And somehow in the midst of the craziness, Hubby and I marked our 14th anniversary! And considering we met 18 years ago, our lives have been mingled longer than they have not. I’m looking forward to a long, relaxing weekend together.
Hubby had to rescue me at 9:30 pm on our anniversary — I had locked my keys in the van. Today I forgot my phone at home. I’ve been a tad absentminded.
The boys have been on a Shakespeare kick. I’m not yet sure what instigated their interest, even though the past year we have been integrating some of the Bard into our schooling. (We’ve read more of Charles Lamb that we have the actual plays and poetry.) Tonight we’re watching Ian McKellen as King Lear. Amy (who loves books) suggested In Search of Shakespeare. I haven’t found a place to watch it online, so maybe we’ll order it. . . The boys are trying to organize the neighborhood kids into a play. I love delight-led learning!
This morning read Barlow’s take on Cash for Clunkers. I tend to agree — it seems to be wasteful, and substituting one form of pollution and inefficiency for another.
On a happier note, Roadfood.com seems to be a great resource for finding yummy local food whether at home or when traveling.
Similarly, Eating Like an Immigrant is very inspirational! This is the first post of a series — I can’t wait to read the rest over at MbG. Food blogging is one of those things that prods me to enjoy cooking again, even when I have to cook. We’ve been making easy bread this week, thanks to ThatMom’s links to online resources for Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I have a loaf rising now, and plan on trying whole wheat this weekend.
We have treats and cooking planned for this weekend, much of it for the church picnic. Jalepeno Hummus and tortilla chips, brownies, Mrs. E’s Mac and Cheese, regular hummus and veggies, something else which I’m blanking on right now. . .
I’m hoping to go to Chicago (along with the two younger boys!) in a few weeks to see my parents. Very excited about it.
It will be too late for the Michigan Ave Arts Fest — but doesn’t that look like fun? I found out about that from a friend’s link on facebook. Finding some neat (and sad) links from friends lately. . . Like Embracing the Least of These, about orphans in Africa. Or, this cool project that uses Google Maps to vividly illustrate the crisis in Darfur.
I’ve been listening to Steve Brown’s lectures on Grace in the Church, thanks to Camille. It’s been relaxing during this busy week.
But I need to take a break from it, and finish up this semester’s courses. I’ve been taking Financial Management in the Public Sector (ugh!) and Nonprofit Administration. They’ve both had their challenges as well as provided opportunities to learn. I’ve stressed out over them more than I needed to, as well. Still trying to find the right rhythm in school. My fall classes? Nonprofit Organizations and Nonprofit Financial Management. I’ve already ordered my books. (I *heart* the free shipping from Amazon Prime!)
Hubby starts teaching in a few weeks (if you are local, take his American History class!) The boys were going to have a “short” summer break, but with their hard work work all July, we’ve decided to start when the local public schools start — August 24th. I need to do quite a bit of planning.
On the upside, I finished a project I really wanted to do this July. I sorted all the kids books and school books by type, and have them stacked and organized. You know the boxes with lids which contain reams of paper? They are perfect for books. Thanks to Bob, our local printer, and the office supply store, we had plenty. Now I just need to work on the boys’ schedules — we’re trying to finish up US History since 1865 using Ambleside as a guide (Term 3 of Year 5, Term 1 of Year 6 — adapted to each of the boys).
That will give the boys time to join the YCS group in campaigning for Dan Quiggle. We like Dan a lot, and he has great Reagan stories from his internship. I’m glad the boys get to see the local side of politics in an off-year election.
So, that’s the rambling on we’ve been doing around here. . .
“I try not to meddle in the parenting of others. It’s their business, but I obviously have my opinions. I mostly have oppositions to the ‘Christian Parenting’ giants who like to write books making generalizations about how to parent my child unto godliness, all the while knowing nothing about me.
I don’t just disagree with their methods, I disagree with their theology and their lack of discretion. How do they know to whom they are teaching? How do they know their methods are being properly prescribed?
And mostly, how can they not see that this method of ‘discipline’ obscures the person and work of Christ when a parent cannot forgive their child until there has been punishment for their sins? Are not our Christian children under the Fount of Grace as much as we are?”
Elsewhere on the web, other people are discussing Gary Ezzo, Babywise, Growing Kids God’s Way, and other associated ideas.
Megan at Sorta Crunchy very graciously ventures into the discussion. I really like how she strives to stay out of the “us vs. them” mentality that is so easy to get caught up in when talking about parenting. She also does a great job of looking to the heart of fear-based parenting. It’s not easy to be vocal about ideas which continue to be popular, ideas which are intensely personal. Megan does it with grace and clarity, and her posts are worth taking the time to read.
