Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a beautiful Advent season full of light, family, food, and reflection. I know I did. I have been reflecting quite a bit on what is important and how I ought to spend my time. There is such a pull to go in so many directions, not to mention all the expectation I put on my self, that if I was really honest are mostly expectation I put on myself.
Really, what is needful? When I get lost in the chaos of my mind it is impossible to discern that. I want to though. I want to be peacefully present in whatever I am doing. Last year my word of the year was ‘present’, as in ‘be present’ in whatever I was doing. Whether it be the math lesson, doing the dishes, attending church, or visiting with a friend. I failed a lot, but I as I look back on the year, I did grow. I am little more inclined to be present this January than was last January and that is good.
My Word for the Year
Looking to 2016 I mulled over whether I would choose a word or not. My Priest encouraged us to avoid the resolutions for the year, and instead make daily resolutions. To ask ourselves, what will I do this day? With that said, I think a word is helpful. It is not necessarily a resolution, but a contemplation. It gives space for the Holy Spirit, life, conversations with others, books you come across, sermons you end up hearing, etc… to meet you and inform your thoughts. All of those things we can’t plan, but are so good.
In considering what my word would be I came across Misty Winckler’s post about her word for the year “Consistency’ and it was really good. I need help with that as well and I am choosing that word for my self, but with a bit of a different twist. As I was writing and remembering a fall beach trip I went on with some friends, I remembered the huge impact the word constancy had on me. I was led to it from watching the waves and the circuit of the sun. It reminded me how the Lord never grows weary and how all He does is give.
As a very hard, but beautiful year comes to a close, I am reminded that it is Him, the Lord, the Creator of Life, that I need to contemplate more than anything. Therefore my word for 2016 year is Constancy. Not my constancy, but His. When everything seems crazy, as I know there will be moments where it does, I pray I am reminded to think back to that trip and to consider the beauty and strength in His constancy. Do you have a word for the year? If so I would love to hear about it. Maybe we can have some rich conversations over this next year regarding our discoveries.
2015 at a Glance
2015 was a rich and full year for us. Here are some of the highlights.
We moved into a new house
Josiah made his first AAU Basketball team
Our Homeschool Group grew from 4 families to 25 families.
Katie discovered she loves to draw, and is pretty good at it.
We published our first product, an online, self-paced course ‘The 5 Elements of Classical Homeschooling‘
Sierra got her first speaking part in a play.
I learned how to commonplace the way Jenny Rallens teaches it.
Our family became Orthodox Christians & my husband and I renewed our wedding vows! {If you would like to know more about The Eastern Orthodox Church, here are a couple great websites: Discover Orthodoxy and Orthodox Resources.}
We rediscovered how much we need a close knit community in order to do life.
On the Expanding Wisdom Front
I think the biggest accomplishment we have achieved this year was publishing our course, The 5 Elements of Classical Homeschooling. We have been working on it for almost 2 years. We have spend hundreds of hours, pulled several all nighters, experienced tons of joy in discovery, and cried many tears along the way. We had a vision of something that could meet homeschooling moms where they are, in all their fullness of life, and really help them immerse themselves in the classical tradition. This course is the result.
Here is what people around the web are saying about it.
“I have been homeschooling for 12 years now and have spent a fair amount of time learning about various homeschool ideas within the classical tradition and within the Charlotte Mason tradition. I have been at it long enough to have seen and rejected a lot of overly simplistic ideas of education. This course has been extremely helpful for me. Jennifer has done a fantastic job of putting ideas in the broader context of liberal arts tradition and linking together things that have previously seemed disconnected for me. A very powerful tool for developing your own homeschool philosophy and coming to a better understanding of the big picture of education in the broadest sense of fully developing your children in all areas of life.” -Nancy, Course Participant
A Review by Sara Dennis from Classically Homeschooling Blog
“I have spent years studying home education, classical education in particular, and at first glance recognized the beautiful way in which this program is presented. It is evident from Jennifer’s comprehensive suggested reading list and the other materials from the very beginning in Module 1 of The 5 Elements of Classical Homeschooling that participants are in for a powerful journey! I am looking forward to starting a new year studying classical education with Ms. Dow’s materials in hand as a guide.” – Kimberly, Course Participant
A Video Review by Ashley Woleben from Between The Linens Blog
“The 5 Elements of Classical Homeschooling is an in-depth, thought provoking course. Each element focuses on a different aspect of the job we are called to as parent educators. Although deep, the actual presentation of material is not long (the longest lasting about an hour). It clearly introduces the philosophy behind the element while providing helpful and searching questions and very practical resources to consider how to make it work for you as a teacher in your home (or class). I have read many of the classical education books she references but her presentation adds a layer of understanding, points out new relationships between t.hem and now I want to read them again with new eyes. Even if you haven’t read the resource, she provides enough context to make them easily accessible. She models analogic and holisitic teaching in her approach and some of her analogies have me pulling out books I haven’t read yet. This is the type of course that one can return to regularly and find new insight and challenges, As you and your children move through different ages and stages she addresses them all and provides support for you to search out how to meet your children where they are with the tools that have proven useful through the ages. Her focus is equipping the teacher (mom), both philosophically and practically (with time tested methods and materials), to lead by example and humility as she guides her children on this educational journey that draws all of them closer to wisdom and virtue. Well worth my time; it has already impacted my thinking and teaching.” -Missy, Course Participant
Other Mentions Around the Web
Seven Quick Takes on Thanksgiving Break, What “401” Means, A Blogoversary Prize Package, and MORE!
Seven Quick Takes on Laundry Bags, Advent Selections, Another PRIZE, and More!
Podcasts, preparations, practices, principles and parental perturbations
and…
A Quick mention over at Mt. Hope Chronicles! Thank you!
Blessings!
Thank you all for learning along side of us this year. In 2016 I hope you join us again. We will be picking back up with Dante’s Inferno in our Book Club & Online Community and of course learning a ton in the Course and the Course Forum! I can’t wait to see what 2016 will bring. May the Lord be with You!
Expanding Wisdom, extending grace,
Jennifer
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