Welcome to Addy’s World 1854:
Growing Up During America’s Civil War

*This is such a deeply emotional topic of study that will surely create much discussion and perhaps some sadness, anger, and confusion for children. I hope to convey some positive points (stories of courage, faith, hope against all hope, and the deepest expressions of love) that will help sort out what can be learned, so that in our personal lives and in the life of our communities and our countries, we will never repeat a history such as this.

* Core Reading:

“Welcome to Addy’s World 1864“

*Week 1: “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864”- Life in the South

1. “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864″- Meet Addy (p. 1-3)
2. “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864″- Intro to the Civil War & Slavery (p. 26-29)
3. “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864″- Addy’s Family (p. 30-31; 34-35) 4. “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864″- Addy’s Faith (p. 32-33)
5. “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864″- Songs to Freedom (p. 36-37 )

*Week 2: “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864″- North to Freedom

1. “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864″- The Underground Railroad (p. 38-39)
2. “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864″- New Beginnings in the North (p. 8-11; 20-21) 3. “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864″- Children Still Played (p. 14-15; 12-13) 4. “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864″- Fashion (p. 16-19)
5. “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864″- The Church Family (p. 22-23)

*Week 3: “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864”- America’s “Civil” War

1. “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864″- The Nation at War (p. 4-7)
2. “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864″- The Homefront- South (p. 42-43)
3. “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864″- The Homefront- North (p. 44-45)
4. “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864″- The War Ends ! (p. 46-49)
5. “Welcome to Addy’s World 1864″- Moving On! A New South (p. 50-58) Continue reading American Girl Addy Civil War Unit Study →

Mercy !
What do you do when God is silent ?!

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.”
~ Psalm 22:1-2

Is there anything much worse than God’s apparent silence when your heart is breaking,
or terrified, or wounded and betrayed ?

Where is He, the One who promised to never leave your side, when life is spinning out of control, and your heart is pounding in your mouth,
and your mind is screaming with what-if’s ?

Have you ever prayed until you had absolutely nothing left…and then, still…only silence?

Mercy !!!
I give up!

I’ve been here. This is where David was when he wrote the words of this psalm.
Maybe you’ve been here too?

I’m so thankful David was honest about his struggles!
What a relief it was to read his words one morning, and know that I wasn’t the only one that had ever felt this way and had cried out to God with these same scary, bold questions.
And David, a man after God’s own heart!

Mercy!
And literally.

So I sat. I cried. I said the word out loud.
Mercy !
Maybe just to break the silence.

Have you ever had a eureka! moment ?
Ohhhhhh. Now I get it!

Sheesh. Some of us (me!) are slow learners.
After months of lament and frustration and doubt and tears, it dawned on me.
God had not been silent at all.
His answer, everyday ?

Mercy!

All those dark days, I had misread His beautiful mercy for terrible silence.

Yet He had walked me through each day pouring out an unfathomable amount of grace.
On me. On my loved one. Over my brokenness. On my home and on my family.

And I had completely missed it.

Have you ever completely missed it with God on something?
OUCH! Big ouch!
But again, the Word reminds us we aren’t the first. Phew!
Our family, His people, have been “missing it” for a very long time. Imagine how fervent and sincere the prayers were for the Messiah to come! So long… hoping, watching, and waiting. Yet many totally missed it because He didn’t come in the way they had expected Him to.

I missed the way He came to me too. Completely.

But in the missing it, I have gleaned a treasure.
“The Lord is near. Be not anxious about anything.”
God is not far or deaf to your cries.
“Call to me and I will answer you…”
Prayers aren’t always answered in the way you’d expect.

So, at the point of giving up…look up.

Don’t just say it…Shout mercy!

Open your eyes to see.

Maybe you’ll begin to notice the grace you’ve had to get up and face each day,
or a new friendship, or a beautiful flower that has sprung up in your yard,
or even the kindness of a stranger…His answer and Presence in an unexpected way.
Don’t miss it!!

