Gleaning In The Shepherd's Field

The Laughter of Sarah

2009-11-20T13:46:00.000-05:00

More ponderings , or gleanings , if you will ...

Sarah and the evolution of her laughter :)

Ge18:12-15 "...Sarah laughed within herself..." secret

"...after I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?" impossible, laughter now mocking

"Is there anything too hard for the Lord?"

One year later...

"God has made me laugh ..." laughter now born in relationship with God and the experience of seeing God's Word come to pass. Not just seeing but an active participant in the process!

"...and all who hear will laugh with me." joful,rejoicing ,public testimony, natural evangelism
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Yielding Issac

2009-11-18T12:22:00.000-05:00

Over the years I have been counselled and have counselled others about "Giving up Issac"..I find that, most if not all the times, it was used out of context.
Giving up something unhealthy is freeing, it may be painful and difficult but it is freeing and liberating. But Issac was not a something wrong..he was the plan and purpose of God very clearly called forth...it is painful to yield what you know is God's plan, His heart, His desire.
And so I walk..."pressing in to the high calling in Christ Jesus to take hold of that for which Christ took hold of me.."
And even as I write I am reminded of how Abraham made that walk , bound his beloved son and lifted his knife...

(Heb 11:17-19) " By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, "IN ISAAC YOUR SEED SHALL BE CALLED," concluding
that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense."
and so where am I in this process?...I don't think I have gotten to the altar ready to bind and lift the knife :( ..I am still resisting...still hoping to give it life myself...looking for a repreive

Why??? When allowing God to resurrect is really what I desire in the deepest of my heart...it is only then that I can walk freely in what is His heart knowing it is truly all in His hands...

I am grateful that I look not to myself for strenght and grace but to Him who dwells within me..for in Him I live and breath and have my being

Leah: A Journey to Peace in Christ

2009-11-01T06:11:00.000-05:00

I am getting ready for work nut I wanted to get this down that I might return to it later alongside Scripture
Leah
Her circumstance she cannot alter
How it starts
How she ends up
The names of her sons seemly document her journey
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Thoughts from today

2009-10-08T11:43:00.001-04:00

Pondering how Jesus lived & discipled as a model of how we disciple/mentor our children..

Jesus knew Peter's character but was not discouraged by it ...He knew what Peter was called to and didn't deal with Peter in fear that Peter would blow it...Jesus knew God being God was faithful to bring Peter into His calling...

at times Peter required clear sharp rebuke (get thee behind me Satan, not because Peter was Satan but because he was speaking in the enemy's mindset under his influence)...

at other times Jesus declares with warmth & love "God has revealed this to you" ...

At other times Jesus was discouraged "Could you not tarry"

He warned Peter "When the cock crows you will deny me"

He restores Peter "If you love me feed my sheep"

He empowers Peter " the Holy Ghost came like a mighty rushing wind"

Peter goes forth in power & authority healing the sick preaching the Gospel walking in the shocking revelation of the gentiles being able to received Christ

Also Jesus never compared his disciples He doesn't ask Peter why isn't he like John

Much to glean here as a parent :)
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Still pondering Hope

2009-09-30T10:56:00.000-04:00

Still thinking...haven't had time to search the scripture yet. I feel there is something here for me to apprehend something God wants to breath upon my understanding that I might allow His Life to live in and through me..

Hope not passive...it sees the unseen...

We'll see where thus goes
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Hope

2009-09-27T09:30:00.000-04:00

I had hoped to have time for thoughtful careful writing but it hasn't worked out. I would rather write (type) extemporaneously than not write. And I don't think my writing less thoughtful but perhaps thoughts in flux

I am delighted to have merged facebook , twitter , & my blog !!

Last night I saw The Shawshank Redemption it provoked much thought about hope, what do I hope for are there things one shouldn't hope for, how does one walk in ones daily life in hope or rather hoping ...what does that look like???
I went through the scripture there was much to ponder I look forward to digging deeper

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Seek Ye First….

2008-10-20T08:27:00.002-04:00

(Mat 6:33) But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

(Rom 14:17) For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

(1Co 1:30) But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

(2Co 5:21) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

(Rom 5:1) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

(Rom 15:13) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

(Gal 5:22-23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

(Eph 2:14a) For He Himself is our peace, …

(Rom 8:6) For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

(Neh 8:10b) …Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

(Psa 5:11) But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.