ThatMom highlighted Ezzo Week here at TG, and followed up with some interesting conversation in the comments. But what impacted me most was her great thought posted a few days later (which I can’t help but quote in full), “I guess I look at this whole issue in this way…after parenting for 34 years as of yesterday, I have come to realize that all paradigms are basically a list of do’s and don’ts that someone has created. Instead of embracing a list, I have discovered that it is best for me to run all ideas, philosophies, and paradigms through my “one-anothering hopper.” I ask myself if the suggestions or ideas I am hearing will serve to build my relationships or will serve to tear them down; will they reflect the one-anothering commands of Scripture? I ask if they reflect Christ and His relationship with me as His needy daughter. If not, I am not interested, no matter how much appeal they might have for any number of reasons.” –thatmom
Also, Quiet Garden posted some encouragement related to Ezzo Week. She’s also the mother of all boys (though grown!) and has been one of the “Titus 2″ women in my life for many years.
Please let me know of other conversations or series surrounding these topics. . .
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This post is part of the Ezzo Week(end) 2009 series, raising awareness about the concerns with the parenting “philosophy” promoted by Gary Ezzo.
“I have long operated on the premise that the Bible and nature can be reconciled and that neither will lie to us. If they appear to contradict each other, either our interpretation of the Bible is false or the conclusions we draw from nature are false.
“For example, there are folks out there who believe that the Bible’s teachings on parenting contradict the needs that our children naturally and biologically require. . .”
We see that our whole salvation and all its parts
are comprehended in Christ.
We should therefore take care
not to derive the least portion of it
from anywhere else.
If we seek salvation,
we are taught by the very name of Jesus
that it is “of him.”
If we seek any other gifts of the Spirit,
they will be found in his anointing.
If we seek strength, it lies in his dominion;
if purity, in his conception;
if gentleness, it appears in his birth.
For by his birth he was made like us
in all respects
that he might learn to feel our pain.
If we seek redemption, it lies in his passion;
if acquittal, in his condemnation;
if remission of the curse, in his cross;
if satisfaction, in his sacrifice;
if purification, in his blood;
if reconciliation, in his descent into hell;
if mortification of the flesh, in his tomb;
if newness of life, in his resurrection;
if immortality, in the same;
if inheritance of all blessings, in his Kingdom;
if untroubled expectation of judgment,
in the power given to him to judge.
In short, since rich store of every kind of good abounds in him,
let us drink our fill from this fountain, and from no other.
Every once in a while I get a question along the lines of “Why do you keep talking about this? Are the Ezzos still popular? Isn’t Babywise discredited already?”
It’s a very valid question, and the simple answer is I keep talking about the flawed premises of Ezzo parenting because loving families are still being harmed by these ideas.
Some of these families have been willing to be transparent and share their struggles publicly, which are collected over at Voices of Experience. Others have blogged or shared online about their initial positive encounter with Babywise or Growing Kids God’s Way, and then how it it backfired. (If you want to share your story, email ezzo.info AT gmail DOT com.)
For each of these stories shared online, I’ve talked with many mothers privately about their own heartbreaking experiences. In spite of all the hype of sleeping babies or obedient children, they say it’s just not worth it in the long run.
If you are considering using Babywise or other materials authored by Gary and Anne Marie Ezzo, you owe it to yourself and your children to take the time to research how it has impacted other families.
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This post is part of the Ezzo Week(end) 2009 series, raising awareness about the concerns with the parenting “philosophy” promoted by Gary Ezzo.
While this Ezzo Week annual event will be somewhat abridged this year, we still encourage you to join in! Blog about your own Ezzo experiences, chime in here at TulipGirl, or join the conversation over at the AwareParent discussion board.
The Mothering by Grace online community is giving away a copy of Families Where Grace is in Place this week. I’ve mentioned this bookbefore and find it to be an encouragement to us as we think through what it looks like to live out Gospel in our daily interactions with our spouse and children.
And to celebrate their one year anniversary online, the Babywearing.Com community is giving away a gift set of a Moby stretch wrap, babylegs, and swaddler. Very helpful for new moms and babes!
Stand fast
stand fast
stand fast in the liberty
wherewith Christ has made us free!
And be not entangled
again with the yoke of bondage
and be not entangled
again with the yoke of bondage.
Stand fast
stand fast
stand fast in the liberty
wherewith Christ has made us free!
That’s the scripture memory song (KJV) from childhood that is playing in my head now. This is the meditation of my heart, remembering the Gospel has set us free indeed. Why are we so easily entangled? We like to embrace rules to keep, standards to meet, principles to promote our own goodness. We follow these laws and lose sight of Christ.
Even when we’ve embraced the freedom of the Gospel, even when we know that God has chosen to love us when unlovable, even when we know our acceptance is based on Christ and not upon our own performance. No wonder Paul had to write, “Stand fast in your freedom in Christ! Fight the urge to follow the rules that give the false appearance of self-justification!”
No wonder I need to keep singing my little Scripture song. . .
5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified [1] by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers, [2] still preach [3] circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Updated: Today’s sermon was on Psalm 92 and Sabbath rest and Gospel gladness. It resonated with me and what I’ve been thinking and feeling. Convicted me. As soon as the sermon mp3 is up, I’ll link it here.
Updated, again: Listen to the sermon on Gospel Sabbath, it’s worth it.
