Guest post: Abigail Kimball...click the photo

High school Planning for Abigail...

I am looking into what Abigail's high school will look like.  We want to do a study to help us talk through what she feels God is calling her to.  Once we are focused together on the skills and education she will need for that, we can add to it college prep academics and family prep ed.

As much as I can, I do want to college prep her.  We are looking at what are the baselines for academics in highschool and how we can use every bit of education to earn her college credit AT THE SAME TIME.   Thus saving her time and money.  We want her free from debt and free to marry young if she chooses.

So I am so intrigues by this school: Thomas Edison State University which accepts 100% of transfer credits..  

We are hoping Abigail can CLEP her biology this summer.  And so we'll see!

Pack a Care Kit for the Homeless

Tomorrow we are packing bags for the homeless as part of "Daughters of Destiny" our generational discipleship group...

Portland Rescue Missions's flyer makes it real easy to know what to buy:

Wholesome books for Girls 10-14

I love helpful book lists because my girls are BIG readers!!  So here are some faves of my girls and I:

Rosebud particularly likes this new series' pictures:

Goldenrod has been in love with the Boxcar children for several  years now:


Rosebud has read the "Narnia Chronicles" three times.  I read aloud the "Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe":


She also really enjoyed:

A good read aloud for younger girls, and read to yourself for 12 and up is Little Women.  Each girl confronts her own biggest character flaw and overcomes as she matures.  They dream "castles in the air" and then learn what dreams they really want as they try them out.

The following are all from Rod & Staff Publishers.... 

Abi says this one is good for 12-14 years...

  About foster care and adopting...
Family Adventures
Big Family Adventures
Christian History...Reformation heroes

This is a wonderful read for girls entering puberty... it teaches them how they can handle the changes in their lives while still being sensitive to the family and world around them...


Ben-Hur is a great adventure read.  Abi loved this one... It has history of the Roman Empire & Jews, romance, thriller action, descriptive scenery and epic chariot race, plus, you can watch the movie when you're done! The godly woman is contrasted with a "cleopatra" type...and of course the hero marries the good girl!  Another novel in this period they enjoyed was The Robe.

All my kids loved this one from the Middle Ages, Men of Iron.  Brings the time to life and the chivalry appeals to the girls ;-)  Epic Tournament scene...


Abi enjoyed King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table for the same reasons...


We particularly avoid books with sassy independent girls.  We would rather the girls learn to be like Mary, mother of Jesus who was "a lowly servant girl".  So, we look for girls who serve their families and their communities.  Another characteristic often of kids books is "no parents".  In the Boxcar children and the Narnia series, parents do not play a predominant role.  That is why we look carefully for books that include parents who also play a vital role (Rod & Staff books) in the children's lives and development.

Books for African American Girls

Its amazing how hard it is to find good books for little brown girls... that are wholesome (and not all about slavery or some key family member dying).

When we brought Z home, a friend found a set of Elizabeti books, great stories with an African setting:

Here was another good random find... an Easter book that takes place in Israel--its the story of a young jewish boy and young ethiopian boy learning about Jesus:

  

and another newer arch book: 

I was excited to find at the thrift....the magic attic club...

My mother in law found this for our Ethiopian American girl

and this is the only one I saw at Target, "I'm a Pretty Little Black Girl"

And we found the book for Z when she is a bit older about an Ethiopian princess, (but not the doll) "Saba"

You may say, "Does it matter? Kid's don't see color. Just love."  Well yea, they see color AND love. 

After reading 3 Thanksgiving books, Aziza says, "Aren't there any books with brown faces?" 

Like, "Why are all the families white?"

I'm like, "Yea that's true."  I grabbed the ten (out of 300) kids books we have (yes that's homeschool) for her to see some brown faces and then thought seriously about what I could do for her.  At the library, I asked the librarian's help, and well, she didn't come up with much.  They were given "most popular" books when the library was created despite the fact they are in an all hispanic/black neighborhood.  She goodnaturedly was up for the challenge of keeping a look out and buying what she could for the 7-9 year old girl range, yea! 