(Psa 16:11) You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; …

(Eph 6:13) Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

(Heb 11:6) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

(Matt:4:4)
"It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.' "

Happiness is....

2008-09-19T13:47:00.000-04:00

Happiness is sharing a great book with somebody who also thinks its a great book

Blessed happiness is having that other person be your daughter!!!

I just found my 3 days shy of 15 yo daughter wrapped up in a comforter crying as she reads through CS Lewis' Till We Have Faces. " Mom, this is a great book"!

God is so good.

When she was young I never read mythology or fairy tales to her. I wanted her wonderment and fascination to be stirred by the Word of God.

In His faithfulness God has made His Word a delight to her. Now that she is older we have read some myths. As an inspired romantic she loves the story of Cupid and Psych as retold in Edith Hamilton's Mythology.

Together now we can sound the depths of Lewis' story telling together, delighting in words, ideas and in the One who having made us in His image frees us to delight in the gift of reading and thinking

Praise be to God, blessed be His name, who for freedoms sake has set us free !!!!!

2008 Election

2008-08-29T21:34:00.001-04:00

Last night Senator Barack Obama made his acceptance speech as the first Black Presidential candidate, on the eve of the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream Speech".

Today Gov. Sarah Palin was announced as the Vice Presidential pick for the Republican party. The first woman in the Republican party to have such an honor.

Wow....I am continually amazed at how exciting this election race has been and continues to be and I am enjoying having my children be older to be able to share it with them... I constantly remind them how historic this is

Hopefully I can blog more about this at another time.

We lost our Sunshine

2008-08-29T21:29:00.000-04:00

Today we lost our 6 yo dog Sunshine...

She had Gastric Torsion (Bloat)

Of course we did not know...
between the time we saw she didn't feel well and decided to bring her to the vet (3 hours), she actually fell down at our feet and passed away.

I hope to find a picture of her that I can post so the children can write about her.

The Curate of Glaston Trilogy by George MacDonald

2008-08-15T12:04:00.000-04:00

(Pro 25:2) It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

(Pro 8:17) I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.

(Luk 11:9) "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

This idea of seeking has been something I have been pondering for several years. I believe that seeking is inherent in being made in the image of God. This has been the platform of much of my thinking regarding education.

When I began to read about home education I discovered something.

I was 35 years old, I had been Christian for 10 years and yet I had little experience as a seeker and thinker. Seeking and searching are still a novel part of my life, one that I delight in.

It is because of this that MacDonald's description of Helen in the first page of "The Curates Awakening "struck me.

Helen had been reading a book and was disappointed in how it ended...

"Indeed, Helen's dissatisfaction went so far that, although the fire kept burning away in perfect contentment before her, she yet came nearer to truly thinking than she had ever in her life. Now, thinking, especially to one who tries it for the first time, is seldom a comfortable operation, and hence Helen was very close to actually becoming uncomfortable. She was on the border of making the unpleasant discovery that the chief business of life is to discover, after which there is little more comfort to enjoy of the sort with which Helen had up to then been familiar.
I do not mean to imply that Helen was dull in her mental capacities, or that she contributed nothing to the bubbling of the intellectual pool in the social gatherings of Glaston-far from it. Helen had supposed she could think because the thoughts of other people had passed through her quite regularly, leaving many a phantom conclusion behind. This had been their thinking , not hers."

The Curate's Awakening
George MacDonald
p13

Election 2008

2008-08-09T13:49:00.001-04:00

What to think..on the one hand there is so much information that one feels as though one can never have all the info to make an informed decision. I have done some reading and quite a bit of listening and the bottom line is that there is always more info so I need to know the bottom line.

The bottom line is that most candidates cannot influence most of the things they promise. They are presidents not monarchs, and even monarchs have been known to have had a tough time of it.

I believe it is important that I do vote and make a choice even if the candidate is not "ideal".

Is there ever an ideal candidate??

This nation was based on Christian principle but in the end it is a worldly government so I don't expect ideal theological positioning from any candidate.

