Hope For Your School Year
1. Hope “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” Psalm 39:7
One of the dictionary definitions of hope is, “a desire for a certain thing to happen.” Can’t you see that definition applying to your school? We “hope” that our children listens when we speak. We “hope” that the math finally becomes understood. We “hope” that the house will be ready when company comes.
We “hope” that our children behave, especially in public. And we “hope” that their eternal souls will be redeemed. Through all of your “hoping,” God is with you, directing and encouraging.
*When again the child did NOT listen when you spoke, God was with you changing your frustration to hope. So, you praise Him for you know He has a plan and is revealing it to you.
*When another day the math is NOT understood, you need not lose hope for the God of all hope has appointed what and when each of us may receive learning. You know that about your God and you trust, not losing hope.
*When the house is certainly improved but not totally ready for company you praise God for friends and you surrender to Him for ways to improve your work schedule. Then you invite the friends in with open arms and joyful hearts, knowing that God is in this place.
*When your children do NOT behave, even in public, You pray, surrender and obey directions that God gives at that moment. Then your heart shouts gratitude that you have a teacher — the Holy Spirit, Himself!
*While you are still waiting for evidence that your child’s soul is redeemed, you walk in hope that God’s power to redeem is always sufficient. The rejoicing is in what may yet come!
Romans 5:1: Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Romans 15:13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
2. Warning
Truly, I feel called to warn you of a pit that you may easily settle into. Today’s pit is clutter. Why, oh why, did I think my clutter added anything good or godly to the atmosphere of training children in our home?
Well, now it will serve one purpose. In retrospect I see not only the uselessness of it but the HARM to training. Of course, this is not to say that if your children turn away from Christ and His truth that it is the fault of your clutter. But learning can be affected.
So, what would I do differently, looking back? When an area was drawn to my attention, I would make plans to deal with it now.
Example: Our cellar. Our cellar has 3 rooms all useful now. But years ago–clutter, useless. When we began cleaning, none of the rooms took more than 3 hours to clean. Three hours I could have taken one hour for 3 weeks 50 years ago and I would have had useful space.
Example: 9 drawers in the dining room useless for practical storage. 2 hours of disposing of the unusable and practical space appeared.
Example: A stacked counter in the kitchen. Whoever goes to the stack for any useful purposes? One hour and a useful space appeared. One hour, only one hour spent to bring order to an area of fog and confusion and annoyance.
Why would I want to remove piles in the corner and stacks on the table? Why would I want only useful stuff in closets, cabinets and drawers?
Because: Rest is very important. Order is a contributor to rest. Declutter and knowing purpose for space is a factor in order. Clutter will always be accumulating, so it is important to keep doing one small space to keep decluttered.
Back to “rest,” our reason for decluttering.
Rest—where the mind can concentrate.
Rest—where peacefulness permeates.
Rest—where quiet meditation is encouraged.
Rest—where everyone is encouraged to hear God and to seek Him more diligently.
Now you know why it has become so important to me that you be warned to declutter.
Let’s challenge one another. 3. Training
Who among us will not prosper from having a teachable spirit?
One of the great lessons that I tried to learn early in my journey with Championship Christian Education was:
When a child disobeys, I not only seek God for what training direction to take for the child BUT I also ask God, “What are you teaching me through this incident?” “God, why did you allow me to see/hear this?” Surely as you pray those words, God will open your mind and heart in astounding ways.
One illustration:
In our child training, I had many furious moments. I simply could not understand why a child would be instructed and know the right thing to do and NOT DO IT! We kept our focus on the behavior of the child and HOW to CHANGE that behavior.
With help from a wonderful, God-sent mentor, we realized that that focus on behavior would keep us inside the wheel, ever moving but going nowhere.
Here we learned the value of the prayer that focuses on what God is doing, rather than what the child is doing. Our prayer was: “Lord are you here? What are you wanting to do in me?” My eyes became more focused on God at work. God began revealing methods other than my natural method of lecture and argue.
The son’s behavior did not change overnight but my anger was gone and I felt that we were working in surrender to One who sees all and loves fully. The price and purpose of Christ and the cross became better understood as we learned how God’s wrath is a component of His love and how His grace never runs out.
Yelling and removing privileges were replaced with showing how he had choices— the choice to win and the choice to lose. The choice to have a privilege and the choice to deny it. The privilege was no longer mine to control.
We learned that schoolwork might seem useless to him but there are other good reasons for doing it. We talked about the reason of simply honoring the one in authority over him and how that prepares him to hear God’s call to opportunities to serve and honor Him. And the lessons are never ending but the joy is returned. We could enjoy each other and enjoy knowing that God had chosen us together to get to know Him better.
Proverbs 23:26: "My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways."
It applies to both the student and the teacher.
Blessings to you as we serve together!
