Focus

So I’ve been a slacker on this wonderful blog the last few weeks.

See 3/4ths of my house is under construction because of ice damage from the winter. Then add five kids plus some extra kids because it’s summer and they are trying to enjoy the nice weather. Then add trying to keep my special needs kids safe from the chaos.

Well I’m a bit stressed and busy.

Some of it is a good kind of stress like what color paint and floors but it’s still added time in my already crazy schedule.

So I haven’t been sitting around eating bon-bons or watching TV. I have however failed to find the time to write down all the ideas that have come into my head to blog about.

What happens when I don’t write?

You may have guessed it, I felt convicted. I woke up at midnight thinking about what I needed to write and that I was behind schedule.

I remembered that I still hadn’t submitted something to another writer whom I made a promise to.

I had a swift kick in the pants that my focus was off.

Maybe we all go through seasons where we need to be reminded of what’s important. The world around us needs some attention but it’s not supposed to be our focus. Jesus needs to be our true north, no matter what is going on around us

I pray that all of you are able to keep your eyes focused on Jesus through all of the distractions.

I’ve prayed about what my schedule needs to be for the summer. I will be only blogging once a week for the rest of the summer due to this lovely construction. Come fall I’ll be back into my “normal” rhythm of once to twice a week (as the Spirit leads).

I pray you are all enjoying this blessed summer!

 Hebrews 12:2

“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

Why Is It So Hard to Share Jesus?

Why is it so hard to share Jesus?

We are all human. As humans we make mistakes, we sin, we fall, we get back up.

It is true.

The problem I find that in this social media age is the moment you publicly declare yourself a Christian, You are expected to be perfect.

Is that really what Christian’s are? Are churches around the world full of “perfect” people?

Far from it. Jesus says in Luke 5:38

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

 

Jesus came for those of us that are sinners. That need His healing.

So why is there such a misconception that Christians are perfect? Probably because other Christians like to publicly shame anyone who calls themselves a Christian but still fall prey to sin.

People young and old are not sharing the gospel for fear of this judgement. I find this terrifyingly sad. Even as a mother I have found myself telling my kids to tone it down at times.

So how do we change this?

We need to persevere through. You and I need to not be afraid to share the gospel. We need to not be afraid that we don’t have all the answers or that we still make mistakes.

We need to stop publicly calling people out on their mistakes and approach them one on one trying to help one another instead of saying “look she’s so much worse than me! So judge her mistakes not mine!”

Love. Above all of this is love. Before you post something on Facebook or Twitter are you saying it with love? Are you teaching a lesson of love or are you publicly rebuking someone that you may not know the whole story of?

Instead of posting and being known for what you hate, try posting about what you love.

As a Christian I love Jesus, I try my very best to always turn away from sin. That has been a walking process through my life though. I have hit stumbling blocks along my life. If I had been shamed for any of my faults I might not be the person I am today.

So if you see someone in your life falling down a wrong path show them what love looks like. Show them a positive way to turn. Instead of telling them what you hate.

“May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.”

2 Peter 1:2

Homeschooling Freak

Homeschooling Freak

Yes, that’s me raising my hand. I have chosen to take a path that gets strange looks.

When I started being a homeschooling Mom I wasn’t sure what it really looked like.

I know that the looks I got on people’s faces were very strange, when I told them, but I didn’t let that stop me. I did, however let it affect my confidence.

I let people’s reactions to my homeschooling effect how I even talked about it.

I know that there is a ton of other homeschoolers out there. It’s hard to find them though. Since we don’t have a building that we meet in together often we are alone to carry our cross…

I felt bullied by my local school system. At first when I let them know I was taking my son out of public school, they felt the need to emphasize that he would not be allowed to receive any services (such as Speech and OT because those services are only for public school children).They asked me several times if I was sure.

The truth was at that time I wasn’t sure. I knew God had answered my prayer very clearly that I needed to homeschool at least one of my children, my son, who was not flourishing in public school.

You can’t just go around saying “I’m homeschooling because God told me to” even if it is true. People look at you like you are certifiably crazy.

So maybe at times I really am a bit crazy.

Jesus still loves me even through my crazy.

He made me the mom to some very special kids.

I still was afraid to tell people that I was homeschooling. I didn’t feel qualified. I still don’t. There are some days, when I’m planning my lessons that I’m learning what I’m teaching for the first time! I might add here I went through public school and yes I graduated and went on to college. Take from that what you will.

So why do I feel this way? Because it is not the “normal” anymore.

Our family lives in the world but we are not of the world. We let our faith make our decisions, not the social norms. That scares people. The moment you go against the matrix people feel threatened. They try to defend why they are right.

Well, that’s great for some people. I’m not saying that every Christian is supposed to home school. I still have three kids in the public school system for three different reasons. What I am saying is that we make our decisions not based on what the majority of people are doing or even what our friends are doing. We base our decisions on what is right for our family and each individual child.

So if you’re a homeschooling freak like us, be encouraged that though we are separate, you are not alone.

“Seek the Lord and His strength” 1 Chronicles 16:11