Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...Sunday, March 20

Outside my window...

It's supposed to be in the 20's tonight. Crocuses are blooming, the grass is greening but still muddy. It snowed today but after a week of spring temperatures, it didn't stick.

Inside the house...

We give the Easter baskets a week early, so right now there's artificial Easter grass and a couple candy wrappers on the living room floor, plus garden seed packets, a garden map the boys are making, and two large baskets of clothes to fold. Welcome to a house with four kids. I'm learning to take it in stride while still trying to keep up and keep them in line. We do devotions after dinner and sometimes, if it goes long, the living room stays messy until morning...because in my playbook late bedtimes are worse than a messy living room.

And I forgot something else in the living room. Twinkle the hamster--belonging to Mary who waited three years to grow old enough to own one--is going like mad on his hamster wheel while I type. What would I do without that noise and the loud furnace keeping me company while everyone is sleeping?

I am thinking...

That I don't like being 50 years old (my birthday was this month). Life is so very short and youth is fleeting, but I had my turn...now it's my children's turn to be young and vibrant and my turn to share wisdom and escort them into adulthood, which is a privilege and a prayer.

I went to the thrift store for spring clothes for the family, and I had to try on short-sleeved shirts. Not attractive once you hit fifty, let me tell you. Older arms develop sun spots and more freckles from all the years of sun exposure in cars and during summers, and skin is less elastic.

I have en elderly aunt here who wears long-sleeved shirts year round because she doesn't like to show her arms. I was 39 when we moved here and my arms were great, so I thought she was crazy wearing long-sleeves in a rather humid summer climate. Now...I get it! I probably won't ever be quite that vain, but I totally get it.

I am thankful...

For the Lord's grace and mercy, new everyday, for my children and husband, for the power of prayer and humility, for the eighth grade boys' Sunday School teacher taking the boys out to dinner and for laser tag (on his own dime), for Mary's Sunday School teachers hosting a fun event also, for the sweet toddlers in the nursery this morning, and the cute 2 year old who told me I was smart (apparently because I did an exemplary job reading Brown Bear Brown Bear to him :)). Children are non-judgmental and easily pleased. Beautiful human beings!

And I'm thankful that Peter is mature enough now to watch the kids while I go to the store. That has been a recent thing and it's going well so far. Hubby and I haven't been on a real date in years and years, so maybe that can come soon? 

What will we even talk about?!

Well, we best not talk about OCD, or money, or car or home repairs, or arthritis, or Donald Trump, or my husband's obstinate elderly father who lately is meaner than Donald Trump. 

That leaves...what? I can't think of a single thing to say. Help me?

I am wearing...

Blue jeans and a plum-colored sweater.

I am creating...

A profile on Care.com because I need a job. I thought about what I can do from home using my gifts and talents and passions. I love nurturing and teaching children and I love writing. Writing for money would require a great deal of time, so childcare it is.

I am going...

I never go anywhere special...too expensive...though special is a relative word. Nature is God's glory and it's free and it's very special...so there's that. The library, Walmart, the thrift store, the Rec Center that hosts homeschool gym, to parks, to the kids' doctor appointments...that's about it. I'm never bored however; every minute is accounted for and every minute is meaningful when you're with kids all day. Stay-at-home motherhood is not for everyone, but it is a purpose-driven life.

I am wondering...if anyone will read this entry? Stagnant blogs get forgotten fast, but I've avoided putting any pressure on myself to keep this up. After nine years of blogging, I've said everything over and over too many times already. Still, this is a pleasure of mine.

I am reading...

Peace Child.. a missionary book I assigned the boys.

I am hoping...

That my children will serve the Lord all the days of their lives and dwell in His house forever. And that someone will need my babysitting services on a part-time basis...because we have Beth's arthritis appointments to keep up with. I have to work around those.

I am learning...

That each day has enough trouble of its own, and enough blessings, too. You'll never know the extent of God's love and care if you don't count your blessings. You'll discover over and over that you do indeed have enough. Discontent melts away and joy prevails.

In my garden...

I love having a garden but I would never call it "my garden". I'm too busy with the house and meals and schooling to take care of the garden myself. Paul and Peter are planning it together this year. The seeds are purchased and now they're plotting the planting times and measuring the ground.

In my kitchen...

The dinner dishes are waiting for me and can I just say I hate dinner dishes? After seventeen years of marriage and fourteen years of motherhood, I think it's time to pass the dinner dishes onto the boys....at least several nights a week.

