P is for Pumpkins, Pirates and Patience

Today kicked off our week of learning letter P. I have so many fun activities planned for this week. I hardly know if we will fit them all in! I always prepare all of our school activities over the weekend, because I know once the week starts if I haven't yet prepared I won't. Life moves too quickly to procrastinate.

The Confessions of a Homeschooler Letter of the Week curriculum that I use has printable sheets for P stands for Pumpkin. Since we still have our Halloween pumpkins sitting on our dining room table, and I found a cool pumpkin growing experiment I want to try with the boys, I thought this would be a great week to work on letter P.

As I was browsing some of my favorite blogs I came across a ton of adorable (and free!) printables for PIRATE activities. Immediately I began printing them out, because my boys are obsessed with anything pirate. I figured that extra activities this week would be fun for all.

Well, today I woke up on the wrong side of the bed or something. I have no idea why. I got a good night of sleep. I woke up early and had my usual coffee and quiet time. Usually bad days happen when I sleep in. No matter what I did I couldn't make myself just be myself.  For some reason everything my little guys did drove me insane. They were just being kids. They weren't misbehaving. Why couldn't I snap out of it?!?

Later in the day I realized it probably has quite a bit to do with the emotions I'm feeling surrounding saying goodbye to my grandmother. Once I could pinpoint where my emotions were coming from I was able to talk out my feelings and work past the sadness.

Meanwhile I had been short with my kids and snapped at them several times. I couldn't help feeling as I was working on the letter P that I needed my own lesson. I needed a lesson in patience.

I know I'm far from perfect. I know there isn't a single mother on the face of this earth who doesn't mess up. Still...Instead of relaxing in my shortcomings, what can I do to work on them? Turn to the Lord, of course.

Psalm 55:22

"Cast your cares on the LORD

and he will sustain you;

he will never let

the righteous be shaken."

1 Peter 5:7

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

Such simple words from Peter. Cast all you anxiety on Him, because why? Because He cares for you. He cares for me. He is there waiting to hear my burdens. He wants to lift me up. He wants to be my strength.  After praying and truly giving my concerns to God I discovered another thing P stands for.  Peace.