Homeschooled and I'm glad!

Well, dear friends, earlier this week I returned from our annual CHEF of Louisiana Homeschool Convention. I heard some wonderful teaching and have been inspired and challenged in a lot of my ways of thinking.
You know, just when I say "Okay, I'm pretty comfortable with where I am in life" WHAM! People come along and challenge my thinking. I start to ask earth shattering questions such as "why?".

"Why?" is one of my favorite questions to ask myself. Strange, it may very well be. I mainly ask "Why am I doing this?". If my answer is not "because God wants me to" I must rethink my action. Why do I read what I read, listen to what I listen to, say what I say, meditate on what I meditate on, write what I write and watch what I watch? If my answer is anything other than "To bring me closer to God", "To bring someone else closer to God", or something frighteningly similar, I wonder if I should pursue it. For me "to broaden my mind", "to entertain me" and "because I have nothing better to do" (along with many others) are unacceptable answers.

I saw a car commercial once that really made me think (yes, you heard me correctly: I did say that a commercial had a big impact on my life). This guy was driving down the road and at every turn, every stop light and along the road side were people holding up signs that said "Seize the Moment!" Now, their point was to hurry up because the sale on this wonderful car would be ending soon, but it made me think. I had heard the phrase "Seize the Moment" before, but had never really considered it. It made me think of the scripture that says that whatever we do, we are to work at it with all of our might and that all that we do is to be done to the glory of God. I purposed at that point that God would be the focus of everything I did, from what I read, to what I watched, to what I think about, and the list goes on.
I have failed miserably at this, but am determined to press forward, forgetting what is behind and striving towards to goal. That goal, of course, is Holiness and Perfection. The "Be perfect as I, your God am perfect" mandate seems like it could take a bit of surrendering.

Edification in every word I speak is part of that mandate of perfection. Now, I don't usually make a habit of being harsh and cruel in my speech, but I wouldn't say that I only edify either. After the conference, we had the privilege of spending a good bit of time with one of the main speakers. I was very impressed on how he used his tongue. Before he would answer a question, or even say anything at all, he would pause. Now, at first, I thought it was just aggravating "Can't this guy answer any faster?! He's leaving me hanging!" But then I realized what he was doing. He was deciding what to say before he said it. Novel idea...I try to remember to implement it.

Cinderella

After getting on for the past several days and checking all of my favorite blogs and seeing nothing much new, I decided that I shall be the first to put up a new post, and hopefully, everyone will follow my wonderful example.

Anyway, from the title, I'm sure you are expecting me to talk about something besides people posting on blogs, and I shall not disappoint you.
I have now seen 4 performances of the play Cinderella in the past few days, and will see two more before it's all said and done. I have been going around bursting into song "THE PRINCE IS GIVING A BALL!!!" and "Do I love you because you're wonderful, or are you wonderful because I love you?" for obvious reasons. Needless to say, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Musical, Cinderella, has - against my will - been perminately engraved on my mind.
Doubtlessly, you shall all be interested to note that my mom has made a complete turn in her view of the story. She very much disliked Cinderella, but now absolutely loves her. She has even figured out a way to make the romance between Cinderella and Prince Charming biblical. At first I though she had lost her mind, but after considering it, they really are some interesting observations.
For one thing, the Prince expressed discomfort with the idea of dancing with "all of those candidates, all of which think that they would be a perfect princess for me". He said that whoever he married, it definitely would not be one of those girls. He refused to dance with anyone at the ball, and was completely uninterested in anyone in the room...until Cinderella came in. When he saw her, he knew that she was "the one" and wasted no time marrying her. Though I think that 10 minute courtship is a tad short, it was interesting that he didn't want to get to know her for 2 years before he married her.
Of course, since their relationship was based on "love at first sight", I had to quickly object. After discussing it for a little while, I discovered that I do, in fact, believe in love at first sight...though I hasten to add that I in no way think that it always works out that way. I think that you can know very quickly (dare I say instantly?), rather or not this is a person that God would have you marry. So maybe that isn't exactly considered "love" at first sight, but it sounds better than "knowledge at first sight".
Anyway, I also think that, often, we do not know for quite some time rather or not we are suited for someone.
Though this is only a fairy tale and had no religious agenda, it was interesting to note some key points. Cinderella was different from the other girls because she gentle, kind, yet hardworking as opposed to the flirtacious and aggressive other girls.
So, even though a dear friend told me on Sunday that she didn't think that people are "meant" for each other, being a good Calvinist (and not to mention, a hopeless romantic), I think I believe otherwise. I think that just as Adam and Eve were meant for each other, Joseph and Mary were meant for each other. Just as Christ and the Church (which human marriage represents) are meant for each other, each of us have someone that God has designed us to marry.

Of course, I know that many, if not all of my readers totally disagree with me, but I figured "oh well, it's my blog...it wouldn't be mine if it weren't at least a little bit controversial"

Saluti!
~Robin
<><

Home at last!

Well, my dear readers, I have returned home-sweet-home this evening.

I had an absolutely splendid time. There are not many things I enjoy more than visiting with my cousins. They have a unique way of impressing me and uplifting me even though we see things very differently. I still get along surprisingly well with all of them.

I am occasionally annoyed and disheartened by some of their choices but there is something about the fact that we're family that makes me extend more grace to them and not want to judge them, just help them.

What made it most wonderful is the one-on-one time I had with each of them. Usually, we see each other only at Thanksgiving. There are TONS of people and you only get around to small talk and surface conversations (which I can't stand). Only at around midnight, if me and one of them can stay up until everyone else in the room is asleep, can we get any deep conversation in.

