Fractions, Gratitude and Other Incredibly Hard Things to Learn.

Is it just me or are some years days excruciatingly hard to get through?  If your family is anything like mine you have these seasons in your home that are devoted to teaching and reteaching...and reteaching.  Whether it is tying shoes, or how to load the dishwasher, or fractions. 

This is my attitude toward fractions these days.

During this time there seems to be so little growth.  The drudgery of the day in day out work becomes monotonous and despairing.  I begin to doubt myself.  And when that's not fun anymore I begin to doubt the children ;) 

Right now all the kids are in different stages:  Ninja Yahoo is tackling multiplication tables, Sweet Yahoo is working on subtracting astronomically high numbers, Little Middle is becoming a master reader.  Baby Yahoo, well, is practicing being just like his daddy.

We are doing lots of training now.  But one thing that in my heart I want to kids to be mastering is thankfulness.  Gratitude.  

Gratitude:  noun:  The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

Did you see that?  Readiness!  Not being prodded or guilted into.  Being ready....to return kindness!  I love that.  I desire that.  For me and my family.  I want us to leave a legacy of gratitude. 

Lately is has been apparent to me that my kids have struggled with this character quality.  And for good reason.  

I stink at gratitude.

I am the Yoda of grumbling and complaining.   (In our house Yoda is the master of everything.)

Needless to say the kids haven't had the best model to emulate.  

Now, read this: 

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.  Luke 6:40

Ouch!  That scares the tuti-fruiti out of me!  When they are fully trained they will be like me!?!?  Heck-o-Peet.

Once again there seems to be a pattern developing.  Before I can parent the children, I must first parent myself.  

So we all keep working.  Plugging away.  Day in day out.  Am I seeing a lot of growth right now?  Honestly, no.  But...

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9

I do believe.  I will not give up.

I wanted to end on what had to be the most encouraging moment from last week for me.  During a short break from school, Sweet Yahoo did a little freestyle writing on the board.  This is what she came up with: 

   

For those of you who don't read 2nd grade I will transcribe:

Dear God:   I hope you will forgive me for my sins.  And I hope if you want me to be a missionary in China or Michigan or even Antarctica I just hope I get to help somebody get to know you.   And I hope I get to be in the Christmas play.  Amen.     Love Caroline Grace Blakeman

Now, please know that I DO NOT put this up to brag about myself.  This is the work of the LORD in this child's life and nothing else.  But reading it did make my heart do a cartwheel.  It motivates me in that whole 'do not grow weary thing' earlier.

Now, time to get back to work!