Showing posts with label food for thought. Show all posts
Forging a way into the Unknown
That's kind of what God is doing with me this year.
Making me stand up on my own two feet.
Constantly showing me how I have caved in during the past because of fear...
Urging me to stand tall and straight and be a woman of courage.
And I'm loving being led out. (ahem, most of the time. The other times? nah, i'm just plain scared! What if? what then? But how?)
Loving learning how to be brave...
Brave enough to be the glorious person He created me to be.
Because you see, when we each get that...
when you can see as clearly as He can see, how amazing you really are...
then there is such freedom, such joy, such grace for us all
to live in harmony with one another.
Such sweet food for our souls!
Tag :
food for thought,
Umm..."Something"....to describe some things...
It's struck me over the last few days that I haven't written from my heart in a while...and that began to perturb me. It's not that I need this to be a journal, or I want every Jane, Sally and Mary to know my inner thought life...but it's this: I most respect the people I know who are honest, open and vulnerable. I respond most to blogs where ruthless trust leads bloggers to share deeply and transparently. I find that honesty and openness so very refreshing - it revitalizes me and makes my days take on a rose colored hue as there is someone being
Truly, it does that to me. It takes my breath away.
And somehow it INSPIRES me to be the real me.
None of this hiding behind my beautiful children or the wonderful ways in which we are learning, or the glorious fun we are having...but the real me, the 'all-of-me' me peeking out and standing tall and declaring - this is me! These are my thoughts! My feelings! What I've learnt! Do you see? Can you relate to me?
...because part of me wants to bleed out onto this page...
...because words penetrate into our souls and lodge there...
...to be recalled whilst we wait at swimming lessons, stand in the grocery line, wash dishes or cook food...
Words can bring life or death, they have the power to build up and tear down...
Simple words....strung together into simple sentences...
So here are my "some things"...
Thing # 1
Life sure is hard.
In so many ways.
And it differs for all of us - financially (I know folk (and not just one family - four families) in some really desperate situations), relationally (how is it that I now seem to be in the age bracket where divorce is the topic of many conversations?), health (a friend has just brought home her brand new baby after spending a month in the hospital)...
And I've heard it said so often recently, that Christ didn't come to make it all hunky dory, but He did come to give us the grace to walk on through it, to rise above it and to be transformed through it. But sometimes,, if I'm honest, that promise isn't enough to make me look beyond the "life is just crappy" part...very quickly.
Thing #2
When life FEELS like that, and presents us with all this "evidence" that God surely doesn't care as much about us as we thought, we can be tricked into thinking we haven't been good enough to get what we think we deserve (finances, marriage partners, community etc). We haven't been holy enough, or done enough good works...we can start to draw some pretty damning conclusions about God. And you know what? Right now, where I'm at, I'm learning that the good fight of faith means CHOOSING to believe and trust in God and his character no matter what. NO MATTER WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS...
Thing #3
Life is all about relationships.
Everywhere we look.
We were created our of relationship in Eden...
...designed for relationship...
... redeemed because of a relationship...
... and eternity is all about a relationship.
We are born as a result of a relationship.
And we spend the rest of our lives relating.
And I am finding relationships to be downright tricky.
To remain connected to the hearts of the ones I love the most requires monumental grace - to overcome the self that is me that so often gets in the way. Relationships can be so fragile, bruised or battered in an instant by misunderstood words. Hearing what you think someone is saying instead of hearing what they are actually saying...and I'm seeing in so many ways that communication is the key.And I've also begun to see that sometimes hurt or strained relationships, as hard and as awful as they are, only serve to deepen relationships. Depth (in some shape or form) always comes out of pain, ...and it always takes the balm of time to soothe it out.
Thing #4
Wisdom comes from actual and costly experience - that pearl of wisdom is straight out of the Amplified and I love it...and am sobered by it. In recent experiences I have learnt ...what I should have done or should have said...(hindsight is a 20/20 vision), which sadly is no good to me now, but I now stand prepared for the future...and with wisdom when it comes to instructing my kids....
Food for thought huh?
breathtakingly real.
Truly, it does that to me. It takes my breath away.
And somehow it INSPIRES me to be the real me.
None of this hiding behind my beautiful children or the wonderful ways in which we are learning, or the glorious fun we are having...but the real me, the 'all-of-me' me peeking out and standing tall and declaring - this is me! These are my thoughts! My feelings! What I've learnt! Do you see? Can you relate to me?
...because part of me wants to bleed out onto this page...
...because words penetrate into our souls and lodge there...
