Notes from Me
[Painting by Henry Ossawa Tanner, taken from my copy of this book.]
Reading: Journalist Mindy Belz writes about her husband’s late-stage cancer and its effects on the family here. She is honest about her grief and also sure of her hope in the middle of a painful situation. I admire her.
Hard days don’t keep us from feeling nested in the love of Christ that already has made us alive—has made Nat alive no matter what cancer does. We feel confident the Lord God is walking with Nat through this valley, preparing a banquet table even in the presence of his enemies, cancer and death chief among them. We also know God draws near to the brokenhearted. And we are brokenhearted.
With the Boys
Reading: We have been reading the short chapter books in Jane Yolen’s Commander Toad series. Her humor is sometimes slapstick, but her writing is clever. These books are among the boy’s favorite space/sci-fi/adventure stories. Here are some other easy reader series that make for good group read alouds: Henry and Mudge, Poppleton, Ling and Ting, Little Bear, and Frog and Toad.
In the Kitchen
Hamantaschen: Last month we commemorated the Jewish holiday of Purim by reading the book of Esther in the Bible. She was a brave woman who was instrumental in sparing the Jewish people from genocide. This recipe for Hamantaschen by Deb Perelman is (no surprise) very good. We used strawberry jam but we think it will be even better with raspberry jam next time.
Small Joy
Sounds: My sons are often unnervingly loud. But few things in life are sweeter than the sound of them.
Until next month,
Susie
P.S. Here’s a silly, catchy phonics video.
great read! I really enjoyed that post By Mindy Belz, thanks for sharing.
The variety of your content is wonderful. Thanks for sharing from different aspects of your life.