"The little fawn understood not one of the many songs and calls, not a word of the conversations.
He did not even listen to them. Nor did he heed any of the odors which blew through the woods.
He only heard the soft licking against his coat that washed him and warmed him and kissed him.
And he smelled nothing but his mother's body near him. She smelled good to him and, snuggling
closer to her, he hunted eagerly around and found the nourishment for his life."
~excerpt from Bambi by Felix Salten
Have you read the original Bambi written in 1929?
Ahhhh... so lovely.
In the middle of our Sunday church service a few weeks ago,
I was particularly touched by the beautiful imagery of the Eucharistic Prayer.
What a wonderful project for an imaginative, prayerful child to illustrate!
Kevin agreed completely; he's rendering each small chunk of the prayer in his own
whimsical style. Here's a sample:
Fountain of life and source of all goodness,
you made all things
and fill them with your blessing;
you created them to rejoice
in the splendour of your radiance.
~The Book of Common Prayer, p. 373
I hope that you are finding fresh inspiration and joy this summer...
Almighty God, to whom all hearts be open, all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hid;
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love thee,
and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
~Book of Common Prayer, 1662
I love these beautiful words of the opening Collect each Sunday.
Time-polished prayers always evoke a feeling of mystery and kinship with my long-passed
brothers and sisters in Christ. How many souls have been called to worship by their gentle
poetry over ages past? How many more times will I hear them?
The feast of Pentecost has ushered in a burst of fresh energy at our house-- just in time for summer
and the new rhythms of living that accompany it. There always seems to be a feeling of expansiveness and ease at this time of year. It's time to exhale and relax into long warm days.
I try so hard not to over-fill our family calendar. But still. It does fill up with swim meets and playdates and a patchwork of blankets and mommas at the park. Good summer things.
I resolve to stop looking at the clock so much and just enjoy the light and peace of every
extraordinary day.
Michelangelo wrote:
I live and love in God's peculiar light.
I want to live there, too.
The liturgical calendar gives us the chance to do just that.
It is an eternal circle of feasting, fasting, and blessed Ordinary Days.
Our calendar reminds every day to stop and remember what matters most.
Teach me to number my days, Lord. They are precious and few.
(For details about our liturgical calendar please see this entry.)
Last week, I attended our state's convention for home educators. It had been several years
since I'd done so, and I'm really, really glad that I went. I was so blessed by one of the talks in
particular that I want to share my notes with you. I hope that you'll enjoy her words and let them soak in deeply. I've added a few funny little drawings from my own children-- all of these came from a thick folder labeled, "Treasures." It grows as my memories of these homeschooling years continue to accrue.
"Our children are made in God’s image—they have a unique God-given image.
Allow your children to be children—to be the children God made them to be.
When we attempt to tamper with a child’s unique identity we drag their spirit down.
Why do we take ownership when ownership belongs to God?
(Remember how Hannah gave Samuel back to the Lord. We must follow her example.)
Make sure your children know, “I am valued for WHO I AM, in my family, and in Christ.”
Establish strong ties of love and acceptance with your children, strong ties with your husband."
"Sometimes our children can simply get too much of us.
Allow them TIME to breathe and be alone. And time to develop into who they are.
What do they feel led to do in life?
What are their goals? What are their interests, their unique gifts and talents?
Celebrate those—let the child follow her passions.
Especially teens—ask them to share their dreams and to help design their own curriculum.
That teen needs ownership of her curriculum and choices.
Someday, we want them to step away, to go out into the world smiling, happy, and ready to do
what God is calling them to do.
Homeschooling teaches us about ourselves.
We will make mistakes, but God is very gracious to us."
"Sometimes we enter difficult seasons with our children (especially around ages 9 – 17 or so)
On days when things are going awry, ask God to help you handle these times.
Relax.Trust in your prayers.
Trust that God has heard you even if the result is not what you have asked.
Teach your children and walk beside them with a humble heart.
Trust that they have heard you even if they do not show it immediately."
"God made this child. Remember that the design belongs to Him-- it is perfectly imperfect.
Imperfections allow us to stretch and grow—these imperfections are beautiful to God.
We don’t get to own the design.
Sometimes we can help with the coloring and shading (by way of character development)
but only very gently.
The design belongs to God."
If you are struggling through a difficult season, partner with a friend in prayer
or find someone to mentor you through.
Sometimes the season is a very long one—every day, the same issue over and over and over.
Findways to restore the dignity to that child.
Your children will look back and remember the times that you were patient with them—
they will look back and remember the grace.
Do not continually erase mistakes for your child.
We might be tempted to compare with others—or try to erase mistakes—but we must ask ourselves if this competitiveness might be coming from our own insecurities…?
Sometimes we have to teach through disappointments. We must embrace mistakes and learn from them. There are beautiful lessons there.
It is tempting to make the road too smooth—remember that we must prepare the child for the road, not the road for the child. They need the lessons of their mistakes to help prepare them for the bumps ahead.
"Our homeschools belong to God—this work is even more important to Him than it is to us.
He has a plan, even if it looks messy to us.
Make certain that God owns your plan, your expectations.
Your life."
+ + + + +
Mari Fitz-Winn spoke with the quiet wisdom and grace of a mother who has raised her children well. Her talk was not flashy or showy in the tiresome way that makes me want to avoid such events. Rather, she simply shared her heart along with some sweet, scribbley coloring that her children had done over the years.
I hope that you find some tiny golden nugget of Truth in these notes that lifts you up and helps you see what's good and holy in your daily work as a mother and teacher to your children.
These are the reflections and plans of a family trying to live simply, with gratitude and God's fresh graces every day. You are warmly welcomed to our Episcopal homeschool. + + +
All original photography and text by Ann L. Collins, copyright 2005-2009. Feel free to link to this site. For any other use please request permission by email. Thank you.
Fountain of life and source of all goodness,
: : Watercolor & Ink by Kevin, age 10 : :
: : a corner of our schoolroom: :
(For details about our liturgical calendar please see 
