In the Mirror, Whose Image do You See?

A few weeks ago, some fine men with whom my son has coached basketball for the last six years organized a party to send him off to college. Christian has grown up with these men on his bench. He’s been both the assistant coach to their coach and the coach to their assistant. They’re good guys and a common acceptance of Jesus as the foundation of each of their lives has always been understood. But they’ve never really talked about it. Just lived it.

At the party, they honored Christian with a sweet video, some very kind speeches, plenty of food, and a giant trophy. Inscribed on the trophy was Ephesians 2:10:  For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.

They chose that verse for him and truly, it suits the time he has ahead of him as he transfers and begins his junior year of college away from home. That’s the whole point of education isn’t it? Isn’t our purpose in pursuing knowledge to humbly acknowledge that He crafted us for a specific purpose and He has specific things He wants us to do?

True joy in this life lies in discerning His purpose and living His will. It’s a verse not just for young men in college. It’s a verse for all of us. It’s a verse for living life intentionally, every day.

God created me to be someone. I want to be the person He intended. Not only do I want to live intentionally. I want to live His intention, not mine. In order to live a life of true integrity, I have to be the woman He created me to be, not the woman whom I think I want to be (this woman seems to morph and change all the time), nor the woman I think the world wants. God breathed life into me with a plan just for me. Life is all about becoming.

Becoming.

As we struggle with the insecurities that can come with navigating relationships, we can relinquish our need for approval. Just let it go. God has gifted each of us extraordinarily. We can embrace those gifts with confidence, unapologetically. So, too, we can see how our weaknesses, even our inabilities, are the nudges that push us towards exactly what He envisioned. It’s OK. He’s got this.

Not only has He created us uniquely for His purpose, He has created us in His image. Next time you stand in front of a mirror, look closely. Do you see it?  There, in front of you, can you see the brilliance of your Creator? No? Perhaps you can’t readily see it in your own reflection. If you sit in the quiet and put yourself in His presence, can you see it deep within you? Keep looking. It’s there.

We spend so much time in life trying to figure out who we really are, trying on someone else to see if it fits. It doesn’t. It will never work to pursue a false life, never be comfortable to be anything but genuine. True liberation lies in flinging ourselves into God’s perfect plan.It’s incredibly freeing to be whom He intended instead of a poor reflection of someone else’s influence over us. Becoming genuine brings peace.

Blessed John Paul II wrote:

“It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is He who provoked you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is He who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is He who reads in your heart your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle. It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal.”

He has good works prepared especially for you, whether you are student on a campus in the mountains of Virginia or a middle-aged mom at her kitchen table. You can only do those works well if you are genuinely, seamlessly, and wholeheartedly the person He created you to be. Be who you are.

Peace in Our Day

I've been sharing resources with you in the afternoons, trying to offer a little reflection of our days. This morning, I read three books with my children over breakfast. 

A few years ago, my mother attended a book signing by author A. B. Curtis. She bought a book for my children and mailed it to them. I have to admit I was skeptical of a children's book about the tragedy of September 11, 2001. How do you capture the horror in rhyming verse and whimsical pictures? You don't. Instead, Ms. Curtis tells the story of St. Paul's church, an historical church that stands fewer than 100 yards from where the towers stood. The chapel became a refuge and launching point for the rescuers who were on the scene. Every time I read the book tears well in my eyes at the thought of the fireman who hung their shoes on the chapel fence before they went into the towers:

Oh what gallant men did we lose

Who never came back to get their shoes!

The book is a gentle re-telling. Our children are surrounded every day by references to the horror that forever changed our world. They will ask what "9/11" means and they surely deserve to be answered. But, they should not see that footage and they should not be bombarded with remembrances more appropriate for grief-stricken, terrorized adults. Childhood is all too brief. Very soon, they will be old enough to learn the details of the day. For now, this book tells them a story of hope amidst the charred ruins. A story we all need to hear.

You can read the entire book and see the pictures here. But get the book. Really. It's worth holding in your lap.

Fireboat is a whimsically illustrated children's book that tells the story of John J. Harvey, a fireboat that witnessed the growth of New York city throughout the 20th century. There are lots of intersting little things to learn about culture and about fireboats. It's a gentle, happy picture book. Then, the book takes an abrupt turn and becomes stark when the author reaches September 11, 2001. She focuses onthe heroes and not on the violence, but this is still a very realistic book and the whimsy evaporates into the bright blue sky, just as it did that Septmember day. It's a good read and it's  story that somehow sticks with us long after the covers of the book are closed. I strongly suggest parents preview it--you might you want to use it with children older than the typical picture book age.  To extend the conversation, you might visit the John J. Harvey website or take a peek at the study guide for the book.

