This morning I had someone request to add a comment here for my entry called "Why I Like ATI and Wisdom Books".
It won't be posted.
For several reasons.

1. It was anonymous and only referenced a website. If you can't say who you are and you can't write what you think - well, that is just not my style, and it won't be on my blog.

2. It is possible they only wanted to "warn" me and get my attention. I know all about the site and the issues involved. I am sorry that there are people who suffer parental abuse - the Lord has warned that he will exact a horrendous punishment to be one of those people that harm a child - but Wisdom Books and ATI don't harm children - people do. And those people would be messed up no matter what curriculum choices they make. As I testified - ATI saved our family - it didn't tear it apart. So should I blame the curricula I had been using for the 10 years before we found ATI as being harmful? Definitely not - it was my own lack of biblical knowledge that was the problem.

3. This is my blog and reflects what I have lived. I won't pass on information I don't believe in.

In conclusion:
I do encourage any individual to do a lot of research before using any school program. I did. You will find positives and negatives for all methods. I would also tell them to cry out to God to find the path that he wants them to follow. And last, I would remind parents that no program can give them a desired "result". To follow a program is to ensure danger and heartache - use the program as a tool the way that God wants you to use it for your individual family. Above all teach Jesus and the Word.

President Obama

So that there is no misunderstanding, I want to start by saying that this is not a political posting - it is about teaching character to our children. Our President is going to address the school children of America at noon (EDT) on September 8, 2009.  Some adults take exception to that - I have seen words such as "Hitler" and "brainwash" crop up fairly regularly on some sites. I have seen some noted leaders addressing our President as Mr. Obama, and the jab is not lost - especially since it was repeated often in that particular national publication. Just in case you didn't know - the correct terms to refer to the President of the United States are Mr. President or President Obama. (And the English teacher in me can't resist pointing out that while the word "president" isn't routinely capitalized when used alone - it is always capitalized when referring to the President of the United Sates of America. )

That is the end of my prefaced remarks - now on to what I want to write about....

There is a lie that is bandied about as if it is Truth; a catch-phrase of sorts that says; "I will respect the office, but not the person holding that office." It is a lie from the pit of Hell because it isn't possible to do this. The person is the office and the office is the person - that fine line does not exist in reality, only in the fantasy world of semantics. Can a child respect the role of parent, but disrespect the person who is their parent? Can one respect the office of pastor, but disrespect the person preaching the Sunday (or Sabbath) sermons? If the enemy can get us to disrespect the person, he knows that rebellion can germinate and grow. 

I am not talking about blindly following a leader who rejects God and godly principles - and I am not talking about reproving sin. John the Baptist reproved Herod of his adultery, but he never disrespected him. In 2 Samuel 16 Shimei curses King David - but in chapter 19 he repents and admits to his grievous sin. The Messiah, Jesus, was rejected and despised by Israel and within one generation the city of Jerusalem was destroyed. 

If in our homes our children hear us speak with loathing and disrespect about the man elected to the highest office in our land (and the Scriptures teach that he can only be elected because God allows it) then we are sowing seeds of rebellion and disrespect into our homes. Instead Scripture teaches that God wants families to bow down in prayer for their elected leaders. To cry tears of grief over their wrong doings. To take actions to let their leaders hear what God says on a matter.  To train our children to pray for godly character qualities in our elected officials. And to teach the Holy Bible in our homes so that our children can clearly see the lie from the Truth. 

Parents will reap what they sow into their children. (Galations 6:7)

Why I Like ATI and Wisdom Books

From the website: 

"In the ATI program, children learn along with their parents through a unit study approach to education. This approach increases the motivation of children as they are part of a “learning team,” rather than studying on their own." ... "Through the ATI approach to higher education, young people learn to solve youth and family problems and discover the purpose that God has for their lives." 

The entire Wisdom Book #4 is available for viewing here. 

So why do "I" like using ATI and the Wisdom Books? Because it does exactly what it said it would do - we were given the tools to solve family problems and help our children discover their individual life purposes. This is no step by step manual to put on and all your problems fall away - but through the skills we learned - and applied - we have seen the Lord alive in our home in ways that we thought were for times past, or for other, more "spiritual" people. It is a way of life - not a curriculum, but it has been worth the effort for the sake of our family. The biggest changes had to come first in my husband and myself, or we were just teaching hypocrisy - "Do as I say and not as I do." That end result would be worse than where we started. But as we were humbled and broken (and the process continues...), then we have seen the promised results in our children, not because a program worked - but because the Lord now had the freedom to work - and that has made all the difference. 

Oh, and it has sound academics too.

Family Helps

This is a poster you can download and print (it probably needs some resizing) from the website of Dr. SM Davis. We probably have about 70 of his videos now - and we have viewed almost all of them - only a couple still waiting for us to watch - and some we have seen multiple times.  They have been a huge help to our family. As with any help, we take that which is of benefit to us, and leave the rest, but with Dr. Davis we have never had much we didn't take to heart. 

The Lord has given Dr. Davis an extensive ministry helping families.  Parenting is hard work, and it seems that most of our society is inclined to activities rather than training. Even the most well-meaning parents have little to follow in the way of godly examples.  

We beagan with the Wisdom Series he offers, and now have the Anger Series, the Courtship Series, most of the Parenting Series, and the Doctrinal Series. We also have various tapes/dvd's of other sets we haven't yet completed, but will eventually purchase. 

Last year Dr. and Mrs. Davis visited our area and preached in our church. Funny, he was just the same as on his tapes! We were so privileged to meet him and his wife. But even if you can't hear him in person, you will feel he is there with you after watching several of his illustrated sermons.

Children of Character

This is a great book. I have known Mardy and her family for many years. She has helped me sort through some tough issues. For more about Mardy and the ministry the Lord has given her you can visit her website here.  You might want to sign up to receive her Mary Heart Newsletters (and read the back issues at the blog here!) 

The Power For True Success

I use this book in conjunction with Achieving True Success. The same 49 character traits are listed, but this book is all from a biblical perspective. You can click on this top image in order to read some of what is written concerning the character trait of hospitality. The cover of the book is below. Around our house it is actually known only as "The Blue book". It is available at the IBLP website, here. 

Achieving True Success

This is one of the main books I use for practical, daily character training. There are 49 character traits listed. Each is defined - and it's opposite trait noted. When there is a negative trait I am seeing in a child (or myself!), I look for that negative trait listed in the book in order to train, pray for,  and notice the opposite positive trait that needs to be developed and instilled in the individual. The book also notes practical ways to show this trait in the home. And my favorite part of the book - the 5 "I Wills" that are always included with each trait. I write the "I Wills" on posters to hang on the wall, we say them out loud to memorize them, we try to spot them as we go about our day, and we rejoice to see one of those "I Wills" in use. The "I Wills" give us a handle on what to aim for and spot in others. Praising a child for a character trait is affirming and character building. One place to find it is here.