It's the Little Things

I tend to get hung up on the little things. The big stuff? No problem! I give the LORD the big stuff, and leave it in His hands. I'm smart enough to know when I have no answers, He does. And, I've grown to learn to trust that He will take care of it in His way and in His time.

It's the little things that trip me up. Perhaps I don't think it's worth God's time. Totally not true. He cares. The Bible says He knows the number of hairs on our head. (Now, with six billion folks currently on earth, plus all those who've lived in the past and who are yet to arrive, that's pretty amazing.) So, if He knows us in such minute detail, why would I think He wouldn't fill in the needs for the little things? Or that He wouldn't care about those little things? After all, I am His child. And just as I want to give good things to my children, He even moreso wants to give good things to His.

When we began to contemplate this homeschooling journey as a family, I didn't lay in bed at night and worry about teaching our son algebra or how we were going to get our unborn baby accepted to college. I didn't even worry about how to pay for college. Somehow, the LORD will provide whether it's how to explain math problems with letters in them or how our kids' college will be paid for. He has always come through and of His faithfulness I am certain.

No, I worried about the little things. Silly little things.

What about field trips? Our kids wouldn't know the joy of looking forward to a visit to a museum or fire station or planetarium with their friends, complete with slightly sweaty peanut butter sandwich and a juice box.

Class parties? What about those? No Valentines exchanges! No Christmas celebrations! No end of the year festivities!

What about field day? No three-legged or potato sack races.

Carrying a bookbag? Picking out school supplies? Yearbook?

The list, as you can see, went on and on and on. Truth be known, it still does, but the list is becoming less and less as I see the hand of God at work in even the smallest of areas.

I am finding that each of those little things that I have fretted about in the late hours of the night have been taken care of. Those things are really silly, insignificant things and have no bearing on our children's education. Still, those things are some of which childhood memories are made.

And in His perfect timing, God revealed to us how He was providing for those small things that really are insignificant in the grand scheme, but are so important to children (and their neurotic mommas!).

First of all, He provided for a large need we didn't even know we needed. He provided a support network. Church aquaintances, people in the community, e-loops, and co-ops provided an abundance of friends. This gives us a variety of people with different interests, gifts, and talents that we can learn from and in turn share our unique gifts with. He placed just the right people in our path to share in our journey as they travel in theirs.

Once that big unknown need was filled (see, He took care of it!), He began to fill in those little things that were 'wants'.

Through our local homeschooling groups, we take part in field trips. We've been to the fire station twice, a dairy, the local kids' museum more times than I can recall, and to the planetarium (hopefully, again soon!); there are more field trips on the horizon. Plus, there are park days! Gloriously beautiful Friday afternoons spent at play!

Holiday parties? Well, we have found the joy of co-ops, where those do take place. (And, if they don't, then that's what our home is for- to invite friends over for some fun.) Plus, the end of the year celebration is already on our calendar.

Field day is in about four weeks. Daddy is taking off work to come play and meet our new friends. This event is open to kids 4-18. How many field days can boast that? (Now, to practice carrying an egg with a spoon and tossing a water balloon.)

The book bag goes with us sporadically at this age. It's been to co-op a few times, to the doctor's office, to church. It serves its purpose when needed. He'll carry it until Buzz's lights no longer flash or its no longer cool, whichever comes first. And there won't be a pressing need to get a new one every year. It won't see that much wear. Still, it's a rite of passage being a kid- owning a bookbag. Now that I think about it, not really as big a deal as I once thought!

Yearbook? Well, I've come up with an idea for that. We're going to put together a scrapbook of sorts- pictures, cool stuff from the school year, projects, ticket stubs. Yearbooks will be created at home, written in my children's words. One-of-a-kind creations will recount the places we've been, the things we've seen, the lessons we've learned, the fun we've had.

So my worries about the little things really aren't worth the loss of sleep. God fills the need. He's in the here-and-now, and He's in the future.

There's nothing that escapes His notice- the big needs or the little wants.