“The question is not, — how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education — but how much does he care? and about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? and, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?” 
Charlotte Mason

Ever thought of that before?  What exactly is the end goal of education?  Where do you want your child to be in the end, and are the methods you are using achieving that?

Its important to stop on a regular basis and reconsider our approach to homeschooling.   Are we allowing our children to grow to their full capacity, or are we holding them back with our methods? 

Through the years, there have been some very influential people who have taken the time to reconsider the very foundations of education and to offer helpful tips that can guide us along the way. 

One of those women is Charlotte Mason. 

Charlotte Mason was a British educator who lived during the mid 1800's and devoted her life to improving the quality of education for children.  

She was an only child, born in Bangor, and educated at home by her parents.  When she was only 16 she lost her mother, and her father died the following year.  

Left alone, she enrolled in the Home and Colonial Society where she trained to become a teacher and actually earned the First Class Certificate.  For more than 10 years she taught school and it was during this season that she began to develop her vision for a "liberal education for all."  Her definition of "liberal" was a generous and broad education that was available for every single child, not only  those of the upper class.  

“…my object is to show that the chief function of the child–his business in the world during the first six or seven years of his life–is to find out all he can, about whatever comes under his notice, by means of his five senses…” 
   Charlotte Mason

Over the years, Charlotte Mason developed an entire education approach.  Her method was based on a three part model of education.  She believed Education was an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life.  

Charlotte defined “Atmosphere,” as the surroundings in which the child grows up. According to her one-third of the child's education was drawn from his learning environment.  

She defined “Discipline,” as the practice of good habits.  Charlotte said another third of a child's education was comprised of the useful habits that they formed at an early age.  

Lastly, Charlotte defined "life" in terms of academics.  Charlotte believed it was important to provide children with living thoughts and ideas rather than isolated facts. 

You may have heard of the term "living books."  In contrast to dry, boring textbooks, living books are books that are full of living color and details, that engage the reader, and draw him into the story. 

The heart of the Charlotte Mason approach is making learning a part of every day life and encouraging children to discover things for themselves in a way that is fun and meaningful!  

Our curriculum, History Revealed, is similarly designed to make learning purposeful, engaging, and enjoyable!

Due to these shared goals, it is quite possible to combine the Charlotte Mason approach to education with our History Revealed curriculum.  We asked our friend Catherine Levison to create an explanation for us of how the two could work together.  She kindly created a weekly schedule to demonstrate how two can intertwine.  

According to Catherine Levison: " Both the Charlotte Mason method and Diana’s approach incorporate chronological order, original eye witness accounts, art, field trips, plays and costume making, student illustrations, time lines, map work and the always important “spring-boarding” to literary books. Both approaches use hands-on learning, avoid boredom and bring history alive. Charlotte Mason parents will immediately recognize compatibility in many elements with which they are already familiar. The schedule (to view the pdf, 4-Phase schedule, CLICK HERE) shows how directly the Charlotte Mason, short lesson approach is incorporated in the History Revealed structure. CM moms ought to love History Revealed!!"

To read more about how the Charlotte Mason approach can be integrated with History Revealed click here 

In thinking about some of my favorite books, I'd have to say I'm eclectic. . .at least.  We've sorted our book shelves into world history (which I finally had to break down and arrange chronologically—took me two weeks!), American history (including sections on Native American history and African-American history), Bible study aids, Christian philosophy/living, classic fiction, and a special easy-to-read-when-I-don't-have-a-brain-cell-left.  We have several series of books that Bill reads outloud to me while I'm cooking (enriches our relationship and improves our food!), some children's books (favorites we couldn't bear to part with after our kids grew up), and a whole host of how-to books on gardening, handcrafts, and home improvement. (And no, unfortunately that is not a picture of my bookshelf…I arrnaged mine for funtionalitly not beauty)

I thought it would be fun to share a bit of our lives as revealed in the books we love. 

