Review: *Star Chronicles: A Bible-Based Study of the Stars* by Dawnita Fogleman

Among many exciting things that we are learning and finally gaining more understanding of in the Bible, are the stars which He has placed in the sky. Our deeper homeschool astronomy journey began at the end of last year when we learned about the wise men and what it is that they were watching for in the heavens. And it continues this year with Star Chronicles by authoress Dawnita Fogleman (disclaimer: I received a PDF version of Star Chronicles: A Bible-Based Study of the Stars in exchange for my honest review).

"When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" Psalm 8:3-4 KJV. Doesn't this take your breath away? Even the Psalmist took time for a star study.

What is man, that our Elohim (God, in the Hebrew language) is mindful of him?

The stars were created for more than their twinkling prettiness in a stark evening sky above our heads. He has purposed each one in its respective place and He has called them by name (Psalm 147:4). Aside from giving light, He has created them for signs: "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:" (Genesis 1:14).

It's pretty evident that stars are helpful for seasons and days and years as a means of keeping track of time as the constellations moved across the sky. But, prior to this past year, we had not realized that "seasons and days and years" also means things prophetically. Is this newer territory to you, too? If so, this homeschool Bible study may be just the thing for you.

All that being said, you must understand what this book is not. It is NOT a book of zodiac, astrology, or horoscopes! You will find nothing of these kinds in this book. What we find is research based on the Bible to help us understand about the purposes of the constellations and to help us grow in the knowledge of the One True God of the Bible Whom we love, adore, revere and have a relationship with.

How We Used Star Chronicles in Our Family...

 

Dawnita offers notebook pages and coloring pages to copy from in the back of the book. We had a few weeks to review the book and also a busy schedule, so we opted to do a family project vs. individual notebook pages/scrapbooks. So, I read out loud to our children as they colored, we had some good discussion, and we created our board as we went along through our homeschool science study of the constellations.

Art supplies were set out and artistic vision expanded. I like the idea of having our board displayed to serve as a reminder of what the constellations mean.

 

We are nearing the Lord's Feast of Passover. An exciting thing we learned from Star Chronicles is that in Hebrew, Aries is "Teli" and it means "Lamb of the World". Yeshua is the Lamb of God/Yahweh. Yeshua is the Lamb that was slain. And, Prophetically and Providentially, He was slain at Passover. By God's/Yahweh's design, the constellation of Aries appears in the sky at the time of Passover!!

What believer hasn't marveled at His handiwork? But now, when we look up and enjoy the evening sky as a family (and individually) we will forever think about His Mighty Works with the stars! His plan is intricately woven in stories which the stars echo. Our hearts swell with more love and awe and reverence for Him than ever before!

Especially, we love getting to know the God we love and serve better! His creation declares His Glory! Everything is in place with Providentially! How magnificent He is!!

What Star Chronicles Covers:

• Virgo {Coma, Centaurus, Bootes}
• Libra {Crux, Lupus, Corona}
• Scorpio {Serpens, Ophiuchus}
• Sagittarius {Lyra, Ara, Draco}
• Capricorn {Sagitta, Aquila, Delphinus}
• Aquarius {Piscis Australis, Pegasus, Cygnus}
• Pisces {The Band, Cepheus, Andromeda}
• Aries {Cassiopeia, Cetus, Perseus}
• Taurus {Orion, Eridanus, Auriga}
• Gemini {Lupus, Canis Major, Canis Minor}
• Cancer {Ursa Minor, Argo}
• Leo {Regulus, Corvus, Crater, Hydra}

  
Brief mythology is explained from the perspective of the Greeks and Romans, however, Star Chronicles gives the Biblical accounts of the constellations which God/Yahweh has created and named. 
 

What We Like About Star Chronicles 

• We appreciate all the research that Dawnita put into this. All of us have enjoyed this study (in particular our Astronomy loving son, Scientist).

• Interesting facts and personal thoughts by Dawnita are weaved through the book for consideration.

• I'm thankful for the list of extra resources! These are things we intend to explore at some point to further our studies.

• I'm thankful for the introduction and I love that Dawnita shares her personal testimony!

• My most favorite thing of all is how  Dawnita explains how Prophecies and the Lord's Feasts tie in, by God's/Yahweh's design, in the constellations! It.is.exciting! to learn these things!!

Somethings I'd Like to See...

• We begin our study with Virgo and continue on through to Lio. While we piece together that these are in order on a timeline, I think a clear explanation in the beginning about why we study them in the order which they are presented would be helpful. It would aid us in navigating our studies better. Perhaps the months in which they may be seen would be a nice addition.

