Country Mouse Visits Big City
Friday a Country Mouse drove her little car to Cincinnati to visit City Mouse. Country Mouse (that would be me) is mystified by city driving, so much so that City Mouse (my dear sister) always meets her somewhere on the outskirts to shepherd her to City Mouse’s lovely restored old home in picturesque Mount Adams, in the heart of this beautiful riverside city. But driving fears are about the extent of the city problems this country mouse encountered, and unlike the mouse in the story, I had an absolutely wonderful time visiting my sister and brother-in-law this weekend and attending the Cincinnati homeschool conference!
At my sister’s home I was able to meet her new addition, Lucy, a feline who rules the roost. I also saw the beautiful nursery she has decorated in preparation for their baby, whom they are patiently waiting to adopt from China. (It has been over a year, and could be another year still, as things in China are moving at a snail’s pace these days.) Yes, sleeping with lights and traffic outside is a different experience from my home where night sounds are peepers and coyotes, but how could I not sleep soundly when I was in a high four-poster bed piled with quilts and pillows, AND no possibility of being joined during the night by a little fellow?! What luxury to wake up with no one needing breakfast, to be able to read the Bible undisturbed in bed, then walk outside to see the fog hovering over the Ohio River, and then take our leisurely time to go to the most amazing bakery and fresh food market I have ever been to.
The homeschool convention was stimulating and encouraging, both things that I needed. I heard five talks, all good, some outstanding. Two were on classical education (junior high and high school), one on teaching Latin, and one on grading. The first talk I attended was different, however. Instead of nuts and bolts on educating, it addressed a more fundamental issue, our walk with God.
Titled, “The Nearness of God is my Good,” Marcia Somerville explained how her life was radically changed when she really took hold of this idea and began spending more than just token time each day meeting with the Lord. I became convicted how I am so often just spiritually lazy, and then make excuses for myself. (“I have so many children, so many demands on my life, so much work to do,” etc.) Yet, how is it that I am so consistent with finding time to get outside for a walk or bike ride? In the spring, when I start putting the miles on my bike, I hate to see how I struggle with the hills as I have become out of shape during the winter. I’ve sometimes wished that there were a measure of my spiritual fitness that was equally obvious. Spiritual flabbiness is even more serious than physical flabbiness. When I am not feeding in God’s Word, what do I have to give to my husband and children as I serve them? So, by God’s grace, I am trying to put into place some changes in my life to ensure that I will not put off daily time with the Lord.
I may post some more of what I learned over coming weeks, but I can’t guarantee anything right now. Life is rather full, and the coming weeks are jam-packed with responsibilities. Our oldest two are about to graduate, and there are honor banquets to attend and graduation activities to plan. We’ll be making many more trips to West Lafayette than we usually do. A deadline looms for reviews that I have no idea when I will tackle, and there are year ending projects to be accomplished in our homeschool. And next weekend is our annual women’s retreat! Quite a lot of excitement for this homebody “Country Mouse.”
Psalm 73:28 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Thy works.
(NASB)
At my sister’s home I was able to meet her new addition, Lucy, a feline who rules the roost. I also saw the beautiful nursery she has decorated in preparation for their baby, whom they are patiently waiting to adopt from China. (It has been over a year, and could be another year still, as things in China are moving at a snail’s pace these days.) Yes, sleeping with lights and traffic outside is a different experience from my home where night sounds are peepers and coyotes, but how could I not sleep soundly when I was in a high four-poster bed piled with quilts and pillows, AND no possibility of being joined during the night by a little fellow?! What luxury to wake up with no one needing breakfast, to be able to read the Bible undisturbed in bed, then walk outside to see the fog hovering over the Ohio River, and then take our leisurely time to go to the most amazing bakery and fresh food market I have ever been to.
The homeschool convention was stimulating and encouraging, both things that I needed. I heard five talks, all good, some outstanding. Two were on classical education (junior high and high school), one on teaching Latin, and one on grading. The first talk I attended was different, however. Instead of nuts and bolts on educating, it addressed a more fundamental issue, our walk with God.
Titled, “The Nearness of God is my Good,” Marcia Somerville explained how her life was radically changed when she really took hold of this idea and began spending more than just token time each day meeting with the Lord. I became convicted how I am so often just spiritually lazy, and then make excuses for myself. (“I have so many children, so many demands on my life, so much work to do,” etc.) Yet, how is it that I am so consistent with finding time to get outside for a walk or bike ride? In the spring, when I start putting the miles on my bike, I hate to see how I struggle with the hills as I have become out of shape during the winter. I’ve sometimes wished that there were a measure of my spiritual fitness that was equally obvious. Spiritual flabbiness is even more serious than physical flabbiness. When I am not feeding in God’s Word, what do I have to give to my husband and children as I serve them? So, by God’s grace, I am trying to put into place some changes in my life to ensure that I will not put off daily time with the Lord.
I may post some more of what I learned over coming weeks, but I can’t guarantee anything right now. Life is rather full, and the coming weeks are jam-packed with responsibilities. Our oldest two are about to graduate, and there are honor banquets to attend and graduation activities to plan. We’ll be making many more trips to West Lafayette than we usually do. A deadline looms for reviews that I have no idea when I will tackle, and there are year ending projects to be accomplished in our homeschool. And next weekend is our annual women’s retreat! Quite a lot of excitement for this homebody “Country Mouse.”
Psalm 73:28 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Thy works.
(NASB)
Comments
Best wishes