1. Learn how complicated Hebrew is...
http://www.lookstein.org/online_journal.php?id=81
2. Learn about the alphabet
http://www.biblicalhebrew.com/alphabet.htm
3. Study the alphabet in detail by studying each letter one at a time in wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%99
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%94
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%95
Those are just the ones I had bookmarked but you can copy and paste any Hebrew character into a Wikipedia search to learn more about it.
4. Get a vocal recording of Hebrew so you can hear genuine pronunciation of the language. I choose the Hebrew psalms on cd.
http://www.hebrewworld.com/Psalmsongs1.html
Also here are some great resources for listening to pslams and hebrew online
http://www.shma-israel.org/music.php
http://www.shma-israel.org/narrations.php
http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt2601.htm
5. Study one psalm or part at a time. I choose to start with song #16 because it was the shortest.
6. Pick out the main words in the psalm.
עבדו את־יהוה בשמחה באו לפניו ברננה
http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt2601.htm
psalms in English and Hebrew
http://www.hebrewsongs.com/psalm0index.htm
pronunciation of psalms in Hebrew written out.
7. Study the individual letters in the words and compare them to the way they are spoken to understand how each letter sounds when spoken. Get to know each letter so that you can read the word as it would be spoken. Remember the all forms of God are either not spelled correctly or pronounced correctly, so don't get hung up there.
8. Make Study flash cards like this one, inorder to help you study the words.
http://www.flashcardexchange.com/mycards/view/435437
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Friday, February 09, 2007
How to Reduce the Stress of Homeschooling as a Christian
http://www.wikihow.com/Reduce-the-Stress-of-Homeschooling-as-a-Christian
How to Reduce the Stress of Homeschooling as a Christian
Homeschooling your children is really quite simple and pleasurable. But many women seem to miss out on its simplicity and pleasure because they are all wrapped up in stress and self doubt. This How-to may help some homeschoolers free themselves of stress and self doubt.
(The author would love for you to contribute your ideas on How to homeschool with more confidence and less stress, please add them to this article.)
Steps
1. Determine why you homeschool or teach at home. Write this down. Everytime you think of a new reason why you are homeschooling make a note of it. This will help you remember all the benefits of homeschooling through the frustrating times.
2. Review what you have taught in your homeschool over the last week, month or year. As you list what you have taught you will find that you understand allot more about your homeschool and how it functions. You will be reminded of what works well in your homeschool. What your kids are interested in. All the many success you have had in your homeschool. Almost nothing can make you feel as good as a list of good things you have taught in your homeschool. You will be glad you reviewed your success.
3. Download Task Master http://www.qsoftworld.com/taskmaster/ or use some other method to keep track of your to-do lists. Write down all the tasks you should do/want to get done. You may find that this alone relieves some guilt and stress. After you have those nagging tasks written down, walking past evidence of unfinished tasks is easier. Because now, you can say, "I have a plan for that task and I will get to it when it is the best time".
4. Establish a habit. Pick one thing you want to do (not what you think you should do; wants motivate much more than shoulds). Consistently do this one thing for one month. Don't overwhelm yourself, pick one small thing. Master one thing at a time. When your first habit is mastered pick a new habit. Keep a list of habits you have mastered "Where success is measured success improves."
5. Relieve external pressure. Strive not to take offense from your many relatives and family that express doubt and concern. Talk to them in their language, do not try to convince them of your philosophy if it is different. If you have more critical relations go out of your way to tell them the good things you are doing in your homeschool. This should be easier now that you have written down all the successes you have had in your homeschool. This is not bragging this is addressing their concerns in a positive way. Your brainstormed list of homeschool successes should assist you with this. Do not bring your critical relations into your confidence or they will feel they know more or are close enough to the situation to evaluate your homeschool and it success even more.
6. Keep your stress level in check. Good stress motivates you while bad stress demotivates you. Read more here http://www.jhu.edu/~hr1/fasap/stress/index.html and here http://www.jhu.edu/~hr1/fasap/stress/slide14.html
7. Take time for you. Now that you homeschool, you have less personal time. Plan in some kind of personal time, weekly is wonderful. Take a long relaxing bath. Send the kids to their friends house. Work out an exchange with another mother, where you take turns giving eachother a break. Plan a weekly or monthly visit for the kids to go to grandmas so you can have a break.
