Life is a sweet journey. Not a 100 yard dash. Something that is meant to be savored one moment at a times. So often in like it is easy for homeschooling mothers to feel as though the "have to get it all done" TODAY. The mountain of laundry must be accomplished TODAY! The entire house deep cleaned...TODAY! This may last for a day...a week...a month. And you feel like you are gettin' it all done. But then the ever reliant burn out will rear its ugly head. And then...one is left with the heaviest of discouragement.
Discouragement like this will do one of two things.
1. Cause one to fall into a crippling abyss of dysfunction. Where nothing is enjoyed in life. "Life on survival mode". Clinging to the hope of getting into bed each night.
2. Cause one to feel that they are somehow "less than" other mothers they know who seemingly "have it all together". Deeper and deeper they will go into the idea that they do not have what it takes to be the type of mother they want to be. They will decide that maybe homeschooling is not for them. Or they will, like the other scenario, go through life just trying to survive. Never really enjoying the wonderful miracles that live in their homes.
Both of these are really no way to live. For the fullness of joy is missing. The enemy of our soul will seek to rob us of the joy that should be present in all that we do. The Bible speaks of God making the barren woman to be at home and be a happy mother of JOYFUL children. Are you happy? Are your children full of joy because they know that you deeply delight in them?
" He makes the barren woman among her household a happy mother of joyful children
We are all, in essence, barren without the Lord. Without him we can do nothing. Yes, we were created with the ability to carry and birth life into this world. But apart from his blessing and the opening of our wombs, we carry no abilities of our own.
HAPPY...
MOTHER...
JOYFUL CHILDREN...
HALLELUJAH!!!!
Do your days begin and end with a HALLELUJAH? Does your soul ignite with wonderful joy when you are set with the task of training your children? Doing laundry? Keeping up with the things in your home? It should.
If your answer is no. Then perhaps you have stepped out of the joy of the Lord.In my experience, this is very easy to do :) I by nature, have a serious "all or nothing" personality. :) Andevery so often, I mean...EVERYDAY I struggle with submitting that to the Lord. I want to do it all...now. :) Whether its cleaning or spray painting a few things around the house, I mean everything I could get my hands on, I really have to work on remembering I cannot get it all done. Anyone who knows me knows this about me. :) This almost always will drain me and make me feel as though things are much harder than they really are! We all struggle with moments of bad attitude. But when we realize that we essentially deserve nothing, everything else becomes a blessing. Life is not a cafeteria where we can chose something we like and leave out the hard parts. Life will be full of hard parts and many wonderful parts. But this is part of the Lord building character in us. To learn to suffer well. And to be like the proverbs 31 woman who laughs at things to come. We should praise God for all aspects of our lives even the things we need to learn to love.
Your homes should be a place where the attitude of your heart is reflected. I love being purposeful with what we adorn the walls of our homes with. All around us I have placed things that will encourage us to be thankful and to seek the right response. Above, you will see a lovely little grouping of words that I found on Pinterest. I typed it out and have it framed above our sink.
The Lord desires that we looks at life from his view and purpose. Not from that of the "hustle and bustle" of the world. Always going but never quite getting anywhere. Do you ever feel like that? I know I have many times. This is counter productive and also unhealthy. A life submitted to him, in ALL areas takes cultivating the quality of self control. Being able to put something down. Say no to something. This has been an ongoing lesson for me. When I began looking at the management of our family, homeschool, home, being a wife, training my children, building meaningful relationships, friendships, skill building, etc. It has taken many years and we we are still working on balancing it all. The joyful part isn't really a problem. But balancing it all without going over in any one part takes constant prayer.
WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE IN OUR HOME:
Pray for the Lord to give you a clear vision.
This is something that my husband and I are frequently doing. "Lord give us a plan". And when we find that something is not running smoothly, we reevaluate and pray again. Seek the Lord. He will show you!
