Walking Therein

Seeking Rest- The Pressures and Blessings of being a Homeschool Mom

5:16 PM, Thursday, November 2, 2006 .. Posted in Seeking Rest in Heart and Home .. 1 comments .. Link

‘Tis the season...To not get swamped and pressured into doing things your family cannot afford - monetarily or time-wise.

    Well, ok, that is for me. This is precisely why we keep our children home. We have enough to accomplish and teach and learn within our household, family and the friends God has given us, that we don’t need all the extra running-around and ‘stuff’ to spend time and money on. I am not including things that are truly beneficial - and time-wise for our family and God's glory!

    Now is the time of year when well-meaning friends and relatives, business, churches, etc., have all kinds of extra-curricular activities that you ‘should’ join in - *after all, you don’t have much to do, you only homeschool!* I got this 'impression' a lot when there were things to do that really needed someone to do them or somewhere 'We really should go' to. Since I was capable, it was my duty, right?

    Do you really enjoy being so busy that you come home day after day or even a couple of days a week and collapse on the couch, after spending all day - or several evenings- doing other things? I would really like to know, because I used to do that without giving it a second thought. Now, I hate to go to town on grocery day for 2-3 hours. And, now that it is 30 degrees outside, I really hate it!

    It used to be nothing for me to spend 3-4 days at the church with our children, volunteering or spending time at my friend’s house, having lunch and socializing, running around town, running to this practice and that meeting. UGH! I was totally neglecting my household and my homeschooling. Don’t get me wrong, our home has never been filthy and our children have always done their lessons, but not as effectively as I could have done it! I didn’t know it, but I was a mess. I was creating the mess. My friends and others who saw my good works told me how awesome a job I was doing, and they didn’t know how I did it all. Maybe because I was doing lot of things pretty good, but nothing excellent.

    This was the time when I felt that I should be able to go several times a month, regardless of hubby’s schedule, and scrapbook - or stamp - or go for coffee, go shopping with a friend. *After all, I spent all my time with my children, and I NEEDED A BREAK!* And, I found out not too long after that that there are consequences to having my own agenda and putting my own ‘ministries’ and ideas of ministries, etc. first. This is not to say that I wasn’t doing “good works“, but, that has never been my goal. I don’t want to get to the Throne and have the LORD say, “Well done, you did good works.” I desire to do God’s Best. I just had no idea what that was, because my prayer life - and my home life were not glorifying God.

    So, the journey is always for a reason. I have always felt like I was on a testing ground, because I am not a pioneer in this arena, but I am in my own circles. I have had to learn the hard way. Sometimes that is the best way - sometimes not. At least I am to where I can train my children to know the difference.

    So, now, in Nov. 2006. (WOW.... Nov. 2006...) Well, there is so much to do. Seasons are changing, Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming, and lessons will be ever-present. Seasons changing means snow here. It means staying inside, because you spend as much time bundling up and thawing out as you do playing! Well, mostly. It means shoveling snow. And slush. It also means the warmth of fresh-baked bread and goodies, beautiful twinkling lights and the beauty of freshly fallen snow.

    Staying home has not lessened my responsibility or my work. In fact, I think it has increased it! Perhaps that is why weary hearts search places away from home, seeking an easier life, not knowing the consequences that will be reaped. -or the joys that will be missed! With all of the work there is to do here daily - hourly - I revel in the joy of spending these moments with our children. I cherish being able to leave my Littles under the care of an older sibling so Matt and I can spend time alone for a bit and re-connect. I am thankful that I don’t have to worry about all of the humanist and otherwise influences. I am thankful I am not concerned with doing what the culture feels is necessary to have a happy marriage and be a great Mom.

    No, I am not always happy and thankful. But, I am home. I am where I belong. I could make it in the business world. I could make it in whatever world I wanted. I could even do it with God’s blessing, as He blessed the work of my hands....but, this is my truest calling - the calling of a Homeschool Mother. The calling of my children to their Lord... being home, leading them there.
Praise God.
Seeking to glorify Him....

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