8. Network with other homeschooling families. Homeschooling is growing so fast that most major cities have many different homeschooling activities your family can participate in. find an activity your kids like and take a break chatting with other homeschooling mothers while your kids enjoy their activity.
9. Have confidence. The Lord has entrusted these children with you. They are your stewardship. Because he has called you to this work he has given you the divine gift of inspiration for your kids. If you turn to him he will guide and direct you in this important stewardship. The Lord's ways are not our ways. If coloring outside of the lines is what he wants you to do, then do it with confidence, be the salt of the earth.
Tips
* Keep your focus simple. You have time on your hands. Every month you will get better at homeschooling. Every year you will get better at homeschooling.
* Bring your spouse in line. Ask him to tell you what he would like to see happen in your homeschool. Listen openly to his ideas. Help him see how he has talents that will add to the homeschooling environment. If you have a husband who is critical of homeschooling it can be a burden that is difficult to bear. Help relieve this stress by asking him pick one thing for the families homeschool to work on.(I say families because that keeps him involved). Most likely he will describe a talent he has and would like the children to have. If this is the case plan a method to help the children gain this talent also. When put in this light your husband is essential to the process. If he wants you to improve in some way talk about it. Many times it helps to narrow down your husbands concerns to one item of importance. Strive to improve in this one area. This is a team effort, ask the whole family to work together to reach this new goal. Express to your husband that this is a process. It is best to start with one small thing and build on that then to try to be an instant homeschooling expert.
Warnings
* Your husband may want to make sweeping changes to your homeschool and call it one item. If you strive do fulfill his sweeping ideal you will end up frustrated. Sustainable growth happens slowly one habit at a time. Work on small obtainable goals that motivate you. The more you are excited about your goal the more successful you will be.
How to Reduce the Stress of Homeschooling as a Christian
Homeschooling your children is really quite simple and pleasurable. But many women seem to miss out on its simplicity and pleasure because they are all wrapped up in stress and self doubt. This How-to may help some homeschoolers free themselves of stress and self doubt.
(The author would love for you to contribute your ideas on How to homeschool with more confidence and less stress, please add them to this article.)
Steps
1. Determine why you homeschool or teach at home. Write this down. Everytime you think of a new reason why you are homeschooling make a note of it. This will help you remember all the benefits of homeschooling through the frustrating times.
2. Review what you have taught in your homeschool over the last week, month or year. As you list what you have taught you will find that you understand allot more about your homeschool and how it functions. You will be reminded of what works well in your homeschool. What your kids are interested in. All the many success you have had in your homeschool. Almost nothing can make you feel as good as a list of good things you have taught in your homeschool. You will be glad you reviewed your success.
3. Download Task Master http://www.qsoftworld.com/taskmaster/ or use some other method to keep track of your to-do lists. Write down all the tasks you should do/want to get done. You may find that this alone relieves some guilt and stress. After you have those nagging tasks written down, walking past evidence of unfinished tasks is easier. Because now, you can say, "I have a plan for that task and I will get to it when it is the best time".
4. Establish a habit. Pick one thing you want to do (not what you think you should do; wants motivate much more than shoulds). Consistently do this one thing for one month. Don't overwhelm yourself, pick one small thing. Master one thing at a time. When your first habit is mastered pick a new habit. Keep a list of habits you have mastered "Where success is measured success improves."
5. Relieve external pressure. Strive not to take offense from your many relatives and family that express doubt and concern. Talk to them in their language, do not try to convince them of your philosophy if it is different. If you have more critical relations go out of your way to tell them the good things you are doing in your homeschool. This should be easier now that you have written down all the successes you have had in your homeschool. This is not bragging this is addressing their concerns in a positive way. Your brainstormed list of homeschool successes should assist you with this. Do not bring your critical relations into your confidence or they will feel they know more or are close enough to the situation to evaluate your homeschool and it success even more.
6. Keep your stress level in check. Good stress motivates you while bad stress demotivates you. Read more here http://www.jhu.edu/~hr1/fasap/stress/index.html and here http://www.jhu.edu/~hr1/fasap/stress/slide14.html
7. Take time for you. Now that you homeschool, you have less personal time. Plan in some kind of personal time, weekly is wonderful. Take a long relaxing bath. Send the kids to their friends house. Work out an exchange with another mother, where you take turns giving eachother a break. Plan a weekly or monthly visit for the kids to go to grandmas so you can have a break.
