| Author | |
JSchaaf
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 22 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 753
|
| Posted: March 29 2007 at 9:35pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
The complete blog post can be found here.
"In one sense, their lives are a bloodless martyrdom. The media mostly forgets them except for the occasional condescending piece in the Times. They fit no stereotypes, being too numerous and too interesting, so they are ignored. They sacrifice for the well fare of their children.
Talents that could vitalize a corporate board room are turned to teaching children to read. Their children, of course, take such sacrifice for granted. Their mothers make it safe for them to be blissfully unaware of their blessings. So these strong women sacrifice everything our culture deems important. They have no resume inflating career. Yet they give new life and meaning to all the Victorian platitudes lodged, because they are true, in the back of all our minds. “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.”
These are kitchen table Socrates. They don’t trust the government schools that spend billions to produce cookie cutter children. These women use cookie cutters on cookies not children. Like Socrates, they despise uniformity in education and people who teach for money and not love of students . There children are producing reems of stories, hours of music, original plays, and a whole new civilization. If our boys are overseas defending the West, these women are home renewing it.
Home school mothers are the heart of a traditionalist revolution that is driving life back into the homes. To these women, and the men blessed to be married to them, homes are no longer assets or places to share a microwave dinner at the end of an exhausting day of separation. Spreading like some beneficial virus, men and women are returning basic educational, economic, and social functions to home where they have always belonged.
A great poet was brought to see God through the example of one godly woman. Dante had his Beatrice and it was enough. It is harder for men in our materialistic age, so God has raised up thousands of such women. It is time to take a good hard look at what these heroes without epic poets are doing in quiet. I put very little trust in princes, whether elected or not. Rather, if the oldest stories are true the fate of the Republic rests more with these home school mothers.
There are now millions of these strong, independent, God fearing women in the United States. They ask nothing of government, but to be left alone.
These women are not impressed with stardom and glamor, many do not even own televisions. Their men work long hours in their own, often not very glamorous, businesses so that their wives can save the West. The men they admire get things done with decency and honor. They are often quiet men, but as sound as the state credit used to be. Their wives chose them for their virtues, not their muscles. Home school mothers are fiercely liberated and proudly traditional.
Seeing God in Beatrice allowed Dante to find his way back from darkness. Seeing God in these home school mothers could show any man the way back to decency and honor. I know, because I am married to a home school mother and she fires my imagination, gives me hope, and is educating the future of our line."
John Mark Reynolds
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Chari
Forum Moderator
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5228
|
| Posted: March 29 2007 at 10:29pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
WOW
__________________
Chari...Take Up & Read
Dh Marty 27yrs...3 lovely maidens: Anne 24, Sarah 20 & Maddelyn 17 and 3 chivalrous sons: Matthew 22, Garrett 16 & Malachy 11
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Cay Gibson
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 16 2005
Location: Louisiana
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5193
|
| Posted: March 29 2007 at 11:11pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
WOW Twice!
__________________
Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Elizabeth
Founder
Real Learning
Joined: Jan 20 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5595
|
| Posted: March 30 2007 at 5:12am | IP Logged
|
|
|
This made my morning!
__________________
Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Donna
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1151
|
| Posted: March 30 2007 at 5:57am | IP Logged
|
|
|
WOW thrice  .
I sent that article off to the moms in our homeschool group. Great way to end the week!
__________________
Donna
DH, Keven
Jason, Stevie, Marie, Jackson, Clara, and Aaron
Jacob, Sam, and Regina with God
Grandbabies Leigha and Elsie
Moments Like These
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Bookswithtea
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 07 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2621
|
| Posted: March 30 2007 at 7:01am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I feel special today! What a tribute!
__________________
Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Natalia
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Louisiana
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1343
|
| Posted: March 30 2007 at 7:41am | IP Logged
|
|
|
What a piece! It made me proud to be a part of the Beatrice Brigade with all of you.
Natalia
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
ElizLeone
Forum Pro
Joined: Jan 09 2006
Location: Wisconsin
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 214
|
| Posted: March 30 2007 at 7:53am | IP Logged
|
|
|
This is so awesome! My husband enjoyed it as much as I did! Thanks for sharing this!
__________________
Elizabeth in Wisconsin
7 kids, 1 little saint
Munchkins on the Path
Our Adoption
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
lapazfarm
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 21 2005
Location: Alaska
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6082
|
| Posted: March 30 2007 at 7:55am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Wow, yet again!
