Eucharistic Angels
www.catholictradition.org
Monday, April 29, 2013
First Communion
After her first sacrament of Holy Communion yesterday, Beezy told me she felt like her head was going to pop off, her heart hurt, her arm felt like it was going to fall off too, and finally, that she felt like she wanted to marry Jesus...
Friday, April 26, 2013
Spring Break
At our homeschool we are finally taking a spring break. My mother-in-law made her annual visit from New Mexico this week, but earlier than usual, in order to be here for Beezy's First Communion. Despite not doing any formal schooling activities, we have been very busy, and much learning has been accomplished. Before Grandma arrived, Beezy's religious education class rehearsed for First Communion and practiced a special song the children will sing. It has six verses, so I brought a copy home to show Beezy how to follow the song. They will have the lyrics to read while singing, so we worked on some of the unfamiliar words. She missed last week because of having a tooth pulled, so I am catching her up. She also missed making a name banner for our family's pew for the First Communion Mass. Luckily Grandma is a retired art teacher, and the two of them worked on the banner for hours, and it is gorgeous!
Tomorrow morning there is a 4-H cake decorating workshop, so Beezy and her dad made the butter cream frosting for that. We took Grandma on an excursion yesterday to see some new shops in town, and I found a Hurlbut's Story of the Bible from 1904 with beautiful color and black-and-white illustrations at our flower shop's antique annex. Beezy has played her piano numbers for an upcoming recital for her grandma, so she is keeping up with her practice.
Grandma brought us bundles of sage from her garden. She is enjoying the perennial flowers in our yard, and I was right, the tulips too are fiercely blossoming despite the unseasonably chilly weather. Relationships are what matter most in an unschooling approach to life and learning. Memories gathered and treasured like homegrown herbs lovingly bound with string. Fragrant, simple, and delicious.
Tomorrow morning there is a 4-H cake decorating workshop, so Beezy and her dad made the butter cream frosting for that. We took Grandma on an excursion yesterday to see some new shops in town, and I found a Hurlbut's Story of the Bible from 1904 with beautiful color and black-and-white illustrations at our flower shop's antique annex. Beezy has played her piano numbers for an upcoming recital for her grandma, so she is keeping up with her practice.
Grandma brought us bundles of sage from her garden. She is enjoying the perennial flowers in our yard, and I was right, the tulips too are fiercely blossoming despite the unseasonably chilly weather. Relationships are what matter most in an unschooling approach to life and learning. Memories gathered and treasured like homegrown herbs lovingly bound with string. Fragrant, simple, and delicious.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Inspiration.
We have had no less than three kinds of weather where I live today--rain, snow, and now sunshine! April is confused. My spring perennials are nevertheless hard core. They have withstood this fickle season with nary a wilted petal. What an inspiration the delicate crocus, fragrant hyacinth, and cheerful daffodil have been! The tulip will also surely persevere.
So as I sit here with one of my big toe nails partially ripped out (the occasional result of a hereditary fungal sickness, I'm afraid), I know better than to complain about the weather. I know I live in NW Ohio, and this is the way it is. There is a reason that our growing zone is not off frost alert and cleared for planting until May 15. My bulbous spring beauties pay no mind to the whims of Mother Nature--they come up on their own terms and brave whatever she dishes out, and in their Sunday best at that. They prove that spring has indeed arrived, and they remind me that a woman can be soft and sweet and still tough as nails (no pun intended).
So as I sit here with one of my big toe nails partially ripped out (the occasional result of a hereditary fungal sickness, I'm afraid), I know better than to complain about the weather. I know I live in NW Ohio, and this is the way it is. There is a reason that our growing zone is not off frost alert and cleared for planting until May 15. My bulbous spring beauties pay no mind to the whims of Mother Nature--they come up on their own terms and brave whatever she dishes out, and in their Sunday best at that. They prove that spring has indeed arrived, and they remind me that a woman can be soft and sweet and still tough as nails (no pun intended).
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Gratitude
For Christians the
question isn't whether or not God exists or if Christ is Lord—the question
is how deeply those truths change your life.
