Whether you’ve been married 40 years or divorced 3 times or never dated once, it is really easy and common to bash on marriage these days. Some will argue that its an outdated and sexist institution. Others will complain that most men/women are worthless. Or for a lot of us, it’s just more work than we’re willing to give. I know there are stories upon stories we could all tell that might validate any one of these scenarios in our mind. Today, I just want to talk about how good marriage is. You might think, “Oh, here we go.” because I spend the next few paragraphs telling you how great Mr. Butler is and how everyone should be like him. Nah, not today. Marriage is good - not because I landed a perfect one - but because when you give it a chance, it makes you both better.

From a family photo session in 2017 when I was pregnant with the Racecar.

At 22 or 23, I was internally frantic that I wasn’t married yet. It sure would have helped to know that an ADHD brain can often speed through if/then scenarios and come to the farthest possible conclusion in a matter of seconds. It didn’t mean I was always likely to be right, it just meant my brain had too much time on it’s hands. Not being married, not being engaged, and not having a boyfriend would all combine with my multi-faceted anxiety about myself as anything positive and I naturally concluded that I was never going to be married and thus live a miserable existence. Another symptom of ADHD is exaggerated emotions, but I didn’t understand that then either. In the moments that I remember the many promises of God and I still thought it possible to find a spouse, I always imagined that he would be some diamond in the rough out of nowhere that only I discovered. What’s funny about that is that God answered that request in its entirety. Mr. Butler was so unlike anyone I had ever known, I really didn’t want to date him when the idea was first presented to me. Even now, 15 years later, I am always telling him there isn’t anyone quite like him. That can be a wonderful and sweet thing, but it’s also infuriating and exhausting.

Within the first year of our marriage, it became clear that my young husband had zero bedside manner, especially when you’re sick. Or was it just when I was sick? After a dinner at Chili’s one night, I got a severe case of food poisoning. I went to sleep sick at my stomach and woke around 2 or 3 telling him I thought I was going to throw up to which he laughed at me and said “No, you’re not. Quit being a baby.” I was vindicated when I threw up everything I had a few minutes later, but his measly apology didn’t really make me feel better about the heartlessness he had shown earlier! Fast forward 5-6 years and he laughs almost hysterically as I’m about to start pushing during labor with my daughter. Yep, there’s no one like him.

In one day early in our marriage, I dropped my laptop from a window sill (because we didn’t have internet yet, but our neighbors did) and couldn’t get it working again. Mr. Butler said the words, “Go take the dog for a walk. You can’t break anything out there.” Breaking his things makes him really cranky. So, I subsequently dropped and stepped on my phone, resulting in two pieces while on that walk. I also lost my beautiful, unique and not free engagement ring. Twice. The first time was on a campout and our entire party ended up looking and finding it. Whew! The second time, I have no idea how it made it off my finger or where it is to this day. The fact that he can still smile at me today or subsequently gave me 3 children AFTER I lost it, is a miracle all its own.

Neither one of us are a walk in the park, that’s for sure. But together, we are better. He’s not perfect still. And, I know you’re shocked, but neither am I. STILL! Maybe that’s where we’ve gotten the wrong idea. When we say “They’re perfect for each other!” many of us expect it to be a final state of completion upon marriage. In reality, marriage is a tool that can shape us, mature us and sanctify us when we allow it to. Though, if we head into it (like so many of us do) thinking this person will naturally agree with everything that makes sense to me, though we carry different DNA and grew up in different homes, it’s not a surprise that we hit irreconcilable differences in no time or grow in resentment and dysfunction. Marriage is so good, but maybe it’s hard to tell because we get in its way. Sometimes we get mad at the constant tug of war not realizing that the back and forth is shaping us into a more balanced version of ourselves.

