Daniel

(BOOK 13 of the 52 week Challenge)



I love the book of Daniel. The first six chapters include narrative history; the last six chapters include prophecy which is foundational for much of the end-times prophecy in the Bible.

The history portion of the book tells of the prophet Daniel who was taken from Jerusalem into captivity in Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king. Daniel and three of his friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were chosen to learn the language and literature of the Babylonians. God gave knowledge and understanding to these young men, and they entered into the king's service; they remained there through several rulers, and God's hand was upon them at all times. Daniel rose to a high position of authority during those years.

Also during his years of service to the Babylonian rulers, Daniel had four dreams/visions of events that would take place in the future. Some of the events of Daniel's dreams have come to pass; some are still yet to occur.

I borrowed the Precept videos for the book of Daniel from a friend, and Joe and I have been enjoying watching those while we learn much about Biblical prophecy.

Latin Scholars

Zachary and Ryan took the National Latin Exam for Latin I last month, and their on-line instructor e-mailed their results yesterday.

They both received Gold Medals, and Zachary had the distinction of having a Perfect Paper.

Way to go, boys!! Your mom and dad are proud of you!!

National Latin Exam

Story of the World, Volume 4

(BOOK 12 of the 52 week Challenge)



This book is the 4th volume in Susan Wise Bauer's Story of the World series for children. I sat down to read one specific chapter of the book, and became so engaged that I ended up reading it from cover to cover over the period of a few days.

Bauer wrote her series for elementary-school-aged children, but I know several schools/curricula that utilize this series as a spine up through middle-school. TOG schedules out the series as an alternate reading resource in all 4 of their Year Plans.

We'll be covering the 20th century in history (TOG Year 4) next year, and I plan to have Zachary and Ryan read this volume over the summer to get the big picture before we begin studying the details of each of the major events in the 20th century. Catherine will read through the book as it is scheduled out on a weekly basis in TOG.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

(BOOK 11 of the 52 week Challenge)




This selection is one of the Rhetoric-level literature books in TOG Year 3, so I decided to read it again while we are covering the 19th century. Zachary and Ryan won't be in the Rhetoric-level materials until next year, so they declined joining me in this reading. Their assignment was to read Tom Sawyer.

I think the last time I read this great American novel was in high school. It chronicles the adventures of Huckleberry Finn (a teenaged boy) and Jim (a runaway slave) as they make their way down the Mississippi River on a raft in the mid-1800's. Alongside the serious issues tackled in the book (slavery, injustice, child abuse and other cruelty, etc.) is much humor. I literally laughed out loud in several places. The storyline is definitely engaging, and will keep your interest through the 300+ pages of the book.

Across Five Aprils

(BOOK 10 of the 52 week Challenge)




This novel tells of the Creighton family who lived in southern Illinois when the American Civil War broke out in April, 1861. The story chronicles each year of the family member's lives until the end of the war in April, 1865, and is told from the viewpoint of the youngest son, Jethro. Jethro is only nine when the war begins, and he quickly takes on the responsibilities of a man in his family as his brothers head off to war: one to fight for the Confederacy, and the others to fight for the Union.

I was amazed at how much I enjoyed reading this; it was hard for me to put it down once I started it. I highly recommend it as excellent reading material for all ages; your family might enjoy it as a read-aloud if you are studying about the Civil War.

Sarah

(BOOK 9 of the 52 week Challenge)



I like Sarah Palin. She is the kind of straight-shooting, gutsy, conservative politician that this country needs. She's not afraid to tell it like it is. She's a real person who raises her own kids and enjoys being around them. That alone is refreshing in this day and time of hearing moms endlessly complain about their children getting out of school in May for the summer. She was told she was carrying a baby, her fifth child, who had Down's Syndrome and *chose* life. Quite an admirable woman.

From the book, concerning her candidacies in Alaska:

"In a world where representative government was shaken by corruption, people took power back into their own hands [by electing Palin]."

"[People marveled] at how someone as down-to-earth as Sarah could reach such extraordinary heights by standing firm for her beliefs."

Sean Parnell, who was elected as Sarah Palin's lieutenant governor, shared these thoughts in his inaugural speech:

"This vision of Alaska - of safe homes and streets, excellence in our schools, of families together in peace, and for dignity in our twilight years - rests securely in hands larger and more capable than our own. However, we cannot simply wait and watch events unfold. Every one of us must own this vision of Alaska's future. We must take responsibility for the things we can change."

Sharon Leighow, Palin's deputy press secretary, had this to say about her boss:

"She can be on the phone with Dick Cheney and have [Alaska's state Senate President] right outside her door, and her kids call and she goes, 'Oops, hold on.' Her kids trump everyone, and I think that's pretty neat."

I hope we hear more from Mrs. Palin and other like-minded conservatives in our coming elections.

Crazy For God

Subtitle: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back

(BOOK 8 of the 52 week Challenge)



Frank Schaeffer grew up in his family's L'Abri ministry in Switzerland, just as his sister, Susan, did. What a difference there is in the writings of these siblings!

While Susan chose to focus on the big questions of life in her book, Frank (formerly known as Franky) chose to dish the dirt on his family's shortcomings while also dragging other famous evangelicals through the mud.

In his book, he drifts from proclaiming certainty about his Christian beliefs to a place of being doubtful about any of the truths that he formerly embraced. He embodies the type of person that Joe and I don't want our children to become: one who chooses a faith based on his parent's beliefs, but who never really *owns* those beliefs himself.

I felt sorrow for Frank Schaeffer as I read his book. The man spent years living as though he had found the truth, and he now has renounced many of those beliefs and seems to be adrift and struggling.