— from Tweet Inspiration
I think I need to go back to the practice of making a list of 5 things each day for which I am grateful. I learned about this idea of keeping a gratitude journal in Sarah Ban Breathnach's Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy. When thinking about the "wildly rewarding life," I asked myself whether my life might already be wildly rewarding, and I just fail to recognize it.
First of all, I can partake of Holy Communion for spiritual nourishment almost every day of the week, if I choose to go to daily Mass. To have the right to receive the real food of the body and blood of Christ as a Catholic is truly wild. Is there a greater gift than this? That God is my Father, Jesus is my Brother, and Mary is my spiritual Mother is amazing grace. Is there a higher reward than this?
It seems that we are trained by our consumerist society to always want more. If I had this thing or that, if this one aspect of life were different, then everything would be perfect. What if, instead, we allow what we have in this present moment to be enough? The birds and squirrels in the yard are enough. My husband, child, dog, home, car, and furniture are enough. I have enough clothes, enough food, enough money, and enough love. I am pretty enough, smart enough, strong enough, talented enough, funny enough, young enough, and my weight is just fine, whatever it happens to be. My friends and my town are enough. This blog is good enough. My homeschooling is good enough. I am enough. You are enough. And our God is an awesome God.
— from Tweet Inspiration
I think I need to go back to the practice of making a list of 5 things each day for which I am grateful. I learned about this idea of keeping a gratitude journal in Sarah Ban Breathnach's Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy. When thinking about the "wildly rewarding life," I asked myself whether my life might already be wildly rewarding, and I just fail to recognize it.
First of all, I can partake of Holy Communion for spiritual nourishment almost every day of the week, if I choose to go to daily Mass. To have the right to receive the real food of the body and blood of Christ as a Catholic is truly wild. Is there a greater gift than this? That God is my Father, Jesus is my Brother, and Mary is my spiritual Mother is amazing grace. Is there a higher reward than this?
It seems that we are trained by our consumerist society to always want more. If I had this thing or that, if this one aspect of life were different, then everything would be perfect. What if, instead, we allow what we have in this present moment to be enough? The birds and squirrels in the yard are enough. My husband, child, dog, home, car, and furniture are enough. I have enough clothes, enough food, enough money, and enough love. I am pretty enough, smart enough, strong enough, talented enough, funny enough, young enough, and my weight is just fine, whatever it happens to be. My friends and my town are enough. This blog is good enough. My homeschooling is good enough. I am enough. You are enough. And our God is an awesome God.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
When Unschooling Fails
I found a despairing comment yesterday on the internet from a woman who deeply regretted unschooling her two children; the reason being that she had an unexpected circumstance that required putting her son and daughter into the public school system. The girl was eight years old and was far behind her peers in every subject. This mother felt betrayed by her unschooling community, who had assured her that her children would learn everything they needed to know on their own. She implied that this is magical thinking.
The son eventually did okay catching up with his school peers, but the daughter was so traumatized that her mother had to pull her back out. The mom felt like she had failed her children. Her heartache was palpable. So is this a cautionary tale against unschooling?
The first thing to consider is that the intention behind unschooling is not to make sure that children are working at grade level or to prepare them to one day enter a public school. At eight years old, I think it's too early to judge the success or failure of unschooling, or any homeschooling method. However, if a child has not even begun to learn to read, write, and learn basic math skills by the age of eight, I think that is a red flag. Barring a learning disability, the readiness should be there. But what if the interest is not? Radical unschoolers would say to leave the child alone until he shows an interest. Is this wise?
It's important to set goals for your homeschooling. The Catholic perspective is that the primary goal of education is faith formation and getting one's children to Heaven. That is the desired, end result. Academics are secondary, but they are important. The Church has a centuries long tradition of classical learning, what today we call a "liberal arts" education. By this process a person developes a well-formed mind, capable of logical thought, discernment, and the keen ability to think for oneself. Knowing how to learn is set above acquiring knowledge, because the ability to learn will result in the possibility of deeply attaining a body of knowledge. The mind will be thirsty for information and naturally curious about the world. Mastery of a few subjects is prized over a cursory knowledge about many things. Unlike today's college instruction in the humanities, however, true classical education has as its foundation the study of classical languages such as Latin and Greek. America's founding fathers were classically educated. Classical education forms the mind so that a person can express himself eloquently both in speech and writing. This is not the education received in today's public schools.
We can't foresee all that life will bring us. If our children did have to go to school at some point, it is hopeful that homeschooling will have prepared them well enough academically that the transition would not be too rough. But consider that children struggle in the public schools, academically, spiritually, and socially. Our nation performs at a mediocre level in every key academic area, on the low end for a developed country. The common core curriculum that will be implemented in the coming school year in at least 47 states is eliminating most classic literature in favor of "informational textbooks". This will not result in greater literacy. This will not result in well-trained minds that can think for themselves, that understand what it means to be human. This will not feed the hungry soul.
Parents have a tremendous responsibility to teach their children. Unschooling can provide some good tools for accomplishing your educational goals, but you must define those goals and determine how best to reach them. I am not suggesting a rat race mentality of cramming your child's mind with heaps of information in order to cover everything exactly at "grade level", in the event that she might have to go to a public school. I don't believe in forcing children to learn any more than I believe in forcing potty training. True learning does not happen by force. What I do believe is that teaching is an art. It requires diligence, practice, creativity, commitment, energy, focus, patience and love. Learning from another requires the habits of attention, willingness, and obedience (but perhaps respect is a better word) on the part of the child. In this way, parents and children are partners in education, but the authority belongs to the parents. How might a mother entice her children to wish fervently to learn?
The son eventually did okay catching up with his school peers, but the daughter was so traumatized that her mother had to pull her back out. The mom felt like she had failed her children. Her heartache was palpable. So is this a cautionary tale against unschooling?
The first thing to consider is that the intention behind unschooling is not to make sure that children are working at grade level or to prepare them to one day enter a public school. At eight years old, I think it's too early to judge the success or failure of unschooling, or any homeschooling method. However, if a child has not even begun to learn to read, write, and learn basic math skills by the age of eight, I think that is a red flag. Barring a learning disability, the readiness should be there. But what if the interest is not? Radical unschoolers would say to leave the child alone until he shows an interest. Is this wise?
It's important to set goals for your homeschooling. The Catholic perspective is that the primary goal of education is faith formation and getting one's children to Heaven. That is the desired, end result. Academics are secondary, but they are important. The Church has a centuries long tradition of classical learning, what today we call a "liberal arts" education. By this process a person developes a well-formed mind, capable of logical thought, discernment, and the keen ability to think for oneself. Knowing how to learn is set above acquiring knowledge, because the ability to learn will result in the possibility of deeply attaining a body of knowledge. The mind will be thirsty for information and naturally curious about the world. Mastery of a few subjects is prized over a cursory knowledge about many things. Unlike today's college instruction in the humanities, however, true classical education has as its foundation the study of classical languages such as Latin and Greek. America's founding fathers were classically educated. Classical education forms the mind so that a person can express himself eloquently both in speech and writing. This is not the education received in today's public schools.
We can't foresee all that life will bring us. If our children did have to go to school at some point, it is hopeful that homeschooling will have prepared them well enough academically that the transition would not be too rough. But consider that children struggle in the public schools, academically, spiritually, and socially. Our nation performs at a mediocre level in every key academic area, on the low end for a developed country. The common core curriculum that will be implemented in the coming school year in at least 47 states is eliminating most classic literature in favor of "informational textbooks". This will not result in greater literacy. This will not result in well-trained minds that can think for themselves, that understand what it means to be human. This will not feed the hungry soul.
Parents have a tremendous responsibility to teach their children. Unschooling can provide some good tools for accomplishing your educational goals, but you must define those goals and determine how best to reach them. I am not suggesting a rat race mentality of cramming your child's mind with heaps of information in order to cover everything exactly at "grade level", in the event that she might have to go to a public school. I don't believe in forcing children to learn any more than I believe in forcing potty training. True learning does not happen by force. What I do believe is that teaching is an art. It requires diligence, practice, creativity, commitment, energy, focus, patience and love. Learning from another requires the habits of attention, willingness, and obedience (but perhaps respect is a better word) on the part of the child. In this way, parents and children are partners in education, but the authority belongs to the parents. How might a mother entice her children to wish fervently to learn?
