So That's What He Was Thinking

I like to keep an art print hanging out in the schoolroom. This week I put up John Singer Sargent's Portrait of a Boy.

This one has always bugged Mr Music and Miss Dance, who just think the Boy is bored to tears.

So last night I came in to see Mr Music had added a caption to rescue the mute Boy:

Prayer Reminders

I am just a bit on the visual end, so I like to make myself little things I will notice. And I wanted to remember to pray for Japan. So, last night I put away the St Patrick's day decorations, and today I found everything Japanesish I could think of and set it up.

I also got out my favorite Hello Kitties for by the kitchen sink.

Reach Out: Hold Back. Where is Safety?

I am (finally) finishing reading Dan Allender's The Healing Path. I liked it so much I am sure I will re-read it. This is a book mostly about using the pain in your own life to help you connect with others and allow Christ to bring healing. Anyhow, I wanted to share a couple quotes from the book. 


And it ties in with this song Miss Language introduced me to by Vienna Teng: 

It ties in because in the chapter 11, "Inviting Others to Live," Allender talks about how to have meaningful discussions with others, specifically about how we balance pushing others away so we do not feel shame but do not push them too far away to where we are lonely and lost. I found that interesting to think about. I am so glad to know the One Who can save me. 


But now back to the book quotes. I love this definition of faith: "Faith is trust in the goodness of God. I grow as I recall and recollect the stories of God in the Bible, in the lives of others, and in my own life." And then later, "What then is faith? It is the childlike wonder in a story so good it can't be true, but deep down to our toes we know if it is not true then we don't exist." 


Then this section on hope: "Biblical hope is substantial faith regarding the future.... Hope is the dream of shalom, the anticipation of joy that courses through us and prompts us to rise and rebuild, to envision and risk for what is not yet.... Faith and hope are inseparably linked. Faith is hope regarding our past; hope is faith regarding the future. Gabriel Marcel defined hope as "a memory of the future."

The Things You Learn at Educational Events

Today Miss Dance had to perform at one of those kids' festival days at the mall where all the local agencies pass out free pens and information and whatnot. The Bananalets always like going to bring home a candy stash and see what's shaking. 


At one booth, before you could pick a piece of candy from the dish, you were supposed to write on their huge sheet of poster paper a "Way to Conserve Water."


(We were the first ones to write on it. I would have taken a photo, truly I would, but I was having too much trouble trying not to roll on the floor in laughter. I even went back later in the day to get a photo but the whole display was gone. I suspect they could not take it any more.)


Mr Music was first. He wrote, "Don't take showers."

and then Miss Dog Lover added her contribution, "Drink it."


Somehow I feel these two homeschooled children totally missed the point of this display. But the nice college girl at the booth smiled, told them both, "good idea" and let them choose a candy. 

Happy St Pat's