Contemplating Liberty on Memorial Day Weekend

This weekend I've seen many political cartoons and emails about the price of liberty - lest we forget on this Memorial Day weekend.  All important things to remember...memorial and all that.  But these have brought to mind the question...what is the price of lost liberty?  Are we willing to pay that price to gain certain "perks" in our daily lives? 

When we buy and buy and buy and max out our credit cards, we've lost liberty...and we pay a price.   When we fill our days with busy-ness leaving no time for relaxation and true rejeuvenation, we've lost liberty and we will pay a price.  When we rely on the government to do what the Church should be doing (taking care of the poor, for example), we've lost liberty and we will pay a price.

Just some thoughts running through my head this Memorial Day weekend.  Another thought is how much I'd love to be attending this year's CiRCE conference:   A Contemplation of Liberty.  Many people said last year's (Contemplation of Nature) was one of the best, but I suspect this year's just might top that one.   Are you attending?   I'll just have to settle for some conference CDs this year - but the good thing is I can listen to them over and over!

The reading list for the conference has been posted!  I can't wait to start reading!

And subscribe to the blog - Andrew always has some great posts.  Here is a small sampling:

The Art of Freedom
Freedom and Planning
Freedom begins at Home
Freedom: Aesthetic and Ethical

Have a wonderful weekend...I'm off to shop for a new refrigerator.

Daybook - Monday, May 10th

You know when your blogging becomes sparse and only consists of daybook posts for a few weeks that you are busy or sick or both, as I am now. Vacation is coming and with it some time to rest and be rejuvenated.  I hope to be back to more regular blogging soon. Lots of things to talk about with school wrapping up and summer on its way!  Thanks for sticking with me!   ~Kerry


~~~ My home ~~~

outside my window . . . after a few 90+ days, we have had two wonderfully cool, breezy days.

in the kitchen . . . Angel Food cake with strawberries tonight for dessert.  I'm saving up my carbs for that!

around the house . . . Dining room and Library have been finally cleaned out for our move.  They both look so good with less furniture.  There is definitely a lesson in that.

from our studies . . . I'm working on our summer plan.  It will include a unit on house-building - appropriate, no?

listening to . . . my kids fixing their own lunch (small celebration!), the dog chasing something in her sleep, the breeze whistling in through the small crack I've left in the window.

in the garden . . . azaleas are blooming - warm, soft pink.

living the liturgy . . . Ascension Day coming up on Thursday.  May is always so busy for us that this day often goes overlooked.  This May is no different in terms of busyness, but I'm looking at some very simple plans to celebrate this day.


~~~ Myself ~~~

what I'm wearing . . . grey lightweight pants, rose tunic top

thankful for. . . a VERY clean van (my Mother's Day gift from my family)

reading . . .  The Mysterious Benedict Society before passing it along to my kids.  I'm enjoying it so far!

on my iPod . . .  finally got my new earbuds!  I'm trying to catch up on some of my favorite podcasts before I download new ones.

creating . . . considering crocheting a lightweight summer blanket for Baby L.   I'm thinking a pale yellow cotton or maybe pink.

thinking about . . . how good it will feel not to have a head/earache.

noticing . . . that I just love the new placement of my "chair".  We rearranged the library (removed almost all of our books and one of our "big comfy chairs" and moved sofa and remaining chair to new positions) and my chair is now nestled into a private corner with a view out the front window.  It is very restful.


~~~ My Family ~~~

milestones in the past week . . .  Baby L moved from a booster with a tray to a booster at the table!  For a long time, she was too short to eat from the table in her booster.  Now (with the booster raised to its highest position) she can reach the table!  She seemed to really relish being up so high at dinner last night.

a few plans for the upcoming week . . .
- doctor today for a nasty sinus and ear infection (done - omnicef is my new friend)
- Wednesday my first meeting with the Daughters of the Holy Cross as an official "Daughter"!
- Ascension Day on Thursday with an "all Anglican" service.  (A group of the small local Anglican churches pools resources for special services like this - always fun to see our Anglican brothers and sisters from other churches.)
- Friday my Mom arrives for a visit.

Whirlwind Weekend

Erik's Mother, Farmor (which is Swedish for Father's Mother), came to visit to celebrate her birthday.   Our weekend started with a visit to "Guinness for Ghana", a fundraiser for a mission group opening an orphanage for children in Ghana (Lake Volta) region.  Their mission is to rescue children who have been sent off to work in the fishing industry in what amounts to slave labor.  

We enjoyed getting a chance to talk with the family who operates the mission, My Father's House.

We all packed into our van - I sat in the back with the boys.











Happy Baby L:

Farmor and Baby L check out the goody table.  What good grandma can pass up cookies for her grandbaby?  And what grandbaby won't oblige her grandma by eating up those good cookies?












The next day we were off to visit Biltmore Estate to celebrate Farmor's birthday.  It was the back seat again for me.  This time I got to share it with my sweet Little E.  (S didn't join us, he was on a Youth Retreat.)

H and Little E with the Biltmore Lion.

The tower over the front door of America's Largest Home.  We determined that our house would probably fit in the Conservatory, a garden room just off the main foyer.

Erik and his mom and the view from the back porch.  At one time the Vanderbilt family owned all the land that you can see from this porch.  Amazing - can you imagine being able to say, "I own everything I see."

Kids got a little tired (so did I from carrying Baby L - who has having none of the stroller or Daddy carrying her).  We decided to forgo the basement portion of the tour and take a rest on the lawn.  Farmor finished up the tour and met us outside.  The kids enjoyed some time rolling and running around in the grass.  

No visit to Biltmore would be complete without a trip to the Confectioner's Shop.  

And then to walk off the sweets, a tour of the gardens.  Here are the kids hiding inside an ancient Japanese Maple.

The gardens were really beautiful.  The girls loved the flowers and we all enjoyed the shady stroll and the nice breezes.

The trip home was a hard - everyone was tired and ready to be OUT of the CAR.  But we made it - and we have some nice memories of a lovely day.