I’m re-reading a biography of Amy Carmichael titled “A Chance to Die,” written by Elisabeth Elliot, with my third child’s book group and something different struck me this time in the chapter titled, “The Inescapable Calling.” Amy is riding a gig along a country road one day with a man her family affectionately called “D.O.M.,” […]
Which Blow Breaks the Stone? Read More »
Sisyphus by Titian, 1549 A couple of years ago I heard Dick Keyes speak at a CMI conference I spoke at out here in California. He had two wonderful talks, one on imagination and one on heroes. At the end of one of his talks, he touched on the topic of Christian Tribalism – a
Our youngest son is now four and as I revisit Charlotte Mason’s ideas on habit training, or maybe some collectively gathered ideas on training and educating, I’ve come to realize the importance of the flip side of habit training – the side that maybe we don’t consider often enough. I think for the most part,
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The Voyage of Life – Youth by Thomas Cole, 1842 As we head past the transition between my reading most of the books to my oldest daughter and her reading her own school books – which happened progressively during YR4 & YR5 – I found myself a little sad at the prospect of her reading her
A Changing Landscape – Growing in Distance Read More »
My husband and I finally sat down and watched Les Miserable after hearing many mixed reviews about it. We loved it and blubbered ridiculously together. My favorite scene had to be Jean Valjean’s (Hugh Jackman) turmoil in the church after he is given the candlesticks. His moment of coming to terms with his sin and
The Unbearable Burden of Legalism Read More »
While it may not seem like much… to this doting mother it is clearly the first sign of poetic expression! An unprompted journal entry – sweet rewards for this mama who is stepping out in faith that this way of educating our children does in fact produce fruit. (And yes, I did get permission to
The kids have been telling me all summer that they have seen leopard sharks in the water and just looking in the water a few feet in I could see them swimming around myself. I thought it was a great opportunity for snorkeling so we went and got masks and snorkels. When we went back
Nature Study – Snorkeling in Laguna Read More »
Here’s my almost-nine-year-old’s nature journal drawing from this morning – salvaged from the trash can after being torn out of his nature journal, crumpled up and put in the trash. I thought it was one of his best paintings. Unfortunately, jumping in the waves all day, getting too much sun, and staying up late
Crumpled Up Attitudes Read More »
Now that our fourth child is just over a year old and toddling around on his two fat wobbly legs which carry him to investigate whatever interests him in the moment, I am finding myself back in the throes of training once again. Just to name a few things that have been of interest to
Training the Will of a One Year Old Read More »
A kindness is like a flower that has bloomed upon you unawares, and to be on the watch for such flowers adds very much to our joy in other people, as well as to the happy sense of being loved and cared for. ~Charlotte Mason, Vol. 4, p.109 For all the books we’ve read to
The Atmosphere of Economic Woes Read More »