Sad. Depressing. Hopeless.
These are the only words I can think of as I finished reading 1984 today. This classic is my Abandoned Classic for this year's Back to the Classics Challenge.
I have a vague recollection of reading some of this in high school, but only read enough to write whatever paper was needed at the time. Because of that, I gave it another try now so that I could finish it and evaluate it 20 years later. I do remember liking it for the most part and while I cannot say I dislike it now, my perspective of it is completely different.
The story begins with Winston Smith and how the world is for him. At the beginning there is an air that while life is strange and controlled by governmental forces, there is still hope out there. Everything is watched and monitored by Big Brother. Those who are in the Party live completely tied to it and this is where we find Winston.
Life is mundane, the same day in and day out. But Winston finds little ways to show a little adventure: daring to start a diary, frequenting a little trinket shop and day dreaming of bringing Big Brother down.
Part Two we see his hope kindled by another who also wants to bring down the establishment by having a love affair and stealing from the higher officials, yet is excellent at toeing the party line. As we watch this relationship blossom there is a level of hope that maybe, just maybe they can find others to help them bring it down with simple civil disobedience.
And then the inevitable.
While I cannot say I was completely shocked by the ending, I cannot shake the sense of hopelessness that this book left me with. Big Brother is portrayed as the God figure with one of the servants as the "Christ" figure, yet it is completely opposite of the True God and the True Christ. The terminology used left me speechless and I simply wanted to cry at the complete backwardness of it all.
Then I remember the book of Revelation in the Bible and it all sounds very familiar. While this book is written by, I believe, an atheist and is written as a warning to those who bow to communism, I can see many things in the book coming to pass on some level. What's depressing is there is no hope at all in the way it is written or presented because the book is devoid of God!
This is an excellent book for making you think and even asking myself as a Christian what it means to give all to God and not myself. It is not, however, excellent for anyone young that has not been taught in the Scriptures and how to see beyond what's on the page. 1984 is definitely for a mature audience.
"Our only true life is in the future." This statement sums up my feelings about the book. Thank God that I am His, or I truly would have no future. This book is a great reminder of this!
I would give this classic 3.5 stars.
Most of the reading was well done and interesting. There were a few passages that were a bit drawn out and boring. I appreciate the story line on the whole and the warning that this book readily gives to anyone about the reliance on government and allowing power to overtake us. I enjoyed the way this book made me think, but the hopelessness is weighing me down.
Reading Challenges:
Back to the Classics: Abandoned Classic
Tim Challies 2020 Reading Challenge: A book with a one word title in the obsessed section
The Modern Mrs. Darcy 2020 Reading Challenge: a re-read
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Catching Their Talk In A Box
Catching Their Talk in a Box is one of our history read aloud books from our Core C with Sonlight. My children begged to read it and our oldest wanted to read it out loud to everyone himself!
This book was excellent and gave me chills throughout. It is the story of Joy Ridderhof who was a missionary to a large portion of the world in the mid 1900s for 45 years. This was like reading George Mueller with stories we hear from a dear friend and Worker in the Field in Africa and it was beautiful.
At 13 Joy was saved by the grace of God and immediately saw the need to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Early in life she went to Honduras and saw the need to get the Word of God into the language of the native people of the country. As she saw the needs around her, she took all of her requests to the LORD and, like George Mueller, she never told anyone of her need but took it to the LORD in prayer and watched Him provide everything she needed to do the work He gave her to do.
Joy's work was focused on getting Bible stories on records for people in their native language and providing a player for them to listen to the stories. It is incredible to read story after story as she traveled all over the world, recording stories and giving the Gospel to unreached people groups in their native language. Today our friend is doing the same in Africa and teaching others to tell the stories also!
I cannot recommend this book enough! It is a beautiful picture of God's grace and provision as well as a much needed reminder of the power of prayer!
Five stars for this missionary biography! It was loved by the whole family!
Reading Challenges:
I'm using this book for the Tim Challies 2020 Reading Challenge as a book by or about a missionary in the Avid reader section.
For the Modern Mrs Darcy 2020 Reading Challenge this is a book published the decade I was born.
Monday, March 16, 2020
The Twenty-One Balloons
The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du Bois is a book from our Sonlight Core C curriculum, and I will say I was pleasantly surprised by this classic and my kids loved it!
This book is an adventure classic that is historical fiction. The story is loosely based on a real expedition of Professor William Waterman Sherman and his plan to spend a year traveling in a hot air balloon house.
The beginning of the story is a little slow and leaves you scratching your head a little as Professor Sherman is found floating in the Atlantic by the Captain of the freighter S.S. Cunningham and Professor Sherman refuses to tell his story to anyone but the Western American Explorers' Club. He is fussed over as he recovers his physical strength from his travels and is rushed from New York City to San Francisco as soon as he is able so that the story of his incredible adventure can be heard as the whole country of the United States of America want to know his story.
Once Professor Sherman is set up at the Western American Explorers' Club, the whole crowd listens with bated breath as he tells his story. He tells about his balloon house and his adventure on the island of Krakatoa.
This story is fun and extremely fascinating! It gives you a view of a different area of the world, but also the battle of human nature that is found when living on an island together. There are so many great talking points with the kids as we discussed including taking risks, greed, being a good neighbor and working together. You also learn many fun and interesting things about technology in the late 1800s as well as world events during that time.
I highly recommend reading this as a family read-aloud. My children enjoyed this book very much as well, especially my oldest who is eleven.
I would give this book four stars because of the slow start that left me wanting for a chapter or two.
Reading Challenges:
For the Back to the Classics Reading Challenge I'm using this book as my 20th Century Classic.
For the Tim Challies 2020 Reading Challenge I'm using this book as a book that is of no particular interest to you in the committed section of the challenge. I'm using it for this category because I honestly had no interest in reading it when I saw it, but I'm so glad it was part of our curriculum!
This book is an adventure classic that is historical fiction. The story is loosely based on a real expedition of Professor William Waterman Sherman and his plan to spend a year traveling in a hot air balloon house.
The beginning of the story is a little slow and leaves you scratching your head a little as Professor Sherman is found floating in the Atlantic by the Captain of the freighter S.S. Cunningham and Professor Sherman refuses to tell his story to anyone but the Western American Explorers' Club. He is fussed over as he recovers his physical strength from his travels and is rushed from New York City to San Francisco as soon as he is able so that the story of his incredible adventure can be heard as the whole country of the United States of America want to know his story.
Once Professor Sherman is set up at the Western American Explorers' Club, the whole crowd listens with bated breath as he tells his story. He tells about his balloon house and his adventure on the island of Krakatoa.
This story is fun and extremely fascinating! It gives you a view of a different area of the world, but also the battle of human nature that is found when living on an island together. There are so many great talking points with the kids as we discussed including taking risks, greed, being a good neighbor and working together. You also learn many fun and interesting things about technology in the late 1800s as well as world events during that time.
I highly recommend reading this as a family read-aloud. My children enjoyed this book very much as well, especially my oldest who is eleven.
I would give this book four stars because of the slow start that left me wanting for a chapter or two.
Reading Challenges:
For the Back to the Classics Reading Challenge I'm using this book as my 20th Century Classic.
For the Tim Challies 2020 Reading Challenge I'm using this book as a book that is of no particular interest to you in the committed section of the challenge. I'm using it for this category because I honestly had no interest in reading it when I saw it, but I'm so glad it was part of our curriculum!
Friday, March 13, 2020
Our Van Is Full
Today I am 24 weeks pregnant with our tenth blessing!
I'm ready now for another little one. I relax. My heart and mind are in the fully engaged in preparing for the labor and birth of another child. I'm sharing the baby's movement with Jim and the other children because they can now feel it too. It all becomes so real.
And I'm grateful!
It's such a blessing to reach the 24th week. It's such a blessing to carry an image bearer. It's a blessing to welcome new life.
I reflect on the Psalms, especially 127, 128 and 139.
But also Psalm 23 as there are still trying days that come from growing a new life inside my body as well as teaching, training and schooling 9 other children. It also prepares me for the labor to come.
When we found out we were expecting our first child nearly 12 years ago, I never knew what God had in store for our family.
Who would have thought that we would have a 12-passenger van filled with children?
Not Me!!!
But I'm so grateful for this life with a large family that God has given to us. I'm thankful for the different life we have. I'm thankful for the grace that God gives us to learn and grow as He grows our family. It's such a beautiful thing.
It is challenging. It is non-stop work. But is is so good.
Thank You, Father, for filling our van!
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Our One-Year-Old Timothy
How can it be a year since giving birth to our precious Timothy?
