So, where will you be on May 7th?

Here's an email I just got:

THERE BE DRAGONS:
Everyone, take a look at this movie trailer for THERE BE DRAGONS. It's a powerful film about love and redemption, directed by Roland Joffe (The Mission, The Killing Fields). It opens in theaters May 6!



This looks like it will be a great movie! Here's a bit about the story-line:

[It's] an epic action-adventure romance set during the turmoil of the Spanish Civil War. The story traces the lives of two young men, Josemaria Escriva (Charlie Cox) and Manolo Torres (Wes Bentley), childhood friends who are separated by the political upheaval of pre-war Spain to find themselves on opposite sides as war erupts. Choosing peace, Josemaria becomes a priest and struggles to spread reconciliation by founding the movement Opus Dei (work of God).

Manolo chooses war and becomes a spy for the fascists. He becomes obsessed with a beautiful Hungarian revolutionary, Ildiko, who has joined the militia in pursuit of passion and purpose. But when Ildiko rejects him out of love for the courageous militia leader Oriol, Manolo's jealousy leads him down a path of betrayal.

A group has gotten a viewing down here in Fredericksburg on May 7th at 7p.m. (movie location TBA).  I know we'll be going.  Why don't you think about joining us .... or check if it's in your area the weekend of May 6th ...
 

Yet another reason why I homeschool ...

2011 by MCG

 The interesting thing I've found over my past 10 years of homeschooling is the simple fact that I'm learning right alongside the kids ... whether it's learning things I have forgotten or things I never knew, the fascinating thing is that I'm always learning from my kids as well as while I'm teaching them.

God, in His infinite wisdom, gave each of us a brain that is a great and glorious thing ... but like any muscle in our body, it needs to be exercised. 

How are you exercising your brain today?

Whoops ... guess I need this one tattooed on my arm ....

My homepage, the page that comes up when I click to enter the wonderful world of the world-wide web, is MyCatholic.com.  It's a great site since I can pick and choose which news feeds, rss', personal links that I want to see each time I get online. 

One of the choices is "One Minute Meditations" from St. Josemaria Escriva's writings ... today's was a real thwack upside the head for me:

You are not happy because you make everything revolve around yourself as if you were always the centre: you have a stomach-ache, or you are tired, or they have said this or that...


Have you ever tried thinking about Him, and through Him, about others?

– St. Josemaria Escriva, Furrow, #74

Ouch!  He always puts things so succinctly ... 

And the knitting content pictured above is because it makes me happy to add a bit of knitting to everything I do ....
 

Just had to post this ...

... if only so I commit it to memory.

You feel a gigantic faith. He who gives you that faith, will give you the means. -- St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way #577 

... and a pretty picture of a lace design I just finished ... because it makes me smile ...

And so we begin ....

... we took Catie to the train yesterday to start her adventures in Chicago ... dh has all-day teacher "in service" meetings this week (code for "commisserating committees before the hordes descend") ... so

St. Athanasius is now open for "real school", this year under the patronage of St. Athanasius and St. Josemaria Escriva.

Here is the prayer I will pray each morning before getting the kids up ... before starting my day ... to pray for my home learning adventures as well as for all homeschooling moms (especially Alice at Cottage Blessings who wrote this prayer.  You can find it in her book, Haystack Full of Needles, published by Hillside Education) ...

God's many blessings to all my home-educating friends ... may 2010-2011 be an exceptionally holy, healthy and happy year!

Homeschool: motto for 2009-10 year

Many of my IRL and online home-educating friends choose an annual motto that will shape their school year, something pithy that helps frame what they will accomplish beyond the texts, field trips and projects.

I was going to use a the motto John XXIII used throughout his life, using it as his episcopal motto: "obedience and peace".

But then I came across this quote from St. Josemaria Escriva (founder of Opus Dei):

Don't say: 'That person gets on my nerves.' Think: 'That person sanctifies me.'

-- St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way, #174

The motto that I'm having tattooed on my arm (so I NEVER forget this one) is:

Encourage and teach with patience. (2Tim 4:2)

This quote is one that Bishop Loverde (Diocese of Arlington, VA) has used for many years ... and he lives by it everytime I see him.

Aren't those quotes both just perfect for mulling over throughout this next school year?

I will be creating ways to make the first quote really resonate with the kiddoes over the next few weeks, particularly as we get into outside activities that bring them into contact with others who may not think or act the way we want them to act. But, I think this quote is applicable within our home too ... if not more so ... and the second one is something that I always need to remember.

I'll keep you posted as to what we do with these!