Christmas in August

Hey, you. Yeah, you with the computer and to-do list a mile long. Stop what you're doing and listen to this. It's a video of the attendees at this weekend's Doxology retreat in Schuyler, Nebraska, singing Lutheran Service Book 384, "Of the Father's Love Begotten." Yes, I know. It's a Christmas hymn, and here we are with almost a month left of summer. But the message of this hymn--one of my all-time favorites--knows no season. So give yourself a 4-minute breather and hear of the love of the Father for you, His precious child. (By the way, that's my hubby singing the first stanza and providing piano accompaniment throughout. Notice what happens in the piano on the final, doxological stanza. It's as if the piano breaks out into its own, spontaneous song, leaving the singers to carry the melody on their own. I think they do a pretty good job of it, don't you?)

Be Back Soon

Life has gotten the better of me this week. To be honest, I almost forgot I have a blog. And tomorrow I will be hitting the open road with the family as we head to Nebraska, where my husband will be providing music for a Doxology gathering and where my son will be visiting the University of Nebraska to see if he might want to spend the next four years of his life there (starting in 2011). So the blog remains on hold. But I'll be back soon. I promise. Hope you will, too.

On the Fly Homeschooling

Last week I outlined our plan for homeschooling my youngest (age 6) this year. Revisiting that post this week, I think it looks a lot more complicated than it is. There are several areas in which the goal is primarily to splash around and have fun (science, history, math). There are a few other areas that are more intentional (writing, Bible/catechism, piano). Much of the time it's just a matter of seizing on the thing that is most interesting to Evan at the moment and extending it (that's the unschooling element of our approach). Here's an example.

A few weeks ago I was discussing the subject of children's literature with some of my Facebook friends. There were several recommendations for stories/series with which I was not familiar and I made a note to myself to look into them for Evan. One came courtesy of this guy (and he's the sort of guy you tend to listen to because he's just so danged smart). I knew immediately from the title that I needed to get this book: "Stand Back," said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!"

We read it yesterday, and I thought I would share a bit about what we did for those that might find it useful or interesting. None of this was planned. This was simply an instance of "Hmmm, I haven't thought about what we're going to do today; let's read that fun book that Bi-Colored Python Rock Snake suggested."

The story is about an elephant that announces he's going to sneeze. All the other animals, having been through this before, panic at what is coming and beg him to forbear. The story is written in verse, which makes it all the more fun. It's all silliness, but there are also opportunities for learning. When the buffalo protests--"Your sneezes send everyone flying along"--he compares the elephant's sneeze to a gale or hurricane. Voila! Ready-made vocabulary lesson! "Evan, do you know what a gale is?"

When it comes to the bees, their concern is that once again the elephant's sneeze will blow off their stingers and they'll have to again "make do / With rose thorns and glue." So we learn that bees don't bite but have stingers. The fish are afraid the elephant's sneeze is going to blow off their scales and give their gills the chills, so we learn about what scales and gills are. The bear worries that the elephant's sneeze is going to again blow off all his hair and leave him spending the winter (hibernation, anyone?) in long underwear: "Nothing's so sad as a bear that is bare."

Jackpot. Later in the day, after we had read the story several times through (and the part about the hippopotamus falling on his "bottom-us" at least ten times), I found a simple drawing book that we already had on our shelf. I gave Evan a sheet of storybook paper--blank on top and ruled on bottom--and had him draw a bear step-by-step with me modeling the steps for him on another sheet of paper. (As simple as the approach in the book above is, I simplified it even more. Our bears were mostly made of circles and ovals.) Then on the lines below the drawing we wrote, "The bear is bare." We talked about the words "bear" and "bare" and how they are different and discussed how sentences start with capital letters and end with periods.

So much more interesting than copying lines of a's and b's in a handwriting book or working our way in order through a spelling or drawing book. And because the lesson grew organically out of something Evan enjoyed he was fairly cooperative. Mostly. Invoking his points helped keep him on task. (We have a point system by which Evan is able to earn points for above and beyond behavior. Once he has earned 50 points he can cash them in on a reward, and right now he is particularly motivated because his DS is broken and he is trying to earn points so as to get help from Mom & Dad in buying a "new"--it will be used--one.)

When Evan was done with the picture and writing I had him carry it to his sister and brother for affirmation and then we hung it on the bulletin board to share with Dad when he got home. All in all a pretty successful lesson, and I didn't find it in a curriculum guide. And it may be a week or more before we do something similar, and that's okay. It will happen when we stumble on another great reading moment.

There's more to "Stand Back," Said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!" than I can adequately share here, both in learning possibilities (all those animals!) and enjoyment. I recommend it for anyone that has children in the preschool/primary age group.

Children's Cantata, Part 2

Here are three more video installments of the cantata, "The Cost of Following Jesus," presented by children of my church's summer music camp. More information and the first video of the opening chorus can be found here. The texts are below each video. I will post the closing movements later this week.

(Those of you are who are either extremely alert or insomniac may have noticed an installment posted, then withdrawn, a few days ago. I realized after I posted it that I had uploaded the wrong video to my Vimeo account. If I had left it here it would have been out of sequence. But a cantata is a story, after all! I didn't want to give you the end before the middle! And I couldn't immediately fix the problem because of the uploading limit on my free Vimeo account. But I think I should now be able to wrap this up in a few days.)

"The Cost of Following Jesus" - II. Recitative - Luke 9:51-53 from Cheryl on Vimeo.

Recitative: When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set towards Jerusalem. (Luke 9:51-53)

"The Cost of Following Jesus" - III. Aria, Recitative, Aria - Luke 9:54-56 from Cheryl on Vimeo.

