A new calling: A time for a change

Talk about a weeping morning. This week I have been praying about something on my heart and I shared it with my dearest friend but today I asked God to help me as I was in complete worry. God has been churning a calling in me for too long now and although my heart is not physically ready for a change God thinks that it's time.

Now to wait to see what he calls me to do. All I know is wherever he places me and whichever door he opens that it be a place where he plant me in soil of his choosing so that I may glorify him once again. Thank you God for trusting and choosing me.

GCA 2009-2010 has begun : )

God has called and asked; therefore I have chosen to honor that calling. When we first decided to home school, it was a calling that God was moving in me and I was adamant that he was NOT talking to me. The more I prayed through this, the stronger the calling was and now we are teaching all 3 various levels and courses to get SAT exams completed and fulfilled and graduation requirements. My day starts at 7 a.m. when I start my day in prayer with coffee, and then I begin printing out lesson sheets so I am organized. I finally bought me a nice computer program that creates the transcript, tallies up their grades and makes their report cards. Yay, for software!!! I sit in my office working quickly because the kids are up at 9 and usually only JD is eager for school to start. The girls roll around by 9:30 griping but DO take their lessons back upstairs and by 10 a.m. the craziness begins. Michelle is usually my first customer as she hates math so I begin helping her work through solving tedious Algebra problems, then it is Krissy who is waiting too in hand with her set of Algebra problems, then it is JD waiting patiently with his Grammar and by the time I know it, it is 5 p.m. and the cycle just continued. The stack gets bigger on my desk and the teacher tasks just continue. I designed an SAT curriculum this summer for my girls which included 8000 possible SAT words and that alone takes me hours creating and printing and studying myself before I give to them. Then in between all this, there is lunch, and breakfast and dinner we order in most of the time unless Dave is home, then he cooks for us. By 8 p.m. I usually take a break to catch up on some paper work then by the time I realize it, the day has passed me by. Dave is home by 10:30 and we talk till midnight and then I start again, same routine. Somehow, Grad school also gets done in between there. I do cry a lot. It helps me release the overwhelming day. Dave is pretty awesome to just sit with me and I get foot rubs while I cry. This is not a complaint session, it’s just my day in a nutshell and I am honored that God has entrusted me with the academic knowledge instilled in my children. This school year will be a tad bit more consuming as it entails various high school courses all of which require lots of one on one plus JD’s now taking advanced math and Science.

JD:
We will begin this School year with Zoology 1, 2 and 3 and Math 5th grade as he tested out of the 4th. JD is an awesome student. He loves school; he loves learning and moves through everything with a joy and exciting of what is being presented for him. He will also take Grammar, Language Arts, Poetry, Health, History, Art, and is continuing the study of the book of Mathew.

Michelle:
Well, what I can tell you about Michelle. She hates math, she hates Grammar, BUT she loves History, and she enjoys the Bible studies. She is NOT looking forward to Biology and NOT looking forward to Grammar, and NOT wanting to take psychology but she is excited about World Geography, Health and keyboarding. We will be taking French I this year and the curriculum is on its way. Oh and she also has English I, the Literature books plus projects. She chose to take all these classes because she would like to early enroll for college. So she is pushing herself and me to get this done. I am proud of her but at the same time overwhelmed with her decision. I know it can be done but I will continue praying about this goal she has set for herself. She plans to get a PhD possibly in Theology, possibly History. Her aspiration is to teach Theology at the University level.

Krissy:
Wow, we have Advanced Biology so she can CLEP out of it or possibly just pass at the college level, Algebra II, Economics, Government, Jesus and His Followers study and Life management under God, English 4, Psychology and SAT preparations. She does NOT like any of it except Bible and Literature. She is addicted to the Twilight series and she does enjoy texting as an extracurricular activity. I wonder if that can go on her transcript. She’s great at it. Krissy serves in the Preschool ministry at our church and aspires to be a school teacher.

Both girls plan to work in our practice when I am self employed with my PhD in Counseling. Michelle will handle the insurance and bookkeeping and Krissy will help with calls, scheduling, etc…

I am proud of all 3 children even though they yell at me, complain about the work, disagree with how I teach and gripe about the tedious lessons that they claim are being taught at a college level… (The violin plays softly), I am honored and I cherish every moment as we begin a new home school year at Godines Christian Academy.

Thank you God for providing the finances and time so that I may continue to home school our children. We do have some struggles along the way, but faith has shown that each and every time, we make it and every year we start again knowing that God will pull us through even the hardest of days.

-Marie

fun day

I just had to write about this special day that God has blessed me with. Often time I get so caught up in the curriculum and the learning that I fail to enjoy the simplicity and the joys that come with homeschooling. We have just had a whole day of Art and exercise. Tomorrow is another day and we will start off from where we left off today. The thing about homeschooling is that if we didn’t finish the day’s work we just try again tomorrow. Even I did nothing but enjoy the day with them. I will pay tonight at class but I am praying that God will stick up for me. Fun day!!!

Good morning Lord

Good morning Lord,

Thank you for this day. My kids finally woke up on time. Dave helped with the discipline of the girls last night. Sometimes they need to be redirected. Often! But Lord you allowed him to hear my concerns and hopefully we are good to go for at least another week. What a beautiful day it is. I am exhausted Lord but I will get through this day for I know it is a day given to me to honor you.

Amen.

praying

--Just coming out of a very difficult storm, but finally starting to see clarity. Not sure how to get my thoughts out without becoming a burden so I will just continue to pray and comfort in the Lord. My heart is sad. I pray for guidance and I pray for healing. I also pray for strength and for forgiveness.

My prayer today

I am so behind with all my life and days just seem to get shorter by the week. My weeks have become days and months become weeks. I ask God everyday for patience for love for guidance and for grace because I know I cannot do this alone. Homeschooling three kids has been so difficult especially with Grad school, counseling, Youth, my church life and home life. Finding a balance is a difficult task but I know the balance gets shifted one way or another. Problem is it gets shifted more towards my church and home life which for me is awesome. I am blessed by that but then the reality of deadlines has to put a damper on my bliss.

Today I began with a great spirit in hopes to assign the kids a weeks worth of assignments which I did, but then it was time to cook, chores, bills, bible study which by the way I am behind 3 days and trying to catch up today as it is due tomorrow. Between homeschooling, cleaning, Grad school, exams, assignments, and now a Library research study, I am so overwhelmed. Every week it just gets a bit busier. Just one more thing added to my plate.

I did take a moment to read with JD, study outdoors with him, make the kids crispy treats, and fancy gourmet hot dogs, but look it is now 7 p.m. and I am just now getting started on the me stuff.

I had a set back after testing Krissy for a practice SAT and realizing we needed to work harder. So, I took a moment to analyze each question with her and assigned her some new words to define and comprehend.

Lord, please hear me and know that I need you to somehow grant me strength to home school the kids, finish the deadlines for this week, listen to a friend in need, support one of our youth through a difficult time, study your word, and make a trip to the Library to do my research that is due Thursday and submit my exam tonight as well as complete my Experiential activity, plus the assigned homework for Psychometrics. I know crying doesn’t help but right now tears is all I got coming out and my body is tired and with Dave home only three days, life is so difficult with just me and I really need you.


Amen

so much to do so little time

The To-Do list:

I need to get my revision in soon for publication. I was hoping to see my article in print next month but might be March. I am so behind.

Move on Friday the 16th

paint the walls

transfer services

change address

school the kids

purchase a new computer

redecorate

class on Tuesday and Thursday at TAMUCC

and the list goes on................