There was a part of the meadow that had grown very tall, because the weeds made it bad to eat. One of my favorite pastimes was to clip off the bottoms of the tall blades with my teeth and see if I could keep from getting hit when they came down. I had to be careful, though, not to let our shepherd see me. If he did, he would gently scold me, and carry me back to the flock. He would tell me not to go there because the tall grass could hide wild animals very well. But this time, he didn’t see me. He was binding up another sheep’s wound.

I was so delighted from the fun of my current activity, and at my good fortune at being unseen, that I paid no attention to a sudden crashing noise in the grass. All of a sudden, a great, huge shadow was cast over me. I knew from the shadow and the rumbling growl that a bear was behind me. I yelled for my mother, for the shepherd, for help of any kind. Just as a mighty pair of jaws was about to close around me, a rock whizzed past me and struck the bear’s head. I heard a great moaning roar as the bear collapsed behind me. I ran to the shepherd, who was just fastening his sling to his belt. He picked me up and cradled me in his arms.

"Now, my little lamb," he said as he set me down next to my mother, "I hope you have learned your lesson. I am sure you will never go to that part of the meadow again." And I never have. Whenever I look at the tall grass and weeds, I am reminded of how blessed I am to have a shepherd like David.

I decided to follow them and look where I ended up! Right in front of this big stretch of water! It’s so long I can’t see the end of it! I think the big bugs want to get across. The bug called Joshua looked worried. I don’t know why. They looked big enough to walk across! I don’t think they think so. Joshua bug kneeled down, folded his hands, bowed his head, closed his eyes and whispered something for a long time. I’m not sure what happened next, but whatever it was, it sure stopped him from worrying! He shouted, "We are going to cross the Jordan!" All the rest of the big bugs looked puzzled. But I thought I knew what happened. Joshua finally realized that they were big enough to walk across! I was wrong.

Joshua said, "Go to bed now, and tomorrow you will find out what we are going to do." I couldn’t wait till the next day! I noticed it was dark, so I followed Joshua to his tent to sleep. He didn’t seem to notice me.

I got into the blanket and he just charged in too! How’s an ant supposed to get any sleep around here?! Not only did I have to share the blanket, but he almost rolled over me! I finally got out of there and slept on the floor. I didn’t even have a decent ant hill!

The next day I was up before he was, so I ran out and stood in front of the water and waited for the big bugs. They came out a little later.

Joshua bug said, "Gather around and we shall cross!" Then he told the two big bugs carrying a humongous gold box to step in the water. Do you know what happened when they stepped in? The water separated into two walls!! Everyone gasped.

Joshua said, "God has given us permission to cross!" Everyone cheered. As they started to walk across, I thought of my ant friends at home. I didn’t want to have them miss out on all the fun, so I called over just a few. OK, I called the whole colony. Tim, Jim and Lyn were really excited. Bill, Phil and Lil were too. We all crossed. It looked really weird. In the water there were these creatures swimming around. They didn’t look like any bugs I’ve ever seen before! I was glad Jenny brought a movie camera. This is something I want to remember forever!

After everyone was across, the box-carrying bugs came to the side where we were and the water closed up over where we had all just walked! Talk about AMAZING!! Everyone sang and danced and clapped their hands. I was happy, too. I had done something no ant has done before! That’s the true story of THE GREAT ANT JOURNEY ACROSS THE JORDAN!

Raising my head I scanned the horizon, making sure all was clear. Nope, nothing in sight. Just another clear, sunny day. Blue skies, green grass, brown dirt and... Oh drat, my mistake. Travelers incoming! I quickly slipped behind a large rock. A boy and two men walking, with an older one riding an ass. He had to be at least a hundred! Hmm, nothing really important. I’d just wait till they left and finish eating.

Just then, they turned and began heading to the mountain! What is this? No one else ever goes up there! I knew it was none of my business, but curiosity overtook me. I had to know what they were doing! Sneaking from rock to rock, I crept along a short distance away from the travelers.

Suddenly, at the foot of the mountain, they stopped. The old one climbed off his ass, and after giving some instructions to the two men, picked up a bundle of wood from the back of the ass and gave it to the boy to carry. He then took a took a large torch and a knife from one of the men, and then began up the mountain with the boy.

