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.

Hair Day!

Grandma is coming tomorrow, so we had "hair day" today.  I decided to try something new: a veil style ending in little puff piggies at the back.  I think it turned out really cute!  What do you think?  It isn't really complicated, but a new style always takes a little "figuring out".  We watched "Bear in the Big Blue House" while we did the styling.

Detangling took about 20 minutes in the bathtub and the style took about 40.   But it was a new style, so next time I expect it will take a bit less.  Her hair is getting really long.  It is amazing to look back at photos from a year ago and see how much longer her hair has gotten.  See:

And this was grown out quite a lot from when we first met her in Ghana.  Our only styling option was a headband at this point!

Daybook - Monday, April 26th

outside my window . . . an embarrassingly shaggy lawn.

in the kitchen . . . dishes piled in the sink left from the weekend.  I dislike starting Monday with dishes in the sink.  It just makes me feel behind already.

around the house . . . boxes piled beside the front door waiting transport to the storage unit.  Daughter's room with slashes of new color on the walls.  Both projects stalled last week and need to be re-started.  And laundry.

on my iPod . . .  lots of wonderful things which cannot be enjoyed because my silly calico cat enjoyed an ear-bud cord snack a couple of nights ago.  This is the second pair she's mangled.  The first time it was my fault for leaving them out...this time is was my eldest son's!  Guess who owes mom some money?  It is very odd - she can't seem to resist Apple's white cord coating.  She's also chewed up one iPod power cord.

from our studies . . . we are sticking with our "basics" right now, the three R's.  Oldest son has his Mock Trial competition on Tuesday...and then his Challenge B program is over for the year.  We'll do school for a few more weeks until our upcoming beach vacation!

thinking about . . . living in the country near good friends with a community playground, pool, and garden.  Working together on ministry projects and sharing life.  Doesn't that sound like a good life?

listening to. . . my morning NPR - something about derivatives.

thankful for. . . a Sunday afternoon spent with dear friends in good conversation while repelling children from second helpings of cupcakes.  And, particularly, a friend who is more like family - to the point of not being overly concerned about dirty dishes in the sink or clothes to be folded when there is an opportunity for fellowship.

pondering the words . . . "Try a simple experiment.  Take a small child on your knee.  Respect him.  Do not see him as something to prune, form, or mold.  This is an individual who things, acts, and feels.  He is a separate human being whose strength lies in who he is, not in who he will become. ... We are told by many in our generation that this small child is a cog in a machine, or even that he is a possession, like a pet animal.... We must answer: No.  You are holding a person on your knee and that is wonderful."   -- Susan Schaeffer Macaulay in her book about Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy, For the Children's Sake.

reading . . . When Children Love to Learn by Elaine Cooper (again)

