To Whoever Took our Bike: We are praying for you.

Today’s surprise lesson trumped the thrilling multiplication drills I had planned. We awoke to the news that my son’s bike was stolen. The handlebar light found lying lonely in the driveway.

Like most parenting scenarios, I had to think on my feet about the best way to respond. This obviously isn’t a major tragedy to us. But in your eight-year-old world it might be.

What do we do when these things happen in life? They can happen to any of us and I quickly jumped to meet the challenge that this could damage or strengthen their little view of this confusing, unjust world. How do I shepherd in this moment? Thank God when grace takes over our thoughts and anger is dispelled.

I want to invite you into our morning conversation because sometimes these little people I’m rearing blow my mind. By 10 a.m., I didn’t care about what other learning needed to happen today. This was enough.

So first, we discussed, does how you respond to frustrating situations matter?

We went over examples like how they could make a mess once and I could yell and label them as messy OR ask again to put something away and show them how. Which response do they like? I could really do damage to their heart or help to restore and reassure it with mercy. Does that extend outside of our home as well?

Second, this person that took our bike, what might their life look like if they are tempted to steal from someone's yard? I asked them if they were tempted to steal things they saw in the neighbor’s yard? When they said no I asked why.

Why aren’t you tempted to steal the neighbor’s basketball when they're not at home? Is it because you have your own? Because we taught you that's wrong? Because we are parents you could ask for something and we might help you get it? Perhaps people don't have these elements in their lives.

We made a list of emotions and tried to think what might motivate them in each emotion to steal.

ME: What about sadness?

KIDS: Maybe his bike got stolen. 

Maybe just getting new things makes him feel happy. 

Maybe he wanted one for Christmas and never got one.

What about anger?

Maybe he doesn't like us for some reason. (Umm…Ouch. I hadn’t thought of that.) 

Maybe it's revenge because someone stole his bike.

What if he's hungry or poor?

What if he took our bike so he could pawn it or sell it for money or trade it for something. 

Or did it for his parents because they needed something.

What if he did this because he's happy? Is that possible?

Maybe he's happy because he thinks he can do whatever he wants. 

Maybe they just took a joy ride down the steep street behind us.

What about peer pressure? What if he's lonely but it seems friends will accept him if he takes on their dares? What if his parents are the ones putting on that pressure? Would that be confusing if your parents tell you stealing is OK and the cops can't be trusted? Would that distort your idea of what right and wrong really is?

What if he feels unloved?

What if he didn't get a bike and feels unloved; that people didn't care about his needs?

Wow.

I was astounded by their answers and their ability to consider the conditions of others. Isn’t that what’s needed for us to really see those around us and empathize with them? I didn’t imagine I could have felt thankful for a bike getting stolen, but was starting to feel that in our discussion.

Finally, how do we feel for this person if we think that any one of these problems could be his motivation to take from others? How should we respond?

So, we could:

1)  Be Angry, Unforgiving, and Pray against them?  OR

2)  Be Loving, Forgiving, and Pray for them?

Which would be the best response? We voted. And they chose #2.

So, we decided to send this person a message.

We prayed for this person to seek God’s forgiveness and choose a better path for their life. He has so much more for them to do. And that we would be ready with the chance to give grace if they should ask. There was a brokenness for them now and not a trace of anger.

Then I appreciated their thoughtfulness as they chose what they considered a “friendly” color of turquoise paper, mounted it with cardboard in a page protector and staked it as a sign at the end of our driveway.

What will we do if they knock on our door? What if the bike just reappears in the driveway? Or likely we will never see it again. Does that change us?

Is it possible that this could be the start of someone’s redemption story? Would you be willing to pray with me that it would be?

I know sometimes I naively face life in a rosy, optimistic way. It’s how I make it through dentist trips and road trips. But I would rather err on the side of second-chances toward someone in my community who needs it. I want to be a mercy-giver more, in my home and outside of it.

Thanks stranger for our lesson today.

The Little Moments are IT: Writing a Satisfying Purpose Statement

My perspective has been so shaken lately and I’ve got to figure out how to share it! 

Because it’s a heartache I hear over and over again among women- overcoming discontentment with life.

I slip into funks when I don’t know what I’m doing or “do” in life, approaching 40 and wondering if I’m doing “it” yet. Whatever “it” is. I can be busy but still feel like I’m missing something. My life can be full of people but still feel a little lonely and confused. I was in one of these seasons recently and headed out the door for my much-needed weekend with my college BFF, when my husband threw out this challenge- “So, like, talk and write out a purpose statement together while you’re there.”

Yeah, easy.

But in all my ramblings and catching up over the weekend I did feel like some key ideas came into focus.

See, I’m married to a very creative visionary who also works in a world where he’s always asked what the next goal is. A book? Speaking engagements? Another degree?

So he comes home and asks me the same thing. What’s next? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In 10? What are your goals? These questions that could be full of hope usually spark a dive into depression.

I really appreciate that he asks, and I know that he will support whatever I want to try- No matter how big it is or what it takes some day. He is supportive, thoughtful and challenging in a good way (and didn’t even ask me to say nice things about him here.)

But while I know he wants to support and inspire me, I need him to stop asking me to set goals.

My Realm

I homeschool 2 sons, am active at church, work a part-time job at home, have my box of seasonal crafts, and we open up our house a lot (constantly!) to college students, but when he asks me those questions I immediately look outside of this circle and strain to think of something else I could be doing. Yeah, what’s my book idea or business strategy or foundation to work for? What area of my life can go big? Why aren't there any orphans in my house?? I'm not even close to any of these ideals so “Do I impact anybody?” is the depressing question I settle on.

Over that talkative weekend I realized that my little realm of life is pretty full. And full of good things. So we started with the first question- what is our end goal in life? I see my purpose as living life as part of God’s Kingdom now. I live this life with Jesus as King, in His culture, growing in Christlikeness until one day I step into His eternal Kingdom. So, what will be worth it along the way?

For me, for now, these were the major 3 themes that emerged as most important or passionate:

1)  Be an engaged, faithful disciple of Jesus and set that example for my kids.

2)  Be involved in renewing hearts and minds. (Romans 12:2)

3)  Be involved in restoring the family.

I took a look at the obvious opportunity, audience and needs around me. Currently, we could have an endless flow of college students through our doors. Our main conversations center around freedom in Christ, renewing our minds by recognizing lies, giving them over to God and receiving healing truth in prayer, and advice about marriage or family. We meet for coffee and to take walks, invite for dinner or prayer meetings. Nothing international, nothing large-scale, but I’m seeing the value that these are “the things” of life that have meaning for me. And that realization has changed everything.

If I think of these as the themes in my life I want to invest in, then any coffee date over the superficial and the serious are renewing the mind, taking it captive to obedience to Christ. Any solitude time where I pull away from busyness, is renewing my own heart and mind as a disciple. When we serve dinner and play games we are renewing what family can mean. Many don’t have a healthy picture of family anymore.

We are surrounded by college students who have suffered abuse, hurt, abandonment, criticism, absent parenting, or military shell-shock. Their past is painful and therefore their future is scary. I think people will be drawn to any home where dinner is served, seated around the table, with conversation. That is missing today and they feel it. The simple act of opening our home and including others, I am convinced can re-shape what family can be. If I see these “little” moments as the great work of life on my path then I find myself teary chopping vegetables and setting the table to include a student who I know that their parents abused and withheld love from them as a child. Laughing and talking about early marriage can be formative for couples staring at marriage with fear because they both come from broken homes. Giving a girl time to hear about her relationships and questions and sharing my experiences could give her path new direction and may just change everything.

These themes that bring others onto the path with me of drawing into an abundant life in Christ, is “the work”, “the calling”, “the thing” I am really looking for. This shift in perspective is changing everything for me. I don’t have to search and start something new. I can see the value behind what I am already doing and it may just be eternal. It feels good not to think about changing everything about myself to fit someone’s standard. I’m learning to walk in God’s Spirit and see that my life is already very full.

My Themes and what they mean:

1)  Be a faithful disciple and set that example for my kids. Give them an honest, faithful picture of faith. Break from life for solitude. Be mentored by others. Be a life-long student of the Word. Meditate on Scripture while exercising or doing other activities. Live generously in all ways.

2)  Renewing hearts and minds. Whether in my own life or others- Give lies over and receive God’s truth consistently. Take any opportunity to do this with others. Playdates. Coffee dates. Dinners. Prayer meetings-  All centered around this eternal perspective.

3) Restoring the family.  Share life and my family with others. Model family life over meals, movie nights and games. Pre-marital counseling. Talking about intentional traditions or parenting. Making holiday activities for my kids and friends.

I can’t control what others will do after they leave our realm but it is tangible for me right now to look at my monthly calendar peppered with these appointments and know that these make up good days. They were the work I “should” be doing. They add up to a satisfying life. These themes can help me weed out what I should take on as well. Are there other good opportunities of things to be involved in? Yes, but I may need to say no to keep investing in what I already have.  

Is this mediocre? What is mediocre? Welcoming His Kingdom come, His Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven into this life and helping others find healing in order to live in victory over pizza and board games? I can be content with that. It sure beats false guilt over all the things I am not doing. I want God to be glorified in the “small” things.   

So, what do you think is the goal while we are on this journey of life?

What are the themes in life you are passionate about? 

What are the needs around you that you could meet while staying within your realm?

When you define these themes and then look at the big picture, are the simple things in life what are important?

Valentine's Parent's Prayer Day 10: 10 Days of Valentine's

Today's verse and prayer for my children will take on even greater meaning, I expect, after today. We got to experience the Compassion International Experience that came to our town; to listen to the stories of children around the world in desperate need of teaching, food, necessities and hope through sponsorship. We took this very seriously, knowing this would be a long-term commitment and something we wanted our boys to take an active role in. I want to add the name and face of this little boy in South America to the prayers every day for my own two sons. My oldest asked if he could consider our sponsored boy like a brother. I hope this will help him grow in interest and compassion for the millions of faces that God would shine His great love upon.  

If you would like to learn more about this sponsorship check out:

http://www.compassion.com/

Parent's Prayer Day 10:

1 John 4: 9-10 - Father, Thank You that Your love is not kept reserved and far from us. What an extension of Yourself to send Your Son down to walk the dirt among us! Thank You for the new life that we may live through You. I pray for that life for my sons (here and around the world); a life of freedom, purpose, and hope, living in You. In Jesus' name, Amen.    

You can download and print the 10 Hearts 

to give to your loved ones each day here.    

“So we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us.”

-1 John 4:16

Valentine's Parent's Prayer Day 9: 10 Days of Valentine's

Welcome to Day 9!

Parent's Prayer Day 9:

1 John 4:11-12 - Lord, Please help me to understand just a little bit how much You love us and the world around us. How would understanding that love change how I could interact with those You have placed in my week? Give me opportunities to speak to open hearts and share what I know to be true of You, even if I can't see You. Thank You that You abide in us and perfect our flawed ideas of love. Help me to see the fruit of your abiding love in my children and bless them. In Jesus' name, Amen.    

You can download and print the 10 Hearts 

to give to your loved ones each day here.    

“So we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us.”

-1 John 4:16

Valentine's Parent's Prayer Day 8: 10 Days of Valentine's

Today's verse is an encouragement naturally. Imagine it spoken to you by our brother in Christ, John, linking himself to "us" as the Church. 1 John 4:7 - "Beloved (you), Let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God, and knows God."

Parent's Prayer Day 8:

1 John 4:7 - Lord, Show us today the overlooked ways that we do not love others fully. The times that we ignore, or pass by, or give no attention. The moments that we have not let Your love invade. The times that are too busy to show Your love inside of us. Forgive us for cutting short what Your love would do. By Your power, help us to change habits this weeks in small ways. Help us become aware of any bias or busyness or selfishness. Help my children and me to display that we have been born again of You with our generous and patient love. In Jesus' name, Amen.   

You can download and print the 10 Hearts 

to give to your loved ones each day here.    

“So we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us.”

-1 John 4:16

Valentine's Parent's Prayer Day 7: 10 Days of Valentine's

Today I am very thankful for a husband that follows up on and supports my ideas. He knows the boys well and prays for them. And uses words like Warts in his Valentine.



And last night in return they gave us Valentine's from church. I feel like we must be doing something right as parents to receive such understood kidding and love.





My youngest son was excited to give me this coloring sheet because the hearts are scalloped like my Verse Hearts here, and he made it "my color", which is notoriously turquoise.














And this was given to Dad by our oldest son. Admittedly, we change the words on most cards we buy to better fit our sentiment. (This was not found disrespectful.)   


"You're weird."



The word Swell was too easy of a set up.

























(Wow for recycling to the leaders that held onto these cards since the 90's and offered them to the kids to use!)

I love this verse because it is the John 3:16 of 1 John. It proclaims the love and sacrifice of Jesus for us but goes a step further to say we may be called to lay our lives down for our brothers.  

Parent's Prayer Day 7:

1 John 3:16 - Thank You, Father, that You taught us just what love is. My heart Knows love because it knows You. In a world of confusing messages about what pure love is, You defined it long ago by laying down Your life for us. Give us an understanding of this and love so intense for each other that we would be willing to lay our life down for another. May You be glorified in our life and our death. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Do your kids show their thoughtfulness in odd ways? Share it with us.



You can download and print the 10 Hearts 

to give to your loved ones each day here.    

“So we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us.”

-1 John 4:16

Valentine's Parent's Prayer Day 6: 10 Days of Valentine's

I guess I will have to wait until actual Valentine's Day to receive all they constructed yesterday, but by the paper evidence left on the floor of the "craft" room my VDay should be well decorated! Today's prayer is full of praise!
I would encourage you to read all of 1 John on this topic and share your thoughts.


Parent's Prayer Day 6:

1 John 3:1-3 - Father, Open our hearts to see more clearly what kind of love You give to us. You gather us from any circumstance and call us Your children! And if we believe in You we are adopted and receive all the rights of a son or daughter. I pray for my children to also accept this perfect love. This relationship will confuse some we know, but help us to share it and explain it compassionately. Holy Spirit, call more into Your family through our story of adoption. Thank You for Your perfect love that purifies us for a new future. Thank You that You offer this to all. In Jesus' name, Amen.


Have your children given any response to this project?
Share it with us below!  

You can download and print the 10 Hearts 

to give to your loved ones each day here.    

“So we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us.”

-1 John 4:16

Valentine's Parent's Prayer Day 5: 10 Days of Valentine's

I think my boys must be enjoying this idea because they have been locked in the guest room for almost an hour now and told me to, "Keep out! Valentine's purposes!" shrieking every time I pass the door. Even though we should probably be doing Math lessons I'm letting it wait for now because I love when they are working on the same team. They went from one moment -cunning, big brother trying to sneak a dollar out of my 6yo for getting a question (whatever that question was!?) wrong, to dashing into the room where the construction paper and markers were kept, all in whispers. When these good moments come I try to ride it out. They don't always get along but we stress in our house how Jesus uses "brother" as the greatest example of what love should look like and loving others has got to start in this relationship first. We practice on each other, who we know loves us, to learn how to love those who don't love us yet. Glad their love for me brought them together today, at least for this one hour. 

Parent's Prayer Day 5:

1 John 2:4-6 - Father, Let us be blessed to see true fruit from our children's belief in You. We humble ourselves to be changed by Your Word and example so it is evident we "know You." Help me to lead them in learning and keeping Your Word. I know Your love is truly perfected in the heart that keeps it. Lord, today I want to walk in the way You walked and lead my children in Your footsteps. Let Your love be alive in our household today. In Jesus' name, Amen.

You can download and print the 10 Hearts to give to your loved ones each day here.    

“So we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us.”

-1 John 4:16

Valentine's Parent's Prayer Day 4: 10 Days of Valentine's

     

Welcome to Day 4! You can download and print the 10 Hearts to give to your loved ones each day here.                

 

Parent's Prayer Day 4:

1 John 5:1 - Good Father, Open they eyes of my children to the evidences of You all around us that they may believe. My hearts' cry is that they would be born again of You and love You. It is a parent's greatest peace. If my children already believe, help me notice the love they have for others and help me display it too. I know the world will recognize we are Yours by our love. In Jesus' name, Amen.

“So we have come to know and
believe the love that God has for us.”

-1 John 4:16

Valentine's Parent's Prayer Day 3: 10 Days of Valentine's

The original link to download the 10 Heart Verse Valentine's are in the post on the right. Hope you are having a restful weekend. Be sure to post a picture to show your Hearts on display!


Parent's Prayer Day 3:

1 John 4:20-21 - Dear Lord, Thank You for Your great, true love toward us! Please help me and my children speak truth with our love today. Help us in those moments when we are tempted to treat those we love without love. Guide me to be a greater example in loving who I can see, training them for perhaps a greater challenge- loving One they cannot see. Love our family, friends, and schoolmates through us this week and help us grow in love toward the ones with whom our love has grown cold. In Jesus' name, Amen.  
 

“So we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us.”

-1 John 4:16

Valentine's Parent's Prayer Day 2: 10 Days of Valentine's

Welcome friends! If you are just starting today, it's a great day to start!

You can download and print the 10 Hearts to give to your loved one each day here.

I changed my mind about sticking the Hearts to their door and am going to hang a string across their doorway and clip one up each day so they can see my note written on the back. Hopefully it will be a good reminder as they walk through, but will likely become a Nerf target line!

I hope these written out prayers will benefit your thoughts toward your children this week. I used to be hesitant about prayers written down by someone else, not wanting to recite something that I was not learning or feeling myself. But "crafting" prayers have become an important part of my dwelling on a passage and thinking through its meaning. It sticks with me much better this way. Feel free to write and post your own! 

Parent's Prayer Day 2:

1 John 4:18-19 - Our Father, Thank You that Your love is so unconditional, patient, and forgiving that we can come to You without fear. When my children are afraid, help them to settle into this great love and give You their fears instead of carrying them and striving alone. Perfect our hearts each day as we grow to be more loving and more like You by dwelling on Your example and resting in Your love too. Thank you for loving my child even before they were born. Be near them and remind them of Your love while we are apart today in a meaningful way to them because You know them. In Jesus' name, Amen.

“So we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us.”

-1 John 4:16

10 Days of Scriptural Valentine's Day Notes! Day 1

A Free Printable gift from God’s Word for your children.

Intended for February 5 - 14

“So we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us.”

-1 John 4:16

Recently this verse struck a deep chord within me. A strong desire for my children not only to hear often about God’s love but to come to know and believe in it. That phrase has become part of my nightly prayer and blessing for them. How often we as adults struggle with trusting this idea and I deeply want to plant this in my children’s hearts and minds if possible.

One step toward this this year is to leave them a “love note” from a book rich with words about God’s love for us and how then we should love others- 1 John.

You can download and print the 10 Hearts to give to your loved ones each day here. You can write your own personal note on the back and decorate or attach candy (who wouldn’t love that!). I’m going to stick mine on their door each morning. The verses may also lead to a good dinner discussion on how we love others or deal with those who were unloving today. These moments will help to equip them for the tough challenges they face in their own little world. We want to train them to respond in sacrificial love out of an awareness that God loves them.  

I will also be posting Parent’s Prayers to match the verse and Valentine for each day. This is a good way to pray over your child or for your relationship with them. I love to pray over them while they are sleeping; when they are cute and still and all the troubles of the day are forgotten. Day 1 Parent's Prayer is given below. 

Don’t worry about what day you are starting- even the 10 days after Valentine’s Day would be a special surprise.


So, Mom's and Dad's,

*What ideas have you used to explain God's love to your kids?

*If you use these hearts, please share how!

Parent's Prayer Day 1:

1 John 4:16 – Lord, More than anything I want my children to come to know and believe the love

that You have for them. Help me today through my patience and kindness to display that love

You have for them. I want to dwell with You and in Your love and bless my children today by this

example. In Jesus' strength, Amen.

Resurrection Advent: Days 2, 3 & 4

Today is Wednesday of our Advent to Resurrection Day (Easter). My oldest is not feeling his best so we have taken a break from our studies today to craft for Passover and review these stories. I'm excited by so many awesome ideas on the internet of what other creative families have done! So far we've made a toilet paper roll Moses, there is a mound of paper scraps covering my hearth from cut-out paper crosses my 5yo offered to make to decorate our windows, stamped Passover placecards are started, and we've planned out a few others ideas for which we are short one ingredient each. But can't make it out to the craft store today. Phooey.

From the couch with his knee propped up, I enjoyed overhearing my 9yo read through the pile of Passover and Easter books I had laid out (no set-up there!) to his brother.

We have been reading the Resurrection week stories during breakfast every morning so far this week, again, trying to make this Advent distinct from Christmas. So far we have read about 1) The Triumphal entry into Jerusalem (leaf), 2) Jesus Clearing the Temple (pigeon), 3) Jesus' Last Lessons to the Disciples- Love the Lord and your Neighbor (heart), and 4) The Last Supper (bread). This is what our felt map looks like so far:

We let them choose a few songs they knew, some from Christmas, to sing. We asked them also to close their eyes and picture what God on His throne might look like. Then to picture this and ourselves before Him as we sing these songs of praise. We want to encourage them to be thoughtful about this and not just copying us. It's interesting to hear their imagination or visualization. It is a good reminder for me too to slow down and think of our praise actually being received by God and our hearts offering it to Him; not worrying about teaching harmony or if little feet are being still. I think I can make an endless list of crafts and lessons to do but our display of loving God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength will leave the greatest impression.

Painting my son did this weekend.We are decorating the dining room with their art for the Passover Seder. I wish you see how sparkly his skyline is.

Advent to the Resurrection: Day 1 Palm Sunday

On this Palm Sunday we join with many around the world, reading about Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. Like Christmas Advent, we wanted to create a tradition of countdown and remembrance. Unlike Christmas, which is a celebration each night with a little surprise or candy, this week is more somber until the end. We are still trying to figure out a new and unique rhythm but we began this evening reviewing the Christmas Advent ornaments and the events they represent. I was surprised how much they remembered! Christmas is significant in that the Jews had waited thousands of years for a Messiah to come. They celebrated and we celebrate. We will detail this week why the Resurrection is significant. Christmas Advent is typically done in the evenings. Resurrection Advent we hope to continue in the mornings so that our reflection on Jesus' life can continue throughout our day more easily.

Our goal this week is teaching them how to seek Jesus. Really, in anything that we do all year, that is the ultimate goal for us. We just love these holidays as a concentrated time to help us to focus in on this goal with teaching and special time together. Tonight we talked about what it means to truly believe in Him or want to leave Him as Jesus asked His disciples, read the story from our Bible in Stories and decorated our felt wall hanging "map", sang and prayed together. At Christmas we wanted to make sure that we taught Christmas hymns and for Resurrection we wanted to teach related songs known by most, so for Day 1 we sang "Amazing Grace." It is amazing that we sing so many great songs with our Church body but often classics are not repeated enough to be learned.

Background begins with Road and Hill, Clouds, and Sea

This season I created a Resurrection Advent map out of one of my favorite materials- felt, with a Reading guide and activities. This is something you are welcome to cut out or adapt yourself or I have some kits ready-made in my Etsy shop. Basically, you begin with a long road up to the hill of Calvary, adding a piece to go with a story picked out for each day of the week. Tonight's story of the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem added a green palm leaf. This set covers 10 days of teaching including the time Jesus spent with the Disciples after the Resurrection and His Ascending into heaven before them, because I thought it important not to end at the Resurrection. Adding these 2 stories will help to lead into conversations about Jesus' work and role after the Resurrection and to our future. I'm excited to see how these elements fit in with our seeking Jesus together as a family this week!

This is what the "map" looks like by Day 10- teaching the Triumphal Entry through the Ascension.

Loving the Ordinary Day

Today for some reason was a really stellar day. I got a few minutes alone to reflect and pray while everyone was waking. Then I ate a pretty healthy breakfast at the table with the boys while they drew pictures and we started our homeschool work. I read out loud for half an hour while they made bookmarks. Completed Math with each while the other took a shower and then switched. By 1:00 had finished school, eaten lunch, done chores and played 2 rounds of UNO. 1:00-2:30 was quiet play time throughout the house and by 3:00 had dinner in the crockpot and was bored, thinking this was the longest, slowest but greatest day ever. I even got to chat with a friend on the phone, graded essays, played Legos, watched a cartoon, and sent them out to run circles until Dad got home.

I do not say this to brag. There really isn't much to brag about actually. Yay, I did some workbook pages and threw some beans in the crockpot! I should write a book!

This was a pretty ordinary, unremarkable schedule. (For many this probably sounds extremely boring.) But for us there had been peace, fun, learning, work, reading. A good schedule, a pretty clean house, and variety. A sense of accomplishment birthed out of the mundane. Satisfying.

What I realized today is that I think this is what everyone else's day is like ALL THE TIME! And spend a lot of time wondering why I can't get it together?

WHY? Who tells me everyone else's day is going smoothly and peacefully? That all my friends are awesome (well you are) and that my days are mediocre and not quite enough.

Why did this day of relative peace seem special?

The surprising revelation to me is being on the brink of a discovery that makes you settle back into your seat relaxed instead of springing forth into action. Often I think learning or discovering something must propel you into a new mode of accomplishing twice as much in half the time, by some new magical means or fantastic organization. That's why thinking about "getting better at being me" often leaves me stressed.

One thing I am learning lately is to simplify the long list in my head of what a really awesome day is. And discovering and accepting what pieces of my schooling and parenting are most important to me. To slow down and schedule in UNO as part of our day because it resets everyone's mood. It just does. And if I have a more realistic expectation of what HAS to be cleaned or baked in a day I can leave time for games. Their little hearts need me not to be neurotic about dirt or determined to be an entrepreneur on the side. And the day is sweeter when we are slow, unhurried, and do our few things well. And ironically "accomplishing" less can be satisfying if I exchange impatience and destined frustrations for peace.

I think credit must go to our breakfast prayers this morning to love each other with the love of Jesus and be in step with the Spirit. His Spirit leads me to be patient with tears, and cereal crumbs, and long subtraction problems. His Spirit leads me to make more time for snuggles, and books, and long Lego explanations. His Spirit's rule is making a difference in my day we all will feel. And that will make more days feel special.

What is a good day for me?

Fun. Bible lesson and drawing. The school Basics of English, Math, Reading and anything else of interest. Listening to music/review work. Sharing responsibilities. Everyone being quiet some part of the day. Eating together and laughing. Listening and hugging. That's good. That's enough.

Embracing the day. Working while I read Peter Pan at the Library. Note the hole in the math sheet and pants rolled up because someone spilled hot chocolate down their sock. Yep. Good stuff.