After a moment’s hesitation, I followed. It took a while but they finally reached a small flat clearing just below the summit. Humans are so slow! I could have ran up and down the mountain twice in the time it took them! Still, seeing as one was sporting a long gray beard, and the other still a while from having one, I couldn’t really blame them. Now, if it had been those other two... Never mind. Anyway, they proceeded to gather rocks and build something with them. It took me a while, but I finally realized what it was. An alter! My breath started coming fast, as it dawned on me what all this wood and the torch and knife were for. My thoughts flashed back to a month ago, when my cousin was nabbed by travelers. I had happened to be nearby, and saw it all. They killed him in cold blood and burnt him up. I shuddered and changed my footing on the bushy slope overlooking the alter. I was almost afraid to stay, but I couldn’t help but wonder what they were planning to sacrifice. Besides, I was safe up here. There was no way an old man and a boy could catch me.

Well, they finally finished building the thing and sticking wood all over the top. I still couldn’t figure out what they were going to burn on it. Maybe they’re going to catch locusts—or a rat. Wait a minute. Am I seeing things? The old guy is tying up the boy! He’s putting him on the alter! What kind of a sicko? I’ve always wondered what goes on in those little round heads of theirs, but this? Somehow I had the impression that they were smarter than that. I mean, would I butt a lamb off a cliff just to see him splatter? Well, here he goes. Up goes the hand, down comes the knife... oh? He stopped just before he killed the boy. Now what? “Here I am” he says. I think all that gray hair must have damaged his mind. First he tries killing one of his own kind, now he’s talking to thin air. Well, he could be talking to the boy, but the boy obviously knows where he is.

Suddenly I lost my footing. I don’t know how, one second I was secure as a rock, and the next sliding down the slope. "BAAAAA!" Right into a thicket! The guy turned around and looked at me! Oh no! I struggled to get free, but it was no use. My mighty ram horns were held fast. Then he was right in front of me! "BAAA!" Help! The hand went up, the knife came down and... "BAAAAAAaaaaaa!"

The moral of this story is: Curiosity killed the sheep (or in this case, ram).

The harvesters were already working when I arrived, and following close behind them were the widows who gleaned the fallen heads of grain as sustenance for their households. Then came us, the field mice, scurrying around picking up the small grains that had been knocked loose from their heads.

This particular morning I noticed a lovely, gentle faced woman I had never seen before, gleaning behind the row of reapers. Her face had a trace of sadness, and she picked silently, ignoring the chatter passed along the row of busy women.

Suddenly I saw Master Boaz, the owner of the fields, approaching. Ducking quickly under cover I could clearly hear every word he said to the servant in charge of the reapers.

"May the Lord be with you."

"And with you, Master Boaz."

"Is it well with the harvest today?"

"Very well,” the servant beamed. “The reapers work hard and the yield is much better then previously," Boaz nodded in satisfaction. "Who is that young lady gleaning behind the reapers?" he asked suddenly, gesturing toward the lovely newcomer.

"She is the Moabite woman, Ruth, who came with Naomi from Moab." I heard the servant reply, "She came here early this morning and asked if she could glean among our men, and she has been working thus and has just taken a rest in the house."

I saw Boaz stride over to the young Moabitess, while the servant hurried back to his duties. I crept back out and looked cautiously over to where Ruth stood. I caught wisps of his words to her. "Do not glean in the fields of anyone else.... I have heard of all you’ve done.... may the Lord reward you."

Ruth fell to her knees in gratitude, her reply lost to the wind. I hurried back to the work of picking fallen grain. I was glad that she was welcome at this field. I liked her already.

Ruth continued to come and glean and I enjoyed her gentle voice and ever present thankfulness. It was obvious to all how she was dedicated to her mother-in-law, and Jehovah God. All through barley harvest she was there and when the final day came I found myself rather disappointed to see the last of Ruth. But I just chided myself at getting attached to a human and decided to go to the threshing floor and finish stocking my winter supply with the barley Boaz was threshing.

I got there well after dark, expecting to find just Boaz sleeping there. To my surprise there were two people there, and when I drew closer I saw it was Ruth. What on earth was Ruth doing at the threshing floor? Everyone knew that women never came here. I could hear them talking softly and now I was close enough to hear their words.

"Spread your covering over your maid, "Ruth was saying, "for you are a close relative." "May the Lord bless you Ruth, for you have chosen well. However there is a closer relative than I. Stay here tonight and if he will redeem you, he has the first right, but if not, as the Lord lives, I surely will redeem you, most blessed of daughters."

Somehow I didn’t feel like staying there for more barley, and slipped away when Ruth lay down at Boaz’s feet and slept. My heart leapt inside. Ruth may stay with Boaz forever! It was obvious that my heart wasn’t the only one Ruth had touched. God was working in marvelous ways.

The news spread like wildfire the next day. Boaz had redeemed her! God had indeed blessed Ruth, and Boaz, in redeeming the young Moabitess, was to take her hand in marriage. I was happy, for I liked Ruth, and I knew that she would be around for many more harvests.

To create our own customized "monopoly" board, we cut a large piece of poster paper the size of the original monopoly board. Using it as a guide, we changed the names of the properties, as well as some of their sale prices, and made corresponding deeds. Some of the other changes we made included changing the jail to a hospital, and instead of Free Parking, we have Free Plane Ride. When we pass go, we get $300, not the typical $200.

We had fun coming up with the titles for our properties, using names of friends, relatives, famous people, and places from our home town. We even changed the railroads to airports, named after each of the boys in our family. (Example: Benjamin’s Lego Toy Airport, and Jeremiah’s Friendly Flying.)

We also got creative with our "Community Chest" and "Chance" cards, as we had to make these up too, to go with our new game. One says, "You lost your wallet. Give bank $100 and go back 10 spaces to look for it." Another says, "You sold your book. Collect $150 from every player."

If you’re having problems keeping your $500 bills in order, try making some $1000 bills like we did.

It takes some work, but it’s worth it. We’ve had a lot of fun playing our version of Monopoly!

Thanks to Ms. Jean F. for this pretty example, and great idea! Pressing & Drying Process You can press leaves & flowers easily between layers of newspaper sandwiched between pieces of 1/4" plyboard held together by bungee cords. Allow them 2 weeks to dry. Another Idea:    Nature Journal Notebook A nature notebook can be made similar to your notecards, except you mount your leaves & flowers on a notebook page. Include information about the plant in your journal entry.

Here’s what you’ll need: plain paper (one for each card) small dried leaves and flowers clear contact paper colorful markers & glue Here’s how to make them:     Fold your paper in fourths, into a card shape. From your collection of small dried leaves and flowers, select a few, and position them according to your liking on the front side of your card, with small dots of glue.     Decide where you want to put any writing, such as thank you or a Scripture verse, and neatly write this in using markers. You could add your own touches such as hand drawn butterflies too.     With a ruler, measure the front of your card. Cut slightly smaller than this size shape from clear contact paper. Carefully peel back half of the contact adhesive paper placing it in the center and press the contact paper over the front of your card, pressing from the center outward. Be careful not to move the placement of your flowers and leaves as you do this. Remove the remaining adhesive paper and press over the rest of your card. This creates a protective covering.     If you desire, on the very back of your card write in small print “designed by (your name).”     Now you are ready to write your message inside. It’s that simple!

Compare & Contrast

Write a short poem or composition comparing two similar things.

Hands and Feet By Emma LeAnne W., age 12 Hands can touch and help others out When someone has fallen, Or to clap when someone has done a good job. You can hold things like your Bible for reading to your children Or to make a meal to eat. Hands are very useful. Feet can help others too; You need them to run and do things for others. Feet help you play kick ball and run, walk, skip, jump and dance. Feet help you to walk across the grass or to wade in the water. Feet help you to do your chores. Hands and feet are different, But they are also the same. Both can be useful to help out others And both can be used to have fun.