Aria: Take up your Cross! Take up your cross, do not be ashamed, not let your foolish heart rebel; for I, I, the Son of Man have come to bear your sin and save you from hell. - Charles W. Everest

Recitative: And when the disciples James and John saw it, they asked: "Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" But Jesus turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village. - Luke 9:54-56

Aria: Christ, our rock and sure foundation, chosen , precious Cornerstone; we are built on You alone!

Fierce, the world's denunciation; though the gates of hell assail; they shall surely not prevail.

On the Holy Scriptures grounded, we will never be confounded; Trusting all that You have spoken, for Your Word cannot be broken!

Jesus, Author of Salvation, on the cross You died for all; sinners ruined by the fall. Your great love for ev'ry nation seeks to save and not condemn; nor are You ashamed of them.

On the Holy Scriptures grounded, we will never be confounded; Trusting all that You have spoken, for Your Word cannot be broken!

By Your Spirit's inspiration, strengthen us with faithfulness, that we may Your truth confess. Bless, O Lord, this congregation all we plan or say or do, laying down our lives for You.

On the Holy Scriptures grounded, we will never be confounded; Trusting all that You have spoken, for Your Word cannot be broken! - Stephen Starke

Homeschool Literature Notes

This year for literature study we will be focusing mostly on the other side of the pond, but first we are spending a few weeks on 20th century American writers. It's not enough time, but we read a smattering of 20th century American poets a few years ago when we did our poetry unit. So we'll do what we can and move on. And hey, we're showing solidarity with our brick and cinder block counterparts by upholding that sacred educational tradition of never finishing the book, right?

So, last week we read some Cather ("A Wagner Matinée") and Frost. When I was a young, misguided high school student, I didn't have much use for Frost. He seemed so old-fashioned and, well, boring. I set him aside and luxuriated in Whitman. But with age comes experience and wisdom and a proper perspective. I'm sorry, Mr. Frost. I didn't understand back then. I'm smarter now, and I think I'm starting to get it.

My children's literature book includes an excerpt of an interview Frost gave to the New York Times in 1923, after he won his first Pulitzer Prize. Here's some of what he said:

Today almost every man who writes poetry confesses his debt to Whitman. Many have gone very much further than Whitman would have traveled with them. They are the people who believe in wide straddling.

I, myself, as I said before, don't like it for myself. I do not write free verse; I write blank verse. I must have the pulse beat of rhythm. I like to hear it beating under the things I write.

That doesn't mean I do not like to read a bit of free verse occasionally. I do. It sometimes succeeds in painting a picture that is very clear and startling. It's good as something created momentarily for its sudden startling effect; it hasn't the qualities, however, of something lastingly beautiful.

And sometimes my objection to it is that it's a pose. It's not honest. When a man sets out consciously to tear up forms and rhythms and measures, then he is not interested in giving you poetry. He just wants to perform; he wants to show you his tricks. He will get an effect; nobody will deny that, but it is not a harmonious effect.

Sometimes it strikes me that the free-verse people got their idea from incorrect proof sheets. I have had stuff come from the printers with lines half left out or positions changed about. I read the poems as they stood, distorted and half finished, and I confess I get a rather pleasant sensation from them. They make a sort of nightmarish half-sense . . . .

(Reprinted in Elements of Literature: Fifth Course. Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, 2000 ed.)

If I were to start a blog today, I think I would call it "Birches." The banner would have a photo of a landscape with birch trees, and the subtitle would be the last line of Frost's magnificent poem:

"So was I once myself a swinger of birches.
And so I dream of going back to be.
It's when I'm weary of considerations,
And life is too much like a pathless wood
Where your face burns and tickles with the cobwebs
Broken across it, and one eye is weeping
From a twig's having lashed across it open.
I'd like to get away from earth awhile
And then come back to it and begin over.
May not fate willfully misunderstand me
And half grant what I wish and snatch me away
Not to return. Earth's the right place for love:
I don't know where it's likely to go better.
I'd like to go by climbing a birch tree,
And climb black branches up a snow-white trunk
Toward heaven, till the tree could bear no more,
But dipped its top and set me down again.
That would be good both going and coming back.
One could do worse than be a swinger of birches." (Robert Frost, "Birches," ll. 41-59)

Of course, I do know where things are likely to go better. But man, what a poem! Earth is indeed "the right place for love," especially when you're "weary of considerations" (what a line!). And the image of the climbing and swinging back down--actually, the being gently set back down (by whom?)--both of which are good "going and coming back," strikes me as a perfect picture of vocation, of the daily pattern of trying, succeeding, and failing that is the life of a human being.

One could indeed do worse than be a swinger of birches.

First Grade

A few days ago I shared academic goals for the senior members of Philipp Nicolai Lutheran Academy* (known affectionately around the house as "The Big Kids"). Today I thought I would share what we have planned for the first grader.

First, let me say that the label of "first grade" is an indication of Evan's age more than anything else. He is six years old, so if he were attending an institutional school, he would be entering his first grade year. But when it comes to learning around here, we don't much care what grade someone is in. That's why if you read my last homeschooling post you may have noticed that even though they are three years apart in age, my two oldest children are studying many of the same things. Since they can, they do. Makes my life easier and theirs more enjoyable. But when their paths part academically (as they must with some more sequential subjects, such as math), their studying does, too.

