Saturday, November 29, 2008

TGIF - Signs and Wonders Today


TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman Friday, November 28 2008

"The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them." - Acts 15:12

"I was a pastor for 19 years before I went into business," said the man sitting across the table from me as we were sharing lunch together. What led him from being a pastor to a businessman was both a move of God and an attack from the enemy.

"I was a pastor of a particular denomination that did not embrace all of God's Word. It was a time in my life when I was experiencing many physical problems. I was on the verge of being admitted to the hospital. I had been seeking God about whether He was truly a God of healing and whether His Word was applicable in all areas of life as it was in the early Church. I was to go into the hospital the next day. That night I cried out to the Lord. I confronted God about His Word. I asked Him if He still did miracles today. Just then, I turned on my TV and saw an evangelist preaching. At that very moment, he stopped preaching, looked into the TV camera, and said these words: 'There is a man in the viewing audience who has been a pastor for many years and is struggling to know whether God heals today. His own denomination does not believe He does. [He even named his denomination.] God is healing you right now to demonstrate to you that His healing is for today, and you are to know that His Word is true for today just like it was for the early Church.' "

My friend was shocked. The TV evangelist could not have described him more accurately if he had been sitting in the same living room with him. God healed him that very night. He was not admitted to the hospital. He was forced to go before his church and witness to God's power in his life. He was soon fired as pastor of this church, and this is what led him into business.

So often when we experience God in greater and deeper ways, the persecution comes not from the world, but from those who are closest to us. The religious community persecuted Jesus. He was betrayed by one of His own disciples. However, we must realize this betrayal was necessary for God to accomplish His work through Jesus.

God will bring each of us to a crisis of faith to test what we really believe. For my friend, he had to experience God in a new way. Then he had to be tested in that belief to the point of losing his job.

Have you experienced God in all of your life? Are there areas in which you believe God does not operate today? Before you discount God, seek Him with a whole heart. You might be surprised at what you will find.

Reprinted by permission from the author. Os Hillman is an international speaker and author of more than 10 books on workplace calling. To learn more, visit http://www.MarketplaceLeaders.org

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Blogging for Prematurity Awareness - Tale of Two NICU's

This is an odd story for a Thanksgiving Day, but maybe not really, as I am particulary thankful that my two preemies have grown up to be brilliant, gorgeous, and mostly healthy.

Incredibly, I never knew that November was "Prematurity Awareness Month". I discovered Cara's blog pages about it on StumbleUpon and they immediately drew me back in time to my own experiences as a Mom of Two Preemies - one in 1985, and a micropreemie in 1991.

I remember when my daughter was born a little over a week before Christmas, 1985, weighing in at what now seems like a giant 4 lbs. 6 1/2 oz.

In the preemie world, she was not all that early at 34 weeks, but it was still a frightening experience that was heightened by the hostile environment of the NICU and the hospital generally.

I didn't realize it was a hostile environment until I experienced the nurturing environment of the NICU in a different hospital where my son was cared for 5 1/2 years later. But NO ONE should ever have to be treated the way we were. Her doctor was wonderful, but the rest of the hospital experience left everything to be desired.

I had left Wall Street to get married and become a mom, and I was accustomed to being accomplished, efficient, and respected. But in this place, it did not take me long to view myself, and my child, as slightly undesirable, inept, dirty, maybe a little stupid. They also asked me loads of questions about whether I was in an abusive relationship, or whether drug use had caused my child's low birth weight, eyeing me suspiciously when I said no to both.

I felt like some kind of modern day leper.

Whether or not her early birth was even in part precipitated by my outbreak of herpes, the nurses came into my room dressed in hazmat suits, looking like some kind of mutant astronauts, refusing to touch me without being covered from head to toe and having a healthy supply of antibacterial agents. No one looked me in the eye, they barely spoke to me if it did not pertain to my treatment.

It took almost a week for me to recover from my C-section enough to go home, and at first, I tried to joke with them that I understood their concerns but that they weren't in any danger of contamination.

I didn't realize till later that they also handled her roughly and kept her in isolation because of suspected herpes - which she did not, in fact, have. Because of the trouble with my C-section I had a hard time walking, but when I was able to drag myself out of bed and down to the NICU, she was always alone in an isolette in an isolation room.

I was only allowed to see her at specific times, and to feed her at specific times, and I was not allowed to touch her without gloves or bring her home until after the New Year. She weighed enough to come home sooner, but they kept her there for observation. The only concession they made to Christmas was to tape a little red bow on her head, since she didn't have enough hair to tie one in. No decorations, no celebrations, just curt updates on her status. Nobody gave me any tips on how to express milk, or offered me any direction on how to use the plastic manual pump they gave me. Nobody explained to me how beneficial breast milk would have been for her, or encouraged me to keep trying.

Shortly before I left there, after one particlarly unpleasant encounter with a nurse, I threw a plastic pitcher of water against the wall and screamed for them to get out and leave me alone. I then sank into post-partum depression for the next six months, and I am sure their contribution to that was my callous treatment in the hospital. I don't even want to know how it affected their treatment of her between the time I went home and the time she was released.

Well, now that I have probably scared the pants off some moms with new preemies, I want to remind you that this happened 23 years ago, and that thanks to the March of Dimes, much has been discovered about prematurity in those years, and many improvements have been made in NICU treatment, particularly for the earliest, smallest and most delicate among us, who might not have even been considered "viable" a long time ago.

Even just 5 years later when my 1275 gram micropreemie son was born at 30 weeks in 1991, the experience was as different from that horror show as night is from day. After being on bedrest for 10 weeks, I had developed preeclampsia, and my blood pressure was in the stratosphere.

It was immediately apparent that they had a different philosophy of care at this hospital. They took polaroids of him right after he was born, and then whisked him away to another hospital where there was a NICU that could provide the care he needed. After a day when I couldn't stand being there without him, they showed me how to care for my incision and allowed me to make the call to leave.

At the NICU, we were encouraged to hold him and talk to him, even to hold him without gloves as long as we washed and gowned up before we entered. We were allowed to stay there for hours on end, where we had every kind of test and treatment thoroughly explained. We were referred to a pharmacy that rented industrial strength electric breast pumps, and told that since I couldn't be there all the time the best thing I could do for him was to provide frozen breast milk.

They called us twice a day, or more often, with every little update on his weight and statistics. Our daughter was allowed to visit with us and hold him. They patiently answered her 5 year old questions and gave her paper and crayons to draw pictures about how she was feeling about what was going on. They showed me how to bathe him and change the leads on the apnea monitor he would be going home with. They gave us classes in infant CPR and told us that we should never leave him with a babysitter who was not proficient in same.

