Go see Ben Stein's "Expelled"

I knew nothing of Ben Stein or this new documentary until yesterday, and now I am telling everyone I know to go see Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. At first I said no. Not only do I not usually enjoy seeing movies, but there's the expense and I know my reaction on seeing the website was not exactly interest or enthusiasm. But when my brother and I were invited to go with my dad and the Norm Geisler, we could not pass up the opportunity!

Don't let the high-school playground aura fool you. Expelled truly is a masterfully drawn case for Intelligent Design. I was thinking--hard!--the entire two hours. Ben Stein interviews experts on both sides and the content is deep while the pace is brisk enough and spiced with plenty of humor to keep even a skeptic interested. My brother's favorite part was seeing Richard Dawkins stammer and stutter when Stein tried to nail him down on a few key points. And yet the blatant blasphemy is chilling. The reality of this battle is chilling. From a press release:

Stein, who is also a lawyer, an economist, a former presidential speechwriter, author and social commentator, is stunned by what he finds on his journey. He discovers an elitist scientific establishment that has traded in its skepticism for dogma. But even worse, along the way, Stein uncovers a long line of biologists, astronomers, chemists and philosophers who have had their reputations destroyed and their careers ruined by a scientific establishment that allows absolutely no dissent from Charles Darwin’s theory of random mutation and natural selection.

For example, Stein meets Richard Sternberg, a double PhD biologist who allowed a peer-reviewed research paper describing the evidence for intelligence in the universe to be published in the scientific journal Proceedings. Not long after publication, officials from the National Center for Science Education and the Smithsonian Institution where Sternberg was a research fellow began a coordinated smear and intimidation campaign to get the promising young scientist expelled from his position. This attack on scientific freedom was so egregious that it prompted a congressional investigation.

Unlike some other documentary films, Expelled doesn’t just talk to people representing one side of the story. The film confronts scientists such as Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, influential biologist and atheist blogger PZ Myers and Eugenie Scott, head of the National Center for Science Education. The creators of Expelled crossed the globe over a two-year period, interviewing scores of scientists, doctors, philosophers and public leaders.

Seeing it is a crash course in history, science, apologetics, and rhetoric. You may even cry; I came close. Masterful. Now if only we can get more people to see it....

Spending an evening with Dr. Geisler was not so bad either! He is the one under whom great minds like Ravi Zacharias and J.P. Moreland studied apologetics. The author of over 70 books--8 new ones coming out this year alone--it was truly an honor for me to hear his thoughts on the issues of the film as well as touching on subjects like his writing, education, and discovering he has a great sense of humor.

All in all, it was a Friday evening very well spent!

Sign petition by HSLDA for homeschooling rights

Go here to sign the petition Home School Legal Defense is compiling to protest the recent court ruling in California that a parent may only homeschool a child if that parent is a certified teacher.

Join us at the HeartThoughts Retreat Center

It all started with Hugh Hewitt's lifetime book reading list. Take time to read the entire transcript and see if it does not inspire you to pursue challenging reading no matter your age or interests.

Some of the list I've thoroughly digested, but far too many titles I've but the smallest acquaintance with. Thus I've chosen some of the top books Allen and Reynolds listed to tackle in the near future--partly through the YLCF Book Society. I'm a bit intimidated but also determined. If I can consume over 15,000 pages of material on a single subject (yes, I admit it, I did!) in the last several months, then I can certainly press through 1000 or so pages of Cervantes or Dostevsky. Right?

I've set a challenge for myself that I know is do-able, but will stretch me. My hope is to have finished these books before the end of 2008. Would any of you like to join me in reading? Almost all of the books mentioned are available online so purchasing the book is optional. If anyone wants to join in, I'd enjoy the company.

The Challenge: Choose ten books which will stretch you, preferably from either Hugh Hewitt's list or something similar (more ideas below). Comment or email me your list. Anyone who makes a list and makes it through even part of it can share what they learned, what they liked, etc. Every month I can post an update on how everyone is doing. Some of you will likely put me to shame, considering how distracted I get with other things these days (husband...home...husband...:smile:). For lots more conversation and fun than the YLCF once-monthly updates, go hang out at the retreat center. Bonus: Take a picture of you with your pile of books!

Greek Tradition

1. Homer’s The Illiad

2. Plato's Republic

Outside the Classical World
3. The Epic of Gilgamesh

Roman Tradition

4. Virgil’s Aeneid

Middle Ages and Renaissance

5. Augustine's Confessions

6. Dante’s Divine Comedy

The Expansion of the Mind

7. Voltaire's Candide

8. Paradise Lost

Modern Perspectives

9. Brothers Karamazov

10. War and Peace

I have to admit, Brothers Karamazov is what scares me the most right now. It's so...long. :smile: For anyone who remains unconvinced about the worth of such a huge time investment (not to mention such a huge amount of mental work!), David Allen White commented on why we should read the great books of history:

But one of the things I, at least, think most people should do in the time that they spend on this planet, is have a sense of the greatest that’s been given to us. A life itself is the greatest gift, to have an immortal soul is extraordinary, but in beginning to understand what that means, I think you’ve got to turn to the greatest writers who can give you some sense of what it’s all been about, why you’re here, what it means and where you’re going. And that means you’ve got to delve into the great writers.

