Who Am I? by Casting Crowns

Today is pivotal to my faith. I believe that He rose from the dead and took on my sin. It's not because of anything I did but it's everything to do with what HE DID for me and WHO HE IS.  

Casting Crowns have written and sung this beautiful  song that perfectly describes today and the depth of the gift from above towards mankind.

Who Am I? 

Who am I, that the lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I, that the bright and morning star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart?

Not because of who I am
But because of what you've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who you are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still you hear me when I'm calling
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling
And you've told me who I am
I am yours

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again?
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me?

Not because of who I am
But because of what you've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who you are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still you hear me when I'm calling
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling
And you've told me who I am
I am yours

Not because of who I am
But because of what you've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who you are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still you hear me when I'm calling
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling
And you've told me who I am
I am yours
I am yours
I am yours

Whom shall I fear, whom shall I fear?
'Cause I am yours
I am yours

“Who Am I”
(Mark Hall)
© 2003 Be Essential Songs (BMI) (admin. at EssentialMusicPublishing.com) / My Refuge Music (BMI) (admin. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com)

Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary (Book 13/52)

 On Tuesday I decided it was time to resurrect my weekly book recommendation - Tuesday's Treasures and shared about books by the author Beverley Cleary.  She was a Newberry Medal Winner, a Teachers Top 100 Book author for children and won the ALA Notable Children's book award. She wrote timeless, beautiful books.  For this weeks edition of 52 Books in 52 Weeks and in honour of her contribution to literature I decided to read the gorgeous hard cover edition of Dear Mr. Henshaw.

 Dear Mr. Henshaw

• Format Paperback | 133 pages 
• Dimensions 133 x 190 x 10.16mm | 91g 
• Publisher HarperCollins Publishers Inc I
• Language English 
• Author Beverly Cleary
• Illustrator Paul O. Zelinsky
  
• ISBN10 0380709589 
• ISBN13 9780380709588
  

From Book Depository - Beverly Cleary's timeless Newbery Medal-winning book explores difficult topics like divorce, insecurity, and bullying through the thoughts and emotions of a sixth-grade boy as he writes to his favorite author, Boyd Henshaw.

After his parents separate, Leigh Botts moves to a new town with his mother. Struggling to make friends and deal with his anger toward his absent father, Leigh loses himself in a class assignment in which he must write to his favorite author. When Mr. Henshaw responds, the two form an unexpected friendship that will change Leigh's life forever.

From the beloved author of the Henry Huggins, Ramona Quimby, and Ralph S. Mouse series comes an epistolary novel about how to navigate and heal from life's growing pains. 

My Thoughts -  I was rather surprised by this little gem. Dear Mr. Henshaw is written entirley from the perspective of Leigh through letters (epistolary) to Mr. Henshaw.  

The books opens up with a letter when he is in second grade and writes his first letter to Mr. Henshaw. It progresses to Leigh's sixth grade year just after his parents seperate. Through his letters to Mr. Henshaw we learn about his concerns and inner conflicts. We walk alongside him as he struggles with being the new kid in school, his changing relationship with his father and a lunch box thief. 

The character development is realistic as Leigh struggles with divorce child blues, loneliness and flashes of inspirational wisdom on dealing with life in a more mature way (not catching the thief).  He learns that pursuing a dream is not always easy however pursuing it does have unexpected outcomes some times (when he enters a writing competition... that will be a spoiler you will need to read the book to find out what happened.)

I really enjoyed reading this story and think that young adults and tweens could benefit and grow in empathy towards others through reading Dear Mr. Henshaw. 

My Completed Reading list for 2021

1. The Reading Life by C.S. Lewis
2. Joseph Dreamer of Dreams by E. Traylor
3. The Good Master by Kate Seredy
4. The Girl from the Train by Irma Joubert 
5. False Impression by Jeffrey Archer
6. To Ride Pegasus by Anne McCaffrey
7. Pegasus in Space by Anne McCaffrey
8. The Rowan by Anne McCaffrey
9. Damia by Anne McCaffrey
10. Damia's Children by Anne McCaffrey
11. Lyon's Pride & The Tower and the Hive  by Anne McCaffrey
12. Siezure by Robin Cook 
13. Dear Mr. Henshaw by Benerly Cleary

 What books do you recommend for tweens that are deeper and throughtful books?

Linking with Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks BW13

Blogging Through The Alphabet begins 8 April 2021!

Mark your calendars friends, there is a new round of Blogging Through The Alphabet which is begining on Thursday 8th April Australia EST (Wednesday 7 April USA EST).  

Desiree from Our Homeschool Notebook is hosting this round of Blogging Through the Alphabet and has graciously invited me to join her as a co-host.

I attempted to join a Blogging Through the Alphabet in 2014 however due to work and homeschooling commitments I was not able to complete it. However it has remained on my radar as something I really wanted to do.

The challenge is to blog or create a social media post about each letter of the alphabet begining on April the 8th with the letter A. The topic I have chosen is A is for Art Lessons at Home. 

You're Invited to Join in the Fun of Blogging Through the Alphabet

• Blog about what ever the letter for the week is.
• Come link up to the post hosted here or at Our Homeschool Notebook.
• The posts will be scheduled for 7 am Australia EST on Thursdays (that is Wednesday 5 pm USA EST)

Most of all lets have fun together and be creative. 

Here are some ideas to help you get started...

• What would you teach that week in your homeschool with the letter of the week?
• Use the letter for your devotional for the week and share some encouragement.
• Create some word art for your word of the week. Here is an example from Ben and Me V is for Victory.
• Write about your favourite resource for the week
• Create a fun list or round up for the week with that letter
• Choose a theme and tackle it from 26 different angles. Cristi from over at Through the Calm and Throug the Storm did that for round five of blogging through the alphabet and chose to share about Years Ago in her family.  You can see a sample she did for Q here - Q is for Question.
• Take a look at what others have done in the past for inspiration.  Marcy over at Ben and Me hosted five rounds of ABC Blogging.
• Take a photo/s of some thing that starts with that letter of the alphabet and share it on social media and link up.
  

What are some topics you would like to see discussed on homeschooling here on the blog?  I need some ideas from you to add to the list.

Blessings

Chareen 

**Rules for linking up:

1. Your post must be family-friendly. We have the right to remove any posts that are inappropriate. 
2. When linking up you agree to give us permission to share your post or a photo in any future blog posts and social media shares.
3. Please link back to the host or co-hosts blog, and use the image if you want.
4. Please visit another blog in the linky and comment so we can encourage one another.
5. Make sure your posts relate to the alphabet or blogging through the alphabet in some way.
6. The link-up will be available for one week for each letter.
7. If you can’t join for one week, don’t stress. Just join next time, and enjoy!
8. Have Fun, be Creative.