As I mentioned last week, for my Friday posts I am now highlighting some of my older content you may not have seen. The first real post I wrote for Contemplative Homeschool was Holiness and education both begin with openness. A lot of people wonder why i put Carmelite spirituality and homeschooling on one blog. It’s because in my mind they go together.
We are all students of Christ. He is our teacher. We need the attitude and outlook of a child–humble and eager to learn.
If you’ve been closing off part of your heart, reserving something from God, now is the time to let go. Make yourself vulnerable, so that you can grow in love.
Connie Rossini
Note: I have had problems lately with scheduled posts somehow “missing” their posting target. If you received this in your email box Saturday morning, that’s the reason. I will try to fix the problem if I can figure it out.
Michelle Marvian
Thanks Connie, because I have been in the discernment phase for a good bit now. There are so many ways to homeschool and it’s hard to be open to His will when it is contrary to my natural inclinations. (Type A) Reading blogs, and I mean only a select few, can cloud my vision if I’m not careful.
Then, I heard God speak to my heart. “I know the unique needs of every family.” I felt more peace and less desire to either do it like some other or hope that they do it like we do. Now, I am waiting on His direction and hoping I’ll listen ~ no matter what it is.
You know, I am not sure if I mentioned how much I love your header. Except for the mountains, it looks like the beautiful terrain in which I was able to roam as a child. I was very blessed in that way.
Blessings to you.
Connie Rossini
Michelle, nice to hear from you again. When I first conceived the idea for my blog, I planned to show the world (haha) that my homeschool ideas were best. A blogger whose blog I was reading at first starting posting a lot about how everyone should parent the same way she did–no exceptions. It really annoyed me. That helped me to see how everyone’s situation is different. I didn’t want my blog to devolve into something like that. It’s one of the reasons I’m not blogging about homeschool in general any more, just the spiritual aspect of it. I think everyone should teach their children how to pray. I offer one way of doing that. But whether you do history chronologically or not, are laid back or really push your kids–I’m just not that concerned about those details any more. Honestly, even I don’t follow my own method all the time! Perhaps when we’re looking for a one-size-fits-all method we’re still under the influence of institutionalized schools. I doubt parents with kids in public or Catholic schools obsess nearly as much. Most probably have no idea what method their kids’ teachers are using–they only look at results.
Thanks for the compliments on the header photo. My designer chose it. It doesn’t much represent Minnesota (no mountains here, of course) but it does have a contemplative feel. It reminds me of Mt. Carmel and the area near the monastery of the Carmelite monks in Wyoming.
Peace. (BTW, I just noticed my filtering software [Net Nanny] is masking the middle part of your name in your email address because it contains h—l. Of all things!)