The End

Alas, all things come to an end, and with the close of 2012 (and, of course, the end of the world) this blog has also reached its termination. It's been a good experiment. I never realized how much dedication it takes to post every week, much less every month! Someday I'll start again, more likely on a different topic, but for now school is taking over. So, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! God bless!

Numbers 6:24-26 "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."

Bible Midterm

Oh, yes. Homeschoolers do indeed have midterms--at least this one does. In the past few years I've had my share of them, but this year, thankfully, I have only a Bible midterm. And it's happening today. 

 

 

Bible class has been a huge blessing. My pastor used to teach it years ago, but eventually stopped. Then, my eighth grade year, he began again. The classes are always a healthy challenge. We have quizzes every week, a ten page term paper, one or two midterms, and a final. The first year we were also reading an entire book of the Old Testament a week. This year the topic is John, so we're only reading a chapter a week. 

 

In addition, my Mom is holding a ladies' tea for the mothers of our homeschool group this afternoon. What with cleaning the house, piano lessons, and studying for the midterm, today will be a pretty busy day, so I'll leave you with a verse and get back to work:

 

Colossians 3:23-24 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

Do you have midterms this year?

A Swift Study in Stereotypes

She's a rough and tumble tomboy--twice as good at everything the boys are good at--and she knows it too. She despises cooking and cleaning and sewing and all the things that girls are "supposed" to do, although it shocks her mother. And whenever a group of men can't seem to figure out how to solve a problem, you can count on her to have the answer.

Have you ever experienced this kind of character? It seems like everywhere I turn, there she is, whether in the shape of a little girl on the American frontier or a shepherdess in Bible times. Why can't little girls just be little girls sometimes?

When I wrote my first novel, my goal was to go in the completely opposite direction of this stereotype. My main character, Gloryanna, was a fussy princess, too scared to step outside of her own door. The only problem was...she was a wimp, and who wants to read about a wimp?

There's a balance here--a careful line dividing these two stereotyped and ultimately boring characters. By going in the opposite direction of your typical tomboy, Gloryanna actually contributed to the negative idea that being a girl is somehow a bad thing. In reality, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being either a girly-girl or a tomboy--I've wanted to be both at different points in my life. Ultimately, you are who God made you to be.

I haven't talked about writing much on this blog, although it is a passion of mine. Many homeschooled writers are able to write more because of their relaxed schedule. Not this one. Oh, that time exists somewhere in space, I just haven't yet mastered the art of saying "no" to an hour of looking up The Hobbit movie or browsing Pinterest during lunch break. ;) That topic, however, is for another post.

Just remember to be who God made you to be, no matter what!

1 Samuel 16:7 "But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

What is your opinion on these two stereotypes?

The Never-Ending Circle

Well, you did it...

You made it through the first two years of high school. You have an idea of what you want to major in. You even have a college in mind. There's only one little problem--money.

It's a never-ending circle. You need to go to college to make money, but you need to have money to go to college, but you need to go to college to make money, and so on and so forth. Of course, you can always go into debt for years and years, but who wants to do that?



Whole books have been written on this subject. When I visited colleges earlier this month I was able to attend a student panel. Most of the students admitted that they had no idea how they were able to pay for college--they just managed from year to year.

One great way to start earning money now is scholarships. There are hundreds of people and organizations out there who want to raise awareness for various causes--and they have money. All you have to do is start looking...and writing...and writing...and writing!

I was flabbergasted when my mom told me she once got money toward college just for writing a paper. For homeschooled students, it can't get much better than that. Just schedule scholarship hunting in as another school subject.

However, it does take time--something not many highschoolers have, homeschooled or not--and it is always a gamble. You never know how many other people are entering to win the same scholarship or how much better of writers they might be. It takes hard work and a little risk-taking, but in the middle of the school year, when you don't have time to get a job, sometimes you've got to push yourself out there.

Here's a site to get you started: https://collegeprowler.com/
 
Luke 14:28-30:  “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’"

What do you think about scholarships and earning money for college? I'd love to hear from you!

Homeschoolers Go on Field Trips

One thing that cannot be beaten about homeschooling is the awesome field trips we go on. I mean, no medical papers to sign, no school bus full of 30-40 kids. You can even drive part of the way (And for someone behind on her 50 hours, driving is very important)! This particular field trip, however, creamed every other one thus far.

First of all, it was to the beach--Pigeon Point Lighthouse in fact.

