As we journey together “let us think of ways to motivate one another in acts of love and good works”(Hebrews 10:24 NLT)

This week marks the start of the kids return back to their school year routine.  School starts in 2 1/2 weeks, and it’s going to be an interesting one.  First of all for the first time in 8 years I will only have one child home during the day.  All i will have home is my three year old.  Our 5 year old will be going to Kindergarden.  He will have a one on one aid due to his autism (This is a HUGE blessing) even though I still find myself apprehensive. Mostly due to fear….a fear of him trying to escape, a fear of him hiding….and a bunch of other things.   I have to trust God through all of this!   And then all of this in culminated in transferring all the kids to another Christian school in our area.  This was a long hard decision but one God has blessed immensely in.  We watched our kids literally come apart at the seams last year.  They weren’t looking forward to school this year but now that they like their change, they are SOOOO excited.

This was the conversation heard in the backseat as we left the new school last thursday

Tornado (8): i can’t wait for school to start!

Ladybug (7): i thought you hated school.

Tornado: NOT ANYMORE! (Yes he was yelling in excitement)

I nearly cried.  There was so much that went into this decision.  And I will not go into all of it.  I am just soo thankful I am seeing my children return to their joyful selves!

So in looking ahead to the new school year I am excited to 

*see my kids emerge successful instead of exhausted and overwhelmed.   

* setting a strong routine.  With having an autistic child at home 24/7 I never knew what  my day would entail.   He loves routine but as a pastors family plans change at a moments notice.  And let’s be honest a change in any routine of an autistic child is the absolute most devastating thing you could do to them!

*engaging in more ministry opportunities that were difficult with more kids at home.  And becoming more involved with a pastor’s and wives fellowship here in our area.

* consistency in bible study, housework, and so much more.

I want to end this by making this statement…i don’t want you to get the impression that  I am overly anxious to send my kids back to school.  This summer has been great.  We have had fun as a family, and I am sad to see it come to an end but I wish I could help you understand the excitement that exudes in our home.  And that is catchy!   I am excited for them.  I want them to love school.  I want them to be loved and succeed and most of all be the best Tornado, Ladybug, and weasel they can be!  And I fully believe that they will achieve that in this new place! And for that reason I am super excited for them!

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Oh my dear weary friends I sit here on my couch this evening wondering what exactly happened to our summer.  We went from end of the school year activities, to our towns big celebration (which entailed weeks worth of float work and culminated in a parade). Then we went right into VBS. work, took a break for a week while hubby and the whole family went to an area christian kids camp and hubby did 3 nature adventure hikes for four days (we had a blast and Tornado got to do his first sleep away camp experience), then we got back in time for VBS to start.   Oh what fun that was as we transformed our church into Athens Greece and we took on characters!  After that I jumped right into  working on my daughters 7th birthday present!  (It was a lot. Of sewing but about 90 percent of it was finished on her birthday). And then when her birthday was all said and done, i sat back and said…what now?

I have roughly 2 1/2 weeks of summer vacation left and we have some fun things planned, but when I look back at the beginning of June two things flood my heart.

#1- i failed-  i didn’t reach any of my goals for this summer.   Did I accomplish things, of course but it wasn’t what I wan’t to.

#2 my kids didn’t have the best summer I had planned to give them

Then I stop say….”Girl you know better!   It’s not about what you want.  It’s about what God wants.  And as for the kids, they had a blast!  Running through the woods, playing in the kiddie pool, staying up late, trying new foods, finding frogs and salamanders, finishing the fence and having safe play outside.  They know nothing about the best summer ever, that you had planned for them!  ”

This was something that I did to the best of my ability.

I lived the 1 Corinthians 10:31 principle of doing all to the glory of God….and I will continue to do so for the next two and a half weeks!

And what if you didn’t?

Each day is a new slate, a new beginning so make a choice, you can make two.

Make the choice to accept God’s plans over your own AND to do whatever it is God. Has planned to the best of your ability!

Does all of this mean we shouldn’t make plans, no, no it doesn’t.  It means that if God has something else in mind, roll with it.  Don’t complain.  Usually in those plan B moments God plans on ministering to us or through us which results inblessings either   way!

So yes our summer is almost over and no it didn’t go as I had planned it, but it was a good one nonetheless and I thank the Lord for that!

for more Dear Weary Mom posts visit HOPE FOR THE WEARY MOM

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There are times in my life where God asks me to give just a tad more than I think I have!  The last two months God has required me to rely on him far more than usual.  It’s those times of just finishing one project, just in time to jump into another.

And I wonder how am I ever get everything all done on time?

God knows me all too well!  That’s why he has given me the hubby he did.  A hubby who like Me, spends every bit of himself for ministry and family.  And yet my husbands watchful eye and wise mind knows when to jump in and say, “Mary you have done more than enough!”   

That’s why He has placed numerous ladies in my life who aren’t afraid to say, “Mary, you are doing too much, that’s not important. “. Not that I am wasting my time on unimportant things but that I am trying to do too much!

And yet there are times when I need to do all that is laid before me.  I need to make a gazillion phone calls, fill out half a forrest worth of paperwork, cook enough food to feed an army.  Ok so that is all one big exaggeration but when you look at our schedules it can begin to feel like that very fast!

I need to remember to rely on God…not just in the big things but all the little things.  Despite what I sometimes think…God does not want me to go crazy.  It’s me who drives myself there!  

So yeah I’m exhausted, but because my focus is on God and His purpose I’m excited to push forward

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