ish

I love the word 'ish,' if you can call it a word. If you have no idea what I'm referring to, let's just say its 'wordish.' Today I went to the first of a four week course on Equipping Moms for Home schooling at my church. It was really exciting for me. It was taught by a very gifted former teacher, who now is head of the children's ministry program at church.
He started the class out by reading the book Ish by Peter Reynolds. I had never heard of the book before, but I have to say its one of the best children's books I have ever heard. The idea centers around a child who needs to be given the space to create his own world of ideas and pictures, but does not know how to because he's been taught there is only one way to everything. That is until he discovers, ish.

What I love to think about with homeschooling, is that you get to share in your child's every learning experience. They do not come home and tell you what they learned, you get to see them learn it. I'm sure that is one thing teachers in general love about their jobs. I know that teaching is not a piece of cake by any means, and I am definitely not saying I'm not intimidated by the whole idea of preparing my child for life, high school, college, everything. The fact that you have to be able to find your child's learning style is something that probably makes teaching in a large classroom difficult for teachers too, you cannot give each child enough attention. Teachers have an amazing gift of patience, endurance, and helping.

A friend said to me today, it is a step by step process, you start with letters, and then sounds, and move on slowly step by step. Teaching is a process that takes time, I would love to be able to stay home with my kids and learn with them. So the preparing of my heart begins...

I love the book of Deuteronomy. The Lord speaking through Moses to the people of Israel about how much he wants to bless them, all they have to do is obey. Chapter 6:5-9... Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and might, these words I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."
I am thankful to have been raised up in the Lord by my parents. We are all teachers and especially if we have kids, we teach them things everyday as we watch them grow. I frequently say to Jack that God made me your mom, and he wants you to obey me because I'm your mom and God wants me to love you, because he's given you to me for a child. We are all God's children, this is exciting to think about teaching our children too.