The Lord has comforted me so tenderly with this revelation. In some way, somehow,
may these words help you see… and hope again. Apologies for this lengthy post. 🙂
May the Lord bless and keep you~

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of compassion and comfort,
who comforts us in all our troubles,
SO THAT
we can comfort those in any trouble with the
comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

And just in case anybody has read this far, I also wanted to share this song, “Mercy”, by Amanda Cook. 🙂 So good!

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Ancient World History Book List –
Part 4 (Ancient Rome)

Welcome !
If you’ve been following this series, thanks for coming back!
I’m so excited to share all my favorite books for the Ancient Rome Unit.

If you’re just jumping in, you may like to check out the first post for these units
–> Free Ancient World History Curriculum and the supplemental book lists for the previous sections as well. These books are NOT required for the studies… they’re just my favorite resources (most I’ve personally used). You will find the few required books for the curriculum included on each unit’s curriculum page.
Section 1: Ancient Civilizations & the Old Testament & Book List
Section 2: Ancient Egypt (includes Ancient China) & Book List
Section 3: Ancient Greece & Book List

Be sure to follow my Ancient History Pinterest Boards too !
I will be adding the best of the best FREE ideas to them frequently.
* Ancient Civilizations Board
* Ancient Egypt Board
* Ancient Greece Board
* Ancient Rome Board

–> This post contains affiliate links. There will NOT be any additional charge to you if you click to Amazon through these links, but I will make a small commission if you do! So thanks ahead for supporting my work ! 🙂

*Literature :

* Ancient Rome: An Interactive History Adventure
* Mystery of the Roman Ransom and Detectives in Togas
* Roman Diary: The Journal of Iliona
* The Bronze Bow
* The Thieves of Ostia (good series for the older kids)
– The Roman Mysteries Series
(Above is a link to the main page that shows the books in order)
* Vacation Under the Volcano and Ancient Rome: Fact Tracker Companion
*Twice Freed

*Resource/Informational Books:

* Galen and the Gateway to Medicine
* Where is the Colosseum ?
* What Was Pompeii ?
* Who Was Julius Caesar ?
* Augustus Caesar’s World
* Science in Ancient Rome
* Journey Through the Bible
* You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Roman Soldier
* You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Roman Gladiator
* Drive Thru History: Rome If You Want To

*Activity Guides:

* Spend the Day in Ancient Greece
* Tools of the Ancient Greeks: A Kid’s Guide to the History and Science of Life in Ancient Greece
* The Roman Empire (Make It Work! History)
* Classical Kids: An Activity Guide (Ancient Greece and Rome) Hands-On History

Hope this list is helpful !
I’d love to know what YOU are using too !
Leave a comment.
HAPPY LEARNING !

Free World History Curriculum

Part 4: Ancient Rome

Welcome back to the latest post on Free Ancient World History Plans !
This section will cover the beginning of Roman Empire, Julius Caesar, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, Constantine, and lots more ! 🙂
For an introduction to this curriculum and how you can adapt it to all your needs, start below with the first post in this series-
“Free Chronological World History Plan” .
You can find the daily plans for the following as well-
Section 1: Ancient Civilizations & the Old Testament
Section 2: Ancient Egypt (includes Ancient China)
Section 3: Ancient Greece
Section 4: Ancient Rome

Continue reading Free World History Curriculum- Part 4: Ancient Rome →

Ancient World History Book List –
Part 3 (Ancient Greece)

Hello !
If you’ve been following this series, thanks for coming back!
I’m so excited to share all my favorite books for the Ancient Greece Unit.

If you’re just jumping in, you may like to check out the first post for these units
–> Free Ancient World History Curriculum and the supplemental book lists for the previous sections as well. These books are NOT required for the studies… they’re just my favorite resources (most I’ve personally used). You will find the few required books for the curriculum included on the bottom of each unit’s curriculum page.
Section 1: Ancient Civilizations & the Old Testament & Book List
Section 2: Ancient Egypt (includes Ancient China) & Book List
Section 3: Ancient Greece
Section 4: Ancient Rome & Book List

Be sure to follow my Ancient History Pinterest Boards too !
I will be adding the best of the best FREE ideas to them frequently.
* Ancient Civilizations Board
* Ancient Egypt Board
* Ancient Greece Board
* Ancient Rome Board

*Literature :

