a discouraged mom

I am on an unofficial Wholeheart (ministry of Sally & Clay Clarkson.  See www.wholeheart.org) yahoo group.  And I recently received an email from a girl who is discouraged.  I think most of us moms feel this way sometimes.  Thought I would share our correspondence.:


My name is Melinda. We are homeschooling our 3 boys 8, 7 & 5. Mostly I am delighted to be schooling them. I couldn't see it any other way. However, I noticed I'm feeling really discouraged in my choices lately. It seems as though every mother around me is homeschooling plus, meaning they are working part time at some other job. Or have 5 plus children and working outside the home would prove impossible.
We're not planning to have any addition children.
I'm needing to hear from mom's who have decided to make this job of mothering full-time and why they feel it's important. I feeling like I should be doing more, working other than schooling our children. Somehow on this journey I'm clouded up and can't see clearly right now, at one time in my life I was so sure that mothering and homemaking would be my purpose in life, no I'm not sure anymore. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
__________________________________________________
Hi sweet Melinda!

Gosh!  Don't we all struggle with feeling like we aren't doing enough?  I do all the time.  And then I have to stop and remember that God fills in all the areas I miss with my kids.  I attend a Mom's group weekly where we go through Sally's books.  We were discussing this very subject a few weeks ago and a story Sally shared once came to mind.  She saw a scope & sequence and realized she hadn't taught the children what bodies of water were and so she started to beat herself up over it.  Then, she quizzed her kids to see if they knew.  They were so well-read that in their reading, they had learned about bodies of water.  Also, Sally shared at her last conference that she had to send Sarah and Joel off to take their SAT's and she knew she hadn't taught them all they needed to know for the test.  But God was there and they passed with flying colors.  We are all so inadequate.  But, God is our help.  His strength is made perfect in our weakness. (2 Cor. 12:9-10)

I have 2 boys and can't have any more.  (Unless the Lord calls us to adoption...)  And I am a full-time, stay-at-home/homeschooling mom.  My boys are 4 & 5 so not as old as yours.  I struggled the first years of my boys life with feeling like I should be doing more with my life, that I should work, that I should do something other than look at the 4 walls of my house.  I used to call my life "Groundhog Day" because everyday was exactly the same and I was depressed.  But the Lord has transformed my perspective (Thanks to Sally) and now, I treasure my time at home with my boys and we are learning so much together.  I have found a new passion in schooling my boys and, for me personally, a deep passion and love for my country as we study our founders, the American Revolution, etc.  It is so cool how the Lord takes the mundane tasks of our days and starts to open ministry/generational opportunities from them.  God has a great plan for your life!  And shaping the hearts of your children is of utmost importance.  Don't be discouraged by what you see in others around you.  

Looking down depresses us.

Looking around distracts us.

Looking up delivers us.

(I know that isn't originally how I heard it but you get the gist. heehee!)

For me, right now, I feel so passionate and commissioned to raise godly children who love God, love our country, know the truth of our history and God's hand in it, and will grow into men who defend the truth, stand up for righteousness (especially in a culture that is plunging into despair, immorality, and selfishness), and love their own families one day.  They will learn all of that from me and my husband.  What a very important job we have!  Our children are the future leaders.  I hope you are encouraged at the incredible importance of your influence on your boys.  3 boys!  Awesome!  We need godly men.  And there you are, with 3 in your own home.  Keep on keepin' on, girl!  The enemy would love to discourage you because you have influence over the minds and hearts of these boys.  Bless you for staying home and serving them.  In that, you are serving HIM!!!!

I do hope you are feeling better, Melinda.  It is so hard being a mom...especially in a culture where we practically have to be Wonder Woman to be perceived "worthy".  Mom is the hardest job in the world.   And the most important!

Love you!

