1. Pride – Pride is usurping authority that does not belong to us. Usurping God's authority, because He is the only One Who has the right to go beyond the initial response of anger.
2. Personal faults – When we fail in specific areas, we tend to be very alert to other people who fail in the same areas. The frustration we have towards ourselves is often redirected to others through harsh judgment. Also, when someone hurts or offends us, it may be partially justified. This produces a destructive combination of guilt and bitterness.
3. Generalizations – If we are hurt by someone who represents another group or race, we will tend to project the misbehavior of one onto the entire group and develop a general animosity toward them all.
4. Expectations – When people make promises and fail to keep them, we tend to hold that against them and become resentful of their failure to fulfill our expectations. This same resentment can occur even without unfulfilled promises, when we expect certain behavior or benefits from those who are closest to us.
5. Envy and jealousy – Envy is desiring what somebody else has or is given. Solomon warned that envy is the rottenness of the bones. “A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.” (Proverbs 14:30) Jealousy is a fear of being displaced by another person.
6. Taking up offenses – One of the most entangling causes of bitterness occurs when one person who has not been offended takes up an offense for somebody else who has been offended. This kind of bitterness is deep-seated and often lasts even after the one who was offended forgives the offender.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Children and Chores
Children and chores. I wonder if there is any more difficult area of raising children to tackle than this one. In the chore survey we sent out with the June Corners, we gathered a huge quantity of information about chores. In a nutshell, from the questions we asked, here is a summary. Most moms weren’t prepared, while growing up, to be homemakers. Consequently they have struggled—some greatly—with taking care of their families and homes. A handful of the respondents were prepared. Those who were prepared attribute it to having to do chores when they were children.
Every one of the over 250 survey respondents believed that chores were beneficial for the children and the family. The list of reasons why chores are good was long and varied. Some of the benefits were current for the child, the family, and the home. Many of the benefits would be realized and enjoyed throughout the adult years of the child’s life.
From the survey, the biggest difficulty with chores was first working with children—having to remind them, their negative attitudes, and their poor work. The second major problem was Mom’s lack of consistency—in developing a chore plan, in scheduling time for chores, in checking the work that was done, and in giving consequences for a bad job and rewards for good work.
The chore poll confirmed what we already knew—that chores are important in our children’s lives, and chores need to be made a priority in our homes. In our culture, with its “let children be children philosophy,” it is easy to believe we are doing our children a disservice by expecting them to have responsibility as they are growing up. In reality, the opposite is true. If we choose not to give our children chores and teach them to accomplish them well, we are handicapping our children for their futures as adults. There are a multitude of long-term benefits our children will realize from the disciplines and skills they will develop as a result of chore responsibilities.
At one point, Steve and I realized our struggles with many unsuccessful years of chores had come because we wanted our children to be responsible for their chores, but we hadn’t made it the priority it needed to be to ensure that it happened. As is so often true of anything good we want to accomplish in our children’s lives, it comes back to Mom. If I don’t have an accepting attitude toward my work, the children won’t toward theirs. If I don’t assign the children chores, they won’t do any. If I don’t schedule a time for them to do chores, they will forget all day. If I don’t check their work, they will do it sloppily, if at all. If I don’t give consequences, they won’t be motivated to improve their chore performance.
To be honest, I would like it if so much didn’t depend on me. At the same time, I know the Lord uses all of this not only in my children’s lives, but also in my life as well. I am told in Galatians 6:9, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Even if this part of motherhood is difficult, I am not to give up. I am not to grow weary.
I have to admit I have wanted to give up – more than once! I can remember telling Steve that perhaps I could let the children grow up but keep their bedroom doors closed and never go in. I would ignore the fact that they weren’t doing what they had been assigned to do in their rooms. Eventually they would be adults. It would no longer be my responsibility as to whether they picked up their bedrooms or didn’t. Even while speaking those words, I knew this was not an option the Lord was putting before me. He had told me in Titus 2:4 to love my children. Part of loving them was the necessity of teaching them to be responsible.
This area of children and chores is vitally important. As we have studied chores and their impact on children’s lives and then on them as adults, we have come to see that chores are as critical as homeschooling is. It is an essential part of their education like their book work. Being aware of the benefits of chores is a major part of the necessary motivation to make the daily decisions that will foster chore success.
My encouragement to you is to make chores a priority for your children. See chores as much a part of your child’s education as his math book is. When you view chores in this light, you will be motivated to invest the time and energy needed to be successful with chores. After all, it does mostly fall back on us moms. Will we women, who seek the best for our children, hold them responsible to do their chores?