I LOVE YWAM Publishing's Christian Heroes: Then & Now books by Janet & Geoff Benge.  One title 

which particularly intrigued me was about Sundar Singh, because there is so little available on this fascinating man from India. Converted at age 16, he took the traditional approach of a traveling holyman and infused it with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Absolutely riveting!

 

Every time I read Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret, by Dr. & Mrs. Howard Taylor, I am challenged, inspired, and encouraged to trust God in greater measure than ever before.  And, He has never failed. . . Stretched me, yes, but failed me, no!

 

I mentioned several months ago reading the book "Shaftesbury: The poor man's Earl" by John Pollock.  It was such an incredible read that I wanted to set it into my list of favorites.  Social justice is as integral a part of our devotion to God as is studying the Bible—in fact, if we apply what we read, we will find ourselvesworking to serve those who stand in the greatest need.  So as we consider how to fulfill the command of Jesus to "love our neighbor as ourselves," we will find an incredible model in the life of this British aristocrat.  

 

 

 

When it comes to world history, one of the most enjoyable reads I have found is Winston Churchill's "A History of the English-Speaking Peoples" in four volumes.  Churchill had a way with words, both in his writing and speaking, that makes him bothmemorable and interesting. I admit, there were times when I got slightly lost in his hasty descriptions of British parliamentary politics, however, the fault is more likely in me than him!

 

 

Though I squirm from time to time at descriptions, I must admit that Rodney Stark, a sociologist of religion, is one of my favorite authors.  His book, "The Rise of Christianity" is an eye-opening look at the impact of Christianity upon Western culture.  Stark was a professor for years at the U of Washington, and is now at Baylor U.  I'd love to be a student in his classroom!!

 

 So there are just a few of my favorite books…for a start! 

Over the past few weeks, I have been buried in a study of the Italian front during WWI working to complete my scripting for the newly redone CD's for World Empires, World Missions, World Wars. Sadly, the Italian Front is typically overlooked and we fail to honor the sacrifices made there. I have felt that it is important to cover this part of the story.  However, since there is little focus on this aspect of the war, finding resources can be a challenge!  Apart from Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms," there has been little for English-speakers about this significant theater in WWI—until the publication of this book in 2008.  The White War: Life and Death on the Italian Front 1915-1919 by Mark Thompson. It is both fascinating and heart-breaking, not only in the actual events during war but also in the deep foundation it lays for Fascism.  It is deep, detailed, well-sourced, and startling.  Thompson is a British writer, who, among other things, worked for the UN in Croatia.  He does a remarkable job in bringing this side of the war to light.  If you have in interest in WWI, this is a good book to add to your reading list!  

Working

Down, down, down the slippery slope to discouragement, self-pity and defeat. . . It's so easy to go there. It seems like such a reasonable way to view my "reality."

But then I open my Bible. In a slope-changing, breath-taking, bonds-breaking sentence, Psalm 68: 19 states, "Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits. . ."

He daily loads us with benefits. If I can focus for just a minute on what that is saying, on the truth it is revealing, my perspective—along with my attitude, energy, joy-level, and approach to "what's on my plate"—will dramatically change.

I've been pondering this for days. Asking the Lord to open my eyes to see some of the benefits He's loading on my plate.

Oswald Chambers wrote, "The things that make God dear to us are not as much His great big blessings as the tiny things; because they show His amazing intimacy with us; He knows every detail of our individual lives."

So, in considering both the great and small blessings and benefits of my life, I have begun a list.

I have been married for more than thirty-two years to a man who is my best friend, who has shared this journey of faith, who loves me, laughs at my jokes, and eats what I cook with great enthusiasm. (I laugh at his jokes, too. They are usually much funnier than mine!)

I have had the precious joy of knowing my three children from their childhood to adulthood, and it has expanded my understanding of love, laughter, pain, togetherness, family, sacrifice, learning, friendship—beyond what I would have ever dreamed possible. I have in-laws and grandchildren who enlarge my love and family and hope and kindness and change and growth.

