When I was a child,
I talked like a child,
I thought like a child,
I reason like a child.
When I became a man,
I put childish ways behind me.
Now we see but a poor reflection
as in a mirror;
then we shall see face to face.
Now I know in part;
then I shall know fully,
even as I am fully known.
1 Corinthians 13:11-12
Dreaming, except for nightmares, can be great fun. I can get into some real fixes and then get out just by waking up! After that, I try to figure what I must have eaten before bed, to cause such craziness in the head.
Don’t you?
“House” dreams are supposed to be about ourselves. So when I dreamed about a huge house with a flooded basement, I’m not sure I had such a great supper that night.
I much prefer the one where the staircase leads upward, to hundreds of elegantly appointed bedrooms.
I also have the other type of dreams, when wide-awake, planning wonderful projects I will do next year. These dreams are haunting and therefore remind me of nightmares.
I am supposed to act on them, to perfect everything I need before I can get started. Losing weight, writing a book, finishing the afghan, unpacking the last box from moving several years ago, all fit that category. I should be making these dreams come true, but something keeps waking me up from real life, and it is not clear WHAT.
Once upon a time, I had weeding and weighing in good shape. Same for ironing. Really.
Was I simply setting a good example so my children would grow up with good habits? That’s a good modus. However, now that no one is watching me . . .
Well, the Lord is watching, right?
Once I was motivated by love for others, my little others who surrounded my skirts with neediness. I now must find motivation only in doing what is right.
I have choices. I don’t like who I see living inside this rules-bound exterior.
The last child is gone. Can I afford to do my own thing? Am I really my own puppy? Do I need to rethink?
I have slept.
It’s time to wake up.
Hey, everyone!
I’ve been out, in case you dd not notice. Technical difficulties, partly. But also partly supervising the removal of the last of the kid stuff from my house.
Oh, I have a Grandmother toy box, educational games, and color books still lying around, but the closets reserved for my own children’s collections are empty.
And in the process I have found so many odd things:
It is a holy thing to teach a child,
A holy thing to take the wild
And tame it for the LORD.
It is a holy thing to love your own,
A holy thing to stand alone
And be the three-ply cord.
It is a holy thing to stay behind,
A holy thing to never-mind
Things you cannot afford.
It is a holy thing to work for good,
A holy thing to take for food
His righteous, written Word.
It is a holy thing to read and run,
A holy thing to rest when done
And take the good reward.
It is a holy thing to put to flight
Ten thousand with a little might,
And then lay down your sword.
Can I get a witness?
“A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government, and this is necessary to close the circle of our felicity.”
Okay.
I know this site is a mix.
But so is home life.
One minute you’re mopping the face of a heart-broken pre-schooler
while dispensing wisdom about overcoming heartbreak.
The next minute, supper is due.
Or past due.
You come here for help and encouragement about the home.
Me, too, sometimes.
And if I am not feeding a soul, I am feeding a tummy.
Or 17 tummies.
And looking for that recipe.
Or wishing for a new recipe.
When one of my own recipe cards is lost, I come here, myself.
Really!
I need that recipe!
When you need a recipe,
or a boot in the motivator,
or you just want to think about food,
And have fun.
P.S. I know I have not found all the recipes I’ve posted at Home’s Cool, and need to search for more. They’re tucked into all sorts of places, kinda like at my house. If you find one somewhere, here, and it’s not on the new page, let me know, please. I’ll send you a yum recipe of your choice from my private stash as a reward.
Cristina from The Homeschool Mom Blog left a “like” here, yesterday, and started the bells ringing and whistles blowing, as she was our 20,000th visitor.
I am sure she felt surprised, as I was not certain if, or how, I should commemorate this fact, or even if I might not wait all day for one more visitor and have her arrive tomorrow. So I hadn’t announced or warned anyone about it.
However, as the morning progressed I felt more sure, and DID manage to catch that tiny click that started it all.
Since Cristina is a home-educating mom, I asked her if there were anything she might like to write for us, here. Her answer?
“What don’t I like to write about!”
Without further introduction, here is her fine essay:
When we first delved into the fascinating world of marriage, I soaked up every book I could get my hands on. I read about how relationships ought to work, how I could do this better and that better, and what was best for our children.
It didn’t take me long to realize I was getting overwhelmed. Whose advice should I take? Did I need to use this method of education or that? What type of routine did I need to be on?
The Lord very clearly spoke to me with this important thought, “You only need to follow Me.” I didn’t need to worry about what other people were doing. I only needed to focus on the path He was setting before us and then follow it.
For us, our path led home.
In our home, we homeschool. Keeping our children at home isn’t about being scared of public school, it is about the building of our relationships and keeping our family centered.
In our home we cook. It isn’t just about eating healthier, it is about creating memories and bonds that will remind our children of where they came from.
In our home we work. My husband is self-employed and is here as often as possible. It is frequently challenging, but the rewards of being together are worth it. Our children will always remember their pop being around.
In our home we disciple. The morals of our children should first and foremost come from us. We are responsible for teaching our children about God, not someone else. The training of our children needs to start with us.
The center of all we do revolves around our home and the center of our home revolves around our saving faith in God.
Our home may not look like anyone else’s, but it shouldn’t. Our home may not be someone else’s ideal, but it is God’s ideal for us.
Our home may not be perfect, but it’s ours and after all . . . Home’s Cool!
_____________________________
Thanks, Cristina, for these encouraging words! I know they will find ready hearts among readers.
Everyone go visit her site and thank her for this great post! 🙂
Home's Cool! 