Order of Operations: Direction

"If you don't know where you are going, how will you know when you get there?" ~ Anonymous

Direction requires organization. As a rule, people with direction are usually on course. For a homeschool mom (or just any mom), having direction means you have goals, you plan, you work towards them, and you expect to arrive at a 'destination' at some point in the future.

To reach our goals, the details of our lives must be in ORDER:

-we must know where we are going
-have a plan to get there
-know what is on the schedule (calendar)
-and maintain some sort of order in our homes, homeschools, and lives

It's a tall order in this busy world (especially for moms of large families or moms with little tots and babies thrown in to the homeschool agenda). Without order you'll likely miss your target.

"But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way." ~ 1 Corinthians 14:40

The answer to keeping on course (besides prayer (which I'm convinced is the #1 component to success in 'juggling it all') is to organize.

'Ain't it the truth?

How often have you felt like you were going in circles? 'Meeting yourself coming and going'? How often TODAY have you felt like that (at least that's the question I would ask myself because I'm often overwhelmed by the amount of 'stuff' I have to get checked off on my list each day).

One of my favorite books about goal setting, organizing, and creating order in your homeschool is Vicki Caruna's - The Organized Homeschooler. I read this book at least once, sometimes twice a school year. It's in my sidebar and amazon store in case you wanted to get a copy. It is one of my top 3 favorite homeschool books.

Note: She has some great advice that is timeless... good for anyone - even if you aren't a homeschool mom.

Advice like:

- organize not just your THINGS, but your thoughts
- God's plan is not haphazard (Romans 8:28)
- Redeem the time (Ephesians 5:16)
- "when you write it down, you make it serious" - write your goals down
- review your goals often to make sure you aren't wasting time
- "if your expectations are unrealistic, your disappointment will be great"
- start small
- evaluate the habits and heart behind your (and your kids') behaviors
- ask yourself if what you are doing is pointing you towards a goal
- planning is underrated
- if we are complacent, our children will be as well (the kids watch how we spend our time)
- if you are too busy, you are not about "God's Business"
- we are accountable for how we spend our time (it is a gift)
- "It's not enough to be busy. You must be productive."
- "Don't be a clock-watcher. Be a God-Watcher."
- form must follow function (the things you own must be useful and helpful)
- do it daily, follow a routine - keep the chaos at bay

These are great little one-liners - and there's more where those came from - that are such an inspiration to me.

This past week I focused on organizing because I felt the sting of what an 'unorganized' year was like last school year. Things will be different this year. Some lessons are hard-learned (read: much weeping and gnashing of teeth). I got a fortune cookie the other day that said: YOU WILL MAKE A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER. I immediately applied it to this area of my life. I'm pretty sure that all the work we have done this month to set goals, plan, prepare, declutter, and organize will pay off in an amazing way this school year. Just in time for our next wrench: baby #4 due in February! Ha!

Later this week, I'm going to share...

-some details about my custom dayplanner/school binder that I call my 'brain'
-some planning forms for this school year
-a picture post of our decluttering/bookshelf 'after' photos
-about our new workboxes

... and then we'll move on to the next Order of Operations ---> A for Academics!

Be sure to tune in!