"Always a work in progress"
The saying you would hear me say a million times is you could hear my thoughts. When I am tempted to feel like I will never get it all done. Because the truth is that I will never get it all done. Its OK that the laundry baskets continue to fill themselves after a full day of doing laundry. My laundry will never fully be done. Instead I set a goal to do 2 loads a day. Widdling away at it day by day. It is part of our lives. Like brushing our teeth. Or combing our hair.
In our home, the number one priority on my list is to turn the hearts of my children to Jesus. Then to mindfully train them. Third, to teach them to effectively help manage our home. Everything after that is a blessing. Yes, that means that there are days when all I do is train my children. There are seasons that we do not get as much school done as I would like.
"Always a work in progress" I say.
It is much more important to me that the foundations laid for my children be strongly rooted in the Lord than in the latest curriculum. And this requires sacrifice on my part. Not being a part of everything. Saying no to things I may really want to do. Keeping my eyes on the vision that my husband and I have prayerfully created for our family.
If it is too much to deep clean the entire home in one day. Separate the rooms of your house and daily work on a few. It is better to be productive and fruitful in one room than to do nothing because you are so overwhelmed.
A little bit goes a long way!
We love learning new skills around here. And while there are times you will catch us doing an all day or two binge of cooking or sewing or whatever it is that we are into at the moment, this is not the norm in our home. And it certainly does not make for a productive home. So what I have done is set a daily skill focus. Each day, we have a set of skills we are working on. Even if it is only one line completed on a crocheted baby blanket. A little bit goes a long way. :)
Below, you will see a chart that I created to help us see what we are focusing on each day. I couldn't get the whole chart to show. So half will have to do. What you aren't seeing on this chart are our daily skills focus and the daily character building stuff we do. SORRY!!! You will see here that we do not get it all done in one day. Rather we gently pace ourselves. We are steadily moving towards a bigger goal. And at the end of the day...week...month...year, we surely have a lot to show for that focus.
In doing this, we are able to stay in one place without being scattered all through out our house like crazy people. It also helps me keep everyone together. And thus I am able to better keep and eye and ear on what is going on around us. Not to mention the added blessing of swiftly catching and correcting those who go astray. And blanket time training. :)
Enlist the Children
Many time the Lord has used moments when I am overwhelmed to show me areas where my children can gain to grow new helping skills or even take over a job in the home. This has been time consuming to teach, but it is so rewarding for the whole family when we are all working together.
I am not exaggerating when I say that I do not do anything alone. Everything I do, I include the children! I enjoy being with them and I love for them to learn whatever it is I am doing. Whether is is cleaning, cooking, running errands...we do it together. I want my children to remember always being with me. All the things we did! And how I loved them being with us!
I remember one day years ago, we went through a drive thru restaurant. The lady looked at our long van full of children and said " Oh, are they on summer vacation?" And I smiled and replied "Actually we homeschool, so we are always together" She looked at the children then me then said "Well that sucks!". I was so shocked that she would say that I gave her a blank stare. Then I turned to my children and said to them "You know I just love being with all of you. Don't you know that! I love doing things with you all." Looking back, I wish I had given her an answer I know I would give toady if that happened. But I was at a loss. I had never heard anyone say that in front of my children.
Where do you stand? What do you want to remember about your days? What do you want your children to remember? Start living it now! Get the everyday management of your home in order so that other areas of your life can open up.
:)
Discouragement like this will do one of two things.
1. Cause one to fall into a crippling abyss of dysfunction. Where nothing is enjoyed in life. "Life on survival mode". Clinging to the hope of getting into bed each night.
2. Cause one to feel that they are somehow "less than" other mothers they know who seemingly "have it all together". Deeper and deeper they will go into the idea that they do not have what it takes to be the type of mother they want to be. They will decide that maybe homeschooling is not for them. Or they will, like the other scenario, go through life just trying to survive. Never really enjoying the wonderful miracles that live in their homes.
