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Daily Bible Verse (ESV): John 1:14

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Faithwalker's Journal: A Split Heart - Tuesday February 09, 2010

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:00:13 +0000

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24 NIV

After a person becomes a Christian and comes under the lordship of Christ, there is not only a transfer of authority but a transfer of love. When Jesus talks about denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and dying to ourselves in Matthew 16 and other places, what’s He referring to? He’s saying, “Listen, inside each of us is a deep, deep, deep, deep love of self.” We may have pop psychology that tells us differently, but I guarantee you that you love yourself. Jesus is saying, “You’ve got to be broken of that selfish self-love, and learn to love Me.” What is the Great Commandment? “’And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’. The second is this:’ Love your neighbor as yourself’ ” (Mark 12:30-31 NIV). Years ago when I was first challenged to die to my self-love and love Christ with all my heart, I got to thinking about some of the things that I loved. Someone helped me with an illustration: this person drew out a heart—my heart. It looked like a pie cut in wedges. Jesus said we should love God with all our heart, but I realized that my heart was split into many pieces. I did love Jesus—He definitely had a portion, but I didn’t love Him with my whole heart. In the next day or so, I’ll tell you about my car, girlfriend, money, sports, and music. Stay tuned!

Tom Short
Faithwalkers East 2008

One Year Reading Plan: Exodus 29:1-30:10; Matthew 26:14-46; Psalms 31:19-24; Proverbs 8:14-26
[Read online bible]

Tony & Kirsten Hill: Kindergarten Week in Review #17-18

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:12:29 +0000

I wrote a couple posts earlier about two curriculum changes we’re making for science and phonics. Here’s what Madeline and I have been up to in general for the past couple of weeks during her Kindergarten studies.

Bible: We’re continuing to work on the memory verses from church and read through the take-home devotionals from the 252 Basics. Since there are four of those per week and we usually only do 4 days of school per week, this hasn’t left a lot of time for other Bible readings, like “Leading Little Ones to God” (which I have missed the last two weeks when we haven’t read it). I’m still pondering what to do about this. The 252 Basics devotionals are short, but Madeline usually seems ready to move on to other subjects after we have finished one.

Math: We’re now through (I think) the first 12 lessons of Right Start Math level A. Madeline is improving at using the Abacus and being able to quickly enter or identify any number from 1-10. Most of the other material in the lessons is still review for her, so we are able to get through one (or sometimes even a bit more than one) lesson per day. She is really looking forward to getting past the review section and getting on to something other than just the Abacus being new and challenging. But since using the abacus and visualizing quantities is so important to this curriculum, I don’t want to skip any lessons. She’ll just have to be patient a bit longer.

Phonics/Reading: As I mentioned in my other entry, Madeline finished Level 1 of Alphabet Island. Yeah! We’ll be moving on to using Explode the Code books 1 1/2 and 2…and you can read more about that in my recent entry on the subject.

Geography: We started studying the continent of Asia, and specifically the country of India the last two weeks. I had hoped to spend no more than two weeks per country that we plan to study. But due to only having seven days of school in the past two weeks with Madeline visiting Grandma during week #17 and restarting our co-op this past week (and some other distractions on days we did do school), we didn’t get as much done as I was hoping to. So, we’ll continue to work on India this week as well. So far for our India study we have read the chapters in Hero Tales about Amy Carmichael (a missionary to India), a folktale and a couple of non-fiction books about what India is like today. This week we will read another folktale (from this book), a picture book story, and a “Magic Treehouse” book that takes place in India. We’ll also make a couple of lapbook pieces for a lapbook about the whole continent of Asia.

Science: Okay, so I slacked and we didn’t get science done. I had planned to not do science during week #17 since we only did three days of school that week. Then I held off preparing for science this past week until late in the week, and then by Friday we had other distractions and we just did the basics, skipping the science lesson. We’ll remedy that this week and start having a block for science planned in earlier in the week!