What I do wish is for the foundation of our government to remain as far from socialism as possible. I find Mr. Obama to be just too, too left.

I cannot vouch for any of the candidates character but I would be remiss if I did not admit that I was troubled by Mr. Obama's sitting under racist leadership for so very long.

His responses to the matter were eloquent but in no way made clear to me how it is possible to associate ones' self with such virulent speech and have ones' soul discipled by such speech.

A part of me would surely delight to see that perhaps a minority president would be a manifest proof that things in this country have truly changed, that racism in general is not a socially sanctioned way of life but as long as there are people there will always be racism, it is part of the fallen aspect of human nature and one of many reasons why we all need the atoning of the blood of Christ in all of our lives.

VBS Finale !!

2008-08-08T16:58:00.000-04:00

(3Jn 1:4) I have no greater joy than these things, to hear that my children walk in the truth.

My children participated in VBS for the first time. This is the first time any of them have ever participated in any kind of regular group activity.

It has been a blessing.

The church we are presently visiting decided to do VBS this summer for the first time and it was an incredible success...

It most certainly was for our family.

Watching my youngest worship and delighting in singing to the Lord, seeing my youngest daughter excited to share all she had learned despite the reading challenges she has, seeing my Asperger son making it through the whole week with joy and requesting to go again next year and having my eldest volunteer with joy, God is good!!!!!!!

Number Two of the Fab Five spent time at home, where I think it was somewhat of a therapy for him to be alone.

May the Word of the Lord that has been planted find good soil and bring forth fruit for their delight and for the delight and glory of their God.

I am ready to go watch the finally tonight, with a box of tissues as I am humbled at God's great mercy unto to us!!!

and if I learn how to do so I will make a link to the VBS program that was used :)

Returning

2008-08-07T09:11:00.000-04:00

(Isa 30:15) For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." ...

I decided to stop thinking about writing and to write.

When I titled this post I was thinking of returning, "getting back to" writing and then this scripture came up in my heart.

I am reminded of the importance to getting back to the bottom line of who I am in Him, what was purchased for us in our salvation and how He wishes for me to apprehend and walk in what has been set before me.

As my heart returns to my beloved Lord I look to being delivered/saved from anxiety, tension, worries. I shall embrace Him in quietness and confidence

(" But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Heb. 11:6)

and in so doing be strengthened in His love, and as he bears His fruit I shall write

to give Him glory...

to delight in the joy of sharing His ways

to relish a small aspect of being made in His image

What I Am Reading

2008-01-18T10:25:00.000-05:00

Bible in 90 days ( I found the schedule over at a Moody Radio station)

Study the Book of Acts

Think Like Jesus by George Barna

The Day of Tears by Julius Lester

Cien Años De Soledad Garcia-Marquez

Article on best book stores to visit

2008-01-18T10:22:00.000-05:00

Here is the link, wish I could make it pretty...

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/getaways/01/17/destination.bookstores.ap/index.html

I just discovered that one of those bookstores is in Miami. I will be nearby at a meeting on Monday...I think I may take a quick run over there...so exciting!!!

Comment on The Giver by Lois Lowry

2008-01-18T10:11:00.001-05:00

I read a comment in a newsletter that prompted me to write this response. I hope to write a proper reivew in the future as well as a discussion guide.

We'll see...

the poster I am responding to, had briefly commented that The Giver was "a very bad book" because it has an infanticide
****************************************************************
One of the things I have learned to appreciate from home educating moms is the freedom we have to agree to disagree.

I have read many things about "The Giver" and have wanted to post my opinion at my blog and haven’t as yet had the chance... but since I have a rare few moments now there are some comments I would like to make

I put off reading The Giver for several years because I was so appalled about the subject matter as described by others

I finally decided to read it because I also read reviews of other people whose insights regarding other books I had appreciated so I really wanted to know for myself why there were such diametrically opposed opinions. I still don’t know why this book is taken in so many different ways but I will share what my experience with it has been

I read the book. I consider it to be written for 11-14 yo more or less. That is to say it is not heavy in tone , it is not long, nor filled with deep complex sentences.

