Athena in a Minivan

New Orleans

One of my favorite contemporary writers says this much better than I can so I will post his word and let you read it. Please consider making a contribution to the agency of your choice. Some that I recommend are of course the American Red Cross, North American Mission Board, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

When you post on your own blog about your selected charity, also be sure to link to Glenn's roundup post, and include the Technorati flood aid and hurricane katrina tags.

Prayer and action for hurricane victims

by Jim Wallis

During hurricanes, floods and other natural disasters, those who have the least to lose are often those who lose the most. Why?

First, the dwellings in which poor people live are not as sturdy, stable, or safe as others. "Shotgun" shacks, mobile homes, and poorly constructed apartment buildings don't do well in hurricane-force winds and tidal surges.

Second, the places where poor people live are also the most vulnerable. The rich often live at the tops of hills, the poor in the valleys and plains that are the first to flood. The living conditions in these neighborhoods are also usually the most dense and overcrowded.

Third, it is much harder for the poor to evacuate. They don't own cars, can't afford to rent them, and often can't even afford a tank of gas - especially at today's prices. They can't afford an airplane, train, or even bus ticket. And, as one low-income person told a New Orleans reporter, they have no place to go. People in poverty can't afford motel or hotel rooms, and often don't have friends or family in other places with space to spare. In New Orleans, there were many people who desperately wanted to leave but couldn't.

Fourth, low-income people are the least likely to have insurance on their homes and belongings, and the least likely to have health insurance. If jobs are lost because of natural disasters, theirs are the first to go. Poverty makes long-term recovery after a disaster more difficult - the communities that are the weakest to begin with usually recover the slowest. The lack of a living family income for most people in those communities leaves no reserve for emergencies.

New Orleans has a poverty rate of 28% - more than twice the national rate. Life is always hard for poor people - living on the edge is insecure and full of risk. Natural disasters make it worse. Yet even in normal times, poverty is hidden and not reported by the media. In times of disaster, there continues to be little coverage of the excessive impact on the poor. Devastated luxury homes and hotels, drifting yachts and battered casinos make far more compelling photographs.

The final irony of New Orleans is that the people who normally fill the Louisiana Superdome are those who can afford the high cost of tickets, parking, and concessions. Now its inhabitants are the poor, especially children, the elderly and the sick - those with nowhere else to go. Those with money are nowhere to be seen.

As the Gulf Coast now faces the long and difficult task of recovery, what can we do?

Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco declared Wednesday a day of prayer: "As we face the devastation wrought by Katrina, as we search for those in need, as we comfort those in pain and as we begin the long task of rebuilding, we turn to God for strength, hope and comfort." She urged residents in her state to ask "that God give us all the physical and spiritual strength to work through this crisis and rebuild."

If you wish to make a contribution to help with disaster relief, contact one of the following agencies recommended by FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) or the relief organization of your choice.

Why we chose Ambleside Online.

We have just completed our second week of homeschooling and it has been more successful than I could even imagine. We are using Ambleside Online as the curriculum for our school. Though there is really no formal curriculum for Kindergarten, which I love, we are learning our letters, counting, playing outside, and growing closer as a family. Last week consisted of the letters F,B,W and A; recognizing things that belong together; an outing to the Dallas World Aquarium ; swimming ; and Enrichment with our local HS group.

Ambleside Online is a curriculum based on the writings and teachings of Charlotte Mason, an early 20Th century educator in England who was both teacher and administrator for schools throughout England. This philosophy of education was exactly what I was looking for. Why you may ask? Many homeschool curriculum seem to be written for families who are ultra-conservative or conservative Republican Christians. Though I am a conservative in my Christan beliefs, I am not a Republican. I consider myself a moderate Democrat. I believe the gospel calls me to work for social justice and spiritual renewal. (If you want to know how you can be both Democrat and a Christian you might check out Jim Wallis's group Sojourners at www.sojo.net )

Ambleside Online though unapologetically Christian does not force certain political views in its choice of living books and materials. Matter of fact, Ambleside allows students who have reached a certain maturity to look at all sides of history, science, literature, etc. Today, the Advisory of Ambleside Online, who are a volunteer group of wise women who have poured their hearts and time into making Ambleside of highest quality, posted Year 11 of House of Education (the high school version). The focus of Year 11 is the 20Th century. I can actually only think of two things I would have added. One would be a biography of one of the builders of the H-bomb (Manhattan Project) like Neils Bohr or other members of this group. Bohr who was instrumental in the Manhattan Project worked in his later life for peaceful use of nuclear energy. (its the pacifist in me). The other would be some anti Vietnam war protest songs from the likes of  Bob Dylan or Woodie Guthrie. (once more my pacificism coming out)

My prayer for my children is that by the time they reach this age, they will also have the spiritual maturity to tackle these weighty issues that shaped our country.

