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Thursday, April 14, 2005

Moving Day

Greetings from Me and My House,

8 years ago a man of God came to town and took my "right arm" away, our firstborn daughter. It hurt, but that was what she had been raised for. We wondered where God would take them, and have been blessed that he planted them right here for a season as our Associate and Worship Pastor.

It has been my joy to catch each of my glorious grandgirls as they emerged into life on this earth, to watch Mitch and Dani develop in ministry, in their marriage, and as parents. We've been able to share every holiday and birthday together, as well as just everyday life. It has been great.

Today this season of their life ends, and a new one begins. God has a new place for them to grow for a season. For my sake, I am glad he hasn't called them as missionaries to Africa. Not this time. They are only moving 3 hours away to take a Senior Pastorate. They are extending their tent pegs, taking on new challenges, and growing in the things God has created them for. This is what we raised her for, and prayed over her life daily. How can we be sad? But it still hurts. We love them greatly. They are our very life.

But they are not our only life. God has blessed us with much opportunity for our lives to be spread abroad. It is not only Mitch and Dani that are extending their tent pegs, but ours are extended as well, as they are a part of us. As each of our 10 children goes into the world, it is my deepest prayer that the Kingdom of God is extended further - even to Africa. That they go forth, in the Name and the Power of Jesus, that they learned on my knee.

My prayer continues, that they raise their children for the glory of God, daily teaching them of Him, as they rise up, lay down, walk along the road, and sit in their houses. That they develop in them God's way of looking at and living life, and most of all God's love. That my grandchildren all become children of the Book, in every area of life. For then God's Kingdom will be spread even further, and our tent pegs stretched out greatly in the earth. May His glory fill the whole earth, and may I be an instrument He uses for that purpose.

Mitch and Dani, Jaci, Chandler, and Robin, we love you dearly. We will miss you greatly, in the day to day things of life. But we release you to spread the Kingdom, as far as God sends you to do so. May you always seek only Him and His ways. May you build, not a tower of greatness for the praise of men, but a temple of living stones that cry out of the greatness of God, and shine forth His beauty, for it is His love and His Word that draw all men unto Him, not the glitz and strategies of the world. And may you always walk with your feet planted on His solid Rock, your minds fixed on Him, and your hearts in His Kingdom. Godspeed, my loves.
Love, Mom (Me-mo)

At Jesus' feet,
Lisa

Saturday, April 09, 2005

Principled Math

Greetings from Me and My House,

Discipleship is one of the key components of Lifestyle Education through Discipleship, which we explain as "you follow me as I follow Christ." The Principle Approach describes it as being a "living textbook". This concept scares the confidence out of many parents. "I don't know/remember any of that stuff. I don't have time to learn it. Why can't I just hand them a self-teaching textbook/workbook?" This is especially true in two main areas, math and language. Many parents are in complete fear that they are going to totally mess their children up by not including everything, or teaching something wrong. This attitude passes on several un-Biblical thoughts toward education, implanting in our children the same humanistic philosophies of education that were implanted into us.

Which leads us to another key component of L.E.D., Renewing Your Mind. You must be transformed in your philosophies (beliefs) about education before you can pass them on to your children. You must be a Learner to be a Teacher; and being a Learner (Disciple) is something we are called to for all of our lives. We are to model Learning to our children. We are not to just learn "spiritual things" as adults, but to continue to learn in all areas of our lives, as God's Kingdom grows within us. For His Kingdom is His Lordship over EVERY area of our lives.

So, getting to our topic, perhaps you're saying, "What's Christian about math? 2 + 2 = 4 for the Christian and pagan alike. It's just facts; there's no philosophy to it." Ah, not so my friend. Math is what God uses to hold our orderly Universe together. In fact, math is what gives our Universe order. Math is the language of Creation. Though atheistic or humanist educators may want you to believe otherwise, there is a deep philosophy of math that only springs from the Almighty Creator God. Math shows forth the attributes of God, and is eternal and infinite, as He is. I'll let you begin your search is Romans 1:19-20, as I just want to lay down a foundation for you to begin thinking about how you should be teaching math.

After you renew your mind, by studying out (4 R-ing, if you will) the Biblical Foundations of Math, the Vocabulary and Principles of Math, and the PIPEline of HisStory in Math, you will have a much deeper understanding AND appreciation for math. Once you begin to see God's hand in math, you will see wonder, not boredom in it. And you will want to share that wonder with your children. Wow, Discipleship! Far different from the attidude of, "Learn this, you'll need it someday. Well, no, I don't remember how to do it, I never use it." Or perhaps you remember how to do it, but don't have a clue how to teach it, because you only learned it by rote, on a knowledge level, without understanding or wisdom. Parent, learn it! You aren't in the grave yet. God still expects you to be learning. There are 2 VERY good reasons for YOU to (re)learn math this way, the same reasons you are going to teach your children math this way: 1)You will come to know God better, 2) you will be better equipped to make Him known to others.

