Wednesday With Words: Black Beauty

On the way to Artios we listened to Black Beauty because it is part of Year 4 of ELTL.  We are still early in the book and today we learned about Ginger's background.  Wow - it was convicting. God is really working on me in this area but it is going to require more than a little pruning! Anyway, this was a little barb through my heart.

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This morning my son was bad tempered.  By 7:05 am he had decided the world was out to get him and he was recounting all the wrongs that had happened.  As I talked to him, I realized that I often do the same thing - maybe not out loud - but in my heart.  Watching him struggle to find an even keel I realized just how often I let circumstances dictate instead of truth. I choose to be bad tempered and then wonder why the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.  This morning I was preaching to myself as I explained that we have to get off the roller coaster of emotions and plant ourselves in God's truth. Circumstances dictating our lives will always make for an unpredictable ride.  My bad temper (even if I think it is hidden - kids are perceptive) will not produce good results - nor will his.   

Alas, this is the type of thing that makes homeschooling hard.  As you watch them grow and try to help them overcome their difficulties you realize that really you have taught them these things.  Most likely not intentionally - but they follow your example.  Can't they forget or look to someone else in the areas where I am clearly flawed!  Looking for new curricula is much easier than uprooting character and much easier.  This is why older home school moms NEVER answered my questions about what to use and always talked about character.  UGGH.  They were right.  Lines like this one illustrate why fiction is growing on me - it provides a window and a way to discuss character without being pointed.  Not so fun when it is my character, but helpful nonetheless. 

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