Living In A Bubble World

So yesterday did not go so well....with school work that is. It seemed that everyone who struggled with something had a bit of a meltdown. Minor ones, but fussing none the less. Sigh...Thankfully, I have many years of home educating behind me and I know that there will be days like these.

It takes time and effort to teach your children, especially when the sun is shining and they would rather be outside. God never promised me that I would not have difficulty in my life, even though I would prefer that everything go well and easy.

I had a woman say to me once "well, we don't all live in your nice bubble world" - meaning that because I have a vision and a view about life that didn't match hers, mine must be a fairy tale or somehow without struggle.

Nothing could be further from the truth. As I have written here recently we have struggled this year, financially, physically and with relationships. But in all of it God has been at work, going before us on our behalf. He has taught us much, has supplied every need and many wants, He has worked to bring our thinking into line with His thinking for the plans He has for our family. He has a plan for our lives, and we continue to trust Him with everything.

I have had the blessing of a couple of late night chats with my older girls this weekend. They are growing, mature beyond their years and yet maturing still. They sometimes struggle because they live in many ways counter culturally. They were told this summer that they were too modest!

These girls are such a blessing to me. Emily helped Kyle with his bedroom yesterday. After giving two riding lessons, Lindsay peeled a whole big box of peaches and readied them for canning. We usually freeze them but I wanted to try to can them this year. It was easy and Emily, Lindsay and I working together made the job go quickly. What a blessing to work alongside my daughters. I started dinner, then headed out with Tim and the littles to go to my parents house to borrow the mower. Emily and Lindsay finished making dinner, including homemade biscuits. I arrived home in time to get the table set, and everyone ready to eat. They helped clean up, and freed me up to go take a long soak in a hot bath! When I came out Tim was putting Kyle to bed, Emily had brushed and braided the little girls hair, and everything was done for the evening. I tucked the girls into bed, talking and praying with them, and then went back to see what the big girls were doing. We read together and then discussed the topic and how it applies to us. We listened to music on Em's ipod. We laughed and had fun.

Maybe I do live in a bubble world - A big bubble of God's Grace!