Such a Time As This

Faith, Hope, & Love

How to Create an Amazing Homeschooling Africa Geography Study

Africa:

Map work

There are many options but here is what we did.  Focus on one region or country of Africa per week.  For each section of Africa, the kids hand drew a map in their notebooking journal sketch books.  They identified that country (or countries) on the map by writing them in.  They drew a picture of the country’s flag.

Art

They draw some of the things that they talked about during narration time.

 

Other days, they did art projects themed around the country we studied.

Copywork

Copywork consists of one of the books we were reading or scripture we are discussing.

 

Memory Work

The kids were encouraged to memorize the countries and try to remember the capitals.  We also do scripture memory.

homeschooling africa

We started watching movies as part of our Brave Writer Lifestyle.  Some of the movies we watched during our Africa study include:

Samuel Morse Movie

Facing Darkness – To read my review of this movie click here.

Mully – To read my review of this movie check it out here, to read my interview with Dr. Mully click here.

The Man Who Knew Too Much

Joseph – Prince of Egypt

Disney Nature Chimpanzee

 

Books

We are reading through many Missionary biographies and true stories:

Kisses from Katie

David Livingstone

The Mully Story

Queen of Katwe

 

Games

10 Days in Africa

Chess

Puzzle

Ticket to Ride

 

Have you done a homeschooling Africa unit study?  What did you add to your list?

 

Not My Calling – 7 Reasons For Not Helping Orphans

 

 

 

 

Make no mistake about it. This is my calling and it is yours. God has called all of us to do His work. He has called all of us to show his love.  He has called all of us to share His truth.

my calling

 

Reasons Why We Don’t Live Our Calling

 

  1. Fear
  2. Apathy – {Not being directly affected}
  3. We don’t think this applies to us {“It’s not my calling”}
  4. Ignorance – {Not knowing the truth/facts}
  5. Wrong thinking – {Confusion of how this pertains to the gospel}
  6. Negative Thinking– {Feeling like the problem is too great “What can I even do?”}
  7. Feeling of Insignificance – {“I’m just a stay at home mom – I can’t change anything.”}

 

Rebuke the Lies

Many of us have been there.  If we are honest, most of us have thought some or all of these thoughts at one time.  Some of you reading this are currently thinking this way.  I want to clear somethings up really quickly.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:37-38

  1. Fear is not from God (2 Timothy 1:7)
  2. Wake up!(Rev. 3:2) (Ephesians 6:10-12)
  3. It is every Christian’s Calling (James 1:27)
  4. Do not be foolish (Ephesians 5:17)
  5. Jesus says what we do to “the least of these” we’ve done to Him (Matthew 25:45)
  6. With God all things are Possible (Luke 18:27)
  7. It’s not about us it’s about Him (1 Cor. 1:26-30)

Thankfulness for Those Who Have Followed The Call

I’m thankful that so many Christians are doing something.  So many who have gone before us – and even those surrounding us right now who are stepping out on faith.  Thank you.

Thank you to those who have loved and cared for the orphans, those without families.  I sincerely thank you to those who have had compassion on the needy and the poor.  And thank you to the friends of mine who have been an example to me.

These faithful followers of Jesus have stepped out in faith and helped the refugees, the poor, the fatherless.  They have loved others recklessly.  They have served others.

This calling encompasses orphan care, loving the widows, the poor, the least of these.  I think of the men and women who have loved my son (who has special needs) and welcomed them into their churches, even when other churches would not have.  They’ve shown me compassion when I was in the darkest shadows.  Those people who have known their calling is to serve the people who can give nothing in return.  So, Thank you.

Thank you from one mom to another.  I want to thank you because you have changed lives.  Thank you because you have shown others how to live in Faith.

As Charles Mully said during our interview,

“…the love of God… The love that has got no borders, for us to extend to the people. Because when you love people, then you love God. When you love God, we must love the people, and then we’ll make this world a better place here, our future generation for our children will be a better place.”

I think of it like this: Just because we all won’t become missionaries doesn’t mean we aren’t all called to reach the lost.  Just because we all aren’t able to adopt, doesn’t mean we don’t have a calling to love the orphans.

