Peonies!!

 It's that time of year! 

So beautiful and that lovely fragrance!

Thanking God for his springtime blessings:) He knows when we need encouragement for sure!

Pursued to Eternity by John Riley -- my REVIEW

  Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew

Recently I read the book Pursued to Eternity by John Riley. The author of this book is actually a lesson designer/creator of a course on SchoolhouseTeachers.com that my daughter had taken and really enjoyed last year (Apologetics: Creation vs. Evolution). I was curious about the book and interested to give it a try.

The book is a short-looking softcovered book with seventeen chapters and 151 pages. It has little line-drawings throughout which are nice little beginnings to each chapter.

Pursued to Eternity is several stories within a larger story--not the story of the author, but a fictional man and his brother. The man in the story, Connor, is a Bible-believing Christian and his brother (a phD geologist) named Alan, is an athiest for much of his life. 

The stories within the story show how God orchestrated things and set things up centuries prior to Alan's life to convince him of the Truth of Scripture. Also spread throughout the book are conversations that Connor has with Alan, sharing the Gospel and Bible Truth with him. Connor includes Scripture, quotations from people in the past, and more in his discourses with Alan.

The stories-within-the-story are fictional historical happenings, with actual dates and historic references mixed in with the fictional stories. These fictional historical stories were written about someone living in different times of history.

One story is about a group of men hunting and fighting a large creature and another one is about a family during the time of the Exodus from Egypt. Eventually the 21st geologist finds artifacts from stories at different points in history (that then mysteriously or mystifyingly disappear), but they somehow bring him more to a belief in the God that his brother follows.

Also interspersed in the book are some vignettes about the narrator, Connor, and how he lost his teaching job by encouraging his students to question the norm. There is also a lengthy list of 68 questions that the narrator's students came up with in their questioning of the teachings of evolution--this list includes things such as historical scientists and their beliefs, examples of things within nature that seem to go against traditional Darwinistic teachings, and other questions which can be raised when one looks critically at theories of evolution. 

As the book proceeds, Connor's brother Alan makes some interesting geologic/ archaeologic discoveries. Connor has the opportunity to experience these with his brother. Connor does not give up on talking and writing to his brother about Scripture and God's presence throughout history and today as well. Connor and Alan have a very pleasant positive relationship throughout the story. 

The stories, Biblical exposition, and questions about evolution-within-a-story were a bit disjointed for my liking and I did not care for it.  I do know other readers who really enjoyed this book.  Be sure to read other readers' reviews, however, by clicking on this link or the graphic at the bottom of the page to get a more balanced view of the book. It is not the type of reading that I generally enjoy, though I'm sure others do. 

Please click on the link below to read others' reviews of this book and to get a more complete feel for it!

Inchworms

 I don't know why, but I always enjoy little inchworms. They are interesting and relaxing to watch!

Cleaning pyrex

 I have to admit that I have not been a fan of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers--ever since I used one on a wall when they first came out (15 years ago maybe?) and it messed up the paint on the wall. 

I recently got some for another try because there was a good sale on them :) and tried it on a pyrex dish that had those brown marks that, you know, appear ;) and it cleaned it right up so nicely! 

I was very pleasantly surprised:)

Bears!

 I like that we have wildlife in our backyard...but these bears are a little too brazen :/ 

Douglas MacArthur -- Heroes of History by YWAM -- my REVIEW

 Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew

One of my daughter's favorite series of books is a YWAM series by Janet and Geoff Benge. We were given the opportunity to read and review another book by these same authors--Douglas MacArthur: What Greater Honor in the series Heroes of History by YWAM Publishing. 

This book, as the others in the series, is a biography of a "Hero." This book is about Douglas MacArthur, who we usually already do note as a hero. Throughout the book the reader is brought to an understanding of MacArthur--a better understanding than just reading a paragraph or two in a history book. The reader finds out about MacArthur's life from childhood to adulthood (and to death); we learn that he was involved in a military for his entire life--from having a father in the military to going to military school to acceptance and attendance (and hazing!) at West Point and finally in the service of his country. We also learn that his mother was a helicopter parent! :) There are many details about his life--for instance, did you know that Douglas MacArthur was rejected twice, two years in a row, from West Point due to a medical issue (curvature of the spine) which he finally conquered, thanks to exercises and strengthening?

This book, as with the others in the series, is an easy read--and a great read-aloud! Although my kids are too old for read-alouds now (they do enjoy audiobooks, but not necessarily me reading them a book!) books in this series and others by the Benges have been enjoyed by our family for years.

One of the things that the books in this series do is help the reader identify with the subject of the biography and see them as a real person. We all know that MacArthur was a brilliant military leader and tactical planner, but how many of us know about his background and how he grew into the man that he became? 

This book, alone as a book to read solo or aloud with a group or family, is an enjoyable learning experience. However, there is more to this book that may appeal to a homeschooling family!

Along with this book is a Unit Study prepared by YWAM Publishers which gives activities and exercises which expand this from just a book to read to an entire unit study which can last as long as you wish. The unit study is a handy pdf download and features things like chapter questions (and there is also a section written for parents about how to grade these and what expectations to have for these, such as writing answers in a full sentence). 

There are hands-on project suggestions ranging from things like creating relief maps to learning about Filipino cuisine (you will learn about MacArthur's affinity for the Philippines).There are recommendations for listening to some of MacArthur's speeches; for creating a PowerPoint of different parts of MacArthur's life, and for doing arts and crafts projects like crafting a kimono. 

There are field trip ideas and tips for processing those things learned and experienced on field trips. There are vocabulary lists and geography activities. 

Basically the unit study is full of an enormous amount of ideas that you can use to expand this from a book about Douglas MacArthur to a large learning experience jumping out from the book and expanding into different areas of learning. 

Some families may choose to enjoy the book as a read-aloud, to learn more about this hero from history while others may dive in and spend a month learning around his life story--it's up to you!

I would recommend this book and this series--even though it is written for kids, it is actually enjoyable for adults as well! My daughter (16) who also read this book noted that she was surprised that there was little mention of faith in the book--many of the other Heroes of History that she has read have featured the primary character's belief in God, but this one did not seem to; so that's something to note. We would still recommend it.

You can read more reviews of books like this one, including reviews of different books in this series by clicking on the link below:

The kids are home!

 It's that time of year...the kids have come home from college! Yay! 

Psalm 127:3 

Children are a gift from the Lord;
    they are a reward from him.

Thank you, Lord, for the three gifts of children that you granted to me!