~George Macdonald~

Along the tops of all the yellow trees,
The golden-yellow trees, the sunshine lies;
And where the leaves are gone, long rays surprise
Lone depths of thicket with their brightnesses;
And through the woods, all waste of many a breeze,
Cometh more joy of light for Poet's eyes--
Green fields lying yellow underneath the skies,
And shining houses and blue distances.
By the roadside, like rocks of golden ore
That make the western river-beds so bright,
The briar and the furze are all alight!
Perhaps the year will be so fair no more,
But now the fallen, falling leaves are gay,
And autumn old has shone into a Day!

~Charles Dickens~
'Tis pleasant on a fine spring morn
To see the buds expand,
'Tis pleasant in the summer time
To see the fruitful land;
'Tis pleasant on a winter's night
To sit around the blaze,
But what are joys like these, my boys,
To merry autumn days!

We hail the merry Autumn days,
When leaves are turning red;
Because they're far more beautiful
Than anyone has said,
We hail the merry harvest time,
The gayest of the year;
The time of rich and bounteous crops,
Rejoicing and good cheer.

~John Keats~


Season of mist and mellow fruitfulness!
Close bosom friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the moss cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For summer has o'er-brimmed their clammy cells.

In my rabbit trails of subjects and links over the weekend I found a quote:

All who bear the Christian name are bound to follow Christ and to be His disciples, which is brought about by the right understanding of His Word. He that despises it, and is but little concerned to understand it, saying, "I am no preacher: I am no theologian," shows himself thereby to be no Christian either. ~Juan de Valdes~ 1557

an article:

Why does theology matter?
by Jay Wegter
A summary of the reasons why we study theology:

1.) To know what you believe; and why you believe it (from Scripture) is one of the best preparations for ‘rightly dividing the word of truth’ (2 Tim 2:15).

2.) Theology is simply the application of Scripture to all areas of life. Without theology, it is nearly impossible to attain a unified biblical life view. Theology tells us about God; about ourselves; about the world; and about our place in it.

3.) Theology is the study of God and His works; His ways; His wonders; and His will. The study of theology prepares us to live unto God.

4.) Theology teaches us to think doctrinally under the moral government of God; thus theology assists in uniting the heart so that we manifest a life direction that has moral force (Ps 86:11, 12).

5.) The study of theology develops a passion for truth in the heart of the believer.

6.) Theology equips us to contend for the truth (Jude 3). A ‘pure Gospel’ is worth defending. A mutilated gospel produces broken lives. Theology equips us to defend the faith (1 Tim 4:6; 6:3, 4).

7.) Theology gives us the tools necessary to diagnose the prevalent errors of our culture. The study of doctrine provides a ‘lens’ to give us an informed compassion for the lost.

8.) The study of theology equips us to love God with the entire mind.

9.) Theology is a constant corrective; it keeps us from man-centered religion and man-centered philosophy. Theology lets us behold God as He is; not as we imagine Him to be. Thus, the study of theology instills in us high views of God in His holiness; sovereignty; and transcendence.

10.) Theology cultivates the religious affections; in so doing, it teaches us to study ‘doxologically’ (in a spirit of worship). The study of theology gives us the truths in a systematic fashion. The truths of Christ’s supremacy are designed to emotionally stagger us; without theology there is no awe of God.

11.) Theology unites every discipline and every field of knowledge. As Christians, our only philosophy of history is theology! Theology connects truth to life. Theology joins the character of God to morals and ethics.

From Why Does Theology Matter? by Jay Wegter

a sermon by George Whitefield about The Duty of Searching the Scriptures

and another article: Why Study Theology? by Shane Rosenthal

~Katherine Pyle~
We made ourselves a castle
Once after school was out;
We raked the leaves together
To wall it all about.
We made a winding pathway
Down to the school-yard gate,
And there we worked with might and main
Until the day grew late;
Until one bright star twinkled
Above the maple-tree,
And lights shone down the village street
As far as we could see.
We planned that every recess
We’d come out there to play,
But in the night it blew so hard
Our castle blew away.

