Introducing Blogging the Alphabet.

HEY

Guess what?   I was talking with the folks over on the Homeschool Review Crew forum and some how we got on the topic of Blogging through the Alphabet. 

I thought it might be fun to host it!  (I know bold of me eh?)

BUT I am not  in this alone (YAHOO!!!), a lovely co-member is going to help me out.  Isn't that great?   Amanda from Hopkins Homeschool is going to be my co-host.  

So just what is blogging through the alphabet?

Every week we do a letter of the alphabet.  Everyone who participates write a blog post starting with the letter of the Alphabet... for instance if we were doing the Letter A, folks could write about Apples, Alpaca, Aristotle, or Aardvarks...just something that begins with the letter A.   Then the next week we move on to the next letter of the alphabet.

Some folks chose to do a series... such as Animals of the World, Counties, Field trips, people of the bible and such like. Others just jump in with whatever word pops into their minds each week. It all works.   The most important thing:  we want you to join us!

So what to you think?   What to join in?  It is so interesting to read what others come up with  up.   I would LOVE to see what you would write over the next 26 weeks.   Get your thinking caps on and come join us.   We'll start next week.    

This page will be the stopping zone, if you want to look back at what others have done for inspiration... just come here and look back at each letter.  :)   

Rules:  

1. Linking time is Tuesday through Saturday.   
2. Family friendly posts on a variety of topics.  If you aren't sure, ask one of us.
3. If it isn't family friendly, it will be removed. :)
4. Linking back to us would be great.   You can grab the blog button or link back to one of the alphabet posts.  It's only polite you know.  :)
5.  If you wonder on a hashtag, you might want to use #abcblogging
6. Visiting and commenting on others is always a great social thing to do.  Let's other people know you are reading them, and encourages them to read and hopefully share your great posts.
7. HAVE FUN.   That's the point you know?   Have fun and share what's on your mind.

 
  

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We get started next week January 17th.

A  B   C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  

A: Sidney Altman, Canadian Scientist. 
B: Beavers!
C: Chant National/O Canada.
D: Dog Sledding.
E: Edgewalk.
F. Tailed Frogs.  
G: The Greats of Canada. 
H: 
I:: 
J: 
K: 
L: 
M: 
N: 
O:
P: 
Q: 
R: 
S: 
T:
U: 
V: 
W: 
X: 
Y: 
Z:  

Trials, Tears and Triumphs

My family parentage is Dutch.

My dad came over on a boat, my mom I think on a plane (can't recall for sure).  Dad was a child, mom an adult.

 My hubby's mom came over a boat.  She came as a child with her family.

Working was a part of a their lives since they were young.  Life was hard.

So when a friend of mine told me she wrote a book about her early life coming to Canada and the various things they want through.   How God's grace was shown in her life I asked if I could please read it and if I liked it, could I put it on my blog.

She ever so graciously gave me a copy.  :)

I know I've reviewed this book before, but I had a quiet snowed-in Sunday afternoon and thought I'd read it again.  :)   AND I can't find the old review so there yah go.

27 chapters.  Leading from coming over on the boat through to life as a teen and then as a married woman, whose husband became a pastor.   Through childhood troubles, the joys and sorrows of being strangers in a new land, wild acting horses, not being able to speak and through it all.. the grace of God manifest throughout.

135 pages of immigrant history and seeing God in action.   To see a person healed when she needed surgery to remove polyps around her throat preventing speech.  The surprise of the everyone involved in the case.

It's a good read that helped me to understand some of what my heritage, some of what my people went through in their hopes of a better life.   It was good to see faith in action and the promises of God seen in real life.  

If you are interested in learning more about where to get this book, let me know.  I will put you in contact with Greta Zwaan the author.   Selling for about $12 the last I heard.

Hymn Study: God Of our Fathers

Here's an hymn that is oft sung in our church.   It is a hymn written to help celebrate a national holiday but speaks much to God's care for his people and our thankfulness to him for all he leads us through.

