Mary's Muse

Devotional Humor

In our morning devotions, I asked the kids what would cause them fear and trembling.

Zookeeper:  Being attacked by a bear, or wolves, or wolverines.

Princess:  Watching Zookeeper being attacked by a bear, or wolves, or wolverines.

To A Dear Friend

Thank you for being quite the friend I need right now.  Always, really.  I thank God that you encourage and even CHALLENGE me to walk in the faith that God offered me at Baptism.  God didn't call us to have an easy road in this life. I think we'd get complacent, saying our prayers by rote, if even saying them at all, enjoying our richness, looking down on those not as well endowed with riches, and leading corrupt lives without a care in the world.  Like Ancient Romans did before the fall.  Like many people do, now.

He called us to have disquiet, to experience challenges, some of which we don't even know whether we can handle. All of which we can NOT tackle without his Grace.  But in the day-by-day, moment-by-moment, I forget his presence.  I forget that if I only get down on my knees and ask that his will be done, his will for me will be done.  I forget that I can go to him with all my needs, large and small, and he will answer me.  I don't always understand the answers.  I don't always feel he even has answered.  God has his own time (darn it!).  And he has his own way of speaking to us.

Sometimes I *do* hear a voice.  Most often this happens when I am at Adoration.  And most often what he says is something on the order of: "Bring the children to me."  I have not been very faithful in that during the week.  We're working on it this year after having had Jumping Bean last year.

God bless you and thank you, thank you, THANK YOU fo rbeing my friend during this really overwhelming time.  If I stop to reflect ~ but I don't often stop for anything, do I? ~ I would remember that all I have to do is beseech our Maker.  He loves us so much that he won't let me fall, at least not too hard.  He and my husband and I will grow this family together. He may make a servant family of us yet. 

Old Testament Connections

The kids and I have been reading some new books my sister sent us and it's got us studying the lineage of Jesus.  Our pastor is kind enough to answer questions as I stumble along.  I'll give a short review of each one I've read so far.

The Ark, the Reed, and the Fire Cloud:  It took me until the end of the book to understand how it is that tame animals would board the ark.  It also took me the whole book to understand why they were speaking in accents before the time of the Tower of Babel.  Apparently, in these books, animals are way ahead of humans.  Once I understood these otherwise disturbing things, the book was good, if a little cutesy.  I wasn't thrilled with the cat's assumption that her brains were sharper than anyone else's or that the little white dog was in such awe of the cat.  And there was that niggling difference between shake and nod which the author didn't seem to have grasped.

What did I like about it, you may ask?  I like how tricky and devious the snake is.  I liked the image of the snake representing the devil.  I like the character/life lessons throughout.  The further into the book you get, the better it is.  It reaches a true climax and then the things that are confusing in the beginning of the book are explained.  Max's dependence on the Lord is exemplary.

The Dreamer, The Schemer, and the Robe is a much more mature work of fiction.  Liz, the cat, is more sympathetic and is just a nicer character all around.  Kate, the white dog, despite getting very little billing by staying with Joseph's brothers, is better developed as well.  She needs to be more active in these books.  We actually get less of Max in this book than any other.  But Al, the orange cat, develops in his full glory.  So basically, aside from some disturbingly modern language ~ thinking specifically of "how sad is that?"~ the only thing I have a quibble with in this book is that Max doesn't have enough development.  Max's dependence on God, though still there, is less apparent in this book.  There is a slight confusion as to whether the snake in this book is a good character or evil.

This is an easier book to read and having understood all the confusing variables of the last book, it's smoother.   Everyone who read it in my family likes the addition of Nigel P. Monaco, the mouse.  The book starts quite a bit quicker than the last and there's obviously much more factual information included which gives a person much more substance to "ingest."

The Epic Order of the Seven stories were fun reads, but didn't necessarily propel me into studying Old Testament history.  No. It was actually A Lineage of Grace which actually roused me from my 'knowing God' slump and caused me to want to know Him better.  This book is about five women, only two so far of whom I've read, who are Jesus' descendants.  The author adheres to the Biblical account faithfully, only adding fictional dialogues and characters to amplify her story.   The fictionalization is just enough to whet the appetite to read more of the story.  She also did her homework, I can tell.  She describes the landscapes and climates, professions people of those times might have,  pagan religions and gods, even how imperative it was for a wife to fulfill her duty of bearing boys.  These stories are very well researched and written.   Having many kids and little time, I appreciate how quick and satisfying they are.  Each has a Bible study following it, which a person can do alone or in a group.  The most telling factor of how good these books are is that they encouraged me to pick up the Old Testament and read it again.

Arising from the Ashes

 

 

Happy Homeschooling

Compass Kid is happily learning about the medieval period through religion and history.  He's happily learning about botany in science.  He's excitedly studying poetry and art.  And he's willingly completing lessons of math.

Zookeeper is learning ancient history and little does he realize that this is going to be a banner year for history and religion.  He's also actively learning botany, poetry, and art.  And he is  completing 6th grade math in record time.

Princess is reading through American history.  This is the first year she is reading her religion independently.  She's excited that I found her grammar book.  Currently, she's writing a story about a blacksmith shop.  She's following the boys in learning botany and art.  And she's quick to complete math lessons.

