Luv'N Lambert Life

A blog about living with Epilepsy, IBHS, Homeschooling and so much more

The Busy Mom’s Bible {Zondervan Review}

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I just recieved my new copy of the Busy Mom’s Bible from Zondervan in the old fashioned home mailbox today.  I was excited to see the package stuffed in amongst my television and phone bills, letters and magazines.  The box on the outside looked like a normal cardboard covered package with a lovely label from Zondervan on the front.  It was well taped to ensure that it did not become damaged, damp or exposed to the elements as some mail can be, especially on rainy days like today.
When I came into the house from my mailbox trip, I quickly ripped open the odds and ends of other mail and then put the scissors to work cutting through the tape on my new gift from Zondervan.  Inside the cardboard shell, I found another box covered with a sturdy cardboard wrap with photos of Mom busy-ness, as well as tips from the Bible company itself on use of this product and a reminder to blog about the Busy Mom’s Bible.  As I unwrapped the shell and glanced over it, I wondered what it hid underneath.  I quickly found it held yet another box.  This one sturdly made, much like a box that holds Christmas cards or the best presents from your Dear Aunt Susie.  Indeed, this box held a wonderful gift, but not from Dear Aunt Susie.  This gift was from Zondervan and God, a book containing His word made just for me, a Mom. 
Before opening the box, I expected to find your average Bible, nothing exceptional.  Boy was I wrong!  Upon opening the box, I found a BEAUTIFUL fucshia, deep brown, and pink leather covered Bible.  Wow, I thought, this book was made for me!  I began looking inside the Busy Mom’s Bible to find 52 seperate Thought Starter, one minute devotionals, each directed towards a different part of the Bible and also a different part of life.  The idea is to concentrate on one concept, one devotion each week.  There are also 5 minute Reflect and Pray studies and 10 minute studies to expand upon each 1 minute Thought Starter offered during the week, as time permits.  Both the 5 minute and 10 minute studies send you to different sections in the back of the Bible for expansion of your lessons through verse.
Busy Mom's Bible, Review, Bible for Moms, Zondervan
The Bible text provided in this book is the New International Version (NIV), originally the NIV True Images Bible.  All the original text is provided, as well as maps to expand the Word, abbreviations list, and the Concordance.  A Weights and Measures chart is also provided in the back of the book and an alphabetical list of included Biblical books is provided in the front.  Two other things I found interesting are the sections 5 Minutes Reading About Jesus and 5 Minutes Reading About Women Of the Bible, located on pages 1173-1174.  I look forward to using these when I have an extra minute of reading time. 
My plan for this book, is to read a different Thought Starter each week for the next 6 weeks and see where they lead me.  I have spent the past few weeks searching for a devotional to use daily in my life, to help bring my heart closer to God and I feel this is the perfect book.  I am interested in seeing just how the Busy Mom’s Bible will effect me.  The outer appearance of this book is gorgeous, but my question and mission to find out, is the inside just as good? 
You can find a copy of the Busy Mom’s Bible at Zondervan.

Oppsie… Blog comments

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I must admit that this may be a blonde moment I’ve been having for quite sometime, but I just realized I have been getting blog comment replies to my posts! 

YIKES!!  I never even noticed. 

So I just wanted to let you all know that I have NOT been ignoring your comments.  I never realized they were there!  Silly me!!!  Thanks to everyone who has commented me.  I appreciate your taking time to read and comment and spread love to my blog.  Sometimes I wonder if anyone really reads this thing and the answer is yes yall do!

Much love to each of you!
– Dana

Homeschooling Again {First Day of Homechooling: February 2010}

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Last week we began homeschooling again.

My oldest two had been attending a local public school but it just wasn’t working out for us.  My son was falling farther and farther behind in his reading and other educational skills and my daughter was not working up to her potential in Kindergarten.  Her skills were much more advanced then her classes were offering her.  So we decided the best thing to do was homeschool again.

