Expressions from our Youngest

Expressions from our Youngest
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Friday, April 25, 2014

7 Quick Takes




I would like to participate in 7 Quick Takes today over at Conversion Diary.  Just click on the link to participate.

1.

I went to pick my daughter up at her boyfriends house the other night.  Most people use the cell phone to call their child to come out to the car, but I went to the front door to knock.  I guess this is old fashioned.  Nevertheless, I'm glad I did because I got to sit and have a glass of wine and cheese and crackers with Joey's parents.  What a beautiful family I was able to meet and spend time with together.  They have ten children and I was able to meet most of them.  The teens were outside having a bonfire together.  All the little ones were inside watching t.v.  The have such a fun house.  Next time you pick your son or daughter up at a friends house, go to the front door at least just to say hello and thank you.  My daughter, Kristen, is blessed with this friendship.

2.

The other day we went to Aunt Zina's house to let the kids play and enjoy some girl time together with Zina.  We had such a wonderful time.  I am grateful for this wonderful family too.  If you would like to read about our visit...with a bit of politics thrown in....go here http://ordainedpraise-homeschoolmom.blogspot.com/2014/04/will-real-evildoers-please-stand.html.

3.

We had a successful NOL Journal Writing Coop yesterday.  The boys had a great time.  Here are some pics to share:




4.

We had a wonderful visit at Grandma's over Easter.  The high point for my seven year old was the Living Stations at our Church on Good Friday.  Here is a pic of my mother and I.  Please pray for her as she has very bad arthritis.


5.

We went to two practices for Holy Eucharist preparation this week.  My son is doing the second reading and did a marvelous job.  He will be receiving his sacrament tomorrow so I have to find a pair of dress pants for him today.

6.

We've started helping out with and After School Program for some poor families in our town.  So far, I've been doing my dance and movement class.  Next class, I will bring my game I invented for them.  We do this once a week.

7. 

We received great news from my two college sons.  One was accepted into the Ph.D. program and the other received a part time job at University of Maryland Hospital in Baltimore.  I am so proud of them.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Will the Real Evildoers Please Stand?



Sometimes God speaks to our hearts in the simplest moments.  The other day I was blessed to be able to sit and talk with a dear friend while our children played at her house.  While we talked, we had a nature channel on while we engaged in a wonderful conversation.  At one point we were enthralled with a polar bear and her young cubs.  They came out from under the snow and her new cubs waddled over to the mother polar bear as she enticed them with her mother's milk.  When we see a mother nursing her child, it is one of the most beautiful sites anyone can ever imagine...whether it is in the animal kingdom or human kingdom.

I remember those holy and peaceful moments as a young mother when I was able to nurse my babies.  I actually felt a life force leaving my body as it nurished my baby.  Being able to give and provide for my children trumps any job or career I've had or could have in life.  It is an experience that is so full of love that only women are able to experience from the designs of our heavenly Father when it comes to nursing.  There is a driving hateful force at odds with this beautiful image that we are encountering in our society today.  Everytime I hear of the legislation our evil president, Barrack Obama, puts forth like abortion and contraception,  this image flashes into my mind and I'm overwhelmed with concern for young women in our society.

When I say evil, I mean it.  We are fighting the devil in our country.  The liberal democrats have put a premium upon equality and sameness rather than upon difference, so that they've become intolerant to the very freedom to be different.  In effect, they've overstepped their bounds by taking advantage of our equalitarian democracy, where men will be prone to be 'lost in the crowd' of their fellows and lose respect for their own freedom and individuality, and so become grossly indifferent to the free expresions of individual thought, taste and desire on the part of all others.  They are engaged in making democracy and equality their great leveler which makes it impossible for minorities to hold any different views.  Unfortunately for them, the majority seems to be waking up to these evil efforts because their strategy is only accomplished by using force and being unethical in their business dealings.

