Compare the Calendars

The beginning of a school year is always an adventure, as we face another year of homeschooling and prepare for winter/rainy season and the holidays. It is a slow stretch of anticipation, knowing that as the year ramps up into hysteria, it will come crashing down into glorious summer. I love summer. I love teaching my kids, but I do love me some summer.

I use MSN Calendar to keep my life together. If I don't write everything down, I won't remember. I have typed in all birthdays and anniversaries and get a reminder a week ahead of time so I have time to send a card, either real or email.

I color-coordinate my events. Orange is doctor/dentist, red is spiritual events, yellow is school, dark green is work (babysitting usually), purple is mommy events, blue is company, teal is traveling, green is baseball. If the kids have an event, they are responsible for helping it get on the calendar. Each day when I sign in to check my email, I get a reminder box with all of the events for that day. It is like having my own administrative assistant.


Doesn't September look peaceful? I am putting up Fall decorations, weeding the flower beds, planting a few more flowers, cleaning out garage and storage shed in preparation for a cozy winter inside listening to the rain splatter on the windows and the roof. Rain is such a peaceful sound, especially when accompanied by a crackling fire and the scent of freshly brewed coffee.


This was last May. If there is a little arrow at the bottom of the left hand corner, it means there were too many events for that day to view, so you have to drop down the box the view them all.

Do you see why the calendar program keeps me in the game?

.

Do you see why I love summer?

.

It takes three months to recover from a school year and have that energy to begin again. I always am SO ready to be done with school; I get spring fever worse than the kids. But, I am always excited for a new year and excited for the new classes we're taking either at home or through our homeschool coop.

.

As always, I wonder what the year will bring; what joys and sorrows will our family go through together. Last year, I had a huge burden to begin school hard and finish early, I was pretty sure I would be facing surgery that spring. The doctor kept telling me my cancer was NOT back, but that small, still voice of the Lord told me to prepare. I remember doubting that voice, wondering if I was imagining things, or running away with my feelings, but I obeyed. When my new doctor diagnosed me with cancer in about March, it was confirmation that it was His voice I had heard.

.

I remember being in awe that He would prepare my heart and my path.

.

This year, I'm feeling peace. I have a peaceful feeling about my family, about school and about life. We are feeling so blessed and are feeling His guiding presence.

I am thinking about this hymn -

I don't know

About tomorrow

I just live from day to day

I don't borrow from its sunshine

For its skies may turn to gray

I don't worry about my future

For I know what Jesus said

And today He walks beside me

For He knows what lies ahead

Many things about tomorrow

I don't seem to understand

But I know who holds tomorrow

And I know who holds my hand.

The peace in September comes not from a less-demanding schedule, because I always fill each day to the rim regardless of how many things were on the calendar to begin with. The peace comes from knowing Who is holding my hand, whether I am running like crazy, multi-tasking my multi-tasks or sprawling on the couch wishing the world would stop so I could get off.

He holds my hand, and my future.