The GATES’ POST: Monday with the Gates' Men

“Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, ‘Do it again’; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, ‘do it again’ to the sun; and every evening, ‘Do it again’ to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.”

- G.K. Chesterton, in Orthodoxy

... from Charlotte Mason’s Home Education Volume 6: “a well-educated man with cultivated imagination, trained judgment, wide interests…is prepared to master the intricacies of any profession; while he knows at the same time how to make use of himself, of the powers with which nature and education have endowed him for his own happiness; the delightful employment of his leisure; for the increased happiness of his neighbours and the well-being of the community; thst is, such a man is able, not only to earn his living but to live.

If you teach a child to learn; if their minds are cultivated to enjoy learning, reading, the humanities; if their spirit has not been neglected, but rather good character has been nurtured and duty to others made important, they will excel in whatever profession they find, and enjoy life too."

re: Home Education....In the first place, there is a time-table, written out fairly, so that the child knows what he has to do and how long each lesson is to last. The idea of definite work to be finished in a given time is valuable to the child, not only as training him in habits of order, but in diligence; he learns that one time is not 'as good as another'; that there is no right time left for what is not done in its own time; and this knowledge alone does a great deal to secure the child's attention to his work.

...I suppose we are all ready to admit that it is not the things we do, but the things we fail to do, which fatigue us, with the sense of omission, with the worry of hurry in overtaking our tasks. ~Charlotte Mason (from her book, Home Education, bold-faced print my own highlight)

Make a memory with your children,
Spend some time to show you care;
Toys and trinkets can't replace those
Precious moments that you share.
Money doesn't buy real pleasure,
It doesn't matter where you live;
Children need your own attention,
Something only you can give.
Childhood's days pass all too quickly,
Happy memories all too few;
Plan to do that special something,
Take the time to go or do.
Make a memory with your children,
Take the time in busy days;
Have some fun while they are growing,
Show your love in gentle ways.

Elaine Hardt, 1977

SMILE!

Monday, July 6, 2009

Monday with the Gates' Men

Cd was too fast to photograph! He got pretty good
at the 4,000 and 5,000 point holes!

This was the favorite "driving" game....

Sometimes Grandpa gave Cs a boost!

On the way back from Monticello, we stopped in Fort Wayne at Chuckie Cheese where Grandpa was waiting for us. Eighty tokens, one Canadian bacon pizza with extra cheese, and four soft drinks later, we drove to Harlan where Grandpa and the boys played baseball at the park.

Moving on to croquet in the yard....

In doubles play, Grandma & Cd beat Grandpa & Cs!

Stay Alive - one of the guys' favorite games.

5 comments:

EileenJuly 6, 2009 at 4:32 PM
Sounds like Heaven on Earth to me!
ReplyDelete
Replies
Joshua GatesJuly 6, 2009 at 8:37 PM
did we read 80 as in eighty! Tokens? Wow. What a day, I am pretty impressed if they got through all of those in one evening. It looks like you all had a busy dad, we miss you and love you both, Caden and Carson. Have a fun Tuesday.

Love Josh and Penny
ReplyDelete
Replies
Joshua GatesJuly 6, 2009 at 8:40 PM
sorry, I meant busy day, not dad. Though I am sure he was as well.
ReplyDelete
Replies
RebeccaJuly 7, 2009 at 3:12 AM
Yes, it WAS 80 tokens, a busy dad, and a busy day!
ReplyDelete
Replies
JoanieJuly 7, 2009 at 9:41 AM
You think I'm busy! You are always on the go with lovely walks, family fun and grandkids, grandkids, grandkids!

What a delightful summer you are having! :)
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

The Old-Fashioned Homemaker. . .

~Does her best, and leaves the rest to God.
~Does not indulge in self-pity, but loses her life in the service of her fellow man.
~Dresses to please her Lord and family.
~Guards her health as her greatest wealth.
~Knows that an apron is a girl's best friend.
~Knows that home-making is an art and a science, and is always learning something new.
~Lets her joy bubble out in song, all day long.
~Lives in His light, not her own.
~Loves Nature, and teaches her children to respect its Creator.
~Never gives up.
~Strives to be self-sufficient.

A Prayer for our Children's CHoice of Spouse

Heavenly Father, we ask You to guide our children in the choice of spouse. Don't let them be carried away by false charms or be fascinated by mere outward glamour, but guide their minds to look beneath and beyond all external attractiveness for the deeper things which alone are worth while.

Especially let the choice be of one who is a fervent (Christian) Catholic, true in thought and word and deed to those ideals which are Yours, especially the value of their purity.

Dear Father of us all, give Your guiding help to our children, who are Your children, too. We will be letting them go soon, but please don't ever let our children go from you. Amen

Taken from a Catholic (obviously) prayer to St. Valentine. I have no idea why it is so labeled when the Father is clearly addressed....