The Theology of Harry Potter

::Spoiler Alert::

Though I'm guessing that most of you who are going to read them

have already!

The first Harry Potter book, The Sorcerer's Stone, was released in 1997, when my son Taylor was 7 years old. I bought the first book and we read the first five or so chapters aloud before I began to hear the siren calls that the book was demonic, full of witchcraft, and ought to be renounced by christians. I obeyed the cry of James Dobson and others to keep the book safely from my children-----until last Monday. I'm also ashamed to say that I likely criticized J.K. Rowling during the last twelve years without knowing much about her and certainly without reading the series or watcing the movies for myself---all the while, secretly wondering if I was misguided in my uneducated summation of her work. In retrospect, I don't think that was a very academic or even a very christian thing to do. I've had to do a similar sort of eye-opening on many subjects since I've become Lutheran, so I'm accustomed to the routine of relearning, of challenging old dogma that once ruled the day in my life.

So, after twelve years in exile, I resurrected the first book and the little girls and I are reading it ravenously. Perfect for the upcoming Thanksgiving holidays. I'm not sure what first kindled my interest in Harry Potter again but I think it has something to do with the fact that I'm taking my 17 year old to see New Moon tonight----another series of books with themes that some have called 'questionable' for christians. You can listen to a distintively christian review of the Twilight Series here, which I highly recommend, but that'll have to be another post for another day.

Imagine my surprise when I find this series of interviews between Todd Wilken and Dr. Rick Stuckwisch on the Harry Potter books; both of whom are Lutheran pastors I highly respect. And whether or not you've read the books or renounced them from your lives, I think you'd find the interviews enlightening. First, J.K. Rowling is not only an extremely well-educated and brilliant writer, but she is a christian. She has openly admitted to the christological themes in the books and not unlike C.S. Lewis, has purposely set out to be subtle with these themes so that the books would have a broader reach and appeal---possibly to engage those who would otherwise be repulsed by a book with overtly christian ideas. Furthermore, she has been harshly criticized for using magic {which she uses as a literary device---akin to the use of technology in the Star Trek series} by the same christians who gladly let their kids read Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia and Tolkeins' Lord of the Rings; both of which are full of 'miracles' and magic.

And given her christian heritage, it shouldn't surprise us that in the 7th and last book {the number of completion in the Bible} Harry dies, giving himself up out of love and mercy for others----then rises again----not unlike Aslan in the Narnia series. It also seems that even without the themes of mercy and self-sacrifice, the story is compelling in its' own right----a story of an orphan boy who grows up in a world full of good and evil and his journey in learning to navigate his often treacherous circumstances.

As I thought about all the hype surrounding these books, especially ten years ago, I found it sadly ironic that had I chosen to continue with the series at the time, I might have found more theological truth in them than I found on any given Sunday at the church I attended. {I've since changed churches}. At the very same time that I was so critical of Harry Potter, I tolerated regular preaching and teaching that more often than not, was much more pop psychology than it was Christ-centered theology. I condemned Harry Potter---who turns out to be somewhat of a Christ-type character while sitting by unaffected, watching the oprafication of my church take place. "7 Steps to a Better You" or "40 Days of Purpose" is not the gospel. If I had been as critical of the handling of God's Word as I was of Rowlings' handling of magic, I might have spared myself some years of agony. But then the themes of the scripture that run so clearly through our lives, and often so clearly in good literature, are unchanging. We struggle for truth. We wage war----often at the wrong enemy. In the end, it is only in dying that we are raised to life. The true enemy is defeated. Not with swords. Or magic. Or by 'my best life now'.

But by the vicarious atonement of Another.

Redemption is really the only story of mankind. {to paraphrase C.S. Lewis}

And perhaps we should rejoice wherever we find it.

* I saw these owl cupcakes online after doing a google search and just used chocolate cupcakes decorated with oreos for eyes, pecans covered in chocolate icing for ears and candy corn for nose. The Hogwarts students often have owls for 'pets'.

Confessions of a Bibliophile

I bought this sign from My Sweet Savannah a few months back for our anniversary. It's traveled a bit around the house and finally landed over our bed. I enjoyed it as I sat for long stretches of time and read this weekend. I'm reading The True End of Civil Government by John Locke and a wonderful historical novel by Geraldine Brooks titled March. The latter is the story of Mr. March, the father of the characters of Little Women. Brooks is a fascinating writer and the book is oozing with historical detail about the Civil War and the antebellum South. I would add it to a must read list. However, if you saw my most recent Amazon order, you might be suspect of my reading list advice. Here are a few of the titles:

How to Read Literature Like a Professor
Galileo's Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems
Isaac Newton's The Principia
Mortimer Adler's How to Think About the Great Ideas of Western Civilization

It's confirmed. I'm a bit nerdy. With an uncanny love for words.
Be they in a book or on the wall.
Or almost anywhere at all.

Happy Monday!

Furniture which shouldn't be spray-painted and books which shouldn't be neglected....

"No sooner doth the truth come into the

soul's sight, but the soul knows her to be her first

and oldest aquaintance."

1. I should first tell you that I am still working on the 'beauty' post. I get hamstrung by reading a lot of great writers and then feel completely inadequate with my own summation of the important points. I guess the old adage that we should listen twice as much as we speak is holding true for me. I can't stop listening(reading) long enough to speak (write).
2. I also wanted to tell show you what else I've been up to lately. By a stroke of luck, or by my estimation, divine appointment, I wandered into a 'high-end' furniture store at the end of their 'store closing' sale. I also just happened to have insurance money that had to be spent on furniture replacement in order to be fully reimbursed. Long story short, I feel like I've just won the lottery. Most of the furniture ended up being 75-90% off. For instance, I bought a $1000 kilim rug for $89. And so on. So, to prepare my house for delivery next week, I'm rearranging everything. ( or as JamieKnoxville and I affectionately call it.....'tuggin' and pullin').

Yesterday, in a burst of hulk-strength, I moved this large china cabinet from my dining room to the breakfast room---to make room for the $4500 mahogany sideboard that I bought for $619! It really doesn't exactly fit here, so it may end up in my bedroom holding clothes and shoe displays. On 2nd thought, my bedroom is on the other side of the world, so it will likely stay here for awhile.

