For the child who likes math but isn't writing comfortably, or transposes numbers, get a set of number stamps. (I like washable and refillable ink pads.) Number stamps are really cool for a kid who transposes numbers and isn't writing easily/comfortably yet. They can do math that is above their writing level, by stamping the answer rather than write. It's a cool gross motor skill. AND.... the really cool thing.... they see the number backwards and forward on the stamp and internalize the difference there, and which one is "right" because it will only stamp "correctly." PLUS it gives him independence from you that he and you may appreciate.
My kids all went from Miquon (ages 7-10) into Key To Maths (ages 10-13), but neither teach long division, although Miquon teaches the Division Algorithm quite well. I have had to teach long division independent of curriculum. I didn't find that difficult.... a white board works GREAT for this. Only one problem at a time, not overwhelming like seeing a page full of problems. And you write it big, so their gross motor comes into play-- doing it big really makes their brain turn on differently than doing it small-motor with a pencil on paper. A wall mounted white board is all the better IMO, because then their whole body is working it.
Missionaries and Church Plants Within the United States???
This question was asked of me on my homeschool forum. I thought it was such an EXCELLENT question, and I knew that this was great blog fodder.
Amy/Brown Eyed Girl, your story is an example of something that has long make me scratch my head. Can I use you as an example, but assure you it is only that with specifics, and am glad that maybe you can expand on my lack of understanding, along with others? I imagine Amy, that you are asked these questions by others, and that others who church plant have been asked them as well. I just haven't heard the response, and want to open up the question to all, but using some specifics from your story (not everything in here though is your story).
This happens all over the world, but for question's sake, why do people move around the US to plant churches? I have been wondering about this for at least the past 15 years as I see churches come and go. Amy, you said Austin hosted a church planters conference last month, and that there are something like 70 organized plants in process (that have made themselves known to this organization formed to help church planters in the Austin area). And then, you are in Austin, but are moving to plant a church in KC? If there isn't a need in Austin, why are so many planters moving to this "city ready to harvest"? And KC - are there no good churches there? PLEASE don't read snark in my question - I am completely sincere when I look at this logically. I think your one and main answer is because you have felt an impression, is there anything else that goes into this decision? Have you ever had more understanding of why God would switch people in cities, giving them hearts for the people in each other's towns? I think it's obvious to read confusion on my part - so I'm just going to ask for clarification. I believe you (Amy) to have sincerity in your heart, just as I hear in many other peoples' who are passionate about moving and starting churches where there are already ones in existence. But doesn't that seem illogical to spend the time and raise the money to serve in a different zip code (one that has churches - not ones in remote area with few services)? Are people that different?
I live in this little community - as in, 3k people. We had 5 church plants in the last 3 yeas from people being led to start churches here - they are all within 3 blocks of each other, and we are a one-stoplight town. Funeral home, small grocer, 2 gas stations, a hair place, and now 5 churches. We have 2.5 million churches of every imaginable flavor within an hour's drive (slight exaggeration). But these families are led to move here to serve our under-served community, and after 3 years, they each have 2-6 family units, and are not surviving. I look around at my neighbors, at the strong network we've got going on, and say, "huh? Did you know we were needy?" We have access to churches, a plethora of them.
I honestly don't get it. The people who planted here had visions of who we were, and how much God loved us and we needed them. I will be honest in that it was offensive in talking with 1 of the 5, telling me how blessed they were in faith and only wanted to serve God in wherever the lost and hungry were, and God kept showing him here, telling him we were a town without a shepherd. Okay, that piqued my snark, but it is with just that one of the five. It more befuddles my logical than affronts my pride to be hand-delivered a messiah figure. For most I think, "Can't you just be honest and admit you have a 7-year itch and want to move somewhere else, somewhere that buys you a better view out your window, a better house, a better garden, someplace away from your annoying neighbors next door?" It's one thing to move to the inner city to a life of living more sacrificially, to a place with numerous challenges, but most I see are a step up in lifestyle, and thus, God blessing them. The inner-city, or economically destitute areas, God doesn't send too many too.
