Getting Real About Fear Part 1

     In the last few weeks, I have not been able to post on what is going on in our world today.  I would sit down to write and my hands would begin to shake and my heart would pound.  I think I thought that if I wrote about it, it would make it more real and you know what... it does.  I have to face my fears.  

     I am not afraid to admit that I am full of anxiety.  I am human.  Being a Christian doesn't take away these feelings, it helps me get through them.  That is why I am posting today.  I want to help you as God helps me through these trials.  I want to be here to listen to you and encourage and comfort you when you are having times of panic and anxiety.  Over the next few days, I will be posting daily.  I will be sharing scriptures with you that you can save and print for yourself.  I will be giving you support.  Even though we can't be together in person, we can help one another.  As God leads me I will be sharing my thoughts and feelings.  I hope I can be real with you and you can feel the same and be real with me.  

      Today I want to give you verses on healing.  Please save them to your computer and use them in any way you would like.  They are for YOU!!! 

To save these verses, just scroll your mouse over each image and click the right side of your mouse. A pop up will show a few actions you can take, just click save image as 😀

     Please feel free to comment below with your thoughts, feelings or prayer requests.  I can't wait to share more with you tomorrow. 

HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW: OUR REVIEW OF HOME SCHOOL IN THE WOODS

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

     For years we have enjoyed using resources from Home School in the Woods.  I use to use it with more than just one student, but this time around it was just me and my daughter Hope.  We were able to really dive into the material and go at her pace.  We were given one of the  Time Travelers U.S. History Studies.  Our study was Time Travelers: The Industrial Revolution through the Great Depression.  We both learned a lot as we traveled through this era.  

     Home School in the Woods is a hands-on company with multiple product lines.  We absolutely love the way this company uses hands-on projects to reinforce the learning process.  The only con is all the printing that you need to do, but it is so worth your time, effort and ink.  This particular study is geared towards 3-8th grade but to be honest, my son, who is in 10th grade was intrigued by many of the activities we did, so you may be able to use it for older grades as well.

     We enjoy arts, crafts, and hands-on projects so this curriculum is a good fit for our family. My 7th-grade daughter absolutely loves to learn through doing special activities so she is thrilled when she gets to learn her least favorite subject by doing fun little projects.  She retains so much more than if we just sit down and read about a certain period in History.

     Time Travelers: The Industrial Revolution through the Great Depression has 25 lessons that you can finish within 5-10 weeks depending on your pace. The 25 lessons include:

1. Railroads, Gold, Snow, & Fire
2. Wars in the West
3. A Gilded Age
4. Innovations and Inventors
5. Project Day-1
6. Immigration in America
7. Work Conditions Worsen
8. The Arts
9. America Continues to Grow
10. Project Day-2
11. People of Interest
12. War on the Islands
13. The Progressive Era
14. Other Happenings -Part 1
15. Project Day-3
16. Other Happenings -Part 2
17. World War 1 -Part 1
18. World War 1 -Part 2
19. The Roaring Twenties
20. Project Day-4
21. The Stock Market Crash & The Great Depression -Part 1
22. The Stock Market Crash & The Great Depression -Part 2
23. Project Day-5
24. Pulling Together the Lap Book
25. A "Depression-Era Dinner"

     With each lesson, you have text pages and project pages.  The text pages are for reading aloud with your student/students, and the project pages are the hands-on activities that go along with the subject matter.  They range from creative writing to art projects.  I love all the wonderful subjects that can be incorporated into these lessons. With each section, you will be given the exact masters that need to be printed for that lesson. They have it all planned out for you right there.  

