Saturday, May 31, 2008

Seven Principles of a Sound Economy


1. Free people are not equal, and equal people are not free.


2. What belongs to you, you tend to take care of; what belongs to everyone tends to fall into disrepair.


3. Consider long-run effects for all, not simply short-run effects for the few.


4. If you encourage something, you get more of it; if you discourage something, you get less.


5. Nobody spends somebody else's money as carefully as he spends his own.


6. Gov't has nothing to give anyone except what it first takes from someone else.


7. Liberty makes all the difference in the world.

What are the Core Principles?



The Rule of Law

Private Property

Limited Government

Free Trade

Low Taxes

Entrepreneurship

Personal Responsibility

Friday, May 30, 2008

Who is Obama?

The newspaper in UK, Telegraph, polled the countries in Europe on the US candidates for presidency.

Who do you think is Europe's favorite candidate?

That's right. Obama.

All the countries that hate America favors Obama. That is: Britain, France, Germany, Italy and let's not forget Russia. Hamas, a terrorist organization, favors Obama, Fidel Castro, another terrorist, favors Obama. Why do you think that is?

In my never to be humble opinion I think it is because all these people's philosophy is the same: Destruction of America.

Shame, shame, shame on all americans who will vote for a guy like this.

Medieval Castle

We visited a medieval castle and tried to learn about the architecture style.




The interior court.




We had fun visiting the historical sites. No matter how big and glorious were at their time, now they are empty, cold walls. I pray that when Jesus comes we won't be found empty and cold inside.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Public "Education"


If a store sells inferior products or a business gives bad service, most customers will not come back and that store or business will eventually go bankrupt. If public schools sell bad education, year after year, why don’t they go bankrupt? Why aren’t they shut down?


The answer is government compulsion. In private schools, if the school does a bad job educating children, parents will soon take their child out of that school. If enough parents take their kids out of the school, that school will go bankrupt. A private school depends on the voluntary consent and tuition payments of its parent-customers to stay in business.


Unlike private schools, public schools are a government-controlled education system that stays in business through naked compulsion. Local governments pass laws that give school authorities near-monopoly powers over our children’s education. Compulsory-attendance laws force children to go to these schools. School taxes force parents to pay for these schools. Unlike private schools, public schools rarely go out of business, no matter how bad they are, because they get their "customers" and their money by force.


Compulsion rears its ugly head in our public schools in many other ways. State teacher licensing laws prevent excellent but unlicensed educators or outside experts from teaching in the schools. Tenure laws make it almost impossible for school boards to fire incompetent or even mediocre teachers or principals.


Local governments force children to go to public schools for six to eight hours a day, five days a week for up to twelve years, even though these children might hate public school. School authorities force children to study subjects that school authorities dictate, even though children might find these subjects boring or meaningless. Public schools also force parents to accept teachers that parents might not like or think are competent.


Many public schools force children to learn math and reading with teaching methods that can cripple children’s math and reading abilities. Public schools often subject children to values or sex-education classes that parents object to. The list goes on and on.
Like tax-supported prisons, public schools don’t shut down because the whole system rests on a foundation of naked force. Take away compulsory-attendance laws and compulsory school taxes and it’s highly likely that most public schools would "go out of business."

Our Liberty is in Danger!

¶ " An official of the Traditional Values Coalition testified today before the Fairfax County, Virginia Board of Supervisors and asked county officials to release a report commissioned on classroom materials in use at the Islamic Saudi Academy (ISA).In October, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended that the State Department close the academy after a review of classroom material provided by the Saudi government for use in its schools in America. A commission spokesperson said the material promoted violence against non-Muslims."

¶ "A group of Muslim workers allege they were fired by a New Brighton tortilla factory for refusing to wear uniforms that they say were immodest by Islamic standards."

These are only a couple of the latest news that show that our liberty is in danger.

From the former news we learn that there are islamic school who teach against America. They teach to hate America and to refuse to believe in the American dream. From the latter we see that Americans have to bow down to any request of muslims. People come here for opportunity and freedom. You have the opportunitiy to work, and the freedom to quit if you don't want to follow your employers rules. Our money are spent to accomodate their every whim. Otherwise we're called intolerant.

That's not intolerance, that's suicide. No society that promotes diversity over unity can survive.

When tolerance of our culture is used against us by people who are intolerant, then what does the future hold? Is it only the cross and star of David that offend? Christmas carols?

If we continue down this path, it will lead to social suicide, not social tolerance. It will disarm us from any ability to function!

Let's all pray that the God-given rights are preserved in this great country.

