Prayers and Printables for the First day of School

No matter how old I get there is something exciting about Back to School!

I think in our minds eye we feel the approaching of fall (despite the 100 degree temps!), we smell the scent of lysol and new crayons and Elmer's glue and we can hear the sharpening of bright yellow pencils! 

Perhaps its our desire for structure and routine that we miss so much at the end of summer. Nonetheless, the long days of summer are about to end and the shuffling of papers and school work are approaching. 

We homeschool our children, yet they anticipate the first day of school in many of the same ways. They have new pencil cases and crayons, a new school outfit, pencils needing to be sharpened, new notebooks to doodle on and lots of new books to look through in anticipation of all that they will learn during the year. 

I love it! Maybe it's the teacher in me...Maybe it's the love of learning new things! 

And whether we homeschool or send our kids to public or private school...at the end of the day, the emotions are all the same. The anticipation, the worry, the fears, the hope and dreams are all the same on the first day of school. Whether you are teaching or overseeing; whether you are waving good bye at a bus stop or dropping them off in carpool. Whether you gather your kids together around the dining room table or send them off one by one...no matter what our choice for education is, each of us are doing what we hope and pray is best for our kids and nothing else matters.

Raising children is hard. Choosing their education is hard. Figuring out what curriculum and which classes they should take and hoping for a great teacher that will love them and hoping that you, as their teacher aren't messing them up...that's all scary and uncertain! 

We have all been called to do a very important and significant task: to raise intelligent, loving children who have the potential to become intelligent and loving world changers and kingdom chasers. No matter what road God has called you to walk with your children, be that homeschooling, private or public schooling, each of our walks are unlike any other, and so, we must surrender every aspect of our children's lives to God, their Father, and ask Him for guidance and wisdom to do our best in whatever journey He has called us to. 

This is what I am praying for during this school year for all of us parents, our students and every teacher.  

•  I am praying for the fruits of the spirit to abound in every parent, student and teacher. 

For love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. As a mom and as a teacher to my little brood...I desperately need all of those! How wonderful would it be if our schools and families would walk in each of those fruits throughout the year!

• I am praying for Light to outshine the darkness. 

That those who represent the light of the world will shine so bright that the lights will penetrate the corners and crevices of darkness and that this year there will be a source of light that will prevail above whatever comes against it.

• I am praying for the Gospel message of hope to be poured out for every ear that is willing to hear. 

We are living in difficult times, but we serve a good God and my prayer is that my family and yours will be the voice of hope crying out in the wilderness to all those who are desperate to hear its message.

Friends, its time for us to come together, without judgement or pride, and fall on our knees in prayer for our children, our community leaders and our world. We must fall on our knees daily and pray for Christ's love to abound wherever we go, so that our lives will pierce the heart of darkness that is infiltrating our world. 

If our calling is to raise kingdom chasers, we must first start that chase and not stop running until our feet are worn from bringing the good news to all people. 

May this be our BEST year yet! 

I am praying for all your sweet families, dear friends. And with all that, I want to bless you with some free Back to School Printables!!! 

So...For the 2014-2015 School Year, here are some super fun Chalkboard Prints you can download because School Rocks! Because it isn't the first day of school without first day of school pics! I love seeing everyones pics of their sweet babes in their new clothes with their grade signs! So here you are...some cute signs ready to Print and go! Love it! Plus, its such a great way to see how much your kids have grown through the years...makes this momma hurt some too! Here's a peek and I have all grades included! 

Also, for you homeschool mama's, I added an "Our School Rules" Printable! 

And for all of us, even though I know many of us are ready for the crazy summer days to end and the sometimes crazier, though more routine days of school to begin...here is a fun "Days Until Summer Vacation" Printable! 

Click here for the Grade/Rules Printables (its a larger file so opening may take a minute) and Here for the Days until Summer Printable (I plan to laminate this one so I can write/erase the number daily!) Enjoy! 

You are His Beloved, 

Don't miss a post! 

Subscribe to Beautiful Craziness by Email

Linking up with these great blogs! 

and Christian Mommy blogger. 

I'm a Fake and Everything is Fine

She was upset, trying hard not to cry, but obviously saddened.

We were at church and I didn’t have the patience to deal with her drama.

“Honey, you don’t need to be upset, you are fine” I said to her, with little sympathy or compassion.

A friend of ours walked up to us to say hello. He looked down at my tiny girl and asked her what was wrong. She hid in my skirt, trying to hide her tears and I automatically responded with, “She’s fine.” He looked at me and said with all sincerity, “Really? Because she doesn't seem fine.”

His words hit me and I said, “You’re right, she’s not fine.”

I kneeled down to her level and hugged her and reassured her that mommy would try to fix whatever it was that she was upset about.

In that moment; in that one wise statement of my dear friend I realized what I was doing to my little girl was wrong.

