ESV Woman’s Study Bible

 

This ESV Woman's Study Bible TruTone® Deep Brown is gorgeous. A striking piece of artwork by artist Dana Tanamachi begins each Bible book. Additionally, her artwork appears randomly throughout the Bible pages. Additionally, Tanamachi's artwork can be found along the spine of the Bible.

Editors adapted material from both the bestselling ESV Study Bible and the ESV Woman's Devotional Bible. They crafted a Bible for women seeking a deeper study of God's Word. Just to be clear, the scripture itself was not edited or changed. Some of the material I am talking about:

• Articles on significant theological topics. 

• 523,000 words of study notes content

• 120 Bible character profiles

• Introductions and timelines for each Bible book

• Extensive Concordance

• Glossary with concise definitions of key terms

• More than 80 maps and illustrations throughout

• 80,000 cross-references

• Reflections on key passages 

With a list of over 350 Reflections categorized by Bible books readers can find topics by scanning the pages. 

In the book of Isaiah chapter 52:13-53:12 is a reflection entitled The Substitutionary Atoning Death of Christ written by Lee Tankersley. "How can a holy and just God cleanse and forgive a sinful people?" In our sinful condition, we can only find that answer in the work of Jesus Christ, and his death for sinners. These Old Testament verses in Isaiah give a clear picture of God's servant, Jesus. 

Written by Dan Doriani, The Alter of Incense is based on Exodus 30:1-10. The Old Testament altars needed to atone for sin were built according to strict rules, which were accessible by priests who made burnt offerings to atone for sins for the people. By Jesus' sacrifice, the Old Testament law of sacrifice and atonement was replaced. Throughout the New Testament, we are taught how to pray, read and proclaim God's Word, and above all how to focus on Christ's work. 

Ezekiel's purpose in writing this book was to restore God's glory before Israel. Israel who without shame rejected God before tribes and nations. I am in awe of Dana Tanamachi's artwork. In this picture, I see God's hope for a new heart and spirit for Israel. God gifts new hearts as his gracious gift. The Spirit produces a miraculous garden that is beautifully reflective of God's will.

Each Bible book includes an Introduction including:

• Timeline
• Author, Date, and Recipients
• Theme and Purpose
• Background
• Key Themes
• Outline
• Map

The below page illustrates:

• The Table for the Bread of the Presence
• The High Priest's Holy Garments
• The Altar of Incense
• The Golden Lampstand
• The Bronze Altar
• The Ark of the Covenant 

Here are three pieces of art by Danish artist Dana Tanamachi highlighting Bible verses.  

It's impossible not to fall in love with the I Peter Artistic Illumination. It looks like these sheep made their way through the thicket of trees into the light.

Study notes are written below the black line, with scripture at the top. Verse explanations are provided for individual verses or groups of verses. Not all verses have study notes. In the study notes, scripture is bolded in print. Explanations follow bolded scripture words or phrases. 

The ESV Woman's Study Bible is the perfect gift for any woman in your life. I am currently using the ESV Study Bible and absolutely love it! I could not imagine reading or studying scripture without it. I have five daughters, ages 27 to 15. One of my daughters started a Bible study this year and I thought the ESV Woman's Study Bible would be a valuable addition to her Bible study. My daughters currently use the ESV Thinline Bible, Brown Natural Leather, Flap with Strap. I found the ESV Woman's Study Bible TruTone® Deep Brown to be the perfect choice after looking at all the options. Special is the way to describe this Bible. This would be a wonderful gift under the tree this Christmas.

Disclaimer - I received this product in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

Ditty Bird®

BLACK  & WHITE ANIMALS

To begin, let me introduce you to Ditty Bird Black & White Animals. A wide variety of animals appear in this book, including ribbiting frogs, trumpeting elephants, and meowing kittens. This book features Ditty Bird dressed up and having fun. As the animals graze, Farmer Ditty watches them. When an elephant sprays water into the air, Ditty is holding an umbrella so as not to get wet. There is some color throughout the book, but the majority isblack and white. The frogs' lilly pads are green, the dogs' ball is red, and the kittens' ball is blue. Additionally, Ditty Bird is in color.

