Meditations for Women Who Do Too Much

I don’t think I do too much. I don’t do enough.

The Bath, Mary Cassatt

After the commotion of the evening calmed, I read a few of the meditations searching to see if my offense was truth I needed to face. I found words about addiction and disease. I found admonishments to take time for myself. I found reminders that we have choices in this life. And perhaps that is the key.

I realize that I have choices. Our family is starting a business, and I’m helping to start a school. I have purposefully made these choices. I am not overwhelmed and overtaken because of the seeming chaos around me.

Peace is first internal. I find it in quiet prayers throughout the day. I find it by attempting to match my actions to reality. The children running around here are more important than the door that might fall off its hinges from swinging. Serving all the souls who enter my home is a privilege.

Slipping into bed, I asked my beloved if he thinks I am a workaholic like the book suggested. He worries that I do too much, too. His reply:

No, you just have so much faith. That is why you are busy.

Faith. Really? If those words from the one who knows me best here on earth are true, then my busyness is not some compelling drive for acceptance. It is not my doing at all. If those words are true, my choices simply start with being willing to open my heart, because faith is a gift.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

I ask the little ones to clean their room and the whining starts.

Where does that come from?

Their words express what is in my heart.

I tell them if they can’t clean up they have too much stuff.

They see the plastic bag and the whining turns to screaming. I reassure my girls that I’m not throwing things away. It’s just…there is so little room. We need to store some things for the sake of sanity.

And I grow weary. Headache and heat mixed with the inner turmoil of a soul who craves order and beauty. I pause to pray.

The constant dilapidation into chaos happens in my heart, too.

Setting things right begins internally. It happens when I choose to lay it all down.

It happens when I choose contentment in the midst of chaos.

I remind my soul that this too shall pass. The things around me are temporal. I squint to see with the eyes of faith. Eternal beings are in my care. These precious souls need a good model to follow, but I fail. I wail. I flail.

Discipline is far from me, but can’t it be squeezed in to replace some of the messes within?

And when that happens, the external might just might match the internal.

And then my children will learn habits worthy of modeling.

In this edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling, I consider my wish list while highlighting posts submitted by the homeschooling community. This is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a smattering of what blogging has to offer.

The homeschool community is diverse and I’m sure my wish list is vastly different from yours, but whatever you desire I hope we can all agree on the importance of liberty.

May the freedom to teach our children continue.

I wish for…

Liberty

• Barbara Frank Online states Let Girls Be Girls.
• Successful Homeschool addresses Homeschool Mom’s Dirty Little Secret #3 – Anger.
• Guilt-Free Homeschooling encourages with How to Adapt Lessons to Fit Your Student’s Interests and Make Learning Come Alive.
• The Homeschool Apologist examines what culture means in Swim At Your Own Risk.
• Alasandra’s Homeschool Blog Awards shares why Moronic Bob Cook Doesn’t Know Squat.
• Home School Dad discusses homeschool registration in Of Carrots and Sticks.

Endurance

• Parent at the Helm shares Two Studies Help Us Understand How Children Learn.
• Chrysalis examines the question, Why Should We Reach Children While They’re Young?
• A Work in Progress writes about embracing Enforced Time Off.
• Laura Grace Weldon challenges Guerrilla Encouragement Efforts.
• The Legacy of Home shares the importance of Family and Home.
• Wonderfully Chaotic remembers Why We Homeschool.

Library/work room

• NerdFamily Things shares resources for the Frugal Homeschooler: St. Patrick’s Day.
• Roscommon Acres gives instructions for The treasures of your heart, a quick St. Patrick’s Day project.
• Ina’s 5 & Our Native Homeschool teaches how to make a Working Aqueduct Model.
• QuirkyMomma has instructions for a DIY World Map Mural.
• SandwichINK shares their favorite Sequence Board Games For Kids.
• Adventures in Mama-Land asks about your workbox pages in Are you a cut-up???

Wisdom

• Opting Out asks Can phonics reduce the crime rate in America?
• Introducing the World reviews The Talent Code.
• Nirvana Homeschooling reviews the Book: Imaginary Garden.
• Tea Time with Annie Kate shares a favorite resource Free: The Handbook of Nature Study.
• Delightful Children’s Books shares 9 Books About Children From Around the World.
• A French Education teaches Silhouette on the Shade.
• A Pilgrim’s Heart found some Online Art Resources to enhance your Art Studies.

Housekeeper

• Why Homeschool shares information about ADHD and diet.
• Homeschool Mo will need some help with cleanup after Tot Time – It’s Flubbertastic!
• Our Curious Home asks the pressing question, “How Do I Homeschool and…Take a Shower?“
• Diary of 1 opens up the playground in the post, “Homeschool Recess.”

What is on your wish list?

If you would like to submit your blog article to the next edition of Carnival of Homeschooling, please use this submission form.

She shared the pictures of her handmade ornaments and told me about the devotion book she is using, The Lenten Tree.

I decided to get the book even though we aren’t making any ornaments this year. {Who says you have to make a Lenten tree even if you’re reading The Lenten Tree? The devotions are very nice all by themselves.}

With our new devotions, I decided to mirror Miiko Gibson’s free ebook, Lent Activities for the Family, and create a list of things to do during the upcoming days. A few of these ideas are from her list, but my children came up with their own ideas, too.

1. Make sugar cookies
2. Decorate eggs
3. Hunt eggs
4. Make hot cross buns
5. Attend Passover
6. Gather and enjoy Easter-related books
7. Plant daffodils
8. Pray
9. Make cards to share with friends
10. Clean our house
11. Help a friend clean
12. Go swimming
13. Go on a nature hike
14. Listen to the Twelve Voices of Easter
15. Listen to Handel’s Messiah
16. Make Easter story cookies
17. Decorate bird houses
18. Take flowers to a friend
19. Serve at the church
20. Weed garden beds

As we celebrate spring and resurrection, we will reflect on the blessings we receive and take some time to make a memory or two.

How do you celebrate this season?

______________________________

P.S. The Carnival of Homeschooling will be posted here tomorrow. If you have a post you’d like to include, please submit it at Blog Carnival.

Bursting through the church doors, she was greeted with a high five from Pastor. Then eyes scanned for her best friend. Once together the giggling started as the weight of school slipped away. The friends sat together through service, grew together.

photo: jessie.millan

Sunday services repeated over and over without a record of words spoken, but truths sank down. Love sank down and changed this girl little by little.

The girl was grateful when the pastor’s brother, a towering saint with a bolo tie, came up to her and said,

Our Sunday school class decided to pray for our youth. I got your name. I’m praying for you.

She needed prayer, this struggling one full of angst and longing. She tried to be good, but what was good in a world blaring lies? In the deepest places of her soul, she wanted to make a difference in the world. In the darkest hours of the night, she wondered whether she mattered at all.

A few Sundays later, the words repeated,

I’m praying for you.

Five months later, the words comforted,

I’m still praying for you.

Two years later, the words penetrated,

I’m praying for you.

The girl continued to grow. She headed away to college, but always when she returned back to her home church she saw the smile and the bolo tie and heard,

I’m praying for you, Renae. I haven’t forgotten.

The simple promise repeated over and over echoes still. Wonder mingles with profound gratitude. A man of God covered me with prayer for over a decade and that matters even now.