It's not technically a 9/11 book, but I love to read (sing) Wendell Minor's inllustrated version of America the Beautiful. On the page where we sing, "Thine alabaster cities gleam/Undimmed by human tears" Minor has painted a picture of the fallen tower site with the towering lights gleaming upwards to commemorate the loss. It's an image that just fits that particular place in the song written so long before the event. And this book, this song, these words--they do so much to heal hearts and remind us of the blessings of this great country.

Nicholas squirreled away for awhile with  A Nation Challenged (the Young Readers' Edition).

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Then, this afternoon, we all sat together and spent some time thinking about peace. We were guided by one of the excellent e-courses offered by Mariah Bruehl, author of Playful Learning, easily one of my favorite educational resources. 

This course, Be a Peacemaker, is an opportunity for parents and children to discuss with each other ways to bring peace into ourselves, our homes, and ultimatley, the world.

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Over the course of conversation, we shared what comforts us, what brings us peace. I could see Katie plotting ways to make the house smell like the Basilica next time she thinks I need to bring a little calm into my soul. At first, I was going to exclude Stephen and Mary Beth from the lesson time, but I invited them to  join instead. As she set off with her printable, Mary Beth (nearly 17) asked, "Will you use this to help us next time we feel stressed?" Good plan. I think these are keepers, for sure.

Have a very peaceful evening friends!

Our Everyday Go-To Faith Books

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Joy in Alabama asked about how we use E is for Eucharist, so I figured today is a good day to share our essential stack of faith books. 

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E is for Eucharist is like many of the Sleeping Bear Press alphabet books. There is a picture for each letter of the alphabet which gently introduces a topic. A short rhyming quatrain approaches the topic on the simplest level, perfect for the little ones. Beneath it, there is a narrative paragraph which explores the topic in more depth. My children illustrate each letter's topic as we read and discuss it. Older children can also write or dictate a short narration and even research the topic further. 

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 An Alphabet of Catholic Saints is a sweet book with a short rhyme about a saint for every letter of the alphabet. Introducing saints alphabetically is a bit awkward. Saints come up in our daily life of worship as they are celebrated in the Mass. I worried aobut this being "all out of order, " but not for long. Now, we use this organizing system and we encounter the same saints on their special days, it's like meeting an old friend.  Again, narrations are simple pictures and perhaps a dictated caption to add to their notebooks.

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An Alphabet of Mary beautifully introduces differents names and roles for the Blessed Mother. It's a lovey companion in the same style as the book above.

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That brings me to the Loyola Kids Book of Saints and the Loyola Kids Book of Heroes. These books bless and bless and bless. In the Alphabet Path lesson notes for each letter, we've pulled out the saints who belong. I like to read these aloud to younger children and have slightly older, independent readers read them to themselves. Then, the ones who read it on their own, keyboard a narration all on their own. I'll sit and edit for punctuation and spelling, but I mostly leave the narrations alone. These are gathered and loved into a notebook. True keepers.

Also in the  Alphabet Path lesson notes for each letter , there are stand alone picture books selected for faith study. We'll look at some of those one by one through the year, I'm sure. They are  linked here down the lefthand sidebar.

For more about our Storybook Year, read here. 

Gathering my Thoughts

I find myself:

::noticing God's glory

Karoline made an amazing daytime discovery last week. While she was playing with her treehouse-dollhouse in front of the sunroom windows, she looked out onto the vegetable garden and discovered a rather fat groundhog munching away on the okra. Mystery solved. Now what to do about him?

::listening to 

Goalkeeper training. One hour every Monday night. Just long enough to put a post together while I sit in the parking lot, I think..

::clothing myself in 

Running shoes, capris, t-shirt. I really planned start Couch to 5K tonight. Then I got here and decided to blog instead.

::talking with my children about these books

The Chronicles of Narnia and in which order to read them.

And I've pulled out our 9/11 books.

::thinking and thinking

About Syria and the complexities of this world. Heck, the complexities of my nieghborhood, where Martin Luther King would cringe to discover that all that the children played together in our big backyard until the day of the epic argument when one of them said there was one God and another countered that there were really 7 and then someone chimed in that Mohammed was better than Jesus and then... none of them came back. True story.

::pondering 

Our work for peace must begin within the private world of each one of us. To build for man a world without fear, we must be without fear. To build a world of justice, we must be just. And how can we fight for liberty if we are not free in our own minds? How can we ask others to sacrifice if we are not ready to do so?... Only in true surrender to the interest of all can we reach that strength and independence, that unity of purpose, that equity of judgment which are necessary if we are to measure up to our duty to the future, as men of a generation to whom the chance was given to build in time a world of peace. ~Dag Hammarskjold

::carefully cultivating rhythm

Wellll… Last week was a mixed bag. I really don’t know how well my intended rhythm will work, yet. We had a death in the family on Sunday and so, an unexpected trip to New York at the end of the week. I left Mary Beth in charge at home. She kept them all alive and well, but my rhythm? Not so much.