Okay, snark check tells me maybe I am too much here, but it is a question that I've had for a long time, and I guess I don't want to smile silently in support for something I don't understand. Maybe instead, I could be enlightened??? I want to correct assumptions that I'm not so sure of anymore.Signed, Stick Girl "I am Stick Girl because stick people reflect very simple, uncluttered lives. Stick people are the figures that children first draw, and children freely live the essence of simplicity that Christ saw fit to hold up as an example to adults. That is maybe my life's pursuit, to live out the profound beauty in simplicity as an expression of worship."
(she asked me, on a busy day....)
First thoughts in my head:
A. Going to church doesn't make one a Christian any more than going to McDonald's makes one a hamburger. There are many, many people "buying" their religious goods and services at institutions created in the U. S. to provide religious goods and services. A consumer of religious goods and services sits in a pew, "gets fed the Word" and holds up the 4 walls of a "holy" building that is empty during the week. They throw a few bucks into the offering plate, but rarely really *do* anything.
B. Austin is more like Europe than most of the U. S. Statistically, 40% of people claim to attend a Christian church in the U. S. However, in Europe, that number is less than 15% and in some places less than 10%. In Austin, the number of people who claim to attend a Christian church is about 12%. On any given Sunday morning (or whatever time the Sabbath service occurs, Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday night), you will find only about 100,000 in the greater Austin area heading to a place of worship. There are about 600 churches at my last count, and statistically most churches have 50-100 people in them. There are a few mega-churches in our statistical area and I know a good number that have fewer than 50 people. But that leaves about 900,000 people in the greater Austin area who are unchurched.
C. China is quickly becoming the most increasingly churched population in the world. How is it happening? By a network of house churches/ missional communities. There are more Christians in China than in the U. S. And it's all done by missional community.
D. The community of Kansas City is struggling. Financially, relationally. No one who lives there already feels compelled to move out of the suburbs and back into Midtown or the inner city. They just closed half the schools because attendance has dropped to less than 18,000 from 36,000 just ten years ago. Peak attendance was 40-50 years ago at about 80,000. Kansas City needs families. People of vision. People who are missional about community. (AISD on the other hand, has 82,000+ students. Representing a lot of families and community presence.)
What it all boils down to for me though, is God called us to Kansas City. I would not have chosen KCMO as a place I'd ever live. 9 months ago I laughed at the idea. I scoffed it. I refused to even consider it. Then God sent me, and I saw KC and fell in love with it.
We aren't planting a "church." We are being the church. And I think there is a difference.
Check out:
A. Going to church doesn't make one a Christian any more than going to McDonald's makes one a hamburger. There are many, many people "buying" their religious goods and services at institutions created in the U. S. to provide religious goods and services. A consumer of religious goods and services sits in a pew, "gets fed the Word" and holds up the 4 walls of a "holy" building that is empty during the week. They throw a few bucks into the offering plate, but rarely really *do* anything.
B. Austin is more like Europe than most of the U. S. Statistically, 40% of people claim to attend a Christian church in the U. S. However, in Europe, that number is less than 15% and in some places less than 10%. In Austin, the number of people who claim to attend a Christian church is about 12%. On any given Sunday morning (or whatever time the Sabbath service occurs, Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday night), you will find only about 100,000 in the greater Austin area heading to a place of worship. There are about 600 churches at my last count, and statistically most churches have 50-100 people in them. There are a few mega-churches in our statistical area and I know a good number that have fewer than 50 people. But that leaves about 900,000 people in the greater Austin area who are unchurched.
C. China is quickly becoming the most increasingly churched population in the world. How is it happening? By a network of house churches/ missional communities. There are more Christians in China than in the U. S. And it's all done by missional community.
D. The community of Kansas City is struggling. Financially, relationally. No one who lives there already feels compelled to move out of the suburbs and back into Midtown or the inner city. They just closed half the schools because attendance has dropped to less than 18,000 from 36,000 just ten years ago. Peak attendance was 40-50 years ago at about 80,000. Kansas City needs families. People of vision. People who are missional about community. (AISD on the other hand, has 82,000+ students. Representing a lot of families and community presence.)