To the beeches of Neldoreth I came in the Autumn. Ah! The gold and red and the sighing of leaves in the Autumn in Taur-na-neldor! It was more than my desire. ~J.R.R. Tolkien~





In astronomy, the autumnal equinox (fall/September/southward equinox) signals the beginning of autumn in the northern hemisphere, the moment when the sun appears to cross the celestial equator, heading southward; the equinox occurs around September 22-24 varying slightly each year according to the 4-year leap years in the Gregorian calendar. (from wikipedia.org)

Solstices are days when the sun reaches its farthest northern and southern declinations. The winter solstice occurs on December 21 or 22 and marks the beginning of winter (this is the shortest day of the year). The summer solstice occurs on June 21 and marks the beginning of summer (this is the longest day of the year).

Equinoxes are are days in which day and night are of equal duration. Two yearly equinoxes occur when the sun crosses the celestial equator.

For those days when we're sick, have appointments, or have catch-up work and can't read aloud as we usually do, we use recorded books for listening in the car, at meals or bedtime. We have many recorded books in our home library and Blackstone Audio is my favorite place to rent or purchase audio books. They have several thousand books, sent by mail, and even supply return packaging and postage. The recordings formats are cassette, cd, mp3-cd, and also some are available as digital download.

I just placed an order with Blackstone Audio today purchasing several excellent recorded books. Here's what I ordered: The Screwtape Letters-C.S. Lewis, How Should We Then Live?-Francis Schaeffer, The Sovereignty of God-Arthur Pink, Knowing God- J.I.Packer, The Story of Liberty-Charles Coffin, Men of Iron and The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood-Howard Pyle.

It gets even better! Blackstone Audio offers 50% discount to homeschoolers using this coupon: af-2003-sb on PURCHASES ONLY (not on rentals). It does NOT expire and MAY BE passed on to other homeschoolers. The coupon has to be used just as I have it, no capital letters, only lower case letters. It should work that way but if there are any problems just email them and they are very helpful with answering questions.

There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky,
which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it
could not be, as if it had not been!
~ Percy Bysshe Shelley~

I thoroughly enjoy autumn. I love the change of the light and shadows, dark evenings (but NOT dark mornings), cooler temperatures, getting the fireplace ready for fires, eventually having a fire, all the variety of colored leaves, and after a good frost, having less insects and allergens. While I hate to see the summer blooms in my garden fade away I enjoy the rich contrast of colors between the remaining greenery and the mums and pumpkins. I enjoy the autumn recipes of Apple Crisp and Crockpot Applesauce, Cream Cheese Pumpkin Roll, Vegetable Stew, Green Tomato Bread and Baked Sweet Dumpling Squash. An especially good treat on an autumn evening is a warm bag of pop corn with apples cut up in slices. This is one of my husband's favorite snacks and from the first time I tried it when I made it for him, I've enjoyed it just as much him. Walks around our neighborhood are more interesting because of collecting leaves and acorns. I tend to see more of the neighbors and talk with them due to raking leaves because the city leaf collection/pick up starts in October. Hockey also starts in October -- I enjoy watching the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Redwings, and Calgary Flames. Even though the girls are older now and we don't read some of the autumn picture books, I still remember them after reading them so many times through the years. Just a few the reasons I like autumn so much.

September 11, 2001

"My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:20-23

There are some good older books online in etext form, some of which are out-of-print. I'm keeping a list of links to the titles in my side bar and here is what I have so far:

The Real Mother Goose Free Online Etext from Project Gutenberg
A Child's Garden of Verses by R.L. Stevenson from Project Gutenberg
1805 New England Primer
1807 New England Primer
1777 New England Primer
1777 New England Primer
The American Spelling Book by Noah Webster
Boston Tea Party by Josephine Pollard from Children's Books Online
American History Stories Volume 1 by Mara Pratt
American History Stories Volume 2 by Mara Pratt
American History Stories Volume 3 by Mara Pratt
19th Century Girls' Series
Legend of King Arthur and His Knights by James Knowles
Biographies by Jacob Abbott
List of Individual Histories by Alfred J. Church
Stories from English History by Alfred J. Church
Stories from English History Part Second by Alfred J. Church
Stories from English History Part Third by Alfred J. Church
List of Individual Histories by Alfred J. Church
List of Individual Histories by Alfred J. Church
History by Alfred J. Church
A Day in Old Athens by William Stearns Davis
On the Shores of the Great Sea-M.B. Synge
The Story Book of Science-Jean Henri Fabre
Helene A. Guerber Histories
At the Back of the North Wind-George MacDonald
Histories & Stories of H.E. Marshall
This Country of Ours by H.E. Marshall
Good Stories for Great Holidays-Frances Jenkins Olcott
Old Hungarian Fairy Tales-Baroness Orczy
Mara L. Pratt American History Stories
Eva March Tappan History Stories
Eva March Tappan The Children's Hour, V 5 Stories From Seven Old Favorites
Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare by E. Nesbit
Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare
G.A. Henty Books-Read Online or Dowload
G.A. Henty Books from Project Gutenberg
G.A. Henty Books from Project Gutenberg
Aesop Fables
The Christian Home-Rev. S. Philips, A.M.
Fox's Book of Martyrs
Works of Josephus
Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
Charles H. Spurgeon's Writings
Augustine

Here's a portion of an article I've read by Nancy Wilson about working things out and thinking through Biblical principles for quidance:

Home Run
Nancy Wilson, Volume 8, Issue 3: Femina

"What if I wrote a column about the spiritual value of scrubbing your floors twice a day and all the health benefits for your family associated with the practice? And suppose it was all backed up with verses in Leviticus? What if I then went on to point out that such hard work, commitment, dedication, and sacrifice would reap for you great satisfaction here and a reward in heaven? And suppose further I followed it up with testimonies from women whose families were changed as a result of the practice? I hope you would think I was out to lunch. But unfortunately, some women would probably either begin to implement my suggestions, or begin to feel guilty because they hadn't.

Today there is no lack of innocent-looking Christian books with friendly titles making the rounds among Christian women which go far, far beyond my floor scrubbing example. They set down absolute rules for Christian households on everything -- infant feeding, potty training, television ownership, homeschooling, or hand-washing -- as though they had a verse from the Bible for each petty regulation. I am amazed and saddened at how many Christian women quickly adopt these methods and believe they are doing their Christian duty when they make a chore list and post it on the fridge. Did God actually say in His Word that this is the Christian way?

Why is it so many Christian women want a list of rules, a set of directions, for every aspect of their lives? And if they find a set of "holy rules" in a sweet-looking Christian book, they adopt it as though it were Scripture itself, even if it says we shouldn't drink pop, or that we should begin potty training our children at birth. What is it in us that wants such detailed rules, and what is it that prompts us to adopt them?

The desire for authoritative rules springs from two sources. First, it comes from a desire to please, a desire not to mess up. Many women want to color within the lines, they want to be "good Christians," and they want to please God, but they don't want to figure this out by thinking through biblical principles. They just want someone to hand them a list of rules. There is a false sense of security in adopting a method -- "so and so's childrearing method." If it worked for them, it will work for you. When you go to bed at night you can feel good about your Christian life.

The "system" can become a source of security. "I am doing fine with God because today I cut sugar out of the kid's diet, I'm breastfeeding on a schedule, and I'm having my next baby with a midwife at home." Approached this way, this is false comfort and is dangerous. Not only is it self-righteousness, works-righteousness, but if this really is God's way, then everyone else who isn't doing it this way is not pleasing God. In fact, they are in sin. This then leads to a feeling of superiority over those saints who do not adopt the "method."

Works-righteousness, a sense of spiritual security based upon my lifestyle, undercuts justification by faith. Jesus Christ is the only One who ultimately works. His work is perfect; His work is finished. Our salvation is based totally upon His work, and not upon any work of mine, no matter how righteous I may believe my work to be. My work may make my life more pleasant (or painful), but it will not save me, or make me any more secure before God. Christ's work alone is our only true security . . ."

You can read the entire article at Credenda Agenda.