remembering . . . last year being Baby L's first spring.  So many "firsts": first month home, first flowers, first meeting of friends and family.

~~~

to educate faithfully . . .  an awful sinus/ear issue last week really knocked me off my game.  I'm feeling better and hope this week will have better luck with the faithful part of our educational plan.  I think last week I would have said we were educating accidentally.  Back to our trimmed down study of the basics - but feel about ready to get back to the rich stuff....books, poetry, art, history, etc.

one of my favorite things . . . my new Order of the Daughters of the Holy Cross pin/pendant.

milestones in the past week . . . yesterday Baby L went, on her own initiative, to one of her godmothers during church!  Auntie B had a quiet and welcoming lap, just what Baby L needed.

a few plans for the upcoming week . . .   Hoping for a coffee date with a couple dear friends.  Might go to a US Naval Academy presentation for eldest son (he's entering high school and hopes to go to USNA or AF Academy after graduation).  Possibly attending a local event for some good Ghanaian culture Tuesday morning.  Mock Trial competition Tuesday evening (pray for his nerves if you are so inclined!  They are having the trial before a federal judge!).  Mother-in-Law coming to visit for her birthday and we are taking her to Biltmore House's "Homeschool Days".  Eldest son has a youth retreat this weekend.  And on Sunday I've got a relaxing "Twilight Tea Party" to attend.  Will it really be May by the end of this week?  Why yes, it will.

a picture thought I'm sharing . . .

the creek on a piece of property we are considering purchasing for a new home.

Saint George's Feast Day

April 23rd: Feast Day of Saint George
Patron saint of England and also: soldiers, archers, cavalry, farmers and field workers, riders and saddlers, and the Scouts.

Who was St. George?
Surely you've heard the story of the Saint who slayed the dragon to save the princess?  Well, that's him.  But here's a good history.




How to celebrate?
:-: Catholic Icing has some wonderfully fun craft ideas to celebrate.
:-: A large collection of ideas, activities, and recipes from a UK website.
:-: A Continual Feast (a great book and now a blog!) has a unique recipe: Creamed St. George's Day Mushrooms. (Why mushrooms?  You'll have to follow that link to find out!)
:-: Read M. Hodge's lovely picture book about St. George and the Dragon.  Or read his story from The Golden Legend (online) or this one, a bit easier to read.
:-: Make and hang a St. George's flag.
:-: Display some lovely red roses (the flower he offered the princess saved from the legendary dragon).
:-: Since George is the patron saint of England, enjoy some typically English dishes like Fish & Chips.
:-: Learn some facts about English history and/or geography - I'm partial to this interactive map.

A prayer:
O GOD, who didst grant to Saint George strength and constancy in the various torments which he sustained for our holy faith; we beseech Thee to preserve, through his intercession, our faith from wavering and doubt, so that we may serve Thee with a sincere heart faithfully unto death. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Creek - Redux and a Twist Out

By request of the most AWESOME African travel companions in the world...some photos of Baby L's Twist out.  (By the way - she's not a baby anymore, I guess I'll have to switch to Toddler L at some point.)  FYI - a twist out is a hair style.  After the hair has been put into simple two-strand twists for a few days, you can gently untwist for a free-form hair do that is really fun.  Erik says this is his favorite style for her - really suits her face and personality.

So here it is, the twist out:

(please ignore the mess in the background.)


We returned to the creek last week to check out the proposed house placement on the property.  Here are some photos:

One of the four corners of the house - this one is at the rear of the house.



looking toward the back "yard".  We plan on keeping the back as natural as possible.  The sides of the property need some underbrush clearing as does the creek a bit.

the kids went off on a short excursion across the creek.  Yes, the boys have their airsoft guns...I took a photo without the airsoft guns, but they looked too forlorn.

This isn't exactly the same view as the creek photos from las week, but close.  You can see how much greener the woods are this week.

  

Baby L absolutely LOVES the woods.  She wore her famous pink cowgirl boots (the better to crunch leaves with) and scouted out some good sticks.  (how about this style?  It is twists just pulled back into pig-tails and to the back I added some beads to the rows that I couldn't pull into the piggies.

The Family Altar

Morning light has been slowly growing from thin to bright for an hour or so.  Time to wake the children.


"Come on children!  Let's hurry down stairs.  Daddy wants to read bible before breakfast."


One by one they come, some dragging, some bounding, like the morning's birds to a bird bath.


"Mama, you said I could light the candle," whispers a small one.
"Ok, but let me help you," says Mama.


Carefully, mother's hand clasps little one's hand as the candle is lit and the family is finally all assembled.  The little altar shelf displays a white pillar candle - gleaming in its whiteness, a simple wooden cross, a displayed bible, a small icon of Christ Pantokrator, a brass candle snuffer, and an embossed metal storage box.  The ribbons adorning the little altar space have recently been changed from purple to white for Easter season.


Baby toddles from person to person for good morning kisses as Daddy starts the morning's reading. 


Later, the candle is snuffed and all disperse to chores, breakfast, and the office.  The day has begun.



So, what is a Family Altar?
A Family Altar is, first of all, anything you like it to be.  Simple or elaborate.  Private or Communal.  Formal or Relaxed.   Above all it is a visual reminder (for your own family) of the importance of the religious life within the family.  It can be a place family members gather for bible reading or devotional time alone or as a group.  It can be a place to display bits of God's creation you find on your nature walks.  It can be a place for your children to practice and learn about the liturgical life.




And how do make one?

Items you’ll need:
A Free-standing cross (purchased or homemade)
A pillar candle (white or red to represent the Holy Spirit)
A shelf or small table (or portion of a table)

Other items you might like to add:
-:- Lengths of ribbon in liturgical colors (red, white, green, purple, black, gold) to lay across altar area, drape around the cross, or otherwise display on the altar. Alternately, you could use pieces of fabric in liturgical colors as a ‘table cloth’ under your altar area.
-:- Candle snuffer – little kids enjoy snuffing out the candle.
-:- Small icon of Jesus – these can be found online and printed on cardstock or laminated or glued onto small wooden plaques (found at most craft stores in the wood craft section). Generally, there are no worries about copyright if you are not selling them to others.
-:- A decorative box to keep the supplies handy, but out of sight.
-:- Bottle of Holy Water (see your priest)

Where to find the items:
Crosses can be found at Hobby Lobby (or other craft store) or a Christian book store. As a family, you might enjoy making yours. Candles and ribbon can be found at any craft store. The icons can be found by doing a Google Image Search on “icon of Jesus”.


Where to place your altar
It doesn’t matter where you locate your family altar, but someplace that the entire family can gather is ideal. If it has the possibility for also being a private prayer place, that might be nice, too. (An example might be a shelf on a bookcase in a less-frequently used room.)

Traditionally, altars are set up in churches so that the congregation is facing East. You can try to do this in your home, too, but it certainly is not necessary.

If you don’t have a place you can keep the altar our permanently, you could keep the pieces in a lovely box and make the set up part of your family prayer time. Each family member could have a different responsibility.

How to set up your altar
Facing the altar: Place your cross on the right and the candle on the left. If you have book holder, place this in the middle and place your bible there. Above that (or if no book holder, in the middle) place the icon. You can tape or tack this in place on the wall, if you want. If you are using the ribbon, decide how you want to display that and choose the appropriate seasonal color. Lent: purple, Good Friday: black, Easter: white or gold, Pentecost: red, Ordinary Time: green, Advent: purple, Christmas: white

How to use the altar
Use it as a focus for family or individual prayer.  Allow a child to light and/or snuff the candle at the beginning and end of prayer or bible reading.  On feast days, let the children help you lay out the seasonal-colored ribbon or cloth.

Another idea
You might like to add icons for various days of the church year (Easter, Ascension, saints' days, etc).  Icons for these can be found by doing a Google image search.  Again, no worries about copyright as long as you are not selling the icons.  But do be mindful if the website specifically prohibits copying of pictures.   You can display them by hanging on the wall or back of shelf or by using a small display easel.


I know many of my readers probably do something similar.  If your family uses some sort of family altar, would you leave a comment and share any ideas or suggestions you have?

School of Rock!

It is amazing what little ones learn from their older siblings.  Baby L has learned about playing guitar...or at least Guitar Hero.

Here are some photos from this evening's session of "School of Rock".  Baby L and Biggest Brubbie rockin' out:

School of Rock!

It is amazing what little ones learn from their older siblings.  Baby L has learned about playing guitar...or at least Guitar Hero.

Here are some photos from this evening's session of "School of Rock".  Baby L and Biggest Brubbie rockin' out: