By Julie Hamilton
Welcome to November and FALL! I am loving these cooler days, changing leaves, snuggling up with my warm blanket and a cup of tea! Ahhhh!
I pray that your home school days are going well, that you are in full swing with your schedule and are taking time to sit back, breathe and take in the wonder of your children and how God made them. As I look back on our school days, I did not always do this, in fact, most of the time, I was more the task master telling them to finish their school work so we could go on to the ‘next thing’. I am officially telling you that there doesn’t always have to be ‘next things’. As we look towards Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years I am anticipating a busy few months. I am sure it is that way for you. If you have set up your normal home schooling schedule with a whole list of ‘to dos’ each day, perhaps it is time to re-evaluate and cut out some things. Take time to evaluate your days and weeks and decide if each activity you are doing is first, glorifying to the Lord and then what the motivation is for participating in it. Is it a necessity like cleaning your home, making meals, setting up your school days, or is it something you are doing because, ‘everyone else’ is doing it? Schedule in days for you and your children that are ‘H’ days, home days, where you commit to staying at home, reading aloud, working on special projects like teaching them to make a family recipe or just relaxing and seeing what God brings about. Children need down time to use their imaginations and to be creative. You should have more ‘H’ days per week than out days.
With all of that said, try to keep your focus on the Lord in the next few months. Plan with your children ways to keep Jesus front and center of your lives. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Paul admonishes us to, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. As we look towards Thanksgiving this month focus you and your children on things you are thankful for, even the hard things. God’s will for us is to rejoice always and show our children the example of a joyful heart; to pray without ceasing through each trial, hardship AND in the blessed times too; and lastly to give Thanks. I think God told us this, not because He needs us to give Him thanks but because it changes OUR attitudes and hearts as we focus on Him and what we are thankful for.
I am praying for a peaceful, restful, calm November and December for you and your family and the ability to see God working in each day! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Don’t worry about the little things and try to cut out some of the ‘next things’.