JM Reynolds's perspective:

We need young men and women with souls that are good, true and beautiful. And if we’re going to form souls that are good, true and beautiful, we can’t begin with our own souls, because all of us are in process, too. The great writers know how to shape us morally, to get to goodness. They know how to help us find the big ideas, the truths that never change from culture to culture. And they know most importantly how to make us beautiful, so that we don’t fall into the trap of thinking only things that work matter. We need beauty in our lives as well.

We dumb down education because it’s easier to be stupid than it is to be smart. These books aren’t immediately fun to read, though they’re fun for the rest of your life in an intellectual sense. And so let’s face it, most college educators and most high school educators in particular are anti-intellectual in an intellectual field.

There are dozens of other books that can be classed among the most beautiful of all time. Below is my list of some the beautiful books I have read that are available on The Literature Network. These are the classics everyone should read at least once in a lifetime; these are the classics you cannot read just once.

Are all of the above books or my recommendations below pleasant books? Certainly not. The first time I read the first chapters of Jane Eyre I hated it. Hugo's books are some of the most difficult reads I've ever attempted (but made easier if read aloud with a roommate at 2 am as we did :smile). All of these books are at your fingertips; I've linked to free copies online for each and every one.

Try Aesop’s Fables, Louisa May Alcott’s An Old Fashioned Girl and Little Women, Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Match Girl, portions of Arabian Nights, Beowulf, and Jane Eyre. You must read something by Robert Browning, Emily Dickinson, O’Henry, Longfellow, Martin Luther, Tennyson, P.G. Wodehouse, and Beatrix Potter. Every girl will love Burnett’s A Little Princess and The Secret Garden (and why not the short story Sara Crewe while we are in her area?).

Read some Father Brown by Chesterton, Wilke Collins’ The Moonstone, and Robinson Crusoe and lots of Dickens: A Christmas Carol, a Tale of Two Cities, and Little Dorrit.

Some of my all-time favorites are The Three Musketeers, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Wives and Daughters, Wind in the Willows, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Or Les Miserables), MacDonald's most well-known classic The Princess and the Goblin, Anne of Green Gables, Polyanna, Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, Black Beauty, The Twenty-Fourth of June, Ivanhoe, Five Little Peppers, Heidi, Treasure Island, Freckles (and everything else Porter ever wrote!) and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Finally, dip into Journey to the Center of the Earth and Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass (ed. I’d add the poem Jaberwocky in also). Whew!

Teaching Worldviews in Education - Part 2 of 2

I find Marxist philosophy and biology very interesting and study them often. How, then, do I justify this study in light of all that I have already stated? Well, I believe that there are good merits to studying worldviews that are in opposition to the Bible. We should study the thought processes of the world in an effort to better know how to answer its error in logic.

At the same time, though, we must be very cautious to be in the world but not of the world. I see the book Understanding The Times by David A. Noebel as a wonderful resource for studying the major worldviews of our time. While reading that book, it speaks of Humanism, Marxism, and Biblical Christianity. I like this because in such an instance, I am learning about other philosophies that are contrary to the Bible and it helps me to identify them as lies, and to refute them. This, I believe, is the proper way to study opposing ideologies. I would say that such study is important if not crucial to surviving all that the world will throw at a person in college and in any other way the devil may try to get us.

One subject of study often affected is English. In many English programs, ‘classic’ books are read. Many books that are considered ‘classics’ deal with different facets of worldview, and yet they are not read with the thinking that the author is trying to influence your worldview. We ought to be reading these books with Bibles lying open beside them. The children’s song that says “Oh be careful little eyes what you see” must include the books that we read, no matter who recommended them, or what class or subject they are for.

I am concerned that the subjects many homeshoolers study (including any kind of book on any subject) have potentially been taught (or written) from the perspective of the study of knowledge for the sake of knowledge. This is the beginning of setting ourselves up as little gods. We can easily begin feeling that we can use our minds to think and work ourselves out of any difficulty we may experience in our lives. In this case, the devil has won and we have placed God on a shelf or in a very small box. This is clearly the root concept of all worldviews that oppose Christianity. I have seen the effects that such studies have had and are having on many students my age or a little older, and quite honestly, it gives me rise for great concern. When speaking such, I am talking about my peers that I associate with, not some imaginary situation that I think is happening.

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Col. 2:8).

Here’s something to think about. How many times during each worldview class session or worldview curriculum book that you read on your own or study of classical Greek writing or English class discussion of a book, etc, has the Bible been used? Greater than 5? Less than 2? Ever? In each case that the Bible was used, was it used in a positive light for compare and contrast? How do your teachers / books view those that have good knowledge of the Bible but little or no knowledge about Plato or Machiavelli? Are they admired or belittled? If you could ask God which one He would want you to memorize for your life, which one would He answer? Aristotle’s teachings on justice? Or the place where such ideas really originated, Deuteronomy? If you find yourself opposing God’s principles as you “learn to think”, who moved? You or God?

“O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called "knowledge," for by professing it some have swerved from the faith” (1 Tim. 6:20-21).

