Proverbs 10:22

Kind of a weird heading for this picture huh?  This is Molly taking a nap on her new rest mat that my mom bought her to sleep at her house.  Well, last week a friend called and asked how my first week of home school was going...I said, "I'm afraid to say great because I don't want to jinx myself, but it has been an awesome week being together as a family just learning and adjusting to having everyone home."  I also added, "And it has been SOOOO nice to have my mom be a part of it."  I told my friend how she is getting to participate and help me and was taking Molly 1-2 times a week for about 3 hours so I could really concentrate on the big kids.  She said to me, "Kathryn, it isn't luck or random "goodness", it is the blessing of the Lord."  She quoted Proverbs 10:22 to me, "The Blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it."  We hung up the phone and I looked up the scripture to meditate on it.  My friend Rebecca is one of those friends that most of the time immediately thinks God things....not to say she is a perfect spiritual person...but she sees the world with a Christian Worldview.  She is always the first to take me right back to scripture and encourage me to see it how God would.  I have to say this has been the best start to the school year we have ever had since Emily started Kindergarten.  I feel like we are all on the same page, John is very involved and encouraging and one of the greatest things yet is that my Mom gets to be a part of it.  I will be honest, there were years that I was jealous that she did so much for those 15 -20 kids in her classroom and that my kids weren't getting to be a part of it.  But now, through the Lord's blessing, she gets to be a part of it and gets to add her wonderful touches to our lives at a more intimate level.  I am LOVING how relaxed she is, how spontaneous she can be and how much she seems to be enjoying my kids.  She offered to take Molly about a month ago 1-2 times a week and I can't tell you what a difference that makes....not just the little bit of quiet that we get to do school but the excitement that Molly shows when she knows she is going to Nee Naw's and that she is going to learn with Nee Naw.  My mom seems pretty excited too!  I do think that the majority of my children's time should be spent with us as parents growing and nurturing them...but the love that they get from their grandparents is so important too...not everyone is as blessed as we are to have loving supportive grandparents that live so close.  Molly and my mom have been to the park, gone on walks, drawn pictures, played in water, etc.  My mom has her very own preschool right in her house after bringing all her learning tools/toys home after teaching for 30+ years! I don't always have a quick biblical perspective but after meditating on it and thinking through the changes that John and I have worked so hard to make....I am thanking God for the Blessing and the wealth of my Mom and the good things that have come from that....with no strings and trouble attached!  Rebecca reminded me to enjoy the Blessings of goodness ....the ones like being able to be home with my family, teaching my kids, having the freedom to do so, having a supportive husband, and a mentor and helper in my mom.  It is not by accident...