By the time we start Homeschool Huddle, some kids are riled up with excitement or nervous energy for what the day will look like. I’ll be talking and there will be many interruptions. I have tried a few different things to regain the focus of the huddle.

This one is my favorite: I don’t know how I got this idea, but the phrase, “I’ll wait” came to mind. You know what? It works great. I say the words and then I sit patiently and wait. I am modeling to them how to be patient as kids need an example to learn this. It usually doesn’t take them long to get settled and we can continue.

If my spirited little one continues on in her defiant manner, I remind her that there is a time limit to being done with the Homeschool Huddle and if we can’t settle down, we might miss the message altogether. Eventually she becomes ready because she loves Homeschool Huddle time. Let me break it down:

1. Me telling them, “I’ll wait” and then showing them that I am in fact waiting patiently.
2. When this doesn’t work, I remind them of the time boundary and the consequence that could come if we don’t finish up in time.

What does this remind you of? To me, it frequently reminds me of Heavenly Father. He is always patiently waiting for us. There is a small difference though, His time boundaries are not as strict as my earthly ones. He doesn’t live by the clock like we do.

He does and has shown us the consequences of our choices. And we know most of the time when we do things that we shouldn’t that there will be consequences. He knows what we will choose. That is why the Atonement of Jesus Christ is so important. Why we needed Jesus to do that for us. What amazing love he has for us.

Heavenly Father loved us so much that He sent his son down to earth to do that great sacrifice. I can’t imagine the sorrow it caused Him to watch that.

Jesus loved us so much that when it felt so big that He didn’t want to continue in the Garden of Gethsemane, He did it anyway. Because. He. Loves. You. Yes, you. He loves you. I hope you feel that as you read this. Remember, He loves us all, Even Judas.

I have a very important question for you. How would you feel if Jesus returned to the earth in your lifetime? What do you think you would do when you saw Him again? If He came to you and called you by name. I think that I would run and embrace Him. It would be the most wonderful reunion. I have no doubt that I would immediately remember how special our relationship was before this life on earth.

I want you to imagine the reunion that you will have with Him. How are you feeling about that? Are you nervous that He will still love you and all the choices you made in your life? He will, I promise. Are you angry with Him for not being there when you needed Him most? He was there, I promise. Do you just miss Him and the light he spreads so much that you run to him and begin to sob? He will lovingly embrace and sob with you. He missed you too.

I hope that you can feel the truth of this as you read this today. Now I am going to ask the hard question. If you knew that He would come during your lifetime, what would you do differently? Would you get the scriptures that are covering dust out and start learning about Him and his gospel? Would you look around at your neighbors and see them with different eyes? They are your brothers and sisters after all. Would you look for opportunities to serve them more? Will you go back to church?

I promise you that if you keep this in mind as you go about your daily life, the things of the world will just not be as important to you as they once were. He has a way of turning our thoughts to a more loving way. A more patient way. He is his Father’s son after all. And the Father is just patiently waiting. For. Each. Of. Us.

Now this all sounds beautiful but how do you begin? I wrote a post called The Most Important Things. That is a great way to start. I promise you that as you begin this new journey, you will feel differently. It is wonderful. And no matter what comes, or how many detours you take along the way, He will patiently and lovingly wait.