Thoughts On Inspiration

With Summer at full tilt I find myself gently summoned to begin thinking about school in the fall.  Okay, so if it weren't for NY State law REQUIRING me to have it all together by August believe me, I'd be sitting by the pool in the back yard drinking lemonade while my cuties splashed about. 
But in all honesty I thoroughly enjoy thumbing through homeschool catalogs and websites looking for the best curriculum to suit each individual learning style.  There is little as exciting as the hope of sparking a love of learning in my children.  

Inspiration.  What a gift to be given the task of inspiring young minds!  I feel overly blessed to be called to this mothering thing.  This home teaching life.  This daily mind and heart influence.  It's as beautiful as it is daunting.  It's easy to feel ill-equipped with such a full plate.  And easier still to glance over at another's plate to see it more full AND more organized!  My husband recently gave me some sound advice after my expressing my failures and disadvantages as a homeschooling mom.  He said, "Em, when I talk to another lineman I realize I'm not the best lineman.  And when I talk to another mechanic, I realize I'm not the best mechanic.  The point isn't you being the best, the point is that you continue on the path God's placed before you with a passion." 

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The joy of cultivating the minds of my children is found when I focus on the unique ways God's furnished my heart and apply them to spur on the next generation.  In this I'm using what was once called my disadvantage as the key to unlock their potential.  Often times others glean the most where we lack the biggest.  Maybe partly because our efforts are doubled in striving for greatness or possibly because we show true humility in our weaknesses that makes us shine. 
In either case inspiration is born in the hearts of those who see our passion for living.  When we share our excitement over a good book, a delicious recipe, a favorite hiking trail or a soul quenching soundtrack we trigger a chord in others to find where their heart hunger lies.  We release the okay to be enthusiastic about something, to stand up for an injustice, to appreciate the creativity of nature and to look for the sweet aroma of God's love.  We inspire simply by being inspired ourselves! 
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"If your actions inspire others to dream more, do more, learn more and become more, you are a leader."
-John Quincy Adams


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