I grew up with quite a few "educational games" at my disposal. I was familiar with titles like MathBlaster, Spellbound, Mavis Beacon, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? and Frogger. But let's be real for a minute:

I only played the games that were fun.

• Mavis Beacon had this driving game where mistyping produced a windshield full of bugs. That was hilarious! ...for a while.
• MathBlaster was really just flashcards, so I skipped that most of the time.
• Spellbound had a couple fun games, like the Spelling Bee with robots.
• And I found Carmen Sandiego interesting, but mostly frustrating: "How am I supposed to know who invented aerosol deodorant before the wheel?"

And then there was one game which was fun and, what's more, it came with a keyboard which could produce hundreds of sound effects (which I used in my early audio recording projects). Connecting this keyboard to my computer allowed me to shoot ducks by pressing the right notes as they floated by on a stream which resembled a musical staff.

It was a blast.

Now, 15-20 years later, technology has improved. Today we have Piano Wizard. From what I hear, it's fantastic. ...and a little more technologically advanced than Peasant's Quest.

If you've been considering Piano Wizard, but didn't want to hassle with dealing with another company, great news: You can now buy Piano Wizard straight from Sonlight. You no longer need to wrestle with the other website and try to figure out how to buy it. You just go to this page, add it to your cart, and checkout.

So easy. So cool!

Looking for a fun, educational, computer-based music program? Look no further: Get Piano Wizard straight from Sonlight.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

The following quote I found on the Quivering Daughters blog got me thinking:

If you take Jesus out of the equation, their ... culture doesn't change. If you take the ... culture out of the equation, they have no Jesus. It IS their Jesus.

Just how much does Christ permeate Sonlight's programs? Does Sonlight change if you remove the religious materials? If you take out our Instructor's Guides, does Christ remain? In short: Is Sonlight about Christ or something else? And if something else, what?

First, I realize that you may be using Sonlight in a secular school environment. For you, Sonlight absolutely can be tweaked to remove/ignore/circumvent the religious content. You could easily be living proof you can take Jesus out of Sonlight.

And yet, while I'm grateful you use Sonlight and it has helped your family love to learn together, if you skip the religious books you are missing out on a major aspect of Sonlight: A focus on missions. This may not bother you, but I think it's important to note: Sonlight is built on a Christian foundation.

Second, I know there are people who don't like Sonlight because we're not dripping with Christian materials and Bible references. We freely admit that. In that sense, some may argue that Sonlight isn't built on a Christian foundation. But I argue, in the spirit of the quote above, that the "Christian foundation" they are talking about is not about Christ as much as it is their presentation of truth. Scripture should be integral to our lives, sure, but used appropriately rather than forced into every situation. Such practices quickly lead to eisegesis. And I'm glad Sonlight steers clear of that.

Third, while Sonlight is built on a Christian foundation, I'm not comfortable saying Sonlight is about Jesus. Sonlight--as a home education company--is about homeschooling. We are here to help you on your home education journey. We are focused on homeschooling while constantly looking to honor and serve Christ in how we do that.

So, no: Homeschooling is not "our Jesus." We seek to follow Him in everything we do. Our programs are designed to help you follow Him more closely. In short: Sonlight is firmly rooted in Christ, but we gladly build on that foundation.

May we never replace Christ with an agenda or a methodology or a position. Rather, may our agendas, methodologies and positions be built as we focus on Him.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

I enjoy commercials. I don't like ads, but I enjoy commercials. The difference? In my mind, one is selling me something, the other is a fun way to tell me about something. Attempts to sell me something bother me because I'm not going to buy the thing. But I'm happy to have a laugh.

But I wonder: How many commercials are effective? I have yet to purchase something from the companies who produce my favorite commercials.

And that is one reason why--despite the fact that really enjoy this video from Old Spice--I won't be spoofing Old Spice for any Sonlight videos. Though, the thought did cross my mind.^*

But I did draw a picture of it:

Me in a Towel

Of course, there's nothing from Sonlight that has pictures of me in a towel. But I do show up in spandex in a couple MathTacular videos. You can see one such sample here (half-way down the page).

The concept that Old Spice has put together with these short videos responding to Tweets is fun. And I love the fact that he talks to his daughter in the aforementioned video. That little human touch is inspiring.