 

Second of all, it was an overnight trip with four other families from our homeschool group. This is the first overnight trip our group has gone on in as long as I can remember. We stayed in a hostel next to the lighthouse, and there were just enough bunk beds for all us girls to stay in one room.

This was by far the ultimate field trip. We touched sharks, explored tide pools, played mafia, dissected starfish, saw a whale skeleton, romped in the waves, watched the sun set and rise over the ocean, looked for seals, accidentally trespassed on private property, and picked up sea shells. I also got some great inspiration for my book. 

There's nothing quite like sitting on a bench early in the morning, with a lighthouse behind you and the sunrise before you, typing on your iPhone with half-numb fingers and watching the pelicans fly single-file over the surface of the water. The ocean is never quiet. Always you hear the sound of the waves, roaring, splashing, breaking. Only as the waves rush up onto the beach is there a lull, and the air is filled with the sound of a million tiny bubbles all bursting at once and then being dragged back out to sea.

Okay, I'll spare you now and end with a Bible verse:

Psalm 139:9-10 "If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."

What is the best field trip you've ever gone on?

College Visits

Last week I received the unique opportunity of visiting two colleges. My experiences there were extremely helpful. No longer are those colleges just places on a map or on the web. They're faces and meals and bedrooms and classes and buildings. Not to mention, it was a ton of fun! Here are some things I recommend if you ever visit a college:

1. Stay overnight. I was able to do this at the first college I went to, and learned a lot. I really got the feel for the atmosphere, met tons of people, and was able to see things I wouldn't have on a day-visit. 

2. Remember the spiritual aspect. This made all the difference for me. Being able to see these two colleges in the same week helped emphasize how different they are. Neither was bad, but one was clearly more Bible based and Christ focused. This is important, especially if you are going to be living there for four years. If you're going to pay money for a Christian education, make sure it is somewhere you can grow spiritually.

3. Take at least one class. Even if it's something you're not particularly interested in, it's helpful to get an idea of what the professors are like and how things run. 

4. Don't forget to have fun!

Have you gone on a college visit? Do you have any tips to add?

Notice:

Due to a slightly unexpected field trip, The Homeschooled Teen will be put on hold. Expect a post around Thursday or Friday this week. Happy Veterans Day!

When Did I Grow Up?

Big things are happening. Big things. I suppose everyone reaches that time in their life when they realize that everything is about to change. Well, I've arrived at that point.

On Saturday I took the SAT for the first time. For the sake of driving distance, my mom signed me up to take it at a high school in a neighboring town, rather than at the junior college. All I'll say is with my blond hair I stuck out like a sore thumb. It was pretty interesting, however, to listen to the kids around me talk, mixing up Spanish and English words in the same sentence. (And they all understood one another perfectly!) However, I signed something that won't let me talk about the test itself, so let's move on to what I found out when I got home.

My cousin got engaged. Now, that may not seem like an exactly life-changing experience, but you've got to understand a few things. She's eighteen--less than two years older than me. I mean, we used to dress up and eat play food and write pretend letters to each other. While I know that there's no way I'm getting married that young (without some kind of divine intervention, that is) it really makes me feel old. When did we grow up?

Which brings me to the final event--something that will actually happen this afternoon. I'm going to visit a college. In fact, I'm going to spend the night. It's about two hours away from home and it's Christian, but still...it's college. Maybe I need to check my birth certificate; I can't be that old, can I?

I'm so excited. A whole new world is opening up to me. There are so many possibilities. Yet, at the same time, my whole world is shutting down. Once I leave home, nothing will ever be the same again. I won't have my parents to feed and clothe and chauffeur me. Even if I move back home, my brother will probably have already moved out.

Prayer: So...here it is God. Everything I have known and everything I will know. Help me to trust in You and follow Your leading. You knew exactly what You were doing when You called my mom to homeschool, and You know what You're doing now. Thank you for the things that have happened and are going to happen this week. Thank you that, no matter what, You remain the same. In Jesus' name, amen.

Psalm 20:7 "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."

When did you first realize that you were almost grown up? What has been a significant turning point in your life?

Round Robin! (Yum!)

Last Thursday our speech club held its first Round Robin. For those who don't know what a Round Robin is (or am I the only one?) it's like a regular speech competition--judges, postings, suits, ballots etc.--except only for practice.

This Round Robin was only for our club. We had about fourteen community judges, all invited by the parents. Some of them had years of experience judging speeches, others had never been to a speech tournament at all.

