Posted in Encouragement
How does a homeschooler know it's spring? April showers? May flowers? While these are defintitely signs of springtime, I know it's spring when all the new curriculum catalogs begin arriving in my mailbox :-) Even though we own a homeschool supply business, I still enjoy looking through catalogs with resources we don't carry and reading the tips and insights that many provide.This is also the time of year when we begin looking forward to next year, reflecting on what worked (and what didn't) this year, and planning our purchases. I know I can easily become distracted by the "formal' planning and the excitement of new products that promise to be THE answer to our writing, math, or __________ woes. Distracted? Yes, it can be easy to get caught up in the curriculum planning/purchasing and forget what really matters. As I was reading my devotions this morning I read a verse and God would not let me go on. My eyes were drawn to it, reading it over and over. The verse was I Timothy 1:5, "But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." I don't know about you, but that pretty well sums up what I desire for my children as they grow up under our instruction.
As I read, I was convicted that I have not been purposely chasing this goal as passionately as I once had. It is just too easy to become distracted by busyness, to listen to what the world says "real education" is, or to get caught up in comparing my children's progress to others and feeling pressured to shove more and more knowledge into our day.
So, as I begin the neccessary (and enjoyable) process of planning for next year, I have copied I Tim 1:5 in my notebook AND on a card taped to the edge of my computer monitor. I desire to have this verse be my "plumb line" in my day-to-day interactions with my boys. How thankful I am for God's gentle leading - it is so easy to waver from the path He has set before me. I'm so glad that He is patient and forgiving, leading my repentent heart back to Him and restoring my joy and vision. The same way He leads me is what I want to model to my children. Instead of sharp tones and legalism, I want to correct and instruct with a 'still small voice', graciously and patiently leading them on the path of righteousness.
Speaking of leading...the kids have been asking all day if we were going to have time to read some more from The Silver Chair - the Narnia series has been a great tool to point our family toward a sincere faith. I guess it's time to stop typing and start reading!
"I will sing of the lovingkindness of the Lord forever; to all generations I will make known Thy faithfulness with my mouth *or in this case, my keyboard!
." *this portion not in original Hebrew manuscripts :-)
