BJU Press Blog

OBEDIENCE

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One of the most venerable aspects of the life of our Lord is His perfect obedience. It is one thing for Him never to have visibly stumbled. But when we consider His utterly chaste, perfectly God-honoring thoughts, we are completely enthralled. In the purity of His motives and His inward holiness, we see most vividly the great gulf between the Redeemer and His redeemed.

cover image of Wonderful Words

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:19). “For your obedience is come abroad unto all men” (Romans 16:19). “He remembereth the obedience of you all”
(2 Corinthians 7:15). “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God . . . bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4–5). “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). “Be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance” (2 Peter 1:13–14).

GOLDEN THOUGHT: Be sober as obedient children.

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (July 6 reading).]

Dates to Remember in July

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Even though I’m not overly fond of summer, July has always been one of my favorite months—my birthday being in July probably has something to do with it. Besides the obvious holiday in July, there are many other notable events to remember.

Portrait of Gen. Robert E. Lee, officer of the Confederate Army

July 1, 1863, began the three-day battle of Gettysburg, a desperate attempt by General Robert E. Lee to relieve the strain on his own Confederate troops by invading the North. The battle became the turning point of the Civil War, in favor of the Union. I’ve always wanted to visit Gettysburg because being there and seeing it would help make history—which is not my strongest subject—come alive for me. Visiting the park could make a great field trip. Learn more about the events leading up to Gettysburg in American Republic.

members of the Continental Congress signing the Declaration of Independence

July 8, 1776, four days after the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, was the first public reading of the Declaration. The National Archives and Records Administration displays a complete transcript of the Declaration on its website. Reenacting that day from 240 years ago by reading the document to your children would be a great way to celebrate our nation’s independence. Or you could imagine with your children what it would have been like to live through those events.

4-01-A, Night sky with the moon.

July 16 to July 20th, 1969, was the historic space journey of Apollo 11. There are many activities you can do with your children to celebrate Moon Day, but I’ve always wondered what it would be like to stand where Neil Armstrong stood and contemplate the vastness and the silence of God’s creation.

book cover of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

July 28, 1866, marks the birth of Beatrix Potter, English author and illustrator of The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Potter wrote and illustrated more than twenty children’s books. Interestingly, a previously lost Beatrix Potter book entitled The Tale of Kitty in Boots was discovered in 2013 and will be published this coming September.

Also on July 28, in 1858, William Herschel—a British magistrate in India—began using people’s fingerprints to authenticate documents. His use of fingerprints eventually opened the door for the use of fingerprints in solving crimes. For a fun hands-on experiment with fingerprints, try this activity!

On July 31, 1790, Samuel Hopkins was issued the first patent in the United States. Hopkins had developed a process for creating potash, an ingredient in fertilizer. Since Hopkins’s patent, more than 6 million patents have been issued—that probably includes several kitchen sinks!

What other event would you add to this list? Comment and let us know what else is going on in July!

NEW

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“behold, all things are become new”

This is a remarkable observation we find recorded in 2 Corinthians 5:17. I have seen it on the face of the brand new convert─surpassing joy and a euphoria born of the Spirit’s work of regeneration. The world looks different to him now, and he looks different to the world. It is good to be around newly born-again babes in Christ.

cover image of Wonderful Words

“He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God” (Psalm 40:3). “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you” (John 13:34). “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:23–24). “He [Jesus] is the mediator of the new testament” (Hebrews 9:15). “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13). “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea” (Revelation 21:1).

GOLDEN THOUGHT: Put on the new man.

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (June 29 reading).]

The Dilemma of Fantasy

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fantasy

As your children pick out books for their summer reading, you may wonder whether fantasy is an appropriate option. Consider these key questions before making up your mind about fantasy.

What is fantasy, and what is its purpose?

Simply put, fantasy is a genre of literature with fanciful or imaginative settings, characters, or plot devices. The purpose, according to C. Hugh Holman, coauthor of A Handbook to Literature, may be “for the whimsical delight of the author or reader, or it may be a means used by the author for serious comment on reality.” Fantasy as a genre is much like a car, a means of getting from one place to another, and whether it’s good or bad depends on how a person uses it.

Why have some had a negative opinion of fantasy?

Some people argue that fantasy (and even fiction in general) is just “a lie” because the events and settings and characters aren’t found in real life. However, at least twice in the Bible, fanciful fiction appears in service of truth (Judges 9:8–15; 2 Kings 14:9). Again, it’s not the genre itself but rather the use it is put to that determines its value. Some Christians reject fantasy because some stories present lurid violence, graphic sensuality, or the triumph of evil over good. However, these characteristics are unacceptable in a work of any genre, not just in fantasy. Rather than judging a novel by its genre, we should determine whether the work has a solid moral tone (i.e., whether it presents good as desirable and evil as offensive). (For a thorough look at this topic, see The GEM Approach.)

How can fantasy benefit your children?

Fantasy offers an opportunity to teach children to think biblically. The whimsical element of fantasy allows young readers to enter a new world with new experiences where good and evil are easily seen and identified. They learn there to be discerning readers and develop literary skills that are key in understanding biblical themes. Reading The Pilgrim’s Progress, for example, which presents a journey as a metaphor for the Christian life, will enrich their appreciation for the beauty and meaning in Psalm 23 since it also speaks of life as a daily walk with dangers and joys.

If you’re looking for good fantasy from a Christian worldview, consider these fanciful fiction books from JourneyForth.

Q&A: Should I homeschool year-round? 

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Year-round image

One of the great things about homeschooling is that you’ve got lots of options. One of those options being whether to follow a traditional schedule with the summers off or a year-round schedule with shorter breaks along the way. There is no right or wrong way to do it because each option has its advantages. Each family should decide what works best for them.

The debate about year-round “school” is too large to cover in a single post, but here are a few considerations that impact homeschooling specifically.

Advantages of a Year-Round Homeschool Schedule

  •  Avoiding burnout

Year-round homeschooling allows for frequent short breaks (typically a week or two long) as opposed to one long break in the summer. The advantage is that both child and parent (yes, parents can get burned out too) get refreshing downtime more often.

  • Less time to forget

Most summer breaks last about three months, and that’s a long time to remember concepts, which means that a lot of information is forgotten. Thus, a lot of review is required at the beginning of the next school-year. Homeschooling all year long minimizes these problems.

  • Normalizing schedules

By learning all the time without a large gap, homeschool becomes more of an accepted part of your family’s normal routine rather than an extra task that only has to be done part of the year.

Advantages of a Traditional School Schedule

  • Summer break

Who doesn’t like a three-month break? Spending a good deal of time indoors focused on textbooks and projects gets a lot harder when backyards, swimming pools, and beautiful summer weather are calling. Summertime is also typically accompanied by an increased number of extracurricular activities such as sports and travel, and it may be more difficult to squeeze those in around your homeschool.

  • Easier scheduling

Many homeschool curricula  and schedules are designed to fit a traditional school year. By following a traditional schedule, your child’s point of transition between grades is more clearly defined.

  • Coincides with conventional schools

By following a academic year calendar, time off will align with friends and family members who are in classroom schools with the same schedule or are planning to take vacation around a holiday.

If you’re on the fence about homeschooling year-round, I hope the information we’ve covered will be helpful in your family’s decision-making process!

What other advantages would you add to these lists?