I know most of you are thinking, "But math is hard; I don't have time;" ad nauseum (whoops, sorry). You'd be surprised at how little time you could learn the foundations to get started in this. Or maybe you're one of the rare few that is saying, "I know and understand math. I didn't have this way of instruction and it's got me where I need to go in the world." Remember, we are not educating for this world alone. We are educating for Wisdom, not just knowledge.

Let's take a look at how we can, in Freedom & Simplicity, transform our math Learning and Teaching. A Guide to American Christian Education is probably my foundational resource for developing a Foundational Biblical Worldview of Math. A section is devoted to Arithmetic. In these 20 pages you will probably learn more about math and teaching math than all your years in school taught you; for you will be learning from whole to parts; wisdom, understanding and knowledge. You will see the interconnectedness, the Big Picture; which doesn't look near as scarey as looking at all those unending disconnected pieces we were taught by. This along with your own Biblical study will take you through many years of teaching beginning math.

Although we also like Ruth Haycock's Encyclopedia of Bible Truths, and The Noah Plan Mathematics Curriculum Guide, I did not find near as much Foundational and easy to use and understand information in either of those as in the A.C.E. Guide. They are both good for further study, but not necessary at first. Another facinating book, again for later as you have time, not absolutely necessary for beginning, is James Nickel's Mathematics: Is God Silent?

In teaching you will lay the same Foundation for your children that you learned; teaching them the Biblical Foundations, Source, and Purpose for Math first. Just present what you have learned, on their level. The foundation of HisStory of Math can be presented easily, as the basics of its origin in Asia, development in Europe, and liberty in America; gradually adding more details year by year. You will lay down Foundational Vocabulary & Principles, and again, add to them as you progress. Your beginning child will have the seed that contains the whole, on their own level. And have a Biblical Understanding of Math beyond what you probably had when you began this study.
At Jesus' feet,
Lisa
P.S. More on Principled Math, like how to actually teach it and what resources to use are in our Lifestyle Education through Discipleship: Freedom & Simplicity in Math book. (In process of being written - in pdf format for electronic purchase.)

Saturday, April 02, 2005

In Memory of - my Grandma

Greetings from Me and My House,

Thursday night, the same day that Terri Schaivo passed away by slow murder in hospice care, my last living grandparent, and my children's last living great-grandparent, also passed away in hospice care. My grandma would have turned 92 years next month. Her health has been steadily deteriorating, and hospice did all they could until the last minute. My mother was at her side at the time of death.

Honor is given to this life, that brought forth the life, that brought forth mine. May we meet again on the other side.

These pictures of my children and my grandma were taken two years ago.

At Jesus' feet,
Lisa

Friday, April 01, 2005

Why we weep

Greetings from Me and My House,

Christian parents, the suffering and death of Terri Schaivo has given us much to contemplate. Though it is sad that the concensus of our nation no longer values life, it is far worse that the people of God do not. The majority of "Evangelical Christians" evidently have no Biblical premises for their views of life, as evidenced by the supposed over half of evangelical Christians that felt Terri should be starved to death (according to a poll by "Time"). They have bought into the anti-Biblical, humanistic view that her life wasn't worth living, and that starvation was an acceptable way to murder her, and that civil courts had the jurisdiction to enforce this murder.

It is only further evidence of what the Barna Research Group discovered, as "Beyond Belief" published in 2002, that a very low percentage of American's that consider themselves "Evangelical Christians" actually believe what the Bible teaches, moral absolutes, and fewer still are insuring that their children are taught them.

Christian parents, we must take seriously our Biblical duty to instruct our children in the Word and the ways of God, as THE One True Way, THE Absolute Truth, the foundation for all their life, in every area. We must not let their instruction and doctrines of life come from the anti-God, and at odds with His Word, views of reletevistic humanists. God has commanded that we, parents instruct our children and our children's children; we are commanded to instruct them all throughout every day, of all the mighty works and Words of God. Such a national tragedy as this, nor Roe v. Wade, would have ever happened if the Christian majority of this nation had lived and voted what their Bible, the Word of their God, teaches.

At Jesus' feet,
Lisa