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Happy New Year!

© Joan Archer

I believe it was Kalil Gibran who wrote, "For the World is a Circle, and that place which looks like the End may just be the Start of the New Beginning."

For those of us who have to answer to a Department of Education, this is the start of our New Year! New forms to fill out, new curricula to ponder, and new ways of managing our children's education are ours to work with. For us, constantly honing our children's schedule becomes something very close to an obsession, but it's an obsession we enjoy.

Here are the things I wish I would have done differently this past year-okay, winning the lottery is a "gimme", so I'll skip that one.

I wish I would have treasured my kids a bit more, and not been in such a rush to do everything. Yes, I wish that a lot, but it can't hurt to remind myself from time to time.

I wish I would have managed my time better all around, and gotten more done with what little time I have had to do anything.

I wish I would have gotten the school room moved out of the dining room. Looking at the "school stuff" all the time gets to be a bit oppressive sometimes, for me as well as the boys and my husband. I know sometimes with all my housework staring me in the face, I think, "When I'm done with all this WORK, where do I go to LIVE?" and I can't help but think the boys must feel the same way sometimes.

I pray daily for patience with Jasper, for when he is slow to get a concept I can get very impatient with him. I have been able to learn to have more compassion with him, but sometimes I still have to go into the bathroom and take some very deep breaths to keep from yelling. (I have mentioned that I'm not perfect, haven't I?)

I wish I would have remembered the phrase "Not mine, but Thine" more often, and trusted that there is a rhyme and reason for everything. The more I try to control events in my life, the more time I spend spinning my wheels and losing time. When I am running as one with The Spirit, my soul sings and things just fall easily into place. But, we all know the children of Israel are Rebellious, so whether I'll be cured of this habit this year remains to be seen. I'm sort of betting NOT, but I do try.

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