On this day 64 years ago, 156,000 allied American, British, and Canadian troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France.  In the subsequent days and weeks their numbers would swell to nearly a million, supported by 6,900 ships and landing craft, 12,000 aircraft, 148,000 vehicles, 10,000 tons of bombs, and 570,000 tons of supplies.

Over 10,000 of these allied soldiers, sailors, and airman would lose their lives or be wounded.  But, their sacrifice doomed the Nazis stranglehold on Europe.  Their sacrifice gave millions a chance to live and to live free.

When I think of the individual men and their families, I weep for their sacrifice.  When I think of the nobleness of the cause that could move men on such a grand scale, I weep for the sacrifice of their generation. 

War is terrible.  I hope that my sons and daughters never see battle or wear its scars.  But I know that as long as sin abounds in this world, there will be war. 

So, as a homeschool father, I hope to teach my children two overriding principles concerning war.  The first is to know history.  To understand the history of war and warfare is to recognize inevitable approaching conflicts. 

It is no coincidence the Winston Churchill was the earliest and loudest siren against the rise of Nazism in Germany (for which he was ridiculed), he homeschooled himself in history and warfare from a very early age.  It is also no coincidence the Churchill was the best equipped to lead England as she stood alone against the German war machine.

The second principle I want my children to learn is to confront evil whenever and wherever they find it.  Tyrants grow from petty, selfish people.  Greed is something inherent to a child.  Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ has the ability and authority to overcome sin. 

We can go back to the "liberation" of Europe and see that the Soviets replaced the evil doctrines of Hitler with the evil doctrines of Marx and Lenin, and the people suffered for forty more years.  Only in the west did the Christian liberators bring liberty and self-determination to the people.

From Considering Homeschooling.

Here is a story out of Iowa about Christian homeschoolers supporting Mike Huckabee.  For all the $7 million plus that Mitt Romney has poured into Iowa (compared to Mike Huckabee's < $400K), I think Romney will be singing "can't buy me looove..." when the caucuses are over.  For who can stand up to the political power of Christian homeschoolers and their children? 

From the article, Vicki Crawford says:

"From here on out, we are for the next month going to go and volunteer for Governor Huckabee. That's part of our school. Life is a field trip."

And, field trips that matter give life so much more meaning.  That's why, whether it is standing in front of our local abortion clinic or canvassing our precinct before an election, our children are beside us.

Pray for the Christian homeschoolers in Iowa, that God gives the strength and organizational skills to help Mike Huckabee to victory.

To help support Mike Huckabee, go to his website:  www.mikehuckabee.com

The Herald Tribune is reporting that "Aqua Dots" Chinese-made children's toys contain the 'date rape' drug.

Scientists say a chemical coating on the beads, when ingested, metabolizes into the so-called date rape drug gamma hydroxy butyrate. When eaten, the compound — made from common and easily available ingredients — can induce unconsciousness, seizures, drowsiness, coma and death.

Could this Chinese toy thing get any stranger?  Lead, asbestos, gamma hydroxy butyrate... could they try any harder to make this look like a sinister communist plot to kill American children?

We have long boycotted Chinese made products -- yes, it is possible.  It takes more time shopping and sometimes we go home empty handed.  But, like most Americans, who needs more stuff?  As someone who loves toys, those three little words - Made in China - sure help us save a lot of money.  Try it; just put the stuff back on the shelf.

Our little family is like a chorus going through a toy store: "Made in China", "Made in China", "Made in China".  I believe those are the first words most of our children learned to read -- dad's homeschool of consumer awareness. 

Our little boycott started, not because of consumer safety reasons, but because the communists represent real evil in this world.  Christians are persecuted in China.  Political freedom is suppressed.  Individual expression is punished.  Information is controlled by the state.  Every industry profits from slave labor (through forced labor of political prisoners in energy and mining).  And, women are forced to have abortions.

Also, a portion of every dollar that goes to China gets invested into the PLA (Peoples Liberation Army), China's military, which is engaged in a great strategic expansion in anticipation of the coming conflict with the United States.  Historically, China views the United States as an enemy.  All of their military build-up is targeted at countering the United States -- anti-satellite weapons to target our communications, blue water navy and submarines to counter our aircraft carriers, hacking to disrupt our information infrastructure, anti-surface missiles to counter our navy, short and medium range missiles to target Taiwan and US bases in Asia, ICBM's to target American cities.

Please pray that this coming conflict does not come to pass.  Pray that the communist government of China would be destroyed and freedom would come to the Chinese people.  Too long have they suffered under the suppression of totalitarian government (at key historical points reinforced by western powers). 