They explained that he was extra sensitive, and pointed out some of his particular coping methods when he was overstimulated, showing us signs to watch for. They let me tape and retape his feeding tubes, and work with them as they taught him to suck on a preemie sized rubber nipple. They explained what bradycardia and elevated bilirubin were, and when we needed to worry and when we didn't.

Just before he left the hospital, they worked with us to make the transition from the feeding tube to breast feeding. And they sent him home after 36 days with a little party complete with balloons, a special outfit embroidered "Daddy's Boy" and a little cap to keep his head warm. As you can see from the photo below, neither of them needs a cap any more to keep their heads warm.

That is the kind of treatment every preemie (and preemie's Mom) deserves, but even better would be a day in which there was no risk of prematurity. The March of Dimes is working to raise awareness of the rise in premature births and discovering their causes so that they can be stopped.

You may want to visit Kristie McNealy's website, which contains extensive resources and information for parents of preemies, and more information about "Blogging for Prematurity Awareness."


Blogging for Prematurity Awareness

Monday, November 24, 2008

Using Educational Software in your Home School

If you have chosen to home school your child you may be considering incorporating educational software into your child's curriculum. Is it really beneficial? How do you know which programs to use? Can educational software replace teaching?

If you are home schooling you are obviously very concerned with your child's progress. You may ask "will using this software help or hinder my child's learning?"

HOW EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE CAN HELP HOME SCHOOLERS

Taking on the responsibility of educating your children is difficult enough when you are not a professional educator, without the added burden of finding ways to engage them and provide stimulating lessons.

New educational software programs help parents to provide quality education while also offering children a rich and entertaining medium to learn skills and acquire knowledge related to their curriculum.

Children learn more quickly and easily when they can be drawn into the experience. Good teachers know how to bring a subject to life for their students which helps children retain the information. Games, stories and other educational software provide the excitement and interaction children are attracted to while improving skills such as reading and math and building on their knowledge of history, science or geography.

Many programs also give instant feedback to the child, helping him or her build on previous experience or knowledge while also developing a sense of pride in accomplishment.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE

Not all educational software is created equal. Cute animations and popular characters will not build your child's skills or even hold their attention if they do not teach or challenge your child.

Most software for children will give an age or grade reference that can be used as a guide for finding suitable topics and are appropriately challenging for your child. Review the contents to determine if the curriculum is too basic for your child since every child learns at a different speed.

Games often have different levels to customize your child's experience to their level of play. Games may adapt themselves based on your child's performance or levels can be selected by the child for each game. Some programs offer an overview of the progress your child has made; showing which steps have been completed and which are still to be done.

EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE HAS ITS PLACE

Educational software is a great complement to the home schooling curriculum. It is especially helpful in providing an engaging format for practicing skills such as reading and math. Sofeware also enhances the acquisition of knowledge of science or geography. But it can never substitute for the attention and teaching of basic skills by an interested teacher.

Once basic skills are learned, games and interactive books can offer your child a forum to build their skill levels or delve deeper into a topic of interest. For younger children, these programs can introduce shapes, letters, numbers and teach useful computer skills. Older children can dig more deeply into the details of a special interest without interfering with the schedule of teaching.

Software can also be used to relieve some of the administrative burden of the homeschooling parent. The feedback given to the child may be a part of a more comprehensive reporting program to the parent that can assist with grading and help the parent accurately assess the child's progress.


This was originally posted here on May 26, 2006.
Photo Credit: Critelli Family Photo, 1995

Sunday, November 23, 2008

No Fear. No Excuses. Start Your Own BailOut for $37


Lessons and tips for a $500 to $1000 a day earner.

Nov 23, 2008

As we watch Billion dollar companies collapse, subways and train service decline in NYC because of cut backs and we watch behemoths like Chrysler, Ford and GM choke for more funding, this is no time to skin each other alive and expect each other to blindly step into our own financial doom.

We can NOT and will not allow BLIND foolishness in respect to each of our individual steps to gather more funds.

** Did you notice the empty parking lots at malls lately?

During this all, I have taught and profited with these four simple, but very timely and precise ideas.

Number #1

It’s simply not prudent and could be considered naïve to enter the field and ask anyone, any longer, to trust you for beyond maybe a hundred dollars.

Yes, you may have a killer $1,000 program that works. Great!

Yes, you may even have a fabulous product that helps people. Even better.

However, it will prove to be certain biz suicide to ask or expect new people who you are luring into your prosperity program to “test” and trust you with a higher than $10 and $50 price point.

Let's be realistic.

Do you really think the neighbors will now risk or even fathom risking $200 to $500 to $1,000 in something they FIRST can’t justify?

Uh, no.

They won’t and even more to the point, they can’t.

The solution is to enter the market with a SAMPLE or mini version of what you sell for an irresistible $10 to $50. Everyone can “risk” $10 and $20 and if it has a 100% guarantee even better.

Example: Our $597 program pays $500 YES, people pay by CC card or cash or money order and it pays $500 per $597.

The beauty though, is that the front end is just $37 and you earn $20.

See PDF + single sheet flyer + make copies show everyone

The fact is, people will no longer allow themselves to be fooled or be made the fool; is why Star-Bucks and teenage clothing store American Eagle is on the list of “oh that is so over.”

Tip #2

The operative word is sacrifice.

Which in it’s greek root means “sacred”

Which means that we as a people right now simply can not afford to do anything that we haven’t first made sacred by thorough and certain ACTION. And action that fails is not sacred.

An action that is risky, filled with caution and is less than likened to a perfect laser beam,is an action that you can no longer afford. Each move has to be calculated. Each action has to be well thought out and a price must be paid as in, you now must move with sacred intent.

Example: doing the mundane like getting up before work and being at the PC by 4 am, is a sacrifice. It’s also a sacred act of action by you.

This is where you want to be in these dark days in order to re-visit the light of prosperity that DOES still exist.

  • Sacrifice being impatient and make being PRUDENT the solution.
  • Sacrifice the games and only decide to deliver and sell total value.
  • Sacrifice inactivity and add 4% more time and more energy into your work.

In today’s market, the ones with not enough action to justify a profit will be eaten and expelled by the market itself. Money games, unprofitable fast buck programs that prey on the greed of others, those will shortly be utterly banished.

Why?

Because the market that used to “fall” for such bastardized means of money making, that market will not even any longer have two dimes to rub together

What the new normal will look like is

Patience. Grace. Sacrifice. Value. Risk-free and Cash rich.

