Pajama School Blog

Pajama School, Stories from the Life of a Homeschool Graduate

Turns out I’m not a first-time published author after all…

by natalie

Mom has been going through the basement shelves and office area, clearing things out and getting rid of what we no longer need. In the process, she came across an old book published by our homeschool association with a compilation of writings by local homeschool students. Lo and behold, there I was – in print! I have no recollection of this, but apparently I submitted a couple of my poems for this project. It’s been kind of fun to scan the collection and see other familiar names that contributed their creative efforts.

Those who submitted their poems and stories ranged in age from about seven to twelve, and I was eleven when I wrote these two poems – technically my first published work. 🙂 I’ve always enjoyed poetry and the art of rhyme. These are rather contrived, I know, but hey, you have to start somewhere!

Jesus is with Me
I once was a person just as plain as can be,
But then I met Jesus, and now I can see.
I want to listen to all His commands,
And then it will be time to take my stand.
I want Him to be with me all of my life,
Through laughter and pain, excitement and strife.

My Lord
God is my protector and my shield
Against enemies in the battlefield.
Though the enemy may cry,
No god of theirs is nigh.
Some of them may flee,
But my Lord is still with me.
In the middle of the field the enemy lay,
But I sat up to pray,
For the battle was not won by a sword,
The battle was won by the Lord!

God’s Ways are Clearly Seen and Understood…or not?

by natalie

If, as the Bible says, “the invisible things of [God] from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,” (Romans 1:20) then why do so many people – even Christians – reject the biblical account of creation? How is it that seemingly intelligent people adopt absurd theories of the origin of life and remain blinded to the obvious understanding that the very existence of that which is attests to the existence of its creator? There are many who debate this issue much more effectively than me, but let me present one perspective that has been impressed on my mind lately. Imagine the following scenario with me.

A young couple is expecting their first child. They have purchased a home and are delighted that the room that will become the baby’s room has a colorful mural painted on one wall. They marvel that it is perfectly suited to the color scheme they have selected for the room. Soon the baby is born, and as he grows they spend much time in the room – rocking him to sleep, playing with toys, listening to music, etc. Of course, the mural is observed and is ever-present in the day’s activities, but it is never discussed. Until the child hits the stage of curiosity, that is. Then, of course, he must know “why” about everything!

The parents do their best to provide understandable answers for their boy, but when he asks where the mural came from, they merely respond that it has been there since they moved in. Someone in the distant past painted it, but they don’t go into detail about the artist or the work. The boy accepts the answer without further question. His mental capacities do not yet permit him to analyze information or form hypotheses; he is merely gathering information. Nevertheless, this information forms the framework for his view and understanding of life.

Time passes all too quickly and the first day of school arrives. The parents enthusiastically tell their son about all the great things he will do and learn, and hug him goodbye with a reminder to be good and listen to his teachers. And listen he does. He sees and hears new things all the time; his teachers seem to know the answers to everything! As he learns to read, he is fascinated to find that many books contain pictures of rooms with murals similar to the one on his wall. But the authors of these books explain the phenomenon much more fully: over a period of time, the natural dyes in the wood and brick of the houses seep through the walls to form the images that now adorn them. Aha! His parents had thought that someone painted the murals, but this explanation is much more complex and intriguing. Plus, his science lessons explore the properties of wood and brick and how long it would take them to seep through sheetrock to form images; his spelling lists contain words pertaining to houses and murals; his language assignments sometimes require him to do research on other murals and write about them. In short, the gap of knowledge that formerly existed concerning the mural in his room has been neatly filled and he is given no cause to doubt the veracity of the claims he is now led to believe.

The boy has been led to believe an aberration of what is true and naturally understood, not because it is a more plausible explanation, but because nearly everything in his experience and education has been designed to lead him to that belief. Why should he not believe something that to us seems so silly and obviously not in touch with reality? Indeed, the absence of any intentional instruction to the contrary by his parents has left the understanding gap wide open to be filled by all manner of absurdities.

