Girls Preteen/Teen Bible Study

I recently started a Bible Study/Devotion with some of Funny Bunny's friends at dance.  For months prior, I really felt the Holy Spirit tugging on my heart to start something, but I just wasn't sure what at the time.  I continued to put it off but that feeling kept coming back.

I finally built up the courage and asked if these girls would be interested in going on this journey with me.  This was truly a hard step to take.  Although I enjoy teaching, I do have some anxiety over it, and let's face it, I certainly am no expert in the subject and don't have all the answers.

But I asked.  And they accepted. :)

So in following God's instructions as laid out in Matthew 28:18-20, I am using Beautiful Girlhood as my guide.  This book was originally published in 1922, and although it has been revised and republished more recently, the wording is still pretty old fashioned. The content is timeless though.

Here is a peek into what we have discussed so far:

Character-Building
The Strength of Obedience
Inner Beauty {today's lesson}

My intent is to write in detail about each one in hopes that it may help someone else. Will try to get the first up sometime next week.



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Financial Freedom

I was flipping channels the other day when I stopped on PBS.  They were having a special to raise money for their station, and their guest speaker, who was also promoting her new book, was Suze Orman. 

Her book is called The Money Class and she had some really good tips:

1.  You have to live below your means, but within your needs.  This is how you start saving and paying off debt.

2.  Before anything else, if you can, contribute the max amount each year to a Roth IRA.  You contribute after tax dollars now and get your investment back at retirement, TAX FREE!

3.  Next, if your employer offers a 401(k) plan with a match, contribute up to the match amount if you can.  This is FREE money!

4.  To save for your child's education, the best plan is a 529 Plan.  The 529 Plan is in your name, not your child's.  Do not put a plan in your child's name because then they may not be able to qualify for financial aid.

I thought these were some great tips!  You can find more information about her HERE.  I also found a link to a clip and information from the PBS special. 

Disclosure: This product was NOT given to Our Homeschool Reviews for review purposes. I just wanted to share what I learned with you! I have received no compensation from it and all opinions and experiences within this review are my own.

The Christian Home is a weekly Blog Magazine posted every Monday morning by The Legacy of Home.  Articles are submitted by various Christian bloggers.

It's Time To Grow Up!

 

I was cleaning out a desk drawer last night and found this printed out on a piece of paper.  I have no idea where it came from so if anyone recognizes it, please let me know.  I'm sure it spoke to me when I printed it and it still speaks now...as a reminder of my behavior toward my family.  I hope it can be a help to someone else!

The apostle Paul knew that kids will be kids, and as children we behave childishly.  But he also pointed out that, as we grow up, we must set aside childish behavior and become more mature.

Children are by nature petty, hurtful, and faultfinding in their relationships.  They speak rashly, rudely, and selfishly, with little concern for how their words affect their parents and others.

Children think life revolves around them.  They're self righteous.  They think they're always right and that others are at fault, even when the evidence declares them guilty.  I'll never forget the time one of our daughters came to the table with chocolate on her face - clear evidence that she'd been into the cookie jar.  Evidence or not, she insisted she was not guilty.  Parents often face such tests in teaching their kids to tell the truth - to grow up in their abilities to be straightforward and honest.

We tell our kids, "It's time to grow up!"

And of course some of the unhappiest husband-wife relationships are those in which one or both haven't really grown up.  They are still petty, hurtful, and faultfinding.  They still speak rashly and rudely, with little regard for how their words may hurt each other.  They still think life revolves around them, and have trouble taking responsibility for their actions and choices, and admitting it when they are wrong.  They blame, ridicule, and find ways to get back at their spouses.

They speak, think, and reason like children.

It dawned on me one day, in the middle of an argument with my wife, that it was time I grew up.  That I stopped acting like the kids.  And you know what?  I realized if I was going to be a man, I couldn't act like a child.  And, so, just like Paul said, I put away childish things .

Prayer:

"Lord God, help me put away childish words, attitudes, and actions.  May your Holy Spirit empower me this day.  Amen."

Discuss:  Think of any tense times you've had with your mate recently.  Can you detect in your own attitude any of the above childishness?  What steps can you take to help your own children mature?

  

The Christian Home Blog Magazine

If you haven't read it yet, check out The Christian Home, a weekly Blog Magazine posted every Monday morning by The Legacy of Home.  Articles are submitted by various Christian bloggers, and you can find two of my articles there this week. 

