A few weeks ago we joined a Christian homeschool conference camp. What a blessing!
Our family was talking with the camp manager, who didn’t know the details about the group renting the space, and he asked if it was a family reunion. Even though we had just met everyone a few days before, my initial response was to say “Yes!”, but I knew that wasn’t the right answer so explained instead. Though honestly, we are family in Christ! It is such a blessing to be around like-minded brothers and sisters!
During talks throughout the week, I took my notes as rhymes and shared one of the notes, “God and Government” during the talent show. Our family uses these notes as a fun way to review. If you were at the camp, perhaps they can be used as a fun review for your family as well. :o)
As one of the camp organizers said, the talent show wasn’t to point to ourselves, but to point to our glorious Creator, who made us each unique with gifts to be used for His glory and to bless others. I agree, and hope that these are used in that way as well.
Blessings,
Rob
2022/08/15
Mark Hamby (Lamplighter Publishers)
The Epic Battle between Wisdom and Folly
Solomon knew who he was, the Son of David the king,
we need to know whose we are, and learn to obey everything.
The digital world will stop your brain, especially a child.
They’ll teach you how to think and act, and make you very mild.
We need to grow through correction, in knowledge, wisdom and more.
Finally to discernment, truth over lies to roar.
Endurance grows our strength, to stand and do what’s right.
Correction develops our character, to fill our life with might.
Fathers stand firm in correction, to let the children grow.
Mothers in instruction, the fear of the Lord to know.
The wise choose their friends with wisdom, and stand up for the weak.
Those who seek after ill gotten gain, trouble do they seek.
In vain is the net spread abroad, in the sight of any bird.
The greedy don’t see the trap, the danger not seen or heard.
How long will you be faithless? How long will I be patient with you?
How long has this been happening? How long till you turn and follow what is true?
Lord, help our unbelief. Lord, help us to obey.
Lord, help us to then see your power. Lord, help us to do what you say.
Tuesday, 2022/08/16
Mark Hamby (Lamplighter Publishers)
Proverbs in Ecclesiastes
Vanity, vanity all is vanity, what then is the theme?
Vanity No. but to keep the words of the preacher, yes. In this is real life seen.
Ecclesiastes is a collection, of the most important words
in the whole universe, it’s important they are heard.
In all the books I’ve read, and many they may be,
Compare as nothing to the value the Word of God has given unto me.
Vanity, vanity, all is vanity, for those outside the Word.
but words of the wise like goads, to direct those who have heard.
Being filled with words of death, not wisdom, truth, delight
will wear us out, break us down, and cause our soul to fight.
When we’re sucked into the story, the characters draw us in.
We lose our means to discern, and then turn away to sin.
The Word of God is alive, it gives wisdom, it gives life.
When we delight in the Word of God, it helps to know what’s right.
When the Bible has words of horror, violence and sin,
it never focuses there, it quickly turns back to God again.
Have knowledge of God’s world, to succeed in all of life.
Knowing God and what he’s done, trust him in ease and strife.
Do you delight in the Word of God? Are you hungry for his truth?
Seek and you will find, don’t live your life aloof.
What is the fear of the Lord? What does this fear mean?
To love what God loves, to hate what he hates. In this fear of the Lord is seen.
Who killed the Son of God, to hell deserve to go?
It wasn’t the Romans, Jews, or others. It was me I finally know.
When we first experience his grace, in light of our depth of sin.
We experience the World he made, we see it new again.
When we seek wisdom in the Word of God, more than silver or gold,
then wisdom will protect you, from youth until your old.
Wisdom is more to seek, than anything you desire,
She gives seven blessings: days, riches, life and honor.
Let these truths not depart, from your life and you will find
favor, safety, guard your steps in front and from behind.
My son get, get, get, get, get, at a high price to search and find.
Wisdom, understanding, ask of God, build your character and mind.
God can use others, in ways we don’t expect.
It may be people we like or not, but the truth we must respect.
If you pursue pleasure first, then you’ll pay the price.
If you first pay the price, the pleasure’s double nice.
Talk about the Lord, what he’s teaching you this week.
Don’t keep it hidden or ignore, those truths with others seek.