High-contrast images are an excellent way to engage your infant between 0-4 months. Babies cannot see beyond 8-12 inches during these early months. If you are cradling a baby or a mother nurses her baby, this is the distance they can see. Babies' vision during these first months is blurry, and they can only distinguish between black and white. Your infant starts to focus, their eyes work together, and they learn to track when exposed to high-contrast images and books. It sets the stage for the wonder of colors they will experience in the months ahead. Ditty Bird is ready and waiting to share the many wonderful books in the Ditty Bird collection. These books are filled with vibrant colors, shapes, words, sounds, songs, and classical music.

As my grandson looked at these two pages that are mostly black and white except for the green grass surrounding the cow, Ditty Bird captivated my grandson's attention. Currently, my grandson's vocabulary is expanding rapidly, but he is mostly using single words. My eyes were drawn to his stare. What was he thinking? Did he wonder why Ditty Bird was so colorful but not anything else? Did he have the ability to think about clouds and that Ditty Bird was sitting on a cloud?Perhaps he just liked Ditty Bird. 

First 100 Words

Words: what are they? A word is a distinctive, meaningful element of speech. Perhaps your child has already mastered sounds and blended sounds into words. Possibly all you are doing is showing your infant pictures and naming them. Infants watch you move your mouth and listen to your sounds. A newborn's brain contains billions of neurons (neural synapses) waiting to form connections. It is essential to develop these non-hardwired connections. By reading Ditty Bird First 100 Words, you contribute to those connections. As they gaze at the colorful pages and listen to your words, new neural synapses are being formed. I am seeing my 16-month-old grandson use more words each day. It is normal that not every word sounds like the one you are supposed to hear. 

Let your child hold the book, and if it's upside down, leave it. Let them explore using their early processing skills todiscover that the book is upside down. When it's time to turn to the next page, you can say, "Let's turn the book around this way and see what the pictures look like." Correction is usually accepted by little ones. 

In Ditty Bird First 100 Words, a child will learn not only common everyday words but also how to link words with objects, animals, weather, feelings, and body awareness. Your little one will hear the buzzing of a bee and the barking of a dog in The Garden. In the recording, it says: We can make the sounds of everything we see in the garden. In this way, participation is encouraged. A duck quacks and a cow moo's on The Farm for your little one to enjoy. After that, your child is asked: What animal sounds can you do? 

Little fingers can easily push the grey sensor buttons on the pages. My grandson sometimes accidentally presses the button twice consecutively, causing it to start and immediately stop. Listening to only one page or one book over and over again is quite common for him. 

The book ends with two pages that introduce your child to the parts of the body and different feelings. Your child will hear: Move your body I know you can. Touch your nose, open your mouth, shake your hands, and stomp your feet when they click The Body button. When they press the button next to Ditty Bird on the How Are You? page they will hear: How are you feeling today? If your happy and you know it clap your hands. After that, your child will hear the song 🎶 If Your Happy And You Know It. 🎶 

NOW is the perfect time to get your child some Ditty Bird books. Visit www.dittybird.com to find these and many more. Ditty Bird hooked me from the moment I looked at and listened to my first book. A total of 33 books are included in the Ditty Bird Collection. Books are available for children aged 6 months to 4 years.

Forensic Science ~ A Timberdoodle Review

WARNING!

 This course deals with real criminal case studies. 

Due to the sensitive nature of this subject matter, parental discretion is advised.

Intro to Forensic Science

From a Biblical World View

Your high school students will learn how sciences such as chemistry, genetics, botany, and entomology can be used to solve crimes in Intro to Forensic Science from a Biblical World View. Television series like CSI and Forensic Files have brought forensic science to the forefront of conversations and piqued the interest in the field. Throughout the course, students will read real-life case studies which explain forensic science's hows and whys. God's Word is the foundation of this curriculum, setting it apart from other traditional forensic courses. This course is part of the Timberdoodle 2023 Twelfth-Grade Curriculum Kit.  

