Quote from Forum Archives on October 24, 2002, 9:33 am

Posted by: homenews <homenews@...>

Hello Hope Chest friends,

 

I have a few more little things and updates to send out today.   Some of them are Florida related. I apologize to those out of state, but this is currently my only way to get the word out!  Thanks for your patience!  Here's what I have today:

• Twisted Titles
• I'm Speaking in Sarasota on November 11
• Encouragement from Mardy Freeman
• Update on Prayer Requests Plus a Few More
• Holy Land Experience -- Home School Special
• Florida Governor Candidates' Position on Home Schooling

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TWISTED TITLES

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Last month, when I sent out the article on Tips for Tutoring Your Child, Lisa Easterman wrote back and said, "You know you're getting old when you read the title of a Hope Chest article and see: Tips for Torturing Your Child!"  Hmm, I do that once in a while too, as in "YOU MUST DO FOUR PAGES OF MATH... RIGHT NOW!!!"    By the way, Lisa's business is Lisa Easterling Expressions Writing and Editorial Service at www.lisaeasterling.com.

 

Well, last week, Nancy Campbell sent out an article called Me Brutish? Surely Not!  I read it as Me British?  Surely Not!    I know she's proud of her New Zealand heritage, but really!   OK, so must confess that I act like a brute sometimes too.   May God have mercy on us all.  Visit Nancy's wonderful web site at www.aboverubies.org, sign up for her weekly encouragement e-mails, and find out about her lovely print magazine, Above Rubies!

 

In August, Laura Young responded to my comment about being in a fog.  She says, "A godly woman has taught me about fog...F-ocus O-n G-od and He will get you through the fog."  How true!  That's not twisted at all!

 

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I'M SPEAKING IN SARASOTA ON NOVEMBER 11

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I will be the guest speaker at a meeting of the Learning and Families support group in Sarasota on Monday, November 11 at 7 pm.  It will be at Faith Baptist Church at 6901 Bee Ridge Road.  The contact person is Susan Clark at [email protected].  My topic will be "Stress-Busting for Home School Moms."   I plan to tape the presentation and make it available to Hope Chest readers.

 

By "divine coincidence," this is actually very good timing for me, since my family and I are attending a family reunion in Port Charlotte (not far from Sarasota) that previous weekend!  My Grandma and Grandpa Hess are turning 88 and 90 that week.  I'll be seeing my parents, sister's family, aunts, uncles, cousins, and many other relatives that I haven't seen in years.

 

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ENCOURAGEMENT FROM MARDY FREEMAN

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Mardy Freeman, a long-time home school mom of seven, is a kindred spirit for me!  I heard her at the FPEA convention in 2001, bought her book, and have corresponded with her by e-mail since then.  She graciously allowed me to include on an excerpt from Children of Character in the Hope Chest last year. 

 

On Monday night, I had the utmost privilege of hearing Mardy speak at our home school support group.   Here are some highlights: She encouraged us moms to cry out to God for our families, and to ask him to change us first.   She says we should pray out loud, but then wait silently for God's answer.   We are the ones who lose out if we don't yield to God.  Sometimes we have to ask him to lift us up onto the altar (think of Isaac) so that we can offer our lives to him.   Only God can truly change the hearts of our children, but we have our part to play in setting a good example.   We must accept our husbands as they are, and ask God to meet the needs that may not be met in our marriages.  Husbands want to be loved, appreciated and respected, just like we do!   Mardy recommends a periodic family business meeting to iron out schedules and difficulties.  Her children each have a weekly list of home school and household assignments; if these are completed by Friday, they can participate in fun family night activities.  (For ideas on setting up weekly lists, go to www.afn.org/~afn18300/lists.htm)  Finally, Mardy reminds us what a special and pivotal generation we are training for the future!

 

Mardy publishes A Mary Heart, a monthly e-mail encouragement newsletter for moms.   You can subscribe to A Mary Heart by sending an e-mail to the automated list server at [email protected]. 

 

Mardy's husband Bill is the vice-chairman of the Florida Parent Educators Association.  Mardy leads a monthly character-based support group near Gainesville.  On February 10, Mardy will be the guest speaker at the Learning and Families support  group in Sarasota.  (Same contact info as my own speaking engagement there.) 

 

The Freeman family web site is at  http://www.afn.org/~afn18300  

 

 

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UPDATE ON PRAYER REQUESTS PLUS A FEW MORE

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Three year old Julia, the daughter of our friends Jane and Joe, came home from the hospital yesterday.  The e. coli is responding to treatment and the fevers are down.  The full diagnosis, especially relating to Kawasaki's disease, is still not clear.   She'll be on megadoses of antibiotics for 4-6 weeks as she continues to recover and be reevaluated.  Thanks for your prayers!

 

My neighbors, Dean and Donna, made it safely to China and have met their sweet new daughter, Deanna.  Unfortunately, their three dogs escaped from the backyard yesterday at 7 AM when a family member let them out to relieve themselves.   I saw the little dachsund out around 9:30 and had Rachel catch him.  Julia went out to look for the others a few times, as did some of the family's relatives, but to no avail.  Please pray that the dogs will be found before Dean and Donna come home.  They are very fond of the dogs, as are their sons.

 

Continue to pray for my husband Thad during his job search and out-of-town travels.  He is taking care of family business in Kansas for his mother right now.  (This is day 3, and though we miss him dearly, we're doing OK at home so far!  I'm even working on cleaning out my closet and getting out the fall clothes.)

