Archive for September, 2007

For such a time as this…

I’m not sure if you have ever read the story of Esther but it is truly an amazing story. The Israelites have been taken captive by the Babylonians for 70 years and they have finally been allowed to return to their homeland after so many years in exile. There are a few Israelites who remained in the land of exile for whatever reason but God is going to use them to save His people from annihilation. (I love the fact that God uses ordinary people to accomplish His plans in this world because I am one of those ordinary people.) King Xerxes, king of Persia, is having a banquet for all his officials and the last day of the banquet (party) the king summons Vashti, his wife, to come show off her beauty to the people and his nobles. She refuses and this makes the king angry. Actually the Bible says he was furious and his anger burned within him. Why is he so angry? I feel his pride has been wounded and he doesn’t look too good in front of his people. In his anger he banishes Vashti from his presence forever and makes it a law for the women of the land to disobey their husbands. God will use this situation to place Esther in the palace as queen at just the right time. She has come to the kingdom for such a time as this.

What about us? We also are here for such a time as this. God has a plan for our lives. Are we available (like Esther) to be used by God? Our purpose for being in God’s kingdom is this: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith– and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10

Why not ask God today what good works you can do for Him?

Published in:Uncategorized |on September 8th, 2007 |1 Comment »

Learning the states

We are studying US History and will also being learning to locate the states. I printed off a blank map from Donna Young Printables and Resources and had the boys complete it before we started memorizing any of the states. I will keep this map to chart their progress over the next couple of months. I also found several sites with US map puzzles for them to practice locating the states. They will do a different one each day for 4 days and then we will test again to see how many they have learned so far. I think this will be an easier way for them to memorize them as opposed to just staring at a map. Below I have listed the puzzles sites if you want to check them out:

United States Map Puzzle

50 States

United States Geography Game

Have a great day!

Published in:Homeschool |on September 7th, 2007 |No Comments »