Category Archives: Bible

Apr22

What is the most important thing you can do with your kids this summer? I have an idea…

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What is the most important thing you can do with your kids this summer? I have an idea…

Bible Bee logo

Now, more than ever, I sense the urgency to get as much Scripture into our kids and ourselves as possible.  The world is becoming more and more hostile to Christians and it is important as believers to know God’s word.  And more importantly to know it CORRECTLY and to be able to DEFEND it.  Too often I am finding Scripture misquoted or taken out of context.

We have the kids memorizing Scripture and doing devotions during the school year with a program they are in called Truth Trackers.  But they have the summer off from that program.  We also take school pretty lightly during the summer and just focus on Math, lots of reading, and a little writing.  This leaves us a lot more free time.  What better activity could we spend our free time on than Bible Study and Bible Memorization as a family?  I think you would be hard pressed to find anything better! This summer my family has signed up to participate in the Bible Bee.  We are super excited about it!

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The program officially starts June 1st, however registration has already begun!  I would like to challenge you and your family to get onto the Bible Bee website and see if there are any hosts in your area!  Then I challenge you to sign your family up.  Here’s a really quick overview of what it entails….

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At the end of the summer there is a competition to help motivate your kids to study well this summer….

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I strongly urge you to consider what you have your kids do this summer…how are they going to spend their time off from school?  Is it going to be spent watching TV and playing with friends?  What will you be able to tell your friends your family did at the end of the summer?  Will it have an eternal impact?

I know that for my family we will be able to tell you that we participated in the 2013 Bible Bee where we made new friends, strengthened the bonds within our family and most importantly made an eternal impact in our lives by studying God’s Word and memorizing it together.

Joshua 24:15

Apr19

WORDology:Free Scripture Memory CD Download for kids!

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WORDology:Free Scripture Memory CD Download for kids!

My sister forwarded this info about this really cool Scripture memory CD that is free to download!  We are really enjoying listening to the music. So I wanted to pass the information on to you…What a cool resource to add to your arsenal of Bible Memory techniques and tools!

Here’s a quick blurb about it from the website:

This project started as a hobby five or six years ago when I started writing simple Bible songs, inspired by my morning quiet times. One day, moved by Mark 9:37, we decided to try to recording these songs. Many unexpected twists and turns later, we have our first album. Our prayer is that parents will find these songs helpful for their children to become familiar with some important Bible verses. It was recorded simply, using acoustic instruments and an old laptop with GarageBand. My wife Lisa sings lead, along with Kaela, Lizzy, Zoe, Maria, Kallie, Rosey, Ellie, Audrey, Cora. I sing some backgrounds, along with playing the instruments. The project was mixed excellently by Dan Dybing. Artwork created by Zoe B.

Just click the here to download WORDology and start listening today!

Follow WORDology on Facebook!

Mar24

Easter-Resurrection Cookies…again!

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Easter-Resurrection Cookies…again!

I am sure that many of you are aware of resurrection cookies. We love these cookies and they have become quite a tradition over the last few years!  What a great hands on way to reinforce what Easter is all about and have a snack the next day to show for it!  Don’t get your kids excited about eating them the day you make them….They have to sit in the oven overnight!

I have looked at quiet a few different sites and no one seems to know where they originated.  Here’s the recipe and devotional to go along while you make the recipe.

Resurrection Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup whole pecans

1 teaspoon vinegar

3 egg whites

a pinch of salt

1 cup of sugar

a ziplock bag

a wooden spoon

scotch or masking tape

Bible

 

These can be made the night before Easter or if you can’t do that anytime coming up to Easter would be just fine.  Let’s not beat ourselves up over trying to make this perfect!

