Archive for September 2011
Mourning (but not without hope)
“Jesus said unto her, ‘I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead , yet shall he live.’” John 11:25
Genevieve Anabelle (Bernard) Seifert
(Grandma Judy)
November 3, 1924-September 2, 2011
Growing up in the upper peninsula of Michigan
With my grandpa, Willard Seifert, circa WWII
With me and my baby sister, circa 1981
With baby Acacia, 2006
With her 3 older great grandkids 2010
Our last visit with Grandma Judy, where she met her 4th great-grandbaby, Eliora Grace, 2011
Please pray for our family as we grieve.
I will most likely be taking a blogging break this week as we make arrangements and prepare to travel. Please pray for wisdom and clarity of mind, especially for my father and his brother. Most importantly, pray that God might be glorified in all these things. Thank you.
By His Grace,
Tiana
WWJD? Homeschool
A beautiful article from my friend David d’Escoto at World Net Daily today:
Back in the ’90s there arose a short-lived trend among professing Christians of wearing bracelets that displayed the capital letters “WWJD” (What Would Jesus Do). This new fad caused people to talk about Jesus Christ and how Christians should actually try to model Jesus in all areas of their lives.
The Bible teaches us, “Whoever says he abides in him [Jesus] ought to walk in the same way in which He walked” (1 John 2:6), and “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Sixteenth-century pastor John Calvin referred to Jesus as the “Grand Model” for all Christians to follow and learn from. Jesus modeled so much for us during his earthly ministry. For example, He modeled how to pray, how to handle temptation, how to speak the truth in love, how to stand against evil, and how to really train and disciple others.
Christian parents should look at Jesus’ life as the perfect example of how parents should train, teach and love their own little disciples – their children. It is interesting to note that Jesus, on occasion, publicly called His disciples “children” (Mark 10:24). Eighteenth-century Bible commentator John Gill noted “it was common with the Jews to call [their] disciples … ‘children.’” When reading the gospels we get an intimate view of how Jesus discipled and loved His own “children.”
Click here to read the rest: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=340277
You’ll be glad you did!
How does Jesus’ example in teaching His disciples affect how you educate your children? Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment!
By His Grace,
Tiana
Homeschooling and the Law–State Homeschool Advocacy Organizations
What’s the most annoying question anyone has ever asked you about homeschooling? Chances are, this one is right up there–
Do they let you do that?”
Seriously? Are these children that I carried, birthed, and nursed theirs? Or, how about this one–
Is that legal?”
No. And thanks for asking, by the way. I was hoping you’d turn me in.
Okay, so maybe we’re finally at a point in this country where most homeschoolers don’t have to worry about nosy neighbors calling the truancy officer, but there are still laws that homeschooling families are obligated to comply with. Yes, homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, but each state has it’s own laws in regards to education. Everything from compulsory attendance ages to curriculum requirements to recorded keeping rules are different from state to state.
So where do you go to find out what’s what?
Well, you have a few choices.
You could contact your state’s educational authority, department of public instruction, or local school district, but I don’t recommend it. Why not? Because state and local authorities are often ignorant or even intentionally misleading about what is actually required by law. While I want to be careful to not paint with a broad brush, many homeschoolers have found public school officials to be mistrusting of and hostile toward homeschooling families. It’s hard to get quality, accurate information about homeschooling laws from someone who’d like to see your kids enrolled in a government school.
Another option would be to contact a nation-wide homeschool advocacy group. There are a couple of these out there, and they can be very helpful. Often, though, you really want (or need) to talk to someone who is an expert in homeschooling in your state.
This is why I love my state’s homeschool advocacy organization. Why, just this week I was able to look up how a recent change in Wisconsin’s kindergarten law would affect my 5 year old, and when my electronic homeschool enrollment report is due. You should find yours, so you can love them, too.
But where do I look? And who do I trust? A quick internet search might turn up dozens of sites, and who knows which ones are actually run by a legitimate homeschool advocacy group, and which ones are just trying to sell you something.
And then, I had an idea…
This blog has readers from all over the country. What if we were to come up with a “master list” of reputable state homeschool advocacy groups? We could, together, create a fantastic resource for new homeschooling families who aren’t sure where to start.
Wanna help? (Would you, please?)
