The Planetary System ~ Darwin

1. Fair star of Eve, thy lucid ray
Directs my thoughts to realms on high:
Great is the theme, though weak the lay,
For my heart whispers God is nigh.

2. The Sun, vicegerent1 of his power,
Shall rend the veil of parting night,
Salute the spheres, at early hour,
And pour a flood of life and light.

3. Seven circling planets I behold,
Their different orbits all described;
Copernicus these wonders told,
And bade the laws of truth revive.

4. Mercury and Venus first appear,
Nearest the dazzling source of day;
Three months compose his hasty year,
In Seven she treads the heavenly way.

5. Next earth completes her yearly course;
The Moon as satellite attends;
Attraction is the hidden force,
On which creation's law depends.

6. Then Mars is seen of fiery hue;
Jupiter's orb we next descry;
His atmospheric belts we view,
And four bright moons attract the eye.

7. Mars, soon his revolution makes,
In twice twelve months the Sun surrounds.
Jupiter, greater limits takes,
And twelve long years declare his bounds.

8.With ring of light, see Saturn slow,
Pursue his path in endless space;
By seven pale moons his course we know,
And thirty years that round shall trace.

9. The Georgium Sidus2 appears,
By his amazing distance known;
The lapse of more than eighty years
In his account makes one alone.

10. Six moons are his, by Herschel3 shown,
Herschel, of modern times the boast;
Discovery here is all his own,
Another planetary host!

11. And lo! by astronomic scan,
Three stranger planets track the skies,
Part of that high majestic plan,
Whence those successive worlds arise.

12. Next Mars, Piazzi's orb is seen,
Four years six months, complete his round;
Science shall renovated beam,
And gild Palermo's favored ground.

13. Daughters of telescopic ray,
Pallas4 Juno, smaller spheres,
Are seen near Jove's5 imperial way,
Tracing the heavens in destined years.

14. Comets and fixed stars I see,
With native luster ever shine;
How great! how good! how dreadful! He,
In whom life, light, and truth combine.

15. Oh! may I better know his will,
More implicitly obey;
Be God my friend, my father still,
From finite -- to eternal day.

Now, lest you think your eyes deceive you about the author of this poem I will inform you that this is not the more famous Darwin, though I have not yet been able to track down his first name (just try to Google Planetary System by Darwin and see what you find). If only the world had listened to this Darwin instead.

I discovered this beautiful and very educational poem (you could do whole unit study on it) in an antique school book printed in 1839 called The Reader and Definer: Pieces in Prose and Verse Designed for the Higher Classes by Albert Picket and John Picket. I have always been fascinated with school books printed before 1900, to consider the great thinkers educated by these books alone should make us wonder where we have went wrong with modern education. Perhaps this excerpt from the preface of the above mentioned book could give us a clue:

This second part of the New Juvenile Reader has been prepared with the direct reference to the objects of instruction -- the communication of ideas -- which are the elements of thought -- and the formation of moral character. The selection, therefore, are suited to the strength of young minds; to convey accurate and definite ideas, and to promote the growth and health of the moral affections.

All these old school books I have collected are based on a Biblical worldview and I don't mean Deistic either, Christ is often mentioned and extolled. As we homeschoolers seek to train up the next generation according to Scriptures I think we need to dust off these old educational books and reprint them (perhaps even update them a little) to use to educate true great thinkers -- those founded in the Word of God.


1VICEGE'RENT, n. [L. vicem gereus, acting in the place of another.] A lieutenant; a vicar; an officer who is deputed by a superior or by proper authority to exercise the powers of another. Kings are sometimes called God's vicegerents. It is to be wished they would always deserve the appellation.

VICEGE'RENT, a. Having or exercising delegated power; acting by substitution, or in the place of another.

~ Webster's 1828 Dictionary.

2 Uranus the planet.

3 astronomer (born in Germany) who discovered infrared light and who cataloged the stars and discovered the planet Uranus (1738-1822)

4 large asteroid; the second asteroid to be discovered

5A name for Jupiter.

Ten P’s in a Pod: Book Review

A family on a mission: that describes the ten members of the Pent family in this humorous, but inspiring story. It was a mission that included traveling over a million miles, lots of faith, family unity, and consistent leadership. The rewards? A treasure laid up in heaven of many sons brought unto glory, and plenty of treasure left here on earth; including a book that will bless and encourage you as you build a vision for your family, present or future.

