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Review: Behind the Canvas

12/31/2015

I have to admit that I didn't know if I would like Behind the Canvas or even if I would want my son to read it. You see, in my younger years I read a book with a similar thme and TO THIS DAY I have nightmares about it. I have to say, after reading this book today, i don't think I'll have nightmares anymore since this book FELT like the finish of that book. That the bad person was finally caught and stopped. You have NO idea what a relief that is. :) It was indeed a fascinating read.

Book Synopsis:
There is a world behind the canvas. Past the paint of the canvas is a realm where art lives, breathes, creates, destroys.

Claudia Miravista loves art but only sees what is on the surface, until the Dutch boy Pim appears in her painting. Pim has been trapped in the world behind the canvas for centuries by a power-hungry witch, and now believes that Claudia is his only hope for escape. Fueled by the help of an ancient artist and some microwaveable magic, Claudia enters the wondrous and terrifying world, intent on destroying the witch's most cherished possession and setting Pim free. But in that world nothing is quite as it appears on the surface. Not even friendship.

My Thoughts:
WOW.. what a fascinating read.   I started the book with a great deal of trepidation but soon found myself drawn into the world of Claudia, Pim, Nee Gezicht, the three Dutchman, Cash and the world behind the canvas.

It was so interesting watching Claudia have to sort her way through different challenges, to see her heart be challenged, and to learn to think past her fear.

I will have no problem letting my 10 year old this book and tend to think that most youth will have no problems reading this story and learning along with Claudia.   It very much is an exciting fast moving story.

One of the features I enjoyed (and if I had known about it before I read the book I would have handled the book differently).   Throughout the book, various famous artists are named and short vignettes are written about them.   I could see reading this book chapter by chapter and then doing a short artist study with my student.. whenever one of those vignettes presented itself.   It was a neat addition to the story.

Product Details:
Received: Softcover Book
Title: Behind the Canvas
Author: Alexander Vance
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 326
Reviewed for: Raincoast Books

Raincoast books can be found at the following links:
www.raincoast.com
https://twitter.com/raincoastbooks
https://www.facebook.com/raincoastbooks
https://instagram.com/raincoastbooks/
https://www.pinterest.com/raincoastbooks/
http://raincoastbooks.tumblr.com/
https://plus.google.com/+raincoastbooks/

Playing around with website fluff

12/29/2015

Did you notice that I made some changes around here?

Just a few, perhaps not so noticeable ones....

Three different watermarks that I can add to my pictures, to help prevent theft. :)

A new banner for my website and facebook page. I think I put it over on twitter as well.

I've added a new button as I'm sure you've seen over on the right.

I can't say that my family is particularly delighted with the changes that I've made. They liked the old style...but I wanted to add a touch of flair. I like the blue green colours I had in the past so I was delighted that Melanie was able to keep the blue/green colours for me. :)

While Melanie was at it I had her design a new disclosure banner for me as well. This one for generic reviews that I do.

And this one for the reviews for the TOS crew. :) I wanted to have a clear way of telling them apart immediately. :) Plus the crew needs precise wording for the legal end of things. This way I have a pretty disclosure banner and meet needed requirements as well.. works out good eh?

So just who is the Melanie who helped me out? She's a young adult in our church just starting to spread her business wings. You can find her at her website. Bear with her as she needs to flesh out her website abit yet. :) Didn't she do a good job for me?

I was quite pleased.

When I get a new website I plan to have her update things with my own website name and what not. Anyways, I didn't find her services to be outrageously expensive or anything like that. :) So if you need buttons, banners, watermarks and what not done, ask Melanie to help you out and be of good cheer/encouragement to a budding entrepreneur eh? :)

Review and Giveaway: Learn, Absorb and Praise

12/29/2015

Graham Blanchard along with Callie Grant has put together a delightful series of books for young children. The Classic Collection is part of the Learn, absorb and praise series, these three books set about to teach children important truths about the Christian Faith.

Classic Collection Synopsis: The perfect gift for baby showers, christenings, baptisms, birthdays and holidays—three beloved board books representing our Learn, Absorb, & Praise™ collection: Jesus Shows Me (from the Knowing My God series), All of Me That You Can’t See, and Mud Puddle Hunting Day. This beautifully packaged set includes space for a personal note to the recipient, and a bonus, The Art of Gratitude, with creative tips and templates for a child to practice giving thanks!

My Thoughts: Oh... I wish I could have read these books to my lad when he was but a youngling yet... If i tried now he'd scoff at me... 10 year olds don't do board books well.. but wow.. these books are so delightful.

