20 Years of Homeschooling a Houseful

5 September 2006

Tickle My Ears

Do you get a little excited when the latest homeschool catalog or card pack arrives in the mail? I know I do. It's amazing how quickly I can find the time to set aside my regular work to flop down and dream longingly about days filled with homeschool bliss. Each new book and curriculum promises to fufill all of my lack (or slack! ;) )

Do you know when I am most likely to run to the latest "new" ideas? When I'm struggling...with disobedient children, a messy house, a contentious spirit, and a quiet rebellion that wells up inside me. I long for those new plans when I'm running away from what the Lord has called me to do. Run away from God? Never, you say! 2 Timothy 4:3-4 says "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine: but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the Truth, and will turn aside to myths."

When I start working with new families seeking God's best in their homeschools, it can be hard for all of us. There are often glaring problems that families cannot deny exist, and yet they really don't want to hear about. I strongly believe that most of us know deep down what needs changing in our families and homeschools. It's just that we don't really want to do what it takes to fix it. So, we spend our time reading, and listening to tapes, and going to seminars, and looking for a revolutionary way to patch things up.

"Beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits...."(Matthew 7:15-16) God's people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. I remember when I was a young mother with 5 children under school age and lots of energy! (Them, not me!) I read every book on discipline under the sun. I read books by Christians with large families, small families, and no families. I read books by psychologists. I listened to tapes and attended classes. I gleaned some good information in a few of those books. I also filled my head with fluff and false ideas. I was sufficiently "tickled". What it boiled down to, is that mothering 5 very small children is a lot of hard work. I needed a heart consecrated to my Lord, a willingness to accept direction from my husband, and a love of falling into bed at night, exhausted.

When you are struggling and need help, resist the urge to look laterally. When you turn your head and look to the side, you just see the rest of the people in the same boat. Look ahead to mothers who are a stage ahead of you....they can still remember what it was like to be in the boat, but can gloriously describe their arrival at the next destination. When you have fallen out of the boat and feel yourself sinking, reach UP! Proverbs 3:11-14 "My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord, or loathe His reproof'; for whom the Lord loves He reproves, even as a father, the son in whom he delights. How blessed is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. For its profit is better than the profit of silver, and its gain than fine gold."

Do you ever get the feeling that while you have committed to homeschooling your children, it is really YOU who is getting the education?

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5 September 2006 - You Go and OUCH!

Posted by mamato12

I know that we have promised to speak truth into each others life but WOW!
I am so glad you are taking the time to blog out your thoughts and deep inspirations and gleanings. I know that I am not the only homeschooling mama who will be blessed by this!
Love you much!

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About Me

When I was a young mother and homeschooler over 20 years ago, I searched for a mother of many as a mentor. I found a few women along the way that helped me with parenting, but I was blazing my own trail for the most part with homeschooling. I see now how God used that situation to draw me closer to Him. It also forced me to develop my own vision and legacy of homeschooling, rather than simply copying the plans of another. Other than simple teaching experience, I have been mostly heavily influenced by the philosophies of Charlotte Mason and Thomas Jefferson Education (Oliver DeMille). I have read extensively about all kinds of homeschooling, and have enjoyed or endured brief forays into other methods. Later, as more books were available, and especially when I went online in 1993, many doors for fellowship and sharing ideas were opened. Now that I have moved into a new stage of mothering (no babies or toddlers, children moving out and marrying), I wanted to capture some of those things I most wished I had known when I had a houseful of small children. I want to encourage other moms to "stay the course". I have never regretted these years spent homeschooling. It was the best decision I have ever made. I now know that choosing a philosophy and curriculum need not be the basis for educating my children. God gives the vision, and we just need to get out of the boat and start walking toward Him.