They were by no means your average American family from the 1950’s, in fact they named themselves “The World’s Most Unusually Family”. What made them so unusual? They were pioneers of home schooling (before the word was even in anyone’s vocabulary), they traveled singing and preaching the Gospel, and lived by faith not by bread alone but by the Word of God. Their father’s devotion to God’s word, not only for himself but for his family as well, was the sustaining force of their lives. He knew that the Scriptures were able to make his children, and all who heard them, wise unto salvation. As they traveled all those miles they had a great time and learned to love God and each other in a deep and meaningful way. Arnold and Persis Pent may have never been able to give their children much in the way the world’s wealth and success, but they gave them things much more meaningful. They trained them in the way of the Lord, the way that they should go, and gave them a life full of experiential faith and love.

When I started reading this book I was seeking to find a vision for my future family that would truly glorify God. I doubt I could have found a better book outside of God’s word to give me such a vision. I was challenged, encouraged and all around inspired to be more devoted to God and His Word. I hope that if I ever have a family of my own that we can live by the principles of God’s word as the Pent family did, but I hope as well, by God’s grace, to start living more fully by them now. This book was a real blessing to me and now ranks up there with my favorite books. I think that if you read it you will find it just as much a blessing.

To purchase this book visit this link to Vision Forum.

Favorite Authors Tag

Who is your all-time favorite author and why?

The Holy Spirit and hence all the authors He used to write the Bible. =)

Who was your first favorite author and why? Do you still consider him/her to be among your favorites?

Nancy Rue, she wrote very adventurous historical fiction from a Christian perspective. Her books were the spark to my interest in American history. I haven't read any of her books for probably seven years, so I don't know if I would still enjoy them as much.

Who is the most recent addition to your list of favorite authors, and why?

John Newton, I read a book of his letters here recently and was greatly blessed by his simple, straight forward way of teaching truth.

If someone asked you who your favorite authors were right now, which authors would first pop out of your mouth?

Besides the above:

• Elizabeth Prentiss
• Isabella Alden
• Charles Spurgeon
• John Bunyan
• Jane Austin
• The Botkin Sisters
• Charles Dickens
• Louisa May Alcott

There are probably more that I can't think of right now.

The rules:

Link to the person that tagged you.
Post the rules somewhere in your blog.
Answer the question.
Tag six other people in your post.
Let the people tagged know they've been chosen in a comment on their blog.

I'll have to think about who to tag, it won't be six people though. Sorry for breaking the rules. (=

Nourishing Traditions Book Review

Nourishing Traditions is a cookbook with a mission to educate modern man about the way we were created to eat, the way man has been eating for thousands of years. Before science started creating food in a laboratory God created food that would nourish our bodies, not just feed us. He also provided us ways to prepare it that would even further nourish us. But when man thought he could find a better way of providing food he lost his way to his own good health and the health of his progeny.

Nourishing Traditions is a guide to eating the old way. Based on the research of Dr. Weston A. Price, a dentist who traveled the world studying “primitive” tribes in search of healthy people and what they ate, Sally Fallon seeks to bring his discoveries and those of many other researchers to your dinner table. The way in which we provide our food today is radically different from our forefathers; dairy, meat, eggs, produce, bread, fats, and processed foods are all produced in new ways that are robbing us of the nourishment our bodies need to sustain ourselves. This book brings us back to food and educates us in the foundations of good nutrition. Fats, carbohydrates, proteins, dairy, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes each are explained and expounded on to equip us with the truth about nutrition so we can make wise decisions in our diet. After giving us the preliminary information for good nutrition she goes on to give many recipes for old favorites and new cuisine prepared in traditional ways that retain and release important nutrients, and aid in digestion. At the beginning of each section there is a commentary to further explain the concepts behind the recipes, then on the side margins of all the recipes there are quotes from many sources on proper nutrition.

