Exploding the overpopulation bomb

I was a child in the 70's--I had lived enough in the 60's to have witnessed the decline and fall of some great institutions during that fateful decade.

A lot of bad ideas manifested themselves and gained strength in those days. Today they have been accepted as foundational values in our culture.

One of these was the myth of the Bermuda Triangle. Books were written, and movies were made. Someone even suggested that this was the site of the sunken city of Atlantis. Others suggested there was a convergence of demonic activity, still others speculated it was aliens or a government conspiracy.

Today we laugh at ourselves--how easily we can be taken-in by a few people who know how to manipulate statistics and weave massive yarns. The truth is that there are many lost ships, planes, etc. anywhere there is a concentration of shipping and commerce, which can be proved by the examination of well documented shipping statistics around the world. We recently watched a documentary debunking the myth of the Bermuda Triangle (on PBS called Supernatural Science). After much detailed research it was discovered that all the stories, books and shows failed to include the facts about weather conditions at the time of the reported disappearances.

While watching the PBS documentary, I was reminded of another fable masqueraded as fact that is just as ridiculous; the myth of overpopulation.

A case in point is the 1970's movie called Soylent Green. The premise of this film was that by the end of the 20th century we were all supposed to be living in one massive city that spanned the globe, food stores and production had run out, and the remaining population was reduced to eating each other in the form of little green squares, called Soylent Green. I remember viewing footage (during those years) of horrible crowding, slums, poverty and starvation around the world and believing all the conjectures and fallacies of the over population myth (e.g. - European depopulation). Pictures can be quite compelling when creating these types of arguments. Fear is the tool utilized by these groups and even governments around the world who work to convince their people to jump on the birth-control bandwagon.

But a person can't drive through the American West and fail to realise just how unpopulated our earth truly is. A good look at satellite pictures of the earth confirms this fact.

It all boils down to Who we truly believe in, not just to Whom we make lip-service. Is God the god of the earth, or is He just a crutch for the feeble-minded? Does He know how many people there should be, or do we really think we can figure things out better than He, or that maybe He was too busy or stupid to have considered all factors when He told us to multiply and fill the earth? 

Three words describe the God I understand from the Bible--Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent; all-knowing, all-present, all-powerful.

Mankind didn't "sneak up" on God. He knows the beginning from the ending. There is no limit to His understanding. To even consider the idea that we can "save the planet" without consulting and following His plan is contemptible.

Here are a few well-done videos that make the point in a poignant way. For additional information visit the site Overpopulation is a Myth.

Frugal homeschool resources for your library

Last Saturday my husband and I were out and about and spied a sign stuck in the ground at the stoplight advertising a local library booksale. We had the little children in tow, so we juggled them as we perused the tables and aisles and finally congratulated ourselves with the golden nuggets we had retrieved for the tidy sum of $5.75!

The types of books we buy are real books--no textbooks here! Why waste a child's time with books that have been so regurgitated by committees and think-tanks that the heart of all the knowledge contained has been cut out or reengineered to fit a liberal minded agenda? Children want to know about real things that truly matter, at least if their natural inclination and love of learning has not been snuffed out entirely.

Here are some of the titles:

The Splendid Wayfaring; the Exploits and Adventures of Jedediah Smith and the Ashley-Henry Men, 
1822-1831, John G. Neihardt

I just love the story of Jedediah Smith and have always wanted to own a biography of this godly mountain man--a quick perusal of this one told me that I had won a great treasure!

Reader's Digest ABC's of Nature, A Family Answer Book

This was a great addition to our collection of nature books and guides. Published in 1984, it contains some of the myths of evolution (our children know better), but it still includes plenty of information about animal and plant life that must be powerfully intriguing, judging by the way it has been disappearing throughout the house.

The American Heritage Junior Library--Cowboys and Cattle Country

The books in this series are fascinating to my 16 year-old son. These are written in narrative form with plenty of period illustrations to guarantee many hours of interest. We also own the one about clipper ships. The series contains many more titles and is worth collecting.

QPB Treasury of North American Folktales

This is a fairly recently published book, and therefore is an exception to our rule of thumb, which is to avoid contemporary publishing--for a myriad of reasons, including quality of writing, but mostly for moral content. This is not the best collection of this type, but it contains historical folklore like Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, etc.

Indians of the Americas

1947--although not a politically correct title (can this be a plus?), this is a fascinating book filled with illustrations and facts about native Americans--from the Arctic circle to the Antarctic continent.

American Geographical Society: Around the World Program, including booklets for Holland, Israel, South Africa, Bolivia, Germany, Australia, and Denmark. Published in 1970--gives an interesting perspective on the geography and history of these areas some forty years ago. 

The King's Rangers, John Brick

A tale of the Revolutionary War written from the loyalist point of view--we're sorry we bought this one--oh well, at about .25 a book, you don't feel bad about having one stinker in the group!

And if you don't have a good library system nearby, or a lot of cash to invest in quality books, even good history and reading books, then I would suggest you keep your eyes open for two very good series of books written expressly for children:

The Bookshelf for Boys and Girls

and Childcraft Books of How and Why.

I am not sure how the newer publishings of these books appear--I have not been able to find any good reviews, etc. I do know how the older versions have been a blessing to our family.

My older children and I used up a set of the Childcraft books until they were in pieces. These were published in the 50's and we all have happy memories of hours and hours spent reading the stories and poems, singing the American folk songs, and even trying some of the crafts and recipes.

We currently own a set of the Bookshelf for Boys and Girls published in 1972. We found these at our local thrift store for a dollar a piece--and they are worth their weight in gold (I found one used set advertised on the Internet for more than $100.)!

These are filled with nursery rhymes, baby play, baby and preschool classics, fairy stories, stories from around the world, classic stories such as "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel", excerpts from popular children's books, and even some quite thorough American history that is well-written and mostly from a biographical viewpoint.

There is a volume on science and one on nature. My children have almost used up the one on crafting!

I especially love that there are many references to Christianity--poems, prayers, even a whole section on Christmas that is full of reference to the birth of Christ. 

I love to take a volume with me as my little ones are drifting off to sleep and reading from it until their eyelids close--they fight sleep and beg for more! These "real" books can be used for all sorts of language study, especially for the younger set. Just enjoying and discussing these can lead to all sorts of formal as well as informal learning.

These are bereft of political correctness, and often even mention "spanking" (Oh, me, oh my!)--how refreshing!

I also often copy a story or two at a time and give it to my struggling writers so that we can all write and revise together, while we all learn something interesting.

Although I own many children's books which I have collected over the years, I could actually throw most of them out and never miss them if I still owned a couple of these sets (there may be other types from other publishers, I just haven't come across). Actually, I believe they contain just the right amount of illustration, unlike the titles common for purchase or check out at the library. The emphasis is on the stories themselves, not the "fantabulous" pictures. This makes for better readers in the long run.

If you can't find these at a garage sale or thrift store near you, you can try to find them at Freecycle or Craigslist--and there is always ebay (Childcraft is here, Bookshelf is here), or other Internet sources.

In fact, in researching for this post I have found some pretty wonderful older books that are in the public domain and absolutely free.

Here are a few for your enjoyment:

Boys' and Girls' Bookshelf: Historic Tales and Golden Deeds

Stories for Little Children

This one is especially charming for little ones--how about this snippet:

Kindergarten Prayer

Two little eyes to look to God,
Two little ears to hear his word,
Two little lips to sing his praise,
Two little feet to walk his ways,
Two little hands to do his will,
And one little heart to love him still.

Boys' and Girls' Bookshelf: Book of Nature and Outdoor Life

Gutenberg has a number of Boys' and Girls' Bookshelf titles in  eBook form--the illustrations in these are amazing!

