Sovereignty is comforting…
When the throne is trustworthy!
This is one of the best sermons I’ve heard the past few weeks. Not only does Joel talk about God’s sovereignty in the world this year, he brings it down to YOU and where you are.
Psalm 103:19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his sovereignty rules over all !!
Did you see my list of Favorite Books of 2008? If not, scroll down the post before this one. I included a few comments on most books. If you haven’t read those books, try one now.
I have several books on my “to read” list 2009. Here are a few I’ll start with this year.
Finish Miss Julia series by Ann Ross
They Call Me Coach (John Wooden, UCLA basketball coach, 10 national championships in 12 years & emphasizes importance of God)
Love & Respect (best seller on marriage)
Bruchko (missionary story)
Quo Vadis (my daughters’ favorite book)
Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire: The Methods and Madness Inside Room 56
Midwinter (historical fiction about Bonnie Prince Charlie)
Paradise Lost (My girls read this, but I haven’t. I plan to read it with my 16yo son this year)
Book of A Thousand Days (Shannon Hale’s other books was a fun read last summer)
For a complete list of other books I plan to read, check out my shelfari page.
http://www.shelfari.com/o1517496408
If you haven’t joined Shelfari, do it now. It’s a great way to keep track of the books you read and your kids can keep track of their books, too.
Leave a comment and tell me what books you’ll be reading in 2009.
My favorite books for last year were a mixture of series fiction, historical fiction, biographies and business books. I try to alternate what I’m reading.
You can get details about all these books on my shelfari page:
http://www.shelfari.com/o1517496408
Be sure to sign up as my friend. We can share book choices that way.
Here’s my list…
10. Just David - I reread this from several years ago. Great story!
9. A Man Called Peter - After re-reading Christy this year, I read several of Catherine Marshall’s books. All were wonderful, but I really enjoyed learning more about her husband, Peter, a true man of God.
8. Choices: For Women Who Long to Do Better - Great encouragement for you to take care of your family & kids as a high priority. Who else will do it, if you don’t?
7. Ultimate Sales Machine - I read this twice this year. great lists & systems for a successful business.
6. Ben Franklin: America’s Original Entrepreneur - Actually this is Ben Franklin’s Autobiography. I bought this for brother-in-law several years ago and got a copy for myself. Finally getting around to discovering more about a true leader in America’s beginning.
5. Made in America: Sam Walton - I have a new respect for WalMart and Sam now.
4. Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind Series - I read the 1st book in this series after Christmas day. It’s a fun series and I’m hooked. Already read the 1st 3 books and have the 4th one on my bedside table for tonight.
3. Quiet Strength - What an incredible man Tony Dungy is. Yes, I love football, but Dungy’s testimony is fabulous. I’m looking forward to the Colts’ wild card game this week. If you have sports fans in your home, this is a must read.
2. Miracles Happen: Timeless Principles of Mary Kay - I’ve heard of Mary Kay since I was a child. I’ve bought her products for the past 10 years. Now, I know the “real story” of the “pink” company & its founder. Mary Kay is a phenomenal lady who rose from rags to riches. She is also an great Christan testimony in the business community.
1. At Home in Mitford & All the Mitford Books - My friends loved this series when it was published, but I never read it. Once I read the first book, I read all of them in about 2 months. Why do I love this series? 1. It’s fun 2. It’s spiritually encouraging 3. It’s a great example of series fiction which is one of the reasons I started reading it. I was analyzing what makes a good series with a huge following. If you haven’t read about Father Tim and his life in Mitford, you are in for a real treat!
*** Leave a comment and tell me your favorite book(s) for 2008
Today’s the last day to get your free books with IEW orders. I already posted how to get FREE COPIES of A Thomas Jefferson Education & Accelerated Distance Learning, as well as some videos I made explaining all the IEW products.
There are several entries, so scroll down to see which one answers your question.
Speaking of questions, here’s a question I received that might help you make your decision.