Mud Puddle Hunting Day: Is about a young child's dash through the rain which leads to her seeing the wonders of God's creation in a different, wet and wonderful way.

All of me: Based on Mark 12:30, learning to see yourself as Jesus does.. right down to the soul of a person.

Knowing God, Jesus shows me; Using animals to communicate the different ways God shows his love for us and the different gifts he bestows upon us.

All three books have cute full colour illustrations that provide additional talking points with your children.

Graham Blanchard has put together a Scope and Sequence form for all these books as well. You can find ithere.

So what do you get when you order (or receive) the Classic Collection?
Three board books that come wrapped in a sleeve that opens up into paper where you can practice the art of thankfulness. Sending a postcard to a friends, writing a thank you note for someone, colouring a page about thankfulness and more.

Now the fun part... doing the giveaway. What will you win? The Classic Collection.
If the rafflecopter isn't up yet, just leave a comment, and/or sign up for a subscription. It's all good. I'm not hard to get along with. :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hymn Study: Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates

12/28/2015

    [7] Lift up your heads, O gates!
       And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
       that the King of glory may come in.
(Psalm 24:7 ESV)

Starting a New Feature I think this week. I had a lot of fun looking up hymns last week in preparation for Christmas and wanted to continue with that. :) Talking about one hymn (or possibly more if so inclined) each week from our sermon on Sunday.

This week, being that that blogging through the alphabet group is doing the letter "H" I chose to do Lift Up your Heads, Ye mighty gates.     I for .. it's an interesting hymn. :)

Based on Psalm 24 this advent hymn was written by Georg Weissel in 1642, it was translated by Catherine Winkworth. Weissel generally wrote hymns focused on the Christian Year.   This hymn is sung to several tunes among them Turbo and Macht Hoch die Tür,   Originally six verses, nowadays only four are generally found in hymnals.    This hymn was written during the 30 years war in Europe.

“Lift up your heads” first appeared in posthumously in 1642 in Preussische Festlieder in five stanzas of eight lines each in an 88.88.88.66 meter. The famous British translator of German hymns, Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878), rendered the hymn into English in five, eight-line stanzas as well for her Lyra Germanica (1855). The version that appears in hymnals today usually reduces the hymn to four, four line stanzas in Long Meter (source).

Just as David called for his people to open up the gates of their hearts to God, Georg Weissel calls for and imagines what a place would be like where the people worshipped God with their whole heart.

Lyrics:
Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates;
behold, the King of glory waits;
the King of kings is drawing near;
the Savior of the world is here!

A Helper just He comes to thee,
His chariot is humility,
His kingly crown is holiness,
His scepter, pity in distress.

O blest the land, the city blest,
Where Christ the Ruler is confessed!
O happy hearts and happy homes
To whom this King in triumph comes!

Fling wide the portals of your heart;
make it a temple, set apart
from earthly use for heaven's employ,
adorned with prayer and love and joy.

Redeemer, come, with us abide;
our hearts to thee we open wide;
let us thy inner presence feel;
thy grace and love in us reveal.

Thy Holy Spirit lead us on
until our glorious goal is won;
eternal praise, eternal fame
be offered, Savior, to thy name!

Hymns and Carols of Christmas has two different versions. One and Two.

Sources
HymnSite.
Hymnary.
CyberHymnal.
Discipleship Ministries.
First Presbyterian Church.
Lectionary

Homeschooling Resources:
printable advent lapbook.
In a foreign language, but good for ideas: Make an advent calendar.

Linking up with Blogging through the Alphabet.

Review: The Forgotten Recipe

12/27/2015

Amish youth. A death. Sorrow, sadness, a recipe found in the midst of sorrow. New possibilities. Secrets hidden and secrets revealed Romance blooms.

Book Synopsis:
After losing her fiancé in a tragic accident, Veronica Fisher finds solace in the old recipes stored in her mother’s hope chest—and in a special visitor who comes to her bake stand to purchase her old-fashioned raspberry pies......... Yet when she discovers a batch of forgotten recipes and opens a bake stand to sell her Mammi’s raspberry pies, Veronica picks up a regular customer who gives her heart pause.

Jason Huyard was with Seth when he lost his life—a memory that haunts him still. So when he seeks out the grieving fiancée to convey his condolences, the last thing he expects—or wants—is to fall in love. Nonetheless, Jason soon finds himself visiting Veronica’s bake stand every week . . . and it’s for more than the raspberry pies.
Now, as Veronica’s heart thaws, Jason can’t bring himself to tell her he was there when Seth died. Can he ever reveal where he was on the day her life derailed? Or will his secret rob them of the second chance at love they both want?
About the Author

Amy Clipston is the award-winning and best-selling author of the Kauffman Amish Bakery series. Her novels have hit multiple best-seller lists including CBD, CBA, and ECPA.