Boys' and Girls' Bookshelf: volume 1 of 17

The illustrations and directions for teaching finger and toe play with babies in this one are priceless!

Boys' and Girls' Bookshelf, volume 2 of 17

Learning to Hear God's voice

My husband has been leading us all through the book "Hearing God" by Peter Lord for the second time. The first time, it was just interesting. This time through we are taking things more slowly and writing notes on a white board as we go along.

The challenge is to get alone and learn to avoid the traps, snares and hindrances that keep us from hearing His voice.

It's amazing that many of us who claim the name of "Christian" rarely take time to hear Him speak to us personally. This is a serious problem; as it is vital that we hear from Him! Hearing and obeying God is what differentiated Jesus from the pharisees; it is what made Him holy and blameless. Jesus was not always sensitive and soft, nor was He bombastic and harsh, He simply did whatever God told Him to do with instant obedience. He lived a life of hearing and obeying.

And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one" (John 10:22-30) [emphasis mine]

Most of us live by attempting to apply the words of the Bible to our lives--and this is well and good, but we must, as His disciples, learn to develop a "hearing ear" in order to be led by God's Holy Spirit.

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Romans 8:12-15) [emphasis mine]

Our Christianity is not about how we look or feel, but about sweet communion with our heavenly Father, a restored intimacy with the Maker of heaven and earth! Our spiritual rebirth and dedication to Christ through faith in His completed work renews a right relationship so deep and precious that it cannot be articulated--what a wonderful privilege!

We women tend to have what I call "spaghetti brains"--everything is all mixed up--yet connected. This is why it can seem impossible for us to focus on "just" God for even 30 minutes at a time. Right in the middle of our quiet time we will remember that dental appointment or think of a new way to make lasagna, making it difficult to close it all off and settle down again to the task at hand--"hearing His voice". In Peter Lord's book, Hearing God, he discusses how to focus on His voice while learning to deal with all the distractions.

I heard Elizabeth Elliot say years ago that she used an old hymnal to keep her focus in the right place. I keep a hymnal, the Word and a prayer book in my quiet place, just so that I can train my brain to focus all of that massive creativity in the right direction. In earlier years of emotional upheaval I used to journalize my prayers, which kept my thoughts in line and focused on Him.

After a season of training, even I, the worst of the spaghetti-heads, can train my wires to all flow simultaneously to the Father, and in that way find rest, worship and quiet.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (Isaiah 26:3) [emphasis mine]

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) [emphasis mine]

I am finding daytime less and less conducive to uninterrupted alone time, so I await His call to come away with Him at night (my husband is very supportive and has his own time alone as well). It is either right after the children go to sleep, or in the wee hours of the morning (whatsoever He desires).

I walk down the hallway and hear the children all breathing, the soft moonlight shining on the floor, and continue to make my way to the closet. The silence is often deafening--like a ring in my ears I am not accustomed to. I read and my mind becomes adjusted to the absence of input. I begin to settle. As my mind wanders, I grab it back and read a little more--then the quiet comes softly and sweetly once again.

Psalm 62:8 reads, "Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us."

King David wrote these words (above) while suffering through the betrayal of his son Absalom. As the children age there are more opportunities to feel helpless as I watch them stumble, and at times, falter in their young adult lives--and then there is the training of the ones still at home who need my full attention. I am afraid life moves on so swiftly at times that I become accustomed to handling things without pouring my heart out before God, and then listening to His guidance. Even David, the man after God's own heart, knew from whence his help came. What release there is in getting alone and sharing with the One who was acquainted with our grief and sorrows! (Isaiah 53)

This hymn expresses it so very well:

I Must Tell Jesus

I must tell Jesus all of my trials;

I cannot bear these burdens alone;

In my distress He kindly will help me;

He ever loves and cares for His own.

Chorus:

I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!

I cannot bear my burdens alone;

I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!

Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.

I must tell Jesus all of my troubles;

He is a kind, compassionate Friend;

If I but ask Him, He will deliver,

And in my griefs with me He will blend.

