Friday, June 23, 2006
For the Imperfect Folks
Linda over at Higher Up and Further In has a wonderful article featured in The Carnival of Homeschooling. It was just what I needed to read today. Being a mother is a tough job any day...but when you add in homeschooling and the desire to train your children in Godliness sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming. I often have to step back and take some deep breaths and ask for the Lord to give me strength and wisdom every day. He is always faithful. And today He encouraged me with Linda's article entitled "For the Imperfect Folks"
Here I quote a large part of the article but I did leave out a lot...please go and read the rest of it on her blog as soon as you get the chance.
"On Monday, I disobeyed Flylady and did not bless my house.
On Tuesday, we ate supper an hour late because I was blogging.On Wednesday, I combed the snarls from my daughter’s hair too roughly and brought tears to her eyes.As you can see, I am a successful person. Yes. That’s right. If you don’t believe me, ask Winston Churchill. He said, “Success is nothing more than going from one failure to another with undiminished enthusiasm.” Oh, how true that is. I am not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. I fail daily. But I just dust off my britches and get back up again, and again, and again…Another reason for my success is that I aim high. I mean REALLY high. Of course, I will miss the mark, but I will have accomplished much more this way rather than if I didn’t aim high, or not at all. I have a very clear vision of the kind of woman I want to be and the kind of education and training I want my children to experience in our home. I make goals to reach that vision. Then I make plans to reach these goals. It requires time, prayer, research, routines, lists, seeking advice and help from others, among other things. This is another reason why I like Charlotte Mason."..... "Now, I do not have great academic ambitions for these kiddos of mine. I just want them to be “heroes in the strife.” They may never be music virtuosos, or famous writers and poets, and that’s okay with me. But I’m aiming high and teaching them to do the same—in every area of their life. They will miss the mark, no doubt, many times, but they will have been successful. They will have really lived and I’m doing the same for my own self. Now, excuse me, while I get my successful self out of my robe and slippers before lunch time."
Thank the Lord it's ok to be imperfect! We just need to strive toward the goal of perfection, knowing that as frail humans we will never truly reach it...but we'll do far more than never having tried at all!
Interestingly, I just had this conversation with my 16 yo son...He was discouraged because he thought I was being unreasonable in my requirements for him for the day and said "So...you want me to be perfect?"
To which I answered "Of course not! I just want to know that you are trying!"
I guess I needed the same sermon he did. :-)
I hope this has encouraged you in your daily walk...remember tomorrow is another new day. The Bible says that "The Lord's mercies are new every morning!" Hurray!
Sunydazy
Here I quote a large part of the article but I did leave out a lot...please go and read the rest of it on her blog as soon as you get the chance.
"On Monday, I disobeyed Flylady and did not bless my house.
On Tuesday, we ate supper an hour late because I was blogging.On Wednesday, I combed the snarls from my daughter’s hair too roughly and brought tears to her eyes.As you can see, I am a successful person. Yes. That’s right. If you don’t believe me, ask Winston Churchill. He said, “Success is nothing more than going from one failure to another with undiminished enthusiasm.” Oh, how true that is. I am not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. I fail daily. But I just dust off my britches and get back up again, and again, and again…Another reason for my success is that I aim high. I mean REALLY high. Of course, I will miss the mark, but I will have accomplished much more this way rather than if I didn’t aim high, or not at all. I have a very clear vision of the kind of woman I want to be and the kind of education and training I want my children to experience in our home. I make goals to reach that vision. Then I make plans to reach these goals. It requires time, prayer, research, routines, lists, seeking advice and help from others, among other things. This is another reason why I like Charlotte Mason."..... "Now, I do not have great academic ambitions for these kiddos of mine. I just want them to be “heroes in the strife.” They may never be music virtuosos, or famous writers and poets, and that’s okay with me. But I’m aiming high and teaching them to do the same—in every area of their life. They will miss the mark, no doubt, many times, but they will have been successful. They will have really lived and I’m doing the same for my own self. Now, excuse me, while I get my successful self out of my robe and slippers before lunch time."
Thank the Lord it's ok to be imperfect! We just need to strive toward the goal of perfection, knowing that as frail humans we will never truly reach it...but we'll do far more than never having tried at all!
Interestingly, I just had this conversation with my 16 yo son...He was discouraged because he thought I was being unreasonable in my requirements for him for the day and said "So...you want me to be perfect?"
To which I answered "Of course not! I just want to know that you are trying!"
I guess I needed the same sermon he did. :-)
I hope this has encouraged you in your daily walk...remember tomorrow is another new day. The Bible says that "The Lord's mercies are new every morning!" Hurray!
Sunydazy
Labels: Inspirations
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