At the beginning of this article, I said that “I have seen this first hand in many friends and acquaintances”. Those “friends and acquaintances” are for the most part those that have been through intense worldview classes as well as many college students attending Christian colleges. It also includes some that have taken intense English classes where “classic” books were read, as well as in-depth History classes. Many of those I have seen that have taken such classes, or studied such writings, have not gone beyond the first step of relying on their reasoning ability over dependence on God. But still, that any have taken the first step causes me a great deal of uneasiness. As I said earlier, that first step is all it takes.

Here are more verses of scripture that are pertinent to this subject:

1 Samuel 2:3
Proverbs 9:10
Proverbs 2:5-6
John 15:4
1 Cor. 13:1-3
1 Cor. 13:8
Col. 2:20-3:1

I would like to recommend a very thought provoking book, No Retreats, No Reserves, No Regrets. It is written by nine different Christian authors, all very good authorities on Biblical Christianity and worldview. Each author wrote one or two chapters on different sub-points within the subject of worldview. Don’t worry though, it is only 250 pages, not 900 pages like Understanding The Times! In all my reading, that book really was the best (barring UTT itself).

Speaking directly to students: I am very concerned about how your worldview studies will mold or have molded your mind if it is not being tied back to the Bible every step of the way. I urge you to pray about and consider this very carefully.

Kristi Joy is a highschool student and lives in Virginia. She has been homeschooled since birth, and has great interest in the study of worldview, writing, politics and music performance.

Teaching Worldviews in Education - Part 1 of 2

As Christians, we are commanded:

“But in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15, all quotations ESV).

In order to follow this command, we study the Bible and go to church for the purpose of getting a Biblically Christian worldview. As homeschoolers, we often end up trying to be “educated” as the world defines education to keep up with what is expected by the world. In the process of learning what the world expects us to, we often learn what the world teaches concerning philosophy and ideas about life. By this, I mean that little by little we can easily start living out some of the Humanistic, Marxist ideologies that are the pathway to destruction.

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many” (Matthew 7:13).

How does this happen? First, worldviews affect all subjects. I will expound on this later. Some of the other ways that the philosophies of this world creep into a homeschoolers' education is through worldview classes, worldview curriculum and the study of classical Greek writing. These are the issues that will be addressed in this article.

When anyone studies secular philosophers/philosophies without the constant light of Scripture, they stand a very strong chance of being negatively affected. I have seen this first hand in many friends and acquaintances.

Allow me to expand on this topic. Secular philosophers such as the Greeks, Freud, Kierkegaard (a popular one on college campuses) and countless others are lauded by academia in general as the “great minds” worthy of study. I now see many Christians start their study of these “great minds” only for the purpose of “education”, or for knowledge sake. But in the end, it changes the way the student thinks about God and the Devil gains a foot hold. Solomon wrote extensively on the topic of the mind and knowledge in Ecclesiastes and Proverbs, but I do not see too much studying of Solomon. Why is that? As Christians, isn’t one of our main principles that God is the beginning and end of all knowledge?

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7).

Then it would follow that the Bible is the place to start the study of education and knowledge. But instead, the devil uses our ability to “think” to get us to “reason” ourselves away from God’s teaching. Isn’t it interesting that many people study/worship the ability of “thinking” but do not study/worship the Creator of the thing that does the thinking, our brains? Instead, secular education is used as the guide in place of the Bible. What happens when secular education lauds Aristotle as the end all authority on justice or law? Some say, “Well, we are trying to be educated, so we need to study Aristotle to keep up with the world’s standard of better education.” Fine, study Aristotle, but not at the expense of a comparable study of Scripture. When we do study other philosophies at the expense of the Bible, we are forgetting that we are not the world and we are not supposed to live by the world’s standards as Christians. That is why we must have the scriptures open every time we study worldviews.

So how does the study of worldviews become a negative instead of a positive? Secular philosophers are constantly expounding on how wonderful the human brain is and how we can solve, fix and understand just about anything. The natural end of studying this (or anything) and not being told the flaws of such ideas and how to refute them with the Bible makes people put far too much trust in their own logic and reasoning ability. This seems rather obvious, and yet I see it happening all the time in Christian and homeschool circles. Do not underestimate the devil’s ability to get you with this deception that starts out under the name of education. And do not overestimate your ability to stand guard against this powerful trick. It is only with God’s wisdom can you learn and truly gain knowledge, which takes us back to the Bible and Solomon.

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” ( 2 Peter 1:3).

The negative effects lead even farther. When a person believes that he can “just use reason” and figure out life’s situations, Satan will always be sure to plant a thought like, “Why do I need authorities?”. This is the sort of thought that leads us down hill and farther away from Christian beliefs. Think of all the authorities that are over us. Parents, teachers, and adults in general. Other authorities are the government, when you get a job your boss, and oh, what was that other one? Oh right, God. One of the famous quotes of the humanistic movement is from the Humanist Manifesto II (1973):

“…we can discover no divine purpose or providence for the human species. While there is much that we do not know, humans are responsible for what we are or will become. No deity will save us; we must save ourselves.”

