A Dream Fulfilled (or One Reason I Stay Home with My Children)

Charlotte Mason, a respected educational philosopher in Victorian England, wrote the following prophetic passage:

“Not the least sign of the higher status they have gained, is the growing desire for work that obtains amongst educated women. The world wants the work of such women; and presently, as education becomes more general, we shall see all women with the capacity to work falling into the ranks of working women, with definite tasks, fixed hours, and for wages, the pleasure and honour of doing useful work if they are under no necessity to earn money...
“Now, that work which is of most importance to society is the bringing up and instruction of the children––in the school, certainly, but far more in the home, because it is more than anything else the home influences brought to bear upon the child that determine the character and career of the future man or woman. It is a great thing to be a parent: there is no promotion, no dignity, to compare with it. The parents of but one child may be cherishing what shall prove a blessing to the world. … (p. 2) we hear so frequently of great men who have had good mothers––that is, mothers who brought up their children themselves, and did not make over their gravest duty to indifferent persons...
“We are waking up to our duties and in proportion as mothers become more highly educated and efficient, they will doubtless feel the more strongly that the education of their children during the first six years of life is an undertaking hardly to be entrusted to any hands but their own.   And they will take it up as their profession––that is, with the (p. 3) diligence, regularity, and punctuality which men bestow on their professional labours.”  

(Charlotte Mason, Volume 1:  Home Education, pages 1-3,  http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/toc.html, emphasis mine)

Such is my viewpoint; such is my dream.  And I have the luxury of living it!  I am the joyful stay-at-home mother of three boisterous children, the wife of a wonderful, loving husband.  My husband “telecommutes” to his job as a manager in a Cambridge MA-based computer database company; we live on just over an acre-and-a-half in the countryside of Pennsylvania.  I home educate my children and we all eat three meals a day together (with the exception of occasional business-trip days).  Even better, the children & I have the freedom to “travel with Daddy” when he heads to exciting places like Boston or England for work.  (Yes, we lived in the UK for 6 months!)  

My work as teacher of my children is anything but mind-numbing.  A huge challenge is set before me:  to introduce them to relationships with the world around them.  I am introducing them to people; to the realm of ideas; to nature; to places; to God.  My responsibility is to enable them to form connections which they will pursue their entire life.  
Nor are my children, themselves, boring.  Anything but!  They are already human beings, capable of thinking grand thoughts and wrestling with grand ideas, though they be but 7, 5, and 3.  They reintroduce me to the joy of playing and help me to rediscover the world.  

I am delighted to be living my dream, and look back without regret on my former (short) career as a CPA.  I enjoy using my hobby, singing, to put smiles on my children’s faces; I’m not at all sad that I never even tried to be successful on Broadway or Hollywood with my love of acting.  Life is beautiful; family is worthy; and I feel that I have chosen the best blessing. 

Redeemed How I Love to Proclaim It - AO's March Hymn!

Here is my version of Ambleside Online's March 2012 Hymn! 

Redeemed How I Love To Proclaim It  (https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Bzn5JnBFIS3TMzBiZDIxMDEtZDFiYy00ZGVkLWE5M2EtMjNhMGIwYWUzYTAw)

Thanks so much to Cyber Hymnal for use of their midi file.  They also have the PDF with all 5 verses. 

A few You Tube Links (actually, they all have the alternative hymn tune, which I could not get permission to use for my blog since the tune is not public domain yet):
Instrumental:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRN-oT8zAOE&list=PLBA6B43A477877903&index=1&feature=plpp_video

With Lyrics on screen & singing:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiKyl1YyVjc&feature=BFa&list=PLBA6B43A477877903&lf=plpp_video

Country/ cool arrangement:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QojShzCMK4&feature=BFa&list=PLBA6B43A477877903&lf=plpp_video

Don't forget, my recording is basically public domain, but please ask me if you would like it for uses other than private, educational or church.  Thanks! 

:)  Jen

What a Friend We Have in Jesus (AO January 2012 Hymn)

Hi Friends!

Sorry this is a few days late - I've been under the weather with a bad cold, which unfortunately affects my singing voice.  But hopefully this recording will be good enough for family worship time :)

Once again, thanks to Cyber Hymnal for use of their public domain midi file.  http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/w/a/f/wafwhij.htm. Don't forget to visit this site to print out your free PDF copy of the sheet music with the lyrics for all four verses!

Here are the links to download my versions:
With piano:  https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Bzn5JnBFIS3TYjY0MGNjYjMtZGYwOC00ODdlLTkwNjgtNjkyOGIxMGNlOWEx
Acapella:  https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Bzn5JnBFIS3TM2ZiY2Q4NDUtMTU2OC00ZWY5LWI4NmUtNDgwM2YyM2UxYTVj

Remember, I'm just a Mom, making these for our own family worship time.  Please feel free to use my recording for private, educational, or church use.  Beyond that, please contact me first.

Gotta love these you tube videos!
Jazz version:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w55gVIT7s0w
Country (with words):  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLAg2NDcOt4

Thanks again!

:)  Jen

How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds

I love Ambleside Online's December hymn, How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds!  This accompaniment is piano/ organ, the way the church in which I was raised (Westminster PCA in Lancaster, PA) would have played it.

Here are the links:
My version, free MP3 download:  https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Bzn5JnBFIS3TZWMzM2UwYjQtMzBhYy00OTFlLWI2NmYtZGY2NzMwZDM4YzZh
Cyber hymnal has the PDF & Midi File. (Thanks again for the Midi File!):  http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/h/s/w/hsweetnj.htm

I couldn't find a You Tube version I was happy with.  This one is beautiful to listen to, but not best to sing along with since the singer changes the melody a bit:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTRnz4j6BpY
This one is fine for singing, but a bit slow:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoPlwPUYWaw
This one has a fun up-tempo arrangement:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z56Mph80gb0

Remember, I'm just a Mom & not perfect myself!  My recording is made for my family - I hope it's helpful to you, too.  Feel free to use it for personal, educational, or church use - but contact me if you would like to use if for anything else.

Thanks!  :)  Jen

He Hideth My Soul (AO Hymn - November 2011)

Here is Ambleside Online's November 2011 hymn!  He Hideth My Soul is a hymn I remember singing every summer at Paisano, the Southern Baptist church camp my family has attended for at least 6 generations.  Compared to the operatic baritone leading a tabernacle full of people and accompanied by an organ and piano, I did not do this song justice - but I did my best with the basic recording equipment that I have!  Thanks again to CyberHymnal for use of their midi files (based on the public domain hymn score), which I edited for the accompaniment.

As usual, this recording is essentially public domain.  Feel free to use it for private, educational or church uses.  For any other uses, please contact me first.

Also, here is a link to a good You Tube version of this (with words!).  I still recommend printing & reading from the music, instead of relying on an overhead, since that builds music reading skills.  However, many busy moms don't have time or a passion about that.  Here it is:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx0Whauttqk&feature=related

Best wishes!
:)  Jen

LINK to Hymn:  https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Bzn5JnBFIS3TOWRmMDVmZGMtZTg4YS00NmY4LTg2ODEtMDlmOGU1OWY0NzY1

Dear Lord and Father of Mankind

Here is the link to my second hymn recording, Dear Lord and Father of Mankind.  This is the hymn of the month for Ambleside Online October 2011.  Once again, thanks to Cyber Hymnal for their Midi file (which I of course edited so that it sounds a little more realistic.) I do wish I had a better microphone - with this one I sort of have to sing under my breath!  But, it will serve the purpose for now.  I do hope to upgrade eventually. 

I fell in love with the Anglican version of this song.  Who wouldn't?  So that's the version I'm recording.  If you live in the US, you might find it a little more difficult than your average hymn, simply because it goes all over the place.  But it truly is beautiful! 

Here are a few additional resources for this hymn.  I liked them so much I just had to share:
Katherine Jenkins on You Tube
Westminster Abbey on You Tube

Also, this month I'm adding a version without me singing - just the accompaniment, in case your family gets tired of singing along with me!

Link with me singing:  https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0Bzn5JnBFIS3TMjlhNjhiYjktNTBlMS00YzI3LTkxODMtMmQwNzljYTdlZDU5&hl=en_US

Link with just organ accompaniment:  https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0Bzn5JnBFIS3TOTkwYzg4NjMtNTQwZi00ZmEwLWFkNWYtOTZlN2JjNjEzNDgx&hl=en_US

Reminder, my recordings are essentially public domain - feel free to use them for private, educational or church use.  Please contact me if you would like to use them for anything else.  Thanks!  

Again, let me know if you would like to see additional harmonies or anything!  My kids are still small, so they're not quite ready for harmonies yet. 

Have fun! 

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0Bzn5JnBFIS3TYjc1Yjk3MjEtYzViNy00N2Q0LWIxMGYtMmNkNGU0MmIyMjUx&hl=en_US

AO Hymns - He Leadeth Me

Here I am at the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year and I have FINALLY started a project I had in mind for last year's school year!  What I'm doing is recording the hymns for the school year so that I can play them during our family worship time each morning.

Thanks to the Cyber Hymnal for use of their midi files, which I edited just to change the tempo & make fully piano (no organ) (Isn't it so nice that they let people use their files?!).  Then, I added my voice and voila!  Family hymn practice MP3s at no cost!

Here is the link to my homemade MP3 for He Leadeth Me.  Just download and you're set to go.  Please, no harsh comments - remember I'm just a Mom, not a professional (and my good microphone is packed away - we just moved)!  Also, as to copyright - I'm happy for others to use this recording of my voice for private, educational, or church use.  Beyond that, please contact me.  Thanks! 

Do let me know, however, if you would like to see more AO hymns, and if you're interested in more harmonies.  If this is popular, I'll keep it up and maybe expand the harmonies.  And if anyone is a great pianist & would like to provide real live piano recordings in the future, let me know!

Oh, I would also recommend printing out the sheet music for He Leadeth Me.  I suggest one copy per reading member of your family so everyone can follow along.  Here is the history, too, if you're interested. 

Link to MP3 He Leadeth Me (AO's hymn for September):  https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0Bzn5JnBFIS3TNzZjYWFkMGEtM2NmOC00OWM1LTkyOGYtOTIzZjMwNjUwNDZi&hl=en_US