As the peacefulness of summer came to and end and the scurry of a new school year approached, I sat in awe of the beauty that I experienced. The endless summer days spent poolside, playing two-square with my kids, or making a side-walk chalk materpiece would soon no longer be. The smell of sunscreen mixed with a little chlorine, and a hint of swimmer's ear, started to fade.
And, as I sat thinking, preparing for what would be my 7th year homeschooling, a slight panic came over me. One by one, each of my fellow teaching moms would pose the standard question, "So, when are you starting or have you already?" Starting? When am I starting? Starting what? When the revelation of what had been asked finally hit my pea-sized brain, a deer-in-the-head-lights look washed over my face. My eyes bugged out three inches, my hair may have actually stood up about 1/2 foot, my skin got giant goose bumples all over. That's right--- I teach. I teach my kids school. I am their teacher. School will be starting and I must have a plan. A plan. Well, if not a plan, at least something for them to do.
Wanting to remain calm and not panic, I reminded myself of the beauty of homeschooling. We have freedom. Freedom to choose our curriculum, freedom to choose our hours of operation, freedom to choose our dress code. Most importantly, freedom to choose our start date. With that said, I was no longer frazzled. Complete serenity was back in my life. I was in control. I was back in control of my school year. I can start when I want to start. And, no one can make me do otherwise (obviously God can, because He is Lord, and He has the power to create the world with His breath.) But, no one else, could make me (well, except my husband because he is head over me and I respect his authority in our marriage and family.) But, really no one else.
All that said, a little more time passed and all the public schools were preparing to start. Low and behold, I realized in my attempt to remain calm and in control, I failed to make one huge decision... order my curriculum. I never ordered the books that my children would need to make this new school year successful. So, a week before I had planned to start, I ordered my school books. My newly decided start date was in fact two weeks later than my normal start date, but I was still in control... right?
Okay, if you've every ordered books for school, you know that the closer it is to start class, the more in demand books are. Well, most book suppliers expect your delivery to be approximately four weeks after you order. Four weeks? Don't they know I've waited 'til the last minute and need my books now? Obviously not. They must think that most people do not procrastinate and are complete planners. Sometimes I am. Sometimes I am not.
Well, God is a good God and He provides for me when I do not deserve it. Do I ever? ALL of my books actually showed up on the first day of school. What are the "chances" of that? I mean really. Four expected weeks right when ordering is the busiest and my books show up in a week, on the first day of school??? Weird, I know. Yet, not that uncommon for a God who shows up in the oddest of circumstances. To reveal to His creation Who He is in the most interesting way. I love my God. And, I love my crazy homeschool life.
