So you want to homeschool, huh?

I have been pondering the idea of homeschooling for several months now. Why? Why not? I am a college educated mother who loves her children and lives in an area where the public schools are sub-standard and the cost of private schools is outrageous? So what's a caring mom to do? Homeschool!

Homeschooling with a Christian worldview seems to be the best hybrid of public school + Christian privateschool, but without the drama and the cost.

I have been researching various resources on the history of how public schools began (to indoctrinate kids to be loyal and not question government authority and decisions), the various homeschool curricula with its multi-facted philosophies. I must admit I am a bit lost. All of my homeschooling parents use different resources and curriculum meshed with their personal views and desires for properly educating their child.

Today I am encouraged by a guest blog I read at Raising Homemakers from Sarah Mae on the Phonics Museum offered by Veritas Press. The Phonics Museum is based on the classical method of instruction and combines teaching reading with fine arts. Veritas Press is giving away a Phonics Museum Curriculum to a Raising Homemakers reader. I really hope I win!

Actually, by exploring and deciding to homeschool, I am already a winner ~ my kids too!

Right to Life?

I am a volunteer for the Network of Politically Active Christians, a non-partisan, Christ centered, grassroots organization that seeks to inform, educate and activate citizens toward cultural and political reform. We advocate for righteousness, justice, liberty and virtue. NPAC's goals are to inform, educate and activate Christians to be involved in the political process. NPAC recently began listing newsworthy stories on its Facebook page. Today, one particular reader commented, " have a bone to pick with NPAC. When the reporter was raped by a mob...you guys had nothing to say...I'm quite disapointed. This is one of the reasons that abortion should remain legal. I expected atleast a prayer for her..Nothing.."

My response, was "I believe we did post this story. Abortion should not remain legal just because we did or did not report about a particular story. We are made in the image of God and no one should be able to destroy that. The Bible says that "before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." I have personally prayed for this reporter. You do not always now what is going on in the heart's of man whether public or private. And if you saw that a story was not listed here, then you by all means can utilize your free speech and list the information here. And I am sure a guy like Ryan Bomberger, whose mother was raped and had Ryan anyway, would strongly disagree with your stance. Ryan is one of the leading Pro-Life activits of our time. But wait, if he had been aborted just b/c his mother was raped, then the world would be missing a great person... http://www.toomanyaborted.com/?page_id=379."

So just because a woman is raped means that the precious baby in the womb does not have the right to life? Yes rape is a serious and devasting life event. The woman needs counseling and immediate medical care. Who are we to question why God chose to make this woman a mother? Do we just parcel out the parts of the Bible that fit our lifestyle and to heck with the rest? And what ever happened to the discussion of adoption as a viable option? Many woman would love to parent the baby, whether the product of rape or a physical handicap.

If you are not familiar with Ryan Bomberger and his magnificent work of informing the public of the serious problem of black genocide in America, then I urge you to check out his organization, The Radiance Foundation, and his latest campaign, "Too Many Aborted..."

Cool Quotes

“The growth of statist power in health, education, and welfare has been marked by a retreat of Christians from those sectors. This has enabled the state to enter by default into society’s key area of power, the family. Control of the family means control over all of society. The church cannot be strong where the family is weak. The decay of family and church is the decay of society.”  ~ R.J. Rushdoony

Psalm 32:8-10 ~ I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Isaiah 30:21 ~ And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Panel Wants Women in Combat Arms

After reading this article how a governement panel wants women in combat arms, I placed the link on my Facebook page. My friend and former candidate for Congress, Robert Broadus, aptly responded: "Since we're going the "forced equality" route, I say they force every female to sign up for the selective service when she turns 18, just like males. Then, let them die in equal numbers--we are not a society that protects our women & children anymore. Chivalry is certainly dead."

While is remark may be blunt, it is the truth that our society does not protect women and children anymore. Kelly at Generation Cedar, remarked on her blog that "Karl Marx laid the foundation for this - google Marx and feminism... Women were told that they were too valuable to “sit at home and ...raise children”, and that they could contribute much more to society by going out and doing “men’s jobs”. (In truth, a movement fueled by the communist agenda recognized how powerful women devoted to their families were, so aimed at what they viewed to be the biggest threat to their agenda and determined to root them out.) So, a discontentment began to bubble in the hearts of women, even if they did not leave home, and the quiet lie grew." Read more from her excerpt, This excerpt here.

I pray that Almighty God protect every member of our armed forces, male and female. I also pray that women hear and respond to the revived spiritual Great Awakening taking place in our culture that women are needed on the front lines of the homestead and not making their homes on the front lines.

Welcome to a wonderful world of hospitality - Hollyworld

I often ponder how far I come in my short 36 years of life...
Having moved 17 times and lived in 6 states (8 if you count Maryland 3 times), and 2 countries, I have seen many unique and exciting cultures, customs and cuisine. As a flight attendant for Continental Airlines, I have seen 11% of the world, according to a MySpace survey. The day before 9/11, I was in Terminal A of the Newark, NJ, airport where I saw three middle-Eastern men that gave me a creepy feeling and made me take mental snapshot. The next day United Flight 93 was fatefully highjacked from that airport. Later FBI reports proved that the highjackers had been in the Dulles Airport the day before doing a dry-run. Had I seen three of the 19 highjackers the previous day when the Holy Spirit alerted me to something very strange? One of the crewmembers of Flight 93 lived in my apartment building in Newark. Could that have been my fate or the fate of one of my roommates or family members using a free plane ticket?

After 9/11, I decided to stay "grounded" and was selected as a political appointee by Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, the first Republican governor elected in Maryland in more than 40 years. I served as the Deputy Director of Communciations for the Maryland Aviation Administration at BWI Airport. It was a nice fit blending my Bachelor's degree in Communications with my airline experince. Later I served as the Director of Public Information for the Maryland Transit Administration under both Gov. Erhlich and Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley. Having finished my Master of Science degree in Transportation at Morgan State University, with the completion of my Thesis entitled: The Impact of 9/11 on Airport Security Systems: A Case Study of BWI Airport," I felt I had a good and necessary cathartic release of my post traumatic stress of the horrible terrorists events.

All the while I planned my dream wedding, honeymooned in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and four months after the wedding we found out we were expecting. As my belly and the hormones grew, spiritually I grew in hearing from the Lord that I should stay home with my new baby on the way. This did not initially go over well with my husband Mike. But after much prayer and pastoral consulation we made the decision for me to be a SAHM. I am not going to say that everything has been easy and fun. Actually for the last three years it was quite the opposite, challenging and miserable as our household was forced to tranform our mindsets, budget and habits. But as I have opened my heart and mind to the leading of the Lord and my husband's headship, I have grown to love and appreciate the role of Homemaker.

It is here in my God-given role as a Wife and Mother, that I have found true contentment, joy and wisdom in building my house according to Proverbs 14:1. In being home, I have also opened the front door to our new home to over 200 family memebers and friends (including 30 of my "Mocha Sister" and their families for a Saturday brunch). The funny thing is, I don't have a big ol' house, but it is an adorable refurbished 1951 Cape Cod cottage situated on a lot-and-a-half. I love it! And my guests say they love my hospitality. I am just using the gift that God gave me to show the love of Christ to my fellow man.

This blog will be a compilation of all things Holly: politics, homemaking, and Judeo-Christian beliefs among others to name a few.

So welcome to this blog and my world - it's Hollyworld...

25 Random Things About Me:

1. I have seen 11% of the world according to a recent MySpace survey!
2. I worked for Continental Airlines for seven years as a Ticket Agent, Gate Agent, "Ramp Rat" and Flight Attendant.
3. My favorite cities are: Rome, Glasgow, Anchorage and Cabo San Lucas.
4. I became a Christian at 4 years of age and was filled with the Holy Spirit at age 8.
5. I have two sisters and a brother.
6. I worked as a political appointee for two Governors (one Republican and one Democrat) before I became a SAHM.
7. I ran for two political offices in 2010, and one of my races (the non-paid one of course).
8. I LOVE politics.
9. I hosted a 30 minute, nationally awarded TV Talk Show and won 7 Telly Awards (like the Oscars but for local programming).
8. I also hosted two weekly radio talk shows.
9. My dream was to be a news anchor on CNN... (this was before Fox News came on the scene)
10. I was supposed to be born in December but came the week of Thanksgiving.
11. Every seven years my b-day lands on Turkey Day.
12. I love the "holiday season" from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day.
13. One of my dreams was to live abroad ~ and I am fulfilling that dream in Frankfurt with my husband and son at the moment for 90 days! Thanks Uncle Sam!
14. I was elected as the president of my Student Goverment in high school.
15. I hosted a TV show doing the morning announcements and interviewing guests at my high school.
Did I mention that I love politics and the media?
16. It was love at first sight when I saw my "future" husband...
17. I have a three year old son.
18. My paternal Oma (grandmother) is German (blonde hair, blue eyes) and maybe Jewish!
19. I wish I was more creative and could do "arty fartsy" type projects ~ I am lost in the JoAnne Fabric Stores...
20. I love to TRAVEL.
21. I am pleasantly suprised that I LOVE being a HOMEMAKER!
22. I married into a large family (my MIL is one of 13 kids and my FIL is one of 12 kids)!!
23. Psalm 23 is my favorite Bible passage.
24. I don't like to exercise alone.
25. I love serving others and the art of hospitality is my speciality.