I have good health. I have a roof over my head. I have food to eat and clothes to wear. I live in a country where going to church does not put my life in jeopardy, where voting for government leaders is my responsibility and privilege. I have work that is meaningful and ongoing.

I have eyes to see and ears to hear and fingers to type and feet to stand and legs to walk and arms to hug.

Sunrise

I belong to Jesus because, in His great love, He reached into the prison of my darkness and set me free.

The list goes on and on and on, encompassing every aspect of life. And as I begin to consider it, thankfulness and joy and amazement and awe well up in my heart.

From macro to micro, day-in and day-out, His innumerable blessings are loaded on to us every day. I want to keep my eyes focused on this load as I continue to deal with what's on my plate.

I invite you to join me in the journey.

A Maori cultural performance, Christchurch, NZ

One of the questions posed to me during our Q & A was that of teaching writing—especially of the incredible frustration with writing faced by many younger students (which translated into incredible frustration for their parents!). As I was trying to gather my travel-weary wits, a Maori father began to share marvelous wisdom that I would like to share with you.

He spoke to us all about the many steps which must simultaneously be taken in order to write something:

• handwriting, or penmanship;

• spelling;

* sentence construction, or grammar;

• adequate and accurate use of vocabulary;

• concepts and ideas to be expressed;

• logical flow of ideas;

and more.

As adults, if there is something to write, we simply write it. We don't struggle over penmanship, spelling, sentence construction. or vocabulary. We spend most of our time on the concepts and logic. However, it's not the same at all for younger students who are just beginning the journey of communicating through the written word. For them, it's a massive, glacier-covered mountain with formidable ice-fields and no visible paths.

So, as parents with children who need to learn to write, what do we do?

 

 

 

 

 

A Helping Hand

This incredibly wise and thoughtful father suggested that we break down the steps for our children. Where is it that they are finding the insurmountable obstacle? Is it in penmanship? Spelling? Grammar? Vocabulary? Idea? Logic? At which point along the way are they being overwhelmed? If we can break down each of the steps, walking them through one by one, it will soon become evident where the difficulties lie, and we can gently provide help—coming alongside lovingly and kindly—until they have the needed skills for that point.

It's not a quick fix. It doesn't work if you are frustrated and angry. It will not happen if you are looking at the goals set by someone else who does not know your child and their unique situation.

But, if you can patiently break down the task, helping them little by little to acquire the necessary dexterity for writing, they will eventually climb that mountain!

Winston Churchill

It got me thinking about the qualities that make for an eminently quotable personnage.

First, to be a truly quotable person, one must be well read. Now I realize that there are some exceptions to this, but, in general, we become masters at language (and, thus, worthy of being quoted) by reading other masters of language.

In case there might be some question, reading Cliff Notes, graphic books, or Reader's Digest is not the same as reading books by the masters. It means reading the best, the notable, the classics, the stretching-our-vocabularies-and-minds type of books.  (By the way, I would personally place the Bible at the forefront of the list of books worth reading. Immersing oneself in its words and thoughts—and yielding to its Truth—brings a clarity and grace to our lives and our words.)

A brief pause for Churchill: "It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations."

Second, to be a truly quotable person, one must think original thoughts. Having digested great books—considering and pondering them, arguing with and dissecting the authors' writings—will break up a fallow mind, much like a plow through spring soil.

At this point, I must stop and ask how your child's education is encouraging original thinking. Consider this startling concept: in standard curricula, whether in public school, private school or homeschool, the point seems to be to think INSIDE the box, coloring inside the lines, if you will. We all know this is excellent training for mindless, repetitive work in a fast-food shop or factory, but it certainly cramps one's ability to become quotable.

"What do you think?"

"Uh. . . About, um, what?" Shuffle, shuffle.

"About the universe, or war, or God, or any of the BIG questions of life."

"Uh. . .Well, um, I don't know. I mean, is this a test or something?"

Sigh.

Churchill said, "However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results."