* The Trojan War: An Interactive Mythological Adventure
* Tales From the Odyssey (Part 1) & Tales From the Odyssey (Part 2)
(This is a 6 Book Series by Mary Pope Osborne if you enjoy them!)
* Hour of the Olympics
and Ancient Greece and the Olympics: A Nonfiction Companion
* Adventures in Ancient Greece (Good Times Travel Agency)
* The Lion in the Gateway
* Tales of the Greek Heroes
* The One-Eyed Giant (Tales from the Odyssey)
* Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Book 1)
(This is a 5 Book Series !)
* Percy Jackson’s Greek Hereos

*Resource/Informational Books:

* Archimedes and the Door of Science and Herodotus and the Road to History
* What’s Your Angle, Pythagoras? and Pythagoras and the Ratios: A Math Adventure
* D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths
* Who Was Alexander the Great ?
* Where Is the Parthenon ?
* Discovering God’s Story: Fully Illustrated Bible Handbook in Chronological Order
* Understanding People of the Past: The Ancient Greeks
* Science in Ancient Greece

*Activity Guides:

* Classical Kids: An Activity Guide to Life in Ancient Greece and Rome
(Hands-On History)
* Spend the Day in Ancient Greece: Projects & Activities That Bring the Past to Life
* Life in Ancient Greece Coloring Book (Dover)
* Tools of the Ancient Greeks: A Kid’s Guide to the History and Science of Life in Ancient Greece

Hope this list is helpful !
I’d love to know what YOU are using too !
Leave a comment.
HAPPY LEARNING !

Free World History Curriculum

Part 3: Ancient Greece

Welcome back to the latest post on Free Ancient World History Plans !
This section will cover the beginning of Greek Culture, the first Olympic games, the Peloponnesian War, Alexander the Great, and lots more ! 🙂
For an introduction to this curriculum and how you can adapt it to all your needs, start below with the first post in this series-
“Free Chronological World History Plan” .

Also in this series, you will find the daily plans for
Section 1: Ancient Civilizations & the Old Testament
Section 2: Ancient Egypt (includes Ancient China)
Section 4: Ancient Rome

Be sure to follow my Ancient History Pinterest Boards too !
I will be adding to them frequently.
* Ancient Civilizations Board
* Ancient Egypt Board
* Ancient Greece Board
* Ancient Rome Board
* Middle Ages Board
Lots of free ideas and activities to add to these units.

If you have ANY QUESTIONS at all, I’d love to hear from you !
You can either comment at the bottom of this post or you can email me at
chenoah@fieldsofdaisies.com
Enjoy !
Continue reading Free world history curriculum – Part 3 Ancient Greece →

Charlotte Mason on Play…
It might just surprise you what she had to say !

“Let the mother go out
and PLAY !”

Charlotte Mason understood a lot about children….she also understood a lot about moms. I found this to be some advice I need to take to heart!

“If mothers could learn to do for themselves what they do for their children…we should have happier households.

Let the mother go out to play!

If she would only have courage to let everything go when life becomes too tense,
and just take a day, or half a day, out in the fields, or with a favourite book,
or in a picture gallery looking long and well at just two or three pictures,
or in bed, without the children,
life would go on far more happily for both children and parents.”
~Charlotte Mason

Let the mother go out to play !

Don’t you just love those words ?
Children have no trouble playing.
Fun is pulsing through their veins and wiggling out of every limb.
Play just comes naturally to them.
If left alone long enough, children invent the most wonderful games and fantastic stories.
Creativity and imagination are limitless, emotions are being worked out,
FUN is happening !
Think about it…kids generally don’t return from playing outside all stressed out! 🙂

When was the last time that YOU went out to play mom ?

Daily Bread: Thoughts & Prayers
from the Psalms

~ Psalm 36 ~

LORD
It is grievous
to consider
those who don’t know you.

Those who have
no respect
for your Name.
Those whose sins
have hardened their hearts
and caused them to
cease to be wise
or to do good.

OH, that they would
simply
KNOW YOU !

YOU
whose LOVE reaches
all the way to the heavens !
whose FAITHFULNESS reaches
all the way to the skies !
YOU
whose RIGHTEOUSNESS
is like a might mountain!
whose JUSTICE
is like the great deep !