8. Network with other homeschooling families. Homeschooling is growing so fast that most major cities have many different homeschooling activities your family can participate in. find an activity your kids like and take a break chatting with other homeschooling mothers while your kids enjoy their activity.
9. Have confidence. The Lord has entrusted these children with you. They are your stewardship. Because he has called you to this work he has given you the divine gift of inspiration for your kids. If you turn to him he will guide and direct you in this important stewardship. The Lord's ways are not our ways. If coloring outside of the lines is what he wants you to do, then do it with confidence, be the salt of the earth.
Tips
* Keep your focus simple. You have time on your hands. Every month you will get better at homeschooling. Every year you will get better at homeschooling.
* Bring your spouse in line. Ask him to tell you what he would like to see happen in your homeschool. Listen openly to his ideas. Help him see how he has talents that will add to the homeschooling environment. If you have a husband who is critical of homeschooling it can be a burden that is difficult to bear. Help relieve this stress by asking him pick one thing for the families homeschool to work on.(I say families because that keeps him involved). Most likely he will describe a talent he has and would like the children to have. If this is the case plan a method to help the children gain this talent also. When put in this light your husband is essential to the process. If he wants you to improve in some way talk about it. Many times it helps to narrow down your husbands concerns to one item of importance. Strive to improve in this one area. This is a team effort, ask the whole family to work together to reach this new goal. Express to your husband that this is a process. It is best to start with one small thing and build on that then to try to be an instant homeschooling expert.
Warnings
* Your husband may want to make sweeping changes to your homeschool and call it one item. If you strive do fulfill his sweeping ideal you will end up frustrated. Sustainable growth happens slowly one habit at a time. Work on small obtainable goals that motivate you. The more you are excited about your goal the more successful you will be.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Revised : How to Raise a Happy Baby Through on Demand Nursing
“There is no finer investment for any community than putting milk into babies.” ~ Winston ChurchillSteps
1. Set up a nursing station - Find a comfortable place in the house where you like to nurse. Stock it up with the essentials, water, the phone, maybe a book or a notepad. It may be good to have the diaper changing station close by.
2. Respond quickly to your babies crying. From Erick Erickson's Eight Stages of Development we learn that the first and most important thing your infant learns is Basic Trust Versus Basic Mistrust. Responding quickly to your baby will teach him that the world is a safe place.
3. Go to your comfy spot and nurse your crying infant. I know this seems so simple, but really many a new mother has stressed about what to do with a crying baby.
4. Relax, watch your babies muscles relax now that she is nursing. Take inspiration from her, relax your muscles also. But, you will say, there is more to raising a child then nursing...
5. Examine your baby. Is he cold, hot, or in need of a diaper change? Now that he is close to you it is a perfect time to check over his physical well bing.
6. Think, what other things might your baby need. Does your baby want attention, A nap, if so you job is easy because she is already dosing off. While you are still sitting there calm and relaxed think of what you can do to best help this baby stay happy. Can you carry them in a sling while you work? Can you sit them in a bouncy chair where they can watch you run about the house and clean it? Can you give them an interesting object to put in their mouth?
7. Act, when your baby is done nursing solve any problems that the baby is in need of.
8. Set the baby up to be happy. Maybe attach her to you with a sling or a pack. Maybe put the baby in an exerciser or a seat where she can watch you work. Place within the babies filed of experience a toy, a kitchen utinsle (a whisk works great) or some other daily object that is safe. If you set the baby up well you may be able to get something done while she is happy.
9. Return the lost toy, and check in, in order to encourage your baby to be happy longer. If your baby is close by where they can watch you work you can catch little problems before they become big. If a toy is dropped you can pick it up before the baby cries and gets upset. Check in often with your baby. Put your face close to the baby so that they can see you. Talk to the baby and stroke his soft little head. This little check in when the baby is not upset will strengthen your babies confidence and trust in their care
10. Repeat
Tips
* This method will still work as your child gets older. When he falls down, nurse him. When he is sad because a toy broke nurse him. Etc. This method is so simple and takes much stress out of your life. When the baby starts to cry you don't have to start to stress about what you should do. Nurse the baby and when both you and he are clam you will get other ideas about how to help him further.