To help me celebrate this rare joyous occasion, the crepe myrtles are blooming. So kind of them. ( I love how they poke through the fence)

I also have an insatiable reading appetite lately as I've been preparing the last two blog posts in this series. And if you are homeschooling, you must read this Charlotte Mason book "A Philosophy of Education"---it goes right along with the Thomas Jefferson book I've been giddy about, and is much better than reading someone else's summary of what Charlotte Mason said.

She reitirates the fact that self-education is the key, and that we as teachers, are to inspire and help to 'awaken the soul' so that children have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.

And Plato? This stuff is fantastic. I've been printing off maps of Greece and taking copious notes. It's not as hard as I thought. I read the sparknotes summary of it first, which helped, then I read a historical introduction, which really helped, and then I dove in, headfirst. It must be contagious because in the antique store the other day, my 7yo got really excited and said, "Mom, I just found a book about Plato!" We were all excited about the beautiful little volume with dainty gold lettering, but mostly, I was thankful that she had been paying attention to what we were reading.

And that little notebook at the bottom? That's a collection of lots of fun stuff----paint swatches (I'm painting my living room---which has been the same color for a record EIGHT years----before the new furniture arrives), magazine clippings of things I love, articles I want to read, my much neglected calendar, my somewhat neglected bible reading schedule, notecards, address labels, and so on.

I also stumbled upon a lovely aloe plant and my girls have discovered hundreds of little boo-boos lately which most definitely require aloe. Hundreds. Thank you to my friend, the Nester, for introducing me to this beautiful way of displaying my succulents.

So, as I re-evaluate my decor, and pour over design ideas, do you have any advice for me? I'm painting my living room Woodrow-Wilson Linen (a very presidential cream color) in an effort to feature my new heirloom furniture. But I'll find a way to 'shabby' it up a little I'm sure. Although I don't know how I'll adjust to furniture that shouldn't be spray-painted. I can't wait to show you.

Check out my tumblr site---a place where I store links and pictures I love. And if you have time this weekend, read the post I wrote at the blogfrog about my current thoughts on blogging.

Have a great weekend and I'll soon return to my series!

"Surround Them With Books"

This is part two in a series entitled Creating an Environment of Learning for Your Children. We will explore the power of books as a guidepost to your child's educational and spiritual development while inspiring them to a rich inner life that leads to greatness. I hope to give you some resources that will inform and equip you but most of all, I hope to encourage you and your children to read the great classic books of the past, and to use those books as a cornerstone for your life.

Our culture seems to have all but forsaken the written word. We live in an image-obsessed age where 'screens' have completely invaded every part of our lives. Even most of our churches have been invaded by the big screen. And when we do read, it's usually something written in the last 2 years, or worse the last 2 days. We have become unfamiliar with and ungrateful for the wealth of great writers, intellectuals, and heroes that have shaped the very way of life we now deem so precious. And you might ask, what is so wrong with a society that has become subjugated to images? What about the old adage 'a picture is worth a thousand words?' Gene Veith's book Reading Between the Lines begins with a powerful first chapter on the importance of the written word.

As television turns our society into an increasingly image-dominated culture, Christians must continue to be people of the Word. When we read, we cultivate a sustained attention span, an active imagination, a capacity for logical analysis and critical thinking, and a rich inner life. Each of these qualities, which have proven themselves essential to a free people, is under assault in our TV-dominated culture. Christians, to maintain their Word-centered perspective in an image-driven world, must become readers.

Vieth quotes Neil Postman who wrote extensively on the subject of image-dominate media.

Postman explores the differences between the mental processes involved in reading and those involved in television watching. Reading demands sustained concentration, whereas television promotes a very short attention span. Reading involves (and teaches) logical reasoning, whereas television involves (and teaches) purely emotional responses. Reading promotes continuity, the gradual accumulation of knowledge, and sustained exploration of ideas. Television, on the other hand, fosters fragmentation, anti-intellectualism, and immediate gratification.

So, how do we 'get back on track'? How do we turn back the tide and reclaim our children from the images that dominate our culture? The best way to is to set the example yourself. A Thomas Jefferson Education lays out a clear plan.

"Set the example by reading, pondering, writing about and discussing classics, sharing your love and ideas with your students (children). Then they get inspired, go to work, find the study difficult, and come back to you for encouragement."

We NEED books. We must turn off the screens . We need to teach our children that reading is THE most important part of their education. Teaching them to read great books is likely the single most important thing you can do for their educational development and for their spiritual growth.

For Their Educational Development

1. Reading reinforces the truth that we alone are responsible for our own learning. We've been handed a pernicious lie in our society. We expect someone to teach us the things we need to know. We have been taught to pawn off the responsibility of our learning to someone else. We are taught the learn the bare minimum: the 'Will this be on the test' mentality. And this mind-set wreaks havoc on one's desire and love for learning. Learning is hard work. It takes time, sustained concentration, and some solitude--- three things we seem to all be in short supply of. We want 'sound bites' instead of depth and spoon feeding instead of the difficulty of 'digesting' difficult vocabulary and complex sentence structure.

2. Reading great books connects us with great minds and thinkers of the past, who have been where we are, faced what we face, and have often done so with a dignity and character that can rarely be found in modern society. We learn the stories of Cleopatra, Esther, Augustine, Prince Caspian, King Arthur, and Tom Sawyer; stories of redemption and adventure that inspire us to greater and nobler pursuits in our own life. Nothing personal against modern writers, but there's little to inspire my 7 year old from a Junie B. Jones book. She can learn disrespectful language almost anywhere. But introduce her to the sisters of Little Woman or the adventures of Joan of Arc and then watch the magic begin. Next thing you know, she's staging tea parties and pretending to ride on horseback, and without ever verbalizing it, she's creating a rich inner life. Where her thoughts and dreams become entangled with those of the heroines she's read about; where she begins to come alive and believe that she is part of a grand story.

3. It inspires us to be creative, industrious, and virtuous. I cannot count on my hands the times this year my girls have read a great book and then been inspired to make or invent something or to draw and paint or to bake and sew. It's true for me too. Great books change us. They change the way we look at the world. They change the way we see ourselves. They move us to stretch our minds, to challenge our assumptions, to grow, and to refuse to stop learning.

For Their Spiritual Development

1. Christianity is a faith based on WORDS. We have a historic tradition that has been handed down to us as words on a page. We, of all people, must be people who read and value the written word. Our very life and faith depends on it. God warned His people early on about 'graven images'. Pagan societies have always been image-centered and we seem determined as a culture to let images be our master. Veith says this tendency toward image and emotion has invaded our church life as well:

As evangelicals, we too are tempted to conform to the world rather than to the Word, just as the children of Israel were tempted by their neighbors’ graven images and the thought-forms these embodied. We too often stress feeling rather than truth. We tend to seek emotional religious experiences rather than the cross of Jesus Christ. Because we expect worldly "blessings," we do not know how to endure suffering. We want to "name it and claim it"—instantly—rather than submit ourselves without reservation to the will of God. We are impatient with theology, and we dismiss history, thus disdaining the faith of our brothers and sisters who have gone before us and neglecting what they could teach us. We want entertaining worship services—on the order of a good TV show—rather than worship that focuses on the holiness of God and His Word. We want God to speak to us in visions and inner voices rather than in the pages of His Word. We believe in the Bible, but we do not read it very much.

2. Christians should be a well-informed and thinking people. Sustained serious reading, when modeled by parents, will teach children the value of personal discipline. It's easier to watch Stuart Little than to read it. It's far easier to watch Ben Hur than to read and memorize and meditate on the Ten Commandments. But as we know, anything worth having is worth working hard for. We must model for them the dedication and discipline it takes to educate ourselves. It will inspire them to seek truth on their own and equip them to identify falsehoods and posers.

The Practical Side---What to Do Now?

~Literally, surround them with great books. Start building a library of great books. Antique stores are often a great place to find classic books cheap. And most book stores have a section of classic literature and they are usually the cheapest books in the store. Try yard sales or Goodwill. The point of reading classics is that you'll want to read them over and over again, so start accumulating your own copies.

~Visit the library often and monitor what they get---a few 'fluff' books won't hurt them, but teach them to search out quality works too. I followed the Well-Trained Mind advice and make them get a biography, historical work, science-related book and then whatever else they want--each week.

~Give books as gifts---it teaches them that you truly value the printed word.

~Read to them, have them read to you, provide ample opportunity to listen to audio books, memorize poetry, bible passages, or quotes. ie......WORDS are important. WORDS are AMAZING!

~Make reading fun. Snuggle with them, stop and talk about the characters, ask them anticipatory questions to see how their logical skills are developing, and most of all, pick great books. Do interesting projects based on the books you read. Cook food from the time period or country from which the book was written. Use online cliff notes such as sparknotes to aid in your own understanding of plot, setting, and character analysis.

~ Having a plan for your reading will increase your success. I use The Well-Educated Mind to educate myself. It lays out a reading plan that can be tailored to meet your time constraints. I even started a bookclub based on this book and you can join us online this fall, as we tackle great thinkers like Plato, deToqueville, and Thomas Paine. If you don't have a group to read with, join us this fall. It'll at least give you a deadline, which is key for me finishing difficult books.

So, if we can agree that we should read, the next question is what to read. All books are not created equal. What is a great book? There are many definitions, but any book that can be read over and over again without you wanting to poke sharps objects through the your eardrums is usually a great book. And as much as I loved reading Twilight, I never once thought of reading it again. You can easily 'get it all' in the first time through. Not so with The Hobbit. Or Treasure Island. Or even Beatrix Potter.

There are many available lists of recommended books for children. I like this one, which you might argue contains only books written at least 90 years ago or longer. This one is very much more comprehensive and is broken down by ages, starting from birth.

My most important advice, open a classic and keep turning the pages. Great books are challenging, but as you exercise that part of your brain, it gets stronger and more fit for the task. There is no substitute for reading the great works of the past.

Happy Reading!

P.S. I just posted a new post for Rhoda's thrifty treasures party. Visit here to see everyone's 'finds'.

Surround Them With Mentors

Learning to knit from a great mentor, my mother-in-law

This is the first part of a four part series on Creating an Environment of Learning for your children.  Read the introduction here.  

 I read a book recently,   A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver Van DeMille, which I will refer to as TJED,  that inspired and challenged me to rethink the way I've approached home education and learning in general.  In the book, DeMille describes three types of education:  conveyor belt education which teaches the students what to think (most of our schools are this type--where all students learn the same thing at the same time),  professional education which teaches students when to think (this is particular training for a particular field like law, medicine, engineering, etc), and then leadership education which teaches students how to think (this type is what most of the educated people of the past received including our forefathers).   

He purports that societies function best when all three types of education are present,   the problem is that conveyor belt education has taken over.   It is rare in America to find students who are being trained to be leaders.   And just because your children are being educated at home or at expensive private schools doesn't mean they're being trained as leaders either;   likely, they are not.  Most home schools and private schools, without even realizing it, have adopted the conveyor belt model.   

So, how do we train our children to be leaders in our society?   He makes two basic recommendations, the classics (be it classic literature, art, music)  and mentors.  And he uses the example of highly educated men like Thomas Jefferson to drive his point home.   Jefferson worked extremely hard to obtain a superb education with a depth and breadth of knowledge that has rarely been duplicated.    To quote a beautiful artistic tribute to him by Maria Kalman (thank you Patty for the link), "he was a scientist, philosopher, statesman, architect, musician, naturalist, zoologist, botanist,  farmer, bibliophile, inventor, wine connoisseur, mathmatician, governor of Virginia, US minister to France, vice president, and president of the United States of America".   He learned to speak Latin, Greek, Spanish, Italian, French and knew more than ten Native American dialects, and was an accomplished attorney and businessman.   And he was educated like so many scholars and leaders who have gone before us:   by reading and studying the great classic works and by discussing ideas with his mentor, George Wythe.   

Parents are childrens' first and most natural mentors.  And DeMille encourages parents to adopt a style of mentoring your children, rather than demanding certain tasks from them.   The word mentor dates back to Homer when he wrote of the adventures of Odysseus.   When Odysseus left for the Trojan War, he left Mentor in charge of his son Telemachus. 

 In modern times, this word has come to mean counselor, trusted friend, one who leads by example.   It would sound more like,  "Let's read", instead of   "Go read".    Or  "Let's play"  versus  "Go play".     We all can think of people in our lives or in our childrens' lives who are great mentors.  I think of Grandma Evadne, Steve's mom, who seems to always teach the little ones by involving them in whatever she's doing, whether it's knitting or cooking or singing a song or telling a story.  I look forward to her visits because I know I'll learn something new and my girls will enjoy the gentle guiding and teaching of their grandmother.   We must learn to take advantage of the skills and passions of those who are more knowledgeable and experienced than we.  They are often most enthusiastic to teach us and pass their knowledge on to the next generation.

Even as our children get older, mentoring them doesn't require advanced degrees, it need only require that we're one book ahead of them in our own studies.   We read with them, to them, or maybe along side them, and then discuss the great stories and heroes.   Sure, they will have coaches, music teachers, and many other adults who will mentor them, but we shouldn't neglect the opportunity to enjoy the challenge and fruits of mentoring them ourselves.

There have been many women and men over the years who have been mentors to me.  They seem harder to come by now and I find that my mentors now are often the authors I read.   Hands down, the writings of C.S. Lewis have impacted me more than any other single author. There isn't a day that goes by that his words don't have an impact on my thinking and decisions. Thomas Jefferson is quickly becoming my new 'crush'.   I love this quote by William Channing,

"It is chiefly through books that we enjoy intercourse with superior minds.....In the best books, great men talk to us, give us their most precious thoughts, and pour their souls into ours."

So, we all need mentors.  And though you're busy mentoring your children, don't neglect your own need to be mentored and discipled.   Steve and I  tend to read the same books and then discuss the ideas together.   We're currently reading Plato (he's a book ahead of me) and he's soon to start the TJED book that I just read.   In a way, we mentor each other.   We also listen to many hours of talk radio and then discuss those ideas together too.    Then, someday, when our girls' read Plato or ponder the passive obedience of Christ,  we'll be able to mentor and encourage them from our own experience with the subject matter.   I leave you with this quote from Jacques Barzun, quoted in TJED,

"Think of human parents teaching their child how to walk.  There is, on the child's side, the strong desire and latent powers:  he has legs and means to use them.  He walks and smiles;  he totters and looks alarmed;  he falls and cries.   The parents smile throughout, showering advice, warning, encouragement and praise.  The whole story, not only of teaching, but of man and civilization, is wrapped up in this first academic performance."

My friend and mentor, Denise, just added a post to my Painted Patio Furniture party, so you should check out her chairs!   Many thanks to Denise for introducing me to homeschooling and to blogging, my two new favorite pastimes.  

Now, I'm off to do some mentoring.  First on the agenda:  homeade waffles.  Second,  chapter four of The Hobbit.

The Making over of my Bathroom and my Imagination

Edited to add:  I'm joining Kelly's 'Show us Your Bathroom' Party so if you're visiting from Kelly's blog, welcome.  You can see more decorating posts by clicking the pictures on my sidebar!  To my regular readers, you can see lots of cute bathroom decor by clicking here.

I also just wrote a post about "Why I'm not a Feminist".   It's sure to be controversial.  Click here to read.

Decorating my home is not just a hobby for me. It is a part of a quest to create for my family a haven, a place that inspires us, beckons us to retreat from the world; and calls us to notice and enjoy the beauty all around. And my tastes are changing. I'm finding that my spiritual need to live simply and authentically translates well into the  practical side of living too. Decorate with items that you love, that are beautiful, that inspire you.  First,  I want to show you the inspiration for my bathroom makeover. This bust of some Greek/Roman goddess/fairy beckoned me to bring her home. And I promised her that if she was 40% off---and still on the shelf---the next time I went to Hobby Lobby, I'd welcome her to our family. So, she was. And I did. We've named her Juno in honor of the great fun we've had studying the ancient Greek and Roman myths.


This bathroom makeover was an attempt to simplify---using what I already had---and adding a little paint and a little statue named Juno.

The walls got lighter.....

The tired and clunky medicine cabinet was removed and replaced with a simple mirror.

And Juno took her place upon the throne.

Maybe only the towels stayed exactly the same.

The project was cottage inspired--using the colors of the sea--with some natural elements such as shells and starfish to accent.

The vanity cabinet was painted a very dark brown....

and the two front cabinet doors were replaced. (I know, I'm schizophrenic---take the kitchen doors down, put the bathroom doors on).  The look is so much more sleek and clean (minus the two wet, smelly dogs in the picture).  I wanted to add a few quaint little details like vintage glass knobs and a towel 'rope', but those will have to wait for now.

Several smaller decorative items were removed in favor of the one large Roman goddess/garden fairy.   She makes a bold statement in this little room.  And though I have never been a fan of myths or fantasies, C.S. Lewis and George McDonald are teaching me. I am currently reading the book  Phantastes by McDonald;  a book that C.S. Lewis said, 'baptized his imagination'.   That alone intrigued me enough to want to read it.  But mythopoeic writing is difficult for someone like me to read.  It takes discipline and a certain sticktoitiveness, which I sometimes do not possess.  It helps that my  husband happens to love mythical writing and is re-reading the book with me so he can help me through it.

Here is what Lewis says of mythopoetic writing, "It is in some ways more akin to music than poetry.  It arouses in us sensations we have never had before, never anticipated having, as though we had broken out of our normal mode of consciousness and 'possessed joys not promised to us at our birth'.  It gets under our skin, hits us at a level deeper than our thoughts or even our passions, troubles oldest certainties till all questions are reopened, and in general shocks us more fully awake than we are for most of our lives......it finally lets us feel in our face the sweet air blowing from the land of righteousness."   

I think I finally get it.  After struggling through the first 60 pages of that book.....twice,  I finally feel that 'sweet air', an nearly inexplicable goodness, a 'baptism of my imagination'.   And Stevie tells me that Lewis' book "Till We Have Faces" takes it all to another level.  I highly recommend the books, but I cannot tell a lie;  the bathroom makeover was easier.   Maybe Juno will help remind us that this longing we have for fairy tales, for adventure, for truth and meaning, is given to us by God.  And His story is the culmination of all myth and fairy tale; the miraculous and mysterious come to us in the flesh, to bear our sin, and be our Savior.  

When I'm finished reading these, they stay in the Fairy Cottage Bathroom!  With Juno.

And I'm also reading one of McDonald's fairy tales to the girls, The Princess and the Goblin. They find it wonderful and magical and are never satisfied with just one chapter a night!  Do you have a favorite fairy tale/fantasy book?

Edited to Add:  This bathroom has no natural lighting and it's hard to get a picture that captures the colors well because of the necessity to use the flash.  I am not a fan of flash photography.  The bathroom walls are very similiar to my kitchen walls.....a very light (almost white) green.

52 books in 52 weeks

I'm on a quest to read 52books in 52weeks this year.I just finished 'Amusing Ourselves to Death' by Neil Postman: a great read about the powerful and denigrating influence television has had on our culture.  I heartily agree with his assertions and yet I full well intend to watch "Lost" tonight instead of engaging in  other more scholarly exercises.  And while I've started St.Teresa of Avila, our bookclub book for February, I haven't gotten very far. I have a serious literary crush on C.S.Lewis, who I and all his close friends affectionately call 'Jack'.  This drove me to jealousy when I saw Stevie reading 'A Grief Observed', so I read and finished it today...in one sitting....for the third time.  It's not that long but it is profound.  He wrote a series of journal entries after his wife, Joy Davidman, died, and they were later published into this short jewel of a book.  You must read it.  Here are some of the ideas that will be swirling around in my head after reading this giant of christianity and philosophy:

1.  Our 'realities' are likely not reality at all.  The house of cards we often build and stake our very lives on will likely need to be torn down, over and over again, so that all we are left with is Him.  I personally have had my house of cards smashed to smitherenes.....more than once.  I have wondered how many 'epiphanies' it will take until I finally 'get it'.  And no sooner than the "I need some time for me" HOC's is torn down,  I'm busy building the "My children are now my everything" HOC's.  One may seem less selfish than the other, but either way, He will tear down the idols we make.  He is an exacting surgeon in our lives and in His design to make us like Him, he will not shy away from tearing down the temple to rebuild it.  He will do what it takes to drive us to foot of the cross....where our suffering can finally and only have its true meaning.....and where the very temple of God Himself is 'torn down' for our redemption.

Lewis says, " The more we believe that God hurts only to heal, the less we can believe that there is any use in begging for tenderness.  A cruel man might be bribed-might grow tired of his vile sport--might have a temporary fit of mercy.  But suppose that what you are up against is a surgeon whose intentions are wholly good.  The kinder and more conscientious he is, the more inexorably he will go on cutting.  

2. This book cannot be read without the tightening of the chest that accompanies the 'what if' question.  How would I ever learn to live again if my spouse died?  It has a way of making every moment seem like a gift.  I dare say that I will never meet someone again who knows me, sharpens me,   teaches me, and encourages me to fully use my gifts, as Steve does and has.  And it's not perfect, I know.  But I needed the reminder, as I suppose we all do, that our marriages and spouses are a gift from God that should be nurtured and guarded and protected.  Our enemy will use anything to separate us.....and sometimes that separation is death.  I'm hanging on extra long to that hug tonight.

3.  Lewis does the equivalent of asking the 'why' question at the beginning of the book.  Actually, he seems to be yelling the why question while shaking his fist toward heaven. And although even Jesus asks the why question on the cross (My God, why have you forsake me) the answer is .............silence.  We don't get the luxury of 'why'.  But the Surgeon knows what we need.  And is painstakingly making us over.  Our stance toward him should be one of surrender and repentance.  Whatever it is that brings us to repentance has been good for us.  And shaking our fist at Him doesn't change one iota of who He is or what He is up to in our lives.  The sooner that house of cards falls, the better.

Won't you join me in 52 in 52?  It'll be fun and keep us reading.  And yes, Goodnight Moon counts, if you need it to.

Rise and Shine

    It's happened to me a several times over the past few years.  I read a book or hear a sermon or listen to a talk that changes everything.  Or at least how I look at everything.  An epiphany of sorts. An ah-hah moment.  It happened when I first discovered Lutheranism. And the first time  I read C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity.  And the first time I heard about classical education.  And after I listened to  Dr. Steven Hein speak about 'vocation'.  And then today.  After I read Dumbing Us Down, written by John Taylor Gatto....an expose on the hidden curriculum of compulsory schooling. How many awakenings does one girl need in any given three year span?  Stevie feels the same way.....and has forbid any new books for at least a month. He's kidding. But I know what he means.  It can be a little like losing your footing.  Or like waking up from a deep slumber and being blinded by a very bright light that exposes all manner of short comings in your life.  Truth has a way of tearing down....the pretenses and straw men we've built.  And before truth nurtures your soul like a good medicine, it can be a bitter, harsh reality.  

     

Growing up as a product of nearly 25 years of compulsory government schooling, I never questioned the institution.  It seemed perfectly natural for 35 adolescents of similiar age to be quarantined together all day under the auspices of 'education'.  Away from the influence of their parents, grandparents, and community. And relieved of any community responsibility to serve the neighbor. To obey a set of prescribed rules where one is allowed to learn math only between 8 and 9, stop all learning when the bell rings, and  use the restroom between 3rd period and lunch. The 'institution' then invades the sacred 'family time'  by assigning far too much homework and thereby successfully further isolating children from the most promising influence most can hope to have....their own parents. 'They' have taken the lion's share of children's lives by demand and we have grown so accustomed to the system that we wouldn't think or dare to question the goals or motives or outcome.  Gatto asserts that basic reading, writing, and arithmetic can be learned in 100 hours if the child is ripe for learning. So what is happening in the other thousands of hours?  He taught for thirty years in New York City and was crowned with many glowing achievements. He seems fit to have an opinion. 

     

 He ponders the hard questions.  Why have we allowed them to capture nearly the entire childhood and adolescence of our children without so much as asking the obvious questions? The 'pseudo-communities' that schools forge, he says, lack real nurturing and love that families and real communities provide. And given the amount of time spent in school, after school activities, and homework...plus the time spent under the  mind-numbing brain-washing effects of most television, it's no wonder that our generation is frought with people who are addicted, divorced, lonely, and literally at a loss to make meaningful connections and relationships. This 'network' created by people of similiar age or interest  is a shallow excuse for a supportive environment that is conducive to growing healthy, happy, independent adults.  The school system itself fosters dependance.....where we want someone to tell us where to go and what to do next.  That's what we've been doing all our lives.  He makes the point that the system is designed this way because those dependant types prop up our economical system well....where the average high school graduate is most likely to work at Walmart or in fast-food.  In that sense, he says, the system does exactly what it is designed to do.  To make a society of people addicted to dependance and consumerism.....thereby ensuring the 'big machine' will continue. They will tell us what to buy.  We will buy it.  It works for everyone.  Or so it seems. 

