Mother Culture: August
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.”
In less than two weeks, we begin our first structured day of school, and the window of preparation is closing in on my personal goals to complete tasks, finalize schedules, and get our home life in order. The curriculum is still en route to our doorstep, shelves are in disarray, and clutter is distracting. But I’ve set aside time to nurture myself, reading books that restore my faith in my higher calling to disciple my daughters. Most classical educators would recognize this discipline to stimulate the mind and cultivate our souls as Mother Culture.
In reality, homeschooling can drag us to the battlefield within our home—wrestling with disobedience, sibling rivalry, mundane lessons, bad habits, or even just lacking energy on a gloomy day. Many obstacles can derail us from our goals to succeed academically, so we must cultivate our souls with scripture and educate our minds with excellent books to cultivate the souls of our children. With this habit, we may see victory over difficult days!
I repeatedly visit familiar books annually, like reconnecting with old friends. Some of these books are written by homeschool pioneers whose printed words continue to foster my role as a teacher. Midway through the pages of The Conversation by Leigh A. Bortins (author of The Core and The Question), I know without a doubt this book will be my companion throughout the rhetoric stage. Her words of wisdom, alongside Stratford Caldecott’s vision for educational reform in Beauty for Truth’s Sake, give me confidence for the days ahead. I’ve always loved the idea of mother culture—as exceeding knowledge awaits when we glean from the wisdom of one another.
Books in rotation
Proverbs by J. Vernon McGee
The Conversation by Leigh A. Bortins
Beauty for Truth’s Sake (On the Re-enchantment of Education) by Stratford Caldecott
Streaming Podcast
The Everyday Educator by Classical Conversations