So sometimes God messes with our best laid plans, and contrary to our disbelief, He knows exactly what He's doing. Well, because He's been doing it forever. Think Abraham... Sarah... Mary... Elizabeth and Zachariah, and the list goes on. Because I'm a writer at heart, I think of it in this way, which I'm sure isn't how God thinks of it, but it's how my head works... they each had a plot twist, and it ended up being a pivotal moment on their faith journey.
Well, friends our family had one of those plot twists a few weeks ago. For the last year we have homeschooled both kiddos, after quite a few years in public school. I adored the experience of being their teacher and watching them learn this last year, but after much discussion, we decided with our recent move and my growing freelance workload, that we would apply to a Catholic school near our new home. The same school I attended as a young girl. We were so excited at the thought of continued academic excellence with the added bonus of a focus on faith and service. We filled out all the paperwork and crossed our fingers. To our delight they were both accepted for fall. Well, with one small hurdle. Our oldest would have an interview to tackle with the principal, since he was an incoming middle schooler and coming in at that stage is hard on a kid. No biggie, we felt. Being the amazing kid he is, we thought he'd rock it.
That interview came this month. We went skipping in and came out with heavy hearts. The principal felt possibly their school wasn't the right environment for our oldest. She spent just a few minutes talking to him and quite a few with us. I wish she had spent more time with him. I think it could have helped her see that he is a phenomenal kid, but that's not how the story was supposed to go for our little family.
For my mama heart, coming out of that interview I was devastated. Coach Man, ever our protector and in true Coach Man fashion, was fighting mad, and I could see in the eyes of our not so little anymore little man, he was bothered as well. I knew he felt a twinge of the not good enough feeling, and I hated it. Maybe we all did a bit that day. I wanted to spring into action and fix it. Snap my fingers, make it all just go smoothly and be all sunshine and rainbows. But life isn't like that. There are hurdles, mountains to climb and sometimes there is a plan b.
That school had been all I could see for months, and Coach Man had been on board with it wholeheartedly, even though his own experiences as a child in parochial schools hadn't been the best for him. He knew our kids deserved their own experience. For me it had been the only path. It was where they were going to go - period. I had envisioned the uniforms, weekday mass, my volunteering at school... all of it. I was a hot mess coming out of that interview. However, we had agreed to take a week and pray and discern this educational decision for our family, and the principal would do the same, and we'd meet for a second interview.
During the week we prayed, we openly discussed as a family and discerned all the options. Even if that meant figuring out a balance for my workload, so we could continue homeschooling. We decided to tour the local middle school near our new home. I actually felt a Holy Spirit nudge to do it, when I so didn't want to. My head said, go and you'll know what's right, but I was so stuck in what I thought the plan was and what I had wanted it to be, that it was so hard to think of other avenues.
Well, we toured the local middle school, and we ALL loved! I was floored. How could this be? How could my heart feel this way, when I was so set on our first plan. There are so many more opportunities in this school for our not so little anymore little man to grow into the person God intends him to be in an environment best for him. All his core classes, plus so many other classes where he can nurture his passion for graphic design, art and animation. Oh, and the additional science classes and clubs available! He was in heaven as the guidance counselor talked, and we walked the halls. I could envision him there, and I could see in his eyes he could too. Coach Man could envision him there all along (but he kind of lives and breathes football, and it's the school system where he works...so), but he had also seen my points about a Catholic school for our children.
As I look back... There were hints that possibly the parochial school choice wasn't best for our pre-teen. Some bigger, some smaller hints. One small one just a few weeks before the school interview happened, I had taken a picture of him in some football swag (logo t-shirt and shorts from the previous football season) he'd gotten from his Daddy, when he helped at the high school's summer football practice. I remember thinking as I snapped the photo that those colors looked good on him and how big his smile was that day. It kind of haunted me a little bit given the direction we had chosen. I had a bit of sadness that day, a twinge of regret. Maybe the Holy Spirit was nudging even then, but I was stubborn. I wanted to give him what I thought was the very best. Turns out it may not be the very best for him.
The Principal's push to discern was a catalyst for us to explore something we may not have otherwise, and I'm grateful for that, even though at the time it sent me into a tailspin. It ended up leading us to exactly where our child needs to be and clearly showing us where he didn't need to be.
It turns out God had a way better plan than mine, and I think it's going to allow a certain little boy to spread his wings wide. I can't wait to see what God accomplishes through this quick-witted, kindhearted, art and science loving kid.
Sometimes messing with our best laid plans is just what we need, and sometimes it is delivered in the most interesting of ways. God, our most lovingly and nurturing Father, wants the best for us, as we strive for that for our own children, as well. Worry does no one any good, even a mama. Nothing is accomplished through it...nothing. I've stressed way to much over my little one's futures these last few months. Way too much. And God's saying to my heart... Mama, they're gonna be just fine.