So, back to Evan. What does he have to look forward to this year? Here's a list of the areas of study we will undertake, how we will approach those areas, and the primary books we will be using:

Language Arts
I have been fortunate to never have to teach reading. All of my kids, including Evan, just learned, and I really can't tell you how. My only explanation is that we have always read to them, a lot, from a very young age. Books that teach letters and their sounds have certainly helped (such as a Random House series we bought when Trevor was little that had a book for every letter). Dr. Seuss books with their rhyme and repetition have been invaluable. I also credit Calvin & Hobbes, Peanuts, and Garfield comic strips with helping Evan make great strides forward this past year. The pictures combined with the short number of words to decode make for a great and highly motivating reading experience. I would say at this point Evan is easily at a third grade reading level, maybe higher (he was reading Luther's Small Catechism to us this morning). But while he knows how to read, he is not able to spell and write at a comparable level. And he could still use some basic phonics to help with sounding out unfamiliar words. So to that end we will be using Explode the Code, starting with Level 1. Additionally, at least once a week I will have him do some copy work (nothing long, just a Bible verse or line from a hymn or story) and will try to move him towards generating his own, not just copying, sentences by the end of the year.

Math
I think at this age the best approach is to incorporate math learning into other subjects or everyday life ("There are seven continents. We just named five of them. How many are left?"). But I think it is also good to do some math worksheets on a limited basis, if for no other reason than to have the child practice writing his numbers. So I purchased A Beka's Arithmetic, Level 1, and we will use it occasionally. I will not have him work through the book in a methodical, one-page-per-day way, but will give him just enough math sheets that when he gets one he thinks it's interesting and fun.

Science
We already have a lot of great nature and science books on our shelves (my two older children always loved the Scholastic Question & Answer and the Magic School Bus books), but the kindergarten level of Sonlight science looked really fun to me, so we bought some, but not all, of the items. I did get the curriculum guide and after a few days am glad that I did because it does have some helpful suggestions for simple (yay!) activities. I also bought the A Beka science and health readers for first grade as supplements (which again means we will only use them to the extent they are fun). But note well: I do not buy any of the A Beka peripheral materials (test booklets, teacher guides, etc.). The workbooks are only about $10 each and I think I am smart enough to use them without a lesson plan or teacher's guide. (Please don't burst my bubble.) We don't do much testing around here, especially not at the primary level, we never stick to the prescribed schedule, and I don't think I need answer keys for first grade material. (On the other hand, today I told Evan that the North Pole is in Antartica. Sheesh. It was a lapse, OKAY??? But maybe I do need the answer key for geography . . . . ).

Social Science
Nothing too formal here. Some broad reading about times past, using some of the books suggested by Sonlight for elementary world history: things like Usborne's Time Traveler, Then and Now, and Living Long Ago ; the Sonlight Book of Time and paste-in timeline figures; A Beka's My America and My World; and selected historical fiction at Evan's reading/listening level. Also some map study, as it comes up in history and other subjects. (Yesterday we read Robert McCloskey's One Morning in Maine. Seemed logical to look up Maine on the map. Evan was fascinated. We found Illinois, too, and Chicago, and traced the path from here to Maine, also taking note of Indiana--which we visited last week--and Texas--where we have family. This book is a great example of the myriad of things that can be learned through literature. If you followed every bunny trail in the book, learning about the geography, the animals, and the lifestyle of the people, you could spend weeks on it. )

Catechism & Bible
Evan participates in daily family devotions with Bible reading, hymn singing, and catechism study. Each week we will have a Hymn of the Week that all of us will work to commit to memory (thanks for the inspiration, Hymn Addict), at least in part. This week's hymn is "Christ Be My Leader," Lutheran Service Book 861, chosen for its accessibility and suitability for starting off a new school year (it's also coming up in church in the near future, so learning it now will help Evan to sing it later). Last year Evan learned and memorized the Ten Commandments. This year he is starting out by learning the Apostle's Creed. He will probably also likely have the meanings of both down soon as a result of listening to the Small Catechism set to music (see Sing the Faith in my left sidebar.) In addition, he and I are going through Every Day With God, which has 52 weeks of Bible stories at his reading level, with one story for every day of the week, M-F. (I bought the first book of Concordia Catechetical Academy's Bible Stories For Daily Prayer a year or two ago, but at this point Evan will only experience it indirectly through me.)

Sundries
We are blessed to have a lot of people in our house to help with Evan's schooling. This kid has an entire teaching team! Trevor will provide a weekly chess lesson, I will teach piano, Dad will provide enrichment with God's World News, and Caitlin will help out with art projects and science experiments (I am no good with the hands-on stuff). Evan will also take a combination ballet/tumbling class at our local park district (he does not handle anything competitive well, but he's great with the cartwheels, so we are hoping this works). Top that off with lots and lots of reading for fun, as always, and you have a first grade curriculum.

Now, for the die-hard homeschoolers that are still reading and wondering what one of our homeschool days looks like (homeschoolers always want to know what each other's days are like), here's a run-down of Evan's:

9:00 Wake up, get dressed, have breakfast (Yes, he sleeps until 9:00! No, I'm not kidding! Yes, I know how lucky I am!)