For fun: Madeline (and Erik) really enjoyed making valentines almost every day this week!:

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Psalm 5:11-12

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

The Faithwalker's Journal: How Much Do You Want It? - Monday February 08, 2010

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:00:16 +0000

And I searched for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land…but I found no one. Ezekiel 22:30

Leadership is not a matter of gift or calling or personality or natural ability. Leadership is not a gift, not at its root. At its source, leadership is first and always a matter of charac-ter. And because it is a question of character, this kind of Biblical character can be trained. We can see growth and change in our character, or God wouldn’t ask us to grow and change. In the book Dedication and Leadership, author Douglas Hyde (a former Communist leader) tells the story of a young man named Jim who was hoping to become a Communist leader. He desperately wanted it. Hyde relates how Jim “was almost pathetically anxious to be turned into a leader.” Yet as Hyde looked at Jim, he thought that he had never seen anyone who looked less the part: “He was just about the most unprepossessing man I had ever seen. Jim was very short, very fat, with a flabby white face, a cast to one eye, and to make matters worse, a most distressing stutter.” All he had was desire. In the early months of Jim’s training, Douglas Hyde sug-gested that he begin to tutor a few others in Marxist ideology. Jim exclaimed, “W-w-what, m-m-me?!” Yet at the end of his life, Jim became a recognized leader in the Communist Party, a national leader in the Trade Unions, and grew to national stature across Great Britain when England was strongly influenced by the Communist Party. Never forget that leaders are made, not born. And they are made by developing character.

Rick Whitney
Vintage Faith Church

One Year Reading Plan: Exodus 28:1-43; Matthew 25:31-26:13; Psalms 31:9-18; Proverbs 8:12-13
[Read online bible]

Tony & Kirsten Hill: Menu Plan Monday: February 8th-14th, 2010

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:30:39 +0000

I never got around to posting a Menu Plan last week…partly due to busyness and partly due to feeling uncertain about how some of my menu choices were going to work out. And sure enough, I did make more last minute changes in my menu last week than normal.

This past week we ended up having Creamy Beef and Noodles, Leftover soup, Chicken Fajitas, Spaghetti (well, the kids had this while we ate at a church meeting), homemade pizza, Curried Chickpeas & Curried Cauliflower and Potatoes w/rice…and then today we had slow cooker pulled pork for lunch (family lunch to celebrate Kai’s birthday) and the traditional Superbowl meal of Chili for dinner.

Here’s what I have on the schedule for this week. I am mainly planning to use ingredients I have gotten on sale previous weeks (like ground beef and potatoes), as well as taking advantage of the sale on chicken at Cub Foods and the sale on Pork Loins at Rainbow. At least I hope I can make it out to both those stores this week!

Monday: Shepherd’s Pie

Tuesday: Chicken, Bean and Rice tacos/burritos with guacamole! (using up cheap avacados from my trip to Aldi last week)

Wednesday: Chili Bake using leftover Superbowl Chili

Thursday: Chicken Tettrazini

Friday: Pork loin, with (I think) some kind of a rice side dish (details are still fuzzy on this meal and exactly how I am going to prepare these two items…I’ll be looking at recipes and perhaps deciding based on what kind of deals I find this week!).

Saturday: Baked Potato Soup and bread

Sunday: Something that doesn’t involve me cooking. Hopefully a date night!

For lots more great menu ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com!

Tony & Kirsten Hill: Taking an Unexpected Break from Our Beloved “Alphabet Island”

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:33:29 +0000

I realized soon after the new year started that Madeline was very close to finishing Level 1 of Alphabet Island. We began this curriculum last spring and completed the first section (learning/reviewing letter sounds and practicing writing lower case letters) before we beginning Kindergarten this fall. We then began the second half of Level 1 this fall (learning 3 letter “consonant-vowel-consonant” or “CVC” words and practicing writing upper case letters).

Level 1 of Alphabet Island was very well suited to Madeline. She likes the characters and the songs. There is some writing, but not too much. The approach to learning the CVC words (using word families) really clicked with her. She enjoyed the games when we find time to play them. So, naturally, I was really looking forward to starting level 2A this month after we finished level 1.

A week or so ago I pulled out out Level 2A to start reading through the lessons and seeing what we would be working on. I was quite surprised to find out that Level 2A is much more difficult than level 1!

After a handful of review pages, Level 2A moves quickly into marking short/long vowels on long lists of words, long stories to help learn complex phonics/spelling rules, and page-long spelling tests. Whoa! Madeline is definitely not ready for that as not-yet-six-year-old Kindergartener.