Thinking through Biblical principles to find how to bring my life in line with what it says about the everyday things is more difficult than just being told what to do. It's easier and more comfortable to take a list and check it off without thinking but this can have two results. One result can be confusion from depending on these things for salvation, which becomes a substitute for God. A second result can be stagnation or weakening of my faith in Christ--becoming unable to cope with making decisions as is my personal responsibility before God; developing a dependence on humans for ulitmate truth instead of Christ. Salvation and the day-to-day doing of Biblical principles are inter-related but two distinct things at the same time. I need to trust only Christ and His work, both His obedience to the law and on the cross, for my salvation, he is my security. I don't want to confuse the application of Biblical principles for salvation. I also don't want to do what weakens my trust and faith in Christ's work for my salvation but my sinful heart deep down really loves to do that. It's easy for me to set up an idol to replace God and provide my own "works salvation" . . . my sinful heart loves that stuff so I always need reminded of the difference.

As far as bringing my life in line with Scripture, it's freeing to know I don't need man's approval or confirmation. Encouragement, prayer, correction, suggestions, advice, yes, but not ultimate truth, not ulitmate responsibility or ultimate approval from others. My convictions and application of Bible principles may be different than another person's so I don't need or expect the exact, same results in another person's life. God may convict and lead another person with the same principle but with a different application. The bottom line is bringing my life in line with Scripture and His leading while trusting and letting Him work in another person's life with the same principle but with a different application. I can't be the Holy Spirit in another person's life and I can't expect the Holy Spirit to always work the same way in other people's lives. Some times it may work out that way but not always.

I've found there's nothing wrong with "lists". I love lists, I use lists, I function better with lists. They're a guide to show me what is the right direction &/or wrong direction, they're the railroad tracks or streets for keeping me in the right direction, they even show me about the "Designer" of the "right direction" but they are not salvation. For salvation, my trust is only in Christ and His work of obedience and on the cross. Only with stirring up my mind-heart with the Biblical principles and being aided by the help of the Holy Spirit increases and develops discernment. This is Biblical self-training, Biblical self-discipline always in the context of being taught ultimately by God and Christ, by the Scripture and aided by the Holy Spirit, then also through the means of fellow Christians whether that is family, pastors, elders, or brothers-sisters in Christ.

Paul prayed for the Philippians and asked the Lord to increase their knowledge and depth of insight so that they would be able to discern what was best in daily situations. When they had decisions to make about how to bring their lives in line with the great principles of Scripture God did not always give exhaustive, complete divine revelation nor did He give pastors or elders, or even Paul himself, the ultimate responsibility to order every detail, every circumstance, every situation, with a specific, clear, black/white solution. They were expected to LEARN to discern what was best in situations where there may not have been specific instruction. They were expected to be subject first of all to God, the Lord, and His Word, to "grow up" and "mature" -- to need solid food. Immaturity needs or demands exhaustive, detailed solutions out of fear of man's opinion or approval. Immaturity needs or demands confirmation from everyone being convicted and doing exactly alike with the same Biblical principle.

May my weak, feeble, sinful mind-heart learn to discern and think and love God, to grow and mature, by God's grace and mercy.

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight (discernment), so that you may be able to discern what is best (excellent) and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God." Philippians 1:9-11

"But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5:14

"God has redeemed his people from the curse of the law and not from the command of it; he has saved them from the wrath of God, but not from his government." -A. W. Pink

Still thinking about the new school year, I was reading George Grant's blog again, this time about true education being a form of repentance. I've put a bit of it here:

"At the beginning of every academic year I like to remind myself and my students that true education is a form of repentance. It is a humble admission that we've not read all that we need to read, we don't know all that we need to know, and we've not yet become all that we are called to become. Education is that unique form of discipleship that brings us to the place of admitting our inadequacies. It is that remarkable rebuke of autonomy and independence so powerful and so evident that we actually shut up and pay heed for a change.

C.S. Lewis said it well: "The surest sign of true intellectual acumen is a student's comprehension of what it is he does not know; not what he does know. It is a spirit of humility that affords us with the best opportunity to grow, mature, and achieve in the life of the mind. It is knowing how much we do not know that enables us to fully embark on a lifetime of learning; to recover to any degree the beauty goodness and truth of Christendom."

Likewise, G.K. Chesterton asserted: "I am always suspicious of the expert who knows he is an expert. Far better to seek the wisdom of the common, the ordinary, and the humble--for God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble."