Leave a comment below including a link, contact information, or both for your state (or perhaps, a state you used to live in) homeschool advocacy organization(s). Please only leave links to real, legitimate homeschool advocacy groups (NO SPAM) that you are personally familiar with.
I’ll go first. Scroll waaaay down to the bottom and look for “Wisconsin”.
As more information is shared, I will update the list. I hope it will be a blessing to many families for a long time to come.
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia–
Georgia home Educator Association (GHEA) – Christian Organization (They provide downloadable forms that do not include the spaces for the information that the state form TRIES to collect from you that you are not legally required to provide.)
website: http://www.ghea.org/
mailing address:
258 Sandy Lake Cir.
Fayetteville, GA 30214
Telephone: (770) 461-3657
Fax: (501) 638-5264
E-mail: info@ghea.org
Home Education Information Resource (HEIR) – Non partisan and Non sectarian
http://www.heir.org/ (website only, no other contact information at this time)
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois–
Illinois Christian Home Educators (ICHE)
website: www.iche.org
Mailing Address: ICHE P.O. Box 307 Russell, IL 60075-0307
Phone: 847-603-1259
email: fill out form on the “contact” page of their website
Illinois Homeschool PAC
website: www.illinoishomeschoolpac.org
email: fill out form on the “contact” page of their website
Indiana–
Indiana Association of Home Educators (IAHE)
website :https://iahe.net/
PO Box 217
Stilesville, IN 46180
email: info@iahe.net
Iowa–
NICHE – Network of Iowa Christian Home Educators.
website: https://www.homeschooliowa.org/
email: info@homeschooliowa.org
WRITE to NICHE at:
NICHE
Box 158
Dexter, IA 50070
CALL the NICHE Voice Mail at:
(800) 723-0438 (in Iowa)
or
(515) 830-1614 (all other areas)
Kansas–
Midwest Parent Educators:
Website: http://www.midwesthomeschoolers.org/
Mailing Address: Box 14391, Lenexa, KS 66285-4391
Office Phone: (913) 599-0311
Email: info@midwesthomeschoolers.org
(Primarily for Kansas but information regarding activities in Kansas City on both sides of the state line.)
Kentucky–
Christian Home Educators of Kentucky (CHEK)
website: www.chek.org
mailing address: PO Box 1288, Bardstown, KY 40004-1288
phone: (888)988-CHEK
email: info@chek.org
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota–
MACHE–Minnesota Association of Christian Home Educators
website: http://mache.org/
Mailing Address:
MACHE
P.O. Box 32308
Fridley, MN 55432
E-mail: info@mache.org
Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro: 763-717-9070
Greater Minnesota (toll free): 1-866-717-9070
Mississippi
Missouri (see Kansas)
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon–
Oregon Christian Home Educators Network (OCEAN)
website: http://www.oceanetwork.org
Mailing Address: 17985 Falls City Rd, Dallas, OR 97338
Phone: (503) 288-1285
Email: oceanet@oceanetwork.org
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas–
Texas Homeschool Coalition (THSC)
website: www.thsc.org
mailing address: THSC, PO Box 6747, Lubbock, TX 79493
phone: (806) 744-4441
fax: (806) 744-4446
email: staff@thsc.org
Utah
Vermont
Virginia–
Home Educators Association of Virginia (HEAV)
website: www.heav.org
mailing address:
P.O. Box 6745
2248-G Dabney Road
Richmond, Virginia 23230
phone: 804-278-9200
email: office@heav.org
The Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers
website: www.vahomeschoolers.org
mailing address:
PO Box 5131
Charlottesville, VA 22905
Homeschool Helpline: (866) 513-6173
email: info@vahomeschoolers.org
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin–
Wisconsin Parent’s Association:
–website: www.homeschooling-wpa.org
–Call the WPA Voice Mail at 608-283-3131 and leave a message. A WPA representative will return your call.
–Email: wpa@homeschooling-wpa.org
–Call your Regional Coordinator
–Write to WPA:Wisconsin Parents Association, Post Office Box 2502, Madison, WI 53701-2502
Wisconsin-CHEA (Christian Home Educators Association)
–website: www.wisconsinchea.com
–phone: 414-425-6324
–mailing address:
–email: use the email button on the “contact” page
Wyoming
Many Blessings!
Tiana
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