I found this informative quote in the Teacher’s Guide: “The majority of this program is directed toward the phonics rules for spelling. But this approach alone can slow down the reading process. To help develop reading skills, some reading instructions and material has been included. However, reading will not happen by chance. It takes lots of practice…Another reading program…or books from the library are sources of reading materials…Most students will want to read above their spelling ability. This is good. Work with the student on two levels–one in reading and one in spelling.”

Reading this section confirmed to me that Level 2A of Alphabet Island was not what Madeline needed right about now. I am not super concerned at the moment with developing her spelling skills. She is still struggling with having the patience and perseverance to write more than a few words at a time — usually words that she has right in front of her (aka copying them from a text or from something I wrote). I think a great deal of this is developmental. Once she is six or seven, I would anticipate her fine motor skills will catch up, writing will not be such a challenge, and memorizing complex rules and long spelling lists will not seem so daunting.

I still think that Alphabet Island is a great program and I fully intend to pick it up again later. I may even read some of the spelling/phonics rule stories to her so they can start percolating around in her brain (and so I can refer to them as we work on her reading skills). But that means we need something else to use right now. Madeline is eager to move beyond the three letter CVC words and learn new things about reading, so she can read more complex books.

I decided we would switch to Explode the Code for the rest of her Kindergarten year and possibly beyond. Explode the Code is a simple workbook-based phonics program with 8 main levels and a “half level” in between each one for further review (there’s also an online version of Explode the Code, but it looks a bit expensive…so we’ll be sticking to the paper version!). I ordered levels 1 1/2 and 2:

Level 1 1/2 will give Madeline additional practice in the skills she learned this year in Alphabet Island level 1, while book 2 will move into new skills like beginning and ending blends. My plan is to do one or two pages in each book per day. This still may be a bit much writing for Madeline (some pages just involve circling or “x”-ing a correct answer, but other pages require writing quite a few whole words). I may do some of the writing for her (as she dictates to me what letters to write) or I may get her an alphabet stamp set as a fun way for her to get her answers on paper. I’ll also add additional cards to her phonics flip chart, and we’ll use that for additional practice or for me to introduce new concepts. (files for the flip chart available here, here and here).

Tony & Kirsten Hill: Our New Science Curriculum: Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 16:55:32 +0000

After quite a bit of research and thought (and Tony almost deciding to write his own science curriculum), we found a curriculum we thought would meet our needs: “Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding: A Science Curriculum for K-2″ by Bernard Nebel (BFSU). You can also read more about the book on Dr. Nebel’s website.

We really wanted to find a curriculum that didn’t just package a bunch of facts with fun little experiments that may or may not teach much of anything. Instead, we hope to guide our kids to discover “why we know what we know” when it comes to scientific principles.

Dr. Nebel’s curriculum is not set up in a traditional manner with daily or weekly lessons to be followed in a specific order each year. Instead, 4 strands of scientific learning (The Nature of Matter, Life Science, Physical Science, and Earth/Space Science) are to be pursued simultaneously with some degree of freedom as to the exact order of the lessons left up to the parent/teacher. There are seven to twelve lessons in each strand, and these “lessons” can easily be stretched into a week or two (or maybe even more) of learning as extra library books and experiments are added in. Since much scientific knowledge builds upon earlier foundations, there is a suggested order within each thread of which lessons should come before the others.

If it sounds confusing…it’s probably because it is a bit confusing, and very different than most curriculum products. A flow chart is provided of some suggested order to this buffet of learning and some research reveals that other users of the text have made up lists of the order in which they plan to pursue the lessons.

I plan to take one of the suggested orderings I found on the web, and modify it a bit to give us a road-map of where we plan to go…while being willing to change that up as seems appropriate of course!

If we want the book to last for a couple years (and not rush through the concepts presented), it seems like one lesson every two weeks is about the right pace. About once a month in between the lessons from BFSU, I hope to add in another piece of science learning: studying the history of science. If Tony were to write his own elementary science curriculum (and who knows, maybe he still will someday), learning about the history of science would be integrated into it. This is more than just learning a few facts about what scientists lived when and what they studied–it is learning about some of the foundational experiments in the history of science and what was learned through these experiments. It’s another aspect of “learning why we know what we know.” I’m not sure how much Madeline will retain or understand of this type of study at her current age, but we’ll give it a try. As a tool to facilitate this, I purchased Janis VanCleave’s “Scientists Through the Ages”:

If these lessons turn out to be worthwhile, they should last us for about two years at the rate of doing them once a month.