Save ourselves with what? Well, their answer is our “great intellect” that can figure out how to “save” ourselves from whatever it is that is hurting us. Save ourselves from what? Well, their answer is from dogmatic ideologies which stands as a code for Christianity!

...to be continued

- by Kristi Joy

What [not] to do

John Mark Reynolds has countless students who sit under his teaching at Biola. Those of us without the opportunity to move to LA and spent tens of thousands of dollars for an Apologetics degree still want to hear him teach and learn from his experience. Thus I've become an avid reader of Scriptorium Daily...not just a reader but a re-re-reader. So few blogs actually publish content of intellectual excellence. That the articles are well-written and theologically rock-solid is even more exciting. I love Scriptorium. :smile:

When I read Here are Ten Commandments for political involvement (missing the numerologically questionable six), I had to share it with you. Dr. Reynolds' L.O.S.E. position papers are brilliant. I usually don't thrill at satire but these are quite good.

Teaching Little Ones

I have always loved to teach. Perhaps it is an ‘older sister’ thing. From teaching my sister to clap when I was three, to writing my own ancient history curriculum for another sister, piano lessons and Sunday school, I have expressed my love of teaching in many different ways. I used to fantasize about having my own little one room schoolhouse where the wonder of learning never ceased.

From the moment I found out I was expecting William, I was excited about ‘someday homeschooling’ him. My parents gave me a wonderful gift in home education, and I want to pass that gift on to my children. It isn’t something I had to ‘decide’… I always knew I would homeschool. What, pass the joy of teaching on to someone else? Unthinkable!

I have just begun to realize, however, that I don’t have to wait until William is four or five to begin homeschooling. I want to create for him now an environment of learning. I no longer have to fantasize about that one room schoolhouse… I can make that dream come true, right here in my own home.

But, really, what can you ‘teach’ a seven month old? God has fully equipped them to reach certain milestones, like crawling, on their own, with very little help. But I have to provide a safe place for him to be able to discover this. An environment that fosters his natural abilities. When I was in Romania, the babies in the hospital had very little time outside of their cribs. As you can imagine, most of them were very behind developmentally.

I want to foster other things in him, as well: A love of music; an appreciation of good literature; a love for God’s word. We listen to classical music every morning. I read to him a chapter out of the Bible every afternoon. I discovered my old “Winnie-the-Pooh” storybook the other day, and we have been enjoying this classic by A.A. Milne. Does he understand what I am reading? Probably not, but he loves the time we are spending together none-the-less, and he is being exposed to the things his daddy and I feel are important. There are endless ways to expose your little one to the wonders of God’s world, from nature walks and camping trips, to live music in your home.

And if ever I am at a loss for ideas, there are wonderful resources on the internet and at the library. Letter of the Week is a site I recently discovered through a friend, with ‘lesson plans’ neatly laid out for babies 3-12 months of age.

For those of you waiting for your turn in the adventures of motherhood, it is never too early to begin planning and collecting educational resources for your future little ones. And for book lovers like me, it is just one more excuse to fill those shelves. ;-)

- by Elizabeth Jackson

Photo copyright 2007 Amanda Wells.

Civilized or Socialized?

A homeschooling mom’s bumper-sticker answer to the question “What about socialization?”

Homeschoolers:

Civilized, not Socialized

Where did you go to college? (Or, how to get a degree by distance learning)

A reader asked:

I'm 21 years old. I saw that you did your degree mostly by distance and I was wondering how you managed to finish your four year degree in that amount of time? I'm working on a distant degree right now, but it is so frustrating because I'm moving at a snail's clip! I'm finding it so hard to even do one class at a time at home. I'm getting so discouraged and would love any tips.

Speaking as a young woman who used nearly every method imagineable to get her Bachelor's in Biblical Studies, I'm happy to share what I learned in my three years in undergraduate school. I hope that some of the ideas can encourage you in your own studies. Everyone is in a different situation and college is definitely the last thing to be a "one size fits all," but if you (like me) were required to get a degree and wish to remain at home, there are ways to get one--without going into debt or spending thousands of dollars!

The timeline of my studies:
Summer 2001-classes in Bible and worldviews: 3 credit hours
Fall 2002- full-time freshman on campus at Moody Bible Institute: 15 hours
Spring 2003- full-time sophomore at Moody Bible Institute: 15 hours
Summer 2003- full-time sophomore through Moody's Distance Learning Center (DLC): 15 hours
Fall 2003- full-time junior via Moody's DLC and local community college as well as CLEP tests: 21 hours
Spring 2004- full-time junior at Calvary Bible College (I lived at home and drove down 3-4 days a week): 18 hours
Fall 2004- Part-time senior at Calvary, CLEP tests, and correspondence courses from Moody : 27 hours (this was my killer semester!)
Spring 2005- Final two online classes through Moody and one online class from community college: 7 hours
Result: 120 hour degree from Moody Bible Institute. I received my degree in Chicago on May 14, 2005.

Idea #1: Summer studies and/or intensive sessions. A good way to get credit quickly is to take classes in the summer or between semesters. Right after my junior year of high school I spent three weeks at a Christian college taking classes which then transferred to Moody. You can also do this at a local community college or Bible school; instead of spending 16 weeks in a gen-ed class on biology, you could knock it off in 2 or 3 weeks (provided you work hard and pass the class!).

