Leaving your finger prints

At a wedding last weekend, the father of the lovely bride and I were sharing memories of that dear girl.  The father gave me a smile, put his hand on my shoulder, and said, "Your fingerprints are all over my children!"

What a lovely thing to say! My fingerprints--or the effects of my influence and teaching-- had helped to sculpt his children, and he was grateful.

What could be better than helping to form the heart and mind of young people?  Whether it is your own children or someone else's, leave your fingerprints.  Leave them everywhere, Gentle Reader.  You will never regret it.

Five for Friday

Today I'd like to share five items I have recently been enjoying listening to.  I hope you will enjoy them as well.

1. I recently completed listening to the Librivox version of Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens, and thoroughly enjoyed it.  There are such wonderful characters and plot twists in Dickens that I am always willing to put up with his occasionally annoying wordiness and repetition.  And this is a really fun story. I enjoyed it while sewing.

2. After completing the Dickens, I began listening to The Education of Henry Adams by Henry Adams, also from Librivox, during my sewing time.  I love his beautiful language and fascinating history so far, though I am only several chapters in. He is the great-grandson and grandson of presidents, and knew all the political and intellectual world of the Eastern seaboard at a pivotal time in history.  He writes about the changes from the 18th to 19th centuries, and his word play often makes me smile.

3. Before bedtime, Dave usually reads to me: first from Spurgeon, then from some fun novel or other.  We just finished Orson Scott Card's Earth Afire. We had listened to the first book in this series, Earth Unaware, on a recent trip.  The third book in the series is not yet out, and we likely need to wait at least a year for the end of the story-- always a bit frustrating.  These are the prequel novels to the Ender series.  We enjoyed the stories here, but were a bit dismayed by the writing.  Mr. Card had a co-author here, and I wonder if that was partially responsible, or if there is a rush to have these books out before the Ender's Game movie arrives.  Whatever the case, these are classic Card stories that are compelling, told in less-than-perfect grammar and prose that sometimes disappoint.  They have been enjoyable stories nonetheless.

4. I have also started the new online course from Hillsdale College on Economics.  This is apologetically free-market, Austrian economics, presented by the college president, Larry Arnn, and economics professor Gary Wolfram.  I have only listened to the introductory lecture by Dr. Arnn so far, but it is interesting.  When I was teaching more, I signed up for several of these courses, but didn't have the time to complete them.  Hopefully I can do more of that in this year of rest.

5.  I have also recently found and been enjoying The Briefing, a daily podcast of news and cultural analysis from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president Albert Mohler.  I have signed up to receive an e-mail when a new podcast comes out, and I tend to listen to this 20-minute-or-so podcast as I begin the day. I find Dr. Mohler's take on things biblical, refreshing, gracious, and balanced.

What have you been listening to or reading, Gentle Reader?  Any recommendations you want to send my way?

The delights of teaching

I was recently reminded by a friend that we have much to be thankful for as teachers.  This year is something like my 34th year of teaching, and  I am teaching 37 wonderful students online at Veritas Press Scholars Academy, and I am teaching four wonderful students in my local Worldviews class. And it is a privilege.

In teaching  my 2-year worldviews class 5 or 6 times over the last 12 or 15 years, I am always thankful for the opportunity to reach the hearts of some of my students.  This class changes me, and it sometimes changes them, all by God's grace.  One of the components of class is to bring an item for "Worldview in our World" (WioW).  These items are often picked up at the whole foods market in Santa Fe, the Mecca for New Age folks, or in ads from the Santa Fe Reporter, or bumper stickers seen about town.. the idea is to bring in something from the real world that reveals a worldview or conflicts with a Christian worldview, and discuss where that item, person, or quote is coming from in terms of its worldview and presuppositions. But this current crop of kids is taking WioW to a whole new level.  What they bring to class are the conversations they are having at the local community college, in parking lots, and on their sports teams.  These students are applying what God is teaching them, and I am blessed enough to be the tool of sharing , and to watch as the Holy Spirit matures them.  How amazing is that?! These kids take what I teach them, and do it more consistently and bravely than I ever will.  What a delight to see!

So, Gentle Readers who are called to be teachers/leaders/mentors for young people, don't let the dark times of teaching discourage you.  When you are swamped with essays to grade, or overwhelmed by scheduling conflicts, or are dealing with difficult students or parents, remember the delight of this high calling.  You can be used by God to change lives forever, and thus change this world for Christ's sake.  And that is a delightful calling indeed.

Composition 2

Looking for an excellent composition class based on classical principles, and geared towards junior high and early high school students?  There are openings in all sections of Composition 2 at Veritas Press Scholar's Academy online.  I teach the class along with colleagues Cindy Marsch and Jessica Sperry, and I think your students would enjoy and learn in any of the classes.  Check it out here.

On the Last One Leaving

It's that time of year again, when parents are sniffling as they pass the rooms of their children who are packing to head off to college, or feeling a tight sensation in their throats when they contemplate returning to a house without someone precious in it.  With this in mind, a friend asked recently for me to re-post an article  I wrote for our state homeschool newsletter several years ago. At the time, I had just taken my youngest son and put him on the plane to head to college.  We were following later, and would see him in a week or so.  But it felt like a big deal to me!  So, here you go, Teri.  Hope it is an encouragement to those of you with aching hearts this season, Gentle Readers!

