Archives For Faith

Kids in the Word Review: Who is God?

Amanda Pelser — May 15, 2013 — 1 Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure.

What We Believe Series

Jonathan and I have been working our way through Who is God?, which is the first volume in the What We Believe Series from Apologia. Apologia gave Who is God? and the additional resources to us to go through so we could share our experiences and thoughts with you. We finished it a few weeks ago. So what did we think?

who-is-god

Who is God? – Not a Bible Study

Who is God? is not a Bible study. It’s a worldview curriculum. It talks about right beliefs and ways of thinking that are based on the Bible. There’s plenty of Scripture throughout the book, but please don’t mistake this book for or use it to replace Bible study. Who is God? explains what a worldview is, why we need to have the right worldview, the nature of God, and salvation.

Who is God? – Additional Resources

In addition to the text book, the What We Believe series has a journal, coloring book, and audio CD for each volume. Jonathan prefers to have me read to him, so we didn’t use the audio CD much. If you have children who like to listen and read along, the audio CD would be a great resource.

The notebooking journal was too advanced for Jonathan in most cases. It’s on par with the regular notebooking journals that Apologia has for the elementary science series. We did some of the word searches, crossword puzzles, and copywork, but we spent more time in the coloring book. Jonathan is not usually a big fan of coloring, but he did enjoy listening to me read while he colored a picture that corresponded to the reading. The coloring book is a great option for younger children.

Who is God? – Scheduling

We started this book at the beginning of Jonathan’s Kindergarten year when he was just 4.5 years old. Apologia recommends the book for ages 6-14, but because Jonathan had already decided to be a Christ-follower and was academically advanced, I decided to go ahead and start the book. It can easily be completed in one school year by an elementary student and older kids could even complete it in one semester. We ended up taking two school years to get through the book. We went more slowly in the beginning and sped up as we moved forward.

Jonathan's Worldview Glasses

Who is God? – Our Thoughts

So what did I think? I loved it. The book was well-written and easy for a child to understand. For that matter, it’s great for an adult too. If you’re a new believer as an adult or lacked foundational training in Christian worldview and basic doctrine as a child, it would be a great book to go through.

What did Jonathan think? He loved it too. He got to a point where he’d beg for more. He looked forward to worldview days. He says the coloring book was his favorite part.

Post about or inspired by Who is God?

During our study of Who is God?, I wrote a lot about it. Check out these posts for more information about and posts inspired by Who is God?

Who is God? and the additional resources are available for purchase on the Apologia website. If you’re heading to a convention where Apologia will be this summer, you can get 25% off your purchase by joining their email newsletter list.

Follow along with us this next school year as we review the next volume in the What We Believe Series, Who am I?

Your Turn!

Have you used Who is God? or other books in the What We Believe Series? How have you kept your kids in the Word this week? Share in the comments or link up a blog post!

Material Disclosure: Apologia gave us the Who is God? text and additional resources in exchange for an honest review.

In Faith, Homeschooling, Kids in the Word Wednesdays Apologia, worldview

10 Highlights from Teach Them Diligently

Amanda Pelser — May 7, 2013 — 6 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure.

Teach Them Diligently in Spartanburg was wonderful again this year. It was a great time for my family to get away, hear great speakers, and get our hands on awesome homeschool curriculum. Here are some of the highlights of our weekend…

10 Highlights from Teach Them Diligently

Jumping on the hotel bed. This is a must when you walk into a fresh, clean hotel for the first night.
Meeting up with friends. It’s always a highlight of an event like this to meet up with some of my blogging friends. Check out all the blogger babies!
Photo Courtesy of Kathy from Kathy’s Cluttered Mind
Chatting with Sally Clarkson. Sally spoke at our blogger meet up, but I also had a couple additional opportunities to chat with her. She gave me a copy of The Mom Walk to review. Look for that review later this summer.
Photo Courtesy of Kathy from Kathy’s Cluttered Mind
A flash mob? Yes, there was a flash mob at Teach Them Diligently. It was put on by the students and Apologia. See it here.
Books, Books, Books. I picked up the whole set of Heroes of History from YWAM Publishing. They run an amazing deal on the full set at the conventions.
Rhea Perry‘s sessions. Rhea shares the story of how her entrepreneurial son was making enough money to bring Dad home from his job and then support the family when Dad died of cancer. Her second session about online careers was so full we couldn’t get in so I plan to get that one on mp3.
Mp3′s for just $3. That’s a deal! There were a number of sessions that we couldn’t get to so I have a list of sessions to buy when the mp3 are available in a couple of weeks.
Hal and Melanie Young‘s session on adolescence. We have a few years before we have to worry about having teens, but this session was so helpful for us. It helped us start thinking about how to structure our family and prepare for that transitional time in our sons’ lives.
Kapla Blocks. This was the place to be for the kids in the vendor hall. Building blocks spread out on the floor and the freedom to play. It was tough to pull my boys away from that booth!
Creating a Masterpiece Art DVDs. We’re going to be reviewing this DVD for you soon. We picked up all the art supplies right when we got home and Jonathan is dying to make “Nemo.”

