Barbara Frank
Check out my new eBook, "The Imperfect Homeschooler's Guide to Homeschooling," at
http://www.cardamompublishers.com/imperfect-homeschooler_files/page0003.htm

Cardamom Publishers
Home of Life Prep for Homeschooled Teenagers
Visit "The Imperfect Homeschooler" Web site at http://www.cardamompublishers.com/
Stop by and say hi: www.homeschoolblogger.com/BarbaraFrank

I think my homeschool journey began about 16 years ago when I was still in college.  I had a psychology major with a journalism minor and dreamed of working with Focus on the Family someday.  I thought that was the highest calling to ministry, but then God started drawing me towards an education major.  I thought education was an even better ministry because then I'd have 25 - 30 students daily in my care.  I was so gung-ho. 

My husband and I married during my junior year of college and I was 6 months pregnant by the time graduation rolled around.  I knew from my experience of working in preschools that I wanted to stay home for the first year with our baby, but after that I'd have to get a teaching job.  So that's what I did. 

God provided good babysitters while I taught other people's children for 4 years, but He used those years of teaching to show me how important parents are.  As a teacher you get to see the good, bad and the ugly and I knew that I wanted to be home with my son instead of teaching other people's children each day.  I realized that my most important minsitry was that of wife and mother.

So I took a one year leave of absence (to make sure that we could make it on one income) and never looked back.  Of course most people just assumed that when my children got school age that I'd go back to teaching, but that wasn't God's plan.   As our oldest reached school age, my husband and I realized that the decision of where our child would go to school was HUGE.  The idea of him being away from us everyday and entrusting him to someone else's care just didn't seem right, but we didn't know much about homeschooling. 

We prayed and laid out our three options - public, private or homeschool.  For awhile it seemed like my husband and I were always favoring different options.  But then the Columbine school shootings happened.  We thought about hard it must be to be away from your child and unable to protect them.  Then our local newspaper featured a homeschool family and told their story of how their oldest was going on a scholarship to college.  I contacted the paper and got the number of that homeschool mom and called her with all of my questions.  She was so gracious and answered all of questions patiently and told me when the next support group meeting was coming up so that my husband and I could attend. 

She ended the conversation with "I can't wait to see what God is going to do in your family." and I think that was a light bulb moment for me.  I realized that it really was about God and our family, rather than just about sending him off on the yellow bus to "school"  So God began leading my husband towards homeschooling as well and we knew that He was calling us to something different.  Who would have thought a public school teacher would end up homeschooling her own?  Truthfully I now realize that more public school teachers are homeschooling their own children because they are learning about what real education is and just how hard it is for that to take place in a classroom.  And there are even more parents choosing to homeschool year after year. 

I'm just so thankful that God called my husband and me to homeschool.  It has helped us to have a wonderful relationship with each other and has drawn us even closer to God.  It's not always an easy journey, but I know that God has prepared the way for us and will carry us through it.

Homeschooling isn’t always easy.  It can be awesome and extremely rewarding, but it can also be challenging.  It’s harder to homeschool during the tough times.  Even though you’re homeschooling, you still have to deal with financial, health and relationship issues.  It’s important though that you keep those things in perspective and not give up. 

One of my favorite old hymns, Because He Lives,explains how I find peace during the tough times.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.

Because He lives, all fear is gone.

Because I know, He holds the future.

And life is worth the living

Just because He lives.

I try to keep my eyes focused on what God has done for me rather than on my current circumstances.  God loves each of us so much and has a wonderful plan for all of our families.  I have to trust Him to lead me through the tough times, even when things aren’t the way I hoped.  God sees the big picture and is in control. 

No matter what is going on in my life, I cling to Jeremiah 29:11.  “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”  When I’m feeling discouraged, I try to listen to uplifting Christian music.  I try to sift through my thoughts and recognize if Satan is trying to attack me with negativity.  If that is happening, I have to take those thoughts captive and get rid of them!  I try to focus on the scriptures that remind me of Who He is.  I try to get some peace and quiet (relatively quiet anyway) in the house so that I can just be still and let the Holy Spirit minister to me. 

As a Christian, I am blessed with new mercies everyday from The Most High God.  I try to remind myself that I am a princess, the daughter of the King and that He is taking care of me.  His favor IS upon me and I have to keep the faith. 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

Nancy Carter

May 2005