Companion Saints 2010

Companion Saints for the Journey 2010


As many of my readers can guess, we are fascinated with the many Holy Ones who have gone before us. I recently became aware of the tradition of choosing a patron saint to accompany one on their spiritual journey each year. It is not uncommon that a saint chooses you!

Our saint of the year is Jane Francis de Chantal. We will be praying especially for mothers this year. I was surprised when this one was given to us since for the last two weeks I have been meditating on her life.

Anyway, in order to spread this saintly devotion, our family is offering to pray to the Holy Spirit for a patron saint for you and/or your family. If you post in the comments section that you would like family or individual patron saints prayerfully chosen for you, we will ask the Holy Spirit to assign one to you and let you know. It's not too late.

When you get your saint's name, google them, find out more about them. Get a medal or a holy card or picture and post it to your refrigerator or mirror and pray daily for their intercession not only for your life but for the lives of others. God bless you.

Free Admission Day at Smithsonian Museums

On September 26, most Smithsonian affiliated Museums will have a free admission day. There are hundreds of them throughout the country. However, you must print out a free coupon from their site in order to gain free admission. Check the site for a list of museums in your area. Locally, they include The Betts House, The Cincinnati Fire Museum, XU's Art Museum, The Serpent Mound, Dayton's Carillon Historical Park, and Indy's Connor Prairie. Good Deal.

My Husband's Poetry

If you look on the sidebar, you will see a link to My Husband's Poetry.

Mark never knew he had a gift until about 12 years or so ago. Our eldest daughter was rewriting 'Twas a Night Before Christmas" to fit our family to present at our annual extended family Christmas Eve party. She asked for help and between the two of them, they developed a hilarious rendition.

Ever since then Mark has written poems for many occasions and some non-occasions. I think his blog is a tremendous insight in to a man's soul and family life. Check it out.

G.K. Chesterton

G. K Chesterton on Motherhood

“To be Queen Elizabeth within a definite area, deciding sales, banquets, labours, and holidays; to be Whitely within a certain area, providing toys, boots, cakes and books; to be Aristotle within a certain area, teaching morals, manners, theology, and hygiene; I can imagine how this can exhaust the mind, but I cannot imagine how it could narrow it. How can it be a large career to tell other people about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one’s own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone and narrow to be everything to someone? No, a woman’s function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute.”

G.K. Chesterton

Books about Saints

Since our school is called "All Saints Academy" we love to learn about all the saints. I do this a variety of ways.

The most common is the Saint of the Day article from "Magnificat" Magazine. First we pray morning prayer together. Then we pray for all our intentions. After that we pray to the Holy Spirit to let his Word sink deep into our souls so that we become more like Jesus. Then after reading the daily Mass readings and using One Bread, One Body meditations published by Presentation Ministries, we go back to the saint of the day in "Magnificat". It is just the right length for our daily meditations. If I have it all together, I then help the children make a figure for their timeline books.

We also read longer saint biographies. I particularly like 2 that are out of print. They are Sixty Saints for Girls and Sixty Saints for Boys by Joan Windham. Joan is a British author who has quite a gift for story telling. The details of the saints' lives are probably fictionalized, but she does get the important facts right. After reading the boy's book, they wanted to hear the girl's book as well.

I have used the Lives of the Saints books by Rev.H. Hoever and published by Catholic Book Publishing for our daily meditations in the past.

I have used other saints books by Catholic Book Publishing in the past, but they don't have the detail that I like. The pictures are awesome, however.

I really like the Vision book series published by Ignatius. I use these for family reading time. I am less enthusiastic about the Tan series by Windeatt.

Another series I like are the Pauline Press series. They are continually publishing new titles. One that we read on St. Maximilian Kolbe was quite inspiring.

If you don't want to buy anything, I like the liturgical year feature at Catholic Culture. It is sometimes hard to locate on their website.

There are crafts and recipes and activities for saints feasts and other feast days. We try to really celebrate at least one special feast a month complete with craft and special recipe.

Other resources are the blog "Catholic Cuisine" and Building the Family Cookbook by Suzanne Fowler.

Common Objections to Homeschooling Part 3

4) I have to work. Working does not automatically mean you cannot homeschool. I know many homeschool moms who work part-time. They have jobs such as nurses, doctors, teachers, medical/legal secretaries, writers, physical therapists, assisted living aides, tutors, music/art teachers/ tutors, photographers, child care professionals.

I owned my own homeschool supply business for 5 years. That was full- time in the summer and part-time the rest of the year.

This requires active support for the husband or other friends or family members.

I have known a few who worked full-time. The dedication and organization of these women are phenomenal. It can be done - with a lot of planning and fortitude.

5) I don't know math (or science or any other subject). Well this is a perfect opportunity to increase one's knowledge. Depending on the age of the children, a parent will learn right along with the child. If homeschooling an older child for the first time, a parent can choose from a variety of curricula that are much easier to use than when I started homeschooling. Not only are they homeschool friendly textbooks that don't assume that there is an expert teacher leading a class lecture, there are now correspondence courses, computer and internet based classes and co-op classes. Even in traditional schools, it is not uncommon for a student to use a tutor. Tutors can be an essential part of any education plan. I have one son who has a significant reading disability. He was tutored for a year to get him over a particular difficulty. I have tutored and taught co-op classes in logic, literature and writing classes, math and science.
I have enrolled my children in literature, religion, science, health and physical education classes.
The 2 most important things to remember is that a) you have God's grace with you to teach your own children and b) you have the answer key.

The Lord is my help. The Lord uplifts my life. I will offer you a willing sacrifice; I will praise your name, O lord, for its goodness. (Ps 53:6,8)

Common Objections to Homeschooling Part 2

3) I am not organized. Can a disorganized mom homeschool? Yes, I am living proof!

Organization has never been my strong suit, although I am always striving to improve. I think homeschooling gives the mom a lot more to organize, so one has to constantly work on this character trait.

My suggestions come in three different areas. First of all, I need to be at the top of my game. That means I have to concentrate on my own spiritual and emotional development. I do this by making sure I have a regular, daily prayer time. This is usually in the morning before my children are awake. Then I make sure I have adequate rest, nutrition and exercise. Regular date nights with my husband are important to maintain communication. Sometimes I am so busy, these activities go by the wayside, but then I feel it. I get more disorganized, disconnected and grumpy.

Next on my list is getting the housework done. Menu planning is essential to keep everyone fed. I have my menus planned before Monday morning. That way I have started defrosting or early prep by 10 am. each day. Since I plan my menu before I shop, it cuts way down on unplanned grocery tips.

I have also used flylady.org to help me keep focused on what needs to be done each day. In addition, I have a daily schedule for me and daily chore lists for each child. I really like Terri Maxwell's books Managers of their Homes and Managers of their Chores for her system of managing a large household. Other people really like A Mother's Rule of Life by Holly Pierlot.

For homeschooling I maintain daily schedules for all family members. Lesson planning is also a must for the best experience. Although in very stressful times I have been know to fly by the seat of my pants. (I suffered through many pregnancies with premature labor and one of my sons had leukemia). Adequate record keeping especially for high school is essential.

These ideas would make for the ideal situation. Most moms do not manage to do all the the above suggestions, but keeping focused helps everywhere.

I recommend first year homeschooling moms drop almost every extra activity they do in order to readjust. Homeschooling is a different way of life that requires adjustment. Homeschooling is a full time job.