Circling Through This Life

This is my final review for the 2015 Schoolhouse Review Crew year! For this last review I’m sharing the perfect study for preparing for Christmas: The Birth of Jesus: Multi-Level from GrapeVine Studies . I have heard of different “draw through the Bible” programs and honestly, none of them really appealed to me because I can’t draw.  Rather than focus on the content I should I be learning or teaching, I am worried about if I am going to get the picture right. GrapeVine Studies different. Their tagline is Stick Figure Through the Bible. Stick Figures! Hey I can do that! Let me tell you w hy I am excited about this study! Not Denomination Specific! ~ This is huge for me as an Eastern Orthodox Christian. GrapeVine Studies provides a platform for a teacher directed approach to doctrine. This allows   the teacher to address specific doctrines when they come up in the lessons. A list of Goals for Teachers ~ My favorite of their goals for teachers?  To learn alongside t...

We began investigating home schooling when my oldest child was 14 months old. When she was not quite 3, we were introduced to Bible Study Guide for All Ages ( BSGFA ) .  We were far from ready for it but I filed it away as something I knew I wanted to use. We did use Bible Study Guide for All Ages Unit 1 and Unit 2 with all four girls (well mostly Supergirl just hung out with us) but I didn’t use any of the student pages.  The Primary Level didn’t even exist back then! Knowing how much I loved BSGFA, and wanting to use it again with Supergirl, I was excited to use and review The Primary Level (with both student pages and teacher guide) along with the Bible Book Summary Cards and Children’s Songs CD .   What is Bible Study Guide for All Ages?:   This is a comprehensive Bible curriculum that allows you to teach all ages the same topic.  There are 4 units that each cover 104 lessons .  Lessons are numbered 1-416 which emphasizes, in my opinion, the ...

For the past several weeks Turtlegirl, age 14, and I have been working through Deeper Roots’ Discovering Who I am In Christ bible study. This study is intended for students in grade 8 but can be used for grades 7 or 9 as well. Discovering Who I am in Christ is book 2 in the Discovering Series but book 1 is not a prerequisite for this course.  This book focuses on helping 7th, 8th and 9th graders understand their identity in Christ . The teacher book is laid out exactly like the student book but contains answers, teaching tips, suggestions and notes.  For the study pages and tests the teacher guide has the student copy and a second copy with the answers. Through the TOS Crew we received the student workbook and the teacher guide. The teacher guide which sells for $28.95 is the heart of the program and, in my opinion, a necessary component.  I recommend purchasing the teacher guide even if you do not purchase a student workbook ($19.95) We really like this course but...

My girls have always been full of questions.  What does this mean?  Who was that person?  What does that thing do?  Sometimes my husband or I would get frustrated at reading aloud because of all the questions! For questions about the Bible,  I can now send my children to the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids .   Questions like “what exactly was the Mercy Seat?” or “What is Horeb?” do not have to send panic through me as I scramble for an answer.   The Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids is a beautiful hardbound book measuring approximately 8”x12” with 212 full color pages. Inside this reference book you will find: Reconstructions —drawings that show you how buildings and cities may have looked then Illustrated Charts —charts that provide “at-a-glance” views with brief descriptions and biblical references Charts —information such as names of God, names of Jesus, lists of Apostles, or musical instruments of the Bible E...

  I have not been blogging about this Bible Day Challenge and tonight I was ready to give up.  Though I started on July 5th with everyone else, I quickly slipped behind.  I am so far behind by now that I just didn’t think it would be possible to continue.  I’m not sure why but I decided to head over to Mom’s Tool’s Box and I read tonight’s check in.  Wow!  I feel very encouraged to keep on trying.  Maybe, just maybe I’ll actually finish the challenge!   Are you participating in the 90 Day Bible Challenge?  Perhaps you are doing a different reading challenge?  I’d love to hear what you are doing and you don’t even have to share if you are right on track or, like me, seemingly hopelessly behind.

Last week I mentioned that I was hoping to finish Exodus and start Leviticus. I haven't posted my Bible Reading yet but I wanted to share that I finished Exodus, started Leviticus and I finished Joshua. I've also continued with my reading of Luke. Edited to Add: Oh yes and I started reading Deuteronomy this week.

I am still making my way through Exodus and Joshua. I did finish Mark this week and started Luke. I did not read as consistently as I had planned but still making progress towards my goal. Here's what I read this week: Exodus Chapters 28-34 Joshua Chapters 8-12 Mark 15-16 Luke 1 I am hoping to finish Exodus and start Leviticus this week.

This is what I read this past week. Exodus Chapters 21-27 Joshua Chapters 4-7 Matthew Chapters 26-28 Mark Chapters 9-14 As I was reading through Exodus, reading all the commandants, I realized how thoroughly God provided for every circumstance. And a distinction was made between intent to harm and negligent homicide. I could see how our own laws have their basis in the Mosaic law of the Old Testament. If a thief died while stealing, no one had to pay for his death. We have provision in our civil law for protecting our property and provisions. I just had never really thought about that before.

I didn't spend as much time working on my reading goal this week but here's what I read this past week: Exodus Chapter 20 Joshua Chapters 1-3 Matthew Chapters 13-25 Mark 5-8 A very dear sweet friend of mine, shared with me that she too is working on reading through the Bible this year. Adapting her idea to fit my preference, I have taken to putting my One Year Bible and placing it on top of my closed computer and reading *before* I even turn on the computer. It takes a long time (supposedly 21 days but I think some of us, or me anyway, need longer!) to develop a habit. So I am working on creating a habit of working on my Bible reading goal *before* turning on the computer.

I said that I would like to keep myself accountable for my reading goal. I meant to post this yesterday morning but didn't have time. So from January 1st through February 23, I have read the following as part of my "read the Bible in a year" The book of Genesis Exodus chapters 1-19 Matthew chapters 1-12 Mark chapters 1-4 The following verses really spoke to me yesterday. Our Pastor is preaching on 1 Peter right now and on Sunday, Pastor preached about election from the first two verses of 1 Peter. That sermon caused me to see these two verses from Mark in a whole new light: "And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven them." Mark 4: 11-12 I am still "struck" by the ...