Eternity to the godly is a day that has no sunset; eternity to the wicked is a night that has no sunrise.
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November goodies before this month's Hope Chest

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#1 · November 19, 2009, 9:45 am

Posted by: virginiaknowles <virginiaknowles@...>

Dear friends,

 

Happy November!  I never did get around to sending a Hope Chest issue in October, but I trust that you all didn’t miss it too much.   I'm still putting the finishing touches on the November issue, but since it is already getting more stuffed than a turkey, I'm sending along some pieces of it now -- mainly links to new educational and inspirational articles on my five blogs, as well as links for two other blogs by home school moms, and where to watch the old BBC Narnia videos on-line.

 

The month of November is a cause for thanksgiving in our family, especially since Thad and I will be celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary on the 23rd.   Another reason for us to praise God is that we are expecting a new baby – no, not our 11th child, but our first precious grandchild!  Our daughter Mary and her husband Ryan will welcome their little one next June.  I still love to looking at their wedding pictures from May 2008.  Mary also has a new article up on the Wycliffe Bible Translators blog: Wycliffe, Moody Radio raise $216,000 for Bible translation in early weeks of campaign.

I’m also grateful for a small pile of books to review this month when I send out the "real" November Hope Chest issue.  I think it’s been a while since I’ve done that, but I’ve been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Gary Thomas’s newest title Pure Pleasure: Why Do Christians Feel So Bad About Feeling Good? I’ve been praying for Gary as he’s been writing it, so I feel like I’ve already got an investment in it, but now I finally get to share it with you!  I’m also thrilled to be able to review The Unfinished Gift by Dan Walsh and The Purple Elephant by Donna McFarland.  I’ve got an extra copy of The Unfinished Gift, so we’re going to have a little giveaway this month.  Stay tuned for details!

Thanksgiving is next week, so I thought you might like the link to all of the articles I have compiled over the years.  You can find them at: http://www.virginiaknowles.com/thanksgivingtreasury

During this holiday season, I encourage each of you to realize how many people around you, including those in the home school movement, are hurting deeply for one reason or another.  This is not always easily apparent if you aren't taking the time (and care) to connect with people and see how they are really doing beyond the superficial answers.  Be sensitive to signs of a troubled spirit, and see what you can do to bring hope and healing without being overly invasive.  Ask God to lead you in this in ways that you could not even logically foresee.   I recently brought a batch of fresh banana cake to a friend, which especially touched her because her mother used to make it when she was a child.  Is there a lonely friend or relative whom you could invite for a meal?  Someone who needs a note of encouragement or a simple, homemade gift?  A friend in the midst of family crisis or other emotional challenges who needs to be directed to competent Christian counseling?  Or someone who is experiencing health challenges or has a new baby -- and might appreciate a meal, housecleaning or childcare?   Be the hands and mouth of Jesus to them!

I'd love to hear what you think about this pre-issue, so when you're done, hit the reply button and drop me a line!

Blessings,

Virginia Knowles

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New on My Blogs 

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"Who is Jesus and what is he really like?" How often do most people even think of that? If you don’t consider yourself to be a Christian, the thought might not cross your mind very often. But unfortunately, even for those of us who are Christians, sometimes he is more of an abstraction -- a formula for how to get to Heaven or even an ethical system -- than he is a real person. Even at Christmastime, the story of his birth can take on fairy tale qualities. The same goes for Easter. Just like folks who only go to church for those two holidays, many of us only think of his life in terms of the beginning and the end of his story. But what happened in the middle? What did he say? What did he do? And why does it matter?  I would like to challenge you to find out!  I’ve compiled a series of three blog posts with resources for you, excerpts of what he said about himself, and life giving encouragement about your own identity in Christ.
 

  • Who is Jesus? (And Why Does it Matter?)  Why does it matter who Jesus is?  Also, some resources to help you get to know him better -- as he really is!

  • I Am...    What did Jesus say about himself?  What is MY identity in Christ?

  • What Else Did He Say?  The key teachings of Jesus in his own words (OK, so they WERE translated into English!)

Some of my other recent posts include...

 

    

  • What is Worth While?  (vintage thoughts from a wise Christian lady PhD. on redeeming the time and even embracing interruptions)

Recipes

  • Banana Cake

    • I have also started a new blog, Come Weary Moms, which is not about home schooling.  It is designed to bring comfort and inspiration to moms in any season of life.  Most of the articles there are from my archives, but occasionally I will post something new.  Here is one article you won't find anywhere else: Help for Hurting Marriages as well as one from my web site: Handling Family Issues and Visiting During the Holidays.

    New on http://www.Startwell.blogspot.com, my blog for preschool and elementary home education: 

  • “When Mother Reads Aloud” poem

    • New on http://www.ContinueWellHomeSchool.blogspot.com, my blog for middle school home education:

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    Home School Mom Blogs

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    http://www.harmonyartmom.blogspot.com/  Barb McCoy shares about the Charlotte Mason method of home schooling, especially the arts.  Look for Sketch Tuesdays, as well as her free art and music appreciation e-book!

     

    http://www.thatmom.com  Karen Campbell gives her take on life and home schooling -- a wee bit on the controversial side and straight from the heart!  (Ready for a breath of fresh air?)  One of her recent posts is on the next generation dropping out of the paradigm, not out of homeschooling.  You may also like the basic tenets of relationship homeschooling, help for the Christmas holidays, and her grace in parenting series .

     

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    Links for Watching the BBC Version of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

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    Years ago, long before Walden Media released their movie version of C.S. Lewis's "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) did their own.  We owned it and loved it, but it the VHS videos must have broken because we don't have them anymore.  The cinematography may not be as stunning, but I think they followed the storyline more faithfully.  My kids recently found where you can watch them on-line in segments of around 10 minutes each.  Here are the links!

     

     

     

    BBC Chronicles of Narnia: LWW - Chapter 1/6 Part 1/3

    BBC Chronicles of Narnia: LWW - Chapter 2/6 Part 1/3

     

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