The book depicts a society that is completely controlled. You don’t realize it completely at first. It is written from the perspective of the main character who is a 11 yo boy. He is awaiting an important ceremony for his 12th birthday. At this age all the children are given their assignment (life long job). Jonas (the main character) is chosen to be the Receiver. As Jonas learns what his “assignment” is, he also becomes aware of the pathos of the society he has been raised in.

This book is not mystical in tone at all. I would venture to say it is “clinical”, “sterile” in tone.

The event that has to do with infanticide, while morally, ethically, emotionally repulsive, is not described in lurid profane detail…again it is clinical which in reality is what makes it horrible not just to the reader but to Jonas…at no time is Jonas’ society extolled, or described as a great thing…the opposite. This society is exposed for the evilness and dark society that it is. There is a mention of a suicide…it is seen as a tragic event

As I read the book I narrated it to my daughter...later I let her read it. She is VERY sensitive to any abuse or overwhelming sorrow . She loves the book

For us this book has formed a primer in worldviews...

this book raises excellent questions and being an easily read book it lends itself to discussion because the child is not burdened with trying to extract ideas from complex writing. We have had the most incredible discussions that have opened the door to her understanding so many things

What does it mean to be human

Are the citizens in Jonas’ society living as humans..

Is the control of Jonas’ society something to yearn for, why, why not

I do not wish to diminish anyone who does not like the book. But I would like to leave the door open for those who might want to read it for themselves. The reviews I read years ago gave the impression that this book extolled infanticide, and control. I have not found that to be the case.

My only caveat is that I never encourage anybody to just hand this book to a child to read. This book is best experienced as a conversation and an introduction to deep ideas about life, humanity and society

Return to Blogging

2008-01-18T10:08:00.000-05:00

Well finally, I'm back.
I have just resolved I cannot wait for some intense quiet time when I can write deep profound thoughts.
I hope to at least make a quick post daily when I check my email. Lord willing I can review some of the things I am reading, that is if I get to really read them

New Quote from Augustine

2007-08-16T17:00:00.000-04:00

I just read this quote from Mark Hamby's blog at Lamplighter Publishing

hmm let's see if I can get the link in here

http://www.lamplighterpublishing.com/Blog/lampblog.html

"We who preach & write, do so in a manner different from which the Scriptures have been written. We write while we make progress. We learn something new every day. We speak as we still knock for understanding…If anyone criticizes me when I have said what is right, he does me an injustice. But I would be more angry with the one who praises me and takes what I have written for Gospel truth than I would be with the one who criticizes me unfairly." Augustine

Neil Postman Quote

2007-07-07T17:00:00.000-04:00

"Besides we do not measure a culture by it's output of undisguised trivialities but by what it claims as significant"
Neil Postman
"Amusing Ourselves To Death"

St. Augustine Quote

2007-07-07T16:34:00.000-04:00

"Man's maker was made man that he, Ruler of the stars might nurse at His mother's breast; that the bread might hunger, the Fountain thirst, the Light sleep, the Way be tired on its journey: that Truth might be accused of false witnesses, the Teacher be beaten with whips, the Foundation be suspended on wood; that Strength might grow weak; that the Healer might be wounded; that Life might die." Sermons 191.1

HEB 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Quote from Brave New World illust. a point from Amusing Ourselves....

2007-07-02T12:30:00.000-04:00

I couldn't help it..had to read Brave New World..I'm in the middle of it and I saw the following which so reminded me of media creating a form as described by Postman

Postman was discussing it in terms of communication , this example is not the same and yet I see a connection

...in this section John is a frustrated ostracized young boy, he deplores his stepfather but that feeling has no voice so it isn't completely real to him until he gets The Complete Work Of Shakespeare

(John lives in a very primitive state, this is the first book he has ever read, learned to read by mom writng on cave, only has seen her little red book on instrucitons for Beta's for the jobs they do in their society (the outside world))

"He hated Pope more and more. A man can smile and smile and be a villan. Remorseless,treacherous, kindless villain. What did the words exactly mean? He only half knew. But their magic was strong and went on rumbling in his head, and somehow it was as though he had never really hated Pope before;never really hated him because he had never been able to say how much he hated him. But now he had these words, these words like drums and singing and magic. These words and the strange, strange story out of which they were taken (he couldn't make head or tail out of it, but it was wonderful, wonderful just the same)-they gave him a reason for hating Pope;and they made his hatred more real;they even made Pope himself more real."Brave New WorldChapter 8p89

Aldous Huxley

2007-07-01T22:12:00.000-04:00

"Brave New World" is not on my list, but I couldn't help it, had to pick it up because Neil Postman refers back to it in "Amusing Ourselves To Death" ( I went to thew library and got 1984 as well, egads !)

