Never put off until tomorrow
what you can do the day after tomorrow.
~Mark Twainn
I'm really working hard to reform my procrastinating ways. It just seems to be one of my "spiritual gifts." I also think it's hereditary because I see evidence of it in my children. Oh Lord, please give us a different gift.
We had a little fun this weekend remembering Alyssa's greatest procrastination moment. I think she learned a great lesson that day, and it will be a memory forever ingrained in both of our minds. Oh, it starts raising my stress levels just thinking about it.
One day, in the 7th grade, Alyssa informed us that she was too sick to go to school that day. I am still not quite sure if she was really sick, or if she had actually realized that she had a really BIG project due the next day that she hadn't even started. I also don't know how it slipped by me that she should have been working on this project. The thing I do know, is that when Ken called me after dropping Kyle off at school, and he asked me if Alyssa should be making some castle model for class, my heart sank in a huge and crazy way. What castle?!?!?
Alyssa didn't know what hit her when her mother came unglued with exasperation. She began digging through her school binder claiming she had no idea that she had a project due so soon. Finding her paper, we come to the conclusion that she has one day until this massive project is due. Had she started it yet? Nope. She could build a castle in some grand creative way, do some drawings and research on the weapons used in this medieval time period, write a report with pictures on the clothes worn in the different economic classes, or write a 21-day journal from a child living a life of servitude hoping to live a better life. Oh, where to begin...
After a few tears of apology and words of frustration and fear, Alyssa went to the task (despite being "sick") of pulling off this project of grand magnitude. The next few hours were spent researching, writing, and putting her color pencils to work. I had a hard time keeping my mouth shut, still beyond frustrated by her lack of responsibility, but also because she was only putting half effort into what she was doing. For instance, she chose to write the 21-day journal, but there was no way she was going to type it. Too much work. Ha! All day, I was reminded of my feelings, but finally I had to let it go, and let her live with the consequences of whatever grade she got. Her grade would be her consequence of such procrastination.
Well, Alyssa got her project done and turned it in on time. Can you just imagine this mother's wonderment when she came home a week later with her graded project, and on it was a huge "A". Are you kidding me?! I wanted to go and have a talk with her a teacher. I'm sure he failed to realize that she didn't really deserve a grade of that magnitude.
Did she learn her lesson on procrastination? A little. She hasn't delayed starting a big project until the day before it's due, but I often question her on the days she claims to be sick. Just one of the consequences from her biggest moment of procrastination.
Lord, thank you for this day and all that it will hold. Thank you for the gift of education and the wonderful teachers that work with my kids on a daily basis to impart to them the wisdom they need for life. I pray that this day holds pleasure in what they are learning. Putting of until tomorrow, what they can do today, is often a struggle that wages war in their minds. Please Lord, help Alyssa and Kyle to make wise choices about what needs to be done in this day. Help them to thrive on working through the things that seem hard, never giving up because it feels overwhelming. Place within themselves a desire to press on, work hard, and put in their best effort on each assignment and project. Lord, I want them to enjoy learning, but at the same time, find a sense of great accomplishment for the times where they have to work hard. Lord, you are the one to help them through each day, each assignment, and each time they are tempted to put off what they need to do. May your Spirit lead them in making wise choices today. You are a great God, and I give you all the thanks and praise.
No comments:
Post a Comment