Bigger Hearts Unit 8 Day 2 poetry question (Prayer poem)

[Rebecca]

Ladies,
I am wondering what you discussed for the smooth paths, the rock strewn paths, and the hard peaks in this unit (unit 8, day 2). This the poem titled Prayer. We talked about some school subjects being rock strewn paths or smooth paths.

I would also like to know what you discussed the meaning of the last two lines of this poem to be.

I tried to share some examples from my own life... but would love to "hear" from other moms.
I am wondering what your children shared was their "hard peak."

Thank you so much!
Rebecca

[GingerN]

Greetings Rebecca. I'll jump in here and sing praises for the poetry in Bigger! I remember week 8 vividly, since that was the week my husband lost his job unexpectedly. We were reading it through for the 3rd time that Wednesday when our family life was forever changed. Now of course the Lord changed it for good, but that week was a low valley. So as I read those words...'I pray for strength and fortitude to climb the rock strewn road.'...they held special significance to us. The girls have a wonderful daddy, and he had been persecuted for an entire year at his workplace. It was a very difficult place to be a Christian and yet he held his head high. So, moving forward to other poems like Hold On in week 11 and A Nation's Strength in week 14 that we just finished today, have made the weeks of waiting a little easier. We have used our family's situation of being without an income, no insurance, and needing to rely on the Lord completely for His provision as the lesson! The poems have been so much richer and meaningful. My girls have seen that America was founded on Godly principles by strong men like their daddy who never gave up. I am feeling very thankful tonight since my dear husband just received the word that he has indeed been chosen for a job that he has been praying for all this time! So a big PRAISE THE LORD from me to you all! Now looking in my manual towards tomorrow's lesson from week 15...the poem See It Through is very fitting. We'll sleep well, content and thankful tonight. Blessings to you~
Ginger

[water2wine]

I am wondering what you discussed for the smooth paths, the rock strewn paths, and the hard peaks in this unit (unit 8, day 2). This the poem titled Prayer. We talked about some school subjects being rock strewn paths or smooth paths.

I would also like to know what you discussed the meaning of the last two lines of this poem to be.

My kids talked about the smooth paths as people who have been able to love their life unaffected by the war and the economy. The hard paths were people who have lost jobs and been laid off and people that are persecuted for their faith and a little kid waiting in an orphanage not knowing if they would ever have parents vs a child who has never known anything but loving parents. This was their example.

The meaning of the last line "transform every stumbling block to a stepping stone" Was in their mind a request to God to take the hard times to use them to learn things that would mold them to be more Christ like.

I have in the past given them examples of how God used hard things in my life to make me closer to Him and show me His call for me and I have spoken to them about how God used circumstances that were hard so that they could be my children and God would stretch my heart to adopt them. So they had examples long before the poem but this is what they got out of it. They decided that the over all meaning of the poem was a prayer to know the full power of God in their life that He is in control of everything and at times allows hard times for our good and His glory.

I would say this is one of those things that if they get the general meaning and do not have something deep to compare it to in their life it is almost a blessing. It may not have super deep meaning to them now but hopefully they will hide the simple meaning in their heart to take out one day if they ever need it. It so happens all my kids that do Bigger spent the first part of their life in an orphanage so they may go a little deeper because they have lived it. I would praise God if your kids do not have a clue. In this case it is a blessing but still a worth while meaning to hide in their heart. We did copywork on this one and I had them memorize part of it. I thought it was a really good poem for them to learn especially that last part.

Hope this helps!