I have put off writing this review for some time because I am still studying the book and rereading important parts. If is full of valuable information that you aren’t going to hear many other places. I am convinced that much of what taught in this book is just the way we were created to eat and prepare our food. Of course I do not agree with everything (especially the raw meat eating) but I have learned so much about how to nourish my family from this book. As I have done further research on the traditional ways of eating it has led me to realize that the main reason we are where we are in our food production is not because big corporations were greedy for our money, but because women left home (and consequently the food preparation of the family) for “higher work”. This is what has led us to seek for someone else to prepare our food and the large corporations were just all to willing to bring the industrial revolution to food preparation. Our health crisis is not the fault of big business; it is the fault of woman who thought their work could be done by anybody. Well, now we know it can’t, and that is why it has mainly been the wives and mothers returning from the workforce who are rethinking their family’s diets. Out of love they are preparing foods that don’t just keep their family from being hungry, but nourishes and strengthens them for the task that are before them.I truly hope that you will obtain your own copy of this wonderful book and start taking the steps necessary to nourishing your families. At first it may seem overwhelming to implement everything you learn, but you have to see it as a journey to good nutrition that you can begin today by taking one step at a time. In the future I hope to share more with you about what I have been doing to change our diet. In many ways we are restricted because of budgetary reason but I have been able to implement many of the principles presented in this book nonetheless. In fact I found many to be cheaper than what we have been doing. So don’t give up hope; catch the vision for better health for you and your family!



For more information and lots of online reading visit the Weston A. Price Foundation.


To purchase for $16.50 click here.

Good websites with information on eating the "Nourishing way":

Traditional Bread

Fermenting

Dairy

Finding Food

Sustainable Food

The Blessedness of Trusting

Another branch of blessedness, is a power of reposing ourselves and our concerns upon the Lord's faithfulness and care; and may be considered in two respects: a reliance upon him that he will surely provide for us, guide us, protect us, be our help in trouble, our shield in danger; so that however poor, weak, and defenceless in ourselves, we may rejoice in his all sufficiency as our own; -- and further, in consequence of this, a peaceful, humble submission to his will, under all events which, upon their first impression , are contrary to our own views and desires... For want of more of this spirit, multitudes of professing Christians perplex and wound themselves, and dishonour their high calling, by continual anxieties, alarms, and complaints. They think nothing safe under the Lord's keeping, unless their own eye is likewise upon it; and are seldom satisfied with any of his dispensations: for though he gratify their desires in nine instances, a refusal in the tenth spoils the relish of all, and they show the truths of the Gospel can afford them little comfort, if self is crossed. But blessed is the man who trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: he shall be kept in perfect peace, though the earth be moved, and the mountains cast into the midst of the sea.

~John Newton

Taken from Letters of John Newton, Banner of Truth 1990, pg. 150-151

Grand Canyon: A Book Review

It (the Grand Canyon) is a solemn witness to the mighty power of God, who is not only the omnipotent Creator of all things, but also the avenging Defender of His own holiness.

This is written in the introduction of Grand Canyon: a Different View by Tom Vail, and it truly is a totally different view from what you would normally find in the Grand Canyon bookstore. Filled with glossy photographs of breathtaking views of the canyon and contributions from 23 contributors (including Ken Ham, John MacArthur, Duane Gish, and John Morris) it tells the true story of how and when the Grand Canyon was formed.


Taken from a scientific (creationist) view this book leads the reader through several essays of the stories and evidences of the Grand Canyon's formation. These are convincing arguments for the Biblical worldview of creation and the flood, against the secular atheist slant of evolution. Toward the end the author shares interesting information and pictures of the life and habitat in the canyon and how they are perfectly suited for their rocky environment. Also, included in the book is his own story of coming from being an evolutionary tour guide to knowing the Great God and Creator. Every page is supported by beautiful photographs and scriptures that inspire awe of our Creator.

Last February I had the great privilege of visiting the Grand Canyon with my three brothers. I had seen many pictures of it but they never communicated to me the size of what I was seeing. My first glance took my breath away; it just so happened that the CD in our car was playing "Our God is an Awesome God,” how fitting! After spending 4 hours and walking 10 miles on the South Rim I still hadn't had my full of it and wanted to find out more. When I saw this book in the Vision Forum Catalog I was elated and had to have it. I read it right away and wasn’t at all disappointed. I came away from this book worshiping and fearing God. Truly I can say with that song:

“Our God is an awesome God,
He reigns from heaven above
in wisdom, power and love.
Our God is an awesome God”

Lectures on Female Education

I found this post on ministers' quotes from the 18th century on Home Living blog. I was glad to find such wonderful encouragements yet disheartened to see that the Church has come so far from preaching these truths. The comments on the post are quite interesting also.

