Blessed Assurance

The last couple of days I found myself questioning my schooling methods (do I really have a method?) and even my parenting skills. Doesn’t one need to have achieved some level of expertise or at least adeptness before the label “skilled” can be applied?

Our homeschool co-op is undergoing some changes to focus more on the Charlotte Mason method it is styled after. I love our group and enjoy it more than any other homeschool group I’ve been a part of. But change is always difficult at first, and the schedule, Shakespeare, and Latin just do not scream fun to me, nor do they seem a good fit for my family. Am I missing something here? Shortchanging my children?

I also dealt with a discipline issue which was just a routine thing that all parents deal with, but coupled with my stomach flu and these other issues, suddenly seemed big and seemed to expose my parenting skills as lacking. I pondered these things for a bit, then prayed over them and found sleep, waiting to deal with them more fully until morning.

This morning Sarah got herself up & dressed, took her sister to work (her car is on the fritz) and then went on to work herself. Yes, even work can seem like an escape when compared to staying home with a mom on the warpath!

I fixed Landon breakfast and instructed him to stay indoors while I showered, but to come get me if he needed anything. He soon came and announced he had to poop! I told him to go ahead and I hurried to dry off & dress and ran to assess the situation. I found him not in the bathroom, but sitting at the playroom table playing his new game. I asked him if he went to the potty and he said, ”No, I was waiting on you to get out so you could wipe my booty.”

WOW!! I do believe that is a pretty high level thinking skill for a 4 year old! Ok, so maybe some parenting & schooling are getting through- even though our method may be unlabeled.

Then we went outside to feed some stale chips to the fish. The geese, who have been very busy lately with mating and nesting season in full swing, stopped long enough to come say hello and try out our chips. We were able to get a fairly close look at the white goose who has suddenly joined our flock of Canada geese. Then to our surprise we made a new friend! A sea gull swooped down to claim the chips for himself! We talked and wondered why although we always see gulls at the beach, they almost never visit our pond here on the Westside. Our visit with our sea gull friend was shortlived, as a hawk started circling overhead and swooped down to let Mr. seagull know that he was not welcome here. While watching the hawk and discussing how much he looked like an eagle except for his checkerboard coloring, a mockingbird perched on a nearby branch to observe us. Now our conversation drifted to the mockingbird and I explained to Landon that he was our state bird- the bird for Florida.

It was about that time I realized several things.

1. That we were very involved in learning this morning with no planned lesson yet taking place.

2. Maybe my parenting/teaching skills weren’t so far off the mark. We are learning through our surroundings (atmosphere) through rules and correction (discipline) and through thoughts and ideas (life). Even though we haven’t read Shakespeare together or been introduced to Latin, this is surely the heart of CM philosophy- it just looks a bit different in our family than in yours!

3. That my sweet and loving Lord had noticed my confusion and visited me with sweet reassurance this morning. I needed some Blessed Assurance and He met me in His beautiful and quiet way.

Perfect submission, all is at rest;

I in my Savior am happy and blest,

watching and waiting, looking above,

filled with his goodness, lost in his love.

This is my story, this is my song,

praising my Savior all the day long;

this is my story, this is my song,

praising my Savior all the day long.