Wordless Wednesday

Now that the days are longer and we have more sunlight, we get a bit of light from the stained glass windows at the chapel.  They're pretty simple, but I really enjoy just looking at them and the feeling of peace that comes over me when the sunlight shines through them.  Garrett also loves them and spends most of the time in the chapel examining them.. LOL 

Wordless Wednesday

It's hard to believe that my daughter will be graduating from high school in less than 60 days.  She only has 37 more school days left and then it will be over, she will walk across the stage, shake the principals hand and be handed a diploma..

It became more real this week, when she brought home her box of formal invitations along with her cap and gown, tassel and thank you cards.

Shepherd, Potter, Spy--and the Star Namer (A Homeschool Crew Review)

Imagine living  during the time immediately following the Exodus and the time of Joshua, when the Hebrews are waiting to enter the promise land but are currently living in exile.  Imagine still being a young shepherd boy, unsure about the outcome of the invading people who want to claim your homeland as their own and saying the land is their's by their God's decree, and watching the entire story unfold before your eyes.

For the last few weeks, I've been digging through the pages of the book Shepherd, Potter, Spy--and the Star Namer by Peggy Consolver - Author.  This is a 375 page book published by Carpenter's Son Publishing brings the above scenario to life vividly.

About Peggy Consolver

First, I have to say, my hats are off to the author as she annually reads through the entire Bible each and every year.  I'm 41 years old and have only completed this feat once and it took me a bit longer than a full year.  She also has taught Sunday school for 35 years, so it's safe to say that she has a pretty extensive knowledge in regards to scripture.  Using the books of Joshua, Genesis and Psalms, she was able to take that knowledge in regards to the Gibeonites and weave together the novel Shepherd, Potter, Spy--and the Star Namer.  On top of that, she's also visited Gibeon in the Palestinian West bank and has participated on an archaeological dig.  In all honestly, I'm really in awe with the author and the wonderful experiences she has had.

About the Book

This book follows the story of Keshub, a 13 year old Caaninite shepherd who lives a pretty mundane

and boring life, guarding his family's sheep in 1407 BC.  He longs for adventure and dreams of experiencing some of the journeys that he hears about form the passing traveling caravans who pass his flocks on their way to much more exciting destinations than the green grass hills he lives. And he also longs for the time when he will no longer be bullied and tormented but instead can be a warrior and hero.   But all that changes when he rescues the son of the Amorite king.  Suddenly Keshub finds himself in a precarious position, playing the role of a spy for the Gibeons as the Hebrews begin their conquest to pursue the Promised Land.  Through it all, Keshub and the Gibeons debate the truth of the God if the Hebrews might be the God of their own ancestors.

The author describes this book as "a Bible Study disguised as a novel" and I can definitely understand this to be true as she invites you to return to the Scriptures to read it for yourself and approach it as more than just "a dusty old book of theology".  Readers are also invites to dig out Biblical maps to locate places of importance as the story takes place.  Consolver brings Biblical history to life with attention to the smallest of details which comes from her knowledge of the time period as well as the area, using her experience to get the facts accurate and creating a truly immersive Biblical experience far beyond just a book of fiction based on Biblical evenst.  After the story, she also includes a page of 10 discussion questions for small groups.

Also available from the author's website is a 12 unit study guide that allows teachers and students to dig even digger into the life of the time period.  From learning about the Gezer Calendar (an agricultural calendar of events), learning to tie a tripod lashing or videos on bow making, these quick lessons teach about skills and locations that would have been very important to a young boy responsible for keeping his flocks safe or to understand how worship has changed over the years.

In addition to the free unit study available on the author's website, a more lengthy and in depth study guide is available for purchase ($2.99 in Ebook format and $12.99 for a physical copy at time of writing) which includes discussion questions, research topics, geographical mapwork, Scripture reading and craft projects to be completed while reading the book. Digging Deeper into HIStory is available for purchase on Amazon.

To learn more about Shepherd, Potter, Spy--and the Star Namer and Peggy Consolver, visit the website or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/peggy.consolver

Beauty and the Beast

Yesterday, we decided to have a family day and take the kids out to see a movie and enjoy a nice dinner. 

 This had been in the works for a while now, since we heard that the Beauty and the Beast live action was being released. Since the 1991 Beauty and the Beast, to this day, remains my favorite Disney animations of all time, I was pretty hyped about this release. 

 And then the director opened his big mouth.

