Here are a few of the things on my mind as this new year begins.
Devotions:
I was about 20 days behind in my M'Cheyne Bible Reading Plan which I was doing through YouVersion on my phone and Kindle. I am satisfied with that. I may try to switch over to D.A. Carson's revisions of the plan or I may just start it all over again. I like reading through the OT once a year, poetic books twice and NT twice.
I dropped off of my Morning and Evening
devotions to fit in the M'Cheyne but I am ready to restart those. Spurgeon keeps me sane. One thing I noticed is that I have read Morning over and over again but have never really read more than a few days of Evening. I signed up for the YouVersion of Morning and Evening so I can actually read through the entire version of both. This will put me slightly off date but I am going to try not to be OCD about that. Sadly, for no known reason, that nags at me.
I am also trying to read a tiny amount each day in Spurgeon's The Treasury of David
. Someday I want to finish those volumes although for now I am on Psalm 2.One sure sign that I am aging and my life is changing is that I have more time to spend in God's word. Next up knitting while watching Lawrence Welk reruns.
Reading:
I have always read more fiction than non-fiction even though I do enjoy great biographies and memoirs. The last few years my fiction selections haven't really seemed to be all that enjoyable. I am going to try to read books that I enjoy this year. Right now I am reading Sally Wright's Watches Of The Night (Ben Reese mysteries)
, I had forgotten about the Ben Reese mysteries until Dawn at LadyDusk mentioned them. Watches of the Night is turning out to be the a great read. I am not sure which direction my reading will take me. I always feel so guilty when I look at the books I have bought and not read. I usually think that I will make a rule that I will not buy another book until I have read the ones I have already bought and then within seconds I find myself purchasing or borrowing another book. I find my Amazon balance keeps me from feeling like I am spending real money and when I go to the library I have no self-control at all. I now have a whole bookshelf in my bedroom full of TBR books. I did read one of them already this year: Over Hill and Dale
by Gervase Phinn. Very enjoyable.
Morning Time:
Once again I find myself having to rethink this. We have spent the first semester singing again and it has been nice but now I find that with Emily graduating in May it is time to let her spend her time finishing other subjects and after all I need to get used to the idea that she is graduating. She may come into the room just to sing with us but if she does not I am not sure we will be able to continue. This makes me sad. Emily graduating makes me sad. Andrew getting humongous make me sad. Alex graduating from 6th grade to 7th is shocking. I constantly have to pray for wisdom. It is so hard to make decisions based on what is good for each individual and not just me. Baseball season also always knocks MT for a loop. This year I hope to change that but with Andrew playing for the local public high school I am not sure that I will succeed. Letting go of your first child is very hard; letting go of your last one is harder.
Blogging:
My online time has changed drastically over the last few years. I rarely am on a real computer. I usually check my mail on my phone which means I often read my mail without answering it. This applies to my blog comments also. If I am going to continue to blog I need a new vision. I can't just keep whining about my kids growing up. I need to find a way to encourage younger moms. I need to take time to write blog posts and redesign my blog. In many ways my blog time competes with MT especially if I fail to get up early.
TV:
Here I want to briefly note that I have mentioned the show Justified. The new season started last night and we did not even get through 15 minutes of it. It has now become TV:MA which means they must have run out of plot. I cannot in good conscience recommend it anymore and I hope I did not cause anyone else to try it out.
Exercise:
I am on week 6 of Couch to 5K and I am thinking of signing up for a 5k on Feb. 23. For some reason I cannot run on the pavement without becoming almost crippled for many days but the treadmill is not a problem. I thoroughly enjoy running as I can listen to audiobooks while doing it. Ah, peace and no interruptions!
Dana mentioned Zumba and it really looks fun. Do you Zumba? At home? At the gym? Tell me what you think.
In future posts I would like to reevaluate some of my purchases from last year as I prepare for next year. Those catalogs are rolling in and already I am in a muddle.
Keep thinking out loud on-line--it IS encouraging. Your posts are an encouragement to moms without you changing a thing about your blog. When you "whine" about your kids growing up,I cherish my "horrible-rotten" day with mine a little more. Whine away...
