Joy in the Journey

 In the past 8 days I have attended 9 soccer games, 1 football game, 1 jet boat trip, 2 Bible studies, 1 mamas’ night out, 1 slip and slide event, baby sat a little baby for two days, and took children to 9 different soccer practices…oh, the children also got all their individual school done for the week. We won’t talk about how many loads of laundry or sinks full of dishes I have washed. Oh yes, I also canned tomato sauce and my hubby helped me make three canner-loads of pickles… Not exactly slowing down, is it? Yeah, I think it’s easy to say that my attempts at slowing down face planted this week… facefirstcreative.com Not that I feel like I completely failed at being present. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the children play soccer. The joy of my kids’ faces during the jet boat trip was treasured in my heart. I’m thankful for the times spent with friends and family and the meaningful conversations that I was able to squeeze in with my husband. But I feel like this week missed some...

 My daughters chose to be baptized last Sunday.  I’ve actually been meaning to arrange for them to be baptized for a couple years now. They have shown interest for that long, at least my oldest has. Each of the past two summers have been so busy that I never got around to arranging a time and place. But this year someone else at our church requested to be baptized in the river, and since my girls were interested too, the church made a day of it. After service we all drove up to the gravel bar that would work best for the man who was being baptized (he is wheelchair bound). Maybe my girls were more ready this year than they had been in the past. I’m still on a spiritual and emotional high from that day. Don’t get me wrong, my wedding day was wonderful and the birth of each my children was absolutely amazing. But the day that my girls decided to publicly announce that they were dedicating their lives to Jesus…well, there are no words! This is what my mama heart has always longed...

 This Sunday I began my 11th year of homeschooling…that’s really crazy to think of! I still feel like such a newbie in a lot of ways, even though my oldest is starting 9th grade and logically I would be considered a veteran homeschooler. I have learned so much over the years, but I also feel like I have so much more to learn.  My fifth child is starting preschool this year, and that is what I have been the most excited for this fall. Preschool is just so fun! Especially when you don’t push and go at the child’s pace (a very painful lesson I have learned over the years). The excitement and enthusiasm they have for starting is just unmatched by any other age. And it feels almost sacred, teaching them the beginnings of what will lead them to the huge world of reading. I especially almost tear up when I think that teaching them their letter sounds now will enable them to someday read the beautiful words of the Bible; life changing words that will have an eternal impact!  It’s...