School Year Planning - Part One

"What have I forgotten?"

Few things are more exciting for a homeschooling mom as planning for the new school year. However, a few  weeks ago as I sat down with friends to plan out schedules I had a hard time focusing. I knew there was something that I had forgotten in all of my resource gathering, supply buying and lesson planning. Hadn't I chosen the best curriculum? Hadn't I planned something for everyone? Hadn't I bought and organized everything?

What was it? It was driving me crazy!

Yes, it should have been obvious, but it took close to a week for me to figure out what I had forgotten - PRAYER!!

Prayer for clarity in my role as a wife, mother and teacher. Prayer for each child - their needs, weaknesses and struggles. Prayer for our home and family as we are ever learning how to love and serve each other and those around us.

Thankfully I was able to share these things with sixteen other moms the other night as I hosted a Welcome Tea for new and returning moms to our Classical Conversations community and now I want to share them with you.

Now please, this is not just for homeschoolers OR moms, so if this doesn't describe you, don't go just yet.

Taken from the Westminster Larger Catechism, I hope this will refresh and renew us all as we seek our roles and responsibilities that bring glory to God. Click here for a printable version. (I tucked a copy into my lesson planner lest I forget again!!)


What is required of superiors towards their inferiors?


It is required of superiors, according to that power they receive from God, and that relation wherein they stand, to love,[680] pray for,[681] and bless their inferiors;[682] to instruct,[683] counsel, and admonish them;[684] countenancing,[685] commending,[686] and rewarding such as do well;[687] and discountenancing,[688] reproving, and chastising such as do ill;[689] protecting,[690] and providing for them all things necessary for soul[691] and body:[692] and by grave, wise, holy, and exemplary carriage, to procure glory to God,[693] honour to themselves,[694] and so to preserve that authority which God hath put upon them.[695]

[680] Colossians 3:19. Titus 2:4. [681] 1 Samuel 12:23. Job 1:5. [682] 1 Kings 8:55-56 Hebrews 7:7. Genesis 49:28..[683] Deuteronomy 6:6-7. [684] Ephesians 6:4. [685] 1 Peter 3:7. [686] 1 Peter 2:14. Romans 13:3. [687] Esther 6:3[688] Romans 13:3-4. [689] Proverbs 29:15. 1 Peter 2:14. [690] Job 29:13-16. Isaiah 1:10, 17. [691] Ephesians 6:4. [692] 1 Timothy 5:8. [693] 1 Timothy 4:12. Titus 2:3-5. [694] 1 Kings 3:28. [695] Titus 2:15.

What are the sins of superiors?

The sins of superiors are, besides the neglect of the duties required of them,[696] and inordinate seeking of themselves,[697] their own glory,[698] ease, profit, or pleasure;[699] commanding things unlawful,[700] or not in the power of inferiors to perform;[701] counseling,[702] encouraging,[703] or favouring them in that which is evil;[704] dissuading, discouraging, or discountenancing them in that which is good;[705] correcting them unduly;[706] careless exposing, or leaving them to wrong, temptation, and danger;[707] provoking them to wrath;[708] or any way dishonouring themselves, or lessening their authority, by an unjust, indiscreet, rigorous, or remiss behaviour.[709]

[696] Ezekiel 34:2-4. [697] Philippians 2:21. [698] John 5:44. John 7:18. [699] Isaiah 56:10-11. Deuteronomy 17:17. [700] Daniel 3:4-6. Acts 4:17-18..[701] Exodus 5:10-18. Matthew 23:2, 4 [702] Matthew 14:8. Mark 6:24. [703] 2 Samuel 13:28. [704] 1 Samuel 3:13. [705] John 7:46-49. Colossians 3:21. Exodus 5:17[706] 1 Peter 2:18-20. Hebrews 12:10.. Deuteronomy 25:3. [707] Genesis 38:11, 26. Acts 18:17. [708] Ephesians 6:4. [709] Genesis 9:21. 1 Kings 12:13-16. 1 Kings 1:6. 1 Samuel 2:29-31.

What is the honour that inferiors owe to their superiors?

The honour which inferiors owe to their superiors is, all due reverence in heart,[658] word, [659] and behaviour;[660] prayer and thanksgiving for them;[661] imitation of their virtues and graces;[662] willing obedience to their lawful commands and counsels;[663] due submission to their corrections;[664] fidelity to,[665] defence,[666] and maintenance of their persons and authority, according to their several ranks, and the nature of their places;[667] bearing with their infirmities, and covering them in love,[668] that so they may be an honour to them and to their government.[669]

[657] Ephesians 5:21. 1 Peter 2:17. Romans 12:10[658] Malachi 1:6. Leviticus 19:3. [659] Proverbs 31:28. 1 Peter 3:6. [660] Leviticus 19:32. 1 Kings 2:19[661] 1 Timothy 2:1-2[662] Hebrews 13:7. Philippians 3:17. [663] Ephesians 6:1-2, 6-7. 1 Peter 2:13-14. Romans 13:1-5. Hebrews 13:17. Proverbs 4:3-4. Exodus 18:19, 24. [664] Hebrews 12:91 Peter 2:18-20. [665] Titus 2:9-10.[666] 1 Samuel 26:15-16. [667] Matthew 22:21. Romans 13:6-7. 1 Timothy 5:17-18Galatians 6:6. Genesis 45:11. Genesis 47:12. [668] 1 Peter 2:18. Proverbs 23:22 Genesis 9:23. [669] Psalm 127:3-5. Proverbs 31:23.

What are the sins of inferiors against their superiors?

The sins of inferiors against their superiors are, all neglect of the duties required toward them;[670] envying at,[671] contempt of,[672] and rebellion[673] against, their persons[674] and places,[675] in their lawful counsels,[676] commands, and corrections;[677] cursing, mocking[678] and all such refractory and scandalous carriage, as proves a shame and dishonour to them and their government.[679]

[670] Matthew 15:4-6. [671] Numbers 11:28-29[672] 1 Samuel 8:7. Isaiah 3:5. [673] 2 Samuel 15:1-12 [674] Exodus 21:15. [675] 1 Samuel 10:27. [676] 1 Samuel 2:25. [677] Deuteronomy 21:18-21[678] Proverbs 30:11, 17. [679] Proverbs 19:26.

What are the duties of equals?

The duties of equals are, to regard the dignity and worth of each other,[710] in giving honour to go one before another;[711] and to rejoice in each others’ gifts and advancement, as their own.[712]

[710] 1 Peter 2:17.[711] Romans 12:10. [712] Romans 12:15-16. Philippians 2:3-4

What are the sins of equals?

The sins of equals are, besides the neglect of the duties required,[713] the undervaluing of the worth,[714] envying the gifts,[715] grieving at the advancement of prosperity one of another;[716] and usurping pre-eminence one over another.[717]

[713] Romans 13:8. [714] 2 Timothy 3:3. [715] Acts 7:9. Galatians 5:26. [716] Numbers 12:2. Esther 6:12-13. [717] 3 John 9. Luke 22:24.

Source: Westminster Larger Catechism – Questions 127-132