Do you want your kids to.....

- know what they believe?
- know why they believe what they believe?
- know how to say what they believe?
- know how to teach others or share with others what they believe?
- know how to defend what they believe?  

You may answer 'yes' and those may be the end goals of what you have in mind for your child.  I know I sure want that for my trio.  

I believe you can't get to the 'know how to defend what they believe' part unless you have the 'know what they believe' part.  

So that's sounds easy enough, right?  Just teach my kids what they believe. Well, when you have children it doesn't always come natural to us Parents the exact way of going about it.


     ****Deuteronomy 6:7New King James Version (NKJV)⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.*****

One way to teach them diligently to your children is through a catechism.  Yup, I said it...a catechism.  Intoxicated on life blog summarizes a catechism as:

 "Catechism is a tool for teaching important information using a question and answer format. That’s pretty much it. There are some secular uses of catechism, but most are for religious purposes. In fact, many parents catechize informally all the time and don’t realize it."

 I encourage you to read the entire blog post about catechisms:  http://www.intoxicatedonlife.com/2014/01/19/teaching-catechism/

So if a catechism helps children to learn information about what they believe and why---then, how can I do this in my family?

If you are a part of my home church, there is already a 'catechism' program, activity in place known as JBQ (Junior Bible Quiz).  Yes, we participate in it and this post is all about sharing how JBQ can help a family in teaching a child to 'know what they believe'. 

In all honesty, my daughter did not buzz in at an official meet once last year.   But, that doesn't mean that she didn't learn.  She did learn....a lot!  

While JBQ has a quiz aspect and a commitment to boot, I believe the benefits far outweigh the time you and your family spend in learning the questions and answers.

I assert that in order to truly have a fun time 'quizzing' one must first know the content (q & a's). 

Last year, I took a sideline Parent approach.  I was too busy or that's what I told myself.  After seeing how my children were truly 'hiding God's Word in their heart' AND learning key information about our beliefs, I decided that this year I would make it a point to invest time with my children in learning the JBQ 10 and 20 point questions.

The main time commitments include:

- JBQ practice on Sunday mornings at 9:00am (45 minutes) from about September-February.  (about 20 practices in total)

- One JBQ meet a month on Saturdays (Oct, Nov, Jan, Feb) from about 9am - noon.

- *Your time in learning and reading the questions and answers.  This can be achieved by simply reading them to your child, asking them questions, listening to the JBQ CD, reading the Bible stories that pertain to the questions.  

Here are some videos from my kids that will show the kinds of questions that are asked.:  (The volume is horribly low so I wrote the Q&A's.)

 Middle Sis: Question- What is the Bible?  The Bible is the inspired Word of God and His revelation to all people of himself and his plan of salvation. (to the tune of Yankee Doodle)

Little Bro: Who was the first man and first woman? Adam and Eve; How many books are in the Bible? 66, What are the two divisions of the Bible?  The New Testament and the Old Testament.

 Big Bro: What do we mean when we say the Bible is our authoritative rule of faith and conduct?  The Bible has the right to command us in what we believe and what we do.

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My kids  represent all types of 'learners' and levels.  Our youngest will be in the Pee Wee league and will only learn 10 point questions.  Our daughter will be in the Beginners and learn 10 points and a few 20 points.  Our oldest will learn all 10 points and 20 points.   They also respond to the actual competition part in different ways, too--from competitive to shy 'non buzzer'. ;)  

This was taken today just hanging out eating ice cream and during the JBQ season break.  Meaning we have not actively been learning or reviewing the JBQ material during the Summer.  But, it is indicative to what they have remembered already.  (Our youngest learned from hearing his siblings and being 'taught' by his siblings and Mama.)

So this year, I ask that you pray and talk to your Spouse about whether or not to be a part of JBQ this season.  It may or not be the time.  But, if it is.....I say go for it.  Your kids will learn and I guarantee you will too.  (Questions??  Message me or Lisa G. by email or facebook or text or grab me in the hall at Church)




JBQ video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7bHpkPkKLA

December/January Favorite Pics

Aaaaah....I can't believe it has been sooooo long since I've last posted. Well, I want to get a few of our favorite pics up before our Winter has come and gone.

Working on our memory verse for the week.

Little Bear would much rather pretend to play 'David and Goliath'.  The broom was Goliath of course;)

Sissy finishing up a letter sort activity.

Bud working on maps.

Before the Christmas break, we had a Friends and Family Night for our CC Community.  Here is Bud standing proud next to his Anatomy project.

Bud has been a big help to Dad while working on the car over the Holidays.  He really likes to find out how things work.

A Christmas pic with my Trio!

Where did the time go? October favorite pics

 Things are moving pretty fast here on the homeschool front....and with little time to blog I thought I'd put up my fav's for the month of October.   One thing I really love about being apart of Classical Conversations is that it keeps me on track on what to focus on in our studies of History/Literature and Memory Work.  In October we finally got out of the triple digit weather and enjoyed a sort of Spring like weather.  On some days we just took everything outside---what a treat.

CLE Math outside

Working on one of his favorite subjects--math!

Sis and Lil Bear in the 'club house'.

Before Five in a Row---"Angus Lost" by Marjorie Flack

We broke out the tents..why not?

Field trip to a wonderful farm.

They were so glad that Grammy could join us on this field trip.

Some of our church friends may recognize the farmer.

Cow milking demonstation---Hershey the Cow.

Going on a hayride.

Ostrich egg

Cutie Lil Bear looking at the chickens

They had a great animal preserve on the farm.

Gears, gears, gears play

Play doh letters with Sis

Learning about the Declaration of Independence and trying to sign like John Hancock.

There is his interpretation;)

Play doh letters with Lil Bear

Snack and letter find outside with Sis

Color by number outside on the easel with Bud.

Nature Journal with the kids.  I wrote as we observed.

October was a great month....snacks and cars in the 'club house' with Lil Bear.

Dancing in the Rain

I love having the flexibility to just stop what we are doing and change directions depending on a rain shower, or a spontaneous trip to the library or a great many number of other reasons.  One such occasion happened today.

Here is a photo of Sis dancing in the rain and also of the footprints that they made.  So simple and so sweet and reminds me of this quote:

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass,

It's about dancing in the rain."