Both of these are really no way to live. For the fullness of joy is missing. The enemy of our soul will seek to rob us of the joy that should be present in all that we do. The Bible speaks of God making the barren woman to be at home and be a happy mother of JOYFUL children. Are you happy? Are your children full of joy because they know that you deeply delight in them?
" He makes the barren woman among her household a happy mother of joyful children
We are all, in essence, barren without the Lord. Without him we can do nothing. Yes, we were created with the ability to carry and birth life into this world. But apart from his blessing and the opening of our wombs, we carry no abilities of our own.
HAPPY...
MOTHER...
JOYFUL CHILDREN...
HALLELUJAH!!!!
Do your days begin and end with a HALLELUJAH? Does your soul ignite with wonderful joy when you are set with the task of training your children? Doing laundry? Keeping up with the things in your home? It should.
If your answer is no. Then perhaps you have stepped out of the joy of the Lord.In my experience, this is very easy to do :) I by nature, have a serious "all or nothing" personality. :) And
Dirty Dishes
Thank Heaven for dirty dishes
They have a story to tell,
While other folks go hungry,
We’re eating very well.
With home and health and
happiness,
We shouldn’t want to fuss,
By this stack of evidence
God’s very good to us.
Your homes should be a place where the attitude of your heart is reflected. I love being purposeful with what we adorn the walls of our homes with. All around us I have placed things that will encourage us to be thankful and to seek the right response. Above, you will see a lovely little grouping of words that I found on Pinterest. I typed it out and have it framed above our sink.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" -Matthew 11:30
The Lord desires that we looks at life from his view and purpose. Not from that of the "hustle and bustle" of the world. Always going but never quite getting anywhere. Do you ever feel like that? I know I have many times. This is counter productive and also unhealthy. A life submitted to him, in ALL areas takes cultivating the quality of self control. Being able to put something down. Say no to something. This has been an ongoing lesson for me. When I began looking at the management of our family, homeschool, home, being a wife, training my children, building meaningful relationships, friendships, skill building, etc. It has taken many years and we we are still working on balancing it all. The joyful part isn't really a problem. But balancing it all without going over in any one part takes constant prayer.
WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE IN OUR HOME:
Pray for the Lord to give you a clear vision.
This is something that my husband and I are frequently doing. "Lord give us a plan". And when we find that something is not running smoothly, we reevaluate and pray again. Seek the Lord. He will show you!
"Always a work in progress"
The saying you would hear me say a million times is you could hear my thoughts. When I am tempted to feel like I will never get it all done. Because the truth is that I will never get it all done. Its OK that the laundry baskets continue to fill themselves after a full day of doing laundry. My laundry will never fully be done. Instead I set a goal to do 2 loads a day. Widdling away at it day by day. It is part of our lives. Like brushing our teeth. Or combing our hair.
In our home, the number one priority on my list is to turn the hearts of my children to Jesus. Then to mindfully train them. Third, to teach them to effectively help manage our home. Everything after that is a blessing. Yes, that means that there are days when all I do is train my children. There are seasons that we do not get as much school done as I would like.
"Always a work in progress" I say.
It is much more important to me that the foundations laid for my children be strongly rooted in the Lord than in the latest curriculum. And this requires sacrifice on my part. Not being a part of everything. Saying no to things I may really want to do. Keeping my eyes on the vision that my husband and I have prayerfully created for our family.
If it is too much to deep clean the entire home in one day. Separate the rooms of your house and daily work on a few. It is better to be productive and fruitful in one room than to do nothing because you are so overwhelmed.
A little bit goes a long way!
We love learning new skills around here. And while there are times you will catch us doing an all day or two binge of cooking or sewing or whatever it is that we are into at the moment, this is not the norm in our home. And it certainly does not make for a productive home. So what I have done is set a daily skill focus. Each day, we have a set of skills we are working on. Even if it is only one line completed on a crocheted baby blanket. A little bit goes a long way. :)
Below, you will see a chart that I created to help us see what we are focusing on each day. I couldn't get the whole chart to show. So half will have to do. What you aren't seeing on this chart are our daily skills focus and the daily character building stuff we do. SORRY!!! You will see here that we do not get it all done in one day. Rather we gently pace ourselves. We are steadily moving towards a bigger goal. And at the end of the day...week...month...year, we surely have a lot to show for that focus.
Day
|
Chore Hour Focus
|
Daily Focus Day
|
Laundry Focus Day
|
School Focus
Time
|
Daily Activity Focus
|
Daily Skills Focus
|
Boys Character Building
|
Girls Character Building
|
Monday
|
Bedrooms
|
Laundry Day
|
Bedding
|
School
|
Sewing/ Building
|
Brother Time
|
Read & Discus 1 Ch.
|
|
Tuesday
|
Family Room
|
Office Day
|
2 loads of clothing
|
School
|
Riding
|
Baking
|
Read & Discuss 1 Ch.
|
Sister Time
|
Wednesday
|
Playroom/Bathrooms
|
Deep Cleaning Day
|
School
|
Piano
|
Crocheting
|
Brother Time
|
Read & Discus 1 Ch.
|
|
Thursday
|
Family Room
|
Town Day
|
2 loads of clothing
|
School
|
Drawing & Coloring
|
Read & Discuss 1 Ch.
|
Sister Time
|
|
Friday
|
Kitchen / Dining Room
|
Kitchen Day
|
Kitchen Linens & 1 load of clothing
|
School
|
Cooking
|
Brother Time
|
Read & Discus 1 Ch.
|
|
Saturday
|
Outdoor/
Family Room
|
Farm Day
|
Couch Covers + 1 load of laundry
|
Farm School
|
Embroidery/ Homestead Research
|
Read & Discuss 1 Ch.
|
Sister Time
|
|
Sunday
|
Rest
|
|||||||
Streamline
If you notice the above chart, I have streamline to the best of my ability. Taking tasks that might go together and putting them on the same day. For instance:
On Mondays we clean bedrooms. This is also the day we wash bedding.
On Friday we do a lot of cooking. This is also the day we wash kitchen linens, clean the kitchen and cook as a skill.
Make sense?
In doing this, we are able to stay in one place without being scattered all through out our house like crazy people. It also helps me keep everyone together. And thus I am able to better keep and eye and ear on what is going on around us. Not to mention the added blessing of swiftly catching and correcting those who go astray. And blanket time training. :)
Enlist the Children
Many time the Lord has used moments when I am overwhelmed to show me areas where my children can gain to grow new helping skills or even take over a job in the home. This has been time consuming to teach, but it is so rewarding for the whole family when we are all working together.
I am not exaggerating when I say that I do not do anything alone. Everything I do, I include the children! I enjoy being with them and I love for them to learn whatever it is I am doing. Whether is is cleaning, cooking, running errands...we do it together. I want my children to remember always being with me. All the things we did! And how I loved them being with us!
I remember one day years ago, we went through a drive thru restaurant. The lady looked at our long van full of children and said " Oh, are they on summer vacation?" And I smiled and replied "Actually we homeschool, so we are always together" She looked at the children then me then said "Well that sucks!". I was so shocked that she would say that I gave her a blank stare. Then I turned to my children and said to them "You know I just love being with all of you. Don't you know that! I love doing things with you all." Looking back, I wish I had given her an answer I know I would give toady if that happened. But I was at a loss. I had never heard anyone say that in front of my children.
Where do you stand? What do you want to remember about your days? What do you want your children to remember? Start living it now! Get the everyday management of your home in order so that other areas of your life can open up.
:)
I will be sharing a post soon about the daily management of our home and school. :)
1 comment:
This was a wonderful post and has given me some good ideas as I redo our schedule this week. I look forward to seeing the other posts you mentioned.
Blessings
Renata:)
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