Birds and Butterflies By Hope G., age 8 Birds like trees and make their homes there, And in winter disappear somewhere. Birds are very cute little things, Flying about on feathers and wings. Some are blue and some are green. Some are nice and some are mean. Oh how I love the little birds, Tweeting with their little words. Butterflies live on milky weeds; To be safe that’s what it needs. Butterflies leave in winter too - They are not like me and you. They can fly in the deep blue sky; Now does that sound like you and I? They go away from the winter snow; If you had to do that, where would you go? They have pretty colored wings, Prettier than the prettiest rings. Oh I love the butterfly, And I think that you know why.

Home School, Public School by Nate G., age 10 There is public school - You learn things like evolution, math and spelling. But from what I’ve heard , there’s a lot of yelling. There is home school - You learn things like Bible, reading, math and spelling. And from what I’ve gathered there’s a lot less yelling.

Creating Paper Quilt Blocks

This is an idea we used for a contest. We asked our readers to design a quilt block square reflecting things that were important to them. Below, you will see the winning squares, and a sampling of the great designs that we received.

by Rachelle M., age 13 She wrote: This picture describes me and what I like to do, which is ride horses, music, nature, and crafting.

by Sarah D., age 11 She wrote: The different patterns are taken from pioneers clothes. I chose to do this because I like bright colors and pretty patterns.

by Megan H., age 14 She wrote: This square represents the things dearest my heart; the cross, the heart (representing God’s love toward us), the rays of light coming from the cross (new life), the teardrop shapes (both the blood He shed, and His tears for our sins), and the stars (the stars that will shine on our crowns in heaven), all set on white (which stands for purity).

by Jessy B., age 11 She wrote: I started with oblique lines, then I realized how empty it looked, so I added vertical and horizontal lines. If you look closely you can see a box within a box.

by Dale Eugene M., age 11 He wrote: I like baseball.

We made two placemats for our Grandma’s birthday.

We drew the outline of a placemat on thin white poster board. We drew two baskets filled with flowers on it and colored it with markers. Out of colored paper we cut flowers all different shapes and colors. We arranged them on the mat and glued them down. We outlined with markers.

For each mat cut two pieces of clear contact paper large enough to sandwich the mat in between. Then trim.

Write down ten facts from hardest to easiest about a who or a what you’ve been studying and see how long it takes your family and friends to guess the right answer. Try to answer in the least amount of clues.

Can you identify the mystery persons on this page?

1. I was a famous author. 2. I grew up near the Mississippi river and have always loved the water. 3. I always wanted to be a steam engine pilot but I never got to. 4. I wrote many humorous short stories and sayings. 5. I once said, "Most people are bothered by the parts of the Bible they don’t understand, but I’m bothered by the parts that I do understand." 6. I told some of my short stories to Helen Keller, who read them from my lips with her hands. 7. I helped to pay for some of Helen Keller’s education. 8. The name you know me by is not my real name, I chose this for my pen-name because it means safe water, or 2 fathoms. 9. My real name is Samuel S. Clemens. 10. I wrote Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer.

Answers: Who am I #1 is Mark Twain, #2 is Moses, #3 is William Bradford

It can be a lot of fun to write as a family, getting each person's opinion on a chosen topic. Even mom & dad could join in.

Perhaps you'd want to write about a recent trip or vacation, a special outing or event at your house, your favorite animal - the list is endless.

Here, the Young family children share with us some wonderful ideas about what they like about living in the country.

Making a "Family Scrapbook" is a great idea! Try writing as a family about once each month. Save your stories, and any pictures, arranging them in an album of your choosing. It is fun to go back and read these in later years!

One of the things a poet does is to watch the world closely and incorporate his or her observations into his writing.

Jennifer and Aimee have written expressive poems that describe their subjects (sunrise, & winter) with rich detail. Notice that they both include how the scene makes them feel.

Writing Your Poem: The subject of your poem can be anything that excites you - from a scene in nature to winning a tennis tournament. Describe what you have observed, then show how it affects you. Share your poem with others at Homeschool Gazette.

The sun rose above the earth so round and gold,
The colors coming from it were bright and bold.

That sunrise forever.

