Our Spring issue is currently at press and we're really excited about you all getting to see it by the end of this month. We've got some awesome articles in there. One from Ken Ham about sheltering our children. Another from David Gibbs, the attorney who valiantly fought to try and spare Terri Schiavo's life. Another from Dave Carl about teaching our kids correct theology and so much more. It's going to be wonderful!

And if you need to subscribe or renew, now is a great time. We have another one of our great 19 free gifts packages and this one includes the book, Evolution Exposed from Answers in Genesis. We only have about 2500 of these left, so don't delay!

Now let's get on to today's topic, Because He Lives.

How are your days different because He lives? Has He made a difference in your life? I don't know about you, but I am certainly thankful for His grace and the hope that I have in Him. That's something well worth celebrating, not just on Easter, but everyday!

Enjoy every minute!

Nancy Carter and The Homeschool Minute Team

PS - The HomeschoolingRadio.com website is fixed! You can listen to our interviews there now!

HOME Where They Belong

Easter. He is risen! Our great God and Savior Jesus Christ made Himself absolutely nothing for our sakes. He is God, the one true Lord, King of kings. He didn't have to make Himself low, come among us and die on that cross. He didn't have enter this dark world and become man. Or did He?

According to His Father, yes. According to the Word (Jesus), yes. There was no other way to pay for our sins. There was no other venue for cleansing us. He washed us with the only means that would qualify: Himself sacrificed.

That alone ought to humble us. I sit stunned as I think of it; it's too much. If only we could see that from which we've actually been saved. Someday we'll know. Someday we'll see. Yet I go on my way, doing my own thing, worrying myself with this life's troubles. How faithless I am. I know Christ's glory yet I forget so quickly.

How thankful I am that it is He who builds my very faith. And even further, He maintains it. It's all Him, and only because He is risen. He lives! He's alive! And in Him we live eternally. All the glory to our great God, our Lord, our Messiah, our Savior Jesus Christ. In Him we find our faith, yes, even us, the faltering faithless. Praise Him!

- Gena

Homeschool Heart

Because He Lives

One of our favorite read alouds has been The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare. In the story, Daniel is a young Jew living at the time of Christ . He has an intense hatred for the Romans because they have killed his father, caused the death of his mother, and permanently scarred his sister. As Jews, Daniel and his sister can't even keep the laws required to be considered clean, because they are so poor. They are living without hope.

As Daniel meets Jesus, he sees someone who truly loves and cares for others, but he is challenged by Christ's admonition to love even his enemies. It just doesn't make sense to Daniel. He was expecting the Messiah to come as a mighty warrior who would overthrow the Romans. Yet his friends tell him that Jesus hasn't come to overthrow Rome, He has come to offer them the kingdom - yes even the poor, hurting, sinful, and unclean ones.

I don't want to spoil the rest of the book for you though. Trust me it's good. Lives are changed, hope is given, and barriers are overcome.

Even though The Bronze Bow is fiction, the message is still true ~ because of Jesus, because He lives, our lives can be changed, we can have hope, and we can overcome the barriers in our lives.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
2 Th 2:16-17

- Nancy

Homeschool Freebies!

One of the most "adventurous" things we have done at Easter was to dye eggs with natural ingredients. Let me start by telling you that this is MUCH messier than plopping those little round colored things in a glass of water, but it's definitely a worthwhile learning experience. Let me also tell you that your kitchen will stink for a while. Okay, those are my disclaimers. Here you'll find a good list of items to dye your eggs naturally!

I found a really neat collection of ideas to put Christ back in Easter. A lady in South Africa has a great website with Christian activities and Easter crafts for kids.

One last thing ~ In the Hands of a Child is giving away FREE Gift Certificates (with purchase) to TOS readers only! The more you purchase, the bigger the Gift Certificate. Stock up on your Project Packs today and receive a free gift certificate to use on your next purchase or to give to a friend! Spend $50 and get a $5.00 gift certificate. Spend $100, get $10.00. Spend $150, get $20. Spend $200, get $25. Just enter coupon code TOSGC when placing your order and click the UPDATE button. They'll send you a gift certificate in the amount for which your purchase qualifies.

Remember ~ He's ALIVE!

- Julie

Schoolhouse Store Spotlight

The Schoolhouse Store has a great book to add meaning to your Easter celebration!

The Legend of the Easter Egg by Lamplighter Publishing makes for some wonderful family reading as well. After reading this inspirational tale you will never look at a tree, a flower, a butterfly, a blade of grass, or even a common egg in the same way, for as they come forth with new life, we are reminded that our Savior proclaims to us, “I have risen!”

And if you're ready to do some curriculum shopping, be sure to browse The Schoolhouse Store. With the money that you'll save on FREE shipping, you can buy even more books!

-Dena

Mercy in the Morning

There is a song going through my mind right now, it's this one: "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow." Do you remember that one? Well, that is exactly how I feel. In fact, it's because He lives that I can face today! Today is all I really have and I want to make sure I am serving the God who lives today. What am I doing today to let my kids know that God lives, and that God lives in me? What am I teaching them that will last past today and into eternity? Do they know this powerful Savior who beat death?

The gospel would be nothing without the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's because He was raised, that we can be "raised with Him" and thus able to set our hearts on things above. It's because He conquered death, that we can be more than conquerors in this life. Just as death did not hold Him down, we will not stay down either, but will live forever with Him, and all because of Him. That's why we should "live and move and have our being" in Him every day, and we should bring our children with us!

What should we teach our children this Easter? Just this: He gave His life; He is worthy of our entire life. And that starts with today.

-Deb

Spring and Summer are perfect times for an adventurous art program that encourages outdoor exploration. The Artistic Pursuits art program has something for everyone, grades K-12. Books are written to children and involve them in the creative process while developing observational skills. You'll relax this summer while your children explore, learn, and make original works of art! “Absolutely outstanding! And just in case you missed my enthusiasm, I think EVERY home school should have Artistic Pursuits as part of their curriculum. It IS that good.” - Product Review: Heidi Shaw, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine - Artistic Pursuits www.artisticpursuits.com 303-467-0504

"Thank you SO much for your ministry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You're such a blessing in our lives. "

~The Champlion Family ,THM Readers ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I appreciate you all so much and the devotion you have to this ministry... Thank you for being an inspiration to me to keep going and keep having fun and keep letting the Holy Spirit guide me and lead me in the direction we should go. God Bless you all."

~Jenny, THM Reader ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I just wanted to say that your column yesterday, and the “Home Where They Belong” video, were so encouraging to our family! I have watched the video four times and I cry like a baby every time I watch it!!! As a homeschooling mom of four boys I sometimes am filled with self-doubt. But today I am filled with renewed confidence and boldness that I am doing the absolute right thing with my children. It’s amazing how such a small thing passed along electronically can give someone such a big blessing!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!"

~Cheryl, THM Reader