I tried a new recipe today and my son LOVED it! Some of you may have already made this for your family, but I thought I’d pass it along to you. Straight from Rachael Ray…
Horseradish or Garlic Mashed Potato Topped Shepherds Pie
So my kids would like it, I substituted celery for parsnips and garlic for horseradish.
Enjoy!
Kerry
Another report from Chalcedon…to make you think about knowledge, even in your homeschool.
You might be wondering what in the world do I mean by a living book on homeschooling. I just finished an excellent biography with many living ideas on how to homeschool.
Up from Slavery is Booker T. Washington’s autobiography. I was fascinated with his entire story, from slavery to professor/founder of Tuskegee Institute to honorary degree holder from Harvard to friends of US Presidents. Besides his life story, Washington shares his ideas on education. As he decides how to set up Tuskegee, you learn what is important to him in educating his students.
Over the next few days, I will share some of Washington’s ideas on teaching students. I found his balance between work and academics refreshing, as well as inspiring. His ideas can naturally be implemented in your homeschool, especially a Leadership Education homeschool.
Do you ever see kids with tantrums?
Do you know kids who always want their own way?
Do they seem pleasant to you?
In order to raise children that are pleasant to those around them, there are many things that you must do.
Right now, one thing comes to mind. Do not follow your own selfish desires - There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12 Actually, this is a key verse of my daughter’s history studies this year.
As she studies the 19th and 20th centuries, she realizes this verse epitomizes modernity. . . the way you and I see the world. We are the product of modernity whether we realize it or not. As the Christian church today follows its own “right” way instead of God’s way found in His word, it is exhibiting this same modern mindset.
Parents often pass on an attribute of pride to their children when they think they know all the right ways. Your children pick up on this, thinking they know all the right ways as well. We live in a society of self-sufficiency and pride!
You should strive to teach our children humility instead of hubris.
What’s hubris?
That’s your vocabulary assignment for the week. Hegemony & hubris are concepts being drilled into us as we study modernity this year. When you believe you are in complete control with all the right answers, you are a people filled with hubris. However, the Word of God says that He is in control and we can not follow the way of man because it leads to death (Proverbs 14:12).
Do you find the principles in the Bible to be outdated? Do you wonder how God could accomplish anything before our modern technology and church programs? Then, you are definitely of the modern mindset.
Which mindset is your child? Which mindset are you passing on to your children? Be sure you are teaching your children the Biblical mindset and not the modern mindset. Most believers today do not realize they are of the modern society, with always an inkling of pride and individualism in the back of their mind. I know I have that pride and must strive to get rid of it.
Children who exhibit hubris are not pleasant to be around. I’m sure you have been around arrogant, spoiled children. They do not have a Biblical perspective.
What are you doing to give your children a Biblical mindset and not one of hubris???? What are you doing to root out pride and instill humility? Once you begin training your children in humility, you can be guaranteed they will be pleasant and other adults will actually enjoy them.
Kerry
(c)Kerry Beck, 2007
Want to share this free report on Are You Raising Pleasant Children? Feel free to forward it as long as you do not alter the article in any way and you include the bio below:
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Kerry Beck, author of Raising Leaders, Not Followers, encourages
parents to think outside the box as they raise their children to
lead wisely.
She wants to give you a Free Report, “How to Get It All Done” at
Christian Homeschool Curriculum.
I guess I’m really getting old. I find myself starting something and not getting get it finished. That’s what happened with
yesterday’s email.
I forgot to tell you about my husband’s webinar tomorrow night! I
realize it’s about family business and you may not be interested.
BUT…lots of homeschoolers want their children to know how to
have an online business so their children can have freedom when they choose a job.
I’ll let you read about it for yourself. Surf on over here:
Fast Info Products
Blessings,
Kerry
One of our FamilyEbiz students, Sue Riek, passed away last week. Sue was also one of my eBay students who shared the tip of using folded foam board as a backdrop. Needless to say, we were shocked to hear of Sue’s passing. Our oldest daughter didn’t believe us because she just spent the weekend with Sue at a conference in Las Vegas.The following verses remind me of Sue. For those of you who don’t know, Sue lived in constant pain. The reason you might not know of her pain is she never complained about it. Sue was a light to the world and lived out these verses.
Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. Philippians 2:14-16
We are grateful to have known Sue for a short time and see that she did not live or labor in vain. She was a shining light to those around her!
Blessings,
Steve & Kerry Beck
Ashley, Gentry & Hunter
Our local coffee house sponsored a street party yesterday. We had fun spending the evening there. They had $1 burgers, clowns, and live music from 2-10pm. As we walked home, I told Steve I was surprised how cold it was in September.
Thanks for all the encouraging comments I’ve received about the importance of giving our children a Christian worldview in their education. Here’s what one dad said…
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Your material is sorely needed for the homeschool community so that Biblically-grounded young adults can re-claim the culture for Christ. -Brian
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Since many of you are looking for ways to use real books in your homeschool, I’ve written how I am trying to make Reading Journals a positive & rewarding experience with my own children.
