I've never been able to carve out enough time to get the pictures off my camera and onto the blog. Using my cell phone to take pictures is great, but the process for getting them from the phone onto the blog is even more cumbersome, it seems like. (And anymore, I'm just not sure that having pictures of my kids on the internet is a very safe thing.)
My life is drastically different from the way it was in 2007--but I think everyone could say that. My kids are older, and although they're all pretty independent and really have very few activities, life just feels busy. I would rather be present in the moments I have with them, savoring the feeling of it, imprinting the sights, sounds, and smells in my brain and on my heart to fully enjoy now and save for later.
So what should my focus be? Parenting? Homeschooling? Political commentary? There's already so many of those blogs, written by people who have far more expertise and experience than I do. So as I've been considering, I was reminded of a couple of questions a friend asked me about homeschooling: "What homeschooling philosophy do you subscribe to? How do you choose what to teach and how to teach it?" My answer to her was this:
"I love the educational ideas of Charlotte Mason. I think she really understood children and what they truly needed to know and do to be happy and successful in life. But the philosophy that resonates with me and inspires me when I'm choosing what to share with my children is the 13th Article of Faith, and Philippians 4." (Verses 4, 6-9, and 13.)
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul--We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things. (Articles of Faith, 13)
4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4)
This is what I think I want (what I think I NEED) to blog about--the praiseworthy things in the world, the praiseworthy things in my community, the praiseworthy things in my home and my life. Next I'll be working on a new title for my blog.
Check back soon!
