When Prayer Changes Things...

  

I make it no secret that Mondays and I don't mix. It isn't peanut butter to my jelly. It doesn't complete me.

This past Monday wasn't any different. I'm not sure why our little Red house suffers so much on that dreaded "M" day. After all, we are homeschoolers. That usually means relaxed schedules and ability to postpone whatever is necessary to make room for whatever is needed.

But for some reason, every single Monday my kids decide to drink the kool-aid and its outta control. Tears with school-work, who forgot how to read, The baby won't stop crying, Penelope pulled her diaper off and continues to dance naked on the kitchen table...

And to throw the modern world into the mix... the computer is jammed. You know, the one the older kids need to do online school.

Get my drift? Raise your hand if you can relate... anyone???

I'm tired of it, my kids are tired of it. By the time Tuesday comes, I'm determined to not have another Monday and we transition fairly easily into the rest of the week. You know, Tactical Tuesday, Wacky church night Wednesday, Thirsty for the weekend Thursday and our beloved "Fried-Day."

"Blessed is the man who endures trial for... he will receive the crown of life."
James 1:12 

Last night, as I lay in bed and exhausted from the day, I decided to unplug from the world, laid down my phone and  pray.

"God is not the author of confusion but of peace."
Corinthians 14:33

I was going to pray the next day in.... This had to stop. I had lost control of my home. Most people will laugh at me and remind me that I have 7 kids... I lost control 4 kids ago, but other large family moms can relate when I say NO... thats wrong. Within the chaos lays a peace... and on Mondays, our Little Red House had lost it all.

I prayed over the kids, over our roof, I even prayed nothing and just focused on my family... ( I think thats when I started to drift off but we will just say... meditating in His presence k?)

I expected great things when I woke up.

( after the first 4 times I woke up to feed baby Caleb... but thats another post.)

I would love to say that I woke up awake and ready for the day... But I didn't. I like my bed too much for that. But I did wake up with a better attitude.

Kids were fed, routines were stuck to...

We even squeezed in a really interesting science experiment.

Reading lessons were done, Geography covered, flashcards reviewed...

And I tried a delicious new recipe which my family loved.

"ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find."

Matthew 7:7

My house was a mess at the end of the day but thats ok. I cried out to the Lord for peace... not perfection.

During the day, in between the fussy baby and sribbles on the wall, He whispered sweet reminders on why I do what I do. A calling I tried so hard to run from.

Its hard and like my sweet friend Jeanne once told me...

"Every night I cry and want to quit... but then in the morning, my strength is renewed.

"Those who wait on the lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles."

Isaiah 40:31

I will never regret the time I spent with my children. Teaching them, watching them look up in excitement at me when they finally read for the first time...

or at 15, want to hang out with me and chat away...

The calling to homeschool is tough. Not for the faint of heart, but like I have said many times before on my little space in the world...

Nothing in this world comes easy, everything worth the most takes hard work.

And what better way to work hard then into your children.

They tell me that one day I will have an empty house, so enjoy the business now... Im tempted to call their bluff on that one...

I know Im not the only weary Monday mom out there...

But I vow to lose that title fast and commit my days in prayer. Nothing fancy, and most times I tell him to read my mind because im so worn to even say the words... and in His goodness and Grace He does.

"Come to Me, all you who Labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Matthew 11:28

XoXo

GiGi