Ok, wait a minute.  What's with the Christmasy theme---it's only June!  I guess it's so hot that I am just dreaming of snow.......and well, I was just attempting to come up with a catchy title for what I want to say....I thought of "Searching for the Perfect Homeschool." But, that one has already been taken, I think.  Or, "Living In the Imperfect Homeschool."  But I don't want to take anything away from dear Barbara!

So I will stick with the title above. 

I would love to say that wonderful is the most apropos term for our homeschool today.....actually, I would love to be able to say that it is more than wonderful, all the time.  But reality has a way of getting in the way of it being wonderful, most of the time.  And to be truthful, maybe I should change the word "reality" to "Mom."  Unfortunatly, I do get in the way of things being wonderful around here.

Now, this isn't intended to be a self-flagellating entry.  Its purpose is that hopefully I can help someone else to work through some of the things that have been on my mind these last few days. 

There have been a lot of discussions going on in various homeschooling circles about year end programs, re-analysis of what went right (or not) and whether or not to keep on homeschooling through the Summer months. 

 It is always a good thing to evaluate progress, celebrate achievement, and plan for the future!  But, I think sometimes we get caught up in the "World's" definition of progress, achievement, and goal setting.  It's not hard to do---especially with so many of us homeschooling Mom's having been the product of public education.  As much as we try to break free from those old tapes, "resistance is futile." 

 (I suppose I am talking to you older homeschool Mom's out there.  You second generation homeschool young Moms are doing fine, so you can stop reading now.  LOL)

Researchers have told us that our children have an innate desire and drive to learn.  They are little "learning machines."  But we can very quickly put those little learning machines out of commission, just by forcing them to learn for any other reason than just the sheer delight of it!  There will come a day, soon enough, when our children learn because they absolutely need the information.  But for some reason, we have been ingrained to think we have to create or comply with an artificial reason for them to do "educational activities." 

Life has enough "curriculum" to last all of our days, without contriving and comparing and competing and creating a false context for knowledge.  Most of the media that we are bombarded with daily is not necessary!  Before you write me off as a wacko (which you probably already have, if you know me personally~ha-ha) just think of this:  There is a time and a season and a purpose for everything under heaven.  Yes, it says that right there in Ecclesiastes 3.

1 To everything there is a season,
      A time for every purpose under heaven:

       2 A time to be born,
And a time to die;
      A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
       3 A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
      A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
       4 A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
      A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
       5 A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
      A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
       6 A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
      A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
       7 A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
      A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
       8 A time to love,
And a time to hate;
      A time of war,
And a time of peace.

  We don't control the time, or the season, OR the purpose.  Our Father in heaven does.  He is involved in our lives, and working things out on our behalf, every day.  Remember the verse in the Law that tells us how to teach our children?  (And what to teach them?)

It's the part about how we are to teach them all about the Lord God Almighty, and how we are to talk to them when we rise up, sit down, walk by the way, and when we lie down.  All the time, all about Him.  And this is the reason:  He has the answers to all those questions in the verse in Ecclesiastes.  He will tell us, and show us how to respond to each new time and season in our lives. 

So while we are all fretting, (at least I have been, hence this post to get my head on straight) about ceremonies, and standards and scopes and goals and trying to get out of the rut we were brought up in, there has been someone else directing our paths.

 Have you been wondering too, "What on earth am I supposed to be doing today!!??"  I have.  And if you have this dilemma too, here is our answer.  If we would just get out of His way so we can see where He is leading us, well, He will lead us.

"As for God, His way is perfect;  the Word of the Lord is tried:  He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him.  For who is God save the Lord:  Or who is a rock save our God?  It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect." 

 Psalm 18:30-32

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts". 

 Isaiah 55:8-9

Homeschooling IS a Wonderful Life!

Nancy