Life Application Days

So three weeks into our new year and I'm already behind! Lol The juggle to balance the household ➕ homeschooling ➕ taking care of yourself, finding time for friends and family etc is REAL! And having my kids with me ALL the time gives makes it quite the challenge. But honestly its the mental stuff that becomes the real challenge. It's the self judgement, comparing yourself to others or even the school system, it's the wondering and worrying if what you are doing is right. I wonder if teachers feel the same way at times? Like worrying about starting a new unit in the middle of the week. I am not sure why I have this definitive idea that a Unit must be studied Monday through Friday... But I do. It is this kind of thinking that can drive me mad! But there is the Bible verse that states we are to please God and not Man, which allows me to ask the Him the question: What do YOU want from me today?

And usually God is pretty graceful and when you ask Him to lead your steps. He gives you the energy and ability to do it.  Although you can never be sure where He will lead you. (That is what is so scary and why it is called faith!) But where ever it is, it is better than where I was going to lead myself and it is usually a peaceful and joyful place.

 So last week with it already being a short week due to Labor day, I started to panic a little bit when my son fell asleep on Thursday afternoon and didn't wake up til the next morning at 7! ( He never does that this boy requires very little sleep!) But we still had some catching up we were going to do that afternoon so my hope to catch up was short lived. With Saturday being his first soccer game I decided to take Friday off to let him rest since he still seemed to have little energy Friday morning. He had no fever, no stuffy nose or cough or sore throat...he must if just needed to rest. So rest he did. But then I realized the kids would be getting a four day weekend, as Monday we had a ton of appointments we had to go to and I already was asking myself how I was going to fit school in.

So Friday we rested. Monday we had to go grocery shopping, Reid had his 6 month well visit, and Tripp had soccer practice. With three children there are days where you just  have to get done what NEEDS to be done that day. Days like these I like to count as school days and call them Life Application Days.

Life Application Days are the days where we are productive, but we didn't necessarily do any specific"school work". The days the house desperately needs to be cleaned after a busy weekend or the days where we are running around taking care of things, the days things need to be done and well we all know we can't be in two places at one time. So instead of freaking out, Which is what I want to do... I have created my own "class".  The kids are not just watching TV while I clean they are part of it learning for themselves how to clean and take care of the home and their things. When we go grocery shopping we talk about the food we are buying and the money we are spending. Taking their baby brother to the Dr. helps them learn about what it takes to take care of a baby, they have to learn to be patient and wait quietly while he gets checked out. ( I don't give them electronics waiting patiently is a skill they need in life) It also teaches them to care for others. Going to my parents in between Dr appointment and soccer practices teaches them time management and how to save gas.There is always something to experience and something to learn.

Today was another Life Application Day...we literally cleaned the whole house. Tripp cleaned his room and the bathroom and helped me with Reid. Mia does her own thing and helps where she wants to LOL...like she likes to hang her dresses on hangers:) But hey I'll take any help I can get!

I didn't do organized school but we did sit down and read together for a little while, we made Rice Krispie Treats. These experiences are rich in learning because the kids are engaged and having fun. They are there measuring and baking. They are right along with you getting things done. They are naturally learning hard work and self satisfaction. Learning to do things when they need to be done not when you want to do. I could choose to beat myself up over the fact that we didn't follow a curriculum two days in a row...but when I pray I hear God telling me to be gentle and graceful with myself.

He comforts me and has faith in me that I will do what needs to be done and encourages me to just follow His voice. Now that our house is clean tomorrow we can wake up and full force take on the day. Today we were led to clean. Tomorrow who really knows? :)  What I do know is I feel satisfied , productive and excited for school tomorrow. With three days left in the week we can finish Unit 2 and review Unit 1 and 2 on Thursday and Friday.(this is what I am hoping for!) I won't beat myself up because if God is leading my steps and he led me to clean then if I beat myself up I am actually knocking what God's plan was for the day. And the truth is my house is really clean and who doesn't feel good about that?! I got the most cleaning done in one day since Reid has been born!!! So it had to be the hand of God on me!! LOL  :)

The truth is when we trust in God, He won't overwhelm us to do more than we can. He will give us the energy to go above and beyond, to get the work done well. But He won't drain us in the process. Homeschooling and trusting God go hand in hand for me. It has taught me how not to be so hard on myself. It has taught to me to not aim to be a perfectionist but to find the perfection within imperfection. And over all the best thing  is through learning and growing with God in front of my children I can teach my children how to follow the voice of God! And this is probably the best life application I could ever teach them!