I homeschooled my own children for 23 years. I loved those days, and I can honestly say we had a very good time. Nonetheless, I wish I had had this book. It is practical in the very best sense; it gives excellent, concrete suggestions for providing formative social activities for children and adults, and does so in the overarching light of charity. Alice reminds us to be reasonable in our expectations for ourselves and for others. She gives specific suggestions about time and location that I know, from my own experience, will make a real difference in the success of the activities. I have already taken suggestions from her book and passed them on to other mothers, urging them to buy this book as soon as it is available.
Everything in A Haystack Full of Needles is guided by the principle that we must see Christ in all those around us. That is what makes this such a valuable resource. Frankly, I think it is a valuable resource not only for those who are homeschooling, but for all who have school age children or grandchildren. Alice talks throughout the book about her good friends and she does it in such a way that she, and they, become our friends, too. They become the very best kind of friends, those united in the pursuit of virtue and the love of God.
I love this book and I don't say that lightly. It is truly wonderful. I am honored to write the foreword.
Most of us at one time or another have had to wrestle with the issue of socialization, either when dealing with friends and family members who question our decision to home educate, or when in our own hearts we worry about our children's hopes for friendship. In this book Alice shows that "Socialization is not the weakness of home education it is its strength and joy." Alice chronicles her own path from skepticism about home educating's ability to provide sufficient social experiences for her children, to the flowering of a local home school group that provides its members with meaningful social experiences within the context of home educating. Full of examples and practical suggestions, this will be an extremely uplifting addition to your cache of home education resources.Editorial reviews:
Haystack Full of Needles calls itself A Catholic Home Educator s guide to Socialization but in reality it is much more than that. This book is exactly what we need in our modern world where so many have lost all sense of the value of community. Gunther speaks from a mother s heart, recognizing the human need for community and for social support, especially among Catholic homeschooling families where feelings of isolation and not fitting in can be demoralizing and discouraging.
--Danielle Bean, Senior Editor of Faith and Family Magazine
What makes Haystack Full of Needles so compelling is that it is much more than an explosion of the myth that homeschoolers lack proper socialization it is a vivid, lively, and detailed account of how homeschooling families can build community and friendship. The perfect blend of personal narrative and practical advice, Haystack Full of Needles is an inspiring heartwarming chronicle of the growth of a lively homeschooling community. At first, readers will wish they could live in Alice s neck of the woods and be a part of all the marvelous events she describes, but by the book s end, they ll be overflowing with excitement to put Alice s ideas into practice in their own homes, parishes, and homeschooling communities.
--Melissa Wiley, author of The Martha Years series and The Charlotte Years series
Dear Friends:
There will be a lot of high school graduations this weekend and many of our Catholic High Schools have already conducted theirs. Now there is that last summer at home and the preparation for the big move in late August or early September. I thought in this letter I would like to talk realistically to our new graduates and soon-to-be freshmen. You have serious responsibilities to yourself and your parents and certainly to Christ.
Those of you who are going away will be entering a far different world. You will have to make adjustments and compromises with roommates; in short you will have to learn to live with people other than members of your own family. Some of these people may be great but others can be annoying and definitely unpleasant. I'm hoping that you get a roommate who is a decent, considerate human being. And by the way, be that kind of roommate yourself. You represent your family and all the values you have been taught in your home.
That very different world of college has very definite moral problems. Often enough, the atmosphere is poisoned by immorality. Practically every school considers itself a big drinking school and there is enormous pressure to fit in with an established pattern of drinking that is a considered a part of college life. Don't! Any dope can be a drunk in college - it takes no ability and is an indication of a lack of moral backbone.
Drunkenness kills and if it doesn't do that immediately, it destroys lives through the tragedy of alcoholism. You are a follower of Jesus Christ and not a follower of the world. Be different! You will find others who share your same point of view.
The sixth commandment, which forbids all sexual activity outside of marriage, is not suspended by God during the four years of college. No matter how lonely you may feel or romantically inclined you may be, you are expected to be a living image of Christ at all times. Your parents brought you up with distinct and definite moral values. Please don't disappoint them! Happy marriages do not begin with college immorality.
You have a definite responsibility to go to Mass each and every Sunday or Saturday evening. I'm counting on you to go even if an awful lot of others don't. I urge you to participate in the campus ministry program and make yourself known to the chaplain. Help prepare for Mass if you are fortunate enough to have Mass on campus. Try to participate in the ministry programs. You should meet some wonderful people there.
Finally, you are in college to study. Do it! And, oh yes, use that cell phone to call mom and dad very, very frequently. They will be missing you more than you'll ever know.
In Jesus and Mary, Monsignor James M. McDonald
Have fun tomorrow Maureen. Just soak in everything. The way he looks, the room,
the weather. Really imprint the memory. Trust me you'll need it. I love you!!
You've done good. Now you can only pray. I am thinking of you. Blessings Chrissy
Dear Lord, as we mourn the death of our sister Kelly in the car accident, comfort us with your great power of love. Strengthen us in faith so that we are with you forever. Eternal rest grant her O Lord and let your perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace.
Look kindly on the others, God of Mercy, who are suffering as a result of this accident. Please ease their burdens and make their faith strong. May they always have confidence and trust in your fatherly care.