The people will play. The people will earn. But not at each other’s expense. And no longer will they risk even one thin dime.

And if you aren’t in sacred display of loverage, all bets are off because the game will eat the “players.”

The birds have enough. I have more than enough.

And so will you.

You simply have to now MASTER the mundane.

Make every step you take BLESS the steps you take in the future.

And what you do TO others has to be a healing. Not a hurt.

Just pretend the new biz valuation is WAL-MART. Always ask, “Am I being prudent and value driven like Wal-Mart?”

Here is the concept

“To make and get more GET value you have to lead with more GIVE value.”

The people will give you $597 and it pays $500 commission per sale. But, until they can sample and inspect the program for $37 they won’t.

If you lead today with “OH PLEASE TRUST ME with your $1,000,” you will not be here in this industry in 6-10 months. Because the market will vote with this,“you are asking for too much trust too soon please go away.”

No Fear. No Excuses. Start your own bail-out and teach others to as well.

Start now only $37

Receive FAST START guide and 8 x 11 binder + 2 CD + booklet

www.paypal.com

Account momzilla@netzero.net

Call with questions 609-647-8589. Leave a message.

Samples are at: The MillionMind March.

See PDF and see single sheet flyer / PDF

Recorded 24 Hr. “save me” 1-800 BAIL-OUT message

1-800-772-9781 EXT 40, 41, 42

NIGHTLY calls and live Q & A and Support

MONDAY + TUES at 9:27 PM (est)

1-641-594-7000 PIN 600088#

I promised you four new IDEAS. I gave you two so far

Here is # 3

ANSWER your phone.

People will no longer BLINDLY play and work and buy things with faceless gamers on the internet. They simply can no longer afford to RISK working with “your voice mailbox is full” people. People who CANT even make their own voice mail messages.

People who HAVE NO VOICE will not survive the new economy of 2008-2009.

The solution is to be MORE YOU now more than ever. The answer is to be MORE available and twice as transparent as everyone else.

Here is Tip and Solution # 4

Oops! Send me an email at susancritelli@gmail.com with "Bailout" in the subject line and I will send it to you.

See you soon.

Stay Close.

Susan Critelli

Homeschool Mom/Pioneer Doer/Good News Merchant

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Streaming Live from Hamilton, Alabama - The Ramp

This is a live broadcast from Ustream.tv!

If you are looking for God, this is a good place to find Him. We are streaming the Saturday Services here at 10 AM, 3 PM and 7 PM.



Be sure to visit TheRamp.org to learn more about this ministry, called

"to awaken a generation, out of spiritual death and religious complacency, calling them into their individual purpose and corporate responsibility as an offensive army imposing the Kingdom of God."

Here is a good article with more information about Karen Wheaton and the mission of The Ramp.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

German Homeschoolers seek asylum in the US

Excuse me? Asylum for homeschooling?

While I am sure there are plenty of people who think that homeschoolers belong in an asylum, that isn't the kind I am talking about.

I thought "asylum" was when a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his or her own country is given refuge in another country.

Think Tiananmen Square. Russian defectors. Refugees fleeing the Hitler regime.

Of course, now I understand. Fleeing the Hitler regime, or at least, fleeing a law against homeschooling that dates back to the Third Reich.

Uwe and Hannelore Romeike and their family have left their home in Bissingen, Germany, to escape persecution under a requiring all children to attend public school. Check the sidebar for a list of other posts in this blog about the plight of German homeschoolers. The law prohibits homeschooling because the German government frowns upon "the emergence of parallel societies based on separate philosophical convictions" that (*horrors*) might be taught by parents at home.

Imagine that. Having to flee the country because you don't agree with the government about how you want your children to be educated. Let it sink in for a minute.

"The freedom we have to homeschool our children is wonderful. ... We don't have to worry about looking over our shoulder anymore, wondering when the youth welfare officials will come or how much money we have to pay in fines."


What is sad is that these homeschoolers may have jumped out of the frying pan into the fire. Click on the "digg story" link below and check out the opinions people have about the future of homeschooling under Obama.

Then check out this story about the bill that was introduced in NJ that has the noble sounding goal of providing a "Chilcren's Bill of Rights" but that actually will result in an erosion of your parental rights.
read more | digg story

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Commitment with a Cost

The Prayer Band that Started a Revolution

Prayer BandsThis prayer band has been declared illegal in China.

Chinese police have stopped people on the streets and taken the bands off their wrists. Some have been interrogated and arrested; at least three families were evicted from their homes—for the government, the prayer band is a symbol of revolution.

We thank everyone across the U.S. and around the world who answered the call to wear a "Pray for China" prayer band and pray during the Olympics. Your willingness to stand with Chinese house church Christians encouraged them as they also wore prayer bands and prayed for their country. Their commitment came with a cost. Read more.

Yet, house church Christians refuse to be intimidated. They say that prayer for China is even more critical now that the world is no longer watching. Persecution has increased. Will you join in this revolution of prayer for China?

"They can arrest me or put me in prison, but I'm not going to stop praying for China. Although the prayer band is banned in China, prayer can never be banned. I am asking every Christian to support believers in China by wearing a prayer band."

Utterly Off Topic Wednesday - Can you tell the difference between a horse and a frog?




Watch closely...




If this picture doesn't rotate for you, tilt your head to the right and look again. Pretty cool.
 

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Watch This Before You Get a Flu Shot

It's flu season, and you are probably hearing a lot about flu shots and the new recommendations released by the CDC about who should get vaccinated. You may even be getting pressure about getting a flu shot yourself. According to the CDC:

People who should get vaccinated each year are:

1. Children aged 6 months up to their 19th birthday
2. Pregnant women
3. People 50 years of age and older
4. People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
5. People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
6. People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:
a. Health care workers
b. Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
c. Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)

Not so fast.

Before you run out and get this flu shot, think again. If you have avoided childhood vaccines because you have concerns about thimerasol and its possible effect on your children, you need to hear this 2 minute phone call to a manufacturer of flu vaccines.



Take another look at those recommendations. That list covers just about everyone. Did you catch that "every year"? It wasn't good enough to pump thimerasol into our little ones under the age of six, now everyone should get pumped full of thimerasol EVERY YEAR.

Then click on the title of this post to go to Mercola.com and look at the second video on that page, which is Dr. Mercola talking about whether the shots work, how much thimerasol is too much, and other ways to protect yourself against the flu. This is very powerful info for you and your family.