 God of our fathers, whose almighty hand
Leads forth in beauty all the starry band
Of shining worlds in splendor through the skies
Our grateful songs before Thy throne arise.

Thy love divine hath led us in the past,
In this free land by Thee our lot is cast,
Be Thou our ruler, guardian, guide and stay,
Thy Word our law, Thy paths our chosen way.

From war’s alarms, from deadly pestilence,
Be Thy strong arm our ever sure defense;
Thy true religion in our hearts increase,
Thy bounteous goodness nourish us in peace.

Refresh Thy people on their toilsome way,
Lead us from night to never ending day;
Fill all our lives with love and grace divine,
And glory, laud, and praise be ever Thine.

This hymn was written by Daniel C. Roberts and put to music by George William Warren.

The history to this hymn:

This hymn is a 19th century hymn written to commemorate the 100th year celebration of the  United States Declaration of Independence in 1876.  At that time Roberts was the rector in a small town in Vermont and he wrote it to help his town celebrate Independence Day.  At that time it was sung to the tune "Russian Hymn". 

Later he was invited to submit his hymn for inclusion in Episcopal Church hymnal on which Mr. Warren was a committee member.   He was the organist for the celebrations of the 100 years since adopting the Constitution.  The committee wanted to use the song for their celebrations but didn't want to use a tune called "Russian hymn" so Mr. Warren wrote a new tune called "National Hymn".

Ever since that 100 year celebration this hymn has become widely known and is included in many hymnals.

Scripture associated with this hymn is Psalm 46:7 where we read
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

Sources:
Lectionary.org.
CyberHymnal.
Center for Church Music.

King of Tyre, lamented, destroyed

Last time we met, we lamented the Prince of Tyre due to his need to see that he was not God.  It's a  important lesson to learn. 

Today we lament the King of Tyre. Today's reading is from Ezekiel 28:11-19

First we are told who the King is, who the king was MEANT to be.   The king was meant to be: 

• the signet of perfection
• full of wisdom
• perfect in beauty
• covered with a variety of precious jewels
• an anointed guardian cherub
• blameless in his ways.

 “You were the signet of perfection,
    full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
¹³ You were in Eden, the garden of God;
    every precious stone was your covering,
sardius, topaz, and diamond,
    beryl, onyx, and jasper,
sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle;
    and crafted in gold were your settings
    and your engravings.
On the day that you were created
    they were prepared.
¹⁴ You were an anointed guardian cherub.
    I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God;
    in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.
¹⁵ You were blameless in your ways
    from the day you were created,

BUT THEN ...unrighteousness was found in him. 
So much trade, the abundance of it changed him (or at least that's what I am implying from text).
Violence was part of that trade.   So violence became a part of the King of Tyre. 
The King sinned.
So God took action: 

• casting him down from his holy mountain
• destroying the guardian cherub

The king has corrupted his wisdom for the sake of spendor.   His beauty and riches were too important to him..

So the Lord continued to take action, casting the King down, exposing him before other kings.

This king who had everything and was meant to be so much more than what he was, has now had fire brought into his midst.   A fire that consumed him, so that all who caught a glimpse were dismayed, appalled actually.  The King of Tyre is God and that's the end of him forever.

 

¹⁶ In the abundance of your trade
    you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned;
so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God,
    and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub,
    from the midst of the stones of fire.
¹⁷ Your heart was proud because of your beauty;
    you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.
I cast you to the ground;
    I exposed you before kings,
    to feast their eyes on you.
¹⁸ By the multitude of your iniquities,
    in the unrighteousness of your trade
    you profaned your sanctuaries;
so I brought fire out from your midst;
    it consumed you,
and I turned you to ashes on the earth
    in the sight of all who saw you.
¹⁹ All who know you among the peoples
    are appalled at you;
you have come to a dreadful end    and shall be no more forever.”