 

This sort of pseudo-commmunity lifestyle is also sorely lacking in solitude.  Our kids have no time to play.  Without homework. Or lessons. Or organized sports.  Or electronics.  And if they do have free time, they don't know how to use it.  Where are the creative, inventive, industrious children that could spend an entire afternoon amusing themselves with a roll of tape and an egg carton? Or heaven forbid a book with any more depth than Goosebumps.

As a result of growing up highly addicted to distraction, it took me many years to appreciate solitude.  And to use it effectively.  To learn a new skill.  Or to read a good book.  Or to sit and watch the sunset and appreciate the beauty all around us.  Solitude is where the real 'work' happens.  Where our souls are fed.  And without solitude, our lives become a series of poorly linked events....without meaning or purpose.  We're addicted to distraction according to Gatto.  And we're teaching it to our kids.....or at least we're letting schools and  television teach it to our kids...all day long......as we sit by and wonder why we live in a society full of violence, drugs, pornography, a myriad of psychiatric illnesses, and addictions of all kinds.  We need meaningful relationships, a safe and stimulating environment in which to learn, and solitude.....where the real learning happens.  Most of our lives are filled with overextended schedules, very little solitude and shallow family relationships that are mostly based on the 'next activity'.  And I'm as guilty as the next guy. Homeschooling is sometimes a wonderful alternative , but it doesn't ensure that the learning won't be fragmented and devoid of real meaning.  I will certainly not be interrupting anymore 'in the zone' playtime, which is probably where real-life math skills are learned, to require the girls to do another worksheet.  I will no longer feel guilt or pressure to mimic the 'school' environment where the lines between math and history are so clearly demarcated.  And we will take more field trips.  To learn about sewing from a seamstress, and baking from a baker, and gardening from a gardener. People who have a talent or skill and are passionate about it are the best teachers.  Which reassures me that my girls will at least be able to transform an old door from Goodwill into a killer sewing table.....and make the world's best brownies.....and when all else fails, add lip gloss and ribbon.   I do hope my love for reading gets transmitted. At least then there's hope of  lifelong learning.

So, this book has affected me profoundly.  It has illuminated why I have struggled so much with certain issues in my own life.  Parts of this book rang so true in my heart that I found myself  at times full of emotion.....of regret for so many 'lost' years......and of guilt, for sitting by for so long and expecting someone else to do for my children what I can most effectively do.  Whether they go to school or stay home with me.  Waking up from such a slumber is painful. The light is bright and hurts my eyes.  I want to pull the covers back up and pretend it's not morning. Just one more hour. Or five more minutes.  But I know what I must do.  I must brave the light. And pray for mercy.

I would recommend the book to you but I hate to be the one to disturb any good dreams.  Be careful if you read this one.  Approach with caution. It is powerful and will sound a mighty loud alarm.

BTW, he offers a glimmer of hope where schools are  more locally controlled and does offer homeschooling as an alternative that seems to be successful.  But for most of us, we must live with the consequences of the education we have received.  And hopefully we will all  continue to be self-taught and self-directed enough to fill in the gaps.  And although I have very large gaps, I seem to have an insatiable appetite for filling them. 

My obsession with books......and a book giveaway

I have a dangerous obsession with books.  C.S.Lewis once said that a person's most frivolous outgoing expense every month should be his books.......I'm finding that very true in my little small town where NOTHING I ever want to check out is at the local library.  Is George McDonald really that obscure?  Shouldn't every reputable library have Louisa May Alcott's Eight Cousins and more than one copy of Uncle Tom's Cabin? They have every last book in the Goosebumps series.  Too bad I'm not into prepubescent slimy monster stories.   So Amazon and I are good friends.  This is one of my most recent purchases....a book about how to lead children in discussions about books.  It's fascinating and should be on the shelves of every educator who plans to teach children the love of reading. 


This quote is my favorite:

What children read is important. The theory, still in vogue, that says that it doesn't matter what your child reads as long as he or she reads something is just plain wrong. If anyone tries to convince you otherwise, don't believe it. This notion springs from the assumption that kids need success--any success--to bolster their self-esteem, and if they have to struggle a little it might leave them feeling bad about themselves. Nothing could be more wrong-headed or insulting to children. Kids' self-esteem comes from the same source as adults' self-esteem: taking on something that seems hard at first and then doing better at it than you ever thought possible. Kids are hip; they know when they're being dumbed down, and no child develops genuine self-esteem from being praised for something he or she didn't work at.

As a  little help for the giveaway here's the list of my latest Amazon order.... mostly for the kids

 The Phantom Tollbooth

 Babe: The Gallant Pig (Babe)

Atlantis: The Legend of a Lost City

Discovering Great Artists: Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of the Great Masters 

 The Lutheran Book Of Prayer

 The Railway Children (Nesbit)

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

The Orchard Book of Roman Myths 

Lost Horizon

Eight Cousins

A Wrinkle in Time

Now what I want to know from you is:  What are you planning to read in 2009?  Do you have a list?  I want to know so I can maybe add it to the ever growing list of books I want to snuggle in with this winter.  And because I love you all so much I'm giving away a copy of the Lutheran prayer book to the person who leaves me a comment suggesting a book that piques my interest that I either haven't read or have been wanting to read again.   I often post prayers from the Lutheran Prayer book and it is a wonderful resource for a christian of any denomination.  You could tell me about a great childrens' book too....I'm always on the prowl.  To give you all a fair chance at picking my book,  my kids don't read Goosebumps and I don't ever read anything by Patricia Cornwell.  Now.....Ready, set, tell me what to read.

To further assist you, here's what I've read so far this year:  Mere Christianity, The Great Divorce, Reflections on the Psalms, Reading Between the Lines, The Imitation of Christ, Charlotte Mason's series on Homeschooling, The Well-Trained Mind, The Well-Educated Mind, The Pilgrims' Progress, Uncharted, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Madame Bovary, Pride and Predjudice, Heart of Darkness, New Moon, Twilight, Amusing Ourselves to Death, The Book of Concord, Julius Ceasar, Emily Dickenson, History of the World, What's So Amazing About Grace, The Defense Never Rests, A Generous Orthodoxy, The Mind of the Maker and probably 100 letters that Abigail Adams wrote to John and I can't remember what else.

