Stepping....yet again.

This time of year, if we've taken a summer break from our schooling, I find that it's time to get out the planner and begin planning. Each year, for the past 16, I've looked at the needs of our family, where our children are at academically and taken time to pray and plan for the upcoming school year.

About 2 years into our homeschooling journey I discovered an amazing book at a local homeschool conference called Stepping Heavenward. The story is a life journal of a woman beginning on her 16th birthday. I found it fascinating to read and watch the main character, Katy, grow and develop into a Godly woman, wife and mother.

While planning for my children's education and taking stock of them one year, I found myself asking "What about you, Kel? How have you grown? What areas do you need to work on this coming year?" I was stumped. Then Stepping Heavenward entered my mind and I stopped my planning and began reading. It's been a routine I've visited for many years now. I began my lesson planning today and stopped after a few hours to revisit my book.

The Words on page 100 struck me and I believe I'll be pondering and praying over them. Please enjoy them for yourself as well. Then get the book and read it for yourself! You'll be glad you did.

page 100, pieces of a letter written to Katy from her minister, Dr. Cabot, around her 20th birthday.

....."It has been said that a fixed, inflexible will is a great assistance in a holy life. You can will to choose for your associates those who are most devout and holy. You can will to read books that will stimulate you in your Christian life, rather than those that merely amuse. You can will to use every means of grace appointed by God. You can will to prefer a religion of principal to one of mere feeling; in other words, to obey the will of God when no comfortable glow of emotion accompanies your obedience. You cannot will to possess the spirit of Christ; that must come as His gift; but you can choose to study His life and to imitate it. This will infallibly lead to such self denying work as visiting the poor, nursing the sick, giving of your time and money to the needy, and the like. If the thought of such self denial is repugnant to you, remember that it is enough for the disciple to be as his Lord. And let me assure you that as you penetrate the labyrinth of the life in pursuit of Christian duty, you will often be surprised and charmed by meeting your Master Himself amidst its windings and turnings, and receive His soul inspiring smile. Or, I should rather say, you will always meet Him wherever you go."

Shalom!