A New Springtime

Miracles Everywhere!

"The Greatest Gift" by Ann Voskamp arrived today!
A meditation from her blog...
Miracles happen whenever I look for shoots of Jesus' love everywhere because this grows deep roots in Jesus' love for everyone.

The miracle of sight, sound, smell, touch and taste are all around us. The very simple things we take for granted are the everyday miracles right under our noses. God has given us these great gifts and we can share them with each other. Reading a Christmas story, singing a carol or two...

can bring about joy and hope in each others lives!

 

 

The Family/ The Domestic Church

As we wait in joyful hope for the coming of Christmas and Jesus, we not only ponder Jesus, we  ponder His family and ours. We focus on the Jesse Tree because through a family tree, we have been branches grafted together. A family, from the beginning of time has been possible because like a tree they, the husband and a wife are able to bear fruit. A tree full of fruit is always a prize to a harvester. Joe and I ahave been blessed to be able to share a meditation and scripture with our children each night. We take seriously the family dinner and coming to the table together. God has given us a grace as a family to share and become a domestic church. Bringing God into every part of our lives is His gift!

 

Singing the Creator's Praises

I think that is exactly what this red and green Holly is doing, singing it's Creator's praises! The beauty captured in these leaves and berries exudes love for His Children. I am in awe when I gaze upon it's lushness and fruitfulness. Thank You Jesus for this tree that brings the season to life!

Jesse Tree, Simple Branches

Branches...

ornaments..
 

little helpers...

The Jesse Tree, a simple way to remember the way God prepared His people for His First coming, and a way to Prepare His people, us for His second coming!

These beautiful paper ornaments can be printed out at Ann Voskamp's blog, " A Holy Experience", If you purchase her book, " The Greatest Gift", there is a password to download them. The book is an Advent meditation and a reminder of Jesus as our greatest Gift.

Arrival, a Poem

The seasons are changing, warmth is yielding to cold, its bitterness feels like a sting, an awakening of the mind and spirit. Alertness, preparation are the works of this time... waiting for sacredness to arrive.

My Sanctuary

  The beginning of school and soccer season is a very busy time of the year for us. I am sure many moms can relate to the energy it takes to run a household, work a job and keep up with all of the extra sports or extra curricula events. I  don't want to leave the dad's out either, they are very dedicated to their families and my husband seems to handle the stress of it all very well.

I, however, have my moments especially when the hormones are changing if you know what I mean that I feel very tense and stressed. I have moments when I need to refuel or replenish myself. It is not something I am good at either. I tend to go on the computer or do my scrapbooking. Although these are fun things they still require energy and output.  I think am coming to a point in my life where I need to be more mature in my contemplative life.

Every morning I try to keep my routine and make sure my bed is made and my room is cleaned. This may seem silly to some but to me it sets aside one room I can always count on to be a place of solitude. I think I will start my new journey here.

I really have not taken advantage of this space in a prayerful way, setting aside some needed quiet time. My head is usually swimming  with what kind of things I need to do, to come up with for school etc. etc. What I have to do next and all the typical daily duties.

I know we can offer up every action that we do to God but I also remember St. Benedict's rule was made up of equal amounts of working prayer and non working ( meditative )prayer. This is my next goal for myself, to set some moments and spend it in my private santuary with God. To ponder and grow and refill myself. I am going to get a scented candle because I find a good soothing scent helps to relax and set the mood for calmness. I hope and pray to God to share some more quality time with Him!

I was inspired to write this post from a post I read on "A Little Farm Dairy." It is a wonderful blog that I came across recently and I am so inspired by. I hope if anyone reads this they will pay a visit to this wonderful site.

 

Renew the face of the Earth

 Renew, is a wonderful word and that is the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ left us when He sent us the Holy Spirit! A spirit of renewal is a spirit that allows us to start anew never being stuck in the old habits of sin. We can shed off the olf self and become new again and again in Jesus. This does not mean we can just go about doing bad things and taking adantage of God's wonderful mercy, but that we can and should recognize those things that pull us away from our calling to be HOLY (whole). We were created with the dignity of being made in the image of God, a God who took on human flesh and died for our transgressions.

 What an awesome, mighty, merciful, God to love us so much! Let us embrace the Holy Spirit today and serve one another with unreserved love and care. Jesus loves us this way, he is a connected, living God through His spirit of newness. He is  the Ancient God of old made new through the Incarnation and through His Spirit of Love.

 He has conquered all of the old pagan thoughts and false gods, He has conquered all pains and hurts in our lives to make us new again. This is what is meant by being reborn, not reincarnation, not being born over in  flesh.  How do we know this, because we have a personal God who came down from His Heavenly throne and used His human mouth and words to tell us so. he said we would be reborn through baptism by water and by fire through our confirmation. he sent tongues of fire upon His Earthly church to strengthen them and us to become His soldiers of love and sacrifice.

  He was taken up at the Ascension and He sent His angels to say: Do not stand around looking for Him, He will return as He has gone. We are to be doing His work of renewal now until He comes again in glory giving until it hurts to our brothers and sisters in need. the world is starving and looking for God in many, many wrong places these days. Eastern thought of old has become "New Age" ideas which misguide and lead many down old pagan roads. People worship creation instead of the creator, the universe instead of the The One Universal God. St Paul said, people would believe in myths instead of sound doctrine and we can see this today.

Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful enkindle  in them the fire of your love, send forth your spirit and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the Earth.

Homeschool News/ Subjects That Are Being Studied

History:

Abigail (5th gd.) - Pocahontas

Hannah (6th gd.) - Gen. Sherman / Civil War

Max ( 8th gd.) - Otto & Pope John XII

Raphael (10th gd.) The French & Spanish War

Science:

Eliana ( gd. K) - Plants

Abigail - (5th gd.) - The Earth and Its Composition (earthquakes, this week)

Hannah - (6th gd.) - The 3 States of Matter

Max - (8th gd.) - The 3 States of Matter

Raphael - The Laws of Isaac Newton, The Laws of Elements

Religion:

Eliana - (gd. K) Old Testament (  New Catholic Picture Bible) Noah's Ark

Abigail - ( 5th gd.) The Forming of God's People

Hannah - (6th gd.) The Sacred Banquet

Max - Fathers and Doctors of the Church

Raphael - Confirmation Prep. worksheets on sacraments, etc.

Spelling:

Eliana - ( gd. K) short and long vowel sounds

Abigail - (5th gd.) words ending in  -ent

Hannah & Max - ( 6th & 8th gd.) words ending in -tion

Raphael - (10th gd.) SAT vocabulary words, Spelling and definition practice

Math:

Eliana - (gd. K) Basic Skills Workbook Adding & Subtracting

Abigail - (5th gd.) math Skills Wbk./Division

Hannah - Saxon 6/5 Reading the Centimeter Scale to the Nearest 10th

Max - Saxon 8/7 How to Write Division Problems

Raphael - Saxon Algebra 1/2, Advanced Equations

English:

Eliana - (gd. K) nouns

Abigail - (5th gd.) different kinds of sentences

Hannah - (6th gd.) singular, plural, possesive nouns

Max - ( 8th gd.) quotation marks and italics

Raphael - (10 gd.) reading Ivanhoe for Historical Fiction book report

Every Friday we read about a particular artist and do a related art project.

We also pick an African Country and read about it and take notes, color the flag, etc. and we are watching a 5 part series: The Human Journey: Out Of Africa

 

Home Grown

 Our little Malcolm is making so many strides especially since he has his siblings of various ages to inspire and instruct him in his everyday endevours. He has so much stimulation and support from all of us here at home that he is confident when it comes to being out in the community. Over the years of homeschooling, I have come to realize we have the ideal situation when it comes to so called "peer group" situation. I am not a believer in same age peer groups because I have seen the negative effects and dependency it can cause on children. It is not a realistic situation for real world communication, for when do we ever encounter a group made up only of one age on a day to day basis once we have left the school system. Hardly ever.

There is so much co-dependency these days and I find many people are afraid to reach out to others and make new aquaintances, I feel this is because we become complacecent in these "peer groups" and do not become comfortable with reaching out from that same age group approach. Children are especially impressionable at these young ages and become attatched to these type of settings. What I am finding is that younger ones strive to become more like the ones they are surrounded with and if that entails people of different ages they will have a repitiore of ideas and ideals to strive toward. I also find that older children of middle and high school age grow and become strengthened by being a mentor and example for younger people. This increases their confidence and sense of responsibility rather than  just trying to fit in with ones of their own age.
I am in awe of the interaction that I see on a daily basis when it comes to the benefits of homeschooling. When I was called to this vocation, a little over 14 years ago, I could never have guessed at how blessed our family would be and that we would be given such a special gift by God.

I have had my blinders removed and seen the glory of God Himself! He has given us a pure gift and has shown us by being open to life and educating these children according to His laws and His ways is a contradiction to the world. Family is the first and foremost community and from there we are called to go out to build up society not the other way around. Taking apart the family and sending them many different directions when they are still young and influentual is not the ideal situation. To have a father, mother, brothers and sisters in the home who can nuture and build up their children in love gives them and their offspring the confidence they need to become "successful" and loving citizens.

To have each other and teach each other in a home environment is just like homegrown fresh veggies.  God has always provided for us and we are not rich by any means. I believe if we live simply and humbly and strive to live in His ways by His commandments, even though we fall short of his glory He will help us along the way! 

( Malcie signing 'star')

Having a large family, a special little boy with Down Syndrome, homeschooling, and my Catholic faith have  shown me so many wonderful eye opening treasures. It shows me that I do not have to follow the crowd or the main stream but to follow God, Jesus Christ Himself, who is real in proof that in following what He says to do brings true eternal life and happiness beginning with us right here and now.

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday Morning Cuties

I just had to snap off a couple of shots Sunday morning after this lil' cutie was all dressed and ready to go.

Next, another cutie was ready and she wantd her picture taken, too!

Lo and behold, the next cutie walked into the room and she also wanted her picture taken.

Oh by gosh by golly, in walked one more cutie pie and guess what? Yep, she wanted her picture taken as well.

Over the years it has been a challenge to get everybody ready and out the door for 11:00 Mass. We have had as many as 9 of us to get going. We are now in a good routine and more relaxed, we also have the older kids helping out the younger ones. We aren't in such a panic mode any more and we even have some time to spare to take a few snapshots of the cuties!