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QUESTION:
I have the basic IEW course (Teaching Writing Structure & Style), but have not really implemented it very much. I have several children and I think it is because I am not sure how to teach it to all of them. So when I saw your special on your blog - I thought I would check out the Student Writing Intensives (right name?). Anyway, can you give me your thoughts on what would best fit - both the A and B fits the ages of my children. Are both necessary? What is the difference between them? Please give me any thoughts you can on this.
MY ANSWER:
If you didn’t already have the “Teaching Writing” program, I would recommend that. Since you are looking for a supplemental program to help you implment Teaching Writing, I think Student Writing Intensives are the best to use!
I would recommend level B because you can use it with both groups. With your A level kids, you can take longer to teach each assignment. Or, give them extra practice in between assignments. The course comes with a 15 week lesson plan. That provides extra practice for each lesson on the dvd.
I hope this helps.
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This is the perfect time to stock up on your writing curriculum for this coming year. And you get a copy of Thomas Jefferson Education when you order $100 IEW products. You get 2 books when you order $200 IEW products ( A Thomas Jefferson Education & Accelerated Distance Learning).
Have a great day today. I’ll be posting my 10 favorite books from 2008 on my blog. If you haven’t signed up for blog updates you can do so at the top of this blog.
You’ll get an email when I post things like my 10 favorite books, videos, activities for January and so forth. Many of you enjoyed the 30 days of Thanksgiving and my holiday videos. I hope to have more of those in
Blessings,
Kerry Beck
ps. Don’t forget to order your writing programs today so I can send your free books to you. Here’s a list of the IEW products: Writing Materials
Did you know IEW publishes helps for teaching other subjects? Discover how to teach the classics and discuss in a Socratic dialogue. Find out how to use games to teach all subject areas. Finally, use Fix It Grammar and Word Write Now as supplements to your writing instruction. A Word Write Now is a beautiful kids’ thesaurus to help them improve the language in their own writing.
Oh, and I almost forgot…Poetry Memorization which allows your students to learn different language patterns that will make their writing more interesting.
For the next 2 days (through Wed, Dec 31), take advantage of our specials.
**Special 1
All orders of $100 or more on IEW Excellence in Writing products (Writing, Reading or Grammar) receive a FREE copy of A Thomas Jefferson Education (hardback) that sells for $26.95
**Special 2
All orders of $200 or more on IEW products (Writing, Reading or Grammar) receive a FREE copy both - A Thomas Jefferson Education (hardback) that sells for $26.95 AND Accelerated Distance Learning ($19.97 retail)
As always, we provide FREE SHIPPING on all IEW products.
And here’s another listing of IEW products Writing Materials .
Use writing in all subject areas and start with Bible, Character or History Theme Based Writing Lessons. Watch this video to see what would work best for your class or homeschool. At the end of this video I share my favorite material to teach students how to write a well-written essay. I used it with my son when he was 13 and he still uses that material to write essays.
Wondering where to get these items? Here’s a listing: Writing Materials and here’s where you can get our free mini course: Teaching Writing, IEW Made Easy
**Special 1
All orders of $100 or more on IEW Excellence in Writing products (Writing, Reading or Grammar) receive a FREE copy of A Thomas Jefferson Education (hardback) that sells for $26.95
**Special 2
All orders of $200 or more on IEW products (Writing, Reading or Grammar) receive a FREE copy both - A Thomas Jefferson Education (hardback) that sells for $26.95 AND Accelerated Distance Learning ($19.97 retail)
As always, we provide FREE SHIPPING on all IEW products.
For the longest time, Steve encouraged me to help homeschoolers and teachers decide which writing program to get. Today, I made several videos explaining the differences between writing programs.
You can still get a FREE copy of Thomas Jefferson Education & Accelerated Distance Learning when you buy a minimum amount of IEW materials. Here’s a list of writing materials: Writing Programs
Get your free writing course: Teaching Writing: IEW Made Easy
As the year closes, there are some charities and causes that need our help. Today, the church remembers the innocent children from Jesus’ time, as well as our time. Here’s what George Grant says about Sanctity of Life Sunday.
taken from: http://www.kingsmeadow.com/
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Often called Childermas, this day on the Christian calendar has traditionally been celebrated as the Feast of the Innocents. It is the day that solemnizes the slaughter of the children of Judea by Herod the Great following the birth of Christ.
