Our Dreams For Our Children

What dreams do you have for your children's futures?

After you think about that for a minute, ask: "Are these dreams mine, or God's? Are they for my sake, or for my children's sakes?

In a recent Simple Homeschool article, When Your Children's Dreams Are Different Than Your Own, contributing author Cheryl Pitt shares this about her homeschooled son:

Today he is 17, intelligent, and a hard worker. I was so proud when he recently landed his first job as a package handler for a shipping company. He loves his job and is proud of the paycheck that comes with it. As am I! I often tell him how proud I am of his work ethic and diligence.

I surprised myself one day, though, when he came home and asked if he could apply to be a driver assistant. He was excited. This opportunity meant more hours, more pay and a step up the package handler ladder. Maybe one day he could deliver packages, not just load them.

So why was I hesitant, upset even? I gave him my blessing, but in my mind I had some ugly thoughts. I wondered…

Is this really what the last 13 years have been about? Why did I sacrifice untold hours, years even, to facilitate his education? The good days of accomplishment and the bad days of tears? All so my son can become a truck driver?
 

This mother, a Christian, is aware that the world's idea of success can sneak in and become a mother's idea of success--especially when a mother has invested sweat and tears in her child's education.

We all feel Cheryl's angst from time to time, so a few reminders never hurt: What's important to God in regards to our children's futures?

Before we answer that, let's look at what's important to the world.

What the World Values:

1. The world values power, even if a powerful position yields a relatively low income. The president, for example, doesn't make enough to get rich, per se, but he's often considered the most powerful person in the world. The same goes, on a smaller scale, for managers and CEO's. Even if they aren't highly paid, the world deems their power significant.

2. The world values money, even if it's earned by buying and selling, rather than creating or establishing anything. The output or value of the work is not as important as the dollar signs.

3. The world values prestige--respect given to a position in society, rather than to an individual.


What God Values:

1. God values his own glory.

Isaiah 42:8 “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images.”

Charles Spurgeon writes, "The great end of God in Christ was the manifestation of his own glorious attributes." Everything that God does is for his glory. His greatest passion is his own glory.

 2. God values souls.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance

3. God values the least of his people and cares about how we treat them. 

Matthew 25:33-40 "The Son of Man will put the sheep (good people) on his right and the goats (bad people) on his left. "Then the king will say to those good people on his right, 'Come. My Father has given you great blessings. Come and get the kingdom God promised you. That kingdom has been prepared for you since the world was made. You can have this kingdom, because I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was alone and away from home, and you invited me into your home. I was without clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you came to visit me.' "Then the good people will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food? When did we see you thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you alone and away from home and invite you into our home? When did we see you without clothes and give you something to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and care for you?' "Then the king will answer, 'I tell you the truth. Anything you did for any of my people here, you also did for me.'"

4. God values humility.

Psalms 18:27 For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down.

Psalms 149: 4 For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.

Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
 

5. God cares about our sorrows.

1 Peter 5:7 2 Cast all your anxiety on him for he cares for you.

Corinthians 1:2-4 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 

Now, let me paint a picture of a godly man for you: He works hard each day to support his family using the talents God has given him. His motive is to care for his family and bring glory to God, not raise himself up in society's eyes.

He's a good steward, seeking higher income if it's possible, but not at the expense of his family's spiritual health. They need him to be their leader and a leader must be present and involved, somehow.

He takes his family to church and pays his tithe, and sets aside offerings for the poor. He watches over the family's money, insuring that their spending patterns bring glory to God, and not to themselves.

He doesn't seek recognition or fame or prestige, but works hard with integrity, letting God receive the glory for his successes. If he gains influence, he uses it to turn hearts toward God and publicly praise his Holy name; he's not ashamed of the gospel.

This is the dream we should have for our sons. Not that they'll have a title after their name, or a six-figure income, but that they'll bring glory to God by: caring about souls, about the least of God's people, about the hurting, and about their own humility before God.

We need to invest more time in their hearts than in anything else, because in the end, what will really make us smile about our sons? What will really bring us tears of joy? Not their titles, but their humility. Not their incomes, but their generosity. Not their prestige, but their faith.

To raise them for his glory. That's our dream and our prayer.

Prayer Time: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for our sons and daughters. Thank you for placing your trust in us to raise them for your glory. Help us to keep our eyes on you, Father, and not on the world. May our children have Bibles and use them. May they have a heart for you and converse with you through prayer. May they put their trust in You and not in the world. May our sons lead their families well, and may our daughters create a home that glorifies you in every respect. May our children marry strong Christians and may their marriages and children make you smile. May we be worthy mothers to them all, for your glory.

In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

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Homeschool and Mother's Journal: Sept. 27

Don't I wish I played the piano and had a luxurious mane I could fasten into lovely braids.