The third thing that makes for extremely good quotability is to do something.  Do it well, whatever it is.  Shakespeare, who is one of the most often quoted writers of all time (despite the fact that few today know that those cool quotes are from him) wrote well. . .and often. Churchill kept England toe-to-toe with one of the biggest bullies in history until Hitler was finally knocked out for the count. George Müller, whose quotes are among the most encouraging in Christian literature, ran five orphanages with over 2,000 orphans in Bristol, England—funded by prayer alone.

Churchill's quotable thought: "To build may have to be the slow and laborious task of years. To destroy can be the thoughtless act of a single day."

Mimist

If this last point gives you shudders, let me quickly point out that we are all, every single one of us, as quirky as they come.

It's part of the design. It's part of the humor and part of the challenge of being unique.

As parents, let's stop pushing our children into tightly controlled boxes where their quirkiness is squished to the bottom. Instead, smile at it. Enjoy it. Revel in the amazing way each one is uniquely designed.

And some day, we may find that our children have become notable. . .and quotable.

"For my part, I consider that it will be found much better by all parties to leave the past to history, especially as I propose to write that history myself." Winston Churchill—who went on to do exactly that.

Newly repotted rubber tree

In response, our small church in South Dakota graciously bought me a small rubber plant to brighten the hospital room.

Normally, I'm a lover of bright-colored, audaciously gorgeous flowers, but since this wee plain plant was given in love, I took it in and gave it a home.

For years, the plant did nothing. Sat there with its two or three boring leaves, just taking up space.

Then we moved to the Pacific Northwest—books, musical instruments, plants and all. For about four years, my rubber plant sat quietly, unobtrusively, tucked away in the corner by the dog food container. That's what I had come to expect from it. Though it was the least interesting of all plants I had ever seen, I love growing things, so I didn't actually mind watering it and giving it a bit of space in my home.  Honestly, however, I wasn't at all impressed.

And then something changed. Neither of us has any idea what happened inside that little rubber plant's system, but for some reason, it began to grow. . .and Grow. . .and GROW.

After three years, we noticed that the crazy thing had branches coming out the side, new leaves constantly unfolding, and was completely outgrowing its little pot. As it took up more and more of our dining room space, we kept looking at each other, wondering what on earth it was planning to do. When our kids would come home for a meal, they would frequently stand and gape, distracted by its huge increase in stature. "Uh, Mom, what's happening to this plant???"

Now, I'm not always real quick on the uptake. Real gardeners might have realized years ago that the poor thing needed more dirt, more space, more support and structure. But as we were walking through a hardware store yesterday, I was suddenly inspired with the idea of transplanting it into an old pottery outdoor pot, whose previous occupant had sadly frozen and died last winter. All we needed was some potting soil, and a water catcher underneath to protect the rug. For under $15 and about 15 minutes of my time, our rubber plant—which has now morphed into a tree!—received a new lease on life. A welcoming place to be rooted and grounded, and, as they say, a place to stretch its wings.

Now, here's the question:

Is there anyone in YOUR home that needs a little time and attention?  Maybe you've noticed one of your kids, who has always been quiet and unobtrusive, starting to bloom, talk, and be social. I encourage you to give them room and encouragement to become all that God has set within them—even if it's different from what you thought it might be.

Butchart Gardens, Victoria, B.C.

He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,

That brings forth its fruit in its season,

Whose leaf also shall not wither;

And whatever he does shall prosper.

Psalm 1:3

Mt. Rainier & Elliot Bay lighthouse

You know, living in the Pacific Northwest means that we have rainy mist and clouds for much of the year. Mt. Rainier, which is our premier mountain, is often invisible due to weather. But when it shows itself, the sight is spectacular!

Elliot Bay Lighthouse

So what's up with that? Where did the mountain go?

It's something I'm learning about my camera. If I hold the lens in a certain way, I can capture the lighting just right, and the photo will be amazing. If I hold the lens less carefully, the view is completely different, pedestrian, and even boring.

Weird.

And, yet, it is a fabulous analogy of how we view our own lives.

When I look at my current circumstances, if I hold the lens of my heart just right, I can see God's fingerprints, His goodness shaping my experience.

