In an effort to dig deeper I joined a study of CM's Principles in the Ambleside Online forums. As life would have it, things kept creeping in that prevented me from staying caught up. This was so frustrating. I decided to set it aside for awhile and take a different approach.I started reading Sarah Mackenzie's book, Teaching From Rest. I also had her companion guide which was just as thought provoking. Her gentle words are a comforting reminder to this homeschooling mama that the "burden" isn't mine to bear alone. This will definitely be an annual read for me.
Immediately after Sarah's book, I started Cindy Rollin's, Mere Motherhood. I truly enjoyed her memoirs. Toward the end of her book, she included some real gems that I want to fold into our home life. Again she reminded me that it is grace that covers my children during these years of enlightenment. This, too, is one of those books that I will frequent over the years.
"We are not those who shrink back at long odds. We are those who press towards the mark, knowing that while our own efforts could never 'save' our children, our faithfulness is a means of grace."
-Mere Motherhood, Cindy Rollins
My soul refreshed I felt better able to tackle the deeper studies of Charlotte Mason once more. I pulled out my copy of Brandy Vencel's Start Right Here ebook and started gathering my resources. Her ebook is a study guide which uses Susan Schaeffer Macauley's For The Children's Sake as a spine. Brandy guides us through the text and adds hyperlinks to optional readings such as blog posts and articles to further clarify our understanding. She also poses questions for us to mull over at the end of each principle covered.In the guide, originally meant for group study, Brandy gives suggestions on starting a CM Study Group. I had the tiniest twinkling of a thought that I might want to start a group and it continued to grow. Wouldn't it be so much better to have like-minded friends with which to study these deep thoughts?
As homeschooling mothers, as badly as we might want to or even need to, it's hard to find time to pursue interests. There are seasons of a mother's life that limits what we can do. To lessen the strain a few friends of mine have decided to journey together online. We are a small facebook community and beginning our first book study together on January 30.
Endeavoring Together.
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| Helen Allingham, 1903 |
"Never be entirely idle; but either be reading, or writing, or praying or meditating or endeavoring something for the public good."
- Thomas a Kempis