It has always been the focus of the Christian’s commitment to protect and preserve the sanctity of human life—thus serving as a prophetic warning against the practitioners of abandonment and infanticide in the age of antiquity, oblacy and pessiary in the medieval epoch, and abortion and euthanasia in these modern times. Generally set aside as a day of prayer, it culminates with a declaration of the covenant community’s unflinching commitment to the innocents who are unable to protect themselves.
Virtually every culture in antiquity was stained with the blood of innocent children. Unwanted infants in ancient Rome were abandoned outside the city walls to die from exposure to the elements or from the attacks of wild foraging beasts. Greeks often gave their pregnant women harsh doses of herbal or medicinal abortifacients. Persians developed highly sophisticated surgical curette procedures. Chinese women tied heavy ropes around their waists so excruciatingly tight that they either aborted or passed into unconsciousness. Ancient Hindus and Arabs concocted chemical pessaries–abortifacients that were pushed or pumped directly into the womb through the birth canal. Primitive Canaanites threw their children onto great flaming pyres as a sacrifice to their god Molech. Polynesians subjected their pregnant women to onerous tortures–their abdomens beaten with large stones or hot coals heaped upon their bodies. Egyptians disposed of their unwanted children by disemboweling and dismembering them shortly after birth–their collagen was then harvested for the manufacture of cosmetic creams.
Abortion, infanticide, exposure, and abandonment were so much a part of human societies that they provided the primary literary liet motif in popular traditions, stories, myths, fables, and legends. The founding of Rome was, for instance, presumed to be the happy result of the abandonment of children. According to the story, a vestal virgin who had been raped bore twin sons, Romulus and Remus. The harsh Etruscan Amulius ordered them exposed on the Tiber River. Left in a basket which floated ashore, they were found by a she wolf and suckled by her. Romulus and Remus would later establish the city of Rome on the seven hills near the place of their rescue. Likewise, the stories of Oedipus, Jupiter, Poseidon, and Hephaistos, were are victims of failed infanticides.
Because they had been mired by the minions of sin and death, it was as instinctive as the autumn harvest for them to summarily sabotage their own heritage. They saw nothing particularly cruel about despoiling the fruit of their wombs. It was woven into the very fabric of their culture. They believed that it was completely justifiable. They believed that it was just and good and right.
The Gospel therefore came into the world as a stern rebuke. God, who is the giver of life (Acts 17:25), the fountain of life (Psalm 36:9), and the defender of life (Psalm 27:1), not only sent us the message of life (Acts 5:20) and the words of life (John 6:68), He sent us the light of life as well (John 8:12). He sent us His only begotten Son—the life of the world (John 6:51)–to break the bonds of sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:54-56). For God so loved the world, that He sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
Once again, this is taken from one of my favorite blogs: http://www.kingsmeadow.com/
We really need to reduce our IEW inventory before the end of the year. Otherwise, we have to count all that inventory 
Soooo…..
I’m making a fantastic deal for you. You won’t see this anywhere else and we will still offer FREE shipping on all IEW products.
**Special 1
All orders of $100 or more on IEW Excellence in Writing products (Writing, Reading or Grammar) receive a FREE copy of A Thomas Jefferson Education (hardback) that sells for $26.95
**Special 2
All orders of $200 or more on IEW products (Writing, Reading or Grammar) receive a FREE copy both - A Thomas Jefferson Education (hardback) that sells for $26.95 AND Accelerated Distance Learning ($19.97 retail)
As always, we provide FREE SHIPPING on all IEW products.
Click on any of the following IEW product to read more and grab your own copy:
Character Based Writing Lessons
Ancient History-Based Writing Lessons
Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons
Explorers to Gold Rush U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons (Vol. 1)
Civil War to Present U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons (Vol. 2)
Why do we decorate with mistletoe, holly & ivy? Watch this short video to see what the symbolism of holly & ivy is. You may be surprised how it is used in Advent celebration.