So what are you favorite commercials? And have you purchased anything from the brands that produce your favorites?

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

^*Of course, there's also the issue of modesty. I'm guessing someone would have a problem with me hanging out in a towel, even if I'm no longer the "stumbling block" that I was back when I was a national level swimmer... <smile>

As I pull my car into my parking spot this morning, the cool morning air that flows through the open window is disrupted by a loud mechanical hum. The generator is running full bore.

I pull out my keys while juggling my lunch, the newspaper and some documents while opening the door. I am greeted by three alarms:

1. The keypad wants me to know it detected a "broken glass" sensation (a glitch that I was sure we'd fixed last week)
2. The fire panel hastily adds that the server AC unit lost power (at some point)
3. The time clock card swipey-thing urges me to replace it's battery

Wayne, our General Manager, has left me a message asking if the alarms had started when I had opened the building.

I call him back and then begin my day in earnest. I'm pushing to get MathTacular4 our for review by the end of the month.

A few hours later, I find out that we do not have internet access in the building, our ordering system is offline, and no one can chat, email or access their documents on the Sonlight network.

Oh my.

Thankfully, we regain internet connection so I can update Facebook with the news.

By lunchtime everything was working again. Of course, I still hear Kurt--our server/tech guy--talking to someone on the phone across the way. So, while sonlight.com is up and running, I think there's still more work to do.

Thank you for your prayers and patience as we wrestle with the great unknowns of technology and that mysterious force: Electricity.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

We'd moved on.

In fact, we were in another room of the museum and, as usual, my dad still lingered over a plaque somewhere in the middle of the previous display. He was reading. He reads everything in museums. See, my dad, as I've noted before, absorbs knowledge like a sponge. Which is fantastic, unless you're ready to go home after a few hours at the museum and he's lagged behind. He finds everything absolutely fascinating.

Which can be annoying.

That said, what follows is something that fascinates me. I understand if it doesn't impress you: Business models. How do companies stay afloat? It often boggles my mind.

Sonlight's business model is rooted firmly in our commitment to provide you with a uniquely pleasurable approach to homeschooling.We do this by

• gathering the best literature
• packaging it together for you
• creating detailed teaching resources and schedules
• backing your purchase with an incredible guarantee
• and then offering you a community and support as you educate your students.

Sweet, right?

Right.

But that's the foundation of Sonlight's business model. The way we can do everything I just mentioned is by making money. And we make money by selling books. Books which, in many cases, you could buy elsewhere. Now, we offer great reasons to buy our packages--including the fact that you could save money with Sonlight--but that doesn't mean everyone buys their books from us. Online book sellers keep their costs down by doing nothing more than sending you books. Sonlight does that and all the "leg work" as well.

So how do we make enough money to keep doing this year after year?

I don't know. But it fascinates me. And, in the end, even if I can work out all the calculations and careful considerations, ultimately the answer is: Sonlight continues to be able to serve you because of God's grace and your continued patronage.

Thank you.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

1. You love Sonlight.

What better reason to share something with someone else? I frequently share videos and blog posts I enjoy. I talk about my favorite technology with friends. I even mention Jesus from time to time. Books, too. Movies. Restaurants. ...so, talk about your favorite homeschool curriculum!

2. You have something to say.

There are many good reasons to love Sonlight, but your story is unique. Your experience is invaluable. Your insights are important. So, share them. What do you like about Sonlight? What didn't fit your family this year, and why? This will help other homeschoolers learn from your experiences.

3. You can help someone.

I frequently see questions that you could answer! But far more than simply answering questions, when you talk about Sonlight with friends, family, on your blog (etc) you help them on their home education journey. And helping people is great!

4. You get to give people a discount.

Include your Rewards ID on the card you hand a friend or in the URL you post on your website, and if you introduce someone brand new to Sonlight, they will get $5 off their first order of $50 or more. But that's not all...

5. You get a reward.

You also earn points toward discounts on your next Sonlight purchase. We love it when people talk about Sonlight, share Sonlight, post about Sonlight, mention Sonlight. ...so get your Rewards ID code and start reaping the benefits and sharing the love.

Seriously, if you haven't checked out Sonlight's Rewards Program, you should. You could get a discount for your friends--and yourself--while helping people discover a homeschooling approach they will love as much as you do!

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester