The UmBlog

This is actually an attempt to demonstrate in our home school how to discuss the effect of setting in a story. We read John 21 this morning in our family devotions. John sets the last chapter of his gospel by the sea of Tiberias, v.1. He notes Peter's companions on this post-resurrection fishing trip, v.2. He includes the detail that they were fishing at night, v.3. As experienced fishermen, they know that the night time is the right time to bring in the keepers. Even modern fishermen know this. However, their efforts were for naught. At dawn, they have nothing to show for their endeavor. Perhaps there is mist rising off the lake, because when Jesus calls out to them, they don't recognize him, v.4. His suggestion is the sort of advice non-fishermen would give, as if the fish don't sense the difference in net 10 feet to the other side. Yet, it's on the other side that the huge catch is landed. John emphasizes the size of the catch by noting the immense weight, so great ...

I wrote... As the scientist in the family, my job is to teach math and science to the kids. When science experiments fail, i get excited because that's my reality at work. God is good jpu at When Experiments Fail on the Sonlight blog. We buy our home school curricula from them.

Phelan the Homesteading Neophyte is looking into homeschooling. I told her how we like Sonlight . Christianity Today's blog notes a churchman turned atheist, A.N. Wilson, is now believing in Christ. Stuff Christians Like has a great post on loving our enemies . I mentioned forgiveness. Justin has a fantastic cat story .

I'm sure this isn't an original idea, but I'm wondering why home schools, which pay the taxes for their local schools but don't use the system, aren't given a tax break on the school supplies they purchase for their micro school? They assist the system by making classrooms a little smaller. They assist society by providing an intensive education to future citizens.

These posts appear in the shared feeds section all week here at the Umblog. Remember this post, Thank God for Mitt Romney ? Well Fox news had 21 questions on Mormonism for the LDS to answer. And now the apologists are creating a midrash on those answers. Evidence Ministries  chimes in.  Parchment and Pen blogger Rob Bowman also. Don't forget Mormon Coffee (did you catch the entendre there?). James White digs the details and goes in depth. Bonus: How about the LDS revelation reversing its racist stance on blacks in the priesthood. Now it's being discussed on the Sunday morning political shows, see the Acton blog . Just because you are born-again, and not a Mormon, doesn't mean you won't fall under the sway of bad leadership. My friends offer some organizational psychology in a post called Reality and Good Leadership . Some people may perceive homeschoolers as cultists. They aren't usually. Check out this family of 10 . Read this interview with the YWAM Arvada dir...

what do you want to learn ?

this is indirectly related to homeschooling. we are often asked if the children get much socialization. yes they do, but definitely not as much as their peers in school. but this quote that Andrew quotes shows the flipside of this socialization "Some 93% of Italian teenagers eat regularly with their families; in the UK just 64% of 15-year-olds do the same. . . Nick Pearce, director of the IPPR, told the BBC last night the figures pointed to an "increasing disconnect" between children and adults, with young people learning how to behave from each other. He said: "Because they don't have that structured interaction with adults, it damages their life chances. They are not learning how to behave - how to get on in life - as they need to." fwiw, i don't know, i've been reading a chapter of the bible aloud at the dinner table every night. at some point i hope those Hebrews readings will click with them. boy was that tough/boring on them. but the judges an...

if you thought i was joking when i tell you my wife keeps the calendar...then read this

this rant is just as important to homeschoolers who see the system is broken but still try to please the system instead of improve on it.

"Wilson’s advice applies not just to homeschoolers but to everyone, Christians especially. What place is there for deceit and prideful posturing, regardless of how subtle, in the life of the person whose sole vindication is Jesus Christ? We must be honest with God, ourselves, and others, in wisdom and discernment, in order to receive help for our very real problems."

My wife describes how our kids make money at Smart Mom Blog: Loose Change : "You see, my children work for pennies. If they do not work, they do not get paid. We have a chore system that includes short term and long-term goals. Each child has a chart listing his or her jobs. When a job is completed, the child gets to stamp off the appropriate box on the cart. “Yes! I get to stamp a cute picture on my chart.” If all the jobs are done for the day, I put a sticker on the chart. “Yes! I get a STICKER!” Mind you, these stickers are about an eighth of an inch long and I have about a thousand of them. Bought them on a roll four years ago. On sale of course. I don’t think we will ever run out!"

My wife was interviewd by our local paper. Smart Mom Blog: Not-back-to-school shopping