So... "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you..." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 ... and pray always without ceasing, even when you are in disbelief of the direction He's sending you in.
Are you prayerfully discerning a Catholic school for your child? This article from Blessed Is She covers five common myths about Catholic schools and gives things to ponder as you discern.
Well, friends our family had one of those plot twists a few weeks ago. For the last year we have homeschooled both kiddos, after quite a few years in public school. I adored the experience of being their teacher and watching them learn this last year, but after much discussion, we decided with our recent move and my growing freelance workload, that we would apply to a Catholic school near our new home. The same school I attended as a young girl. We were so excited at the thought of continued academic excellence with the added bonus of a focus on faith and service. We filled out all the paperwork and crossed our fingers. To our delight they were both accepted for fall. Well, with one small hurdle. Our oldest would have an interview to tackle with the principal, since he was an incoming middle schooler and coming in at that stage is hard on a kid. No biggie, we felt. Being the amazing kid he is, we thought he'd rock it.
That interview came this month. We went skipping in and came out with heavy hearts. The principal felt possibly their school wasn't the right environment for our oldest. She spent just a few minutes talking to him and quite a few with us. I wish she had spent more time with him. I think it could have helped her see that he is a phenomenal kid, but that's not how the story was supposed to go for our little family.
For my mama heart, coming out of that interview I was devastated. Coach Man, ever our protector and in true Coach Man fashion, was fighting mad, and I could see in the eyes of our not so little anymore little man, he was bothered as well. I knew he felt a twinge of the not good enough feeling, and I hated it. Maybe we all did a bit that day. I wanted to spring into action and fix it. Snap my fingers, make it all just go smoothly and be all sunshine and rainbows. But life isn't like that. There are hurdles, mountains to climb and sometimes there is a plan b.
That school had been all I could see for months, and Coach Man had been on board with it wholeheartedly, even though his own experiences as a child in parochial schools hadn't been the best for him. He knew our kids deserved their own experience. For me it had been the only path. It was where they were going to go - period. I had envisioned the uniforms, weekday mass, my volunteering at school... all of it. I was a hot mess coming out of that interview. However, we had agreed to take a week and pray and discern this educational decision for our family, and the principal would do the same, and we'd meet for a second interview.
During the week we prayed, we openly discussed as a family and discerned all the options. Even if that meant figuring out a balance for my workload, so we could continue homeschooling. We decided to tour the local middle school near our new home. I actually felt a Holy Spirit nudge to do it, when I so didn't want to. My head said, go and you'll know what's right, but I was so stuck in what I thought the plan was and what I had wanted it to be, that it was so hard to think of other avenues.
Well, we toured the local middle school, and we ALL loved! I was floored. How could this be? How could my heart feel this way, when I was so set on our first plan. There are so many more opportunities in this school for our not so little anymore little man to grow into the person God intends him to be in an environment best for him. All his core classes, plus so many other classes where he can nurture his passion for graphic design, art and animation. Oh, and the additional science classes and clubs available! He was in heaven as the guidance counselor talked, and we walked the halls. I could envision him there, and I could see in his eyes he could too. Coach Man could envision him there all along (but he kind of lives and breathes football, and it's the school system where he works...so), but he had also seen my points about a Catholic school for our children.
As I look back... There were hints that possibly the parochial school choice wasn't best for our pre-teen. Some bigger, some smaller hints. One small one just a few weeks before the school interview happened, I had taken a picture of him in some football swag (logo t-shirt and shorts from the previous football season) he'd gotten from his Daddy, when he helped at the high school's summer football practice. I remember thinking as I snapped the photo that those colors looked good on him and how big his smile was that day. It kind of haunted me a little bit given the direction we had chosen. I had a bit of sadness that day, a twinge of regret. Maybe the Holy Spirit was nudging even then, but I was stubborn. I wanted to give him what I thought was the very best. Turns out it may not be the very best for him.
The Principal's push to discern was a catalyst for us to explore something we may not have otherwise, and I'm grateful for that, even though at the time it sent me into a tailspin. It ended up leading us to exactly where our child needs to be and clearly showing us where he didn't need to be.
It turns out God had a way better plan than mine, and I think it's going to allow a certain little boy to spread his wings wide. I can't wait to see what God accomplishes through this quick-witted, kindhearted, art and science loving kid.
Sometimes messing with our best laid plans is just what we need, and sometimes it is delivered in the most interesting of ways. God, our most lovingly and nurturing Father, wants the best for us, as we strive for that for our own children, as well. Worry does no one any good, even a mama. Nothing is accomplished through it...nothing. I've stressed way to much over my little one's futures these last few months. Way too much. And God's saying to my heart... Mama, they're gonna be just fine.
So... "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you..." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 ... and pray always without ceasing, even when you are in disbelief of the direction He's sending you in.
Are you prayerfully discerning a Catholic school for your child? This article from Blessed Is She covers five common myths about Catholic schools and gives things to ponder as you discern.
-Jen
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