Before I read it I thought to myself, "Oh no, I am finally going to find something to not like about this. They are going to give students some revisionist history and only tell one side of American history." Boy, was I wrong. The Advisory has presented a well rounded, thorough representation of the United States . My children, who were born in 2000 and 2004, will never have lived in the 20Th Century but they will be able to learn about it. With much prayer and wisdom, our high school aged students will be able to learn about the world we grew up in without it being tainted by "red" colored glasses.

I know that the same prayer and wisdom was put into all the other years of Ambleside as well. As my children learn about this great big world that God has entrusted to us, they will be able to see the good, the bad and the ugly. They will be able to see God's hand in history and science. They will grow to become His followers. They will learn how people overcame hardships. They will see that the part of the world they live in is only a small part of the entirety. They will learn about children who were not as fortunate as they are and hopefully find a heart for the "least of these". They will learn that in the words of a children's song, "Red and Yellow, Black and White, they are precious in His sight." This is why we have chosen Ambleside Online for our home.

Cinnamon Toast

Until Typepad comes out with Nose-POD so you can smell my house right now, I will just have to describe it. Butch and Sundance have been fighting a cold (yes, twins do almost everything together) so I gave them the Nighttime children's cold medicine, let them sleep on the floor of our room, put on their favorite movie (Transformers) and they are both out! (too bad they can't have a cold every night). Baby has gone to bed at his regular time and like a good Baby, who was trained to sleep by his mother who made a terrible mistake with his older brothers, he is fast asleep, too.

Honey and I were trying to think of a snack to have and enjoy our rare quiet, child free house. Ice cream? No, we are out. Popcorn? No, just don't want it. I start thinking about the snack my mom use to make us and Honey piped up, "Cinnamon Toast?" (How does he do that?)

I got out the margarine (reduced fat for me), sugar, (Splenda for me), bread (reduced calorie for me) and Cinnamon (Cinnamon for me) and made us some toast. My mom, who was the world's best cook did not broil her Cinnamon toast as most people who are in a hurry to get to the yummy snack do. She took her time and turned the oven on 350° and in a long 10 minutes we had luscious, wonderful, Cinnamon toast.  Our house smells like Christmas, homemade pie and Big Red. Even my low calorie pseudo-toast was yummy. How do I know it was good? Honey asked for seconds.

Our Classroom

I thought I would include some pictures of our classroom. Here is Butch and Sundance hard at work on some color word pages from Handwriting Without Tears prewriting book. This is our classroom/playroom. When Honey and I built this house we knew we wanted a place for our children to play together. Since we were planning a wedding at the same time, it is amazing how this space is so perfect. God knew what we would need.

It feels so great to be back to teaching. I have always loved writing lesson plans and then checking them off as we accomplished them. What is so great about homeschooling is that the lessons can be done at anytime and in anyplace. Today we had to take the van to be worked on and I loaded up the books into a bag and we worked on them in the waiting room. Last Thursday, we did school work in the park and then played for an hour. It just seems so natural to be teaching this way. I always worked to make my school classrooms have a homey place and now pur homey place is the classroom.

Butch and Sundance, I am so proud to be your mother and your teacher. You make me smile. You bring me such joy. May God bless you as you begin your schooling journey.

First Day of Official Homeschooling

I've been trying to think of something clever and inspiring to say about our first two days of homeschooling. I have spent months praying, questioning and investigating this decision and I guess what I am feeling is a bit of let down. There were no flocks of parents with camcorders recording my children's first day of Kindergarten. I even forgot to take their picture to document this moment in time. There was no toothy principal letting everone know what a wonderful school year this is going to be. There was no crying as they walked into the great unknown.

So what was there? There was two little boys still asleep at 8:00 and walking into the kitchen to give mom a big hug. There was a hot breakfast at the table with waffles and syrup. There was a walk around the neighborhood with a paper sack while we collected all sorts of leaves, rocks and flowers. We returned to the playroom/schoolroom and completed our work while the baby played around us and then we sat down and had lunch. The afternoon was spent playing games and laughing together. It was a normal day. No sirens or fireworks went off. There were no party hats or streamers.

I think I like normal days.

I Use to Play Softball.....