While Mr. Butler and I share similar values in parenting, religion and approach to life (we’re both first born), we are polar opposites in many, many ways. When we got married, he was rigidly structured, financially focused, and logical for days, regardless of anyone’s feelings. If you knew me at all in college, you know that all things emotional, relational, and creative were where I wanted to live. He got up early, I wanted to sleep in. He wanted to save, I was ready to spend. He saw a deadline, I saw a relationship needing attention. We started out so different. Did I change him? Did he change me? Absolutely not. Marriage did though. This beautiful commitment that God holds together has given us something to hold on to when that other person is absolutely not worth it. We are flawed and broken and maddening. But God knew we would be and gave us marriage to help us grow.

Marriage isn’t for everyone. Marriage is hard. A lot of times, marriage is simply ridiculous. But don’t ever convince yourself that marriage isn’t good. Because it is. So so good.

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Growing up, I loved Americana puzzles where little communities were pictured bustling about with horse and carriages and iconic purposes. No matter the weather or the theme, each one stirred up comfort and peaceful simplicity in my soul. It’s right next door in my mind to the song Sleigh Ride where a visit to the neighbors was a glorious treat on a snowy day. It’s true that our modern life hasn’t been much like that for decades now, but we still look for that collective nostalgia of what (we imagine) life used to be like and, in some ways, might be again. Even though life is a lot different, in some ways we look at images or icons as a sort of foundation that the modern world has been built on. The Disney movie Cars is a tribute to what used to be on Route 66. Maybe for you it’s a classic movie or vintage Coca Cola decorations. As Americans, we have a host of historic events and messages that have functioned as a security fence around us. Especially as Christian Americans, many of us have felt exceptionally blessed and protected by this country because of the freedom we exercise in worshiping God. As we should.

The unfortunate reality, though, is that our foundation in this life has become infested with weakness and disease, as it were. While there are many neutral or even good things our society has been built on over the years, there’s quite a bit that is clearly starting to crumble, thus letting the world wash us away.

Foundation defined: 1) the lowest load-bearing part of a building, typically below ground level.

2) an underlying basis or principle

By either definition, a foundation needs to be strong and permanent in order to support everything that comes after or is built upon it. I grew up in an age where it was socially common and acceptable to call your self a Christian. Which kind didn’t matter all that much and persecution didn’t exist beyond a funny look. Calling yourself a Christian was common, but was that the foundation for people’s lives? Is being a disciple of Christ the foundation of our lives today? I would be embarrassed to say no. Wouldn’t you? But as much of our society is shifting and falling to the wayside, have we started teetering? Has our foundation actually been things like American politics, social acceptance, sports, modern medicine, and Hollywood? I can tell you that our comfort as Americans has certainly hinged on these things, far more than we would like to admit.

I didn’t write a new year post (mostly because everybody in the world got sick), but this might be as close as I get. The past 2 years have been a mess, that we can agree on. What we likely won’t entirely agree on is who’s to blame, what needs fixing and where to go with this next year because for so many of us, our world has been flipped on its head and the weak and temporary foundations are crumbling on us. Our government/media/medical establishment is proving it has no business being a foundation for our lives. They are full of flawed humans that don’t get it right even half the time. Celebrities/athletes/influencers are still flawed humans who are likely to succumb to the world’s promises and reject God’s immovable truth. We have proven that the opinion of our peers holds a hefty amount of weight, often above the search for truth. Some of the realizations or public admissions that are starting to circle about the state of affairs we are in (masks, weakening viruses, natural immunity, general health principles) are showing the mistakes that were made. But did you know that there have been people all over the world arguing for these truths from the beginning? There was truth out there, but a good many of us weren’t really interested in truth as much as we wanted to be right in public opinion and sought protection in some other entity. And to be fair, all of this has been so heavy and so much that we’ve often just been walking around in shock over it all, haven’t we?

From the halls of education to the chaos of social media, our culture has handed the battle over to the devil. We just can’t assume that the doctor/teacher/politician - even mechanic! has our best interest and God’s truthful perspective anymore. I’m not saying there aren’t good people working for your good, I’m saying you cannot check your brain at the door and expect there to be no problems. If there is one thing I pray for all of us this year, it is this: I pray that we can muster the courage to clear away the rotting foundations that we’ve grown accustomed to and pour another pure one that is made of truth. Yes, that sounds like searching the scriptures daily, like the Bereans, but it also looks like taking concepts we hear and then investigating. Ask the doctor way more questions to see the limits of their understanding, invest time in that teacher to see if your worldviews match up, determine where the leaders biases are before accepting their premise. And when the truth doesn’t match the opinions of the host around us, I pray we have the courage to say so and make the changes necessary. Do what is best for your family, for your marriage, your health, for your child’s education, for your congregation’s spiritual growth, whatever it is, in light of God’s principles and truths. Build this life you have - this one life - on a foundation of truth instead of a foundation of cultural popularity, social tradition, or political bias.