A couple of weeks ago, I contacted our local homeschooling organization and enrolled the kids for homeschooling.  It took a few weeks to iron out our details and have the extra cash for our fees but as soon as we did, we were ready to go. 

My information was officially approved this past Monday.  On Tuesday, I informed the school of our decision to homeschool and also told them that would be my children’s last day attending their school.  On Wednesday, we were home and ready to begin, but because it was Emmalee’s birthday and we had a ton of company coming in and out we skipped school this day.

Thursday was our first official day of homeschooling.  It was a relatively simple day.  We managed to cover all the basic subjects and we set up a schedule to work each day. 

Our day starts with breakfast.
Next comes devotions.  We read a daily devotional online using CBH Ministries, Key’s for Kids, then we write the verse of the day as our copywork for handwriting skills.  While we are writing, we listen to a Christian Children’s Radio show online using OnePlace.org. 
After devotions is Grammar, using Scott Foresman’s Grammar books.  The kids really enjoy this workbook.
Next the kids do reading online for 30 minutes using Starfall.com.  They do a few other online activities dealing with reading at this time too.
Next we do Scott Foresman Math, then science.
Finally we do Social Studies, using Lesson Pathways online.  Each day provides us with new activities to use.

We have tweaked this schedule a little, adding more worksheets and also adding a Bible curriculum starting with Creation for History.  Each day we discuss a new section of the bible in an explaination of where the world began. 

The kids are enjoying being home again.  They love the ease of learning at their own pace.  They are working together well.  Our only obstacle at this time is occupying a whily toddler!  We look forward to many more days homeschooling and daily growing in our love of God and our learning to come.

Snow in 2010

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So far 2010 has been full of surprises. 

The biggest for me thus far is SNOW in Georgetown.  We are so close to the water that normally we would not even see snow here.  But since my little Emma has been sad to know that they had snow in Spartanburg, I would like to think God granted her white wonderland wishes and gave her some of the good stuff to play in.

The kids were very excited to look out their window earlier and see the fat little blogs of ice floating downwards from the sky.  They were even happier when they realized that it was indeed going to stick and coat everything in it’s wet fuzzy wonderness.  They patiently watched and waited.  They ran everytime I called them from the back door to see the fluffy goodness from heaven. 

They were even more excited when I told them to don their boots and head out in the stuff around 7pm.  They ran and played and felt the drops fall down onto their skin.  They caught flakes with their tongues.  They scooped snow off the van.  They made snowballs and started a war.  They complained about the wonderful coldness of it all but they LOVED it none the less.  A viable science lesson provided by God.

Then they came back inside to lay on the floor in front of the fire and watch a movie until bedtime.  They were anxious for sleep because they know with the dawn comes more outdoor fun in the Wintery Wonderland God has blessed us with outside.  Tomorrow brings snow fights and snow cream, melting flakes and Snowmen. 

But for now, it’s goodnite and sweet dreams for the February Snow of 2010.

A Quick Update {February 6, 2010}

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So I haven’t written anything in a while and I have sort of fallen off the wagon as far as my resolutions have gone.  But I can always pick up where I left off and start again right?  That is the point and living and learning in life. 

I’ve been reading some pretty inspirational stuff lately.  I’ve also been taking photos and keeping up with college.  Doing fair with that.  English is improving my writing skills though I know that I can do even better with that.  I’m also preparing to homeschool the kids again and spending a lot of time online gathering curriculum and notes to use.  There’s so much great stuff to work with that it’s all so hard to choose but I am letting the Lord lead my feet and guide me to his path this time.  So far, He’s doing a great job but I honestly did not expect any less.

I have a lot going on.  Painting in the girls room, organizing all over the house.  Got to finish the boys bathroom, start on the girls.  Also have to set up for a classroom but the basis for that is begun and I need to pick up reading books to work with, just to keep around home.  So much to do, so little time they say and it’s sooo true.

Well, that’s about it for now… until next time… and hopefully next time I’ll be a little more organized with what all I have to say. 🙂

– Dana