Hen and Chicks

* Messiah - i know that my redeemer liveth *

As a result of DS2's study of the History of Classical Music, two weeks ago we were fortunate to attend a performance of George Frederic Handel's Messiah.  It was the first time the children had been to a live performance, and what a performance it was.  They all thoroughly enjoyed it, especially DS2, and we have since purchased our own copy.

If you aren't familiar with Messiah, and I wasn't before we saw the performance, it tells the story of the life of Christ:  the prophecies before his birth, his birth, life, death, resurrection and the revelation of his kingdom.  The lyrics are simply scripture set to music and sung with powerful effect by a soprano, alto, tenor and baritone or bass with the support of a chorus. 

So, for your consideration - the lyrics of

Handel’s Messiah

 

Part One:

• Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.   Isaiah 40:1
• Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned . . .   Isaiah 40:2
• The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.   Isaiah 40:3
• Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill . . . made low . . . the crooked . . . straight, and the rough places plain.   Isaiah 40:4
• And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.   Isaiah 40:5
• . . . Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once . . . a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, . . . the sea, and the dry land;   Haggai 2:6
• . . . And the desire of all nations shall come . . .   Haggai 2:7
• . . . The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.   Malachi 3:1
• But who may abide the day of his coming?  And who shall stand when he appeareth?  For he is like a refiner’s fire . . .   Malachi 3:2
• . . . and He shall purify the sons of Levi, . . . that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.   Malachi 3:3
• . . . Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel, “God-with-us.”   Isaiah  7:14
• O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!   Isaiah 40:9
• Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.   Isaiah 60:1
• For behold . . . darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.   Isaiah  60:2
• And the gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.   Isaiah 60:3
• The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.   Isaiah 9:2
• For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Almighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.   Isaiah 9:6
• . . . There were . . . shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.   Luke 2:8
• And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.   Luke 2:9
• And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.   Luke 2:10
• For unto us is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.   Luke 2:11
• And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying . . .
• Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, good will toward men.   Luke 2:13,14
• Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is the righteous Saviour . . .  Zechariah 9:9
• . . . and he shall speak peace unto the heathen . . .  Zechariah 9:10
• Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf . . . unstopped.   Isaiah 35:5
• Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing . . .  Isaiah 35:6
• He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: and he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and . . . gently lead those that are with young.   Isaiah 40:11
• Come unto him, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and he will give you rest.   Matthew 11:28
• Take his yoke upon you, and learn of him, for he is meek and lowly of heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.   Matthew 11:29
• . . . His yoke is easy, and his burden is light.   Matthew 11:30

Part Two:

• Behold, the lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world!  John 1:29
• He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief . . .  Isaiah 53:3
• He gave his back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: He hid not his face from shame and spitting.   Isaiah 50:6
• Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows . . . Isaiah 53:4
• . . . He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him;    Isaiah 53:4,5
• And with his stripes we are healed.   Isaiah 53:5
• All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.   Isaiah 53:6
• All they that see him laugh him to scorn: they shoot out their lips, and shake their heads, saying:  He trusted in God that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, if he delight in him.   Psalm 22:7,8
• Thy rebuke hath broken his heart; he is full of heaviness: he looked for some to have pity on him, but there was no man; neither found he any to comfort him.   Psalm 69:20
• . . . Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto his sorrow . . .   Lamentations 1:12
• . . . He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of thy people was he stricken.    Isaiah 53:8
• But thou didst not leave his soul in Hell; nor didst thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption.   Psalm 41:10
• Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
• Who is this King of glory?  The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.   
• Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 
• Who is this King of glory?  The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.   Psalm 24:7,8,9,10
• . . . Unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee?   Hebrews 1:5
• . . . Let all the angels of God worship him.   Hebrews 1:6
• Thou art gone up on high, thou hast led captivity captive: and received gifts for men; yea, even for thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them.   Psalm 68:18
• The Lord gave the word: great was the company of the preachers.    Psalm 68:11
• . . . How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!    Romans 10:15
• . . . Their sound is gone out unto all lands, and their words unto the ends of the world.   Romans 10:18
• Why do the nations so furiously rage together . . . why do the people imagine a vain thing?   
• The kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take counsel, together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed . . . Psalm 2:1,2
• Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us.
• He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn: the Lord shall have them in derision.    Psalm 2:3,4
• Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.   Psalm 2:9
• Hallelujah, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.    Revelation 19:6
• . . . The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.   Revelation 11:15
• . . . King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.   Revelation 19:16

