Foolish Dreams
Posted in Daily Focus on Saturday, May 31, 2014
"Be content with such things as ye have" (Hebrews 13:5b).
As much as I loved teaching my four children, I longed for certain desires while we homeschooled. Selfishly, I looked forward to uninterrupted nights of sleep, a neat house that stayed clean longer than five minutes, and a noise level in my home that was below 50 decibels. Now, 25 years later, the very things that were so important to me are mine in abundance. However, the empty nights seem long and uninteresting, the house sits empty all day and has no reason to be clean, and the quiet is agonizingly loud when I'm home alone. My foolish dreams of yesterday have come true, and I chastise myself for trading productive moments with my family for grumbling and complaining.
God gives us so much to be thankful for each day, but we choose to look past His blessings. Focusing our thoughts on illusive mirages of happiness, we think we know what will satisfy us best. We disregard God's provision and constant care and trade His blessings for future "if only's." Patiently, He waits for us to discover two important facts: He has already given us everything we need (Philippians 4:19), and He only can satisfy the longings of the soul (Psalm 107:9).
What about you? Are you content in following the Lord, or do you long for the "some days" of tomorrow? Dear one, please don't waste another moment chasing foolish dreams. The homeschool blessings God is giving you today are far greater than any dreams you may sacrifice and lay at the Master's feet. "Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light" (Psalm 37:4-6a).
Father, please forgive my ungrateful heart and help me see afresh all the blessings You faithfully provide. Cause my heart to rejoice instead of complain and realize I am serving You when I serve my family. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Comments(20 comments)
MONICA U 06/02/2009 23:50:29
I read these posts faithfully every day. Most bring me to tears. I am find God speaks to me through each and everyone, especially today. I am an organizer by nature and I find myself longing for things that don't even matter. I thank God for this ministry.
Eva M 05/30/2010 02:55:01
This is so true I have raised I have raised 3 sets of children 9 in all.God has placed me wherever he wants me .Some times i dwell on past .but now God has given my beautiful grandsons to raise.I cherish every moment.
god has sent you wake me up and see that homeschooling them. I 'm not missing a moment in their childhood.
God bless you !
SUSAN M 05/31/2011 05:25:10
Thank you for this reminder! I will be 62 when the last of my eight children will graduate from highschool. I used to feel like "all I must be good for is raising children"....and it was not a positive thought. But now I remind myself that it is a powerful opportunity to disciple for Jesus and do it 24/7 for many years! It is a place given to me by the Lord himself ...I need to seek no other.
NIKI R 05/31/2011 05:57:57
I too am a neat freak and cannot stand a messy house. Thank you this my focus is now going to shift from complaining about their rooms not being neat enough, to the fact they are stiill here alive and well and that I am to treasure these precious few moments that I have with them rather than treasure the house,
Thank you!
I hear the Spirit saying treasure the home not the house!
Jody F 05/31/2011 06:21:49
This devotion is so true. I have homeschooled children for 12 years. I love them dearly and try not to make this mistake. I know that when both my children are gone to sleepovers or camp, I miss the noise and clutter that they make. I do complain about both when they are here and know that someday I will miss it dearly as the author did. I pray that then the Lord will bless us with grandchildren that we can also help raise. Thank you for this reminder to be thankful for everything that the Lord gives us.
MAYA T 05/31/2011 07:41:41
It has been my dream to homeschool. I just started a week ago. My house has been out of control since I started. God has given me the desires of my heart and I have been frustrated with the fact that i cannot get organized. I have compared myself to others who I think are more organized than me and I felt that I was on the road to failure until I made a conscience effort not to allow myself to go that route. I will stay away and do what I can here.
This message was right on today for my household. I would rather treasure my kids and have them grow up knowing that they were loved than for them to feel like I had problems and that they never had their needs met. Thank you again. Thank you Father God for this one
CHRISTINE V 05/31/2011 07:43:12
Thank you for this posting. I have 6 kids under 12, and I needed that straight talk!
DONNA G 05/31/2011 09:00:51
i think i will print this, and read it every day.. i love this,, but often forget how blessed i am everyday.
KIMBERLY W 06/01/2011 16:42:50
Thank you for those words. I was begining wonder if I needed to just change my mind.
STEVE S 11/03/2011 22:20:20
We have been homeschooling for 21 years and have 12 more years to go (we have 10 children). By the time our youngest daughter graduates I will be 64 years old. I regret to say that I have allowed myself to dream foolish dreams as well. As a homeschool dad I try to be a part of my children\'s lives both in school and out. Sometimes I just want to be left alone, but in our house that has never been possible. Oh well, 12 more years to go (praise the Lord!).
STEVE S 11/03/2011 22:24:46
I just wanted to say that I really do love all of our children and will miss them greatly when they are all grown up. But the empty nest does come (sooner or later) and we had better be prepared for it.
