The subtitle, "A Family Guide to Center Your Year Around Jesus," literally grabbed me. Our family is in the midst of some big changes, but even the fact that our girls are 12, 10, and 7 means that we have the potential to "miss the forest for the trees" and let American commercialism dictate our celebrations. Danielle Hitchen gives a great history of the Christian calendar along with prayers, liturgies, Scripture passages, and ways to observe feasts and fasts. The best part is that she is aiming at family discipleship here, so it is family-friendly as a read aloud. Get it here.
HEM·ology: noun: somewhere between zoology and theology.
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Four Great Things #01
Kate Stevens • Feb 17, 2024
Here are Four Great Things from the week of 2/16/2024.
I come across all sorts of wonderful things that I want to share—this is rooted in the teacher part of me who will never leave me alone, or you for that matter. When I say "things," I quite literally mean it: books, quotes, wines, apps for productivity, journaling methods, articles, podcasts. . .
My goal is to come up with Four Great Things every week to share. So subscribe below to have this delivered to your inbox! And please *please* comment with your favorite things because I like the great things of my friends, too.
Substack
Are you on Substack yet? I really can't quite remember how I stumbled on it, but I did and I'm grateful. It's like an ad-free, more intellectual, way less dramatic, highly creative platform for thinkers, writers, artists, podcasters, and readers. The idea for Four Great Things came from it, along with a host of interesting things to think about.
"Sacred Seasons"
"The Book of Easter"
This is a compilation arranged by The Macmillan Company in 1910. This picture is on the first page because the cover is just solid green. It contains poetry, Scripture readings, folktales and some art sketches surrounding the observance of the Ascension, Easter day being day 1 of 40.
The introduction by WM Croswell Doane ends this way: "Our own lives ought to be the lives of people who, having died to sin, have risen to righteousness, the same in chracter, only lifted up to new heights of dignity and duty."
I found this treasure at our local library. But you can read it for free online here.
Mother Academia
This is a YouTube channel hosted by Autumn Kern. She is also the host of the podcast "The Commonplace," aiming at homeschooling families. Mother Academia levels up in big ways. She talks about moms as born persons, needing rich study so we can pour into our children and others.
My own philosophy of education is that what we study is not a useful means to get my girls to their final destinations of art school, college, or culinary classes. We study Latin, grammar, biology, poetry, and cursive because these are the ends and our means. We're not aiming at a future glory with our lessons because education is our glory. What better way for me to model that than to take up my own lessons of the ancients?
What I'm working on:
- Just a regular rhythm of writing.
- I started a journal where I narrate what I read as soon as I read it. This has helped with comprehension and retention immensely. . . especially in reading the ancients.
Quotable
- "We enjoy the idea that our souls will go to be with God when we die, but we are not terribly concerned that they should accomplish anything before then." Joshua Gibbs, "Love What Lasts: How to Save Your Soul from Mediocrity"
Worth the Memory
"Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
What are your great things from the week?
I'm Kate
Worshiper, wife, mom—with the help of the Lord, this is my hierarchy of work. Beyond this I homeschool the girls and hold down a staff position at Crosspoint Community Church in Rockwall, TX. I read, write, do yoga, cook, and practice thinking pure and lovely things.
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Somewhere between zoology and theology.