Paraphrase of a verse of scripture

This morning in my devotions I was reading Proverbs 14. I got to verse 4 and something hit me. Here is what the verse says in the NKJV.

"Prov. 14:4 Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; But much increase comes by the strength of an ox."

I don't know why but an application to homeschool life hit me through that verse. What if if read: 

Where no children are, the house is clean; but much increase comes by the joy of a child. 

If we sent our children off to school it would be much easier to keep the house clean. There would not be science experiments on the counter top, books strewn everywhere, book cases in every room in the house, paper on the floor, glue and paint on our tables, maps and whiteboards on our walls instead of expensive paintings. But we would loose so much. Seeing the joy on a child's face when they read their first book, watching them learn and grow, watching them grow as siblings having brothers and sisters as best friends, reaching their hearts with the Word of God. And once in a while there is a glimmer of goodness and hope in them. Seeing them reach out and help each other, help someone else, be selfless, protect a weaker brother or sister, or show love and care to older people... and once in a while you can even get some work out of them... LOL... using that youthful strength for the good of the family or the good of their church.

One day... not to far away for me... for my youngest is now 14... my home will be clean and quiet for they will all leave to start homes of their own. Then I will wish for the noise and chaos they brought and remember the good old days. Hopefully they will live near enough that I will have a part in homeschooling my grandchildren ... but just a part... then I can send them back home and have some peace again.

I would not trade these 20 years of homeschooling for a cleaner house any day!  (ok... well... most days)

I am also going to submit this post to The Christian Home blog carnival. Click the link to learn more about it and I will let you know when the carnival is posted next Monday.



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Goal Planning Monday ~ Week 23

 

It is Goal Planning Monday!!

How are you doing with your goals??

Click on the button above to view all the Goal Planning Monday links and find out how to join up with us.

My Goals from last week and how I did:

1. Read and enjoy doing it... don't stress over it. Done. Enjoyed my reading this week. Read more of Somewhere a Song and started reading Emma.
2. Exercise on the Wii at least 3 times 30 minutes each. Not Done. Exercised one day.
3. Keep reading Power of a Praying Wife. Done. Read a chapter or two. Need to do better this coming week.
4. Log books into Book Collector  Done. Most of the new books we got for next year are logged in. I should finish that today.
5. Work on portfolios of school stuff from this past year. Not Done. On the list for this coming week.
6. One on one time with Jessica... it is her turn. Not Done. I talked to her and we are going to do it this week for sure.
7. Post at least some of the Longwood photos from June 13. Not Done. On the goal list for this week again.
8. Blog about 2 books I have read. Not Done.
9. Read and comment on all the posts by other Goal Planning Monday participants Not Sure... Don't know if I did this or not, but I don't think so. To may things happened last week and I didn't check anything off on my written list like I usually do as I go through the week.
10. Start planning school for this coming year... especially Science Done. Not done planning, but the goal says start planning, which I did. I have a lot more to do though.
11. ... and History. Not Done.
12. Help out at church tonight moving stuff from our old building to the new edition. The old building must be retro fit to get up to code... especially for sprinklers. Done. It was a lot of work but fun. For 2 1/2 hours we moved stuff from one building to another. Many hands make light the work... well there was a lot of heavy work too but doing it all together was good. If it had only been a few instead of the many that came it would have been a lot more work.
13. Spend the day with my friend Michele and her daughter Rachel tomorrow. Done. We had a great day. I am so glad we had a chance to visit.
14. Attend Memorial service on Wednesday, for my cousin Katheryn, who died on Friday after about a year of battling cancer. Done. It was a sad/happy day. So glad to know for sure that she is with her Lord and Savior. Sad that her family and friends must live on, here on earth, without her... she will be much missed. One day we will see her again.
15. Friday is Ladies Bible Study. (that only leaves me Thursday with nothing to do... not counting the weekend, which is free, as of now) Done. It was a good day, my daughters babysat. They did a very good job, as usual.

My goals for this coming week: 
( I like how Katrina at Mamamanuscripts host of this meme, organizes her goals. I like numbering my goals but I want to also organize them into categories.

Spiritual Goals 

1.  Keep reading Power of a Praying Wife. It was a challenge to pray every day in June for my husband. I did not finish in June but will keep going until I am done... and even then I want to keep praying for my husband, but I will take it off my goal list.
2. Keep up with reading through the Bible in a year.

Homeschool Goals

1. Work on portfolios of school stuff from this past year. 
2. Work on Nathan's Transcripts
3. Start planning school for this coming year... especially Science 
4. ... and History.

Health and Fitness Goals

1. Exercise on the Wii at least 3 times 30 minutes each.
2. Drink more water. Try for 48 oz a day.

 Blog Goals

1. Post at least some of the Longwood photos from June 13.
2. Blog at least 3 days this week. 
3. Blog about 2 books I have read.
4. Read and comment on all the posts by other Goal Planning Monday participants

Personal/Other Goals

1. Read and enjoy doing it.
2. One on one time with Jessica... it is her turn.
3. Log books into Book Collector
4. Celebrate Nathan's Birthday.
5. Ladies Bible Study on Friday

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