In this day and age when everything and anything is possible it is all to easy to forget that we are human beings with limitations. We cannot do it all, we cannot have it all, we cannot be it all we have limitations.
Here are four limitations that I think most mums have to deal with at some stage
- 24 hours we have limited time
- Family Budget we have limited resources
- Energy levels we are not like the energizer rabbit we run out of energy
- Understanding we do not know it all
Often acknowledging such limitations is seen as a weakness We are told Come on! You can do better than that! You can do more you have it within you! But Paul made a statement that is so very true when I am weak I am strong. (2 Cor 12:10) Accepting our limitations, and relying on God takes us to places that our own abilities simply cannot.
When we accept that we only have 24 hours in the day we need to be responsible with how we spend our time. We need to use it wisely we never get another shot at the same 24 hour it is a one off opportunity.
When we accept that we have limitations with how much money we spend it drives us to be grateful for what we do have and to be resourceful/creative in using it wisely. Creativity is a God given gift that helps us with our limitations.
When we accept that we have limited energy levels we begin to look after ourselves. Can you imagine how sad it would be if Jesus knocked on your door and you so wished you could invite him in for dinner but you were simply too tired! Well, Jesus asks us to feed our family, to feed those in need, to be available to the hurting etc. The number one strategy here is to learn to say no we need to say no to some things so we can say yes to others. We need to know Gods priorities for our days God, Family and then others. We meed to protect our energy levels so we can attend to the things God has for us.
When we accept that we have limited understanding it drives us to our knees God has said, if we lack wisdom all we need to do is ask! (James 1:5) We live in the information age and there is a subtle lie that we can know it all or probably more realistically we can Google it all. But God is the author of all things and He is waiting to show us insights and wisdom for the things in our life. We just need to ask!
Apparently super-woman doesnt exist neither does super-Christian. We are just regular people, with limitations but we do have a God that knows no limits. He knows all about our 24 hours, our money, our energy and our understanding.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
Trying to do it all is hard work it is a heavy load to carry. It is my choice though.
Belinda,
What timely advice! We live in MN and the days are really long here now! This makes for especially tired children and mommies! I have 3 boys and 1 girl all under the age of 9. I am working hard to establlish rules and boundaries. My 7 year old boy especially is having a hard time with anger, disrespect, and controlling his body. My husband and I are constantly having talks with him about these issues, but he continually breaks the rules. I am physically, and emotionally exhausted! I will press on and ask God to help me with my load.
Thanks!
Hi Belinda This is Shannon McCabe, we emailed a bit in the early years (I started home schooling in 1999), our family was farming in Brookton at the time with four kids similar in age – well a couple of years older, to yours. From memory we were for a while both doing a bit of FIAR. I stumbled upon your blog via a rabbit trail last week and have enjoyed having a bit of a look at your words of wisdom. I am pregnant and the morning sickness has meant more bed time and subsequently a bit more time on the computer, allowing for rabbit trails.
Having spent the first few years relying on the internet for connection with other homeschoolers – now that we are city folk (moved for uni for kids amongst other things) I tend to use it less, but this time has reminded me how much I enjoyed catching up with similarly minded home schoolers from around the country/world.
So will be checking in on the blog, thanks for putting it up – it resonates very well with what we hold as ideal, I will be encouraging others to take a look also.
God Bless
Shannon
Hi Shannon – I do remember you – and our emailing each other. Oh how I love FIAR!!! It has shaped me as a homeschooler so much. Did you homeschool your kids now in uni the whole way? How did they go for entry. It is something that I like to hear more of as it is a question more and more are worried about (though I don’t believe it needs to be a deterrent at all). Our oldest, Joshua, is studying politics/ancient history (hasn’t decided which way just yet) at Open University so still is at home.
Thanks for dropping us a line. Isn’t is surprising what rabbit trails will find us!
Hi Belinda,
yes we have home schooled right through. We still have two girls home, one in year eleven and one in kindy (Not that we have every really had year levels) I would be happy to share about our boys experiences achieving their dreams after home schooling. I have typed (then deleted, then retyped) the story of our ‘graduates’, happy to give further details on uni and Tafe entry as required. Hope this isn’t too much of a ramble.
Our eldest went to Bible college the year he turned 17, he ended up with a TAFE Cert IV and a wonderful experience. This got him into the course he wanted – archaeology (via a bach of arts history degree) at Notre Dame. After a year of uni, Pat deferred his second year and did a year on mission. He spent a year in Sydney with “Youth Mission Team”. the following year he worked for half the year and then travelled to the Holy Land, other middle eastern countries, Egypt and Africa. He went on a ‘dig’ in the Holy Land with Archaeologists
visited missions in Africa – he picked up work in Egypt and Israel.
On his return he announced he was going to be a Priest. He spent the next six months with us, working. Then late last year he entered the Seminary in Canberra.
The next son also went to Bible college, he worked for six months afterwards, then went to Kenya on mission (he and his big brother met up for two weeks as their travels crossed paths). He loved mission work and there were lots of tears on all sides when he left. Before he left, he had applied to a Catholic Liberal Arts Uni in Sydney, Campion College. initially they had indicated that his Bible College cert IV would get him in,however whilst he was in Kenya they contacted us to say that he had to sit a STAT test as well as the cert IV. He wouldn’t get back from Kenya till the last STAT test for that year had passed. lots of prayers and a very supportive Dean, meant they took him on ‘trial’ without the STAT test. Which was a blessing all round, as he turned out to be a great student and as well as looking after him very well, they gave him a generous scholarship, as well as employing him as a co-ordinator for their summer school program. He is in his second year, he will be going to Canada as an exchange student with a ‘sister’ uni for the second half of this year. His plan is to do a year of mission again when he graduates next year, and then go to Cambridge to do his honours in Literature (one of his lecturers at Campion has encouraged this – I wish he had encouraged him to do honours in Perth!!)
Third son, wanted to be an aircraft mechanic, he was keen to just get on with it so the year he was 15 he sat a year ten equivalency test and the following year (last year) began a pre apprenticeship course at TAFE in Jandicot. The course required him to find work experience (he was the only one of his entire class who through sheer perseverance found a place) After one term of studying and working, the owner of the workshop offered him a full apprenticeship. So he began his apprenticeship last year. He works long hours, and is away from the house 12 hours as we don’t live near the airport – I am proud of the boy who takes a train early in the morning, then rides 7km each way to get to work daily rain hail or shine. He works all week and then on weekends spends his pay on flying lessons. Earlier this year he gained his pilots license and is now (recently) licensed to take up passengers in a light aircraft. very focused young man.
So just two girls at home now, the 15 year old plans to go to Bible College and then go on mission with her older brother (second son). She wants to be a missionary nun, so eventually will enter a convent somewhere.
Our four year old, thankfully will be home for a while yet!
The interesting thing is that our kids are very close, and very family orientated – yet their callings have taken them all over the country. it has honestly been gut wrenching having the two older ones away, lots of tears. They have been blessed with the beautiful relationships that can only evolve when home schooling, so whenever we can get together we do. The two older boys are in different cities, but get together as often as they can – actually before going to uni and seminary they travelled for a month together in New Zealand.We are blessed that son #2 is able to spend a month here with us now before heading over to Canada, so we are making the most of this time. #1 son will be here for a week during that time – his schedule is far more restricted.
So that is it so far, we are expecting a baby in January, so we will be back in littlies mode for a few more years.
Interested to hear more about the open learning, I had always planned to source that, but the kids plans thus far have meant other options. Hoping our daughter will use it next year.
hope I deleted enough of my ramble to make it manageable!!
God Bless
Shannon