Sometimes the day is so productive that you just have to write it down or tell somebody because the likelihood that it’ll happen again anytime soon is slim to none. So, for the record (and for when my kids wonder if I ever taught them anything in home school), let me just share about our day.
I got up before the kids, which is harder to do post-summer laziness than I realized, and enjoyed time in The Word. Once they all got up, we ate a quick breakfast and then went for a walk. They griped almost the whole way, but they made it. “A bug just bit me!!” “How much longer?” “Why does my pinky toe hurt?” “Will you please put me on your back?” “Do we have to do school today since we are walking so long?”
We then stopped back in at home for some water and to pick up their tennis rackets and balls. We walked down to the courts. “WHAT?! Why are we walking? Can’t we take the car?” We can, but we live about 1/8 of a mile from the courts. Gracious. I let them know that they should be grateful for legs that work and a body that can move around and for a heart that is beating……and we walked to the courts. They started our tennis time off with, “But when DADDY was with us he did…..blah, blah, blah….” I asked them to take a look all around and tell me who is there with them today. I asked them who was NOT with them today, and we continued on the way I wanted to. 🙂 Oh, the joys. On the way back I told them to do what I was doing, and then I started doing walking lunges back home. Mack said, “But Mom! People will think we are crazy.” I said, “So.” Ruby said, “Yeah, if they think we are crazy, well…then they are really the ones who are crazy. Everyone is crazy.” Good point.
We came home and took showers, got dressed and started with Bible and memory work. We are working on Psalm 1. The music CD is helping a ton! We read a missionary story from MISSIONARY STORIES WITH THE MILLERS. I really enjoy reading those stories and finding the location of the stories on the world map. The girls even came up with a little song like a commercial to introduce our MISSIONARY STORIES WITH THE MILLERS time. It is cute and comes with motions.
Then we moved on to MATH. We are working on money with the girls—which reminds me that we need to play Money Bingo after rest time!
Mack and I worked on the letter “k” and some sight words. We read a few books. He put some numbers in order. He went to play.
The girls and I did English, reviewing common and proper nouns and practicing when and how to make nouns plural.
Then there was a popsicle break.
Then Science. And let me tell you, I am loving our new Science book. It is put out by Answers in Genesis, OUR WEATHER AND WATER. Love it. Over our two weeks and two days in school, we have learned about three major events that affect our weather today: Creation, Corruption (sin) and Catastrophe (flood). We learned about atmosphere the other day, and I really enjoyed that! Today we discussed air and if it weighs anything and how air pressure affects weather, etc. There are little experiments that are very simple, but perfect for proving the point. We even read in Job about how God spoke of the weight of air even in the Bible….Job 28:24 “For He looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole heavens, to establish a weight for the wind, and apportion the waters by measure….” Very cool. I also learned that “the air presses on our bodies with about 14.7 pounds of pressure per square inch when we are at sea level.” Yet another reason that fighting against aging and wrinkles is vain. There is air pressure like that pushing on our face and other parts of the body….things are gonna sag over time. Sobering, but true.
Alrighty, where was I? Oh, yes. Next we had lunch.
And now each one of the boogers are in their room for our rest time. They don’t have to sleep, but they must stay in their room quietly. It is so nice. After this rest I may be up for reading aloud from CHARLOTTE’S WEB. They really enjoy that story. We’re having sausage and eggs and pancakes for dinner tonight. Wonder if I should bring up that we are eating Wilbur? Maybe not.
So, for the record, I count this as an extremely productive day. Even laundry has been done! If you aren’t impressed, please keep that to yourself. 🙂
And also, for the record, I wanted to share a little something that happened the other morning. This weekend I was telling Josh about how sometimes I feel TRAPPED. I know God has me home with my kids, and I really in truly don’t want to be anywhere else. The heavy feelings can sometimes be oppressing. I have been praying that God would really set me free from the heaviness and give me joy in my calling here at home. I also told Josh that he may not understand this, but “I walk the same steps day after day.” I said those words exactly and was referring to how I get up, walk downstairs, fix breakfast, walk around cleaning up from breakfast, then walk around my bed to make it up, then walk into each of their rooms to help them with beds, straightening, etc, then I walk to the school room, and on and on…you get the point. It relates to the trapped feelings. I know I am not trapped, and I realize I am blessed beyond belief to be here with the kids and teach and train them. I get that in my head, but sometimes the feelings don’t match. I feel overwhelmed. Or frustrated. Or bored. Or trapped. I have asked God to help me see my calling the way He sees it and to walk in joy and freedom, no matter what feelings try to chase me down and trap me.
Enter Psalm 142. I “randomly” picked this Psalm to meditate on and to try and memorize about eight days ago. I’ve read it each morning several times. I was focused mostly on verse one and trying to call out TO GOD for help instead of complaining to others or calling out to Josh to help in ways he isn’t able to. But then, the morning after I had shared some of my thoughts and feelings with Josh, I read Psalm 142 with new eyes and felt like the Holy Spirit was showing me more in these verses than I had seen, making me realize God knew I needed to meditate on these verses for many reasons!
Psalm 142
1 I cry aloud with my voice to the LORD ; I make supplication with my voice to the LORD. 2 I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare my trouble before Him. 3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, You knew my path. In the way where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. 4 Look to the right and see ; For there is no one who regards me; There is no escape for me; No one cares for my soul. 5 I cried out to You, O LORD ; I said, “You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living. 6 Give heed to my cry, For I am brought very low ; Deliver me from my persecutors, For they are too strong for me. 7 Bring my soul out of prison, So that I may give thanks to Your name ; The righteous will surround me, For You will deal bountifully with me.”
Good stuff. For the record, I love it when God chooses to be blatantly personal and very much in my business.