If you are not a subscriber to Dr. Mercola's free daily email newsletter, be sure and enter your email address at the top of that page. This is NOT a sponsored post, and I am NOT getting paid for this opinion. Dr. M. is the real deal, and I am pleased to recommend his newsletter for everything you want to know about alternative or holistic health topics.

Click here for more about vaccines and homeschooling

Monday, November 17, 2008

Can the UN Stop you from Homeschooling?

This was originally posted here on June 24, 2006. The US has repeatedly refused to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but that may change under the Obama administration, resulting in a fearful erosion of parental rights, and affecting our right to educate our children at home.



Maybe.

This is as disturbing a development as I have encountered in my 17 years of homeschooling. Please read this carefully and realize that it can happen to us.


Brussels Journal Editor Threatened with Prosecution over Homeschooling

http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/1114

By Alexandra Colen
Created 2006-06-15 00:05

Yesterday my husband Paul Belien, the editor of this website, was summoned to the police station and interrogated. He was told that the Belgian authorities are of the opinion that, as a homeschooler, he has not adequately educated his children and, hence, is neglecting his duty as a parent, which is a criminal offence. The Ministry of Education has asked the judiciary to press charges and the judiciary told the police to investigate and take down his statement.

It appears that the Belgian authorities are again considering prosecution – the second time in barely two months. This time the claim is not that my husband posted allegedly “racist” texts on this website but that he is failing his children.

My husband, a lawyer by training, and I, a former university lecturer, have homeschooled four of our five children through high school. These four have meanwhile moved on to university. Our youngest child is also being homeschooled, but she has yet to obtain her high school certificate, for which she is currently taking exams. Like her four siblings she takes these exams before the Central Examination Board (CEB), an institution run by the Ministry of Education. The Belgian Constitution, written in 1831, allows parents to homeschool. The CEB exists to enable people who have not attended or who have failed school to obtain an official high school certificate.

Since we started homeschooling in the 1990s the homeschooling movement in Belgium has been growing. The number of homeschoolers is small, comprising only 202 children in primary school and 311 children in high school. Nevertheless the figure has quadrupled in the past five years, as parents are seceding from the official schools where drugs and violence are rampant and pupils are indoctrinated with political correctness and socialism.

The fact that a growing group of children seems to be escaping from the government’s influence clearly bothers the authorities. Three years ago a new school bill was introduced. The new bill refers to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and it obliges homeschooling parents to fill out a questionaire and sign an official “declaration of homeschooling” in which they agree to school their children “respecting the respect [sic] for the fundamental human rights and the cultural values of the child itself and of others.”

The declaration does not specify what “respecting the respect for the fundamental human rights and the cultural values of the child itself and of others” means. It states, however, that government inspectors decide about this and adds – and here is the crux of the matter – that if the parents receive two negative reports from the inspectors they will have to send their child to an official government recognized school.

My husband and I have refused to sign this statement since we are unwilling to put our signature under a document that forces us to send our children to government controlled schools if two state inspectors decide on the basis of arbitrary criteria that we are not “respecting the respect for the fundamental human rights and the cultural values of the child itself and of others.”

According to the Ministry of Education we have violated the law. The judiciary asked the police to take down my husband’s statement, but he refused to sign any document. He was informed that he might soon be taken to court.

Last month Michael Farris, the chairman of the American Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), warned that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child could make homeschooling illegal in the U.S., even though the US Senate has never ratified this Convention.

According to some activist judges the UN Convention is “customary international law. [...] The fact that virtually every other nation in the world has adopted it has made it part of customary international law, and it means that it should be considered part of American jurisprudence.”

Under the Convention severe limitations are placed on parents’ right to direct and train their children. Under Article 13 parents could be subject to prosecution for any attempt to prevent their children from interacting with material they deem unacceptable. Under Article 14 children are guaranteed “freedom of thought, conscience and religion” – in other words, children have a legal right to object to all religious training. And under Article 15 the child has a right to “freedom of association.”

Michael Farris pointed out that in 1995 “the United Kingdom was deemed out of compliance” with the Convention “because it allowed parents to remove their children from public school sex-education classes without consulting the child.” The HSLDA chairman said that, “by the same reasoning, parents would be denied the ability to homeschool their children unless the government first talked with their children and the government decided what was best. Moreover, parents would no longer have the right to bring up their children according to their own philosophical or religious beliefs, as the government, following the guidelines of a UN “committee of experts” would determine what religious teaching, if any, served the child’s best interest.”

Belgium, always quick to adopt and implement any measures aimed at undermining traditional morality and destroying the family, is already putting the decrees of the UN Convention into practice. Article 29 of the Convention stipulates that it is the goal of the State to direct the education of the people it governs toward the philosophy of the New World Order as “enshrined in the charter of the United Nations.” It also stipulates that each child must be prepared to be a responsible citizen by having “the spirit of understanding, peace, toleration, equity of sexes, and friendship [for] all peoples, ethnic, national and religious groups of indigenous origin.” Except probably those to which their parents belong.

Hence all homeschooling parents in Belgium are sent a form in which they are ordered to sign away their parental right to choose their children’s education, to adopt the “mimimum goals set out in the [2003] law on compulsory education,” namely “to respect the fundamental human rights and the cultural values of the child itself and of others” (with the state unilaterally deciding what these human rights and “cultural values” are), and to send their children to state approved schools if state inspectors deem that their schooling does not comply with the aforementioned “minimum goals.”

Parents who sign away their right to educate their own children are subsequently harassed and intimidated. Three families that we know have had to allow inspectors into their homes who interrogate and intimidate their children, then write a report that they are not in compliance with the minimum requirements (viz. the cultural values clause) set out in the signed document, announce that they will return for further inspection and that the children who fail to qualify will be forcibly sent to schools that are officially recognised by the government.

Nowhere, however, do these inspectors outline what they are inspecting and what criteria they apply. After a lifetime of inspecting schools with clearly defined curricula to determine whether the latter qualify for subsidies and recognition of their certificates, they are now set loose on families with no other purpose than to find fault and remove their children from their care. The families do not want subsidies or recognition of certificates, so there are no objective criteria for them to meet. Their children are questioned randomly on a variety of topics, irrespective of their own educational goals, age or curriculum. And they cannot protest the inspectors’ arbitrary verdict as they have signed away their right as citizens to appeal to a higher educational authority or to the courts.

Parents who do not sign away their right to educate their own children are regarded as not educating their children at all, and hence are guilty of a criminal offence.

http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/1114

Update:

It's the UN Wot Done It, 20 June 2006

Filed under



Sunday, November 16, 2008

Sears Jumps on the Layaway Bandwagon


Effective Friday, November 14, 2008, layaway returned to Sears! Sears Layaway Program is great for shoppers who can't use a credit card but just don't quite have the whole amount to pay right now. For $15 or 20% down, whichever is greater, you have a chance to get all the gifts on your loved one's wish list, with up till December 23rd to pay in full.

