My local homeschool group got into a discussion last week about feeling burned out. Many of us are just fried - including me. I often expect to feel like this in March or April, but September? When we've only done about 8 weeks of school? How can I be burned out this early? How do others do this year after year after year?

The following morning, God showed me a couple of verses in Colossians that helped me change my attitude:

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." (Col. 2:6-7)

"Let the peace of christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." (Col. 3:15)

Thankfulness.

Gratitude.

Boy, if those aren't attitude-adjusters, I don't know what is!

If I can focus on gratitude instead of the difficulties, I think that can make a huge difference in my endurance and patience. It's hard to be impatient with people and situations you actually enjoy, isn't it?! So I've been working on cultivating a thankful heart lately. (Pray for me, friends!) I have become thankful for the opportunity to train my children's characters and teach them to live in a way that pleases God and builds good relationships with others. Is that a great, grand, wonderful calling or what?! Yes, it can be a struggle at times, but doing it with gratitude that I have been entrusted with this opportunity is what can keep me going day after week after month after year.