So Much Going On....

... finding time to post here has not made it on my plate.

We hosted our Preschool Open House this week.. It was such a pleasure to see old friends, make new ones.

In between preparing for that, I've also been helping my mom pack, sort and move to the beach. We'll drive her down this weekend.

I've also been working on lesson plans and the new preschool newsletter. Here's the first CM Parent article of the new school year. I briefly explained CM to the parents at Open House. The newsletter articles, I'll use to go into further detail developing the Four Pillars over the course of the year. All this is in an effort to come alongside the parents and support them in their duty as parents and uphold their authority in the family. "The family is the unit of a nation."

The Essence of Charlotte Mason by Me

Charlotte Mason’s many ideas on education revolve around one central truth: Children Are Born Persons. She recognized that although, young and inexperienced, children, are created in the image of God,; therefore, worthy to be respected and reverenced. Our very Lord says: “Let the little children come to me, an do not hinder them. For such is the kingdom of heaven.” Miss Mason challenged the understanding of her day (and ours) that children are not mere possessions or cogs in a machine; nor, are they blank slates or empty vases to fill. No, she held fast that children should be loved not for who they may become, but, rather who they are now. Ms. Mason developed an effective educational philosophy that transcends time. Believing that education should be an instrument serving the child, she outlines her ideas in four pillars. First, Education is an Atmosphere. More than a learning environment, this is an atmosphere of love, truth, humility, security, and forgiveness where the child knows he is accepted just as he is: loved by God. Our children need to experience the daily reality of those living life in a relationship to our Living King (MacAulay, For The Children’s Sake, p.105). His mind must be respected so he may flourish in the energizing atmosphere of sharing truly worthwhile interests with people who like him as a person (70). Secondly, Education is a Discipline. We purposefully plan for the contact between child and truth not leaving it to mere chance (105). More than just rules of etiquette, we learn who God is and what He requires of us: To love Him and love others. Parents & educators are responsible for whether we teach helpful habits or non-helpful ones. “If we fail to ease life by laying down habits of right thinking and right acting, habits of wrong thinking and wrong acting fix themselves of their own accord” (CM. Vol. 6 p.101). Thirdly, Education is a Life. The life of the mind feeds upon ideas. Ideas are of spiritual nature and are conveyed “by word of mouth, written page, Scripture word, musical symphony; but we must sustain a child’s inner life with ideas as we sustain his body with food” (109) The apostle Paul instructs us in Philippians 4:8 to think on these things...“whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy….” Because of her great respect for the mind of a child, Miss Mason believed in giving children the best ideas from the best authors, artists, composers, poets, etc. Lastly, Education is a Science of Relations. Spreading a generous and rich curriculum before the child gives him opportunity to build relationships with a vast number of things and thought (MacAualy, p91). This relationship building occurs both in our out of school. Parents & educators open the doors to knowledge. The three sorts of knowledge proper to a child: Knowledge of God, of man and of the universe. “Of the three sorts of knowledge proper to a child…..—the knowledge of God ranks first in importance, is indispensable and most happy-making.” ( CM, Vol. 6, p. 158)
More to come regarding specifics of the Four Pillars throughout the year. Questions and comments welcome.

Personal Thoughts on CM

(My sentiments are the same so this is a repost from about this same time last year)

All summer I've been reading through The Story of Charlotte Mason. It has been so enlightening. After reading through the Original Homeschooling Series (Confession: I haven't finished reading all of it yet), it has given me tremendous insight into who she was and where her incredible philosophy came from, and, has been instrumental in allowing me to get to know her in a personal way; understand her guiding principles better. I feel like I've spent my summer with CM herself!

I'm just thinking out loud here, like CM says once an idea strikes you you have to communicate it!

I've been gearing up for another year of preschool. Each year I want to move more in line with CM principles. That's why I spend the summer re-reading Home Education. Then, I mull over new ways to implement these methods. Since I'm in a perpetual Year 0 (preschool), I never get to move into teaching formal lessons like copywork, dictation, keeping a Book of Centuries, etc...But, what I have come to believe is that my role and responsibility as an educator is two-fold.

1. I am teaching the children. (Obviously)
2. I am teaching the parents! (Not so obvious)

My job is to love the children, and to show their parents how important their parental duty is, as well as encourage them. How do I do that is the BIG question. This responsibility is not something I take lightly. I feel a heavy burden that what I am doing is having an eternal impact on the children and their families. I shall stand accountable for my actions one day. Now, you may think I'm being too serious; it is only preschool, after all. And, I don't think all the families or teachers share that burden. But, for me, what I do, I do for the Lord and by Him. It is only by His grace that I can do any of this anyway. It is my joy to share the love of Christ with these families; it is my sacrifice to train myself and try to be the best role model possible. It is my privilege to gather His little lambs close to me and point to Him. I know I am far from perfect, mind you, but by and through Christ's strength, can this enormous task be accomplished.

