Continuing to Simplify

The more I simplify the things around me, the more I am noticing the ability to slow down and take in each moment.

I didn't anticipate that.  It has been an unexpected blessing.

This afternoon I played a game of cards with my son and was able to be fully present with him.  Often times, I am mentally an energizer bunny, but today it was just the two of us and our card game.  No mental interruptions or random thoughts.  It was strange and really nice.

I was recently inspired to simplify my social media.  I unfollowed several accounts on my feed.  Some, I think were only "followed" because my fat fingers hit the wrong button while scrolling.  Other pages that I unfollowed share content that I like to read and learn about, but at this time in my life were just cluttering my brain with information I couldn't put into application right now.

Taking away the mental clutter is freeing.  More and more I can focus on what is most important.  And the phrase that is beginning to take up more living space in my brain is this one:

Live for God's Glory.

I suspect God is teaching me more about this phrase and what it will mean in my life. 

What matters most?

 This year has been a growing year thus far.  I am learning to pay closer attention to my needs and limits, as well as the needs and limits of my family.  

I have often heard about priorities and balancing them.  But I've been learning something a level deeper than that. I serve, often to my own detriment.  I serve because it brings me joy.  But when I serve to the point that I am diminishing my own abilities to do and be what I desire for my family and myself, that's a problem.

Most specifically, I am giving my gardening and food preservation ideals a seat on the back burner.  I enjoy those things.  It is beneficial for my family when I do them.  Our economy and food supply issues in our country give my hobbies even more of a benefit than just being healthy.

The big 'BUT', is that it takes time and energy out of me and my day.  While I could keep up with my hobbies and still do the other things that I do, it taxes me.

I'm taking the concept to all areas of my life.  In homeschooling, we are part of two homeschool groups.  We won't participate in all the things; we will participate in some.  I'm writing fewer blog posts, spending less time on my phone, and more time on what matters most.

Priorities do not dictate my choices; they guide me in knowing which choices help or hinder me in living this life that the Lord has given.  I'm the type of person who can see both sides of the coin.  

Choices can be challenging for me if I don't have a strong opinion regarding the choice before me.  So, I am learning to prayerfully consider, "What matters most?"  Is that thing worth the time and energy spent to accomplish it?  Is it where God is leading?  Even if it is a 'good' thing, is it the right timing for our family?  

The best part is, I am finding that I have more time to pray, I can think about things with more clarity, and it is easier to say "no" or cut out that thing that hinders more than it helps.

Humble Pie can be thought provoking

 I did wrong.  I ate my humble pie and asked for forgiveness.

While talking to God about it before I decided to eat my humble pie...debating if and how to go about it, I asked Him:  Lord, why can I act so foolish sometimes?  Why can't my sin be celebrated?

Out of context, that sounds quite atrocious.  No, I don't want my sin celebrated, or any sin for that matter.

In our culture, this entire month has been dedicated to the celebration of a specific sin and those who do not celebrate and openly accept it are considered bigots, haters, and worse.  

So, it would be much easier to not eat my humble pie and have those I've wronged celebrate my actions and choices instead.  

Can you imagine?  "Oh, I see I did something you didn't approve of, but your approval isn't what matters, come and celebrate my sin with me!  I chose it and all that matters is that my choices don't get condemned"  ....even writing this is utterly ridiculous and I must shake my head and laugh at myself.

Why are some sins culturally acceptable and other sins not?  Culture willingly condemns the sin that hurts others.  (murder, theft, etc.)

However, sins that blatantly defy God are often celebrated.  Humanity rebels against the idea of a God that keeps us accountable to His standards. (pride, sexual immorality, lusting for the pleasures of this world, idol worship, etc.)

Jesus loved the sinner and invited them to be made new.  He invited them to leave their sin behind.  He never once affirmed the sin or celebrated it.  When we eat our humble pie and allow Him to work in our lives, we are made new.  We are made more like Him and that is a wonderful thing.

Learning at Home

Every homeschool year is so different from the others.  This year is nearly completed.  Our oldest graduated high school and our youngest starts kindergarten next fall.

I am noticing a trend.  The longer I educate my children, the more comfortable I am in embracing home learning.  The public-school trends, timelines and rules are fading away.

The biggest difference I'm noticing currently is our school year schedule.  When we started, our girls were accustomed to the 9 months of school with a 3-month summer break.  We've generally kept that type of schedule for them.  

I notice that summers get busy with activities, vacations, and just the desire to be outdoors.  It is more difficult to do curriculum schoolwork.  At the same time, leaving our education routines and then trying to get back into a routine again in the fall is challenging -even for me as the adult!

Our boys, they have only known home learning.  There aren't any preconceived notions about what is required for our time or our learning routines.  Our last girl is planning on working on next year's classes this summer, so I'm thinking we will take some time off, but not completely forgo our learning routines either.

Eternal Perspective

 Eternal Perspective.  

This phrase is the best definition of my point of view in most of my conversations. And often, my opinions and views differ from others, but it isn't ignorance or denial as many people assume.  (There are times where my point of view is fallible...I'm human.)

My opinions often differ because I tend to view arguments and situations from an eternal perspective, from the ideals and desires of God that I have learned and absorbed through my time being in the Word and studying it.

There is no issue or cause that I do not take an eternal perspective to interpret.  You've seen me do it here before.  I will learn of something new and take time to mull it over and determine what stance I will take.  I can often see both sides of the issues presented, but there are more than just the two sides.  There is a bigger picture, an eternal and spiritual influence within every issue and decision we face.

While we as Christians are to fervently love one another, Jesus loved without authorizing sinners to continue sinning and He loved in spite of sin, knowing what a sinner could not understand without first coming to Him.

Having an eternal perspective means seeing sin for what it is, loving the sinner and sharing the Lord with them.  So, when someone brings up social justice, or some other controversial issue and argues a specific point, I don't see it as black and white.  I see the spiritual warfare happening to influence both sides.  And then I bring it to the Lord in prayer.

The Parable of the Minas

This past Sunday was Palm Sunday.  Most all of us know that story.  Our pastor taught on what happened just before Jesus' triumphal entry.  I hadn't heard a teaching on this passage before and I hadn't realized it was just before Jesus' triumphal entry.  Knowing that made a lot of points click for me.

Luke 19:11-27 is the parable of the minas.  It is similar to the parable of the talents, but different with a different meaning.  

Verse  12 says "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return." (NKJV)  The nobleman is Jesus.

Verse 13 he gives his servants ten minas and said to them "do business till I come" other translations say "occupy till I come".

Verses 15-20 is the servants telling the nobleman what they have done with the mina they were responsible for.  Each servant received the same exact thing: one mina.  There is ONE GOSPEL.  

Each time the servant shares what they did with the mina, the nobleman rewards them based on their responsibility.  Being faithful with little means they were entrusted with more responsibility.

Lesson:  Live the gospel & proclaim the gospel. Be good stewards of the gifts and abilities that God has given us.  Be a good steward of your finances, your time, and the resources God has given you.

1 Peter 4:10 "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."  (reading this whole passage is good too if you want to delve further into it).

Minister to others with the gifts and abilities that God has given you.  

Homeschooling & Romans 5:2-5

Motherhood was always my easy-to-identify ambition.  Homeschooling in motherhood was never even part of my girlish imaginings!  This year I will graduate my firstborn.  God has enabled me to customize her education since she was a 5th grader.  It has been a blessing and an honor to be involved in her upbringing so intricately.  

Romans 5:2-5 "Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love." (NLT)

Paul is speaking of Salvation in this verse.  I feel it also fits our homeschooling journey as well.  We began homeschooling because of our faith/convictions -and purely out of faith that God would lead us because we didn't know what we were doing! 

Being a parent that homeschools adds an immense weight of responsibility and dedication to your plate.

As parents we are called to teach our children, and to some families, that includes outside help from the public/private school system.  Nothing wrong with that.  God's plan for each child and each family is specifically tailored to that child and family.

For our family, God very clearly brought us to homeschooling when our girls were still in elementary school.  It wasn't something we had planned on or even considered prior to God presenting it to us as our only viable option.

Homeschooling is an undeserved privilege in my mind.  It has afforded me the honor of being present in my children's lives with an inside look at what they deal with.  I know their strengths and weaknesses, I see their growth and maturity in their struggles, and it constantly brings me to my knees in prayer -begging the Lord for wisdom and discernment to know how best to handle each situation as it arises.  God has been faithful throughout the years, and He continues to be.

Rejoicing in problems and trials is never the easy, or even the first, reaction.  But as I watch my children face their challenges, I rejoice in them because I know how their endurance, character, and hope in Christ may be strengthened.  I am blessed to walk alongside them, to pray with them, and to see the Lord move.