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~ April 2014 ~
Dear Readers,
Thinking of going to the movies? Never mind Noah and see God's Not Dead instead. I’m sure you’ve heard many Christian leaders (who uphold God’s biblical account of the story of the flood) forewarn against seeing Hollywood's Noah. God’s Not Dead, on the other hand, is a good movie with great biblical themes throughout that deserves our support.
First and foremost, if you’re going to make a Bible movie, you should be faithful to the scriptures. The director of Noah, Darren Aronofsky, is an avowed atheist who had no intent of making a true Biblical film. Aronofsky himself told New Yorker that Noah was “the least Biblical film ever made.”
AiG’s Ken Ham writes that "there is barely a hint of biblical fidelity in this film. It is an unbiblical, pagan film from its start.... Noah is an insult to Bible-believing Christians, an insult to the character of Noah and, most of all, an insult to the God of the Bible." Read his full commentary here.
Evangelist Ray Comfort says that Hollywood’s Noah movie “strays so far from the Biblical account that it omits its essential message–God’s judgment for man’s sin and evil. Taking ‘poetic license’ on this story further erodes the public’s perception of the Biblical account–and of the Bible in general.” If you want to see a real Bible-based Noah film, watch this free Noah documentary instead.
Also playing in theaters right now is God’s Not Dead from Christian production company PureFlix. God’s Not Dead weaves together multiple stories of faith, doubt and disbelief, culminating in a dramatic call to action. The film will educate, entertain, and inspire moviegoers to explore what they really believe about God, igniting important conversations and life-changing decisions. Read more about it here.
Featured Article
Playing with Poetry
Poetry is an art form, just like painting or singing. Poetry comes in many different styles. No matter what your taste is, there is a poem for you. Poetry can be serious and thoughtful, or humorous and fun. Poems can be in the form of ballads, sonnets, light verse or free verse. Poems often rhyme, but they don't have to. Poetry can be interesting to read, and enjoyable to write. There are poems in all of us just waiting to be coaxed onto paper. Are you a poet and don't know it? Learn more about reading and writing poetry at http://www.knowledgehouse.info/njfk/poetry.html.
If homeschoolers had a “Poet Laureate,” it surely would be the early 20th century poet Edgar Guest! He wrote about the joys of home and family, motherhood and fatherhood, the virtues of honest labor and plain living. His poems really make you feel the love of family and a true appreciation of poetry. His down-to-earth verse is easy to read with traditional rhyme and rhythm - no "hifalutin" free verse or need to decipher hidden meanings. I've put together a collection of my favorite poems by Edgar Guest. Download the 50-page e-book here. It's a wonderful resource for reading aloud, memorization, recitation, copywork, or just for fun. Enjoy!
Book of the Month
April is National Garden Month and Earth Day, and it's a great time for getting outdoors and studying nature. This Spring why not create a wildlife habitat for birds, butterflies, and other creatures in your yard! Gardening for Wildlife will walk you through the process of creating a wildlife-friendly yard and garden. The fully illustrated step by step guide includes: how to get started, planning checklist, required habitat elements, plant recommendations, maintenance methods, helpful habitat hints, scripture references, educational benefits, how to certify your habitat, additional resources. Gardening for Wildlife makes a great homeschool project, family activity, and year-round unit study! This 28-page e-book is only $4.95! Click here!
Famous Homeschoolers
“Two roads diverged in a wood and I -- I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” ~R. Frost
The celebrated Farmer-Poet was a Homeschooled Child AND a Homeschool Dad! Read his bio at FamousHomeschoolers.net.
Reading Between the Lines
Hardback, 112 pages, from New Leaf Press.
Do you enjoy beautiful scenery, poetry, and music? Abide with Me: A Photographic Journey Through Great British Hymns
Abide with Me brilliantly presents the background stories of selected classic British hymns that have inspired and comforted worshippers for over three hundred years. The 25 hymns featured in this book include “Abide with Me,” “Nearer My God to Thee,” “Onward Christian Soldiers,” “Just As I Am,” “Holy Holy Holy,” “Doxology,” “O Perfect Love,” “O Happy Day,” “Rock of Ages,” and “Amazing Grace.” There are even a couple of Christmas carols thrown in: “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and “Joy to the World.”