In the homeschool room...

Mary is reading chapter books and is much more independent with her school work. Beth, who likes school more than anyone else here, will soon be reading chapter books and she's thrilled. Both girls are doing 3rd grade Teaching Textbooks math, which has been wonderful for them. They love it and they're excelling. The TT guys are far better math teachers than I am!

A favorite quote for today...Psalms 27:14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

One of my favorite things...long-sleeved solid-colored classy tees from Old Navy or other famous makers that are tight enough to show you're a woman, but loose enough to show you're a lady. They're the most practical thing to mother in, since I don't do sweats or sweatshirts. I get dressed to shoes every single day and while I don't dress up, I do want to look put together. They go with jeans and jean skirts and can be paired with scarves and cardigans and I love them! And Old Navy fades so slowly..the tees last a long time. Thrift stores are my only option and I jump for silent joy when I find a high-end long-sleeved tee.

From the board room...The board room? Who wrote these prompts, anyway?The kitchen and laundry room are my boardrooms. After twenty years on a clunky desktop PC, I now type on a Chromebook...so I suppose the comfy blue recliner in the living room is also a boardroom.

That's the state of things here, friend. And how are you?

So Thankful

Psalm 28:7 –The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.

So thankful...

~ for 4 amazing children with whom I love spending my days.

~ that God provides faithfully and graciously.
~ for a faithful, hardworking husband who forgives readily and loves much.
~ for other amazing young people I've grown to love from AWANA.
~ for Christian friends.
~ for continued academic progress.
~ for 4 children who love Jesus and each other.

~ for the Lord's grace and the Holy Spirit's encouragement as I battle migraines.
~ that I am a daughter of the King and in Him I have a wise, faithful, perfect Father.
~ for the transforming power of God's Holy Word.
~ for Thanksgiving blessings.
~ for Paul, who turned 12 earlier in November. He's a terrific son and Christ-follower.

Paul at 5 years old 

Paul at 12 years old

Beautiful Mary

~ for my daughters who are best friends and so imaginative and playful.

My daughters at 18 months and 3-and-a-half

My daughters at nearly 7 and 9

Psalm 95:1-6 – O Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, And a great King above all gods, In whose hand are the depths of the earth; The peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it; And His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.

What are you thankful for today?

Gratitude Journal

Some of these are blessings that come through tears, and some are no-strings-attached blessings. One thing my life story teaches me is that a blessing is whatever situates you at the Lord's feet, either to adore Him, or draw strength from Him.

~ My daughter Beth's arthritis seems to have spread to the knuckles in both hands, but despite that, she remains happy, energetic, and is still intent on drawing prolifically, hoping to illustrate books some day. She inspires me, which helps me absorb the disappointment that God is thus far choosing not to heal her aggressive arthritis (despite using all the medicines available). However, she is not in a wheelchair, which would have been her fate in the past. We still have much to remain thankful for with modern medicine.

~ My husband's steadfast, genuine love.

~ My daughters' sweet hugs and kisses multiple times a day.

~ Though my Peter struggles mightily with his OCD, he still pledges allegiance to God and believes that through God's strength, he will beat this. It's very stressful for the whole family, but the siblings mercy him and pray for him, rather than resent him. And for that, I'm very grateful.

~ The blessing of homeschooling.

~ Learning to love people for themselves, and not for what we hope them to be. As soon as we let go of our expectations, we can truly appreciate the people God has strategically placed in our lives. When you're grading a paper, expectations are good. When you're training children to clean up after themselves, expectations are good. When you're trying to love your fellow man, expectations can get in the way.

"While we were sinners, Christ died for us." He loved us, despite our flaws. Trust is conditional--people have to earn and maintain our trust--but love should be unconditional. That's not to say you stay in proximity of people who are abusing you. We can unconditionally love someone just by praying for them consistently. We can't bring ourselves to pray for someone unless we've allowed, or forced, our heart to love them.

~ Instead of co-teaching AWANA Cubbies (preschoolers), I'm co-teaching AWANA Trek this year, which is the middle school club. I'm enjoying that very much.

~ Children growing in knowledge of the Lord and His ways.

~ God's amazing provision, which never fails.

~ Wisdom and stamina from the Lord, as I deal with health issues and homeschooling and scheduling.