The earliest years of a child’s life are rife with opportunities for building on the clear and natural understanding of creation and the world God created – an understanding that is in harmony with reality. In his excellent article, It’s Never Too Early, Ken Ham discusses specific ways that they did this with their children. He also highlights the shocking statistic that “before college, over 80% [of young people in the church] were ‘already gone’ from the church in their hearts and minds.” I have yet to read his new book, Already Gone, but I think it is safe to point out that few parents realize that godless philosophies permeate our government education system. This is something that I address in more detail in my book, Pajama School – stories from the life of a homeschool graduate, based on things I observed when I was teaching in our local schools. If there is one thing that our public schools do well, it is provide an environment where students “learn” day-in and day-out to live their lives completely divorced from God.

Psalm 10:4 declares “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” The converse of this, then, is that “The righteous, through the humility of his countenance, will seek after God: God is in all his thoughts.” Parents have the incredible responsibility and privilege of providing an environment for their children where they can grow in righteousness and humility and a constant awareness of God. This is first modeled and then instilled throughout the daily course of the life of a family. Perhaps some evaluation is in order. Are your thoughts full of God? Are your children’s thoughts full of God? Do you see Him in every facet of life? Do they see His handiwork in the creation that surrounds them? Do they recognize His work in history and in the daily events that transpire?

Yes, it takes conscientious effort to sift through the philosophies and theories of our day and throw out that which is false and inconsistent with reality. But the only way we can do this is if we are working from a framework of truth – a framework that can be effectively built conversation by conversation as parents instill truth in the hearts and minds of their children. And if parents consistently do this with their children beginning at a young age, they will find the task much simpler because they are merely affirming what God has created us to clearly see and understand.

Biographical Sketches of the Reformers

by natalie

Doug Phillips posted a handout from the Reformation 500 event that has biographical sketches of each of the 47 historical figures that were portrayed by costumed attendees. They are separated into geographic categories, including: America, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Hawaii, The Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, and Switzerland. This would be a great starting point for anyone who is interested in studying some of these reformers and other important figures more in depth.

Not Back to School Sale – 25% Off!

by natalie

So sorry for the long silence here on the Pajama School Blog. I’ve been out of town all month, and ended up taking a break from the blog as well. I returned home last night and have spent most of today feverishly trying to catch up with everything that didn’t take a vacation while I was gone. 🙂

Earlier today, when I ran a few errands around town, I could hear it in the air. The sound of the end of summer. The sound of school. It was eerily quiet and the streets seemed motionless as I felt the absence of the children who occupied the outdoors all summer. They have all gone back to school.

As I sit here working at home, though, relishing the breeze blowing through our open windows, I realize that the ebb and flow of our lives continues much as normal. Naomi sits behind me, diligently working away at one of her self-initiated projects. Joey is hanging out in his room, absorbed in a book. Noelle is doing some research for me in preparation for a new endeavor she and I are getting ready to begin. And so on. Learning is integrated into life. We don’t watch the clock and pack up our books and turn off our minds at a designated hour. We don’t cross off days on our summer calendar, bemoaning the arrival of an official school start date.

Yes, this is certainly a more unconventional approach, and no, we haven’t always been so carefree, but now that all of us kids that are still living at home are older and can take responsibility for our own learning, we are expected to do just that. Mom and Dad instilled in us and modeled for us a love of learning. They trained us to think through various problems  and issues, and then to apply ourselves to gain understanding and find solutions. And perhaps most of all, they raised us outside of the schooling paradigm. We don’t ever really go “back” to school…because we’re always in “school”!

So…in honor of not going back to school, I’ve decided to offer a special sale on my book, Pajama School – stories from the life of a homeschool graduate. Through the end of August, you can receive a 25% discount on your purchase when you enter the code: NBTS when you checkout at SibroPublishing.com! If you’ve been meaning to get a copy, but have been putting it off, now is the time – this is the most I’ve ever discounted it before! And just to make the deal even sweeter, if you make a note on your order that you’d like an autograph, I’ll be happy to personally sign your copy of the book! 🙂

How to Educate for Beautiful Results

by natalie

Educate for Beautiful ResultsIn my last post, I linked to an article titled, “Simple Tips for Beautiful Writing” that emphasized the importance of editing, proofreading, and generally aiming toward error-free writing. It may seem like a stretch to associate the technical side of writing with beauty, but in reality it is the very substance of beautiful writing. This is the same thing I emphasize when I am teaching my piano students. The technical exercises that they are drilling into their finger muscles form the basis from which beautiful and artistic melodies will flow. If they don’t master the principles of music and understand the underlying absolutes that govern the world of music, the sound they create will be lifeless. An excerpt from another article I recently wrote seems appropriate:

In his book, The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, Thad Carhart recounts a master class he observed in which Gyorgy Sebok responded to a student who was trying to achieve a particular effect in his playing, “Leonardo spent years developing a codex of body parts. He drew ears, he drew elbows, he drew hands, he drew all parts of the body in as many different aspects as he could. Then he forgot about it and painted what he saw. You must do somewhat the same.” We err when we fail to learn the parts in our impatient quest to become experts of the whole.

I think one of the major problems with the way most education is conducted today is that it is so results-oriented that students are expected to immediately assimilate information and produce a finished product even though they haven’t been given the time or opportunity to develop specific skills.  As a teacher, I have to be able to see the “whole” and then break it down into a systematic and progressive collection of “parts” so that the student is led to master the skills that will eventually form the substance of a beautiful “whole.”

Piano StudioLet me give a specific illustration. One of my piano students is very expressive and loves to incorporate lots of impulsive nuances into his playing. The only problem is that the nuances distort the natural flow of the phrases and result in inaccurate rhythms. As his teacher, I visualize for him an end result of musical and artistic piano playing that will be lovely to listen to (which is also what he wants). However, I know that the elements that contribute to this include: precise execution of rhythmic values, natural ebb and flow of the phrasing, well-chosen fingering, and fluidity. So I pick one of these elements, in this case the phrasing. We work to understand the principles that govern phrasing – musical phrases tend to swell in volume as the notes rise and decrease in volume as the notes descend. Random notes should not be accented at will because this interrupts the flow of the phrase. Once this principle is understood, we reinforce it by applying it to all the musical assignments that week. Following weeks lend themselves to other areas of understanding and emphasis.

The same principle applies in other areas of study. Take writing, for example. If the end goal is to pen thoughtful, engaging articles addressing relevant topics, one must consider the parts that will contribute to this whole and plan an appropriate course of study. Perhaps a span of time will be given to constructing attention-grabbing introductions, or effective use of analogies and metaphors, or appropriate incorporation of authoritative quotes, etc. Of course, many curricula are designed to aid in this process, but the creative and resourceful teacher may make use of a great many easily accessible resources and ideas to aid a student in achieving the desired end. The key, I believe, is to maintain a thoughtful perspective. Be ever conscious of the overarching objective. And then be patient in outlining and working toward the development of specific parts/skills that will eventually see that objective met.

Just as a gardener who longs for a beautiful bed of flowers must first prepare the ground, then plant the seeds, and then tend the growing buds, before his dream is realized, a teacher or parent who hopes for shining students must first cultivate the ground of understanding, then plant seeds of carefully-designed instruction, and then patiently tend to and guide the emerging musician or writer or scientist as they advance through stages of growth and develop the parts that are ultimately the substance of the whole. That, it turns out, is the necessary, though oft-neglected, path of a beautiful education!

Words of Wisdom for Writers

by natalie

As someone who loves to write, I am constantly looking for tips and ideas to improve my writing skills. I recently came across Todd Rutherford’s Ask the Publishing Guru Blog and only wish I had found it sooner! Although the name seems like a bit of a misnomer, the tagline gives a better idea of the kind of helpful content you will find: A place for things I believe will be useful for authors seeking to realize their publishing dreams. Mr. Rutherford does a great job mining informative and useful posts from across the Internet that are beneficial for writers. Here are a few gems from recent posts.

In Mark Twain on Strengthening Your Writing, the importance of using nouns and verbs, rather than adjectives, as “paintbrushes creating visual and visceral images” is discussed and illustrated. The author states, “Adding more adjectives weakens writing. Strong writing comes from strong verbs and nouns.” The contrasting examples illustrating this principle are an excellent help for those looking to make their writing more captivating.

