Tag Archives: homeschooling mom

Both Sides of the Coin

Christianity, homeschooling, Love one another, mom, Spiritual Encouragement, teachers, , , , , , , , , , ,

coins

Have you ever been on “both sides of the coin?”  

Most of us have been at one time or another.  An employee/employer.  Child/Parent.  That is one of my favorites.  You know, when you get around your parents and they make you feel like a twelve year old again?  Or at my age when you get around your boys and they like to tease and make you feel like a very old woman!!  Mine enjoy that for some strange reason!

At any rate, I have been…in chronological order….a student, a brand new public school teacher, a brand new mom, a homeschooling mom, a mom of public/private school teenagers, and a public school teacher again.  So, as you can see I have been on both sides of the coin.  In fact, I have been on both sides of several coins! Sometimes I was shiny, other times very dull and pretty scratched up!

I believe that the Father can use all the experiences in this life to help others; and most often times He helps us.  As I held all these roles I have learned many things.  The most recent role as a public school special education teacher taught me many lessons.  God allowed all these experiences (plus many others) to make me the teacher and the person I knew He wanted me to be. Of course, I am still a work in progress, trust me!!

Once a parent, I became a better teacher.  That was my personal experience.  I no longer acted like I knew everything there was to know about teaching and parenting.  I realized that when someone was sitting across the table from you discussing your child, you took it personally if something was said that was condescending toward your child in any way.  I met parents in a different manner as a result of this experience.

I became a better teacher when I had children of my own because I finally understood unconditional love.  I will never forget looking into my sons’ eyes….and understanding that I would lay down my life for each of them…anytime, anyway. I felt like I “mothered” my students, and taught them as if they were my very own flesh and blood.

I have watched with horror over the last few years as some of our schools have become targets of senseless shootings.  But I have been filled with complete understanding as I have heard some of these teachers say “they are my kids when they are here at school and I will protect them the best I can.” Every teacher I have worked with has had that same attitude.

 I became a better teacher because I homeschooled my own children.  I was forced to put all I learned into practice about children having different learning styles, how God had indeed created them differently;  that each child had a purpose.  I honestly got to teach as I saw fit for each child.  This helped me see all the special qualities of my students. 

As a student, I can honestly say teachers were my heroes.  My parents divorced when I was in junior high and three teachers took time to talk to me and help me through this difficult time.  I always knew I would be a teacher.  It indeed was my calling.

Yes, I recently quit teaching.  The season changed.  It is not the same world I grew up in…and teachers aren’t given the respect that they once were given.  It is a very difficult job right now.  My hats are off to all of them.  They teach responsibility, respect, safety, morals; not to mention Math, Reading, Science, etc. Trust me when I say that there is not enough time in the day.  Education seems to be blamed for everything right now. I believe there are many reasons, but it is not for this time. Teaching had literally affected my spiritual, emotional, mental and physical health. It was time to be healed.

So maybe being on “both sides of the coin” can make us more compassionate towards others.  Maybe we can treat one another with more respect.  Maybe we can realize that we don’t understand everyone else’s circumstances. Maybe we can ask each other questions without being condescending towards one another. Maybe we can use our experiences to love on people as the Father would have us love on others. Maybe we can encourage one another…whether student, parent, teacher or homeschooling mom!!

Coins can have a shiny appearance, or be very dull and full of scratches.  Which are you?  Oh, how I pray my side can be shiny to all I meet and come in contact with these days!

“A new command I give you.  Love one another. As I have loved you, so must you love one another. By this you will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

Blessings dear ones…

IN CHRIST ALONE
Isaiah 55:8-9

Me a Mom? Never…say Never!

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ME a Mom?  NEVER

Famous last words.  Never say never. 

When my husband and I were dating, even at a young age, we knew what we wanted.  We started dating when I was 16 years old.  We did not want children.  Ever.  Never, ever.  It was not a argument, or more than three sentences.  We were not having children.  So, we agreed to it and never was it brought up again. It was a plan.