I’m planning on attempting to set aside one longer block of time for science each week (though some reading of supplementary materials like library books would probably still happen on other days). Our four-week cycle would look something like this:

Week 1: Lesson from BFSU

Week 2: Lesson from Scientists through the Ages (and continue to read supplementary books on Week 1 BFSU topic)

Week 3: Lesson from BFSU

Week 4: Another science or “health class” type of topic (I’m thinking things like nature study, studies of various animals and habitats, and maybe someday what ever one is supposed to teach elementary age kids for “health” — I haven’t quite figured that out yet!)…along, again, with supplementary reading on the previous week’s BFSU topic.

I wanted to start with our first BFSU topic this past week, and it didn’t quite happen. We’ll do it this coming week for sure!

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Ephesians 2:1-3

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

The Faithwalker's Journal: Find Strength in God - Sunday February 07, 2010

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 06:00:14 +0000

Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strength-ened himself in the Lord his God. 1 Samuel 30:6

While David and his men were away from their homes, a raiding band attacked their village, stole their possessions, kidnapped their wives and children, and burned their city to the ground. In their anger, grief, and dismay, David’s men were on the verge of stoning him. Not only did David have to cope with the angst of losing his own wives and children, but he also had to deal with the grief and red-hot anger of those who followed him. “But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” How did he do this? Did he pray? Sing songs? Review memory verses? Take a prayer walk? If we look at the pattern seen in David’s psalms, he probably poured out his fear, anger, and need to God. Then he may have praised God and recalled His goodness, power, wisdom and love. Notice that David didn’t simply ask God do things on his behalf; he realized that God would probably not act unilaterally in this case. He knew he needed to take action, but was too discouraged or afraid or saddened to do so in his own strength. So he turned to God. God strengthened him, gave him direction, and miraculously worked on his behalf so that he and his men recovered all that was lost and then some. Are you finding strength in God, or are you trying to make it through life on your own? Since God’s will is almost always beyond us, an independent attitude will lead to fear, discouragement, defeat, and anger. Strengthen yourself in Him today.

Dave Bovenmyer
Stonebrook Community Church

One Year Reading Plan: Exodus 26:1-27:21; Matthew 25:1-30; Psalms 31:1-8; Proverbs 8:1-11
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Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Romans 14:8

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.

The Faithwalker's Journal: Fearless Tree - Saturday February 06, 2010

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:00:16 +0000

Thus says the Lord, cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. Jeremiah 17:5, 7

We trust our military to protect us from aggressive for-eign countries and terrorists. We expect our parents to protect us from dangerous people—strangers, neighbors or our peers. We think it is our pastor’s responsibility to protect us from false teachers who lead us away from devotion to Jesus Christ. We trust doctors to heal our diseases and mend us when our bodies are broken. These people are all part of God’s design for our well-being. So where does the Almighty enter into the protection plan? God warns us about trusting only in mankind and turn-ing away from Him. God will use people to protect us, but He wants us to trust Him above all others. Do you trust the Lord first and foremost to protect you, your family, your investments, your church, and your country? Do you turn to Him first when uncertainty and fear arise? We Americans have grown accustomed to a secure and comfortable life. However, the recent economic crisis has brought uncertainty and fear into most of our lives. This is the perfect opportunity to evaluate whom we trust to meet our needs. These hard times reveal the depth of our faith in God. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7-8).

Stephen S. Nelson
GCM Missionary

One Year Reading Plan: Exodus 23:14-25:40; Matthew 24:29-51; Psalms 30:1-12; Proverbs 7:24-27
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Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Hebrews 13:16

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

The Faithwalker's Journal: Glory and Joy - Friday February 05, 2010

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:00:13 +0000

For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. Indeed, you are our glory and joy. 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12, 20 (NIV)

I have found myself repeatedly frustrated while trying to get morning chores done around our house with my four children. It seems like the more I push, the less we get done or the longer it takes. While talking to the Lord about my frustrations one morning in my QT (Quiet Time), I read the above verse. The three words—encouraging, comfort-ing and urging—leaped off the page at me. I thought about how much I appreciate the Lord’s kindness and patience as He teaches me to live a godly life, but was I treating my precious children the same way? Maybe you aren’t a mom, but what about your spouse, a roommate, a disciple, a sibling? Are we dealing with these precious people the way the Lord deals with us? I always respond better to a kind word, an encouraging tone, a patient person! If God decided that this is how we would best learn, who am I to think I will get better results from doing something different? So, I began to battle my flesh, to encourage rather than subtly discourage, to comfort instead of get frustrated, and to urge instead of nag my children to live lives worthy of God. By the grace of God and a lot of prayers there’s a whole lot more encouraging, comforting and urging going on in the Thatcher house, and my prayer and goal is that it will only increase.