As our family has stumbled into 2022, we’re seeing the good, but also taking stock of the neglected. Despite the disarray in our country, I’m excited about my marriage. We’re not perfect but we’re farther along than when we started! I’m excited about my kids education and the co-op they get to grow in. As we go into middle school years next year with my oldest, I am so thankful for positive peer pressure he’s already being exposed to. I turned 42 this month and I’m working on myself more than ever before. It’s hard, it’s not over, but its great at the same time. I’m excited about possibilities! But, if we were listening to the news, the mobs opinion, the social chatter, very little of this would be our life because they all scream against critical thinking and intentional living.

We were all caught sleeping with this shock of societal shifts when the virus came to town. But now that we’re awake, let’s reconsider what we should be putting our trust and faith in.

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As a culture, we talk about introverted verses extroverted a lot as it pertains to the way people interact with the world. Unfortunately, many people need to update their definitions or at least agree on terms before having a conversation some times. The common definitions look like this.

Introversion: the quality of being shy and reticent.

Extroversion: the quality of being energetic and not shy and enjoying being with other people.

From these two definitions, you could easily make all kinds of assumptions and stereotypes. “An introverted person doesn’t like people.” “An extroverted person is unselfish because they are always socializing.” I’ve even heard generalizations about introverted people where “they need to just get over themselves and care about other people.“ If these are the gold standard of definitions, I guess this might be true. However, from the moment I learned the concept of introversion/extroversion, it was explained by how a person receives their emotional and physical energy. Not a choice, but a biological state. Here’s the way I learned it:

Introversion: Recharges or gets energy from time alone.

Extroversion: Recharges or gets energy from time with others.

The dictionary definitions at the top is a way to describe how someone acts on the outside, but the second set describes a physical trait that happens internally and most argue it begins at birth. All the introverts I’ve ever talked to heavily identify with getting energy from being alone or one on one interactions. Rarely is a dislike for people center stage, but how much energy it takes from their body when they are around people. Extroverted people are naturally drawn to large crowds and lots of people time because on a very physical level it feeds them energy.

Why is this distinction important? Number one, I think a lot of times we say things that aren’t true about a concept we may not really understand. Any time I (as an introvert) have trouble talking to someone, especially in a crowd, it isn’t because I’m necessarily shy or don’t like people. The difficulty I have is managing the energy that gets sucked out of me just by walking through a crowd and mustering up the right words in a perpetual state of exhaustion. I’ve heard extroverted people characterized as more selfless and giving because they are so social. The thing is, how many times have you had a great chat at a gathering with someone who then never really showed up in your life when you needed them? This isn’t a one side is better than the other debate, but a reminder that everyone is uniquely and divinely made to fill different roles in life. Some circumstances in life need a quiet, one on one, heart to heart - and some people aren’t good at that. Some circumstances need a showman and ringleader in the midst of a big crowd - and some people aren’t good at that. Why should one be honored over the other, when both skills are important and necessary in life?

Another thing to remember is introverted/extroverted is actually a spectrum that all of us fall on and it rarely is set in stone. As we enter different seasons in life, our leaning towards one or the other can shift. That’s why listening to people and their current state of being, rather than assuming or bulldozing is something we have to get better at this year. Mental health is major problem EVERYWHERE right now. Social media and the powers that be typically paint a very specific picture of the people around us that is misguided at best and absolute false most of the time. The struggles and the successes that each of us are experiencing are rarely fully seen or understood. Even those that live in our own home may struggle to fully understand us. Ask questions and listen far more than making up your mind, for better or worse, about those people that aren’t like you. When we refuse to embrace differences, nobody wins. From evangelism to strong families, we have to understand others and be understood ourselves so that we can all fulfill our roles in the body.

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While discovering more about ADHD has taught me all kinds of things about myself, one of the biggest is recognizing when to ride the waves of creativity and when I’m truly wasting my time by forced attempts. It’s a maddening reality, but I’m trying to embrace it. As such, I haven’t written much the last few months. Oh, I’ve tried, but it just wouldn’t really flow. As the dopamine hit eventually returns to writing, here I am starting on a new wave. So, let’s talk about what’s been going on!

We are still so grateful to be homeschooling with an 11, 8 and 4 year old and just finished up another semester with Trailblazers Homeschool Association. I was asked to be on their leadership board last year, taught two classes this semester and have certainly been busier with co-op stuff. We’ve been navigating some behavioral issues at home - they all seem insistent on making it a game of whack-a-mole for us since they take turns losing their minds. After a few really rough weeks, we may be calming down for the moment, we’ll see. Mr. Butler is still working from home, which we LOVE, for the foreseeable future. He recently got himself a laser engraver and is currently learning how to make stuff in hopes of starting a little side business. Our dog, Lizzie, is 14 and still going strong. I’m honestly craving a replacement for my Grace, but Lizzie wouldn’t do well with another dog in the house at her age. Homegirl gets cranky with us sometimes so I’ll just have to wait.

Oh, and we had soccer September through November. Mr. Butler coached the 8 and 4 year old teams so we were running around with that too. By the end of the season, all three showed a lot of growth and I’m thankful for the opportunity they’ve had with the YMCA. In October, we took a trip to Disney World. It had been planned as a part of Mr. Butler’s work trip for several months, but, of course, was cancelled when it came down to it. Since we still had tickets and a (mostly) non-refundable condo, we ultimately took the plunge. My sister-in-law went with us which was perfect because she’s a Disney expert and I didn’t have to plan a thing! It was a great trip, but I always feel like I lose a week in life once I get home. Honestly, I still feel about a week behind, but it was a wonderful trip and worth all the effort.

My father-in-law, Mr. Butler’s dad passed away in October. His health hadn’t been great, but the timing was unexpected. The stress of the world on every level, personal to local to national to global has really been the unspoken stealer of the show in our lives, unfortunately. The big things are good right now - I love Mr. Butler more than ever and I love us together. The kids are growing and learning and make life fun. God has truly blessed us with providential care. We know that and are so grateful. And yet. The unspoken and hollering stress is still there constantly reminding you that whatever naivety you had about how life should go, well that’s over now. And to bring it full circle, stress is THE biggest factor in my body when it comes to health or weight-loss, for sure. I’m trying, doing all the things to lose some of this weight but as the stress has progressed, nothing I did seemed to make a difference. I probably eat better than you, I exercise more than most and I’ve been trying for a long while to very little lasting success. The only issue I’ve not successfully dealt with is my stress and how terribly hard I take it. So, I’ve dove back into the self-hypnosis I learned and successfully used for my 2nd pregnancy. It’s certainly making me feel better, but I’ll keep you posted on the weight-loss front.

And I guess that’s everything worth mentioning for the moment. The ADHD struggles are still alive and well, but if I didn’t have the understanding of what it looks like in my body, I would be so lost. If you truly wonder if you might have it yourself, please look into it. If you do, it could absolutely change your life. Hope you are doing well, friends.

This summer I started using this product line and have loved the improvements in my skin! Any purchase you make through the link above results in small commissions and supports my family directly, making writing and reviews like this possible. Thank you for your support!

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

As any parent of a toddler knows, just having a cup to drink out of isn’t necessarily enough. Sometimes you have to have the green cup or the lid that got deformed in the dishwasher. Sometimes details really matter, ya know? There are several math practice programs out there that certainly do the job well. For our review today (and final one for 2021), we’re talking about I Know It, where fun graphics and a simple format really go along way in engaging young students.

What We Received:

We received a one year subscription to IKnowIt.com for up to 4 students. We used 3 students, 5th grade, 3rd grade and Kindergarten.