 

The "Giants" In Our Lives

When we think of the giants in our lives, what do we think of?  Hopefully not a group of oversized 9 to 12 foot people. 

I'm talking about the other kind of giant.  The giant that may go by many names:  financial trouble, sickness, marital problems, pressure at work, or pressure from the outside world?  Do you face any of these giants? 

In the Bible, David faced a true giant.  David was a mere shepherd boy who faced Goliath, a Philistine giant.  David should have been scared to death, right?  Wouldn't we have been?  But David wasn't.  He knew God was on his side. 

Psalm 91:1-6 says He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."  Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.  He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.  You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. 

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.  Isn't that wonderful!!  David believed that he could approach Goliath with courage, knowing that God was on his side.  He did not hesitate. 

We all have giants in our lives.  Do we hesitate?  

Remember, He is our refuge and fortress.

The Christian Home is a weekly Blog Magazine posted every Monday morning by The Legacy of Home.  Articles are submitted by various Christian bloggers.

 

Before and After: Under the Desk

I have a lot of things "hidden" under my office desk.  Although most people cannot see what is there, it is a mess.  Here it is pulled out from under the desk.  Most things are just packed away in overflowing shopping bags.

Now here it is all neat and tidy.  The bottom bin has all my craft and sewing supplies, the middle bin has all my scrapbooking supplies, and the top basket has all our extra school supplies (folders, scissors, etc).

The box to the right has all of my completed hair bows and accessories and then next to it on the shelf are all my ribbons. 

The best part about this organization project is that I already had the boxes and bins around the house.  I just had to find them!

The Christian Home is a weekly Blog Magazine posted every Monday morning by The Legacy of Home.  Articles are submitted by various Christian bloggers.

 

Before and After

Do you have a room that's in need of some cleaning?  Has it gotten out of control?  Well, that is what happened to our daughter's room this week.  We were out of the house for a lot of the week and I was also not feeling well for a couple days, so her room was neglected.  Not by her of course, you can see she is playing on her bed, oblivious to the mess around her.  I had neglected to make sure she was cleaning it each day.

So this afternoon we worked together to find a place for everything.  We worked double time (or what we like to call "quick clean") and we actually finished in about 30 minutes.  And only a few things secretly made it to the trash.  ;o)  Below are our results.

I think it turned out pretty well.  So don't be afraid to tackle those out-of-control rooms!  Grab a partner and get cleaning!

The Christian Home is a weekly Blog Magazine posted every Monday morning by The Legacy of Home.  Articles are submitted by various Christian bloggers.

 

Chores for Children

It seems like ever since our daughter could walk and follow simple instructions, we have been giving her easy chores to do around the house.  At first our conversations probably sounded something like this:

Mommy:  Sweetie, can you please put your toy in that basket?
Child:  {puts toy in basket}
Mommy:  {smiling} YAY!!
Child:  {claps and jumps with excitement}

At some point in that same child's life, after the initial joy of helping mommy and daddy wears off, it becomes a chore for them to do their chores!!  I know in our household we have gone through many chore charts and reward systems through the years. 

When she was little, we started out with things like: go potty, brush teeth, get dressed.  Then she graduated to: make bed, clean room, clear table.  Now that she's 7 1/2 we've added: empty dishwasher and dust. 

We've also used many different rewards:  stickers, loose change, prizes, and now we offer an allowance (which she separates between save, spend, and donate).  There have always been consequences for not doing chores as well: no reward, time out, allowance taken away, etc.

Right now her daily chores include getting herself ready for the day, making her bed, cleaning her room, and performing one extra chore each day (she can pick her extra chore unless I have something specific for her to do).  We don't even use a chart anymore, she just knows what she has to do (and if she doesn't I remind her).  ;o)

What are the ages of your children and what chores do you have them do?  What rewards do you give them?  I'm sure there are some families struggling with this right now and would love to hear your ideas!

The Christian Home is a weekly Blog Magazine posted every Monday morning by The Legacy of Home.  Articles are submitted by various Christian bloggers.

The Christian Home Blog Magazine

Today is the first issue of The Christian Home, a weekly Blog Magazine posted every Monday morning by The Legacy of Home.  Articles are submitted by various Christian bloggers, and you can find two of my articles under the Finances section.