Morgan Thatcher
The Firehouse Church

One Year Reading Plan: Exodus 21:22-23:13; Matthew 24:1-28; Psalms 29:1-11; Proverbs 7:6-23
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Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Romans 5:17

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

The Rock Audio Feed: Message 2-4-2010

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:52:45 +0000

The Faithwalker's Journal: The Ames Rule - Thursday February 04, 2010

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:00:17 +0000

For the dream comes through much effort… Ecclesiastes 5:3a

Here are three practical ways to commit yourself to the local church. Number one is to be a giver, not a taker. Let me give you a piece of advice. If the thought comes into your mind—“Boy, I wish our church could be stronger here” —don’t be critical. Instead, see this as your opportunity to help build that quality in the church. There’s a phrase we’ve had for years in our movement. We call it the Ames Rule (from the church in Ames, Iowa). I remember as elders we would sit around and come up with great ideas of what we could do in the church. Then one of us would say, “Ames Rule!” Basically, the Ames Rule was if you come up with the idea, you need to implement it. If you’ve got the dream, you’re the one to do it. The second way to increase your commitment is to make it your goal to either stay in the church or be sent out to do the Lord’s will. I’ve stayed with the same group of people for the last thirty-some years. I’ve never “left” a church. When I did leave, I didn’t abandon it—I was sent out. As people are sent out like this to advance the gospel and plant churches, a continuity of community is built. This Faithwalkers conference exists because we have had this continuity of community. It is so encouraging, so refresh-ing, so good. The third way is to pray for the unity of the church lead-ers. It’s interesting that Jesus, right before He went to the cross, prayed for the unity of the church, and in particular for the unity of His disciples who were leaders (John 17). God brings about a blessing when people see oneness and unity in this way. Will you purpose to be committed to your local church?

John Hopler
Faithwalkers East 2008

One Year Reading Plan: Exodus 19:16-21:21; Matthew 23:13-39; Psalms 28:1-9; Proverbs 7:1-5
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Daily Bible Verse (ESV): John 1:12

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God....

The Faithwalker's Journal: Can’t Love that Way? - Wednesday February 03, 2010

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 06:00:12 +0000

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30 (ESV)

A vibrant 17-year-old Christian girl from Bucharest had a question. “I want to love God, but I can’t. I can’t love Him with everything in me. What should I do?” The last session of camp in the Carpathian Mountains had ended. Our theme had been death—the death to self that Christ demands of every disciple. Now it was Q & A time. “You’re at a good place,” I said. “You want to love God. Many couldn’t care less. And the truth is, I’m at the same place as you. I want to love Him with everything I’ve got, and I can’t. What shall we do?” If we’re honest, like this Romanian girl, we’ll see God’s love commandment as far beyond us. He demands our whole heart. We can’t and we don’t deliver. At best, after He awakens us, we love Him with part of our heart, soul, mind and strength. We love Him intermittently, and we keep running away to rival gods. What shall we do? Turn to Him. Run to Him. Then, when your heart cools and you find yourself walking away, turn again. Watch how He reaches for you. Hear how He welcomes you. Marvel at His delight in seeing you turn again, for the hundredth or thousandth time, and go running into His arms. Marvel at God’s mercy! Be in awe of the gospel of grace in Jesus! O ye of little love, keep turning, keep running to Him. Keep marveling, and something wonderful will happen. Your love for this welcoming God will grow like a mustard seed.

John Vanderhorst
Cornerstone Community Church

One Year Reading Plan: Exodus 17:8-19:15; Matthew 22:34-23:12; Psalms 27:7-14; Proverbs 6:27-35
[Read online bible]

Luke and Holly Anderson: Our Walker & Talker!

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Anderson) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 02:44:00 +0000

Joshua takes after Luke in so many areas: body structure, baby cheeks, dimples, rapid physical development (he's already taken steps on his own!), eye color (blue), allergies to penicillin, and even appetite.