__________________
Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mary G
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5790
|
| Posted: March 30 2007 at 7:56am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I'm betting most of our husbands would say the same things -- just in different words. We're great home learning moms BECAUSE we usually have dh's helping us too....
I'm forwarding this to Rick -- he's going to love it. THANKS for posting.
__________________
MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mary G
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5790
|
| Posted: March 30 2007 at 7:58am | IP Logged
|
|
|
The whole blog piece is worth reading too....
__________________
MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Tina P.
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1638
|
| Posted: March 30 2007 at 7:59am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Awesome. 
I sent the article along to some friends who I would love to entice into homeschooling. They're a really great family with girls just on the brink of going to regular school. Will you please pray for them?
God bless,
__________________
Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
Mary's Muse
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
cvbmom
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 15 2005
Location: Ohio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 930
|
| Posted: March 30 2007 at 8:10am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Wow and thanks for sharing!
Christine
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Cay Gibson
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 16 2005
Location: Louisiana
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5193
|
| Posted: March 30 2007 at 9:08am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Mary G wrote:
| The whole blog piece is worth reading too.... |
|
|
Definitely!
I printed a copy for safe-keeping and gave it to my dh to read last night. He read it then asked: "Is this suppose to be you?" 
__________________
Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Cay Gibson
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 16 2005
Location: Louisiana
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5193
|
| Posted: March 30 2007 at 9:09am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Cay Gibson wrote:
Mary G wrote:
| The whole blog piece is worth reading too.... |
|
|
Definitely!
I printed a copy for safe-keeping and gave it to my dh to read last night. He read it then asked: "Is this suppose to be you?" |
|
|
Edited: I forgot...the first think he said was: "Good writer."
Me: "And? What do you think about what he wrote?"
Men!
__________________
Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Tina P.
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1638
|
| Posted: March 30 2007 at 9:21am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Yes Cay, it's you and me and a whole host of other women who've made mistakes but whose children, God bless them, forgive us our imperfections as we forgive them theirs. This article came at just the right time to absolutely rocket my love of homeschooling to new heights.  to you Cay. You are that strong, talented, traditionalist woman who was blessed with a husband with a wry sense of humor. 
__________________
Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
Mary's Muse
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
KC in TX
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 05 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2621
|
| Posted: March 30 2007 at 9:51am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Wow!! This is great. I'm going to share it with my homeschool group too.
__________________
KC,
wife to Ben (10/94),
Mama to LB ('98)
Michaela ('01)
Emma ('03)
Jordan ('05)
And, my 2 angels, Rose ('08) and Mark ('09)
The Cabbage Patch
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Cay Gibson
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 16 2005
Location: Louisiana
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5193
|
| Posted: March 30 2007 at 10:06am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Tina P. wrote:
| This article came at just the right time to absolutely rocket my love of homeschooling to new heights. |
|
|
Oh, me too, Tina! After I read it, I was so in with this lifestyle I almost couldn't breathe.
Tina P. wrote:
| You are that strong, talented, traditionalist woman who was blessed with a husband with a wry sense of humor. |
|
|
You're sweet. And very perspective. My dh does have a 'wry sense of humor', God him. 
__________________
Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Diane
Forum Pro
Joined: Feb 01 2006
Location: Ohio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 371
|
| Posted: March 30 2007 at 10:57am | IP Logged
|
|
|
What a great essay, so affirming and encouraging! I hardly feel that I live up to the model, but it does express quite beautifully so much of what I believe about the gift of homeschooling.
I emailed the link to my dh at work (which too often seems to be our best mode of communication these days  ), and this was his response:
I could have written this. Except for the part about going to the talk on Socrates. [I'm too busy doing laundry!] Oh, and the part about marrying men for their virtue and not their muscles.
 So typical of him---sweet and funny.
Thanks so much for sharing this lovely piece of writing!
__________________
Peace,
Diane
Mom to five fair lasses and one bonny prince
The Journey of a Mother's Heart
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Suzanne Temple
Forum Newbie
Joined: March 26 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2
|
| Posted: March 30 2007 at 11:14am | IP Logged
|
|
|
A very lifestyle-affirming article. I enjoyed it completely.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Home School Mothers
