Book Review: The Fight of Our Lives

I recently received this book from Thomas Nelson to review. What a timely title! I appreciated that author realizing, and stating, that things are changing so quickly that some of the information would be out of date before the book was published. I found all the information given worthwhile. There were so many things to think about while reading of the threats to our dear nation. There have been many more attempts at terror inside our nation than has been covered in the media. The appeasement that our government is practicing is so apparent! Reading this book should be on the to-do list of every American that still cares about America. There is still time to change our course.

Gold Mini Unit

Gold! Everyone loves gold. It brings to mind a sense of adventure, like pirate gold, or security, like golden riches. We are studying gold today, but with a different mindset. Our memory verse is "How much better to get wisdom than gold!" Proverbs 16:16. There were many, many verses having to do with gold.

I used Printshop to design a bookmark with our verse on it. The children got to choose a colored ribbon to tie in a punched hole.


We did a pot of gold coloring page/handwriting page.

I showed them some gold that my husband and I panned out of the American River years ago and my golden ring and earrings. We also looked at pictures of ancient golden jewelry.

We read parts of some books:

King Midas and the Golden Touch by Nathanial Hawthorne, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt
The Story of California by May McNeer, the gold rush section
Eyewitness: Rocks and Minerals, the gold section
The Wild West by Tim Wood, the gold rush section

I didn't use anything from it, but this is a neat looking resource!

We could have had goldfish for snack, but I can't stand the ingredients in those things. I could have made hardtack, but didn't think that would go over well. Instead, we juiced some beautiful oranges and had some fresh OJ with sandwiches.

Wednesday Morning Math

So I was correcting math with 9 year old Polly. She got four problems wrong. Not too bad, but not her best, either. I started off the correction session by saying, "You missed four problems, and you did the same thing wrong in each problem." She replied, in all sincerity, "Wrote down the wrong numbers?"

He's a Reader!

Troubles has begun to read! He's been doing 100 Easy Lessons since we began school in the fall. He has flown through them. He would want to do two or even three lessons at a time. Since he wasn't all that challenged at first, I let him. At about Lesson 20, he slowed down to one lesson a session. Last week I introduced him to "Hop on Pop". He was thrilled to have a book to read. He wanted to read it right away, so, of course we did.

He felt so good to be reading a Real Book. He asked to read several times a day. It didn't take too long to get through it! Maybe we'll try Fox in Socks next. Do you have a favorite book suggestions for beginners?

Teaching Christian Witness

Teaching about Christian history is important to me. I want my children to know what being a Christian can cost. I want them to know what it has cost many and what it still costs today. Being a Christian in America isn't hard. It costs little, if anything, most of the time. Perhaps this will change sooner than later. We are promised tribulation in this life, not from God, but from man. I want them to be prepared for this eventuality. Will they see physical persecution of Christians in America in their lifetimes? Will I? Only God knows.

After studying the deaths of the Apostles, who can help but be inspired to die for God's Word, should circumstances demand it? Who could bear the thought of denying our Lord? The lives of Polycarp, Tyndale, Luther, Bonhoeffer, Jim Elliot, and others show that the Holy Spirit gives grace in times of need.

"And I tell you, every one who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God; but he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And every one who speaks a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious how or what you are to answer or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." Luke 12: 8-12

Here, in no particular order, are some of the resources that I either use, have used or plan to use to keep my children aware of past and current Christian reality.

The Religion of Peace (may show graphic images, I read this myself and verbally share some stories with my older children, but never all!)

Stephan's Test of Faith (available on Netflix instant play)

Jesus Freaks Vol. I and II (we read through these aloud in school)

VOM Torchlighters (also available on Netflix at the moment)

21st Century Martyrs (a collection of true stories missing from the nightly news)

Trial and Triumph (used in Ambleside Online)

Voice of the Martyrs (we get their free magazine monthly, along with the quarterly Kids of Courage insert)

Foxe's Book of Martyrs

Martyr's Mirror (similar to Foxe's Book; free online)

Have you any resources to share? Please add them in the comments!

Hans Christian Anderson

Having finished "Winnie the Pooh" and "The House at Pooh Corner" with Missy and Troubles, I have decided to enjoy various Hans Christian Anderson books with them. We have lots to choose from and they are such great stories!

This morning we read "The Woman With The Eggs". Troubles laughed at her at the end and said, "Prideful, greedy woman!"

You can get many of these classic stories online. Here's one source and another. I also found some free audio recordings!

ETA: I found "Seven Tales by H.C. Anderson" by Eva Le Gallienne illustrated by Maurice Sendak at a used book store today. Hooray for Maurice Sendak illustrations!!

Shakespeare Books

We've read a bit of Shakespeare around here in the past, but The Bard has been newly discovered lately. Last year, we read several selections from "Beautiful Stories From Shakespeare" by Edith Nesbit. Ambleside Online introduced us to this great book. After reading a play from Beautiful Stories, we re-read it from "Lamb's Tales of Shakespeare". The Lambies got the main ideas and didn't get exposed to the more adult themes in some of the plays. However, they didn't LOVE any of the stories.

Recently, my friend Veee introduced me to the Bruce Colville adaptations. Hooray! Beautiful pictures to go along with well written, simplified stories! So far we have A Mid-Summer's Night Dream, The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet, Winter's Tale and MacBeth. I'll certainly be watching for the remaining ones. Get them soon, as several seem to be out of print.

A few other favorite Shakespeare books for varying ages....

The Bard of Avon by Diane Stanley
The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood (there are others in the series, but I haven't read them)
William Shakespeare and the Globe by Aliki
Welcome to the Globe by Peter Chrisp