Father of Mercy, you always answer your people in their suffering. We thank you for your kindness and ask you to free us from all evil that we may serve you in happiness.
We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Homeschool Library Connection is a Yahoo Group similar to Pope St. Nicholas V, except that the focus is on general homeschooling books. 
Banana Strawberry Blueberry Smoothie
1 fresh banana
3 or 4 frozen strawberries
teacup of frozen blueberries (3/4 c. if you want to get exact)
vanilla soy milk
Peel and breakup your banana and put in the blender. Follow with the
strawberries and the blueberries. Then pour enough vanilla soy milk to cover the top. Blend on high. If you like it thin, keep adding the soy milk through the lid until you reach the consistancy you like.
Dear Ms. Wittmann:
Thank you for sharing your concerns. It is important to understand that the views expressed by biology Professor Paul Myers were expressed on his personal blog and do not reflect those of the University of Minnesota, Morris, or the University of Minnesota system. Initially, there was a link to that personal blog from a University Web site. This link was inconsistent with University Web policy, and per that policy, the link was deactivated.
We pride ourselves on providing a nurturing environment for students of diverse beliefs, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are firmly committed to ensuring a respectful environment for discourse. I hope you will continue to consider the University of Minnesota.
Sincerely,
Robert H. Bruininks
President
David Meadows leads us to a haunting YouTube slide show of ancient portraits, most of them from Egypt’s Roman period and discovered in the Fayoum. Many are painted on burial cloths. My favorite image from this style and period now hangs in the Louvre. It portrays the deceased, a beautiful young Christian woman, holding the traditional Coptic cross, the ankh. (I discuss this image in my new book, Signs and Mysteries: Revealing Ancient Christian Symbols.)
These are lovely images. You’ll see their influence later in Byzantine icons. Enjoy the show!
And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Hi Maureen, it's Marshall.What a blessing to be part of the Body of Christ.
Marshall! It's been forever!
I heard you birthed a baby back in April of 2002.
Yeah, that's right.
May told me you offered up your labor pain for me.
Oh gosh, that's right. I totally forgot about that.
I don't know if you heard, but I have terminal pancreatic cancer.
Yes, Rob told me.
Well, I just had to call to tell you that I returned the favor. I was really suffering the other day with terrible pain. The worst. I was offering it up for everyone and everything I could think of. And you were first on the list.
What happened was I offered to sing a song in the lingua franca for the friends and family attending the baptism reception for the little Biewer Baby, Elias.
So Widmung (which means Dedication) was my attempt to share my feelings about this new family relationship and friendship, from the USA Biewer’s, to those sharing together in the celebration of the baptism.
This is a piece I learned in my college days, and hold dear to.
The rough translation is “You are my spirit, you are my heart, you are my joy, and my anguish. You are the world in which I live…”
Robert Schumann wrote the piece as a love song for his fiancé (at the time), Clara.
…and so forth.
To read past library recommendations, or to join the email list, visit: Pope Saint Nicholas V.
I have seven children who range in age from 6 to 18. Last night, everyone was looking forward to watching a movie together. As they all sat down with their popcorn, I announced I wanted to watch The Faithful Traveler first. I admit it -- there were some audible moans. But Mom rules here and if they wanted the movie, they were going to get some religion first!
Well, it turned out they loved The Faithful Traveler! In fact, the planned movie got put off another 1/2 hour because the kids insisted on watching all the DVD extras. Mom and Dad moaned this time, but it turned out we enjoyed them too.
This is not your typical stuffy religious documentary. The camera work is very good and Diana von Glahn does a great job hosting. She is professional yet hip. Also, my
older children complimented the music. They especially liked the theme song by Sarah Bauer, All Access, which they already knew.
All in all, it was a fun DVD. Yes, it's true, you can have fun visiting shrines and old churches. Done well, you come out thinking, "Wow, God is so cool. That was really neat."
The Faithful Traveler took us to the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal, taught us some new things about the saints and about Philadelphia, and we had an enjoyable family hour. I'm looking forward to future realeases!
McDonalds Strikes Back at Family Boycott with Charges of “Hate”
By Peter J. Smith
OAK BROOK, Illinois, July 11, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Fast food
giant McDonald’s is returning fire against a pro-family boycott, saying family
advocates opposed to their affiliation with pro-homosexual organizations are
guilty of “hate.”
The American Family Association has led the boycott of McDonald’s restaurants since July 3, after the global hamburger empire refused requests to remain neutral in the culture wars and to withdraw their public support from the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), a homosexual lobby that pushes same-sex “marriage.”
Instead, McDonald’s spokesman Bill Whitman told the Washington Post that the boycott was motivated by “hate” and McDonald’s would continue to remain in the NGLCC.
“Hatred has no place in our culture,” McDonald’s USA spokesman Bill Whitman said. “That includes McDonald’s, and we stand by and support our people to live and work in a society free of discrimination and harassment.”
However, the AFA, which has over 2.2 million members, has pointed out that its boycott has nothing to do with McDonald’s homosexual employees, but everything to do with McDonald’s cash from its 31,000 restaurants worldwide flowing from families into anti-family endeavors. (http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jul/08070402.html)
To sign a petition, read the whole article, or take other action, click here.
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