VANESSA S 11/04/2011 00:57:41
Wow! These words hit close to home! I am not christian, but everything else definitely applies. I truly needed to see this today. Thanks for these wonderful words!
MIA M 05/31/2012 05:20:21
WOW! Today is the last day of school , made sure their dad knew it so he could come pick them up! but you know what I\'ll be sad when it comes time for them to graduate and become adults. Thank you for giving me a headsup so I can just sit backand enjoy this moment
KATHY S 05/31/2012 06:02:42
Before my son came along, I ironed my sheets and pillowcases, there was never a thing out of place, all was perfect.
BUT, I was lonely, my house was full of beautiful breakable things, but in actuality, it was empty.
Now, my house always looks like a train wreck (or so it feels) and I have never been happier!
My son and all his love and joy that he brings to me. Thank you Jesus for the git of my wonderful son ! Amen.
ELIZABETH J 05/31/2012 06:25:43
Thank you so much for your words of wisdom. I too am a \"neat freak\" and having a messy house drives me crazy. I have learned that time with my children is more important that a spotless house. I have learned to let some things go and that I can spend my whole day cleaning or just wait until the end of the day to clean it once. Everyone has to do their part but it doesn\'t stay any cleaner when I spend my whole day on it, and then I have wasted so much time that I could have spent with my children. Some days I am able to let it go better than others but I thank God that He has given me the wisdom to realize my time with my beautiful children is fleeting. My daughter is talking about college now and I want to spend every moment with her that I can.
CARLY E 05/31/2012 09:55:29
We are returning to homeschooling after 2 years in private school. I have been grateful to return, and at the same time readjusting to being home has been hard. It\'s only been a week and I have found myself defeated every day, fretful many moments, and emotional exhausted beyond what I thought possible. Definitely have found myself groaning, complaining and worrying that I can\'t do this. But I know I\'ve been called. Called to this life. And whatever God calls me to, He alone makes it possible for me to do. Thank you. I needed this reminder today.
TRISTA J 05/31/2012 21:15:05
One evening after my children had gone to bed and I was distraught at the mess of toys and longing for the clean house I used to have, I read a post from a woman who was grateful to have the mess to clean. She was so glad just to have a child to clean up after that she actually loved picking up the toys. Since then, every night when I pick up the stray toys that the children have missed, I thank God that I have them and that he loved me enough to give me the gift of raising them and loving them and picking up their toys. It is a wonderful meditation. Often when I get down on my knees to look for some pieces of a puzzle, or pick up some tiny Lego blocks, I pray Philippians 4:7 for those parents who have lost a child and no longer get to pick up toys or see them grow. I certainly wish I could keep that short-lived mindset through all the moments during the day where I am captured by my \"foolish dreams\" of past or future instead of being thankful and fully enjoying the chaotic, lovely present.
Dewi K 05/31/2012 23:48:00
Apparently I cannot have these type of luxuries. Hubby has not worked for four years.
Though we do not have any debt nor mortgage we just cannot continuesly depend on our savings.
I envy ladies that have husband with steady jobs.
KATHY S 06/01/2012 06:58:37
Dewi
I will pray that your husband retains employment again.
I would like to give you the \"1/2 full in the glass\" approach. And I sincerely hope that it may make you feel a little better.
Some of these ladies on this site, do not have husbands at all, so they may envy you for the fact that you at least have a husband.
Some of these ladies also have no mortgages, because they are stuck in apartments, perhaps in undesiralbe areas.
I personally do have some debt, which I am trying to pay down.
I wish I had a savings account to go to when I am short of money. It is my own fault, even though we live on a very small income, I should give up something for myself to put a small amount away.
And finally, there are \"disabled\" people that are also out of work, but for them it is permanently.
So try and have hope that even though your husband has been out of work for so very long, (and I am truly sorry for you) he is \"able\" to get work some day.
Maybe with your husband being home, he could do the homeschooling?
There are groups either from AOP or HSLDA that help out with one time book costs when people are down and out. Then your children could benefit from homeschooling too.
So, although everything may seem so grim for you right now, know that our Lord Jesus is watching over you and will help you when you ask him.
I know that \"His\" time, is not always within the timeframe that we would like, but, he always has reason.
May God Bless you and your Husband, and your family!
Lorna LaTulippe 06/01/2015 13:20:54
I'm a 74 yr. old grandmother guardian of my 8 yr old grand-daughter of whom I decided to homeschool after attending a private Christian school where she struggled due to dyslexia.Yes I wanted my house clean and neat because I was so use to it after raising four of my own. Thank you for the wake-up call. I needed that so much. The joy she brings me is incredible and I wouldn't trade it for the world. My apartment is small and now very cluttered, never dirty. So the reminder is enjoy her while I'm alive and forget the perfect neat house. Thanks again and may God bless you.