A New Season of Life

In advance, this falls into the Mommy Moments category…

Did I actually begin my last blog with, “Indeed home-schooling my children is like balm to my soul?!” Truly I say to you, in that moment, that was honestly the truth. I found myself in such a wondrous season of life. I can remember even marveling at the way God had willed in me a desire to worship Him. My heart was joyfully thankful for everything.

And then…something changed!

That season of life ended. It literally vanished overnight. It was as if something in the air had sucked the life out of me. This new season commenced with two really dark and emotional days. I was not the wife or mommy of my daydreams. What’s worst and of more importance, I wasn’t the wife or mommy scripture calls me to be. Now let me be clear, I am still one zealous mommy who home-schools and I am over the moon in love with my honey, but for two days I was having a mommy moment, a meltdown. 

With the dark days graciously behind me, I can truthfully say, I am so excited. You see, prior to my mommy meltdown, I publicly asked for prayer. One request, in particular, was to become incredibly long-suffering. There were people who prayed for me several times over a twenty-four hour period. I feel confident that God is using this new season of life to manifest the answer to their prayers petitioned on my behalf. The truth still remains, I am in a new place emotionally and it is not easy to be here. Change is difficult.

I am being stretched. I am growing to a place where four of my children each need individual time with me. I am hoping to have one on one devotional time and one on one instructional time. In addition to this, I still need to simply be a mommy. It is going to take some time, but I cannot wait to be better!

Here is what I am feeding myself as I navigate through this season

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love."

Ephesians 4:1-2

I have been called to this very place. This place includes being a follower of Jesus Christ, being a wife, and a mommy. Each of these roles is a major part of my essence and I am thankful that God is using these roles to sanctify me. “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in”... me... “will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). I must persevere through this season full of hope, gentleness, and patience.

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."

Proverbs 22:6

I must remain committed to the chief end. To live reflecting that I know God and be committed to making Him known to my beautiful children. This is lived out by treating each day as an opportunity to make Him known to them.

“How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding."

Proverbs 3:13

"Take my instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choicest gold."

Proverbs 8:10

Learning takes place in three phases: knowledge (grammar), understanding (dialectic), and wisdom (rhetoric). Though life would be much simpler if learning took place in one phase and led straight to wisdom. However, we were not fashioned in this way. Thus, I need to be willing to be whomever and whatever my children need, in an effort to build their foundation for knowledge. For some of my children, I need to be a strict disciplinarian, that they become teachable vessels. For others, I must be their second mind. I must be willing to remind them of whatever it is they need to know and learn. Being pliable for the sake of my children is a bit difficult. However, I must keep the bigger picture in mind.          

“How blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”

Psalm 32:1

As I navigate my way through these turbulent waters, it is going to occasionally get bumpy. If I stumble here or there, until I get accustomed to this new season of life, I can rest assured that I am truly in God’s hands. My position in Christ wasn’t earned. It was freely given to me in Christ. Thus, I cannot lose it. I must faithfully confess my sins and trust that God will continue to cleanse me and make me whole. 

So, yes! I did begin my last blog with the statement, “Indeed home-schooling my children is like balm to my soul!” Remarkably it is and this season of life has proven this statement to be truer than ever. Balm is an ointment used to heal or soothe. Home-schooling is a means by which God is healing me by stretching me to possess qualities that will make me more like Him.

God bless you ladies and let’s be great…together!

Crying over Milk and Cookies

An Epiphany from my Heart

Life is never as picturesque and perfect as the photos. Can I be honest? Family life with five children, though blessed beyond measure is better described as a dramatic comedy (or a horror film…blah)! Throw in homeschooling and you have a real-life tearjerker coming to a theater near you.

This past summer however, the Cotchery family set out to transform their film into the most dramatic fantasy like Chronicles of Narnia on steroids. We were actually going to take a true summer break. In reality though, we simply took a month off from home school. Never in the history of Cotchery Manor Day School have we ever, ever taken a full month off. So for us, this was revolutionary.

Our first adventure was a journey to our most favorite resort in Puerto Rico. We have ventured to this paradise many times before, but this time our experience was quite different. For the first holiday ever, we were all present in mind, soul, and body.

Story time in the most majestic tree house towering brilliantly in the air seemed to be the pinnacle of our voyage. We were surrounded by what seemed like a lush rainforest beautifully decorated with its very own pink pineapple garden.

I will never forget the moment I called from the states to reserve the tree house. This particular tree house, with all of its majesty and charm, is usually for massages, and even has an area exclusive for adult spa guests. I called with the pressures of the long, tough year upon me. But a kind woman answered and the gentle voice granted my special request to have my children have personal use of this incredible space.

This kind concierge even offered to include warm cookies and milk with our reservation. Although it was only cookies and milk, it brought me to tears. Maybe one shouldn’t cry over spilled milk, but I cried over milk and cookies.

The tears were enough to convince me that we all needed a break, a moment to simply be. This moment would begin our wondrous trip. So just like that, we put away our books and pulled out the fun. We felt free during the days of our stay. After our trip we continued with the fun, at our own home. We spent hours in the pool, watered our garden, rode our bikes, ate lots of ice cream, watched turtles, hugged, kissed, and frolicked the day away. Quite simply, we cultivated the wonder within us with a staycation after our vacation.

During my time off, as I basked in the sun, I was reminded to bask in the freedom that I have in the Son, Christ. Whether I am schooling or on the most magnificent vacation, I am free indeed. You and I were both called to be free. We must remain steadfast, and not let any yoke (whether it be homeschooling, or anything else) burden us. In this way, we can enjoy the freedom of the Son shining on us no matter where we are.

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)

The Princess and the Pea

Mastering peace within the madness of motherhood

Remember that powerful image from the classic tale, ‘The Princess and the Pea’? 

The princess is sky high in the air on layers upon layers of mattresses, and, way down below, in the most inconspicuous fashion, lays the pea. The princess just cannot seem to find comfort between all of the mattresses, and the nagging pangs of the pea.

As a mom, sometimes I can feel as if life has come upon me like a mountain of mattresses. 

Any given day, there are mounds and mounds of things that come between me and my to do list – phone calls and spills and bottles and diapers and misplaced toys and no end to the surprises that stack upon each other like Jenga blocks.

And, one must not forget the pea, nudging and prodding in my back, representing every single unfinished or pending task that there was simply not enough time to do. All of the swirling, spiraling surprises and tasks are ready to frustrate and dismantle my day from the second I wake from the Land of Nod – which can make one raging war of a person in an instant.

In overwhelming moments like these, when I could literally spit nails into the center of a bull’s eye, I am most thankful for the God that I serve. In times of despair, I am reminded that Christ is the Prince of Peace, and as his bride, I am a princess. But, not just any princess, I am the Princess of Peace, and if you are in Christ, my friend, you are too. No matter what’s nudging and prodding at me, or how many mounds of things slap me in the face on a given day, it is during these most stressful times as a mom that I am graciously reminded to “commit [my] way to the Lord; trust in Him; and He will act” (Psalm 37:5). And, I find peace, in spite of the mounds of mattresses, the pea, and anything else that might come my way.

And if, by chance, my stressful day has left any iniquity within my heart, I know to “repent therefore, and turn back that [my] sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for [me], Jesus.” (Acts 3:19-20). 

At the end of the day, we are a collection of mere moments – magical, merciful, or menacing, and making the most of them is something we all have been blessed with the power to do.

Live in peace, my sister, and love your children incessantly.