Sorry, BJU's policies are still a little too recent for me and hit a little too close to home. I read BJU's "apology" back in 2000 when they first decided to change it and it wasn't really apologetic. Just some nonsense about how they only instituted the policy to fight the "one-world spirit of antichrist" in the world today. Now listen, this may all be academic to some of you, but I am half Asian and half white. The guy in charge at the time also in his "apology" said the ban wasn't originally instituted for a black/white couple but for an Asian/white couple. Ummm, yeah that gives me warm fuzzies inside. I don't know if it is possible to find it online anymore, but their official "apology" back in the day was no apology at all. It was nothing but excuses and reasons why they had their policy. I'm all for forgiving people. And in point of fact I forgive them, but I choose not to buy from them because I don't see an apology given in that context as being sincere. It's like saying sorry after one gets caught just to avoid punishment. Regardless, I don't want their materials in my house in case there is some kind of bias. My children are all part Asian. I never, ever want them to feel like they are part of the spirit of Antichrist in the world today....because it's just not true. For the record, I also don't buy science textbooks from secular publishers to avoid worldview problems. I don't buy Bible curriculum from R&S because they are Mennonites and we are not. There are all sorts of curriculum decisions I make based on worldview all the time and I think that is probably true of everybody here. Why is it offensive to others that I would want to protect my children from a potentially racist worldview? I began researching homeschooling curriculum before my dd was even born and when I made my decision to not use BJU for these reasons they had not lifted their ban yet. So in that respect, I did not make my decision based on past sins but on present circumstances.

We are also conservative, evangelical Christians who will not use BJU because of their past policies on interracial dating. I believe they allow it now with parental permission. They changed the policy only after getting all kinds of media attention in an election year. I would like to know who exactly a person of mixed race is supposed to date on their campus... BJU is even the subject of an old Steve Taylor .

I don't know about sweeteners, but I have a great bread making book called "The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book" that has a list of breads that are "good keepers". They say that potato breads, breads with overnight rises, breads made of cooked cereals and breads made with honey and fat are all good keepers.

Wow, I never knew that. Thanks for posting that! I used to feed my kiddos part of my baked potatoes in restaurants when they were under two and not really big enough for their own meal. Of course, my youngest now is too picky to eat such things (he only likes breastmilk and Gerber sweet potato puffs), but still good info.

I think there is more information about this at Singapore Math's own forums. At least there was a few weeks back when they first announced it.

This link claims that neither cooking nor pasteurization destroys all botulism spores. Botulism in infants is rare, but does happen. I have a friend who told me she had a relative whose baby got botulism from being fed honey.

Calico Beans. There are lots of different recipes floating around for this one. My latest issue of Cook's Country has a great version I made this week called "Block Party Beans". Just replace the canned beans in the recipe with cooked dry beans. It's kinda like a cross between baked beans and sloppy joes. My dh ate it this week spread into a whole wheat tortilla and rolled up like a burrito.

Yup, I second the baking soda recommendation. I got an old Pampered chef stone from my mother-in-law long long ago, and not knowing what I was doing, I washed it with strong smelling dish soap and all my cookies tasted of perfume. I made a thick baking soda paste and let it soak into the stone. Worked like a charm. I just made pizza on that stone tonight.

Jellytelly done by Phil Vischer of VeggieTales fame.

I like talking about religion and politics, but that's why I don't get invited to any tea parties.

I could be wrong, but was "factory farming" even an issue in 1918 with that flu pandemic? That strain also originated with animals as I understand it and it was proven more deadly than this one has thus far.

My dh always tells me to beware of anyone trying to sell you something when offering you "information". He thinks it's viral marketing.

Oh my gosh, I got the same letter today! Postmarked Santa Ana, CA, no return address. There was a newspaper clipping inside with some nonsense about seeds and a yellow sticky post-it saying, "Michelle, you have got to see this!" Signed "J" in blue ink. Very weird. I do have relatives in CA, but none of them with the first initial of "J" and I doubt any of them would send me newspaper clippings. Edited to add: I have never bought or sold anything on this messageboard. All the used curriculum I have bought over the years have been from Ebay or used book sites like Alibris or through Amazon.

:iagree: Stoneware is fantastic for baking. I don't know what I ever did without my Pampered Chef unglazed stoneware. I just made the most perfectly puffy dinner rolls last night in my PC deep dish baker. Yum! I just recently purchased my very first cast iron skillet. I love it too. My mother-in-law tells me cast iron makes the best cornbread.

April Cornell

My dh once missed a day's work because he had been battling an ear infection and finally went to the Dr. to get an antibiotic. When he returned to work, his supervisor asked him why he called in sick. My dh told him he went to the Dr. for an antibiotic. His boss said, "If you're well enough to go to the Dr., you were well enough to come to work!" I am sooo glad he doesn't work there anymore.

