Book Reviews
Book Reviews
Resources for Christian Women, Encouragement for Families
Finances, Finances, Finances
Happy New Year to all!
As we begin a new year, we often set new goals, make resolutions, establish priorities. An area sometimes neglected in the new year goal setting (or any goal setting period) is finances. A wise man of old summarized how to handle finances in three easy maxims: Earn all you can; Save all you can; Give all you can. Now each of these could be a message in itself and we may give more details in the coming months on these maxims, however, we have been listening to folks for years and a recurring struggle that folks are having is debt elimination.
For us just to say, don’t get into debt won’t really help those who find themselves in debt, whether $1000 or $10,000. In the next few blog entries, we will be discussing a book called: Radical Debt Elimination. Check out the website at: www.radicaldebtelimination.com/aboutourbook.html.
There are many books, programs, and people stressing debt elimination. “Just pay off the smallest debt, then use that money plus the money budgeted for debt elimination to pay off the next smallest………..da de dah………” What’s unique about the approach in the book Radical Debt Elimination is what the Boynton’s call The Malachi Factor (TM). “We coined the phrase “The Malachi Factor (TM)” from the last book of the Old Testament, the book of Malachi…..We had nearly $80,000 worth of debt that was eliminated in just six years (including the mortgage)! While we were paying off our debt, we added five children to our family. At the end of those six years, we had a total of eight children (we have nine now) and my husband’s annual income averaged $28,700 over the six years. We want you to see that it is not necessary to earn a huge paycheck to eliminate debt quickly…….”
Check out their website, check out the book and stay tuned for more information on Radical Debt Elimination soon!
Lyrical Life Science – Great Musical Science Books!
If you happen to be looking for an interesting, musical, hands-on approach to learning science, check out www.lyricallearning.com !! Introduced to this several years ago, we have found out that there are several sets to choose from: Volume I called Lyrical Life Science, promotes scientific literacy through song. Chapters include Scientific Method, All Living Things, Intertebrates, etc. Volume II focuses on Mammals, Ecology, and Biomes. Volume III is about The Human Body. There’s also a set all about Geology.
Home Education Magazine says, “Lyrical Learning, a group with a solid grasp of science and a zany sense of humor….” Homeschooling Today says, “…a fabulous, comprehensive resource for teaching about the systems of the body…this belongs in the car where it can be enjoyed often. The quality of the music is exceptional and fun for the whole family.”
Each set comes with a CD of the songs that go along with each chapter, plus a textbook and a workbook. These aren’t overwhelming tomes but rather well put together 8 1/2 x 11″ bound books of about 40-50 pages for the workbook and 90-110 pages for the textbook.
The songs are very well done and help cement scientific terms and concepts. The tunes are well-known traditional, patriotic, and camp songs of long ago.
These are very reasonably priced and the 3 parts can be purchased separately or together.
Excerpt from Lyrical Learning. The Scientific Method.
The word science means to have knowledge of or to know, it also means the organized system of knowledge that comes from the observation, study and experimentation.
Many scientists spend their time making observations, asking questions and finding problems to solve.
We heartily recommend the Lyrical Life Science sets; however, we do add a disclaimer that in Vol. II about Mammals, Ecology and Biomes there is a chapter on pages 36-41 called Primates. We do not agree with the bent of this chapter; we believe humans are created in God’s image and are not offspring of apes.
Check out www.Lyricallearning.com and get your children hooked on science! That’s what happened with my 13 year old; she LOVES to study about God’s awesome creation! And Lyrical Learning helped a great deal!!
Happy Thanksgiving to all Who Read This
Today, as part of my devotional time with the Lord, I was going through another chapter of Gate Keepers of the Home – How to Guard Your Home by Nancy Campbell. The chapter dealt with how we can bless/minister to/encourage others. I share with you this entry from Matthew Henry’s commentary discussing Proverbs 11:25 which reads, “The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.”
“So backward are we to works of charity, and so ready to think that giving undoes us, that we need to have it very much pressed upon us how much it is for our own advantage to do good to others, as before, v. 17. 1. We shall have the comfort of it in our own bosoms: The liberal soul, the soul of blessing, that prays for the afflicted and provides for them, that scatters blessings with gracious lips and generous hands, that soul shall be made fat with true pleasure and enriched with more grace. 2. We shall have the recompence of it both from God and man: He that waters others with the streams of his bounty shall be also watered himself; God will certainly return it in the dews, in the plentiful showers, of his blessing, which he will pour out, till there be not room enough to receive it, Mal. 3:10. Men that have any sense of gratitude will return it if there be occasion; the merciful shall find mercy and the kind be kindly dealt with. 3. We shall be enabled still to do yet more good: He that waters, even he shall be as rain (so some read it); he shall be recruited as the clouds are which return after the rain, and shall be further useful and acceptable, as the rain to the new-mown grass, he that teaches shall learn (so the Chaldee reads it); he that uses his knowledge in teaching others shall himself be taught of God; to him that has, and uses what he has, more shall be given.”
Under the Overpass
Recently, I read a book called Under the Overpass which was a quick read because the reader is drawn into the life of 2 young men who choose to live on the streets for 5 months. They want to put their faith in action and see if it really does make a difference. There?s a website called http://www.undertheoverpass.com for more information.
