School Days

This week we are in Week 16 (TOG year 1) "Judges, Samuel, and Minor Neighboring Cultures." With Christmas quickly approaching and all of the busyness of the season, we are more laid back these days, but trying to include all the important things. Joel is enjoying reading "The Wanderings of Odysseus" and we are wrapping up our study of the ancient Greeks.

But I am especially enjoying our reading aloud of the book of Judges right now. So many lessons to learn from those ancient Israelites and their relationship with God. The cycle of disobedience, calling to the Lord for help, God's deliverance, peace and safety and then disobedience again keeps being repeated over and over again.

We've had some good talks about that cycle of obedience and disobedience. We all struggle with that. Sometimes as parents, we think that obedience is only something children must learn, but we must all live lives of obedience to the Lord. Am I a good example to my children? I need that reminder now and then as I get caught up in the day to day discipline of our children.

Jaden struggles with obedience in picking up his toys. He loves spreading them out all over the house but balks when it is time to clean up! "Mommy, just look at the ceiling! The ceiling is clean!!!"


Because he didn't help pick up the toys, Mommy had to take them away for a few days. Jaden is still in the training phase. He is still learning about what obedience means. I must be patient with him as he learns and also have a certain amount of empathy for him too - aren't I still learning and growing in my walk with the Lord? How often I still fail. But I am thankful for the grace of our Heavenly Father who lovingly forgives us.

The discipline and training of children can be exhausting. Sometimes they can be slow to "get it". But then I remember that these things take time. And God is working in their hearts just like He works in mine.

And then there are those wonderful moments that I see God's fruit in their lives and I rejoice! Like yesterday, after some hard feelings between the big kids, one of them asked the other for forgiveness and mended the relationship - all without being told to do that! And the other asked for forgiveness too and everything was happy
again.

Some of the saddest verses in the Bible, I think, are found in Judges 2 verses 7 through 15. "The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel....After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. The the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals..."

They had failed to teach their children to love and obey God and the result was great distress.

This week, in the midst of the crazy busy Christmas season, I want to focus on the most important parts of our schooling - our time reading the Word together and learning from the children of Israel as we read through Judges, Ruth and First Samuel. Learning about the Greeks is important too, but I love our focus on Scripture this week!