Life...and death...on the farm. Four little kittens were born a couple nights ago, but sadly, one didn't make it. No particular reason. We think the mommy cat somehow got separated from it right after birth, perhaps another kitten was coming (we were unaware she was giving birth), and the poor little kitty got cold and missed the critical "milk window".
The animal life cycle parallels our human life cycle. I'll be at a funeral later on today, but I also heard of new life growing in another friend this week. Life and death. It will be sad to know this woman is no longer with her family, but there will also be great rejoicing as she is in heaven.
This week was officially "March Break". Many homeschoolers don't follow the public systems holidays and do things on their own schedules, but we look forward to the breaks and take advantage of certain programs or events that are only offered at March Break. We go to the library and see hilarious jugglers or we do the maple syrup events. Those things have become traditions for our children and I love the change of pace.
For the second year in a row my daughter has offered a little sewing camp for girls. She nearly cancelled as she didn't have a huge number of girls sign up, but we encouraged her to do it no matter how many as we wanted her to invest in our little 7 year old daughter. We said, "Do it just for her." She wasn't so sure it was worth it, but I think, now that the week is almost over, she seeshow it was worth it. My little girl is sewing up a storm! I think she's made 7 pillows! She made a banner almost entirely herself, a purse, and today, a skirt. She is so adept at using the machine now that I am amazed myself. The other girls are learning a lot, too, and all the moms who drop them off each day are surprised at how quickly they picked up the skill of sewing.
What I have enjoyed the most was having my daughter home. Yes, she's making money, too, which is a bonus, but it is so neat that she hasn't had to drive anywhere. Her "job" is working out of the house. If and when she ever gets married and has children, I can totally envision her doing this as a way of making a little money on the side someday. It's such a blessing!
Meanwhile, two of the other children volunteered at a day camp where my son made candles each day from beeswax. My daughter worked in the kitchen or dining room running around serving people. Each night, my older kids come back exhausted! I laugh. My oldest said, "This has not been March BREAK, it has been March WORK!!!!" Yes, it was, yes it was, and I love it! Perhaps the majority of kids were sleeping in, and that's ok, I did, too, but I'm so glad they sacrificed the majority of their week to work. We were created to work! It is showing them how it is hard to make money. It is showing them that sacrifice is involved. Two of them made no money at all, but they learned so much by volunteering and serving others. It is another thing they can add to their resumes! It will only help them in their future.
So, clearly they didn't get a lot of sympathy from us when they were super tired, but we encouraged them to hang in there. Dad didn't get March Break. "What's that?" he says. I got a lovely break from schoolwork, but no break from making meals, grocery shopping, laundry, raising rambunctious kids....no, I didn't get a March Break the way I would have liked perhaps, but it's ok! I love my "job".
I read 5 words in 2 Samuel 18 that really jumped out at me last week and I haven't been able to stop thinking about them,
"Then David mustered the men...." I looked up the definition for "mustered" as I loved that word. It means to "rally, raise, summon, assemble.....often in preparation for battle". I knew I loved that word for a reason! That's what we've been doing with our kids all week, mustering them up for battle. The battle against sloth. The battle against our flesh that longs to stop, wondering if it's "worth it", like my daughter wondered. But now the week is almost over and they are reflecting back on the incredible fulfilling week they've had even though they worked so hard. I'm not saying we don't need breaks. We do and we sure get them, don't worry, but I think sometimes we get more than we need and I think that can breed an appetite for hating work, resenting work.
I muster the kids each morning. "C'mon! Let's get our laundry put away! C'mon! Let's go do our rooms!" I think as a mom it is my job to "muster" the kids. Laundry is certainly a form of battle in our house!
I muster up my husband when he is weary from doing battle, too. 2 Samuel reminds me how important it was that David mustered his men. Right at the end of the book, his mighty men are described,especially his top 3. Each one became famous for doing something particularly outstanding. One "wielded his spear against 800 whom he killed at one time." One "rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword." One "took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the Lord worked a great victory." (2 Samuel 23:8, 10, 12) What I loved about these 3 mighty men and why they stood out above the rest was because they didn't give up when it got hard. Everyone else it seems had fled, but they pressed on. Even though they were weary, they wouldn't let go of their weapons, but kept fighting. The Lord "worked a great victory" because of their determination. I'm sure David's rallying kept them going, too. That is my job. I must muster up my kids, my husband, rally them up, raise them up for battle not just once a month, but every single day! Sometimes many times a day! What a privilege to know it will bring great victory in their lives because they are becoming mighty men and women of God.
I'm sure the men who worked for David never knew that what they did was anything special, but there they are, names written in the Bible for everyone to read for thousands of years. Not the most common names - Josheb-basshebeth, Eeazar, and Shammah. No one talks about these guys, but to me, they are the types of men I want my children (and husband) to emulate. Ok, not killing 800 people of course, but fighting till the bitter end? Yes. Not giving up or dropping their weapons even though they are so weary? Yes. Defending their "plot", whatever that plot may be in their future? Yes.
He had many many men in his army, but only 37 were considered "mighty". To be considered mighty was an honour, but it didn't come without a cost. These guys weren't sitting around relaxing. They were often in battle on the king's behalf. And there were only a few who stood out.
I see signs of "mightiness". I will keep rallying my troops......
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