Coming down from the clouds

It all started one day when H was home. He is sometimes off of work in the middle of the week. It started on one of those days. You know one of those days where no one wants to be at the table schooling because the light of our family, the fun one, is home. He stays busy, he joins the schooling, he mows the lawn, he comes back to see how his family is doing. It is not pretty. Frustration, exasperation, mind numbing lecturing blah, blah, blah.... like I said, not pretty.

"There has to be a better way." Six little words that have the potential to rock my world.

I have been homeschooling for 8 years, I have read countless books, and in the last few years I have actually developed an "educational philosophy"! I know why we do what we do, I know what I am hoping to accomplish, I see the vision, I HAVE PLANS, BIG PLANS! (sigh) To my knowledge H has read one book on homeschooling and I don't think he finished it.

"Is it always like this?" more questions, to shake me.

Honestly I had to say it was often this way.

Again, gently, "There has to be a better way."

At this point I get to choose. I can choose to wield the ax of "what have YOU read?", "what is YOUR educational philosophy?", "how long have YOU been doing this?" or I can look at this man who has loved me and these children well and look for the truth in his words. I could have chopped him up into little pieces and asserted my rule of the homeschooling kingdom. I could have but he was right. There has to be a better way.

I am a little undone at this point but this much I know. God has made him the leader of this home and he does not have to have read 20 books on homeschooling to see that what was happening that day was not going to produce good fruit. I on the other hand had been in this "just keep swimming" mentality for so long that I could not see we were drowning. The peace that comes with submitting to one that loves you swept over me. Hope was renewed. Breathe.


So we explored several options, counted the cost and H put his money where his mouth was.. We ended up buying Switched On Schoolhouse. We will try it for a year. Then WE will evaluate. Notice the number of times I said we? We are a we now in homeschooling. Glorious day.

I will let you know how it goes. I have to give up the laptop now, time for school.

High above

Somewhere about 11,000 feet I start getting very refective on the things of God. Could be floating above the earth make me aware of how fragile life is or maybe I am just a bit closer. Today looking out I was struck at how emence this world is. And it is still just a speck compared to the rest of the galaxy which is a speck in the universe. So either this is so big that their couldn't possibly be a creator or the creator is so big we can only stand on the edge of understanding and pray for revelation.

When I look at the order and beauty of it all I clearly see the answer. I pray I never forget or try to stuff this big God into my small box of understanding.

Aiming to Please Part 2

I could retype all of my last post and insert Vi holding a fish instead of Mimi in her jammies but I think the picture is enough.

If you don't know her is the the Princess of squeamish. I don't know how he convinced her to try it but it is now her joy to make her Daddy proud with pictures like this. By the time I came to this scene she was showing me the cut on her thumb where the fish "bit" her. Apparently they have teeth in there! That's my girl!

Teletubbies or Aiming to Please

I promise this is not some Tinky Winky debate. Anyway I have a strict "don't ask don't tell" policy with imaginary creatures.

Some how in our home zip up feety pajamas have become known as "Teletubbies". I think it happened on time years ago when they all had them on. Something about brightly colored fleece from head to toe made them jump around the house spewing monosyllabic babble. Years later the name has stuck. Fortunately the only one still wearing them is Mimi.

Tonight she came out of her room at top speed announcing that she had on her Teletubbies. The untrained eye might have thought she was letting us all know but I knew, it was all for Daddy. H loves those things and Mimi loves her Papa. She will do anything to please him including wearing head to toe fleece jammies on a hot night in South Texas! Well it worked, his face lights up, she laughs and runs and jumps up on his lap to receive her snugly reward.

I want to be like that. I want to be willing to do anything to please my Heavenly Father. To run to Him excited to please Him. I want not to think about how uncomfortable it might make me or how hot the situation might get, I just want to please Him.

I know that He is like that. A loving Father who is ready to reward a child so eager to please. Even if the act of pleasing is a little misguided. (did I mention the hot S Texas nights???) I am glad He chooses to look for the good in what we do and not criticize every detail. I am glad that He is read to lavish is love on those who run to Him. I am glad He gives me little glimpses in to His character in the everyday.

Phone bloggin'.

Isn't technology grand?

nature walk lesson

While walking through the park with some friends we came upon this tree. My son pointed out that this tree though it looked like a fallen tree was firmly rooted in to the ground. It seemed to have just grown up sideways.

Grown up sideways? My dear friend took the time to explain to my son that at some point in this trees young life it fell and the fall was never corrected. This tree was bent and left to grow that way. No training, no correction, no discipline. See where this is going? Good. So did my son.

This is what happens when a child is not trained up in the way that he should go. A child that is never told that sin is sin, or is left to deal with all the evil it sees (too much of) around himself and is never taught to see it in the context of biblical truth. This tree was still alive and as of last year was still sprouting leaves. But this spring the leaves did not return and the dying has begun. It was a vivid picture for all 3 of us. I pray that we are giving training up of our children the importance it deserves, requires. May they grow to be strong, healthy fruitful trees standing tall in the Son. Thanks Jules for the reminder.

hand sewing lessons book

http://chestofbooks.com/crafts/needlework/Hand-Sewing-Lessons/