Saturday Classes I teach for Kids at Grants Pass Jo-Ann's Fabric and Craft Store

Don't miss out on the classes at Jo-Ann's! They are often 50% off.

This past Saturday I taught a class of 5 students how to knit. 

The 4 girls and 1 boy did an excellent job! 

They were starting a scarf by the end of class.

This Saturday we're getting ready for Valentines with 

this easy hand sewn pillow - 

I Heart You Pillow: Kids' Sewing 102 (5+ yrs old)

Upcoming Classes:

On the left is a  pillow case which teaches children 

the basics of the sewing machine-

Kids' Sewing 101: Headtime Story (this is an ongoing class for 8+ yrs old)

In the middle is a giant pillow for those familiar with the 

machine using straight and zigzag stitches-

Kids' Sewing 201: My Pooch Pillow (8+ yrs old)

On the right is a more advanced project using two different 

fabrics with gathers for a cute skirt-

Kids' Sewing 301: Style Rocks Tutu (8+ yrs old)

The Importance of Music Theory

It's a known command that we are to praise God with our voices. To quote just a couple places: Psalm 9:11 "Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion! Declare His deeds among the people." Isaiah 12:5 "Sing to the LORD, For He has done excellent things; This is known in all the earth." Have you thought about the importance of improving the instrument God has given you in order to be more faithful in your worship of Him? How about your children - are you raising worshipers of the living God? Do they know how to sing and do it well? If their overall education is important, then music theory should be included in their core curriculum right along with reading, writing and math.

There's an order to music - staffs, clefs, notes, measures, time signatures, scales, chords and intervals, to name just a few specifics, are used to put music together. Our God is a god of order- look around you and see His orderliness. Those who have been made in His image mimic this orderliness in producing music. It's a science to figure out the placement of notes. It's an art to produce beautiful music that singers can sing.

Perhaps you have heard of do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do? That's a scale! Did you know that scales consist of whole and half notes? Do you know what intervals are? Did you know that sharps and flats in the key signature have a certain order? You might say, "I'm not interested in all that stuff. I just want to sing!" Yes, you can sing, but will it be your best? Learning to follow along on a music score is foundational to good singing. It takes time and work, but is well worth it.

For a starting point you could go to lesson one on the 8notes website below and commit to memory the terms. Go to the subsequent lessons and learn as you go. One excellent way to really learn is to be in a group such as a music class, group lessons, or join with other families and learn together. Quite a few of us took "Music Fundamentals for Worship" at Caedmon http://www.caedmoncollege.org/classes/ this second semester. Brad McMurray was patient and inspiring as we went through many of the things mentioned above and more. It was challenging, yet fun and motivating! Learn the grammar of music to improve your singing so "that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" with more gusto!

http://www.8notes.com/school/theory/staff_clefs_ledger_lines.asp

Caedmon College Class: John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion

Cor meum tibi offero domine prompte et sincere

"MY HEART I OFFER TO YOU LORD
PROMPTLY AND SINCERELY!”

The background of the man behind the books helped to set the stage for this class. Being a young man, the 26 yr. old Calvin first published his Institutes in 1536. The completed books, five times larger, were published in 1559. The Prefatory Address of the first book was written for King Francis 1 of France - as he addresses him "most glorious King" Calvin writes, " My purpose was solely to transmit certain rudiments by which those who are touched with any zeal for religion might be shaped to true godliness, and I undertook this labor especially for our French countrymen, very many of whom I know to be hungering and thirsting for Christ; but I saw very few who had been duly imbued with even a slight knowledge of him. The book itself witnesses that this was my intention, adapted as it is to a simple and, you may say, elementary form of teaching."

This basic instruction for Christianity is not simply raw theology, as some would think. It is written almost as a devotional guide. The biblical teaching is applicable to life and cuts to the heart. Readers are drawn into the persuasive character of Calvin's writing. He brings out the Bible's clear teaching and allows the mysteries of God to stand. Behind the explanations we see a humble man who was truly sincere about his faith and desired others to know the God who is Creator and has revealed Himself in His son.

When I first thought of studying John Calvin's Institutes I expected his writing to be way over my head. Surprisingly most of it is not. The fact that we are discussing what we read is an added bonus. We have talked about the knowledge of God and answered questions like: What feelings prompt us to see that true wisdom rests in God alone? What is innate in all of us? What is the straightedge to which we must be shaped? May God be known without piety? What does Calvin mean by piety? Can you describe the knowledge of God to which we are called?

Another sample of our class centered on how Calvin sees the close bond between the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, as seen in this quote - "Therefore the Spirit, promised to us, has not the task of inventing new and unheard of revelations or of forging a new kind of doctrine, to lead us away from the received doctrine of the gospel, but of sealing our minds with that very doctrine which is commanded by the gospel" Other topics so far have included: the Trinity, creation, and man's sin.

Calvin's Institutes are widely revered by many because of their straight forward teaching with nearly 7,000 Bible references. John Calvin set out to help his fellow countrymen and in the process has touched countless others across the globe. We are privileged to have a group of students interested in taking up these discussions at Caedmon College.

College Classes Extraordinaire!

We've been taking classes at Caedmon College this fall. There have been 4 classes offered:

1) John Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2) Defending the Lion: Christian Apologetics and Worldview, 3) Latin I, 4)Introduction to Rhetoric

It's amazing how the classes have gone together well. What we're learning in Calvin's Institutes is helpful for Apologetics. What we're learning in Rhetoric is beneficial for Apologetics. The Latin phrases and roots are useful for all the classes. Keeping up with the homework is a challenge, but well worth the time.

The instructors have been excellent! There are more classes planned for the winter & spring terms too. Maybe in years down the road Caedmon will be a thriving college with many eager students. Right now there are about 11 eager students who are enthused to be able to take these classes and participate in the lively discussion.

We'll be writing on here some of the things we've been learning. Deo volente!