...to be recalled whilst we wait at swimming lessons, stand in the grocery line, wash dishes or cook food...
Words can bring life or death, they have the power to build up and tear down...
Simple words....strung together into simple sentences...
So here are my "some things"...
Thing # 1
Life sure is hard.
In so many ways.
And it differs for all of us - financially (I know folk (and not just one family - four families) in some really desperate situations), relationally (how is it that I now seem to be in the age bracket where divorce is the topic of many conversations?), health (a friend has just brought home her brand new baby after spending a month in the hospital)...
And I've heard it said so often recently, that Christ didn't come to make it all hunky dory, but He did come to give us the grace to walk on through it, to rise above it and to be transformed through it. But sometimes,, if I'm honest, that promise isn't enough to make me look beyond the "life is just crappy" part...very quickly.
Thing #2
When life FEELS like that, and presents us with all this "evidence" that God surely doesn't care as much about us as we thought, we can be tricked into thinking we haven't been good enough to get what we think we deserve (finances, marriage partners, community etc). We haven't been holy enough, or done enough good works...we can start to draw some pretty damning conclusions about God. And you know what? Right now, where I'm at, I'm learning that the good fight of faith means CHOOSING to believe and trust in God and his character no matter what. NO MATTER WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS...
Thing #3
Life is all about relationships.
Everywhere we look.
We were created our of relationship in Eden...
...designed for relationship...
... redeemed because of a relationship...
... and eternity is all about a relationship.
We are born as a result of a relationship.
And we spend the rest of our lives relating.
And I am finding relationships to be downright tricky.
To remain connected to the hearts of the ones I love the most requires monumental grace - to overcome the self that is me that so often gets in the way. Relationships can be so fragile, bruised or battered in an instant by misunderstood words. Hearing what you think someone is saying instead of hearing what they are actually saying...and I'm seeing in so many ways that communication is the key.And I've also begun to see that sometimes hurt or strained relationships, as hard and as awful as they are, only serve to deepen relationships. Depth (in some shape or form) always comes out of pain, ...and it always takes the balm of time to soothe it out.
Wisdom comes from actual and costly experience - that pearl of wisdom is straight out of the Amplified and I love it...and am sobered by it. In recent experiences I have learnt ...what I should have done or should have said...(hindsight is a 20/20 vision), which sadly is no good to me now, but I now stand prepared for the future...and with wisdom when it comes to instructing my kids....
Food for thought huh?
Tag :
food for thought,
wisdom,
Taboo or not taboo?
You know what I find most interesting? Every now and then (ahem, that's a lie, fairly often!) I dip into the stats on my blog, and I check what you like to read about. And for some months I've been flummaxed that one of my most popular posts is Marriage Matters.
What I deduce from that, is that at the heart of all of us women (I'm assuming it's mostly women who read my blog:)) is a deep desire to enrich our marriages, to make this lifetime union work...we're on a quest whether we realize it or not, to find like minded souls with whom we can bare our souls so that we can be encouraged and grow. And too often, we don't share. We remain 'perfect' on the outside...thanks to Mel for so pertinently labeling this as the 'untouchable' things in our lives)....
I have spent the last three days reading this post, editing it, rewriting it, with Braveheart over my shoulder. (Yes, he subscribes to my blog and I occasionally call him in to read something before I hit publish...) This is something we both feel strongly about, both desiring for God's people to find freedom and truth....
So..in the spirit of building marriages and enriching our unions, I choose to share with you how God ordained a meeting with two lovely ladies in Ballito....
And before you read further, let me lay a foundation with this: I'm not sure what your road into marriage or intimacy looked like...I'm not sure if you felt prepared for s3x, or have found intimacy; I'm not sure if you find s3x empty and pointless, or have an incredible relationship with your husband; I'm not sure if you are weighed down by past sexual experiences with someone other than your husband....
But I do know this.... sadly, something that God created and designed for pure pleasure and enjoyment within marriage has become so sullied and twisted by the world's portrayal of it, that Christian women have stopped talking about s3x, stopped sharing and caring and preparing new brides. Christian women are often left to learn everything from the world's perspective, which is OFTEN incorrect.
(Please note: in no way am I supporting women who talk about their husbands in an unhealthy way, or ignore the sacredness of the marriage bed...)