Heaven Opened: A Book Review

Heaven Opened, the letters of Mary Winslow, is an uplifting encouragement from a godly woman of a bygone age. Through these letters she reveals to us her complete dependence on God, her heavenly vision, and a deep experiential relationship with her Savior. She gives her reader a deep desire to know Christ as she so joyfully does.

These letters are not just friendly notes but every one of them includes some spiritual truth and edification as befitting to our age as they were in the 19th century. In them we read of how the Lord so graciously worked with her through many trials, and her wonderful understanding of the scripture. She writes people from many different backgrounds and circumstances but her theme is always the same - seek Christ. And her attitude is contiually one of love and concern to the recipient and joy in the Lord. Truly this is "a rich treasury of experiential and practical divinity."

I was richly blessed by reading this book. It led me to more fully lean on my savior trusting His perfect sovereignty and grace. I was also reminded that a life of perfect circumstances does not produce such a relationship with God as Mrs. Winslow had but rather many trials of faith that are more precious them silver and gold. I hope you will take the time to read this book slowly and carefully, soaking up all the blessed truths and looking more to Jesus every day.

Heaven Opened can be purchased at Reformation Heritage Books for $12.50. Also check out the used price on Bookfinder .

God Bless

Free Ebooks

Here is a link to 37 free ebooks from Living on a Dime. There are books about organizing, frugality, homeschooling, and cooking.
Enjoy!

Young Women and Higher Education

Living On a Dime, an e-newsletter about frugal living, had a very good article by Jill Cooper today about blindly following the crowd. I thought she made a good point here about college.

"They" say you have to pay to send your children to college so they can become a success and make a lot of money. When did "they" come up with the idea that going to college makes a person successful? How many parents have accrued $40,000 in debt for their son or daughter's degree, only to find the student working in a field that has nothing to do with his degree? Certainly, a college education can be a useful tool, but it is one that is wasted if the student doesn't need it or fails to use it.

I really puzzle over girls who desire to be full time wives and mother in the future that spend all their money and time gaining a college education that they only use for a few years, if even that. Then they get married and have children and don't know how to successfully run their households. Shouldn't we gain the knowledge of homemaking and child care in our single years if our desired "career" is motherhood?

Just because you stay home and focus on learning to be a homemaker doesn't mean we can't pursue higher education. There is so much education out there that can be gained outside of college and cost a lot less. I am amazed at how much I can learn simple by reading.If you can build good study skill there is an unlimited range of subjects you can study and learn. For instance: the subjects I am studying this year are writing (using my brother's old college books), fashion design, social studies (politics, economics, education, ect.), natural healing, nutrition, art and music. These subjects do not take up all my time though, but are incorporated into my daily routine of cleaning, cooking and helping my family in various ways. I am also taking time in morning to read books on spiritual subjects and in the evening to read books concerning my place as a woman.

Don't think inside of the box, but explore the things that interest you and will aid you in the future. Ask the Lord what He would have learn in the years after high school and pursue those things.

Book Review: Marriage to a Difficult Man by Elizabeth Dodds

This book was not what I expected it to be. It is mostly just the history of the Edwards' family and what was written about Sarah Edwards. The picture that is painted through this history is is a gracious, godly woman that we would all do well to learn from. She wasn't perfect but leaned on God for her strength. In many ways she was an example of the Proverbs 31 woman.

Although I enjoyed the history part of this book I didn't always like the author's commentary because of her secular, and sometimes feminist, views. But don't forgo learning about this wonderful woman just because of the author, most of the book is strictly history and she does have some good comments.

If you are interested in buying this book it is available for $12.99 from Grace and Truth Books.

Spugeon: Heir of the Puritans, a book review

In my life time I have not read many biographies, so now that highschool is out of the way they are at the top of my book list. First off was Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Learning about this great preacher was not only interesting, but inspiring. His humble devotion to Christ and His gospel was the one thing that crowned his life.

Starting at very young age he was being educated in the Puritans as well as reading many of the great classics. But the most interesting part of his early education to me was the part his single aunt and mother played. Because of some unfavorable circumstances (we are not sure what those might have been) at the age of one year his grandparent took him in and raised him until the age of six. Here is what is said concerning his aunt:

Ann Spurgeon, the unmarried daughter of the household, was seventeen when Charles came to them. She was, by all accounts, a radiant young girl of a lovely spirit, and she came to have chief charge of the newcomer.She taught him his letters (she was proud of this later on!) and she encouraged in him that irresistible gift of fun that was so marked in his character in latter years.