Part Three:

• . . . I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
• And though . . . worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.    Job 19:25,26
• For now is Christ risen from the dead . . . the first fruits of them that sleep.   1 Corinthians 15:20
• . . . Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 
• For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.   1 Corinthians 15:21,22
• Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.   1 Corinthians 15:51

* faith is the victory *

Written in 1891 by Baptist minister John Yates of New York, this is one of the few hymns he wrote and a most famous one at that.   (Click on the hymn title and you'll be taken to CyberHymnal and hear the tune for this great hymn.)

I've heard and sung this hymn many times but hadn't heard it or thought about it for years - but as I was reading the last pages of Uncle Tom's Cabin and witnessing on the written page the death of Tom, the release of his soul from this torment, and the peace and glory that he knew was waiting for him - this immediately came to mind.  He truly was able to overcome the world and all of its' troubles by his faith in the LORD.  It was a perfect picture of Matthew 10:28  "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul;"

Faith is the Victory

Encamped along the hills of light,
Ye Christian soldiers, rise.
And press the battle ere the night
Shall veil the glowing skies.
Against the foe in vales below
Let all our strength be hurled.
Faith is the victory, we know,
That overcomes the world.

Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory, that overcomes the world.

His banner over us is love,
Our sword the Word of God.
We tread the road the saints above
With shouts of triumph trod.
By faith, they like a whirlwind’s breath,
Swept on o’er every field.
The faith by which they conquered death
Is still our shining shield.

Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory, that overcomes the world.

On every hand the foe we find
Drawn up in dread array.
Let tents of ease be left behind,
And onward to the fray.
Salvation’s helmet on each head,
With truth all girt about,
The earth shall tremble ’neath our tread,
And echo with our shout.

Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory, that overcomes the world.

To him that overcomes the foe,
White raiment shall be giv’n.
Before the angels he shall know
His name confessed in Heav’n.
Then onward from the hill of light,
Our hearts with love aflame,
We’ll vanquish all the hosts of night,
In Jesus’ conqu’ring Name.

Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory, that overcomes the world.

"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."    1 John 5:4

* a heart abounding with thankfulness *

As I mentioned before, DS2 is starting a new History Guide on US and World History.  I am in the process of pre-reading the assigned literature not only to be aware of what he is reading and be ready with help if needed, but also because I have never read any of these books before - my own school career, like that of many, was marked with dry as sawdust textbooks where great times and people and events were watered down and condensed into a short paragraph or a page that had no life or spark to it, and where my only hope was that it would end soon so that I could go and do something - ANYTHING - else.   

So, at 40 I am reading Uncle Tom's Cabin for the first time in my life and it is nothing at all like I ever heard or thought it was.  I'm only half-way through so will save any comments until the last page is read, but today I read the book which it is said Mrs. Stowe based Uncle Tom on - The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave Now an Inhabitant of Canada, as Narrated by Himself.  Published in 1849 it is a small but powerful read.  (You can read it on-line : http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/henson49/henson49.html)  I was particularly touched by this passage - it brought me to tears after reading the trials and tests that Josiah had gone through and I was able to share in his praising of a most amazing LORD because of the trials and tests in my own life.    Scripture is timeless, as are the uplifting hymns from ages past - and it is overwhelming that hearts in the 1st century, 16th century, the 19th century, and the 21st century can all join with the Psalmist in saying "Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name!"