I find it fascinating that we can study Ruth for loyalty, or Esther for courage, or the Proverbs 31 woman for guidance in being a wife/homemaker/mother, or read endless blogs to encourage us along those paths...but have any of us ever studied (and I mean REALLY studied) the Shulamite woman in Song of Songs? Have you ever heard women's Bible studies on her? Ever found a blog exhorting and edifying s3x withing marriage? And yet, that is God's gift to us: a book IN THE BIBLE, all about s3x, about his delight in us learning about our sensousness...
Whilst in Ballito, I had the privilege of meeting Lisa Opperman and Caryn of Sensuous (go on over:can you really hear their hearts?), an intimacy boutique for women.
These two women have followed the call of God to create a safe haven for women where s3x and the marriage bed can be celebrated. Having met with both of them, and having spent some time with Lisa, all I can say is how amazed I am how God has used them. I so love their heart's desire for women to realize the immense power they hold when they realize how sensuous God created them to be and the utter delight they can bring their husbands. Men most crave our respect, and by understanding and respecting their desire/need to have s3x, we honor them...and we honor God.
They also speak at ladies gatherings, offer counselling, encouragement and advice to/for women (something I think Christianity is sorely lacking - Ttius 2 in every area), hold bridal showers at their shop, and with an arrangement, you can start a 'date night' with your husband at the shop trying on the lingerie he likes (they'll provide canapes and champagne!).
Both women love God, and their husbands have recognized the calling of God on their lives, and the pastors of their churches have blessed their work. I am in awe of the restorative, redeeming work God has done in their lives....and in the short time I've known them, I have learnt so much from them. When I think back to the pre marital counselling Braveheart and I received, it's something that makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time! It prepared us for pretty much nothing - so shallow it skimmed the surface of critical issues. I don't think I was ever fully prepared for what my role of being a wife is truly all about, or taught how critically important we are to our husbands' well being in EVERY area. I have cried out to God for years for understanding; for older, experienced women to come alongside me to teach, encourage and inspire me, especially in the area of sexual intimacy (there are many complex issues at work for me here). For years I have felt imprisoned - you can't just talk to anyone! It was so important for me to have someone to talk to who shared my world view...and it seems like it took a trip to Ballito to find them!
May we continually catch a glimpse of God's heart for us women and what he desires for our marriages...
May God open our eyes...
May we reclaim s3x from the world for it belongs to God, and is rightfully ours...
ps if you feel uncomfortable leaving a comment here, you can inbox me directly....karen {at} sunrise {dot} co {dot} za
What I deduce from that, is that at the heart of all of us women (I'm assuming it's mostly women who read my blog:)) is a deep desire to enrich our marriages, to make this lifetime union work...we're on a quest whether we realize it or not, to find like minded souls with whom we can bare our souls so that we can be encouraged and grow. And too often, we don't share. We remain 'perfect' on the outside...thanks to Mel for so pertinently labeling this as the 'untouchable' things in our lives)....
I have spent the last three days reading this post, editing it, rewriting it, with Braveheart over my shoulder. (Yes, he subscribes to my blog and I occasionally call him in to read something before I hit publish...) This is something we both feel strongly about, both desiring for God's people to find freedom and truth....
So..in the spirit of building marriages and enriching our unions, I choose to share with you how God ordained a meeting with two lovely ladies in Ballito....
And before you read further, let me lay a foundation with this: I'm not sure what your road into marriage or intimacy looked like...I'm not sure if you felt prepared for s3x, or have found intimacy; I'm not sure if you find s3x empty and pointless, or have an incredible relationship with your husband; I'm not sure if you are weighed down by past sexual experiences with someone other than your husband....
But I do know this.... sadly, something that God created and designed for pure pleasure and enjoyment within marriage has become so sullied and twisted by the world's portrayal of it, that Christian women have stopped talking about s3x, stopped sharing and caring and preparing new brides. Christian women are often left to learn everything from the world's perspective, which is OFTEN incorrect.
(Please note: in no way am I supporting women who talk about their husbands in an unhealthy way, or ignore the sacredness of the marriage bed...)
I find it fascinating that we can study Ruth for loyalty, or Esther for courage, or the Proverbs 31 woman for guidance in being a wife/homemaker/mother, or read endless blogs to encourage us along those paths...but have any of us ever studied (and I mean REALLY studied) the Shulamite woman in Song of Songs? Have you ever heard women's Bible studies on her? Ever found a blog exhorting and edifying s3x withing marriage? And yet, that is God's gift to us: a book IN THE BIBLE, all about s3x, about his delight in us learning about our sensousness...
Whilst in Ballito, I had the privilege of meeting Lisa Opperman and Caryn of Sensuous (go on over:can you really hear their hearts?), an intimacy boutique for women.