     Here are some of our projects we worked on: 

     

     If you have a child who enjoys hands-on projects this is for you.  History comes alive with each activity.  The timeline alone is amazing. We chose not to put ours in our notebook this time, as we may hang it in our classroom area.  This study is so versatile and that is why we love it! I highly recommend all their resources and they have quite a few. 😀

     Would you like to know more about Home School in the Woods?  I would encourage you to check out their website, blog @ https://store.homeschoolinthewoods.com/blogs/words-from-the-woods and social media pages listed below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homeschoolinthewoods/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HSintheWoods

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homeschoolinthewoods/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hsinthewoods/boards/

     We have more reviews of this product and many others over on the Homeschool Review Crew site.  I would love to have you check out what other homeschooling families think of this company.  Just click on the link below

👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!

HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW: OUR REVIEW OF MATH GALAXY

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

     Our daughter who is in 7th grade has never been a huge fan of her math classes.  A few have been better than others, but she always seems to lose focus before mastering a Math skill.  I was thrilled when we were chosen to receive and review Math Galaxy.  Hope enjoys using her iPad and iPhone and this app was a perfect match for her.  

     Math Galaxy is apps that you download to your iPhone or iPad.  This digital wonderland of math concepts keeps your child focussed. Math Galaxy uses a few methods to teach techniques that will help your child learn and retain these math concepts, such as graphical illustrations, block modeling, and algorithms. Using Math Galaxy is like having your own Math tutor right there in your home. Their philosophy is that kids need to focus on one math application at a time until they master it. They accomplish this by engaging children with new ideas and concepts for each grade level. They believe consistency is key and their goal is for your child to become proficient in Math.

      These apps also keep records for the parent to see how well their child is doing.  I liked that part a lot! You can save up to 5 student's scores, so if you have a few children learning the same concepts, you can keep track of each one. 

     Math Galaxy offers math apps for grades ranging from Preschool to 12th grade.  We focused on 7th grade Math for Hope.  The 7th grade app taught concepts such as: 

• Rational Numbers
• Ratios and Proportions
• Percents
• Expressions and Equations
• Geometry
• Statistics and Probability 

     At first, Hope was a little apprehensive, but once she started using the app, she was quite happy.  She said it was fun and loved all the great colors.  Very satisfying to the eye.  I think that is important to kids.  They like seeing bright colors, makes learning, not such a chore.  

     During this review time, she has mastered percents and decimals.  Concepts she was having issues with before.  We also worked on fractions a bit.  Here are a few questions from the Math Galaxy app. 

     

     We were also given e-books that you can purchase on the Math Galaxy site that can be printed out and used for extra practice. They have an e-book for each of the Math concepts being taught in the app. From addition and subtraction to Algebra, you can be sure to find what you need. I love to see my kids work on real paper and these amazing worksheets allowed me to see how she was progressing. They are also fun!  They have riddles for your child to solve as they come up with the right answers to the math problems they are given. Hope used a separate notebook to work through each problem. You can have your child show their work right there on the worksheet if you like. 😀

    Hope is really having fun learning with Math Galaxy and I know she will continue to use it.  I am excited we found such a wonderful program for her and encourage you to check it out for yourself.  You can find more information about this resource on their website Math Galaxy or on their Pinterest page.  

     We also have more reviews for you over on the Homeschool Review Crew page.  Just click the link below!

👇👇👇👇👇

HAVE A FANTASTIC DAY!!!

HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW: OUR REVIEW OF YWAM Publishing

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

     For years we have used these amazing books from YWAM Publishing.  The Heroes of History series have been our favorites. This time we were given the opportunity to receive and review Thomas Edison.  This is just one of the 26 heroes that they offer for us to study. We have thoroughly enjoyed each and every biography we have read.  

     During the winter months (and even some warmer months) Josh loves to curl up on the couch when he reads.  With this biography, I had to make him stop reading or he would have laid there all day long.  He loves to read about inventors.  He often dreams of being an inventor himself, so I wasn't surprised that this biography of Edison was a huge hit for him. 

     I asked Josh what he learned about Thomas Edison that he didn't know before and he said he was most shocked to find out that Edison was from Ohio.  That is where we live so that was intriguing to Josh.  He also seemed to be amazed by the facts of his young life, like how everyone called him Al (Edison's middle name is Alva).  Josh didn't think he was treated fairly or justly as a child.  Josh has a huge heart so he was very empathetic to the situations poor Al found himself in.  

