Today, we’re talking about Chapter 5 in our Seasons of a Mother’s Heart Book Study!
Are you still hanging in there with me?
We are in that part of a Bible study where the newness has worn off and people are ready to move on to the next thing.
But don’t move on yet! There are so many more nuggets of wisdom and learning that are yet to come!
This week’s chapter is so practical. And if you know me at all, you know I adore practical.
Let’s get started!
To view previous chapters, click on the links in the schedule section on this post.
Character Issues
Can anyone else relate to Sally’s planning dreams being dashed at the beginning of Chapter 5?
Oh I am totally raising my hand!!
I can’t tell you the times I’ve planned the ‘perfect’ schedule, only to have none of it work out as I’d hoped.
You too?
Thankfully, I read this chapter during one of my semester planning stretches several years ago and really got it.
Books and academics are certainly important to us, and providing a rich learning environment is something I strive for each week.
However, if my children grow up to have crummy character, I will have failed at my job as their teacher. Their character is way more important to me than what they know about a particular topic or concept.
I’ll be honest, we’ve had a particularly rough stretch of it here at the Hill House. Character issues have shown up in massive ways in the past 4 months.
Rebellion, lying, disobedience, laziness, and more.
These issues have been exceptionally magnified lately.
And because I’m busy correcting and disciplining for these issues, our school work has been put on the back burner just a bit.
We’re still in school of course, but we may not get to everything on my to-do list for the day, just because I’m having to take the time to correct these issues.
It’s exhausting, y’all.
But so worth it.
Chapter 5 was such a good reminder to keep on keepin’ on with this constant instruction and it is the most important type of learning. Sometimes I just need to read how important it is so I can keep trodding down the correct path.
What I Want My Children to Know, Be, and Do
A few years ago after reading this chapter, I made a 3-column list with the headings ‘know’, ‘be’, and ‘do.’
I took quite a bit of time filling in the things I want my children to know, the things I want them to be, and the things I want them to do.
I made one large list for all of my children, because I generally want the same things for all of them. Sure, some of them have specific issues to work on, but for the most part, I dream of similar things for each of them.
After making this list, it was so easy for me to mentally prioritize my homeschool day.
If we have an issue on the list that needs attention (lying, being a peacemaker, etc), I drop what I’m doing and we make the necessary corrections.
Seeing these goals and dreams in print, and being able to refer back to them, has made all the difference.
If you’ve never done an exercise like this, make sure you carve out some alone time this week to do it. You’ll gain some much needed fresh focus!
Journaling and Prayer
During this Seasons of a Mother’s Heart study with all of you, I’m journaling and praying as I read through each chapter.
As I read through the ‘Thoughts on the Living Word’ section (pages 106-107), I recorded a few of those questions/tasks in my journal.
♥ I asked the Lord to show me character issues (mine or my children’s) and any other priorities I needed to re-evaluate in our homeschool. I asked God to give me specific Scriptures that are full of wisdom.
♥ I considered how “careful” I’m being in my Christian example to my children. There’s always room for work there.
♥ I do pretty well with the ‘know’ and ‘be’ sections, but I need some serious work in showing my children the ‘do’ portion of this chapter. While we’ve done a few service projects, I need to be more diligent in seeking out opportunities for us to serve. I asked the Lord to show me several different ways my children and I could help others in His name.
What About You?
How did the Lord speak to you this week as you read through Chapter 5 of Seasons of a Mother’s Heart?
What things must you consider “lost for the sake of Christ”?
How do you model servanthood to your own kiddos?
What is your desire for your family?
Tell me all the many ways God spoke to you in Chapter 5!
Seasons of a Mother’s Heart Chapter 4 – Building My House
I am terrible for hating interruptions. Just right now, my little girl was looking out the window and noticing the birds. She was wanting to discuss with me everything that she was seeing. It was sweet and lovely ….and I almost missed it. All because I wanted to get my words down about what I have learned in this bible study.
How ironic, and such an eye-opener! My learning never ceases. Fortunately, I listened to God’s little tap on my shoulder and my irritation quickly turned to rejoicing with her in God’s creation.
Oh how I love my “to do” list. The little checks as each item is completed. But I must constantly strive to put my “to do” list aside when the Lord has other plans for my day. It is one of my biggest struggles.
The part of the chapter that spoke very deeply to me was “I know that I must prepare their minds with biblical truth and a Christian worldview if they are to keep the faith in a hostile world” (Clarkson p98) How true this is, even for myself. As I get to know the Lord and grow in His wisdom as he revels it to me, I slowly realize how “infected” I was by the secular world and believing the lie that I need to look after myself and constantly fear the world’s impression of what needs to be accomplished rather than placing my fear where it needs to be. Psalm 90 reminds me of this often. I feel a deep desire to prepare my children as they start to spread their wings and take there first tentative steps into the world around them.
Amanda, I could have written every single thing you just wrote!
Being ‘infected’ by the world – that’s so true for all of us.
Thank you for taking the time to write down your thoughts! And I’m so glad you didn’t miss that moment with your daughter. xoxo
Wasn’t sure how to email you, so I thought I would leave a message here. When will the next chapter of the study be?
Thanks
Amanda
Are the rest of the chapters somewhere else? I cannot find anything after chapter 5…I would love the rest of this study. Thank you!