In my life this week:

We're in our second week of school and the days are long. But, oh boy, are we learning! I love this lifestyle and wouldn't have it any other way. Seeing children learn and get excited about new information gives me a deeply satisfied feeling, as though I'm half-way through a slice of chocolate satin pie.

That said, I'm 47 and a half years old, and in my second year of perimenopause (yes, I had my kids late in life). I just researched articles, again, to check on a certain symptom to see if it might be due to perimenopause. And yes, it turns out everything is because of perimenopause and the average experience is four years. Some days I feel like I'm losing my mind and only by God's grace can I stand this for another three years (not to mention my family).

The good news is that I still feel great about 13 days a month.

In our homeschool this week:

Six-year-old Mary can read on her own now. No, not chapter books, just easy readers, but it still seems like a miracle. She said this week, finally, "I think I really like reading, Mommy."

I hugged her and breathed a contented sigh, thanking the Lord for his intervention.

She goes into her bedroom and tries all the words on her own, and then comes out and reads them to me, asking if she got it right. For several months, even after she could sound out well, she tried to read the pictures as a shortcut. This was a frustrating time for both of us. I knew she could read the words fine, she just didn't want to put the effort in if she didn't have to. Now, in contrast, she looks at the pictures to enjoy them, not to get clues from them, and she attends to each word on the page readily.

I'm never one to cover up pictures though--early readers need them for confidence, if nothing else. Bullying kids into reading never works. You have to keep up the prayers and the patience, remembering that each child is different.

Three readers down, one to go. Miss Beth is doing pretty well herself, but is not quite blending yet.

I'm also working hard on teaching the girls to recognize all the numbers to 100, out of order.

In Sonlight Science A the girls are learning about the earth and about weather, and a little about frogs and toads.

The boys, ages 9 and 11, are doing Sonlight's Eastern Hemisphere Core F, and Sonlight's Core F science. Here's what they're learning from in the last ten days:

Sonlight really knows how to mix it up and we love that, though I know it drives some people crazy. It's not unusual to be reading from 10 books at the same time, sometimes just a few pages a day. The novels are usually a chapter a day, depending on the length of chapters. Peter usually reads more in the novels than the schedule specifies and messes up my Sonlight schedule, but that's okay.

Food and Nutrition for Every Kid



The Usborne Complete Book of the Human Body



The Human Body



Blood and Guts: A Working Guide to Your Own Insides



Exploring Planet Earth




Ships, Sailors and the Sea



Praying Through the 100 Gateway Cities of the 10/40 Window



Call It Courage



The Master Puppeteer (a read-aloud)



Henry Reed, Inc.



Born in the Year of Courage



Henry Reed, Inc. was a big hit (my Peter stayed up until 10:30 one night reading it). "This is an incredibly good book, Mommy."

I'm trying to locate the others in the series, but they're hard to find at a good price because they're so well loved. And our library doesn't have them. Used copies are all in acceptable condition, and I only buy very good- or good-condition used books.

The first in the Henry Reed series was written in 1958. Here are the others, in case you need wholesome reading material for your boy (or girl). Henry Reed is a clever and funny boy inventor-- read about the books here on goodreads.









Helpful Homeschooling Advice to Share:

Start the day with Bible and prayer and make time for scripture memorization. If you've done these, the rest of your day will go as well as possible. Between morning devotions and helping four children with separate, age-appropriate scripture memorization, I spend over an hour each morning. I know it's never wasted time and if we can do nothing else, we must do this.

Put God first to bring peace and salvation to your children and your home.

I recommend AWANA as an excellent 9-year scripture memorization program that looks wonderful on college entrance paperwork (as good as Eagle Scouts). Although it's nine years, you can jump in at any time. Click on the AWANA locator to find the nearest churches that offer it in your area. Earning certain AWANA awards will also land your child partial college scholarships. I saw as much as $6000 offered for the highest awards.

Places We're Going and People We're Seeing

We go to AWANA on Sunday, and to our favorite Apple Harvest Festival on Saturday. Yippee! My favorite outing of the year...apple picking, raspberry picking, hayride, choosing pumpkins, and various displays and vendors.

We went to speech, and physical therapy (for Juvenile Arthritis), on Wednesday. Mary graduated from the w and y sounds (she used to substitute an l for both of them), and will now be paired with Paul for instruction on the r sound. For her first r homework assignment, she has to growl like a bear.

Beth still needs work on her y and w sounds (she also substitutes an l). She's also working on s blends (like skate and snack and smell) and the oy dipthong sound like you hear in boy and toy, and on the cry, my, fry, by family. She says them with a southern drawl and doesn't get the e sound at the end, if that makes any sense.