Discover 5 tips to making Reading Journals fun!
Just read the next post…
Blessings,
Kerry
In some of my workshops this past summer I admitted that writing in my reading journal was a weakness. For that reason, I believe my children had not done well writing in their journals. I made some changes for this year. So far, we are off to a good start. Here are the ideas we began.
1. Buy a special journal for each person - I bought really cool looking journals from Staples for each of my kids and myself.
2. Use a small journal - I bought small journals, about 5×7. I thought the kids would not be so intimidated to record their thoughts if the page was smaller. The first day, my daughter actually wrote 1 1/2 pages for her first entry.
3. Discuss what each family member wrote - We begin each day with Family Group Time where we read aloud, but that’s another entry. We are starting Group Time with each person telling something they wrote in their reading journal the day before. This keeps each of us accountable on a daily basis. This shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes a day, unless you land on an interesting topic…SHORT & QUICK!
4. Let each person choose which reading to journal - For now, I am allowing my children to journal about our read aloud OR their independent reading. Giving them a choice helps them take ownership (leadership) in their studies. Some books are more interesting to different people, so let them choose.
5. Make it fun & easy - As they begin the reading journal process, I want it to be fun and easy for them. They can simply retell what happened in their book as we begin daily reading journals. As the weeks go by, I will encourage them to record their thoughts about the book. This will develop higher level thinking skills as they analyze or give their opinion about the reading.
Hope these help you as much as they are helping us!
Kerry
Today was our fabulous first day of school. I’ll post pics in a second.
We discussed what I expected of the kids and what they wanted to study. This week they “get” to pick what they want to read. Both of them chose one of their new books on their stack of goodies this morning. I bought 4 sports books for them. So, Gentry is reading a biography about Joe Torre, manager of New York Yankees. She already told me I would like it because there are lots of lessons about leaders. Just the fact that she related the book to me is a step in thinking for herself.
Hunter is reading The Rookie. Have you seen the movie? Well, we own it along with many other sports movies. I also gave him a biography of Cal Ripken and he told me he wanted to finish his bio of Coach K that he started this summer.
We’re almost finished with Robinson Crusoe. I hope to post my thought about the book and how to read it from a Biblical worldview later this week.
Better go finish dinner. We have our first girls Bible study tonight for my daughters and their friends. I am looking forward to my first formal study with the girls.
Kerry
Thank you to the overwhelming response to Raising Leaders, Not Followers. If you haven’t picked up your copy yet, there’s
still time before the weekly bonuses disappear tonight:
Christian Leadership for Teen & Kids
If you’re still unsure whether you should get a copy of this package for yourself, let me share a few comments I’ve received. (Remember last time I told you I’ve had lots of feedback from people who are buying the package.)
I’ve been impressed with what I’ve read so far. I have long been wanting to find the tools to mold my children into leaders themselves. They’re doing a pretty good job so far, but your suggestions are great.
Erica
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Thank you for re-releasing your leadership package this year. I read the preview copy that you sent me last year for submitting an input via email. I enjoyed it when I read it, and got a few ideas to add to what we were already doing (literature based/lifestyle of learning approach/relaxed unit studies) with our then 5 and 7 year olds. I then set my copy on the shelf to wait a few years before I read it again.
I decided to watch your webinar and listen to the call this week, just to glean some more wisdom. After checking out the bonuses, I decided to go ahead and order, because the BONUSES ALONE WERE WELL WORTH THE PACKAGE PRICE.
As I have started to go through the materials, I realize that there is DEFINITELY SOME SHIFTING I CAN DO THIS YEAR TO IMPROVE in a few areas. The Lord was already leading us to focus on some character issues, so it was very encouraging and confirming to hear you speak about the importance of a good foundation in character in the early years.
The one statement you made about the goal being “contemplation”, not “productivity” is a golden nugget for me!
So, our homeschool focus for the year is now character and contemplation.
Maridel Willer
Enjoy a Home Centered Life
www.MaridelWiller.com
I have too many comments to put into this short email. If you still aren’t convinced that Raising Leaders is for you, go back to this page and read the comments in the pink boxes. I just added the pink boxes this morning.
Christian Leadership for Teen & Kids
I didn’t have time to add all the comments, but those ought to give you a great idea of the response I received recently.
Enjoy the rest of your Labor Day holiday 
I’m off for a walk and some last-minute planning for our first day of school tomorrow!.
Blessings,
Kerry Beck
ps. The 4 Weekly Bonuses disappear at midnight (eastern) tonight - Monday, Sept 3, 2007. Today is the last day to receive those bonuses, so go here right now and get your copy. Remember what Maridel said, “the bonuses alone were well worth the package price.”
Christian Leadership for Teen & Kids