Tempted and tried I need a great Savior,

One who can help my burdens to bear;

I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus;

He all my cares and sorrows will share,

O how the world to evil allures me!

O how my heart is tempted to sin!

I must tell Jesus; He will enable

Over the world the vic'try to win.

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. (Psalm 27:14)

I don't always get goosebumps. I definitely don't hear angels sing. I just arrive broken--"The LORD [is] nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." (Psalm 34:18)

As I live a surrendered life I may not find out until the next day just what my prayers were for--perhaps the patience I will need in a tumultuous moment, or the sensitivity and insight I will need to answer a probing question, or the wisdom I will need to follow 'my plan', which is now only 'His plan'.

Just as an interesting aside suggestion, a good place to start up a conversation with God might be with Mother Theresa's Humility List (found at Let My Soul Flower in the Night) with my Dearest One. (HT to Kim at Starry Sky Ranch).

Do not despise the day of small beginnings...

Pictures sometimes lie to us. If you looked at the photos in my last post you may have gotten the wrong impression of me and of my family.

At this moment in my life we live quite spaciously--in a 6-bedroom, 4-bath, three level home. But things could change at any moment, and they have been very different in our past.

In 1997 we lived in a rented house (owned by my parents) that was just 935 total square feet. There was no garage, no storage shed, just three small bedrooms, with a "dining room", kitchen, living room and one small bathroom. There were 11 of us at the time. It was small, but we were filled with gratefulness. My husband's boss, who was of the "name-it-claim-it" ilk told us we were living like those in a concentration camp--stacked like a cord of wood in a shed.

We homeschooled back then, too. Our dining room space was exactly 8' x 11'--and it had one dinning table, two large bookshelves, a small desk and above, on the wall, a huge blackboard. Adjacent to the table was a console sewing machine on which I must have sewn 20 or more jumpers for myself and my girls, among other things.

But our memories of that old house are fond ones--some of our best memories, in fact.

Then the Lord gave my husband a better job, and his new boss had a "house anointing" and prayed that we would be able to purchase our first home. Soon we found ourselves the proud owners of a 1,500 Sq. Ft. 4-bedroom, 2-3/4 bath home with a family room and sun porch--we felt as though we had moved into a spacious castle!

As we continued to blossom and bloom we were rewarded with three more wonderful children. We slept 6 in one bedroom, 4 in another, our eldest son bunked in the open den, while the baby stayed in our bedroom with us. Four years later, the Lord directed our steps into our current home, which is 3,553 square feet (including a finished, garden-level basement).

We watched this house as it was being built. There we stood, holding hands in a circle, next to the newly laid foundation--giving thanks as we dedicated our new home and neighborhood in prayer.

But the true foundations of our home were laid long, long ago, when we first knelt together in my mother's basement and dedicated our relationship to the Lord Jesus.

It is dangerous to compare ourselves to others. It makes us discontented, and can keep us from hearing God when we most need His guidance!

Others can inspire us and give us a glimpse of the many miracles God can work in the lives of ordinary, even challenged, families, but that 'glimpse' should never be held up as our "gold standard". We should realize that each family is a unique expression, and while what we do works for us, it only works because it is born out of obedience to the leading of God's Holy Spirit.

Another thing to remember is that I, and others like me, don't share everything that is going on to the whole world in cyber-space. While things may be peachy in one area, there may be challenges in another; there is no perfect life on earth, no perfect family, no perfect Christians. That is what makes walking with Jesus as our Savior and Lord so wonderful--as we rest in Him, He completes the work as the Author and Finisher of our faith!

So, while I may have a dedicated school-room today, and all sorts of other provisions, that is not what gives me true meaning and joy. Knowing daily that I am in God's will for my life, walking with imperfect and even stumbling steps,--this is what gives me joy. Having lots of children is His great blessing, but it has also been part of His stripping and pruning process as well, which, will continue until I slip off this mortal coil and find my ultimate rest in His presence at long last!

