The Liturgy of Thought
As often happens in both life and motherhood, the first weeks of our school year brought a quiet convergence—of thought, experience, and learning.
First came the return to rhythm: the gentle restoration of routine, the comfort of home, and the hush of predictability that steadies the soul. Then, quite naturally, meaningful conversation began to unfold with my boys—discussions that touched on the pursuit of truth, drawn not from a lesson plan, but from life itself. Midweek, our Bible study encouraged daily reading from Proverbs, inviting us to meditate on the moments when God’s wisdom speaks directly into our days.
And then, almost as if by design, a lesson from our Form 3 Logic study (entirely secular) emphasized the importance of active discernment and wise thinking—just as I was immersed in Proverbs. It was a rare and beautiful instance of practical integration: educational discipleship made visible, as character formation took root in the pursuit of Christlikeness.
It reminded me of the power of the liturgy of thought—the slow and sacred rhythm of shared ideas, honest insight, and a steady walk toward truth. This is the place where virtue is formed. And it is one of the greatest blessings of motherhood and home education, a liturgy of thought that enables conversation, the pursuit of wisdom, and discipleship.
Echoes of the Feast
A Living Basket of Books for the Mind and Heart
This month’s Echoes of the Feast is an invitation to ponder and appreciate the sacred hush that September holds. There is a freshness to the morning and an end to summer’s breath. It is a time to return to the regular, the mundane, and the gentle that feeds our souls.
From the Press
“In the beginning was the Word…”
So begins the first movement of history—an overture echoing with light, order, and the voice of God over the deep.
Overture is the first volume in The Symphony of History, a living and literary journey through the story of the world. Spanning from Creation to the Fall of Rome, this volume lays the foundation not only for the rise and fall of ancient empires but for understanding time itself as the unfolding of God’s purposes through His image-bearers.
Across three terms, students will explore the beginning of time, the civilizations of the Fertile Crescent, the ancient peoples of Egypt, Greece, Israel, Rome and the transition into the classical age.
Charlotte’s corner
I mentioned in my last newsletter (read it here) that this little corner will highlight various aspects of a Charlotte Mason education that I appreciate and hope to share the life-giving nourishment found in this philosophy.
Miss Mason summarized her philosophy in her 20 Principles of Education. These are not preferences or trends but universal truths about how children learn and think – they are rooted in human nature and divine order. The first and foremost is Principle #1, which states that children are born persons. As Scripture teaches, Miss Mason believed and taught that children are born in the image of God and thereby education must respect their personhood and potential. Isn’t it encouraging that the approach to education doesn’t begin with the question of what the student should achieve or what information has to be grasped, but rather it begins with the most foundational truth – acknowledging the weightiness of education – you are teaching a person, a human being that God has formed, gifted in unique ways, with strengths and weaknesses that will both bless and challenge him. It is good to feel the importance of this task and it is also good to rest in the knowledge that the One who formed this child loves him more and better than you can and yet you have the privilege of educating him in truth, goodness, and beauty. Oh what a marvelous role you have been given!
Under the Laurel Tree: What we’ve been enjoying
My boys surprised me with some “mom” goodies on the first day of school and one item was a candle warmer (I had never heard of one!) and I am enjoying it so much! I have this one and love that it has a timer so I can set it for a couple of hours and enjoy good smells throughout our school day.
I saw God’s kindness this last weekend when I was able to meet up with “internet” friends. Leilani from @treasuredhourbookshop and Brittany from @brittsbookbin graciously drove to my home where we enjoyed food, fellowship, and book talk together and it was FUN!
I recently shared our two-week lunch rotation system. This lists five lunches each week and includes the shopping list. Each week I choose which week we are on, add those items to my grocery list and *voila* I know exactly what we can have for lunch each day. I don’t limit myself to exact lunches on exact days because sometimes things just don’t work out like that but at least I am confident I can prepare any of the lunches from that week’s menu. Here is the menu design in Canva where you can edit to include what your family enjoys for lunch :)
Beauty to Behold
a glimpse into the curriculum writing process:
Most projects have many different facets and elements that are all in some state of “in progress.” The Symphony of History is no different, and while I just released Volume 1 in May, Volumes 2 & 3 have been in some stage of progress since the summer of 2023, as I have worked to schedule events of history and reading assignments that flow and nourish a robust history course.
Volume 2 (Nocturne) will cover the approximately 1000 year period of the Middle Ages, spanning the Dark Ages, the Age of Chivalry, and the Rise of Ambition. It is already proving to be a fun epoch of history to dive into (who doesn’t love knights, castles, and intrigue?) and I am hoping to have it completed before the holidays. Of course this guide will also have accompanying composer, poetry, and picture study guides as Echoes of Beauty and a geography study as Echo of Place, continuing the Epoch and Echoes framework (tentatively all completed by Summer 2026).
a peek at our guest room, which doubles as my office/bed-desk when we are not hosting
Mother’s Encouragement,
“We must not despise the day of small things nor grow weary in well-doing. The mother who takes pains to endow her child with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days.” Charlotte Mason in Parents and Children
As the new year dawns and the light softens in the evening, may you find joy and contentment in the daily faithfulness of routine, rhythm, and unremarkable moments that undeniably shape souls.
For the feast and the forming of hearts,
~Tiffany
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