Life Nurturing Education

Mandi tagged me awhile ago, but I’m just getting around to answering it.

1. All right, here are the rules.

Part of the reason I hesitated to do this is because of the rules. If I can’t do something right I usually skip it altogether or agonize until I lower my expectations. Yes, I realize this leads to ulcers but I am learning to relax. I am much better now. When I was a newly married nineteen year old I would get so stressed that my husband would sit on me until I calmed down.

2. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.

Now this I understand. Of course, you need rules to know what to do but I already messed up by giving facts in number one.

3. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.

I struggle with random. I like to be purposeful. This doesn’t always work. Sometimes I get off of schedule and wander around our house aimlessly. If that happens I blame it on exhaustion or use the excuse that it’s summer break. My kids, however, are very random. Discussions with my son can go from battles of the American Revolution to robots in one breath.

4. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.

Did I accomplish this? Let’s see…I’ll put little numbers by the facts. Oh, never mind. If I didn’t get in eight things it will be good for me to leave something undone. It helps me stop being obsessive. Which reminds me…

In college my hair was cut asymmetrical and I wore different earrings on each ear, one dangling and one a simple post. It was part of my mod outfit. A fashionable friend came to class one day with mismatched earrings. She was not copying me. She was humbling herself for psychology class. She whispered tensely, “It’s to help break my perfectionism.” I’m a perfectionist too, but fastidious areas are individual. I was very careful my earrings matched in color and style. If I was forced to wear silver with gold my husband-to-be might have had to sit on me before he made vows to love and cherish. I’m so glad that didn’t happen!

5. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

This is hard. I’m shy unless I feel very comfortable. Can I just change the rule? I wouldn’t even consider asking if there was a greater purpose than getting links and having fun. I would spend too much time searching bloglines to find people who hadn’t already been tagged. So I can relax, this post is finished. Good choice for me, don’t you think?

Thanks, Mandi and kudos to Dana who inspired me with her eight random things.

While scanning websites my comfortable-being-at-home self has been assaulted by some rather harsh protests. I have stumbled upon revolts from every side of the proverbial fence. Liberals scream. Conservatives rant. Atheists scoff. Christians boycott. Why all the pandemonium? It seems that our society has become accustomed to fighting.

I understand how riveting ideas can captivate us. In high school and college I was so full of zeal that I burned a few friendships. As I tried my hardest to point out the fallacy of a classmate’s thinking, I don’t think he knew my motivation was love. My vehemence drove him away from my ideas not towards them. There is a place and time for confrontation. Can it be done without uproar and divisiveness?

School of the Bible teacher, Larry Allen, told us, “Truth is relaxed.” He did not mean that truth isn’t passionate. It is, and the more you know the more passionate you will become. Passion however doesn’t have to be hostile. I know we will never all agree but we can refrain from killing each other with words. We can win the argument yet still lose. I echo Ravi Zacharias; “People are more important than ideas.” The intrinsic value of individuals impels us to at least attempt patience.

In The Madness of Multiple-Choice Andrew Pudewa discusses why multiple-choice questions do not encourage reasoning. He states,

There is no room for different answers, unique responses, or independent views. The emphasis is always on what the child does not know, not on helping him clarify and express what he does know.

Do we really want to focus on what our child doesn’t know? It seems to me this just serves to discourage and frustrate. Students are conditioned to pass the test but end up feeling inferior. Then the game of comparing scores continues all the way through college and into the work place.

As home educators we don’t have to prepare for standardized tests. Our emphasis can be on teaching our children to think. If we challenge them to labor over ideas, they will receive the reward of knowing that they understand. They will be much better “fit for usefulness in their future stations” since in life you are rarely given the answers. (from Webster’s 1828 definition of education)

We enjoyed the past two weeks with friends and relatives in Southern Idaho.

The majestic beauty of the Sawtooth mountains haunts me. I want to go back.

My son does too. He conquered a huge hill, caught his first fish, paddled in Pettit Lake, and fed cows wind fallen apples.

Our backyard just can’t compare with such adventures. Observation and imagination will have to carry us through our longings for nature’s splendor. Let’s hope the birds flock to the repaired feeder and the swing set becomes a pirate ship.

My children will not remember wearing worn jeans, walking on dirty floors, or stumbling over mounds of laundry.

They will remember reading on the couch, playing hide and seek, and watching the toad hop away.

They will remember how much I cherish them and hopefully have a glimpse of the One who loves them best.

I will not remember cleaning up messes, changing diapers, or washing dishes.

I will remember cuddling in the morning, comforting broken hearts, and singing with sweet voices.

I will remember how wonderful it is to partner with God resting hope for the future on teaching little ones.

Yesterday I received a link to this video. My husband sent it to me. He is visiting his family and I’m so glad that he wants to come home. Doesn’t everyone long for a place to experience unconditional love? No matter how comfortable or breathtaking our surrounding, we are never truly home until we are with those we love.

Summer break has afforded me some time to work on this website. I stubbornly persisted until I figured out how to add things to my sidebar. Now, I found a plugin for a “Share this” link at the bottom of my posts. Herein lies my problem.

I don’t use the word share in my vocabulary very often, and now it ends every one of my posts. In Webster’s 1828 Dictionary share refers to portions. One definition speaks of distributing parts to each individual. I don’t want my property divided up and passed out unless I’m the one doing the dispersing. Is that wrong?

The Declaration of Independence states that our rights of life, liberty, and property are from the Creator. If you don’t like the word creator, look to the laws of nature. Before this continent was populated the land belonged to whomever was cultivating it. If individuals were living in a place it was recognized as their homeland. For property to change ownership it had to either be purchased or won in war.

This principle still applies. If a thief sneaks into your house you have the right to protect yourself under our law. Do we understand this idea? Are we practicing it in every day life? Forcing individuals, including our children, to share does not respect their property and they will fight to keep it. (Can you heard my two year old screaming, “Mine!”)

What can we do instead? God encourages us, “Freely you have received, freely give.” Mathew 10:9 There is virtue and promise in generosity. Webster defines generous as liberal, bountiful, free to give, full, overflowing, abundant. We can inspire hearts with those words. The portions granted us are not only for ourselves. God gives to us so we can help others. He asks us to be faithful stewards and promises that “a generous man will be blessed for he shares his food with the poor.” Proverbs 22:9

My desire is to bless the discouraged and weary with spiritual food so the “Share this” button at the end of my posts will remain. I am free to give my thoughts, and you have permission “to partake or enjoy with others.” (another Webster’s 1828 definition of share)