The CMP Review — Week of January 2

January 2, 2023

“If we want to make a dress or to make a cake we find a pattern or a recipe. Where shall we find a recipe to follow if we wish to make peace? It is hard to find. A good recipe tells us what to use, how to use it. ‘Take such and such, mix –, bake in a — oven, for so many minutes or hours.’ If some good angel gave a recipe for peace he would say: — ‘Take an ordinary family, mix it with love and understanding and bake it in your homes for every day of every year.’” (Essex Cholmondeley, Parents Are Peacemakers)

@tessakeath

January 3, 2023

In 1908, an optimistic and enthusiastic teacher journeyed from the country to the city to begin teaching at a secondary school. He was a newcomer, so the school decided to give him a particularly difficult class to handle — presumably because no one else would take it.

His optimism and enthusiasm were sorely tested. “The disorder, indifference, even insolence of the boys was terrible, and every day he found himself becoming less of a teacher and more of a policeman.” He found himself relying more and more on tough discipline. But “the more severe he became the more he felt the growing alienation and resentment of the class.”

Finally in desperation he tried a different approach. To everyone’s amazement, he saw a change in his students that could only be described as “radical.” His story was captured in living and lively detail in the 1915 Parents’ Review. But almost as surprising as the secret he put into practice is Charlotte Mason’s candid assessment of his method. Find it all at this link.

@artmiddlekauff

January 4, 2023

First hike of 2023! It was an absolutely balmy 60 F/15 C following frigid temps for Christmas.

Do you participate in First Day Hikes or have any other New Year’s traditions?

@rbaburina

January 5, 2023

The Charlotte Mason Poetry website was started almost eight years ago with the dream of making Charlotte Mason’s writings available absolutely free for everyone everywhere.

In the years that have passed, we have posted dozens of Parents’ Review articles, vintage books, and original essays in English as well as Portuguese, Spanish, and French. As each day passes we get closer and closer to our ultimate goal.

How can you be sure not to miss a single gem when it’s posted? We did have an email notification service, but our team recently decided to move to a new email system. Unfortunately our subscriber emails won’t automatically transfer from the old system to the new one.

Are you newly interested in Charlotte Mason? Or have you been following our site for years? Whoever you are, we urge you to click this link and sign up to receive updates by email (again, or for the first time). There are still many, many Parents’ Review and original articles on their way. You won’t want to miss a single one.

@artmiddlekauff

January 6, 2023

We got to enjoy this amazing spectacle two days ago.

We get hoar frost a few times a winter here in Manitoba, but I have never seen it look quite like this. It was more than an inch thick! It was so feathery, light, and the flakes were very distinct. And it was on absolutely everything, even on fences and wires.

Scroll down to see the hoar frost in all of its splendour!

@antonella.f.greco

January 7, 2023

When a friend found out I’d never read anything by Ross King she promptly handed me a stack of four to borrow. The trouble is knowing with which to begin. I’ve narrowed it down to this or The Bookseller of Florence.

Please note: My friend has forewarned me that the author discusses the depravity of man during the time period in which each artist and architect lived. These are not a recommendation for your teens.

Are you interested in art history? Have you read any of Ross King’s accounts.

@rbaburina

In Henry Latham’s classic Pastor Pastorum, the author lists a set of principles that he believes were followed by Christ when He was deciding when and which miracles to perform. The fifth principle, he wrote, is that “No miracle [was] worked which should be overwhelming in point of awfulness so as to terrify men into acceptance, or which should be unanswerably certain, leaving no loophole for unbelief.”

Latham mentions the idea of “loopholes” two other times in his book. in both cases, they refer to reasonable and plausible stances to which those “who wanted to escape being convinced” by Christ could retreat and find peace of mind.

This idea is complementary to Charlotte Mason’s “the way of reason,” summarized in point 18 of her synopsis. Reason is fallible, she warned. It is very good at giving us confidence in “an initial idea, accepted by the will.” In other words, it allows us to accept “loopholes” with complacency.

Today’s poem by Charlotte Mason is best understood in light of “the way of reason” and the loopholes to faith. Many heard the words of Christ, but few willed to understand. The rest asked, “What is this word that He saith?” Read or hear it at this link.

@artmiddlekauff