 I'm sure many of you heard about it. Bill Condon, just days before the release of the film, stood up on the highest rooftop and crowed loudly in regards to a "delicious gay moment" that would be in the film. We heard all about the "first openly gay character" in a Disney film.  Condon is quoted in saying“And that’s what has its pay-off at the end, which I don’t want to give away. But it is a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie.” 

The backlash of this interview Condon did was felt around the world, literally, with countries like Malaysia banning the movie.  Parents were quick to say that they were no longer going to take their children to see the movie because they didn't want to expose their children to it.  I was upset myself, especially after reading many of the hints that Condon gave in regards to what the "gay moment" would be.  LeFou (which means The Fool) was not gay in the 1991 animation, he was simply a society reject who idolized Gaston and worshiped the ground he walked on in order to be part of the "in crowd" - to be friends with the popular guy. 

 After much internal debate and after reading various reviews of people who had seen the movie in private screenings prior to the release, I made the decision to go ahead with our original plans and take the kids.  

Yes, the live LeFou (played by Josh Gad, who also voiced Olaf in the Frozen franchise) is flamboyant. Yes, there are many insinuations that he's probably gay in the movie.  But, it's not "in your face".  There is not absolute "delicious gay moment" as Condon says there would be, and in all honestly, there's no true "first openly gay character"..  One can watch the film and make the decision that LeFou is gay, but there's never any one moment or one line that announces the character's definite sexuality or preference.

There are three scenes that Condon MAY have been referring to.  One is during the "Gaston" song, at the end LeFou plops down on the arm of the chair where Gaston is sitting and reclines back close to Gaston and then he says "Too close?" to which Gaston replies "Yes, too close".  The second is during the fight at the castle, with the wardrobe dressing three men in woman's garments (this occurred in the original animation but it was only one character).  Two men run away in fright while the third smiles, winks and saunters off like he's comfortable in the attire. The final moment is during the final dance scene, LeFou and another man bump into each other during the dance and then dance together.  None of these scenes are bothersome and are very quick, minor things that happen in the movie.  If these three brief images are something you would find offensive, so be it. I didn't find them offensive, in my honest opinion and I doubt small children would notice anything amiss.  

My honestly opinion in regards to the whole "exclusively gay moment" comment from Condron was nothing more than a ploy to bring more attention to a movie that already had loads of attention, maybe in the hopes to increase those from the LGBT community who might not otherwise go watch a Disney movie in theaters. However, for all the hype, it seems Condron should have just kept his mouth shut.  While the movie has done well in the box office, it would probably have done much better without the  unnecessary controversy that in the scheme of things kept many who were originally wanting to spend their money from the theater because the director made a mountain out of a molehill. 

So, what about the actual movie, beyond the "gay moment" that was really overhyped?  

I ended up having a love/hate relationship with this movie.  Visually, this movie is breathtaking.  The recreation of the

castle, the village and the Beast himself are all amazing. Casting seemed spot on as far as trying to recreate the characters and to be true to the original. Yes, Luke Evans isn't the muscular meathead that Gaston was but he does a great job at bringing the character to life and he's just as shallow as his animated counterpart. (Although this Gaston does have an even more sinister side to him that we didn't see in the original).. LeFou is flamboyant but Gad's version brings a bit more intellect to the table, fighting an internal debate as he realizes that Gaston isn't the hero he thought - a new line added to the "Kill the Beast" song even has LeFou stating that there's a monster lose but it's not the monster everyone thinks.  We see an internal debate with LeFou as he decides which side to be on and a change of heart in LeFou, making for a great lesson about hero worship that wasn't available in the original 91 classic.  Maurice isn't the eccentric father he was in the animated version but instead shines as a loving father who sacrificed so much in order to provide a life for his daughter and Kevin Kline shines in this part.

And of course, there's Belle and the Beast.  

Emma Watson had some huge shoes to fill and her vocals will never be Paige O'Hara and the weakness in this movie is that her voice isn't strong.  Singing, she's pretty weak and with the extremely loud soundtrack that accompanies each song, this is very apparent.  Beyond that, her acting was great, she was believable as the character and I won't begrudge her too much the singing performances.  After seeing the movie, I can't say I could see anyone else in the role.  The movie does go a bit more into the backstory of Belle (and Maurice), answering the question as to what happened to Belle's mother, some of the struggles that Belle faces living in a "poor provincial" town and what exactly she means by " I want so much more than they've got planned".   