Teri Maxwell
Every one of the over 250 survey respondents believed that chores were beneficial for the children and the family. The list of reasons why chores are good was long and varied. Some of the benefits were current for the child, the family, and the home. Many of the benefits would be realized and enjoyed throughout the adult years of the child’s life.
From the survey, the biggest difficulty with chores was first working with children—having to remind them, their negative attitudes, and their poor work. The second major problem was Mom’s lack of consistency—in developing a chore plan, in scheduling time for chores, in checking the work that was done, and in giving consequences for a bad job and rewards for good work.
The chore poll confirmed what we already knew—that chores are important in our children’s lives, and chores need to be made a priority in our homes. In our culture, with its “let children be children philosophy,” it is easy to believe we are doing our children a disservice by expecting them to have responsibility as they are growing up. In reality, the opposite is true. If we choose not to give our children chores and teach them to accomplish them well, we are handicapping our children for their futures as adults. There are a multitude of long-term benefits our children will realize from the disciplines and skills they will develop as a result of chore responsibilities.
At one point, Steve and I realized our struggles with many unsuccessful years of chores had come because we wanted our children to be responsible for their chores, but we hadn’t made it the priority it needed to be to ensure that it happened. As is so often true of anything good we want to accomplish in our children’s lives, it comes back to Mom. If I don’t have an accepting attitude toward my work, the children won’t toward theirs. If I don’t assign the children chores, they won’t do any. If I don’t schedule a time for them to do chores, they will forget all day. If I don’t check their work, they will do it sloppily, if at all. If I don’t give consequences, they won’t be motivated to improve their chore performance.
To be honest, I would like it if so much didn’t depend on me. At the same time, I know the Lord uses all of this not only in my children’s lives, but also in my life as well. I am told in Galatians 6:9, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Even if this part of motherhood is difficult, I am not to give up. I am not to grow weary.
I have to admit I have wanted to give up – more than once! I can remember telling Steve that perhaps I could let the children grow up but keep their bedroom doors closed and never go in. I would ignore the fact that they weren’t doing what they had been assigned to do in their rooms. Eventually they would be adults. It would no longer be my responsibility as to whether they picked up their bedrooms or didn’t. Even while speaking those words, I knew this was not an option the Lord was putting before me. He had told me in Titus 2:4 to love my children. Part of loving them was the necessity of teaching them to be responsible.
This area of children and chores is vitally important. As we have studied chores and their impact on children’s lives and then on them as adults, we have come to see that chores are as critical as homeschooling is. It is an essential part of their education like their book work. Being aware of the benefits of chores is a major part of the necessary motivation to make the daily decisions that will foster chore success.
My encouragement to you is to make chores a priority for your children. See chores as much a part of your child’s education as his math book is. When you view chores in this light, you will be motivated to invest the time and energy needed to be successful with chores. After all, it does mostly fall back on us moms. Will we women, who seek the best for our children, hold them responsible to do their chores?
Teri Maxwell
Friday, May 28, 2010
Scripture Memory and Bible Copying Part 1
Here is a link to Terri Maxwell's Mom's Corner. Hope is helps with Scripture memory!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Nature Notebook
With Spring around the corner it may be a perfetc time to start a nature book with your children!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
How to Make Lye Soap
Hope this helps someone who wants to make soap as a homeschool project. Let me know if you want more information. I have many helpful links!
How to Make Lye Soap
(Part 9 of "How to Can Fruits and Veggies From Your Garden.")
The History of Soapmaking
Over the past several years there has been a renewed interest in the art of soapmaking. This form of art has been around for centuries. Long ago, soap making was not considered an artform, but a necessity. Our ancestors usually made soap in the fall after the fall butchering, when they had plenty of fat from their hogs. They cooked the fat down to make lard. To the lard, they added lye which was made from wood ash. Our ancestors then cooked and cooked this concoction outside in a large kettle over a fire until it began to harden. The whole process took a very long time, but was necessary for the cleanliness of the family until the next soapmaking day, which was usually a whole year away.
This soap wasn't just used to keep hands clean...it was used for everything. Housewives used the lye soap to wash their dishes, clothes, floors, windows, and even their babies. The soap surprisingly was not as harsh as some people of today believe.
________________________________________
Getting Started
There are several things you need to know before you begin your soapmaking experience.
• Lye which you can either make yourself from woodash, or purchase at a grocery store,is very irritating to the skin and can do severe damage to eyes and throats. Use extreme caution when using lye, aways keeping it away from children. You should use rubber gloves and saftey glasses when using lye. Follow the directions on the back of the lye box on how to handle lye. Red Devil is a popular brand of lye.
You can also make your own lye by pouring water over wood ashes and saving the biproduct--lye water. The lye water is then added to fat to make soap.
• Although lard is the main ingredient in soap, one can successfully substitute other oils to use in its place. Possible substitutions for lard can be sunflower, canola, or just vegetable oil.(I have found that soap made from oil is greasier than that made of lard.) Lard can be purchased at a grocery store or a butcher shop.
• The utensils you use in soapmaking should be saved for soapmaking use only and should not be use thereafter for food purposes. This goes for the kettle you cook the soap in too, although I have used my enamelware canning kettle to can in after using it for soapmaking...I gave it a good scrubbing, of course.
You must not use metal pans and utensils,like aluminum,iron,tin,or teflon for soap making. You can use cast iron (as in a kettle, if you are making it outside over a fire)or enamelware,stoneware,wood, glass or plastic.
• Always add lye to cold water. Not vise-versa.Remember to stir slowly to avoid splashes. The water will start heating up once the lye is added, due to a chemical reaction.Afterwards, pour the lye solution into the fat, once again stirring slowly.
• Chunks in your bar soap is caused by the separation of the lye and the lard. The chunks are the fat. If this happens, melt the mixture and add a cup of water at a time, until the mixture is thick and syrupy again.
• You can make your own soap molds out of a rag-lined box or glass cake pans or casseroles. Simply slice the bars with a knife after the soap has cured for a week.
How to Make Lye Soap
(Part 9 of "How to Can Fruits and Veggies From Your Garden.")
The History of Soapmaking
Over the past several years there has been a renewed interest in the art of soapmaking. This form of art has been around for centuries. Long ago, soap making was not considered an artform, but a necessity. Our ancestors usually made soap in the fall after the fall butchering, when they had plenty of fat from their hogs. They cooked the fat down to make lard. To the lard, they added lye which was made from wood ash. Our ancestors then cooked and cooked this concoction outside in a large kettle over a fire until it began to harden. The whole process took a very long time, but was necessary for the cleanliness of the family until the next soapmaking day, which was usually a whole year away.
This soap wasn't just used to keep hands clean...it was used for everything. Housewives used the lye soap to wash their dishes, clothes, floors, windows, and even their babies. The soap surprisingly was not as harsh as some people of today believe.
________________________________________
Getting Started
There are several things you need to know before you begin your soapmaking experience.
• Lye which you can either make yourself from woodash, or purchase at a grocery store,is very irritating to the skin and can do severe damage to eyes and throats. Use extreme caution when using lye, aways keeping it away from children. You should use rubber gloves and saftey glasses when using lye. Follow the directions on the back of the lye box on how to handle lye. Red Devil is a popular brand of lye.
You can also make your own lye by pouring water over wood ashes and saving the biproduct--lye water. The lye water is then added to fat to make soap.
• Although lard is the main ingredient in soap, one can successfully substitute other oils to use in its place. Possible substitutions for lard can be sunflower, canola, or just vegetable oil.(I have found that soap made from oil is greasier than that made of lard.) Lard can be purchased at a grocery store or a butcher shop.
• The utensils you use in soapmaking should be saved for soapmaking use only and should not be use thereafter for food purposes. This goes for the kettle you cook the soap in too, although I have used my enamelware canning kettle to can in after using it for soapmaking...I gave it a good scrubbing, of course.
You must not use metal pans and utensils,like aluminum,iron,tin,or teflon for soap making. You can use cast iron (as in a kettle, if you are making it outside over a fire)or enamelware,stoneware,wood, glass or plastic.
• Always add lye to cold water. Not vise-versa.Remember to stir slowly to avoid splashes. The water will start heating up once the lye is added, due to a chemical reaction.Afterwards, pour the lye solution into the fat, once again stirring slowly.
• Chunks in your bar soap is caused by the separation of the lye and the lard. The chunks are the fat. If this happens, melt the mixture and add a cup of water at a time, until the mixture is thick and syrupy again.
• You can make your own soap molds out of a rag-lined box or glass cake pans or casseroles. Simply slice the bars with a knife after the soap has cured for a week.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Teaching High School at Home by Karen Gaas
This was the year I dreaded. 9th grade – High School. I'm just a normal, regular Mom, I don't have a teaching degree, I didn't even go to college! Teaching the elementary and Jr High subjects was challenging enough, how was I going to get through High School?
