Homeschool Freebie of the day contest

One of my favorite websites is this one
Homeschool freebie of the day!
http://www.homeschoolfreebie.wholesomechildhood.com/
http://www.homeschoolfreebie.wholesomechildhood.com/about/

They are currently having a contest and will give away soem fantastic prizes. Click on over and enter the contest at this link http://homeschool.greenthumbfamily.com/?cdr=4f9aef172bb60

(once you have checked out what they normally have on a weekly basis.

Some of my favorites audios , lapbooks, unit studies, and ebooks, and Charlotte Mason ideas come from these guys!

Thanks

Creation Science Conference this week

http://ultimatehomeschoolexpo.com/CreationExpo.htm

I have not posted in forever and the format here has changed so much. Today I wanted to share with you about a Creation Science conference online. It is put on by my friend Felice Gerwitz from Meda Angels.

Here is the link to the tickets and it is only $19.97 up until today. Online classes with this country's top Creation Science folks.

http://ultimatehomeschoolexpo.com/CreationExpo.htm Please skip on over to this link to see what its all about!

Julie

Missing Your Loved One at This Time of Year

During the holiday season is a fun time for most people. Those however who have lost someone very close to them in the past few years may not think so. It is a hard time as we remember what that loved one like to do over Thanksgiving and Christmas Days.

Our middle son Brendon loved Christmas. (He's in the stripy shirt). Thanksgiving was a holiday he never really enjoyed as the food was not to his liking. He spent most of the Thanksgivings he can actually remember in the hospital or unable to eat. I guess that was only two really. For me not being born in America, it kind of still has not sunk in but I am trying to celebrate the freedom that we have to live here and worship the Lord freely. I am conveying that to the boys. I think my husband does realize this too.

All I can say is 3 years and 1 month today a precious part of my heart disappeared to heaven and is missed every day, and more during these 'happy' times of year. Reach out and touch someone physically or with a phone call this week who has lost a precious loved one, or even those who have lost a job or home. They need to know they are important. Don't try to tell them everything will be okay, as sometimes it is not. Sometimes it takes a very long time for life to turn around and be okay.

Thanks for hearing my heart today. Brendon we miss you and we love you darling. Your smile will live in my heart forever.

Ultimate Homeschool Special Needs Expo.

Hello my friends,

Life has been busy for our family. Once again I wanted to share about the Ultimate Homeschool Expo but this time there is an Expo for those with Special Needs. I do not advocate any of my children as having an abnormal learning ability but I must admit there are some challenges for me weekly.

I am learning from this Expo that I need to be teaching my Right Brained child a little differently. This Expo is introducing me to people who are trained in this area. I am learning how to challenge my children in their school days without them being bored any longer.

Click on over and take a look please. The price for the Expo at the moment is $19.97. After you have a ticket you will have access to at least 50 audios and other information included in the price. When you attend live you can enter for prizes too.

You can listen live during the Conference and chat with other Moms in the Chat room on the homepage. Come and join me in the mornings or afternoons this week for the Special Needs expo.

Click the title to this post to link  through for more information.

Living in the US of A

When I first moved here I thought it would be awesome to live in this free country which is so full of things I am able to get. I now say so many years later that most days I wish I could raise up our family in the 'freedom of Africa.' Do not get me wrong I am happy in the USA but there are so many simple things of life that are not here that are in Africa.

My children would be reasonably free to run around a huge yard, be it fenced for security reasons, but not too fearful of strangers. My children would be playing out in the sunshine and running through the bush with tackies on their feet and probably digging up chongololos (big black centipedes) with their fingers. Yes they can do that here but sometimes touching bugs eeks them out, not me. How did that happen? My children would be full of more questions about their world than just watching a DVD or video or looking it up on the Internet. They would grab a book and use it.

My children pester me to go online or to watch TV. I don't remember doing that too much in Africa. It was a major privilege to watch TV and even a movie every now and then. I grew up without Color TV too.

What would happen if you had to revert back to no TV, no computer, no Internet and computer? What would I do or you do? Would you know what to do, would you know how to survive? It is so easy to become sucked into this world's frame of thinking that you need all these things, and stuff and food etc. No you don't. How would your children learn? How could you contact someone? Have you ever thought of writing a letter? Do you know what kind of impact a card can make on someone's day across the country or world?

The Lord has been teaching me that what is most important is Him, and how He can change our world, our every moment, every day and He is watching, He is longing to be with us all someday. Yes I have made many bad decisions in my life. He is bringing me back to my first love with Him from when I was a little girl sitting in a garage listening to Uncle Lynne tell me Jesus loves me so much, and am I willing to give my heart to Him. Yes I did.