But everyone loves the Beast and this movie just re-establishes that for a whole new generation.  Both my kids walked out of the theater stating Beast was their favorite and it brought a tear to my eye remembering my 15 year old self also loving the Beast the first time I saw it.  The CGI effects to bring Beast to life are amazing, right down to the piercing blue eyes that let you see into his soul. I loved that Dan Steven's voice is altered to resemble the original, reminiscent of Robbie Benson's performance.   Like Belle, we see more of Beast's backstory, a selfish pompous Prince who cared only for himself and was punished for his arrogance.  This movie eliminates the questions in regards to the 10 year old child who just didn't let a stranger into the house but instead alters the timeline to a man old enough to make decisions on his own, old enough to be accountable for his actions and misdeeds and old enough to change. Beast in the classic couldn't read and is taught by Belle - Beast in the new movie is well educated and well versed in Shakespeare and the story of Lancelot and Guinevere. We also see a bit of his childhood and why he is the way that he is.  

However, I did have issue with one major thing lacking in this movie.  Where are the birds??  One of the most memorable moments in the original was when Belle and Beast are feeding the birds but they are scared of the Beast and we see his disappointment when the birds do not respond to his trying to "force" them to eat from his hand.  Belle uses that opportunity to show him how gentleness goes a long way and then we see Beast covered in birds, completely bewildered.  This scene was left out, which left me disappointed.  Yeah, that's nitpicking, I know, but I thought that was a pretty pivotal part of the original, as minor of an instance it was. 

I will admit, I didn't like a few of the new songs.  The two exceptions to this being "How Does a Moment Last Forever" performed by Kevin Kline and "Evermore" performed by Dan Stevens.  These two songs stand out from the rest of the soundtrack (even over the original songs)- though I wish that the score that accompanied "Evermore" would have been slightly lowered to really allow for Steven's voice to shine.  Other new songs, such as "Days in the Sun" (which replaced "Human Again"), and "Aria" fell flat for me and I could have done without.  "Be Our Guest", "Kill the Beast" and "Gaston" do well to pay tribute to the originals, although each have new verses that were not included in the original.

The other thing I didn't like was the new version of Cogsworth.  Ian McKellan does a fine job as the voice of the clock, but I think the animators dropped the ball on the design of the character.  To me he just seemed muddled looking and really not resembling any clock I've ever seen. He looked like a thrown together pile of junk, which is disappointing.  I did, however, like the new look of Lumiere, although Jerry Orbach will always be the voice of the candleholder for me ;)   I thought Emma Thompson did a great job as Mrs Potts, at times even reminiscent of Angela Lansbury's performance. And the new characters were a nice addition - although the spunky dresser has somehow developed narcolepsy. 

Overall, I liked the movie and I will purchase it on DVD once it comes out... I felt comfortable allowing my children to see it and didn't take issue with any of the content that was included... I wished at times that the scores that accompanied the musical numbers would have been dampened just a bit as it's hard to actually hear the singers themselves, but this seems to be the current trend in all movies, not just this one.  Go into this one knowing Emma Watson is no Paige O'Hara and you shouldn't be disappointed.

I just wish they would have included the scene with the birds....  

Who Wore It Better??

Today was a big day for Ashleigh at her weekly AWANA night. First, she completed her "Grace in Action" book tonight, a few weeks ahead of schedule.  She will now start learning her TruthScripts which include Romans 8 and Psalms 23.  

Ashleigh reciting her verses to Mrs Julie at AWANA

To complete her book, she had to recite 6 verses.  And she knocked it out of the park.  The six verses she had to recite were:

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. - Romans 5:1-2

Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?  Are you so foolish?  Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? - Galatians 3:2-3

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work. - Titus 3:1

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. - Ephesians 4:32

Though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent.  But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief.  And the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus -  1 Timothy 1:13-14 

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.  So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.  -Galatians 6:9-10. 

This was a huge accomplishment for her as she received her Emblem 8 tonight. This is her first year in Awana and she is a few years younger than the rest of the girls.  So she's very proud of herself. 

Receiving her Element 8 for completion of her book

The smile says it all !!  So proud of you!! 

Tonight was also a theme night - Mustache Night.  The kids donned their best "mustache" in the hopes of winning a "Golden Awana Buck".. Unfortunately, Ashleigh did not win the buck but she had a lot of fun participating.  

Ash came in 2nd place. Her friend, the girl with the "hair beard" won.. But I couldn't help but laugh at the similarity between her mustache and a certain scene out of Forrest Gump.