I have found, however, a few things that he takes after me in: painful teething (oh the agony!), hair color (so far), and the gift of gab! Joshua loves to talk!

Right now, at 11.5 months old, Joshua can say 18 words clearly and in context (he can point these things out on a page or photo, as well as say them):

DahDah, MahMah, Dog, Duck, Yellow, NahNah (Luke's mom), PahPah (Luke's dad), BaMah (my mom), BaPah (my dad), Buff (my parent's dog), Ball, ByeBye, Hi, NumNum (his word for hungry), Ahl-Don ("all done"), Don (Luke's brother Jon), Duce (Juice), and Banana.

He also says lots of unclear things that I can understand, like "daht" means "that" and "doh" means "go". He even tries to form sentences. Every morning that Luke happens to be gone, Joshua asks, "Weh DahDah Do?" (Where'd Daddy Go?). He even waits for me to respond.

Otherwise, he just rambles with "Dahdahdahdah" and so on. But, I'm impressed! I know it doesn't take much, but still!

Tony & Kirsten Hill: Tot School Month in Review (January 2010, Weeks 15-17)

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:08:36 +0000

~Erik is 34 months old~

We’ve had three full weeks of school now since our three-and-a-half week Christmas break, but we are still looking to find our groove when it comes to Tot School…but we did have some fun times together this past month!

Before Christmas break, I was experimenting with either having some dedicated time for Tot School before starting school with Madeline for the day, or having some Tot School time after lunch. We tried the “before Kindergarten” route a couple more times in the last few weeks, and I don’t think this routine will work for us. There is a great deal of temptation to skip it all together and in the end it seems to reduce the overall time that Madeline is able to stay focused on her school work.

After lunch still holds potential, but usually both mom and kids are ready for some casual playtime and relaxation after lunch, there are chores to be done, Madeline wants free-choice read aloud time (as opposed to read-aloud time during our school routine, when I pick the books), and nap time comes around quickly.

So, I am back to attempting a dual-focus most days, at least for the time being. I am finding that Erik is more and more interested in doing school “just like Madeline.” That means including him in whatever way possible in what she is doing, or finding an activity that is equivalent in some way.

So, if Madeline is working on her phonics or handwriting, Erik likes having a something to write on too, whether it is a worksheet he just ends up scribbling on, or a pre-writing activity. Madeline really enjoyed the Kumon “My First Book of Tracing” when she was about the same age, so I went ahead and got one for Erik. He really enjoys it, and it has been a good opportunity for me to help him learn to develop a proper writing utensil grip. My only regret is not pulling out the handful of sports-related pages, laminating them, and then having him use the washable dry erase marker on those. As it should be unsurprising to anyone who knows him, he has already covered over his lines several times on those pages!

Erik enjoys sitting in as we read our books for science and social studies as well (at least until he wanders off to play again), and asked for coloring and cutting to do while Madeline was doing her Antarctica lapbook. This portion of our school day is also when I’ve been encouraging Erik to do his other “old favorites” among our Tot School activities — preschool activity bags, puzzles, magnet scenes, board games, and so on. One thing that is really perplexing is that he now refuses to use the Lauri stacking pegs/foam…this after we just got a large box of additional such pieces for Christmas! Here’s Erik enjoying a lakeshore learning “race car” math set, where he tries to sort the cars by wheel color:

Math is really the subject in which Erik has gotten the most involved with what Madeline and I are doing. He is fascinated by the Right Start math program we just began with Madeline. The first few lessons are on a really basic level, so he is able to follow along to some extent with what we are doing. He asks to do math with us, and sits happily for at least half the amount of time that Madeline will spend at doing math. The teaching method of the program relies quite a bit on the teacher asking the student(s) many questions as the concepts are presented, so I’ve been trying to ask the easy questions to Erik and the harder questions to Madeline.

During week #15 we did a unit on measuring, and this brought Erik’s favorite activity of the past few weeks: practicing pouring and transferring with rice:

I’ve wanted to do this for a long time, but never got around to it. It easily kept him busy for 45 minutes straight! I think we’ll have to do it again sometime soon.

To see what other families are doing for Tot School, visit the weekly round up 1+1+1=1!