Here is a quote from Huxley's Foreword in "Brave New World":

" The greatest triumphs of propaganda have been accomplished, not by doing something, but by refraining from doing. Great is truth, but still greater, from a practical point of view, is silence about truth. "

Saint Augustine by Garry Wills

2007-07-01T22:04:00.000-04:00

I haven't read Confessions.

This author says that "Confessions" should really be called "Testimony" because it's form is not confessing like a criminal confesses a crime but rather a declaration of the Testimony of seeing God in his life as Augustine now a Christian reflects back on his life with the insight of God's spirit.

Here is a quote from that book that gives me insight into the author's perspective of " Confessions" /"Testimony"

"The text does not deliver us a product but calls us into a process."
p99
Saint Augustine by Garry Wills

Amusing Ourselves To Death

2007-07-01T18:26:00.000-04:00

I am reading Amusing Ourselves To Death by Neil Postman with a group of very insightful ladies at

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LectitolibriDecuria/

one of them posted questions so here are my repsonses ....

Amusing Ourselves To Death
Chapter One

Pg 3 Does a statue of a slot machine and a glamour girl rightly represent our culture/society?

At the moment I can’t really think of anything that would better represent the attitude that pervades our culture today. Slot Machines and Glamour Girls…$$ and S*X that is not only representative of us but seems to be what our culture delights in exporting and boasting to other cultures that this is what we are and we’re proud of it…

Pg 4 Do looks matter?

In truth I think that there is a real aspect to the influence of looks.

I have a brother who is very much a antiestablishment fellow…just for fun he will hide his dreadlocks under his cook’s cap when he would be acting chef for elite events in Lake Tahoe. He got a kick out of having brilliant conversations with all the people and seeing the look on their faces when after the event during clean up time he would let down his hair.. in his eyes looks should never impede the value of a person.
In my opinion it is rather a irrelevant point…one cannot ignore the nature of being human, which means we can and are influenced by the way things look

What I do believe is that it doesn’t have to stop there…although one can initially be put off by the way somebody appears those of us who value life because all life is made in the image of God can/should step back and perceive people with the eyes of the Lord

I think looks do matter but among people who have some depth it need not be a limitation /hindrance

When I see a bright engaging person looking disheveled and dirty I am more concerned with his small view of himself and what he represents despite perhaps being impressed with his knowledge or personality

P5 Unclear about example of Japanese vehicles

I understood it as the Japanese are sure their vehicles are better built and believe that the world knows this as well and yet they still see the value of image and so invest much money in creating and maintaining an advertising image

Pg6 Which of the list of reasons others think society has become entertainment driven do you most agree with

I suppose I would choose 2 since I think one flows from the other…the retribution of allowing God to perish which in turn has the fruit of greed and ambition ruling over society…I don’t think I would use the word retribution but rather the fruit of the people of god themselves not upholding the Scripture and being heard by the lives they live and the gifts they express in the different spheres of society where they find themselves

Pg 8 Comments about form of info birthed by medium used to project/communicate info

I was also struck by this section…by this line in particular “…possible to move decontextualized information over vast spaces at incredible speed.” Decontextulized is the key…the news often removes the context of the info…the info is then framed by however the generator of the info wants to frame it and can elicit our sympathy or disdain without us really knowing what has happened

Pg 7 Do you agree that the 300lb 27th President, Taft might not have won if he wold’ve been on TV

No, I didn’t know about Taft, and I don’t know if I could agree that he wouldn’t make it today…as I mentioned above, yes, visual impression influences but it isn’t always the last word…Wasn’t Churchill a rather large person ( and quite crude I have heard as well) but he is undoubtedly viewed as an extraordinary man, so much so that many look to the role his strength and insight bolstered a nation rather than to the fact that he could be vulgar and was huge

Are words making a comeback via the internet

Hmmm, maybe print, words, haven’t vanished but rather is being rendered ineffective…writing poorly about shallow notions doesn’t; do much for society…what makes words matter are the ideas they convey…they convey in a word that visual perception cannot (echoing back to what Postman says about medium and content)…if the only thing our society can write about is “What happened during America’s Got Talent”, or whether men prefer younger or older women…the fact that they are writing doesn’t much matter….what visual media has done is made us less thinking, more shallow, then there is no thinking, no pondering, no ideas, no life…

If You Want To Write

2007-06-28T20:50:00.000-04:00

This is really a book I needed to read.