9:30 Family devotion

10-11 School time

11-12 Free time

12-1 Lunch

1-2 School time

2-3 Free time

3-3:30 Some kind of activity (piano, chess, craft, experiment, or the like)

3:30-4 Pick up room and/or house clutter

4-6 Free time

6-7 Supper

7-8 Free time

8-9 Bath & get ready for bed

9-10 Story & prayers & quiet play in room

It helps us in our home school to come up with a schedule, but we are not dogmatic about it. When we need to adjust (which is most of the time), we do. Sometimes people ask me what our homeschooling "style" is. The best answer I have found is "relaxed." We are not unschoolers, because by definition unschoolers are those who primarily allow the students to determine what is to be studied and when. My kids don't decide what they are going to study; I pretty much tell them, and I decide what materials we are going to use. On the other hand, we are definitely not structured "school at home" types. We don't do a lot of busy work. We read. A lot. We do use some textbooks, especially in the high school years, but we also use a huge number of "living" books. If we start a book and hate it, we toss it aside and look for another. We don't obsess about "covering" material, and we don't concern ourselves much with grades until we have to put something down on a high school transcript. We follow tangents and pursue passions. And we NEVER, EVER let "school" take precedence over spontaneous, natural learning and daily life. Have you ever heard financial guru Suze Orman's slogan? "People first, then money, then things"? I think you could summarize our general philosophy as "God first, then family, then school."

We had our first day of the "new" "school" "year" yesterday (all of those terms are open to definition). We followed the above schedule pretty well. But when it was time for Evan and Mommy to read together, he was deep into a Lego "Knights of the Castle" book. He read it to me and it became part of our school time for the day:

How do you tell a kid that is wrapped up in blankets, enjoying the comfort of his couch, engrossed in a favorite book, to Stop Reading because it's time for school now?

You don't. You let him read. And if you must, you put off until tomorrow what you didn't get done today. Because loving to read is more important than "school."

And how do you tell the contractor who is overseeing the remodeling project that will allow your elderly mother to move in with you that now is not a good time for him to welcome a series of sub-contractors into your home because you're "doing school"?

You don't. You set the studies aside for a couple of hours, even though it's only the second day, because Grandma, too, is more important than "school."

God first. Then people. Then school. That in a nutshell is what I love about homeschooling.

*our "official" name for our home school, after the hymn writer Philipp Nicolai

He's Going

In September my husband will depart for a 10-day teaching and recording trip to Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo (not to be confused with Democratic Republic of the Congo), to promote the new French version of the Lutheran Service Book. This hymnal, Liturgies et cantiques lutheriens, will be the first thoroughly Lutheran worship book to be used by the churches there. It has already been introduced in parts of Togo (see Kantor Jonathan Mueller in action here) to a great reception. My husband will be traveling with Rev. James May of Lutherans in Africa and will be training local pastors in the liturgy and making recordings that can be used in local congregations for teaching purposes. He is especially suited to this work not only because of his musical skill but also because of his proficiency in the French language and his appreciation for African music.

Much financial support is needed for this project. Travel alone for Rev. May from Nairobi and for my husband from Chicago will cost thousands of dollars. They will also be purchasing and shipping/carrying hymnals to the churches in Congo, Togo, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Cote D'Ivoire. And of course, there will be expenses incurred on the ground for room, board, local transportation and daily needs.

My husband has already started the process of preparing for travel to Africa. There is still much to be done and I will be keeping you posted and asking for your prayers as the trip nears. In the meantime, if you would like to make a donation in support of this trip, you may send it to Bethany Lutheran Church, 1550 Modaff Rd., Naperville, IL 60565, and label it "Send the Cantor to Congo!"

School Planning

We're starting back into our homeschool routine on Monday. Don't be impressed. Our normal approach is to do "school" year round, taking breaks as needed due to holidays or trips or family demands or pure exhaustion. We do typically take off the full month of August. Not this year. Our homeschool routine has been so frequently interrupted this past year and the interruptions have been so extended that we all agree we need to refocus now, not next month.

I will be spending the weekend trying to get our books and plans in order. Here's the first step: a listing of what we plan to incorporate into our studies this year. It's a pretty big list. My older son has one year left at home before he heads off to college, and we plan to make the most of it.

English

British Literature, using Elements of Literature (Sixth Course) from HRW as the framework and supplementing as needed/desired.

A survey of grammar, using my accumulated knowledge and textbooks from English courses of lore.

A research paper, which I have not yet had either of my teenagers do. As a former classroom English teacher, I think that research papers are overrated and prone to abuse and that most students in traditional schools are required to do too many of them (every year starting in junior high or earlier is overkill). But it's now or never with my son, and I do want to guide him through one before he has to do it on his own in college.

How To Read a Book - To hone reading skills for all those college texts.

Math

Caitlin started Algebra I last year and will finish it this year. I have told her she can take the whole year if she wants. She does fine with math but it will not likely play a significant role in her college studies or career path, so as long as she has the equivalent of three years of high school math (geometry and Algebra II are on the horizon) I will be satisfied. Our math curriculum of choice for some time now has been Teaching Textbooks.

Trevor completed pre-calculus/trigonometry his sophomore year. Last fall he took Introduction to Statistics at one of the local junior colleges. This fall he is signed up for Finite Mathematics.

Science

We spent last year working through about half of Apologia Biology. We will finish it this year. Trevor also wants to study Advanced Physics, and he will be doing that concurrently on his own.

History

Our approach to history from the beginning has been to attempt to follow the 4-year ancient through modern cycle suggested by most classical educators. It has been a rather slow go. This year we are going to do whirlwind reviews of both world and American history using the Short Lessons texts from Walch Publishing. Once those are under our belt I would like to end the year with study of the 20th century, which always seems to get neglected.

Government

Trevor will be studying Government this year using Clarence B. Carson's Basic Government and several supplementary texts: What Would the Founders Do?; Lies My Teacher Told Me; Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity.

Art History

There have been times in our homeschooling journey that we have incorporated art study, but never in a systematic way. This year we will try to do so using another Short Lessons text, this one a survey of Western art.