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Psalm 23:1

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

The Faithwalker's Journal: The Light of the World—3 - Tuesday February 02, 2010

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:00:13 +0000

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

So, what does it mean that Jesus left us to be the light of the world? It means that we should shine His light through our walk and our talk. Many people read the above verse only as a challenge to live a life of good works. But if you live the most selfless life possible, without communicating in any way where your motivation and your power come from, guess who they are going to glorify? That’s right—you! Inherent in shining so that people will glorify our Father is the need to tell them about our Father. “… the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corin-thians 4:4). The gospel is a message of light, which we are commissioned to communicate to the entire world. God has enlightened our hearts with the gospel (“to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ”—2 Corinthians 4:6), and now calls us to be His ambassadors in spreading it throughout the world (2 Corinthians 5:14-20). Let yourself be challenged by Paul’s words in Acts 13:47: “For thus the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have placed you as a light for the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the end of the earth.’” This verse from Isaiah 49:6 was clearly referring to Jesus. Paul not only applies it to him-self, but to all of us! Just as Jesus was the light of the world, so now are we. May His light shine through our walk and our talk.

Daniel Goering
The Bridge

One Year Reading Plan: Exodus 15:19-17:7; Matthew 22:1-33; Psalms 27:1-6; Proverbs 6:20-26
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Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Galatians 6:1

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

The Faithwalker's Journal: The Light of the World—2 - Monday February 01, 2010

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 06:00:15 +0000

Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were for-merly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light… Ephesians 5:7-8

So just what does it mean that we are now the light of the world? The answer can be separated into two main threads: our walk and our talk. Paul instructs us, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing; that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:14-15). Grum-bling and disputing come very naturally in the world, and are almost expected. Practical examples are comments about cafeteria food and the weather! When we walk as children of light, we will stand out in contrast to the world around us. God’s ways are not man’s ways. When we walk according to His ways, it will expose the ways of the world. Then Paul goes on to say: “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them” (Ephesians 5:11). Of course, Paul is not telling us to convict others by pointing fingers at them. Rather, God will expose them through our behavior, as we live a life in the light. “For you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:5-6). As “sons of light” we should walk in the light. But that is only one half of what it means. Tune in tomorrow to see the other half.

Daniel Goering
The Bridge

One Year Reading Plan: Exodus 13:17-15:18; Matthew 21:23-46; Psalms 26:1-12; Proverbs 6:16-19
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Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Romans 8:31

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 08:01:00 +0000

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

The Faithwalker's Journal: The Light of the World—1 - Sunday January 31, 2010

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 06:00:17 +0000

I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life. John 8:12

Let me throw you a trick question. Here it comes: Who is the light of the world? Your first thought is likely to be that Jesus is the light of the world. And you are right. In John 8:12 Jesus states it clearly: “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” This is one of the many great “I am” statements in the Gospel of John. Others include “I am the good Shepherd”, “I am the Bread of Life”, and “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” But have you ever noticed that this is the only “I am” statement of Jesus that has a shelf life? Jesus put a time frame on His being the Light of the World. He said: “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world” (John 9:5). So, now that Jesus is no longer physically here in the world, who is the light of the world? Glad you asked! For that answer, we only need to look at Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:14 He tells us: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” My conclusion? Jesus was the Light of the World, and He has told us that now we are the light of the world. We are the ones still physically here on earth to shine (by way of reflection) His light to the world. In the next couple of days, I’d like to explore a bit more of just what that means for you and me.

Daniel Goering
The Bridge

One Year Reading Plan: Exodus 12:14-13:16; Matthew 20:29-21:22; Psalms 25:16-22; Proverbs 6:12-15
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Daily Bible Verse (ESV): 1 Peter 5:10

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 08:01:00 +0000

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

The Faithwalker's Journal: You are My Son - Saturday January 30, 2010

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 06:00:16 +0000

…You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. Mark 1:11 NIV

Recently my husband and I were delighted to attend a Christian concert featuring a very creative songwriter-vocalist. He had been touring for almost three months with his two “side-kicks”—a talented and quirky drummer and his “twenty-something” son who played bass. The dynamics of the group were fun to watch—especially the obvious love that flowed between father and son. This father simply basked in the fact that his son had “given up” three months to tour with his old pop. He beamed in pride with each exchanged glance, and at one point, as his son was rejoining the group on stage after a break, fondly commented, “I just love looking at him.” You can imagine that this son was secure and blessed by his father’s obvious display of love. I am reminded of another son who was lovingly honored and praised by His Father in a very public way. Jesus, as a first step of obedience in His public ministry, was baptized by John. Mark tells us that upon emerging from the water, heaven was torn open and the Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove. The clincher followed as God His Father boomed out, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” God simply could not contain His pride and delight in His beloved Son; He shouted it to the world. Assuredly, this declaration of love bolstered Jesus as He set out in the days ahead, first to be tempted in the desert by Satan, then to move on to His task of ministering to lost, hurting people, and eventually to die a sacrificial death on the cross—all inspired by a Father’s love for His Son.

