Teach Them Diligently

Deuteronomy 11:18-21 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD swore unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.
Keeping in the spirit of conviction (what a weekend, I think I have knots on my head), this verse has hit me square between the eyes. Do I really teach my children diligently? Do I really impart the most important knowledge to them? Do all our conversations revolve around the most important things?
As a homeschool mom, I constantly assess whether or not our curriculum is working for each child. We've grown and changed through the years. And we have studied the Bible, but I really had to step back and take a long, hard look at things. We recite part of this Scripture every Friday night, but I really started questioning myself this weekend on whether or not I am fulfilling this command. Am I diligent to teach the commandments to my children?
I believe that Scripture and the application thereof is the most important thing, but I've not been applying that to our schooling. Our curriculum has evolved over the last years, and continues to change each year to compliment each child's learning styles and needs. However, it's about to change once again. I'm not exactly sure about the logistics and intricate workings yet, but we are going to begin using the Torah portion as our curriculum guide. I will be pulling most/all of our lessons from the week's reading--history, science, language arts, math. My thought process is that since G-d created everything in the beginning, then all knowledge stems from creation. And since the Torah (books of the Law) contain all the information we need to live G-dly lives, then all knowledge should be taught from there.
Now, before you get your jumper in a bunch, I do understand that higher skills will need direct teaching. (I didn't loose my mind...well, any MORE of my mind, anyway.) But I will use the Scripture reading as a starting place and branch out from there.
I also am going to start incorporating more memorization.
Psalms 119:10-11  With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
The Psalmist, David, understood how essential it is to KNOW His Word to keep us from committing sin. Memorization has also been proven to sharpen the mind and hone study skills.
Word studies will be the other new addition--which will also support etymology.
Proverbs 2:1-  My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
These Scriptures indicate that wisdom and knowledge is something you have to go after, seek out, find. Verbs. You must DO something--receive, hide, incline, apply. So, we begin a new chapter of schooling. We will receive His instruction, hide His Word in our hearts, incline our ear to His Voice, and apply His commands to our daily life.
~Shalom!
Matthew 12:36  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Life (Re)Adjusted

For the past 3+ years, my focus has been off. Life has overtaken me and consumed my scope of vision. I just was dealing with more than I knew how to handle. Yes, I know He's the One who sustains me during trials, and HE DID, but I lost sight of how I'm supposed to be living in regards to my husband.
When my husband came home from Germany, things were different. He was different. I was different. I don't think you can go through extended separation(s) without it changing you--sometimes for the good, sometimes the bad. Hurts can be accentuated; healing can be long-coming. But God. (I had to steal it Sarah.)
This weekend, I met up with the most wonderful bunch of ladies. Most of us had never met in 3D before, right Tiff? Now, I know you're not supposed to run off and meet up with random people you met online, and I would kill severely disable any of my children who tried. But...this was a unique group. And we do know each other because we meet up EVERY. SINGLE. DAY on Facebook to talk and share our lives! But I digress.
I just had the most wonderful, amazing, Bible reading, praise singing, uplifting, encouraging, awesome weekend. And God smacked me on the head a few times. Over the weekend I had several opportunities to brag on my husband...and not just about his incredibly cute dimples.

That's when I got a big, fat lump beat on the top of my head. (Don't worry, it was metaphorical.) God gently, subtly, unceremoniously reminded me that it is those good qualities that I am supposed to be focusing on. My husband is an incredible man, and not just because he does the laundry, cleans the kitchen, takes care of the pasture and animals and vehicles, and a huge list of other things. He also has some amazing gifts from God, and I've not been supporting his gifts or encouraging him to hone them. And I've been wrong. So starting today, I'm making it a priority to uplift my husband. I'm striving this month to become (or at least attempt to be) a Proverbs 31 wife. To help move me in that direction, I'm participating in the Nehemiah Challenge. For the next 30 days, I will be joining an ever-widening circle of praying people; people who are expecting Him to perform miracles and reveal His truth to us. So join me! What's your prayer focus going to be?