Bonus: The Raising Real Men booth has these awesome wooden swords.

Jacob-with-a-Sword

Disclosure: Teach Them Diligently gave my family free admission.

In Faith, Homeschooling

Kids in the Word Review: What’s in the Bible? Volume 11

Amanda Pelser — May 1, 2013 — Leave a comment

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure.

What’s in the Bible? Volume 11

We’ve been watching the new What’s in the Bible? Volume 11 DVD at our house. The wonderful folks at Jelly Telly sent it to us to watch. Insert squealing little boys here! (By the way, did you see our review of volume 10?)

This volume is all about the Book of Acts and spreading the good news. My favorite part is at the beginning of the first episode when science is explained. The tools of science are insufficient for explaining God and Phil does an excellent job conveying this in ways that children can understand.

What about Paul? How do you explain a guy like Paul to a child? Phil talks in this video about how he created the visual representation of Paul and why. I think he succeeded.

My boys of course played the outtakes over and over again. Who can resist outtakes?

What’s in the Bible? Downloads

Coloring Pages are available again with this DVD. If you have hands on kids, they’ll love these sheets that caturre scenes from the DVD.

Discounts at What’s in the Bible?

Looking to make a purchase at What’s in the Bible? Take a look at these offers good through 6/1/13:

A Giveaway at What’s in the Bible?

It’s almost Mother’s Day and What’s in the Bible? is celebrating with a pretty cool giveaway.

Enter to win a Kitchen Aid mixer from What’s in the Bible? here. You’ll also get access to a Mother’s Day Fun Pack printable activity and card.

Your Turn

Have you seen What’s in the Bible? Volume 11 yet? Do you have a favorite part? How have you kept your kids in the Word this week? Share with us in the comments and/or link up a blog post about kids and the Bible, character, or worldview.

Disclosure: We received a free copy of this DVD without conditions and without expectation that we’d share a review.

In Deals, Faith, Homeschooling, Kids in the Word Wednesdays

Six Strategies for Including Bible Study in Your Family Life

Amanda Pelser — April 30, 2013 — 2 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure.

A new friend, Wendy, is sharing about including bible study in your family life today. You’re going to love her suggestions!
-Amanda

We have been homeschooling for just about 7 years. During that time we have done bible studies as part of our homeschooling. Whether included in our curriculum or as a separate study, we have made sure the Word was a part of our lives. Just about a year ago, we also began studying the bible as a family in the evenings. Today I am sharing with you the strategies we have used to make that happen!

1. Decide whether you will use a study guide or devotional book, or if you prefer to simply use the Bible alone. When we began doing this last year, we chose to use a study that was put out by our church. We loved our church and the leaders there, so we knew their devotional book would be filled with godly wisdom. The Bible itself is a wonderful choice and if you prefer to simply use it, no aids included, then that is a terrific method, too!

2. Include your younger children, even if the content seems ?over their heads?. By this I mean younger children, of elementary age. They may not ?get? everything, but God?s word does not return void and they will pick up more than you think.

3. Make coloring books or other drawing materials, even quiet toys, available to your very young ones while reading. If you are a family that has children of a wide age range, much like we do, you know that the little ones do not always sit quietly. While we have not included our littlest two in our evening readings yet, we will soon and this is the strategy I plan to include to help keep them quiet and engaged. We have done this in the past with our homeschool read alouds and it has worked very well!

4. Ask questions. Many devotionals, study guides, and bibles include questions for you to answer as you read. They are often very thought-provoking questions, and discussing what you have read with your children will help you all to remember it. You may also be surprised at the insightful answers and different perspectives your children bring to the discussion.

5. Pray together. Be sure to begin or end (or both!) your study time together with prayer. One thing we have done after our readings is to ask each person to name their favorite thing from that day. We felt it would be a good way to show gratefulness, much like giving a praise report. Most of the time our children have not been able to choose only one thing! Our hope and prayer is that, as we continue with our studies and they grow older, this will be a very special time for our family and that it will draw us closer together and to Him.

6. Talk about what you are learning throughout the day or week. Apply the verses, questions, and answers to your daily lives! This will help you to see where you or your children need to correct attitudes and habits, as well as where you are already making great progress.

