I have been feeling overwhelmed lately.  I am planning to begin "official homeschooling" in the fall.  I find having my 4 children home all day, while balancing housework, fun summer activities and my 7 year old's "school decompression" to be very taxing.  I want to do fun things with them, but it is difficult to fit in things around the baby's 2-3 short naps and my 2 year-old's absolutely essential afternoon nap.  We live in a rural town, which is 20 minutes from most activities.  In addition, I need to fit in grocery shopping and other errands, while staying within my gas budget (which is hopeless these days)! Daily, I vacillate between being sure that I can do this homeschooling thing and feeling hopelessly inadequate. 

My consolation is reading all the supportive info in the "homeschooling blogosphere" as well as taking my inpiration from scripture.  Whenever I feel like I want to chicken out on the homeschooling, I feel the Holy Spirit whispering in my ear: (from Corinthians 10:13) No temptation (my husband informs me that in Greek this word can also mean 'trials') has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted(tried) beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted(tried), he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.  I also know that : (from Phillipians 4:13) that: I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

So I am determined to keep "...press(ing) on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:14).  I know for certain that that prize is having my 4 sons in heaven with me, and right now the best way to train them up to be "Men of God" is having them with me daily to get training which will nurture their faith and grant them a solid foundation of Faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ.  And so onward I press...