My Home Ed Starter Library

Greetings from Me and My House,

What books would I buy to begin my home library if I was just starting (and knew what I know after having read all these)? I really thought putting a list together would be much harder than this. But I find I go back to the same resources over and over. Most others are usually just read once, then shelved. I also find myself recommending these ones over and over to others.

When we began home educating I don't think there were 10 books available on home education. I sure couldn't find that many. But over the years our home library has increased to thousands of books, most of them used within the teaching and training of our children.

As I put together our website, I was challenged to think in terms of "What is the best of the best?" and "What most clearly puts forth a solid Biblical education foundation that a Lifestyle Education through Discipleship can be built upon". Out of those many cases of books, I found 10 Top Picks that I believe to be foundational.

Of course, there are others that I still believe are very good. And still others that were more instrumental in our own journey. Many on this list were not even written when we began or formulated Lifestyle Education through Discipleship. But I think I can unhesitantly recommend the list below as the Top 10 Resources I would begin with to build a solid foundation for educating my children for the glory of God - that is, for a strong Biblical Worldview education. That is the reason we are Christians educating at home, right?

The entire list can be purchased for less than $200 (if you use our links to place your order at discount prices), a tremendous bargain for a foundational library that will be used throughout your entire life and learning. Why don't you add one or more to your home library today? You'll not regret it. And no doubt be blessed and encouraged.

You can read more about these foundational resources here.

My Home Ed Starter Library Contains:
A Home School Vision of Victory by Doug Phillips
Let Us Highly Resolve by David & Shirley Quine
When You Rise Up: A Convenantal Approach to Homeschooling by R.C. Sproul, Jr.
Excused Absence: Should Christian Kids Leave Public Schools? by Doug Wilson
Homeschooling from a Biblical Worldview by Israel Wayne
7 Pillars of Wisdom tape series by Paul Jehle
A Guide to American Christian Education by James Rose
The Philosophy of the Christian Curriculum by R.J. Rushdoony
Encyclopedia of Bible Truths by Ruth Haycock - 4 Volumes
The 3 R's series by Ruth Beechick (to get you started in practical application of Lifestyle methodology) This series is for beginners. For older children Mrs. Beechick has written You Can Teach Your Child Successfully.

All but 2 can be ordered through our website. 7 Pillars of Wisdom is not available online. And The Philosophy of the Christian Curriculum is available from the author's site.


At Jesus' feet,
Lisa @Me and My House
Blogging Here
and There
Order Christian and Home Ed Resources Here

Yea! for math

Greetings from Me and My House,

I got my math recommedations page up!  Check it out!

At Jesus' feet,
Lisa @Me and My House
Blogging Here
and There
Order Christian and Home Ed Resources Here

They're Back!

Greetings from Me and My House,

They're back!  And I am SO excited!  One of my favorite resources is finally back.  These have been hard to find since they went out of publication a few years ago.  And I am super-glad to be able to provide them again.

Encyclopedia of Bible Truths by Ruth Haycock had finally been republished! We have used and recommended this from the beginning, when it was 4 individual volumes. Then it went to a single, all-in-one book, and now is back in 4 volumes again.

These books are like a Topical Bible for school subjects, giving Biblical concepts (principles) and related verses for various content areas within each subject. The four volumes are: Lanugage Arts/English, Social Studies, Science/Mathematics, and Fine Arts/Health, and there is a slight discount for buying the 4 Volume Set.

Check them out (and/or order) through these links!
4 Volume Set
Language Arts/English
Social Studies
Science/Mathematics
Fine Arts/Health

ALSO - I'm working on my Creation & Order Resources page on my site.  It should be up in a day or two. Check it out here.


At Jesus' feet,
Lisa     @Me and My House
Blogging Here
and There
Order Christian and Home Ed Resources Here

Lesson Plans

Greetings from Me and My House,

Today is a weekday, so that must mean I am suppose to blog here. Yes, I know it's nearly two weeks after I made this proclamation. I haven't totally been "gone", there are some pretty "general" posts over at my homeschoolblogger blog. See, I do post different things in the various places. One of the additions over there is a list of links. It's generally general Christianity websites. I'll work on some home ed ones for here - and get the others up at the Clear Vision blog too. Ok, enough formalities, what do I have to say today.

"A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps." Proverbs 16:9 Let's go back to a blog I was working on when life so rudely interrupted me. Recently I was called an unschooler, and also asked (by someone else, in a totally different context) how much, if any, lesson planning I do.

Though I've clearly stated it here before, just for the record, I'm not an unschooler. Lifestyle Education through Discipleship was based upon principles very far from it. But neither am I a lock-step "schooler". I am a disciple-er. And, yes, I do tons of lesson planning.

But my lesson plans are held loosely. I may devise my ways, but the Lord directs my paths. I teach my children as we "sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." But when I try to hold too tightly to what I have planned, and have so neatly scoped out, God always steps in to show me other priorities He has for the time.

I can lay out the perfect lessons for 6 weeks of instruction in Astronomy, before moving on to Medieval History, and say we will "finish" by such and such a date. But do I know all the lessons God will present, that will take precedence at times? The deep look he wants us to take into being doers, not only hearers, of the Word; the special extended times of worshipping Him; learning to delight in Him, not serve Him in drudgery; And the times of helping daddy hang drywall, and run to Menards. And yes, the times for special visits from the grandgirls, and our brand new grandson.

The "plans" will be completed, but perhaps not within my "planned" time frame. We just take things one step at a time. Sometimes we will follow closely to the way I thought it would look. Other times, even within the teaching of a specific lesson, God will take it a direction I hadn't planned. And His way always turns out better than I had thought.

I love to plan and organize - though never seem to have enough time to do all I'd like - so I lay out a sequence, and general design, sometimes quite explicit, others quite loose. But as I allow the Lord to guide my planning, I try to always hold it loosely, knowing that it will be accomplished in His way, in His time.

At Jesus' feet,
Lisa @Me and My House
Blogging Here
and There
Order Christian and Home Ed Resources Here