Knowledge House Newsletter


Homeschool Information... Ideas... and Inspiration

May Holidays & Special Days - Click Here!

~ May 2014 ~

Happy May!

I can't believe that my son Jon has successfully completed his first year of college already. It seems like just yesterday when he graduated high school. I hope all is well for your family in whatever stage you're at in your learning journey!

If you have homeschool curriculum that you no longer need, consider donating it to The Book Samaritan. This 501C3 non-profit Christian organization based in Oklahoma sends homeschool textbooks, materials and supplies to families in need around the country. They accept used books, work books, flash cards, kits, DVDs, CD-ROMS, school supplies, and anything else that can be used in homeschooling.

If you are in a financial bind due to job loss, illness, or other crisis and will need homeschool materials for the start of the next school year, May or June is the best time to submit a request. In return, they ask only that when you are done using the material, please pass it on to another homeschool family for free or return the items to The Book Samaritan for redistribution.

If you have additional books, materials, Bibles, maps, and office supplies that you would like to donate to a worthy cause in Africa, check out The Cameroon Library Project.

And finally, The Home School Foundation, HSLDA’s charitable arm, is seeking to minister to homeschool families that have experienced a loss of their homes, livelihood, or homeschool libraries due to the recent tornadoes. If you know of a homeschool family that has been seriously impacted like the Tittle family, have them contact HSF. If you would like to make a monetary donation to help these families, please donate to HSF’s Emergency Response Fund.

Teri's Sig


Featured Article

Happy Mother's Day!

"My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it." ~Mark Twain

Mommy, Mama, Mom, Ma, Maw, Mum, Mother... no matter what you call her, she is special! Mothers are our caregivers, cheerleaders, counselors, and so much more. On Mother's Day (and every day!) we should take time to honor our mothers, without whom we would not even be here.

Proverbs 31: God's Instructions For Mothers

This Biblical Proverb describes an ideal wife and mother. It shows that women are intelligent, creative, and capable of anything, while it emphasizes that motherhood is a special calling. A wife should love, honor, and respect her husband. A mother should nurture her children with the responsibility of shaping and molding those children who will one day lead the community and the nation. She should be a disciplined and industrious keeper of the home, creating a warm and loving environment for her family. She should contribute to the financial well-being of her household, use her time wisely, and be willing to help others. The Proverb reads as follows:

"Who can find a virtuous woman? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts in her….She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands. She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar. She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household. She considers a field and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms….She extends her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her hand to the needy….She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies sashes for the merchants. Strength and honor are her clothing…She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 'Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.' Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates."

Click here to read about Mother's Day history and traditions.

Book of the Month

LEARNING FOR LIFE:
Educational Words of Wisdom

Learning for Life

Mother's Day Special
$19.95 ONLY $14.95 POSTAGE PAID!

Treat yourself to this treasury of classic and contemporary rhetorical gems that will inspire and encourage you! Learning for Life contains almost 3,000 quotes by more than 1,000 people on teaching, learning, and the pursuit of knowledge - as well as a whole chapter of quotations about “Mothers & Motherhood.” Quotes are categorized by subject, covering both traditional and nontraditional forms of education. It’s like a conversation across the ages, full of rhetorical gems and sage advice! (Includes Bible verses, index, appendix & biographical notes.) Makes a unique Mother's Day gift!

Order your copy today!

Famous Homeschoolers

Chelsea Noble

In honor of Mother’s Day, read this article about Christian homeschool mom Chelsea Noble, the wife of Kirk Cameron: www.famoushomeschoolers.net/bio_chelsea-noble.html "I love being a mother," she said. "There’s just nothing like it!"

Reading Between the Lines

Mercy Rule

If you are a fan of baseball, Kirk Cameron, Chelsea Noble, or Tim Hawkins, you will like this Christian movie. MERCY RULE, starring Kirk and his wife Chelsea, is a great "movie night" film for the whole family. Parents and kids alike will be inspired by the story of the Miller family as they learn life’s lessons of mercy, patience, sacrifice, legacy, and overcoming obstacles. MERCY RULE has just the right combination of drama, suspense, and comedy for viewers of all ages. The DVD also comes with a family study guide for further discussion of 11 important messages in the film.

MERCY RULE does not contain an obvious gospel presentation like some of Kirk's other works. It's simply a good, clean, fun family film. It isn't a juvenile story, either; in fact, the plot gets quite intense at times. The father (played by Kirk) inherited a scrap metal yard after his dad died, but he makes a big mistake and as a result the business is threatened by a radical pro-environmental agenda. After a lot of grief and anguish, he almost gives up but thanks to the thoughtful support of his wife (one of my favorite scenes!), he is encouraged to find a way to try and save his father’s legacy. MERCY RULE actually has two story lines that parallel each other, in which the dad and his son each have an obstacle to overcome. The two themes of baseball and business come together in a surprising way at the end.

This direct-to-DVD release isn't a blockbuster by any means, but it was clearly made as a labor of love by Kirk and Chelsea. I have a feeling that the Camerons are a lot like the fictional family portrayed in the film. The Miller family in the movie does everything together from playing baseball and praying to eating ice cream and making pancakes. As for the other characters, the part of the uncle (Tim Hawkins) was pretty well downplayed and he didn’t act as funny as I would have expected of a stand-up comedian. But Bas Rutten plays a coach who is quite a crazy character! And I love James Bladon as the cunning eco-lobbyist - he does an awesome job as the bad guy!

MERCY RULE has some interesting cinematography, but one odd thing about it is the overuse of slow motion effects. I don’t know if they purposely did that to add to the length of the film or what (it's about 2 hours long), but it took away the impact after a while. My 13-year-old son got a kick out of mocking every slow motion scene that came up, but that actually added to the fun of watching the movie. Overall, MERCY RULE is a positive, uplifting, entertaining production. I like the fact that the plot is realistic and timely, not overly sentimental or melodramatic like some Christian films, but with true-to-life ups and downs that the audience can identify with. MERCY RULE sets a good example of what it means to be a "No Quit Family." Buy Mercy Rule at Amazon.

Learning Links

Mother's Day - It's YOUR day; you deserve it!

Etiquette and Ethics - Next week is National Etiquette Week. This web page has a link for a FREE downloadable ebook!

A Salute to Soldiers - May is Military Appreciation Month.

Physical Education - May is Physical Fitness and Sports Month.

Bikes and Bicycling - May is also National Bike Month!

Memorial Day - A special day to honor our fallen veterans.

Freebie of the Month

A Mother's Day gift just for you! I've been selling printable copies of my "Ode to a Homeschool Mom" poem for a nominal cost of $1.00 each on my website, but I'm offering it to my newsletter readers free of charge this month.

Ode to a Homeschool Mom
(Plain white background.)

Ode to a Homeschool Mom
(Sepia-tone background image.)

(Requires Adobe Reader: click here for free download.)

Quote of the Month

“The mother’s heart is the child's schoolroom.” ~Henry Ward Beecher

A Note From Teri...

Homeschool convention season is here! Download a copy of How to Get the Most Out of a Homeschool Convention. This 14-page special report includes a handy checklist!

Wishing you all a wonderful summer of fun and learning!

Happy Homeschooling!

Teri's Sig

P.S. Did you like this month's newsletter?

Copyright © 2014 by Teri Ann Berg Olsen, www.knowledgehouse.info. To subscribe to this free e-newsletter, send a blank e-mail to and follow the instructions in the confirmation e-mail that you will receive, or sign up on the web at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KnowledgeHouse. To unsubscribe, send a blank e-mail to . Questions? E-mail .