Hello again. First I must apologize for my extended absence from the blogging world. I really don’t have a good excuse. I have started working outside the home for the first time in over 12 years, so that has been an adjustment. I also have been taking time to read more (Stay tuned for book reviews!), which I haven’t done in many years, either. I’m enjoying both, but my poor blog has been quite neglected.

As many of you know, my four children attend a local homeschool academy on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays each week, and I teach them at home on Mondays and Fridays. They love their homeschool academy. They have wonderful friends, amazing teachers, and a precious Christian environment where they can learn and grow.

My children behave extremely well at their homeschool academy. They almost never get into any trouble there. They are respectful, kind, obedient, and diligent, for which I’m very thankful.

On school at home days, my children leave their bodies and monsters take over.

You think I’m kidding, don’t you? My sweet little angels couldn’t possibly behave poorly, could they?

I won’t terrify you with details, but suffice it to say that it seems as though they bottle up all of their badness during the week and then release it all on Mondays and Fridays, just for me.

Last Friday was a particularly bad school at home day. Maybe it’s because Christmas is just around the corner, and everyone is “over” school. I don’t know for sure, but I found myself locked in my bathroom, wondering what in the world I’m doing wrong to cause such madness.

I’ve been pretty discouraged lately about this parenting thing. It seems that instead of getting better, some of the issues with my kids are going in the opposite direction. Sometimes I lose my temper with them, which makes things even worse. I couldn’t agree more with the title of James Dobson’s book, Parenting Isn’t for Cowards. A coward is exactly what I feel like sometimes in this parenting journey. It’s hard and I fail a lot and at times I feel like giving up. I won’t give up, of course, but in my flesh I often feel weak and defeated and overwhelmed.

I was listening to worship music this evening while I was dipping peanut butter balls in chocolate. The house was quiet. My husband was gone with the younger three kids, and my oldest was reading on the couch. As one of the songs played, I feel that God spoke to me. He seems to reach me often through music, when I get quiet enough to listen.

If you’re struggling with any part of your Christian walk, see if these lyrics might touch you, too. It’s called “Have Your Way ” from the Sweetly Broken album by Vineyard Music:

In my own strength I’ve tried

to live a holy life, struggling till the end.

Then you find me on my knees,

praying “God forgive me please.”

And “I’ll try again.”

So when will victory be mine?

I’m running out of faith and time.

To live on a mountaintop, it takes more than a will to climb.

So have Your way with me.

Let Your strength be what flows from me,

and let the blood that ran down Calvary run through me.

Oh, Lord, have Your way with me.

 

It seems like self never dies.

The harder I try, it comes back for more.

There are times I lose this fight

before the battle has begun.

And Your blessings must wait once more.

So when will victory be mine?

I’m running out of faith and time.

To live on a mountaintop, it takes more than a will to climb.

So have Your way with me.

Let Your strength be what flows from me,

and let the blood that ran down Calvary run through me.

Oh, Lord, have Your way with me.

 

Though this flesh is what covers me,

Holy Spirit take control of me.

When I want to give in,

don’t give up on me.

Cause where grace abounds, there I want to be.

So, have Your way with me.

Let Your strength be what flows from me,

and let the blood that you shed for me run through me.

Oh, Lord, have Your way with me.

Yes, Lord. Have your way with me. You gave me these four children to raise, so give me the strength and the wisdom to parent them as You direct. Give me patience and let your grace flow through me into their lives day by day by day, for the days are short that they will be in my care. Amen.

As we celebrate the birth of Christ this week, may we focus on our walk with the Lord and all that He means to us. May His joy fill us to overflowing, so that our problems and struggles fade away. That’s my prayer for your family and mine. Merry Christmas to you all!