What's On Your Nightstand - December

My last Nightstand for the year--time flies when your having fun reading!! Overall it was a good month, though I read quite a bit of fiction (December doesn't seem too conducive for non-fiction books, especially for me.) I didn't pick up Gone with the Wind one time, so it will go back on my Nightstand list for January. And speaking of January, I am not picking too many books for my Nightstand since my parents will be here visiting (yeah!). On the other hand I may get through quite a few. We will see.

For January:

 

From November's Nightstand I read:

• An Unwilling Accomplice by Charles Todd - Well, I am now all caught up in the Bess Crawford series and have to patiently wait for the next book. Sigh.
• Young Clementina by D.E. Stevenson - I loved this book!! This story is quite different from Miss Buncle, but it was nonetheless an excellent read.
• Parenting Unchained: Overcoming the Ten Deceptions That Shackle Christian Parents by Dr. James D. Dempsey (review)
• Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain - I am still mulling on this book. For the most part I enjoyed it, though there were parts that I really felt my eyes glazing over. Despite the author's worldview, I came away with renewed awe of how God has created us.

I am currently reading:

• Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis - I am slowing making my way through this book.

I also read:

• Absolutely Truly: A Pumpkin Falls Mystery by Heather Vogel Frederick - Cute YA mystery.
• The Big Six by Arthur Ransome - Wow! Another fabulous Ransome book. I will be featuring this soon on a Read-Aloud Thursday.
• I Kill the Mockingbird by Paul Acampora - Another YA book. So-so.
• In the Company of Others by Jan Karon - Catching up on a Father Tim book that I missed reading. Lovely read and Ireland is calling my name.
• Second Chance Cinderella by Carla Capshaw - Pure twaddle! 
• Sarah Morris Remembers by D.E. Stevenson - So I am on a D.E. Stevenson kick. This one is set during World War II. Enjoyable, though not as memorable as Miss Buncle or Young Clementina.

I listened to:

• Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie - An enjoyable Poirot.
• A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain - I was unimpressed with this story. I don't know if I missed something vital at the beginning or I just couldn't click with it. Who knows?

See what others have read over at 5 Minutes for Books.

Merry Christmas!

Caleb - 19, Destini - 15

Chantry - 12, Delani - 6

Wednesdays with Words (In the Company of Others)

 

After reading Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good by Jan Karon, I realized I hadn't read In the Company of Others which of course I had to remedy. In this passage Cynthia is responding to Father Tim's sympathy for spraining her ankle and how it will affect their vacation in Ireland. Cynthia sums up life so beautifully in this passage.

 

 'It isn't such a hassle, really. It's just life--quirky and scary and lovely and immense...' (p.95)

Happy 19th Birthday, Caleb!

Ugh! I can't believe I had to write that. I want to say that I'm not old enough to have a child this old, but if you saw all the gray hairs on my head then you would know I was lying! Well, this post isn't about me, but about my oldest child, Caleb.

I love this boy so much. He truly is a gift from God and I have enjoyed seeing him grow up though I will admit that there were plenty of bumps in the road. He loves God and desires to work for Him and I know that God has great things in store for his life.

9 months 

I am also posting a Dramatic Signing that he along with his friend, Hannah, did for at his graduation, but I think it describes Caleb so well.

Book Review: Parenting Unchained by Dr. James D. Dempsey

I enjoy being a parent, but as any parent can attest it is not an easy job and much of the information that is written for parents is based on false ideas. I recently had the opportunity to review Parenting Unchained: Overcoming the Ten Deceptions That Shackle Christian Parents by Dr. James D. Dempsey from D6Culture.

In the beginning of Parenting Unchained Dr. Dempsey points out that Satan desires to trap parents in lies that make us focus on the wrong things in parenting. As he presents the Ten Deceptions he also shares Ten Truths that can make parenting enjoyable. 

The Ten Deceptions include:

1. It's All About Your Kids; Your Character Doesn't Matter
2. You're Capable; You Can Do This
3. God Only Cares About Rules
4. You can Be A Parent Without Investing Much Time
5. Teaching the Right Information is Enough
6. Why and How You Discipline Don't Matter--Just Make Them Obey
7. You Don't Need to Talk About Your Faith
8. Children Should Choose Their Life Course (You Don't Need to Help Them)
9. It's All About Consistency (You Don't Need to Adapt)
10. Life Should Be Easy

Throughout this book Dr. Dempsey shares truth that counteract these lies. Using the Bible as a model he works through each lie and show through scripture how God modeled parenting skills through different stories and people of the Bible. He also show how help your child find their purpose in life and shares some final steps to help you launch your children into their futures and help lay a foundation of truth for the next generation. At the end of each Deception is a Home Activity that shows you how to implement the Truths to help you become a better parent.