My Thoughts:
I tried, I honestly tried to read this book all the way through. I tend to like light romances, particularly on rainy afternoons when the house is quiet. BUT I got hung up on all the Amish words strewn throughout the book without knowing what the words actually meant. Some I was able to figure out due to context, but other times it was like HUH???? I ended up skimming through it so I caught to overall gist., kept me from being annoyed. :)

I liked the character of Jason. He seemed like a very believable young man. The way his character played out made sense as well. Veronica seems like a really nice young lady. Though I think she was being chivied through her grief too quickly. Grief has it's own time and process to be worked through, and people need to process it in their own way. It was probably why she had such a hard time working through her anger with Jason.

If doing this book with a book club there are discussion questions at the end to help you think through the global themes.

Overall.. decent book. Would be nice to have a glossary with Amish words in it so we know what each word really means (beyond gut, dat and mamma which are fairly self explanatory.)

Product Details:
Received: Softcover book
Title: The Forgotten Recipe
Author: Amy Clipston
Pages: 300
Series: Amish Heirloom
Type: Romance, Amish
Reviewed for: BookLookBloggers.

AmyClipston on Facebook. On Twitter. Website.

Christmas Song: Ere Zij God

12/26/2015

Luke 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good pleasure in men."

My hubby and I actually had a conversation about this verse a couple days ago. This actual translation of the text is different then the meaning given in most translation. See here. "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." The problem word is εὐδοκίας (eudokias). It can mean everything from "whom his favour rests" or "of his good pleasure"... which is why different translations seem to mean something slightly different, depending on the meaning taken. :)

Glory to God!
Glory to God in the highest,
in the highest, in the highest!
Peace be on earth, peace be on earth,
to the people whom God delights in.
Glory to God in the highest!
Glory to God in the highest!
Peace be on earth, peace be on earth,
peace be on earth, peace be on earth,
to the people, to the people whom God delights in,
to the people whom God delights in,
whom God delights in.
Glory to God!
Glory to God in the highest,
in the highest, in the highest!
Peace be on earth, peace be on earth,
to the people whom God delights in.
Amen. Amen.

Ere zij God,
ere zij God, in de hoge,
in de hoge, in de hoge!
Vrede op aarde, vrede op aarde,

in de mensen een welbehagen.

Ere zij God in de hoge,
ere zij God in de hoge.
Vrede op aarde, vrede op aarde,

vrede op aarde, vrede op aarde,

in de mensen, in de mensen een welbehagen,
in de mensen een welbehagen,

een welbehagen.
Ere zij God,
ere zij God in de hoge,
in de hoge, in de hoge!
Vrede op aarde, vrede op aarde,

in de mensen een welbehagen.

Amen. Amen.

Growing up in a Dutch based church I grew to know this hymn by heart. Sung EVERY Sunday throughout the Christmas season through to the New Year and beyond. It was belted out in Dutch by everyone I knew.      We weren't given the option of singing it in English. In the church I am currently part of, this song remains as a stalwart part of the Christmas Season BUT here I have the option of singing it in English...and since I'm raising a child who speaks English... I sing along with him in English.. even though I know the Dutch version of it full well.   :)

Lyricist Bikkers Isaac introduced us to this one in his hymnal of 1857. It is a much beloved hymn in the Netherlands and Germany (Ehre sei Gott).   The hymn itself was written by F.A. Schultz, about which little is known, other than he was a composer during his college years.

It was rather difficult to find the English version, this seemed the best of the three I could find. :)   They do the Dutch first, then the English. :)

Sources:
Lyrics in Dutch. Lyrics in English.
Wiki.
Hymnary.
Mockery or????

