Latest Goings On

It's a gross understatement to say that it's an interesting time in our country. This post is not all about the election, although I'd be remiss if I didn't say a little something on the subject. 

I've felt somewhat on an island lately in my feelings of excitement over the juxtaposition of Trump and Clinton. What a time to be a part of an election! I told my children that never in my life have I witnessed such opposite, headstrong candidates pitted against each other for the most powerful position in the world. They can recount this time to their children, that they were alive during such a major election. All I've heard from others is, "Well, they both are terrible!" Okay, okay...but can you recall a more nail-biting race than this in your lifetime? This has gotten me interested in politics again! It's the stuff politics is made of!

I tend to stay away from big, anonymous forums when discussing political issues. My preference for any conversation is one-on-one or in a small group, with people who know me. It's important to establish equity with others before delving into topics about which folks are passionate. Where I live, in western North Carolina, opinions are at both extremes. As a conservative with many liberal friends, in the heart of the "hole in the Bible belt" as people like to say, I'm exposed to a variety of ideas that differ from what I believe. I don't think I have to "tread lightly," but rather understand the importance of having a mature discussion with others who are able to do the same. 

Those who know me would never label me a racist, homophobe, or characterize me as someone who is malicious toward any group. People are people, all made in God's image, and I'm able to love them because He does, without condoning anything that goes against His design. I'm not afraid to disagree respectfully with someone; God's opinion is supreme, but because I reflect Him, others are worth giving my respect, regardless if I think they're dead wrong. It's about treating others as Christ would; He lovingly pointed out truth, never compromising the design that He created and set in place.

My grandparents risked their lives to leave communist Cuba, and I hold firm to my dislike of big government. Conservatives have not stood for what they say they believe, which is how we ended up with a no-nonsense guy like Trump, like it or not. I'm a one-issue voter: abortion. This go-'round, a huge concern was The Supreme Court. Trump may not be who many of us would've imagined to be our candidate, but I admire his intelligence in surrounding himself with godly, strong people like Mike Pence and Ben Carson. His campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, is impressive. 

Why are others afraid to admit these things? I voted for Trump...there, I said it. If folks decide to stop reading this blog or de-friend me on Facebook, they are showing hypocrisy. Saying one is "open-minded" requires actually being that way toward others who believe differently. Republicans nominated a blusterer like Trump because no one else has the guts to just say it. Why should it take "guts" to voice your values? That's the beauty of America...we all have a voice, even those of us on the right. I, for one, enjoy discussions with my friends on the left. It's flavorful, fun, and doesn't have to be contentious. Soldiers haven't lost their lives so that one little group can have its say, while the rest cower in silence lest they be labeled hateful. I hope I can be seen as a peaceful, intelligent representative of a side that hasn't done a good job of speaking truth with conviction.

"Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write...Let every sluice of knowledge be opened and set a-flowing." --John Adams

Two weekends ago, I had the yearly privilege of attending the Grace to Build Retreat that focuses on the teachings of Charlotte Mason. Like last year, I took away many morsels of wisdom to apply to our school. My friend and I were able to connect with other Mason moms right here in our area, and are excited to be part of a local group that will monthly discuss excerpts from Mason's writings. While I stated I enjoy conversation about various opinions, it's paramount to surround oneself with like-minded individuals. I need other moms who are specifically homeschoolers, Christ-followers who can sharpen my walk and offer encouragement on this narrow road. 

After Grace to Build, I'm encouraged to read with more voracity than before (if it were possible). Actually, speaker Liz Cottrill of Living Books Library told us that we should have eight (yes, ocho!) books going at a time. I currently actually have that many when I count the Bible. Three of them I read regularly, depending on my mood. I'm on a plan to read the Bible in a year, which I began at the start of this year, reading Old Testament in the morning, and New at night. One of my books, The Cloud of Witness, I have mentioned before. It's the treasure of daily poems, verses, and quotes that Charlotte Mason gave to the graduates of her school. Liz says that if you go into your closet and read just ten pages a day, you'll have a 300-page book read in a month. As I say, "little bits;" they add up!

An interesting read that I finished a few weeks ago is The Horse and Buggy Doctor by Dr. Arthur E. Hertzler, published in 1939:

Hertzler wrote this book at the end of his medical career. The first two-thirds recounts his memories of becoming a doctor during the late 1890's, the time of the horse and buggy. It is fascinating to hear firsthand the tales of trips that took days to reach the sick, and the primitive methods of curing ailments. This book was among my "box of books for $6" that I wrote about in another post. Yes, I actually read these obscure finds that most people would deem obsolete!

Hertzler educated me on outdated items crucial to medicine of long ago, like chloroform, ether, nux vomica, salol (given to babies with febrile seizures, now a component in floor wax), and bismuth. His chapter on kitchen surgery was fascinating, as well as his take on a sterile environment. Hertzler argues that all the pains taken "today" (1939) to sterilize the atmosphere aren't necessary; the key to staying germ-free, in his opinion, is performing the procedure as fast as possible. 

The last third of the book dragged on, as it had to do with Hertzler's education and "modern" medicine. I was much more interested in his stories of the beginning of his career than hearing a dissertation on his intelligence. Frankly, I tired of Hertzler's esteem of himself. The flavor of his tales in the first part of the book overrides his arrogance, but the details of his schooling and how smart he is just didn't hold the same interest. I recommend skipping Chapters 7 and 8, reading Chapter 9 ("I Practice Kitchen Surgery"), and ending there.