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 300F.  (Do this now, don’t forget and try to do it later)

Place pecans in the ziplock bag.  Let your children hit them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces.  Explain that after Jesus was arrested Roman soldiers beat him.  Read John 19:1-3

Allow each child to smell the vinegar.  Put 1 t. into mixing bowl.  Tell your children that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink.  Ewwww. Read John 19:28-30

Add egg whites to vinegar.  Eggs represent life.  Explain that Jesus gave His life so that we might have life.  Read John 10:10-11

Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand.  Have them taste it and then brush it into the bowl.  This salt represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers and the bitterness of our own sin.  Read Luke 23:27

So far the ingredients are really appetizing.  Add 1 cup of sugar.  Explain that this is the sweetest part of the story….Jesus died because He loves us.  He wants us to know and belong to Him.  Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.  Explain that the color white represents our purity in God’s eyes once we have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3

Fold in broken nuts.  Drop by teaspoons onto a waxed paper covered cookie sheet.  Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid.  Read Matthew 27:57-60

Put the cookie sheet into the oven, close the door and TURN OFF THE OVEN.

Give each chile a piece of tape and seal the oven door.  Tell your children that Jesus’ tomb was sealed.  Read Matthew 27:65-66

GO TO BED!

Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight.  Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.  Read John 16:20 & 22

On Resurrection Sunday (EASTER) morning (Or a different morning if that works better for you, remember we are not beating ourselves up for not doing it on the perfect day if it isn’t possible-doing it sometime is better than not at all), open the oven and give everyone a cookie.  Notice when you take a bite, that they are hollow!!  On the first Easter Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.  Read Matthew 28:1-9

I really hope that you will find some time to make these with your kids.  It is such a tangible (and tasty) way to explain the Easter story to them.

Nov7

Growing up Wild DVDs: A Schoolhouse Crew Review

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Growing up Wild DVDs: A Schoolhouse Crew Review

 

Sacha’s<25: These fun DVD’s encourage children to impact the world for God’s glory, through watching the 4 Wild brothers growing up as missionary kids in the jungles of Papua, Indonesia.

Home in the Trenches Product Rating (out of 10 stars)

Is it worth our time?  10  stars
Did it help us learn? 10  stars
Is it worth the money? 10  stars
Is it useful to me? 10  stars
Practicality-10 stars
Quality- 10 stars
Kid Rating- 10 stars

 

This product might just be one of the most unique products were were able to review this year!  Growing Up Wild DVD series includes 5 DVDs.  We were able to review volumes 1 and 4.  Included with each DVD is a separate CD which includes Activity Guides to go along with each of the three episodes on each volume.

We were hooked just a few minutes into the first episode.   Each episode runs around 15 minutes.  How often arre you able to expose your kids to missionaries and their unique lifestyles, let alone see what it is like to be  a missionary kid?  I know there are books about missionaries, but I haven’t seen such a cool product that highlights the lifestyle of missionary kids as well as the culture they are living and serving in.

Volume 1  Includes these 3 Episodes:

1. Home Sweet Hut—In this episode you wil see a glimpse into the Wild brothers’ house and life.  Learn how a house in the jungle is built and see the creatures that emerge in the night.

2.  Supply Trip—How do the Wild brothers buy and bring in supplies while living in the jungle?  Come and watch as this episode takes off on a little bush airplane and ends with a pantry full of supplies.

3.  Sun and Water—Discover how the mighty sun’s power and a rushing mountain stream can be harnessed and become useful daily tools for the Wild brothers and their family.  Who knew learning about electricity and water pressure could be so much fun!

Volume 4 Includes:

  1. Amazing World Around Us
  2. Adventures In Culture
  3. Tribal Calling

I have to share this info about the Wild family…straight from their website , but too cool not to post here:

“Growing Up Wild” took about 3 years to film and produce. In the beginning, we worked on this series as a creative outlet in our spare time. Over our weekend coffee times, Libby and I would half heartedly talk about “Growing Up Wild” actually becoming a tool to influence an army of future missionaries that would take the Gospel to the remaining unreached people groups of the world.

As the days and months went on, ideas for the different episodes came together, and the Lord continued to spur us on to spend more dedicated time on the project on the weekends and evenings. Finally nearing the Spring of 2011, we were scheduled for a furlough to the States, and we committed to finishing the production while at our furlough home in Florida.

We launched  ”Growing Up Wild” in September 2011. 

The Wild Family

I actually told my kids that they were going to have to wait to watch more of these episodes.  We are saving them for when I have the baby.  I thought this would be a great way to still get some school in each day and have some fun at the same time learning about another culture.  The activity guides have some really great ideas for discussion and also some great projects to bring the culture right into your home!