Idea #2: Consider attending classes for a semester. Let's face it--some people are self-motivated learners and some aren't. I have always driven myself harder than others drive me and had no trouble getting through 3-credit hour correspondence courses in 2 weeks. But some people are just not wired to do that. Some may learn best under a professor in a real classroom where there are continual deadlines, constant interaction, and more at stake than a relatively harmless correspondence textbook. I freely confess that I learned the most in classes taught by fabulous professors. I will never forget my writing prof at Moody, my theology prof at Calvary...they stretched me way beyond what I thought I was able to accomplish.

Idea #3: Online classes. Providing the structure, due dates, and some interaction with professors, online classes can be a nice medium between traditioanl classroom and traditional distance learning studies. I took a half dozen online courses through Moody's Distance Learning School and it was the perfect way to get my needed credits. If you are looking at Distance Learning and want Bible classes I recommend Moody. A few friends have done classes through Biola University and I have heard good things about them as well, but Moody is the most flexible and affordable.

Idea #4: Traditional correspondence courses. These can be the bane of your education if you let them sit for months on end. I spent no more than a month on any 3 credit hour course; most I finished in hyper-intense 2-week stints of non-stop reading, studying, writing papers, and taking exams. For Moody you have to use a proctor to administer exams. A family friend and fellow homeschool mom was my proctor and we fit tests into our schedule however possible. I probably set some kind of record for taking college exams in the most random places: restaurants, the hood of my car, a soccer field, a friend's bedroom, another friend's kitchen table, the hallway at church...you get the idea. But it worked for me and I got philosophy, psychology, apologetics, some Bible exegesis, and hermeneutics done in a fraction of the time traditional classes would have taken.

Idea #5: CLEP tests. If it is not a part of your major and you are taking it just to jump through the college degree hoop, try to CLEP it. If you have free electives and want cheap fast hours out of the way, take a CLEP test. With three weeks of study I CLEPped 15 credit hours of literature and history classes--for about 5% of the cost of taking the classes at college! See what you could CLEP, see if it will transfer to your degree, get the official study guides (beware of other guides--sometimes they will do more harm than good) and a college text or two on the subject and study very diligently. It is definitely worth the lost sleep and two Christmas "breaks" of being buried under textbooks.

Not all degrees can be obtained through distance learning. It takes countless hours of figuring and juggling to make sure you are not wasting time and money on credits that will not transfer to the program you need. Double and triple-check everything!

Interviews Part Six

Elisabeth's answers...

How far away was the college from your home?

The other side of the Atlantic!

What was it like (what things were very hard to get used to, at first)?

Absolutely, but actually the hardest thing to get used to (besides the increased work load and need for time management) was the adjustment from a people-oriented life to a study-oriented one. Both my spiritual gift (serving) and my upbringing (as a pastor's daughter) make it an intensely frustrating switch. However, my dad encourages me that it is a season...and that it is preparation for further usefulness, and I think he is right.

Did your relationship with your family change in any way?

Not any more than any other assignment that took my away from home and kept me too busy to interact with them as much as I'd like.

If so, how? (Did you "lose your place in the family" and feel like an absolute stranger if you didn't see your family as often as you used to?)

No, thankfully I can pick up where I've left off pretty easily. It helps that I do keep going back home in between adventures...and staying for several weeks or months when I do.

Do you regret going to college and wish you would've just stayed home (serving and preparing to be a wife and mother)?

No, I don't regret it because I believe it was God's idea, and that the best preparation for the future is to obey Him today. (He is my real - and life-long - teacher and "academic advisor" who chooses exactly the life lessons I need). I love learning, and the learning I'm doing has greatly enriched my understanding of God, the Bible, and myself. I still miss little people, baking, and being at home relationally and spiritually, but I suspect that if God ever blesses me with my own family, I will be a more grateful woman simply because I've learned (by missing them and by meeting those not ever blessed in this way) to value the things I grew up with more deeply than ever before.

That said, I'd strongly caution anyone going to college who (a) doesn't have a specific need for the training (b) doesn't have the blessing and prayer support of her family and church and (c) doesn't have a solid Biblical grounding and a maturing personal relationship with God. As homeschoolers know, there are lots of ways to learn without ever leaving home. Hopefully that's our passion and our privelege, wherever we are. My younger sister, Kate, is a living example of this as she lives with my Grandma, works at a cafe...and constantly reads, thinks, and learns from random sources all around her simply because she loves to.

Do you have any advice for young ladies who are considering going to college or for those who are going to college soon?

College is not the "real world." It's a season. Be a good steward of the opportunity, but keep focused beyond it to the life goals that God has given you...and don't forget that you have a body and a heart to nourish, as well as a brain.

Why we homeschool...

The School Boy

I love to rise in a summer morn
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the skylark sings with me.
O! what sweet company.

But to go to school in a summer morn,
O! it drives all joy away;
Under a cruel eye outworn,
The little ones spend the day
In sighing and dismay.

Ah! then at times I drooping sit,
And spend many an anxious hour,
Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learning's bower,
Worn thro' with the dreary shower.

