We'll, I won't see how it actually works until fall. ;) But yes, she will put the materials back in the box and return it to it's place unless there is a quiz or test. She self-corrects daily work while I proctor and grade quizzes and tests (contained in CLE Math/Language). For science, literature and history boxes, I will have a six-week checklist/course contract that is similar to the one used in "Home-Designed High School." Other subjects will simply have an index card with directions or even a sticky note on the book. She will take out the entire box, read any directions, do the task, and then return all materials to their original placed. Here are the boxes I have: 1 - History Reading (course contract with check-off boxes) 2 - Memory (small 3-ring binder with sections for Science Vocab, Bible Truths and Poetry) 3 - Devotional Reading (index card with M/W and T/TH directions) 4 - CLE Math (no directions needed - done daily) 5 - Music or Poetry (course contract with M/W and T/TH directions) 6 - Rotating Subjects - Art History, Science Biographies, Logic, Nature Study (directions to choose from one of the options each day: Art in Ancient Egypt, Fallacy Detective, The World of Chemistry, Eyewitness Life) 7 - Science (course contract with M/W and T/TH directions) 8 - SURPRISE ME! - a variety of fun and goofy things, different each day 9 - Language Arts - (index card with M/W and T/TH directions) 10 - Diana Waring's Ancient Civilizations and the Bible (course contract with check-off boxes) 11 - Literature (course contract with check-off boxes) 12 - SURPRISE ME! - something different each day: dance dvd, cooking project, game, noteworthy news item, craft kit, some type of treat, phy-ed ball skills, etc My dd is 12 and has worked pretty independently for a year or so. She is excited about the SURPRISE ME! boxes and her "office." Very grown up, don't you think? :D

KingM, may I suggest that you are a little rusty on your New Testament textual knowledge? You may want to go back and reread it, allowing the author to say what the author says. ;)

Blueberries are readily available, cheaper, and are also packed with anti-oxidants. If you buy local, seasonally available berries, you'll save a ton of money while doing your body good!

as the Lord enables, we plan to go all the way through high school. My dd is going into 7th grade, and most of our friends have already put their kids in school. In jr high, the homeschool kids's classes start really thinning out.

CLE!!!!!! CLE = much more complete, logically laid out, better variety, comprehensive review, excellent written instruction, daily lessons. McGuffey's = blech. ;)

Why don't you just keep your bedroom door locked?

Eliana, I don't understand the terms you are using, and I am super busy organizing our HS right now. Can we pick this discussion up later? The reason I asked the original question was to see whether your would agree that the covenants meant for Jews only are instructive rather than prescriptive FOR Gentiles. By "Abrahamic," I am referring to where God called Abram out of Ur, promised to make him a great nation, and promised him the Land. As a Gentile, I see this as instructive but not prescriptive for me, since this was specifically between God and Abram/Abram's seed. Because of the wording of this covenant ("everlasting" and "forever"), I also lean somewhat toward Jewish Zionism. Now, that is another topic that I am curious to get your thougts on. I wish I had more time, but alas and alack, I am in the thick of "spring" cleaning and organizing for fall. :tongue_smilie: I'd much rather talk theology, but duty calls. I hope to get to "know" you better, soon, though! I hope you don't mind if we pick this discussion up next week.

Shhhh! Don't tell anyone I told you this, but you can make the workbox system work for you by filling for the week, month, or term! I have directions and a checklist for the month right in the box. Sticky notes with a quick instruction would work too. I only have 2 "Surprise Me!" boxes that I can change up every day with different fun things that I have laying around the house. Also, you could use 6, 8, or even 10 boxes. If you like the idea, sometimes you have to "think OUTSIDE the box." :D

I got the white 3-tiered design and 12 (small 4") bins. I went with the apple green bins and they look so cheery with the crisp white frame! Oops, I am digressing. I also got an extra green bin and one double size white bin in case I need it for some box in the future. The double bin fits nicely ON TOP of the unit too - I have it on top of the single "cube" of the frame, and it is storing my teacher's manuals and manilla envelopes filled with ideas to rotate into the workboxes for fun. I think it is a good idea to get a couple extra boxes in different sizes - they can always be used as book baskets and whatnot. I love that all my books and workbooks lay flat!!! There is plenty of room in the 4" bins for a jr higher, and I even think that they would hold most activities for a younger child. They are larger than they look. The frame fits under my desk (perpendicular, or L-shaped to the desk), so only the top tier really sticks out. I love that I lost no work or floor space. If you look at the measurements at the IKEA site, it really helps to choose something that will work. As an aside, it is a good idea to add your your IKEA bins and frames to the "Shopping List" and then print it out and bring it, :auto: because the white frame I wanted wasn't in the showroom at all. You almost need to know what you want before you get there, as there were several confused moms looking at "Trofast" while I was there.:confused::tongue_smilie: I got this all set up and filled yesterday, an although it was a lot of work, organization always SAVES time in the end! THe element of surprise is a great feature to this system, and I am gathering all kinds of fun things that have been laying around my house to rotate in to surprise her! Since my daughter is older, I will set up most of the boxes for six weeks at a time, keeping a couple boxes as "wild cards" to surprise and rotate. It will also be fun for her to occasionally open her math box to find a "Free Pass - No Math Today!" card. Just sitting her, I brainstormed a few thoughts for more boxes: a "Joke for the Day" "Noteworthy News" and "On this Day in History." I am so obsessed and am having so much fun! :D Just a few random thoughts.