A homeschool helper or two and other summer photos...

I have been collecting photos and just felt the need to share...

This is a picture of the wall of our "official" homeschool room in the basement. My dear son bought this bulletin/wipe-off board from Sam's and couldn't decide which side to mount on the wall, and being the practical, innovating homeschooler he is, he decided to get creative and...

...mount it on hinges so that both sides could be used! I inherited this one when he moved out, and it really comes in handy.  The posters are from the dollar store--my children enjoy looking at them.

This is not really an innovation, just a picture of our "official" homeschooling table, along with the file cabinets, maps, etc. On the cabinet you may see a clock--the type businesses put on the door when they are temporarily closed for lunch. This clock is great for teaching children how to tell time. The table was given to us and we recently refinished its top. The chairs are the cheap ones from Sam's Club. The rocker is for those times when I need to nurse and hold the baby, which is often.  Of course at times our homeschooling table becomes the dining room table, but it is also very nice to have a special, dedicated place. 

This is also a great help--a big brother to carry little sisters when they get tired on long walks--every    homeschool should have a couple of these young gentlemen!

The children are working here at our "unofficial" school table in the dining room, drawing from a picture I am displaying on a monitor hooked up to my laptop. I love the concentration of little Ellie.

Technology and life meet.

My littlest one sleeping peacefully in the lap of her older sister--precious!

I really love toads!

"Oggie the Froggie" made a real splash around here, too!

Audrey the snake stayed outside on the porch, thank-you-very-much!

I just loved this picture, the old chair with the pretty doll clothes.

God as The Artist--my favorite!

A day in the life of the Hayes' family homeschool...

A few good questions

I would like to address some questions asked of me via email concerning the training of boys, inspecting, nurturing vs. patrolling, etc.

It's an epidemic! We have the same issue w/ the near-same aged boys...I'd personally love to hear how you overcame feeling betrayed and deceived to deal with it in godliness...I'd love to hear how you taught the lessons you mentioned.... 

I detest inspecting. I need to do it. What is realistic? Am I really asking too much for their ages? When do I get to praise and be the nuturer instead of patrolman? Next week is appts and cleaning projects...and I want to make it a joy instead of a burden...

First of all, I do not take the foolishness of my children personally--I suppose this is because of the wonderful memory I have of my own childhood. Actually, my parents' feelings were not a part of my thinking at all--I just wanted my own way, regardless. I bucked against people and things that got into my way--I didn't discriminate. This is why I don't waste time feeling "betrayed" by my children--they are just being thoughtless of others in general, not specifically.

As far as dealing with things "in godliness"--I think sometimes we put God in a box and expect that we need to softly lilt our voices when we chide our children--I personally do not feel guilty about being sternly concerned, even at times stamping my foot a bit--just being honest here. Boys, especially, need firm lines drawn--if they are cantankerous, they need a mom who is tough, but, more importantly, they need a mom that is absolutely backed by a dad who will kick their rumps if they do not comply--and when these elements exist and discipline is consistent, boys will begin to settle down. It is essential, that Dad and Mom present a united front (children love to divide their parents). Children (especially boys) will feel more secure and less depressed when boundaries and expectations for behavior are in place and enforced. A young man who has not had someone help him to overcome his own tendencies to idleness can become a dark, depressed young man indeed! Boys tend to thrive on responsibility and hard work--don't let them distract you with false guilt. I stand firm and get Dad involved whenever necessary, and I am blessed with a dear man that won't "spare for their crying"--this grows up the very best young men.

As for inspecting, if I don't inspect, I am not being a diligent mother. If I expect them to do chores without any feedback, I am like the worst supervisor that ever lived--and the end result will be like a satellite whose orbit is degrading--eventually there will be atmospheric disintegration and a devastating crash!

Of course kids will push back--it is in our sinful natures to make things easy for ourselves.