I found out about this book when I read an interview with Jan Karon. In true home educating mom fashion I want to know what the people I read, read themselves.

The premise in this book is that “Everybody is talented, original and has something to say” , that is actually the title of the first chapter.

Her ideas resonate with me so much. I know that there are those who are “gifted” , I delight to hear the music of Mozart, the poems of Wordsworth, the paintings of Vermeer and the sculptures of Michelangelo but, is it right that being prodigious should be the only reason that people communicate.

I don’t think so and this is an idea that has been working in me since I began home educating my children 8 years ago. We are people made in the image of God. Being able to write, discuss, think, sculpt , paint etc...is the evidence of God’s beauty and image within man. Express is what we do, and I love the opportunity to encourage my children to learn to draw, to paint, to play the piano and so on that they might have different venues to express the wonder and beauty of their God as well as be able to know the delight of doing all these things.

I am on chapter two and challenging myself to see the things that have hindered me from writing and trying to write whenever I can…grrr…

Late start on the computer today…so much more to share so little time

BTW

I made a new little saying ( I lifted it from Nemo and then adapted it)

Fish gotta swim
Mom’s gotta read

Bye

New Book List

2007-06-26T16:01:00.000-04:00

I just had to come up with a new list...the other one was a quick one I wrote up so I would get started but now I have a rather organic one and perhaps ambitious but I shall give it a shot just the same

Philosophy of Education Vol6 CM Series (actually I have read this so this time I am starting midway where a friend of mine is at so we can discuss it)
Amusing Ourselves To Death by Neil Postman

If You Want To Write by Brenda Ueland

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

The Roar On The Other Side by Suzanne U. Clark

Being Human by Ranald Macaulay and Jerram Barrs

Saint Augustine by Garry Wills

Charlotte Mason Home Education Series Vol 6

2007-06-20T01:36:00.000-04:00

Before I post my random thoughts, I add a disclaimer. I enjoy reading CM’s series very, very much. I have been blessed to have learned much about her work from the several yahoo groups that discuss hr work and it’s implementation. I have read much but not all of the Home Ed series. These thoughts that I am posting are for a very dear sister, who informed me that she was reading this particular volume (which I have read in its entirety before)..because this sister is somebody I know personally and somebody who has rich insight into the scriptures I thought we could discuss it whenever the opportunity arose.
Since my dear sister had already started reading I decided to start where she is at rather than attempt to catch up
These are the links to the groups that discuss CM’s writing and it’s very fruitful and effective implementation, should anybody be enticed to know more :

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CMSeries/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AmblesideOnline/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cmason/

These are random thoughts meaning, they are pieces of ideas that occur to me while reading…my purpose in reading is to learn and to assess what I read in light of the Scripture, as well as my experience as a home educating mom over the past 8 years and as a Christian seeking to look at core principles of education and see what I believe , what I don’t believe, what I understand and what I don’t understand (which is quite a bit!)

Ahhh, I feel much better now

Vol 6 A Philosophy Of Education
Chap VIII pp 128-130

The Way Of The Will

Re (b) & (c)
(b) That the way to will effectively is to turn our thoughts away from that which we desire but do noy will
(c) That the best way to turn our thoughts is to think of or do some quite different thing, entertaining or interesting

I think it goes deeper to say that the way to will effectively is first to surrender to the TRUTH of Christ, who died and rose again so that we might be free to will and to exercise will in His love, wisdom and understanding

“ The use of suggestion is to be deprecated, as tending to stultify and stereotype character.”
Not sure what she means…not to suggest that its time to do something different, not to suggest what to do??????

