Sufficiency of Scripture

I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry.
He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear
And will trust in the LORD.

How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust,
And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who)lapse into falsehood.
Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done,
And Your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count.

Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired;
My ears You have opened;
Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.
Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
I delight to do Your will, O my God;
Your Law is within my heart.”

Psalm 40:1-8

Say Anything

Say Anything Family Edition
Price: Varies depending on where you purchase. Say Anything is available on Amazon.com, Target, Borders and Barnes and Noble.
Suggested Ages- 8+
Players- 3-8, or more when working in teams



Say Anything is a light-hearted game about what you and your friends think. It will get people talking, laughing and having fun in minutes. Enjoy it with three to eight family members or as an hilarious party game with adults. So dig deep into your heart or just come up with something witty - this is your chance to Say Anything!

I have been so thankful to get the opportunity to review this game. Say Anything Family Edition is a great game to play with your entire family or with friends. We took this game to Youth Group and the teens all had a great time playing it. It really is a fun game.

One aspect I love about this game is that it is easy to learn how to play. The box says that you can learn how to play this game in about 2 minutes and then play through a game in about 30 minutes. Another thing I love about this game is that you don't have to KNOW answers to play and win...it really is a matter of what YOU think. So, for example, the Question "What would make long car rides more fun?" Could have answers such as "Driving 200 MPH", "A Flying Car", A Stretch Limo with a Hot Tub", etc...(From the back of the box) The answers are often very funny as you never know what answers you will see.


So, how do you play?

Pick a color...you will have color coordinated answer board and meeples discs.
Figure out playing order...you can spin on the SELECT-O-MATIC 6000 to select the first player to judge and then go around the circle.
Ask a Question from one of the cards- Such as, "If I could turn any hobby into my job, what would it be?", "If I could choose any name for myself other than my own, what would it be?", or "Which superhero outfit looks the most uncomfortable?" Everyone except the "judge" writes an answer on their answer board.
The "judge" secretly turns the pointer on the SELECT-O-MATIC 6000 to the color of the answer they like best.
The other players place their meeples tokens on the answer they think the "judge" selected. You can put them on your answer, another person's answer or split them between two answers.
The judge reveals the winning answer and points are awarded based on who had tokens there and who got the winning answer.
The next player gets to be the "judge" and play continues...easy breazy, huh?

We all LOVED playing this game and I think it would make a GREAT FAMILY CHRISTMAS GIFT...My children LOVED playing this game, but it was a little tough for DD...you really need to be able to read and write to play. It is fun to have the little white boards to write your answers on. I loved how quick it was to learn and play. I loved that we did not see any questions that were inappropriate for our family members at their varied age ranges. You never know, your answer could win!

See what my crew mates had to say about Say Anything Family Edition here

Disclaimer: I received this item for the purpose of writing a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation. All the opinions expressed are my own.

Ok...

Everything is going to be ok….


Isn’t it funny how God uses all things together in life? In BSF, we just studied the passage of Scripture (Acts 12) where believers are praying fervently for Peter because he was in prison and then he knocked at the door…Oh, that COULDN’T be Peter….he is in prison… (see Acts 12:15)

So, Wednesday night, I was praying for things that were burdening me…big things I have no control over…scary things that look impossible…I was telling God, I just need to know everything is going to be ok. So I left my burdens at the throne of grace and went on with life.

Thursday morning, I got a call that ended one of the THE MOST difficult trials I have walked through…it is done…and I went on with life. About 2 hours later, I realized…Wow, I think that was the answer to my prayer…EVERYTHING is going to be ok…all those things that were burdening my heart….ok…how do I know that for sure? I don’t…but I feel it. Peter is at the door…but he couldn’t be…I did it too…I didn’t see with eyes of faith the answer to my prayer that God was giving.

So, later that day, I got another call…my dad was not doing well…you better come and see him…and sure enough, he passed away at 3 am this morning…and I am thankful that I have my answer to prayer…EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OK….so, while I don’t KNOW with my head…I KNOW with my spirit…all those things on my heart….God is going to make them ok.

Faith is not blind because we follow without reason…faith is blind because we cannot see what is around the next corner and we need to TRUST that God IS IN CONTROL…I know I am not…and I am so very thankful that HE IS…it gives me the HOPE to continue pressing on…in hard things…with great joy

Blessings,
C~

Sufficiency of Scripture

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

Romans 2:4

Wits & Wagers Family

Northstar Games- Wits & Wagers Family

Wits & Wagers Family simplifies the rules and scoring system of the popular Wits & Wagers. Now families and kids can get into the Wits & Wagers action! First, every player writes down a guess to a fun question. Then players try to score points by choosing which guess is closest to the right answer without going over. That is it!
The game features 300 new family-friendly questions. And even better than that, Wits & Wagers Family includes Meeples-- fun, cute, human shaped wooden pieces that the players use to select which answers they think are correct. Meeples have been a hallmark in European style strategy games for years, but this is the first time they have made an appearance in a party game.
So check out Wits & Wagers Family, the game that combines laughter and learning in a way that all ages can enjoy together!

Games with Personality doesn't even begin to describe this game...we have had SO MUCH FUN with Wits & Wagers Family Edition. Not knowing much about the game, we just opened up the box and started playing. I appreciated that the rules of the game were so simple, that all of us were able to begin playing right away...not so with some other games.

Another thing I LOVE about this game is that all of us can have fun playing it...from 5 up to, cough, ahem* 29...we all had a GREAT TIME playing. I appreciate that the questions are appropriate for all ages too. There are only 5 answer boards/meeples sets, so that could be an issue in larger groups, but then, maybe breaking into teams would work better in that instance.

So, you ask a question and everyone playing writes down their best guess. So, if the question is "How many doors are there in the White House?" Everyone takes their best guess...hmm...I will guess....127...so I write that number on the little dry erase answer board and they are lined up. Next, everyone gets to put their "meeples" on the answer they think is the right one...you get two Meeples...a bigger one, and a little one...they have point values based on the size. You can place these wherever you like...together or separate. The answer to the question is 412...so the answer that is closest without going over wins. Points are then tabulated based on who had the closest guess, and what meeples are on it...OBVIOUSLY (as you can tell by my guess of 127) you do not need to KNOW the correct answer...and while the box said it was for ages 8 and up, we found DD (5) was able to play as well. The winner of the game is the first to reach 15 points...and games play out in about 20-30 minutes, which is a nice time range for littler ones.

I found, that the price of the game varied widely based on where you got it from...Target. Borders and Barnes & Noble are among the retailers who sell it...it can be found online as well.

Called the Most Award Winning Party Game in History, I can see why...Wits & Wagers Family Edition is a game that is fun for the whole family!

See what my Crew mates had to say about this game here

Disclaimer: I received this item for the purpose of writing a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation. All the opinions expressed are my own.

Educating the Wholehearted Child

Educating the Wholehearted Child by Clay Clarkson with Sally Clarkson, Third Edition
Published by Apologia Wholeheart, an imprint of Apologia Press
$22.00
Table of Contents
Sample Chapter

I LOVE BOOKS! I have found that sometimes a book comes along a time before you need it and afterwards, you feel like it prepared you for what was to come. Sometimes a book comes along right when you are in the thick of something and helps or encourages you while you are going through that. Every once in a while, you find a book that you wish you would have had way back when…10, 15, 20 years ago. Educating the Wholehearted Child is one of those books for me. Written in an easy to read format, this book is JAM PACKED with so many wonderful nuggets of truth, blessing and encouragement. I do warn you though…it may take a LONG while to actually digest this book. 334 pages of the text with resources behind that, this is not a book to knock through in a few days.

Broken down into the sections of Home, Learning, Methods, Living, The Challenge and Resources, chapter titles include:
The Christian Home -- Learning to be at Home with Christ
Home Nurture--Shepherding your Child’s Spirit to Long for God
Home Discipleship-- Shaping your Child’s Heart to Live for God
The WholeHearted Learning Model-- Living and Learning Together at Home
The WholeHearted Learning Child--Understanding your Child
Discipleship Studies Methods-- The Study of the Bible
Family--Keeping the Vision Alive
Structure--Keeping the Family Together
The Challenge--Keeping Faith in the Family
I told you this book was power packed. Many of you may have already read this book…it was written in 1994, but the copy I received to review is an extensively revised and EXPANDED edition…so you might want to consider getting the new copy and reading it again.

I just want you all to know up front…I LOVE THIS BOOK! It really spoke to my heart and encouraged me to keep on with what we have been convinced is right for our family. One quote I love from Educating the Wholehearted Child, “ Rather than being the discovery of something new, we saw homeschooling as the recovery of something old--the recovery of the biblical home as God had designed it to be His primary institution for spreading His righteousness from one generation to the next.” Another great quote talking about the process of searching the Scriptures to find your reason for homeschooling and life afterwards, “ At this point, it is no longer an opinion, but an issue of conviction, obedience, and faith. Good arguments alone will not carry you very far as a home educator. When you’re up to your eyeballs with children, housework, home business, activities, responsibilities, bills, broken appliances, car problems, and you-don’t-know-the-troubles-I’ve-seen circumstances, those nicely reasoned arguments will ring pretty hollow. When you’re pushed to the limits, only a tested and seasoned faith will take you beyond.” Can I get a HUGE AMEN…talk about hitting me where I am RIGHT NOW…Page after page after page of great writing to bless and encourage and instruct homeschooling families.

“Whether you are a first-time homeschooler or a long-term veteran, this comprehensive guide will equip and empower you for your journey of faith as a family.”
I think this book will be a valuable resource to home educators in many various stages on the journey, but I think this will be an especially wonderful book for the new home educating family, those who don’t know what to do, where to go, etc. I think this book will help them lay a very strong foundation grounded in God’s Word, rather than various educational theories, the plethora of curriculum available, what this or that family does or uses. I think this is a very important book that will help you see the vision for home education.

