Archive | September 2005

Picture Book Preschool: Week 37

Sep5

Picture Book Preschool is a preschool/kindergarten curriculum which consists of a list of picture books to read aloud for each week of the year and a character trait, a memory verse, and activities, all tied to the theme for the week. You can purchase a downloadable version (pdf file) of Picture Book Preschool by Sherry Early at Biblioguides.

WEEK 37 (Sept) FORESTS/TREES
Character Trait: Steadfastness
Bible Verse: And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground, trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. Genesis 2:9a

1. Ets, Marie Hall. In the Forest. Puffin, 1976.
2. Udry, Janice May. A Tree Is Nice. Harper, 1957.
3. Hyman, Trina Schart. Little Red Riding Hood. Holiday House, 1983.
4. Galdone, Paul. The Three Bears. Clarion, 1985.
5. Turkle, Brinton. Deep in the Forest. Dutton, 1987.
6. McCloskey, Robert. Blueberries for Sal. Viking, 1968.
7. Gackenbach, Dick. Mighty Tree. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1992.

Discuss: How are the stories The Three Bears and Deep in the Forest alike? How are they different? Would you like to walk through the forest? What would you expect to find in the forest?
Activities: Go for a walk in a forest or at least a small grove of trees. Plant a tree. Adopt a tree in your yard or in the park. Watch through the year as the tree changes.

Pray for Wisdom

Sep4

FEMA and the Red Cross are obviously “making it up as they go along” in regards to Katrina relief efforts, not that I blame them. As everyone has been saying over and over, the situation is unprecedented. The Red Cross shelter near us at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church has been serving over 300 storm victims all this week. From their website:

Late Friday night we were suddenly informed that the American Red Cross, FEMA, and the authorities charged with managing the national response to the Katrina disaster had made the difficult decision to close the community based shelters in the Houston area and consolidate relief efforts and resources at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. Our dedicated shelter team, the local Red Cross folks and our staff shared our frustration and tears over this abrupt change in direction. In the past few days we had been told to plan for as little as a week or two of sheltering to as long as 3 months. Our community has responded with overwhelming generosity, bringing our shelter up to speed as one of the finest very quickly. By the grace of God and through the generosity of the community we have provided housing, meals, material needs and care for nearly 400 resident guests and over 1,000 other displaced people in the last week. Consolidating shelters will permit the available resources to be managed and deployed more effectively.

Eldest Daughter and I were discussing this decision this afternoon. It seemed to both of us that community-based efforts where individuals could connect with individuals instead of being “warehoused” in the Astrodome or another convention center were preferable. In fact, I would expect the Red Cross officials to be encouraging families to house families and churches to house families so that the larger facilities could be cleared as soon as possible. But, as I told my daughter, I have no expertise or experience in the area of crisis or disaster relief, so I defer to those who do. I understand wanting to make sure that everyone receives the services they need. Anyway, it seems that the Red Cross changed their minds:

Updated 9/3 at 9:05PM: Just as the school busses provided by CCISD rolled in this morning to transfer our shelter residents, we received new information from the crisis management officials. We were “turned back on” and asked to immediately prepare for the return of our guests and the addition of more. So as of this evening we are at our current shelter capacity and our guests are enjoying 400 lbs. of fine Texas Bar-B-Q!.

Did anyone ask the peo0ple from Louisiana what they would prefer to do? Are they still free citizens with the right to make their own decisions? Churches helping refugees to survive and get back on their feet, this is what we need. At least, it seems so to me. But I’m no expert.

Katrina Questions

Sep4

Everybody says that it’s too early to start pointing fingers and assigning blame for the disaster that was Hurricane Katrina relief. Well, I’ve been helping with relief efforts on a very small scale, and I will continue to help. However, while I and my family continue to offer our money, time and energy to those who have lost their homes and material goods and, in some cases, their hope, I have some questions. If anyone knows the answers to these questions, I would truly, honestly like to know:

1. Whose responsibility was it to order the evacuation of New Orleans and surrounding areas and to provide means of evacuation for those who had no transportation, Mayor Nagin or President Bush?
2. Whose responsibility was it, after people were told to go to the Superdome and to the NO Convention Center for refuge from the storm, to make sure there was adequate food, water and security for those people? Mayor Nagin or President Bush?
3. I have read that there was only one day’s supply of food and water in the Superdome. Is this true?
4. Were other cities (Dallas, Houston, etc.) asked to prepare to receive refugees from the storm before Katrina hit? Or did those cities simply offer to help after the refugees began pouring in and after they saw that the city of New Orleans had no ability to cope with its own problems whatsoever? (Not to imply that we begrudge the help. I’m sure that the people of NO would do the same for us were the roles reversed. I’m not so sure, however, I would trust the city government of of New Orleans to do anything.)
5. Is there any way, and are there any plans, to rebuild New Orleans on higher ground? If Holland can build dykes that will hold back the ocean, why can’t New Orleans do something similar? I really want to know. I’m not an engineer, so maybe I’m asking a stupid question. If so, tell me why. I don’t mind being corrected or informed.
6. Has the mayor of New Orleans done anything constructive either to avert this crisis or to alleviate the suffering of the poor people left in New Orleans? Or has he spent this entire time cursing at the feds and raving like a maniac?
7. Does anyone who criticizes any level of government in this crisis, local state, or federal, have any actual examples of things you would have done differently?
8. Why has all the new focused on New Orleans instead of Biloxi or Gulfport or Hattiesburg, Missisippi? Is it because these communities were less damaged by the storm, because the flooding was much more severe in New Orleans, because New Orleans is bigger, or because New Orleans was so mismanaged and poorly governed?
9. Finally, what have we learned? What will be different when a hurricane destroys Galveston or Mobile? Or even Houston?

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More Churches Helping

Sep3

Clear Lake Methodist Church is accepting donations for flood buckets, school supplies for children who are here from NO and will be enrolling in school, and other supplies. They’ve already created a disaster relief committee to coordinate their church’s efforts and maximize the help they can give. In addition:

Bishop Huie has asked the Houston East District, which includes Clear Lake United Methodist Church, to help feed the Astrodome folks on Thursday, September 15. Our church’s goal is to have 100 volunteers support this effort. Other United Methodist churches and districts will cover other days during the week of September 14-20. There are three daily shifts: 4am-10pm/ 10am-4pm/ 4pm-10pm. Our combined task will be to prepare, serve and clean up 75,000 meals/day. It will require 720 trained volunteers per day. State law requires that every volunteer must be trained (2 hours) in food handling. Training dates are: Sat., Sept. 3 @9am; Sun., Sept 4 @ 2pm, and Monday, Sept. 5 @1pm. These training events will be held at Second Baptist Church(NOTE: Second Baptist is one of those “mega-churches people are asking about) (6400 Woodway).

Southern Baptist churches in the Houston area that have opened shelters.

Gateway Community Church is collecting non-perishable food, water, baby items and bedding to send to hurricane victims. They have three tractor trailers in their parking lot for sorting, collecting, and distributing donations.

Calvary Chapel is an official collection point for the Salvation Army. They are collecting all sorts of donations. They are also forming teams to serve meals and to go to Louisiana to help with rebuilding as soon as that is possible.

St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church and School, Nassau Bay are assisting in supplying food, clothing, miscellaneous supplies and volunteers to the Red Cross shelter at Gloria Dei Lutheran. St. Thomas School has offered to educate the children while at the center and the children are invited to use the school’s playground. Nine-year-old student and church member, Garrett Howard, gave an impassioned request for monetary funds while attending his neighborhood civic club with his mother. He was given a check for $1000. The church will be collecting donations for Interfaith Caring Ministries Sunday morning, September 4 and will help transport donated materials to an offsite distribution center beginning Saturday.

Archbishop Fiorenza of the Catholic ArchDiocese of Houston-Galveston will celebrate Mass at 10 AM Sunday in Reliant Park (part of the Astrodome complex) for evacuees and their families. Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston are welcoming displaced Catholic school students taking refuge in Houston from Hurricane Katrina. For more information call the Catholic Schools Office at (713) 741-8704. A special collection will be taken up at all Masses at all parishes in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston this weekend. All donations will be given to Catholic Charities USA which is one of the primary responders at this time. Several Catholic churches are designated Red Cross shelters and are already sheltering evacuees.

There’s much more. I am making these lists because I want people to know that The Church (made up of many, many loving and hardworking Christians) is mobilizing and sacrificing time, energy, and money to meet the almost overwhelming needs that have come to our doorstep. This list only scratches the surface.
To be continued.

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Area Relief Efforts

Sep3

The following churches and Christian groups are working here in southeast Houston to help evacuees from Louisiana and other Gulf Coast states:

Camp Good News (6205 Delany Rd. Hitchcock, TX 77563 Phone: 409-316-0501 Fax: 409-986-4219) is open as a shelter for hurricane victims. My church will be serving meals a couple of nights this week at the camp. I don’t know how many people are being housed there. A member of our church writes:

I just came from Camp Good News and what they desperately need are phone cards and small denomination Wal Mart Cards ($5 & $10). The people there are needing unique items like denture cream that they don’t want to have a lot of. It is easier just to give them a small gift card to get what they need. Also, the phone cards are for getting in touch with relatives. Several people have been able to leave after they were able to get in touch with relatives which is the goal.