The other thing that bothers me about the whole church=disease situation is that last year my family DID come down with a flu. We were totally out of commission for over a month total since my children ended up with secondary infections after the flu itself was over. (Bronchitis, ear infections) We actually got an e-mail from our old pastor (he heard we hadn't been going to church for a few weeks) exhorting us to come to church. And by "exhorting", I mean he insinuated we were well enough to go, or we should go separately leaving the children who were still sick with the other parent. Ummm...taking care of flu-ish kids is a bit of a disaster. I was thankful for any help my dh could give me when he wasn't at work. It seems kinda legalistic to me to require folks to come to church when either they or their children are sick. We actually got more grief for missing church from that pastor than my dh did from his employer for missing work. :glare:

My dh and I don't understand why people go to church sick. We seem to get sick everytime we go to church. One of us will pick it up, and then it will cycle through each member of our 6 person family. One cold can put us out of commission for up to two weeks. Our latest is I picked up something at church on Palm Sunday. My dh and youngest son caught it 1 week later. Last Wednesday my 3 year old caught it. My 5 year old got it Thursday. My 9 year old began getting sick yesterday. Nasty cold. (At least we hope it's just a cold.) Fever. Sore throat. Stopped up head. Coughs. Chills. My dd9 and ds5 were throwing up. My dh and I are STILL coughing. My ds5 has a severe ear infection and is now on antibiotics. We're out $153 for my Dr's visit and strep test (negative thankfully), and another to be determined amount for my ds5. Not to mention extra Kleenex, OTC meds, and takeout meals brought home by dh while I was down for the count. All because we went to church on Palm Sunday and somebody decided to come sick. I know it was church because I hadn't been anywhere else in the several days prior to going to church. My dh said he's ready to give up on trying to find a church (we're in the midst of a church hunt atm)....he's half kidding....

I just bought my first set of Base 10 blocks and have no idea how to use them. Any links or guidance? We use Singapore and Miquon Math if that makes a difference. I do not have the TM for Singapore 1A/1B. Would that have spelled-out activites/suggestions? (I don't think I have posted this question already. I had it all typed out a few days back and then got a phone call and had to leave my computer, so I am fairly certain I deleted it. :tongue_smilie:)

My dd9 has informed me she would like a different magazine subscription. She has had a Highlights subscription for years now, but she thinks it is "little kid-ish" and she would like something different. She loves science type topics. Any suggestions?

A Wrinkle in Time A Wind in the Door A Swiftly Tilting Planet Many Waters edit: I see someone beat me to it : )

Homeschool Tracker I would suggest paying for the Plus version. I tried to just get by with the free version of their software for a while, and while useful, HST+ absolutely revolutionized our homeschool. Our family works better when we are organized.

I understand this. I was just pointing out that some folks (usually trying to put down "lesser" Christians in denominations who adhere to a creed) will claim, in superior fashion, "Well, we have no creed but Christ." This is somewhat dishonest, because as you said, even in some non-denominational churches the members believe something about what the Bible says or who Christ is and they are in agreement on those things. This is a "creed" whether they decide to write it down and call it one or not. If a person walked in and wanted to join their church and begin a Bible study, but then asserted their belief that Jesus was really an alien from the planet Jupiter who wanted to gather a people to take with him there someday, that person would not be allowed to lead a Bible study and would get several folks praying for them and witnessing to them right quick. So they have a creed, they just haven't formalized it, so they shouldn't look down their noses on those of us who choose to catechise our children. I am no longer involved in non-denominational churches because of some bad experiences I've had (though I certainly don't claim my experience is true of all non-denoms). I was involved with one that had folks involved in the Word-Faith movement, but not all, which created division. I was involved with a second that had Pentecostals and Calvinists under one roof. That was a humdinger of an experience, let me tell you. All of that said, those churches were filled with loving Christian people. My dh and I were blessed to be involved with them. But if the disagreements become too wide, and the rhetoric from the pulpit gets too harsh towards those who disagree on the issues not pertaining to salvation, it can become quite unbearable for those who find themselves on the wrong side of the church leadership. We are actually in church limbo at the moment because we moved a few years ago and our denomination doesn't have any churches near us. We have been searching. There are a few non-denominationals in our area that we have visited. Truly, finding a church is just hard sometimes. By the way, I want to clarify and state I am not putting down those who choose not to catechise or write down their creeds. I'm just pointing out you have one whether it's formal or not. As you said, even an atheist has a creed.

Chicken Marsala (from a sweet lady my dh used to work with) 1/8 tsp pepper 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 c. flour 4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) 1 Tblspn. olive oil 1/2 c. Marsala wine 1/2 c. chicken stock 1/2 lemon 1/2 c. sliced mushrooms 1 Tblspn fresh parsley, chopped Mix together salt, pepper and flour. Coat chicken with seasoned flour. In a heavy bottomed skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Brown chicken on both sides. Remove chicken and set aside. To the hot skillet, add wine and deglaze. Add lemon juice, stock and mushrooms. Stir to toss, reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes until partially reduced. Return browned chicken to pan. Spoon sauce over chicken. Cover and cook for 5 - 10 minutes longer or until chicken is done. Serve sauce over chicken. Garnish with chopped parsley. My notes: We leave out the mushrooms because my dh is allergic. This is fantastic! Really good with creamy mashed potatoes....I need to pick up some Marsala wine soon.

I had a professor once who commented on the phenomenon of some Christians claiming to have "no creed but Christ". He said everyone has a creed. Even if you are dealing with someone who claims to hold to only the Bible, they believe something about what the Bible says. Once you move from the Bible to interpretation, you have a creed. When Jesus asked Peter, "Who do you say that I am?", Peter confessed a creed. Every church has a creed, even if it is not written down. I guess in many non-denominational churches one could have many different creeds milling about in a large group though since there is no body of creeds one would have to affirm to join the group (I know there are exceptions to this.). This would give the congregants some freedom in forming their own individual "creeds". The non-denominational churches I have been a part of over the years would sometimes have a real variety of opinions under one roof which can make for some interesting (or abhorent) church politics.