I've also come to recognize that my gym routine from last winter isn't going to work this fall. So, it's back to the exercise bike in my closet for me. I could still hit the gym in the early morning if I wanted to but I don't really see the point of driving there for cardio. It's the classes I really love and those don't fit into our school days since they've eliminated some early times. So, for this season, it's the close bike thing and "mat classes" online at home with my girls. And maybe even Couch to 5K around soccer fields.

::creating by hand

I hung the draperies for the dance studio today. I’d like to do some fall shirts for the girls this week. I saw new Oliver + S patterns and I’m very, very tempted.

On the trip to New York, I knit some love into a sweet little cardigan. Very sweet. Very little.

::learning lessons in

flexibility. I work really hard before a new term to think through every possible detail. I make lesson plans, driving plans, meal plans. Then, I go after those lists with all kinds of diligence to try to make them come to life in a composed, orderly fashion. Then life happens. The first week of school found me asking near strangers to take my children to soccer, packing a suitcase, and leaving Mary Beth in charge as Mike and I left the state. Mary Beth promised to try to stick to the plan and make it all remain calma nd orderly and predictable. She explained to her boss, our state delegate, that she would not be in to work.

He called anyway. He explained that there were some letters he needed her help writing. Then, there were about 4,000 other letters that need to find their way into envelopes. So, she called an audible and "Shakespeare Friday" became this:

::encouraging learning 

This week is for tweaking the longterm plan. I’ve definitely planned too much for some of my children and not enough for at least one of them. Tweaking is a good thing, I know, even if right now it feels like a nuisance.

::begging prayers

for the lonely and depressed.

for all the intentions of our prayer community.

And yes, for that intention I was keeping quiet; it’s still very close to my heart.

::keeping house

Let’s see. I left town for a couple of days, oh and the dryer is broken. So, yeah, this afternoon was all about a major cleaning blitz. The dryer thing should be solved by Wednesday. If it’s not, there will be a mandatory laundromat trip on Thursday.

::crafting in the kitchen 

The cooler weather has inspired a craving for Pasta Fagiole or Minestrone or Mulligatawny Stew. Or all three.

::loving the moments

when my extended family is gathered. Even though the occasion was sad, it was happy. My great aunt lived to be 96. She had a way of making sure that everyone thought he or she was the favorite. She lived life full-on and she loved the same way. It was really a blessing to celebrate a life so well lived.

::giving thanks 

for life and breath and hope.

living the liturgy

Making plans to celebrate all those favorite feasts of fall (lots of links there).

::planning for the week ahead

This is our first full week of homeschooling, full soccer schedule, and full dance schedule. It’s also the week of our 26^th wedding anniversary.

Meet The Art History Mom

This afternoon, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Kristen Nelson, The Art History Mom. Kristen's website is a treasure trove for all moms, homeschooling or not. Please take a few minutes and get acquainted. There's nothing to buy. Everything she offers is absolutely free of charge.

Who?

Artistic roots.

Growing up in New Orleans, Kristen was exposed to all sorts of wonderful music, architecture, art, and people. Her passion for art was born in her teen years, when she attended Metairie Park Country Day, a school with an excellent art curriculum. In college she studied fine art and art history at Colorado State University. During this time she spent her first summer in Italy studying Renaissance frescoes. If she wasn’t hooked on art before, that surely did it!

In her late 20s, she took a break from her high-pressure advertising career in Atlanta to follow her dream of living in Italy. Through an amazing job at Trinity College’s Elderhostel program, she led tours of the Italian art scene throughout the country from her base in Rome.

Museum match-making.

Two years later she returned to the States and resumed her career in graphic design. She met her husband, Christian, on a blind date. Not knowing anything about her, he suggested they meet at Atlanta’s High Museum of Art. The first time they met face to face, they were standing under the gaze of a Rodin sculpture.

Christian is a golf enthusiast who works in finance, but he loves art as well. His favorite period is Soviet Constructivism. Hers is Italian Medieval. What’s yours? If there is a certain genre, work of art, or artist you’d like to see featured in her blog, please head over and let her know. She’ll do her best to oblige you.

Friends in artsy places. 

To make sure Kristen gets all of her art history facts straight, she consults with her beautiful and brilliant friend, Monica Shenouda, who currently lives in Florence. Kristen and Monica worked together in Rome. Since then, Monica’s earned her doctorate in art history from the University of Virginia. When Monica’s not teaching for Pepperdine University’s Study Abroad program, you can find her giving tours of places like the Uffizzi Gallery for Context Travel. Kristen likes to think that her art blog is a way for all of us to break from the daily routine and join Monica in Italy, where artistic tradition is so deeply rooted.