Until February 1986.  I woke up one morning wanting a baby.  It was as if something had broken loose in my heart.  There was an empty spot that I was not aware existed.  I wanted children.  I had changed my mind, question was…had my husband?

Suffice it to say…he had.  We were ready.  Of course I did not get pregnant right away.  It is amazing when you want something so badly, it seems so long to attain.  Here we had gone 6 years without being pregnant and content to wanting to be and not content.  Oh how fickle we were. Our plans had changed.

Now I am a goal setter.  Once a goal is set, I do everything I can to attain it.  I read articles, practiced all necessary things to achieve pregnancy….yep, even laid upside down.  There, I said…laugh if you want. 

Some six months later it happened.  I got pregnant.  I was teaching and I was the only woman to ever carry a baby.  I was very sure of that.  My co-workers told me differently. Gosh, I was a mess. I imagined everything possible.  What if?  Why do I feel that way?  Let’s face it, having another human being take up residence inside your body is one of the strangest sensations ever known. Can you say miracle?

I gained lot of weight, couldn’t wear my rings at 4 months.  I looked as though I was carrying twins.  AND, many people made it their business to let me know that observation.  “Are you carrying twins?  You are huge.” By far my favorite was “Haven’t you had that baby yet?”  OBVIOUSLY NOT!!  Would I be looking like this if I had?  Really???

Suffice it to say, I had plenty of “womb room”.  Austin came into this world at 9 pound 1 ounce.  He was my buddy.  He slept through the night at 3 weeks, loved to go and was a wonderful, peaceful child.  I left my job, knowing that I would NEVER teach again…..remember that NEVER SAY NEVER statement.  DON’T MAKE THAT STATEMENT!! But, I had plans for my life.

So our desire was to maybe have another child when Austin was at least 3 years old.  We did not want two babies at once.  You know where this is going don’t you?  I had Taylor when Austin was exactly 2.5 years of age.  Don’t you love that God has a sense of humor? A toddler and a new born and little sleep.

Taylor decided to teach me some lessons, for many years and in many ways.  Of course no pregnancy is the same, so I was sure I was having a little girl.  I gained more weight than should ever be allowed by any human being.  Being asked if I was carrying twins was so common place that I didn’t even flinch when I was asked.  I had a number of health issues and scares, but each time all was well.  And, having the “womb room” as I mentioned before, Taylor came in 2 weeks late at 9 pound and 11 ounces.  Just a glimpse of the strong will competitor that this little boy was to become.  I remember at one point he had stopped moving and I had to be rushed to the hospital.  The doctor mentioned to me once he knew all was well…”This little boy is a stubborn little one…look out!”  A prophetic word to be sure. 

He was a hand full.  He never slept over 4 hours at any given time.  He transitioned into toddler hood with a vengeance.  He taught me so much.  But that is another entire blog.  “Strong Willed Children, How Not To Break Their Spirit.”  

As you can see from the picture posted, both boys turned out just fine. Both have qualities that make them incredible young men.  Later blog entries will show you that as we parented and homeschooled, I was even worried about that…but I digress yet again.

The point of this story?  We walk this thing called life out day by day.  We do not know that plans that the Lord has for us.  We can think we are “planning” it out, but we are not.  I learned long ago to “Never say Never” because inevitably, you will be wrong.

But the one thing that I do know with certainty ….

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11(NIV)

These scriptures were prefaced by verse 4 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon”

I believe that those scriptures can be taken out of context so often. Plans is “machashabah” and means thought, device, plan, purpose, invention.  Prosper doesn’t mean to be rich.. in the Hebrew the word is “shaw-lome'” and can be translated into completeness, soundness, welfare, peace, friendship (with God especially in covenant relationship).