The round started at 2:15. Until then, my friends and I waited outside. It was somewhat comical to see two friends performing a humorous interp together on one side of the courtyard, while another friend silently practiced her dramatic interp facing the opposite wall. As for myself, I was far to nervous to do anything but twist my hands and pace up and down.

I delivered two speeches, two times each. That was a total of four times getting up in front of people. My old self could not have handled that much pressure. Yet with all this practice, public speaking is getting easier and easier. I was positive I was going to regret signing that piece of paper that let me into the speech club, but strange to say, I don't.

I love combining words--after all, I want to be an author one day--but I always hate having other people read them. Whenever I hand an essay or a story to someone to read, my heart is hammering at about 100 miles per hour. I'm never sure whether to stick around and wait for them to comment, or back off and let them critique without the added pressure of me staring them down. When I give a speech, on the other hand, I am in control. I decide how fast to go and where the emphasis belongs and can gauge their reactions.

It was sooo tempting, while giving my interp, to look at the judges and see how it was affecting them. Unfortunately, that is one of the few types of speeches where you're not allowed to make eye contact. However, after the Round Robin two of my judges came up to me and said my interp got them so angry at one of the characters, they wanted to jump out of their seats. On the outside I smiled and thanked them--on the inside I was like Yesss!!!

The Round Robin opened up my eyes to a lot of things that need work, such as speaking with more passion on my expos and exaggerating the characters' movements on my interp. I'm looking forward to the next RR, at the end of November, which will be in combination with several other clubs. Until then I have a lot of work to do.

Proverbs 14:23 "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty."

Speech versus Writing: Which do you prefer? Why?

If I Hadn't Been Home Schooled...

Well, the PSAT went pretty well. I have no idea what my score will be, but all that studying made me a whole lot more confident than I felt last year.

The test was given in the library—a relatively large room with lots of small tables and wacky posters on the walls (Read! Don’t Be A Birdbrain!). Out of the two-dozen or so kids taking the test, five of us were home schoolers. We sat our own tables, staring at each other with wide eyes.

Seeing that none of the other kids sat by us, my friend leaned over, face dead serious. “I think they’re afraid of us.”

“I think I’m afraid of them.” I glanced around, feeling on the verge of tears—not because I was sad, but because this situation was so weird. I knew at least two of those kids by name. I had attended this school until second grade. The last time I saw these kids we were seven. When the teacher read the roll call, I recognized half of the names. She was the girl who introduced me to drinkable yogurt. He was the kid who teased me about the picture I drew. She was the girl who I always wanted to be friends with, but never had the nerve to talk to.

As I prepared to take the final section of the test, the woman timing us came over to the home school tables. “I was wrong; the test is actually a lot shorter than I thought. You guys can call your parents to have them come pick you up, or if you want you can stay until 12:36 and shadow a class."

What, was I going to say no? I’d always wondered what school might’ve been like if I’d never left. This was the perfect opportunity (not to mention, very useful in case I ever write a story where the main character is not home schooled).

Much as I tried to convince them to join me, my brother and his friend decided to wait in the car (my mom showed up shortly thereafter), so I braved the walk to the office alone. The woman there showed me a list of all the fifth period classes. My eye landed on English 3H. As we walked down the hall, I glanced around. A few kids were still running around, trying to make it to class on time. Some of the doors had already closed, and the steady voices of the teachers could be heard through them. We stopped. English 3H was already in session. I glanced at the woman who’d brought me. She wasn’t going to…yes, she did. She opened the door. A roomful of high schoolers gaped at me.

But she took command of the situation at once. “Hello! This is Rachel. She’s a home school student and she took the PSAT this morning. She wanted to see what a real class is like, with real people.” She laughed at her own joke. (O.K., yeah, ‘cause my brothers and sister aren’t actually real. They’re just robots.) 

The teacher smiled. “Of course, come on in, Rachel. We were just about to get started.”

The door closed behind me. For a moment I stood there, frantically looking around the room. Where should I sit? There were about nine tables to choose from, each with four students.

As I hesitated, the teacher motioned to the one nearest me. “Go ahead and sit right there. This is Carissa.” She motioned to the girl on my left.

We exchanged shy “hi’s” and I sat down. The chair screeched.

“Hi, I’m Tim.” The guy to my left raised his hands, as if in protest over not being introduced by the teacher. The other two kids at our table introduced themselves too, as did one random kid across the room.

