Here are samples that amount to a “Best of” John Clark’s articles for 2014.
Thank you for reading my columns again this year. You homeschool Moms and Dads and kids are my heroes. If you have any thoughts about my columns or what I should be writing about next year, please send me an email. I would love to hear from you! johnfclark@live.com
Please keep me and my family in your prayers this Christmas, and please know that all of you are in our prayers.
Merry Christmas!
A Day at the Spa for Homeschooling Moms
Spa day is my sadly imperfect way of doing for my wife what the rest of the world doesn’t often do—show her that her life as homeschooling mother is incredibly meaningful. It’s just a simple observation that if the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world, that hand deserves painted nails.
Is a Holy Hour a Date?
We were young, Catholic, and broke. (Come to think of it, not much has changed… except the “young.”) Oh, and to you young Catholic men out there: if you don’t think reading Aquinas with a girl is romantic, you’re with the wrong girl.
Fathers, Children, and the Mercy of the Fourth Commandment
In your father, God has given you the human equivalent of a guardian angel. I had one growing up. By the love of God, I still do. As I get older, my Dad keeps looking out for me. By the mercy of God, as he gets older, I sometimes have the honor of looking out for him.
Airbrushing My Life
When others look at her, I don’t know what they see, but I see someone who has loved her children, laughed with them, cooked for them, sacrificed for them, cried over them, and prayed for them. I see someone who loves God. I see someone whom God loves. I see someone who loves me. It’s all right there in her face. Some might call it “aging.” I call it beauty. And it doesn’t need correction.
3 Essential Books for Learning Catholic Dogma
The work is rarely referred to by its title. Instead, it is almost always referred to by the name of the author. Say the word “Denzinger” in a crowd of Catholic theologians, and you’re letting everyone know that you’re about to bring out your queen. It’s the shorthand way of saying: “OK. Playtime’s over. Let’s find out what the Church actually teaches.
Why Does Coffee Always Get the Blame?
Implicit in the anti-coffee comments like the one above is the idea that coffee is a needless luxury. Not only do I disagree with that as an economist (coffee clearly falls under “need” as opposed to “want”), I disagree from the perspective of theology. Some time ago, I remember Lisa telling me about discalced orders who start their day with a bowl of java. In other words, there are religious orders of people who don’t have shoes—but do have coffee.
What the Horse Can Teach Us About Courage
Why does the horse laugh at fear? Why is he so excited to go into battle? The answer is simple: because the horse loves his master, and he knows his master loves Him. The horse isn’t afraid of battle. The horse isn’t afraid of injury. The horse has one fear and one fear only: separation from His master. That’s all any of us should truly fear: separation from God.