Man was I good. I could catch a high fly in left field, zing it to the short stop in time to stop a runner at second. I could launch a ball into the outfield out of reach of any fielder. I could steal a base before the catcher got the ball, I could slide into home.

Notice the past tense. The key word is "could". Last night was the first practice of Community North Fall Softball Team. I was recruited because women are always hard to come by on co-ed teams. In my mind I could play softball. I have done it hundreds of times.

Then I had children. Something happened to my softball ability when I had children. Maybe my body forgot how to play. Maybe I forgot to take care of it. Maybe I forgot I was quickly approaching my 40Th birthday. It was my first up to bat for the night. They kindly let me go first. I stepped into the batters box awaiting the pitch. I hit a grounder right past the short stop (who happens to be a 19 yr old college boy). I smiled inside. Then I hit a fly that landed between the shortstop and the right fielder and I smiled again. Maybe I could do this. Finally the coach told me to run on the next one. I hit a low inside pitch soaring to the outfield. I watch it for a minute and began to run to first base. It was then I realized I was not a softball player anymore. I fell flat on my face. I landed on my knees and elbows, scraping all four. I was covered in red dirt. My pride and my self esteem landed somewhere between home plate and first base.

After that I was sent into left field to await what few balls are accidentally hit there. I was so distraught.  Through my brain were running the days gone by. How could I have fallen so far. Will I ever regain the glory of my youth. As I moped around the field the unthinkable happened. A little blond headed, 5 year old boy ran to the end of the fence. He was dressed in the bottom half of his Karate uniform. His tan, well muscled body showing the joys of childhood as he climbed to the top of the fence. He looked at the lonely outfielder and yelled, "Your doing great, Mom. I am so proud of you."

Democrat Moms Homeschool Too

This weekend I attended the most awsome conference put on by the Advisory Board of Amblesideonline.org. I began researching homeschooling over a year ago when I decided Butch and Sundance were not ready to attend our all day Kindergarten yet. It began as a search to find something for them to do this year instead of letting their brains go to waste. I knew we wanted to learn what they would learn in school so that then they could go to 1st grade next year.  Read the past posts Kindergarten Thoughts and We Have Decided to Homeschool

I am still in thinking mode about the wonderful conference on Saturday. Lynn, you showed everyone what true Texas hospitiality is all about. Holy, Holy, Holy (my favorite hymn from BSF days) was so uplifting I could have gone home then. Donna Jean reminded me to give thanks to my parents for their hard work. Leslie showed me that one little question, presented to the right people can change the world. Wendy helped remind me that it is my three precious ones who are the most important. (not that load of laundry on the couch). Karen showed this former PS teacher how narration is the means to the prize.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for giving of yourselves. Thank you to your husbands and families who sacrificed their beloved to allow each of us to experience this family changing experience. Thank you to the church who gave generously to increase the kingdom of heaven.

When I looked around the room on Saturday I realized that we are all just moms (and dads) who are united in our desire to give our children the best education that we can. It does not matter if we are tall or short; brunette or blond (or somewhere in between); Protestant or Catholic; Republican or Democrat; one child or seven children; city dwellers or country dwellers. Charlotte Mason and Amblesideonline allows for all of this. To me this is the beauty of CM.

I am looking forward to the next 16 years of homeschooling now with a passion that had died somewhere between the 5th load of laundry and the last dirty diaper.

A good friend told me about amblesideonline and Charlotte Mason and I felt like I had found a great teacher and mentor. I have taught school with much of this gentle teaching in my classroom. My mother was a master at this way of teaching. She gave us the gift of music, the love of theater, a strong steadfast faith and a love of each other. I think Miss Ora, the founder of Camp Waldemar for Girls, must have known about Charlotte Mason when she started her girl's camp in 1926. She created a place where girl's could be out of doors and learn athletics, crafts, sportsmanship, and how to love life. I have reaped the benefits of this teaching without ever knowing that that was what was going on. Charlotte Mason has put this into a collection of books and articles that help parents and teachers give their children the very best of literature, art, music and life. What began as a quest for one year has now changed into a vision for our future as we begin to homeschool.

I now have the opportunity to give this to my children. I pray that God will give me the wisdom and the ability to give a love of life to my children. My highest calling as a mother will be that my children will love the Lord with all their hearts, minds and souls and will love their neighbor as they love themselves. God has blessed our family with the most percious gift in Butch, Sundance and Baby. I pray that I can be the kind of mother and teacher who will give them a rich life and in the words of Charlotte Mason, "set their feet in a large room."