The Charlotte Mason Girl

Friday's Fun - Getting Back At It!

It might not sound like much fun - but for me, this week of getting back into our routines has been another breath of fresh air!  Don't get me wrong - we all needed that Christmas break.  All of the carolling, cookie baking, eating, parties, gathering with family, eating,  special programs at church, gift making, eating, gift giving, and general fun for a few weeks was a blast!  (Did I mention I ATE a lot?!)  I love to spend December evenings sitting by the fire and looking at the Christmas tree, contemplating the birth of Christ and what it meant to me, as well as counting all my MANY blessings.  

 

After a few weeks of all this merryment, though, I confess I was itching to get back to a 'normal' life.  (Whatever that is!)  Back to regular bedtimes, wake times, chores, school, quiet time in the afternoon - just KNOWING what is coming next makes a big difference to my state of mind.  The children needed to get back into our routines, too - even though they didn't realize it.  All of a sudden squabbles are down, rooms are staying relatively tidy, they are even enjoying their lessons!  After all, they hadn't seen their books for awhile.  Whether they realize it or not, those lesson books are companions, and are missed when they are away.  

 

So, I'm grateful for the break we have had.  Christmas decorations are going to come down this weekend, the snowmen will go up, and we will continue on the path for this year.  It feels good to be settled in again.

 

How about you - do you enjoy getting back into routines, or do you resist giving up the freedom of break time?

 

Merry Christmas!

Well, this Christmas season has been a real blessing so far!  We have baked cookies, made ornaments (more than once!), read good Christmas books, been working our way through the Christmas story in many places in scripture, and generally been enjoying each other's company.  Several people have also been spending a lot of time behind locked doors!  hehehe....  The little ones (who aren't so little any more!) don't quite understand why all the secrecy, but they will be catching on, soon, I'm sure.  

 

Our 7-year-old came to a place in her life that she got it - why Jesus came, what He did for her, and her need for a Savior.  On December 4th, her heart was sealed to Jesus, and she became not only my daughter, but my sister in Christ.  What a day!  She has exclaimed more than once that she just can't stop thinking that "Now I'm a Christian!"  She also sings a beautiful song to God - often, loud, and unashamed.  It is such a sweet fragrance to this mother's heart to watch her child experiencing the Joy of her salvation so fully!  The Lord has even used this time to refresh me in my own Joy over my salvation.  What He did for me is not something I can speak eloquently about, but it is something that I treasure above everything else.  

 

My prayer for you this season is that you will know Him - the One who came to pay the penalty for sin, so you could be set free.  I also pray that you will experience that peace and goodwill that the angels proclaimed the night of the Savior's birth.  Enjoy this time with your children - it goes fast.  Proclaim the good news to your family this season - and to those whom you come in contact with. Let your heart be renewed with the knowledge of the greatest story ever told!  

 

May God Bless you, and may you bless God! 

Time to Take a Break!

We have been very busy around here, lately!  We are full into the swing of Christmas celebration and preparation, and we are loving it!  I am really savoring every minute of fun with the children.  It has struck me that our oldest is nearing the time to leave the nest (much sooner than I care to admit!), and our youngest is really able to participate in everything this year!  Crafts and decorating and cookie baking and partying and Christmas programs and on and on and on!!!  We are having so much fun.

 

So, it's time for me to admit that I just can't keep up with the celebrating and family fun like I want to, and keep up with posting four days a week.  I am declaring The Charlotte Mason Girl officially on Christmas break!  I plan to enjoy this season with my family.  I pray you will do the same with your family!

 

After the Christmas season, I'll be back with some great posts that are on my heart.  I will also be working hard on creating some new products to let you know about.  Have a great finish to 2011!  Enjoy every moment you have with your family - these moments will never be repeated.  

 

May God bless you and your family - and may you enjoy not only the season - but the One we celebrate.  Love you all!  

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Thursday's Resource Review - Of Plymouth Plantation

Today, I want to share one our family's favorite November traditions - Bradford's History of the Plymouth Settlement, titled Of Plymouth Plantation.  This book is a fairly detailed account of the pilgrims who were used of the Lord to help begin the nation I live in today - one that I love.  The story begins about 12 years before the pilgrims actually arrived in the New World, and Bradford takes great effort to detail all the events and conditions that led the pilgrims to finally make that great trip.  The story continues through the long, arduous voyage and goes even further, following the settlement through 30 years after they arrived in the New World.

 

He shares their persecution in England, the freedom and temptations they had in Holland, and why they saw the trip to the New World as less dangerous than staying put.  Probably my favorite quote from the whole book comes in the description of the discussion that led to the decision to leave: "Last and not least, they cherished a great hope and inward zeal of laying good foundations, or at least of making some way towards it, for the propagation and advance of the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in the remote parts of the world, even though they should be but stepping stones to others in the performance of so great a work." - page 21.  

 

It is humbling to realize that this group of hearty souls was willing to face incredible hardship, danger, more persecution, and a great unknown place just to be stepping stones for the advancement of the gospel - and I have so greatly benefited from that.  

 

We spend November evenings listening to Daddy read to us from this fantastic eyewitness report of a very important part of the birth of America.  It's a wonderful way to make the transition into the longer, quieter, slower paced evenings of winter.  When our children were young, Daddy went through and highlighted the sections that were appropriate and brief enough to keep their attention, yet share the heart of the story.  As the years have gone by, more and more sections have been highlighted.  We sometimes keep it shorter for the little ones, but we read most of the story up through the first Thanksgiving every year.  The section on Squanto is my favorite part!  Bradford's words about Squanto after his death are a testimony to how Squanto was used by God.  

 

After Thanksgiving, we will begin preparations for Christmas, and break out a big jigsaw puzzle.  First, though, we will give thanks for all the Lord has done for us - including how he used a small band of 102 souls as stepping stones in the spreading of the gospel to a New World.  You can get your own copy at our bookstore - Ancient Paths Christian Bookstore.