Much has happened since he was born. We were so blessed with his little life and he has helped all of us grow in many ways. The kids have grown in responsibility, Jim and I have grown in trusting God in all circumstances and our family has grown together in working as a unit. How could so much happen in just one year!
Timothy started out as a small little boy, and though a champion nurser, he didn't want to grow. By God's grace, that has changed and now he loves his bottle, loves to eat real food and is growing like a champ. He is so active and loves playing with his siblings. He is a super fast crawler and can pull to standing on anything. He's thinking about walking, but taking his sweet time. (That's OK by me.)
Timothy's smile can light up a room! He is so friendly and loves to be around person. Already he is showing those extroverted tendencies. He is so loved by his siblings who do such an amazing job of helping with him. Timothy has the best laugh and finds everything James does quite amusing!
Recently, Timothy has started waving and saying "Hi" when you see him or just to get your attention. He loves to jabber and his getting a few words. He is also starting to enjoy playing and books. He definitely loves to learn. With nice weather earlier this week, Timothy was able to explore outside, and while apprehensive, he still enjoyed the new experience and explored his new surroundings.
We are so thankful for Timothy and so blessed to have him in our family. We are so thankful God has healed his growth issues and that Timothy is thriving today. He is starting to show his personality, and we are excited to see the man that he will be.
Father, thank You for Timothy and his precious life! Thank You for giving him to us to love and care for and train in Your ways. I pray even now that You will work in Timothy's heart as he hears the truth of Your Word preached and the Gospel spoken over his life so that he will receive the gift of Your grace with gladness and be fully Your child. Thank You that we get to be a part of this amazing work. Grow him into a man after Your own heart that loves You with all of his heart, soul, mind and strength and loves his neighbor as himself. I pray this in Jesus Name. Amen!
Much has happened since he was born. We were so blessed with his little life and he has helped all of us grow in many ways. The kids have grown in responsibility, Jim and I have grown in trusting God in all circumstances and our family has grown together in working as a unit. How could so much happen in just one year!
Timothy started out as a small little boy, and though a champion nurser, he didn't want to grow. By God's grace, that has changed and now he loves his bottle, loves to eat real food and is growing like a champ. He is so active and loves playing with his siblings. He is a super fast crawler and can pull to standing on anything. He's thinking about walking, but taking his sweet time. (That's OK by me.)
Timothy's smile can light up a room! He is so friendly and loves to be around person. Already he is showing those extroverted tendencies. He is so loved by his siblings who do such an amazing job of helping with him. Timothy has the best laugh and finds everything James does quite amusing!
Recently, Timothy has started waving and saying "Hi" when you see him or just to get your attention. He loves to jabber and his getting a few words. He is also starting to enjoy playing and books. He definitely loves to learn. With nice weather earlier this week, Timothy was able to explore outside, and while apprehensive, he still enjoyed the new experience and explored his new surroundings.
We are so thankful for Timothy and so blessed to have him in our family. We are so thankful God has healed his growth issues and that Timothy is thriving today. He is starting to show his personality, and we are excited to see the man that he will be.
Father, thank You for Timothy and his precious life! Thank You for giving him to us to love and care for and train in Your ways. I pray even now that You will work in Timothy's heart as he hears the truth of Your Word preached and the Gospel spoken over his life so that he will receive the gift of Your grace with gladness and be fully Your child. Thank You that we get to be a part of this amazing work. Grow him into a man after Your own heart that loves You with all of his heart, soul, mind and strength and loves his neighbor as himself. I pray this in Jesus Name. Amen!
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Emmie's Day with a 11, 9, 8, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2, and (Almost) 1 Year Old
Every year, Simple Homeschool hosts a series and link up for homeschool families to share their days with each other for encouragement. I've linked up a couple of times and thought I'd take a minute to share our current homeschool day.
Since November, our schedule has been a little elusive from dealing with a struggling baby and morning (all day) sickness. Even in the lack of schedule, we have still sought to maintain basic rhythms to helps with the smoothness of our day.
Most days we are all up and eating breakfast by 6:45 am. We eat together, read and discuss a Bible passage, pray over our day and sing. Daddy leaves for work around 7:20.
After breakfast we have kitchen and room chores and get ready for the day. Everyone pitches in with their job for common spaces and makes their bed.
After breakfast is a little more up in the air. With toddlers running a muck full of morning energy we may go outside first if weather allows. If the weather does not cooperate (as has been the case much of the winter) typically one or more of the older kids will play and read with the toddlers while I work with the middle kids who need help.
