Ten Days in Asia

We are beginning a new continent study this year and the girls chose Asia. Liana has been interested in India for quite awhile, so I thought it was a good place to start. This morning at breakfast I asked her if she knew what countries border India. She immediately rattled off, "Nepal, Bangladesh, China, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka." She only forgot Pakistan. My nine-year-old has a map of Asia in her head because of a game I bought! I wrote about this game when I first got it, but now we are seeing the results of playing it for a couple of months. It was well worth the $20 I spent on it.

The girls love playing the game. The challenge is to chart a 10-day trip across Asia using ships through the Indian and Pacific Oceans, trains to bordering countries, or planes between like-colored countries. You don't have to know the geography because you just look at the game board while you play. The strategy is in placing the cards you draw. Arielle almost always wins. I just don't have the logical, thinking ahead type skills she has. (But it frustrates me that I can't beat my eleven-year-old!) Liana doesn't win the game often, but she likes it anyway. In the scope of things, she is a big winner because she has learned the map.

As I mentioned before, the company, Out of the Box Publishing, also makes 10 Days Across Europe, Africa and the USA. Maybe others. I highly recommend our game!

First Day of School

Oh, joy! No, really, despite Arielle's face. She was feeling a little grumpy this morning, but we had a fine day! God has answered our prayers.

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We started with reading and talking about Psalm 1 and then we read the first chapter of a biography about Amy Carmichael because the first country we are studying for geography will be India. Then Liana began to read aloud from her library book. Amazing! I lifted up my eyes to heaven and said a silent prayer of thanksgiving. I confess, my good intentions did not pan out this summer and Liana read few books and none aloud. I did not really know what I would find with her this morning. She read so well and so smoothly I was stunned. I've noticed with her over the years that sometimes new learning needs to stew and brew for awhile before it sinks in and then she knows it well.

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Liana was in good spirits all morning. She actually squealed with excitement when during a lesson she was supposed to combine several unrelated words and create a meaningful sentence. This is a game she made up for herself and often does it with spelling words or random words she gives me to try. She was delighted to see this as an actual assignment. I praised her effort and attitude and enthusiasm in all her work today.

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During our break we took a nature walk and saw a huge cicada protestly loudly as we approached it. We miss our birds. The squirrels won't allow us to keep a bird feeder. They ruin every one. We walked past the garden and realized we need to bring in the end of the harvest of beets, carrots, beans and tomatoes. Work to do this afternoon! But for now, we focus on school. I didn't try to cram in washing laundry and dishes during our time together either.

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Arielle was not so grumpy after all. She said she enjoyed her reading assignment, and when we reviewed some pre-Civil War history from last year, she remembered more about it than I did. As we read our chapter for today, she supplemented with information she gleaned from the numerous historical fiction books she read over the past few months. We finished up and it was only 2:30. Free time! The girls ran off to play. They will have chores this evening after dinner, but for now they are having fun. And no homework!

Guard the Gates

In the last chapter of the book, Nehemiah has been absent from Jerusalem for a time and when he returns, he finds all kinds of trouble.

One of the priests has allowed Tobiah to move into a room in the temple, the sacred place. Now Tobiah was introduced back in the beginning of the book of Nehemiah. "But when Tobiah (and others) heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it." (Neh. 4:7,8)

Nehemiah confronts the people, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" He prays and he delegates reliable men to take care of things to restore order and get the people back on track. The people had failed to obey God's law in other ways as well. There is much written about the "foreigners." People were buying goods from foreigners on the Sabbath and marrying the foreigners. As applied today, this certainly does not mean racial separation. In the time of Nehemiah, interacting too much with foreigners meant the people were taking on their heathen gods and heathen lifestyles. Today God's people live among every nation, tribe and tongue. But we must guard against integrating our lives with non-believers so much so that we forsake the faith.

Nehemiah says, "As soon as it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, that no load might be brought in...the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem..." He says to them, "Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do it again, I will lay hands on you." Then he "commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates..."

Later on he finds others who had turned against God's word. "I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair" for "doing great evil and acting treacherously against our God." Before we judge Nehemiah, let's remember all that came before. Nehemiah had invested his life rebuilding Jerusalem, the city of God. No wonder
he reacted so aggressively when he saw his people being led astray. He fought hard to defeat anyone who would tear the people apart and cause them to forsake God.

God is not fooling around when he cautions us about allowing evil to enter our homes and our lives. Don't prepare a room for it! When Tobiah couldn't prevent God's work from the outside as they built the wall, he weasled his way inside the walls! What better way to cause confusion! Nehemiah promptly threw him out. Don't let the enemy camp outside our walls either. Chase them away and guard the gates!