• I'm still new to learning what is the Lord's and what has been added to. I recently learned that the Lord has established the beginning of the new year in Spring vs. the timing of the new year which the Jews observe. I'm now curious to see the order of constellations according to the new year established by God/Yahweh during the month of Abib/Nisan ("This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you." Exodus 12:2). I think this would be an interesting addition to the study.

• I think that for myself and my older children, we would love some background/more supporting info. on how some of the conclusions with some of the constellation meanings came about. A few of these are not clear to us. There are a few that have names or words that can be looked up in Scripture, but it would be nice to see more evidence than just corresponding words. For instance, arrows can also have positive symbolism in Scripture (children are like arrows...). How is it concluded that the constellation of an arrow flying in the sky, Sagitta, compares to bitter words?

How Much Star Chronicles Costs...

CreateSpace ($25): https://www.createspace.com/4730823

PDF ($12): http://foglemanforerunner.com/star-chronicles

Amazon ($25): amazon.com

I hope you embark on a Star Chronicles adventure! 

You can connect with Dawnita Fogleman on facebook

or keep up to date with her on her blog FoglemanForerunner.


  
Blessings!

 

Authoress Interview: Dawnita Fogleman authoress of Star Chronicles

Good day to you all! I'd like to introduce you to Dawnita Fogleman, authoress of Star Chronicles. She's an amazing woman who has given her life to the Lord and it's wonderful to see how He is using her for His Glory! You'll be moved as you read her testimony in the opening of Star Chronicles. I'm excited to be on her book launch team for Star Chronicles- a Bible Based Study of the Stars.

Yahweh placed them in the skies for reasons beyond just providing light and being twinkly prettiness in a stark sky above our heads. And not only have they aided ships in navigation for centuries, they have prophetic stories that unfold in the sky (the wise men were watching the story unfold as it lead up to our Saviors birth!). They truly do declare the glory of Yahweh!

Won't you take a moment to get to know Dawnita a bit through this interview? You can also find her blogging at dawnitafogleman.com. 

 

Author Interview

When writing a book, how do you go about planning for it? Do you have a method you use? 
I probably use them all.  I'm a nutty writer.  Sometimes I wake in the middle of the night and just write and write pages and pages.  Sometimes I make methodical outlines and lists.  Once I started putting this book together, I found myself going back and forth and doing a lot more research during the actual process than what I had done before in preparation. 

Do you have a certain writing space, somewhere you go *just* to write your books? An office, a lake cabin, a hotel? What do you love about that space? How does it inspire you?
Everywhere!  Sometimes I spread out all over the floor.  This book was mostly done at the kitchen table.  I took up almost 1/2 the 8 foot table for about 6 weeks!  Inspiring?  Not really, just handy. Anyone want to donate a log cabin?  Sounds great!

What would you say to a young person who aspires to be a writer? What advice would you give?  Also, what would you tell his/her parents in order to help them be supportive in their child's efforts to pursue writing as a career?
Write, write, write, write.  ...and read, read, read.  With relunctant writers, I encourage them to tell me the stories of their imagination or to audio record them.  We have one child who writes novels. When she told me as a preteen that she wanted to be a writer, I just encouraged her to write.  The nearest thing to a formal English program we ever did was Wordsmith Apprentice and Learn to Write a Novel Way.  I constantly encourage creativity in our children.  They get very, very little time on the computer until they are about 16 years old.  I'd rather them read, write, draw, & play outside!

What is your goal with writing?
Simple; to Glorify God.

What other projects will you be working on in the near future?
More unit studies. I'd like to do something with Shakespeare, Art, and of course more on the Stars. There is enough of God's Universe to keep me busy for a long time.

What is one lesson you learned from writing this book?
By the time you finish the last page of a book, you are sick and tired of it and ready to hand it over to the editor!  This was almost like having a baby!  I was ready to give birth and lay it down for a nap for a while, then just admire it from over the cradle!  LOL  (Pregnancy always seemed like the longest 9 months of my life.)

What books have most influenced you?
The Bible and the classics.  I LOVE OLD books!

Who is your favorite author?
Louisa May Alcott & Corrie ten Boom.
  
Is there an author that you would especially like to meet?
Alive today?  Rush Limbaugh.  From history?  Moses or Paul of the Bible.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging about writing a book?
Yes!  The overwhelming desire to eat too much chocolate, drink too much coffee, and stay up all night long.

What inspired you to write this book?
Questions like this put me in a state of, "uhhhhhhh." Everything.  I've always loved the stars and science, but I guess the real motivational factor was friends really pushing me to do it.  I needed to be hounded. 

Did you always have a talent for writing, or is it something you wanted and needed to work harder to achieve?
I didn't really read or write until I was about 12 years old.  My grandmother was tired of trying to decipher my scribbles and spent a summer teaching handwriting & encouraging me to read more. She sent me novels & I wanted so much to please her that I read whatever she sent me.  Within a few years, my mother had to start grounding me from books!  I was addicted.  I began writing for school essay contests and keeping a journal.  Now I have to write, it's just part of me.