Manhood Journey Father’s Starter Kit (A Homeschool Crew Review)

As the mother of three children, we often worry how to help bridge the transition between childhood and young adulthood.  This is especially scare to families of the Christian faith as we worry about what affects the influences of today's society will have on them during such a difficult time.  From the programming on television, music lyrics popular with today's youth and even pictures found daily on social media, it's hard for a child to transition without some negative influence.  This is especially true with boys who often find that certain negative behaviors are expected by their peers, behaviors that go against the Biblical teachings that we have tried to instill in them in their younger years. 

Over the course of the last few weeks, my husband and I have had the opportunity to review and use the Manhood Journey Father’s Starter Kit from Manhood Journey & City on a Hill Studio with our son, ten year old Garrett. This kit starts users with the first of 6 modules for the Manhood Journey series – Embarking.

City on a Hill Studios is a non-denominational, non profit ministry who’s goal is to bring Biblical teaching to a media-driven culture in ways in which they can easily understand. Through cinematic productions, small group studies and book publications, City on a Hill hopes to use real-life experiences to help use modern stories to teach God’s word.  Our family had already been familiar with City on a Hill Studios as we have taken part in other studies that they have produced, such as "Not a Fan", "Gods at War", "H2O" as well as the Christmas Experience and the Easter Experience.   

Included in the Manhood Journey Father’s Starter Kit is the Embarking 1 on 1 guide, the Embarking Group guide to be used for small group studies, 10 Maprochures, and a DVD that includes introductions for each of the 5 modules for the complete Manhood Journey series. Also included in the kit was a paperback copy of the book Wise Guys: Unlocking Hidden Wisdom from the Men Around You written by Kent Evans with Rob Suggs.

Packaged together in a book sized box, the Manhood Journey Father’s Starter Kit included everything needed to either use this program as a one on one study between a father and son or as a small study group. The Embarking module consisting of 6 weeks of study designed for a male role model to introduce the five key areas focused on throughout the Manhood Journey series. During each week of study, father (or any male role model) and son work through the Embarking 1 on 1 guide, studying scripture, completing activities and discussing what the Bible expects in order to be Godly men. For larger groups, the Embarking Group Guide helps to guide the leader through group discussions and homework assignments during a weekly small group setting.

For this review, I  will focus almost exclusively on the 1 on 1 guide.  Because this kit is designed for Small Group studies in addition to the 1 on 1 guide, the additional components such as the second guide and the maglogs are geared for the small group aspect of the study.  For those interested in using this for a small group through a church or men's bible study, the Group Study guide covers the same key points as the 1 on 1 guide but is worded and arranged for leader to guide a group meeting once a week and then allows for participants to accomplish the same assignments as "homework" between meetings. The included Maplogues show the suggested pathway in which to complete each of the 6 modules and includes a space to mark the time and dates for a physical reminder of group meetings for participants. 

The Embarking Module is the beginning of the Manhood journey and sets the groundwork needed to work through each of the other 5 modules.  It focuses on the five "rocks" that a young man needs in his life to build a solid foundations for his journey to become a man of God - 1. Trust God 2. Know his Word 3. Pray fervently 4. Build relationships and 5. Serve others.  

While entitled as the One on One guide, this program can easily be used at one time by families who have more than one boy and also is not limited to only the Biological father of the boy - any man who fills the role of a "father figure" can use this program and share it's teaching regardless of their relationship to the boy. 

Embarking is divided into 6 week long studies
Week 1:  Preparing for the Journey
Week 2:  Setting out on the Journey
Week 3:  Relying on the Compass
Week 4:  Seeking Guidance Along the Way
Week 5:  Encountering Others Along the Journey
Week 6:  We Have Embarked

Each week's lesson focuses on four main sections.

First is the BUILDING section.  Many times, fathers and sons live in the same household but in the course of the day, they rarely speak more than a handful of words to each other. The Building section is the time the father spends with the child, asking questions and actively listening to the way the child answers the questions and actually getting to know each other on a personal level.   begins with a section entitled "A Word to Dad" that helps to set the tone of the week and to help the father to think about the material that will be presented to the child ahead of time. Open ended questions are also provided to be asked to the child to help facilitate a discussion that draws the child into the lesson.  Also included are tips for listening to help make the child feel that they are as much a part of the program as the "teacher", rather than just being lectured to.

The second section is the KNOWING section.  This part of the week focuses on memorizing scripture, studying what the meaning behind the scripture is and learning how to both the father and the son might apply the message that can be learned from the scripture in their own lives.

