Who Have You Been Talking To?

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I have to say that I am so thankful that I attend the church that I do. My pastor preached a sermon on prayer a few weeks ago. I sat down this evening and started reading through my notes and I love how God can speak new things to us. Prayer is such an important part of our relationship with God. It is our opportunity to talk with God, and for Him to talk to us.

Think about it...we serve a God that gives us the option to speak with Him on a daily basis, and yet one statistic states that most Christians spend less than 7 minutes a day in prayer.
Wow! When I heard that statistic it absolutely floored me!  Less than 7 minutes a day. That would be less than 49 minutes in a week, or around 3 hours in a month. OUCH! I talk to my co-workers more than that!! So....we talk to God less than 7 minutes a day which is less than most people we deem acquaintances.

I Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to "Pray continually." I love that verse. I too have struggled with the discipline of prayer in my life. I felt like it had to be at a certain time, for so many minutes, I had to follow certain rules, I wanted to sound like so-and-so, blah, blah.....
I tied myself up so much that I crippled my own prayer life. I love the freedom found in spending time with a God that is with me everywhere I go. Prayer should be relational not ritualistic. We serve a God that desires to be a part of our day to day life.

My pastor shared a comment in his sermon that impacted me. He said, "A desire that is never transformed into a prayer is never answered." James 4:2 backs that statement up when it says, "...you have not because you ask not..." Does God know everything? YES! Doesn't He already know what I need? YES! So why do I need to ask Him for it? He longs for us to come to Him, just like we long to have our children come to us and crawl up in our laps and let us know what is going on in their lives. He never leaves us or forsakes us, and He desires to hear our hearts. He knows our desires and needs, but He wants to hear our voice. He wants to hear your voice!

 



Demme Learning: Math-U-See Pre-Calculus Review ~ TOS Crew

 

 

 



I now have two children in High School classes. As a homeschool mom, I find that a little bit intimidating sometimes. The drive to find the right curriculum for each of them, so they can learn the way they need to is a strong one. Sometimes I find myself frustrated as I hunt and search...then I am nervous about whether the decision I made was the right one. That is why I am so glad that I got the chance to review Math-U-See Pre-Calculus complete with digital packs from Demme Learning.

Demme Learning is an amazing, independent, family-owned and operated publishing company. They have been providing high quality, innovative learning solutions for homeschoolers, parents and small group learning environments since 1990. The products created by Demme Learning  will encourage your student to learn and helps homeschool parents to be engaged in the learning process. 

Demme Learning has 5 main principles that they base their curriculum on:

1. Parental engagement in the learning process.
2. Multi-sensory instruction.
3. Sequential instruction that builds from concept to concept to achieve mastery.
4. Guided discovery with a committed instructor.
5. Individualized instruction that adapts to each student’s unique strengths.

What I received:

I received everything necessary for my daughter to complete this class.

* An Instruction Manual
  (complete with solutions)
* A Student Text
* A Test Booklet
* 2 DVD's (Lessons 1-30)
* Digital Pack


How we used this product:

This product was used by my daughter that is in the 11th grade. She loves when curriculum has video lessons. The lessons included with this curriculum are wonderful and easy to understand.

We were able to work through these resources and see the benefit to the way that Demme Learning puts their curriculum together. The Instruction Manual makes it simple to help your student as you move through each lesson. I love that there is flexibility built into the curriculum for you to move at whatever speed is necessary for your student. The goal is not to move forward before you are ready, as each concept builds on the one prior

 

My daughter is wanting to earn an Honors Diploma, so there are instructions on how to utilize this class as an honors class. I am happy that they included that. They have truly tried their very best to think of everything to make using this curriculum as simple and straightforward as possible...no matter the learning style.

 

My Bottom Line:

 

Demme Learning did a great job on the Math-U-See Pre-Calculus curriculum. We really enjoyed the opportunity to check it out and work through it. This is top quality material and comes with everything you need for your student to be successful in the class. I also love the fact that they have ongoing support for us as well. When you have watched the DVD and read all the instructions but still have questions, you can call and talk to their trained staff. They will be able to walk you through any lesson you need help with. I love that! I never took Pre-Calculus in school, so without that additional support I could find myself really struggling, but they have truly thought of everything!!

 

This curriculum is a great addition for your high school curriculum list. Check out Demme Learning and all the wonderful options they have that can fit your homeschool needs!

 

 

 

Social Media:

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mathusee

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mathusee/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mathusee


YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mathusee

 

 

 



A Faithful God!

 



God's Word is so wonderful! Don't you agree?

With God's Word, you are able to find strength to remain strong during hard times that come against us. Sometimes we find it easier to listen to Satan when he tells us, "It's just too hard!" We have to renew our minds in the Word of God, so that we can't be deceived into believing those lies.

I am so glad that no matter what happens in life, God's faithfulness is never failing. He will never leave us! Even when we feel lonely we are not alone. God is always with us! In God we can put our trust!

Lamentations 3:21-25  says "This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul, Therefore I hope in Him! The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him."

Praise God! We have hope in the Lord! That is such great news! I have been through several things in my life that have caused thoughts of hopelessness and despair to flood through my mind, but then I am reminded of the faithfulness of God through His Word. That is when my weakness is made strong!

Don't get overwhelmed or weighed down by the cares and problems of life. Put your hope in the Lord! He is faithful!