However, some restrictions apply to the layaway program that may affect the price you pay. For example, the layaway program does not apply to Sears.com. Only merchandise in stock at Sears stores is eligible. Home electronics, home appliances and doorbuster specials are also not eligible. So if there are special deals available on that TV, computer or dishwasher you really wanted this year, or if your favorite line of sweaters is featured in a flyer as a doorbuster available only before noon, you will not be able to use layaway to take advantage of the special pricing. Check the layaway rules to be sure the item you want is not on the prohibited list.

Decide in advance whether a somewhat lower price or the ability to have your purchase paid for before Christmas is more important to you. The size of the discount, and your own history of being able to pay off a bill quickly should guide you here.

I am excited about the Sears layaway program. We did a significant remodeling of our home recently, so Christmas is going to be a little spare this year. But Sears has all the items on our list, and they are all eligible for layaway!

My son has had his eye on the Elder Scrolls series of PC games, as well as a game for the Wii called "Tales of Symphonia - Dawn of the New World". But just to get those three games is $130, so I would be happy to stretch that out over the next 45 days and pay it off just before Christmas.

Then there is the question of his clothes. Ugh. His pants legs are too long so he walks on the edges and they are always ragged. Parents of teenage boys - you know what I'm talking about! He doesn't like certain kinds of materials, so forget jeans or any kind of hard, heavy material. He just won't wear it. Dress pants? Forget about it.

Enter Levi's Action Slacks. They are wrinkle resistant, comfortable and made of a flexible material - perfect for work or church or somewhere I don't want him to look like a slob. And right now they are on sale for $19.99 - so one in each color is only $60 and I can add it to my layaway order for a total of $190.

Finally, after 25 years it is time to get new pots and pans. So for my husband the cook comes a new set of Farberware Millennium Soft Touch Stainless cookware, including three covered saucepans, two skillets, two tools and a covered stockpot for only $99 after a mail in rebate.

Amazing - 45 days to pay less than $300. No interest, no balance after the holidays. I might even have enough left over to buy something for myself!




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Saturday, November 15, 2008

Coming Soon to YOUR state - Children's Bill of Rights

As a homeschooler, one of my primary interests is how bills such as NJ's Childrens' Bill of Rights affect my choice to homeschool.

But this one is different - S.2334 it will affect ALL parents and ALL children and EVERY taxpayer in NJ.

I happened to mention to a friend that I was going to be blogging about the dangers of the proposed N.J. Children's Bill of Rights. With its patriotic name, and its noble goal of of guaranteeing that "the best interests of the child shall be of primary consideration", she could not grasp how something that sounded so good could be giving me a headache.

Carolee Adams, the president of Eagle Forum in New Jersey, has formed an advocacy group on Facebook called "STOP S.2334 - THE NEW JERSEY CHILDREN's BILL OF RIGHTS!" In her recent post she states:

This Bill represents another unfunded mandate of the already bankrupt State of New Jersey,and a Bill that will undermine the sacred role of parental rights to direct the upbringing and education of their children. Under S2334, those parental rights will then be transferred to the State which will then have the unequivocal authority to decide what is in the best interests of the child in matters concerning health, safety, well-being, and physical and mental development. This intrusive Bill expands the role of the State into the privacy of the family structure in countless ways -- and at a time when the State cannot even take care of its own imperatives. Corruption, financial mismanagement, and encroaching, inept governance in New Jersey are notoriously known throughtout the country. Certainly, New Jersey's children are safer and more wisely cared for by parents than by the State which will only use this new role to create jobs and further empty the pockets of the already beleaguered New Jersey taxpayer! S2234 must be opposed by every taxpayer and family in New Jersey! Stop S2334 NOW!


In June of 2006, I posted an article here by homeschooling mom Alexandra Cohen about how her husband, the editor of the Brussels Journal was threatened with prosecution by Belgian authorities because they felt he had not adequately educated his children, and hence, neglected his duties as a parent, which is a criminal offense in Belgium.

This criminal offense is a function of Belgium's status as a signatory nation on the totalitarian power grab known as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the same treaty that the sponsors of S.2334 are using as the basis for this dangerous New Jersey bill.

Michael Farris pointed out that in 1995 “the United Kingdom was deemed out of compliance” with the Convention “because it allowed parents to remove their children from public school sex-education classes without consulting the child.” The HSLDA chairman said that, “by the same reasoning, parents would be denied the ability to homeschool their children unless the government first talked with their children and the government decided what was best. Moreover, parents would no longer have the right to bring up their children according to their own philosophical or religious beliefs, as the government, following the guidelines of a UN “committee of experts” would determine what religious teaching, if any, served the child’s best interest.”
Under President Obama, we are likely to see the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, CEDAW, and other UN treaties that have never been ratified brought up for another vote, sweeping us farther away from constitutional law. Obama has openly promised to "embrace the rule of international law."

New Jersey, always proud to line up behind anything that will further tax or regulate its beleagured citizens, is only the first of many states that will be willing to pass similar bills.

Friday, November 14, 2008

TGIF - Calling By Name

Calling by Name
TGIF Today God Is First by Os Hillman
Posted on 09-14-2008

"These were the chiefs among Esau's descendants: The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: Chiefs Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz." Genesis 36:15

God is big on giving meaning to names. Names often are specific indicators of God's plans and purposes for that individual. A young boy grew up as Moses' servant. His Hebrew name, Hoshea, means "salvation." As the lad grew, Moses could see that he had a "different spirit" from the rest of the Hebrew men. He was selected to be one of the 12 men whom Moses chose to spy out the land of Canaan. Before the expedition, Hoshea was given a new name by Moses-Joshua, which means "the Lord saves." Joshua became the new leader of Israel who would lead them into the Promised Land. He would, in fact, save an entire nation.

In my own journey I had learned that God gave me a name that had something to do with my future call from Him. I was 44 years old and had just gone through two of the most difficult years of my life. During that time, God brought a man into my life who discipled me in areas where I had never been trained. I was discovering many new spiritual truths about myself and Christians in the workplace. I came to identify with the struggles of Esau and Joseph in their desire to understand their own birthrights. I began to write about these discoveries to help other workplace believers understand their own callings through business. One morning on a weekend getaway in the mountains, my friend looked at me and said, "Do you know the meaning of 'Omar'?"