It's so easy you know... to get caught up in the things you have and to forget what you are supposed to be doing.   The King of Tyre had a heady responsibility.  God set him in place to be a shining light, and the King of Tyre (to me it seems) got distracted by the costs of doing business and let himself get caught up in it.   His name in essence became violence.

I'm imaging (hoping actually) that the change was gradual, that he just didn't see what was happening until he was immersed it in.   BUT a part of my brain niggles that he discovered this way of doing business and leaped right into action.

Either way... the position that God had placed in him, the position he was to have filled became dreadfully sullied, so God needed to remove him.   God showed the world what he had become.

So be careful.  Watch what he do and how you act.  God sees it. 

Interesting Courses through SchoolhouseTeachers.com

Hey, I don't know if you have heard about SchoolhouseTeachers.com yet...but if you haven't, you are missing out on an excellent resource, SERIOUSLY. Imagine a place, where you can get over 300 courses, NO additional fees, all for about $10 a month....OR if you bit the bullet.. $90 a year. 

I don't know about you but I'd be thinking.. Pretty good deal.. what's the catch?

Get this.. NO CATCH. Well okay.. One catch. You have until January 15 to lock in that price.  Cool eh?  Do note that I use affiliate links in this post which help my family and don't hurt you one bit. :)

You can learn more here:

 So let me tell you more about this wonderful resource.

As you may or may not know, my son and I have a on again off again study of Canada going.  Each year we start in a different place, go like mad for a while and then things change or get forgotten or complaints about methodology start and we stop.   I want to STOP that cycle.

To the end this year I bought a comprehensive history of Canada.   It's a fairly boring text but comprehensive.  I thought I could EASILY supplement and I can!  WOOT WOOT!!!!

 To go along with this book I plan to use a variety of hands-on learning options and worksheets and discoveries that I have picked up around the web BUT I have found THREE (and there will more than likely be more).. areas in SchoolhouseTeachers.com that I will be able to use.

First off:
EveryDay Explorers: Canada.

 This course walks us through every province of Canada, listing some highlights, 20 days to explore each province, with loads of sights to see, history to learn and geography to explore.

Add to that:
EveryDay Easels.

A big part of my hope is, as we finish each province, to use an artist study to capture something about the province that we wish to remember.   There are 5 and 10 day lesson plans in this course and you can jump around as you see fit.

 Daily Discoveries was an exciting find.

 My son loves all things animals and exploratory so adding a learning component is just awesome.

Anyways, as I said earlier they are having a great promotion on right now.  You really need to check it out.  Over 300 courses for 50% off with no additional fees.  It's a rock solid investment.

 Don't delay!   This special ends on January 15th.

Language Arts: Our Style

Welcome to the Virtual Curriculum Fair 2017 week two.  This week we talk all about language arts, how one plays around with words.   Our host is the lovely Susan.  You can learn more about the VFCF2017 right here.

I have to admit, it took a while to figure out a system to study Language Arts in our home.
Knowing that my boy (like his mother) tells stories as easily as breathing I thought, why not use that.

So I grabbed this freebie book from the library discard pile and off we set.

First he needs to draw a picture of the story he wants to write.  He spent days at this, getting all the details right and NO, I'm not allowed to show you.  :)

 Then you develop your main character.  This was harder than the lad anticipated.  He thought he could just do yellow, pointed ears character.   Then I asked : so how tall is he?   Does he eat meat or vegetables?   What makes him laugh?   Does he ever cry?   Does he have friends or is he a loner?

Once he had the character nailed down a bit better he moved on to writing his story.  Bit by bit he adds to it.  And bit by bit he learns.  Every day a 1/2 hour of work is required.

Each time he gets a chapter done, we sit down and we edit it together.  We make the changes right in his story, discussing spelling errors, word usage, sentence structure and all that fun stuff.

And you know what?   He's learning.  It's not a battle.  It's a sitting down and talking and learning together.  Sometimes I'll read a sentence and not know what it wrong with it, so I'll ask other folks and they'll show me what's wrong and then the lad and I both learn something new.

It's good to do this.  :)

I have to admit, I getting curious about what treasure his character is going to discover...

Anyways, this book has a variety of stories one can write out, from adventures to mysteries.
Draw it out, write it out chapter by chapter and just work your way through it.   We'll be working our way through it for a good time to come yet.  :)

I admit that we are taking our time with it, and we did get side-tracked when I was ill so are rather behind, but a new week is dawning and a lad will learn and grow, and I'll be there with him.

This post is part of the Virtual Curriculum Fair.   I do hope that you'll join us in reading through what some of us have put together.   Here's the list of the gang.  :)

Please visit my fellow homeschool bloggers who are writing about Playing with Words this week:

All posts will be live by Monday, January 9th at noon EST.

Delight Directed High School English by Susan @ Homeschooling Hearts & Minds

Act Your Part Well- 2017 VCF by Lisa @ Golden Grasses

The Search For Language by Michele@Family, Faith and Fridays

Our Top Picks for Language Arts by Amanda H @ Hopkins Homeschool

Multiple Approaches to Language Arts in 2017 by Laura @ Day by Day in Our World

How We Cover the Language Arts in Our Homeschool by Joelle @ Homeschooling for His Glory

Use Your Words by Laura @ Four Little Penguins

The Art of Perfecting Macarons by Jennifer @ A Glimpse of Our Life

Loving Languages Every Day by Jen K @ A Peace of Mind

Speech Therapy & Elementary Latin by Yvie @ Gypsy Road

The Readin' and Writin' Part of Homeschool by Shecki @ Greatly Blessed

Children Who Love Books by Lizzy @ Peaches At Home

Customizing High School Language Credits by Christy @ Unexpected Homeschool

A Poetry Feast by Sarah @ Delivering Grace

Teaching Language Arts without Curriculum by Brittney @ Mom's Heart

I know your pain and it is worth it! by Kim @ Good Sweet Love

Language Arts: Our Style by Annette @ A Net in Time

Words! Words! Words! by Lisa M @McClanahan 7

10 Wonderful Word Games (+1) by Lori @ At Home: where life happens

What About Reading Comprehension? by Kristen @ Sunrise to Sunset

Teaching Grammar and Writing Through Discussion by Chelli @ The Planted Trees

Won't You See the Real Me?

Tonight as I write this post for the Five Minute word prompt, I'm feeling broken inside.
Broken and kinda hollow.  Wondering how will I do the word Connect. 

Especially when I am feeling like...

I just want to be loved and accepted for who I am...by more than my man and son.   And so often I feel like I'm not...that somehow I'm always found wanting.

But oh...how they treasure me.   Their treasuring of me lifts my soul up and feeds me heart with gratitude and yes.. total SURPRISE.  They love me!!! 

Even if I annoy them and frustrate them and drive them insane.

They love me and accept me for who I am.

They know my heart.

They are connected to the who I am.
Not the who they think I aught to be.. but the who I am RIGHT NOW.

It's a big difference.

They see my foibles, and work around them.
They see my joys and are excited by them.
They lift me in ways they don't always even know.

Why.
Because WE are connected.

And that I think is what really makes the difference you know?
They are so connected me.  We are us.   You get one of us.. you get the rest.   Just the way it is.

So when I ponder this question:
Why do families hurt and wound?

I wonder if perhaps, it's that lack of connection.  That lack of not really seeing each other.

Because sometimes I think we are so busy looking for what we expect or want from each other or only seeing past hurts that we fail to see the person standing right in front of us.

We are lacking that connection to the real.  To real "you are here with me now person".

Jesus did that you know.  He connected to the real you are here with me now person.   See Thomas and his doubt.  The woman at the well.   His own momma.

Jesus lacked what the rest of us are steeped in... the sin.  that inborn selfish that pervades all of our actions.  It's a stain that is dreadful.  It is.

So sin didn't influence his thoughts or his actions.   He could just connect with the person right there, just as they were.   And not only see them as they were but also see their potential to be more.

Sometimes, especially on days that I hurt, I just want him to come back.  To see him.  To have his light wash away it all.   To remove tetchiness and  dust-ups and sorrow and misunderstandings.

(Even though I really really want to see my lad grow up to be the man of God I think he will be).

A wee bit longer it took to write this than five minutes (wrote and changed, wrote and changed) but hey....you all will forgive me now won't you?   :)

Okay some of the rules here.
1. Five minutes to write.
2. it's a free write which means you aren't supposed to spend a whack of time editing.  Just write on the word prompt.
3. Dear Miss Kate provides the word prompt.  You can find her blog here.
4. write a post, link it up, then go and encourage the person who went on before you as encouragement is the name of the game and the SOUL of this community (and you wouldn't want to let us down eh?)

STEM: Tinker Crate - Spy Case

 

Kiwi crates sent us a Spy Case to put together. Boy oh boy did it teach us a lot!    Just so you know, affliate links are used in this post, which help us get more crates, and doesn't hurt your bottom line at all.  :)

First off .. .they didn't stint with the spy paper they gave us.   The lad was mightily impressed.

They had us make a periscope, work with invisible ink, and more.  It was a fun kit to make and provided the lad with a reason to be sneaky! 

One of the things I love about kiwi and tinker crates is how they write the directions so clearly.  Unless you are deliberately not paying attention you really can't mess it up.
 

 My son is becoming proficient enough with these crates that he can generally do them on his own now.  Reading through, making sure he's laid out all the parts needed ahead of time, and then putting it together.  See?  All put together by one lad.  Mind...he initially put it together backwards, but quickly realized the error of his ways.   I have to admit, even though he can do it on his own, I love to sit with him talking about all the discoveries we are making.

 We were also able to see the affect of blue/red lines. How if you are careful you can hide words in them.   We even were able to write some of our own messages.  Can you see it?

My lad was delighted the invisible ink and the blue light, and immediately correlated it using lemon juice and a heat source.   Good to make those connections and see a lad's brain at work.

Kiwi crates, making STEM materials around a theme, letting a child explore and create and cement the learning.   Coming once a month to delight, entertain and teach.
You can get your own Kiwi Crates eh?   A monthly subscription or just try a single crate. You can learn more about them here.

Linking up at Homeschool Highlights. 

Book Series: The Excellent Wife - Who Can Find

I was trying to figure out which of three books I've been looking at lately which one I should use on my blog.   (you can see that discussion here).   I finally decided on using the book "The Excellent Wife" by Martha Peace.   Why?   Because I often don't feel like a very good wife.  I don't know if I am the only one who feels like that (probably not as the Lord tells me there is nothing new under the sun), but it's a real thing for me in my life.   Often feeling inadequate for the task at hand.

I've had this book for a while now, picked up because someone said "it's a good book to work through" and it's lain on my shelf, occasionally picked up but not really worked on.

Thought I should work through it and then I can pass it along should I want to.  Make sense right?  Books are meant to be used not just sit on shelves.



This book comes with a chapter to read as well as a study book that lists a number of questions.


 I thought I would write out most of the questions along with my answers. I invite you to join me with your own thoughts.

Chapter one is "The Excellent Wife - Who Can Find?"

1. What should the greatest priority in the Christian wife's life? 

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  Matt 6:33.
---that old adage is a true one.  God first... all else second...

2. What should he her second greatest priority?

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”   Genesis 2:18
--- a helper fit... That's what we are you know?   Fit for the person we are with... as long as we can accept that.

3. To what does God compare the worth of the excellent wife?

An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.
 Proverbs 31:10 
 --- trying to imagine being more precious than jewels.... I know, they are only stuff.  People are more important than any kind of stuff.  PERIOD.

