Posted in Encouragement

It's been one of those days.  Yep, one of THOSE days.  You know, the kind that starts out with mom oversleeping and waking up to the sound of children arguing in the next room.  And it only goes downhill from there.  Then comes the whining and demanding.  "What?  You mean you want breakfast?  Didn't you just eat yesterday?"  Then of course, we had to deal with--ehem--less that cooperative attitudes about schoolwork.  And mom was a bit grumpy, too.

One of the true blessings of homeschooling is the fact that your children are with you all the time.  One of the drawbacks of homeschooling is that your children are with you all the time....There's not a lot of breaks from things like the bickering, the bad attitudes, and the whining.  However, the resulting intensive training is extremely effective.  The Lord is using my children to refine me daily.  He is forcing me to grow up by putting me in a position to be an example to my children.  My children so often reflect the areas in my own character that I know need work.  In addition to being an excellent mirror of my own flaws, it is simply impossible to ignore my children's needs and still be considered a good mother.  There is no halfway in Biblical parenting.  There is also no room for selfishness.  They have to come first.  I must serve them and care for them, but in doing so, I am becoming more of the person God would have me to be.

It is truly a privilege that God would deem me worthy to raise children for His glory.  It is also a very good thing that days like today are balanced with days of sweet parent-child fellowship and that even in the midst of a day like this, there are moments like my daughter putting her hand on my cheek and saying, "I love you, Mommy."  So, I guess there's still hope--hope for me to be a good mommy, and hope for my kids to turn out okay someday.  There is even hope that I will make it through the rest of today....