A life of volition (of using one’s will as designed by God, not the characteristic of rebellious willfulness) should be the fruit of a life of conviction

“But the one achievement possible and necessary for every man is character; and character is as finely wrought metal beaten into shape and beauty by the repeated and accustomed action of will. We who teach should make it clear to ourselves that our aim in education is less conduct than character; conduct may be arrived at, as we have seen, by indirect routes, but it is of value to the world only as it has it’s source in character”

HEB 5:14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Children of character…who live deliberately in Christ hearing His voice (Jn 10) and Living by His Spirit

ROM 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

JOH 10:4 "And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

I think that as home educators we have a unique opportunity to bring these thoughts to bear upon our lives with our children. I have always been convinced that under our care our children can, as David, fight the lion and fight the bear so that they will then go off to behead Goliath how ever he may show himself in their lives
Who/What is the lion and the bear…don’t have to look…daily life is filled with lions and bears, full of struggles and opportunities for our children to be lead to the grace of Christ and to exercise their faith tangibly and individually

Choice, learning to choose should be developed through the influence of God’s Spirit through the Word

“The parasitic creatures who live upon the habits, principles and opinions of others may easily become criminal”

You know I really enjoy CM because she writes of so many aspects of so many things!!

Of course here she is discussing people who don’t exercise their will much...they are dogmatic, they just do what they are told, not even because of conviction to do so but because it’s just easier than thinking..they just follow the crowd, they have no conviction, no affiliation they can just morph to any group and follow any life ( I was one of those you know !)

I think this is where her strong feelings for suggestion come from...what I think she means is we want our children to respond to what is going on around them in their individual way and not impose how we see things so that they never learn to ponder or to disagree and question…I can see what she is concerned about but I don’t think I agree or at least there is another aspect to address

“For right thinking is by no means self expression. Right thought flows upon the stimulus of an idea, and ideas are stored as we have seen in books and pictures and the lives of men and nations; these instruct the conscience and stimulate the will and man or child “chooses.”

See here is where I must depart…it is the Scripture that ought instruct the conscience
Our conscience was created to be informed by God and therefore our relationship with God thru Christ in the Holy Spirit informs our conscience. We do not lose our uniqueness in this because I am not speaking of dogmatic biblical principles but of a living relationship. We as teachers should not impose our opinions readily, without allowing the child to react/respond to lit, art , history etc…but there is necessary instruction of how to learn to think through what one sees, hears, reads and lives…I think that this is easily practiced by thinking aloud with our children in any setting

St Augustine by Garry Willis

2007-06-18T14:08:00.000-04:00

I was hoping to link posts of books I am reading separately, as in different folders but it seems I am unable to do so. I will then post impressions of books as I get them.

This book is not on my Summer Reading Challenge 2007...it seems I need to revise my list somewhat.
Some days ago there was a brief discussion re: Augustine at the WTM board. Since I was going to the library that day I thought I would try to find a brief biography. I was unable to find the biographies that had been recommended by other so I picked this one by Garry Willis , quite frankly because it was the shortest.

It isn’t a riveting read and as I read more I can see that this would be a better read for somebody more acquainted with Augustine’s body of work as well as other biographies of his life. Just the same it has provoked a great interest in Augustine…my first fav quote of the book is on pg xiv and comes from Augustine’s book called The Trinity (397-426)

“Let the reader, where we are equally confident, stride on with me; where we are equally puzzled, pause to investigate with me; where he finds himself in error, come to my side. Where he finds me erring, call me to his side. So we may keep to the path, in love, as we fare on toward Him “whose face is ever to be sought.”

There is an air in Augustine’s writing that remind me a bit of CS Lewis…I cannot as yet articulate why. Perhaps because I know they both strove to find a common ground among believers in Christ.

Thus far I admire Augustine’s tenacity to have the scripture be the basis of how he approaches ministry and working with the challenges that were present in the community where he was priest and then bishop. His conversion was such a revelation of Christ that I am reminded of Paul in Philippians who looks back to his education and social standing and states:

“But whatever things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. But no, rather, I also count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord…” Phil.3:7-8a

Two Special Events

2007-06-16T20:37:00.000-04:00

Well first off after 47 years , my mom became a United States Citizen. I knew it was a special event but I was surprised at how much of an emotional event it was for me.

