THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Today I bought and read a children’s picture book written and illustrated by Beverly Carter, a member of Curves Club where I exercise three times a week. She is an art teacher, author and illustrator, and, among other talents, she is a dog musher, a big deal here in Alaska. The book is titled, “This Dog Team Lives in the House.” The story is about a very sad dog named ‘No-wan-um’ that Beverly found and took home to live with   her other dogs and family in her house. She named the new dog ‘Spirit’.

There is more to the story which you can read when you buy the book; but what struck me as I imagined reading the story to my great-grandchild, Scarlett, is how much it reminded me of the New Testament parable of “The Good Shepherd,” about the lost sheep that was taken into the fold and treated with love.

Mary Maunz’s book, “Nurturing Your Child’s Inner Life”, has a chapter illustrating the parable of the lost sheep with interactive creative materials. She gives other lessons with materials and parable stories to bring out the ‘godliness’ in the child’s spirit. Reading stories like Bev’s and playing with symbolic materials as Mary suggests, is a beautiful way to help children, and all of us, nurture and feel our goodness.

“Free the child’s potential, and you will transform him into the world.” Maria Montessori.

Please read my book, Montessori-Living the Good Life.