I am a Christian

When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not shouting, "I've been saved!"
I'm whispering, "I get lost! That's why I chose this way"
When I say, "I am a Christian," I don't speak with human pride
I'm confessing that I stumble-needing God to be my guide
When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not trying to be strong
I'm professing that I'm weak and pray for strength to carry on
When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not bragging of success
I'm admitting that I've failed and cannot ever pay the debt
When I say, "I am a Christian," I don't think I know it all
I submit to my confusion asking humbly to be taught
When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not claiming to be perfect
My flaws are far too visible but God believes I'm worth it
When I say, "I am a Christian," I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartache which is why I seek His name
When I say, "I am a Christian," I do not wish to judgeI have no authority--
I only know I'm loved

Copyright 1988 Carol Wimmer

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Such a Big Empire, Such a Sad Ending

Last year in History we studied the Roman Empire. In October, 2007 we had the pleasure to visit a Roman site.






There are some of the ruins left of such a large Empire.










Some Latin writings.
















Part of the Amphitheater where Christians were killed for amusement.






Here is the way the Romans had the blood drained after the fights in the amphitheater.

These ruins of Colonia Ulpia Traiana Augusta Dacica Sarmizegetusa were part of Trajan's expedition trying to conquer Dacia around 101-106 AD. In the end the city was destroyed by the Goths.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Britain's Attack on Family

Dr. Laura on her blog http://www.drlaurablog.com/ brings to our attention the attack on family. It happened in England, but pretty soon the fight will come here, too. Here is what she says:

Besides the assault on Western civilization from the outside by Islamist jihadists, we are deconstructing our own society by declaring null and void basic concepts of mother- and father-centered lives for children.

Forget the biology: Male and female create offspring

Forget the psychology and sociology: children who do not have Mom and Dad-centered home lives tend to have higher poverty rates, and more problems on all levels with education, violence, and substance abuse,

Forget everything that is basic and makes sense, because some women are so selfish and/or incompetent to have a healthy relationship with a man that their desire - desire - is to have a child, intentionally robbing that child of a father and a mom and dad-centered home.
Well, permission to do so has been granted by the British government to do just that. The British government voted just last week to remove the requirement that fertility clinics consider a child’s need for a father. Let me repeat: they removed the requirement that fertility clinics even consider a child’s need for a father. Can you believe that? The best interests of a child are eliminated from discourse, because a female wants to make a baby for her own pleasure - and a historically civilized government backs her up? Sheesh!

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, in an interview with London’s “The Times,” said, “I think it strange that the government should want to take away not just the need for a father, but the right for a father.”

Sad, very sad :(

Love in the Home

If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place,
but have not love,
I am a housekeeper -- not a homemaker.

If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements,
but have not love,
My children learn cleanliness -- not godliness.

Love leaves the dust in search of a child's laugh.
Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.
Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.
Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.

Love is present through the trials.
Love reprimands, reproves, and is responsive.
Love crawls with baby, walks with the toddler, runs with the child,
then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood.
Love is the key that opens salvation's message to a child's heart.

Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection.
Now I glory in God's perfection of my child.
As a mother, there is much I must teach my child,
But the greatest of all is LOVE.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Important Influences

This Sunday at Church we looked into 2Chronicles 24. When Athaliah started to destroy all the royal family of Judah, her grandson, Joash, was taken away by his aunt so that Athaliah will not kill him, too. Joash spent his first six years in the house of God, in the care of priest Jehoiada, while Athaliah reigned over the land.



Jehoiada, until his death, was a godly influence on Joash, and Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord. After Jehoiada died, bad influences made Joash to turn his heart away from the Lord.



The most important influence on our homeschooled children is the environment in which they grow. When parents demonstrate a healthy relationship between each other and with the Lord, a child's perspective about himself and his world is influenced for good. Parents who fear the Lord and live according to His Word have a far greater impact on homeschooling's success than parents who worry about having the best curriculum or the latest computer. Giving your children a Christian education, therefore, requires a homeschooling parent to be completely in line with God's will.



What kind of example are you setting for your child? In your day-to-day living and homeschooling, is your child seeing you seek God's strength, comfort, and wisdom? Are you serving in humility and incorporating the Scriptures into your decision making? If you want your child to be successful while homeschooling, make sure the example of your life leads him toward Christ instead of away from Him.



Even as Paul exhorted young Timothy, "Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12b).

Sunday, May 25, 2008

The Homeschooler's 23rd Psalm

"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." (John 10:11)

The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He maketh me to live on less sleep;
He leadeth me through the noise of many voices.

He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me to teach
The right lessons each day, for His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of undone
Laundry and kitchen messes, I will fear no evil:
For thou art with me, my teacher's guides and
Answer keys, they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence
Of threatening school officials and critical family members.
Thou anointest my head with heavenly wisdom, my cup runneth over.

Surely educated and godly children shall follow after me
All the days of my life and I will dwell again one day
In a clean house with the Lord forevermore.

Praise God, we do have a good Shepherd who leads us through every homeschooling problem and provides for our every need. Best of all, our Shepherd knows us and promises never to desert us when the wolf comes seeking to destroy (John 10:11-13).

As we listen to the Shepherd's voice and follow Him, we are sure to receive a great reward as we reach the peaceful green pastures of Christ-like, educated children. "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." (1 Peter 5:4)

Salvation by What?