How It Works:

In this math practice program, students from Kindergarten through 5th grade can answer math questions of all categories at their grade level. The program keeps track of all answers and number of problems attempted/answered. The colors and illustrations are vibrant and fun for young students, making it a very visually and aesthetically pleasing experience. Each student is set up by the parent in a specific grade level. On the family dashboard, where parents can track each students activity, you can also assign topics to work on. Regardless of the grade level assigned to each student, parents can assign work from other grade levels. Students can’t access other grades on their own, but parents can make it available. For each problem, there is a hint available, sometimes several. The math topics are listed in natural progression (ex. addition, subtraction, multiplication, etc.), but there is no required or definitive order that students need to complete the questions. Each student has a My Progress button where they can see how many questions they have answered, their overall percentage of right answers and number of minutes spent answering questions. Beneath all of that, there is also a record of each questions set completed and how the student did. All of that information is available in the Family Dashboard as well.

What We Thought:

Since our family has tried several other math practice programs over the past few years, I feel like we have a well-rounded experience with these types of programs. Also, with a 4, 8 and 11 year old, we cover the age span pretty well. The two younger children enjoyed the program a lot. The clean and bright pictures and workspace seem to really engage them. Since my 4 year old is still learning to read, I would sit next to him in order to help a long the way, but he enjoyed answering questions and loved seeing what the little I Know It robot would do after every answer. My 8 year old, who loves math is happy to do a couple of sessions just about any day. She has ADHD and really enjoys the way it is laid out. I think that is part of the draw for her because how something looks affects her mental space and that affects how well she does. My 11 year old son, who is in 5th grade, wasn’t nearly as excited simply because he’d rather be tricked by a game into doing math than doing it straight out. The one element it doesn’t have is a game or speed component. Many similar games have ways to work on speed skills or some kind of competition. Aside from that comparison, I Know It is an excellent program for students needing to work on their math skills.

Follow I Know It Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iknowitcom/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/iknowit_com

Wondering what other families thought about this program? Check out more reviews through the link below:

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

One of the true loves of my children is horses. Our first house, where the older two were born, our city neighborhood backed up to a couple of large churches and several acres of land where horses and cows were often grazing. We visited the horses on walks before my oldest was even born and just about every week until we moved. They LOVE horses. I can’t think of a better theme to motivate my students to practice their math than riding horses! As we tried out MathRider from Sharper Edge International Pty Ltd for this review the past several weeks, I’ve never had so many requests to do math!!

What We Received:

We received a permanent license to the game MathRider, which allows for multiple users.

How It Works:

MathRider is a math program designed for use on a computer that, once downloaded initially, can be accessed without the internet. Multiple users can access it with their own username and password. Users can practice riding where every math fact answered correctly causes the horse to move faster and a slow or missed answer slows the riding down. To practice or play you can adjust settings to accommodate each user. Setting options include addition, subtraction, multiplication and division along with number ranges and a choice between obstacle course or a time challenge. Practice rides do not impact quests and are not counted in each student’s statistics. To play, each user is challenged with various quests that involve a back story, a specific goal, different backdrops and unlocking different music as you go along. Each quest involves answering math facts just like the practice rides, except each correct answer gets you further along in your quest. The faster the student answers, the faster the horse goes and earns extra points. There is a dashboard that showcases mastery levels for each student based on their rides. There is also a score area where you can compare users as well.

What We Thought:

My kids old enough to use this program, 10 year old boy and 8 year old girl, loved it. The story element certainly pleased my girl and the horse element trumps everything for both of them. It is a an easy way to practice math facts and work on recall time so there is no complaint from an educational standpoint. The quest and story elements seem to motivate them to keep going after math recall usually gets boring or tiring. The changing landscapes (tied to different quests) are really beautiful which adds to the varied experience. It certainly is enjoyable to me as an adult! Once they figured out what the game was all about, they would request to play it all the time, even when school was finished. If you have students that love horses, this is a slam dunk program for those needing to work on their math facts. Overall, our family loved this game and would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to work on math facts and have some fun at the same time.

