A Free Day

I decided to cancel school today. It is the day before Thanksgiving, and the kids are very "on track" school-wise. There are some things they could work on, but it is better to work on them closer to the due date so the material is fresh in their minds. Yes, they could have gotten one more lesson done in math and science, but we are not doing as many plays and field trips this year. So, I am sure they are going to finish their lessons in time. :) They were overjoyed, and I am glad to have a down day after a full fall.

I am amazed at the many answers to prayer these past few weeks. I have asked for confirmations lately, and He has answered and made some things so abundantly clear. I am so grateful.

I have taken a break from Rousseau the last few days. Somehow Rousseau and Thanksgiving just don't seem to go together.

There is so much more in my heart, but the things that I had on my heart when I started are best just left to a conversation with My king. Off I go.

Contemplating God Himself

"I should pause here for a brief while to contemplate God himself, to
consider his attributes and to contemplate and adore the beauty of this immense
light insofar as the eye of my darkened mind can tolerate it. Just as we believe
by faith that the greatest happiness of the next life consists simply in the
contemplation of this divine majesty, likewise we experience that we derive the
greatest joy of which we are capable in this life from the same contemplation,
even though it is much less perfect." --

Rene Descartes, Third Mediation on the Existence of God, p. 43

I read this tonight, and it touched me deeply.

Contemplating God himself tonight. If I am going to have insomina, I can't think of a better occupation!

Also thinking of all those friends who have reasoned away their God. That, too, still touches me deeply. I still grieve.

If I don't laugh, I'm gonna' cry!

Learning American History

As I type, we are listening to From Colonies to Country in the excellent, award-winning Joy Hakim series, The History of US. Our library has every book of this ten book series on audio cassette except this one, and it must be between publications because used copies are selling on Amazon for $153! My library is so good that they got if for me through Interlibrary Loan from a library in Hennepin Country, MN!

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I absolutely LOVE this Hakim series. It is supposedly geared toward 9-12 year olds, but this 49 year old is getting so much out of it! It augments my reading John Adams by McCullough and watching the HBO mini-series by the same name.

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Hakim weaves biographical sketches of characters into the story of American history to make it engaging for readers from "9 - 99" (as the book jacket says).

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My kids ask for it. We sit on our couches in the living room and follow along in the books that I checked out from the library. Then, we discuss.

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I love homeschooling. I love that synergy that comes from learning together.

A Stroll Down Memory Lane

My sister-in-law sent this to me this morning, and it made me smile. Memories of days gone by. I have been thinking so much of those days lately as Halloween marks the day I went down to be with my mom for the month of November as she made her slide toward heaven. These pictures are wrapped up with warm memories of my mom and dad (My dad LOVED Dean Martin!).

God bless and smile today.

Obama Radio Interview