I've just finished reading a very small book that Michael is to read next year for American Literature.  It was the Narritive of the Life of Frederick Douglass and I highly recommend it.  It was short and truly this man was one of the smartest men I've ever read behind I think.  Frederick Douglass was born a slave and this book chronicles his life as a slave and how he came to be a free man.  I was fascinated by both his eloquence, writing with clarity that I find rare today, and his human insight.  As a slave, he was able to understand much about his slaveholders that I would think would be difficult.  Often I have thought that some "black" people are paranoid about "white" people's intentions.  Reading this book has helped me to understand better WHY African Americans sometimes seem this way to me.  It also went a long way to giving me another view of slavery that I haven't heard before.  I especially found the appendix interesting, where Douglass felt compelled to comment on his views of religion, specifically Christianity.  He felt that his tone in the book made him seem anti-Christianity which he was not.  He was anti-slaveholder's religion.  He was against the minister who sold a slave baby to give money to missionaries. He was against prostituting slave women so they could birth more slaves for the slave holders.  I agreed with him completely.  As thin as this book is (only 69 pages), it still took me a month to read it.  It would seem reading with 7 kids is nearly impossible for a slow reader.  I love to read and had hoped to read all of Michael's lit books this summer to screen them for appropriateness, but I think I will just have to trust the author of the American History/literature curriculum that I bought for next school year. 

The kids are doing fine.  I have YET to finish getting next year's curriculum for them.  I've GOT to finish that this week.  I hate waiting till the last minute.  For 10 years I had all of their curriuculum purchased for the next school year,  in the spring BEFORE the current school year was done.  But last year and this one I have not been able to do this.  What's changed?  I became a foster parent, which has made more demands on my time than in the past.  So...I'm still working on it.  I'm really excited about the kids history for next year...all of their's.  I've learned to LOVE history.  Why does public schools work so hard to make it sooooo boring, reducing it to dates and battles, when history is so full of fascinating people and stories?  I'm completely baffled by that. 

BIG NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have 3 foster kids in our home that we may be adopting.   They are absolutely wonderful, beautiful, precious children.  If you'd like to know more about our story, please go to our home website.  www.freewebs.com/michellenet

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You know I've often wondered why people leave comments anonymously.  I've had it happen twice now and both of my "anonymous commentors" have had a certain...bite to them.  I suspect they are the same commentor because they both had the same spirit to them. After my last post about the passing of my mother in love,  the commentor quoted one of my mother in love's comments, and then very condenscendingly said, "Obviously you didn't learn the lesson she was trying to teach you.  I will pray for you." 

The lesson my mother in love was trying to teach me, is one that I often needed to be reminded of.  Sometimes, I tend to be more of a Martha than a Mary, and have to consciously put certain things in His control, lest I fret needlessly, over them.  I thank God for the lessons He has taught me and is still teaching me.  I'm far from perfect, and I thank God that I have the understanding and forgiving wings of my God to run to when I fail.  He's always stretching me for my own sake, causing me to grow in ways I need to.  Isn't He wonderful, in how He gently teaches and guides us?  However, what was the purpose of the commentor? 

After a few years as a pastor's wife, I've come to recognize the "tone" of commentor quite easily.  They are usually very confident in themselves, and quite sure they know more about Godly, spiritual matters than most others.  They are certain that the mistakes they so easily identify in other's is simply a sign of the other person's "spiritual immaturity".  And although they themself are not "perfect", they are certainly living as godly a life as anyone could.  Their comments are not really meant to teach other's anything, except perhaps that they are a better Christian than them.  No, their comments are really just a means to make themself feel just a bit....holier than thou.  But for good measure they will throw in comments such as, "Bless her heart." or even, "I'll pray for you."  It makes the previous comments more spiritual right? 

Pro 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Anonymous commentor, did you feel better about yourself, after you left your comment?  Do you have it all together now, and somehow thought your comments would help me?  Do you think that your pride will actually allow you to see what this message is about? 

I would implore you to consider your words and thoughts more carefully.

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