It’s easier to say, “I’m fine. Everything is fine.” But that small word holds a great deal of lies! Most of the time, when people reply with, “Fine. Everything is fine,” things aren't fine, yet it is what we as a society do. We hide the truth, try to present the illusion that all is right with our world, that nothing is harming or hurting or hindering us in any way.

Webster defines fine to have many definitions. Fine means to be good or satisfactory; free from impurity; physically trained; delicate; superior in quality; marked by refinement.

Yet, when we use the word fine we aren't referring to our life as being free from impurity or superior in quality. No, we are saying it is simply satisfactory, if that much.

Without realizing the power of that one little word, I was teaching my daughter to hide behind the fabricated truth and the mask that says, “Don’t worry about me, I can handle anything, I’m fine.”

In that little word, I was teaching her to stifle her emotions, her fears, her hurts and not show the world her truth, her impurities or her delicate nature.

In that little word, I was teaching her to fain strength in a world that praises the well trained who push away the hurt and fight against the weakness.

But the truth is that she wasn't fine. 

We aren't fine. 

None of us are. 

Sometimes life stinks. Sometimes our days are hard. Sometimes we just want to cry and one little thing sets us off and the rest of the day just follows suit. Sometimes we are weak and broken and hurt and sometimes, we just can’t handle anything that comes our way. For no matter how hard we train, we will always have to be refined.

For my little girl, whatever was upsetting her that day was a big deal to her. It may not have been a big deal to me, mom and adult, but it was to her. And instead of showing her love and compassion and sympathy, I showed her disdain, annoyance and frustration.

How many times am I her? How many times do I crumble beneath the weight of my day and turn from the tears that are about to stream down my face? How many times do I feign strength despite the weakness? How many times do I pretend and say, “I’m fine.”

It’s what we have been taught to do. 

We have been taught to not cry in front of people or they will see you as weak.

We have been taught not to show people our fears or failures, because then they may suspect we aren't perfect or strong.

And I want to yell…GET OVER IT!

None of us have it together. None of us are perfect! NONE OF US ARE FINE!!!

We are all at times barely making it. Life is hard and sometimes things don’t work out the way we planned and our days are overwhelming and tiresome.

There are days when I am overwhelmed with housework…I know, it’s really not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but you know what, being overwhelmed with housework makes me feel like a failure and it’s NOT FINE.

There are days when my kids drive me crazy. Seriously. When their fighting and whining and complaining are about to throw me over the edge and I want to cry because they don’t seem to listen at all and I am obviously raising unthankful, disobedient children and I feel completely unqualified for this parenting gig...it’s NOT FINE.

There are days when I don’t want to do any of this anymore. I don’t want to read my bible, I don’t feel like praying and my faith is weak because in that moment I don’t believe any of it. I don’t believe 'in my weakness He is strong,' I don’t believe 'I am more than a conqueror' and I feel like I’m a real fake and it’s NOT FINE.

What are we afraid of? Showing people the truth? Being real? Being vulnerable?

Yes.

I was teaching my little girl all of those things in that one four letter word. And now, I must undo my teaching. Because now, when she’s upset, she automatically responds with, “It’s fine, I’m fine.”

Oh dear one, I’m so sorry. 

You aren't fine. None of us are. We are all simply trying to get by, to breathe in and out and walk up this mountain called life. Sure compared to most, we are “fine,” but who is comparing? Who is so concerned with our perfections? No one else, but ourselves. And so my darling, don’t hide behind “fine,” but stand in your truth. Even if that truth is weakness and frailty in the moment, lift your head in that weakness, because that weakness makes us malleable and in that frail state, He refines us, takes away our impurities and makes us really perfect, and pure, without blemish or stain. You are just like the gems and jewels you delight and marvel in and in the light, you can see His reflection.   

Once you allow Him to reveal His truth and His strength within you, then, beloved, will you truly be Fine.  

You are His Beloved, 

Don't miss a post! 

Subscribe to Beautiful Craziness by Email

Linking up with these great blogs

Pursuing Beautiful

 Friday posts on Beautiful Craziness will be posts dedicated to pursuing beauty within our homes and our selves.

There are certain elements of life that make the crazy, beautiful. 

Whether it is a delicious recipe, a creative craft project, beautiful traditions or maybe fashionable inspiration; Inspiring Beauty within the Crazy is part of what Beautiful Craziness desires to do.

We were created for beauty. 

We were created to be artisans: to pursue beauty in this world and to create beauty.

 We were created for Eden.

Beautiful is part of who we are, especially as women. 

It is part of our natural desire to display such beauty in our homes, our tables, our traditions and in ourselves.

To pursue beauty is to live fully as the woman we were created to be: Women who love the splendor of creation, who bring forth artistry, charm and delicacy into their homes and who inspire beauty in their crazy lives.

Join me every Friday and be inspired to Pursue Beauty within your own Crazy life!

You are His Beloved,

Don’t miss any of the Beautiful…

Linking up with these great blogs.