Liberals say that equality for women comes in the working world to be equal with their male counterparts.  Part of this is true but they overstep their authority by forcing abortion and contraception on everyone...including those that believe it to be unethical and murderous through the HHS mandate.  They get away with not having to state their rationality or goals behind this and become a great threat to motherhood and the virtue of modesty in our young women.  In effect, if a young woman takes the pill...she is saying I want to have sex before marriage.  This is not a worthy goal for our young women to feel they have to uphold to be accepted in society.  Liberals always site medical reasons for taking the pill, but the vast majority who consume it are young women who want to avoid pregnancy when they engage in premarital sex.  This is never mentioned.

I've lived my whole life without having sex as a goal and the Lord protected me.  This is not to say that I was a virgin when I married because I believed the lies of my first boyfriend.  Once I learned he was a liar, I quickly stayed away from him.  I was lucky that I did not get pregnant.  After going through this lustful relationship where I was just used and bringing it before the Lord in sorrow, I quickly became the wiser and chose an honest man for my husband.  I believe this was because I did not have a goal to have sex before marriage in my life.  Sex was something that was fostered only by an honest loving relationship with a man that would take place before sex.  There are too many in powerful positions that promote lewd behavior.

Just look at the pornography that was forced down our throats with the performance from Miley Cyrus.  I'm sorry...but Miley Cyrus is no role model for young women.  We should not want our daughters to be like this.  The president had the gall to run to the aid of Trayvon Martin because he was black.  Why doesn't he run to the aid of women and speak up for modesty and decency when he sees a performance like this from Miley Cyrus?  It is because he approves of this and desires to bring America's values of faith and family down.  Is this what he wants from his daughters?  Obama is promoting the war on women and motherhood.  Anyone who claims to be a liberal associates themselves with the evils of this president now.  The only way to gain any credibility as a liberal, in my mind, is to discredit the evil deeds of this administration.  Some of which are:

Making peaceful religious people violate their own conscience by forcing them to encourage/promote behaviors, participate in activities or provide products that are immoral to their belief system.  This is a direct assault on Religious Freedom gauranteed to citizens in the First Amendment.  This is not equality but oppression.

Discriminating against others for their political beliefs that have always been at opposite reasoning scenarios in a two party system.  Only now, Conservatives are being targeted as though they are terrorists and they are not.  It is the Liberal who has taken on the actions and beliefs of terrorists.  They favor aggressors and violent people.

Making it difficult for peaceful citizens to protect themselves with responsible gun ownership that has always been a hallmark of our Second Amendment rights.

Ramming unjust voluminous ineffective laws (Obamacare)  through Congress while stating that the law must be passed before we can find out what is in it.  Absolutely no transparency or dialogue about the law prior to its passing.  I would never do business with someone so rude!

Telling our military personnel to STAND DOWN while our Embassy in Benghazi is being attacked by terrorists.  Afterwards, lying about the incident to the American people by claiming it was the result of a movie that angered Muslims in the area.  In effect, our embassy was destroyed and Americans were killed.  Why would one favor the aggressor unless they were evil themselves.

Ignoring when blacks attack whites in the 'Knock Out Game' because one is racist against whites.  Only arresting an individual who perpetrates this hanious crime if he is white.  This is racist.

These are a few of the atrosities that come to mind.  I have to tell you, many people in our country are superb liars.  Obama had many believing he was a Christian who believed in traditional marriage before he was elected.  This is obviously not the case.  In fact, those who are opposed to homosexual marriage, in all probability, believe people of the same sex can attain the most beneficial and productive relationship as friends.  It is this friendship that is a peaceful and amicable relationship that promotes virtue in our world.  Therefore, what exactly is this homosexual relationship if it is not friendship or true love/marriage?  It may be that it is the exact opposite of a peaceful relationship indicating that the two homosexuals may be harming eachother by violating any potential friendship that can develop.  Why would one force others to believe that destroying a potential friendship can promote virtue in society.  Where is the data and proof of this?  The liberals do not deal with facts but use equality as their great leveler to bring the righteous down.  Homosexual marriage is proof of this.  Just look at Massachusetts now.


Friday, March 14, 2014

7 Quick Takes




I would like to post to 7 Quick Takes over at Conversion Diary.