In 1989 brave individuals stood up for political reform in China, the result was death and prison for thousands.  The west largely ignored these tyrannical acts and expanded trade relations with China.  Trade has done little since then to give the Chinese people political freedom.  Instead, the power of the communist dictators has been reinforced and strengthened by the influx of western cash.

Please stop giving your cash to China; instead give them your prayers and determination to see them free to worship Christ as you do.  Don't you think that is a better lesson for your children then that plastic (and perhaps lead painted) toy?

Many Americans, especially Christians, tend to have an idealistic view of the recent past and yearn for the simplicity and moral uprightness of bygone times.  As a student of history, I like to think I have a more realistic view of the past, but the reality is that I am just cynical about human nature - then and now.  So, when collecting songs for our little quartet, I was curious about who might be "in the kitchen with Dinah."

I thought that a good knowledge of American folk songs, in addition to Christian hymns, would benefit our children -- giving them cultural insight and understanding beyond the knowledge of historical dates, events, and people.  Rhythm, harmony, and history… now that's homeschooling.

Well, in looking deeper into the kitchen, I was surprised to find Dinah "making love."  I was even more surprised that an earlier version of our "kid's song" was sung in a minstrel dialect and includes lyrics that, by all modern standards, are racist.  Correction, the lyrics are by all standards racist.  (Yes, I can judge the past by my modern standards -- chattel slavery was the result of racism.)

Here are the lyrics most of us grew up with, singing innocently enough:

I've been working on the railroad
All the livelong day
I've been working on the railroad
Just to pass the time away

Can't you hear the whistle blowing
Rise up so early in the morn
Can't you hear the captain shouting
Dinah, blow your horn

Dinah, won't you blow
Dinah, won't you blow
Dinah, won't you blow your horn
Dinah, won't you blow
Dinah, won't you blow
Dinah, won't you blow your horn

Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah
Someone's in the kitchen I know
Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah
Strumming on the old banjo, and singing

Fie, fi, fiddly i o
Fie, fi, fiddly i o
Fie, fi, fiddly i o
Strumming on the old banjo

Ok, so first of all, Dinah was a "slang term for a slave woman and, by extension, any woman of African-American descent" (note) and apparently all the "Dinah" lyrics were adopted from an earlier song.  And my suspicions about Dinah was confirmed by this often deleted (but not always deleted, get this "camp songs" page) stanza:

Someone's makin' love to Dinah
Someone's making love I know-o-o-o
Someone's making love to Dinah
'Cause I can't hear the old banjo

If that was not bad enough, here are the origins of the modern song:

(SOLO) I once did know a girl named Grace--
(QUARTET) I'm wukkin' on de levee;
(SOLO) She done brung me to dis sad disgrace
(QUARTET) O' wukkin' on de levee.

I been wukkin' on de railroad
All de livelong day,
I been wukkin' on de railroad
Ter pass de time away.

Doan' yuh hyah de whistle blowin'?
Ris up, so uhly in de mawn;
Doan' yuh hyah de cap'n shouin',
"Dinah, blow yo' hawn?"

Sing a song o' the city;
Roll dat cotton bale;
Niggah aint half so happy
As when he's out o' jail

Norfolk foh its oystahshells,
Boston foh its beans,
Chahleston foh its rice an' cawn,
But foh niggahs New Awleens.

So... not so idealistic, not so morally upright.   I am really surprised that this song, even in its modern form, is still promoted as a children's song, programmed into baby toys (possibly due to the melody's popularity in Japan), etc.  One would have thought that the forces of political correctness would have put it to death by now.  But, in looking around, I do not think the full context or origins are well known.

So, now that you know, what will you do?  Do you care?  Do you teach it to your children for cultural literacy reasons?  Do you use the history of the song to teach about racism?  Do you use it as an object lesson that God created man in his image and that sin works in the hearts of men to form the false pride of racism?

Well, some have been wondering... "What happened to the Lowers family?" 

So, here is our new blog where we hope to offer some insight and encouragement for Christian homeschool families - as well as keep friends and family up to date on our adventures as a homeschool family of eight.

We made it here to our undisclosed location, some 2,500 miles from the overcrowding and choking air of southern California.  We will be sharing some of our traveling adventures "Six Kids, Ten States, and One Minivan".  God blessed us with a safe journey.

I hope to share my experiences - as a dad - of homeschooling of our oldest child.

Kathy will, of course, give some of her insightful and heartfelt commentary on homeshooling, society, and culture as only she can with such sincere honesty.

We are content to concentrate on our own homeschool "movement" here at home.  We are very happy and encouraged that Mbuyi and Mong-Tham Khuzadi have started Exploring Homeschooling, which is taking off under their able and spirit-led leadership.  Exploring Homeschooling is a vital homeschool evangelism ministry that needs your prayer and support.

So our blog begins.