Beautiful Resource--FREE

Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare





Thanks to LindaFay once again for finding this gem!

Huh?

Did I hear you right? Greater inefficiencies to our Heatlhcare?



Hmmmm.....

Never Be Within Doors When You Can Be Without!!!~~Charlotte Mason

I thought I'd share these websites I was introduced to this morning from one of my (many) yahoo groups.

They are all about the benefits of allowing kids to have unstructured play in nature. The Green Hearts Nature Preschools is exactly what we do at my preschool. We go outside for 60-90 minutes (longer if possible-but most of the kids aren’t used to that much time outside-we have to work up to it) and explore the woods and have a little time at the playground. Indoor activities are nature based as our yearlong theme is the Creation. Day One: light and dark, Day Two air, space and water, etc….

There is a lot of research on the Children and Nature Network website proving the benefits of outdoor play and the consequences of not getting enough time to roam freely in nature.

Check out the Parent Guide from Green Hearts. It has tons of ideas for creating a safe outdoor space kids in the safety of your own backyard. Oh the fun of a pile of dirt!

Even if your kids are too young to go out alone, you can still start now learning about these great benefits yourself and by taking the kids out now so that when they're older, it will be “second nature” to be outside!!

On the C&NN site they have a Nature Club toolkit. I may start my own with the nieghborhood kids. (Wonder how would weird that would be...a crazy old lady whose kids are all grown hosting a Nature Club for other people's kids?!?!)

I fully believe in the power of free, unstructured outdoor play and that is severely lacking in today’s childhood. I had one child last year afraid of the sunlight. He bravely tried so hard but never quite got over the shock of that first step into the great outdoors when a beam of sunlight first touched his skin. Sad, very sad!

OK, off my soapbox now, here’s the websites:

Children and Nature Network http://www.childrenandnature.org/

Green Hearts http://www.greenheartsinc.org/Parents__Guide_4MOL.html

I wonder if they've ever heard of Charlotte Mason. Her wisdom continues to hearken......

Could Have, Would Have, Should Have...

Oh, that I could have read the wisdom of Mason in the early years of my parenting. Oh, that I could have realized the enormity of my task in the dawning of my parenthood . I knew on some levels, but, oh, that I could have had a better understanding. I was young and inexperienced, naive and quite frankly, selfish. All the things I would have done differently.....but truly, there is no time to wallow in the past...it verges on doubting in the Hand of the Sovereign One who ordained me to walk this path. Plus in looking back, one thing that does stand out is God's hand working well before I acknowledged His grace and mercy. All the while, He was drawing me unto Himself and brought me into His Kingdom at the time He appointed. Questioning the working out of His will according to His ways must be blasphemous.

I can clearly see his grace upon grace and mercy upon mercy in those early years and it makes me all the more grateful. In His wisdom, He allowed me to become acquainted with the writing and teachings of Charlotte Mason during the sunset of my parenting. These writings help me understand how I could have been a better parent, but instead of dwelling on the mistakes, I praise Him for His grace. I was ( and continue to be) a slow learner, but He is long suffering with me. I praise Him more! So while my mothering is swiftly it seems coming to an end, He is here. He gives me a passion to share with others lessons I've learned (hopefully) from my successes as well as (perhaps, even more) my failures.

Today I read Chapter II of Parents and Children. Her weighty words from over a century ago at once convicted and inspired me. Mason's foresight is profound. I found myself asking, "How did she know?" several times.

Here's an excerpt and I encourage you to read it in its entirety here. I pray you are encouraged and edified and renewed in your purpose to fulfill the privilege of parenting to which you have been called.

Chapter 2 - Parents As Rulers
The Family Government is an Absolute Monarchy Let's continue our illustration of the family as a miniature nation that has the same responsibilities, rights and requirements that nations have. The parents are like the 'government,' but the parental government is always an absolute monarchy. It makes adjustments according to the needs of its citizens, but it rules in accordance to whatever laws the parent has engraved on his own conscience. Some parents reach levels of higher thinking and are like Moses when he came down from Mt. Sinai beaming, with the tablets of The Law whole and complete in his hands. Other parents never reach those challenging heights and have to be satisfied with whatever scraps and fragments of broken tablet they can find lying at the bottom of the mountain. But whether a parent's knowledge of the law is thorough or only a fragment, he can't escape his responsibility to rule his household.

Reformed Voices: Defining Worship

Reformed Voices: Defining Worship

Listening to this post from Reformed Voices reminds me of my own church.

While I used to long for a big church with big programs, I am now grateful to God that He has seen fit to place our family in a small, simple church whose main focus is the preaching of God's Word. Where we may lack in bells and whistles we make up for in straight forward, expository, no holds bar preaching of Christ and Him crucified.

Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Solus Christus, Soli Deo Gloria, Sola Gratia!!

Parentalrights.org --

Please take amoment to view this video. Afterwards, please sign the petition and forward this to all your liberty-loving parent friends.