“O.K., class. We’re studying Fahrenheit 451. Go ahead and pull out your books. We’ll start by making a list of the literary terms we remember from our study on The Scarlett Letter. Can anyone remind me what the first one was?”

And so, I settled back to enjoy my favorite subject—English. Well, actually I didn’t really settle back. I guess you’d describe it as leaning forward, anxious to learn something new, anxious to fit in, anxious to absorb everything around me. I was probably more excited to be there than any other kid.

When the teacher gave an assignment, the students pulled out their binder paper, and I pulled out my floral print journal--it was all I had to write on. Yep, I'm home schooled. 

All said, last Wednesday turned out far better than I'd hoped. I got to see kids I knew from second grade, and get a taste of something new. It got me wondering. I could have been one of those "other kids," watching the home schoolers from a safe distance. I could have been enrolled in English 3H, and got to learn all about imagery and diction. Those kids I didn't have the nerve to talk to might have been my best friends. 

But then I realized. If I learned about that stuff every week, would I take it for granted? Would I still love to write? What about all the people I've met and worked with and played with because I'm home schooled? Would I never have met them? The speech meeting was at our house the next night, and all I could think of was, if Mom had never pulled me out of school, none of these people would be here right now. It's like there's some kind of alternate dimension going on. 

Truth is, I don't have to worry about it. God knew exactly what he was doing when He called my mom to home school me. Everything that's happened is a part of His plan. All I have to do is trust Him. 

I'm reminded of this quote from Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis:

"'To know what would have happened, child?' said Aslan. 'No. Nobody is ever told that.'
'Oh dear,' said Lucy.
'But anyone can find out what will happen,' said Aslan."

Instead of worrying over what might have happened, I'll rejoice in what has happened and what is going to happen.

Joshua 1:9 

How long have you been home schooled? Do you ever wonder what might have happened if you weren't home schooled? 

What?! The PSAT Is Tomorrow?!?!

¹³ Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. James 4:13-16 

Well, tomorrow is the PSAT. Every time I think about it, my eyes bulge out and I have to swallow a few times. I'm a junior this year, so it's the last time I can take it. That creates a whole lot of pressure. Now, of course, as my mom reminds me, the PSAT is not mandatory. Scoring high will only increase my chances of getting an early scholarship and make the colleges more interested in me. But still...I want to do my best. I want to do the best.

See, even Maria gets worried!

When we are under a lot of pressure in life (especially for us firstborns) the devil tends to creep in and implant doubts in our minds. Or maybe that's just our sin nature. Whatever the case, here are some of the worries that have been plaguing me over the past week:

1. Sure I've been studying a lot, but what if I'm not actually applying what I've learned? I have this head knowledge, but am I really using it to its best potential?

2. I took the little practice test the College Board offers, and I scored worse than last year. Have I improved at all?

3. What if I get a really hard test? You know, those few words I've never heard of appear on the critical reading section, or I get stuck on a complicated math problem.

4. So I don't have to get a perfect score...but what if I'm just plain lazy and end up making dumb mistakes?

I pondered all of this the other night, letting it eat away at me and make my stomach hurt. But then I realized--it doesn't matter. I mean, I still want to do my best, but worrying is not going to help anything. God has a purpose and a plan for my life. He knows what score I'll get, and He has a reason for that score. Maybe He doesn't want me to go to a Christian four-year college, like I dream of doing. Maybe He wants me to go to the junior college and then transfer. Or maybe He wants me to go to a state university.

As a matter of fact, any number of things could happen to keep me from even taking the PSAT tomorrow. I could get sick, or get in a car wreck, or Jesus could come back today!!! So what am I worrying for?

Prayer: Jesus, please help me not to fret about the PSAT. Help me to trust in You, and to have faith that what ever happens is a part of Your plan. I can do nothing without You. Amen.

Are you taking the PSAT tomorrow? Are you worried? Confident? Hopeful? I'd love some company!

Where iMovie and History Meet

When my mom told me that my brother and I had to do a history project, I immediately groaned. Great, another report to write. Not that I dislike writing reports--there is, after all, something delightful about collecting bits of information from here and there and everywhere and organizing them into one long thought--but they can get to be boring, and I had a lot of other papers to write.

This, however, was no ordinary assignment. Mom handed me a long list of possible activities, everything from cooking a Colonial meal to delivering a famous speech. My eye immediately lit on one in particular. "Act out a scene from history."

It didn't take long to convince my techie brother to pull out imovie and we set to work. We chose General Braddock's Defeat. He was General Braddock and Colonel Washington. I was Random Indian, Random British Soldier, and Narrator. For narration, we read aloud from the history book, and in the background we played Lord of the Rings soundtrack.