The Beginning Of Winter
by Aimee E., age 10

Once it's Summer then it's Fall,
Then I know not when at all,
Snow will fall and then it won't.
And winter can't decide,
Whether he is going to stay,
Or go away and hide.
The snow comes fast
And faster it comes,
'Till the world is drifting white.
And then it slows, and then it stops
But the ground is still pure white.
The snow may melt away today,
But will come again and stay.
Then we'll have such fun in the snow,
and then we'll go inside.
And though it might be cold outside,
None of us will mind,
Cause we'll be cozy warm at home,
When winter makes up his mind.

Autobiography An autobiography is the true story of a person's life, written by the person. (auto means self) It is fun to read about the fascinating lives of people, and it is especially exciting to read about them in their own words. You may enjoy reading Bill Peet - An Autobiography, by Bill Peet. This Disney cartoonist tells his life story illustrated with his own wonderful and humorous cartoon drawings. Look for it at the library. "Autobiography" is really any creative writing you write from your own experience. Below, is a story Josiah wrote about an exciting event in his life.

Write Your Own Autobiography Writing about interesting things that have happened to you can be fun. Here's an idea how to do it: Using index cards, label one for each year of your life. Interview family members about things you did and said in each of these years. Add to these your own memorable experiences. Jot down notes on the appropriate index card to refer to when you start writing. Take one experience at a time, describing what happened, and including things that were said, and how you felt. In time, gather all of your autobiographies to put into a booklet. Keeping a journal is also a good idea. You will love reading these in later years, and perhaps your children will one day enjoy it too!

Our Flight into the Blue
by Josiah R., age 10

Our trip was very interesting and after a half hour of flying we made a slow vertical landing. I hope that someday I can own and fly my own helicopter. "Select-A-Scripture Art "

Select a favorite, meaningful verse from the Bible, and illustrate it. We used this for a contest and received these wonderful entries:

Picture by Laura M., age 10 "You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself." ---Exodus 19:4

Picture by Cherie M., age 7 "This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel." ---1 Samuel 17:46

Picture by Ben S., age 8 "The Earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it." ---Psalm 24:1

Picture by Jennifer M., age 13 "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them." ---Isaiah 11:6

In one issue of Homeschool Gazette, we asked our readers to send in a newspaper headline story title or sign, made from the letters in their name.

EXAMPLES:

Josiah-Judge Orders Sharks In All Homes
Edith-Earthworms Die In Torrential Hailstorm

Here are some of the GREAT responses we received:

From Elissa B., age 12, English Landowner Is Seen Saving Alligator

From Trevor L., age 11, The Reverend Enjoys Very Old Rumors

From Clark R., age 10, Cannonballs Lashing Action Repels Knights

From Aubrey R., age14, Arrogant Uncle Beats Rover Every Year

Alliterative Sentences

Alliteration is repeating the same beginning sound in consecutive words or words near each other. EXAMPLE: Able Ada ate Abraham's acorns. How to do it: List 10-20 words that start with the same consonant. A children's dictionary can help you do this. Try and write the longest possible sensible sentence. Blend words may also be used such as those beginning with pl, sh, bl, etc. You can make a game of this by exchanging lists of words with a friend, brother, or sister.

Here is what Josiah, age 9 came up with:

J is for Josiah. It Joshes in July and January. J Jumps in a Jeep and rides it in June. It makes Jet engines for a Job and does Jiffy Jigsaw puzzles.

O is an Odd Octopus which studies Oceanography in October. It's Odor Offers to Offend Others in their Offices. O.K., It's an Offshoot of the Official Okapi from the Old Testament.

S is a Slob when he Slurps out of a Sack in front of a Sabertooth tiger. He celebrates Sabbath by Singing Sweet Silly Songs. S Sits in a Saddle when he is Sad, on top of a Scottish Scorpion.

I is an Ibizan hound who is Icy, like to Iceskate, lives on an Iceburg, and eats greet Icing.

A is an Aardvark which is Absurd. He lives in Abundance and is an Absolute Angry Animal. It loves Acorns, Acrobats, and Acidrain.

H is a Hairy Halibut which eats Halves of Ham which makes Him Happy. He celebrates Halloween and Has a pet Hampster named Happy-go-lucky.

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