For Example—from the Activity Guide for the first Episode—Activities ideas include: (these are meant to help you, not stress you out!)

  • A discussion on the “things of this world” and what we hold onto.
  • Draw a tree near your house (their house is build next to a beautiful huge tree)
  • Talk with someone older and find out about them…a relative or take a trip to a nursing home
  • Fill in a Venn Diagram about the similarities and differences of your house and the Wild brothers house.
  • Finally, build a Wano house….this can be a model out of clay, popsicle sticks or in your back yard out of sticks, limbs and leaves.

What I liked:

  • I love that the kids are the main characters in these DVD’s.
  • This is just such a great platform to introduce missons to kids.
  • The Activity Guides really help to give you ideas to “flesh out” what you have seen on the videos.
  • Love they they are filmed and produced by a family, but they don’t seem “homemade”.  They are professionally done, and I think edited on a Mac. (we love our Apple products at our house and dabble in video and film ourselves)

What I didn’t like:

  • I wish there were a few more episodes on each DVD!

To sum it up:  This DVD series is really a one of a kind item on the market.  We loved watching the Wild kids and the culture they are missionaries in.  We can’t wait to watch more episodes as soon as I have this baby!  (These are being saved for a special “baby school” occasion!)

The important information:

 

 

 

Growing up Wild DVD’s inluding activity guides for each episode

Order from: The Wild Brothers 

Price: each DVD is $18.99 plus tax/shipping or order all 5 DVD’s for $80.99 plus tax/shipping

To read other Schoolhouse Crew reviews of this product click here. 

 

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Disclosure/Disclaimer:  I received the above product free of charge for review purposes.  I am only expected to give an honest review.

Oct24

Sugar Creek Gang Audio CD’s: A Schoolhouse Crew Review

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Sugar Creek Gang Audio CD’s: A Schoolhouse Crew Review

 

Sacha’s<25: The Sugar Creek Gang Audio CD’s are radio dramatizations of the book series–simply amazing and enjoyable for your whole family! (Please read more below!!!)

Home in the Trenches Product Rating (out of 10 stars)

Is it worth our time? 10 stars
Did it help us learn? 10 stars
Is it worth the money? 10 stars
Is it useful to me? 10 stars
Practicality- 10 stars
Quality- 9 stars
Kid Rating- 10 stars

“Can we please listen to more of the story,“ is what I heard as we climbed back in the car after a day at our homeschool co-op.  My kids are begging me to keep listening to the Sugar Creek Gang stories.  Not only that, but one day we got home and sat in the car, in the driveway, listening for another 10 minutes so we could find out what happened next in the story.  They are that good!  Even better yet is that my 3 year old is enjoying them as well as my 5, 8, 11, and 13 year olds!

I couldn’t be more thrilled!  These CD’s are the best I’ve ever heard.  Yes, I know that seems like an overstatement but it’s not!  These stories are wholesome, adventureous, fun, and have amazing character and Biblical messages along the way.  The narrator is a wonderful narrator…he has great voices for the characters and is very entertaining to listen to!

The stories are told in such a way it is if the main character is telling you the story right there in your living room, car, or wherever you may be while you are listening to them!  Included within the stories are science lessons, poetry (one of the the “gang” loves to quote poetry), character lessons—Children obey your parents in the Lord, and much more!

In 1939, Paul Hutchens began writing this series of wholesome Christian adventure books for boys and girls.  Several years ago Paul Ramseyer was inspired to dramatize the book series for radio. I am so glad that he did.

Beloved Books looks to be an amazing resource for families.  Beloved Books provided the Sugar Creek Gang Audio CD’s for us to review.  The have been involved with the manufacturing and distribution of the Sugar Creek Gang Adventure Time audio stories since 1998. For years their family has enjoyed listening to audio stories and reading aloud life-affirming, wholesome literature together.  Beloved Books was created to share their favorite books and audio resources with other Christian families! Please take a moment and see all the different types of products that they have to offer!

I couldn’t say this in a better way, so straight from Beloved Books’ website:

These Sugar Creek Gang “Audio Adventures” are dramatically read straight from the original books.  Christian families LOVE this series because the gospel message is presented in such a simple, easy-to-understand style.  The whole series is, in fact, a discipleship journey… even parents who listen along witness the Holy Spirit working changes in their own hearts!