     I questioned Josh about why he thought Edison was such an incredible inventor even though he endured many hardships as a young man and Josh said he didn't let anyone get him down.  He instead used it as fuel to do more and more. Through hard work, determination and motivation, he became one of the greatest inventors of his time. Edison was a genius and used his mind to come up with awesome inventions.  He never used excuses, instead, he found ways around typical thoughts and came up with new and exciting products such as the incandescent lamp.  

     I asked Josh if he had a quote from Edison that he could learn from and his answer was when Edison was helping out with the Model T and said "You have tried only reasonable things. Reasonable things never work."  Josh said that is why we need to think out of the box and not be afraid of what others will think. 

     Along with the book, we were given access to a Unit Study Curriculum Guide.  We have used these in the past but decided with Josh's other work, we would just read this time.  The study guides are amazing though and will help you to see how much your child is learning and comprehending.  They are a digital download that you can purchase on their website and are a great tool for you to use with your book.  It guides you on how to use the book to teach subjects such as History, Math, Geography and Science.  We always enjoyed doing the essays.  I highly recommend them! 

     Would you like to learn more about YWAM Publishing and all its wonderful resources?  I encourage you to check out their website and social media pages listed below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YWAM-Publishing-482973445102/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/YWAMpublishing

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ywampublishing/

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/YWAMpublishing

     We also have more reviews of this book along with many others over on the Homeschool Review Crew page.  Just click the link below 

👇👇👇

HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!

Good Morning Lord! {Free PDF}

     Today we have some wonderful printables for you. We love to start our mornings by spending time with the Lord.  We have found that if we start our day with worship, prayer and Bible reading, we feel ready to face whatever comes our way. 

     To print the PDF of this little workbook, just click on the link below the image.  

Good Morning Lord Copywork

HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW: OUR REVIEW OF THE ACTION BIBLE ANYTIME DEVOTIONS

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

     Our family is always looking for resources for our devotion time.  I was excited to be receiving and reviewing  The Action Bible Anytime Devotions by David C Cook.  I knew that we would be learning about God's Word in a fun and practical way.  

      This paperback book has 193 pages and is split into 90 amazing devotions. From messages of Hope to how to cope with anxiety, it has so much to offer.  I was afraid it would be too childish for my 15 year old son, but he enjoyed it just as much as our 12 year daughter.  The stories are so practical and easy to understand.  The message is clear.  It will help your family get closer to God with each devotional.  

     The images in this devotional are amazing!!! So bright and colorful. They brought each story to life.  I was impressed with the quality of each page and how much thought was not only put into the stories themselves but in the illustrations.

     Each devotional will help you learn, relate, and apply God's Word to your life.  After each devotional we had many great discussions. We also talked about how we can exhibit more of the qualities found in this book such as love, courage, faith, trust, strength, and kindness.  It really gets you thinking. 
                                             

  Our daughter has really liked this devotional and will re-read it during her Bible time.  She said it helps her apply what is being taught to her life.  Her favorite story was the one called When You Need To Listen.  She told me she had been struggling with trusting God with some personal things she needs to do.  She feels Him leading her to talk more with others, but she is an introvert and has anxiety when speaking in crowds.  She is working on trusting Him to give her the right words and allowing Him to speak through her.  I am not sure she would have shared this issue with me unless we were reading through this devotional.  God always opens doors doesn't He? 

     Would you like to learn more about this devotional and other products from David C Cook?  I would encourage you to browse their website and follow them on their social media pages listed below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidCCookPublic/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/David_C_Cook

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/david.c.cook/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/davidccook/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DavidCCookVideos


     We also have more reviews of this devotional over on the Homeschool Review Crew site.  Just click on the link below

 ⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊

HAVE A BLESSED WEEKEND!!!

HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW: OUR REVIEW OF Connections Stationary Kit

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

     I have always loved to write letters to friends and family. It seems to be something many people aren't doing anymore.  That is why I was excited to see that Byron's Games have this wonderful kit called Connections Stationary Kit.  My daughter and I were excited to be given this product to use and couldn't wait to share our review with you. 

      The kit is geared towards ages 6 and up and includes:

• 25 pieces of stationary paper
• 25 envelopes
• 36 envelope stickers
• One pink ink pad
• One blue ink pad
• One rubber stamp that says "Thank you"
• One fine tip blue pen

     My daughter used this kit to send letters to friends we have that are out of town. She loved writing to tell them about her pets, school days, and her new exercise routines.  She also had a few people she sent Thank You notes to.  When people received their notes, they were so happy.  Like I said before it is not common to receive notes like this in the mail anymore.  Most people use digital versions of everything like birthday cards or thank you notes. This kit made writing letters fun! 

     

     During this time of writing, we took some time to go over proper letter writing skills and how to address envelopes.  Hope said the only thing that could have made this kit better is if they used lined paper instead of blank. Other than that, it was the perfect kit to teach or brush up on letter writing skills.  

     I felt that the kit was put together well and the quality of the paper and supplies were great.  The ink pads and stamper can be used over and over again even when your paper and envelopes are gone.  The ink was not messy and it was easy to wash off your hands if you did get it on you.  Even small children could use this kit to learn how to write letters.  The envelopes are made well and stay closed after sealing.  The theme of the kit is travel and is very cute.  I especially liked the little hot air balloons on the outside of the envelopes. 

     Would you like to learn more about Byron's Games and their products?  I encourage you to check out their website and their social media pages listed below: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ByronsGames

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ByronsGames

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/byronsgames/

     For more reviews of the  Connections Stationary Kit and Continent Race, come on over to the Homeschool Review Crew site.  Just click on the link below: 

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!!!

HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW: OUR REVIEW OF VENTURING WITH GOD IN CONGO

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

      Over the past month or so we have had the opportunity to read through  Venturing with God in Congo by Conjurske Publications. We love reading as a family and have been enjoying this book very much.  I am excited to share my review with you.  

     This beautiful cover is just the beginning of the wonderful story inside.  This is a hardback book and is very durable.  It begins with Darrell Champlin, the author of this book and missionary, explaining his thoughts on missions.  You can't help but feel compelled to read this book once you have read these thoughts.  His heart is pure and his intentions are clear.  He just wants to lead people to Christ.  He wants to know " Do You Know God?"

     Before digging into this book, you will be given pronunciation tips, a timeline, and a map of the Congo.  I felt this was a great addition to the stories.  A great way to help you through the adventures that await you as you read each chapter. There are 50 chapters including the introduction and epilogue.  The book is about 290 pages long and each chapter can be read independently.  We are taking turns reading each chapter as a family during our devotion time.

     You are probably wondering why you need pronunciation tips.   It is because you will want to pronounce the names and places in the book correctly.  These pronunciations will help you understand the Lingala language a little better. 

     These missionary stories take place in the Congo during the mid-'50s to mid-'60s.  You will find out that the wife of Darrell, named Louise, had parents who also were missionaries to the Congo, and that is where their heart for this area came to be.  Each chapter gives you a look into their lives and adventures as they set out to win people for Christ.  

     My heart was touched by each event that occurred during their time there. Their experiences and sacrifices bring you to a place of extreme gratefulness.  Until you read it for yourself I don't think you can grasp the amazing feats made by every missionary that served in these stories.  Their lives serve as a reminder that no matter what lies ahead, God is there and He will see you through as you surrender your life for His service.  

     I especially liked the way Champlin tells us about his family and their role in sharing Christ with these tribes in the Congo.  You see that no sacrifice was too big.  They just want to make sure that they did all they could to tell others about the love of God and His ultimate sacrifice.  

