Reluctant Teacher

I confess....I am the Reluctant Teacher.  That's me!  After 23 years of straight home schooling, and while going through what I believe is a mid-life crises (please laugh with me)...I wasn't ready to start a new school year.  My school book's arrival is being delayed by financial woes....what's new.  The washing machine followed the dryer and died.  After their wonderful make-up, they still gave up the ghost.So priority one is clean clothes, pretty soon, before books.  Although I pressed through the summer intentionally living life to the fullest...I didn't have a vision for school.  So I have drugggggggggggggggggggggg my heavy feet into this school year, with a heart of a two-year-old, who is setting down as told, but standing up inside.

God is gracious.  He reminded me of all the activities we had enjoyed in the summer and He ignited two weeks of teaching from our experiences....each giving me excitement and motivation.

As I drove through a subdivision my eyes caught a pond.  Oh! what a great pond...so Monetistic.  God gave me a glimpse of how to take my draggggggggggggging feet and produce a fun-filled teachable day.

So, on Thursday we packed up an art bag, camera, bug spray (West Nile Virus prevention) and headed out the door before the heat ate us up.

Not only was the environment relaxing and inspiring, we were welcomed to an additional surprise.

Benjamin and I just soaked in the wonder of the ducks and the little one!  Benjamin crawled up under the branches of the tree to intently observe while he was drawing.  Later we saw the same tree in Monet's garden in France.

Back at the table he painted and drew the wonders before him, as we continued to soak in the sights and  sounds...a huge bullfrog croaking, fish jumping, mirroring reflections on the water and the whistling of the summer breeze.

As the heat began to beat down on us we returned to read and watch Linnea in Monet's Garden.  We searched the internet to see videos of Monet's Garden in France.  We located France on our map and discussed other books, like Madeline, which were written around the Paris setting.  We pulled our Monet study into the same time period of the discovery of dinosaur fossil bones around the world, which tied into our dinosaur study of two weeks....another adventure from summer discoveries.

As I picked up our remnants from the day I thanked the Lord that He loves even reluctant teachers.  He is concerned for my child's learning and his mom, who is just a little discombobulation as the school year starts.  I think we will make it...I WILL get use to the packed schedule, the evenings of running to lessons or work  and summer WILL show it's freedom again.  For now I look up for my inspiration and energy that no curriculum can provide, only He can supply my needs.

Artist Inspiration

Along with the Chihuly exhibit at Dallas Arboretum were five replicas of artist houses.  I loved how they invited you in where the artist lived, by rebuilding a play-house-size home decorated in the artist works.  Having seen must of these artist original works displayed through traveling exhibits or permanent displays at the Kimbell at Fort Worth or Dallas Museum of Art, I enjoyed guessing whose home was being depicted before looking down at the plaque.  This wonderful exhibit ignited our art studies for the year.

See if you can guess and I will show the answer after each house.

Does this give it away?  I am sure you have guessed by now!

Walking over the bridge to the house, across the lily-pads...you were swept into his world.

It didn't take much to know whose house the next artist was...her signature was seen in her surroundings.

Can't you just feel her inspiration?  An American artist.

I am sure you have guessed this one also.  I own a large coffee book of her pieces.

At this point I am already filling my thoughts and plans for our art year...and we still had three more houses.

This one was harder to guess for me from the outside...but once you stepped in...you knew.

Have you guessed?

Let's see we have seen Post-Impressionist, American Modernism and Impressionist....two more to go.

How pretty is this?  I was ready to move right in.

As we strolled from house to house I could hear quotes from Madeleine L'Engle's book Walking on Water, Reflections of Faith and Art
Although I would love to have the gift these artist had, the Lord didn't see fit to hand it to me...but I am to be faithful with what He did give me, while still being inspired by other's greatness.

A sad fact which nevertheless needs to be faced is that a deeply committed Christian who wants to write stories or paint pictures or compose music to the glory of God simply may not have been given the talent, the gift, which a non-Christian, or even an atheist, may have in abundance.  God is no respecter of persons, and this is something we are reluctant to face.  Madeleine L'Engle

How colorful is this?  This just made you smile.

We finished up with Neo-Impressionist and Cubism.  Now wasn't that a "sweet" exhibit, as my adult children would say?  Inspiration for a full year of art lessons.

Getting out of the way and listening is not something that comes easily, either in art or in prayer.
Madeleine L'Engle - Walking on Water

Rise Up and Call Her Blessed

Ephesians 6:1-4

 "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ² Honor your father and mother—which is the first commandment with a promise— ³ so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."

Friday, my daughter and I honored my mother by taking her to a celebrate her birthday, which is today!  We took her to a "girly" place for lunch.  I couldn't help but think how much my role as her first-born child has changed through the years, as I sat across from her as a well-seasoned wife and mother in my own regard.

Proverbs 31: 28 - "Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her."

My mother took her role as wife and mother very seriously.  Her childhood history of loss of her own Dad to cancer when she was a pre-teen, then living her high school years at Buckner Children's Home, instilled in her the desire to give all she could to her husband and four children.

As of this birthday, she can brag on a marriage of 53 years,  four adult children, ten grandchildren (yes, six are mine), one great-granddaughter and two great-grands that she has emotionally adopted.

She walked out the type of mother portrayed through the television idea of June Cleaver.  A contented, productive, stay-at-home mom, leader in the PTA and adult sponsor for the youth at church, she served in church and various ministries, while supporting my Dad's business.

Her traditional role as wife and mother left behind large footprints to follow.  She taught her daughter well....I am a product of that commitment to Jesus Christ, husband, family and the Body of Christ.

She wasn't perfect...like the rest of us...but she was faithful.  She continues to be faithful with all life has thrown at her...many hardships and heart breaking disappointments.  She continues to draw strength and reassurance from the source...Jesus.

May I honor her today with my own faithfulness to the values she instilled in her oldest child.  May I continue to follow her well-worn path of love of Jesus Christ, husband and family no matter what life throws at me.  May my legacy reflect her timeless and Biblical values and therefore, give her the honor she has earned.

Happy Birthday, Mom....Love You!