1.)  During Lent I am trying to take more of an opportunity to pray more.  I read Fr. Barron's Lenten devotions every morning and I've been participating more heavily in the morning or afternoon prayers on EWTN which includes the rosary - my favorite prayer.  I am trying to enter into the desert more this Lent but keep falling short of perfection.  Today was Friday and I didn't eat meat but I did eat three fattening cookies...my bad.

2.)  I am also focusing on almsgiving as I've reached out to the community through service oriented endeavors.  There are three I'm focused on:  a)  An after school program for poor children from 3:30 to 5:00 pm.  They may possibly need me once a week and I mentioned that I could teach the children my dance and movement class.  I think they liked the idea.  b)  There is a local Job Fair to share resumes and talk with principals from Catholic schools in the WDC metro area coming up soon.  I would like to attend this and see what may be available to help out on a part time basis.  c)  I also sent an application in to assist the elderly in a local Jewish community.  The most convenient possibility will be the after school program as it is the closest and I am still homeschooling my second grader.  He can participate with me.

3)  I've prepared my lessons for my next Journal Writing class and Religious Education class.  I have to pick up the shamrocks the boys will hunt for in the yard since they were enlarged and laminated at a local print shop.  Patrick already caught his leprechaun in a pot of gold (I think he is doing the splits).  Then he has to write about it.

My Religious Education class will be attending Reconciliation and I've prepared a take home quiz for the kids that we can start in class if we have time.

4)  My senior is finding out important information for her chosen field of study:  nursing at local universities.  She is also casually dating a very nice young boy from a devout Catholic family.  My husband and I have to take her out driving more so she can build up her confidence to get her license.  She is so small that even when I get into the car after she drives, I have to scoot the seat back.  I am 5'4".

5)  The girls were home from school for two days in the beginning of the week because they had parent/teacher conferences.  It was a nice relaxing time where I took them to get their hair cuts.  My son and I were exhausted after an extremely busy Monday and also took off homeschooling as it was hard for him to stay focused on his subjects.  On Monday, we had to run from coop, to religious education, to sports night at my two daughters' high school.  My daughters were on the swim team.  Here are the graduating seniors:



6)  I ordered new third grade spelling and math books for my second grade homeschooler.  He just finished his Holy Eucharist book for his sacramental preparation next month.  He is doing a superb job with his journal writing and cursive handwriting practice.  He is also becoming more independent in taking his history quizzes now as he performs any research himself.  I love the stories he is reading with his Memory Press reader.  He also has an impressive memory with his Latin vocabulary.

7)  It turns out that I will have to be the lead teacher for my son's science class in our coop.  It is o.k. though because another mom is lending me her curriculum material for magnetism and birds.  As long as this material is user friendly, I'll be able to take the time to plan and teach the class.  Otherwise, I will not have the time.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Managing Homeschooling with Ease


I thought I would give new homeschoolers some advice from the 23 years I've been engaged in this process.  The more children one is homeschooling...the more of a challenge the effort can be on our time and organization.  I have five children:  one in grad school, one a senior in college, one a senior at a Catholic high school, one a freshman at this Catholic high school, and one still homeschooled with me.  I homeschooled my four older children up until ninth grade where they enrolled in private high schools with an above par transition!

I have found that if I can help my kids focus on more knowledge with a subject at an earlier age, the easier it is to manage their homeschool endeavors at a later age.  For example, last year my first grader completed the entire Harcourt Science textbook.  We did science about three days out of the week.  I absolutely loved this book as the experiments were easy, many, and very instructional.  The textbook consisted three units with six chapters averaging about four lessons per chapter.  Here is the table-of-contents.

Harcourt Science - Life Science:  Living Things Grow and Change, Homes for Living Things; Earth Science: Exploring Earth's Surface, Space and Weather; Physical Science: Exploring Matter, Energy in Motion (This book is extremely manageable.  We complete about 4 to 6 great worksheets per lesson dispersed through out the week and conduct a simple experiment with easy to find items.  I can read the lesson and worksheets on the weekend so I can be prepared during the week.  We do not complete a lesson in one sitting.)