We had a ton of fun making it. Our little sister especially loved the part where she got to run up and stick the arrow under General Braddock's arm. In all, I think it turned out pretty well--corny as it was. We certainly had a lot of laughs.

Job 8:21 "He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy."










Do you make movies with your siblings and/or friends? What's the most fun project you've ever been assigned?

Four-What?

I'd always heard about 4-H. My mom participated in it when she was a girl, and I had a few friends in it as well. But the chances that my siblings or I would ever join...highly unlikely. I didn't even know what the four H's stood for.


Until last year. My mom announced the news to me in a rather quiet fashion, telling me to walk to the elementary school after swim practice. So I showed up at the first meeting, hair dripping down the back of my shirt, goggle marks under my eyes, a backpack the size of Africa on my shoulders.

The meeting was already in session. I paused in the doorway, scanning the roomful of unfamiliar faces. People sat at tables which folded down from the wall. At the far end of the room someone was talking into a microphone, but most of the audience seemed preoccupied with whispering to each other, or doing homework, or turning around to stare at the newbie who walked in late.

I swallowed, wishing I could slip right back out the door and vanish. As quickly as I could, I snuck into a back seat and slipped off my backpack. Mom found me before I had a chance to catch my breath.

"You need to sign up for some of these projects in the back." She pointed to a long row of clipboards.

I nodded and stood up, feeling awkward again as I peered over people's shoulders to read the sign-up sheets. Almost every single project had to do with animals. And I knew from asking (what, a hundred times?) that there was no way my parents would let me raise a pig, or a cow, or goats. Nor did I have the slightest desire to do so anymore.

After some long deliberation, I settled on graphic design, flower arranging, and speech.

My brother and I in our 4-H uniforms

Well, 4-H definitely got better than that first meeting, but most of my projects flopped. I dropped out of flower arranging because of my busy schedule. Graphic design turned out to be an art class (for some reason I thought we would be using computers).

Speech, however, was fun. I did an interpretive reading from The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien, and won gold at State Presentation Day.

This year I ran for office--Club Reporter--and was elected. Honestly, being reporter is now my favorite part of 4-H. I've had three articles published in our local paper, and I now understand a lot more about how 4-H works. I even have the pledge (almost) memorized. In fact, my initial dislike of 4-H has been completely reversed.


If you've never given 4-H a try, I encourage you to do so. You can make new friends and learn lots of important life skills. Most of all, don't be passive. Get involved in your club and and stick it out for more than one year. Otherwise, you'll simply be wasting your time.


Colossians 3:23 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,"

Are you in 4-H? If so, what are your thoughts? Have you ever stuck with something you didn't like, only to end up loving it?

Cloud's Rest Yosemite--The Ultimate Hike

First of all, the Cloud's Rest was amazing breathtaking exhausting indescribable.

We began at Tenaya Lake (an elevation of 8,150 feet) and hiked up seven miles. The terrain was rough in spots, but not quite so bad as Upper Yosemite Falls last year. By 12:15 my group had arrived at the top. We hung out for an hour or so, exploring, taking pictures, eating lunch, sleeping, and just admiring the view. Ten of us decided to take the long way back, which would take us straight to the valley floor.

All in all, we hiked about nineteen miles and by the time we reached the village we were tripping-over-our-shoelaces-tired. But it was worth it. So worth it. If you ever get the chance to hike Cloud's Rest or any hike in Yosemite, pounce on it! Just be ready for the pain. (Oh, and make sure to bring food and water. We had a couple people forget those rather essential items this trip.)

The rest of the weekend dances all around in my brain. Sleeping under the stars. Telling scary stories. Testing out judo moves on each other. Jumping from thirty feet into Rainbow Pools. Long car rides. Music. Sore muscles. Goofy games. Yep, 2012 Yosemite Trip will go down in history.

Psalm 121

"I lift up my eyes to the hills—

where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—

he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you—

the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm—

he will watch over your life;

the Lord will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore."

Have you been to Yosemite? What's the longest hike you've ever taken? 

Exercise: Homeschool Style

"...but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

Every single year, when summer ends and with it swim team, I determine to keep exercising every day. Sometimes I make it a week, sometimes two, other times I manage about three ten minute sessions spread out over five months. 

