Aiming for progress, not perfection.

"...being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you
will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
Philippians 1:6

Sunday, February 28, 2010

a teaching moment.

i am home, having skipped church, with two sickie babies this morning. they've been alternating between moaning in discomfort (junky coughs, some low-grade fever, lots of snot), watching finding nemo and up and snacking on peanut butter-filled tortillas, homemade applesauce and kashi cereal.

as i was wiping everybody down in preparation for naptime, i noticed ellie was swinging her arms wide open and then clasping them around herself over and over while saying, "open. shut. open. shut. open. shut."

i smiled at her and asked her to show me which was open and which was shut. she demonstrated correctly, and then i told her that open and shut are opposites. just like happy and sad. (we practiced making happy and sad faces.) and black and white. (we pointed to places in a piece of art on the wall that are black and places that are white.) and boy and girl. (who is a boy? "gray gray!" who is a girl? "ellie!")

i know ellie probably doesn't understand the term "opposites," but i couldn't resist the chance to introduce her to something about language.

i've been reading some about homeschooling lately, and i am no where close to formulating a concrete opinion or plan. (ultimately, it's extremely personal, as evidenced by a question i posted in a recent facebook status that elicited 19 thoughtful responses.) it is just a topic that has peaked my interest so i'm indulging. some of what i've read is very much in favor of a traditional classroom setting in the home. but, fascinating to me, some of what i've read focuses on the family living life and teaching throughout the day, that opportunities to learn are everywhere if you're looking.

regardless of whether i ever homeschool my children, i will always be their first teacher, a fact that thrills me. what a responsibility!

as i progress through the season of preparation in which i have recently realized God has me, i am solidifying seemingly mundane processes in my life such as housekeeping, finances and menu planning. while having a handle on those areas is important in the most basic sense, God has been opening my eyes wide to a less-than-concrete reason to "get it together": having the proper processes in place for the "must-dos" in life allows me to free up mental and physical space in my day to focus on what's really important.

perfect, planned meals, a spotless home and seamlessly organized finances are wonderful in their own right, but what i can pray for, plan for and achieve in the time i am not wasting by being bogged down with disorganization in these areas is the real reward.

that moment with ellie this morning was a result of having a calm mind and peaceful spirit. there was enough space in my brain to see and seize the opportunity. i am so.incredibly.far from having my life as streamlined and up-to-date and organized as i want it. but i'm getting there. and the fruit is showing. for that i am full of joy.

"there has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears."
(philippians 1:6, the message)

1 comment:

Heidi said...

wow. what an awesome moment. i admire you for thinking about homeschooling. i am a teacher and the thought of homeschooling scares me to death (not totally sure why) but what you described makes me want to do it too!

may God bless you and your family. enjoy those teachable moments!