So I tell my students again and again that we have been given much--and that since we have been given much we ought to be able to move to that place of profound gratitude and humility. We have received an amazing inheritance of Art, Music, Literature, Ideas of Philosophy, of Science and Mathematics. We have received a tradition of excellence. We have been taught what it means to have both passion and purity. We have learned of the essence of chivalry, valor, and godly servant-leadership. All this and more have we received in the remarkable bequest of Christendom's great flowering . . ."

You can read the entire entry of August 23rd at his blog: George Grant

This year I'm praying to be able to see God and His hand in every subject, to keep our learning more centered on Him. It's so easy for me to neglect this part and then the academics become separated from Him and more of a list of things that have to be done. God has impressed upon me it's equally important and foundational to learn that He had all truth and knowledge with Him in eternity before He ever created our world, He didn't have to create any of it. I have to admit this has been more of an "ah-ah" for me than a reminder. While all the facts (parts of speech, math tables, names, dates, battle sites, periodic elements, etc.) are important and need to be learned/remembered, my main goal for this year is to simplify & concentrate on the girls getting a sense of what God has done in all the areas of these areas of life known as academic subjects, and how he still moves and acts within our world today through these means. There is MUCH I don't know and as I depend on Him, The Source of all Life and Truth and Knowledge, my prayer for the new school year is:

O God, who has thought us worthy of Thy blessing, that Thy Word daily sounds in our ears, let it not find stony hearts and iron minds, but so let us submit ourselves to Thee with the humility that becomes us, that we may truly feel Thee to be our Father; and being confirmed in the hope of our adoption, so long as Thou continuest to speak to us, may at length enjoy not Thy voice alone, but even the sight of Thy glory in that heavenly kingdom, which Thine only Son has purchased for us by His blood. Amen.
-- John Calvin

Jesus said unto him "You shall love the Lord your God . . . with all your MIND." Matthew 22:37

I came across a sermon in one of my devotional books a couple of weeks ago but I've read it again this morning before the day gets started. It is just what I needed for this new year. God is so good to remind me He does His work first of all through my efforts and that it happens little by little each day according to His will. Each year, and many times throughout the year, I have to remind myself that it can't all be learned in a day. This is a "way of life" not a cram for the test. I tend to say too much, add too much, "pour" instead of "drop" . . . I need to remember, my children will learn what He wants them to learn this year.


Little by Little
~Thomas Lye~ Puritan Sermons Vol. 2 pp.120, 125 (P.S.) Daily Devotions from the Puritans by I.D.E Thomas

In all your instructions, be careful to avoid all tedious verbosity. Nothing more disgusts a child's spirit than long and tedious discourses. Make up for the shortness of your discourse with frequency; a little now, and a little then, not all at once; drop by drop, as you pour liquor into a narrow-mouthed bottle. Just as you do when you first begin to feed the bodies with a spoon, so must you do when you first begin to feed their souls with instruction. Long speeches burden their small memories too much; and men's imprudence may unhappily make them to loathe spiritual manna. As physicians, therefore, in their dietetic prescription to children, say, 'little and often'; so must we. Young plants may quickly be over-glutted with rich manuring, and rotted with too much watering. Weak eyes, newly opened from sleep, at first can hardly bear the glare of a candle. 'Line upon line', therefore, and 'precept upon precept; . . . here a little, and there a little.' (Isaiah 28:10) You must drive the little ones towards heaven, as Jacob did his toward Canaan, very gently (Genesis 33:13). Fair and soft goes far.

To holy, hearty, serious, affectionate, frequent admonition, add an exemplary behavior. Inferiors are apt to be led by example rather than rule, and more prone to imitate practices than to learn principles. They are more mindful of what we do, than of what we say; and they will be very prone to suspect that we are not in good earnest, when they see what we command them one thing, and do another ourselves. When we teach them well, and do wrong ourselves, we only pull down with one hand what we build with the other.

Fair and soft goes far . . . 'Line upon line', therefore, and 'precept upon precept; . . . here a little, and there a little.' (Isaiah 28:10)

And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children."Isaiah 54:13