But this year is going to be different. Somehow or other I've been able to get up and exercise almost every weekday for the past month or so. I have two things to spur me on. First of all, a hike in Yosemite with my youth group this weekend. 

We're going to do Cloud's Rest--a twelve mile hike there and back. They say you can even look down on Half Dome from the top.

The second incentive is Presidential Fitness. This is a national event held in early April, during which kids compete with themselves to achieve the "Presidential" level of fitness. This includes running a mile, push-ups, sit-ups, a shuttle-run, and more, each of which must be completed in a certain time frame.

In any case, preparation for these events really is a beautiful thing. My mornings are falling into a pattern. 6:00 Wake up and Write. 6:45 Run. 6:55 Sit-ups/Push-ups. 7:05 Bible Time. 8:15 Start School.

Honestly, this is the most routine I've had in years. In a few months I may be longing for a change, but for right now there's something comforting about going through the same sequence each morning. Plus, I get to see sunrises like this:

Do you have a daily routine?A favorite hike? Are you involved in Presidential Fitness? I'd love to hear about it!

How To Brainwash Children

Yes indeed, you read the title right! This post is (more or less) about brainwashing.

A few weeks ago, while browsing the internet, I stumbled upon The Children's Story by James Clavell. I found this short story to be so fascinating that I chose it as my interp piece for speech.

Click on the picture to find the story.

According to Wikipedia, James Clavell "was an Australian-born, British (later naturalized American) novelist, screenwriter, director and World War II veteran and prisoner of war." He wrote this particular story after a conversation with his young daughter. Apparently, she came home from school one day, rattled off the Pledge of Allegiance, and demanded a dime from her father. When asked for a reason, she replied that her teacher had told her that saying the Pledge would earn her a dime. Clavell handed over the dime, but the encounter had sparked an idea in his mind. The Children's Story emerged shortly thereafter.

I'd highly recommend reading this story when you get the chance. A quick read should take no more than fifteen minutes (the story itself occurs in twenty-five), and it raises some interesting questions.

*How much does it take for someone to earn our trust?
*How grounded are we in what we believe?
*Do we understand what we are saying when we give the Pledge of Allegiance?
*Are we prepared for an invasion not only of our country but of our minds?

What do you think?

Colossians 2:8

Book Review: The River of Time Series

About the Author: “Lisa T. Bergren is the best-selling, award-winning author of more than thirty books that have sold 1.5 million copies. A former publishing executive, she is currently a freelance editor and mother. She lives in Colorado Springs.”

Blurb of Waterfall: “Gabriella has never spent a summer in Italy like this one. Remaining means giving up all she’s known and loved … and leaving means forfeiting what she’s come to know—and love itself.

“Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives with their parents, famed Etruscan scholars, among the romantic hills. In Book One of the River of Time series, Gabi and Lia are stuck among the rubble of medieval castles in rural Tuscany on yet another hot, boring, and dusty archeological site … until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.

           

“And thus she comes to be rescued by the knight-prince Marcello Forelli, who takes her back to his father’s castle—a castle Gabi has seen in ruins in another life. Suddenly Gabi’s summer in Italy is much, much more interesting. But what do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?”

Genre: YA historical romance, packed with adventure and action

Title: At first the titles of the books were confusing—as hard as I searched, for example, I could not discover a waterfall in the first book. However the titles are purely allegorical. They are explained in Torrent as a metaphor of the twists, turns, and currents of life.

Cover: As evident from the pictures, these covers are purely gorgeous. They really helped to enhance the setting, and I enjoyed flipping to the front again and again to remind myself what the characters looked like.

My Thoughts: I was pulled into this story from the first page. Gabi’s narrating voice is so unique from anything I’ve ever read. She’s sarcastic, descriptive, and genuine, a combination of which made the story seem so real. Even in the midst of her fight for independence, her values are clear—family, teamwork, love and sacrifice.

Ms. Bergren also did a fabulous job portraying Gabi’s co-leads as very real people with their own problems, dreams, and goals. Marcello struggles to balance an acceptance of Gabi’s modern mindset with his desire to keep her safe, all the while battling to retain his own property. Lia finds herself confronted with a life very different from the one she’s always counted on living. And numerous other friends and foes fight to thrive in spite of the life and death situations that confront them daily. 

As for spirituality, I found the series somewhat lacking. Gabi freely confesses that she is not a Christian, nor does she become one in the course of the story, yet she continues to pray again and again, believing God will answer her. While I have no problem reading about a non-Christian character, I did expect more from a Christian publishing house. Also, Gabi’s character development seems to be missing something. Time and again her thoughts about God come so close to the truth. In the end however, she misses the whole purpose of our lives here on earth.