~ New kind lady friends at church, one of whom I co-teach with in Trek.

~ That God loves story and gives us all a personal, compelling story--stories that reflect his glory and fill us with living water.

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Making the Years Count

Following two months of rain and clouds, the oppressive heat of summer arrived this week. Our languishing yellow squash--a summer staple in this house--may not make it, but the pumpkins are doing well. The tomatoes look terrific; the sweet banana peppers, not so much.

We went back to school full time following our exhausting but terrific Vacation Bible School week, during which Peter and I worked (me assigned to the church kitchen with my new homeschooling friend, and Peter with outdoor games).

On the hottest day this week we took a break in the air conditioning to enjoy a 2006 non-animated version of Charlotte's Web. Did I ever tell you that Fern from Charlotte's Web is a clone of my Mary? They share the same childhood wonder of all things nature-oriented; the same passionate, tender heart. The same love of comfortable, functional, tomb-boy clothes, followed by a transformation in the form of dresses on Sunday; the same love of the fanciful over the realistic.

Every day Mary goes outside deliberately making her rounds, turning over rocks and logs and whatever she can muscle, to uncover the hidden treasures: pill bugs, frogs, toads, and the occasional surprise creatures. She scours every bush and vine looking for tree frogs and praying mantises and cicadas. She walks carefully over the grass, eyes pining for grasshoppers.

When I see her from the window, running like mad, making a beeline for the front door, I know she's bursting to show me an amazing specimen from God. She and Peter, two peas in a pod, recently found 8 praying mantises on our church grounds, which are surrounded by fields and woods.

I told her she reminds me of Fern and my Mary smiled from ear to ear, knowing it was true.

Charlotte's Web, if you must know, is one of the greatest children's books ever written--not that I'm an authority or anything, but I do love children. Some of us love just our own children, and some of us love and see every child as supremely beautiful and amazing--the very best of God's heart outside of the Cross.

Mark 9:42 "If anyone causes one of these little ones--those who believe in me--to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.

Matthew 18:1-3 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

Charlotte's Web captures all that is sacred about childhood and bottles it. At the end when Charlotte dies, Mary and I cry buckets and it's a reminder to me that childhood passes as quickly as a spider's life. After we help them into their wedding veil and cumberbund and throw the rice--which seems about a month after they're born--it's an occasion of joy mixed with the bittersweet memories of bygone years.

"This is my egg sac, my magnum opus, my great work, the finest thing I have ever made." (Charlotte quote).

If you're a Momma, let that be your mantra. God gifts us with these precious, helpless, amazing wonders called children. No, they are not ours, but they are the work of our bodies, our hearts, our very lives. Each night when we go to bed and each morning upon waking, we must realize the miracle of their presence in our lives.

We can put nothing above their needs. We can put nothing unwholesome in front of them to corrupt their tender hearts. We can pursue not our personal dreams at their expense. We cannot be tempted by the world and its finery, chasing it at the expense of our children's salvation, which requires an incredible investment of time and heart.

Don't let the upcoming September busy season woo you--the season of running here and there, having our children trained by strangers in this and that endeavor so they'll shine for whatever Jones' we're trying to keep up with. 

Let me tell you a secret: The Jones' don't love Jesus and they don't love your child, either. Our children are to shine for Him and Him only and the soccer, piano, and football teacher can't accomplish this holy endeavor. Schedule sparingly and wisely so you can speak life into your children's hearts. 

Do we want future family gatherings to be tense and full of dysfunction, or joyful and full of life abundant, shared with children who serve Him most of all? Things can still go wrong, but the quality of our remaining years and theirs will depend greatly on the number of hours we're willing to invest in their hearts right now. 

Be wooed not by a perfect house or by Facebook and Twitter. Don't concentrate on keeping up, but on keeping company with Him--the Bread of Life. Introduce your children to Him hour by hour, day by day, each moment building a legacy that will bless generations to come.

 

When you live for and make decisions that count for eternity, and have in your possession a dog-eared, well-read, marked-up Bible, you're blessed with all that God intended this side of Heaven.

Don't look for blessing in your health tests, your bank account, your clothing labels, your wheels, your furnishings, or your square footage. Look for it in the relationships you've invested in--with Him, and with your loved ones and neighbors.

Matthew 22:36-40 (source here)
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

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What are you going to do today to speak life into your children?

On Being Your Child's Biggest Fan

Look in those eyes and see the wonder of Him.