We also saw our pediatrician to get a referral to a pediatric allergist for my Paul, who has a yellow-jacket bee-venom allergy. They can desensitize kids to this over time by exposing them to increasing amounts of the venom in a doctor's office. Doesn't sound pleasant, but it's far better than a lifetime sentence of carrying an EPI PEN and worrying about dying from a sting.

I have to take all four children to all our doctor's appointments. Usually it's fine but it's not my favorite thing. Today Beth interrupted the pediatrician's allergist push to ask him: "How do mermaids breathe under water?"

Somewhat embarrassed, he said, "I don't know."

I guess they don't cover that in medical school?

I'm also teaching the preschool class at church about Noah this Sunday AM. It turns out, if you sign up to be a Birth - Kinder Children's Ministry Coordinator, you can never go to service again. Someone is always absent or you're perpetually short on help. My poor husband!

It's a good thing I like to read the Bible online and click on Matthew Henry's commentary. That brilliant and faithful man wrote some great sermons, and I need only click on the resources for a verse to get a Matthew Henry mini-sermon anytime.

My Favorite Thing This Week:

When Mary said, "I think I really like reading, Mommy."  (We use Sing, Spell, Read and Write K-1 Combo Kit).

Things I'm Working On:

See above note about perimenopause. I'm working on maintaining my sanity.

I'm Cooking

I did find new crockpot recipes to work on next week, but this week it was much of the same:

chili and cornbread
baked ziti
shepherd's pie
turkey joes
turkey hamburgers
baked chicken
crockpot navy bean soup

I'm Grateful For:

~ homeschooling

~ my boys' growing faith

~ the AWANA program

~ morning devotions, and evening ones with Daddy

~ cuddly girls and boys

~ grace

~ love

~ faith

~ perseverance (through the Holy Spirit's power)

~ my husband's faith, wisdom, and gentleness

~ knowing that we have everything in Christ

~ the library

~ feelings of peace after writing to our Compassion kids

Photo, Video, Link or Quote to share:

I love that as a homeschooling mother, I can bring this Scripture to life about training my children in the ways of the Lord:

Deuteronomy 11:19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

 Bible context:
18 "You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 19"You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. 20"You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,…

Thank you for reading and how was your week?





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Giving Thanks...and a Psalm

In the mornings after breakfast we clear away the dishes and have a devotional time--just the four kids and Momma, since Daddy leaves while we're still asleep. We have another devotional at dinner with Daddy, but the morning session is to dedicate the day to the Lord, asking him to order our steps. We read Scripture and pray in turn, including prayer about our attitudes toward each other and toward our work. It really sets a nice tone for our school day.

Today we read Psalm 1 and it filled me with such peace!

Psalm 1

Blessed is the one

who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,

 

Oh, Dear Lord, thank you. Thank you for saving us and taking us off the wicked path. Day by day you make our hearts new, never leaving nor forsaking us.

 

but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.

Lord, we delight in you. May we wake each day and dedicate the day to you, meditating on your Scriptures day and night, letting you fill us with your Holy Spirit.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—

You, God, will complete your work in us; you promise us that and we thank you for your faithfulness and graciousness. Thank you that our lives will bear fruit and our spirits will not wither.

whatever they do prospers.

From Matthew Henry's Commentary:
Of the promised blessing; he is blessed of the Lord, and therefore he shall be like a tree. The divine blessing produces real effects. It is the happiness of a godly man, [1.] That he is planted by the grace of God. These trees were by nature wild olives, and will continue so till they are grafted anew, and so planted by a power from above. Never any good tree grew of itself; it is the planting of the Lord, and therefore he must in it be glorified. Isa. 61:3; The trees of the Lord are full of sap. [2.] That he is placed by the means of grace, here called the rivers of water, those rivers which make glad the city of our God (Ps. 46:4); from these a good man receives supplies of strength and vigour, but in secret undiscerned ways. [3.] That his practices shall be fruit, abounding to a good account, Phil. 4:17.

Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.

Matthew Henry's Commentary:
In general, they are the reverse of the righteous, both in character and condition: They are not so. The LXX. emphatically repeats this: Not so the ungodly; they are not so; they are led by the counsel of the wicked, in the way of sinners, to the seat of the scornful; they have no delight in the law of God, nor ever think of it; they bring forth no fruit but grapes of Sodom; they cumber the ground. 2. In particular, whereas the righteous are like valuable, useful, fruitful trees, they are like the chaff which the wind drives away, the very lightest of the chaff, the dust which the owner of the floor desires to have driven away, as not capable of being put to any use.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

Matthew Henry's Commentary: that is, they shall be found guilty, shall hang down the head with shame and confusion, and all their pleas and excuses will be overruled as frivolous. There is a judgment to come, in which every man’s present character and work, though ever so artfully concealed and disguised, shall be truly and perfectly discovered, and appear in their own colours, and accordingly every man’s future state will be, by an irreversible sentence, determined for eternity.