I covered more science that required my assistance with my college sons when they were in first through third grade also.  This gave them a big picture of what the discipline of science consisted of while they were at a young age.  It opened the door for them to engage in the subject more independently when they were older.  This also makes more time if you have any new members join your family in the future because, heaven knows, an infant depends entirely on mom.

This year since my first grader completed a efficient amount of science in first grade, we are able to take a science class in a coop that teaches one day a week rather than three days a week.  Our units are on the solar system, anatomy, magnetism, and birds.  It will cover less ground than his first year but is a more socially oriented method as he is participating in a wonderful group setting with like minded Christians.  A social setting can be a great asset if the kids are all learning similar morals and virtuous concepts.  An added benefit is that my partner in teaching has a nursing background and is a great teacher.  This gives us more time to focus on the new subjects he is pursuing this year with Latin and spelling.

Now, I've heard of some curriculums that don't even teach science in the early years.  I have experienced that this is more applicable to little girls than little boys.  My sons loved to be engaged in more hands on experiments.  My little girls were more happy just 'being.'  I can't say this is the same for every child, but I can definitely say it is the case in our specific family.

Therefore, if you have many children you are homeschooling...try to pick a subject you can teach them a bit more broadly and then the following year you can be a bit more relaxed in this area.  Science is a good choice because it can require more of a time and planning commitment.






Sunday, February 23, 2014

A Simple Woman's Daybook - Febuary 23, 2014



Outside my window...it is a beautiful day here in Maryland about 50 degrees or so with the sun bright and shining on everything around.

I am thinking...that it will be nice when my hubby feels better and can take me out for Valentine's Day.

I am thankful...that one of my son's is going to Florida with some friends over the Spring break.

In the kitchen...we are going roast pork, potatoes, and veggies.

I am wearing...black sweats, pink and black top, sneakers, and pony tail

I am creating...a craft for my journal writing coop where the theme is helping or caring and a craft for religious education class where we focus on the sacraments of initiation.

I am going...to go for a walk later with hubby on this beautiful day.

I am wondering...what my friend will say when she knows... I know... she stole my customer from me.

I am looking forward to... Spring!

I am hearing...nice to hear the geese in the pond behind our house.  There are also birds chirping and the screens are open for the first time here.

Around the house... it is Sunday...a day for rest and relaxation!  We were just out on the back deck enjoying the weather and nature.  My girls are doing some homework and my seven year old was just playing in the yard with the watch dog.

I am praying...for an end to Christian persecution.

One of my favorite things...was seeing my hubby and daughters usher at Mass this morning.  We also saw my son's Godmother and her new baby.

A few plans for the rest of the week...is continue to homeschool at an efficient pace.

Here are some recent pictures to share. 


See the Monument in the background.  My son's scout troop went to the Air and Space Museum in WDC this weekend.  They had a great time and I encourage all to go.


The seniors last swim meet together.  My daughter is third from the right.


At the swim meet together.

This is my first customer with a business venture I am on with friends.


This is our last journal writing class where we discussed God's Creation.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

The Simple Woman's Daybook




It's time for A Simple Woman's Daybook for the month of February 2014.  Just click on this link to participate.

Outside my window...it is about 30 degrees here in Maryland and a bit overcast. 

I am thinking...that it will be a nice break next week when I don't have to plan for coop or religious education classes due to the Presidents Day holiday.

I am thankful...that my second grader is enjoying learning how to write in cursive.

In the kitchen...we are going to have my hubby's lasagna again.

I am wearing...black boots, blue jeans, and a purple shirt.

I am creating...a craft for the Creation project we are doing in my journal writing class.

I am going...to my two daughters' swim meet.  It will be the last one for my senior.

I am wondering... what leader will realize that it is better to redefine civil unions rather than marriage because it respects the belief of all people rather than just a small percentage.

I am looking forward to... A big snow storm coming our way tonight.

I am hearing...nice music coming from the computer.