The lives and times of twenty hymnists – including John Newton, Charles Wesley, Isaac Watts, Henry Lyte, and Sarah Flowers Adams – are described by American literary scholar John Parker. Perfectly complementing the text are magnificent photographs by internationally-acclaimed Irish photographer Paul Seawright showcasing the homes, churches, and breathtaking landscapes of God’s creation that these faithful men and women must have gazed upon while writing their uplifting verse.
Readers of Abide with Me will learn some fascinating and little-known facts about the history of these memorable hymns. For example, did you know that many hymn writers were preachers who often wrote these hymns to coincide with their next sermon? Can you guess which hymn was written for a sister’s wedding that was going to be starting in 30 minutes? And did you know that “Onward Christian Soldiers” was written to help children keep up the pace as they marched behind their pastor one Sunday?
This is one book that you can not only read and look at, but also listen to! A free CD is included, with 24 hymns performed by Ray Walker of the Jordanaires and other artists. As you read the text and admire the photographs, take note that “efforts were made to emulate, as close as possible, how you would have heard the songs sung had you been there when they were first written and performed in the local church building, cathedral, or auditorium.” The music combined with the imagery really take you back in time and make you feel like you’re there.
From the Epilogue:
“Our journey through the great British hymns has taken us to widely different places: from the hectic streets of London to the somber quiet of a rural Wainsgate cemetery; from the serene hills of the Cotswolds to the lush mountains of Wales; from sunny Southampton to wind-beaten Whitby off the North Sea. And in these places we have met very different people: from sophisticated essayist Joseph Addison to simple lay preacher Edward Mote; from wealthy Sabine Baring-Gould to humbly endowed John Fawcett; from Anglican theologian John Keble to scholarly Dissenter Philip Doddridge; from stirring Charles Wesley to quite Charlotte Elliott; from strong and rough seaman John Newton to refined Frances Ridley Havergal. They lived different lives in different centuries, and they experienced different fortunes in their long or short times on earth. But they all shared a belief in Christ, and they all were blessed with a gift: the power to express His grace and love in words so well crafted and so harmoniously joined that they pierce our hearts, stir our souls, and linger long in our memories.”
The photographer, Paul Seawright, is Chair of Photography at the University of Ulster in Belfast. His photographs have been exhibited worldwide and are held in many museum collections. He has a Ph.D. in Photography from the University of Wales and was awarded a personal chair in 2002. He is an honorary Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society.
The author, John Parker, is a Professor of English at Lipscomb University in Nashville. He has taught Shakespeare and other literary classes there for 28 years. Parker holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Tennessee, as well as a Master of Arts in Religion from Harding Graduate School of Religion in Memphis, Tennessee.
Click here to buy Abide with Me at Amazon.com
Learning Links
Playing with Poetry (April is National Poetry Month.)
National Parks (April 19-27 is National Park Week.)
Kindergarten Day (Friedrich Froebel, the founder of the first kindergarten, was born on April 21, 1782.)
Happy Easter (Learn about the history, traditions, and symbols of Easter; read an Easter poem; find Easter recipes and activities; and more.)
Freebie of the Month
Resurrection Word Find
(This will keep the kids quietly occupied for a while. I tried it myself - couldn't resist! - and found about 25 words.)
Resurrection Story Strips
(Cut these out and place them inside plastic eggs.)
Easter Scripture Strips
(Cut these out and place them inside plastic eggs.)
Bonus! Print out a Lost Sheep Maze from my Psalm 23 Unit Study. Buy the e-book and get more pages like this! Click here to download my Psalm 23 Unit Study.
(Requires Adobe Reader: click here for free download.)
Quote of the Month
"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." ~Isaiah 40:8 ESV
A Note From Teri...
How would you like to download a set of Philippians in 28 Weeks Memory Cards for FREE? Home School Adventure Co. is kindly offering it as an "April FREEBIE” to their affiliates. This is a $9.95 value! See the product description here:
To receive this FREEBIE, you will need to order the "cards only download" and complete the check-out process on their website using the promo code: P28-FREEBIE. This promo code will expire on April 30, 2014.
Happy Homeschooling!
P.S. Did you like this month's newsletter?