How can the bird that is born for joy
Sit in a cage and sing?
How can a child, when fears annoy,
But droop his tender wing,
And forget his youthful spring?

O! father and mother, if buds are nipp'd
And blossoms blown away,
And if the tender plants are stripp'd
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and care's dismay,

How shall the summer arise in joy,
Or the summer fruits appear?
Or how shall we gather what griefs destroy,
Or bless the mellowing year,
When the blasts of winter appear?

-William Blake, Songs of Experience, 1794

A peek in the past...Part Two

Part two of Gretchen's speech at a Christian Writer's Conference back in 2000...

One of the topics I write and share a lot about is a concept I believe in so much. It is waiting for God’s perfect timing and choice for my husband, instead of playing the dating game with its endless cycle of going out and breaking up (which is just training teens for a pattern of divorce when they get married!). For me, waiting instead of dating means that I’m waiting on God to bring “Mr. Right” into my life.

At 16, I’m not ready to get married yet (so as Joshua Harris has said, why shop when you can’t buy? We need to be willing to pass up something good now because it’s the wrong time, believing that God will give us better when it’s the right time. (Josh Harris) Right now I can enjoy friendships with guys—but viewing them just as brothers in Christ, not as potential boyfriends.

So many campaigns and programs today are dedicated to saving yourself for marriage—and that’s great. But what are we doing to get off the broad pathway that leads to such sin? It doesn’t help to say “How far is too far?” That’s approaching it from the wrong direction. We tend to view purity as a line in the sand—and in seeing how close we can get to the line we end up walking right into sin.

But we’re not supposed to get as close as we can to compromise—we should be running in the opposite direction like Joseph did. My purpose in writing is to exhort my fellow teens to get off the road that’s leading us to sin! If we don’t set our standards and boundaries ahead of time, in moments of temptation we are not going to be able to make decisions with the future in mind. This society lives too much for the pleasure of here and now, with little thought for consequences in the future. We need to raise a higher standard than this. I really like this quote from Joshua Harris: “This country will not survive another generation of Christians that fit in!”

I write a lot about homeschooling, too—having been homeschooled for my entire life, I’ve come to believe firmly in it. And a big purpose for my writing is to encourage other homeschoolers. Yes, Christian school can be a good thing—I’ve seen some good results from public school, too—but I would still choose homeschooling for my kids.

It has greatly reduced the negative peer pressure my 14-year-old brother and I would normally face, and has given us time to focus on and be grounded in what is all-important—God and His Word. It has also given us more family-togetherness—we have a 4-year-old sister and a 2-year-old brother, whom we get to spend lots of time with. Homeschooling isn’t for everybody, but I would highly encourage it!!

An Amish man once said, “I do not believe that the Amish way of life is the plan of salvation. I do believe that it is a real help to me in living in conformance to God’s will.” The same can be said for homeschooling, waiting instead of dating, and many other things—they aren’t the only way, but are a real help for families trying to live their lives in accordance with God’s will.

So that is my purpose in writing—encouraging others in living differently for Jesus. What’s yours?

In “Chariots of Fire,” Eric Liddell said, “When I run, I feel God’s pleasure.” You know, Eric didn’t run for man’s approval. He didn’t follow the proper “rules” of running—he kept his eye on the goal. Eric ran Olympic races, and the race of life, for God’s approval only. May we remember in our writing that God is the only one we have to look to for approval. Don’t compromise truth so that a book or article will be more widely read or appreciated. If you’re proclaiming the Word of God, not everyone will like your writing. You may have some strong opponents to your message. Just keep in mind that God’s pleasure is the only thing that matters.

I pray that God will bless each one of you as you serve Him through writing. As we do this thing we all love—writing—may we feel God’s pleasure, knowing that He made us writers for a purpose!

April morning sys theo

Ahh. There is nothing like sitting curled up on your bed on a chilly April morning, wrapped in a blanket, watching the sun rise...and reading systematic theology. You think I jest? It's good stuff. A good sys theo book will have you spending most of your time in the Scripture yes, but we were not meant to sit isolated with our Bible and form our theology alone. Our faith is that of a community of mutually accountably followers of the Way. Let's learn from each other.

Charles Ryrie writes:

Theology is for everyone. Indeed, everyone needs to be a theologian. In reality, everyone is a theologian--of one sort of another. And therein lies the problem. There is nothing wrong with being an amateur theologian or a professional theologian, but there is everything wrong about being an ignorant or sloppy theologian. Therefore, everyone should read theology.

TeenPact

An eight-year-old who has never spoken in front of anyone before. Standing at the front of a room with 50 people. Describing his bedroom in 60 seconds. Using hand motions to emphasize how huge his bed is.

A TeenPact public speaking lesson.

Government is like a baby sitter. A babysitter is instituted by Mom. Government is instituted by God.

A TeenPact civics lesson.

"For the purpose of this bill goose shall mean any bird with a long neck that goes honk and hunter shall mean any person with a long stick that goes bang."

A TeenPact bill.

"What do you believe is the role of government?"

"What is your definition of justice?"

Questions with which TeenPact students stump State Representatives.

A circle of people in the Governor's office. Half of whom are under 12 years old. Taking turns praying for the Governor and his family.