These two women have followed the call of God to create a safe haven for women where s3x and the marriage bed can be celebrated. Having met with both of them, and having spent some time with Lisa, all I can say is how amazed I am how God has used them. I so love their heart's desire for women to realize the immense power they hold when they realize how sensuous God created them to be and the utter delight they can bring their husbands. Men most crave our respect, and by understanding and respecting their desire/need to have s3x, we honor them...and we honor God.
They also speak at ladies gatherings, offer counselling, encouragement and advice to/for women (something I think Christianity is sorely lacking - Ttius 2 in every area), hold bridal showers at their shop, and with an arrangement, you can start a 'date night' with your husband at the shop trying on the lingerie he likes (they'll provide canapes and champagne!).
Both women love God, and their husbands have recognized the calling of God on their lives, and the pastors of their churches have blessed their work. I am in awe of the restorative, redeeming work God has done in their lives....and in the short time I've known them, I have learnt so much from them. When I think back to the pre marital counselling Braveheart and I received, it's something that makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time! It prepared us for pretty much nothing - so shallow it skimmed the surface of critical issues. I don't think I was ever fully prepared for what my role of being a wife is truly all about, or taught how critically important we are to our husbands' well being in EVERY area. I have cried out to God for years for understanding; for older, experienced women to come alongside me to teach, encourage and inspire me, especially in the area of sexual intimacy (there are many complex issues at work for me here). For years I have felt imprisoned - you can't just talk to anyone! It was so important for me to have someone to talk to who shared my world view...and it seems like it took a trip to Ballito to find them!
May we continually catch a glimpse of God's heart for us women and what he desires for our marriages...
May God open our eyes...
May we reclaim s3x from the world for it belongs to God, and is rightfully ours...
ps if you feel uncomfortable leaving a comment here, you can inbox me directly....karen {at} sunrise {dot} co {dot} za
Tag :
food for thought,
Marriage Matters,
wounded hearts
“A wound that goes unacknowledged and
unwept is a wound that cannot heal.”
― John Eldredge
At the end of my first year of teaching, one of my talented and surprisingly wise (for her age!) students gave me a copy of The Sacred Romance, by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge. That book caused a watershed in my life, and provided the stepping stones into a deeper relationship in God, and a deeper understanding of Life and all its nuances.
Over the last few months God has been tenderly reminding me again of how important my heart is to him (have you ever noticed how often the heart is referred to in scripture?), how central my heart is to living with him, and that there is a battle raging over me, and that the evil one desires to impale me with the Message of the Arrows.
"The haunting of the Romance and the Message of the Arrows are so radically different and they seem so mutually exclusive they split our hearts in two. In every way that the Romance is full of beauty and wonder, the Arrows are equally powerful in their ugliness and devastation. The Romance seems to promise a life of wholeness through a deep connection with the great Heart behind the universe. The Arrows deny it, telling us, "You are on your own. There is no Romance, no one strong and kind who is calling you to an exotic adventure". The Romance says, "This world is a benevolent place." The Arrows mock such naivete, warning us, "Just watch yourself - disaster is a moment away." The Romance invites us to trust. The Arrows intimidate us to self-reliance....
The Arrows strike at the most vital places in our hearts, the things we care most about. The deepest questions we ever ask are directly related to our heart's greatest needs and the answers life gives shape our images of ourselves, of life, and of God. WHO AM I? The Romance whispers that we are someone special, that our heart is good because it is made for someone good; the Arrows tell us we are a dime a dozen, worthless, even dark and twisted, dirty. The Romance tells us life will flourish when we give it away in love and heroic sacrifice. The Arrows tell us that we must arrange for what little life there may be, manipulating our world and all the while watching our backs. "God is good," the Romance tells us, "You can release the well-being of your heart to Him." The Arrows strike back, "Don't ever let life out of your control." and they seem to impale with such authority, unlike the gentle urges of the Romance that in the end we are driven to find some way to contain them. The only way seems to be to kill our longing for the Romance, much in the same way we harden our heart to someone who hurts us. IF I DON"T WANT SO MUCH, we believe, I WON'T BE SO VULNERABLE. Instead of dealing with the Arrows, we silence the longing. That seems to be our only hope and so we lose heart."
In another of his books, (can you tell I'm an Eldredge fan?), he points out...
"'Above all else, guard your heart' (Prov. 4:23)... It doesn't say guard your heart because it's criminal; it says guard your heart because it is the wellspring of your life, because it is a treasure, because everything else depends on it. How kind of God to give us this warning, like someone's entrusting to a friend something precious to him, with the words: 'Be careful with this -- it means a lot to me.'"
