Monday Memory - Love in the Home
A previous version of this post was posted on May 13, 2008:
After searching for this poem that I vaguely remembered seeing somewhere I found it quoted on two blogs, both by people who don't know where it came from either. So, unfortunately I can't give credit to its author either, but it speaks volumes to me. It also reminds me of my recent thoughts on real life vs. academics.
It is surprisingly possible to mother without loving and as we settle another Mother's Day in the books, I find myself challenged to evaluate my mothering from God's design, and specifically to assess my priorities each day in teaching and raising children.
With that mindset, here is someone else's thoughts pulled together in the framework of I Corinthians 13:
After searching for this poem that I vaguely remembered seeing somewhere I found it quoted on two blogs, both by people who don't know where it came from either. So, unfortunately I can't give credit to its author either, but it speaks volumes to me. It also reminds me of my recent thoughts on real life vs. academics.
It is surprisingly possible to mother without loving and as we settle another Mother's Day in the books, I find myself challenged to evaluate my mothering from God's design, and specifically to assess my priorities each day in teaching and raising children.
With that mindset, here is someone else's thoughts pulled together in the framework of I Corinthians 13:
Though
I teach my children how to multiply,
divide, and diagram a sentence,
but fail to show them LOVE,
I have taught them nothing!
divide, and diagram a sentence,
but fail to show them LOVE,
I have taught them nothing!
And
though I take them on numerous field trips,
to swim practice and flute lessons;
and though I involve them in every church activity,
to swim practice and flute lessons;
and though I involve them in every church activity,
but fail to give them LOVE,
I profit nothing!
I profit nothing!
And
though I scrub my house relentlessly,
run countless errands, and serve three nutritious meals every day
but fail to be an example of LOVE,
I have done nothing!
run countless errands, and serve three nutritious meals every day
but fail to be an example of LOVE,
I have done nothing!
LOVE is patient with misspelled words and is kind to young interrupters.
LOVE
does not envy the high SAT scores of other Homeschool families.
LOVE does not claim to have better teaching methods than anyone else,
LOVE does not claim to have better teaching methods than anyone else,
is
not rude to the fourth telephone caller during a science lesson,
does not seek perfectly behaved geniuses,
does not turn into a drill sergeant,
thinks no evil about friends’ educational choices!
does not seek perfectly behaved geniuses,
does not turn into a drill sergeant,
thinks no evil about friends’ educational choices!
LOVE
bears all my children’s challenges,
believes all my children are God’s precious gifts,
hopes all my children establish permanent relationships with Christ,
and endures all things to demonstrate God’s love!
believes all my children are God’s precious gifts,
hopes all my children establish permanent relationships with Christ,
and endures all things to demonstrate God’s love!
LOVE never fails!
Where there are college degrees, they will fail;
where there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
For
we know in part and we teach in part.
But when the trials of life come to our children,
the history, math, and science will be done away and
faith, hope, and love will remain;
But when the trials of life come to our children,
the history, math, and science will be done away and
faith, hope, and love will remain;
I'm
sure God is speaking to each one of us with His unique rendition of
this for our life and situation, but the underlying theme remains . . .
more important than all of the homeschooling and housewife
responsibilities is the living out of the love of Christ in our home and
toward our children.
Whether you are currently homeschooling by choice or default or coercion, let it be crafted by love.
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