National Parks & Historic Sites: Homeschool Treasures

By Sandra

I feel like I’ve just stumbled onto a big secret.  Well, I think I’d heard this before, but my kids weren’t ready to take advantage until recently. The secret is this: The National Park Service offers children’s programs to earn Junior Ranger badges.   Imagine this…adventure, mystery, history, and prizes!

The kids love wearing these Ranger badges.  It makes them feel connected to the park, historic site or monument and the history they’ve learned about them.  To earn a badge or certificate at each of these locations, a child must answer some questions or do activity pages that are age appropriate.  They are usually divided into an elementary division and a junior high division.  Trust me, the adults learn a lot while searching for the answers to these questions as well.

So far, we’ve visited Ft. McHenry, Hampton House, Assateague Island Seashore, and Valley Forge.  The kids are truly hooked!  As soon as they earn their badge at one location, they are planning the next park to visit.  It’s a great way to connect with our U.S. history, plan field trips, and boost the children’s confidence.  I highly recommend you consider this FREE program, and consult the parks and historic sites in your neck of the woods!

It's That Time Of The Year

By Chuck (Sharing Compasison)

There are several times a year that I get a feeling that things are “new and fresh.”  The first is obviously New Year’s Day. It is the start of a new year with new hopes and new beginnings.  Whatever the old year brought is over with and a whole new year is upon us with great anticipation. The next time is usually Spring. After being cooped up inside all winter the days begin to get warmer, the days get longer and everything begins to bloom. Again things are new and fresh. The final time is Labor Day…

…… As I was growing up school never started until the Tuesday after Labor Day. Labor Day was “officially” the last day of summer. A time for a cookout, a last game of kickball in the neighborhood, going to bed early (well earlier than we had all summer) and a brand new year of school. Even if you did not like school the first day was always special. Checking out who your teacher(s) were, what classes you had and what were you going to be doing. I remember from Kindergarten to Senior Year that first day was special. Schools now begin before Labor Day and those poor kids in Harford County actually started even sooner this year. However it is still ingrained in me that Labor Day marks the end of summer and the beginning of Fall. We still have a tradition in my family that Labor Day includes a cookout (hot dogs and hamburgers) and a traditional game of miniature golf in Churchville and then a trip to Arctic Circle for ice cream. Once that is finished off Summer is over in my mind and Fall has officially begun.

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Disturbing Fashion

By Beth

OK, so I don't want to be known as one of "those moms" who want their children to be social rejects by not having the 'right' clothes. I'm all for my kids looking nice and fitting in to a certain extent. I do make sure my daughter especially dresses in clothes that cover her enough as to not be a walking advertisement for sex, I do know how boys' minds work. She shops at the 'rght' stores, Abercrombie, Holister, American Eagle and Aeropastle when we can afford it. I don't know who decided these were the stores you had to shop at, but that's besides the point.

Somehow, I ended up on the email list for most of these stores. Probably because I have ordered things online in the past. Most advertisements are fine, geared toward the teen crowd, "look good for your boyfriend/girlfriend" kinds of things. Some of the pictures are a bit provocative but there hasn't been much that has disturbed me so much that I need to write about it, to let other parents know what these stores are saying to our kids.

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Change From The Inside

By Pat

When I pray, I often ask God to help me to have more patience, or to be less judgmental. I frequently ask Him to help me to not be snappy and quick-tempered and to keep me from saying any words that are hurtful and un-Christlike. And sometimes it works! When I feel stressed, sometimes I am able to hold my tongue and take a deep breath and settle down, or I am able to look at another person and chase unkind or judgmental thoughts and feelings away.

But that's just not enough. Although it's nice to exercise self-control, isn't it un-Christlike to have those feelings in the first place? What good does it do to simply ACT a certain way? We may be fooling other people, and maybe even ourselves, but we're certainly not fooling God. If I am seething inside and have to bite my tongue and paste on a phony smile, am I really better than the hypocrites Jesus often scolded?

I can't imagine Jesus was like that. Jesus had a right heart. He didn't have to TRY to act loving, kind and patient; He WAS loving, kind and patient. He saw through the eyes of God. I began to alter my prayers after this revelation hit me and God opened my eyes to my error. I began asking God to, as the psalmist said in Psalm 51:10, "create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."

Acting a certain way isn't BEING a certain way. Now when I pray, I ask God to help me to see others through His eyes. I ask Him to take away my quick temper, not hide it by the way I act. I ask Him to give me a peaceful heart, not the ability to hide my stress and anxiety. And little by little, God is changing me, and for that I am grateful! I don't want to just act like Jesus. I want to BE like Jesus!

Hang On - We're Getting Closer To Home

By Jason, M.Ed., M.A.R., Headmaster

"Don't be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father's home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am." –Jesus (John 14:1-3)

Have you ever been on a really long car trip, one where it never seemed like you were ever going to get where you were supposed to be?  Long car trips can be frustrating—you’re looking forward to where you’re supposed to be, but the process of getting there can be irritating.  It can even make you want to disobey your parents and hit your little brother or sister after they’ve told you not to.

Sometimes life can seem like a long car trip, always heading somewhere and never quite sure you’re going to get there.  Ultimately, where we’re heading as Christians is to an eternity with God.  It’s the best possible destination, far better than we could ever imagine.  Yet along the way, we can lose sight of where we’re heading and our frustration can cause us to disobey our Heavenly Father and do what we know we’re not supposed to do.

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