Motivation Monday

It's Monday again. 

I wanted to just write a short post for this first day of the Back to Homeschool Blog Hop. I know you have a lot to do, we all do, but today is motivation Monday, so please, allow me to tell you a little story.

For the past 17 days my life has been non-stop. I've been at the Great Indiana State Fair writing features about 4-Hers from our county for the local newspaper. Our state fair is 17 days long. 17 gloriously long days full of so many things to see and do it sometimes makes your head spin.

During the past 17 days I spent 11 days at the fair. I also spent 4 days volunteering at Conner Prairie, our local living history museum, and 5 days working my normal day job. Go ahead and add those up. Yup, you'll notice they equal 20 days' worth of living in 17 days. Oh yeah, there was that one Sunday when  we went to church, and that was it. So it's really 20 days' worth of living in 16 days' time.

Why would I choose to live like this? Because the time is fleeting. Both of our daughters worked at the 4-H exhibit halls before and during the fair. In fact, they won't come home until tomorrow. My 20 year old and my 18 year old have been gone from home for almost 4 weeks. It's been fun to spend some time with them at the fair when they have a break, but I do miss them. (And not just because I had to do the laundry myself!)

The younger one, Arlene, has just one semester left in high school. The older one, Emily, is getting ready for her sophomore year at college. Just a couple days ago they were 3 and 5. Really, it was just a blink ago.

So how do you deal with the craziness that is your everyday life? How do you choose to appreciate the moments in the midst of looking at bigger things, like teaching someone how to read, or toilet training your toddler? The only way I know how is to trust God and thank Him for what He has given you.

Your Monday today might be really long, but soon, there will be no more Monday mornings when you get the kids out of bed. So appreciate as much as you can, and remember, homeschooling is about learning, but more importantly, it is about molding young hearts and minds so God can produce young adults who will be ready to leave home and succeed on their own - who will glorify Him by their words and actions. 

Be the kind of mom that raises children for God, and not the mom who wakes up dreading the next phonics lesson. If their hearts, and yours, are in the right place, then the learning will happen in God's timing. So go hug your kids and tell then you love them!

If you want more encouragement, feel free to click on the orange words down below that say mama encouragement. Then check out some of the other posts from Crew members in today's Monday Motivation theme.

You are loved - remember that!

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