Kori 

Jamie's shoulder

For those of you wondering...   Jamie is still recovering from his shoulder surgery he had in November.   He is not back to work yet and is doing physical therapy 3x a week.  His range of motion is improving as well as strength.  Thank you for your prayers.  It has been wonderful having him home.  I don't know how we will ever adjust when he has to go back to work.  Please keep praying.  He is starting to get anxious about returning to work and feels like he isn't carrying his load regarding his co-workers.  A quick healing please!!

Love you!

Destiny

Last week my precious friend, Anne Collins, and I ventured up to Irvine to attend Sally Clarkson's Mom Heart Mom's Conference.  It was wonderful, as usual.  We are so grateful for the hospitality of my dear sister in Jesus, Jeannie, who welcomed us so warmly into her home and cared for us so well while we ran back and forth from her place in Huntington Beach to the conference location in Irvine.  It was a fun, tiring, and inspirational time.

Sally seemed to explode with a new boldness at this year's conference (this is the 4th year in a row I have attended).  I am also participating in the Beth Moore study of Esther at my church.  That study and my newfound passion for patriotism (our founders, and returning to the roots of our great nation), seemed to go hand-in-hand with Sally's exhortation that God has designed us for great purpose.  We have the hearts of the next generation in our hands.  What will we do with these precious hearts?  "Who knows whether you have come to (influential motherhood) for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14-paraphrase mine...please insert your own role.)  Really, we all are placed in our exact role, social standing, job, geographic location for a purpose.  "Bloom where your planted."  "Wherever you are, be all there."  The future is in our hands and in our homes if you have children living with you.  Impress on their hearts and minds the truth of scripture and history.  Our nation is on a steady decline, but GOD!!!!!  He is so able!  We are watching our economy go beyond the point of no return.  Morality is practically non-existent.  Sally often says, "In the absence of Biblical conviction, our children will go the way of culture."  Culture is media-focused, selfish, and God-denying.  Do you want your precious child to go that direction?  It leads only to destruction.  We must place Jesus before them and set an example of following hard after Him.

During the time of King Xerxes, a decree is made for the genocide of the Jews.  The Jews are mourning and wailing in the streets of the land, but Mordecai (also grieved) takes his plea to the queen...who also is a Jewess (Esther 3-4).  A year ago as I watched to economy hit an all-time low and our government move so unabashedly toward immorality & possible socialism, I felt like the helpless Jew on the street.  Wailing and waiting for destruction to come.  But, in the last year, we have seen town halls and tea parties and the Glenn Becks and Sean Hannity's not be silenced...and it is making a difference.  Now, I feel there is hope for this great nation because we are Americans!  Would George Washington or John Adams have cried and been helpless and defeated. NO!!!  Nor should we!  Stand up for what is right.  Raise a Godly and patriotic generation!  The future of your children and mine is at stake.  Do we want to leave them in a God-less world?  Do we want to see their freedoms withheld?  The answer is easy.

What & who do you have influence over?  What are you going to do with it?

Sorrow

"Sorrow reveals unknown depths in the soul.  Gay, trifling people are always shallow, and never suspect the little meannesses of their nature....  Sorrow, with despair taken out of it, is the chosen power to reveal ourselves to ourselves.  It is sorrow that makes us think deeply, long, and soberly.  Sorrow makes us go slower and more considerately, and introspect our motives and dispositions.  It is sorrow that opens up within us the capacities of the heavenly life...  God never uses anybody to a large degree, until after He breaks that one all to pieces....  It takes sorrow to widen the soul...  Blessed is night, for it reveals to us the stars. Blessed is sorrow, for it reveals God's comfort."  (From Streams in the Desert, January 20)

history lesson

This is soooo important.  I don't recommend your children seeing it (unless they are older), but make sure you watch Glenn Beck on Friday, January 22.  He airs on Fox News channel at 2pm & 11pm Pacific Time (5pm & 2am Eastern).  He is airing a documentary on Karl Marx, Mao Tse Tung, Stalin, etc...which many in Washington D.C. and some young people consider great philosophers.  This is frightening and we should know the truth so we can share it with our children.  The program lasts only an hour.  DVR it and watch it with your family. 