God does correction bring, to save us from great loss.
If you ignore, don’t guard your eyes, you’ll fall to death and dross.
Pornography’s a lie, a deceptive intimacy.
Pursue the truth, seek the real, and life and truth you’ll see.
Wednesday, 2022/08/17
Jared Dodd (Dodd Family Ministry)
God and Government
Missionary for families, Jared Dodd and his wife,
Traveling around the country with ten children, what a life.
“The Story of Liberty” in Genesis 1:26,
God gave people dominion over creation, trusting Him to fix.
In the days of Noah, every thought, every one.
dwelt on evil all the time, without government we were done.
Without all our government and without police,
societies have fallen into chaos, not into peace.
God said to Noah, if a man a man should kill
by men his blood be shed, this a responsibility, not a thrill.
Let’s play a game “Whose job is it?” Family, Church, or State?
Protect babies, marriage, gender, feed and educate.
With government out of its bounds, it cannot do it well.
And it keeps the church and family from doing it as well.
The law is to be objective, and not whatever we feel.
Man’s law may sometimes change, but God’s law it is real.
If something is unlawful, unlawful it will be.
It doesn’t matter if it’s legal, His Word we must first see.
Now looking at the Gospel, it’s not just for you and me.
It’s also for the nations, states, market and family.
In the church today, we separate the church and state.
But all should and will bow before him, we will all fall down prostrate.
The great lie is secularism, that the state has no belief.
Everyone is religious, but if we say so they give us grief.
Secularism doesn’t exist, it’s a disarming lie.
It tries to null the word of faith, if we follow, men will die.
Even a staunch atheist will say, “Hey, that’s not fair!”
They borrow from the law of God, though about him they don’t care.
The Doctrine of Man, men are bad, not good.
The world has this confused, correct this the church should.
Why do bad things happen, to the good today?
This only happened once, and he volunteered. Hurray!
Church ignoring hell, LGBTQ,
criminals are the victims, tyrants rule over me and you.
In the Magna Carta, acknowledgement was made,
Common and the powerful, all under law and in its shade.
If the leader ever, be it pastor, government or dad
say to disobey their God, we must still obey, their idea it is bad.
The reformers of the day, they were not perfect men
but they sought their God above, and led Europe to freedem.
“Taking Dominion”, three steps this does take.
Step one Jesus is Lord of all, of this make no mistake.
Every aspect of life: music, science, gender
Everything is his, of this we cannot be a bender.
Satan seeks to corrupt, to make himself the Lord.
Christians need not abandon these, but bring them back to his word.
We need to take dominion, to God bring all things back.
Jesus looks over all creation, and says “Mine!”. We need not slack.
Let’s learn from the Pilgrims, to be stepping stones of faith.
Live boldly for the Lord, a devout minority by God’s grace.
Thursday, 2022/08/18
Jared Dodd (Dodd Family Ministry)
Why Gender is Paramount
Gender is paramount, an important battle today.
It’s foundational in our lives, the only distinction God did say.
All darkness in the world, where we now all live,
is linked to gender. What example can you give?
Why does gender matter? In Genesis one created.
Two genders God did make, this cannot be overstated.
On the “Life Purpose Triangle”, “Covenant with God” the foundation be.
The top is “Unique Calling”, God’s plans are different for you and me.
The middle often skipped, but important for us to teach.
The middle is the “Gender Roles”, things to teach and reach.
The majority of a child’s purpose, known the day they’re born.
But we focus on lesser things, with worldly praise adorn.
Men provide, protect, lead the family.
Women mother, comfort, firm gentleness for all to see.
Marriage equals slavery. Marriage must be destroyed.
Matt Walsh’s “What’s a woman?” to be watched and enjoyed.
Christian girls are growing up, thinking marriage, children not so cool.
Birth a child, feed it, beautiful, Don’t be a fool!
Their body changes for motherhood, she hates it and is lost.
They hate being a girl, and they change at a high cost.
What is the goal? Womanly women, Manly men.
Ways to respond? Reject, Accept by still despise it then.
Accept is as true and embrace it as God’s Word.
Don’t change the Word of God, take it as you’ve heard.
If you are a son, learn how to be a man.