Simple Tips for Beautiful Writing had me cracking a few smiles and uttering a hearty, “Amen!” on several occasions. (It also had me shaking my head when I noticed a simple typo in the fourth paragraph. Guess no one is immune to writing errors!) Especially as I’ve plunged deeper into the publishing world with the publication of Pajama School, I’ve been surprised at how often error-strewn articles and even books make it into publication. The steps outlined at the beginning of the post require more of a time investment up-front, but I whole-heartedly agree that they may be a critical component in keeping a reader/customer – me for one. 🙂

3 Homeschool Resources You Should Keep Your Eye (or Ear) On

by natalie

Homeschool Freebie of the DayThe Homeschool FREEBIE of the Day!

I’ve been following this site for several months now and can’t believe all the great resources that they make available for free. Unit Studies, Ebooks, Audio Programs, Games, and more. Way more than you’ll ever be able to use (or fit on your hard drive!).  Just check out the How it Works page of the website for details.

You can check the website for the daily freebie, or you can subscribe to the RSS feed (which is what I do) and just click over if a particular resource appeals to you.

The Homeschool ChannelThe Homeschool Channel

This is a new endeavor that is still in the works, but check out the mission statement for this up-and-coming site:

“Our mission is to help re-establish the home as the center of instruction and discipleship by providing high-quality, biblically-based resources. We are committed to assisting fathers as family leaders and encouraging mothers as caretakers of the home. In short, our vision is to bring glory to God by equipping families to change the world.”

Pretty exciting, huh?! I’ve subscribed to the updates and blog, and look forward to following the development of this promising new resource for homeschool families.

Generations with VisionGenerations Radio

Kevin Swanson is the former Executive Director of the Christian Home Educators of Colorado. He began airing this Generations with Vision radio show almost six years ago, but I just came across it last year. I haven’t heard very many of the shows, but I’ve really enjoyed the few that I have been able to catch.

Guest Post: Jehoshaphat’s Cry

by natalie

The following post is from a young friend of mine who is an aspiring author. I have had the privilege of reading some of her writing, and am amazed at the quality and depth of thought that she conveys. I asked if she would consider writing a guest post for the Pajama School Blog, and this is what the Lord laid on her heart. I’m sure you will be blessed, as I was, by this captivating post from Sarah:

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine a room. Not just any room; a long, spacious room with colorful patterns dancing across the tiled floor. A room with intricately carved pillars supporting the flat roof. A room with open floor-to-ceiling windows and doors, letting in a soft Mediterranean breeze, carrying with it a tang of the sea. Now imagine a golden throne; on it sits a figure arrayed in purple, scarlet, and golden robes. He is oblivious to the beautiful gardens outside, blossoming with color; oblivious to all the splendor he lives among; oblivious to all but the matters of war and bloodshed.

ThroneA hot debate is going on.

Ahab, king of Israel, is an ambitious man. Strengthened and emboldened by his recent alliance with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, he wishes to attack Ramoth Gilead with Jehoshaphat’s help. Officially, the city belongs to Israel; but the king of Aram still holds it. To take it back is the king’s goal. But now Ahab-the same Ahab who sought Elijah’s life for so long-is being forced to inquire of the prophets of the Lord.

Jehoshaphat was stubborn, Ahab inwardly fumed. Determined to have his way, Jehoshaphat refused to march to battle without the Lord’s blessing. “My horses and my people are as your horses and people,” he had said. Ahab was satisfied. But then Jehoshaphat came up with his fatal plan; “Inquire for the word of the Lord today.”

Jehoshaphat was a coward, Ahab thought. He was trying to escape a war by hiding behind his God! Oh well, the king smugly told himself. Even though he still grumbled, he sent for the prophets of the Lord-his prophets of the Lord. Jehoshaphat wouldn’t get out of this one; Ahab knew these four hundred men. They would tell him what he wanted to hear. He would have his war-Ramoth Gilead would be his!

Just as Ahab predicted to himself, all four hundred “prophets” agreed with him. “Go!” they said. “The Lord will give Ramoth Gilead into your hand.”

Jehoshaphat shook his head, to Ahab’s dismay. Looking sadly over the assembled four hundred, the king of Judah cried, “Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of Him?” Imagine Ahab’s dismay as Jehoshaphat sees through his ruse. He is forced to call for Micaiah, a true prophet and follower of the living God. Micaiah does as Ahab knows he will, as he always does-prophesy that the hand of the Lord will be against him.

