Amy’s Humble Musings official quote lady, Elisabeth Elliot, gets a taste of her own medicine in yesterday’s reading of Keep a Quiet Heart. (You can sign up at Gateway to Joy.) Whenever I get a little cantankerous, Greg will often quote something I recently wrote. Why search out new words when my own betray me? It is all in good fun and usually generates a few laughs.

Many of you know Elliot’s famous line is, “Just do the next thing!” This is her advice to many things, most notably to people who are asking how to find the will of God. Here Elisabeth Elliot describes five days of homeschooling four grandchildren alone. Ah, a sweet saint gets a good testing:

School began at nine with Bible reading, singing, prayer, all four joining in. Jim sat on the floor and played while the others studied. Christiana finished her kindergarten work by ten or so, Walter and Elisabeth worked till nearly lunchtime.

Every afternoon there was Quiet Hour. This was a lifesaver for Granny. The three older children were expected to be in their rooms for an hour. They did not need to sleep, but they were to read or find something quiet to do alone. (Not once did we have any altercation about Quiet Hour. It had always been a part of their lives, and they liked it.) Jim and I lay down together, I read him a Beatrix Potter story, and he fell asleep.

Since we had no car, four of us walked to the grocery store every day, while Walter rode his bike. It was an interesting string of people, Elisabeth hugging (for example) five pounds of flour, Christiana batting things with a box of Saran Wrap, Jim lugging a bag of apples, Granny with a loaded brown bag.

We had poetry readings (Jim memorized with no effort at all) and singing. Everybody learned “Chattanooga Choo-Choo,” by mistake, as it were–I meant for them to learn “Praise the Savior” but somehow that one didn’t stick so easily, alas! Walter and Elisabeth practiced the piano and played vigorous duets for the rest of us. We made bread and organized drawers and closets and sorted clothes and toys for give-away and picked violets and had a marvelous time.

I should confess this–on the evening of the first day I wasn’t sure I’d survive the week. When Val phoned I asked, “How do you do it?” “Mama, I just do what you taught me: don’t think about all you have to do, just do the next thing!” I needed to be told what I have often told others, and it worked.

Our day looks similar to this one. I hang on to quiet hour for dear life…except in our house it’s two.