Putting Away My Bullwhip

Lately, life has become a series of to-do lists.  My life has consisted of waking and then making a mad dash through my day to accomplish my list of things to do.  When I do (which is seldom), I feel good about myself.  I'm a good Teacher if I get school started on time and get through all my subjects.  I'm a good Mom if I teach my kids how to work hard and tell the truth.  I'm a good wife if I have the house clean, the clothes ironed and a nice supper on the table when Leland walks in the door. 

For instance, my list for today was:
Start school on time (ok, lets move to the next one)
Finish all Breck's school work
Dust the entire house
Make a nice supper
Make it to Bible Study (preferably on time)
(I know.  Not a big list.  But I have three little children, so give me a break here.)

But when those things don't happen, well... I have this bullwhip that I keep in my closet.  When the ironing doesn't get done...SLAP!   Supper didn't turn out well...SLAP!  I started school late...SLAP!  I didn't make that pumpkin pie my kids were begging me to make because I had too many other things to do...SLAP! SLAP!  I didn't write an e-mail to my dear Grandma...SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! 

After a while I feel bruised, frustrated, impatient, unloving, and........  Yeah.  You get the picture.  Not at all a pleasant person to be around.

Its at a time like this that God has a way of making his point very clearly.

I was having my devotions this morning when God suddenly spoke to me and said, "You are focusing on the WRONG THING!!!  Your focus should not be how much you can accomplish today; rushing through your to-do list.  Your focus should be serving Me with joy!"

Why is it that we always want to focus on DOING rather than BEING?!  God's ultimate goal is not for me to just read my Bible every day and go to church on Sunday and Bible study on Wednesday night.  Those things are good... don't get me wrong.  But what He really wants is re.la.tion.ship.  My husband doesn't need a perfect wife...he needs relationship!  My kids don't want a perfect Mom...they want relationship!  

WOW!! 

How liberating!

I don't have to be perfect!  I can put away my bullwhip! 

If I focus on relationships and serving God, I can still have joy when there are piles of laundry that need done. 

Who knew?

So today I choose joy.  And I hope my husband has something clean to wear to work tomorrow.

Teaching Fonix

Am I the only one who thinks that our English language is reediculus in the way we spell words?  I am a firm believer in teaching reading phonetically, but people! why on earth do we have so many ways to spell out the sound "eee"?!!!  "e" or "ee" or "ea" or "y"  or "i" (am I missing any?)  But depending on where that "e" is in the word it might also say "eh" as in "shed", but then "ai" also makes that same sound too, as in "said"... so don't get confused here.

For instance, the letter "O" says Ah, as in "mop"....unless there is an "E" at the end, and then it says Oh, as in "mope".  But then there is "soap", which should be spelled "sope" and "moat", which should be spelled "mote".  And then there are words like "old", "sold", "host", "roll", "both",  etc., that are spelled that way for no apparent reason...just because someone decided they look better that way, I guess.

Then lets not forget that "th" sounds together if you are saying the word "the", but if you are saying the word "Thomas" YOU JUST SAY "T" BECAUSE THE "H" IS SILENT!!!!!  Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!!

There are also words like "sulk" that we really pronounce "solk".  And the word "cute" should really be spelled "qoot".  

*sob* *sob* *sob*

I mean, seriously, how am I supposed to teach a 6 yr. old all these stupid (yes, I did say stoopid) rules? 

Its no wonder our kids struggle with spelling.  Could we please just stick to one sound per letter?  It would make it so much eesier.  I'm all for a revolt.

If you need me, I'll be under my bed chewing my fingernails off.  I can only take so much of this!