Thursday, April 11, 2013
One Step
One step isn't the beginning of a journey if you keep one foot in the
yard. You have to get away from the starting point completely. --Sandra Dodd, "Just Add Light and Stir" blog
It's as if messages from the Holy Spirit just keep showing up in my inbox! Well, why not? Does this message mean I have to go out in the cold rain today? Our dog doesn't mind the weather. She just loves her walks! So yes, we'll get out and about at least to go around the block. Maybe we'll even walk to the grocery to get Daisy some dog treats! The lack of sunlight provides the perfect excuse to light candles. I'll begin the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary with Beezy today. She loves being read to from the Bible. Her dad is at work, so it will be a quiet day, just the two of us; then I will venture out to teach my belly dance class this evening.
I don't think you have to travel to Paris to live the wildly rewarding life I wrote about yesterday (but I do intend to see Sacre Couer again, including the inside of the cathedral!). We must bloom where we are planted, as the saying goes. The adventurous life is more a spirit, a state of mind, a living by one's own lights. It's finding the magic in the ordinary. It's looking at where you live and seeing the beauty even in the shabby and rundown. It's suddenly noticing that a teddy bear was stuck into your bathrobe while you were typing your blog post!
I am telling you all this to remind myself, because it's so easy to forget. How typical to lament the chilly, rainy day and wish for warmth and sun. How radical and freeing to put on your wellies and look for puddles instead!!
It's as if messages from the Holy Spirit just keep showing up in my inbox! Well, why not? Does this message mean I have to go out in the cold rain today? Our dog doesn't mind the weather. She just loves her walks! So yes, we'll get out and about at least to go around the block. Maybe we'll even walk to the grocery to get Daisy some dog treats! The lack of sunlight provides the perfect excuse to light candles. I'll begin the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary with Beezy today. She loves being read to from the Bible. Her dad is at work, so it will be a quiet day, just the two of us; then I will venture out to teach my belly dance class this evening.
I don't think you have to travel to Paris to live the wildly rewarding life I wrote about yesterday (but I do intend to see Sacre Couer again, including the inside of the cathedral!). We must bloom where we are planted, as the saying goes. The adventurous life is more a spirit, a state of mind, a living by one's own lights. It's finding the magic in the ordinary. It's looking at where you live and seeing the beauty even in the shabby and rundown. It's suddenly noticing that a teddy bear was stuck into your bathrobe while you were typing your blog post!
I am telling you all this to remind myself, because it's so easy to forget. How typical to lament the chilly, rainy day and wish for warmth and sun. How radical and freeing to put on your wellies and look for puddles instead!!
ksfreeman.com
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
A Wildly Rewarding Life
The best way to
become a saint is to live life to the fullest—to have an Eternally
fulfilling and wildly rewarding life here on earth, doing the things you are most
passionate about and doing them in a way that brings satisfaction and true joy to
you and those around you, while also bringing glory to God.
— from Answer Your Call
I get these "minute meditations" in my inbox every day, and this one really struck me. The reason I feel called to unschooling and the Charlotte Mason method, I think, is the desire to live a passionate life. If our homeschooling methods do not bring us and our children joy, they are the wrong methods. Maybe not for someone else, but for us. Can you even imagine having a "wildly rewarding" life? What would it look like?
In 1990 I traveled to Paris, France with my parents. I had dinner one night in front of the Sacred Heart Cathedral. My dad had toured the inside on a day that I went to a museum. He was blown away by its beauty and described it in such detail that I have always felt like I saw it myself. Maybe one day I will.
Sacre Coeur, Paris, France
— from Answer Your Call
I get these "minute meditations" in my inbox every day, and this one really struck me. The reason I feel called to unschooling and the Charlotte Mason method, I think, is the desire to live a passionate life. If our homeschooling methods do not bring us and our children joy, they are the wrong methods. Maybe not for someone else, but for us. Can you even imagine having a "wildly rewarding" life? What would it look like?
In 1990 I traveled to Paris, France with my parents. I had dinner one night in front of the Sacred Heart Cathedral. My dad had toured the inside on a day that I went to a museum. He was blown away by its beauty and described it in such detail that I have always felt like I saw it myself. Maybe one day I will.
Sacre Coeur, Paris, France
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)