February 11, 2009
Without LOVE I am nothing
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Welcome to the February edition of A Living Education E-zine!
Love is a choice, not a feeling! It is the thing we can choose to do when we respond to a tantruming toddler, a grumpy child, an angry husband or an inconsiderate driver.
Love is the thing that is the glue that keeps you together when things are tough going.
Love is not the mushy feeling that we feel when our emotions are leading us. Love chooses to love even when it is not received or reciprocated.
The longer I homeschool and am married the more I realize that without knowing Love I would be in constant flux, ruled by my emotions and responses to each up and down my relationships would take.
Why? Because husbands are not always kind, considerate or even worthy. Children are not always compliant, willing to serve and obey.
But beyond willing ourselves to act kindly, it is knowing how that “even when we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us”. It is also knowing that Jesus continues to love us and seeks to win our hearts to Him when we are sulky, inconsiderate, grumpy, unwilling to serve or obey Him.
Charlotte Mason
When I read Charlotte Mason’s “Ourselves” I am struck by how simply she saw her world. Because she was walking daily in thanksgiving to God for the little things, she saw how much He loved her.
“How good is life, how joyous it is to go out of doors, even in the streets of a city! Surely a pleasant thing it is to see the sun! How good is health, even the small share of it allotted to the invalid! How good and congenial all the pleasant ways of home life, all family love and neighbourly kindness, and the love of friends! How good it is to belong to a great country and share in all her interests and concerns! How good to belong to the world of men, aware that whatever concerns men, concerns us! How good are books and pictures and music! How delightful is knowledge! How good is the food we eat! How pleasant are the clothes we wear! How sweet is sleep, and how joyful is awaking!”
When we look at our days, do we go through it being thankful and praising God for His love towards us? We have houses, families, food, friends and the use of our bodies. All of these are blessings that we ought to acknowledge and see them for what they are - God the Father’s loving care of us.
”The Soul that surveys these and a thousand other good things of our common life is indeed a 'rising soul,' rising to the Father,––who knoweth that we have need of all these things,––with the gratitude and thanksgiving that are forced out of a heart overflowing with love.” Read more articles on Charlotte Mason...
Family and Sibling Relationships
I cannot remember if I have shared with you all a way I encourage my children to bless one another with chores? I must just have a quick sidebar here and say that my children are very normal children. They battle with dying to self as all children do. They battle with what all of us perceive as “our rights”. So when you read this next idea, please don’t visualize these picture perfect kiddos doing everything with selfless hearts.
As I am, so are they, growing in serving. This is just one way that I can encourage my children to show love to one another without expecting anything in return.
Secret Service Agents...When our children are doing their chores I will encourage them to find something that they can do for a sibling, without that sibling knowing. They are not to expect thanks or anyone to reciprocate, but just to do it because it helps and blesses another.
I like to do this too for my children once in a while on top of the normal mommy-ing things we all tend to do for them on a daily basis.
Organizational Tips
Have you ever thought about creating a “baking center” in a section of your kitchen?
We bake a lot, even more now that both my daughters are able to work in the kitchen safely on their own.
For simplicity I have grouped all our baking things together in one cupboard underneath the counter where we work. This includes ingredients as well as mixing equipment and baking trays. More kitchen organization...
Your Marriage
Valentines Day is here. I am really not a fan of overdoing the Mother’s, Father’s and Valentines Days as I feel every day we should be making an effort to make the people in our lives feel special.
But I also do acknowledge that it’s also nice to plan a special gift or activity that will bless parents or spouses.
In every marriage we need an occasional “tune-up”. Just as our cars need regular servicing even when nothing is wrong with them.
Over the past 2 months I have been tuning my heart by working through a book titled The Love Dare which was featured in the movie Fireproof.
Along with a box of chocolates and the movie, this book forms my husband's Valentines Day gift.
I know that by the time you get this ezine it may not be an option for you to do a similar thing, but even then, purchase a copy of this book and work through it. It’s worth it!
If you want some easy romantic ideas read through these romantic ideas for couples
Quote
“Love that chooses to love is just as powerful as love that feels like loving.” The Love Dare.
Book Reviews
I am a sucker for animal stories, even though they tend to make me cry. I am luckily able to still indulge myself as I am prereading story books for my 10 year old before I give them to her.
I recently read by Born To Run
This is a story about a Greyhound who changes owners due to random circumstances from being thrown in a river as a pup, being rescued, being stolen and being given away. It is written from a human and hound perspective as he goes through life being loved and neglected. It is a tear jerker of note, but a lovely read.
Probably best suited to children over 10 as a read alone or together with a more sensitive child. Read more book reviews...
Other updates to Homeschool Curriculum for Life
Nothing new on the website this month. My toddler website has an all new Birthday Section for moms with tots under 3, so if you have any birthdays coming up, be sure to check out my easy ideas.
It is birthday season in our home and from December to March all of our children turn a year older, as do I!
Take care until next time,
God’s richest blessings to you as you homeschool,
Wendy
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