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Oh, Lord, it is because of you we are called righteous. Thank you for your grace and for imputing your righteousness to us. In you, we have enough. We have everything. May we live each day in thanksgiving and thanksliving.

Giving Thanks Today:

~ God is helping me work the kinks out of our daily school/chore schedule. Thanks be to God for that.

~ A very imaginative, delightful four year old in my midst, bringing so much joy and blessing each day. Okay, and messes too. But I'll take them with the smiles and hugs.

~ My Mary reading on her own more and more, praise be to God. It's so exciting for both of us.

~ Fall weather...a million thanks Dear Lord.

~ He keeps our paths straight and our hearts full.

~ Beth's arthritis is still in a flare, but praise God she doesn't seem miserable. Her new AWANA Cubbies teacher said she was so cute...so delightful and full of joy. That is grace, because her joints are still swelling.

~ Christian radio

~ Switching from a Wednesday night AWANA to a Sunday night AWANA. Oh, Lord, thank you for a lighter Wednesday. It wasn't easy to do, but I see blessings from it already. They changed the structure of our old AWANA and it didn't allow for much one-on-one mentoring with individual handbook leaders for each of my children. Though they studied and knew their verses, it was still a special time with the handbook leader every week.

Because we have too little support and so few Christian relatives, they really need another special person speaking Christ into their lives once a week. Since some of that got lost in the new structure, and since Wednesday was always so hard for us anyway (with physical therapy and speech on the same day), it seemed like a good time to make a switch, although saying goodbye about broke our hearts.

But, we can now have 7 family dinners a week (AWANA now ends at 6:16 PM rather than 8 PM.) and Momma won't ever wake up and dread a Wednesday again. They made for some long days.

~ Husband and I filled out volunteer forms to be handbook (verse) leaders at the new church, but until they process those and do background checks, we can actually have a date or two from 4:30 - 6:15 on Sundays. It's been years, people. Though we don't have any money for dates, we'll think of something (hot chocolate maybe?). Part of me fears we might just sit there and stare at each other, wondering where the noise went, not knowing what to say.

~ A Christian husband, gentle and good, to do life with.

~ My Paul's sincere, righteous heart.

~ God provided nice verse teachers for my children at the new AWANA church. It did my Momma heart good to see them so excited.

~ Some flowers still blooming and tomatoes still ripening.

~ My 90-year-old father-in-law is not out of rehab yet, but his arm is out of the sling and he can walk with a walker. Praise God!

What are you thankful for today?

Prayer Request: Father-in-law is overwhelmed about the decision concerning where to live. Please pray? He doesn't seem to want to live with us, and if he chooses an assisted-living establishment, it's better that he chooses here in our town, rather than in Florida. These establishments treat you better when you have frequent visitors. We think he has about 3 more weeks in the rehabiliation center, barring any health problems that might crop up. The travel up here seems overwhelming to him, for one. Thank you for your prayers.

Cross references:

1. Psalm 1:1 : S Dt 33:29; Ps 40:4; 128:4
2. Psalm 1:1 : Ps 89:15
3. Psalm 1:1 : S Job 21:16; Ps 10:2-11
4. Psalm 1:1 : S Ge 49:6
5. Psalm 1:1 : Ps 26:9; 37:38; 51:13; 104:35
6. Psalm 1:1 : Ps 26:4
7. Psalm 1:1 : S Job 11:3; Pr 1:22; Isa 28:14; Hos 7:5
8. Psalm 1:2 : Ps 112:1; 119:16, 35; Ro 7:22
9. Psalm 1:2 : Ps 19:7; 119:1; Eze 11:20; 18:17
10. Psalm 1:2 : S Ge 24:63
11. Psalm 1:3 : Ps 52:8; 92:12; 128:3; Jer 11:16; Zec 4:3
12. Psalm 1:3 : Ps 46:4; 65:9; Isa 33:21; Jer 31:9
13. Psalm 1:3 : S Nu 24:6; S Job 14:9; S Eze 17:5
14. Psalm 1:3 : Ps 92:14; Eze 47:12
15. Psalm 1:3 : Isa 1:30; 64:6
16. Psalm 1:3 : S Ge 39:3
17. Psalm 1:4 : S Job 13:25; Isa 40:24; Jer 13:24
18. Psalm 1:5 : Ps 5:5
19. Psalm 1:5 : S Job 19:29
20. Psalm 1:5 : Ps 26:12; 35:18; 82:1; 89:5; 107:32; 111:1; 149:1
21. Psalm 1:6 : Ps 37:18; 121:5; 145:20; Na 1:7
22. Psalm 1:6 : S Lev 26:38; Ps 9:6

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