One of my favorite authors/teachers is Sally Clarkson and a phrase she often repeats is: "In the absence of Biblical Conviction, our children will go the way of culture."  I would like to add to the knowledge of scripture, truth.  Truth of our wonderful American History and, really, of all things.  Our culture is diving into oppression.  Do we really want our children, and our nation to go there?  Know the truth of all things.  Search it out for yourself and don't believe everything the news and the government tells you without first searching it out for yourself.

Also, there is a free webcast of a Constitution Town Hall on January 30, 9am-3pm Eastern (6am-noon Pacific).  It is a free webcast but you have to register for it on www.constitutiontownhall.com .  Do you know your Constitution?  Know it, please!  I don't know it well, either.  But I am learning!  This webcast will help familiarize you with our wonderful Constitution.  The topics to be discussed are: the ten core principles of America's founding, understanding the meaning of the Constitution, Constitution & the Civil War (& Abraham Lincoln).  This is a great home schooling opportunity.

You all know I am a total freak!!!  LOL!  Jesus, my family, and my country are the deep passions of my heart.  Please, please consider what I have written here.  "You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."  (John 8:32)  Let's not put our freedom in danger because of ignorance, disinterest, or failure to take action & stand for what is true.  Once freedom is lost, it is nearly impossible to gain back and, then, not without much, & quite possibly the ultimate, sacrifice.

Love you all dearly. You are moms of the next generation's leaders and citizens.  

Have a happy, blessed week!

My Favorite Quotes

This will be an on-going post and is more for my own benefit as a way to record favorite defining words.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." ~Thomas Jefferson

"They who dance are thought insane by those who can't hear the music." ~Anonymous

"In the absence of Biblical conviction, our children will go the way of culture." ~Sally Clarkson

"Who know whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" ~Mordecai to Esther (Esther 4:14)

"Be courteous to all but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.  True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation." ~George Washington

Traditions

We are finally coming into our own with our Peterson Christmas traditions.  It is so fun to finally figure out what our "thing" is.


It all starts with Thanksgiving morning.  We put our tree up.  Isn't it neat how a dark room and a lit tree just seem to make everything magic?  I have really enjoyed the twinkles and green and excitement in our home for the last month.  Christmas is a special, special day.

A week after Thanksgiving we host our annual Christmas Open House where we seem to average about 60 people coming into our home and we hope we do a good job of entertaining and blessing them.  Though, we surely are the ones most blessed by it.  It is so great having friends and family in our home.


Sweet Cranberry Meatballs
(Fix-It and Forget-It)


50 meatballs, about 1 1/2 lbs.
1 cup brown gravy
1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
2 T heavy cream
2 t Dijon mustard

1. Put meatballs in slow cooker.
2. Mix remaining ingredients in bowl. Pour over meatballs.
3. Cover & cook on high 2-3 hours or on low 5-6 hours.

This Christmas has been busy with dance performances.  I think we had 5 in all.  The last of which was last night (Christmas Eve) at our church.  I simmered the turkey soup most of the day.  We ate around 4:30.  Turkey soup became a tradition after my Grandma who was sick with cancer was just too tired to go out or do anything too strenuous for Christmas, so she boiled the Thanksgiving bird and made soup.  This is our 2nd year doing it on our own and it is definitely something we will continue.  Our church held the Christmas Eve candlelight service at 7 and then we came home for malts (a tradition started by my great-grandfather).


Today, we were up early.  Grammy came over and we opened presents (one at a time so everyone can enjoy and it lasts just that much longer).  We will head up the mountain here in a bit for lunch/dinner.  We really appreciate not having to cook on Christmas Day.  No dishes to do either!


And we get the Charger game today!  This is the best Christmas ever! LOL!


One thing I will add next year...a hunt for the letters that spell JESUS which will be hidden in the tree and must be found before present-opening.  After all, Jesus is totally the best gift ever!


A happy Jesus birthday to you!