familiar sounding...

He was not tall, but somewhat fleshy and frequently took long walks so not to become more so... (pg. 38 Les Miserables)

lambs

The count is at...

fourteen.

May 1

Snow before school...

Tea Party after school...

more snow

and May basket-making all on the first day of May.

damaged

Yesterday I was looking for books on Amazon for the kids and across the bottom of the page was a list of books that they thought might interest me. The list that came up were not the type books I have ever purchased. But one caught my attention. The picture on the front was a Harlequin-ish picture but the title caught my attention. When you talk about  the word "damaged", I immediately think of things like trafficked humans, little girls sold for adults selfish thrills, lost teenagers who are lured away by pretend care and concern. The title and the review did not define damaged in that way.

The premise of the book was a "relationship" between a teacher and a teenager and how they both had baggage but found some connection.

Reviews about this book gushed about how wonderful it was. "Made me laugh. Made me cry. Made me want more," wrote one reviewer.

I'm just a little dull and naive and it took me a bit to realize how warped we really are. Like this is normal. Like this is an acceptable scenario to discuss and put down on paper. Maybe no one has every broken this to you Wanna-laugh-cry-get more reviewer, but you are a pervert who needs serious help.

Is it not massively creepy to realize those of my gender are filling their minds with this and walking around like they are normal human beings?

This is why thousands of six and seven and eight year old girls and boys are penned up to service the lusts of adults. This is why literature concerning teacher-teenager fornication is sold and discussed freely. 

Our appetites are without hedges. Or walls. Or filters. We are severely damaged. Our minds are in shreds.

But the words written many centuries ago come through to a culture not unacquainted with these uncontrolled lusts: 

Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things. (Philippians 4:8)

the big storm

reminder

Consider how laborious life would be were its wheels not greased by habits of cleanliness, neatness, order, courtesy; had we to make the effort of decision about every detail of dressing and eating, coming and going, life would not be worth living. 

Every cottage mother knows that she must train her child in habits of decency, and a whole code of habits of propriety get themselves formed just because a breach in any such habit causes a shock to others which few children have courage to face. 

Physical fitness, morals and manners, are very largely the outcome of habit; and not only so, but the habits of the religious life also become fixed and delightful and give us due support in the effort to live a godly, righteous and sober life.” 

(Charlotte Mason Vol. VI, p. 103)

a real disciple

"As a real disciple I have dedicated my life hoeing the fields energetically,
Begging for food shamelessly,
Wearing worn-out clothes as if they were formal dresses
Freezing to death at the windy station yet uttering not a word of complaint.
Only if the Gospel would be widely spread
Am I willing to be hung upside down on the cross…with no regret.

- written by a Chinese lady who died in prison for her faith