Homeschooling is definitely on the rise, but still a minority choice. That means people are sometimes curious, sometimes nosy about how smart or not-so-smart my kids are. And always, the things they look for are: how about those math facts; can they read chapter books yet; have they written their first novel; do they know their state capitals and who their local Representative is?

Not really, but you get the picture.

So there we were at a dinner party with people we seldom see. After dinner I get handed a mid-first-grade Dick and Jane reader. My hostess wants my daughter Beth to read it--Beth being one week older than my hostess' granddaughter.

I knew six years ago when my hostess' daughter-in-law had her baby a week after I gave birth, that the girls would be compared to each other through the years. Beth walked at nine months, while the other girl walked at fourteen months. The other girl could read very early, and Beth, not much more than three-letter words at the same time.

I'm not worried about Beth's reading. She read the Dick and Jane with some help on the sight words, but it wasn't fluent and at first I struggled to feel comfortable, with my hostess listening intently.

But you know? Beth giggled through that book and really enjoyed the experience. The awkward language seemed to intrigue her, although if I gave her Dick and Jane regularly, she'd hate it I am sure. Good primers, which we use in All About Reading, are far more engaging and the language is natural, helping new readers make inferences. I don't hate the Dick and Jane books (I own five of them), but their usefulness is narrow and I haven't taken them off my shelf in the past 12 months. The sight words are too advanced for a beginning first grader, and yet the repetitiveness makes the book too boring.

Nevertheless, I settled into our little impromptu reading session and decided to enjoy my creative, engaging, beautiful daughter, who does like to cuddle with Momma and read. She likes to draw and create and make her own books rather than read others', but that's okay with me.

To love our children well, we have to drown out a lot of noise and focus on the precious gift that is each child. Yes, it's easier when kids learn everything fast and work ahead. It's a safe place to be, parenting wise. No matter how nosy they are, people would be hard pressed to come up with anything to hold against you, the homeschooling parent.

In case you're ever in the hot seat, so to speak, about how smart your kids are, take heart and remember these important truths:

~  Believe me, you'd rather have a godly child than a smart one. If your family devotional times are longer than your reading segments with your first grader, you're on track.

~ Believe me, you'd rather have a nice child than a smart one. If your character training sessions are longer than your daily math lessons, you're on track. Do you really want a kid who graduates Harvard, yet neglects his or her family?  A whole lot of training and prayer precedes an enduring marriage, and such a marriage pleases God exceedingly.

~ Intelligence is about more than math-fact retrieval or how soon you memorize the state capitals, and in the earliest years there's a lot of variation. Children who read earlier don't necessarily become better, or even avid, readers. The other kids catch up soon enough. And not everybody needs immediate fact retrieval.

In my daily life I've used only a small fraction of all the math I've ever been taught--all the way up to a year of calculus in college, passing with C's and a B minus. In fact, I don't even use the math my 7th grader is currently learning (and that I'm relearning).

~ Your goal should be a child who can solve problems confidently--whether they be interpersonal, academic, or spiritual. Flexible thinking is ideal and it isn't taught in books.

~ Every child is uniquely gifted and if you only see her through a report card, you're missing out. Go on a discovery mission about who your child is at her core. Be amazed and be flexible.

~ Is your child a reflection of you? Yes and no. Her ability to love and express compassion in most cases probably is. Her rate of learning new information? No.

Parents can get stuck on a lot of different things on this parenting journey. There's the youth sports cartel: "You mean, your child doesn't play organized sports? Really?" There's the dancing and piano-playing cartel. Of course it goes on and on and you get reeled in.

Don't give your child empty compliments, but do be his biggest fan. Watch your children unfold like the beautiful blossoms they are, perfectly formed by a loving Heavenly Father.

Weekly Summer School Wrap-Up 7/10

Psalm 105:1 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

Giving Thanks For...

~ Sometimes I talk about the isolation of having special-needs children. It's a difficult component but in so many ways, to be isolated is a gift from God. When there's no one else there, you find yourself with God more often and you're more apt to regard Him as your strength and your song. 

Psalm 118:14 The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. I say and feel this many times a week. It really helps and I understand what a privilege it is to have deep needs no one else can fill.

~ Children who appreciate God's glorious creation.

~ That Scripture is alive and always healing, strengthening, renewing.

~ My daughter Beth's eye muscle surgery (one week ago) appears to have been successful! Her eyes no longer wander. I will know more after the second post-op in six weeks.

~ Some of us have wanderlust. Some of us are homebodies putting down roots. Some of us need to have our hands in the earth. Some need to be outside. Some need a book or a pen in hand. Some need to keep moving. Whatever it is we need, it is beautiful to see how God provides. He will wrap us in purpose if we seek him, no matter our driving bent.

~ For the three evangelists here: my husband, my son Peter (age 13), and my daughter Mary (age 8). The rest of us can only imagine the courage it takes to evangelize face to face. I can write about God for hours and never tire of it, but face to face evangelism? Very hard for me, and my son Paul feels the same.

Mary has been wanting to speak to a 13-year-old neighbor girl about the Lord. She prayed about it and mentioned it to me, and I suggested that instead of using specific Bible verses, she first start out telling the story of her own walk with God, and then ask the neighbor if she had any questions. Two weeks went by with no opportunity, but then the neighbor girl knocked on the door and Mary was ready. She followed her God-given instincts. I'm not sure if evangelists truly have more courage, or just more of a burden on their hearts for the lost...maybe both.

We have taken this neighbor to AWANA in the past, had her over for Bible Studies, and done a few other things to help her spiritually, but there was never a true, life-changing commitment made. She and her brother are getting older and I let them over less and less often now as their choices deteriorate. A few times a month is enough--just enough for Mary to talk to the girl about the Lord, and Peter to talk to the brother about the Lord. 

We pray for the six neighbor families we know by name, faithfully. It can be very discouraging when nothing changes--just as with the extended family members we pray for, but it's a discipline. The outcome is the Lord's and we trust that God is just.

There is a time to "dust off our feet" and move on when our message isn't received well, but the prayer can go on, never ceasing. Matthew 10:14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.

~ Beth is now interested in writing words and sentences to go with her drawings. It's fun to see her develop. She is always creating something. Always.

Her surgery and the aftermath kept us running around several days, along with church, and when we finally had a full day at home, she told me: "I used to like to go places and take my stuffed animals with me, but now that I love to create, I'd rather be home and have time." 

School News

This summer the children have been doing the following each week:

2 to 4 days of math 

2 to 3 days of writing

4 to 5 days of novel reading

1 to 2 days of science reading

Peter is enjoying reading for the first time in a year, post concussion! He just finished The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald. We found the title in Honey for a Child's Heart and have since found that the series has quite a following. Peter is now reading More Adventures of the Great Brain.

Synopsis: J. D. idolizes his older brother Tom, a.k.a. The Great Brain, a silver-tongued con artist with a genius for making a profit. No matter what the situation, The Great Brain will always find a way to turn it to his advantage--usually, his financial advantage. As boys growing up at the beginning of the 1900s, J. D. and Tom have plenty of scope for their adventures. And while J. D.'s ingenuity may not equal his conniving brother's, as a narrator he is endearingly sympathetic and wildly entertaining. First published in the late 1960s and early 1970s, this classic series has been popular ever since. Now the first three books are again available in hardcover, complete with their original illustrations. Join the amazing Great Brain and his befuddled brother as they continue to captivate generations of young readers.

The following these books enjoy is primarily because of the humor and the depiction of small town America with historical references.  A great way to spend the summer. It's amazing to see my Peter so enamored with books again!

You can get the first 3 easily, but for the others you have to dig some. Here is an Amazon review which I think reflects what we feel:

I am surprised at the lack of attention the "Great Brain" series gets. There is a great charm to small town America which is represented in each book. Further, the interplay between the "kill or be killed" attitude of Tom and the sweetness of his brother John makes for great reading. As well, young children learn the benefits and drawbacks of both attitudes. Truly a great read for kids and a great re-read for adults.

Synopsis: Has Tom Jenkins, a.k.a. the Great Brain, given up his con-artist ways for a bicycle? Not for long. Soon the Great Brain is back to his old tricks, swindling and trading, even convincing the whole town there's a prehistoric monster on the loose. But when someone robs the bank, even the police are stumped. Can the Great Brain solve the crime and put the crooks behind bars?

Paul just finished The Children of Green Knowe, (the first book of a series) also recommended in Honey for a Child's Heart. He is interested in the sequels, though right now he's reading The Great Brain after Peter spoke so highly of it. All of these are great summer escape books.

