An Invitation to Purposeful Change by Dr. Cindy Swicegood

God made all kinds of people: the timid and the bold; those who need to put one toe in to test the waters and those who are ready to jump right in; people who are confident to undertake new experiences and people who spend days, weeks, or maybe even months talking themselves into taking what others might consider a small risk.

Recently, I was invited to join some friends who were embarking on a fairly radical life-improvement endeavor. In many respects it sounded great to me because 1) I needed to make changes in this area of my life; and 2) I immediately envisioned the end results of said changes.

OK. Yes. It was a diet. “Whole30.” No sugar. No dairy. No grains. Only certain, approved fats. I jumped in and lasted . . . a WholeMeal.

In hindsight, I recognize I did not have adequate time to prepare for such radical changes in my diet (not to mention my family’s diet). But my friends were starting on a certain date and I really wanted to join them on the journey. Oh, I wasn’t planning to make these changes long-term. (For one thing, I am not willing to give up the muffins I make from freshly-milled flour.) Still, the defeat stung. I definitely needed to make changes; now I was left to make them without the support of a striving-to-work-toward-the-same-goal community.

It occurred to me that some of us get discouraged—even paralyzed into not trying—by all-or-nothing thinking. We think we have to do “WholeCM”—that if we aren’t doing everything as Charlotte Mason would do, we are failing. Or, we think that we have to change everything about our lives all at once. After all, Mason wrote, “Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.” It all has to be done right, doesn’t it?

This is when the Lord brought to mind two things:

1. “Change One Diet” (brought to you by Reader’s Digest). The focus is on changing one habit each week for 12 weeks. (Hmmmm. . . Mason’s emphasis on habit formation, perhaps?)
2. “Start now!” A spiritual mentor once asked me, “What would you like to change?” Before I could formulate an answer, she looked me in the eye and said, “Start now!”

How might these two things apply to a Charlotte Mason education?

If your teaching is not yet precisely lined up with all six volumes of Mason’s educational philosophy OR if you are not yet perfect in your living a Charlotte Mason lifestyle —even if BOTH of those scenarios describe you (Gasp!)—it’s OK! Consider these verses of Scripture:

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Romans 12:2)

Both the education of which Mason writes and the transformation described in those verses are processes—not instantaneous metamorphoses. Habit formation is critical. It begins with an act of the will. Discipline is required. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)

Let’s look at some ways we could “Start now!”

One of the first bits of advice given to someone just beginning in Mason’s philosophy is to read “the volumes.” Reading Charlotte Mason’s volumes can be a bit intimidating to the novice—especially when said novice has not been steeped in great literature herself. Having a group with whom to discuss the volumes is so very helpful. The local book club that nourishes me, CM in the Foothills, began in the home of Carroll and Andy Smith. There is mutual encouragement among the members as we delve into the treasure trove of Mason’s writings.

Is there a reading group in your area? If not, why not start it yourself? There is no better way to get to know Mason than to read her volumes. The benefits outweigh the risks. Start slowly, but meet regularly. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another. (Hebrews 10:25)

“Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.” How can we become more fully educated in this sense, both as persons who teach and persons who live?

PERSONS WHO TEACH:

There is a tongue-in-cheek maxim among homeschoolers that, “If we did math, we did school. It counts as a school day.” Establishing a Mason home school or a Mason classroom in a public, charter, or private school seems a formidable task—definitely not for the weak-willed! But it is doable. If the “We did math!” scenario is familiar to you and you would like to begin to incorporate more of Mason into your school day—or if you have modeled your classroom or homeschool on Charlotte Mason’s philosophy but would like to dig deeper, consider the following questions. Which one thing would you like to change? How can you “Start now!”? Here are some possibilities:

• Begin each day this week with five minutes of poetry. Five minutes. It’s not that much time.
• Research a Shakespeare play. See if there are any live performances scheduled in your area. Find a video of the play to watch during the weeks before you go.
• Play the music of your composer for this term during family meal time—or in the car as you go about life.
• Commit to a once-a-month trip to the art museum. Have your students sit and sketch or paint a piece to which they are drawn.
• Turn that difficult book—the one with which the students are struggling—into a read-aloud.
• Ask your students which one thing they would like to change.

PERSONS WHO LIVE:

If you have poured yourself into teaching to the detriment of your own person (spirit, soul, and body), remember Jesus’ words: “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

Start now. Live the full life Christ intends for you. Consider these possibilities:

• Take a break! (This is God’s idea—one of the ten commandments. See Deuteronomy 5:12.) It is my habit to read (mostly missionary) biographies to my family after supper. Lately, I have been struck by how often they took furloughs—travelling thousands of miles to go home. They travelled by ship, which gave them weeks of time to begin to rest and recover from the intensity of life on the field before encountering the very different challenges of reporting to sending agencies, speaking at churches, raising support, etc. “Edith always disliked to take time off from her duties, but she knew that unless she maintained her health she could not cope with her exacting work.” “During the vacation she seemed to grow younger and some of the sparkle returned to her eyes, which were as luminous and steadfast as ever.” (Both of these quotes come from a biography of Edith Cavell.)
• Go for a walk in God’s creation. Breathe deeply. Observe the miracles unfolding before your eyes as spring arrives. (Or for my northern friends, study Snowflake Bentley [again] as winter continues.)
• Pick up your watercolors and paint something—anything! If painting is too difficult, sketch with a pencil.
• Bring some natural beauty into your house—a single bloom from your garden, or a $3.99 bouquet from the store.
• Take it outside: Sit outside to do some small task that you would normally do inside—making your grocery list, making a phone call, debriefing with your spouse or child(ren) at the end of the day.
• Pick up a book you’ve always wanted to read—or any classic from your (or your child’s) bookshelf and dive in. Ask a friend to join you. It will give you an excuse to get together—maybe even outside!

We all need reassurance and encouragement. I saw a video of a 3-year-old Shirley Temple look-alike seeing her baby sister for the first time. She explores the baby’s fingers and toes (and narrates her observations!) with delight. Then the baby begins to cry. The big sister’s smile disappears. For a moment she is dumbstruck; then, she begins assuring the baby with non-stop exclamations of “You’re OK! You’re OK! You’re OK! You’re OK!”

There is no need to try to “do” Charlotte Mason alone; nor is it advisable to do it in your own strength.

Encourage one another and build each other up. (1 Thessalonians 5:11) It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. (Philippians 2:13)

There are many, many people—lovely people, I might add—on this journey. Jump on the bus with them. Better yet, join them for a walk in the countryside. Attend the CMI National Conference in June or a regional event in your area. Avail yourself of the incredible resources out there. Here is a small sampling:

CMI website (Thank you, Carroll Smith and CMI board members past and present.) https://staging.charlottemasoninstitute.org/

CM digital archives at Redeemer (Thank you, Deani Van Pelt.) http://www.redeemer.ca/charlotte-mason

“For a Great Door is Opened” (Thank you again, Deani.) http://www.cardus.ca/comment/article/3132/for-a-great-door-is-opened/

Ambleside Online (Thank you, Leslie Laurio.) http://amblesideonline.org/

The Living Page (Thank you, Laurie Bestvater.) http://www.bookofcenturies.com/shop.html

Sage Parnassus (Thank you, Nancy Kelly.) http://sageparnassus.blogspot.com/

Change one thing. Start now. For nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1:37)

Purity of heart is to will one thing. Sören Kierkegaard

© 2015 by Dr. Cindy Swicegood