Follow MathRider on Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MathRiderGame
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Mathrider

Are you wondering what other families thought of this program? Check out the rest of the reviews through the link below:

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

When we decided to homeschool our children, it was really motivated by being able to teach them the things we thought were most important. While our world is spun up on technology right now and we tend to heavily rely on our phones to do our thinking for us, we still value the skills that got us to this technological age. It’s important to lay a foundation in our children’s minds that demonstrates what money is, what it isn’t, not to mention how to count back change or manage their own money well. For today’s review I would like to share with you three different products, Baby BUCK, How Much Am I…, Quick Cents To A BUCK, and BUCK Making Cents from Buck Academy that are some fun tools to engage your kids with money.

What We Received:

We received three books, 2 coupons and a fun bookmark. The books included:

Baby BUCK, How Much Am I.. - A board book intended for ages 0-4

Quick Cents to a BUCK - A paperback that summarizes the BUCK Making Cents

BUCK Making Cents - A hardbacked book intended for ages 5-11

How It Works:

The Baby BUCK book is sturdy and introduces children to all the coins and a dollar bill. While it is a very basic introduction it also includes lift the flap elements for how much each coin is worth. BUCK Making Cents is a story led by Buck that explains all about each coin and the dollar bill and then walks the reader through a variety of math/value questions. Quick Cents to a BUCK is a shortened and simplified version of BUCK Making Cents in paperback form, much like a thin coloring book. Besides suggested age ranges, there is no specific intent or direction as to how to utilize these books. As suggested in BUCK Making Cents, having the actual coins and dollar in hand is a nice way to engage the students, especially as you are talking about the different elements on the front and back of the money.

What We Thought:

Since my youngest is 4 and already knows a bit about money, the board book was helpful by nature - asking the reader how much each coin was. The Quick Cents book was a little basic for what the big kids already knew. BUCK Making Sense was great for teaching them a few things and then putting their money math to work! If your kids are young and first starting their education about money, these books are a great tool to set them up well. Since my kids already knew a lot of the information, it was more of a read it once and you’re done kind of a reaction. As my 4 year old grows in understanding, the books will help him solidify the information. If you’re looking for a fun addition to a new homeschool library, this is definitely something for the bookshelf.

Follow BUCK Academy on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BUCKacademy.org
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BUCK_academy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buckacademy/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/BUCKAcademy/_saved/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrwVZl0j3v5OeKI_h2JXLhQ

Wondering if our experience is unique? Check our some of the other reviews of this product through the link below.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

When I was in school, discussing literature was my absolute favorite. I loved analyzing the characters and anticipating what the author was thinking! As a homeschool parent of 3, juggling chores and education on top of anything else in life is a tall order, leaving me rushing through things like book reading with the kids. Study guides from Progeny Press are a great way to slow everything down to maximize comprehension and explore ideas further. We’ve enjoyed Progeny Press before and this time we are reviewing Wagon Wheels Study Guide and Cricket in Times Square Study Guide.

What We Received

We were given two study guide digital downloads, Wheels Study Guide and Cricket in Times Square Study Guide.

How It Works:

Study Guides are divided into sections determined by chapter groupings sandwiched between a synopsis, about the author and a summary. At the end there are ideas for post-reading activities, additional resources and an answer key. Throughout the study guide expect to see activities in geography, vocabulary. history, science, and writing. If utilized to it’s fullest, you could cover an entire semester with one study guide!

Progeny Press offers study guides for all levels and varieties of literature that are designed to encourage a greater enjoyment and understanding of authors and texts. The most important aspect that we appreciate is the Biblical worldview that is sewn throughout that questions and activities. The Wagon Wheels Study Guide is intended for grades 1-3 and Cricket in Times Square Study Guide is targeted for grades 4-6. As digital products, these can be used with multiple students and printed out at once or sections at a time. This is certainly a product that can work in a group settings too either as a family or a classroom setting. Many of the activities or questions can be addressed as a group discussion.

