Life Lessons

Not every day can be a great day - we strive for great days, but sometimes you just have bad days. Today has not been a bad day, but it hasn't been a great day either. I have had to look for my strength in the Lord today while teaching Emma Kate. She is doing well in school and learning many new things, but has had quite an emotional day today. I think that this has to do with the fact that she has huge bug bites all over her legs which are causing a lack of sleep for her because they itch so badly. Today, as I was teaching her, I was reminded how the Lord must feel with us at times. He says, “Be holy as I am holy,” and we fail to fully pursue that command because we are tired, having a bad day, or come up with some other terrible excuse. I am glad that my Father knows what is good for me even when I don't always understand. It is my prayer that each of us will learn to lean more on Him - there we will find everything we will ever need and more.

Michelle

Did you know?

Here are some intersting facts that I have come across. I thought you might enjoy them.

Thomas Edison quit school in elementary grades and was taught at home by his mom because the teacher had labeled him dumb!

Benjamin Franklin only attended school for two years, during which time he was considered exellent in reading, fair in writing and poor in arithmetic. He taught himself and became one of the best educated and most famous men in the world.

Abraham Lincoln's formal education consisted of about 18 months of schooling, but he was largely self-educated and an avid reader.

George Washington was educated in the home by his father and older brother.

Learning at Home

Hello Everyone! I just thought you might enjoy hearing a little about our homeschooling. Here are some things that we have been learning:

1. We are learning how to write the lower case letter "a". Last week we learned how to write the capital letter "A". Emma Kate is doing very well at writing her letters. She can also tell you what sound that the letter "A" makes as well as pick out things that start with the letter "A".

2. Last week we learned the number "1". This week we are learning the number "2". We have practiced writing these numbers, counting and picking one and two things out on paper.

3. For our Bible lesson today we learned about Adam and Eve. We learned that Adam was the first man and Eve was the first woman. We learned that Adam/Eve disobeyed God by eating the fruit of the tree and suffered punishment for doing so. We learned the importance of listening and being obedient.

4. We have also learned about the Liberty Bell. Today we learned that it was the first symbol of freedom for the United States. We did a coloring sheet on it.

5. We have decided to do a unit study on the Olympics since they will be starting on Friday. Today we learned about the Olympic flag and what it looks like. We colored the flag the appropriate colors and displayed it. Throughout the week(s) of the Olympics we will be doing other activities to help explain what they are about.

6. One other thing that we do is book time. This is where I read to both of the girls. After I am finished Emma Kate picks out some books and goes to her room to read herself.

We are truly having a wonderful time and enjoying ourselves.

Until next time,
Michelle

From Our Hearts to Your Homes

Welcome to the McCollough family blog. We decided to start the blog as a fun way to keep our family and friends up to date on our happenings. It’s a simple way to remind you that we are always appreciative of your prayers.

I know you’re wondering about the name of our blog, “The Boars’ Mite.” Well, the name sort of chose us. You see the last name, McCollough, actually means son of boar. Not that flattering I know. However, warriors throughout history have often utilized the imagery of the boar because of its reputation for tenacity and strength in battle. We like that imagery because, as you know, we are in a war.

I’m not speaking of the war in Iraq. The war I’m speaking of is the long struggle for biblical truth. Our family desire to be strong, tenacious warriors in this epic battle. As our dear brother John Calvin has said, “A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent."

Secondly, we chose the term “mite” not because we have a fondness for dust mites, but because it represents a small offering. This blog is our small offering to culture. Here, you’ll not only find ramblings about our lives, but also our musings about biblical truth and the cultural and spiritual issues that are facing our family and world. We hope you’ll always be encouraged, strengthened and provoked to godliness by what you find posted.

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,
Brian