The SERVING section teaches the duo how to serve others.  As Christians, we are expected to be servants and to be an example of Christ's love to those around us - to be the Salt and Light in today's world.  This section takes the knowledge learned in the previous Knowing section and makes the participants think about how they can incorporate it into actions that can have an impact on the community around them.

Finally, the lesson ends with the TALKING section of the lesson.  While the father and son have spent the week talking with each other, it's time for them to actually to talk with God.  Children who watch their parents pray learn how to do so themselves and spending time talking with God is one of the most important things we can do in our Spiritual journey.  During this time, the father and son spend time in prayer talking with God about what they have been learning together, thanking him for their time together and asking for help as they progress through the Manhood Journey together.


How We Used It

My husband is still new in his faith and while I would not call myself much of a Spiritual leader, I did find that my input was needed on a number of occasions.  What worked best for us is that my husband and I would sit down together at night, after the kids were in bed, and we could go over each lesson together and read it together.  Then we would be able to discuss what the focus of each lesson was and how it would be best for my husband to approach it with our son.  Since I stay at home with Garrett homeschooling him each day and my husband works, I was at a bit of an advantage in being able to know ways in which my husband could engage him and approach him in a way that he would understand best.  This also allowed for great time for my husband and I to discuss his own spirituality and growth.

After going over the materials together the night before, my husband would then spend a bit of time with our son to work through the lessons.  As mentioned above, the lessons are divided up into week long segments, which can be done at one time with older boys or spread out over the course of the week for younger ones.  In our case, we used the entire week, having short discussions and activities that worked well for my son's short attention span.

One thing I noticed is that within a couple of weeks, Garrett was reaching out to his father more than he had in the past.   Typically, both kids follow me around the house, ask me everything that pops into their minds and really don't interact with their father that much.  It's not that Dad doesn't have time for them, but more that they spend most of their time with me and so I'm the "go to" for them.  However, I began noticing Garrett going to his father more than he was coming to me.  If Charles left the house to run a quick errand, Garrett would wait for him to return and ask me where Dad went.  He also began to engage his father into more conversations, even about random things like his video games or to show him a build he made with his erector set.

I've noticed changes in my husband as well.  He's more engaged with all of the kids lately, engaging in more conversations in regards to their Bible lessons and Ashleigh's AWANA activities.  He has also been more engaged with me in discussions about the Bible and wanting to learn more about the Scripture.

We've still got a few weeks left before Charles and Garrett complete the Embarking module of the Manhood Journey.  Once completed, I'll probably buy the second 1 on 1 guide book for the "Clean Hearts" module.

To learn more about City on a Hill Studios or the Manhood Journey study series, please visit their website or one of their social media sites;

Manhood Journey

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

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/manhoodjourney  @manhoodjourney

City on a Hill

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/COAHStudio 

Embrace (Five Minute Friday)

Wow, another week has come and gone.  It's been busy busy here at the Prince Household and I've dropped the ball the last couple of weeks on getting around to my 5 Minute Friday post but I had a few minutes (Five to be exact  haha) to write this week.

  If you're unfamiliar with FMF, each week a word is given and you spend 5 minutes (no more than that) interpreting the word as it means to you.  It's hosted by Kate at the blog Heading Home. Each week, Kate invites other bloggers to reflect and write for five minutes on a word for that week. 

If your interested in joining up, by all means, click on the graphic below and join in the fun.

This week's word is Embrace.

Embracing can have so many meanings.. A hug, a touch, a caress.  We think of lovers, of friends, of our children.  But when is the last time you embraced yourself?

It's hard to love ourselves.  We see our faults, we know the wrongs that we have done, even if those around us do not.  I've struggled long and hard to love myself for who I am.  Years ago I couldn't fathem loving myself, until that one day, when I realized that no matter what I've said or done, no matter who I may have wronged in my life, or who may have wronged me and left those emotional scares on me and left me damaged, that there's been one who has embraced me and kept me close to their hearts every single day of my life.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.  

Jeremiah 1:5

My Lord has embraced me ever single day that I have walked this earth, even before.  He knows every hurt, every fault in my character, every mistake I have made.  And yet, he still embraces me and holds me close. 

When I turned my back on him, thinking my way was the better way, he was still there in the wings, waiting patiently, even if it hurt him to do so, allowing me to find my way back to him. And when I finally managed, he led me to that green pasture, to those still waters.  

If Jesus can embrace me, though everything, then I need to learn to embrace myself. I need to be like him, learning to love myself and to accept the fact there are things that I cannot change but to instead love myself like he loves me.