Omar is my first name. My real name is Omar Smallwood Hillman III. Dr. Smallwood had delivered my grandfather. No one, not even my mother, knew the origin of "Omar." They put the "O" and the "S" together to call me "Os." "You need to know the meaning of 'Omar.' It has something to do with your future," said my friend.

Startled by his assertion, that night I looked up the name of "Omar" on a computer program. Here is what I found:

Arabic for "first son" and "disciple," Hebrew for "gifted speaker," and German for "famous." Rooted in the Middle East, this name is rarely used in the West. Omar was the grandson of Esau. [http://www2.parentsoup.com/babynames/baby/o.html]

I was shocked. I had just completed 300 pages of material on the relationship of Christian businessmen to the life of Esau. My friend quickly concluded that God had called me to free Christian businessmen and women from the "Esau life." And He had allowed me to receive a name that related to the person of Esau. It was the closest thing to a burning bush experience I'd ever had. Could the Lord be this personal with us? Yes, Matthew 10:30 tells us He knows the very hairs of our head.

Reprinted by permission from the author. Os Hillman is an international speaker and author of more than 10 books on workplace calling. To learn more, visit http://www.MarketplaceLeaders.org

Thursday, November 13, 2008

The Newest & Coolest Way to Submit Your Resume

The ResumeBear resume delivery system allows you to create, deliver and track your resume online. This unique service hosts your resume completely online, without e-mail attachments. Members can track via text messaging or e-mail when their resume was opened, by whom, if it was printed and if it was forwarded. Very, very cool. Go to: resumebear.com

Be sure to use purchase code "susan" to get your second month free.




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Doorbuster Values Worth Camping Out For at Sears One Day Sale - November 15

It's that time of year again. It seems like it is getting earlier and earlier. Stores are already decorated, Christmas music is playing, and Halloween is just barely over. But the "official" beginning of the shopping season is Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. My daughter and I scour the flyers on Thanksgiving Day and decide what stores we want to target, and then we get up early and start shopping at 5:30 AM or so.

I really hate mall shopping, so Black Friday is about the only day of the year I am willing to drag out of bed early in the morning to go shopping. But this year, I will have to make an exception.

Sears is having a Big One Day Sale Saturday morning, November 15th.

There are some really great items on sale for this special event, but the truly amazing values are the doorbusters that are only available from 7:00 AM until noon.

The item I am most excited about is the Sylvania 32" class LCD HDTV for only $429.99, which is a crazy low price. We already have one of these TVs that we bought last year for $150 more. There are only limited quantities of this TV available, so you can be sure I will be camping out with my cup of hot coffee and my warm coat so I can grab one when the doors open at 7 AM.

My husband is a fantastic cook, and he has wanted a Kitchen Aid stand mixer for years. I have never been willing to spend the money because they were just too expensive. He doesn't know it yet, but he is going to be getting his dream mixer this Christmas! One of the other featured products at this One Day Sale is a Kitchen Aid 4.5 quart bowl lift stand mixer at the unheard of price of $159.99. This is the lowest price Sears has ever offered for this mixer; again, worth standing in line for.

The mall has been pretty empty lately, so I am glad to see that Sears is having a sale that will lure shoppers back before the season gets underway. I am looking forward to getting a jump on Christmas shopping, but not so much of a jump that there is nothing left to buy on Black Friday!

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Using Educational TV in your Home School

This was originally posted here on July 11, 2006.

There are many resources available to home educators on educational TV. From PBS flagship station WNET Channel 13 to the myriad small stations located around the country, quality programming is alive and well on PBS, and the Discovery family of channels - Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, Animal Planet and others. You can find information on the web sites of these networks what shows are available, when they begin for the new school year, when they can be taped, and what the fair use regulations are for each show.

I have been using educational TV in my home school since the very beginning. "Science Rules!" Bill Nye the Science Guy was THE educational show to watch when my kids were small. Fast paced, funny, and highly informative, Bill Nye taught me more about science than I learned in school, and helped me teach science to my own kids as a home schooling mom.

OK, I confess that part of my continuing attraction to "Bill Nye The Science Guy" is a certain nostalgia for simpler times when my children were small. I probably have over 60 episodes on VHS that I drag out and watch even now with my son, who is now high school age. While I am enjoying the memories, he enjoys understanding the jokes now that he did not understand in elementary school, and especially the reworking of classic songs to fit the science topic du jour - songs that he did not know in their original versions at the time. His favorite memory, though, is the voiceovers of announcer Pat Cashman, whose offbeat (and usually hilarious) comments were sometimes the most memorable feature of a particular episode.

That sounds like it has nothing to do with whether Bill Nye delivered good science content, but it is actually the secret of this show which had a successful run from 1993-2002. In the same way that "Sesame Street" provided some humor for parents that included clever send-ups of shows that the children didn't really understand, Bill Nye often drew humor out of fragments of older shows and songs that the kids probably didn't appreciate nearly as much as their parents or teachers. His parodies of old commercials, and clever use of what appeared to be old newsreel films was often a springboard for me to share something about my own childhood with my kids when they would ask me "what that was supposed to be about?" The music videos were always amazing in the way they related the song to the topic, even down to using vocabulary that mimicked the rhythm and rhymes of the original song.

And lest it seem that the only good thing about this show was the off-topic humor - nothing was EVER really off-topic on this show. Every "commercial", every song, every experiment, every random moment (Naked! AAAAAAHHH!! Mole Rat!) was somehow related to the topic. It was like a unit study on steroids, utilizing the very best of humor, music, action, hands-on experiments, "historical footage", technology and repitition of key phrases to cement the material in your mind.

When my daughter was in the 5th grade, my mother became gravely ill and I packed up the kids and went across the country to take care of her. During that three month period, and through the grief of her subsequent passing, not to mention the stress of packing up a lifetime of memories and putting my childhood home up for sale, I was in no condition to home school effectively. In my opinion, the year was basically a waste, and I was sure that we would have to spend the better part of the following school year making up for what we missed. But that summer, when it was time for my daughter's annual assesment via the California Test of Basic Skills, she scored far above grade level. In fact, she scored in the 99th percentile in science, having done little more than read a few library books and watch scores of daily episodes of Bill Nye and "The Magic School Bus".

Of course, for those who are concerned about evolutionary content, Bill Nye flunks. Even the intro depicts the fish crawling up on land and morphing through various-sapiens periods to become Bill himself.



