Planning...

Despite the lack of activity here, I have been planning. Really. It's just that the weather has been so beautiful and things have been hectic and ....well, you get the picture. But still, I have been mulling things over and have some idea of what I want to do next year. Mostly, I want to instill a Catholic conscience in my boys and in myself. It has been an awakening to discover that Catholics have a viewpoint very much at odds with the World's. I know this should be obvious but it wasn't. The more I read of Chesterton the more amazed I am by his Catholic conscienceness. As a convert he didn't develop this as a child in the usual way,through careful training in the Faith, like St. Therese of Lisieux for example. But this way of seeing things as they are in relation to Christ as opposed to man is truly his great gift. So I am trying to be very careful about the books I am choosing. Not totally Catholic but sharing that viewpoint. For instance, Parables from Nature by Mrs. Alfred Gatty (already not pc as she identifies herself as her husband's wife). Is this book too protestant? Too babyish perhaps for the hobbits? No and no as it turns out. I've read a couple stories and while they have a fairy tale quality they also are full of thoughtful insight on nature. And they are free of the personification of critters so prevalent in the Christian Liberty nature readers. Not that I disapprove of the personification of critters, I love Beatrix Potter after all but I find it annoying in a story about the life cycle of crabs or spiders. Also, I was impressed by Mrs. Gatty's use of Dante quotes as chapter headers. She mostly uses Bible verses but Dante is there too. I read in the brief bio of her that she was home-educated by her father (a chaplain on the Victory with Nelson) and had translated Dante at the age of 17. What better way to form a Catholic conscience? So Parables from Nature is a keeper.

These are the thoughts that have been occupying me lately. And I do have a tentative schedule worked up. Now, if I can resist the temptation to keep adding just one more wonderful ....book...subject...what if they never learn that... (never mind that I never knew that--what ever that is--)....