They move to the House of Representatives. Praying for the men and women who serve there.

A TeenPact prayer walk.

Changing lives to change America.

What TeenPact is all about.

www.teenpact.com

The 2006 Oregon TeenPact Staff
with my little brother and sister
All y'all were great. (But we missed you, Emily, Steph, and Luke.)

TeenPact and the next generation...

My brother has such great friends. Will is home on spring break, as guest director for the Oregon state TeenPact class. Tonight we had the TeenPact staff over for dinner, two of whom are Will's classmates at Patrick Henry College.

Every year, we laugh, we sing, we tease Will. Every year, there are inside jokes and deep questions. (That first year, Steph's question was, "What is truth?")

I'm going to miss hanging out with Will's TeenPact friends. I'll miss our traditional staff dinner with homemade ice cream and lots of laughter. But most of all, I'll miss the encouragement and inspiration they are to me: watching these young people, on fire for God and passionate about changing their country.

Tomorrow, I'm going to walk into the capitol rotunda and see young people in dresses, suits, and ties once more. I'll listen to my little sister argue for her bill on creating an official Logger's Day. And watch my little brother present his bill at his first TeenPact one-day class (he wants to legalize pumping our own gas).

I'll listen one last time as my big little brother Will speaks to the TeenPact class. Then I'll hug my new friends goodbye. And look forward to the time when I can take my own children to TeenPact someday, Lord willing.

On Wednesday, while the rest of the TeenPacters ate lunch in the cafeteria, I went to Subway with Stephanie. Will, Emily, and Stephanie were in a lot of state capitols together through their years as interns with TeenPact.

This year, however, Steph wasn't staffing the TeenPact class. She's a married lady now. And she brought her six-month-old son David to his very first TeenPact class.

So begins a second generation of TeenPact, another generation changing lives to change America...

“I Want To Be a Mum”

Sometimes it's hard to feel romantic in summer--namely the days the temperature goes over 50C (112+F) and your sweat is so sticky you're clothes feel like glad wrap on your skin. But something happened last night--a sprinkling of snow rained down on my world and the flowers in my romantic garden perked up their heads.

If there's been one thing I've been looking forward to more than Christmas lately it's the Winter Olympics in February. I love the figure skating. The spinning hair, the fluid motions, the dance on ice. There's just something about skating. I could watch it all day.

I got especially enamored with the sport when I saw the routine performed by Jamie Sale and David Pelletier in the 2002 Winter Olympics. There was a delightfulness about their performance that outshone all of the others. It was as if all the other routines, no matter how perfect, were photos in black and white, and Sale and Pelletier came out in stunning colour.

I hadn't thought much about the couple since then--I'd even managed to forget their names--until late last night while impulsively surfing the net for ice skating information I stumbled across Jamie Sale and David Pelletier's website. I entered the site and was surprised to find out David had proposed to Jamie and they were planning to get married this December. I smiled and kept surfing idlely around their website. I was about to leave when these few lines written by Jamie stopped me short:

"What are your future goals/dreams/hopes? I want to be a Mom one day. I think this is the most amazing gift. I would also like to be the best wife and make my husband the happiest man ever."

Did Jaime Sale, the internationally famous figure skater, just say that? I sat, feeling the sweat run down my sides, for a moment. I thought about how it takes guts for a woman to say something like that these days. The modern western world with all it's high ideals doesn't consider motherhood a profession worthy of praise. And they'd certainly be the last to describe it as "the most amazing gift."

I've been surprised myself at the people who, even sub consciously, hold this viewpoint. I was once at my grandparents place sitting around the table with my parents and my grandpa. My Grandpa spun me that ever typical question, "What are your plans for after school, Lydia?"

I told him what I'd begun telling most anybody. I told him I wasn't sure. That I didn't feel that God was telling me to rush off to University to sign up for the next course in journalism or even photography. I told him I was trying to rest in the Lord, asking Him to provide the opportunities to learn the skills for the ultimate profession I felt He was leading me to--motherhood.

I didn't pick up my Grandfather's reaction. Sometimes I can be very blind. But a few days later my Dad caught me out when he said, "By the way, Lyd, I wanted to tell you how proud mum and I were of you the other day when you answered Grandpa. You didn't try to mask what you felt God has been telling you, and your answer really shocked him."

I frowned quizzically at my parents, not believing. Why would he have been shocked?

I thought of my Grandpa. He is an amazingly caring, down-to-earth person. He's been a missionary to Africa, a pastor for over twenty years, and one of the best persons I know. He's never expected Grandma to work; he's provided for her every one of their fifty years of marriage. When he had asked what I wanted to do, I had told him the utter truth, believing he'd be one of the few people that would understand. It didn't make sense that he should be shocked if I didn't say: "Oh, I want to go to University and then get a job," like everyone else.

I wanted to ring up my Grandpa and said, "But Grandpa I only desire to be what my Grandma and Mum are. I only desire to be a mum and support my husband the way Grandma has supported you over all these years."

What is so shocking about this? Why do people give us girls who say this funny looks? Is it really so scandalous of God to lead some of us down this path? Has the concepts of modern thought soaked so deep into our subconscious's that we can't even consider it?