 

Hope Chest reader Amy Ford requests prayer for her Dad and his wife, Ginny, who have had multiple crises in the past few weeks.   Ginny, who is hearing impaired, was thrown from a horse a few weeks ago and suffered a severe head injury.  Then her dog, a specially-trained hearing companion, was killed two weeks ago and left in their garage.  Their house burned down last week, and they lost everything of material value.  Please pray for this family!

 

Also, this one may be very obvious, but please continue to pray for those in the Washington D.C. area during the sniper crisis.   My parents, my sister's family, and many of our friends live there, so I am extra concerned.  (Thad and I lived in Montgomery County from 1986 to 1993, and four of our children were born there.)  NEWS FLASH!!!! TWO MEN WERE ARRESTED AT A REST STOP IN FREDERICK, MARYLAND AT 3:30 AM!   I hope the police have got the right ones! Here is the news link: www.abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/marylandshootings021024.html

 

Across the sea, Chechen rebels are holding hundreds hostage in a Moscow theater.   More than 100 women, children and ill people have already been released, but I think there are still some of these inside, too.  There are also many foreign tourists, including at least two Americans. The rebels are threatening to blow everything up if authorities try to use force.  They are demanding Russian withdrawal from Chechnya, which is predominantly Muslim.  Please pray for this situation too! www.abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20021024_467.html 

 

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HOLY LAND EXPERIENCE -- HOME SCHOOL SPECIAL

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We at The Holy Land Experience in Orlando would like to invite you and your students to take part in a new, exciting program designed especially for Central Florida homeschool families.
 
The special homeschool discovery $10.00 student admission includes a full day at The Holy Land Experience, lunch at the Oasis Palms Café, a questionnaire booklet, and a souvenir gift.
 
One complimentary chaperone admission will be given for every five (5) students. Children ages 5 & under are free and additional adult chaperone admission is $29.75 (no lunch). Only students paying the $10 student admission receive the lunch, booklet, & gift.
 
This program will run Monday through Friday from October 28, 2002 to January 24, 2003. The only blackout dates are November 29, 2002, which is the day after Thanksgiving, and the week of December 23, 2002 to December 31, 2002.
 
The Holy Land Experience is a living history museum that takes visitors 7,000 miles away and 3,000 years back in time to the land of the Bible. It is educational, inspirational, theatrical, and historical. Regular shows and features include a handful of musical dramas, a contemporary concert, and several special presentations.
 
Currently, we are featuring the Ancient Festivals of the Biblical World, a colorful and exciting celebration of song and dance. This show will be performed until November 17. Upcoming in our December schedule is the living nativity Caravan of the Kings. This spectacular Christmas celebration is full of music, drama, lights, and live animals -- you won't want to miss it!
 
To take advantage of this special homeschool discovery program, call Yvonne or Fidel at 407-367-2065 to make reservations two weeks in advance of your visit.
 
Proof of home education is required -- this can be a FPEA membership card, your CHEA membership card, a student ID, or a letter from your church or homeschooling organization.
 
A day at The Holy Land Experience takes five to six hours, so I encourage you to plan your visit accordingly.
 
Please feel free to contact me with any questions that you might have.
 
God bless,
Bonni Lepic
Jerusalem Gold Concierge
The Holy Land Experience
(407) 367-2065 ext. 273
 

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FLORIDA GOVERNOR CANDIDATES' POSITION ON HOME SCHOOLING

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This is a message from Brenda Dickinson of the Home Education Foundation, Florida's home school advocate in Tallahassee.   Whatever state you live in, don't forget to vote on November 5!  As we Floridians especially know, every vote counts!!!!!

 

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HEF has been in personal contact with both the Bush-Brogan and McBride campaigns regarding their candidate's position on homeschooling.
   
Bill McBride's Issues Director told us that "Bill will concentrate on public schools so that parents don't feel that homeschooling is their only option."  They have supplied no official statement or policy regarding home education.

 

The Bush-Brogan campaign forwarded the following statement:

 

----- Original Message -----
From: Bush-Brogan 2002
To: PJH
Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 10:50 AM
Subject: Home School Statement

 

I fully support empowering parents to determine what is best for their children's education, and have always been an advocate of home school education.  Parents in Florida have long had the right to educate their children themselves.  Under my administration, the rights of home-schooled children and parents have been strengthened.

 

For example:

• Home schooled students are able to fully take advantage of Florida's Virtual High School.  This innovative program enables students to participate in courses via computer from their home.  The Virtual High School provides curriculum and instructional services over the Internet at no charge to Florida students, whether they are home education, public, or private school students.  By nearly doubling funding for the Virtual High School over the last four years, more Florida home schoolers are enrolled than ever before.  In 1998, only 185 home schoolers were enrolled in courses, while last school year, home school enrollment was up to 2,212.  Having made home schoolers a priority group to be served, we're on track to see even greater home school participation this school year.

• Home education students are also eligible for Bright Futures Scholarships if they are registered as home education students during the 11th and 12th grades.  As long as the student meets the SAT, ACT, and GPA requirements for the various scholarship programs, they will be rewarded with a Bright Futures Scholarship.

• In the new Florida school code rewrite and reorganization, there is a specific statutory obligation for the state to have an office of Private Schools and Home Education Programs, and laws referring to home schooling have now been consolidated into one user-friendly statute.  In addition, my administration supported university admittance policies to allow admission for home schoolers. 

In a second term, I will continue to fight for the rights of home schoolers.  The best education tools are often found right at home!

 

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That's all for now, friends!

 

Blessings,

Virginia

www.hopechest.homestead.com/welcome.html