The complete audio series contains over 36 books with over 100 hours on 72 CDs! We were given the first volume of CD’s from the Sugar Creek Gang Audio series to review. These stories are meant to be listened to in order!  The stories can stand alone but follow a continuing story line, as well as a spiritual foundation that is built upon as the series progresses.

This volume of CDs contains the following stories:

The Swamp Robber

The Killer Bear

The Winter Rescue

The Lost Campers

Chicago Adventure

The Secret Hideout

With each story lasting approximately 2 hours this CD series is about 12 hours of enjoyment, learning and life changing messages for your family. That comes out to less than $5/hour!  There isn’t much that a family can enjoy together for that price! And even if you don’t listen (although I know you will want to) you can’t buy happy, quiet children for hours at a time for that price.  Well worth the investment!

Let me introduce you to some of our new “friends” or characters in this series:

Bill Collins is the narrator of the series and is 10 years of age. His best friend is Poetry. His father, is a farmer, but Bill wants to be a doctor when he grows up.

Poetry is sometimes called “the barrel-shaped member of the gang” because he is very chubby. He always boasts about his detective abilities, and usually has a tent pitched in his backyard. His nickname is “Poetry”, because he can quote a poem for most any situation.

Dragonfly is the skinniest and most allergic member of the gang. He usually sees things that are not there at all, or are there before the rest of the gang does. He is nicknamed “Dragonfly” because dragonflies have big eyes.

Little Jim is the youngest member of the gang. He is a very good Christian.

Circus  is nicknamed “Circus” because he has amazing athletic abilities, and can’t resist climbing a tree or doing a cartwheel. His dad is a drunk and is not a Christian. (I have read that he eventually becomes one and changes his ways early in the series.)

Big Jim is the leader of the gang, and is several years older than the rest of the gang.  He uses the skills he learned as a Scout to lead the gang well.

We haven’t made it through all 12 hours of the stories yet, but we are looking forward to the times when we can listen to them.  I know my kids are begging to listen to them more right now, but they have to finish their school work first!

What I liked:

  • One of the things I love  most about these stories is that the characters share how a person should live if they are a Christian in their conversations with each other.  It is very natural to talk about Christianity amongst themselves in their daily conversations.  Bill Collins (the main character) is so appreciate of having Christian parents and talks about it in the stories! I think this gives our children so much to think about!
  • The Gospel is presented in a natural way throughout the stories.
  • Character messages, Biblical messages, science lessons, poetry all woven into a well crafted story!
  • My boys and girls are enjoying these audio stories!
  • The narrator is amazing….so personal, great character voices, and super interesting to listen to!

What I didn’t like:

  • My kids might like them too much….lots of begging to listen to more of the story!!! (OK, this isn’t really isn’t a dislike!)
  • I only mention this as a caution…Circus’ dad is a drunk and there is a scene in the first audio story where he is drunk.  This can be used as a good opportunity to talk to your kids about drinking etc.  However, I wanted to mention it  if you don’t feel comfortable with this.

To sum it up:  This audio series, sold by Beloved Books, will bless your family in more ways than you can imagine! Take the plunge a get them for your family.  This is not just a temporary investment…you truly are investing in the lives of your children for eternity. You can also listen FREE to the very first complete story in the series online: http://belovedbooks.com/freebie.html.  Please note below that I have a special coupon code for 20% off your entire order.

The important information:

The Sugar Creek Gang Volume 1 CD’s

Order from: Beloved Books–http://www.belovedbooks.com

you can also call and order them at: 1-877-223-4415

Price: $54.95 for Volume 1 CD’s–free shipping included.  Or you can order the first COMPLETE story, ”Swamp Robber”, for only $4.95 and FREE First Class postage to try it out!

I am super excited to be able to offer you a special discount just for being my blog reader!  Enter TRENCHES-20 at checkout for 20% off your entire order at Beloved Books!

To read other Schoolhouse Crew reviews of this product click here.

 

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Disclosure/Disclaimer:  I received the above product free of charge for review purposes.  I am only expected to give an honest review.