Normally I enjoy a good mix of adventure and romance, and for the most part I loved Gabi’s as well. Her guy, Marcello, is the gentleman of gentlemen, and their love for each other develops nicely. However, they do kiss—a lot—and mainly for that reason I would not want any of my younger siblings reading these books. Not to mention how much more powerful the series might have been had they saved their first kiss.

All three books could be described as nothing if not action packed. Gabi and crew scale walls, engage in sword fights, infiltrate enemy camps, and encounter traps. These scenes play out with just the right touch of description, dialogue, and introspection to make for a well-rounded tale. 

All in all, The River of Time Series was a fabulous, thought-provoking, buckle-your-seatbelt read. I’d highly recommend it to mature teens and up. If you have questions while reading, don’t hesitate to ask your parents or other wise adults in your life. Maybe you can even talk them into reading the series with you!

PS. Waterfall, Cascade, and Torrent are not the end! Keep an eye out for my review of the novellas Bourne and Tributary—as soon as I can get my hands off of schoolwork and onto a copy!

Have you read The River of Time Series? If so, what were your thoughts?

Teens and the Apostle Paul

Well...the post is a little late today since I had a speech class...and shopping...and The Bourne Legacy. But moving on...

Last night my youth pastor made a comment I wanted to share with you: You don't have to wait for the approval of others before sharing Christ with your friends. We were reading the following passage:

But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus. Galatians 1:15-17

 To get the full gist of this statement, follow the link or pull out your own Bible and read the entire section. The writer of this book is Paul, formerly known as Saul. He was a Pharisee of the highest degree. The requirements for reaching this position included memorizing the entire Old Testament. That's right, memorizing. Saul had everything going for him--heritage, authority, wealth, education, respect.

And his job comprised of persecuting Christians. Acts 8:3 "But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison." This was Saul's passion. Finally, he went to the high priest and asked for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, giving him permission to imprison any Christians he found there. 

That's when it happened. Jesus appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus in all His glory. A brilliant light surrounded Saul, blinding him.
  

He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
“Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Acts 9:4-6

Now a completely new man, Saul followed the Lord's command to the letter. In Damascus he met a man named Ananias,who had been instructed by God to restore Saul's sight. Ananias obeyed and Saul stayed a few days with the disciples in Damascus. No longer did he persecute Christians. In fact, he began at once to preach the gospel. He raised so much havoc with his fervor, that the Jews tried to kill him, and he had to escape the city.

And so, the self-professed "Hebrew of Hebrews" (Philippians 3:5) found himself led by God to preach the good news of salvation to the Gentiles. He didn't return to Jerusalem to meet some of the twelve disciples until three years later, and even then he stayed only fifteen days.

As teens, we can learn from Saul. You don't have to go to Bible college, or seminary for four plus years in order to share your faith. You don't even have to receive special approval by your pastor. God calls each and every one of us to serve Him here on this earth, and if you feel Him calling you in a certain direction, go for it!

Many teens see life as a huge gap of time lying ahead of them--at least I do. But truth be told, not one of us knows how long we have left. Our time could be tonight, tomorrow, a week from now, or even in ten years. So serve God with what He has blessed you with now. There will always be more to learn--and don't get me wrong, learning is crucial--but don't get so bogged down that you fail to take the opportunities He places in your path.

Time to Brainstorm: Do you have a personal relationship with the God of the universe? If so, how are you serving God right now? How can you serve Him more?

Resource: Go Teen Writers

“The next best thing to knowing something is knowing where to find it.”

~ Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) British author

Our world today is absorbed in a quest for knowledge. We start school at around four or five years old, and from then on the learning never ends. We gather information from books, television, computers, parents, teachers, and friends. Some of what we learn is valid, other things not so much. By the time we reach high school, the brunt of responsibility for our education has been shifted onto us, particularly for homeschoolers.

This is an exceptional opportunity to take learning far beyond the “schoolroom” and explore those areas which interest us as individuals. As teenagers, we are just beginning to see the world for what it is. All the information we’ve been assembling through childhood is starting to come together to create a beautiful picture of our past, present, and future reality.

Thankfully, these days we have access to information about almost every topic imaginable. Today I’d like to focus on one particular blog that has been instrumental in my growth as a writer.

