Tidbits for March 12th

Finding Our Way Back Home - Oh, my goodness. READ THIS. So good. (Raising Arrows)

You Don't Really Have a Strong-Willed Child - "[I]n many instances a child who has been labeled strong willed is actually a child whose will is very weak. They are governed by their feelings, appetites, and passions of the moment. They do not have the strength of will to choose to act rightly regardless of their feelings of the moment." Good stuff. Part 2 here. (Our Busy Homeschool)

Medical vs. Parenting Advice - "A degree in medicine is a degree in a specific and very useful field. It’s not a license to be a demigod." (The Common Room)

• I also loved what she had to say this week about some people's parents. 

A Clean Home is a Pretty Home - This soothed the guilt that always permeates my decorating-challenged soul. (Always Learning)

5 Steps to Living Fear-Free - Part 2 in the series. (Treasures from a Shoebox)

Why I Choose to Home Birth and Love It! - "When I give birth this month it will be our sixth home birth. Every birth has been unique and has a different story. The one thing that has not changed in all of them is the peace I feel at home, and how grateful I am to be there through every labor." (The Modest Mom)



From the Bookshelf

The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle

In updating our family book list, I am running across titles of childhood books that I've heard referenced but never actually read. This is one of them, and I am taking the opportunity to catch up on what I missed! I found that this is actually a sequel to the original "The Story of Doctor Dolittle," so that book will be next on the list.

One thing I found rather disturbing was the fact that the edition I chose to read has been selectively "edited," i.e. censored, in order to remove the portions of this book that the editors found offensive from a 21st century perspective. I have written up a post on this topic and hope to share it soon, but it needs another couple of weeks and about twenty editing jobs before I post so that I can edit out all of the overly emotional language and sound at least somewhat sensible. (I tend to get extremely upset over historical revisionism.)





The Immune System Recovery Plan: A Doctor's 4-Step Program to Treat Autoimmune Disease

One of my goals is to read slowly and steadily through a larger body of health-related works, and this is my latest! This book is a fascinating look into how diet and lifestyle play into triggering autoimmune diseases (lupus, celiac, rheumatoid arthritis, and hundreds more) and how diet and lifestyle choices can similarly be used to help improve and/or heal those conditions. This is an approach known as functional medicine, which aims to heal the root causes of disease states rather than using pharmaceuticals to suppress and control symptoms. It's a fascinating book, and I'm enjoying it very much.

So You Want to Write: How to Master the Craft of Writing Fiction and Memoir

Since I so enjoy blogging, I decided recently to check out a few "how to write" books. This one is particularly mal apropos, since I have absolutely zero interest in writing fiction (and am not planning on writing my memoirs any time soon). However, it looked interesting, so I picked it up!

In the reading I have learned quite a bit about writing fiction, and I've found the material fascinating. The authors obviously know their stuff, and their advice is sound and knowledgeable.

What really stuck me about this book, however, is not so much the actual instructional material, but simply the vast difference between the authors' worldview and my own. The difference between their outlook (sexually amoral, modern, etc.) and my own (conservative Christian) really could not be more different. Since writing is an expression of self, every sentence of this book is saturated with worldview. To be honest, I found the authors' worldview to be exhausting and depressing, and I found the literary examples that they use (all taken from modern works of fiction) to be saddening and repugnant.

However, it's still a fascinating read, both in the material itself, and in how grateful I am to have a God-centered worldview. Very interesting.


Especially for Locals

For Fellow Lacto-Fermentation Fans
I am now back into brewing kombucha, so let me know if you want a SCOBY! Local pick-up only (sorry, long-distance readers - I can't mail them!).

Upcoming Homeschool Field Trip Opportunities

* Ostrich Festival (March 13th, 14th, 15th in Chandler, Arizona) - Check out the awesome line-up of events! Children can get in free tomorrow (Friday, March 13th) by bringing a completed coloring page. 

* Chandler Air Dayz (April 11th and 12th in Chandler, Arizona) - Open house at the Chandler Airport. My husband and the boys love this opportunity! 

Dear readers, have a wonderful week! Love to you all!