DO YOU HAVE A MINUTE?

Do you have a minute?  I know that it is a busy time.  But if my email and what I am hearing around me is any indication, it is also the time of year when homeschool moms are beginning to feel mid year burn out. 

Are you there?

Some of us have had weeks of sickness, resulting in the feeling that we are not where we "should be" in our curriculum; some of us have had a death or some other challenge within the family.  Some of us are beginning to question if we have too many outside activities.  We are stressed, a little lost and feel like we don't even have time to be in the Word.  You are not alone. 

It is easy to fall into discouragement and like we are at the end of our homeschooling rope so to speak.  Wouldn't our kids be better off if... 


If you have begun that sentence in your mind this week, then it is time for fresh perspective. 


1.  We need to be in the Word.  My greatest encouragement to you would be to choose the better thing.  When our minds begin to panic, our first reaction is often to work faster, harder-  pull ourselves up by our boot straps- and get moving!  But the answer is not in ourselves.  We must spend time entreating the Lord- now more than ever.  I have a friend who stops her whole family during the morning at the same time and says, "It's Bible time!" Everyone grabs their Bibles, finds a quiet place and gets in the Word. It eliminates the distractions of people doing Bible at various times.  “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42

2.  Remember your goals for home education and nip comparisons in the bud.  Israel Wayne reminds us: "By keeping in mind that we are homeschooling because we want to raise children who love Jesus, we won't be so frustrated when Johnny doesn't understand Phonics or Chemistry." Home education is much more than an academic alternative. It is a disciplining process and the perfect environment for our impurities to rise to the surface so that the purification process can take place.    "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the traditions of men... and not according to Christ." Colossians 2:8  Also, remember that comparing ourselves to others is never wise. "But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." 2 Corinthians 13:5. 

3.  Be realistic with your time.  This window of time with your children is very small and there are potential pitfalls at each stage.  Every family is unique, but we all only get 24 hours each day.  If you  do not have time to selah; if your children don't have time to be children and if you are too stressed to enjoy one another it may be time to eliminate outside activities.  Look at your schedule and seek to determine if your busyness is drawing you closer to Christ and one another or just wearing you out. 

4.  Consider your own set of circumstances.  If the Lord has given you a new baby, a death in the family, children that need special attention, or even illness realize that God has sovereignly placed these things in your life for a purpose.  Both to conform you to the image of Christ and for your good.  Rest in Him and don't fight against your unique story. 

5.  Seek Christ and do not worry.  Christ said that we are not to worry about what the pagans do.  He does not want us to worry about things critical to life- our clothing or food- and so we understand that this would apply even more to other things- like home education.  While I am all for making goals, school plans and for teaching my children I know that unless the Lord builds the house all of my labors are in vain.  We must first seek His kingdom and righteousness- and everything else will be added unto us. 

"For the pagans run after all these things,
and your heavenly Father knows
that you need them.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own."

~ Matthew 6:32-34

I was so encouraged recently, by reading a wonderful post by Sally Clarkson at WholeHearted Homeschooling.  She wrote it to encourage moms to have the right focus at the beginning of the school year, but around this time we all need to hear it again, don't we? 

FROM SALLY



"I have spent the last several weeks speaking at conferences. I constantly meet moms who are trying to homeschool the best way and be sure that their children get it “all”. How blessed your children are to have you as their moms. However, I want to encourage each of you to relax.   Homes have been the place where genius has been birthed, leaders have been made for thousands of years. It was because of the faithful mothers who have trained their children in character, given them chores to do, had discussions over the dinner meal, and read the Bible to their children. I feel so strongly that parents are so intent on getting the “best” experience in education, while not understanding that the most important aspect in a child's education is the mentoring and directing of the parents over the personality, influences, peer relationships, and character development.

So many moms have asked me, “Do you know about this or that two day a week school and how it works and if it will help my child educationally?” I have lived through three of my children graduating and I have seen amazing results in their lives even though we didn't have perfect school days or have consistent schedules. (Seventeen moves, six times internationally, car accidents, illnesses, etc.) Yet, my children have scored at the top on their SAT's, received scholarships or pursued other areas in the arts and ministry where they were able to excel. What is the most important to me, though, is that, by God's grace, our children still love us and listen to us and love the Lord and are seeking Him.

I have been to several national and international leadership conferences in the past year and am sick to find out the statistics of the youth culture—79% of children who grew up in Christian homes leave their Christian faith when they go to college. The appalling statistics of youth who are still virgins by the age of 17 is beyond comprehension. These were just statistics to me until they started turning up in my basement–our kids rec room–friends of my children who had grown up in church and some in homeschool groups who were in tears, confessing to my boys that they were sleeping with their Christian girlfriends and didn't know how to stop and feeling guilty. With the rampant sexuality on tv and on the web and the immoral standards of movies, and the leisure time that children have with other children who are not monitored in their homes–and in your neighborhood, I must say—puts pressure on your children to want to conform and places temptation in their pathway. So the question of schools or not depends on what peers they will become heart connected to–what morals the people in the school have, how emotionally attached they become to those in the school that could lead their heart astray.

In other words, focusing on educational classes primarily is, as I have said in my conferences, “straightening the picture on a wall of a house that is burning down.”

Your goal in education is reaching their heart, filling their emotional cup, teaching them moral foundations, capturing their vision for life for the kingdom of God, teaching them what it looks like to walk through difficult times while holding tight to the hand of God. May God grant you understanding and faith to follow these paths and to raise up a strong generation for Him."

Sally's at Whole Heart.

Blessings to you as you lead little hearts Home,

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Love this- Source.