French

My huband, fluent in French, will continue his dearly held desire to pass that fluency on to our children. Our curriculum is French in Action, a great immersion program which my husband and I used to watch on PBS early in our marriage. The videos are now free online, and the supporting texts are widely available for purchase. We just ordered and received the audio cassettes, workbook and teacher's guide for Part 2 (Lessons 26-52). I doubt they will finish Part 2 this year, but they'll go as far as possible. Maybe I'll even drop in to class and do a little auditing this year (there was a time I took part regularly, but Crazy Life and Mommy Brain finally got the better of me).

Geography

This is a particularly weak area for all of us (except my husband, who knows everything. I'm serious. He knows everything.) The Short Lessons incorporate some geography and map study, but not enough. We will supplement with The Complete Idiot's Guide to Geography (yep, that's us) and The Handy Geography Answer Book. I have also purchased one of Sonlight's markable maps (we had one years ago but they have updated/colorized it), and we plan to do some listening to world news and marking corresponding places on the map.

Philosophy & Psychology

We have long been teaching our kids about the variety of world views that are out there. It is a natural by-product of bringing them up in the faith, since so much of what we teach and confess is foreign to the culture. But before Trevor goes to college we would like to arm him with the fullest possible understanding of what he may encounter in the secular culture. To do so we will use three texts (and Caitlin will join him in reading them):

100 Essential Thinkers - for some historical context

Understanding the Times (we have an older edition of the book, purchased used)

Homeschool Psychology - to prepare for and provide balance to college psychology

Other

Let's see, have I left anything out? There will be piano lessons, of course. And church choir. And chess for Trevor and Tae Kwon Do for Caitlin. Lots of work on life skills particularly for the young man that is about to fly the coop.

I haven't included Bible and catechism because those are incorporated into our family devotions, which my husband leads and selects the materials for. But in addition to whatever he does, I plan to read some more C. S. Lewis with Trevor and Caitlin. We have read The Screwtape Letters. Next on the list is Mere Christianity. Maybe we'll do a few more.

I know. I have one more kid. I'm saving him for another post.

Ravinia

A few days ago we made our annual summer visit to Ravinia, the outdoor concert venue in Highland Park, Illinois. In the past my husband and I have seen James Taylor, Elvis Costello, and Bruce Hornsby there. This year we decided it was time to take our two teenaged children with us (we got a babysitter for the six-year-old). And this time instead of going to see a pop/rock concert, we saw the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, performing Rachmaninoff's First Symphony in D-minor and his Second Piano Concerto in C-minor with special guest, pianist Denis Matsuev. This concert was chosen not only because we love Rachmaninoff but also because my oldest son learned the third movement of the Second Piano Concerto this past year, and we thought it would be particularly enjoyable to hear it played live by a world class pianist.

You just can't beat the Ravinia experience. Lawn tickets for this concert were only $12/person, considerably less than we would have had to pay for a concert at Symphony Center in downtown Chicago. And you can't beat the natural setting. No need to dress up! We packed up a picnic basket of summer sausage, Italian hard salami, cheese, crackers, hummus, pita chips, carrots, grapes, apples, and brownies, plus a bottle of wine for Mom & Dad, loaded up our lawn chairs, and arrived at the park before 7:00, in plenty of time to enjoy some food and relaxation before the 8:00 performance. We were thankful that the rain that had been forecast for the evening came and went before we left home and did not at all hinder our plans, in fact cooling things off quite nicely.

It is possible to purchase reserved seating in the open air auditorium. But those tickets are much more costly. And why pay almost four times more per ticket for this . . .



. . . when you can have this?

Here are Phillip, Caitlin and Trevor, engaging in what is no doubt some highly erudite and profound conversation before the show.

And what would Ravinia be without a little pre-concert silliness?

I just love those two.

The really nice thing about a symphony concert at Ravinia is that when it is time to listen, people listen. The only distractions were the insects and the occasional train going by. (Not so the pop concerts. There's a lot of crowd noise at those. Of course, the music is much louder, so I guess it doesn't matter much.)

Once the music started, the silliness stopped, as did the conversation. But the neat thing about Ravinia is the freedom to listen in the way that suits you best. Some find it most helpful to close their eyes and let the music envelop them. Others find it enjoyable to engage in some sketching or writing while soaking in the sounds. It's possible to continue consuming your snacks or beverage of choice while you listen, or to stretch out on your blanket and look at the sky. Some (ahem) find the whole experience so relaxing that they may even doze off from time to time. (Okay, okay, I missed a little of the Symphony. I was so tired.)

If you live in the Chicago area and have never enjoyed a concert at the summer Ravinia festival, I highly recommend it. Maybe we'll see you there!

A Proverbs 31 Woman

Sometimes my friends and I joke about how we are not, never have been, and never will be Proverbs 31 women. For those who aren't sure what a Proverbs 31 woman looks like, here's the Bible passage:

An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
(Proverbs 31:10-21, English Standard Version)

Sigh. That smarts. Is there any phrase in there I can claim? Let's take it a little at a time.

An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.

Well, I like jewels. Does that count? No, I didn't think so. Strike one.

The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.

He does seem to trust me. But I think that says more about him than it does about me. Strike two.

She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.

Okay, we're done here. Wool and flax? Working with willing hands? Are you kidding? But I guess I started this thing. I'd better finish it.

She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.

How about "She brings her food from Jewel"? Or Trader Joe's? Does that count?