What it all boils down to for me though, is God called us to Kansas City. I would not have chosen KCMO as a place I'd ever live. 9 months ago I laughed at the idea. I scoffed it. I refused to even consider it. Then God sent me, and I saw KC and fell in love with it.
We aren't planting a "church." We are being the church. And I think there is a difference.
Check out:
Francis Chan at the Verge conference I was at:
We're not gonna take it!
He's so like me. [picture 2 bulls locking horns here.] I have friends who blog about parenting with RAD. This is one of my favorite posts by Christine.
Here's a secret. All the years of parenting my son, I've been convinced he's RAD. I have talked to doctors and counselors about it, but was mostly told, RAD is something that you only see in adopted kids, foster kids, abused and neglected kids. Mine is a birth son, and birth children just aren't RAD.
Still, I was pulling my hair out until I read some stuff about RAD and ODD. It was like "bingo!" It *so* described what I was seeing with my son every day. Of course that has led me to wondering how my birth child could have these issues. (He also fits the diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome and we have been told by doctors and counselors that he's definitely got Sensory Integration Disorder.) I tried to breastfeed him for 7 weeks during which time he was Failure To Thrive, starving to death. Lack of sufficient calories in the first 7 weeks could have affected him. I tried Cry-It-Out with him, and I am sure that didn't help. From very early on, he wanted everything in his life to be on an exacting schedule- was that a symptom or a cause?
Now he's a teen though. And as ever, can we lock horns over issues. Some of the best help I finally have gotten over the years:
info on social stories
Transforming the Difficult Child: The Nurtured Heart Approach
and Christine's blog (linked above)
Here's a secret. All the years of parenting my son, I've been convinced he's RAD. I have talked to doctors and counselors about it, but was mostly told, RAD is something that you only see in adopted kids, foster kids, abused and neglected kids. Mine is a birth son, and birth children just aren't RAD.
Still, I was pulling my hair out until I read some stuff about RAD and ODD. It was like "bingo!" It *so* described what I was seeing with my son every day. Of course that has led me to wondering how my birth child could have these issues. (He also fits the diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome and we have been told by doctors and counselors that he's definitely got Sensory Integration Disorder.) I tried to breastfeed him for 7 weeks during which time he was Failure To Thrive, starving to death. Lack of sufficient calories in the first 7 weeks could have affected him. I tried Cry-It-Out with him, and I am sure that didn't help. From very early on, he wanted everything in his life to be on an exacting schedule- was that a symptom or a cause?
Now he's a teen though. And as ever, can we lock horns over issues. Some of the best help I finally have gotten over the years:
info on social stories
Transforming the Difficult Child: The Nurtured Heart Approach
and Christine's blog (linked above)
response to the comment on She Left
Thanks for your commentary Alicia. I haven't really done Jacobian English since memorizing Chaucer in high school, learning KJV doesn't seem helpful to me since I don't usually speak with Jacobians either. :)
I'm not sure what you mean by, "Maybe that is the interpretation from your translation"? I know that some people believe certain English translations of the Scriptures are somehow given holiness that other translations are not. So it is helpful to go back to the original language when there is doubt. I don't speak the original language, nor read it, so I find it useful to search the Amplified Bible which lists all possible meanings to the original words:
Even better-- take every part of Scripture in its whole context. One has to know who Jesus is, and who the Samaritans were in relation to the Jews. A Jew did not speak to a Samaritan- The entire scene is similar to 60 years ago if the woman was black and the disciples were all white, in the Southeast U. S. You can well imagine what "marveled that he talked with the woman" looked like on their faces, and why she would leave.
Or put it in this context-- this is a paraphrase of a parable told by Jesus. (author: John Burke, in No Perfect People Allowed)
John Burke points out: The Expositor's Bible Commentary notes that Jesus picked out the most hated of all persons in that religious culture, the Samaritans, in order to make his point.