So His “plans” were always pregnant with grace, and still are!  No matter what our plans are in this world…HIS ultimate plan is that He wants us to spend eternity with Him.  HE has a plan to rescue us.  We just have to accept His grace, and the fact that He is our Savior.  No matter what we go through in life, how our plans turn out….we must remember HIS ultimate plan.  We cannot lose sight of that in the midst of our circumstances and swirling world.

Blessings dear ones!

Isaiah 55:8-9

To a TEACHER MOM….teaching is a calling! What??!!

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photo 1-20photo 2-20Teaching is a calling…private school, public school or homeschool.

I know, I know….if you want a “cush” job, you teach!  Who else has hours of 8-3:40pm, summers off with pay, great retirement pension? If you are a homeschooling mom, you don’t really do anything anyway, do you?

STOP!  Before you start emailing me and throwing things at the screen…I was being extremely sarcastic.

I just resigned from my teaching position in October.  I loved the kids and the people I worked with…but that was about it.  The ridiculous amount of paperwork, rules/laws, standardized tests was killing me.  I was stressed out completely over trying to actually teach, while having to make everyone happy.  I could not do it another day.  So, after much prayer, tears and discussion…I quit.

When I was a little girl, I knew I would be a teacher.  In fact in 8th grade I did a report on being a “Missionary Teacher”.  The poster was out of toothpicks.  Don’t ask, I don’t remember.  ANYWAY, my parents went through a messy divorce, and three of my teachers in the junior high mentored me and helped me.  They listened.  This just reaffirmed my desire to teach.  That is what I was called to do.

And that I did.  I graduated in the summer of 1982 and was blessed with my first teaching job.  And what a job it was.  Junior and Senior High students that were not going to listen to me.  Goodness, four of the boys were just 3 years younger than me!  But I made it and so did the students.  Those learning disabled kids that had always been in trouble and were told they would not graduate…did.  Much to the surprise of the government teacher!!  Sorry, but it was one of those moments!!

I then got pregnant with our first son and I resigned my teaching position to be a mommy.  I loved every single minute of it.  A baby who slept through the night after one week, took naps consistently and loved to go with me everywhere.  He was my little buddy.  Soon he was joined by his brother.  This little guy, however, chose not to sleep longer than four hours through the night, not take naps and cry constantly.   I was worn to a frazzle.  But I tried to be the best mom I could be…reading to them and teaching them as much as possible.  I was a TEACHER MOM!!

Soon these adorable little kiddos became “school age”.  My husband knew I was to homeschool.  I was not convinced.  What would people think of me?  What about socialization?  What if I ruined them for life?  The Lord has His plans and I soon learned that He would guide me over and over.  Isaiah 54:13 is where the Father sent me when I knew I had to be hit in the head to have my answer.  “Both your sons will be taught by the Lord and great will be your children’s peace.”  

Ok, that sounds like an answer to me!! I was called to teach my boys… I was a TEACHER MOM, after all!!

Ten years of homeschooling, and the Father, with His delightful sense of humor…sends me back into the public school system. Long story short…we needed money for college and suffice it to say I was called.  In one day I “just happened” to find out about a part time position, applied for that position, interviewed for the position and picked up my husband from work with employment in that position!  I was still a TEACHER MOM!

So here I am, a teacher who resigned because I knew that season was over.  I think the Lord literally saved me.  I don’t know exactly what He has planned, but I know that teaching is a calling.  You cannot go in thinking any thing else or you won’t make it.  I was blessed to work with some of the most incredible people the last 9 years.  They poured their lives into their teaching.  None left at 3:40, all worked well into the night.  Summers were often spent taking classes, furthering their skills, trying to become better teachers.  Many were moms themselves…raising their children and being TEACHER MOMS!

So, my hat goes off to all teachers and teacher moms.  You are called.  And my prayer is that I can bring a little encouragement into your life right now.  That seems to be my calling now….and I will always and forever be…a TEACHER MOM!

Blessings dear ones,

Isaiah 55:8-9  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”