I hope you enjoy this and are interested enough to read Josiah Henson's whole story for yourself:

**It so happened that one of my Maryland friends arrived in this neighborhood, and hearing of my being here, inquired if I ever preached now, and spread the reputation I had acquired elsewhere, for my gifts in the pulpit. I had said nothing myself, and had not intended to say any thing, of my having ever officiated in that way. I went to meeting with others, when I had an opportunity, and enjoyed the quiet of the Sabbath when there was no assembly. I would not refuse to labor in this field, however, when desired to do so; and I hope it is no violation of modesty to state the fact that I was frequently called upon, not by blacks alone, but by all classes in my vicinity, the comparatively educated, as well as the lamentably ignorant, to speak to them on their duty, responsibility, and immortality, on their obligations to their Maker, their Saviour, and themselves.

        It may, nay, I am aware it must, seem strange to many that a man so ignorant as myself, unable to read, and having heard so little as I had of religion, natural or revealed, should be able to preach acceptably to persons who had enjoyed greater advantages than myself. I can explain it, only by reference to our Saviour's comparison of the kingdom of heaven to a plant which may spring from a seed no bigger than a mustard-seed, and may yet reach such a size, that the birds of the air may take shelter therein. Religion is not so much knowledge, as wisdom;--and observation upon what passes without, and reflection upon what passes within a man's heart, will give him a larger growth in grace than is imagined by the devoted adherents of creeds, or the confident followers of Christ, who call him Lord, Lord, but do not the things which he says.

        Mr. Hibbard was good enough to give my eldest boy, Tom, two quarters' schooling, to which the schoolmaster added more of his own kindness, so that my boy learned to read fluently and well. It was a great advantage, not only to him, but to me; for I used to get him to read much to me in the Bible, especially on Sunday mornings when I was going to preach; and I could easily commit to memory a few verses, or a chapter, from hearing him read it over. One beautiful summer-Sabbath I rose early, and called him to come and read to me. "Where shall I read, father?" "Anywhere, my son," I answered, for I knew not how to direct him. He opened upon Psalm ciii. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name;" and as he read this beautiful outpouring of gratitude which I now first heard, my heart melted within me. I recalled, with all the rapidity of which thought is capable, the whole current of my life; and as I remembered the dangers and afflictions from which the Lord had delivered me, and compared my present condition with what it had been, not only my heart but my eyes overflowed, and I could neither check nor conceal the emotion which overpowered me. The words "Bless the Lord, O my soul," with which the Psalm begins and ends, were all I needed, or could use, to express the fulness of my thankful heart. **

Amen, Brother Henson.  Amen.

* field trip to the rocks *

We travelled to Oregon recently to go visiting and while there we took a chance to see some neat local sites.  One that we found by a very happy accident was the Crater Rock Museum in Central Point.  Now this isn't just a little room with some interesting rocks -- this has some World-Class exhibits in glasswork, incredible and incredibly large seashells and corals, an amazing variety of pertrified wood, as well as a truly dazzling array of rocks and gems.

DS3 was TOTALLY thrilled with this place and what made it even more interesting was that they didn't just have labels with the name of the rocks, but the chemical composition of the rocks.  VERY cool.

So here is a very small sampling of some of the things we enjoyed and learned:

   Here's a link to an interactive Periodic Table of Elements - Just click on the chemical abbreviation and you can see the name and information about it including who discovered it and when, its history, its properties, AND a picture of its atomic structure. 

* new season, new books, new ideas *

We've just kind of been going along with schoolwork for this year, with the ever-present nagging thought that we aren't quite getting enough done.  Does ANY homeschooler ever feel like they are doing enough?  So there have been those thoughts running through my head, along with the knowledge that I really don't spend enough time with each of the children - individually helping and supporting them in their schoolwork.