I was raised by well-meaning women who chose to be unsubmitted to male authority. Then when my mother married an army sergeant, I was not too thrilled. But I found myself craving the sorts of boundaries he set--inwardly I had been asking for someone to teach me how to say "no" to myself. I don't believe I ever expressed things audibly, yet I was so happy because I knew he was serious when he spoke, and that no amount of manipulation on my part would change his mind.

We women can operate too much in the realm of "sympathy", which can be a masked attempt to gratify ourselves. It takes a Proverbs 31 woman, God's woman, to be willing to risk hurting someone's feelings in the short-term in order to gain lasting character in the long-run.

As to high expectations--I tend to under-estimate just what my children are truly capable of.

Take kitchen clean-up, for an example. If I am not on top of things, this one function in our day can take over a half of an hour, and that with six people helping! This is ridiculous by anyone's standards, but whenever I confront the children, they all claim it would be impossible to do better, until I bring accountability...

...I refer to the inspection sheet and the time requirement allotted for each task--then, once again, things start hopping in the kitchen, and the former slip-shod effort which took almost one hour suddenly transforms into a kitchen as clean as an operating room in less than half the time!

Of course we don't want to put burdens on little ones before they are ready, and anyone will agree that to expect our children to carry our load so that we can sit at the computer or watch TV or read novel after novel is utterly unacceptable--any woman who acts like this should not consider herself a fit mother. But our children need structure, personal involvement and teamwork skills. They need us to give them the necessary tasks that challenge them, and for us to be involved, working along-side them to guide or at the very least to keep a close, keen eye on what they are doing. Many times this is much more arduous than actually doing the work itself--and many women cop out in this way, too, feeling that training children to cook, clean and keep house and home is just too much work--it's easier just to take things in hand and get them done yourself!

By not allowing our children to participate in daily routines we rob them of the tools they will soon need to more accurately understand and accept their personal responsibility as young adults in society at large.

Submission to authority should be part of every child's upbringing. Either they will learn it at home, or learn it the hard way--when they are on their own--ultimately everyone submits to someone, and everyone, whether they believe it or not, will, in the end submit to God. A woman who is under her husband should also command the respect of her male children, and that means that she should sanction them each time they are stepping beyond prescribe limits. They are expected to be clean and dressed properly each day--I personally have a little personal hygiene checklist for my boys--they, initially, will need to be hounded into keeping up their grooming practices, (it is something they just don't obviously think about unless you make it a point with them), and eventually, they will be glad you did.

Dad's instinctively understand these things about their boys, but we women can often make the horrible mistake that we need to "shield" them from their fathers--for shame! If we will not give our boys reasons to feel sorry for themselves, they might actually get the message and grow up with great respect and admiration, even thankfulness, for the loving strictness of their fathers.

If the boys of this generation need anything, it is the strong and consistent discipline of their fathers. We have a nation of wimps because women keep trying to run things like women would--some fuzzy, "feely" sort of way. This is a terrific way to run a nursery, a horrible way to run a family, a city or especially a nation.


I loved watching John Wayne in the "The High and the Mighty". In this movie he is a very experienced co-pilot with a lot of flying hours and when the pilot of the plane becomes emotionally irrational in a time of great stress--at the very moment he needs to keep a cool head on his shoulders. John Wayne reaches over and smacks the pilot with his large, heavy hand on either cheek and then says, in his manly drawl, "Get ahold a' yerself"! The pilot promptly thanks Wayne and then proceeds to "suck it up" and get control of himself, which results in a safe landing for all concerned.

Sometimes I need just that sort of slap to get myself back on track, and God is so gracious to do just that to me when I need it. Our children, too, are inwardly begging us to do this for them daily--we must have the intestinal fortitude and strength to take up our godly responsibility and do what's necessary.

The scripture says if we correct our sons, we will have rest--then we can honestly appreciate them and spend time enjoying them--we can not have one without the other.

Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.  Proverbs 29:17