Why?

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” Henry David Thoreau

Art is so important. More than merely looking at pretty pictures or objects, it’s about learning how to see. This means recognizing beauty not only in art, but throughout the world around us. Although some people enter this world with the eyes of an artist, the ability to see is a learned skill anyone can acquire, especially impressionable children.

Think about the many images our kids are exposed to on a daily basis. Just to name a few: loud, often violent video games; over-stimulating TV commercials; and visually cluttered billboards hovering above as they ride in the back of our SUVs. But how many of these images actually give meaning to their lives? Or elevate their hearts and minds?

A lifelong gift.

Kristen's mother-in-law, Carol, tells an interesting story. When Carol was 7 years old living in Pensacola, Florida, just after World War II, her mother spent $25 (a small fortune at the time) on an art book filled with photos of masterpieces. It was placed prominently in the living room.

Her young daughter, Carol, quickly discovered the great treasure and was soon spending hours devouring its contents. The pages were filled with a beauty and mystery that fed her soul for years—after all, she didn’t have an iPad! Carol would gaze at the people in the paintings, make up stories about them, and imagine what it would be like to be part of their worlds.

Kristen's mother-in-law, Carol, holding her childhood treasure.

Later in life, when visiting museums, Carol would point and exclaim, “That’s Raphael!” or “Look at that gorgeous landscape by Turner!” Because Carol shared her artistic enthusiasm with her son, when he became Kristen's husband, they were able to enjoy art together. Now they're intent on passing this appreciation on to their children.

Great art is a click away.

It’s Kristen's hope that her blog will help you foster a deep affection for art in your child, too. Sadly, young people in America are under-exposed to images that enlarge their worldview in an inspiring way. And unless you live in a major metropolitan city, it’s difficult to visit museums to show your kids great paintings, sculpture, and architecture.

That’s why Kristen is bringing the masterpieces to you! She’ll cover all genres, posting different works of art along with kid-friendly talking points. Discussing art can be intimidating, so Kristen will make it easy for you. And although copyright restrictions exist for works created within the last 90 years, modern art will be included whenever possible.

As a parent, your part is to look at the images with your child and discuss what you see. (Kristen loves to hear your comments, and your children’s!) The featured pieces will be followed by a related art project, enabling your little ones to create something beautiful, while reinforcing what they’ve learned.

Along the way, your kids will expand their vocabulary and gain useful knowledge about geography and culture. I hope that together you discover not only the joy of art, but the joy of exploring it side by side.

So, are you with her?

If so, please subscribe here. It's free:-)

How?

So, how do you get the most out of this website? Here are a few tips.

1. Show your excitement. As parents, we all know that our children imitate our attitudes and actions. (Don’t you hate that sometimes?) That’s why it’s important for you to model enthusiasm. It sounds obvious, but if you are excited about viewing and discussing art, your kids will be, too.
2. Read before you share. I highly recommend reading the blog post before you share it with your kids. Take into consideration the ages of your children and plan accordingly. For little ones, you may only want to show them the images and talk about the colors and shapes you see. My 5-year-old likes to look at the artwork and go straight to the Fun Facts section. Tweens and teens might need a little more substance so they can explore the links within the post.
3. Timing is everything. If your kids are like most, as soon as you sit down with your laptop or tablet they are on top of you. This is the perfect time to pull up Art History Mom and explore a recent post together.
4. Allow interest to build. When first introducing her site to your kids, keep it short and sweet. The more art history I show my children, the more enthusiastic they become—but it takes time. You might want to start with a specific blog post your child will find interesting. Show them the images and point out a few engaging facts. Each time you visit the blog, spend a little more time. The point is to keep it positive so your kids will want to revisit the site and explore more art.
5. Tools of the trade. At the beginning of each post you’ll see a link to a page of flash cards. Print these out and cut them along the dotted lines. Then have your child write the answers to the questions on the back of each card as you review the post together. You can use them throughout the week for pop quizzes!
6. Pause for questions. You can read the post to your child or let him or her lead. If you’re guiding your child through the post, don’t forget to pause after the questions, giving some time to think and answer.
7. Display the art. Print out the featured artwork and post it in a prominent place in your home for a week or so. It will reinforce the lesson and you can engage your child by asking them questions about the artwork.
8. Bigger is better. Although this site is smartphone-friendly, you’ll have a better experience viewing the posts on a desktop, laptop, or tablet.
9. Homeschooling. If you’re a homeschool mom, I would be overjoyed if you choose to use this site as part of your curriculum. Incorporate it into your weekly routine and designate a special morning or afternoon to learning about art history.

Click here to see Kristen's full site!