Since May, I've had the privilege of spending time with the O'Haras:

Confession: I had never seen the movie "Gone With the Wind." Admission: I read the book, then watched....and was so grateful! I can understand why, in 1939, when Hertzler was riding high on his knowledge, the movie was a big deal. However, I can't imagine watching it without having read the book. The movie was choppy, with entire plots and characters left out! I don't get how anyone can fully comprehend it without having read it first. As is usually the case, the book was much better.

It took me about three months to read it. I began it on a flight to Miami, and finished it again in Florida, during our vacation in Destin. It wasn't the only book I was reading at the time, and at 833 pages, it takes a while to digest! I encourage everyone to pick up a volume like this and not be afraid of it. Don't think you have to speed read it in a week. A feast is worth savoring slowly. A dear lady I know has had the same copy of Les Miserables on her nightstand for over three years now, but a paragraph at a time is progress. 

Growing up in South Carolina, I am familiar with much of the lifestyle here. Some ideas of 1860's Tara aren't much different than the "Who are your pah-rents?" I have been asked more than once in my life.  I saw parts of Scarlett I recognized in the me of my past, and cringed. I even felt sorry for her at times. I understood why she fell into Rhett's trap of debonaire, and how she couldn't keep away from him. Guys like him still exist in Charleston, and in all parts of the south. We're training our girls to stay away from the likes of him. 

I practically sped to the used bookstore for the sequel by Alexandra Ripley. She does an ideal job of maintaining the Scarlett we all know, yet growing her up a bit. Ripley maintains Mitchell's characters with a storyline all her own, taking our protagonist to the Ireland of her father. Both books are worth their weight in gold, yet I paid a mere buck apiece. I began reading Scarlett in August, and currently have a little over twenty pages left...don't tell me what happens, as I will finish it tonight! 

I told my husband I'm going to miss Scarlett, "The O'Hara," as she's called in this second novel, as she's been a part of my life for six months now. Good books do that; the reader forms a relationship with a character. Liz Cottrill tells a story about a friend who grew so close to a Jane Austen character, she actually prayed for her! I haven't gone that far with poor Scarlett, but have had every reason to based on the events of her life.  

What wonders happen when we take our forefather John Adams's advice to "dare to read;" we find ourselves trapped half the night to move toward the ending, and end up thinking, speaking, and writing. 

Until next time (I hope)!

24 Hours

The past twenty-four hours have been filled with simple things I like to do. Actually, I wouldn't have qualified watching a presidential debate as something I enjoyed, but I confess that's changing. In spite of what folks say about our impending doom, here's the truth:

Frankly, these debates are thrilling simply because the same old talking points are in part thrown out the window. I like the freshness of a guy who's unpolished, not an automaton, and has the audacity to point out the elephant in the room. Never do I recall seeing anything like it, and it makes me halfway interested in politics again. Rather than jumping on the "they both stink!" train, we must realize that it's what we've created, and we might as well look to the only One who truly is our Savior...no mortal presidential candidate can be that. Shame on us for expecting it!

On a lighter note, remember these?

I had to grab a photo because of the nostalgia they bring. I can still feel the extreme stickiness between my teeth, and recall with fondness the iridescence of the hard candy coating. These, however....

...always were kinda gross. Did you like them? The ones in this bag were starting to harden. Still reminds me of days gone by, although not with the excitement of the peanut butter candies. 

My daughter and I started something new today, an obvious solution for reading a book that seems "too long." The issue was that she was able to read most of the words, but the length of the story as well as some paragraphs was daunting, causing her to quit before she even started. Last night, she attempted the book before bed, and called me in, disappointed that it was too overwhelming. She wanted to read it, but was intimidated. I'm glad we slept on it and decided to wait till morning to tackle it. Here's what we did:

While the two of us were in the kitchen before her sister was up, I asked my girl to go pick out one of the books "from last night" for us to look at. This is the one she chose:

She immediately opened it and started reading, with medium fluency. After the first page, though, I realized that it might help her along if I took over some of the sentences. It got to where I read half the page, then she'd jump back in and finish it. Here's an example:

I love this book for reading practice because it is full of words to decode, as well as sight words. We made it through the book with no stomps, no frustration, but with much laughter and satisfaction, plus a huge sense of accomplishment on her part. I'm grateful for her to see that longer books are possible; another suggestion is to simply read a page or two at a time, then come back to it later. As Charlotte Mason says, reading (and everything) is more beneficial in small chunks, without hurrying, to aid the digestion of ideas. 

We did nature study today during school. You may have heard me mention before that this simply involves going into your own yard and finding something in nature to observe and draw in a nature notebook. My girls have their own notebooks, but I do mine in my journal. Here's what I captured today:

The girls asked if they could do rocks, and I said of course. Who knew that two smooth, fairly plain rocks would provide such joy? Finding, drawing, painting, and writing about these rocks turned into naming them, then dressing and making rooms for them out of boxes. As I type, two children are sitting in the floor, taping together cardboard beds, and sewing pillows and "bedspreads" out of scrap material for their rocks. What a thrill to observe the unpolluted innocence of childhood, to watch ideas and creativity unfold. They didn't want to finish their lunches, they were too excited to get back to designing their rock homes. 

Finally, I just have to post this delightful illustration from The Real Mother Goose, along with its poem that we read earlier:

CURLY-LOCKS

Curly-locks, Curly-locks, wilt thou be mine?

Thou shalt not wash the dishes, nor yet feed the swine; 

But sit on a cushion, and sew a fine seam

And feed upon strawberries, sugar, and cream.

Until next time!