Bill Nye made science fun for all ages, but was a kinder, gentler show than "Brainiac", which has a lot of the same academic strengths, but has a lot of very inappropriate humor for little children. In fact, Braniac does not meet any of the criteria found in Phillipians 4:8 - "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." It would be nice to see a kid's show again that was smart and funny without relying on that sort of shocking, in-your-face humor that characterizes the style of today's young writers.

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Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Your Teacher Said WHAT?!??



I received this in an email, and frankly, I laughed my behind off.

At first.

And you probably will laugh, too, in spite of yourself.

But if a homeschooling parent said this to one of their students, it would be child abuse.

These incredibly cruel and insensitive remarks were made on students' report cards by actual teachers in New York City. Though all the teachers were reprimanded, as I thought about it I realized the remarks are a glimpse into the attitude that many New Yorkers have that there is No Intelligent Life outside of certain boroughs of New York City. I know, I lived there for 7 years in my Previous Life on Wall Street, and once felt that way myself, fancying myself to be some kind of more highly evolved life form, and who looked with disdain on the Red State people in the flyover portion of the country.

Would you not head on down to the school and kick some pasty teacher rump if someone said this to - or about - YOUR kid?

1. Since my last report, your child has reached rock bottom and has started to dig.

2. I would not allow this student to breed.

3. You child has delusions of adequacy.

4. Your son is depriving some village somewhere of an idiot.

5. Your son sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them.

6. The student has a "full six pack" but lacks the plastic thing to hold it all together.

7. This child has been working with glue too much.

8. When your daughter's IQ reaches 50, she should sell.

9. The gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train isn't coming.

10. If this student were any more stupid, he'd have to be watered twice a week.

11. It's impossible to believe the sperm that created this child beat out 1,000,000 others.

12. The wheel is turning, but the hamster is definitely dead.


I thought the schools were making a big deal about protecting students from bullies, but it sounds to me like the Bullies are in charge.

This is just one more reason to keep your child at home where he can learn at his own pace and be celebrated and taught according to his strengths, rather than be judged and insulted for his weaknesses.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Rediscover Layaway at Kmart


"Buy Now, pay later!"

And so we have, from swiping our cards for $1.39 to buy coffee at the Wawa to taking out monsterous sub-prime mortgages for houses we could not afford, creating a financial tsunami that now threatens to drown everyone.

The downturn has caused retail sales to come crashing down across the board, from high-end chains to moderate retailers, indicating that consumers at every income level are keeping their money in their pockets as the Christmas shopping season approaches.

But out of the ashes has arisen a Depression-era sales strategy whose time has come...again.

Layaway is back, and cash-poor shoppers are flocking to the layaway counters at Kmart instead of whipping out the credit cards and paying 22% interest for months after the kids' Christmas toys lie broken or forgotten in the back of the closet.

What is layaway? Layaway is a way to make a purchase without paying the entire cost at once. It differs from a credit card purchase in that the customer does not get to take the item home right away, but rather has to "lay" it "away" until it is completely paid for.

Kmart Lay-Away offers a generous eight weeks to pay, and a small service fee of $5. If the customer is unable to make the payments, the item goes back on the shelf and the customer is refunded those payments already made, minus a cancellation fee of $10. Kmart collects those front and back end fees ($15), or a 10% downpayment when the items are first purchased. As long as the bi-weekly payments are made, Kmart will hold the item for you. And best of all, you don't have to use your credit card!

There are a number of items that are not eligible for the program, including larger ticket items like cell phones and personal computers, but happily, not on that list is an item I never considered buying before because of the price - the Xbox 360.

At $299, it just represented more than we were willing to pay for yet another video game system, even if it does boast the best games and graphics for older teens like my son.

But now with Kmart's layaway program, even though there are only four weeks until December 5, when items needed for Christmas must be paid for and picked up, that is still only $75 a week, a much more manageable amount than trying to find $300 all at once. It's even worth taking a ride out to Brick, NJ, which is the nearest store to where I live that offers the layaway program.

I can remember the excitement of going with my grandmother to make layaway payments at the big department store downtown when I was a little girl. She would take out a $10 bill with a flourish and make a payment on a secret special gift for me. By the time Christmas came, it didn't even matter what it was. The thrill of anticipating the gift was a huge part of my enjoyment.

As shoppers are tightening their belts, we can use all the thrills and anticipation we can get to offset the anxiety many are feeling about job uncertainty and high gift prices. Bravo Kmart, for reviving a practice that will enable cash strapped families to have a Merry Christmas after all.Click Here

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Friday, November 07, 2008

TGIF - The Value of Hard Places


November 7, 2008
Os Hillman

So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. - 2 Corinthians 4:12

Being forced into hard places gives us a whole new perspective on life. Things we once valued no longer hold the same value. Small things become big things, and what we once thought big no longer holds such importance.

These hard places allow us to identify with the sufferings of others. It keeps us from having a shallow view of the hardships of others and allows us to truly identify with them. Those who speak of such trials from no experience often judge others who have had such hardship. It is a superficiality of Christian experience that often permeates shallow believers.

Those who have walked in hard places immediately have a kinship with others who have walked there also. They do not need to explain; they merely look at one another with mutual respect and admiration for their common experience. They know that death has worked a special thing in them. This death leads to life in others because of the hard places God has taken them through.

It is impossible to appreciate any valley experience while you are in it. However, once you have reached the top of the mountain, you are able to appreciate what terrain you have passed through. You marvel at what you were able to walk through. The valley of the shadow of death has yielded more than you ever thought possible. You are able to appreciate the beauty of the experience and lay aside the sorrow and pain it may have produced.

Death works in you for a greater purpose. If you are there today, be assured that God is producing something of much greater value than you will ever know.

Reprinted by permission from the author. Os Hillman is an international speaker and author of more than 10 books on workplace calling. To learn more, visit http://www.MarketplaceLeaders.org

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Utterly Off Topic Wednesday - New Jersey School Boots Boy Over Jesus Costume

Every year, New Jersey schools come up with new ways to show their intolerance for Christian themes.

This year the principal of West Brook Middle School in Paramus decided that Alex Woinski's Halloween costume depicting Jesus Christ is more disruptive than costumes depicting ghouls and demons.

Or John McCain.

You can read about this tempest in a teapot at AOL's news page.
Photo credit: Woinski Family photo

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Home Office Tips for Working Moms


This informative article was posted on October 29, 2008 at the Family Bliss channel of Blissfully Domestic, under the header "Working Moms." Perfect for the person who is just starting out working at home.

*****

We’ve talked about the essentials for your home office, those absolute necessities. A large-enough work surface and a comfortable chair. A different phone number, some sort of reminder system, and a surge protector. Your mileage needs may vary, but generally, those are the basics.

