Life is Hard

Okay, so since my last blog all those great accomplishments went tthhrruupp! Right down the drain. That week and the previous one were absolutely great! Then the week of snow, usually the snow is a great time to snuggle in and drink hot cocoa and read books and work puzzles. Well not that week, or the following. Augh! How dare that time of just enjoying the pretty snow out my window be turned into yelling, whining, the house being turned upside down, the chores being ignored. Sigh, I felt totally lied to, no one said it was going to be a peaceful week, I just assumed that the pretty white stuff was a gift from God, a reason to relax and enjoy the fruits of my labor. So grumpy I became and all the hard work went to the wayside. This week has been nothing but whines and why's and do I have to do this everyday??
Sooo, this week on Sunday I went to my Library by myself so I could spend some time on educational resource books. That is where I sometimes find my inspiration. I got my wind back and decided that this week was a new week and we were starting fresh! Snow or no snow, sunshine or no sunshine we were going to get our attitudes in check and our schedule back in place. It's been hard, we're almost there and my prayer is that this next week we will all be back where we need to be.
Today, as I was reading my devotional, the title was, "Beware of Heights!" it's written by Charles Swindoll. In it he mentions a book where halfway through there is a line that says: "A time to be careful is when one reaches his goals. ....It is then, with all his resources spent and his guard down, that an individual must watch out for dulled reactions and faulty judgment."
Aahh! how refreshing to know that our fall back wasn't just an act of laziness, but rather a result of not treading carefully once my (our) energy was drained, dreams realized, enthusiasm peaked and desire accomplished. I thought our labor was done, for awhile, and we could just sit back, bask and reflect in it. The truth is, in this journey of parenthood and homeschooling there is just mere moments that we can do just that, once we claim to be victorious we take the glory and forget it is our Father God who allowed the energy, the time and who is to be greatly praised.
"During the difficult years, the watchword is survival, and the battle cry is sacrifice. Hard times bind people together. Goals are set. Prayers are offered. Every week is a new adventure in faith. By and by, the pieces fall into place, and the goals are finally reached. It is there-on the perilous pinnacle of accomplishment-that the adversary lurks with his corrupting influence."
We can stop and enjoy "the fruits of our labor" we just need to be watchful where we are placing the glory for the job done. If I had reflected with praise maybe, we wouldn't have fallen back so hard. Resting on your laurels is a synonym for flirting with disaster.
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." ~ 1 Corinthians 10:13
Whew! Thank the Lord that I'm saved by grace! Life is hard! We have to teach, love and sacrifice in a way where we are watching where our glory is being placed. But this is what it is all about, learning and re-learning, teaching and re-teaching, loving and forgiving. Thank you for letting me be honest with you all as Ken, the boys and I are walking in this journey of faith!