As I sit here with my second cup of freshly brewed coffee, listening to the beautiful quiet of the morning, I feel peaceful and even a bit refreshed from a good night’s sleep. I begin to plan out my day in my head, dreaming that today might actually be the day I get everything on my to-do list checked off. And then, our backyard chickens interrupt my morning zen with their truly obnoxious cackling and “ba-gocking.” I start to feel anxiousness creeping into my mind, as I worry that their cacophony will disturb the neighbors.
Then, my worry turns into annoyance. Don’t get me wrong here. I absolutely adore my chickens. I call them my “chickie girls,” and I visit them several times everyday. They lay us fresh eggs daily, come running when they see me, and even let me hold them like babies…it’s quite a sight, really. But in this very moment, all I hear is their loudness and I am annoyed with them…even embarrassed by them. They aren’t fitting into my perfect morning. They have disturbed the peace. Their raucous noise falls outside my definition of relaxation. Wait. Uh-oh. Some of you may already have figured out where I’m going with this story. 
These creatures in my care are doing exactly what they were created to do. They are squawking to announce the arrival of the eggs (The thing I want them to do the most!). Looks like I am the one who needs both an attitude and perspective adjustment. Oops. I take another sip (ok, a gulp really) of coffee, set down my cup, and walk outside to visit them. I talk to them, thanking them for the eggs (5 today so far!), and give them some treats…AKA last night’s salad leftovers. Then, something even more important hits me like a 40-lb sack of chicken feed. This same process occurs in my mind with my kids sometimes when we are doing school (Cue music that goes “dun ,dun, dun…”).
Maybe you’re familiar with these times, too? You know the ones. You task the kids with some assignment you want them to do, and they jump right in to begin. They move through the steps, but perhaps not the way you would have pictured. You start to feel annoyed that their assignments aren’t coming out “right,” and have to fight off every urge to correct their “wrongness.” They are completing the task, but it isn’t fitting into the imaginary box you thought it would/should. They are doing what you asked them to do, but maybe not using the process you had wanted them to. Guess what? It might be time for a change of perspective.
Homeschooling, much like many other things in life, is an exercise in stretching and adapting…for both students AND parents. It is also a daily reminder (like my chickens’ eggs songs) to try to see things through many lenses, not just my own. What a blessing we have as homeschooling parents! We get to practice empathy, patience, and understanding daily! It might not be easy, but oh the sweet joy we receive in trade for loosening our monocles to see the whole picture.
So as I sit back down to finish my coffee, still hearing my chickie-girls in the yard, along with the kids who have joined in for morning P.E. on the trampoline now, I make a conscious choice to appreciate each one for their individuality, rather than wanting them to conform to my own ideas. Are there times they will still need to? Definitely. And that’s a lesson in and of itself, but we will save that for another day. I tip my cup to get the last drops of coffee, and I feel the renewed peace of the morning wash back over me, and joy seeps through like balm to my soul. I pray that you can feel the same today, friends. We will chat again soon.
Here are some Bible verses I love that speak about peace, and some FREE graphics for you to save so you can look at them whenever you need a little slice of peace. And don’t forget to search for the joy!
Proverbs 14:30 “ A heart at peace gives life to the body.”
Proverbs 34:14 “Seek peace, and pursue it.”
Psalm 29:11 “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.”
Numbers 6:26 “The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”