If you have any good recommendations, please comment below...

Remaking Science for girls...

 I am totally brainstorming here people...I don't have this all worked out in my mind but am working it out....

Nutrition, Health, Gardening... Biology and Chem as it relates to those subjects...focusing on preparing girls to raise healthy children and care for their husbands as it relates to their diet. 
 
A woman who has "brought up" (teknotropheo: Teknon 'child" and trehpo "to cherish, to nourish, to give food to")  her children--feeds them well (1 Tim 5:10).  It seems to follow that studies of nutrition would be helpful for feeding the family but also for medicinal purposes as well.  What herbs, vitamins, minerals are healing to the body?  What diets heal various ailments? (This study wd prepare the girls to help their husbands by saving the family money regarding health issues, also.)   I used to think that was some ancient medieval wisdom now defunct, but the older I get the more I see alternative medicine works.  Like when Chad went on a veggie, brown rice, seeds and nuts diet and his gigantic planters wart collection fell off.  Also, seeing the effects of juicing, eating vegetarian, reducing sugar, taking vitamins etc. has on our families ability to fight colds.

Also...Health is a good practical subject to teach girls to wonder at their bodies and care for them... not only theirs but their future families..  how excellent to have wisdom regarding sexuality, maintaining energy, heart health, exercise, first aid & CPR, applying biology to have an abundant life. 

Gardening as it relates to the family but also as it related to God who nurtures us (like the vineyard keeper), God the creator extraordinare, God's infinite goodness and creativity in his creation.  I am so bad at gardening but I keep at it--  Last year I discovered KALE.  It was actually Chad's project, but w/ a few dollars investment we reaped year round, heavy vitamin packed veggies.  Gardening teaches so many things like patience.... 

Astronomy as it boggles our mind at the infinity of God as it caused us to walk more humbly and more awed at him.

I think boys would have overlap here but I would focus on some other subjects more and these a little less....for example....science as it relates to woodworking, plumbing, electrical work, computer science ....along those lines.

Girls & Boys Groups

This morning after snagging a cantelope from the Farmer's Market, I jumped in the van with the fam.  Chad dropped all the girls at the "Daughters of Destiny" brunch and Bible study.  Over tea and Mexican pastries we studied themes related to this book:

Then, Chad and Tom headed over to pound nails and eat donuts and Mike's.  They are studying this book:

We are a multicultural bunch united by a vision to raise Godly boys and girls.  I am so thankful for the fellowship and friends who are supporting us. 

Chad's bedtime lesson for our kids...1 Timothy 2:9

"I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God...." (1 Tim. 2:9 NIV)

to which we wondered if we sd throw away my wedding ring, and stop braiding Aziza's hair???

 until we read:

^3 (D)Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; ⁴ but let it be ^(E)the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.  (1 Peter 3)

 Whew! We thought "merely" gave us some lee way....  I was surprised to search for a woman of that time period and find this painting above--as far as decoration goes...its not much more than what were used to. That being said, his examples and specifics, aren't the point, really... but the decency/modesty/propriety plus good works and a gentle spirit.

 

Aprons of Virtue

Got this idea for dish towel aprons that taught character traits. My friend Christina, her girls, and another friend jumped on the idea with us. The girls are ready for Christmas baking!

Ps 45

Psalm 45 tells about the bride queen,"...All glorious is the princess within her chamber; her gown is interwoven with gold. In embroidered garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions follow her and are brought to you. They are led in with joy and gladness;they enter the palace of the king." Matthew Henry confirms the meaning of this passage, "This psalm is an illustrious prophecy of Messiah the Prince: it is all over gospel, and points at him only, as a bridegroom espousing the church to himself and as a king ruling in it and ruling for it." How exciting that we have a God who expresses his love for us with such beauty! I wanted my girls to understand how God truly sees them as princesses with gowns "embroidered" and "interwoven with gold" so I was ecstatic to find the above dresses at Old Navy! They'll be perfect for Easter AND to illustrate this wonderful truth.