Please take a moment to read this post by Molly at Choosing Home, and say a prayer for her son, Israel, as well as Crystal's daughter, Emily will be in surgery on Tuesday, and Cathy's daughter, Candace, who is fighting for her life with her thirteenth surgery in only nineteen days.

When I read a stories like that, I'm reminded of what's truly important in my life and I begin evaluating my life and where it's at... and where it's going.  There are three things I find myself assessing:

My relationship with the Lord...
Unfortunately, I know some of the times I've felt closest to the Lord were the times of trial and complete helplessness.  It shames me that after the Lord brought me out of those times, that I eventually "lost" some of that closeness to Him. 

Now, I know that there are things we simply have to do in life, but I know that I'm not always the best manager of my time either.  How much time have I wasted instead of spending time chatting with my Lord? I've often thought of how much the Lord must love me coming to Him with nothing else than be in His presence.  To desire Him only because there's nothing left to do... I've thought about how He wants that always and how little I've given that to Him in comparison to everything else.

And my priorities...
As a homeschool mom, there are certainly a lot of things that need to get accomplished in a day.  I find myself wanting to keep a list of things to do, and then check them off as I go.  As wonderful as that may be at times, I know that I've allowed my list to control me more than I've controlled it, and then things begin to fall apart.

When I think about what Molly, Crystal, and Cathy are going through right now, I know that other things have been put on hold in order to deal with what's most important in their life at the moment.  Why is it that while homeschooling, I find myself letting go of the main reason I chose to homeschool?  It was what the Lord wanted me to do... it was, and is, what He wants me to seek Him for answers in... but most importantly, He wants me to do it so I will raise children of faith who know Him and His power and are ready to fight in His army someday on their own. 

As a homeschool mom, I am responsible for their knowledge in mathmatics, english, and the like... but as a woman of God and their mother, I am responsible for something much more crucial... what I show them through my actions and reactions in my daily living will teach them as well.  I have to ask myself... how am I doing in that area?  Am I showing them that their hearts are more important than their math score?  Do they see me praying before I come out of my room and begin my day?  What priorities do they see me having for them as well as my own life?

Plan a  T.R.E.K. (Totally Random Events with Kids) with your children this week just enjoying them for the gifts from heaven that they truly are.  We never know what tomorrow holds for us or our children.  Take time to pray with your children for these families as well.

In Him,
Amy