Around the house...we have new natural products to clean and there is a clean fresh scent in the air.

I am praying...for an end to Christian persecution.

One of my favorite things...was attending the swim team dinner.

A few plans for the rest of the week...is to continue to clean with these new products as more are coming in the mail.  If you would like to find out more, just let me know and I'll give you a phone # and password to learn about this when I have a conference call.

Here are some recent pictures to share. 


My two daughters' swim team


Hubby and I going to swim team dinner


When did your child figure it out?  Patrick is second grade.


Blue and Gold dinner


Cub Scouts doing the hula


Networking with friends


One Patrick's favorite school pals

Friday, January 31, 2014

Choice / Disagreement is not Judgement

Christians are blessed to be able to view/measure their life against God's standards.  This does not mean they are judging others who live by different standards.  This just means that if an example of something that goes against these standards is given, the observer has the knowledge to separate it out from these standards with a red flag in order to choose avoidance of the example given.  Thus, this example is unsuitable for their own life as an authentic disciple.  To disagree with something means: to fail to agree; to differ in opinion, and to be unsuitable.  There exist a driving hateful force in the homosexual movement and the liberal left to make the world think that this simple choice or disagreement is a judgement.

This hateful driving force is laid out in Marshall Kirk and Hunter Madsen's book called "After the Ball: How America Will Conquer its Fear and Hatred of Gays in the 90's."  You see that right in the very title of this book they negligently label what in most cases is a simple choice or disagreement on how to live peacefully by calling it fear and hatred.  Thus, in their attempt to fight this supposedly "fear and hatred," it justifies their utilization of intimidation and hate to stop it.

This driving hateful force is called 'jamming.'  Jamming is psychological terrorism meant to silence expression of or even support for dissenting opinion.  Everyone has a right to be able to express their views and have opinions about virtuous and peaceful ways of living.  As you can see, there is nothing virtuous, loving, or peaceful about jamming.  In jamming - the target is shown a "bigot" being rejected by his crowd for his "prejudice" (of which it is not but only a simple choice or disagreement on how to live peacefully) against gays.  Therefore, just by knowing that the homosexual lifestyle is unsuitable for their own lives as disciples...Christians are called "bigots."

If the homosexual does not want to live by God's standards, they have a free will to choose this approach.  This does not mean they have to spit obsenities at Christians for having a free will to live under God's standards.  Many of them display an uncontrollable anger toward the other who choose to live under God's laws.  In this book, they are actually taught to view the other as their opponent.  The Christian is not their opponent that needs to be contested, conflicted, and debated with in order  for them to express their homosexuality without forcing it on others and attain the same financial benefits as those in a heterosexual marriage exactly because Christians are not judging them but simply choosing a different way to live. 

To judge means: to form an opinion about through careful weighing of evidence and testing of premises; to sit in judgement on; to determine or pronounce after inquiry and deliberation; govern rule; to form an estimate or evaluation of.  There is data that exists on the results that are derived in the homosexual lifestyle and the heterosexual lifestyle.  This is what should be analyzed by our political leaders in order to make favorable gay rights legislation because they do have to become a type judge in this situation (it's a shame that too many ignore or try to distort the facts on homosexuality).

Political leaders are the individuals homosexuals need to work with (not condemn) in order to receive help.  Homosexual civil unions or gay marriage (not marriage) is relatively new and gays need to start focusing on improving the data that reflects their own lifestyle rather than hatefully attacking innocent bystanders.  In other words, start worrying about themselves instead of sticking their nose in the lives of others to make them out to be "haters" and "homophobes."  Jamming doesn't just take place with words anymore...it takes place with one's physical prescence now by gay activists or "trans people" desiring to intrude into women's restrooms violating their privacy and modesty.  Jamming in and of itself is hateful and violent language and perverted instrusion.  Homosexuals seem to be seeking respect for their lifestyle but will not get it by jamming, forcing Christians to participate in their wedding ceremonies, denying women the ability to honor their modesty and privacy in women's restrooms, or setting themselves up as a priviledged class whose needs trump the needs of others.