I stumbled upon Go Teen Writers in January of 2011, and was immediately drawn in by the fun writing contests it offered. Little did I guess how much wisdom, information, encouragement and opportunities I would find as well.

Go Teen Writers, as the name suggests, is a blog for young fiction writers. Stephanie Morrill, author of The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series, began the blog in 2010. Over time authors Jill Williamson, Roseanna White, and Rachel Coker have been added to the staff, as well as a multitude of guest writers. Posts are published Monday through Friday and range in topic from writing to editing to publication.

At the moment GTW is celebrating 500 followers. In honor of the occasion they are holding a 500 word free-write contest for those 21 and under. The deadline is August 27^th.

So what are you waiting for? If you love writing, check out GTW or follow them on Facebook. You won’t regret it!

What subjects do you love to explore outside of school? What are your favorite resources? 

Proverbs 1:5

Homeschoolers and the SAT

This week my brother and I are beginning to study for the SAT and PSAT. We’ve got this awesome curriculum called College Prep Genius, but every time I read the part about studying all summer, I mentally freak out. We didn’t even know about this program until a few weeks ago, so I have about 150 hours worth of study to cram into 8 weeks.

What is the SAT?

Short and simple, it’s a Standardized Assessment Test. It can be taken by homeschoolers at any local high school, and is available seven times, October through June. There is a small fee. The test is comprised of three parts—critical reading, math, and writing. While it’s important to have a basic knowledge of math up through Algebra 2 and grammar, the SAT is mostly a logic test.

Why should I take the SAT?

Scoring high on the SAT and PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) can result in huge scholarships, all the way up to having your full way paid to college. Even if you don’t intend to go to college now, it’s still a good idea to take the SAT your junior and senior year. Plans can change, and your scores will be saved for up to two years. It’s also best to begin studying for the PSAT and SAT your freshman year. Looking back, I wish that’s what I’d done, but hey, live and learn, right?

Prayers would be hugely appreciated right now. Even though I took the PSAT last year, I still feel very unprepared.

Have you taken the PSAT and/or SAT? Will you be taking one or both this year? What are your thoughts? 

Psalm 39:4-7 

Kicking Off the School Year

As this blog kicks off with its first genuine post, it's got me thinking about beginnings. Our family started the school year yesterday with a pancake breakfast followed immediately by a mile run. Needless to say, some of us looked like this by the time we got around to math:

But after a few wrinkles got ironed out ("Mom, the answer key you put in my box last night isn't there anymore." "Hey Mom, if they're both doing schoolwork out here, how am I going to practice piano?") the day went pretty well. My mom has this new system of organization that she got at the homeschool conference last week. Here is our new and improved school schedule:

But who wants to think about school? Most of you are probably trying to get the most out of your last few days of freedom. So what else began yesterday?

Well...

In 1538 Bogotá, Colombia was founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. According to Wikipedia, Bogotá is not only the capital, but the largest and most populous city in that country.

In 1845 the Russian Geographical Society was founded in Saint Petersburg.

In 1926 New York's Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim English Channel. Her time was fourteen hours, thirty-nine minutes.

In 1961 the first case of motion sickness in space was reported.

In 1996 NASA announced that life may have existed on Mars.

Interested in learning more? I found this information on historyorb.com.

What about you? Have you started school yet? Are there any traditions your family keeps, such as taking a photo or having a special breakfast? I'd love to hear from you!

Are You a Home-schooled Teen?

Welcome to The Homeschooled Teen! This is a blog for teens, by teens, but anyone else is encouraged to join along!

First, a little about me. 

My name is Rachel C, and I'm in my junior year of high school. This is my second blog, but the first was mainly for school assignments. I have three younger siblings, two cats, and a dog. My dream is to one day be a published author. I'm a Christian and that will be a major element of this blog.

Moving on...How will The Homeschooled Teen Function? I'll be starting off slow but steady. My goal is one post a week for now. Some topics I have in mind are as follows:

Homeschooler Highlight: Posts about famous or not so famous homeschoolers in the past. Who has         gone before us and what can we learn from them?

Book Reviews: Find out what other home-schooled teens reading!

Resources: Whether you're interested in writing, photography, horses, sports, art, or you name it, I'll feature websites, books, contests and more!

College Preparation: For many homeschoolers, college can seem like a huge step out of our comfort zone. Whether you plan on going away to school, attending a junior college, or continuing to work at home, I'll post about topics related to preparing for the jump.

So, what do you think? Do these topics seem like something you'd be interested in? Do you have any ideas? Leave a comment below!