Here's one of Grace's essays from her reading of The Law by Frederic Bastiat.

Bastiat here exposes the motive of all promoters of the State. This motive too often lies hidden, undiscovered, perhaps, even by the promoter himself, but here it is revealed. The true purpose of the State is to mold and shape men into a machine, thereby exalting and promoting itself and its legislators. For to whose whims are we subject? The wielder of the law is all-powerful and resistance of a minority is futile. Man is viewed by the State as a raw material to shape something great. It divides humans into two catagories: one contains the human race in general, the other holds the legislator. A dictator supposes himself so superior to his fellow man that he never considers that he himself may need re-shaping, not his country. Never does he suspect that men may get along very well if left alone with their resources and their senses. He supposes that he must be like a god to them, teaching them, enslaving them, turning them into little mirror-images of himself, yet always weaker. Never does he wonder if they have an omnipitent God who cares for His creation.

First essay from Grace's reading of Democracy in America by Alexis DeTocqueville.  This is from her week's reading of Volume 1, this first half of part 1.

In the early years of America, the maiden country was vastly different from Europe. In America there were different ideals, resources, and outlooks that astounded and bewildered the Europeans. De Toqueville was sent as an ambassador to try and clear up some misunderstandings between countries and confirm rumors. 

He wrote in length about the lack of aristocracy, or poverty, for that matter. There were few of either class, because of the vast scope of opportunities in the new world. Land was free for the taking, jobs free for the founding, and Americans all were using these opportunities to their best advantage. The majority, then, lived comfortably, because nothing prevented or hindered them from pursuing comfort and success.

De Toqueville remarks that there is a normality and common standard in America unfamiliar to Europe. There is a common level of knowlege and success in the young country, and as it progresses, it progresses as a whole. Men rise or fall to the modern standard of living. De Toqueville calls it a strange phenomenon that one nation should be so equally strong. He speculates on every facet of American society, observing, and predicting what will come of this new, unfamiliar way of living. A new world has endless opportunities, but De Toqueville and all of Europe keep their eyes bent on America, wondering if the dreams of the young nation will be realized, or topple as an unsturdy wall under the pressure of construction.

A Word in Season is a language arts instruction curriculum for K-12. The keystone of this curriculum is a four-year high school program that provides an orderly approach to developing language arts skills by integrating western history, literature, and writing.

A common objection is that the "Old Testament" God is mean and violent while Jesus and the "New Testament" God are nice, peaceful and mild. Serious Christians readily agree that God is the same throughout, yet many still find the Old Testament outdated or not "relevant" to our modern lives. We're tempted to turn chiefly to the New Testament for insight and wisdom and largely ignore the Old Testament, though it comprises 75% of inspired scripture. We may read the classic stories of David and Goliath and Noah's Ark but generally skip the mysterious prophetic books of Jeremiah, Obadiah, Amos, and the like.

As our family nears the completion of reading the Old Testament together, we are reading through these prophets. I can see why many are discouraged reading these books, and why many would not read these to their children. For example:

Amos 9:1-4
I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said, "Smite the capitals so that the thresholds will shake, And break them on the heads of them all! Then I will slay the rest of them with the sword; They will not have a fugitive who will flee, Or a refugee who will escape.
"Though they dig into Sheol, From there shall My hand take them; And though they ascend to heaven, From there will I bring them down.
"And though they hide on the summit of Carmel, I will search them out and take them from there; And though they conceal themselves from My sight on the floor of the sea, From there I will command the serpent and it will bite them.
"And though they go into captivity before their enemies, From there I will command the sword that it slay them, And I will set My eyes against them for evil and not for good."

This is the stuff of nightmares, hardly conducive to sleepfulness.  Rather jolting when compared to a sweet bedtime story or the common children's bedtime prayer "...I pray the Lord my soul to keep..."  And these prophets roll on for hundreds of pages, requiring months to read. As the daily readings turn into weeks, then months, one message becomes very clear: the Lord God is angry beyond expression and is relentless in His crushing of sinners. For me, "relentless" is the word that keeps coming to mind as we continue reading.

Rather than dismissing these books as too frightening or relevant only for ancient middle eastern cultures, we should embrace all the fury revealed in these writings. For this fury is aimed directly at you and me. God is indeed relentless and will not quit punishing until His indescribeable fury is quenched. For though His anger surpasses description, it is not unjust.

We love Jesus too little when we do not appreciate His work adequately. When you understand that you are the target of the punishment described by Amos, Jeremiah, Zephaniah, and the others, you will fall in eternal laughter at the feet of the Lord Jesus. He took on Himself all this wrath and exhausted every penalty which you and I justly deserve.

So read the whole Bible, even the prophets - especially the prophets. Read it out loud with all the little children gathered round. Be appalled and terrified at the incredible violence and destruction God pours out on sinners. Then turn and adore the Savior, who took away the shame and guilt of His people. Pray that He will "keep your soul", then slide off into perfect blissful rest - tearfully, gratefully laughing yourself to sleep.

More on reading the Old Testament prophets:
The Prophets and the West (by Gene Edward Veith)
The More Things Change (by R.C. Sproul Jr.)

Here are several widgets we've developed recently to allow homeschoolers and other bloggers to easily display the Children's Catechism, George Washington's Rules of Civility, Luther's 95 Theses, the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights, and quotes from great composers. My daughter Grace worked on the content of the Composer Quotes widget and we assembled it together.

The widget displays a random item when it first loads and the user can then navigate with simple links. Try them out right here and then "embed" your favorite in your site's sidebar. If you have questions or suggestions for other types of widget, let me know.

If your family struggles with reading the Bible's Old Testament histories, you may try this idea of reading harmonious sections in two "tracks".  In a chronological reading of the Old Testament, various historical periods are covered in more than one book.  The harmony between Samuel+1&2Kings with 1&2Chronicles is well known.  Likewise many of the prophets spoke in the same time periods, sometimes to the same king or addressed similar issues.  So another way to read the Old Testament is to read these harmonious sections in two tracks. 

In both tracks, you'd start with Genesis through Ruth.  As you come to the time of David, you can then follow one of the tracks.  Follow that track until the time of the return from Exile, when you'd finish with Ezra, Nehemiah, and other books of that period.

Specifically, here's the "common" start for either track:
Genesis 1 - 22
Job
Genesis 23 - 50
Exodus.... [More]

Then choose one of these tracks to continue past the Judges period:
Samuel/Kings Track
I Samuel 1 - 16:13
Psalm 23
I Samuel 16:14 - 19:11, Psalm 59....[More]

Chronicles Track
I Chronicles 1-10
Psalm 63
I Chronicles 11-12
Psalm 32, 69, 70...[More]

and finish the history with this "common" end:
Ezra 1 - 5:1
Haggai
Zechariah...[More]

110 Rules
1. Every action done in company ought to be with some sign of respect to those that are present.
2. When in company, put not your hands to any part of the body not usually discovered.
Rules 3-110 included...

Life of George Washington.  Highlights, Farewell Address, Rules of Civility and Behavior, suggested books to learn more.

Grace's most recent essay.  The subject is Jonathan Edwards' dismissal as pastor of the Northampton church.  It's based on chapter 21 and 22 of George Marsden's biography of Jonathan Edwards.  This is a one week assignment....

I was recently asked to recommend good courses or books to study world history from a Christian and biblical perspective. What I've read/studied and can recommend without reservation are...