ReplyDeleteWeek 6 in C25k! Good for you! I want to try running to audiobooks, but sometimes the music is what pushes me on. I run outside though. Until it's 90 degrees at 7 am in July. Then I tend to quit for a couple of months.
ReplyDeleteI'm thankful more blog posts are part of 2013 plans.
--Jami
Week 6 - Go, Cindy!! I've never been a runner (and haven't done any appreciable exercise in years) until last June. My knees gave me a great deal of trouble. I took to wearing a knee sleeve, which helped support my connective tissues until my muscles strengthened. I'm now able to run without those sleeves! You may find that as you get used to the pounding you can take pavement running. (and by pavement do you mean concrete sidewalks or asphalt roads? Asphalt is actually softer...I avoid concrete.) I detest treadmill running and avoid it.
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ReplyDeleteIt's even worse when you work at the library because you are surrounded by tempting lovely books every time you go to work. ;) I know what you mean though. I am trying to read books that I have rather than buy new ones. I'm now keeping running lists of books I'd like to read on amazon, goodreads, and my library account. I am finding that if I keep track of the books that sound good, I'm less likely to buy them or check them out.
ReplyDeleteI can't run anymore but I am trying to get out and walk again with a friend and I've started going to Pilates once a week again. I'd like to fit some Pilates in at home as well but it is hard to do it on my own. I'd rather read a book.
I hope you will continue to blog. I appreciate when you share about how hard it is for the children to be leaving as I am going through similar changes here. It helps me know I'm not alone. I miss ds#1 in MT very much although I don't miss his messes or having to remind him to do things multiple times. Ds#2 has already stopped doing MT with me which makes me sad but fortunately I still have DS#3 who loves reading with me so MT is going full steam ahead with him. He gave a fantastic narration on Plutarch this week, the best narration he has ever given. He seems to do better without anyone else around because he doesn't get distracted. Hurrah! Anyway, I don't know that I would have persevered with MT if it hadn't been for you so thank you. And I'll quit writing this novel now. :)
Joy
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ReplyDeleteUm....hardEST! Sorry sweet friend, but you are not whining. This is real life and those of us in the trenches with you love your real voice speaking to real moms raising real children. I love the book reviews, the movie and tv ideas, and the glimpse into your world...but please please always save a spot in the blog for what we moms experience.
Hugs!
Renee
If your goal is to encourage moms, it's working.
ReplyDeleteYou cast a lovely, enduring vision of a Charlotte Mason education, but you don't sugar coat. Thanks for keeping it real. Though not a young mom, but a mom with young children, your posts are a steady IV drip of great encouragement for staying the course. Every now and then, I even feel a bit of confidence wash over me.
I have diligently sought out the best resources to help me and even asked God to point me to them. Finding your blog feels providential. But now I'm getting sappy.
So let's talk Zumba. I go to the gym three times a week and it's a hilarious way to start a day. A gaggle of 40-something suburban moms making moves that would make our Mamas blush. It's great fun, burns tons of calories (though I too have read all of Gary Taubes' books and am a bit suspicious of the calories in, calories out theory), and is the only exercise I have not passionately dreaded.
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I have been reading your blog for 3 years now, always on my ipod in the dark of night and it doesn't let me leave comments. So I am logged on to the family computer because I felt like it was so important to let you know your thoughts and experiences are SO helpful to me. I've been doing this CM thing for quite awhile but you have done it longer. I have 9 children, 6 are boys! My oldest daughter is married and moved away and my youngest is a nursing 6m old. Boy. I love when you speak to the boy thing, I love when you speak about CM and education and I love love love the reviews and recommendations for books. I like hearing about your sweet family and what you have learned along the way. I really like that. It's helping me along my way. I am not such a young mom anymore, 39 this spring, but I really need to hear from moms like you. I wish you lived next door!
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to let you know I am a mother of 2 young boys starting out on the homeschool journey. I have very much enjoyed and benefited from your writing. You have the rare quality of inspiring and challenging without appearing as though you are on the outside looking in. Thank you.
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