Crew Friends, 2015

12/23/2015

A new year is starting with the TOS Crew. Old friends remain, new friends remain to be discovered. Here are many of our blogs for you to visit. Please do so, there are many fascinating people to meet. :)

Christmas Song; Mary's Boy Child

12/23/2015

Luke 2:7 - And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Lyrics:

Long time ago in Bethlehem
So the Holy Bible say
Mary's Boy Child, Jesus Christ
Was born on Christmas Day

Refrain:
Hark now, hear the angels say
New king born today
And man will live forever more,
Because of Christmas Day

While shepherds watched their flocks by night
They saw a bright new shining star
And heard a choir from heaven sing
The music came from afar

Refrain

Now Joseph and his wife Mary
Came to Bethlehem that night
They found no place to bear her Child
Not a single room was in sight
By and by they found a little nook
In a stable all forlorn
And in a manger cold and dark
Mary's little Boy Child was born

Final Refrain:
Trumpets sound and angels sing
Listen to what they say
That man will live forevermore
Because of Christmas Day

Written in 1956 by Jester Hairston, Jestor was a negro composer dedicated to persevering the Negro spirituals. The song tells the familiar Christmas story in a melody reminiscent of the music Hairston wanted the world to remember; the Negro Spiritual.

It was the first song by a black male to reach #1 on the song charts in the UK.

I've included an extra video as this one just made me want to dance around singing. :)

Sources:
ShareFaith.
Wigglepedia.
SongFacts.
Examiner.
Wiki.
MetroLyrics.

Crafts/Resources.
13 Nativity Sets to Make.
Christmas Crafts for Children, bible themed.
Christmas Lapbooks.

Christmas Song: Hark The Herald Angels Sing

12/22/2015

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Luke 2:13-14)

Lyrics:
Hark! The herald angels sing, or Hark, how all the welkin rings,
Glory to the newborn King; or Glory to the King of kings
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim,
Christ is born in Bethlehem!

Refrain
Hark! the herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King!

Christ, by highest Heav’n adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.

Refrain

Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace! or Hail the heav'n born Prince of Peace
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris’n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die.
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

Refrain

Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Now display Thy saving power,
Ruined nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.

Refrain
This verse is largely forgotten
Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Let us Thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the inner man:
O, to all Thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart.

Refrain

I have never sung that last verse of this hymn.. have you?

Written by Charles Wesley in 1739. The original tune was a slow solemn one and the hymn was not particularly popular. Whitefield changed the first line from how the welkin rings, to hark the herald angels sing. This was a better understood expression. The tune we sing this hymn to today, came from Felix Mendelssohn who wrote music to help celebrate the 400 yr anniversary of the Gutenberg press. A section of that music was adopted for Hark the Herald Angel's Sing. This upbeat tune has made Hark the Herald Angels Sing the popular Christmas song that it is today.

Originally this hymn was 10 verses of four lines each, but this was changed to verses with 8 lines. Wesley wasn't happy with the changes Whitefield made, and Mendelsohn didn't want his tune used for religious music. but none the less.. a much loved Christmas hymn was created. :)

Sources:
CBN.
Wiki
ShareFaith.
Christianity today.
A moment in History.

Resources:
Woodland Prairie Christmas Unit Study.
Powerline Productions: Colonial Christmas.

Connecting with Blogging through the Alphabet this week. :)

An Easy Way to add Science to your day

12/21/2015

One of the things my son and I do is read.   He loves to play and listen to me read books, and I know he's listening since he often stops me and asks questions.

Part of our list of books at night is always a science, history or geography book. Sometimes they are combination books.

Right now our history books are read during the day, but science is something my boy likes to have read at night.

We just finished read "over 1000 fantastic Science Facts".     We read a two page spread each night.

It is SUCH an easy way to add science to a day.

Reading about the human body, different inventions, animals, space and more. I do have to admit that we skipped through the evolution section, we deliberately chose to not read every page or factoid in this section.

I have a whole section of section of this book rack filled with factual science books

Whenever we finish a book I tell my lad to go pick another and he does. He surprises me sometimes in what he'll pick.    Sometimes we'll study what a savannah is, other times we'll learn about spiders, or read a how it's made book.     Tonight he picked out a book on mammals.   So every night we'll read about a new type of mammal...and perhaps I'll occasionally throw some geography in there and show him with my tablet where that animal lives. :)   Fun times ahead!   :)

Unless the book is a "we have to keep this" when we are done I write up a post on it and stick it down in our basement in our stuff to sell pile.   It keeps growing and eventually I sell it or find someone who can use it.   So it's good all around yes?

I love it when we get books that say "now you try it" because then you know what?   We can try it!     Like when we read about how ice expands when frozen and we tested that theory out, and how salt slows down the freezing of water, and we tried it out.

We had the fun of it being winter when we did this one.. like a winter with snow (unlike this this).   So we borrowed winter to do it.

It's just taking an idea that captures a boy's interest and then finding a way to work with it. Helping him to think ideas through and then put them into action. I love watching that process. :) Reading and then acting works for us. What works for you?

How do you add science to your day?