Clear Lake Church of the Nazarene has opened a shelter in their building. They had about 30 people living there as of this afternoon, and the lady I spoke with said that they could house up to 50 people. The church is not a Red Cross certified shelter (would take too much time), so they’re doing this ministry on their own with a little help from Nazarene Compassionate Ministries.

The people who are staying at the Nazarene church are going to the church next door for lunch and for supper each day, and this church, Bay Area Christian Church, is also feeding storm victims who come in from the motels and other shelters. They told two of my teenagers who went over to help today that they are spending about $1500 per day so far and will continue to do so as long as there is a need and as long as funds hold out.

University Baptist Church in Clear Lake is supporting the Red Cross shelter at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church by preparing and taking meals to the shelter. There are already 300 people living in the shelter at Gloria Dei, and according to UBC it costs the church about $1000 per meal to feed these people. So far members of UBC have contributed enough to cover the cost of some of the meals the church will be providing. Another member of UBC is working with the Salvation Army to provide pastoral care and counseling to some of the New Orleans residents who have taken refuge in the Astrodome. Here’s an idea that churches all over the country could use:

The UBC Wednesday Night dinner on 9/7 is red beans and rice with cornbread. We are asking you to pay full price for this meal and the proceeds will go to the UBC Hurricane Katrina Fund to help feed refugees. At the dinner, you may also donate money to the UBC Hurricane Katrina Fund.

Texas Baptist Men, an organization of men that are members of Baptist churches in Texas, “is providing assistance to disaster victims in Louisiana and Texas shelters. Currently we have 20 units and approximately 220 volunteers responding. Texas Baptist Men has been asked to provide assistance to those affected over the next four months.” They ask that we help in the following ways:

Pray:
– Pray for those that were affected by Katrina.
– Pray for those responding and providing assistance in Christ’s name.
– Pray about how you can be personally be involved in assistance.
Give:
– Please mark checks for Hurricane Katrina and send to Texas Baptist Men, Disaster Relief, 333 N. Washington, Dallas, Texas 75246. To give by credit card please call (800) 558-8263. 100% of your gifts go directly to disaster relief.
Go:
– Volunteers are needed in providing assistance. If you are available to help, please call (214) 381-2800.

Eddie Butler, a blogger from Kansas City, Missouri, asked in this post “Where Is the Church?” Well, here’s the answer, and there’s much more.

To be continued.
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Homeschoolers Offer Relief

Sep2

From the HSLDA E-lert Service…
==========================

Dear friend of homeschooling,

One bright spot revealed by Hurricane Katrina is that homeschoolers
are some of the most generous people around. HSLDA’s office has been
inundated with offers of assistance. We’ve also heard from many with
needs.

The Home School Foundation is already helping to replace curriculum.
But one of the greatest needs that we’re hearing about is housing.

If your family would be interested in providing temporary housing to
another homeschooling family displaced by Hurricane Katrina, HSLDA is
willing to match your family with a family who needs a place to stay.

To make an offer of housing, please provide us with the basic
information requested below. Email it to hurricanerelief@hslda.org.

Please be assured that we will keep your contact information
confidential. When we learn of a family that needs help, we will
contact you with their contact information (phone number or email
address) and you can contact the family to determine if they are the
right match for your family.

Name:
Address:
City, State, Zip:
Phone #:
Limitations: (e.g., two months max, only want boys, teenagers only,
can take up to 4 people)
Provide transportation to your home: (e.g., bus tickets, frequent
flyer miles, will pick up)
Any special facilities: (e.g., handicapped access, room for pets)
Other offers of help: (e.g., can provide job, have curriculum for 3rd
grader, car available)

Thank you for being a part of the extended homeschooling family.
Please join us in continuing to pray for these hurting familes.

Sincerely,

J. Michael Smith
President

Old Schoolhouse Magazine, Summer 2005

Sep2

I received this magazine, free to review, several weeks ago, and it’s taken me almost this long to read the entire summer 2005 issue so that I could write my review. So the first observation I have to make is that with this magazine you get your money’s worth in information and content. It’s about 200 pages long with ads, but lots more meaty homeschool content.

This summer 2005 issue of The Old Schoolhouse has dual themes: Homeschooling Special Needs Children and International Homeschooling. There are also several articles about homeschool blogging and THE hottest place in homeschool blogging these days homeschoolblogger.com.