The books of James and Galatians have been my focus lately and through some teaching from those books I see I do not really 'need' all these things to build the world for our family. I need Him. I need to love Him more than anything. He should be my Ultimate friend on a moment by moment basis. Am I there yet? No way. This is just the new beginning for my heart?

Romans 12:12

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

I have lost much in this life and been through much affliction, BUT GOD held me in the palm of His Hand and nourished my spirit and soul even when I did not want it. Some days I still do not want to walk the way He has shown me. I do look around me and see hurting people who just won't choose Him as they know they will have to change. Change is a way of life. I have lived in 3 different countries, I have moved countless times in those places and all through these 'moves' and 'changes' the Lord has been right there. Staying in contact with my friends has been a priority since living in the USA. I do use Facebook as it is easier and cheaper but also depend on staying in touch by phone and snail mail to those places without such luxuries as Internet.

Do people know you really care? Have you sat down and written to them after thinking about what they really mean to you? I am preaching just as much to me as I am to whoever may read this through. The people I am sending this to have made an impact on my life for a short or long time. I do love you too. Please hear me - I'm just sharing this so you know how I am doing. So many of you ask me from time to time.

I am determined to make this life one that is full of fun, laughter and love for my Saviour and Redeemer, as well as to share His love for me and His creation with others.

I have quoted this before on Facebook and will do this again:

"The only option confronting the contemporary Christian today is you either master the culture, or the culture master's you."  Moody Radio, Chicago, IL

I love my dear sweet husband Walt and my precious boys - all 3 of them. Thank you Lord for all the trials and afflictions and for working out my salvation through them. I'm sure there will be more during the years to come.

I am on the road to discovering more of the Mission God has for my life as I don't want to end up Somewhere without a Purpose. I came to the US of A to serve Jesus and I will continue to do that wherever the road takes me.

Ultimate Homeschool Convention Online!

You need to be there. You can stay home and be there! check it out. If you are busy then you can purchase a ticket and download the audios and articles at your leisure!

http://www.ultimatehomeschoolexpo.com/UHSE2011.htm

Sincerely
Julie

THE LORD WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE AND THE WAY YOU LIVE AND HOMESCHOOL EVEN AFTER ONE SESSION!

Fresh Local Foods and it's Growers! :)

My dear sweet Indiana friends. Please visit the Showcase below especially if you live on the East side of the city.

Hancock Harvest Council
802 N Apple Street
Greenfield, IN 46140
Phone 317-462-1113
Fax 317-462-2424

http://www.hancockharvestcouncil.com/ Contact: Earl Smith
Phone: 317-727-0113
Press Release

Buy Fresh Buy Local® Membership Showcase

Greenfield, IN, April 12, 2011: Hancock Harvest Council is sponsoring a Buy Fresh Buy Local Membership Showcase on April 30, 2011 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Hancock County 4H Fairgrounds, 620 N Apple Street, Greenfield, Indiana. The event will be held in the 4H Exhibit Hall and will include 8 speakers and members available to answer questions about their operations and most will have products for purchase or will take orders. The event will also include, Doug Addison of Rusty Truck Catering, who will be preparing some local foods for lunch as well as some samples. Hancock Harvest Council is using this event to kick off the market season and allow people to get to know our members and what products are available locally. There will also be several activities for younger participants. Young participants will be able to plant a flower to take home; participate in corn hole and a scavenger hunt and other fun activities.

The schedule of events for the day includes the following speakers and topics:
10:00 am - Growing Christmas Trees Hillcrest Tree Farm
10:40 am - CSA’s – Are they right for you? Weaver Produce
11:20 am - Alpacas – Uses and Products Hoosier Homestead Alpacas
12:00 pm - Beekeeping J & T Honey Farm
12:40 pm- Buying Local – Making informed decisions Earl Smith, President HHC
1:20 pm - Gardening – plant tips Mitthoefer Produce
2:00 pm - Berry Production Hidden Acres Fruit Farm
2:40 pm - Canning and Food Preservation Extension Homemakers
3:20 pm - Poultry Production Brushwood Farm
Come enjoy the day, sign-up for a CSA if interested. Place orders for your Thanksgiving Turkey and much more. Additional information can be found at, http://www.hancockharvestcouncil.com/  , the Harvest Council Facebook page or by calling Earl Smith at 317-727-0113.