"Above all else? Good grief -- we don't even do it once in a while. We might as well leave our life savings on the seat of the car with the windows rolled down -- we're that careless with our hearts..."
"God intends that we treat our hearts as treasures of the kingdom, ransomed at tremendous cost, as if they really do matter, and matter deeply... We are called to live in a way that we store up reserves in our hearts and then offer from a place of abundance..."
"Has it ever occurred to you that God is such a loving and gentle person because his heart is filled, like a reservoir, with joy? Caring for our own hearts isn't selfishness; it's how we begin to love... What will you bring to others if your heart is empty, dried up, pinned down? Love is the point. And you can't love without your heart, and you can't love well unless your heart is well... How you handle your own heart is how you will handle theirs."
-- "Waking the Dead", pp 207-209, 211,
I've learnt to watch for these arrows, for the Messages they bring. I'm still learning how to deflect them. But my desire for you is that you too would learn to recognize the Message of the Arrows, to guard your hearts, and to keep on believing in the Romance, the unshakable truth.
Food for thought, huh?
Food for thought, huh?
The Stories Shells Could Tell...
I collected many shells on our recent excursion to Langebaan, but the ones I kept feeling my hands being drawn to were these beautiful white ones - the broken ones.
They are exquisitely beautiful, in my eyes.
Intricately carved by the
unrelenting pressure of the waves,
the brutal hardness of the rocks,
the scourging action of the sea.
And all I could hear God say, over and over, was...
there is such beauty in brokenness.
These shells feel like intimate letters of love from my Creator to me...
And I'm left wondering...why do I not see beauty in the brokenness around me? In others?
What is it about my human nature that strives for everything to be perfect, for everything to look so beautiful...
when God can make beauty out of ashes?
That''s his job...not mine.
As always, more of Him, and less of me.
O God.
They are exquisitely beautiful, in my eyes.
unrelenting pressure of the waves,
the brutal hardness of the rocks,
the scourging action of the sea.
And all I could hear God say, over and over, was...
there is such beauty in brokenness.
These shells feel like intimate letters of love from my Creator to me...
And I'm left wondering...why do I not see beauty in the brokenness around me? In others?
What is it about my human nature that strives for everything to be perfect, for everything to look so beautiful...
when God can make beauty out of ashes?
That''s his job...not mine.
As always, more of Him, and less of me.
O God.
Tag :
food for thought,
Time...
I am feeling so challenged this week.
I keep hearing God ask, "What are you investing your time in?"
And it's that word...investing...that just stops me in my tracks.
Because no matter what I am doing, the very fact that I am spending my time on it deems it as having some degree of importance in my life.
I feel my life being sieved before God.
Where do my priorities lie?
Am I investing my time in my marriage? Or my relationships? Or my relationship with God?
Whatever we are doing, we are investing in something.
Perhaps something eternal...perhaps something inconsequential....
Is that something worth my time....
My precious, scarce, never to be recaptured time?
Food for thought huh?
Tag :
food for thought,
Finding my Feet
The last couple of weeks for me have been heart sore ones.
Yet they've been laced with growth, and insight, and deep peace.
A dear, sweet, incredible lady went home.
And in her death, I've realised how much her life bled out for Christ has taught me.
I've learned, as her dad shared at her memorial, that the opinions of people do matter, but that they should never inhibit me....
I've learned that my life looks different to hers, to others. And that there is reason for that.
But this life? This one that God has given me, is mine to live. Mine to grab a hold of by the neck and wring the very essence of it out.
In many ways, my life does not look like I expected it would. That's hard to explain in greater depth. But I've seen the choice I have. I can live with yearning for a life different to mine, or I can accept that God, in his great wisdom, knows what he is doing and why this life he has given to me indeed looks the way it does. This life, is for me and him. This life, the way it looks, is to draw me deeper into a relationship with him that He may be glorified. That's the point.
I am who God created ME to be. And when I really grasp that, and start living it, it is beautifully, wonderfully freeing...
I've seen for the first time that the deep desire of my heart to live the depth and breadth of my life has been honoured by God in giving me this gift of homeschooling my children. It really is a gift. Something that brings me such sweet joy...such delight. This journey of mine on this homescholing path is God's gift to me. O how sweet!
And for me, there is such freedom in that.
