Being Four-Forty-Foured

After reading Simply Charlotte Mason's book Education Is...    I felt renewed. I felt inspired.  But, there was something that bothered me...not about the book...but about myself.  Sonya spoke about being a thermometer or being a thermostat. In other words, a thermometer is controlled by its atmosphere; at thermostat controls it's atmosphere.  She spoke about virtues.  And the book forced me to take a hard look at myself.  I want so much to be a thermostat.   And...I realize that I want to possess so many of the virtues that Sonya lists that I don't have.  But when I think about accomplishing the tasks of not letting outside forces alter my attitude,  and when I  think about virtues that I know I would love to possess, but do not come easy to me, it seems so daunting!

The Lord gave our family the following scripture.  I will spare you the details of how.  But, I know in my heart that it is a beautiful way of handing over everything to God.  It is faith in a nutshell.  It is a way to live no matter what the outside forces may want to dictate.  It is the part in Deuteronomy when Moses explains the Law to the Israelites for a second time.  The Israelites can see the promised land at this point.  It is a restatement of the Ten Commandments, of  The Greatest Commandment, of God's Covenant, God's Instruction, of not losing sight of the One, our Lord and God. 

 Our family has termed Deuteronomy 4:44-6:25 as being "four forty foured".  Not so much for following it word for word (although we want to), but for the desire to want to follow what God has asked.  To read,reflect, and live according to  the law could be just another daunting task to try to accomplish all on my own.  And then I know...it is Christ within me that will help to accomplish changing vice for virtue.  

For the present,   there are two sections in the passage in which we have chosen to focus on.  In doing this, I know the Lord will do a work in me.  As Saint Paul says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness" and "For whenever I am weak, then I am strong".

Our family has chosen to reflect daily the following passages from Deuteronomy:

"Keep therefore and do the things which the Lord God hath commanded you: you shall not go aside neither to the right hand, nor to the left. But you shall walk in the way that the Lord your God hath commanded, that you may live, and it may be well with you, and your days may be long in the land of your possession." Deuteronomy 5:32-33

AND...

"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone!

Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today.

Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest.

Bind them at your wrist as a sign and let them be as a pendant on your forehead.

Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:4-9