“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers”
~Anne Shirley
We are having the most glorious October here in Denver. The trees are bursting with brightly-colored leaves. The skies are sapphire blue. The clouds are few and wispy. The wind is gentle, coaxing just enough leaves to the ground just often enough to make you feel like you’re in a postcard. And the temperature has been, if anything, just a touch too warm. But I’m definitely not complaining.
These are the kind of days that make me glory in being alive. They are days made for being outside and soaking in the beauty of it all. I am beyond thankful to be able to take this season and wring every possible drop of goodness from it. It is definitely one of the great benefits of homeschooling.
In two short weeks, we will turn back the clocks and I will be returning home from co-ops and preparing dinner in the dark. The days will get shorter and shorter until the Light of the World comes into the world on December 25. I guess it’s really only 8 weeks, but man those 8 weeks can feel like an eternity. And there’s so much to be done!
It’s time to start making a plan for November and December.
Homeschooling is a full-time job. When I remember this, and plan accordingly, my life, including homeschooling, goes much more smoothly. Homeschooling isn’t something that can be squeezed into odd moments. It doesn’t have to take all day every day, but it does require intentionality, planning, and yes, time.
We have other demands on our time as well – cooking, cleaning, laundry, appointments. And now we add preparing for holidays. How do we do it?
It can be done. And it can be done well, and peacefully.
It starts with prayerfully considering what God is asking from us in this season, on this day. Then we need to ask the Holy Spirit to show us how He wants us to fulfill these responsibilities. Then we need to ask HIm to pour out His gifts on us so that we can, with His help, do what He’s asked us to do.
I have a process I use to think through all of this, and I’d like to share it with you. I’ve described it a bit here. I plan to walk you through it more thoroughly in a series of blog posts I’m working on.
Because everything is more fun with friends and good food, I’m also hosting a workshop where we can all do this work together. It will be Saturday, November 9 from 9:30-1:00 at my house. If you’d like to know more about that, click here.
I hope you are soaking up these days of sunshine and color to fortify you during the dark, cold days to come. And I hope, whether you join us November 9 or not, that you will plan well to be a good steward of your family and homeschool in the months to come. God pours out His blessings on us in every season, let us turn to Him with open arms to receive them.