On the Last One Leaving

This morning, I drove with my youngest child the two-hours of highway through the desert of northern New Mexico to the airport at Albuquerque.  It was the first step on his 1500 mile journey to college.  In the back of my car were two large backpacks and three large suitcases filled with most of his worldly belongings.  But the most precious assets of the boy beside me could not be found by rifling through the tee-shirts and jeans, books, posters and CDs.

This fledgling young man has been the object of my wrestling and rejoicing in prayer for more than 18 years.  The Lord called his dad and me, first with his older brother, then with him, to leave what we knew behind us and trust God in their nurturing, admonition and education.  That led us often to struggle with them, and in that struggle, we discovered that the real enemy was us: our sin, our failures, our selfishness.  God used this young man, once a child, to make me what He wanted me to be—to lead me where He wanted me to go.  And wonder of wonders, in the process this young man became my brother and my friend.  He now bears the fruit of the journey we have been on with the Lord over the course of his life.

“You know to call when you get there,” I say.

“Yes, Ma’am,” he answers.

“And you will make daily time with the Lord a priority, and get involved with a good church right away?”

“Of course, Mom,” he says with a patient smile that reminds me he has heard this before.

Then he slips off to sleep beside me as he has done a hundred times before.  That gives me a chance to thank God for him quietly, for the privilege of nurturing two young men who now begin their own journeys to stand for the cause of Christ in the world.  Now I can let my heart overflow into tears without dampening the joy of his day.  He is ready and excited.  This is a day we have anticipated, prayed for, and dreamed of together.  And yet how can it be that it has arrived, already, on this beautiful, clear morning with a brilliant sun beating upon us as it has so often done?

It can be a daunting thing to drive back to an empty home which has been full.  And yet this is one more step on that journey from a place of familiarity to a place of trust.  The struggle, sweetness and fullness of the journey behind us makes the pain of leaving it more intense, but also makes the promise of the journey to come more inviting.  As I drive through the high plains desert back towards the Jemez Mountains, I rejoice in the God who has made all things well—the earth, and all those who dwell there—and who once sent out a Son of His own. 

Following my calling and rejoicing

Fall is in the air, Gentle Reader!  Around my home, that means the gardens are getting leggy and overgrown, the air is tinged with the smell of roasting green chile, and I am busy planning for classes. Today I spent hours on lessons plans and standing at the photocopy machine making copies.  And the weird thing is, I love it!

Some people can't understand why I would love these tasks, but the truth is, I am called to be a teacher.  I love thinking about those young minds and hearts, and trying to come up with ways to sink the truth deep into them as I teach them various skills.  I love the interaction with my students, the challenge and creativity called for when you are leading a class, the amazing places of the mind and the heart, and the privilege of helping to develop both in the lives of my students.  What could be a more important job, after all?

Now, my sweet husband is not a teacher.  He does sometimes teach, but he doesn't love it, and it is not what he is best at.  Give him a detector with interesting stuff on it, and lots of data, and he is happy as a clam.  Or better yet, let him go and collect the stuff before it goes on the detector!  He has a different calling than I do, and I'm glad he does.  He rejoices in the chemical world, and I rejoice in teaching humanities, and when we each follow our calling, between us much is accomplished. Having a calling brings focus and joy to my life.  What a beautiful plan God had when he called each of us to follow after Him, and to follow our bent. I don't have to feel guilty that I am not analyzing stuff, or doing anything else.  I can just follow my calling, and rejoice.

A woman's function is laborious because it is gigantic

It's that time of the year: parents are taking their precious children and leaving them at college; some of the younger set will return to schools, and some will be homeschooled by their moms. All of these activities seem to contain built-in mom-angst: How will my child fare? Have I done everything I could to prepare them for this? How can the time fly so quickly? How can I let them go with so much yet to say and do?

This is the time of year that Moms (and Dads and others) need to remember that our children belong, not to us, but to the Lord. He is their God, and will rule and guide them or allow them to follow their own way as He sees fit. We need to be reminded to let them go.

And yet, being a mom is a very important job, not because their salvation depends upon us, but because God has given us a high and privileged calling to train them up in the way they should go. We should work tirelessly and vigorously to raise our children, not because they will benefit from it (which they will) but because it is our calling before God. When we stand before God at the end of time, He will be interested in how we used our privileges.

So this fall, Gentle Readers, as the mothers among you get back into the swing of things, remember the importance of your calling, remember the preciousness of your charges, and remember the greatness of our God.

How can it be a large career to tell other people's children about [arithmetic], and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone, and narrow to be everything to someone? No; a woman's function is laborious because it is gigantic, not because it is minute.
~G.K. Chesterton

FellowshipMATCH: Fellowship for Mentors, Administrators & Teachers of Classical Homeschoolers

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Click to join FellowshipMATCH

Gentle Readers, a friend and I have started a new e-mail loop called FellowshipMATCH: Fellowship for Mentors, Administrators, & Teachers of
Classical Homeschoolers. This is a place for those of us who are teaching or providing a community of learning for homeschoolers from a classical Christian perspective, to get together, share ideas, and encourage one another. If you:
1. Are teaching homeschooled students who are not your children in any setting (individually or in a class, in person or online, in a co-op or study center or on your own);
2. Can assent to the Apostle's Creed as a statement of your faith in the triune God; and
3. Want to participate in civil, humane discussion about classical Christian education;
you are invited to join us! Membership must be approved by one of the moderators (myself or my friend Beth).

I hope to see some of you there!

The good and the genuine

"The supreme end of education is expert discernment in all things; the power to tell the good from the bad, the genuine from the counterfeit, and to
prefer the good and the genuine to the bad and the counterfeit."
~Samuel Johnson