With all of the duties that you juggle, when do you fit in the time to write?
Well, honestly, I neglect other things. I only fold laundry and make a mad cleaning dash through the house once a week. The children are old enough now that they do most of the cooking & cleaning. I also make the children part of my writing. What I write about is usually what we are learning as a family. This book is a classic example of that.

Is your writing style different now than it was when you first began? In what ways have you grown in your writing?
Wow. Yes. I am much more careful what I write now.  My thoughts are less confused and jumbled; I have more purpose. God has done amazing things in my life. It definitely comes out in my writing. I write more for Him now than for myself.

Is there anything else that you would like readers to know?
All closets have bones. All lives have a past. Let God play the tones. And the music of your life will last.  (Is that corny? LOL)

Where did you find the information linking the Sphyinx to Prophecy and Astronomy? 
Great Question! A few places actually. I have "put together" information from several sources I list in the back of the book. Many people might consider this speculation; part of the reason that introduction is so short. It's an interesting study. Internet searches can lead to a miriad of rabbit trails. The lining up of the Sphinx at Gaza with the pyramids has lead many to believe it was an astrological setting. The fact that the Virgin is at the begining and Leo the lion is at the end (literally on the Sphinx) also point in this direction. We know the Virgin and the Lion are prime points of Biblical Prophecy.  Rather than believing the "aliens" did it, I choose to imagine the Great Flood generations had a real purpose.  :-)

Be sure to keep an eye out for the review!

Blessings!

Koolaid Chemistry- Saturday Science!

The Noah Plan

Science Week 5, Quarter 1

Kool-Aid Chemistry!

© Principled Academy

(Get your free downloadable notebook pages for this experiment at this post!)

Did you realize that the science of chemistry was created by God on the first day of Creation? Genesis 1:1 tells us:

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters."

 

I went to look it up in Webster's 1828 Dictionary and learned this. So I looked it up under the spelling from back in the day and this is the definition: 

Science Gem- The Lost Squadron Experiment

Isn't it a gem when you catch glimpses of your kids applying reasoning skills? It's moments like this that make my heart swell with joy. I love seeing how the foundations of Scripture through the Principle Approach® method of teaching emerge. Seeing the love of learning expressed when our children come up with ideas like this and go for it is such an encouragement! 


Our oldest was reading an older copy of a Creation magazine from Answers in Genesis that was passed on to us a while back. (I'm so thankful for this little stack! You know how extras like this aren't always in the budget?)

© Principled Academy

 He was reading the article about The Lost Squadron. The article shares about how the general public has the impression that it takes thousands of years for just a few meters of glacial ice to buildup.  

© Principled Academy

 

Inspired by this article, our son decided to try an experiment. He darted into the room I was in, shared about what he read and pleaded, "Mom! Can I please try this experiment that I thought of?!!" I smiled and nodded and he quickly gathered up the materials he needed.

What He Used: 

Saturday Science- Peeps!

 Caution!

If you're attached to Peeps... this is NOT for the faint of heart.

© Principled Academy

With it being summertime and all, we've had some family time roasting mallows in the backyard. Our kids received some Peeps from their Nana and our oldest asked, "Hey Mom! Why don't we try roasting Peeps and see what happens?"

Saturday Science- Salt Crystals

Noah Plan Quarter 1, Week 2

 ~ Egg Shell Geodes ~

© Principled Academy

Aren't geodes so neat? We did this along with our Principle Approach® study of the Scientific Method. The study found in The Noah Plan Kindergarten Curriculum has an experiment which yields rather immediate results. However, we also wanted to try one that would help cultivate patience and also show that the scientific method can be applied to experiments which can take a while to work through.

So, some of us already have taught the Scientific Method. My question is, how many of us have taught it with Biblical foundations? For instance, do you know when science began? The idea of science had to begin at some point in history. What about God's character is revealed during the first week of creation? Why is that even important to know? Do you know why it's important to study science- I mean for reasons other than apologetics? How do these things tie in with the Scientific Method? All of the answers to these questions are found in the Bible and covered in this week's lesson found in The Noah Plan Kindergarten Curriculum.

What about noting famous scientists who were also believers? Hmmmm.... maybe you'll learn a few things about a couple of the men involved with the Pre-Scientific Method and the Scientific Method in your notebooking page.

Download free Principle Approach® notebooking pages your kids can use to go along with this lesson!

If you do this lesson ahead of time, you'll have salt crystal squares which tie in perfectly with this Principle Approach® art lesson. You might also like to tie it in with a Principle Approach® Geography study on Earthquakes and Volcanoes.