I do hope you will consider using these strategies to include bible study in your home if you have not done so. And if you are already enjoying family bible time, I would love to hear how YOU do it. Please leave a comment to tell me YOUR strategy!

Wendy is a homeschooling mama to five who loves to encourage others along the homeschooling journey. She also considers herself a ?foodie? and is always ready to try a new recipe in the kitchen. You will find Wendy writing about homeschooling, food, and other life events on her blog, Following in His Footsteps. She has also recently begun a new venture with Southern Test Kitchen, and is a brand new allergy-friendly recipes contributor over at Managing Your Blessings, so be sure to look for her recipes and ideas in the coming months! Be sure to visit and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter, too!

In Faith, Motherhood/Women/Homemaking

New Seasons – Reflections from Mindy B.

Amanda Pelser — March 28, 2013 — Leave a comment

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure.

Mindy B. from My Own Sense and Sensibility is helping me keep things alive here at The Pelsers while we we’re preparing for Baby #3′s arrival and the transitioning to three boys. I pray that Mindy’s post is an encouragement to you today!
-Amanda

Through the Seasons of LIfe Collage

Here in the south, it’s March. The earth is revealing its life ever so slightly. The crisp coldness of winter fights to maintain its course, while spring-time forces life through cold death.

How parallel my life seems to run. For just as every moment of my life has been all about seasons, I am again walking a new season. There are always, seemingly, touches of spring, mixed with winter and splashes of summer and fall. I am embracing a season that is turning its back on what was and facing the bright future of what will be.

Isn’t it funny how, in every step of our faith, marriage and motherhood, God reveals to us just how involved He truly is, flowing and moving and correcting our course through the seasons we either enjoy or endure.

As a young girl I watched life, being stolen from my would-be future brother-in-law in a horrific car accident. I saw life fade when my father suffered at the hand of cancer and become absent from the body, ever present with the Lord. These were my first real experiences with winter’s hold.

As a young wife my life was springing with immense love, making a we home and growing to trust God for the small messy moments of growth between my husband and myself, as became One in Him.

As a young mother my life was springing forth yet again. As I blossomed and shined as a mother my spiritual life was changing, emerging, as my soul was learning this life has nothing to do about me but it has EVERYTHING to do with my Mighty and Wonderful Father in Heaven. He gave me this loving and patient husband and 3 beautiful gifts of children. Here is where I am truly refined and the chaff is blown away.

Now, as a wife of 22 years and mother/homeschool teacher of a teen son, pre-teen son, and an impressionable little girl, I see where my spoiled, only-child heart has been and is still being pruned. Though painful, it must be done. I question myself, doubting if I am ever going to be capable of getting it all done and being the model of Christ my children need to see. Am I going to teach them everything they need to know? How Lord? How?

I recently read, what must have been written with me in mind:

“Once I thought I had to have it all together – life, home, schooling, marriage, family – to be a good homeschooling mother. In fact, I was certain I would be happier if I did. Now I know better. I know the limitations. I know that my house will be messier if it’s populated round the clod by little people. I know that no matter how tightly I control the cedilla my schooling [my life] will still be interrupted from time to time. I know my less-than-perfect children will no always respond to my less-than-perfect discipline and instruction. I know that we will do well in some areas and that we won’t do well in others. I know that I will not always be the perfect wife and [my husband] will not always be the perfect husband…But I also know that’s okay. There are limitations I must live with.”
Sally Clarkson – Seasons of a Mother’s Heart

“I am clay. Clay cannot mold itself. I am the work of God’s hand. I can’t do this, but He can.”
Sarah Mae

Just as inside of every caterpillar there is the perfect DNA of a butterfly, so it is that the perfect DNA of Christ is inside of me. I am, day-by-day, moment-by-moment, step-by-step being changed by a merciful and loving God.

I have chosen, in this moment, in this season with my family to celebrate each minute as they unfold. I choose to be thankful. I am learning to be content in all stages the Lord takes me through. I will find the joy God wants me to know.

Hard days will come. Battles will rage. But, I choose to confess that which will strengthen me, “For the Joy of the Lord is my Strength and Stronghold.” [Nehemiah 8:10]

In those seasons that tempt me to give up or be swayed to lack faith I will do as Moses told the Israelites:

Fear not.

Stand still, firm, confident, undismayed

See the salvation of the Lord.

Hold my peace and remain at rest.

Go forward.

Exodus 14:13-15

Mindy B. is a homeschool mom who blogs at My Own Sense and Sensibility. My Own Sense and Sensibility is Mindy’s heart… a southern girls perspective, sharing her journey through life as she lets go and lets God. She is helpmeet to Chris and mother and home school teacher to 3 wonderful, determined gifts from God. Mindy loves simplicity and keeping it real.