What We Thought:

Since we have tried out Progeny Press Study Guides before, it was easy to step back in. We did have trouble finding these books at the library, but an easy solution is to look on YouTube for the books being read aloud. Thankfully, both Wagon Wheels and A Cricket in Times Square were readily available!. Since my 3rd grader is an avid reader and my 5th grader loves to help, they both were expected to listen to the read aloud together and worked on the questions/activities together too. The Wagon Wheel guide was appropriately shorter with activities for younger students like a crossword puzzle or compound word activity. While both kids could grasp most everything, you could easily tell the difficulty level was appropriately aged.

As a parent and educatory, I love the holistic approach each study guide takes to the text and the child’s education. For example, A Cricket in Times Square is a story about characters, but the study guide suggests a scientific study of how many chirps a cricket makes in a span of time. Since my favorite learning approach is more like a unit study where every subject (science, math, etc.) is tied into one theme, these study guides are a great educational and affordable option for your homeschool!

Follow Progeny Press on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/progenypress
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/progenypress
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/progenypress
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/progenypress

The crew reviewed several study guides at various levels so check out more reviews at the link below.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

Just today actually, I had the pleasure of hearing a male lion roar repeatedly apparently to just say good morning to those around him. At least that’s what our tour guide said. Either way, that roar was unmistakable. It caused us to pay attention. And reminded us that you would never want to be between him and something he wants. Today I’m also reviewing Roar Like a Lion: 90 Devotions to a Courageous Faith by Levi Lusko with Tama Fortner from Tommy Nelson Books and considering how a courageous faith can be seen in the roar of a lion.

What We Received:

We were given one hardbacked book, Roar Like a Lion: 90 Devotions to a Courageous Faith by Levi Lusko with Tama Fortner from Tommy Nelson Books. It has 192 pages and color illustrations on almost every page.

How It Works:

This devotional book has a contents at the beginning where every devotion is numbered, named and page number is listed. While they are listed and named in a particular order, there is no demand for reading them in order. Each one begins with a scripture from the Bible, discusses relevant life issues pertaining to it and then charges the reader with an area of growth or practice. On the second page of most every devotion there is a Did You Know? section. In this section, there is often some historical fact or person that the reader can learn from. Each devotion is capable of standing alone or, if read through from start to finish, builds nicely on each other.

What We Thought:

While the recommended age of readers is 6-10, we have been reading it as a family which includes my 4 and 10 year old. The 4 year old likely misses some of it and the 10 year old is already picking up on a lot of it, but as a group there is much value. The content is relevant while also being gentle with hard things, like death and destruction. The author wisely handles his way around talking about what everyone is dealing with - scary things on the news, really hard days, loss, etc. and overlaying perspective from God and scripture. I appreciate that this book not only takes hard things on easily, but the collection of devotions have an overarching purpose: To develop a courageous faith. If there is any expectation at all, its that the type of faith we need is something we must practice and build over time. Fighting fear and standing up anyway, isn’t something that naturally just rolls out fully formed. It takes perspective and practice. Each devotion works on teaching scriptural perspectives that can support our kids as they come in contact with scary and unsure moments in life.

Between the imagery in the Bible and the Chronicles of Narnia’s Aslan, the lion often represents the strength and terror of God. Teaching our kids to have a courageous faith is something I wonder how well I’m equipped for. Do I have a courageous faith. Many days, I am not sure. What this book does a beautiful job of is setting the intention up in our hearts as we read through the devotions -the intention to be courageous in the face of many facets of fear and trials. As a parent, I know many of the types of struggles that are coming down the pike for my children, but I often would just rather protect them than anything else. That doesn’t equip them for what they will have to face though. This book of devotions is a gentle starting point that is useful for any family devotion time.

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I can remember as a teenager living with my parents getting so annoyed at car commercials. I don’t mean the ones where some company showcases their latest model. I’m talking about the loudmouthed guy hollering out deals and details about his new and used cars ready to move. Never, ever has one of those commercials convinced me to visit their lot. If anything the obnoxious sound motivated me to skip them if I could help it. I don’t know how other people shop for cars, but I usually know what I’m in the market for and just go where they sell those. Commercials like that are a waste of time, in my opinion.