Rev. R.J. Rushdoony Posted on March 29, 2006
CA Farmer 230:10 (May 17, 1969), p. 38.

One of the worst ideas begotten by the Renaissance and the Enlightenment was the belief that man can be saved by knowledge. This idea, which had it roots in the ancient Gnostic cults, holds that knowledge will save man and society and usher in a paradise on earth.
But it has not worked that way. The more knowledge people have without faith, the more gullible they are. There are more communists among college professors and intellectuals than among workers. More astrology books, a news distributor once told me, are sold near colleges than in poorer neighborhoods. Confidence men do better usually with intellectuals than with successful men of little schooling.
Something is thus clearly lacking. Knowledge is good, but it is not enough. Knowledge is an accumulation of facts; it is not the ability to use those facts, nor is it the moral judgment to act wisely on those facts.
Our schools and colleges are dedicated to the proposition that the world needs to be saved by knowledge, but perhaps one of the things we most need to be saved from these days is our schools and colleges.
St. Peter, in proclaiming "the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth" before the Sanhedrin, declared, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
This is the issue: is the world going to be saved by facts, or is it going to be saved by regeneration in and through Jesus Christ?
If salvation is by facts, by knowledge, then we are on the right course as a nation. The more we know about psychology, the moon, the love life of the earthworm, and all the other subjects we appropriate money for, the better off we are. Simply give people enough facts, and they will be changed from sinners to saints. But somehow all this is making us worse instead of better.
If salvation is, as Scripture declares, by Jesus Christ, then we had better act on that fact. Our personal and social life must then be conformed to God and His Word. Our institutions—church, state, school, and all others—had better reckon with God as the foundation. We will seek to be faithful to Christ at every point in every sphere of life, or we do not own Him as Lord.
Our choice is clear: salvation by knowledge, or salvation by Christ? Where do you stand? And what are you doing about it?

Are American Kids Stupid?

This is the question that John Stossel tried to answer in his documentary "Stupid in America: How We Cheat Our Kids". State after state did not let him in. Why keep out the cameras if schools have nothing to hide?

Stossel compared a "good" school district in New Jersey to an "average" school in Belgium, giving the students a general information test. The Belgian students answered 76% of the questions corectly; the New Jersey students, 40%. A report by the National Center for Education Statistics revealed that only 31% of American college graduates can read a complex book with good comprehension.

Why are America's schools so bad? It's the Monopoly!

Just before Stossel finished preparing his documentary, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the state’s experimental school choice program — which had already produced positive results — was unconstitutional. Earlier, school choice proposals in South Carolina, backed strongly by the governor, were killed by the state legislature.
In Florida, a public school teacher sued to abolish school choice. "Competition is not for human beings," she said.
In South Carolina, the state teachers’ union spent millions of dollars on lobbying and television ads to keep school choice from seeing the light of day.
Reform efforts fail, Stossel said, because public school administrators and teachers’ unions do everything in their power to defeat it.

These are not the persons to whom Christian parents should entrust their children. The unions may not be doing a good job of teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic; but they are teaching promiscuity, abortion, and sodomy.

An evil tree can bear only evil fruit, and public education is an evil tree. R.J. Rushdoony spent decades proving this: see his 1963 book, The Messianic Character of American Education. American public schools rest on a non-Christian, aggressively secularist philosophy that rejects God’s laws and puts man and the state in His place. This is not fruit you want your children to be eating.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Unseen Sacrifices

Last month we were studying the Renaissance era. Reading more about the arts and artists of that time, we came across Albrecht Durer, who was the greatest German painter of the Renaissance. As we began researching about him, we discovered the famous picture "The Praying Hands" and an amazing story of sacrificial love.

Albrecht Durer and his brother Albert both had a dream to become artists. However, living in a family of eighteen children, they knew their father could never afford to send both of them to art school. As they discussed the problem, they decided that one brother would work in the mines to support the other while studying art. Then, when that brother had completed his studies, he would return the favor and work to support the other. Albrecht won the toss of the coin and went to school first, while Albert went to work in the mines.Albrecht's talents were remarkable and by the time he graduated, he was earning large fees for his commissioned works. Returning home a successful artist, he said to Albert, "Now it's your turn to go to school, dear brother."With his body worn out from years of hard work in the mines, Albert replied, "No, it's too late for me. My fingers have all been smashed at least once and my arthritis is so bad that I could never hold a pen or brush to a canvas. No, for me it's too late." As the tears streamed down Albert's face, Albrecht realized the great sacrifice his brother had made. Moved by this incredible gift of love, Albrecht painstakingly painted a portrait of the hands that had given him so much. Immortalizing his brother's hands, Albrecht painted his most well-known masterpiece, "The Praying Hands".

As a homeschool mom, every sacrifice is worth the joy of seeing my children learn about God and grow in their faith.

WELCOME

Welcome to our homeschool journey. Walk with me and my family as we take this road to learn and live for the glory of God.