Ahhh....just a couple of pages.....Right now I'm reading Esther: A Woman of Strength and Dignity by Charles Swindoll. I had done an excellent bible study on the book of Esther about 9 years ago and thought I knew the book fairly well. Charles Swindoll never disappoints, though. He is a theologian and his detailed handling and explanation of this beautiful woman's place in biblical history is, so far, fantastic. I am surprised by how much more I'm getting out of it. I'm only about a 1/4 of the way through it and am enjoying every chapter.
The other book I'm reading is a child's book about blood. Yes, you read that right. It's a junior health-type book about the human body and blood. It's quite interesting and at my intellectual level!
There have been quite a few surprises this last month. The weight loss program I am on (Lord's Table - Setting Captives Free) has been phenomenal.As of today, I've lost almost 22 pounds in 8 weeks. It's a internet-based bible study I do daily (or those days when I can get to it). I also have a mentor that I e-mail my bible study answers to and she gives me feedback and prays for me. Really exceptional material and life-changing. How much more weight I lose is up to God. I'm just relieved to take off all the extra weight I gained this last year. I was so uncomfortable I couldn't believe it. I had never been heavier and, by the grace of God, will never be that heavy again. The bible is clear that I am to eat for the glory of God. For too many years I have been eating for "Laura's glory" and the fruit was rotten. But it really is all about his grace and his Spirit. I can't do anything commendable without his Spirit prompting me and helping me every step of the way.
Another surprise is how much peace I feel about Chloe and Leanne being back at school. All the misgivings I had about sending them to school have not been realized. Just the opposite. I was concerned that I would feel split by having half of my school-age kids home schooled and half of them in public school. Not so. Everyone has their place and it's working quite well. I also was concerned about having to get up early and rushing the girls to school. Not so. It's helpful to get up early and we don't rush to school ordinarily. The mornings are fairly peaceful and organized. This is amazing to me. Another concern I had were the influences the girls would be exposed to at school. The jury is out on this one. So far, so good. We'll see about that one. I was also worried that I'd be overwhelmed and put out by all the school communication, fundraisers, things to sign and paperwork, etc. There are forms to fill out and plenty to put on the calendar, but I'm not feeling overwhelmed by it yet.
I am overwhelmed, however, by all the trips I make getting Camille to and from all of her different places; art lessons, her writing class, her cooking class, her running program. That aspect is challenging. But having Camille at home with a computer-based curriculum has not been challenging overall. There has been much grace with her for this school year so far. I've enjoy seeing her mature and having her fun-loving, animated personality around.
Looking back, it was a challenging counseling appointment with our pastor in the spring earlier this year. We were talking about various schooling options for Camille and how to direct her artistic inclinations. I really wanted to home school the girls, no matter how much I had to change my current approach. I had determined which curriculum I was going to teach each one of them and was excited about that. I was also looking forward to the changes I was going to implement and trying new things.
And then I prayed about it. Uh - oh.
That's what our pastor asked us to do. Tim really wanted Leanne and Chloe in school and Camille at home again. I wanted them all in school, or all at home. (Elena is so independent and hard-working that I hardly do much to help her out. She takes quite a few academic classes at her co-op that she's a breeze to home school). But I really wanted them home again. So, our pastor simply asked us to pray about it. We prayed together once or twice, and then I prayed on my own.
And God is faithful. He impressed upon me that I was asking my husband to follow my vision of home schooling our children, but that wasn't Tim's vision. God directed me, in that still small voice, to adapt myself to my husband's vision. If I were to come under my husband's direction, there would be grace and favor in that submission. I was not happy about this change of plans. Tim reluctantly agreed to have Camille go into 8th grade at the middle school, but at the last minute I felt God direct me to ask Tim about that again. Tim still felt uncomfortable about her going into middle school. And so....she stayed home. I was quite depressed at how the year was shaping up.
But God was right. He's always right. So, now I feel like he's using this small step of obedience to point to something bigger. The principle is this: when I feel like God is directing me to do something I don't want to do, do it! Immediately and without complaining. Because favor and grace and joy will follow. Okay, God, help me to get this lesson down solidly....
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