See What my crew mates thought of Educating the Wholehearted Child Here

Disclaimer: I received this item for the purpose of writing a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation. All the opinions expressed are my own.

Sufficiency of Scripture

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James 1:2-8

Professor in a Box- Principles of Marketing

Professor in a Box: Principles of Marketing
Cost: $119. 99, free shipping

Principles of Marketing, by Julie Pirsch, Ph.D, Assistant Professor, Villanova School of Business, is a challenging college level introductory Marketing course similar in content to the first marketing course taken by all students in university and college schools of business across the country. Principles of Marketing is also known as Basic Marketing, Introduction to Marketing, Fundamentals of Marketing, Marketing, or Marketing Principles. Any high school level student with basic reading and math skills can handle this course.
This course was created as an elective for high school students interested in pursuing a career in business and for students interested in taking the CLEP Principles of Marketing Exam. On a more formal level, this course provides students with a description and evaluation of the ways in which goods and services are developed to meet customer and consumer needs, and how they are distributed for domestic and international consumption.

There are 28 lessons in this course with suggestions for making this a year, semester or summer school long course.

The Professor in a Box: Principles of Marketing course is designed to allow students to learn in four simple steps:
Watch the lecture- these are 20-30 minutes in length
Complete the homework problems
Check the solutions
Take the exams

While these are the four basic steps, there are also some online resources that enrich what was taught in the lecture and allow the student to see for themselves the way companies market to their end consumer.
We had a little trouble between the disk and our computers and it took us a while to find a computer that would run the lectures. I am not sure what the problem was, being that I am about as techy as a marshmallow, but our computers would not recognize the disk for some reason, which probably means I am going to have to get an external disk drive to complete the course.

What I love about Principles of Marketing:
There are slides that follow the lecture, making taking notes/keeping up much easier than being distracted by looking at a person. Julie Pirsch, Ph.D has a very pleasing voice and speaks at a speed which is comfortable for note taking.
I love that the online resources uses companies that appeal to high school/college students. I think this makes the course more tangible for the student.
I like that the homework problems allow for the student to go back and correct wrong answers. I think this increases learning for the student.
The entire course comes on one disk...no boring textbook to muddle through with lists of statistics no one cares about- huge PLUS for my student!

Professor in a Box: Principles of Marketing states that it is a college course for high school students. After viewing the lessons, I would say that I think it is more appropriate for Juniors or Seniors, depending on the interest your student has with the subject.

The website states that it is for students interested in business or owning a business, but I think this would be a great course for all students. I think this is information that could be useful in many areas of life.

Please see what my fellow crew mates said about this item here



Disclaimer: I received this item for the purpose of writing a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation. All the opinions expressed are my own.

Scruble Cube

Scruble Cube
ages: 8+
for 1-4 players

Comes with:
1 Scruble Cube
Sand Timer
Scorepad
Instructions

Downloadable Lesson Plans

"What on earth is THAT THING?" was the FREQUENT question I received for this product. The best way for my to describe it was to say, "Well, it is like a cross between Scrabble and a Rubik's Cube." Then, that person would pick it up and try to make a word somewhere. I found that when I put the Scruble Cube on a table before a group, that people could not HELP but try it out- it holds sort of an irresistable draw for people.

I personally have MASTERED one and two letter words! (hee hee!) But, as you may know, those do not count...so back to the drawing board for me!

WHAT I LOVE:
I love that this is a TOY and a GAME with an educational twist that you can fiddle with alone or play in a fierce competition.
I love that people have to touch it/try to create a word with it- they just LOVE to handle it!
I LOVE that the letters swivel around and that the words do not have to be played on only one face of the cube (so a word can be created on two or more sides of the cube) I felt like that gave it a dynamic that made the player think more and use greater strategic and problem solving skills.
I love that this combines word skills with math skills in a fun way.


The Scruble Cube is a patent pending game that has 96 squares with over 7.4 x 1045 (that’s 7,401 septillion) possible configurations that anyone who can spell can play. And all in a portable format that can be played anywhere- anytime.

The Scruble Cube addresses these skills while your children just think they are playing, giving a power punched dose of TRUE EDUCATION!

Academic Skills
Mathematics Trial & Error
Spelling
Vowel Awareness
Word Building with Rimes
Math Facts
Research Skills
Mechanical Skills
Vocabulary Development

Life Skills
Team Work
Sportsmanship/Competition
Problem Solving Skills
Listening Skills
Oral Communications
Strategic Thinking
Higher Level Thinking

AWARDS:

I love the Scruble Cube...I hope you try it out...I think it would make a GREAT gift!

See what my crew mates think of the Scruble Cube here

Blessings,
C~

Disclaimer: I received this item for the purpose of writing a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation. All the opinions expressed are my own.

Sufficiency of Scripture

Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters;
And you who have no money come, buy and eat.
Come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without cost.
“Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And delight yourself in abundance.
“Incline your ear and come to Me.
Listen, that you may live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
According to the faithful mercies shown to David.

Isaiah 55:1-3

Sufficiency of Scripture

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.
John 14:23