Parentalrights.org --

Shared via AddThis

Then watch this video lest you think opposing the UN-CRC is not that important:




"Every parent, every American citizen should be concerned." Mike Huckabee

Stepping Heavenward - Google Books

"One morning she seemed almost gone, and we knelt around her with bursting
hearts, to commend her parting soul to Him in whose arms we were about to place
her. But it seemed as if all He asked of us was to come to that point, for then
He gave her back to us, and she is still ours, only seven fold dearer. I was so
thankful to see dear Ernest's faith triumphing over his heart, and making him
so ready to give up even this little lamb without a word. Yes, we will give our
children to Him if he asks for them. He shall never have to snatch them from us
by force."

Stepping Heavenward - Google Books

This describes very well how I feel about my son going into the Marines.

Background: Leading up to this scene, Katy talks about how women are apt to love our husbands and children to the point that this love often times replaces our love for God in our hearts. They become idols.

I know I am guilty of that too. Now with one my sweet sons preparing to leave us for the military, I find myself asking myself, "How am I going to survive this? How am I going to let him go?" So I've prayed without ceasing that God would be my strength and my comfort and that I would be able to bring glory to Him during this life-changing event in the history of my family. And God has been faithful for He has calmed me and given me peace as I cling to Him.

This passage from Stepping Heavenward, although it is describes how the parents thought their precious daughter was about to die after an extended illness, really strikes me. Especially so because after praying and preparing for my son's impending departure in mid-July, we received news that boot camp is overcrowded and his new leave date has been extended to the end of August. We have eight more weeks with him and he now can join us for our annual family beach vacation!

If I replace the pronouns and names it very nearly describes my situation and how I desire to react in it.

One morning he almost seemed gone (My son was due to leave in a matter of days) and we knelt around him with hearts bursting, to commend his parting soul to Him into whose arms we were about to place him. But it seemed as if all He asked of us was to come to that point, for then He gave him back to us (even for eight more weeks) and he is still ours only seven fold dearer. I was so thankful to see dear Wayne's (as well as mine) faith triumphing over his heart so ready to give up even this little lamb without a word. Yes, we will give our children to Him if He asks for them. He will never have to snatch them from us by force. (This is my prayer.)

I know we are not giving our son to the military nor the government; we are giving Him to the One who made him, who loves him and who takes care of him. The One who has numbered the hairs on his head and has a future and a hope planned for our son. (This is my blessed assurance)

Praising my Savior all the day long.....

Children Do Know the Difference

Hypocrisy in anything whatever may deceive the cleverest and most penetrating man, but the least wide-awake of children recognizes it, and is revolted by it, however ingeniously it may be disguised.

Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910)

Or in others words...

Children are born persons.

Preface of Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason. pg. 29

Not Just Another Secular American Holiday

"The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations."

George Washington

Many major websites and encyclopedias identify the Fourth of July as "America's biggest secular holiday," and the dictionary defines "secular" as "pertaining to things that are not regarded as religious, spiritual, or sacred." However, the actual events leading up to America's birthday were anything but secular.

How to Celebrate the Fourth of July:

Here's some ideas from WallBuilders

1. Take time to honor and thank God on the Fourth – make it a day celebrated "with solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty." (as recommended by John Adams)
2. Read the Declaration of Independence. Knowing the reasons for our founding is no less important today than it was 233 years ago.
3. This is a flag-waving time of the year, so review the fascinating account surrounding Francis Scott Key's writing of the Star-Spangled Banner. You can view a 7-minute video of that inspiring narrative, or download it to show at your church next Sunday.
4. Read John Quincy Adams' famous 1837 Fourth of July oration.

This post is taken from an email I received from WallBuilders. Great site for learning the true history of our great nation. I could not find this article on their extensive site, please know that is where this post came from.

Poetry to My Ears

Continued here...

And for a special FREE treat, you can download the audio and listen to it every year.

Constitution Lesson

The circus show continues in Hollywood, averting attention from more serious matters. The next installment of my Constitutional study is extremely applicable and should be carefully studied by each voting, tax-paying member of our union.

Article III. the Judicial Branch:

Section 1 - Judicial powers

The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behavior, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services a Compensation which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.

Section 2 and 3 can be read online here.

Then read this excerpt from The Federalist Papers, No. 78, entitled:

The Judges as Guardians of the Constitution.

It proves incontestably, that the judiciary is beyond comparison the weakest of the three departments of power1; that it can never attack with success either of the other two; and that all possible care is requisite to enable it to defend itself against their attacks. It equally proves, that though individual oppression may now and then proceed from the courts of justice, the general liberty of the people can never be endangered from that quarter; I mean so long as the judiciary remains truly distinct from both the legislature and the Executive. For I agree, that

"there is no liberty, if the power of judging be not separated from the legislative and executive powers."2 And it proves, in the last place, that as liberty can have nothing to fear from the judiciary alone, but would have every thing to fear from its union with either of the other departments;

(emphasis mine) that as all the effects of such a union must ensue from a dependence of the former on the latter, notwithstanding a nominal and apparent separation; that as, from the natural feebleness of the judiciary, it is in continual jeopardy of being overpowered, awed, or influenced by its co-ordinate branches; and that as nothing can contribute so much to its firmness and independence as permanency in office, this quality may therefore be justly regarded as an indispensable ingredient in its constitution, and, in a great measure, as the citadel of the public justice and the public security.

Read the entire paper written by Alexander Hamilton in 1788 on the Judicial Department.