I have been reading Dr. Beechick's book, Heart and Mind:  What the Bible Says About Learning.

I guess this is what Missey and I had in common.  It is also what we could both (separately) see clearly that Ruth Beechick was about -- teaching to the heart.  Missey's blog was "Heartschooling."  Mine is "Homeschooling from the Heart."  It's about the heart.  It's more about the heart than I even knew, as Ruth points out in this wonderful book.  She brings some very refreshing insights in this book.   It's actually an older book of hers, with a new title.  Wonderful resource.

I received my "Homeschool Enrichment" magazine today, which Ruth often has articles in.  It's OK to get more than one homeschool magazine - in fact, it's exciting.  We actually need all the encouragement we can get.

Well, I took a break, and read Dr. Beechick's article in there about Grammar.  Funny, but my friend and I were just having a wonderful long distance phone conversation about this very thing yesterday.   Let me just say, I am in total agreement with Dr. Beechick concerning grammar. 

Listen to (well, read) this (from the most recent issue of "Home Enrichment" magazine):  "Family conversation is the main vehicle for the amazing learning of the early years.  Reading stories and reciting nursery rhymes and Bible verses help also.  All these develop and "ear" for good language usage, and that ear is a powerful tool for now and through the following phases of language learning."  She then goes on to discuss the different stages where grammar is concerned.  She goes on to say after a bit, "Someday in a grammar book he will see a list of forty irregular verbs that are exceptions to the ed rule [went instead of goed], and 39 of those he will already know."

It's the "powerful, natural method of learning" that Ruth Beechick advocates -- and suddenly, homeschooling becomes so easy.  She gives a lot of practical advice -- tons -- in all her writings.  Its just -- so -- wonderful.

I love, love, love Ruth Beechick.  I love her!  She makes me breathe easy.  She makes education -- so natural.  She is my very best homeschooling friend.  Of course, she has no idea that I exist.  But so what, she's my best friend anyhow.  I thank God for her basic, sound, Godly wisdom.  I only wish I'd read her YEARS ago.  I'd have saved myself a lot of headaches.  BUT I'll still be homeschooling for a rather long time -- lots of time to utilize many of her wonderful ideas and wisdom.

I really believe that anyone could homeschool for free -- using Ruth Beechick's methods and the library.  I love FIAR mixed in with that -- which also utilizes Ruth Beechick's methods of repetition in reading to younger children. 

I think I now own every book Ruth Beechick has written ~ well, not every one; she's got a new one just hot off the press:  "World History Made Simple:  Matching History With the Bible."  You can buy any of Ruth's books at that link.

Thank you, Dr. Ruth Beechick, for the hand-up I so needed to continue home educating my children.  You have made all the difference in the world in our lives.