CM 24: Audioblog- Karen Andreola -  I am, I can, I ought I will

CM 24: Audioblog- Karen Andreola - I am, I can, I ought I will

Show Notes:

Episode 24- Audioblog by Karen Andreola

Description: In this audioblog, Shay Kemp reads a blog post from “Moments with Mother Culture” by Karen Andreola in February 2018. The focus is on Charlotte Mason’s motto that states, “I am, I can, I ought, I will.” The blog gives a short explanation of each of these important concepts and how they can be carried out in our families as we educate our children at home.

Meet Karen:

Picture-

Bio

Karen Andreola is best known for her book, A Charlotte Mason Companion. She home educated her three children K-12. Karen and her husband Dean fueled the revival of Charlotte Mason’s philosophy of education when they republished Miss Mason's original writings in 1989. They live in Pennsylvania and enjoy visits from their grandchildren. You can find more of her work, including her popular book, Mother Culture, at CharlotteMason.com.

Meet Shay:

Bio-

Shay is a homeschooling mom of 5 who loves enjoying the learning journey with her children and encouraging others in their paths of faith, parenting and homeschooling. She believes that the best conversations happen when you are comfortable on the front porch and blogs from there about at passersbywelcome.com.

Resources:

Moments with Mother Culture by Karen Andreola

Quote:

“I am, I ought, I can, I will.” Charlotte Mason Volume 1, page 330

Bible Verse:

Colossians 3:23

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,

Show Transcript:

CM EP 24 Karen Andreola

Julie -

Welcome to the Charlotte Mason Show, a podcast dedicated to discussing Ms. Mason's philosophy, principles, and methods. It is our hope that each episode will leave you inspired and offer practical wisdom on how to provide this rich, living education in your modern homeschool. So pull up a chair. We're glad you're here.

Today's episode of the Charlotte Mason Show is brought to you by Medi-Share. Find out more about this affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance at medishare.com.

Shay Kemp -

Karen Andrealo is best known for her book, a Charlotte Mason Companion. She home educated her three children, K through 12. Karen and her husband, Dean, fueled the revival of Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education when they republished Ms. Mason's original writings in 1989. They live in Pennsylvania and enjoy visits from their grandchildren.

Her website is CharlotteMason.com and two of her important books are also A Charlotte Mason Companion, and Mother Culture. This is Karen Andreola's blog, I Am, I Can, I Ought, I Will, From Mother Culture and the Gentle Art of Learning. On Sunday, February 18, 2018.

The Motto. The Motto, the PNEU, is for persons of any age and position. In the middle of the school year, it is good to be reminded of our motivations.

Family style. One of the benefits of home learning is that children look up to adults. In an age integrated environment, spiritual and intellectual meals are served family-style, with discussion and narration part of the menu plan. Students work independently, with lovely focus too.

Keeping a record of their learning in notebooks and through projects. The smallest segment of their learning is experienced within a group of peers in a co-op, perhaps, within meaningful activities. And these can include opportunities for ministering to others.

In his pamphlet, A Generation Which Knew Not the Lord, addressing why an alarming number of children raised in Christian homes are leaving the church, Pastor Joseph P. Calmorelli says, the Godliest young people that I have observed are those who spent the most time with their families. Family-dependence, so to speak, in contrast to peer dependence.

With family-style learning, even grandparents may get into the act. This year, a mother shared with me how her retired father studied World War Two with her son for high school credit. History was a favorite of Grandpa's. He is gone now, but during those influential years, he was esteemed for his teaching love. What Grandpa left behind him, in the heart and the mind of his grandson, is special and immeasurable.

In the philosophy of secular humanism, and Hedonism, there exists no higher authority than man or self. Yikes. We see what a mess this philosophy makes of a civil society and the lives of individuals. Yet, this is the religion of the government schools and universities. It is also the religion of Hollywood.

Being brought up in a Christian household, a student is blessed by living with higher and pure ideals than what is presented in government schools. His ideals steam from the Word of God. Let's look at a few ideals today within the motto.

Ideals are way up high. We have to reach for them, Charles Shultz said. Ideals are like stars. You will not succeed in touching them with your hands. But, like the sea faring man on the desert of waters, you use them as your guides and following them, you will reach your destiny.

It stretches our personality while it develops our character, to reach for an ideal, although what we actually achieve will be somewhat lower. I'm reminded of a song I used to sing in Sunday School, We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder. We reach up to climb. The song had hand motions to go with it, and when I think of Charlotte Mason's motto, I think of climbing Jacob's Ladder.

The first step of the ladder is, I Am. If I am a Christian, how am I? I am an ordinary person and have sin-nature, but if my faith is in Christ, I am a new creation. Through His Holy Spirit, I am a partaker of the divine nature. I am a person redeemed, ransomed, reconciled, adopted. I am of the elect and accepted in the beloved. Many beautiful old hymns were written in praise of who we are in Christ.

I can. I can reach for an ideal. A series of failures may result in setbacks, because I am an ordinary person. But each effort should bring me a little nearer to the goal. Christ chose ordinary men to be His disciples. To these ordinary men, were left the important work of continuing what Christ began.

I ought. The word ought comes from the word, owe. What we ought to do is what we owe to our God, parents, and one another. We are to outdo one another with showing love and honor. I ought is a twin with I can, for what we ought to do, we can do. Duty is an old-fashioned word. We rarely hear it or use it today, which suggests there could be a cold association with it. But we can think of this step surrounded by a glowing halo. We would do better if we loved warmly what we ought to do.

I will. The last step involves our will. It should be prefaced by, with the grace, by the grace of God. We are often too inclined to depend on our own resources. It is God who works in you, both to will and to do good for His pleasure. I thought hardly anything about the will until I read Charlotte Mason's writings. The function of the will is to choose moment by moment. The more we consciously perform an act of will, the stronger that will power becomes. Here I am. Send me.

With this motto, each person can say, I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. That which I ought to do, I do, And that which I ought to do, with God's help, so I will do it. May this motto greatly encourage my Christian friends.

Julie -

Thank you for joining us today on the Charlotte Mason Show. I'm your host, Julie Ross, and I would love to meet you in 2020. I will be at all seven Great Homeschool Conventions, speaking as part of their Charlotte Mason track. Go to GreatHomeschoolConventions.com to find one near you.

If you want more information on what was shared in today's podcast, go to homeschooling.mom for the show notes. Also, don't forget to subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or Google Play, so you never miss an episode. Until next time.

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