May you too, find the gift that is in your life, whatever it may be, and the wonderful freedom that is yours to enjoy...
and here's a lovely link for you, in this beautiful blog, this post about the end of a season, the freedom, the truth that this journey of homeschooling is one to be followed on bended knee...
...join me in praying for Adrian, Hannah and Dan as they continue this journey...
Yet they've been laced with growth, and insight, and deep peace.
A dear, sweet, incredible lady went home.
And in her death, I've realised how much her life bled out for Christ has taught me.
I've learned, as her dad shared at her memorial, that the opinions of people do matter, but that they should never inhibit me....
I've learned that my life looks different to hers, to others. And that there is reason for that.
But this life? This one that God has given me, is mine to live. Mine to grab a hold of by the neck and wring the very essence of it out.
In many ways, my life does not look like I expected it would. That's hard to explain in greater depth. But I've seen the choice I have. I can live with yearning for a life different to mine, or I can accept that God, in his great wisdom, knows what he is doing and why this life he has given to me indeed looks the way it does. This life, is for me and him. This life, the way it looks, is to draw me deeper into a relationship with him that He may be glorified. That's the point.
I am who God created ME to be. And when I really grasp that, and start living it, it is beautifully, wonderfully freeing...
I've seen for the first time that the deep desire of my heart to live the depth and breadth of my life has been honoured by God in giving me this gift of homeschooling my children. It really is a gift. Something that brings me such sweet joy...such delight. This journey of mine on this homescholing path is God's gift to me. O how sweet!
And for me, there is such freedom in that.
May you too, find the gift that is in your life, whatever it may be, and the wonderful freedom that is yours to enjoy...
and here's a lovely link for you, in this beautiful blog, this post about the end of a season, the freedom, the truth that this journey of homeschooling is one to be followed on bended knee...
...join me in praying for Adrian, Hannah and Dan as they continue this journey...
Simplicity of School...
I'm realizing on this journey of ours, that it's a constant learning curve.
I'm learning what to stick to religiously in our days,
and where to be flexible.
For us, that translates into something like
Math, reading and writing,
the old three R's
being super glued to our daily routine
for without their constant practice
we both lose our momentum.
But today, being flexible about the start time of school,
was so well worth it.
We grabbed hold of the moment with both hands,
and made the time.
We had it to ourselves bar one dog owner.
And it made me realise again,
that these sweet moments are so worth it.
I needed the time to clear my head,
something I best do in creation,
King Arthur loved the freedom and collecting treasures
and we needed the time together.
And you know what amuses me?
It was him who asked to leave the beach,
to come home and do 'school'.
And because we had both been so rejuvenated,
we completed everything we needed to
in even less time than usual.
Sometimes, this journey seems so simple to me...
Tag :
food for thought,
homeschool,
Skeletons and Sharing 'School'
King Arthur did school today with a friend, and I want to share what we did and also some of my reflections on it... read on!
I had a blast preparing for it. It was so much fun preparing a unit of work for two children the same age - something I haven't done since teaching days, and because I have Sonlight, not something I necessarily need to do. So not only were there now TWO kids, but also of the same age and capabilities, a rare occurrence in the homeschooling field. I chose a day of introduction into our next Science Core A topic - the body.
It was a LOVELY day. The little girl in question didn't want to go home, and I loved watching them learn together...and play. Now lest you think that my life is perpetually golden, I shall paint a realistic picture for you of the days events!
So, the morning started, somewhat later than anticipated as my maid wasn't well and so I took her home. I had also forgotten to buy two important sheets of paper, so had to pop into our local Write shop! Ahem! So much for planning and being prepared!
K was dropped off by her dad, as if she really was going to 'school' and came with a packed lunch box, and then the morning began with some stretches. (A side note, in hindsight, I should have let them just get used to one another for a bit with some free play, but I was so excited to get started!).
They started off tracing a cut out of a body onto their own A4 flesh colored paper and coloring it in according to what they were wearing....
then some bouncing on the trampoline....
Then we looked at this awesome book The Human Body, (Classic Edition, 1906!)
and this one
and brainstormed what was in our skin - we did a lot of poking and prodding each other at this point! Then we focused on the skeleton for the rest of the morning.
I had remembered the song 'Dem bones' vaguely, but I was thrilled to find this video clip on You tube. It's brilliant!
We watched it...
and then attempted to make our own (meringue) bones. This is what they are supposed to look like:
AHEM. This ended in an absolute disaster! When reading this Martha Stewart recipe, I consciously remember reading 200 degrees and thinking, gosh that's really hot for meringues. But didn't think more of it. Dolt! it's 200 degrees FAHRENHEIT, Martha Stewart is American!!!!! NOT celsius. Needless to say I burnt them to a crisp. Burnt meringue is not a pleasant aroma!
