Last year the "theme" of our home education was titled,
"Exploring Countries and Cultures."
We studied world geography and were "in" a new country every two weeks or so.
It was great and we had a blast.
This year we began our first year in a four-year chronological history cycle.
We are studying the time period from Creation to the Greeks. We've already learned a lot and it looks like it's going to be another rich, fulfilling year.
Even though we've been very excited to start this year, we've all been a little... let's say funky, for lack of a better word.
I couldn't figure out why. Then, something I read on the message board at MFW helped me realize that we were all comparing apples to oranges.
This is not about fruit. I hope you're not confused.
Last year was such an awesome year and we were able to establish a nice rhythm by week 3 or so. I expected this year to some how feel like last year. It never occurred to me that it wouldn't feel like last year at all.
But I had forgotten that I've changed, the children have changed and what we're studying has changed! Duh.
I needed to sit at the Lord's feet about this year just like I did last year.
Lord, how should I order our days?
Lord, how do I (fill in the blank)?
He had to show me that I can't try to operate on auto-pilot. Just because I educate the same three children in the same home doesn't mean that it won't be different and feel different from year to year. We are all growing and maturing. We're changing.
My advice:
•appreciate the different "flavor" of each school year without expecting anything to be identical from year to year.
•appreciate the changes in myself (patience and gentleness) and the changes in my children (endurance, enthusiasm and initiation) on this journey we're making together.
•appreciate the opportunity to have success in a previous failure. Like any new endeavor, wisdom will come with experience. I love setting a specific goal each year to focus on.
and most importantly,
•appreciate, always, the faithfulness of God to get us through each new situation with a greater understanding of each other and of Him.
My advice:
•appreciate the different "flavor" of each school year without expecting anything to be identical from year to year.
•appreciate the changes in myself (patience and gentleness) and the changes in my children (endurance, enthusiasm and initiation) on this journey we're making together.
•appreciate the opportunity to have success in a previous failure. Like any new endeavor, wisdom will come with experience. I love setting a specific goal each year to focus on.
and most importantly,
•appreciate, always, the faithfulness of God to get us through each new situation with a greater understanding of each other and of Him.
1 comments:
Exactly. I have found that when i try to force each year to be like the last, then it feels so, well, forced! When I seek God for the direction we should take and listen, obey, and get out of the way, then it all comes together. It's not always without some struggles, but it is absolutely right, for that season in our lives. You're the best! Thank you for sharing your insight. It makes me think about things differently, and I love that!
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