Continue reading Psalm 36 – Daily Bread From the Psalms →

Daily Bread: Thoughts & Prayers
from the Psalms

~ Psalm 35 ~

Who is like you,
O LORD ?

You, who says to
our SOULS
“I am your SALVATION.”

Our hearts cry out
to YOU.
We shout to you
against the
injustice
and
oppression
and
wickedness
and
slander
and
mocking.

CONTEND, O LORD !

You have surely
SEEN these things.
Don’t be
SILENT.
Don’t be
far away.

AWAKE! ARISE!

VINDICATE
in your
RIGHTEOUSNESS !

We will SHOUT
for
JOY & GLADNESS
and say,
‘Who is like you ?
The LORD be
EXALTED !
He who
DELIGHTS
in the well being
of His servant.’

Who says to our
SOULS
I am your
SALVATION.

You can read (or listen) to Psalm 35. HERE

Psalm 34

Ancient World History Book List – Part 2
(Ancient Egypt)

Hi again !
Thanks for coming back.
If you’ve been following along with my Free Ancient World History Curriculum posts, you may like to check out the book lists for each section. These books are NOT required for the studies… they’re just my favorite resources (most I’ve personally used). You will find the few required books for the curriculum included on each plan’s page (start HERE for Plan 1).
Section 1: Ancient Civilizations & the Old Testament & Book List
Section 2: Ancient Egypt (includes Ancient China) & Book List
Section 3: Ancient Greece & Book List
Section 4: Ancient Rome & Book List

*Literature :

*Ancient Egypt : An Interactive History (Like a choose your adventure book !)
* Mara, Daughter of the Nile
* God King: A Story in the Days of King Hezekiah
* Songbird of the Nile
* Tirzah
* Trouble Times Ten and Ruled Out !
* Ancient China: An Interactive History
* Day of the Dragon King and China: Land of the Emperor’s Great Wall
* Kidventures :Stories of Danger & Courage (I’ve never read these…from Focus on the Family)
* The Cat of Bubastes
* Mystery of the Egyptian Scroll (if you like this one there are 3 more on topic!)
* Adventures in Egypt (Good Times Travel Agency) & Adventures in China

*Resource/Informational Books:

* Science in Ancient Egypt
* National Geographic Kids: Everything Ancient Egypt
* The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt
* The Usbourne Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt (Internet Linked)
* The 5,000 Year Old Puzzle
* DK Eyewitness to Ancient China

*Activity Guides:

* The Ancient Egyptians & Their Neighbors
* Fun With Hieroglyphs
* Dover Life in Ancient Egypt Coloring Book
* Great Ancient Egypt Projects You Can Build Yourself
* Great Ancient China Projects You Can Build Yourself

Hope this list is helpful !
I’d love to know what YOU are using too !
Leave a comment.
HAPPY LEARNING !

Are you a GOOD mom ?
–> Encouragement for Moms <–

(I added that in case you were waiting for confirmation that you aren’t 🙂 )

I am a good mom.

Say it out loud with me!

Did you find that hard to say?
I did.

Did you find it even more difficult to really settle it in your heart
without a steady stream of accusations floating through your mind?

What?!?
You didn’t wear your baby? You didn’t potty train by 2?
You’ve had to rewash the towels 3 times because you can’t remember to put them in the dryer? AND your 9th grader isn’t taking Advanced Calculus this year? 😀

Yeah…still…You ARE a good mom.

Why is this such a hard bunch of words to speak and believe about ourselves ?
Truly, I don’t know of a more loving, giving, hard-working group of ladies
than the mamas that I am blessed to know.
We may all have very different parenting styles, and a different set of goals for our families and ourselves, but one thing we all have in common…We love our children very much.

And love covers a multitude of sins !

I AM A GOOD MOM.
Practice saying the words aloud to yourself till you believe them…then share them
with a friend.

I read a lovely blog post today written by Danielle, a mom just like us.
If you’re in need of some encouragement, or know another mama who needs a reassuring word, read this post and pass it along!!!
THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF BEING A “GOOD” MOM from Today’s the Best Day