I found Parenting Unchained affirming book to the parenting that we have implemented into our home that I think we have found by trial and error. I really enjoyed how he showed the correlation between how God modeled parenting with the nation of Israel and with his disciples.

Another point I really found valuable was his emphasis on guiding children as they get older. Though I wouldn't implement everything suggested there were many valuable tips especially when it came to modeling your faith and making sure that you are modeling what you teach and passing it on.

Dr. Dempsey shares with an open heart as he encourages parents to break free from the lies that Satan would have parents believe. Parenting Unchained would be an asset to any parent's library and especially helpful for the parent who is at a loss and looking for Biblical answers.

Parenting Unchained: Overcoming the Ten Deceptions That Shackle Christian Parents is available in paperback for 14.95.

Right now you can get the Kindle Edition for .99 through Friday, December 12.

Wednesdays with Words (The Young Clementina)

I just finished reading The Young Clementina by D. E. Stevenson, the author of Miss Buncle's Book. I found this a delightful read and if I hadn't had to return the book to the library I think I would have read it again.

In this passage, Charlotte Dean is telling her story in writing to an imaginary friend.  Kitty is her younger sister.

Three things happened to change me from a child. Three things, one after another. The birthday dance, Mother's death, and, a few weeks after that, the war. After the long peaceful years of childhood the three things happened so quickly that there was no time to think. I was eighteen when the war came--it was a bad age to be. I was too old to take it--as Kitty took it--with the excitement of a child over a new experience. Too young to remember another war, to have achieved philosophy and to realize that it would pass. To eighteen things do not pass quickly--neither grief nor pleasures--a trouble seems to be for all time. Eighteen cannot see through present darkness to future light. p. 33

See more Wednesdays with Words over at ladydusk.

The Homeschool Mother's Journal: A New Term Started

Oh my, I have been a terrible blogger! Life has been busy, but in a good way. We had a great Thanksgiving plus we finished up our first term of school and have started our second term. Here is a little update of what has been happening in our home and school.

 

1. My kids were excited to finally get paid their allowance. I have started paying it to them in a check and then we go to the bank and cash them. My kids really, really like this! Oh, and this is Caleb's last allowance payment.

2. I made this Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake for a get-together we had. I started to cut it and realized that I better take a picture since I don't know if I can bake another one without cracking the top. And yes, it was yummy!

3. Delani has decided she is big enough to make her own sandwiches (when it is convenient for her), but she actually surprised me on how well she did.

4. She also learned to wrap gifts in her Daisies club at co-op.

5. And for the big news--Caleb got a job! After filling out application after application he finally got on a McDonald's. He is posing with his first paycheck. Honestly, I have been very frustrated with apply for jobs online, which seem to be the only way to do this at most businesses. I could go on and on about what I think about this, but I will spare you.

 

6. We finished up Term 1 in which Destini completed A Child's Geography of the World and It Couldn't Just Happen: Knowing the Truth About God's Awesome Creation along with 3-4 free reads. Chantry completed A Child's Geography of the World and Archimedes and the Door of Science and two free reads. Delani completed Volume 1 & 2 of My Book House and we almost made it through Book A of First Start Reading.

7. Chantry has started  Along Came Galileo, Created for Work: Practical Insights for Young Men, and  Complete Book Of Marvels. He will continue on The Mystery of History Volume 1, Augustus Caesar's World, Math U See Zeta, Spelling You See Americana, The Mystery of the Periodic Table App, and another 42 lessons of Rod & Staff English 4.

8. Destini will be reading through the Secrets of the Universe book set, The Complete Book of Marvels, along with Never Give In: The Extraordinary Character of Winston Churchill. She has read a lot of science biographies over the last year and asked to take a break so she is delving into history biographies. She also will continue with Mystery of History Volume 1, Augustus Caesar's World, Math U See Pre-Algebra, Rod & Staff Spelling 7, and Rod & Staff English 6. She is starting another cross-stitch project and will soon start a new quilt.

9. Delani almost completed Book of First Start Reading, but honestly every reading page was excruciating. She reads the words one day and looks at them the next day and has to sound out every.single.word. Sooooo, it just so happened that I won a $100 gift certificate to All About Learning Press that was offered in one of the Read Aloud Revival Podcast hosted by Sarah from Amongst Lovely Things.   I am hoping to start this on Monday, but I have to get my act together. She will continue to work through her Math U See Primer book and continue doing a lot of reading aloud.

Last but not least--the Christmas tree is up! I think that if I ever have a season that we can pull the tree out of the box, put the lights and ornaments in one day I will faint dead away.