Addendum: you people are serious readers.....it's gonna take me a day or two to sift through the titles......or order more Lutheran prayer books.

Why I Can't Stop Reading Good Books........

"Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become.  In reading great literature I become a thousand men and yet remain myself. Like the night sky in the Greek poem, I see with a myriad eyes, but it is still I who see. Here, as in worship, in love, in moral action, and in knowing, I transcend myself; and am never more myself than when I do.”
~C.S. Lewis

After nearly two weeks of planning and baking and decorating and cooking,  Thanksgiving seemed to blow in and out like a summer storm.  It was wonderful and ever so brief.  Lingering around the table with coffee and dessert never lasts long enough for me.  The rest of the weekend, I spent playing board/card games and reading.  My weekend reads consisted of a few exceptional  blog archives from Conversion Diary (and some of her links) and the book Uncharted by Angela Hunt, along with some excellent Advent readings.   My mind is still reeling.  I approached this  book with a healthy degree of skepticism when I read this on the back cover:

"...A blend of the movies Castaway and The Big Chill, with a touch of the television series Lost, creatively thrown together with the biblical story of the beggar Lazarus and C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce."

I'm a huge fan of (have a serious literary crush on) C.S. Lewis....so when his name gets tossed around,  I get defensive. I've read all but 3 of his books and most of them several times.....Mere Christianity maybe 6 or 7.....and he is in my estimation the most gifted christian writer of the 20th century....hands down.  Steve and I plan to fight over who gets to have coffee with him first in heaven.   The Great Divorce happens to be my 2nd favorite of his books.  So I read....but with some skepticism.

I read the book in less than 2 days.  It was compelling enough to keep me reading. I had to force myself to put it down.....to shower and such. I will give none of the plot away, but I will say that it is a book that will change me....that will change the way I think about the world.....that will cause me to 'transcend myself' and for that I am always grateful.  It does not approach the genius of The Great Divorce but I can understand and appreciate the comparison.  This book and the unrelated  blog posts that I read this weekend have certainly 'irrigated the deserts of my life' and left me with the following observations that I want to share with you:

1. We often look/long for something to satisfy our souls that is unattainable. If we just had the right job/spouse/church /children/home/car/job/circumstances/camera..... then life would be what we have always hoped for.   The perfect sublime will of God is right before our eyes and we miss it. Everyday.  We long to do something important..... something that matters.  His will.....his perfect will is exactly where you are....with exactly the people you are surrounded by....doing exactly your vocation....to the best of your ability and to the glory of God.  Even if that means doing what I'm doing....playing a memory game with my girls while I fold a load of laundry and wonder aloud how this ghastly amount of dust by my fireplace escaped my swipe before Thanksgiving.  The every-day, mundane, mind-numbing tasks of daily life were hardly the place I'd look to try to find  this ethereal ideal of the will of God.  But that's His design of vocation.  Help me to see where the mundane touches the divine, Lord and help me to 'serve my neighbor' (often my children) as I perform the tasks that my vocation requires. 

2. We long to find a little time/space to ourselves.  We hurry through our 'chores' and perhaps through the kids' nighttime routine in hopes that we can secure a little something for ourselves...maybe a corner of our hearts where noone can invade. ...or at least an hour on the computer....where the pull of impatient hands will not be felt.  We hurry through a game of Sorry with the little ones to get to some 'quiet' time where we would surely suppress rage if they invade.....for another drink of water or another kiss goodnight. God says that I belong wholly to Him.  All of my time is His.  All of my heart is His.  He entrusts me to be a good steward of this precious time He gives me to shepherd and nurture these little lives.   Help me to not hurry them Lord.  Help me to answer their questions with understanding.  Give me wisdom to see that their 'interruptions' are Your divine will....that every circumstance that presents itself in my life......is a chance to serve You and teach them.  And though I will certainly give thanks when the peaceful moments come, I will not seek those moments at the expense of my childrens' discipleship.

3. Despite everything within our sinful nature that would like to take credit for any 'good' found in  ourselves, we are in absolute and abject poverty without the grace of God at work in our lives.  I cannot even take credit for the fact that I am a christian.  It's all His work.  It is He that rescues and saves and redeems and loves.  All good gifts come from Him and in Him we 'live and move and have our being'.  Why then do I find myself judging others and feeling 'glad 'I'm not like those people'?  Lord, remind me of the complete and utter despair that exists outside You.  Remind me that the very thing I could never earn.....You have freely given.  Remind us of Luther's words that, 'We are beggars, all.'

4. This was a weekend of reaffirming why it is that I decided to homeschool.  This online article articulates what I've often wanted to tell those who are curious whether or not my children will turn out to be social misfits with little to no impact on their culture for Christ.  I am more motivated than ever to create a culture in our home of learning and faith and serving my family. When I was an active volunteer at my childrens' school in the past, I felt a certain 'pouring out of myself' to the multitudes with little to nothing left at times to 'pour out' on those I am called to serve the most......my own family.  Sally Thomas said it marvelously:  

"The challenge for homeschoolers, then, is not to embrace a kind of spiritual Marxism, in which a limited amount of parental nurture and Christian witness is redistributed, in diluted form, to the masses—or to feel guilty if they don’t—but rather to bear persistent witness to the worth of children, the rewards of family life, and the hope that lies in nurturing culture on a small but potent scale, soul by soul by soul."

It has been a much needed 'filling up' of my tank and this rich reading....along with the Advent readings will take me a while to process.  

And that's why I can't stop reading good books...and good blogs!

I've missed you this week girls!

I almost forgot.....

to take a picture of my bookclubbers, but at the last moment with only 8 of us left,  I remembered.   Sorry for the poor quality photo and sorry to all you bookies who left too soon!   We had a marvelous time discussing Pride and Predjudice (which we actually did discuss) and we enjoyed some good food and coffee and fun fellowship.   This is phase one of my "Keeping My Sanity" strategy while I'm homeschooling.   I am one of those types of people who  is energized by the company of others,  by cooking and seeing lots of people enter my home.   Next months' read is Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe.   I'm on chapter 3 and love it already.    I'll leave you with this quote from the book about Aunt Chloe that seems to be my mantra in life,  "The arrival of company at the house,  the arranging of dinners and suppers "in style,"  awoke all the energies of her soul;  and no sight was more welcome to her than a pile of travelling trunks launched on the verandah, for then she foresaw fresh efforts and fresh triumphs".  

My Bookclub debuts this week....

I came across this book this summer when I was tirelessly searching and reading in preparation for homeschooling.    The same author wrote "The Well-Trained Mind"  which we are using to give our kids a comprehensive classical education.    This is her answer to, "How do I give my children the classical education which I never had?".   Besides being a great start on  'books every educated person should have read' ,   this is an excellent tutorial on how to properly read a book.    Since I'm a "bookie"  of sorts,  reading this book  made  my heart flutter and gave me a renewed sense of structure and purpose to my own reading.   Of course,  I then wanted to share my new enthusiasm with everyone,  so I started a book club,  using this book as a guide for how  and what to read.    A few upcoming titles on our list are "Pride and Predjudice" , which we will discuss this week,   "Madame Bovary" ,  "Uncle Tom's Cabin",  "One Hundred Years of Solitude"  just to name a few.   I couldn't be more excited;   reading with a purpose, friends and coffee,  laughing and visiting.    I am also determined that this will be a "real" bookclub where people actually read the book.    So far,  I'm encouraged.   Of the 17 people who have RSVP'd yes,   they've all mentioned how hard it has been to get through the 19th century language of Jane Austen.   Because I'm a C.S. Lewis buff,  I've had a little practice in reading the style and vocabulary of well-educated English writers.    It's like any other exercise....very hard at first but the practice pays off.   It's not the book I'm worried getting through at this point;  it's trying to come up with discussion questions that don't bore me and everyone to tears.   Any suggestions?   The first question on my list, "Are you a Jane or a Lizzie?"  and  "Are you married to a Mr. Darcy or Mr. Bingley?" 

Thoughts from the lake......

This was our view from our little lake cabin that Steve's family owns on Lake Louise in Alexandria Minnesota.  It is a darling little place and we cozied in together and had a jewel of a time.   We spent lazy mornings  in our PJ's and sweatshirts reading C.S.  Lewis and drinking way too much coffee,  followed by swimming,  floating,  playing games,  more reading,   knitting;   in essence  a whole lot of  R-and-R.    Steve's mom made lots of amazing food which I ate a hefty amount of and then polished that overindulgence off with a scarce amount of exercise.   So,  I was in fact a vacationing fool.    Did I even shower?   Maybe twice.   But I was in water,  technically.    And we follow the lake tradition of shampooing our hair in the lake so as to truly justify our lack of shower taking.   My kids love this.    They rejoice as if they are getting away with crimes against each other.    I will list other things of  interest in no particular order.

1.   I love the new word I learned from Julie and Sophie.   "Bojangles-  definition...jewelry--cheap jewelry.    I love the word and I can't stop using  it.   I even bought some bojangles in the Mall of America just so I could say "bojangles".    Go ahead.    Use it in context.    They won't mind.

2.   I have fond memories of our "Little House on the Prairie" extravaganza.    We watched the whole season one while we were gone.   I've always secretly wanted to be Laura Ingalls.   I guess every girl who grew up in the seventies did.   Now my girls can share the magic.    Even Caiti (my 15 yo daughter)  watched it with us.....and loved it.    What's not to love,   why there's handsome,  perfect "paw"  and gnarly Nellie and that bump music which is permanently ingrained in all our brains......da da da da......da da da da.......

3.   There is something strangely fantastic about being in a town with so many Lutherans and so many Lutheran churches.    You have this feeling (probably misguided) that people just "get" you.   Living in the south and being a Lutheran is lonely proposition.   At least Stevie and I have each other and of course our precious "Issues".    We couldn't survive the parched south without Todd and Jeff.

4.   People are so blasted crafty in Minnesota.   There's quilt shops and yarn shops galore.    The atmosphere makes one want to crochet.....or knit.....or sew something.   You feel like such a schlep if you don't have crafting skills.    I'm learning but southern girls are raised on being good cooks and hostesses and always having your lipstick on.     That's what we're good at.    But I just down right admire a girl who can piece a quilt.    It's on my bucket list.

5.   Possibly my favorite thing about visiting MN is having the pleasure of seeing Stevie laugh like he laughs at no other time.    His dad and his brother Jeff can just get each other going. They are a funny bunch.

So, the little girls amused themselves by making real "stick" people...and by that, I mean paper dolls attached to "sticks".  They named them "little sister" and "big sister".   I suggested  "thing one" and "thing two"  but I lost.    They also can't stop talking about the new American Girl moving that opens this Wed.  July 2nd  about the story "Kit".   I bought that doll for Caiti when she was 9, I think.   I have such fond memories of  lying in her bed with her reading about Kit.  Maybe she will join the little girls and I for the movie.  It's fun to see Emme and Elea now going through the same stages.....they just came to ask me to bake Kit a birthday cake.    It's apparently her birthday today.   Who knew?
Steve chose "The Great Divorce" as his read for the day  which is a masterpiece by C.S. Lewis about the great divorce or chasm between heaven and hell.   To wet your appetite,   "...life is not like a river but a tree.   It does not move toward unity but away from it and the creatures grow further apart as they increase in perfection.   Good, as it ripens, becomes continually more different not only from evil but from other good."    Great read,  one of my favorites.   Then I haphazardly picked up Craig Parton's book(that brother Jeff gave us, I think) and started perusing.   Before I knew it I was hooked and in about 3 hours I  finished it.    It, also, is a great read.   And there is something marvelous about finishing a book.   I have several started right now....Pilgrims's Progress,  Don Quixote,  Thomas a' Kempis,  ad lib ad nauseum,   and I am bleeding from the eyes from all the curriculum reading......so to actually start and finish a book in one evening....now that is closure.   The literary equivalent of running a 10K and the antithesis of having 10 half finished books staring at you  on your nightstand,  which is my MO.   
I pondered reorganizing the laundry room which looks like this when you read a whole book in one day.   But I didn't.

  I turned my attention to the soon-to-be schoolroom which was recently painted(floor, walls, and trim) by my mom, myself, my son and Andrew.   Yep,  this is them "working".   Take careful notice of the pink bedazzled cowgirl hat and the colorful, gardening/hiking boots.  These are your tax dollars at work(they both attend the local public school).   So,  I.......