Dave at Night

Dave at Night was written by Gail Carson Levine. She also wrote Ella Enchanted. Dave is a "rascal" as his dad calls him, growing up in NYC. His mom died when he was born, but his life is turned upside down when his father dies when he is eleven.

Since all of his family is poor and he is a rambunctious little boy, no relatives will take him, but his "genius" brother is taken in by an uncle. His step mom takes him to the Hebrew Home for Boys or the HHB. The home is not exactly the loving place outsiders imagine it to be. Dave discovers quickly that is a hard place to live. But, soon he sneaks out and meets Solly, Ira and the night life in Harlem of the 1920's. He returns in the morning to the HHB, but meets with the wrath of the Superintendent who thinks they caught him trying to run away instead of coming back.

I felt like I was with Dave as he walked through his emotions trying to understand the life around him and discover his "gift". His story did not end the way I wanted it to, but it ends the way he wants it to! ENJOY!

Quote from Wind in the Willows

The boys are reading Wind in the Willows right now and we came across a powerful quote I just had to post. The field rat is speaking to the Water Rat:

"It is a goodly life that you lead, friend; no doubt the best in the world, if only you are strong enough to lead it!"

And I echo, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

Knowing God by J I Packer

Some things really struck me just now as I am reading the preface and Ch 1 of J I Packer's Knowing God. He writes:

In A Preface to Christian Theology, John Mackay illustrates two kinds of interest in Christian things by picturing persons sitting on the high front balcony of a Spanish house watching travelers go by on the road below. The "balconeers" can overhear the travelers' talk and chat with them; they may comment critically on the way that the travelers walk; or they may discuss questions about the road, how it can exist at all or lead anywhere, what might be seen for differnt points along it, and so forth; but they are onlookers, and their problems which, though they have their theoretical angle, are essentially practical-problems of the "which-way-to-go" and "how-to-make-it" type, problems which call not merely for comprehension but for decision and action too.

Balconeers and travelers may think over the same area, yet their problems differ. Thus (for instance) in relation to evil, the balconeer's problem is to find a theoretical explanation of how evil can consist with God's sovereignty and goodness, but the traveler's problem is how to master evil and bring good out of it. Or again, in relation to sin, the balconeer asks whether racial sinfulness and personal perversity are really credible, while the traveler, knowing sin from within, askes what hope there is of deliverence. Or take the problem of the Godhead; while the balconeer is asking how one God can conceivably be three, what sort of unity three could have, and how three who make one can be persons, the traveler wants to know how to show proper honor, love an dtrust toward the three Persons who are now together at work to bring him out of sin to glory. And so we might go on.

I am really struck by the explanation of this. It makes perfect sense to me as a traveler. Balconeers might say, "How do you know that God is even there?" But His children say, "I just know He is!" Even when I struggled as a child with doubting my salvation because of the wickedness I still saw in myself, when I stopped worrying and looked to God, I had no doubt that I knew Him and had sensed his Presence and known His work in my life. The thing is, one can never know this from looking on "from the balcony" so to speak. But those who truely know God, though doubts and fears may assail us from time to time, know that we know.

And then Packer goes on tosay:

My proposal is this. You will know how (John) Bunyan's pilgrim (in Pilgrim's progress), when called back by his wife and children from the journey on which he was setting out, "put his finders in his ears, and ran on crying, Life, Life, Eternal Life." I ask you for the moment to stop your ears to those who tell you there is no road to knowledge about God, and come a little way with me and see. After all, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and anyone who is actually following a recognized road will not be too worried if he hears nontravelers telling each other that no such road exists.

Her Children Arise Up and CALL HER BLESSED

I just finished a good book on Motherhood. It was published by Castleberry Farms Press, the people who brought us the wonderful courtship series. Mr. and Mrs. Steven Castleberry write of memories of their own godly mother and grandmother and the examples they lived. There are chapters on motherly attention, being compassionate to others, showing genuine love for your children, fearing the Lord, being content with what you have, being cheerful, being home, loving your husband, prefering others and children's praise of their mothers.

Zeezok Composer Series

We are all enjoying our composer study right now! We are reading Ludwig Beethoven and the Chiming of Tower Bells by Opal Wheeler, published by Zeezok Publishing. The story is very well written! We are enjoying the story of the childhood of Beethoven right now. We also have the Companion CD (Highly recommend!!). It is wonderful! It has each song in the book as well as coloring pages that go along with the story! The music score is even in the story book so you can learn to play too!

There are many other composers in this series! I can't wait to read them all!

Little House on the Prairie: The Pilot

I know many of us love the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I have only just begun to read them this year with my AO Year 2 children. However, I grew up watching the TV show.

I have heard from many LHotP book fans about how far the TV show strayed after the first couple of seasons. Recently, I purchased the Little House on the Prairie: The Pilot and was amazed at how well it stuck to the story line. Not, only that, but it is actually the WHOLE book! Then, the series picks up with the next book, On the Banks of Plum Creek, when they move to Walnut Grove.

I was disturbed with the way they portray Ma as disagreeing with Pa about many things, which she did not do in the book (although she wasn't fond of Indians, she was never disrespectful to Pa about it). However, she does realize the error of her ways reguarding Edwards and the Indians!

I quite enjoyed the Pilot and cannot wait to watch it with the boys when we finish the book in the next couple of weeks.

The Spiritual Power of a Mother

I haven't blogged in awhile; my reading has been a little scattered. But, last night I finished Michael Farris' (President of HSLDA) The Spiritual Power of a Mother. I was very encouraged!



The mother child relationship is something that has always intrigued me. And I have observed very destructive use of the spiritual power that a mother has. So, the title is what drew me to this book.

As mothers, we have an unprecedented opportunity of influence in children's lives. But, Mr. Farris points out one big thing that really struck me; I have mulled it over since I read it. He says, that our primary job as mothers is NOT to teach them not to pick at scabs and wear clean underwear (no matter how much they need to hear that...HA HA). Nor, is it to teach our children ABOUT God.

"Teaching about God is important, but the most important thing you can teach your child is to believe in God....We teach our children to love God through the course of everyday living by having them watch us as we live a life of faith. This is God's ordained teaching method for obeying His most important command to parents: teach your children to love God."

Ouch. So, no amount of preaching AT them will develop a love for God (kind of sounded better in our heads huh?), but mostly, the faith we live in front of them. He goes on to give examples of poor behavior that we often exhibit in front of our children which teaches them the opposite of loving a Sovereign God.

He goes on to walk through many of the daily battles Homeschool Moms face with fatherly advice and humor and realistic goals. I have been very encouraged by this book and hope you will be too!