The book of Nehemiah is finished and so is our summer. We start school Monday. We have a couple more fun events in these next few days and then we will battle the enemy. We gather our weapons of prayer and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. We will finish the wall and the work God calls us to do.

Rejoice!

Calling on people who have "separated themselves from the peoples of the land to the Law of God"! All you who have "knowledge and understanding"! Let's commit to "walk in God's law and observe to do all the commandments and not neglect the house of our God." (Nehemiah 10:28-39)

In Chapter 12 we find a grand celebration. "At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgiving and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres...and they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem of heard far away." (Nehemiah 12:27, 43) People were also appointed jobs and others rejoiced over those who ministered. As they worked there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

Our wall has not yet been completed, but we begin a new year. We can rejoice over the progress made so far. We are privileged to be at home teaching our children. We are thankful for husbands who provide for us so we can do this. Each person in the family does his or her part and is useful to all. I thank God for my girls and for Fred and this great opportunity. Let our joy be heard far away as we head into a new season!

Know Your Enemies

We're in our last week of summer. School starts next Monday! I'm excited, the girls less so. I've identified our enemies.

The ones that come from without are: distractions, interruptions, negativity from other people. I have fought hard and have beaten them into submission.

Then there are the enemies from within: Doubt and procrastination. I think I have conquered these too. I know I am doing exactly what God has called me to do. And my will is strong and I will be disciplined to do what needs to be done --on schedule. (I know, I know, that's not how some other moms homeschool, but it works for me.)

These are the Big Three enemies to overcome. They loom ominously like a cloud over our homeschool.

1. Arielle's attitude of laziness and boredom which she expresses in sighs and complaints.
2. Liana's emotional state when the work is difficult, the tears of frustration and lack of effort.
3. My impatience with both of the above, expressed with much anger.

These will derail us and these we must battle daily with much prayer and the sword of the Spirit.

Remembrance

Continuing in Chapter 9, the community is still gathered. "The people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the Lord their God."

Then their prayer is recorded in Nehemiah. It is a long, long prayer because there is a lot to cover: worship and praise to God for his blessings, confession for the sins of the people going all the way back to the time of Abraham, and a list of all God has done for them throughout history. We would also have a long, long prayer if we covered all this ground.

A couple of years ago when the girls and I listened to The Chronicles of Narnia on audiotape, a line lingered in my mind, and I'm not sure what book it comes from. "Remember, remember, remember the signs." Remembrance is an important part of our walk with God. In the midst of a struggle we often forget what God has done for us in the past. We forget his faithfulness. But when we remember, it sustains us through the tough times. When we recall our failures from the past, we are reminded of God's forgiveness. Our prayers should interweave confession with memories of God's mercy. The result will be gratitude and hope for the future.

In prayer, the Israelites (and we) start with what God has given us all: the beautiful earth and sky and sea he has created. Then we remember he keeps his promises, he hears our cries, he guides us and instructs us. He's given us good commandments to keep for our own good. He provides food and water. We lack nothing. He's given us children and rich land and houses full of good things. "So they ate and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in your great goodness." Despite all this, we do not always follow God. We are rebellious and disobedient.

"But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments. They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them...they rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back...they turned a stubborn shoulder."

Yet, despite all that, here is God's character: "But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them...you gave your good Spirit to instruct them...in the time of their suffering they cried out to you and you heard them...many years you bore with them."

It is worth the time to remember our history with God and all he has done for us. It is a humbling experience. How many years he has bore with me and put up with me! As I prepare for the new school year, I think of the sins I've committed against my children, these little people God has entrusted to my care. I too often discipline out of my own selfishness and impatience, rather than to train them and bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. I think of careless, hurtful words I've spoken, and dismissive attitudes I've had toward them, times I've brushed them away to pursue my own agenda. Any of us moms can remember these ugly moments. We confess them and ask God to make our hearts tender toward our children. We remember God's mercy toward us and we know he has forgiven us. He gives us strength for a new day, for a new year, and another chance.

A New Start

In Nehemiah chapter 7, the wall is completed and the people move back into the city and build houses. Our summer is almost over and we have our new books lined up, notebooks and pencils purchased, and the school room organized. We're almost ready to begin a new school year.

In Chapter 8, "all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and women and those who could understand. And the ears of the people were attentive to the Book of the Law."

I know I need spiritual preparation before the school year begins. "All the people wept as they heard the words of the Law." Does reading God's words ever bring you to tears? Why is this? Because we are humbled by God's blessings? Because we know we have fallen short of his will? Nehemiah and Ezra and the Levites told the people, "Do not mourn or weep...do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

God's word confronts us with our failures. As I plan a new school year, I am reminded of the bad days from last year. I realize my joy, a contagious joy that should be passed to my children, comes from a restored relationship with God. Failures, yes. But forgiveness and a new beginning too. "And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them." When our vision is clear, when we have understanding, when we know where we're going on this journey, we also can rejoice.

The next day all the people gathered again to study the words of the Law. They were hungry for more. I want to be hungry all year, desiring truth and understanding and guidance for my children as I teach them. Right now I'm refreshed, armed, proactive to head off problems. I'm strong,--I'm psyched! God's word has brought me joy and strengthened me.

Liana's Top Picks

Liana (age 9) has made a list of her favorite books she read (or listened to) this past school year and summer:

• Nory Ryan's Song by Patricia Reilly Giff
• Maggie's Door by Patricia Reilly Giff
• Water Street by Patricia Reilly Giff
• A House of Tailors by Patricia Reilly Giff
• Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
• Year of the Rat by Grace Lin
• Year of the Dog by Grace Lin
• Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm adapted by Kate Douglas Wiggin
• Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
• Shadows on Society Hill: An Addy Mystery by Evelyn Coleman
• Hill of Fire byThomas P. Lewis
• A Doll Named Dora Anne by Yona Zeldis McDonough
• The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh
• Treasure Island adapted by Lisa Norby
• Lewis and Clark: A Prairie Dog for the President by Shirley Raye Redmond
• George Washington and the General's Dog by Frank Murphy
• Breakout! Escape from Alcatraz by Lori Haskins
• Julie Meyer: The Story of a Wagon Train Girl by Dorothy Hoobler
• Across America on an Emigrant Train by Jim Murphy
• Lincoln and His Boys by Rosemary Wells
• Neela: Victory Song by Chitna Banerjee Divakaruni

Liana enjoys reading anything about India and she also likes the Magic Treehouse series.

Please let us know your children's favorites!

Arielle's Top Picks

Arielle (age 11) has made a list of her favorite books she read this past school year and summer:

• Turn Homeward Hannalee by Patricia Beatty
• Be Ever Hopeful Hannalee by Patricia Beatty
• Who Comes with Cannons by Patricia Beatty
• One Month of Seven Day by Shirley Climo
• The House of the Seven Gables adapted by Malvina G. Vogel
• Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
• Swordbird by Nancy Yi Fan
• Sword Quest by Nancy Yi Fan
• Spring Pearl: The Last Flower by Laurence Yep
• Neela: Victory Song by Chirta Banerjee Kivakaruni
• My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
• The Big Wave by Pearl S. Buck
• Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
• The Fighting Ground by Avi
• Island of the Blue Dophins by Scott O'Dell
• My Name is Not Angelica by Scott O'Dell
• Twenty and Ten by Claire Huchet Bishop
• Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy
• The Overland Escape by Lee Roddy
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
• Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
• Nory Ryan's Song by Patricia Reilly Giff
• Maggie's Door by Patricia Reilly Giff
• Water Street by Patricia Reilly Giff

She also enjoys these series: Nancy Drew Mysteries, Mandie Mysteries, and Dear America Diaries.

Distractions

In Chapter 6 Nehemiah's enemies try to sidetrack him and frustrate his work. They are afraid the Jews will become too powerful. They try to stop the wall-building. He responds:

"I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?"

I am going to post these words in our classroom. Not that I want to be mean to people, but to remind me to stay on task. I am so easily distracted! When I get a phone call during school time, I want to take that call! I want a break. I like to connect with friends. But I must take charge of the distractions that threaten to derail us on a daily basis.

My particular distractions: family members needing something, doctor appointments, errands to run, wash to be done, dinner to be prepared, other homeschool moms wanting to go somewhere, a friend's child that needs to be watched. These are all important, worthy distractions and it doesn't mean I say no to everything. But I need to be on guard and remember that for the most part, I cannot come down!

I get intensely frustrated by distractions. It makes me edgy and short with the girls. And it's my own fault for allowing it. Nehemiah says, "Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done. But now, O God, strengthen my hands." There are many kinds of homeschooling moms and I tend to be more rigid. If you have followed this blog, you know I have learned a lot of lessons along the way and I have eased up a lot! But the unschooling approach is definitely not for us. My house may be in total disarray but when it comes to my girls' education I am very organized. I have a plan, but my undoing lies in the implementation when other things crowd into our time. With God's help, I will proceed and accomplish our goals. I must remember this is God's work. Like Nehemiah I have the blessing of the King to go forth with the plan. But the enemy will always try to oppose it.

In this chapter, Nehemiah and his workers complete the wall. "And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God." Beyond my own home, every homeschool success story is a threat to those who oppose us. The failures in the public school system and these successes encourage others to begin this journey. However, we will always have spiritual enemies (and flesh and blood enemies) who try to discourage us, frighten us, demoralize us, intimidate us, and DISTRACT us. Arm yourselves!

People Are Watching

In Chapter 5 there are problems among God's people. Their own nobles and officials are oppressing them. Dangers are not only coming from the outside, but there are problems within.

Nehemiah's response: "The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?"

This is a good verse for us all to think about, how our actions can bring disgrace to the name of Jesus. But for now, let's think about how it relates to homeschooling.

Some of the opposition to home education has been brought on by homeschooling parents themselves. Why do many people have negative images in their minds? They think of a child so secluded he is like a plant grown in darkness, pale and spindly and unable to thrive outdoors. A child backwards in a social gathering. A child who supposedly is homeschooled but instead is playing in the yard all morning and watching TV all afternoon. Kids so different they stand out in a crowd. There are these kind of kids. But I have to say, the most opposing views I've heard have to do with socialization and not academics.

My brother totally dispelled any doubt I might have had about homeschooled children. He has three daughters, one graduated from college, and my sister-in-law has taught them all at home all the way through. These girls from young ages were such delightful, interesting people. They easily could carry on conversations with adults and were full of life--inquistive and full of ideas and opinions. Of course there are shy homeschooled children too. But it's personality, not their educational situation. I can think of a most inhibited, timid, awkward child who never once spoke up and was petrifed to engage in a group setting. This child was ME, a product of the public school system.

I don't raise my children in isolation. They are constantly around a variety of people. By nature, my girls tend to be on the reserved side. They are thoughtful and don't immediately speak up in a social setting. But Arielle is far from shy. She boldly enters new situations and unlike me, is not at all intimidated by people she doesn't know. Liana is more of a one-on-one kind of person and holds back in a group. But that's okay. She is who she is.

So when people meet my children and know they are homeschooled, does that bring on the taunts of the enemy? We just spent two days in a car dealership (more on that on my other blog). Five long hours there and the girls had absolutely nothing to do while we waited and waited. Several people did take notice of them and commented on their behavior. "Most kids would have been screaming and racing around the showroom by now." "They are so mature and well-behaved." "Where do you girls go to school?" Homeschooled...ohhh. "Your girls are so good." Fred said, "I wouldn't expect anything else."

Now my children are far from perfect! And we are not perfect parents. But we spend so much time together as a family. Fred and I have more influence over our children than the public schools do. Homeschooling families need to be good examples. People are watching us, like it or not. We don't need to justify or explain ourselves; in fact, our actions speak louder than words. But let's not bring on the taunts of the enemy.

Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16.

You'll Need Your Sword

"And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night." Nehemiah 4:8.

Confusion is an enemy tactic. Many moms are confused by the educational choices available now and are trying to decide what is best for their children. That is not the confusion I mean here. This is for parents who have already been called by God to homeschool. Once in the thick of the battle, we can't be confused. We must be purposeful and focused on our task.

I've often had my doubts--would Arielle be better off in public school? She loves competition and group dynamics. Is Liana's reading progressing as it should? Is there something else that would help her more? The bottom line of doubt is--am I doing the right thing?

I love the yearly homeschool conference we attend. It's always in June after we've finished another year and we are deciding about books for fall--what worked, what didn't. The speakers always motivate me to press on, and the sheer number of other homeschooling parents there amazes me. We must be on to a good thing because there is a whole army of us!

There is also an army who would like to stop our work. "And our enemies said, they will not know or see us till we come among them and kill them and stop the work." verse 11. There are those in government who would like to put an end to homeschooling. Even our friends sometimes say to us, as the Jews did to Nehemiah, "You must return to us." verse12. We must be vigilant and speak against any bill or judge's ruling that limits parental rights. But most of all, we must be on guard spiritually. We have many battles to fight right here at home. More on that later. Nehemiah's advice: "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes." verse 14.

So in a few weeks we will say, "We all returned to the wall, each to his work...half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail." verse 16. Oh, that we would have prayer warriors fighting for us as we worked! Some do. I attended a homeschooling event at a church where about 75 percent of all parents homeschooled their children. The pastor was behind them all the way and the other congregants supported and encouraged them. That is not how it is at our church. Even in a church as large as ours, we are the odd ones out. So in that case...

"Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built..." verses 17, 18. So I strap on my sword and go to work. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God...and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit." Ephesians 6. "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12.

Homeschool conferences are nice, the fellowship of other homeschooling moms is encouraging, but don't forget to carry your sword. Ultimately the battle is fought in the spiritual realm and we can stand firm on the commands and promises of God. We hear this over and over but it is so crucial to stay in the Word and be faithful in prayer.

"The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me...I said, the work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us." verses 18-20.

If you get into trouble, if you get discouraged, by all means sound the trumpet! We're widely spread, but help is nearby. And the best help of all, "This is the confidence we have in him, if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." I John 5:14.

"So we labored at the work...from the break of dawn until the stars came out." verse 21.