4. List as many traits of the "excellent wife" as you can find from a careful reading of Proverbs 31:10-31.    

 An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.
¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her,
    and he will have no lack of gain.
¹² She does him good, and not harm,
    all the days of her life.
¹³ She seeks wool and flax,
    and works with willing hands.
¹⁴ She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from afar.
¹⁵ She rises while it is yet night
    and provides food for her household
    and portions for her maidens.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She dresses herself with strength
    and makes her arms strong.
¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹ She puts her hands to the distaff,
    and her hands hold the spindle.
²⁰ She opens her hand to the poor
    and reaches out her hands to the needy.
²¹ She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
²² She makes bed coverings for herself;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.
²³ Her husband is known in the gates
    when he sits among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them;
    she delivers sashes to the merchant.
²⁵ Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come.
²⁶ She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
²⁷ She looks well to the ways of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹ “Many women have done excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the gates.
 

My question: What does it mean to dress with strength?

My thoughts: There is a whole lot more in this passage than I like to think.  Some I am very familiar with...like she works hard... finds clothing for her family etc. , but others I found surprising.  Like "she laughs", "the heart of her husband trusts her."

All solid traits.

5.  What is a wife's responsibility?   What problem could keep her from becoming a godly wife?

• To put her confidence in the faithfulness of God and his word.
• Sin and it's affect on the woman in question.  Sin affects our confidence in God and his faithfulness to us in his word.

7. What is God's remedy for sin?

• 2 Cor 5:21 -  For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
• Rom. 6:6 - We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
• John 8:34-36 -   Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. ³⁵ The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. ³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
•  
• God's remedy for sin... His Perfect Son... the sinless one, born the penalty of sin for us.  If we want freedom from sin we must be in his Son.

8. Who is the helper that God sends Christians to enable them to obey His Word and t submit to His way and His will?
 ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, ¹⁷ even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.  John 14:16-17

The Holy Spirit is that additional helper that we've been given.

9. Why is the Christian wife without excuse to succeed in becoming a godly wife?  
 We have a ready and willing God who is quick to forgive those who come repentantly to him.   If I truly know that God will forgive me...if I am sorrowful for not trusting his faithfulness, then I need not have any fear.

 Your thoughts are most welcome.

Field Trip: Cantarra Park

Canatara Park is located in Sarnia, Ontario.   The lad and I went there in the spring after going to the Stones and Bones Museum.   

This is a park of trails and beaches and an animal park.  We spent the bulk of our time at the Animal Park.  We also drove along some of the roads around the park.

 We met another lady there with her family from the group of homeschoolers we went to the museum with.  There was supposed to be a whole group of us, but most of them didn't make it to where we were which was just odd.   But hey, the lad and I and the other family had a nice time while we were there.

What did we see?

Chickens (my fav) but they were locked up in pens.   I did manage to get a nice picture of this pretty lady though.

  We saw a variety of other animals as well.   

 We followed our trip to the Animal Park with a drive around the park before heading home again.  It's a nice park and worth a visit again another time.  I would like to take the bikes and bike around the paths for a while. 

Book Club: Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children

Lori and Wendy do a book club where they discuss a new book every month.  I thought it would be fun to join them (and did so last month with the book of negroes).

This month we looked at Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.   I have to admit, I almost decided not to join in, as my first introduction was the movie and I thought .. I'm not sure I want to read what I saw in the movie.  Some things in the movie just didn't work for me all that well.  :)

Anyways, decided to man up and give it a try.  The book is quite different from the movie and I urge you to give it a try.

LitLovers provided the questions, I, of course, provided the answers.  :)

Art Series: Bright Ideas Pencils

Imagine my delight when I received some pencil crayons in the mail.  :)  YES!!   What fun eh?   I get to indulge my colouring delight with some new pencils...fun indeed! 