Reviews of The Children of Green Knowe:
This is not an easy book, and therein lies its charm. L.M. Boston's classic is a sophisticated mood piece disguised as a children's ghost story. As young Toseland goes to live with his grandmother in the family's ancestral home, the reader is plunged immediately into the world of Green Knowe. Like Toseland, who actually rows up to his new home in the midst of a flood, we have a hard time finding our bearings. Toseland discovers a funny kind of grandmother awaiting him--one who speaks elliptically of the children and animals she keeps around the house: they might be memories, they might be ghosts. It's never quite clear where real life leaves off and magic begins. Toseland admires a deer: "A deer seems more magic than a horse." His grandmother is quick to respond: "Very beautiful fairy-tale magic, but a horse that thinks the same thoughts that you do is like strong magic wine, a love philtre for boys."

With this meshing of the magical and the real, Boston evokes a childlike world of wonder. She compounds the effect by combining gorgeous images and eerily evocative writing. Toseland goes out on a snowy morning: "In front of him, the world was an unbroken dazzling cloud of crystal stars, except for the moat, which looked like a strip of night that had somehow sinned and had no stars in it." The loosely plotted story is given more resonance still through liberal use of biblical imagery and Anglo-Saxon mythology. For those willing to suspend their disbelief and read carefully, the world of Green Knowe offers a wondrous escape.

"This is a book . . . to own and read aloud and come back to over and over again. It is one of the best fantasies I have ever read."--Horn Book

"An uncommon tale . . . told with a gratifying blend of the eerie, the sinister, and the familiar."--New Yorker

I think the Green Knowe and the E. Nesbit British stories are a solid alternative to Harry Potter-type fantasy books for young children--more wholesome, little evil, not dabbling in the occult.

Synopsis of The Railway Children by E. Nesbit
In this much-loved children's classic first published in 1906, the comfortable lives of three well-mannered siblings are greatly altered when, one evening, two men arrive at the house and take their father away. With the family's fortunes considerably reduced in his absence, the children and their mother are forced to live in a simple country cottage near a railway station. There the young trio — Roberta, Peter, and young Phyllis — befriend the porter and station master.

The youngsters' days are filled with adventure and excitement, including their successful attempt to avert a horrible train disaster; but the mysterious disappearance of their father continues to haunt them.

The solution to that painful puzzle and many other details and events of the children's lives come to vivid life in this perennial favorite, a story that has captivated generations of readers and, more recently, delighted television and movie audiences. In this inexpensive, unabridged edition, it will charm a whole new audience of young readers with its warmth and appeal.

My comments about magic and fantasy:
We don't choose to read the Harry Potter books because of the content. Also, although they're highly successful financially, J.K. Rowlings is in fact not a very good writer. She is an adept storyteller, but her books will never be regarded as classics. There are better books that deal with the struggle between good and evil, and better "magical" fantasy books (and no murders!). While the first three Potters are not quite as dark as the newer ones, they're still not the best literature choices. As a former teacher, a book lover myself, and as a teaching parent, I say...when you get through all the truly good pieces of highly imaginative, fantasy/escape literature there probably won't be time left for Harry Potter and that's probably a good thing, although I know not a popular view.

For a clearer Christian view of the Harry Potter craze, read :INTERVIEW
Harry Potter: Harmless Christian Novel or Doorway to the Occult? In his book, Harry Potter, Narnia, and the Lord of the Rings: What You Need to Know About Fantasy Books and Movies, author Richard Abanes discusses why the J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series is vastly different from the Christian-based works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. The interview is a good read. Richard Abanes seems to feel that the Harry Potter books, if read at all, are probably better introduced to older teens or young adults, not children. 

Pictures the children took over the past couple weeks:

Peter entered this newly emerged cicada photo in the library photo contest (for grades 5 - 12). Both boys entered two photos (winners announced in August). I do hope Peter wins because he's tried several years with no triumph. Children vote on the photos and they aren't always the most discriminating photography folks.

The things I put up with around here!

A sampling of Beth's pictures.

Beth's sewing of a stuffed animal (not complete yet).

I'm still baking bread Mon - Fri and at least one weekend day. I thought with the heat of summer I would use the bread maker's full cycle, rather than just the dough cycle, but I've found having the oven on for 30 minutes a day actually decreases the humidity in our home. I use the AC less as a result. Plus, it just comes out so much better from the oven.

How was your week? Bless you this weekend and thank you for visiting here.