Isn't this a testimony to the fact that a young woman serving her home and family isn't just wasting her time, but investing it in the lives of those she loves?

His mother also played an influential part of his early years. By praying for him and teaching him in the Scripture she truly did raise in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

The story goes on to tell the rest of the life of this godly man, but I will leave this for you to discover. I really hope that if you have the chance that you read this book; you will be greatly blessed and hopefully changed.

Spugeon: Heir of the Puritans by Ernest W. Bacon is available at Christian book.com for $6.49.

Books: The Best Price on the Internet

The next time that there is a book that you would like to own, instead of going to the local bookstore, try finding it on Bookfinder. This website isn't a book seller but a book search engine. You type in the author and title and it comes up with the most relevant titles. When you click on the title it takes you to a page that shows you all the book websites (Amazon, half.com, ebay, ABE books, Alibris, and more), their price including shipping (scroll the arrow over it to get the divided price) and any comments on that product. Try it out, it is the first place I always go to to find my books cheap. Most of the time you can find the book for which you are looking for a fraction of the cost and in excellent condition.

That's my frugal tip, if you want to join in on Frugal Fridays visit the Biblical Womanhood blog and leave your link.

Aunt Jane's Hero- A Review

"They were living to themselves: self, with its hopes, and promises, and dreams, still had hold of them; but the Lord began to fulfill their prayers...They had asked they knew not what, nor how; but He had taken them at their word...They were hardly willing to follow on so far, or to draw so nigh to Him...They could almost pray Him to depart from them, or to hide his awfulness. They found it easier to obey than suffer-to do than to give up- to bear the cross than to hang upon it: but they cannot go back, for they come to near the unseen cross, and its virtues have pierced to deeply within them...Before, they had only heard of the mystery, but now they feel it...They live alone with Him above, in unspeakable fellowship; willing to lack what others own, and to be unlike all, so that they are only like him...Had they chosen for themselves, or their friends chosen for them, they would have chosen otherwise. They would have been brighter here, but less glorious in His kingdom...If they had halted anywhere-if He had taken off his hand, and let them stray back- what would they not have lost? What forfeits in the morning of resurrection? But He stayed them up, even against themselves... It was good for them to suffer here, for they shall reign hereafter-to bear the cross below, for they shall wear the crown above; and that not their will but His was done on them."


The preface of this heart touching tale sets the mood. What follows it is the story of how a young man, through the prayers of his "Aunt" and far away father, comes from loving this world and what high society can give him, to loving Christ and fully devoting himself to Him. As Mrs. Prentiss, author of "More Love to Thee" and Stepping Heavenward, continues to weave this fascinating tale, she tells how he came to love a godly maiden that beautifies his lowly home; and how together, through hardship and toil, they grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then she ends with a some thought provoking guidance in how to find and be a godly husband/or wife. This book was so intriguing I finished it three days after receiving it for graduation. I shall probably read it many times over. I highly recommend it.

This book is available starting at $3.99 from Amazon.

Infinite Wisdom and Infinite Love cannot mistake

This quote from Heaven Opened was a real encouragement to me today.

"The steps of a good man, and of a good woman too, are ordered by the Lord. Here is a rich consolation for you and me too. I sincerely believe that there is not one circumstance which has happened to us but was in that covenant ordered in all things and sure. Bless the Lord for so sweet an assurance of this blessed truth. Infinite wisdom and infinite love cannot mistake. Trials, losses, crosses - all, all were needful, and when we get home we shall plainly see how wisely they have been ordered. Let us, then, leave our concerns in the best possible hands. He will do all things well for us, and in us, and by us. We are His and He is ours. What need we fear?" - Mary Winslow

New Book List

I am back, after a long break from blogging. Inspiration was lagging but I have been "reinspired" now.

Here recently I have been raiding our home library for books to read and have been abundantly blessed! So, as a result, I am adding a book list to my blog and hope to review each book as I finish it. I have also provided links to places that have these books in case you are interested. So far, they have all been wonderful reads. I would love to hear what everyone else has found especially inspiring recently.