The fact that Jesus has met with a Samaritan woman, and this story was recorded, is not happenstance. The "interpretation" that the Jewish men "ran her off" is not faulty. She was despised because she was Samaritan. She was further despised because of her morality. And the religious people forget how very much loved by Jesus are the despised of our society. Religious people forget about grace and justice. They rely instead of works of righteousness that they have done. And they don't seem to really notice that they run the despised away.....
In fact as the text continues, the disciples never appear to "get it."
These despised people are ripe! We must be careful, so so careful, not to make the mistake of the Religious people who couldn't conceal their shock and disdain, and run them further away from the Truth. We must be ready to love our neighbor, embrace them, get into their lives and care about them.... this is the only way to show them Truth.
That was my point, is all.
I'm not sure what you mean by, "Maybe that is the interpretation from your translation"? I know that some people believe certain English translations of the Scriptures are somehow given holiness that other translations are not. So it is helpful to go back to the original language when there is doubt. I don't speak the original language, nor read it, so I find it useful to search the Amplified Bible which lists all possible meanings to the original words:
25The woman said to Him, I know that Messiah is coming, He Who is called the Christ (the Anointed One); and when He arrives, He will tell us everything we need to know and make it clear to us.
26Jesus said to her, I Who now speak with you am He.
27Just then His disciples came and they wondered (were surprised, astonished) to find Him talking with a woman [a married woman]. However, not one of them asked Him, What are You inquiring about? or What do You want? or, Why do You speak with her?
28Then the woman left her water jar and went away to the town. And she began telling the people,
29Come, see a Man Who has told me everything that I ever did! Can this be [is not this] the Christ? [Must not this be the Messiah, the Anointed One?]
Even better-- take every part of Scripture in its whole context. One has to know who Jesus is, and who the Samaritans were in relation to the Jews. A Jew did not speak to a Samaritan- The entire scene is similar to 60 years ago if the woman was black and the disciples were all white, in the Southeast U. S. You can well imagine what "marveled that he talked with the woman" looked like on their faces, and why she would leave.
Or put it in this context-- this is a paraphrase of a parable told by Jesus. (author: John Burke, in No Perfect People Allowed)
On one occasion a Christian religious leader stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"What is written in the law?" Jesus replied. "How do you read it?"
He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
But the religious leader wanted to justify his actions (for if the truth be known, he despised some people who safely weren't his neighbors), so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down that same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, an evangelical Christian, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a gay man, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wound. Then he put the man into his own car, took him to a hospital and stayed to care for him. The next day he paid the hospital, saying, "Look after this man, and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
The religious leader replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
John Burke points out: The Expositor's Bible Commentary notes that Jesus picked out the most hated of all persons in that religious culture, the Samaritans, in order to make his point.
The fact that Jesus has met with a Samaritan woman, and this story was recorded, is not happenstance. The "interpretation" that the Jewish men "ran her off" is not faulty. She was despised because she was Samaritan. She was further despised because of her morality. And the religious people forget how very much loved by Jesus are the despised of our society. Religious people forget about grace and justice. They rely instead of works of righteousness that they have done. And they don't seem to really notice that they run the despised away.....
In fact as the text continues, the disciples never appear to "get it."
31In the meantime, the disciples pressed him, "Rabbi, eat. Aren't you going to eat?"
32He told them, "I have food to eat you know nothing about."
33The disciples were puzzled. "Who could have brought him food?"
34 -35Jesus said, "The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started. As you look around right now, wouldn't you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest? Well, I'm telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what's right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It's harvest time!
These despised people are ripe! We must be careful, so so careful, not to make the mistake of the Religious people who couldn't conceal their shock and disdain, and run them further away from the Truth. We must be ready to love our neighbor, embrace them, get into their lives and care about them.... this is the only way to show them Truth.
That was my point, is all.
