Busyness Instead of Fruitfulness

As homeschool moms our lives can be extremely busy and active as we teach and play with our children, act as chauffeur to and from activities and appointments, digest information, ideas, models, and methods, search for curriculum, review materials, make decisions, schedule, plan and organize.  Our lives are overflowing with active responsibilities, many times leaving us feeling as if we are in constant motion, but only spinning our wheels.  So yes, we are certainly busy.

But are our lives fruitful?

And if they are not fruitful, what are our children reaping from the seeds we sow each day?

The great need is not to do things, but to believe things.

Oswald Chambers

Sometimes it is more difficult to be still, to pray, to learn, to observe, to wait, and then to joyfully, effectively and bountifully serve our children what they really need.

There was nothing wrong with any of the activities I was involved in, but my priorities were not right. Busyness is one of Satan’s greatest tools to keep me from God’s best choices for me. Was Martha wrong in choosing to prepare a good meal for her Savior? No, but Mary chose the best activity: sitting at Jesus’ feet. I kept so busy serving God through our local church ministry and “the homeschool movement” that, like Martha, I believe I was often busy for God and yet was missing that close communion with God.

Sharon Grimes, “You Can’t Do It All — and Don’t Have To” from Things We Wish We’d Known by Bill & Diana Waring

Rather to be focused on Christ, sitting at His feet each day, concentrating our time and effort on our relationship with the Vine, so that our children can reap the benefit of His fruit in our lives.

So we can slow down. We can make time for that close communion with God. We can show our children how much we love them by giving them the one thing they really need…us!