It’s become abundantly clear to me this week that you can take the teacher out of the classroom but taking the classroom out of the teacher is not nearly as easily done.

Franklin approached me about being on our praise and worship team with him several months ago at which point I said, “Hmm… I’ll get back with you about that.” I kind of meant, “Maybe I can ignore this request. Let’s see if you forget about it.” When he asked a little more pointedly the beginning of June I knew I needed to agree and began singing with the group 3 weeks ago.

The classroom remains alive and well in me. Apparently I’m over-articulating. Articulating clearly in the 1st grade classroom is a necessity. In the real world it’s a clear give-away as to my former profession. Obviously. I’m. Going. To. Have. To. Work. On. That.

Two weeks ago I drove Franklin and Bailey crazy getting ready for our annual garage sale. This year I had 20 boxes from my classroom to look through. What was I going to keep for posterity? What could be used in our home school adventure? What might I use in our business? What things were not worthy of storage space?

Every item that I decided to sell was sorted for display according to utility, price, and size. All teaching related items were displayed together on four tables. Pictures were taken of all like-items grouped together for Facebook. Is that not how it’s done in the real world? Franklin assures me it’s a tell-tale sign of my old self.

And most obviously, my old self is painfully evident as I organize for our upcoming home school year. I’ve planned for six 6-week blocks. We have a twelve page scope and sequence for the year that outlines the curriculum plan Caden and Emma for Language Arts, Math, Bible, Memory, Social Studies and Geography, Science and Read-Alouds. Each curriculum I plan to use (I’m so grateful for ENMU Golden Library’s Instructional Resource Center) is noted as are the unit and chapter numbers for each week.

My sister Kathi laughed when we were talking about my summer’s planning for our home school. A veteran homeschooling mommy of six, Kathi home schools four children aged six to thirteen with a two and a four year old on each knee. I’ve always been in awe of each one of my homeschooling sisters.

Kathi gave me some great advice that I’m going to have to remind myself of every morning of our home school adventure. It’s so contrary to the way I’ve approached every day for the last seventeen years. She said, “You’re planning is awesome! That’s how you do things. That’s your personality. But home schooling will also give you an opportunity to set aside the day’s plans when The Holy Spirit leads you to focus on something else for the day.”

I believe the task-oriented perfectionist that remains alive and well in me is going to be the most difficult thing to manage in this whole journey. In fact, it’s been one of the things I’ve wrestled with most in my life. The balance is often difficult to find. God calls me to be productive and He calls me to rest. He calls me to be bold and He calls me to rely on Him. He calls me to serve and He calls me to submit. He calls me to care about the burdens of others and He calls me to the cross.

For now I’m going to hold fast to these promises.

People make plans in their minds, but only the Lord can make them come true. Depend on the Lord in whatever you do and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16: 1, 3

The Lord will always lead you. He will satisfy your needs in dry lands and give strength to your bones. You will be like a garden that has much water, like a spring that never runs dry. Isaiah 58:11

You have been saved by grace through believing. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. It was not the result of your own efforts, so you cannot brag about it. Ephesians 2:8-9

Our high priest is able to understand our weaknesses. When he lived on earth, he was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin. Let us, then, feel very sure that we can come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we can receive mercy and grace when we need it. Hebrews 4:15-16