Hey!  I just stopped by Crosswalk.com and...lo and behold...they re-posted one of my articles!  http://www.crosswalk.com/homeschool/1273983/ That was a nice surprise.  (I need to up-date my info with them!  )

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Ohio homeschool law is up for review!!  PLEASE read the notice below and PLEASE go to the website given!!!  This is SO IMPORTANT!!!  We face the possibility of losing the law we have enjoyed since 1989!!!   KW<><

July 17, 2008

Ohio--Urgent--Your Help is Needed to Stop
Revisions of the Homeschool Regulations!

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends,

If Ohio homeschoolers do not act, they may face stricter homeschool
regulations.  

For the first time in nearly 20 years, the Ohio Department of
Education (ODE) has initiated a formal review process of the home
education rules in the Ohio Administrative Code Section 3301-34.  It
is imperative that every Ohio resident who is concerned about
homeschooling freedom register his or her opinion regarding proposed
changes.  The comment period is now open and will last only until
August 8.

Ohio law dictates that the ODE review regulations every 5 years to
determine what changes, if any, should be made.  O.A.C. 3301-34 was
enacted in 1989, and until now, the ODE has not found any revisions to
be necessary during the 5-year review.  Even though the regulations
have worked very well for the past 19 years, the ODE has decided that
this time, changes are warranted.

The most important message Ohio residents can convey to the ODE is
that the regulations do not need to change.  If enough people support
the current regulations, we may be able to stop the revision process
before it begins.

ACTION NEEDED

1. Go to http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=5316 and register your
comments about the ODE's intent to change O.A.C. 3301-34.  The
deadline to comment is August 8.

2. Forward this message to others.  Anyone who is a "stakeholder" may
register comments.  This means that if you homeschool in Ohio, have
previously homeschooled in Ohio, are considering homeschooling in
Ohio, or have a family member or friend who is homeschooling in Ohio,
you may comment to the ODE.  

3. It is important to comment in your own words--please do not simply
copy and paste someone else's message.  If your message is not
original, it is possible that it will not be counted as an individual
response.

Ohio homeschool leaders are also closely monitoring this situation.  
For more information on the review process, please visit
http://ohiohsalert.org/ .

Sincerely,

Michael P. Donnelly, Esq.
HSLDA Staff Attorney

Favorable Development in the California Homeschooling Case

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends:

Thank you for your continued prayers for the California homeschooling case, In re Rachel L. Last night, Mr. L’s attorney in the juvenile court reported to Home School Legal Defense Association that the juvenile court judge terminated jurisdiction over the two youngest L children in a hearing held on July 10, 2008. Mr. L is represented by Gary Kreep, who is the director of the California-based United States Justice Foundation, which has long been a close ally of HSLDA and homeschoolers in California.

Two years ago, the children’s court-appointed lawyers had asked that the two children be ordered to attend a school outside the home. That request became the basis for the court’s February ruling that homeschooling is illegal in California. The appellate court later vacated its own decision and set the case for rehearing. Oral argument on the rehearing was held on June 23, 2008 and a decision could be handed down at any time.

Mr. L’s appellate attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund will be making the appellate court aware of this new development immediately. They will move to dismiss the petition pending in the court of appeal on the ground that the petition is now moot. In other words, the children are no longer under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. Therefore, any decision by the appellate court based on the two-year-old petition could not be enforced against the L children.

“This is a significant favorable development toward preserving homeschooling freedom in California,” said Mike Farris, Chairman and Founder of HSLDA.

Keep praying!

Sincerely,

J. Michael Smith
HSLDA President

I received this in an e-mail and I thought it was pretty cool.  You may enjoy it and even want to use it for your homeschool.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

The Washington Monument. This is impressive!!
This is pretty cool and an interesting history lesson.

One detail that is never mentioned is that in Washington , D.C. there can never be a building of greater height than the Washington Monument . With all the uproar about removing the ten commandments, etc., this is worth a moment or two of your time.   On the aluminum cap, atop the Washington Monument in Washington , D.C. , are displayed two words: Laus Deo. No one can see these words. In fact, most visitors to the monument are totally unaware they are even there and for that matter, probably couldn't care less.     Once you know Laus Deo's history, you will want to share this with everyone you know. These words have been there for many years; they are 555 feet, 5.125 inches high, perched atop the monument, facing skyward to the Father of our nation, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia, capital of the United States of America.   Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, unnoticed words. Out of sight and, one might think, out of mind, but very meaningfully placed at the highest point over what is the most powerful city in the most successful nation in the world.   So, what do those two words, in Latin, composed of just four syllables and only seven letters, possibly mean? Very simply, they say "Praise be to God!" Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848, when James Polk was President of the United States, it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It took twenty-five years to finally cap the memorial with a tribute to the Father of our nation, Laus Deo. "Praise be to God!" From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure, visitors may take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into four major segments. From that vantage point, one can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant; a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape, with the White House to the north, the Jefferson Memorial to the south, the Capitol to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west.   A cross you ask? Why a cross? What about ‘separation of church and state’? Yes, a cross; separation of church and state was not, is not, in the Constitution. So, read on…How interesting and, no doubt, intended to carry a profound meaning for those who bother to notice. Praise be to God! Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50 landings. As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the memorial stones share a message: On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore; on the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese Christians; on the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York and Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6. Praise be to God! When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4th, 1848, deposited within it were many items including the Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society. Praise be to God! Such was the discipline, the moral direction, and the spiritual mood given by the founder and first President of our unique democracy "One Nation, Under God."   I am awed by Washington 's prayer for America. Have you ever read it? Well, now is your unique opportunity, so read on! "Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."   Laus Deo!   When one stops to observe the inscriptions found in public places all over our nation's capitol, he or she will easily find the signature of God, as it is unmistakably inscribed everywhere you look. You may forget the width and height of "Laus Deo", its location, or the architects but no one who reads this will be able to forget its meaning, or these words: "Unless the Lord builds the house its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (Psalm 127: 1)   It is hoped you will send this to every child you know; to every sister, brother, father, mother or friend. They will not find offense, because you have given them a lesson in history that they probably never learned in school. With that, be not ashamed, or afraid.