The articles on special needs children include information on homeschooling children with Down’s Syndrome, autism, ADD or ADHD, and other disabilities that may interfere with learning. These are practical, helpful stories of families who are homeschooling children with these needs. There’s also an article on homeschooling gifted children. One of the most interesting pieces in the magazine was about homeschooled art prodigy, Amelia Harper, a ten year old artist whose artworks have sold for more than $50,000 and whose paintings have appeared in print in Time Magazine and in other publications. You can see some samples of her work here. In contrast, there’s a story about the birth and life of Baby Hope MaryAnne Wuehler, who was diagnosed in the womb with a possibly terminal genetic problem. You can read the story of God’s grace in the lives of Hope MaryAnne and her parents and in the lives of many other children and parents of children with health issues. The message that comes through in both articles is that God gives us the children He has for us as blessings, with all their gifts and issues, and our job is to teach, encourage, and remain faithful.

Have you kept up with homeschooling trends in Japan? Switzerland? The United Kingdom? This issue of The Old Schoolhouse features stories about homeschoolers in each of those countries and more. There are advantages and disadvatages to homeschooling in other countries. Sarah Bachmann says, “Swiss chocolates keep the spirits up.” I can only imagine.

If none of the topic I’ve mentioned so far have tickled your fancy, there’s more. Sign language, summer travel, entrepreneurship, arts and crafts, living history, communication skills, storytelling (by Jim Weiss), natural foods, herbs and medicines, exchange students–all these topics are featured in articles written from a Christian perspective mostly by homeschool moms with expertise in these areas. And there are product reviews, contests, and prizes.

A couple of the articles recommend the books and ministry of Michael and Deb Pearl, authors of To Train Up a Child. I have some reservations about the Pearls’ ministry, articulated in Spunky Homeschool’s review of the book, Created to Be His Helpmeet, also by Debi Pearl. Although the part of the book excerpted in The Old Schoolhouse emphasizes accepting your husband as he is and encouraging him to fulfill God’s purpose in his life– excellent spiritual advice–the book itself is not one I would recommend.

I almost forgot to mention the interview with Debra Bell, author of The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling. Now there’s a book I can recommend. Then, there’s also the field trip through the gardens of England. And . . . You’ll just need to subscribe to The Old Schoolhouse to get all the goodies that are a part of this magazine. By the time you finish squeezing all the goodness out of your first issue, in about four months, there should be another issue ripe for squeezing. A year’s subscription is only $22.00 in the U.S.

Note: This issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine was provided to me to review through the good offices of Stacey Harp at Mind and Media and courtesy of the folks at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. I received no other remuneration for this review, and the contents of the review reflect my own views and are my responsibility.

Friday Blogamundi

Sep1

Annie Crawford on Downward Mobility. Having children, spending my days serving children in humbling ways, loving the tiny vulnerable ones of this world, these things have taught me far more about God and brought me closer to his heart than any degree full of classes and theses could have. I must have been very proud, for merely learning to whole heartedly love my husband and children has left me feeling very vulnerable and meek.

Will Duquette reviews In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden. He also talks about the difference between a “romance” and a “novel proper,” a distinction with which I was not very familiar. Helpful stuff, I’ll have to think about it and get back to you. Oh, I read In This House of Brede a very long time ago, but I think I’ll have to add it to the list to re-read.

Hello, My Name Is Blog is Scott Ginsberg’s blog. Scott is “a professional speaker, the world’s foremost field expert on nametags and the author of two books including HELLO my name is Scott and The Power of Approachability. He has worn a nametag all day, every day since November 2, 2000 to encourage people to become more approachable – and will never take it off. Ever.” What a great idea. Maybe I’ll try it. The smiling at people idea that I got from Adrian Warnock isn’t working so well. Mostly I forget. If I remember, the smiled-at-person and I play chicken; who will avert their eyes first? Eye contact between strangers seems to be very threatening–even here in friendly Texas. Maybe a nametag would work better.

On a more serious note, Hurricane Katrina Updates:
Help for homeschoolers who are victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Jerri Massi on NO pastor Don Elbourne
Survival of New Orleans blog by Interdictor (Michael Barnett) who is in New Orleans still.
Eddie Exposito, a pastor from Slidell, LA is blogging-in-exile from Natchez, Mississippi.
Jollyblogger shares PCA updates on Katrina relief.
Hurricane Katrina links and info from Houston Public Library.

HSLDA Hurrican Response

Sep1

In response to the devastation caused by hurricane Katrina, the Home School Foundation has established a Hurricane Emergency Response program to help homeschooling families who have suffered great losses.

They will use contributions to this program to assist families with replacing lost or destroyed curriculum and meeting emergency needs.

If you know of homeschooling families who need assistance, please have them call us at 540-338-8899 or email info@homeschoolfoundation.org.

If you would like to make a gift to help these families, you may donate online here.