And, folks, 25 years later the media as a whole is now in the same boat as those used car lot commercials. When they aren’t out right lying, the contradictions are endless. It is understandable that people get it wrong sometimes. You and I both know that. We are all human, after all. Still, that’s not what this is anymore. From cancel culture to conflicts of interest, there are a lot of people motivated by greed and evil. That alone means we cannot rely on our culture’s mouthpiece to tell us the truth. Whether you are looking for health advice or finance tips, the world is not going to spoon-feed you truth. Because everyone in positions of authority or expertise are evil? No. At least I hope not. No, it’s because the messages being shoved in our faces like a used car salesman screams out of the tv aren’t trustworthy on their own merit. They have been proven wrong, proven distorted and often motivated by evil intentions. We as a society have been resisting it for a while, but the time has come for us to take care of ourselves without expecting society to do it for us.

Maybe you’re thinking about a homesteading commune up in Montana right about now. The thought is tempting, but that’s not exactly where I’m headed. I’m talking about truth and how we can walk in it. From scripture to oil changes, diet to history books, we have to get our hands dirty in order to determine what is true or not. How can you know if the preacher is misapplying scripture? You have to know the Bible and be able to search it yourself. How can you tell if your financial investor is a crook? It might help if you paid attention to where your money is going. Have you noticed how many times science has changed its mind over the last 50 years like whether eggs are bad, fat is bad, milk is good? How can you know the truth? You have to dig in and not take one person’s word for it. How can we protect our children and families from predators of all kinds? We have to be paying attention.

From the moment that remote kept us from having to get up to change the channel, we started to take a dive into a very comfortable place. It is so comfortable that we stopped paying attention. The preacher will tell me what is right. The school will make sure the kids are okay. The doctor wouldn’t lead me wrong. The finance guy would never steal my money. The grocery store surely wouldn’t sell something that might make me sick. And everyone will do what they are supposed to. Except many, many times they don’t. I’m not suggesting that we live a cold life full of mistrust, anxiety and panic. I’m just trying to remind you that nobody else is going to do it for you. All are human and subject to sin. Even the best ones aren’t going to think for you and your family’s particular needs and circumstances. No one is going to force you look for the truth in all things.

I have found it hard to write lately because there is just so much stress, controversy and evil blazing around. It’s hard to know what to say. Growing up as a Christian in a very Christian nation makes for sometimes ill-prepared adults when the wind changes. As an alternative health, homeschooling, ADHD-suffering, Christian mom, I’ve felt like a black sheep my whole life. If you’re new to feeling outnumbered, here are some things to remember.

-Acceptance and approval does NOT equal doing the right thing. Doing the RIGHT thing usually means doing what is the opposite of the masses.

-The big picture is more important. Media and culture will try to convince you that it’s not that big of a deal. There are lasting effects to every choice we make. Do you know what your choice today means for the big picture tomorrow? If you haven’t thought about it, you should right now.

-Harmonize. As Christians we trust in the Bible to show us truth. That means any choice or decision should be in harmony with the whole gospel, not just that verse you picked out. Make it ALL make sense. If you can’t, then let’s reconsider.

-If you’re not sure what to do, it’s probably time to get your hands dirty learning and growing.

There has been evil since the days of Noah and nothing new under the sun. To some everything looks full of doom and gloom. Maybe it is, but that doesn’t change God’s promises. In each moment in time when God has brought victory in some way, there was a lot of doom and gloom. We might be out of practice in going against the grain in our daily culture, but we still have the tools God has provided us. They haven’t changed or grown dull, if we choose to use them. I’ve gotten several why questions lately about various evil or wrong things happening in the world and I almost don’t want to answer them. I’d rather the world go back to “normal” and we can ignore the evil as much as possible. Still, my kids are growing up in all of this so we have to address it. Why doesn’t it look like the truth is winning in some places? The best answer I’ve come up with is that God is allowing us to work a little harder for the truth. The good stuff doesn’t come easy and the world has given up on the good stuff in hopes the easy will be enough. And they are getting their reward.