She rises while it is yet night

Ding, ding, ding, ding! Got one! Finally! (Of course, in all honesty it should probably read, "She rises while it is yet night so that she can have a little peace and quiet before her family wakes up and starts making demands on her time." Strike--oh, who knows? I've lost count.)

and provides food for her household

Hey, it doesn't say what kind of food! I'm gonna give myself a point for this one.

and portions for her maidens.

I would if I had any! (Maidens being servant girls.) We're cooking now!

She considers a field and buys it;

Can I change the word "field" to something like "shoes" or "coffee" or "chocolate" or "wine"?

with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

Um, no. The garden is all his doing. I tend to make green things die.

She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.

I don't even know what a distaff is. Or a spindle. Moving on.

She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.

And how often I have chosen to serve myself before others I am ashamed to say. This is getting ugly.

She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.

Uh-huh, that's my guy. Finally, something I can relate to.

She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

My family will kindly remain silent at this time.

She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Just shoot me now.

Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”

You know, for some reason I can't figure out, my children and my husband actually say these things. Go figure.

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

And both are sadly rare and fleeting.

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.

If I am going to have to look to to my works and the fruit of my hands for validation, I am in big, big trouble.

And yet . . . "a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." She is "far more precious than jewels." She clothes herself in "strength" and her household in "scarlet" and "laughs at the time to come."

It's not Law, friends. It's Gospel. It's not about what we do out of our own strength. It's about how in our weakness we are clothed in the scarlet love and forgiveness of Christ Jesus that enables us to laugh in the face of sin, death, and the devil. We don't fear the day of judgment. We joyfully await its coming because it means our struggles are at an end. We learn from our Saviour Himself that the relationship between the Church and her Head is like the relationship between a bride and groom on their wedding day. As the hymnist writes:

Zion hears the watchmen singing,
And all her heart with joy is springing;
She wakes, she rises from her gloom;
For her Lord comes down all glorious,
The strong in grace, in truth victorious.
Her Star is risen, her Light is come.
(Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying, Philipp Nicolai 1556-1608)

In spite of all my failings as wife and mother, my children rise up and call me "blessed" and my dear husband says I have done "excellently." And to the extent that they are looking at me through the eyes of Christ, they are right. Jesus went to the cross for me and in so doing purchased me for Himself. So yeah, I would say I am worth a lot more than a bag of rubies and diamonds. And so are you.

There's a cottage industry out there of sites dedicated to helping a woman live a more virtuous life by trying to follow the example of Proverbs 31. Here's just one:

A Virtuous Woman

It's not a terrible idea. It's well-intentioned. And I'm sure I could learn a thing or two about being a good wife and mother by considering some of the suggestions there. But ultimately, Proverbs 31 is not a "How-To" manual any more than the rest of the Bible is. It's about what God has done in making me the woman He always intended for me to be.

Children's Cantata

Last month our church offered a one-week music camp for children. The bulk of the camp was spent preparing a cantata based on the appointed Gospel for the Sunday after the camp. The cantata was composed by my husband after registration for the camp was closed, so he knew the number of participants and their ages, talents, and abilities, and composed accordingly (kind of like J. S. Bach himself used to do on a weekly basis!). The video below, of the first movement of the cantata, shows the result. The only adults involved in this performance were my husband, conducting, and his associate cantor, playing piano. All other instrumental and vocal parts were taken by children from approximately age 8 to age 14. The camp ran Monday-Friday from 9-11:45 daily.

Amazing what children can accomplish when you give them the chance and the tools to do so, isn't it?

Over the next few days, I will post the entire cantata, but I have to do it in parts because I am limited on how much video I can upload at a time to Vimeo (I have the free, basic account).

Enjoy! (The text of the chorus is below the video.)

"The Cost of Following Jesus" - Luke 9:51-62 - I. Chorus from Cheryl on Vimeo.

I. Chorus

All for Christ I have forsaken And have taken up my cross.
Worldly joy, its fame and fortune Now I count as worthless dross.

Who is sweeter than Christ Jesus? No good thing in Him I lack!
Hand to plow, at peace I follow Where He leads me . . . why look back?

Gone the past, unknown the future; Grace supplies my daily breath;
Strong in Christ through death's dark valley, Firm and faithful unto death.

A Tale of Two Blog Titles

Well, how about that? Seems Yours Truly was named Issues, Etc. Blog of the Week (along with Rev. Paul McCain at Cyberbrethren). I am honored. My sincere thanks to Issues producer Jeff Schwarz for choosing me. How do I get my badge? :-)

Just one little nitpick. When he read my post on the air, Jeff referred to my blog as Round Unvarnish'd Table (with a "b" in the last word, as in a piece of furniture). But the title of my blog is not Round Unvarnish'd Table, but Round Unvarnish'd Tale (as in story, narrative, report, yarn, vignette, anecdote, chronicle, summary, write-up . . . you get the idea).

I told Jeff not to feel bad. My blog title has been misread countless times over the years. For the longest time my mom wasn't able to find it because she kept searching for a table rather than a tale. (Which I totally understand. My dad was a handy sort who used to make all kinds of things, including furniture, but who was much more interested in functionality than aesthetics. I think we probably had several round unvarnished tables sitting around our house when I was growing up.)

Anyway, considering my recent brush with fame, I thought now would be a good time to revisit the whole blog title thing. So, everyone, repeat after me. Three times, please. "Round Unvarnish'd Tale. Round Unvarnish'd TALE. Round Unvarnish'd TALE."

Thank you. :-)

And while we're on the topic, here's a little background on how I came to name my blog. When I started blogging roughly three years ago I imagined my blog would at times have a literary angle (seeing as how I used to be an English teacher). So I wanted a title that would reflect that by having something to do with writing or speaking. What better place to look than Shakespeare? So I went digging and was reminded of this quotation from Othello:

“Rude am I in my speech,
And little bless’d with the soft phrase of peace:
For since these arms of mine had seven years’ pith,
Till now some nine moons wasted, they have used
Their dearest action in the tented field,
And little of this great world can I speak,
More than pertains to feats of broil and battle,
And therefore little shall I grace my cause
In speaking for myself. Yet, by your gracious patience,
I will a round unvarnish’d tale deliver
Of my whole course of love.” —Othello, 1.3.81-91

Obviously my blog has nothing to do with the subject matter in Othello. But this quotation says sort of what I wanted to say in starting a blog. Othello is speaking to Desdemona about his wish to speak his "whole course of love" for her. But he is not sure he can do a good job because he is "rude" (common, plain, ineloquent) in speech. All he knows about is "feats of broil and battle, " not matters of the heart. So he asks her to be patient with him as he gives it his best shot, still fearing that he may little "grace" (help) his "cause" (winning her devotion) in the process.

So how do Othello's words apply to me? Well, I think I'm a decent writer, but I am limited in what I am able to write convincingly about (a novelist or playwright I am not). My little blog is pretty insignificant as blogs go, and I can't speak about much more than pertains to my own experience of the world in my everyday life (which does have its own kinds of broils and battles!). So to paraphrase, in speaking for myself (writing a blog) I may not grace my "cause" (the relating of my life) very much, but if you will grant your patience (keep reading) I hope you will find my blog to be a complete and bluntly honest ("round") and unadorned ("unvarnish'd") representation of the life of a homeschooling Lutheran literary/musical mommy type, and that every once in a while it will even offer you some encouragement and enlightenment.

Make sense?

It's Time to Take Time

Some years down the road, God willing, we in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod will be looking back on this day, remembering where we were when Rev. Matthew Harrison was elected thirteenth president of the LCMS and sharing our memories of that pivotal moment when our church body was plucked off the slope of dissolution and placed on the path of healing.

So, let's practice. Here's my story. After a morning of leading music at Vacation Bible School, I returned home and had lunch with my children. I did a few chores and then shortly before the presidential election was scheduled to begin settled down in front of the computer to watch the live stream of the convention. I could hardly sit still. My hands were shaking, my stomach jumping. I closed my eyes, put my face in my hands, and said a whispered prayer. Then the phone rang. It was my husband, who is not a delegate but is attending the convention for the purpose of observing, reporting, disseminating information, and assisting the confessional effort in whatever way he can.

I didn't have to look at the caller I.D. to know it was him. I picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Are you watching?"

As soon as I heard his voice I started to cry.

"Yes," I replied, my voice catching.

"Are you praying?"

"Yes."

"Okay, it's time."

I realized as I heard the proceedings coming through my phone that the "live" stream was actually not live but a few seconds behind. So I turned down the volume on my computer and waited for my husband to break the news.

"They're voting," he said. "Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy."

Silence, as we waited for the end of the 8-second voting window.

Then . . .

"And Harrison wins! The next president of the LCMS is Matt Harrison!" This wasn't shouted. My husband was in the convention hall and restraint was called for. But I knew he was shouting with joy on the inside.

I couldn't believe it. "Really? He won?" Sobbing, I ran to the top of the stairs, phone still in hand, and called my son. "TREVOR! Pastor Harrison won!" (I would have called my teenage daughter, too, but she was at a friend's house for the afternoon.)

Trevor joined me upstairs and we sat together at my laptop, watching and waiting as our president-elect made his way towards the podium with his wife. As Trevor hugged me, I said a quick goodbye to my husband with a promise to talk later, and Trevor and I watched this incredible acceptance speech (speech begins at the 3-minute mark):



If that speech is any indication of the seriousness, humility, and cross-focused leadership that President Harrison intends to bring to his new calling, we may actually be able to chart that course for unifying our fractured synod. May God bless the LCMS and its new shepherd, Rev. Matthew Harrison, and may all of us who have been saying "It's Time" for these last many months now be willing to tell one another to "Take Time" as we turn our eyes to the future and watch and pray for healing.

So, what were you doing on July 13, 2010, at 2:42 p.m.?

Life Under the Cross

One of the things I love most about the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, in which I was confirmed as a young married twenty-something in the late 1980's (having been Roman Catholic in my teenage years), is its perfect understanding of salvation and the individual's role in obtaining it. As human beings we naturally (and sinfully) desire ultimate power over our own lives and credit for our accomplishments. No wonder, then, that we struggle so with realizing that when it comes to justification--being made righteous in the sight of God--we have no role to play. Martin Luther described the human condition as that of a beggar standing before God. There is nothing we can do to remove the stain of sin, nothing we can offer to earn God's forgiveness. We are utterly dependent upon God's mercy, and because God is God and He demands perfection, our only hope is to plant ourselves firmly behind the cross of Christ, trusting the Father's promise to impute the righteousness of the Son to those who live under that cross. As the pastor who confirmed me described it, God looks at the sinner through the lens of the cross and, seeing only the perfection of Jesus, likewise pronouces the sinner to be "poi-fect."

To realize that there is nothing I can do to gain salvation--indeed, nothing I need to do, since Jesus has done it for me--brings a feeling of peace, rest and freedom that goes beyond human words because it is not of this world. And yet, the sinful nature still fights against it, wanting to reclaim that power and control. I am the master of my destiny, after all. Aren't I? Aren't I helping just a little by what a good person I'm being and how hard I'm working? "No," says the Father, smiling gently. "No. You are a poor, miserable sinner. But you are my child whom I love, so much that I sent my own dear Son to live the perfect life you couldn't and to pay for the sins you couldn't pay for. Rest in His triumph over sin, death, and the grave. It is finished. There's nothing more to be done!"