The first time I used these pencils I was waiting for my son at karate.   I was joined by a young girl, asking if she could colour with me.   I told her sure, I'd be happy to have her help me with this review.  This led to a conversation about what a review was and how she was helping me.   She's a sweet young lass that I often talk with while we wait.





This little six year old girl said:
"I like these pencils, they make nice colours". 
"The colour is so pretty, I like how the brown ones look nice together."
"Do you like how I did this?"
"Can I keep helping you colour?"
"These pencils are nice, look mom, see my picture?"






Bright Ideas has put together a box of 10 metallic coloured pencils. They are a nice fit in the hand and colour nicely.  They work equally well for a six year old as they do for a more mature person.  :)

I found they went on the page smoothly and filled in the coloured area nicely.  They blend well.   I've done a couple of pages with them and haven't needed to sharpen them.

They come in a nice sturdy box which holds up well to children opening and shutting it repeatedly.  I found them to be softly metallic, with a slight sheen.They are a lovely addition to the other coloured pencils that I have and I am delighted to have them.  :)

Chronicle Books
Box size: 8.78 x 7.89

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books.

Review: The Prayer Saturated Family

This is a good book to read.  I have not read it all the way through mind you, just bits and pieces, enough to perk my desire to read it more in-depth. 

Divided into three sections

• What Happens When Families Pray (8 sub-sections)
• Time to Take Action (3 sub-sections)
• Jump-start a life of family prayer (1 section)

Cheryl Sacks has a desire to reinforce the prayer life in families of believers.  She has therefore provided us with a book full of stories and practical ways to add prayer to your family's way of living.   She adds so many ways that prayer is answered, how it's a true work of God on behalf of his people. 

This is a very practical book written about how prayer can change the atmosphere in your home.   Prayer should be our first thought.

  Sacks tells us this "prayer can help us navigate the often uncertain landscape of life, and seek the direction, wisdom and presence of God along the way. It is amazing how, when we look back, we can see what God has done - especially when we invite Him into our families and allow his His Spirit to change the atmosphere of our homes".

We are often told that we should pray without ceasing, and this book helps us to make that necessary part of our lives of faith, a reality.

The third section of book is a 31 day section of different prayers that one can do as a family, praying for leaders, friends, decision making, schools, evangelistic works etc.  

I cannot say that I agree with everything in the book ... the whole section on the family altar and taking communion only as a family causes me hesitation... but much about the book intrigues, and the fact that it helps stoke the fires of increased conversation with the Lord God, that is a good thing is it not?

Recommendation: This book is definitely worth a read.   Take it prayerfully.  Be willing to be challenged and to be changed.  God calls for us to be prayer warriors... this book will help.

The Prayer Saturated Family
Author:: Cheryl Sacks

Pages: 187
Publisher: Chosen, division of Baker Publishing Group

Type: Christian Helps

Reviewed for: Nuts About Books.

 Amazon.ca: The Prayer-Saturated Family: How to Change the Atmosphere in Your Home through Prayer
Amazon.com: The Prayer-Saturated Family: How to Change the Atmosphere in Your Home through Prayer
 

Recipe: Whole Wheat Rolls and Buns.

This recipe was more complicated to make than I care to admit... Not sure why I found it so, but I did.

Anyways, here we go.

So I made two different sizes though only included the pics of the small ones.  It made a lot of dough (if turning into bread would have made probably three loaves).

Anyways so I made soft ones by cramming a bunch of little balls close together.

Then what was supposed to be harder rolls by making bigger ones that weren't touching.  I admittedly could not really tell the difference except the size. 

How to make them?

What did I find a challenge?
 Scalding the milk, then mixing the milk with the oil without creating a mess, and the rising of the dough seemed to take forever despite a warm house.

I also didn't use as much flour as the recipe called for so that made me feel a bit leery.

Anyways, the buns were made for our Christmas meal, hopefully people like them (though by the time this recipe posts they will have been eaten).  :)