Then we made our own skeletons inspired by this site. I had cut out all the bones ahead of time and made safety pin sized holes in the skeleton attachment points to make it easier. I only used 160gsm paper, and it really would have worked better if the paper was 240gsm - although I suspect this would require a trip to the printer, or tracing it onto card, and I wasn't that prepared! It was interesting for me to watch my boy and a girl doing the same task, food for thought!
Then they bounced and played some more. We picked up Belle from school, (whilst belting out 'dem bones'), they bounced some more (can you tell I have a son?) with their skeletons!
Then just before lunch time, we googled x-rays of bones and broken ones, and then added our x ray dimension to our bodies:
Voila!
This day was lovely. I've come away with much food for thought and I leave you with this morsel:
Homeschooling need not be a lonely journey - for you or your children. I hope you can find other moms you can start to build a community with to 'swap school' every once in a while (every month? every fortnight?). The friend King Arthur invited today doesn't follow the same curriculum as us, and that need not be a problem. In fact it's a wonderful opportunity! It gives the kids a fresh appreciation of home and your way of doing it, as well as exposing them to a different setting and routine. Co-ops are great, and another way to beat the possible loneliness, but swapping school is somewhat more intimate... for me.
I love the idea of sharing school!
I had a blast preparing for it. It was so much fun preparing a unit of work for two children the same age - something I haven't done since teaching days, and because I have Sonlight, not something I necessarily need to do. So not only were there now TWO kids, but also of the same age and capabilities, a rare occurrence in the homeschooling field. I chose a day of introduction into our next Science Core A topic - the body.
It was a LOVELY day. The little girl in question didn't want to go home, and I loved watching them learn together...and play. Now lest you think that my life is perpetually golden, I shall paint a realistic picture for you of the days events!
So, the morning started, somewhat later than anticipated as my maid wasn't well and so I took her home. I had also forgotten to buy two important sheets of paper, so had to pop into our local Write shop! Ahem! So much for planning and being prepared!
K was dropped off by her dad, as if she really was going to 'school' and came with a packed lunch box, and then the morning began with some stretches. (A side note, in hindsight, I should have let them just get used to one another for a bit with some free play, but I was so excited to get started!).
They started off tracing a cut out of a body onto their own A4 flesh colored paper and coloring it in according to what they were wearing....
then some bouncing on the trampoline....
Then we looked at this awesome book The Human Body, (Classic Edition, 1906!)
and this one
and brainstormed what was in our skin - we did a lot of poking and prodding each other at this point! Then we focused on the skeleton for the rest of the morning.
I had remembered the song 'Dem bones' vaguely, but I was thrilled to find this video clip on You tube. It's brilliant!
We watched it...
and then attempted to make our own (meringue) bones. This is what they are supposed to look like:
AHEM. This ended in an absolute disaster! When reading this Martha Stewart recipe, I consciously remember reading 200 degrees and thinking, gosh that's really hot for meringues. But didn't think more of it. Dolt! it's 200 degrees FAHRENHEIT, Martha Stewart is American!!!!! NOT celsius. Needless to say I burnt them to a crisp. Burnt meringue is not a pleasant aroma!
Then we made our own skeletons inspired by this site. I had cut out all the bones ahead of time and made safety pin sized holes in the skeleton attachment points to make it easier. I only used 160gsm paper, and it really would have worked better if the paper was 240gsm - although I suspect this would require a trip to the printer, or tracing it onto card, and I wasn't that prepared! It was interesting for me to watch my boy and a girl doing the same task, food for thought!
 |
Then just before lunch time, we googled x-rays of bones and broken ones, and then added our x ray dimension to our bodies:
Voila!
This day was lovely. I've come away with much food for thought and I leave you with this morsel:
Homeschooling need not be a lonely journey - for you or your children. I hope you can find other moms you can start to build a community with to 'swap school' every once in a while (every month? every fortnight?). The friend King Arthur invited today doesn't follow the same curriculum as us, and that need not be a problem. In fact it's a wonderful opportunity! It gives the kids a fresh appreciation of home and your way of doing it, as well as exposing them to a different setting and routine. Co-ops are great, and another way to beat the possible loneliness, but swapping school is somewhat more intimate... for me.
I love the idea of sharing school!
How to Hug a Hedgehog...
I once held a hedgehog.
