I homeschool my kiddos. To tell you the truth I've always wanted to, even before they made an appearance! There is something so special to me about watching their eyes light up and wondering what invention or picture or story they will come up with next. Now... almost eight years later I'm also thankful I found the writings of Charlotte Mason. She has inspired our homeschool like no other earthly philosopher. Lately, thanks to the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival, I have been pondering one of her more quoted statements... Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.
Atmosphere can mean so many different things. For the purposes of this post, I want to talk about the legacy of a beautiful atmosphere.
Even though I am a good six inches taller than her, my grandmother dwarfs me. After a recent visit, I was struck by how amazing she is. I have wonderful memories of her ALWAYS greeting us as we walked into her apartment. She was right there with a hug and a smile. Her house smelled of cookies, or choco-roos (if you don't know what these are you need to find out), or roast and noodles. She went shopping with my sister, my mom, and I for fall clothes. We used to giggle our way through the stores and never understand how blessed we were. There has never been a moment that she did not make me feel welcome and delighted in... just because I was her granddaughter. In fact, she still makes me feel that way and now she's created that same experience with my children.
Because of such a blessed example, my mother has been immersed in this atmosphere. Now she delights in my children the way my grandma delighted in me. She prays for them, loves them, and spoils them rotten. She always has a smile of welcome and takes every chance she can to spend time with them. My children are not an imposition to her or a bother. They know she loves them to pieces.
Thanks to the godly influence of these two women, I am excited (at least when I'm not hormonal :) ) to spend time with my children. I can't wait to hear their jokes and just share life with them. I can only imagine what an amazing joy my grandchildren will be. In a world where children are pushed to the side and seen as inconvenient, I have been blessed by an atmosphere of love... I thank Jesus for such a great legacy.
