learning

Had a wonderful day of learning in our school room today.  After a little break the kids were ready to get back on track and do what they do best.  We are creatures of habit whether we like to admit it or not. As the holiday of recognizing what we are thankful for passes, it is never too late to constantly remember what we are thankful for.  I am whole heartily thankful for the right to educate our kids however we choose best.  In our case, it's to learn at home.  I pour my entire being into education and quality time day in and day out and it completes me.  I lye in bed at night surrounded by my family and as I listen to them all softly hum in their slumber I am consumed by what goals I have for my kids.  I am constantly thinking about what we are learning and doing and what I want to learn and do.  I am enjoying each day teaching and truly learning right along with them.  You know when you just love something and it feels so good to do it?  Well that is exactly the feeling I get when I am teaching these kids.  When I see the light bulb go on, or when I see them using something in their everyday life that I taught them it makes me want to lift them up and put them on my shoulders and run through the house in celebration!  I get excited when I teach my kids and with that said, I am thankful.

There are so many things I want to see, do, and hear in the world that I have an anxious feeling.  As I have written before, I want to sell everything we have and buy a motor home and live off the land.  It's a beautiful place from what I can see and I haven't even seen the half of it! I firmly believe God has provided everything one would need to survive. The older I get, the more I want to learn and teach.  Ten years ago I would have been 16 and I could have given a rat's ass what was going on around me at school and what my teachers were saying.  I was being forced to learn therefor I wasn't interested.  I don't know where one would begin, but I wish traditional school could change.  It's natural to want to learn so why is it that so many kids "hate" school?  If we put our children in a relaxed environment, take away all the standards that need to be met and let our teachers be inspired naturally I feel we would have more interests from the students in the classrooms.  I went to college for four years and was studying to be a teacher.  One of my plans for my future classroom was for desks to be an option.  Same goes for shoes, and whether you wanted to listen or not.  Imagine if instead of controlling 20-30 students in a classroom you laid down a brief list of rules like respect your neighbor and treat others as you would want to be treated and everything else was up to them?  I imagine that would be a spectacular place for children with brains that are like sponges to be.  If you have a teacher who teaches like the world depends on it then the kids would want to listen!!!!!!

Maybe someday I can do that.  Who knows where the wind will take me besides God?  The point is that learning is awesome and there is always something to be learned, no matter what age we are.  I think if we can rid ourselves of all the distractions that are not necessary we would regain that sense of what sparks our interest.  I once read a quote that is so true it said something like if you are too busy to read the word then you are busier than God ever intended you to be.  This is so true for all things.  Since we have moved, a lot of my small groups and clubs have come to an end and it's amazing how much clearer the vision is.  My role is to teach, love and care for my family.  That's it.  I don't have 3 meetings a week anymore.  I am not running here, there and everywhere.  I am physically and mentally in one spot now. My ministry is my family.

SO often our main excuse for things is that we don't have time.  Don't become so busy that you can't embrace the simple yet amazingly beautiful things in life.  Make time for family.  Make time for friends.  Put God first.  And learn something new for YOU.