We've enjoyed the mild month of October so far. It's busy, but manageable. Ballet is still going strong (the show is in November) but this past week we had off.
Today is our annual Corn Maze / Bonfire / Hayride activity with our church. (And a few other churches along with us.) I think our kids look forward to this all year long.
Honestly, I personally don't love it quite as much. But at least the weather is gorgeous this year. We've had years where it was a muddy swamp. Years when it rained constantly and we had to cancel. And then there were years where we had to bundle up in winter coats, hats, mittens, etc.
Guess you never know what might happen in October!
Learning
- How Segregating Kids By Age Led to Youth Culture and Family Disintegration by Tara Ann Thieke. May overstate the case, but the main points are valid. I have many concerns with so called public education, but the warehousing of children strictly by age is high among them.
- What does it mean to seek Truth, Goodness, and Beauty in our homes? Mystie did a deep dive into that question: How Truth, Goodness, & Beauty Fit in Real Life.
- I say this all the time here on the blog: "Know your why." Tressa asks a related question: Why Are You Homeschooling?
- On My Shelf: Life and Books with S.D. Smith. We're big S.D. Smith fans in this house, so this definitely caught my eye.
Living
- When You're Lonely for a Friend by Christine Hoover. I've lived this. God has blessed me with good friends and growing relationships, but I lived some lonely years before that happened. Don't give up, dear lonely ones.
- Let the Wife See She Respects Her Husband by Tim Challies. Christians have debated this for centuries, but I appreciate Challies weighing in with some practical suggestions.
- 10 Ways to Make Your Pastor's Day this Pastor Appreciation Sunday by Peter Burfeind. Co-sign on everything but the scotch. I'm deeply thankful for the people at our church who love and support their pastoral staff, including my husband.
Loving
- You guys, I'm becoming increasingly alarmed by the oil pushers taking over my social media. Yes, I own a few. Yes, some have been tried and tested and found useful. But others...not so much. How Essential Oils Became the Cure for Our Age of Anxiety by Rachel Monroe.
- What the Sound of Music Reveals About Our Flawed Characters by Abby Hummel. P.S. If you've only ever seen the movie version, do try to listen to the Broadway soundtrack sometime. "No Way to Stop It" is ridiculously catchy and insidious. I listened to my LP just last week.
- A Little Bit About Blogging, Selling, and Amazon Links by Kristen at The Frugal Girl. Kristen answers some common questions about blogging
From Living Unabridged
This week: Homeschool Troubleshooting - Falling Behind
One year ago: 31 Realities of Life for an INTJ Woman
Two years ago: Picture Books for Fall
Three years ago: One Simple Way to Bring History to Life
What caught your eye this week?
Affiliate spotlight:
I don't understand the essential oil trend. What is old has become new again. Just give me a Motrin.
The article on lonlieness hit me hard. I am quite lonely right now. God has always met my need for a close friend whenever we have moved. But at this time He seems to be calling me to aloneness. I am not a fan.