Thank the LORD for friends!  It is always wonderful to talk to someone else, see what someone else is doing, or just watch for a while.  The things you pick up may surprise you.

To detour here for a minute - I found this same situation to be true for cooking recently.  I had the opportunity to visit with an uncle and aunt and my father and step-mother a few weeks ago.  It is so interesting to watch someone else cook, isn't it?  Well, my aunt and I got to talking about dumplings, I shared how I've made them but hadn't had success with them lately.  So she gave me her recipe which is her mother's never-fail-the children-love-them.  She even called me after Thanksgiving to see if I had made them with my turkey leftovers.  ;-)  Watching my step-mother cook was even more informative.  She didn't do anything fancy, it was just a few little ways she did things.  Like how her corn - in the frozen bag, just like I get - tasted JUST like corn on the cob!  What did she do?  She added plenty of butter as well as some salt and pepper.  See?  Not fancy but I had never thought of adding anything but butter.   Then one night she cooked her meat in a certain way - seared it on both sides, added some broth, and covered the skillet to finish cooking.  Then she made a gravy from the juices in the pan.   Simple but really good.  So this past week, it was approaching dinner and there was a chuck roast in the refrigerator.   I really didn't have time for it to sit in the oven slowly roasting and then I remembered -- why not cook it in the pan?  So I seared the meat, added plenty of onions and garlic and covered it.  I even cut up a head of cabbage and added that on top, too.  It was like a roast in a skillet.  Then when it was done I made a gravy from the juices to go on our potatoes.   So - we're at the dinner table - dinner is almost over - and DH said "That was good.  You can make that again."  WOW!  I don't want to say that he's a picky eater, but it isn't often that I hear those words.  Visiting has its' rewards!

Okay - so my detour was more than a minute.   Anyway -- Last week while visiting with a homeschooling friend, we of course were talking about children, schoolwork, curriculum, things that are good, things that need to change, and how can we do more.  Just the usual.  ;-)  She made a little comment how she had been thinking of doing this one thing with her youngest - He's a good reader and really needs more to do but she doesn't necessarily have the extra time, so she had thought about giving him a study to do for himself, without big brothers.  The best part is that it was something she already had - had bought years ago and it was just sitting, waiting for the proper time.   Well, when she said this the little gears in my head started working overtime!!  It just clicked with some non-connected thoughts I had been having for a few weeks now:

• I need to do more with each child
• I'm only one Mom
• DS3 would like to really get into Scouting
• DS2 isn't reading enough and has too much free time
• DD is NOT where her brothers were at her age
• I haven't spent the time with DD that I spent with her brothers, but I really need to

All of these thoughts gelled into the one thought that, while it is important for us to do things together, it is just as important that they each have their own interests and studies apart from brothers & sister.  So, that very night, I sat down and had a talk with each of them separately.    Here's the deal:

• DS2 has chosen a Beautiful Feet History Guide (link to Beautiful Feet is in my right-hand column under "Homeschool Stuff") which will give him plenty of reading material as well as the opportunity to be on his own, study-wise, with support from me as needed.
• I have committed to assisting DS3 with his Lone Scouting and checking regularly with him to see what he currently needs as far as help and guidance are concerned.
• DD and I will be working in the Prairie Primer (A unit study based upon the Little House on the Prairie books) together, which she is very excited about -- AND we are starting the Keepers At Home handbook, which she is even MORE excited about.  (see the Keepers of the Faith link under "Homeschool Stuff. ")

Now I have three pleased and focused children and the lure of new books and new adventures in learning.  And all of this heading into December - usually a no-man's-land of deserted school books and empty spaces on our school-year calendar.

Oh - we went to the library yesterday to get the needed books for Prairie Primer, and as I was going over the list, searching the shelves, gathering books, and watching my pile grow higher and higher there was just a little joy in my heart.   Then I remembered why I love homeschooling so much and that I am a Unit-Study Mom at heart!!