Whew! All that to say that what struck me today while finishing the article, 'Children are Persons' is this concept of realizing ideas are like seeds. Once planted, they germinate, recieve nourishment so as to produce fruit in its given time. The preschool years are the ideal time for planting an array of seeds. As those seed which take root grow, one idea will lead to another. Soon new ideas follow along paths already tread. This is why, to me, it is of the utmost importance to present ideas that are noble, good, pure, lovely, virtuous, praiseworthy. Like follows like. We as educators of our own children or someone elses have the duty and porivelge of supplying a bounty of good and noble ideas before our children. We may filter inadequate, insufficient, unworthy ideas; in the long run ,however, the child partakes of those ideas which, given by Divine Inspiration he is interested. Ideas plant themselves in the mind, watered by the Holy Spirit according to the path which was ordained before time began to accomplish the will of God, for His glory!

I am not the planter who plants. I am not the gardener who tends. I am simply a presenter. My responsiblity is to present living ideas leaving the results in God's hands. Journeying along with these young people is a source of true joy. Each year I get to explore and discover along with them the God of the universe! Whether they grow up and remember me is inconsequential. Whether they grow up and remember the One in whose image they were created: essential!

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who
sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
As it is written:

“ He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the
poor; His righteousness endures forever.”

Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you
are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through
us to God. For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs
of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,
while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of
your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them
and all men, and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the
exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

~2 Corinthians 9:6-14

Just me thinking out loud!
Jennie

Worship Quote of the Week

Thanks to a friend for showing me this great resource....

Today's WORSHIP QUOTE deals with the majesty of God and how our understanding of His greatness shapes our worship. The author is J. I. Packer.


A REASON FOR FLABBY WORSHIP
Our word "majesty" comes from the Latin; it means GREATNESS. When we ascribe majesty to someone, we are acknowledging greatness in that person and voicing our respect for it: as, for instance, when we speak of "Her Majesty" the Queen.

Now, "majesty" is a word which the Bible uses to express the thought of the greatness of God, our Maker and Lord. "The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with MAJESTY . . . Thy throne is established of old" (Ps. 93:1 f.). "I will speak of the glorious honor of thy MAJESTY, and of thy wondrous works" (Ps. 145:5). Peter, recalling his vision of Christ's royal glory at the Transfiguration, says "we . . . were eyewitnesses of his MAJESTY" (2 Pet. 1:16). In Hebrews, the phrase "the Majesty" twice does duty for "God"; Christ, we are told, at his ascension sat down "on the right hand of THE MAJESTY in the heavens" (Heb. 1:3; 8:1). The word "majesty," when applied to god is always a declaration of His greatness and an invitation to worship. The same is true when the Bible speaks of God as being "on high" and "in heaven"; the thought here is not that God is far distant from us in space, but that He is far above us in greatness, and therefore is to be adored. "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised" (Ps. 48:1). "The LORD is a great God and a great King . . . O come, let us worship and bow down" (Ps. 95:3, 6). The Christian's instinct of trust and worship are stimulated very powerfully by knowledge of the greatness of God.

But this is knowledge which Christians today largely lack: and that is one reason why our faith is so feeble and our worship so flabby. We are modern men, and modern men, though they cherish great thoughts of man, have as a rule small thoughts of God. When the man in the Church, let alone the man in the street, uses the word "God," the thought in his mind is rarely of divine MAJESTY. A recent book was called YOUR GOD IS TOO SMALL [J. B. Phillips, 1953]; it was a timely title. We are poles apart from our evangelical forefathers at this point, even when we confess our faith in their words. When you start reading Luther, or Edwards, or Whitefield, though your doctrine may be theirs, you soon find yourself wondering whether you have any acquaintance at all with the mighty God whom they knew so intimately.

Today, vast stress is laid on the thought that god is PERSONAL, but this truth is so stated as to leave the impression that God is a person of the same sort as we are--weak, inadequate, ineffective, a little pathetic. But this is not the God of the Bible! Our personal life is a finite thing; it is limited in every direction, in space, in time, in knowledge, in power. But God is not so limited. He is eternal, infinite, and almighty. He has us in His hands; but we never have Him in ours. Like us, He is personal, but unlike us He is GREAT. In all its constant stress on the reality of God's personal concern for His people, and on the gentleness, tenderness, sympathy, patience, and yearning compassion that He shows towards them, the Bible never lets us lose sight of His majesty, and His unlimited dominion over all His creatures.

— J. I. Packer, KNOWING GOD. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1973, pp. 73-74. ISBN 0-87784-867-X

MORE GREAT WORSHIP QUOTES FROM J. I. PACKER
www. wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2008-01-01
www. wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2008-01-08
www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2006-09-12
www. wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2006-07-11
www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2002-11-12
www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2001-04-24
www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=1996-08-27

~~By Chip Stam
Director, Institute for Christian Worship
School of Church Music and Worship
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Louisville, Kentucky
www.wqotw.org (You can subscribe for yourself, here)
www.sbts.edu/icw

We're Beachin'

The Whole Family is going to the beach this year! 25 people, 7 days, 6 cars, 1 airplane, loads of fun and memories!Pictures when we get back....

Cherokee Mission Trip Slideshow