We were blessed to have her swearing in be at 8am, the first of the day. There were 3,ooo people swearing in from 94 countries! I was so stressed during the days leading up the the great event because I was in such a panic that something would go wrong and I would get stuck in traffice and my mom would lose her "moment".

As a result of my mini panic attacks I left for Miami Beach at 5 am with my youngest and 2 eldest children. My son had spent a week preparing what he would wear including a lovely lapel pin of the American Flag, he was as excited as his Abuela.

We arrived so early that we had to wait over 2 hours before we could sit inside. Praise God it was early morning so the weather was comfortable. It was nice to see the event organized fairly well considering how many people are involved. We were especially delighted to note that there was a small botanical garden right across the street from the convention center.

After the ceremony my mom was delighted to get a T-shirt that says I became "An American Citizen on June 14, 2007". We then went to the gardens and took photos while waiting for traffic to clear up.

My mom then treated us to a huge breakfast at Denny's, my children were delighted, we don't go out to eat much so a Grand Slam breakfast was an incredible treat!

Then home to take a nap...oh and I confess I cried when they played a DVD of the song "I'm Glad To Be An American"

Now for the second and most glorious event...

I have been tutoring a sweet young lady. The Fab Five and I have been praying about presenting the Gospel to her but her parents are not believers and I didn't want to overstep my boundaries. Ah but the Lord my God is gracious and kind as well as sovereign. My little friend began to attend church with her best friend, who has also just moved across the street from me!

Soon my little friend was coming over to share her Sunday School scriptures. Then the other night when her dad was speaking with my husband she was sitting with me and I began to explain the precious Gospel Story of Adam and Eve in the Garden, God's provision in Christ,etc...

when I was done she was so quiet and teary eyed and I said , "Would you like me to pray with with you..she jumped up and grabbed my hand saying "Yes, yes, PLEASE.." It was so genuine and beautiful. I then told her that now we were not just neighbors but we are sisters. It is now her greatest joy to greet me as her sister!!!

God is so good

Finally..Returning To the World Of Blogging

2007-06-16T20:29:00.000-04:00

I cannot believe what difficulty I have had since starting this blog.

For the past several weeks my IE browser has not permitted me to log on to my blog. Praise God for my savvy hubby who downloaded a nifty Mac browser called Safari....

I still cannot get the pics from other blogs on to mine, the ones I am able to do don't come out as nicely as I have seen them at other sites...so I give up

I will stick to just writing because that is really why I started the blog to begin with....

My New Maiden Post...

2007-06-02T00:37:00.000-04:00

Several days ago I excitedly typed up my very first blog post. My daughter referred to our blog experience as a journey , hence the use of maiden for my first post.

My delight soon gave way to despair when I tried to edit the post and deleted it instead.

Several days ago as I read through the High school board at the Well Trained Mind board, I saw an invitation to join a summer reading challenge. It seemed an ideal time to start my blog and become intentional not only in my reading but in my writing as well.

I have spent the past few days pondering my list..I think I have finally come up with a reasonable list:

Omnibus I various authors
I am going through this to see if it is doable for my son I hope to cover Genesis, Exodus, Gilgamesh and Code Of Hammurabi for the summer

Being Human by Ranald Macaulay and Jerram Barrs
I found out about this book on another reading group I was a part of last year. I started it but only made it to chapter 3. I really want to go through this book because it speaks to a topic that is so much a part of my pondering and I would say central to my educational philosophy. It is so very rich, I am hoping that writing as I read it will help me distill the ideas being presented.

If You Want To Write by Brenda Ueland
This is I book that was recommended by Jan Karon in an interview I read. I have not been able to write for some time. Although I have quite a few time constraints, I think my difficulty lies is feeling tied up somehow...just can't get on paper what is going on inside. I am looking forward to posting and writing about what I am learning

Well let's see how it goes...hopefully I can enlist some help on how to get links to appear in my posts that I might give credit to other sites and bloggers. For now I will cut and paste the web addy for the Summer Reading Challenge 2007

http://seasonalsoundings.blogspot.com/2007/05/when-calendar-turns-to-june-1-this.html

blessings to all
Clara in Miami