My new blog home

You’re cordially invited to join me at my Banquet Table and partake of all the goodies on it!

www.bankwhitt.wordpress.com

all reference

Bible – http://www.biblegateway.com/

Dictionary – http://dictionary.reference.com/

http://dictionary.reference.com/reverse/ - for when you’re struggling to find the right word

Encyclopaedia -  http://www.reference.com/ 

Internet Search – www.google.com – also images, advanced search tips

Metric Conversion - http://www.metric-conversions.org/ – metric/imperial

http://www.worldwidemetric.com/metcal.htm - calculator too

Thesaurus – http://thesaurus.reference.com/

http://www.visualthesaurus.com/ - visual fun

–

NZ

http://www.myhq.com/public/p/a/pamm/ - one homeschooler’s resource page for various topics

Science:

http://www.howtoteachscience.com/freestuff/labs_demonstrations_and_activites.html - pdf pages

Spelling Bee : http://www.visualthesaurus.com/bee/?ad=google.spelling&gclid=COHlwqr5q5QCFR0ZagodMUsvtg - online

http://www.carey.ac.nz/Resources/Pages/Other_Links/ - what some theological lecturers link to

–

What do you have on your mother-of-all-reference-pages reference page?

Live, love, and laugh – each day,
Shalom,   

I was brought up to go to Church on Sunday. That’s the first call on your time each Sunday. I have wholeheartedly believed this – til the end of last year.

Factors that have contributed to changes in my thinking about what church (small ‘c’) is, include:

• multiple migraines (and not wanting to endure teenage angst, weak songs, and poorly balanced sound during the ‘worship’ time at Church)
• busyness and lack of time ‘in the quiet’ as I home educate 2 primary-aged children
• 18 years ago doing church planting - church growth study and thinking at MISSONZ, thinking how best to ‘do’ church; how to fulfil God’s (com-)mission
• believing that overseas ‘missionaries’ get far too much attention compared to local ‘missionaries’-apostles-’set apart’-called people (which in my view should be all followers of Jesus).

I still hold the importance of observing the Lord’s Day, a Sabbath Day of Rest. 

But I now realise that ‘church’ (the Bride of Christ, people who follow Jesus on this earth)

• doesn’t necessarily have four walls,
• that it is better being thought of as ‘being’ church rather than ‘doing’ church, and
• that church doesn’t necessarily nor exclusively happen on Sunday (or your Sabbath Day of Rest).

Church is (like love) what church does. People are the church. We live fantastic lives showing God’s love and grace to people in our communities and networks. We are (like) salt and light in the world. We live a life that is visibly different from the world.

This may be able to be done within the confines of a structured, ‘institutional’ Church, but for me, for now, I highly value our home group on Wednesdays and meeting with my home educating colleagues casually yet regularly. We have spiritual conversations, share meals and communion, speak from the Scriptures, pray, correct, and generally “one another” each other. We share what God is doing in our lives and the exciting things that He is teaching us.

Followers of Jesus (Christians), what is church for you? what does it look like?

I enjoyed MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) when my children were under 6yo and now we home educate (homeschool).

How do these two worlds meet online?

These are some results from searching “homeschool MOPS mother“:

http://triviumacademy.blogspot.com/2007/08/preschool-ideas.html

http://teacher-mom.blogspot.com/

“… I remember at a MOPS convention I went to years ago, Elisa Morgan showed a picture of a shriveled up juice box with straws sticking out of it all over, and she asked, “Is this what you feel like??” I just wanted to cry! I was that sucked-dry juice box! To this day that image pops into my mind from time to time. …”

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HSmomto3girls/

http://www.odbcmops.blogspot.com/

http://local.thenestbaby.com/ListingView.aspx?lid=529598 - read reneejohnsonpa “I love MOPS” near top of comments; and jhaaa “Friends for life” toward bottom

http://www.bethanymops.org/faq.php#q3

http://www.consideringhomeschooling.com/post/2006/10/How-Considering-Homeschooling-Started.aspx - use ctrl+f7 and search for the word MOPS.

It grieves my heart when MOPS groups have waiting lists. This should not be. There MUST be another solution, eg night MOPS, or MOPS and POPS Saturday/Sunday afternoons (Dads as MOPPETS helpers??), or plant another group, or extending the friendship network. MOPS is more than the morning meeting!! Lord, send us willing leaders and “grandmas” with a heart and a passion for supporting and BEING supportive with mothers of preschoolers in these hard days (and nights!).

http://www.siouxfallsmoms.com/homeschool_familes_to_help_mops - this would be true globally. Great idea – homeschooling 10+yos being MOPPETS helpers.

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/smmars/ - homeschools and MOPS prayer co-ordinator

http://www.calvaryofwashington.com/mops.php

http://muddypause.com/blog/?p=35 - MOPPET helper
http://muddypause.blogspot.com/

http://peopleoffaith.com/stay-at-home-moms.htm

http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/

http://www.kymwright.com/speaker.htm

http://banquet.homeschooljournal.net/ - me

Boker tov

http://kecirohomeschool.com/biblicalholidays.htm - click on the blue titles for more. See also the LHS link to learning Hebrew.

http://biblicalholidays.com/Acrobat/BHPreview2.0.pdf - pdf, excerpts
http://biblicalholidays.com/Excerpts/excerpts.htm - various articles. See also LHS links to individual feasts and holidays.
http://biblicalholidays.com/Excerpts/holiday_chart.htm - check also rest of this website for Hebrew references and articles.

http://www.cresourcei.org/chyear.html - church year – scroll down and click on blue links

Christmas

http://www.dmoz.org/Society/Holidays/Christmas/Decorations_and_Props/Advent_Calendars/

Shalom

Hello fellow Kiwi bloggers,

Would you like to join a Kiwi Home Educators blog ring?
Your blog doesn’t have to be about homeschooling (exclusively).
But live in or be from New Zealand – and have home educated.

www.ringsurf.com/ring/nr96/ – view – Kiwi Home Educators – just new

www.ringsurf.com/netring?action=addform&ring=nr96 – sign up

The best code to copy and paste for the blog badge on your sidebar is: (picture is of Tarore)
* * In your widget title, put “Blog Ring“.

<table border=1><tr><td><div style=”{padding: 5px; border: solid 1px #0000aa;}”><CENTER><A href=”http://www.ringsurf.com/ring/nr96/”><IMG alt=”Kiwi Home Educators” src=”http://www.ringsurf.com/images/6/nr96-1.jpg” border=0><BR><B>Kiwi Home Educators BLOGRING</B></A><BR><a href=” http://www.ringsurf.com/ring_browser.php?ring_id=nr96; action=next”>Next site</a> <BR> <A href=”http://www.ringsurf.com”>Ringsurf</A>  </CENTER></div></div></td></tr></table><br>

if that doesn’t work with picture etc, then try:

<A href=”http://www.ringsurf.com/ring/nr96/” mce_href=”http://www.ringsurf.com/ring/nr96/”><IMG alt=”Kiwi Home Educators” src=”http://www.ringsurf.com/images/6/nr96-1.jpg” mce_src=”http://www.ringsurf.com/images/6/nr96-1.jpg” border=”0″><BR><B>Kiwi Home Educators</B></A><BR><A href=”http://www.ringsurf.com” mce_href=”http://www.ringsurf.com”>Ringsurf</A>

could add on:

<BR><A href=”http://www.ringsurf.com/ring/nr96/” mce_href=”http://www.ringsurf.com/ring/nr96/”><IMG src=”http://www.banner-ex.net/pics/Ringsurf_88×31.jpg” mce_src=”http://www.banner-ex.net/pics/Ringsurf_88×31.jpg” border=”0″></A>

Who said that ‘thoughtful’ can’t be tongue-in-cheek?

http://www.teachinghome.com/newsletters/newsletter207.cfm

April Fool’s light hearted approach to homeschooling

Here’s the Headers:
Top 10 Tips for April 1st

10.  How To Make Your House Clean Itself
  9.  P.E. Can Work Out for You
  8.  Hands-on History
  7.  Lazy Science
  6.  999 Ways To Teach the Multiplication Tables
  5.  Free Math Manipulatives
  4.  Short Cut To Reading
  3.  How To Plan a Field Trip
  2.  Easy Home Schooling
  1.  How To Be the Perfect Home Schooler

Our Home Education Network had a Winter Ball a couple of weeks ago. 170 men, women, teens, and children enjoyed a great night out of great conversation, food, dance, lights – and a good social time.

Shalom …

I was an ‘older’ mother when I had my two – hadn’t changed a nappy (USA=diaper) until my girl was born! I got involved with MOPS – Mothers of Preschoolers.

New Zealand is an affiliate country of MOPS International, HQ in Colorado. There’s 2900 groups across USA and globally in 35 countries.

Children get cared for in one room and mothers got to finish a hot cuppa and real adult conversation in another room, maybe even FINISH a creative activity. What a sanity-saver! Help was available when I needed it. A fresh perspective on parenting and motherhood each fortnight (USA=2 weeks).

I got involved as co-ordinator and publicity for my local group and as publications and publicity for NZ national board. I’m now a graduate of MOPS, but still do MUM-e-Mail [about 5th and 20th each month].

the latest MeM  – “The Power behind Us”

If you are a mother of preschooler or part of the support system for a MOP, you’re most welcome to sign up if you wish.  MUM-e-Mail-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MUM-e-Mail/

Blessings,