Reaching Out

I have so many things that I need to get done each day. The necessities like; schooling the kids, laundry, preparing and cleaning up after three meals, my quiet time, keeping the house clean and orderly and so on. This doesn't even include the things I would like to get done each day like; time to myself, reading to the kids, computer time, or a shower (I suppose this could be a need). I rarely sit down. The needs of my life can be all-consuming. Each day I find myself so focused on getting done all the needs and wants done that I start to live life in survival mode. I find myself so consumed with all that is going on in the walls of my house that I forget to look outside those walls to the people around me and their needs. Right now I have a number of friends and some family members who have some big challenges in their lives. How do I best help them? They have all been the focus of my prayers lately, but I wonder if I could do more. God has blessed me with six great kids and a wonderful husband and I know they need to be my number one priority. I also know they are my first ministry at this stage of my life, but sometimes I wonder if I can do more. Sometimes I feel as if my husband and children being my first priority can be an excuse for me to not reach out to others.

How can I, a home school mother of six kids, look beyond my own household and help those around me? How can I show Christ's love to a dying world? How can I show my kids that more in life matters than the things of our own family? How can I help them have a passion for the lost people of the world? These are the desires of my heart and I believe the desires of God's heart as well.

I want to have open eyes to see those around me and their needs. I want to be willing to sacrifice my time and agenda to those around me when they are in need. I desire to be ever-attentive and sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading and directing me to people who have a need I can help with. And if nothing else, I can pray for the ones the Spirit brings to mind.

Pure Delight

Today I took a break and headed outside with my children. I feel so refreshed by the laughter and excitement of my kids and the beautiful sunshine. I do enjoy the outdoors, but I rarely venture out with my kids. It always seems I have too much to accomplish inside to take a break and head out. I find it much easier to just send the kids out because that gives me a few minutes on my own to get a few things done. But, today was different. We all went out, even the baby in the front pack. The kids rode their bikes and scooters and I just walked and pushed dd2 on her bike. It was delightful.

As I sit here now and reflect, I think about how much I love my kids and truly delight in them. I have to admit, though, that I am often distracted by all the things that need to get done and I push my kids aside to tend to my own agenda. This is not how I want to live or how I want my kids to view me. In years to come, I don't want my kids saying, "my mom is a very good cook or baker" or "my mom keeps our house very clean and neat", but "we really don't know her and she doesn't really know us." That puts a fear in me. More than anything else, I want my kids to know they are special and I love them each for the person they are. Just as God delights in us, I want to delight in my children.

Lord, when life is so busy all around me, please help me to see my children through your eyes. Help me to take time out of my agenda and focus, listen or just watch my children and delight in them. Help me to show them how much they are loved by my smile, my touch and my words. Amen

Rebel

I admit it, deep down inside I am a REBEL. My husband certainly knows and I am sure my parents have known it for a long time. I started a new schedule in the fall. I figured I needed a way to put priority on the things which needed priority. For me, I don't think there is any other way to have somewhat of an organized, running household of eight than to have a schedule. Just last week I updated the schedule a bit. I changed things around a bit and added a few things. I was very excited to start the new schedule on Monday. Well, yesterday I figured out a little about my rebellion. After only two days of doing the new schedule, I found my self rebelling against it. Was I really rebelling against myself? This is crazy. Not only did I make the schedule myself, choosing what things needed to be a priority, but I changed it this week to reflect the way we have been doing it since the fall. Now it is just correct on paper. But as of yesterday, I didn't want to do things that way. My schedule told me what I needed to be doing and I didn't want to do it. So, for some of yesterday, I didn't . I am a crazy nut, Steve even agreed.

I have to remind myself today that my schedule is a tool and not a slave driver. I also have to remember that I am the one that put the schedule in place for the good of our family and it was working for us. I need to get rid of the mentality of "if someone/something says I need to do it this way, than I don't want to." And I have to gain the mentality of "if it is a good thing, or something to bless me or my family, why not?" I am in no means saying we should do all things that are "good." Personal boundaries definitely come into play. In my relation to my schedule though, I believe that God is a God of order and he has blessed me with my schedule. Why shouldn't I use it.

Blog Experiment

Okay, this blog is totally an experiment to see if I can manage a home school blog. The name is even a trial. Do you like it? Any other ideas? I just pulled that one from you know where. I seriously don't know how much I will post here. For my more up-to-date blog posts go here .

First Blog

This is my first post from my Blogger blog. Welcome. Let's see how well I can keep this up to date.