Mid-morning we have a snack and then move back to more learning time or outside time if we were unable to get out in the morning.
Right around noon we have lunch. If we're eating something with more prep, our Lillian will start making lunch around 11 and owns it! Lunch time we enjoy read aloud books, history, poetry, art, etc. It's a great time to enjoy learning all together in a laid back environment.
After lunch we have post lunch chores to get the kitchen and dining area cleaned up. This is typically a quick clean and then move into quiet time. This looks different everyday but usually entails finishing up any needed book work, playing with LEGOs or other building toys, reading, writing, drawing, naps and the occasional movie. This is also time for me to do a little work or learning.
After quiet time we get ready for dinner. Our kids love the kitchen, so they work together to get dinner ready and I help when needed. It's fun watching them learn and work together.
Dinner time is Catechism and Scripture memory time along with everyone sharing what they're thankful for that day and praying.
After dinner we have evening chores and get ready for bed.
With a large family we have rhythm, but specific scheduling is a challenge. We are so blessed to have the flexibility of homeschooling so that we can learn together and as individuals while growing in the knowledge of the LORD.
Since November, our schedule has been a little elusive from dealing with a struggling baby and morning (all day) sickness. Even in the lack of schedule, we have still sought to maintain basic rhythms to helps with the smoothness of our day.
Most days we are all up and eating breakfast by 6:45 am. We eat together, read and discuss a Bible passage, pray over our day and sing. Daddy leaves for work around 7:20.
After breakfast we have kitchen and room chores and get ready for the day. Everyone pitches in with their job for common spaces and makes their bed.
After breakfast is a little more up in the air. With toddlers running a muck full of morning energy we may go outside first if weather allows. If the weather does not cooperate (as has been the case much of the winter) typically one or more of the older kids will play and read with the toddlers while I work with the middle kids who need help.
Mid-morning we have a snack and then move back to more learning time or outside time if we were unable to get out in the morning.
Right around noon we have lunch. If we're eating something with more prep, our Lillian will start making lunch around 11 and owns it! Lunch time we enjoy read aloud books, history, poetry, art, etc. It's a great time to enjoy learning all together in a laid back environment.
After lunch we have post lunch chores to get the kitchen and dining area cleaned up. This is typically a quick clean and then move into quiet time. This looks different everyday but usually entails finishing up any needed book work, playing with LEGOs or other building toys, reading, writing, drawing, naps and the occasional movie. This is also time for me to do a little work or learning.
After quiet time we get ready for dinner. Our kids love the kitchen, so they work together to get dinner ready and I help when needed. It's fun watching them learn and work together.
Dinner time is Catechism and Scripture memory time along with everyone sharing what they're thankful for that day and praying.
After dinner we have evening chores and get ready for bed.
With a large family we have rhythm, but specific scheduling is a challenge. We are so blessed to have the flexibility of homeschooling so that we can learn together and as individuals while growing in the knowledge of the LORD.
Saturday, February 22, 2020
Our 11-Year-Old James
The child that first made us parents is 11-years-old today.
I'm not quite sure how that can be possible and yet at the same time it feels as if James has always been here. James is such a huge blessing to our family as he is quick to help in any way he can. He loves taking care of the babies and is pretty good at changing diapers. He plays with them, reads to them and carries them on his shoulders. H absolutely loves being a big brother and, by God's grace, be an amazing father one day. God is giving him a lot of prep! He also is wonderful at doing the dishes, taking care of trash and recycles and mopping the floor. I am so thankful for this and I know his wife will be grateful as well.
James also enjoys learning. Within that he enjoys learning almost anything, however he has to be convinced sometimes he needs to learn it. Bible, Birds and Latin are his current favorites to study. God continues to grow James in knowing God and His Word. He blew us away the other day by telling us that the first beast in Revelation is a combination of the four beasts in Daniel's vision which I had just learned myself studying Revelation. The Holy Spirit is working deeply in James to teach him even when we fail to and that is such a blessing to know that we serve a mighty God who is faithful to teach us as we learn. Right now James is greatly enjoying the study of birds that is part of his science this year. He walks around with his books and studies the birds hanging around our yard. He tells us the names and what they sound like to the best of his ability. It's a lot of fun watching him teach his siblings. He continues to excel in Latin and teaches all of us what he can and tells us English words that have a Latin root.