And then there's Drama Queen:  "I get to read these aloud. That is soooo fun!  I just love to finish it. I get so excited when I finish it and I get to show Daddy.  And it is sooo fun!" 

I mean, wow. Can you even imagine!?!?!  I have to actually cut her off from finishing a whole work book in a day. :op  Whose child is she, anyway?  She just turned the page and said, "Oh boy! Oh joy!"  She just completed 26 pages writing letters and reading words.

Confirmation Day

Why?

I know I'll never get an answer that satisfies my curiosity, but still, I must ask the question.  Why are some people so abundantly blessed with children while others can't get pregnant or, when they do, something is severely wrong?  I know God has a perfect plan and takes the utmost care of each of us.  I also understand, though sometimes I admit that I don't like it, that God's plan is not my own.  And God is with us.  Always.  It just doesn't make sense then that couples who are deeply in love and who are really good people are not as blessed as we are.  And then there are those who can have children, but live in poverty.  So, again, I must ask:  Why?

Trust in God.  I must remind myself this often.  I had a much easier time of it when I was younger and everything in my life went as *I* thought it should.  Love Him and place your entire life ~ all your worries, your foibles, your heartbreak, and your joys ~ in His hands.  It was He who formed you.  It is He who offers you complete happiness.  Go to Him. Listen to Him. Trust in Him.  His plan may not make sense to you, but by accepting what is offered and following His will, you are concurring with the plan *He* has for you and not your own design.

Funny Four-Year-Old's Retelling of The Story of Moses

Moses

After Joseph, there was a mean pharaoh.  One day, there was a little baby in a basket and there was this princess.  The princess named the baby Moses.  When Moses growed up, then he didn’t know what to do (right Mama?).  But he was sad because his brothers got squished (right Mama?).  And God’s people were slaves.  He became a shepherd and he saw this burning bush, but the bush wasn’t on fire, it was just burning.  God spoke to him out of the bush.  He told Moses to go back to Egypt and he put down his stick and the stick turned into a snake and then he went back and picked it up and then the snake turned back into a stick.  Then he made frogs in the rhinal place.  And then there were all these bumblebees and everywhere and the king hated it.  So he told who to come?  God told who to come?  So the king told Moses to get the bumblebees out, and he did.  But the king was still not happy because he wanted the people slaved.  God made the water open so they walked through it and splashed in puddles with it.  And then it closed everywhere it wanted to.  And God’s people came back home.

Quiet Triduum

This Triduum, the plan around these parts is to clean for Jesus' visit on Easter Sunday.  I'm going to share with the kids that Jesus will visit all the rooms in this house.  Since He knows all, He can see under beds and in deep corners of closets without having to peek.  "Do you really want Jesus to see that pile of dusty clothes in the corner?  The papers and stuffed animals squirreled under your bed?  The messy drawers (He can see inside drawers, too)?"  I hope He skips the storage room, but I'll try to tidy in there just the same.  Because if I know Jesus (and I think I know Him enough to know this), He won't miss a trick!

We are working toward downsizing our collections of clothes and toys as we clean.  We only have two garbage bags full of items that are beyond what we need.  I'd like to share twice that with our more needy neighbors.  I'd like for the sharing to hurt us, just a little.  I'm not really good at this, though. 

I'm going to encourage quiet activity in the house in these next few days.  Quiet, busy, productive activity.  I have a CD that will assist in the quiet, solemn mood I want to instill this Triduum ... IF the kids really listen as they work.  I will also share some books with them ~ The Monk Who Grew Prayer, The Donkey and the Golden Light, and Peter's First Easter ~  these last few days of Lent.

Barefoot Miss

We try to attend one 8:30 a.m. mass per week during the week, but I've been a bit out of practice lately as the older kids would ready themselves and I  had to juggle wrestling a sleeper-in who does NOT like to ready himself for anything in the morning, choosing and rechoosing outfits for DQ, our four-year-old fashionista, and fit a toddler into clothes out of which she rapidly grows.  I sat the kids down after the last mass to which we made it considerably late and at which we disturbed the attenders.   I told them that if I didn't get some help with the littles, and if everyone wasn't at the door by 8:00, we weren't going to make it.

 

Today, DQ was eating at 7:55 a.m.  No one helped her pour cereal (out of bags, you must understand) until then. Then she had to get dressed. I assigned Princess to helping her while I cleared up breakfast. Big mistake.  DQ came downstairs, her hair a wild bird nest mess, in a too-short dress with no tights and no shoes. I told Princess to quickly gather some up and we'd get them on her in the car.  So, about halfway to church, she complains that the tights are too small.  It'd be a little cold, but oh well, she could do without tights for one, short mass.  Just as I parked the car in the church lot, she complained that the shoes were the wrong size.  I was beyond frustrated.  All through the 10 minute car ride, she was fussing.  I wanted to shout, JUST WEAR THEM.  But I didn't holler.  There's really no benefit to venting my frustration on  a four-year-old.    She'll just get all shaken up and not be fit to go to mass.  It's a good thing I didn't, because they were too small!  Princess chose shoes that we're saving for Etu!  DQ went to mass barefoot today.  But, by golly, we were on time!