See the dangerous things that happen when a country signs the "UN Treaty on the Rights of the Child"?  England and Canada have been prime examples of the out-landishness that putting the government in control of "all things children" will do - both to society and, most importantly, to the family. 

I don't understand why the simple option of personal preference isn't taken into consideration here.  So now, in England, are we to assume that children can't prefer one candy over another, one flavor over another, Italian food instead of Chinese?  I suppose so.  

So, just in case you didn't know, the things that make your children unique and wonderful also - according to the 'state' - make them racists. 

Will they then start putting pets to sleep because they prefer certain people over others?  Have you ever seen a dog raised in the home white people that barked at people of other ethnicities walking down the street?  Is that dog racist or does it simply enjoy its own family and the safety of its own home?  Once when we went to Holmes County and were about to take an Amish buggy ride, the gentleman driving our buggy had the only white buggy horse used by an Amish family.  He said that when they go "to meeting" on Sundays that he had to tie up his buggy "out of biting distance" because the other bay colored (dark brown body w/black mane, forelock & tail) horses didn't like him and would bite him!  Were those horses racists?

What these government "experts" don't want to understand is that everyone, even an animal, has a personal preference.  Our taste buds enjoy different things.  God made us unique!  Uniqueness is something utterly lost when the government gets involved...you MUST like every type of food!...you MUST go to a school confined to one building...only with children of the same age...only taught by government fed teachers who only teach what they were taught...the WAY they were taught to teach it!  Whew! 

Freedom is far less exhausting!

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

We spent the weekend working on furniture projects. So very frustrating when we spent high dollar on a certain primer and sanded diligently, then it still didn't adhere!  Such is life. Now we're in the spraying process, and then waxing afterwards. ITs working!

Son2 is home from summer visitation with his natural dad so we're thrilled to have everyone home!

Today's chores are laundry, completing the furniture we began, moving it to the spaces chosen and reorganizing what goes in them!

Be blessed! God has promised us a life we can only imagine if we follow HIm! The covenant with Abraham is true for us today!

Sweetie

  The last few weeks God has so allowed me to see a first hand view of what we do to ourselves in our need and desire to try to be God in our own lives.  One family that we were privileged to be around were really cute folks, darling child, and on the outside seemed so together and full of potential.  However when we got past their outside what we found were lives filled with tortures of their own making from debts to dependency....and the beliefs that their problems were not answerable by anything, not even God.

   The second scenario we lived and learned from involved watching a broken family.  The Dad had turned away from God a long time ago....he had systematically lost everything that mattered to him as God allowed him to have his own way on every topic in his life.  Slowly over 12 years he has reduced himself to being alone, without his children, without a good career, and now without friends for the most part.  His devotion to control has cost him almost everything he could have had.

   A third scenario involves a very bright young family.  They have successfully achieved the 300K home, good works in their local church, health and love in their home, but abundance eludes them.  They cannot see tithing in money form though they give of them selves regularly.  They have thought that better to invest in their future and give of their services......and its funny how in that decision, somehow their finances always don't work out. They see saw on making it solidly despite hundreds of thousands of dollars of business a year.....bread money on some days of the month just doesn't exist.

     As we have prayed and listened to each of the people in the above stories. God has so shown me humility.  I know that the root cause of all the issues they are facing I too face.  The issues are such no brainers when you see it in others. They trust the problem more than they trust God is a God.  They trust their control is better than submission to God in their lives.  They trust sickness and overwhelming issues are more powerful than the way of Jesus and the promises of God to Abraham's and his descendents that if we obey and worship God He will provide for us on all levels.  Pretty easy to see when the stage isnt your own life isn't it?