Oh. Yeah. I forgot for a moment there. And on it goes--the daily forgetting and reminding that is the essence of the life of a Christian.

I think it may be that constant need of the sinner to be reminded of his sinful condition that leads to something I sometimes encounter among my Lutheran friends.* Because they so deeply understand their sinful state and love the theology of the cross, I think there is sometimes a tendency to put their sins on display in a way that is not necessarily helpful to either themselves or those with whom they come into contact. And because it is so easy to fall into the "try to be good so God will love me" trap, they overcompensate by trumpeting as loudly as possible what wretches they are, turning their shortcomings, weaknesses, and sinful nature into almost a point of pride or badge of honor: "Look at me! Look at what a messed up, sinful excuse for a human being I am! Can you believe it? I'm even more screwed up than you!"

And indeed, they are wretches. We all are, and again, one of the things I love most about Lutheran theology is how effectively that message is communicated. But I think there's a balance to be had. There's a difference between quietly hanging our heads in shame as we acknowledge our sins and perhaps even share them in hopes of pointing another towards Christ, and standing before the world, playing a game of sinner's one-ups-man-ship as we tick off our transgressions with Technicolor detail and provide the equivalent of a Powerpoint presentation on our messed up selves.

I sometimes even see what strikes me as intentionally edgy behavior that has as its goal the avoidance of the dreaded "pietist" label: "See? I appreciate wordly music and pleasures. I can swear and drink and party and tell dirty jokes with the best of them. I'm no goody-two-shoes holier-than-thou Pollyanna. I'm a sinner!" The mind reels with the possibilities. "See Dick sin. Sin, Dick, sin!"

I think that sometimes our sins, like our prayers, might be best kept between us and God: “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6: 5-6)

And you know, there's nothing wrong with trying to be good as long as we realize that, while it will certainly make our earthly life and that of those around us better, it's not going to get us any closer to heaven.

*I do it, too.

Portrait of a Lady

I have always liked this painting, Song of the Lark (1884), by Jules Breton. My first memory of seeing it was some years ago at the Art Institute of Chicago. I was reminded of it again today while reading a post at the Concordian Sisters blog. Rebekah writes about what makes a Lady and concludes that she is not one: "I don't feel like a Lady. I feel like a peasant. Ladies live in manors, and I'm just not running a tea-and-crumpets operation here. More like, we're out of napkins; wipe it on your sock. Most days I hope to pass for 'windblown' rather than 'unwashed.' If there's a Ladylike way to dig up turnips or deal with an abominable diaper, I haven't found it."

I have never met Rebekah in person. For all I know she could be Roseanne Barr's twin sister. But having read her ponderings, corresponded with her off and on over the last few years, and listened to her reflections on motherhood on Issues, Etc., all I can say is she sure talks and writes like a lady. As I wrote in the comments section on Rebekah's post, I think that ladylikeness is not so much a matter of class or lifestyle--of getting manicures and having tea with your macaroons and turning on the air conditioning so as not to faint from the heat--but rather a question of temperament. My comment:

"It's about gentleness. And you don't have to be beautiful or particularly feminine or wear make-up or dresses or have smooth heels and elbows and no dirt under your fingers to be gentle. What is it they say about gentleness? You can't really have it unless there is strength there--a strength that is being reined in so as not to cause harm. I think ladylikeness is about humility and grace and subtlety. A Lady doesn't barge into a room; you just suddenly notice that she's there and you wonder where she came from. She doesn't call attention to herself by speaking loudly, but more often by speaking softly. She listens. She is not in too much of a hurry. She is kind and considerate of the feelings of others. She does not intentionally draw attention to herself.

"You can do all of those things without smelling good or getting a salon haircut or having a clean house. I'm betting a lot of CSPP gals who pooh-pooh the lady title are really closet ladies and just don't want to admit it. Come on, girls, embrace your Inner Lady! She's nothing to be ashamed of!"

I might add that I think a Lady is modest, not flashy. And she appreciates beauty. That is what I see in the painting: a young farm woman who has gone to the field to work in the early morning hours but who is distracted from her work by the song of a bird and who takes time to listen to and appreciate that song for a few moments.

So maybe I am all mixed up. And maybe the culture at large would disagree. But I think Ladies are strong when they need to be and gentle when they need to be. They are not afraid to get their hands dirty. They don't think they are too good to serve others. But in their strength and hardiness there is still softness. And they go about their vocation in quietness, without a lot of fanfare.

Here in my opinion is another painting of a Lady, this one by Camille Pissaro, 1881:

Young Peasant Woman Drinking Her Café Au Lait

Taking a few moments out of her day to have a cup of coffee by the window? That is not just a lady. That is One Smart Lady.

(And by the way, most of my friends and I have both our Ladyish and our Un-Ladyish moments. Just ask our families.)

From the archives

Schroeder is right. The answer is yes. I'm so glad I married the piano player. It is from him that I have learned what it means to have "all the nice things in life."

I love you, my dearest Phillip.

More Photos

My sister-in-law took all of these. Can you tell she has a better camera than I?

Brothers

Speedboat Fun

Silly Mirrors

Let's eat!

The Dunes

Nothing like reading a book on the beach while listening to the waves.

Water play!

At the Pier.

Waiting for the Ferris wheel riders

Riding the Lighthouse

What a goof.

Togetherness

Water gun fight!

Love

The Man