Starting from Scratch - A Series?

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I had a thought the other day about blogs and how almost every (if not every) blog you read is about the things we all do right! I haven't seen very many blogs about the cookies we burnt, the icing that melted, the party that was a flop or the homeschooling mom who got burnt out and sent her kids back to public school. Oh no! Blogging is for our victories that we want to share with others to give them insight and inspiration that may spur them on to great things in their own journeys towards greatness, and I LOVE that these blogs exist. I have gleaned so much from the amazing women whose blogs I have chosen to "follow". From recipes to party planning, and homeschooling to housekeeping: blogging women have come into my home and head and have inspired and launched many of the disciplines and creativity's that are a part of our home today. But I thought I would do something different!

I named this post (perhaps a series if I get inspired) "Starting from Scratch" because that is what I am. I am a first generation Christian, Homeschooling and Stay At Home Mom who happens to be in a very happy and successful marriage. I was raised by my agnostic (at best), atheist (at worst), choleric and very type-A father. I am the oldest of two (I have a brother) and we didn't have a "great" childhood - but neither one of us ever really complained. I came to the Lord in my teens (Senior Year of High School) at a Greg Laurie Church service around Thanksgiving in 1995. It didn't take much for me to realize that things needed to change in my life - immediately - and I didn't seem to have too much trouble allowing the Holy Spirit access into my life to make those changes.

It just seemed natural that I should change my plans for studying abroad at the American University of Paris after graduating high school to go to Calvary Chapel Bible College in Murietta, CA. I needed to put some knowledge behind this "faith" that I had newly acquired. I am certain God gave me the gift of faith upon salvation, although I didn't know it at the time, but because of my need for head knowledge and understanding, I needed to not have "stupid faith". I needed confidence and cohesiveness in my new way of life! And off I went to study the bible - what a culture shock!!!

My first day on campus, I cussed! Loudly! The "F" word! Starting from scratch, right!!! Hey, the only book in the Bible I had read at this point was the Gospel of John (isn't that where we all start?) and a little bit of Genesis and Psalms. I didn't know that it says,"Let no corrupt communication proceed from your mouth..." in Ephesians. Oh, but boy did I know that it was not okay to do that again after seeing the looks of the faces of those five people sitting around the pool with me that day.

No one taught me about devotions (or what this "Christianese" word even meant), or praying before meals (and why?) or so many other things that those who are raised in Christian homes take for granted (don't get me wrong...I find "no fault" in those who were raised in Christian homes and pray to God every day that my children too will be raised in such a way that they "take for granted" these disciplines of a faith-filled life). But, by the power of the Holy Spirit, I learned them, all from scratch. I learned the relevance and necessity of spending time with Jesus in the morning before my day began, and spending time with him the evening before I went to sleep (read Psalm 55:17). I learned that praying before my meals was not because the food I was eating may have been sacrificed to idols, or because it was "unholy", but because it was just another opportunity for me to recognize Jesus Christ and what He did for me - the sacrifice that He made for me on the cross to forgive my sins, and just to thank Him - for anything and everything. I learned that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks and if I put in "good", those "bad words" won't come out anymore! I learned that I was indeed, a new creation in Christ!

And now, fifteen years later, here I am. A first generation Christian mother of four amazing children, who was never led by a parent in prayer or family devotions - yet endeavoring to do that with my children. A mother, not raised by a mother but by a father (she is in my life now, and I love her dearly, but she was not around at pivotal times in my childhood), who was not taught how to make a bed (my husband taught me after we were married!!!) or how to clean a house properly (I am getting better - and actually have a "cleaning date" planned with my grandmother who is going to "teach me" how to thoroughly and deeply clean an entire home - I can't wait), but eager each day to create an environment of loveliness in my home by being dilligent, not eating the bread of idleness and tending to the ways of my household (Proverbs 31). I am a public-school taught, self-motivated and natural learner who is stepping out in faith to bring my children home and teach them a Classical Education with a Christian worldview, completely unsure how to do it, where to start, what to buy and not to buy and whether or not it will "work" in our house.

I am making mistakes. I am uncertain and definitely not an expert. But, I have victories in Christ. He is my strength. He is my joy and He is the lifter of my head. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and walking in the center of His will for my life makes these impossibilities (homeschool? Four children? My step-daughter? With a preschooler, toddler and a baby? really Lord?), possible and even exciting. I feel empowered and think I will document my mistakes and my victories and perhaps someday someone else who has never been led in family devotions, but feels called by the Lord to raise her children in the way they should go, might feel encouraged by my mistakes and failures (oh, we've had plenty of setbacks, but that will be another post) and carry on! Perhaps!