Yesterday morning I rolled over, looked at the clock and started praying. I knew this was the beginning of another school year, the beginning of new challenges and new adventures. Every school year starts with a measure of excitement. Last week was the first day of public school. Like every year, it always leaves me wondering if we are doing the right thing. I can remember how much fun that first day of school was. You had the new clothes, your backpack ready with shiny pencils and sharp crayons. You wondered what friends you would see and who would be in your class. It was exciting! I start to question our decision to homeschool. Are we doing the right thing? Is Randol missing out? Every year I wonder these things, I doubt my calling to homeschool, but only a tiny bit. And every year God reassures me, once again and reminds me to focus on HIM-not myself, not the world, but to rest in HIM and His calling for my life.
This summer I was desperate for Bible study. Many of you may have seen where I blogged about memorizing as much of James as I could this summer, which was good, but I needed something more. I remembered a book Wesley had bought me last year for Christmas. Beth Moore had come out with a Personal Reflection Series. I did the one on Jesus and loved it so much Wesley bought me the one on David for Christmas. I picked it up and decided that was what I would do over summer. I just love Beth, always have. This book is not like most of her books. It is shorter and written in a journal type style, where you read between 10-25 verses a day, there's life application and a part to write about.
Yesterday, on the first day of a new school year my devotion ended with
asking, "What are some of the best opportunities you can take in the lives of your children and grandchildren to infuse them with spiritual truth and wisdom?" Then at the end there is always a prayer, based on God's Word and it said, "May time spent in Your Word result in faith, not only for me but for my children..." What a reminder as I read and prayed, that I cannot do this homeschooling thing alone. I HAVE GOT TO GET OUT OF BED AND GO READ MY BIBLE! And more importantly, He has called me to teach my children at home and if I sent them to public or private school, would be to live outside of His will for my life.
In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 it says,
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." His Word is useful
for every area of our lives and it equips us for EVERY good work. Not some, not a few, but every...when you are walking in His will for your life, you will bear good fruit, you will shine in a dark and dreary world. But, you've GOT to get out of bed, you've got to make that first step to pick up His Word and to read it. Ask Him to help you, to show you, to speak to you.
We all have different callings, different ways of raising our children, different jobs, different schedules...but we all have the same calling, the same purpose. Jesus said in Matthew, Mark and Luke that we
"...must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me."
Today just as in Joshua 24:15b, you have a choice, "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve." It's up to you, only you can decide. Are you going to take up your cross and leave yourself behind...are you going to trust the One who made you and loves you and walk in the shadow of His Almighty wings? Or will you settle for trying to do things on your own, in your own way? Only you can decide.