 Intro to Forensic Science from a Biblical World View is the textbook. The book includes lessons, case studies, detailed information about forensic science-related areas within each case study, and biblical components. In the Teacher Guide, you will find worksheets to accompany each lesson and labs. A master supply list of items needed for labs is included as well. You will receive a daily schedule divided into two semesters - four quarters. Each quarter is divided into weeks, and each week is divided into days. The teacher's guide includes tests. Answer keys are included in the back of the book for both the tests and lesson exercises. 

There are 8 units and 34 lessons that comprise this curriculum.

1.  Introduction
2. The Crime Scene
3. Physical Evidence
4. Biological Evidence
5. Transitory Evidence
6. Forensic Tools
7. Forensic Specialties
8. The Judicial System

There are eight tests and two cumulative tests.  

Lesson 10: dna

Between 1983-1986 to teenage girls would be raped and murdered by a man by the name of Colin Pitchfork. A crucial advancement in forensic science happened in 1985 by Dr. Alec Jeffreys when he developed the first DNA profiling test. It was this test that finally matched Pitchfork to both girls' murders. 

Technology is mind boggling at times. CODIS which stands for Combined DNA Index System is an electronic search and comparison of DNA profiles. Launched in 1990 it was then ordered under FBI authority in 1994. Around the world 270 police agencies use CODIS. 

I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things. (1 Timothy 6:13a)

Lesson 10, Day 52, Question 1 asks: Briefly explain the process of electrophoresis. My daughter said: Extracted DNA is injected into the sample wells on an electrophoresis device, causing an electrical current to be applied. DNA is negatively charged and positive terminal is attached to the opposite end. From being previously cut into different lengths, the pieces already of different weights. Negatively charged DNA is pulled through the gel or capillary to the positively charged opposite end. Different sized pieces will stop at different locations with the shortest pieces traveling the farthest. The stopping points for sections of DNA is what creates the band patterns used for analysis. 

Lesson 5: Drugs 

The infamous Michael Jackson case. Student's will get to read about Jackson's serious drug habit and what ended up killing him. 

The Biblical views are discussed after the case study is laid out. Regarding the Michael Jackson case they refer to 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 where it talks about our bodies being temples of the Holy Spirit. Multiple scripture references of both warning, abstaining, and God being faithful to walk with and beside us but we must remain faithful to him. 

The curriculum is full of cool and interesting history. In this lesson your student will get the opportunity to read about a time in history with Coca-Cola had Cocaine in it. 

At the beginning of each case study students will be given a list of terms along with definitions. These will be key terms used throughout the case study and lesson. 

Lesson 5, Day 21, Question 3 asks: Reflect on 1 Peter 1:13 and explain how this relates to drug use. 1 Peter 1:13 says, Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. My daughter's response was, 1 Peter 1:13 calls for us to prepare our minds for action. We are to be sober-minded, setting our hoped fully on the grace that will be brought by the revelation of Jesus Christ. drug use inhibits our sobriety, completely robbing us of rational thought. How can we possibly focus clearly on Christ when we can't focus clearly in general? 

Lesson 5, Day 24, Question 1 asks: In your own words, write a brief description of each of the five drug schedules and provide an example for each. (I will provide just 1 of the 5.) My daughter said: a. Drugs in schedule 1 have not been approved for medical use, most likely due to their dangerous properties, causing them to be easily abused. Heroin would be an example from schedule 1.  

Lesson 16: Human FingerPrints

Lesson 16: Human Fingerprints. Psalm 139:14 says: I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. Thomas Jennings is the subject of the Case Study from 1910. The reason Jennings was convicted for his crime is that there were visible fingerprints on freshly painted wood. As one of the first fingerprint examiners in the United States, Captain Evans played a key role in Jennings' conviction. When Captain Evans compared the gathered fingerprints with those on file for Jennings, he found 33 points of minutiae that were identical. During trial, fingerprint identification was established as valid evidence. Jennings would be hanged for killing a man. In a landmark ruling, the Illinois Supreme Court established fingerprints as a form of unique identification.

