Hello, Raggant families! Welcome back!
If you can believe it, history’s (seemingly) shortest summer is behind us, and we are on the doorstep of another school year. And as we do so, I am reminded about the value of staying the course. The reminder impressed me as I was thinking about this time last year. We constantly have projects going on at our place, and (as I shared in the Raggant Standard at the time) last year we were clearing a field of rocks. Lots and lots of rocks. By hand. This year, the kids play out in that field every day. It was a lot at the time, but looking back, it wasn’t that bad.
And it seems like that happens a lot…especially when it comes to shaping souls. It happens around your dinner table and it happens in our classrooms. Every name written on the board is like a rock plucked from the field. Every spanking administered by a loving parent is another rock. Every reading drill, timed fact sheet, novel read, class discussion…rock, rock, rock, rock.
It’s a lot of work in the moment, but it’s over in a blink. It speaks to the importance of being committed to a vision, having eyes of faith, and doing the work, whether we feel like it or not.
While we may never quite get all the rocks, we can sure try. Soon enough that job will be done and we’ll be greeted with a better and a harder one (like Shasta!).
It’s time to get to work, everyone! May God give us eyes of faith.
Risus est bellum!
-U.H.
*In case you care, the first picture was taken on August 31, 2023; the second was taken on August 31, 2024. The last one was taken during spring break.