If I hold the lens of my heart less carefully, the view is completely different. In fact, it might seem as though God was nowhere in sight.

George Washington Bridgen at sunset #1

We went to Gasworks Park in Seattle, to celebrate my son's birthday. I had hoped to get some spectacular sunset shots on this gorgeous evening, but my first attempts were less than satisfactory.

As I kept fiddling with my camera, trying different angles to catch the light, I found that if I was very careful, with my camera turned to the right exposure, I could actually capture something breathtaking.

This is what keeps coming to my heart about the reality of life on this planet. It is like the analogy of the two photos. From one angle:

Difficult things happen.

We may be discouraged, diasppointed, tired, broke.

Life may look dull.

Our prayers may seem to hit the ceiling and splash back into our wounded hearts.

From another angle:

He is faithful.  He is merciful. He is kind. He is good. He loves us completely and without measure. He is wise. And He is working something good for us in the midst of it all.

May He give us the grace and courage to adjust the lens of our heart to see His work in our lives.

George Washington Bridge at sunset #2

I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.

This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him."

Loading bales at the end of the day

But, the trick is, of course, that you would have had to take the time to actually stop whatever else you were doing and go.

I almost didn't. Too much to do, too far behind, couldn't justify the time expenditure. That's been my thought pattern every year for the past few years.

And then, suddenly, I remembered that these precious and supportive friends took time off to drive several hours to attend my son's wedding. With that in mind, and the thought of catching some golden photo ops for this blog, I grabbed my camera and we dashed out the door.

Of course, by the time we got there, it was basically over. I missed the digging potatoes, tug-of-war, organic beef, horse-drawn wagon, and fiddle tunes. I missed the excited groups of city children playing on a real farm, the happy families enjoying an amazing opportunity, and the chance to actually enjoy the day.

But, I did come face-to-face with the reality that I have relegated play to the lowest priority. As an over-achieving adult, I've believed that play is what we do when we get everything else done. Kind of like getting to eat dessert only after you eat all the brussel sprouts and raw oysters.

What a mistake.

Next year, I plan to show up at 10:00 a.m.—when they open—and participate whole-heartedly in playing on a farm.

If you need permission to play, I hope this blog has provided it. 

Tristan removing the harness from the draft horses

Learning a lot,

Diana

The Great Wall in China

I've read about this before. It's one of the "Wow!" stories of this true-life heroine. But I think I had missed the fine-print, because it startled me last night. Gladys and her one hundred children kept waiting, praying, seeking the Lord, asking Him for deliverance. But it wasn't a "piece of cake, no worries, done deal" sort of thing. It didn't last for the few moments it takes us to read about it in a book.

No. It was real life. At any moment, the Japanese army was expected to show up. And, since they had offered a huge price for Gladys' capture, it was a terrifying consideration. In exhaustion, hunger and discouragement, her prayers were not lofty. They were nitty-gritty and real.

Amazingly, this group of refugees stayed right by the Yellow River, praying and waiting for deliverance for three days. Three days!! It seems almost impossible that one woman and one hundred children could hold on, sick and hungry, helpless and tense—expecting any moment to be captured. But, there was nothing else to be done. There was no going back across the mountains and they could not cross the river without boats. If God did not rescue them, they would die or be captured.

If you know her story, you know that God did rescue them. Chinese soldiers, who had hidden a boat in the bushes, found them and took them across the river. Not one died, not one was captured. Though the Japanese pilots patrolled the river and Japanese soldiers were undoubtedly watching the river, no one stopped or even challenged Gladys and her children from crossing.

Easy, even exhilarating, to read about in a book, it is much less comfortable to experience in our own life—when we are faced with our own trials, our own moments of waiting with our back up against the wall, praying that God will deliver us from our situation, our circumstances, our pain. But that is the real take-away from Gladys' story. God's timing and His ways are not ours, but that does not change the reality that He is faithful in ways beyond our understanding.  He will care for us, protect us, and provide for us.

Growing in faith,

Diana