Dawn Bovenmyer
Stonebrook Community Church

One Year Reading Plan: Exodus 10:1-12:13; Matthew 20:1-28; Psalms 25:1-15; Proverbs 6:6-11
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The Rock Audio Feed: Sin

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:50:25 +0000

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): 2 Timothy 1:7

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 08:01:00 +0000

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self- control.

The Faithwalker's Journal: It’s Love - Friday January 29, 2010

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 06:00:13 +0000

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? Matthew 16:26 ESV

As I think of the process of transferring lordship to Jesus, getting off the throne of my life and exalting Him to the throne, it sounds so easy. But I can tell you today it’s very, very difficult because of the stubbornness of our flesh. It’s a lifelong journey, a process of putting God on the throne day in, day out, 24/7, 365 and ¼ days a year. Let me stress, this is not just a transfer of authority. More importantly, this is a transfer of love. I’m not saying that transferring authority is unimportant. When we talk about Jesus being the King and of Him coming in His kingdom, when we talk about His lordship and being His servants, there must be a real acknowledgement of His authority. He’s the King; I’m the servant. I recognize His authority, follow Him and honor His authority. But the Pharisees tried to do all this with God; many religions try to do this. The key with Jesus is that it’s so much more than a transfer of authority. It is a transfer of love. This is not to say that yielding to His authority is op-tional. Jesus wasn’t just saying, “I want you to obey Me.” He was saying, “You must obey Me, because I am the King, and you’re no longer the king. You’re My servant.” We must determine ahead of time, “If He speaks, I obey.” But as we understand this spiritual relationship, we real-ize that it goes way beyond submitting to His authority. It is a relationship in which we lay down our lives for Him because we love Him. We do this not simply because it’s our duty, although it is our duty. But it’s so much deeper than duty. It’s love.

Tom Short
Faithwalkers East 2008

One Year Reading Plan: Exodus 8:1-9:35; Matthew 19:13-30; Psalms 24:1-10; Proverbs 6:1-5
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Daily Bible Verse (ESV): 2 Peter 3:8

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 08:01:00 +0000

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

The Faithwalker's Journal: Strange - Thursday January 28, 2010

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:00:12 +0000

They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. 1 Peter 4:4 NIV

Does anyone make fun of you or harass you because of your Christianity? Do they think you’re strange because you don’t join them in their sinful actions or speech? Those should be sobering questions. Why? Because if you don’t feel a little strange around people who don’t know the Lord, then maybe you’re acting no differently than they do. Maybe you’re joining them in their sin. I had a chance to experience today’s verse firsthand a couple weeks ago. I had read it during my quiet time and prayed, “God, make me a man who seems strange to people because I don’t follow them in sin.” That day at work, I was talking to a guy, and he said, “I have a joke to tell you.” It was a sexual joke, and, as he began heading toward the punch line, I sat there thinking, “Whoa, here’s my chance to live out this verse.” I didn’t want to be a jerk and walk away yelling, “Never tell me a joke again, pervert!” Wouldn’t be very kind, huh? But I also didn’t want to laugh and encourage the sin. So I prayed, “Lord, here we go.” The guy said, “Isn’t that funny?” I replied, “Well, it kind of reminds me of the jokes I heard in high school.” He seemed a little embarrassed and said, “Yeah, it is kind of sophomoric, but I thought it was funny,” and changed the subject. I’m sure that later he thought I was strange for not laughing along with him, but I want my life to look differ-ent—even if that looks strange! Do people ever think you are strange because you don’t join them in sin?

Josh Whitney
The Rock Church

One Year Reading Plan: Exodus 5:22-7:25; Matthew 18:21-19:12; Psalms 23:1-6; Proverbs 5:22-23
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Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Psalm 94:12-13

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:01:00 +0000

Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD, and whom you teach out of your law, to give him rest from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked.