IT'S OFFICIAL!

 

It was a day to remember, a time capsule milestone, an honor and privilege.

 

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"

2 Corinthians 9:15

 

"Behold, children are a gift of the LORD."

Psalm 127:3



GOODBYE SUMMER

It's been fun...

And sweet...
 

Simple...

Educational...

Whimsical...

(Then again, everything is whimsical when you're Olia...sweetest girl ever!)

Though technically school begins soon, it's really summer all year long for us in many ways...
and "school" all year long too when we choose to see all of life as our classroom.

The fun and outdoor learning don't stop when school starts
and the learning doesn't stop just because school is out for summer.
This is one of our greatest pleasures of homeschooling.

The beach (our other classroom) does get quiet though, which is always nice.

 

And, I've always loved bundle up fall/winter days by the shore.

Even so, there's something carefree about summer and something bittersweet about it's end.

But, with every ending...comes a new beginning just around the corner and I've been sensing fall.

Nevertheless, goodbye summer...

...for now.

 

"You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter."

Psalm 74:17         

THE CHORE JAR

Last school year, my friend sent out a link to a chore jar concept. I don't remember the whole logistical method (because usually my brain starts to spin with such instructional scenarios), but I did have a take away of my own which thus far seems to have stuck.

 

I'm a simple mom and I'm always on the lookout for ways to make our life even more simple. I don't like fussy, time consuming charts, etc...but I do like efficiency and happy helpers at home.

 

Enter The Chore Jar...

 

 

Around here, we assign chores for each school year then rotate them after summer. Everyone chips in and even the little ones have age appropriate responsibilities. This is our everyday method which works well for us, but sometimes we can all use a change of pace and The Chore Jar seems to fit the bill. Here's how it works:

 

The Chore Jar:

 

Who:

Kids & parents both work together. We want our children to understand that we're a team. 

If a task is too complicated for a little one then they get a buddy for the job.

 

What:

Strips of colorful paper have all the chores necessary for a complete house cleaning written on them.

Then they are placed in a jar for the picking. A boy might choose "Girl's Room", a parent might choose "Dress Up Closet", or a child might choose "Mommy and Daddy's Bathroom", but the mixing it up goes a long way for motivation. No job is too small for a paper strip assignment. We have some very minor chores in our jar to encourage us as we serve. We also have some biggies that require a buddy and hard work. Sometimes we pick a task that has already been done or is not in need of maintenance. When that happens, we simply choose again. As time goes on and we discover a messy section that doesn't have a paper strip assigned to it yet, we make a new one and add it to our jar. This way, we ensure everything is accomplished each time we use The Chore Jar.

 

Where:

We all gather around, usually in the kitchen, to pick paper strips out of the jar. We then head off in various directions to complete tasks as we pick them. (This includes inside the house and also our backyard.) Children do not pick a new paper strip until one parent has checked their work. This provides accountability and ultimately means an overall job well done in the end.

 

When:

We pull out The Chore Jar every now and then (no scheduling needed) on a day when the regular chores seem daunting and we feel the need to mix things up OR when our house looks like we've been ransacked and we don't want to spend the whole day cleaning. It's amazing how much more enjoyable and fast the daily chores can be when they're accomplished in this way!

 

Why:

Because some days we just need a little chore-time-perk-me-up.

(After all, even the heartiest worker gets in a "chore rut" every now and then.)

 

How:

Joyfully.

We strive to employ The Chore Jar's efficiency with loving and encouraging hearts, words, and attitudes.

It makes ALL the difference how we do our chores.

 

So, as we anticipate a new school year and reevaluate our routine, The Chore Jar makes the cut.

 

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men."

Colossians 3:23

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"But there are so many amazing discoveries a child will make simply by being at home

with his or her parents - exploring his world, pretending,

playing with modeling clay, swinging on a swing, tinkering with simple toys,

playing instruments and singing, listening for hours to books while cuddled in mom's lap.

These are the things that God built in the rhythm of normal life in a family,

and they will build a rich soul.

However, choosing to walk confidently in God's design requires a step of faith -

a step away from the "marketplace" of activities,

and into the "mommy-place" of the home,

filled with beauty, love, creativity, purpose, and peace."

-Sally Clarkson, Seasons of a Mother's Heart

DRAW THEM NEAR

I don't remember where I heard it, but it always stuck with me.

 

Draw them near.

 

Some wise mother somewhere down the line encouraged me to bring my children close when they're struggling. I remember the advise was to literally keep the child by the parent's side when they were in need of correction. The advise extended as well to drawing near a hurting child, comforting a child in distress the same way God comforts me in mine.

"As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you."
Isaiah 66:13
 
This drawing near is something I've pondered often through my mothering years and employed with compassion and perseverance. This drawing near is not the easy road. In fact, it is quite challenging. This drawing near is a choice and I believe it reaps a harvest of LOVE in relationships with depth.

Draw them near.
 

 "As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him."
Psalm 103:13
 

Our culture is prone to things like Time Outs, groundings, sending naughty children to their rooms, letting crying babies cry in their cribs, etc...but I wonder about the motives and effectiveness of such parenting strategies. I think through how I feel when I need correction from God, comfort from Him, help with my problems. Does He leave me to myself or does He say, "Come to me,"?

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
Matthew 11:28-29

When it comes to discipline, sometimes we parents are the ones who need a Time Out. Sometimes we're the ones who need to cool off. And sometimes Time Outs are productive, both for the heated parent as well as for the child. But, what if it were more commonly the practice for parents to draw their difficult children in and allow them to observe their ways, allow them to reap the blessing of constant abiding with a teacher who loves them and is willing to pour into their struggling heart? What if we used kind words and sacrificed our time to draw our most difficult children in at great length rather than push them away?

 

"My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways."
Proverbs 23:26

"He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young."
Isaiah 40:11

 

Children, just like adults, long to feel loved and accepted...no matter what.

Children need to feel special. They need to know they are lovable (even when they may be doing very unlovable things). One way to show our children we love them and accept them and are there for them and always will be no matter what is to draw them near, pull them in, spend time with them, keep them by our side in love.

 

"If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

1 John 4:11

 

Really this process begins with infantile struggles. Hungry for food, hungry for affection or whatever the cause may be, the baby cries and the parent responds, thus teaching the infant trust. It's the same with us and God. We look to Him...we can count on Him...He is always there for us. And, God uses us parents as vessels of His love in the lives of our children. Powerfully.

 

"You made me trust you at my mother's breasts."
Psalm 22:9

 

Draw them near.

 

It was my OB who once told me of the many mothers he sees through his practice who push away and push away their young children then wind up surprised, even heart broken when they've lost their relationships with their teen or young adult offspring. I recall him edifying the calling for parents to draw their children near, build relationships now that will stand the test of time, that will only grow deeper with years, rather than more distant. I want relationships with my teen and grown children like that! I want to draw them near. This requires intentionality.

Parenting is tiring, so we need the grace of God to pour out what only He has to offer. We need to empty ourselves of ourselves, so that we can be filled to overflowing with Him. When we do this, we offer God's love and compassion to the hurting. We allow His Holy Spirit to work in lives through us, His body. We get to be His hands and feet. :)

 

"No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us."

1 John 4:12

 

I remember when we bought our 15 passenger van. Ah, the beauty of multiple rows! And yet...with ALL those rows...guess where our children want to sit? In the first row. Why? Because they want to be near us, Mom and Dad. The thought of it stirs compassion.

 

Children are loud. 8 children are very loud...and a car ride may be a precious moment in my day to think quiet thoughts and listen to music in tranquility. But, what do I communicate to my children when I ask them to take a seat in a row farther from me? How will I feel one day (not so very long from now) when children won't fill those rows? Will I miss the loud? Will I miss the continual flow of questions from curious little sponge-minds while I drove? I think so.

 

I'd like to draw them near. That's what best friends do. They LIKE spending time together. I'd like to choose to LIKE spending time with my kids...even when they're doing those rather unlikable things. I'd like them to learn from me...especially when they're struggling. I'd like to help them through their struggles.

 

"Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise."
Proverbs 13:20

 

Not that I've been the biggest push away mom on the planet...I'm notoriously yoked with my kids, but nonetheless, I too tend to push away at times when the greater good might be to draw them near. So, I'm thinking about this today...and praying for God's will to be clear. I need His Holy Spirit to nudge me when it's best to draw them near, when it's better to remove, when it's necessary to separate for a time, and when it would be wise to keep them close.

I'm asking the Lord to help me be like Him, to genuinely desire that my little children would come to me, draw near to me the way that He allows me to draw near to Him with reciprocity. And, when they do, may I have the graciousness to respond in love as my Father God always does with me.

 

"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you."
James 4:8

 

Both for the purpose of disciplinary instruction as well as the gift of comfort in times of distress, I'm considering the benefits of drawing my children near rather than defaulting to separation during times of struggle. I'd like to draw them in with a smile, a warm hug, heartfelt intentionality, sincere devotion to them and to the One who blessed my life with them to begin with. I'm prayerfully considering the most effective way to show my children love...even when they're naughty (especially when they're naughty?).

I want to look back on my motherhood journey one day and remember being the type of mom who drew her children near, rather than one who pushed her children away. Again, this is a choice when our humanness prefers to avoid hard things. When I reflect on these years of sowing seeds, I'd like to look forward to the bountiful harvest to come. (Galatians 6:9) I want to have expressed God's impartial love for my children at ALL times...no matter what they may have done. I want to raise up children who know love and are then capable of expressing that love themselves to others.

 

LOVE.

 

That's what children need. That's what people need. That's who God is. That's what Jesus gave.

 

I want to be like Him.

 

"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”'

Matthew 19:14

GOOD TO BE HOME

Oh, it's good to be home.

 

After a full and delightful week of VBS, some much needed home time/downtime feels just right today.

 

 

It's always a blessing to be part of special outreach opportunities like Vacation Bible School.

 

To serve and learn and grow and fellowship with the body of Christ all week long is a gift.

 

 

We LOVED every second of it all!

 

 

A highlight of the week was the Kids Around the World food packing event.

 

 

And of course, the kids loved the carnival on the last day.

 

 

 

 

It was a VBS filled with blessing after blessing.

 

And now, after an action packed week out of the house (definitely NOT our norm around here!)

we are enjoying a day of getting our home and family life back in order.

 

As Mom, I'm relishing the nearness with my children I've been longing for. Though my youngest 3 were with me in class all week, the other 5 and Brodie were dispersed. How I missed each one of them! ...especially when I'd see them from a distance.

 

It's sweet to miss loved ones just enough to enhance perspective.

 

 

 

And even sweeter to be all together again.

 

I couldn't imagine a traditional school schedule without homeschooling. I'd miss my people way too much! 

 

I'm grateful today for home.

 

 

Close proximity is a good thing for mamas and their babes. :)

 

The crock pot simmers, laundry loads line up, quarrels receive due attention, hugs are stopped for, pjs till noon, bathing suits after that, guitars are tuned, an eskimo kiss melts my heart, prayer time lingers, naked toddler runs by (potty training back in full effect), dress up, buddies, teamwork, owies that only mommy kisses can heal, music sets the tone like the soundtrack to our lifesong, water sprays outside, tap shoes tip tap through the kitchen, bare feet pitter patter across wet wood floors, giggles and squabbles waft side by side through the atmosphere and I soak it all in, bask in every detail...I LOVE the sounds of family.

 

Here, together, come joys and challenges alike...

 

It's really good to be home.

"The wisest of women builds her house." Proverbs 14:1