So after last week, I had a couple of pitfalls with working on patience. I guess we all have them. But the plan is still in effect and working well. We'll be doing some daily tweaking for the interruptions that I know are coming, but for the most part, we're sticking to it. The kids are finally out of the confused mode of "Where am I supposed to be again???" and "You mean I'm actually supposed to work on Math for one hour even if I finish today's lesson early????"

To that last question, I say, "Yes." Reasons abound here, but the main one is 2 hours of piano practice on Wednesday and three hours of bible study on Thursday. If you can get 5 lessons done in four days, Friday is free for you, at least from school that is.

Physical therapy is still a tough thing for me and even tougher for my son. He struggles with the pain and yet I can see so much progress in his back pain. So we continue and I see the value and in those 10 excruciating minutes of PT, he can't see anything but the pain. I rub his back and remind him that this pain is actually good. But his ears can't hear me for the pain. He's a trouper through it all and doesn't fight, though he does wiggle all over the bed, trying to remove himself from the pain. That only happens when the pain is unbearable and he isn't conscious of what he's doing.

Today he said, he may be a physical therapist one day. I told him that he would be able to be compassionate toward others because of the pain he's been through.

Listening to Petra's -Thankful Heart, thanks to my brother-in-law for posting it on FB. I find that when I cannot be grouchy and thankful at the same time. I think I need to focus more on what Christ has done for me and I will be the woman that He wants me to be.

Patience

Planning produces patience. One active way I can be more patient is to plan ahead. The other thing planning does is helps me not to worry. It's an active way I can be obedient. I love it how God provides things to do instead of the things we aren't to do. How many times as parents do we say, "Don't do that."? But we don't give them something to replace "that" with.

We do need to be vigilant about these areas in our lives. The key thing for me though, has been putting my Bible study on my list of things to do. Yes, I know that may sound legalistic. But it's necessary for me. With only 8 hours off during the day, I can do a good job teaching my kids, if that's all I do. So spending time in God's Word was lacking a lot, not just sometimes, but most days. Since it's on my list, I'm having a blast, learning and growing. So, I guess I would say that's not legalism. The hope is that I would be diligent about this and keep it consistent in my life.

Patience

I've really been thinking about how to be more patient with teaching. One thing I've noticed if I get bogged down in my own things, I don't usually have success being patient when the kids ask me questions or have needs with their work. Also "He who fails to plan, plans to fail." So when I wake up in the morning with a plan in hand, I'm set.

This doesn't mean that I don't get impatient, but that the chances that I'm tempted are less. When I have a plan posted on the fridge, the kids know what the expectations are for them and they aren't surprised. They actually might be surprised if they find that I stick to the plan. I have a very hard time with that.

I love to make a plan and do it for a week and then leave it altogether. I think, in our family, we need to have a plan and tweak it where necessary, but mostly always stick to that plan or the tweaked one.

Like Elizabeth George says in her book "Loving God with all your mind", we must be prepared for a major upheaval to our plan for the day and if this happens then we need to evaluate the interruption and decide if it's from the Lord or not. If it is, then we are to accept that with our whole hearts and "always abound in the work of the Lord."

Bible study with Forever 31

I was studying for Bible study in chapter 7. I think I might be behind a bit. But I love the idea of how we eat an elephant - one bite at a time. I have a lot of things on my plate and if I can take a bite of each one, each day, then I can get done and feel more motivated to do more tomorrow.

I like Elisabeth Eliott's idea of "Just do the next thing." Seems I can get bogged down with discouragement, but I just need to do one more thing and I'll feel a lot more like doing another thing.

My list is long as I'm sure yours is, but if we can break it down into bite-sized chunks, it will get done.

Just some food for thought.