This is your first great goal and command.
If you are a daughter, number one great goal should be,
to learn to be a woman, think, act, skills, and how to be.
Four killers of masculinity, a love for being entertained
used to be asking elders questions, or meals together, it’s not the same.
Peer-based relationships as the basis for their life
instead of with older men, learning the important things of life.
Age-based classes, straight from Darwin’s plan.
We need to learn from other men, this is our demand.
Lust is crushing men, the question we need to ask.
Laziness, being slothful, these are quite a task.
What does it mean to be a man? To be strong and stand fast?
To honor, protect women, this character should last.
Titanic, a great story, the men protect the weak.
The richest man in the world, for a servant girl gave his seat.
The boiler boys did shovel, the orchestra did play,
“Nearer my God to Thee” the men died for women that day.
Government weakens men, says “We will provide.”
Church says “Just get them here. We’ll shepherd you can hide.”
Hard work in the past. Video games today.
Men gave up their seats, demand their own, their pay.
Men now just want a dog, not children, not a wife.
Men sacrifice for women. Stand up. Get a life!
HMS Birkenhead 1845,
Women lived, men died, by sharks were eaten alive.
A message to girls, what is feminine in scripture?
Be glad you’re a girl, be beautiful, it’s a picture.
Be skilled in home, find joy, in fulfilling your man.
The world has this mixed up, but do it, we must and can.
Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville
Making men and women equal, destroys men and women it does kill.
Why is America great? Women are women. Men are men.
The superiority of women. Let’s do it again!
Thursday, 2022/08/18
Milking cows for 50 years since he was quite young.
Share the story of raw milk. Why pasteurization?
Dairies larger, shut small down, couldn’t transport far.
Refrigeration invented then, could move by train, truck, car.
Smaller dairies still had power: taste, nutrition, feel.
Instead of big raising quality, forced pasteurization, made it less “real”.
Weston Price was looking out, saw problems coming soon.
Wrote books about this looming threat, to avoid the coming doom.
He started direct marketing, by Joel Salatin inspired.
They built as they were doing, being watched by the State were tired.
When the State would try to shut raw down, one man stood up and fought.
But the legislators didn’t listen, it was money that they sought.
He then dropped his permit, not knowing what would come.
The local director out, the new one came in beating a different drum.
One farm was sold for houses, a farm it is again.
God is in control, trust him in all. Amen.
When the FDA came by, questions he did ask.
He started to record and they were nervous in their task.
This case was going to court. At the library he found friends.
They went through this together, went together to the end.
He saw the courts would rule as Solomon once said,
with iniquity against the weak, though the weak by God are led.
He felt like giving up, his wife encouraged him to fight.
Together they stood up strong, to fight and do what’s right.
The government sent agents, that acted like normal men.
They’d make up stories, and tell lies, and do again and again.
He then tried a new process, that ended up going wrong.
But he saw all is possible with God, in trials sing His song.
Friends then joined the battle, saying he was wrong.
This helped them cling to Christ, and praise him all along.
Their power was all in praise, when all was falling down.
God has all the answers, but for now he let them frown.
Painted as the criminals, by friends, and neighbors, church.
But supporters also came, to help them in the lurch.
The battle was against raw milk, many lies were being told.
Many farms shut down, destroyed; the government was bold.
The church influenced by media, rumors, news and lies.
The leaders said they’d kick them out, excommunication try.
A friend, a lawyer, came, to help them on the way.
He found they were illegal trespassers, the lower court said, “Ney”.
To the Supreme Court it did go, the court with him agreed.
They thought that it was over, but the authorities had greed.
They came back with another raid,
For by this they are paid.
There is no good in us at all, by him continue in our faith.
The battle finally won, as the Word of God does saith.
Note: For those interested in more about this topic, we recommend the video “Farmageddon”, which we had watched not long before heading to this conference. It helped us to better understand this battle over raw milk (and other natural farming practices), as it has many health benefits, but brings competition to the big, powerful farms.
If you liked the rhyming notes, consider subscribing to our blog. I periodically post rhyming sermon notes and other things that God is teaching us about himself as he guides us through life.
3rd Culture Living 
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