She left
The woman took the hint and left. In her confusion she left her water pot. Back in the village she told the people,“Come see a man who knew all about the things I did, who knows me inside and out. Do you think this could be the Messiah?” http://read.ly/John4.28.MSG
Lately I haven't been able to get enough of this story. It's always been one of my favorites. The verse before, Jesus' disciples had come back and seen Jesus speaking to the woman and could not conceal their shock and horror. The people of Jesus were shocked and horrified that he would stoop to talk to HER. She's so different. She doesn't live an upright, righteous life as far as they can see. She probably dressed differently, too. And they were shocked and horrified and couldn't keep it from showing on their faces. So she took the hint, and left.
And when she left, she went back to her friends, telling them about the man she'd just met who could prophesy, and was offering her everlasting life. He said he was the Living Water. What did the disciples do when they realized they'd successfully run her off? Gloated? Mourned? Did they imagine they'd missed some opportunity? Did they learn anything? Were they rewarded?
Inspired by Jenny's blog...
My Sonlight E-friend, Jenny, and her husband are serving in South Africa. Their blog is here. Recently she had shared with us some problem they were having with a rat. Then she blogged about it.
I read this to Jeff and he said, "speaking of which, I need to go check all our traps...."
The day I'd found gnawed spots on the potatoes, I picked out the damaged spuds and put the rest in the fridge. The damaged parts were cut off, and I boiled them. Years ago I would have thrown them away, but I'd recently been listening to a retired gentleman tell stories of the food eaten while in prison camp in Vietnam. We ate the spuds.
Then Jeff put out traps for me, and went hunting. He discovered that much of the wiring he installed last summer was chewed, as was the bathroom vents he'd installed just a few months ago. He replaced and repaired. There were trails all through the insulation up there in the attic, too.
Then there was the day I went out to get into my 5 gallon buckets of rice, flour, oatmeal... the flour had been emptied in November and was still empty. The rice bucket had very small gnaw marks at the top-- but the oatmeal bucket was gnawed so far that you could actually see through it a little bit!!! GROSS!!!! There was also scat here and there. NASTY. SO, I got a vacuum and sucked up all the plastic shreds, and then I got disinfectant wipes and thoroughly wiped down the outside of the bucket. Then I waited for DH to get home. He carefully pried the lid off, and inspected the contents- the bucket was nearly full. The contents seemed undisturbed, yet we carefully removed the top inch or two of oats and set them aside for the chickens. The rest of the oats went into a new container.
Think we're ready for missions work yet?
I don't know what I'd do if Jeff weren't willing to go up in that attic. My skin crawls just thinking about it. He proudly held up a catch in the trap one day and I SCREAMED. Like a scared little girl. Haha.
I read this to Jeff and he said, "speaking of which, I need to go check all our traps...."
The day I'd found gnawed spots on the potatoes, I picked out the damaged spuds and put the rest in the fridge. The damaged parts were cut off, and I boiled them. Years ago I would have thrown them away, but I'd recently been listening to a retired gentleman tell stories of the food eaten while in prison camp in Vietnam. We ate the spuds.
Then Jeff put out traps for me, and went hunting. He discovered that much of the wiring he installed last summer was chewed, as was the bathroom vents he'd installed just a few months ago. He replaced and repaired. There were trails all through the insulation up there in the attic, too.
Then there was the day I went out to get into my 5 gallon buckets of rice, flour, oatmeal... the flour had been emptied in November and was still empty. The rice bucket had very small gnaw marks at the top-- but the oatmeal bucket was gnawed so far that you could actually see through it a little bit!!! GROSS!!!! There was also scat here and there. NASTY. SO, I got a vacuum and sucked up all the plastic shreds, and then I got disinfectant wipes and thoroughly wiped down the outside of the bucket. Then I waited for DH to get home. He carefully pried the lid off, and inspected the contents- the bucket was nearly full. The contents seemed undisturbed, yet we carefully removed the top inch or two of oats and set them aside for the chickens. The rest of the oats went into a new container.
Think we're ready for missions work yet?
I don't know what I'd do if Jeff weren't willing to go up in that attic. My skin crawls just thinking about it. He proudly held up a catch in the trap one day and I SCREAMED. Like a scared little girl. Haha.
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