lifeingrace

1. The girls and I are on book 7 of Harry Potter.
We can hardly put it down. I’ve cried and laughed and stumbled over her brilliant vocabulary.
We read 75 pages aloud yesterday. I’m losing my voice.
Anyone wanna volunteer to come read to us?
Our library’s audio version is due back today so maybe I’ll get a reprieve.
If you’re still unsure about reading Harry to your kids, you can read my first review here and an excellent summary from a Lutheran pastor here.
The 7th movie will be out in November but it’s broken into parts 1 and 2. I think part 2 won’t be out for almost a year.

2. I’ve been painting my bedroom in between reading Harry Potter.
It’s a soft grayish blue. Here’s a sneak peek.

3. I really meant to review The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis.
I haven’t done so because I can’t find my book.
It’s a brilliant book, trust me. Although I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t trust someone who can’t find the book
they just finished a week ago.
Since I can’t find that book, enjoy this quote from his book, The Four Loves.

To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken.
If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal.
Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements.
Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change.
It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”

4. There’s an excellent series on Issues Etc called Christ Alone by Dr. Rod Rosenbladt.
There are five parts and I’ve listened to part 5 three times. Good stuff, I tell you.  And a perfect companion to painting.

5. I’m working on my curriculum/lessons plans for this year. I promise to tell you about it soon. The UPS man has become my best friend because of the Amazon boxes he’s delivered to my house. I’m really so excited about what we’ll be doing this year.   We’ll still be following the classical model of the Well Trained Mind but we’re adding a few things this go around.

My favorite part of the planning is deciding what books we’ll be reading and what things we’ll memorize.  We usually select pieces for memorization from scripture, poetry, good literature etc.  We also try to loosely correspond  to what we’re studying in history.   This is our 3rd year in Story of the World so after we finish the last few lessons on the renaissance, we’ll be studying Elizabeth I to the Forty Niners.   Do you have any suggestions for corresponding literature or memory passages from this time period? (the girls are 3rd and 4th grade)

I also have been somewhat interested in Tapestry of Grace and have found their website helpful in finding some good literature pieces.

6.    My cousin, who is more like a sister {JamieKnoxville} is in town.  I’m meeting my sister today in Knoxville to have lunch and to pick up JK and her daughter Olivia.  We’re so excited to have them here for a few days.   Wonder if I can talk her into painting with me?  You may wanna pray for Stevie.

7.  Repentance is such a profound concept.   Luther said that repentance should be the posture of the life of the christian;  living daily before others and before God in an attitude of repentance.  And yet, even that repentance is itself a gift from God.  Christ said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

So, what is to be our stance when we are showered with good gifts?

Repentance.   Those are bountiful blessings from the kind hand of God that we neither deserve nor can merit.

And what is to be our stance when we are given to suffering?

Repentance.    Our suffering only makes sense in the light of the cross.

Lord, forgive our unbelieving and unrepentant hearts.  Grant us Your blessed forgiveness and that we obtain faith and life.  We are weary from sin and strife.  Rescue us with Your love and refresh us with Your life.   For the sake of Christ.  Amen.

ps.  Just found this on youtube.  Brandi Carlile  {my favorite artist} singing Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain {one of my favorite songs}

And since I let daddy’s birthday slip my mind, I send this out to him. Somewhere in heaven.