     God has so been present in our involvement with each of the families and many others on our walks.  He has lead us to a place of absolute sifting this summer.  We are being shown so many areas of our lives that He expects us to give up or to change how we handle.  We are glad, for each step, which are always hard for me personally....within days I have been released from fear, from worry, from overthinking the issues to death.  I simply look for and wait for peace before I move forward.  As a toddler in this, I know that there will be disobedient days and God will once again set me straight.  I had one of those moments yesterday as I was called to stand firm against someone attacking my family verbally and potentially in other ways.  When after 18 years I stood up to him, he immediately stepped back.  Amazing.  That is God.  For this person has had serious issues and standing up to him usually means a huge emotional scene.

    Why is it we cannot trust God in all things. Why does our humanness always involve taming our wills and surrendering our plans to Jesus...you'd think after the facts of the Bible...it would be an easy course, but ole self sure holds out until the end some moments of our lives.

  God is good.  The more time I am purposefully finding to refresh my mind in Him, the better my life becomes.  God help me to always run to and trust Him.

Sweetie

Here's a real treat for all of us amateur star-gazers!  Homeschool blogger, "Jay from Cleveland", has a neat presentation up on his OTHER blog, http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/classicalastronomy/555979, of the July sky in animation.  Be sure to click on the link above, watch the presentation and THEN go out tonight and see how many you can find!

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

First of all...let me say THANK YOU to Balinda (http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bcakstehomeschool), Carol, Kelly and Spunky (http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/spunkyhomeschool and friends) for coming to help me cover the booth for THE OLD SCHOOLHOUSE at the CHEO (Christian Home Educators of Ohio) convention!!  Couldn't have done it w/out you!  What blessings you ladies are!!

Second...THANK YOU to my blog friends from both Homeschool and Homestead Blogger who stopped by!!  Some of you didn't tell me your blog names...but you know who you are!  lol  I got to meet my friend "McBLOG" (http://www.homeschooblogger.com/mcblog) and she is JUST as sweet as I knew she would be!  I even got to meet her dh of 10 years -- they spent their 10th at CHEO!  Now THAT'S dedication!   

Third...THANK YOU to those of you who came to my workshops.  I truly hope that you took something away from one of them that you can use.  Everything I share in my workshops has worked for our family, so if it works for us, it can work for someone else. 

Fourth...After years of blogging, e-mails and a few business related phone calls, I FINALLY got to meet the famous Jen Ig (Igarashi) (http://jeneralities.com)!!  She was at CHEO representing Rosetta Stone, so we FINALLY got to meet.  I also got to meet 3 of her kids - Coie: driver extraordinair!, Emmiko: the Maze Queen, and Bo: boy wonder.  I had so much fun meeting all of you.  We'll have to do it again sometime.

Now...if you go to Jen's blog you will see a picture of me in the midst of hysterical laughter.  Fortunately for me, you can't quite tell that black, watery mascara is streaming down my face all the way to my chin!  The reason is because, once again, my slight hearing problem got me into a situation that was funny and embassassing all at once.  After a long day at CHEO on Friday night Balinda, Jen and her family, and Spunky and her friends and I went out to eat at Wendy's.  BEFORE we even got there though, our little caravan lost Spunky at least 3 times!  How that happened I'm still not quite sure 'cause we only had about 3 turns to make between the convention hall and the Wendy's that was by our hotel.  Anywoo...once we all got there Balinda placed her order, then me, then Jen, then Spunky and crew.  As Balinda had already ordered, she moved to the left so that I could place mine.  Understand here that after a day in a noisy convention exhibition hall w/crowd noises and exhaust fans blowing my hearing was a little "worn," now the fans were blowing in the Wendy's kitchen behind the young man who was taking my order.  NOT ONLY were those fans going...BUT the young man MUMBLED everything he said!!  No joke...I'm going to see if I can come up w/SOME SORT of letter combination that will adequately give you an idea of just how this kids sounded TO ME...everything this kid said sounded like "fledda, fledda, flubba, fleedda, fledda?"  You know, there's only 'so many' times a person will listen to you say, "excuse me?  pardon me?" before they start getting irritated at you...but "FLEDDA, FLEDDA" is all I could understand this guy saying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    Poor Balinda...she had NO IDEA why I was looking at her w/a combination of "HELP ME!" and trying not to laugh!  So all I could do was answer what I thought he was saying to me...."Fledda, Fledda, Flubba, Fled?"  "Yes, I'll have a #1 w/no onions, please."  "Fledda, fledda, fled."  "Um...OK...here's a $20."

So...the whole time I was standing in line waiting on my order, all I could do was TRY NOT to laugh, 'cause I KNEW that if I started there would be NO stopping!  Once Balinda and I got seated I couldn't hold it in any longer!  I laughed an embarrassingly long, loud time!  There was no stopping it!  While I was TRYING unsuccessfully to eek out some sort of explanation for why I was laughing Jen came over to sit down...so NOW I'm trying to explain to them, through uncontrolable giggles and snorts, what the kid at the checkout sounded like to me.  THAT was not only when Balinda had to laugh herself right to the restroom (she was now laughing as hard as me!) but that was when Jen snapped her pic of me that's on her blog.  It is God's great blessing to me, as I said earlier, that you can't see the mascara running down my face!

Well...a great time was had by all.  You'll have to stop by the other blogs and get their impressions of the weekend.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><