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Luke 1: 26And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
Mary was a young woman, a teenager by all accounts. When we consider the time period and culture, we can also assume she was well learned in Scripture, as any Jewish child would be- taught from birth. She knew all about and loved God, but she probably didn’t know how to read or write. She was devoted. She wasn’t a scrawny, weak, or helpless child. Instead, she was used to traveling through life on her feet and working day to night to serve her family well; not in an abusive way, but in a traditional, responsible, and beautiful way. Biblical scholars agree Mary was from the out of the way-not near the city or shore- and poorer part of Galilee, Nazareth. As was customary, father’s would promise their daughters to their future husbands when they were just teenagers. Unlike today where engagement and marriage have been all meshed up from even American’s earliest traditions, setting the stage of marriage began with an agreement made by the father of the bride and followed by betrothal (Mary was espoused, or betrothed to Joseph) which is much like our wedding ceremonies today: promises, vows, were made to one another then, followed a year later at some surprising point by marriage when the bridegroom came for his bride. If a betrothal was to be broken, it would take a decree of divorce. Young Mary was fully committed to her God and to her husband, Joseph.
Fresh from the job of delivering God’s message to Zachariah, Gabriel shows up in Nazareth with an even more miraculous message for Mary. Sent from God, do not miss those important 3 words. We live among false teachers, liars and wolves in sheep’s clothing who are deceptive but definitely not sent by God. Be warned. Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth. It was there Gabriel and Mary would meet by God’s divine appointment. Luke chapter one is the first mention of Nazareth in all of scripture, even the Old Testament, but soon Jesus of Nazareth would come to be known with familiarity; His followers, Nazarenes. Namesakes are pointed and purposed throughout God’s Word.
What’s in a name? There are so many accounts of a given name told by God’s hand, and here in the first couple of verses of Luke chapter 1 we find a few more. The first, Gabriel. One of only two named angels in the Bible, Gabriel was again delivering the news of a baby to come. At this time, we know Elizabeth is 6 months pregnant. John the Baptist and Jesus Christ would be born with in a few months of one another, John having a slight advantage on arrival. It wouldn’t be the first time his presence on this earth came before Jesus’. This angel of the Lord told both Zechariah and Mary the name of their respective sons. There were no baby books, no polls about the best name and no family input: John the Baptist and Jesus Christ were given their names by God through Gabriel. By studying scripture we know God’s angels are created spiritual beings who possess strength, wisdom and obedience, always listening to, and sent by, the Lord. God chose Gabriel to share the news of a newborn baby coming to both Zechariah and his barren, menopausal wife, Elisabeth as well as to the young virgin, Mary.
Have you ever been part of a group where someone had to be the one to share big news? Who was chosen? Usually it’s not the wallflower in the scene. It takes a strong person to deliver important news. Here is God’s messenger, taking God’s message, to God’s people. His name: Gabriel, and it means, “God is my strength.” Look at the significance in this archangel’s Hebrew name! God does not miss a single detail in our lives, either!
Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
Psalm 103:20
Though not the beginning of her young life, this day would be the beginning of the life of Mary we’d be privy to knowing. It was an otherwise ordinary day of her common life. Then God showed up. Mary was a virgin physically, but spiritually she was well practiced. She knew the Jewish law, she knew Jesus was coming and she was humbly living out her life devoted to Him. Because Mary was faithful in the things she knew were right, because she was a learner of God’s ways and a follower of the same, she was prepared for what she had no idea would come.
Friends, we should expect to hear from the Lord. Unlike Mary, we are privileged to be able to read and write, and we have His Word to read. Like Mary, we have opportunity to follow Him and His ways… if we choose to, every day. Are you listening for His voice? Are you waiting for something you’ve been in prayer over? Are you willing to listen when you hear Him call -through prayer, through His Word as you read, through godly counsel, through Biblical wisdom? I doubt you will see Gabriel or any other angel face to face today, but if you’re spending time with the Lord, He will be faithful to His Word, and you will hear from Him.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
No-one needs to tell anyone who is alive in 2020 that life can be unexpected. But, instead of living life coasting along easy street and throwing toddler tantrums when things are hard, uncomfortable and unexpected, we should expect the unexpected in this Christian life.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33
Mary was not expecting the news received from the Angel’s announcement, but -and at the risk of reading ahead- we know she was willing to hear from her Lord. Consider whatever the Lord has for you, and ask yourself if you are willing to bend your ear, and your heart, to your Heavenly Father?
I’m not sure where the emphasis falls in that challenge to your personally. Maybe it’s the “whatever” that leaves you closed up. It could be even just the idea of hearing from the Lord, knowing if you allow yourself to listen you’ll be required to respond.
Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
Psalm 143:10
No matter what confounds you or where your struggle is right now, if you’re anything like me, the heart bends in sync with bending my knees. So I encourage you, go before the Lord and bend your knees. That’s a good place to start in preparing your heart, as did Mary, to make room for Jesus.
The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.
Psalm 29:11
We will continue our 25 Days with Mary tomorrow. See you back here then!
From Someone Who’s Been Through the Trenches (and Survived). A few things I learned along the way that I wish someone had told me sooner.
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Dear Homeschool Mama,
First, let me commiserate with you over a few things.
Babies are exhausting.
Toddlers are slightly unhinged.
Teaching a child to read can make you question everything you thought you knew about the English language.
Middle school should probably be unlawful.
And teenagers? Well, they’ve apparently been adults for several years now. Someone just forgot to tell you.
But here’s what I want you to know: Every single one of these stages is a season. And seasons pass.
Just about the time you’re convinced you’ve reached the most challenging stage of parenting, another one will come along and make you nostalgic for the days when your biggest problem was someone refusing to learn their multiplication tables.
And then, one day, you’ll turn around and those children will be grown. They’ll be getting married, building lives of their own, and perhaps handing you grandchildren who will remind you exactly what love is.
Time isn’t waiting for you, Mama. Not even a little.
So, after years of homeschooling, parenting, praying, laughing, crying, second-guessing myself, and occasionally wondering whether boarding school was still a thing-kidding, here are some things I learned.
1. The most important thing you’re teaching isn’t in a curriculum.
Education matters. Of course it does.
But not nearly as much as we sometimes convince ourselves.
Your child’s ability to diagram a sentence, solve an algebra equation, or recite the periodic table will never be as important as knowing and loving the Lord.
Teach them about Jesus. Teach them His Word. Teach them to recognize His goodness, His faithfulness,His mercy, and His truth.
And remember, they’re learning far more about loving God by watching you than by completing another Bible worksheet.
2. Your life is speaking. Loudly.
Your children are watching how you respond when things go wrong.
How you treat people.
How you speak about others.
How you handle disappointment.
How you love your husband, your family, your neighbors, and those who aren’t particularly lovable.
They’re watching what you do when life gets hard.
And yes, they’re watching how you respond when someone spills an entire glass of milk five minutes after you’ve cleaned the kitchen.
Your example is powerful, but there’s something even more powerful that they may never see.
Your prayers.
Pray for those children more than you think is humanly possible. Pray over their hearts, their futures, their friendships, their weaknesses, their decisions, and their relationship with the Lord.
Pray when they’re little. Pray when they’re teenagers. Pray when they’re grown.
Pray when you know what to pray, and pray when you haven’t the slightest idea.
Prayer matters. More than you know.
3. God created your children before you ever dreamed of them.
Let that sink in.
Before you held them, named them, taught them to tie their shoes, or spent three hours trying to explain long division, God knew them.
He created each one intentionally.
He gave them different personalities, gifts, interests, strengths, and weaknesses.
One may love academics. Another may be happiest building, drawing, singing, cooking, inventing, or taking apart something expensive to see how it works.
Occasionally you’ll get one who loves both. Consider that a bonus, not the standard.
Neither child is better.
Pay attention to what lights them up. Explore their interests. Give them opportunities to discover the gifts God placed within them.
Your job isn’t to make them into the person you imagined. It’s to help them grow into the person God created them to be.
And that requires a whole lot of trust.
4. Character matters. Spilled milk doesn’t.
I wish I could put this on every homeschooling refrigerator in America.
Train their character.
Teach honesty, kindness, responsibility, self-control, respect, compassion, and perseverance.
But please don’t confuse childish mistakes with character failures.
Spilled milk isn’t rebellion.
A forgotten assignment isn’t necessarily laziness.
A bad attitude on a difficult afternoon isn’t proof that you’ve failed as a mother.
They’re human. They’re learning.
And sometimes they’re just tired, hungry, overwhelmed, or twelve.
Which brings me to something else.
5. Children are allowed to have emotions.
Jesus wept. He felt compassion, sorrow, and righteous anger.
God created us with emotions.
Our children aren’t misbehaving simply because they’re sad, frustrated, disappointed, or angry.
Teach them how to handle their emotions, certainly. Discipline when needed. Train their character. But don’t punish them simply for feeling.
And when your child is having an emotional meltdown, try very hard not to join the festivities.
I know. Sometimes that’s asking a lot.
But they’re immature. That’s why they need you.Be the steady one. Be the calm one. Be the grown-up, even when you’d really like to take your own turn
crying on the kitchen floor.
6. Routines are wonderful. Rigid schedules can make everyone miserable.
Have a plan.
Have a rhythm.
Know what you’re hoping to accomplish.
But hold your plans loosely.
The baby will get sick. The washing machine will break. Someone will need extra help. Someone else will suddenly develop a passionate interest in something that wasn’t remotely part of today’s lesson plan.
That’s life.
And guess what?
Life is a classroom, too.
Your children aren’t being academically ruined because you had to spend a week -a year-dealing with something unexpected.
God is sovereign over those interruptions, too.
Sometimes the most valuable lessons happen when the schoolbooks are closed.
7. You are the teacher. The curriculum is a tool.
Don’t let a stack of expensive books boss you around.
If something isn’t working, change it.
If your child needs more time, give it.
If a lesson needs to be skipped, simplified, repeated, or taught while sitting under a tree, you’re allowed.
You are not accountable to a curriculum publisher for your child’s every waking moment.
And most of those academic emergencies that feel like mountains?
Years later, you’ll discover they were molehills.
Very dramatic molehills, perhaps, but molehills nonetheless.
8. Play. Please, play.
Read books together.
Create things.
Go outside.
Explore.
Laugh until your stomach hurts.
Make memories that have absolutely nothing to do with academic achievement.
Let them see you enjoying them.
Not just teaching them, correcting them, feeding them, or driving them somewhere.
Enjoying them.
And don’t stop when they become teenagers. They may act like they’re far too sophisticated for family fun,
but keep inviting them anyway.
Some of the sweetest moments happen when nobody is officially learning anything.
9. You will not be a perfect mother. And you will not raise perfect children.
Let’s get that settled right now.
You will lose your patience.
You’ll make mistakes.
You’ll say things you wish you hadn’t.
You’ll make decisions you later question.
And your children will do the same.
Don’t demand perfection from them when you can’t offer it yourself.
Instead, let them see what repentance looks like.
Ask the Lord to forgive you.
And when you’ve wronged your children, ask them to forgive you, too.
There is something beautiful about a mother who can look her child in the eyes and say, “I was wrong. Will you forgive me?”
Keep growing in your own relationship with the Lord.
Read His Word. Listen. Obey. Walk with Him daily.
And when you’re exhausted, take a break.
Rest. Refresh your soul in His presence.
10. Don’t forget whose children they are.
This may be the hardest lesson of all.
We love our children so fiercely that we sometimes begin to believe we’re responsible for every decision they’ll ever make.
We’re not.
We can teach them God’s Word, model our faith, pray faithfully, nurture their hearts, and point them toward Christ.But we cannot make them love Him.
And here’s something I believe Christian mothers need to hear more often:
Even wonderful, faithful, godly mothers who pour their hearts into raising their children in the ways of the Lord sometimes have adult children who walk away from Him.
That doesn’t automatically mean they failed.
And having children who grow up to love and follow the Lord doesn’t mean we did everything right.
Our children’s choices are not a report card on our motherhood.
God has given them their own hearts, their own choices, and their own lives to live.
We are called to be faithful.
We are not called to be sovereign.
That position is already filled.
And thank goodness, because I can barely keep track of my reading glasses.
So, dear homeschool Mama…
Keep your heart drenched in God’s Word and His truth.
You need Him. Not just to be a better mother or a better teacher.
You need Him because He is your life, your strength, your wisdom, and your hope.
Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind.
Pray more.
Fret less.
Cry when you need to.
Apologize when you’re wrong.
Hold your plans loosely.
Hold your children tenderly.
And hold tightly to the Lord.
Listen to me Mama-
One day, the schoolbooks will be packed away. The house will grow quieter. The daily chaos that once seemed endless will become memories.
And you may discover that some of the things you worried about most mattered very little, while the ordinary moments of loving, praying, laughing, forgiving, and simply being together mattered more than you ever imagined.
Homeschooling was never just about preparing your children for life. God was using those years to shape you, too.
So be faithful with the days He’s given you, and leave the outcome with the One who created your children, loves them more than you ever could, and knew their names long before you did.
With love, from a mama who has learned a few things along the way.
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Who are those who mistreat you?
I held my newborn baby in my arms freshly home from delivery; Mom was there, and Dad joined us a few days later. True to his often cynical nature, he said to me, “Honey, he’s going to break your heart.”
I would have-I DID- bet against that and for the next nearly 30 years I was right, mostly.
Dad’s in heaven now, but I am still learning about him, about his life, all the time. I loved him so. Let me interrupt myself for a minute here to say, when you love someone fully and yet choose to recognize and face the reality of their shortcomings (which we all have) and the effects they have on you personally, that is not dishonoring or an unloving position. It’s not a fault but rather a wise and healthy response. There’s so much more to that thought, but for now I will leave it there.
Back to Dad…there I was beaming with joy waiting to hear Grandpa’s first words over my son. And as I would learn, …slowly, Dad spoke true to his own hurt and truer from the wisdom he’d lived. Both of which I was keenly unaware of at that time, and he spoke.
“Honey, he’s going to break your heart.”
Dad
Now, 29 years later, I can understand a bit more of hidden hurts from any seasoned parent, and how even the most loving mothers and fathers will feel a pain that may accompany parenting at times. However, it’s not what I wanted to hear, and it’s definitely now what I chose to believe.
Especially my firstborn pleaser. We never butted heads and rarely had any problems at any stage of his upbringing. I thought I’d skirted by life and solidified my dad’s stingy words to be as farfetched as I knew them to be way back when.
Except not.
He didn’t mean he wasn’t in love with his grandson; he was the proudest grandpa. Sad thing about my dad, he never was able to overcome the deep-seeded hurts from his childhood abandonment, and it trickled into ever facet of his life relationships until the day he died. His broken heart left many others shattered in its wake. I’ll say it again, he loved this boy.
He didn’t mean I wouldn’t love him more than anyone who’d touched my life to that point. He’d watched my mom love her children, and her grandchildren. He knew the love of a mother in our family ran deep; deeper than he would ever understand, but one that he knew to be true.
Also, and this is what I am just beginning to understand, he didn’t mean my son would break my heart with one decision, one event, one mistake or any “one” anything. It wasn’t a charge to the straw waiting to be placed on the camel’s then broken back.
One last thought; he didn’t mean he would try to break my heart. Sometimes the most painful hurts are only evident to the receiver. Especially when it’s from our own children. No, this pain wouldn’t be about my son, but about my own heart. Maybe it’s a rite of passage to parenting, maybe it’s not.
It is painful, regardless.
What did he mean, then? Well, I can’t ask him anymore, but what I think he was trying to say is that one day my heart will be hurt by my son’s life in someway, even if it’s unintentional. Those hurts and pains will result from his own choices and life’s trajectory. And that pain is one only a parent who’s been there who can understand.
Is that right, Dad?
Some days I especially long for another phone call, coffee conversation, hug, or time to just sit with my mom or dad. Days like that seem to be more frequent lately. The Lord is faithful to draw me closer to Him through the sting of death left in my heart without them here on earth.
My mom and dad were very different people. As a matter of fact, I think they were different in almost every way. Some by our Creator’s design, and some by their paradoxical upbringings. I guess it’s really true (and in my own life, too), opposites attract.
Dad spoke words Mom would never dream of saying. Though both of them lived with the pain of hurtful relationships, my dad didn’t know how to find-really he couldn’t accept- the love he forever longed for, but Mom knew how to forgive and see good in those she loved. She was a woman seasoned with grace and wisdom. Days and years (and now forever lost handwritten notebooks) were filled with Bible studies, prayers, and fellowship with other women who loved the Lord; she grew in her faith all the time.
Mom knew how to pray, She knew to whom to tell her deepest secrets and where to take her pain: Jesus.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Matthew 11:28-29
I fully believe we are still seeing, and also waiting, for the Lord’s answers to Mom’s, (Grandma’s), prayers.
Dad’s words echo to my heart these days. But now I can look back over his and Mom’s lives and see what he meant. Sometimes it’s just going to be the result of loving a child with all you have…and it’s going to hurt. And it’s no fun.
Earlier this week I saw a photo on social media of an open oyster lined with pearls on each side of its shell. The notion of pearls and pain grabbed my quickly glancing eyes and I noted to come back to investigate any truth in the article…when I had some free time.
Yesterday, one of my best friend’s read to me, unaware of the oyster post I had waiting for me, about pearls and how they’re formed. This led to quite a discussion about life, pain, how we deal with the pain and yielding to the Lord though it all in our lives that we may honor Him in our hearts, in our pain.
We should know and expect we will suffer in life. James, in fact, tells us we will.
Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
James 1:2-4
It’s true, maturity takes time. I have written about my younger years-and my growing years, before. You can read more about it here. No matter how we want to shake it, maturity takes time. That’s not to say that time is what makes someone mature. Yielding to God’s wisdom and allowing Him to work through our circumstances and in our hearts changes us and allows the growth that prerequisites maturity. A growth that continues to manifest until death, I believe.
Honestly, I’ve been fascinated learning more about oysters. For instance did you know, naturally, as designed by our Creator God, not just any oyster produces a pearl?
I guess we should first talk about what makes a pearl. The common story is a grain of sand gets into the oyster and the process of pearl making begins. But I’ve learned through some google research, that it’s more often a parasite that intrudes the mollusk and thus starts the cycle of protection and healing whereby producing a pearl.
Characteristics of Pearl Producing Oysters
Taking those facts into consideration, not every oyster intrusion ends with a beautiful pearl. There are a couple characteristics unique to a pearl producing oyster.
One, maturity. Immature oysters do not produce pearls. Maturity is a prerequisite for pearl producing oysters and only mature oysters are able to make a pearl.
Two, intentional healing. Any oyster can be the recipient of its enemy. It’s what happens after the attack that makes all the difference.
Even though protected by a hard shell, the hidden, tender, inside of this creature is vulnerable to the corruption that lingers all around it, as it resides in its common and seemingly safe home.
As the enemy sets in, the oyster begins the process of covering that irritant with a soothing substance with the goal of complete healing. It will continue doing this for years. This is a wonderful example of intentional healing (and the work it takes).
This process is unique to a pearl producing oyster, because not all oysters choose to heal from the inconvenient circumstance of inner encroachment.
What are the odds of finding a pearl in an oyster?
1 to 10,000. The chances of finding a natural pearl in an oyster at a restaurant are very slim, but still possible. The chances of finding a gem quality pearl in an oyster? No less than 1 in 1 million.
The Pearl Source
Eventually, the nuisance of the enemy is overtaken by the patience efforts of this amazing invertebrate which endured time and persistently layered good over the bad resulting in a beautiful, valuable, pearl.
Contrarily, we can imagine, if left to fester, how such a breach of inner-turmoil ends. Furthermore, and too important not point out, only the oysters that have produced good quality pearls will go on to produce more pearls.
What do Pearls Have to Do with Life?
Like pearls, like Dad said, like Mom prayed; life is full of irritants and we have a choice to make when they breakthrough our shell and begin to cause us pain where no-one else can see it.
Pain in our lives is an easy bet. vHealing from such pain is one of life’s greatest challenges.
So what are we to do when at our most vulnerable parts are hit with life’s trials causing our hearts to actually ache?
But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you…
Luke 6:27-28
We bless and pray for those involved. As do the oysters, we cover the intruder with good and ease the irritation.
We treat one another, in and through our pain, the way the Lord teaches us:
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:9-21
If you’re like me, you don’t get too far in these passages and wonder how you can bless the one/s from whom hurt is stirred in your heart. Well, the answer is right here. The key to bless(ing) is, Pray.
We bless others as unto the Lord, and HE will do with it what He chooses. For us, we are soothing the irritant deep within us, and we’re doing so with the balm of the Lord Himself.
Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary.
Galatians 6:9
Be patient. Bless and Pray. Wait on the Lord…a pearl is forming and it takes persistency and time, but it’s oh so valuable!
What we need to know right from the start is this. Christian homeschooling is just an extent/arm of Godly parenting. They are two in the same and inseparable, supported through scripture. (A great resource for this is Israel Wayne’s book, Education, Does God Have an Opinion?) In his book, Israel shows you where education is mentioned in the Bible and that it is a direct charge to Christian parents in raising up the children God blesses to us. If you haven’t read it, I hope you will.
Deut 4 tells us to teach our children all throughout the day and night, all across their upbringing. It is an all encompassing call from the Lord. Read Here
Train up a child. This verse holds the secret to “education” as found in the
Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
We don’t teach our newborns to potty train because it’s not time, they’re not ready. We don’t teach our newly walking toddler to cook, same reason. It’s not that they won’t ever need to learn those things, just not “now.”
Often I see moms approaching homeschooling as “trying it out to see how it goes.” Here’s the problem with that, when our children are so little, it’s not time for formal approach to teaching; it is both setting an unrealistic expectation on their response, and it sets us up with a false sense of failure (and maybe even success) in trial and error.
We can no more fail at homeschooling than we can at parenting the children God has given us. HIS expectation is that we bring them up in HIS ways. Godly parenting is a JOURNEY over childhood. And it’s not easy…there will be hard times; count on it!
The real problem with this approach-see how it goes-is an obedience issue. When God tells us to do something, anything other than full obedience is sin. If we considered our marriage vows as contingent on how the first months or years go, we’d probably push the divorce rate to the upper 90s percent. God’s ways are right, and they require a response of obedience from each of us.
This parenting role is one that doesn’t have an answer key. It doesn’t have check boxes to tick off one by one. We can’t do it alone, and our best laid plans-as we seek the Lord through it each day-are just that, OUR best plans, but it is God who directs our steps.
A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.
Provers 16:9 NKJ
We have very little control over what’s going to happen throughout the miniscule but so very big 18 or so years of our child’s lifetime, but we can trust the ONE who does: The One who orders our steps. The One who has tasked us with overseeing and teaching these precious souls.
(Let’s not confuse the importance of academics with the urgency of teaching them {and learning ourselves} to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind, and to love one another. )
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Deut 6:4-9
Parenting toddlers shouldn’t be worrisome over “school” things. They have plenty of years ahead of them to be “taught” more formally. That’s not to say you cannot or should not use a Biblical prelearning program, if that’s what you want to do. Just don’t pretend it’s any insight to how the formal years of schooling will go when it is (typically) necessary to teach academics.
As an aside, this is even true as the children get into formal learning. If they don’t understand something as it’s introduced, very often the best practice is to wait. Put it aside and come back to it later. Our brain’s development is incredible, and we are uniquely put together…no need to perform to the curriculum’s timeline!
Little children learn through play and creativity. They NEED to run, crawl, babble, imagine etc. They do NOT need to color, cut, sit and do “work,” so keep your expectations in line with where your child/ren is in life. Even if they’re “advanced” for their age…don’t skimp on play. It’s far more valuable than you may realize.
I haven’t seen updates to it, but I always loved Before Five in a Row because it was all about good literature and fun, active, lessons to go with one book for the entire week. Some of our fondest memories over the past 20+ years revolve around us “rowing.”
Reading to your children is probably the single best thing you can do to foster a love for learning, and a love for God’s Word as we read scripture together. It’s something you should keep doing; it’s that important. Read! Read Scripture and also *good* literature.
And pray. This life isn’t one God wants us to live without His blessings, help, guidance. Grow in Him, intentionally, Momma. You can’t do this without Him. And the blessings of walking with the Lord outweigh any of the hardships or troubles that come our way. Yes, even in homeschooling. According to scripture, what we call homeschooling is obedience in Godly parenting. Not only can you homeschool, you should!
With God, nothing is impossible!
Happy Homeschooling
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I’ll admit it, when “shine” settled in my heart as the word of the year, my first that was how the Lord wanted to me to shine so that He may shine through me. I still think that’s true, so how ironic that the first verse I’m studying is not from that perspective.
It’s actually a good place, and the exact right place, for me to start this journey with the Lord, and shine.
Make Your face shine upon Your servant, And teach me Your statutes.
Psalm 119:135
Certainly, I hope there was no thought in my head of going about my life and learning to allow the Lord’s light to shine through me without first learning more of HIM and asking Him to shine His face ON me, not that I could light up the world around me, but rather that He could teach me His statues-His ways.
The teacher in me inherently and immediately defaults to the litmus test of a true teacher: the measurable results of the learner.
You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink. Teachers have an understanding much the same; you can teach but you cannot make a student learn. I get it, fully-especially as an educator, but I take issue with it at the same time. Too often it’s an excuse more often than a reality.
There are so many avenues to teaching-which I define as reaching a student in a way they can understand, learn and grow. Easier said than done.
Teach me that I may learn, know, grow, do…
There is a difference.
Look carefully at the details. The difference lies with how the word is used: with or without an object. Dictionary.com separates the verb teach very subtly but decisively.
Without an object it is, “to impart knowledge or skill, to give instruction.”
Look how that changes when used with an object: “to impart knowledge of, or skill in; give instruction in.”
Back in Psalms 119:135, we read:
Make Your face shine upon Your servant, And teach me Your statutes.
Romans 2:13 HCSB
Here, scripture uses teach with an object, and that object is me. The Lord has a targeted purpose in teaching us, and it is that we learn.
But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
James 1:22
For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous.
Romans 2:13 HCSB
Make Your face SHINE upon Your servant, and teach ME, (Lord, that I may LEARN and DO) Your statues.
So, do you have a word of the year? Please share what it is, and I always like to hear how you settled on it, specifically.
Even if you don’t have a world of the year, you’ve more than likely familiar with the idea. No sooner do we watch the ball drop in the NYC skyline trading what we knew for 365- the good, bad and ugly- to something new and filled with excitement. The buzz begins, “What’s your world for the new year?”
All the inspirational and encouraging words flood conversations, and now social media. Friends and strangers alike announce their own word with great anticipation of a year filled with joy and love. Words of the like, Joy & Love began the list and continue with no shortage of much the same.
Before I finish that thought, I wonder what I would see to check in regarding this on IG right now? Let’s see. Hang on right here…Yep, they’re everywhere. Word of the year! Joy, New, Hope, Breathe, Inspire, Create, Wonder, Courage…go take a look yourself.
I’ll be honest, the rebellious nature in me kicked and screamed the idea for a long while, but not too many years ago the Lord directed my heart to our word for that year, and as I daily sought Him through Scripture around it, He was faithful to show me how this word and all it held, from His Word, so graciously and sweetly applied to me.
But, true to my life, this word didn’t feel ‘good’ to those who heard it. Probably close to no-one wanted to follow along my journey as the Lord carried me through the next twelve months with this grand word of the year He’d given me.
Do you want to know what that word was? Weakness. My word was, Weakness! I’m not even sure I wrote about it much, yet I am sure it didn’t grow a line of readers and listeners wanting to hear more; that didn’t nullify the rich truths and spiritual growth I experienced walking through the year with the Lord around “weakness.” Less of me, more of Him. When I am weak, He is strong.
You know what? That’s what hard truths do, they tend to fork the path to the narrow gate and the wide gate of Matthew speaks about.
How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.
Matthew 7:14
Since then, that year where the Lord grew me from my weakness, there have been times where January 1st comes along, and by prayer, waiting and wondering, He gives me an unmistakable prompt to a word of the year-or sort of theme for study, reflection, change and growth .
Other times, He’s quiet and I need to be quiet too, asking Him through prayer if there’s something, somewhere, He wants to show me and take me by a choice of a word for the year.
What I can tell you is, weakness is much like me. I tend to thrive in study, in quiet, in challenge between me and the Lord, in deep thought, in hard truths…and though I can’t say I “thrive” to share these things, I sort of do by way of knowing if the Lord gives it to me to share, I am being obedient to Him. Not that I love the silence that follows a post, or a podcast when a hard truth is hard to hear (for me too!), but because I know I’ve honored Him; even if only my audience of One, THE One.
The calendar has once again flipped and we’re just beginning to countdown our newest 365 days, and the Lord has shown me a new word. I thought I wasn’t going to have my heart settle on anything specific, but clearly it has.
I’ll interrupt my thoughts here to share something very exciting. Lord willing, we will be holding our first grandchild in our arms in a few months. My daughter-in-love is absolutely gorgeous, and she lives and loves life in a grand way. There is no mistaking her presence, because person and her smile are electric and light up the room. Recently, I told my very pragmatic and dear friend I believed the baby’s name was Sparkle…because, how could it not be with her momma? (We are so excited!)
I share that to tell you, my word of the year seems much more fitting for my DIL than for me, nevertheless, it’s what the Lord has given me.
Many years ago I recall a little blonde, curly -headed girl sitting in church sining the old childhood song, This Little Light of Mine. Remember it? I think my favorite part was blowing it out! (Do you see the problem here?)
This Little Light of Mine
This little light of mine
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine…
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m going to let it shine…Don’t let Satan [blow] it out!
I’m going to let it shine…
I don’t know who wrote it, but I do know where it was first written:
No man, when he hath lighted a lamp, putteth it in a cellar, neither under the bushel, but on the stand, that they which enter in may see the light.
Luke 11:33 ASV
This year, my word of the year is SHINE. I don’t really know why, but I’m trusting the Lord with it and through it. As He allows, I will aim to be faithful to share with you what I learn about me, about Him.
For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’s sake. For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Cor. 4:5-6
Shine with me? Let’s see what the Lord will do this year in our lives.
For women at home
Psalm 107:29
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