Until the answer becomes completely clear, I guess, I'll keep on as I do. I'll smile when I hear my favourite figure skating pair in the world are getting married. I'll join the Jamie Sales of this world and share unashamedly this one desire God has laid on my heart---"I want to be a mum one day."

Written December 22, 2005 by Lydia - Originally published at Cafe de Flores

TeenPact

TeenPact. It's THE Civics Course for homeschoolers. And it's coming to a state capitol near you.

Classes start in January, so go to www.teenpact.com now, and sign up for you and your siblings!



TeenPact
Changing Lives to Change America

TeenPact is a national organization commited to training Christian young people to positively influence our culture.

The TeenPact Leadership School brings young people to their state capitol to learn about government from a Biblical perspective. Teens participate in a four-day class, and 8-12 year olds attend a one-day class. Students learn about the political process and the basics of state government. They analyze public policy from a Biblical worldview and get a behind-the-scenes look at how their state government works.

TeenPact's goal is to instill youth with the skills and passion necessary to impact the nation for Jesus Christ.

Once they have completed a state class, students have the opportunity to attend a wide variety of TeenPact alumni events, where they can learn more, have fun, and grow with TeenPacters from across the nation.

(compiled from a review in OCEANetwork Currents and a synopsis by Will Glaser)

"Christ to the Capitol" Class Curriculum Includes:

• The Legislative Process
• A Mock Legislature
• "How a Bill Becomes Law"
• Influence of constituents on Lawmakers
• The role of Christians in politics
• Being "salt and light" at the Capitol

Articles & Reviews on TeenPact

Preparing Your Teen to Impact the World (Focus on the Family website)

TeenPact Trains Youth for Godly Government (AFA Journal)

TeenPact: Changing Lives to Change America (by Gretchen Glaser)

TeenPact: Making a Difference in America (Crosswalk.com)

No Joking: Here are some young people who are all business (WORLD Magazine)

In short...

"TeenPact trains young people in leadership and citizenship in the context of a biblical worldview"
- Family.org

" an organization dedicated to inspiring love for citizenship and justice in today's youth"
- Lewis County Homeschool Group

"TeenPact equips teens to become leaders in politics and society"
- Veritas Homeschoolers

"...an unprecedented opportunity for young people to grow in their knowledge about government and interact with lobbyists, representatives, senators and offices around a state's capitol."
-Kyle Williams

"...a week of TeenPact in our state capitol...was quite helpful in translating the theoretical into the practical..."
- a mother

"training is hands-on and on-site"
- Kevin Swanson

"America's premier resource for teens with a desire to become leaders"
- CATALYST for Cleveland Public Schools

"The first thing [my 8-year-old son] said when he arrived home was, 'Can I go next year?'"
-a mother

"...designed to help today's youth develop a passion for citizenship and justice in government"
- AFA Journal

"The name TeenPact means 'Teens making an impact'"
-Arizona Families for Home Education

"Teaching young people how to be effective speakers, qualified leaders and eventually role models for their younger peers"
- CATALYSTt for Cleveland Public Schools

"A comprehensive leadership experience that challenges students to grow both personally and spiritually"
- OCEANetwork Currents

"TeenPact is both fun and educational for all who attend"
- Kentucky Home Education Association Newsletter

"They took oftentimes-boring subjects and turned them into interesting dialogues, humorous skits, and mind-stirring excursions"
- THINK at Home

"If ever our nation needed an organization like TeenPact it is now, and all freedom-loving Americans would do well to offer their prayers and their support to it."
- The Mustard Seed

Homeschool graduate swiftly becoming one of most famous voices in the US!

I wanted to give an update on my friend Thomas McCargar who is the newest member and rising star (I'm not biased--you should see the reviews!) of Chanticleer: An Orchestra of Voices. If you have never heard of this phenomenal group, you must hear it to believe it! On December 5, Thomas will be singing live on the Today Show. If you are able to watch it, I think you would really enjoy hearing what is widely regarded as the best voices in the world.

From the McCargar family: Thomas rose to the top quickly. Chanticleer's first major newspaper review for the season was in Philadelphia. Thomas sings a solo piece that is a Scottish song and the reviewer wrote that it was the best rendition he had ever heard of that particular song. From that point he was singing two solos at each performance. On their Christmas tour Thomas will be doing four solos! Chanticleer will be doing 100 performances this season in the USA and around the globe. They just got back from a two week tour of Japan.

Homeschool Alumni, click here!

It's brand-new
as of August 25th

It's the place for fellowship
meet new friends and see familiar faces

It's the Classmates.com for Homeschoolers
www.homeschoolalumni.org

Check it out!

A new level of "homeschooling"

Perhaps this is only news to me because I don't get out much. But I was amazed when I heard of this Learning by Grace academy designed around the computer and online world. They have over 100 courses for every age from Kindergarten through high school from history to Bible to science to math to English to langauges....thousands of videos, virtual field trips, games, and interactive websites. The courses are based on eBooks which actually talk to you so an auditory learner can hear the textbook read to him/her. Fascinating. Not sure I'd want to do so high-tech, but it is good to see such resources being available for such a worthy cause as home education.