Years ago, at the senior school where I taught, one of the Art teachers who lived on a farm on the outskirts of Harare brought in one of his hedgehogs. I love their spikes, their soft underbellies, their cute noses.
But over the last few days, I've been pondering.
How do you hug one?
How do you love someone who has wound barbed wire so tightly around their heart that it is inflicts deadly pain daily to themselves?
Pain they can't seem to escape from.
Pain that prevents anyone from coming close or even allowing themselves to be physically held.
Pain that prevents them from receiving love, or loving.
Pain that prevents them from being vulnerable.
A dry, parched soul lies snared in barbed wire...trapped.
How does one love through that?
How does one reach in to share that water of Life?
Years ago, at the senior school where I taught, one of the Art teachers who lived on a farm on the outskirts of Harare brought in one of his hedgehogs. I love their spikes, their soft underbellies, their cute noses.
But over the last few days, I've been pondering.
How do you hug one?
How do you love someone who has wound barbed wire so tightly around their heart that it is inflicts deadly pain daily to themselves?
Pain they can't seem to escape from.
Pain that prevents anyone from coming close or even allowing themselves to be physically held.
Pain that prevents them from receiving love, or loving.
Pain that prevents them from being vulnerable.
A dry, parched soul lies snared in barbed wire...trapped.
How does one love through that?
How does one reach in to share that water of Life?
Tag :
food for thought,
life,
A Weighty Word ...
 |
| Belle and Aragorn on a ridge near Nordhoek peak |
Authenticity
[aw-then-tis-i-tee, aw-thuh
n-]
n-] [aw-then-tik]
–adjective
not false or copied; genuine; real
I can''t really explain why this word, this noun and its partnering adjective are so incredibly sweet to my tongue this week. Or why I'm rolling it around in my mouth, pausing and smiling often throughout the day, as if I'm in on some hidden secret. It is just a lovely, lovely word!
I can't explain how often I feel my spirit rise and clap for joy as He shows me something authentic or someone that is being authentic.
What I do know, is that this is my Father's heart for me. For my family and my marriage.
For you. For our marriages and our children. Something so sweet and real and genuine that we stand out in marked contrast to the world around us.
Even for this here blog. I want it to smack of being real. Smack of being genuine. There is something so life giving when someone, something is AUTHENTIC.
And I leave you with this, a lovely link to Kristen's blog, We Are That Family: this blog has been known to draw me to tears often with how unashamedly she has chosen to trust and to share her heart....if you have the time, go on over to her series He said She said....
Food for thought huh?
Tag :
food for thought,
life,
An Amazing Answer
I am mindful that we are coming to the end of the mid year holidays, and I've been doing rather a lot of pondering and soul searching. It's easy, I think, no matter who you are and what you do, to become easily shaken by what you PERCEIVE others to be doing - how it looks like others are parenting, living, educating... the list can go on. Sometimes it can shake us to the core of our being.
I've been talking a lot with God this week, just looking to him for the reason, the purpose, the underpinning of our journey, specifically in educating our children. And tonight Braveheart came home with Leslie Laurio's modern English version of Charlotte Mason's School Education (vol 3). I am so excited! And just while flipping through it ever so quickly, these excerpts have LEAPT off the page at me!
Food for thought huh?
'Of all the duties of the family, the highest and most holy is the education of the children. The welfare, civilization, and culture of society essentially depend on how successful education is at home. Religious life and educational life meet and revolve around the point of the family principle. Compared with the influence of family, even a king's command seems powerless.' - Johann Herbart pg 96And then....
We have always strived to present education as something that springs from and rests on our relationship to God. We are firmly committed to this idea. We don't seek to provide a 'religious education' as an alternative to some other kind of education, like secular education. We believe that all education is divine. Every good gift of knowledge and insight comes from God. God the Spirit is, ultimately, the One who educates mankind. The culmination of all education (which is approachable even for a little child) is personal knowledge of God, and an intimate relationship with Him. In that relationship, our being finds its fullest perfection. pg 95And lastly....
If the home atmosphere is permeated with a noble reverence, then a sincere faith can take root in the hearts of the children. A child's faithful devotion to guiding parents in his youth grows into faithful devotion to God who controls human destinies. Herbart expressed this idea beautifully: 'A child should see his family as the symbol of order in the world. His parents should provide him with the ideals of God's divine characteristics.' pg 55And what I love about these quotes, is that they not ONLY pertain to homeschooling, but to what our educational system, indeed our very society could aspire to being...
Food for thought huh?