 

Here to Help Learning: Homeschool Writing Program Review ~ TOS Crew

 

 

My girls and I had the privilege to review Homeschool Writing Program from Here to Help Learning.  I have to admit that these classes were designed with fun in mind!! The author Beth Mora appears often in costume which adds a unique humor to the mix. But even when she isn't a flight attendant, or reporter, etc...she is full of life and spunk!  She grabbed my daughter's attention and kept it throughout the lesson with her humor and wit. As a homeschool mom, I really appreciated the manner in which these lessons were put together.

This unique website does a great job of classifying the lessons in a way that makes sense.  They are split up into six different courses that are referred to throughout as (Flights). The six Flights are split up again....there are 3 Flights in the Paragraph Writing Course (which is recommended for students in grades 1-3), and 3 Flights in the Essay Writing Course (which is recommended for students in grades 4-6). My daughter is in the eighth grade and still benefited from this course!

In the first three Flights (Paragraph Writing) students will learn to write paragraphs and poetry. The following three Flights (Essay Writing) students will transition into writing more substantial pieces. This was especially great for my daughter! The grand finale, so to speak, is that the students will write a six-chapter book! As someone who loves to write, I found that this addition adds a unique and wonderful perspective for the student. Too often they write, essays and compositions simply for a grade, but writing something like a book truly shows them how to use the voice they have to convey thoughts and ideas!

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How we used this product:

 

My daughter has struggled in the past with reading comprehension, which caused her to be behind in most of her classes. This was the one big reason that my husband and I decided that the best thing for her would be homeschool. When I saw the opportunity to review this product, I thought it would be a perfect way to do some review and then do a little test to see how she was doing.

 

We began in the Essay Writing Course and she is working her way to the book. I noticed that this course has caused her to broaden her abilities and her writing skills are improving the further we work in the course. Even though she is older than 6th grade, this has been a confidence builder for her, and I am so happy that we were able to give it a try!

 

My bottom line:

 

How can you argue with a program that works? I found myself so thankful that we were able to be a part of this review. Seeing my daughter grow in her writing skills made me so happy. Then knowing that she has also grown in her confidence level was exciting! When you are confident as you approach education , it always overflows into other subjects. I know that the impact from this course will be seen throughout the rest of her education career.

 

Social Media:

 

Social media is a great way to stay connected with, or get more information on products. Here are few links to stay connected with Here to Help Learning:

 

Vendor Blog: http://heretohelplearning.com/hometohome/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heretohelplearning/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HTHLTweets
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/HTHLearning/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/HereToHelpLearning

 

 



Heirloom Audio Productions: The Dragon and the Raven Review ~ TOS Crew

     

 

 

My girls and I had the chance last year to listen to G.A. Henty's radio dramas In Freedom’s Cause and With Lee in Virginia by Heirloom Audio Productions, and we loved every second of them! So.......we were so excited when we had to opportunity to also review Heirloom Audio Productions’ latest audio drama, The Dragon and the Raven, also based on a G.A. Henty's historical novel. What we found is that when you listen to an audio drama from Heirloom Audio Productions you will have the attention of everyone in the room no matter their age. The stories are riveting and adventurous, and the cast is amazing at grabbing your attention and keeping it throughout the entire production!

   

What we received:

• 2-Cd “Active Listening” audio book, 2+ hours!
• The complete The Dragon and The Raven eStudy Guide and Discussion Starter.
• Printable copy of the inspirational verse (Proverbs 21:31) as quoted by King Alfred.
• The Official The Dragon and The Raven Soundtrack MP3 download
• Unlimited access to the Live The Adventure Letter E-Newsletter.
• E-Book with all new colorful graphics.
• A professionally designed, printable promotion poster (24” x 36”) featuring the star-studded cast.
• A behind-the-scenes documentary featuring the amazing cast, crew and actors.

How we used it:

 I know I have said this before, but I am a true history lover. When it comes to the Christian audio dramas that are produced by Heirloom Audio productions, I find them an all-out pleasure to spend time listening to. I decided that if I put it in my car to listen to as I drove, that we could listen as we ran errands.  It didn't take long for me to see that my plan backfired a little bit. We found ourselves sitting in the car continuing to listen even after arriving at the destination! lol! Audio books are nice, but audio dramas are amazing!!

With my kids being older I was able to utilize the study guide and had great conversations with them about the story. They found themselves captivated by the story and enjoyed chatting about the adventures! This is a much better way to spend time together than sitting and staring at a television!!

My bottom line:

Honestly I found The Dragon and the Raven a pleasurable and enjoyable audio drama. Not only does history come to life...but you are able to feel like you are in the story itself. What a wonderful way to learn about King Alfred the Great and his battle to free ancient Britain from the marauding Danes.

 Purchasing options:

• The family four-pack includes 4 audio copies. You will also receive 7 free bonuses: a digital download, e-book, study guide, quote poster, newsletter, promotional poster, and the all new behind the scenes documentary featuring a star studded case. All for $99.97

• Single CD pack includes study guide, quote poster, and mp3 digital download for $29.97.
• Digital download includes study guide, and quote poster for $19.97.

You can order online here today!

 

 Social Media:

 

Heirloom Audio Productions Social Media Sites:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeirloomAudio
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeirloomStories @HeirloomStories
Google+: https://plus.google.com/b/114534826166314080647/114534826166314080647/posts

Instagram: @HeirloomAudioOfficial

The Dragon and The Raven product specific facebook page:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDragonAndTheRaven


The Extraordinary Adventures of G.A. Henty specific facebook page:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheExtraordinaryAdventuresOfGAHenty