefront of my heart; OR should I write what’s on the forefront of my heart knowing there are those who won’t understand it but might possibly help others?  OR should I make it homeschooling focused since this blog really is about faith AND homeschooling?   I guess you’ll have to read on to see what I do eh?  🙂 

give thanks to the Lord

The other day I was reading a devotional that talked about how so often when we read or teach bible stories we look for the actions of people.  We often fail to look at what a bible story reveals about God.  God’s word is actually all about God.  Stories might lighten the reading, but at the end of the day… the bible is the story of God’s glory revealed. 

It’s good to keep that thought in mind as one considers how one would give thanks to the Lord for the events or things in life. 

Affiliate links will be used. 

The Things of Life

There are things in life that I am ever so thankful for.  Big things like friends, a church to attend, service opportunities. Medium things like a house to live in, work to do, food to eat. And then the copious little things.

  • My tea maker – I love drinking cold tea and having a pitcher dedicated to the making of it.  Marvellous!
  • Our keurig machine – hot chocolate and bouillon… totally does me a solid good. 
  • Gardening.  Love getting plants growing, and working with dirt, and everything involved with that. Making relishes and canning.  🙂 
  • My tablet.  Ever so helpful for trying out new recipes.  Much easier to read than my phone. 
  • Contigo water bottles.  They hold my tea nicely.  🙂 
  • My fellows working together.  Can’t ask for much better. 

Homeschooling

Thankfulness for the ability to homeschool.  I give thanks to the Lord for:

  • in a province with few rules about homeschooling
  • in a current crisis, we have a government actually helping parents in the form of grants who need to homeschool 
  • for a school board that allows my son to take courses, I can’t easily figure out how to teach
  • in a time and age where schooling is available in many different formats: video, text, audio.   Textbooks, PDF’s, USB, online.  
  • Support provided quickly and easily.  Tonight on a Facebook group for SchoolhouseTeachers.com I saw a mom struggling with algebra get direct help on answering a question. 
  • for a lad who has fully embraced independence in his schooling. 

Rabbits and Other Critters

I know, I know, rabbits are neither homeschool or faith, but they are very much a part of my life.  🙂   BUT I promise they do have a homeschooling connection!

From the bunnies:

  • bunny education classes
  • finances to provide homeschooling materials
  • education in running a small business
  • joy in having furry beasts to care for
  • seeing God at work in ways unexpected
  • friends to make
  • skills to develop

The other critters

  • cats!  oh my.. the cats are both a source of vexation and laughter.   Lizzy too smart for her own good, Milo getting old and losing strength of body and mind. 
  • Snake: Fireheart has taught us so much about her needs, her abilities, and just how interesting it is to have a pet snake. 
  • Budgies: the sadness of loss when they die, the joy when you convince a scaredy-cat bird to land on a finger, the remembering to provide care, the laughter when she squawks to unique noises, it’s good
  • Makes me remember how in the bible it says that if people won’t praise God, the world around us will do so. 

Parenting

If anything has caused me the hardest time, it’s parenting.  My lad was relatively easy as a child growing up.  He’s proving to be a more difficult teen making decisions that hurt my heart deeply. But in that struggle, there are things in which to give thanks to the Lord for;

  • he is currently still at home, directly under the care of people who love him and will continue to pray for him, and talk with him. 
  • my prayer life has more than tripled.
  • my understanding of the deep hurt that parents can feel over the actions of their children has quadrupled. 
  • how alone one can feel, and how God says “hey, I’m here” into the quietness of one’s heart.
  • even in hurt, one can express gratitude, because God’s hand can still be seen.
  • friends are sometimes unexpected blessings, sending links that help a heart.

How about you?  What is in your life that you can give thanks to God for?   Do they help you see him more clearly?

November 2020

Harvest Time Decor

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The Home School Review crew has issued the challenge for today… harvest time decor!   I saw that and thought GAH I haven’t a clue.  I’m really not a decorator for things like that.  I do Christmas cause it’s easy, but any other seasonal/holiday thing, it’s just really not my thing.   

I talking with my tenant that this week’s challenge and her prompt response was “oh, that’s easy!   Can I write it for you?”  Never one to turn down a freely offered gift I said “sure!”   So here goes her post: 

Harvest Time Decor

There is a ton of decorations for Harvest time.

Let’s start with nature and the beauty of the leaves turning colour. I’ve seen a mountainside with a green background and coloured trees throughout with the greenish-blue of the Atlantic Ocean, and the blue of the sky…magnificent!

Harvest Time Decor

We try to bring that beauty inside when harvest time comes around. Yes, in spring and summer we may bring in the odd bouquet of flowers, but it’s not like harvest decorating. We bring in gourds, pumpkins, corn and corn stalks, hay bales, and let’s not forget the cornucopia, also known as the Horn of plenty.

A cornucopia is an assortment of fruit. It’s a familiar part of harvest time decor. When referring to the horn of plenty, it is a basket, shaped like a horn, and fill with the freshness of harvest.  You’ll find pumpkins, fruit, dates, grapes, apples, gourds, squash and more.  The abundance of harvest for all to see.

That is what I would like to focus on. What kind of fruit is in your cornucopia?

white and orange pumpkins on table
Photo by Anna Tukhfatullina Food Photographer/Stylist on Pexels.com

Pruning for More Fruit

In John 15, Jesus talks about branches that bear no fruit are taken away, branches that bear good fruit, are pruned, so they can yield more fruit the next harvest.

John 15:1-2  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 

The first idea I have here is that we often equate pruning with something bad. Granted the bad fruit needs to be taken care of, but in this instance, Jesus doesn’t talk about bad fruit, but good fruit.

When gardening, there are some plants that must have the fruit harvested in order to produce more fruit. If the fruit is left and not harvested, the next yield will be stunted, or the fruit will go bad. So, when a pruning or plucking happens in your life, deal with it willingly, not willfully. (That right there will show you the condition of your fruit).

close up photo of grape fruit
Photo by Henri Guérin on Pexels.com

Consider then the branches

Next, Jesus talks about the relationship between the branches and the tree.

John 15:4-8 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

This is an allegory of our individual relationship with God. I know no one is perfect. We all have shortcomings. It’s how we deal with those shortcomings, though. If we are properly grafted into the root of God and His Word, then we are always dealing in humility and repentance. (Now in this let us not forget the apostle Paul’s words in Romans 6. We don’t purposely sin to make grace abound). Our relationship with God is of the utmost importance. It is up to us to keep it healthy, not someone else. To abide in Him, and He in you is a lifestyle of perpetual awareness of what God has for you.

Taking Stock

Now I am going into a possibly sore area.

What condition is your fruit? Is it fresh and useable, or does it resemble plastic fruit? Fake it ‘til you make it type thing?

I remember as a child I got plastic fruit confused with real. My mother informed me of the truth, and I learned a lesson. Not all fruit is real. We often talk about bad fruit, but what about fake fruit?

I know life is hard at times and we need a break. That is okay. It is better to take a break than to fake being okay and producing fake fruit.

The bottom line is, we are so wanting a harvest and for God to use us, we move ahead without letting our fruit mature. We think we have developed well, but our fruit is artificially ripened fruit. We have the power, but not the authority. Authority we would properly obtain with properly ripened fruit.

So, this harvest time, as you look around at all the harvest time decor, take time to consider what kind of fruit is in your cornucopia.

Is it going to be helpful, well developed and nourishing for you and others around you, or will it be a little off and sour?

When the fruit of the spirit is healthy and well developed, we can then proceed to call in the harvest. Are you ready?

November 2020