Now what about the things that make your day just that much easier? The things that make you smile simply because they’re within easy reach? The items that make you grateful because of their time saving or money saving features?

Visit Ree at Blissfully Domestic to view the rest of this article.

Monday, November 03, 2008

Physical Education Ideas for Home Schooled Children


One of the arguments against home schooling is that the children will not get enough exercise.

Since home schooled children can get through their lessons a great deal more quickly than if they were trying to deal with the distraction of 20 or so other kids at school, their afternoons are often free and they can go outside and run around to their heart's content.

But what happens if you live in a high-rise or your yard is too small to allow for much running? Or what if your student prefers computers, erector sets and other indoor activities? What if their only exercise is their thumbs moving the video game controller?

Or what if you are so worried about socialization that you have them in a choir, and taking music lessons, scouts, AWANA, debate team, or whatever, so that they don't have time to exercise? There may also be some financial issues - sports for kids are not a cheap proposition. Equipment and classes are very expensive.

Try the President's Fitness Challenge. When my kids were small I was introduced to this great program by our homeschool umbrella group at that time, The Sycamore Tree. The President's Challenge gives you tools to help you monitor your progress, a personal activity log, and a way to reward those who achieve certain milestones.

If you cannot find something your child can do out of this approved list of activities, then I just don't know what to say. For the walker, there is a way to tally your daily steps with a pedometer. There is even a nod to your video gamer with the inclusion of Wii Sports.

Aerobics Archery Badminton Baseball Basketball Baton Twirling Bicycling Billiards Bowling Boxing/Kickboxing Calisthenics Canoeing Cardio Machines Cardio Tennis Cheerleading Children's Games Circuit Training Cricket Croquet Cross Country Skiing Curling Dancing Darts Diving Downhill Skiing Fencing Field Hockey Figure Skating Fishing Foot Bag Frisbee Gardening/Lawn Mowing Golf Gymnastics Handball Hang Gliding Hiking/Backpacking Hockey Home Repair Horseback Riding Horseshoe Pitching Household Tasks Hunting Inline Skating Jai Alai Juggling Kayaking Lacrosse Lawn Bowling Lifting/Hauling Marching Martial Arts Motor Cross Mountain Biking Mountain Climbing Nintendo Wii (Sports) Nordic Walking Orienteering Paddleball Pedometer Pilates Polo Racquetball Rock Climbing Roller Skating Rope Jumping Rowing Rowing Machine Rugby Running Sailing Scuba Diving Shuffleboard Skateboarding Skating Ski Jumping Skimobiling Sky Diving Sledding Snorkeling Snowboarding Snowmobiling Snowshoeing Snow Shoveling Soccer Softball Squash Stationary Bike Stretching Surfing Swimming Table Tennis Tai Chi Tennis Track & Field Trampoline Trap & Skeet Unicycling Volleyball Walking Wallyball Water Aerobics Water Jogging Water Polo Water Skiing Weight Training Whitewater Rafting Wind Surfing Wrestling Yoga

There is something here for everyone. High impact/low impact, team sports, personal best challenges, sports for the highly skilled, stretching and manual labor.

The goals are simple - 60 minutes of activity, five days a week, for children under 18. Adults can do 30 minutes a day. The challenge takes place over a six week period, so you can do it several times during the school year.

You could do this as a group and keep each other accountable. There is a way for a group admin to keep track of all the members of the group.

There are some parents that are trying to get laws passed that will force public schools to accept homeschooled students on their sports teams. In other states, the schools see that as a way to lure homeschooled students into accepting services in exchange for control over their homeschool programs.

The President's Challenge offers a free alternative, and one that does not obligate you to the school district.

Sunday, November 02, 2008

TGIF - God Is Not About YOUR Success

God Is Not About YOUR Success
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
11-02-2008

"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life" (John 12:24-26).

God is all about your death so that HIS success can be realized through you! This is why the Church is having such little impact - there are too many believers who have not yet died to their old nature so that Christ can live fully through them. When believers come to the end of themselves they will lose their lives to Him and live through the power of the Holy Spirit and begin to see the reality of a living gospel that impacts lives, workplaces, cities and nations.

"Much of modern Christian enterprise is 'Ishmael.' Born not of God, but of an inordinate desire to do God's will in our own way - the one thing our Lord never did," said Oswald Chambers. The psalmist describes what it means to live in our own strength:

"Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for he grants sleep to those he loves" (Ps 127:1-2).

How does one die so that Christ can be our all and all? It usually takes a crisis of significant proportions for most people to relinquish the control of their lives. It means we come to the end of ourselves and our striving to control the events in our lives and we finally come to the place where we can say, "Lord, I surrender. Please take full control of my life."

Have you come to this place with God in your life? Let go and let God make you a success His way.

Reprinted by permission from the author. Os Hillman is an international speaker and author of more than 10 books on workplace calling. To learn more, visit http://www.MarketplaceLeaders.org

Saturday, November 01, 2008

Teaching Strategies For Home School Students with ADD

Today's guest post is from Mimi Rothschild, the founder of Learning By Grace, the parent company of the Jubilee Academy, which is the online school my 17 year old is using.

More and more homeschooling parents have asked me about Attention Deficit Disorder and the best way to homeschool their children who have ADD or ADHD. I found this list of ADD/ADHD resources online, I thought I’d share it with everyone.

“Excerpted from Teaching Strategies: Education of Children with Attention Deficit Disorder.

Effective classroom teaching requires knowledge about attention deficit disorder, a solid grounding in behavioral management, skill in instructional design, and an awareness of the disorder’s medical components. This understanding is enhanced when strong relationships are built between professionals and families.

The following articles outline suggestions and strategies to use when working with students with ADD/ADHD:”

Getting Help for Students with ADD/ADHD

Classroom teachers play a key role in identifying students who are ADD/ADHD. The first step in identification is being clear as to what attention deficit disorder is and what it is not.

A brief description of why schools have teams consisting of qualified professionals, on which medical professionals often serve, to identify students with attention deficit disorder.

Suggestions on ways to find useful information on identifying students with ADD/ADHD.

Tips and suggestions for working as a part of a decision-making team to evaluate the assessment data for students with ADD/ADHD.

This article briefly explains formal assessment guidelines when working with a student with ADD/ADHD.

Teaching Students with ADD/ADHD

This article describes the diverse needs of students with ADD and how to meet these needs.

Suggested modifications to make for students with ADD/ADHD.

Strategies and suggestions on managing a classroom with ADD/ADHD students.

This article describes successful ways to communicate with an ADD child’s family.


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