Reading List on the Net {02.23.15}

I feel like I posted something yesterday but I wasn't even online yesterday. The days, they just blend together.
Today's list is all from CM friends' posts. But they are not all about 'education'.

Cleveland's Jay Ryan guest posts at Brandy's Afterthoughts: Why CM families should study astronomy. I first became 'acquainted' with the work of Jay Ryan while I was on the TOS Review Crew. He had put out an almanac (since discontinued unfortunately), but he is probably better known for his Classical Astronomy, Signs and Seasons.

"There is no better way to instill curiosity in a child than to teach them to observe their world, as Charlotte Mason instructed. It is important for children to discover their world, to study rocks and watch animal behavior, and identify indigenous plants. But it is also important to observe the celestial bodies, and the amazing visually-apprehended cycles of Classical Astronomy. Indeed, our modern educational system does not teach astronomy as an outdoor activity."

Homeschool burnout. Is February burnout month? I'm with Jen at Snowfall Academy: We hit it at the start of January. For us, we took a very long winter break. I started 2015 with burnout. I'm just now catching my wind! At first I didn't think that we were on the same track with our burnout but the more I read, the more I see I was wrong.

"I had to give up some of what I wanted- some of the 'personal time' that I thought I needed- but I have gained so much more.
Funny how that works sometimes, isn't it?"

I haven't gotten where she is yet. I still need to do some pruning of my 'my time'. I realize I was trying to do too much for me, because I felt burnout. In my case, it's the check off the box- must get it all done- that has to go. I did make that a goal this year but I'm struggling to find the balance. For me the balance is between wanting to do things for myself (not necessarily by myself though) and for my kids (but apparently I have a tendency to see them as not needing me to do it with them). Perhaps our March will run smoother like Jen's February.

I found Lisa's post on fasting interesting. I am not Orthodox, as she is, but I do know the purpose of fasting (as she states it):

"Fasting is a way to learn how to suffer. But we do not fast to punish ourselves for our sins, or to focus on how sinful we might be. The self-denial that comes with fastings is what forces us to turn toward our God and His mercy. It is painful to let go of those habits and indulgences that we hold dear, sometimes without our even being aware of it, but it is precisely in letting go that we become able to turn toward God and our brother." emphasis mine

Lisa's post on fasting is in regards to Lent, which I know next to nothing about. Melisa has posted a list of resources for Lent. I had no idea what it was but one of the opening sentences of her post helps:

"Just as we take the time before Christmas (the season of Advent) to focus on the whole reason for the date being important to us in the first place, we do the same for that thing to prepare our hearts for the day we celebrate Christ's Resurrection from the grave."

That makes sense. Hmmm, we don't do Advent either. Goodness, what do we do? Fortunately, our worth is not determined by these practices (not that Lisa or Melisa are implying that in their posts at all). However, I see how they get us focused more on what's important. Something for me to think about.