Maybe you saw my thoughts yesterday where I wrote about Comparisonitis or making comparisons and how easy it is to become ensnared by this. Comparing ourselves to others, comparing our situations to other’s situations (or our perception of their situations), our accomplishments (or lack thereof) to other’s accomplishments (as we perceive them to be). Then we spend precious moments or days or years mulling over what we have or haven’t done (right), what we do or don’t have, what we have to deal with — compared to others. [Late edit to add a link to another article I wrote regarding…
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It sure took me by surprise… hasn’t happened in a long time… and, when it does, it rarely lingers. Except today. Today it lingered awhile and I completely caught off guard. I was busily cleaning an area and reorganizing a bunch of books… I even had a ridiculous Christmas song stuck in my head. And then, all of a sudden I was overwhelmed thinking of some of my abysmal failings as a mother – a homeschooling mother, specifically. And I was trying to think of one good thing I’ve done — one really exceptional achievement in which I had even…
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[cp_dropcaps]E[/cp_dropcaps]ach April, for the last ten years, a highlight for us has been the annual Christian Heritage Family Discipleship & Homeschooling Conference—this year, particularly so—for so many reasons. When I awoke this morning, I realized I’d been processing the conference in my dreams all night long. I wondered how many other’s night’s sleep were filled with screen images, books, papers, faces, admonitions and beautiful music. Through the day today, I’ve recounted conversations, in addition to important talks given by various teachers, I see and hear, in the theater of my mind, the beautiful performances and music that blessed us all…
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I love blue and white things. Blue is my favourite colour. It’s not my favourite mood, though I struggle with that one. Sometimes, a lot. Blue is my favourite for hydrangeas, dishes, gemstones, berries, skies and seas. And though I mostly prefer to wear pink and black now, navy clothing has long been pretty much the only colour I’ve worn. So you can imagine, that when I went to my first Basic seminar (wearing my favourite colour and that favourite colour was the colour of my dress), I felt right at home that night. I hadn’t learned yet that…
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What I’m writing about these days isn’t sensational and isn’t unique to me. It’s not isolated and it’s not rare — at least not in homeschool and/or conservative Christian circles. It’s probably going on all over the place to one degree or another. Most everyone who’s been caught up in a particular group/movement/method comes to a day of reckoning and has to unpack the baggage they’ve intentionally or unwittingly picked up and carried as their own along the way. And it’s in the unpacking that some things — some ideas or ideals — are seen for what they are: good…
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If you’ve been a mom for any length of time and you’ve spent time in and about homeschooling circles, Bible studies, workshops, conventions, courtship talks, retreats, blogs in the last 3 years or so… etc., etc., you’ve no doubt heard, or been part of, conversations that left you with a case of comparatitus. All those Titus2 groups… you may lament and despair. Comparatitus happens — no matter your age, no matter your income, no matter your experience and, really, no matter your skills and abilities. Comparatitus happens. Some time back, a group of sisters were gathered and there was…
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Based on past performance, many of us can attest that doing a new thing is hard. This is where some of us fall off the cliff — or don’t even try! It takes determination to not allow past performance to thwart us from trying or doing a new thing! Doing a new thing is tough. Especially when that new thing takes will power or money — few of us have much of either. And, as we age, we have this daunting fear that past results (things that were good before they stopped being good) don’t necessarily mean that today’s performance…
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I stared blindly at the ceiling as I lay in bed and thought of the evening I’d just spent. Sleep didn’t seem to come easily. Or soon. I couldn’t stop thinking of them… their tender, lineless faces, bright smiles, dark hair and the playfulness of youth in their eyes. And, I couldn’t help but — for a moment — wish that I were once again in the place they were last night — once again a young mother with seemingly limitless opportunities before me — a young mother with a vast clean slate before me. As I stood there sharing…
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The following, a tribute to Christopher Klicka, April 2, 1961 – October 12, 2009. The first of three parts at the Home School Legal Defense Association site: A Tribute – Part One part 2 part 3
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So, yes… another homeschooling year has begun. We’ve already had the usual variety of commitments — planned and unplanned, absences and extra-curricular activities: some sick, some tardy, some cutting class (uh, that would be two of the teachers :-O ), etc., etc. Three days into the new school year: We’ve already had to revise our expectations — both raising and lowering them regarding courses of study and assignments for different students. We’ve had to do this many times through 22 years of homeschooling. We seem to forget this every year! Three days into the new school year: We’ve discovered we…