I started out like I always do. Set up the schedule of subjects, made sure my daughter had the appropriate books, and then just Jump In! My stepdad told me once (in regards to my home business) “Jump in, learn to swim later!” It worked in business, I could only hope it worked in Homeschooling.
Sure enough it did! I jumped in with both feet. Fortunately we had Biology for science. I've always loved Biology and she does too, so we're good there. Now, math has always been a poor subject for me and we would be starting Algebra. I am deathly afraid of Algebra. In the back of my mind, I began planning how I could get a tutor in that subject.
What happened next surprised me – I began holding Algebra class in the kitchen. We got a whiteboard and hung it in the kitchen. We got the dry erase markers and I started simply reading the book – out loud - as if I knew what I was talking about. When the book gave examples, I wrote them on the whiteboard, and when the book gave sample questions, I wrote them on the whiteboard and then let my daughter work out the problems. I am actually learning Algebra all over again!
One of the other things I wanted to accomplish during these high school years was to teach my daughter how to manage a home, cook, and do all the necessary things toward running a home. Whatever you're going to do with your life, whether it's a stay at home, homeschooling Mom or a career woman, you're going to live in a home, and you're going to have to know how to manage it properly.
Just because I do it, doesn't mean I can teach it. Assigning chores doesn't do it; it just teaches how to do some household tasks. It doesn't teach how to determine when those things need to be done.
So, I found some Cooking Lessons online, some Cleaning Lessons online – both free. They are fairly comprehensive lessons; they advocate cleaning better than I do!
My plan is to tackle 1 lesson every 2 weeks, giving her time to perfect whatever method or home area we are studying, and then give a test. The test will be to follow the lesson, without having it in front of her, and then present her accomplishment to us. With each accomplishment she will receive an award. This award could be anything, but since I am a quilter, her award will be a quilt block for each lesson mastered. At the end, the quilt blocks will be turned into her own quilt. You could also do a charm bracelet or a pretty Certificate of Completion you make on the computer, or anything that fits into your family.
If you're teaching High School this year, I want to encourage you to tackle the subjects that scare you the most. Jump in... the swimming will happen!
Karen Gaas
I started out like I always do. Set up the schedule of subjects, made sure my daughter had the appropriate books, and then just Jump In! My stepdad told me once (in regards to my home business) “Jump in, learn to swim later!” It worked in business, I could only hope it worked in Homeschooling.
Sure enough it did! I jumped in with both feet. Fortunately we had Biology for science. I've always loved Biology and she does too, so we're good there. Now, math has always been a poor subject for me and we would be starting Algebra. I am deathly afraid of Algebra. In the back of my mind, I began planning how I could get a tutor in that subject.
What happened next surprised me – I began holding Algebra class in the kitchen. We got a whiteboard and hung it in the kitchen. We got the dry erase markers and I started simply reading the book – out loud - as if I knew what I was talking about. When the book gave examples, I wrote them on the whiteboard, and when the book gave sample questions, I wrote them on the whiteboard and then let my daughter work out the problems. I am actually learning Algebra all over again!
One of the other things I wanted to accomplish during these high school years was to teach my daughter how to manage a home, cook, and do all the necessary things toward running a home. Whatever you're going to do with your life, whether it's a stay at home, homeschooling Mom or a career woman, you're going to live in a home, and you're going to have to know how to manage it properly.
Just because I do it, doesn't mean I can teach it. Assigning chores doesn't do it; it just teaches how to do some household tasks. It doesn't teach how to determine when those things need to be done.
So, I found some Cooking Lessons online, some Cleaning Lessons online – both free. They are fairly comprehensive lessons; they advocate cleaning better than I do!
My plan is to tackle 1 lesson every 2 weeks, giving her time to perfect whatever method or home area we are studying, and then give a test. The test will be to follow the lesson, without having it in front of her, and then present her accomplishment to us. With each accomplishment she will receive an award. This award could be anything, but since I am a quilter, her award will be a quilt block for each lesson mastered. At the end, the quilt blocks will be turned into her own quilt. You could also do a charm bracelet or a pretty Certificate of Completion you make on the computer, or anything that fits into your family.
If you're teaching High School this year, I want to encourage you to tackle the subjects that scare you the most. Jump in... the swimming will happen!
Karen Gaas
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