This weekend, at the Teach Them Diligently Homeschool Conference, I was encouraged, refreshed and challenged. The speakers were engaging and real, not just cheerleading, but being willing to live transparently and challenging us to be about the Kingdom business of discipling our children, not just schooling them.
One thing I am pondering right now is white space on the calendar. I have always tried to keep our family calendar uncluttered, which routinely means we choose to say "no" to a variety of different activities that would pull us in every which direction. Heidi St. John, "The Busy Mom", shared from her book, The Busy Homeschool Mom's Guide to Daylight, in a session about time management, that you should make "white space" on your family calendar. She defined white space as being two consecutive days with nothing outside the house each week. She emphasized that the two days much touch on the calendar, not be intermingled with five crazy busy days, but together, with nothing!
And at the same time I was trying to pat myself on the back, I also took a look at my calendar... I didn't realize how many "once a week" items I had allowed to creep into our schedule... I am glad for summer, a different pace and a great time to implement this new idea... the idea of restful, at home, non-committed days is quite exciting.
Of course, besides white space, Heidi also talked about priorities... this is a topic that has been rolling around in my mind for quite some time... I so desire to get back to doing the things we once did well... I am going to try getting up early again... working out a little, having daily quite time... sadly things that have slipped too far away...
I am encouraged. I am looking forward to making slow, steady change. My whole desire is to show my children Jesus, not just in our time around God's Word, but also in how we live with one another, not rushed about and short tempered because of our unyielding schedule. And we want to be home, to be with our children, and also our neighbors.
How do you decide what to do? When to do it? What to say "Yes" to and what needs to wait? I would love to hear about it!
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