Get Back On Track

I’ve found these things to be beneficial in my own life:

PRAY that your eyes will be open to the truth

Keep PRAYING that your heart will break for what breaks His

Furthermore, PRAY that you will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit

 

 

1 John 3:18 “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”

 

Will you accept the call today to love others as he has loved you?  Will you accept the call to not love just by words or talk but as John says, “in deed and in truth?”  It is too easy to turn away from the truth, to turn away from the problems of the world.  If they aren’t blocking your path, then it is too easy to choose to believe that we are “doing enough”.

Matthew 20:26-28 “… But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,  and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

However, there is hope.  Just because this seems too big for us to handle, God is the God of the Impossible. He only is asking to be obedient and follow Him.  He will do the rest.   If God could call one man and through his work rescue over 12,000 orphans from Kenya – then he can use us to save lives, as well.  Follow along over the next week as we hear from people who are following God’s call in their life. And remember:  “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

 

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How to Be Prepared for Sickness Even on the Road

This travel first aid list contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.

 

We were about 2 hours down the road when my 2 year old threw up all over herself and her car seat.  We weren’t just 2 hours down the road – we were on the second leg of our journey.  Leaving our hotel that morning, everything seemed fine.  Now, we had a mess to clean up.  And a car sick little girl.  It didn’t take long for her belly to get better, but the experience had a lasting impact on me.  In that moment I knew that I wasn’t prepared.

 

On the next leg of that trip,  the kids splashed and played in the indoor swimming pool.  We ordered pizza delivery and it seemed that we salvaged the remainder of our trip.  That’s when it happened.  We were drying off the little kids when one accidentally slammed the bathroom door shut right on another child’s finger.  Not fun.  Not pretty.  Bandages – quick.

 

I’ve always been the type to maybe have two bandages in the diaper bag, a pack of wipes and diapers and call it a day.  I usually pack some liquid fever reducer – especially when traveling with babies or toddler.  However, I don’t typically over prepare – mainly because I figure if we need something – we can find it at a local store.  Well, not true if you are driving on a road far from the next major town or city.  Lesson learned.

 

That was enough.  I knew I needed an emergency kit – pronto.

 

After these two situations, I put together a travel first aid kit tailored for our family.

 

travel first aid

 

Our Travel First Aid List

A few different types of travel first aid type supplies – including small finger tip bandages.

We included:

  1. Non-stick pads
  2. Tape
  3. Hydrogen peroxide spray
  4. Disinfecting wipes
  5. Paper towels
  6. Plastic gloves
  7. Hand wipes
  8. Cortisone cream
  9. Anti-bacterial ointment
  10. An anti-histamine
  11. A fever reducing medicine
  12. Electrolyte supplement (in case of vomiting)
  13. A plastic bin with lid to store the supplies

 

 

We also picked up a smaller version of our travel first aid kit for the diaper bag.  This kit has so much good stuff in it, including: disposable thermometers, ointment, creams, various bandages and a few other key items.

 

 

 

 

What kind of travel first aid kit do you use?  How do you prepare for sickness on the road?

 

What you Need to Teach Letter Writing to your Kids

Contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.

 

 

I was in 5th grade when my class sent balloons up into the air – each one filled with a little note. I think it was some sort of experiment, but my balloon was one of the few that was found. That day I became a pen-pal with someone who lived several towns a way. It’s strange how I vaguely remember some of the details and yet vividly feel the enthusiasm welled inside of me to write to the person who found my balloon.

The Lost Art of Letter Writing

Fast forward almost 25 years, and it seems that we’ve lost the art of letter writing. I was encouraged to write. Maybe that was because when I moved to a new state a few months after the pen-pal incident, I would have lost all of my friends, if not for letter writing.

 

There was no e-mail. There was no texting. There was no wi-fi.

 

We wrote because it brought us life. At least socially.

 

I realize that technology has usurped this long lost art, but today I am reclaiming it for my family. We are beginning homeschool letter writing day.

Homeschool Letter Writing: What We are Doing

Gone are the days of the unknown pen-pal.  However, because we recently moved, my kids have a kind of built -in group of pen-pals: all of their old friends.  We are also going to start writing to the child we sponsor.  It is so easy to find people to write to.  Our big kids are going to write full letters, the littles are going to first learn to sign their name.  We will slowly work up to writing letters with them.  They can start with their name and drawing a picture, though.  Our homeschool letter writing day will look like this: Take a piece of stationary or blank note card and decorate it, write a nice note (long or short), sign it, learn to address it, stamp it, and put it in the mailbox.  Don’t forget to raise the flag – if mailing it at home!

 

Here is What We are Using for Homeschool Letter Writing

1. Blank note cards

2. A bunch of collected ink pads

3. Rubber stamps

3. Hand lettering & calligraphy pens & markers

4. Colored Pencils

5. Books that teach illustration

6. Books that teach scripting & hand lettering

Once a week work on writing to one person.

It could be an old friend.  Maybe an aunt or uncle.  It could even be one of the cousins.  It really doesn’t matter, as long as they are practicing.  I’m sure some of our relatives love getting a note from the kids – especially the ones that live so far away.

 

I created a free printable cheat-sheet for homeschool letter writing that can be laminated and placed in the same bin as your note cards, pens, stamps, colored pencils, and whatever other supplies you decide to include.

 

Download Your Printable Letter Writing How-To

 

Please Pin to Pinterest. 🙂

 

How to Help Children Find Books They Will Love

Don’t all of us parents want our children to develop healthy habits?  For instance, we want them to make healthy food choices. We want them to get enough exercise and practice good hygiene. And we want them to do well in school and succeed in things they do. Unfortunately, reading is a healthy habit that is often overlooked. Some children dislike reading because they struggle to find a book that interests them. These five guidelines can help you learn how to help children find books they will love.

 

How to Help Children Find Books They Will Love

How to Help Children Find Books They Will Love

 

1. P.I.C.K.

P.I.C.K stands for Purpose, Interest, Comprehension, and Know the words. Teachers and librarians use this mnemonic as they assist children on their book search. Children who have memorized P.I.C.K can usually find a book by themselves if given enough time and freedom to browse.

 

2. Five Finger Test

The Five Finger Test is a great way to assess comprehension by reading only one page of a book. Have the child open a book to any full page of words. Have them read the page, preferably out loud so you can hear too. As they read ask them to hold up a finger each time they reach a word that they do not know the meaning of and/or that they cannot pronounce.

  • If at the end of the page, they are not holding up any fingers the book could possibly be too easy for them but if that’s the one they want it’s okay to let them try it.
  • If only one or two fingers are held up then the book is appropriate based on comprehension.
  • Three fingers mean that the book could be a little difficult but probably doable, especially if the child is excited about it.
  • Four fingers mean it’s probably too hard and five fingers mean it’s time to choose another book or read with an adult.

 

3. Know the Child

Just like when your friend says “I read this great book, I really think you’ll love it too!” (and they are right) you, as the parent and chief knower of your child, will have an advantage when it comes to finding books your children will like. Consider what kind of imaginative play your child engages in and consider looking for books in that genre. Also, think about what books you loved as a child. However, it is important to remember that just because you loved a book when you were young doesn’t mean your offspring will love it too. Don’t get your feelings hurt!

 

4. Ask Your Librarian

Librarians get paid to know about books. Specifically, Children’s Librarians get paid to help suggest books for children. It’s their job to know about a lot of different subjects and genres so why not take advantage of them as a resource? If your child’s school has a small library or if your child feels like there is not enough time during library time at school, your local public library can be a huge help. After chatting with your librarian to get a few good ideas, make space and time for your child to browse through as many books as it takes for him to say, “this is the one.”

 

5. Choose Books Based on Upcoming Movies

Do you know of any movies coming out soon that were books first? Challenge your child to read the book before they see the movie counterpart. Or have them read the book that goes with a movie they already love; think titles like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Giver, The Hunger Games and Judy Moody. Even Home (you know, the one with the aliens and the little girl looking for her mom, and the cat named pig) was a book before it was a movie.

If this helped your children find books like, please pin to Pinterest!

 

How to Help Children Find Books They Will Love