* Remember each time you quickly and efficiently help him stop crying and take care of his needs you teach him to trust the world, that it is safe. And you make him into a more confidant individual. You will find if you keep up with this that your baby cries allot less then other babies, that your baby calms down easier, that your baby is more safe and secure feeling. You may find to your surprise that you have a harder time parting with your baby then he has with you. He knows you will be there when he needs you so he is not worried.
* If you can not come right away when the baby cries start to communicate with it. Say things like. "I hear you, I am coming as soon as I can. But I must get the cake out of the oven before it burns. Wait just a min." You baby might not stop crying when you tell it what you are doing, and that you are on your way. But the baby will still learn from this pattern. Keep talking to the baby even if it is crying, even if it is crying loud enough it can not hear you. Keep telling it you will come as soon as you can. Young infants and children learn through repetition. Eventually your young baby will learn to wait patiently when it must. Singing this to your child can give the child added comfort. Repeatedly sing something like this. "I am coming ,coming coming, I am coming to help you." It is silly I know but it works. Just keep repeating, your baby will learn through repetition and patterns.
* For an older baby you can help him learn to wait for something through repetious singing also. Like when my 18 month old wants to join his older sisters outside and is crying because he can not open the door. I scoop him up in my arms and as I bundle him up to go out side I sing something like this "You are going outside after your coat is on, you are going out side after your shoes are on..." This repitious song can help them gain confidence that their needs will be met and teach them about processes.
* Eventually you will become like the baby whisperer and know what your baby needs. But even still there will always be times when you do not know what your baby needs or how to help them be happy, at these times start with nursing to make things more simple for you and your baby.
* When it is time for you to leave your child with someone else do not sneak out when your baby is not looking. If you do you will loose your childs trust. Even your young infant will learn to trust you through repition. I may be silly but when my child is old enough to notice me leaving him I pick them up and tell them. "Mama is leaving you for about 2 hours, Aunt Dee will be here to take care of you, and I will be back soon." If you consistently tell your child you are leaving and consistently tell them you are coming back, they will learn to trust you. If a child is afraid that you will sneak out on them at any time they will try harder to not let you get away with that trick. Tension will rise and it will get harder and harder to sneak out. Better to let the child cry at parting at first and gain trust. Then to break their trust and sneak out and have the child cry anyways when they realize that you snuck away.
Warnings
* If you are just switching to this on-demand-nursing method you will find that all transitions are difficult. Your baby will want to test the waters and make sure that you will pick him up and comfort him whenever he wants you to. You will find that at first your baby will need and ask for much much more attention. Like with every other thing in life your baby is testing the new limits. Have faith and know that once you teach your child "I will respond quickly to your needs." He will develop confidence in this fact, and need attention less, and be comforted more quickly.
* Every where you turn you can get advice on how to raise a baby, and most likely you do get it everywhere you turn weather or not you want it. Much of this advice will come at you in a black and white form. "You must do X in order to be a good mother, if you don't do exactly X everything will fail." These doomsday ultimate predictions are never correct. You are a unique being, your baby is a unique being. What works for you and your infant is a unique solution that only you can find. No one can tell you what will work for you and your infant. They can only tell you what worked for them and their infant. Babies are resilient. Being a normal good mother, finding your own best way, making mistakes, and having imperfect moments is part of life. Please whatever you do, do not cause yourself more emotional stress
by being harsh on yourself, if you do not follow this advice to the T, or anyone else's advice. The way it works for someone else will not be the exact same way it works for you. Take in the parts that improve your life and leave out the parts that stress you. You are custom making your own unique solution.* If your baby is in a social mood she will quickly wrap you around her little finger and make you forget all your to-do's. Go with it, Your little darling is only this little for a short time.
* don't be afraid to hold your baby too much or give your baby too much attention. There is an old parenting philosophy that still lingers some, some older ladies will still tell you "You are spoiling that baby." Hugs and attention does not spoil a baby, manipulation spoils a baby. A Spoiled child manipulates in order to get what they want.
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