Recently James has been seeking what he wants to do for work when he becomes an adult. It has been a blessing hearing his thoughts, helping him see how God has made him, where his strengths are and showing him where he needs to put his efforts to learn what he wants to learn. Right now he is leaning toward architecture and inventing. We will see how God continues to work in him in these areas as James grows into manhood. It is so much fun to watch him grow.
James also continues to work on his book and drawings. His imagination is so fun to listen to. For fun he is reading The Lord of the Rings currently reading the first book, The Fellowship of the Ring. He compares what he's reading to the movies and corrects all of the mistakes the movie made. James has also been learning to play the drums with a friend at our local Body and is getting very good at it! He is learning to hear the rhythms and follow the beat well and knows which drum needs to be hit at what time. It's so fun watching him grow in this.
God has made James a natural leader, which is fun to see. By God's grace, James will be a Godly leader in his home, work, church and community. At this age he is learning how much he still has to learn, but James is learning that to be a good leader, you have to be a good follower of Jesus. I'm so excited at how God will use this.
Father, I thank You for our precious James that You have entrusted us with. You have given him such a zeal for life, for learning and it's amazing to watch him grow. I pray as he moves into a young man that James will grow in wisdom and grow in love with You, Your Word and Your way, hiding Your Word in his heart that he may not sin against You. Give him a deep love for others and a beautiful humility that comes from knowing who he is before You and a great strength from knowing who he is in You. Grow him in Christ-likeness and make James a man after Your own heart. Thank You for all You have done and are going to do. In the mighty Name of Jesus I pray these things. Amen!
I'm not quite sure how that can be possible and yet at the same time it feels as if James has always been here. James is such a huge blessing to our family as he is quick to help in any way he can. He loves taking care of the babies and is pretty good at changing diapers. He plays with them, reads to them and carries them on his shoulders. H absolutely loves being a big brother and, by God's grace, be an amazing father one day. God is giving him a lot of prep! He also is wonderful at doing the dishes, taking care of trash and recycles and mopping the floor. I am so thankful for this and I know his wife will be grateful as well.
James also enjoys learning. Within that he enjoys learning almost anything, however he has to be convinced sometimes he needs to learn it. Bible, Birds and Latin are his current favorites to study. God continues to grow James in knowing God and His Word. He blew us away the other day by telling us that the first beast in Revelation is a combination of the four beasts in Daniel's vision which I had just learned myself studying Revelation. The Holy Spirit is working deeply in James to teach him even when we fail to and that is such a blessing to know that we serve a mighty God who is faithful to teach us as we learn. Right now James is greatly enjoying the study of birds that is part of his science this year. He walks around with his books and studies the birds hanging around our yard. He tells us the names and what they sound like to the best of his ability. It's a lot of fun watching him teach his siblings. He continues to excel in Latin and teaches all of us what he can and tells us English words that have a Latin root.
Recently James has been seeking what he wants to do for work when he becomes an adult. It has been a blessing hearing his thoughts, helping him see how God has made him, where his strengths are and showing him where he needs to put his efforts to learn what he wants to learn. Right now he is leaning toward architecture and inventing. We will see how God continues to work in him in these areas as James grows into manhood. It is so much fun to watch him grow.
James also continues to work on his book and drawings. His imagination is so fun to listen to. For fun he is reading The Lord of the Rings currently reading the first book, The Fellowship of the Ring. He compares what he's reading to the movies and corrects all of the mistakes the movie made. James has also been learning to play the drums with a friend at our local Body and is getting very good at it! He is learning to hear the rhythms and follow the beat well and knows which drum needs to be hit at what time. It's so fun watching him grow in this.
God has made James a natural leader, which is fun to see. By God's grace, James will be a Godly leader in his home, work, church and community. At this age he is learning how much he still has to learn, but James is learning that to be a good leader, you have to be a good follower of Jesus. I'm so excited at how God will use this.
Father, I thank You for our precious James that You have entrusted us with. You have given him such a zeal for life, for learning and it's amazing to watch him grow. I pray as he moves into a young man that James will grow in wisdom and grow in love with You, Your Word and Your way, hiding Your Word in his heart that he may not sin against You. Give him a deep love for others and a beautiful humility that comes from knowing who he is before You and a great strength from knowing who he is in You. Grow him in Christ-likeness and make James a man after Your own heart. Thank You for all You have done and are going to do. In the mighty Name of Jesus I pray these things. Amen!
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