The word minutiae basically means "details" and fingerprint patterns are made of thousands of details. It is estimated there are over 10,000 minutiae characteristics covering the entire surface of the hands and feet. Lesson 16, page 194. 

Dermal layer - the connective tissue in skin that nourishes the epidermis. Fingerprint ridges and furrows are anchored deep within the dermal layer. 

On question 4 the student had to identify and label the whorl tracings for each of the fingerprints shown. 

This curriculum does an excellent job connecting the world today with the world as we see it in the Bible. Though this book is written from a Christian standpoint, the author has done an amazing job of keeping past cases and history that has shaped the way we solve crimes today strictly factual. Every lesson begins with a different case that serves as the introduction to the topics discussed. For example, the lesson about drugs starts with the case of the King of Pop, Micheal Jackson. We learn that we must look at a victim's life if we are to understand their death. Another instance would be our lesson on toxicology, which begins by discussing the cyanide poisonings through Tylenol in 1982 that led to the deaths of seven people. As you can see, both solved and cold cases alike are touched upon because both hold valuable information still used to solve crimes today.

I would recommend Intro to Forensic Science from a Biblical World View to parent's that have student's in 11th-12th grade. The curriculum definitely is worth 1.0 credit. A lot of content is packed into this curriculum. 

Music of Mozart

Ditty Bird® 

Music of Mozart is the newest book in the Ditty Bird® musical book collection. The book introduces toddlers and young children to six tunes and colorful illustrations for each tune. As your child dances, imagines, listens, and identifies, they will be asked to move their bodies. They will even enjoy music with their eyes closed. Music is a means of learning, but it is also a means of having fun. Are you familiar with The Mozart Effect? The Mozart Effect is a term researchers coined in 1993. It describes how exposure of children to the music of Amadeus Mozart, a classical composer from the 18th century, can help them with cognitive development. Children's cognitive development includes stimulating brain development, promoting creativity, improving IQ, and helping them focus. Providing young children with colorful images to accompany each tune definitely makes for an engaging experience. There's a lot to love about this book, including the vibrant colors, costumes, instruments, scenery, and shapes. In addition, Ditty Bird®'s period-era clothing and locations. There is so much to discover in Ditty Bird® Music of Mozart. 

On every other page, there is an indented gray, sensor button that activates the music. Pressing the button starts the music. The music stops if the button is pressed before it ends. How long does each tune last? Well, Ah, vous dire je, Maman lasts 25:02 seconds. Additionally, there is an on/off switch on the back of the book. It runs on three AG10 button batteries. A battery change is necessary when the music stops after a few seconds. 

With its cheerful start, repeating main theme, moving from higher notes to lower notes and then back up, The Turkish March makes for the perfect song to just listen to. The music grows louder and quieter. The Turkish March is a sensory delight. Motion is the expression of a child. Your child may dance around the room or in one place.  

Did you know that Mozart arranged twelve variations of Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman? With the first section serving as the central theme, the entire composition consists of thirteen sections. Ah, vous dire-je, Maman has been used as a melody in several children's songs, including Twinkle, Twinkle, Little  Star, Baa, Baa, Black Sheep, and the Alphabet Song. This familiar melody will be enjoyed by children.

Ditty Bird® offers thirty-three books in its collection. You can find them at www.dittybird.com. I am the mother of six children. My oldest is 27 and my youngest is 15. Since my children were very young, books have been an integral part of their lives. I first discovered Ditty Bird® books about nine months ago and I am absolutely smitten with them. I have a 16-month-old grandson who loves books. In fact, he prefers books to toys. My children's book collection is large. My grandson obviously had his favorites, as many children do. Ditty Bird® books changed all that. His only desire is to listen to these books over and over again. I just bought a large quantity of batteries. The gift of Ditty Bird® books is perfect for anyone with a baby, toddler, preschooler, or child in their life.