It's barely five hours past yesterday.
It's dark and early here, and Mama is up....feeling the urge and itch to scribble something out.
I just checked all three of the littles - and they are rolled up sweet still, in blanketed bunk beds.
As I've noted here before...there is a type of pureness, stillness, freshness...to the early morning.
All crisp and new and waiting and ready. I love that.
Especially today.
Because after the children rise and dress and tend to chores - our first full day of homeschooling begins.
We have much to discover this year. With a big-guy 2nd grader, my kinder girl, and our 2 year old toddle-boy....our days of learning will be full.
Which hopefully....turns into minds and hearts being full, too.
I've set the stage as best I can...
Books all stacked on the kitchen table.
Chalkboard adorned with date and greeting.
Candles throughout.
Daddy surprising with donuts.
New outfits.
A plan.
And prayer. Lots and lots and lots of prayer.
Because a Mama can plan, and light candles, and leave notes, and prep her precious heart out - and it can all fall to pieces the moment the toddler shrieks and shrills.
It will happen....the shrieks and shrills. Kids will end up complaining, and Teacher-Mama will get tired, and laundry will pile up, and lessons will fall flat at some point.
Preparations and donuts and lit wicks won't make real life go away.
They just make real life feel a little warmer for the woman who is carrying it all. :)
My plan is to visit this spot numerous times over the next seven days. Dare I say it - but in my overly determined heart....my desire is to sit and share here on the blog everyday for the next seven go-arounds.
Because yesterday....I sat in a class myself. Two of the finest artists around - put on a course at our church entitled Arts and Faith.
It was all about using your flair for the arts - to boost faith and Kingdom growth.
It was brilliant.
Afterward, Pastor Tom issued a commission:
Over the next seven days....let excellent art explode in you. Commit to it and see what happens.
And that's all I needed.
As our resident artists said....'set a deadline and do it.'
Yes. Okay.
With homeschooling, and a dear friend's diagnosis, and long prayer lists, and torture turning up in all parts of the world, and beauty turning up in all parts of the world, and family and marriage and the daily happenings of life - there is much that weighs both heavy and light on my spirit these days.
Sharing here - will perhaps makes sense of the load? And I pray - alleviate it for someone else in the undoing.
