January 2006
January 31, 2006
Jonny's State of the Union
Tripp was out chauffeuring Sophia to see a friend in a play and then to choir practice; Maddy went to bed early (still recovering from the tonsils out); Jesse, Daniel and Justin had fallen asleep - so that left Jonny ( my 13 year old son with Down syndrome) and...10:50 PM in | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Oprah disses homeschoolers
Oprah's National High School Essay Contest is open to students in grades 9-12 who are residents of the U. S. and enrolled in public or accredited private schools. Michael Farris, Presindent of the Home School Legal Defense Association, has written a letter to Oprah, includiing the following: Homeschooling is...10:35 PM in Homeschooling | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
How to treat homosexuals?
The following article was published in The Plain Truth last year. The article within the article "NIMBY - Now In My Back Yard" was published in World magazine 8/21/99. Rethinking My Views About Homosexualityby Barbara Curtis Oscar was the first gay man I knew well. It was 1973 and I’d...5:49 PM in Church Issues, Current Affairs, Religion | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack
How about we laugh a little?
My friend and BlogMaster, The King of Fools has something at his site today that made me laugh out loud. I think you will too and you know you need it, so go here now....4:04 PM in Humor | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Randy Alcorn on End of the Spear
I love Randy Alcorn - he is a man who truly sacrificed everything for his beliefs. I met him at Mount Hermon several years ago when he was keynote speaker. He is a humble and kind and gracious man. So I am truly blessed that he has invested personally in...1:33 PM in Church Issues, Movies, Religion | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack
Further proof that those in power cannot possibly understand how everyday people live
I heard this report on California Representative Dana Rohrabcher this morning on the radio and had to share it with you: Jack Abramoff gave Rohrabacher and his wife a baby shower for their expected triplets, in which guests contributed $3000 to a fund for a 24-hour Nanny Service in Washington...9:37 AM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack
January 30, 2006
Which Miracle?
Ever since I came across this line in The Secret Life of Bees, I've wanted to share it here and hear your responses:: Have you noticed the more you try not to think, the more elaborate your thinking episdoes get? I spent twenty minutes on this fascinating question: If you...9:36 PM in Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack
End of the Spear - Take Two
I posted the other day about The End of the Spear controversy over the casting of a gay actor in the lead role of Nate and Steve Saint. Though I wrote asking Jason Janz to reconsider his position, I received no answer from him. Not surprising as his bashing...9:11 AM in Church Issues, Current Affairs, Movies, Religion | Permalink | Comments (16) | TrackBack
January 27, 2006
A Million Little Pieces
What a fiasco this has been for Oprah! But to tell you the truth - having read the book a year ago, long before it inexplicably became one of her book club selections - I am not at all surprised the cornered author had to admit how bogus it...4:06 PM in Books, Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Teaching your preschooler
Toddlers at work - a beautiful thing! Here's Justin circa 2002: Working on my book today. But there are mommies out there with questions and I always love the answers that you all come up with, so here's another from a reader: Do you suggest I go through a curriculum...10:00 AM in Family, Montessori, Mothering, Toddlers | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack
January 26, 2006
An invitation
Just a note to let anyone local know that I will be in Thurmont, Maryland Saturday, meeting with the mothers' group from Summit Trace Church. If you are interested in coming, please email me for the details. I'd love to see you there!...11:57 AM in Mothering | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 25, 2006
For moms who need a fresh start - Part 4
Okay, this is the fun part of resolving to become better mommies. I had been plannning to blog on this anyway, but it really fits in with the subject of coming to grips with our shortcomings and the need for fresh starts. Plus guaranteed to make you laugh, which is...11:39 PM in Mothering, Movies | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
For moms who need a fresh start - Part 3
Those of you who've hung around MommyLife for a while know that I went through a 12 Step program before becoming a Christian. I've always been grateful for that - and have often thought every new Christian should have the opportunity to work the 12 Steps because they are so...11:07 PM in Mothering | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack
For moms who need a fresh start - Part 2
As to realizing the truth about my own limitations and determining to become a better mother, my own moment of truth came in 1983. This story appeared in Guideposts 9/97: That Kind of Mother "Honey, I'm just not that kind of mother," I said. Jasmine, my seven-year-old daughter, stopped her...10:52 PM in Mothering | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
For moms who need a fresh start
From an email I received: How does a mom, who doesn't have what it takes to be a good mom, raise good kids? I'll explain...I am quite short on patience. I always have been. It's been one of those areas that I've spent many hours of prayer over and yet...9:33 PM in Family, Mothering | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack
The pain of miscarriage
Kristy wrote: Hi Barbara, After 2 years of wanting a baby my husband and I experienced a miscarraige a week ago. God has been so comforting and gracious in this time of confusion and intense hurt, but I am still struggling. It just hurts so much. I am afraid to...4:13 PM in Mothering | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack
Tonsils
This morning, Maddy becomes the sixth Curtis kid to have her tonsils removed. It's really been a not-so-great month for her. Except for the glasses - which she still likes. More later....7:32 AM in Family | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Curtis kids filling in for Dr. Dobson
I was browsing through some old pictures last night and found these. I still can't believe I have them! Here's the story: we were traveling from California to Virginia in August 2002 (one mom, 2 vehicles, 9 days, 10 kids and 3000 miles) when we made a detour from our...6:38 AM in Family | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 24, 2006
Legalism vs Grace in Les Miserables
I promised a while back to blog an article I published in Plain Truth on my favorite book, Les Miserables. Now that the End of the Spear has opened up a can of legalistic worms, I thought the timing was right. If you decide to read Les Miserables, you can...10:13 PM in Books, Inspiration, Religion, Writing | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Margaret Sanger - Planned Parenthood's Founding Mother a Eugenicist
I took this shot of LaShawn Barber yesterday at the Blogs4Life Conference. Isn't she beautiful? Beautiful and authentic. A former aide to a Democrat congressman during Clinton's impeachment, she began questioning the untenable positions of her party and ultimately became a conservative. To top it off, she finally became...2:46 AM in Pro-Life Issues | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack
January 23, 2006
Pictures from the March for Life
[Note; These are pictures from the 2006 March. For pictures from March for Life 2007, go here. For pictures from March for Life 2008, go here.] As most of you know, I spent the late 60's and early 70's demonstrating in Washington, DC on the Mall, at the Capitol, the...7:55 PM in Pro-Life Issues | Permalink | Comments (15) | TrackBack
End of the Spear - How about End the Christian Witchhunt?
I got spammed this morning by Jason Janz with some heroic epic about his own personal crusade to save the Christian world from the terrible threat of The End of the Spear - a movie on the redemption of the native tribe who killed the five missionaries including Jim...6:16 PM in Culture, Current Affairs, Movies, Religion | Permalink | Comments (18) | TrackBack
Jackson Bortz update
Those of you who are moved to help the family of Jackson Bortz, the three-year-old son of Rachel and Don, who was removed from custody of his parents following the accidental death of his 5-month old brother (Can you even imagine the pain of losing one son accidentally only...1:15 PM in Culture, Current Affairs, Family, Pro-Life Issues | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 22, 2006
Why Pro-Lifers Will Prevail
I've been on both sides of the abortion debate. As a 60's Washington radical leftist/antiwar activist, I was actually one of the founding mothers of the second wave of feminism, and a spokesperson for abortion rights. In 1976 in San Francisco, I had an abortion myself and considered it...3:43 PM in Big families, Culture, Current Affairs, Montessori, Pro-Life Issues | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Down syndrome and prenatal testing
A reader wrote: Hi Barbara, I just read in Children's Ministry magazine this statistic. Can you tell me whether this is true? (They were actually quoting Child magazine) 92% of parents whose fetuses were diagnosed with Down syndrome during prenatal genetic testing elected to end the pregnancy. I find this...12:04 PM in Disabilities, Down syndrome, Pro-Life Issues | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBack
Why a big family?
I hope you'll understand that although my passion is to write for readers here, I have other things to take care of this week. My grandkids spent the night last night. Tomorrow is the Blogs4Life Conference. Wednesday Maddy is getting her humongous and too-often-infected tonsils removed. And then there's that...8:33 AM in Big families, Family, Mothering, Pro-Life Issues | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
God's role in birth defects - Part 3
This article was published October 29, 1999 in the Washington Times. Jonny was seven years old and had begun full inclusion in public school. Although it starts with the same lead as the previous article, it goes somewhere else - and you can see how much I've learned just in...8:01 AM in Disabilities, Down syndrome, Family, Mothering, Pro-Life Issues | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
God's role in birth defects - Part 2
A couple entries ago, I posted a question from a reader about God's role in birth defects with the disclaimer that I'm not a theologian and actually pretty uninterested in the Big Questions theologians discuss :) I guess what I'm most interested in is our response. So I thought I'd...7:24 AM in Babies, Disabilities, Down syndrome, Family, Mothering, Pro-Life Issues | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 21, 2006
Transitioning to megamotherhood
Keri wrote: I'm 35 years old (as long as you've been mommying!) Married to the same wonderful man since 1992. We met our first day at college and I knew he was the "one". We are now expecting our 5th baby.....we have 4 amazing children aged 8, 5, 3, and...8:22 PM in Big families, Mothering | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack
God's role in birth defects - your thoughts, please
Question from a reader: Something I've been thinking about that I thought you would have some insight on. Does God create or does He allow birth defects or abnormalities? My own thoughts are that there are birth accidents that occur - like a deficit of oxygen which may cause...7:49 PM in Disabilities, Down syndrome | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack
Building the Christian Family You Never Had
Isn't that a great title for a book? Building the Christian Family You Never Had: A Practical Guide for Pioneer Parents is by a friend of mine named Mary deMuth. I know some of you will find many answers in its pages. Listen to this summary: You’re willing to do...5:19 PM in Books, Family, Mothering | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Maddy loves her glasses!
5:11 PM in Family | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack
We love Liberty University!
Thursday Tripp, Maddy, Jonny and I drove down to Liberty University to see Ben and Zach in Pirates of Penzance. Pirates is a side-splittingly funny operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan about a young man on the verge of his 21st birthday who is looking forward to giving up his apprenticeship...4:55 PM in Family | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
January 19, 2006
Maddy, moles and melanoma
I took Maddy to a dermatologist yesterday to have her moles checked - she has a lot of them and I've taken her in twice before. This was the first time a doctor spent a lot of time educating us on what is going on with Maddy's skin. First...8:45 AM in Family, Health | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack
Mothers in the hands of a merciful God
I use time in doctors' offices to read magazines I wouldn't ever see. So, yes, I know all about Britney and Don and Jessica and Nick and Paris and her animal collection. I mean, between all my kids I DO spend a lot of time in doctors' offices! But last...8:27 AM in Big families, Family, Inspiration, Mothering | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack
January 18, 2006
Subscribing to and exploring MommyLife
In case you would like to subscribe to MommyLife - and any other blogs you enjoy or find useful - you can go to Bloglines to create your own "syndicate" of bloggers. There is also some mysterious RSS feed thingy - but it is so sophisticated I can't begin to...5:36 PM in Blogging | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
All Kinds of Mothers
I've been meaning to recommend Molly's blog last Sunday: When It All Fit Neatly, Part 2. Excerpts to tease you into taking the time to go there: Not easily, mind you, just neatly. I was coming out of all sorts of junk, and learning so much, none of which I’d...2:20 PM in Mothering | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Step Stool Revolution Part 2
Gwen wrote me: Hi Barbara, I hope you are enjoying your blogobirthday. I really appreciate everything you write and have Mommylife set up on my google/ig page so that I can see when you post. There were two things I wanted to write to you about. The first is something...1:19 PM in Family, Montessori, Mothering, Toddlers | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 17, 2006
Roe v Wade: Slippery Slopes Revisited
The following article was originally published in the Washington Times January 24, 2000 inder the title "The Sisterhood 27 Years Later" (editors regularly change titles on newspaper articles) and has since been reprinted in the Marin Independent Journal and several other places: SLIPPERY SLOPES REVISITED A Second Wave Feminist Blows...6:12 AM in Culture, Pro-Life Issues | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Blogging Update
With deadlines looming - a 2000 word article today and a 45,000 word book 2/1 - I have to discipline myself to stay away from my blog during the day. Since Sanctity of Life Sunday and the Blog4Life conference are coming up, I will post some articles I've published previously...5:58 AM in Blogging | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
January 16, 2006
The peace that passes understanding
Elizabeth Elliott, whose daily devotionals I often recommend and to which you can subscribe here, today offers these thoughts on finding peace no matter your outer circumstances: To make peace with a country or a person or God requires a transaction. To have peace, as people sometimes say, unless it...2:22 PM in Inspiration | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Who owns our kids?
All over our country each day battles are raging between the State and parents over who owns our kids. They come up frequently in homeschoolers' lives and I always recommend homeschoolers join the Home School Legal Defense Association so they have a reliable recourse should trouble arise for their families....12:35 PM in Culture, Family, Loudoun County | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Thy word I have hid in my heart. . .
I've said before I don't have a lot of time to go a-visitin' other blogs (say that with a Southern accent, which I hope I'm showing more of sine moving to Virginia three years ago, though the area I live in isn't very thick). But God seems to make...9:15 AM in Family, Inspiration, Religion | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack
January 15, 2006
Happy Birthday to MommyLife!
Okay, I know I’ve been like a little kid counting down the days ‘til my birthday. Believe me, I don’t do this with my real one! But my blogging birthday gives me a chance to reflect on the past year and how much my blog has come to mean...10:00 AM in Blogging, Family, Writing | Permalink | Comments (15) | TrackBack
January 14, 2006
Children at Work - a beautiful thing
While Kari was busy commenting on my question about how using Montessori principles at home had improved life with your children, her daughter was busy applying them. Kari snapped the picture above and wrote about it at As For Me and My House. (And by the way, I’m happy...10:17 PM in Big families, Family, Montessori, Mothering | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack
Step stool revolution :)
In response to my question on how readers had applied Montessori priniciples with their children this year, the step stool seems to be sparking a revolution - the good kind! Cathy wrote: In response to how we've applied something that I read on your blog: we got out 2...5:26 AM in Family, Montessori, Mothering, Toddlers | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Pro-Life Leftists
You might be surprised to learn that the early feminists were anti-abortion! And that from the beginning, there has been a little corner of the Left Wing that has remained ProLife. They argue that the Democratic Party has always stood up for those who cannot defend themselves, the little guy...5:10 AM in Pro-Life Issues | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 13, 2006
Montessori at home/ Birthday request
Anne of Anne's Cafe recently posted on how she was able to overcome one obstacle to finding the joy in motherhood: Coats on the floor - no more! That got me to wondering ("got me to wondering" - man, you can tell I live in Virginia now!) if anyone else...9:38 AM in Big families, Family, Homeschooling, Montessori, Mothering | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBack
Intentional Parenting
Our family dynamic is changing as Josh has moved out. He saved up and bought a house about half an hour from us, in Berryville - the same town where Samantha, Kip and five of my grandchildren live. He has already begun going to a church and a Bible study...8:21 AM in Big families, Family, Inspiration, Mothering | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
January 12, 2006
Friday morning radio interview
Just a heads up that I'll be doing a radio interview on DDATP Friday morning at 7:35 CT for KBJS in Jacksonville, Tesas. You can catch it live on the internet here. Thanks to all of you who prayed for the one I was nervous about the one I did...11:30 PM in Books | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
The Mommy Brain
I came across this book today and wanted to share it. I'm short on time and since it proves things I've already concluded myself, I probably won't be reading it. But just knowing it's out there made me feel good - and I thought it would make you feel...6:00 PM in Books, Mothering | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Country Boys - some brief thoughts
I began my answer to a comment on Country Boys (available to watch online) thus: If I didn't have so much other stuff going on, I could write so much about this, but I'll have to be brief. But it wasn't brief, so for those interested, I'm going to lift...8:47 AM in Family | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 11, 2006
Yet another prayer request
I'm the kind of person who seldom asks for prayer. I don't like when people put in prayer requests for things like selling their houses or finding the right car to buy. Maybe that's wrong of me to evaluate the worth of people's prayer requests. But because I feel...10:02 AM in Family | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack
SAHM -Your work really matters!
Here's something for every SAHM (stay-at-home-mother) who questions her worth - especially those fighting years of public shool brainwashing preparing her for anything but motherhood. It's an article called "It's the Sex, Stupid" - an interesting analysis of how our culture's demeaning of sex from the social glue it provides...9:25 AM in Big families, Family, Feminism, Mothering, Pro-Life Issues | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
A blog you'll enjoy
Recently I mentioned Things We Said Today - the blog that got me thinking about starting the Big Jar Mayonnaise Mamas - a group dedicated to proving that women who shop at Costco and buy big jars of mayonnaise because they didn't abort their babies are not to be scoffed...9:08 AM in Blogging, Blogging, Mothering | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Pro-Life and Proud to be bloggin' 'bout it
12 Days to go 'til the Blogs4Life! Looks like 29 of us so far are signed up to attend the conference, though many more bloggers are promoting the conference. In the days ahead, I will be sharing how I was transformed from a radical feminist/abortion rights spokeswoman to a...12:05 AM in Pro-Life Issues | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack
January 10, 2006
Country Boys on PBS
I hardly ever watch TV, but last night I sat down at 10:15 and turned it on. Was not happy to find it tuned to some cartoon channel. Preferring to know at least a little about something before criticizing it, I have actually watched snatches here and there and...10:35 AM in | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack
Parenting Q & A : Destructive behavior
Question from a reader: I am desperate for some help with my two year old who will not stop tearing her books. I am a young mother of two and my oldest (2 1/2 year old daughter) has had a problem with tearing books for almost 6 months now. We...7:40 AM in Big families