This trip, I could sleep, and still get awesome conversation time in! It was very exciting to see how the schedules worked out to where I had at least a couple of hours, if not more, with each of them individually to have some time to get to know them better. I prayed for opportunities to be blessings to my cousins and to get to deepen our relationships, and I felt like I had some of that going on, at least with a couple of them.

So, anyway, it was a very exciting trip and I didn't want to come home (at all), though it was good to see my mom and sister again.

Well, I hope that I shall see all of you again very soon. It shall be nice to see everyone again...even James, which I thought I should mention because Merisha just told me that both James and Leah told her on Sunday that they didn't think I liked him. All I could do was sigh and lift my eyes towards heaven and think "what can I do to be a better friend?" I decided that the more I make it a point to be nice, the more people think I can't stand him (though I insist that there was never any insincerity in my niceness), but since that seems ineffective, I shall try being very mean to him for a while and see if that remedies the situation. Haha, never know...it could work! Just kidding (this has reached exasperating-to-the-point-of-humorous to me), I shall just keep trying to prove my sincerity. I keep telling myself that eventually everyone will understand me, though it's looking like it'll most likely be heaven before that time. Ahhhhh, the woes of being misunderstood!

My cousins understand me though...yet another reason to adore them! :D

Ciao everybody!

~Robin <><

My Sister

As Robin is not here, and cannot prevent me from saying what I will on her blog, I am taking the opportunity (that her modesty would prevent) of telling all the wonderful things about her that she will never tell you about herself.

I am of the opinion that my sister is the single most fascinating person in the world.
Most obvious is her ability to relate to anyone, anywhere. Okay, perhaps that is a bit of an exaggeration. Let us say that those that she does not easily relate to are the exception. In any case, she can always find common ground, from the 2 year-old, to the cousin with Palsy, to the cool relative or friend that I can find close to nothing to say to, to the sad-eyed old man in the nursing home. People that most would shrink away from, she embraces and loves.

She had the ability from a young age to relate to children, (a much envied gift by yours truly). She is going to be a wonderful mother, for one because (obviously) she loves children, and thinks them a great blessing. When everyone else is saying “go away and leave us alone” she wants to see what fascinates them, and has the ability to share the wonder that they find. At the same time she posses a will of iron that no 2-year-old will ever over ride, yet for some maddening reason the just love her all the more.

Something else about that will. You may as well forget compromise, she stands for what she believes in. Yet somehow (don’t ask me how) she doesn’t come across as self-righteous.

I think that I may have pin-pointed my love of Jane Austin. Her books are like a commentary on life by Robin. Witty, discerning and fun. Though I must say that Robin has a little more compassion than Miss Austen seems to have possessed. Robin is all that is charming in Elisabeth Bennet. (but she won’t fall for Mr. Wickem)

All in all, let it suffice to say that she is practically faultless, unless she happens to do something that annoys me, in which case it is all her fault. In honesty, she does so well with the faults that are native to her personality (as Mr. Darcy says, every disposition has a tendency to some particular evil) that they rarely plague even those to whom she has the most opportunity to show them. (translation: me) She even is a good enough sport to reenact and listen my long-winded theories on why the South was right.

She is my dearest confidant, my truest friend, and my favorite companion. She is a jewel of great price, and I am more than thankful that I have the privilege to be the person who hitherto knows her best. (or so I flatter myself)

Merisha <><

The Guest Blogger

Hello everyone. Robin is in Alabama and has graciously given me permission to post on her blog while she is gone.

Every once in a while I will think "if I had a blog I would post on (fill in the blank) but I'm not doing a great job remembering any of it so.... hum. I am debating whether to be profound or to be frivolous.

I have decided. I shall take the middle road (you know, the one that tries to please everyone and in the end pleases no one).

Mom and I are watching Pride and Prejudice this week while Robin is gone, because Robin is heartily sick of it, and I'm not. I was struck anew with the quality of conversation that Jane Austin gives her characters. (I am always delighted by deep conversation) The utter civility expressed on every occasion (even the occasion of having a proposal refused) also impresses me. I shall insert here for your enjoyment one of my favorite classic Jane Austin conversations:

Alas, it is too long to copy and paste, so I shall post the link: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: Chapter 10

If anyone cares they can go read it, and if not, it will be no loss.

Perhaps I should say more on the subject, but I shan't, because I have other things to do, and time, cruel time, flies on, headless of my attempts at blogging. Besides, I have no more to say

Fare thee well, good friends,

Merisha <><

And I'm off....again!!

Leaving tomorrow to go out of town again. This time I'm going to Alabama for a week. I leave you with this wonderful scripture to encourage you while I'm away:

Ephesians 4:1-3 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Blessings!

~Robin <><

Terri Schiavo

I have rarely (if ever) had a bad word to say about my country.

When it comes to the USA, my optimistic nature comes forth more than in normal circumstances. I'm always ready to put in the most excellent of words for our "land of the free, home of the brave." As far as I was concerned, America was just a little taste of heaven on earth....okay, so maybe not quite heaven, but everyone's got their problems, right?

But after twelve long days cruel and brutal treatment, worse than most prisoner of war treatment, when the soul of Terri Schiavo left this world, I felt as if I was the only sane person in an insane world.

She is not the first person to die by forced starvation and dehydration, nor is she the last. She is not the only one to die because she is an inconvenience, untold millions of babies can attest to that.

The holocaust of the unborn has been going on for some time, but now, it has come to the handicapped, elderly, and anyone else who is in the way.

How far we have come in 200 years...and seeing our history in extreemly fast decline of morality, I are forced to conclude that this is only the beginning

I pray for God's mercy on this country.