I took the plunge! Today I went to IKEA and got the Trofast frame and 12 bins. My dd is 12, so I have to make sure nothing seems juvenille. At this point, I am planning on setting up the boxes for 4 weeks at a time, with some type of "Mission" or directions in each box. I have one box that I will rotate different things through on different days, but all in all, I will be able to fill most of the boxes for 4-6 weeks! I will not have her empty the bins, but will have her do the task, and return the box to the frame with the materials inside. I think I will have 2 mini-envelopes on each box: maybe 1 red and 1 green. When she is done with a task/bin, she can return it to the frame and move the marker from the red envelope over to the green. THat way, we can both see where she is at a glance, and I don't have to refill boxes every day. Somehow, I want to incorporage a rock n' roll theme as I make the place markers and envelopes. I don't have all the details figured out yet, but hey, I will get there! Also, rather than calling it "workboxes," I will call it her "office." Just sounds more grown up. I am numbering my boxes right now! I am so excited about this idea - my dd is adhd, and I think this will be great for her. My husband informed me this morning that I am obessessed with workboxes. :hurray:

I'd say, just read the Scriptures. ; ) I was converted to the "dark side" by studying the book of Ephesians. Also, try not to make it such a pet issue that it sidetracks you or divides you from other believers. I have gotten so carried away with pet issues in the past that it takes up time that should be spend communing with the Lord and studying His Word - so I throw that thought out. I love the God-centered preaching of John Piper, as well as books by RC Sproul, such as Chosen by God. Blessings as you study to glorify our great and awesome God!!!!

Thanks for sharing that, Eliana. Would you take the position that the Abrahamic covenant and the dietary laws are applicable for Gentiles as well as Jews? Just curious, and I don't ask this to argue in any way. :)

Really? I don't recall any skeptical posts implying that pagan worship, for example, is antiquated or illogical. I freely admit that I haven't read every thread, but is it possible that you are a little biased against Christian thought? I'm a skeptic myself, and I've wrestled all the same objections, obviously coming to a different conclusion. ;)

Thanks for answering, Joanne. You seem like such a paradox and I just had to ask!

I'm sorry you feel that relaying my experiences and first-hand observations is insensitive. Would it be better if I lied or revised what I have seen and heard? I never said that I condoned this attitude, nor would I. It is merely what I see and hear on a weekly basis as a frequent beach/pool goer. It seems that you are choosing to be offended and taking exception to me for your own reasons, which are known only to you.

Absolutely not, but when I am at the beach and pool, I hear the giggles and comments and it happens without fail. The young men make especially derogatory comments and it IS shallow and rude. I give all the credit to those who are comfortable enough with themselves to get out there and have fun, and not be bothered by shallow people. If your experience is different, I am glad! There is hope for humanity. Maybe it is a regional thing, also.

I used to be well into the obese category, and it just carries with it a shock value on the beach. Just like if someone is super skinny, super tall, super short, or whatever. It may not be nice, or kind, but it is reality. People, and especially men (sorry guys!) are, as a whole anyway, shallow, as you well know. I hope I am wrong about this, but I don't think so.

I don't think anyone is saying that marriage is a piece of paper. Marriage is a covenant agreement between two parties, and the piece of paper merely records what the agreement is. If one partner breaks faith and breaks their covenant, that is very sad, indeed. It is like stealing! Being a faithless spouse is like robbing the life, dreams, and joy from another person when we should be laying our lives down and loving, encouraging, and strengthening our partner. However, how did you become convinced that a poor quality relationship releases us, as Christians, from our covenant vows? Relationships can go through ages and stages, after all.

Joanne, I've noticed that you seem to speak rather negatively about Christians, and traditional Christianity while self-identifying as a Christian. How do you reconcile this, or is my impression off-base? Do you believe the Bible is the standard for faith and morals for a Christian, or do you go by personal revelations or some other standard? I promise I'm not asking this to attack or entrap, but just wondering. If you don't feel comfortable answering, no problemo! It is a one of those burning questions a TWTMer just has to ask. :lurk5:

And do you apply this same discernment when someone says "My pagan beliefs are so and so and such and such?" Or is it just Christians and the Bible?

Does that count for ice cream? Oh boy, could I use some justification right about now!:D

I don't know whose attention you are talking about. I am not paying attention to what you are wearing at the beach. Now, if you have nice deltoids or sculpted calves, I may notice you and come up and give you a compliment, regardless of what suit you are wearing. I may ask you for your workout routine! I think that if you have a hot body, whether in a one piece, a tankini, or a bikini men are going to take notice. Covering the belly in a tankini is not going to thwart lustful eyes, and to believe that seems a little naive to me. An obese person in any swimsuit will cause many to avert their eyes.:eek: Maybe all the hard bodies should stay home or wear sweat suits so as not to call attention to themselves. Alternately, we could all go on an ice cream diet for the summer and gain 30 pounds of unsightly fat so as not to incite lust in those prying eyes. :drool::lol: Just trying to lighten it up a little, but the ice cream DOES sound fantastic!

Heh, heh! I don't see an effective difference in modesty between a bikini and a tankini/one-piece. One covers the belly and the other doesn't, but both show lots of skin, percentage-wise. Perhaps it is a perception thing?

Sorry, I meant an effective difference in modesty. The legs, arms, chest and back are showing in both a tankini and a bikini, which is a majority of the body, percentage-wise. Why is the belly the standard of modesty? I mean most men like legs, or name-your-body-part. I've never heard of a "belly man," but maybe they exist, I don't know! It just seems like covering the belly is an odd and arbitrary litmus test for modesty, when so many other 'yummy' parts are revealed in a one-piece and in a tankini. Interesting thread; I did not realize that so many had such an issue with the belly in particular. I need to get out more, apparently.:D

Thanks for answering. Hmmm. I don't "get" legalism, but am trying. I have a hard time wrapping my brain around the logic. Oh well, I guess it keeps the church committees busy, anyway! :lol: