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I cannot remember how long ago Melanie asked that we introduce or reintroduce ourselves, but at last I have put something together.  This is a reintroduction. Some Things about Me that You Might Like to Know Lifelong Catholic Married 35 years and still going strong Mother of one Mother-in-law of one Retired since 2008 Professed Lay Carmelite Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, but now living in Northern California, after having lived in a few other places as well Educated at Palmer School, St. Edward School, Sacred Heart Academy, Resurrection High School, DePaul University, Northeastern Illinois University, Franciscan School of Theology Employment history: waitress, lab tech, school teacher, U.S.A.F sergeant, Chicago police officer, director of religious education, and more Learning guitar and Spanish You can find more, if you like, at my blog, From the Pulpit of My Life, on the " Meet Ruth Ann " page.  I would enjoy hearing from you!

Have you ever thought of having a spiritual director for your kids or grandkids? Have you ever thought of being one? It’s not enough to teach children “religion”–i.e., Catechism. We also need to teach them how to become saints. I am developing a spiritual growth plan for my three older children. (J is a little too young at age three!) Here are the areas I am considering: Temperament D is almost purely choleric, M is melancholic-phlegmatic, and C is primarily phlegmatic. (I haven’t completely figured him out yet–he’s eight and doesn’t know himself as well as the others do.) Each of the four classical temperaments has a different perspective on life. Each has typical strengths and weaknesses. I seek to encourage my boys in their strengths and help them fight their weaknesses. I plan to do much of this through reading. Books will inspire them where lectures won’t. Continue reading at Contemplative Homeschool.

Daniel in the Lions’ Den by Rubens (Wikimedia Commons). I  titled this post “learning typology,” instead of “teaching typology,” because this is a subject we can adapt to any age group. Many adult Catholics are unfamiliar with typology. So if your children are grown, or you’re not a parent, read this for yourself. If you do have young children or you teach religious education, you can adapt this to your students’ ages. If you are completely unfamiliar with typology or need a refresher course, start with my post on Teaching typology with Joseph and his brothers. Since it is Easter,  it’s a good time to look at the similarities between the prophet Daniel and Christ. The story of Daniel in the Lions’ Den prefigures Christ’s Death and Resurrection. I will go through a proposed lesson step by step for various age and skill levels. Continue reading at Contemplative Homeschool.

    Reading back over some old posts recently, I realized I had promised to share with you some of the Bible verses we use for memory and copy work in our homeschool. Well, better late than never! These verses are helpful for adults to know by heart as well as children. They teach about virtue, the importance of prayer, God’s character, and other aspects of the spiritual life. Over the past several years, our family has  experienced the Bible as unit studies. Reading chronologically through the  Golden Children’s Bible , I look for themes that can help us bring other subjects into our study of Scripture. (See more details on my homeschooling method here.) I choose a verse for memorization and handwriting practice. Sometimes the verse comes right from the story. Other times I search through a concordance or consult my memory for a verse that encapsulates one of the themes we are considering. Read more at Contemplative Homeschool..