Death Of AhabThere’s much drama left in the story-how Ahab was angry with Micaiah for his words of truth; how he went out to battle in spite of Micaiah’s warning, disguised as a common soldier while Jehoshaphat carried on the charade of being king of Israel; how Jehoshaphat was miraculously saved from death when he cried out to the Lord; how a Syrian bowman, drawing at random, slew Ahab, king of Israel, just as Micaiah prophesied.

Yet through all the intrigue and scheming, through the romantic setting of ancient Israel, the one part of the story that sticks in my mind is Jehoshaphat’s cry.

“Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of Him?”

Is there not one man left in all Israel that has the faith to take a stand before a cruel earthly king who has the power to take his life? Is there not one man who has a voice he is willing to use for the Lord, regardless of the consequences? Is there not one man with the courage left to boldly proclaim the words of the Lord?

Is there not one man, any man, left in all Israel, who still believes that the Lord is truly God?

Israel, c. 850 B.C., was in turmoil. Faith in the Lord was not always looked upon kindly. Under Ahab and Jezebel, persecution of the followers of the living God was ruthless and complete. Only seven thousand Israelites remained who had not embraced the worship of Baal-only seven thousand of God’s chosen people stayed true to Him. Unlike earlier years, to know the Lord was the exception, not the norm.

king jehoshaphatWhen you come to think of it, the Israel of 1 Kings 22 is not so much different than the America of today. We, as Christians, are not hounded, chased, exiled, driven from our homes, and killed for our beliefs; but we are pressured, and in some cases restricted, from freely voicing what we believe. We may not face certain imprisonment like Micaiah did, yet Jehoshaphat’s appeal still rings true.

Is there still one of us who will stand up against the perverted culture we live in, to use our voice, our courage, and our faith to tell others of the hope of Christ’s message? We may be ridiculed, mocked, or despised for the stand we make; but the possibility of worse did not stop Micaiah, and it should not stop us. We have no reason to fear.

Think about it. The God who created the entire universe loved us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us. He listens whenever, wherever, and however we pray to Him, even if we’re just coming to Him once more to voice selfish requests or complain about the way others treat us. This same God has promised in His Word to protect us from harm if we will but follow Him.

If our God is for us, then who can be against us?

What excuse do we have to not proclaim Christ’s grace to others, even if it means stepping on toes or hurting feelings? Sometimes the truth hurts or offends, like it did to Ahab. That doesn’t make truth lose its relevance. The truth about America today is that our country is not what it was when the Founding Fathers prayed for guidance as they chose to break from the most powerful empire in the world. We have spiraled quickly downward, losing conviction, principles, morals, ethics, standards, and values – ideals that we have fought so long and given so much to hold. Ultimately we are losing our freedom, just as the Israelites eventually lost theirs for turning from the Lord. But our story doesn’t have to end in slavery, as theirs did.

Have you ever wondered what would have happened if those seven thousand Israelites still faithful would have been as bold as Elijah and Micaiah? Maybe they could have turned their entire nation back to God. What would happen if we took a stand like Micaiah, proclaiming the truth to our fellow Americans? Maybe we could transform our entire nation, bringing us back to what so many died for.

Take a stand? Sounds easy. It isn’t. It takes nerve, reliance on God, a willing spirit, and a lot of prayer. But if we choose, by faith, to be the one left whom people can inquire the truth of, the Lord will give us the courage we need, and the words to speak. All we have to do is answer Jehoshaphat’s cry.

Sarah lives at home with her parents and four siblings. She has been homeschooled her whole life, and loves spending time with her family.

Images from: aeragon.com, baptisttwentyone.com, creationism.org

Pajama School Review and Giveaway at Young Ladies Christian Fellowship!

by natalie

Young Ladies Christian FellowshipElisabeth, a writer for the Young Ladies Christian Fellowship, has written a wonderful review of Pajama School and is hosting a giveaway on their blog!

Young Ladies Christian Fellowship is dedicated to promoting a standard of Christian femininity and providing encouragement and fellowship for women of all ages. Their topics include: courtship, devotionals, marriage, femininity, motherhood, prayer, singleness, waiting, and more. Be sure to check out their website for lots of great articles!