Friday, February 29, 2008

Amazing Finds

#1--I am not what one would call a "natural" teacher...my mother-in-law is and I am totally amazed at how she turns almost everything into some kind of learning experience. I wish I had that gift, but since I do not, I like to surf the net for free resources. A couple days ago I came across this website: Hubbard's Cupboard. I haven't had the chance to look at all of it, but what I have seen looks pretty cool. She has a whole list of Bible verses set to song for memorization that I might have to use for myself! I am thinking of using the 4's curriculum with Kayleigh next year; it seems like something she would enjoy.

#2--This past Sunday I picked up a book from the church library(check it out if haven't lately), Choices by Mary Farrar, wife to Steve Farrar. I was totally captured by these words in the Intro:

"As the struggle (internal) continued, I felt a sense of--dare I say it--futility creeping into my life. It wasn't that I minded doing the laundry or cleaning the mildew out of the shower. But I was discovering something I didn't expect. Isolated from the outside world and enveloped in the daily demands of caring for a home, I was finding the gap between the home and the outside world to be far greater than I had ever imagined."

This is exactly the struggle I have been feeling for quite some time, but couldn't put my finger on what words to describe it. The first few chapters explain how the make-up of the home has change drastically over the last 150 years or so. The word "work" used to describe what a woman does daily within her home: raising and educating her children, keeping house, sewing, cooking, etc. Now "work" is something you do outside of the home...think about it, we call women who choose to stay at home "stay-at-home" moms, like all they do is sit around the house all day., instead of describing the as "work-at-home" moms. The modern feminist movement grew out of women losing their sense of value and importance as the makers and keepers of the home. I have not finished the book, but I'll let you know my final thoughts when I do.

Well , I have work to do...talk at ya later.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Choices is one of my favorites. So great. Thanks for reminding me to read it again!

Brenda said...

I remember feeling exactly like you describe. I thought I was the only woman/wife/mother who chose to stay at home and raise two children to become independent adults. I decided really early that I would make a difference and bring the glory back into staying at home and not give in to the deception about the "glamor" of working outside of the home. I used this plateform to encourage other women who chose to stay at home and raise their own children. It isn't easy to compete with the image of getting all dressed up, without worrying about spit-up ruining your dress, and leaving all your cares at home as you cross over into greener pastures; that's a fable too many women fall into.

What can you do? You can choose to sing praises as you wipe another snotty nose, scrub the tubs, and put yet another load of clothes into the washer, and in the back of you mind, remembering that you are raising the next generation who will make a difference in our society.

How can you bring glory back into staying at home? Make you home a sancturay that is filled with the presence of the Lord and while you're at it, brush your hair, put a little make-up on and look like you know your job is as important as running any corporation.

You are not alone-keep striving for the finish line.