     Throughout the book, you will see very descriptive writings about how these tribes in the Congo live, such as how they had to kill animals for food. Each chapter has a way of taking you right to where the author is and giving you insight into that part of the world. It sure brings a lot of perspective to what other places deal with and makes you very thankful for what you have. 

     There are also verses that Champlin shares that gave him strength and courage. I personally love seeing God's word as I read through a biography.  It helps me know the author more. I can't wait to finish this book and I encourage you to get this book and read it for yourself or as a family.  I believe it will touch your heart as it has mine and my kids.  

     Would you like to know more about this book and Conjurske Publications?  Come check out their website and Facebook page listed below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/conjurskepublications/

     For more great reviews of this book, come on over to the Homeschool Review Crew website and see what other families thought.  Just click on the image below ⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊

Have a blessed weekend!!!

Let's Get It Right!

          "Jennifer, I said to pick up your toys" said mom.  

"I will when I am done with my game" said Jennifer

"Jennifer you have three seconds to turn off that game and get your toys cleaned up!" 

"Mom you are not fair!!!  I just want to finish my game!!"

"That's it! (in a very loud voice) You are grounded young lady!"

"Fine" said Jennifer (who never did pick up her toys)

     Does this scenario sound familiar to you?  Is getting your children to obey a constant battle?  I know that I have had my share of wars with my kids.  I didn't know how to make them listen to me unless I was screaming at the top of my lungs.  They didn't take me seriously until my tone was so angry that it made them obey out of fear not respect.  This mom was at her whits end by the end of every day because I didn't know how to correct my children correctly.  I didn't understand that my reaction to their disobedience was just making things worse for them and for me.   

     As an older mom now, I can look back and see where I went wrong.  I can see where my discipline techniques were way off track.  Being out of control myself only taught my children how to act and react with no self control as well.  It was a downward spiral each and every day.  We were angry with each other.  We didn't communicate.  We just coexisted.   No real relationships were established until my older three kids were much older.  Even then it was strained due to the fact I was such a lousy mom when they were little.  We are still working through things and they are three great friends who I love very much.  I know that God is a God of restoration and He is working in our lives daily.

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline

 and instruction of the Lord.  ~ Ephesians 6:4

     This has become our parenting verse.  We still have our younger 3 at home and OH MY! what a peaceful home we have.  The only yelling that takes place is when one of us is clear upstairs needing someone from the downstairs.  Mom and dad have a more laid back, and Biblical approach to parenting.  We have learned the best way to curb bad behavior is to consistently teach good behavior.  They are not perfect and we are not perfect, but each day we are learning together to be godly men and women who want to glorify God in all we do and say.  

     There are so many wonderful scriptures that can help us teach godly character qualities.  We just need to search the scriptures together as a family,  learn ways to implement them in our daily lives, and allow God to lead us as we live our lives. 

      I won't lie and say this has been an easy transition. As a matter of fact it has been like climbing a mountain.  There are days we hit a rough patch and we have to dig our heels in deeper in order to keep going forward.  Our youngest son is our biggest obstacle.  He is a strong willed young man, and it would be very easy for us to fall back into our bad habits of just yelling and screaming at him, but THANK GOD we have learned and God has changed us enough at this point we can STOP ourselves before we do lose control.   Each day we pray that we can continue to grow as parents and we can keep working to be the godly examples they  need.  

     So how do we correct our children?  We do it with love, patience, and gentleness.  I bet your thinking....OH YEA RIGHT LADY!?  You don't know my kid.  You're right, I don't know your kids, but YOU DO!!!!  You know their hearts.  You know where you are lacking in your skills.  You know where you may fail in training.  You can pray and ask God to show you how to become the parent your child needs.  You can seek God's wisdom in your daily parenting endeavors.  You can do this!!!!  I know you can.  If I can.... ANYONE can!   

      How can I pray for you? If you have any specific requests, please feel free to comment here or send me a private message on our Facebook page.  The link is on the right of this blog page.  

For more information on Self-Control: Let's Talk About Self-Control