Education is the Science of Relations...Connections

We started learning the hymn St. Patrick's Breastplate last week. I usually make up my own schedule for hymns & folksongs but the hymn suggestion on the Ambleside Online rotation for September contains these beautiful words taken from a prayer of St. Patrick and I decided it was too good to miss:

I bind unto myself today

The strong Name of the Trinity

By invocation of the same

The three in one and one in three

 I bind unto myself today

the power of God to hold and lead,

God’s eye to watch, God’s might to stay,

God’s ear to hearken to my need,

the wisdom of my God to teach,

God’s hand to guide, God’s shield to ward,

the word of God to give me speech,

God’s heavenly host to be my guard.

The version I've posted here is different to the traditional tune and is used by the Celtic monks.
The complete words of this hymn and some explanations of its meaning are on this site also.
The hymn starts properly at about the 2 minute mark.

The words to this hymn have been running through my mind all week. I've been using Dawn's free study of Charlotte Mason's motto with Moozle - I am a child of God, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me...and it ties in beautifully with this prayer of St Patrick's.





Recently I've seen more and more eidence that a child naturally connects with many things. Charlotte Mason called it the 'Science of Relations.' I looked up the definiton of 'relations' and found some words that I could substitute in its place which helps to make sense of her idea. Words such as: connections, links, bonds, associations.
I always feel quite excited when these connections or relations happen without me having anticipated  or planned them.
We were reading Age of Fable the other day and came to the story of Hero & Leander. This was Moozle's short synopsis of the story:

 'There lived in the town of Abydos, a youth by the name of Leander, who loved a maiden who lived across the other side of the Hellespont (Dardanelles), in the town of Sestos. Her name was Hero and he used to swim across to visit her. One day he was swimming across, when a storm arose, and it was so violent that he drowned. When Hero heard about it she threw herself into the sea.
Swimming across the Hellespont was thought impossible, until Lord Byron did it.'

The Hellespont had come up somewhere else and immediately she was able to associate some previously separate ideas and learn also that Lord Byron, the writer of The Destruction of Sennacherib, a poem we have used for memory work, was a pretty good swimmer as well as a famous poet.

In fact, on the 30th August each year, a traditional swim is held to commemorate Lord Byron's swim from Europe to Asia in 1810 which he did in honour of Leander. He wrote a poem about it afterwards.

This was Lord Byron's account, although I think the modern swim is more like 3 km and contestants are given one and a half hours to complete it:

 This morning I swam from Sestos to Abydos. The immediate distance is not above a mile, but the
current renders it hazardous...I attempted it a week ago, and failed, - owing to the north wind, and the wonderful rapidity of the tide, - though I have been from my childhood a strong swimmer. But, this morning being calmer, I succeeded, and crossed the 'broad Hellespont' in an hour and ten minutes. 

And another neat little connection for us was finding that the current artist we're studing (J.M.W. Turner) painted The Parting of Hero and Leander in 1837:

A highlight from Macbeth:

We've probably enjoyed Shakespeare's comedies more than his tragedies but this week we hit some fun when we read from Act 5: Scene 3. Some good insults were stored up for future use...

'Thou cream-faced loon!'

'Where got'st thou that goose-look?

'Thou lily-livered boy!'

A Philosophy of Education, Pg xxx:

"Education is the Science of Relations"; that is, that a child has natural relations with a vast number of things and thoughts: so we train him upon physical exercises, nature lore, handicrafts, science and art, and upon many living books...

Family lunch extravaganza ie. everyone turns up so there's quite a crowd. Benj & Moozle cooked & prepared all the food with help from their Aunty D & Donna Hay...

Nothing fancy yet, but Moozle can cast on & off by herself & knows the basic stitches...

Connecting maths with science...

Nature lore...

Linking up with Weekly Wrap-up.

Ideas for Hymn Study - A Mighty Fortress is Our God by Martin Luther

A Mighty Fortress

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:

For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:

Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:

The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:

Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.

'Martin Luther described Jesus as "Lord Sabaoth." That's a Hebrew word that means "armies ready for war." The idea behind this name of Jesus is that He is Captain of the Lord's army and He us ready to go to battle for us and defend us.'

Seasons of Praise by Rebecca Hayford Bauer

See here for some historical background to this hymn


Thunderstorm in the Church by Louise A. Vernon is a fictionalised account of the life of Martin Luther told through the eyes of his son, Hans. The author travelled throughout England and Germany to find out her information firsthand before writing the book and she tells an engaging story for children around 6 to 12 years of age. It's a good family read aloud if you have younger children and is an excellent introduction to the life of Martin Luther and the times in which he lived.

Queen of the Reformation by Charles Ludwig is centred around Martin Luther's wife, Katie and the events that led to their marriage and their life together. Born in 1499, Katherine von Bora lost her mother when she was a child and was rejected by her stepmother. At the age of 16 years she made her vows and entered the convent at Nimbshen in Germany. Eight years later she fled the convent with a group of fellow nuns and at the age of 26 years she married Luther who was 16 years her senior.

The book is a well-researched fictionalised story of Katie and her life with Martin Luther. There is much historical information intertwined with an interesting and lively account of their relationship and the tumultuous times in which they lived and of the inspiration behind Luther's famous hymn which was later declared to be "The Marseillaise of the Reformation." 

The Peasant Revolt, the plague and the threat of Suleiman the Magnificent come to life within its pages and Luther is portrayed realistically as a great man who struggled with his own share of human foibles and frailty. Towards the end of his life Luther was living under immense strain and suffered greatly from kidney stones, depression and other afflictions and Katie was heartsick over the changes she saw in him.

That spirit of generosity was now leaving him. His quill, always sharp, became a surgeon's scalpel. In 1545 he denounced the Roman church in the darkest words that seeped into his mind.
He also carved a few Protestants, especially those who disagreed with him about the presence of Christ in the communion bread and wine.

These statements, which have caused Luther's enemies to gloat, were viewed by Katie with more understanding eyes. She knew her husband better than anyone else, and she knew his heart was right even though his speech and writing smoked with brimstone.

I don't think that there are many books that portray Luther's other half (for children at least) and I was pleased to find this one. The author has also included a few maps (something I always appreciate in books with historical settings) and short extracts of letters and documents. There are one or two very brief comments on some of the atrocities that occurred during the Peasant Revolt, but otherwise the book is suited to around the ages of 12 to 15 years.

224 pages.

This website has some information on Katharina von Bora and other people such as the artist Lucas Cranach who were involved in her life.

Hymn Study: Before the Throne of God Above

Originally written by Charitie Lees Bankcroft (1841-1923), this is probably one of my favourite hymns. The tune here was put to the original words by Vikki Cook in 1997.
I've written elsewhere about being driven as opposed to resting in relation to homeschooling and mothering and the second verse, 'When Satan tempts me to despair,' is so applicable in that context.

Despair:

A destitution of hope or expectation.
Synonyms: gloom, disheartenment, discouragement, despondency.

We despair or become disheartened because we're looking in the long places and listening to the wrong voices. Marriage and motherhood are spiritual battle zones and we do have an enemy and when I sing this wonderful hymn it reminds me of this. It points me to a place of rest and enables me to have an eternal perspective at the same time as it strengthens and renews me to fight and keep on going.




Before the Throne of God Above

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea;
A great High Priest, whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin.
Because the sinless Saviour died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me

Behold Him there, the Risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I am,
The King of glory and of grace!
One with Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Saviour and my God
With Christ, my Saviour and my God.

Hymn - Wayfaring Stranger

There are a quite a few variations on the words in this hymn but this is what we are singing:

I am a poor wayfaring stranger,
While traveling through this world of woe.
Yet there’s no sickness, toil nor danger
In that bright world to which I go.
I’m going there to see my Father;
I’m going there no more to roam.

I’m only going over Jordan,
I’m only going over home.

I know dark clouds will gather round me;
I know my way is rough and steep.
But golden fields lie out before me
Where God’s redeemed shall ever sleep.
I’m going there to see my mother,
She said she’d meet me when I come.

I’m only going over Jordan,
I’m only going over home.

January Hymn Study: Oh the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

Hymn Study: Glorious Day

The words to this hymn were written around 1908 by J. Wilbur Chapman (1859-1918). The version below has the original words to this hymn with some added lines and with music written by Casting Crowns in 2009.

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises,
One day when sin was as black as could be,
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin,
Dwelt among men, my Example is He!

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever;
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!

One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain,
One day they nailed Him to die on the tree;
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected:
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He!

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever;
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!

One day they left Him alone in the garden,

One day He rested, from suffering free;
Angels came down o’er His tomb to keep vigil;
Hope of the hopeless, my Savior is He!

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever;
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer,
One day the stone rolled away from the door;
Then He arose, over death He had conquered;
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore!

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever;
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming,
One day the skies with His glories will shine;
Wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing;
Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever;
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!

Hymn - Trust and Obey

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still
And with all who will trust and obey

Refrain

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies
But His smile quickly drives it away
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear
Can abide while we trust and obey

Refrain

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share
But our toil He doth richly repay
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross
But is blessed if we trust and obey

Refrain

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay
For the favour He shows, for the joy He bestows
Are for them who will trust and obey

Refrain

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go
Never fear, only trust and obey

Refrain