Pressing On

Well, not evolution exactly, since that would imply random, accidental change, but I haven’t thought of a different word, yet. The story I’m trying to tell is the morphing of a homeschool mom (me) into whatever comes after all the kids have graduated, and I’m out of job. It definitely shouldn’t be random.   I feel the reins of homeschool and parenting loosening gradually as my eldest has finished school, my second eldest is graduating in June, my next year’s grade ten-er will be taking mostly online classes, and I’ll have one grade eight-er who likely won’t want me lurking over her shoulder all day. It’s like, if I’m not careful, I’ll just slowly wander out to pasture and no one will notice. But that’s not my style. I’m nothing if not intentional. So, I’ve been thinking. And thinking. And thinking . . .  My husband has been carrying the financial load since our first was born in 2000. I feel like he’s done his due and that it ought to be my turn to pitch in. I would...

"20-30% of the work you do won't make the final cut, but the videos, and the team, are better for it. " Halbert-Howen, M. (2018, Spring). The Bible Project Quaterly, 9. Context:  In making the amazing video footage produced by The Bible Project * The above article said that 20-30% of the work basically goes in the trash can. That's a lot! That's like throwing away 20-30% of my groceries after I finish shopping! But that is not the end of the story. Apparently the effort of merely doing the work to create the content is the gem. Longterm, anyway. What they learn and create in the process of creating the "real" project, benefits future work in an exponential way. We are such a results-oriented society. If you haven't noticed, all the media right now is: "5 steps to . . . !"  "10 easy ways to . . . !"  "Free 30 Day Plan to . . . !" We like to know how fast we can get there! (where?) But that is not the only wa...

Accept yourself, Love yourself, You are enough, Selfies, BLECH!   Seriously. How about: Take your eyes off yourself. That's about as much "self" as we we need. Just enough "self" to realize that our "self" is not the answer. The Amway business was the first place to teach me that. It's very difficult to build a people business if you are consumed with yourself. People just won't like you, and people who don't like you, don't usually want to be in a business with you. Those with the biggest Amway businesses are generally those who are focussed on helping others get what they want to achieve in their businesses. What an incredibly novel idea! I remember repeating this to myself ad nauseam as I went about my life in those years; take your eyes off yourself, take your eyes off yourself, take your eyes off yourself . . . And then I became a Christian and realized that further to that, the Bible has nothing ...